Much Much
Much Much is a faith-centered podcast offering honest, heartfelt conversations about the beauty and complexity of everyday life. At its core, Much Much is rooted in Luke 12:48: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required.” It’s a call to live from a place of abundance, to step boldly into our purpose, and to pursue our calling—together. 🤍
Much Much
How Should We Live? - Episode 9
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Afton and Jesse finish their journey through Ecclesiastes discussing how we should live knowing life is temporary.
We are back again. And we are officially wrapping up Ecclesiastes to desks.
SPEAKER_00And what a what a way to wrap it up. So I'm excited. But before we get started, what is your much much moment? And if you're new to listening, we have a we have just a we take a few minutes just to to do to what to tell you about something good, positive. Yes. Um fun facts. Yeah, fun, a little fun tidbit. Um that's our much much moment, and we're bringing it to you right now.
SPEAKER_01So last night, um, yesterday, actually, we had our football fundraiser for the year, which is like before season, but I am very involved in our little league football program, voluntoled a long time ago, and now it's just like part of what I do. So that is all wrapped up before season. I do a lot of the fundraising stuff, or at least help with it heavily, and so to have that cross off the list, which is very exciting because now my sole focus can be our women's conference, which is in under a month, which is wild. But can that be my much much moment?
SPEAKER_00Sure, that can be yours. My much much moment can be everyone please come and attend our women's out before women's conference, though.
SPEAKER_01Yes, absolutely. It will, are you sure?
SPEAKER_00Yes, it will. Um, August 8th, and it's gonna be in the at the Hill Stockton.
SPEAKER_01It will post on the 3rd. So have five days to sign up for you to listen to this episode.
SPEAKER_00Make sure that you join us because it's going to be an awesome time of worship, fellowship, and it's all gonna be the ladies.
SPEAKER_01So this is wild too because last year our women's conference was really the kick start for our podcast.
SPEAKER_00It was, and I'm sure we'll be talking about it on whenever after it's over.
SPEAKER_01But yes, it was it was such a high, like it was it was pinnacle. But I feel like coming out of that we knew like there was something more something was gonna happen. It was also interesting too to hear from how many people like you and Afton worked really well together, like hosting. We just kind of like bounce off of each other, and so yeah, here we are.
SPEAKER_00We were made to be in these chairs together.
SPEAKER_01Yes, we were, yes, we were all right.
SPEAKER_00Let's get it kicked off. So our we're gonna be talking about Ecclesiastes 10 through 12. Yep. And the main theme here is living wisely and faithfully in the light of uncertainty, aging, death, and eternity.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's kind of it's a little bit more than a lot of people. I saw this is kind of a morbid episode.
SPEAKER_00We're talking about a little bit of about mortality, and but it it shouldn't be sad, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah. But um it's a good gut check on like how should we be living knowing that life is so temporary, and we all know that. Like we all um will face death. We all have ex have experiences with death, whether that's a loved one or a or a friend. Um, but yeah, how should we be living?
SPEAKER_00Or even just like not even a friend, but like just like have you ever had playing it. Yes, yeah. Especially if you're like you watch the news, and well, I mean you can't, it's evident. It's just like some of those just really yeah, hit you.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00Um, is that great equalizer in Ecclesiastes? So um invest in what is each is invest in what has eternal value. Okay, say say that again. What did you ask me?
SPEAKER_01Oh, I was just saying, how should we be living out here in the streets?
SPEAKER_00Um in the streets. In the streets, well, I didn't small town. I didn't grow up in the streets. Small town Missouri. Small town, Missouri. How about how does remembering our mortality change our priorities? Is that better?
SPEAKER_01That's a better question.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um I think on this one, so good. It does change if you truly think about your mortality, it it does change your priorities in a way that is different. Because if you think about it day-to-day most of us aren't thinking about death 24-7. Um, I mean I actually have been in those seasons, but that's really that's not that's not normal.
SPEAKER_01No, no, no, I have to pray my way out of those seasons.
SPEAKER_00It's definitely not normal, and so obviously we're not thinking about that 24-7, but so it's easy to kind of like our priorities are our day-to-day things, you know, like that's just what we're doing. And I think um number one is we have to stop chasing what won't last. That's good. I think it's the biggest thing out of all of it. Yeah, like it's easy to spend our lives accumulating things and pursuing that. We've talked about all this, we've talked about climbing the next ladder. Um, but when we truly remember that our days are numbered, um, we begin asking questions like, Will this really matter in 10 years? Yeah. Have you ever thought about that? Yes. Will this really matter in eternity? I always think that, like, I look back, someone yesterday um um had messaged me and asked about something from 2022. And I was like, Huh? I forgot about 2022. What are you talking about right now? But it it's just it does. It feels like it's just like it's like a blank. Yeah, but I I do like I find myself asking myself those questions, especially in difficult seasons, is like, what is where like in five years is this really gonna matter? I tell people that too. Like, if they're going through struggling with something, they're going through, you know, whatever it might be, like thinking about okay, but in five years, I tell my kids this, uh, especially Asia at this age. She is um uh going to be a junior, and I say a lot of times, I've told her this a lot in the last two months, you know, after you're out of school, like you're you're not gonna think about this, Asia. It's just not something you're gonna think about. You know, it's not something you're going to ponder on. Yeah. And I although she doesn't quite understand that now, in a couple give her a couple years, and when she's out living her life, she's gonna be like, why did I even worry about that?
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, it's so true. And I feel like my example is gonna be pretty similar. Like, I've given advice to like high school girls, like whether that's nieces, cousins, just like friends' daughters, that I'm like, I know you think this is like the biggest deal right now. Like your world is falling apart, so-and-so is mad at you, there's all this drama, whatever. But I'm like, what you're gonna realize is in five years, you're not even going to talk to these people, they're not gonna be your friends. Like, they the this is not gonna determine the outcome of your life, it's not that big of a deal. But even being a having been a high school girl before, you're like, but it is that big of a deal. It's like, do you know how many people from my high school that I still like talk to? Like, probably three. Like, it's their opinion of you is not gonna matter. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And I also think even in the season of life, in season I'm I think of people that it's you know, as we age, we obviously should grow wisdom. So if I'm looking at myself as I'm I'm I'm actually this episode will be aired and I will be 40. The last one at 39. I'm 40 now. Someone that's 60 that's telling me that's pouring into me, which is going to have such a different outlook than I do at 40. And the things that I'm worried about at 40, they're gonna be like, oh, don't even worry about that, or they're gonna say, Hey, you need to just be present in this moment because you're gonna miss this or whatever it is. And so I think that's just all of us. You know what I mean? Now, as we grow older, we I do feel like I feel like I tend to care less about a little bit less about what people think as much. Yep, yep, yep. Um I I say that. That was so stupid. Because I actually care. I actually that's probably one of my biggest things. I really do care about what a lot of people think.
SPEAKER_01I don't.
SPEAKER_00I used not to.
SPEAKER_01I mean I do, okay. I care about I care about still being like a Christian example. I care about um like in general how people feel about my character, and I do get like even at work this week, there were some times where um I was very upset at work, and I had even spoken to my boss about it because people were um questioning like I don't want to use the word like my authority, but people were questioning like things that I was asking them to do or to do with him, and he's like, Don't take it so personal, and I'm like, but it is personal, like I care about that, but I'm also not the kind of person that is like, oh, Afton said XYZ about me. Well, this is why I think about her. Um, like I feel I have gotten bolder as I've gotten older to where I'm like, I will just go to you and be like, hey Afton, what are you mad about? Yeah, because I don't have time to feed around the bush. Like, just tell me what you're upset about and we can figure it out because I'm not like it's not okay for you to question my character or what I'm trying to do, vice versa. Well my sister's tell what are you mad about? And it was interesting this week because both times I did that, they weren't even actually mad at me, they were mad about something else, but they chose me as like the the punching bag for you were the target, and so my boss's like, don't take it personal. It actually wasn't personal, but I was like, And actually, probably nine times out of ten, it isn't personal.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, it really isn't. But I was like, people aren't even thinking that. Yeah, I think we tend as we get older, we tend to be less we we tend to care less about what and maybe I'm wrong, maybe correct me if I'm wrong, you know, about what people think, especially when they're I would say whenever they're younger, too, you know, like you just you're just like okay, like I I I get what you're saying. I felt like that too, but and then we go on to two. I'm gonna go on to two because I I actually had I talking about this, you know, we were talking about where were we at? So how does remembering our mortality change our priorities? We stop chasing what won't last, and then two, we value people more than possessions. Um, no one reaches the end of life wishing they had spent more time at the office or accumulated more stuff.
SPEAKER_01That's so true.
SPEAKER_00Instead, they think about the people they love, the lives they influence, and memories they made, and the legacy they leave behind. And I was such a good birthdays are a great way to reminisce on stuff. So this last my husband had all these pictures that from my life.
SPEAKER_01Did we mention that on this episode?
SPEAKER_00Not on this, but okay, before this for context. For context, yes. And he had all these, and I like 300 and some pictures, and as I'm taking them down, I'm just thinking of just this life that I've lived. All these pictures are like like I'm talking like from day zero to and it just makes you think like man, this is what truly matters. These people that are in this building, this because the people that are here plus me, because I plus Jesse and all the and the other ten people that text me. It's a busy time of year, and I but um it the that's what matters most is the people, not not the possessions, but honestly, and I'm a huge believer of that, because if you know me, I'm gonna make a memory wherever I go. And there's lots of them. So I love making memories, I love being making going on adventures, I love it. Like, if you ask me to go somewhere, and if you guys, this is for you all, if you ask me to go somewhere, like on vacation, I'm gonna say absolutely yes. I'm not even gonna like second guess it. Okay.
SPEAKER_01You like that though?
SPEAKER_00Yes. Okay, good.
SPEAKER_01Back on track.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, mortality reminds us that relationships are one of the God's greatest gifts. Okay, and then three, we become more willing to forgive. Yeah. So good. How like if you think of someone that is dying in front of you, this is so this is might sound kind of morbid, but if you think about, and maybe some of you have ha have been with a loved one that's just that you hold or a friend that you hold a lot of bitterness and anger toward, but if you if they were to be on their deathbed, like yeah, how I I and it's and maybe I'm kind of weird because I do think of stuff like this and put it in perspective, like how would I feel? What would my feelings be?
SPEAKER_01We'd be so much more willing and ready and able to forgive. Yeah, knowing you don't have time to make amends later.
SPEAKER_00Yep, because we remember that our mortality gives perspective, so petty arguments become smaller, pride becomes harder to justify, and grace becomes easier to extend. And I think that's great. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Yes. Love it. Yes. I thought I'm actually liking this better than I thought. I was a little I was a little worried. We're gonna go down a dark path. Yes. And then four, we become more faithful than famous. That's really good. And this one deeply speaks to people that are, I would say, performers. Yep. I don't remember what the performer is. Me. Oh, you're the performer! She's the performer.
SPEAKER_01Who's speaking to me right now?
SPEAKER_00Um, it's easy to think our legacy depends on how many people know our name. Yep. Yep. But Ecclesiastes reminds us that even kings are eventually forgotten. And and it's so true. And the better question isn't will people remember me? It's was I faithful to what God entrusted to me. Faithfulness will always outlast fame. Yeah. So love that. That's so good. And then, sorry, I just keep going on. Five. I this is the last one, kind of, on this. On this. It's we treasure today. And I love this. And I think about this, like, I'm actually pretty, I actually try to do this. People would probably look at my life and say, you do this pretty well. Not trying to like pat my back, but thank you. Ecclesiastes remain repeatedly encouraged us to enjoy the simple gifts. Just in like it's a day, day by day. Treasure your day today. Yeah. Um, a meal, a meeting for friendships, family. Treasure that today. Make the best of it. Yeah. Go out and do something fun today. Smell the roses. That's right. It's Sunday here. It's not really Sunday. I mean it's Sunday here, but like it's you're watching, it's Monday. It's Sunday here. And so just it's Monday for you, but guess what? Monday blues has no room.
SPEAKER_01And I try, I try to I try to teach this to my kids. Although it's it is hard. It is very easy to forget all the things that you truly have to be thankful for. Um, so when I do, like when I put my kids to bed and we read a Bible story, and then I'm always like, what are you thankful for today? And they're like, uh, I don't know. And I'm like, okay, well, we can list some things. We're thankful that we have a home. And right now in Missouri we have air conditioning and we have food and we have clothing and we have a pool in the backyard, and you know, I just start naming all these things that it's like there are people who don't have these things.
SPEAKER_02Like the so much nicer than me.
SPEAKER_01But uh it's true, and you forget, and then when I lay down every night, as I'm like trying to like clear my head of the day, I am always praying, and I'm just like, God, just thank you for this day. Like, thank you for the sunshine and for you know the ability to come home to my family and to have a meal and like all these little things that you so easily like overlook. But it's like so many people don't don't have those luxuries.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's so true, and I love that. I love that you so do it so gracefully because there was a time in my life I did not do it like that. Yeah, and I was like, and I read this book, I don't know why I'm off this topic. So I'm getting all over squirrel, but it's like I read this book about never guilting your kids, like you should never guilt your kids, and like in that way, you're not guilting your kids. Like, okay, so what are you thankful for? Because sometimes I'd be like, There are people that are starving right now, eat your food.
SPEAKER_01And you just threw away that good hot dog.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, there are people that don't, yeah, yeah, whatever it is. And so I quit doing that, so I love how you put that. Yeah, it's so nice, like there's just like a different perspective, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Because kids, and again, this is like squirrels way off, but because kids get everything given to them, it's so easy for them to be like, this is just like a normal thing, and it's like no nurse to say that. Yeah. I give like you give your kids probably you're probably just as bad as me. Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER_00Um, and so no, I love that. Um what point are we at?
SPEAKER_02We got way off.
SPEAKER_00Spiritual commitments. We're gonna talk about spiritual commitments. Why do we often delay the spiritual commitment? So you think about your commitment daily, think about all the commitments you have. Usually, typically, a lot of people, their last commitment is their spiritual life. Yeah, whatever it is, reading your Bible, being in your word, going to church, going to a hill group, going to plug, going to um whatever it is, um, meeting with a friend that so desperately needs just someone to talk to. Um we we put that off.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And so I think why do we often delay that?
SPEAKER_01I think one, here are here are here are my points again, but you go first, because I've mine is just very simple, and I think a lot of my delaying in spiritual commitments is waiting for like the perfect opportunity or the perfect moment or the perfect conditions to do something. So even the other night, um, I usually like to do like my quiet time in the mornings when no one else in the house is awake. I can literally sit down and have like legit quiet time. And sometimes the morning is just different, and I don't get that opportunity. So the other night I was um in my bedroom trying to have quiet time, and I'm like, had my Bible out and I'm getting ready, and here comes my son, and he wants to do blah blah blah, and the TV's on in the other room, and I'm like, like, my mind is like ah, and it's so easy to just be like, okay, like quiet time's obviously not gonna happen today because it's not actually quiet and there's all this stuff going on, but it's like if you're always waiting for the perfect moment to take action and to do what you're supposed to be doing, then those moments are gonna be very few and far between. And they're gonna pass right by. And so sometimes my son comes in when I'm having quiet time, and he's like, I want to read the Bible with you, and of course I'm not gonna be like, no, get out, it's my quiet time. So instead, I'm like sitting there and I'm like, maybe Ecclesiastes isn't the best one to read because it's like, you know, death is coming to all of us. No, I'm just kidding. But I'll sit there and read to him and be like, this is what this means, you know. But in some moments, it's not like it's never gonna be that perfect situation, even like sharing the gospel with somebody or starting a podcast or anything. Like, right, if you're always waiting for it to be perfect, it's not going to be.
SPEAKER_00Never gonna be perfect. Also, too, I mean, there are other times where it lines up and you're like, oh yes.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. But nine times out of time. Not usually.
SPEAKER_00I think something good too is like we assume tomorrow is guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And um one of the greatest illusions we live in is I'll get serious about God later. Yeah. Oh yeah. I'll have time to do that later. I'll have time to do that later. I'll have time to get better. I live like this for years. Um where I'm like, oh well, you know, I'm I'm fine. I'm and honestly, like that that those c saying it out loud that haunts me.
SPEAKER_01I will say one that like is is really big for me and I know that this is gonna talk to this is gonna speak to somebody because this is me for years, is I was waiting on my husband, so I wouldn't go to church because I don't want to go by myself and and with two kids and be there by myself. Like I don't know anybody here, I don't want to sit by myself, that's awkward, I don't want to show up in this new place, whatever. So for years I waited on my husband, like, okay, well, if he wants to go, I'll go. But if he doesn't, then I guess we just won't go this week. And this went on this cycle for years, and finally I'm like, you know what? My children's faith is more important to me than my own embarrassment for being like by myself, or see like seeming embarrassment for being by myself. It's more important for me for my kids to know God than for my own pride or my own you know perfect family scenario, and so I just started going on my own. Sometimes my husband comes with me, sometimes he doesn't, but you know what? That's never gonna keep me and my kids from not being in a pew anymore. So some of it is like you assume at some point it's gonna be different, but if I made that assumption forever, I would still probably not be going to church, like and I love that about Jesse.
SPEAKER_00Um because it is such a testament to other women because there are so many other women that are like that, and and you know, nobody wants to to show up and have not that it's not that it's a I think you know, people you feel like people are talking about you because you're there. Yeah. Um they assume people that don't know you, oh, is she single? Yeah, you know. No, she's not, um, but I that's gonna speak to so many women, Jesse, because I feel like so many women are in that predicament right now, and they're like, well, when my when my husband gets you know where he wants to go to church all the time, then I'll do it.
SPEAKER_01And that's you know, you're basing your your decision on yeah, not it came down to like the my faith cannot be dependent on my husband's actions. That's so good. Oh, can we just can you put that on quote that somewhere? Can we put that on a bumper's? But it is it's so true that so on anyone. Yeah, it can't be dependent on somebody else.
SPEAKER_00But especially I just know how hard that would be being being your one, being your your partner, and just knowing that, hey, having that strength to just be like, no, like that's harder than just some normal like some person, some friend. Yeah, okay, my friend doesn't go to church, but no, this is my partner.
SPEAKER_01This is my I think like biblically the man is supposed to be the leader of the household, like he's supposed to lead the family spiritually, and so it's not it is not my role to step into that, but if my husband isn't going to, then this this family is still gonna know who God is, yeah, and I whether he's doing what he's supposed to or not.
SPEAKER_00And that'll preach right there because there are women that need to hear that, and and I was I I was in that I mean my husband always would go to church, but he was not the spiritual, he did not he didn't grow up in church, he was not the spiritual leader, yeah. And so being that for so long and then having him take that role, that was a quite the the change. Oh yeah, and and so you know that's coming. Yeah, I know that's coming for a lot of you out there that are watching that are in that. Like my my thing too is don't give up hope. Don't keep praying because my husband leads our is a spiritual leader, he is doing all the things now that I never thought that that I prayed for and I prayed for. So don't ever give up. Um don't ever give up on your your spouse. Yeah, because God can do miraculous things.
SPEAKER_01Yep, and you have you just have to have that faith that like if you truly do believe, then I know and I believe that he can and will change my husband. Yeah, and if not, if I live my whole life and it never changes, my kids still know who God is because of me taking them, not because I was waiting on him. Yeah, like that's so good. So I love that. Yeah, that was way that was a way squirrel conversation, but it's um someone needed to hear that, yes.
SPEAKER_00Uh, where are we at now? So we want, oh, so how does remaining our how does remembering our mortality? How does remembering our mortality change our priorities? And I'm gonna go through these really quick, these other things. We become distracted by temporary things. Um, life is full of good things, right? But we can crowd out the best things. So good things that can crowd out the best things are work, success, family, ministry, even we talked about that, entertainment money. Or three, we want control. Um, following God often requires surrender. And surrender can feel very, very risky. Um and we think we have plenty of time, of course. We talked about that as well. We assume tomorrow is not guaranteed. That kind of goes along with that. And you know, Solomon's warning in Ecclesiastes 12, he isn't saying older people can't come to God. He's saying it's easier to build a life on God than to spend years building it on something else and then try to rebuild later.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So every day we delay is a day we miss walking closely with him. And I I like to say that every every day that we delay, there's someone out there that is this is gonna sound kind of there's someone out there that's going to hell. And we could we might have been the the change for them. And that's what turns, that's what turns my like I could be the stumbling. I could either make or break it for someone else. Yeah. And same for anyone. Anyone that's a disciple, same thing.
SPEAKER_01That's really good.
SPEAKER_00Okay, let's see. What else? I'm still on that question, but I'm not gonna keep going on it. I have a lot on that one. Um, so what does it look like to enjoy God's gifts without worshiping them?
SPEAKER_01It's an idol can be made out of anything. So a lot of like what Solomon talks about, he does talk about like enjoying the pleasures that we have in life and the gifts that God gives us, but those should never take the place of God. So even if even if you're like Solomon, you have every like the world is at your feet. You had money, you had possessions, you had wisdom, you had anything a man could desire, just knowing that all of those could be an idol, but to not allow them to be the most important thing in your life. Because when you get to the end, you can't take any of those things with you. They all stay here.
SPEAKER_00I'm sitting here looking at my phone, thinking this right here, I love this. This is a good thing. My phone is a good thing, it has good things on it. I can do a lot of things that I couldn't do 20 years ago with a phone. Great technology, but it becomes an idol when I'm using this to distract myself from the things that God is putting forth. And I'm and you can tell you can kind of gauge that by how much time you spend on something. Yeah. Like where your time is, that's where normally you're so um that's so good, and I I love that. And we can be worshiping it with not even knowing.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_00Not even knowing, not even realizing it.
SPEAKER_01So good. An interesting question for anyone would be where's your phone? It's probably right here within hand's reach, but where's your Bible? Some people probably know where their Bible is, some people are probably like, it's on my phone. I haven't seen that in years. Or I don't even have one. Like, that's the reality of the world that we live in. It's good.
SPEAKER_00And I also think too, that can be good things. That's like I said, a phone can be a good thing. Exercise can be a great thing, but obviously I've seen people take exercise too far. Yeah, too much. It becomes an idol. Yes, yeah. Now, it's definitely not my idol. I was gonna say, not mine either. But I could honestly see where it could become that. Yeah, oh yeah. For someone like me that's dives all in.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you just get obsessed with I need to dive more with learning and with um figuring out what you like and all of that.
SPEAKER_00Okay, Jesse. Jessica Joe.
unknownSorry.
SPEAKER_00This is gonna be such a fun episode.
SPEAKER_01Like, I thought you guys said this is gonna be a sad episode.
SPEAKER_00It's fun. It's actually not morbid at all. It's not. And I have this funny, like, running joke that made my best friend and makes me think of it. Have you ever seen those memes? This is so off track that we're talking about. But my best friend from high school just met with up with her shout out to my best friend from high school, Ginny O. Ginny from the block. And um we used to have this running joke like if we were to sit together at a funeral, we would probably laugh. Like we would not be able to, and that is so morbid. Yeah. But I feel like this episode, what are like, you know what? There can be a lot to be learned in death.
unknownRight?
SPEAKER_00You can.
SPEAKER_01What was the thing you kept saying? Okay, because in Ecclesiastes 3, it said, for everything there's a season, a time for every activity under heaven, a time to be born, and a time to die. And you were like, funerals really teach you a lot, and we should be going to be able to do that.
SPEAKER_00I was gonna say that earlier. That's what I was gonna say. We are so one today. We're on it. We're on it. So, yes, I said that earlier that we should like funerals are actually great pla things to go to because they teach you about the brevity, the how did I say that? Brevity?
SPEAKER_01I thought you said it right.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think it did a big word before it I just popped that out of life, and not many people think of it like that, but it really does. Like, if you think about it, there's those times where you're like, Wow, this week's been really hard, and like, because I went to this funeral or went to that, and maybe you're going through that now, but like looking at it as it it does, how many people, or how many let me ask you this if you went to a funeral and you and one that's really stuck out into in your mind that's actually changed the way you think. Like that that season of your life, me and that funeral really that changed me. Like, I can think of several um funerals that I've been to, or celebration of life, or whatever you want to call them, that have just like been like that wrecked me, but not in a way, like uh wrecked me in a good way. Yeah, and so I just encourage you with that, even though that's not the most encouraging thing people want to hear. Yes. But I like that we can, you know, look at it like that.
SPEAKER_01I mean, you would think if like I would think, I'll just speak for myself, that if I was to die, that people would go to my funeral and they would get to hear the gospel and like hear about my life, but that they would leave changed or they would leave inspired by like look at everything that not like she did, but look like at her ministry or the you know the people that she affected, and how can I be more like that?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's the legacy that you bring to the table. Yeah. So what legacy are you what legacy do you want to leave? What you know, and do you want people coming to you showing up at a funeral that they come they go away with wondering, you know, man, I just don't know. Or do you want them to say, Man, I want to be like I want to strive to be like like her in this area or him in this area? Man, he just he just loved the Lord so much, or whatever it might be. Okay, next question. How do we take risk? Right? Yeah, and make decisions when outcomes are uncertain. It's a tough one, especially for control freaks. Especially just for me, like just trying to take to weigh the risk. It's hard to weigh that that risk of my flesh versus spirit, yeah. Because like it just is.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it is, it is, and there's always these thoughts too, like even let's let's use the podcast, for example. Will people listen? Will people listen? Will it will it speak to anybody? Like, will people think we're crazy?
SPEAKER_00Will people be able to or I can't believe they posted that because that book sounded absolutely terrible. Cut, cut, cut. I'm sorry.
SPEAKER_01But if that was the case, then no one would start one and no one would have a ministry, and no one would have a first time doing, yeah, you know good any of the things because you're afraid to take the risk.
SPEAKER_00So good. And you were never promised certainty. You were invited to faithfulness. Yeah. So we weren't, we weren't when we started this podcast, it's a good way to look at it. We weren't we were never promised viewers. No. No. We were never promised.
SPEAKER_01If you're watching this, we thank you. For the ones.
SPEAKER_00We were never promised um people that to like us. We were never promised any of the things that we we think in our mind are we were promised nothing.
SPEAKER_01Nothing, yeah.
SPEAKER_00We both were obedient.
SPEAKER_01Choosing to be obedient, yeah. And if there's anything with with ministry and with with certainty, usually when you're called to something, it's not gonna be something that is comfortable. Usually you're gonna be called to something that is uncomfortable or out of the realm of things that you would typically do, but he's calling you to take a step in faith. Yeah. And so, even this, even us being crazy and starting a podcast in Afton's mom's she-shed. And I wanna say too she shed. The she shed.
SPEAKER_00I want to say too, like, I'm really bad about I'm actually really bad about like I do the I'm a pretty adventure adventurous person and I like new things and I dream new things, so that kind of is easy. But there are hard things for me, too. Like, it's just a different aspect of art. So if someone asked me to do something that I absolutely do not want to do, I would tell you, I'm absolutely not ever gonna do that. Never say that. Never say that. Never say never. Um, because and this is what's we talked about.
SPEAKER_01We talked about is that a Justin Bieber song? Is it? Never say never. I don't know that secular songs. I don't know. Called out.
SPEAKER_02Okay, beauty and the beauty and the deeps instead of the songs.
SPEAKER_00I don't know. Yeah, sorry. Anyways, um, what was I saying? Oh, we were talking about spiritual leaders and how you know, like your husband and everything. And so, like, my husband's been great at like if you're one and when you're both connected, oh, like I feel like he can discern those things as well. So if he says, I think we need to do this, and he's spiritually sound, then I'm probably gonna pray about it, but I'm probably gonna just say, Okay, okay, I trust you, even though I want nothing to do with it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00But that's that was a tidbit for um anyone that's married, and if you're on the brink of making a really tough decision, maybe that'll help you.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So, what does it mean to fear God and keep his commandments practically today?
SPEAKER_00Go ahead. I'm trying to think of that Justin Bieber song. Oh. I'm just kidding. I'm just teasing. Baby, baby, baby. See, you do know. How can you walk through the mall and not hear a one?
SPEAKER_01Okay, they're everywhere. She'd be listening. She's a believer.
SPEAKER_00I was just teasing about that. Um what does fear, what does fear God and keep his commandments mean practically today? Did you just ask that question? Yeah, I did. Okay, perfect. This is the final count. It's the final count.
SPEAKER_01Um we are really the Alani's kicking in.
SPEAKER_00The this is unsweet tea. Really kicking in. Okay. Um, so this is the final conclusion of Ecclesiastes after exploring pleasure, wealth, wisdom, work, success, relationships, Solomon's ends with these words. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of mankind. So, what does that look like practically today? So, one, this is so good because someone that has struggled with anxiety, fear sends to take over in a lot of situations. Fear is I'm fear is literally the devil.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Like it is I hate fear. But fear God means living with reverence, not terror. Yeah, yeah. So there's a difference. Like being in a difference, and like I've learned this kind of like, and I've had spiritually, like, I've had counseling on like like people like that I trust have counseled me a little bit on this, and like, how do you discern fear of God versus fear that terror fear? Yeah. And so, like, learning that biblically fearing God isn't about being afraid that he's waiting to like punish us. Yeah, which is like that's whenever I get in my head, that's what I think. It's about recognizing who he is. Yes, it's living the with the awareness, excuse me, that God is holy, he's sovereign, he's worthy of trust and my obedience, and my life belongs to him. So when we fear God, his opinion matters more than anyone else's. And there's that's a there's a difference. So, like if you're fearing something, like if you're fearing God and you're terrified, like that he's gonna come strike you down.
SPEAKER_01That's not like nothing.
SPEAKER_00And I have been there, yeah. I have been there, and honestly, that is just like there's a difference between condemnation and oh man, what was the other word I was gonna go with there?
SPEAKER_01I know what you're trying to say.
SPEAKER_00Oh, it's gonna bug me. Move along. Um I was trying to say there. But anyways, there is a difference between there's fearing God and fearing and having a fear.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So Yes, that's good to know. Good to point out.
SPEAKER_00Two.
SPEAKER_01Check, check.
SPEAKER_00Keep his commandments means obedience flowing from love. So good. Like choosing the choosing what's right whenever choosing honesty when you want to lie. Yeah. Forgiving when you feel justified. That's hard. Serving when no one notices us. Hey, shout out to anyone that cleans the toilets.
SPEAKER_01Seriously. Uh yeah, but I did that today, so thank you.
SPEAKER_00You're thank you for that. You're welcome. For the people that serve backstage. Yeah. Uh, giving generously, pursuing purity, loving, anyone with this one loving difficult people. Oh, yeah. And spending time with God like it's not an obligation. Oh, that's a good thing. Man, that's that's hard. Um, three, put God at the center of everyday decisions.
SPEAKER_01My fly is unzipped. Are you finding God at all the center of everyday decisions? And that one is hard too because I feel like we're so impulsive to make decision decisions and even big decisions without being like, let me pray about that. Even committing to something simple, like, do you want to be a part of the football program? Probably should have prayed about that first.
SPEAKER_00This is what affects me too. This is what's this one's hard for me. How put got put God at the center of everyday decisions? That is how we spend our money. Oh. Every purchase you. Every purchase you make, you need to be. Sorry, I'm just thinking about that. Yeah. Thinking about what I bought this weekend. I did pretty good. Um, asking Lord, what would honor you in this situation? Yeah. Like would this honor you?
SPEAKER_01A lot of times I act out of finger.
SPEAKER_00And all this fried chicken honor you? Probably not.
SPEAKER_01The bat the batteries. Wait. That'd say 12 minutes. I don't know. I can't read that far. Where? The top right corner. Oh, see, it went yellow again. Okay, we're going to.
SPEAKER_00We're gonna have to wrap this up. Okay. Um, and trust God more than yourself. Okay? So we got that. You don't always understand everything, but you trust the one who does. So that posture changes how we face uncertainty, disappointment, and success. So our takeaway today is a meaningful life is found not in controlling the future, but in trusting God, enjoying his gifts and living faithfully before him. If you liked this episode, we want you to like give it to me.