Hey, friends, welcome back to the messy table, an ordinary space for real women,

imperfect stories, and the God who's at work in our mess.

I am Jen Jewel, and I'm incredibly honored to host this faith-fueled conversation-style podcast, which releases a brand new episode every other Tuesday.

We are partnered with the women of my church, Life Church, but also we just love locking arms with bravely surrendered women from all over the capital C church, and though our worlds might look vastly

different, what a joy it is to worship, the same powerful God. So I don't know about you, but while it

feels like everything normal has flipped completely upside

down during this coronavirus pandemic, I'm grateful for a place where I can still show up,

even while social distancing, even without makeup, while likely holding a coffee mug that I've reheated

five billion times, while feeling all the feels, as that seems to be a common thread these days.

Guys, one of my favorite things about women is that we are pretty darn good about showing up for each

other, eager to share, eager to hear the good, the bad, and yes, even the messy.

So today I have one of my favorite cheerleaders back here with me as my co-host,

my great friend, Latanya Pratt, and we are chatting with a mutual sweet friend of ours,

the Mel Hill. But before we get to that, I want to let you know, we actually recorded this

conversation in person at my house around the middle of March, just a few short days before everything went

nuts. I'm pretty sure they were the last guests in my home before things quickly changed and we all

went into lockdown. But y'all, as I re-listen to this story and the truth smell brings to the

table, I was amazed at just how timely and how these words were so good for my soul.

You know, we see people in their current situation, like Mel.

She's amazing.

She's married to Brian, who's a pastor at Life Church.

She's raised two incredible girls to adulthood, recently adding a son-in-law.

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