Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. You are live from the path. And you're listening to live from the Path. We're coming from the Pathway Studios here in Johnston. Okay.

We're gonna Would you would you buy a T shirt if it were a frog man that is is essentially an Egyptian frog god, but he's dressed up like he's some kind of, like, sweet dude from nineteen twenties in New Orleans, and and he's talking about how, he don't know this Yahweh. Yeah. Would you would you buy that T shirt? Let us know on live for the back. Yeah. I'd buy five of those T shirts right now. We're gonna put I'd have one for every day of the work week. This is this is more in progress than you already know. Okay. Thanks for hanging out with us on the show this evening. I here's here's what we got going on. Thanks for having me, Ben. It wasn't to you specifically. It was more of like a group thing. It's just like Jesus' bride is like the church, but not you specifically. I I just watch I watch podcasts a lot, and, like, sometimes people are like, oh, thanks for having me. No. And it just felt like, no? No. Okay. Well, I really I miss right now. Every time we do that, it feels like they go to that new kid who's supposed to be watching the the winter weather, and so they put a microphone in the intern's hand. They're like, go stand at the intersection of 5th And Mulberry. Yeah. It's real cold. It's it's snow out here. Bad. It's cold. Actually, there was a there was this tornadoes and and, like, heavy winds coming through here today. And, they cut to like, there's a guy named Roger who just driving around with a camera on his dash. That's amazing. They're like, let's cut to Roger's car. Like, he's just he's just basically interrupting people trying to clean up their neighborhood, like, being a gawker. And they're like, we don't want you to go out and look at the damage. Freaking Roger's out there doing it. That's amazing. Let's cut to Roger's dashcam. Yeah. That would be cool if Roger was listening to, like, classic rock. He's like, loving and loving, loving, Victor.

You're like, Roger. Up. What what going on? You're on the TV, bro. Test it. I I don't turn down Aerosmith for nobody. Who's this? Y'all wait. Steven Tyler. Okay. Here's what we got going on the show this evening. There was one of you guys had something. What was it? That's a great way to start. I had a T shirt. Yeah. Not Yahweh. That's it. It's my fat T shirt. Dang. Oh, yes. Okay. Okay. The, the quarrelsome nature of the fat of the Christian fat shirt. Yeah. I okay. I'll give you a little bit of a setup here. K. I was out playing Pokemon GO with my nephew this weekend, and it was a lot of fun. We end up walking, like, 15 miles together. It was ridiculous. But, anyway, I've I've I've been losing weight again, and we're thankful for that, but, like, I sweat like crazy no matter what I do. Mhmm. And we're walking in the mall, and my shirt looked like it had two colors, and it was only supposed to be a solid color. It was real rough. And so I'm sweating my butt off, and people are staring at me like, oh, that man, he he looks rough. That is a disheveled fella if I've ever seen one. And I thought to myself, I really wish I had a T shirt that said I used to be fatter because I feel like that'd be hysterical for people to be like, oh, well, comparatively then, if it used to be bigger, that's not that bad. And I thought it doesn't even have to have a picture of me at my heaviest or something. Although a Russia a Russian nesting doll photo of me at my biggest and then a little bit less than that. That would be so. Right. That would be awesome. But, like, I thought I used to be fatter would be a funny T shirt, and I'm I'm all for owning that and wearing those kind of shirts. And I googled today just to see if this existed because I can't imagine I'm the first one to come up with this. But, like, I googled this shirt, and I'm so angry because

the shirt says, yes, I am fat, and it says f period a period t period. Uh-huh. Favored and thankful. Favored by God and thankful he made me just the way I am. Oh my. Now let me tell you. As someone who believes that they are both favored, and I am also I freaking hate that shirt. That's the stupidest shirt I've ever heard of my entire life. If you are living in obesity

and that is the thing that you need to hold on to, you know god enough to want that shirt yet not enough to go, oh, this is probably not the right way to represent this. Right. Because someone could go, god didn't make you fat. Like, I mean, there are extenuating circumstances, but you made choices, friend. Right. It feels like god is like he knit me together in his womb. Yes. Right. Exactly. Jeremiah twenty nine eleven or whatever is. Fat. Yeah. I do declare. I need a little bit of extra yarn for Boofah. Like, that's not that's the most ridiculous thing ever. That's not how that works. I hope that woman's got a big uterus. I would That's declare. That is the creepiest thing you have ever said in the history of this show for fifteen years. So I really hope AI grabs ahold of that one and goes to Mike talk about sizes of uteruses on Live From The Path today. I I wish I wouldn't have said it. It's too late now. Is it uteri uteri? Uteruses? Anyway. It's not multiple. That's not a lot.

Like, I'm not saying one person would have multiple. I'm saying Here's what I'm gonna tell you. Saying a collection of uteruses is more creepy than what we're That's why I stopped myself and didn't finish the phrases because I recognized that it was getting to the creepy territory. Okay. I'm with you. Yeah. You're right. It was. It was already creepy. Thanks, Mike. No. Like, I wasn't born fat. Like, that's not how that goes. Like, even fat babies usually skinny out. It's it's fine. Like, you I hold tight. Yeah. Right. Exactly. Like, I think I came out eight pounds six, and then it went up from there. But, like, that's all babies. First, not most babies. It's ridiculous. I hated this shirt, and it made me angry because I'm like, here's the deal. I represent people that are both fat and both love Jesus. Like, I love Jesus very much, and I'm very thankful of of the blessings that God has given me. I do not look at my own obesity and go, god, you made me perfectly in this way. Yeah. I go, this is a collection of my own terrible choices. Whether it's because of trauma in my life or people gone through crap or they've got, you know, bad thyroids or whatever. Plenty of reasons that people have gained weight. Yeah. That is not me. I weighed six hundred and sixty four pounds because I spent way more time at Chinese buffets than I did church. Yeah. It sounds similar if you start the word off, but, like, it's Chinese buffet to church. I'm what's known as quotable. Yeah. Right. Like, that that's that's why I was fat. It's not because God was like, hey, man. You're perfectly made, and I see you as a six hundred and seventy pound twenty year old, and I really think that's the best way for you to live your life. Okay. So what's what's the right way to frame? Because let's let's say what I think you're you're starting to to curve into is the driveway that talks about

how God looks at people's struggles. And there's there seems to be a camp that wants to affirm the struggles that says, god is is fine with these struggles. He's actually in support of me no matter if I continue to struggle or not. Right? And then there's a another side of the street that goes, yeah. He's causing he he's calling you to repent of the underlying parts of that struggle. Yeah. Like, there's some things that are not in your control, and there's some things that are. And he's calling you to repent of the things that are and follow him to Right. Less of a struggle. Mhmm. Right? But but then again, like, some folks' struggles, like, they're just they there's nothing to repent from. Just like you said, like, they got some kind of weird thyroid thing. Yeah. Right. It it happens. It's a it's a very small population of the people that suffer from obesity if we're being real honest about the situation. Like, I don't know the the actual numbers to pull it up, but I guarantee you the more people are suffering from maybe mental stuff that is giving them insecurities and food and all those different things. There's plenty of of layers to this. I recognize that. But, like, at its core, this isn't a lot of people that are, like, chemically imbalanced in their in their bodies that make them in a place where they're morbidly obese or whatever you wanna call it. But, like, yeah, I think that's it's a fair thing because it's something that I've struggled through to kind of understand is because a a lot of my issues with weight has come from a lot of the crap that I dealt with. Like, I didn't have a poor relationship with food and still until stuff really started going poorly in my life and that was my comfort but I don't look at that and go, I can't break from this because this is just how I was wired and god just made it me this way. Yeah. I look at it and go, okay, How can I hold on to a a truthful and just god that is going to carry me through these kind of things and help me to get better? Whether that is through going to therapy, figuring out my triggers, understanding why my identity and my worth are rooted in what god calls me versus what my broken mind says is is what I'm worthy of, which is where a lot of my food stuff comes from. Like, I hate myself in a lot of ways, and therefore, I eat like crazy because it's comfort. But if I'm looking at myself through the eyes of Yahweh, I get a chance to go, I'm I'm loved by him, and I was created by him for better. Because with my weight stuff, it very much turns into the pedestal is where my food addiction is versus the pedestal is where I set my god. And that's the problem that I run into. And I go, no. No. There's not any situation in which god wove me to be

idolatrous towards a relationship with food versus setting him rightfully on a pedestal in a place of holiness that says that he is my king, he is my god, and my worth is derived from him, and so is my identity. And if I have all of those things and hold those to be true and I fight back the urges that come from my brain or come from whatever and I understand them better, then I can make better choices because I'm no longer held back by those beliefs that I'm not worth anything. I get to go I am worth something, and I need to act like it. Yeah. Yeah. I yeah. I think the difficulty here is that what we want is something that seems like binary. Yeah. Like, either I'm fearfully and wonderfully made or I'm a pile of crap. Yes. These are not the only options. Right. Exactly. There's a lot of gray area in between that. Right. Like, you can be you can struggle with your relationship with food and have it be emotional stuff and bad choices. Sure. Yep. Like, it can be both. Absolutely. It almost always is both. Exactly. As a matter of fact. Yes. And so and so even even if, like, as we struggle with our understanding of of what our identity is in Jesus, can we go God loves me unconditionally.

He was willing to to, you know, be sacrificed and die for me. Yes. All those things are true. But it does not mean, however, that you are perfect exactly as you are. Right. And not even just from, like, a sin whether you sin or not. Like, you you didn't I didn't make great choices yesterday. Exactly. Yes. Right. Possibly last week. And right? And so it doesn't mean God doesn't love me, but it also doesn't mean that he's not refining me. And so, like like, what we like, we gotta be cautious that we don't protect one thing,

and and lose another. Like, lose lose the I don't the gray not as in its ambiguous, but lose the nuance and complication that goes multifaceted Sure. Relationships and ways in which we think about ourselves. And sometimes sometimes we carry a banner on a thing because we were wounded by the opposite thing. Sometimes I have to be reminded that I'm fearfully and wonderfully made because, frankly, I just feel like garbage Sure. Right now. And it's it's it's fine to recognize that, like, look, thematically, I need this for the next two weeks, but it is not the only story. It is not even the only thing that is relevant to my story. Right. And I gotta be open. I I gotta recognize that there's more than one thing going on here, and we don't do ourselves a service, by only thinking of it so binary. So lady ladies, do you do you feel like, you could understand or have experienced the same thing where, like, sometimes it's hard it's

it's hard to see where God's at in the middle of a struggle of a thing. Yeah. Tell me more, Will Goodell. Well, I don't know. I don't, like, don't really have much experience with it, but I could see where you're coming from. To be honest with you Do know what mean? Not struggle. Not that I don't struggle, but, like, I mean, I I don't know. My life is really not that, like Yeah. I love that. I don't know. Well, yeah. I mean, there's not really much to tell. There's no reason to throw it in the toilet if it ain't there, Leyla. That's fine. It's an Enoch story. How about you, Ella? What was the question again? I forgot. Yeah. The question is is, like, like, what we're talking about sometimes glorifying struggles or acting like God is happy with our struggles or he's got me or you know, like, which is true. He does. But, like, sometimes it makes it very difficult

to act like he's not asking you to repent of something so you aren't struggling in the first place. Right? Like, so would you say that it's easy to understand, like, when people feel like like they're in that situation? I'm still very confused. Okay. Can you dumb it down a little bit? That's probably the best I can do. Alright. It it's interesting that you you say it that way, Mike, because, like, the way that I've looked at it for a long time is I recognize that god has been gracious to me,

understanding where I was not emotionally or psychologically ready. Whatever you wanna call it to, like, really even think that I was in control of any of those struggles. And I I realize now that I I I was never really in control. God is the one that I was trying that I should have given control to, but, like, I really felt helpless for a really long time. And I felt guilty about that helplessness because I'm like, this is this is sinful behavior. Like, this is struggles for me, and I'm I'm not doing the thing that god calls me to do. And and I'm not saying that god's gracious with me as in, like, he's fine with sin. That's not the situation at all. But, like, recognizing that there was a large amount of healing that needed to happen through things that he orchestrated,

through circumstances that I found myself in, through relationships that I was able to to cultivate or be pushed into. It allowed me to get to a point where I was able to finally start taking a control or responsibility of the actions that I was doing to start pushing through. And and I that's certainly not the story that has to be for everybody. I don't think people need to go through ten years of of trials to be able to figure out they're being sinful and to take control of it. That's not what I'm vying for right now at all. But I I I appreciate that, like, a lot of people may find at least some similarities in a in a in a lack of what they believe is power on their own part to be able to make better decisions than the struggles that they're in. So I think one of the one of the things that shifts is a a more healthy relationship of understanding god's

perspective and and his relationship with your struggle. And so I I'm going to give, I'm going to give a crude example. I'm sorry. It's just the first thing that came to my mind. Sounds good. The if you're if you're driving down the road and you see an overweight man jogging, you can have one or two reactions. You could go, yeah. Right, dude. Like, it's not doing any good. Been there. That's good. Sorry. No one else left for my left. What would you say? I'm the gross guy. That's so mean. What's what's

the other option, Ben? No. Because if you see someone, you're like, oh, good for them. They're trying. Right. So that's right. That's option two. That's the that's the second option. The logical option. First option. Now you got that is that has happened. Yeah. Totally. Now here's the thing. I've done that. It's like and you could I've been the I've been the person who is trying to better something about myself and had the belief that most people who were looking at that are not looking at me in an encouraging way, but they're looking at me in a discouraging way. Mhmm. They're so and so now I want you to compare that to how you might perceive God's relationship to you and your sin or something? Is that like, do you do you believe when you're when you're fighting against something that is causing you heart and and problems in your life and demise and destruction, do you think God's looking at you going, good freaking luck, you dirty sinner. You have you can't even rescue this yourself. Why are you even trying? Or do you recognize that God is going, you go after it, man. In fact, I'm coming out with you. Right. And I or cleared the path ahead of you. And you know I'm saying? And so, like, it's the same action. Yep. You're running the sidewalk one way or the other. Now if if you believe it's harder to it's only on your own wind are you trying to sustain option number one. Where in spite of the fact that the world is discouraging to you, you're gonna try to persist, but it is super difficult to do. I was just gonna say, like, if you feel like if you did the first option, you know, if that's, like, what your train of thought was, wouldn't you just be so depressed all the time? Yeah. And that's exactly what is. Happiness. And but here's the thing. The people you're not doing that on purpose. No one's going like, I'm like, I'm I want to be motivated by the fact that, like, people are discouraging to me. Is it is, however, how you perceive other people, oftentimes unfairly. Now are there cruel people in the world? Of course. Yes. Right. Right? But most

of them are not. And sometimes we perceive that people are looking at us poorly when they're actually not. Very true. But it's safer. It's safer not to be involved in the expectations of other people. Because once people start encouraging you, now you got two people to disappoint if you don't succeed. You and the dude Yep. Who is encouraging you. And so sometimes in our relationship with God, once like, it is unhealthy or well, it's wrong. It's just not right, but it takes a while. I think this is this is where time makes a difference. Yeah. It you don't go 10 and go, I'm gonna get around to changing my life in ways that otherwise are not as destructive to me. Like, we've been using weight as, like, a visual picture. I it's I it's not a sin thing necessarily to me. Maybe it gets there. But, like Right. But there's all kinds of things that can be that. Yep. Same thing. But, like, once you once you get to a spot where you recognize that, like, God is for you, like, didn't just die for you as, like, I'll drag him out of the pit. He's like, I want to. Like, I I I actively found a way to provide restoration to these people and so that they may live life abundantly. Yeah. He is your he is for you. And so once you reorient your relationship with God in that, then your fight against those things that are causing you trouble is a fight with like, where Jesus is alongside you, not, like, chastising you for fighting because you had to fight, but, like, with you because you are. What do you who what do you think the split is, like, of people's perception of God's perception of them? Right? Do you think most people believe that God is for them or most people believe that God is disappointed in them?

Oh, I think that's Depends on their actions, I guess. Wouldn't it? Like like, how they're living their life? Like, even Do you think it changes? Sometimes God is disappointed in them. Sometimes No. No. No. I feel like they could change their perspective on what they're thinking. You know? Like, depending on what situation you're in. Because if you're like, what you think is, like, being you know, you're, like, in it. You're, like, doing great or whatever. You're probably, god's so pleased with me. But then if you do something bad or something, then you're probably, like, god's so disappointed in me. Oh, yeah. Yeah. You know, I mean, he probably is a I mean, obviously, he knows what's gonna happen. But I feel like that can maybe, like, lead to, like, where they're like, oh, he's not gonna forgive me or whatever. Yeah. Yeah. Ella? No. I'm still very confused on what's happening. Nothing is, like going in my brain. It's bouncing off. And every time somebody talks, I'm like, what? Okay. Let me okay. Let me ask the question one more time and then I won't do this to you again. Like, do

you believe most people feel like God is disappointed in them? Or do you believe that most people believe that God is for them? Disappointed. Yeah. Because I think I've met, like, a few different people who are, like like, I feel like they act like they act like they know, like, Jesus very well. But inside, they're probably like, he's probably mad at me. I've sinned so much that he probably thinks I suck.

Well, I do now I do think that a lot of that comes with how we think about and posture the notion of of salvation or rescue. Right. Right? Like, the whole thing is is I suck. Like, that's the basis of it. Yeah. Need rescued because you suck. Yes. Right. That's right. And here's the thing. It's not it's not that true. But is God doing it because he's he's the paid EMT that night, or is he or is he go, like, I want to do it? Just like if you, you know, like, you see a kid of yours or, like, or, like, your nephew. Right? And you're like, they're struggling,

and you don't go, well, here's the deal. Some people do. Some people suck. Hey. We're not God though. Yeah. But, like, God is not looking you that way. Is your orientation for the need for rescue one because God's like, I would do anything for your restoration. Yeah. Or or he's like, fine. I figured it out. Because you're so terrible, I figured out a way to set it right. And, like, oftentimes that conversation happens because people are trying to protect the awesomeness of God Yeah. And they're doing it by stamping on the creation that bears his image. And I don't know that that's necessary. Yes. I understand. Like, when when Paul talks about, like, we we've all everyone's fallen short of the glory of God. Yes. Understood. Right? And David's like, we've all said, like, no no one is perfect. No. Not one. Yes. Also agreed. I know. It doesn't really slam that home. Like, it it it shows up in some of the prophecies, but, like like, he's pulling this thing together to make sure people are not arrogant about themselves. But, like, I I don't know that it's necessary to completely diminish God's creation. You misunderstand. You it's hard to recognize him as a father

if your orientation to him as one is complete, like, he he doesn't like you. Like Right. He just he's just putting up with your silliness. Like, that isn't that that is not what he created, and that isn't his posture towards humanity. And, like, you don't have to stamp on the face of humanity to protect the awesomeness of God. I feel like this is my default, honestly. Like, I have to fight my way out of it. My default is God's disappointed to you? Yeah. Same. Yeah. I

I I think that that I will I mean, I'm in my scriptures hearing all this and at the same time going, but but, god, I'm bad. Like, I'm real bad. Like, this is There's no way you can't actually be dis Right. Exactly. And I just this whole like like, holy, like, loving, forgiving, graceful, merciful god. And, like, because, like, I can't imagine that. Yeah. Right? It's so amazing that I cannot be imagined in my finite brain. So what I think is is like, you would probably you act as as if the best anybody could possibly act, which is not can't be perfect all the time. Gotta be somewhat disappointed. Like, because if sin is basically what God either he either would not do or yeah. Basically, so like you're acting in a way God would not act. Right? That's sin. So like, it's not just if I intentionally burned him. So if I if I accidentally burned him or if I just did something stupid because he wouldn't do something stupid because he's God. Right? So like, no matter what I do, I'm just a bit of a disappointment. You know what I'm saying? Well, and I think that that's understanding

that that's only one part of the narrative is is how bad you are. Like like, there's a rightsizing that says you are not holy by by being human, and you cannot be in in connection with God without Jesus. Right? Like there's there's a rightsizing to that, but it misses the biggest part of that story, and it misses the biggest part of like god isn't looking at you in chains and going, man, freaking sitting there and sin again. Like, he's looking at you as and saying, I want you near me. Like, I want you close to me, and I gave you my son to break those chains so you could put off that life and so you could be next to me and near me. I want you close to me, and I'm gonna give you a helping hand to get you there. I'm not just gonna stand 20 feet away and go throw all that off and start running. I'll grab you when you're ready to be grabbed and held up and hold up with me. And, like, he's a loving father,

and he he I I believe he bring gets joy from his creation being with him. Yeah. And, like, what a beautiful thing that the creator of this universe that is as perfect and it is awesome and holy and holy and holy as as we know him to be could possibly derive joy from us being near him. Yeah. Here's the thing. Is that, like, I there's a practical implication to this that I actually think is, is a gospel suppressant because the the god's god the extent of god's love and care and forgiveness

for his creation appears to be downright foolishness. Uh-huh. Yeah. Right? Like, it's just By any human standard, yes. Right. Only a fool would continue the the tenth time, the hundredth time that I did a thing that was, harmful to me, harmful to my family, harmful to my walk with Jesus, I killed in the world. Yeah. I did the thing. Right? And then and oh, but god god is is will restore you and has died in forgiveness for that thing. I'm like, he see this seems borderline foolish. Right? But here's the thing. It's reckless. If I do not accept and understand that for myself Mhmm. I do not have it to share and represent Jesus to the rest of the world through it. Yep. Right? And so the thing is is what the world is meeting through average Christianity, especially one who who if our if our gut reaction is, God is disappointed with me. Mhmm. And I'm really having a hard time understanding

how he cannot just be foolish. So the so I must not understand this forgiveness right because it seems borderline foolishness. But the implication should mean is that we should be forgiving in that radical type of way. We should be react we should be for and actively encouraging the humanity that is around us even in the even when they're hauling down the road and we think, I don't like, good luck, man. You've you've caused all these problems yourself. Right? And so where we misunderstand God for our own personal relationship,

we then fail to reflect God well Right. To the world around us. And so here's the thing. No wonder people are, like, coming in droves into these churches because what are they meeting? A pale version of Jesus, a human limited version. Something that doesn't seem otherworldly or supernatural. Like, oh, that's a forgiveness that, I I could understand. You know what's interesting is I was just thinking that, like, some people are like, I can't forgive that way. Like, I've just I it's I I can't do it right now. Like, I want to Yeah. But it's not something I can do. I also can't look at myself that way. And, like, it occurred to me that, like, you meant what was that? There was a weird movie with Al Pacino and Colin Farrell in it. The recruit. Remember, he was, like, some kind of SWAT member? Yeah. Yeah. And, like, he he was telling some big story, the grand the grand finale where it's like, where a priest was like, I don't know if I believe in God anymore. And he talked to his his boss priest on camera, what they called him. And he basically he goes, yeah. You just need to fake it. You know? And I thought, I this is not this is not intentionally what I mean by this, but like, if you

you have to train your body to do things, and sometimes you have to train your mind. Mhmm. Right? So, like, if your default is to feel like God is mad at you or disappointed in you, like, you have to train your soul to turn right back to the God that made you and go, father, that's not true, is it? Fathers, are you upset at me? And let him say, no. I'm not. You know I'm saying? Like and it's like it's you're not I I the my encouragement is is like you're not faking it.

You're you're practicing. Yeah. You're training, right, to a to a thing that, like, you're, like, you're broken your broken body and your broken spirit will automatically default to brokenness because of its broken. Right? Yeah. You wanna figure out you you wanna figure out what god thinks about you. Read the book that he gave you his instruction. Like, spend time in your word. Yep. Spend time in prayer with him and worshiping him and listening to to the kind of things that he's looking for. Spend time to to to be in fellowship with community of people that can go when you're feeling that kind of way and can go, no. No. That's not right at all. It's not just you fighting that fight. God gave you many things to be able to fight against that and fight against that that that general disappointment that you may feel that God has towards you or your lack of self worth or your identification problems or whatever. Like, God has set these things in motion. He's not just this being a million miles off that goes, I really hope you remember what I said about you. Like, he set things in motion that goes, these are the things that you should be spending your time doing so that you never lose sight of who I am, and you never lose sight of who you are because of who I am. Yeah. Yeah. Just I I think this to reinforce Mike's Mike's point in relation to that is that, like, just because you have to be reminded of something Yeah. It doesn't mean you failed at it. Right. That's not a failure. Like, if I, actually, the little view into my household because this sometimes comes up. It's like, maybe I was supposed to mow the lawn or something, and I forgot. I went about and started doing something else. Sometimes how that's brought back to my attention makes it seem like I just really suck because I should have remembered it. I'm not motivated particularly by that way of going about it. But the reality is, as soon as it came up, I'm like, oh, yeah. I was gonna mow the lawn. I don't mind mowing the lawn. I'm glad to mow the lawn. I need it done. I'll go do it, and I'll go I'll go do it. I don't have to suck. That doesn't mean I suck. I just like, someone recognized something that of which I needed to be reminded, and then now that I'm reminded,

I'm back on the path that I wanted to be. And sometimes we focus we overly focus on the fact that you jumped, that you didn't remember to do a thing or think the right thing. But, like, I mean, correction doesn't mean suckfest. It just means, like, I you're frail. There's a there's a fallibility to being a human. You can only hold this is why we end up in the binaries. Like, we have to go, I can't sort out all these troubles and woes that are in me. Yeah. And so then I end up going, you know, I'm I'm wonderfully made. So then I don't I have to carry the weight of the fact that actually I probably should change my behavior. This is the danger. Right? And and, like, it seems like such a stupid danger, but it's legit danger. It's like we start,

like, putting our faith in Christian sounding platitudes. Mhmm. Right? And like his love is so much deeper than that. The thing that he's calling to you is so much deeper than that. And so like, one, like, this this is a great tie in. Right? If there's things about you that are sinful, like God is calling you out of them. Yep. He's not celebrating you and like, he still loves you where you're at. That has not changed. But if his love does not mean pulling up a chair and camping out with you in Sin town for the next ten years, that's not his love. His love will sit down next to you. His love will console you and comfort you. And then when the time is is right, he will ask you to stand up and start moving out because we can't stay here. We can't stay where we're at. And so, like, any any word other than that is not a right understanding of who a good father is and who Christ is to you. He didn't die on the cross for your sin just so he could watch you swim in it in a cheap motel South Of Reno. This is not what he designed for you. We're moving out. We're heading somewhere else where this mess is not where you're spending all of your time. That was oddly specific because I've been at a motel South Of Reno swimming in a hotel pool. Come to freedom, booba. Here I am. I'm an Iowan owl. Here I am. I'm I've been to Reno in a long time. Forgiven and thankful. Forgiven and dried off from the pool. Alright.

You've been listening to live from the path. Come on. Question. That come relates out of that conversation slightly because God was happy with his creation, which is why he's happy with you. I had gotten a small argument with a missionary in Tijuana about bison's presence in heaven. I said that there will be bison in heaven, and they said rather defiantly that they don't have souls, and they won't be in heaven. I said,

God made bison and said, this is good. Yeah. And I want a pet bison that talks to me while I live in the Lord's favor in heaven, but it's always like a nemesis of mine that walks past my I picture it to be an adobe. I'm not a 100% what the housing situation is in heaven. But walks past my window of the perfect weather, looks in it every morning and goes, Michael, and then tools away. And I think You're gonna you're gonna your You're not gonna change your name forever? I don't know. I forgot gave me the name. I'm I'm I'm going I'm moving it to Vicente Fuster. Vicente.

Yeah. Vicente Fuster. That sounds like the name of pasta. Can we go back to you live in an adobe hut? Are you a Pueblo native American? I don't know. It just seems like a real Are you just correlating that to a North American bison? No. It seems like a free plains than Pueblo. This is just Mike's version of, like, peaceful living. Yes. Right. Thanks, lady. It's all good. If the weather is perfect all the time, slight breeze, little little little on the on the chilly side, little south of 70 maybe, and then every morning, I wake up to a sunshine and a lovely morning, and then that bison come rolling by and goes, Michael. And then looks at me irritatedly, and I'm like, bison. And then he leaves, and this is heaven for me. You have a you have an antagonistic

morning relationship with a heavenly bison? Yes. This is forever in freedom? Who would steal this from me? Yeah. This 18 year old missionary would steal it from me. I'm gonna affirm it too, actually. I, first of like, here's the thing. Here's what's interesting about this. Not to go overly theological about it, but, like, they're being too narrow. Yep. So I agree. Like, what we're saying in the opposite, if the bison can't be there because of whatever your theological boundaries are, what you're saying is is that Satan wins. That's exactly that was my counterpoint. God creates something good. He looks out and says, I created it. This is good. And then Satan gets to go sully all this stuff. And the only thing God can redeem is the presence of humanity. Not the because here's the here's what's a mockery. It it says creation groans. And so all we're saying is that creation will groan.

That's right. That's not. And creation will groan for the return and then be destroyed because Satan wins on it. I'm out. That don't sound right. Theology, it's not right. Here's the deal. Too narrow. Mike talking about his perspective on what he thinks heaven is gonna be reminded me of that line from the movie, miss congeniality, where the chick is asked what's her perfect date. And she goes that movie. That's a tough one. I'd have to say April 25 because it's not too hot, not too cold, and all you need is a light jacket. Like Yeah. Yeah. That the exact same energy as that quote, and I had to pull that up because I'm like, sweet Moses, you sound like that chick from a miscontaneity. Here's what here's what because I said the exact same thing. I said, first of all, God said it was good, and he's gonna redeem all the things. Satan doesn't get to win. And I said, second of all, you got no theological basis for it. Don't have a soul. It ain't there. Right? That's just something you think to yourself. I'm like, how do you know every dog you ever had gonna be roaming around heaven? Maybe they won't be hanging out with you. I have no idea. No. Totally. Like, I actually there are multiple places in scripture where it feels like where it represents that God is doing business with nature around you.

Like, it groans out because it recognizes that who who the creator is. Right. And that they are moving in concert with the will of God around them. And that frankly, the only place they're being held back is by their interaction with humanity. Okay. Listen to me though. I think there's a jump between, yeah, all of creation cries out, knows their creator is good based off of what God says. Yeah. And then in this perfect place called heaven, now bison are sentient and are able to speak English to Mike specifically. Hold on a the lord's tongue. Hold on a minute. I'm not certain of the language. It just it seems an odd thing to go like, hey, man. I'm totally fine with having creation,

all of it, alongside with us in heaven. I think that's awesome. But, also, god gave it extra superpowers in heaven to where now it can speak to me, and it says Our sin robbed him of those superpowers. He was given that to start. The word yeah. Esperano is the lord's language for one. Desperano? No. Two, the tree of what? Of good and evil? Yes. Trees had knowledge, and they could speak it. There was something about the tree that imparted knowledge. Quick question. Do bison moo? Not this one. What? You were just saying. Like,

you were just saying because it says, like, ah. He says, like Actually, it's funny. They don't do that. No. Bic bison are just dismissive. Actually, just grunt. It sounds Bison are just dismissive. It sounds like there's a thing you've ever said. They're saying mad. They're like, meh. Hey. No. I don't think they go like either of that. I think they kinda like I hate all of you. Imagine something wrong. Like an angry barfingers. I want you to imagine he's got a bow tie on. He couldn't have put it on himself. He's got hooves. So I don't know who did it. Don't have to imagine. If Jesus put on his bow tie and he's still giving me this like, smacked them and he goes, hey, Bison. I want you to stop by Mike's house and give him a roast today. And every day, the lord sets it in motion unnecessarily

just so I can wake up with this breeze and a smile and he goes, Michael. Michael. Are we saying in heaven Jesus has a bow tie? Yeah. Jesus spoke despacito to the Listen here. To the bison. Louis Farley. You said you had contention that the bison was sentient, but, like, you can't know your creator if you're not sentient. What does sentient mean again? You can't know your creator if you're not sentient. If you lack sentience,

then you cannot recognize and groan for the return don't of your know the definition of sentience. Yeah. What is that? Yeah. Is it like, whenever I think of that, I think, like, three eyes like, and floating and So what I'm meaning by sentient close. I don't know what that is either. You're capable of Higher forms of thought and understanding. Right? So a dog knows its owner, but I wouldn't argue that that means that it it is sentient. It knows it's a created being. It groans for the return of Jesus. Right. Which is why I'm saying that does not equate sentience. But being able to establish that his name is Michael

and can say it and use the language to be able to speak to him speaks to a little bit higher of an intelligence You have weird boundaries for the what god is capable of. I I didn't say god was incapable of it. I just said it was a jump. I think we should keep in mind that this is Mike's fantasy of what heaven is gonna look like. Yeah. It might not happen. Leila, how's it gonna work for you? What? How do you think it's gonna be? Palm trees blowing in the A beach. Beach for sure. Okay. Is it gonna happen like thought about it. How does the bison get on the beach? Right. No. I don't wanna The bison's too hot for that. So you get your own personal pocket heaven where bison aren't going. You're gonna put up a sign that says no bison. Bison allowed. That seems real rude to these sentient creatures that know your name and speak Despacito. God said he was good. I'll take the jellyfish instead. They they speak Desperado, and that just seems unnecessary. Okay.

Ella, what Ella, what was yours? Oh, yeah. What does heaven look like for me? Yeah. Well, whenever I picture heaven, I just see white. So That is actually true. Like, with, like, a big white, which is always mistaken. Is more or less native American. But A is for or less native American. Dang it. Okay. That is I'm so excited because I'm the only one who is anywhere near you guys' age on this show,

and so I'm super excited to be able to see this happening from the age that they were when we started this show. Okay. Navajo Jesus. Came out a little wrong. Navajo Jesus. I'm waiting. What? I mean Basically, native American. Right? If we don't have a Navajo Jesus shirt up soon, I'm be real sad about that. He's gonna have a whole feather headdress. It was Navajo. Like an Indian Keep telling us about the white out heaven. Yeah. I that's it. Oh, no. But just, like, when you when you think when you like, for me, when I just picture heaven, like, what instantly comes up is just, like, this big white area. It's brilliant. Like, you know, when, it's, like, the huge clouds. I think they're cumulonimbus clouds. I don't know the word for it. I don't know we were picturing heaven. A little moisture. Yeah. Yeah. No. But, like and then it's, like, really sunny and, like carefully on the nimbus. Alright, Moses. Take it easy. I don't know. It just comes to mind like white. You guys are doing alright. Up until I was 10, I thought it was a McDonald's buffet. Okay. Wow. I'm on board with that. Go further into the conversation we were having earlier about my childhood. But And god just pokes his head in every once in while and goes, you want some more, Troy? No. It's just an all you can eat McDonald's buffet that had, like, McDoubles and french fries and, like, a fountain of chocolate shakes and stuff. And I got to hang out with all my family, and we'd sit there and we'd never get fat because we'd eat all the stuff, but god was like, calories don't mean nothing to me here, buddy. Did the guy know nothing say? Body don't need no calorie in heaven. You got me, brother. And I was like, thanks, Jesus. One more McDouble, please. But it was self serve. Like, nobody had to bring me McDoubles. I could walk up to a fountain and grab a whole tray of them. Yeah. Go ahead, Al. Okay.

I got something somewhat related to this. When you guys are praying, what do you what do you picture while you're praying? Me on one side of the at the coffee table at a coffee shop. It's, like, really peaceful. There's, like, music playing. And then Jesus is on the other side, and we're having, a conversation. What's he look like? Navajo? Like no. No. He just guy from The Chosen? Yes. Dang it. Yeah. Actually. The Chosen is influential in prayer like a mix between him and then that guy from, like, the prayer bible book that my little siblings read when he has, like, long hair. The yellow face And he man? I don't know. We gotta be careful with some of this stuff. He's kinda native American. Like,

I like that, Leila. I think, actually, I I think I I spent, some focused time, I can't remember when this was, but trying to imagine something very similar. Sure. So that I didn't just, I because I I was more not more careful in my words in that, like, they were more holy or specific or anything. But, like, I was I was more talking to Jesus as opposed to, like, I don't know, putting on an oration of things I remembered or that easily fall off my tongue when I pray. And so that that type of view, shifted how I was, approaching prayer to to the is a benefit to do it. So Well, the main reason I do that is because, otherwise, I get distracted so easily. Mhmm. Sure. If I don't, like, picture something, then I'll just be praying, and then somebody will say something, and I'm, like, out of it. You're going. Do you have do the other people in the coffee shop, or it's just you and him? No. It's just, like, me and him and then, like, fades. Yeah. Yeah. Like a portrait picture. Right. That makes sense. Say, like, a portrait? Like like that weird thing on the camera, the different camera Ben, what do you see? Nothing.

What? I don't imagine anything. My mind is completely blank. See, I can't do that because then I get distracted. I have to imagine You believe that's a better way to do it than envisioning something else, or it's just what works for you? I I wouldn't even say that it works. I just know that I don't I there's not a specific picture. Yeah. Okay. Some and but sometimes to keep focus, I have to the the only thing that could happen is I get, like, you ever seen those, videos where, like, they're it's it's not lyrics, but someone's given a speech or whatever, and then the words just kinda pop up and they're kind of different orientations and stuff like that. Sometimes So my own prayer will do that. Oh, okay. And or I'll do it when I'm listening to someone else pray. Like, I'll I'll try to see the I'll see the words go by so that I focus on them. Because otherwise, it'll it just might it becomes noise so fast. And so if I don't focus on the words that either I'm hearing or that I'm saying,

I I feel like I'm just dumping stuff off. Yeah. Wait. I feel like that audio captions? Yeah. Kind of. Kind of. Yeah. Before artistic makes sense because, like, I mean, not I mean, sometimes for prayer, but, like, especially when you're teaching like that, like, it always looks like I'm, like, doodling. But most of the time, I just, like, you'll say a word and I'll just write it down. Like, just the random words, like, Forgiveness, sin, disciple. I don't know. Whatever sins. Yeah. Whatever whatever we're talking about sins. Whatever we're talking about, like, I'll just write down the random words. Yeah. And then it it'll, like, help me, like, almost retain it. You know? Because if I'm just listening to it, then, like, after you've said, like, a sentence, I'm like, oh, I have nothing. I have no idea what you just said. Yeah. Refer back to your manual word cloud. Does the bison ever go Leila?

No. Well, I love this guy. It doesn't seem so awesome. K. Mike, what about you? What do you see? Mine is cartoonish in a way. Like, it always has to do with, like, a medieval castle. And Nice. And, like, he's either like, god is either standing on, a big, like, balcony, and I'm I'm talking to him from below. Like, I'm on the ground, and he's a couple layers up. And but it's real bright up there, and there's a bunch of torches everywhere. And he's always he's always happy to see me, but I can't make out, like, any of his facial expressions. And then other

times, I will imagine that I'm there's a a throne room still made out of stone like a castle, but I I can't see in there. I'm just sitting at the arch doorway, but I'm outside of it because I can't go in there. Mhmm. Because I don't know. His holiness is a lot, and I can't I can't go in there. So I pray from outside of the room. And I was convicted that we used to be my go to for a long time and I was convicted that that is not how the bible talks about my relationship with my father. I don't cower outside of the room of the throne room. I boldly approach. But like when I tried to boldly approach, my the what I tried to imagine washes out, and I I can't. It's all just a big white. When you're saying washes out, like, you were asking why I picture him. I can see, like, his hair. I don't know. That sounds weird. Yeah. But I don't, like, imagine his, like, facial features. Like, if he's, like, smiling or frowning or blinking. You know? Like, I don't really think about, like, that. If what if you imagine this is terrible. What if you're imagining God and he blinked too much and you noticed it? You're like, why is he blinking so much? Is there something that y'all He has a condition. He's like, there's swords of fire in my eye. I'm nerd. You know how you notice Ridiculous. Somebody that, like, blinks too much and you're like then you start counting it. You're like, how how many times a minute do they blink, do you think? And then you're like, how many times do I blink? Is it way is it that much more? But then you start blinking too much because now you're consciously paying attention to it. I counted how many times somebody said, I

lost count over 55. Oh, I hate when it comes the concentrate on that. If I concentrate on that, like, the one time they say it, I just can't listen to the conversation anymore. You guys have no grace for people using filler words. I should enough. I do it too. And so when I catch myself doing that, I'm like, gotta stop talking. I can't do this anymore. I think, like, I I used to have problems with my mind just catching it. So if you listen to Dan Rather or someone on the news or whatever Mhmm. Mhmm. Once I hear them breathe, take a breath, then I hear it for the rest of the day. My gosh. That is so true. Like, it's like a condition. Yeah. That's weird. They're told to do that rather than use, they're supposed to use the space breath. Oh, no. I think I think they should breathe. It's valuable for them just in general. Okay. What what do you see? Yeah. So I'm kind of a combo because I most often see nothing. I I don't I don't have any picture. I'm not like, you know, hanging out with Jesus sitting down by the by the river and talking.

But if I do see something, it's throne room. Mhmm. I'll, I and it it's comical too because it's like the statue of Zeus kinda thing. Like, I think of the giant throne and a marble god sitting on the throne. Like the Abe Lincoln? Like Hercules? Like the yes. Very much so. That's where that came from. So yeah. Yeah. Right. Exactly. Yeah. So that Temple Azuz is is is Greece kind of version of that. So I think of throne room of god, and I'm usually, like, I'm I'm usually on my hands and knees and and don't look up at them out of fear. Yeah. Alright. Yeah. See, like, these are all the things, like, perception wise. I wonder how much we should

maybe commit to some prayer time and going, god, how can you help me see you how how you want me to see you when we're praying? Does he want more, you know, Morgan Freeman and Bruce Almighty where it's like hand holding and we go and, like, here's what you should say. Does he want you to see a smile on his face? Does he want you to make it to feel more approachable to him, but, like, still wholly set apart and amazing? That's what I draw like, that's what what hits me is because I don't know if I still understand well enough of, like, what a what a righteous fear of god is. And, like, I I know that that he is a being that can very well hold both things where he can be feared and completely respected and loved and, like, close to us as a father at the same time. I just have trouble of, like, am I supposed to am I supposed to, like, sit close to his his feet, like, hanging out and and recognize his power and, like, the difference between the two of us because he is holy and set apart and so different than me, but also recognize that he loves me entirely and how do I hold those things at the same time has always been an odd conversation for me to try and figure out. Yeah. And I don't think I have a good answer to it. Be honest, it feels like we're we've we've mostly settled on, business casual. Like Right. Yeah. Like, don't wanna come in too shirt, but you don't wanna come in too stuff loose. Last thing before we move Yeah. We we I was gonna ask Ella too what hers was because she brought it up. Didn't she say But go ahead. She said white light. Did did you say just say white light? Well, I do

that was when I picture heaven. When I picture heaven, I just kinda see white space. Oh, yeah. But when I'm praying, I picture me hugging a pair of knees. Sorry. I don't hate that, actually. I don't hate that either. I think that's a pair of knees, not Pyrenees. Yeah. Not a Pyrenees, the dog. Great Pyrenees. Or or Pericles.

A dog. Professor Pericles. No. Yeah. It's me hugging a pair of cleats. Yeah. No. A pair of knees. Okay. Got it. So I'm just kinda, like, on my knees, and I'm just like this. Okay. Yeah. I these are all these are all alright. Yeah. We're doing okay. Well, the weird thing is there's no, like, sometimes there's hands that kinda, like, awkwardly, like, come down. But sometimes there's there's not. And I think I've Are super slow giant hands? Time every time I imagine it really not happening did. Every time I imagine it happening, I just imagine, like, one of the I just imagine, like, god looking down at me going, woah. What are you doing there? No. I don't know why. Wait. Whose hands are they? Gods. Oh, no. I think she goes hugging the bees when I'm I'm not entirely sure. I think god is putting her hand his hands on her shoulders or whatever I'm saying like that. I will say, like, out of the people who have been around the longest,

God is the the top. And I feel like we get we get alright at hugs after a good, like, twenty, twenty five years. We figure out the right pressure. Yeah. The only the amount of deal. I think he's had, like, all of eternity to figure out how to give a good hug. The only thing is I can't tell whose knees I'm hugging. True. What? I legit don't know. I mean, he he was he he manifested in the in the beginning because that's all there was. He was the best hugger ever. I'm not saying he needed time to get it right. And in the third century, it was rough. And by the time that the dark ages hit around, he was doing okay. Hold on. Hold on. Ella Ella's picture sounded sweet to me, and it took a weird turn with, like, you don't know whose knees they are? No. I don't see I I only see about, like, waist. Like, you're too short. Waist down, I but don't see anything upward from the that book. It belongs to Jesus? I don't know. Okay. All I see is just, like, white Hey. You didn't here's the deal. If they're not Jesus' knees, you need to repent. Right? We only pray to one god. Whose knees could I be hugging? I'm pretty sure it's Jesus' They're definitely Jesus' knees, hell. Like, that you shouldn't probably worry about it. Okay. Okay. I just don't know. What if I'm hugging Saint Peter's knees? Like, you're John Wayne. Saint Peter's knees.

We're not in Catholic. Saint Peter's knees is an awesome band name. Second off, if you're not hugging Jesus' knees, you gotta repent, sister. That is that is that is amazing and should be a T shirt also. We're freaking killing it tonight. I love that so much. Well, howdy there, Pilgrim. I I I was thinking it was John Wayne. What? The the knees you John Wayne. Legged knees. Why did I think of Jason Bourne when you said John Wayne? I don't know. I don't know. Okay. And, Lena, you said you had one more thing. Just like one quick thing. Okay. So, like, when I first started, like, you know, like, praying, like, by myself Mhmm. I did just imagine, like, nothing. Yeah. Like, nothing came to mind. But then I was talking with my mom, and she was like

we were talking about prayer or something. And she's like, it's a personal conversation with Jesus. You know? You're not just, like, putting words out into the open. You know? You are having a conversation. It's like she's like it's like having conversation with your friend. You know? What what level of personal conversation? I don't know. Two. A level two. Yeah. But, like Arbitrage number, but it's a two. So, like, that's when I started imagining, like, the coffee shop because I feel like that is, like, where when I think of, like, having a conversation with somebody Yeah. Where you're, like, sharing and stuff, I feel like that should Gonna have a where I imagine. A frappe and a yap with Jesus. Oh. Oh. That's gross. Don't say that. That should be a podcast name. That happened. That should not be a podcast name. That shouldn't happen on this podcast. Anyway Yeah. In fact, you probably repent of that.

I hope John Wayne's knees. Oh, god, squeeze. Oh my god. I don't know whose knees these are. Could there gonna be something more definable about Jesus' knees. Make him knobbly. Okay. You're listening to live from the path. I don't know. Why are you blinking so much? Your knees feel Hey. That's true. Mike, you started this.

Give us a call. Maybe they they there was parts of that you found to be problematic. (515) 517-0085. Or if you wanna share, like, what do you think about, like, when you're praying? What is it, what what images come to mind or are there particular things you focus on that are helpful to you? Let us know. We'd love to hear from you. Alright. I don't I don't wanna I I I'm gonna I'm gonna present a question that it has some relevance to some of the political events this week. Someone tried to, assassinate president Trump. Right? It was exhilarating. Okay, Layla. Wait. That might be taken wrong. I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Weird.

Weird thing to say. Yeah. Moving on. Okay. But, anyway, new release Tuesday, which is, it's like a Christian media platform. Mhmm. Named as such is, like, they would release Christian music, and so they do, like, reviews of Christian albums and stuff. Posted this almost, it was within, I don't know, eight hours or something after the attempt was made on president Trump's Mhmm. It says,

we follow almost every Christian music artist in the country over on x. As of 11PM mountain tonight, so this is same day, just four artists have commented on the most influential and historic day our country has seen in decades. Four. Instagram has a handful more. On Facebook, I see a lot of tone deaf scheduled posts about tours, new music, blah blah blah. A call to prayer would be nice at minimum. We've got to stand up for truth, love, and above all else, encourage prayer and peace as real answers for our great nation. We don't exist without it. Our industry has an opportunity to be an incredible beacon of light right now. On your wall, on your stories, on your Snapchats, on your Reels, on your YouTube, on your x account, in your emails, on your text. You are needed in times like this. Speak up and speak loud. People will be searching. Kevin, founder of New Release Tuesday. I'm not gonna lie. I did not understand that at all.

Like, you don't you don't what about it did you not understand? I didn't understand why we called it a great nation. Okay. Side debate. We can pick that up at a later time. Okay. But what's his what's his key point? I don't know. That's what was asking. Buva, what'd you what'd you take from it? I lost the left side of the room.

Sorry. It's it's a very interesting time to grab a hold of those two and ask questions. Yeah. My bad. So ultimately, there's a responsibility of those who have a platform and a following to be commenting on something like this historic event and turning people towards god, recognizing that the only thing that that drives any kind of peace

understanding or legitimate, like, long lasting things is god and is our fealty to him through prayer for our nation, things like that is the biggest thing that we're gonna be saying. Yes. Yes. Okay, Mike. I disagree with that. Okay. Tell me. You disagree with that's his point? No. No. You disagree with that's his point. I just think it's not true. Okay. Got it. I think, like, the inherent thought

that people have platforms we started giving platforms out cheaply is the problem. Yeah. Right? So, like True. Where people used to earn platforms probably fifty years ago in a in a way. Now,

like, you are literally an email address and a password away from having one. And so and you you get them and you increase them by not even necessarily doing anything. Right? Just that other people agree that you do have a platform and that other people have seen that someone else believes it to be a platform, and now they're gonna subscribe to your platform. And so, like, where I believe that people have influence over other people. We can agree to that. Mhmm. Do I think that everyone who has a cheap platform platform on social media is now inherently responsible for putting their own personal

thought towards every event, especially events designated by Kevin to be gigantic deals on the Internet is a pretty bold assertion.

Like, there were political things aside, how you feel about Donald Trump aside. The fact that we have a president of The United States all aside. Right? I don't see near this outrage when regular humans who don't hold political powers at all, but are just as valuable as far as God the king is concerned

are shot down. Mhmm. You know what I'm saying? We're not catching every single attempt to hurt somebody and going, where's the outrage? You know what I'm saying? We let we let way bigger atrocities, way bigger and more impactful

attempts to sin and break God's world even further than it's already broken, go without the outrage. So Yeah. Like, you could make the same case on how many of them are speaking out on the prevalence of sex trafficking or slavery in Pakistan Yes. Or, like, like, all kinds of other things. That is exactly what I would say. Yeah. And, like, it doesn't, you don't have to diminish the the the an assassination attempt to also say, like, what like, who is the arbiter of who should speak and when Yes. About any given thing. Just because you have a platform doesn't necessarily like, I didn't feel compelled at all. It's not like I mean, not that not that there's that many people listening, but, like, I didn't feel like, oh, the people need to hear from us. They need to point them to Jesus. Like, I I I think these things are true.

Agreed. But here's the thing. It's like, this is the inherent issue was with social media, especially Christians on social media. When you get to the point where you believe the people wanna hear my voice. Well, you're in a rough spot. It's not just that Kevin is arguing that they wanna hear their voice. Feels like Kevin is arguing that they represent by being Christian artists

represent what is truth in in the kingdom of god and, like, what Yahweh says about this stuff. And so with that gigantic influence that whether or not it was cheaply bought is still very much influence and is still truthfully a platform. Like, regardless of how they got it, if they've got 10,000,000 people that'll see a tweet, do they not have any kind of perspective that says, like, hey, you know what truth is. Your whole

life is is and your career, all these different things, your platform is based on. What they're using that platform for anyway. Like, they have no track record of using that platform for that. Right. And then if they were coming to your town Yep. This is what it costs to get there. We're excited to be there. Not, hey, we're murdering children. Hey, we're exploiting kids under the age of 18 for our own desires. Hey, we are burning money that we could use to feed everyone in this country easily. And so, like, they're not using that platform for anything else. But when Donnie

runs into some trouble, now we're like, where's your outrage? Agreed. I'm not saying that this is the right place to say that it should have started. Well, that's what I'm saying. So I think his whole premise is wrong is, I guess, is what I'm getting at. But If this is where it does start, do they have any kind of of responsibility to use that platform for something like a call to prayer or recognizing that, like, we are a part of of a nation that that calls itself one under god, whatever you wanna look at it. I'm not I'm not trying to, you know, set up what their tweet would be, but from the perspective of they are Christian artists that are representing to a large

group their worship, their relationship with god, all these different things. They have this platform and all Kevin is seeing is the regularly scheduled tour tweets versus, hey, this is a time when something something has the eyes of the public. Something has the the ear of the public in this situation.

Why are they not using that platform that very much is real in there to utilize that influence to call something to light that is in everyone's faces right now. Yeah. I I think it is,

I I think both of these things can be true in some ways. So, like, it's it's fair. Well, yeah. If you have an influence, you should prob like, it matters how you use it. I think that's I think that's true. It is, but just because you have influence doesn't mean you're some you're a puppet either. Right? So, like, I don't dance just because you told me to dance. Like, who is it like who is Kevin to say as an example of of which situations

require my thought? You could be like a person who's super wise. It doesn't mean you speak at every moment. And so the the I I think my guess is that what the one of things he seems to be cautious of is that someone may be withholding some speaking on something for fear of alienating. Mhmm. That would be cowardice.

He should he should speak about that. Right. Like, as an example, you you should be able to recognize that, violence, not even just political violence, but violence, against someone in the way that was perpetrated against Donald Trump is wrong and condemnable regardless of what you think about his politics, his mouth, or his hairstyle. Yeah. It's irrelevant. And so and, like, we should easily, easily be able to come to a group condemnation. Yeah. Ever this is the most best hold hand holding opportunity we have. We're not doing it.

Even then, we're like, people are still sniping at each other on something we should easily agree on. Mhmm. The thing is it would have been just as ugly if someone had done went after the other guy. Oh, sure. Right. Yeah. That would be just as ugly on the other side. Right? Yes. But but he so here's the so that so I think that what they're what he's, I think, cautious about is that if someone comes out, who's a Christian artist and condemns something like this, have they waded into like, are they holding back because they're afraid of wading into a political problem? It's interesting because, actually, the guy, Chris from Wren Collective, talked about the, the Palestine Israel conflict, I wanna say, like, six or seven weeks ago. Like, they put something on their Facebook page to raise money to help, specifically, it was Palestinians who were being who were, like, unhomed,

homeless and stuff based upon some of the war that's going on in that territory. And they're like, look. We don't care. These people need help. And, I know there's a lot of complications going on in here, but, like, we're not gonna not say it just because Yeah. Right. We're wading into some sort of debate that you guys are talking about. Like, we're talking about a specific thing here, and we're not gonna not say it. And so I I think it is a it is a touchy thing when you when it feels like you owe someone your voice. Because frankly, you could you would never stop talking. To to to Mike's earlier point, there's there's no end of things of which Rick would or benefit from someone voicing them. And so I think I think it is not

it's fine to say we don't withhold We shall not withhold, calls for, how Jesus looks at the world, that that his will might be done here. Right. You should not you should never withhold that. I don't care what actions are going on around. I Agreed. His will shall be done upon Israel and through Israel. His will shall be done upon Palestine

and maybe through the Palestinians. Like, you should be involved in all that kind of stuff. And if you're withholding that because you're worried about someone might go, oh, they're in support of Israel. Oh, they support Palestine. That's wrong. And I I'm guessing that's what he's getting at. I was gonna say, wasn't that not his whole thing by saying that at a bare minimum, there should be a call to prayer in this perspective of recognizing that like Once again, like, just because of this fulcrum of the idea is where I'm struggling with. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's right. It's Yeah. No. I I I agree. This should not have been the start of it. It's it's I I really feel like there's once again, because of the platform conversation,

like, don't know how to how to validate whether you're the world's pastor. Yeah. That's that's I don't that's why I'm agreeing. I don't think it's Why are you like, just because you own a or have access to a universal platform does not necessarily mean that you are called to be the world's pastor. Like, God sets up leaders locally and within your area and with people to people relationships to pastor you. So I don't feel a responsibility to speak into every situation to everybody every church body's behalf as if I am the world's pastor. Right? Like, just because you play worship tunes does not make you a pastor, preacher, or teacher. It doesn't necessarily give you a rank or a responsibility within the big c church to act like you are those things. Now if god has called you to those things, if you're if if if god has touched you Billy Graham style to put you in stadiums and preach to the masses, then I think you better damn do it. Right? But, like, just because you travel around the world singing worship tunes that can help people does not put you your spiritual gift at preach, teach, get in the middle of things

where you don't belong there. Would you say that there is anyone at any level of influence that is not responsible for talking about who Jesus is to the people that are around them in influence? In all situations at all times? Yes. Yes. Yeah. I think there's plenty. Yeah. There are situations in which you should not be sharing gospel stuff, should not be sharing what god is doing, should not be sharing what god's truth is. Let me ask you this question from a practical perspective. You worked a job at a corporate location today. How many people did you invite to love and serve? I think I was wrong in that. I think that there's more to be done. I'm not saying whether there's more to be done. I'm saying, do you do you does it sound right to you that you should at every moment should be speaking about this? I'm not saying at every moment. I said I said at every level of influence. I'm not saying twenty four seven you need to be talking about god or you being So that's the question. But but that wasn't my question. My question is at what level of influence are you not responsible for speaking out about Christ to the people around you? Oh, sure. Like like So that so if if the answer is there's no level of influence in which you should be responsible for speaking out in it for the truth of Christ and what we know about him because of what because of our relationship with him, why does it matter if you have a 100,000 people on your Instagram or if there are three people that come to coffee with you on Tuesdays. Yeah. I don't know what In both situations, you're not the pastor talking about right now. You're not the pastor of that group in that situation. Yeah. I don't think But that's not what we're talking about. I don't think that Kevin is saying you need to pastor all of the people on your following.

He's saying literally, didn't even see something at a bare minimum, which was a call to prayer. About a specific instance. Yes. Right. And I disagree That's not just a blanket gospel that you're talking about. I disagree that the perspective is we should always be on this specific situation is when we should be calling out a call to prayer. We should always be doing that. What he's saying is this is in your face. You can recognize that this is a situation in which we could have done this. Eight hours after it happened, we follow all these people. We only saw four of the of the giant group of people that that have huge platforms, all these different things doing that. And Kevin seems to be saying in this specific instance, because I can call that out as something that's relevant right now in your face, you did nothing. The gospel is relevant in your face all the time.

Right? To your point, like, if you're that's what you're saying, which it sounds like that's what you're saying, like, so, you're like, what's the difference? Why is why why is today's events the fulcrum when, like, if the thing if what you're saying is is that you have a platform and responsibility and the gospel's good all the time, they never share it ever. Agreed. And I mean, I don't think he's arguing that this is the only instance you should be doing it. I think he's saying this is the one we're talking about right now. He can't influence anything that's happened before this, and he's not condemning that with this specifically, which he probably should be. But I don't think he's saying because president or former president Trump was just shot at, you need to do a call to prayer based off of this. And never again, and don't consider this ever again. It's just this isolated incident. I think he's talking about the fact that, relevantly, we can look at this specific situation and go, here is what I've recognized in the last eight hours. Why are we not doing better here, and how can we do better going forward? He may not have said that specifically, but I doubt he was saying in this microinteraction

specifically, you should have done a call to action and never again. And I don't think he's saying you've been great up to this point, and here's where it happened to where I got angry about it. I think he's taking the relevant situation that exists today and then using that as a spotlight to go, you have a platform. You could have done something, and you did nothing. Again, you're absolutely right. This should not have been the the straw that broke the camel's back. Like, this is definitely not the first thing they ever should have used their platform for. It is just not a position of influence I even care Yeah. About or require of the people he's talking about. Like, at all, do I see that to be their responsibility, a worry whether they do or whether they don't? They have they do not make that level influence in anybody's life, honestly, let alone what what you're talking about here. So, like, I think it's a blowviated thought that merely because you own a platform that you have to speak or not speak to anything. Right? Like, what's the point of even having one if, like, you're basically a puppet for Kevin who, like, can is basically gonna say you're using it irresponsibly. It's not your platform, Kevin. Well So you know I'm saying? Like, so at the end of the day, I just I don't require this of my worship bands. No. And that's fair. And to to call out the the puppet of Kevin thing, I don't think and you both have kind of represented that. I don't think they're or the dance monkey or whatever. You do what I say. I don't think Kevin is saying because of my glory and who I am, go do this. I think Kevin is trying to represent that, like, this is if you have influence,

you know Jesus, you represent that as the biggest part of your life. Do you not have any responsibility to use this platform, this connection you have? I think there's difference between views and likes and influence. Yeah. Right. I think influence is a stretch. But, again, if they tweeted it, all of their followers would see it. That's what see. Influence. That just equals sought. Presence. Yeah. I I I was much more specific than that. It's, like, it's the question is is, like, in the based upon a moment, am I required to speak to it because Kevin thinks that it's important? That's what we're talking about. And so to to your earlier point, one of the things that was that was going through my head is that, like, you're talking about kind of levels of influence, whether it's Sure. All the people who might be your fans on Instagram and the people in your neighborhood. Yeah. Would it not be if it's if it feels like it's appropriate at any time to use your level of influence, then

it would put on the table that, did I go door to door in my neighborhood and knock on the doors and go, hey. Have you spoke did you speak out at all on what happened to the president today? Because he may not have a giant influence, but, like, did you try to get out of your house and go talk to your neighbors? Because that would that's the same it's a level of influence. Sure. Right? And so do I do I find that reasonable that I might go door to door and check up on the people in my neighborhood and see whether they have spoken out on their reaction to subs the the assassination attempt to Donald Trump? No. I wouldn't do that because I I don't know that they even have a thought that's worth sharing to anybody. I I don't so but you're willing to like, can see in your eyes. You're like, and dismiss them because, well, it's just your neighbors. But, like, you just told me that the levels of the No. I'm dismissing it because I don't think that that's what they're trying to do with their platform. They're not going door to door and saying, hey. Did you speak out about this? That's their influence. The the but That's the that's the influence. The situation that Kevin is talking about is they have access to talk to Just like this guy Interact with. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Talk to, interact with from what he said was Yeah. At bare minimum call to prayer as in we need to seek god. No. I know what it means. In this situation. Yeah. Yeah. Right? Yeah. You don't have to restate it. I get it. Get get to the get to the computer. You're stating it wrong. You're saying that you should go to your neighbors and say, do have you spoken out about this? That's not what I said. What I said is, do you go to your neighbors and go, hey. We need to be seeking god about this, and we need to be making certain that we're prayerful in these moments. And, like, this is a crazy situation in our in our faces. Like, the right way to ingest this and to understand it is to go to god. That's what he not going to people door to door and going, hey. How are you using your influence? That's not what I said. What I said That's what he said. That the the what the thing that the artist could speak out is the thing that you're talking about. The thing that he's saying to the artist is going door to door and asking them to go door to door. Yeah. But I'm not talking about Kevin's influence here. I'm talking about Kevin's critique of the influence of the artists.

I'm I'm confused. I'm flat out confused. Me too. Kevin I was is saying. Okay. I don't think we need to sort out. It it roll me up at the end of the day. Your position is you would it's it feels like you agree that because they have what you would consider influence, they should be using it in moments like these. To call people to pray Lots of moments. Not just specifically this one. Yeah. Yes. Okay.

I would maintain that that, I I think that overprescribes what, to to to say that it is their responsibility to speak on any given moment that someone believes is of consequence. I don't we I mean, 2,000 people listened to our podcast last week. That's not nobody.

Mhmm. Do do we do you feel compelled in the moment for us to to have posted something? No. Because I don't feel drawn by that specific situation, but we're also not just sitting here not calling people Jesus. Well Like, I would say if we were sitting here doing nothing towards god, I would say, yeah, they're worship tunes. Like, they do it with their music. Why do Right. And I'm not what I'm not saying is that they're useless in this situation. I'm just saying that, like, is there and, again, I didn't even say that that they were wrong for not doing it. I was trying to represent what Kevin, I believe, is is saying is if they have an influence, which is whether it's it's fake or came from whatever, they literally would post something, and a 120,000 people would see it. Is there any responsibility on them to then use that sparingly however you wanna look at it under god's direction, great, whatever you want to call that. That's a big if. I think that, again, I and I don't know. I don't think I don't think god called every musician and said, hey, by the way, tweet. Like, that's not what I'm saying. That's what Kevin's saying. I I think Kevin is commenting on the fact that he barely saw anything. And so he I I I think he's trying to say, like, it's crazy to me that out of all of this influence that we've got in a very divisive situation and something that is scary to people, something that is is breaking of a people, I saw almost no one say anything about it. Yeah. I yeah. I'd yeah. I agree. I'd stay out of it. Okay. See. Your opinion. Yeah. I find that they would have no responsibility to be in the middle of that nor do I think that God would be calling them to be in the middle of that. So yeah. Okay. Cool.

Alright. Don't know if you have any thoughts on that or if you you you bailed on us about halfway through. Could understand that too. (515) 517-0085. Mike, let's give out some advice. Ready? Dear life from the past. I've been having an issue lately involving my mom. Okay. Feels like she isn't really my mother, but someone who thinks we're best friends. It's like she never really grew out of her high school days, and I'm almost 30.

I'll have days at work where she texts me to tell me about her day or her recent struggles, or she asked me to find furniture that would interest her. I feel awkward answering her questions and wish I had a parent to talk with about some of my issues instead of feeling like I'm the more mature one. She's telling me that the only that only I know what she likes when I know her taste changes on a dime. She doesn't speak to me the way most mothers talk to their sons. It's more like how two teens at school talk to each other. I know she has been through a lot. It's not that I want to ignore. I just I don't know what to say because I don't know how to talk to this person anymore. I'm tired of feeling my stomach sink every time I have to respond to her. Please help. Son, not friend. Hold on. Hold on. Okay. Wanna say something real quick. One, I think it I was thinking at first that it was her daughter, and that would have made a huge difference. If it's her son, I understand a little bit where he's coming from Yeah. Because men are naturally just less mature just a little bit. Harsh. That's a cold thing to say. One second. I'm so sorry. One second. I'm I'm still insulting. Go ahead. But, also, I feel like that's kind of a him problem. Just a little bit. I understand, like, how he that he wants to be able to, like, you know, talk with his mom about his problems. Has he tried that, though? That we don't know. Oh, he did that. Yeah. So wait. So you so I'll send him a text, Lilo. Can you Do you know what I mean? Can you translate to a his to his advice? What would you tell him to do?

Ask his mom. Like, I I know that he she is, like, you know, whatever, living her life, not through him. Do you know what I'm trying to say here? Like, you so are you saying she she's trying to live her yeah. No. I'm not quite I guess I'm not quite following. No. But, like, she is acting like he's her best friend. Right? But has he tried actually talking to her about his problems, or has he just been thinking about how he doesn't wanna answer her problems? I understand. So so that so because he can't answer the question, one of your pieces of advice sounds like, hey. Why don't you try talking to your mom,

about this particular thing and engaging her as a in this manner, as a friend or whatever so that the the relationship seems more mutual as opposed to you feeling like you're just putting up with your mom doing this. Yes. But also then through that, he can like like he was saying he wants to share more of his problems or whatever like he would a normal mom, then he can still do that. Yeah. You know? Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Ella, what did you do you have some advice? Yes. I didn't know how to Just fire it out, Elle. Okay. I think okay. I kinda speak to Layla's point. Like, I would kind of understand it if it was, like, her daughter saying that. Mhmm. Like, I've never really heard a mother ask her son, like, what kind of furniture do you think I'd like? I mean Is he an only child? Hey, man. You guys are, like, seem hyper focused on the fact that this dude can't pick out upholstery. Sorry. Okay. Anyway, sorry. Let's let's say he's a competent upholstery man. Yeah. He picks out pastries for me. Are you saying that it's a weird thing for a mom to say, son, pick out my furniture for me? No. I don't care at all about that. Okay. Okay. Okay. What I I I'm not really understanding why he thinks that she's acting more like a best friend because I feel like all the things that he listed are like regular things like a mom would Yeah. Say. Like, if my mom, like, texted me about her day, then I'd be like, oh, okay. Sick. Sweet. I'm a text you about mine. Like Okay. That's a totally normal thing. It seems like a nice mother mother son whatever relationship. Like, she's trying to keep it, like, not boring where it's like, come get your lunch or whatever. Meet me for dinner. You know? She's, like, trying her best to, like, keep there. Like, it seems like a regular relationship.

So he might he might have a false perception. Like, what he's perceiving as being odd isn't really odd at all. He's being odd. Yes. I think it's I think it's his mindset that's like, she's acting more like a best friend and not like my mom. I don't want that. And first, I'm like, well, she's kind she is act what do what do you think a mother should act like? Yeah. How do you think she should act? Like, not tell you about her day, be a bit more distant. Like, some moms are very distant to their kids, and I'm not saying like, he's a lucky fellow. I I I'm just saying, like, that's a normal that's normal mother behavior because I've like, I don't see anything wrong with it. Yeah. I think it's a perspective thing. Yeah. Okay. Bubba? I'll echo a lot of that actually. I think that there's there's an interesting, interesting perspective as I'm listening to his listing off things that she does that seem immature, and it was like she asks my opinion on things when her opinion changes all the time. Like, if her opinion changes all the time, that doesn't or even its preference of, like, furniture doesn't necessarily mean she's immature just because she liked a chair one day, and then a week later, she was like, I don't know if I love that chair anymore. Like, that does I'm That doesn't mean immaturity to me. I'm a little, like, I have I have a question. When he says that, does he mean, like, she changes her,

like, her likings to, his? So No. If he said, I like that couch, then she would Okay. Let me reread a sentence and see if this puts us in perspective just a little bit. Okay? Okay. So I'll have days at work where she texts to tell me about her day or her recent struggles, or she asks me to find a furniture that would interest her. Oh, I would just I just heard it wrong. And then and then come down to the next paragraph. She says, she tell she's telling me that only I know what she likes when I know her taste changes on a dime. Doesn't that show how much she knows? Well, so here's the thing. If I'm at if I'm at work if I'm at work and my mom is not at work, right, and she's texting me in the middle of the day while I'm at work trying to do work things, and she knows I'm there, and she's like, I need you to find some furniture that I like to show me so I can pick out furniture. Ignore her for a few minutes. Well, you got some time on your hands. Why don't you do that? I will do work things. Yeah. Because I'm at work. My one of us is actually earning money right now. Yeah. Yeah. It is not you. So I'd I'd like just to bring a just a little bit of age on this man. Right? Like, if you're if you're you're doing things, people know that you're at work. Like, it's okay to text or call somebody when they're at work except for for stupid reasons. Right? Like, will you find me some furniture options to look at? I will be at home awaiting your response. I think that we can admit that she's a little bit

clingy. Zany and odd? Mama bear? No. Like, she doesn't really think about the consequences of what she's doing. Or other people. Whatever. You know what I mean. And so I feel like, yes, we can understand that. But I also think that he can just be patient with her and be like, you know, hey. I'm kinda busy. I don't give list. How much furniture does she need? Andre That is a good question. A week, she needs a new couch. This this is I'm hoping this is an example of many things, not just like a one time Yes. Incident. Because, like, sometimes, a mama be like, look. I I, I don't understand all the things that are going on. Half the stores I used to shop at are closed. Right? Like, can you help me, like, try to find some furniture or help me pick it up on the marketplace? Yeah. Is she an interior designer? So so this one, it it it it's gonna it's gonna hit home weirdly for me only because I wonder and that that you will not know this. Nobody can have the answer for it. But I wonder if it it makes me think like dad's not there. Like, dad's had that Dad's not around anymore? Yeah. That's what I thought. And so when I love my mother. It was a very weird time after my dad passed away. There was there was a

blending of relationship types between son and friend that started happening where and I started seeing a side of my my mom that I'm sure she had offered to my dad, and he helped keep that in check where that didn't exist any longer. Mhmm. And so these kind of things aren't that far fetched to me, to be honest, is like, you know, hey. I I wanna talk to you. Let's go grab lunch kind of stuff, like, getting really close

what I would have called at the time clingy, especially I mean, I was 18 at the time, and so it would have been very different if I was closer to 30 probably. So I could certainly see that kind of thing happening, and that's definitely a hard thing to walk through is is a re reorienting of that relationship if she does no does not no longer has dad there. Mhmm. And have a husband there and have that kind of relationship. So it's it's hard. It's hard on the son. Like, it's very hard on her. She's, like, seeking comfort then? Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Yes. I think that's a great way to put it. It kinda what if she's if the dad wasn't around anymore, maybe if he, like, if the dad left at, like, a younger age for Sure. The son, then I feel like she would try to offer friendship because she doesn't know how you were gonna cope with this. Mhmm. And she doesn't know how you're gonna react. So she she's kind to you. Like, I'm not saying mothers are abusive otherwise. But what the heck? I don't tell her. You're fine. Keep going. Keep going. But I feel like she's just like, my son will probably need a friend right now because he's Okay. What if he I bet he wants to look at furniture for me. Yeah.

Well, what if he's like, what if he feels like he doesn't belong with the other kids because he doesn't have a he doesn't have a dad to play catch up? Okay. He's I see what you're saying. He's 30. It it sounds more like it it sounds less like altruistic on mom where she's trying to check on son and spend more time with him and more like mom's insecure and doesn't have doesn't have a real solid standing. And this is the avenue for her to get any kind of safety or peace or whatever you wanna call that. And that's that is rough on a kid. Very rough on a kid. Here's what I say. Part of my advice to him would be, look. I know you're 30 years old, but your mom does not know, this is her first time parenting a 30 year old. Yeah. You know I'm saying? Right. So, like, yeah, she's been your mom for thirty years, but, like, your life is changing. To your point. Your relationship changes with it. And so, like, be be gracious with her. Tell her boundaries. She can't know. She you know what I'm saying? Like, this she's, like, wiping your behind for a decade,

and then all of a sudden, like, you make your way into your 30 years old and, like, you have to be able to tell her how much is okay, how much is not. Hey. Don't not to call me during work hours unless it's important or text me and know that I'm not gonna respond to that unless I get a free moment or I get to the evening. And, like, just say it out loud and help her. Don't it's it's not okay to be frustrated with her if you're not communicating with her Yep. On what's what's good or not. Silence and not actually speaking. Yes. Exactly right, Ella. That's right. And so, I would start it's not clear to me whether you've actually communicated these things to your mom, and so I would start there. Yep. Yeah. And give her a chance to to work with and not boundaries like you're fencing your mom off. Like, she just literally doesn't know she's not working. She's not at your place doing your thing. She doesn't know what your job is. She probably doesn't understand, like, how big of a deal it my wife still doesn't quite understand when it's okay. Leila will call on the Alexa while I'm on a meeting. It'll just ring and go, hey. Hey. Dad. Lunch is ready. I'm like, oh, okay. Thanks, everybody. Lunch is ready. And so, you know, I I I would at least start there. Make sure you've you've graciously,

kindly, talk to your mom about, you know, what do you wanna do and and places where you feel like, you know what, mom? I'm not picking out furniture all the time. Why don't you find them, and I'll look at them and affirm Sure. Yeah. Your wildness. I would do that. Send me the stuff you find on Marketplace, Mike. Yep. Alright. A singular says, you are not going to change your mother. She is who she is, needy, emotionally immature, and determined to depend on you. Hey. I reject that. Yeah. That's gross. Emotionally independent. That's mean. Emotionally immature, Al. Never mind. Emotionally Be outraged. Still mean. Just be outraged at the right things. Outrage was right. I like Kayla's bounce. She's like, oh, yeah. Okay. Still, though. I hold on to it. I'm mostly independent. Find your find codependency and live there. I don't actually,

I was talking to a guy this morning, a friend of mine, and and we were thinking about, like, you know, what you do for work. And, like, I'm not half over. I'm not even like, I've not even worked half the amount of time that I'm gonna work. And that's only if and that's it gets worse or longer even if you if you go, look. I'm not retiring at 65 or 67. The reason I would retire at 65 or 67 is because I don't really wanna work anymore because I don't like my job. I'm only doing it because it pays my bills. But, like, if you liked the work that you did, you wouldn't have any problem doing it for another twenty years. And if that was the case, I'm only, like, a third done with working, which means you it's still plenty of time to find work that you feel like is valuable and does good things into the world. And so as a comparison, no. Your mom is not an old dog who can't learn new tricks. Like, she can change. She can grow. She can learn, and you can help facilitate that. Yeah. You can't okay. You can't change your mom. She's terrible person according to secular. Rude. You can, however, change the way you react to her. Step in the right direction would be to restrict the time she can contact you during work hours. Another is to tell her you are not comfortable being her interior decorator,

and you should find someone with more time to spend with her. And last, remind her that you are her son, not her contemporary, and that you would like to be able to talk with her son to mother instead of as buddies because you already have enough of those. Now she if if she's not being crisp with her language, she's being rude. There's no reason to go like, the what what were the three things? One, lit was it limit or restrict? Restrict restrict the time she can contact you. Yeah. No. Just like again, that feels like I gotta hard cut her off and, like, I will not hear phone calls. 30,

ma. Right. No. Just go, hey. I need you to think about this. I know you're probably not thinking about it, but, like, I'm mostly on meetings. And so Yeah. I can't get back to you quickly. Just maybe wait on it. Right? That's different than restrict her. The second one was, I'm not mom, you're making me uncomfortable helping you with your furniture choices. Come on. No. I here's the thing. It's like you yeah. I disagree with the assessment of the mom, first of all. But second of all, like, mom can call you during work hours. Just don't answer. Don't answer. Right? Mom could text you, but just don't look at it. You were like, man, I you know, I've I've you won't you don't wanna say, look, like, you will only interact with me in this very specific way. But, like, I I suppose my general rule is is, like, I am not in charge in who gets a hold of me, but I am in charge in who I allow to distract me. And so if it's time to allow distractions,

then I will look at text messages and take phone calls and all is well. But if it's not, then I don't. And, like, whether I choose to do it or not do it is all based on me. Those are my boundaries to set. Mike, that's weird. Every time I text you after nine PMs, it says, like, your number's unavailable. Yeah. Boom. Alright. Is it on do not disturb? Yeah. He's restricted me. I see I see almost everything life from the path guys talk about in the morning because they especially Ben and Buva are up till the wee hours, and I am not. So, like, I see this stuff at 05:30 the next morning, and then I answer it then because they're still sleeping. Alright. That's it. That that's the advice. Okay. Yeah. Alright. Let we'll do one more. We'll be out of Last one. Yep. You're live from the path.

Why do you sound so out of breath? You're like, do you live from the I'm sorry. When you get your own radio show, you can introduce it however you want. Go then. They give them away for free on the Internet, Al. That's what do. Emotionally independent. I'm dead. Codependency? You're life from the past. My girlfriend, Jessica,

thinks I've cheated on her because I didn't come home right away You did. After being given the day off. My grandparents were away on vacation. When they go away, they want me to check on the house and bring in the mail and newspaper. On this particular day, I decided to drive by, did what needed to be done, and then spent half the day there. I even took a nap in the recliner. Nice. Living the life. Now Jessica insists that I cheated when I was simply hanging out at my grandparents. To add to the situation, we have a daughter on the way, and Jessica does not want me in the delivery room.

She's blowing everything out of proportion. Yeah. She was in a nine year abusive relationship, and her ex cheated numerous times. Okay. So I'm not sure if her actions stemmed from her past relationship. Really, dude? You're not sure if that's where it's coming from? K. You need a woman. Pregnant girlfriend who was abused and cheated on for nine years, and you wonder, does her past have anything to do with this? Just snapping on a recliner. I'm having a hard time understanding why she's doing this with a baby on the way when I've been I've been nothing but faithful and good to her. Okay.

Is that oh, sorry. That's it. Okay. Listen here. This guy's a little full of himself. He's listening here. He did this to himself. Yeah. He's he's misbehaved and mistreated this woman by taking action that has caused the seriousness of their relationship to be codified Yep. With this baby coming. Yep. If she was coming out of a nine year abusive relationship, first of all, you have to have patience for helping someone see the world differently. They spent nine years looking through the lens of a man that cannot be trusted, who would misuse her, mistreat her. And so all her the the the worries that she had about that man during those nine years, she was right. Yep. So frankly, her punch card is clicked off 10, and she gets a freebie. And so when you go out and you don't do that thing, she's still batting 99 for having said that guy's cheating on me. Yeah. And so here the problem is is that you showed no self control or care for her in, being cautious about how you progress that relationship, and now you've put her in the position where she has not had a chance to heal from those types of things and see the world differently

or in a way that is is is the what you would represent as the reality, and now you're paying the price, for having not done that. Yep. And so I know that doesn't sound like advice, but, like, you need to recognize the position you've put her in. And frankly, you have this coming to you because you were not cautious, and, and that sucks. Now the problem now you have is be because you've done this, you have to stick with it. You've made a commitment to this woman by your actions. You are bringing a child into the world, and, you bear responsibility for that. So, I mean, you're gonna have to get some patience and then go take it to the craps table and win at a 100 x, and then use that in working through this. Every time you believe she's overreacting, you're gonna need to walk slowly through that and help her and keep reorienting her to the new reality of which she's involved in. This would have been a lot easier if you'd not have done this, when you had a baby on the way. But, like, I mean, that's them's the breaks, homie. And so here's the deal. You have I don't wanna hear your complaints at all. Yeah. I I I get it. I get she's accused you of something that you didn't do. I understand that, and that's unfortunate. But that's that is a product of, the relationship that she was in. Whether she is part of that or not, I don't know. But, like, either way, your time to that without the consequences that you're running into were before you had a baby with her. So Yep. Yeah. I

to back up Ben's point, even if you are not guilty of these things, like, we're if you love this woman, you will go out of your way to help her Yep. Learn how to trust you. And this has nothing to do with you. And it gets so hard because all you wanna do is defend yourself because you're being characterized as a person that you're not. And you you hate that. And you're like, how could you think I'm the kind of person that would cheat on you? She you you know exactly why she thinks that. Because she's the kind of person that's been cheated on. Right? And Ben's right. Like, you should never this she should not be pregnant by you. If you loved her enough, you would make a commitment to her that does not get broken before you you even consider taking that level of intimacy from her. Right? But you didn't. So that you got screwed up. Now, for your particular situation where she has accused you of cheating,

I would ask as many questions as I could ask and then produce as much proof to try to help her see that that was not true. Like, who do you think I cheated with? First of all, I want you to put Life three sixty on my phone. I want you to be able to know where I am all the time. Sometimes you're gonna call and I'm gonna be somewhere you don't want me to be, like at the gas station. But I'm gonna allow this. And so that's gonna be exactly the level of trust I want you to have. Also, I'm gonna change the passcode on my phone to something that you know Yep. So you can look at it anytime you want to. That's the kind of intimacy I want with you. Now, who do you think I cheated on you with? I think you cheated on me with Amy. Okay. I would like to for us to go meet Amy or I'll have Amy come over here and and vouch for the fact that this did not happen. Maybe she's got some more evidence that I don't have that proves it was not her. But like, I don't know how to show you because I don't have enough to show you. But like, just be like, am willing to walk through all of your accusations and all of your all of your condemning me and I I love you enough to take that and give you some space and give you some grace and live in a way that I shouldn't have to because I love you enough to prove to you that I did not do this thing. And that is your posture, young man. And you got a lot of work ahead of you, and you have a lot of humility coming because no one likes being accused of things they didn't do. But, unfortunately, you're gonna pay for the sins of the last guy, and you got in that boat as soon as you started dating this woman. Mhmm. And that's just true. Anybody else?

No. Pretty much summed it up. K. Secular says, it would have been considerate to have called your pregnant girlfriend from your grandparents' house to let her know you would be returning later than expected. I don't know, dude. That's a horrible advice. I thought he said that he had the day off. He was given the day off. He probably got half rain day. Yeah. Probably pours concrete or no reason to expect that he was gonna be home. That's right. And so he thought, what a sweet half rain day. I'm gonna go sleep in my grandpa's recliner. This is a dude idea. This is pretty standard. Right? And you also don't call your wife or your pregnant girlfriend at the time because she's eight months pregnant and hasn't slept a wink in probably three months, is super hungry, needs help cleaning the house. And you think to yourself, I wanna sleep in this recliner for a couple minutes. This is gonna be a great day. You don't get to live that life, friend. But this is I understand where you're at. It says, not having done giving her a call was a mistake, but nothing more. Her over the top accusation of infidelity

may have stemmed from a hormone imbalance caused by her pregnancy. Yeah. That's most likely. Sure. Oh, wow. Okay. That's a strong lead. It could also, as you stated, be the result of her disastrous nine year romance with her abuser. Because she has trust issues, it's important you consider couples counseling with her. As to wanting you absent when your child is born, she may have said it to retaliate for your imagined cheating or to spare you the sight of her in pain. I don't know about that second part. The truth is though, if you really had cheated on her, I mean, I don't know if I'd want you in there. Yeah. Know what saying? That's responsible. You're in your ultimate indecency, and then you got this creepo in there. It's like, come on, dude. I don't want you in there for this. So like yeah. That's right. You bought you bought this farm. You did a thing you shouldn't have done. You took things you shouldn't have took, and then you didn't put in near the work that was necessary to make her feel loved and trusted, and and that she's in a relationship that she can trust. And that should have probably take if it took nine years to do, it's gonna take a dang long time, pretty close to that, to undo. Yeah. And you put in, sounds like all of two weeks, and then decided that you were gonna use this woman for the thing that you wanted, which makes you, my friend, a schmuck.

You've been listening to Live Thanks for hanging out with us this evening. We very much appreciate it. Give us a call on the Live For For Path complaint line, (515) 517-0085. Call or text. We'd love to hear from you. I think we outstanding items we have on the complaint line is you were to, possibly send us an emoji, the one that you constantly or or a GIPHY, that you send your family that they say, hey. We wish you'd knock it off. You can send it to us. It's g Business fear. Yeah. Yeah. And so, we did get one. And, I'll be honest, I just I responded with, one of the top three or four gifts. I don't know why I'd used it or what context, but it was there. And so I sent it back to you. You're welcome.

Anyways, hit us up on the complaint line. Also, any any number of items on the show might have rubbed you the wrong way. We're theologically wrong, I'd love to hear about it. Will you have stories to add? Go ahead and feel, text those over. And, anyway, we appreciate you hanging out with us on live from the path. In the meantime, we'll we'll see. Next week? I don't know. It's gonna be dicey for the next few weeks. People are in and out here, but, we'll see what we can do to put a show together. In the meantime, be faithful in the means. God will handle the ends. You are listening to live from the path.