Live from the Pathway Studios in Johnston proper. You are

live from the path. And you're listening to live from the past. It's coming from the Pathway students here in Johnston Properties. Pathway studios in Johnston. That's it. That's where we went. Hey. There was a tornado coming near my place tonight.

For real? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I I saw it was heading your direction. What happened? It was coming right at me. It dissipated before it got there. Was super bummed out. I had the kids in the closet and everything, and I was getting ready to dump them down the crawl space, and I went out to porch to check it out. That's how we do it here. Yeah. And then Ed Wilson's like, you know, it's dissipating. It's kinda it's gonna fizzle out, and they're gonna cancel the warning. I'm like, come on. You know? We were rigging. Bring it. I was already outside looking for trouble, and I and I'd just taken insurance off my crappiest vehicle, and I thought, that's the one that's gonna get hit by a tree. Because I thought it never leaves the property. I just use it for tooting around and whatever and moving stuff and plowing snow. And then I just took road insurance off it last month, and I thought, I see what's gonna happen here. That tree's gonna fall right on my truck, that's it. Oh, yeah. What what is it like? $5 a month? How cheap are you? It's 20. What? $20 a month. Uh-huh.

That's like $2 a year. No. It ain't. No. It ain't. $200. I don't like that at all. It's like $240 a year. $240 a year. That's outrageous.

Seems alright. Here, let's here's what hey. I got great news. So two you guys remember I had two things I was supposed to do Yeah. From the show from from two weeks ago, and I had two weeks to do it. Here's what I accomplished. The first one is, right now, live is the live from the Path Complaint line. Yes. So so you listen to the show and you say, I heartily disagree with this noise. You may call and leave a message so that we may enjoy your harassment of the program. Here we go. The number is (515) 517-0085. That's (515) 517-0085 for the Life and Path complaint Oh,

you cannot text to it. You have to make a phone call. Yes. Yeah. You gotta call it. That stinks. Why can't you text to it? Well, actually, I mean, try to text it, Mike. See what happens. Alright. (515) 517-0085. I'm on it. Okay. Anyway, that's a lie from the past. I mean, I it could I it could be the the praise line, but I mean, I I I think not. I think that's not what's gonna happen. That's so anyway, yeah, give us a give us a buzz. The lord has blessed me richly through your show. Alright. You're speaking to me. No. Just again, if you're driving, go ahead and and and and look at your phone and, you know, try to stay on the wheel. 5155170085.

That's the Life in the Path complete line. You go ahead and give it a buzz and leave it. And we we maybe we'll listen to it. Now here's the don't swear on that line. Alright? Don't be using your vulgarities. Or if you're going to, say upfront, I intend to use vulgarities, that way I don't play it live on the show and cause a bunch of problems with the Internet. I have tender ears too. Yeah. I texted, Ben. Nextiva showed up. Okay. Hold on. Hold on. It was (515) 517-0085? That's right. I hope so. Otherwise, I really said something mean to a guy I've never met. Some guy named Butch. What is his name? Very specific name, Dan. I don't know.

Yeah. No. Nothing's showing up. Nah. That's too bad. Okay. We'll give it another minute minute or two and see what happens. Okay. Okay. Anyway, so so there, I accomplished that. Secondly, I mean, a a twisted turn of events. So we decided at the end of the last show that we hadn't seen Boova forever. We said, look, I don't know what's going on with Boova, but we ain't seen him in a long time. And we said that the people who listen to the show would like to hear from him one last time. So we're gonna put together a Buva Gala. Like, what a celebration Buva Gala. Yeah. It was like one more show where Buva would come in, and we could have we could play his greatest hits about taco gordito crunch and whatever. And that was awesome. And then and then and then he could, you know, do whatever he's gonna do in life. And then truth be told, I didn't even tell him. I've I totally forgot. Like, I was I was supposed to say something about it, and then he he the Wiseacre shows up in here anyway Yeah. For a non boob again. God moment. Yeah. Hi, boobah. Hey. How's it going, guys? Yeah. Pretty good. He's

like he never left. On the show. Yeah. Pretty good. Yeah. I mean I suppose that's all the catching up we really need to do. We're putting along. So so, I mean, this is awkward because, I mean, I did not put together a gala. I mean No. I can be the live gala and then disappoint us just like we expected the non You know, I couldn't be more excited for what you view to be as your greatest hits. I think that Gordita Crunch thing is it.

Remember that time I was super awesome? Hits all the time. Yeah. Remember I'm still talking about I think I think there was there was one in which I was titled mister charisma. Boy, that was, like, six years. That was, like, six years ago at at one of the old studios. You have to renew that title every two years, and I'm I'm afraid you don't meet the criteria. That's totally fair. I I'm not mister charisma anymore. I think there was the the super taco gordita crunch thing that lasted about all of fourteen seconds. Yeah. And I would say that's about it.

Maybe that tops it. Remember that time that Buva was broadcasting from the Midwest Spirit Midwest Festival and said there was a 100% chance of rain because it's raining right now? Yeah. Yeah. I laughed at that for little bit. That was those were good news. That was classic. I don't remember that. Okay. I do remember that quite well. You were drinking a lot of pineapple juice back in November. I was. Being a diabetic, that was a bad deal. I made mistakes all over the place. I was just sauced up on that pineapple So juice all the here's what we're going on the show this week. Alright. So we got some advice on Dear Life in the Path. Yeah. We do. Okay. So people need some help. We'll we're able to take a look at it, but I'm sure things have been working out fine. I did have a question for this is for The Room. And my question is this, is like, like, we talk about we talk about a lot of things, like, we'll read a story or talk about some inscription but like, oh, yeah yeah yeah, we should we should do that. We should change the ways. My question is and then not just show specific, but in your walk with Jesus over the last let's try to go two years or so. Can you think of the last thing where you heard something you thought, yeah, I should do that and then actually did it And actually altered your life, changed a habit,

persisted in something where you're like, yeah, I need to do this thing. I'm starting to put the think on it. That's not good, Dan. No. I I have a good idea of what it is. There was something recently I thought, hey. This is really cool. I did that. This is working. I don't know what it is. God, it's just part of me now. You know? Yeah. Yeah. I read just osmosis things. He hears it, and it's it's to change. And I I mean, you you may guess that is predicated on some thoughts this week when I thought, you know, perhaps things aren't landing the way I would want them to. I'm still doing that. Yeah. I'm still this is persisting or this this idea that has a lot of dust on it. You know, actually, that's a solid point because it would it would almost wipe out the need for a Sunday sermon.

You know what I'm saying? Because people show up every week and then then at some point, like, the goal is, like, they is is they get hit with one thing and they're oh, man. Yeah. They really convicted me of this today. That's the compliment. Right? If you're getting a compliment, you know, for to a pastor, you're just like, boy, that really convicted me when you said the blah blah blah blah blah blah. You know? And like and usually, you're like, yeah. Yeah. That's that's good. That's what the holy spirit's doing its work. And And instead, we should be like, I wanna show up on a Sunday and be like, you know what? Yeah. We're solid. We did all that stuff already. We're just here to to to worship and praise. Things are going great. Yeah. Must be must be talking to somebody else. Yeah. We're being obedient to the lord. But, no, we're looking for the guys that are like, oh, crap. Still suck. Honestly, it's it's kind of depressing once in a while. You think, okay, the same people that make the same decision over and over and over and over and they've never really made the decision. They want to. Yeah. Yeah. Right. And I'm like, I can't help you beyond telling you don't do it. Have you ever have you ever had a guy come up to or lady, well, it's equal opportunity, come up to you and be like, boy, that really convicted me. And you're like, boy, that wasn't the attention at all. And, like, that wasn't a convicting statement. Was just I thought it was funny. They're just like, hey. We need people to serve the coffee. And people are like, oh, conviction. Shoot. I'm terrible to coffee. I

need to give myself the servitude for the Lord. Oh, no. Yeah. No. Actually, Ben, that that ties in a little bit of the stuff that I was thinking this week, so that's that's interesting. Alright. And then I I thought I had a I thought I had thought a I had a story, but I I don't think so. There's a like, again, I was looking through the oh, wait. One unread message. Yes. Did you send me a message that says you aren't good enough for real radio? Hey, man. We accept text. We accept text messages.

I was scared to call, but now I'm gonna be texting twice all the time. Yeah. That's (515) 517-0085. You can call or text that action. We need a sponsor for this line. Yeah. Yeah. We'll call it the well, we'll call it the Eisenhower text line. At me. Yeah. We won't he won't sponsor the show. But I'm not sponsored, you guys. Alright. This is in. Okay. Anyway, call yeah. Yeah. I'm excited. Drop us a call or a text on the Eisenhower complaint line. I don't think you'll keep like, his full sponsorship doesn't come off well. He doesn't listen to the show no more. We're good, Bob. Alright.

Alright. Anyway, 515770085. So anyway, I was looking at stories and, like, they just they were dumb. You know, you know how they're dumb. Yeah. Well well, hold on. There was one that really stuck out. There was a there's an article about 20 strange purchases made by churches and I'm like, like, somebody bought Kool Aid and pantyhose and I'm like, you know, I there's there's some just write youth group next to 18 of these, and I think you'll be fine. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. No doubt. And then there look. Should Christians lift hands and worship? Pastors weigh in.

We need a round table for that. Yeah. Yeah. Bring them in. We we it's not enough of the world's problems. Can I go above armpit level? Good, man. I just did a a really I hate to say it this way. A really cool sermon that I wasn't enthused at all about until I got into it. Hebrew words for praise Oh, yeah. Popular thing around. And I thought, yeah, I learned a ton through that. I never really looked at it that deeply.

A couple of them have to do with with raising hands. One is it more with gusto. I mean, like, yada, it is it's a it's a gusto raising of a hand like, I mean, it's not like oh, you're You're not barely up. I mean, you're It's like, it's Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Not the weird ghost one. It's the uprights because you got a you got a field goal one. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't it was just kinda interesting to me. Yeah. Right. And I I really enjoyed it. That's cool. I felt convicted. Yeah. Are you gonna change something now, Dan? I haven't changed much. In the prayer room, I can change stuff, but I I still don't I can read all that stuff on praise and I think, can't do it in public. I can't. I am totally inhibited by people. I did. So this this happened, I wanna say, eighteen months ago maybe. We were singing a song in church and

I felt like, oh, man. I'm I'm feeling this thing and I'm a stand up. And and I stood up. Never thought Ben's got gas. And nope. I mean, it was we're in a small I was just a house church. I mean, it's a small environment. It's in somebody's living room, and we're all singing, and I'm I stand up.

And, like, I mean, nothing. Nobody reacts. Nobody responds. It it was super awkward. And I sat back down, and we never spoke of it. I mean, it did not it did not come up. No one no one said anything. I think it just went on its way like, hey. We we that didn't have to happen. Hey, man. I think nobody said anything to you but I'm fairly certain people would stop by. Mike, did it come up? No. I I didn't even notice it. Oh, yeah. Hey, did you know the song Good Good Father was actually originated in a house church? No. Really? It's a cool story. It it it's there there was a gal in the church that had been battling cancer and really struggling and was not necessarily winning. And they they she the end of the service, can we just pray? And they're like, of course, we can pray, you know. And Yep. And, of course, they're of the opinion that that god's always good all the time, good and bad, you know. And they're just praying, praying, praying. And one of the guys just felt like singing

a song. And he's like, if he's fighting it, it's like, I mean, it might sound inappropriate. Yeah. You know, I'm dying of cancer. Yo, you're a good father, you know. Yep. But he finally just said, I'm just gonna start singing. And he started singing it. And then pretty soon, everybody started singing it. Like, they sang that's it for an hour, just singing it over and over and over again. And it became like the anthem of their their house church. Anytime people had difficulties, they would sing. I don't know how Chris Thomas' wife who got a copy of it, sent it to her Chris and she's like, you gotta hear this. Yeah yeah yeah, whatever. Got home and was like, oh, no, never He heard it and he was like, woah. Yeah. And, you know, made the phone calls and said, can I do it? Yeah. And then it's like Oh, cool. Worldwide That is cool. Yeah. Just from a spontaneous heartfelt

thing. That was one of the Hebrew words that we studied. Yeah. If you check out Dan's sermon series at danhuskin.com, that's where you'll find. You and all the satan worshipers out there can check out our YouTube channel and make comments. That is pretty cool. No. I thought it was a really neat story. Yeah. Yeah. That is a cool story. It wasn't just some dude trying to, you know, make the next Right. You know, cut for his publisher. You know? Yeah. Right. You know you know what's been surprising is that, like, I've heard a lot of stories that are kinda like that that are attached to Chris Tomlin. And Chris Tomlin gets a gets a bad rap just because, like, he shows up everywhere.

Because I think it feels like maybe there's maybe some jealousy in there. Maybe there's just a fit that this could be unbelievable. But, like, I I've I've heard a lot of different stories around his songs where, like, he gets a tag as being just like a commercialized dude but, like, they're housed from cool spots. I think he's a genuine guy surrounded by commercial people. Well, it's very likely. Right? Can sell that one. Right. You know, and so I mean, his worship tunes are good. Yeah? I mean, mean, complain all you want, but, like, people people love them. Right? Right? They they feel the heart of god in them. And they can't before a heart of god. I mean, what else do you want out of a worship tune? I mean, King David's not an indie artist. You know what I'm saying? Like, you write a bunch of psalms and stuff and you're like, well, you know, that's I don't like that mainstream psalm. Yeah. And it's not like King David grew up in the slums of Seattle. You know what I'm saying? Like, he was the king putting tunes out at the highest level. So, I mean, what's going on? A cave when you wrote that one. Yeah. It's it's weird it's weird how that makes its way, like, when we start as if, like, the more people like it, the the more we're not supposed to like it, like Yeah. Yeah. It's not cool anymore if it's reverse hit screen. I mean I mean, you can I mean, sure, even if the guy even the heart of the guy behind it wasn't good and and, like like I said, I'm not saying that about, like, a guy like Chris Tomlin but, like, even if even if his heart wasn't good, I mean, does it say something true about god? Like, what am I gonna trace everything down to every, like, sinful quarter of a man's life and go, like, I ain't gonna celebrate this because, you know, you stole a bike from a kid when you were nine? Yeah. Yeah. That means you should sit they've made my YouTube channel. Yeah. That's right.

I mean, yeah, we've all got stuff. Yeah. Alright. Alright. Since I changed most of mine in last two years. Yeah. Of course, Dead Dead Dead's got that, you know, it's osmosis. He's flipped it all around. I just can't remember what it was. Well, yeah. Okay. So so I don't I don't think we have anything else going on. So so, like, from that, Mike, did you did you you thought of something? Like, something you legitimately changed or something oh, and here's the deal. In absence of or perhaps in addition to, is there one thing that you've talked about changing and it just has not flipped yet,

but but, like, it's it's just something you really wanna do? Okay. So I can talk about a thing that I would I would like to flip and then the things that I've done that have worked and the things that I've done that haven't. And while it continues to be a problem for me and it had to do with putting God in the right perspective and having a grateful heart for for the for some things, for almost all things. Right? And like

and and a lot of it stems like, I'm just having a crappy time at my job and I'm like, I hate nothing really changed, I don't think. You know, but like, I just didn't I I was taking all this stuff in poorly. There was some outside family stuff and and I was taking that in poorly and and I'm like, man, I just don't this this shouldn't be it. Like, I I believe in a good father and I just feel like junk. And and then I my wife started getting up at like 05:30 in the morning and reading her bible and reading we talked about you guys laughing at my devotional action which I bailed on instantly. Okay. So that that's not the one? No.

Nope. But but here's the thing. But but my wife started doing this and and, like, it was just so crazy to watch this change in this woman. Like and not because because it was anything more that she was intentionally getting up and spending time with God. The fact that it was 05:30 in the morning doesn't really matter. It was set apart time to be with God and she she just would not miss it. And I'm like, man, I've got I've got to do this. I've I've got to do this. And like, I don't have to do it at 05:30 in the morning, but I've got to start doing this intentionally. Like, what kind of God am I claiming to follow? And just a small about it of of obedience and spending time with him. And I just wasn't doing it. And then I did. And I I pulled it off for, I don't know, man, a couple weeks, I think. And man, it was the best two weeks. It was just flat out awesome. Almost all everything that I was dragging me down and I was worrying about got put in perspective. I talked to God about all the things that I was concerned with. I gave him all the things that I knew were above me.

I had eyes for people that I normally wouldn't have. I took situations in more correctly. All things that, like, I was complaining to him about on the onset. I'm like, I cannot see this right. I don't know why I can't see what's going on here right. I can't see my actions right. I can't see their actions right. For some reason, the whole thing is just super fogged to me and I'm not getting it. And and I I set this intentional time apart to to hang out with God and it was doing random things. Like, I I read a a half of a book. I read Leviticus a couple times and and for a bible study and I read some random stuff for some youth group crap I wanted. But I wanted to make sure that it wasn't wasn't trying to gain something. I wasn't trying to plan my youth group lesson. I was just planning to spend time with God and then it came, it came. Well, if it came, it came. Great. And like, it it it convicted me is is is that was actually the fix. It wasn't like a one problem against one problem thing. Like, here's the sin in my life, here are the fences I need to put up. Here's the sin in my life, here's the fences. You know what I'm saying? And like how to address individual things. Like, I I had not

I I wasn't even following Jesus. You know what I'm saying? Like, wasn't spending any time with him at all. I'd walk around with all the facts that I knew were true and all the the stories I'd ever heard and and even my past experiences of how great God is. But, like, I was not actively spending any time at all praying and reading and just and and not checking a box, but because I wanted to. I wanted to spend time with god and I just wasn't doing it. And and I did and it was great. And then I went out of town for like a week and and gone gone completely. And it was a crappy week. Boy, was I not a very nice person at all. And and like, it's it's the thing that I struggle with not because I want to be able to tell you that I read my bible every day. I don't really care whether you know that or not. Right? Like, I I I wanna spend that set apart time with God and I was tired of trying to fight for it and and losing. And man, it just it it makes all the difference in the world in my life when I do that. And like, it trust me, I'm not saying it has to be done, like, it's not holy because you did it early in the morning before work or something. But like, I just I just don't have any I don't know when else I could it. And so but like, that was on purpose and it was it was difficult and and and because I was tired and I didn't wanna get up and I did it anyway and like, it was it was awesome. It's very it was very very good. Still is, right, if I do it correctly. Okay. Okay. So it's so it's not a something we've done, something you did that,

that you actually want. Well, it is. It is kind of. It's something you committed to, but it's something that you're having it's hard to keep. Yeah. Yeah. It's it's hard to do consistently and it's and it's if you're doing it for the right reasons, you don't get super down on yourself if you missed one. You know what I'm saying? Like, you stayed up later, you know, or you had to go into work early or something. You let you know, it's just one of those things, you know. But but what I will tend to do, if I'm doing it for the wrong reasons, I'll be like, well, I missed one. I'm out now. Obviously, I suck. And, you know, I'll just avoid it completely to not have to deal with it again. Right. And and, like but instead of of, like, when I missed it, I missed it almost all of last week and and, like, not only did I feel bad, like, I because I I wanted to do it and I just I flat out didn't. And it was my life displayed it. It was it was obvious. I was not seeking God's

heart on just about anything I was doing and it left me to my own devices. And I've been there before and it sucks. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. Alright. Excellent. Dan, did you land on yours? I I did. I did. Now I feel terrible. I think that was the whole point of this. So Yeah. I I feel like I should go home right now. Don't, Dan. Don't do it. I'm feeling sad.

Yeah. Okay. At the beginning of the year at some point, I had a friend of mine who is involved with the Overeaters Anonymous group. And she was talking to She said, you know what? You ought to try that out. Because I was told, you know, I always make little jokes. I eat too much.

I love the M and M's, whatever. You know, light hearted stuff. And she's like, no, I think you really ought to check this group out. Like, yeah? Okay. And then then then her husband emails me, hey, boy, I'd like to try this out. Would you go with me? I thought, I know what you're doing. I have attempted to proselyze myself. I know what you're after.

Yes. I'll go with you and be your support. Sure. But it doesn't mean anything to me. And and honestly, I went in thinking, you know, whatever. And and I I've probably gone to three or four meetings in the in the beginning part of the year. And and

every time I went, I thought this thing actually has me 100% pegged. I mean, everything about it, it was just like, oh, do do this? Well, yeah. You do this? Well, yeah, but I joke about it. Do you do this? Yeah. And and I'm like, crap. I I I literally have an addiction to food. And and and so I thought, before going to Africa, well, probably five months out of that, I'm gonna go on this pretty intense fast. Basically, Whole30 thing, basically, essentially,

where I didn't eat all this different you took all this stuff out of my diet. And I have no problem at all when I'm when I'm fasting. And I and I was part of the group at the time. Said, hey, here's what I'm doing. I have control of this. I I'm obviously not an addict. I said, we'll see when I get back from acting. How I do? Uh-huh. Oh. Absolute Oh, man. I've been eating like like a I don't know what like Campground raccoon? Yes. A campground raccoon. And I mean and I will sit there within a matter of five minutes and have conversations Okay. I'm going to the gym. I'm gonna have broccoli. I'm gonna do this. This is gonna be great. And then I'll I'll just not even think and reach for M and M's and start eating them. And I'm like, I just ate a half a pound of M and M's. I love broccoli broccolis. Yeah. Broccolis. I was like, this

Is this chocolate broccoli? This tastes delicious. I'm like, I I have no control. I'm going to kill myself. Yeah. I mean, you know, I just am. Yeah. If I don't I have got to get control of this. And it only works when I give it to God, but I only do that temporary. Yeah. And then I bring it back, like, I've done that good enough. I'm I should go ahead and enjoy myself now. Yeah. I could control it. And then three weeks go by, it's like, I'm not controlling my pants. Okay. I don't and then all of sudden, man, my pants are tight. Dang. I mean, tell me that that has scenario hasn't played out in everybody's life over something.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, do you just and and we were talking about this a little bit before the show started, like, you'll go you'll go listen to a sermon and you'll be super convicted. You're like, I got I got him. I I get it. I get it, God. I get what you're saying. Okay. You're talking to me. I'm on it. Here we go. And then, like, I mean, a week and a half steam is about the best I got. And then it'll just just fade away like it didn't and and then you start to, like, well, maybe it's not everybody, but, like, just me, I'm like, how much does god really mean to me that I can hold on to this for, like, a week and a half with everything I got? And then it just floats away and I'm like, well It's so hard. It's just this is tough living. You know? I just I just I can't understand why. And it's it's it's weird because we do do that. And so

dang. I'm with you, Dan. Alright. Boova? Alright. So I've I've been thinking about something specific, and I don't know if this counts for what you're looking for, but I'm gonna say it anyway, because I'm big. So we've

been doing, prayer rooms at Pathway for ten plus years now is my guess. And I've always kinda done the exact same thing going into them every time. We have a really cool thing where we have this cross setup and, you know, it's actually a a built from wooden. It looks really cool and the imagery of it is awesome and it's, you know, backlit up or frontlit up. And it it it just it makes this this really cool moment where you can go in and you can you can stand at the foot of the cross or you can kneel at the foot of the you lay at the foot of the cross, and then they've got,

a shredder next to it where you can you can write out your sins and then shred that out. Right? And it's it's always been this really cool exercise for me that, you know, I felt like I've brought this stuff to the cross, and I've I've shredded it up. But then I just I stay there, and I kinda just, like, kneel or literally lay down at the cross and just feel bad the whole time. And, like, I'm I'm I'm kinda just sitting there like, alright. Jesus, I gave this up to you, but also the imagery of what I'm looking at right now is apparently not powerful enough for me to understand that, oh, I can walk away now because you did allow this to be taken up, and you did allow this sin to be paid for by your sacrifice. And this this is something I don't have to hold in guilt. I can allow myself to move on from this. And so I've I've always had trouble

with the connection in those rooms. You know? I've always had trouble walking around and praying for other things because I get distracted by, oh, man. I really gotta go back to that cross because I'm still sinful in nature, and I still I'm still a terrible person. I really gotta go spend more time. And I'm not actually praying at that point in time. All I'm doing is just feeling sad for myself at the foot of the cross, and I I I don't think that's the point of it. And so, we just did a prayer room, just about a week and a half ago, two weeks ago, if that. And I went in for an overnight shift. I was planning on going in for two hours,

and I was really excited about it because I was like, okay. Cool. You know, I haven't done a prayer room in a long time, and I'm excited to get back into this and feel it. And so I go in there and I had signed up for a couple hours, and the first thing I do is I walk over and I turn my Pandora on onto one of my worship playlist. Right? My my my rate my worship radio. I allowed to kinda start playing and I'm listening to it in the background. There's that cross. And so I just walk right over to it, immediately just gravitate towards it. And I stand in front of it, and I start crying, and I'm like, oh, Jesus. I'm this terrible person that continues to come back here. You know? What am I doing? And, you know, I reach for the piece of paper and to go and write up my sins and and drop them in the shredder, and then I stop myself because I'm like, how phony am I? Like, how phony am I that I'm I'm being pulled in by this human imagery, but not allowing it to be powerful in the name of Christ. I'm only allowing it to be powerful in my own imagination.

I'm not really giving into the fact that this does truly hold weight over my salvation. It truly holds weight over my relationship with God. You know, if I just go through the motions again where, you know, I listen to worship music and I feel bad for the next couple hours. I write down my sins and I throw them in the shredder and I just do the exact same thing I did before. Am I really doing anything? Am I actually giving

this any credit or this any power, this any weight in my life? And so out of nowhere, this song comes on, and I could not tell you what the song was. I could not tell you who it was by, and I don't even remember what it was. It was just a song that, like, I started laughing, and that felt weird. And, like, I'm at the foot of the cross laughing. I'm like, alright. That's definitely not the emotion I should be feeling about

my murder savior. But I start laughing because I'm like, this is the first time in a long time that I'm not coming at this from the perspective of, oh, I'm this broken man that, like, I'm I'm reevaluating my relationship, and I'm reputting myself towards Christ. It's like, I'm sick of the roller coaster. I'm sick of the either I'm on these super high highs after I I I have these moments with Jesus, and then, you know, something happens where I just go low again. And I'm like, I'm done with the I'm I'm sick of that. I really want to to allow myself to be not chained down by my sin. There's stuff here that I can be legitimately be praying for rather than actually just sitting here and feeling sorry for myself. And so I decided I wasn't gonna write down a piece of paper of my sins, and I wasn't gonna sit there and and cry at the cross like I usually do because I allow myself to be whatever

I think I'm doing. And so I'm like, you know what? Fine. I'm actually gonna experience what's here. And so I took a chair, and I I I had it sitting in front of the cross because I was like, you know what? I'm just gonna sit here for a and and feel bad. And I'm like I'll show me. What I know about a relationship with Christ is that's not the point. It's not the point to just sit there and feel terrible and feel bad about yourself. You know? You allow yourself to understand that you are a sinful creature and you are

separated from God through that sin, but you do allow yourself to not be stuck in the sin that held you back from the life you have with Christ. I am a saved man. I have I have been baptized. I've given myself to Christ, and I realized that all I end up doing is going and and just moping about my former self rather than actually living in the kingdom of Christ that is to be joyous at the fact that I have salvation and to be joyous at the fact that I have grace and mercy through Christ and his his sacrifice and through God and his love for me. And it was the first time in ten plus years of going to these these prayer rooms we do, these twenty four seven prayer rooms where I wasn't just sitting there moping around. I didn't eeyore my way around the the prayer room. I allowed myself to to have fun, and I never thought that was a thing because I was like, oh, I need to be reverend. I need you know, sitting here and and, doing old English monk chants and, like, what am I doing? No. I'm gonna have fun, and I'm literally I'm moving this chair around to all the pieces of paper because there are pieces of paper all around this place. You know, pray for this specific thing, salvation. You know, pray for the church specifically. Pray for the church as a whole body of Christ in the world.

Pray for the kingdom of Christ. Pray for missionaries and all this different stuff. And so I'm moving this chair around and I actually decided that I was like, you know what? I'm not going to sit here and mope. I'm going to have an organic moment with my savior, and I have a moment I feel more attuned with my father than I have in a long time. And so I'm sitting there, and I've always had this, and I don't wanna say jealousy or envy, but this this thought process of I wish I had a better prayer life because I hear stories about people that have, you know, this deep prayer life that they hear from God, and they hear from God in different ways, and they make huge moves in their lives because of how they pray to God. And I've always

felt like I was away from that. Now granted it's my fault, but I always try and pin it on. Oh, God, why aren't you speaking to me? But instead, I allowed myself to kinda go, alright. Well, there's no reason why I can't have that. The reason that I can't have that is me. It's not God, it's me getting in the way. And so, pops, we gotta talk. I I gotta figure out where this coming from because I don't know how to talk to you like we're friends. I only know how to talk to you like I'm praying over the meal that I'm ready to eat. And I'm tired of having a prayer life after ten plus years of being a follower and and, you know, almost ten plus years of being more devout than I ever had was in my childhood, of always feeling like I'm just praying over my What's it look like to pray where I'm truly listening

and truly speaking to you? Like, I have a relationship with you. And so I kind of allowed myself to move away from that mopey sitting here and and wondering why I'm not good enough and being sad for myself and, you know, oh god, I can't wait till I'm a good good enough man to call myself anything good. I'm like, no, dude. I wanna move from that. I wanna move away from that and actually have a serious conversation with God where I'm allowing myself to to be talking to the father that I know loves me unconditionally and that I love. And so

about two hours later, I didn't even realize that it had been close to two hours, and I I found that there was another that no one else signed up for the hour after me. So the what you do in that situation is you would call the on call person and say, hey. You know, come in for the next hour. I don't wanna be here any longer. But I was like, oh, no. I can't miss this next hour. There's too much happening right now. Like, this is this is this is too too good to miss. And so I jumped on the computer and immediately signed up for the next hour and went right back to where my chair was and just resumed a conversation with God. And it was it was the single most fulfilling moment I've had in a very long time

of true closeness with God, and it was an amazing feeling. Like, I I felt this whole time, like, what have I been doing? Why have I not been doing this for ten years? Why have I been, you know, reverently only reverently, but not even from a respectful manner just because I don't know anything else,

you know, praying over my food. I'm sick of that. I want a relationship with God with God where I can go, alright, pops. Here's the deal. I I don't even know what's going But there's some serious stuff. And it was conversational, and I wasn't, like, sitting there with my with my eyes closed. I just I was literally just looking at a wall talking, but it felt close, and it felt organic, and it felt. And

I I want to continue that. I I I don't want to slip back into my dear god, please let the food be healthy. I wanna truly continue my prayer life and and that closeness with God that way. And and and, you know, that hasn't been something I've been working on for two years because I didn't even really know what I was doing or what I was missing. And so that was kind of my experience to where I'm like,

that's what I wanna chase after. I wanna chase after that closeness, and I wanna chase after, that true conversational feeling in my in my prayer with with my father. You know, it was like I was talking to my earthly father for the first time in fifteen or in ten years, and it felt amazing because I was close to God and I felt like I wasn't just, you know, dear God help all the orphans and make sure that this turkey I'm about to eat is good. It was true deep conversation about, you know, this is what we need to be doing in in the church and and this is where I feel like I'm missing it and what can I do and, you know, father give me eyes that are that are that are yours to see your people? And it was it was a really really really intense experience,

But it wasn't something that I was just crying and mopey. It was something that I was I was joyous about the fact that I finally felt like I was talking to my Oh, it's it's interesting because like at its core, I I think if there's a continuation or a persistency in all these stories, it is actually the sustainment. Right? Because like what you just described

sounds sounds awesome. Right? But the but at the at its core, it's not altogether different. Like, if you're talking about highs and lows, it's a high. Yeah. Oh, absolutely. Right? And so, like, the difference between this being a another, up and down, like another,

another valley or high and high and low, high and low, is its sustainment. And, like and maybe don't don't hear me saying,

I think the notion of a sustained high is a is a false one in general. Like, even the thought that, like, hey, I'm I 'm high and I stay that way. But like it's the the the point is is there's something, this isn't quite quite right the word but but it's like habitual about it. Right? Something that persists about it where you don't end up like, you you think about the the beginning of James. Right? You're you're not being tossed around by the waves. Right. There's there's wisdom in, consistently, not not not saying that your situation changes, but that ultimately they are digested through in light of god's character

and recognition of of ultimately trust and faith in him through the persistence of the way of the waves. Right? And so, like, either you're gonna ride them or you're gonna ride on top of them wherever they go. And so, so I I think that's kind of the common the common theme here is, like, good intentions, a desire for the right types of of of kind of persistent relationship with God where there's things that aren't constantly getting in your way or throwing you off course.

And the real risk of wanting something and then ultimately having it not remain very long after you want it. Even though you still wanted it, like, one of things I so I was actually teaching out of the the start of James and, like, the image that kept coming into my mind was how many times you have

adultery, issues of of of dudes and adultery. And, like, it used it was so preposterous to me. You guys, like, know, I really love my family. And you're like, well, then why the heck? What are you doing? Why the heck would you do such a thing? But the truth is is that our reality is actually that.

I really do love my family, yet I have done this thing. Or I really do want, if you look at the other way, a sustained

relationship with God where I'm, like, in in I'm spending time, not because he's gonna smack me if I don't, but because I want to. I really, really want to. I have a room full of genuine fellas saying, I want to do x y z in my relationship with God and we're in ten days And I didn't do it. Three weeks. Right? And you didn't do it. And it and the truth is is you actually still wanted to. It's true to say you wanted to. And it's this it's this double this double mindedness. It's this it's this Paul saying, I do what I don't wanna do. It's it's and it's this dis like, there's a there's a discipline to it where where Paul talks about treating it like, like you exercise your body, you exercise kind of your spiritual stuff. And, like, I think it's

I think the mistake often is the guilt that is associated with our lack of willpower. If only I could, you know, had it in my mind or in my gut that something would persist. When the truth really is, it's a habit. There's a motion to it that says, not snooze,

get up, read the bible. Right? Not TV, get up, go to class. Go go go to the to the group. Right? You know, not not settled for, here's my my phoned in prayer that seems to meet to tick the boxes, but, like, can I get my my head in a space where I'm actually trying to have a conversation, not trying to to fire off a thank you card? Right. Right? And so, the the truth is is that a lot of times,

I think our barrier isn't isn't the right desire, isn't the good intentions. It is simply, this makes it seem like works, but it's not. It's just it's the physical action that says, I believe this,

but I I live in a fallen body, in a fallen state, and it it will generally choose something that's not that. I have to make it. I have to control it. I have to send it this way. And and it's the combo of not doing that and then the guilt that's associated because you know that you actually wanna do it that actually I I think I think brings people to low places because it feels like it's never ending. It's a it's a constant cycle of double mindedness that doesn't go away. I always thought that was kinda the idea behind when Paul said that he beats his body daily. Yeah. You know, always thought that that was an interesting phrase, but but that's kind of the context I've always looked at it. Yeah. It's like, no, I will make myself do this, whatever it is. Right. You know, know. And

we don't as much. Right. And and and, like, we're we are here here's where stuff gets mixed up is that we, I think we're pretty hard on ourselves about that, and it goes I think you run the risk of taking it the wrong wrong direction. Look, it's not a salvation issue because your works aren't that. Right?

It is is it a, do I get everything that flows from the promises of Jesus? Yeah, like, you they're a gift that you take part in but part of you taking part in is to kind of be in them. You have to be in you have to walk in them.

You only get, again, going back to the start of James. Right? Like, you the through the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and steadfastness has its full effect that you may be perfect, complete, lacking in nothing. Like, they're they're connected. It's a process of of through which, you can't the example I was thinking of was, like, you don't know that your full weight can be borne by the branch until you actually go out on the branch. And then the next time you try to use the branch, you're more you're confident in it. Right? Like, it's there's a thing there. If you never go out on the branch, you actually never actually have that confidence even if you thought in your brain you did. And so it's it's stuff like that where, there's a physicality to our faith, which isn't a surprise. Jesus walked the earth. Right? There's a physicality to our faith of which you that's you actually have joy because you actually went through things that produce steadfastness and then and you persisted instead of bailing. And so I think it's it's where all those things is sometimes we think, woah, man. I I why it shouldn't shouldn't I have to struggle so hard. I got the holy spirit, and I'm not supposed to have to fight this. That's yes. Yes. You are. It does it does take that.

The the the only way that you can actually succeed in such a thing is because you have the holy spirit. The thing that keeps coming up in your mind that says, hey. We really should persist in this, that's the holy spirit. It's it's your general lack of there is a will thing. There is a will thing that says, hey, I I actually just have to do this. It's it's it's super simple. I gotta not snooze the deal. I gotta get up and read. That is a little bit of a of a lack of of of weight to to the way that we perceive these things. Right? Like and and when you look back on how what was one of the sacrifices they had in Leviticus where it was the guy that found out that he sinned and didn't actually know about it. Yeah. And then and then he's like, he produces this offering. I remember when they were talking about in the first half of Job where Job would go out and do sacrifices for kids just in case they sinned while he was gone. Yeah. Right. Like, I mean, this is a dude in a culture that, like, took the weight of sin and goes, oh, man. Oh, no. I I I I had no idea. I've let's I gotta get back at this thing right now. Right. You know, like, these are guys that are looking at at separation from God correctly where where, you know, we run the risk of of of doling out our own grace because you know what God's looks like. You've seen God's grace before and you're like, well, I mean, he doesn't seem all fired up about it. So there's no reason for me to get all fired up about it. Right. I did this thing, it happened. Let's just move on. You know, it'll be fine. And what was what was the the the in that same area of Leviticus, so there's the there's the guy who finds out about the the the the thing that he did was somehow defiled something holy. Like, he touched something within the sanctuary that he wasn't supposed to touch or whatever, and he finds out about it later on. And the and the thought was that, like, it it has an impact beyond him. So not only did the thing happen, but there are consequences outside of just the presence of sin on your community around you. And so, like, the second set of sacrifices

and that same one was, like, finding out about one of the consequences. Like, you something happens and you're like, boy, I don't I don't remember doing that, but shoot. Maybe it's tied to something I've done. Kinda like the Job style thing. And and you still do it and and and if there's there's a there's a reference to that of which because we are living in a in a post post Jesus

dying on the cross, but we've but if if it is sold out like the like the the Jews at the time, like, were coming from the perspective that saw all those things and knew about them and practiced them and then post Jesus, like, it's hard for them to digest but, like, they get the full weight of those things. As we separate ourselves from, like, old testament story type stuff, we actually lose a little bit of our understanding of kind of the the power ultimately what Jesus does and think to and and and not not that he's asking you to bear the weight, right, but it's just right perspective on the things that are going on. We've never seen life lost

because of our actions. You know, we just know, oh, it could have been a goat or something or Yeah. Well, it was Jesus. Of course, we know. But we haven't experienced that. We haven't had to cut the throat Right. And hear the sound and smell and see the mess and and, you know Right. If you think about the guy, like, the the guy that that found about the about the unknown sin later, that's what get it sticks with me because, like, if that if I were to explain it to myself or my kids,

they would go, well, I didn't know. What did you Yeah. What do you expect? I mean, what? You want me to do something about it now? I had no idea. That's not my fault, you know. But, like, the guy the the Israelite goes, well, I didn't know. Well, let's fix it. I can't I can't have this. I know, I I have no way where I would just flat out just give myself the grace of going, oh, I didn't know. So that's not my fault. Right. Not my problem. And not only do I like, I didn't know, but it's it's probably been a while. It's been three months. Why would I bring it up? Like, I there's no reason to say it to anybody. It's because what's gone is gone. I don't see any consequences around here. Maybe we'll just continue. And it's like, hey, man. Lest there be consequences. Like, their thought was, like, everything has consequences. There's consequence to sin in life and so something must be done. And again, it's it's it's not pointing to say what you you're you can you can work your way out of salvation there, but it's just it's there's, like, a core reaction that says, I care about this. This means something to me. It means something to have separated or offended god or or or, offended his holiness. It means something to me that my sin impacts my community around me. If there is something that can be like, the there's there's two caveats to that sacrifice. There's one that's like you if there's a restitution plus like a fifth. So, like, try to set things right to the extent that you can. And then there's an acknowledgement that you separated yourself from God or that you've infringed upon his holiness and then here's what God how God has allowed that for that to be dealt with. And maybe God is handling like, God is handling the thing with Jesus that handles that that second half of it. But, like, even the concept that says, shoot, man. I I just don't wanna be part of that. So so but maybe that's what I'm saying is, like, some of the things are are is our double mindedness. Right? But, like, if we it's not like I accidentally

I accidentally kill people. You know what I'm saying? It's not like I accidentally steal from the store. I don't do any of those things because it's important to me that I don't kill people and I don't steal from the store. How does the same thing come true when I say, look, I want to have set apart time with God. It don't have the same weight to me. And and, like, that's a problem to me. Yeah. You know, do you get what I'm saying? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Like, there are things in my life that I've put that I've thrown that gauntlet down and so why not this? Is it really that important to me? And that's when I go, it should be. It should be. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And so mine mine was

mine's very similar. It's it's it's time with God. It was time in prayer, time in in study that was not specifically for something that I'm going to teach or or something but just just soaking in God's word. And like I I I cannot I cannot begin to to say how disappointed I am often in myself that's that where I look over and say, nope, not gonna do it today. I'm not gonna get up this morning. You know, here's the deal, I make it to work on time. Yeah. I mean, relatively. I ate breakfast. That's right. That was important to me. Right. Right. I found a way like, I call in. I get my I get all my work done, and and sometimes, like, if I can't get all my work done during the day, I'll work a little bit at night to make sure it all gets tucked up.

I did like, Dan, we share this. Right? Like, you teach every Sunday. It's coming. You never show up and be like, you know what? Just didn't get it done. Yeah. It may not be its best but like, I mean, you're saying something. Yeah. Yeah. And you're still thinking to yourself like, I have a sense of things things should get done and figure out a way to do them and then the things that I know to care about, I just they just pass. And, like and and and you're right. Like, I have a positive experience around them. Like, if I can get them in, if I can do them for a number of weeks, you're like, yes. Yes. I'm feeling great. And it's not because just because it feels great. It's just because it's the like It's because it is great. It is good. It is great. It's right. Yeah. And and and and and you just and you just can't

you just can't persist, and it's frustrating. Well, yeah, even my little food thing. I'll eat healthy for a couple weeks. I think, man, I feel good. Every you know, everything's just firing. It's like, why don't why don't you do this? Why don't you live this way? Yeah. I'm not I'm never gonna get that, you know, bogged down again. Then I'm like, oh, those M and M's look good. What? And you you find yourself walking somewhere and you've and you've gone through the Burger King line, and you're like, what in the heck? Yeah. Yeah. I'll I'll go four years and not do fast food. Then I'll have, like, every day for for two I'm like, what? What happened? Yeah. I was And I feel terrible. I was So I was physically. I've been running, like, I I gotta I'm doing a five k on for on this coming week. And so, like, I've been running and kinda training and trying to do better, and, like, part of that is to eat better. Uh-huh. Because he the the thought of running off calories and then wasting them eating a cheeseburger or something irritates me because I hate running. And so, like, it's not worth it to me. And so I so I drove up to Minneapolis this week for work and and I was hungry and I stopped at, I think, the Chick fil A. And I was gonna I like, oh, I eat the Chick fil A on the way up. And then I got halfway up to Minneapolis. It's like 08:00 and I'm like, shoot, I'm hungry again. And I find myself stop I stopped at Starbucks. Was like, I'll get something to drink. You know what's by the Starbucks? An Arby's. I stop at the Arby's.

I order a full meal at the Arby's. And, like, I was driving out of the drive through and I thought, this is ridiculous. Don't eat it. You don't have to eat this. Waste the $8. Who cares? Throw it away. You already went to the Chick fil A or You already went to the Chick fil A. And I and here's the deal. And I got a soda from the Chick fil A, and I don't I stopped drinking pop. And so and you know what I you know what I got from the Arby's? Break another round of pop. After I had bought a key from Starbucks.

And, like and I'm looking, I'm like, this is preposterous. And sure enough, half an hour later, I'm reaching in the bag and I'm kinda eating half the thing. And I thought, what is the matter with you? Throw it out the window. And nope. Nope. Just one more bite. And I thought, I just ridiculous. It's ridiculous, man. It is. Childish. I I have the same mine sounds terrible. But I have the same problem with cigarettes. Right? Like Right. I've I'll go I'll go months without smoking and and and, like and then some random dude would be like, hey, man. Do you wanna smoke? I'm like, well, yes, I do. Of course, I do. Free Of attorney. I wouldn't have wanted to smoke. Going through the bank account so I can explain it to my wife later. Sure. That sounds great. Do you have a lighter? You know I keep one in my truck just in case this kind of thing happens.

And then I'll smoke it. I'm like, this is terrible. I don't know who like this. I am. Except he's still rambling on, and he's like, another one? Like, yeah. Well I'm already in. We're doing it up out here. What do we want me to bail on the dude in this? No. Oh, man. Here and here's the deal, there's there's not a solution to this except for, like, pull it together. I have to caveat this story because I had gone two months without smoking one time and I was I was super excited because I'm like, I'm I'm this is fine. And then I'm pulling out to go I'm going out of town for a week with the boys and I there's a pack of unopened cigarettes on the side of the road. What?

And I'm like, you gotta be kidding me. What coulda happened? Who would throw out a whole pack cigarettes? Probably a guy who's just fed up and wants to quit now. Yeah. Chucks them. I'm like, just for my game. So I pull over and I pick them up, and I'm like, ultralight one hundreds. Gross. Gross cigarettes. And I think I'm a take them with me. So I drive them all the way to Altoona. I'm I'm I'm I'm just about ready to get in this rental car and we're gonna head for Kansas. And I pull these cigarettes out and I looked at the guy with me and I go, Andrew,

I found these cigarettes on the side of the road. I'm gonna pick them up and smoke them. How does that ring to you? And he goes, either really great or super foolish. I'm like, it's foolish. I'm going to the garbage can. I'm gonna throw these in there and then this car is gonna leave directly. And we're not buying cigarettes. You understand? And he goes, I'm with you. I ran over. I chucked them in the dumpster. I'm like, yeah, take that. And the guy looks at me and goes, well, that was stupid. That's like $8 worth of cigarettes. I'd have I'd have smoked them. I'm like, oh, dang it. Stupid Andrew. Alright. But here's the deal. Maybe if you got if you got a story,

I don't know, just something you like to share and you like get off your chest and you want, you know, the four guys in this room and probably two people that listen to take it in, give us a call on the complaint line. Yeah. It's (515) 517-0085. You can call or text (515) 517-0085. It's the Life From The Path complaint line. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. Okay. Good. Wait. So so where'd you land on, Mike? You have

did you have some advice? No. Okay. It's out. Okay. Well, I can't be trusted. Actually, here's my advice for the next ten days, then flub it off. Welcome to the last seven years of this show. For a while anyway. So this is this is weird because it's it's going to sound

think there's a middle in here somewhere between what Buva was talking about and what I'm about to say. But having gone through Leviticus or in the process of, like, one of the things that struck me was I have no sense of reverence.

I have no sense of a holy god. And and and some of that is because we talk about, relationship. I wanna I wanna relationship, not a religion. We talked about that a couple months ago how I've it's probably dangerous. Because there are there are things that God has actually put in place so that you maintain a right relationship with him and that that involves actions and stuff.

But if you think about even his concept of protecting holiness, right, like, had to be a certain person and, like, things were, sometimes this gets confusing, but if you look in Leviticus, they're talking about, common things, unclean things,

and then you have holy things. And, like, common is not bad. It's just not holy. Right? So, like, something had to you had to do something. You had to to, sanctify something or, so that it could be considered holy. That's how common goes to holy. And then holy doesn't cross with unclean. That's when death happens. That's when those two things can't be in the presence. Unclean can may be made clean, which is still common, but it's not implicitly holy. Right? So, like, there's a transition to those things. But, like, it was just distinction that God is making, like, look, this is the this is where God dwells. You can't just bring anything in here. You can't be in any state when you walk in. And Jesus breaks down those barriers, but I'm I'm not sure we're supposed to walk away with the thought that God is still not holy.

Right. Right? And it's not that you can't approach him but, like, there's just I I I think part of how I have perhaps gone about thinking about relationship has in some way elevated me

and reduced God, and I think that's a mistake. And so I I'm I'm trying to find a a right way,

I'm working towards a right way to think about what does it mean to have a father like relationship with the holy God by still respecting that he is a holy god. And, like, this is gonna be a little bit lacking taste but but this is the example that kept popping my mind is, like, I pray on the on the toilet all the time. Right? And some of it's because, like, whenever I'm there, maybe I got a nervous stomach. I'm like, lord, I I just need your help here. Like, this is rough. This is rough times. And then I think to myself, like, you know, their people got chucked from the camp for a week for for for doing such a thing at times. And, like, I'm on it and it's going on. I'm like, lord, I'm gonna this is this is my dedicated time to spend I got some free time. Here we go. Good. Because I give you my doing anything else. I I couldn't, I couldn't get up early in the morning to do it, so I can fit you in on this three and a half. Yeah. And and and so, like, I mean, I'm not even sure that you I'm not sure. But but that was the first thing that kept popping my mind. It's not like, that's what I'm offering.

And I I like, I'm I don't know. I that don't seem right to me. It seems like there's that lacks a sense of a holy god. I've thought that before. I've started praying then I'd stop. Okay, god. I'm gonna give you someone a few minutes. Right. That's right. Let's let's Right? Let's wait. I wouldn't offer that communication to a stranger, let alone a reverend god that I I am I'm trying to keep holy. That's what I'm saying. And so, like, even, like but but put Paul's pray without ceasing and it seems right but, like, it's and that's not I'm not sure that's what he's getting at. Right? That's not what he's getting at. And so, anyway, that that's one of my takeaways is just trying to reclaim that what was always been true is that god is a holy god even in the presence of a god the father, a caring, a loving, merciful, riches

in in in grace, god the father. There's little things just ingrained in me that that I I that you you know, you have to be careful on this stuff because you can cross the line and become legalistic with Yes. You you know? Yep. And so I guess I never have the right to my knowledge. You know, like, don't care if anybody else does it or, you know, kick myself if I don't. But but, like, like, in prayer Yeah. If I if I'm, like, kinda back in some people, just, like I've tried to say, like, in my heart I I I know

logically, I can sit Yeah. Right. But I I just feel like I have to kinda, like, get in more of a posture. Yeah. You know? So I'll always, kinda lean forward and, like, just kinda folk you know, get everything out and and and, you know, just because he's a holy god. Yeah. Yeah. Right. You know, I I can't just go flippantly to, yeah, whatever, you know. I'll

I'll get to you, you know. I mean Yeah. Hey, man. What's with the cigarettes, man? I mean, you know? I was trying to be relaxed. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So if you're if you're only listening to the audio deck, you missed the the Dan smoke the smoke signal. That's my only shot. He's taking it easy, dragging a butt, and praying to the lord. Night goes street ruffians, Mike and his friends, smoking it up outside.

But even, like, in in in, like, sermon notes, I I always make sure it's capitalized. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, like I mean, no. Who's gonna see it but me? You know? And nobody cares. But it's, like, I can't. And and then I can really weird this way, like, if I misspell it accidentally, I'm typing too fast, I'll I'll erase the whole word like Christ, make sure I start over, like, no. You deserve and that's just weird. I don't care if anybody else does it. But it's just like, you're God, you know, you're holy. And Yeah. You know, the priest describes you to use the pen once and then put it, you know, and and and once he said Yahweh, you know. Yep. And it's like, surely, on a on a keyboard, I can just make sure I've started fresh. And it's just little things like like that. I I don't know. Man. You know? I so what just saying is I think that's legit. I think a lot of the a lot of the the situations that we end up in and even our lack of of of being able to hold something on for ten minutes or for ten days is like, here's what I know is true. If I steal from that store, they're gonna find me in a restaurant. And I I know that's true. Right? If I separate separate myself from God, I don't know that I actually feel that consequence

to the extent that I should. You know what I'm saying? Like, don't miss that gap. And it's either because I was never close enough to begin with, that I never actually noticed that I was that I was far away, you know. Or, like like, we will say that God that that that Jesus took that punishment from us. Yeah. He took our eternal punishment. Right? But, like, at the closeness that I feel to my father, that should be really noticeable. And, like, when I can go through a a day and go, man, I don't I I don't know what I did. I don't feel like I I I didn't separate myself at all from God. I'm just kinda Well, I mean, I feel like I wasn't close enough to begin with. And so, like, we should we should notice that. And and and and so I think it's a it's a reverence thing. It's a weight thing. It's a proportion thing. And, like, I'm with you. Right? Like, misspelled

I'm a start over. I here we go. You know? This is for you. This is it. This is on purpose. Yeah. When I write your name, it's on purpose. Yeah. And I mean to say it. It's a God in it's using God's name in vain. Right? Like, I don't misspell it. I don't I don't quote it inaccurately. I don't say the wrong thing. And when I write it, I write it on purpose and I write it right. Right? That's that means something. It's something. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Alright. You got time for one one or two advices? Yeah. Yeah. Think we do. Okay. Here we go. Dear life from the path. My best friend of forty years and her boyfriend lives several states away from my husband and me. Every winter, she and her friend expect to come to our home for a week. We simply can no longer do this. Her friend is a nice guy, but after a few days, we can hardly stand it. He talks constantly and knows everything about everything. Mhmm. How can I politely tell my friend that we can't accommodate them anymore without hurting her feelings and maybe ending our friendship?

You're a terrible friend. Mean Suck it up. One week a year? Yeah. I mean, Danny, you're doing them any good. I mean I mean, it's it's just.

Maybe suggest that you go a little less time than a full week. Maybe you tell them to shut up. Stop talking all the time. I mean You're too much. So I'm I'm I'm both sided on this because I wanna say, hey. Be a better friend and be be understanding and loving. But at the same point in time, totally have friends like this that I would not wanna spend more than one or two. Even if you've been friends for forty years, I just go, ah, you should just shut up. I mean, if you've been friends for forty years, is it that hard to say, look. You're an insufferable turd. Just about to say, like It's the the friend's boyfriend. One side is saying, hey, man. Be nice and loving and understanding and just say, yeah. I'd like to see you. But the other side of it also is, you've been friends for forty years. Just tell them to shut up. Well so, Dan, but isn't the sense that, like,

that the boyfriend's been coming for a long time? That's what I got. Doesn't it sound like that? Not not like forty years though. I mean Oh, yeah. Sure. But, like, I mean, even if it's five. Yeah. Was gonna say, We're quite right. But it's coming long enough to be annoying. Yeah. Every winter, she and her friend expect to come to our house for a week. So, I mean, it's it's been a while. Okay. If if you if you would like to be passive about it, you can just say, hey. You wanna come for for, like, a couple of days? We we can't really accommodate a full week of hanging out, but we can do a couple of days this year. Or you can go head on on it and just say, hey. Your boyfriend sucks. And after a couple of days, he really Does does does man come to your place and babble on and be, you know, that he knows everything for a week? Is that you being a nice person? Is that our definition? No. A nice person tolerates a guy You're being fake. Who doesn't shut up for a week and says, you get 52 a year to do good things with them as the lord has designed and you're gonna devote one to this yab it all. I I I have a friend who who sounds

kinda like how this person right? It's used to drive me insane. Uh-huh. I used to be, like, sandpaper when I was around this individual. And at some point, had to tell myself, who the heck do I think I am?

That's just who he is. That's just his personality. Right? I mean, is it annoying? Yes. You know? And and so I've learned to enjoy and value the time I'm with this person, which isn't all that often. But but when I am, it's like, you know what? I'm just gonna enjoy this person. And and that has made my life much more relaxing because I'm not, you know, getting in the car. Can you believe that or that? Okay. So let me ask you this. Let's say that your entire year is filled with these people. There's 52 separate couples. All of them have

have a never ending yab at all with them and and you and to be a nice guy, you tolerate this. This is your whole life now. How much can you are you day to day. Right? Is there any is there any room to say, hey, look, I you'd I I can't be around you for a week. I love you. Jesus hung out with Yeah. For a small amount of time. He was for three years. He escaped to pray a lot. Yeah. He also sent him out with the 72. I'm not saying you can't have a hobby. I can't take you anymore.

He hung out with Judas. I so I here's the thing. Because what I'm concerned with is sometimes we replace, like, this weird phony version of nicety Right. With lies. You're lying. You don't like him. Right? You don't like the man. You can still love him from afar. Just because you don't want him staying at your house for a week doesn't mean you don't love him. It just means you don't want him in your house for a week. Alright. I think that's reasonable. I think you can lovingly have the conversation of, hey. You have one of the most unlikable qualities in a human being Yeah. Which is you know something or everything about everything. Stop being a freaking cliff clavin. Just, hey. Maybe you should shut up and take in the room for every once in a while and just not say everything. I think you can be loving and correcting. Okay.

Okay. Here's here's what I think. I think that Oh, great. Ben knows everything. Go ahead, Ben. Yeah. Hey, Ben. You have the most unlike no. Here's what I think. What do I think of you guys? So I there there has to be a context to how they've had an interaction so far. Like, if you've

someone I think, to to Dan's point, if if you've done this year over year and you've never said anything, then I think that's a that you've not given the guy a chance to do anything differently. Right? Maybe he thinks he's entertaining. Maybe he thinks people enjoy that type of thing. People are often deceived. Great. So he's also a loud talker and deaf and he can't seem to pick up on the roof. Most people are. Like, have people who who act a certain way and in fact, I got my my middle kid. Well, she's not middle anymore. I got four kids. So the top middle. She finds herself hilarious

and there are times when she is not hilarious at all but she actually does not know that. Like, she says something's ridiculous and you're, that's not funny. And but she's laughing. And, like like and so, like, we have a conversation that says, look, you're saying that because you want people to laugh because you want them you think it's funny. She's, like, yeah. I said, but I'm telling you that it's not funny. You should react to that. Right? So you have the ability to say, look, if if you if you if you're not funny and when you think you're funny, I you would like to know. So you don't keep telling the same joke all the time. And so so, I mean, I think there's an element of that where, like, if you've not been honest in a kind way with someone and given them a chance to do anything different, then I I hold the blame to you. If you've attempted

to try to influence this and, like, they simply are not making any headway, then I think it's completely within your within your scope to be like, hey, you know what? No. We we just we're not gonna put you up What if you just don't want him there? Let's say let's take the excuses out of it. Let's just say that that he's a nice guy but you're like, look, I just I don't wanna house people for a week. I just don't want I mean, you're gonna save them $1,200 Yeah. On condo. I'm not their travel agent nor am I their banker. I I just I don't want you staying in my house for a week. I just don't want it. No. I I have no good excuse. I flat out just don't want to house somebody for a week at my house. I mean, who is your neighbor, Mike? Yeah. Not them. They stayed at my place. They live two states away. You're using me as a boarding facility.

I no. I mean, I mean, there's there's So anybody's still gonna coming your house at any time. I'm just saying, where's the personal line here? Like like, sounds extreme to say, hey. You know, it's ridiculous not to let this guy stay here for one week a year, except for, let's say, you travel for work for, like, six months out of the year, and then there's a bunch of stuff going on at your house, and your neighborhood's busy, there's and all kinds of things going on at your place. And and and we just hear the part where one guy wants to come stay a week, not that big of a deal. No. Yeah. There's a million other things going at your place. That's true. I think, I I've presented a false equivalence. The point of the love your neighbor story isn't a first world problem in which you wanna save a few $100 on a hotel. Right? That's actually caring for people. Tell that tell you what, if he loves you that much, tell him to to get a hotel close to you and stop by for dinner or take you out to a restaurant or something. But no, we're best friends because you get to sleep at my place for a week free of charge. Charge. Yeah. I don't yeah. I don't think that's the implicit thing. I don't think you always have to to board everybody. I guess I'm saying this is not a thing. They're making it a thing.

It's just tell them they can't you don't want them there. I just don't want you over here. However, in the interest of advice, there will be consequences to do. Yeah. Let's say, well, I don't wanna be your friend. Yeah. Exactly. There's a chance your forty year friend is gonna go, wow. You're kind of a schmuck. Yeah. You're all good. To deal with the consequences of that. And if that's something you're willing to part with, yeah, take the advice of, hey. I don't want you here. Hey. You don't get to guilt me into having whatever you want just because otherwise you ain't gonna be my friend. Yeah. Let me stay at your place for free or we're not friends. I don't think there's an easy way to let your friend down. I'll do it. If that's the I'll write it down right now. Hold on. Mike, you'll do it, but I don't think it's gonna be the easy way to do it. I I think it's gonna be the abrasive.

Don't ignore my phone call, please. Some people don't know they're funny. It's Buba. Yes. Yes. Hey, Buba. Hey, Buba. It's Mike. I know you got that vacation planned at my place in a couple weeks. I'm excited about that next month. Can't do it, Broseph. Oh, what what's going on? Yeah. It's just not the right time for you to be at my place. Okay. Is there another time I can can come out there then? We can reschedule. It's not looking good. Oh. Just just gen in general, not looking good? Yep. Just not the right time for my family. You know how it is. Oh, no. Okay. Alright. Cool. We'll we'll cancel then. Thanks. Yeah. Oh, hold on. Are we still friends? Oh, absolutely not. No. Oh, great. Alright. Everything. Yeah. Hey, man. I totally fixed it.

And the Christmas movie. I'm not allowing you to win that too. Yeah. Yeah. Uggs and kisses. Use words like broseph. People like this. Except, Mike, you were lying. You kept saying it's not the right time. Yeah. That's why I asked, is there a better time? Everything like, there never is a right time. That's not the question they were asking. In that situation, you're you're the same guy that says, like, if I were to invite you to my wedding, you go, hey. When is it? And then as I'm saying the date, you go, ah, I'll bring it. I'll probably get you there. Yeah. I Yeah. Can't make it. I didn't even tell you the date yet. Yeah. Not not gonna make it. No. You're make it. Yeah. It's not a not a priority. That's it. Saturday is not a thing for me. Oh, it's not a Sunday. I did not tell you. That's too. He said, blah blah blah. I said it's not the right time. That's the truth. When would be a good time? That's not a good time. It's not gonna happen. There. I mean, that's semantics. Alright. Alright.

Go ahead. Let's see. I'll see. I we've not helped. Go ahead, Mike. Secular says Yeah. Go ahead. Try this, period. When your old friend mentions coming to visit, tell her you aren't up to having house guests. If she asks why, and she probably will, say you're not as young as you used to be. It's true. Neither am I. Tell her you could accommodate them for a weekend. If that doesn't work, say your husband isn't up for it either. Also true. However, if neither excuse works, you may have to choose between telling your friend the truth and fibbing by saying you plan to be out of town. Yeah. Lie to him.

What what the heck? Years Be passive and pansy and lie to your best friend and say, well, technically, it's true if I say I don't want you here, but I don't wanna say that specifically. Same with my husband. And if those don't work, just lie. I mean, that's someone you that's something you tell the the the Mormon when he's trying to schedule a time to come back. Yeah. That's something you tell your forty year lying to the housekeeper at the hotel you're at that you oh, you just you don't need to come in here today. It's not dirty at all. Oh, yes. It is. Yeah. What? I don't know that. I also don't do that. I always let them in. Clean this place up. Go ahead and move. Here's the deal. I spent months in hotels. They get to know your name, and they know which clothes are yours and all this different stuff. It gets weird after a while because they're like, hey. You live like this always? It's like, no, Esmeralda. I see you like this. I do not live this way always. Actually, so I had that that similar experience when I was in the The Philippines for six weeks. I had a very hard time sleeping and so, like, I was constant like, I took all the blankets off the bed and I would sleep on the floor, sleep on the couch and, like, this is a king bed in a nice hotel

And I'm I'm pretty sure they would come into the room next day and, like, what is going on in here? Why are all these blankets torn in sun? Confused by your your your habits. Yep. Okay. One more. Yep. Dear life from the path, I recently received an invitation to a dear friend's grandson's fifth birthday party. In lieu of gifts, donations were requested to a choice of politically affiliated charitable organizations. What? I cannot, in good conscience, support any of them. Uh-huh. What's the appropriate course of action here? Must I give the child a gift anyway or just stay away from the party? I really don't wanna get into any political discussions with either the parents or the grandparents. I think there would be hurt feelings if I don't show up. What? Kind of terrible parent is saying instead of giving my child and or grandchild a present, make certain that you make a charitable donation

to a politically affiliated charity. Right. In lieu of gifts, please support Bernie Sanders' campaign? I mean I think that Is that the notion? In lieu of gifts, please make certain that you give a sizable donation to Planned Parenthood for my for little Johnny's fifth birthday party. I know we're the unhappiest kid on the block list. Right. Exactly. Yeah. Little Johnny's definitely a left wing activist, so he's asked specifically. What? Yes. Assuming it's a of a of a political persuasion opposite of mine, I'm I'm positive. I'm 100% sure I would probably make a larger than normal donation to party of my choice and bring that over and do it in their name and say, you're not gonna tell me who to give my politic money to. So You know, Dan, you seem to flip the a coin here because the the previous answer, you were like, yeah. Is politics, my friend. Within me, and I can just tolerate them, and I'm a happier person. There's people and there's politics. When people are trying to force their politics on me, it's like, no. Yeah. No. No. So you respond in kind and make a donation in their name. Opposition.

Yes. Their phone number and cell phone number, Email. Yep. You're consistent. You're good. I I like your way. These guys are very pro choice. Well, here's pro life. Yeah. Dan Dan brings it up with a right wing hit. Tell me that's what I would do. I mean, Dan is right. Here's the deal. That is that that is tasteless. That is a tasteless what Dan's doing or what

Equally tasteless. Both. Or or having a politically affiliated birthday party for your five year old. Dan had the opportunity to choose peace, and he said, you know what? Sometimes making peace is starting war. And I would bring my child in a

Kavanaugh shirt. Is that his name? Jeez. So Kavanaugh. Spelled wrong like a Russian Kavanaugh. Yeah. I like game two. Trying to go for politics. I I mean, you probably have a better shot of them liking him as it's anyway, so

so here's the thing. Yeah. That I mean, you have there's all kinds of things about this that are weird. One, who Mike, think about your would you invite a friend's who's a friend's grandma? Grandparent. Yeah. I mean, that really seems off off board. Yeah. And, like, if it's if it's distance enough that you would request a political donation and not expect someone to buy to legitimately buy a present because you if it was like a a person in my family, you cannot talk me out of it. Yeah. Right. Are you friends with the Kennedy's? What is this? Yeah. Sounds weird. And I wear my that's make America great thing. I don't think I have any relationships and I I'm I'm putting myself about twenty years in in the future where I'm gonna have grandkids. I can't imagine any of my friends going to them and going, hey. You wanna go to my grandchild's fifth birthday party with me? What? No. No. No. Absolutely not.

Exactly. No. There'll be political activism. I'm a pass. We're gonna teach a little Johnny how to pick it. Gonna Gonna be great. We're gonna make signs and, like, march on Washington. Yeah. So here's I would I would not go to the party at all, and I would spend that dedicated time praying for this poor fellow regardless of the political persuasion. Right. Exactly. Let your child be a child, you weirdo. That is goofy. We serve a hierarchy. Your five year old is going into kindergarten to learn about shapes and colors, and you're sitting here trying to have political donation. Think yeah. Actual actual answer, I would just throw the invitation away and be done with it. Right? I don't know that I'd interact with it. I'd just be like, this is ridiculous. Here's the deal. Come to my grandson's birthday party? No. Yeah.

So here's the deal. Some like, sometimes we say, man, how do we navigate these waters? But when those waters are a sewer lagoon, you just don't go in. Stay away from the waters. There's no you know what? You don't even know how to navigate. You just stay on the shore. That's right. You outfox them just like Noah did in the flood. I built a boat. Good luck. I'm predicting our complaint line will be filled today. That's right. That's (515) 517-0085 to call or text complaint line. Yeah. You wanna see what the Secular I I can't hold on. I can't wait. I have Okay. Secular says, what a shame that a child's party was used as an excuse for a political fundraiser.

I can't imagine any five year old being thrilled to receive a political donation as a birthday gift. However, because the child is the grandson of a dear friend, I do think a gift is in order. Make it something a five year old will enjoy. Have it delivered and find an excuse not to attend if you feel it will devolve into something you prefer to avoid. Hurt feelings or not, you are not obligated to go to the party. What I should and I should How do you shop for a kid that has a political leadings at five years old? You get the Bernie's Bernie Sanders pick. Oh, man. I I thought of a number of very high quality Bernie Sanders supporting shirts like that I thought would sell. Yeah. And that I I do it. Anyway,

it's a good story, Ben. Right on. Ben, I feel That's 5155 Thank you. 70085 with all your best Bernie Sanders toys or whatever Ben is drunk. That will be a good a good shirt. Okay.

I mean, what what do you think? Buy the gift anyway and send it? Absolutely. No. Stay away from this whole family. You don't even know that kid. You're buy him a bland five year old gift. You got $10. Buy him a present. Who's a football? Just stay you don't know the kid. Why are buying gifts for people you don't even know? More phoniness. Because I'm loving person. Phony friendships all over. Because I'm a loving person, Mike. No. You're not. You're a big fat phony. You don't buy gifts for the kids you don't know. Unless they don't have gifts from anybody. That's true. You don't know me. Alright. You've listening live from the path. A big thanks for hanging out with us. We do appreciate it. And

yeah. Hey, man. Here's the deal. Although we've labeled the complaint line because that is the most use of it. If you've got other things like, maybe you need some advice, maybe you got some stuff you wanna talk about that you'd like us to discuss, or whatever, yeah, use that line. (515) 517-0085, and, we'd love to get to that in, yeah. Yeah. That's what we got going on. So we will see you next possibly next week, maybe the week after. We'll see how things shake out. In the meantime, be faithful means God will handle the ends. You've been listening to Live From The Path.