Bonus:

Okay but WHY does being a teenage girl sometimes feel like a full-time unpaid internship in emotional damage control.

Like one minute you’re:

-loving Jesus

-trying your best

-drinking your little iced coffee

-reading your giant fantasy books in peace

…and the next minute your brain is suddenly spiraling at 11:42 PM like:

“WAIT. If I accidentally fell asleep before praying am I now spiritually illegal???”

Meanwhile somebody else is over here terrified of getting their period. Somebody else is wondering why God even still deals with humanity at ALL because honestly? Fair question. And somebody else thinks they’re committing a federal offense against heaven because they watched a funny YouTube Short on Sabbath.

SO TODAYYYYYY…

we are answering:

-“Am I failing Sabbath?”

-“Why are middle schoolers so weird about books?”

-“Does God still love me if I’m exhausted?”

-“Why does God stay when humans are literally… this?”

-and yes — we are also having the Big Sister Period Conversation

This episode truly has everything: theology. hormones. emotional instability. Scripture. spiritual reassurance. and at least three moments where somebody listening is gonna whisper:

“WAIT… I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE.”

So buckle up, hydrate, lower your screen time by 7%, and let’s get into it.

Okay, before we jump into today's episode, I have a few housekeeping items because apparently some of you have spent your free time curing diseases, launching businesses, and building apps while I was proud of myself this morning for finding matching socks.

First up, I need to give a shoutout to one of our longtime listeners, Felicity.

Now, girls.

When I was your age, my biggest accomplishments included making a bagel pizza in the microwave without burning it and keeping a Tamagotchi alive for three consecutive days.

Felicity, meanwhile, casually emailed me like:

"Hey Kaase, I built an app."

YOU WHAT?

An app. Like not a friendship bracelet. Not a poster board. Not a PowerPoint presentation. AN APP. A whole entire functioning website and community for Christian teen girls.

Meanwhile, last week I spent seven minutes looking for my phone while actively talking on it.

So naturally I had approximately 47 questions.

The app is called Unashamed, and it's a completely free space designed specifically for teen girls who want to grow closer to God.

Inside you'll find Bible studies, a prayer board where girls can share prayer requests, saved favorite verses, faith conversations, and encouragement from other Christian girls walking through life right alongside you.

And here's the crazy part.

She built it because she wanted girls to have a place where they could grow in their faith together.

Like... excuse me?

Can we take a moment for that?

Because that is exactly the kind of Kingdom-minded creativity that gets me fired up.

If you want to check it out, it's super easy.

Open your internet browser and type:

unashamed.lovable.app

That's unashamed.lovable.app

Then click "Get Started," create your free account, and you're in.

No app store. No download. No complicated setup.

Just a really cool resource created by a teen girl who loves Jesus and wanted to help other girls love Him too.

Felicity, I am ridiculously proud of you. Keep building things. Keep serving Jesus. And please stop making the rest of us look lazy.

Okay, now for our second item of housekeeping!

Some of you have been seeing mysterious little hints online about something called The Salty Experience and have collectively responded with:

"Um... excuse me? What exactly is happening?"

Which is fair.

Because we've basically been posting cryptic messages like we're launching a secret government operation.

So here's the official explanation.

My friend Adriane and I have been praying, dreaming, planning, voice-memoing, and occasionally sending each other messages that simply say:

"I THINK GOD IS DOING SOMETHING."

And out of all of that came The Salty Experience.

The Salty Experience is a faith-based weekend event for girls ages 11-14 and their moms or the women walking beside them.

Because let's be honest.

Girls are being told who they should be, what they should believe, how they should look, and where their value comes from before they've even finished breakfast.

The world is loud.

And we believe girls deserve opportunities to hear God's voice before every other voice becomes the loudest one in the room.

Our prayer is simple:

That girls leave knowing who they are in Christ. That moms leave encouraged and equipped. And that both walk away ready to be the salt and light Jesus calls them to be.

We don't have dates yet. We don't have tickets yet. We don't have all the details figured out yet.

What we DO have is a whole lot of excitement and a strong belief that God is moving.

So right now we're simply asking for prayer.

Pray for wisdom. Pray for favor. Pray for protection. Pray that God's plans are bigger than ours.

And trust me...

The things we're dreaming about have us VERY excited.

Which is saying something because Adriane and I can turn a fifteen-minute coffee meeting into a ninety-two-tab Google Doc and three voice memos titled:

"WAIT. I JUST THOUGHT OF SOMETHING."

Now let's get into today's episode.

Our VERY first question today feels like something approximately half the Christian internet has secretly panicked about at some point.

Like:

"Am I honoring God correctly?"

"Am I accidentally doing Christianity wrong?"

"Is God disappointed in me and I just don't know it yet?"

Because if you've ever had one of those thoughts while staring at your ceiling at 11:38 PM...

congratulations.

You're human.

Which brings us directly to Brianna.

And honestly, the way she asked this question made me want to hug her immediately because you can tell she genuinely loves God and wants to honor Him well.

So let's talk about it.

Okay, so Brianna basically asked:

"How do I know if I'm honoring Sabbath correctly?"

And immediately I wanted to hug this girl because you can tell she genuinely loves God and wants to honor Him well.

But some Christian girls accidentally start treating faith like they're one wrong decision away from getting spiritually written up by Heaven's HR department.

Like:

"If I laugh too hard, is that dishonoring God?"

"If I watch a funny video, am I failing Sabbath?"

"If I accidentally enjoy my life today, is that rebellious?"

Girls.

Please relax.

Jesus literally said in Mark 2:27:

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

In other words, Sabbath is a gift. Not a trap. Not a test. Not twelve hours of sitting quietly hoping you don't accidentally have fun.

God created Sabbath because humans need rest.

Modern culture is terrible at resting.

We're constantly scrolling, comparing, consuming, performing, and absorbing noise.

Our brains never stop.

So God intentionally built rest into His design.

Not because He needed it.

Because WE need it.

The goal of Sabbath isn't:

"How many secular activities can I avoid?"

The better question is:

"Am I intentionally making space for God?"

That can look like church. Scripture. Prayer. Worship. Family time. A walk outside. Putting your phone down for five consecutive minutes and remembering you're an actual human being.

And here's something important:

Conviction and anxiety are not the same thing.

Conviction pulls you closer to God.

Anxiety convinces you He's impossible to please.

Those are different voices. So Brianna, no. You do not need to spend Sabbath surviving on communion crackers and fear. You are allowed to rest. You are allowed to enjoy your life. And if your version of Sabbath leaves you feeling more anxious than refreshed, there's a really good chance you're carrying something heavier than Jesus intended.

And speaking of unnecessary pressure... can we discuss middle schoolers for a moment? Because the second you stop worrying about whether God is disappointed in you, you realize the next thing stealing your peace is usually a thirteen-year-old with a questionable haircut and an unnecessary opinion. Nobody has ever been more confident while being so spectacularly unqualified.

Which brings us to Emery.

Okay, so Emery asked:

"What do I do if people make fun of me for reading giant books all the time?"

And immediately I laughed because I pictured Emery sitting there quietly reading a 900-page fantasy novel while some boy named Hunter—who eats paper during science class for attention—is somehow making HER feel weird.

Sir. Let's focus on fractions.

But Emery, let me tell you something: Girls who love reading are almost always cooler than the people making fun of them. While everybody else is arguing in group chats and creating unnecessary drama, you're out here solving mysteries, surviving fictional wars, overthrowing kingdoms, and emotionally recovering from character deaths that permanently altered your brain chemistry. That's iconic behavior.

Proverbs 18:15 says:

"An intelligent heart acquires knowledge."

Reading builds wisdom, empathy, creativity, and critical thinking. It teaches you how people think, grieve, grow, and overcome hard things. And honestly? The world desperately needs thoughtful women.

Also, middle schoolers are hilarious because they'll make fun of readers and then spend nine straight hours watching strangers reorganize mini skincare fridges on TikTok. Okay intellectual giant.

But seriously. Don't let shallow people make you feel embarrassed for loving something meaningful. Sometimes people make fun of things they don't understand. Passion intimidates apathetic people. Depth intimidates shallow people. Confidence intimidates insecure people.

And Christian girls are constantly being pressured to make themselves smaller. Smaller personalities. Smaller dreams. Smaller passions. But God never asked you to become less interesting so insecure people could feel more comfortable.

So keep reading the giant books. Keep carrying novels thick enough to qualify as upper-body strength training. Keep being curious. Keep learning.

And the next time somebody makes fun of you? Just remember: The kid mocking your 800-page novel probably hasn't voluntarily read a paragraph since third grade.

Now, while we're on the topic of being a teenage girl... can we all agree you girls are carrying a LOT right now? Academically. Socially. Emotionally. Spiritually. Half of you are one missing assignment, one awkward text message, and one group project away from needing a three-day nap.

Which brings us to Elise.

So Elsie wrote in and said…

"Sometimes I'm too tired to pray before bed or too exhausted to go to church and then I feel guilty about it. Is that bad?"

And immediately I knew this girl loves Jesus. Because rebellious people are not laying awake wondering if they accidentally disappointed God by falling asleep. That's not rebellion. That's exhaustion with a tender heart.

And honestly? Christian girls sometimes act like becoming a believer means they're never allowed to be tired again. Meanwhile they're juggling school, sports, friendships, family stuff, body changes, social pressure, and approximately fourteen emotional plot twists every week.

Of course you're tired.

You’re twelve. Not Iron Man.

Psalm 103 says:

"As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust."

I love that verse. Because it means God fully understands your humanity. He knows you get overwhelmed. He knows you get emotionally exhausted. He knows that sometimes you start praying and wake up six hours later face-down in your pillow.

And can we acknowledge something hilarious? Girls apologize to God for sleeping. The thing He literally invented.

Psalm 127 says:

"He gives to his beloved sleep."

Sleep is not evidence you're failing God. It's evidence you're human.

Now does prayer matter? Absolutely. Does church matter? Absolutely. Community matters. Worship matters. Being around other believers matters.

But there is a huge difference between:

"I don't care about God."

and

"I am exhausted."

Those are not the same thing.

And here's what I really want you to hear, Elise: Prayer is relationship. Not performance.

Some prayers are deep and beautiful.

Some prayers are:

"Jesus help."

"I am overwhelmed."

"Please don't let tomorrow be emotionally devastating."

Those count too.

So no, sweetheart. God is not rolling His eyes because you're tired. You are His daughter, not His employee.

And speaking of things Christian girls panic about at 11:47 PM... our next question is one of those topics that instantly makes everybody sit up straighter. Nobody knows where to put their hands. The internet somehow manages to make it either terrifying or weird. So let's try neither.

Which brings us to our next question.

Somebody wrote in and asked:

"Is it okay to have a small amount of lust?"

And first of all, can we just acknowledge the bravery here? Because approximately 97% of girls listening just sat up and thought:

"WAIT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS?"

Meanwhile the other 3% are sitting there like:

"Wait... what is lust?"

Which is fair. Because "lust" is one of those church words that gets thrown around all the time, but nobody ever stops to explain it. It's like everyone just assumes you're born knowing.

So let's start there.

Lust is when we stop seeing someone as a person God created and start using them in our minds for our own selfish desires.

In simple terms:

Attraction notices.

Lust consumes.

Attraction says:

"Wow. He's cute."

Lust says:

"Let me keep feeding thoughts that don't honor God."

See the difference?

One notices. One feeds. One recognizes. One keeps replaying.

And before anybody panics, let's clear up about seventeen things immediately.

Having a crush? Not a sin.

Thinking someone is attractive? Not a sin.

Wanting to get married someday? Not a sin.

Seeing a cute boy at youth group and suddenly becoming aware of your own existence? Also not a sin.

Congratulations. You are experiencing human biology.

Now here's where girls get themselves into trouble. Some of y'all can build an entire future after one interaction.

You see a boy carrying a Bible and suddenly your brain is like:

"Anyway, here's our wedding, our future golden retriever, our four children, our matching rocking chairs, and the cabin we'll retire to in Tennessee."

Girls. Respectfully.

The man asked where the bathroom was.

Let's settle down.

But seriously. The Bible talks about lust because God knows our thoughts shape our hearts. What we feed grows. A tiny weed becomes a giant weed. A tiny spark becomes a wildfire. And that's why the goal isn't: "How much lust can I get away with?" The goal is: "How can I honor God with my thoughts?"

But here's the part I REALLY want girls to hear. Temptation is not the same thing as sin. Sometimes a thought enters your mind. You didn't invite it. You didn't ask for it. It just showed up. Christian girls sometimes react like: "OH NO. A THOUGHT OCCURRED." Meanwhile the question isn't: "Did a thought enter my brain?" The question is: "What am I doing with it now?" Am I feeding it? Entertaining it? Building a six-season Netflix series around it? Or am I redirecting my thoughts back toward what honors God?

Because Hebrews tells us Jesus was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin. Temptation isn't the problem. What we do with temptation matters. And if you're listening right now thinking: "Great. I've struggled with this. Am I a terrible Christian?" No. Not even a little. The fact that you're asking the question tells me you care about honoring God. The better question is: "When those thoughts show up, am I moving closer to Jesus or farther away from Him?" Following Jesus isn't about never struggling. It's learning what to do with your struggles when they show up.

Now speaking of things that show up whether you're emotionally prepared or not, we need to talk about puberty immediately. Because our next question came from Lizzy and the second I read it, every woman listening had a full-body flashback. Like suddenly you're twelve years old again. Standing in a school health class. Holding a weirdly detailed pamphlet. Learning information you absolutely did not request. And wondering if it's too late to simply become a houseplant instead.

Because Lizzy asked:

"I'm in sixth grade and I'm honestly so scared to get my period."

And sweetheart, that is one of the most normal sixth-grade-girl thoughts on planet Earth. Because before you get your period, adults explain it with the energy of someone announcing a natural disaster. They're like: "Well sweetie, your body's changing now." And you're like: "Okay..." And they're like: "And once a month forever there will be blood." And you're like: "I'M SORRY THERE WILL BE WHAT NOW?" Honestly? Valid reaction. Because before it happens, it sounds terrifying.

But Lizzy, I need you to hear me clearly: Your body changing is not bad. It's not gross. It's not embarrassing. And it's definitely not something to be ashamed of.

Psalm 139:14 says:

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

Wonderfully made includes the parts of your body that are growing and changing too. And here's something every older girl and woman knows: Every single girl feels awkward about this at first. Every. Single. One. There has never been a girl in the history of humanity who gracefully floated into puberty fully informed, emotionally prepared, and completely unbothered. Everybody was confused. Everybody had questions. Everybody had at least one deeply humbling middle-school moment they'd rather never discuss again. Welcome to the club.

And if you're nervous, talk to your mom. Seriously. Sometimes moms don't realize how many questions are bouncing around inside your head. You don't need a perfect speech. You can literally say: "Hey Mom, I've been thinking about periods and I have some questions." That's enough.

Also, older-sister advice: Carry a couple pads in your backpack before you need them. Because one day another terrified girl is going to whisper: "Does anybody have one?" And when you slowly pull one out like a tiny FEMA disaster-relief worker, you will experience a level of female solidarity that's difficult to explain.

But Lizzy, here's the biggest thing I want you to remember: Growing up is not something you need to fear. Will it be awkward sometimes? Absolutely. Will there be moments where you're confused? Of course. Will middle school continue being one of God's most mysterious creations? Without question. But God is not surprised by your growth. He designed it.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says:

"For everything there is a season."

And this season of becoming? Even the awkward parts? God is right there in it. So no, sweetheart. You are not weird. You are not dramatic. You are not alone. You are simply growing.

Okay. That's enough emotional development for one day. We've covered Sabbath. Books. Exhaustion. Lust. Puberty. And somehow managed to fit all of that into one episode without getting canceled by the internet. Which honestly feels like a win.

So before I let you go, I have two assignments.

First: Go tell your mom to follow @the_salty_experience immediately. Not tomorrow. Not "when she remembers." Not six months from now when we finally announce something and she says: "Wait... what is that?" No. Today. Walk directly into whatever room she's currently in and say: "Mother. The internet lady has instructions." Then hand her your phone. You're welcome.

Second: SET. YOUR. ALARMS.

Because NEXT TUESDAY, June 16th, Sunkissed & Sanctified officially begins. And I am so excited. All summer long, twice a week, you're getting little voice memos from me straight into your ears. Some are gonna encourage you. Some are gonna challenge you. Some are gonna lovingly expose you. And at least three are gonna have you sitting there like: "Okay wow. Why does she know my business?" It's gonna be a great time.

So go subscribe. Go follow. Go tell the group chat. Go tell your cousin. Go tell your youth group bestie. Go tell the girl who somehow always has gum.

And if you're sitting there thinking: "Kaase, that's a lot of instructions."

Correct.

Thank you for noticing.

I love you guys. Now go drink some water. Read your Bible before your notifications. Touch grass occasionally. And I'll see you on June 16th.

Go moisturize and seek the Lord.