When the Current Changes: Navigating Life's Unexpected Shifts

After a two-year absence, The Summit Podcast makes a powerful return with host Clifton Ross Jr. (Just Clifton) launching a transformative new series called "Infrastructure." This isn't just another comeback—it's a divinely inspired mission to help listeners build the essential foundation needed to fulfill their God-given purpose.

The episode begins with an unexpected metaphor: what happens when you're "going with the flow" of life and suddenly the current changes? Drawing from both spiritual wisdom and scientific understanding of ocean currents, Clifton explores how we navigate life's unexpected shifts. Just as 80% of water rescues occur because people get caught in dangerous currents, many of us find ourselves swept away from our purpose when life's circumstances suddenly change direction.

Ready to build the infrastructure that will support your purpose? Subscribe now as we journey together toward new heights. This is only the beginning of what God has in store for your life.

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Music by Jamari Parish “Summit” 
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Transcript

Introducing the Infrastructure Series

Just Clifton 0:32

All right, it's finally here. Welcome back to the Summit Podcast. This is your host, clifton Ross Jr, aka Just Clifton, and oh my God, it's been what like two years that I have recorded a podcast. This one is going to be different, though. This one I'm taking personal, and the reason why I'm taking it personal? Because I am in a new phase in my life and God has gave me vision and direction on where he wants to take me in this current time and place. So you know, we're going to kick this off, since this is the first one, we're going to kick this off with a word of prayer, dear Heavenly Father, lord, we thank you, we praise you, we glorify your holy name, because you're worthy to be praised, lifted up and magnified. We thank you for this moment. We thank you for this Kairos moment. This is a moment in time that you have destined for us, father. We thank you for this moment in time that we are going to see you and learn you better. Father, we thank you for this moment in time because it is important for us to be able to move forward in the things that you want to achieve our purpose, because we are set apart. We are set here for a purpose and a time and a place, Father. So allow the listeners to hear, allow the words that come from our mouth to be able to be edifying to the people, so that they will be able to lead and be transformed. Father, all these things will be asked in your son, jesus' name, amen.

Just Clifton 1:52

Well, we are here with the very first episode of the relaunch of the Summit Podcast. Can I get a round of applause for the people in that are listening to this podcast? Thank you, thank you. Thank you for supporting the message. Thank you for always supporting me throughout the years. Thank you, thank you. Thank you for supporting the message. Thank you for always supporting me throughout the years. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Going With the Flow

Just Clifton 2:12

Well, we're going to kick this thing off with a series that I want to call infrastructure, and in this series, we're going to be discussing the foundation of creating your purpose and reason why this is so significant in this day and time, because without a proper foundation, you will not be able to achieve the dreams and the goals that you have for your life. So I can't do this alone, so I'm going to launch this with a episode for myself, but I have some spectacular people that I am connected to that is going to be sharing with you. I'm going to be interviewing and doing this process because I need to learn too. I need to eat as well. Interview and doing this process because I need to learn too. I need to eat as well. And in this process of me learning and growing and changing, I realized that God has gave me a network of people that have a wealth of knowledge and a wealth of expertise in different areas of their life, whether it's finance, whether it's business, whether it's ministry work, whether it's fitness, whether it's family all those different things. And we're going to be discussing it in this infrastructure series.

Just Clifton 3:10

But we're going to kick these things off correctly and I want to talk about going with the flow. This basic concept of going with the flow is typically when people are not trying to add additional pressures to their life. It's typically a time when they're trying to free their mind of the controlling factors in their mind and just relaxing. But I want to come from this premise what happens when the current change, when you're going with the flow, when you're going through the ways of life and the current suddenly shifts? What ends up happening with your life? The only issue with going with the flow arises is when the current change. This could happen when you have a deadline that you have to meet and a deal that needs to be made and you're still going with the flow, but you have certain parameters that you have to stay in to be able to accomplish your goal. This can even happen when a relationship that you're having develops certain expectations that weren't there before. What happens when the current change? Are you going to be ready when this occurs in your life? So it's significant for us to understand this concept because, as we go through the premise and we go through this infrastructure series, it's going to develop our mindset on how we're going to create a lifestyle that we want, how we want to create a lifestyle that's going to have long lasting change and we are able to achieve everything that God has willed for our lives.

Just Clifton 4:43

So in this premise, we want to talk about currents. Right, currents are strong. They move things. They move bodies, they move things around the water. It's a scientific fact. Research says that 80% of the rescues are performed because of current tides. That is wild beyond belief. That means that somebody has got caught up in the current. What kind of current have you got caught into that.

Understanding Different Life Currents

Just Clifton 5:17

There's different types of currents. There are deep sea currents. These are the dense currents that happen in the depths of the sea, that contribute to the global ocean circulation, that contribute to the global ocean circulation. There are rip currents. These are ones that are more narrow and powerful. They come near the shore, they are where the swimmers get involved, and these can rise up to 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 miles per hour and sweep you away from the shore. There are long shore currents. These are currents that are parallel to the shore. There are long shore currents. These are currents that are parallel to the shore line and they can cause waves that approach the beach at a very difficult angle. There are tidal currents. These are currents that cause, by rising and falling, tides that can be strong in certain locations and specifically in narrow canals and straits. And then there's outlet currents. These are the strongest currents that flow and these are from rivers and streams and lakes and ocean that can be dangerous for a swimmer. What kind of current are you in? Evaluate your situation right now. Evaluate where you're currently at in your life, as you have been going with the flow. What kind of current are you in right now let's look at this a little bit in scripture.

Just Clifton 6:33

So we're going to come from Hebrews 12, verses 1 and 2. Since we are surrounded by many examples of the faith, we must get rid of everything that slows us down, especially sin that distracts us. We must run the race that lies ahead of us and not give up. We must focus on Jesus, the source and the goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death at the cross, ignoring the disgrace it brought him. Now he holds the honor position, the one next to the Father on the heavenly throne.

Just Clifton 7:18

I like the way that the King James Version broke this down. It said when it talks about laying aside every weight and every burden. Laying aside every weight, I'm going to focus on that. The weight in the Greek means burden. It means something that causes to enfold or enfold itself. It also means, if you dig down into it, the arm of the sea. Let's dive into that. The arm of the sea is the part of a river and bay where the water level rises up and rises down and creates tides or currents. So that means that in our life, in the significant things that we're doing, as we're trying to run our ways. There are going to be weights, there are going to be tides, there's going to be currents that is going to try to drift away from our purpose, but we have to stay focused on our race and, in the word of God said, and never give up. So why is this so important?

Just Clifton 8:44

How do you want to run your race? So the word of God says and Paul was talking about this as he was on his last hours of his life, the last leg of his life he said I ran my course and I finished my race. I ran my course and I finished my way. How you get to the finish line depends on how you run the race. Do you want to crawl across the finish line or do you want to be able to have the endurance because you have let go of the weight, you let go of some of those currents to be able to get to the finish line?

Just Clifton 9:23

So let's talk about the ultimate finisher, which is Jesus. In the word that we just read in Hebrew, it talks about the finisher of our faith and it breaks it down to this this is a person whose faith is so strong. He is the highest example of faith predisposed to be. So, in essence, the current that Jesus had was the cross and the prize was now. He holds the position on the heavenly throne right next to his father. Do you want to be able to finish the race strong? Let's look at this. If we look at 1 Corinthians, 9 and 24, it talks about this. It said do you not know that in a race, all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may attain it.

Just Clifton 10:15

Every athlete exercise self-control, not in a way that is casual, but in a way that it supplies discipline. I do not run aimlessly, I do not fight as one who is beating the air, but I am disciplined in my body and I keep it under control Lest, after I preach to others, I myself must be, shall be disqualified. What am I saying here? In essence, when you are running your race, your goal is to receive the prize. It's to receive the inheritance of fulfilling your purpose as an athlete who exercises self-control. So we have to look at what are the disciplines of an athlete. What is the discipline of somebody who is running a race? What is the discipline of somebody who is staying the course? Not so they can be in a position to be disqualified, but so they can qualify themselves, so they can be able to fulfill their purpose.

Training Like an Olympic Champion

Just Clifton 11:20

Let's look at this A training of an Olympic swimmer. We're going to look at the GOAT. Anybody know who the GOAT of swimming is? It's Michael Phelps. Let's look at his training and regiment that he took in his life and when the swimming regiment. Michael Phelps swam an average of 80,000 meters a week. That is equivalent to 50 miles. He typically completed two swimming sections per day, which each section lasting about five to six hours. His swimming workout include a mix of sprints, endurance training and technical drills. Let's look at his dry land training.

Just Clifton 12:03

Ryker felt engaged in weightlifting sessions to be able to create strength in his body. He performed different aerobic exercises outside of the pool to be able to create strength in his body. He performed different aerobic exercises outside of the pool to be able to have more explosive movements. When he's inside of the pool, he would engage into agility drills and core exercises so that he can have a very well-rounded and enhanced his overall fitness. Let's look at his nutrition. He consumed a high level of calories in his diet up to 12,000 calories per day. During his peak training session, he had a high level of plenty of carbohydrates and proteins and healthy fats in his diet. He also used supplements to be able to create all those calories. In his diet Recovery he prioritized sleep. He got around 10 to 12 hours of sleep per night. He took regular ice baths and massages to aid in his recovery. He also had occasional days off to allow his body to rest and to recharge.

Just Clifton 13:16

Let's look at his example of his training schedule. He will wake up 6 am in the morning. He will go swimming or swim workout for two hours. From seven to nine. He would do weightlifting for about an hour. From nine to ten he would eat a lunch. He would take a lunch break between ten and twelve. He would take a nap for an hour. From noon to one. He would go back to a swimming workout from four to six. He would have a dinner, his dinner rest period between 6 and 8, and he would be resting and in bed by 8 pm.

Just Clifton 13:52

What the way that we live our lives. Sometimes I know I'm thinking about my schedule in life. How many times do I get in the bed and I make it to the bed by 8 pm? Never happens. How many times do I get between 10 to 12 hours of rest a day Never happens. How do we expect to function at the most highest level, like an Olympian, if we allow ourselves to constantly be driven away from that recovery period, the proper training regimen, the proper diet, the proper feeding of our soul and our minds and our hearts? How are we going to ever get to our purpose unless we eliminate and have a sense of discipline and get away from the distractions? We have to make sure that we're training our body. Why is this so important? Because as you train your body, you become a stronger swimmer. As you train your body, you become ready for the race, to be able to finish the course of your race at a very technical and a very high level.

Just Clifton 15:00

I do not want to live this life at a low level. I do not want to live this life just getting by. I want to be able to live this life at a low level. I do not want to live this life just getting by. I want to be able to live this life at the highest level. I hope that you understand what I'm saying. I know I sound a little preachy on this podcast, but I want you to get this concept Live life at the highest level. The highest level is where you want to be. The highest level is where you are going to be at the optimal state. Your mind is going to be clear. Your heart is going to be clear. Nothing is going to be able to distract you from your purpose if you allow yourself to get into a regimen that allows you to live at the highest level.

Just Clifton 15:41

Do I expect you to copy and paste the regimen in the training sections and the training model that Michael Phelps had? Absolutely not. That might not be for you. We have children, we have responsibilities, we have people that depend on us. We have all these different things. Not saying that he did not have those things as well, however, all these different things not saying that he did not have those things as well.

Just Clifton 16:08

However, what you have to understand is that you have to make sure that you are being intentional, not just going with the flow. Intentionality is going to get you to the pinnacle of your discipline area. So what does that look like? What type of training, what type of skills and what type of techniques, or what is the premise of what you need to get to be able to get to that point of intentionality? So, when it comes to swimming, and I think this actually applies to life too. It says they master the basics, the mechanics.

Just Clifton 16:42

What are you doing? That is, teaching you techniques and mechanics and control of your life. Are you, are you? Uh? So for me, what I'm starting to do is that, even if I don't feel like it, I get up. I try to go to the gym at least four to five times a week. I try to go to my my classes and with my trainer at least a couple of times a week. I try to go to my classes and with my trainer at least a couple of times a week. I try to make sure that I am intentional about meal prepping and different things of that nature, so that I'm filling my mind. I'm doing things differently even at nighttime. I'm putting my clothes out. Something as simple as putting your clothes out for the next day will allow your mind to be able to free up and you're building something where I'm going to talk about practice and repetition which is muscle memory. Once you be able to create that muscle memory, it becomes second nature, it becomes a part of your identity.

Mastering Fitness and Life Basics

Just Clifton 17:38

The part that I want you to understand is that what we are doing, we are transforming our identity. We're not going to be slothful, we're not going to be lazy, we're not going to allow ourselves to fall into a slump, but what we are going to do is be intentional and be able to create a new identity for ourselves. So that way, our purpose is chasing us and we're not chasing our purpose. See, the thing is that we have to do, we have to make sure that we are positioned ourselves, that we are out running the goals that we have and we're out chasing the things that we have. So that way it can follow us, it can catch up to us. Somebody understand this. You want your purpose to catch up with you.

Just Clifton 18:20

So what's the next thing? So we talked about this. So we talked about mastering the basics, which is the mechanics. We talked about practice and repetition, which is muscle memory. What is, what is um, what is next? Identify and addressing our weaknesses, being self-aware. So we got muscle memory, the mechanics and being self-aware. The more you're self-aware of what you are not capable of is when you can be able to transform and be able to hone in on those triggers or those faults or those lacking areas, so that way you can make them stronger. The only way to make the area stronger is to be able to, maybe to identify them, not making excuses, not lacking accountability, not any of those things, but be able to drive yourself in the area that you are, focusing on your weaknesses and addressing them and identifying them.

Just Clifton 19:33

So, having that self-awareness, what else? Discipline and focus that means consistency, being consistent in everything that you do, that you commit yourself to. I'm telling you right now, there is a level of accountability in my life, right now that I need to be consistent. I am getting to an age, I'm getting to an area of my life where that I need to breathe consistently. My sons are getting to an age. They're getting to an area of their life that they need to see their father be consistent. It's going to show them the highest level of self-control, discipline, character, awareness of yourself, how to self-regulate, how to self-regulate your emotions, your heart, how to be able to transform people's lives by being a servant. All those things come from being able to be focused and disciplined, which breeds consistency, being resilient and having perseverance, overcoming adversity.

Just Clifton 20:39

There's going to be times when you fail. One thing that my trainer always tells me is that, especially when you're doing core exercises, that your abs will never fail you, that when, especially when you're doing core exercises, that your abs will never fail you. We think because we feel the pain, we feel the tension in our stomach when we're doing core exercises that our abs are failing. But in essence, our abs are recognizing, like huh, you are triggering something in your life that once was a weakness in your life, going back to being self-aware. You're triggering something in your life that once was a weakness in your life and you are hitting it head on and you're like, okay, I'm going to overcome the adversity of my life. I'm going to overcome the adversity of that weakness so that I can make it stronger, so it's not going to fail me. You're not going to fail yourself, you're not going to fall aside. You're not going to throw in the towel. You're not going to live a life of purposelessness. You're going to live a life that's purposeful. And the reason why you're going to do that? Because you're going to overcome adversity Every time that you walk out the door and you wake up in the morning and say I am an overcomer. I am going to be better than I was yesterday. I'm going to be better than I was a week before. I'm going to be better than I was a month before, because I am overcoming. You're going to overcome it, I promise you you will.

When You Can't Outswim the Current

Just Clifton 22:07

And then, last but not least, setting goals. What are you working towards? Even though we're getting out this mindset of going with the flow, though, how you set goals matter, the reason why I know this? Because for myself, like, for example, I set some financial goals in the past for myself, but I will always put a dollar amount of what I wanted to reach on that financial goal until I realized last year that most of the opportunities that God was trying to present to me would have awarded me more than that financial goal that I set for myself. I kept my capability and I didn't allow God to move. I cannot allow myself to do that. You cannot do it too, and that can be anything weight loss goals and different things like that. I'm being honest with you. I work out Like I said. I don't have a weight loss goal. I don't have a necessary fitness goal other than having a healthier lifestyle and be able to have more stamina, to be able to work through my day and not feel groggy and not feel tired and not have stomachache and not have acne issues and not have those things, focusing and catering all my goals into what is going to create, what I need to create to be able to get to that purpose and to that point.

Just Clifton 23:33

One thing I'm going to tell you is this, as I'm wrapping this up Even Olympic swimmers can't out swim certain currents. What do I mean by that? In some location, the strongest current can get up to nine miles per hour. The average swimmer can only swim about three miles per hour. An Olympic swimmer can only swim up to five and a half to six miles per hour. Which means this Five and a half to six miles per hour. Which means this that even at the most pinnacle health, the pinnacle state in your life, you still can't out swim certain currents.

Just Clifton 24:23

So what do you do? I did all this conversation about overcoming the churn, what to do when the current change, how to prepare yourself, how to prepare your mind, how to prepare your body, how to prepare your spirit in these things. So what do you do in the situation where the current is still more powerful than your current situation? What does that look like? You might be grieving a loss than your current situation. What does that look like? You might be grieving a loss. You might be grieving a situation in your life where you feel like you had certain things in your life that seemed like it was put together, but now things are unraveling before your eyes. Nothing you do is working out. Nothing you do is changing the dynamic of your life. Nothing you do is shifting things towards your favor, or you feel like that. Instead of taking several steps forward, now, everything you do is knocking you 10 steps back. What do you do?

Just Clifton 25:28

The word of God speaks to this in Isaiah 40 and 31. It says but so who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will mount up on wings as they will run and not be weary. They will walk and not faint. The key part of this is run and not be weary. Even in the most distressed state, even in the pinnacle of your life, where you feel like you have no direction, you have no guidance, you have no perseverance left in you. Waiting upon the Lord, even in those moments when you're running the race, it's going to allow you not to be weary. Waiting on the Lord in those moments is going to allow you to not fall or faint. Waiting on the Lord is going to renew your strength. So you have to wait, falling behind. You're still ahead. You're not chasing, trying to get back to square one when you're back at half a square now, but you're running towards a different square in your life, a different position in your life.

Closing Prayer and Future Vision

Just Clifton 26:51

What I'm trying to tell you here is that the Lord is going to supply everything you need, just like in situations where you feel like you didn't have enough and somebody surprised you with unexpected income. Just like when you feel like that you wasn't going to make it through the week and somebody sent you a kind word. Just like when somebody just gave you a smile and you wasn't expecting it, but that smile resonated with you and resonated with your heart. Just like when you had a friend that picked you up, no matter what the situation was. Just like you had a mother who loved you unconditionally, even when you didn't feel lovable. Just like in a situation where you feel like that you had no way out of it. It was no way to see. God is there If you just wait. Wait on the Lord and he will renew your strength.

Just Clifton 27:50

Dear Heavenly Father, lord, we thank you, we praise you, we give you. Just wait, wait on the Lord and he will renew your strength. Dear Heavenly Father, lord, we thank you, we praise you, we give you the honor and the glory because you're worthy to be praised, lifted up and magnified. We thank you for this moment, we thank you for this time, we thank you for this message. We thank you for the relaunch of the Summit Podcast. Father. We thank you because you get the glory out of this.

Just Clifton 28:07

Father, and as we are trying to transform lives and situations and circumstances to get towards you, allow us to give us the identity of waiting on you. Allow us to be able to be able to be in a position that, no matter what the situation is or how tough the current may be, we will not faint or get weary in our well-doing. Father, we will not faint and be weary in our circumstances and situation. Now that we understand that we must wait on you, even in this time frame, allow us to be able to set goals, to persevere, to be able to be in the position where we have self-discipline, that everything in our lives would start to come into formation of you.

Just Clifton 28:51

Father, even though we can't see it now, we know you're working. Even though we cannot trace your hand, we know your hand is there on our lives. So, in this moment, we pray. You give us direction, you give us insight, you give us visions, you give us ideas. And as this podcast grows and as it's moved through different nations, father, allow your will to be done, because I am your servant in Jesus' name, amen. So, family, this is the launch, the relaunch of the Summit Podcast, and I am excited for you to go on this journey as we rise to new heights. And just remember that this is only beginning. It's so much that God has for sword for you, and you will accomplish it if you stay focused on him. Peace.