EP11: God Met Me at Window #2

I went to the DMV to register a van.

I left with a word straight from God.

This episode is the story of how an ordinary Tuesday turned into a divine appointment—a reminder that when you surrender control, silence the distractions, and walk the path God paved for you… He will speak. And sometimes, the answer you’ve been begging for comes back in black and white, hand-cut, and passed through plexiglass at Window #2.

This one’s for the dad who’s been praying.

For the one who feels unseen.

For the man wondering if God still answers.

He does.

Transcript

Ryan: 0:00

Alright, y' all, I've got a confession to make. I've been praying for two weeks straight, asking God, what do you want me to say in this next episode? And he said, absolutely nothing. Crickets. Now, usually I get a download, a whisper, a nudge, something. But this time, silence. And it wasn't just inconvenient. It was the day I was supposed to record this morning. But then God did what only God can do. He answered my prayer in the most unexpected place while I was sitting at the dmv. That's right. I walked in to register a van and literally walked out with a word from the Lord. And her name was Carissa at window number two. Yes, I'm serious. The piece of paper with the scripture on it is sitting right here in front of me. This episode is about that moment. But more than that, it's about what I almost missed. Because lately, the biggest battle in my life hasn't been sin. It's been distraction. Not the obvious kind, the sneaky kind, the kind that looks like success, like recognition, like a thousand new followers a day. The kind the enemy uses to whisper, you're killing it. You don't need God's voice anymore. You've got your own. If you've ever felt pulled in every direction, if you've ever felt pressured to perform, or if you're chasing peace but getting anxiety instead, this one's for you. Welcome to the Grateful dad podcast. I'm Ryan, husband, father, and flawed but faithful follower of Jesus. And today we're talking about trust, prayer, and what happens when you stop trying to go viral and start trying to go vertical. Let's get into it. All right, so for dad news you can use this time. Let me tell you what's been happening over the last couple weeks in my life, because it's got me fired up in ways I didn't even expect. So right after I released the last episode, I started putting out more content on the Grateful Dad TikTok page, which I shamelessly plugged in the last episode. And I guess I just kind of shamelessly plugged again. Now I was just posting videos about what God's been putting on my heart. Kind of like what I do with this podcast. Honest, unpolished, usually a little shaky handed and straight from the gut. Then I stumble across this little hashtag starting to float around called dadsupportingdads. And the moment I saw it, something clicked. That's exactly what I've been trying to build with the Grateful dad from day one. The podcast, the message my Whole life. That's the mission. So I jumped all in. I didn't think it would go anywhere big. I honestly thought maybe a couple guys would see it and feel a little less alone in the middle of the night when they're doomscrolling with the weight of the world sitting on their chest. But something started happening. I put out a video. Nothing flashy, just a message about how God calls us to treat his people. I said, if we focus on connection, everything else will sort of fall into place. And then it started blowing up. Suddenly, I'm getting hundreds of comments, then thousands follows, shares, messages from men saying things like, I thought I was the only one feeling this way. I haven't heard someone talk about fatherhood and faith like this before. Bro, I really needed to hear this today. And I just sat there reading them, thinking, God's doing something here. Not because I'm anything special, but because when men are real, when they're vulnerable, when they finally say, I'm tired of pretending I'm okay, something starts to shift. That's revival territory. But here's where it got even better. I started showing up in people's TikTok lives. Random dads, no agenda, just me hopping in to say, hey, bro, you matter. You're doing better than you think. Don't give up. And the impact was instant. Guys started reaching out, saying stuff like, I didn't think anyone saw me. And that kind of wrecked me because I've been that guy, the one who's smiling in public but drowning in private, the one who's carrying burdens I didn't know how to put into words. And now. Now I see this entire wave of men, dads, brothers, husbands, standing up and saying, we're done being silent. We're done pretending. And we're done scrolling past each other like we don't need each other. This isn't about followers, guys. This is about fathers. This isn't about views. This is about healing. This is about building a place where your pain becomes someone else's anchor, where your scars become someone else's map. So, yeah, I'm gaining followers, but I'm gaining something else, too. A front row seat to what God can do when just one dad decides to stop hiding and start helping. This isn't just dad news this time. This is kingdom news, guys. And if you're listening to this thinking, man, I want that. Good, because there's room for you. Don't just watch it happen. Be a part of it. Jump in, send the message. Start the live, Speak the truth show the love. Because I'm telling you, the enemy wants isolated men. But God, God wants united brothers. And this movement we're building, it's not just a trend. It's a revolution of fatherhood. So, yeah, a revolution of fatherhood, that's where we're headed. But here's the thing about revolutions. They don't start out loud. They start inside. They start with a shift. A new way of seeing your life, your family, your calling. And that's what this next part of the episode is all about. Let's talk about the mindset shifts that are changing my life and might just change yours too. Shift number one, from control to trust. Let's go straight to the gut with this one. Because if I'm being real, this is where the enemy attacks me the hardest. Control. That feeling that if I don't handle it, everything's going to fall apart. That pressure to always have the answer, to always have a plan, to always show up strong even when you're crumbling on the inside. And if you're anything like me, you've convinced yourself that control is leadership. That stress is just part of being a provider. That anxiety, that's the weight of being a man. But here's what I've learned, and I'm learning it the hard way. Control isn't power, it's prison. You think you're leading your life, but you're really just white knuckling your way through survival mode. And that's exactly where the enemy wants you. Burned out, anxious, second guessing everything. Because when your mind is spinning, you can't hear God whisper. But here's the shift. When I finally stop trying to control the outcome. When I stop begging for the blueprint and start trusting the builder. That's when peace shows up. Not peace like a nap. Not peace like a weekend off. I'm talking peace like a fire in your bones. The kind of piece that says, I don't know how this ends, but I know who's writing it. The kind of piece that lets you walk through chaos with your head high because you're not holding the pen, God is. That's the shift from control to trust. You can't hold everything and still receive what God's trying to give you. So maybe it's time you loosen your grip and say, God, I'm done driving. You take the wheel. I'm just here to follow the science. Because I'm telling you, peace doesn't come from knowing what's next. Peace comes from knowing who's already there. Shift number two, from distraction to Devotion. Let's go deeper. Because the enemy is not always throwing grenades in your path. Sometimes he's tossing blessings. Shiny ones, exciting ones, ones that feel like success. Sometimes the enemy distracts you with a gift that God gave you. Let that sink in for a second. I've been watching the Grateful dad podcast and the grateful dad TikTok take off. DMs are pouring in. Comments, shares, follows, growth, all of it. But you know what else has been whispering in my ear? Look at what you built. You can post about anything now. You don't have to mention God every time. Imagine how big this could get if you just softened the message a little bit. That's how distraction works. Not through failure, through momentum, and not through pain, through pride. It's not always a storm that derails your focus. Sometimes it's successful. And suddenly, without realizing it, you're running at full speed in the wrong direction. Let me make it real for you. The enemy doesn't need to destroy your purpose. He just needs you to drift A little here, a little there, A little less prayer, a little more pressure. Until one day you wake up and you're standing on a platform you built for yourself, wondering why you feel so empty. Here's the shift. You've got to go from distraction to devotion, back to the mission, back to the quiet voice that started it all. Back to why you're even doing this in the first place. Devotion isn't just about big spiritual moments. It's about the small daily ones where you say, God, keep me locked in, keep me humble. Don't let the blessings blind me. Because the real danger isn't failure. It's forgetting who sent you in the first place. So, yeah, this movement is growing. This podcast is gaining traction. But if I ever start doing this for me instead of Him, I've missed it completely. Because I'd rather have 10 followers in his presence than 10 million and no peace. Shift number three. From performance to prayer. Let's talk about the real weapon, the thing that doesn't get the likes, the thing that nobody sees, the thing that actually shifts the atmosphere in your home, your heart, your marriage, your mission. Prayer. I don't mean the bedtime checklist kind of prayer. I'm talking about real, raw, honest God. I have no idea what I'm doing, but I trust you anyway kind of prayer. Let me walk you back to what happened just hours ago. Before I recorded this episode. I had been praying for two weeks, asking, begging God to show me what this episode was supposed to be about. And I got Nothing. Not a whisper, not a sign, not a headline. Just silence. And here I am this morning, the day I'm supposed to record, and I'm sitting there thinking, maybe this episode just doesn't have to happen. But instead of forcing it, I prayed again. And then I went to the dmv. That's when I met Carissa. Window number two. That's when I got handed a printed verse from a calendar she tore off two weeks ago. That's when I read the exact prayer I'd been praying, word for word, in someone else's handwriting. That's when God whispered, I heard you. I never left. I was just waiting for you to look. You see, my prayer was the answer. And that's the shift from performance to prayer, from what should I say to God? What are you already saying? From how can I reach people? To God, just reach me so I can overflow onto them. You don't need a platform to be powerful. You don't need an audience to be effective. You need connection with the source. And I'll say this straight to every dad listening. Your wife doesn't need a perfect husband. Your kids don't need a flawless father. They need a man who prays. Because a man who prays, that's a man that the enemy can't predict. That's a man the world can't shake. That's a man that God can move. So if you're tired, if you feel stuck, if you're standing in a metaphorical DMV line wondering what's next, pray. Then open your eyes, because the answer might be standing right in front of you, smiling behind a plexiglass window, saying, I thought you liked this verse. So, yeah, prayer changed everything for me. Not just because I got the answer, but because it reminded me why I even started all this. It grounded me. It stripped away the pressure. It realigned my heart. But that prayer, it also exposed something else. Something deeper. See, I wasn't just praying for clarity. I was praying for permission to slow down, to stop performing, to remember. This whole thing was never about building something big. It was about walking in something holy. And that's when God hit me with the final shift. Shift number four from platform to path. Let me say this as clearly as I can. I'm not building a platform. I'm walking a path. There's a difference. A platform says, make it about me. A path says, walk with him. A platform is about attention. A path is about obedience. A platform demands performance. A path demands surrender. And the thing is, you can build A platform in your own strength. You can hustle, grind, market yourself, stack content, curate the perfect image. And it'll work for a while, but you'll burn out. You'll start checking stats instead of checking in with God. You'll feel overwhelmed even while you're winning. Because deep down you know it wasn't built on trust, devotion, or prayer. It was built on you. And you were never meant to carry that weight. But when you walk the path God paved for you, the one he hand designed just for you, with every twist, every delay, every DMV appointment and divine appointment baked in, that's when the peace hits. Not surface level peace. I'm talking unshakable Holy Spirit filled storm around me, but I'm good kind of peace. Because you're not walking alone and you're not walking blind. You're not performing anymore. You're listening, you're trusting, you're praying. You're locked in on the mission, not distracted by the moment. Let me say this. When you surrender control, when you reject distraction, when you fight in prayer instead of perform in pride, and when you walk the path God laid before you, you don't just find purpose, you find peace. And not just peace for you, but peace for your kids, Peace in your home, peace in your marriage, peace that outlives you. That's legacy peace. So yeah, let the world chase platforms. Let the world chase applause. Let them keep running toward whatever is trending. As for me, I'm walking one step at a time down a path paved in grace, lined with mercy, lit by the presence of a God who says, you don't need to go viral, you just need to stay faithful. So after all those mindset shifts, after the wrestling match with control, the battle with distraction, the breakthrough in prayer, and the reminder that I'm not here to build a platform, but to walk a path, I want to tell you the exact moment all of it clicked. Because God didn't deliver that revelation while I was in church or during a devotional or sitting in front of a mic. Nope. He handed it to me at the dmv. Let me take you back to the exact moment God spoke to me. It was this morning. June in South Florida is known as the time of year where the skies stay gray. Just to keep you humble. It wasn't raining, but definitely wanted to. Overcast, gloomy, one of those mornings where the sky looks like it just woke up. Grumpy, I hopped into my truck to head up to the Hope Sound dmv. And I'll be real with you I wasn't just going for the ambiance. I was going because the people there are just nicer, more human. And on the way there, I did something weird. I put it on my own podcast. Now, before you roast me, no, I'm not a closet narcissist. I was trying to get in the zone. Because when I record these episodes, I pray really hard before every single one. I ask God to speak through me. And sometimes the best way to get that feeling again is to re listen to the episodes and remember the times when he did so. I was praying, listening, driving through the gloom, curious and hopeful, asking God once again for clarity on what he wanted me to say in this episode. When I pulled into the DMV parking lot, I was hit with the first surprise of the day. The place was packed. Like, wall to wall. You might not even get a number kind of packed. And if you've ever been to the Hope Sound dmv, you know they don't just hand out numbers to everyone. If you're not a Martin county resident and they're too full, you're out. But I walked in, smiled, stayed calm, and I got number 38. They were on number 18, so I knew I'd be there for a while. I found a seat in the corner by the front windows. Natural light filtered through the overcast sky and glass walls, casting a soft gray tone across the room. A little gloomy, but peaceful. I actually liked that corner. Quiet, observant, easy to feel things. From there, I looked around. Frustration was already brewing in the room. You could feel it. Then a couple of angry people stormed in and brought the tension to a boil, snapping at staff, huffing and puffing. I actually recognized one of them from my old business. Let's just say we didn't part on the best financial terms. Still holding onto that same attitude, it seemed, also because it was tense. But that's when it happened. The guy next to me, older man, late 70s, glasses curling on his collar as if it had been the dry dryer too many times without starch, heart as warm as summer, leans over and says, life's too short to be that unhappy. And I said I couldn't agree more. That comment sparked something. Suddenly there were five of us, a little circle of strangers. Young guy, his dad, two older men, and me sitting around talking about life, fatherhood, motorcycles, patience and peace. The DMV manager came out and apologized because the driver's license system had crashed statewide. One of the guys who was literally there to update his license just laughed and said, honestly, I'D rather hang here and talk with you guys than go back to work. Anyway, it was beautiful. I put my phone away, didn't even want to check it. God was doing something. And then, now serving number 38 at window two, that's me. I walk up and boom. It's her. The same woman who helped me last time I was there. She smiles genuinely, like she's happy to be there. Her name tag says Carissa. Her voice is calm, friendly. Hey there. How can I help you today? Before I even get to the paperwork, I tell her, you helped me last time, and I remember how kind you were. I'm really glad it's you again. She lights up. Well, thank you. That means a lot. The people right before you weren't exactly in the best mood. So this is a nice change. And I get it. That same guy I used to do business with had just been in her line. She looked like she'd taken a few hits this morning, but her smile was still there. As she started typing, I noticed this little desk calendar behind the Plexiglas. It was one of those verse of the day flip calendars, the kind that sits quietly but speaks loudly. Today's verse was from Matthew. Something about kindness, about how we treat people, and I couldn't help myself. I said, I wish those angry folks who were here before me had read that verse. Might have changed their whole day. And yours too. She laughed and said, you know what? You're probably right. Then she paused, looked down, looked back up at me and said, actually, if you like that verse, you'll love this one. I printed out copies to hand out. She reaches down into her drawer, pulls out a tiny black and white piece of paper cut by hand and slides it through the slot. It was actually her last one. And y' all, I kid you not, it was the exact prayer I had been praying for weeks, word for word. Father, with each moment throughout the day, the enemy tries to take my focus off of you. Please safeguard my attention. Keep you at the center of everything. My words, my thoughts, my actions, all of it. I read it and I laughed. Not because it was funny, but because God knows me. He knows exactly how to speak to me in a way I can't ignore. Through a hand cut piece of paper, through a smiling woman behind plexiglass, through a moment that could have only been divine appointment. I stood there quietly chuckling to myself, thinking, of course you would do this, God. Of course you'd speak to me like this. This is so you. And just like that I knew. I knew exactly what this episode was supposed to be. Because the answer to my prayer was my prayer. Let me say that again, if it didn't fully register in your brain. The answer was my prayer. God didn't give me something new. He just gave me confirmation. He handed me, in black and white, the very words I had been crying out and said silence. The words I thought were just bouncing off the ceiling, but were actually waiting for me at window number two at the DMV in Hobe Sound, Florida. And that's why we're here today. Because when you trust God with your control, focus your devotion, prioritize prayer over performance, and stop building platforms and start walking in his path. You'll find him at the gas station, at the dmv, in your worst moments, in your waiting. He's there and he speaks. And when you listen, peace floods in like a wave. So where's the wisdom in all this? When God hands you the answer. Maybe you've been waiting for God to thunder through the sky. Maybe you've been searching for signs, aching for direction, hoping he'll show up in a burning bush. But instead he shows up in black and white paper behind plexiglass. Maybe the answer isn't coming in a storm. Maybe it's coming in a verse taped to a desk. Maybe it's not a new revelation. Maybe it's the same prayer you've been praying, handed back to you by a stranger, as if God was saying, I heard you the first time. I never left. We want clarity, but God wants connection. We chase platforms, but he calls us the posture. We demand control, but he offers peace. Peace that only comes when you stop running ahead of God and start walking beside Him. This isn't about going viral, guys. It's about going vertical. Because when you trade performance for prayer and distraction, for devotion and your grip for his guidance, you don't just find purpose. You find peace. And not the kind that fades, the kind that floods, the kind that anchors you through the chaos, the kind that whispers to your spirit, even here. I am with you. So here's what I want you to hear today. You don't need to force the answer. God already wrote it. He might even have printed it out two weeks ago. And it's waiting for you at window number two. Or in your child's voice, or in the silence when you finally turn the noise off long enough to listen. You're not forgotten. You're not unseen. You're not too late. You are right on time for a God who shows up in the ordinary and turns it into the holy. The answer is already in your hand. You just have to see it for what it is. Not a coincidence, not a moment, but a message. A message from a God who never stops speaking. You want power in your life? Then stop asking God for a platform and start asking him for posture. Get low. Pray deep. Stay focused. And don't you dare let success become the thing that distracts you from your calling. Because when you live that way, when you fully surrender, God won't just answer your prayer. He'll make you the answer to someone else's. So here's the takeaway. The answer you're waiting for might already be in your hands. God doesn't need to shout when he's already whispered. He doesn't need to drop something new when he's trying to remind you of what he already said. You don't need to control it. You don't need to perform for it. You don't need to build a platform to prove you're worth it. You need to trust him, pray honestly, walk humbly, and watch how peace starts showing up in places you never expected. In the waiting room, in the storm, in the middle of a gloomy Tuesday at the dmv. Because when you stop chasing the spotlight and start following the shepherd, you don't just get answers. You get peace. So for the challenge this week, I dare you. Don't just pray. Pay attention. Take a break from asking for new answers and start looking for the ones God already gave you. That verse you read and scrolled past. That quiet moment in your car when you felt the nudge to slow down. That conversation you almost ignored but couldn't stop thinking about. That might be your window number two. So here's what I want you to do. Every day this week, before the world gets loud, I want you to go pray this prayer. God, help me see what you've already said. Help me hear what I've already heard, and help me trust that if you gave me this path, you'll light it too. And then walk like it's already answered. Because maybe it is. Maybe he's been waiting for you to recognize what's already in your hand. And look, if that challenge feels a little too heavy, good. It's supposed to. But hey, before you go full monk mode and delete TikTok, let's break the tension for a second. Because you didn't think I was going to end this episode without a dad joke, did you? Come on now. This is the Grateful Dad. So here it comes. Why did I bring a calendar to the dmv because I heard they were handing out divine appointments. That's right. Give God's booking windows now. Especially window number two. Okay, that one might have been terrible. I'm not sure. But if you didn't like it, shoot me an email with a better one. If this episode hit you in the chest, if something stirred in your heart, don't keep it to yourself. There's another dad out there scrolling in silence. Another man who's been praying for answers, feeling like God's gone quiet, wondering if he's even on the right path. Be the one who sends the sign. Text him, Send this episode. Say, hey, man, I thought of you today. You're not alone. Keep walking. Let's keep turning this trend into a tribe, this hashtag into a heartbeat. Let's keep building a community where no man walks alone and no prayer goes unheard. And if you haven't already, follow the podcast, hit that subscribe button, leave a review if it's helped you, and then share it with one person you love. Because this isn't just a podcast. This is a mission. And the only way we grow it is together. I'm Ryan. I'm the grateful dad, and I appreciate you guys. So just remember, show up, be present, and stay grateful. I'll see you next time.