1 00:00:02,730 --> 00:00:09,410 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Hello, welcome to the Praying Christian Women podcast. 2 00:00:09,630 --> 00:00:11,590 Speaker 1: I am Alana here with Jamie. How are you? 3 00:00:12,070 --> 00:00:12,930 Speaker 2: I'm doing well. 4 00:00:13,770 --> 00:00:17,069 Speaker 1: I'm excited. Today we're going to be talking about prayer traditions. 5 00:00:17,130 --> 00:00:20,000 Speaker 1: It's probably the best time of year to be talking 6 00:00:20,020 --> 00:00:22,700 Speaker 1: about traditions going into the holiday season. 7 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:25,780 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it is. And, you know, we think 8 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:30,220 Speaker 2: about family traditions a lot, but we've seldom talked about 9 00:00:30,750 --> 00:00:33,010 Speaker 2: specifically prayer traditions. So I think this will be a 10 00:00:33,010 --> 00:00:33,340 Speaker 2: good one. 11 00:00:33,830 --> 00:00:35,850 Speaker 1: So I want to take a tiny bit of a 12 00:00:35,909 --> 00:00:39,860 Speaker 1: segue because we're in new territory. We have two of 13 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,100 Speaker 1: our three kids out of the home now. And holiday 14 00:00:43,140 --> 00:00:47,339 Speaker 1: traditions definitely do change as your kids get older. In 15 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,720 Speaker 1: our last episode, we were chatting about resurrection eggs. And 16 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:54,010 Speaker 1: I remember the first year we didn't do them as 17 00:00:54,050 --> 00:00:57,850 Speaker 1: a family. And I got kind of weepy that first 18 00:00:57,930 --> 00:01:01,280 Speaker 1: year because it had been such an important part, you know, 19 00:01:01,320 --> 00:01:04,420 Speaker 1: but when you're in that in between, like some traditions 20 00:01:04,540 --> 00:01:06,929 Speaker 1: do seem a little strange when you don't have kids. 21 00:01:06,950 --> 00:01:09,030 Speaker 1: You know, it's not like my husband and I don't 22 00:01:09,069 --> 00:01:13,890 Speaker 1: go trick-or-treating. That'd be weird. There are some traditions that 23 00:01:13,910 --> 00:01:16,410 Speaker 1: really do make more sense to do when you are 24 00:01:16,450 --> 00:01:19,330 Speaker 1: a family with young kids. Have you gotten to that 25 00:01:19,370 --> 00:01:21,290 Speaker 1: stage yet in your family? 26 00:01:22,940 --> 00:01:26,480 Speaker 2: What do you do? So I will be honest. I've 27 00:01:26,600 --> 00:01:29,400 Speaker 2: always been envious of people and you're one of them. 28 00:01:30,060 --> 00:01:33,490 Speaker 2: Who are really good at like creating and adhering to 29 00:01:33,550 --> 00:01:36,470 Speaker 2: family traditions for stuff. Like we were talking in our 30 00:01:36,510 --> 00:01:40,970 Speaker 2: last episode about your Thanksgiving countdown, the garland made of 31 00:01:41,069 --> 00:01:44,090 Speaker 2: the little construction paper loops that you would tear and 32 00:01:44,130 --> 00:01:47,470 Speaker 2: write down what you're thankful for. We just have not 33 00:01:47,860 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 2: really done that. And I am not really consistent. 34 00:01:52,020 --> 00:01:52,620 Speaker 1: Wow. 35 00:01:53,670 --> 00:01:56,710 Speaker 2: There are certain ones. I know there's one in particular 36 00:01:56,790 --> 00:01:58,910 Speaker 2: that I loved doing for a while, and it was 37 00:01:59,050 --> 00:02:04,330 Speaker 2: the Jesse tree from Ann Voskamp. It was the wonder 38 00:02:04,350 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 2: of the greatest gift, I think it was. You open 39 00:02:06,140 --> 00:02:08,640 Speaker 2: up the book, and it's like a tree, a little 40 00:02:08,660 --> 00:02:11,020 Speaker 2: paper tree, and you hang the ornaments on, and it 41 00:02:11,060 --> 00:02:13,380 Speaker 2: tells the whole story from Genesis all the way to 42 00:02:13,460 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 2: the resurrection. Or no, the birth of Jesus. That's what 43 00:02:16,460 --> 00:02:18,730 Speaker 2: it is. And so I did love that. I did 44 00:02:18,750 --> 00:02:20,310 Speaker 2: that for a few years. We would do that. But 45 00:02:20,740 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 2: I'm not great at traditions. And the other part of 46 00:02:23,780 --> 00:02:27,190 Speaker 2: it is we've never lived near family. And so a 47 00:02:27,250 --> 00:02:31,290 Speaker 2: lot of holidays, we're traveling to see people. Like we're 48 00:02:31,450 --> 00:02:33,829 Speaker 2: not at home very often. We've decided this year we 49 00:02:34,610 --> 00:02:36,650 Speaker 2: are definitely home for Christmas. 50 00:02:37,350 --> 00:02:37,810 Speaker 1: Oh, nice. 51 00:02:37,910 --> 00:02:39,710 Speaker 2: For the first time in a while. Like we just 52 00:02:40,570 --> 00:02:43,810 Speaker 2: don't stay home for holidays very often. So it's kind 53 00:02:43,850 --> 00:02:46,910 Speaker 2: of hard in someone else's territory. And you don't know 54 00:02:46,950 --> 00:02:50,010 Speaker 2: who that someone is going to be. But that's kind 55 00:02:50,050 --> 00:02:51,900 Speaker 2: of an excuse because there are ways that you can 56 00:02:51,940 --> 00:02:54,900 Speaker 2: still do that stuff. But I would say there are 57 00:02:55,310 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 2: certain things that seemed like a bigger deal when the 58 00:02:59,139 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: kids were smaller now that aren't as much anymore. And 59 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 2: I miss those things. I really miss those things. And 60 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:11,119 Speaker 2: I sort of saw as my kids, like, because we have, 61 00:03:11,620 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 2: you know, our oldest is 20, almost 21, and our 62 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:18,100 Speaker 2: youngest is 13, just turned 13. So there's kind of 63 00:03:18,139 --> 00:03:21,810 Speaker 2: a big age gap. And from the oldest to the youngest, 64 00:03:22,410 --> 00:03:25,130 Speaker 2: I think the traditions got less and less because we 65 00:03:25,169 --> 00:03:28,350 Speaker 2: got busier and busier. So that kind of, I don't know, 66 00:03:28,470 --> 00:03:30,030 Speaker 2: not to be a downer, but I kind of feel 67 00:03:30,070 --> 00:03:32,740 Speaker 2: like that sort of, I don't know, that gives me 68 00:03:32,820 --> 00:03:35,880 Speaker 2: some regret thinking, boy, I should have done some things 69 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 2: differently and taken more time rather than just being busy 70 00:03:39,240 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 2: and whatever. 71 00:03:42,020 --> 00:03:43,820 Speaker 1: Well, let's just restart this whole episode. 72 00:03:44,860 --> 00:03:47,210 Speaker 2: Seriously, we're just spiraling. 73 00:03:47,250 --> 00:03:49,490 Speaker 1: I'm just sad that the kids are grown. You're sad 74 00:03:49,530 --> 00:03:52,270 Speaker 1: that you didn't have them to start with. It's all right. 75 00:03:52,350 --> 00:03:53,410 Speaker 1: Merry Christmas. 76 00:03:53,470 --> 00:03:54,590 Speaker 2: Happy Thanksgiving. 77 00:03:54,670 --> 00:03:55,370 Speaker 1: Happy New Year. 78 00:03:55,410 --> 00:03:58,470 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining us. The good news is I have 79 00:03:58,510 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 2: a very long list of resolutions for the new year. 80 00:04:01,380 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: That's right. 81 00:04:02,220 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: I'm going to have a really good year of consistency 82 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 2: and tradition. 83 00:04:06,240 --> 00:04:08,660 Speaker 1: I've got some fun stuff we can talk about to 84 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: bring up. You and I have some fun prayer traditions. 85 00:04:11,930 --> 00:04:12,740 Speaker 2: We do. 86 00:04:13,070 --> 00:04:17,239 Speaker 1: And they've grown and evolved and changed or dropped off. 87 00:04:17,250 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 2: I would say ebb and flow. Even if they're not, like, 88 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:24,219 Speaker 2: right now, they have been and they probably will be 89 00:04:24,260 --> 00:04:27,260 Speaker 2: at some time. Like, yeah. 90 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,820 Speaker 1: We used to, back when we first started podcasting, do 91 00:04:30,860 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 1: you remember? We would confess sins to each other before 92 00:04:34,740 --> 00:04:36,060 Speaker 1: every recording session. 93 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,220 Speaker 2: Yeah. And I feel like we did that two different, like, 94 00:04:39,580 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 2: extended times. Like I think when we first started, we 95 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:44,710 Speaker 2: did it. We got away from it for a few years. 96 00:04:44,810 --> 00:04:46,349 Speaker 2: And then just a couple of years ago, a few 97 00:04:46,370 --> 00:04:50,070 Speaker 2: years ago, we got back into it like really pretty consistently. 98 00:04:50,089 --> 00:04:54,610 Speaker 2: I think maybe my move here sort of broke off 99 00:04:54,730 --> 00:04:57,190 Speaker 2: our consistency with like, because it was when we would 100 00:04:57,230 --> 00:05:00,690 Speaker 2: do like batch recordings of lots of episodes. And that was, 101 00:05:01,270 --> 00:05:02,450 Speaker 2: you know, the years. 102 00:05:02,250 --> 00:05:07,230 Speaker 1: Not before moving. Any schedule change can disrupt traditions. And 103 00:05:07,270 --> 00:05:10,980 Speaker 1: that's not always bad. It's not bad that my kids 104 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:14,620 Speaker 1: are too old now to want to do the resurrection eggs. 105 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,860 Speaker 1: It also wouldn't be bad for me to say, do 106 00:05:16,900 --> 00:05:18,789 Speaker 1: you know what? I know you guys are old and 107 00:05:18,830 --> 00:05:20,589 Speaker 1: I know this might feel childish to you, but I 108 00:05:20,650 --> 00:05:22,489 Speaker 1: love it. So we're going to do it. Neither. 109 00:05:22,510 --> 00:05:24,070 Speaker 2: And I'm the mom. 110 00:05:24,670 --> 00:05:24,910 Speaker 1: Right? 111 00:05:25,270 --> 00:05:27,290 Speaker 2: Now and forever you have to listen to me. 112 00:05:28,270 --> 00:05:32,200 Speaker 1: Neither one is bad. It just, it's different. Or our 113 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:36,990 Speaker 1: family went through so many back-to-back moves and And so 114 00:05:37,010 --> 00:05:39,870 Speaker 1: we had a tradition where every time we ended up 115 00:05:39,910 --> 00:05:43,730 Speaker 1: in a new house, you would help me really thoroughly pray, 116 00:05:44,029 --> 00:05:46,790 Speaker 1: you know, pray through each room. It was always by phone, 117 00:05:46,810 --> 00:05:49,580 Speaker 1: but it was still a really special prayer tradition. We 118 00:05:49,779 --> 00:05:52,640 Speaker 1: often do like a back to school prayer time. I 119 00:05:53,180 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 1: would guess we have at least a 75% success rate 120 00:05:57,020 --> 00:05:58,840 Speaker 1: at seeing that through. 121 00:05:59,880 --> 00:06:01,690 Speaker 2: I don't think we did it this year, but I 122 00:06:01,730 --> 00:06:03,770 Speaker 2: think we did it last year. Mm-hmm. 123 00:06:04,420 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 1: At the start of a school year, just really thorough, 124 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:10,320 Speaker 1: almost like spring cleaning kind of prayers. 125 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,930 Speaker 2: That's exactly what I picture. I picture. And the same 126 00:06:13,970 --> 00:06:16,810 Speaker 2: with the praying through the home. Like it's a spring cleaning, 127 00:06:16,870 --> 00:06:19,410 Speaker 2: like dust the spiritual cobwebs off. 128 00:06:21,010 --> 00:06:24,390 Speaker 1: Yep. Yep. So for our just for fun, should we 129 00:06:24,410 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 1: just both confess our biggest, juiciest, darkest sins right here 130 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,940 Speaker 1: on the air with no lead in time and prep time? 131 00:06:32,240 --> 00:06:32,780 Speaker 2: Let's do it. 132 00:06:34,100 --> 00:06:36,599 Speaker 1: Let's see. let me see if I can come up 133 00:06:36,660 --> 00:06:42,860 Speaker 1: with one that's appropriate and still, that's the thing with confession, 134 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 1: public confession. You got to make sure that it's good 135 00:06:45,339 --> 00:06:48,940 Speaker 1: enough that it's worth confessing, but not so bad that 136 00:06:48,960 --> 00:06:51,789 Speaker 1: you're going to go to jail or get canceled. 137 00:06:52,380 --> 00:06:56,270 Speaker 2: Well, our prayer through the Psalms Wednesdays, a lot of 138 00:06:56,310 --> 00:06:59,910 Speaker 2: times I'll do a time of confession and repentance and 139 00:07:00,150 --> 00:07:03,410 Speaker 2: sometimes I'll share my stuff, you know, and then afterwards 140 00:07:03,470 --> 00:07:06,289 Speaker 2: I'm like, should I Is that oversharing? Is that my 141 00:07:06,370 --> 00:07:10,050 Speaker 2: oversharing gene activating? Right. 142 00:07:10,070 --> 00:07:13,770 Speaker 1: Well, and then other times maybe it's more about respecting 143 00:07:13,830 --> 00:07:15,630 Speaker 1: someone else's privacy. Right. 144 00:07:15,850 --> 00:07:16,290 Speaker 2: Absolutely. 145 00:07:16,310 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: I'm not going to go in and my husband and 146 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: I really got into it the other day and he said, 147 00:07:21,180 --> 00:07:22,380 Speaker 1: so I said, you know. 148 00:07:22,460 --> 00:07:24,820 Speaker 2: I know. I already feel like I share too much 149 00:07:24,900 --> 00:07:28,430 Speaker 2: about my husband and our dynamic of, yeah. 150 00:07:28,440 --> 00:07:33,460 Speaker 1: Yeah. No, we're all invested. We've got our popcorn. That's right. 151 00:07:33,820 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: Is he going to get another red light this week? 152 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:36,980 Speaker 2: Poor Matt. 153 00:07:37,100 --> 00:07:41,020 Speaker 1: Oh, my goodness. Sorry, Matt. Everybody start praying for Matt 154 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,850 Speaker 1: to get every single green light, and let's totally see 155 00:07:44,910 --> 00:07:45,830 Speaker 1: if he notices. 156 00:07:46,170 --> 00:07:49,090 Speaker 2: Yeah, and then there will be no confirmation bias because 157 00:07:49,350 --> 00:07:49,870 Speaker 2: he won't know. 158 00:07:49,890 --> 00:07:51,070 Speaker 1: He won't know. 159 00:07:51,090 --> 00:07:53,630 Speaker 2: He won't know, but he'll just be really happy, and 160 00:07:53,650 --> 00:07:57,660 Speaker 2: he'll be like, oh, my gosh, you won't even believe this. Yeah, 161 00:07:57,700 --> 00:07:58,260 Speaker 2: I think that's. 162 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: A good idea. That's too funny. Well, maybe that wouldn't 163 00:08:00,800 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: be a very fun just for fun. So how about 164 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 1: as a just for fun, tell me a family tradition. 165 00:08:06,820 --> 00:08:09,760 Speaker 1: It can be a prayer tradition or a holiday tradition 166 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:14,670 Speaker 1: or what is, yeah, maybe one of the more unique 167 00:08:14,810 --> 00:08:19,850 Speaker 1: ones that isn't our most usual when someone thinks about tradition. 168 00:08:19,870 --> 00:08:22,330 Speaker 2: I don't know. The first one that came to my 169 00:08:22,370 --> 00:08:26,940 Speaker 2: mind is, okay, I've got two. One is practical. One 170 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,340 Speaker 2: is relational. Okay, so the relational one that we do 171 00:08:30,700 --> 00:08:34,450 Speaker 2: is whenever it's someone's birthday, when we do the happy 172 00:08:34,490 --> 00:08:36,610 Speaker 2: birthday and we sing and do the cake and stuff, 173 00:08:36,990 --> 00:08:39,929 Speaker 2: like we will, each person a lot of times will 174 00:08:40,630 --> 00:08:44,370 Speaker 2: say something that they love about the person whose birthday 175 00:08:44,390 --> 00:08:45,930 Speaker 2: it is. I'm sure a lot of people do that. 176 00:08:46,270 --> 00:08:48,770 Speaker 1: No, we tried that, but I forget if it made 177 00:08:48,970 --> 00:08:52,100 Speaker 1: somebody feel really awkward and we just stopped. I forget 178 00:08:52,220 --> 00:08:53,980 Speaker 1: even if it was one of my kids or if 179 00:08:54,059 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: it was my husband's like, and why are we doing this? 180 00:08:55,900 --> 00:08:58,830 Speaker 1: I forget why we stopped. I think it's really special 181 00:08:58,950 --> 00:09:03,329 Speaker 1: because especially with siblings, when the kids were younger, I 182 00:09:03,550 --> 00:09:06,530 Speaker 1: actually made it a point like maybe once or twice 183 00:09:06,580 --> 00:09:09,900 Speaker 1: a week. It was like, hey, give your sibling a compliment. 184 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: Like go compliment your brother about something. It's in the 185 00:09:12,820 --> 00:09:15,200 Speaker 1: same way that you train yourself to give thanks to God. 186 00:09:15,220 --> 00:09:18,059 Speaker 1: It's like train yourself to give a compliment. 187 00:09:18,340 --> 00:09:21,190 Speaker 2: Which means looking for the good in someone. Like that's 188 00:09:21,510 --> 00:09:24,630 Speaker 2: not always like a lot of times, whether it's spouses 189 00:09:24,770 --> 00:09:29,140 Speaker 2: or siblings. Our tendency is to catch the bad. And 190 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:31,660 Speaker 2: the minute it comes out, and then you get primed 191 00:09:31,700 --> 00:09:34,950 Speaker 2: for the bad. And so switching that up is pretty cool. 192 00:09:35,690 --> 00:09:38,850 Speaker 1: I got to give parents a warning. If you're like, 193 00:09:38,890 --> 00:09:40,670 Speaker 1: my kids don't get along, so I'm going to make 194 00:09:40,690 --> 00:09:42,910 Speaker 1: them give each other a compliment. You got to be 195 00:09:42,990 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 1: really careful. Just like, Jamie, I really admire the way 196 00:09:47,740 --> 00:09:50,340 Speaker 1: that you can say the dumbest things and not get 197 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:51,150 Speaker 1: in trouble for it. 198 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 2: Yes, they can be creative. 199 00:09:54,770 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 1: Accurate, but creative. 200 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:01,110 Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly. Well, and then another tradition that just practical 201 00:10:01,300 --> 00:10:05,750 Speaker 2: is like a lot of times for Christmas, like it 202 00:10:05,770 --> 00:10:08,510 Speaker 2: started when we were in Tucson, we'll have tamales. 203 00:10:09,210 --> 00:10:10,690 Speaker 1: Interesting. 204 00:10:10,809 --> 00:10:13,110 Speaker 2: Yeah, and not all the time. That's not what you 205 00:10:13,130 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 2: think of, yeah. I always think at Christmastime where I 206 00:10:15,800 --> 00:10:18,059 Speaker 2: was like, okay, let's find a place that makes good 207 00:10:18,100 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 2: tamales because we used to get homemade tamales from one 208 00:10:20,960 --> 00:10:22,780 Speaker 2: of Matt's coworkers in Tucson. 209 00:10:22,800 --> 00:10:23,060 Speaker 1: Oh, cool. 210 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:24,959 Speaker 2: They were so good, so we kind of made that 211 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:26,740 Speaker 2: a tradition. How about you guys? 212 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:32,449 Speaker 1: That's pretty fun. You know, they've changed a lot, really, 213 00:10:32,530 --> 00:10:36,449 Speaker 1: even in the last couple years because— the number of 214 00:10:36,490 --> 00:10:39,110 Speaker 1: people we have at home at any given time has changed. 215 00:10:39,210 --> 00:10:43,410 Speaker 1: And also my dietary restrictions have really changed. So like 216 00:10:43,550 --> 00:10:45,840 Speaker 1: a lot of the food traditions that we used to have, 217 00:10:46,220 --> 00:10:48,040 Speaker 1: like we might still do, but I don't eat. 218 00:10:47,900 --> 00:10:50,300 Speaker 2: It anymore or something. 219 00:10:50,380 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 1: So I would say one of ours, we have a 220 00:10:53,300 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 1: collection of Christmas movies that we will watch. 221 00:10:56,700 --> 00:11:00,150 Speaker 2: Yeah, I love those. We do too. I think last year, 222 00:11:00,830 --> 00:11:04,590 Speaker 2: We waited because we wanted our oldest to be home 223 00:11:04,610 --> 00:11:07,510 Speaker 2: to watch them. And then we just never got around 224 00:11:07,530 --> 00:11:09,770 Speaker 2: to watching them. So I don't think we watched any. 225 00:11:09,790 --> 00:11:11,410 Speaker 2: I know. I look back. I'm like, we didn't watch 226 00:11:11,429 --> 00:11:13,510 Speaker 2: a single Christmas movie. It is. 227 00:11:13,580 --> 00:11:19,420 Speaker 1: Yeah. It is different as they get older. It was 228 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,420 Speaker 1: not something. I mean, you think about it and it 229 00:11:22,460 --> 00:11:25,260 Speaker 1: makes sense. But it just wasn't one of those things 230 00:11:25,300 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: that I was expecting to maybe hit as hard as 231 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: it does. 232 00:11:28,780 --> 00:11:29,900 Speaker 2: Yeah. So. 233 00:11:30,650 --> 00:11:34,170 Speaker 1: No, and extra love and hugs to other moms of 234 00:11:34,290 --> 00:11:38,460 Speaker 1: empty nesters or emptying nests who are going through that. 235 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:42,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, and even as our kids are just getting older, 236 00:11:42,179 --> 00:11:45,780 Speaker 2: I think it's technology, but they are less interested in 237 00:11:46,070 --> 00:11:49,890 Speaker 2: sitting down and watching a full-length movie. So, yeah, we 238 00:11:49,910 --> 00:11:52,290 Speaker 2: do it still with Christmas movies and stuff, but I 239 00:11:52,330 --> 00:11:55,089 Speaker 2: remember years ago we would do like, and some of 240 00:11:55,130 --> 00:11:57,979 Speaker 2: it might be age and interest and they're doing other things, 241 00:11:58,050 --> 00:11:58,900 Speaker 2: but yeah. 242 00:11:59,210 --> 00:12:00,090 Speaker 1: Things change. 243 00:12:00,210 --> 00:12:02,150 Speaker 2: It's weird. Things change. They keep on changing. 244 00:12:02,170 --> 00:12:05,270 Speaker 1: All right. Let's save this from getting to be another Dana. 245 00:12:05,309 --> 00:12:07,059 Speaker 1: Let's go to our verse of the day. 246 00:12:07,300 --> 00:12:11,939 Speaker 2: All right. Verse of the day is 1 Corinthians 10 247 00:12:11,940 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 2: verses 23 to 24. I have the right to do 248 00:12:15,460 --> 00:12:18,730 Speaker 2: anything you say, but not everything is beneficial. I have 249 00:12:18,770 --> 00:12:21,370 Speaker 2: the right to do anything, but not everything is constructive. 250 00:12:21,890 --> 00:12:23,630 Speaker 2: No one should seek their own good, but the good 251 00:12:23,670 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 2: of others. I think when I picked this many years 252 00:12:27,300 --> 00:12:32,330 Speaker 2: ago when I made this outline, which is another story 253 00:12:32,370 --> 00:12:35,470 Speaker 2: for another day. I think this was kind of, since 254 00:12:35,490 --> 00:12:40,850 Speaker 2: we're talking about traditions, I think it's saying what it's saying, 255 00:12:41,010 --> 00:12:45,130 Speaker 2: which is, you know, not everything is beneficial. Not every 256 00:12:45,210 --> 00:12:49,340 Speaker 2: tradition is beneficial. But on the other hand, not every 257 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:55,510 Speaker 2: tradition is bad and abstaining from traditions is isn't always 258 00:12:55,590 --> 00:12:58,930 Speaker 2: beneficial either. So I personally tend to err on the 259 00:12:58,970 --> 00:13:02,589 Speaker 2: side and I move, as I get older, I'm enjoying 260 00:13:02,910 --> 00:13:06,110 Speaker 2: liturgy and routine. And so I think it's because of 261 00:13:06,190 --> 00:13:11,199 Speaker 2: my age. I find comfort and just real joy in 262 00:13:11,660 --> 00:13:16,420 Speaker 2: traditions and repetition. And like I said, like liturgy and 263 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,920 Speaker 2: things that can be repeated. Whereas when I was younger, 264 00:13:19,940 --> 00:13:22,059 Speaker 2: I was more of a rebel, I think. So I 265 00:13:22,100 --> 00:13:25,179 Speaker 2: grew up, in a church where it was the Methodist 266 00:13:25,220 --> 00:13:30,020 Speaker 2: church that was very liturgical. We had responsive readings. I 267 00:13:30,059 --> 00:13:33,420 Speaker 2: was an acolyte. I carried the candle down the aisle, 268 00:13:34,020 --> 00:13:38,110 Speaker 2: lit all the candles methodically. We had certain hymns that 269 00:13:38,130 --> 00:13:41,350 Speaker 2: we sang and all kinds of different prayers and things. 270 00:13:41,429 --> 00:13:45,589 Speaker 2: And so when I went to college, found a lot 271 00:13:45,630 --> 00:13:49,170 Speaker 2: of freedom in not being bound by tradition like that. 272 00:13:49,410 --> 00:13:52,330 Speaker 2: I loved having the freedom to just pray when I'm 273 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:55,430 Speaker 2: going on a hike and not having to feel like 274 00:13:55,450 --> 00:13:57,429 Speaker 2: I have to bow my head and pray. But now 275 00:13:57,470 --> 00:13:59,590 Speaker 2: that I'm getting older, I look back and I really 276 00:13:59,670 --> 00:14:02,610 Speaker 2: love some of the prayers that we would pray. And 277 00:14:02,650 --> 00:14:05,719 Speaker 2: I find myself praying them. There's one in particular. It 278 00:14:06,050 --> 00:14:10,760 Speaker 2: was like, Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open 279 00:14:11,179 --> 00:14:13,600 Speaker 2: and to whom all desires are known and from whom 280 00:14:13,679 --> 00:14:16,620 Speaker 2: no secrets are hid. cleanse the thoughts of our hearts 281 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:20,300 Speaker 2: by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that by thought, word, 282 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 2: and deed, we may worthily magnify you and praise you 283 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:27,330 Speaker 2: or something like that. But it goes through my head sometimes, 284 00:14:27,400 --> 00:14:31,670 Speaker 2: you know, because it really poetically expresses a desire of 285 00:14:31,750 --> 00:14:35,850 Speaker 2: my heart to, you know, worship God. So anyway, yeah. 286 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 2: What prayer traditions do we kind of see if we 287 00:14:51,730 --> 00:14:55,030 Speaker 2: go back biblically, like to the early church or even 288 00:14:55,090 --> 00:14:58,170 Speaker 2: before that to the people of Israel? Like, what do 289 00:14:58,190 --> 00:15:02,490 Speaker 2: you pull out of there biblically that are, you know, 290 00:15:02,710 --> 00:15:06,580 Speaker 2: held up as good and used in a positive way? 291 00:15:06,940 --> 00:15:09,160 Speaker 1: I think it's fun that we're recording this in the 292 00:15:09,260 --> 00:15:12,900 Speaker 1: fall where, you know, American culture has a lot of 293 00:15:12,940 --> 00:15:16,110 Speaker 1: holidays coming up and a lot of family traditions there. 294 00:15:16,650 --> 00:15:20,430 Speaker 1: but also the Jewish calendar has a lot of harvest-based 295 00:15:20,670 --> 00:15:27,340 Speaker 1: type festivals that are prescribed in scripture. And yeah, sometimes 296 00:15:27,380 --> 00:15:30,820 Speaker 1: it is scripted. Sometimes it's like, and when your children 297 00:15:30,980 --> 00:15:35,140 Speaker 1: ask you this question, you tell them this response. And 298 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:39,570 Speaker 1: these were words that Moses told the Israelites that Jewish 299 00:15:39,630 --> 00:15:44,610 Speaker 1: families today are still observing. And that's pretty cool. And 300 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:49,140 Speaker 1: I like what you said about liturgy. And there are 301 00:15:49,220 --> 00:15:51,840 Speaker 1: certain hymns that we'll sing at church. The one that 302 00:15:51,900 --> 00:15:55,690 Speaker 1: always gets me is at Christmas when we sing Joy 303 00:15:55,730 --> 00:15:59,370 Speaker 1: to the World. And I think to myself, how many 304 00:15:59,410 --> 00:16:04,790 Speaker 1: people in a 24-hour period around the world are singing 305 00:16:04,870 --> 00:16:10,380 Speaker 1: this exact same song or their language's version of this song? 306 00:16:10,500 --> 00:16:14,170 Speaker 1: And that's pretty special to think about. And then How 307 00:16:14,210 --> 00:16:17,150 Speaker 1: many times has this song been sung in all of 308 00:16:17,210 --> 00:16:25,070 Speaker 1: church history? There's something special about remaining connected to, you know, 309 00:16:25,170 --> 00:16:28,890 Speaker 1: our past. And so those are things that I love. 310 00:16:28,910 --> 00:16:32,150 Speaker 1: But yeah, I think where I see a lot of 311 00:16:32,530 --> 00:16:36,320 Speaker 1: prayer traditions comes from like the Jewish feasts or the Jewish, 312 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: even like their ritualistic cleansing or the things that they 313 00:16:40,100 --> 00:16:44,510 Speaker 1: would do before they would give their offerings or, you know, 314 00:16:44,530 --> 00:16:46,609 Speaker 1: there were a lot of rituals there. Yeah. 315 00:16:46,790 --> 00:16:49,650 Speaker 2: And I think that's another reason why I do like 316 00:16:49,740 --> 00:16:53,220 Speaker 2: the ritual part of it. And it brings people together 317 00:16:53,420 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 2: in that way, whether you're doing these readings or whatever 318 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,780 Speaker 2: it is, you know, whether you're doing those things together 319 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 2: as a group or individually, like you said, you're tapping 320 00:17:03,180 --> 00:17:08,310 Speaker 2: into something collective, which I think is so important. And, 321 00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:10,650 Speaker 2: you know, I miss sometimes. 322 00:17:11,060 --> 00:17:15,700 Speaker 1: Yeah, there is some beauty in liturgy and tradition, but 323 00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:18,859 Speaker 1: let's go ahead and also talk about the arguments against. 324 00:17:20,020 --> 00:17:24,320 Speaker 1: It can feel stuffy to people. It can feel like, well, 325 00:17:24,859 --> 00:17:28,640 Speaker 1: for example, I'm sure that if we were to open 326 00:17:28,740 --> 00:17:31,619 Speaker 1: one of those old prayer books where the Book of 327 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,730 Speaker 1: Common Prayer kinds of things, I'm sure that if we 328 00:17:34,770 --> 00:17:42,410 Speaker 1: wanted to find theological, if not straight out fallacies, maybe like, well, 329 00:17:42,590 --> 00:17:45,790 Speaker 1: I wouldn't have emphasized it this way, you know, or 330 00:17:46,290 --> 00:17:48,910 Speaker 1: this seems to take liberty from what the Bible says. 331 00:17:48,990 --> 00:17:52,320 Speaker 1: There's always going to be a risk of some people 332 00:17:52,340 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 1: equating tradition with like gospel or sacredness just because it's tradition. 333 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,119 Speaker 1: So we do have to be careful about that. I 334 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:06,290 Speaker 1: think we've seen enough abuse of theology and church history 335 00:18:06,890 --> 00:18:09,310 Speaker 1: to realize that just because it might be part of 336 00:18:09,330 --> 00:18:12,580 Speaker 1: your religious tradition doesn't make it right or biblical. 337 00:18:12,910 --> 00:18:15,240 Speaker 2: Yeah. And I know when I went on a mission 338 00:18:15,260 --> 00:18:19,540 Speaker 2: trip to Kenya, part of our preparation was examining our 339 00:18:19,600 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 2: faith and sort of looking at what part of my 340 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:28,730 Speaker 2: faith is cultural. That when I, like imagining ourselves being 341 00:18:28,770 --> 00:18:32,320 Speaker 2: taken out of our culture and What remains? And there's 342 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,380 Speaker 2: quite a bit that doesn't remain. You know, there's quite 343 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 2: a bit that gets stripped away. And so I remember 344 00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,460 Speaker 2: that was kind of an epiphany for me. And maybe 345 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:41,740 Speaker 2: even part of that, you know, it was during a 346 00:18:41,790 --> 00:18:44,830 Speaker 2: time when I had kind of been emerging from some 347 00:18:44,869 --> 00:18:49,169 Speaker 2: of that, you know, some of the more traditional church stuff. 348 00:18:49,250 --> 00:18:51,210 Speaker 2: And so I think it might have given me even 349 00:18:51,330 --> 00:18:54,050 Speaker 2: more reason to kind of get away from that for 350 00:18:54,070 --> 00:18:56,780 Speaker 2: a little while. Yeah. But we have seasons in life. 351 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:58,000 Speaker 1: For sure. 352 00:18:58,240 --> 00:18:58,400 Speaker 2: Yeah. 353 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,470 Speaker 1: Yeah. I think we can almost put it in categories. 354 00:19:01,930 --> 00:19:08,230 Speaker 1: So there are traditions that are good that don't go 355 00:19:08,290 --> 00:19:13,469 Speaker 1: against scripture. So it makes sense to embrace. There are 356 00:19:13,550 --> 00:19:16,850 Speaker 1: traditions that really do need to get tossed out because 357 00:19:16,930 --> 00:19:23,879 Speaker 1: they don't have a biblical foundation or at the very least, 358 00:19:23,980 --> 00:19:26,820 Speaker 1: we can't hold on to them as gospel truth. And 359 00:19:26,859 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: by that, I mean, like, let's say somebody doesn't embrace 360 00:19:29,580 --> 00:19:34,710 Speaker 1: your specific way to pray. They don't say the Lord's 361 00:19:34,869 --> 00:19:38,530 Speaker 1: Prayer with the same these and thous that you say 362 00:19:38,570 --> 00:19:42,470 Speaker 1: it in, or they don't stand up to pray at 363 00:19:42,510 --> 00:19:45,350 Speaker 1: their church. They don't kneel down to pray at this church. 364 00:19:45,910 --> 00:19:49,409 Speaker 1: Those are all, I wouldn't even call them personal preferences, 365 00:19:49,490 --> 00:19:52,020 Speaker 1: because if we're talking about it in being like tradition 366 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 1: and church setting, it's not personal preference, but those are, 367 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:59,940 Speaker 1: let's call it cultural or subcultural things, right? So I 368 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:05,310 Speaker 1: love the idea of examining if you take your culture away, 369 00:20:05,350 --> 00:20:08,790 Speaker 1: what's left of your Christianity. But I don't think that 370 00:20:08,830 --> 00:20:12,169 Speaker 1: the answer is, and after you have done that examination, 371 00:20:12,910 --> 00:20:16,710 Speaker 1: only worship in a way that's completely culturally sterile. 372 00:20:17,270 --> 00:20:20,570 Speaker 2: Oh, exactly. No, it's impossible. And I don't think it's 373 00:20:20,710 --> 00:20:21,830 Speaker 2: what was meant. 374 00:20:22,490 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: Yeah. And so recognizing, okay, this is a cultural thing 375 00:20:28,820 --> 00:20:31,120 Speaker 1: that we do, but I love doing it. So we're 376 00:20:31,140 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: going to keep on having our first Sunday potlucks. right? 377 00:20:34,200 --> 00:20:36,389 Speaker 1: I don't sin if I don't, but I love doing 378 00:20:36,490 --> 00:20:38,530 Speaker 1: it and my church loves doing it. So we're going 379 00:20:38,550 --> 00:20:41,090 Speaker 1: to keep on doing it. You know, it can be 380 00:20:41,130 --> 00:20:43,169 Speaker 1: as simple as that, but there are other times, you know, 381 00:20:43,190 --> 00:20:46,209 Speaker 1: let's take something as simple as a church potluck. There 382 00:20:46,250 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: would be some people who would say, well, it's not 383 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:51,980 Speaker 1: mandated in scripture that on the first Sunday of the month, 384 00:20:52,020 --> 00:20:54,700 Speaker 1: you have a church potluck. And so therefore, if your 385 00:20:54,740 --> 00:20:58,560 Speaker 1: church does it, it's an empty, hollow tradition that needs 386 00:20:58,640 --> 00:21:01,230 Speaker 1: to be abolished. And I think most of us can say, okay, 387 00:21:01,250 --> 00:21:03,850 Speaker 1: that's a little extreme. Then, There are going to be 388 00:21:03,950 --> 00:21:08,109 Speaker 1: some people who say, my church does this and we 389 00:21:08,150 --> 00:21:11,060 Speaker 1: love God. Therefore, everybody who loves God must do this. 390 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:12,619 Speaker 1: And if you don't do this, you don't love God. 391 00:21:12,740 --> 00:21:15,280 Speaker 1: We can all see that that's also a huge extreme. 392 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 1: And so I would just encourage us to find this 393 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: place of saying, this is something my church does or 394 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:26,110 Speaker 1: my family does or my denomination does. And I might 395 00:21:26,150 --> 00:21:28,810 Speaker 1: even have biblical reasons why. I could give you the 396 00:21:28,850 --> 00:21:33,970 Speaker 1: Bible verses about Pollux, right? But That doesn't make it 397 00:21:34,010 --> 00:21:37,330 Speaker 1: a commandment. And it doesn't mean that if you don't 398 00:21:37,410 --> 00:21:42,489 Speaker 1: do it, that you've sinned against God. And so realizing 399 00:21:42,530 --> 00:21:48,080 Speaker 1: this is what I love about my church subculture, but 400 00:21:48,100 --> 00:21:50,740 Speaker 1: this is not what makes me a Christian. I think 401 00:21:50,780 --> 00:21:53,899 Speaker 1: there's beauty in being able to see those things. 402 00:21:54,540 --> 00:21:56,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so. I think that's what that scripture 403 00:21:56,700 --> 00:21:58,659 Speaker 2: kind of is pointing to. It's like, yeah, I have 404 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,790 Speaker 2: the freedom to do these things. And to discern what's 405 00:22:01,850 --> 00:22:04,340 Speaker 2: beneficial and what draws you closer to God. And if 406 00:22:04,380 --> 00:22:08,020 Speaker 2: it does, then great. It's good. We had in our 407 00:22:08,060 --> 00:22:10,700 Speaker 2: church in Arizona, they had a tradition and probably still 408 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:14,500 Speaker 2: do of when we had big things going on. And 409 00:22:14,540 --> 00:22:16,380 Speaker 2: then I think it got to be like yearly. But 410 00:22:16,540 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 2: I know that like when we were first praying for land, 411 00:22:20,580 --> 00:22:23,460 Speaker 2: we were looking for land because we were a mobile church. 412 00:22:23,540 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 2: We were having to like set up and tear down 413 00:22:26,100 --> 00:22:29,810 Speaker 2: every Sunday. And we had a 40-day period of fasting. 414 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 2: And everyone fasted how they felt like fasting. I think 415 00:22:34,720 --> 00:22:36,780 Speaker 2: a lot of us did like the Daniel fast of 416 00:22:36,859 --> 00:22:40,860 Speaker 2: certain foods and not others. Some people fasted from other 417 00:22:41,540 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 2: things like technology or sugar or coffee or, you know, 418 00:22:45,619 --> 00:22:49,239 Speaker 2: picked something that stood as a reminder. Like every time 419 00:22:49,260 --> 00:22:51,220 Speaker 2: you miss that thing, you're like, oh, yeah, right. Let's 420 00:22:51,380 --> 00:22:55,330 Speaker 2: pray for the church. And all collectively, you know, I 421 00:22:55,369 --> 00:22:57,219 Speaker 2: know that we came together at one point like for 422 00:22:57,270 --> 00:23:00,890 Speaker 2: a prayer day and then anyway. Mm-hmm. And it was great. Like, 423 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,600 Speaker 2: I loved that. That was a really cool prayer tradition. 424 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:06,460 Speaker 2: And it was glorifying to God. I felt like it 425 00:23:06,500 --> 00:23:09,540 Speaker 2: brought us together as a church. I can also see 426 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,310 Speaker 2: how people can get legalistic about things like that, or 427 00:23:12,570 --> 00:23:15,990 Speaker 2: people could get into the danger zone of, you know, 428 00:23:16,369 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 2: making an idol or being prideful. Like, oh, are you fasting? 429 00:23:21,890 --> 00:23:22,680 Speaker 1: Yeah. 430 00:23:22,700 --> 00:23:25,710 Speaker 2: Or coming up, you know, Looking all haggard and being like. 431 00:23:25,910 --> 00:23:28,910 Speaker 1: Oh, this fasting business is not. 432 00:23:28,609 --> 00:23:30,830 Speaker 2: For the faint of heart. Can you tell? 433 00:23:30,890 --> 00:23:32,450 Speaker 1: Help. Right. 434 00:23:32,609 --> 00:23:33,470 Speaker 2: Yeah. Anyway. 435 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:35,879 Speaker 1: Are you the one who told me the story about 436 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,340 Speaker 1: their church doing a liquid fast? 437 00:23:38,700 --> 00:23:39,600 Speaker 2: I don't think so. 438 00:23:39,619 --> 00:23:43,300 Speaker 1: Okay. I think I had another friend then. So their 439 00:23:43,340 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: church did something similar, but it was all just a 440 00:23:46,100 --> 00:23:49,710 Speaker 1: liquid fast. Mm-hmm. So people would get around it by like, 441 00:23:49,930 --> 00:23:53,379 Speaker 1: you know, making milkshakes or by taking your, you know, 442 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,420 Speaker 1: mashed potatoes and meatloaf and just putting it in a 443 00:23:55,460 --> 00:23:57,600 Speaker 1: blender and eating it with a spoon. 444 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:01,580 Speaker 2: Yeah. At that point, it's like, okay. Well, I remember, 445 00:24:01,740 --> 00:24:04,040 Speaker 2: so I was doing like, I don't know, it was 446 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:09,000 Speaker 2: like vegetables and I could have beans or lentils, but 447 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:14,070 Speaker 2: no dairy or whatever. But I remember my husband asking me, 448 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 2: Because we went somewhere and I got French fries because 449 00:24:17,550 --> 00:24:22,050 Speaker 2: they were potatoes, right? And he was like, you'll eat 450 00:24:22,290 --> 00:24:26,370 Speaker 2: French fries, but you won't eat like a chicken breast. 451 00:24:26,530 --> 00:24:29,570 Speaker 2: And I'm like, yeah, the chicken is meat. But it 452 00:24:29,590 --> 00:24:32,530 Speaker 2: was like, this isn't for health. This is like just 453 00:24:32,609 --> 00:24:35,250 Speaker 2: on principle. You know, it's like a principle fast. 454 00:24:35,290 --> 00:24:35,639 Speaker 1: I get it. 455 00:24:35,890 --> 00:24:40,750 Speaker 2: Yeah. But yeah, it's when... Yeah. But there are pitfalls 456 00:24:40,869 --> 00:24:44,609 Speaker 2: for sure to any kinds of traditions, especially things like fasting, 457 00:24:45,190 --> 00:24:48,730 Speaker 2: where the Bible even says, don't wear sackcloth and ashes 458 00:24:48,890 --> 00:24:53,420 Speaker 2: and let yourself go just so people will know you're fasting. 459 00:24:53,460 --> 00:24:55,619 Speaker 2: Make sure that this is between you and God. And 460 00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 2: I think all traditions, I think, boil down to that. 461 00:25:00,350 --> 00:25:02,850 Speaker 2: Does it bring you closer to God? Does it help 462 00:25:03,050 --> 00:25:08,010 Speaker 2: unite you with other believers. And if that's the case, 463 00:25:08,090 --> 00:25:10,330 Speaker 2: then yeah, that's great. Yeah. 464 00:25:10,990 --> 00:25:14,689 Speaker 1: And I remember the story in the Old Testament that 465 00:25:14,770 --> 00:25:18,950 Speaker 1: Jesus himself references, and it's when David and his men 466 00:25:18,990 --> 00:25:21,929 Speaker 1: are hungry, and so they eat the holy bread, right? 467 00:25:22,030 --> 00:25:24,030 Speaker 2: It would almost be like. 468 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:27,780 Speaker 1: Going downstairs in your church and eating the communion crackers 469 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 1: or wafers or bread or whatever your church serves for communion. 470 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:36,490 Speaker 1: And In most cases, that is sacrilegious to do. But 471 00:25:37,190 --> 00:25:40,570 Speaker 1: in a case where you're running for your life, and 472 00:25:40,609 --> 00:25:43,530 Speaker 1: so my novelist brain is if we're locked in a 473 00:25:43,590 --> 00:25:47,530 Speaker 1: church in a natural disaster and there's no food, we 474 00:25:47,650 --> 00:25:51,910 Speaker 1: have God's blessing to eat the communion crackers, right? That's 475 00:25:52,010 --> 00:25:55,179 Speaker 1: God's provision. Now, if I'm just kind of got the 476 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:58,419 Speaker 1: munchies and want to go downstairs and eat them. Or, 477 00:25:58,500 --> 00:26:01,379 Speaker 1: you know, it's communion Sunday and it's before church. I'm like, 478 00:26:01,420 --> 00:26:04,140 Speaker 1: I'm kind of hungry. Let me take a chunk of this. Oh, 479 00:26:04,359 --> 00:26:07,780 Speaker 1: that's not. But again, you know, when Jesus says the 480 00:26:08,619 --> 00:26:11,209 Speaker 1: Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath, 481 00:26:11,250 --> 00:26:14,290 Speaker 1: I think we can substitute any tradition. Traditions were made 482 00:26:15,109 --> 00:26:18,470 Speaker 1: to serve us. We weren't made to be slaves to tradition. 483 00:26:19,369 --> 00:26:21,250 Speaker 1: Traditions are meant to be a blessing to us. 484 00:26:22,390 --> 00:26:24,170 Speaker 2: Yeah, I was thinking of that exact verse. 485 00:26:24,760 --> 00:26:28,330 Speaker 1: So what about specific prayer traditions? Have you been in 486 00:26:28,400 --> 00:26:31,030 Speaker 1: any churches that have anything unique or has your family 487 00:26:31,070 --> 00:26:35,050 Speaker 1: done any unique prayer traditions or just getting people ideas 488 00:26:35,109 --> 00:26:36,150 Speaker 1: of what that might look like? 489 00:26:37,130 --> 00:26:39,090 Speaker 2: I have kind of a fun one of our families. 490 00:26:40,030 --> 00:26:43,570 Speaker 2: So we call it Nana's Three C's. It's my mother-in-law. 491 00:26:43,650 --> 00:26:46,810 Speaker 2: She actually began writing a book about praying for the 492 00:26:46,850 --> 00:26:49,190 Speaker 2: men in your life. I've wanted to have her on 493 00:26:49,210 --> 00:26:51,850 Speaker 2: the podcast. I've wanted to help her get that book 494 00:26:51,990 --> 00:26:53,710 Speaker 2: out into the world. I don't know if she's done 495 00:26:53,730 --> 00:26:56,150 Speaker 2: with it or not, but One of the things that 496 00:26:56,330 --> 00:27:00,139 Speaker 2: she has always prayed for our kids, the boys and 497 00:27:00,180 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 2: the girl, not just the men, we call it Nana's 498 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:06,480 Speaker 2: Three Cs, but it's confidence, calmness, and concentration. And this 499 00:27:06,590 --> 00:27:10,450 Speaker 2: is usually when it comes to a performance or a 500 00:27:11,310 --> 00:27:12,810 Speaker 2: sporting event or something. 501 00:27:12,869 --> 00:27:13,330 Speaker 1: Yeah. 502 00:27:13,840 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 2: So, yeah, like she definitely will always pray for them. 503 00:27:18,760 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 2: And whenever she prays for them to do something that's 504 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:25,920 Speaker 2: going to be difficult, it's confidence, calmness, and concentration. We 505 00:27:25,960 --> 00:27:31,460 Speaker 2: will typically do like a prayer before a game, like 506 00:27:31,500 --> 00:27:34,480 Speaker 2: before hockey games. That's cool. We'll pray for the kids 507 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 2: like usually in the car on the way there. And 508 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,590 Speaker 2: a lot of times we'll incorporate her three C's. Yeah. 509 00:27:41,850 --> 00:27:45,890 Speaker 2: But one... pitfall to that tradition is there are times 510 00:27:46,390 --> 00:27:48,709 Speaker 2: when we have a lot of games going on and 511 00:27:48,730 --> 00:27:51,990 Speaker 2: I'm just like, I'm praying the same thing every time, 512 00:27:52,050 --> 00:27:57,750 Speaker 2: you know, and it almost feels formulaic and even superstitious 513 00:27:58,390 --> 00:28:00,750 Speaker 2: if it's in a hurry, if I'm in a hurry 514 00:28:00,950 --> 00:28:03,190 Speaker 2: and I just rattle off because I do have in 515 00:28:03,250 --> 00:28:06,570 Speaker 2: my head, especially with our middle son, who's playing like 516 00:28:06,590 --> 00:28:09,949 Speaker 2: high level hockey. I mean, he had today, just in 517 00:28:09,990 --> 00:28:13,640 Speaker 2: practice alone, they've had six guys this last year. that 518 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 2: have gone not able to play for a while. One 519 00:28:17,540 --> 00:28:22,980 Speaker 2: broke his jaw today. One separated his shoulder last week. 520 00:28:23,060 --> 00:28:25,850 Speaker 2: There's another guy who had surgery on his hip, like 521 00:28:25,950 --> 00:28:30,770 Speaker 2: plus concussions, plus wrists, plus back, back breaking, collarbone, like 522 00:28:31,170 --> 00:28:34,810 Speaker 2: all of these things happen. And so I'm increasingly aware 523 00:28:35,109 --> 00:28:38,180 Speaker 2: of the need to pray for safety. And I get 524 00:28:38,220 --> 00:28:41,830 Speaker 2: to the point sometimes, like it's interesting this morning, my 525 00:28:41,950 --> 00:28:44,690 Speaker 2: son texted me. I had dropped him off at hockey, 526 00:28:44,950 --> 00:28:47,470 Speaker 2: came back, got our daughter to school, and I was 527 00:28:47,510 --> 00:28:49,330 Speaker 2: about to go back down to pick him up from hockey. 528 00:28:49,470 --> 00:28:51,510 Speaker 2: And I get this text, how soon can you be here? 529 00:28:51,530 --> 00:28:55,120 Speaker 2: And immediately my hackles go up and I said, are 530 00:28:55,150 --> 00:28:59,220 Speaker 2: you okay? Cause like I just, and he said, oh yeah, no, 531 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:04,200 Speaker 2: I'm fine. I was just curious. It's like, okay, 40 minutes. Um, 532 00:29:04,780 --> 00:29:08,750 Speaker 2: so I, um, But immediately before I got the answer, 533 00:29:08,890 --> 00:29:11,600 Speaker 2: I thought, I didn't pray for safety for him this morning. 534 00:29:12,490 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 2: And you can get into that like, did I pray enough? 535 00:29:17,180 --> 00:29:20,360 Speaker 2: Did I pray specifically enough for, I didn't pray for 536 00:29:20,400 --> 00:29:22,840 Speaker 2: his collarbone and he broke his collarbone. I should have 537 00:29:22,860 --> 00:29:26,560 Speaker 2: prayed for the collarbone. You know, those kinds of things. 538 00:29:26,640 --> 00:29:31,270 Speaker 2: So their traditions are wonderful, but I feel like it's 539 00:29:31,330 --> 00:29:35,430 Speaker 2: important to realize that there are times like, What came 540 00:29:35,490 --> 00:29:37,340 Speaker 2: to my mind, there are times that you can let 541 00:29:37,360 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 2: them go for a time. I have consciously a few 542 00:29:40,900 --> 00:29:43,670 Speaker 2: times been like, I'm not going to pray out loud 543 00:29:43,830 --> 00:29:46,130 Speaker 2: for this game because it's going to come out. And 544 00:29:46,190 --> 00:29:50,650 Speaker 2: do I want my kids to come away feeling like 545 00:29:51,490 --> 00:29:55,050 Speaker 2: I'm just praying superstitiously the same thing over and over again? 546 00:29:55,610 --> 00:29:58,470 Speaker 2: Or do I want them... I don't know. I guess 547 00:29:58,630 --> 00:30:02,940 Speaker 2: if I'm feeling formulaic, I can praise effectively in my 548 00:30:02,980 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 2: head to God or whatever as I can out loud. 549 00:30:07,380 --> 00:30:10,719 Speaker 2: So I just felt the need and do sometimes to 550 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,290 Speaker 2: kind of shake it up a little and not just 551 00:30:13,440 --> 00:30:16,550 Speaker 2: do the obligatory prayer at this time and maybe come 552 00:30:16,590 --> 00:30:19,890 Speaker 2: up with more creative ways to pray outside the box or. 553 00:30:19,850 --> 00:30:20,870 Speaker 1: To let them know. 554 00:30:20,970 --> 00:30:22,830 Speaker 2: Sometimes I'll send them a text like when they're in 555 00:30:22,850 --> 00:30:25,410 Speaker 2: the locker room. just before, and I'll just write out 556 00:30:25,540 --> 00:30:26,660 Speaker 2: the prayer in a text. 557 00:30:27,260 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: Aw, you're so good at that, yeah. 558 00:30:40,940 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 2: So anyway, I just wonder, I just, I love the traditions, 559 00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:49,380 Speaker 2: but also have experienced the pitfalls of some of it. 560 00:30:49,420 --> 00:30:53,930 Speaker 1: Yeah, but just to... assess it from the other side, 561 00:30:54,670 --> 00:31:00,380 Speaker 1: there's almost a counter-superstition that says prayer must be spontaneous 562 00:31:00,500 --> 00:31:02,620 Speaker 1: to be real. Do you know what I mean? 563 00:31:02,820 --> 00:31:05,840 Speaker 2: Right. You have to feel something in order for it 564 00:31:05,860 --> 00:31:06,500 Speaker 2: to be effective. 565 00:31:06,520 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: Prayer only works if it wells up from the depth 566 00:31:10,700 --> 00:31:14,380 Speaker 1: of your soul. And sometimes I tell my husband, I 567 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:16,780 Speaker 1: love you, and it's just me saying, I love you. 568 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:20,220 Speaker 1: It's still good to do, even if it's not like, okay, 569 00:31:20,260 --> 00:31:24,380 Speaker 1: let me Let me wait until I feel that this 570 00:31:24,460 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: is the truest thing that I will speak all day. 571 00:31:27,540 --> 00:31:30,460 Speaker 1: You know, sometimes it's just, okay, have a great day. 572 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,550 Speaker 1: I love you. And that's okay too. So it can 573 00:31:34,590 --> 00:31:39,930 Speaker 1: get hard. I feel like sometimes the desire to not 574 00:31:39,970 --> 00:31:44,830 Speaker 1: be superstitious in our prayer life is maybe ignoring the 575 00:31:44,890 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: fact that everything can be somewhat superstitious and we just 576 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:55,780 Speaker 1: have to be okay with that you know because there 577 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:57,960 Speaker 1: will be some people who say yeah Jamie if you're 578 00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:00,140 Speaker 1: just saying the exact same words for your kids before 579 00:32:00,180 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: every game that's just like an incantation and there's other 580 00:32:03,220 --> 00:32:07,210 Speaker 1: people who would say yeah if you don't say these 581 00:32:07,270 --> 00:32:08,990 Speaker 1: words for your kids how are they going to know 582 00:32:09,070 --> 00:32:10,610 Speaker 1: and how you know like how is it going to 583 00:32:10,650 --> 00:32:14,660 Speaker 1: ring true so I think it's, I love the verse 584 00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:16,880 Speaker 1: that you picked for today, and we go back to 585 00:32:16,900 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 1: it all the time, the other verse, and I forget 586 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:22,770 Speaker 1: right now if it's Colossians or Galatians. Whatever you do, 587 00:32:23,420 --> 00:32:26,830 Speaker 1: do it for the glory of God. And maybe do 588 00:32:27,710 --> 00:32:30,510 Speaker 1: a little bit of self-assessment to see where on the 589 00:32:30,530 --> 00:32:34,310 Speaker 1: spectrum you fall. We didn't grow up in a liturgical 590 00:32:34,710 --> 00:32:39,180 Speaker 1: type of So to me, like the very first time 591 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: I heard a pastor read a written out prayer, I 592 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,570 Speaker 1: felt like spiritually unsafe. I literally was like, is the 593 00:32:48,620 --> 00:32:51,070 Speaker 1: devil going to come and like curse me? 594 00:32:51,290 --> 00:32:55,150 Speaker 2: Because it was so different from anything you had experienced before. 595 00:32:55,170 --> 00:32:58,870 Speaker 1: Yes, and this wasn't even like, this was not a 596 00:32:58,970 --> 00:33:03,729 Speaker 1: liturgical prayer. This was like a three-page handwritten prayer that 597 00:33:03,750 --> 00:33:08,040 Speaker 1: this pastor wrote. very thoughtfully had written out before the 598 00:33:08,100 --> 00:33:13,460 Speaker 1: service about current events, about specific people in the congregation. 599 00:33:13,480 --> 00:33:17,510 Speaker 1: But because it was being read, I was like, well, 600 00:33:17,550 --> 00:33:21,670 Speaker 1: this can't count. And it was a silly thought, but 601 00:33:21,790 --> 00:33:27,950 Speaker 1: because I grew up in churches that emphasize, it's gotta 602 00:33:27,970 --> 00:33:31,469 Speaker 1: be spontaneous. It's you and God. It's a conversation with 603 00:33:31,510 --> 00:33:34,340 Speaker 1: you and God. They would be the kind to say that, yeah, 604 00:33:34,720 --> 00:33:37,180 Speaker 1: Don't just say I love you to your husband. You've 605 00:33:37,200 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 1: got to feel that love, you know? And okay, like 606 00:33:41,880 --> 00:33:45,040 Speaker 1: if I had to choose between like feeling the I 607 00:33:45,060 --> 00:33:47,239 Speaker 1: love you or saying I love you, yeah, feeling the 608 00:33:47,290 --> 00:33:50,030 Speaker 1: I love you probably like makes more sense. But sometimes 609 00:33:50,110 --> 00:33:54,790 Speaker 1: like that's, sometimes that's exhausting. Like I can't go walking 610 00:33:55,090 --> 00:34:00,410 Speaker 1: around every single moment infatuated with my husband because that's 611 00:34:00,510 --> 00:34:02,790 Speaker 1: just not conducive to. 612 00:34:02,690 --> 00:34:03,050 Speaker 2: Life, right? 613 00:34:04,140 --> 00:34:06,240 Speaker 1: That doesn't mean I love him less, right? 614 00:34:06,540 --> 00:34:06,860 Speaker 2: Yeah. 615 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:09,819 Speaker 1: And so all that to say, I think we can 616 00:34:09,940 --> 00:34:14,190 Speaker 1: err on all sides of this. Like it's a 360 617 00:34:14,190 --> 00:34:19,270 Speaker 1: degree issue and on every side, there's probably errors in 618 00:34:19,830 --> 00:34:22,610 Speaker 1: what gets emphasized too much or too little. 619 00:34:22,630 --> 00:34:25,989 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. Well, I think there's another side to my 620 00:34:26,050 --> 00:34:27,950 Speaker 2: own argument of, well, would I rather have my kid, 621 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:31,669 Speaker 2: you know, hear me recite something that sounds like I'm just, 622 00:34:31,710 --> 00:34:35,150 Speaker 2: you know, my heart's not in it or it's superstitious 623 00:34:35,170 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 2: or what? Not pray at all? I mean, so you 624 00:34:40,180 --> 00:34:42,960 Speaker 2: could make the argument like at least they're hearing you 625 00:34:43,060 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 2: pray and at least you're bringing God's name into this 626 00:34:46,320 --> 00:34:49,700 Speaker 2: situation and letting them know that God is part of 627 00:34:49,820 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 2: protection and blessing and help. 628 00:34:53,830 --> 00:34:57,790 Speaker 1: Yeah, but then it can become so ritualistic that it 629 00:34:57,830 --> 00:35:01,170 Speaker 1: can get stripped of its meaning. And I think we 630 00:35:01,210 --> 00:35:05,239 Speaker 1: always have to be maybe just aware of all of 631 00:35:05,280 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: the pitfalls and not afraid of falling into every single 632 00:35:09,660 --> 00:35:13,420 Speaker 1: potential trap that a tradition or a ritual can create, 633 00:35:13,440 --> 00:35:18,260 Speaker 1: but just being aware and recognizing that within that there's 634 00:35:18,320 --> 00:35:21,340 Speaker 1: so much freedom and there is so much grace. And 635 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:23,140 Speaker 1: some days you're going to pray and it's going to 636 00:35:23,180 --> 00:35:25,259 Speaker 1: feel like the same thing you pray every day. And 637 00:35:25,280 --> 00:35:28,370 Speaker 1: God's going to love the fact that you're praying to him. 638 00:35:28,390 --> 00:35:31,629 Speaker 1: And some days you're going to have no time at all. 639 00:35:31,810 --> 00:35:34,089 Speaker 1: And God's going to love the fact that you're out 640 00:35:34,330 --> 00:35:37,230 Speaker 1: serving the people that he's called you to serve. And 641 00:35:37,670 --> 00:35:40,390 Speaker 1: some days your heart is going to overflow with so 642 00:35:40,430 --> 00:35:42,899 Speaker 1: much love and devotion that it's going to pour out. 643 00:35:43,480 --> 00:35:46,040 Speaker 1: And God's going to love your authenticity. And some days 644 00:35:46,060 --> 00:35:49,120 Speaker 1: you're going to open up to Psalms or, you know, 645 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:51,960 Speaker 1: like a prayer book and you're just going to read 646 00:35:52,020 --> 00:35:54,940 Speaker 1: what's on there. And maybe it'll start with like, this 647 00:35:55,060 --> 00:35:57,530 Speaker 1: is boring. I'm just going through the motions and God's 648 00:35:57,590 --> 00:35:58,750 Speaker 1: going to transform your heart. 649 00:35:58,810 --> 00:35:59,590 Speaker 2: Or maybe he won't. 650 00:36:00,050 --> 00:36:01,890 Speaker 1: And it will feel like going through the motions and 651 00:36:01,930 --> 00:36:02,790 Speaker 1: that's okay too. 652 00:36:03,330 --> 00:36:05,130 Speaker 2: I want to bring one more thing up too. I 653 00:36:05,350 --> 00:36:08,140 Speaker 2: remember in one of Beth Moore's books, I think it 654 00:36:08,180 --> 00:36:11,400 Speaker 2: was her like my something knotted up life. It's like 655 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:15,390 Speaker 2: her memoir. she was talking about her husband who she 656 00:36:15,510 --> 00:36:18,910 Speaker 2: always kind of references him as being a believer, but 657 00:36:19,630 --> 00:36:25,630 Speaker 2: kind of never front and center in like church ministry activity, 658 00:36:25,670 --> 00:36:27,950 Speaker 2: all that stuff. Like he kind of lets her kind 659 00:36:28,010 --> 00:36:31,819 Speaker 2: of do the ministry type stuff more so. And she 660 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:35,799 Speaker 2: talks about when she and the Southern Baptist Church kind 661 00:36:35,860 --> 00:36:38,440 Speaker 2: of had a split. I guess they, I don't know. 662 00:36:38,880 --> 00:36:40,739 Speaker 2: I don't know the details, but I just know that 663 00:36:41,510 --> 00:36:44,330 Speaker 2: They didn't want her anymore and she didn't want them anymore. 664 00:36:44,450 --> 00:36:47,330 Speaker 2: And she went kind of her own way. And they 665 00:36:47,370 --> 00:36:49,689 Speaker 2: ended up going to, I think it was like maybe 666 00:36:49,710 --> 00:36:53,209 Speaker 2: an Anglican church or something that was more liturgical, just 667 00:36:53,350 --> 00:36:54,719 Speaker 2: to kind of, they were kind of just going to 668 00:36:54,760 --> 00:36:57,740 Speaker 2: different churches to try them out. And she had never 669 00:36:57,760 --> 00:37:00,779 Speaker 2: been to a church where they had responsive readings and liturgy. 670 00:37:01,340 --> 00:37:04,140 Speaker 2: Her husband had grown up in one of those churches, 671 00:37:04,200 --> 00:37:06,799 Speaker 2: maybe even Catholicism. I don't remember how he grew up, 672 00:37:06,840 --> 00:37:09,980 Speaker 2: but he knew all of it. And he had been 673 00:37:10,020 --> 00:37:13,969 Speaker 2: very like, angry and kind of not happy with the 674 00:37:14,010 --> 00:37:16,970 Speaker 2: church for a while. And they went to this church 675 00:37:17,469 --> 00:37:20,290 Speaker 2: and she was like, all of a sudden he was 676 00:37:20,330 --> 00:37:22,989 Speaker 2: doing all these things. She didn't know when to stand up, 677 00:37:23,030 --> 00:37:27,090 Speaker 2: when to sit down, where to find the hymnal. And 678 00:37:27,150 --> 00:37:28,790 Speaker 2: he knew what to do. And she's like, how did 679 00:37:28,830 --> 00:37:31,490 Speaker 2: you know this? And by the end of the service, 680 00:37:31,570 --> 00:37:35,730 Speaker 2: he was weeping. And she's like, he's not a crier. 681 00:37:35,750 --> 00:37:40,279 Speaker 2: And At the end, she was like, what is going on? 682 00:37:40,400 --> 00:37:44,980 Speaker 2: And he basically said, like, I haven't felt this connected 683 00:37:45,020 --> 00:37:48,239 Speaker 2: to God since I was a little boy. 684 00:37:48,260 --> 00:37:49,009 Speaker 1: That's beautiful. 685 00:37:49,430 --> 00:37:52,250 Speaker 2: And she, on the other hand, was the opposite. She 686 00:37:52,290 --> 00:37:55,589 Speaker 2: was like, this is crazy. This is so dry and stuffy. 687 00:37:55,910 --> 00:37:57,830 Speaker 1: What is this? Where is God in this even? 688 00:37:58,330 --> 00:38:02,110 Speaker 2: And I think it's just a really cool reminder that 689 00:38:02,780 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 2: we're all different. And if you're in a marriage and... 690 00:38:08,070 --> 00:38:11,149 Speaker 2: or a relationship, you know, be sensitive to the fact, 691 00:38:11,210 --> 00:38:13,810 Speaker 2: or even with, with our children, be sensitive to the 692 00:38:13,850 --> 00:38:17,950 Speaker 2: fact that everyone's, I don't know, like not love language, 693 00:38:18,030 --> 00:38:22,339 Speaker 2: but like art language when it comes to tradition and 694 00:38:22,380 --> 00:38:26,140 Speaker 2: liturgy and things like that is different and probably will 695 00:38:26,180 --> 00:38:29,440 Speaker 2: be different at different stages of their lives. So to 696 00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:33,180 Speaker 2: be open to like being okay with, being a Beth 697 00:38:33,260 --> 00:38:36,319 Speaker 2: Moore who's not necessarily feeling the spirit for the sake 698 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:39,140 Speaker 2: of someone who might at that moment need what they 699 00:38:39,180 --> 00:38:42,500 Speaker 2: need to get from something or vice versa. Don't be 700 00:38:42,540 --> 00:38:46,299 Speaker 2: afraid to step into something you've never experienced before in 701 00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:49,790 Speaker 2: terms of a tradition or style of worship or church, 702 00:38:50,030 --> 00:38:53,810 Speaker 2: just with no expectations, because who knows how God will 703 00:38:53,910 --> 00:38:55,150 Speaker 2: reach you and speak to you. 704 00:38:55,750 --> 00:38:57,930 Speaker 1: Maybe for those of you who have friends who go 705 00:38:58,010 --> 00:39:02,319 Speaker 1: to like a church with a Christian church, but whose 706 00:39:02,380 --> 00:39:05,340 Speaker 1: practices are quite a bit different from your own, maybe 707 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:10,060 Speaker 1: propose like a cultural exchange where one day you'll go 708 00:39:10,100 --> 00:39:12,200 Speaker 1: to theirs, one day they'll come to yours. And I 709 00:39:12,440 --> 00:39:15,580 Speaker 1: think we can learn from that, you know, and for 710 00:39:15,640 --> 00:39:19,339 Speaker 1: anybody who's extremely concerned, we're not saying to throw out 711 00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:24,690 Speaker 1: your theology and, you know, to embrace extra biblical or 712 00:39:24,870 --> 00:39:28,650 Speaker 1: unbiblical teaching. We're talking just about the traditions that might 713 00:39:28,690 --> 00:39:32,700 Speaker 1: be different than what you've up with, but are so 714 00:39:32,780 --> 00:39:37,320 Speaker 1: God honoring and beautiful. And yeah, it could just be 715 00:39:37,340 --> 00:39:41,350 Speaker 1: a really interesting experience. I guess the church that we 716 00:39:41,390 --> 00:39:45,230 Speaker 1: go to now, so picture like very small rural Alaska, 717 00:39:45,250 --> 00:39:50,340 Speaker 1: I guess it's Decades ago, this church had a relationship 718 00:39:50,500 --> 00:39:55,140 Speaker 1: with an African-American church in Anchorage or Fairbanks or something, 719 00:39:55,340 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 1: and they did that. They basically said, you know, you 720 00:39:58,219 --> 00:40:00,200 Speaker 1: guys send some of your people over and worship with 721 00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:01,130 Speaker 1: us one Sunday. 722 00:40:01,150 --> 00:40:03,850 Speaker 2: Yes, we had a very similar thing in the church. 723 00:40:03,670 --> 00:40:05,970 Speaker 1: We grew up in. Decades later, some of the people 724 00:40:06,210 --> 00:40:12,290 Speaker 1: who helped facilitate that exchange still talk about what they 725 00:40:12,350 --> 00:40:17,380 Speaker 1: learned and how they were blessed by seeing people Of 726 00:40:17,560 --> 00:40:23,920 Speaker 1: different subculture, different denomination, different way of living, different music style. 727 00:40:23,940 --> 00:40:26,200 Speaker 1: And it was a real blessing for them. 728 00:40:26,820 --> 00:40:29,400 Speaker 2: I love that. One last thing it brings to mind 729 00:40:29,620 --> 00:40:32,799 Speaker 2: is the Passover Seder. So I know a lot of 730 00:40:32,860 --> 00:40:37,680 Speaker 2: Christians who really get a lot of richness of our 731 00:40:37,930 --> 00:40:40,759 Speaker 2: Christian faith. by kind of looking back on some of 732 00:40:40,800 --> 00:40:44,220 Speaker 2: the Jewish traditions. And, you know, obviously we have Messianic 733 00:40:44,280 --> 00:40:49,110 Speaker 2: Jewish congregations who believe in Jesus and still adhere to 734 00:40:49,170 --> 00:40:52,550 Speaker 2: some of the traditions, which I know several Christian friends 735 00:40:52,590 --> 00:40:55,830 Speaker 2: who have participated in some of those things. And it's 736 00:40:55,850 --> 00:40:58,899 Speaker 2: been a real blessing to them too, just to experience those. 737 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:01,180 Speaker 2: I love that idea of being like doing a swap. 738 00:41:01,460 --> 00:41:02,399 Speaker 2: I think that's very- Yeah. 739 00:41:04,120 --> 00:41:08,160 Speaker 1: Well, you know, and even like our son went to like, 740 00:41:08,500 --> 00:41:10,919 Speaker 1: what I would probably consider a mega church, like people 741 00:41:10,940 --> 00:41:13,140 Speaker 1: who go to actual mega churches might not consider like, 742 00:41:13,160 --> 00:41:15,580 Speaker 1: they'd be like, what is this little country church? But 743 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:19,239 Speaker 1: he went with friends and he was with them out 744 00:41:19,300 --> 00:41:20,819 Speaker 1: of state. And, you know, it was probably a church 745 00:41:20,860 --> 00:41:23,730 Speaker 1: of a couple thousand, you know, like a full band 746 00:41:23,810 --> 00:41:28,390 Speaker 1: and very emotional singing. And it was very, very different 747 00:41:28,430 --> 00:41:32,610 Speaker 1: for him. And I'm glad he got that experience. So, yeah, 748 00:41:32,770 --> 00:41:36,570 Speaker 1: I'm thankful that there are traditions. I feel like If 749 00:41:36,630 --> 00:41:39,750 Speaker 1: we throw out too much tradition for the sake of 750 00:41:39,850 --> 00:41:42,150 Speaker 1: you must have your own personal relationship with Christ, I 751 00:41:42,190 --> 00:41:45,190 Speaker 1: think we lose a lot of richness. But there are 752 00:41:45,210 --> 00:41:47,390 Speaker 1: the pitfalls that we talked about, about, you know, is 753 00:41:47,430 --> 00:41:49,600 Speaker 1: it just going through the motions or are you putting 754 00:41:49,660 --> 00:41:52,620 Speaker 1: as much faith in this tradition as you are in 755 00:41:52,700 --> 00:41:56,460 Speaker 1: Christ or even more so and all of that. Well, 756 00:41:56,500 --> 00:42:00,020 Speaker 1: with that, let's close with our blessing and benediction. Today 757 00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:02,100 Speaker 1: and all days may you be strong in the Lord 758 00:42:02,219 --> 00:42:04,590 Speaker 1: and in his mighty power. May he clothe you in 759 00:42:04,630 --> 00:42:07,530 Speaker 1: his robes of salvation and adorn you with garments of praise. 760 00:42:08,070 --> 00:42:11,950 Speaker 1: May you put on today a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, 761 00:42:12,010 --> 00:42:14,780 Speaker 1: and patience. May you be covered by the full armor 762 00:42:14,820 --> 00:42:17,419 Speaker 1: of God so that whatever this day may bring, you'll 763 00:42:17,460 --> 00:42:19,900 Speaker 1: be able to hold your ground. And over all these virtues, 764 00:42:19,980 --> 00:42:22,180 Speaker 1: may you put on love, which holds them all together 765 00:42:22,260 --> 00:42:25,960 Speaker 1: in perfect unity. And our benediction is from Numbers chapter 6, 766 00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:29,330 Speaker 1: verses 24 to 26. The Lord bless you and keep you. 767 00:42:29,630 --> 00:42:31,509 Speaker 1: The Lord make his face to shine upon you and 768 00:42:31,530 --> 00:42:34,120 Speaker 1: be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance 769 00:42:34,180 --> 00:42:40,339 Speaker 1: upon you and give you peace. We'd like to take 770 00:42:40,380 --> 00:42:42,280 Speaker 1: just a quick second to thank the team at Life 771 00:42:42,430 --> 00:42:45,549 Speaker 1: Audio for their partnership with us on the podcast. If 772 00:42:45,570 --> 00:42:48,730 Speaker 1: you go to lifeaudio.com, you will find dozens of other 773 00:42:48,770 --> 00:42:52,049 Speaker 1: faith-centered podcasts in their network. They've got shows about prayer, 774 00:42:52,340 --> 00:42:54,839 Speaker 1: Bible study, parenting, and so much more. 775 00:42:55,380 --> 00:42:56,399 Speaker 2: That's lifeaudio.com.