Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. You are live on the path. And you're listening to live from the Path coming from the Pathway Studios here in Johnston proper. It's lit wait. Hold on. What what are you saying? Been a minute. It has been a minute. Since we've been here. Yeah. I don't I don't know. I'm not quite sure. I think it's just a a kerfuffle of circumstances that's led to this not

doing programs when we should be doing programs. A kerfuffle of circumstances. Yeah. It's very much like a series of unfortunate events. Yeah. It is. Do you say hey. Do I sound super old when I say program? Yes. Okay. Program. Program? Is that what you just said? Yeah. I've never trusted you less. Oh. I Like, in this moment, I'm sitting here wondering, what else has he steered me wrong on in the last twenty years? He says program. I didn't realize I was behaving this way.

Yeah. I didn't pay attention. Then my children mentioned it. You know, the program of the pilgrims? Yeah. Anyway okay. You're listening to life from the path. Here's what I got going on the show. So here's the setup. Well, foot wait. Actually, you've got some let let's let's do yours first. You there you got some dear or or some ask the pastors. I got I got a few things. So I've got an ask the pastor, from, first Kings '22. We, set this up maybe a month and a half ago, where I was reading about,

king Ahab, and he's talking about, figuring out to get a word from the lord on whether or not they should go up against Ramoth Gilead. And Micaiah is the man is is the the prophet of the lord that they inquire upon, and he he says

that he would answer him and go, whatever the lord tells me to speak, I will speak. Yep. And then when immediately given that information, he might have immediately lied. He tells he tells a falsehood. Tells a falsehood and then gets called down on it immediately, and then he goes, well, alright. I saw blah blah blah blah blah. And so I I wanted to ask the pastors about how am I to take this the the morality of this man possibly being in in question as a man who is lying to the king about about getting a word from the lord. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. That's a good question.

And then I also have a Oh, you had a story. I have a story. Yeah. I met a man. About a swamp hag. I met I met a man in Mississippi, and, it was it was an odd time. I didn't realize how backwards Mississippi still can be, at least from meeting one man, in the state, but he was one of the only men I met in the state, so I didn't really have much to go off of except this one. So I am gonna do a blanket statement of I believe that most people in Mississippi are like this. So, yes, I met in Mississippi. Don't push. Okay. And, and I'd like to talk about it. Okay. Alright. Excellent. So, also, I

here's the question. Is I was thinking about so Ramadan started here within the last few days. Yep. And between thinking of that and and, like, the rituals and stuff like, the reason I was thinking about it is because I went on a I went on a daddy daughter date with my with my oldest, and we went to, like, a bunch of international groceries. Hey. Nice. Just to just to peek around and see what had and buy a few Sure. Make some mistakes, really. Yep. Did you go to the one up by Ohana's?

It's an Afghan one. No. It's really cool. No. I just go there weekly. Really? What did you get there? Well, we were feeding the Afghan family. So it was like Oh, nice. Stuff. I mean, we were talking we became great friends. With the guy who runs the place or the Afghani you were feeding? Both. I actually saw the Afghani today. I haven't seen him for months. And I saw him today. He's like, hey. How you doing? Great. Sweet. But the guy at the store was like as I told him what we were doing, said, I don't know what what eat. You know? Yeah. Of course, it's all Afghan food, but it's like so he'd like help me out, then he'd start he helped pay for it too. Oh, that's awesome. It was a cool cool thing. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Interrupted. Oh, no. Yeah. We didn't. So we but we were trying to spread it out. We went to, like there's a oriental store, and then there was a, like, a halal shop Mhmm. Over by the university. By Drake? Yep. Yep. That one. Started out there. Yeah. Yeah. So so that's where it went. So that that's and that's where the story came from. It's not like everybody else was pretty dead. There wasn't a lot of action going on into these stores, but the halal shop mean, I because people were preparing for, like, Ramadan celebrations. Yeah. Yeah. And so so, anyway, I was thinking about that and how busy everybody they were in there and and, like, all the folks who were buying stuff.

And I was also thinking back to new Christmas Eve when we went to a midnight mass at a Catholic church. And both of those felt to me like examples of at at least to a certain extent. You've got like,

culturally, if you do not do these things, there is ostracism. Mhmm. And some of it is associated with your religious beliefs, but some of it, and maybe even to a certain extent, most of it is associated with the cultural expectations that are otherwise influenced by your religious beliefs. Right?

It's what, you know, we call them people who are attending the midnight mass as Catholics who otherwise never show up. Now some of that, again, is baked into their theology. Right. And then for Ramadan, like, if you're or even just think of the normal Islamic prayers. Like, if your whole family's doing it and then you don't do it, like, you're you're likely to keep doing it, frankly, because it causes cultural trouble until you get free of that particular situation. And so I I didn't I I don't have a judgment on that because I I think that's true everywhere. In every set of religious beliefs, you you have a risk of, like, people going through motions,

not because they believe in it strongly, but because it becomes part of their cultural identity, and they simply don't they they they don't wanna break from it. And so the question then became, like, what are ours? Like, what are are are there particular behaviors or

posturings or even ways of talking or something for Christianity that, like, are are are cultural

things that you can have and follow and keep you from being I I don't wanna say ostracized from your community, but, like, different from it, without actually having a relationship with Jesus. And to that extent that we have them, like, what what should we do to help, I don't I don't wanna say, like, not make people feel comfortable to but recognize that, like, there's a difference. Like, these are cultural behaviors.

These are what it looks like to follow Jesus, and it may not be the same thing. So does my question make sense? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I see what you're saying. I've known a ton of people who don't necessarily really believe in Jesus. There's I mean, they're not there, but they'll do Lent. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Good one. And over the years, I've done a number of forty day fasts. It actually, it's the same thing, but I I always use the term fast because I look at it as a fast, and and and often these people who would do Lent but aren't really in relationship with Jesus

would not think of it as a fast. They're just, well, this is what we do. I'm not doing chocolate or, you know, I'm not not doing cigarettes or, you know, whatever it is that that they're doing. But it's definitely a cultural thing. Maybe they were raised with it or something, you know. I I know how much impactful it is for them. Not that it can't be, but but It is kinda that's a good example because that one is curious because there are people who are devoted to that type of thing. And, like Yeah. Take it very seriously. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't I don't have any reason to have a problem with it. Like, it's just not boxed into a particular time. Like but if you said I choose to forego something in some sort of, like, idea to drive my relationship towards Jesus, then, like, okay. Yeah. Yeah. Great.

But you're right. There were I I remember working in a corporation. Like, it was in a call center, and you would see people show up with the monarch on their forehead. I'm like, well, you don't say. Yeah. Like, who would have Based upon my interactions with you as a human being, I would have no wild idea in the world that you had some level of commitment to Jesus. Mhmm. Which I which is is but but to your point, like, it's cultural thing of which, like, I suppose if you don't, are there repercussions in your family or within your close knit friends or something like that? Like, if you didn't do it, you gotta answer 50 questions. And so just eat it, and and you take it on the head. I feel like I've seen the lord's prayer or the serenity prayer Uh-huh. That gets prayed in, like,

AA meetings and recovery meetings and CFR and all that stuff. And it's, like, very much going through the motions of, like, hey. This is how we either start or end, but or the serenity prayer, like, we say these words but, like, have no actual connection to the god that we're praying to rarely say his name because it's higher power in a lot of these conversations rather spiritual thing. Yeah. Right. Exactly. It's like, no. I'm not actually praying to God. I'm just praying to kind of like a bigger thing than myself Yeah. Which is my higher power. And so it it's just interesting to see the usage of those things, and it it becomes ritualistic

in the worst form of well, not worst form, but a rough form of it because the fact that it really is, bookmark our meetings this way, or we set this as the ending. If And anyone asked any questions about, like, hey. What is it that you're saying when you say those words? Or who who do you think you're you're talking to in that situation? It's it's always interesting to get responses of, I mean, I don't know. Just saying it. Just saying it. Like, that's just how we end. And I'm like, fantastic. You know, you could say any words then. Like, it's it doesn't matter what word you're saying, actually. You could you could make up a whole language if you'd like to to end this with, and it can be gibberish and not mean anything. And it's about as impactful. So, you know, just a thought. But I I always thought that about I remember I was going to do

a funeral, and there some parts of the family were like, hey. This this person's we they they're like, hey. Don't don't we don't want you to talk about your religion. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then here. And and, like, I mean, okay. I I there's things we I can say anyway, but then I thought, like, like, you could have anybody do it. I mean, it's it's not like I'm licensed to talk by people who are dead.

I'm a Christian pastor. Mhmm. And that's kinda my game. And so, like, if you want someone else who doesn't do that, like, just like, I'm I will do it as a service to your family because I care about you. But just so you know, you don't you could have anybody do it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so it's it was just it's such a weird like, we want the Christian pastor, but we don't want you to talk about Christ. I'm like, well, have Ted do it. He could just go, Jack was a good man. Put him on the ground. Oh, that's true. Yeah. I have done a funeral before where they were like, we don't want you to, like, talk about God. And I'm like, well, then it really is gonna be a sad day. Like like, this is this is already a sad situation. But, like, if I don't get to talk about the life and, like, the eternal life that we're excited about, like, this just ends in in in the toilet, and we just go, well, really sucks that they're dead and moving on. Like, I don't really know how to celebrate that that much other than just, like, they lived, and now they're gone. The end.

Bye. And then dismiss people. How did it go, Dan? Like, in in that situation where you did did you said you did one? I I've done I've done a wedding, actually. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Where they did one of God, and it was just like it was so empty. To me, it was empty. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It was a whole lot of just gibberish and, yep, y'all love love, but it's like, I don't know if you you don't even know what love is. You know? Love feels real nice, and then hopefully, it never gets hard because that feeling goes away pretty quick. Yeah. Yeah. And then if you have nothing to actually hold on to that means that marriage means something, it's gonna suck for you, and I now pronounce you man and wife. Good about that. I've

always made sure to I I don't I don't I don't you know, I hit people with the habit of the gospel and funerals, but the gospel's there. Yeah. Oh, yeah. You know, it's it's it's presented in a way that it's just there, and those that are eager to know more would reach out. Yeah. Know,

kind of the salt and light thing, like, Oh, think that tastes good. Maybe I need some of that. Yeah, I was actually at a funeral, sorry, didn't mean to interrupt Really? No, was at a funeral this weekend that did a great job of of pointing back to the gospel. And like it was like the pastor did a great job, and I appreciated his words. And then like the son of the woman who passed away, like got up and towards the end of like he'd he'd given the anecdotes about about mom's life and then had had said certain things very sweet, very heartfelt, and then was like, and like, mom would be mad if I didn't, like, tell you all that, like, what we're celebrating for her right now of the fact that, like, the end of her mortal life, but the beginning of of existence and eternity in the throne room of God with him and how joyous of an occasion that is and the fact that, like, she just got to, like, jump in and skip it and dancing around because she saw her home for the first time in in like in in reality or whatever you want to call that. He was like, honestly, like what I'm what what what mom would be mad about is if I didn't call that to be something that all of you can take advantage of. Yeah. And like, it's a it's a thing for every one of you. And I was like, dang it. I love this. That's what she would say to you right now. And an apparently She had. Like, she knew that she was going to be ending and she was in her well into her nineties and and, like, the last couple of weeks have been very important

conversations of, I know that I'm only going to get a few more times to tell you how important Jesus Christ is to you or should be to you. And I need you to know that like, yes, we can reminisce about my life and yes, we can talk about like the plans of what happens, but the most important thing I can share with you is that like, I have joy because this isn't my end. And I was like, I love this woman. Like, I love this so much. And I hope that for my funeral someday that it's just like and Troy was here and is gone, but, like, here's the important pieces of what you need to know about him, and it's so little to do with him and so much more about his father. I I love to use the the story of the rich man and and and Lazarus. Yeah. You know? Because it's like he's saying, can I go back and tell my family? Because, well, you can't. You know? Yeah. Right. No. So let me tell you what he would say right now. Yes. Oh, that's fair. Yes. Right. That that's how I usually transition into that. And yeah. So

well, so that's a glorious time. And I've I've had people get up and leave Sure. At a funeral. Not not often. I mean, but it has happened a couple times, but, you know, that's on them, not me. Maybe they had to pee, Dan. They're looking long time. Never came back. On me. But They never came back. So one finger goodbye, and they used the bathroom. Is it like, does Advent calendars fall into this? Like, I feel like I I know people who do Advent calendars, and I didn't admittedly, I'm I'm not a really good Christian. I didn't know what Advent was until, like, this year. Yeah. I just I I don't know. I've just never really paid attention to it. It's It's a high church thing. Well, yeah, in in the realm of things that I've been worried about, breathing has been pretty high up on there and Advent has not, to be honest with you. But like finding a little bit about it and then realizing like, oh, I know a lot of people that just do this random calendar thing and have no other than just, like, it's the days

coming up to Christmas that I get to open up the door, and there's a sweet there in in this thing for me, and I got a chocolate box. It's like, oh, okay. It's like I mean, I suppose that's kind of the whole concept of of what gets broken into of of what Christmas is all about in the first place. I mean, I'm sure there's some some positive things to it. I don't I know. Certainly not gonna down it. I'm because it's meaningful, impactful for a lot of people. Yeah. Right. But I've always thought it's like, you're pretending like we've never heard. Like, it's all this anticipation. Yeah. Someone's coming. It's like, no. We already know. Can we he he came two thousand years ago. We know how this goes. Suppose that's a valid point. It's like a calendar really hasn't changed in a while. It's like We're kinda dealing with the same things. And, yeah, I didn't even know that there was, like, a period of time after Christmas between, like, when Christmas ends and then something else happens, like, fifteen days later. I don't know. Like, when the wise men showed up maybe. I can't remember what was. Oh, sure. Sure. But, yeah, oh, sorry. Anyway. I you know what's funny is that growing so I I was in a Christian house. Like, I I've been introduced to surrounded by Jesus since I was little.

My wife was not. And so, in fact, she started following Jesus maybe a little after we started dating, but we got there. And so what's interesting is that, like, she, I think, feels like an urge for some of those things. She's like, hey. We we we haven't we're late on it because we're way behind. Like, we didn't do Advent. We're like, hey. She wanted to do Lent readings with the children leading up. And, like,

means nothing to me. Like, I have no connection to any of these things. I don't feel bad that my children are not doing it. Mhmm. Like, they they they know that they know the stories. And so, like, I I'm not against them at all. I just don't have any particular, like, spiritual, emotional connection, and I feel no guilt or liability for having not done them. Yeah. Yeah. And it's been odd because, like, I I keep running into where, like, it's it's it's actually important to my wife and I have to make myself, like, better do that Lent reading because I don't care about that. Yeah. I didn't I I every year I forget that Lent exists. Like, I'm terrible because, like, I did not realize it was Lent until, like, I did my devotion this morning, and my devotion was like, and in the beginning of the Lent season, we start off today. And I was like, Lent today? Oh, crap. I had no idea. And then I remember, oh, yeah. Easter's coming up. That's important. That's a big one to deal with. And so, gosh, I'm terrible at this stuff. I used to me for any of these fellas because I got nothing. As a kid, I figured they were talking about, like, belly button lint, and I was just like, why are we talking about this? It's like, I just didn't get it. Then I realized it was spelled differently. Where does the word come from? Like, not to derail this, but, like, what is lent? I know it's forty days up till Easter. Yeah. I it's But, like Yeah. Forty days representing the wilderness,

walking around it as far as they think maybe might have. I can't answer that. This shows how much, like, it's broken in my brain to where I'm probably gonna come up with some weird random association of, like, it's forty days to represent the days that Jesus did the stuff, and I remember that now, and I just got nothing. I'm so choppy with it. So, I mean, Jesus did forty days in of fasting in the wilderness, so maybe that's more likely what it is. Forty days of rain in the Noah's ark. I guess forty is a lot. What kind of forty is out there? Hebrew numerology. Suppose. You know what else has has been interesting? I think this is, in some ways, maybe unique to the to the environment I'm in, the house church environment. But, like, I have

Easter was always like the I mean, it's the big event. Right? It's when people show up who don't normally show up. Yeah. It's not gonna happen at the house church. Like, whoever was there the week before is who's gonna be there the week after. And so, like, I I don't wanna say this is this does not mean to come off wrong. Just don't know how else to say it. But, like, we don't have any errors to put on as if we're gonna see someone and try to kinda get them to connect with it in a way so that maybe they come back when they don't normally come. It's our one shot. It's just like, because it's just not our reality, which is, frankly, is one of the advantages of not a house church environment is like people can still be a rando. Like you can benefit. You have a way to take people's curiosity and point it towards Jesus in a sustainable way. It will not happen in my environment. And so because it doesn't,

there's not like I'm not thinking about it, like, weeks in advance, and we're not Sure. Not doing mailers or anything. And, like, I almost have the hardest time where, like, I don't I I I just will generally keep going. Like, we're in first Samuel. We'll be in first Samuel Easter Sunday Yeah. Or something like that. And I I found that it it did bring up there were some protests around that. They're like, we just can you say something Easterish? So okay. He is prisoner. Hermeneutics. Going back to Jesus. Again, that was it is my wife, really. She got dialed up on Lent, and here we are.

And so and so what was it what I what I did then is, like, I crafted, like, an Easter liturgy, and it basically combined the worship and the scripture reading from a bunch of different places, and there was, like, calls and responses. I'm like, well, go formally. I can do that. And so, like and it was kind of fun. It was kind of a fun thing to do because I don't craft much nowadays. And so so we've done that the last few years, but, like, I I always I there's a guilt in me about it because I'm like, why aren't you making

a huge deal about this? And I'm like, we kinda make a big deal about it every day. Right. Yes. And so Right. And so but but, like and that's true. And, like, I I know that's true for you too, Dan. And so you don't have to do it. You have a good reason to focus on it because, again, people could families will come. People will come. But if if without knowing that we do it every week anyway, like, we care about this resurrection business all the time, and there's no one gonna wander in, I just have far less of a compulsion to, like, to do it up. I I wanted well, okay. Take that back. I wanted to do a sunrise service, and absolutely no one will come to that. Sunrise service. Interesting. Yeah. These are large families. All of them with some measure of it's not so easy to get out of the house, and, like, Mike might not even come. And so I'm I'm I mean, I'm in. Sitting outside, me and me and Buva at 6AM. That does sound about right where it's just you and I sitting out in front of a sunrise, such as like, we hope Yep. We don't even do this.

But you but you know what? I always felt my grandpa was is a Baptist pastor, and he did in South Sioux City, Nebraska. He did a sunrise service, and he did it across the river in Sioux City at this outdoor it's kinda like the Simon Estes Amphitheater is here. Like, this outdoor thing. It's on the river. And, like, not that many people showed up, I don't think, but I just remember thinking that was so cool. That is super cool. And it was and and I don't remember anything you said. I didn't connect it to the gospel. Sure. But it was just there is something unique about doing something intentionally like that. Yeah. That doesn't have really anything to do. It's not like it all has to tie off. It's just like we did a thing, and we did it intentionally. We did it together, and that's still cool to do. That once.

How did it go? I don't remember. I mean, it was literally, like, twenty five years ago. I was eight, Dan. And you've not I feel compelled to do it. It wasn't here. It wasn't Was a little boy at your sunrise? It was a long time ago. Long before I met you. I I was yeah. I mean, we we did something in Atlantic, and because everybody thought it'd be cool, and the youth group will make breakfast or whatever. I'm like, okay. You know? Uh-huh. Uh-huh. And it was just like I mean, was fine, but it was just like, that was a lot of work for, like and now we're having church in another hour. People. You know? It's just like I mean, it's fine. I mean, I wasn't against it. I just Right. You know? I was like, okay. It's cool. I feel caught in between the two of those thoughts. Like, because I tow I we are absolutely in a space where, like, the people that'll be coming to our place on a Sunday morning I mean, I don't I don't even know how long it's been since they've been to an Easter thing. Uh-huh. Like, it's probably it's likely been years if they've ever gone to an Easter thing. Uh-huh. And so and here's the deal. We might get some randos. Like, we're in a weird spot where we totally could get randos show up to our joint on a on a Sunday morning. And so I feel a little pressure to be like, alright. This not oh gosh. I I almost just said, alright. This is the Super Bowl, but I hate that statement. So I'm gonna take that back immediately. Because I just again, I can't play the numbers game. I only have so many chairs, and I live in a relatively small apartment. It's like there's there's we we've had twenty, and twenty has been way too much. Like, it has been to the point where people were standing, and I'm like, oh, crap. We have people sitting on the floor and standing. This ain't gonna work. And so, like, if I got 15 show up, I'm gonna be like, this day was amazing. Like, it was crazy how many people showed up on Easter morning. But, like, I I we

I I'm really in that spot where everything, like, all the time that I have to say, I really do have to point back in name and in theme to Jesus constantly. Because, like, this is emergency room for a lot of these dudes. Like, they're coming in. They're like, yeah. I'm currently on heroin. And I'm like, fantastic. I'm super excited that you're here. Do we need to figure out any kind of detox situation? No? Okay. Sit down. We got waffles. Have a have a seat, buddy. Like, let's talk about this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I really am, like, playing that game. And so it it's interesting because the last couple weeks, it hit me. I was like, wait. Easter's coming up. Oh, wow. This is gonna be a first for me. I gotta figure this out. I need posters? Right. Right. Do we send out the mailers? Like, do I text a bunch of people and go bring your friends? Like, let everybody show up. I can't do that game. We don't have that much funding or space, and so it's fine. But I you know,

I probably won't do this now that I'm thinking about it. But, like, I might do, like, intentional prayer or something sunrise, Easter morning Sure. Just as you know, then then everybody's not dragging their families out or whatever. Yeah. And then I like, I don't know. I don't feel this is what's interesting. What I was thinking about this conversation is just as a whole between, like, what are the cultural things we do that are may or may not actually connected to to what it is to follow Jesus?

But, like and maybe we've beat this up over the years, but I I mean, I don't care, really. Like, I I all these things are fine. Yeah. It's not like they're detrimental things to go do. And and, again, there is it's like sometimes you do something that's unique and intentional simply because you're creating a shared experience. Sure. Yeah. There's a value in a shared experience. Like, you know, I I bet I bet most of the youth group, if you were to ask them in Atlantic, they would go, oh, we remember when we were, like, had to get up so early and do breakfast at 6AM.

You know, maybe you didn't do it every year, and it wasn't the crusades. You know, Billy Graham didn't bring 50 million in who gave their life to Jesus that morning. But, like, I don't I don't as as much as I I am cautious probably about what feels like superficial patterns, I don't mind intentional events simply for the fact that they're intentional, and people get to share in them. Right. It's just like the caution is always like, is it possible that how we're going about something facilitates a shallow relationship with Jesus, and we did not bring that to a point of clarity

so that someone could know the difference. But here's the thing is is I mean, immediately, when you know the difference, you actually get to go back and do the things again. Like, it's it's totally fine to do those things. And so I don't know. I was just I was just curious. I think that's I think all the things you guys were mentioning were right. I I also wonder if there's things around I I don't know. Like, things that we try to get people to do, hey, are you following your things that are otherwise righteous, like daily Bible reading plans. Actually, we gave for the longest time, and we're just starting to do this differently as a family every once in a while. But, like, I wouldn't pray at a restaurant because it felt like a show. It felt like we were just doing it. So, like, I I wasn't doing it for that reason, but, like, I'm pretty sure that I've sat around people who were doing it for that reason. Yeah. Yeah. And I thought, like, I just

just in case there's any of me in that on what I say, how long I pray, stuff like that, like, I'm not gonna do it. And so I didn't for the long and I actually still don't at restaurants. I didn't even pray before meals at home. Like, we would pray after we were done eating, but it became like the kids are trying to get out of there. And so now it feels like we're roping them in for prayer, and that's not that doesn't go all that well. So, like, I kinda wanna do it again. But but then, like, if you do it beforehand, you could sometimes you end up with the rub a dub dub. Thanks for the grub. Because and so I'm like, I don't really I don't know. Some of it's okay, and then some of it feels like like, I don't just do it just to do it. Like, think about it. Who are we talking to? Why are we talking to? And he doesn't need to be ten minutes, but, like, am I intentional about it? Am I thoughtful about it? So It's interesting you say that. The Lord's put on my heart recently that I need to start praying over meals. Oh, yeah. And not because, like, there's any specific command to do it, that, like, always pray over your meals kind of thing. Actually, I think it might because I started reading AW Tozer, to be honest with you. Just to be totally honest about the situation. But, like,

food has been such a big thing in my life for so long. Like, it was it was for years, obviously, such an emotionally trauma charged thing that, like, I mean, you guys know me. I've been over six hundred and fifty pounds before. You don't get that way in a healthy brain with a healthy relationship with food. Right? And so, like, I feel like God's put on my heart recently that, like, hey, man, not because it's a ritual and it needs to be done like you need to pray before every meal, like it's gonna be bad if you don't, but, like, a reminder of where it comes from. Yeah. And, like, a reminder of what I give you. And, like, I give you beautiful, great, awesome, incredible things, but I'm also the God that's there for your meals. Like, I'm the God that shows up for your breakfast. And, like, I'm you get this because I bless you. And I'm like, oh, crap. That's so true. And I don't think I've ever prayed that way before, and God's been putting that in my heart hardcore recently.

And, like, I'm not good at it. It's such a it's such an odd thing for me that, like, I really have to force myself into, like, sitting because, like, I don't remember doing that as a kid, really, especially not the first ten to fifteen years of life. Then maybe mom and dad tried to implement it a little bit. And, like, my dad probably prayed at restaurants, and I think I remember his heart well enough to know that he was not doing that because it was like, let me put on the show for the people. I think he just genuinely wanted to do it. But, like, it was never really instilled in something that I wanted to do, and I'm finding myself getting caught up in, like, what does it look like to to correctly do rituals? Yeah. To correctly

correctly look at my relationship with with a an all knowing, all creating god as one of his creations and therefore owned by him. What does it look like to be in positive, correctly framed rituals with him? Mhmm. So yeah. I think I figured the the Israelis,

the Hebrews had a a blessing they would say after a bowel movement each time. You know, if if if they pray for that, you know Right. I mean I mean, why you know, it seems like it's an okay thing to pray before that. Dang. Dang. I've changed. Ten years ago, I would not been able to stop laughing right now. I mean, I yeah. Okay. You should probably move, but Right. But there's something about, like, hey. I'm a human, and I I deal in things. It was like, thank you, god. This is how the lord works. I don't know, man. Like Yeah. It's weird, but alright. But here's the deal. This is the same group of people who Jesus very openly accused of following the rituals and not following the See, exactly. And that's why I have any step back of going like, oh, crap. Like, I Yeah. There's there's very much a Goldilocks zone of, like, I I want to be in a space where, like, I'm recognizing and I am I'm constantly reorienting my brain towards the holiness that is a majestic god that is my creator. Yeah. But also I can totally see myself based off my own personality, based off of my own life of what I've done and and culturally where I'm at and stuff like that of, like, okay. Alright. Pray for the meal. Alright. Now that's done. Let me go ahead and go into my my food. And, like, all I really cared about the whole time was eating my breakfast. Like, I wanted my Wheaties. But but I think I think that's the the the righteous point, though, is something that could be

shallow is something you want. Yes. You know what saying? Right. So, like, the thing that Oh. Yeah. So that that was kinda what I was getting at earlier. Like, the the moment it stops being a show, then you get to do it again. Dang. Yeah.

And, like, a very thankful person because, like, there's people I don't know. Maybe you guys have met folks like this. Right? They're super thankful for everything. Very gracious. Yeah. And and it to a certain extent, if like, you're always I you don't trust it because you're not like that. You're not like, I'm not as grateful as they are about all the things, and you're like Right. Right. It almost seems seems like a facade, but it's not. But, like, the facade can look just like the person that's walking faithfully. So the reality is you don't actually know. It it's really more of an like, your heart it's it's kinda like thinking about David as his his posturing of a man after god's own heart. He's not after god's own heart because of all his behaviors. Right. He's a naughty man in multiple ways. Yes. Right. Right. Right. But the thing that he differs from Saul and the thing that makes him stand out among all the other, like, judges or leaders or future kings is that, like, at his bones, his heart was to do what Yahweh wanted. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Even in all his human frailties and fallibilities, that was the thing he was after. And so you can get a guy who says things in the Psalms where you're like, I don't know. Is it very manly to say the types of things that that man is saying? And it it like, it he was an emoting, like, follower of Yahweh, and it was okay because it was it was a reality to it. Like, it was true. And so, like, that's the thing. It's it's just a real it's more of a reality check. It's not like none of these things are implicitly wrong or implicitly right. Like, do they reflect your true posturing towards Yahweh? Then express it however you see fit. But don't

feel like you have to, posture in such a way for the benefit of the culture of people around you because, like, why? Like, you're we're working on an audience of one here. And since he already knows what's going on, there's no reason to falsify the situation. And so, like, I I it's it's it's maybe it's a good reminder too is to make sure that we don't end up kind of having a reaction, a negative reaction, a judgment on some of these postures and and behaviors of other people. Like, you might encourage them because they're right. Like, it's righteous to read your bible frequently

because it's good for you. It's how you keep your heart in check and how you keep reminding yourself of true things. Like, there's a practical value in it. But that's not the same thing as going, dude, if you didn't read every day, then the lord is angry with you, and you are outside the bounds of goodness. Like, well, probably not. My whole oh, man. The okay. You just, like, read my heart because, like, my whole relationship

with God in the last year has completely flipped on its head that way. Mhmm. Like, I read my it's not not I I read my bible every day. Like, I do. Arrogant path. I know. I I had to stop myself to go, eight years ago, Buba says this. I I'm I'm hiding from sin and brokenness, and I'm trying to make you look the other direction. Yep. Nowadays, I'm like, no. It's my breath. Like, it's like it's like air in my lungs. And, like, there are days that I don't read, but, like, I I my my soul is like, it wasn't because I didn't desire closeness with my father today. I just mismanaged my time maybe. And, like, I'll do better tomorrow. And it's not a frigging shame biscuit that I gotta swallow. Like, it just was like, alright. Well, remember, like, you do this because you care about this, and this is important to you. I can take a day where I'm like, oh, I didn't read my 11 chapters of this and read my this book and this book and this thing. Years ago, I would have been like, well, I guess I'm not gonna be a Christian anymore, and the next six months is gonna be running in shame. Nowadays, like, it makes me

it bugs me a little bit because the way that I talk about it with people, I so see both sides of this equation because for years I was the like, I hate myself because I'm not reading my Bible, and then I don't read my Bible because I hate myself, and like, I'm not happy with God, and so why would I be reading my Bible kind of guy? And for years I've stuck in that. I was not reading in any way. Nowadays, I'm like, I don't I like I feel it in my heart when I go a day without rooting myself in scripture. I feel it in my heart when I go a day without being in prayer with him or in some kind of worship or whatever that means. Maybe that's singing songs for a few minutes of the day. Maybe that's just being in contemplation about the holiness of our majestic God, like I said before. Right? But like and I talk to people nowadays. I'm like, I get it. I'm not sitting here going, hey, you need to read your Bible every day because I'm trying to, like, finger wag at you and go, Hey, get this figured out. It's more like, Do you remember the last time you went a day without taking a breath? Like, that's what it should be sitting at. Like, that's not

to fully shame that or whatever. Obviously, I just said that I spend days where I don't read every day, but, like, it's just it's a different thing. And it's it's interesting that you made you you mentioned the kind of the perspective of, like, once you once you get yourself, like, in the right heart on that and it's no longer a show, you could run right back to it. And I freaking love that because that's so true. And it has it has deepened my relationship with my father so much more so. And like every single day is different. And the kind of things that God is revealing to me or allowing me to see that I may have not seen before has just been I mean, it's it's destroyed my mind and rebuilt it over and over again where I'm like, wait. This is what I was supposed to be in? Like, this is the this is the the ocean that I should have been swimming in this whole time? And so it's really funny. It's just interesting that you said that. That's awesome. Dang it. Yeah, man. I love that. I love that so much. It's such an awesome part to be in. And, like, I know that there's there's a a big piece of this that, like, in ten years, I'm a look back at this and go, dude, you knew nothing. But, like, I'm so excited to get there so I can look back at these times that are, like, monumental and changing everything and go, oh, just wait. The door was barely cracked open, and then wait till you're in the room. Well, when when you're two years old and you jump in the shallow end of the pool, it seems really deep. Uh-huh. Yeah. True. And as you get older and more mature and you grow, all of a sudden, you're like, man, I wanna dive down and hit the hit the drain. You know? But but you gotta get there. Yeah. You gotta get there. Yeah. That's so true. I I mean, I drowned for a long time before I was ready to be like, alright. Well, no. I'm not drowning like I'm I'm I'm not drowning in an ocean that's gonna kill me. I'm just being encapsulated

by, like, God's love and his relationship with him that is my life. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm not drowning in water. I get to breathe it. I've gone through that cycle of of the of the praying before food thing too where where, you know I mean, our whole married life, we prayed out loud at restaurants and stuff like that, but then we went through a I went through a phase where I was just like, I don't know if I'm doing I don't know who I'm talking to. And so I didn't do it out loud, but I still prayed. You know, it's like I I I had this internal little thing, like, my family didn't even know I was praying. I just was praying. You know? And I was just like and then it kinda comes around to, like, okay. You you got it. You know? Mhmm. I mean,

that's just the frailty of our, you know, human pride and Yep. And all the all the stuff we deal with. Yeah. Alright. You're listening to to live from the path. Thanks for hanging out with us so far. I don't know. Maybe you guys got some thoughts. Like, are there there cultural behaviors that come with Christianity that may or may not have anything to do with with following Jesus? Where or maybe I'm kinda curious on your experiences of, like, what are what are some things that maybe you dropped,

some behaviors you dropped and picked back up or dropped because you're like, this is just this didn't really have much to do with following Jesus? Or, like, what have you repicked back up that maybe you didn't find value in before? And, like, actually, this is one one last thought around around kids. I think this is actually a little bit tricky with

kids because as they get older, like, you want to help them create good habits. Yeah. But, like, you do risk that they become your habits that you gave them Mhmm. And not their habits that they've picked up. And so, like, I'm actually far less worried.

Like, as my kids get older, like, I think I I would encourage them very much to have have a a pattern of of prayer in their lives and bible reading and stuff. But, like, I the older they get, the less likely I'm gonna go, look. Hey. Did you read your bible today? Did you read your bible today? Did read your bible today? Because, like, what I don't want them to do is, like, resent my my boundary

when it's not something that I like, I think it's I know it's good for them. It's the same reason you try to get your kids to eat veggies. But, like, when they leave the house, they can eat confetti cake every day if they want to. Like, they have to make the decision themselves to actually, like, eat healthy and to follow Jesus and to get and to read his word. And, like, I read it differently and more consistently and appropriately now than I did when I was I still love Jesus when I was 20, but I didn't really have any very good habits. Sure. And I wouldn't have I'm not gonna do them just because someone was telling me to do them. And so I I in some ways, it feels like I'm cautious, cause it's like, well, I mean, I just you know, you gotta show them. You gotta show them what good looks like, but you can't do it for them. And I I think there have been and maybe it just comes with my, you know, growing up around folks from a don't I wanna say it's all Southern Baptist churches, but like, you know, I don't know, there's a good many people who just split,

and I do think some of that is over squeezing them to death. It's like choking them with broccoli. Like, you know what's good for them, but you can't shove it down their throat, and you can't hold it there if they're not trying to eat it. And, like so you gotta give them space to mature into their own Right. Faith

and but have shown them a good thing. And so, you know, every kid's different. Some of your parenting styles are different. So this is not me prescribing exactly how you go about that, but, like, I I am cautious about, you know, things like, hey. You you can only listen to Christian music, and that's all you could ever listen to, or you have to read your bible every day, or there's some sort of other consequence to that as you start to get to the sixteen, seventeen, 18. I just I I'm, I don't know, but I'm I'm cautious about that becoming something where they rebel against a something that I thought was good. You rebelled against broccoli, and you I don't want you doing that. Right. Alright. You listen to Life From The Path. Just a reminder, that's (515) 517-0085 is the, Life The Path complaint line. Yep. Bob Eisenhower Life of Path complaint line. Excuse me. (515) 517-0085. Call or text, and I we've we've done very few episodes this year, which means you you could be the person to crack the first message to the complaint line here in 2025. Whoo. Could be you. Prestigious.

Okay. I don't know if you put that on the on the list of things you're trying to accomplish for this year, but write it down now, and then just send one on in. That and kids don't eat nothing but confetti cake. You'll start looking more and more like booba. Both times. Okay. Alright. Let's talk about this let's talk about this weird prayer situation. Like, can I don't know? Can these god lie to people? Can these angels be trusted? Are these prophets be trusted? That seems like a lot of the questions going on in here. Kinda. Yeah. It's just such a weird thing. Like, I was okay. So I'm setting it up again in first Kings 22. You get Ahab is going up to,

to fight against Syria, and, he's, essentially wants to know if he's gonna win a battle. And so he goes up trying to figure out if they should go and take Ramoth Gilead. And so the prophet of the Lord, Micaiah, is the guy that he goes out and says, Hey, go grab Micaiah, excuse me,

bring him back and see if he's got a word from the Lord. There might've been a little bit of a threatening like, Hey, you better say that we should go up against Ramoth Gilead because we're gonna win kind of thing. But anyway, Micaiah responds to that and goes, I will say exactly what the Lord tells me to say. And so they go, and they go towards in in front of the king, and the king basically goes, hey. Should we go and and and try and defeat Raymoth Gilead? Are are we going to win? Like, is the lord going to be with us in as we go into this? Recognizing

that's a good thing to ask. Like, it's a good move to go, hey. There's a campaign we're gonna do. There's a battle to to be won. We should inquire of the lord whether or not we should go. Because sometimes he says, yes. Go. Take it. I'm already before you. Sometimes he goes, no. Don't do that. I'm not going with you. It's gonna be bad. Right. Or sometimes he doesn't answer, and then you either win or lose. But regardless, inquire. Inquire of the Lord. Good move. Anyway, so you get to this point where where basically the the king goes, Micaiah, should we go? And Micaiah goes essentially says, yeah. Totally. Go. Yeah. Better go. Absolutely do it. Yeah. You will win. The lord will deliver Ramoth Gilead into your hands. And then the king comes back and goes,

how many times should I make you swear to me that you are telling me a true thing from the Lord? Right? And this is after Micaiah says, I will say to him exactly what the Lord says to me. When given the how many times should I make you swear in front of me that you're telling the truth from the Lord, Micaiah comes back and he goes, yeah, and I saw the whole of Israel scattered amongst the nations and destroyed among the hills and they will not prevail at Ramoth Gilead and they will be destroyed.

You yourself, actually, Ahab, will die in this battle. An arrow will come against you, pierce your heart, and your blood will be licked up by the dogs of the area. And that's like calling back to an earlier time in one Kings when there's a curse pronounced against some kings and said, Hey, this is what's gonna happen against you. And I think it might've been a hap or it might've been a couple dads above him because of something like

they they took a vineyard they weren't supposed to. But, anyway, we we're we're looking at this chapter, and it says, Micaiah says, yeah. I'll say what the lord says to me to say. He says a thing. Dude says, swear to me, basically, or swear that you're saying the right thing, and then he goes, well, in that case, yeah, you're gonna lose, and you're gonna die. Yep. And so I I'm reading this, and I'm I'm trying to to take it into consideration, like, what is this king's relationship with Yahweh? What is the relationship with Israel and Judah at this time with Yahweh? Like what's going on

with the prophets of the Lord? We don't get any other Micaiah interaction as far as I know at this point, or at least that I've found in the other parts of one Kings and into two Kings. I don't think it exists other than just this one time we get Micaiah here, at least within these books, but we get the situation where dude flat out says, I will say what the lord says to say. Then he does not. He, like, says a thing, basically a people pleasing, and, like, it feels like a a a jab. Yeah. Like a jab at Ahab of, like, yeah. Totally. Go go do it. God loves that. And then when pushed, he goes, yeah. You're right. I was. And if you would not have pried, you would have gone in, and and would have thought that you're doing what the lord says to do. But if you pry and you were to find the the jinx is up, yes. You will die, and Israel will be scattered. Judah will be scattered like you're gonna lose. So asking the pastor,

am I to sit here and look at this chapter and go, prophets of the Lord do lie, And what do I think about that as it pertains to all the other parts where prophets are saying words and how can I trust a prophet is saying the word of the Lord? And is there something about the weird chronicling that's existing in this time that like, this is the one situation in which this kind of thing happens, which it's not. But, it's usually always called out that, like, the Lord gave a, a lying spirit to go and and do a thing or something along those lines. So just I'm trying to unpack it and figure out what I'm supposed to think about this or maybe not think about this, what I might be reading into too much, or what I might be reading just flat out incorrectly. So there you go. First Kings 22. What do you got? Yeah. So, I actually think what follows is important.

Uh-huh. To answer and makes it worse, frankly. So and this gets to something that that you had just mentioned. So after after Micaiah gives us information, he said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, the sheep that have no shepherd, and the lord said, these have no master. Let each return

to his peace. And the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil? Like, the word was that Micaiah always brings back Yes. Right. Yeah. Right. He never says anything positive. That's because Ahab sucks. And so Yes. Exactly. The prophet of the lord says, you're not following me. All this bad news is coming to you, and he's like, how could it be? And Micaiah said, therefore, hear the word of the lord. I, I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne and all the host of heavens standing before him on his right hand and on his left. Mhmm. And Yahweh said, who will entice Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? And one said to one another, another said another. Then a spirit came forward and stood before Yahweh saying, I will entice him. And Yahweh said to him, by what means? And he said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all of his prophets. And he said Yep.

He you are to entice him, and you shall succeed. Go out and do so. Now, therefore, behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets, and Yahweh has declared disaster for you. And so the the point is is that, like, it's not a question of the prophet of, like, hey. Can I trust the words of the prophet? Because, like, could the prophet be a facetious person where he goes, hey. Hey, prophet of Yahweh. Should I commit adultery? He's like, yeah. You go ahead. It's gonna be fine. Like, it's not that's not actually what's happening. Right. Even though that's what feels like what's happening. What's happening is is, like, Yahweh has sent yeah. I'm going to I'm gonna make it clear. I'm I'm going to basically give the word to Micaiah that he's gonna say the wrong thing,

and then he's gonna tell tell the right thing after that. But, like, he's Yahweh is allowing his prophets to mislead Ahab. Okay. In fact, in like, not just allowing. He's guiding. Who's going to do this? Right. Yeah. Because, like, that's the thing that, like, if I remember correctly, like, earlier on in the chapter, it's Jehoshaphat that basically goes like, hey.

You've got all of these prophets saying that we're gonna win. Like, is there is there not one? And, like, it it shows it shows the level of discernment on Jehoshaphat to be like, yeah. I hear what your prophets are like, prophets of the lord are saying, like, yes. Go do this thing. That's great. Like, we're gonna go do this thing. Yep. And then he inquires and goes, but but is there another man of the Lord that we should speak to? Yeah. And that's when Micaiah gets pulled into it. Right? And so that that like, that's where it hit me where, like, when when I read later on into the chapter where it says, and and I will go speak a a lying word to his prophets, I thought that was all the other prophets that have been prophesying, yes. This is good things that are happening. Like, you should go up and do this thing. I did not think that he was saying about that maybe about Micaiah. Yeah. I I don't yeah. That's a good point. Like, it does well, the question is if all these guys right. So did that did that lying spirit mislead well, all of is it both sets? Yeah. Right. Is it Micaiah and the all the other guys? And I thought it was all the pred like, all the previous ones, and then Micaiah was the one who showed up like, oh, I'm actually gonna say the true word Yeah. Of the lord. Not like Micaiah would know. Well, maybe. There's there's plenty of of other places where the prophets a prophet that we have like Isaiah and like Jeremiah where they're like, oh yeah, you have prophets of the Lord and all of them are false prophets.

All of them are speaking incorrect words. This is the true word of Yahweh of the Israelites. Like, this is the actual word of him. And as a matter of fact, like, I I I'm I'm pronouncing woes and curses on all of those other prophets who are saying an incorrect word or something that's not actually from the lord. Yeah. So I think I think I put this in a similar bucket as the the sending of the dark spirit Yep. To otherwise harass Saul.

Oh, yeah. Uh-huh. Like, the the spirit, like, makes him to where David needs to come in and play the lyre for him? Yep. It feels like the same thing to me. Like like, as a Okay. As a category where you're like, I don't think, like, why is Yahweh acting this way? Like, why? And I think it's a that one as an example is I think it's some of the translations are are a little bit Yes. Iffy because, like, it's not like Yahweh's using a demon. Right. He can if he wants to, but I I I don't think that's what's happening. No. But he is specifically sending someone to manipulate a human being and to trouble them Right. Or to mislead them. And so I for both of these,

what it feels like to me is, like, it is a standing judgment. So, like, it is do I obviously, God can do what he wants to do. Nobody has a prob I don't have a problem with that. Right? But, like, how do I understand these particular circumstances? Yeah. Well, they are they are kind of what everyone has coming

in certain situations. God brings to fruition as part of the earthly experience. Ahab is a is a class a turd. Awful. And so, like, God brings to fruition through the means that are necessary to otherwise bring about Ahab's ruination. Right. And and it's the it's the same thing as you end up with, like, the Israelites attack you know, ultimate destruction of the Ammonites and the Jebus, like, all these different groups of people.

Like, it is a ultimately, it is a it is a god's judgment coming to fruition in this moment. When I'm otherwise accept that he can do it however he wants to, I just have it bound by, oh, it happens when I die. And sometimes in his action, he brings that same thing to bear in a current time frame, and it it it is done by whatever means is is necessary. And so I I think that's ultimately what's happening here. Right. And that Ahab getting killed, like, I think he gets shot in the battle at Ramoth Gilead, and, like, he ends up, like, slumping into his chariot, if I remember correctly, and, like, dies in that situation. Like, that is fulfilling

a prophecy that had been earlier on in first Kings where it was like, hey. This is this is going to happen to your your house. Like, this is how this will end. They will. The dogs will lick up the blood from you and, like, you will not have a descendant that is left in this in this area that would be buried with their fathers and stuff like and that ends up happening. Like, that's the situation. And so it all it like, the greater the greater narrative of what's happening throughout all of king the book of kings and and chronicles and all that stuff. What's going on with Israel and Judah where God is is is is sending prophets and bringing getting

them to come back to him. They refuse to do so no matter how many times they come back, destroy Asherah poles, destroy the high places or don't, and they're still worshiping the high places kind of stuff like that. And then we get like, hey, because you didn't do this thing, I'm actually the one who is whispering in the ear of the king that is coming to destroy you, whether it's the kings of Assyria, whether it's the kings of Damascus, whether it's the kings of Babylon. Like, you think that I've lost here, but as a matter of fact, I'm the one who sent that king. Not only did I not just protect you, I'm the one who brought the other king against you kind of thing. And, like, it taking it all into its greater narrative narrative of what's happening, with the promises through the Davidic line and what's gonna happen with all that stuff. Like, it is it's super important, I think, to take into context all those pieces. And I appreciate that that explanation, that answer. And I'm interested, Dan, if you had any any other thought or anything that was against her, maybe supports

what we've been thinking of over here, to be honest. So Yeah. No. I think that's pretty comprehensive. I mean K. Yeah. It's funny, though. I don't know why that story's even there. Because, like The Micaiah story? Well well, not the whole story, but, like, as pastor quibbles with Jesus.

Like It's a new that's a new bit. Because because Ahab, like, he tells him. Right. Uh-huh. So, like, whatever the deceit was, whether it's all the prophets or Micaiah Right. Like, he almost direct like, he he asked him to pinky promise, and he gives it up. Yes. Right. And so the the the misleading did not actually further the situation. No. It did nothing. Yeah. Just it just causes confusion as to why does Yahweh say it's okay to lie to people. All it does is build the contention between Micaiah and Ahab. Which was already there. He had said all been been established. Like, he's not gonna bring a good word against me. He always says bad things. Like, this is not the first prophet this is not the first prophet king formula that that happens in also. Right. Like, Elijah kills a bunch of dudes, or brings down the fire upon a bunch of dudes because, like, that king at that point in time, and I can't remember his name, should should remember it. I don't. But, like, the was was furious with Elijah and was just like, hey. He's gonna say bad things about me. And because he did, like, send up battalions, and Elijah keeps going, yeah. Fire. Dead. Actually,

you know what's again, like, going back to David as we think about David, he's, like one of the only kings who responds positively to the prophet. Right. Nathaniel and him and Samuel and him usually have good things going on. Even though Nathaniel brings a heavy word Yes. He immediately goes, ugh. That's right. Crap. And then writes Psalm 51. Yes. You right. Exactly. So everyone else is fighting this thing, and, like, it was it was it's the reason the prophets exist is because, like Yep. Kingship is prone to abuse. Yes. Right. It's prone to, like, liken the smell of your own stuff and not following Yahweh, which is what made David a good king, and everyone else kinda sucked. But, like and you can tell by the humility in the presence of the prophet Right. When he goes, you know what? You were right and basically accepts whatever punishment comes his way. Which David did. Yes. Like, flat out was like, okay. I think he chose pestilence or he chose a plague or something like that. Yep. On the peoples, he was like, yep. This is my sin. This is what I did. And, like, oh, it's also it it's it's a it's a really cool kind of reminder of, like, the the communal, relationship between the sin of a leader and, like, what happens to the people Mhmm. Because of the leader the sin of of the top kind of thing. Anyway, sorry. I just I loved that part of that because it it really kinda brings it to to light of, like, oh, yeah. David was the one who made the mistake. There was not another mistake in this situation, but David said, this is what happens when I screw up. I'm I'm meant to be a representative here, and I'm not. And so this is this is how this gets visited Yeah. And chaos and pestilence comes upon the nation. Yep. Sorry. Anyway, like, first Kings 22,

a gift to online atheists from There's a there's a terrifying spirit that comes and speaks lies to the prophets of the lord. Prophets aren't real. Yeah. Or or god your god is evil. Your god can't be morally trusted. Oh, yeah. I'm just saying. I see and that's interesting that you brought up this the the Saul thing because that was another one that hit me weird where I'm like Yep. He brought on it was I think it was a tormenting spirit Yeah. Sent against him, and, like, that's when and only when David showed up and, like, played the liar for him was he was he at peace. And, like, that sets up a relationship between David and Saul that ends up being very important

for for what happens with Israel. And so, like, it's God moving God things and, like, doing things in his will. But this one, yeah, agreed. As you look at it, it's like, why did this have to happen, though? Well, it's the narrative. Doesn't change anything in the narrative. Well, it's the, yeah, it's the question of of narrative choices. So, like, actually, you don't think about the trajectory of David and Saul. That story about the liar also doesn't do much. Because, like, the in fact already been there. The very next chapter is the David and Goliath story. Saul act like he never seen this guy in his life. Who is this short shepherd boy? Yeah. Who is The one who's been playing music for you when you're tormented by a spirit. What do you mean? Yeah. And so, I mean Thick my armor upon him. Reasonably, there could be a like, he he could've been a a boy

at the time. He's he's with Saul. Like, he's not we know he's not 20 when during the David Goliath business. But, like, I mean, dude could've grown, got some facial hair. Sure. Okay. Fine. But, like, he also acts like he doesn't know who his dad is. And, like Yeah. They just talked about his dad. Who's who's Jesse? And so like but but it's but it's interesting, though. One one of the things that sets it sets you up I actually think what's happening there act is is that that's not in chronological order. Oh, interesting. I I I think there's some narrative choices there because, like, where you what you end up with is, if you're gonna tell any story about David and Saul, you that David Goliath thing is, the real apex. Right. And so I I don't think it happens in the same order because you also have David. It says after David chops Goliath's head off, it goes it says he took it to Jerusalem. I'm like, that's not his town. Right. Like, it's Jebus. So, like, the Jebusites still run this joint. He will not run Jerusalem until he's king. And so, like, you think he just waltzes into this Yeah. Israelite town and goes, okay. Got it, fellas. I never thought of that. Hold this Jebus. Like and so I I I it event I think it eventually gets there. Sure. Or is referring to something where, like because, like, the Israelites owned every town around Mhmm. Jerusalem Jebus at the time. And so, like I mean, it could mean outside Jerusalem. That's where Saul was. But, anyway, but what what it does establish, though, you kinda get this narrative where, like, David is never against Saul.

Like, David makes this, like, statement that's basically like, this is god's anointed. God's gonna have to take him out. Even though he already anointed me as king to take his place It didn't happen. It won't be by my hand because as far as he's concerned, Saul is a whole is a set apart. He's a holy object. And so you don't jack with it. God will have to handle that himself. And so David is in service to Saul every chance that he gets. Right. From a young boy, from a even even when the tormented spirit, like, that bothers Saul is sent from Yahweh, David can relieve it, but it doesn't cause it to go away completely. And Saul is still in in Yahweh's hands. Yes. And so it's just interesting that, like, that actually it doesn't further we kinda get this this animosity with Saul and David. It builds up on its own. Mhmm. And you probably have enough of that narratively to get that in the David and Goliath stuff where, like, you see them interact and where he might start to get jealous or something. Sure. I don't know if you need that story, but it does build. It allows it to build narratively. And so, again, let your bible let your, like, bible writers and the holy spirit tell narrative arcs of stories. They're still true. It's just set in a way that, like, it's a memorable story. It it it's okay. It peels out. No. And that's true. And I thought that was one of the reasons that, like well, at least what I've heard is one of the reasons that we even talk about David being a a man after god's own heart is, like, even even in that situation, he still rightfully looks at the relationship he has to Saul as as God's anointed. Like, he is even

even through all of the torment and the and the torture and the craziness, like, even shows Saul many times, I could have killed you. Like, I could have killed you in this situation, but I didn't because I will not be the one who does this. Like, God is you are still God's anointed. You you have been set apart for a role that is not mine to cut off and not mine to destroy. Yeah. I think that's an example of, like, not probably not specifically his his relationship with Saul, but, like, generally his posturing that says Sure. Yes. I I follow Yahweh. Right. Yeah. Same reason that he even goes up against Goliath in the first place and is just like, hey. You're the armies of God. What are you doing allowing this Philistine to walk around and and profane his name? Like, absolutely not will you not do that. And that reverence and and complete faith in, oh, no. No. No. I serve a God that is bigger than any of this, and I refuse to let his name be perverted and spit at in this situation, and therefore, I will be the one that stands. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. That's right. And even when, like, the entire Israelite army and Saul himself were allowing this type of thing,

David Yeah. David's like, nope. Nope. Can't do it. Ain't doing it. Yep. Alright. Anyway, hey. Maybe you had a question for us to pass or hit hit us up at the Life of the Path complaint line (515) 517-0085. Call or text. And don't worry. I I promise I will do my best not to pick up that phone call. And just go ahead and leave your message. We'll take it. Okay. Did you have another one? Do wanna do dear life with a path? Well, I mean, okay. Can I tell my can I tell my swamp story? Tell the swamp story. Oh, gosh. Okay. So I was down my wife and I were down in Alabama last week no. Week before, maybe last week, whatever,

in Alabama for an adoption conference, and we drove down, and so we drove through Illinois, down Kentucky, Tennessee, stayed in Chattanooga, then made our way to Birmingham. We drove back up, and on the way back up, we stopped. We were going up through Mississippi, And so the curve up through Northeast Mississippi, we ended up, in a small town called New Albany,

Mississippi. The reason we ended up there was because we, I have a book called Hamburger America. It's by a guy named George Motz. It's a great book. I I really appreciate it. George is is an interesting cat. He he owns Hamburger America, the restaurant now that's in, in New York City.

But he did, like, kind of this burger tour of America and wrote about some of the famous burger joints throughout the country and kind of like, iconic regional burger places that, like, we have hamburgers the way that we do today because of small mom and pop places that have been around for a really long time.

There's a place in New Albany that is Latham's Hamburger I can't remember the full name, I think it's Latham's Hamburger Inn, and it is home of what's called the Mississippi Slug Burger. It's not made of slugs. Slugs were just what you called nickels back then, and it was 5¢. Anyway,

we're sitting there, we walk in, and it's it is 10AM on a Saturday. Like, this joint opens at ten, and we are now the fourth and fifth person in this building. So, like, there's some regulars. Like, these people are there for their Saturday morning burger that I'm guessing they've been doing for a very long time. And I know that because I sat down at one of maybe 12 seats that is in this long corridor

of a burger restaurant, and I'm three seats down from who I'm affectionately going to refer to as Milton. His name was not Milton, but he was

I I would venture a guess that he was a 187 years old. He may have actually started the South as we know it today. The whole South. The whole South, and he just landed at this burger joint in in New Albany, Mississippi. And so

Milton is is is now my best friend. He's my adopted grandfather. I I I hope I'm nothing like him when I'm older, and he is a cautionary tale to me, and that's why I'm making him my official adopted grandfather. He was incredibly xenophobic, incredibly bigoted, very interestingly made mention of in the first five questions that he asked me as a human being that he had never seen before and never will see again,

he asked me and my wife, which one of y'all makes a living? And Uh-huh. I I my wife just retired, and so I said me, and he goes, good. That's the way it ought to be. And then he he looks at my wife right after that and goes, just make sure you keep your hair long. These modern women, they cut the hair too short, and it ain't right. Now mind you, I just said that in an understandable accent.

Uh-huh. Milton's accent was almost imperceptible. Uh-huh. He was speaking very much like the the the guy in overalls from the movie, the water boy, if you know what I'm talking about here. And he was like, wait one of y'all make the living. And I'm like, I think I know what you just said, Milton, but you're my best friend now. So I don't even remember how we got on the topic, but we started talking about Jesus, and which was great. I loved that. And he he said something along the lines of

Do you know the Lord? Something like that. I went, Yes, I do. We both love Jesus. My wife and I are Christians and all the same stuff. And he goes, You ever been to The Holy Land? And I'm like, no. No. I've not been to The Holy Land, Milton. He goes, you gotta go. You better go to The Holy Land. And I'm like, cool. And then he made comments about the people in The Holy Land that were super racist. And so I was like, I don't love that part of this story, Milton, to be honest with you, but I didn't say anything because I thought he might actually shoot me. But, he he starts talking about the church that he goes to in town, and he goes,

yeah. My pastor's a half Jew. And I went, okay. And he goes, he acts like it too. And I was like, I what to say. Don't even know what that means, nor do I wanna inquire about what that means, Milton. And then surprisingly

enough, we were in relatively alright waters from when this conversation continued to appear. He then goes and says, yeah. His his mama was a witch, and his grandmama was a swamp witch. I don't much know the difference, and he won't tell me every time I ask him. Then I'm like, what is happening that in the last two minutes, I've been asked if I've been to The Holy Land, said some xenophobic and rough stuff about the people who live in The Holy Land? Then he goes into his pastor's a half Jew and acts like it. Then now I find out that his pastor's mother is a witch and his grandmother is a swamp witch,

which again, he brought up the fact that, like, he did not know the difference. I would argue that its geographic location of the witchcraft might be the difference, whereas the witch was like a living room lady, and the swamp witch was out in the bayou of of of doing this kind of thing, but that's not really important. I don't know why the pastor won't just answer the question. Right. Right. Exactly. Like, maybe it's a rough thing, but then you find out more about the pastor. Because then he says, yeah, he was locked up in a basement for about nineteen years. Oh. And I was like, that's information that I now know about your pastor. Wait. By the bog hag? I think by the bog hag. I'm not a 100% certain. We did not stay long enough. Thankfully, the burgers were singles, and they were relatively small. Okay. So we ate them rather quickly after we started hearing about this witch and swamp witch combo.

He goes, his mama locked him in a basement for about nineteen years, and she tried to sacrifice him multiple times. Oh. And I'm like, what? What is happening? Like, I have been in Mississippi all of an hour and a half now. I'm going to be in Mississippi in all of another hour and a half possibly, and this is the situation I run into? This is ridiculous. I know this is gonna sound bad, but wouldn't your what if you had a god who wanted sacrifices, wouldn't your god be angry that you're so bad at it? Right. Your child? Like, you can't figure out your kid in the basement and you're a witch? Obviously. Yeah. Or potentially swamp witch. I think he said his mom tried to sacrifice him, but it might have been a combo of the witch swamp witch situation. Anyway, she goes he goes, mama tried to sacrifice him multiple times. And then it come to find out that he had a woman praying for him all along, and she just couldn't sacrifice him. Really? But now he knows Jesus.

And that was the end of that story. Like, that was the end of that. Like, I was supposed to be like, well, you know, the lord works in mysterious ways, doesn't he, Milton? And then story, though. Tell me more about your hamburger. Now right. In the moment, I was like, this is weird. I wanna get out of here. Yeah. Now that I look back at it, that was one of the, like, most quick paced and compelling stories I've ever been privy to. Yeah. Like, I do not have a story like he does. Right. He didn't set up much. There wasn't much delivery. Like, I didn't really have a hanging in the balance. I just know that there's a potentially half Jewish preacher that lives down in Mississippi somewhere that has been tried to be sacrificed multiple times by his witch and swamp witch mother and grandmother respectively, and now he knows the lord because a woman was praying away his mother's ability to sacrifice him. Yeah. That's a really great story. That is riveting. Like, it is riveting story. Elements of a great story. Every bit of it. Like, I it was mysterious. There was, like there I mean, there was resolution at the end. He turned it back to, like, Jesus is his lord and takes care of him. This is insane. This is all in the span of maybe 12 bites of a hamburger. Like, it was insane. And that was not even the the all of what happened with Milton. It was crazy. Hold on. I I don't mean to get caught up on the wrong details. No. You're fine. Please do because I've spent a week and a half mulling over this. No. No. It's probably it's what you just said. How many bites does it take you to eat a single hamburger?

A lot less than 12. Yeah. Okay. First off. You understand where I've got I do. I wasn't I 12 was a random number to throw. Okay. Okay. Admittedly. I did talk about how small the burger was. Now. I will say this. If they're they're called slugburgers because they're like it's beef, but it there's a lot of filler. Like, they put, like, flour into it and, like, fry it off. So it's crispy. Yeah. It's more like a a beef chip Gotcha. To be honest with you. Okay. I probably ate it because I was trying to, like, not hork the thing down and eat it in a two bite situation. I probably took five or six bites Okay. To finish this small hamburger. Fair statement. But regardless of how many bites it was, it was all within the span of one single small hamburger. Did he have any interchanges with your wife? Yes. Okay. Yes. He did. They

my wife my wife was in Madagascar for years, and apparently, I brought that up. I don't know why I brought that up, but I did. And I trust my wife when she tells me that I did. Yeah. He he says to her, missionary? And she goes, yes. I was a missionary. And he goes, denomination? And she goes,

denom I we're we're nondenominational. And he goes, no. Missionary. Denomination. And she goes, yes.

Yes. I was a missionary. The well, the the the people that I went with, they deal with all denominations. And he goes, no. Missionary denomination. And we are very confused. The woman next to him that I forgot to mention, he referred to as the grandmama of one of his grandchildren,

which I think means one of his wives that he's had. Not a 100% certain, but it's a real weird way to introduce her. She was coherent enough to be like, no. He's asking you what organization you went with. And I'm like, I'm I've been on this planet for thirty three years. I'm almost a 100% certain that he was saying denomination. Yeah. My wife and I both heard denomination, but, apparently, maybe we just filled in the gaps of his accent and then heard ation at the end and went, it's probably denomination he's asking for. Gianna says the den the organization he goes through or she goes through, and he goes, you ever heard of global outreach? And we're both like, like, the concept? Like like, that it exists that people are going globally to, like, try and outreach to people? Yes.

We have. And she goes, no. He's saying Global Outreach, the organization. And we go, oh, no. We haven't heard of that before. He goes, yeah. My, my kids what'd he say? My kid's nephew started that. And well, he's dead now. And then that was the end of that story too. So we got a chance to meet potentially the

I don't even wanna figure out that relationship. But, anyway, that's Milton. Milton was great. This is all in the span of me just trying to eat a burger. 12 bites. 12 bites of a burger that probably was more like five or six, and that is that is a a liberal estimate on how many bites it actually took me because y'all know my stories. I'm the kid that at 18 ate confetti cake by myself a lot. So that was New Albany, Mississippi. Yeah. We left there all as quickly as we could, but we ended up getting on their Facebook page because they were like, oh, it's really cool that you guys came down here to take a picture and, like, eat the burger. That's awesome. And I have whenever I go to places, I have the person who cooked me the burger sign the book just because it's kind of a cool thing. Yeah. And so come to find out, the gal who signed the book was the same woman who served and owned the burger the burger place when George Moats went down there. So, like, now I got a chance to meet the person who actually, like, put the thing together for George Moats. That was a really cool thing, and we really appreciate that. Is it Milton on the Facebook page? I don't I didn't look. I'm I'm not on really on Facebook for for very many reasons, and so I haven't seen it. Well, my wife has shown me, But we did find out there's another burger restaurant about an hour north of where we were at, and she goes, where are you going next? And we said, we're going to this place. And she goes, oh, you just missed him. And I went, oh, did he, like, just close down the restaurant? Like, what do you mean? And she goes, yeah. He died a month ago.

And I was like, that's a weird way to say that then. We just missed him. His mortal coil? That's what we just missed a month ago when he died? Apparently, we're not going to that restaurant. So there's so if you ever get the hamburger America book, you cannot go to Phillips. Mister Phillips is dead. So just so you know, rest in peace. Hopefully, he was a Jesus man. I I did not get a chance. I did just miss him. So, that was that was Buva in Mississippi,

for for all of an hour three hours, and it was insanity. Yeah. Yeah. Witch and swamp witch. I love that story. That's beautiful. Yeah. Yep. Yeah. Wait. Did they have to close down Phillips? Like, he's he don't have a cousin or something to fry him up? It it I don't think so. I think that there is a a new Phillips that opened up, like, across the state, but the original Phillips that was owned probably wasn't the original Phillips owner. I think this place started, like, 1930. Okay. But, like, down the family line of who owns it now, that guy just died, and they closed down the original. So That's too bad. You just missed him. I just missed him. I was sad about that. So Alright. Let's do Dear Life from the Path. Alright. I'm letting my phone load it because, unfortunately, it it okay. Alright. Alright. Dear

Life from the Path, my girlfriend, whom I have known for many years, remarried her ex husband a few years ago. I didn't know her when she was married to him the first time. My husband and I don't like him. The last time we met for lunch, her husband showed my husband a gun he was carrying in his pocket. Dear life life of the path, he's an elderly man with a tremor in his hands. She keeps emailing me about the four of us meeting again, and we are both scared to meet them since he's armed and has that tremor. We are afraid it could accidentally go off and shoot one of us. Oh. I don't know what to tell her. Any advice? Wow. I I mean, you could tell her that

there's a good portion of people that she meets every day that are carrying. Right. But they don't have tremors, Dan. Where's she from? Did it say? Texas. Oh. In what? 80% of the people she meets. I did not share that information originally because it did kinda change tone the blink. Yeah. Right. Exactly. Like, this is not a situation where this is the only gun you've seen this week. In Houston.

In Houston? She's in Austin. Keep Austin weird keep Austin weird and no handguns is the first time she's seen one in ages. Yeah. Well, yeah, that's I don't I don't understand. Nothing? Not even for the fact that he's got a tremor? You wouldn't be scared at all of an old man with a gun and a tremor? What now? Is he winging it around with his finger on the trigger? Yeah. I don't think that's that bad, but he did show it in his pocket, which I don't know if that is true or not. She might have just not thought of the word holster. But, like Yeah. If there is an old man just rocking a Beretta in his pocket, that that does give me a bit of pause, if I'm being honest. I don't care about that. You gotta pull the trigger. Yeah. And take you gotta turn the safety off. I mean, there's you don't just randomly start with shooting. I mean, that's true.

I'm just saying gun in the pocket is offhand. Like, that's crazy. I would if he's Yosemite Salmon, then don't go out with him. But, like, if he just has one and he's an older gentleman, unless he's brandish like, if he's like, hey. I got one. It's different than let me show you how it gleans in the sunlight. And so if he's not doing that, then, like, or, like, I don't know. He's under a few probably in Texas, it's harder to find a place where you can't bring your gun in. Like, if it really made you uncomfortable. Yes. Right. Like, you have to eat at the cafe at the local department of Homeland Security or something. That's true. Yeah. He's like, I carved the names of people I don't like into the bullets that I put in the gun. Oh, don't worry about that. It's not a big deal. I can't spell your name. Yeah. Well, I mean spell your name, so you're fine. Like, you may have to like, look. If this is really freaking you, think you're overreacting. But, like, maybe you just invite your friend, because it's your friend Right. Out to lunch. And don't bring your husband, and then she won't bring hers, and then you don't have to worry about your life and and the and the the trigger finger of this fella. Okay. Alright.

Secular says, keep in mind that carrying a gun is legal in Texas. Also, many guns have safety devices so they don't fire accidentally. There is a difference between not liking someone and being afraid of socializing with an armed person. You don't have to sacrifice your long friendship with this woman if you don't want to see them as a couple get together with her separately. Right. Yeah. Hey, man. Yeah. She said you might be overreacting and get together by themselves. That's what we said. Nice. That's that's rare. We're not in good company. That is where I'm feeling. I should rethink that. Yeah. Rethink your face. That's always a good sign. We, like, see secular, we go, oh, crap. We were similar. Oh, dang. Oh, we gotta change everything. Okay. One more. Dear, live from the paved. My son and his wife have quit speaking to my husband and me because I gave them COVID.

Oh, dear. I told you. I told you these were doozies. At their invitation, we took a trip with them to Hawaii. I began feeling ill on the plane and tested positive the next day. A couple days later, my son got sick, and then a few days later, his wife got it. I told them repeatedly how sorry I was that I'd infected them and spoiled their vacation. We always had a close relationship, frequent phone phone calls, visits, dinners, etcetera. But for the last six weeks, nothing. He told his brother he was furious because I tried to kill them. I'm at a loss about what to do, if anything.

What would lie from the path do? I've I've we gotta be missing something. You don't go from, hey. We had a real, like, loving and close relationship, and then I think my mom tried to kill me with COVID on the airplane. Remember that time mom gave me a sore throat? I'm gonna talk to her again. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. Don't look at mom's journal and how many times you gave her a sore throat. Right. Going to school, picking up some garbage, and then bringing it back home? Come on. Right. And six weeks is a long time to hold a grudge, but they might still be kind of upset that, like, their Hawaii vacation sucked. And so, like, it may not be the rest of existence that they hate you. Like, it it could be just like, oh, man. A month and a half ago, we were in Hawaii, and it sucked because we got COVID. Dang it, mom. Like Yeah. It's not a real thing of, like, they actually hate you. Again, six weeks is a pretty long time for adults to feel that way about something, but I I don't think it's incredibly far fetched that in maybe another week and a half, two weeks, they go, sorry, mom. That was dumb. We were just really sad because Have they traced it before mom? They should there's more people to hate. Yeah. Right. That's true. Gave it to mom, and someone gave it to that person. They should outbreak this with Dustin Hoffman style and try and find patient zero and get angry all the way back the chain. Yeah. I mean, unless you're unless mom, two days before vacation, licked the butt of a Wuhan bat. Like, she

just picked it up, like, through normal course of events. Licked the butt of a Wuhan bat is is insane to say. That would be aggressive. It it would be aggressive, especially if was outside the lab where it just leaked. I traveled directly to Wuhan. I heard about the psychedelic functionality of a a Wuhan bat butthole. Now if that were if that were true, then I could see him going, mom tried to kill me. Mom tried kill me. But, like, outside of that, like, her vacation was ruined too. Right. And she has to feel guilty about having got her kids sick. She shouldn't, but she probably does. Right. And the fact that she's apologized multiple times, she feels terrible. Yeah. Like Unless we're missing something, like, that she's not saying

like, how old is this? Like, grow up. Right. Right. Exactly. That's why I'm saying, like, it's it's a long time for adults to, like, hold this kind of a grudge. However, there are plenty of adults that I know who probably would, and so I'm not that surprised by it. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. Yeah. Secular says, what Secular would do is give your son some time to cool off and then reach out and apologize again. He needs to grow up. You didn't make anyone sick on purpose, and it just as easily could have been your son or daughter-in-law infecting you. Crap, fellas. Two for two on basically having the same advice as Secular. Is Mike is this is this the Mike problem? Is he not here to be a malcontent? Potentially. We've lost our edge. Yeah. Potentially. Well, you know, it seems alright, actually. Secular's got a square head on their shoulders.

One more? Okay. Yeah. Hope so. Alright. Dear, life on the path. I've been in love with a man for more than thirty years. We never married, but he calls me his wife. I'm aware of his infidelity and accept him as is.

I am also involved with my youngest child's father, who I have also been around for fifteen years. I'm caught between the two and can't find the way out. My child's father provides financially, but, emotionally, the man of thirty years is who I want. My problem is he won't commit. Please help. Song torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool. It's

a Herb Alpert number. I'm sorry. It's just I don't understand that there's humans that live this way. Like, this is insane to me. I don't understand what goes into a woman that's like, I've been with this guy for thirty years. He's not my husband, but he calls me wife. Like, that's important to me and important important enough to, like, care about. He's my faith. I'm also with my youngest son's father of fifteen years. I'm aware that the first one is is is is a cheater,

but we're not really in the marriage, and neither am I because I'm with my youngest son's father. So, like, I don't even know why I mentioned that cheating thing in the first place. They were obviously in an open love triangle. By the way, one of them takes care of me financially, but I'm not happy with him. I'd rather be with the other one who doesn't take care of me financially. What do I do? Oh, boy. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like this is one of the first ones that I'm gonna go, you need therapy.

Like, I I legitimately think you probably have a lot of broken, nightmarish things in your closet that make it to where you have no idea how to find any legitimate self worth, and the kinds of people that you find are terrifying human beings as well. And, like, you are, like, tossed about the love ocean on a life raft, and it's it's it's quickly getting stabbed all the time. The whole group's very selfish, self centered. Right. Right. Yeah. Yeah. They she she needs new friends. Yeah. I'm sure your parents were probably pretty rough. I'm sure you never got modeled how to love, but, like, seek therapy. If you're in a relationship with a man for thirty years, you're old enough to, like, it's time that you can you can heal. Like, you can heal and find some legitimate stuff here, and, like, the rest of your life could be way better.

And I hope that for you. Yeah. Yeah. So I think, like, you need to know that these two examples of men are not good examples of men. No. And you're you're waiting for a situation to change that has no motivation to change. Right. If you were this 30 year old man and you had the thirty thirty year relationship Yes. Right. And you do not have a a Jesus directed moral compass.

What exactly is your motivation to go deeper with you, 30 year old pseudo wife Right. When he can he can do whatever he wants. He can have you and whatever ladies he wants on the side. He does not have to provide for you financially. Like, what is like, again, in a in a in a Jesus following relationship,

I I you you can talk to a man and say, look. This is not following Jesus. You're not meeting you're you're not taking responsibility. You're this doesn't look like Jesus caring for ladies. Like, you're not sacrificing the way he sacrificed the church. Like, this is I get I get something to hold him to. Right. But, like, you're you're expecting a person with no like, to have this one values that you, I don't know, want but don't have even personally because you are also willing Yep. To have multiple relationships. And so, like, why would he act any differently? What is his motivation to do so? It doesn't even bring like, monogamy brings a level of

explorative safety. Like, within the confines of that promise, you get to do all kinds of fun things amongst each other, and you get to feel what it is to do those things in a safe environment with someone who, like, you get to, you know, be figure out who the best version of you is. Yep. And you get to do it while someone, like, still loves you through it. You've you've completely skipped that particular value, and it's very likely, I think, to to somewhat of to Buva's point, like, you don't really have a concept of it. No. And so you have no reason to trust the Internet, fellas, but but we're gonna tell you that, like, what you've accepted as being, like, what you want is coming from a spot of ignorance because you it's like you went to the buffet,

and the only two dishes in front of you were the black olives from the salad bar and one piece of leftover Szechuan chicken. And, like, there's a whole other buffet out there, but you're not aware of it. And so It's true. Yes. Like Somewhere waiting for you is a whole plate of orange chicken. And some banana pudding. Could be vanilla. Could be banana. It's very unclear, this white pudding. But I'm just saying and so There's wafers. It's and it like, this is think of it. A thirty year relationship, and let's just let's just be let's say this is Kentucky, and so it's she's got got with this guy when she was 16. Right. Your late forties. It's like it's in probably older. And so, like, this is it's hard for someone to say, look. You need to start over. But, like,

there's still time to have a fulfilling relationship. But to to to Buva's point, like, you gotta get your head on right and recognize what the realities are around you, and these two fellas are not providing you a good idea of what the world is. Nope. Not at all. So, yeah, you gotta get out of there. And which means, unfortunately, and this sucks for you for sure, is that, like, you gotta you're gonna have to provide for yourself. None of these these do not seem like reliable dudes. You need to stop. You can't sex either one of them. You gotta get out of that. You need to go to a local church and find good community people who help will help you see what good can look like Yep. In their relationships, fallible but still good. And, and I'm sorry that that it's this time of your life because that really stinks where you feels like you should be able to you know,

enjoying the safety of built relationships. Instead, you gotta start them over, and I I hate that that is probably our advice, but I it is our advice. Right. Okay. Secular says, if if either of these two men wanted marriage, it would have happened years ago. If you really want someone to build a stable future with, look for someone who can give you more stability than these two prizes. Find a man who is available and willing. Right now, you are just treading water, which will get you no further than you are today.

Secular agreed with us again. Oh, got it. Although, I don't know what kind of advice it is to say find yourself a willing and available man. Like, it's that easy, Secular. I mean, it is for pretty people, Ben. That's not her. It's not you. No. It's not me for sure. Gotta get them while they're young. I lied. Ew. What? That's a Yeah. I lied with the amount of hair I had on my head at the time. It was a lie to my wife. I do not have that hair anymore.

I didn't say you're gonna eat them while they're young. I mean Yeah. But it was it it was creepy in statement, not even just with inflection. You you gotta get them while they're young should never be said, and now I've said it. The Internet can grab that out of context. Yeah. Yeah. You've you've put me into this too. Lied to me. In bogwitchtinder. Bogwitchtinder.dotcom.dotcom is amazing.

Alright. Swipe right. You've been you've been listening to live from the path. Thanks for hanging out with us. We really do appreciate it. I don't know. I this this month might also be dicey. We're four episodes in 2025. Hopefully, we can, amp up the good times and, hot crimes here at life from the path. I'm on fire. Don't even look at me. You had to look back at me because you said good times and hot crimes. I don't know what's going on. Knows what that means, and no one wants to know. Go back to the bogs. The butt cheeks of a woo hard pat stuck with me and has not left. I'm gonna cut you loose. Thanks for hanging out with us on Life From The Path. Remember, hit us up on that Life From The Path complaint line (515) 517-0085.

Call or text. In the meantime, be faithful in the means. God will handle the ends. You've been listening to Life From The Path. There's something seriously wrong with you. Wasn't it right? It's right what I said. Something seriously wrong with you. We'll be back to the good time. Crimes