Evy Chapman and Nick Hyndman Discuss Christ's Influence In Me

In this episode, we explore what it looks like for Christ to influence not just our eternity, but our everyday lives. Through an honest conversation about faith, relationships, habits, health, Scripture, prayer and community, we hear how following Jesus can reshape our desires and help us navigate the influences around us. From learning to make healthier choices and spend intentional time with God to finding supportive Christian community, this conversation offers an encouraging picture of the ongoing transformation that happens when we allow Christ to shape who we are becoming.

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Today we are talking about Christ's influence in me, and specifically in you. You're going to tell us a little bit about what that's looked like for you. So we just are kind of thinking about how people often are looking for Christ to influence their eternity, but we're really today focused on how is Christ influencing our right now and just shaping and forming us into the people that he has for us to be. So I just want to hear a little bit about how has Christ been forming you, and not just in You know, the big things, but just in the everyday decisions and disciplines and all of that. There's numerous things that Christ has really kind of molded and shaped in my life ever since I've been saved.

And there's obviously life before being saved and life being, you know, saved. And God, I feel like, has really put more of a pull on bettering myself ever since I now, you know, really found him, really started pursuing him. It's obviously been hard with outside influences, you know. It's the biggest factor that I feel like affects anybody in our generation. We have our phones obviously all around us.

We have obviously the partying, the drinking, drugs, all that stuff all around us, especially in a college town like Bloomington. And especially the national championship town. It is easy to see those influences. But with God kind of walking alongside me recently, it's been easier to just turn, turn away. I, I don't think that I would be where I'm at currently, obviously, if it wasn't for God.

Because the biggest thing also when it comes to bettering myself is just my health. Whether it's just getting more active, whether it's obviously just being more considerate of what I'm putting in my body, that was not really something that I really thought about before I was saved, and it has really shown a difference in, I feel like, my health and just my energy too, per se. Just the way that people have seen me, I guess, glowing compared to how it was beforehand. Yeah, uh, without, I guess, God's guidance there, I would still probably be falling into those influences that are all around us. So I'm very fortunate to have God by my side through this walk.

That's awesome. That's such a good reflection because I think we sometimes don't even pay enough attention to how like our physical, spiritual, mental, emotional health is all so tied together. So it's really cool to just see you say like, "Oh, as I'm, you know, being guided by the Lord, I'm also kind of seeing these other things come to fruition that are such cool things." And I know we have some other college students listening, so how would you kind of just reflect on like that transition from college to now, and if you have any advice for a college student. So obviously with like pre-saved, post-saved— I'm just gonna say that, pre-saved, post-saved. So with like pre-saved life, uh, you're not really thinking about what's good for you.

You're not, uh, genuinely, or you're not thinking about what's good for your relationship with God. And there's numerous obviously outside factors that are going to be more entertaining, per se, to you, that you're going to want to focus on more. But I've learned that with God you can find so much more joy and so much more fulfillment than what those other entertainment factors can provide for you. And to really just get more in touch with God, it's been one of those things where when I was pre-saved, I loved, you know, like the rap scene, you know, music like that. But there's music that a lot of Christian artists make too that is more fulfilling.

When I listen to that music, I get so much more of a, I guess, bubbly feeling, you know, just a better feeling about what I'm listening to. It's just nicer to know that when I'm consuming that music, it's not known as much of a sin. It's not putting these thoughts in your mind as opposed to obviously what music the mainstream industry is producing out there. So that's just one example of just stuff that you can translate into your post-saved life. When you can listen to that music and really still have that same rhythm, you know, and like have similar aspects of what was in pre-Saved Life to what now being with God and walking with God can now produce inside of you.

So that's awesome. Yeah, it's pretty sweet. I like God, he's pretty cool. I love that. I feel like you're describing one, just how like walking with Jesus does change your desires, like God can change your heart and help you to want the things that he wants for you.

And I feel like that's something you've been walking through that's super cool. But I also think you're describing like life with God is fun and joyful. And it's not just like— I think college students are just younger people. I know when I was younger, it's harder not to see the Christian life as, oh, it's rules or it's things that you have to do. But it's like, no, you've found so much joy in relationship with Jesus and learning what is obedience to him and all of those things.

So I think that that is just really awesome. Exactly. And it's definitely been, I guess I could say, one of the tougher parts is like, all these older friends, they, they're gonna see that I'm, you know, following Christ now instead of following their influence. But at the same time, they're gonna see how much I've changed from following Christ. Yeah.

And they're gonna see that I don't need their influence as much as I need the Lord's influence. Yeah. And that's the biggest thing I feel like since I've been post-saved, that God has really shown a light in me. Yeah. And I can obviously expel that light to other people around me.

They can see that I'm following him, you know, discussing him more in conversation than I had in the past. And there's definitely been people that have to be cut off. You know, there's some people that just can't see that light, or if they do see it, it obviously turns into hatred. And there's— it's tough, but there's times where you have to make that step to know that this person does not belong in my post-saved life. So that's, that's another thing too, that it is difficult, but you have to know that when you are walking with God, some people don't want to walk alongside you.

Yeah, yeah, that's a hard thing. To go through, but also mature and to kind of figure out like, okay, like how can I, you know, influence people but not be in spaces where I'm being influenced to things that maybe I don't wanna do anymore? What things kind of help you to stay connected to Christ and just help for his influence to be the biggest influence on your life? I feel like it kind of goes back to what I was saying, like pre-save, post-save. Like there are things I loved when I was pre-saved and weren't necessarily, I guess, defiant of God.

But even just like the music that I listen to now is influential on me and just the way that I absorb, you know, more— Yeah. More God-like things. It helps to kind of know that I did love this when I was pre-saved and it's not necessarily bad. Stuff. Some of it obviously can lead to sin, and just to know that it is sinful is the biggest thing.

To just have self-recollection, basically, that that was obviously leading to sinful habits. Yeah. But then to divert it into healthier habits now that I've been saved. Yeah, that's, that's a big thing. Uh, like, I don't know, love Forest Frank.

He's a great artist. Yeah, he makes some good Christian music. Caleb Gordon— shout out Caleb Gordon. They make some really good music that is just empowering and still gives me that same sense of kind of joy that I had before I was saved. So the, the biggest thing that I feel like is drawing me closer to God more recently is really just diving into his word.

There was not much, uh, reading when it came to me being pre-saved, and when I really decided to devote my life to Christ Finding that I can really just open the word whenever I want. Yeah, meditation has been a big thing, just actually sitting there. Meditation, prayer, hand in hand, uh, really having just my thoughts, me and God in one room, and really just listening to what the Holy Spirit has to say is a big thing. When it was pre-saved life, I really did not listen to the Holy Spirit. I didn't take the time to to just give myself that peace and that space.

Yeah. And it's been game-changing to see that me just being alone and away from the influences and away from all these distractions really can open up my mentality towards following Christ. Because if you're not listening to him, you're not going to want to follow him. And that's been the biggest factor for me, is just kind of taking a step back, you know, and realizing that yes, there's all these outside factors that, even if they aren't necessarily sinful, it could just even be school or work. Yeah.

It's good to still take a step back away from that and really just sit with yourself. And I'm a yapper. I love to talk, and it can be hard. It can be definitely difficult for me just to realize that I don't have to talk to Erica, my girlfriend. I don't have to talk to one of my buddies on my phone.

I can really just sit back and talk with God. Yeah, and with, with that, you know, getting really more in touch with him personally, it obviously has helped me grow spiritually. Yeah, and that's the biggest factor I feel like when it comes to his influence on my life, is letting him influence me. Yeah, and just letting his word be alive to you. Like, we know it's alive and active, but I mean, that just process of starting to read scripture, I think, can feel a overwhelming, obviously, at times if that hasn't been like a habit before, but such a like beautiful thing to get in, you know, to the process of doing.

But how was that transition? Like, did you feel that sense of overwhelm of like, wow, reading the Bible is a difficult thing, or was that a more natural process for you? So I would say it wasn't necessarily overwhelming. It was more so, where do I start? Yeah, I was just kind of confused on what I should read into first.

Started off with like Jeremiah. I was told like, Jeremiah, do Jeremiah study. And yeah, I know, right? Yeah, interesting study. It was still good, but it was not, I guess, where I should have started.

Everybody has a different starting point, I guess, whenever they really get themselves into the Word. Yeah. And I feel like you just got to explore the Word, you know. There's so much within obviously one Bible. Yeah.

So to explore around more, I just ended up reading the apostles. I ended up getting more into the New Testament. And just really seeing what Jesus had to say to those people at the time. Yeah. And obviously it translates to current day.

So it, it was just more so a process of kind of just opening up the word and just, just listening to what God has to say, and not necessarily looking for something but letting it pop up to me. Yeah. Uh, and I'm like, oh, that's underlined right there. Yeah, there's, there's certain things that you can definitely just do easier if you really just put all the distractions to the side. Yeah.

And so just sitting down and dedicating a good 15, 30 minutes in the morning after you get back up from work or right before bed, just dedicating that time, just cracking open the Word and listening to what God has to say, can really change what you even think about reading the Bible even. So it's helpful to just sit down, focus on that. Put the phone away, throw it in the drawer somewhere, because that— it's super easy. Hear it ring, you pick it up. Just ignore those distractions and just sit there with your thoughts, with the Lord, and with the Bible.

Yeah, that's the biggest way that I was able to transition. It's easier to start if you just try. Yeah, that's awesome. That's good advice. I do think that for, um, this age and just people in general, that it can be almost something that like brings guilt, like, oh, reading my Bible, I didn't read my Bible today, or I haven't been good enough at reading this I have a planner, I have it, but it's just cool to hear you kind of talk about it as like something that like God is actually inviting us to, to spend time with him and like go deeper in our relationship with him.

And it's actually like something that brings, again, joy and fruit to our life and just helps us to understand, oh, this is God's heart in all of this. And I think that, I mean, obviously that's so important. I think that like community too can kind of help like figure out like, okay, what is this actually saying? And obviously we have like awesome community here at Shored Oaks, just with all the people that want to pour into people our age and just, you know, strong communities of people our age around and all of those things. So I was going to ask you too, just like, how has that been for you, just having, you know, like pastors who are available to talk to and friends and just people who are here that you kind of get to see walk that path?

With you. Yeah, it was intimidating when I first attended Sherwood. I was— I didn't really know what a megachurch was, but I was convinced that this was. Yeah. And everything just seemed so big.

Everybody seemed to have their own, you know, certain groups and everything like that. And when I first entered in, but I didn't realize how simple it actually was just to put out a hand and meet somebody. And whenever Pastor Sean invited us over for a Christmas party, the young adults, and I really got to just meet him and not just see him up on stage there far away from everybody. Now he really is close to us. And so that was the biggest factor for me in seeing that, oh wow, this place really does have groups that you can just walk right into, and everybody's super welcoming.

Uh, just running into you and Brayden, obviously leading the young adults group, and you guys inviting us to the next event. And obviously since then we've been quite involved with you guys, and I've have so much to thank you guys too for my path that I've been on. And I know it's been a busy summer, but it's good to now just know that I still have you guys there. Like, not necessarily just to fall back on, but also just to be there at any time, you know? Like, if you just want to all get together for coffee, or just a couple of us, like, it's possible to do that.

Yeah. And so having Pastor Sean as somebody too that I can just text at any point and if I'm feeling discouraged or lost, he can just shoot me a message of support. And it's amazing to know that him being the pastor of what I thought was the megachurch, he can still be really close and in touch with everybody here. And so that, that was the, the most important thing, I think, about staying here. Yeah, because when I was obviously exploring churches, I loved that this was such an open community to me and Erica when we first started attending.

Yeah, yeah, I think that's just such a common problem that people face is that barrier of like, wow, everyone is really plugged in, everyone knows each other, I'm on the outside, like that kind of feeling. And it's just like, like you said, like it's, you know, getting plugged in is only one step away and it's just— Exactly. You know, reaching out or there's information about all the things everywhere and just kind of taking that next firm step of I want to get plugged in and connected And just that can obviously be super beneficial, but it's just awesome to hear that you've had a good experience and people just being accessible and welcoming. And I think that's what a lot of people, college students or not, would experience here at Sherwood Oaks and just hopefully in Christian community in general. So that's a really good picture of what the family of God is like.

So yeah, yeah. So this is probably the best community you could, you could join when it comes to Bloomington itself and young adults. Shout out! Yeah, right? Woo!

Shout out young adults! Just giving us a healthy environment to go and to hang out with people who are like-minded and who also love Christ and want to keep pursuing him. Yeah. It helps you find your own path. Obviously, this is a better influence to have people who love Christ than people who don't love Christ, of course.

Yeah. So that's the biggest thing is just finding the good influences around you. Mic drop. So good. Well, thank you so much for sharing with us today.

We really appreciate just getting to hear about all that God is doing in you and will continue to do, and just the process that is life with Christ. It's a beautiful adventure and just will continue to be, and we can't wait to see as he just continues to shape and grow you. So thank you so much for being here today. Thank you. I appreciate the time.

Thank you.