My Sister Priscilla Shirer Joined Me to Celebrate 500 Podcast Episodes!

Hello everybody, I'm Priscilla Shire. I am the much, much younger sister of this one right here. This is Chrystal Hurst, but she doesn't need any introduction because this is her podcast. In fact, this is the 500th episode. Let the church say 500. 500. 500th episode, which tells you a whole lot. In fact, everything you need to know about Chrystal Hurst, you know now because there's 500 episodes. Who has that kind of work ethic, that kind of consistency, that kind of faithfulness and innovation and creativity to show up 500 times over the course of 10 years? Bravo, Chrissy. She's—

your tone is a little sus.

Why?

I'm celebrating you.

Oh, okay. All right.

This is the honest— see, she can't even take me seriously.

No, I just know her. Go ahead.

Anyway, I am the host of today's episode because I want to interview my sister for her 500th episode and celebrate this. It's a big milestone. Seriously. Do you feel like it's a milestone?

As much as a person with my work ethic would feel like it's a milestone.

So describe that, because I don't know if people quite understand the level of achievement to which you aspire.

It's just, it's a box to check.

So is it hard for you to celebrate things like this because you always feel like, yeah, but I still have to do A, B, C, and D?

It's, it's just I got to 500. Yay!

Check.

501.

Yeah, we're going to have to work on that because you're going to need to celebrate.

That's why you're here.

That's why I'm here.

That's your job.

This is a big deal.

You're the cheerleader.

It's a big deal, Chrystal Hurst. Thanks.

Thanks.

So relax and take in the facts.

I can't because I don't know what you're about to do.

I'm not about to do anything.

I'm sitting here like—

Why do you not trust me?

I don't know.

I have formulated questions here that I'm going to stick to.

OK. Maybe. Uh-huh.

So anyway, first question, ma'am.

Yes.

What inspired you to start the podcast? Seriously, 10 years ago, what made you think, I think I'm going to do a podcast and stick with it and interview people and have great meaningful conversations. What made you want to do a podcast to begin with?

Mainly because somewhere I read or somebody told me that podcasting was a great way to grow your audience. And also, if I wrote for 30 minutes, at best I could probably get a solid 500 words in. But if I spoke for 30 minutes, I'd have 7,500. So in theory, I could get more thoughts out. It goes back to productivity.

This all tells you about her level of achievement that you were thinking about word count when you decided—

I was thinking about word count.

—a podcast helps me to achieve more than writing it. I mean, than, yeah, writing it down on paper. But was your thought then that some of these words that I'm speaking now, it's more words, and if I were sitting down with a pen and paper, that I can use them then in writing because they be transcribed and it's more words than—

Yeah, in theory, I thought that. I forgot that if you do that, it brings you back to writing though. So I didn't necessarily finish that loop, but yes, in theory, that's what you're supposed to do. You podcast, you transcribe. From that transcription, 7,500 words, you ought to be able to get 3 or 4 blog posts out of it. Yeah. You know, you can then go back and copy and paste and quote and all that.

So it was a great, like, stewing ground for other things to springboard off.

It's like rough draft, like talk your way through your rough draft. Absolutely.

Okay. So when you first started, like, how many people were in that first few months of you podcasting? How many people actually watched? Because I know you were aware because you got all these, you know, background codes and things that tell you.

I probably can look and tell you, but I don't, I don't remember. I just remember being awake at 11-something into midnight because I told everybody it was going to be up on May 5th, 2014. And I was like, I didn't know how to do it. So me and Shonda were up Sunday night. Shonda's the best. With her going, touch this, enroll here, create a login. I had recorded 4 episodes, but I had not set them up to be listened to. Yeah. And then I was like, I recorded it, but I don't know how to upload it. I don't know how to get it out into the world.

So did you get it up on time or was it late?

You know, I don't appreciate your tone. It's a question.

It's an honest question. Were you able to get it up on time?

People could listen to it on Monday.

Why do I feel like you just couched that?

Well, because what was on time? I don't know what—

I thought you said you had to have it up by midnight. That's what I was getting to.

I was trying to have— okay, it was available on Monday by the time most people in the world were awake. To listen to it. Yeah. Okay.

I see you hopscotching around that, that response. Okay. Here's what I wanna know. I know this is going to be a very difficult question for you to answer because it would be if I were in your shoes. Who are your, not favorite interviews, but most memorable for any reason? Either they were hilarious or they were incredibly insightful or they were super moving to you because of what you were facing right then in your life and the person you happened to be talk to, talking to. Like the first 2 or 3, cuz I know you have many, you've loved the conversations you've had. There have been so many wonderful ones. But what are the first 2 or 3 that come to your mind that were the most like, mm, I'm glad I talked to that person?

It's so hard because the ones that are more recent are the ones that pop up in my mind. Of course. Of course. But I would say sitting here right on this couch with Naomi Raine, just fun. She was just fun. Isn't she fun? She was just like my people. It was just easy. And we didn't want to stop. I know. It was great.

And Naomi's like the most regular—

Regular.

Regular.

For real. I love that about her.

So when she and I were sitting on the couch together, we were both fixing our clothes. She was like, "Oh Lord, the button open. Can you see this?" I was like, "Can you?" We were all protecting the oomphaloompha, and it was just, I felt—

I feel like we need a definition for the oomphaloompha.

It's all the things that look roly-poly and Michelin-like that happen between your shoulders in your hips.

And then you don't really think about it until you watch it back.

See it. And you're like, why didn't somebody fix that? Why didn't somebody tell me? Right. I understand. Right.

OK. So you and Naomi Raine just hit it off. It was fun. It was easy.

Yeah. It was just— it was fun and easy. As soon as she walked through the door, it was like, people, my people.

Yes.

I would say there is a lady. She had a lung disease. So the whole time I'm talking to her, I can listen to her oxygen machine in the background. Wow. And her whole book was about basically giving yourself grace and how to talk to yourself kindly. And she was writing the book and talking about kindness and grace and forgiveness of yourself as a message to her children. Ooh. So her whole thing was, when I'm gone, this is the message I want to leave them.

Was this a lung disease that is— that she knows that it's progressive and it's probably— She has since passed away. She has since passed away. So she was talking about these virtues in relation to, here's what I want my children to know, because I know I won't be here.

Yep. And she had a CD of affirmations of self-forgiveness and grace, because she was like, I know that when people are struggling with this, that they need to hear somebody's voice tell them this. And I want my children to have my voice. So it was a CD just just a woman who was a writer who was very intentional about, everybody else in the world can get this, but this is for my kids. Oh man. And I remember crying on the episode and I was so sorry. I was like, I'm so sorry. Like, I don't wanna be sad. And she said, no, if I've, if what I'm saying has touched you like that, then that just tells me I'm doing what I'm supposed to do. That's amazing. Her name was Kim Fredrickson. Kim Fredrickson. Okay.

Y'all need to look up all of Chrystal Hurst's 500 episodes. However, Kim Fredrickson really touched me.

And she was an early, early days one. And then, I think I just remember the ones that make me cry or laugh, like high emotion, you know? Yeah. I've now interviewed Dr. Curt Thompson twice. And just he, as a man and as a scientific person, the degree to which he is moved to emotion when he talks about shame and God's forgiveness and how God wants to be with us. Because most of the time, people are one or the other.

If they're very scientific, they're not very connected to their emotions.

And he has— he has both. And I was just marked by a man who is smart enough to explain it and sensitive enough to feel it at the same time.

Ooh, Chrissy, that's great. Yeah, I do like that. You've had great episodes. You've interviewed funny people, you've interviewed endearing people. And I love— what I love about your podcast is that you've interviewed people that aren't just in the comfort zone of where your normal world is. You've been intentional about interviewing people just outside of your— outside of the norm that may in some ways cross some lines that, you know, might make some people uncomfortable. Because I'm a little rebellious. But I love it.

You know, I'm about that life. I'm a little rebellious.

Not as rebellious as me. Can I just tell you that? So, you know, you don't have to explain it.

Oh, you just were overtly rebellious.

Oh, okay. Yours is just more hidden and internal. Yeah, we should tell those stories. So here's what happened when we were growing up. Don't do it. My parents knew that I was raggedy when I was— when I was rebellious or when I was straight up lying or just doing something. They knew it because she's a good liar. This is in childhood. She said that as if it was present. In general, it is.

It is. We all have to be rescued and saved by grace. You have a natural ability to tell an untruth and to just be stone cold-faced. Like, I'm just saying, like, we all are gifted, right? We all have— we all have sins that come easily to us. I'm just saying, that was easy.

All I'm saying is you said it in the present tense. You didn't say, "When we were children." You said, "She's a great liar." I'm just saying, Paul said he was a chief of sinners.

He spoke about himself in the present tense.

You know what? This is getting worse and worse, so— Back to me interviewing you. My point is that I was a little more overt in childhood. Yes, correct. And you were doing the same foolishness. Actually, no. You snuck out. No, I didn't. Of the house. Yes, you did. You told me you did. I never snuck out.

I was probably saying that to get some street cred with you.

Oh, I thought you really did.

She's bad. If I tell her I snuck out of the house, then maybe she'll respect me.

You never did? No. What? Did you? No, I never snuck out of the house.

No, one time I wanted to run away. I remember that. And I sat there in the living room telling Mommy and Daddy that I was going to run away. And he said, OK. Well, how— bye. He said, what are you— do you know what you're taking?

Like, where are you going? And I said—

I told him I was going to take this, this, that, and the other. He said, you have a bag to pack it in? I said, yeah, I'm just going to get the— he said, that's my bag.

You can't have that bag. I purchased that. That's correct.

And then he said, you can't take my toilet paper. You can't take the— he just started going. And all the thing that kept me from leaving was if I go out in these streets and I don't have no toilet paper, what am I going to do if I don't have my Charmin Extra Fluffy? That was it. Because you know I can't do nasty. So I was like, what am I going to do?

There are gas stations with toilet paper.

That's what I thought. Anyway, we're a little off task.

Here's what I want to know. 10 years ago, you were— I was going to say mid-40s, but you were young 40s. Okay. What would you tell your 10-year-younger self about two things? Just about life in general. Are there things that you wish your 42-year-old self, 43-year-old self was aware of or could relax about? Because now you know better. So about life. But then also about the podcasting journey. Mm-hmm. So those two specific things, your 10-year younger self, what would you tell her just about life in general? But then also, what would you say about your podcasting journey? Because there are a lot of people who are probably watching, have been thinking about starting a podcast, considering it, contemplating it. Mm-hmm. What would you say to the beginning of this particular journey about that?

I would say make your pursuits a part of your a part of your paced path. And what I mean by that is all the things that I am doing came from me living at a pace in my life and weaving this into that. At 42, my focus was on getting things done, basically. And, and the wheel doesn't stop. So instead of saying, I'm going to do these things and achieve these things and I'll get back to these things, I would continue to live my life at that pace and fit this in.

So you're saying that's what you did and it was a good thing, or it was—

I'm saying that's what I didn't do. You didn't do— between 32 and 42, raising small children. I blogged in the middle of the night. I Googled to figure things out. I went to conferences as I had time. From 42 or 52, I was racing. And I don't know that sprints are bad. It's just that it's hard to get off. 'Cause there's always a thing that you need to do. And sometimes it's related to work, like you got to, and different things. But I would be more intentional about the pace that I wanna have in my life so that I'm not like, Dang it, has it been 10 years and I still haven't gone back to my piano lessons? You know what I mean? Like that. So just mixing it in better. That's what I would say as far as life.

Is it too minimizing to say then time management is what you're referring to, or—

No, I manage my time very well. And it's not even prioritizing in general. It's prioritizing the things. It's smelling the roses. It's prioritizing the things that are fun. Right. And I've done them, but I just not at the pace. I think I can do better with that.

So then before we get to the podcasting part of that question, let me just ask you a few more layers of that. What are you going to do differently now at 52, 53, 50?

Don't rush it. 52. 52. 52. 52. Okay.

What are you going to do differently now between 52 and 62 to address that? Because you have been at a breakneck speed of life.

And I mean, I like living there. You do. I enjoy chaos. Let me just say that, like, I am not— no, no, no. I am not bothered by high speed. It's just that high speed doesn't let you look out the window and see the roses. That's it. Yeah. I enjoy driving fast cars. Yeah, I enjoy that. But I think balancing that out better is what I'm saying. So, so when you ask me what I'm going to do differently, I mean, one of the things that one of the things that I have started doing, it happened when I got a new mattress. I love my bed. You remember how grandma used to say, "I just wanna go to my bed. I just wanna be in my bed." I'm like, "Is this what happens when you—" This is what happens, yeah. You know? But I like, I get in the bed every night. You know how you describe, do you still do the hot foot thing in the bed? Totally, yes.

So, that feeling of, Can I tell y'all what the hot foot thing is? Just because she said that kind of in passing. So I have a heating pad, just a regular heating pad. It's got an automatic on and off, like at the 2-hour mark it'll turn off and all that. But basically it is at the foot of my bed. It's there all the time. I actually have a travel one. I travel with one too, and I turn it on before I get into bed at night. And so then when I'm getting ready for bed and I get all cozy, then I get in the bed.

Look at it, she's getting excited.

And right down there where my feet go is this electric heating pad. It is like one of the simple pleasures and joys of my life. I've done it for years. It has to be over a decade now that that's just like one of my simple pleasures in life. So you're saying for you, just getting in bed, you got that mattress and you get in the bed. I get in my bed.

I got the good 800-count sheets. I got the— I mean, I went in on the bed. I went in. Why not do it? And I love that so much. And so when I'm done, I go to bed. I rarely— I mean, the girls that work with me probably disagree because they see sometimes 2 and 3 AM emails. But for the majority of the nights, I'm in the bed because, you know, you'll call and be like, I called you, you didn't answer. I'm in the bed.

But we do need to clarify, she's in the bed, but her laptop is in her lap and she has fallen asleep like this.

Correct. But I get in the bed. It's actually like going to bed with a teddy bear because I don't actually—

in this In this scenario, the laptop is the teddy bear.

Laptop is the teddy bear. Okay. But I'm just saying, like, when I get in the bed, my body goes, it's time to go to sleep. Yeah. Yeah. Well, I go to sleep. I do not have a problem going to sleep.

Or if I sit down on a couch.

Or if I sit down on a couch. But, um— Karris, your daughter, is the same way. She is.

You and Karris are the same way.

She is. We have multiple photos to bribe each other with.

Of falling asleep in random places? Yeah. Uh-huh.

But, uh— But yeah, I go to bed. I don't— I rarely set an alarm. My body wakes up when I'm done. So that's one thing is I go to bed. Number 2 is I am learning to do my Priscilla better and just be like, I mean, it's just going to wait. I can't get it all. I just be like, what would Priscilla say? So that's number 2. The world will go on if I don't do it. And then the third thing is just trying to be really intentional about doing fun things. Yeah. Like you— and you are good at that. You do that. Yeah. But I need to make it more normal good, not jump out of a plane good.

Right. She's like— she literally, as y'all— many of y'all know, she jumped out of a plane for her 50th. Was that her 50th birthday?

Oh my gosh.

I can't believe it was that long ago.

I'm trying to be less extreme. Yes.

You wait until, like, you jump out of a plane as opposed to just daily life. What if I don't have to go to Hawaii?

No. No, I can go to a hotel 20 minutes from my house and just lock the door. So I'm trying to not— yeah, but I still like Hawaii, so there's that. But I'm trying to say, what are the things that I enjoy and put them into your day? Yeah. And also, I'm down to the last kid. Life is different.

It is. The pace, the possibility of having a different—

possibility. That's correct. Yeah.

And those of you that are, you know, that you are in the phase right now where you have young children, hear clearly what she said. When she was in the 32 to 42, it looks a certain way by default. There are —some level of pace that your life requires of you. And it's okay. It's okay to feel kind of like nothing is ever settled and steady and I can't figure out the exact schedule. Just relax into that. And now she's seeing the next 10 years required something different. And then these next 10 years, because there's one kid left in the house, although you have a gaggle of grandkids. So you're going from one season into the next.

But I think that there are things— sometimes when we get you know, we spend so much time, like, looking towards the next season, and I wanna rush to get there. I think sometimes, when you get to the next season, whether or not you rushed, you think, "Okay, I'm done with that, so I can leave that." And there are certain things that should come with you. And the requirements of the season that forced me to have a certain pace, some of those things would have been— it would have been good for those things to remain requirements. For example? For example, being home. So, like, I work from home now. I love being home. But there was a lot of ripping and running and racing in the '40s. And I looked up one day and was like, "I don't wanna travel this much." Like, I just followed the more invitations, I'm gonna go. It was great. But one day, I looked up and thought, "I have missed one too many games." That's not what I want. That's not what I want. And so, I would have been more intentional. But some of this, you can only see looking back. You see what I'm saying? Which is why we need wisdom. But that's what I would say. I would just bring some— slowdown and intentionality with me. Like, I left the choir, I left, uh, singing praise and worship, I left doing those things. And while I could not have done them in my 30s with small children, I left it. And I think in those seasons, having something musical that I was always working on would have been— I don't know if I've ever told you this, Aunt Louise said, you know, she had— she brought a piano. Our 90-year-old aunt moved to Dallas from Maryland. This was actually our dad's aunt. Our dad's aunt.

So, it's our great aunt.

Yes. She moved and brought a piano. And I said, "I'm so surprised you brought that piano with you." And she said, "Because even now, it's still the thing I hope I get to make time for. It's one of the regrets of my life that I always said I would get back around to it." And didn't. And didn't. But she just kept carrying this grand piano around as she moved. And that's— I looked at it and said, I don't want that to be what I say. Yeah, I have a grand piano, a baby grand piano.

I want to play it. That was given to you as a gift all those years ago. Yeah, that's awesome. So then the second half of the question, part B, was what would you tell yourself different about podcasting? Is there anything you would have done differently in the start of your podcasting years now that you look back?

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I think one of the gifts of being in our family is we can do things on our feet. Yep. And so that's a gift, but it's also a hangup because sometimes taking the time to go deeper helps you to be more sustainable. You're not always trying to come up with something. So I think just developing the habit of planning and preparing better. That's what I probably would tell.

That is so interesting to me to hear you say that because you're one of the most planning, preparing, having things laid out person that I know, really. So it's interesting for me to hear you say you would have done that. So are you saying preparing for a guest, maybe not having read in full the book they wrote, or just because you didn't have the time to look into the depth of information about that guest beforehand? Yeah, I think it goes back to speed.

I think I can do it and I can do it fast. I can, I can take somebody's book while I'm interviewing them. Correct. She can. And flip to a page and while they're talking, glance down look at the paragraph and find a line to quote and say, "On page so-and-so and so." I've never picked up their book before that and have a good conversation. But I know you can have a better conversation when you've read the book. You can have a better conversation when, you know, a few minutes before you interview. So in other words, I don't wanna— I think I'm good at what I do. I think finding balance with being better at it by putting in more time to prepare for it, whether it's a guest or myself. Mm-hmm. I think that, you know, that's something I would have started and kept a better rhythm for. I think I started that way. And then— I mean, I started this podcast before— before She's Still There came out, before I started traveling. So, when life sped up, I didn't— it goes back to what are the requirements of this season for me to do things well? And I figured out how to condense them. But condensed is not always better. Does life feel out of control for you right now? Are you struggling to balance all the things? Well, what if I told you that you could have the best of planning your life well and doing that with your personal coach? I have put the best of a planner and the best of a personal coach in a tool that is going to help you straighten things out and focus on the priorities that matter most. Let me introduce you to the Full Circle Planner. What's different about this planner is I'm in it. My name is Chrystal Evans Hurst, and every week in this planner, every quarter, and at the beginning and the end of the year, I'm asking you the right questions at the right time so that you can find the right answers that will help you own your life. Listen, we only have this one life to live and your time and how you spend it matters. So if you're looking to gain clarity about what that means and the steps that you need for your life to do that, well, listen, I understand what that is and I know how to help you and I help you right here in these pages. Get your Full Circle Planner today.

Is it your current plan to keep going to the 1,000th episode? Because, you know, your mother, see, if your mother was here, our mom, She had a time limit on things. Oh yeah, she would say, you're wired like that too. Yes, she would say, this is my assignment for, you know, I think 10 years is what I'm gonna do this conference. For example, she did a conference for pastors' wives, and she had thought from the very beginning, I'm gonna do it for a decade. And then when she got to the decade mark, the conference was at the height of conferencing. Women pastors' wives from everywhere came to this conference. And it did not— it didn't matter to her that there was a lot of momentum. She loved that. She was grateful for it. But she was still very committed to the fact that, no, my, my assignment is over. So if you all want to continue, someone else is willing to take over and start a different thing. But I'm not going to keep myself tethered to what I think now. The time and the season and the assignment is over. So my question to you, as you look at this 10-year mark, do you feel like I have done what I was supposed to do, or do you feel like, no, I feel like I'm just getting started and I have a lot of legs left and running space. And when it comes to podcasting in particular, or do you know, like, have you thought about that?

Aunt Jo, who is our 82-year-old, been at our church forever, play aunt. I had lunch with her yesterday and she asked me, so Chrystal Hurst, I need to ask you something. You are 52, correct? I said, yes. She said, so what are your dreams and your goals? And the thing is, I'm a goal-oriented person. Yes, you are. But— and many of the things that I'm doing now came from stuff I wrote down in my 20s. And I do set goals for what I'm currently doing, meaning how do I want to do it better? You know, when am I going to finish the next book? It's that. But I don't— when she said that, I was a little like—

Jarred by the question?

Jarred by like, not what are the goals related to what you're doing? What are your personal goals? Stop and dream again. Yes. What do you actually want to do? Um, so when you ask me that question, the only answer I have is— I, I mean, I just keep— currently is to continue going. I don't have an end date, but I also feel I'm wired a little like Daddy like that. It's like when it's done, it's done, but I don't know when it's going to be done. I'm just going to keep doing it until it's done. You're still enjoying it? I am still enjoying it, but I do think I would enjoy it more if I had breaks. So that is one thing that we are planning for 2025. So I'll have a couple of breaks in there and to batch process more so that I'm not in it. I've done it and then it's— I'm free. Yeah. And my— I do say that my dream has always been that Chrystal is a person, but the Sister Circle is its own thing. I would really love to have like the Sister Circle podcast of other personalities, so I'm not the only person that has to do it. Mm-hmm. Um, so yes to continuing, because I think that it's great for women, Christian women, to have a place where we'll have real conversations. That's one thing I want to change. I want to be a little more rebellious in the kinds of conversations that we have, because, um, everybody else is having the conversations, and why are women that love Jesus so afraid to say what needs to be said.

Are you willing then to interview some people who completely disagree with you, actually, on things that matter? Like, they completely disagree. Which means I need to be prepared.

You sure do. That's a— I mean, like, you just can't float on agreement or on what you heard in church all your life. What you say actually has to make sense. And I think I'm a very logical, thoughtful, educated person, but you don't get sharpened when everybody is going in the same direction. You get sharpened when something is coming at you perpendicular.

So, and don't you feel like it's actually such an injustice to ourselves when the only people we connect with, have conversation with, allow ourselves to be around are the people that think exactly like us, feel like us? It seems like when there are other people that they may not be you know, in your tight-knit group. But when you get to be challenged, that makes you think and sharpen your convictions. Yeah. And, and have defense.

I just think it, it's a, it's a tightrope to walk because you don't want to mislead people, confuse people, but you do want to say, let's talk about this. Yeah. And I also think all truth is God's truth. And even if someone is not a believer, if they're speaking truth, you can learn from other people. So I think that the What I would love to do is have somebody that's off the beaten path that you would never listen to, but listen to what they said. Let me tell you what the verse is that actually said that before they got here. Yeah. So, you can hear it in a different way. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I would love to do more of that. It's hard though, because all the PR people and all the book publishers, which I'm grateful for, they send me same vein people. Yes. So in order to find or share other people, that has to be a proactive— it has to be proactive, and it's not always easy. Yeah, that's it.

Because like you said, the people that are coming to you are the people that are most familiar with you, right? You with them. And so you just get fed that, so it's just easier to— right. Yeah. So you'd have to do a little deeper digging. Yes. To get a different person. Yes. Yes. Understood. If there is one person— this is gonna be hard for you to answer— there's one person you spend the day with? Based on the conversation you had with them, you're like, if I could just spend that—

so someone I've interviewed?

Some— yeah, well, both. I was referring to somebody you've interviewed, but, but outside of that, I want to ask that question too. But if there's someone that you, you interviewed them and you're actually like, oh my gosh, because let me tell y'all something about this one right here, she will spend the whole day.

I love one-on-one.

She's a one-on-one person, which is why podcasting to me is so you, because You enjoy sitting down with one person, like seriously, at a coffee shop. She won't move for 7 hours. She'll be there with that person just talking, talking about everything, talking about layers of life, enjoying more coffee, more hot tea.

Or I'll meet you at the Waffle House at 5 AM. Oh, the Waffle House. Because it's open and our kids are still asleep. So there's that.

There's that. There's nothing else open at 5 AM except the Waffle House.

Starbucks, but they don't have full food.

Full food. Are we calling that food? It is. They have good waffles. I'm saying the waffles at Waffle House are really good.

You have to pick your Waffle House. You have to pick the waffle.

Okay, that's a good way to— that's what I was trying to say. Anyway, so you're a great one-on-one person. You love that. You would choose that over a big group, speaking to a big group. You enjoy that?

Yes. You really like— I love depth. Yes.

So if there's someone you could go deeper with and spend hours just talking to and gleaning from and listening to or debating with or that you have interviewed, who would that be?

Mm. That I have interviewed.

Mm-hmm. Take your time.

I mean, I could tell you who it is if I had not interviewed them. Okay.

Okay. Oprah. Oh, just to sit and talk with her.

Just, just let— yes. No, I don't even need to talk to her. When I, when I started homeschooling, Robin Jefferson, I don't know if you remember who she is, but I said, can I just come to your house and just be around your vicinity? I didn't really talk to her. She was busy with her kids. I just learned so much from just being in her space.

So do you mean as a businesswoman, as an entrepreneur, as a woman Are you— are you— would you want to be in her space in a work kind of way, in a home kind of way? What would it be that you would be looking to discover? All of that. All of that.

I would say, let me intern with you for 30 days and just follow you around. I don't— I know we're getting off topic. I don't think people understand how valuable it is to be in someone's sphere. You don't— you don't have to get a paycheck.

Why that is important.

Yeah, you don't have to get a paycheck. They don't have to ask you no questions. You just need to be in the room. And I think so many people, because they're not getting what they want, reject the room, and they're missing out on— missing out. Yeah, I just want to be in the room. Yep, that's it. I want to be in the room because I think it's not— I'm not talking— I mean, yeah, she— I think she has wisdom to share, but it's more about watching how she operates and the people around her operate and the expectation of excellence and delivery, that whole thing. So business but personal. I'd want to be in the room when she's talking to the girls that live with her from South Africa. That relationship, that.

And then also, I don't want to put more years on Oprah, but I know she's in her 60s. She's turned 70. Has she? She turned 70. Okay. I was going to say that, but I wasn't sure if that was correct. Even that, to be in the sphere of a 70-year-old woman.

She did the same thing with Maya Angelou. That's right. She was like, I just want to be around you.

Around, because there's, there's wisdom from having lived life through a lot of hard things and high things and low things and having built things and watching them come down and all of that.

And I know people are going to get in the comments and have problems about that. I don't care. Yeah, I was gonna say that. And not because I'm unaware of whatever y'all are saying. I'm saying we are limiting ourselves when we only have conversations or learn from people who think like us. It's limiting.

Yeah. And you don't have to agree. That's correct. On all concepts and matters in life to still be able to appreciate someone's excellence in a particular way and glean from their—

And I'm not saying that because she's Oprah. I'm saying that because she built a career off of interviewing people. Yeah. So in terms of what I can learn from her, developing a content creation organization, bringing other people in with their gifts to create a brand of shared content aggregation, because that's what the Sister Circle is. I'm saying it from a very intentional— I'm— I want to do what you've done, but for women of faith. So it's not just because she's Oprah, it's because she's done something similar to what I would like to do.

I, I'm actually so glad that you said the person that you said, and then you brought up all that context around it, because I do feel like we limit ourselves so much when we're judgmental of one another. From wanting to learn or in some way glean or get wisdom from somebody that is different. And that, that is— it's okay. It's okay. Um, in any relationship, sometimes in church, you literally have to take the meat and spit out the bones.

You do. You do.

So bravo, that's great. I'm glad you said that. Um, anybody else that you're like, I would love to— yeah, what if Oprah hears this and says, I'm gonna like come on and do your—

she might, because she probably follows you. No, yes, 'cause you're a movie star. I'm not a movie star. I bet you she's seen The Forge.

Anyway, back to the interview that I was having.

She's definitely seen War Room. How do you know? I just believe it in my spirit. I believe it. I believe it in my spirit.

Oprah, Chrystal Hurst and Priscilla Hurst would love to come and glean from you and learn from you. That's correct. See how you interview people or let us interview you. We'll, we'll do it.

She's the movie star. I'm not a movie star. But I just want to be in the room.

Anyway, also, we would love to come for Thanksgiving. Like when you have the big table with all of your—

That's correct. We'll bring pumpkin bread.

You will not regret it. Our mother's pumpkin bread is phenomenal. It will change your life. We will make loaves for everyone. In your household, and you'll be blessed. You'll be blessed. Anyway, okay, so anybody else though? Was there anybody else that came to your mind as you were thinking about that, that you would actually like love to spend a little more time with?

Can I tell you who I would want to spend the day with?

What? Who? Me? I know, girl.

Well, well, there's two answers. They're short. Sally Clarkson, because that's her legacy too. Yep. And she has made room at the table to talk to me. But it's like, I thought about her and thought I would— she spends a lot of time in England and Oxford. Just go and just be with her and have tea with her every day. But then that made me think, I have an aunt in England. Yes, you do. And then that made me think, I have an aunt here. And sometimes the people that are the closest to us, we don't make the room to just be in their space. Yeah. So, I think she would be great, but also, in this season of life, and Aunt Ruth is gonna be 80.

Unbelievably. Next year. She's 24. It's ridiculous.

I'll say it out loud. Maybe we should make time to just go over there.

Yeah. And just be with her.

7, 8 days and just be there for a little bit. Mm-hmm.

Spectacular. Is there anything else that you, that felt important to you that you wanted to be able to say or communicate or just sort of in regards to your 500th episode and 10 years? Of podcasting.

You know, I— you and I talk a lot about the things that happen along the way. I remember having that conversation with Mom one time, and, um, if I look at someone else who has 500 or 10 or 20 or 25, you look at it and you go, how did they do that? What did they have? All these things. But I just want to remind everybody, you— anything that you do, you do one day at a time. You build one brick at a time. You do one step at a time. And when I watch you, there are so many people ask you all the time, how did you do this? How did you? And you're just like, like, I kind of just kept walking through doors. I mean, I did my part, but I kept walking through doors. And I think for myself, you asked me where I want to go. I want to be better at just walking through doors. I don't want to deny who I am. I am an achiever. I am So, but balancing the wiring with the just look for the next door. Yeah. And I want to be better at that in this season of my life so that everything that's supposed to be for me in my life, I receive. That's great. And so I think the message for me in 510 years is I didn't aim for 500 to get here, and I don't necessarily have to make up something to aim for. Just follow the lead.

You know, that's—

let him lead. That's my jam right there.

That right there is it. I hope you heard that and you absorbed it. Just what's the next step? What's the next open door? Do that. And then one day you have hindsight, you have 10 years later, and you look back and go, oh my goodness, I was in God's will the whole time. The whole time. And I— sometimes we're like looking for God's will and he's like, you in it. Just do the next thing I put in front of you to do. That's a lot of good wisdom.

And one last thought. Yes. The last thought is kind of what I just said about Aunt Ruth and Auntie and Sally Clark or whatever. But sometimes we're trying to make up sister circles and connection and relationship, and we don't invest in the people that are right there. Yeah.

Like your little— like little sisters. I wasn't saying— I was giving an example, like hypothetically. In life.

Because, you know, when you call me and you'll be like, oh my God, why haven't I talked to you in like 3 days?

Because you're busy. But we do talk like we have a—

but we do, we do talk. And I do think that, you know, you get older and you— your knowledge of what's important increases. Yeah. But I also just want to say sometimes the things that are close to us are common. That's right. They lose their novelty. Right. And so We're always aiming for things. What's happening in 10 years? What's happening in the next 500 episodes? Uh, what's happening right now?

Yeah. That's really where I wanna kind of put a bow on everything. I wanna know what you want your legacy to be in regards to this ministry, cuz it's a ministry. The Sister Circle is a ministry. It has business elements. You are training people to do so many different things. And by the way, you have classes that you teach and stuff that are on a myriad of different topics, but your example is a classroom too. Like just what you are doing, not necessarily the people that come and sign up for the classes that you teach. Mm-hmm. But actually just having watched you navigate the building of this podcast, the building of the sister circle, the organization around the retreats that you host. I mean, there's so much around it that that just you doing it actually has been a classroom in and of itself. So the question I'm asking is, as you've done so many varied things, you're directly teaching people and indirectly teaching people, what do you hope the legacy of all of this sister circle will be when someone looks back on it two decades from now? What are you hoping they think of and remember? About your podcast, your ministry, your expertise, all of that.

So that's a part of what I actually am trying to get back to because it's— I haven't gotten way off track, but I think there's a lot in the world about courses and memberships. And because I like to do things well and I'm always trying to learn, I want to make sure that I don't depart from the beginning of it. So, at our church, we have our women's ministry, and Mommy would always say, "It needs to be about practical. Teach the women how to—" You're very practical. And that is what I want. I want the Sister Circle, for me, forget the Sister Circle, I want for me, the thing to be, because I listened to her, or I came to her home, or I read her book, or whatever, I knew how to XYZ. And I don't know how to XYZ in everything. So, the legacy of the Sister Circle is Chrystal introduced me to— I have people that, like, they'll be in the Sister Circle membership, I call it the inner circle, and they will email me and say, "I have been a member for 3 years. I just wanted to let you know, I'm actually, because I met so-and-so through you, "Writer, speaker, seminary, whatever. I only got so many dollars, so I'm gonna go over here now. But it's because I met them through you, or I learned about this through you, or you helped me to focus on what God wanted me to do in my life. Now, I know where to go." And it's like the sweetest thing. It's like people leaving your church, not because they're leaving church, but because they now want to go deeper into ministry in their local community, or they— you see what I'm saying? Yes, there's connective tissue that's there.

That the Lord used you to direct them in a particular way?

So, it's discipleship. The short answer is discipleship, that either someone directly from me feels like they've been discipled. And I always push people back to their local church. And if you are here agreeing with me, who are you mentoring, discipleship, teaching, big sistering? And that people know how to do it. So, one of the things that we do now is we have this whole— it's like a Bible study, but it's not. It's topical. And then, it's like, when you get together, here are the questions, but also, here's the recipe to make. Here's the fun thing to do together. Here's how— here's a guide. How do you even get the women together? What do you do if they don't come? Like, it's like, go do it. Like, and be intentional. Quit being in the PTF, or the PTA, or running with the women, or going shopping with the women, and not saying, "So, how is your walk with the Lord? Can I pray for you?" Yeah. Showing up at the doorstep. So, That's the legacy for me. I— and I want to make sure that the pace of my life allows me to do that in my real life, real time, with my daughters first.

Yeah. That if they call, I have time.

Mm-hmm. And then with the women that are in my circle and then other women that learn from me to learn and then go and do it with someone else. And we all have something to give.

That's a great— Yeah, that's fantastic. I, and I, I don't, you know, I don't want to let that go so easily because I want to make sure that this has been basically a common thread of what you've said even earlier, that being in people's space and learning how to do something because you're watching their example, whether it's build business or do ministry or podcast or whatever it is that lights a fire in you, there is someone around you who is already doing that. Their marriage is steady and healthy and happy, you and your husband need to tether yourself to that couple and sort of be in and around their environment. And like you said earlier, I was gonna, I was gonna reiterate this part that sometimes we sell that part short because either we want a paycheck right now, or we want recognition right now. We want instant gratification. And we miss out on the bounty of just being in the room of that person who can disciple us because they're doing something doing well and in excellence. So I hope that you, you heard that, particularly those of you that are 20-something. Listen, get in the room real quick with somebody whose life you admire for whatever reason and just glean. They don't, they don't have to be— you don't have to be the center of the attention. They don't have to be asking you questions. You don't even have to be able to ask them direct questions. You just get to watch and be a fly on the wall. I did that a lot in my 20s. I know you did too. Where we were invited into people's spaces. And because of that, I mean, shifted the trajectory of my life just to be in and around certain people like that. Mm-hmm. And I think your legacy is going to be that because you, of the 6 of us, mom, dad, and then the siblings, um, I really think you are the most practical of all of us. Meaning you are not just gonna know a thing from scripture, but you actually are going to be able to make sure that an audience that you're talking to or someone that you're discipling, they can take that principle from scripture and go, now here's what you do with your kids. Here's what you do in your home. Here's what you do on your job to actually put feet on this and bring it to life. Like, to me, that's your sweet spot. And I don't actually know if you know how well you do that when you're teaching a large group or when you're talking one-on-one. You are a let me show you how kind of person. And that is discipleship. And I think that will be your legacy. I get that. Yeah.

And right now, I got to have my sister, the movie star extraordinaire. She has like 7 million followers, y'all.

Oh my gosh. No, I do not. Anyway, thank you so much for being a part—

She's a size— she's a size 4.

What does this have to do with anything? And I'm not—

She has lion mane hair.

Thank you all for joining us for this 500th episode, this wonderful podcast. I'm so grateful. I wish that, you know, I wish there were just ways we could surprise Chrystal Hurst. I wish there were ways because she knows every— like, you know, there's like no way to surprise her because she wants to know every detail of every little thing., but sometimes we get to do it anyway.

So watch this. Chrystal, I cannot believe it's been 10 years. Well, you know what? I can't believe it's been 10 years because it's only been 10 official years of podcast, but it has been 25, 35 years of you interviewing people because all I remember is midnight calls, 2 in the morning, or if I catch you at the right spot, you'd be like, so tell me what's going on in your life. So I love that this is who you You've are. always been, and now you have a platform. So excited about how God is continuing to grow your influence. You know, you are my favorite interviewer. I love you. I love your insight. I love your thoughtfulness, and of course, your humor. So I'm excited. Let's— looking forward, looking forward to another 10 years. And, you know, maybe I'll get to come back. You know, we always get off task and run long, but it's great. I love you, and I'm thrilled for you, girl.

Congratulations. Thank you. Chrystal Hurst, Dawn Barton.

Let me I cannot believe number one, podcasts have been around 10 years, and number two, you've been doing it that long. You're like a trendsetter. Or were you doing the thing where you were sending your friend a tape and then you have her record it, then she sends the tape back to you, and then you mix it like on your boombox? Nobody was better at mixing a tape than me. I'm just so excited for you and proud of you. You are so amazing. Amazing. Congratulations, my love. Thanks, Tony. Nobody does it better.

Chrystal Hurst, come on. It's Toni Collier.

That's how I feel about 10 years of podcasting. I gotta tell you, when I was on your podcast, it was one of the most intentional, beautiful conversations I have ever had on a podcast. And then getting to experience Sister Circle, the retreat, what you've built, what God's doing through you is beautiful. And I am excited for you. I'm excited for the next 10 years of how God will be co-creating with you to bring beauty into this world, to help our sisters in Christ be all that they can be in Christ and in this world, to show up for their families and friends. You are quite literally healing an entire generation, and I just think that's beautiful. I love you a lot. I love you too. Goodbye.

She's crazy. Hey friend. Oh, I'm just thinking back to so many years ago when the book She's Still There was in your heart, 10 hours, making its way out your fingers, and it seemed like you were somebody who was gonna have something to say. And look how much you've said over the last decade. Um, it is a joy, um, to know you and to learn from you and Congratulations on producing so many words for so many years. Keep going.

I am cheering you on. Love you.

Hey, it's Naomi Raine. Chrystal Hurst, I am so happy for you, so proud of you. I am proud of you for 10 years of the Sister Circle podcast. Listen, there are not many godly and good and wholesome, uh, opportunities opportunities and podcasts for us to hear women speak, women of faith speak from the heart and from the voice and the heart of the Father. And so I thank you for what you're doing. Congratulations. And I can't wait to, um, be back on. Come on, what I mean.

Hey there, Chrystal Hurst. Here is to 10 years, girl. 10 years of coaching us, challenging us, and cheering for us. Chrystal, here's to 10 years of praying for us, prodding us, and pulling us. Chrystal, here's to 10 years of conversations full of wisdom, and sometimes conversations full of pure foolery. Chrystal Hurst, to you doing exactly what God God asked you to do. Beautiful. So Chrystal, here's to in this moment celebrating you and savoring the moment. Love you, girl.

I am so excited to congratulate my Chrystal Hurst for 10 powerful years of serving the Lord and ministering to women. I am so proud of you. The kingdom has benefited, women all around the The world are benefiting from your commitment, your loyalty, your love for the Lord, your love for family. And I'm proud to be part of your life. God bless you, and may the next 10 years and beyond outweigh the years that have gone by. God bless you.

Love you. Oh, Dad.

Well, that was a perfect— because it was Dad. It was Daddy. Oh, I hope you feel I hope you feel loved and I hope you feel celebrated. We all celebrate you and all y'all that are leaving comments, make sure that you tell her not only congratulations in general, but specifically, like she will literally read your comments. Every single one. Every single one. And reply. So like if there's something that really jumped out at you, like there was one podcast where she said this or a guest said this or whatever, and it literally changed the way you lived as a result of that. That, leave that comment. Let her know. It will be very meaningful.

Congratulations, Christy!