1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:08,320 Speaker 1: Life audio, and he's feeling alone, maybe abandoned, and then 2 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:10,880 Speaker 1: when the sun comes up the next morning, he sees 3 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:12,800 Speaker 1: something that changes everything. 4 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,640 Speaker 2: His father has been with him all through the night. 5 00:00:16,079 --> 00:00:18,759 Speaker 3: Welcome to the Faith Over Fear Podcast, where we discuss 6 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 3: powerful truths to quiet anxiety and fear big and small. 7 00:00:23,079 --> 00:00:25,760 Speaker 3: I'm Jennifer Slattery, and have you ever looked at your 8 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:30,400 Speaker 3: circumstances and wondered God, where are you? Maybe you were 9 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 3: trying to follow him faithfully when suddenly everything fell apart. 10 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 3: You were in an accident, or someone you loved was 11 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 3: in an accident, you received a difficult diagnosis, a financial 12 00:00:41,159 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 3: crisis hit, a relational fracture occurred, and the silence fell overwhelming. 13 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:51,240 Speaker 3: Or maybe you just couldn't understand why God didn't help. 14 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 3: If you've been there, I am confident today's conversation is 15 00:00:56,120 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 3: going to encourage and strengthen your soul and build your faith. 16 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:04,400 Speaker 3: I'm Jennifer Slattery, and I understand what it's like when 17 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 3: fear screams louder than faith, When anxious thoughts won't quiet, 18 00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:14,560 Speaker 3: and life feels overwhelming, health crises, strained relationships, financial stress, 19 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 3: and the uncertainty of living in a broken world can 20 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,240 Speaker 3: leave us feeling abandoned, Yet every struggle is still held 21 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 3: by our unchanging, all powerful, loving Father. And today, my 22 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:30,000 Speaker 3: guest military chaplain and author, Bob Page, and I discuss 23 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 3: our deep need for God, the emotions we wrestle with 24 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:39,759 Speaker 3: in times of hardship and uncertainty, and how to speak truth. 25 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 4: To our fears. Bob, thank you so much for joining us. 26 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 2: Thank you, Jennifer, thanks for having me. I've been looking 27 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:46,119 Speaker 2: forward to this conversation. 28 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 3: Bob Page is a retired Air Force Brigadier general, chaplain 29 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 3: and pastor whose warm humor and heartfelt storytelling bring. 30 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 4: Hope to the hurting and unseen. 31 00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 3: Drafted into service at eighteen, he discovered this calling and 32 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:02,320 Speaker 3: his lifelong love Ruth. 33 00:02:02,560 --> 00:02:07,440 Speaker 4: Married over fifty years. They now enjoy life near their family. 34 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,399 Speaker 3: He's also the author of the book that is anchoring 35 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 3: today's discussion. God is Still for You. Ten reasons you 36 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 3: can be sure when life is hard, Bob. I know 37 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 3: you know a little something about uncertainty. 38 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:23,160 Speaker 4: Correct. 39 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,040 Speaker 2: Oh, Yes, there have been some wonderful times in those 40 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:31,239 Speaker 2: fifty three as the marriage Ruth and I've enjoyed together, 41 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:35,799 Speaker 2: but there have been some dark days when we questioned, 42 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 2: where are you God? And how are we going to 43 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:42,480 Speaker 2: make it through this? Maybe I could share a story 44 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 2: from early in our married life. We had left the 45 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,560 Speaker 2: Air Force to go to seminary to prepare for ministry. 46 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:55,079 Speaker 2: And there we are in seminary, and before I began 47 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 2: my first semester, and one night, on a two lane road, 48 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 2: driving home from a night out with another couple, a 49 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 2: young man driving drunk swerved over into our lane and 50 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 2: collided with us head on. There was no time to 51 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 2: break or brace or anything, and suddenly I found myself 52 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:24,400 Speaker 2: lying in the middle of the road with a broken 53 00:03:24,639 --> 00:03:29,480 Speaker 2: right femur, my wife knocked unconscious, and our little daughter 54 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 2: with her face bleeding a cut below her eye. She 55 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 2: must have been about three or four. And the ambulance 56 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 2: comes to carry us to the trauma center. Our little 57 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: daughter is in one ambulance and I'm in another, and 58 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 2: her mother, my wife, was in another. I still don't 59 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 2: know this person's name, but there was a registered nurse 60 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 2: who was on her way home from work who was 61 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 2: following us and saw the accident, pulled over and stayed there. 62 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 2: She got into the ambulance. They let her get into 63 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,080 Speaker 2: the ambulance with our daughter, so that our little girl, 64 00:04:06,320 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 2: who was very conscious, had someone with her, and she 65 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: wrote to the emergency room with us. Boy, you talk 66 00:04:15,920 --> 00:04:19,919 Speaker 2: about an angel with you, And isn't it amazing how God 67 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 2: shows up in people. He's prepared to help us in 68 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 2: our time of needs. So I wind up in icee, 69 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 2: you on life support. To someone looking in, it would 70 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:36,200 Speaker 2: appear we were in time out, or God had abandoned us, 71 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 2: we were being punished for some What did we do wrong, Jennifer, 72 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 2: I tell you we really felt like we were being 73 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 2: faithful and obedient to God. We were trusting him, and 74 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:50,599 Speaker 2: yet this very difficult time in our lives. Well, a 75 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 2: group of friends gathered at church on a Sunday evening. 76 00:04:55,240 --> 00:05:00,159 Speaker 2: I had an embolism. Pulmonary embolism. Those are very dang 77 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 2: and they gathered to pray amazingly and wonderfully. The next morning, 78 00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 2: there was no evidence of the embolism, but even with 79 00:05:10,839 --> 00:05:14,039 Speaker 2: that amazing answer to prayer, there was still eight weeks 80 00:05:14,040 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: of traction to go. That's the way they treated a 81 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 2: broken femur at the time. 82 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,840 Speaker 3: Well, life support too, So you must have had more 83 00:05:21,920 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 3: going on than I mean a broken leg. 84 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 4: That's that's significant. 85 00:05:25,279 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 2: It's the largest bone in the body, and that broken 86 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 2: right femur was broken into and fat from inside the 87 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 2: bone got into the bloodstream and went to my lungs. 88 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:44,039 Speaker 2: So it was a life threatening situation. And amazingly, there 89 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:48,480 Speaker 2: was a wonderful doctor at that hospital who knew us 90 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:53,080 Speaker 2: from Air Force days before and came out to talk 91 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 2: with Ruth and courage and pray with her and be 92 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: with her. 93 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 4: Were you conscious through that? 94 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 2: I was through the act incident and the time in 95 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 2: the emergency, But once the embolism made his way to 96 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 2: my lungs, I was not conscious then, and that's how 97 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 2: they knew something terrible had gone wrong, and they moved 98 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:15,040 Speaker 2: me then to the ICU. So there were about three 99 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 2: or four days there that were lost. But even though 100 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 2: it may look as if God had abandoned me, I'm 101 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 2: convinced He was with me all along. 102 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, you share a story in your book that is 103 00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:31,800 Speaker 3: very profound, and I'm thinking of that story. How God 104 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:34,800 Speaker 3: you couldn't be there in that moment for your family, 105 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 3: which I think excruciatingly hard for our listeners when they 106 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,320 Speaker 3: land in situations like that. Yet God still took care 107 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:44,280 Speaker 3: of your daughter and brought that doctor and that group 108 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 3: of people. So I remember from reading in your book, 109 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 3: after you come out of your unconsciousness and the weight 110 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:56,080 Speaker 3: of it lands on you, you have a family to support, that's. 111 00:06:55,960 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 2: Right, and no visible means of support at the time. 112 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:04,520 Speaker 2: And I was going to school using GI bill money. 113 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 2: You see, I had been in the military for some 114 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 2: years and one of the benefits is you have available 115 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 2: money to go to school after you get out of military. Well, 116 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:18,680 Speaker 2: because I had to drop out of school then couldn't attend, 117 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 2: I lost that money. There was no visible means of support. 118 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 2: But when I left the Air Force to go to seminary, 119 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,160 Speaker 2: I had come up with a plan on how to 120 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:35,240 Speaker 2: support my family during that time. So I went to 121 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,200 Speaker 2: real estate school in the evenings and I got my 122 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:43,680 Speaker 2: realtor license to be a realtor here in Texas, and 123 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:48,239 Speaker 2: a wonderful real estate broker took me on. But Jennifer, 124 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 2: it was a terrible time to try to break into 125 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 2: real estate, believe it or not. Back at that time, 126 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 2: interest rates were around sixteen percent. If you can imagine, 127 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 2: there were not a lot of houses moving. It was 128 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 2: a very difficult time economically in the country. And here 129 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 2: I am green is grass, a newbie in the real 130 00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 2: estate business, trying to support my family. Well, somehow, amazingly 131 00:08:15,200 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 2: I was able to list two houses. There's no commission 132 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 2: for that, just listing the two houses. But now I 133 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,239 Speaker 2: am flat on my back in traction for eight weeks 134 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: and I can't even show a house. The amazing thing 135 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 2: is the first month that I was there in the hospital, 136 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 2: the first house sold. Mister Headrick, the guy that I 137 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 2: was working for, brought a check for my share of 138 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 2: the commission out to Ruth and that kept us going. 139 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,959 Speaker 2: And the next month the next house sold. Once again, 140 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 2: he brought another check. And if it was like manna 141 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 2: from heaven, if you know the story of how God 142 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:56,080 Speaker 2: took care of the Hebrew people in the wilderness. 143 00:08:55,720 --> 00:08:58,240 Speaker 3: I'd love to share a little about that for our listeners. 144 00:08:58,320 --> 00:09:00,200 Speaker 3: I think that's a powerful story. 145 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 2: Yeah well yeah, So here they were escaping a very 146 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 2: traumatic situation and they're in the desert on their way 147 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 2: to this promised land that God had told them about 148 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,280 Speaker 2: that he wanted to give them, and they're out in 149 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,719 Speaker 2: the desert. They're hungry and thirsty, the like. 150 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 4: Where are you God? Why did you bring us here? 151 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 4: What's going on? 152 00:09:23,360 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 2: I'm in the wilderness. God, where are you? And God 153 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:31,640 Speaker 2: miraculously provided this manna. Every morning they could go out 154 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 2: and collect the manna and feed their families. This was 155 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,360 Speaker 2: like manna from heaven. I've got chilbums telling you this 156 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:45,440 Speaker 2: story because this was so real in our lives. How 157 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 2: when we were totally helpless God provided for us, He 158 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 2: made a way for us. 159 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 3: I want to ask about that because we know God's 160 00:09:54,760 --> 00:09:59,199 Speaker 3: character is unchanging. We don't always recognize when he displays 161 00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 3: his character, and so what did that tell you about 162 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:04,439 Speaker 3: who he is at his core? 163 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? It told me that even when I don't understand 164 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 2: my circumstances, I can trust his heart. I don't know 165 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 2: why bad things happen to people who are trying to 166 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:18,599 Speaker 2: do good things, but they do. It's a part of 167 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:21,839 Speaker 2: this broken world. There have been times when I've gone 168 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,839 Speaker 2: through hard things because of my own bad choices, true confession, 169 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 2: Even then, God's love has been there and He's been 170 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 2: so faithful to me. The subtitle of my book is 171 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,200 Speaker 2: ten reasons you can be sure even when life is hard, 172 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:41,520 Speaker 2: God is still for you. One of the reasons that 173 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:43,920 Speaker 2: we can be sure that God is for us is 174 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:48,600 Speaker 2: when we look back and see the faithfulness of God 175 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 2: in times past, where He's protected, he's provided, He's been 176 00:10:53,000 --> 00:10:56,200 Speaker 2: there for us in those hard times. He's brought people 177 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:00,720 Speaker 2: alongside to help us. And I remember those times. There's 178 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:05,880 Speaker 2: a wonderful, wonderful passage in the Hebrew scriptures, in the 179 00:11:05,920 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 2: Old Testament, we call it where Jeremiah, one of the 180 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,560 Speaker 2: great old prophets from long ago, looked around at the 181 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 2: devastation around him, and times were hard, and as people 182 00:11:17,559 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 2: were suffering, he was suffering, and he hope plainly to God, 183 00:11:22,840 --> 00:11:26,840 Speaker 2: how awful it was, how painful it was. And he said, 184 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:30,360 Speaker 2: but still I call this to mind, how great is 185 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 2: your faithfulness. Even in the midst of this, he remembered 186 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:38,280 Speaker 2: God's faithful love to him in times past. So when 187 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 2: we don't understand God's ways, we could determine that when 188 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 2: life is hard, we will trust his heart. I'll share 189 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 2: this psalm with you. This is Psalm nine to ten, 190 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 2: and that psalm says, those who know your name, God 191 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 2: trust in you. Well. In that time, someone's name was 192 00:11:58,160 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 2: more than just something to call them. It revealed their character, 193 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 2: their mission. It revealed their character. And so those who 194 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 2: know God's character, those who know his heart that he 195 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 2: is for us even through our painful times. Choose to 196 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:14,960 Speaker 2: trust Him. 197 00:12:15,120 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 3: As you're talking, I'm thinking for some of our listeners, 198 00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:19,680 Speaker 3: it's normal if they've had a lot of hardship in 199 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:22,959 Speaker 3: their life and especially in their growing up years, they 200 00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,280 Speaker 3: can begin to embrace life. I mean, it's just self protection, right, 201 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:29,319 Speaker 3: like looking for what's going to happen next. And it 202 00:12:29,400 --> 00:12:33,480 Speaker 3: can be challenging to retrain our brain to see we 203 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 3: can focus exclusively on what's hard and frightening and not 204 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 3: all of the good that God tries to bring us 205 00:12:40,320 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 3: or all the help he tries to bring us. It 206 00:12:42,320 --> 00:12:43,960 Speaker 3: can be difficult for the recognize it. 207 00:12:44,040 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 4: Yes, or I wonder if we. 208 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 3: Can ask ourselves like okay, especially for those who are 209 00:12:48,880 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 3: just beginning their walk with God, or they're like I 210 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 3: don't even know God that well, I wonder if they 211 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,720 Speaker 3: could just say, Lord, help me to see your faithfulness, 212 00:12:55,840 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 3: because maybe that's a real step for them. 213 00:12:58,360 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 2: Yeah. So, as alitary person, we used to have checklists 214 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,439 Speaker 2: or do this than this. If I were to make 215 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 2: a checklist on this, I would say, first of all, 216 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:11,240 Speaker 2: choose to trust God. Then number two would be to 217 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 2: tell God how you feel, be honest that God, I 218 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,960 Speaker 2: feel abandoned? Where are you? Can I say that to God? 219 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,120 Speaker 2: Crying out to God in honesty is better than ten 220 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:26,560 Speaker 2: thousand fancy words of someone else's prayer. But you just 221 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:29,880 Speaker 2: tell God. And you see that in the psalms, which 222 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:34,360 Speaker 2: are songs that David wrote. He had some spectacular moments 223 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:37,320 Speaker 2: in his life, but he also had moments of great 224 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:42,080 Speaker 2: pain and betrayal. How hard is that when someone you 225 00:13:42,280 --> 00:13:47,079 Speaker 2: trusted has betrayed you? He experienced all that. He experienced 226 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 2: the death of a child, and it meant, if you will, 227 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:55,200 Speaker 2: the waywardness of a son. Yeah, that's so hard, and. 228 00:13:55,800 --> 00:14:01,679 Speaker 3: With a son who betrayed him and wanted to yes, yes, yeah. 229 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 2: So then this was a guy who seemed to process 230 00:14:05,160 --> 00:14:09,040 Speaker 2: his pain through writing poems and writing songs. He was 231 00:14:09,080 --> 00:14:14,160 Speaker 2: a songwriter, and in one that we know so well, 232 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 2: perhaps his biggest hit, if you will, what starts with 233 00:14:17,640 --> 00:14:20,800 Speaker 2: the Lord is my Shepherd. I have everything I need, 234 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 2: but Jennifer. The song before that one starts out, Lord, 235 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:38,840 Speaker 2: why have you abandoned me? And so he was so 236 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 2: so honest with God. Another one he started out, how long? 237 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 2: How long, oh Lord, will you forget me? He felt forgotten. 238 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, which that reminds me of one story you shared, 239 00:14:50,320 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 3: which I referenced before. But it's a very powerful story 240 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:57,960 Speaker 3: that you learned from the Cherokee. 241 00:14:58,120 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, share that story, especially for. 242 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:04,040 Speaker 3: Listeners who are like you know what I feel alone. 243 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 3: I don't hear God, I don't see God. I feel 244 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 3: like he's abandoned me and is knowledge my prayers. It's 245 00:15:11,320 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 3: very normal to feel that when we're in a hard circumstances. 246 00:15:14,520 --> 00:15:16,840 Speaker 3: But now if you can transfer, it's a really great 247 00:15:17,360 --> 00:15:20,240 Speaker 3: if listeners can remember both of what you shared in 248 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 3: your accident story. So bring that told that in our 249 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,440 Speaker 3: mind as we're listening to the Cherokee story. 250 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,760 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, well, thank you for that. It's one of 251 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 2: my favorite stories in the book. God Is Still for 252 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,720 Speaker 2: You is a book of stories of real life people 253 00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 2: and woven together with these eternal truths that can be 254 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:43,880 Speaker 2: life changing. Growing up, I was a boy scout, loved scouting, 255 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 2: loved the camping and all of that. And on the 256 00:15:47,120 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 2: way from the beginning Tenderfoot to Eagle Scout, you might 257 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 2: be invited to be a part of the Order of 258 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,080 Speaker 2: the Era. Now, this was a special group, the Initiation, 259 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 2: and that was a camping trip called the Ordeal, and 260 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,480 Speaker 2: it was well named. It was an ordeal. And as 261 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 2: a part of this ordeal, they have you hold on 262 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 2: to a rope and they take you out into the 263 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 2: woods at night, and one by one they drop you 264 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,960 Speaker 2: off in these dark woods all by yourself. You're to 265 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 2: stay there all through the night, and they come and 266 00:16:20,920 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 2: get you much later the next day. Years later, I 267 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:29,520 Speaker 2: met a Cherokee man who was so proud of his 268 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,239 Speaker 2: heritage and culture, and he was telling me this story 269 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:38,800 Speaker 2: of a Cherokee ritual for boys becoming men, a rite 270 00:16:38,800 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 2: of passage ritual. The men of the village would take 271 00:16:42,400 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 2: the boys out into the woods and leave them alone overnight. 272 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 2: So this young boy would be out in the woods 273 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:54,160 Speaker 2: overnight and he's hearing the wild animals in the rustling 274 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,000 Speaker 2: leaves and so forth, and he's feeling fear, and he's 275 00:16:57,000 --> 00:17:00,960 Speaker 2: feeling alone, maybe abandoned. And then when the sun comes 276 00:17:01,040 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 2: up the next morning, he sees something that changes everything. 277 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 2: His father has been with him all through the night. 278 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:12,720 Speaker 2: And to me, that was so instructive of my own experience. 279 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:15,000 Speaker 2: There have been times when it felt like I was 280 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 2: going through a dark night, but in reality I wasn't alone. 281 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,720 Speaker 2: The truth was that God was with me. Well, that 282 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 2: brings up another point. If we trust God, trust his character, 283 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:29,719 Speaker 2: trust his heart, even though we don't understand why something 284 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 2: has happened to us or where he is, even though 285 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 2: we may not understand that, if we choose to trust him, 286 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 2: and then if we will talk to him and just 287 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 2: lay it out there, be honest. If you're angry, talk 288 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 2: about that, if you feel abandoned, tell him about that, 289 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:50,919 Speaker 2: and then review what you know to be true. The 290 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:54,000 Speaker 2: truth is God has said I will never leave you. 291 00:17:54,520 --> 00:17:58,640 Speaker 2: I will be with you. So the message of God 292 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:02,000 Speaker 2: is still for you. Say, the message of the Bible 293 00:18:02,359 --> 00:18:06,120 Speaker 2: is not that if you follow Jesus nothing bad will 294 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 2: ever happen to you. It's not that. The message is 295 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 2: you will never go through those hard times alone. He 296 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:15,440 Speaker 2: will be with you through it all. And then God 297 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:20,000 Speaker 2: has this amazing way to use the difficult times to 298 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 2: build something in our lives. Yeah, that will be so 299 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 2: helpful in days ahead, that will drive our purpose. 300 00:18:29,520 --> 00:18:31,920 Speaker 3: Before we get to that, I think it's challenging because 301 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:34,399 Speaker 3: obviously we can't see God right. So like the boy, 302 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,320 Speaker 3: of course, he could open his eyes and there's his dad. 303 00:18:37,400 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 3: We know cognitively, Scripture tells us God is with us, 304 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,359 Speaker 3: will never leave us. He is always watching over us. 305 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,960 Speaker 3: But I wonder if, because we can't see him, if 306 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:49,399 Speaker 3: we can ask him two things. Lord, help me to 307 00:18:49,440 --> 00:18:51,840 Speaker 3: see you now, help me to know how you're with 308 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 3: me now, and then give him time to answer, because 309 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:56,880 Speaker 3: at least for me, God doesn't always answer on my timeline. 310 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 3: But then on the other something I'm working more on 311 00:19:01,280 --> 00:19:03,920 Speaker 3: is and I read this in a book, but especially 312 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 3: for those who have experienced trauma in their past, saying like, Lord, 313 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,560 Speaker 3: show me where you were when this occurred. Like maybe 314 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 3: if you were to pray that when you're in the 315 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:16,880 Speaker 3: hospital bed, yes, show me where you were in the accident, 316 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 3: and then maybe he would reveal to you, remind you 317 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,680 Speaker 3: of the lady who went with your daughter, and bring 318 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:24,560 Speaker 3: all of those things to mind. So to our listeners, 319 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 3: if you're like, well, I don't see God, how do 320 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 3: I know he's there? Maybe that's a question. You can 321 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 3: ask him, where are you? And how can I perceive 322 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:32,720 Speaker 3: you in this? And then I love what you said 323 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:34,960 Speaker 3: because this really came strong in your story, and it's 324 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 3: great to end our conversation on the hope because we 325 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,159 Speaker 3: know he doesn't waste our tears, he doesn't waste our frustration, 326 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,520 Speaker 3: and he's not fickle, right, He's always leading us on 327 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,840 Speaker 3: the plan he has carved out for us. So and 328 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:50,359 Speaker 3: I know, like a big part of your story and 329 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:53,440 Speaker 3: your ministry. Now, God didn't leave you in that hospital bed, right, 330 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:57,480 Speaker 3: that wasn't the end of your story. And he didn't 331 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:01,560 Speaker 3: leave you on this meandering path. What's your view now? 332 00:20:01,840 --> 00:20:03,919 Speaker 3: So I don't know how long ago that was, but 333 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:06,679 Speaker 3: now of that time and where He brought you. 334 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, So you know, whenever I was a nineteen year old, 335 00:20:10,680 --> 00:20:14,560 Speaker 2: I had this profound experience where I felt God had 336 00:20:14,560 --> 00:20:17,000 Speaker 2: a special purpose for my life. And I set out 337 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:19,600 Speaker 2: on that adventure doing what I thought God wanted me 338 00:20:19,640 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 2: to do. And then one detour after another, first my 339 00:20:23,760 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 2: draft number comes up and it means I'm going to 340 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 2: have to do military service. This was during the Vietnam War, Jennifer, 341 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,560 Speaker 2: and so they had a lottery system. Well let's just 342 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,840 Speaker 2: say I won the lottery and it meant that I 343 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 2: was going to do military duty. That didn't make sense 344 00:20:40,280 --> 00:20:43,760 Speaker 2: to me, because here I thought I had discerned this 345 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,199 Speaker 2: specific call and purpose that God had for my life. 346 00:20:47,800 --> 00:20:50,160 Speaker 2: Now I'm required to do military duty. 347 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:52,400 Speaker 3: That has been frightening too, because I was a big 348 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:53,480 Speaker 3: tumultuous time. 349 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 2: Oh my goodness. 350 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 3: Yes. 351 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 2: So I was reading my Bible and as I was reading, 352 00:21:00,320 --> 00:21:03,639 Speaker 2: I came across a verse that I had learned about, 353 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:07,080 Speaker 2: and Jesus is speaking to people who are going through 354 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:11,199 Speaker 2: some hard times. And he's speaking to a group of 355 00:21:11,240 --> 00:21:14,439 Speaker 2: young men who resent the fact that their country is 356 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:19,400 Speaker 2: occupied by a foreign pagan army. And they can require 357 00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:23,119 Speaker 2: these young men to carry their stuff. And military always 358 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 2: has a lot of stuff to move, but they were restricted, 359 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,480 Speaker 2: say to one mile. They could force them to carry 360 00:21:29,480 --> 00:21:33,040 Speaker 2: it for one mile, and Jesus says to them, when 361 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,959 Speaker 2: the military compels you to carry their burden one mile, 362 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 2: go two miles. Go the extra mile. And thus that 363 00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,639 Speaker 2: famous saying go the extra mile. Well, that night I 364 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 2: read that verse and it said to me, go and 365 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:52,679 Speaker 2: do the extra mile with the military. And I signed 366 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 2: up with Air Force ROTC. Instead of doing four years, 367 00:21:57,760 --> 00:22:01,879 Speaker 2: I gave six years and a six year detour. And 368 00:22:01,920 --> 00:22:05,920 Speaker 2: it seemed like a huge detour. It wasn't until many 369 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:09,479 Speaker 2: years later, whenever I was an Air Force chaplain and 370 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:14,840 Speaker 2: I looked back on those days as an Air Force navigator, 371 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 2: where I learned the language of the Air Force, I 372 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:21,760 Speaker 2: learned the culture of the Air Force. My wife and 373 00:22:21,800 --> 00:22:25,000 Speaker 2: I grew to love the people of the Air Force, 374 00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 2: and we knew where life was hard for them. I 375 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:32,240 Speaker 2: looked back on those six years that I had served 376 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:36,119 Speaker 2: and suddenly realized that wasn't a detour. That was the 377 00:22:36,200 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 2: perfect preparation for what I'm doing now being an Air 378 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:45,080 Speaker 2: Force chaplain. I was on a flight, this was back 379 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:48,560 Speaker 2: whenever I was a colonel and was on a flight 380 00:22:49,320 --> 00:22:52,560 Speaker 2: going somewhere I can't remember, and a young man got 381 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 2: on the plane and took the seat next to me, 382 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 2: and he put this nice, clean, military looking backpack and 383 00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:03,679 Speaker 2: put it in the overhead bin and sat down beside me, 384 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 2: and we struck up a conversation. Well, pretty soon I 385 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 2: found out that he was an Air Force airman, very 386 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 2: young fellow, and he was on his way to his 387 00:23:13,320 --> 00:23:17,040 Speaker 2: first deployment to Afghanistan, and he was going into a 388 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:21,800 Speaker 2: very dangerous situation. He was going to be operating outside 389 00:23:21,880 --> 00:23:24,359 Speaker 2: the wire, if you understand what I mean, outside that 390 00:23:24,560 --> 00:23:28,560 Speaker 2: secure perimeter. He was going to do a very dangerous job. 391 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 2: He was a little anxious about that, and we talked 392 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,480 Speaker 2: about it, and I got a bible out of my 393 00:23:34,640 --> 00:23:37,520 Speaker 2: backpack and I put it in his lap and opened 394 00:23:37,560 --> 00:23:41,440 Speaker 2: it to Psalm one twenty one. It's a passage that's 395 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:45,080 Speaker 2: so dear to me now, and that passage I asked 396 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 2: him to read it. He read it to us as 397 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:48,120 Speaker 2: we talk. 398 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 4: Would you read it now? 399 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:53,440 Speaker 2: Yes, this is Psalm one twenty one, And once again 400 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:56,199 Speaker 2: it's one of the songs of David. And David is 401 00:23:56,240 --> 00:23:59,679 Speaker 2: in a really dangerous, difficult place, and he says, I 402 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:02,600 Speaker 2: left up my eyes to the mountains. Where does my 403 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:07,639 Speaker 2: help come from? There's a question we all ask sometimes. 404 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:11,480 Speaker 2: Eventually we all asked that question, where does my help 405 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,439 Speaker 2: come from? And then he answers, he reviews the truth 406 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:17,800 Speaker 2: in his mind. My help comes from the Lord, the 407 00:24:17,960 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 2: maker of heaven and earth. This young man who was 408 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 2: anxious about the situation he was going into, But I 409 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 2: tell you, the greatest anxiety was about something back home. Yeah, 410 00:24:29,400 --> 00:24:34,199 Speaker 2: about a situation back home. And he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, 411 00:24:34,480 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 2: and he left his young wife there and they were 412 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 2: pregnant with their first baby. She was expecting their first child, 413 00:24:44,040 --> 00:24:47,399 Speaker 2: and that baby would be delivered before he got home 414 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:49,959 Speaker 2: top situation. 415 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 4: Yeah, and he's wondering if he's ever going to come 416 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 4: home at all. 417 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 2: And I mean, if this young woman had ever dreamed 418 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:01,679 Speaker 2: about what marriage and her child would be like, I 419 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:05,640 Speaker 2: guarantee you it wasn't this. She was a million miles 420 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:10,240 Speaker 2: from family and support and there she was. He read 421 00:25:10,280 --> 00:25:12,040 Speaker 2: that and he just loved it. He said, I'm going 422 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:14,160 Speaker 2: to send that to my wife. 423 00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:16,439 Speaker 3: I'm want to circle back. And this is again for 424 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 3: our listeners. So you had where you're reading about the 425 00:25:19,880 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 3: extra mile and it resonated in your soul. You could 426 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:26,760 Speaker 3: sense like God is speaking directly to me, and that 427 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 3: ends up being a really good guide for the trajectory 428 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:32,480 Speaker 3: of your life. But I want to encourage our listeners. 429 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,760 Speaker 3: It's so easy sometimes when we're reading a passage and 430 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:37,879 Speaker 3: we can feel it in our gut right, we're like, 431 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:40,200 Speaker 3: this is what God is directing me too. But then 432 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:44,360 Speaker 3: we can forget or question or downplay it or justify 433 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 3: out of believing it when we're on this ten year 434 00:25:47,280 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 3: delay or six year delay or pining to walk in 435 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:52,200 Speaker 3: the other direction. So when you're in that, were there 436 00:25:52,280 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 3: times where you reflected back on I knew God spoke 437 00:25:57,480 --> 00:25:59,879 Speaker 3: this word into my soul. Okay, and to our listeners too. 438 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:01,399 Speaker 3: And I say that What I mean by that is, 439 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 3: if you're eating a passage in scripture and it seems 440 00:26:04,240 --> 00:26:06,440 Speaker 3: to jump out at you, it seems to resume, that's 441 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:10,680 Speaker 3: the Holy Spirit making it. Say so did you did 442 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:13,960 Speaker 3: you reflect on that later? Did that carry you through 443 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:15,919 Speaker 3: that really long, difficult season. 444 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 2: Yes, there was a verse that did that for me. 445 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:24,920 Speaker 2: It said trust. This is from Proverbs chapter three, verse five, 446 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:28,960 Speaker 2: and it says trust in the Lord with all your heart. 447 00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:33,040 Speaker 2: Don't lean on your own understanding how important is that. 448 00:26:33,359 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 2: Don't lean on your. 449 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:36,920 Speaker 4: How hard, how hard, how hard is that? 450 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:41,440 Speaker 2: But in all your ways, submit to him and he 451 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,639 Speaker 2: will make your path straight, straight path. 452 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:48,240 Speaker 3: Yeah, even if it feels windy and lopsided. In the end, 453 00:26:48,359 --> 00:26:49,359 Speaker 3: he makes it straight. 454 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:54,439 Speaker 2: But years later, looking back, checking the rear view mirror 455 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 2: with the eyes of faith, I could see that was 456 00:26:57,840 --> 00:27:02,159 Speaker 2: the perfect preparation. Thank you God. I can come alongside 457 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:07,479 Speaker 2: these airmen and understand perfectly what they're going through and 458 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 2: speak encouragement and comfort to them, having been there, having 459 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:15,640 Speaker 2: walked that walk. And I'll finish that story of the 460 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:19,440 Speaker 2: young airman sitting beside me and it is that when 461 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:22,760 Speaker 2: my wife and I were waiting for our first child, 462 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:27,159 Speaker 2: I was deployed and I was gone. When she delivered 463 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 2: our first child. I knew what that was like. She 464 00:27:30,480 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 2: knows what that was like. We'd been there and here 465 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:37,920 Speaker 2: this young airman was so amazed that on his first deployment, 466 00:27:38,119 --> 00:27:41,400 Speaker 2: when he's feeling anxious about where he's going, when he's 467 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:45,919 Speaker 2: feeling anxious about his wife back home, when he's feeling 468 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:49,600 Speaker 2: anxious about the fact that if he could choose what 469 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 2: he was going to do, he would never have left 470 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 2: his wife in this situation where she's about to have 471 00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 2: their baby. And yet God brought alongside him a chaplain 472 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:03,800 Speaker 2: who had been in there and experience that very same thing, 473 00:28:04,600 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 2: someone who could come alongside and say God is with you. 474 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,719 Speaker 2: He hasn't abandoned you, and he will be your helper. 475 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:13,440 Speaker 2: Look to him and trust him. 476 00:28:13,800 --> 00:28:14,240 Speaker 4: I love too. 477 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:16,440 Speaker 3: When you talk looking back in the rearview mirror through 478 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:18,199 Speaker 3: the eyes of faith, and I think that could be 479 00:28:18,200 --> 00:28:20,720 Speaker 3: a really good practice also for listeners. Just say, Lord, 480 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 3: help me to view this situation through the faith. Because 481 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:27,480 Speaker 3: you talked about don't lean on your own understanding when 482 00:28:27,520 --> 00:28:30,040 Speaker 3: you are looking at the trajectory of your life when 483 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:33,560 Speaker 3: you're in the hospital bed. Human understanding said, Okay, it's over, 484 00:28:33,640 --> 00:28:34,000 Speaker 3: it's gone. 485 00:28:34,200 --> 00:28:34,680 Speaker 2: That's right. 486 00:28:34,760 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 4: You know, somebody take care of his wife, his daughter. 487 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:39,720 Speaker 4: But y Isa, faith said, God's got you. 488 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 2: That's so true. And normally we think of faith as 489 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 2: being a forward looking thing. You know, I can't see 490 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 2: what tomorrow holds, but I'm going to trust God. I'm 491 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:52,400 Speaker 2: going to walk into this new year and to tomorrow. 492 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 2: But isn't faith doesn't it also look in the rearview mirror? 493 00:28:56,800 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 2: And doesn't it take faith there when we look in 494 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 2: the rearview mirror? For me, it was seeing Yeah, that 495 00:29:04,120 --> 00:29:07,840 Speaker 2: was a painful and difficult and very frightening thing. But 496 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,160 Speaker 2: what about that angel of an r ND who showed 497 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 2: up to ride with my daughter? What about how those 498 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:20,120 Speaker 2: two houses miraculously sold when nothing was selling. Interest rates 499 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 2: were sixteen percent. I couldn't go and show the house. 500 00:29:24,040 --> 00:29:27,560 Speaker 2: I was helpless, and yet the two houses I listed 501 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:32,160 Speaker 2: sold and God provided like manna from heaven. I look 502 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:36,200 Speaker 2: back on that even now, and it encourages me now 503 00:29:36,520 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 2: to trust God when I'm going through something difficult. 504 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, So what I'm hearing through this conversation. God 505 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,320 Speaker 3: is the provider, he knows what he's doing. He's the guide. 506 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:49,760 Speaker 3: He has good plans for us, and he has the 507 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 3: power to bring those plans to pass When we're afraid. 508 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 3: We often want the solution to our circumstances, but really 509 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:02,000 Speaker 3: our faith is built in the power, promises and purposes 510 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 3: of God. As we close, is there one truth you 511 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:07,680 Speaker 3: would like listeners to walk away with? 512 00:30:07,760 --> 00:30:08,400 Speaker 4: So two things. 513 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 3: What's one truth you would love for them to walk 514 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:13,160 Speaker 3: away with? And then what is one step that you 515 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 3: would encourage them to take? What one thing listeners can 516 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:19,160 Speaker 3: walk away with is even when we can't see God, 517 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:22,600 Speaker 3: when we don't feel him, He's with us. 518 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:23,480 Speaker 4: Leading us. 519 00:30:23,560 --> 00:30:28,360 Speaker 3: He still has purpose, he still has good planned for us. Bob, 520 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:32,960 Speaker 3: this was such a wonderful conversation, and really it's such 521 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,560 Speaker 3: a great book. Thank you so much for joining us 522 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:36,400 Speaker 3: for this conversation. 523 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 2: Thank you, Jennifer. It was an honored delight to be 524 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:43,040 Speaker 2: with you and the blessings on you in this new year. 525 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 3: Thank you, thank you, and again to our listeners, this 526 00:30:45,480 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 3: book is God is Still for you. Ten reasons you 527 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:52,240 Speaker 3: can be sure even when life is hard. This is 528 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 3: a truth packed Grace Field book that reminds readers that 529 00:30:56,480 --> 00:31:00,600 Speaker 3: God remains present, loving and for them even when life 530 00:31:00,600 --> 00:31:05,360 Speaker 3: feels shattered, when diagnosis, betrayals, and losses make God seem distant. 531 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:10,240 Speaker 3: Bob Page offers ten reasons to persevere and not just 532 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,480 Speaker 3: reasons like he said. Their story SARTs evidence of God's 533 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:17,240 Speaker 3: faithfulness in people's real lives and to persevere and choose hope. 534 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 3: Drawing from decades of active duty, experience, scripture, and real 535 00:31:21,280 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 3: life stories, each chapter helps readers face honest questions, anchor 536 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 3: themselves in truth, and rediscover that God has not abandoned them. 537 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:35,960 Speaker 3: Through biblical insight and compassionate storytelling, God is still for you, 538 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 3: guide's readers toward renewed faith, purpose, and confidence in God's 539 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 3: steadfast care. And we didn't have time to go into 540 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:47,320 Speaker 3: his Shares, a hauntingly powerful story of a legacy that 541 00:31:47,560 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 3: I'm sure is encoded in eternity of a man who demonstrated, 542 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 3: who lived like Jesus and provided hope for people in 543 00:31:57,520 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 3: the most horrific situation. So you're definitely gonna want to 544 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 3: the book and see at the end here how even 545 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 3: in dark, dark seasons, God brings light and life and hope. 546 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 4: So thank you so much, Bob. This was wonderful. 547 00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,360 Speaker 2: Thank you very much. And people can learn more about 548 00:32:13,640 --> 00:32:17,240 Speaker 2: about the book and even read a sample chapter at 549 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:23,719 Speaker 2: bobpageauthor dot com and it's available on Amazon and christianbook 550 00:32:23,760 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 2: dot com and wherever books are sold. I guess if 551 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 2: there's one final message that I would like to share 552 00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 2: with your listeners, it is the great truth that we 553 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 2: can know God is for us because he sent his son, Amen. 554 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 2: And in every situation we can hold on to that 555 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:44,760 Speaker 2: great truth and trust him. 556 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 3: Amen. And I will put all of Bob's information in 557 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 3: the show notes, so you're going to want to make 558 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:51,200 Speaker 3: sure to check out more of that. I would also 559 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:54,560 Speaker 3: invite to our listeners if that just pricked something in 560 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:57,120 Speaker 3: your soul right now when Bob said that, feel free 561 00:32:57,160 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 3: to reach out. If you have questions about who Jesus 562 00:32:59,400 --> 00:33:01,960 Speaker 3: is or how to have how to live your life 563 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,880 Speaker 3: with him and experience the hope that passes our world's 564 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:07,920 Speaker 3: all of the heart in our world, then make sure 565 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:08,480 Speaker 3: to reach out to me. 566 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 4: I would love to answer those questions. 567 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 3: And to our listeners, thank you for listening. If you 568 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:15,720 Speaker 3: haven't already done so, I encourage you to subscribe to 569 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:18,680 Speaker 3: this podcast, and then you won't miss a single episode. 570 00:33:18,720 --> 00:33:21,080 Speaker 3: You're definitely going to want to come back next week 571 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 3: for Carol's conversation with guests Lori poll Itt Short. They're 572 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,880 Speaker 3: going to be discussing how to see God's work in 573 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 3: your past, experience his presence, and trust him with your future. 574 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:36,960 Speaker 3: That's going to be a really great conversation. I also 575 00:33:37,080 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 3: encourage you to rate and review this podcast. That encourages 576 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:44,960 Speaker 3: me and Carol and it helps others to find our content. 577 00:33:45,600 --> 00:33:48,440 Speaker 3: Until next time, may you live this one who truly 578 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:50,440 Speaker 3: has been set free