WEBVTT 00:00:01.840 --> 00:00:04.080 Thanks for listening to the His Hands Church podcast. 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:12.720 If you're using the His Hands Church mobile app, please turn off the auto lock on your phone's general settings so that you can listen to the message uninterrupted. 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:15.919 And thank you for being part of what God is doing at His Hands. 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:20.399 Good morning. 00:00:21.440 --> 00:00:25.039 It's great to be together and worshiping together. 00:00:25.120 --> 00:00:29.359 It's Telgate Sunday, which is always a uh a fun day. 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:46.640 Um for me, there's not much uh football related to celebrate right now, but uh so so it's good we can celebrate uh a God that loves us, he's not mad at us, and uh loves us so much, he's adopted us each as his own uh kids. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:48.719 It's really a wonderful thing. 00:00:48.880 --> 00:00:50.399 Um, thank you for your generosity. 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:58.399 Last week, even with all the excitement uh on Baptism Sunday, uh a bunch of children were uh Christmas angel stars were taken. 00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:05.359 We're providing Christmas for 250 kids in the community that wouldn't have Christmas uh otherwise. 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:14.959 And about 200 of those uh children were were taken last week, so there's 40 or 50 left, and they're on a table um out in the lobby. 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:18.640 So if you take a star, please be sure and give it to a volunteer. 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:26.640 They'll give you some specific instructions, and uh they'll also give you a uh specific wish list uh from that child. 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:34.719 Um when we're done here, we're going to uh hang out, listen to some tunes, uh sample a lot of great chili. 00:01:34.879 --> 00:01:54.719 You know, normally we're not about personal glory, but today is a lot different because we got a chili cook-off, and uh we even have a couple trophies uh in the back there, and so there's uh a contest for the best uh traditional and the best out of the box, and we're gonna vote like we did last year, which is it's really simple. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:56.799 We'll text uh from our phones. 00:01:56.959 --> 00:02:05.200 Uh the Salisbury's make uh great food at a great price, and so we'll be able to uh enjoy that as uh as well. 00:02:05.680 --> 00:02:13.840 And then about one o'clock, uh the uh Falcons will be on, and the what's gotta be the biggest high death TV in the county. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:15.680 And uh maybe they'll pick up a win. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:17.520 That would be uh that would be good. 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:19.840 And any Bucks fans here? 00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:31.599 They're both sharing some misery this year, but uh but they've won the last couple uh Telgate Sundays, so maybe maybe that'll happen today. 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:35.520 Uh Danny Worfel and his boys are here with us uh today. 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:47.360 Um you might uh you might if you're a football fan, you know Danny from uh winning the national championship at a school we won't mention uh down in Gainesville, Florida. 00:02:47.520 --> 00:03:02.960 Um he won the Heisman Trophy, uh played six or seven years in the NFL, but uh he's really most known for representing uh Jesus and uh just for his uh heart and his love and and uh compassion. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:19.120 Uh what he does now full time is leads uh just a tremendous ministry called Desire Street that works in some of the toughest uh inner cities in the country and just tr uh transforms those uh communities and helps the young kids, and it's just uh it's a wonderful ministry. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:29.039 There's a table um out in the lobby, and if you would stop by there and sign up for their newsletter, and then you can uh learn more about that. 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:39.039 Um Ken Kington introduced uh Danny and I, it's probably about this time last year, and uh it's been really kind of a God thing. 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:49.039 He's become really uh important uh to me, and every time I'm with him, he's he's uh we have fun, but it's he's uh very encouraging and uh and challenging. 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:51.680 And I'm uh excited that you get to to meet him this morning. 00:03:51.840 --> 00:04:01.120 I'm also really excited that he gets to meet you all because we've uh talked a lot about just what a great loving group of people that God's brought together as a family um here. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:10.479 And so, by way of introduction, we're gonna show a video that's gonna tell you a little bit about uh Desire Street, and then uh Danny will be here to share with us. 00:04:15.360 --> 00:04:19.279 Danny Warfall will go down as one of the best to ever play college football. 00:04:19.839 --> 00:04:21.439 World Let's just go again. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.800 For a generation of Florida football fans, Danny Wharf is their hero. 00:04:29.600 --> 00:04:33.920 The only common to ever win his team with Florida Championships. 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:50.079 Wharf's feminists and the people who are not gonna be able to do it. 00:05:02.639 --> 00:05:12.480 Winning the High Trophy, demolition of the final floor is taken, the climate floor is first ever national championship. 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:23.120 It was a fitting conclusion of a career that included twice being named the first team All-American, winning the Davy O'Brien Award, the Johnny United's Golden Arm Award, and the William V. 00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:27.040 Campbell Trophy as the nation's top football scholar athlete. 00:05:28.240 --> 00:05:38.720 As a rookie with the New Orleans Saints, Werfel began volunteering with Desire Street Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit organization working in one of the nation's most impoverished neighborhoods. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:45.279 While training for his eighth NFL season, Werfel found his heart pulled in two competing directions. 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:56.800 But at that same intersection, to go to Desire Street, I would have had to turn left. 00:05:56.959 --> 00:06:01.519 And as the days went by, it got harder and harder for me to keep turning right. 00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:08.639 Leaving a trail of trophies and championships behind him, we're full left football, and started working full-time at Desire Street. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:13.680 And he has since led the ministry in expanding its reach to several cities across the Southeast. 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:30.000 We found that the best way for us at Desire Street to have the biggest impact is to come in and partner with existing ministries, develop the leader, the organization, the ministry, providing resources, training, coaching, and so we're doing our best to help them do the best they can be. 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:35.199 Brian Kelly, the executive director of Common Ground Montgomery, is one of those leaders. 00:06:35.439 --> 00:06:38.480 Desire Street has not been an organization that just gives advice. 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:48.000 They've been an organization that actually shows up for you and consistently uh helps you navigate some really painful and sad times. 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:12.560 Let's go spend time, you know, just get going, you'll feel better. 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:14.560 That obviously was not the case. 00:07:14.879 --> 00:07:27.120 They ran a bunch of tests and did some blood work, and we went back to Brian's house, and I remember going to sleep that night, and at 5 a.m., someone started banging on the door, you know, inner city, Montgomery. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:29.600 And uh so I was a little nervous. 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:32.160 I opened the door, and it's the doctor. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:36.160 I said, Um, you're probably not here to tell me I'm okay, are you? 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:39.759 And he said, No, uh, I came here to see if you were breathing. 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:47.920 The doctor suspected that Werfel had Gillan Baret syndrome, an autoimmune disease that was causing his immune system to attack his nervous system. 00:07:48.240 --> 00:07:51.839 Without treatment, the disease could spread to his respiratory system. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:53.920 It was a life-altering diagnosis. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:08:03.439 Yeah, I was busy, I was active with family and desire street and exercise and just moving quickly, moving fast, and then all of a sudden just stopped. 00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:08.720 Blessed with an early diagnosis, he would eventually make a full recovery. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:12.480 It was definitely one of the toughest experiences of my life. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:19.360 I think when you go through tough times and when you suffer, it often gives you the opportunity to grow, though. 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:23.920 I mean, you learn more when you lose a football game usually than when you win. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:33.519 And for me, I was forced to be still and in some way have a better sense of the helplessness that many poor people face on a regular basis. 00:08:33.919 --> 00:08:40.879 A hero himself to a young Tim Tebow and countless others, Wolf finds his own heroes in unlikely places. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:44.960 When I was a kid, I had pictures of Dan Reno and Michael Jordan. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:47.200 Those types of guys were my heroes. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:09:02.960 And now when I look around and I see people that have moved into inner cities, that are living there, that are making sacrifices, giving their lives away in a sense to help those in their neighborhood deal with all the different levels of helplessness that they face. 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:05.519 These leaders that they're my heroes. 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:17.200 In 2005, the Werfel Trophy was created by the All Sports Association to honor the college football player who best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement. 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:20.159 It has been dubbed the humanitarian Heisman. 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:31.679 Then in May 2013, Werfel was named to the College Football Hall of Fame, ensuring that future generations will continue to remember and be inspired by his football accomplishments. 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.720 But he hopes to leave an additional legacy. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:41.759 At the end of the day, I don't think life is about what you accomplish or what you possess or how well known you might be. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:45.919 I think it's about living for a cause greater than yourself. 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:48.399 It's about the quality of relationships. 00:09:48.559 --> 00:09:50.399 It's about helping others. 00:09:50.639 --> 00:10:00.240 And if if my story can help motivate people to be a part of that, to help others, especially those that are hurting, then that's what it's all about. 00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:04.320 Wish there was Hall of Fames or Heisman Trophy for that. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:18.480 So the plan was for Danny to come right after the video, but I forgot a really important announcement. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:27.039 And that is uh that uh uh uh for Telgate uh for the Telgate party, we have child care this uh um this year. 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:30.559 And so it's uh for ages two to nine, it's gonna start at twelve o'clock. 00:10:30.639 --> 00:10:41.600 And so if you can uh check out your uh your kids and get them fed and all that, and then from twelve to one thirty, uh we'll just check them right back in uh the way we do uh before church. 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:43.919 So uh please welcome Danny Worfel. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:10:53.759 You guys are nice. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:04.240 Everybody stood up except my son. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:04.960 How about that? 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:07.120 Thanks, buddy. 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:11.039 Um Wow, it's uh it's exciting to be here. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:14.559 I'm a little nervous being a gator um in these parts. 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:23.279 So I guess before we get before we get into too much stuff, it'd be helpful for me to know a little bit about some of your allegiances. 00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:28.000 So I'm guessing there's a few Georgia Bulldogs here, any that will admit it today. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:30.879 There's all there's always a few. 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:32.480 And I saw one gator shirt. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:33.600 Are there any other gators here? 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:34.720 There's two shirts. 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:35.759 Wow. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:37.039 That's pretty encouraging. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:41.600 Everyone always asks me, how do you how do you deal with being a gator living in Georgia? 00:11:41.679 --> 00:11:43.120 And you know it can be tough sometimes. 00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:45.840 I say, aren't they gonna give you a whole lot of trouble? 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:51.919 And I just I thought about that a lot, and I realized, you know, when I was playing, they never gave us any trouble. 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:56.320 So I I figured we'd all we'd all be fine here today. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:57.919 Uh and so forth. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:01.039 But honestly, let's let's not talk about football anymore in that sense. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:04.639 Uh it's it's a tough year to be a gator or a bulldog, isn't it? 00:12:04.720 --> 00:12:08.799 Um so anyway, hopefully the Falcons will win, and we can we can all uh share about that. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:17.600 I I did play at the University of Florida, and and some of you may remember that my coach was Steve Spurrier, one of the great college coaches of all time. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:24.080 And uh one of my uh first uh moments with Coach Spurrier was in one of my first times playing. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:26.960 We were running a corner route. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:38.480 So the receiver, he's supposed to bend into five yards up to about 13 to 14, cut and go towards the sideline at an angle where he catch the ball at 23 to 24 yards, three yards from the sideline. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:39.360 Or so. 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:48.000 And so, anyway, the way it's so powerful as the quarterback, you take seven steps, you take a little hitch, and then you turn and throw it before he breaks. 00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:58.480 So you gotta throw it right into the right spot, and he's got to do the exact right move at the right time, and then it's really hard to defend, but it's also it's it's hard to make it work right. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:00.080 So we did this play, we called it. 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:02.480 I was a red shirt freshman, I was you know excited. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:12.320 I go back, I took my steps, it looked like it was gonna be open, and I I turned and I just threw it right, at least what I thought, to that spot, you know, 22 to 24 yards, three yards from the sideline. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:17.519 The receiver came out of his break, but he he cut it too flat. 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:19.279 At least that's what I thought. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:25.440 So he cuts it flat, so the ball goes over his head and it's intercepted by the safety. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:32.080 So that's bad enough, but but as you know, if you play for Coach Spurer, the worst part is going back to the sideline after something like that. 00:13:32.159 --> 00:13:41.039 So I go to the sideline and and I was wondering if he saw what had happened, if he had saw that the the receiver had cut it flat or was he just gonna be mad at me? 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:41.679 I didn't know. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:44.960 And he said, Danny, you know how he talked to him, Danny, yeah. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:48.559 He said, Danny, he goes, it's not your fault. 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:49.840 I said, Oh, thank you. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:51.919 He goes, it's my fault for putting you in there. 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:53.279 You're benched. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:54.240 Really? 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:56.720 Like, how cool is that? 00:13:56.879 --> 00:14:00.159 Anyway, anyone who's ever played for him has probably heard a version of that every now and then. 00:14:00.240 --> 00:14:10.000 But it was great uh to be with him, um, had so so many wonderful memories, and uh still have a great relationship with Coach Spurrier and so grateful for my time in college. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:20.320 I mean, when I dreamed as a kid about playing football and growing up, like you you dream about what could be the perfect scenario, the perfect career. 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:24.399 And what I got to experience at Florida was better than anything I ever dreamed of. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:26.960 It really sometimes I wonder if it really happened. 00:14:27.039 --> 00:14:30.639 I'll watch a video like this before I come up and I'll think, is that true? 00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:31.840 Am I am I dreaming? 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:34.480 But it it was real and I was very blessed. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:39.200 And so then I got drafted by another amazing coach. 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:47.440 Uh most people don't realize that Mike Ditka, the great coach for Chicago, was the coach for the Saints uh the three years that I was there. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:49.360 You don't remember that because we were terrible. 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:58.639 Uh but we were drafted, and one of the highlights, unfortunately, of my NFL career was in my first start. 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:00.799 We were playing against Carolina. 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:05.759 We were losing 13 to nothing in the fourth quarter, which is just bad enough as it is. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:12.399 So on the last play of the game, well, it was my last play, I went back, I took my steps, and I was looking to the right. 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:14.720 And right, I saw nothing was there. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:19.919 So I just I I turn and snap my head towards the middle for for my next uh progression read. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:24.960 But what I didn't know what had happened was the defensive end on this side. 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:31.759 He had made an inside move or tackle went inside, and he went around him so fast, untouched, he was coming clean. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:35.679 And he's going about 700 miles an hour, about this far off the ground. 00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:43.120 And you gotta pick, you know, just picture this launch forward off the ground, head first, like this this missile, this spear. 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:51.360 And it just unfortunately timed up that right as I snapped my head this way was when the crown of his helmet hit me right in the temple. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:58.159 So there was this huge, huge impact, and we both went this way, and his body kind of glanced off. 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:08.000 And you know, it's one of those those things where you know, now it would be this uh ejection, penalty,$30,000 uh dollar fine. 00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:24.080 In 1997, it was like great hit! So this guy hits me, he falls off, and somehow or another, I guess because he was going so fast, after he hit me, he glanced off, and I stumbled back on my feet to look for a receiver, and I couldn't see anything. 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:31.679 And I I remember blinking blinking my eyes, opening them and trying to focus, and it was still pitch dark. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:38.320 Well, uh I I I don't kind of lost my my bearings there, obviously, and then I got hit by someone else. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:45.200 I was sacked, I was on the ground getting up, thinking that was really a scary moment to get hit in the temple and and can't see anything. 00:16:45.279 --> 00:16:47.440 And so I was thankful the play was over. 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:53.519 I took a deep breath, and then as I began to get up, I I realized my fears were still there. 00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:56.399 I couldn't see anything, it was still pitch black. 00:16:57.919 --> 00:17:18.480 What had happened was when this guy hit me, as he went this way and I went this way, my helmet spun all the way around my head to where the face mask was back here, and my chin strap was it's funny now. 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:28.319 Um, but at the time, I mean, I thought first I thought I was blind, of course, and then as I lay there in the darkness hearing voices, I wondered if I had died. 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:31.680 And then my next thought was, why don't I see Jesus? 00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:33.119 What's happening here? 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:39.599 And uh one of our linemen after the game, he said, Well, if you thought you died, were you noticing a light? 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:40.319 Did you see a light? 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:41.759 People say they see a light sometimes. 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:45.200 And I said, No, I actually I did see a light. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:51.599 It wasn't so much like I envisioned like a train light coming at you, it was more like this light moving. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:55.440 And he said, That was just your ear holes that went by your eyes. 00:17:56.079 --> 00:18:01.279 So, anyway, that's unfortunately the one of the highlights of my NFL career. 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:10.880 Um but if you would, I want to use that picture, uh, which unfortunately, if you Google my name in football, that's one of the pictures that that comes up. 00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:20.960 Uh think about it for just a second with me that after this guy hits me, you know, he falls down, I stand up, I'm on my feet, I've got the ball. 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:23.519 Play could you know potentially still happen. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:24.799 You've got receivers now. 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:26.319 Imagine them, they're running their route. 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:32.640 Let's say this guy's running a middle route, he's putting his foot in the in the ground, he's turning, he doesn't know if the ball's coming or not, he's got to be ready. 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:38.480 You've got all the linemen that are still blocking, except for I guess the left tackle. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:43.680 And so everything, everything is still possible for this play to work. 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:51.680 Everything's still there except for one thing, which in this case happened to be a pretty important thing, the guy with the ball couldn't see. 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:54.000 I couldn't see what I needed to see to do it. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:19:01.440 If everything else is in play for this to work, but you can't see what you need to see, the play's over. 00:19:02.640 --> 00:19:07.759 There is a great scene in a movie years ago called Patch Adams. 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:09.599 Has anybody here seen the movie Patch Adams? 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:10.640 There's several hands. 00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:25.759 Well, Robin Williams is a doctor who makes people laugh, and there's this medicinal healing effect to laughter and the spirit of laughter, and and at one point though in the movie, he checks himself into a mental institution. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:28.400 He needs some help, he's struggling with some things. 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:40.240 So he goes in, and if you recall, the first thing that happened was this little old gray hair man ran up to him with four fingers right in front of his face and said, How many do you see? 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:41.839 How many fingers? 00:19:42.559 --> 00:19:44.160 And he said, Four? 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:53.359 I said, Four! You're crazy! You're all crazy, and he ran off, and uh Robin Williams was thinking, Man, that guy's nuts. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:20:04.160 Well, he later talked to somebody as he saw this guy doing this again, and it was a custodian at the at this place, and the custodian says, you know, um, that guy is Dr. 00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:05.599 Arthur Mendelssohn. 00:20:06.480 --> 00:20:09.200 He's one of the smartest minds of our time. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:12.960 And something clicked for Patch. 00:20:13.359 --> 00:20:21.440 And it was subtle, but I think one of the most incredibly important things for every one of us to think about and consider. 00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:35.680 He began to think, despite all evidence to the contrary, and despite his certainty that four is four, that perhaps there was something else to see that he couldn't see. 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:38.720 Isn't that a hard thing to come to? 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:53.119 Especially as we get older and we've seen things and we've been there and we've done that and we've read this scripture and we've learned this doctrine and we kind of have it all figured out, and we know we, you know, before anything happens, we've already got the answer, and we're almost refused to see anything differently once we think we know it. 00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:59.359 But Patch thought, maybe, as certain as this looks, maybe there's something more. 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:05.039 So he goes to this doctor and they have this great, great conversation, and finally uh Dr. 00:21:05.119 --> 00:21:06.480 Mendelson explains it to him. 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:08.079 He says, Look again, how many do you see? 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:08.960 He says, I see four. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.759 No, no, no. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:12.319 He goes, Don't look at the fingers. 00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:15.440 Look past the fingers, Patch, look at my face. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:16.960 Focus on my face. 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:20.000 And now tell me how many fingers you see. 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:28.079 And as he did that, as you focus on something beyond what's right in front of you, you get what we call double vision. 00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:30.960 And the answer he was looking for was eight. 00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:35.039 And he goes on to explain this awesome little monologue. 00:21:35.119 --> 00:21:43.519 He said, Patch, everyone sees what's obvious, everyone sees what's right in front of them, everyone can see the problem at hand or the thing, see things the way they are. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:54.240 But if you want to find the answer, if you want to see what's really important, you have to learn to look past that which seems so certain and obvious to you at that moment. 00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:59.759 And man, talk about the greatest uh intro into. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:15.680 Our verse for the day, 2 Corinthians 4 18, where Paul he says, so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:23.920 Because what is seen is temporary, comes and goes, but what is unseen is eternal. 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:28.079 As Christians, we are not just going to notice the things everyone else notices. 00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:33.839 We're not going to make up our minds and then never consider that God is going to be working to change our mind about something again. 00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:36.640 And we are going to look to see eternally. 00:22:36.880 --> 00:22:39.200 We want to see the things that are unseen. 00:22:40.319 --> 00:22:56.240 And so what I want to do for the rest of our time is share with you just a couple things that the Lord, over my lifetime and in particular these last two years, has really forced me to see a little bit differently. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:03.759 Things that I had kind of thought I had seen in many ways was trying to be a good Christian, studying the scripture to see these things. 00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:08.559 But yet, even with that, some of these things in my heart weren't quite there. 00:23:08.720 --> 00:23:17.279 And I don't know about you, but sometimes for me, it takes something pretty intense to force you to see something different, right? 00:23:17.359 --> 00:23:24.160 We don't change, you know, if you're winning football games, like I said, you're you're really not gonna, yeah, yeah, coach, I'll take your advice, or yeah, you know, we'll do something different. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:27.759 But as long as you're winning, as long as things are going along, you usually just kind of keep doing what you're doing. 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:28.880 There's no reason to change. 00:23:29.039 --> 00:23:47.359 But when things happen that just knock you down, or you lose an important game, or something happens, or you lose your job, or somebody gets sick, or something crazy happens, these are painful yet incredible opportunities that God gives us to begin to reorientate and see things differently. 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:50.799 And for me, as the video showed, it was it was when I got sick. 00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:53.200 I got really sick two years ago. 00:23:53.680 --> 00:24:04.000 And in fact, uh, as you get sick with Guillain Baret, it can paralyze you through your body up into your respiratory system where you can fail to breathe and you can die. 00:24:05.279 --> 00:24:11.200 Well, several days after I had uh got this diagnosis, I woke up one morning about 4 a.m. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:13.839 and I was struggling to breathe. 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:23.359 I was short of breath, I was I was kind of wheezy, and and I started, my mind started going, and I started thinking, I mean, is this is this it? 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:29.599 Like, God, this is not the time or the way I would have pictured this. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:34.079 But for a few brief moments there, I was thinking that this might be the end. 00:24:34.160 --> 00:24:41.039 And we called a doctor, and the doctor um after a few moments said, No, actually, you're you're you're fine. 00:24:41.200 --> 00:24:42.960 It's it's it's not it's not that. 00:24:43.119 --> 00:24:44.319 He goes, Why are you short of breath? 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:49.759 He goes, Well, um, and I don't want to be too graphic because we're in church, but this is kind of a cool church, right? 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:51.119 So you don't have to be too stuffy. 00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:52.880 I'm wearing jeans, for goodness sake. 00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:57.759 So uh he said, Well, you've been sick now for almost a week. 00:24:58.000 --> 00:25:03.839 You used to be really, really active and moving around, and for a week you've done nothing but lay on your back with medicine. 00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:06.960 When's the last time you took a dump? 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:09.839 I said, you know what? 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:12.799 I haven't had a movement in almost a week. 00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:16.000 He said, You're just nauseous and you have indigestion. 00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:18.079 So one, it was praise God for that. 00:25:18.160 --> 00:25:20.319 I mean, when do you thank God for for that? 00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:32.480 But people at this point were emailing Desire Street and people calling my family saying, you know, we know you're sick, we're praying for you, but seriously, what can we specifically pray for for you? 00:25:32.799 --> 00:25:34.400 So you really want to know? 00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:36.720 Hi, here it is. 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:39.279 Pray, but I can take a dump. 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:40.720 That's what that's what I need. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:44.079 That's at this moment in my life, that seems to be the most pressing thing. 00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:53.839 So people were praying, and we brought in a guy that we know that to me is one of the most uh godly, mature, spiritual men that I know. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:26:04.000 Um, he drove in from Mobile and out of obedience to the book of James, whether you believe in this or not, it says, you know, when people are sick, put oil on them and pray for them. 00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:04.960 So we did that. 00:26:05.200 --> 00:26:11.119 He put oil on my head and he prayed, oh Lord, help this boy take a dump. 00:26:13.359 --> 00:26:24.000 And 15 minutes after that, I took my first movement in over a week and broke out in doxology. 00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:28.400 Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, right? 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:33.759 So um God, God's faithful in in all the departments, I guess. 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:51.680 Um, but nonetheless, it was during this time, and not just the initial time of being sick, but for me, the next 12 to 15, 16 months, actually began to be harder because I got as I began to get well, I began to function, but I had no energy. 00:26:52.160 --> 00:27:07.039 My son's constantly asking to go play, and I can't have the energy to go play outside with him, and and it couldn't do the things I I wanted to do, and it was just really struggling to live life without the motor, the energy, the things that I used to lean on to be okay. 00:27:07.200 --> 00:27:11.119 And you know, if I felt bad, I'd just have an intern and go compete and beat him in something. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:12.079 Then I'd feel better, right? 00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:14.880 I've got two interns here, so y'all know what I'm talking about. 00:27:15.039 --> 00:27:19.759 Um so, anyway, of course, the the trick is to only compete in events you know you can win. 00:27:19.839 --> 00:27:21.200 So that that's my secret. 00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:28.799 Um But anyway, uh so during this time is is really when God helped me to relearn a few things. 00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:40.319 And so I'm gonna take the the last bit of time that we have, the next uh 10, 10 or 15 minutes, and just share a couple things that have really been pressed in my heart that I'm beginning to see differently. 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:48.319 Okay, so the first one, I've got three kids, two boys and a daughter, and I see one of my sons is here. 00:27:48.480 --> 00:27:50.480 Is Joshua here or did he go to go to class? 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:51.440 He went to class. 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:53.279 Okay, so we've just got Jonah here. 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:58.799 Well, right now, their favorite thing to play with is Legos. 00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:05.519 Okay, they love their Legos, you know, and when they were little it was toy cars, the matchbox cars, cars, cars, but now it's Legos. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:12.559 So for the last several years of their life, when it's a birthday or Christmas or a holiday, or when they save up their money, they get Legos. 00:28:12.880 --> 00:28:18.160 So you can imagine, you know, over three or four or five years of obsession with Legos, how many do you accumulate, right? 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:26.000 I mean, you've got thousands of Legos in our dining room, we've got thousands in their bedroom, and they're all over the place. 00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:28.240 So here's the funny thing, though, right? 00:28:28.400 --> 00:28:35.839 When they go into a room, two boys, to play with 3,000 Legos, you would think there's enough Legos, right? 00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:38.240 But what happens every time? 00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:42.160 They find one and they argue over it every time. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:43.119 Oh, that one's mine. 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:44.960 Oh no, it's not Jonah, that one's mine. 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:49.599 No, it's not, it's mine, it's mine, it's mine, and they're screaming mine and mine over this Lego. 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:51.680 And you know, it's like, are you kidding me? 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:53.680 Now, this is true. 00:28:54.079 --> 00:29:01.039 Yesterday, I'm at home and I'm in the kitchen, they're in the dining room, happens. 00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:03.039 They're screaming over a lego. 00:29:03.119 --> 00:29:04.160 That one's mine, no, it's not. 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:07.039 No, that was in the in the shared box, and I'm allowed to use the no, it's mine. 00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:07.839 It got in the shared box. 00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:10.799 It's not they're screaming, so I go in there and say, guys, stop. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:13.119 Of course, they don't ever stop right away. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:15.519 It's like, you know, no anyway. 00:29:15.599 --> 00:29:18.880 So finally I got their attention and I said, I'm gonna tell you a story. 00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:22.880 This is a story that I tell a lot of people, the story I just told you. 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:33.039 And so I'm in the middle of telling this story, this great story, about these kids screaming mine, and right in the middle of it, my seven-year-old says, Yeah, dad, but seriously, it really is mine. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:35.839 It's like right in the middle of the story about mine, he's screaming mine. 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:37.279 Isn't that like how we how we do it? 00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:40.079 It's funny when, you know, they're two or three. 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:43.759 You know, not as funny now that they're seven and nine. 00:29:44.319 --> 00:29:54.960 But what about when they're 15 or 20 or 40 or 60, and we may not run around screaming mine over Legos. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:08.880 But if we're really honest, I think that if we were to look at our lives, the way that we spend our time, the way that we spend our money, the way that we use our talents and the gifts that we have. 00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:20.240 I think if we're honest, most of those things orbit around ourselves and we're running around screaming, mine, my money, mine, my talent, mine, my time, it's mine. 00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:24.160 Or at best, it orbits around our immediate family. 00:30:24.880 --> 00:30:34.079 I think one of the most key moments in life is when we begin to realize that we are a part of a much bigger story, and it's not about you. 00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:36.079 It's not about me. 00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:38.880 My life is not about me. 00:30:39.680 --> 00:30:55.119 Now, the reason this came up for me at this point again in my life, I mean, I've been thinking that and saying that for a lot of years, but you know, in terms of checking off a box, if you were to say, what do you need to do to say your time's not about yourself, your money's not about yourself, and your talents aren't about yourself, what could you do? 00:30:55.279 --> 00:31:00.480 Well, what would be on a resume better if we were if there were Christian resumes? 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.680 But we don't we don't do that, right? 00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:03.200 Even subconsciously, right? 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:04.160 No, of course not. 00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:12.640 So, what would be better than an NFL player who gave away tons of his money, who retired from the NFL to work in the inner city for poor people? 00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:15.039 I mean, honestly, that box is pretty checked. 00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:21.839 So I I feel like most of the time when I go around, when you look at the resumes, I can check off that box and can feel pretty good about myself. 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:23.680 My life's not about me, right? 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:39.440 Well, God used this time to say, you know, Danny, even the things you do for other people can really be about you and what you need and your image and the way you want to see yourself and the way you want people to see you. 00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:47.200 So you be careful when you go around and you preach to everybody that it's not about them, but you be careful that when you're up there preaching, you preaching isn't all about you. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:52.160 So that's a pretty, pretty humbling thing to begin to swallow again. 00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:57.039 Second thing, I was going, uh similar, a little bit different. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:00.559 I was going to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. 00:32:00.640 --> 00:32:04.000 So they're giving away the new Heisman Trophy to the next recipient. 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:10.000 We're at this hotel with 30 uh former Heisman winners and hundreds of people looking for autographs. 00:32:10.079 --> 00:32:15.039 And this little kid follows me with an orange mini helmet into the bathroom. 00:32:15.359 --> 00:32:16.799 He's serious. 00:32:17.279 --> 00:32:19.119 And at least he waited by the door. 00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:19.680 That was plight. 00:32:19.759 --> 00:32:21.359 So as I'm walking out, he hands it to me. 00:32:21.440 --> 00:32:28.000 I reached in, I pulled out my uh Sharpie, and I uh I said, uh, so who do you want me to make this out to? 00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:30.079 And he says, nothing. 00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:33.279 Which made me think, ah, he wants to sell this. 00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:34.319 Because that's what they do. 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:39.279 Uh adults would hire kids to go get your autograph, but they wouldn't let you put their name on it because then it loses its value. 00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:42.960 So I said, you're not gonna steal my celebrity status, young man. 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:46.160 I didn't say this, but you're not gonna steal my status for your profits. 00:32:46.240 --> 00:32:47.759 So who do you want me to make this out to? 00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:49.119 He wouldn't say it. 00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:57.599 So finally I had to just just really lean to that and say, look, young man, if you don't tell me who you want me to sign this to, I'm not gonna sign it for you. 00:32:58.079 --> 00:33:06.160 He said, I don't know who you are, but I saw you in that room with Tim Tebow, and I was hoping you could take it in there and get his autograph. 00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:10.160 Are you are you kidding me? 00:33:12.160 --> 00:33:15.039 Somebody said, Well, did you did you get it for him? 00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:16.160 I said, No. 00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:17.359 I said, Are you kidding? 00:33:17.759 --> 00:33:22.160 Maybe by the time I'm 50, I would truly be that redeemed to do something like that. 00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:25.599 But my ego is still way too strong at this point in my life. 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:34.960 So um I was going to the airport not long uh after that, and I went to get my shoes shined by the Delta uh check-in place. 00:33:35.039 --> 00:33:39.039 And if you've ever seen it, there's a guy there, older African-American guy who wears a headband a lot. 00:33:39.119 --> 00:33:45.200 And getting my shoes shined, so you know I'm propped up here in this chair, and he's down there. 00:33:45.279 --> 00:33:51.839 And I have this thought, and I'm I'm sure it was in my mind at the time, it was a very uh humble, charitable thought. 00:33:52.079 --> 00:33:56.880 I thought I wondered if he thought it was cool that he was with the Heisman Trophy winner. 00:33:57.200 --> 00:34:00.160 Certainly no need on my ego for another hit, right? 00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:11.840 So I I asked the question politely, because you know, the the goal is to feed your ego without knowing you're feeding your ego, and to kind of, you know, pride yourself on being humble. 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:16.639 So I asked him, I said, um, I said, have you ever met uh any celebrities? 00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:21.199 You gotta just be with me for this moment. 00:34:21.360 --> 00:34:26.639 He he's down on his knees and he just stops. 00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:34.320 He looks up and he says, Son, in my world there are no celebrities. 00:34:35.039 --> 00:34:40.559 If anybody finds themselves on some kind of pedestal, it's because they put themselves there. 00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:42.480 And it doesn't mean anything to me. 00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:51.280 BAM! I'm glad the chair had a back on it, or I would have probably flipped over backwards. 00:34:51.519 --> 00:34:52.800 You know, point number two. 00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:54.800 Number one, um, your life is not about you. 00:34:54.880 --> 00:34:57.360 Number two, you're not that important. 00:34:58.559 --> 00:35:04.559 We spend so much of our time figuring out a way for our fragile egos to feel important. 00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:14.000 We do so many things, we present ourselves a certain way, we figure out what we think is gonna do it, and we're just obsessed with trying to be important enough to where we don't feel like nothing. 00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:20.960 And yet, uh at the end of the day, we really aren't all that important, at least in those ways. 00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:22.400 So, number one, it's not about you. 00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:24.000 Number two, you're not that important. 00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:34.400 Um, I'm gonna say number three really quickly, um, because this is one of those things I think I don't think anybody here would disagree with me, but I think every one of us disagree with this at some level, okay? 00:35:34.559 --> 00:35:38.719 Um, it's not about money, right? 00:35:39.039 --> 00:35:40.639 Who thinks that life is about money? 00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:41.280 Raise your hand. 00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:43.119 I mean, my son. 00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:44.480 Perfect. 00:35:46.559 --> 00:35:47.840 That's awesome. 00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:50.639 Um not really, but funny. 00:35:50.800 --> 00:35:54.000 Uh so none of us would really say that. 00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:54.800 But you know what? 00:35:54.880 --> 00:36:03.599 We we live in a cultures and and and nations and and everybody kind of as groups get together and they form, they always have something that kind of becomes the collective idol. 00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:08.000 And sometimes it can be a religious uh idol, it can be a political idol. 00:36:08.079 --> 00:36:10.719 And in our case, without question, it is money. 00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:13.599 Our country runs and is motivated by money. 00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:18.559 And if we're not aware of that and thinking about that and challenging ourselves, we're just a part of it. 00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:25.360 You know, the average uh almost half of the people on the planet right now live on less than$2 a day. 00:36:26.000 --> 00:36:27.199 That is crazy. 00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:32.400 And at this time, and we're the richest people that have ever been in the history of the world. 00:36:32.480 --> 00:36:33.360 It's unbelievable. 00:36:33.440 --> 00:36:34.719 I mean, we live in this bubble. 00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:38.719 And you know, I'll never forget when we lost everything in Hurricane Katrina. 00:36:38.880 --> 00:36:41.360 My wife and I and our son Jonah was with us. 00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:44.960 We we saw a photo that our one-story house was underwater. 00:36:45.679 --> 00:36:52.480