Nikki Humphrey (00:00)
Hi, I'm Nikki.
Hope Mangiafico (00:02)
I'm
Hope. Welcome to Equipped Fellowship, where friends become family through Christ. We're two Jesus-loving friends on a mission to share personal stories, resources, and real talk about our triumphs, breakthroughs, struggles, and setbacks. Why? Because we believe you are called to live victoriously, and we're here to help equip you with Holy Spirit-led tools and strategies to strengthen your faith, transform your mindset, and walk boldly in God's promises. Because here's the truth.
You have been given great and precious promises by God. So grab your coffee, lean in, and let's grow and laugh together. It's time to step into everything God has for you.
Nikki Humphrey (00:43)
I'm so glad you added laugh grow and laugh together because that's what today's episode is all about. know, God's got jokes. God's got joyful encounters between us and and holy surprises and all those things wrap up just as a lightness and essence just an effervescence to our daily lives and
Hope Mangiafico (01:03)
I love that.
Nikki Humphrey (01:10)
Hope and I thought we've been getting really deep lately and really serious and it was on my heart to break it up, to celebrate the lightheartedness, fun and joy-soaked moments that happen when we walk closely with God. From funny prayer answers to sweet divine coincidences, we'll laugh, reflect and remember that God's presence is not just powerful, it's playful, personal and filled with joy.
Hope Mangiafico (01:13)
You
Ooh, I love that. And it's so funny that like when I hit record, I'm like.
But I'm just going keep going because of the topic today. So this is great. And I was telling you, Nikki, right before we started recording, like I need, I need these reminders. I need to share these stories because no matter how long you walk with the Lord or ⁓ really anything or what your personal story is, like you need these moments and God knows you need these moments ⁓ because life is life. And it's just a lot. And so I'm looking forward to diving in to...
all the things.
Nikki Humphrey (02:16)
Me too.
And just to get a little biblical reference here, which we always like to ink current the biblical truth, Psalm 126 to our mouths are filled with laughter and our songs with songs of joy. I just love that. It's
Hope Mangiafico (02:29)
Hmm.
I love that so much. You know what's so great with that is I was like, I get in funks and I think we all can say we get in funks and I Ended yesterday kind of funky which led into this morning where I'm like, good morning God. All right, let's like let's Let's get the motor going. ⁓ and I didn't quite get out of the funk So like I don't know maybe an hour and a half ago I'm like in the kitchen kind of prepping food and I'm like I gotta play a song
You know, and so I'm like looking at my dog like, Molly, what do you want to listen to today? I was like, that's a good one. I pick it and I just go to town, you know, dancing and having fun and singing and it is so reviving. And so I love that you just quoted that scripture because that's literally what I did just like an hour and a half ago.
Nikki Humphrey (03:22)
And that reminds me of one of the stories that I was brought to my attention today. It was a couple years ago, this is funny, and I we were both going through a tough season and we were both Marco poloing back and forth, back and forth, back and forth as we do. And one of us quoted the scripture, Matthew 11 verse 30, for my yoke is easy and my burdens are light.
I don't know who it was that Marco poloed back, it was either Hope or I, and we're like, a burdens are light, a burdens are light, a what? Burdens are light. And so through that tough season, whenever I was really feeling it, I would go back into my mind and be like, my burdens are light, what my burdens are?
Hope Mangiafico (03:57)
⁓ yeah!
Ha!
Man, I forgot that I love that. I love that you brought that back to your memory. Man, and just like taking anything and like turning it into a little bit of song to be like a little anthem, right? Just being in his season.
Nikki Humphrey (04:21)
Yeah.
Yes, yes, because when you are in that tough
space or that murky middle, everything feels heavy, everything feels hard, and just to like add a little humor to it, a little pizzazz to it, switches. Like you said, your song that you were dancing to in the kitchen, it instantly changes the mood and the atmosphere around us.
Hope Mangiafico (04:36)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Mm, that's so good. And you know, it brings you back into being a kid again, which is what, you know, scripture says all throughout, right? Like be like little children, let the children in, you know, love the children, take care of the children. And I have had this drawing and like this longing to like tap into that more and more. And funny enough, right before coming on here,
Nikki Humphrey (04:56)
Yes.
No.
Hope Mangiafico (05:16)
There is a song that's being released, by Dante Bo, who like was really deep into the Christian music and then he left and then he came back. And it's him and someone else, but it's called Kid Again. And I heard like a little snippet and I was like, yes, Lord, can we all just be children and be like free to be children to have these little chants of my burden is light and like give a little like, ⁓ chinky.
Nikki Humphrey (05:28)
Mmm.
Hope Mangiafico (05:43)
with it, And have fun. Like we will be so much better and dare I say like prosperous in life by tapping into that. I can't wait for that song comes out ⁓ soon. I'm excited. ⁓ Man, and you know, his timing with things that adds to the fun of in the
Nikki Humphrey (05:52)
Right.
Hope Mangiafico (06:06)
of God and the character that he has. One time, gosh, this would have been close to eight years ago probably, but I was learning about like the meanings of numbers in Hebrew specifically. And I had this thing for the number four and four meant door. And so like the Lord and I for the season would have where I would see 444, it was like an open door. I'd be like, okay Lord, what are you saying to me right now?
Is it about something that's about to cross my path? Something that's in front of me now? ⁓ You know, a plan, whatever it may be. And this was very shortly, like super short after I ⁓ learned this meaning. Sean and I are somewhere, I don't know where, and we're in a parking lot and I see a cab with the door open and all along the door, side of the cab, four, four, four, four, four, four, four, four, four, four, know, like the phone number is four, four, four, four, four, four.
Nikki Humphrey (07:01)
you
Hope Mangiafico (07:03)
And I was like, okay, Lord, that's great. You're literally showing me real time. And I don't remember exactly what happened after that, but I took a picture of it and I sent it to Pastor Joe. He's the one that kind of taught me that. And I was like, here it is right in my face. What are the odds?
Nikki Humphrey (07:14)
Uh-huh.
I know,
an open door with the floors on it. Like all the floors, not just one floor.
Hope Mangiafico (07:24)
Yeah. All
right. Yeah. Seven. Seven of them. And, you know, it's fun too. Like, Sean got a kick out of it too, you know, when other people can see the humor of God and his character and it's fun. It's not much better.
Nikki Humphrey (07:40)
I think the humor of God is, I think when I think of him sometimes, and I know Hope shares this too, like, I think he's so funny sometimes. Like I think he's hilarious, like funnier than the funniest comedian that I've ever heard or seen. I remember my niece died just over a year ago and it wrecked me. just wrecked me. I knew that she was battling with cancer and all of that.
Hope Mangiafico (07:54)
.
Nikki Humphrey (08:11)
I just wanted to see her before she passed, but it was a day, it was a day too late. And ⁓ just really wrestling with that and not being able to say goodbye and to have that
selfish closure, you know, that we want, we want to be there. ⁓ Not that that diminished my love or my care for her. was just, you know, God's timing is different than our timetable sometimes and what we want, you know, it's not always going to happen, but I just remember being
Hope Mangiafico (08:40)
You
Nikki Humphrey (08:41)
wrecked and taking my dog for a walk and I was talking to God and just emoting all of this to him and I look down and literally there's this can this huge can of Axe body spray. I've never seen a can of Axe body spray that large before nor did I know that it was still in production.
And what was odd, this can of Axe body spray was in this very nice wealthy area where I don't think anybody is wearing Axe body spray. But what made me stop and just laugh and I was laughing so hard I had tears coming out of my eyes. There was no longer, you know, tears of pain and heartache, but it was just like tears of joy. Like, God's got my baby tea. It was because
Years ago when Axe Body Spray first came out, you know, I don't know when it was, early 2000s, I don't even know, but she loved this one and she just spray it all over herself and you know, it would make my eyes water then just from the sheer toxic load, but she loved it and it just, just see that can of Axe Body Spray like in the road, a huge jumbo was just, this is like, you know.
Hope Mangiafico (09:36)
No.
Nikki Humphrey (10:04)
You tear,
you turn tears into laughter. Like it was just such a good happy hug from God in that moment when I was hurting so much.
Hope Mangiafico (10:14)
They do feel like a hug because you feel seen on multiple levels with with his humor and you know you're saying how God is funnier than like the best comedian. Well, if we're made in his image, where do we get the humor from, right? Like how can we have any ounce of funniness if he doesn't have that, you know?
Nikki Humphrey (10:16)
Hmm
Right.
Hope Mangiafico (10:35)
And I was looking down at my dog, ⁓ who I like adore, and I think she's so goofy, you know, we all think our dogs are goofy. And I was like, God, you, you are full of purpose and fun when you made a dog, you know? Like, my gosh, like, God, what made you create this incredible creature that brings us so much joy on so many levels and comfort, makes us laugh, you know? Does like...
Nikki Humphrey (10:51)
my shirt.
Hope Mangiafico (11:03)
all kinds of experiences with us, you know, like how cool.
Nikki Humphrey (11:08)
Yeah, it is so fun.
Hope Mangiafico (11:10)
You made
them for us. For me. You my life for me.
Nikki Humphrey (11:15)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (11:18)
It has like, worn my heart so much.
Nikki Humphrey (11:20)
It is because I don't know, we have a little Boston Terrier named Paxton, but just sometimes just the way he sits and looks at us. I'm like, you are just a little potato. I don't know, like with the salty look on your face. I'm just like, it does. It brings you so much joy and the pure creation of just like to be a companion. You know, some dogs have purpose and they hunt and whatever, but I think for the most part,
Hope Mangiafico (11:42)
Companion, that's the word,
Nikki Humphrey (11:48)
They're just a good companion and a buddy and somebody who uplifts your spirits because dogs know when you're having a rough day. Like dogs know when you're not feeling well and know, Paxton always does something just to turn the mood around.
Hope Mangiafico (11:56)
⁓ yeah.
Seriously, it's like anything they do. It's I don't know and you're like you're always like man I wish I could be in their head right like figure out like do they know they're this funny they're making that face they're sitting kind of sassy giving me that little little little side eye You know what they doing? But yeah, that was one that just kind of hit me the other day and just Warms my heart so much and another level of filling scene and just a hug from the Lord
Nikki Humphrey (12:14)
No. No. No.
Hope Mangiafico (12:32)
Hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (12:34)
Another
funny story I shared this one with hope the other day There was a season where I used to run super early in the morning It would be like 4 45 in the morning 5 o'clock in the morning and it's the winter time So it's completely dark outside and I would have a light on and I would be listening to this one pastors podcast like time and time again and This pastor had like a lot of call and response
Hope Mangiafico (12:57)
Okay.
Nikki Humphrey (13:02)
in the podcast, which made it kind of fun and it kept me aware of the topic and keep things front of mind and the way he would explain things in scripture. You would never forget it because it was kind of joking. It was kind of funny, but it always left a mark, right? So there
was this one series called Armed and Dangerous. So I'm running in the morning and I'm almost maybe a mile left in my run and it's...
really getting tough because it's wintertime and it's cold and I want to be done. And so the pastor was like, I want you to be so grounded in the word that it makes you armed and dangerous. And I want you to say it out loud. I am armed. So I'm like, I am armed and dangerous. And I'm like, and dangerous. And I didn't realize there's this woman, kitty corner for me.
Hope Mangiafico (13:55)
you
Nikki Humphrey (14:01)
across the street. She heard me scream, I am armed and dangerous. And screamed and started running the other way. I'm like, I didn't mean, I meant with the words.
I'm trying to.
Hope Mangiafico (14:18)
Yeah, just listen hold on come back and the pitch you know dark outside
Nikki Humphrey (14:23)
And I run home, like,
I'm like, Luc, the cops are gonna be cold on me. I was just yelling, I'm armed and dangerous. Somebody heard me. I'm like, you're funny, God. Quit the word.
Hope Mangiafico (14:32)
That is so funny. ⁓
no cop showed up, right?
Nikki Humphrey (14:44)
No cops
showed up. I was protected. There was a divine intervention.
Hope Mangiafico (14:49)
It's so funny. So, so funny. I can only imagine. It's like kind of hard to put myself in those shoes for a lot of reasons, but one like dark outside, running, exhausted, trying to get that like extra up. So like I could only imagine how loud you were with it. I'm I'm going to make it and just pumping it right out. Yes.
Nikki Humphrey (14:52)
Thank
Okay.
Especially when you have like earphones in,
like you're always louder because you don't, the noise is canceled. ⁓
Hope Mangiafico (15:18)
Yes,
that is so funny. I love that. You know, that kind of like, you're talking about God's humor and then just kind of things that we also find ourselves doing when we're just in a moment with him is what I'll call it, right? They can be sweet and tender. They can be fun and joyful and playful. ⁓ and I shared this one with you recently and it's not my own story, but every time I see it in my mind I love
It's my friend's story and just to keep it like super short, she is someone that walked really closely with me when I really gave my life to the Lord and just she has such a history with the Lord and it's great and it's wonderful and it's really cool. And she told me that one time she was in like a public restroom which as a female, I don't know, I guess guys ones too, like they're just tight, right? They're just, you ain't got much room. And she leaned forward and hit her head on the door and she said she heard God say, I saw that.
I'm gonna imagine like doing that and just feeling God be like Nothing gets by me, but are you okay? She's a little bump in the head. Let me a little pat It's those moments like it's where truly No one can see you. No one knows what you're doing, but he does Same with your run in the moment where you pass that axe bottle
No one's paying mind to you. But he is.
And I just, I love that so much. ⁓ Another one that's kind of like, like a little thought that comes in, kind of like what I share with my friend is ⁓ I grow fiddle leaf figs and I went through like a spell of like awesomeness, like smooth as butter, everything looking great. And then bam, everything is not so great. And I'm like, what is happening? God, like everything is wrong. And I, I was spiraling.
I can do and I felt like a hard like pump the brakes up are they dead Well, no, God, they're not dead. Okay, let's keep going then hope it's just like let's put you back in reality Are are they are they dead? Well, nah, there's they still got new growth. They ain't what I wanted They don't look like I want but now I got you. You're right. They're not dead. Let's keep going Please teach me what I need to do next, please I'll get off my
My whiny train.
Nikki Humphrey (17:56)
It is so funny just talking about the fiddle leaf figs and it's just like whether we're a plant or whether we are human, God's going to put us through a pruning process, right?
Hope Mangiafico (18:06)
Well, that
was it. It's like, yeah, that's what the take home message was that I ended up actually making a short little video on was like a part of the problem was I wasn't pruning soon enough when I saw a problem, right? He's like, the sooner you let me prune, the better the fruit and the outcome. And that was the take home message. You're a little bit of bantering back and forth with them. But yes, it's incredible what you learn from other things. Be it a dog, a plant, anything like
Nikki Humphrey (18:25)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (18:35)
He honestly, he made all of creation and I know that like Earth was here before us, but he utilizes every part of what he created to teach us, to mold us, to love us. And I think that is so cool.
Nikki Humphrey (18:51)
It is so cool. We've talked about that in other episodes about like, know, it's from God if it's like something that's so out of place or something that's in your normal routine, but is highlighted to you. Like he can use obscure things or things that are in front of our faces every day to school us, you know, and to teach us and to give us, give us that loving correction or that encouragement, whatever it may be, or just a little light, lighthearted humor.
Hope Mangiafico (18:55)
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
Nikki Humphrey (19:23)
And when you think about it, the story came to mind too. We never know who's listening or who's watching or what others pick up. One time when Josephine was in kindergarten, I told her I sharing this story. you know, in case you're like, she talks about her daughter, I share it with her. knows what's going on. And she told me not to share. went.
Hope Mangiafico (19:30)
Yeah.
N-
Nikki Humphrey (19:49)
But I got this phone call from her kindergarten teacher. And you know, as a parent, whenever you get a call from a teacher, you're like, what happened? What's going on? And she was like, Mrs. Humphrey, I just want to let you know what happened in school today. And I also want to get some like understanding from you, like how you would approach this so I can talk with her. She's like, when Josephine was in school today, she was calling on Jesus and dispatching angels.
to help her with the situation at school. And she's like, I told her she couldn't do that at school. And I'm like, well, I know that probably doesn't happen at school lot. But in our home, we call on Jesus a lot and we call on our angels or God's protection from things. So I'm just like, you know, I would never tell my daughter that she couldn't do that at school. But you know,
I don't know how you want to handle it in your classroom, but it's not going to come from me that she's not going to do that anymore. But I mean, you could just imagine this little five-year-old standing up in the middle of class calling on Jesus and the angels to help protect her.
Hope Mangiafico (20:52)
I was gonna say, yeah, right.
That's amazing. love that. And to your point about like it's, ⁓ like you're laughing about it, but that's another really cool thing is she was actually doing something so powerful, but it was fun, you know? Like it was like a fun warfare. ⁓ And that's so neat instead of like, I don't know, being like, yeah, sulking and like defeated, a defeated mindset, right? ⁓ She's like, I got this.
Nikki Humphrey (21:15)
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Right.
And then it's like, I remember thinking at the time, like, if I could only war like this five year old, like, who didn't care about what other people were doing, didn't care about what other people are going to think about her. She just stood up and like did her thing.
Hope Mangiafico (21:46)
Right. I, you know, I can't like shake this now that you said that too. Like a release on all of us truly being kids again. Like I don't, I don't think it's coincidence that we're continuously kind of commenting on being childlike and then a song coming out about being a kid again. And what we're going to see this beautiful balance of it's
Nikki Humphrey (21:52)
Mm-hmm.
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (22:14)
I kind of often say like a dance with this beautiful ebb and flow of being a child and mourning and just overcoming the world or the kingdom of God. And it's going to be like, these people are not qualified to be doing this. It's like, that's right. You tap into my proud likeness and I will take over. You just watch. Give me my milk. Here we go. It's exciting.
Nikki Humphrey (22:17)
Hmm.
Thank
The fight!
It is. I just love how God uses things that come out of our mouth that aren't even planned. Like sometimes after we record the podcast, we'll be like, when you said that? And I'll be like, Hope, when you said that, I was re-listening to our episode, ⁓ hijacking God's plan. I told Hope I was going to share something that I thought was so funny about the episode that she said, but I didn't tell her beforehand because I wanted it be a surprise.
Hope Mangiafico (22:54)
Mmm, yeah.
I'm soon.
EEEH
Nikki Humphrey (23:13)
But like
the way sometimes God words something that comes out of our mouth as Holy Spirit led can be hilarious and profound and impactful at the same time. So in episode, I don't know what episode numbers, but it's hijacking God's plan. said, 15, Hope said, we don't lock on our ears, but we sure do use them a lot to direct our stuff.
Hope Mangiafico (23:34)
15.
Nikki Humphrey (23:45)
It's so true. Like, as right home, we don't lock on our ears, but from what we hear and what we let into our eargates, we use a lot to direct our path. Yes, ma'am. Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (24:01)
Is that, is that where that song, do your ears hang low? Do they wobble to the floor? Is that where that comes from? They walk, yeah. That's so funny.
Nikki Humphrey (24:05)
you
Hope Mangiafico (24:14)
That's quite the image.
Nikki Humphrey (24:15)
Yes, but it's so impactful because it just teaches us we have to be careful for what we let go into our ear gates and how we let that affect us.
Hope Mangiafico (24:19)
Yeah ⁓
Yeah.
That's so funny. And honestly, you sharing that is also really encouraging because something that, I mean, this is a little less lighthearted, but like, I am always working on, like, my words because it's definitely an area where I feel weakest. Like, I feel like Moses, you know, like a stuttering problem kind of thing where I just, they don't come out easily. And it's frustrating because when I am like,
I can feel it coming from like Holy Spirit, you know, I'm like, this is gonna be fluid. might sound funny, but I know it's gonna come out well. Whereas like if I am just being me, it is so uncomfortable and I say things so oddly and weird, but somehow even through that, he uses it and he is able to
I don't even know, maybe sometimes even they change the words, you know, or how they go into someone's ears so that they can be directed correctly. But it's encouraging to hear that because it's hard sometimes, to be honest.
Nikki Humphrey (25:33)
Yeah.
It really is.
Hope Mangiafico (25:37)
It's so funny. There is this one time too, and I think this is just an encouraging vision for people to have. ⁓ Making reference yet again to like spiritual boot camp days and way back when. ⁓ There was like this vision of us being in, I say us, I don't know exactly.
who was in this vision per se, but what I do remember is this part being in ⁓ the sea of glass where it's just a beautiful water, right? Like it's described in scripture. It's just beautiful. And you're splashing around the sea of glass with Jesus and like a big brother, he's just splashing us, you know, just like, I got you, you know? And it was just this joy filled moment, like oozing with joy where it's like
my big brother and he wants to treat us like a little sister little brother and just you know kind of give us a hard time. Tool a little prank here you know. ⁓ you're not looking here's a whole face full of water coming at ya. But don't worry it's a sea of glass it'll heal you simultaneously. ⁓
Nikki Humphrey (26:33)
Hmm.
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (26:54)
And it was such a sweet reminder because we're talking about, you know, the humor of God and we're made in God's image. Of course, we should, you know, see, be funny, have humor. But then there's also Jesus who was God in the flesh and he is able to bring it into humanity in a way that sometimes can still be very difficult to understand when we, you know, talk about it with God.
Nikki Humphrey (27:07)
Mm-hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (27:21)
And so may that just remind people like Jesus is your big brother since we are one big family and he wants to, know, I don't know, I'm an only child so I don't know what it's like to have a sibling and I know everyone doesn't have perfect sibling relationships so think about the most perfect, loving, protective brother that you could ever have. And while he protects you, he also is be like, oh, your shoe's untied, made you look.
Just remember that, like it's so fun.
Nikki Humphrey (27:52)
Yeah, it is so fun. It's yeah, I love sometimes when I'm in my quiet time and in my Jesus chair and I just go into my sacred imagination and Jesus does like the funniest thing and it's just like, I needed that. I needed a good laugh. You know, just like when you go out with your girlfriends and you have those belly laughs and you're just like, I needed that belly laughed in so long. Like, thank you. So good.
Hope Mangiafico (28:20)
It's so good. Yes. And little moments in your life that if they're not good belly laughs, they're like, whoa, God, I can't believe you just did that moment. And one of my favorites, well, I have two and they're both related to going to see like a show, a concert.
But I go off social media a good bit. It's just good for me to not even look at even inspiring things. It's just good. And I was off for a while and I got back on and the day that I got back on, one of my favorite artists announced that he was gonna be, he wasn't doing his own show, know, but he was gonna be traveling with people. And in like a month or so, he was gonna be traveling near my birthday, 45 minutes away from me.
The day I got back on social media, I was like, and he's a really small artist, no one knows him, but if you want to listen to him, his name is P-Bot and he is the, he's so fun. And I mean, was like, Sean, we got to go book these tickets. And I booked it immediately. And I was like, God, you know how much I love him. You just let it cross. you know, social media is very hard to see what you want to see sometimes. So the fact that was the first thing I saw.
Nikki Humphrey (29:28)
Thank
Hope Mangiafico (29:33)
And then something similar happened with Forrest Frenk. And like, I came across some, I don't know how this happened either, but getting back on social media, there's Forrest, announces a tour. He's in Atlanta. Sean, we're booking this thing, booked it. It was like, I don't know, dude, it was probably like six months before the concert, but I had just gotten back on. And when you know, we booked it, got our tickets. We were like unsure about, you know, our seat choices.
We're at the concert, Forest passes right by us and you know, get to give him a high five. Just like, cool, like up close and personal, just a cool experience that we could not have orchestrated ourselves, you know, and it's so nice to just, to reflect on, we talk about him seeing us and being, you know, in moments with us, but like really caring about what you love, what you enjoy, what makes you smile.
Nikki Humphrey (30:28)
Hmm.
Hope Mangiafico (30:32)
You know, like, Forrest Frank's music is so fun. So that whole concert, man, I actually didn't feel well. I had just gotten over some, like, sickness and I was sitting there like, I just, I gotta move! You know, I gotta do it! So anyways, I just, I will never forget those two shows because I felt so seen by the Lord.
Nikki Humphrey (30:35)
Yeah.
Mm-hmm. Yeah.
It's just talking about like moments and then you look back and you realize how funny it is. So when I went and saw Hope and we went ⁓ for my 50th birthday and we went to the Biltmore. I didn't know anything about this place. I didn't research it. Hope said we gotta go, the Christmas lights.
Hope Mangiafico (30:57)
You
Nikki Humphrey (31:23)
I was like, yep, I love Christmas lights. Here's the money, get the tickets. And we're driving through the gate. And then I realized that this was an estate. Maybe, no, I'm not gonna say maybe. If I knew about the history of the estate, it would have been an immediate no. I don't care how beautiful your Christmas lights, your Christmas deck, no. So we're like.
I get it like, well, I don't know. I don't, I don't know.
So we going? Like I am.
Hope Mangiafico (31:58)
And mind
you, I withheld the information on purpose. I did. I knew.
Nikki Humphrey (32:03)
So I'm
getting out and I'm thinking I'm immediately gonna get like struck down by a demon or something. Latch on me. So what do I do? I get out my anointing oil and I'm just right in public. just start putting this anointing oil all over, even on the soles of my feet. I'm like ain't ain't nothing gonna get through this. Holy spirit.
shield that I'm
Hope Mangiafico (32:33)
⁓
Nikki Humphrey (32:33)
putting on.
Hope Mangiafico (32:37)
that reminds me of our meal too. I forgot about that.
Nikki Humphrey (32:43)
but Hope did put the oil on too. She did. So yeah, she knew it was probably wrong that we were there, but it was beautiful but creepy at the same time.
Hope Mangiafico (32:44)
You know?
Well, that
was one of those things that I feel that if you actually do walk with discernment, I wouldn't say like opt to just go in there, but it is kind of helpful to go into a place like that and be like, you're, the certain things are highlighted to you. And that's kind of what I was expecting that adventure to be like while it was simultaneously with Pretty Christmas Trees. ⁓
Nikki Humphrey (33:11)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (33:20)
Because I've never been there with someone that thinks like me.
And yeah, so anyways, that was fun. And then I don't remember if was that night or what night it was ⁓ going to this like, this restaurant that had great reviews. And we pull up and you are dying. I don't even like to say dying laughing, but I think that you almost killed over because you were laughing so hard at what a rankin' and ankin'y shack that was and how if it was where you live, we absolutely wouldn't even be sitting in the car in that parking lot in that moment.
Nikki Humphrey (33:57)
We pull up, it wasn't the same night. We had quite the adventure that night. And we pull up, and like, was like right here, right? No we not.
Hope Mangiafico (34:07)
I
mean it did look really sketchy.
Nikki Humphrey (34:10)
I grew up in Detroit and I was like, when we were in Detroit, this is called a crack house. We do not go into crack houses. Like it looks uninhabitable. Let's just put it that way. From the outside. And then the people coming out, were not helping the situation.
Hope Mangiafico (34:34)
And the people inside when we went in either that wasn't any better. And mind you, this was an eclectic area. If you've ever been to Asheville, you know that you just know what you're gonna see in Asheville.
Nikki Humphrey (34:48)
reviews were good and we prayed up and we went inside and it was one of the best chicken sandwiches I've ever had in my life. Period. End of story. It was good food. And cheap. And cheap.
Hope Mangiafico (35:00)
That's a big statement.
That trip, I...
That trip, I had big dreams for that trip. It was a good trip. It was a fun trip. But, you know, getting this sketchy hot tub. That thing was a bad move after going to a sauna. Bad move. Take you to the Biltmore. Take you in my car that can't handle hills very well, especially when it rains.
Nikki Humphrey (35:30)
Diamond.
Hope Mangiafico (35:31)
Good old diamonds. She'd be rattling the whole time and we're
Nikki Humphrey (35:32)
The diamond.
Hope Mangiafico (35:35)
sitting there, come on diamonds, you can do it, you can make it up this.
Yeah, I feel like I have an IOU for a fruit place a little bit nicer for a birthday.
Nikki Humphrey (35:51)
It was good. We had the best time and God showed up that whole trip. So.
Hope Mangiafico (35:56)
Speaking of that,
now we did not plan for, you know, the photos were just for us, but that's actually where these photos are from that you see on our cover. And ⁓ we even have, I don't know if this, I think it's on the bottom of our page. If you just go to like the landing page is like an image of just two empty chairs. That's because we were just testing the camera and it was perfect because it allows us to welcome you in to pull up a chair beside us as a listener.
And I mean, God did that over a year beforehand. That's so, so cool.
Nikki Humphrey (36:32)
Yeah, he's so good. His timing. Like we always talk about like, we never know like what he's going to use for later on. We had no idea. Like a podcast wasn't even on our radar. Like not even anything that we'd ever talked about before. And now that was all of our content for that. He's so good. He's so thoughtful.
Hope Mangiafico (36:37)
Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, it's amazing.
In my like last little story, I just felt like I really wanted to share this one. I have it, I have it on Instagram because I shared it. And so if you happen to like want to like hear the full thing, it's on Instagram where it shows the video in which I'm going to reference. But there was a year, I don't know, maybe three or four years ago where I would write a word on a random day of the month. And there was a day that was soda pop.
And I'm from the South, we don't say soda pop, that's more of a Northern thing, we just say, you know, give me a coat, give me a spray, soda, whatever. And wouldn't you know that I'm going through social media, probably just stories, and someone shares this video that gave him a good belly laugh for the day, so I'm like, let me watch it. And it's this sweet guy who pooped his pants because he had soda pop.
stranger on a park bench this who happens to be recording and is like what'd say poop my pants too much diet coke too much soda pop soda pop called me to poop my pants it's like come on god that's too funny like that's the word of the day and you come through by someone pooping their pants
Nikki Humphrey (38:20)
I love it.
Hope Mangiafico (38:21)
It was so good and he's so precious. You know, he's like an innocent man just telling a story out in open. You don't care. ⁓
Such a good laugh. And there was no denying that was God, because that was the word for my day.
Nikki Humphrey (38:37)
Right.
Yes. And who, like, you can create a video like that even if you wanted to, right? And to open up social media and that be the thing. That's what's highlighted to you. Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (38:56)
That's one of my favorite ones, just can't make it up.
Nikki Humphrey (38:59)
Uh-huh.
I love it. I love it. I think that'll do it. I really want to end on that one because that highlights everything, you know, that we need to hear. He is so funny. And he is always there for us. And yeah, we're serious a lot of the time, but it's good to reminisce about the joy that God brings into your life and those
Hope Mangiafico (39:18)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (39:31)
funny little, like some people call them God wings that happen like the Axe body spray and things like that. Like nobody could have planted that, you know, it's like, and when it's something so out of place like that, it's just like, you know, like Hope said a couple of times this episode, like God sees us, he knows what we need and he gives it to us right on time.
Hope Mangiafico (39:35)
Yeah. Yeah.
So don't forget it, God sees you. And if anyone that you know wants a good laugh or wants to be reminded of his goodness, feel free to share this episode with them. And until next time, keep your eyes fueled for the humor of God.
