1 00:00:11,150 --> 00:00:13,270 Speaker 1: Before we get into those steps, remember you can go 2 00:00:13,289 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 1: to NicoleUnis.com slash decisions. That will give you a download 3 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,220 Speaker 1: and a reflection guide that help you think about what 4 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:22,600 Speaker 1: it means to move towards this life of depth, which 5 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,180 Speaker 1: is what I'm going to give you this week. But 6 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,580 Speaker 1: also that will give you an email that will help 7 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:30,010 Speaker 1: you connect with the stuff that we're talking about today. 8 00:00:30,030 --> 00:00:31,930 Speaker 1: I'm going to send you my notes from today on that. 9 00:00:32,010 --> 00:00:36,370 Speaker 1: So NicoleUnis.com slash decisions to get that information. All right, 10 00:00:36,390 --> 00:00:39,930 Speaker 1: let's get into it, my friends. Step one, the very 11 00:00:39,990 --> 00:00:43,380 Speaker 1: first step in this process is to identify the decision 12 00:00:43,420 --> 00:00:45,740 Speaker 1: in front of us. Now, when we are talking about 13 00:00:45,780 --> 00:00:49,020 Speaker 1: this kind of decision making, we're talking about a practical 14 00:00:49,540 --> 00:00:52,820 Speaker 1: decision or real decision, such as something you are going 15 00:00:52,860 --> 00:00:56,459 Speaker 1: to do or not do, or choice A versus choice B, 16 00:00:57,210 --> 00:01:00,610 Speaker 1: this also needs to be something that you have agency over. 17 00:01:00,650 --> 00:01:03,130 Speaker 1: And what I mean by that is it's much different 18 00:01:03,170 --> 00:01:07,170 Speaker 1: to say, Lord, I want a partner. I want my spouse. 19 00:01:07,270 --> 00:01:09,020 Speaker 1: I want you to bring me children. Those are not 20 00:01:09,060 --> 00:01:11,940 Speaker 1: things that we have full agency over. Now, we could 21 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,140 Speaker 1: pray about, God, are there steps that you're asking me 22 00:01:15,180 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 1: to take that might put me in a place of relationship? 23 00:01:19,220 --> 00:01:22,179 Speaker 1: Am I in this church? Am I leaving this job? 24 00:01:22,340 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: These decisions that we have agency over, there could be 25 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:28,990 Speaker 1: decisions related to the desire that you have. But in 26 00:01:29,069 --> 00:01:32,350 Speaker 1: order to follow this decision-making process, first and foremost, there 27 00:01:32,390 --> 00:01:34,690 Speaker 1: needs to be an actual decision in front of you. 28 00:01:34,810 --> 00:01:38,070 Speaker 1: So if you don't have a do or not do 29 00:01:38,130 --> 00:01:42,070 Speaker 1: decision or a choice A versus choice B decision, then 30 00:01:42,090 --> 00:01:44,720 Speaker 1: you're not ready for this decision-making process. You may need 31 00:01:44,750 --> 00:01:48,940 Speaker 1: to go back to week one where we're really evaluating 32 00:01:49,020 --> 00:01:52,700 Speaker 1: our desires and our values and And we're asking God 33 00:01:52,770 --> 00:01:55,090 Speaker 1: to show us the terrain of our lives and how 34 00:01:55,130 --> 00:01:58,150 Speaker 1: that connects to our values. There may be something that 35 00:01:58,210 --> 00:02:01,570 Speaker 1: you are struggling with that requires patience. That was week three. 36 00:02:01,970 --> 00:02:04,750 Speaker 1: There might be something that you desire from God, but 37 00:02:05,290 --> 00:02:07,290 Speaker 1: a decision is not in front of you. You're really 38 00:02:07,310 --> 00:02:09,790 Speaker 1: in a process of praying to God that he might 39 00:02:09,990 --> 00:02:13,170 Speaker 1: open your mind and open your options for that thing, 40 00:02:13,230 --> 00:02:15,730 Speaker 1: that holy desire that you have. So if that's the case, 41 00:02:16,110 --> 00:02:18,630 Speaker 1: then this decision-making process won't work. This has to be 42 00:02:18,710 --> 00:02:22,380 Speaker 1: something that's real. Do I stay in town or move 43 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:25,180 Speaker 1: to this location? Do I leave this job or do 44 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: I stay in this job? It's a practical choice. Do 45 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,450 Speaker 1: I choose college A or college B? Do I move 46 00:02:31,490 --> 00:02:34,430 Speaker 1: forward in this relationship or do we end this relationship? 47 00:02:34,470 --> 00:02:37,690 Speaker 1: These are the kind of things that are practical decision-making, 48 00:02:37,790 --> 00:02:41,179 Speaker 1: real decisions, things that you have agency over that come 49 00:02:41,220 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: into our lives. All of us face decisions like this. 50 00:02:44,870 --> 00:02:47,149 Speaker 1: you may or may not be in that moment right now. 51 00:02:47,210 --> 00:02:49,049 Speaker 1: So the first thing is you have to be able 52 00:02:49,090 --> 00:02:52,350 Speaker 1: to state what the decision actually is so that if 53 00:02:52,470 --> 00:02:54,250 Speaker 1: I was your friend, we were taking a walk, you 54 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:56,750 Speaker 1: would be able to say, this is the decision that 55 00:02:56,790 --> 00:03:00,940 Speaker 1: I'm thinking about. Do or not do, choice A versus 56 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:06,019 Speaker 1: choice B. This is step one, identifying the decision. Now, 57 00:03:06,100 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: if we do have a true decision in front of us, 58 00:03:08,300 --> 00:03:10,680 Speaker 1: now we can move into the next process, which is 59 00:03:10,740 --> 00:03:15,380 Speaker 1: really a three-step conversation with the Holy Spirit. And the 60 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 1: first step of this conversation is what we've already sort 61 00:03:18,040 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: of touched on through this episode and through this series, 62 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: which is asking the Holy Spirit to transform our thoughts. 63 00:03:25,260 --> 00:03:29,269 Speaker 1: So we're asking the Spirit to help our desires come 64 00:03:29,290 --> 00:03:33,669 Speaker 1: into alignment with God's desires. We discussed this last week. 65 00:03:34,370 --> 00:03:37,250 Speaker 1: We want to ask God for freedom from our own judgments. 66 00:03:38,030 --> 00:03:40,970 Speaker 1: We want to ask and be able to truly say 67 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: which of these decisions gives the most glory to God. 68 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,410 Speaker 1: and allows me to express my deepest, most authentic self. 69 00:03:50,530 --> 00:03:52,750 Speaker 1: We really want to be in a place where anything 70 00:03:52,770 --> 00:03:55,410 Speaker 1: that would hinder us from being able to say that 71 00:03:55,450 --> 00:03:59,190 Speaker 1: my number one commitment is serving God. Which of these 72 00:03:59,250 --> 00:04:02,850 Speaker 1: decisions helps me serve God the most? We need to 73 00:04:02,890 --> 00:04:05,820 Speaker 1: work through that process. And sometimes this can take a while. 74 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,900 Speaker 1: Where we're trying to get in this is we want 75 00:04:08,920 --> 00:04:12,180 Speaker 1: to get to sacred detachment. So the concept of sacred 76 00:04:12,220 --> 00:04:15,950 Speaker 1: or holy detachments is this idea that I'm not inclined 77 00:04:16,430 --> 00:04:19,070 Speaker 1: toward one of these decisions more than the other. If 78 00:04:19,130 --> 00:04:21,529 Speaker 1: I truly have two good decisions in front of me, 79 00:04:22,010 --> 00:04:24,940 Speaker 1: I want to understand if there's an inclination already in 80 00:04:24,980 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: my heart toward one of them, and I want to 81 00:04:27,460 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: understand the motivations behind that inclination. As long as we 82 00:04:32,620 --> 00:04:37,270 Speaker 1: have any disordered attachments, meaning there's a reason we're attached 83 00:04:37,470 --> 00:04:40,860 Speaker 1: to a decision, And we don't know if those reasons 84 00:04:40,900 --> 00:04:43,500 Speaker 1: that we're attached are actually connected to what God wants 85 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,620 Speaker 1: to us. As long as that's going on, we are 86 00:04:46,660 --> 00:04:48,930 Speaker 1: going to be biased in our decision making. It's going 87 00:04:48,940 --> 00:04:51,849 Speaker 1: to be very difficult for us to actually hear from God. 88 00:05:01,150 --> 00:05:04,060 Speaker 1: Let's say I'm tired of where I live. Let's say 89 00:05:04,100 --> 00:05:07,060 Speaker 1: that I am tired of the community I'm in and 90 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,420 Speaker 1: my job is boring. And I'm thinking about the idea 91 00:05:10,450 --> 00:05:13,380 Speaker 1: of moving. I saw an Instagram reel and I fell 92 00:05:13,420 --> 00:05:15,200 Speaker 1: in love with this other city and I'm thinking that 93 00:05:15,220 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: I need to move to this other city. Well, as 94 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:22,810 Speaker 1: long as I have a disordered attachment to the idea 95 00:05:23,110 --> 00:05:27,210 Speaker 1: of being still or going through something hard or being 96 00:05:27,270 --> 00:05:30,450 Speaker 1: attached in a place where maybe I'm experiencing some loneliness, 97 00:05:30,930 --> 00:05:32,570 Speaker 1: it's going to be very hard for me to hear 98 00:05:32,630 --> 00:05:34,360 Speaker 1: God say, no, I actually want you to stay in 99 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: that place. I know you see this other option and 100 00:05:36,980 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 1: you've gone through the process, but I want you to stay. 101 00:05:38,820 --> 00:05:41,540 Speaker 1: Does that make sense? There's a sense that we can 102 00:05:41,620 --> 00:05:44,500 Speaker 1: fool ourselves, we can deceive ourselves into thinking that we're 103 00:05:44,540 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: hearing from God when in reality all we're doing is 104 00:05:47,660 --> 00:05:51,630 Speaker 1: we just want to validate the decision that we already 105 00:05:51,650 --> 00:05:54,690 Speaker 1: want to make. So if you truly want to make 106 00:05:54,850 --> 00:05:57,909 Speaker 1: a God-centered decision, if you truly want the freedom and 107 00:05:57,970 --> 00:06:01,050 Speaker 1: confidence that comes from decision-making, then we have to do 108 00:06:01,089 --> 00:06:05,870 Speaker 1: the rigorous work of getting to sacred detachment, of not 109 00:06:05,930 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: being inclined toward one answer more than the other. We 110 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:13,940 Speaker 1: see Jesus do this in Matthew 26. In the Garden 111 00:06:13,980 --> 00:06:17,230 Speaker 1: of Gethsemane, Jesus knows that he's going to face the cross, 112 00:06:17,930 --> 00:06:20,730 Speaker 1: and he falls to his knees and he prays earnestly 113 00:06:20,810 --> 00:06:24,190 Speaker 1: to his Father. And he asks for the cup to 114 00:06:24,230 --> 00:06:26,810 Speaker 1: be taken from him. He actually asks for the decision 115 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: to be made that this would not be the way 116 00:06:29,020 --> 00:06:31,660 Speaker 1: that it would have to go. He doesn't ask just once. 117 00:06:31,860 --> 00:06:35,020 Speaker 1: He doesn't ask twice. He actually asks three times through 118 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,740 Speaker 1: the night in this deep, prayerful place, Matthew 26. This 119 00:06:39,260 --> 00:06:42,300 Speaker 1: is 39 through 44. Let me go ahead and read 120 00:06:42,339 --> 00:06:46,330 Speaker 1: it to you. He goes away from his disciples and 121 00:06:46,350 --> 00:06:48,370 Speaker 1: he falls to the ground and he says, My father, 122 00:06:48,930 --> 00:06:51,610 Speaker 1: if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me, 123 00:06:52,270 --> 00:06:55,729 Speaker 1: yet not as I will, but as you will. See, 124 00:06:55,750 --> 00:06:59,830 Speaker 1: there's the holy detachment. It's the ability to say, this 125 00:06:59,890 --> 00:07:02,310 Speaker 1: is my desire, this is what I want, but Lord, 126 00:07:02,390 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 1: not as I will, but as you will. And he 127 00:07:05,260 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 1: returned to his disciples and he found them sleeping. Couldn't 128 00:07:07,820 --> 00:07:10,620 Speaker 1: you men watch for one more hour, said Peter. He 129 00:07:10,660 --> 00:07:13,140 Speaker 1: said to Peter, watch and pray so that you do 130 00:07:13,180 --> 00:07:16,460 Speaker 1: not fall into temptation. You see, here's the motivation. The 131 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:19,340 Speaker 1: spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. You see, 132 00:07:19,420 --> 00:07:22,870 Speaker 1: here we see that God acknowledges that there is a 133 00:07:22,930 --> 00:07:27,620 Speaker 1: battle between our flesh and our spirit. And A decision-making 134 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: process like this that slows us down, that asks the 135 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,940 Speaker 1: Holy Spirit to transform our thoughts, is our way of 136 00:07:34,140 --> 00:07:40,340 Speaker 1: sifting out spirit-led desires versus flesh-led desires. Verse 42 says 137 00:07:40,380 --> 00:07:42,500 Speaker 1: he went away a second time and he prayed, My father, 138 00:07:42,980 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 1: if it is not possible for this cup to be 139 00:07:45,020 --> 00:07:47,490 Speaker 1: taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done. 140 00:07:47,510 --> 00:07:50,510 Speaker 1: And when he came back, he found his disciples sleeping again. 141 00:07:51,090 --> 00:07:53,010 Speaker 1: So he left them and he went away and he 142 00:07:53,110 --> 00:07:56,860 Speaker 1: prayed the third time saying the same thing. So over 143 00:07:56,900 --> 00:07:59,460 Speaker 1: and over again, we see Jesus saying the same thing, 144 00:07:59,660 --> 00:08:03,100 Speaker 1: asking for the same thing. But then the holy detachment 145 00:08:03,160 --> 00:08:04,860 Speaker 1: of not my will, but yours be done, Lord, I 146 00:08:04,900 --> 00:08:08,200 Speaker 1: want what's the best and highest use of myself. Our 147 00:08:08,300 --> 00:08:12,070 Speaker 1: own Savior said those words. And then in verse 44, 148 00:08:12,060 --> 00:08:14,500 Speaker 1: we see him move to this final place in 45, 149 00:08:14,490 --> 00:08:17,050 Speaker 1: which is that he's confident and he's ready to move forward. 150 00:08:17,750 --> 00:08:20,030 Speaker 1: So we want to get to sacred attachment. This is 151 00:08:20,490 --> 00:08:23,430 Speaker 1: really the second step. The first step is identify the decision. 152 00:08:23,890 --> 00:08:27,050 Speaker 1: The second is we're asking the Spirit to transform our thoughts. 153 00:08:27,770 --> 00:08:30,570 Speaker 1: This is where we have to become familiar enough with 154 00:08:30,690 --> 00:08:35,900 Speaker 1: ourselves to understand some of our potential obstacles along the 155 00:08:35,940 --> 00:08:39,719 Speaker 1: way to holy detachment. We may have some shoulds in 156 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,260 Speaker 1: our life about a certain way that our life should 157 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:44,780 Speaker 1: look or a certain way that our life should go. 158 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,100 Speaker 1: We may be battling some cultural norms about where we're 159 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 1: supposed to be at the age that we are or 160 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:52,410 Speaker 1: with the education that we have or with the family 161 00:08:52,450 --> 00:08:56,020 Speaker 1: that we're from. These could be negative or positive. We 162 00:08:56,059 --> 00:08:58,849 Speaker 1: may have fears that are holding us back or greed 163 00:08:58,990 --> 00:09:02,550 Speaker 1: or possessiveness. There might be past hurts in our life 164 00:09:03,110 --> 00:09:06,050 Speaker 1: that we're reacting to. And so from those wounds, we're 165 00:09:06,070 --> 00:09:09,829 Speaker 1: making decisions without the courage to continue to move forward. 166 00:09:09,850 --> 00:09:12,450 Speaker 1: There might be some self-pity in there. We might be 167 00:09:12,530 --> 00:09:16,110 Speaker 1: out to prove something. We might just be impatient. So 168 00:09:16,150 --> 00:09:18,860 Speaker 1: we want to move forward without really working through the process. 169 00:09:18,910 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: We may have a desire for control or image. power, popularity. 170 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,570 Speaker 1: There's all of these ways that we may have obstacles 171 00:09:29,640 --> 00:09:32,210 Speaker 1: along the way to really holy detachment where we can 172 00:09:32,330 --> 00:09:35,410 Speaker 1: truly say to God, not my will but yours be done. 173 00:09:36,270 --> 00:09:39,210 Speaker 1: But as we pray and as we work through this 174 00:09:39,309 --> 00:09:41,820 Speaker 1: idea of can I get to a place where I 175 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,179 Speaker 1: truly want God to help me make the decision that 176 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 1: will give him the most glory, that will be a 177 00:09:48,460 --> 00:09:52,270 Speaker 1: decision for my deepest and most authentic self, even though 178 00:09:52,350 --> 00:09:54,510 Speaker 1: I don't know what the answer will be. Their sacred 179 00:09:54,550 --> 00:09:56,730 Speaker 1: detachment is actually being able to say, I don't know 180 00:09:56,770 --> 00:09:59,530 Speaker 1: which one of these alternatives leads to that place. I'm 181 00:09:59,610 --> 00:10:03,390 Speaker 1: asking the Spirit to move me to that place. And 182 00:10:03,429 --> 00:10:05,530 Speaker 1: while we do that, which this is a deep wrestling, 183 00:10:05,570 --> 00:10:08,729 Speaker 1: this is a difficult step, we can also, though, have 184 00:10:08,770 --> 00:10:12,850 Speaker 1: the confidence to pray, like it says in 2 Timothy 1.7, 185 00:10:12,850 --> 00:10:15,620 Speaker 1: For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, 186 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:20,820 Speaker 1: but gives us power, love, and self-discipline. We can pray 187 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:23,620 Speaker 1: over the decision, God, give me the power and the 188 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:29,439 Speaker 1: love and the self-discipline to follow your direction. Meanwhile, while 189 00:10:29,500 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: we are doing this work, as we are allowing these 190 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:36,510 Speaker 1: obstacles to surface, as we're moving towards sacred detachment, as 191 00:10:36,550 --> 00:10:39,209 Speaker 1: we're honest with ourselves, if we truly are at a 192 00:10:39,230 --> 00:10:42,430 Speaker 1: place where we can say, I am detached from the 193 00:10:42,490 --> 00:10:44,750 Speaker 1: decision that's going to be made. I really want to 194 00:10:44,809 --> 00:10:47,590 Speaker 1: hear from God on which of these choices he wants 195 00:10:47,610 --> 00:10:51,480 Speaker 1: me to make. While we're doing that, we are also 196 00:10:51,580 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: gathering data and discussing this decision, okay? So this is 197 00:10:55,520 --> 00:10:59,480 Speaker 1: another really important thing. This requires the ability to live 198 00:10:59,500 --> 00:11:03,260 Speaker 1: in the ambiguity of not knowing, and this may take time. 199 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: So while we do this, we gather more details about 200 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:10,020 Speaker 1: the decision. We gather information about the decision that we 201 00:11:10,059 --> 00:11:13,400 Speaker 1: might be making. We consult with others who would be 202 00:11:13,500 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: impacted by the decision we're making, family and friends, perhaps 203 00:11:16,980 --> 00:11:21,020 Speaker 1: our pastor, spiritual, mature spiritual people in our lives, we 204 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:24,319 Speaker 1: are going to start discussing and thinking through what this 205 00:11:24,380 --> 00:11:26,900 Speaker 1: would be like. So this is not something that you 206 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:29,730 Speaker 1: do in a vacuum. While you're asking God to transform 207 00:11:29,750 --> 00:11:33,210 Speaker 1: your thoughts, you actually are gathering more information about the 208 00:11:33,250 --> 00:11:36,189 Speaker 1: viability of this decision, about the choices that are being made. 209 00:11:36,250 --> 00:11:39,329 Speaker 1: Perhaps you're choosing between job A and job B. You're 210 00:11:39,390 --> 00:11:42,750 Speaker 1: figuring out all of the pieces to that puzzle, all 211 00:11:42,770 --> 00:11:44,500 Speaker 1: of the things that you would want to know about 212 00:11:44,540 --> 00:11:47,000 Speaker 1: that job, how demanding is that job. What are some 213 00:11:47,020 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: of the benefits? Who are you expecting to work with? 214 00:11:49,340 --> 00:11:51,230 Speaker 1: What skills are you going to be using? All the 215 00:11:51,250 --> 00:11:53,510 Speaker 1: kinds of things that we want to be asking. You 216 00:11:53,530 --> 00:11:56,590 Speaker 1: should be doing that work as well. So often, and 217 00:11:56,610 --> 00:12:00,610 Speaker 1: what I love about this Ignatian spirituality is that so 218 00:12:00,750 --> 00:12:03,410 Speaker 1: often I find that we seem to be people who 219 00:12:03,470 --> 00:12:06,910 Speaker 1: are either all head people or all heart people, and 220 00:12:07,010 --> 00:12:10,390 Speaker 1: meaning we either are so connected to the whims of 221 00:12:10,470 --> 00:12:12,610 Speaker 1: our emotion and what we might call like the Holy 222 00:12:12,670 --> 00:12:15,230 Speaker 1: Spirit that that we just want to make a decision 223 00:12:15,250 --> 00:12:19,550 Speaker 1: without actually doing any of the work of logic and intellect. 224 00:12:20,270 --> 00:12:22,370 Speaker 1: Or on the other side, we're so scared of the 225 00:12:22,410 --> 00:12:24,630 Speaker 1: spirit and of our emotions that we only want to 226 00:12:24,670 --> 00:12:27,709 Speaker 1: do logic and intellect, and we don't ever engage our heart. 227 00:12:28,270 --> 00:12:30,690 Speaker 1: This process is really asking us to bring those together, 228 00:12:30,730 --> 00:12:33,150 Speaker 1: that we want to know, is the decision that we're 229 00:12:33,190 --> 00:12:36,630 Speaker 1: making even viable? Is it even possible? We're gathering data 230 00:12:36,710 --> 00:12:38,630 Speaker 1: as we go. All of this is part of the 231 00:12:38,670 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: way that God is opening us up to His will 232 00:12:42,500 --> 00:12:45,580 Speaker 1: for our life. And honestly, in this step, you may 233 00:12:45,679 --> 00:12:48,140 Speaker 1: exit the decision-making process. You might have had a decision 234 00:12:48,179 --> 00:12:50,500 Speaker 1: in front of you that isn't viable at all. It's 235 00:12:50,570 --> 00:12:53,730 Speaker 1: not the time for it. Perhaps God's moving your desires 236 00:12:53,790 --> 00:12:57,069 Speaker 1: towards something, but you discover, wait, there actually isn't a 237 00:12:57,130 --> 00:13:00,130 Speaker 1: decision for me to make quite yet, and I'm going 238 00:13:00,150 --> 00:13:02,110 Speaker 1: to be okay with that. That might be part of 239 00:13:02,150 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 1: this process. You could exit this decision-making at any point 240 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 1: as this work is being done. But all the while, 241 00:13:08,340 --> 00:13:11,570 Speaker 1: during this step, we are praying for openness and God's will. 242 00:13:11,610 --> 00:13:15,170 Speaker 1: We're asking that question, which alternative would give the most 243 00:13:15,250 --> 00:13:19,230 Speaker 1: glory to God? The third step in our process is 244 00:13:19,290 --> 00:13:22,170 Speaker 1: going to be analyzing, okay? And we're going to ask 245 00:13:22,250 --> 00:13:26,180 Speaker 1: the Spirit to influence our will. We are asking the 246 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:30,060 Speaker 1: Spirit to influence our own desires. And this is not 247 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,000 Speaker 1: one that we can rush. We've had time that's gone 248 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,130 Speaker 1: by to gather information, to pray. We're asking God, to 249 00:13:37,190 --> 00:13:39,890 Speaker 1: shed light on all of our motivations, both our holy 250 00:13:39,929 --> 00:13:44,350 Speaker 1: motivations and our disordered motivations. We're bringing all of those 251 00:13:44,410 --> 00:13:46,610 Speaker 1: before God. But now we've got our decision and we've 252 00:13:46,650 --> 00:13:50,070 Speaker 1: got data and we need to evaluate our findings. We 253 00:13:50,110 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: want to actually write down the advantages and disadvantages. This 254 00:13:53,800 --> 00:13:57,400 Speaker 1: is just your standard pros and cons list underneath each 255 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,420 Speaker 1: of the decisions. Don't evaluate or judge anything that you 256 00:14:01,460 --> 00:14:04,280 Speaker 1: write down. Just try to empty your mind of every 257 00:14:04,340 --> 00:14:08,319 Speaker 1: possible advantage and disadvantage. you'll know that you're really doing 258 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:11,900 Speaker 1: this because there will likely be some advantage and disadvantages 259 00:14:12,040 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: in there that are self-motivated, that are self-centered. That's just 260 00:14:15,660 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: because we're human beings. You're not going to do this 261 00:14:18,140 --> 00:14:20,750 Speaker 1: perfectly wholly. It's actually going to help you to see 262 00:14:20,770 --> 00:14:23,450 Speaker 1: it on paper and be like, well, that decision is 263 00:14:23,510 --> 00:14:25,430 Speaker 1: for my comfort. I don't know that that's a really 264 00:14:25,470 --> 00:14:28,110 Speaker 1: good way to evaluate my findings, but that was in there. 265 00:14:28,130 --> 00:14:30,770 Speaker 1: That's influencing me, so I'm going to write it down. 266 00:14:31,690 --> 00:14:33,910 Speaker 1: We're going to evaluate the findings, and I want to 267 00:14:34,010 --> 00:14:37,980 Speaker 1: give you some scripture that can help you understand why 268 00:14:38,030 --> 00:14:40,380 Speaker 1: we're doing what we're doing and how we're moving toward 269 00:14:40,740 --> 00:14:44,660 Speaker 1: what God is calling us to. Romans 12, verse 2, 270 00:14:44,660 --> 00:14:46,860 Speaker 1: just one of my favorite verses in all of scripture. 271 00:14:47,380 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed 272 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:54,180 Speaker 1: by the renewal of your mind. We're actually asking the 273 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,460 Speaker 1: Spirit to renew our mind in this process. That by 274 00:14:57,540 --> 00:15:01,650 Speaker 1: testing— this is the decision-making—by testing the you may discern what 275 00:15:01,710 --> 00:15:04,510 Speaker 1: is the will of God, what is good and acceptable 276 00:15:04,630 --> 00:15:08,830 Speaker 1: and perfect. This is a good process. 2 Peter 1, 277 00:15:08,830 --> 00:15:13,190 Speaker 1: verses 3-4 says, His divine power has given us everything 278 00:15:13,230 --> 00:15:16,000 Speaker 1: we need for a godly life through our knowledge of 279 00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 280 00:15:20,280 --> 00:15:22,900 Speaker 1: Through these, He has given us His very great and 281 00:15:23,020 --> 00:15:28,270 Speaker 1: precious promises so that through them, you may participate in 282 00:15:28,290 --> 00:15:32,800 Speaker 1: the divine nature. We have this opportunity to live in 283 00:15:32,820 --> 00:15:35,590 Speaker 1: the kingdom of God while we are living on this earth. 284 00:15:36,050 --> 00:15:39,610 Speaker 1: When we make God-shaped decisions, we are asking to participate 285 00:15:39,710 --> 00:15:42,630 Speaker 1: in the divine nature. And the scripture goes on and says, 286 00:15:42,690 --> 00:15:46,630 Speaker 1: having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 287 00:15:47,230 --> 00:15:50,950 Speaker 1: So again, this process is us saying, God, we're asking 288 00:15:50,970 --> 00:15:54,560 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit to transform our desires through this process. 289 00:15:55,540 --> 00:16:00,030 Speaker 1: Galatians 6.14 has been a life ministry verse For me, 290 00:16:00,050 --> 00:16:03,120 Speaker 1: and it says, may I never boast except in the 291 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,320 Speaker 1: cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world 292 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,240 Speaker 1: has been crucified to me and I to the world. 293 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:13,090 Speaker 1: Meaning I'm not making decisions based on the way the 294 00:16:13,120 --> 00:16:16,090 Speaker 1: world makes decisions. I'm making decisions based on the way 295 00:16:16,130 --> 00:16:19,550 Speaker 1: the Spirit makes decisions. That's a choice we make. That's 296 00:16:19,590 --> 00:16:22,390 Speaker 1: a decision we make. And even as we're looking at 297 00:16:22,430 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 1: our pros and cons list, we can put these scriptures 298 00:16:25,250 --> 00:16:27,370 Speaker 1: in front of our mind And we can pray for 299 00:16:27,410 --> 00:16:30,480 Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit to give us full openness to be 300 00:16:30,510 --> 00:16:34,020 Speaker 1: in touch with our motivations and desires. We can pray 301 00:16:34,060 --> 00:16:36,540 Speaker 1: for God to give us deeper faith and deeper love 302 00:16:36,700 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 1: in this decision. And then we can evaluate what we 303 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:45,190 Speaker 1: see in our advantages and disadvantages by attaching those findings 304 00:16:45,510 --> 00:16:48,130 Speaker 1: to those values that we talked about in week one. Remember, 305 00:16:48,170 --> 00:16:51,630 Speaker 1: we talked about this idea that God gives us God-shaped desires, 306 00:16:51,670 --> 00:16:53,970 Speaker 1: that we express the image of God in the way 307 00:16:53,990 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 1: that we live our life in our own story. So 308 00:16:56,860 --> 00:17:00,380 Speaker 1: we're actually looking for the option that more evidently at 309 00:17:00,420 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: this point leads us to serve God, the option that 310 00:17:03,480 --> 00:17:06,660 Speaker 1: better leads us to growth in the Holy Spirit, which 311 00:17:06,900 --> 00:17:10,570 Speaker 1: option seems consistent with the story of your life up 312 00:17:10,609 --> 00:17:12,629 Speaker 1: to this point, of the way that God has worked 313 00:17:12,730 --> 00:17:15,850 Speaker 1: in your life. And at this point, we're paying attention 314 00:17:16,310 --> 00:17:20,150 Speaker 1: to how our desires might be growing or how that 315 00:17:20,190 --> 00:17:22,650 Speaker 1: desire might be shrinking. We're praying for God to move 316 00:17:22,730 --> 00:17:26,550 Speaker 1: us toward a decision. And if you continue to fluctuate 317 00:17:26,900 --> 00:17:30,730 Speaker 1: then there's probably still an attachment that's influencing your decision. 318 00:17:31,130 --> 00:17:33,010 Speaker 1: And you need God to free you from that so 319 00:17:33,030 --> 00:17:36,110 Speaker 1: that you're not fluctuating. You may need a spiritual mentor 320 00:17:36,150 --> 00:17:38,690 Speaker 1: at this point to help you through this process if 321 00:17:38,730 --> 00:17:41,740 Speaker 1: you continue to fluctuate. But if you continue to fluctuate, 322 00:17:42,300 --> 00:17:45,320 Speaker 1: then you're waiting on the decision. You're waiting as long 323 00:17:45,340 --> 00:17:47,720 Speaker 1: as you can on that decision and asking God to 324 00:17:47,820 --> 00:17:51,790 Speaker 1: free you and lead you toward his will. Now, we've 325 00:17:51,850 --> 00:17:54,750 Speaker 1: prayed for the Lord to transform our thoughts. We've prayed 326 00:17:54,790 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 1: for the Lord to transform our desires. Now we are 327 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:00,540 Speaker 1: praying for the Holy Spirit to actually give us feelings, 328 00:18:01,100 --> 00:18:05,260 Speaker 1: as Ignatius would say, of spiritual consolation. The concept of 329 00:18:05,300 --> 00:18:08,960 Speaker 1: spiritual consolation comes from Psalm 94, 19, as well as 330 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:16,379 Speaker 1: other places. And it says in this psalm, What we 331 00:18:16,460 --> 00:18:19,250 Speaker 1: are experiencing as we think about a decision is we're 332 00:18:19,369 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 1: asking God to stir feelings of enthusiasm and courage. We're 333 00:18:23,800 --> 00:18:26,420 Speaker 1: feeling a sense of deeper faith. Maybe we're feeling a 334 00:18:26,460 --> 00:18:31,940 Speaker 1: sense of settledness, maybe greater hope. We're feeling confidence. All 335 00:18:31,980 --> 00:18:35,139 Speaker 1: of this is part of the Holy Spirit's guiding us 336 00:18:35,220 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: toward the truth. These feelings come with us pointing us 337 00:18:39,340 --> 00:18:43,580 Speaker 1: towards loving God better, serving God better, pointing us toward 338 00:18:43,619 --> 00:18:47,240 Speaker 1: our true self. These are really different feelings than the 339 00:18:47,290 --> 00:18:52,070 Speaker 1: feelings we have when we're attached to self-centered desires. There's 340 00:18:52,109 --> 00:18:54,330 Speaker 1: just a depth to it. That's why this week is 341 00:18:54,369 --> 00:18:57,869 Speaker 1: called our depth week. There's a depth to the feeling. 342 00:18:58,630 --> 00:19:02,060 Speaker 1: There's a settled joy that's really different than that kind 343 00:19:02,100 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 1: of quick hit, like the sugar rush we get from 344 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: just like a quick feel-good moment. This is a deep, 345 00:19:09,580 --> 00:19:13,940 Speaker 1: settled confidence and courage and joy and love where we 346 00:19:14,040 --> 00:19:16,960 Speaker 1: know that we are going to face difficulties, but we 347 00:19:17,060 --> 00:19:20,419 Speaker 1: feel convicted and confident that this is the way that 348 00:19:20,460 --> 00:19:23,149 Speaker 1: God is sending us. And if you're not here, you 349 00:19:23,190 --> 00:19:25,620 Speaker 1: may need to go back to step three. If you 350 00:19:25,650 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 1: get stuck here and you don't feel those feelings, you 351 00:19:28,180 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 1: can go back to step three. Jesus said in Matthew 11, 352 00:19:32,520 --> 00:19:35,540 Speaker 1: come to me, all who are heavy laden, and I 353 00:19:35,560 --> 00:19:38,680 Speaker 1: will give you rest. If you are still feeling heavy 354 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,240 Speaker 1: laden through the decision, maybe it's been rushed. Maybe you 355 00:19:41,270 --> 00:19:43,750 Speaker 1: need to go back to step three. This is a 356 00:19:43,810 --> 00:19:45,770 Speaker 1: rigorous process. I'm going to keep saying that over and 357 00:19:45,810 --> 00:19:48,650 Speaker 1: over again. When I was in the process of deciding 358 00:19:49,030 --> 00:19:53,540 Speaker 1: on this— decision, this discernment process about this church planting, 359 00:19:53,859 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 1: this was seven months long and it was years in 360 00:19:56,340 --> 00:19:59,100 Speaker 1: the making. But it was seven months really of kind 361 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:01,970 Speaker 1: of agony of just going back and forth through these process, 362 00:20:01,990 --> 00:20:05,430 Speaker 1: through these steps, consulting my spiritual advisors, all of that 363 00:20:05,470 --> 00:20:09,420 Speaker 1: kind of work. Because it wasn't clear and it needed time, right? 364 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 1: And that's okay. That's very different than what our world 365 00:20:12,740 --> 00:20:15,660 Speaker 1: says about decision making. And sure, there are times, perhaps 366 00:20:15,700 --> 00:20:17,620 Speaker 1: with a job, where you're not going to have that 367 00:20:17,660 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 1: amount of time to make a decision. And we can 368 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,340 Speaker 1: trust God as you move through the process that he 369 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,859 Speaker 1: will work with in the time. But it's oftentimes that 370 00:20:25,900 --> 00:20:28,660 Speaker 1: these kinds of decisions take a long time. And they 371 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,990 Speaker 1: need the process and the intention and really the wrestling 372 00:20:33,010 --> 00:20:37,070 Speaker 1: that comes with following these steps. Finally, friends, the fifth 373 00:20:37,109 --> 00:20:39,929 Speaker 1: decision is that we confirm our decision. We decide on 374 00:20:39,950 --> 00:20:43,369 Speaker 1: the decision. We have conviction around the decision. And then 375 00:20:43,410 --> 00:20:46,340 Speaker 1: we trust that God is going to equip us with 376 00:20:46,490 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: everything we need for that decision. It is very easy 377 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,700 Speaker 1: at this point for the enemy to try to come 378 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:55,100 Speaker 1: in and snatch away that spiritual consolation that you felt. 379 00:20:55,540 --> 00:21:00,609 Speaker 1: This is where time and journaling and prayerful, especially writing 380 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:03,590 Speaker 1: down the process and really remembering how God has brought 381 00:21:03,630 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: you through the process, can help you stay firm in 382 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: your conviction. It's very important that once God gives you direction, 383 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:13,900 Speaker 1: you are obedient to that direction, that you don't look backward, 384 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,419 Speaker 1: that you just move forward. All of us are going 385 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:18,880 Speaker 1: to feel, especially with decisions that are in our world 386 00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,700 Speaker 1: are sometimes just easy to get out of, all of 387 00:21:21,770 --> 00:21:23,330 Speaker 1: us are going to feel at some point like, oh 388 00:21:23,350 --> 00:21:25,210 Speaker 1: my gosh, I've made the wrong decision. Even when it 389 00:21:25,230 --> 00:21:28,450 Speaker 1: comes to our spouse, our partner, you may have had 390 00:21:28,510 --> 00:21:31,490 Speaker 1: real conviction and now you're engaged and you're like, wait, wait, wait, 391 00:21:31,550 --> 00:21:35,530 Speaker 1: this is forever. That's very normal. But if you've gone 392 00:21:35,630 --> 00:21:38,930 Speaker 1: through discernment, there is a confidence that comes and a 393 00:21:39,050 --> 00:21:41,690 Speaker 1: subtleness that comes when you say, yes, I've made this decision. 394 00:21:42,290 --> 00:21:44,889 Speaker 1: And if you've truly followed the process, you can be 395 00:21:44,950 --> 00:21:47,690 Speaker 1: confident that God is going to use that decision in 396 00:21:47,730 --> 00:21:51,129 Speaker 1: your life. And that if truly your heart said, I 397 00:21:51,260 --> 00:21:53,860 Speaker 1: want to make a decision that leads me to serve 398 00:21:53,980 --> 00:21:57,020 Speaker 1: God with my whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. And 399 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,300 Speaker 1: then I've worked through the process of asking the Holy 400 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 1: Spirit to transform my mind and my will and to 401 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:09,429 Speaker 1: confirm with spiritual consolation my decision, then be confident. Step forward, 402 00:22:09,510 --> 00:22:13,129 Speaker 1: move forward in faith and joy and love, and God 403 00:22:13,190 --> 00:22:24,420 Speaker 1: is going to be with you, my friends. Friends, this 404 00:22:24,460 --> 00:22:28,080 Speaker 1: has been an incredible journey together. This feels like the 405 00:22:28,300 --> 00:22:32,230 Speaker 1: absolute perfect ending episode. This is my bye for now. 406 00:22:32,270 --> 00:22:34,470 Speaker 1: I'm not saying we would never come back to this podcast, 407 00:22:35,210 --> 00:22:38,230 Speaker 1: but in moving through this decision-making process for myself, God 408 00:22:38,300 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: has brought me into a new season. And part of 409 00:22:41,580 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 1: the confirmation and decision that comes with new seasons is 410 00:22:45,460 --> 00:22:48,919 Speaker 1: the ability to also say no to some things and 411 00:22:48,980 --> 00:22:51,040 Speaker 1: to remove some things, which is really hard for me. 412 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,520 Speaker 1: I love to keep my plate really full. I love 413 00:22:53,680 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: when I have opportunities to serve God. I just think 414 00:22:56,340 --> 00:22:59,550 Speaker 1: that I'm God has made it really clear for me 415 00:22:59,590 --> 00:23:02,980 Speaker 1: in this season that my full capacity, my full emotional 416 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,600 Speaker 1: and spiritual cup needs to be available for the work 417 00:23:06,619 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 1: that he's calling me to do. And honestly, I'm so 418 00:23:09,460 --> 00:23:12,859 Speaker 1: happy that this decision took a long time because the process, 419 00:23:12,940 --> 00:23:16,179 Speaker 1: that was truly exactly this process that I followed to 420 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,400 Speaker 1: get to this while the church and the search team 421 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:23,100 Speaker 1: was also going through a separate discernment process. I was 422 00:23:23,140 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: discerning with my spiritual advisors and my dear mentors and 423 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,869 Speaker 1: my husband and children, what was the right decision as well? 424 00:23:30,980 --> 00:23:34,050 Speaker 1: And God brought those things together and really brought that 425 00:23:34,170 --> 00:23:38,810 Speaker 1: depth of consolation, that real sense of settled confidence that 426 00:23:38,850 --> 00:23:41,889 Speaker 1: this is God's decision. It's not my decision. And friends, 427 00:23:42,050 --> 00:23:46,550 Speaker 1: that is so valuable because when we hit the inevitable 428 00:23:46,630 --> 00:23:50,590 Speaker 1: valleys and mountains, but particularly the valleys that I know 429 00:23:50,650 --> 00:23:53,570 Speaker 1: will come in this decision as we begin to work 430 00:23:53,609 --> 00:23:55,970 Speaker 1: to church plant, as we begin to advance the kingdom 431 00:23:55,990 --> 00:23:59,189 Speaker 1: of God here in Richmond, Virginia, I know there will 432 00:23:59,230 --> 00:24:01,669 Speaker 1: be difficult times. And being able to look back on 433 00:24:01,690 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: this decision-making process and know, no, this is God's decision. 434 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:07,879 Speaker 1: This wasn't my decision. This is God's decision. This is 435 00:24:08,300 --> 00:24:11,280 Speaker 1: God's work that he's doing through me and in me. 436 00:24:11,460 --> 00:24:13,580 Speaker 1: I am not in the driver's seat. God is in 437 00:24:13,600 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: the driver's seat. There is so much freedom. There's freedom 438 00:24:18,060 --> 00:24:20,580 Speaker 1: to mess up. There's freedom to fail. There's freedom for 439 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:23,460 Speaker 1: things to not go well. because it's not my decision 440 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:26,450 Speaker 1: that got made, it's God's decision. And that, my friends, 441 00:24:26,570 --> 00:24:30,610 Speaker 1: is what really happens when we experience discernment. And that's 442 00:24:30,670 --> 00:24:33,490 Speaker 1: really what's happened here in this new season of life 443 00:24:33,910 --> 00:24:37,290 Speaker 1: for myself. There's so much about my own story, about 444 00:24:37,310 --> 00:24:40,369 Speaker 1: the unconventional way that God's worked in my life to 445 00:24:40,410 --> 00:24:44,010 Speaker 1: bring me into ministry, the unconventional steps that have been 446 00:24:44,030 --> 00:24:47,370 Speaker 1: a part of that, and really his fanning into flame 447 00:24:47,430 --> 00:24:51,810 Speaker 1: this desire for local community and the local church. there's 448 00:24:51,830 --> 00:24:54,909 Speaker 1: a lot of reasons to not trust the local church. 449 00:24:55,190 --> 00:24:57,430 Speaker 1: And perhaps you're listening to this right now and you're thinking, yeah, 450 00:24:57,450 --> 00:24:59,250 Speaker 1: I'm one of those people who's given up on church. Like, 451 00:24:59,750 --> 00:25:02,330 Speaker 1: I love God and I'm happy to listen to sermons 452 00:25:02,410 --> 00:25:05,350 Speaker 1: online or be on this podcast, but I just, the church, 453 00:25:05,410 --> 00:25:07,290 Speaker 1: I've been hurt and that's not the place where I 454 00:25:07,310 --> 00:25:10,130 Speaker 1: want to be. And I want you guys to know 455 00:25:10,210 --> 00:25:12,820 Speaker 1: and to hear this from me that I love this podcast. 456 00:25:12,940 --> 00:25:15,060 Speaker 1: I love teaching you. I love being a Bible teacher. 457 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:22,040 Speaker 1: But there is no substitute for actual local transforming community. 458 00:25:22,940 --> 00:25:25,479 Speaker 1: There is no substitute for the people who know when 459 00:25:25,500 --> 00:25:27,260 Speaker 1: you're down because they see it on your face. There's 460 00:25:27,300 --> 00:25:30,940 Speaker 1: no substitute for the people who say, I will bring 461 00:25:30,980 --> 00:25:34,400 Speaker 1: you a meal because I know that you are having surgery. 462 00:25:34,480 --> 00:25:37,130 Speaker 1: For the people who say, I want to hold your 463 00:25:37,170 --> 00:25:40,490 Speaker 1: hand and pray for you. The actual embodied living in 464 00:25:40,570 --> 00:25:43,870 Speaker 1: community together. And that goes both ways. That's the place 465 00:25:43,890 --> 00:25:47,649 Speaker 1: where The Spirit uses your own gifts to edify the 466 00:25:47,690 --> 00:25:49,939 Speaker 1: body of Christ in the way that you care for 467 00:25:50,000 --> 00:25:52,100 Speaker 1: others who are not like you. You care for others 468 00:25:52,140 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 1: that maybe you would have never otherwise met. They're not 469 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 1: people that you would have run with in your neighborhood 470 00:25:57,280 --> 00:26:00,540 Speaker 1: or in your job, or they're not in your phase 471 00:26:00,580 --> 00:26:03,250 Speaker 1: of life, or they're different than you. And that's the 472 00:26:03,290 --> 00:26:06,250 Speaker 1: diversity and unity of the local church. And the place 473 00:26:06,290 --> 00:26:10,189 Speaker 1: that we experience that is the local church. It is 474 00:26:10,310 --> 00:26:13,570 Speaker 1: in the local household of God. And by household, I 475 00:26:13,630 --> 00:26:16,490 Speaker 1: mean your family and the families around you. And it 476 00:26:16,530 --> 00:26:19,369 Speaker 1: may look very different than the church you grew up in. 477 00:26:19,450 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 1: Perhaps you grew up in something that was very ritual 478 00:26:23,540 --> 00:26:26,120 Speaker 1: and it seemed devoid of the Spirit. That doesn't mean 479 00:26:26,180 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 1: that the local church is not the place that God 480 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:32,580 Speaker 1: has deemed where the body of Christ does the work 481 00:26:32,700 --> 00:26:36,300 Speaker 1: of Christ. And we do that not only just in 482 00:26:36,380 --> 00:26:38,810 Speaker 1: our own little bubble, in our own little people, but 483 00:26:38,990 --> 00:26:42,389 Speaker 1: in a local expression. and I believe God's called us 484 00:26:42,410 --> 00:26:44,850 Speaker 1: to that, and I believe God's called me to lead that. 485 00:26:45,010 --> 00:26:47,469 Speaker 1: And so, even though I love this podcast, and even 486 00:26:47,490 --> 00:26:49,590 Speaker 1: though I love Bible teaching, I know that God's calling 487 00:26:49,609 --> 00:26:52,260 Speaker 1: me to do that within a community, to be part 488 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:55,360 Speaker 1: of the spiritual formation of a household of faith together, 489 00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:58,680 Speaker 1: whether that's 20 people or 200 people or whatever that is, 490 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:01,870 Speaker 1: that is what God's calling me to in this season, 491 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:03,750 Speaker 1: which means we're going to say so long for now 492 00:27:03,890 --> 00:27:07,290 Speaker 1: to this podcast. However, My hope and my prayer is 493 00:27:07,330 --> 00:27:09,429 Speaker 1: that as we launch this church, which, by the way, 494 00:27:09,490 --> 00:27:11,570 Speaker 1: will be a little bit away, the plan is that 495 00:27:11,609 --> 00:27:14,150 Speaker 1: I'm going to come on staff with Third Church here 496 00:27:14,170 --> 00:27:16,710 Speaker 1: in Richmond and get a chance to learn and grow 497 00:27:16,770 --> 00:27:19,570 Speaker 1: and connect with the community. And about a year later, 498 00:27:19,630 --> 00:27:21,649 Speaker 1: about a year from now, we're really going to begin 499 00:27:21,760 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: in earnest the discernment and church planting process, which will 500 00:27:25,359 --> 00:27:28,480 Speaker 1: take about another year. So we're probably launching a church 501 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:31,940 Speaker 1: in about two years. And once we launch that church, obviously, 502 00:27:31,980 --> 00:27:34,770 Speaker 1: I'll be preaching in most every week, and so I'm 503 00:27:35,020 --> 00:27:38,940 Speaker 1: really excited to come back into spiritual formation for my 504 00:27:38,980 --> 00:27:41,879 Speaker 1: local body, and God willing, perhaps those will be podcasted 505 00:27:41,920 --> 00:27:44,840 Speaker 1: as well. So there's going to be things in the future, right? 506 00:27:45,060 --> 00:27:46,899 Speaker 1: I don't want to say that you aren't important to me, 507 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:48,980 Speaker 1: because you are, and I've loved this work, and I 508 00:27:49,070 --> 00:27:51,630 Speaker 1: love connecting to the global church the way we have 509 00:27:51,650 --> 00:27:55,230 Speaker 1: through this podcast. So all of that to say, if 510 00:27:55,330 --> 00:27:58,090 Speaker 1: I can pray for you, if I can care for you, 511 00:27:58,250 --> 00:28:00,370 Speaker 1: if you can listen back on episodes, I would love 512 00:28:00,410 --> 00:28:02,630 Speaker 1: for you to do that. But I would also ask 513 00:28:02,650 --> 00:28:05,359 Speaker 1: that you pray for me and that you pray for 514 00:28:05,380 --> 00:28:08,340 Speaker 1: this new season for Dave and myself, that you pray 515 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:13,840 Speaker 1: for Richmond, Virginia, which is a place of deep woundedness, 516 00:28:14,300 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 1: a place of deep-seated beauty and also a deep-seated racism, 517 00:28:18,980 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 1: a place where there's a lot of division and divide 518 00:28:21,020 --> 00:28:23,199 Speaker 1: and that we really want to enter into that to 519 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:26,139 Speaker 1: bring reconciliation and restoration in any way that God is 520 00:28:26,180 --> 00:28:28,530 Speaker 1: calling us to do so. Would you pray over the 521 00:28:28,570 --> 00:28:30,970 Speaker 1: location of this church? Would you pray over the leaders 522 00:28:31,030 --> 00:28:33,449 Speaker 1: of this church? Would you pray over those who are 523 00:28:33,490 --> 00:28:35,830 Speaker 1: far from God, who are going to be reached through 524 00:28:35,850 --> 00:28:38,990 Speaker 1: this church? That is the desire. I would ask you 525 00:28:39,030 --> 00:28:41,590 Speaker 1: to join with me because we are in the body 526 00:28:41,610 --> 00:28:46,450 Speaker 1: of Christ together. And he lets us connect in these 527 00:28:46,510 --> 00:28:50,050 Speaker 1: ways through technology. And I truly believe that you praying 528 00:28:50,090 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: for me in South Africa or praying for me in 529 00:28:52,670 --> 00:28:54,860 Speaker 1: Australia or praying for me in Kenya or India or 530 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,220 Speaker 1: all the places that you guys are, God is going 531 00:28:57,260 --> 00:28:59,560 Speaker 1: to let you be a part of the blessing that 532 00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:02,760 Speaker 1: he has for Richmond, Virginia through this church. And I 533 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:04,640 Speaker 1: can't wait to tell you about it. I can't wait 534 00:29:04,660 --> 00:29:06,420 Speaker 1: to tell you about it, whether it's here or whether 535 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:08,370 Speaker 1: it's in heaven. We're going to be talking about it 536 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:10,470 Speaker 1: because God lets us be part of what he's doing 537 00:29:10,490 --> 00:29:14,510 Speaker 1: in the kingdom. And it's absolutely incredible. All right, my friends, 538 00:29:14,710 --> 00:29:16,470 Speaker 1: with all my love, I just want to offer you 539 00:29:16,490 --> 00:29:20,450 Speaker 1: a last benediction as we close out this series and 540 00:29:20,530 --> 00:29:24,820 Speaker 1: as we close out this podcast. Now, wherever you are, 541 00:29:25,560 --> 00:29:29,479 Speaker 1: I'm just reaching out my hand spiritually to you. May 542 00:29:29,530 --> 00:29:32,310 Speaker 1: the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord 543 00:29:32,370 --> 00:29:35,630 Speaker 1: make his face to shine upon you. May the Lord 544 00:29:35,730 --> 00:29:38,730 Speaker 1: lift up his countenance unto you and give you his 545 00:29:38,870 --> 00:29:44,580 Speaker 1: peace both now and forever and until we meet in heaven. Amen. 546 00:29:48,860 --> 00:29:51,420 Speaker 1: How to Study the Bible with Nicole Younis is a 547 00:29:51,440 --> 00:29:55,360 Speaker 1: production of Life Audio and Salem Media. For more faith-filled, 548 00:29:55,380 --> 00:29:57,090 Speaker 1: inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio.com.