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If you read the New Testament and the words in red,

did her Jesus, and you think of him delivering testament and you would interpret the new testament far differently.

And it is such a wonder to see in the Christian faith now that joy has come into its own as a thing we value.

Welcome to the Jesus Calling podcast.

This week we're talking to two women who grew up checking off the boxes to be the best Christians they could possibly be

and who would later in life come to know a God who was more concerned with their hearts than with their behaviors.

Comedian Anita Renfro grew up in a church that didn't consider laughter to be appropriate within its walls.

As a person who always had something funny running through her head, it took her years to realize

that joy, which bubbles over into laughter, is actually something that pleases the heart of God.

Writer and teacher Holly Lou Jostis also grew up in an environment that had very specific notions

on what it meant to be a good Christian, basically playing a role that ran counterintuitive to who she

was as a person, she struggled to find her authentic self until she learned to know the God who

loved her madly, who gave her the freedom to be exactly who she was meant to be.

Let's start with Anita Story.

Hi everybody, I'm Anita Renfro,

and so glad to be here today.

I am a follower of Jesus. I love to bring joy mostly to females and I've

been doing it for over 20 years and when I hear laughter in a room,

...