1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 2: I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,360 Speaker 2: I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Hope this inspires you. 5 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:12,480 Speaker 2: Hope it builds your faith. Hope it gives your perspective 6 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:14,040 Speaker 2: to see Gods moving in your life. 7 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: Enjoy the message. 8 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 3: I am so happy to be worshiping with you on 9 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,639 Speaker 3: this Palm Sunday. We are gathered together to celebrate and 10 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:28,639 Speaker 3: worship our Savior. And I want to tell you, whether 11 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,440 Speaker 3: you are in a seat at one of our locations 12 00:00:31,560 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 3: or you're watching online, guess what the hard part is over. 13 00:00:36,560 --> 00:00:41,520 Speaker 3: You're here and the easy part is ahead because God 14 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:44,040 Speaker 3: is about to speak to you today. Are you ready 15 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:50,319 Speaker 3: for another one? All right? Hug a few people on 16 00:00:50,360 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 3: your way to your seat. I am so excited that 17 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 3: I get to be the one to wrap up this series. 18 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:15,640 Speaker 3: It has been a great one. We have spent the 19 00:01:15,680 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 3: last seven weeks walking through my husband's new book, Do 20 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 3: the New You, and I hope that this series has been. 21 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: Special to you. I know that many of you are 22 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: still reading through. 23 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 3: The book and discussing it each week with your e group. 24 00:01:28,959 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 3: Keep going, keep showing up, keep sharing. I wish that 25 00:01:32,000 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 3: I could ask each one of you which mindset has 26 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,080 Speaker 3: been your favorite, which chapter of the book has. 27 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 1: Spoken to you the deepest. I know I have my 28 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 1: favorite mindset, and I have my favorite chapter, and I'm 29 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:45,399 Speaker 1: sure you have yours too. 30 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 3: But to be able to hold this book in my hands, 31 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:51,640 Speaker 3: and then to get to wrap up this series you 32 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 3: may not understand, but it is an immeasurably more answer. 33 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,280 Speaker 1: To my personal prayers. I've shared with some of you 34 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 1: that at the close. 35 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 3: Of twenty nineteen, Steven and I had a bit of 36 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:08,320 Speaker 3: a I don't know, an argument, you could call it 37 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:13,000 Speaker 3: a conversation, and I told him that I believed that 38 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,640 Speaker 3: he had given up on writing books, and that I 39 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,000 Speaker 3: thought that there was more in him. And I told 40 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 3: him that ministering to people with his words, whether it's 41 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 3: through his songs or his sermons and his books, I 42 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 3: feel like that's what God put him on earth to do. 43 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 3: And the fact that I felt like he was leaving 44 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:35,680 Speaker 3: out how God wanted to give people encouragement through him 45 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 3: in a written form, I. 46 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: Just thought was missing. 47 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 3: And so he said that he reminded me he had 48 00:02:44,520 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 3: already written a book a year before, and it was 49 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 3: basically rejected, and he said, I'm okay with it, and 50 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:55,799 Speaker 3: I've just decided that I'm not a writer. And so 51 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 3: there were like a few rounds of wifely encouragement, and 52 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,720 Speaker 3: I realized that it wasn't being encouraging anymore and that 53 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 3: I needed to let it go and leave it with God. 54 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 4: And I testify before you today, and I say, when 55 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:18,000 Speaker 4: you leave something with God, you better get ready for 56 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 4: another answered prayer. 57 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:24,120 Speaker 3: And here we are, just a little over a year later, 58 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 3: in this book is in my hands. 59 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 1: And how many of you. 60 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 3: Would testify that God has spoken to you through the 61 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 3: message of this book. 62 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:33,239 Speaker 1: It's amazing. 63 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 3: And so I'm so honored and excited that I get to. 64 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 1: Share with you guys today. Thank you Lord. I'm so excited. 65 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:40,760 Speaker 1: All right. 66 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 3: So we got to do a little recap of the 67 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 3: mindsets here because it's our last chance, and I want 68 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 3: to go over each one of them one more time 69 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 3: before we get to the last one. So let's just 70 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 3: say I'm out loud together you can repeat after me. 71 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 3: We'll start with the first one, Mindset one. I'm not 72 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 3: stuck unless I stop. Mindset to Christ. 73 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: Is in me. I am enough. 74 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 3: Number three with God there's always a way, and by 75 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:19,159 Speaker 3: faith I will find it. Number four, God is not 76 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:25,400 Speaker 3: against me. He's in it with me. He's working through me, 77 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:30,920 Speaker 3: he's fighting for me. Number five is my favorite one. 78 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:34,440 Speaker 1: My joy is my job. 79 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 3: And finally today we get to talk about the last one. 80 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 3: And this is the title of my sermon because it 81 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 3: doesn't get any better than the way this mindset is written. 82 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: So repeat after me. God has given me everything I 83 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 1: need for the season. 84 00:04:54,400 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 3: I'm in Ah right, let's go okay, So turn with 85 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:03,960 Speaker 3: me in your Bible to Exodus chapter twelve, and we're 86 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 3: going to start reading in verse twenty nine. 87 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:08,800 Speaker 1: Are you ready all right? 88 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 3: At midnight, the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, 89 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:17,839 Speaker 3: from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on the throne, 90 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 3: to the firstborn prisoner who was in the dungeon, and 91 00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:22,040 Speaker 3: the firstborn of. 92 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:23,440 Speaker 1: All the livestock as well. 93 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,800 Speaker 3: Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got 94 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 3: up during the night, and there was a loud wailing 95 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 3: in Egypt, for there. 96 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:35,559 Speaker 1: Was not a house without someone dead. 97 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 3: And during the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, up, 98 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 3: leave my people. You and the Israelites go worship the 99 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 3: Lord as you have requested, Take your flocks and your 100 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,200 Speaker 3: herds as you have said, and go and also bless me. 101 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: Pharaoh adds that tag. 102 00:05:55,320 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 3: The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country, 103 00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 3: for otherwise. 104 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:03,200 Speaker 1: They said, we will all die. 105 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,080 Speaker 3: So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, 106 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 3: and carried it on their shoulders in kneading trosts, wrapped 107 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:13,159 Speaker 3: in clothing. The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked 108 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,440 Speaker 3: the Egyptians for articles of silver. 109 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: And gold and clothing. 110 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 3: The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, 111 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 3: and they gave them what they asked for. So they 112 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 3: plundered the Egyptians. Let's pray, Father, we thank you that 113 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 3: you are here with us. You dwell amongst your people. 114 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,400 Speaker 3: You're with the one that's watching in a hospital room, 115 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 3: in a living room, and you're with those of us 116 00:06:37,800 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 3: that are gathered here today at all of our locations, 117 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 3: saying God, we welcome you into this place. We open 118 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,520 Speaker 3: up our hearts to hear from you. We are eager 119 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 3: to hear what you have to say to us today. 120 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:56,599 Speaker 3: Encourage us, Lord, it's in Jesus' name, we pray amen. Okay, 121 00:06:57,400 --> 00:07:01,960 Speaker 3: So fun fact about the Furdig family. We are not 122 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 3: light packers. When we travel. We just like to have 123 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 3: our stuff with us. So everybody kind of has their thing. 124 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:18,040 Speaker 3: Stephen cannot leave home without at least one bluetooth speaker, 125 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 3: sometimes more than one. 126 00:07:20,080 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 1: Abby likes to travel with her full. 127 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,960 Speaker 3: Size bottles of cosmetics, and she's thirteen, so you can 128 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 3: imagine how. 129 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: Much that is. 130 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,440 Speaker 3: I have this thing with my feet, so I have 131 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 3: to take slippers everywhere I go. And the boys they 132 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 3: don't necessarily they're not necessarily like heavy packers, but they 133 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 3: don't fold their clothes and so they need bigger backs. 134 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 3: And when we go on vacation, we like to go 135 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 3: somewhere that we can drive so that we can take 136 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 3: everything we want. We take our own pillows, we take 137 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:54,280 Speaker 3: our own bikes, we take our own beach chairs, we 138 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 3: take our own snacks. 139 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: And when I start to when I pack, I start 140 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 1: to rest because I just think of all of the 141 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 1: things that I might need, Like what if I want 142 00:08:06,480 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: to wear my hair straight, Well, I gotta pack my 143 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: flat iron. What if there's a pool. Okay, so we're 144 00:08:10,960 --> 00:08:13,880 Speaker 1: gonna need bathing suits, flip flops, sunscreen. 145 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 3: What if we run out of sunscreen, so let me 146 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 3: pack some extra sunscreen. 147 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:18,920 Speaker 1: What if it gets cold, we need jackets. What if 148 00:08:18,920 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: it rains, we need rain jackets. What if we can't 149 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: go outside? Puzzles? What if I. 150 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 3: Decide on vacation, then I want to work out? Okay, 151 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 3: I need some running shoes. What if someone gets sick, 152 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 3: we need a first a kit. And let me just 153 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:35,360 Speaker 3: tell you, my first eight kit is not just band 154 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:39,120 Speaker 3: aids and cold medicine. I have some serious stuff in there, 155 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 3: like things that start with a Z, like zofran and 156 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 3: a Z pack. Just in case, I brought one of 157 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 3: my favorite suitcases to show you, just so you can 158 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 3: like get a visual. 159 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:51,560 Speaker 1: Okay, here it comes, Here comes. 160 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:57,840 Speaker 3: This guy has traveled many, many miles with us. It's 161 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 3: large and in charge and of noxious, and you can 162 00:09:01,440 --> 00:09:06,040 Speaker 3: fit so much stuff in this bag. And I realized 163 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 3: that in this you know, confession of mine, that all 164 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,720 Speaker 3: the light packers in the room, like all the carry 165 00:09:11,720 --> 00:09:14,400 Speaker 3: on only families are judging us. 166 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: But here's the thing. 167 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:21,240 Speaker 3: If you need something, you're gonna ask me. I'm the 168 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:22,160 Speaker 3: one that brought. 169 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 1: The extra sunscreen. 170 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 3: So this summer, Graham was packing for wrestling camp. And 171 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 3: Graham is probably the lightest packer of the Verdicts. He 172 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,319 Speaker 3: likes to shove everything he can into like one backpack. 173 00:09:35,800 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 1: And so this particular. 174 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:42,480 Speaker 3: Camp wasn't super organized and I couldn't find a packing 175 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 3: list anywhere on their website. 176 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: So I was doing my typical rundown for Graham because 177 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:49,680 Speaker 1: he's like, yeah, I'm packed. 178 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 3: So I'm like, Okay, do you have socks, do you 179 00:09:51,559 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 3: have underwear, do you have toothbrush? You have a charger, 180 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 3: do you have a sleeping bag, you have a pillow? 181 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: Do you have a towel? And Graham said, Mom, I 182 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:03,720 Speaker 1: don't need a towel. I said, Graham, you know, I 183 00:10:03,720 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 1: don't know. 184 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 3: I don't know what the accommodations are going to be, 185 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 3: and I think you should. 186 00:10:09,400 --> 00:10:11,160 Speaker 1: Take a towel just to be safe. 187 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:15,079 Speaker 3: I think you're staying in the empty college dorms. And 188 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,400 Speaker 3: he was like fine, So he takes a towel and 189 00:10:17,400 --> 00:10:20,800 Speaker 3: he like shoves it into his bag. So a couple 190 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 3: of days later, I'm the mom that goes and does 191 00:10:24,559 --> 00:10:29,560 Speaker 3: the pickup and Graham and two other high school wrestlers 192 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:31,880 Speaker 3: got into my car. You can imagine what my car 193 00:10:32,280 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 3: smelled bike after wrestling camp and Graham goes, Mom, I 194 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:40,680 Speaker 3: was the only one who brought a towel. 195 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:45,440 Speaker 1: I said, what do you mean? Were you going one? 196 00:10:46,040 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: He said, Mom? We all three shared my one towel, 197 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,480 Speaker 1: and Mom, we showered like three times a day after 198 00:10:55,559 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: every session. 199 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 3: And Mom, the towel got so wet, yet it never dried, 200 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 3: I swear. 201 00:11:03,200 --> 00:11:05,280 Speaker 1: And then one of the boys was in the car, 202 00:11:05,440 --> 00:11:06,080 Speaker 1: he shimes in. 203 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 3: He goes, missus verdict, it was the grossest thing I've 204 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,680 Speaker 3: ever experienced. Now listen, when a fifteen year old boy 205 00:11:12,760 --> 00:11:16,000 Speaker 3: tells you is the grossest thing ever, we really need 206 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 3: to stop and understand how disgusting this towel got. 207 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: And Graham said, Mom, I hope is okay. I left 208 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 1: the towel. So look today, I have good news for 209 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:32,800 Speaker 1: you. You don't have to pack light. And I want to 210 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:34,199 Speaker 1: look at this passage and I. 211 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,720 Speaker 3: Want to show you that even though you don't necessarily 212 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,520 Speaker 3: get to plan your destinations in. 213 00:11:40,440 --> 00:11:45,960 Speaker 1: Life, you do get to decide what you pack. And 214 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 1: when you're faced with. 215 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,679 Speaker 3: A situation that you did not originally plan for, if 216 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:53,200 Speaker 3: you were a child of God, you never have to 217 00:11:53,240 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 3: go into it unprepared. No matter how unprepared you may feel, 218 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:00,600 Speaker 3: if you dig a little deeper, you will find that 219 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 3: God has been preparing you for this season all ah. 220 00:12:05,800 --> 00:12:10,280 Speaker 3: You see, God is not Trip Advisor for your life. 221 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 3: You don't get to go on Heaven's website and explore 222 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:17,079 Speaker 3: all the exotic destinations and choose where you want to 223 00:12:17,120 --> 00:12:21,959 Speaker 3: go based on reviews about the accommodations and the restaurants 224 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 3: for when you get there. God is the travel agent, 225 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 3: and God is the pilot, and God is the tour guide. 226 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 1: And when you sign up for this journey called life 227 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 1: with Jesus, you get. 228 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 3: To pack your bag and lead where he goes, follow 229 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,959 Speaker 3: where he leads. And the backstory of the passage of 230 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:44,079 Speaker 3: Scripture that I read. 231 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: For you today is that the Israelites have. 232 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 3: Been captive in Egypt for four hundred and thirty years 233 00:12:50,480 --> 00:12:54,120 Speaker 3: and God sent them a deliverer named Moses, and Moses 234 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 3: goes to Pharaoh and he says. 235 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:56,920 Speaker 1: Let my people go. 236 00:12:57,320 --> 00:13:00,400 Speaker 3: And there's a series of plagues on Egypt. Get how 237 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:02,680 Speaker 3: many there were? There were a lot. There were flies 238 00:13:02,760 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 3: and frogs, and the water turned into blood. And the 239 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 3: final one that broke the Egyptians was the plague on 240 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,840 Speaker 3: the firstborn, and Moses goes to Pharaoh and he warns him, 241 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,719 Speaker 3: and he says, if you don't let my people go, 242 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,080 Speaker 3: God is going to send an angel of death to 243 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 3: kill all of the firstborns. And of course Pharaoh is stubborn, 244 00:13:23,200 --> 00:13:25,959 Speaker 3: and he doesn't listen, and so God does what he says, 245 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 3: and he sends the angel of death. But Israel, God's children, 246 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,280 Speaker 3: they're all protected by the blood of the lamb that 247 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:36,080 Speaker 3: they put over their doors, and the angel passes over them. 248 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:40,240 Speaker 1: But the nation of Egypt is wrecked. 249 00:13:41,320 --> 00:13:45,880 Speaker 3: Every firstborn is killed, even every firstborn animal. And the 250 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 3: Bible said that not one household went unaffected. 251 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: And in the night, Pharaoh calls Moses and he says go. 252 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 3: And so the Israelites find themselves packing in a hurry 253 00:13:59,240 --> 00:13:59,960 Speaker 3: for the desert. 254 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 1: What do you need in the desert? Everything? And they're 255 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:07,560 Speaker 1: in a hurry. 256 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 3: So they're like, some of them are gathering their animals, 257 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:12,959 Speaker 3: and the Bible tells us that they didn't even have 258 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 3: enough time to let the dough rise for their bread, 259 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 3: so they took the dough with no yeast, and they 260 00:14:18,520 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 3: wrapped up their kneading boards into their clothes and they 261 00:14:20,840 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 3: put them on their backs. And then Moses told the people, 262 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 3: go and ask the Egyptians for silver and gold and clothing, 263 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 3: anything you need. And the Egyptians are so distraught over 264 00:14:31,440 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 3: the deaths that they've experienced that they give them anything 265 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 3: that they ask for. The Bible says that the Israelites 266 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:40,400 Speaker 3: plundered the Egyptians. That means they took everything of value 267 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:42,920 Speaker 3: that they wanted and that they could carry, and in 268 00:14:43,160 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 3: large droves they head out into the wilderness. They're not 269 00:14:48,240 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 3: going to be houses to rent when they get there. 270 00:14:50,360 --> 00:14:53,040 Speaker 3: They're not gonna be grocery stores to stalk their pantries with. 271 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 3: They have to take everything they can with them. Now, obviously, 272 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,520 Speaker 3: when they get there, there will be things that they 273 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 3: need in the desert. When there's no water, God's gonna 274 00:15:03,400 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 3: supply water from the rock. 275 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:06,960 Speaker 1: When they run out of food, He's gonna send manna 276 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: from this sky. 277 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 3: But there was still preparation required on the part of 278 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 3: the children of God. How do you prepare for a 279 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 3: wilderness season? 280 00:15:18,160 --> 00:15:22,880 Speaker 1: You take everything you can. You don't pack light. 281 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 3: God has given you everything you need for the season 282 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 3: you're in, but sometimes he gives it to you in 283 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:37,440 Speaker 3: the season before the season. Everything you're going through right 284 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 3: now is building something in you for your future. So 285 00:15:41,440 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 3: maybe you lost your job, but you're learning how to 286 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,000 Speaker 3: manage your money when there's nothing coming in. Maybe you've 287 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:51,520 Speaker 3: had your ideas rejected, but you're learning humility and resilience. 288 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:54,320 Speaker 3: Maybe you have young children and you're in a season 289 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 3: of little sleep but lots of prayer. There's something to 290 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:04,600 Speaker 3: be God from every situation that you go through. You 291 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:08,239 Speaker 3: may learn consistency, You may learn discipline, You may learn love. 292 00:16:08,200 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: Grace, compassion. 293 00:16:09,680 --> 00:16:12,680 Speaker 3: If we do it right, all of these things are 294 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 3: things that we gain when we choose to grow in 295 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:24,080 Speaker 3: what we're going through. Israel was going from captivity to wilderness. 296 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:30,280 Speaker 3: They were trading one hard place for another hard place. 297 00:16:31,560 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 3: And I want to tell you today, if you feel 298 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 3: like your life just goes from one hard thing to 299 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:39,720 Speaker 3: the next hard. 300 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: Thing, guess what you are normal. 301 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 3: Life is hard, and yes, life is good and life 302 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 3: is beautiful. 303 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: But also life is hard. 304 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:54,480 Speaker 3: I remember when my kids were little, I said to 305 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:58,320 Speaker 3: this woman who had teenagers that I thought motherhood would 306 00:16:58,320 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 3: get easier when my kids were and she looked at 307 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 3: me and she smiled. 308 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 1: This is probably the best advice I ever got. 309 00:17:05,119 --> 00:17:09,720 Speaker 3: She said, it doesn't get easier, it just gets different. 310 00:17:11,240 --> 00:17:14,119 Speaker 3: And I just want to say some of us today 311 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 3: we need to stop waiting for easy. 312 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: And just accept the hard parts of your life. 313 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 3: I thought marriage would be easy because we love each other. Well, 314 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 3: it's easy, and it's hard because you love each other. 315 00:17:31,400 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 1: I thought parenting would be beautiful because I wanted this 316 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 1: baby so bad. I thought my new job would be 317 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: more fulfilling than this. I didn't expect to get sick. 318 00:17:39,200 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 1: I didn't expect to have a special needs child. I 319 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,120 Speaker 1: didn't expect to lose my marriage. 320 00:17:44,160 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 3: And the beauty and the difficulty they're all wrapped up 321 00:17:48,560 --> 00:17:50,240 Speaker 3: together in the same. 322 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:53,120 Speaker 1: Life, sometimes even in the same day. 323 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 3: I remember a couple of Christmases ago, I was, you know, 324 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 3: having a moment where I was overwhelmed with all the 325 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 3: things that were going on. Is Christmas time, and it's 326 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 3: a lot, and you know, there's gifts and parties and 327 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:08,479 Speaker 3: programs and meals and out of town guests and church. 328 00:18:08,600 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 3: And I remember thinking one day, if I could just 329 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 3: get through Christmas. 330 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:14,760 Speaker 1: Been honestly, wait. 331 00:18:14,560 --> 00:18:16,679 Speaker 3: A minute, did I just say if I could just 332 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:18,000 Speaker 3: get through Christmas? 333 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:19,120 Speaker 1: It's the most. 334 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 3: Wonderful time of the year, and I'm just gonna wish 335 00:18:22,200 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 3: it away. Sometimes I let the work keep me from 336 00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 3: seeing that The point is today, there is joy today. 337 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:34,680 Speaker 1: And John ten ten. 338 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:38,240 Speaker 3: Jesus said, the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, 339 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 3: but I have come that they may have life and 340 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:46,679 Speaker 3: have it to the full. The enemy wants to steal 341 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 3: everything he can from you, and if he can't keep 342 00:18:49,600 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 3: you from your calling, he's going to try and stop 343 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:55,919 Speaker 3: you from enjoying it. And Jesus said, there is life 344 00:18:56,280 --> 00:19:01,120 Speaker 3: to be lived to the full in me. Don't let 345 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:04,399 Speaker 3: yourself wish away the hard parts so much that you 346 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 3: miss all the good parts that were. 347 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 1: Sandwiched in between. You gotta learn how to pack. 348 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 3: You got to learn how to take everything you can, 349 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 3: every lesson that you learn the hard way, every joy 350 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 3: that you experience, from the victories, and you pack them 351 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,360 Speaker 3: up so that you can take them with you from 352 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:23,359 Speaker 3: this season. 353 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:24,159 Speaker 1: Into the next. 354 00:19:25,640 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 3: I love how God says that he how the mindset 355 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 3: says that God. 356 00:19:30,160 --> 00:19:37,320 Speaker 1: Has given you everything you need. Everything you need is 357 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,919 Speaker 1: already yours in Christ. Listen to me. 358 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 3: You don't need more. You need to take inventory of what. 359 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:51,600 Speaker 1: You already have, and then you pack it up and 360 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 1: you store it away. 361 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 3: What are you learning today that you can use tomorrow. 362 00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 3: Maybe you're developing right now the habit of leaning into others. 363 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 3: You joined a do the New Ue group, and you're 364 00:20:04,840 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 3: realizing the power of having other believers in your corner 365 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 3: who can encourage you and pray for you and simply 366 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 3: be a place for you to process what God. 367 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:14,200 Speaker 1: Is speaking to you. 368 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,600 Speaker 3: You got these mindsets, Remember we gave it to you 369 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:20,000 Speaker 3: on post it notes. God has given us these phrases, 370 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 3: and you can place them on your mirror at your 371 00:20:22,680 --> 00:20:25,399 Speaker 3: desk and allow God to remind you that He's not 372 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 3: against you, He's in it with you. 373 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:29,320 Speaker 1: Work it through. Are you fighting for you? What else 374 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 1: are you packing? Do you ever have songs? 375 00:20:33,359 --> 00:20:35,359 Speaker 3: Have you ever had God give you a song in 376 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 3: a season? 377 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:38,960 Speaker 1: I mean, it is your song. It is your song 378 00:20:39,119 --> 00:20:39,760 Speaker 1: on repeat. 379 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:41,679 Speaker 3: It's the one that you put on that stirs your 380 00:20:41,760 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 3: faith and brings you back to the goodness of God 381 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 3: when you're just having a moment of doubt. The other 382 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 3: day I came across this psalm and actually it was 383 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:54,520 Speaker 3: one that my husband read while he was preaching, and 384 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:56,679 Speaker 3: he didn't really talk about it that much, but for 385 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:00,240 Speaker 3: some reason, it just bam. It just really resonated with me, 386 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 3: and so I grabbed onto her. I was like, Okay, 387 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:04,880 Speaker 3: I'm I'm gonna print this out. I'm gonna start praying 388 00:21:04,880 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 3: this over my family. Because God will give you a verse. 389 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 3: He'll give you a word for your season. And when 390 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:15,040 Speaker 3: he does, you don't let it go. You don't let 391 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 3: it pass. You pack it, you print it, you write it, 392 00:21:18,520 --> 00:21:20,680 Speaker 3: you get it up so that you can see it 393 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:25,840 Speaker 3: in your everyday life. The day that we released the book, 394 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 3: Do the New You, Steven and I hosted a live 395 00:21:28,840 --> 00:21:31,480 Speaker 3: event to promote the book and we had some people 396 00:21:31,560 --> 00:21:34,960 Speaker 3: call in and this lady called in and she asked 397 00:21:35,440 --> 00:21:37,640 Speaker 3: a question. I think it was about the mindset I'm 398 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 3: not stuck unless I stop, And she basically said something like, 399 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,200 Speaker 3: but how do I get unstuck when I feel so stuck? 400 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,880 Speaker 3: And Babe, you gave her the best advice I had 401 00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 3: to pack it away for myself. You told her to 402 00:21:50,920 --> 00:21:54,680 Speaker 3: make a list of every resource that you do have. 403 00:21:55,880 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 3: You said anything and everything and anyone that it would 404 00:22:00,359 --> 00:22:03,600 Speaker 3: be a resource to you in this season. And that 405 00:22:03,760 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 3: was such great advice because sometimes when you're packing, you 406 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:12,360 Speaker 3: have to make a list, so you don't forget what 407 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:16,880 Speaker 3: you have. So what's on your list? What has God 408 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 3: taught you? What word has He given you? Who has 409 00:22:20,520 --> 00:22:23,159 Speaker 3: He placed in your life that you can call, that 410 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:27,240 Speaker 3: you can lean into? In this season, God has given 411 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 3: you everything you need. 412 00:22:29,560 --> 00:22:30,360 Speaker 1: You may need to. 413 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:34,120 Speaker 3: Reach back and look in your suitcase. You may need 414 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,640 Speaker 3: to take inventory. You may need to say it out 415 00:22:36,680 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 3: loud to a friend, because it's not only for here 416 00:22:41,520 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 3: and now. 417 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: It's for you in your next season. It's for your future. 418 00:22:48,840 --> 00:22:53,680 Speaker 3: So Israel is packing in a hurry, and Egypt has 419 00:22:54,200 --> 00:22:57,680 Speaker 3: released them from captivity, but they need to hurry because 420 00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 3: they're afraid that they're gonna change their minds. Rightly, So 421 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:03,240 Speaker 3: you probably know the story, but I just want to 422 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:03,880 Speaker 3: catch you up. 423 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 1: A little bit. 424 00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:08,960 Speaker 3: God moves Israel towards the Red Sea. So Pharaoh's released them, 425 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,720 Speaker 3: and God is it's kind of cool. 426 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:15,919 Speaker 1: He's like directing them by a cloud and a. 427 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:18,000 Speaker 3: Fire, and so anyway, he moves them towards the Red 428 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,760 Speaker 3: Sea because the Bible says that he knows that they're 429 00:23:20,760 --> 00:23:24,080 Speaker 3: not ready to go to war with the surrounding nations, 430 00:23:24,320 --> 00:23:26,400 Speaker 3: so he has to move them towards the wilderness where 431 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:28,919 Speaker 3: there is no one, and they camp on the banks 432 00:23:28,920 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 3: of the Red Sea, and of course, like you know, 433 00:23:30,960 --> 00:23:33,600 Speaker 3: Egypt changes their minds. I mean, what are they going 434 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 3: to do without their two million slaves. So Pharaoh gathers 435 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 3: his men and they hop on their chariots and they 436 00:23:41,119 --> 00:23:45,199 Speaker 3: ride to get Israel back. And the people are in 437 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:49,840 Speaker 3: absolute panic because they're blocked. They're up against the Red 438 00:23:49,880 --> 00:23:53,000 Speaker 3: Sea and here comes Pharaoh and his chariots. But God 439 00:23:53,040 --> 00:23:56,159 Speaker 3: speaks to their leader, Moses, and he tells him to 440 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:58,920 Speaker 3: wave his staff over the Red Sea. 441 00:23:59,200 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 1: And I'm sure you were remember the story. 442 00:24:01,119 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 3: The water's part and the nation of Israel crosses over 443 00:24:05,160 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 3: on dry land with you have to imagine how many 444 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 3: people this is, because it's all their flocks, all their herds, 445 00:24:12,920 --> 00:24:16,680 Speaker 3: all their gear that they've packed up. Not one person 446 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:21,359 Speaker 3: or child is lost out of two million people who 447 00:24:21,440 --> 00:24:24,800 Speaker 3: are moving across the sea. It's the most epic moment 448 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,600 Speaker 3: in the history of the children of God up until 449 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:30,919 Speaker 3: this point. And Egypt is hot on their tail, and 450 00:24:30,960 --> 00:24:35,000 Speaker 3: they follow them into the Red Sea, and God closes 451 00:24:35,119 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 3: up the sea as soon as Israel crosses over, and 452 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,439 Speaker 3: Pharaoh and all his men drown, and the nation of 453 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,880 Speaker 3: Israel stands on the other side of the Red Sea, 454 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 3: safe from harm and free for the first time in 455 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 3: four hundred years. 456 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 1: Now, I want to look at what they did. 457 00:24:56,119 --> 00:25:02,440 Speaker 3: So we're gonna skip down to Exodus chapter fifteen. When 458 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:06,159 Speaker 3: Pharaoh's horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea. The 459 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 3: Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, 460 00:25:09,560 --> 00:25:11,000 Speaker 3: but Israel walked through the. 461 00:25:11,040 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: Sea on dry ground. 462 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 3: Then Miriam, the prophet, Aaron's sister, took her timbrel in 463 00:25:17,200 --> 00:25:20,560 Speaker 3: her hand, and all the women followed her with timbrels. 464 00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 1: A timbrel is. 465 00:25:21,280 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 3: A tambourine, and Miriam sang to them, sing to the Lord, 466 00:25:26,480 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 3: for he has highly exalted the horse and the driver 467 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:32,640 Speaker 3: he has hurled into the sea. 468 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 1: Okay, I don't know. 469 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:36,119 Speaker 3: I picked a version that had the wrong word, and 470 00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,439 Speaker 3: we wanted to tambourine is what we're going for. 471 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 1: Okay. So I don't know if. 472 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:44,080 Speaker 3: You notice that, but it appears that we have a 473 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:52,320 Speaker 3: few overpackers amongst the Israelites because Miriam packed her tambourine. 474 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 3: Like let's just imagine, let's go back to the moment. 475 00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 3: Speculation here, Okay, but let's go to the moment. 476 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: Remember they're packing in a hurry. 477 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:07,440 Speaker 3: Okay, so maybe they they're like somebody quickly writes a list, 478 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:08,480 Speaker 3: the list person writes a list. 479 00:26:08,520 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: They're like bread check, okay, no, yease, but it's fine. 480 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: Get the bread bowl. 481 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 5: Yes, clothes yes, blankets yes. 482 00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:15,920 Speaker 1: Silver and gold yes. 483 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 3: And the Bible doesn't say if Miriam was married or not. 484 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,880 Speaker 3: But can we just imagine Aaron one of her brother 485 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:28,240 Speaker 3: brother Aaron or brother Moses looking at her and being like, Miriam, 486 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 3: you really need your tambourine. 487 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:32,160 Speaker 4: Yeah. 488 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,879 Speaker 3: And Miriam looks back at her brothers and she says, oh, 489 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 3: I'm unpacked, packed my praise. And when they crossed over 490 00:26:44,480 --> 00:26:48,640 Speaker 3: on dry land and they looked across and they saw 491 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 3: Pharaoh and his army drown. 492 00:26:52,320 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 1: Just go with me here. But I can imagine Miriam. 493 00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: She goes digging into her bag. 494 00:26:59,400 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 5: And she did past the I don't know, the sunscreen, 495 00:27:03,160 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 5: and the olive oil and the medicinal herbs, and she 496 00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:11,880 Speaker 5: pulled out her tambourine. 497 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:15,240 Speaker 1: And you know what the best thing about a tambourine 498 00:27:15,320 --> 00:27:18,439 Speaker 1: is you do not have to have much skill to 499 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:19,920 Speaker 1: use it. 500 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,399 Speaker 3: It is loud and it gets the people's attentions. 501 00:27:23,960 --> 00:27:28,159 Speaker 1: And when all the women her Miriam's tambourine. Guess what, 502 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:29,680 Speaker 1: They packed theirs too. 503 00:27:30,119 --> 00:27:33,440 Speaker 3: And they followed Miriam and they went out after her, 504 00:27:33,720 --> 00:27:37,280 Speaker 3: and they led the people with singing and dancing and 505 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:41,600 Speaker 3: praising the Lord who had triumphed gloriously. They were free 506 00:27:41,640 --> 00:27:44,800 Speaker 3: for the first time in generations. 507 00:27:46,000 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 6: WHOA. 508 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:51,359 Speaker 3: So my friend Ann boss Camp, she was writing about 509 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 3: this story, and this is what she said. 510 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 1: She said they made. 511 00:27:55,280 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 3: Time to grab their tambourines because they knew that Thanksgiving 512 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 3: is what feeds your soul with joy in the wilderness. 513 00:28:07,200 --> 00:28:10,600 Speaker 3: When you pack your soul with gratitude, it will not 514 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:15,679 Speaker 3: miss an opportunity to praise God. And yes, they needed 515 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,960 Speaker 3: to pack for their physical survival, but they needed to 516 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:23,440 Speaker 3: bring something to feed their souls too. You are packing 517 00:28:23,560 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 3: today what you will have tomorrow. And don't you forget 518 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:32,880 Speaker 3: to pack your praise, don't forget your hallelujah. God has 519 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:35,400 Speaker 3: given you everything you needed. You don't have to pack 520 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:37,920 Speaker 3: light when you head into the next season, you take 521 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:44,320 Speaker 3: everything you can and you move forward. So my friend 522 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:48,640 Speaker 3: Milli is here today and Milly and Rick, her husband, 523 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 3: they moved here from Chicago several years ago and they 524 00:28:51,480 --> 00:28:55,080 Speaker 3: became a part of Elevation Milli is my hair and 525 00:28:55,160 --> 00:28:58,760 Speaker 3: makeup artist. So every time I do a Bible study 526 00:28:58,840 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 3: or I preach, a sermon comes and she works her 527 00:29:01,520 --> 00:29:04,840 Speaker 3: magic and she helps me feel confident every time that 528 00:29:04,920 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 3: I step up to preach. 529 00:29:06,000 --> 00:29:07,080 Speaker 1: And we have spent a. 530 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:09,280 Speaker 3: Lot of time together and we've gotten to know each 531 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 3: other really well. We talk about ponytails and children and 532 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:17,240 Speaker 3: everything in between. And because you know you're close and 533 00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 3: spending a lot of time together, it's not fast to 534 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:23,280 Speaker 3: look camera ready. 535 00:29:23,680 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: So a while back, Millie shared with. 536 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:30,000 Speaker 3: Me that when she was a little girl, her older 537 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:35,120 Speaker 3: brother tragically died of a burst appendix, and she told 538 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 3: me how it obviously changed her family, especially her mom Mary, 539 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:45,640 Speaker 3: And when Mary lost her nine year old son, she 540 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:50,800 Speaker 3: had to lean into her faith even more than ever, 541 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:51,400 Speaker 3: because when. 542 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:54,440 Speaker 1: A tragedy strikes, you kind of have two choices. You 543 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:57,920 Speaker 1: can lean into God or you can go into yourself. 544 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 3: And Mary knew that God was the only place that 545 00:30:02,840 --> 00:30:07,920 Speaker 3: she could turn to cope with such a tragic loss. 546 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,160 Speaker 1: So Mary became a woman of prayer. 547 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 3: And Milly says that it is a memory of her 548 00:30:14,960 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 3: childhood to hear her mother early in the morning pacing 549 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:23,840 Speaker 3: the house and praying and speaking out loud and speaking 550 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:28,239 Speaker 3: life and faith over her family. Milly says hearing her 551 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 3: mom say hallelujah was one of the most familiar sounds 552 00:30:32,440 --> 00:30:35,960 Speaker 3: of her childhood because Mary became one of those. 553 00:30:35,800 --> 00:30:38,240 Speaker 1: Women who refused to speak negatively. 554 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:40,960 Speaker 3: About a situation, and she decided she was going to 555 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 3: be a pillar of faith for her family. So I've 556 00:30:45,120 --> 00:30:46,920 Speaker 3: got a picture for you just so you can picture them. 557 00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 3: This is Milly and her mom, Mary, who is now 558 00:30:49,320 --> 00:30:55,000 Speaker 3: sixty seven, and about six months ago, Mary suffered a 559 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:59,320 Speaker 3: massive stroke while she was here in Charlotte visiting her daughter, 560 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:03,600 Speaker 3: and when she woke up, the speech part of her 561 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,440 Speaker 3: brain was most affected. And I don't really understand how 562 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:10,840 Speaker 3: this works scientifically, but basically, no matter what she tried 563 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:14,840 Speaker 3: to say, only two phrases would come out of her 564 00:31:14,880 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 3: mouth idio smeo, which means oh my Lord, and the 565 00:31:20,800 --> 00:31:27,240 Speaker 3: one that she says the most, hallelujah. Millie would say, 566 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:29,440 Speaker 3: She'll say to her mom, Mom, are you cold? 567 00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:32,400 Speaker 1: Do you need a blanket? Hallelujah? Mom? Do you want 568 00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 1: to eat? Are you hungry? Hallelujah? Mom? Can you get up? 569 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 1: Can you try and walk? Hallelujah? Mom? What's my name say. 570 00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:42,040 Speaker 3: She sent me this video of her saying, Mom, what's 571 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:48,040 Speaker 3: say say Milly, and her mom goes Hallelujah. 572 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:51,880 Speaker 1: Here's a picture of Mary just days after her stroke. 573 00:31:53,840 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 3: Even when she was unable to communicate, Mary was leading 574 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,880 Speaker 3: her family to praise God. 575 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 1: She packed her praise so long ago. It was the 576 00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:05,960 Speaker 1: only thing. 577 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 3: Her mind and her body could do. She had cried 578 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:16,640 Speaker 3: Hallelujah so many times that it is her default now. 579 00:32:17,680 --> 00:32:20,640 Speaker 3: And Millie, we are believing with you in your entire 580 00:32:20,720 --> 00:32:23,200 Speaker 3: family for Mary's complete healing. 581 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:29,440 Speaker 1: But in the meantime, I want to follow Mary's lead. 582 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: I want to pack a Hallelujah so deep in my heart. 583 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 3: That it's what automatically comes out of my mouth in 584 00:32:37,680 --> 00:32:39,080 Speaker 3: every season. 585 00:32:40,080 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: Don't forget to pack your praise. 586 00:32:48,840 --> 00:32:53,080 Speaker 3: So God's people, the nation of Israel, from this point 587 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:55,200 Speaker 3: forward in their history, they're going. 588 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 1: To begin to cycle. 589 00:32:57,080 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 3: It's going to go captivity, wilderness, harvest, stray. 590 00:33:02,080 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: From God back to captivity. And you can read their 591 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:06,360 Speaker 1: history from the Book. 592 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,440 Speaker 3: Of Exodus all the way to the Book of Matthew. 593 00:33:10,280 --> 00:33:13,480 Speaker 3: God's people are going to move from seasons of complete 594 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:17,120 Speaker 3: trust in Him and seeing Him move mightily through them 595 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:22,760 Speaker 3: to seasons of straying and seasons of disobedience. But no 596 00:33:22,840 --> 00:33:24,440 Speaker 3: matter where they were, I don't know does that sound 597 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:29,520 Speaker 3: familiar to anyone, No matter where they were in the cycle, 598 00:33:30,480 --> 00:33:35,400 Speaker 3: the nation of Israel was never once not called the 599 00:33:35,560 --> 00:33:36,840 Speaker 3: children of God. 600 00:33:37,920 --> 00:33:42,240 Speaker 1: They were always his chosen people that he would bring 601 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 1: Jesus to the earth through. And this is the cycle 602 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 1: for us too. 603 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:50,240 Speaker 3: No one gets it perfect, but we, as believers in Jesus, 604 00:33:50,480 --> 00:33:53,720 Speaker 3: were covered by his grace. He never leaves us. He's 605 00:33:53,760 --> 00:33:57,680 Speaker 3: our perfect father who gently guides us back every time 606 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:03,680 Speaker 3: we lose our way. With you when it gets unexpectedly hard, 607 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:08,359 Speaker 3: whatever kind of hard you face, he is with you. 608 00:34:08,360 --> 00:34:10,360 Speaker 1: You might be in a hard season because of a 609 00:34:10,480 --> 00:34:12,319 Speaker 1: poor choice that you made, or you. 610 00:34:12,360 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 3: Might be in a hard season because of reasons that 611 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:15,960 Speaker 3: are beyond your control. 612 00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:20,520 Speaker 1: Like us, everything is hard. Fighting is hard, Harvesting is hard, 613 00:34:20,760 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 1: Captivity is hard. 614 00:34:22,920 --> 00:34:25,719 Speaker 3: Did you notice that in this series that we've been 615 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:28,960 Speaker 3: going through, every Bible character that has been preached about 616 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:30,160 Speaker 3: was in a hard place. 617 00:34:30,880 --> 00:34:33,120 Speaker 1: Think back last week we learned about. 618 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:37,440 Speaker 3: Paul in the prison. The week before that, Jeremiah. 619 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:37,839 Speaker 1: Was in a pit. 620 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:41,640 Speaker 3: Before that, Pastor Stephen preached about two men who were 621 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:44,799 Speaker 3: born blind. Rich Wilkerson preached the week before that about 622 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:46,959 Speaker 3: the woman with the issue of blood, and then week 623 00:34:47,000 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 3: one Graham was on the treadmill and his dad turned 624 00:34:49,080 --> 00:34:53,120 Speaker 3: it up to the hardest level, level twelve. God is 625 00:34:53,160 --> 00:34:57,759 Speaker 3: with you in your heart, and he's always trying to 626 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:02,920 Speaker 3: get a message to you. In the Book of Jeremiah, 627 00:35:03,239 --> 00:35:07,719 Speaker 3: God sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn Israel because they 628 00:35:07,719 --> 00:35:11,000 Speaker 3: were in one of those cycles, and basically it gets 629 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:16,200 Speaker 3: too late, and so Jeremiah has to tell them, you're 630 00:35:16,239 --> 00:35:19,480 Speaker 3: going to be overtaken by Babylon, and most of you 631 00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:22,160 Speaker 3: are going to die unless you surrender. And the people 632 00:35:22,440 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 3: hate this prophecy in these words so much that that's 633 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 3: how Jeremiah ended up in the pit that Pastor Stephen 634 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:29,359 Speaker 3: preached about. 635 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:29,919 Speaker 1: Two weeks ago. 636 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:35,040 Speaker 3: And in the very end, only a few actually listened 637 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:39,080 Speaker 3: to the prophet, and so only some of them surrendered, 638 00:35:39,120 --> 00:35:41,959 Speaker 3: and those who did surrender, they were carried off into 639 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:45,719 Speaker 3: captivity like their ancestors who were slaves in Egypt. But 640 00:35:45,880 --> 00:35:50,520 Speaker 3: this was the remnant of people that God was saving 641 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 3: so that. 642 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 1: He could bring them back and raise them up again. 643 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:59,160 Speaker 3: And finally send them the promised Messiah. And so as 644 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:03,520 Speaker 3: they're going off into captivity, God speaks to them one 645 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:06,320 Speaker 3: last time through Jeremiah, and he says this. This is 646 00:36:06,400 --> 00:36:10,759 Speaker 3: Jeremiah twenty nine, verses four and five. Jeremiah says, this 647 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:13,480 Speaker 3: is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says. 648 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:18,239 Speaker 3: Do all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 649 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 3: build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what 650 00:36:25,560 --> 00:36:29,160 Speaker 3: they produce. Plant gardens and eat the fruit. Jeremiah is 651 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:35,160 Speaker 3: saying to them, Hey, you are going into captivity, go 652 00:36:35,200 --> 00:36:40,160 Speaker 3: ahead and unpack. And I feel like God sent me 653 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:44,680 Speaker 3: here to tell you today that even though your season 654 00:36:45,200 --> 00:36:50,520 Speaker 3: is temporary, go ahead and unpack. I know this isn't 655 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:52,680 Speaker 3: what you thought. I know this isn't what you planned. 656 00:36:52,920 --> 00:36:55,240 Speaker 3: But this is the season that you are. 657 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:56,440 Speaker 1: In right now. 658 00:36:56,840 --> 00:37:00,560 Speaker 3: And you don't have to live chaotically digging through your 659 00:37:00,680 --> 00:37:01,799 Speaker 3: unpacked suitcase. 660 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 1: Unpack it, hang the clothes. 661 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:08,680 Speaker 3: Up, find your tambourine, and figure out how to praise 662 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:13,399 Speaker 3: even in the waiting. Build houses and live in them, 663 00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:15,200 Speaker 3: he said. And I want you to hear me say 664 00:37:15,239 --> 00:37:18,880 Speaker 3: today that there can be life in your Babylon, the 665 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:23,240 Speaker 3: place where you feel like you were carted off to unfairly. 666 00:37:22,880 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 1: There can be life there. 667 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:29,799 Speaker 3: Do not wait for the next season to experience the 668 00:37:29,960 --> 00:37:31,799 Speaker 3: power and the presence of. 669 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:33,040 Speaker 1: God in your life. 670 00:37:33,120 --> 00:37:36,919 Speaker 3: God wants to move in your life right now, right here, 671 00:37:37,360 --> 00:37:40,040 Speaker 3: no matter how temporary. 672 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:41,239 Speaker 1: It seems to you. 673 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:46,799 Speaker 3: So when Steven and I got married, there was this 674 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:51,200 Speaker 3: evangelist who offered Stephen a job. Well, it it wasn't 675 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:56,319 Speaker 3: a paying job. Anybody ever had offered a non paying job. 676 00:37:56,600 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 3: It was an opportunity. It was a common be part 677 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:02,880 Speaker 3: of my ministry. And I'll recommend for you to speak 678 00:38:02,920 --> 00:38:05,160 Speaker 3: at any of the events that I can't take that 679 00:38:05,280 --> 00:38:05,839 Speaker 3: kind of job. 680 00:38:06,440 --> 00:38:08,879 Speaker 1: And so we proudly accepted the job. 681 00:38:09,719 --> 00:38:14,719 Speaker 3: And we've moved to the most random place, Shelby, North Carolina, 682 00:38:15,840 --> 00:38:18,319 Speaker 3: and I had just got in my teaching certificates, so 683 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:21,160 Speaker 3: I got a job teaching fifth grade. And when we 684 00:38:21,239 --> 00:38:26,760 Speaker 3: got there, Stephen also secured a paying job leading worship 685 00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:30,560 Speaker 3: at a local church. Now we knew before we moved 686 00:38:30,719 --> 00:38:33,160 Speaker 3: to Shelby that we were called to start a church 687 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 3: one day. 688 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:35,840 Speaker 1: We knew that when we got married, but we didn't 689 00:38:35,880 --> 00:38:36,319 Speaker 1: know when. 690 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:40,800 Speaker 3: And we figured that we might as well do ministry 691 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:43,759 Speaker 3: while we were waiting for God to give us our 692 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:47,280 Speaker 3: next direction, and the church that had offered Stephen the job, 693 00:38:47,520 --> 00:38:49,879 Speaker 3: they understood that we were going to plan a church. 694 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:53,160 Speaker 3: It was all clear, and they said, it's fine, it's fine, 695 00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:57,040 Speaker 3: it's fine. Just come and minister here while you can. 696 00:38:58,440 --> 00:38:58,680 Speaker 1: Now. 697 00:38:58,920 --> 00:39:01,640 Speaker 3: Shelby was not a necessarily the town that I had 698 00:39:01,680 --> 00:39:05,759 Speaker 3: been dreaming of moving to. But when we got there, 699 00:39:06,600 --> 00:39:11,359 Speaker 3: we found some of the most wonderful people in that town. 700 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:15,480 Speaker 3: And Stephen Ferdick went to work the only way that 701 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:16,359 Speaker 3: he knows how. 702 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:21,200 Speaker 1: He gave that little church everything he had. 703 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:25,880 Speaker 3: He built a worship ministry, He found and recruited band members, 704 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:29,040 Speaker 3: He went to colleges, he went to high school choirs. 705 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:32,160 Speaker 3: He was having lunch with everybody because he had to 706 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:34,640 Speaker 3: build a praise team and a choir, and he needed 707 00:39:34,680 --> 00:39:37,359 Speaker 3: a drummer. And we got all of us together and 708 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 3: he wrote songs for that church. We recorded two albums 709 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:43,799 Speaker 3: in the three years that you were there. With the 710 00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:47,160 Speaker 3: three years that we were there, you've probably never heard 711 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:51,520 Speaker 3: of those albums. They were called Everlasting and everyone everywhere. 712 00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:54,480 Speaker 1: I'm not sure it's on iTunes, it would be. Their 713 00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 1: songs are great, but they might be a little dated. 714 00:39:57,920 --> 00:40:00,760 Speaker 1: I think I have some footage of the our first 715 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:11,520 Speaker 1: recording There's Me. We were boldly wearing yellow and orange 716 00:40:11,520 --> 00:40:12,040 Speaker 1: and black. 717 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:15,520 Speaker 3: And the other day Stephen and I were on a 718 00:40:15,520 --> 00:40:18,680 Speaker 3: little road trip and while he was voice texting back 719 00:40:18,719 --> 00:40:20,840 Speaker 3: and forth about the songs that we were going to 720 00:40:20,920 --> 00:40:24,480 Speaker 3: record here at Elevation in the upcoming week, we started 721 00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:29,359 Speaker 3: somehow talking about Christ's Covenant and those songs, and we 722 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:32,319 Speaker 3: started listening to some of the songs, and I'm telling you, 723 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:34,960 Speaker 3: I could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit in 724 00:40:35,000 --> 00:40:37,680 Speaker 3: those songs, just like I can from the ones that 725 00:40:37,719 --> 00:40:41,920 Speaker 3: are coming from our church today. Just because we weren't 726 00:40:41,960 --> 00:40:45,520 Speaker 3: going to be in Shelby forever didn't mean that there 727 00:40:45,640 --> 00:40:46,879 Speaker 3: wasn't time to. 728 00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:49,440 Speaker 1: Plant and harvest some fruit. 729 00:40:51,280 --> 00:40:54,400 Speaker 3: It was in Shelby, North Carolina, that we met Shanson 730 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:57,440 Speaker 3: Amy and we began to dream out loud for the 731 00:40:57,480 --> 00:41:00,280 Speaker 3: first time about the church that we felt like God 732 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:02,640 Speaker 3: was calling us to plant, and what it would look 733 00:41:02,719 --> 00:41:05,000 Speaker 3: like and what we would call it. And one of 734 00:41:05,000 --> 00:41:07,919 Speaker 3: the names that we were throwing around was Churchilllive. 735 00:41:08,080 --> 00:41:09,240 Speaker 1: Because it's worth the drive? 736 00:41:10,120 --> 00:41:14,160 Speaker 3: Aren't you glad we've landed on Elevations? But you know, 737 00:41:17,040 --> 00:41:23,480 Speaker 3: I am one hundred percent that the fruit of Elevation 738 00:41:23,840 --> 00:41:31,520 Speaker 3: Church was planted in the soil of Shelby, North Carolina. 739 00:41:32,120 --> 00:41:33,200 Speaker 1: And I want to tell you. 740 00:41:35,680 --> 00:41:39,319 Speaker 3: There are seeds that God wants to plant in your 741 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:41,160 Speaker 3: situation today. 742 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:42,960 Speaker 1: I know it's not permanent. 743 00:41:43,000 --> 00:41:45,920 Speaker 3: I know this isn't your forever job or your forever 744 00:41:46,440 --> 00:41:47,520 Speaker 3: home or whatever. 745 00:41:48,600 --> 00:41:51,880 Speaker 1: But you don't know how long it's going to be. 746 00:41:52,600 --> 00:41:57,000 Speaker 1: You don't know, So build the house, plant the garden. 747 00:41:58,560 --> 00:42:01,480 Speaker 3: Jeremiah goes on to get Israel, one of the most 748 00:42:01,560 --> 00:42:04,480 Speaker 3: encouraging verses in the entire Bible. Just a couple verses 749 00:42:04,560 --> 00:42:08,280 Speaker 3: later we find Jeremiah twenty nine to eleven. He says, 750 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:11,759 Speaker 3: for I know the plans I have for you, declares 751 00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:14,399 Speaker 3: the Lord. He's saying this over Israel, and he's saying 752 00:42:14,440 --> 00:42:17,359 Speaker 3: this over you. I have plans to prosper you and 753 00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:20,800 Speaker 3: not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope 754 00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:24,560 Speaker 3: and a future. And there are things in your life 755 00:42:24,680 --> 00:42:26,960 Speaker 3: right now that you didn't plan for. 756 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:30,399 Speaker 1: But God is the one. 757 00:42:30,360 --> 00:42:35,440 Speaker 6: Who holds the master plans of your life. He has 758 00:42:35,480 --> 00:42:41,279 Speaker 6: a hope and future for you. You're just the packer and 759 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:41,880 Speaker 6: the planter. 760 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:48,319 Speaker 1: He is the planner. So while you wait for the 761 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:49,600 Speaker 1: next move, God. 762 00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:55,320 Speaker 6: Is saying you today plant the garden, give it everything 763 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:55,879 Speaker 6: you've got. 764 00:42:57,200 --> 00:43:00,759 Speaker 1: They will be fruit right here in the life that 765 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:02,520 Speaker 1: you have right here. 766 00:43:03,320 --> 00:43:07,479 Speaker 3: Determine right now that you will get everything that God 767 00:43:07,600 --> 00:43:12,200 Speaker 3: has for you right now in your situation, in your circumstance, 768 00:43:12,239 --> 00:43:15,920 Speaker 3: your pain, your disappointment, your transition, your confusion. 769 00:43:16,239 --> 00:43:19,520 Speaker 1: You get out your tambourine and you feed your soul. 770 00:43:20,480 --> 00:43:23,360 Speaker 3: You stay right here, and you plant your feet in 771 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:27,439 Speaker 3: the garden of God's word and grow because you can 772 00:43:27,560 --> 00:43:29,440 Speaker 3: know that He's getting. 773 00:43:29,239 --> 00:43:31,520 Speaker 1: You ready for what's next. 774 00:43:33,600 --> 00:43:36,840 Speaker 3: I ask the worship team to come as we close 775 00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:40,200 Speaker 3: and lead us in that new song that we've been 776 00:43:40,239 --> 00:43:42,880 Speaker 3: singing called Always on Time. 777 00:43:43,840 --> 00:43:46,920 Speaker 1: This song has ministered to me in such a personal. 778 00:43:46,520 --> 00:43:48,640 Speaker 3: Way because I feel like it's one of those songs 779 00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:52,640 Speaker 3: that just allows me to reflect on those times in 780 00:43:52,680 --> 00:43:55,839 Speaker 3: my life where I can look back and I can 781 00:43:56,080 --> 00:43:57,719 Speaker 3: clearly see that. 782 00:43:57,760 --> 00:44:00,600 Speaker 1: Even in my pain, and even in my confus and. 783 00:44:01,360 --> 00:44:06,399 Speaker 3: Even in my transitional moments where it felt so frustrated, 784 00:44:06,520 --> 00:44:08,320 Speaker 3: God's right. 785 00:44:08,120 --> 00:44:09,440 Speaker 1: There with me. 786 00:44:10,400 --> 00:44:12,719 Speaker 3: Even in the moments where I didn't feel it then 787 00:44:13,760 --> 00:44:17,040 Speaker 3: he was with me. He's with you, He's guiding you 788 00:44:17,440 --> 00:44:20,280 Speaker 3: every step of the way, and he's with you now 789 00:44:20,760 --> 00:44:22,000 Speaker 3: in this moment, and you. 790 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:26,040 Speaker 6: Can trust His plan for your life. 791 00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:28,040 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us. 792 00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:30,799 Speaker 2: Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 793 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:34,320 Speaker 2: this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 794 00:44:34,800 --> 00:44:37,000 Speaker 2: You can click the link in the description to give 795 00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:41,239 Speaker 2: now or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more 796 00:44:41,239 --> 00:44:45,040 Speaker 2: information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 797 00:44:45,320 --> 00:44:46,640 Speaker 1: You can share it with your friends. 798 00:44:46,960 --> 00:44:49,239 Speaker 2: You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 799 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:51,399 Speaker 2: share it on your social stories and tag us at 800 00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:53,360 Speaker 2: Elevation Church. Thanks again for listening. 801 00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:59,040 Speaker 1: God bless you.