The People You Surround Yourself With Matter

Join Cyle, Cody, Ryan, and Mark for a candid conversation about marriage, community, and the power of influence in our daily lives. From newlywed wisdom to middle school ministry moments, the hosts explore how the people we surround ourselves with shape who we become. They dive deep into 1 Corinthians 15:33 and discuss why authentic Christian community matters more than we realize—plus plenty of laughs about ComicCon, Monty Python, and generational humor.

Transcript

 Hello and welcome to the HOTL Cast. I'm Cyle. 

I'm Cody 

Cody's back finally, this has been like two years since you've been on the podcast. 

It's been like three weeks. 

You, you've not even been in the podcast 

since 2020. I've on a, a couple, yes, I did. I told myself welcome 

in 2026. 

I gave my like. Didn't I get my testimony at one point?

I don't know. 

It was 2025, I'm pretty sure. Yeah. Welcome to 20 20, 

24 actually. 

Yeah, it was 2025. Yes. Yeah, it was. 

Yeah, it's been a long time. So we're here with Ryan. 

Yep, I'm here. 

And Mark? 

Yeah, I'm in the corner. Hey. Yeah. 

So we, mark started a discussion about marriage. So we figure let's turn the pot. Oh, 

that's great.

You know what? 'cause 

you can talk, talk about that. Now's have Mark tell us all about what he has learned. All his insights on marriage. 

I didn't, I didn't share your wisdom. I did not communicate to her that I was sharing our conversation. We 

would love. Well, you should have. You should have, because now you're gonna be in trouble.

Yeah. 

We would love to know what you've learned in a month of marriage. 

Mark got married on 

1212. Teach 

12. 12. You got married. 

Uh, yeah. 12. 12. 

So you've been 

married for six weeks. 

Yeah. 

It's funny that 12, we had to move our, our hot day of prayer for him. Whatever. 

You're welcome. I'm okay with that. 

Oh, it was a hot day of prayer.

All right. On 1212,

yeah. 

I learned how to say, sorry, quite a bit. So, 

yeah, that's good. 

Good. That's good. That's good. I've been learning that one. Um, 

apologizing a lot. You, so you were talking about kids. Let's, let's not, let's not forget the conversation. You said Brie and you were talking about having children. Yeah. 

Well, we're not even close.

Hold on. Like, wait, 

wait, wait. That's not what Brie said. 

No, don't you, don't you start these rumors, please. Not yet. Just 

kidding. We're just kidding. 

We're, we're, we're just figuring out timelines for when we want. 

No, it was good. You were talking about how you basically, you said, I'm learning from marriage, that I have to, like my wife.

Ask questions I haven't even thought of the answers to yet. Correct. I have to give 'em to her. So, and you said in relation to like, what about one day when we have kids? And so pick up that 

conversation. Yeah. She was, she was asking like, well, like, what are we gonna do with like childcare and when whatnot.

'cause she works at consumers. I work here at the church. She's like, well, when I get back to work again, like, what is that gonna look like? Like what's our game plan? Like, what's going on? I'm like, we're there. I'm like, there's a, I'm trying to figure out. Like, okay, let's, let's think through it. Let's process through it.

Obviously this is important. I have not even begin to think about this like, conversation. So let, let's, where 

did 

this conversation happen? Did In the house or in the car? 

Isn. In the car. 

In the car. Did you, did you go out to the car? I'm gonna, 

no, no, we were already driving. We were already, this is because 

people who have listened this podcast, they know you have conversations in the car.

This wasn't, this wasn't one of those car conversations. We were driving. We were driving. I, I decided to take her to work over the weekend 'cause she hates driving and I enjoy driving. I got to spend more time with my wife. 

That's good. 

So, um, 

just though in my mind, I imagine she asked you the question and you just immediately turned, walked outta the house and all of a sudden you hear the door open in the car and closed the car and you're just sitting there.

She comes out and talks to you. That's, that's my, that's my, yeah, that's my imagination. So, 

and I 

was like, do you wanna come in from 

the cult? Where are you going? 

If you missed that podcast episode, mark gave some good advice that, like we talked about, having difficult conversations, finding a location, having they actually, like, he just feels like he focuses better with difficult conversations in a car.

In the car. Yeah. Like you can't go anywhere. You're not driving, just, you can't escape it. And so. It's a good thing. It was a good vice back then. That was like in two, that was back in 2025 when you were on the podcast. Yeah. Um, yeah, I think I was was there Yeah, you were there that day too. 20, 24. So, but um, yeah.

No Mark. So that's awesome that you are talking through this. So what'd you decide? 

Uh, we're figuring it out. Yeah. We have a few ideas. Things we're like tossing around and trying to figure out, but nothing like locked down just yet. 'cause it's still a ways out. Consumers 

has good childcare program, right?

Uh, that's what I thought. The the maternity leave is great. Oh yeah. They, they could, they 

better for how much they're charging me monthly for energy saying it. Yeah. 

They do a good job at taking care of their employees. I will say they, they have done a great job in the things that she gets is great. So, yeah.

But once all that's done, like once maternity leave is done, like what does it look like then? Like, what does childcare look like? What does, does the kid just travel with me wherever I go? When I, what if I can't do that? She's like, can you, can the kid, like if we have a kid, can they come to youth group with you?

I'm like, maybe, but I would have a hard time focusing, shouldn't 

play dodge ball. It's really, 

yeah. I was gonna say, it's really hard to play dodge ball just telling you with the kid 

to you. I'm telling you from experience. Yeah. You can use him as a human shield, but once they get hit in the head, it's, it's kind of done zone.

Crumpled. Him. 

Crumpled, crumpled. 

So is there like a, 

it is like an ETA for this. Um, 

part of your life. Kind of, there's like a rough like, area of how long we're waiting. Uh, like about We're 

really trying to get you in trouble. This Yeah, we 

definitely, 

I 

know. 

We 

really 

want you to share. 

We're gonna 

find out if Bri actually listen to the podcast.

Why'd you tell them all this stuff on the podcast? Or 

somebody that does this? Gonna reach 

out 

to me. It would be like three 

months later. 

Confidence. 

Hey, you need to reach out. You need to listen to this and see how much mark's in trouble. Well 

tune in next week for the tele villa mark's. Yeah. First month of marriage.

Yeah, 

but no, a lot of the good things, a lot of things like she's ran. I'm like, that's a good point. Like I didn't even begin to think about that. Wait, wait, 

wait. We, we distracted him. He was about to give us the ETA 

and we distracted him. 

We saved 

him right there. Like at most a year. I think we've talked about like, wow.

That's like, or like by that point it's like, we're gonna, 

bri's gonna call us. Be like, 

are you, it only takes like 10 months to make a baby. 

Yeah. You know that, right? 

I, it's not, I don't. Okay. Like 

I'm real. We're, I'm really enjoying you. Like it just fumbling. I don't wanna get in trouble. I'm sorry, mark.

Ultimately this spot from a conversation we were all having about how different we are from our wives and how we think differently than our wives. 

Yeah. 

Right. Because our wives ask questions, we just don't think about. 

It's 

like, 

that's a good question 

and that is a good question, but we also think 

than them.

I have one confession time. So my wife is always very concerned, you know, my whole car situation, like last night, she was like, well, how's Kylie gonna get to the Napoleon tomorrow? And how's, how are am I gonna get to church? I don't know. It'll just all work out. And, uh, that is the wrong answer, just so you know.

It's the wrong answer for my wife. The right answer for me. I don't know. It didn't work out. We got cars. We'll figure it out. You half of 'em don't work, but we'll figure 

it out. That, that was so you, you had a learning experience where That is the wrong answer. 

I mean, it's my normal answer. It'll, it'll work out.

Um, but it's 

always the wrong answer for her. How long have you been married now? 

Uh, 25 years almost 

so, yeah. So should know better. You know what that's great for? That's great for all of us who've been married for a long time to realize like, it's okay that you're still learning. You know, like it is. Yeah, 

yeah, 

yeah.

We're all always learning, so, 

but sometimes, sometimes we think of things our wives don't think of too. Like we're talking to the, we're talking to about like where we're gonna be when the baby comes and like, what, where we're staying. So she's got all this stuff planned out and I'm like. Asking the doctor, Hey, what did they do for valet service and how long do I need to like worry about the car?

Like how am I, because I've got this pregnant woman, I've gotta get to a hospital room, like what am I gonna do with the car? And she's like, that's crazy. So we're on the drive home. She's like, that's crazy. I never would've thought of that. I was like, yeah. I was like, that's what you got me here for. 

You're like, I am amazing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm pretty great. 

One of my life goals has never been sick enough to need the valet service at Legion. 

Yeah, that's a good goal to have that life goal, I'll just tell you. Yeah, 

yeah, 

yeah. But no, it's at mots. It's at mots. So, oh, they have valet service. Valet. That's nice. Service. So they said, no, like if you're pregnant, they're gonna have you.

They're gonna bring a thing out. You just need to call head look on your drive. And 

that's cool 

because she's like, we're an hour away. I'm like, yeah, you know what I'm thinking about. How am I gonna fight the traffic in the, the parking garage when you're trying to get up there and baby? 

Well, 

March 3rd have a baby.

March 3rd will be it. Probably 

know March 3rd is great. 

When the baby comes 

is that last night she said in the pool, said, why are you saying March 3rd? 

The pool? Yeah. She 

like, why are you saying March 3rd? All? I was like, well, because I think it's gonna be March 3rd. And she's like, nots be February. I'm like, no, it's gonna be March.

I was like, oh geez. Like. Yeah. 

February 24th is a great day though, so if she hits that, that'd be good, because that's Tre's birthday. 

That's actually, yeah. We're, yeah. 

Cyle, we're gonna try and time our son's birth around your dog. Thank you.

You're, you're ridiculous. 

That's a great day in my life. I'm telling you. 

You remember your dog's birthdays? 

That's amazing. 

Yeah. Oh, Carrick is February 15th too. 

It is. I'm glad you just. That 

means you'd be way 

too early though of your kids' birthdays. That that would be just to make sure that we know, you know, your kids' birthdays.

Yeah. As well as your dogs. Yeah, 

the dog's. Just 

first time, because I'm gonna be honest with you, I'm like, do you know your kids' birthdays? Like that dog 

and I are very close. 

We are close. Yeah. We know. 

We're aware. 

Yeah. 

She's very sweet though. 

Yeah, she is. Yeah. Um, well this, none of this has. Anything you do.

Yeah. This is just a podcast with Sunday's 

HOTL cons. 

It doesn't. It doesn't. Hey, I wanted to talk to you about some things you said. I, I feel like this is a good time to confront you on some of the things you said on Sunday that I had beef with. First of all, you called me old. I didn't appreciate that.

You 

were 

definitely and, uh, 

showed your 

age. I just want you to know like the fact. That you, you didn't get the references and you're older than me, I think is you've failed in your job. I 

definitely know who Abbott and Costello are because 

I mean you No, you don't, don't. I am older than, no, I'm exposing you.

You had to ask me who Abbott and Costello were 

on stage 

as part of the game. No, no, no, no. Before we even started. Don't, don't act like you didn't. You're like, I don't even know who Abbott Costello is, and I had to tell you. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. Okay. All right. Sure. I 

watched that. 

Hey, it's fine. It's cool, kid. 

Yeah.

Black and white. Yeah. Um, back in the day. I, I, but they're not that old. I don't think people in our congregation generally know who they are. 'cause our congregation tends to be pretty young. 

Yeah. 

And I think it was proven correct on Sunday. They, they don't really know who they are. 

No. It was definitely a mixed bag.

There's no question. Which it is one I know, which I think is, is the rare occurrence. Yeah. I had the, like their, who's on first 

sketch and, and I, I just, I also want to say, you called me Marty McFly again. I'm just telling you, every time I wear the orange vest, you don't have to call me Marty McFly. Okay.

That is a term 

I feel like he has to actually it is, I mean, back I would is 

one of your greatest 

movies of 

all time. It's one of your favorites. 

I would actually disagree. I think he has to, every time you wear that orange vest. 

Yeah, but also you should not stop 

wearing it. 

We also, being called 

Marty McFly is much better than being called Biff.

That's, yeah, that's true. Very true. That's actually true. 

Yeah. 

Yeah. 

Sounds like you miss something. Like, 

and also this No, this I just, this in the effort to keep in short accounts. Okay. Uh, you know, I, I also want you to know you made fun of me. Thank you, mark, for doing a, a Monte Python sketch. 

Yeah. Again, put that show 

your age once again.

Show your age. 

Yeah. 

I don't even care. That was hilarious. And, and that humor transcends generations. Oh yeah. That's 

old now. 

Yeah. Oh, it's very old. 

It's very old. 

Yeah. 

It 

is timeless though. 

It is timeless. 

Will it come out in the eighties 

when somebody is walking behind you acting like they're a horse?

Here's the thing though, with 

coconuts, 

that's, here's why. It dates you. It makes you old. Back in the day of television, Monty Python was on all the time. Every generation you could could find, 

yep. 

Kids Don watch television. So anybody be below 25 has no clue who money Python is. No, no, no. Because they would have to search.

Not they're not, they have to not search 

it. They have to search on a streaming platform that is promoting. It's, that's, that's why you, you're old. 

Honestly, by the time I was a, 

oh, I'm not saying I'm not old, I'm just saying you made fun of me and you're older than me and we both love money, Python, but I have a 

young heart, so Yeah.

Wow. 

Because I will be young forever. He forever. Young. He'll 

yeah. 

Forever 

young. 

I wanna be for those who dunno, my last name is young and that's how I proposed. So, and for those of you who are also too young to know that song, yeah, it was also moved. I 

feel like that's iconic. 

But yeah, I mean I know it, the thing I think you gotta realize is we do have, we, we, we try to have things of all generations.

Yeah, 

we did. 

I think yours just skewed a little bit 

old this time. I'm 

telling you he's getting older. You should have done the Tac Dog thing. Let's 

getting 

older. TikTok 

dog. 

The one that like, I'm not doing that, that where it got angry. I, I mark, 

I think that's showing, here's my favorite thing, but I admitted to you that yes, I picked something too young for most of the audience.

Yes. Six, 

seven. So I, you, no, not six seven, because six seven is still great and I'll go do it every week if I can. Um, for the rest of my life probably. I love it. Um. So I was, well, so I'll say my thing and I'll tell you about six. Oh. All right. So, um, I picked an Olo for our church me squad. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

The hot olo, the axle. But if you are under the age of 30, you have no idea what an ax lotto is. 

I think that's hilarious. 

Unless, you know, like biology and science. 

So I'm at the back door, right? I'm at the back door for people as they're going out of the sanctuary. And the actual hoddle comes out on stage, 

which 

is an actual animal 

from Mexico, 

lives in the canals of Mexico 

City.

Somebody like is not a joke, says canals, gotta catch 'em all. And I'm like, it's not a Pokemon, it's a real animal like, but. In their defense, it definitely looks like a Pokemon. 

Yeah. 

There's no 

question. That was you, Ryan. You were, it was me. How did it feel to be 

Ryan played the HOTL? 

It felt amazing. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. You know, my biggest disappointing thing is when I came to you and said, did anybody get pictures with you after your church? And you're like, no, 

no. 

I was so disappointed by that. No, 

I, I, I blame it mostly on, I took the costume off too soon. Yes. 

My dream was you would've just bounced around up on stage, came down, bounced around up front people came up and got pictures.

I, I have failed you. Yeah. And I, and I'm sorry, 

uh, we did get pictures of the other characters in the lobby. Yeah. In between services. 

The AXA will be back. It'll be back. Fun fact. But the Axa Hato isn't a Minecraft game. That's how children and people under 25. 30 know it because they played Minecraft for many years.

Yeah. It's the, it's the game. And you can like have 'em as a 

pet. And I, I will be honest, there's different colored ones. I what an Otto was. If it weren't for Minecraft. 

It's actually how I learned how, 'cause Jackie has a Otto farm on her Minecraft 

Yes. 

Hookup. 

And 

we have one in real life. Bri has one at our house.

It's an amphibian. They're not smart though. It's an amphibious. You can't 

have rocks in their tank, otherwise they eat them and then they die. Um, so they have, okay, 

now I'll tell you the six, 

seven, they have like three brain cells. 

I spent all weekend hanging out with middle school boys, with my kids, you know, middle schooler.

They came over, carver's been hanging out with them. And so, um, because of the snowstorm that set that, a couple of 'em decided to stay the night, which is a lot of fun. And, uh, during the whole time. Every, we're counting, we're, we're putting together decks for the game. Rift bound, card decks, trading card game.

Yep. 

And um, as we're doing it, they're counting cards constantly. 1, 2, 3. 'cause you have to have a certain number of card. You deck. Yeah. So every time. Six, seven and Eli's like, I hate that so much. 'cause I hate that mean and everything about it. I said, well Eli, you will love it because I am gonna do it every single time anyone makes a count and goes, six, I am gonna funny hit six, seven every time.

I just guarantee it. So all week get along. I just made sure. He's like, I hate it every time still. So I hate it. And so. We had a blast. 

Six, seven. No. So I, I had to have a little procedure yesterday and the gal asked me what my pain is and the worst time is, there's more to that story, but the best part is I said, I don't know, it was like six, seven.

And, and she made the hand motion, the nurse makes 

the hand motion 

goes hilarious. Six seven i, 

and it crosses generate. So our Jamaican friends were in right. Yeah, Jamaica friends, that's amazing. Right? And it crosses genera, like crosses cultures because we said six, seven, and they're like six, seven. Like we didn't even have to say it.

Like they do that Bible 

study last week at 6:00 AM. Somebody's sharing like from their heart. And they said they were, they did like six you, it was like six, seven, but they weren't saying it like that way. And I look at Ryan, Ryan looks at me and we both go, six, seven, move our hands. 

I can see him outta the 

corner.

My, we did. I can't help it. I got, I tell 

you dude, it's the exact same. The one thing is this generation and everything about this time period, this era is so un serious. We love our stems like it's so. Serious. 

We, we, we love stems. 

It's like we can't even be like, you can't, there's no solemnity at all. Like, you can't, these people can't stop at all and just be solemn.

It's all like nothing serious. There's, and I love it. I love it so much. 

Yeah. And then that leads us back to comb. Exactly. Alcon is a Sunday where we are silly because 51 Sundays a year we're. Less silly, but on one Sunday a year, we decided to have, 

I, I mean you say that, like we don't do these things on a regular 

basis.

Yeah. But we, we have one Sunday dedicated to, to the nerds. The geeks in the group who like board games Yep. And card games and nerdy things like Minecraft that you could just kind of have a Sunday where you feel like, eh, this, this place is for me. These are my people. Yeah. And for the rest of you we're sorry.

You, you're just kind of confused. 

Yeah. 

And, but did you get 51 other Sundays? So like 

Yeah. 

You know. 

Yeah. 

Care about what the people care about, care about. We care about everybody. And so that's why you had stuff for older people because you know in your comments, 

I, because I felt like we had an we, we did that on purpose.

I know it sounds like we did it on accent, but we did it on purpose. Because if we're gonna do something that's silly, we're not just gonna do something that's silly, that's like reaches middle schoolers. Like, we're gonna do something that we feel like is gonna be funny across generations. And that's why like the Monty Python thing, Abbott and Costello like.

It wasn't really abbot and costell, it was just like a nod to Abbot and Costell and being goofballs. But, uh, I think, I mean, I think collectively, I think we all agree that the funniest, uh, skit slash sketch that we did on Sunday was your shadow. Yeah. And I, that, 

that was amazing. 

I loved how. Terrified you were of that and how aware you were of what your hands were doing 

what, 

because that was, I think, the funniest thing 

about four times.

He was like, all right, I'm gonna put my hands in my pockets and not move. And then he would forget and start 

moving his hands again. I could feel, 

I 

could feel him behind 

me, wasn't 

touching 

me, could see the 

shadow out 

of the 

corner. I'm his presence. But that was, that was. Your son, Joe Craw was great. It was, 

it was 

Ryan son, Joe.

He did a good job, was doing that. And uh, yeah, it was great. 

I 

felt 

my shadow was definitely smaller than I thought it should be, but, you know, looking good. 

I wanted to make the joke that your shadow was on Ozempic, but that's, I didn't feel like, you know, I feel like other people would find that funny, but 

maybe 

it's fine.

Yeah, 

it's fine. 

Don't laugh 

at it. It's fine. It's good to have a small shadow. We won't. 

Yeah, that's fine. I cast 

a 

small cell wait cell again. Just kidding. Yep. We should do this thing where we'd make somebody tell a joke twice. 

But we did me specific, we were silly. We brought Melissa Kley in who, who does movies.

And so if you miss that, go back and watch it. 'cause we do wanna be more intentional in Christian movies in Michigan, especially as we Yep. Absolutely. Uh, partner with the Star Theater. We have Hollewood every year. I mean, we are movie centric congregation for sure. Um, and we believe that God's truth is God's truth no matter where you find the world, even if it's in movies or media or anywhere.

And so, um, there are opportunities to come forward to be extras. There's opportunities to partner with, with her and help make some of these movies and potentially get speaking roles. And, um, they're looking at bringing a movie here to the area to film. She's talking about maybe down at the camp, uh, or here in Brooklyn.

So we're really excited. And they're also making a race car movie. So it just kinda seems like a season for us. To fit. She kinda came back into our life after a five year hiatus, just kind of, Hey, we're doing this. I said, well, probably should share what we've been doing. And it just seemed like a really good time to kind of bring her to share with our people how they could get more involved.

And they're looking for a church that can partner and help them. And so. Seems like a thing that we, we really should be, uh, moving forward, at least participating in. And so she was there. And then we talked about, uh, because we had a lot going on in Han, it took time to, you wanted to sermon that. So, uh, which I just said well, don't I just do my favorite verse.

So we've wanting to do that and just talk just about that, kind of go deeper and dive in. One Corinthians 1533. And what does that mean? What does it really mean? Just, I use it a lot. I say it a lot throughout the year as different, um, examples in sermons. Or kinda share just from my heart with that. I, I use it a lot of counseling and so I thought it was a good time to go back to kind of the original languages in the Greek and say, Hey, this is what it meant when Paul said it to the depths of what he was trying to say and how it really, it still applies to us.

'cause sometimes we lose the meaning. Um, we just have the English and we just think, well, this means get better friends. But it does mean that, uh, have better friends, have better association. But it in all associations of your life, friends, family, things. Activities, hobbies? Like how are they influencing you?

Cowork, I mean, coworkers, 

the verses do not be misled by company corrupts good character, good morals, and um, so we really, we really talked about that. And it was good people, I think people walked away sharing with me that it was a gut check for some that they recognized, oh, I got some influences in my life.

I really need it. I really need to think about like from the podcast you listen to, to the music, listen to the movies you watch, the people you're around. Um. The books you read, a lot of that is influencing us. And you know, I truly believe what Paul was saying when he wrote those words, when he said those was he was trying to say what you believe about kind of Christ and, and the future.

It matters and it should affect your present. Mm-hmm. And I think that that's the takeaway. We really need to think more about. Do we really believe about the future and how does it change our everyday? 

Mm-hmm. You were talking about you had a bunch of middle schoolers are over. Right? And those middle schoolers, they're like our middle school boys and our middle school girls, like are, and even our high school group is, is really gelling to this place where they're starting to make cognitive decisions about the time that they're spending together and being intentional because that's becoming their group, like their, their people.

And, uh, I had a student just last night, say, my whole life changed. Um, first when I figured out that this was my community. Like, and, and I think that was really powerful to me, uh, because I think a lot of times when Christians, when followers of Christ, you know, whatever. When we think about how people engage, we a lot of times think, let's get 'em to Jesus and then involve them in community.

But the problem is like that. Is kind of the opposite of how it really should happen and how it does happen. Like we are supposed to be a community that represents the body of Christ and invites people to come in and experience what that feels like. And then from there, life change really takes root.

And I would say that the more consistent long-term life change. I'm, I know this a, I'm painting with a broad brush stroke, but I would say that like, it's been my experience that, that the times where people get more involved in community and belong and are part of something and then decide to change their life as a result of their love for Jesus.

It's more long lasting and it takes effect more because like we don't, I don't think that we as a people have a willpower to really like change things on our own in a vacuum. Like that's very rare. It's very rare that people are able to do that. But when we're in community with other people, it just starts, like you start to talk different, like you start to behave different.

You start to act different and like you just start to become the people that you're spending the most time with. And I, I think that's amazing. We were talking about there's a group of young adults. Got men right now that are spending a lot of time together in our church and like they are just, they're in love with the community that they're building and like, it's become kind of how they make decisions about what they're gonna do in their life.

And so I think I, I can't, I don't think it could be undersold that, that community, what you're building with the people who you put you, you're the building blocks that you're putting together to build your community and the people that you spend your time with. That is so important in your walk with Christ because that's what sets the tone for the kind of person that you're gonna be when you're taken off guard.

Like the things that you do, like when you're not thinking about it, they'll just be a natural thing that starts to happen, and. So I, I just think it's, I think it's awesome. 

Yeah. 'cause you become more like the people you spend time with. I know I got this, Melinda, I don't even remember what we were talking about, but Melinda and I were talking and I thought it was funny at first, and then I was like, that's actually really cool.

Like, I don't even remember what it was, the conversation, but she's like, yeah, that sounds a lot like what Cyle would say. Like, just, I was speaking from my own heart on a thing that we were discussing and having a conversation with about the church. And she's like, sounds like, like what Cyle would say.

And I'm like. Like, like, because I've tried to make sure that you guys have been the influences in my life. That those, you are the wise people that have spent taken time poured into me, been in a relationship with me, and I was just like, cool. Like that. Yeah. These are the, these are the men that. I look up to, I admire that have been huge in shaping me as a man.

And so it was kind of cool 'cause that wasn't like I was trying to mimic you or trying to do anything, like say, oh, this is what Cyle would say. It was more like, this is how I feel, this is what I think. And she said that. I was like, yeah, like men that are godly, that are trying to do the right thing, trying to live it out.

Like I've been surrounding myself as much as I can with these people. Somebody sees that and 

Yeah. 

And I, I know that I'm being shaped and guided and how important it is for us to have that in our lives. 

Absolutely. Absolutely. It's just, it's even to the littlest things. So my brother moved here about a year ago and.

My brother says this thing to me all the time just to be goofy. He goes, whatever, dude. Like, it's like an aggressive like whatever dude. Like what? To whatever you're saying. Like, and it's just funny and we always laugh and so I, when he moved here, I started saying it. I'm like, whatever dude. And then Mark started saying it.

No, I dude all the 

time. And then Jesse starts saying it, and now like this, just literally yesterday in my basement. One of the students was like, whatever dude. Like to me. And I was like, that's so funny because like they don't even realize the influence, but like the people that you're around, like that's the kind of influence, like my brother has influence on the things that I say because we spend time with him.

So from parents 

out there that your 

parent 

kids are saying whatever dude. 

Yeah. 

We're sorry. 

Yeah, we're sorry. It's Keith's fault. Just so everybody knows, it's my brother Keaton Morehead's Fault. Uh, yeah. 

So the first one that I noticed that bled into our whole church is the double Goodbye on the phone.

Yeah. Byebye, which I never like, see ya. All right. Bye. Like, yeah. Yeah. And I only ever heard it from you two before then when it started. 'cause I would like say bye. And then it would just, I'd hear a second goodbye as I'm hitting the red button. I'm like, oh, oh, they, they said goodbye again. Like, and so I started to notice that other people in the church would start to do it.

And now it's just kind of the thing I expect when I'm on the phone with somebody. Especially when it's from the church as there's like a double goodbye. Yeah. It'll be either, see you later. All right. Bye. Or bye. Okay, bye. Like it happens all the time. And it didn't before, like it was not a thing before I met you guys.

So it was just, it's a subtle thing I found funny when I was like, oh, this is weird. Okay, cool. 

Well, and, and those, those little things, you know, the, those little things there that we see, but then there's all the, the deeper things. Yeah. You know what I mean? And I, I know for me. I didn't mean I'm, I'm a collector, like I'm a collector of safe, godly man.

I, I, I don't pride myself as being the smartest guy in the room or the guy that knows, knows the book the best. But I, I am a pretty good collector and, and I've managed to, to find a way to. Well, I'm sitting here talking to you guys, right? And so I've managed to find a way to sit in the room with, with the, with the giants, right?

With the people that, that know something about something and be able to, to rub. I mean, heck, me and me and Cody were having just a talk about fatherhood and stuff before our meeting, even earlier. And, and that, like, for me, those are the nuggets I search for, like. One thing I know is that I don't have it all figured out and, and, you know, surrounding myself with the kind of people that, you know, have the things that I wanna have, have the connection with God, that, that is profound and beautiful.

I mean mm-hmm. You can't put a brace tag on that. 

Yeah. 

Can't, 

yeah. I think how you engage in that community matters too. Because like, I think it's not just, don't just go find good people. Like be ready to learn from those good people. 

Oh yeah. You gotta, you gotta be open to 

here. I think that's exactly what you're 

saying.

Essentially, if you have a booger in your nose, like 

Yeah. 

Like 

look, I, I don't, the only reason I have a booger in my nose is 'cause no one's told me. Right. Exactly. If Cody comes to me, he's like, Ryan, you, you really messed up. I'm like, please tell me how. Yeah, exactly. And tell me how to fix it. 'cause I didn't know 

exactly 

and you know.

No, and I, and 'cause that's the whole thing is like, if you just go, if you're just trying to, you know, if you're just trying to collect good people, but you're not doing anything to learn or be equipped by that, like, you know, I think that's cool. I mean, I, I know Cyle, Cyle leads bible study. I lead bible studies.

Like I Mark leads bible studies, like you're leading bible studies, like the guys who come and, and have questions and ask, ask things and talk. Sometimes I learn more from them. 

Oh yeah. 

And I'm like, and like I'm supposed, I'm like, I'm supposed to be one lead in this thing. Like mm-hmm. But like, it's, the reality is like when you're, when you're open to learning, like it's, it's huge.

Like one of the things, one of the, the imageries that I've been using, like for the past probably two years, uh, that I thought was so amazing was Mark and I were having a conversation. Where like I was pouring into Mark, and Mark said something so profound it just like rocked me in my core and I'm like, I loved it.

Is the phrase like some people are walking through valleys that they dug with their own shovels and I still use that because it was so good. Yeah. I dunno why it, my brain, it's like, you know, like I think that community, right? Like that, that whole idea of like. You're never too old or too mature to learn a new thing.

And when it comes down to it, I think that's the difference between people who are really pursuing the heart of Jesus and people who are just kind of okay with where they're at. And it's like I, I don't think anywhere in scripture calls us to be average. I don't think any anywhere in scripture is just like, it's okay if you're just average in your faith.

Everything calls us to go deeper, to be more passionate, to be more excited about what Jesus is doing. And like that comes from a heart. A heart and a mindset of humility where you're willing to be poured into, even from people who like you're supposed to be pouring into. Right. So 

I, I think I learned an awful lot from my 6-year-old.

Yeah. Yeah. 

So 

I agree with that. 

Yeah. Well, if you haven't listened to the sermon, go listen to it and really think about. Who do you associate with? What do you associate with? And what does it mean for you? And really, what does your view of the future of eternity of Christ really mean for your present?

And how do you change the way you live in the present to make sure you're honoring God and what you believe about the future? So thanks for listening. We hope to catch you on the next episode of The Hot Cast. Maybe you'll be back before 2027. Uh uh, we'll see. 

See ya. Bye.