There we go, welcome to October, what is it, 4th today, 5th, something like that, 6th,
5th, 7th, October 7th men's heart check-in.
So guys, so anybody else want to share anything that's on their heart tonight to start out
with?
What's been going on with you?
We had a pretty good talk last week, and I don't know if anybody has any reflections
on that.
Paul, Brant, I know you made a comment last week at the end, you were just kind of uplifted,
I think you were just kind of encouraged last week, so I was wondering what that was about,
I don't know if you were just lifted up or there's just kind of an encouraging moment,
I don't know if there's more you wanted to share on that.
Wow, I think back a whole week, sorry.
I know, that's tough, isn't it?
I'm not in that same space right now, sorry about that.
It's okay.
It's nothing with you, I'm just, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, it's coming back to me now, it
was just, yeah, actually now that I just opened the door to that recess in my brain, I guess,
it was good hearing all the men just talk about different things that they might want
to do, and just kind of open my mind to what life could be like, and just going after different
ventures, goal setting, kind of took on a new identity, the concept of goal setting,
I don't know if there's another way, I've thought of that before, I mean I never do
New Year's resolutions, you know, because it's just like, because of connotation within
me that, whatever, it just feels like it's just performance, but that was different,
it was different last week, it was just kind of, made me think, and maybe it was more relational
just hearing guys, seeing, hearing, you know what I mean?
That's exactly what I wanted you to kind of highlight, was because, you know, that's
the reason that I was getting into that subject matter, because, I think, for New Year's resolution,
it's a perfect example of the pressure that some people get, I don't know if it's like
some people, like, you know, but it's very common for people to start setting goals at
the New Year, right, like what's magical about the New Year, I don't know, I can't think
actually magical about the New Year, it's nothing really different, it's just sometimes
it gives you an opportunity, as far as a date on the calendar, to be able to make a new
start, and so it's just a reminder to say, okay, maybe I can renew this commitment, maybe
I can make a start, but the honest truth is, is that that new start capability is always
available, and I think where guys get discouraged is they think it's an exercise in formality,
that they don't trust themselves to be able to fulfill, so then, because you've tried
it before, and then it becomes just a unfulfilled, you know, sort of prophecy in your life, why
make a goal at all, because I'm never going to accomplish it, I'm never going to do it,
it's not going to happen, it's really going to change, and that's kind of where I was getting
to the point last week, is that we can't just set goals for this, you know, single sake,
obviously, but we want to connect with the desire that's on the inside of us, and answer
that essential question of is, what do you want, and that's sort of a lifelong pursuit,
and it's not just one time you answer that question, like, what do you want, this is
my whole life, you know, but you might ask yourself that several critical moments throughout
your life, and in smaller ways, almost monthly, weekly, and even daily, to where you're like,
what do I want, you know, so like, we understand if you're hungry, and you're like, I've got all
these choices, what I want to eat, we're used to those kinds of decisions, but we're not used to
answering the question, what do I want, as far as like, what do I want to accomplish,
what do I want out of life, what do I want to achieve, what do I want, like, great,
and also short seasons, because sometimes, what you want this week, or this month,
will connect to what it is that you want in this year and what this year answering that question
will next what you want in the 5-10 years mark. But you have to be pursuing this not from a
position of just like it's never going to happen. When if you can connect desire that's on the
inside of you. I believe from scripture that the connecting to that desire is connecting to God
because God puts the desires into your heart and wants to accomplish those desires. Scripture speaks
to that right and so I believe desires come from within. I don't particularly believe that what you
are supposed to do, what your purpose in life typically comes from without. I think most people
find it from within and whether you know God or not I think there's a lot of people that
serendipitously understand that not even knowing God. I think what's beautiful about that is
that just shows that the character of God in his image whether you even know God personally or not
it still can be something that can come out as a fruit of life because it's a biblical
universal concept. So I think that's even more amazing when people tap into that how much more
should someone who is a child of God who understands they know who God is have a
relationship. They have an understanding more about how God works in humanity that
God has placed inside of them a desire. Desire for what? Desire for him first and foremost
but secondly a desire to do something, to be something, to fulfill something.
Take what he's giving you as skills and talents and put them to use in a career, in a relationship,
in a life's work, in you know self-discipline. There's so many things to ask.
And if you can answer the question in your heart to that question
maybe that connection is better.
Hey Dave, we lost you for the last 15 seconds. Can you hear me now? I was just turning off the wi-fi.
Is that better now?
The audio is better. Okay, I think what it was. You're still a little choppy. I think I was
I'm outside and I was trying to connect to wi-fi my phone was and so now it's better cellular.
So we'll see how that goes. But sometimes the answer to that question the what I want question
manifests in the antithesis is what I was saying with regard to sometimes it's like well I don't
want to be that. I don't want to be that guy. I don't want to be that type of individual.
So therefore I'm going to do better. I'm going to be more authentic. I'm going to be
one of those individuals who's actually a person of my word. I'm going to be somebody who is known
in private even if nobody else knows in private. I'm actually going to be authentically whatever
fill in the blank so that I have not just so you can have strong character. I always think it's
funny how the goal becomes in motivational talk. It becomes something that you aspire to be that
you have to agree first and foremost that that's a good thing. Does that make sense to anybody?
When somebody says hey you should have good character. I understand that principally that
character is a good thing and that you should have good character. But if I don't have any true
sense of even what having good character is you know it means nothing to me.
So I don't want the rhetoric of something that sounds motivational to be placed as a goal.
I want to define what that is and what that is for me if somebody says hey you should have better
character. That means nothing to me because I'm not like I'm not like a character type that
character thing doesn't do anything for me. But if somebody says hey you know what
Um, you should be authentic and honest to yourself, whether anybody knows it or not
as an honest person type thing.
Now that means something to me because I'm like, oh man, what I do in my own person and
my own self, sometimes I make an exception for everything for myself, but I'm good on
the outside.
So everybody else sees me as a good person, but I know who I really am type thing.
So if I know who I really am and I'm true, um, in all of those ways, privately, then
I can have this reassurance that man, you know, God's really doing some transformation
on my life.
Somebody else would call that good character.
But to me, the good character thing isn't motivating.
It's the same thing when like, I feel like when people say, you know, um, you should
pray more because prayer is a good thing.
Prayer is like a high virtue, but like, am I just praying more just to pray more just
to say that I pray more so I can tell other people that I pray more, that I'm a person
of prayer or should I want to pray more because prayer is actual communion with God and it's
where I get my answers.
It's where I get my fulfillment.
It's where I get understanding.
It's where I solve the problems in my life that I'm having difficulty with.
See, when somebody describes prayer to be that way, I'm not aspiring to have more prayer.
I'm aspiring to have the answers and solve the problems that are in my life.
Do you see how that makes a difference?
You know what I'm saying?
So I just, I just don't like the motivational speech.
I sometimes like I hear in church community, in like business and fulfillment, I always
want to know, like, I hear what you're saying.
I should have these virtues.
I should have these things, but why?
Like let's get to the nuts and bolts, let's get some more to the root of that.
Does that make sense?
So I've been trying to push on this a little bit from that, from that aspect of like, I
think that's why that question is so important is because if you can answer the question,
what is it you want?
What is it you want today?
What is you want this week?
What do you want to do?
What do you want to accomplish?
What do you want to have done in your life this month?
What do you want to, it's different.
Like Brian Tracy has this methodology where he has you set goals and he's like, if I can
make a magical wand and make one of those goals appear immediately and you have that
and it will make a significant difference in your life, what would that goal be?
And then you identify that goal on a list of 10 goals you've made and he goes, okay,
that's the one.
You go after that one and you go after that and nothing else.
You just do that one thing and you go after that and you accomplish that goal because
anything you set your mind to do, anything you set your heart to do, you can learn, you
can change, you can transform and you can accomplish it if you don't quit type of thing.
That's his methodology.
And that inspired me to talk about goal setting.
And that's kind of why I brought it up last week.
So anybody willing to express or even whether you've written that out or not, whether you've
thought about it or not, anybody willing to express and answer the question, what is it
you want right now in life?
What do you want like either today, this week, this season?
Maybe it's a life pursuit, okay?
So there's lots of different levels to this, but anybody willing to start or try to articulate
the answer to, this is what I want.
I want this.
This would change my life dramatically.
Anybody willing to do that?
This is challenging.
It's not easy.
I'm willing to talk about it, but I think that Rob, I think I saw you unmute yourself
earlier.
I'll go first.
If nobody wants to jump out there, go ahead.
I want a wife personally for me, for me, that's my number one priority.
I have, I have desires for my kids.
I have professional desires, have, you know, I have all that personally for me at the end
of the day.
And at the first thing in the morning, I want to be next to somebody and I want it to be
the person that God has in mind for me.
So I'll put it out there for you.
I love it.
So awesome.
So good.
Thank you.
Thank you, Dana, for sharing.
I love that.
Go ahead, Andy.
Yeah, go ahead. Yeah, so I mean
Um, not to be a broken record, but I was gonna say the same thing like I I want a wife
I've been searching for a wife for a long time. Um
And I want to have kids and raise them. Um in the faith
Awesome, I love it. I love it. That's what you're pursuing. That's your number one pursuit right now
So that's the thing. It's just like it's not that you don't develop in other areas. It's not that you're you know
Irresponsible and all the things that you're required to do daily
But it just becomes like this is a this is a major focus for my life right now
Finding my spirit mate finding that one that who is going to be
You know my partner my soulmate my spirit mate
And move into that
perfecting relationship
anybody else
Uh, i'll jump in from a little different perspective. Thank thomas. Thank you for the kind call out by the way
um
I
I'm, actually asking myself that question. And so I only had 15 minutes with y'all last week
Um had my first relationship since I was a teenager
Or since being divorced but even before that as a teenager
Um and really ended up caring deeply for this individual even though it's a short time
um
And so in the middle of grieving this week
It's still grieving. It's been been over a week
Uh still grieving
Lost asking myself like what do I want?
Like how did I get here if I found found somebody's pretty special pretty um unique
I don't believe it was just by random circumstance that out of all the women in the
Program or however many profiles when I signed up
That I picked her out of all of them
So asking myself that question and then in the middle of it also finding myself
uh leading leading to a place of
One of the things I know that I want is to continue this idea
Healing from this idea that i'm prone to self-protection and performance
So yeah as i've been kind of unpacking the last kind of half of our time together. I realized
um
That performance became part of my way of relating
As I got closer to her and as I started imagining a future and as you know
The stakes got a little bit higher a little bit at a time
um
performance and uh
some self-protection was setting in and I I couldn't quite realize it like I didn't have a
Grasp on it. Um, but she was kind enough to hold up a mirror for me at the end
Uh and help me see that
And so again just unpacking that there's still healing that that I desire there. And so if I think about
kind of even learning from this
This our time together. It's what I want is
You know to continue the healing that comes with
Why I choose to self-protect and or why performance still is part of?
um
The mechanisms when I get close when things get a little dangerous a little bit
um risky, so
What do you what area do you feel like you perform in? Um rob?
Yeah, great question, um
I mean I can only reflect on i'll reflect inside this relationship. I
I was super worried about like the um
Um
setting up the circumstances and setting up the events and
really kind of working on a schedule and making sure that there was um
this individual was being
Taken care of and liked and you know really shown
How important she was to me like all of that became more important than just
recognizing and sitting in the moments
Like even as i've gotten some space from it I can all I can all of a sudden I can
Reimagine moments that I was like, oh I missed an opportunity for connection because I was too worried about the next thing
Or what the next thing might look like and how well it should go or how?
Perfect. It should be you know
Okay
so I don't know if that helps but that's
those are just some things i've reflected on the last seven days as I
Again, just try to get some space from it. I grieve
grief the loss it's
I don't know if it's because it's my if you those of you that have more experience, um
Connecting and then kind of releasing you maybe you've been through this but this is my first time and it it feels really heavy
It feels really heavy
Yeah
And I would you know, I I thank you for sharing rob because I know that's extremely vulnerable. Um
because of
This being your first venture first relationship all a lot of the things that are happening there
Um, I, I, I know that I feel like that you're processing it also from a position
of like, you know, what are the things that I've learned as well?
So now I said, I know you're probably doing that too, but I just want to
reinforce that encouragement to, um, not be so if it's a case where you're
being heavy on yourself, then stop it.
But if it's something that you're truly grieving, just because you're like,
you feeling like, oh, you know, that was, that could have been whatever.
Um, and that may be valid as well.
It's not saying it's invalid, but what I'm saying is, is like, don't beat
yourself up if that's what's going on.
Now, if it's not that, if it's, if you're not being yourself up and you're just
like, you know, I'm just really trying to figure out like, what's, you know,
what's the next step or how would I do this differently type thing, you know,
and reassessing that, I guess that that can be constructive.
So, um, yeah, I would just encourage you to lift you up.
Like, you know, I want you to feel like that there's going to be hope to have,
be able to do that again, like really soon instead of like, oh, does this mean
I have to go around the mountain?
Like, uh, like, you know, in a really big way type thing, you know, and that
like adds insult to injury, so to speak.
You know, I don't want you, I don't want you to feel that way.
I want you to feel lifted up.
Like, Hey, you know, um, this was just a minor setback.
I'm going to get right back into this type of thing.
You know, like there's worthy pursuit, like to go right after this again,
like still pursue, you know, don't, don't let it be that much of a setback.
I hope that makes sense.
Yeah.
I received that encouragement.
Thank you, David.
Yeah, because that's kind of what I was starting from a couple of weeks ago.
I mentioned this thing because I was, I mentioned my own experience having gone
on vacation and felt very productive, very forward thinking, very like on my
game and all that kind of stuff.
And I felt very strong going into my vacation that way.
And then all of a sudden vacation mode set in.
And then all of a sudden I get back from vacation, having to dive into work,
having to dive into my life, having to dive into all the things that
are staring me in the face.
And I felt like, Oh man, I've got like such a setback here that I got to take
time to go round the mountain again.
Like I had all this momentum and I lost it all.
And this is where I had the revelations is no, I didn't lose it.
I just need to pick it back up where I left and pick it back up.
And so I don't want, I don't want to be discouraged to, to feel like, and I, I
was edifying all of you guys in this group to say that, no, this is just
learning and we might've slowed down and stopped on the path, but we didn't go
backwards, we're just picking up what we learned and we're moving forward because
the goal in front of us and the pursuit of what it is that we're after there, our
desire is more important than the setback.
So that's the thing.
And I think, I think a lot of people waste a lot of time sometimes, or
they get stuck in their own way.
They get stuck in the mud a little bit thinking about, Oh, what's this, what's
that, blah, blah, blah, going around rethinking and this and that, and sort
of like nothing wrong with processing, nothing wrong with reflecting, nothing
wrong with like learning, but we don't want to get stuck and that's my desire
for you guys is, is that you don't get stuck, that you get unstuck and you
don't continue to get stuck, but you get unstuck and you really move forward.
And I don't mean in just relationship again, it has to come back to the, what
do you want, like that has to become so powerful in you, like, what are, like,
if you have to ask yourself that every day, every moment, every hour, even like,
what do I want?
What do I want?
And it's not selfish.
So many believers think that that thing is a selfish desire.
It's not.
What you were trying to do is you're trying to tap into the God given desire
that's been placed on the inside of you and, and letting it out to fulfill it.
Because that's what God rides on.
God is not outside of you trying to coax you into something
that you don't want to do.
That's the essential Christian experience has been.
So that's what religion does.
Religion has a way of trying to make you think that God is outside of you, trying
to coax you in to be better, do something and do a whole bunch of stuff
that you don't want to do.
Why?
Because he's God and you're not, and you're supposed to do want to good,
want to do good stuff.
stuff. I'm like, that's bullcrap. Like, your human nature, first of all, before you have
any redemption in your life, you want to go do bad stuff. Like, when you're told, like,
do this, mind your things, follow the rules. What do most people want to do when they're
a teenager? They want to do everything but that, right? That's because, you know, you're
young and you're foolish and, you know, you have youth that you're contending with, right?
You have your flesh that you haven't learned how to manage your flesh in that point in
your life and you're just like, dang it, I don't want to do the good things. I want to
do all the bad things. But then you get a point in your life where you grow up, you
mature and life has its way in you or you might have this redemptive moment where you're
like, okay, I'm finally willing to resolve these things. I'm going to give my life to
God and I'm going to really do what I'm supposed to do, right? And then it becomes about these
pursuits of like doing the good thing, doing the right thing, doing the responsible thing,
doing the blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, follow the rules. And it's still hard as hell
to do that because you're just doing the rules rather than finding the desire in your heart.
Like, what is it I want to do? What do I want to be? What do I want to go after? And letting
that be the thing that fires your life. And if it's a relationship or if it's an accomplishment
or if it's a self-disciplined thing or whatever it is, you know, and again, like I'm saying,
it can be temporary because those things can pile up and they can, one thing can lead to
another, right? I am married. I have grown kids. I have grandkids. I've accomplished
those things. But there's things in my life right now that if I don't master them now,
I won't have another 20, 30 years to be more productive, i.e. my health, my stamina, my
stability. I have my fitness. I have to become this way because if I don't, I'm going to
pay the price dearly in about 15 to 20 years. And that's not to scare anybody. That's just
my reality right now. That's just me, right? So that's kind of where I'm at. I love you
guys, like Abram, Andy, you're sharing about like this nutritional thing, like you guys
are like on it, like you're like, you're aware, you're woke to this. You're like, you're learning
all this stuff early in your life, earlier than me. And you're like, you're beginning
to master this stuff. So you're like, okay, I got the stuff on lock. I understand this.
I have these habits. I have these things. This is how I do my life. That's not that's
something you're already mastering. What is it the area that you want to master in your
life is really the question. So what do you want? So who else is willing to just kind
of share a little bit if you if you can, I'd love to hear your hearts. And you know what?
This doesn't need to be something that you've been doing for a while. This may be something
that you just thought of in the last week, or even on this call tonight. You're like,
you know what? That's it. I'm finally going to make up my mind. This is what I want. I've
been thinking about this for a long time. I've been bugging myself for a long time.
This has been bugging at me. This has been eating at me. This has been doing it. I'm
finally going to make a commitment. I'm going to confess this. I'm going to bring this out.
I'm going to share this with the group said, this is what I'm going to be. This is what
I'm going to do. And we're going to be like, yes. Yes. And we're going to champion you.
And we're going to be like, dude, how's it going? It's great. Like, here's an idea. Or
man, don't stop. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's what we want to be. That's what
this that's what this call needs to be for men. Because I've said it before, I'll say
it some more. We need good men. And we don't need just good men who are just good on paper.
We need actually good men to take on the sacrifice of who they are as men.
Most of what men do is they lay down their life. And if you're not like a war hero and
like have a purple heart, you know, a word where you actually got shot or whatever,
got hurt in war, you still are a man that the most one of the most worthy things you can do
is literally lay down your life. You know, do something, accomplish something that you'll
never get recognized for. How many men have built buildings, built roads, built infrastructure,
built the things that we take for granted every day when you flip on the frickin lights and you
expect it to be there? How many of those guys engineered all that crap and never got one thank
you for it?
But all of the world takes for granted what men built and engineered and maintain all day long
The planes you ride in the cars you drive in the things you go down
All of the stuff
The financial systems the computers
Men did that i'm not saying i'm not saying women don't do that kind of stuff but
pretty much
That's what men do
They lay their stinking life down
for everyone else
They go provide for they go get up early and they work late to provide for their family
If you're that kind of dude
You know i'm saying
They're the ones that you know
That are willing to go out in the middle of the night
and do this errand
You know that kind of kind of sounds soft, but hey, it's a version of laying down your life
You know what i'm saying
That's when men are their best
Is when we are literally tending the garden when we are literally taking the responsibility
When we're literally laying down our life when we're literally
Doing the things that other people won't do
That's when we are at our best when we're doing that level of service and that is godly and it's holy and it is divine
So the question then is going back to this is like what do you want
It could be just as simple as I want to be that kind of guy
I have another um, I have another thing. Um, go ahead a goal. Um,
so I haven't um really made up my mind fully about if i'm gonna do this or not, but um,
So I told you i've been learning about like holistic medicine and all that. Um,
well
There's a um a form of medicine that most people don't even know exists. It's called german new medicine
And it's like a very groundbreaking scientific discovery and it's like highly um
persecuted by the conventional medical community
and um, but I think from what i'm learning about I think it's real and I think that um,
that
Maybe god wants me to go into it and use it to help people like, you know
be
help help people, you know, like jesus would and it's
Um again, it's a very controversial thing, but it's like what i'm learning about
I haven't fully experienced the healing effects of it myself yet, but i'm learning about i'm gonna work with um a practitioner of it and
see if um, I can get healing on my own and and then you know, I
if I think it's like
A really cool and legit thing. I might be really into it. I might want to actually use it to help people
absolutely
What what an amazing calling
be
reformational
transformational in the medical
Health and wellness industry in that way
Bringing new things to light doing the research doing the work playing your life being your being yourself
The guinea pig in your own life who are like i'm going to try this on me first
And if I live and survive and don't die i'm going to share it with others
You know i'm saying i'm like it's just kind of that radical, but i'm I love it, you know
And this is the kind of stuff that men
Are brilliant at men are good at this kind of stuff
men are willing to take it's kind of like, you know, like
I don't take medicine a lot
I'm, not on any kind of meds per se
Uh, I don't I don't have like but when I take
advil
I'll down three or four of them
And my wife's like you shouldn't take advil. It's bad for you and all that kind of stuff
It's not like I take it every day. I just take it when I have a headache, which is like very
Nominal now, I understand there's probably other ways to do that. But what i'm trying to say is this like my wife
You can't hand her nothing. She's just like what's in it?
Who gave you that to you where did it come from? Does anybody test that before?
She's asking all the questions like women. They're just like wait a minute
I have to know everything about this before I put in my where man
We're just like just give me that stuff, you know, i'm just thinking is it dirty, you know?
Doesn't matter doesn't like just put it in, you know, we're willing to go there
We're willing to take the risk. We're willing again
Like I say we're willing to lay down our life why for the cause?
What's the cause? I don't know
The cause is anything the cause is like my family the cause is like some
Great heroic thing the the new way of doing business a new way of thinking, you know
I'm willing to take the risks and play the part of the fool
to be able to show people a new way like one of the things that for me is like, um,
Um, I was just talking to my to my dad today we had breakfast this morning
And you know, I have a passion
for
reformation in the body of christ
because I had an extensive vocational church ministry background that I did years ago,
that I don't do that anymore. I don't do that type of work anymore.
But it frustrates the tar out of me when I talk about it, not necessarily because I have still
hurt from it. I do. But I've gotten over most of that, the personal part of it.
But the reformational part of it to me is still very important because I want the church to
operate in a new form, in a more transformative way, an antithesis to the modern issues that
church is having. And so I don't know what that looks like. Part of that is me participating in
the work that we're doing. Many people accuse us of being a ministry. We're actually not a
ministry. We're actually a for-profit company that provides an online product, an online service,
and we try to over-deliver in that area. It just happens to be in a spiritual,
emotional, transformational industry relationship. And we talk about God a lot. We talk about
spiritual concepts a lot. But many are like, oh, you know, the ministry. And then when they get
upset and they're like, oh, you know, you failed me as a ministry. I'm like, dude, I'm sorry to
say that, but we're not a ministry. We're not your church. We're not your local church. I'll pray for
you. I'll uplift you. I'll love you like a brother in Christ, but I'm not your pastor. You know what
I'm saying? There's a difference in how I'm operating in that way. And it's very intentional
that we're doing it that way because we're not trying to be the end-all be-all. I'm not trying
to be this church that's down on the corner that's trying to take care of every facet of
every human stage in life. We're concentrating on one thing right here, transformational
development, heart healing, as it relates to relationships. That's what we're focusing on.
And that's what we're doing. We're trying to do that well. You see that? That's transformational
to me. That's reformational to me. So that's the kind of work that we're doing. That's what we're
doing today. A year from now, five years from now, 10 years from now, it may look really different.
You know what I'm saying? So I'm allowing God to work through us and develop us and show us
what more of that looks like. So that's just an example of what I'm doing right now
and why I'm doing what we're doing. Does that lighten anybody? Does that help anybody
see anything differently? Did any light bulbs go on on tonight's conversation?
There's one above Thomas's head. Yeah, I can see it. Thomas, you're thinking hard about this.
Yeah. I mean, first of all, Rob, I just want to take a moment to kind of honor and acknowledge
the pain that you're experiencing and to thank you for sharing. And
disconnection, I think, is designed to be hard. I think the way that the universe exists is set up.
So I so appreciate your encouragement, David, to you, Rob, about not dwelling on it. And I'll be
praying for you this week about the right mix of feeling all the feelings and not getting in the
head like you were saying, David. I mean, there's clearly like, you know, a whole lot to be said
about this kind of stuff. I think, you know, coming from the background of believing that both
desire and happiness were sinful, you know, I definitely hear you saying, David, in terms of
that encouragement. I think I was at a really good listening prayer night on Saturday. And
I feel like God was talking to me a lot about how I had given up excitement and thinking that that
was something that you experience when you're a kid or maybe a youth. But the part of being mature
is letting go of that and just realizing that you have, you know, you've been through a lot.
Seen a lot more stuff in the world is a lot more brutal, you know, than you thought it was. And
that God will work stuff out. But I think God was encouraging me to believe that excitement
is possible again. And I think part of that is when I when I think about what you were saying,
I think a lot of it lines up with that idea of, you know, what is it that kind of activates our
hearts? Yeah.
And so I know two weeks ago you gave us the assignment to come up with five, you know, I am statements
And so I've been working on those. It's been tough. It's been tough, but
someone
On Saturday night felt like God gave them the movie Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for me, which I love
I so much and
kind of the the chief kind of line in that movie at the end of the second act like going into the third is
when
he's told like you have the heart of kind of like
Supernatural power and love and all you need to do is take what you've been given and make it your own
And so I think I tried that yesterday playing. He's a church
And
Brought not just trying to listen to what God wanted which I always try to do like when I'm like leading worship
But trying to bring in my own kind of heart into it as well and say like this is what I feel like
could be present like to kind of
Honor the Lord as well, and I feel like I'm hitting kind of that
Tough thing where it seems kind of contradictory
Where it's like how do you
Only do what the father does
Like Jesus said and how do you only say what the what the father is saying?
But then also bring your heart into the situation. So I'm grateful to be
Kind of trying to learn how to do that
So I did write out like the statements like you encouraged us to do it's it's in rough draft form
But I think that the question of how do you dance with God and be the follower, you know?
but then also be
Kind of present I think is is is something that
That seemed feels pretty deep and that I don't understand fully yet
Yeah, thank you, thank you for the sharing that Thomas if you want to share any of your statements now and or on another call
That's that's fine, too. So but if you don't want to do that, that's cool, too
Thank you, you know, I'd love to I see that Daniel just asked for prayer tonight
He said he's gonna be having a really difficult conversation
I'm wondering if maybe we can save mine for a different time and absolutely we can do that
I'm yeah, I wasn't looking at the chat. Sorry about that. Thank you for seeing that
my
Yeah, the person I'm meeting with just parked in so I got a drop but I do appreciate any prayers you guys can spare for me
Okay, we will definitely blessed with wisdom yes
Thank you, yeah, we will pray for Daniel so I will do that. Thank you Thomas for for catching that
Yeah, I just I just a lot of things that Thomas said there, you know, I I
Want to recap but I don't I don't want to take a lot of time but yeah, no this this this is a continuing dialogue
There's just no way
We're going to tackle this
This topic in one or two or several sessions. I mean, this is just continuing dialogue
so maybe we'll be talking on this for a while until we get to
to some
Some real meat I would I would like for each one of you to dive into that assignment
Whether this is your first time on this call or a couple times in the assignment is this it's to make
five
goals and
To make them into I am statements
So if your goal is like a financial goal, for instance
like I am making such-and-such salary like, you know, if it's if it's a number that you want or if it's a
Number that you want and in your savings account that you're like as a goal I have this I
Obtained this or I have achieved this I am this I am a maybe it's a position that you're wanting to try to achieve
And so you say I am a whatever it is and you write in the name of the position
Maybe it's a status, you know, I am
Married with, you know to my spirit mate and blah, you know, you do a descriptive thing like that. So
and these are
statements that
They're typically within the 12-month time period. Although you can make them for whatever time period you want
but it the more
Qualitative and quantitative that you can make the statement the better
So it's measurable and you know, it's attainable and it's something that you can track and look at and see but just making a statement
That says I am this I am that I have this I have done this, you know, I I
achieved this
You know, maybe your goal is to hold your breath underwater for a certain period of time
And he's like I can now hold my breath underwater for six minutes, you know, whatever it is
I don't know if that's your goal or not
I don't know why that would be your goal
But maybe it's a tie to whatever it is that you're going to be a champion in
at, I don't know, but what you understand was in the example is there, you know,
I am the manager of this, whatever it is that you want to achieve in your life
and make five statements that are those things, and then the beautiful thing
about it is to really let one of those statements really rise to the top.
Really shine out.
So it's kind of like that of the five statements that you finally have
thought about written down that are worthy goals to have and worthy
achievements to have in your life.
Not that you say you won't achieve all five of them, but what you do is
allow yourself to really, like, if one of those I am statements, you
can wave a magical wand and it were true immediately, and it would bring
tremendous transformation to your life.
Which one would it be?
Which one would have the most impact in your life right now?
If it were true this moment, that's the one that is highlighted to you.
And that's the one that you'll concentrate on first and then she'll go after and
that you will, you know, discipline your life, rearrange your schedule, educate
yourself, whatever it's necessary.
That goal requires, that's what you're going after.
And that's what you're trying to see change and transformed in your life.
And the journey, the journey of that is what is transformational.
It's not necessarily important at some point, whether you actually obtain the
goal, because maybe you learn some things along the way and the goal changes.
Now, this is a little bit more advanced and I'm not trying to like ruin the
assignment because I'm trying to, what I'm saying is, is the journey of going
towards that goal and the transformation you experienced in doing that is the
life-changing part, that's the beauty of it.
And it's helpful to, and this is really in direct alignment and going after that
question, like, what do you want?
What do you want?
You know, what do you want?
And I will continue asking that question because it's like, you know,
you could, you guys have ever heard the, um, what next sort of thing,
similar to the, what is, do you want?
It's like, what are you doing?
What's next?
Well, the next thing is I'll do, I guess I'll just do this.
Well then, then what?
Well, then I guess I'll just, you know, this will happen.
And then what?
You know, it's just like, and then what?
And then what?
It just keeps on going and going.
You're like, I don't know, I guess I'll just die.
And then you go, and then what?
You know, so like that, that question that just, it's one of those life
questions, it's like the, what do you want question that really just, if you
just continue to allow that just to simmer and to pursue that, you'll
finally strike on something that's like, man, that is really what I want.
And finally the answer, you'll answer that question one day and you'll be like,
yeah, that's it.
I really do want that.
Like, that is what I really want.
Like that.
And then you'll be like, that is powerful.
That is amazing.
Like, that is so life transforming for me that you'd be like, now I'm
like empowered to go after that.
You know, you'll get excited about it.
And I love Thomas that you brought that up because it's so true.
Like if you connect with passion on the inside of you, desire on the inside of
you, um, and again, many people religiously are afraid of desire.
Why?
Because desire in a religious context always leads to, oh, that's sinful.
Uh, it always leads to something that you want, but not what God wants.
And that's what, again, we're destroying that myth.
That's kind of why we're doing this exercise because we're destroying that
idea that it comes from without, it doesn't come from without it comes from
within because God's placed it in you.
And if you can connect that passion and that desire, then that will breed
excitement into your activity, into your future.
And then you were like, oh man, I finally actually found something
worthy to get excited about.
That's really cool.
That's amazing.
Like, if you get to that point, you're like, oh my gosh, my life is brand new now.
And that's, that's what I believe is the essence of what scripture talks to us.
That's about going from glory to glory.
It is because we get in that mode where we're like, we're moving on and we're
moving on and we're moving on.
And it's a beautiful thing.
Amen.
Hi guys.
Uh, nine Oh nine or at least Eastern time.
And I love every one of you.
Thank you for showing up.
I do want to.
shout out and Andy was new tonight.
And we did have, um, or John Rodarte that joined us.
I don't know, John, if this was your first time or not, um, on these kind of
call, but I want to welcome you and I would just call you out and you were
kind of joined late, so we, unfortunately we were kind of in the thick of things.
And so, sorry about that, but we will get to knowing you as well.
If you show back up and let's pray for Dan Thomas, you want to pray for Daniel.
You did see that message.
You would pray for Daniel.
Just lead us in that prayer for Daniel.
Thank you.
Lord, we thank you for your goodness in our lives.
We thank you that, um, you have, you've made us alive.
You're bringing our hearts to life in new ways.
And we thank you right now that that's happening with Daniel too.
We thank you that, uh, that he is a man of integrity and honor.
And that, um, in this conversation that he's having that, um, you are,
you are giving him discernment that you are empowering him to tell what threads
of the conversation are going to be helpful to pursue and which ones are
going to be helpful to let slide by.
Um, I pray Lord, in the name of Jesus, that you Holy spirit would be there
and that you would help both of them, uh, love each other well, um, whatever
the conversation is about and that both of them, uh, would have words that would
be motivated by each other's best interest.
Yeah.
Uh, I ask Lord for your grace and your supernatural empowerment and, um, uh,
for her, um, to have anything that she's hearing that it would not be connecting
with her self-worth that her self-worth would be infinite and in you.
Uh, and, um, uh, we ask Lord that, um, that your will for this conversation
would happen, that you would give them both your insights and your eyes to
see, and that you would open the eyes of their hearts.
Um, to see how they feel about each other and what it looks like
to move forward in healthy ways.
We pray also for Daniel's week that you'd be with him day by day.
And, um, yeah, we love you, God.
And we thank you for your love.
And we pray for all of us that, that we would increasingly connect with your
love and with your heart and with your, your desires for us, Lord, we love you
in Jesus name and please also bless David as he's with extended family.
Amen.
Thank you.
Thank you, Thomas.
Yeah.
I bless you guys.
I just speak life and health and strength over you.
Thank you for each one of you, Lord.
I thank you for each one of these men that are just aspiring to be all that it
is that you've called them to be and want them to be, and I just thank you for each
of their desires and passions on the inside of them, that they'd be revealed
in Jesus name, and we just give you praise and glory for it all.
Amen.
And amen.
All right, guys.
God bless.
Have a good one.
Have a great week.
We'll connect with you guys.