1: My Promise to God-- His Praise Will Ever Be On My Lips

Speaker: 00:00:40

this is officially episode

one of the ever be podcast.

2

: 00:00:44

And I can't really

believe I'm saying this.

3

: 00:00:46

I can't really believe

that we're here right now.

4

: 00:00:49

I am so excited that the podcast.

5

: 00:00:52

is finally here and has

finally come to life.

6

: 00:00:55

This is a vision that I've

had for a few years now,

7

: 00:00:58

and I'm just so excited

that it's finally here.

8

: 00:01:00

So welcome welcome.

9

: 00:01:02

If you are a long time follower

on Instagram, hi, thank you for

10

: 00:01:06

joining me on this platform as well.

11

: 00:01:09

I just want to give you the

biggest like virtual hug right now.

12

: 00:01:12

And if you are a new follower and you have

no idea who I am, then hello, welcome.

13

: 00:01:18

My name is Mari Wagner.

14

: 00:01:20

I am a content creator and now

the host of this ever be podcast.

15

: 00:01:24

So I hope that you'll stick around and

I'm just so grateful that you found

16

: 00:01:27

our little community on the internet.

17

: 00:01:29

Where we talk about all

things Christ centered living.

18

: 00:01:32

So this episode today is going to

be a little bit of a shorty episode,

19

: 00:01:35

but it's going to be a good one.

20

: 00:01:37

We are going to get a little deep,

a little vulnerable, and I love it.

21

: 00:01:41

And I'm going to share my heart behind

why a podcast, why the name ever be.

22

: 00:01:46

Because if you know me, you know that

everything that I do and all the details

23

: 00:01:51

in my brand are Intentional and have

a reason why in a meaning behind them

24

: 00:01:56

So there's absolutely a specific reason

why the podcast is named ever be.

25

: 00:02:01

So first off for like a few years now

I knew that I wanted to be on some

26

: 00:02:06

sort of long form content platform.

27

: 00:02:09

Because here's the thing I love

Instagram and I will always be on there.

28

: 00:02:12

Like, trust me, I love Instagram.

29

: 00:02:14

I'm never leaving Instagram, but I

feel like it has lost a little bit

30

: 00:02:18

of it's like, Bloggy style vibe that

it used to have where you would just

31

: 00:02:22

kind of like dive into, you know,

someone's life or like read these long

32

: 00:02:26

reflections and like all this like long

inspirational writing that at least I

33

: 00:02:30

used to write and that I used to really

consume when I first started making

34

: 00:02:34

content like five or six years ago.

35

: 00:02:36

I just feel like it's not like that

anymore because short form video has

36

: 00:02:40

totally taken over and don't get me wrong.

37

: 00:02:42

I also love reels.

38

: 00:02:44

Um, but those 10 second videos

don't really allow us to go deep.

39

: 00:02:48

Like I want to, and like, I feel like

the Lord has placed on my heart to do

40

: 00:02:53

with my content, because we're talking

about some really real things here.

41

: 00:02:56

And so I feel like when you go on

Instagram, you're just like, not

42

: 00:02:59

really in the mood to read like

a five paragraph essay anymore.

43

: 00:03:02

Like, I go on Instagram and I want

to, like, find the golden nugget,

44

: 00:03:05

you know, get a little bit of dose

of inspiration, see some beauty.

45

: 00:03:08

See the updates of like the content

creators and the influencers and

46

: 00:03:11

the people that I follow or the

friends that I follow and then

47

: 00:03:14

kind of hop off and that's it.

48

: 00:03:15

And that's totally fine.

49

: 00:03:16

And that's great.

50

: 00:03:18

Hence why the podcast is now

here so that we can do that.

51

: 00:03:21

And so that we can dive into all

the important things together.

52

: 00:03:24

And I feel like a podcast is

going to be able to give you a

53

: 00:03:28

little bit more of an inside look

into who I am and what I'm like.

54

: 00:03:33

And something that I try to do on my

Instagram content already is to show

55

: 00:03:37

you that I'm just right there with you.

56

: 00:03:40

Okay.

57

: 00:03:40

Like I just want you to know that I am

like figuring life out alongside with you.

58

: 00:03:45

And so.

59

: 00:03:45

Today.

60

: 00:03:46

I just want us to get cozy

and talk about our life.

61

: 00:03:50

And I have my cozy set on.

62

: 00:03:51

I mean, I have my tea.

63

: 00:03:53

All my best friends know that I am

obsessed with tea and I feel like

64

: 00:03:56

it solves all of life's problems.

65

: 00:03:57

So I've got my tea, I've got my cozy set

and I'm ready to just dive into the heart

66

: 00:04:03

behind why a podcast, why the name ever

be and what my hope is for you guys in

67

: 00:04:09

joining me here so, like I said, for a

few years, I was kind of debating what

68

: 00:04:14

kind of long form content I wanted to

dive into, whether that was going to be

69

: 00:04:17

a podcast or maybe a YouTube channel,

and then ended up deciding on a podcast.

70

: 00:04:22

Honestly, purely for more practical

reasons, I felt like YouTube

71

: 00:04:26

was going to be hard to edit.

72

: 00:04:26

I don't know.

73

: 00:04:27

Editing video takes a long time,

but also I could really talk a lot.

74

: 00:04:31

For hours on end.

75

: 00:04:32

And so Trey and I were like, yeah,

podcasting is probably more for you.

76

: 00:04:35

But the biggest thing is that I

really wanted to let you in on

77

: 00:04:39

more of who I am and what I'm like.

78

: 00:04:41

And I feel like you'll really

get to see that through this

79

: 00:04:44

platform and on this show.

80

: 00:04:46

And I don't know, I just like wish,

I really, really wish that we could

81

: 00:04:50

like sit down together, and that you

could see that I am right next to you.

82

: 00:04:55

Like I am right where you are right now.

83

: 00:04:57

Trying to figure out what the Lord

has in store for my life as well.

84

: 00:05:00

And we probably have a lot more in common

than you think, or maybe you already think

85

: 00:05:04

that we have a lot in common and we'd

probably be great friends in real life.

86

: 00:05:07

So this way, you just get to see a

little bit more of me, more of my heart.

87

: 00:05:10

And we're able to have the

intentional conversations that I

88

: 00:05:13

think are so important and that

I really want to have together.

89

: 00:05:15

So let's dive into why the name ever be.

90

: 00:05:19

So while I was born and raised Catholic

I have really been on a journey of coming

91

: 00:05:23

to know Jesus and really deepening my

ationship with him since like: 2018

92

: 00:05:28

And this journey of coming to know

Christ has been marked with joy and

93

: 00:05:32

excitement and adventure and a lot of

moments where the Lord has asked me

94

: 00:05:36

to surrender and I have joyfully and

willingly like taken the leap and been

95

: 00:05:40

like, Lord, I trust you and whatever

it is that you're calling me to do.

96

: 00:05:43

And then I faced a really big

moment of surrender in: 2021

97

: 00:05:47

Because we were planning our wedding in

the midst of a pandemic, of a pandemic.

98

: 00:05:51

So any other COVID brides out

there listening to this, I want to

99

: 00:05:56

give you another big virtual hug.

100

: 00:05:58

My heart goes out to you

because man, that was hard.

101

: 00:06:02

Those were some hard times

for everyone, of course.

102

: 00:06:06

But planning a wedding in the midst of

a pandemic It is just something I highly

103

: 00:06:11

don't recommend, um, anybody doing

104

: 00:06:13

and pretty much our whole

engagement season was tough.

105

: 00:06:16

It was, good and beautiful in the

sense that like, it was beautiful to

106

: 00:06:20

know who your husband is going to be.

107

: 00:06:22

And we grew closer to each

other and closer to the

108

: 00:06:24

Lord, but it was really hard.

109

: 00:06:26

There were a lot of challenges and a lot

of it being the fact that we were in the

110

: 00:06:30

middle of a pandemic and wedding planning.

111

: 00:06:33

Was super stressful.

112

: 00:06:35

We were engaged for a year and a half.

113

: 00:06:36

And during that time, we probably

switched locations and venues

114

: 00:06:40

like three different times.

115

: 00:06:42

And we didn't have any official details

of our wedding venue and, couldn't send

116

: 00:06:48

out official invitations to people

until maybe six weeks before the wedding.

117

: 00:06:52

Which is really crazy.

118

: 00:06:54

And that was basically because

of all the laws and regulations

119

: 00:06:57

that were constantly changing.

120

: 00:06:59

Like one week, only 10 people

could gather another week.

121

: 00:07:02

Nobody could gather another week, 25

people could gather and another week,

122

: 00:07:05

maybe a hundred people could gather.

123

: 00:07:07

And then it would go back to

like, Five people could gather.

124

: 00:07:09

And so every week the regulations

were changing and every week venues

125

: 00:07:13

were saying like, Oh, like you can't

have your wedding here anymore.

126

: 00:07:16

Or like, Oh, the town shut down

or, Oh, like, you know, we have to

127

: 00:07:20

wait until like the regulation is

announced closer to your wedding date.

128

: 00:07:25

And so that alone made for

really stressful wedding planning

129

: 00:07:28

because we couldn't really

plan ahead for a lot of things.

130

: 00:07:30

We couldn't really like, Sign contracts

for a lot of things and we couldn't really

131

: 00:07:33

send out invitations because we didn't

know how many people we could invite

132

: 00:07:37

And through it all I'm like, you

know Taking this all to prayer taking

133

: 00:07:41

this all to the Lord and just kind of

being like Lord like what is going on?

134

: 00:07:44

Like this is supposed to be the happiest

time of my life Like I'm engaged and

135

: 00:07:49

I think in general like I'll have

to make a whole nother episode about

136

: 00:07:52

Season of engagement as well, because

I think there's so much to learn there.

137

: 00:07:54

But in general, I think that I just

had this like over romanticized idea

138

: 00:07:59

of what engagement would be like in my

head due to probably all the rom com

139

: 00:08:03

movies I watched growing up, because

I've always been a hopeless romantic.

140

: 00:08:07

So I thought that this season was going

to be like so joyful and exciting.

141

: 00:08:11

And like, everybody would be

celebrating me and, you know, we'd

142

: 00:08:14

have all these parties and showers

and everything would be perfect.

143

: 00:08:18

And the wedding planning would be

like just this picture, perfect, like

144

: 00:08:21

mood board, you know, like, like you

see on like the wedding planner movie

145

: 00:08:25

with Jennifer Lopez and then you get

to your wedding day and everything

146

: 00:08:28

is perfect and nothing goes wrong.

147

: 00:08:30

Yeah, that was.

148

: 00:08:31

That was pretty, pretty

naive of me, I guess,

149

: 00:08:35

You know, and a lot of the

difficulties were because we were

150

: 00:08:37

in a pandemic and that was just.

151

: 00:08:39

A crazy time that we

happen to be engaged in.

152

: 00:08:42

Um, but on top of all that, we

were also doing long distance Trey

153

: 00:08:46

and I's relationship was in and

out of long distance because we

154

: 00:08:49

both lived in different states.

155

: 00:08:50

And so when we weren't at school in

college, we were doing long distance

156

: 00:08:54

and I was a year ahead of him.

157

: 00:08:56

So I graduated before he did.

158

: 00:08:58

And so I went off to my job.

159

: 00:09:00

I was a missionary with focus and I

moved to Nebraska and he was still in

160

: 00:09:04

school and he only had a semester left.

161

: 00:09:08

He chose to graduate a little

bit early so that he could get

162

: 00:09:11

married to me, which is just.

163

: 00:09:13

dream, but he still had one semester

left of college and we did long

164

: 00:09:18

distance for about eight months

during our engagement period.

165

: 00:09:22

Now that was really hard because now

, we're not just dealing with a pandemic,

166

: 00:09:27

but now we're also dealing with like

wedding planning from long distance and

167

: 00:09:30

trying to set up a lot of phone calls

and zoom calls to figure details out.

168

: 00:09:34

We did our marriage prep and

natural family planning classes,

169

: 00:09:38

like all long distance and like.

170

: 00:09:40

date nights all virtually

and all long distance.

171

: 00:09:43

And it's one thing to be long

distance with your boyfriend.

172

: 00:09:46

It's another thing to be long distance

with your fiance, whom you are just so

173

: 00:09:50

ready to be married with and so ready

to do life with and whom you're just

174

: 00:09:54

so in love with and who you're planning

this, like a whole huge event with.

175

: 00:09:59

And so on all levels, it just was so

impractical and so emotionally challenging

176

: 00:10:05

for us to be long distance during this

time and on top of that, I had to have

177

: 00:10:09

a lot of hard conversations with family

members and bridal party members who

178

: 00:10:15

were all navigating the climate of our

world and what we were all experiencing.

179

: 00:10:20

You know, I had to let go of a lot

of what I envisioned my engagement

180

: 00:10:24

period to be and what I envisioned

all these celebrations to be.

181

: 00:10:28

I didn't have a bridal shower, really.

182

: 00:10:30

I mean, I kind of had a virtual one,

but You know, it's not the same.

183

: 00:10:33

And the bachelorette party that

I'd always imagined didn't really

184

: 00:10:35

happen because people couldn't

really travel in the middle of COVID.

185

: 00:10:39

And there were a lot of people that

I love that didn't make it to our

186

: 00:10:41

wedding and a lot of family members

who live far away that weren't able

187

: 00:10:45

to make it to the actual wedding day.

188

: 00:10:46

So I had to let go of a lot and that

took me through a whole journey with the

189

: 00:10:50

Lord of like, what is your plan here?

190

: 00:10:52

What are you, you know, drawing

out of this experience, Lord.

191

: 00:10:56

And on top of all that, as

if all that wasn't enough.

192

: 00:11:00

On the actual day of our wedding, there

was like the biggest snow storm to

193

: 00:11:04

hit Colorado in like a million years

that hit on the day of our wedding

194

: 00:11:08

as I was driving to the church.

195

: 00:11:10

Now, this was both like a blessing and a

curse because I actually prayed for snow.

196

: 00:11:16

We originally were going to get married up

at winter park, which is like a mountain

197

: 00:11:20

town here in Colorado that I love.

198

: 00:11:23

There's this gorgeous little chapel

called our lady of the snow up in the

199

: 00:11:26

mountains, like nestled in the mountains.

200

: 00:11:28

And like the views are gorgeous.

201

: 00:11:30

I used to go up there and we still go up

there with Trey's family all the time,

202

: 00:11:34

especially in the holidays and when

it's snowing and it is just beautiful.

203

: 00:11:37

And I wanted like a white winter wedding.

204

: 00:11:40

And since the mountain town had

shut down for COVID, we changed

205

: 00:11:44

the venue a million times.

206

: 00:11:44

Like I said, and that dream was

something that I also had to let go of.

207

: 00:11:48

And I just knew like, okay, I'm not

going to have a mountain wedding.

208

: 00:11:51

I'm not going to have a winter wedding.

209

: 00:11:52

It's okay.

210

: 00:11:53

Like.

211

: 00:11:54

It's fine.

212

: 00:11:55

The Lord has other plans.

213

: 00:11:56

And the week of our wedding was

sixties and sunnies every single day.

214

: 00:12:00

And that whole week I did pray.

215

: 00:12:03

I was like, you know, Lord, I

wouldn't mind if there would be

216

: 00:12:05

some snow on our wedding day.

217

: 00:12:07

If you wanted there to be like, maybe

a light dusting of snow just to have

218

: 00:12:09

really pretty photos and then, you

know, sunny for the reception or

219

: 00:12:12

whatever, like that would be great.

220

: 00:12:14

Thanks.

221

: 00:12:15

Well, the Lord provided in great

abundance as it was like a huge blizzard

222

: 00:12:21

that hit and a huge snowstorm that hit.

223

: 00:12:24

There was literally like.

224

: 00:12:25

three feet plus of snow that all came

down in the matter of like a few hours.

225

: 00:12:29

It was nuts.

226

: 00:12:29

So even though it did make for some

of the most magical wedding photos and

227

: 00:12:34

wedding video, And just made the day

so memorable for us and for our guests.

228

: 00:12:39

And for so many people, people

talk about it all the time still.

229

: 00:12:42

And I love it because it was just a

fun kind of crazy day for everybody.

230

: 00:12:46

it did add a lot of travel

complications to a lot of the people

231

: 00:12:50

who were coming to the wedding.

232

: 00:12:51

So that was just another thing on top of

everything that was like, not really going

233

: 00:12:55

the way that we had planned or hoped and

more people canceled day of, and you know,

234

: 00:13:00

just added an extra layer of like, wow.

235

: 00:13:02

Okay.

236

: 00:13:02

Lord, like.

237

: 00:13:03

What else, what else you're

going to throw at us, you know

238

: 00:13:06

and so basically as we were

encountering all these problems

239

: 00:13:08

throughout our engagement, um, and

wedding planning, we knew one thing,

240

: 00:13:12

we knew that there would be a wedding

mass and that that was for certain.

241

: 00:13:16

And so we put a lot of energy and

effort into our wedding mass and into,

242

: 00:13:22

you know, what the readings were going

to be, what the music was going to be

243

: 00:13:24

like, um, what was the message that

we wanted to convey to our guests

244

: 00:13:30

and, you know, root our marriage in.

245

: 00:13:34

And so we prayed over the readings

and what they meant to us.

246

: 00:13:38

And we prayed over the music and the

songs that we were going to pick.

247

: 00:13:42

And,

248

: 00:13:42

we just decided that we wanted our wedding

mass to be one where heaven came down to

249

: 00:13:47

earth And a message of hope and praise

was communicated to our guests and that

250

: 00:13:54

our marriage would just like radiate

just like the joy and praise of the Lord.

251

: 00:13:59

And so the song that I chose to

walk down the aisle to that day

252

: 00:14:03

is called ever be by Bethel music.

253

: 00:14:07

And I chose to specifically

walk down to the lyric.

254

: 00:14:10

I'm sure it's like in the chorus

where it says your praise,

255

: 00:14:14

Lord will ever be on my lips.

256

: 00:14:17

Your praise, Lord, will

ever be on my lips.

257

: 00:14:21

And I chose this song because while

I was walking down the aisle to make

258

: 00:14:25

a vow to the man who I loved so much

and who had been so good and faithful

259

: 00:14:31

to me always, I also, as I was walking

down the aisle was making a vow to

260

: 00:14:37

the Lord, to my God, who had always

been good and faithful to me as well.

261

: 00:14:42

And I wanted to make this promise to

him that no matter what life through

262

: 00:14:47

our way, what plans the Lord had

for us and our family, that his

263

: 00:14:52

praise would ever be on my lips.

264

: 00:14:55

And I promised to share the truth

that he's a good and faithful father

265

: 00:15:00

every day for the rest of my life.

266

: 00:15:02

So here I am on this new platform

that the Lord has called me to be on,

267

: 00:15:07

to share my heart with you and to

hopefully inspire you to live a

268

: 00:15:11

Christ centered life and to see the

beauty and the joy and the freedom

269

: 00:15:16

that comes with a life with Christ.

270

: 00:15:18

And through this podcast, his praise

will quite literally be on my lips.

271

: 00:15:23

So thank you.

272

: 00:15:24

Thank you for being here.

273

: 00:15:25

Thank you for listening to this

episode and for following along on

274

: 00:15:30

this journey that I'm inviting you on.

275

: 00:15:32

I am so excited that you're here.

276

: 00:15:34

I'm so excited for what's

to come on the show.

277

: 00:15:37

I have so many amazing episodes and

incredible guests already lined up

278

: 00:15:42

that I know you are going to love.

279

: 00:15:44

And I just can't wait to

share it all with you.

280

: 00:15:47

But before you go, if you love what you

heard today, please subscribe, like

281

: 00:15:52

the podcast and leave a review, maybe

a five star rating, share it with your

282

: 00:15:57

friends and just get the word out.

283

: 00:15:59

It would mean so much to me.

284

: 00:16:01

Plus follow us on Instagram.

285

: 00:16:03

You can follow the ever be podcast.

286

: 00:16:05

Instagram, which is

just at ever be podcast.

287

: 00:16:08

You can find me on Instagram

at Mari dot C dot Wagner.

288

: 00:16:13

And you can find our Catholic

lifestyle brand on Instagram,

289

: 00:16:16

which is at West coast Catholic.

290

: 00:16:17

I'm on Instagram all over

the place these days.

291

: 00:16:19

So you can find me in any of those

places, but definitely follow

292

: 00:16:23

us on the podcast, Instagram.

293

: 00:16:25

And if you have any requests for any

topics that you want to hear or any

294

: 00:16:29

questions that you're like, can you

please make an episode about this?

295

: 00:16:31

I'd I want to know what that is.

296

: 00:16:33

You guys, like the Lord has placed

it on my heart to serve you.

297

: 00:16:36

And to create content for you.

298

: 00:16:38

Like I said, to walk alongside you.

299

: 00:16:40

So tell me what you thought

about this episode or how you're

300

: 00:16:43

feeling about the podcast.

301

: 00:16:44

Hopefully you're excited

and celebrating with me.

302

: 00:16:46

and if you have any ideas of what

you want to hear and you're like,

303

: 00:16:49

please, Mari, talk about this.

304

: 00:16:51

Please drop me a message and I

will read it and take it to heart

305

: 00:16:55

and totally consider

adding it to my content

306

: 00:16:57

so that is officially a wrap on

our very first episode of the show.

307

: 00:17:02

I'll be dropping episodes every Wednesday.

308

: 00:17:05

So mark your calendars, set a

reminder, subscribe to the podcast.

309

: 00:17:08

So every Wednesday you and I can

hang out while you're driving or

310

: 00:17:12

cooking or cleaning or hanging out,

whatever it is that you're doing.

311

: 00:17:16

Join me every Wednesday.

312

: 00:17:18

And with that, I will see you next week.