Everybody, what is going on? You know what time it is. You're listening to join the Journey podcast with your host, Emma Daughter.

Thanks for joining and Merry Christmas. It is Christmas Day. Hope you all are having a great time with your families and friends. And I am here today with an old friend. As all month long, we've been having young adults and their

leaders on the podcast. I'm here with the one and only, Jacob Alger. Hey, Emma, good to be here,

not Santa Claus, but super excited to be here on Christmas morning. And I'm a long-time listener,

first-time caller, so super excited to be on the podcast. I kind of am amazed that this is your first time,

but I can't think of a better close second to Santa. We asked him to be on the podcast today. He said

no. It's it hurt my feelings a little bit. Amazing. It's okay. Jacob, for those who don't know you,

would you share a little bit about what God's done in your life and then what you're up to these

days? Yeah, for sure.

So to summarize really briefly, I grew up with two parents who loved the Lord and prioritize the things of God in our home, which is an incredible blessing.

I'm incredibly grateful and especially as I get older and have kids in my own to be able to say that.

And so from an early age, I had God's revelation before me, making it clear that I was dead

my sins apart from Christ, but that through his sacrifice of his own son, on my behalf,

I could be forgiven to my sin and receive new life.

And so my relationship with Christ began at a young age, and God's been

faithful to continue growing, pursuing, teaching, pruning, refining me by the power of his spirit

for almost last 20 years, which is kind of crazy to say, really humbling. But that's come through a variety

of different seasons. Some seasons where I would say I was

really eager and yearning for his presence and desiring to make much of God through my life. And then

others where I was seeking satisfaction in other people, in other places, and other things,

to eventually only be reminded of my constant need for his grace and his overwhelming kindness

to draw me back to himself. So that's very high level, a little bit about my journey. And then now,

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