Fall Rewind: It's Time for You

Season 1, Episode 1 — Where It All Began

Sometimes, you have to go back to where you started to understand where you're going.

As we've been revisiting our earlier seasons of Toss & Talk, I've had the opportunity to listen to conversations I recorded years ago. And one thing I've realized is that sometimes the very message you shared with somebody else becomes the message you need to hear again.

That's exactly how I feel about Season 1, Episode 1, It's Time for You.

When I think about this episode today, I hear it differently.

Not necessarily because the message has changed, but because I've changed. Life has happened. I've experienced different seasons, learned some lessons, made decisions, and found myself navigating situations I never imagined when I first started this podcast.

And now, here I am, four years later, realizing that maybe it's time for me again.

Where it all started

I started Toss & Talk in 2022, in my mother's bedroom at my grandmother's house.

No studio. No professional setup. No expensive equipment.

Just me, my phone, and an idea.

I had a desire to create something where people could have meaningful conversations about real life, faith, and the things we experience every day.

And looking back, there's something special about the fact that the very first episode was called It's Time for You.

Because I didn't wait until everything was perfect to begin.

I used what I had.

I started where I was.

And sometimes, that's exactly what taking time for yourself looks like.

It doesn't always mean having the money, resources, or opportunities you wish you had.

Sometimes it means recognizing what God has already placed in your hands and deciding to do something with it.

I didn't know what Toss & Talk would become.

I didn't know how much I would grow through the process.

But I knew I wanted to start.

And I'm glad I did.

What does it really mean to take time for yourself?

One of the biggest messages I shared in that first episode was the importance of prioritizing yourself.

And when I say prioritizing yourself, I'm not talking about becoming selfish or disregarding the people around you.

I'm talking about recognizing that your life, your peace, your mental health, your relationship with God, and your personal growth deserve attention, too.

Because how often do we find ourselves taking care of everything and everybody else while neglecting the things happening within us?

We make time for work.

We make time for responsibilities.

We make time for everybody who needs something from us.

But when was the last time we intentionally made time to take care of ourselves?

When was the last time we sat down and asked ourselves whether the environment we're in is helping us grow?

Whether our mental health is being neglected?

Whether we're spending meaningful time with God?

Whether we're actually doing the things we keep saying we want to do?

I think those are questions we have to keep asking ourselves.

And I find myself asking them again in this season.

Because sometimes we can become so consumed with trying to get somewhere that we forget to take care of the person who's supposed to get there.

You cannot keep neglecting yourself while expecting yourself to operate at your best.

That doesn't mean God cannot work through imperfect, exhausted, or struggling people. His grace isn't limited by our circumstances.

But it does mean we have a responsibility to care for the life He's entrusted to us.

And sometimes that responsibility requires us to make changes.

You have to make the plan and do the work.

Another part of this episode that stands out to me today is the importance of putting action behind what we say we believe.

It's one thing to say you want a better life.

It's another thing to begin making the decisions that move you toward one.

We can pray about wanting peace, but are we willing to establish boundaries?

We can pray about wanting growth, but are we willing to learn something new?

We can pray about wanting better opportunities, but are we preparing ourselves for them?

We can pray about wanting change, but are we willing to change some of the habits and environments that keep us in the same place?

And I'm not saying that every difficult circumstance is something we can simply work our way out of.

Sometimes life brings situations we didn't create and cannot immediately control.

But I do believe there are moments when we have to ask ourselves what steps we can take with what we have.

Take the time. Make the plan. Keep it simple. And do the work.

That's something I believed when I recorded this episode, and it's something I believe even more today.

Because faith isn't just about what we say.

James 2:17 reminds us that faith without works is dead.

And for me, that means trusting God enough to take the next step, even when I don't have everything figured out.

Sometimes that next step is small.

Sometimes it's uncomfortable.

Sometimes it's simply beginning.

Just like I did in that bedroom with my phone.

Sometimes taking time for you means making a difficult decision.

As I've gotten older, I've realized that prioritizing yourself isn't always as simple as taking a day off or finding time to relax.

Sometimes it requires difficult conversations.

Sometimes it requires changing your environment.

Sometimes it requires stepping away from things that are affecting your peace.

And sometimes it requires acknowledging that something you've been holding on to may no longer be healthy for you.

That could involve a relationship, a routine, a commitment, or even a job.

Now, I'm not telling anybody to walk into work tomorrow and quit their job.

We all have responsibilities, and decisions like that require thought, preparation, and sometimes financial planning.

But I am saying that we have to learn how to recognize when something in our lives needs attention.

Because time is valuable.

And the older I get, the more I understand that.

We can make more money.

We can pursue new opportunities.

We can rebuild certain things.

But we cannot get back the time we've already spent.

And I think that's one of the biggest lessons this episode has taught me.

Taking time for yourself isn't always about stopping everything.

Sometimes it's about becoming more intentional with the time you have.

Making room for your relationship with God.

Making room for your mental health.

Making room to rest.

Making room to plan.

And making room to actually live instead of constantly feeling like you're just trying to get through the day.

I'm hearing my own words differently now.

When I first recorded It's Time for You, I was sharing a message I believed other people needed to hear.

But listening to it today, I realize I needed that message, too.

And maybe I still do.

Because there are seasons when we can get so caught up in responsibilities, expectations, and everything happening around us that we lose sight of the things we once told ourselves mattered.

I've experienced transitions.

I've had moments when plans didn't work out the way I expected.

I've had to reconsider priorities and make decisions about what deserves my time and energy.

And through all of that, I'm learning that prioritizing myself isn't something I accomplish once and never have to revisit.

It's something I have to keep practicing.

Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down.

Sometimes I have to remind myself to pray before making a decision.

Sometimes I have to remind myself that I don't have to figure out my entire future in one day.

And sometimes I have to remind myself that taking care of my mental health and protecting my peace aren't distractions from my purpose.

They're part of caring for the life God has given me.

I think about Matthew 11:28, where Jesus invites those who are weary and burdened to come to Him for rest.

That scripture reminds me that rest has a place in our relationship with God, too.

We're not called to spend every moment running ourselves into the ground.

There is room to pause.

Room to reflect.

Room to grow.

And room to begin again.

The episode that started everything

When I look back at Season 1, Episode 1, I see more than an old recording.

I see the beginning of Toss & Talk.

I see a younger version of myself who had an idea and decided to pursue it.

I see the foundation of what this podcast would eventually become.

Real conversations about the things we experience, the lessons we learn, the faith we carry, and the ways we continue growing.

And as we prepare for Season 5, I want to hold on to that foundation.

Because I don't want Toss & Talk to become so focused on production, numbers, or growth that we forget why we started having these conversations in the first place.

We started because real life deserves real conversations.

And sometimes the most important conversation is the one that reminds somebody to take care of themselves.

Four years later, I'm still learning what that looks like.

I'm still learning how to manage my time.

I'm still learning how to balance responsibility with rest.

I'm still learning how to trust God while making practical decisions about my future.

And I'm still learning how to use what I have in the season I'm in to prepare for what's next.

But one thing I know is that I'm grateful I started.

I'm grateful I didn't wait until I had the perfect setup.

And I'm grateful that a conversation recorded in a bedroom with a phone can still speak to me years later.

Maybe that's what makes this episode so special.

It wasn't just the beginning of a podcast.

It was the beginning of a journey.

And today, that message feels just as relevant as it did in 2022.

It's time for you.

Not because everything else in your life stops mattering.

But because you matter, too.

Your peace matters.

Your mental health matters.

Your relationship with God matters.

Your growth matters.

And the time you've been given matters.

So take the time.

Make the plan.

Start where you are.

Use what you have.

And trust God as you take the next step.

Because sometimes the beginning of something meaningful is simply deciding that it's time.

Let's keep the conversation going.

When was the last time you intentionally made time for yourself?

Is there something in your current season that you've been putting off—whether it's caring for your mental health, spending time with God, changing your environment, or finally taking the first step toward something you've wanted to accomplish?

And what does “It's Time for You” mean to you today?

Real Life. Real Faith. Real Conversations.

Toss & Talk — Fall Rewind