A Look Back

0:00:04.640 --> 0:00:05.240 Hi everybody. 0:00:05.240 --> 0:00:07.640 Thanks so much for subscribing to our video podcast here 0:00:07.640 --> 0:00:10.440 at Elevation Church. We trust that these messages are speaking 0:00:10.800 --> 0:00:14.440 directly to your heart. Beginning January seventh, we're moving to 0:00:14.560 --> 0:00:18.000 audio only podcast. We'd love for you to still participate 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:19.680 in it. All you have to do is search for 0:00:19.760 --> 0:00:22.600 Elevation with Stephen Ferdick. If you'd still like the video, 0:00:22.880 --> 0:00:26.000 that's great. You can subscribe to Elevation Church on YouTube 0:00:26.160 --> 0:00:29.000 and be a part of these sermons anywhere you are. 0:00:29.120 --> 0:00:30.680 Thanks again for being a part of the family. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:31.520 We'll see you soon. 0:00:36.840 --> 0:00:39.600 Well, what incredible time in God's presence this morning, and 0:00:39.600 --> 0:00:42.560 if you're just now joining us, welcome to Elevation Church. 0:00:42.840 --> 0:00:44.320 You know, we spent the last couple of minutes just 0:00:44.360 --> 0:00:46.800 thinking about the faithfulness of God, and that's exactly what 0:00:46.880 --> 0:00:48.040 we're going to do here today. Is we're going to 0:00:48.120 --> 0:00:50.560 look back on twenty twenty three and just thank God 0:00:50.600 --> 0:00:52.040 for all that He's done. We're going to talk about 0:00:52.040 --> 0:00:55.279 some special moments and specifically some sermons that we are 0:00:55.320 --> 0:00:57.120 still thinking about right now. 0:00:57.160 --> 0:00:57.920 And it's not just me. 0:00:58.120 --> 0:01:00.640 I have some other people here Chad, Britt and Jason, 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:02.600 and we also have some lovely people from some of 0:01:02.680 --> 0:01:04.960 our local Charlotte area campuses. 0:01:05.000 --> 0:01:06.440 So thank you guys for being here today. 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:13.240 Yeah, and it really has been an incredible year. It's 0:01:13.319 --> 0:01:16.080 very hard to condense down into just a couple things 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:18.360 to talk about because God has been so good to 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:21.360 our church. But I thought before we dive into the sermons, 0:01:21.360 --> 0:01:24.360 the things that really you know, we're still processing chat 0:01:24.400 --> 0:01:26.000 If people have never been part of Coffee Fan before, 0:01:26.080 --> 0:01:27.600 do you want to explain the format today? 0:01:28.120 --> 0:01:30.720 Yeah, So we're taking a little bit different format on 0:01:30.760 --> 0:01:34.480 this last Sunday of the year where we typically talk 0:01:34.520 --> 0:01:37.840 about the message. So, like Colleen said, each week we 0:01:37.840 --> 0:01:40.039 get the opportunity to talk about the message that we 0:01:40.160 --> 0:01:41.880 just heard and we call that Coffee Fam and we 0:01:41.920 --> 0:01:44.920 typically do that live on Wednesday morning at nine am. 0:01:45.040 --> 0:01:47.360 And so a lot of you join in online on 0:01:47.400 --> 0:01:49.480 YouTube or Facebook, and it doesn't matter if you go 0:01:49.560 --> 0:01:52.600 to a physical campus or not. Everybody's joining in to 0:01:52.680 --> 0:01:55.480 really dive in and discuss a little bit deeper of 0:01:55.520 --> 0:01:57.880 what the sermon meant to them. And so today we 0:01:57.920 --> 0:02:00.120 get that opportunity to look back and discuss some of 0:02:00.160 --> 0:02:02.280 these sermons. And I like to say I'm looking for 0:02:02.320 --> 0:02:04.520 those like me too. Moments where it's like, oh, you 0:02:04.960 --> 0:02:07.320 thought that too, that's the thought that I had, or 0:02:07.440 --> 0:02:09.799 you were wondering that too. Well, well I dug into 0:02:09.800 --> 0:02:11.919 that a little bit deeper too. So that's what we 0:02:12.000 --> 0:02:13.160 hope to do to that. 0:02:13.080 --> 0:02:14.600 Makes you feel so much better to know like, oh, 0:02:14.680 --> 0:02:17.600 I'm not the only one who's like struggling through this thing. 0:02:17.680 --> 0:02:19.800 And so yeah, we're excited to talk about all of this. 0:02:19.880 --> 0:02:21.960 So before well, if you tuned into coffee Fan, we 0:02:22.080 --> 0:02:23.760 like to we have to warm up the conversation a 0:02:23.800 --> 0:02:26.040 little bit. And so before we dive into the sermons, 0:02:26.080 --> 0:02:28.120 let's hit just what is like a moment or two 0:02:28.200 --> 0:02:29.720 for you guys that you look back on this here 0:02:29.720 --> 0:02:31.080 and you're like, man, I can't believe I got to 0:02:31.080 --> 0:02:32.600 see God do this or I got to be part 0:02:32.639 --> 0:02:33.200 of this thing. 0:02:33.400 --> 0:02:35.000 Yeah, I'm tied between two. 0:02:35.040 --> 0:02:36.239 Okay, okay, you got to all. 0:02:36.320 --> 0:02:39.320 First of all, Bailmunt just had his first worship experience 0:02:40.000 --> 0:02:41.040 December twenty fourth. 0:02:41.200 --> 0:02:43.560 Yeah, normally known as Gaston, that's. 0:02:43.440 --> 0:02:46.919 Right, formally non artist, formerly known as Gaston eleven years 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:47.680 the non permanent. 0:02:47.720 --> 0:02:49.320 We got to move into a permanent. 0:02:49.000 --> 0:02:52.000 Facility, so we got to worship God his faithfulness, it's 0:02:52.080 --> 0:02:54.760 just it's been amazing. But I love about how our 0:02:54.840 --> 0:02:57.840 church has different expressions. Yes, yeah, and so another expression 0:02:57.840 --> 0:03:00.280 is our pop ups. And we went to San Diego. Yes, 0:03:00.280 --> 0:03:02.400 we do a pop up. I went for the first time. 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:05.280 We baptized eighty five people. So it was my top 0:03:05.320 --> 0:03:08.080 moment just seeing that God is moving in a place 0:03:08.120 --> 0:03:10.320 that we don't have a building. Yes, yeah, yeah, and 0:03:10.400 --> 0:03:12.600 really people are committed to what God is doing in 0:03:12.639 --> 0:03:13.399 Elevation Church. 0:03:13.480 --> 0:03:13.919 I love it. 0:03:14.080 --> 0:03:14.240 Wow. 0:03:15.560 --> 0:03:18.280 Okay, okay, well you talked about, you know, buildings and 0:03:18.400 --> 0:03:19.200 pop ups. 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:20.840 Okay, I'm like you. 0:03:20.960 --> 0:03:22.920 I got like two, all right, I gotta tie, I 0:03:22.919 --> 0:03:23.359 gotta tie. 0:03:23.360 --> 0:03:23.560 Okay. 0:03:23.720 --> 0:03:27.080 Number one. It was not really a moment. It was 0:03:27.120 --> 0:03:29.720 like a seven week moment. It was a seven week 0:03:29.760 --> 0:03:32.720 Bible study that we did earlier this year called Immeasurably Born. 0:03:33.520 --> 0:03:35.440 Maybe some of you might know what I'm talking about, 0:03:35.480 --> 0:03:36.640 but it was really a time where we got to 0:03:36.720 --> 0:03:38.960 journey through the Book of Ephesians together as a church. 0:03:39.320 --> 0:03:41.920 Our pastor preached through Ephesians. We got to journey through 0:03:41.920 --> 0:03:45.520 it in small groups. So we you know, buildings, pop ups, 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:49.119 living rooms, coffee shop, zooms, whatever it takes to see 0:03:49.120 --> 0:03:51.000 the gospel go for So that was one, but then 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:54.040 I also got to go with Love Week, I mean 0:03:54.160 --> 0:03:57.600 a week where we're in the community, serving around the world. 0:03:58.240 --> 0:04:00.000 Top moment for me twenty twenty three. 0:04:00.160 --> 0:04:01.560 How about you, Chechah, I love that well. 0:04:01.560 --> 0:04:04.600 I love the A few weeks back, we shared all 0:04:04.640 --> 0:04:06.840 of these different expressions of church and what you were 0:04:06.880 --> 0:04:09.120 saying of like, it's not just in a building like this, 0:04:09.320 --> 0:04:12.000 but this year, so many of you know, we got 0:04:12.040 --> 0:04:14.760 the opportunity to go to so many different states. 0:04:14.360 --> 0:04:15.600 With Elevation Nights. 0:04:16.240 --> 0:04:18.919 And Elevation Nights is something we've been doing for a 0:04:18.960 --> 0:04:21.599 few years, but it never gets old getting into an 0:04:21.640 --> 0:04:26.560 arena and sitting there with ten fifteen thousand people who 0:04:26.680 --> 0:04:30.560 are worshiping together, who are listening to a message from pastor. 0:04:30.880 --> 0:04:33.760 And we got the opportunity to do that a bunch 0:04:33.839 --> 0:04:38.560 this year. And I can't pick just one, but they're 0:04:38.600 --> 0:04:42.000 always an amazing time and so if you haven't had 0:04:42.000 --> 0:04:44.320 the opportunity to get to one, you got to get 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:48.120 to thank So we're coming up on another Elevation Nights 0:04:48.120 --> 0:04:50.320 in February, so make sure that you get there. 0:04:50.400 --> 0:04:53.120 The Northeast, We're coming your way. Get excited. Yeah, no, 0:04:53.160 --> 0:04:55.279 I would echo everything you guys said. I'm just always 0:04:55.680 --> 0:04:57.719 in all of like the reach God's given our church. 0:04:57.720 --> 0:04:59.120 When I started coming here, we were meeting in a 0:04:59.160 --> 0:05:00.240 high school, Providence school. 0:05:00.240 --> 0:05:02.200 I don't know if anyone has been around that long, 0:05:02.320 --> 0:05:03.440 but it's just. 0:05:03.360 --> 0:05:05.320 Incredible to be hundreds of thousands of miles away, to 0:05:05.320 --> 0:05:07.280 hear people singing the songs that God brought up out 0:05:07.279 --> 0:05:08.680 of our church, and to meet people who are like, 0:05:08.760 --> 0:05:10.320 my best friends are in my E group, and you're like, 0:05:10.360 --> 0:05:12.440 you live in Texas or California. You're like, this is 0:05:12.600 --> 0:05:15.320 amazing what God is doing. And so I'm incredibly grateful 0:05:15.360 --> 0:05:16.640 to be a part of it, and I know most 0:05:16.680 --> 0:05:17.680 of you are as well. Why don't you go ahead, 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:18.560 let us go in the chat if you have a 0:05:18.560 --> 0:05:20.920 favorite moment that we haven't said, or maybe we shared yours, 0:05:21.040 --> 0:05:22.680 but you can share it again, or if there's a 0:05:22.720 --> 0:05:25.240 sermon that you're hoping we might talk about. Now, we 0:05:25.320 --> 0:05:27.480 only have so much time, so we we've narrowed it 0:05:27.520 --> 0:05:29.080 down to three. And this is, like I said, I 0:05:29.120 --> 0:05:30.240 don't know how, but we did. 0:05:30.360 --> 0:05:31.559 I don't know when, don't know how. 0:05:32.440 --> 0:05:34.240 That's right, So we have three that we're going to 0:05:34.279 --> 0:05:35.640 talk about Jason. 0:05:35.720 --> 0:05:36.440 You want to start us. 0:05:36.360 --> 0:05:38.560 Off here, absolutely one of my favorite. 0:05:38.640 --> 0:05:41.279 We had a couple of a words that pastors started 0:05:41.320 --> 0:05:41.720 off with. 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:49.440 For context. The first one was the God of also. 0:05:49.520 --> 0:05:52.440 If you know your favorite a word that is a 0:05:52.480 --> 0:05:53.240 good word. 0:05:53.920 --> 0:05:58.000 Look at chat making them blessed. But we have the 0:05:58.000 --> 0:06:01.640 God of again, you know in the crowds, shout it out. 0:06:01.920 --> 0:06:03.680 But the God of also was one that challenged me 0:06:03.720 --> 0:06:06.120 personally because it was like, God is not just the 0:06:06.160 --> 0:06:09.840 God of Abraham, Isaac or Moses, but he's also doing 0:06:09.880 --> 0:06:12.560 something in my life, not just around my calling of 0:06:12.600 --> 0:06:14.640 what he wants me to do, but who he wants 0:06:14.680 --> 0:06:16.839 me to become. All right, In case you missed it, 0:06:16.880 --> 0:06:18.880 we got a little recap for you, so take a look. 0:06:19.760 --> 0:06:22.200 So the first thing we have to understand when we 0:06:22.240 --> 0:06:25.160 come to God is we must not box him in 0:06:25.720 --> 0:06:29.480 with our broken understanding of who he is or our 0:06:29.600 --> 0:06:30.920 limited language. 0:06:31.360 --> 0:06:39.360 For those God for new He also predestined. 0:06:39.480 --> 0:06:44.320 To be conformed to the image of his son Ah. 0:06:44.640 --> 0:06:47.200 So God's calling is really about character. 0:06:47.640 --> 0:06:49.680 Why is God, who is. 0:06:49.720 --> 0:06:56.320 Holy, stooping down to call himself the God of Jacob. 0:06:57.240 --> 0:07:00.279 Maybe he wants you to know that he doesn't just 0:07:00.360 --> 0:07:03.640 want to be your God when you're living like a prince. 0:07:04.520 --> 0:07:10.520 Maybe he wants you to know that he is also God. 0:07:10.400 --> 0:07:13.360 When I've got it together, but he is. 0:07:15.040 --> 0:07:15.280 God. 0:07:15.320 --> 0:07:18.840 When I don't stop hiding from God. 0:07:19.080 --> 0:07:22.160 When you're feeling ashamed, come to Him and thank Him 0:07:22.280 --> 0:07:23.800 that there's no shame on Jesus. 0:07:23.800 --> 0:07:24.880 So there's no shame on me. 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:28.960 The biggest comfort in my life is that God knew 0:07:29.000 --> 0:07:30.080 it all when he called me. 0:07:30.520 --> 0:07:38.160 Jesus has given us all a gift that is common 0:07:38.240 --> 0:07:43.240 to us, but it is so specific to us, and 0:07:43.440 --> 0:07:48.240 our identity in Him is the most important thing about us. 0:07:49.440 --> 0:07:49.680 Wow. 0:07:50.040 --> 0:07:54.320 Wow, I'm telling you the God of Also what such 0:07:54.320 --> 0:07:56.640 a challenging moment for I believe all of us. 0:07:56.760 --> 0:07:57.000 Yeah. 0:07:57.160 --> 0:07:59.480 For me, it was about getting in to our character, 0:07:59.640 --> 0:08:02.600 not just start calling being what we're doing. And the topic. 0:08:02.640 --> 0:08:05.400 Pastor started with the character. He started with what's Moses? 0:08:05.720 --> 0:08:08.480 How Moses was called to deliver the people out of 0:08:08.480 --> 0:08:11.760 Egypt but also called in murder. Yes, he had a 0:08:11.800 --> 0:08:14.720 serious thing he was wrestling through. And I don't know 0:08:14.720 --> 0:08:16.480 about you in the crowd or in the chat, I 0:08:16.520 --> 0:08:18.280 just want you to put that one thing God. 0:08:18.160 --> 0:08:20.840 Developed in your character this year. I want to see 0:08:20.840 --> 0:08:23.040 it for me as a pastor. I know y'all think 0:08:23.080 --> 0:08:25.640 I'm just you know, flowing no angels wings, I think, 0:08:25.720 --> 0:08:30.440 but God developed my You don't think that chat gotcha. 0:08:30.440 --> 0:08:32.400 But he developed my patience. 0:08:33.440 --> 0:08:35.440 And so I really want to know from you guys, like, 0:08:35.559 --> 0:08:38.080 what did God really do that you didn't expect him 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:41.520 to do in your character as you trusted him. 0:08:41.559 --> 0:08:43.600 It's a great question. You're going deep right away. 0:08:45.600 --> 0:08:47.680 I mean, well, let me start with this because you 0:08:47.760 --> 0:08:50.640 kind of hit on this. But I'm looking back at 0:08:50.640 --> 0:08:52.280 my notes, which this is why I love that we 0:08:52.360 --> 0:08:53.880 do this, because it just brings back. 0:08:53.760 --> 0:08:56.320 All these things to mine. Absolutely, and I highlighted this. 0:08:56.400 --> 0:08:59.520 It says before Moses ever called on God, Yes, God 0:08:59.600 --> 0:09:03.560 called on Moses. And so when you're talking about our character, 0:09:03.800 --> 0:09:07.800 there's times where and I'm not speaking for everyone, just 0:09:07.840 --> 0:09:10.520 those of us that struggle with these little things, right, 0:09:10.600 --> 0:09:14.880 but there's times where I forget like or and I think, 0:09:15.000 --> 0:09:16.839 I like to think I'm a strong, independent woman, right, 0:09:16.880 --> 0:09:19.200 like I got this, I'm on this, you know, like 0:09:19.280 --> 0:09:21.959 I'm doing my thing. But then like before I ever 0:09:21.960 --> 0:09:24.360 get to any of that, God's already called me. And 0:09:24.400 --> 0:09:27.320 it's so funny how sometimes we get amnesia and we 0:09:27.440 --> 0:09:30.200 forget and we think that we can do this like 0:09:30.320 --> 0:09:32.960 in our own strength or in our own way, but 0:09:33.120 --> 0:09:34.920 it all stems from God. So it's just such a 0:09:34.960 --> 0:09:39.560 beautiful picture because I love this quote. Before Moses ever 0:09:39.679 --> 0:09:43.200 called on God, God called on Moses. Before before you 0:09:43.320 --> 0:09:46.200 ever called on God, God called on you, God called 0:09:46.240 --> 0:09:46.440 on me. 0:09:46.520 --> 0:09:48.160 We all have a calling in life, and. 0:09:48.120 --> 0:09:52.520 So for my character, it's like helping me define purpose 0:09:53.240 --> 0:09:55.280 and understand that what God has for me, like I 0:09:55.320 --> 0:09:57.520 can't even like foresee, His ways are greater than our ways. 0:09:58.240 --> 0:10:00.320 So it's just a touching thing to go ick. 0:10:00.200 --> 0:10:02.440 And remember this and how that quote hit me the 0:10:02.440 --> 0:10:04.040 same way as it did when he preached it. 0:10:04.120 --> 0:10:04.640 That's great. 0:10:05.760 --> 0:10:09.720 You did say patience, you didn't expound on it, So 0:10:09.760 --> 0:10:12.960 I'm going to take it to but I'm going to 0:10:13.000 --> 0:10:16.280 expound on it because it's in multiple areas in my life. 0:10:16.320 --> 0:10:20.760 So when I think about patience, I think about certainly 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:23.960 just my life, my kids. You know, if you have kids, 0:10:24.000 --> 0:10:27.200 you're like God's developing patients in my life as to speed, 0:10:28.760 --> 0:10:31.400 But it's really more about me wanting to see what 0:10:31.440 --> 0:10:34.000 it is that I believe is to come right, not 0:10:34.080 --> 0:10:35.960 just in my kids, but in my own life and 0:10:36.120 --> 0:10:39.720 my workplace, and so as I'm thinking, man, God, I 0:10:39.800 --> 0:10:42.600 thought that it was supposed to look this way. I 0:10:42.640 --> 0:10:45.880 thought that it was supposed to get to that point earlier. 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:50.960 You know, patience is something for me that I think. 0:10:51.080 --> 0:10:53.160 I mean, I'm always thinking that things should be much 0:10:53.200 --> 0:10:56.640 faster than they should be. But what I realize, even 0:10:56.679 --> 0:10:58.959 just looking back on this year is I'm so thankful 0:10:59.000 --> 0:10:59.600 that God. 0:10:59.400 --> 0:11:02.000 Didn't do the things and the timing that I wanted 0:11:02.080 --> 0:11:02.439 him to. 0:11:02.440 --> 0:11:06.719 Do, because then I in a lot of ways, i'd 0:11:06.760 --> 0:11:08.680 be like, yeah, that's right. I knew exactly that's what 0:11:08.800 --> 0:11:11.360 was supposed to happen in that way. When it happens 0:11:11.400 --> 0:11:13.880 like this, which is more often than not, you always 0:11:13.880 --> 0:11:16.320 look back and say, man, God, I'm just so thankful 0:11:16.400 --> 0:11:19.720 that you didn't take my advice on this on this one. 0:11:20.000 --> 0:11:23.040 But I'm following your advice and I'm following the plan 0:11:23.120 --> 0:11:25.000 that you're laying out for me step by step. 0:11:25.120 --> 0:11:27.200 So I think this year it's. 0:11:27.040 --> 0:11:28.840 A common theme for me, though I don't know that 0:11:28.840 --> 0:11:31.520 that's going to go away next year, And saying patience. 0:11:32.600 --> 0:11:33.760 My kid is still going to be in the house. 0:11:35.559 --> 0:11:36.480 That's I was gonna say. 0:11:36.520 --> 0:11:38.000 I was say, the character thing is like it's I 0:11:38.000 --> 0:11:40.719 feel like when God reveals something to your like, got it, God, 0:11:40.760 --> 0:11:42.040 I'm going to work on it. And then it gets 0:11:42.040 --> 0:11:44.400 frustrating when you're like, why am I still working. 0:11:44.320 --> 0:11:46.400 On this thing over and over and over again? 0:11:46.679 --> 0:11:48.440 And Pastor Stevens said a long time ago, he said, 0:11:48.520 --> 0:11:50.160 we will go through a lot of the same stuff 0:11:50.160 --> 0:11:51.600 over and over again, but the fact that we're aware 0:11:51.640 --> 0:11:53.559 of it, we're like circling it at a higher level. 0:11:53.600 --> 0:11:55.680 So like more I wan't even known I was like 0:11:56.000 --> 0:11:58.360 frustrated or not being patient, but now I'm like, Okay, 0:11:58.360 --> 0:12:00.400 God's like putting these old checks in my spear. I 0:12:00.440 --> 0:12:02.560 was telling Britt this morning, I felt like even this morning, 0:12:02.679 --> 0:12:04.000 I think God knew we were going to talk about 0:12:04.000 --> 0:12:05.800 this sermon. But I was walking my dog and I 0:12:05.840 --> 0:12:07.120 let him off at leash. There was no one out 0:12:07.120 --> 0:12:08.400 for a little bit. I know people might come for 0:12:08.480 --> 0:12:10.959 me in the comments for that, but this lady came 0:12:10.960 --> 0:12:12.520 by and she was like, your dog needs to be 0:12:12.559 --> 0:12:14.880 on a leash, and my I like immediately went to 0:12:14.920 --> 0:12:16.880 match your energy where I'm like, I'm not normally like 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:18.679 a confrontational person, but I'm kind of like, don't tell 0:12:18.720 --> 0:12:21.720 me what to do, and so like I like, I 0:12:21.840 --> 0:12:23.960 was like, he's fine, and I think I told her, like, 0:12:23.960 --> 0:12:25.440 you need to calm down again. 0:12:25.520 --> 0:12:25.959 That great. 0:12:26.240 --> 0:12:28.720 I'm being very vulnerable with you guys right now, but 0:12:28.800 --> 0:12:29.800 I'm not no joke. 0:12:29.920 --> 0:12:31.880 The whole walk back, I was like, why did I 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:33.400 react like that? 0:12:33.840 --> 0:12:34.040 Right? 0:12:34.200 --> 0:12:35.760 And I was one of the other things past that 0:12:35.840 --> 0:12:38.920 is like your potential is revealed in your maturity. Yes, yeah, 0:12:39.040 --> 0:12:41.040 And so for me, I was just thinking, I'm like, again, 0:12:41.120 --> 0:12:42.599 I'm being hard on myself in this moment, but I 0:12:42.640 --> 0:12:45.080 also am grateful to God, like it was like helping 0:12:45.120 --> 0:12:46.800 me like work through it, like, hey, you should have 0:12:46.800 --> 0:12:48.560 done that, and I'm like, and he forgives me for it, 0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:50.800 and I'm good. But also just to be aware, like 0:12:50.880 --> 0:12:52.600 that's one of the things I gotta keep working on. 0:12:52.840 --> 0:12:55.040 That was the encouraging thing about this arment. How God 0:12:55.120 --> 0:12:57.480 said he didn't just call you on your half points. Yes, yeah, 0:12:57.559 --> 0:12:59.080 he didn't just call you in the places that you're 0:12:59.120 --> 0:13:02.719 proud of, call you your low moments too. Romans eight 0:13:02.760 --> 0:13:05.120 twenty nine, where Pastor kind of came from. He says 0:13:05.160 --> 0:13:08.280 God knew us before we even knew ourselves. Prefsting is 0:13:08.320 --> 0:13:11.080 the word, and he already had a plan laid out 0:13:11.200 --> 0:13:12.640 for our weaknesses and our. 0:13:12.559 --> 0:13:14.840 Shrips when we'll go off on the woman with the dog. 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:18.880 And for me, for me calling I'm not gonna leave 0:13:18.880 --> 0:13:20.720 you out there by yourself. But for me, I was 0:13:20.840 --> 0:13:23.760 actually in the hospital with my mom when this sermon 0:13:23.880 --> 0:13:26.600 was playing, and my patience was like, God, what are 0:13:26.600 --> 0:13:29.400 you going to do when I'm anticipating and in the 0:13:29.480 --> 0:13:30.079 chat right now? 0:13:30.080 --> 0:13:32.040 We don't know what you're going through, but we would 0:13:32.040 --> 0:13:32.720 love to pray for you. 0:13:33.280 --> 0:13:35.440 Put in the chat right now, maybe your end of 0:13:35.440 --> 0:13:37.600 the year is still hard and you need to see 0:13:37.600 --> 0:13:40.679 the God of also work. But in that moment, I 0:13:40.720 --> 0:13:43.240 got a reminder that God is not just wanting to 0:13:43.240 --> 0:13:46.640 do something for me. He's wanting to do something in me. Yeah, 0:13:47.200 --> 0:13:49.840 He's wanting to develop some character in me. And I 0:13:49.880 --> 0:13:50.480 know some of you. 0:13:50.440 --> 0:13:52.800 Have takeaways and we rent through this. 0:13:52.760 --> 0:13:54.520 Sermon, but we actually have one in our. 0:13:54.480 --> 0:13:55.920 Live studio audience. 0:13:56.080 --> 0:13:56.320 We do. 0:13:56.640 --> 0:13:58.800 We have Robert from the Blakeney campus. Go ahead and 0:13:58.880 --> 0:14:02.000 stand though, Robert. Robert is going to share his takeaway 0:14:02.000 --> 0:14:04.200 from this sermon because I know it impacted me. 0:14:04.720 --> 0:14:06.360 But we want to know how it impacted you. 0:14:06.440 --> 0:14:09.200 Go ahead, Yeah, no, there was a lot, a lot 0:14:09.240 --> 0:14:11.640 to take away from this, this actual, actual message. But 0:14:11.880 --> 0:14:14.160 the thing that rested on me the hardest or the most, 0:14:14.200 --> 0:14:16.400 that kind of like resonated with me and it continues 0:14:16.440 --> 0:14:19.480 to sit on me is God is also the god 0:14:19.720 --> 0:14:22.680 of self development. And the line that he made was 0:14:22.720 --> 0:14:27.000 that self development is the key or is the direction 0:14:27.160 --> 0:14:31.240 to self discoveries. All self development is self discovery. And 0:14:31.360 --> 0:14:33.840 when I realized that, I realized that like, as God 0:14:34.000 --> 0:14:38.320 continues to develop me, I discover more of who I 0:14:38.360 --> 0:14:42.320 am and who He created me to be. And realizing 0:14:42.440 --> 0:14:44.120 that you know, a lot of us think that we 0:14:44.160 --> 0:14:47.240 already know ourselves so well, like I know me, nobody 0:14:47.240 --> 0:14:49.800 knows me better than I know myself. But realizing that 0:14:49.880 --> 0:14:52.920 He knew me before I really got to know myself 0:14:52.960 --> 0:14:55.520 the way I know myself. And so yeah, that was 0:14:55.560 --> 0:14:56.240 a great option. 0:14:58.680 --> 0:14:59.720 Thank you so much, Robert. 0:15:00.200 --> 0:15:01.600 That's beautiful. I love that too. 0:15:01.680 --> 0:15:04.280 Because Pastor, when he was preaching this, he pointed out, like, 0:15:04.320 --> 0:15:08.320 because Jacob had his name changed, yes, but he didn't 0:15:08.360 --> 0:15:10.920 say like, I'm the God of your new fancy name. 0:15:11.520 --> 0:15:15.840 He said, I'm the God of Jacob aka deceiver. Right, 0:15:15.920 --> 0:15:19.320 that's the name that Scripture uses when he says I'm the. 0:15:19.240 --> 0:15:19.960 God of Jacob. 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:20.520 That's right. 0:15:20.560 --> 0:15:22.280 And so I thought that that was beautiful. Thank you 0:15:22.320 --> 0:15:22.960 for sharing that. 0:15:23.480 --> 0:15:25.920 I love that you just shared that about the self 0:15:25.960 --> 0:15:29.320 discovery because that's something that I was thinking about so 0:15:29.480 --> 0:15:34.040 much longer after the message of all of this self development. 0:15:33.520 --> 0:15:36.320 Being this discovery of who I already am. 0:15:36.840 --> 0:15:38.960 And I think that's so much of what this message 0:15:39.000 --> 0:15:42.480 was about, of like, you already are the thing, It's 0:15:42.520 --> 0:15:45.560 just deep inside you. You already are a patient person 0:15:45.680 --> 0:15:48.640 because God is patient and God is kind, and so 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:52.240 if God is living in me, then then I must have. 0:15:52.200 --> 0:15:53.480 That attribute as well. 0:15:53.680 --> 0:15:58.120 So how am I discovering that I already am that person? 0:15:58.360 --> 0:15:59.600 And that messed with my mind a. 0:15:59.520 --> 0:16:02.160 Lot because I'm like, but I don't feel like I'm 0:16:02.200 --> 0:16:06.400 feel different things that I'm striving to be. But I 0:16:06.440 --> 0:16:09.880 love that Pastor always talks about when when really that 0:16:09.880 --> 0:16:12.760 that that's placed on you, that that development piece is 0:16:12.800 --> 0:16:15.320 placed on you, You'll start to see things pull out 0:16:15.360 --> 0:16:18.080 of you that you didn't think we're in there be like, oh, 0:16:17.920 --> 0:16:19.240 so true, that's inside of me. 0:16:19.520 --> 0:16:22.280 Maybe it wasn't developed. Maybe it's just just being discovered. 0:16:22.320 --> 0:16:22.520 Now. 0:16:22.800 --> 0:16:25.840 Maybe it's something God that that's already been been inside 0:16:25.840 --> 0:16:28.040 of me. And so I try to think back on 0:16:28.080 --> 0:16:30.200 that when I think, Man, I don't have that, I 0:16:30.200 --> 0:16:32.720 don't have the thing that I'm looking at. And I'm like, man, God, 0:16:32.760 --> 0:16:34.680 I wish, I wish I could just be a little 0:16:34.720 --> 0:16:37.720 bit more resilient. And He's like, no, no, No, You're resilient. 0:16:37.800 --> 0:16:41.280 You're resilient. Trust in me, Believe in me. I understand 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:43.200 that the place that I've put you, I've given you 0:16:43.240 --> 0:16:46.040 everything that you need to stay hand to handle what 0:16:46.080 --> 0:16:48.040 it is that I've put in front of you, and. 0:16:48.000 --> 0:16:51.760 Then develop it. Right, that's the key word, right. 0:16:51.880 --> 0:16:55.360 The development discovery is one phase which as if that's 0:16:55.400 --> 0:16:58.520 not it is difficult sometimes because we don't always see 0:16:58.960 --> 0:17:00.320 those things. And this that's why they say that we 0:17:00.320 --> 0:17:02.880 should always have like people around us to. 0:17:02.840 --> 0:17:04.080 Help us see some of the things. 0:17:04.119 --> 0:17:07.600 Trusted people that like we sometimes overlook or don't recognize 0:17:08.920 --> 0:17:09.679 you doing it not. 0:17:09.800 --> 0:17:13.800 But I'm always here for each That's not going to happen. 0:17:14.520 --> 0:17:16.080 Around But I really believe it. 0:17:16.400 --> 0:17:17.400 I really do believe it. 0:17:17.359 --> 0:17:20.080 And I've really seen it in my own life where 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:23.760 I won't see something in myself and then somebody will 0:17:23.760 --> 0:17:26.000 see it and they'll give me that opportunity or they'll 0:17:26.000 --> 0:17:28.560 speak that life into me. And it's helped me developed 0:17:28.600 --> 0:17:31.200 to the point that I'm at now because my yes 0:17:31.320 --> 0:17:33.800 is put the demand on me what you talked about, 0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:36.520 so you see, oh, there is that kindness in there. 0:17:36.760 --> 0:17:38.600 You have to put the demands on you to be 0:17:38.720 --> 0:17:42.480 kind to develop it. You need both and so putting 0:17:42.520 --> 0:17:45.720 in the work after the discovery is just as important. 0:17:45.760 --> 0:17:47.280 And that's the part that sometimes I think some. 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:50.040 Of us will get the glimpse, will we be willing 0:17:50.119 --> 0:17:52.439 to put in the work to actually develop that character 0:17:52.440 --> 0:17:52.840 within us. 0:17:52.880 --> 0:17:54.600 I love how past esteem and kind of land at 0:17:54.600 --> 0:17:56.720 this sermon, and he he kind of reminded us that 0:17:56.760 --> 0:17:58.720 we don't have to be afraid to come to God 0:17:58.760 --> 0:18:01.280 when we've made that mistake on the road to development. 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:01.800 That's right. 0:18:02.000 --> 0:18:04.639 I think it's really important that we still go to 0:18:04.680 --> 0:18:07.679 God for the things we need, internalities that are not 0:18:07.800 --> 0:18:11.600 developed depending on our own strength or depending on ourselves. 0:18:12.000 --> 0:18:13.879 It's how Moses got in trouble when he tried to 0:18:13.920 --> 0:18:16.600 do it on his own and not depend on God's grace. 0:18:17.320 --> 0:18:19.480 That's when it fell short, and so I don't know 0:18:19.480 --> 0:18:21.200 where you're at today, but we want you to. 0:18:21.440 --> 0:18:23.120 We want to tell you to keep trusting. 0:18:22.800 --> 0:18:25.359 God, keep believing that He is a god of also 0:18:26.080 --> 0:18:27.560 our weaknesses and our strengths. 0:18:27.600 --> 0:18:28.680 Yeah, yeah, that's right. 0:18:29.000 --> 0:18:32.720 Well, speaking of also not, Holly also preached some incredible 0:18:32.760 --> 0:18:35.600 service this year, Britt. I know you're of a lot 0:18:35.600 --> 0:18:37.520 of favorites, but if we had to pick a one 0:18:37.520 --> 0:18:37.880 to talk. 0:18:37.800 --> 0:18:40.879 About, okay, well, this one's for the ladies. Where are 0:18:40.920 --> 0:18:41.920 my ladies at? 0:18:42.320 --> 0:18:45.680 Don't leave me hanging, make yourself known in the child. 0:18:46.160 --> 0:18:50.160 But in all seriousness, our pastor preaches incredible messages every single. 0:18:50.000 --> 0:18:51.800 Week that are life changing. Yes, that's right. 0:18:52.280 --> 0:18:55.760 I've been under his teachings and preaching for eleven years 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:58.959 now and it really has changed my life. And with that, 0:18:59.440 --> 0:19:04.280 we also have the amazing gifts of Hollyfordic as well, 0:19:04.320 --> 0:19:07.600 and our first Lady Pastor Holly has preached some amazing 0:19:08.440 --> 0:19:12.439 messages this year. But there is one in particular that 0:19:12.520 --> 0:19:16.720 she preached on Mother's Day actually, and it was called 0:19:16.800 --> 0:19:21.600 Sudden Strength, and it really is a beautiful picture of 0:19:21.640 --> 0:19:24.520 how even in our weakest moments, when we look to 0:19:24.560 --> 0:19:28.280 the right place where dependency. God will strengthen us even 0:19:28.280 --> 0:19:30.960 in those times. And just as a little refresher, let's 0:19:30.960 --> 0:19:31.600 take a look at this. 0:19:33.280 --> 0:19:37.800 When we experience a difficult situation, we have two choices. 0:19:38.920 --> 0:19:43.359 We can wonder why, or we can ask what next. 0:19:43.920 --> 0:19:45.000 When I sit in. 0:19:44.840 --> 0:19:49.359 My pain for too long, I get stale, and I 0:19:49.400 --> 0:19:52.479 get bitter, and nobody. 0:19:52.000 --> 0:19:56.679 Wants to be around me. But when I drag my 0:19:56.960 --> 0:19:58.200 pain to. 0:19:58.240 --> 0:20:03.160 The feet of Jesus, sometimes over and over again, when 0:20:03.240 --> 0:20:06.240 I seek God, he answers. 0:20:06.320 --> 0:20:08.679 We're not fighting in our own power. 0:20:09.080 --> 0:20:12.639 That's the amazing thing, Paul said. Be strong in the 0:20:12.680 --> 0:20:16.919 Lord and in his mighty power. It's his mighty power 0:20:17.200 --> 0:20:18.240 that is at work. 0:20:18.080 --> 0:20:19.560 On the inside of you. 0:20:20.800 --> 0:20:25.119 But sometimes you gotta get up. If you want to 0:20:25.240 --> 0:20:28.600 activate God's power in your life, you gotta move. 0:20:29.520 --> 0:20:30.680 You got to seek. 0:20:30.400 --> 0:20:34.959 Him again and again and again. You gotta arm yourself 0:20:35.320 --> 0:20:38.920 so that you can stand against the enemy. Don't give in, 0:20:39.400 --> 0:20:43.760 don't let him win, keep fighting even when you're tired. 0:20:46.880 --> 0:20:48.439 Do you guys see why I love that so much? 0:20:48.640 --> 0:20:53.960 Esphesian six. You gotta be armed, yes, But I really 0:20:54.000 --> 0:20:56.600 do love so much the handles that she gave us. 0:20:56.680 --> 0:20:58.280 Because she said this, she was. 0:20:58.200 --> 0:21:02.040 Talking about how sometimes an unexpected fight does break out, 0:21:02.720 --> 0:21:05.560 and for me, I can think of the times where, like, 0:21:05.800 --> 0:21:07.800 you know, I was doing good, I was on my grind, 0:21:07.800 --> 0:21:10.160 I was doing my thing, and then all of a sudden, 0:21:10.200 --> 0:21:11.760 out of nowhere, I'm like, where did this come from? 0:21:11.800 --> 0:21:15.840 And because I was so unprepared, like I wasn't expecting it, 0:21:16.560 --> 0:21:17.520 I went into. 0:21:17.720 --> 0:21:18.880 Literal battle. 0:21:20.080 --> 0:21:22.600 And I didn't know where to find my strengths. So 0:21:22.880 --> 0:21:24.480 the tools that she gave us, I hope that we 0:21:24.520 --> 0:21:25.879 all took to heart, and if not, it's fine. We're 0:21:25.880 --> 0:21:28.119 going to unpack them a little bit more today so 0:21:28.200 --> 0:21:29.920 we can really get these in our spirit going into 0:21:29.920 --> 0:21:33.080 twenty twenty four. But here's the deal. She said this, 0:21:33.240 --> 0:21:34.720 and this is kind of where I want to start. 0:21:34.800 --> 0:21:37.040 She asked us the questions like when something does happen 0:21:37.080 --> 0:21:40.080 in our lives, we can wonder why, or we can 0:21:40.200 --> 0:21:43.840 ask what's next? And so I kind of wanted to 0:21:43.920 --> 0:21:46.320 unpack and sit there for just a couple of moments 0:21:46.400 --> 0:21:48.840 with like, can you guys think through a process through 0:21:48.920 --> 0:21:52.560 like when something unexpected happens, like what is your default? 0:21:53.000 --> 0:21:55.080 And then how do you navigate maybe out of what 0:21:55.240 --> 0:21:57.119 your natural default might be? 0:21:57.440 --> 0:22:00.960 Great Yasna say, well, do you want like the church 0:22:00.960 --> 0:22:03.320 answer or like what I actually do? 0:22:03.960 --> 0:22:05.000 I want a real. 0:22:06.560 --> 0:22:08.960 So I think like for me, and I think this 0:22:09.040 --> 0:22:10.520 even goes back to a little bit of Pastor's lest 0:22:10.520 --> 0:22:12.600 sermon is I feel like when something like that happens, 0:22:12.680 --> 0:22:14.960 I am very quick to like try to figure stuff 0:22:14.960 --> 0:22:17.439 out on my own. I'll ask everyone of my friends 0:22:17.440 --> 0:22:22.080 before I come to God, and I will I'll sit 0:22:22.160 --> 0:22:24.080 in it for a minute and it's not good. But 0:22:24.160 --> 0:22:26.080 like that was why her sermon was so helpful for me, 0:22:26.119 --> 0:22:28.399 because I'm like it was such a good perspective shift 0:22:28.400 --> 0:22:30.720 instead of like sitting there asking like like asking God 0:22:30.760 --> 0:22:33.040 why and stuff and you're like no, like He's going 0:22:33.119 --> 0:22:34.399 to use this, like what's next? 0:22:34.480 --> 0:22:36.119 What do I need to do? And so I love 0:22:36.119 --> 0:22:36.359 when she. 0:22:36.359 --> 0:22:37.760 Talked about like what you do today is giving you 0:22:37.760 --> 0:22:40.480 strength for tomorrow. And so even what you said, Britt 0:22:40.520 --> 0:22:41.800 is like you have to like you have to be 0:22:41.840 --> 0:22:44.040 prepared daily to go into that. And so I think 0:22:44.080 --> 0:22:46.000 the thing that I've learned about myself is like I 0:22:46.080 --> 0:22:47.040 have to spend time with God. 0:22:47.119 --> 0:22:47.720 I'm praying in. 0:22:47.640 --> 0:22:50.360 My car, whether that's reading my Bible, whether that's journaling 0:22:50.400 --> 0:22:52.840 things I'm grateful for I have to be filled up 0:22:52.880 --> 0:22:55.520 in order to be prepared when that next thing comes. 0:22:55.680 --> 0:22:57.400 And so am I good at it? Not all the time, 0:22:57.520 --> 0:22:59.919 but I'm learning the things I need to do so 0:23:00.119 --> 0:23:01.080 I am prepared when I. 0:23:01.000 --> 0:23:01.520 Go into it. 0:23:01.600 --> 0:23:05.800 Yeah, I would say I'm good at telling my kids 0:23:06.280 --> 0:23:10.240 that this is preparation for what's next. Yeah, because that's 0:23:10.280 --> 0:23:12.399 the way I see like my life. I mean, everything 0:23:12.400 --> 0:23:14.520 I'm doing for my kids and it's like, well, what, 0:23:15.200 --> 0:23:16.680 I don't want to do that now? No, no, No, 0:23:16.720 --> 0:23:19.480 We're teaching you so that later on this you're gonna 0:23:19.560 --> 0:23:22.480 you're gonna thank us later for this because we're helping 0:23:22.480 --> 0:23:24.360 you to understand you got to clean up after yourself. 0:23:24.600 --> 0:23:27.080 This will go well for you later in life. I'm 0:23:27.080 --> 0:23:29.280 teaching you to be disciplined with the things that you're 0:23:29.280 --> 0:23:31.840 committing to. This will go well for you later in life. 0:23:32.000 --> 0:23:35.480 And they don't necessarily always love it, But when it 0:23:35.520 --> 0:23:39.119 happens to me, it's very much different than that, because 0:23:39.240 --> 0:23:42.200 I'm like, I'm a fighter in the moment when something's happened, 0:23:42.200 --> 0:23:43.920 and I'm like, I don't like, there's got to be 0:23:43.920 --> 0:23:46.000 a reason this is happening in this moment, and it's 0:23:46.000 --> 0:23:48.640 for right now, and so I'm going to bring everything i. 0:23:48.560 --> 0:23:51.479 Have at it. I'm going to fight it because I 0:23:51.480 --> 0:23:52.399 want to fix things. 0:23:52.560 --> 0:23:55.040 I want to make things right. I'm a fixer, you know. 0:23:55.640 --> 0:23:57.840 I'm not one to sit back and be like, let 0:23:57.840 --> 0:24:00.320 me just really believe and think, what is God trying 0:24:00.359 --> 0:24:04.199 to teach me through this? Because that's that is so 0:24:04.359 --> 0:24:07.200 difficult for me to do. That is such a difficult thing. 0:24:08.040 --> 0:24:12.560 It's easy to sit here and talk about to just say, well, 0:24:12.600 --> 0:24:14.399 just do it. One of the things I love that 0:24:14.400 --> 0:24:16.119 Holly said, though, was you got to do the work. 0:24:16.480 --> 0:24:18.159 You got to do the work, and you got to 0:24:18.160 --> 0:24:20.920 do the work to dive in and even just sit 0:24:21.000 --> 0:24:23.080 back and say, God, what are you showing me? That's 0:24:23.160 --> 0:24:25.960 work for me, because it's not work to just get 0:24:26.040 --> 0:24:28.959 up and I'm fighting, I'm going after this. That's not 0:24:29.000 --> 0:24:31.000 really work for me. The work does come when I 0:24:31.040 --> 0:24:33.840 have to sit back and say, God, Okay, what do 0:24:33.880 --> 0:24:34.960 you want to show me through this? 0:24:35.040 --> 0:24:36.720 What are you trying to teach me through this? 0:24:36.840 --> 0:24:39.480 What are you trying to help me understand that this 0:24:39.520 --> 0:24:42.600 is preparation for And that's tough, that's not easy. 0:24:42.840 --> 0:24:44.560 Well, it's the discipline part of what you said is 0:24:44.560 --> 0:24:46.240 because like I think we want it to be easy, 0:24:46.280 --> 0:24:48.440 but I'm like, the discipline part's hard, Like I don't 0:24:48.440 --> 0:24:50.600 always want to read my Bible every day. Like truthfully, 0:24:50.600 --> 0:24:52.600 I'm like, but you have to like make yourself do 0:24:52.720 --> 0:24:55.560 the things and to see like to see the progress 0:24:55.560 --> 0:24:56.639 and to see it working. 0:24:56.720 --> 0:24:59.000 And so it's not easy. But that's what discipline is. 0:24:59.160 --> 0:25:03.199 Yeah, because normally under pressure, we respond so differently from 0:25:03.240 --> 0:25:06.840 a psychological standpoint. They say it's three responses fight, flight 0:25:07.040 --> 0:25:07.800 or freeze. 0:25:07.680 --> 0:25:08.520 Yep, I would love. 0:25:08.440 --> 0:25:12.840 To know which one where my flight people at fight freeze? 0:25:13.200 --> 0:25:17.600 Yeah, sometimes all three. I don't know what to do. 0:25:18.040 --> 0:25:20.480 But as a leader, I find myself always, like you, Chad, 0:25:20.520 --> 0:25:21.359 wanting to solve it. 0:25:21.600 --> 0:25:22.199 Yeah. 0:25:22.240 --> 0:25:26.080 And I'm also a worst case scenario person, so I'm 0:25:26.119 --> 0:25:26.680 not trying. 0:25:26.440 --> 0:25:28.520 To solve the actual problem. I'm trying to solve the 0:25:28.520 --> 0:25:30.000 worst case scenario. 0:25:29.520 --> 0:25:32.119 Problem's going to help exists yet and. 0:25:32.240 --> 0:25:34.600 I don't know why, And so I feel like my 0:25:34.720 --> 0:25:36.960 imagination can get away from me and try to go 0:25:37.000 --> 0:25:39.840 into mow. And so I love discernment because it teaches 0:25:39.920 --> 0:25:41.600 us how to surrender even in a fight. 0:25:42.280 --> 0:25:44.639 Yeah, it's really it's really kind of cool because the 0:25:44.680 --> 0:25:48.080 story that Holly was preaching from it was like about 0:25:48.160 --> 0:25:51.600 David and everything had been taken his wives, which we're 0:25:51.600 --> 0:25:53.840 not going to talk about that right now, but everything 0:25:53.880 --> 0:25:56.440 has been taken and they were all like at their 0:25:56.440 --> 0:25:59.400 lowest point and they're like super weak, like they were exhausted. 0:25:59.440 --> 0:26:01.080 They couldn't have been ment or cry anymore. 0:26:01.640 --> 0:26:03.560 And then like the strength of the Lord came to 0:26:03.640 --> 0:26:07.520 David and that moment, and so what a beautiful picture 0:26:07.640 --> 0:26:08.480 of even. 0:26:08.240 --> 0:26:10.359 Like when we're going through some really difficult things. 0:26:10.359 --> 0:26:12.960 And I mean, I don't know about everyone, but this 0:26:13.080 --> 0:26:15.840 year I've hit some lows, you know, like if life 0:26:15.840 --> 0:26:19.960 has been life in you know, like in all seriousness, 0:26:20.000 --> 0:26:24.760 like you know, like difficult things like mommy is not easy, 0:26:25.080 --> 0:26:27.399 and then you know, I've experienced loss. I've experienced a 0:26:27.440 --> 0:26:30.840 lot of real things this year. And in those moments, 0:26:30.880 --> 0:26:32.560 like when you're talking about all of those, I think 0:26:32.560 --> 0:26:33.919 I do a little bit of all of it. But 0:26:34.040 --> 0:26:37.160 one thing I do very practically in those moments. 0:26:38.119 --> 0:26:38.880 And I don't know if this. 0:26:38.840 --> 0:26:41.359 Is right or not, but I always give myself a 0:26:41.400 --> 0:26:44.280 deadline to feel whatever I want to feel. So like 0:26:44.480 --> 0:26:46.520 when I'm like and I'm like I can wile out, 0:26:46.720 --> 0:26:47.680 I can say what I want. 0:26:47.760 --> 0:26:49.120 Again, I'm not saying this is best. 0:26:49.119 --> 0:26:52.520 I'm just saying I give myself permission to Maybe it 0:26:52.600 --> 0:26:55.320 is like lamenting is fine, right, but like maybe not 0:26:55.520 --> 0:26:56.800 some of the ways I do it. 0:26:57.000 --> 0:26:59.880 But a normal deadline like how long are we talking? Okay? 0:26:59.880 --> 0:27:02.680 It depends on what it is, okay. So like if 0:27:02.720 --> 0:27:05.280 it's something like say like my son or my husband, 0:27:05.359 --> 0:27:06.679 like make me mad, I'm gonna say, you know what, 0:27:07.160 --> 0:27:09.399 I'm gonna go like, I'm literally gonna go take a 0:27:09.480 --> 0:27:11.280 shower and just sit in my room for an hour 0:27:11.760 --> 0:27:13.200 and then I have to get over it because I 0:27:13.240 --> 0:27:16.399 gotta figure it out. Or if it's you know, a 0:27:16.440 --> 0:27:18.880 friend thing, I might take the night and be as 0:27:18.920 --> 0:27:21.000 angry as I want, and then I'm gonna come back, 0:27:21.440 --> 0:27:23.000 you know, the next day and we're gonna figure it out. 0:27:23.000 --> 0:27:24.680 We got to solve this thing. You've got to move 0:27:24.720 --> 0:27:25.240 on from it. 0:27:26.760 --> 0:27:30.240 Or if it's I don't know, it's so different depending 0:27:30.359 --> 0:27:31.280 on I never. 0:27:31.119 --> 0:27:33.000 Let myself sit in it though, too. 0:27:33.200 --> 0:27:35.440 I'm typically one of the next I'm like, you're ready 0:27:35.480 --> 0:27:38.359 for next twenty four hours or less than twenty four hours, 0:27:38.480 --> 0:27:43.159 just because I know if I let myself go too long, right, 0:27:43.160 --> 0:27:45.600 and it's gonna be really bad for me because then 0:27:45.680 --> 0:27:48.359 I've started a spiral and everyone I'm not gonna be 0:27:48.359 --> 0:27:50.720 able to get out. But then there's like different cycles 0:27:50.760 --> 0:27:54.560 like grief. Yeah, maybe I can just do twenty four hours. Yeah, 0:27:54.720 --> 0:27:57.080 but I'm gonna give myself twenty four hours to feel 0:27:57.119 --> 0:28:00.160 everything and then I'm gonna do something. And then when 0:28:00.160 --> 0:28:01.840 it hits me again like a wave, I'm going to 0:28:01.880 --> 0:28:04.560 give myself another time period to just feel whatever I 0:28:04.600 --> 0:28:06.840 need to feel and give myself permission and grace through 0:28:06.840 --> 0:28:07.320 that season. 0:28:07.960 --> 0:28:10.360 And so but it also in my mind, it. 0:28:10.359 --> 0:28:12.960 Just triggers something like you get to be human, you 0:28:13.000 --> 0:28:14.840 get to feel this, you get to experience this because 0:28:14.880 --> 0:28:16.960 you guys know, like I really am a firm believer 0:28:17.040 --> 0:28:19.520 of I know God gave us emotions, but then he 0:28:19.600 --> 0:28:21.360 tells us things like you slow to anger. 0:28:21.359 --> 0:28:23.000 I'm like, you literally gave me the thing. 0:28:28.840 --> 0:28:31.400 I really believe that I read this devotional years ago 0:28:31.440 --> 0:28:33.399 that just and it's always stuck with me. This is 0:28:33.400 --> 0:28:36.320 maybe like ten to fifteen years ago about like emotions 0:28:36.320 --> 0:28:39.120 are meant to catch our attention. So anytime you feel 0:28:39.160 --> 0:28:41.600 like anger, frustration, like that is a signal to you 0:28:41.960 --> 0:28:43.560 not to act out of that, but to bring that 0:28:43.600 --> 0:28:45.560 to God because they caught your attention for a reason. 0:28:46.320 --> 0:28:48.880 And so that is what I've been really working really 0:28:48.920 --> 0:28:50.480 hard to be able to do. And I feel like 0:28:50.800 --> 0:28:53.320 the strength piece though, that holl I taught about in 0:28:53.360 --> 0:28:55.400 those moments is what's so powerful, because if you take 0:28:55.480 --> 0:28:57.800 everything from me, I might be falling out on the 0:28:57.840 --> 0:28:59.720 floor trying to figure it out. What am I going 0:28:59.800 --> 0:29:01.280 to do because I feel some type of way. But 0:29:01.760 --> 0:29:03.760 I love how she was like, no, God will strengthen you. 0:29:03.840 --> 0:29:05.400 And then David went and he got back what was 0:29:05.440 --> 0:29:07.040 his God had given him. 0:29:07.320 --> 0:29:09.160 I love the example of David because in the Book 0:29:09.160 --> 0:29:12.520 of Psalms you see him always expressing what he's feeling, 0:29:13.040 --> 0:29:15.800 what he's going through and going to God and not 0:29:15.960 --> 0:29:17.760 just saying it to his neighbors. So for me, I 0:29:17.800 --> 0:29:20.720 love to complain. I don't know what my complainers are. Yeah, 0:29:20.720 --> 0:29:21.680 I got a lot of issues. 0:29:21.720 --> 0:29:22.160 Guys. 0:29:23.000 --> 0:29:23.840 Therapy right now. 0:29:25.960 --> 0:29:28.959 I feel so therapeutic. But I just want to complain. 0:29:29.000 --> 0:29:31.160 But when I complain to my wife or my friends, 0:29:31.440 --> 0:29:32.440 that causes. 0:29:32.120 --> 0:29:33.880 Like fear or anxiety to them. 0:29:34.000 --> 0:29:36.080 But when I complain in the presence of God, he 0:29:36.200 --> 0:29:39.320 has answers, so and so, just like you, It's like, 0:29:39.360 --> 0:29:41.840 I'll give myself a moment, but I'm like, okay, God, 0:29:42.160 --> 0:29:43.160 how can we circle up? 0:29:43.280 --> 0:29:44.880 This is what I'm really feeling. He's not afraid of 0:29:44.920 --> 0:29:47.040 my doubt, my anxiety. 0:29:46.800 --> 0:29:48.360 My space for all of that. 0:29:48.480 --> 0:29:50.320 He said, Hey, come to me, you know. 0:29:50.360 --> 0:29:52.960 And that's sometimes the hardest part is just to kind 0:29:52.960 --> 0:29:53.600 of go to God. 0:29:53.800 --> 0:29:56.840 Oh yeah, totally. It just seems so simple. You're like, 0:29:56.920 --> 0:29:58.800 we'll know the thing to do, but we just don't 0:29:58.840 --> 0:29:59.120 do it. 0:29:59.560 --> 0:30:00.920 Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. 0:30:00.960 --> 0:30:05.960 Wonder why or like Holly said, that's right, ask what's next? 0:30:06.240 --> 0:30:07.760 What now? What would you have me do? 0:30:07.880 --> 0:30:09.480 That's great, what's next? 0:30:09.680 --> 0:30:10.120 Perfect? 0:30:10.600 --> 0:30:12.440 We do have someone in the crowd as well who 0:30:12.480 --> 0:30:19.959 has a takeaway from this message. 0:30:20.000 --> 0:30:25.200 I resonated with this sermon so much because I was 0:30:25.240 --> 0:30:27.200 in the middle of a battle of feeling like I 0:30:27.280 --> 0:30:31.160 wasn't equipped to raise our teenage son and hearing her 0:30:31.200 --> 0:30:33.080 say the enemy is out there and he wants you 0:30:33.120 --> 0:30:35.160 to be too tired for the calling God has put 0:30:35.200 --> 0:30:39.880 on your life really encouraged me. Really shot me in 0:30:39.880 --> 0:30:43.240 the gut, if I'm being honest. But the pandemic really 0:30:43.320 --> 0:30:46.720 rocked our teenager's world. He went through a really deep 0:30:46.720 --> 0:30:50.920 depression and he was this kid that showed up for 0:30:51.000 --> 0:30:54.280 church every weekend. He volunteered, he was baptized at our church, 0:30:54.320 --> 0:30:58.160 and now he is questioning God and it's been a 0:30:58.160 --> 0:31:01.200 really long battle. But just listening to the sermon reminded 0:31:01.240 --> 0:31:03.520 me like I can't give up, Like I've got to 0:31:03.560 --> 0:31:06.200 fight this for him. I have two more sons, so 0:31:06.280 --> 0:31:08.200 I'm going to need that strength for them as well. 0:31:08.360 --> 0:31:11.880 So but yeah, so good. Thank you for sharing that. 0:31:14.600 --> 0:31:17.680 That's so powerful and that's so real, and. 0:31:17.680 --> 0:31:19.280 I know that there's a lot of people that are 0:31:19.280 --> 0:31:22.200 here today that can relate to that, And I just 0:31:22.200 --> 0:31:24.280 thank you for being vulnerable and being in it right now, 0:31:24.320 --> 0:31:26.200 because there's so many of us that are in it 0:31:26.760 --> 0:31:30.960 right now. But I also love how the scripture says 0:31:31.000 --> 0:31:34.400 that the strength comes suddenly, yes, right, And so wherever 0:31:34.480 --> 0:31:36.760 you find yourself, that would be our belief in our 0:31:36.800 --> 0:31:40.120 prayer for you, that the strength will come suddenly right now, 0:31:40.160 --> 0:31:42.320 even in this moment, I believe that you'll be strengthened 0:31:42.400 --> 0:31:44.959 just in the presence of what today means for us 0:31:45.000 --> 0:31:48.120 and through this conversation and just knowing that God will 0:31:48.560 --> 0:31:53.040 provide the strength that you need even in the hardest moments, 0:31:53.120 --> 0:31:57.040 like like what Pastor Holly shared, let's start the sermon amazing. 0:31:57.520 --> 0:31:59.160 All right, well, we have one more sermon that we're 0:31:59.160 --> 0:32:01.680 going to get to talk about, Chad, one of your favorites. 0:32:03.800 --> 0:32:08.960 We're going to Week two of this year where Pastor 0:32:10.080 --> 0:32:14.320 rolled out Do the New You, and everybody's shaking their 0:32:14.360 --> 0:32:17.720 head yes because they all pre ordered past this book. 0:32:20.760 --> 0:32:24.160 Pastor just wrote a new book called Do the New Ye, 0:32:24.320 --> 0:32:26.800 and it's based off of this message and some messages 0:32:27.320 --> 0:32:27.800 beyond this. 0:32:27.920 --> 0:32:29.440 But what I love so much. 0:32:29.280 --> 0:32:31.480 Is this kind of ties in so much to everything 0:32:31.480 --> 0:32:34.400 that we've already been talking about, is how the you 0:32:34.680 --> 0:32:38.160 that really is inside of you, the you that God knows. 0:32:38.200 --> 0:32:41.040 It's not always the me that I know, it's not 0:32:41.200 --> 0:32:43.800 the me that that I see on a daily basis, 0:32:44.280 --> 0:32:46.920 but but the me that God wants me to be 0:32:47.160 --> 0:32:49.479 is inside of me. And it's really all about what 0:32:49.520 --> 0:32:50.920 are the different steps that I. 0:32:50.880 --> 0:32:53.320 Need to take in life to see that happens. 0:32:53.600 --> 0:32:56.080 How do I need to really let that come out 0:32:56.200 --> 0:32:59.000 and walk forward in what God has for me? 0:32:59.080 --> 0:33:01.600 And So if if you missed it, I hope you didn't. 0:33:02.160 --> 0:33:04.040 You can certainly watch it on YouTube, and I would 0:33:04.120 --> 0:33:06.560 encourage you to do that, but we have a little 0:33:06.600 --> 0:33:08.040 recap to show you about it. 0:33:08.040 --> 0:33:09.120 To take a look. 0:33:09.360 --> 0:33:14.320 The way that you have been living that has been 0:33:14.760 --> 0:33:18.840 limiting you. It is a product of the patterns of 0:33:18.880 --> 0:33:24.720 the world that you have copied unconsciously. Until now, we 0:33:25.200 --> 0:33:31.200 almost have elevated authenticity to the level. 0:33:31.000 --> 0:33:33.040 Of ultimate authority in our lives. 0:33:34.520 --> 0:33:40.520 To give ourselves permission not to make progress. What wind 0:33:40.600 --> 0:33:45.320 are you cursing because you avoided dealing with the storms inside? 0:33:46.120 --> 0:33:50.360 The awareness of how I start doesn't have to become 0:33:51.360 --> 0:33:52.840 indicative of where I end. 0:33:53.000 --> 0:33:53.720 I believe that. 0:33:53.720 --> 0:33:58.080 There is a power in Christ for you to decide 0:33:58.240 --> 0:33:59.920 that I don't want to be like what I can 0:34:00.000 --> 0:34:02.080 I'm from. 0:34:02.600 --> 0:34:04.880 I want to be like I was created for. 0:34:06.680 --> 0:34:07.280 In the Lord. 0:34:08.800 --> 0:34:13.960 You are being called this year to do the knew you. 0:34:14.840 --> 0:34:20.600 But he said before you were born, before I formed 0:34:20.640 --> 0:34:27.560 you in the room, I before any of the crap happened. 0:34:27.600 --> 0:34:31.160 God said, I had intimate knowledge of your intellect, and he. 0:34:31.239 --> 0:34:34.439 Brought me that sucks to tell me do it? 0:34:34.840 --> 0:34:35.520 To know you? 0:34:39.320 --> 0:34:39.960 I go back. 0:34:40.000 --> 0:34:40.839 I got to go back. 0:34:41.560 --> 0:34:42.640 I got to go back and watch it. 0:34:42.719 --> 0:34:48.400 Yeah, I love that Pastor was was just sharing before 0:34:49.320 --> 0:34:52.359 before we even knew us, he knew everything. And I 0:34:52.440 --> 0:34:54.279 just feel like I said this just a minute ago, 0:34:54.360 --> 0:34:57.440 but that that has just been flown throughout today, that 0:34:57.440 --> 0:34:59.879 that before we even got to the place that we're 0:35:00.040 --> 0:35:02.000 and God knew that we would be in the place 0:35:02.040 --> 0:35:04.360 that we're in. God set us up to be exactly 0:35:04.400 --> 0:35:06.960 where we're at. He gave us everything we need for 0:35:07.040 --> 0:35:08.960 where we're at today. But one of the things that 0:35:09.000 --> 0:35:11.440 Pastor said is what wind are you cursing? 0:35:12.040 --> 0:35:14.520 And knowing that there's so much. 0:35:14.320 --> 0:35:16.600 Going on and you may be saying, oh, man, I 0:35:16.960 --> 0:35:18.640 hate that I'm in that position, or I hate that 0:35:18.719 --> 0:35:20.759 I'm I'm dealing with this right now, or why are 0:35:20.800 --> 0:35:23.040 they doing that again? Or why kids acting up this 0:35:23.120 --> 0:35:25.839 way again? What's the wind in your life that you're 0:35:25.880 --> 0:35:28.560 cursing that that if you stop to sit back and say, 0:35:28.560 --> 0:35:28.920 wait a. 0:35:28.840 --> 0:35:30.520 Minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, God. 0:35:30.719 --> 0:35:33.480 Is that actually the thing that you're trying to do 0:35:33.600 --> 0:35:36.839 in me right now? Is that the me is that 0:35:37.000 --> 0:35:40.040 is that part of me today? And so everybody's been 0:35:40.080 --> 0:35:44.360 asking questions, here's my question, What's what's the what's the 0:35:44.400 --> 0:35:47.640 wind you're cursing today? Jason, what's the wind in life 0:35:47.680 --> 0:35:51.120 that maybe maybe is something that God's put in your life? 0:35:51.239 --> 0:35:51.479 Yeah? 0:35:51.600 --> 0:35:54.239 Yeah, I feel like the winding I'm cursing is I 0:35:54.239 --> 0:35:56.279 always go back to my leadership because I leave so 0:35:56.360 --> 0:35:56.960 many people. 0:35:57.440 --> 0:35:59.120 And maybe you can relate to this. 0:35:59.200 --> 0:36:02.279 There's always something to solve, and I'm like, why do 0:36:02.360 --> 0:36:05.240 I have to carry this weight of solving this problem again? 0:36:05.800 --> 0:36:08.160 You know, why do I have to continuously move this 0:36:09.000 --> 0:36:13.000 up forward again? Because sometimes I feel tired. I feel 0:36:13.000 --> 0:36:15.839 like I don't have the answers. People want solutions, they 0:36:15.840 --> 0:36:18.359 want marriage counseling, They won't They want me to be 0:36:18.480 --> 0:36:22.719 the source, and I feel empty sometimes and so it's like, God, 0:36:22.719 --> 0:36:24.839 why are you bringing me all of this that I 0:36:24.920 --> 0:36:27.480 have to carry the weight? And maybe you feel that 0:36:27.520 --> 0:36:29.960 as a parent, maybe you feel that as a business owner, 0:36:30.280 --> 0:36:32.480 like why am I under this weight? Why am I 0:36:32.520 --> 0:36:34.920 here again looking for solutions? 0:36:34.960 --> 0:36:36.839 And people are coming to me for solutions. 0:36:37.239 --> 0:36:39.799 But I feel like that win has definitely put a 0:36:39.840 --> 0:36:43.839 resilience in me to just keep going. Sometimes I may 0:36:43.840 --> 0:36:45.799 not have the answer, and it's okay to be set 0:36:46.040 --> 0:36:47.680 to tell people, Hey. 0:36:47.520 --> 0:36:50.040 I don't know, but we're gonna pray about it. We're 0:36:50.040 --> 0:36:52.839 gonna believe God for it, and not in a cliche way. 0:36:53.200 --> 0:36:55.600 We're actually going to sit and pray and wait on 0:36:55.719 --> 0:36:57.839 God to be there. And so I feel like that 0:36:57.880 --> 0:37:00.640 win comes in moments that I you know, I hate 0:37:00.640 --> 0:37:02.160 to go all the way back to twenty twenty. I 0:37:02.160 --> 0:37:05.720 hate we're going into a new year, but I feel 0:37:05.760 --> 0:37:08.200 like that what that pressure is as a pastor or 0:37:08.239 --> 0:37:11.320 as a leader, it just kept building and building. Okay, 0:37:11.400 --> 0:37:13.759 how can we solve this problem? And this year will 0:37:13.840 --> 0:37:16.160 be full of problems and I already know it, but 0:37:16.239 --> 0:37:18.680 I believe that, you know, if I continue to keep 0:37:18.680 --> 0:37:20.920 my eyes on the one that called me before he 0:37:21.000 --> 0:37:23.680 knew me, before I knew, he knew I would be here, 0:37:23.880 --> 0:37:26.440 he knew I would be under this weight? And so 0:37:26.560 --> 0:37:28.880 how does guy want me to carry it? And so 0:37:28.960 --> 0:37:31.560 I feel like that win for me, it's just constantly 0:37:31.600 --> 0:37:32.720 solving what's next? 0:37:33.320 --> 0:37:35.879 Love that, Yeah, it's really good. 0:37:35.960 --> 0:37:38.879 I mean there's a few things that come to. 0:37:38.800 --> 0:37:39.880 Mind that you're cursing. 0:37:40.200 --> 0:37:46.560 Yeah, in a kind way. No, I think that, like 0:37:46.760 --> 0:37:49.120 it's maybe not the same because actually I'm one of 0:37:49.160 --> 0:37:53.759 those people that's energized by problems. I more so get 0:37:53.800 --> 0:37:55.920 really annoyed with like what I feel like are barriers, 0:37:56.960 --> 0:37:58.960 you know what I mean, And I just get so 0:37:59.400 --> 0:38:03.200 like frustrated at it, and I'm like really like again, 0:38:03.760 --> 0:38:05.439 or like why is this in the way? This could 0:38:05.440 --> 0:38:08.160 be so great if just this or you know, whatever 0:38:08.200 --> 0:38:11.160 that might look like. And so for me, I think 0:38:11.160 --> 0:38:13.000 that's the thing. But you're right, You've already said a 0:38:13.040 --> 0:38:16.280 lot of what I would say, like since you're asking 0:38:16.320 --> 0:38:18.800 such great questions, Chad and forcing us to now process 0:38:18.840 --> 0:38:23.000 this looking back, it really is beautiful how God uses 0:38:23.040 --> 0:38:25.680 that to really like strengthen you and teach you perseverance 0:38:25.760 --> 0:38:27.799 and not to give up. And you have to push 0:38:27.800 --> 0:38:30.719 through that to achieve this for my glory and you know, 0:38:30.760 --> 0:38:32.920 and that looks like all types of different things, but 0:38:33.080 --> 0:38:36.640 like it is interesting, But like barriers are the thing 0:38:36.680 --> 0:38:39.359 I'm always like for real, But maybe it's because I'm 0:38:39.400 --> 0:38:41.080 like naturally like I like to be a go getter 0:38:41.320 --> 0:38:43.239 and like so in some things I feel like it's 0:38:43.239 --> 0:38:44.520 trying to stop me from doing that. 0:38:44.600 --> 0:38:46.960 I get super frustrated and just like. 0:38:46.920 --> 0:38:48.680 Oh, so for real, we're gonna we don't box that 0:38:48.719 --> 0:38:49.640 we got square up right now? 0:38:49.680 --> 0:38:52.480 Because why why are you you know what I mean? 0:38:52.520 --> 0:38:56.000 But like it is that for me, I think right for. 0:38:55.920 --> 0:38:59.799 Me, I think I the wind that I'm cursing as 0:38:59.840 --> 0:39:03.279 you is. I have these like benchmarks I set for 0:39:03.320 --> 0:39:04.960 myself where I'm like, I should be here by now 0:39:05.000 --> 0:39:06.440 in this area of my life. I should be here 0:39:06.440 --> 0:39:08.080 in this area of my life. So I think for me, 0:39:08.160 --> 0:39:11.760 it's like season of life where I'm in my head, I'm. 0:39:11.640 --> 0:39:13.200 Like, I thought i'd be here. I thought i'd be 0:39:13.239 --> 0:39:14.520 doing this. I thought, you know. 0:39:14.640 --> 0:39:16.480 All these different things, and so I think it's very 0:39:16.520 --> 0:39:19.000 easy for me to get I don't know, not like 0:39:19.040 --> 0:39:20.919 a I guess. I mean, yeah, sometimes I get upset 0:39:20.960 --> 0:39:22.879 about it, but I think like for me, I'm I'm 0:39:22.920 --> 0:39:25.840 trying to figure out, well, one, these are self imposed 0:39:26.080 --> 0:39:28.920 deadlines I've put on myself. Yeah, it's not like anything 0:39:29.040 --> 0:39:31.000 God was like you were supposed to do this. I'm like, no, 0:39:31.080 --> 0:39:33.040 this is like in my head what I thought. But 0:39:33.040 --> 0:39:34.680 I think you said earlier, like there's so much that 0:39:34.719 --> 0:39:36.680 I'm like he's teaching me in this season, and there's 0:39:36.680 --> 0:39:38.120 so many things that I thought I wanted when I 0:39:38.160 --> 0:39:39.600 was twenty, and I'm like, thank god I didn't get 0:39:39.640 --> 0:39:40.279 that when I was twenty. 0:39:40.280 --> 0:39:43.880 I would have ruined it. So that to me, I 0:39:43.920 --> 0:39:45.360 think is where I struggle the most. 0:39:45.600 --> 0:39:48.000 Yeah, yeah, that's great, I would agree with that. I 0:39:48.560 --> 0:39:52.240 It's a both then for me because in it Pastor 0:39:52.320 --> 0:39:55.520 talked all about putting off your old self. Yeah, and 0:39:55.560 --> 0:39:58.000 so then I always feel like, well, if I'm putting 0:39:58.000 --> 0:40:00.640 off my old self, then I'm growing toward toward my 0:40:00.760 --> 0:40:03.400 new self. But like you said, it's all about the 0:40:03.440 --> 0:40:06.080 timing and the timelines. And for me, I'm like, so, 0:40:06.160 --> 0:40:08.880 I'm not there yet though, I'm not to what I 0:40:08.920 --> 0:40:11.120 wanted to be. I'm trying to put off the old self, 0:40:11.520 --> 0:40:14.799 but I just can't get there yet. And so when 0:40:14.880 --> 0:40:17.920 I'm looking at these markers like you said that, it 0:40:17.960 --> 0:40:21.319 was like, Man, I thought, by now this would look 0:40:21.400 --> 0:40:24.480 this certain way. I thought by now i'd be done 0:40:24.480 --> 0:40:27.080 with that. I thought by now i'd be hitting that 0:40:27.200 --> 0:40:30.399 gym five to six times a week, three times a week. 0:40:31.160 --> 0:40:31.920 What is the problem? 0:40:32.360 --> 0:40:33.080 Yeah, all right. 0:40:33.520 --> 0:40:37.239 But even in those little things, though, is when I 0:40:37.320 --> 0:40:42.200 start to get discouraged, because I feel like, man, well, God, like, 0:40:42.600 --> 0:40:45.560 if I'm building and working towards who You've created me 0:40:45.600 --> 0:40:46.880 to be, if I'm trying to keep you at the 0:40:46.880 --> 0:40:49.640 center of my life, then I thought things would look 0:40:49.680 --> 0:40:52.560 a little bit different by now, and so that can 0:40:52.600 --> 0:40:55.799 be discouraged, But it really is trusting that, like we've 0:40:55.800 --> 0:40:57.640 been saying, that God placed me right here. 0:40:57.840 --> 0:41:00.200 He knew that I'd be exactly where I. 0:41:00.680 --> 0:41:03.200 He knew that I'd be in the position that I 0:41:03.239 --> 0:41:05.520 am right with the people, that I am right with 0:41:05.640 --> 0:41:08.200 the people that were not. Just all of the different 0:41:08.239 --> 0:41:11.359 situations that you find yourself in and believing that God, 0:41:11.400 --> 0:41:14.120 this was your plan, this is what you had emotional law. 0:41:14.120 --> 0:41:16.319 I love what all bringing up because I felt like 0:41:16.360 --> 0:41:18.600 this year I had to abandon the image of who 0:41:18.680 --> 0:41:19.640 I thought I needed to be. 0:41:20.719 --> 0:41:23.680 I had to abandon the image and I go back. 0:41:23.719 --> 0:41:26.040 This year I got the opportunity to preach in a prison. 0:41:26.520 --> 0:41:29.279 We do a prison ministry here at Elevation Church. I 0:41:29.320 --> 0:41:32.640 think it's incredible and preaching the inmates that are, you know, 0:41:33.000 --> 0:41:36.239 just locked up for life sentences or twelve years. I mean, 0:41:36.280 --> 0:41:38.040 what do you say to them? You know, how do 0:41:38.080 --> 0:41:41.640 you encourage them in such a hard place. But this 0:41:41.719 --> 0:41:44.080 year I experienced the loss of my mom and sharing 0:41:44.400 --> 0:41:46.960 with them that I had to abandon the image that 0:41:46.960 --> 0:41:48.560 God was going to do what I thought he was 0:41:48.600 --> 0:41:50.839 going to do in my life. But once again he 0:41:50.920 --> 0:41:54.000 was doing something in me and I could stand and 0:41:54.040 --> 0:41:57.040 share my pain on my grief with them and say, hey, 0:41:57.080 --> 0:41:59.920 God still can be faithful in a difficult situation. 0:42:00.239 --> 0:42:00.680 That's great. 0:42:00.760 --> 0:42:02.279 So the image of me this year was like, I'm 0:42:02.280 --> 0:42:04.120 gonna be strong, I'm gonna be a great leader, I'm 0:42:04.120 --> 0:42:07.440 gonna do all these incredible things. But guy saw me 0:42:07.520 --> 0:42:12.680 being more vulnerable that extending more hope through the Gospel 0:42:12.719 --> 0:42:15.400 of Jesus Christ and not through my life, but what 0:42:15.520 --> 0:42:18.439 he's done so abandon The image for me was how 0:42:18.560 --> 0:42:21.520 the new me kind of came forth, but I didn't 0:42:21.520 --> 0:42:23.439 think it was coming forth through something so hard. 0:42:23.800 --> 0:42:25.560 Yeah. 0:42:25.719 --> 0:42:28.719 I mean, as we wrap up this year, I just 0:42:28.760 --> 0:42:31.080 can't think of a better sermon to just reflect on. 0:42:31.200 --> 0:42:32.160 When you think back to. 0:42:32.120 --> 0:42:34.040 The beginning of the year when you first heard this 0:42:34.719 --> 0:42:37.080 and it was like, Okay, this year, this is what. 0:42:36.960 --> 0:42:37.560 I'm going to do. 0:42:37.600 --> 0:42:39.239 Then if I'm going to do the new me, this 0:42:39.320 --> 0:42:42.160 is the thing that I'm Since you start putting things 0:42:42.200 --> 0:42:44.680 in place, and now we're at the end of the 0:42:44.760 --> 0:42:50.920 year and we're like, wait, wait, but here's one thing 0:42:50.960 --> 0:42:52.880 that I love. The pastor said in the message, she 0:42:52.920 --> 0:42:56.719 said it is in obedience, that potential is realized. 0:42:57.400 --> 0:42:58.359 And I think that as we. 0:42:58.360 --> 0:43:01.560 Look back this year, if we can look back and say, God, man, 0:43:01.719 --> 0:43:04.279 it definitely doesn't look like I thought it was going 0:43:04.320 --> 0:43:07.640 to ruk. But what I can say is I've tried 0:43:07.680 --> 0:43:11.160 to be obedient. I've tried to just follow what it 0:43:11.200 --> 0:43:13.680 is that you've put in front of me, step by step. 0:43:13.680 --> 0:43:16.239 If you've closed the door, then you've closed the door. 0:43:16.239 --> 0:43:18.400 If you've opened the door, I've tried to walk through it. 0:43:18.480 --> 0:43:18.719 God. 0:43:18.800 --> 0:43:22.400 I've tried to make new habits and just understanding that 0:43:22.480 --> 0:43:24.719 there's grace for those that are just saying God, I 0:43:24.840 --> 0:43:25.239 just want to. 0:43:25.200 --> 0:43:26.799 Be obedient to you this year. 0:43:26.920 --> 0:43:28.680 And it may not have ended up the way that 0:43:28.760 --> 0:43:32.319 I thought, but if you're being obedient, Pastor said, that's 0:43:32.360 --> 0:43:34.600 where your potential is realized. 0:43:34.960 --> 0:43:36.319 And I really believe that. 0:43:36.239 --> 0:43:39.000 God respects that, and He's like, man, I see you trying. 0:43:39.640 --> 0:43:43.080 And as we look forward to a new year, it's 0:43:43.120 --> 0:43:44.680 exciting just to believe God. 0:43:44.560 --> 0:43:45.360 For what's next. 0:43:45.480 --> 0:43:48.000 You know, Hey, maybe those things didn't happen this year, 0:43:48.000 --> 0:43:49.440 but God, all in your timing. 0:43:49.239 --> 0:43:51.080 Yeah, absolutely happen. That's right. 0:43:51.160 --> 0:43:53.120 And I think when you do look back on this year, 0:43:53.160 --> 0:43:55.000 whether you know we're doing this here as a church, 0:43:55.040 --> 0:43:57.000 but like collectively, like look back on your own life, 0:43:57.040 --> 0:43:57.960 like what has God done for you? 0:43:58.000 --> 0:43:59.719 And I think hopefully it'll get as excited for. 0:43:59.760 --> 0:44:02.000 What He going to do next year as we continue 0:44:02.040 --> 0:44:05.040 to press in to Him and you know, keep circling. 0:44:04.800 --> 0:44:08.200 Some of the same stungs at a higher level. 0:44:08.320 --> 0:44:08.800 Exactly. 0:44:09.400 --> 0:44:11.959 Hey, I hope you enjoyed the podcast, and if you did, 0:44:12.480 --> 0:44:15.080 make sure to share it and subscribe so we can 0:44:15.120 --> 0:44:17.719 get you all of these new messages as soon as 0:44:17.719 --> 0:44:20.520 they're available. I also want to take a moment and 0:44:20.600 --> 0:44:22.400 thank all of you who are a part of Elevation. 0:44:22.920 --> 0:44:26.279 Whether you support us financially, or serve with us, or 0:44:26.640 --> 0:44:29.359 just share these messages, it's because of you that we're 0:44:29.360 --> 0:44:32.279 able to reach people all around the world. And if 0:44:32.320 --> 0:44:34.839 you want more information on how to be a part 0:44:34.840 --> 0:44:38.759 of Elevation, click the link in the description. Thanks again 0:44:38.800 --> 0:44:41.760 for listening. Make sure to leave a review, share the message, 0:44:41.840 --> 0:44:42.600 and subscribe. 0:44:42.920 --> 0:44:43.560 God bless you.