1 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Christian parent Crazy World, the podcast that tackles 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:12,840 Speaker 1: tough topics to help you be a godly parent in 3 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,680 Speaker 1: an ungodly world. I am your host, Catherine Seegers, and 4 00:00:16,720 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 1: in today's episode, we will tackle this vitally important question. 5 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: How do we handle the curveball seasons of life while 6 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: staying rooted in our faith and anchored in the truth 7 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 1: of who God really is? Yeah, that is a tall order. 8 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: I'm talking about those moments when life doesn't just surprise us, 9 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,959 Speaker 1: it unravels us. When the story we thought we were 10 00:00:40,960 --> 00:00:46,080 Speaker 1: living suddenly changes, when prayers feel more desperate, answers feel 11 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 1: more distant, and we find ourselves asking God, what are 12 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: you doing? You won't get through parenting or life without 13 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:00,240 Speaker 1: walking through these seasons, seasons of loss, uncertainty, fear, or 14 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,840 Speaker 1: deep disappointment. I know because I'm walking through one of 15 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: those seasons right now, and in those moments, what we 16 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 1: believe about God isn't theoretical, No, it's everything. My guest today, 17 00:01:14,200 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: doctor Aaron Barry, has been one of the steady voices 18 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 1: helping me anchor my heart in truth through some of 19 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:24,600 Speaker 1: the hardest curveball seasons of my life. Over the past 20 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: five years. So today she's here to help us focus 21 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: on the biblical principles we must cling to when the 22 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:34,720 Speaker 1: bottom seems to fall out. That's the plan for this 23 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:38,959 Speaker 1: episode of Christian Parent Crazy. Well, so let's get started. 24 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,559 Speaker 1: You know, we've all found ourselves in seasons where life 25 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: just not the wind right out of us, the kind 26 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: of season that doesn't just challenge you, it changes you. 27 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: When you're stretched beyond what you thought you could bear 28 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 1: and you find yourself questioning everything you thought you knew 29 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: about your plans, your future, your theology, and sometimes even 30 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: about God himself. So how do you survive those seasons, 31 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: and more importantly, how do you walk through them in 32 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: a way that strengthens your faith instead of slowly eroding it. 33 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,400 Speaker 1: In today's episode and next week's, because this conversation was 34 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,519 Speaker 1: too rich to contain in just one, I'm going to 35 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,880 Speaker 1: do something a little bit different. I'm going to be 36 00:02:31,680 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: the guinea pig. My life is going to be the 37 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: raw material we use to uncover the primary things we 38 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: must do and focus on in order to survive and 39 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 1: hopefully even thrive in these curveball seasons of life. Because 40 00:02:46,320 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: the reality is these seasons force decisions. There are things 41 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,520 Speaker 1: we can do that help anchor us, and things we 42 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 1: can do that will quietly pull us further into fear, 43 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 1: into despair and confusion. They're truths that we must keep 44 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: top of mind and lies we must refuse to dwell on. 45 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: My guest today has spent more than thirty years helping 46 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: people navigate exactly this kind of terrain, and she just 47 00:03:15,560 --> 00:03:18,560 Speaker 1: happens to be my very first guest on this podcast. 48 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: My dear friend, Doctor Aaron Barry Erin is an author, 49 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: a speaker, a counselor, and an educational consultant. She and 50 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:31,520 Speaker 1: her husband Brett founded The Home Educated Mind, which is 51 00:03:31,600 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 1: a christ centered community dedicated to equipping and encouraging Christian parents. 52 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: She also holds a doctorate in clinical Christian Counseling and 53 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,920 Speaker 1: is the author of Yes You Can Homeschool, The Terrified 54 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:50,200 Speaker 1: Parents Companion to Homeschool Success. And while that title is 55 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:53,720 Speaker 1: about homeschooling, I would say that Erin is the terrified 56 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: parent's companion through many of life's artists moments, especially these 57 00:03:58,760 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: curveball seasons. So today and next week, she's going to 58 00:04:02,440 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 1: use my story as a springboard to share the Biblical 59 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:09,680 Speaker 1: principles we must hold on to when life turns upside down. 60 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: So that's it. Let's jump right in. Aaron, Welcome to 61 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 1: Christian Parent Crazy World. Welcome back. I should say, it's 62 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:19,279 Speaker 1: so awesome to have you back. 63 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:24,239 Speaker 2: Yes, and I was your first interview Yeah, I remember 64 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:28,840 Speaker 2: I I made history on this podcast. 65 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:33,400 Speaker 1: Yes, a little inside baseball here. I invited you on 66 00:04:33,440 --> 00:04:37,360 Speaker 1: the show first, not only because you're eminently qualified, which 67 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:42,760 Speaker 1: you definitely are. You have such a gifting as a counselor, Aaron, 68 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,720 Speaker 1: just amazing gifting as a counselor. So you're eminently qualified 69 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:49,880 Speaker 1: and you specialized. That topic we talked about was very 70 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: different than what we're talking about today, but we talked 71 00:04:51,920 --> 00:04:55,440 Speaker 1: about what's happening in terms of sexuality in our culture 72 00:04:55,480 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: and helping our kids to understand their design, what the 73 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,680 Speaker 1: world is teaching, and what God's word teaching. Awesome series. 74 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:04,960 Speaker 1: I definitely advise people to check it out if they didn't. 75 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,440 Speaker 1: But the other reason why I invited you on was 76 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: because you were my first interviewee and I was nervous. 77 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: I was like, oh, man, if something goes wrong technically, 78 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: or if oh gosh, if I suck at this at 79 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,240 Speaker 1: least you're a friend, and if we have to scrap 80 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:25,440 Speaker 1: the whole thing, you won't think less of me. But 81 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 1: actually it went off so well, and so you were. 82 00:05:29,320 --> 00:05:32,520 Speaker 1: You were such an incredible guest, and I know you 83 00:05:32,560 --> 00:05:34,720 Speaker 1: will be again because you have been the person I've 84 00:05:34,760 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: turned to time and time and time again over the years. 85 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: I've had a few acquaintances on the show, but never 86 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:45,719 Speaker 1: a really, really truly close friend. And I am going 87 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,359 Speaker 1: to refer to you as best I can as doctor 88 00:05:48,480 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: Barry over the course of this episode, and I'm we're 89 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 1: talking about doing an episode two. But doctor Barry, because 90 00:05:56,200 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 1: you've had quite a three years. You have completed your doctorate, 91 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: tell us about that. 92 00:06:03,279 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think I actually had already started. You 93 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 2: have in our last Yeah, yeah, SI a little longer. Yeah, 94 00:06:09,240 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: but I just finished my doctorate in clinical Christian counseling, 95 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,479 Speaker 2: and uh yeah, it's been a really exciting journey. I 96 00:06:18,520 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 2: really enjoyed it. And really I had. I did it 97 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,560 Speaker 2: because I was, you know, counseling and going Okay, I 98 00:06:25,600 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 2: need more help, I need to know more, and that's why, 99 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:32,480 Speaker 2: you know, I started doing it. But it really was, 100 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:37,039 Speaker 2: really it's been really fulfilling and exciting and the Lord. 101 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 2: It's funny because there's so many different avenues a person 102 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 2: can take. And I had started this particular program years 103 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 2: ago when I got my master's and then so I 104 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,279 Speaker 2: just continued on for the doctorate and it's been quite 105 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 2: exciting because it's it was the right program. It's a 106 00:06:56,040 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 2: good balance between biblical counseling and clinic call counseling. I 107 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 2: like that together. 108 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,200 Speaker 1: Ah, that is awesome. So tell us. I want people 109 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:07,840 Speaker 1: to get to know you a little better of your family, 110 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: where you are, and what you do with your days. 111 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: But I just want to say I want to commend 112 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: you because whenever I hear a message or someone talk 113 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: about operating in your calling, You're one of the first 114 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: people I think of, Really you are. You are so 115 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: gifted as a counselor. You just have that perfect balance 116 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: of encouragement, hope, but also drawing back to the truth 117 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: and challenging. Like I said, you've been the person I've 118 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: heard you time and time again. Lord help me. And 119 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: sometimes my husband will look at me, he's like, I 120 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:45,600 Speaker 1: think you need some baron or doctor Barry. He doesn't 121 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:49,120 Speaker 1: say that, he says Eric, but he's he'll he'll say 122 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: that I need. I need a good dose of Aaron, 123 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: and You've just always been there for me. I can't, 124 00:07:53,440 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: I truly, truly thank God for you. And I think 125 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:59,280 Speaker 1: everybody needs an Eron or doctor Barry in their lives. 126 00:07:59,320 --> 00:08:01,320 Speaker 1: I pray that you have one. But tell us then 127 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 1: a little bit more about yourself, about your family, where 128 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:06,720 Speaker 1: you are, and what you do with your days. 129 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 2: I'm married to Brett Berry. He's a worship pastor here 130 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 2: in our area. We are in Frederick, Maryland, just outside 131 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 2: of DC. I have three children, they are adult children 132 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 2: now and two grandchildren. But we spent a lot of 133 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 2: time homeschooling was a big part of our life. And 134 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: then now I guess what how I spend my days. 135 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: So the reason I said homeschooling is that I also 136 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 2: spend a lot of time tutoring. That was kind of 137 00:08:33,280 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 2: where I started. I like to think of myself as 138 00:08:36,920 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 2: I'm a teacher and a counselor. And it's funny because 139 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 2: when I counsel, I tend to teach, and when I teach, 140 00:08:42,720 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 2: I tend to counsel. But so now I spend the 141 00:08:48,200 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 2: majority of my days with clients majority are counseling. I 142 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 2: do still have some students or work with parents who 143 00:08:55,640 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 2: are schooling their kids. And used to be that when 144 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:03,240 Speaker 2: I would when I first started tutoring, you know, I 145 00:09:03,280 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 2: would do math or whatever, and it was difficult, and 146 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: I would sometimes say to the parents, if you're okay 147 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 2: with me just being a few weeks ahead of your child, 148 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:13,640 Speaker 2: I'll take your student on. And I kind of learned 149 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 2: as we went. But now I laugh because I just 150 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 2: got a Algebra two student, and I was so grateful. 151 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,200 Speaker 2: I was like, oh, this is so easy with very 152 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:29,319 Speaker 2: predictable answers, you know, because in math, this is the 153 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 2: right answer, that's the wrong answer. In counseling, it's much 154 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:37,280 Speaker 2: more nuanced. It's much more active listening, understanding the person. 155 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:40,199 Speaker 2: And it's not I don't know how to say it, 156 00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 2: but it's just not as cut and dry. 157 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:47,079 Speaker 1: No, Right, two different people and very similar situations may 158 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,720 Speaker 1: need two different directions, and so you have to rely 159 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: a lot. And we talked about this before on the 160 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:56,200 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit to guide you with your counsel with the 161 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 1: people you counseled, don't. 162 00:09:57,240 --> 00:10:01,120 Speaker 2: You, Oh my goodness, yes. And that's why I headed 163 00:10:01,160 --> 00:10:03,360 Speaker 2: back to my doctor too. Is I was like, Lord, 164 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 2: I need to know more. I need to understand more, 165 00:10:08,360 --> 00:10:11,440 Speaker 2: I need to put more in And yes, really you 166 00:10:11,480 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 2: have to rely on the Holy Spirit because people are 167 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 2: individuals and they get to the place they're at, you know, 168 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 2: through a series of events in their lives that aren't 169 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 2: like somebody else. There are some general things obviously thank 170 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 2: God for, but yeah, it's really paying attention to that 171 00:10:26,720 --> 00:10:32,240 Speaker 2: individual and really listening for where that hurt peace came in, 172 00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 2: or where that disconnect came in. 173 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: You are so good at that, doctor, Barry, you are 174 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,280 Speaker 1: really You've helped me immensely over the years. And I 175 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:46,400 Speaker 1: want a little plug here because the other episode we'd 176 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,480 Speaker 1: love to do. You've got three adult children. I have 177 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 1: technically one adult child who still lives in the house. 178 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:56,240 Speaker 1: I've got a rising senior this year and one of 179 00:10:56,280 --> 00:10:59,280 Speaker 1: the big block twists, which we're talking about today, and 180 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:01,640 Speaker 1: my listeners know, and I don't want to bore them 181 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: with all the details again, but we're in a process 182 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:08,200 Speaker 1: of moving and and in that move I won't be 183 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:13,280 Speaker 1: very suddenly empty. Nesting two kids a plot to us 184 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,679 Speaker 1: I didn't see coming quite that way. But I do 185 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:19,960 Speaker 1: hope in the very near future, if not today, we're 186 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: going to do an episode on parenting adult kids. A 187 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 1: lot of my parents are in that boat. Sometimes I've 188 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: got grandparents her parenting adult kids and helping to parents 189 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,120 Speaker 1: grandchildren as well. So I know that's going to be 190 00:11:33,160 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 1: a really fruitful conversation that we can have, one that 191 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:37,839 Speaker 1: I will be hanging on every word because I need 192 00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:40,319 Speaker 1: a lot of notes on this one, because I'm very 193 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 1: suddenly coming into this season, which brings us to the 194 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: topic of today Twists. What do we do with these 195 00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: very challenging seasons that seem to come out of nowhere. 196 00:11:50,679 --> 00:11:54,079 Speaker 1: Didn't see it coming. One thing I've briefly mentioned on 197 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 1: the show before. I'll dig into it a little bit, 198 00:11:56,160 --> 00:11:59,880 Speaker 1: but not all the details. For the past four years, 199 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:03,520 Speaker 1: actually for three years. It was twenty twenty two, twenty three, 200 00:12:03,720 --> 00:12:05,559 Speaker 1: and twenty four. And by the way, I'm going to 201 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 1: be the guinea pig. I'm gonna be the guinea pig 202 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: in this show. You get to sit in on my 203 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:13,719 Speaker 1: personal counseling session with doctor Aaron Barry. My life will 204 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: be the comb over, but we're going to take principles 205 00:12:15,800 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: from situations I've gone through that will be applicable to 206 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 1: anyone going through difficult situations in your life. But for 207 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: each year twenty twenty two, twenty three, and twenty four, 208 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:32,200 Speaker 1: each and every spring, I literally got blindsided by something 209 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: new each year. First year was a pretty big situation. 210 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: My kids, my listeners know that my oldest went through 211 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,760 Speaker 1: a prodigal season. Well, she started to really really struggle 212 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:47,520 Speaker 1: in the faith in twenty two. She was a junior 213 00:12:47,559 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 1: in high school at that point and was dealing with 214 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: some stuff that just I did not see any of 215 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:57,880 Speaker 1: this coming. Then senior year twenty twenty three, that's when 216 00:12:57,920 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 1: we found out, Okay, we are full bloe own prodigal season. 217 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 1: She is agnostic and she's giving me by the way, 218 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:09,720 Speaker 1: I've asked her. I would not share any details about 219 00:13:09,760 --> 00:13:11,960 Speaker 1: this without her permission, but she knows what I do, 220 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:14,800 Speaker 1: and we have, by the way, managed to keep a 221 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 1: really great relationship through all of this. She is one 222 00:13:17,640 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: of my closest and dearest friends. I absolutely adore her. 223 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: She's very, very loyal to us, to her parents, her family. 224 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:30,280 Speaker 1: So she has given me permission to do that. Now, 225 00:13:30,360 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: that was probably like a ten month season. It was 226 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:37,000 Speaker 1: pretty brutal in certain stages. Here I am graduating my 227 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 1: first child. Parenting podcast based on the premise that, hey, 228 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:45,120 Speaker 1: let's try to prevent the youth exodus. Somehow I didn't 229 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,040 Speaker 1: connect the dots that God would give me a first 230 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 1: hand experience of what the youth exodus felt like from 231 00:13:50,640 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: the parenting standpoint. You and I have talked about this 232 00:13:53,200 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: before too. One of the things that was so disorienting 233 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,960 Speaker 1: for me was I wouldn't have stated this out loud, 234 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:03,559 Speaker 1: but somehow I thought if I dotted all the eyes crossed, 235 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:10,440 Speaker 1: all the tea's, homeschooled youth group, small group, bending over backwards, 236 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: doing theological courses and apologetic courses with my kids, this youth, 237 00:14:16,880 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 1: we can prevent this. This this isn't going to happen 238 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: to me, right And by the way, I'm going to 239 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 1: give you a chance to talk in a minute, but 240 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 1: I just want to set the stage here. By the way, 241 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 1: I did have a very different tagline early on in 242 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: the show. It was it was a podcast about raising 243 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: godly kids in an ungodly world. And even before this 244 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:42,000 Speaker 1: prodigal season happened, the weight of that tagline was so 245 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:46,120 Speaker 1: heavy on my shoulders because I started to realize I 246 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: don't have control over what my kids choose in life. 247 00:14:51,080 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: I only have control over my parenting and how I 248 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:57,240 Speaker 1: react to what they choose, and you know, being that 249 00:14:57,320 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: godly example. So I changed my tagline to being a 250 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:04,920 Speaker 1: godly parent in an ungodly world. And then not long 251 00:15:04,960 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 1: after that, we did find ourselves going through this prodigal 252 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:12,160 Speaker 1: season where God showed me very clearly, you had two 253 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:16,040 Speaker 1: kids in a garden, in a very perfect environment, infinite 254 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 1: number of good choices they could make in any given day, 255 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 1: only one bad choice could they make one bad choice? 256 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:24,880 Speaker 1: And still they made the one bad choice. And so 257 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:28,280 Speaker 1: God said, you really think you can parent your way 258 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: to perfect or to godly kids. If you think you can, 259 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 1: then you think you're a better parent than I am, 260 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 1: because He's the perfect parent, and both of his children rebelled. 261 00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: So if that is what free will is, and our 262 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:46,080 Speaker 1: children have that, then we can't parent our way out 263 00:15:46,120 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: of it. So I was very humbled and remain humbled 264 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: to this day. You've had your own, your own journey 265 00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:56,000 Speaker 1: prodigal parenting. So that was twenty two and twenty three, 266 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: and then twenty four we had another kind of blind 267 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,640 Speaker 1: siding issue. I won't go into all the details of that. 268 00:16:01,640 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 1: That is a little private. Maybe one day, I'll have 269 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: permission to share that, or feel the Lord leading and 270 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:11,000 Speaker 1: get permission. But another mind numbing like one of those 271 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,200 Speaker 1: where you go back to a day, like there's a day. 272 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:18,960 Speaker 1: You remember the date, you remember the month, you remember 273 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:25,280 Speaker 1: the date, you remember, you remember, oh gosh, you remember 274 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: the atmosphere, you remember all the little details leading up 275 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:36,360 Speaker 1: to the revelation, to everything that happened, and it it 276 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:38,680 Speaker 1: just threw you for a loop and you realize, oh wait, 277 00:16:38,760 --> 00:16:41,000 Speaker 1: I live in a different reality than I thought I did. 278 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 1: So I was like Lord, three years of mind numbing 279 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:48,680 Speaker 1: plot twists every spring. We're gonna get through twenty twenty 280 00:16:48,720 --> 00:16:53,680 Speaker 1: five of that one, right, and we did, praise God. 281 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 1: But five days into summer, bam, the one that my 282 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: listeners know about so well. Here. Five days into summer 283 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,680 Speaker 1: we Brian. My husband got laid off and and God 284 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:10,840 Speaker 1: set into motion a plan that is taking us back 285 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:15,600 Speaker 1: to Nashville, one that requires ten years of separation. I'm sorry, 286 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 1: ten years of separation, Dear Lord. No, I review that, 287 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:23,120 Speaker 1: no mess, Both there and I do not receive that 288 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:28,600 Speaker 1: ten months of separation until my son graduates and he 289 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: gets this promotion we need in order to afford to 290 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:34,280 Speaker 1: live in, you know, a city that's just booming. So 291 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: that is my life over the last four years. And 292 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: you have been there every step of the way, guiding 293 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:43,120 Speaker 1: me with certain principles that are helping me through these 294 00:17:43,160 --> 00:17:49,199 Speaker 1: plot twist seasons. So there's there's the food for fodder 295 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: that we will deal with to apply the principles that 296 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,719 Speaker 1: you can help share with us to the all the 297 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:57,439 Speaker 1: lives that are listening out there. And let me just 298 00:17:57,480 --> 00:18:00,199 Speaker 1: stay one last thing before I just pass this off 299 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,199 Speaker 1: to you. I do recognize and by the way, this 300 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: really blessed me. You told me this what a couple 301 00:18:05,119 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: of days ago that I tend to say, well, and 302 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: I recognize that this isn't as bad as what so 303 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:13,639 Speaker 1: many people are going through. And that's true. There are people, 304 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: I might dear dear friends going through devastating diagnoses and 305 00:18:18,880 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: recovering from devastating relationship issues and all sorts of stuff, 306 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:25,920 Speaker 1: all sorts of stuff. But you said, but that does 307 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:30,720 Speaker 1: not delegitimize what you're going through. You're you're you're going 308 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:34,640 Speaker 1: through a tough season, and and that devastating diagnosis from 309 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: your friend or that horrible situation that happened over here 310 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 1: with someone you heard about on the news. That doesn't 311 00:18:41,880 --> 00:18:46,879 Speaker 1: make what you're going through easy or or somehow render 312 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 1: it without merit or value, or the fact that it 313 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:55,240 Speaker 1: is disorienting to you. It doesn't render it. I can't 314 00:18:55,280 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: come up with the exact word I'm looking for, but 315 00:18:57,080 --> 00:18:59,520 Speaker 1: maybe you can. They're there. I'm passing it off to you. Now. 316 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:03,400 Speaker 2: Well, I was going to say, yeah, that it doesn't 317 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 2: negate your suffering. 318 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:06,240 Speaker 1: Yes. 319 00:19:06,600 --> 00:19:09,560 Speaker 2: I think a lot of times it's interesting. I'll see 320 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:12,960 Speaker 2: that in the you know, with a client, something will 321 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 2: be happening, and then they'll say exactly that, well, it's 322 00:19:15,640 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 2: not as bad as this, or it's not as bad, 323 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 2: and your experience is your experience, and it's painful and 324 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:28,439 Speaker 2: it's disruptive, and we don't want to negate it or 325 00:19:29,119 --> 00:19:33,840 Speaker 2: minimize it. I think that's a disservice. And we almost 326 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,600 Speaker 2: have these unspoken rules sometimes like well, you can't feel 327 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 2: bad about that because it's not as bad as this. 328 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:45,000 Speaker 2: And you'll even have it in conversations. Yes, you'll talk 329 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:48,440 Speaker 2: to somebody and somebody will be like, can't you can't 330 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 2: complain about that? But that's not true. The reality is 331 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:59,400 Speaker 2: you've experienced something in your life that has totally shocked 332 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 2: and shaken, and it needs to be recognized, it needs 333 00:20:06,320 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 2: to be honored, and it needs to be processed. And 334 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,800 Speaker 2: I think one of the one of the first things 335 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:15,840 Speaker 2: is it needs to be heard. 336 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 1: M hmm. 337 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:23,280 Speaker 2: You know, I love in job or seven days? What 338 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:24,159 Speaker 2: do his friends do? 339 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,400 Speaker 1: Oh they're constantly greaking before then? 340 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:34,160 Speaker 2: Before then? Oh they spend seven days in silence? 341 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 3: Oh wow, they yeah, they just sit with him. 342 00:20:48,280 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 2: You know, I love in job for seven days? What 343 00:20:53,840 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 2: do his friends do? 344 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:00,840 Speaker 1: Oh they're constantly greaking before then? 345 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:04,600 Speaker 2: Before then, Oh they spend seven days in silence. 346 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:10,399 Speaker 3: Oh wow they yeah, they just sit with him. M. 347 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 2: And I think that is so powerful. 348 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,440 Speaker 1: Yes, see where I tried to skip to. I tried 349 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:22,240 Speaker 1: to do it right and and not sit in silence. 350 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: And that echoes kind of Jesus. When he goes to 351 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:29,639 Speaker 1: Lazarus or to resurrect Lazarus. What does he do before 352 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,760 Speaker 1: he resurrects Lazarus? He weeps? He weeps? 353 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, why does he weep? 354 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: He's about to resurrect him from the dead. He knows this, 355 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,959 Speaker 1: nobody else does, really, but he's about to resurrect him 356 00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,359 Speaker 1: from the dead. And he takes time to weep. He 357 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:50,439 Speaker 1: takes time to sit in in the difficult situation with 358 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:54,760 Speaker 1: this person, with these with these mourning people, knowing their 359 00:21:54,840 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 1: morning is about to turn to gladness. Right, And yet 360 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:01,680 Speaker 1: that's such a good point because I tried to skip 361 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,240 Speaker 1: over that to all the criticism, but they just sit 362 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: and we failed to do that. And let me just 363 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 1: add in here, and by the way, just can people 364 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:12,880 Speaker 1: not see right now why I love you so much? 365 00:22:13,800 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: Because so many people you may go to in your 366 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: pain try to do that. They don't sit with you, 367 00:22:21,240 --> 00:22:24,639 Speaker 1: they don't legitimize what you're feeling. They tried to distract 368 00:22:24,640 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: you from what you're feeling, saying, well, this is so 369 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 1: much worse. And you know, I had someone recently I 370 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:33,479 Speaker 1: was going through all of this and it felt like 371 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,639 Speaker 1: just I'm very passionate and metaphorical, and I told you this. 372 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 1: It felt like the death of a season, the death 373 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 1: of this season of my mothering. And I'm not speaking 374 00:22:41,160 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 1: death over myself, Okay, I'm not. I'm just saying it's 375 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 1: just this season is ending. It's painful, it hurts. And 376 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:50,120 Speaker 1: this person looked at me, looked at me and said, well, 377 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,120 Speaker 1: look what's happening down in this other place where all 378 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:55,880 Speaker 1: of these children have died. That's real death, that's real, 379 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: And I'm like, and it just delegitimized everything I was 380 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 1: going through. I'm not comparing the two things. I'm not 381 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: suggesting that this is some sort of a final separation, 382 00:23:05,280 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: but it is the ending of a precious, precious season. 383 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:11,639 Speaker 1: And I'm like, can I not grieve that? Can I 384 00:23:11,720 --> 00:23:15,840 Speaker 1: not mourn this? Can it not be a legitimate waight 385 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 1: to way to feel? Which is why I immediately had to 386 00:23:18,119 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 1: call you, because I'm like, Aaron, and You're like, no, 387 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:23,679 Speaker 1: of course that's legitimate. Of course that's real, and it 388 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:28,159 Speaker 1: doesn't negate what other people are going through, So I 389 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: please continue. But this is why we've all experienced that, 390 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 1: and we have those people that we have come to 391 00:23:35,640 --> 00:23:37,560 Speaker 1: realize they're safe to talk to you, and they're not 392 00:23:37,600 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 1: gonna they're not just gonna leave you there in the morning, 393 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:44,280 Speaker 1: right right, right, But you need to take the time 394 00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,200 Speaker 1: like Jesus did to weep, and like Job's friends did 395 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: before they started to speak. They just sat there, yeah, 396 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: and acknowledged the pain and the heartache. And you always 397 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: always do that, Aaron and doctor Barry, No, this is 398 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 1: an Aaron, Aaron, you always do that, and we need 399 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:07,840 Speaker 1: to find people who we can do that with, because 400 00:24:08,560 --> 00:24:11,240 Speaker 1: this reminds me. I had Jen Eichenhorst on the show. 401 00:24:11,560 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: This was a woman who made a tragic left turn 402 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 1: and accidentally hit a man, a motorist, and it killed him. 403 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:21,480 Speaker 1: She was guilty of manslaughter, and one of the things 404 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:23,639 Speaker 1: she pointed out in the interview was She's like, but 405 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 1: I still have to be there for my friends when 406 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:29,760 Speaker 1: their kids have an ear infection and be the kind 407 00:24:29,800 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 1: of person that can I can't always be the trump 408 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:37,280 Speaker 1: card saying, well, at least you're not guilty of manslaugh. Yeah, okay, 409 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: that is a bigger level of stuck. I'm not gonna lie. 410 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 1: But that doesn't mean that the woman who has spent 411 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:46,920 Speaker 1: the last five days with sleepless nights with a child 412 00:24:46,960 --> 00:24:49,920 Speaker 1: who's screaming his head off all night and is exhausted 413 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,960 Speaker 1: and can't put two sentences together coinherently, that doesn't mean 414 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:58,199 Speaker 1: she's not she doesn't need comfort. That that's not a 415 00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:03,240 Speaker 1: place to sit with her like Job's friends did wisely 416 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: and just lament with her and weep with her or 417 00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 1: comfort her. 418 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:12,080 Speaker 4: Keep going Yeah, well, and I think like you're saying, 419 00:25:12,600 --> 00:25:18,359 Speaker 4: we can't fix the situation either, And there's this false 420 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:22,000 Speaker 4: idea that I have to something's happen, I have to 421 00:25:22,040 --> 00:25:23,239 Speaker 4: come in, I have to fix it. 422 00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:25,720 Speaker 2: And if I say it wasn't that big of a deal, 423 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 2: then a lot of times in your heart you're thinking, 424 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:34,400 Speaker 2: you're really saying, your pain is so much, I don't 425 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,400 Speaker 2: want to hold it, so I want to get rid 426 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:39,960 Speaker 2: of it. So if we just say that person's pain 427 00:25:40,040 --> 00:25:42,119 Speaker 2: is more, then maybe you won't hurt and we can 428 00:25:42,160 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: move on. So there's an element where the person has 429 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 2: a hard time handling pain too, like the friends, right, 430 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:51,480 Speaker 2: and we think we have to fix it, but the 431 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 2: reality is if we will sit and be quiet, listen, 432 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 2: it gives space. And that's actually more helpful because the 433 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 2: person has to the person that's hurting has to come 434 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:12,399 Speaker 2: to terms with their pain. Number one. And then secondly, 435 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:16,720 Speaker 2: when a tragedy happens or when a crisis happens, even 436 00:26:16,760 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 2: if it is the five days of your child with 437 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:20,560 Speaker 2: an ear infection or whatever. When you're down like that, 438 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:27,119 Speaker 2: you don't remember often what the person says. You remember 439 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 2: that they were there. It's the gift of presence. And 440 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,600 Speaker 2: you know, my husband's a singer songwriter, and that's what 441 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:40,359 Speaker 2: he does. He nurtures the presence of God. Right, that's 442 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 2: what he does too, And that's what worship really, if 443 00:26:43,040 --> 00:26:46,280 Speaker 2: we're doing worship music does, it allows us to sit 444 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:53,359 Speaker 2: in the presence of God. It calms, it's calming, it's healing, 445 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:58,400 Speaker 2: it's honest, it provides all those pieces. And so in 446 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:03,199 Speaker 2: a way, we offer our presence. And so the first 447 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:06,760 Speaker 2: thing that you want to do is offer presents. And 448 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:10,479 Speaker 2: then in that listening, you can hear what is the 449 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:15,400 Speaker 2: pain point? What is the loss for the person? Right, 450 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,120 Speaker 2: Because we all have our different ideas, so we come 451 00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 2: in and we think, oh, if this happened, here's the 452 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:25,800 Speaker 2: here's the pain point. But it's actually very fascinating when 453 00:27:25,800 --> 00:27:27,879 Speaker 2: you sit and listen to a person and you hear 454 00:27:28,160 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 2: what is their pain point, what's it connected to? And 455 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 2: then I think you're you're more helpful, obviously, And then 456 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 2: another piece, you know, I think there's a time obviously too, 457 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 2: we want to move forward. That's we go through the process. 458 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:53,879 Speaker 2: But your timetable is your timetable. And sometimes I'll have 459 00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:56,680 Speaker 2: people come to me and I'll and and I'll say, 460 00:27:57,119 --> 00:28:00,680 Speaker 2: you need a counselor. And here's why you need counselor 461 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 2: who can sit and listen and process these things as 462 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:07,399 Speaker 2: long as it takes, so that your friends can be 463 00:28:07,440 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 2: your friends, family can be your family. Because if you're 464 00:28:12,119 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 2: needing to go through this, unless you have a good 465 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:16,399 Speaker 2: friend that you can, you know, turn down and they 466 00:28:16,480 --> 00:28:20,520 Speaker 2: and do this. But that way, your friends can be 467 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 2: your friends, your family can be your family, and you're 468 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 2: not overburdening them with what you're going through. Because most 469 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 2: people to be a friend is to be one way. 470 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:35,879 Speaker 2: And then if if the pains takes the precedent in 471 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 2: the relationship and it hurts the relationship, yeah, and you're 472 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:44,440 Speaker 2: putting too much pressure on them. If you have somebody 473 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,840 Speaker 2: that you can go to, the people that can handle 474 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 2: your pain, then your friend can be your friend and 475 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 2: you get the benefit of that. Your family can be 476 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 2: your family, your your husband can be your husband's spells 477 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,520 Speaker 2: to be your spells. So that's another thing, is that 478 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,959 Speaker 2: I just see a point in letting people take the 479 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:08,240 Speaker 2: time they need. It's not loss and hurt and these 480 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:12,520 Speaker 2: shocks and these changes they're big, and we don't want 481 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 2: to want to We want you to be happy, you know, 482 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:20,640 Speaker 2: what I mean, Yes, and that's not real. That's not real. 483 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:24,440 Speaker 2: So I guess that's principal number one. 484 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:27,640 Speaker 1: It's so good. I want to dig into a couple 485 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:30,640 Speaker 1: of these aspects because I love you. Brought that full circle. 486 00:29:30,680 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: On the one hand, when you go to those friends 487 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:34,440 Speaker 1: and family members, and a lot of times we do, 488 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,719 Speaker 1: and they they're not really equipped or qualified, and they 489 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,480 Speaker 1: want to get us, they want to rush us through 490 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:43,840 Speaker 1: the pain process. They they're not really just sitting there 491 00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 1: in the grief, in the in the pain. They're trying 492 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:51,560 Speaker 1: to distract you or direct you towards things that are 493 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:55,640 Speaker 1: more painful than what you're going through. And what that 494 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: inadvertently does is it delegitimizes your pain. Yeah, you're sitting there. 495 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:04,280 Speaker 1: I don't have the right. I don't have And if 496 00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 1: you stuff it down and you don't process it and 497 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:10,360 Speaker 1: you don't deal with it in a healthy way, it festers, 498 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 1: it becomes a wound. Ye And believe me, I have 499 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:18,720 Speaker 1: done that before and it doesn't end well. It led 500 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 1: to seventeen years of depression and just some relationship wounds 501 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 1: that I didn't deal with properly, led to a lot 502 00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: of medication, which you know, just in a lot of 503 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:32,080 Speaker 1: praise God, I got healed from all of that, and 504 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:35,520 Speaker 1: the relationship got healed. But if you don't deal with it, 505 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:38,600 Speaker 1: if you stuff it down, or people are telling you 506 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 1: this isn't legitimate because of some and that's a lot 507 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 1: of times what friends and family will do because they 508 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,920 Speaker 1: don't know how to process your pain. Now, you may 509 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:50,160 Speaker 1: have a few friends that are really gifted and qualified 510 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 1: and aren't fatigued by that. Thank you, doctor Aaron Berry 511 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,520 Speaker 1: for being that in lie and by the way, shout 512 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: out you. You've given me like I can remember one 513 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:03,040 Speaker 1: of these instances, one of these years you were like 514 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:06,600 Speaker 1: and it involved just you know, we were in a 515 00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 1: difficult financial situation and you just gifted me, You just 516 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:12,840 Speaker 1: gifted me like months of freak counseling. And so I 517 00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:17,680 Speaker 1: totally agree with you that that lifeline turning to someone 518 00:31:17,680 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 1: who is a counselor will enable you to keep your 519 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:25,479 Speaker 1: friendships as your friendships your family members and not burden 520 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:28,640 Speaker 1: them necessarily with things that they aren't particularly gifted or 521 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:32,960 Speaker 1: qualified to do. That being said, that being said, when 522 00:31:33,000 --> 00:31:35,240 Speaker 1: we are on the receiving end and someone does come 523 00:31:35,280 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: to us, let's try to be like job's friends, Let's 524 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:41,000 Speaker 1: try to be like Jesus before the resurrection. Let's try 525 00:31:41,040 --> 00:31:46,960 Speaker 1: to sit and listen and not delegitimize someone's pain and 526 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 1: not rush them through the season that they need to 527 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:55,000 Speaker 1: be and to different personalities. I'm very passionate, I'm very analytical, 528 00:31:55,120 --> 00:31:59,120 Speaker 1: I'm very artistic. So maybe my season's deeper and longer 529 00:31:59,480 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 1: for something that someone might say, well, that was minor 530 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: or not as big as so and so, and that 531 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,280 Speaker 1: that happened sometimes and it's so hurtful. 532 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:09,400 Speaker 2: Now, it's hurtful. 533 00:32:09,480 --> 00:32:14,960 Speaker 1: It damages relationships, it damages the person. Because God created 534 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,960 Speaker 1: each of us differently, some of us may bounce back. 535 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: And I can remember one woman who went through a 536 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:26,280 Speaker 1: miscarriage not long after I went through mine, and I 537 00:32:26,360 --> 00:32:29,600 Speaker 1: remember how our pastor at the time just commended her 538 00:32:30,200 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: for how well she overcame it and bounced back and 539 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:36,040 Speaker 1: didn't you know, weep long, And I'm like, that wasn't 540 00:32:36,040 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 1: my reaction. That's not how I went through it. Mine 541 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:43,240 Speaker 1: was very different. But you know what it did. It 542 00:32:43,520 --> 00:32:47,680 Speaker 1: mobilized me and taught me a lot of steps to overcoming. 543 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: And because it was so deep and so there was 544 00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 1: so much passion involved, and there was righteous indignation involved, 545 00:32:54,360 --> 00:33:01,200 Speaker 1: and that wasn't illegitimate somehow because so and so overcame 546 00:33:01,240 --> 00:33:05,760 Speaker 1: it and just moved on so quickly. Different different callings, 547 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:09,880 Speaker 1: different personalities, different it's one way is not right and 548 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:11,040 Speaker 1: the other way is not wrong. 549 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:16,240 Speaker 2: Right, And actually, if I can, that's a really important point, 550 00:33:17,240 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 2: especially in a marriage when when they both the spouses 551 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 2: are let's say they're dealing with a prodigal child or 552 00:33:26,160 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 2: a death or a change, they're going to process differently. 553 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 2: And so what you just said, right there was a 554 00:33:33,040 --> 00:33:35,560 Speaker 2: we can't compare it to other people and say this 555 00:33:35,680 --> 00:33:38,680 Speaker 2: is good and this is bad number one and number two. 556 00:33:39,120 --> 00:33:44,720 Speaker 2: You process it differently. And sometimes that's where a marriage, 557 00:33:45,120 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 2: why we see a marriage fall apart when a crisis hits, 558 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 2: because the two process the pain differently and aren't well, 559 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:55,959 Speaker 2: they aren't able. But they also don't give the grace 560 00:33:56,040 --> 00:33:56,520 Speaker 2: for the other. 561 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:00,080 Speaker 1: They judge the other person for not for process of 562 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:01,160 Speaker 1: singing it the way they do. 563 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 2: Wow, that's big, exactly, yeah, wow, And so that's a 564 00:34:05,720 --> 00:34:08,560 Speaker 2: that's a really important piece. And I just want to 565 00:34:08,560 --> 00:34:10,719 Speaker 2: correct and say you're absolutely right, you don't need a 566 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:14,399 Speaker 2: counselor I'm just saying that sometimes family and friends can't 567 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:16,359 Speaker 2: handle pain, so that's a place for it. But if 568 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:20,640 Speaker 2: you can do it in your relationships. But yeah, but 569 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:25,239 Speaker 2: you in a marriage, that's a big deal because you'll 570 00:34:25,239 --> 00:34:29,040 Speaker 2: see a lot of marriages break up after a crisis 571 00:34:29,160 --> 00:34:32,120 Speaker 2: and they really need to give the other grace and 572 00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:36,960 Speaker 2: they need to recognize, Okay, this is that person grieving, 573 00:34:38,320 --> 00:34:40,520 Speaker 2: this is how they grieve, and this is what they 574 00:34:40,560 --> 00:34:45,839 Speaker 2: have to go through to come to acceptance. And so 575 00:34:46,080 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 2: you just have to sit back and let them. You know, 576 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:54,000 Speaker 2: obviously you don't want to spin in that, you know 577 00:34:54,040 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 2: what I mean, like, but but you want to give 578 00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 2: them that grace to process the way they need to process. Yeah. 579 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:08,799 Speaker 1: Hey, friends, it's Katherine here. If you're trying to be 580 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:12,440 Speaker 1: a godly parent in this wild and wacky world, you 581 00:35:12,480 --> 00:35:15,160 Speaker 1: need all the help you can get, and I've got 582 00:35:15,200 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 1: you covered. When you subscribe to my website, you'll get 583 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 1: instant access to tons of free resources made just for 584 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,720 Speaker 1: Christian parents. You'll get my Prodigal Bundle, which is packed 585 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:29,040 Speaker 1: with every podcast, article, and scripture list I've created for 586 00:35:29,120 --> 00:35:33,040 Speaker 1: parents walking that tough prodigal road. You'll also get my 587 00:35:33,160 --> 00:35:37,000 Speaker 1: free eat book Beyond the lies and covering five myths 588 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:40,560 Speaker 1: the culture spreads to mothers, plus powerful scripture list pray 589 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:43,319 Speaker 1: over your kids, and even scripture songs to help your 590 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:46,920 Speaker 1: family hide God's word in your hearts without even trying. 591 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:50,080 Speaker 1: And of course I'll keep you encouraged with my weekly 592 00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:54,080 Speaker 1: newsletter full of faith filled PEP talks and outlines of 593 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:56,759 Speaker 1: what we're tackling each week on the show. So don't 594 00:35:56,760 --> 00:35:59,600 Speaker 1: miss out. Head over to Katherine Seekers dot com. That's 595 00:36:00,040 --> 00:36:03,760 Speaker 1: and Seekers dot com and subscribe today Because Christian parenting 596 00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:07,080 Speaker 1: may be crazy, but you don't have to do it alone. 597 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 1: I love that, Aaron. This is this is gold like 598 00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:16,839 Speaker 1: these are so many golden nuggets. This is this sort 599 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:19,040 Speaker 1: of stuff that you helped me with so often when 600 00:36:19,080 --> 00:36:23,600 Speaker 1: I come licking my wounds of life circumstances, and honestly, 601 00:36:24,160 --> 00:36:27,000 Speaker 1: I'm gonna be real honest. Other times when I've tried 602 00:36:27,040 --> 00:36:31,360 Speaker 1: to get, you know, to unload the burden or share 603 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:34,359 Speaker 1: the burden with other people that just just couldn't help 604 00:36:34,400 --> 00:36:37,640 Speaker 1: me with that, and perhaps at times even judged me 605 00:36:37,920 --> 00:36:41,720 Speaker 1: for the way that I had to process this loss 606 00:36:41,760 --> 00:36:45,800 Speaker 1: and the way I articulated it. And you know, I'm 607 00:36:45,840 --> 00:36:49,360 Speaker 1: gonna come around I want to We're gonna come to 608 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 1: this in a little bit. But one thing you talked 609 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:55,800 Speaker 1: about before we get on to the principles you mentioned, 610 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:59,040 Speaker 1: of course, your your amazing husband, who is a worship 611 00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:02,759 Speaker 1: minister in you know, as we would sit in the 612 00:37:02,760 --> 00:37:06,120 Speaker 1: presence of another person who's hurting, or someone might sit 613 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:09,160 Speaker 1: in the present our presence as we're hurting, as Jesus 614 00:37:09,160 --> 00:37:12,240 Speaker 1: did with those who are morning with Lazarus, as Job's 615 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:17,239 Speaker 1: friends did before they got a little critical. But when 616 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:23,360 Speaker 1: we sit in the presence of God and worship, wow. Wow. 617 00:37:24,280 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 1: The one thing I circled in my notes to talk 618 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:31,600 Speaker 1: about today was that very thing. I asked the Lord 619 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,759 Speaker 1: for some strategy and this this challenging season I'm in, 620 00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:37,719 Speaker 1: and the one thing he told me to do, the 621 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:40,760 Speaker 1: one thing was get on your knees and worship before 622 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:43,360 Speaker 1: me every day. And I'll be honest, you know, I 623 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:45,120 Speaker 1: try to be in the Word every day and certainly 624 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:47,319 Speaker 1: in an intercession and prayer every day. Worship is one 625 00:37:47,360 --> 00:37:51,440 Speaker 1: area where I've fallen short. You know, I'm just busy. 626 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:53,000 Speaker 1: I don't have time. Let me get in the word, 627 00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:57,680 Speaker 1: get it, you know, check everything off. And the worship 628 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:01,880 Speaker 1: is like worship me on Monday better than you do 629 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:04,560 Speaker 1: on Sunday, better with the band than you have with 630 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:08,160 Speaker 1: the whole worship ensemble or the choir. Wherever you go 631 00:38:08,200 --> 00:38:12,600 Speaker 1: to church, worship me on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday, 632 00:38:13,480 --> 00:38:16,360 Speaker 1: or in your car, but really takes some time in 633 00:38:16,440 --> 00:38:22,080 Speaker 1: the morning and worship me. And let me tell you that, 634 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:27,280 Speaker 1: more than anything else, is helping me through this challenging season, 635 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:33,919 Speaker 1: because when I'm in his presence, all of this other 636 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:38,800 Speaker 1: stuff seems to lift. All of this other stuff gets 637 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:43,480 Speaker 1: positioned in the right perspective. I find myself strengthened, I 638 00:38:43,560 --> 00:38:48,919 Speaker 1: find myself enabled. I found myself able to overcome these 639 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:54,560 Speaker 1: circumstances and go throughout my day. But just I'm going 640 00:38:54,640 --> 00:38:57,400 Speaker 1: to bookend it with that, because that worship is the 641 00:38:57,480 --> 00:39:02,360 Speaker 1: key when we can be and his, whatever the challenging 642 00:39:02,400 --> 00:39:04,800 Speaker 1: season we're going through, is going to get the right 643 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:12,799 Speaker 1: perspective because He is actually able without judging, without delegitimizing. 644 00:39:13,160 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 1: He is able to comfort and provide hope and strategy 645 00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:19,480 Speaker 1: and encouragement for getting through your difficult season. And we 646 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:22,520 Speaker 1: don't get there that anywhere else. Even as great a 647 00:39:22,560 --> 00:39:25,680 Speaker 1: counselor as you are, Doctor Aaron Barry, you will admit 648 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:30,239 Speaker 1: that you're not quite that good. You're up there, but 649 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:33,840 Speaker 1: you're no one can do that like the Holy Spirit 650 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:37,680 Speaker 1: can do that for us. So anyways, any thoughts you 651 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:39,399 Speaker 1: have on that, And then I want to let's talk 652 00:39:39,400 --> 00:39:42,840 Speaker 1: about some of the basic principles we should identify or 653 00:39:42,960 --> 00:39:45,760 Speaker 1: realize when we're going through a challenging season. 654 00:39:46,719 --> 00:39:48,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I want to say, yeah, I agree one 655 00:39:48,960 --> 00:39:52,239 Speaker 2: hundred percent that the presence of God because it reminds 656 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:57,280 Speaker 2: us of his character, who he is, and it's stabilizing, 657 00:39:58,000 --> 00:40:01,719 Speaker 2: right because he's the same yesterday, day, today and forever. 658 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:07,480 Speaker 2: And when we worship God to the power and the 659 00:40:07,520 --> 00:40:10,560 Speaker 2: size and the ability of Him, it takes it makes 660 00:40:10,600 --> 00:40:14,399 Speaker 2: it puts our problems in the right perspective that they're 661 00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:19,960 Speaker 2: under his jurisdiction and that they don't they don't shake him, 662 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:23,279 Speaker 2: they don't knock him off in any way. And it's 663 00:40:23,360 --> 00:40:27,839 Speaker 2: just it grounds you and settles you. And I think 664 00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:32,160 Speaker 2: also it helps you then to get to the what 665 00:40:32,280 --> 00:40:35,279 Speaker 2: really matters, because much of our life we're seeking so 666 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:39,799 Speaker 2: many things, but then when something happens, it shakes and 667 00:40:40,040 --> 00:40:44,719 Speaker 2: we either rewrote, like restabilizing the Lord, or we try 668 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,759 Speaker 2: to find the fulfillment elsewhere. So yeah, I just the 669 00:40:47,800 --> 00:40:51,600 Speaker 2: presence of God and then out of that usually you 670 00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:55,360 Speaker 2: just get the peace that passes understanding. So, and I 671 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:58,960 Speaker 2: just want to clarify worship. Often we use music, we 672 00:40:59,120 --> 00:41:01,480 Speaker 2: use the words of songs right to lead us there. 673 00:41:01,520 --> 00:41:05,840 Speaker 2: But worship is anytime that we just confess how great 674 00:41:05,920 --> 00:41:08,600 Speaker 2: and mighty and powerful God is. We can use this scripture, 675 00:41:08,600 --> 00:41:09,560 Speaker 2: we can use those words. 676 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:14,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, amen, I really believe in that. Awesome. Awesome, that's awesome. 677 00:41:15,200 --> 00:41:17,560 Speaker 1: So you had some principles of things that we could 678 00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:21,040 Speaker 1: go through when we're handling we're trying to handle a 679 00:41:21,080 --> 00:41:23,520 Speaker 1: situation like this, So what are some of those things 680 00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:27,239 Speaker 1: that we need to recognize and identify as we're going 681 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:28,440 Speaker 1: through a challenging season. 682 00:41:29,080 --> 00:41:31,439 Speaker 2: Okay, so first of all, after you so you sit 683 00:41:31,520 --> 00:41:34,040 Speaker 2: in your pain for a little bit in the show. Yes, 684 00:41:34,560 --> 00:41:37,360 Speaker 2: then as you process through, one of the really big 685 00:41:37,440 --> 00:41:42,280 Speaker 2: things is what is true Because a lot of times 686 00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:47,040 Speaker 2: when things are upset, we actually aren't necessarily living in 687 00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:49,680 Speaker 2: the moment. It's kind of like this is shaken. But 688 00:41:49,719 --> 00:41:52,440 Speaker 2: then what does that mean is that this is going 689 00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:54,480 Speaker 2: to happen, and this is going to happen and we. 690 00:41:57,080 --> 00:42:00,399 Speaker 1: That I did that, like last night, like my mine 691 00:42:00,440 --> 00:42:03,520 Speaker 1: went down this rabbit trail because this happened. That means 692 00:42:03,520 --> 00:42:05,360 Speaker 1: this could happen next month, and that could happen the 693 00:42:05,400 --> 00:42:07,480 Speaker 1: month after, and this could this could be you know, 694 00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:10,600 Speaker 1: in your mind. And some people are a lot worse 695 00:42:10,640 --> 00:42:13,120 Speaker 1: about this than other people. I would be one on 696 00:42:13,440 --> 00:42:16,399 Speaker 1: the worst scale of that. I mean, like like I 697 00:42:16,400 --> 00:42:18,240 Speaker 1: am really bad about that. I'm so glad you pointed 698 00:42:18,280 --> 00:42:21,040 Speaker 1: that out, because your mind wants to go down some 699 00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:25,160 Speaker 1: sort of a demonically inspired rabbit trail, and we need 700 00:42:25,200 --> 00:42:27,160 Speaker 1: to stop that, right with the truth. 701 00:42:27,880 --> 00:42:30,000 Speaker 2: Well, and so there's a couple of principles with it. 702 00:42:30,040 --> 00:42:34,520 Speaker 2: This is number one, what is true? And what where 703 00:42:34,600 --> 00:42:38,360 Speaker 2: are we now? What's what's the real in this moment? 704 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:41,040 Speaker 2: And what do we know that's real in this moment? 705 00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:45,000 Speaker 2: Because so often the Lord says, like he says, give 706 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:47,359 Speaker 2: us this day our daily bread. 707 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:49,759 Speaker 1: Yes, or or. 708 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:55,160 Speaker 2: Don't worry about tomorrow. I love how today has enough 709 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:56,040 Speaker 2: trouble of its own. 710 00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:58,520 Speaker 1: I mean, thank you for adding that. 711 00:43:00,520 --> 00:43:04,080 Speaker 2: But you know, so what is true? Okay? The truth 712 00:43:04,200 --> 00:43:09,120 Speaker 2: is this has happened. Has this happened? No will is 713 00:43:09,160 --> 00:43:13,600 Speaker 2: it destined to happen? No? You have no idea, and 714 00:43:14,480 --> 00:43:19,279 Speaker 2: I think you know your recent situation with Brian is 715 00:43:19,320 --> 00:43:23,160 Speaker 2: so beautiful with that, you know the job ended. Well, 716 00:43:23,239 --> 00:43:25,080 Speaker 2: you could have thought we'll be unemployed, we're going to 717 00:43:25,160 --> 00:43:29,000 Speaker 2: be on the street whatever, whatever, Right that wasn't true. 718 00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:32,400 Speaker 2: God had something for you right around the corner. 719 00:43:32,719 --> 00:43:34,480 Speaker 1: Yes, you know. 720 00:43:34,760 --> 00:43:37,880 Speaker 2: And many times it's not true. The things that we 721 00:43:38,080 --> 00:43:41,520 Speaker 2: fear are not true. And I think the enemy loves 722 00:43:41,600 --> 00:43:46,400 Speaker 2: He lives there. He lived in the what if and 723 00:43:47,120 --> 00:43:52,560 Speaker 2: how catastrophic it can be. Yes, But God lives in 724 00:43:52,640 --> 00:43:57,080 Speaker 2: the present, and he promises what we need for that day, 725 00:43:57,440 --> 00:44:01,400 Speaker 2: and if we stay there will be the honist and 726 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:04,560 Speaker 2: then we'll take that next step and that next step. 727 00:44:04,880 --> 00:44:08,120 Speaker 2: So a lot of times it's just is that true? 728 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:11,520 Speaker 2: What is true? And that can also include like what's 729 00:44:11,640 --> 00:44:14,600 Speaker 2: true that really happened? And what is true about God? 730 00:44:15,880 --> 00:44:20,800 Speaker 2: And who is our God? And is that the true God? Right? 731 00:44:20,920 --> 00:44:23,160 Speaker 2: Because all of a sudden it's a God that's mean 732 00:44:24,960 --> 00:44:28,399 Speaker 2: or it's a God that we can't count on and 733 00:44:28,440 --> 00:44:31,399 Speaker 2: that's not the word. So that's part of it as 734 00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:35,400 Speaker 2: well as what am I saying? Who God is and 735 00:44:35,440 --> 00:44:38,480 Speaker 2: who is God really? And then if we ground ourselves 736 00:44:38,520 --> 00:44:40,279 Speaker 2: in that then we can face that next day. So 737 00:44:40,840 --> 00:44:44,920 Speaker 2: I think that's really really important to always pull our 738 00:44:45,000 --> 00:44:49,120 Speaker 2: minds back to what is true, what is true about circumstance, 739 00:44:49,160 --> 00:44:49,960 Speaker 2: what's true about God? 740 00:44:50,600 --> 00:44:54,160 Speaker 1: So what do you do in those circumstances are like 741 00:44:54,760 --> 00:44:58,560 Speaker 1: say an accident and there's just a premature loss of 742 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:05,000 Speaker 1: a life or a devastating fatal diagnosis because we look 743 00:45:05,000 --> 00:45:08,520 Speaker 1: at that and we're like, well, God's all powerful, yeah, 744 00:45:08,560 --> 00:45:10,719 Speaker 1: and yet he's all good. How could he allow that 745 00:45:10,760 --> 00:45:13,680 Speaker 1: horrible thing to happen, like to my friend Jen Eichenhorst 746 00:45:14,280 --> 00:45:17,800 Speaker 1: who made that tragic left turn and took the life 747 00:45:17,840 --> 00:45:23,120 Speaker 1: of an innocent man. Or you know, dear friends, that 748 00:45:24,239 --> 00:45:27,000 Speaker 1: we have some friends that just got and that praise God. 749 00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:31,560 Speaker 1: They're they're very positive and believing God to work in 750 00:45:31,560 --> 00:45:34,840 Speaker 1: this situation and have a miracle. But they've got. You 751 00:45:34,840 --> 00:45:39,080 Speaker 1: know what, by earthly standards, is a fatal diagnosis. It's 752 00:45:40,120 --> 00:45:44,120 Speaker 1: a situation that you don't recover from. So I know 753 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:48,400 Speaker 1: God is good, but I think sometimes we have a 754 00:45:48,440 --> 00:45:51,839 Speaker 1: false perception of God that his goodness requires everything to 755 00:45:51,840 --> 00:45:54,640 Speaker 1: be smooth sailing in my life and that means no, 756 00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,360 Speaker 1: no bad things will happen to me and we forget, 757 00:45:57,480 --> 00:45:59,880 Speaker 1: we forget, we don't look. I mean, there were Christians 758 00:45:59,880 --> 00:46:02,600 Speaker 1: that were fed to the lions. All of the disciples 759 00:46:02,600 --> 00:46:08,480 Speaker 1: except one died a brutal, you know death. They were martyrs. 760 00:46:09,400 --> 00:46:13,880 Speaker 1: Is that because we have some Americanized version of the 761 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:17,360 Speaker 1: Gospel and therefore God and some sort of prosperity gospel 762 00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:21,239 Speaker 1: as seeped in? Why do we equate? And I tend 763 00:46:21,239 --> 00:46:23,600 Speaker 1: to do this too. That Well, God's goodness means that 764 00:46:23,760 --> 00:46:26,160 Speaker 1: I'm not going to get a bad diagnosis. God's goodness 765 00:46:26,160 --> 00:46:28,280 Speaker 1: means I'm not going to lose a job. God's goodness 766 00:46:28,320 --> 00:46:31,480 Speaker 1: means that there won't be any accidents or horrific things 767 00:46:31,520 --> 00:46:34,920 Speaker 1: to happen in my life, or floods that happen like 768 00:46:34,960 --> 00:46:38,360 Speaker 1: happened down in Texas. And we've dealt with the big 769 00:46:38,480 --> 00:46:42,719 Speaker 1: macro issue theologically on this show, and I would ask 770 00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:44,640 Speaker 1: people to go back to a show I did with 771 00:46:44,680 --> 00:46:47,839 Speaker 1: doctor Douglas grow Tye where we talked about how can 772 00:46:47,880 --> 00:46:50,200 Speaker 1: a good God allow so much evil and suffering in 773 00:46:50,200 --> 00:46:52,640 Speaker 1: the world. Okay, so we've dealt with the macro and 774 00:46:52,719 --> 00:46:55,400 Speaker 1: how that gets there, and I would definitely refer people 775 00:46:55,400 --> 00:46:57,800 Speaker 1: to that, But how do you deal with the micro 776 00:46:57,920 --> 00:47:01,560 Speaker 1: when it happens in your end individual life, which, by 777 00:47:01,560 --> 00:47:05,200 Speaker 1: the way, doctor grotys his wife was diagnosed in her 778 00:47:05,360 --> 00:47:08,440 Speaker 1: I want to say, fifties or early sixties, very very young, 779 00:47:08,600 --> 00:47:13,640 Speaker 1: with early on set Alzheimer's and died or dementia. She 780 00:47:14,520 --> 00:47:18,360 Speaker 1: died of. Really, she was a mensa, a member, She 781 00:47:18,520 --> 00:47:23,719 Speaker 1: was brilliant, she was a certified genius and lost her 782 00:47:23,760 --> 00:47:29,040 Speaker 1: ability to communicate and pick up a fork and feed herself. 783 00:47:29,080 --> 00:47:30,920 Speaker 1: I mean, so we dealt with the macro issue, but 784 00:47:31,160 --> 00:47:33,120 Speaker 1: as a counselor on the micro issue, how do we 785 00:47:33,200 --> 00:47:37,960 Speaker 1: deal with so? I know, according to scripture, God is 786 00:47:38,000 --> 00:47:41,680 Speaker 1: good and by the way, okay, one of the things 787 00:47:41,719 --> 00:47:44,600 Speaker 1: the Lord reminded me of he told him to set 788 00:47:44,680 --> 00:47:47,560 Speaker 1: up stones of remembrance in the Old Testament. Why did 789 00:47:47,600 --> 00:47:50,280 Speaker 1: he do that? Not because life was going to be easy, 790 00:47:50,640 --> 00:47:53,680 Speaker 1: but because when the giants came, when the enemy came, 791 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:56,839 Speaker 1: when the hard time struck, we need to have these 792 00:47:56,840 --> 00:47:58,920 Speaker 1: stones to remind us. Now, this is who God is. 793 00:47:59,200 --> 00:48:02,319 Speaker 1: So if he allowed something, because he's all powerful, it 794 00:48:02,320 --> 00:48:04,839 Speaker 1: didn't escape his notice. He didn't cause it. I don't 795 00:48:04,840 --> 00:48:08,319 Speaker 1: believe he causes premature death or illness or anything like that. 796 00:48:08,520 --> 00:48:11,520 Speaker 1: Didn't cause it, but he allowed it. Therefore, I have 797 00:48:11,560 --> 00:48:13,880 Speaker 1: to go back to these stones of remembrance and to 798 00:48:13,960 --> 00:48:15,320 Speaker 1: what the word of God says. 799 00:48:15,360 --> 00:48:15,799 Speaker 2: He is. 800 00:48:16,160 --> 00:48:20,680 Speaker 1: He is good despite the diagnosis. He is good despite 801 00:48:20,840 --> 00:48:23,759 Speaker 1: the tragedy that occurred from the left turn. He is 802 00:48:23,840 --> 00:48:28,640 Speaker 1: good despite my circumstances. That is where our faith really 803 00:48:28,800 --> 00:48:31,440 Speaker 1: gets some muscles on it, because we have to believe 804 00:48:31,520 --> 00:48:36,160 Speaker 1: something that the enemy will say is negated by our circumstances, 805 00:48:36,560 --> 00:48:41,160 Speaker 1: but it isn't. Because God caused his own son to 806 00:48:41,239 --> 00:48:44,839 Speaker 1: die on a cross, that death saved us all. The 807 00:48:44,840 --> 00:48:48,200 Speaker 1: greatest human tragedy in all of human history was the 808 00:48:48,360 --> 00:48:51,880 Speaker 1: death of an innocent man who is God incarnate. Therefore, 809 00:48:51,960 --> 00:48:55,480 Speaker 1: God causes life to come from death, good to come 810 00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:58,680 Speaker 1: from bad. What the enemy meant for evil, God will 811 00:48:58,719 --> 00:49:02,040 Speaker 1: turn for good. But it doesn't mean we don't encounter evil. 812 00:49:02,440 --> 00:49:13,319 Speaker 5: But God is still good, right, Yeah. 813 00:49:13,520 --> 00:49:19,279 Speaker 2: And it is really hard for us as humans to 814 00:49:19,600 --> 00:49:24,080 Speaker 2: hold in our hands what we see in the goodness 815 00:49:24,120 --> 00:49:28,799 Speaker 2: of God because we judge it a certain way. But 816 00:49:29,280 --> 00:49:31,319 Speaker 2: I know you've dealt with this. It has to do 817 00:49:31,440 --> 00:49:33,680 Speaker 2: with sin. It has to do with what we think 818 00:49:33,800 --> 00:49:37,640 Speaker 2: we're promised and what we're really promised, yes, and then 819 00:49:37,719 --> 00:49:41,360 Speaker 2: the purpose of this life. And I would be lying 820 00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:45,720 Speaker 2: if I said, oh, I get this right, right, because 821 00:49:45,760 --> 00:49:49,400 Speaker 2: we all have expectations. We all have things in our 822 00:49:49,440 --> 00:49:52,000 Speaker 2: life we get used to and then when they're taken, 823 00:49:53,640 --> 00:49:57,560 Speaker 2: it's really painful. I remember there's that song you give 824 00:49:57,600 --> 00:50:02,160 Speaker 2: and take away. You remember that, And I remember a 825 00:50:03,080 --> 00:50:05,439 Speaker 2: pastor saying, we're not going to sing that song because 826 00:50:05,480 --> 00:50:10,400 Speaker 2: it's not true. It's actually based it's based on scripture 827 00:50:10,440 --> 00:50:14,960 Speaker 2: from Job. Yes, it's true, and there's this idea and 828 00:50:15,320 --> 00:50:18,680 Speaker 2: we all live there. There's this idea eternities in our hearts. 829 00:50:18,680 --> 00:50:23,000 Speaker 2: So we think things will last forever, and when they don't, 830 00:50:23,040 --> 00:50:26,560 Speaker 2: it's just painful. And the reality is there are some 831 00:50:26,719 --> 00:50:30,760 Speaker 2: great losses in this life. They're just and they don't 832 00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:36,440 Speaker 2: make sense, and they're painful to walk through, except that 833 00:50:36,560 --> 00:50:40,120 Speaker 2: our hope is beyond this world and our fullness is 834 00:50:40,120 --> 00:50:43,840 Speaker 2: the promise of heaven. And I think the more that 835 00:50:43,920 --> 00:50:48,520 Speaker 2: you experience laws, the more that you see, Okay, this 836 00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:52,479 Speaker 2: world doesn't give as much as I thought it did. 837 00:50:54,120 --> 00:50:56,720 Speaker 2: It Really the fullness really is in Christ. It really 838 00:50:56,800 --> 00:51:02,080 Speaker 2: is an eternity. And so yeah, you have to just 839 00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:06,400 Speaker 2: you have to walk through things as well and find 840 00:51:06,480 --> 00:51:10,319 Speaker 2: a new like a new reality so to speak. You know, 841 00:51:10,360 --> 00:51:14,560 Speaker 2: the terms of your life are different after that loss. 842 00:51:14,600 --> 00:51:17,560 Speaker 2: And the goodness is that God is still good and 843 00:51:17,600 --> 00:51:21,680 Speaker 2: you can still experience wonderful things even with that loss, 844 00:51:23,440 --> 00:51:26,200 Speaker 2: you know, And talking about this, I think one of 845 00:51:26,239 --> 00:51:31,479 Speaker 2: the more difficult things for me was when my son 846 00:51:31,600 --> 00:51:36,560 Speaker 2: was diagnosed with type one diabetes. He was fourteen, and 847 00:51:38,080 --> 00:51:40,279 Speaker 2: we had no history of that in our family that 848 00:51:40,360 --> 00:51:42,560 Speaker 2: we knew of. It came out of nowhere. It was 849 00:51:42,680 --> 00:51:45,560 Speaker 2: just it was just a shock. I remember, like I 850 00:51:45,600 --> 00:51:49,520 Speaker 2: was just in shock and such a loss. And when 851 00:51:49,520 --> 00:51:53,040 Speaker 2: I look back at that, and obviously I still I 852 00:51:53,080 --> 00:51:55,400 Speaker 2: wish he didn't have it. I still pray for his healing, 853 00:51:56,239 --> 00:52:02,799 Speaker 2: but I see just depth of depth in him. He's 854 00:52:03,280 --> 00:52:09,480 Speaker 2: a just his kindness, his compassion. I understand other people 855 00:52:09,640 --> 00:52:15,120 Speaker 2: suffering better because I have. I've gone through that and 856 00:52:15,160 --> 00:52:19,680 Speaker 2: that's a reality. It's a present reality, but it's still 857 00:52:19,760 --> 00:52:21,560 Speaker 2: but like it's still good. I still have my son. 858 00:52:21,680 --> 00:52:25,280 Speaker 2: I see the warmth and the compassion and the kindness 859 00:52:25,320 --> 00:52:30,040 Speaker 2: in him, and I'm grateful for every day. Yes, you know, 860 00:52:30,120 --> 00:52:33,839 Speaker 2: And I saw God reach to him and really deal 861 00:52:33,920 --> 00:52:37,719 Speaker 2: with his loss, like really be true to him. So 862 00:52:39,200 --> 00:52:41,359 Speaker 2: it's a reality of life. And I think we don't 863 00:52:41,360 --> 00:52:45,560 Speaker 2: want to sugarcoat it, but I think the point is 864 00:52:45,560 --> 00:52:49,280 Speaker 2: that the goodness of God, it goes on. It's just different, 865 00:52:49,640 --> 00:52:53,919 Speaker 2: different than we expected. And that's hard. 866 00:52:54,040 --> 00:52:56,920 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is, it is. And I think a lot 867 00:52:57,000 --> 00:53:00,480 Speaker 1: of I think a lot of people if the early 868 00:53:00,600 --> 00:53:04,719 Speaker 1: church could kind of see us in our western air 869 00:53:04,760 --> 00:53:08,839 Speaker 1: conditioned churches and homes with you know, our big you know, 870 00:53:08,960 --> 00:53:13,600 Speaker 1: offerings and ministry funds and coffee shops and all the 871 00:53:13,640 --> 00:53:15,800 Speaker 1: stuff we have in Western culture and society and in 872 00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:20,239 Speaker 1: the church, I think they would be like, what the heck, 873 00:53:20,760 --> 00:53:24,319 Speaker 1: what's wrong with you people? You guys are go ahead 874 00:53:24,840 --> 00:53:25,320 Speaker 1: for you. 875 00:53:25,320 --> 00:53:27,839 Speaker 2: You've brought up a good point too. We live. We 876 00:53:27,880 --> 00:53:29,080 Speaker 2: are so prosperous. 877 00:53:29,480 --> 00:53:29,960 Speaker 1: We are. 878 00:53:30,560 --> 00:53:34,879 Speaker 2: We are so prosperous, even if you're on the lower side. 879 00:53:36,520 --> 00:53:38,279 Speaker 1: Whatever, right, so. 880 00:53:38,480 --> 00:53:43,279 Speaker 2: Much and we and death is foreign yeah to us. 881 00:53:43,320 --> 00:53:45,680 Speaker 2: And you know what I mean, boss, is foreign. 882 00:53:45,880 --> 00:53:50,759 Speaker 1: Were just expect. It's expected. We expect to live, you know, 883 00:53:50,880 --> 00:53:54,919 Speaker 1: seventy eighty eighty five years something like that. That's the expectation. 884 00:53:55,200 --> 00:53:57,879 Speaker 1: So when something less that was not the expectation through 885 00:53:57,960 --> 00:54:02,120 Speaker 1: much of humanistry, either by persecution through your faith or 886 00:54:02,200 --> 00:54:05,240 Speaker 1: you know, obviously all the health challenges. How many children, 887 00:54:05,320 --> 00:54:08,160 Speaker 1: what was the norm with you know, oh, my gosh, 888 00:54:08,200 --> 00:54:09,920 Speaker 1: I don't have in front of me, but you know, 889 00:54:09,960 --> 00:54:13,720 Speaker 1: women in childbirth, so many women, so many children died 890 00:54:13,840 --> 00:54:17,560 Speaker 1: in childbirth. So many women died in childbirth. We live 891 00:54:17,640 --> 00:54:23,600 Speaker 1: in an unprecedented time with unprecedented human flourishing and thriving, 892 00:54:23,640 --> 00:54:25,640 Speaker 1: and we do take that for granted. We have a 893 00:54:25,840 --> 00:54:29,560 Speaker 1: very very short sighted view, and particularly given where we 894 00:54:29,600 --> 00:54:31,960 Speaker 1: live in the West, those of us who do live 895 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:34,160 Speaker 1: in the West, you know, western part of the world. 896 00:54:34,239 --> 00:54:36,680 Speaker 1: I do have some international listeners, I'm sure, but you know, 897 00:54:36,719 --> 00:54:40,120 Speaker 1: it just it is we we our perspective is really 898 00:54:40,160 --> 00:54:43,480 Speaker 1: short sighted. Here's what I want to do. We're wrapping 899 00:54:43,560 --> 00:54:45,520 Speaker 1: up on this time, but we are nowhere near done 900 00:54:45,560 --> 00:54:47,920 Speaker 1: with this topic. Like not near done. I wanted to 901 00:54:47,960 --> 00:54:49,640 Speaker 1: I had a couple of thoughts I wanted to point 902 00:54:49,680 --> 00:54:51,399 Speaker 1: out and give you the final word and then let's 903 00:54:51,440 --> 00:54:54,399 Speaker 1: continue with the principles that we need to go in 904 00:54:54,400 --> 00:54:58,680 Speaker 1: a subsequent episode. But one thing you were talking about 905 00:54:58,920 --> 00:55:03,360 Speaker 1: your diagnosis with your son and just just the loss, 906 00:55:03,520 --> 00:55:08,240 Speaker 1: the fear, gosh, the fear as a mother knowing this, 907 00:55:08,480 --> 00:55:11,680 Speaker 1: you know type one diabetes, how dangerous that can be. 908 00:55:12,760 --> 00:55:15,799 Speaker 1: There are circumstances that we go through in life and 909 00:55:15,840 --> 00:55:18,319 Speaker 1: you're like, yeah, God can heal this, Clearly he can. 910 00:55:18,920 --> 00:55:22,239 Speaker 1: Why hasn't that happened. I just recently had an episode 911 00:55:22,280 --> 00:55:25,440 Speaker 1: with a woman named Jamie Hampton. She's a fellow Life 912 00:55:25,480 --> 00:55:29,520 Speaker 1: audio podcaster, and we were talking about Watchman Mee and 913 00:55:29,640 --> 00:55:35,560 Speaker 1: there's this amazing situation where he was younger, he had tuberculosis, 914 00:55:36,360 --> 00:55:40,520 Speaker 1: prayed and God miraculously healed him. He had another heart ailment. 915 00:55:40,560 --> 00:55:42,919 Speaker 1: I forget the name of it, Pictoris something or other 916 00:55:43,239 --> 00:55:45,520 Speaker 1: caused I think a weakening of the heart and a 917 00:55:45,520 --> 00:55:49,000 Speaker 1: lot of pain, very serious ailment. Prayed for it. God 918 00:55:49,040 --> 00:55:51,440 Speaker 1: did not heal him, and he was kind of lamenting that. 919 00:55:51,520 --> 00:55:53,080 Speaker 1: It was like, well, clearly you can. I mean, you 920 00:55:53,200 --> 00:55:55,839 Speaker 1: healed this, but not that. Wait, what's going on there? 921 00:55:57,320 --> 00:55:59,840 Speaker 1: And he was looking out at sea and he saw 922 00:56:00,520 --> 00:56:03,840 Speaker 1: a rocky area where some ships were nearby, and the 923 00:56:03,920 --> 00:56:08,600 Speaker 1: Lord spoke to his heart. He said, sometimes I remove 924 00:56:08,680 --> 00:56:15,799 Speaker 1: the rocks, but sometimes I raise the water. So in 925 00:56:15,840 --> 00:56:19,120 Speaker 1: our lives, we all want him to remove the rocks. Lord, 926 00:56:19,239 --> 00:56:22,359 Speaker 1: remove the rock, take the rocks and I'm the same 927 00:56:22,400 --> 00:56:25,479 Speaker 1: way we all are. We want to remove the rocks, yeah, 928 00:56:25,520 --> 00:56:28,600 Speaker 1: we do, but sometimes he raises the water so that 929 00:56:28,640 --> 00:56:31,520 Speaker 1: we can scale above. The rocks don't go away, They're 930 00:56:31,560 --> 00:56:34,799 Speaker 1: still there. But it's in the secret place, it's in 931 00:56:34,880 --> 00:56:37,799 Speaker 1: the worship place, it's in digging in his word and 932 00:56:37,840 --> 00:56:39,839 Speaker 1: staying true to the disciplines and some of the other 933 00:56:39,840 --> 00:56:41,600 Speaker 1: things I want to talk about in the next episode. 934 00:56:41,640 --> 00:56:44,160 Speaker 1: That he helps to raise the water because he doesn't 935 00:56:44,200 --> 00:56:47,520 Speaker 1: always remove the rocks. And as much as I want 936 00:56:47,560 --> 00:56:50,920 Speaker 1: him to, and as much as certain aspects of prosperity, 937 00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:54,040 Speaker 1: Gospel or whatever, some preachers will say, no, you don't 938 00:56:54,080 --> 00:56:57,080 Speaker 1: have enough faith that he didn't remove the rocks. He 939 00:56:57,120 --> 00:56:59,439 Speaker 1: didn't remove the rocks from his own disciples, he didn't 940 00:56:59,480 --> 00:57:03,560 Speaker 1: remove the rock from Jesus. He had to have that 941 00:57:03,680 --> 00:57:07,239 Speaker 1: agonizing moment in the garden, if there will be any 942 00:57:07,239 --> 00:57:09,960 Speaker 1: other way, if you can remove this rock, in other words, 943 00:57:09,960 --> 00:57:14,399 Speaker 1: please remove this rock. Nevertheless, not my will, but fine, 944 00:57:14,520 --> 00:57:16,840 Speaker 1: And we all have to come to that place. And 945 00:57:16,880 --> 00:57:18,360 Speaker 1: one of the things that came to mind when you 946 00:57:18,360 --> 00:57:22,480 Speaker 1: were talking earlier about that obstacle with Brett, my children 947 00:57:22,600 --> 00:57:27,640 Speaker 1: went on an amazing missions trip this summer to Asia, 948 00:57:27,680 --> 00:57:30,680 Speaker 1: where their eyes were open to a part of Christianity 949 00:57:30,720 --> 00:57:35,800 Speaker 1: that is exploding. It's just exploding in the part of 950 00:57:35,840 --> 00:57:38,400 Speaker 1: the world that they went to. I can't even mention it. 951 00:57:38,400 --> 00:57:41,480 Speaker 1: It's so dangerous to be a Christian in that area 952 00:57:41,480 --> 00:57:43,840 Speaker 1: of the world. But they went there on this missions 953 00:57:43,920 --> 00:57:47,200 Speaker 1: trip and the Lord moved mightily. But a large part 954 00:57:47,200 --> 00:57:50,280 Speaker 1: of the reason I was when they told me they 955 00:57:50,280 --> 00:57:52,840 Speaker 1: wanted to go on this missions trip. The price tag 956 00:57:52,920 --> 00:57:55,280 Speaker 1: on it was seven thousand dollars between the two of them, 957 00:57:55,320 --> 00:57:58,360 Speaker 1: and I don't you know, my husband right after that 958 00:57:58,440 --> 00:58:00,120 Speaker 1: he lost his job, and I'm like, I don't have 959 00:58:00,160 --> 00:58:02,600 Speaker 1: a thousand dollars to send these kids on. But I'm like, okay. 960 00:58:03,200 --> 00:58:05,640 Speaker 1: They encouraged us, our pastors encouraged us just to have 961 00:58:05,680 --> 00:58:09,840 Speaker 1: faith to believe. So we started to raise the money 962 00:58:09,920 --> 00:58:11,960 Speaker 1: and we sent out a letter and this woman wanted 963 00:58:12,000 --> 00:58:13,400 Speaker 1: to meet with us. She was a friend of my 964 00:58:13,640 --> 00:58:19,040 Speaker 1: mother in law, and her name is Melanie Avril, and 965 00:58:19,080 --> 00:58:22,120 Speaker 1: she had a daughter named Ashley Avril, who I think 966 00:58:22,160 --> 00:58:26,000 Speaker 1: it's been about two decades ago, contracted cancer. She was 967 00:58:26,040 --> 00:58:32,160 Speaker 1: like fourteen years old and tragically died. God did not 968 00:58:32,280 --> 00:58:38,600 Speaker 1: remove the rock, and she told her mother. She said, look, 969 00:58:39,480 --> 00:58:44,800 Speaker 1: I don't want to use my name for cancer research 970 00:58:44,840 --> 00:58:46,320 Speaker 1: and other stuff like that. I want you to do 971 00:58:46,400 --> 00:58:52,960 Speaker 1: something Kingdom oriented in my name. She started the Ashley 972 00:58:53,040 --> 00:58:56,720 Speaker 1: Avril Foundation. And what they do is they help children, 973 00:58:56,880 --> 00:59:00,360 Speaker 1: They help young people go on missions trips, and so 974 00:59:00,400 --> 00:59:03,800 Speaker 1: for the past twenty years, in the name of Ashley Averril, 975 00:59:03,880 --> 00:59:08,440 Speaker 1: this young girl who at the age of fourteen, her 976 00:59:08,480 --> 00:59:12,480 Speaker 1: life was tragically cut short. In her name, children have 977 00:59:12,600 --> 00:59:15,920 Speaker 1: gone all over the world and ministered in the Gospel, 978 00:59:16,680 --> 00:59:19,200 Speaker 1: and they gave us. They didn't pay for the whole trip, 979 00:59:19,200 --> 00:59:22,160 Speaker 1: but they gave a significant a significant sum to each 980 00:59:22,200 --> 00:59:25,520 Speaker 1: of the kids. And as a result, I have a 981 00:59:25,560 --> 00:59:28,640 Speaker 1: son now who's very, very interested in ministry and going 982 00:59:28,640 --> 00:59:32,160 Speaker 1: into seminary. I have a daughter who is seriously considering 983 00:59:32,400 --> 00:59:34,640 Speaker 1: medical missions. Not only did we raise, by the way, 984 00:59:34,720 --> 00:59:36,480 Speaker 1: enough money to send them on that trip, we had 985 00:59:36,480 --> 00:59:38,800 Speaker 1: so much leftover we sent my daughter on a second 986 00:59:39,000 --> 00:59:41,680 Speaker 1: trip to Mexico this summer because I was like, well, 987 00:59:41,720 --> 00:59:45,000 Speaker 1: the money keeps coming in, and I look at that 988 00:59:45,120 --> 00:59:50,160 Speaker 1: as being one of those situations the enemy certainly meant harm. 989 00:59:50,640 --> 00:59:52,880 Speaker 1: But God turned around and look at all the life 990 00:59:52,920 --> 00:59:55,160 Speaker 1: that has come out of it talk about, you know, 991 00:59:56,240 --> 01:00:01,280 Speaker 1: just such a tragic situation. But God is determined to 992 01:00:01,400 --> 01:00:05,840 Speaker 1: do good in those tragic situations in our life. He's 993 01:00:05,880 --> 01:00:09,880 Speaker 1: still good and Ashley is with him and she will 994 01:00:09,920 --> 01:00:13,240 Speaker 1: be reconciled with her family forever. And in her name, 995 01:00:14,600 --> 01:00:18,640 Speaker 1: seeds have been planted in a generation of young people 996 01:00:20,040 --> 01:00:24,800 Speaker 1: that otherwise might not have had those opportunities. So speaking 997 01:00:24,880 --> 01:00:28,960 Speaker 1: to that in our closing moments here, how God brings 998 01:00:29,800 --> 01:00:33,960 Speaker 1: good out of these these challenging situations in our lives. 999 01:00:34,320 --> 01:00:39,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I think the beauty of that too is 1000 01:00:39,360 --> 01:00:44,920 Speaker 2: we look at our own lives and we think I 1001 01:00:44,960 --> 01:00:48,520 Speaker 2: should I'm not doing anything, or what have I produced? 1002 01:00:48,680 --> 01:00:54,560 Speaker 2: Or you know, we tend to be very shortsighted. But Ashley, 1003 01:00:54,640 --> 01:01:00,360 Speaker 2: for example, she doesn't know cognitively on earth, you know, heaven, 1004 01:01:00,440 --> 01:01:04,240 Speaker 2: but she doesn't know what the legacy of her life 1005 01:01:04,280 --> 01:01:11,520 Speaker 2: has produced. And likewise, we don't know. We don't know, 1006 01:01:12,520 --> 01:01:17,680 Speaker 2: We don't know when we make a difference in another 1007 01:01:17,800 --> 01:01:23,280 Speaker 2: person's life and how. And so I think the whole thing, too, 1008 01:01:23,360 --> 01:01:27,800 Speaker 2: is just pulling back and recognizing God is writing his 1009 01:01:28,080 --> 01:01:32,680 Speaker 2: story that we are a part of, and nothing we 1010 01:01:32,800 --> 01:01:36,400 Speaker 2: do that we do in him is in vain, and 1011 01:01:36,440 --> 01:01:42,160 Speaker 2: it keeps giving and giving, and many times we don't 1012 01:01:42,240 --> 01:01:46,240 Speaker 2: get to see the fruit of our life. But if 1013 01:01:46,240 --> 01:01:50,240 Speaker 2: we are living for him, our life is producing that fruit. 1014 01:01:50,600 --> 01:01:51,280 Speaker 1: It just is. 1015 01:01:52,320 --> 01:01:55,560 Speaker 2: And our tragedies in our when we suffer. And like 1016 01:01:55,560 --> 01:02:01,600 Speaker 2: I said, the one thing I understand because of when 1017 01:02:01,960 --> 01:02:07,200 Speaker 2: what I went through, I wouldn't understand if I hadn't. 1018 01:02:08,160 --> 01:02:13,000 Speaker 2: So hopefully I've been kind and helpful to others because 1019 01:02:13,000 --> 01:02:16,600 Speaker 2: of that, and so that would be my thing is 1020 01:02:16,720 --> 01:02:20,480 Speaker 2: just pulld back, try to ask God to show you 1021 01:02:20,520 --> 01:02:25,760 Speaker 2: from his perspective what he's doing too, and rest in that. 1022 01:02:25,960 --> 01:02:29,080 Speaker 2: And if you don't know this side, you will know 1023 01:02:29,160 --> 01:02:29,880 Speaker 2: the next side. 1024 01:02:31,480 --> 01:02:34,240 Speaker 1: Amen. Amen, I think you and I probably well, I 1025 01:02:34,320 --> 01:02:37,080 Speaker 1: won't speak for you. I would probably be a very 1026 01:02:37,120 --> 01:02:40,480 Speaker 1: proud homeschool and mama with all of my ducks in 1027 01:02:40,520 --> 01:02:44,480 Speaker 1: a row, with all of my perfectly godly little kids, 1028 01:02:44,520 --> 01:02:46,800 Speaker 1: if God hadn't allowed me a taste of what it's 1029 01:02:46,920 --> 01:02:50,000 Speaker 1: like to go through a prodigal journey with a child, 1030 01:02:50,040 --> 01:02:52,480 Speaker 1: as if I could accomplish that, as if it's not 1031 01:02:53,720 --> 01:02:57,400 Speaker 1: God who reaches into the lives of our kids, and yes, 1032 01:02:57,520 --> 01:03:00,640 Speaker 1: some of them, I'm not having that expectation that they're 1033 01:03:00,680 --> 01:03:03,040 Speaker 1: going to go through that. I'm going to do everything 1034 01:03:03,120 --> 01:03:04,840 Speaker 1: within my power. I'm going to I'm going to be 1035 01:03:04,880 --> 01:03:07,240 Speaker 1: the godly parent that He's called me to be. But 1036 01:03:08,320 --> 01:03:09,800 Speaker 1: the results are out of my hands. 1037 01:03:09,920 --> 01:03:12,240 Speaker 2: And that's all you've got control over. 1038 01:03:12,800 --> 01:03:16,640 Speaker 1: Right, That's it, right, And that's all we have control 1039 01:03:16,640 --> 01:03:19,120 Speaker 1: over in these challenging seasons. Is okay? How am I 1040 01:03:19,240 --> 01:03:23,400 Speaker 1: going to respond to this? And so much of the 1041 01:03:23,400 --> 01:03:26,240 Speaker 1: fruit of I think what God wants to do in 1042 01:03:26,280 --> 01:03:30,760 Speaker 1: our challenging situation happens when you know, we can get bitter, 1043 01:03:30,880 --> 01:03:33,840 Speaker 1: we can get angry, we can say God, you cause 1044 01:03:33,960 --> 01:03:38,040 Speaker 1: this curse God? Like didn't Job's wife tell him to 1045 01:03:38,560 --> 01:03:39,120 Speaker 1: curse God? 1046 01:03:39,280 --> 01:03:39,400 Speaker 2: Just? 1047 01:03:39,440 --> 01:03:42,320 Speaker 1: And well? We may have some that voice in our 1048 01:03:42,360 --> 01:03:44,360 Speaker 1: head or some friends that tell us, well, this is 1049 01:03:44,400 --> 01:03:46,680 Speaker 1: just proof that your God isn't real. No, you got 1050 01:03:46,720 --> 01:03:48,880 Speaker 1: to read the book. Read the book. Job is in 1051 01:03:48,920 --> 01:03:52,400 Speaker 1: there for a reason, all of us. Look at the suffering, 1052 01:03:52,720 --> 01:03:54,720 Speaker 1: the suffering and the Old Testament and the New Look 1053 01:03:54,720 --> 01:03:57,000 Speaker 1: what Joseph went through. Look at all of this and 1054 01:03:57,080 --> 01:03:59,560 Speaker 1: what all of the New Testament disciples went through. Look 1055 01:03:59,600 --> 01:04:03,720 Speaker 1: at it. We're not promised and a life of ease. 1056 01:04:04,120 --> 01:04:06,640 Speaker 1: And I did a whole episode. It just actually came 1057 01:04:06,680 --> 01:04:09,720 Speaker 1: out this week, the week that I'm recording this episode. 1058 01:04:09,760 --> 01:04:12,880 Speaker 1: But it's on finding hope in that valley, what the 1059 01:04:12,880 --> 01:04:15,040 Speaker 1: purpose is in our pain, and it's the fruit that 1060 01:04:15,080 --> 01:04:18,880 Speaker 1: God is doing in a season that he can't produce 1061 01:04:18,960 --> 01:04:22,680 Speaker 1: this kind of quality, deep rich fruit in any other 1062 01:04:22,760 --> 01:04:28,360 Speaker 1: soil than soil that may be just laced with suffering 1063 01:04:28,480 --> 01:04:32,840 Speaker 1: soil that has so many challenges and rocks involved. But 1064 01:04:33,600 --> 01:04:36,320 Speaker 1: that is the soil that causes the roots to go 1065 01:04:36,440 --> 01:04:39,280 Speaker 1: down deep and produce the greatest fruit, the fruit of 1066 01:04:39,280 --> 01:04:41,560 Speaker 1: the spirit in our lives. And so thank you for 1067 01:04:41,600 --> 01:04:43,960 Speaker 1: helping us to get there erin, and we're going to 1068 01:04:44,000 --> 01:04:46,600 Speaker 1: continue this conversation because there's some other things I want 1069 01:04:46,640 --> 01:04:48,880 Speaker 1: to talk about, you know, finding groups that we can 1070 01:04:48,920 --> 01:04:50,680 Speaker 1: be in and all of the other stuff that we 1071 01:04:50,680 --> 01:04:54,160 Speaker 1: can talk about how to handle these difficult situations, because 1072 01:04:54,200 --> 01:04:56,600 Speaker 1: there's so much more wisdom that you have to share. 1073 01:04:56,640 --> 01:04:59,640 Speaker 1: But tell us where our listeners where they can learn 1074 01:04:59,640 --> 01:05:01,840 Speaker 1: more about you and what you do. 1075 01:05:02,720 --> 01:05:06,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, So I have a website with my husband. It's 1076 01:05:06,440 --> 01:05:11,000 Speaker 2: been Separablelives dot com and just reach out there. 1077 01:05:11,360 --> 01:05:14,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, okay, great, Well I will put all of that 1078 01:05:14,600 --> 01:05:15,280 Speaker 1: information in. 1079 01:05:15,240 --> 01:05:15,959 Speaker 2: The show notes. 1080 01:05:16,240 --> 01:05:20,040 Speaker 1: You guys, trust me. There is so much more that 1081 01:05:20,040 --> 01:05:21,960 Speaker 1: we are going to unpack on how to deal with 1082 01:05:22,000 --> 01:05:25,160 Speaker 1: these plot twists challenging seasons in life. This has been 1083 01:05:26,000 --> 01:05:31,120 Speaker 1: so amazing, so rich, so encouraging to me and the 1084 01:05:31,200 --> 01:05:33,800 Speaker 1: challenging season that we're in right now. Thank you so much, Aarin. 1085 01:05:33,840 --> 01:05:34,720 Speaker 1: I can't thank you enough. 1086 01:05:35,680 --> 01:05:37,160 Speaker 2: You Vett, thank you Catherine. 1087 01:05:38,320 --> 01:05:41,840 Speaker 1: I love the principles that Aaron shared with us today, 1088 01:05:41,880 --> 01:05:46,360 Speaker 1: because when life goes haywire, we don't just need inspiration, 1089 01:05:46,760 --> 01:05:50,720 Speaker 1: we need handles. We need something solid to grab onto. 1090 01:05:51,280 --> 01:05:54,720 Speaker 1: So let's recap some of these very practical steps that 1091 01:05:54,800 --> 01:05:59,560 Speaker 1: you can begin taking today. First off, find your safe circle. 1092 01:05:59,720 --> 01:06:03,560 Speaker 1: If I one or two trusted people like a counselor 1093 01:06:03,600 --> 01:06:08,800 Speaker 1: a wise friend, somebody spiritually mature who can hold your shock, 1094 01:06:09,320 --> 01:06:14,080 Speaker 1: your grief and your questions. This will protect your heart 1095 01:06:14,120 --> 01:06:18,000 Speaker 1: and it also protects your other relationships. Not everyone is 1096 01:06:18,040 --> 01:06:21,040 Speaker 1: equipped to carry the kind of weight that you may 1097 01:06:21,080 --> 01:06:24,040 Speaker 1: be carrying right now, and that's okay. Jesus had his 1098 01:06:24,200 --> 01:06:28,080 Speaker 1: inner circle and you need yours. So look for people 1099 01:06:28,120 --> 01:06:31,840 Speaker 1: who will listen well, who won't judge you, and who 1100 01:06:31,920 --> 01:06:36,880 Speaker 1: won't rush to fix what only God can heal. Second, 1101 01:06:37,440 --> 01:06:41,800 Speaker 1: give yourself permission to grieve your loss. Yes, it's true 1102 01:06:41,800 --> 01:06:46,560 Speaker 1: that someone somewhere has it worse, but that doesn't invalidate 1103 01:06:47,000 --> 01:06:53,000 Speaker 1: your pain. Your loss is real, your disappointment matters. And remember, 1104 01:06:53,080 --> 01:06:59,280 Speaker 1: healing is not a competition, it's a process. Third, honor 1105 01:06:59,600 --> 01:07:04,560 Speaker 1: your don't let anyone rush you, but don't give up either. 1106 01:07:04,720 --> 01:07:08,240 Speaker 1: Grief is something you walk through, not something you camp 1107 01:07:08,280 --> 01:07:13,080 Speaker 1: in forever. So take that next small step forward and 1108 01:07:13,120 --> 01:07:16,160 Speaker 1: trust that God is going to meet you there. Fourth, 1109 01:07:16,720 --> 01:07:20,440 Speaker 1: extend some grace to yourself and to others. Your spouse, 1110 01:07:20,560 --> 01:07:24,080 Speaker 1: your children, your friends. They may not respond the same 1111 01:07:24,120 --> 01:07:26,640 Speaker 1: way that you do. That doesn't mean they don't care. 1112 01:07:26,840 --> 01:07:30,360 Speaker 1: It just means that they're human too, So allow space 1113 01:07:30,720 --> 01:07:36,000 Speaker 1: for different reactions without assigning wrong motives, and make sure 1114 01:07:36,040 --> 01:07:41,959 Speaker 1: you're surrounding yourself with people who make space for your reaction. Now, 1115 01:07:42,000 --> 01:07:45,680 Speaker 1: the fifth thing you need to do is anchor yourself 1116 01:07:45,880 --> 01:07:48,800 Speaker 1: and what is true, not what you fear, not what 1117 01:07:48,880 --> 01:07:53,640 Speaker 1: you imagine. What is true, and you know you may 1118 01:07:53,680 --> 01:07:57,000 Speaker 1: have to start with the most basic truths like God 1119 01:07:57,280 --> 01:08:00,880 Speaker 1: is real and God loves me. God is with me. 1120 01:08:01,880 --> 01:08:07,240 Speaker 1: That's enough of a foundation to stand on today and tomorrow. 1121 01:08:07,600 --> 01:08:14,800 Speaker 1: You can build again, and finally spend concentrated time in worship, 1122 01:08:14,840 --> 01:08:19,120 Speaker 1: because there and only there will you gain the much 1123 01:08:19,280 --> 01:08:23,400 Speaker 1: needed perspective on what you are going through. And be 1124 01:08:23,560 --> 01:08:25,680 Speaker 1: sure to tune in next week because Aaron is going 1125 01:08:25,720 --> 01:08:29,160 Speaker 1: to get even more practical in helping us navigate these 1126 01:08:29,240 --> 01:08:34,639 Speaker 1: curveball seasons. And as always, remember God gave you your kids, 1127 01:08:34,720 --> 01:08:39,400 Speaker 1: your specific kids for a reason. That's because you hold 1128 01:08:39,439 --> 01:08:42,880 Speaker 1: the key to unlocking who God created them to be. 1129 01:08:43,520 --> 01:08:53,800 Speaker 1: We'll see you next time. Christian parent Crazy World is 1130 01:08:53,800 --> 01:08:56,960 Speaker 1: a production of Life Audio and Salem Media. If you 1131 01:08:57,080 --> 01:08:59,240 Speaker 1: liked what you heard today, please take a second to 1132 01:08:59,360 --> 01:09:02,639 Speaker 1: rate and review this podcast in your favorite podcast app 1133 01:09:03,000 --> 01:09:05,240 Speaker 1: so that more listeners like you can find the show. 1134 01:09:05,960 --> 01:09:10,120 Speaker 1: For more faith filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio 1135 01:09:10,280 --> 01:09:18,120 Speaker 1: dot com.