WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:19.440 --> 00:00:20.879 Man, I'm so glad to be here. 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:23.600 This is truly my favorite church. 00:00:23.760 --> 00:00:24.719 And I'm not lying to you. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:25.760 This is really my favorite church. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:26.960 I told Ryan that, and he's like, really? 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:28.079 I'm like, yeah, really. 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:33.759 And I'm so excited to be back with some of you that I already know and some of you that I'm just meeting, I guess, today, you can say. 00:00:33.920 --> 00:00:51.359 And part of um part of my own journey personally with Awakening Church and why it's my favorite church is because in the in the season that we were at this church, it was some of the greatest years of my wife, Sherry, and I and our family, some of the greatest years of our life, but it was also some of the hardest years of our lives. 00:00:51.439 --> 00:01:00.640 And awakening was the church uh led really by Ryan and Jenny and and some of you even here that loved our family through through some hard things that we were going through. 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:03.119 And I forever carry awakening in my heart. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:07.120 God led me to other uh places and and and all that in the journey. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:09.359 But can you turn to your neighbor and say this? 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:11.359 Life isn't easy. 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:13.439 Life isn't easy. 00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:19.359 All right, now now turn to the other neighbor that you rejected and tell him, Life isn't easy. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:29.439 So, one of the things that I've learned about life, perhaps you have too, is that life is a windy journey. 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:35.760 It's a windy journey, and there's many different paths that will present itself to us along the way. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:43.840 And as we navigate this journey we call life, three questions will emerge before us over and over again. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:49.280 As human beings in this human journey, these questions we will have to face again and again. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:58.959 And how we answer these questions, how we respond to these three questions, will not only determine our destiny, but will define our character. 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:05.200 And I want to tell you about one question by really telling you a story that happened in my life a number of years ago. 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:07.120 This is the first question that I faced. 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:11.599 It was it was early on uh in my, I guess you could say, young adult years. 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:14.639 And I'll just, this isn't the question, but I'll ask you a question. 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:16.879 Uh, has anybody been skydiving? 00:02:17.599 --> 00:02:19.759 We got some people in the house that have been skydiving. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:22.800 The rest of you are really intelligent and smart and made good decisions. 00:02:22.879 --> 00:02:24.479 Sorry to those who I just offended. 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:31.120 Uh but I went skydiving a number of years ago because my my friend Paul came up to me and said, You want to go skydiving? 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:32.400 We're going with a big group. 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:36.879 I was an intern with about this much budget at the time, but he said he would pay for me. 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:38.000 It was like 150 bucks. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:39.120 And I'm like, Yeah, I'm in. 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:45.919 And then I was dating this girl, Sherry, and I'll just spoiler alert, she became my wife, but uh at the time she wasn't. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:46.960 I was falling in love. 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:48.639 It was like a month into our relationship. 00:02:48.800 --> 00:02:50.479 I think she was falling for me too. 00:02:50.560 --> 00:02:52.000 Uh maybe not yet, I don't know. 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:54.639 But but I convinced her to go skydiving. 00:02:54.719 --> 00:03:00.639 And it, you know, as I look back, it's like, I don't know how or why she did that, but you know, maybe I'll just chalk it up to young love, but here we are. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:01.919 So so off we went. 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:03.599 We crowded into this car. 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:05.120 There were several people in the car. 00:03:05.280 --> 00:03:08.960 And these were like back in the day when there wasn't smartphone cameras. 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:14.240 I know that sounds prehistoric to some, but but they had camcorders, is what they called them. 00:03:14.400 --> 00:03:17.120 And I kind of loved the camcorder, at least in big moment. 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:18.719 So I brought the camcorder. 00:03:18.800 --> 00:03:20.719 So we're in the car, and everybody's scared. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:23.280 I mean, you pretty much all get scared when you go skydiving. 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:27.680 I mean, you want to do it, you want to face your fear, I guess you could say you gotta have some courage, but but here we are. 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:30.639 So I pull out the camera and everyone's kind of freaking out. 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:34.800 And honestly, at that point, I'm I'm I don't know, pretty chill. 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:38.080 I'm like, I'm excited to do this, I'm not really scared, at least not yet. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:43.199 So I pull out the camera and I start being like the annoying big brother and asking questions and trying to get it on film. 00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:51.280 And at one point I asked my one friend, Jim, who essentially was in major freak out mode, like, I want to get out of this now, take me home, you know. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:53.280 So I pull out the camera, I record them. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:54.879 I wish I had that today because I'd show you. 00:03:55.039 --> 00:03:59.520 But I said, So, so Jim, tell me, what are your last words for your parents? 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:00.479 Right. 00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:04.400 And there was this like collective, shut up, Steve, put the camera down, you know. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:08.960 So anyway, we drive out to this skydive place, we, you know, sign our lives away, basically. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:12.639 Then they take us through the training of how to safely jump out of an airplane or something like that. 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:15.840 And and of course they they link you to somebody tandem. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:24.879 It was all our first time, so this is this big group of us, and we went to this place called Skydive Chicago, which I later found out had the highest death rate in the country. 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:27.759 Didn't know that at the time, but glad I'm here. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:35.360 And uh, and so and so we get trained and we get linked to a tandem person, and here's where the story kind of took a little diversion. 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:43.279 I looked over at Sherry and her tandem person, and the guy was six foot two, very handsome. 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:48.000 He had been in the weight room a lot, and he had an Australian accent. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:51.040 I'm like, what is it with Australian accents and the ladies? 00:04:51.199 --> 00:04:53.120 But I was jealous to say the least. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.759 So anyway, she's gonna fly through the air with him, okay? 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:56.879 But I had to put that aside. 00:04:56.959 --> 00:05:07.680 So anyway, we we pile into this plane, and as we walked up to this plane, it's like, okay, you look at the plane, it's like, it's more invention of Wilbur and Orville Wright than Elon Musk, I'll just put it that way. 00:05:07.920 --> 00:05:20.000 But but we get into this plane, we pack in there like sardines, everyone's nervous, it's crazy energy, and up we go, 1,000, 3,000, 7,000, we go up to 13,000 feet, and then the doors open. 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:23.680 Okay, this is when fear exploded in me. 00:05:23.839 --> 00:05:25.920 It's like this is about to get real. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:29.120 And one by one, I'm in the back of the plane, there's only one person behind me. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:35.279 I'm in the back of the plane, and people start, you know, inching up to the edge and then disappearing within a half second. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:38.079 And it's like screaming with like terror. 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:40.959 And uh, and one by one they go, they go, they go. 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:44.639 And and my guy who's linked to me, harnessed on my back, he's like, it's gonna be good, man. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:45.680 You ready for this? 00:05:45.920 --> 00:05:47.439 I don't know if I'm ready. 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:52.319 And I and I start contemplating, is it too late to bow out? 00:05:52.639 --> 00:05:53.040 Right? 00:05:53.199 --> 00:06:00.240 And so I'm literally thinking this like my fear is just like it's like latent fear, and all of a sudden it's greater fear, I feel like, than anybody else. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:04.319 And it's like one by one, it was like 25 of us to me, it's like 13, 15, 18. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:07.519 It's getting close to me, and I'm thinking to myself, I'm gonna bow out. 00:06:07.759 --> 00:06:12.319 And then I have this thought there's only one person behind me, it can't be so bad. 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:14.160 But guess who's behind me? 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:15.600 Sherry, boom, right? 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:17.600 I told you it's a group of smart people in the room. 00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:18.800 So Sherry's behind me. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:24.079 So I look back and I'm hoping she's like terrified and she's gonna be like, Save me, Steve, let's not do this, you know? 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:28.959 But no, she's like, you know, brimming over with anticipation, practically pushing me toward the door. 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:31.680 And I get to the edge, right? 00:06:31.759 --> 00:06:35.360 And we'll sort of slow down time for a second, but I get to the edge, it's my turn. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:36.800 Somebody's harnessed on my back. 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:41.439 It's like my manhood is basically on the line at this point because I can't bow out, there's no going back. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:43.680 And my guy's like, okay, it's time to jump. 00:06:43.839 --> 00:06:44.879 And I just wait. 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:48.480 It's like I freeze and I don't want to jump. 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:53.360 Sorry you're judging me right now and thinking I'm not a man, but I was I was that was what I was feeling, you know. 00:06:53.519 --> 00:06:59.120 Anyway, about I don't know, a few seconds later, all of a sudden I'm spinning in the air doing a 360. 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:01.120 Thank you to the guy on my back, right? 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:05.199 I black out, I'm pretty sure, because I don't remember that after a few seconds, you know. 00:07:05.360 --> 00:07:08.399 And for 60 seconds, we just free fall through the air. 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:10.240 And it was thrilling and amazing. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:13.120 And once you're out there, it's like, well, there's definitely no going back now. 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:20.000 And then along the way, I forgot the one thing that you don't forget when you go skydiving, which is what? 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:22.160 Pull the parachute, right? 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:26.399 So the guy's like tapping my hip, like, you know, doing this, pull the parachute, you know. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:28.079 And uh finally I, you know, make sense of it. 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:29.519 I'm like, oh yeah, I gotta pull the parachute. 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:33.519 You know, I think I flew like free flu, like 10 extra seconds, so I think it was worth it. 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:36.000 But um got closer to the ground. 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:42.000 But anyway, so we pull the parachute and we're gliding through the air, and we have this kind of conversation up in the air. 00:07:42.079 --> 00:07:44.160 And he's like, Man, I had your back the whole time. 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:45.279 I knew you could do it. 00:07:45.439 --> 00:07:49.360 We pushed through that, you know, and uh and I was like, just thank you. 00:07:49.439 --> 00:07:51.600 We were just kind of rejoicing, looking, you know, out. 00:07:51.759 --> 00:08:01.279 And anyway, we we got down, and um, and I love that that picture or that that metaphor you could say, because it's it's so much about life. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:08.000 It brings us to the first question that I want to present to you, and it's this question that will face us over and over in life. 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:12.800 It's a question of will you choose courage or fear? 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:15.839 Will you choose courage or fear? 00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:20.240 And there's a fitting quote that captures the importance of the idea of courage. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:30.959 Says this we have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are. 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:37.360 We have to be braver than we think we can be, because God is constantly calling us to be more than we are. 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:44.559 You know, when we look at the scriptures, there's there's a command that God gives more than any other command in all the Bible. 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:46.399 Perhaps you could guess it. 00:08:46.879 --> 00:08:48.720 It's the command, fear not. 00:08:49.120 --> 00:08:49.919 Fear not. 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:52.559 Or you could say it, do not fear. 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:56.080 And the human journey, there's so many fears. 00:08:56.159 --> 00:09:00.240 There's fears you have to all face as human beings. 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:06.080 And I think part of why God tells us this over and over throughout the scriptures, fear not, do not fear. 00:09:06.399 --> 00:09:08.480 It's because there's a lot to overcome. 00:09:08.720 --> 00:09:11.840 There's a lot to overcome, there's a lot of fears we have to face. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:16.720 And our natural instinct as human beings sometimes is to what I call fear and freeze. 00:09:16.960 --> 00:09:22.080 We fear and freeze because we have a hard moment, we have a crossroads moment. 00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:29.279 And what I believe God wants to develop inside of every one of us is a God instinct over a fear instinct. 00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:45.519 And what I mean by that is when we get to that moment, when we get to that crossroads, when we get to that decision, that choice, that moment where we have to choose courage or fear, that God is inside of us, empowering us to make the right choice, to do the right thing, even when it's difficult. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:58.320 And it's interesting when you read fear not, do not fear, all throughout the Bible, through Old Testament and New, there's a little phrase, a four uh-word phrase that often comes right alongside that command. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:02.559 And it's the promise that God uses most frequently in the Bible. 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:08.320 There's many texts that could show us this, but I'll bring us to one. 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:10.960 Isaiah 41, 10 says this. 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:13.600 It says, Do not fear or fear not. 00:10:13.919 --> 00:10:16.559 For I, God speaking, for I am with you. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:17.759 There's the four words. 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:19.679 I am with you. 00:10:20.320 --> 00:10:22.960 Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:25.519 I will strengthen you and help you. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:29.279 I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:32.159 I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:38.720 And these four words bring us back even to the metaphor of tandem, right? 00:10:38.799 --> 00:10:45.039 Because it's like God is flying through life with you, tandemly connected to you, or at least wants to be. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:50.080 And he's there for you, and he's got your back, and he is with you every step of the way. 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:51.759 He is faithful to living that out. 00:10:51.919 --> 00:10:53.600 He is present with you in every moment. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:58.240 And as we just sung even in one of the songs, make me aware of your presence, God. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:00.320 Because God is with us. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:10.080 And in those difficult decisions where we choose fear or courage, he is the one who will strengthen us if we will stay connected to him, if we will lean on him. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:24.159 And then in Romans 8, 31, we we see this truth echoed once again, where Paul writes, When then shall we say in response to these things, if God is for us, who can be against us? 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:28.240 God is for you, and God is with you. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:35.440 And then no matter what you're facing in life, and no matter what fears you're dealing with, he is saying, I am with you. 00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:40.639 And sometimes I picture myself in difficult decisions in life, and you're at this crossroads. 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:52.879 And so imagine yourself there, and this way is courage, and this way is fear, and then and then picture Jesus right there with you, riding tandem with you in life, tandem with you in that decision. 00:11:53.440 --> 00:12:02.879 And he's saying, I want to help you, I want to guide you, I want to get you through this, I want to steer you in the right direction, I want to help you make the right choice, even though it's difficult. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:09.600 Because bravery, courage, choosing that direction is never easy. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:15.200 And we're all gonna face, already have, and soon will again, if we're not already in it right now. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:18.879 We will face challenges that come because it's what it means to be human. 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:22.000 It's what we have to face over and over again. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:32.879 And my hope is that when this question presents itself to you, will you choose courage or fear that you will be ready for that moment and that you will choose well? 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:36.000 So I took you into the skies with me. 00:12:36.159 --> 00:12:46.320 Now I want to take you into Lake Tahoe on the snowy mountain with me for just a moment because another story happened to in my life that was kind of fun for a little bit and then turned unfun. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:48.799 Uh, and it brings the second question before us. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:51.440 How many of you are skiers snowboarding? 00:12:51.919 --> 00:12:52.960 Snowboarders, yeah. 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:54.399 How many are not? 00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:55.360 Right? 00:12:55.440 --> 00:12:56.639 Okay, there's a lot of you, okay. 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:03.600 Well, so so years ago, I was a youth pastor, and we did this youth trip, and off we went to Lake Tahoe, okay? 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:09.440 And uh, and it was it was a group of maybe 25 you, 30 youth, something like that that went on the trip. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:13.200 And we we were kind of hosted by this guy named Eddie. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:14.720 And so we get to the mountain. 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:16.399 I've never snowboarded before. 00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:17.840 This is my first time ever. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:23.840 And I get there, and of course, you know, I don't want to be here, but you got to start on the bunny slopes, I guess is what they call, right? 00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:29.360 And all the youth are like, you know, flying everywhere, and they're all way better than me, and I'm, you know, 20, whatever, and I'm on the bunny slopes. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:38.799 And Eddie comes over to me and he's like super good snowboarder, lives in Lake Tahoe, and he says, Hey man, he's like being encouraging, you're doing a great job, you're looking like a great snowboarder, man. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:39.600 You got it, man. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:42.559 You are you're an A plus snowboard, you know. 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:43.440 He's saying all this stuff. 00:13:43.519 --> 00:13:45.120 It's like, no way, he's not right, you know. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:48.240 And basically he's manipulating me because then he says, Okay, I want you to go up. 00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:49.600 You see that mountain up there? 00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:51.440 He says, I want you to go up there with me. 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:53.759 It was a double black diamond, mind you. 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:57.840 And I mean, I didn't know that much, but I knew black diamond didn't was not where I needed to be. 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:02.159 Okay, and my wife is there with me, kind of watching me, and she's way better because she used to ski. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:04.159 And and she's like, You are not going up there. 00:14:04.240 --> 00:14:05.840 I'm like, No, no, I know that's foolish. 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:06.639 I'm not going up there. 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:09.279 And then Eddie's like, What are you, are you gonna listen to her, not me? 00:14:09.360 --> 00:14:10.720 You know, it's like you gotta go up there, right? 00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:15.120 If you're a real man, all the youth are going up there, like model this for them that you have courage, you know? 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:19.919 And uh Sherry's like, no, this is not about courage, this is about wisdom versus foolishness, you know? 00:14:20.879 --> 00:14:23.600 And then somehow Eddie convinced me to go. 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:24.960 So off we went. 00:14:25.200 --> 00:14:30.240 I get into the ski lift and then try to get off the ski lift, and I wipe out at that point. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:33.759 And everyone's looking at me, what is this guy doing at the black, you know, double black diamonds? 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:36.080 He can't even get off the ski uh the ski lift. 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:39.440 Anyway, I I make my way, you know, to where I start to go down. 00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:46.559 And man, I don't know how many of you are good snowboarders or have been on a black diamond or double black diamond, but it was fast to say the least, okay? 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:49.039 And it it was it was scary fast. 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:56.000 You know, when you get going like so fast, it's it becomes scary, and you're like, wait a minute, I just crossed over, let's like slow this car down for a second, you know? 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:58.480 So I'm I'm doing that and I'm just wiping out. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:02.720 I mean, it was like wipe out five feet, wipe out seven feet, wipe out ten feet. 00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:03.840 It's miserable. 00:15:04.080 --> 00:15:05.519 And you know, I'm like, what do I do? 00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:06.399 What do I do? 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:14.000 And the only thing that came to me in the moment, no, you're gonna judge me again, but the only thing that came to me in the moment is I've been sledding before. 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:17.679 So why don't I unhook the snowboard and just sled down? 00:15:17.759 --> 00:15:18.960 Because I had to get down the hill. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:20.799 So unhook the snowboard for real. 00:15:20.879 --> 00:15:24.399 This is not a this is not a lie, this is the truth, this is what happened. 00:15:24.559 --> 00:15:31.919 And I sit on the snowboard and I'm like, I can just do this, you know, on you know, on the way down, I'll make it there eventually, but I don't want to walk, it's way too far. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:34.320 And so I start, you know, and you're going so fast. 00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:35.840 I mean, you're not even carving now, right? 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:40.080 You're just like, you know, and so I'm like falling over just to slow myself down when it gets to be fastened. 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:40.720 Falling over. 00:15:40.879 --> 00:15:45.039 Well, one time I fell over and I lost the snowboard. 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:46.480 I know, right? 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:47.919 It gets worse. 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:48.399 Okay. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:53.519 I mean, that snowboard was like a heat-seeking missile, and it had a target. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:16:00.320 Because there was a dude about, I don't know, 150 feet away, and that thing was headed straight for him, you know. 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:01.840 And what do you know? 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:05.919 He's standing there and the board hits him head on, couldn't be more perfect. 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:09.120 The guy wipes out, you know, lands on his face, kind of deal. 00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:12.799 And I'm like, oh no, you know, and this guy wasn't small, by the way. 00:16:13.039 --> 00:16:16.559 So I make my way up there, I don't know, 10 minutes later, I don't know how long it took me. 00:16:16.720 --> 00:16:19.759 And the first thing he says is, like, bro, hold on to your snowboard. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:20.960 I'm like, thank you. 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:23.600 I know that by now, but I appreciate your advice, you know? 00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:25.679 And um, and it was a bad moment. 00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:26.960 It was a terrible experience. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:30.480 It's kind of funny to laugh at now, but oh my goodness, it was complete suffering. 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:38.000 And I look at that and I go, here's the question that that forces us to choose in life. 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:41.519 You know, it brings before us this question that comes before us all the time. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.480 It's will you choose foolishness or wisdom? 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:49.759 Because sometimes an open door isn't the right door to walk through. 00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:54.879 So sometimes a good opportunity, or sometimes an opportunity isn't necessarily a good opportunity. 00:16:54.960 --> 00:17:00.240 Maybe it looks like one, maybe it's a bad one, maybe it's not even that it's a bad opportunity, or it's not a God opportunity. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:02.559 But we have to use wisdom to discern that. 00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:12.079 And and once again, there's there's a lot of texts in the scriptures that that tell us the importance of wisdom and the value of it and how that plays out in life. 00:17:12.240 --> 00:17:14.720 I want to point us to one that's a really good text. 00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:20.000 You might be familiar with it, but it contrasts this idea of foolishness and wisdom. 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:24.000 So it's the words of Jesus, he's telling a parable in Matthew chapter 7. 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:33.039 He says this everyone who hears the words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:42.880 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not fall because it had the foundation of the rock. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:50.960 But everyone who hears these words and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:56.880 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and what did it do? 00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:59.359 It fell with a great crash. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:01.440 I mean, there's the contrast. 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:04.640 Wisdom provides this solid foundation. 00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:10.960 So when the inevitable storms of life come, and they will come, your house stands strong. 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:12.559 It's built on the rock. 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:27.759 When things or people or situations or circum circumstances come that may harm you, that may derail you, that may wreck your life, even, wisdom is your path that will build your life strong so that you will stand the test of those storms. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:32.559 Foolishness, on the other hand, creates the illusion of a solid foundation. 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:43.599 The house is built, everything looks fine, it's on sand, you can't really see the sand, perhaps, but in reality it will not withstand the weight of any hardship that comes your way. 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:48.160 Because you've not built your life on the right truths, on the right perspectives. 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:53.839 And foolishness will in the end leave you without shelter and without refuge. 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:57.359 And Jesus makes something very clear in this parable. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:19:01.440 He says, wisdom comes through following his teachings. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:05.279 In other words, through building your life on the truths of God. 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:10.079 And as with most of Jesus' teachings, it's going to require sacrifice. 00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:12.400 It just doesn't come easy once again. 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:14.319 But the rewards are worth it. 00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:15.680 The rewards are worth it. 00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:26.319 When our lives are built on the rock, on the rock of Jesus' teachings, on who he is and what he's about, the trade-off always goes in our favor, even sometimes when it doesn't look like it. 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:37.599 So if we can learn to trust him, if we could learn to trust his teachings and wisdom and build our lives on that, life will reward us. 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:42.960 And when you think about the idea of bravery and courage, life rewards the courageous. 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:48.559 And when you think about wisdom, it may not always look like it at first, but life rewards the wise. 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:06.400 And first and foremost, my own and my two sons. 00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:12.640 And she has such moral clarity and insight and perceptivity and discernment, and it guides her life. 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:15.920 And she's decided to build her life on this wisdom. 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:20.720 And I've been inspired by that and changed by that and blessed by that. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:29.920 And by the way, on a side note, I don't know, you don't have to raise your hand, but if there's any single guys in the house that might be looking for a wife one day, choose a wise woman. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:30.720 All right. 00:20:30.880 --> 00:20:37.119 And dare I say, but I boldly will, if you're a single woman, choose a courageous man. 00:20:37.200 --> 00:20:40.079 I'm just saying that's a talk for another day, but just wanted to say that. 00:20:40.240 --> 00:20:46.640 Anyway, um, wisdom, because here's the thing, when wisdom and courage come together, it's a powerful combination. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:51.440 In your life, in the life of a marriage, perhaps even a friendship, just in life in general. 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:56.079 When wisdom and courage come together, it's a powerful combination because that's how God designed it. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:57.839 Will you choose courage or fear? 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.000 Will you choose wisdom or foolishness? 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:02.160 And then there's a third question. 00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:04.720 It's the final question I'll give you today. 00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:07.039 And I know that everyone has experienced this. 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:20.480 You you've you've had to face the question around courage and the question around wisdom, and you continue, you will continue to, but but this is another question that you will face because life is full of challenges and even disappointments. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:22.559 There's a lot of great things about life. 00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:28.160 There's a lot of joys and things to celebrate and rejoice in, but there are also challenges and disappointments. 00:21:28.559 --> 00:21:36.319 And when we encounter disappointments in our lives, what ends up happening is we have a whole range of emotions. 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:42.720 It goes from discouragement all the way to the other side of the spectrum, perhaps even devastation for certain things. 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:54.079 And how we handle these moments will determine our future, it will shape our future and our lives and who we become in profound ways. 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:58.640 I had one of these experiences when I was a young athlete. 00:21:59.200 --> 00:21:59.759 I was graduating. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:04.960 When I received a baseball scholarship to the University of South Carolina. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:06.079 And I was excited. 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:10.240 I mean, this is what I had worked for, practiced hard for, dreamed about. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:15.359 And it was a gift that I got to take part in and was blessed by. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:17.599 So off I went to South Carolina. 00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.720 I'm working hard. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:20.480 I'm doing the best I can. 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:23.759 Along the way, they made a coaching change. 00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:26.240 I thought I was, you know, doing pretty good. 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:28.720 I was in the top eight to ten pitchers. 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:32.160 And at the end of the season, the coach meets with all the players. 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.079 And he brought me into his office. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:38.799 And he said to me, Hey, thanks for being here, basically. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:41.359 But your scholarship is going to be no more. 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:43.839 I'm going to bring in a whole new set of players. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:48.640 And of course, in that moment, I'm playing it cool on the outside, but I'm devastated. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:51.599 My dream has just been pulled out from under me. 00:22:51.920 --> 00:22:55.920 It took me some time to sort that out and face the reality of that. 00:22:56.079 --> 00:23:07.839 But what ended up happening in that freshman year of college was God used what was a setback for sure, what was devastating to me, what was an obstacle for sure. 00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:10.079 And God showed me a different perspective. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:14.559 Because in the midst of that, I discovered what I would call my calling. 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:20.319 I discovered what God's purpose was for my life, or at least got a lot of clarity on that. 00:23:20.480 --> 00:23:27.759 And I've learned over and over again that throughout life, opportunities will often disguise themselves as obstacles. 00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:31.759 Opportunities will often disguise themselves as obstacles. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:39.440 And I initially saw losing the scholarship like anybody would as a setback, as an obstacle, as, oh my goodness, this is an interruption in my life. 00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:41.920 My plans that I had are ruined. 00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:44.640 But this opportunity was before me. 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:45.920 It looked like an obstacle. 00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:47.839 Took me some time to realize this. 00:23:48.079 --> 00:24:00.000 But 20 plus years later in my life, I look back now, even, I go, that was a defining moment for me, for God to say, there's something greater, there's something bigger, there's something better I have for your life. 00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:01.680 You may not see it now. 00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:07.839 And here's the thing: we we all have different desires and perhaps dreams and hopes for our lives. 00:24:08.160 --> 00:24:13.359 We have plans, and often these plans don't go the way that we hoped. 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:22.960 We dream about things, we hope about things, we're passionate about things, we have these beliefs that make life worth living, and then life takes us this direction. 00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:26.880 Or we come into a dead end, or we get derailed in some way. 00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:29.759 It's a setback, it's a heartache, it's a hardship. 00:24:30.000 --> 00:24:32.640 And we have to figure out are we gonna realign our lives? 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:41.279 Are we gonna see with a divine perspective that this obstacle, this setback, there's actually an opportunity in the midst of it? 00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:48.640 And when our lives don't go according to plan, what God wants to tell us is that this is where I want to work. 00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:54.640 I don't know if God causes some of those things or not, but I know God works right there in the midst of them. 00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:58.559 Because I've seen it in my life firsthand, over and over again. 00:24:59.200 --> 00:25:05.359 And this stuff, it doesn't stop when you're in your 20s, it doesn't stop when you're in your 30s, doesn't stop when you're in your 40s. 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:06.559 This is life. 00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:09.039 This is how it goes, this is how it works. 00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:11.039 And God is always at work. 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:15.039 And so this question, this third question is put before us. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:20.720 When we encounter difficulties and disappointments in life, we have to face this question. 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:29.839 Will you choose to see the obstacles in your path as something that are opportunities for growth? 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:34.000 Will you see them as obstacles or will you see them as opportunities? 00:25:34.799 --> 00:25:41.599 And I shared how God used the one obstacle in my college years, and there have been other ones along the way. 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:44.079 They've been opportunities for growth, really. 00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:55.920 And these days, my family, my wife Sherry, my my son Hudson, who is with me, and uh my other son Holden, uh, we we have another uh hardship that we carry in our lives. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.839 Some of you know this who know me. 00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:02.559 And uh our second son, Holden, uh, was born with a severe disability. 00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:06.400 He's 12 years old now, and uh he can't talk yet. 00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:11.839 And um he's he's developmentally about what a two-year-old would be. 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:21.200 And you know, when Sherry and I got married and we began to talk about our family, um we had dreams for our family like anybody would, right? 00:26:21.359 --> 00:26:26.799 For us, we're like, you can't determine is God gonna give you a boy or a girl or how many, you can't determine all that. 00:26:26.880 --> 00:26:33.920 But our hope and our dream was hey, we would love two kids, and we'd love them to be two boys, and we'd love them to be close together. 00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:39.519 We had one wonderful son, Hudson, who's now 14, and about a year and a half later, we had Holden. 00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:41.119 We were so grateful. 00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:44.319 And we had this dream and hope for our family of what it would be like. 00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:49.039 They'd be friends and buddies and do a lot of brotherly fighting maybe along the way, too. 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:52.480 But then we found out about Holden along the way. 00:26:52.799 --> 00:26:55.119 Of course, it's like a punch in the gut. 00:26:55.200 --> 00:26:59.200 It's not what we hoped, not what we dreamed about for our family. 00:26:59.440 --> 00:27:06.799 And um, once again, awakening was there in that season of our life when we were uncovering that and working through in the early years. 00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:10.400 And this has been hard and it still is, and we're in it. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:13.119 And like we said at the beginning, life isn't easy, right? 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:15.599 And we all have different things that we have to face. 00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:25.200 But our son Holden has been used by God to bless our family and to grow us in unquantifiable ways. 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:37.440 And I remember the day I was sitting at a coffee shop with one of my mentors, and he was listening to me, and he was thoughtful and he was empathetic, and he was listening how it was going with Holden. 00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:42.799 And I'll never forget when he looked across the table at me and he said, You know what, Steve? 00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:48.960 He said, One day you're gonna realize that Holden has been the greatest mentor in your life. 00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:51.119 And I was like, Oh man. 00:27:51.759 --> 00:28:00.400 And then he went on to say, he said, Holden's gonna teach you lessons that you didn't necessarily want to learn, but that you need to learn the most. 00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:09.200 And you know, I've realized in life that God has a bigger purpose than our sorrows and our suffering sometimes. 00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:16.000 It's hard to see, it's hard to be in it sometimes, it's hard to face it in the day-to-day and in the real life stuff. 00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:24.079 But I I look back and I know Sherry and I would say in those early years where we were uncovering that and figuring all that out with him. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:29.440 I mean, we grew more in those years, probably than the previous 10 years combined. 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:36.000 And Holden is has taught us, to our surprise, about unconditional love. 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:41.359 He he's taught us how to listen not just with our ears, but with our hearts and our and our souls. 00:28:41.920 --> 00:28:45.839 He's taught us to think differently about God's plan for our lives. 00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:53.119 That it isn't always what, like God wants us to dream, God wants us to hope, God wants us to sense his voice and follow his leadership, of course. 00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:57.759 But that life often doesn't turn out the way you thought. 00:28:57.920 --> 00:29:08.000 But yet in the midst of that, God has also taught us not to look at what we are missing, but to pay attention to what God is doing. 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:10.000 Because it's so much more important. 00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:12.079 What is God doing in your life? 00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:14.319 What is God doing through your life? 00:29:14.720 --> 00:29:21.200 You know, the the first obstacle when I was in college, it really opened me up to my calling and my purpose. 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:28.240 This obstacle with holding, which is ongoing, has opened me up to the transformational power of God. 00:29:28.799 --> 00:29:30.799 Like it seems nothing else could. 00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:35.599 That God has changed us, and I could tell you story after story about how God has used that. 00:29:36.160 --> 00:29:46.000 That God has done things that I don't know if if they would be possible without the divine opportunity that we have in this precious human being called Holy. 00:29:47.119 --> 00:29:50.160 And so we open our hands and we open our hearts and we open our lives. 00:29:50.319 --> 00:29:51.519 God, what do you want to do? 00:29:51.680 --> 00:29:52.799 What are you doing? 00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:59.359 We want to pay attention to that, we want to follow that, we want to do that as hard as it may be sometimes. 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.160 You know what? 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:03.759 As an athlete, I was an athlete, I like to think I was an athlete. 00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:04.960 I'm an athlete now, but I'm not. 00:30:05.039 --> 00:30:11.440 But as an athlete early on, you know, we know this to be true, that nothing comes easy. 00:30:11.680 --> 00:30:14.960 If you want to be stronger, you gotta suffer in the weight room, right? 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:15.759 And build muscle. 00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:22.319 If you want to run faster, you sprint and run and breathe, you know, be breathless and fatigued and sweating. 00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:37.519 And, you know, if you want to throw harder or with more precision, it's like hours and hours and hours of practice while maybe your friends are, I don't know, playing video games or having fun somewhere, so that ultimately you can become the player that you want to become, so you can perform the way you want to become. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:42.000 And in this wisdom, God uses what we often see as obstacles. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:54.799 Maybe sometimes it's suffering or hardship, but He uses it, He uses it to stretch us and grow us in ways that we don't necessarily always want, but that we absolutely need. 00:30:55.839 --> 00:31:03.200 There's a popular song that you may know, and there's a line in the song that says, Thank God for unanswered prayers. 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:09.599 And the artist, in essence, is saying, Sometimes our human plans aren't what is best for us. 00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:10.960 Ever prayed a prayer like that? 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:13.039 Felt like you got a no from God. 00:31:14.400 --> 00:31:21.519 But sometimes God has to give us a no so that we can understand what the yes really is, what the greater yes really is. 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:24.400 So maybe even we could say yes to him. 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:33.759 And to say yes to God, it takes courage, it takes wisdom, it takes a willingness to see obstacles as opportunities for growth. 00:31:34.400 --> 00:31:36.720 And here's what I believe. 00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:41.920 I believe that God created you with great intention. 00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:57.039 I believe that God created you with a purpose, that he wants you to discover that, that he wants you to know your passion and find meaning in life and find purpose, and he wants to use you to make a deep impact in this world. 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:01.119 And God gives us this truth in the scripture to underscore that. 00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:03.920 When he tells us this, you may know these verses. 00:32:04.160 --> 00:32:07.839 For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. 00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:13.279 Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:16.480 See, once again, God is for you. 00:32:16.799 --> 00:32:28.720 He thought you up, he imagined you, he breathed life into you so that you could experience and know him, so that you could experience and know what his purpose is and how you fit into that. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:40.319 And life sometimes it can be exciting, it can be thrilling, you can look over the horizon and think, I got a bright future, and then at other times it can be overwhelming and difficult and not easy. 00:32:41.680 --> 00:32:48.720 But what God wants to remind us of, and perhaps to you right here this morning, is that you have a future. 00:32:49.359 --> 00:33:09.440 That God wants to breathe hope into your life, into your circumstances, that he wants to work to help you fulfill your destiny under his greater purpose, that he wants to work to create and transform a different kind of person in you, so that you become someone new and fresh and different, so you become everything God designed you to be. 00:33:10.559 --> 00:33:14.160 See, God wants to do a great work in your life, he really does. 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:20.000 It's not gonna be the way you probably think it's gonna happen, it's not gonna come easy. 00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:23.680 But you wanna know the path because he wants you to participate in that. 00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:26.559 You want to know the path to living out that purpose? 00:33:26.799 --> 00:33:31.759 I can tell you something that I've learned in my own life is that it's gonna take courage. 00:33:32.079 --> 00:33:33.519 How do you have courage? 00:33:33.759 --> 00:33:39.519 You walk closely with the God who created you, you ride tandem with him through life. 00:33:39.759 --> 00:33:43.839 And when you fear, because you will, you cling to him. 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:45.759 God help me. 00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:47.440 God give me courage. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:50.720 You remember what he says to fear not. 00:33:51.440 --> 00:33:52.480 And what's followed. 00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:54.720 I am with you, I am for you. 00:33:55.039 --> 00:34:00.160 If you want to live into your purpose and your destiny, do you want to become everything God wants you to become? 00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:02.960 Choose the path of wisdom. 00:34:03.599 --> 00:34:10.559 A lot of choices we make every day, a lot of choices we make that define and shape our lives in so many ways. 00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:14.480 But over and over again, we cling to Jesus and his teachings. 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:22.719 We build our life on the rock, and life will reward not only the courageous and the brave, but life will reward the wise. 00:34:23.440 --> 00:34:31.280 And then, if you want to live out your purpose, if you want to live out the life God designed you to live, I'm telling you, obstacles are gonna come your way. 00:34:31.440 --> 00:34:33.519 It's not easy, it's not fun. 00:34:33.840 --> 00:34:35.679 You want to throw them to the wind sometimes. 00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:37.119 I get it, me too. 00:34:37.440 --> 00:34:38.639 But guess what? 00:34:39.039 --> 00:34:43.119 The opportunities that God has for your life are often disguised as obstacles. 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:51.440 And if you will embrace that, I'm telling you you will be stretched and you will grow into someone you never dreamed you could be, but someone God always knew you could be. 00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:54.559 Courage, wisdom, and growth. 00:34:54.800 --> 00:35:01.599 It's the path for you to become everything God wants you to become and do everything God wants you to do. 00:35:02.239 --> 00:35:03.920 Can I pray for you this morning? 00:35:04.159 --> 00:35:05.360 Let's pray. 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:14.800 Father, I just pause in this moment and we all go through various things in life. 00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:19.599 We have different fears, we've made different choices, we have different obstacles, perhaps setbacks. 00:35:19.679 --> 00:35:21.679 Maybe some of us are in that right now. 00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:23.920 And God, I pray two things this morning. 00:35:24.079 --> 00:35:31.039 I pray, I pray that the person that needs to know that you are right there with them would sense you even now. 00:35:31.679 --> 00:35:37.840 That the God who created them with great intention, the God who loves them, the God is with them and reaching out to them. 00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:42.880 God, that they would know your presence and feel your closeness. 00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:46.880 And God, the other thing I pray this morning is for all of us. 00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:50.480 Because we all have fears and need courage. 00:35:50.559 --> 00:35:55.679 And we all, God, sometimes make some dumb decisions, or at least contemplate them. 00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:58.559 So give us wisdom, give us courage. 00:35:58.800 --> 00:36:10.719 And God, maybe hardest of all, give us the ability to see with your eyes, with your perspective, so that when obstacles and setbacks come our way, we would see them as opportunities for growth. 00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:12.960 God, make us who you want us to be. 00:36:13.199 --> 00:36:21.599 I pray this for every person listening, for the church known as Awakening, that we all love, and we'll give you the glory as you do your work. 00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:23.679 I pray this in Christ's name. 00:36:24.639 --> 00:36:26.960 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:31.519 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:33.760 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:39.840 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.