EP. 20 - Contentment Over Complacency & Announcement

We talk honestly about contentment and why it can look a lot like complacency if we do not define it clearly. We share stories, Scripture, and real-life pressure points that help us chase growth without losing peace or trust in God. 
• Psalm 23:1 and what “I shall not want” really means 
• drawing the line between enjoying good things and chasing upgrades 
• stories about vehicles, money decisions, and learning the hard way 
• contentment as gratitude and trust in God’s timing 
• complacency as avoiding growth, responsibility, or calling 
• finding peace in Christ rather than in finances or status 
• Philippians 4:11–13 and strength in every season 
• 1 Timothy 6:6–8 on food and clothing being enough 
• Luke 12:24 and God’s daily provision 
• how comparison and pride can distort spiritual ambition 
• why simplicity can reduce stress and refocus priorities 
• questions to test our motives: purpose or insecurity 
If you guys are um if you guys feel led, then we would appreciate um financial support as well. We do have a link in the description always where you can support us on YouTube. 

Transcript

Welcome And Theme For Today

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Welcome to the Brotherhood Podcast.

Craig 0:22

Welcome to another episode of the Brotherhood Podcast. My name is Craig. And my name is Colton. Yes, it is. This week we are talking about contentment. And uh I kind of want to talk about contentment versus complacency. That's something that I have struggled with in the past. And I'm sure some of you guys have as well. But uh Colton and I have been fairly busy here the last couple weeks. So we uh we might be a little light on content, but uh we have an announcement at the end too that we'll discuss as well for you guys, and uh yeah, we'll just kind of go from there. And I think Colton has an anchor verse for us today, so I'll let him read that and then we'll kind of get into it.

Psalm 23 And The Meaning Of Want

Colton 1:21

Yeah, so with us talking about contentment, um Psalm 23, one is it's a pretty short anchor verse today, but I think it encompasses uh a lot about what the Bible speaks about when it comes to contentment. So Psalm 23, verse 1. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. Um we kind of picked this one because I think with contentment, we often we often think we need the next biggest thing. Uh the Bible speaks about as long as we have food and clothing, we should be content with that. And uh the world teaches us otherwise. And so I think this verse it just kind of it's a a really nice how'd I say it? It just kind of wraps everything up together in one verse, you know. Um, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. So as long as we have the Lord, we should not want anything else. We should be content with that. So, yeah, that is our angry verse for today.

Craig 2:32

Yeah, I agree with that. That's a good one. Um, and I think like uh like with what I want to talk about, I think it's important to recognize that like like you said, contentment is about not wanting. I think I wonder what not want actually means. Like, is it like you're being provided for? I I feel like that's what it means. I don't know that for sure.

Colton 3:12

Um, when you're thinking about contentment, I think the biggest thing is because I believe God gives each person desires and things too, right? Right. So yeah, that's the that's the conflict I want to talk about between those two things. Well, and it's complicated because it's like you know, if you're passionate, let's say you're passionate about um animals, and you're you know, always looking for the next best horse, or you know, that kind of stuff, it's okay to enjoy those things, but I think that's where like being content and wanting like it's kind of a hard line to draw because I mean you can use horses for work, and so you kind of need them, but at the same time, it's like okay, well, here's this ten thousand dollar horse, here's this thirty thousand dollar horse. Do you really need the thirty, or can you make do with the ten? Are we content with not going all out? You know, for me, it's like pickups. I like trucks, I like fancy trucks. I don't know why, I just do. No way, so yeah, right. So for me, I'm always looking at the $130,000 pickups. It's like, okay, I don't need that, right? I need to learn to be content with my basic 26-year-old pickup. Yeah, right. I I think it's yeah, there's a line that needs to be drawn there, so it's hard.

Truck Envy And Costly Lessons

Craig 4:52

The way you said that, too. You kind of said it reluctantly.

Colton 4:58

Well, you know it's funny is when I was younger, so I'll tell you a bit of a story. Uh, and this is an ex a good example of what contentment is not. So I think I was about 18, I think I was probably 19 actually at the time, 19 or 20. And uh at 18, I had bought this brand new half-ton dodge. Nice pickup and everything. Um, my dad co-signed so I could get this pickup and start working on my um on my credit and stuff. And so we got this pickup and uh it had a couple issues, you know, airbag issues and things like that. It had a an air ride suspension on it, and so winter time the airbags would go off, but other than that, it was it was a good pickup. Um well I had a dentist appointment one day at the time. I worked with a bunch of guys who had diesel trucks. I'd never owned a diesel. Um, I just like big, loud, flashy trucks. So, anyways, had this dentist appointment, and I was early, and so I stopped by the Ford dealership. And me being me, well, here's this F 350 King Ranch sitting in the parking lot. Just beautiful truck. I decided I'd take it for a test drive, and uh uh turns out an early dentist appointment turned into buying a new 40 or 50 thousand dollar pickup that I didn't need but wanted. And uh yeah, I should have just learned to be content with what I had. So I think that's a pretty good example of what contentment is not.

Craig 6:47

Yeah, no, that's a good example. I'd say kind of similar for me, too. It was like so, like my first vehicle was a 1994 Ford Ranger, which was a pretty cool little truck, had like those sideways seats in the back. Those are sweet, so cool. Anyway, so I had that, and it was I mean, it was a good truck, it was a standard, so it was kind of fun to drive. And uh that like for a first vehicle, having a standard was kind of cool, you know. Got uh stuck at some stop signs on some hills and stuff like that. But yeah, it was good. Uh, but then you know, started to have some mechanical issues, and then I decided, oh, I'm gonna I'm gonna go see what else is available. So then there's a there's a 2008 Pontiac G5, sodden roof, red, two-door, like sports car style. And uh if anyone like if you live in our area, it's uh Mennonite car. Uh anyone who's from around here will know what I'm talking about, but anyway, yeah, that was a fun little car to drive too. And then again, it started having a little bit of mechanical issues, and then I was married at the time, and then we were thinking about starting a family, and it was like, okay, well, it that justified all we should get a different vehicle. And we got a journey, and then that thing was a lemon, so I should have just stayed, like fixed what was wrong, because it wasn't really that big of a deal. But you know, there's people that think that way, like, oh, you the one when you start having to start repairing stuff, then oh, you just trade it in and get a new one. But yeah, I think you should just fix what you got and take care of what you got, but anyway. Um yeah, so kind of similar for me, but it usually stemmed from like a mechanical issue. It's like, oh, something's happening. Um, I'm gonna get rid of it. But yeah, yeah.

Contentment Is Not Complacency

Craig 9:10

Um for me also, uh like business stuff, like starting businesses and trying to do entrepreneurial stuff and side businesses, side hustles, that kind of thing. I struggled with um being content with uh with what I had and always wanting more, which we have never had a bunch of money um since we started out our marriage, but it's been kinda rough, but uh there's uh I've learned some things along the way, and I've learned that it's okay to want to do better. Like contentment is not the same as being complacent. So if you think think about contentment, it doesn't mean just like it means it doesn't mean you're happy with where you're at and you're just gonna stay there. It means that you are trusting God with where he has you at the moment, um but not abandoning the the desire to grow or build or do uh improve or or do better. So I think that's the distinction I want to talk about today.

Colton 10:38

Um so yeah, no, I r I really like that. I think that's uh I think that's an important way to say it because I think it's very easy to get confused on you know what contentment looks like. Um and we don't want to we don't want to send people away from this episode feeling like they can't pray for something um because they feel like it's outside of being content for what God has for them. Um so hopefully by the end of this we can bring a little more clarity on on the difference between like Craig said contentment and uh complacency.

Craig 11:23

Yeah. I'll uh I have some notes actually, which I probably should have just read when I was uh saying that, but um I'd have a list of a few things like defining the difference between contentment and complacency. So contentment is peace with where you are, gratitude for what God has given, and trust in God's timing and provision. And complacency is a lack of effort or growth, settling out of fear or laziness, and avoiding responsibility or calling. So they there's something that I confused early on, and um I think it's important to notice the difference, and uh because you know, especially with business stuff, right? There's the there's the verse that says the love for money is the root of all evil. So if you're trying to build a business, you're trying to make more money and provide for your family. That that had kind of stuck in my brain too. It's like, uh, am I supposed to try and do better and make more money, or am I supposed to not? Like um, but the Bible also says a man that does not provide for his family is worse than an unbeliever. So there's that.

SPEAKER_03 12:47

Yeah.

Feeling Stuck And Waiting On God

Colton 12:48

Well, it's a hard thing, too, because God has a different plan for every person. That's something that I've struggled with, is like being content with where God has me. So when I'll just give you an example, when Charlie Kirk died, um, and you read about the in the Bible what it talks about for people who've been martyred, like that's um it I don't know, I could be wrong, but it seems like it's just a different level when you get to heaven. If you've been martyred, um for you know being a Christian for the gospel, and so for me, it kind of opened my mind a little bit to be like, okay, well, he was killed for the gospel, he was killed for Jesus, for believing in Jesus. Like, am I not doing my job? Like, what else do I need to do? What can I do? And it kind of changed my mindset a little bit to where, and again, and this is where learning to be content with where God has our life going versus thinking that we need to change everything and be like somebody else. Um God doesn't call us all to be somebody like a Charlie Kirk or like Paul, the Apostle Paul, or you know, like uh Billy Graham. Yeah. You know, we all have our own path to walk that God has laid out. So contentment has to do with that too. Are we content with the the path that God has chosen for us in His will? Or, you know, do we feel like we want to be like somebody else because there's something more special that comes with that? And for me, that's um that's something I've had to wrestle with in my life is just realizing that you know I might not be the guy to speak to millions of people. I might not be the guy to you know be like a Billy Graham and travel around and talk in front of large crowds. I might be the guy who has an impact on one person in my life. I mean, I hope more than that. I'm hoping I'm doing God's work more than that, but you know, are am I content with where he has me going?

Craig 15:21

Yeah, that's good to bring in the uh the spiritual side of it too. Like I was talking about monetary and like uh financial and like physical uh things, but to bring in the spiritual side of it too, like yeah, obviously um Charlie Kirk's assassination was a big part of why we decided to pull the trigger and start this thing and actually you know do it uh instead of just talk about it or think about it. So that's something I've thought about as well. And yeah, try and uh yeah, I think you want to make a big impact for the kingdom, and like you said, maybe maybe there's just that one person that God has you on this earth for.

SPEAKER_03 16:12

Yeah.

Craig 16:12

And to be content in that and not to be on the main stage. Because I think if you wanna like if you're striving to be on the main stage, like if that's something you want, um, you gotta be careful to not want it for the wrong reasons, I think, too.

Colton 16:31

Pride creeps in very silently, and pretty soon you're you're doing everything for your pride, um overdoing it for you know the right reason for doing it for Christ.

Craig 16:45

Yeah, exactly. And I think the the ones that make the most impact in that way are the ones that didn't ask for it. Yeah. Right? They they didn't want their name in lights, they didn't want, you know, um, they didn't want to be on a stage necessarily and in front of a bunch of people, but uh God called them to that, and they just they obeyed and they listened and did what they were supposed to do. Yeah. So what is God telling you to do? What's God telling me to do? What is it? And and that can I think that can change in different seasons as well. So to be content in the season of life that you're in, too. Like I mean, there's some stuff going on in uh behind the scenes, yeah, yeah. There is uh that are making things tough right now.

Colton 17:48

I know that. So well, I was gonna speak into that a little bit. I listened to so just so everybody listening kind of has an idea. We're kind of um and we'll talk a little bit more about it um a little later in the episode, but uh for us we're we're in a bit of a bit of a tough stage of life trying to figure some things out, and uh so anyways, we've been praying and praying, and it's been getting a little frustrating at times. Um, just not feeling like I guess maybe not feeling like we've been answered by God. I feel kind of guilty for saying this, but I it's I don't know if it's like frustration, I guess just towards the fact that maybe God hasn't shown us what we're supposed to do. So, anyways, I was praying about it this morning and trying to um just let God know how I'm feeling and being honest, you know, not angry with God or anything, but just this frustration I have with the circumstances, and so I got to work and uh I went on my computer and I was scrolling through YouTube. Usually I turn some music on or something. First thing in the morning, I like to turn my Christian music on. Well, this sermon came on by Joe B. Martins. Um, I scrolled past it and it just kind of like clicked. And um what was it called? I think I have it here.

Craig 19:30

It was basically sent it to one of our, I think the family chat or something, but I hadn't gotten a chance to watch it. But yeah, so I I was like, that is relevant right now.

Colton 19:45

Oh, it 100% was, and it's like it's like God answered me in that moment because so the heading to the sermon or the title is um is this really God's plan? And then it says when you don't understand God's plan. So, anyways, it's about a 50, I think it's a 55-minute sermon. I listened to the whole thing and it just like tore me to the center of my heart, and it's like, okay, God is calling us to be content and worship. No matter what happens, we are to praise and worship and be content in God, knowing that He knows the plan for our life even when we don't. Um, it's not always an easy thing to do, but when God points that out to you, you take it pretty seriously, which is kind of convenient because I mean we're talking about contentment, and it just sort of yeah, I don't know. It's one of those weird like God moments where it's like, okay, I know a hundred percent that was God who put that there at that time for a purpose to show me something. Yeah, sorry, I thought I would share that, it would just like perfect timing.

Craig 21:05

That's good, and I think it's um I would say too, like, it's good like you're being vulnerable in in sharing as well that you're like you're not necessarily angry with God, but you're frustrated. And for people that uh that are searching and maybe aren't believers, or maybe you're struggling as well, Colton always says this we're not perfect, and there is so many things that we don't understand about God and his plans for us. Um, but the Bible does say his ways are higher than ours, and uh and to be still and know and listen. And sometimes we uh we are too busy and life is too loud, and we're not we we we don't be still and we don't listen and And I think Colton, you've experienced that. Um, was that today that that was today that you listened to that or watched that?

Colton 22:09

First thing this morning, I literally prayed on the way to work.

Craig 22:13

I mean, so you cried out. You're you're like, God, like, what is going on? Like, I am frustrated, I don't get it. And God's like, You're talking to me, here you go. Yeah. Here, this is what I want to say to you right now. Now that you're ready to listen.

Colton 22:29

Yeah. Well, and it doesn't always happen, which is weird because sometimes I've had God answer me, you know, within a few days of starting to pray for something. This time it just feels like it's dragging on and dragging on, hasn't been that long. And then I pray this morning, and within probably 10 to 15 minutes of praying, it's like this answer is right here. You know, and I feel guilty about that too, because there's a lot of people in worse situations. It's like, what am what am I worried about? Like, we have things pretty good still. Right? So again, learning contentment no matter your circumstance. Yeah, that's good.

Craig 23:14

Well, yeah. I appreciate you sharing that. And I'm sure there's some listeners as well that are like, hey, you know what? I get it, or well, thank you for sharing because I thought I was alone, you know. I don't know. So you're not alone. I think it's important for us. Yeah, you're not alone. I'm struggling to. Um, but uh yeah, I think it's important for us, especially as men, because we don't get to do that really. We always feel like we have to put on you know, put on a hard face and be strong for everyone around

Men Vulnerability And Mental Health

Craig 23:57

us. And uh there with my work, um we had a trade show, and I was responsible. There's a couple speakers that uh came and one was on feed rationing, which is not relevant to this conversation, but one was on mental health and mental health and agriculture, and the lady that spoke had said that the like the demographic that struggles the most with mental health is like 45 to 60 uh male, and they're like they're alone, right? They're not married, or they're divorced, or their spouse has passed, or kids are gone, kind of thing. They're they're on their own, and uh I mean it was a work setting, so I couldn't really say much, but um, I was like, man, is that ever true? Like, we we as men and us as Christian men too, we need to like iron sharpens iron, of course. Um so we need we do need to come together and we need to talk about things, and that's kind of what we're trying to do here, and uh I think it's important for Colton and I to be vulnerable, and then you guys too. If you're um, I know I talk about the group, I haven't been as um consistent with talking to you guys in the WhatsApp group. Um, I did make a uh Discord uh server as well for us, I just haven't got everything transferred over and I haven't sent invitations to everybody or whatever. But um to be able to chat with each other uh within that setting, or I mean, if you have phone numbers, or if you have some guys on Facebook like fellow listeners, or if you have us, if you have our contact info, like um Joey Martin also talks about uh four Matt Toters, like the uh the friends that uh lowered uh the paralytic down the roof to see Jesus, and it was because of their faith that he was healed, right? And that's powerful. So for us to have guys around us that are willing to do that and to be that for someone else as well, um, I think is very important. So, yeah, I mean that's a that's a little off topic, but I think it was worth sharing. And uh I know that we struggle as guys to be vulnerable and be vulnerable with each other, be vulnerable with your wives as well. And wives, if you're listening, if your husbands come to you and they're gonna be vulnerable, don't make fun of them. Because you want us, you want us to talk, and then as soon as we talk, sometimes you're like, Why are you being such a baby? It's like, well, I mean, you told me to talk, you wanted me to open up and I'm doing that, and now you're making fun of me, so whatever, I'm not gonna talk to you anymore. So yeah, be careful with that. Um, actually, on that note, I seen uh a Facebook reel or something, and I think the guy had a roll of wire, and he had had it for like 20 years or something in his shop, and he had like just a little bit left. He's like, This is the last bit, and he's like, This roll of wire has been with me like through a lot, like so. I mean, as men it's not it's funny what gets us emotional sometimes, but you think like for him, he's like, My my life is in this roll of wire, and it's at the end now, like and then and then the wife is filming and she's like, Oh, you're why you're getting emotional about a stupid wire. So then, of course, he closes back up again and doesn't want to talk about it. So, yeah, just be careful that you don't do that, wives. Because you want us to talk and you want us to be vulnerable, and it's hard for us to do that. Um, I don't know what it is, but it is. It's hard for us to want to do that. Yeah. Um, so yeah. So please be gentle with us. If we cry, give us a hug. Yes. Yeah. So yeah. Anyway, back to contentment.

Contentment Verses And Modern Life

Craig 28:52

So um I have some verses for us. Um I know well, I'll read I'll read Philippians four eleven to thirteen first. Do it do it. Do it do it. Philippians four eleven to thirteen says not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. So thirteen can get taken out of context sometimes, but I think the important thing there is um I think this is Paul that wrote Philippians, and he's saying, like, God has provided for him over and over again, right? And he has he has had a life of abundance, he has had a life of struggling, and um he has learnt to be content in all circumstances. Um I think that's something important to to pull from that, is um like Colton mentioned earlier, is I think you were talking about the Joby Martin sermon about being content in all circumstances.

Colton 30:41

Yeah, there's just a a joy and peace that comes with that too. You know, if you I know for me, if I find my joy or my contentment and my money, well, it doesn't take very long, and you're pretty depressed because it's gone. That doesn't take long, no, it's uh yeah, don't find your contentment in worldly things, rather set it in Jesus, you know. He gives you true joy, and um for those who don't believe in him yet, it it's I don't know that it's something you can understand until you experience it, until you fully a hundred percent commit to Christ and just give in. There is uh yeah, just an incredible peace that comes with that, um, in that contentment with Jesus. Yeah, I agree.

Craig 31:47

The Bible also talks about a peace beyond all understanding, and that's what you get when you receive the Holy Spirit. It's uh it doesn't make sense, it's beyond all understanding, and at times, because we are human, because we are still in our fleshly bodies, we we still struggle with things, and we can get angry, we can get frustrated, even towards God, and um, but if you're in his word and you have a relationship with him and just talk to him, usually, he's like, Hey, just I've got it covered. Stop worrying, you know. Yeah, don't worry about don't worry about tomorrow, for today has enough worry in itself, or something like that. That's also another verse. I don't remember where it's at, but Holy Spirit gave me that, so receive that if you will. Because man, we can worry. Oh yeah. Um yeah, you can. I think you had first that first Timothy verse. You can go there if you want, and then I will find my next one while you do that.

Colton 33:12

Yeah, I will pull it up here right right now. Right now.

Craig 33:20

Right meow. Oh, that's a throwback to grade 11 or whatever. Write meow.

Colton 33:30

There was some weird things that happened in high school. You can say that again. All right, I got first Timothy six, verse six to eight. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. Um, but if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. That verse eight is the part out of that section that just like it just hits me. It makes me think about this, you know. Are we not blessed enough to be provided food and clothing and shelter? You know, I think about Apostle Paul, and I mean, for them, yeah, you compare our living standards to what they had back then, and there's just so many things that we think we need or that we want, you know, bigger TV or a comfier couch or a better vehicle, you know, a bigger house, a bigger backyard. You think about these things, and it this verse says, as long as we have food and clothing, we should be content with that. You know, but right the world tells us otherwise. You look at these commercials, you look at uh TV, even on YouTube now, there's a commercial, what every just about couple minutes, seems like. But they're depending who you're watching. Ads about the next big thing, right? Oh, you gotta try this pop, or oh, you gotta try this laptop, or you should do this, or you're not you're not the cool person if you don't own this. And it's like that stuff is all useless. You know, this verse says we came into the world with nothing, we're gonna leave with nothing. This is just our temporary home, our eternal home, if we choose, where God would hope we end up is in heaven, right? Where none of this earthly stuff comes with us. So why are we worried about it? You know, be content in knowing that if you're a Christian, your eternal home is in heaven. This stuff means nothing at all.

Craig 36:05

Yeah, I agree. Yeah, that's where that's again where the balance is hard. The contentment versus complacency is the yeah, we are if we have clothes on our back and food on the table. Honestly, it didn't even say a table. If we have food and clothing, forget the table. Um we should be content. And I think that's true. Like you think back to I don't know what would it, what it would have been grade six or eight or whatever it is. Like you're learning about basic needs, like needs versus wants, that kind of stuff, right? And what were the needs? Food, shelter, water. That's it. Yeah, that's all we need, and God provides that. I mean, I was talking to a guy at work, uh, this is a few months ago, but um we were kind of talking about like the price of things and how crazy expensive everything is, and I was like, you know what? If we really just lived a simpler life, the money that most people make would be sufficient, right? Yeah, uh, but we always we always want more. Um I mean, we just got a new dishwasher. That was technically that's a want too. We could wash by hand, we don't want to do that. Um, it was getting to that point, though. That other one was a piece of junk, anyway.

Colton 37:50

Well, here's a question for you along that, along those lines. Do you think that people who have less are generally more content or more joyful? A thousand percent.

Craig 38:05

Yeah, I agree. I saw that firsthand when Amanda and I went to Africa. Yep. Those people literally had nothing, and they were um they, you know, lived in a mud hut, basically, dirt floor. Um they might have had shoes. Um they uh they would basically harvest the food that they needed for the day or for the meal. Um yeah, it was very hand like they're very hand to mouth, right? Like daily. Um like if you think of an um, I don't know, I don't want

Big Announcement New Podcast Schedule

Craig 38:59

to equate those people to animals, but I'm just saying if you think of animals, they are very much hand-to-mouth. It's like daily survival, right? Um they literally are working on surviving every single day, and that's what those people are like. Um, some of them, like there's some people that are still kind of you know better off in the cities and stuff like that, but they kind of have like a um uh what do you call that? Like a social tier system as well. So, like if you're born um into poverty, that's just where you stay. That's you there's no getting out of it, basically. Um that was interesting to see. Um, especially like you we went to Kenya, so you fly into Nairobi, Nairobi's a big city center, and you know, before I'd ever been to Africa, you think it's like oh all it's all safari, it's all you know, it's all desert, uh red dirt and Lion King, right? Yeah, but you know, we fly into Nairobi, it's a big city. Um and uh yeah, so that was interesting to see. But right beside the city is the slums, and you know, the people in the slums are kind of work doing the cleaning for the people in the in the apartment buildings, the nice apartment buildings or condos right next to them, and it's kind of a weird thing to see, but uh yeah, the social system there is kind of weird, but anyway, um, I know there's a lot of places that do that, but yeah, I guess what I was trying to say is God prove like I feel like their sometimes their faith is stronger than ours as well because they they truly need to rely on him for their daily needs, right? Yep, and and they see that oh, if I put my trust in him, he does provide. Um and I've heard too there is uh I'm sure some of you guys have heard this story too, but there's like an orphanage that uh they were running out of food and uh they didn't have anything, and uh I think there was one day they maybe it was even multiple days, they set the table for to eat, trusting that God would provide a meal, and he did. I think it happened multiple times. It's like we don't have any food here, but we're gonna set places for everyone to eat. We're just gonna trust that God's gonna provide our meal, and he did. But it's just wild. So there's instances like that. You hear these things. Um, yeah, so if we're paying attention, we can see that that God does provide our basic needs for sure, and I think we just uh we lose sight of that with all the different things that we have and think we need um in today's society, especially in a western world civilization like uh Canada and the US.

Colton 42:27

So I think we've been very spoiled. I I think uh, like I said, you know, living in Grand Prairie, probably I would say probably at least 50% of this city owns a pickup. And probably twenty five percent of those people own pickups that are over well, maybe not twenty-five percent. There's a big majority of people in this town that own a truck that's over a hundred thousand dollars for a pickup, and I'm not saying that that's a bad thing, you know. I'm in the same boat, I love trucks. I if I had lots of money, yeah, I would possibly own one too. But you look at the people who have nothing, and for me, sometimes I'm more jealous over them than I am over the people who have it all, in a sense, you know, because the people who don't have much, they just have joy, they're just happy. You look at people who have everything, they're not happy. A lot of them just working, yeah, and all they do is work to pay for what something with four wheels you drive back and forth, maybe a boat you put in the water four times a year, you know, maybe and a holiday trailer you use twice, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:00

The quad you've got once.

Colton 44:02

Well, and I'm not putting anybody down because I'm in the same boat. I like that stuff. I like quadding, and God gives us passions for those things. But man, sometimes I feel like we just got it wrong here, you know.

Craig 44:15

Priorities are messed up. Yeah.

Colton 44:17

Yeah. Why like why would not be more simple? Because if it was more simple, maybe we would focus more on the things that matter. Right? If we weren't focused on all of these big houses and all this stuff, you know, maybe life would be different. Maybe there would be more happiness. Maybe there would be less um depression and less anxiety and just less stress. People would maybe enjoy life a little bit more, you know, and be able to focus on the things of heaven more so than the things of earth. I know even as Christians, we try and we try, but yeah, that's uh that's a hard thing when um everybody's focus around us, or you know, society says that to be successful, you gotta have money, you gotta have a savings account, you gotta be able to retire, big house, motor homes, all this stuff when it doesn't matter. Um I was gonna read this verse. I was thinking about as you're talking about um the animals, how they live day to day. The Bible talks about this actually. Uh Luke 12, verse 24. Consider the ravens, they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? Yeah. I just I love that verse because it's like God cares for the animals and the birds of the air, and if you think back to Genesis when he created the world, um human beings are the only ones that he made in his likeness, and I think there's some sense of contentment that should come with that, you know. I think we expect God to provide finances that are abundant, which I don't think is necessary. I mean, from what we've read, there's a few different verses that talk about as long as we have food, as long as we have clothing, we should be content with that. And when has God not provided that? I mean, I I understand that there is hunger and starvation in parts of the world. Um and honestly, right now the only way I know how to explain that is because of the sin that's in the world. You know, and and maybe those people don't even deserve it, but I think we need to learn to be content, maybe even with maybe even with a little bit less.

Craig 47:17

Yeah, I think that's true. Um we do need to learn how to be content with less. And uh I think sometimes if we're struggling, I think that might be God telling us, like, hey, I am providing for you, or I have been providing for you. You're gonna struggle a little bit, and so I can show you what you have had and what I promise to continue to give you. But uh yeah, not saying not saying that following Jesus is gonna make you rich because that's prosperity gospel, and we don't want to do that here.

Colton 48:05

That's right. No, and I think this will make more sense at the end of our episode here because uh I don't know about you, Craig, but I'm gonna just I think lay a few things on the table and just be honest, so maybe things will click a little more for everybody who's listening.

Craig 48:26

Okay, yeah, deal. Um, I think like you mentioned abundance, um, not needing abundance. I did have uh Proverbs 21:5. Okay. And that says the plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. So that's like another one of those things like chasing fast money, right? All these MLM kind of things, and thinking, oh, I'm gonna sign up for this thing, and um, I'm gonna make a whole pile of cash in 20 days, like kind of thing. Like, while this is the fast track to being rich kind of thing, um, which I've struggled with. Like, you guys know Colton and I. Um, we were we were both the uh insurance industry, uh, same company. But uh actually I had been I had been in a couple companies. Uh but that's kind of where all this like contentment versus complacency kind of came from for me too, and the the love of money is the root of all evil, but a lot of people misquote and say the uh um that money is a root of all evil, which is not um anyway. What was I saying? Oh, the uh uh like we're not called to be poor either, necessarily, right? We're not called to be impoverished um for the sake of righteousness. Uh but the Bible does say it's easier for the camel for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And what I think that means is that when a person has all they could ever want here on this earth, I feel like there's less of a um less of a recognition for what they need, um, which is salvation and a relationship with uh with Jesus. And I think that's what he's uh what Jesus is talking about there. Because yeah, like you said, like I think if you have if you have an abundance, like an extreme abundance, like um you think Elon Musk style abundance, right? Donald Trump abundance, like excessive. Um, I think there's so many things that you can buy, so many things that you can do. The there is no limits to what you could spend your money on, there's no limits to what you can do, there's no limits to the distractions you can create for yourself, I think is the thing. Um yeah. I think I mean you guys correct me with uh if uh if you think I'm wrong, Colton, correct me if you think I'm wrong, but I think that's what he means there is uh is that it's not impossible, but when you have an abundance, there you you feel like there's no need for a savior, and you just get distracted, and then your time comes, and then you face judgment and go, oh shoot, you know, I missed it.

Colton 52:22

So anyway. No, I like that. I think it's a lot like that scene out of God's not dead where the grandma who's got um I think she has dementia, and her son comes to visit her, and he's looking at her and he's like, How is it that you believed in God and loved him your whole life? And I'm and basically, you know, he says, I'm the one with the perfect life. Yeah, and she turns to him and says, Well, and I realize it's a movie, but in the movie, she turns to him and she's like, Sometimes Satan allows you to live an easy life so that you don't know that you need Christ. And I think it's kind of along the same lines as what you're talking about there, Craig. If we have everything that we need or that we think we need here, then what are we what are we looking for? What are we searching for? Right? I believe everybody searches their whole life to fulfill that spot in their heart that feels empty that only Jesus can fill. But when you have a lot of money, um, again, like you said, Craig, you can do things that are a distraction, right? Holidays, vacations, spending money on you know, toys or cars, or spending money on businesses or animals or whatever it might be, it can be um a distraction to the true contentment we're meant to find in Christ and not just finding contentment in the things that we think bring us um peace and joy and fulfill our hearts.

Craig 54:08

Yeah, and that's the like I think we define this in our joy episode, but I think that's the difference between like happiness, which is temporary, and joy, which is eternal, and from God. Yeah, right. Um, yeah, I agree with you. Um, and speaking of joy and enjoyment, uh, the last verse I had is Ecclesiastes 3.13. Ecclesiastes Ecclesiastes if is uh is a depressing book if you want to go through it. But but it's a good uh it's a good um I know barometer or whatever you want to call it, like um just to see, like um Solomon, like King Solomon, right? Is that that's who it is, right? Uh that's a good question. I I I actually don't know. Give me one second. I don't want to miss misspeak.

Colton 55:10

Um hold on a second. I don't have my study Bible, so it's it doesn't tell me a whole lot of the background.

Craig 55:30

King Solomon. Yeah. Okay. I just want to make sure I had it right. Um that's what I thought. Anyway, uh Ecclesiastes 3.13. So anyway, if you you guys don't know, King Solomon literally had everything that you could ever want. Um and found out that that's not what you need.

SPEAKER_03 55:57

Yeah.

Craig 55:58

Uh and everything is meaningless, which is why it's depressing. But anyway. Um so chapter three. I'll read uh verses twelve and thirteen. Um I perceive that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live. Also, that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil. This is God's gift to man. So contentment also isn't um like like we said, it's not the same as complacency, and it's not the same as um just being uh what do you want to call it? I guess it's complacency, but just being happy with being the same, like no improvements, that that doesn't sound joyful, but it talks about enjoying your work and enjoying your um kind of like the fruits of your labors and stuff like that, too, right? Um everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil. So we should be joy, we should we should take pleasure in the work that we're doing and also enjoy ourselves a little bit, you know? Don't just work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work, work. Like talking about Grand Prairie, oil field town, people working seven days a week, right? 365, no rest. Like for what? For what? Yeah, destroys family. Sure, you have a bunch of money, but you have no time to spend it. Um, and what you do spend it on, you don't get to enjoy because you're working all the time. If you have a family, or if you had a family, you don't anymore. Nope. And you might as well not have a family because you're working all the time.

Colton 57:57

So I'll tell you what, there's there's some people who make it work, but I did it for five months working in the oil field, pipelining, and that is a tough lifestyle, I tell you what. Those five months too long. I if yeah, the experience was good, the business that I worked for was good, yeah, but I would not do it again. That is not not for me. When you have little kids at home and stuff, man, that is a tough life. Again, you gotta provide for your family, and if that's what it takes, then that's what you do, right? But right, no, that would be one of my last resorts if I if I had to do it again. I don't think I would. It's just hard, right? No schedule. Um, you work sometimes a couple weeks, get one or two days off, and usually the days off you get are spent trying to recuperate so you can go back to work and kind of do it all over again, right?

Craig 59:10

For another two weeks straight, yeah. Yeah, just just run ragged. Yeah, crazy.

Colton 59:17

Um the company I work for was good. At least we, you know, it was 12 hours a day. Um I think it was six to six, so I was actually home at a really good time. Like you'd that part never really changed. You were pretty well six to six every day, which was pretty sweet. But yeah, that seven days a week thing that was hard. And then the kids start asking where you are for church and stuff, and that's where it just kind of I was like, nope. I'm supposed to lead by example. That's not leading and showing my kids the importance of Christianity in church, I guess.

Craig 59:56

So no, that's right. Yeah, yeah, it's good money, and that's more of a single guy's gig, I think, than a family man. Do it, do it right out of high school if you're gonna do it. Make some cash, save up, um, and then you know, find a woman and start a family and then do something else. Uh, but yeah.

unknown 1:00:22

Yeah.

Craig 1:00:24

Um, yeah, I think that's kinda all I had for verses to talk about. Uh I think we covered a pretty good, pretty good variety. Yeah, I do have some questions that you guys can kind of ask yourselves. Um, so three questions, kind of like a self-check. Like, am I grateful for what I have right now, what God has given me now? Am I still putting in effort to grow and not being complacent? Um, and is my desire for more coming from purpose or insecurity? Like, are you are you wanting more so you can do more for the kingdom? Or are you wanting more uh because you feel like God's not providing for you the way you think you should? It can be a slippery slope, so um good questions.

Colton 1:01:27

Yeah.

Craig 1:01:29

Uh yeah, I also have a note here that we can be content enough to have peace for today and driven enough to build for tomorrow. So it's an interesting thought as well. That's kind of all I had for that topic. If you have anything else on contentment, we can do that. Otherwise, we can get into the big announcement and the the talk.

Colton 1:02:07

Oh, I think I got pretty well everything I wanted to say in there. Okay, awesome.

Craig 1:02:16

Well, yeah, yeah. Now I've closed my Bible. We might need it, depending on what we talk about, but mine's still open. Okay. Now you made me feel bad. No. Um, well, now I don't need my notes, so I'll just make this full screen now. There we go. Uh all right. So I guess what we want to talk about now with you guys. Well, I guess not with you, to you, about. We'll talk with each other. Um, we'll have a little bit of a discussion here, and um I think what we're gonna do here is um we've both got kind of some different personal stuff that's taking uh some time away and some energy away from what we're trying to do here. And we don't want to fully stop because we believe God is using this. Um and we know that you guys are listening, and we appreciate your support in that and and the discussions that these um that these episodes create. And so we're not gonna fully stop, but we did go from like before Christmas, we went from one a week, and then after Christmas, we went to one every two weeks, and now um we're uh we're just feeling like we need to just step it back a little bit more so we can so we have enough time to prepare properly for um for these episodes, but also give the energy and attention to the things in our personal lives that we have to do as well. So we're gonna go to once a month, and hopefully that gives some more substance to um to the episodes, and we're able to prepare um deeper, which I think we've done a pretty good job with what we've done so far. Um and and the kind of time commitment that we have had. But yeah, Colton will dig into kind of what's going on in his life, but um I don't know if I want to go too far into mine, but I think we're both in a in a situation right now where um where we just need to focus on some other things. Um, but we know God is using this, and we feel still led to do this, and we just have to balance our capacity for personal life and for mission work, which is the podcast right now, uh, in a way that makes sense for our families and for um for continuing the mission and the outreach and the um the education that we're trying to do um uh for you guys and the discussion we're trying to do and the and the building of men uh that we're trying to do here too. So um I guess Colton, you can kind of take it away and chat about what you want to chat about, and then um maybe I'll share some more uh before we close, too. But we'll you can kind of talk and we'll discuss, I guess, and kind of go from there. See where this we didn't really plan this conversation out, but we've talked behind the scenes. So we'll see where it leads and we'll kind of go from there.

Colton 1:05:56

But yeah, so uh This is not something that comes lightly. This is something that Craig and I both love doing. Um, I've absolutely loved digging into the Bible. This hasn't not just for the listeners, but even for myself, this has been a huge opportunity in learning the Bible, understanding it more. And so we don't want to give this up, but like Craig said, we're kind of we're kind of in a place in our life right now that is getting is very busy. Um our our weeks are taken up very quickly by other things we have going on. Uh, you know, for myself right now, we are my wife and I are trying to decide uh I guess what to do kind of with our home. We currently have it up for sale, and uh just it's a big process, not just selling, but uh for us, we're kind of don't really have a plan afterwards. We're I guess trying to find contentment in God in this that uh and trusting that He will lead us to where we need to go. Um, we don't plan on moving away. We want to stay, we plan to stay in Grand Prairie, is the plan, but um just financially things have well, as for I think so many people, um things have gotten crazy with the prices of everything shooting up here again. So for us, that's kind of that's kind of where we're at. It's been a few weeks now, um, of just yeah, part of part of the frustration I talked about earlier is just a few weeks of trying to um I guess figure out what God's will is, but trying to make the right decision to in guiding my family to a place that would I guess that would be a little more free for us. So that's kind of where we're at. That's uh that's the reason we're gonna be backing down from the podcast right now, is just taking some time. Uh, I need some time to spend with God praying with my family, trying to seek God's will in this, and we hope uh in the future um to be able to, you know, maybe up this again to once every two weeks or so. I know a lot of summertimes for people is busy, lots of people are gone, holidays, that kind of stuff. So I'm hoping by the end of summer things have kind of leveled out here. Uh, and hopefully we're in a place that's a little bit more uh how would you say it? A little less busy, I guess, and maybe a little less stressful, so that we can put more focus into this. So just so you guys have a bit of background as to why why we're kind of doing it, um, I think that's probably about as much as I'll share for us, but that's um for us, that's kind of where this decision came from on my side. So I hope this isn't disappointing to anybody. Um, we're still more than happy to answer questions you have. If you want to reach out, we're more than willing to um be a part of this bigger group if you if you need help, if you need prayer, um, if you need a friend to go for coffee, whatever it might be, we're still here for you to reach out to. That's why we want to keep this going at least once a month. Um because it's more than just about a podcast, it's about, you know, as our title says, it's a brotherhood. You know, we want to be here for each other and um through the good times and the bad times. So yeah, feel free to reach out, and hopefully in the future we can kind of get back to cracking the whip on this.

Craig 1:10:23

Yeah, amen to that. Um yeah, so I guess uh I will I will share a little bit. But like Colton said, um it I mean, trying to be content in what we have uh right now, but like he said, like yeah, things are just getting a little bit more expensive and less of like less affordable. So for me, um I am I'm starting a project that um will be a bit of a side business kind of thing. And uh I won't announce exactly what it is on here because I don't know that it's appropriate, but um and the the goal of that is to you know make some more money and again to free up um some things and make things a little less stressful because uh finances can be stressful, especially when they start getting tight. Um and so just trusting God in where we're at and where we're going and seeking guidance in um in building this thing out, and um

Support The Mission And Prayer Requests

Craig 1:11:48

I think that's I think that's what God wants me to do right now. And it I was just thinking about it, it's kind of interesting to me that um like when Colton kind of messaged me thinking about like hey, we I I feel like I need to kind of slow this down a little bit. Um at first I was like, oh man, that sucks. And then I was like, you know what? If I'm being honest, I probably feel the same way. So um, so then we kind of talked about this once once a month instead of just totally quitting. Um and uh I so I feel led to say this, uh but it it is it does take money for us to run this thing every month, and uh that that does take I mean w we want to do it, we wanna make this thing happen, we want to keep it going, and we're happy to do it, but it does put a little bit more financial strain on us to keep it going. So um I feel weird asking, but if you if you guys are um if you guys feel led, then we would appreciate um financial support as well. We do have a link in the description always where you can support us on YouTube. It'll say support the show, and it'll the link will be right there. And I think the the lowest thing is like three dollars a month, so it's like you know, a coffee. Um, but every little bit helps us um not have to take money away from our family, but we understand that it things are tighter tight for everybody right now, too. So if you can't, don't. And if it takes money away from you giving to your church or providing for your family, please do not, do not um click that support button. We don't want you guys in a hard situation either. So we're just we're gonna do everything that we can to continue this and make it work. Um but missions take funding. So um, and we wanna we wanna grow this thing too into something bigger than just the podcast, and that's gonna take funds as well. So if you guys uh are on board uh with us for for growing the brotherhood and increasing um discipleship for men, um both locally in our local areas, um, in the peace region and then outwards, you know, Alberta, Canada, everywhere kind of thing. Um and you feel led to give, we would much really appreciate it. If you can't, totally understand. Um and we we uh we appreciate the prayer as well. I know that you guys are praying for us too. So um, if that's all you can do, that's very important too. So please continue to pray for us, especially with the the different uh decisions that we have to make um in the coming weeks and months uh for different things, and um that God would um reveal a little bit of his plan to us on where we should go next and what we should do next, both uh personally, financially, and um and with the brotherhood mission as well.

SPEAKER_03 1:15:21

So um yeah, that would be greatly, greatly appreciated is just the prayer for direction.

Craig 1:15:33

Huge. So if that's all you can do, that's not unimportant, very important, actually.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:41

Very, very the most important thing, the most important, yeah. Yes, so so please, please pray.

Craig 1:15:49

I pray that you pray for us, yes, yeah. So, and I was kind of thinking too, um, with this kind of shift to one episode a month, this may um we'll see how this side project goes because it for the next couple months I will probably be mostly focused on that in the evenings and any kind of free time that I have. But uh that may once that kind of settles, I think that might open up opportunity for me to um start building some resources and work on the group a little bit more and have some more like one-on-one interaction with you guys and stuff like that, like focus more on the group and the discipleship side of things than just the podcast. So, like maybe maybe this is a good thing, and this is exactly what needs to happen to to grow the discipleships that I did, and they'll kind of work together. And uh yeah, I was just thinking about that. I don't know if that's from the Lord or if that's from me or what, but kind of a cool thought.

Colton 1:17:03

And like we say to you guys, we hope this is just temporary. Um, our prayer is that we would be back in a place here, hopefully in a few months, where we can do this uh once every couple weeks at least again, um, possibly once every week. Um, just circumstances right now are calling for our attention elsewhere. Uh yeah. Not that this is any less important, um, but we just we still have families to take care of, and sometimes taking a step back is what's required to make sure our families are taken care of too. So that's what we're gonna do. And uh yeah, like we said, just pray that God's will will be done, and and hopefully that God can bring us back to a place where we can really dig in and uh and do this again every couple weeks.

Craig 1:18:05

Right. Um, also, too, I was just thinking, um, well, first of all, let us know other topics that you want us to talk about for the next uh few months. And if you're interested in being a guest as well, I think we can open it up and um we'll have enough time in between episodes that we can kind of make that work. I know there's a couple people that have said they'd be willing to come on, um, which I think would be really cool to have some guests on and kind of see how that goes and um a little bit different perspective on some things and uh hear some of their stories and their testimonials as well. So if you guys are interested in being a guest, let us know too. Um, I think that'd be really cool.

Colton 1:18:54

Well, I know some people in Fort St. John, so you better get ready. So I'm coming for you.

Craig 1:18:58

Oh boy. Uh yeah, I know there's a guy here in the group, there's a guy in Peace River as well, um, that are willing uh to come on.

Colton 1:19:12

So I think even if honestly, we could probably do guest uh guests for the next few months, even yeah, and that's something we'll discuss, but yeah, definitely give us your thoughts, guys, on on what you want spoken about, uh, and then we can prepare those. Um, Craig and I haven't really decided, um I guess when the net like what part of the month we're gonna be doing. There's a few things that need to be kind of figured out yet. Um this is sort of this is pretty new. Like this is mostly this week we kind of decided that things needed to slow down a bit. So we're still kind of hashing a few things out. Um hopefully we can have it figured out uh by the next episode. We'll try and make a plan and just have a more of a schedule of how we're gonna do things and what the next few months are going to look like for us here as well.

Craig 1:20:14

Yeah, that was well said. Um I don't think I have any more to add to that because that's definitely true. Yeah, fairly new development. So you guys are learning this as we're learning it. A little bit lag, but pretty much the same time. So um, yeah, like I said though, interesting how the Lord has kind of put it on both of our hearts at the same time, which I think is a um an indication that this is what needs to happen right now. So um, yeah, I just pray that we would continue to be uh diligent in this because we do not want to drop it. This is very important to us, and it's just a season of um slowing down, I think. Um I don't know. I don't have anything else to say about that. Do you?

Colton 1:21:09

Nope. Nope. I think I think I am good.

Craig 1:21:15

Okay, perfect. Um well thank you guys for uh listening. Um if you stuck it out through our announcement, appreciate it. Um yeah, like we said, um hopefully it's not disappointing to anyone. Hopefully you guys understand. Um, but yeah, appreciate you guys, and we we will see you um talk to you next time, whenever that is. We forgot one thing. Oh no, I was gonna ask you to do it.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:48

We gotta pray.

Craig 1:21:50

Yeah, we do.

SPEAKER_02 1:21:51

You were gonna ask me. I was, yeah. Okay, well, we didn't forget. I'm just jumping ahead. Wait a second.

Craig 1:21:59

Yeah. Okay. Actually, sure. Okay, before we say goodbye, let's let's end it in prayer. Yes, okay.

Topics Guests And Closing Prayer

Colton 1:22:06

Go for it. Thank you, Father, for the time that we could spend together today, Lord. We thank you for the blessing of this podcast, Lord, and just the the teaching, um, the learning, Lord, that's even happened just for Craig and I. And I thank you for the people who are able to listen, Lord. And as we take this next step in our journey of the Brotherhood Podcast, Lord, I pray as we back down to once a month, I pray that it would just be a blessing, Lord. I pray that we could still continue to learn, that we would grow closer to you through this, Lord. And I pray that you would be able to still use it to reach the people that uh that need to hear what you've put on our hearts to talk about. I pray that this would just be a season and that hopefully in the next few months, Lord, we could pick it back up, kind of back to every couple weeks again. But um, may your will be done in this, Lord, and and not our own. I thank you for the topic of contentment, Father, and just being able to read so many verses you have uh in in your word to teach us about what it means to be content where we're at, and um not to desire um so many other things that the world has to offer, Lord, but to be content with just you, Lord, knowing that you've provided just simply food and clothing. Um I pray, Lord, that as we go into the weekend here and into this next week, I pray that you would just help us to be content with where we're at, Lord. Help us to praise and worship you in all that we do and in all circumstances, um, as the sermon Joby Martin did um spoke about. I pray, Lord, for just a great evening. Thank you for blessing us in this, and uh I just pray for your presence and uh peace on everyone listening and Craig and I as well. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Craig 1:24:13

Amen. Thank you for doing that, Colton, and thank you guys for listening, and uh we'll catch you next time.

SPEAKER_02 1:24:23

See you guys later.