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Focus on the Family Broadcast

Living With Authenticity

Living With Authenticity

TV star and actress Sadie Robertson explains how she has remained true to her Christian values in the midst of the pressures that come with a highly successful career in the public spotlight.

Opening:

Teaser:

Miss Sadie Robertson: So, instead of being scared and running from these times, like embrace it, you know and run straight for it and find your purpose and your passion and be Spirit-led.

End of Teaser

John Fuller: Sadie Robertson joins us today on “Focus on the Family” and your host is Focus president and author, Jim Daly. Thanks for joining us. I’m John Fuller.

Jim Daly: John, we’re all excited here at Focus on the Family to have Sadie with us. Next week is the official re-launch of Brio magazine. That was our publication many years ago for teen girls and it’s back and Sadie is the cover girl for the first issue. And that and her great story we’re gonna talk about today.

John: Yeah, it’s really fun to haveBrio back and the response from people has been overwhelming, Jim.

Jim: I’m shocked–

John: I mean, the number.

Jim: –43,000 subscriptions to the magazine in just a few weeks. So, we know you’ve wanted this and we are glad to say it’s back.

John: And as you said, Sadie is on the cover. Now Sadie is perhaps best known for her work on A&E TV’s reality show, “Duck Dynasty.” She also was on “Dancing with the Stars” and she’s an impressive young lady and I’m really glad to have her here.

Body:

Jim: Yeah, she is and Sadie, welcome to “Focus on the Family.”

Sadie: Thank y’all. That was such a nice introduction.

Jim: Hey, I have met your dad. Your mom has actually been on the program with her book and also your uncle Al and Aunt Lisa, right?

Sadie: Yes! (Laughter) I’m just joining the family tradition in coming.

Jim: So, they all really love Si kind of. (Laughter)

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: They said Si is actually that bizarre. Is he?

Sadie: Oh, yeah.

Jim: Now you’re the niece. Is Uncle Si [bizarre]?

Sadie: Oh, my gosh, I can tell you whenever we were little, like my cousins and I, we would wait for him to wake up from his nap, because every time he would do like the weirdest thing or have like extreme gas. (Laughter) Right? And we would be like, this guy is so weird. So, he used to be the weird uncle, but now that he’s like famous Uncle Si, we’re like, “Oh, hey, Uncle Si.”

Jim: He’s the lovable one.

Sadie: He’s pretty cool, yeah. He’s pretty funny.

Jim: Oh, he’s fun. He’s probably, you know, he just brings great humor to the show.

Sadie: Oh, absolutely.

Jim: Now were you ever in a position as a younger teen going, “Mom and dad, what are you doin’ with ‘Duck Dynasty;’ why would you do that?

Sadie: Oh, yes, for sure. It was a huge shock to us. But what was really cool is, I was at a Winter Fest event whenever I found out we were going to have the show “Duck Dynasty” and this year to be speaking at Winter Jam was kinda cool to see that “Duck Dynasty” got me there and so, full circle moment for me. It was definitely a huge life-changer though.

Jim: You’ve written this book, a New York Times best-seller. You’re 19-years-old. Don’t you know you’re supposed to wait till you’re at least 35?

Sadie: Hey, hey, that’s, no, no, no, no.

Jim: Live Original.

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: First of all, where did that title come from, Live Original? Your dad had a part in that?

Sadie: Oh, yeah, for sure. So, whenever I was 5-years-old, I got on the counter one day at my house and I just said, “Mom and dad, sit down.” And I started preachin’ to them. (Laughter) And I was like, “Y’all need to know that God loves you and it does not matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done.” I’m 5-years-old. I said, “And even if I’m famous one day, I’m not gonna think about myself. I’m givin’ it to God.”

And at the time there was no indication that we’d be famous. I mean, if you see my family, they don’t really strike you as TV stars. And (Laughter) men in our family and my mom and dad were just running a summer camp at the time. So, it was really random.

But my dad was like, okay, this is hilarious. So, they’d always get me to preach and in that time, he nicknamed me “the Original,” because he was like, “You have such an original gift of like speaking and stuff.”

And everywhere he would go and travel, he would come back with like a little thing that said, like, “Be original” or like “Originalize,” I think.

Jim: Oh, really.

Sadie: And so then, whenever it came time for me to write a book, they’re [asking], “What do you want it to be called?” I was like, Live Original; that sounds pretty Sadie.

Jim: Live Original, it’s great and you apply that to Scripture and I want to get that right up front for everybody.

Sadie: Yes.

Sadie: So, Hebrews 10:35 is the Scripture I’ve held onto. I actually remember writing it on my dry erase board in my room on January 16th, 2012, which was like right before the show started. And I never erased it. It’s on my board because it kinda started to change my life. And it ways, “So, then do not forget the confident trust that you have in the Lord, for that will be richly rewarded.”

And I thought that, that was so interesting, because up to that point, I was trying to find my confidence in myself or like what I was doing in life or my ability to play sports or whatever it was in school. And I was like, “Man, that is so crazy. Like it doesn’t say anything about being confident in, you know, all of those things, but be confident in who God is and who God is through you. “

And so, I kinda started to make that shift and then the next year with “Duck Dynasty” starting it was really cool, because I was so glad I was rooted in that and that was kinda my foundation, just to be confident in who God is in me and that’s what your original self is.

Jim: Now, you know, for teenagers today and this is one of the reasons we do Brio magazine and the main reason we’re bringing it back, because the culture today bombards teens—both teen boys and teen girls—but bombards them with messages that seem to tear them down. They don’t provide positive stories, positive ideas about who to, you know, who to believe in, how to present yourself, how to carry yourself, character issues. When you look at this for your teen community, what are you concerned about and where does faith play a role in all that?

Sadie: Yeah, that a huge problem, for sure. I think for me and the way I look at it is that, you see, they’re seeking the advice from the other teen or they’re seeking the advice from what they see on the Internet and what they see on TV and what they hear. And for me, it’s so important to remind myself that the only thing, that person I’m seeking advice from really is God and His Word and His truth, instead of like people’s opinion and then also, you know, people that love me.

And I was still in my family and parents and everything like that, because there [are] a lot of lies all around you. And so, to be sure to like root yourself in the belt of truth and walk out with that every day is so important.

John: Uh-hm, you know, I appreciated the story I read about you in New York City, because you ran right up against the fashion world. My three teen girls struggled with modesty as I think most girls do. How did you manage yourself? Wasn’t that a New York fashion show?

Sadie: Yeah, that was crazy. Like sometimes I’m like, what! Did that really just happened? (Laughter) But that was one of those [experiences]. So Sherri Hill, she’s like queen of prom dresses and she asked me to do something with her and like have a line and pair and walk and I just couldn’t even believe it.

And so, I get there and they’re all like 6′, like skinny and like beautiful. And I’m like, oh, great. (Laughter) This is awesome. (Laughing) And like, they had this snack table, which I thought was for us, right? So, I’m over there eatin’. I’m like enjoyin’ the M&M’s. It had a little Sherri Hill Logo on it. And I realize, oh, my gosh, I’m the only person eating. (Laughter) It was not for the models. It was for the workers and the models don’t eat the day of the show. I was like, okay, well, I’m not gonna do that.

So, I thought, okay, there are so many things here that, it was just really sad. Like everything that they were goin’ through and it wasn’t that they weren’t hungry. They were, you know, insecure and they didn’t want to like gain weight. And so, also all the models walking down the runway, they don’t smile. So, I go out there and honestly, I didn’t mean to smile, but I couldn’t help it, ’cause I was so excited.

Jim: Right.

Sadie: So, I have like the biggest smile on my face. It’s like, oh, this is awesome, just like walkin’. (Laughter) I’m like, not even walkin’ right. I’m just like walkin’ down the street and I’m smiling. And then she asked me back next year and then the next year and then the next year. And I ended up doing four.

And I’m telling you, this past year I brought Chick-fil-A for the girls and they all ate. (Laughter) And I only walked down. Sherry Hill told all the models that we smile at this show and that’s what we do.

Jim: Wow.

Sadie: And so, they all smiled. And I thought, you know, that was so awesome for me to see, you know, four different seasons. For the first one to be completely on the outs and everybody’s like, who is this alien?

Jim: Yeah, right.

Sadie: You know, here smiling and eating M&M’s? (Laughter) And then to the last one, all the girls eating Chick-fil-A for the first time and walking down the runway smiling was so cool just to see how, you know, whenever you stay true to yourself and whenever you like rock it like confidence and not doubt your own self, people, they gravitate to that, you know.

Jim: Yeah.

Sadie: And they’re like that’s cool. ‘Cause I coulda gone in there and not smiled and done the thing.

Jim: Kinda fit in with them rather than [be different].

Sadie: And I would’ve been, yeah, and I would’ve been gone the next season and it’s just kinda cool that Miss Sherri kept me for that long ’cause she’s never done that with a celebrity before. But it was a neat little lesson for me.

Jim: Well, and it gets to the core of the book really in Live Original. You talk about happiness being a core value for you.

Sadie: Yes.

Jim: Describe why. Why is happiness so important to you and what does it do to other people?

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: You’ve kinda given that description.

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: But elaborate on that.

Sadie: Well, for me, I think like the joy of the Lord is so overwhelming and that’s what I was telling Miss Sherri, who she’s actually a Christian. Her family runs the business there, great people. And I told her; I said, “I really, even if you wanted me not to smile, I couldn’t, because I’m so happy to be here.”

And like when I walk out and everybody’s sittin’ there, I’m like (Laughter) this is so cool, you know. And I think that, that’s just the joy of the Lord, you know. It’s contagious and then to see the chain effect of that and everybody else smiling. It was a small example of how life is. You know, when you go and you smile and you have fun and don’t worry and don’t stress about things, people are like, “What is that?” And that’s joy. And that’s in your inner core and nobody can touch that, you know. I think people will say, “Oh, you have it easy.” Oh, my gosh. They were so mean to be the first year. People, like I got so many comments that like doesn’t touch me, you know.

Jim: But how do you manage that? I mean, you’ve had a couple of big breakups that have been out there in the social media.

Sadie: Oh, yes.

Jim: But people you don’t know, people who don’t know, they can say the cruelest things, the meanest things.

Sadie: Oh, yeah.

Jim: How do you, as a 19-year-old, how do you manage that when you’re in the limelight the way you and your family are?

Sadie: Yeah, well, I definitely say it’s not always easy and sometimes I remember pretty much now I’m fine. Like I don’t really read it honestly that much. But when the breakup happened, you know, like people think, oh, breakups are so hard, because everybody at school’s talking about it. Well, for me, it was trending on Twitter and everybody in the world was talking about, millions of tweets.

And it’s weird, you know and that can be a problem. And I remember one article came out and it was like fraternity Twitter account.

Jim: Right.

Sadie: And they posted this whole article about like how ugly I was and like just literally the whole thing was me and like all these beautiful girls that football players have dated in the past and like, how could anyone date this girl? She’s so ugly.

Jim: Brutal.

Sadie: And I mean, it was pretty tough and to be honest, like you know, I didn’t look at that and smile and be like, “Oh, ha, ha.” Like that kinda got me and I was upset. And my mom was like, “Are you seriously cryin’ about that.” And she’s so good, ’cause she’s like, speaks truth into my life. And so, I think for me, surrounding [myself with] people like that, ’cause I am human.

And sometimes, you know, my heart can be a little hurt or a little broken. But my family, because they’ve been in it, too and they’ve been through it, too and like had a lot of bad comments like that, they’re able to like hold me up. And it’s cool, ’cause there’s like 30 of us. So, when one’s down, we’re all there, you know.

Jim: Yeah.

Sadie: And that’s been awesome.

Jim: Let me ask you about your mom in that way, because there’s a lot of moms listening right now that have teen girls. What does she do that really lifts you up spiritually in the teaching moment here for the moms that may be struggling in their relationship with their teen girls.

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: What can a mom say that spiritually gives you the strength to get through that kind of day?

Sadie: Yeah, my mom, honestly like I’m not even just sayin’ that, she really is my best friend. And she is, I mean, the most amazing woman in the world. And I think what makes her so awesome is she’s so real and so relatable to me. She’s never hidden anything she’s done or went through. And for me, that was so good, because I feel like I’m able to talk to her about things like a real person. And how she’s got arms for me and yes, she disciplines me. She’s gonna be real, but at the same time, that love never fades and it never fails.

Jim: And you feel it.

Sadie: And I feel that. And it’s so important for a daughter to feel that and that you can relate, you know, because sometimes we’re like, “Oh, well, we don’t want mom to know that because she would freak out and she’d think all my friends are like this.” But she’s been through the same thing, you know. We forget that sometimes, that our moms have been through it. And the reason they say that is because they’ve been through it.

And so, my mom to listen [to me], she did not have any sympathy. She’s like, “Why are you crying? Like that’s ridiculous.” (Laughter) I can’t even believe you’re like thinking about that.” And I’m going, “Mom (Crying), isn’t that mean?” She’s like, “Who cares? Don’t read it.” (Laughter) I’m like, “Yeah, it was 2 million followers.” “Who cares? It doesn’t matter. You know who you are.”

Jim: You mentioned in your book this camp, Survivor Day that you do at camp.

Sadie: Oh, yeah.

Jim: That really intrigued me. I thought to myself quickly, I’m gonna get my boys there ’cause it sounded brutally good.

Sadie: Yes.

Jim: Describe Survivor Camp and who runs it and what is it?

Sadie: Yeah, so Camp Chi-Yo-Ca is a camp that I’ve been to all my life. My family used to run it. My grandparents met at this camp and my parents met at this camp. So, just know that I was always, “Who you gonna meet? Who you gonna meet then?”

Jim: And this is in Louisiana?

Sadie: It’s in Louisiana.

Jim: Okay.

Sadie: It’s just a small little summer camp, like no air conditioning in the little cabins, so it’s pretty unplugged (Laughter)

Jim: Oh, that sounds good.

Sadie: You leave your cell phone at the gate, you know.

Jim: That’s good.

Sadie: It’s awesome. Well, there’s one day in particular called “Survivor Day.” So, basically what you do is, you’re all split up into teams and tribes or whatever. You’re runnin’ around doing challenges all day.

And I mean, it’s so intense and it’s funny, it’s just a day, you know, but it’s so intense. And it’s almost like emotional and you’ve already been at camp for like a week at this point, whatever. But it’s so cool, because it helps you learn, like you know, what your body can do and like, how important it is to have like teammates and like how to find [things]. I remember one girl on our team, the whole time she was like, “The joy of the Lord is our strength” and even just having those constant reminders of a team.

And so, it’s cool how, you know, summer camp, you take away and I’ll never forget that day and all the events, a hard day. It was one of my favorite days in my life.

John: Said Robertson is our guest today on “Focus on the Family” and you can find out more about her book, Live Original and the re-launch of Brio magazine. She is on the cover of the cover of the very first issue. We have details at www.focusonthefamily.com/radio or call us, 1-800, the letter A and the word FAMILY.

Jim: Sadie, you talked about in your book something I want to pull up, ’cause every parent would wish their teenager would catch this, ’cause it’s so powerful. And that is, when you notice a character flaw in yourself, you fix it. How did you catch that? And how do you apply it?

Sadie: Well, this is something my family, like I was saying, my parents are in a very good way tough like that. And my family, all of us—my brothers, sister—we’re so honest with each other and even my cousins and my aunts and uncles. And I think like, having that open heart to hear and receive, you know, what maybe my brother sees in me that I could work on.

Jim: You would listen to your brother? ‘Cause that right there, that’s good.

Sadie: As crazy as it sounds (Laughter), my brother, John Luke, we’re 21 months apart, so we’re pretty close and we’re like seriously like so close. He’s probably the closest person to me. And growing up with him, we were not close for a long time until like middle school and I started having this bully in my grade. It’s like kinda funny now that I look back at it.

But John Luke one day came to my class and went and talked to her and was like, “That’s my sister and like it hurts me to see her hurt. And I don’t know where this is coming from in your heart.”

Jim: Wow.

Sadie: And like it just was so amazing to see my brother do that and so respectfully and so loving to her, too. And he’s a freshman in high school, you know and he came and did that. And from that moment on, not kidding, we were like this close.

Jim: He had your back.

Sadie: We he had my back and I had his and so, I think even with that relationship, he would be able to tell me if I was doing something wrong. Or you know, “Sadie, are you doin’ that to make that happen?” I would go to say that to him and my parents and both of us. And so, my mom is like, “It’s okay. We’re all gonna have those things. Let’s work on it to fix it.” So, for me, I used to be like the most sensitive person ever when I was little. Like I would cry, like if I (Laughter) thought I made somebody upset, like, oh, my gosh, I was like so sensitive.

Or if somebody said like the smallest thing to me, I’d think about it for like three months. And my mom was like, “Hey, that is a power that is eatin’ you alive.” And they would call me like “sensitive Sue” and “sensitive Sally” and it would drive me crazy. And I was like, okay, I’m just not gonna be this way anymore. And it took like a year, you know.

Jim: Wow.

Sadie: But that was in middle school and had I not done that then, all these comments for the show, oh, I wouldn’t have been able to stand ’em all on TV. But I’m so glad and so, it really worked out for me, you know, fixin’ that character flaw, ’cause that could’ve been really bad.

Jim: Take me into a best friend relationship with you. How would you deal with that? How would you express to that friend to not be so taken by what others think of you?

Sadie: Yeah, I think, you know, for first of all, for the friend, you know, that’s so important that they be honest. For you, it’s so important for your heart to receive that. And so, I think just as much as your friend, you know, having that courage in her heart to say something, it’s just as much you have to listen.

And so, I think just like not, you know, not being too sensitive, not over thinking things, trust each other’s intentions. And that comes; I think you practice that in your friendship. And then later it comes in your marriage and it comes in your, you know, relationship with your kids and stuff. And so, for me, I think all these qualities that we learned in high school with our friends, eventually become our family and our husbands. So, I think for my friends and I, it’s been cool to kinda train each other in that.

Jim: And how do you work the Scripture into that as a star? I mean, people look at you.

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: They want to be around you.

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: That’s one of the burdens or one of the great opportunities for someone who gets a lot of notoriety. How do you weave the Scripture in your relationship with God? I think that’s one of the, certainly the reason you’re on the cover of Brio, is your steadfast faith as a 19-year-old, to be able to withstand the culture when they’re comin’ at you and say, “I’ve got principles I live by. I’m gonna do this. This is my dating approach.”

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: This is how I deal with guys.

Sadie: Uh-hm.

Jim: How do you weave that into the conversation with your friends about what’s God’s opinion of this?

Sadie: Absolutely, well, my friends, I’m very like blessed to have friends that are so, you know, in tune with the Word, as well. And so, it’s lot of pouring into me, as well and that has been so great, because a lot of times, you know what our job as a celebrity [is], is really to share with the world and to pour into, you know people that follow you or whatever.

And so, to me to have a same group like that and it’s really important for me to give back to them, too, but it’s been awesome. And so, they encourage me in my reading and in my faith and in my journey. And this year more than ever in this last year, I realize the importance of Scripture. And I feel like Scripture has kind of came to life finally for me. “Dancing with the Stars” kinda started that, because I needed it.

John: In what way?

Sadie: Well, I remember I was so scared, you know. I mean, that is scary. And I did not know how to dance like at all. When I went on that show, I had never danced in front of a human before in my life. Like I was like, this is gonna be potentially tragic. (Laughter) I thought for sure, like my family was like, just try to make it past week three.

Jim: But what courage. I mean, even though you had all that work. So many people would bail out.

Sadie: Yeah, I tried.

Jim: At least you kept goin’ forward.

Sadie: I tried to bail, but (Laughter) I kept tryin’ to bail before it started and my little sister said to me, ’cause I said, “I’m not gonna do it, whenever they ask me, I was like, no, not for me.” And my little sister took me out or I took her out to lunch and she was 11-years-old at the time and she looked at me and she said, “Sadie, I need to ask you somethin’. I thought, “Well, okay.” And she said, “Is this the fear talking or is this Sadie talking?”

John: Oh, my word.

Sadie: I was like, Okay! (Laughter)

John: What a great insight.

Jim: Now we’re gettin’ down to business.

Sadie: Yeah.

John: Yeah.

Sadie: And I was like, “You’re right, you know.” And as soon as she said that, I went to my mom and I said, “Hey, could you call those producers back and tell them that I’ll do it?” And she called them and I was a week late to everything. Everybody had all started.

John: Just to compound the problem.

Sadie: I flew out to L.A. the next day and started the journey. And for me, I was so afraid. You know, it was the first time to go away from my family and L.A., like the middle of Hollywood. And that’s when Scripture really came to life, ’cause I had to depend on it. And just speaking that Scripture like, speaking it over me and in my life and in that building.

And I remember just like putting my hand on the voting of “Dancing with the Stars” like CBS studios and bein’ like, “God, You are in this building and this is an opportunity for You to make Your name known to so many people through this amazing show that so many think it like so scandalous, like God, like use me in whatever way. And so, just really being able to pray like that and like read my Scripture and like make that come alive.

Jim: Especially in that environment where you walk into CBS studios.

Sadie: In that environment.

Jim: That’s somethin’.

Sadie: Yeah, when people look at you like, “What is she doin’ here today?” And touching the wall and praying out loud and (Laughter) I don’t even care, like I have to do this right now.

Jim: That’s fantastic.

Sadie: And that changed my faith, my walk of faith, my life and how I started being like, it is so important to clothe yourself in Scripture, you know.

Jim: Yeah. You had something take place and again, another social media “phenom.” It was the Five Second Pledge.

Sadie: Uh-hm.

Jim: And that really busted out in social media. What was that? How’d it happen?

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: And what’d you express?

Sadie: So, this started in high school, my cousin started at Bible study. And it was with all our friends and one day. She’s older than us and she’s married now and has two little kids and she said to us, “Like girls, this is a really important lesson.” She said, “Always remember that five seconds of awkward can save you from a lifetime of regret.” And when she said it, I was like, you know, I thought, oh, that’s a good thing, you know, whatever.

Jim: Did you understand the context of what she meant?

Sadie: I kind of did, but I hadn’t been in any situation yet.

Jim: Yeah.

Sadie: We just were going into high school. And then we got to high school and I was like, oh, my gosh, five seconds of awkward can save you from a lifetime of regret. And I started to realize it takes that. And (Chuckling) it might be a little longer than five seconds to, you know, may be a little awkward for longer, but like the importance of saying no, the importance of sticking up for yourself in that moment. And then forever not having that to look back on and say, “If I would’ve just said no that day, you know.” And for me, that was a huge lesson in my life and so I wrote it in the book and it ended up being a video on YouTube. And so many high schoolers and college kids were able and middle school, too, were able to relate to that and say, wow, you know, like this has helped me so much.

And it’s so funny that my cousin was like, “I didn’t even know when I said that, that it was gonna stick for so many people around the world,” but it has, ’cause it’s so true.

Jim: And it’s great advice. You know, that’s hard to do, but it’s the right thing to do in those moments where temptation is running crazy, right?

Sadie: Yeah, for sure.

Jim: So, that’s so good. Let me zero in on just a couple of other areas before we sign off for the day. Teens, a lot of parents will look at where teens are at today and they have a lot of fear, ’cause they’re not seeing certain attributes developing the way they might remember them developing in them (Chuckling) as teenagers.

Sadie: Yeah.

Jim: What do you say about the teen culture today, people, the teenagers and should we have hope and faith in that next generation, that they can actually do it?

Sadie: Absolutely, I think for me, what I’ve realized lately is and I was actually writing a message yesterday that I’ll be sharing at an event that I’m doing this month. And I was thinking about the difference in how it used to be and how it is now and stuff like that. And I think a lot of teens right now are finding so much purpose in their passion and what they’re passionate about and doing that and that’s the journey they’re taking, as opposed to finding their purpose in maybe what the routine of the world says to do.

And so, I think it may look different and it may be different and you know, like for instance, a lot of people may not go to college nowadays and that’s a lot different than it used to be. But when they’re passionate about something that maybe can take off when they’re young, I think that that’s awesome.

And so, I think for so many people, nowadays they’re so Spirit-led and Spirit-drive and they’re like, no, no, no; like God has got this and He’s not gonna lead me where He’s not going.

You know, I think you shouldn’t be scared of these things. You know, people say, “Well, social media can be so dark.” But it can also be so bright and it can be set to light. And so, instead of being scared and running from these times, like embrace it, you know and run straight for it and find your purpose and your passion and be Spirit-led. And I think that a lot of people are doin’ that.

Jim: Well, that’s wonderful. Sadie Robertson, what an impressive young lady you are and I would say that you would say it’s because you’re rooted in the Word of God.

Sadie: Absolutely.

Jim: And you know Him as your personal Lord and Savior.

Sadie: Uh-hm.

Jim: And I’m just lookin’ at you going, what an awesome job the Lord has done in your life, [what] mom and dad and your siblings have done and it’s just beautiful to see a young person on fire for the Lord. So, keep it up, because people are watching you.

Sadie: Thank you. Yeah.

Jim: It’s a burden, but man, you’re doin’ great.

Sadie: Thank you.

Jim: So, just stay the course and stay close to the Lord. And let me also add, thanks for participating with us with the launch of Brio magazine. That’s such an honor for us.

Sadie: Oh, man.

Jim: So, thank you.

Sadie: Such an honor for me. Thank you all.

Jim: Hey, for the listeners, here at Focus we’re here for you. We want to equip you as parents. We certainly want to equip teenagers to fall in love with the Lord, to follow the Lord, like Sadie is outlining. We are here for you, so if you’re strugglin’ and you need some help, you need some tools or resources, contact us here at Focus on the Family. And consider partnering with us today to touch lives in the name of Christ. That’s the goal, not simply to help a family, but to help them at the basic level to introduce them to Jesus Christ.

John: Yeah, your financial support, your prayer support, they make all the difference and we’ll encourage a generous donation today when you swing by our website. In fact, with a financial gift today, no amount is too small by the way, we’ll be happy to send you a copy of Sadie’s book, Live Original. And then while you’re at the website, sign up for Brio. It’s our newly re-launched magazine for teen girls and it’s available only from Focus on the Family. That website www.focusonthefamily.com/radio, or our number is 800, the letter A and the word FAMILY.

Jim: Sadie, before I cut you loose, just two things you would tell a parent to encourage their teenager, what would you say, two things they could do today, that they may not have tried?

Sadie: Good question. I would just say, well, from what my mom does and from what my dad does and I guess that’s all I knew is that, just continue to reinforce what they should be competent in. And bring that out of them and remind them what they should be competent in, because they may not know. They may be searching and they may not realize those small qualities that you see and so, it’s so important to speak those over them and you know, cherish those, the things that God has given them inside their soul. And so, just continue to speak confidence in their life because that goes a long, long way.

Jim: Well, from the confident Christian, Sadie Robertson, thanks for being with us.

Closing:

John: And be sure to join us again next time on Monday. We’ll have Dennis Swanberg here, providing a really fun and lighthearted look at love languages.

Excerpt:

Dr. Dennis Swanberg: I guarantee you that if you will love them in their language, their fuel, it just fills ’em up to overflowin’. They feel good about life.

End of Excerpt

Today's Guests

Live Original

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