Speaker 1: 0:41

And welcome to the 100th episode. Hey, this is kind of a big deal and I'm so excited about this podcast. I love doing this, I love being here, I love recording these. It is truly a highlight of my week when I get to record a podcast, and today is the 100th episode. So I mean, if I had confetti, I would be throwing it, or one of those celebration, you know, like those things that they use at birthday parties where you, the squeakers I don't even know what they're called If you are new here or you've been here for a long time. Thank you, thank you so much. Thank you for helping me make this happen. And today, on today's episode, oh, you're in for such a treat. It was a no-brainer for me as to what I wanted to say and what I wanted to do, and so let's just jump right into this podcast. You're going to leave so inspired, you're going to have remarkable perspective that you didn't even know that maybe you needed a perspective shift. Oh, my goodness, we're going to play the most recorded podcast, the most downloaded podcast, and this won't be the last time that I do this one, and many of you know my sweet friend, gabby Buford.

Speaker 1: 2:11

Gabby was the joyful warrior princess, and we were best buds. The way we met, our friendship, the way all that played out was such a God story, such a miracle, and it was the honor of my life to be her best friend. It was the honor of my life that she was, god chose me to be her best friend and that that was my assignment. It's really powerful when you get in alignment with your assignment. It's really powerful when you surrender your life to God and say Lord, I open up my hands, I don't care, what do you want, I want what you want, what do you want. That's where I was when I met Gabby, and I'm still just blown away because you know, when you meet somebody and you're like, or a situation happens and you're like, I'll never be the same. And in real time, as we were, as it just evolved and we became super fast best friends, I knew in real time I would never be the same. Gabby shares her hope. She will inspire you. She truly is remarkable. I was blessed enough to have had an opportunity. Well, there were so many blessings here. I spent a lot of time with Gabby and her family, and Gabby and I spent a lot of one-on-one time together too.

Speaker 1: 3:52

And as I was asked one day who is the most influential person in my life and I just didn't think about that, it's like who is the one person? And it was interesting. My mind went to biblical characters, I think. I felt like I was supposed to be spiritual about it or something and I needed to say Jesus or Moses or Paul or something like that. And that didn't sit with me and not that they're not the most influential.

Speaker 1: 4:31

But then I went to history people in history that have changed history, and real quickly. It was like my mind. It was like this mental Rolodex. It went da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da. It's like it filtered past all that and immediately it was like Gabby. I called her.

Speaker 1: 4:51

I'm'm like I have to come over right now. I've got to tell you something, and I did. I drove over there and I'm like Gabby, you're the most influential person in my life. You've changed the way I will see life forever. So I'm one of influence. I mean, I think I don't like the way that that word hits anymore, because we think of almost vanity and I follow this person so I can consume this product or these products or look a certain way.

Speaker 1: 5:20

And true influence means that you can change the way that someone thinks and acts. And as believers, we're all called to be influencers. Our lights should be bright and we should, for kingdom purposes, be enlightening people and helping them to understand the light and love of Jesus Christ and influencing them for His glory. And as I was thinking through this and had that opportunity to share it with Gabby, it's even more so now. Now that she's in heaven, healed and whole, that influence, that impact is even greater. The things that she taught me I'll never forget.

Speaker 1: 6:19

I watched her. Someone who has influence has these three things they can change the way someone thinks. They challenge them and it changes the way they act and then they role model the way. Those three things Change the way they think. They challenge us, which changes what we do, and then they role model the way. And so Gabby challenged me and challenged my attitude. Her attitude was exceptional. I've never met anybody with a more exceptional attitude than Gabby Buford. Always choosing joy, always had a smile on her face, had a smile on her face. She hurt and I never heard her complain, ever. Mind you, I was with her a lot. She taught me the goodness of God. I watched her quote scripture and she believed that God was good and he had a good plan. She was grounded and rooted in scripture and she knew her identity. Even when the cancer treatments changed her body, the shape of her face, she still knew that she was beautiful and chosen in love. She showed up, she didn't self-protect, she didn't hide, she didn't shrink back Truly exceptional and truly remarkable.

Speaker 1: 8:03

As I'm recording this and this is the hundredth episode, isn't the Lord so precious? I want you to know something really special has happened this week. So Gabby would have been a freshman in high school this year. She would have gone to Northwest Rankin High School and they wanted to honor her. It's homecoming week and let me tell you what they did. So at the time of recording, this just happened yesterday. They have a homecoming parade and they asked Gabby and her family to be the grand marshal and somebody loaned them a Jeep. Gabby wanted a Jeep. They decorated it up. Butterflies are. She loved butterflies and her mom decorated it so beautifully and had all of these beautiful signs made. Mom decorated it so beautifully and had all of these beautiful signs made and they were the grand marshal of this parade. And then, on top of that, friday night is homecoming and they've asked Gabby's family to crown the homecoming queen.

Speaker 1: 9:27

Now, think about this. This child had such an impact and so much influence. Her character, the way she acted, the way that she smiled, impacted not just me but this entire community, and I've heard so many of you say she changed me. You never even met her and just listening to her stories, listening to her she and I would do the welcome to the Gabby and Amy show, just this thing that happened organically. She loved to get in front of the camera and that was just something that we did and it just kind of took off and you guys were changed too.

Speaker 1: 11:28

So as I'm going to replay this episode, I'm not going to cut out the beginning of it, where I introduced her, and you'll hear that it was in present tense. Like it kind of hurts my heart to whoo, here we go. It hurts my heart to even think about taking that out, because the reality was is that I never thought that she wasn't going to live. I literally thought she was going to be healed this side of heaven. God had different plans, but my faith, I was all in baby. I was like, oh no, I mean, I thought she was going to get up out of that casket and she didn't. God had different plans. And then, to go back, I re-listened to this podcast and it just brought back so many memories.

Speaker 1: 12:20

You'll have to forgive the quality of this. We did the best we could. What what happened was let me tell you what happened was we had planned to record this podcast, but the reality of the survival mode of their life was they never knew when they were going to St Jude. I had the opportunity to. We had a date once a week and we just happened to be together at her house. I think her mother was running some errands and it was just us. I was like hey, you want to record a podcast? We've been talking about it. She said, sure, yeah. So she was in a recliner, she had this recliner and she sat in and she was comfortable in that chair and I just pulled up the computer and we just recorded it. Actually, there's a YouTube video of this. We'll add that to the show notes as well if you want to watch it.

Speaker 1: 13:11

So the quality is not great, the Wi-Fi was not great, but this message you'll never forget. So I pray that this hundredth episode is as meaningful to you as it is to me, and I want to just say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you, I would love it if you would share this podcast and this message as long as I'm alive. I will continue to share Gabby's message and her legacy as long as I'm alive. Enjoy this episode.

Speaker 1: 14:01

My friend, in this podcast you're going to hear from my best bud. Her name is Gabby Buford, she's 13, and she's one of the most remarkable humans I've ever met in my entire life. I call her the joyful warrior princess, and you'll find out very quickly why. She is walking through unbelievable circumstances and you will see her joy. You will get to hear her hope and she expresses it so well and you'll get to hear a little bit of her story. So I'm not going to share that here, but I've never met anyone like this young lady. We're going to share how we met and how God brought us together. It's really a remarkable story and it's really interesting.

Speaker 1: 14:57

As we were recording the video, um the the podcast, at one point I say, okay, gabby, do you want to say anything else? And she said, um, no, and so we signed off and then we, we, um hit stop on the record and then she goes. Well, I don't know if I don't want to say anything else. I think I want to say something else. I said, well, it's okay, look, let's just add it back in.

Speaker 1: 15:22

And what she came back and said so go grab a Kleenex, download this, share it with this. This is I can't tell you how special this one is. Like this is so special, um, it's I'm a sacred, so this is a sacred podcast that I'm sharing with you, and to get to listen to this precious young lady's heart is, um, a gift to you. So, anyway, go grab a Kleenex, um, and be inspired by her and enjoy this and then share it, because this message the world needs to hear. Welcome to the Gabby and Amy show. Yes, gabby is my best buddy, yes, and she is the Joyful Warrior Princess is what I call her.

Speaker 2: 16:22

The Joyful Warrior Princess, that's right, beautiful, so beautiful, a fitting name for a Joyful Warrior.

Speaker 1: 16:32

Princess and Gabby, can you tell them how?

Speaker 2: 16:36

old you are, yes, I'm 13. When did you turn 13?

Speaker 1: 16:44

Just a little bit.

Speaker 2: 16:45

Saturday.

Speaker 1: 16:46

Just on Saturday You're brand new 13. When did you turn 13? Just a little bit.

Speaker 2: 16:49

Saturday, just on Saturday, you're brand new 13 years old.

Speaker 1: 16:56

Yep, oh, my goodness. All right, so we're going to share a little bit of Gabby and her hope and her joy, and why she is the joyful warrior princess. Okay, gabby, can you, if people are like I wonder where she got that name from? Or why does Amy call her Joyful Warrior Princess? Do you remember?

Speaker 2: 17:13

why I gave you that name? Yes, because I am a Joyful Warrior Princess.

Speaker 1: 17:20

That's right that's right, and you're always joyful, so let's break it down. So, number one she's a princess, that's right. That's right, and you're always joyful, so let's break it down. So, number one she's a princess. Why are you a?

Speaker 2: 17:28

princess. I'm a princess because I have everything I need.

Speaker 1: 17:35

Yes, and who's? Who's your, who's your? You're a daughter of the who Of the God. You're a daughter of God. You're a daughter of the king. And so when we're a daughter of the who Of the God, you're a daughter of God. You're a daughter of the king. And so when we're a daughter of the king, he looks at us like royalty. That's what he says that we are. Yeah, so you're royalty. So there's where the princess comes from, and she is joyful because you choose joy always, don't you?

Speaker 1: 18:04

Uh-huh Always. She literally always chooses joy and warrior. All right, you are a warrior, yes, can you tell them what you're worrying? What is your war? What is your battle right now?

Speaker 2: 18:21

I'm battling my brain tumor.

Speaker 1: 18:24

Your brain tumor. Yeah she, you are in the fight of your life, aren't you I?

Speaker 2: 18:30

am.

Speaker 1: 18:31

You are a strong warrior. Yes, yes it's so interesting because you, your joyfulness and your hope and your um love have inspired so many people, so many people, and you've just impacted more people than you can ever imagine. Did you ever mean to do that?

Speaker 2: 19:01

No, no, no, I, I just go along with what the day brings. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 19:14

You know I've shared this before, but you've really, really, really, really, really really taught me one of the greatest lessons in of my life and um, and it's number one, your favorite verse, can you? In fact, somebody just did her a beautiful necklace that has the verse written. I mean yeah, written on it. It does yeah, yeah. And what verse is that, gabby? That verse is Jeremiah.

Speaker 2: 19:46

Jeremiah 29, 11 for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.

Speaker 1: 20:03

Jeremiah 29, 11. And for you, that verse has brought you a lot of what.

Speaker 2: 20:12

That verse has brought me to me has brought Like hope, yes, and love, and peace.

Speaker 1: 20:26

It's brought you a lot of peace, hasn't it? Yes yeah, because you, you say something and I'm gonna try not to cry but it makes me a little emotional because it's so powerful and do you ever get a little emotional sometimes when things are so powerful? You're like, wow, this is so powerful when you say, based off of Jeremiah 29, 11, god has a plan and his plan is good. God has a plan and his plan is good. When we don't understand it, when things seem hard, when we don't have the answers, we won't.

Speaker 2: 21:13

When we're waiting, we keep waiting and keep waiting, and waiting, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 21:22

But it's a, it's a, it's a truth. This is a foundation for Christians that God has a plan. And, like when you anger your hope in the fact that God has a plan for my life, he has fearfully and made me he. He loves me, he has chosen me. I am the apple of his eye. When we look at ourselves in that kind of that royal princess status and we keep our eyes turned on him, it changes everything for our perspective. And so what you've been able to do in your fight with this brain cancer, you've been able to rise above your circumstance yes yes and uh.

Speaker 1: 22:11

There's not a wrong or right, you just share what's on your heart. Um, it seems like and I've been around you for a long enough to know this answer but for people that are going to watch or listen to this, it seems like you have peace.

Speaker 2: 22:28

Do you have peace, gabby? Yes, so much peace, so much. Do you have joy?

Speaker 1: 22:37

Yes, A lot of people are going to look at this and go, oh my goodness, that's so hard though she's going through cancer and so many things have changed in your life and you just focus on who who are you focusing on God.

Speaker 1: 22:55

God, you said one thing for your birthday. I said Gabby, what do you want for your birthday? I don't know if you'll remember your answer, because if you don't, I'll come back to it. I asked her. I said Gabby, you're turning 13. What do you want for your birthday? And you know what? Do you remember what you said? The number one thing you wanted for your birthday.

Speaker 1: 23:23

No, you said time with oh God. Yes, you said, said I just want time with jesus and I want time with my family. Yes, yeah, all that other stuff it's nice, like presents are so nice and things are nice, but nothing takes the place of our time with god. Yes, and that's where your peace comes from, isn't it?

Speaker 2: 23:42

Yes.

Speaker 1: 23:43

Yes, you are so special, you're so loved. I love you so much. Another trip back to St Jude, actually here in just a little bit. Yeah, yeah, just a little bit. Those aren't fun, are they?

Speaker 2: 23:59

No, no, but with god and for god I don't know all things are possible that's right, and you can do all things through him who gives me strength the joy of the lord is your strength that's right

Speaker 1: 24:17

this girl is rooted and grounded in the lord and this is where her hope comes from. It's not easy. It's not easy. The day in and day out is hard, yes, and she misses a lot of things in her life. Hey friend, I think we could agree on this.

Speaker 1: 24:41

We are living through some pretty crazy times right now, and I personally believe that they are about to get more and more turbulent. And it is my mission to help women walk worthy. And how do we navigate the hardships, the crazy times, all the things. Navigate the hardships, the crazy times, all the things and still cultivate a life of joy, a life of energy, focus and purpose? And I'm going to be addressing these very things in my upcoming Mastering Midlife Bootcamp and I'm going to share with you three steps to have a thriving midlife, no matter what. So I want to encourage you to join me in this. It's going to be held September 24th through the 27th and it's absolutely free. If you're unable to attend live, I'll be sending you the replay, along with lots of great information, just to help us all cultivate the strength and the fortitude and the joy, no matter what the circumstances hold. So come join me there. You can click in the show notes of this podcast, or you can go to thefitsoulcom slash bootcamp to join, and again, it's absolutely free.

Speaker 2: 26:10

It never complains thank you, I love you. I love you too, you'll make me cry.

Speaker 1: 26:24

So, anyway, do you have anything you want to say before we?

Speaker 2: 26:29

sign on. Yes, okay, go and make room for you and make room for the Lord. That's gold.

Speaker 1: 26:43

Okay, Can I expound on that? Are we good for another minute or two? Yes, Do you know, Gabby? There was one time in my life where I was like I would get up and I would read my Bible and I was making room for the Lord. But I wasn't really making room for the Lord, and let me explain what I mean. I'd get up to read my will and confessing my sin before the Lord and asking God what do you want me to do with my life? What do you want me to do with my day? Would you order my footsteps, like making room for the Lord, making room to say God, my life is yours, what do you want me to do with it? And do you know that? When I finally made room for the Lord, like you're talking about, when I finally did that, do you know what happened in my life?

Speaker 2: 27:53

What.

Speaker 1: 27:54

Well, I slowed down a lot. I realized that I couldn't make room for anything else, that I had to take stuff out of my life. So I did. I took things out of my life I was too doggone busy and I learned to prioritize my life. I learned to ask God what did he want in my life? I wanted to honor him with my life, and when I did that it's a long story and we'll share it on another video maybe, but I said yes to things that were more important in my life and I learned to prioritize. And one of the things that's important to me is that giving back to my community, making an impact of sorts to my in my local community and beyond. And I got a phone call one day and said hi, would you like to be an ambassador for make a wish foundation?

Speaker 2: 28:49

that's where I met you yes.

Speaker 1: 28:51

So when I made more room for Jesus and slowed my life down and put him as my number one and started just letting him order my footsteps, that's where I met Gabby and I was. You know, I'm a work in progress. I was having a fundraiser at my house for Make-A-Wish Mississippi, which is a phenomenal organization, and they said somebody was going to come and visit and share. Now, I had no idea who you were. I didn't know your mama.

Speaker 2: 29:23

No, and we didn't know you.

Speaker 1: 29:26

No, no, we didn't know each other, but we became instant best friends. We can't explain it, can we?

Speaker 2: 29:37

No, it was like boom. It was like boom Boom baby, boom, boom.

Speaker 1: 29:46

We have so much fun together. Yes, and you know what it was like. God said okay, gabby and her mom are your assignment right now. That's what he told me. He said they're your assignment. That's where you need to be spending your time.

Speaker 2: 30:03

Yes.

Speaker 1: 30:04

And I'm so grateful that I made room for Jesus and more room for God in my life so I could really tap into his will for my life, which brought us together.

Speaker 2: 30:18

Yes, isn't that a beautiful story? Yes, yes.

Speaker 1: 30:22

So I want to encourage you that make room for, make room for God. And if you're anything like me you're so distracted you're checking off the list but you're feeling stale, stuck and stagnant that there's something there. There's something there and press into it because you've got a father, you have a heavenly father that wants intimacy with you. But for me what that meant was I had to put other things out of my life. I had to limit different things in my life. I had to say no to a lot so I could learn to say yes to him and abide with him and then say yes to the great and no to the good. I yes to the great and no to the good. I had to learn to say no to the good and out of. That has been the biggest shift and pivot in my spiritual life by far.

Speaker 1: 31:10

But you guys pray for Gabby. She's headed to St Jude and she's in and out of there regularly and we need a miracle. Straight up, straight up. She has a brain tumor and she's had a couple of surgeries. She had one not too long ago yeah yes, all right, gabby.

Speaker 1: 31:28

Is there anything else you would like to say?

Speaker 2: 31:32

yes, have joy. Have joy in all things.

Speaker 1: 31:40

Yes, the joy of the lord is your strength yeah, do you say that to yourself when you're failing like I say that to myself, when I feel small, small, when I feel shrunk, and Lord, lord knows he does know. Do you, um, say that to yourself? I know that you've got to feel scared when you go to the hospital and, oh, yes, yes, right, I mean, let's just be honest right, you feel scared. What do you say to yourself when you feel scared?

Speaker 2: 32:23

I say those words, the joy of the Lord is my strength.

Speaker 1: 32:31

The joy of the Lord is my strength. You know, another thing that you do a lot of is you listen to a lot of worship music yes, I love worship let me tell you something gabby knows every worship song, like it can come on, and she is singing every single lyric, in fact. Fact. Can you tell our friends who?

Speaker 2: 32:59

you met Lauren Daigle. Oh yeah, baby, we met Lauren. I was like oh my God.

Speaker 1: 33:09

Help me. Oh, not only did you meet Lauren Daigle, but I think she came and laid hands right over you. She did. That was amazing. Yes, that was amazing was amazing. What's your? Do you have a favorite song right now? I know you've filtered through a lot of favorite songs, but what's your favorite song right now today?

Speaker 2: 33:27

right now it's um.

Speaker 1: 33:33

Hmm, you can think about it she loves a lot of the lauren daigle song.

Speaker 2: 33:39

She loves we love the king and country we love king country um we love maverick.

Speaker 1: 33:46

Yes, big time, big time, yes.

Speaker 2: 33:52

And.

Speaker 1: 33:57

I will be content.

Speaker 2: 33:59

In every circumstance. You are a child, you are enough, forever enough, always enough, more than enough.

Speaker 1: 34:13

We didn't plan this, folks. Okay, we just love it. We can't help it. Yeah, what's another song you love? Um, okay, we just love it, we can't help it. Yeah, what's another song you love? I get stuck sometimes when I get put on the spot with songs. But I can tell you what, if we put music on, just straight up music on, she would be singing every single lyric. I've never seen anything like it. What's your favorite? Lauren Daigle song.

Speaker 2: 34:39

Ooh.

Speaker 1: 34:40

Ooh, look up, child, I've never seen anything like it.

Speaker 2: 34:42

What's your favorite Lauren Daigle song? Oh, oh um, look up child. Yeah, look up child, look up child and what's that?

Speaker 1: 34:54

one that you sing to yourself when you're um, when you're? This got me through some dark times. She sang it oh my goodness, I can't remember what it is right now, but she's saying it when we were um at the concert in that first little part, where before it was the big concert, oh, and it was just one of the ones that just to you during dark times. I can't remember which one it is, but, yes, worship songs keep you, keep your head straight, and that's for me too. So you quote scripture, you read scripture a lot, you listen to a lot of worship music. Kind of keep your head in the right place, and you know you, just, you're just doing this thing.

Speaker 1: 35:36

Well, girlfriend yeah yeah, yeah, you are, and I love y'all. I love this about Gabby. I know I'm kind of going on here, but she knows how to accept a compliment. I mean it's beautiful, it's a beautiful thing.

Speaker 2: 35:50

You know that you're doing a good job yeah, yeah, I mean, you know I am doing a good job. Heck, yeah, you are sister, you're doing a fabulous job.

Speaker 1: 35:57

Heck, yeah, you are sister, you're doing a fabulous job. You know, a lot of women in particular have a hard time accepting a compliment. They're like oh no, no, no, no, Like they feel awkward about accepting a compliment and you do it with such grace. But you accept the compliment and I think that's really something else that's really beautiful about you, because you know your worth. I've told you this before. I've shared a little bit about that. That was one of the first things I noticed about Gabby and this is something just like in general, you can know about women that are able to receive a compliment. Oftentimes they just know their value and their worth. When they're able to do that and you do you know your worth, you know you know your value, you know that you are a chosen daughter of god. You know that.

Speaker 2: 36:43

You know that you know that joyful warrior prince, yeah, you are gotta claim that crown, um, okay.

Speaker 1: 36:54

well, this was so much fun. You want to do another one soon? Yes, all right, I know y'all want to hear another one soon too. So we will keep praying. You know you can pray for her family. You know it's kind of hard on everybody right now, isn't it yeah?

Speaker 1: 37:11

Yeah, but they pull together and so if you want to just pray for their entire family and just our prayer is healing, in the mighty name of jesus, this cancer is gone. In the mighty name of jesus, absolute, complete healing. I believe gabby will be healed and this will be the most amazing story that she can share with others. Tell, tell them what do you want to be when you grow up?

Speaker 2: 37:40

A teacher, a teacher, what grade do you want to teach?

Speaker 1: 37:45

Kindergarten, kindergarten, okay, kindergarten or any grade, any grade, you're going to be the best teacher ever, okay. So, gabby, I have this vision of you. Now I want to hear what you think about this. I really do. I see that you're going to be healed and that you are going to be sharing your story, your unbelievable story, in front of millions of people on a stage. What do you think about that?

Speaker 2: 38:14

I like it.

Speaker 1: 38:18

Would you like to share your story? Yes, yes, you do you love to share your story? Yes, yes, you do you love to share your story, don't you? Yes, yes, yes. So I believe it'll impact a lot of people and just change their lives.

Speaker 2: 38:31

you're so special oh yeah, you're so special okay well-bye for now. Bye.

Speaker 1: 38:40

Bye. I hope that that episode encouraged you and strengthened you, shifted your perspective, reminded you to step it up, walk in excellence. You know someone needs you to be on your A game, someone needs you to walk in excellence. And so, as iron sharpens iron, let's all do this. If a little, if a girl, a 13-year-old girl, could do that every single day, in the hardest of situations, we can too. I'm cheering you on. No-transcript.