Wake Her Soul | Season 3, Episode 2 When David decided to attend the University of Virginia, I was convinced it was one of the worst decisions he could have made. Not because UVA wasn’t a wonderful school. But because it was so. incredibly. far. away. And apparently, my opinion wasn’t an important part of his decision-making process. 😂 If you listened to our first episode, you already heard a little about that infamous decision and how David committed to Virginia during his very first official visit. Well, this week we’re picking up right where we left off. And as it turns out, there was a little more to that decision than I realized at the time. David wasn’t just pursuing his dream of playing professional baseball. He was also looking for independence. A chance to get away from home, experience life on his own, and figure out what becoming a man looked like. Meanwhile, I was back in Miami, trying to figure out what our relationship was supposed to look like with hundreds of miles between us. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t handling it particularly well. We were both chasing something. But neither of us was asking God where He wanted us to go. When good intentions aren’t enough Looking back at our college years, there’s something that stands out to both of us. We weren’t bad kids. We were ambitious. Disciplined. Academically successful. Hardworking. David was chasing his baseball dreams at UVA. I was studying at the University of Miami, spending an unreasonable amount of time at the gym, and exploring what I thought it meant to be spiritually enlightened. And yet, for all the things we were doing right, we were missing something foundational. We were making decisions based on our own understanding of what was good, what was acceptable, and what would make us happy. But we weren’t seeking the Lord. David shares how his desire for independence influenced his college decision, while I reflect on my own struggles with jealousy, insecurity, and the New Age beliefs I was embracing at the time. We also talk candidly about temptation, the choices we made when we weren’t walking with Christ, and the year we decided to separate after dating throughout high school. That year took us both down paths we probably wouldn’t have chosen with the perspective we have today. But isn’t that so often how life works? We think we know what we want. We convince ourselves we know what’s best. And sometimes, we’re so busy chasing the next thing that we never stop to ask whether it’s where God is leading us. The problem with our pros-and-cons lists There’s a running joke in our marriage about David and his beloved pros-and-cons lists. Let’s just say I’ve held a grudge against those lists since 2005. 😂 And while I recognize there’s nothing inherently wrong with weighing your options (I still do it myself!), our conversation brings up a much more important question. What happens when we become so confident in our own reasoning that we forget to seek God’s wisdom? One of David’s favorite passages is Proverbs 3:5–6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (ESV) It’s a verse we’ve come back to again and again throughout our marriage. Because trusting God doesn’t mean abandoning wisdom or refusing to make decisions. It means recognizing that our understanding is limited. We can make all the lists. Research every option. Consider every possible outcome. But ultimately, we still need to invite God into the process. And that requires something we weren’t particularly good at in college. Surrender. When the thing you’re chasing starts chasing you Another part of this episode that really stayed with me was David’s reflection on his baseball career at Virginia. His sophomore year was arguably his best. He played freely, confidently, and without carrying the weight of everyone’s expectations. Then came his junior year. The MLB draft was approaching. Expectations were rising. And suddenly, the game that had once felt so natural became something he was overthinking. The pressure he’d placed on himself began affecting his performance. And instead of enjoying the opportunity in front of him, he found himself desperate to move on to the next chapter. It’s interesting how easily our ambitions can become burdens when our identity gets wrapped up in the outcome. And I wonder how many of us can relate. Maybe it isn’t baseball. Maybe it’s your career. Your marriage. Your children. Your finances. Your appearance. Or some version of success you’ve convinced yourself you need to achieve. When our peace depends on getting what we want, even good ambitions can become heavy burdens. That’s something we’re still learning to recognize today. Learning to hear God above the noise One of my favorite parts of this conversation is when we talk about learning to recognize God’s voice. I share an illustration from Jamie Winship’s Living Fearless about a police officer learning to recognize his call sign over a busy radio. At first, everything sounds like noise. But with time, practice, and familiarity, he begins recognizing the voice calling for him, even in the middle of chaos. Our relationship with God requires that same intentionality. We learn to discern His guidance by spending time in His Word, praying, and allowing Scripture to shape what we believe. And sometimes that means surrounding ourselves with people who love us enough to tell us the truth. Not just what we want to hear. David and I didn’t have that foundation when we were younger. But it’s one of the things we’re most grateful for today. Not because we always get it right. We don’t. But because we finally know where to turn when we don’t. What you’ll hear in this episode David and I talk about the decisions that shaped our college years, the challenges of maintaining a long-distance relationship, and the season when we went our separate ways. We also get into some of the harder conversations about temptation, jealousy, spiritual deception, personal ambition, and how easy it is to confuse success with fulfillment. And David shares something particularly vulnerable about the pressure he placed on himself as a college athlete, setting the stage for what we’ll explore in our next episode about his professional baseball career. These aren’t always easy conversations to have. But I think they’re important. Because we don’t share our testimony to make ourselves look good. We share it to point back to the God who has been faithful through every chapter, including the ones we’d rather forget. Before you listen... Can I leave you with a question? What are you pursuing right now that you haven’t fully surrendered to God? Maybe it’s something good. Something you’ve worked hard for. Something you genuinely believe is part of your calling. But have you invited Him into the decision? Have you spent time in His Word? Have you asked Him to examine your motives? Or have you already decided what you want and simply asked Him to bless it? That last one hits a little close to home, doesn’t it? I hope this episode reminds you that God isn’t asking you to have every answer. He’s asking you to trust Him enough to seek Him. Even when His direction challenges your plans. Even when obedience requires letting go. And even when the path ahead looks nothing like what you imagined. So grab your coffee and join us for another chapter of our story. With love, Camille A little something to reflect on Are you asking God to guide your decisions, or are you asking Him to bless the decisions you’ve already made? I’d love to hear what He’s been teaching you about trusting His direction. And if you haven’t listened to Episode 1 yet, I’d encourage you to start there. These conversations build on one another as we share the story of how God was working in our lives long before we fully recognized His hand. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit wakehersoul.substack.com
