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 Welcome to the Lansdale Life Church podcast.

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 If you're seeking a closer relationship with Jesus Christ, this podcast is for you.

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 Thank you for joining us today.

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 All right, we're going to get started here.

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 Can you guys hear me, George? You can hear me back there? Okay.

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 Thanks again for coming out. We had a great turnout here today.

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 And today our speaker is going to be Joshua Owens.

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 And Joshua grew up in Doylestown area, lives in Lansdale right now.

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 And his main job, he's a UPS store manager in Bluebell and can be found on his side

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 gig here at White Jasmine Thai right here in Lansdale.

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 Joshua has been actively attending Lansdale Life since September.

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 He has an interesting story about how he got here.

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 I don't know if he'll share that here this morning or not.

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 And Joshua is working with Zach Bonner to help head up our brand new softball team.

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 So have we had a game yet?

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 The first game is tomorrow or May 5th?

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 May 5th, okay.

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 All right, and so anybody else here on the softball team? No? All right.

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 So Josh has two broadcast series that he's doing. One is called The Long Story.

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 And these are fascinating historical accounts,

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 biblical events and characters that he talks about.

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 I got to hear about his story about Vesuvius and Pompeii.

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 It was very, very interesting. I really enjoyed it.

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 And then his other podcast series is called Heart Lessons.

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 And this is about relationships, faith,

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 and he's going to be throwing some personal testimonies in there too over time.

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 The one I got to hear in this Heart Lessons series is about breakups.

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 And that was very interesting.

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 What I like as I was listening to these podcasts is Joshua puts a lot of details in there.

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 He does a good, thorough job on his podcast.

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 And he's also humble and shares his own personal experiences.

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 So I found it very interesting.

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 So let's give it up here for Joshua Owens.

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 Good morning, brothers.

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 Happy Saturday, everyone.

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 I hope everyone's having a great Saturday.

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 Thank you, Doug, for the introduction.

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 You know, I don't know what I would do without men like Doug or Pastor Chris

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 or any of you guys in this room.

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 I'm so blessed to be a part of this church now.

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 Lanzell Life Church has been one of the best congregations

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 I've ever been blessed to be a part of.

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 And I've been a part of quite a few, you know,

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 when I was born into a Lutheran family, baptized as a Lutheran.

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 My mom's second husband was Catholic.

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 So I had a lot of his views growing up as a young Christian as well.

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 My grandparents and my stepdad, you know,

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 they had conflicting viewpoints with the difference in denominations

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 and that kind of stretched me thin as a kid.

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 Plus there was people in my family who were atheist and I had their viewpoints.

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 So there was a lot of mixed viewpoints as a kid.

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 But the thing I learned from both my grandparents and my stepdad

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 was that Christ was king.

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 But I didn't really know how to form a relationship with him.

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 And that started to change in sixth grade.

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 We moved to a place called Danborough, Pennsylvania,

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 which eventually became Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

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 And I met a woman.

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 Her name was Kathleen and she invited me to her church.

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 And that was the Community of Christ.

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 So I was there at the Community of Christ

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 and I really had a touching moment where I started to connect with God.

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 So I started to go to the church more and more

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 than I started to attend their youth groups and their church camps.

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 And in ninth grade, I was baptized by my own choice again to accept Christ.

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 And until then, I kept going to the Community of Christ.

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 The only issue was that as it was so far away,

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 I would have to go all the way to New Hope.

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 And since COVID, the congregation sort of split up a little bit.

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 So it was very infrequent.

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 And I knew that I needed to find a congregation here closer to home here in Lansdale.

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 So I had a plan to go out to first Friday and to find a church.

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 For those of you that don't know what first Friday is, first Friday,

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 they meet the first Friday of every month from May through November.

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 And our church goes out there to try to be fishers of men and women

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 to be able to bring people to the Lord.

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 And I knew that.

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 I knew that churches were going out there.

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 So I had a plan to go out and find a new congregation.

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 But that plan got set aside because when I was going out there,

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 I got a text from a friend.

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 He says, I have a tent out here.

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 I need help.

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 Can you come help me?

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 So I was like, yeah, I'll come help you.

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 And so I did.

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 And then I got too busy and never got to go out and find a church that night.

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 And when I did go out that night, I met someone and I ended up befriending her.

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 And then we ended up having a relationship.

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 And it was almost like I completely forgot about that goal.

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 You know, the enemy sometimes has ways to distract us.

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 And that's exactly what happened that night.

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 I didn't let my yeses be yeses.

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 I got distracted and dove right into a relationship

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 and totally forgot about my goal to not still be a Christian

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 who is lonely in his room trying to connect with God.

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 I knew that I needed brotherhood.

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 I knew that I needed congregation.

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 But instead, I focused on a relationship that wasn't even really God-based.

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 The woman herself wasn't a Christian.

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 She came from a Christian family.

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 It was super important to her family that she become a Christian again.

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 And I had it be super important to me.

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 I really wanted to bring her to the Lord, but it didn't really work out.

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 The relationship started to dwindle.

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 And I remember praying to God.

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 I said, God, let me know if this is for me.

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 Let me know what I need to do next.

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 About three hours later, we broke up.

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 And we never spoke again.

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 Then a couple days later, my car finally took its final breath

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 and stopped working.

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 And I had to get rid of it.

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 So weeks later, I'm on the September bus to work.

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 I'm broken.

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 I'm like, I don't know how to fix my car.

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 I'm newly single.

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 I don't really know what to do.

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 I was sad and depressed morning after morning, just trying to figure things out.

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 And one morning, I'm focusing on this family I see on the bus all the time.

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 And when they leave, I see a little blue card sitting on the floor of the bus.

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 At first, I think it's a Pokemon card that one of the kids dropped.

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 So I was like, let me go grab this card.

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 I'm going to give it to them next time I see them on the bus.

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 So I go to leave off the bus, pick up the card.

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 It's a Landzell Life Church business card.

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 And I take it into work.

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 I look it up.

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 I see the great website.

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 I see a video of Pastor Chris and Jill.

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 And I'm like, this looks like a great church.

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 They have Bible studies on Wednesdays.

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 Look at all these events that they do.

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 I was like, I think I want to go to this church.

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 It's also on 4th Street.

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 But I live on 2nd Street, two streets down.

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 I've never even known it was here because all the places I travel

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 were all the other opposite directions from this church.

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 I've never been down this way.

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 So I was like, let me go check it out.

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 But I'm going to come to Bible study

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 because that seems like it's going to be more intimate.

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 I might not be so overwhelmed on a Sunday.

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 So I do.

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 I go to the Bible study.

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 And I'm not sitting in the chair for more than 5 to 10 seconds.

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 I get a tap on my shoulder and I look up and it's,

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 Pastor Chris, I'm like, there's that guy from the video.

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 And safe to say, it was a wrap from there.

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 I remember John was teaching that night on the book

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 in Numbers and it really captivated me.

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 And I've been coming to church here,

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 men's breakfast, cell groups since.

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 Like Doug said, we're starting a softball team

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 for anyone who wants to come out to softball.

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 We could definitely use you there to just come cheer us on

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 or if you want to come play.

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 I mean, there's a bunch of age groups here in this church,

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 but the softball team doesn't discriminate by age groups either.

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 I think our pitcher is probably 65 years, 66 years old

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 and he's still out there crushing it.

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 So I'm really excited about that as well.

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 But I just wanted to lead off with exactly how I found the church,

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 but just to also say that I'm super thankful

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 to have met all of you brothers here

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 and have you guys help shepherd me back to the Lord.

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 So today though, I want to talk about the wilderness

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 and it's not as a metaphor,

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 not as a poetic symbol for hard times,

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 but I mean the real wilderness.

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 The forest, the mountains, the deserts,

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 the rivers and the valleys,

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 the places where the noise just all fades away,

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 the places where there's no crowds, there's no traffic,

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 there's no constant notifications buzzing in your pocket.

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 Just silence, just the wind moving through the trees,

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 water over rocks, stars in the sky.

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 And throughout history and throughout the entire Bible,

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 one thing's clear that God meets us men in the wilderness.

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 And before we even talk about the wilderness,

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 we have to understand something deeper.

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 The wilderness belongs to God first.

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 Genesis tells us that in the beginning,

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 God created the heavens and the earth.

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 He shaped the mountains.

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 He carved valleys.

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 He separated seas from land.

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 And after each act of creation, he said it was good.

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 Psalm chapter 95 verse 4 and 5 says,

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 in his hand are the depths of the earth.

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 The mountain peaks belong to him.

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 The sea is his, for he made it.

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 Nature is not random.

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 It is not empty.

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 It is not just scenery.

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 It is the craftsmanship of God.

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 Romans chapter 1 verse 20 says,

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 for since the creation of the world,

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 God's invisible qualities,

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 his eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen,

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 being understood from what has been made.

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 So that means creation itself is preaching.

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 The mountains preach strength.

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 The oceans preach power.

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 The forest preach order and design.

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 And the sky preaches infinity.

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 And when men step into these places

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 and become silent and they become still,

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 they start to hear what creation has been saying all along.

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 Psalm chapter 46 verse 10 says,

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 be still and know that I am God.

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 God.

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 One of the greatest examples of this in the Bible is Moses.

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 See, Moses was not always a shepherd in the desert.

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 He grew up in a palace in Egypt.

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 He had wealth and education.

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 He had everything the world at that time had to offer.

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 But then we know that story after a violent incident.

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 Moses flees Egypt.

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 He becomes a fugitive.

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 And for 40 years, he lives there.

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 40 years watching sheep.

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 40 years just in the desert.

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 And then one day something strange happens.

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 He sees a bush on fire, but it's not burning.

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 So he approaches it.

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 And then God speaks.

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 The book of Exodus chapter 3 verse 4 says,

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 when the Lord saw that he had gone over to look,

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 God called him from within the bush.

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 God didn't call Moses when he was in the palace.

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 God waited to call to Moses once he was in the wilderness.

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 And that moment in the desert changed history

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 because that shepherd would go on to confront Pharaoh

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 and lead an entire nation out of slavery.

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 Another powerful moment happens with Jacob.

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 You know, Jacob spends most of his life running from his problems.

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 And these are problems that he caused himself

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 taking the birthright from his brother, Esau.

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 And then he fools Isaac into giving him the blessing.

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 And Esau's rightably pretty angry and starts to,

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 once Jacob dead, so Jacob flees.

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 And he's running and God sends him dreams and says,

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 don't worry, I'll bring you back.

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 And for another 20 years, he's out there and starts a family

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 and then has another dream that he should go back

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 and face his problems.

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 And one night he does that.

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 It's just him at night in the book of Genesis chapter 32 verse 24 says,

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00:13:53,759 --> 00:13:58,080
 so Jacob was left alone and a man wrestled with him until daybreak.

251
00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:01,360
 And we know that that man was now ordinary man.

252
00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:02,240
 That was God.

253
00:14:03,779 --> 00:14:05,720
 Jacob wrestled all night long with God.

254
00:14:06,019 --> 00:14:08,480
 And when the son arose, God changed his name to Israel.

255
00:14:09,779 --> 00:14:11,820
 And not only did he change his name that day,

256
00:14:12,080 --> 00:14:13,580
 Jacob walked away with a limp

257
00:14:13,580 --> 00:14:16,600
 because sometimes the wilderness leaves marks on us.

258
00:14:16,620 --> 00:14:20,059
 But those marks remind us that we encountered God.

259
00:14:22,679 --> 00:14:24,179
 Another example is David.

260
00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:25,139
 Before becoming king,

261
00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:27,940
 David spent much of his life outdoors as a shepherd.

262
00:14:28,639 --> 00:14:31,920
 He lived in the hills and in the wilderness watching over sheeps.

263
00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:34,360
 He fought lions.

264
00:14:34,679 --> 00:14:36,539
 He fought bears out there.

265
00:14:36,639 --> 00:14:37,320
 He learned courage.

266
00:14:37,639 --> 00:14:43,019
 So when he later faces Goliath in first Samuel chapter 17 verse 37,

267
00:14:43,419 --> 00:14:46,460
 it says the Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion

268
00:14:46,460 --> 00:14:50,580
 and the paw of the bear will rescue me from this Philistine.

269
00:14:51,460 --> 00:14:54,299
 David already knew something, but God did too.

270
00:14:54,740 --> 00:14:57,559
 That's how God had that relationship with David

271
00:14:57,559 --> 00:15:01,059
 to know that he was more meant to become king than Saul.

272
00:15:02,299 --> 00:15:05,460
 But David also trusted that relationship in God

273
00:15:05,460 --> 00:15:06,860
 to know that he would protect him.

274
00:15:07,139 --> 00:15:09,419
 Protect him and the sheep when he was younger

275
00:15:09,419 --> 00:15:11,620
 and then when he would go on to face Goliath

276
00:15:11,620 --> 00:15:12,980
 and go on to become king.

277
00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,059
 He had that relationship with God

278
00:15:15,059 --> 00:15:17,220
 and that was all started in the wilderness.

279
00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:21,100
 Another story in the wilderness is one

280
00:15:21,100 --> 00:15:22,799
 we've all probably heard about

281
00:15:22,799 --> 00:15:24,860
 if you've come to Bible studies on Wednesday.

282
00:15:24,980 --> 00:15:26,019
 We did the book of Numbers.

283
00:15:26,019 --> 00:15:27,799
 Now we're on the book of Joshua.

284
00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:30,399
 And it's the story of the entire nation.

285
00:15:30,500 --> 00:15:32,500
 After leaving Egypt, they don't immediately go

286
00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:33,320
 to the Promised Land.

287
00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,500
 They wander for about 40 years.

288
00:15:37,039 --> 00:15:39,120
 Now that may sound like punishment,

289
00:15:39,899 --> 00:15:41,879
 but God explains something important

290
00:15:41,879 --> 00:15:44,559
 in the book of Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 2.

291
00:15:44,759 --> 00:15:46,980
 It says, remember how the Lord your God

292
00:15:46,980 --> 00:15:50,600
 led you all the way in the wilderness these 40 years

293
00:15:51,299 --> 00:15:53,080
 to humble and to test you

294
00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:55,879
 in order to know what was in your heart.

295
00:15:56,679 --> 00:15:59,059
 The wilderness reveals what's inside a man.

296
00:15:59,519 --> 00:16:00,639
 It reveals our faith.

297
00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:02,740
 It reveals our weakness.

298
00:16:03,659 --> 00:16:06,919
 It reveals whether we truly trust God.

299
00:16:08,799 --> 00:16:10,860
 The next person in the Bible I want to talk about,

300
00:16:10,879 --> 00:16:12,700
 it's one of my favorite stories of the Bible.

301
00:16:13,759 --> 00:16:14,759
 Since I was a young kid,

302
00:16:14,779 --> 00:16:16,440
 I always really loved thunderstorms.

303
00:16:16,980 --> 00:16:20,039
 So when I grew up, I went to college to study storms

304
00:16:20,039 --> 00:16:21,840
 and now I photograph them

305
00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:23,980
 and sort of storm chase, if you will.

306
00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:25,799
 I've just always been fascinated

307
00:16:25,799 --> 00:16:27,019
 by storms.

308
00:16:27,419 --> 00:16:29,500
 So that brings us to the story of Job.

309
00:16:29,659 --> 00:16:31,600
 He's a man who loses everything.

310
00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,799
 We see that God points him out to say that,

311
00:16:36,039 --> 00:16:37,340
 look how great this man is

312
00:16:37,340 --> 00:16:38,320
 and how he follows me.

313
00:16:38,379 --> 00:16:40,120
 And Satan says, well, he only does that

314
00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:41,399
 because you give him everything.

315
00:16:41,559 --> 00:16:42,500
 Take all that away

316
00:16:42,500 --> 00:16:46,279
 and he's not going to follow you anymore.

317
00:16:46,620 --> 00:16:49,919
 So God does that and Job loses his health.

318
00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:51,799
 Job loses his wealth.

319
00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:54,620
 And after all the suffering,

320
00:16:54,620 --> 00:16:58,240
 Job is finally getting a little bit fed up with God.

321
00:16:58,379 --> 00:17:01,059
 He starts telling, asking God all these questions

322
00:17:01,059 --> 00:17:03,460
 and God responds not with excuses,

323
00:17:03,980 --> 00:17:06,079
 but as a whirlwind, as a storm.

324
00:17:07,299 --> 00:17:09,180
 In Job 38 verse one, it says,

325
00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,240
 the Lord then answered Job out of the whirlwind

326
00:17:13,019 --> 00:17:14,579
 and God begins to speak,

327
00:17:14,579 --> 00:17:16,359
 not by explaining the pain,

328
00:17:16,759 --> 00:17:19,279
 but revealing the power and creation.

329
00:17:20,220 --> 00:17:21,319
 It says, where were you

330
00:17:21,319 --> 00:17:23,079
 when I laid the earth's foundation?

331
00:17:23,799 --> 00:17:25,880
 Who shut up the sea behind the doors?

332
00:17:26,559 --> 00:17:29,460
 Have you entered the storehouses of the snow?

333
00:17:30,299 --> 00:17:32,079
 God points Job back to nature,

334
00:17:32,299 --> 00:17:33,440
 back to creation,

335
00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:35,079
 back to the wilderness,

336
00:17:36,059 --> 00:17:38,180
 back to things Job cannot control

337
00:17:38,180 --> 00:17:41,480
 because sometimes the answer to our suffering

338
00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,279
 is not understanding everything.

339
00:17:44,779 --> 00:17:47,599
 It's remembering who created everything.

340
00:17:48,880 --> 00:17:50,579
 God speaks through storms.

341
00:17:50,839 --> 00:17:51,900
 God speaks through wind.

342
00:17:51,900 --> 00:17:54,779
 God speaks through the natural world that he formed.

343
00:17:55,700 --> 00:17:57,180
 And Job's response after this

344
00:17:57,180 --> 00:17:58,799
 is not any more questions,

345
00:17:58,859 --> 00:18:01,339
 but he immediately becomes humble

346
00:18:01,339 --> 00:18:05,160
 and then he ends up getting everything back

347
00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:06,980
 that he once lost.

348
00:18:08,660 --> 00:18:10,500
 Another powerful wilderness story

349
00:18:10,500 --> 00:18:11,519
 comes from Elijah.

350
00:18:11,980 --> 00:18:14,200
 You know, Elijah defeats the prophets of Baal

351
00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,539
 and who Queen Jezebel once him killed

352
00:18:16,539 --> 00:18:19,900
 and he flees and runs into the wilderness.

353
00:18:19,900 --> 00:18:22,759
 He's running and then God stops him

354
00:18:22,759 --> 00:18:25,240
 and makes him take a nap under a tree

355
00:18:25,240 --> 00:18:25,960
 and eats.

356
00:18:26,299 --> 00:18:27,599
 I saw a joke about that online

357
00:18:27,599 --> 00:18:29,779
 that says sometimes all God wants us to do

358
00:18:29,779 --> 00:18:30,759
 is eat and take a nap.

359
00:18:30,940 --> 00:18:31,740
 And that's true,

360
00:18:31,759 --> 00:18:33,099
 especially when we're stressed out

361
00:18:33,099 --> 00:18:34,500
 like Elijah was.

362
00:18:35,279 --> 00:18:37,140
 You know, he's discouraged and afraid

363
00:18:37,140 --> 00:18:39,259
 and for 40 days he's traveling

364
00:18:39,259 --> 00:18:40,880
 and he finally gets to Mount Horeb

365
00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:42,799
 and he's hiding inside a cave

366
00:18:42,799 --> 00:18:44,859
 and God comes to him again there

367
00:18:44,859 --> 00:18:45,839
 and says, come outside.

368
00:18:46,099 --> 00:18:47,779
 I'm about to pass by.

369
00:18:48,420 --> 00:18:50,619
 And first there's a powerful wind

370
00:18:50,619 --> 00:18:51,720
 and rocks are falling

371
00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:53,400
 and you'd think God would be there

372
00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:54,980
 just like he was in the wind with Job

373
00:18:54,980 --> 00:18:56,180
 but he's not there.

374
00:18:56,480 --> 00:18:57,980
 And then there's an earthquake

375
00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:00,619
 but God's still not there.

376
00:19:01,599 --> 00:19:03,079
 And then there's a fire

377
00:19:03,079 --> 00:19:04,119
 and maybe he's there

378
00:19:04,119 --> 00:19:05,259
 because he came to Moses in a fire

379
00:19:05,259 --> 00:19:06,099
 but he's not there either.

380
00:19:07,420 --> 00:19:10,180
 Then God whispers to Elijah.

381
00:19:11,539 --> 00:19:12,539
 And that's important

382
00:19:12,539 --> 00:19:13,759
 because all these other stories

383
00:19:13,759 --> 00:19:15,200
 I've talked about where he shows up

384
00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,299
 a little, not aggressively,

385
00:19:17,299 --> 00:19:19,180
 but in a fire or in a storm.

386
00:19:19,900 --> 00:19:20,700
 Sometimes he doesn't need to.

387
00:19:20,779 --> 00:19:21,839
 Sometimes he's more gentle.

388
00:19:22,180 --> 00:19:23,539
 Sometimes he does reach out

389
00:19:23,539 --> 00:19:25,180
 and let you know that you can rest

390
00:19:25,180 --> 00:19:26,059
 and that you can eat

391
00:19:26,059 --> 00:19:27,700
 and he comes to you in a whisper.

392
00:19:27,819 --> 00:19:28,799
 It's not always loud.

393
00:19:29,759 --> 00:19:30,900
 Sometimes you just have to be

394
00:19:30,900 --> 00:19:32,220
 still enough and quiet enough

395
00:19:32,220 --> 00:19:34,740
 to know that God's whispering to you.

396
00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:39,779
 Another man who spent much

397
00:19:39,779 --> 00:19:40,740
 of his life in the wilderness

398
00:19:40,740 --> 00:19:41,859
 was John the Baptist.

399
00:19:42,700 --> 00:19:44,000
 John lived in the desert.

400
00:19:44,420 --> 00:19:44,799
 We know this.

401
00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:46,460
 The Bible says that he wore

402
00:19:46,460 --> 00:19:48,380
 clothing made out of camel hair,

403
00:19:48,579 --> 00:19:51,059
 that he ate locusts and wild honey.

404
00:19:52,599 --> 00:19:54,240
 People actually traveled

405
00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:55,200
 into the wilderness

406
00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:56,240
 just to hear him preach

407
00:19:56,240 --> 00:19:58,279
 just to get baptized by him.

408
00:19:58,359 --> 00:19:59,519
 And it was John the Baptist

409
00:19:59,519 --> 00:20:01,480
 who prepared the way for Jesus.

410
00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:03,279
 He was the messenger

411
00:20:03,279 --> 00:20:04,660
 who announced the Messiah

412
00:20:05,340 --> 00:20:07,200
 and he lived in the wilderness.

413
00:20:09,660 --> 00:20:10,599
 And then finally,

414
00:20:10,599 --> 00:20:13,700
 there's the example of Jesus.

415
00:20:14,059 --> 00:20:15,920
 Before starting his ministry,

416
00:20:15,920 --> 00:20:17,019
 he goes into the wilderness

417
00:20:17,019 --> 00:20:18,680
 for 40 days.

418
00:20:19,299 --> 00:20:21,359
 40 days fasting and praying.

419
00:20:21,740 --> 00:20:22,980
 He faced temptation.

420
00:20:23,940 --> 00:20:25,420
 In the Gospel of Matthew,

421
00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:26,599
 chapter four, verse one,

422
00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:27,380
 it says,

423
00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,240
 then Jesus was led by the spirit

424
00:20:30,240 --> 00:20:31,599
 into the wilderness

425
00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:34,000
 to be tempted by the devil.

426
00:20:34,740 --> 00:20:36,400
 The spirit led him there.

427
00:20:36,960 --> 00:20:39,440
 The wilderness was his preparation.

428
00:20:40,619 --> 00:20:42,039
 And we see even after this,

429
00:20:42,039 --> 00:20:43,079
 there was many times

430
00:20:43,079 --> 00:20:44,079
 that it said that Jesus

431
00:20:44,079 --> 00:20:45,539
 would wake up early

432
00:20:45,539 --> 00:20:47,740
 and go out into the wilderness

433
00:20:47,740 --> 00:20:49,259
 to pray or go into a garden

434
00:20:49,259 --> 00:20:50,400
 or away from other people

435
00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:51,440
 just to pray.

436
00:20:52,079 --> 00:20:53,200
 There's something about

437
00:20:53,200 --> 00:20:54,180
 wild places

438
00:20:54,740 --> 00:20:55,839
 that changes a man.

439
00:20:56,759 --> 00:20:57,359
 When you stand

440
00:20:57,359 --> 00:20:58,640
 in the wilderness long enough,

441
00:20:58,759 --> 00:20:59,880
 something begins

442
00:20:59,880 --> 00:21:01,240
 to shift inside you.

443
00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:03,359
 Your thoughts slow down.

444
00:21:04,099 --> 00:21:05,880
 Your prayers become more honest.

445
00:21:06,579 --> 00:21:07,960
 Your perspective changes.

446
00:21:09,099 --> 00:21:11,480
 Isaiah chapter 40, verse 12 says,

447
00:21:12,299 --> 00:21:13,759
 who has measured the waters

448
00:21:13,759 --> 00:21:15,279
 in the hollow of his hand?

449
00:21:15,940 --> 00:21:17,680
 Or with the breath of his hand

450
00:21:17,680 --> 00:21:18,920
 marked off the heavens?

451
00:21:20,319 --> 00:21:21,740
 Psalm 19.1 says,

452
00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:23,240
 the heavens declare

453
00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:24,299
 the glory of God.

454
00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:26,859
 The skies proclaim

455
00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:29,500
 the work of his hands.

456
00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:31,180
 And when you stand

457
00:21:31,180 --> 00:21:33,140
 under a sky full of stars

458
00:21:33,140 --> 00:21:35,180
 far away from the city lights,

459
00:21:35,279 --> 00:21:36,400
 it is difficult

460
00:21:36,400 --> 00:21:37,680
 not to think about God.

461
00:21:39,519 --> 00:21:40,559
 But here's something

462
00:21:40,559 --> 00:21:41,339
 we're thinking about.

463
00:21:41,539 --> 00:21:43,200
 Modern men rarely

464
00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,359
 experience the wilderness anymore.

465
00:21:45,539 --> 00:21:47,799
 We live surrounded by technology

466
00:21:47,799 --> 00:21:48,720
 and screens

467
00:21:48,720 --> 00:21:50,160
 and notifications,

468
00:21:50,619 --> 00:21:50,920
 noise.

469
00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:53,240
 Our phones buzz

470
00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:54,220
 every few minutes.

471
00:21:54,839 --> 00:21:56,599
 We scroll endlessly.

472
00:21:58,279 --> 00:21:59,839
 Our minds are never quiet.

473
00:22:00,660 --> 00:22:01,839
 But the men in the Bible

474
00:22:01,839 --> 00:22:03,299
 stepped away from that.

475
00:22:04,119 --> 00:22:05,539
 They went where things

476
00:22:05,539 --> 00:22:06,240
 were quiet.

477
00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:07,680
 Where they could pray.

478
00:22:08,279 --> 00:22:09,319
 Where they could think.

479
00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:11,099
 Where they could listen.

480
00:22:12,099 --> 00:22:13,259
 And maybe one reason

481
00:22:13,259 --> 00:22:15,319
 many men feel lost today

482
00:22:15,539 --> 00:22:16,660
 is because we've lost

483
00:22:16,660 --> 00:22:17,500
 those places.

484
00:22:18,059 --> 00:22:19,319
 We have lost the silence.

485
00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:21,839
 We have lost the wilderness.

486
00:22:24,319 --> 00:22:25,579
 And thousands of years ago,

487
00:22:25,579 --> 00:22:26,640
 we see that in the Bible

488
00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:27,799
 where God would meet

489
00:22:27,799 --> 00:22:28,400
 with these people.

490
00:22:28,460 --> 00:22:30,480
 But that's not anything old

491
00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:32,319
 that still happens today.

492
00:22:33,180 --> 00:22:34,720
 Even within the last thousand years,

493
00:22:34,900 --> 00:22:36,799
 there's people that I've

494
00:22:36,799 --> 00:22:38,319
 read about through history

495
00:22:38,319 --> 00:22:40,000
 since I do, like Doug said,

496
00:22:40,079 --> 00:22:41,019
 have my own podcast

497
00:22:41,019 --> 00:22:42,019
 called The Long Story

498
00:22:42,019 --> 00:22:43,059
 where I talk about

499
00:22:43,059 --> 00:22:45,000
 a lot of historical figures

500
00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:46,920
 and I try to base it all

501
00:22:46,920 --> 00:22:47,960
 on their faith as well

502
00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:49,440
 as much as I can.

503
00:22:50,759 --> 00:22:52,640
 And the first time we see this

504
00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:54,380
 is with George Washington.

505
00:22:54,759 --> 00:22:55,720
 You know, George Washington

506
00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:57,839
 is only 11 years old

507
00:22:57,839 --> 00:22:59,420
 in 1743

508
00:22:59,420 --> 00:23:00,880
 and his father Augustine

509
00:23:00,880 --> 00:23:02,059
 passes away.

510
00:23:03,220 --> 00:23:04,619
 And then everything that

511
00:23:04,619 --> 00:23:05,859
 Augustine has is left

512
00:23:05,859 --> 00:23:07,299
 to George's older brother,

513
00:23:07,339 --> 00:23:07,799
 Lawrence.

514
00:23:08,599 --> 00:23:09,740
 That's from Augustine's

515
00:23:09,740 --> 00:23:10,319
 first marriage.

516
00:23:10,539 --> 00:23:11,400
 He's the oldest

517
00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:12,940
 so he gets everything.

518
00:23:13,180 --> 00:23:14,220
 He even gets all the money.

519
00:23:14,220 --> 00:23:15,619
 So there's no more money

520
00:23:15,619 --> 00:23:16,319
 left for George

521
00:23:16,319 --> 00:23:17,920
 to get the same education

522
00:23:18,460 --> 00:23:19,460
 that Lawrence got.

523
00:23:19,779 --> 00:23:21,240
 So George is forced

524
00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:22,900
 to kind of find his own way

525
00:23:22,900 --> 00:23:23,940
 and he does that.

526
00:23:24,059 --> 00:23:25,180
 He runs out

527
00:23:25,180 --> 00:23:26,319
 into the Shenandoah Valley

528
00:23:26,319 --> 00:23:27,619
 and starts to become

529
00:23:27,619 --> 00:23:28,619
 a surveyor

530
00:23:28,619 --> 00:23:29,339
 and out there

531
00:23:29,339 --> 00:23:30,759
 as just a young boy

532
00:23:30,759 --> 00:23:32,220
 at maybe 14 years old

533
00:23:32,220 --> 00:23:33,039
 or so by then,

534
00:23:33,039 --> 00:23:34,799
 he's learning how to hunt,

535
00:23:35,019 --> 00:23:35,940
 he's learning how to fish,

536
00:23:36,359 --> 00:23:37,440
 he's learning how to

537
00:23:37,440 --> 00:23:39,119
 just survive out there

538
00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:40,519
 in nature on his own.

539
00:23:41,259 --> 00:23:42,619
 And that would shape

540
00:23:42,619 --> 00:23:44,319
 George's life forever.

541
00:23:44,839 --> 00:23:46,500
 It would lead him to become

542
00:23:46,500 --> 00:23:47,980
 the leader that he was

543
00:23:47,980 --> 00:23:49,920
 throughout the American Revolution.

544
00:23:51,779 --> 00:23:53,900
 The other example

545
00:23:53,900 --> 00:23:55,279
 that I know of this is

546
00:23:55,279 --> 00:23:56,740
 with also Abraham Lincoln.

547
00:23:56,920 --> 00:23:58,980
 He grows up in the wilderness

548
00:23:59,820 --> 00:24:01,859
 just in a cabin out there

549
00:24:01,859 --> 00:24:02,339
 in Illinois

550
00:24:02,860 --> 00:24:05,259
 and he loses his mother

551
00:24:05,259 --> 00:24:07,180
 in 1818, Nancy Hanks.

552
00:24:08,420 --> 00:24:09,920
 And then what his father does next

553
00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:11,839
 is could be seen as

554
00:24:12,440 --> 00:24:13,980
 neglect abuse nowadays

555
00:24:13,980 --> 00:24:15,400
 or anything like that,

556
00:24:15,420 --> 00:24:16,460
 but what he does is

557
00:24:16,460 --> 00:24:18,279
 actually pretty smart

558
00:24:18,279 --> 00:24:19,579
 and cunning for the time

559
00:24:19,579 --> 00:24:21,000
 because you can't survive

560
00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:22,119
 out there in the wilderness

561
00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:24,779
 back then in the early 1800s

562
00:24:24,779 --> 00:24:26,859
 without having a full family.

563
00:24:27,259 --> 00:24:28,619
 His father Thomas couldn't

564
00:24:28,619 --> 00:24:29,559
 be the father

565
00:24:29,559 --> 00:24:31,339
 and then also be the mother

566
00:24:31,339 --> 00:24:32,960
 and take care of the household

567
00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:34,000
 and he knew that.

568
00:24:34,420 --> 00:24:36,180
 So he made a difficult decision

569
00:24:36,180 --> 00:24:37,460
 but he did it anyway

570
00:24:37,460 --> 00:24:39,640
 and in 1819 he leaves

571
00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:40,440
 and he goes out

572
00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:41,480
 to find another wife.

573
00:24:41,839 --> 00:24:43,480
 And he's gone for months.

574
00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:46,480
 So at this time Lincoln's

575
00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:47,680
 probably about 10 or 11

576
00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:50,039
 and his sister's only a couple years older

577
00:24:50,720 --> 00:24:52,140
 but so they're out there

578
00:24:52,140 --> 00:24:53,660
 learning how to pretty much

579
00:24:53,660 --> 00:24:55,180
 fend for themselves for a while

580
00:24:55,180 --> 00:24:55,940
 there in the wilderness

581
00:24:55,940 --> 00:24:57,039
 and that both shapes

582
00:24:57,039 --> 00:24:58,000
 both of their lives

583
00:24:58,799 --> 00:24:59,799
 but Lincoln especially.

584
00:25:00,240 --> 00:25:01,799
 And then later on that year

585
00:25:01,799 --> 00:25:03,400
 Thomas does come back

586
00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,319
 with Lincoln's new stepmother

587
00:25:05,319 --> 00:25:06,619
 Sarah Bush Johnson

588
00:25:06,619 --> 00:25:08,759
 and she also has a great impact

589
00:25:08,759 --> 00:25:10,240
 on Lincoln's life

590
00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:11,000
 but the wilderness

591
00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,319
 totally shaped his life completely.

592
00:25:15,200 --> 00:25:15,799
 Now both of these men

593
00:25:15,799 --> 00:25:18,500
 did have relationships with God.

594
00:25:18,740 --> 00:25:19,619
 You know George Washington

595
00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:21,279
 was a part of a church.

596
00:25:21,819 --> 00:25:24,039
 There's transcripts of him

597
00:25:24,039 --> 00:25:25,660
 speaking about Jesus sometimes

598
00:25:26,319 --> 00:25:27,299
 a lot about God

599
00:25:27,299 --> 00:25:28,619
 and he does quote the Bible.

600
00:25:29,519 --> 00:25:31,240
 Lincoln quoted the Bible a lot.

601
00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:33,019
 Unfortunately there's never

602
00:25:33,019 --> 00:25:34,920
 really much talk about Jesus.

603
00:25:35,220 --> 00:25:37,920
 He has a lot of scrutiny

604
00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:38,960
 about religion.

605
00:25:39,860 --> 00:25:42,059
 But he did seem to believe in God

606
00:25:42,059 --> 00:25:43,880
 and quoted God and the Bible

607
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:45,019
 quite frequently.

608
00:25:45,460 --> 00:25:46,960
 But unlike these two men

609
00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:48,099
 there is another man in history

610
00:25:48,099 --> 00:25:49,940
 who is fairly Christian

611
00:25:50,559 --> 00:25:53,119
 and he let those beliefs lead him

612
00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:55,940
 in his ways throughout his life.

613
00:25:56,900 --> 00:25:58,740
 And this is Theodore Roosevelt.

614
00:25:59,319 --> 00:26:01,180
 He was a part of a movement

615
00:26:01,180 --> 00:26:01,940
 in Christianity

616
00:26:01,940 --> 00:26:04,400
 that was called muscular Christianity

617
00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:06,539
 and that believed that men

618
00:26:06,539 --> 00:26:08,660
 could find strength through faith.

619
00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:10,039
 And Theodore Roosevelt

620
00:26:10,599 --> 00:26:12,400
 actually genuinely believed this

621
00:26:12,400 --> 00:26:14,500
 because Roosevelt's not born strong.

622
00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:17,180
 No he was born with severe asthma.

623
00:26:17,519 --> 00:26:19,000
 He was born really small and weak

624
00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:20,799
 and he was sick all the time.

625
00:26:21,220 --> 00:26:22,339
 He would have asthma attacks

626
00:26:22,339 --> 00:26:23,079
 that were so bad

627
00:26:23,079 --> 00:26:24,359
 his family would take him

628
00:26:24,359 --> 00:26:25,460
 outside of the house

629
00:26:25,460 --> 00:26:26,740
 just to try to help him

630
00:26:26,740 --> 00:26:27,819
 breathe fresh air.

631
00:26:28,339 --> 00:26:29,180
 Back then they didn't have

632
00:26:29,180 --> 00:26:30,559
 albuterol so they were doing

633
00:26:30,559 --> 00:26:32,099
 all these natural ways

634
00:26:32,099 --> 00:26:33,000
 to try to fix it.

635
00:26:33,380 --> 00:26:34,099
 And one of these ways

636
00:26:34,099 --> 00:26:35,700
 that I still even use today

637
00:26:35,700 --> 00:26:36,720
 with my asthma

638
00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:38,440
 is just to drink straight black coffee

639
00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:39,559
 as a stimulant.

640
00:26:39,660 --> 00:26:42,019
 And he did even up in his presidency

641
00:26:42,019 --> 00:26:43,119
 Theodore Roosevelt would drink

642
00:26:43,119 --> 00:26:45,640
 up to 25 cups of black coffee a day.

643
00:26:46,859 --> 00:26:48,200
 Like I said he was small,

644
00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:49,539
 weak and constantly ill

645
00:26:49,539 --> 00:26:50,660
 but when he was young

646
00:26:50,660 --> 00:26:52,079
 his father told him something

647
00:26:52,079 --> 00:26:53,680
 that shaped his life forever.

648
00:26:54,220 --> 00:26:56,019
 He said you have the mind

649
00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:58,700
 but you must build the body

650
00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:00,660
 and Roosevelt took this seriously.

651
00:27:00,819 --> 00:27:02,299
 He begins lifting weights.

652
00:27:02,359 --> 00:27:03,380
 He begins boxing.

653
00:27:03,859 --> 00:27:04,420
 He hikes.

654
00:27:04,759 --> 00:27:06,640
 He pushes himself relentlessly.

655
00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:09,599
 But you can get as strong

656
00:27:09,599 --> 00:27:10,839
 as you want as masculine

657
00:27:10,839 --> 00:27:12,180
 as you want on the outside

658
00:27:12,180 --> 00:27:13,180
 but there's still ways

659
00:27:13,180 --> 00:27:15,039
 that the world can break you.

660
00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:17,119
 And this happens to Theodore

661
00:27:17,119 --> 00:27:19,900
 in 1884 on Valentine's Day

662
00:27:19,900 --> 00:27:21,119
 of that year.

663
00:27:21,500 --> 00:27:23,059
 He loses his wife Alice.

664
00:27:23,380 --> 00:27:24,140
 She passes away

665
00:27:24,140 --> 00:27:25,700
 due to childbirth complications

666
00:27:25,700 --> 00:27:26,779
 from giving birth

667
00:27:26,779 --> 00:27:28,220
 just a couple days earlier

668
00:27:28,220 --> 00:27:28,880
 to his daughter

669
00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:30,119
 who's also named Alice.

670
00:27:30,759 --> 00:27:32,480
 But on the exact same day

671
00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:34,440
 his mother, Martha Roosevelt

672
00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:37,119
 also dies from typhoid fever.

673
00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:39,099
 And this really, really

674
00:27:39,099 --> 00:27:41,140
 made Theodore Roosevelt depressed.

675
00:27:41,319 --> 00:27:43,019
 He even writes about in his journal

676
00:27:43,019 --> 00:27:43,920
 he says the light

677
00:27:43,920 --> 00:27:45,940
 has gone out of my life.

678
00:27:47,339 --> 00:27:49,740
 And after this he leaves New York.

679
00:27:50,259 --> 00:27:51,920
 He goes into the wilderness

680
00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:53,160
 into the Dakota Territory.

681
00:27:54,160 --> 00:27:55,599
 He lives there as a rancher.

682
00:27:55,660 --> 00:27:57,240
 He rides across frozen plains.

683
00:27:57,420 --> 00:27:58,119
 He works cattle.

684
00:27:58,319 --> 00:28:00,640
 He hunts far away from the city life

685
00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:01,859
 that he grew up in

686
00:28:01,859 --> 00:28:02,839
 that he was used to.

687
00:28:03,539 --> 00:28:05,900
 He let the wilderness rebuild him.

688
00:28:06,519 --> 00:28:07,960
 It gave him strength.

689
00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:09,640
 It gave him clarity.

690
00:28:10,740 --> 00:28:12,420
 And it forges the man

691
00:28:12,420 --> 00:28:13,359
 that he would become.

692
00:28:14,299 --> 00:28:15,799
 You know he moves home

693
00:28:15,799 --> 00:28:18,380
 in the late 1880s after this.

694
00:28:18,759 --> 00:28:20,779
 He becomes a police commissioner.

695
00:28:21,460 --> 00:28:22,380
 He becomes governor.

696
00:28:23,420 --> 00:28:25,279
 He leads the Rough Riders.

697
00:28:26,119 --> 00:28:27,140
 And then we know from there

698
00:28:27,140 --> 00:28:28,099
 he becomes the President

699
00:28:28,099 --> 00:28:29,519
 of the United States.

700
00:28:30,599 --> 00:28:32,839
 Theodore Roosevelt truly believed

701
00:28:32,839 --> 00:28:34,039
 in Christ's ability

702
00:28:34,039 --> 00:28:35,099
 to change his life.

703
00:28:35,099 --> 00:28:36,619
 And he truly believed

704
00:28:36,619 --> 00:28:38,539
 that there was ways to do it.

705
00:28:38,539 --> 00:28:40,160
 Whether it was muscular Christianity

706
00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:41,480
 or whether it was retreating

707
00:28:41,480 --> 00:28:43,440
 into the wild to reshape

708
00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:44,920
 the life that he had.

709
00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:46,339
 The life that was broken

710
00:28:46,339 --> 00:28:46,980
 when he lost

711
00:28:47,580 --> 00:28:49,619
 two very important people to him.

712
00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:51,880
 And there's also a season

713
00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:53,799
 in my life when I stepped

714
00:28:53,799 --> 00:28:54,980
 into the wilderness.

715
00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:57,880
 It was four years ago

716
00:28:57,880 --> 00:28:59,720
 when I was first living

717
00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:00,700
 here in Lansdale.

718
00:29:01,359 --> 00:29:03,539
 I was a general manager

719
00:29:03,539 --> 00:29:05,079
 for a different company.

720
00:29:05,559 --> 00:29:07,640
 And that company sold to another one.

721
00:29:07,839 --> 00:29:10,059
 And I ended up losing my job

722
00:29:10,059 --> 00:29:12,279
 because they didn't need me anymore.

723
00:29:12,380 --> 00:29:13,680
 They already had a general manager.

724
00:29:14,140 --> 00:29:15,839
 So I lost my job.

725
00:29:17,039 --> 00:29:18,619
 My mother at the time got cancer.

726
00:29:18,980 --> 00:29:19,539
 Was she beat?

727
00:29:19,920 --> 00:29:20,900
 God bless that.

728
00:29:21,000 --> 00:29:21,599
 That he was able

729
00:29:21,599 --> 00:29:22,619
 to save her from that.

730
00:29:23,160 --> 00:29:24,119
 But at the time

731
00:29:24,119 --> 00:29:25,180
 I was going through that.

732
00:29:25,259 --> 00:29:26,720
 I was going through losing my job.

733
00:29:27,160 --> 00:29:28,259
 I was dealing

734
00:29:28,259 --> 00:29:29,559
 through a rough friendship

735
00:29:29,559 --> 00:29:30,740
 that I was trying to handle.

736
00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:32,599
 And it was a lot

737
00:29:32,599 --> 00:29:34,039
 for me to try to handle.

738
00:29:34,319 --> 00:29:36,299
 And I didn't know what else to do.

739
00:29:37,079 --> 00:29:39,559
 So I decided to think back

740
00:29:39,559 --> 00:29:40,839
 on these stories of men

741
00:29:40,839 --> 00:29:42,019
 finding God in the wilderness.

742
00:29:42,319 --> 00:29:44,099
 And I decided to do the same thing.

743
00:29:44,180 --> 00:29:45,619
 After all, I wasn't working.

744
00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:47,200
 So I had a little bit of free time.

745
00:29:47,299 --> 00:29:48,839
 And I decided to do that.

746
00:29:49,140 --> 00:29:51,000
 I ran out into the wilderness.

747
00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:53,420
 And I camped

748
00:29:53,420 --> 00:29:54,880
 for a couple weeks.

749
00:29:55,460 --> 00:29:57,299
 I was on the Appalachian Trail

750
00:29:57,299 --> 00:29:58,299
 for a little while.

751
00:29:58,960 --> 00:29:59,940
 Then for a little while

752
00:29:59,940 --> 00:30:01,700
 I was right off

753
00:30:01,700 --> 00:30:02,720
 the Perky Omen Trail.

754
00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:04,680
 A little bit closer here to home.

755
00:30:05,640 --> 00:30:08,039
 And I was focusing on

756
00:30:08,039 --> 00:30:08,799
 reading the Bible.

757
00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:10,380
 Staying up and praying.

758
00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:11,759
 Just trying to better myself.

759
00:30:11,980 --> 00:30:13,480
 Going on late night hikes

760
00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:14,500
 and prayer walks.

761
00:30:14,599 --> 00:30:16,319
 Just trying to do whatever I could

762
00:30:16,319 --> 00:30:17,779
 to just try to stay as close

763
00:30:17,779 --> 00:30:19,079
 to God as possible.

764
00:30:22,380 --> 00:30:24,140
 And when I'm out there,

765
00:30:24,460 --> 00:30:25,259
 there's the one night

766
00:30:25,259 --> 00:30:28,119
 I'm there and I'm camping at night.

767
00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:29,680
 I have my campfire going

768
00:30:29,680 --> 00:30:31,579
 and I just got done eating.

769
00:30:32,119 --> 00:30:33,380
 And I'm looking down the hill

770
00:30:33,380 --> 00:30:35,740
 and I see a little flashlight

771
00:30:36,259 --> 00:30:37,940
 bobbing up and down in the distance

772
00:30:37,940 --> 00:30:39,660
 heading up the hill at me.

773
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:41,460
 And I'm still just watching it.

774
00:30:41,700 --> 00:30:43,160
 And then eventually the light

775
00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:45,779
 is almost like it's pointing directly at me.

776
00:30:46,059 --> 00:30:47,279
 And then it shuts off.

777
00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:49,859
 But the moon's pretty bright that day.

778
00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:51,539
 And I can still see the figure

779
00:30:51,539 --> 00:30:52,619
 or whatever's walking

780
00:30:52,619 --> 00:30:54,279
 even though they turned their light off.

781
00:30:54,700 --> 00:30:56,220
 Walking through the side of the hill

782
00:30:56,220 --> 00:30:57,039
 up towards the west.

783
00:30:57,319 --> 00:30:59,480
 And I just was like,

784
00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:01,180
 okay, well, someone's probably out there.

785
00:31:01,319 --> 00:31:01,700
 That's okay.

786
00:31:02,019 --> 00:31:03,480
 And then later on,

787
00:31:03,619 --> 00:31:05,980
 I end up having to go down towards that way

788
00:31:05,980 --> 00:31:07,380
 because I know that there's bathrooms

789
00:31:07,380 --> 00:31:10,859
 and I probably would usually just go outside.

790
00:31:11,019 --> 00:31:12,400
 But in this case, I can't.

791
00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:15,000
 I have to go to the little bathrooms

792
00:31:15,000 --> 00:31:16,599
 down below and I'm headed there

793
00:31:16,599 --> 00:31:17,319
 towards the bathroom.

794
00:31:17,420 --> 00:31:18,400
 And when I get closer,

795
00:31:19,140 --> 00:31:21,400
 I end up seeing a small campfire

796
00:31:21,400 --> 00:31:22,839
 and there's someone sitting there

797
00:31:22,839 --> 00:31:25,220
 and I have to at least walk past them

798
00:31:25,220 --> 00:31:27,339
 within 20 or 30 feet.

799
00:31:27,660 --> 00:31:29,099
 And all I hear is a small mumble

800
00:31:29,099 --> 00:31:30,900
 of, am I in trouble?

801
00:31:31,180 --> 00:31:33,500
 And I'm like, are you in trouble?

802
00:31:33,660 --> 00:31:34,579
 That's what I thought they said,

803
00:31:34,599 --> 00:31:35,319
 that they were in trouble.

804
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:36,000
 I said, are you in trouble?

805
00:31:36,059 --> 00:31:37,359
 They're like, no, am I in trouble?

806
00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:38,980
 I said, no, you're not in trouble.

807
00:31:39,140 --> 00:31:40,420
 Why would you be in trouble?

808
00:31:40,559 --> 00:31:41,059
 And they're like, well,

809
00:31:41,180 --> 00:31:42,700
 this is private property

810
00:31:42,700 --> 00:31:44,940
 sometimes over here with the camp.

811
00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,039
 And usually when they're running it,

812
00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:48,720
 they kick me out of here.

813
00:31:48,799 --> 00:31:50,000
 They won't let me stay here.

814
00:31:50,079 --> 00:31:50,900
 And I was like, well,

815
00:31:51,140 --> 00:31:53,339
 I'm the only one here that I know of.

816
00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:55,319
 Maybe I'm not supposed to be here.

817
00:31:56,420 --> 00:31:58,359
 But it ended up being a homeless woman

818
00:31:58,359 --> 00:32:00,819
 who went there and stayed in that area

819
00:32:00,819 --> 00:32:02,299
 and she would go to these campgrounds.

820
00:32:02,539 --> 00:32:05,720
 And we hung out that whole entire night.

821
00:32:05,839 --> 00:32:07,660
 I gave her some of my leftover food

822
00:32:07,660 --> 00:32:10,259
 and some water and we just talked a lot.

823
00:32:10,380 --> 00:32:11,839
 And we did talk about faith

824
00:32:11,839 --> 00:32:13,319
 and we talked about God

825
00:32:13,319 --> 00:32:14,960
 and I talked to her about

826
00:32:15,480 --> 00:32:17,859
 what I was going through in my life

827
00:32:17,859 --> 00:32:19,000
 at that time

828
00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:21,779
 and how I really just needed

829
00:32:21,779 --> 00:32:23,160
 to get away from it all.

830
00:32:23,799 --> 00:32:25,740
 And she reminded me that I was blessed.

831
00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:27,039
 She reminded me that I was blessed,

832
00:32:27,039 --> 00:32:29,859
 that I even just had a home to go back to.

833
00:32:30,319 --> 00:32:32,200
 That at that moment that, yeah,

834
00:32:32,220 --> 00:32:33,660
 my mother might have been sick

835
00:32:33,660 --> 00:32:35,079
 and a couple other people in my family

836
00:32:35,079 --> 00:32:35,819
 that I was dealing with,

837
00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:37,599
 but I still had them at that moment.

838
00:32:38,140 --> 00:32:40,259
 And I'm not there experiencing them

839
00:32:40,259 --> 00:32:42,740
 at that time if I'm out here running away.

840
00:32:43,859 --> 00:32:47,380
 And it reminded me of the story of Jacob

841
00:32:47,380 --> 00:32:48,640
 when Jacob's out there

842
00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:50,240
 trying to run from his problems.

843
00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:52,539
 You know, God even lets him go out there for a while.

844
00:32:52,599 --> 00:32:54,220
 He lets him reshape his life.

845
00:32:54,380 --> 00:32:56,220
 And then he does come to him and say,

846
00:32:56,220 --> 00:32:57,619
 it's time to come home.

847
00:32:58,119 --> 00:32:59,579
 And that's sort of what I thought about

848
00:32:59,579 --> 00:33:00,920
 that night after I talked with her,

849
00:33:00,980 --> 00:33:03,440
 that I'm out here trying to reshape,

850
00:33:03,559 --> 00:33:04,480
 trying to be a better guy

851
00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:06,720
 and have these plans to be a better Christian.

852
00:33:07,119 --> 00:33:08,319
 But there's also problems

853
00:33:08,319 --> 00:33:09,480
 that I need to go home

854
00:33:09,480 --> 00:33:11,339
 and I need to face.

855
00:33:11,980 --> 00:33:13,700
 And that was really important to me

856
00:33:13,700 --> 00:33:15,220
 because I went out there

857
00:33:15,220 --> 00:33:17,359
 looking for a message from God,

858
00:33:17,640 --> 00:33:19,559
 looking to be able to talk to God.

859
00:33:20,180 --> 00:33:23,420
 And I ended up maybe meeting a messenger from him

860
00:33:23,420 --> 00:33:25,380
 or a message that he sent me

861
00:33:25,380 --> 00:33:26,980
 in a very unique way.

862
00:33:31,980 --> 00:33:34,000
 So now after my venture in the wilderness,

863
00:33:34,180 --> 00:33:36,460
 you know, any time that I realize

864
00:33:36,460 --> 00:33:40,799
 that I maybe am going further from God,

865
00:33:41,279 --> 00:33:43,119
 I try to retreat back out there.

866
00:33:43,140 --> 00:33:44,200
 I try to go on a hike.

867
00:33:44,559 --> 00:33:46,799
 I try to walk in prayer walk

868
00:33:46,799 --> 00:33:49,299
 and experience God in any way possible.

869
00:33:51,119 --> 00:33:53,839
 You know, the wilderness is still there.

870
00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:56,779
 The mountains still stand.

871
00:33:57,059 --> 00:33:59,119
 The forest are still there.

872
00:34:00,680 --> 00:34:02,000
 Rivers still run.

873
00:34:02,180 --> 00:34:03,900
 And sometimes the best thing

874
00:34:03,900 --> 00:34:06,160
 that a man can do is step away

875
00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:07,400
 from the noise of the world

876
00:34:07,400 --> 00:34:10,119
 and go into those places to pray,

877
00:34:10,860 --> 00:34:13,079
 to think, to listen.

878
00:34:13,139 --> 00:34:14,559
 Because throughout scripture

879
00:34:15,280 --> 00:34:16,539
 and throughout history,

880
00:34:17,099 --> 00:34:19,059
 the wilderness has always been a place

881
00:34:19,059 --> 00:34:20,719
 where men meet God,

882
00:34:21,159 --> 00:34:23,719
 where God speaks most clearly

883
00:34:24,480 --> 00:34:25,699
 when the world grows quiet.

884
00:34:25,900 --> 00:34:27,219
 But here's the truth.

885
00:34:27,340 --> 00:34:30,039
 The wilderness is not just a place of struggle.

886
00:34:30,500 --> 00:34:32,079
 It's a place of shaping.

887
00:34:32,619 --> 00:34:34,940
 It's where God forms identity.

888
00:34:35,219 --> 00:34:36,739
 It's where he builds strength.

889
00:34:37,559 --> 00:34:39,500
 It's where he removes noise.

890
00:34:40,199 --> 00:34:41,860
 It's where he teaches dependence.

891
00:34:42,679 --> 00:34:44,360
 And maybe there's some reasons

892
00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:46,300
 why men feel lost today.

893
00:34:46,300 --> 00:34:48,079
 It's not because God is absent.

894
00:34:49,639 --> 00:34:51,480
 It's because we are absent

895
00:34:51,480 --> 00:34:53,320
 from the places where he shows up.

896
00:34:54,519 --> 00:34:56,719
 From the places where we can hear him.

897
00:34:57,639 --> 00:34:59,300
 So maybe the call is simple.

898
00:34:59,860 --> 00:35:01,420
 Let's step away from the noise.

899
00:35:01,719 --> 00:35:02,860
 Step into silence.

900
00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:04,480
 Step into creation.

901
00:35:05,300 --> 00:35:06,400
 Step into stillness.

902
00:35:07,199 --> 00:35:09,099
 Because the same God who spoke

903
00:35:09,099 --> 00:35:11,079
 fire to Moses,

904
00:35:11,079 --> 00:35:14,260
 spoke through a storm to Job,

905
00:35:14,679 --> 00:35:16,960
 who wrestled with Jacob in the night.

906
00:35:17,719 --> 00:35:19,039
 The same God who led Jesus

907
00:35:19,039 --> 00:35:20,280
 into the wilderness

908
00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:22,239
 is still speaking today.

909
00:35:22,880 --> 00:35:25,900
 And sometimes he speaks most clearly

910
00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:28,139
 when everything else goes quiet.

911
00:35:31,079 --> 00:35:33,860
 And that's pretty much all I had written

912
00:35:33,860 --> 00:35:36,159
 to speak to you guys about today,

913
00:35:36,159 --> 00:35:37,920
 about the wilderness and my experience

914
00:35:37,920 --> 00:35:40,579
 and guys in the Bible and history.

915
00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:44,119
 But I didn't know if anyone else

916
00:35:44,119 --> 00:35:45,900
 had any stories about themselves

917
00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:47,940
 maybe finding God in the wilderness

918
00:35:47,940 --> 00:35:50,539
 that maybe they wanted to share with anyone.

919
00:35:53,460 --> 00:35:54,880
 I'll leave it up to you guys.

920
00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:56,579
 I know it's a lot quicker than

921
00:35:56,579 --> 00:36:00,219
 I planned this beach to be.

922
00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:01,679
 I wanted it to be a little bit longer,

923
00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:03,440
 but moved faster than I thought I did.

924
00:36:03,579 --> 00:36:05,159
 I think it's a little nervous up here.

925
00:36:06,199 --> 00:36:06,880
 Yeah, I'll just jump in.

926
00:36:07,139 --> 00:36:07,179
 Yeah.

927
00:36:07,900 --> 00:36:09,780
 Joshua, that is great.

928
00:36:10,019 --> 00:36:10,900
 That is fascinating.

929
00:36:12,579 --> 00:36:13,219
 And I want to give guys

930
00:36:13,219 --> 00:36:14,900
 a chance to respond here as well.

931
00:36:15,519 --> 00:36:17,400
 But just thinking it

932
00:36:18,399 --> 00:36:20,260
 in your more recent wilderness

933
00:36:20,260 --> 00:36:23,300
 of the breakup, the car breaking down,

934
00:36:24,260 --> 00:36:26,159
 God pursued you by that kid

935
00:36:26,159 --> 00:36:28,719
 dropping the Lancel Life Card,

936
00:36:29,740 --> 00:36:31,300
 going out seeking God

937
00:36:32,460 --> 00:36:34,800
 and out in the wilderness

938
00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:36,260
 and meeting a homeless person

939
00:36:36,260 --> 00:36:39,239
 that helped you to think about

940
00:36:39,239 --> 00:36:40,900
 coming home sort of,

941
00:36:41,179 --> 00:36:43,840
 coming facing your challenges.

942
00:36:44,840 --> 00:36:46,539
 And that's the goodness of God.

943
00:36:47,539 --> 00:36:48,660
 And I love that idea of

944
00:36:49,840 --> 00:36:50,960
 getting in the wilderness

945
00:36:50,960 --> 00:36:52,260
 so we can hear God,

946
00:36:52,820 --> 00:36:54,460
 getting in a quiet place.

947
00:36:55,500 --> 00:36:57,940
 But let's just pray

948
00:36:57,940 --> 00:36:58,940
 and then we'll open it up

949
00:36:58,940 --> 00:37:00,739
 for some questions

950
00:37:00,739 --> 00:37:02,820
 and maybe somebody sharing a story.

951
00:37:03,940 --> 00:37:04,800
 Lord God, I just thank you.

952
00:37:04,980 --> 00:37:06,460
 Thank you for Joshua.

953
00:37:06,900 --> 00:37:09,559
 And he's articulate

954
00:37:09,559 --> 00:37:15,000
 and he's very interesting to listen to

955
00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:16,239
 and he's focused on you.

956
00:37:16,780 --> 00:37:17,980
 And I just thank you for that.

957
00:37:17,980 --> 00:37:20,420
 And I pray you continue to bless Joshua

958
00:37:21,599 --> 00:37:24,760
 in his thoughtful pursuit of you.

959
00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:28,380
 This is a, that he would reach many people

960
00:37:29,139 --> 00:37:30,039
 for you, Christ,

961
00:37:31,460 --> 00:37:32,619
 in his pursuit of you.

962
00:37:33,800 --> 00:37:34,840
 And I just thank you.

963
00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:35,980
 Thank you for working in his life.

964
00:37:36,960 --> 00:37:38,739
 And thank you for just blessing

965
00:37:38,739 --> 00:37:41,039
 the rest of our time here.

966
00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:42,079
 In Jesus' name, amen.

967
00:37:42,599 --> 00:37:42,760
 Amen.

968
00:37:43,380 --> 00:37:43,480
 Yeah.

969
00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:47,840
 So if anybody maybe has a story,

970
00:37:47,980 --> 00:37:49,739
 or, and then we could give,

971
00:37:50,139 --> 00:37:51,440
 let people ask some questions too.

972
00:37:51,739 --> 00:37:51,900
 Yeah, sure.

973
00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:16,360
 Wow, that really touched me, Josh.

974
00:38:16,360 --> 00:38:18,960
 I mean, when you hear my story,

975
00:38:19,639 --> 00:38:21,199
 you may be able to understand why.

976
00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:25,340
 Well, I'm here in Lansdale.

977
00:38:25,579 --> 00:38:27,260
 I never heard of Lansdale before.

978
00:38:28,960 --> 00:38:31,860
 And it all stems from the fact

979
00:38:31,860 --> 00:38:33,360
 that right now I'm going through

980
00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:36,739
 what my wife's counselor calls

981
00:38:36,739 --> 00:38:39,239
 a therapeutic separation.

982
00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:43,440
 For 34 years,

983
00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:46,079
 I worked in a level one trauma center.

984
00:38:46,360 --> 00:38:48,039
 Doing CAT scans and X-rays.

985
00:38:49,579 --> 00:38:53,059
 And I worked for probably

986
00:38:53,059 --> 00:38:54,699
 a good 30 of them.

987
00:38:55,119 --> 00:38:57,880
 I probably put in 50 to 60 hours a week.

988
00:38:58,699 --> 00:39:00,840
 I would work 12,

989
00:39:01,380 --> 00:39:02,780
 or I'd call it 6 p.m.

990
00:39:02,900 --> 00:39:04,960
 to 6 8, 6 30 a.m.

991
00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:06,559
 Six days a week.

992
00:39:08,360 --> 00:39:09,960
 And because of that,

993
00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:12,260
 I retired last year.

994
00:39:12,739 --> 00:39:15,800
 And my wife and I had kind of

995
00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:17,519
 grown apart a lot

996
00:39:17,519 --> 00:39:19,640
 because we weren't around each other too much.

997
00:39:22,159 --> 00:39:23,840
 It's like 20 years ago,

998
00:39:25,000 --> 00:39:26,380
 in order to get ahead,

999
00:39:26,539 --> 00:39:27,139
 I always learned,

1000
00:39:27,420 --> 00:39:29,320
 I used to drink alcohol.

1001
00:39:30,139 --> 00:39:32,159
 And I learned from my father that

1002
00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:33,940
 the way to get ahead

1003
00:39:33,940 --> 00:39:35,840
 is to kind of schmooze your bosses.

1004
00:39:36,599 --> 00:39:37,199
 And I did.

1005
00:39:37,400 --> 00:39:39,559
 I would go out with my boss

1006
00:39:39,559 --> 00:39:40,780
 all the time after work.

1007
00:39:40,900 --> 00:39:42,760
 And sometimes I'd come home drunk.

1008
00:39:43,320 --> 00:39:47,800
 And it didn't go too well with my wife.

1009
00:39:48,079 --> 00:39:49,679
 And that was 20 years ago.

1010
00:39:50,900 --> 00:39:51,760
 But in the meantime,

1011
00:39:52,099 --> 00:39:52,579
 I tried to,

1012
00:39:53,659 --> 00:39:54,699
 after the last time,

1013
00:39:55,260 --> 00:39:57,420
 I came home that way.

1014
00:39:57,619 --> 00:39:58,619
 And I didn't even remember

1015
00:39:58,619 --> 00:39:59,760
 what happened or anything.

1016
00:40:01,240 --> 00:40:03,039
 And I had to get somebody

1017
00:40:03,039 --> 00:40:04,380
 to take me home in a cab.

1018
00:40:04,820 --> 00:40:06,360
 It wasn't a good thing.

1019
00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:10,179
 But at that night,

1020
00:40:10,179 --> 00:40:11,940
 I decided that's it no more.

1021
00:40:11,940 --> 00:40:13,280
 And I quit drinking.

1022
00:40:13,780 --> 00:40:14,880
 And that was 20 years ago.

1023
00:40:15,599 --> 00:40:18,980
 And when I retired,

1024
00:40:19,460 --> 00:40:22,139
 all those things still stuck with my wife.

1025
00:40:22,460 --> 00:40:24,380
 She remembers every bad thing I ever did,

1026
00:40:24,519 --> 00:40:26,000
 every bad thing I ever said.

1027
00:40:27,119 --> 00:40:28,920
 And so we had quite a few arguments,

1028
00:40:28,920 --> 00:40:29,860
 and she would have things

1029
00:40:29,860 --> 00:40:30,900
 which she called triggers.

1030
00:40:32,500 --> 00:40:33,800
 So she said,

1031
00:40:34,780 --> 00:40:36,400
 well, I said,

1032
00:40:36,500 --> 00:40:37,500
 we need to see counselors.

1033
00:40:38,079 --> 00:40:40,059
 Well, I've been to seven counselors already,

1034
00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:41,619
 seven marriage counselors.

1035
00:40:41,619 --> 00:40:45,920
 I went to a marriage intensive

1036
00:40:45,920 --> 00:40:48,199
 in Elizabethtown here in Pennsylvania.

1037
00:40:48,860 --> 00:40:50,019
 And none of that seemed to work.

1038
00:40:50,179 --> 00:40:50,780
 So I said,

1039
00:40:50,800 --> 00:40:52,079
 I'm not going to another counselor.

1040
00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:53,679
 Why don't you go see a counselor?

1041
00:40:54,059 --> 00:40:56,019
 Because she had a pretty tough childhood

1042
00:40:56,579 --> 00:40:57,739
 and an upbringing.

1043
00:40:58,300 --> 00:40:59,119
 And so I thought,

1044
00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:01,119
 maybe the problems with her,

1045
00:41:01,239 --> 00:41:02,820
 I've done everything I can.

1046
00:41:02,980 --> 00:41:04,519
 I think I don't know.

1047
00:41:05,659 --> 00:41:07,159
 So her counselor said,

1048
00:41:07,239 --> 00:41:08,039
 well, you need to have

1049
00:41:08,039 --> 00:41:09,239
 a therapeutic separation.

1050
00:41:09,599 --> 00:41:10,719
 Why don't you have him leave her?

1051
00:41:11,639 --> 00:41:12,820
 So we decided,

1052
00:41:13,400 --> 00:41:14,699
 and not my choice,

1053
00:41:14,820 --> 00:41:16,280
 because I fought it tooth and nail.

1054
00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:16,940
 I was like,

1055
00:41:16,960 --> 00:41:17,739
 this is my home.

1056
00:41:17,840 --> 00:41:18,739
 I'm not going anyplace.

1057
00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:19,659
 I worked all these years

1058
00:41:19,659 --> 00:41:20,639
 to pay for this house.

1059
00:41:20,820 --> 00:41:22,039
 Now I'm going to enjoy it.

1060
00:41:23,559 --> 00:41:24,280
 And finally,

1061
00:41:24,960 --> 00:41:26,000
 it got so bad,

1062
00:41:26,099 --> 00:41:27,039
 I prayed about it.

1063
00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:27,719
 And Lord said,

1064
00:41:27,719 --> 00:41:28,420
 you need to leave.

1065
00:41:28,699 --> 00:41:29,519
 So I said,

1066
00:41:29,599 --> 00:41:30,380
 okay, I told her,

1067
00:41:30,380 --> 00:41:31,480
 I will go away.

1068
00:41:31,639 --> 00:41:32,280
 I don't know where.

1069
00:41:33,000 --> 00:41:33,920
 So where am I going to go?

1070
00:41:34,059 --> 00:41:35,059
 I looked at apartments.

1071
00:41:35,380 --> 00:41:36,480
 Now I'm not going to move out

1072
00:41:36,480 --> 00:41:37,219
 for a long time.

1073
00:41:37,320 --> 00:41:38,099
 I want to come back.

1074
00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:40,119
 Where can I go for

1075
00:41:40,119 --> 00:41:41,179
 two or three months?

1076
00:41:41,619 --> 00:41:43,940
 So hotel extended stay

1077
00:41:43,940 --> 00:41:44,599
 is too expensive.

1078
00:41:44,760 --> 00:41:45,659
 Doesn't fit my budget.

1079
00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:46,059
 Let me,

1080
00:41:46,599 --> 00:41:47,139
 how about Airbnb?

1081
00:41:47,579 --> 00:41:48,920
 So I looked at Airbnb's

1082
00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:51,019
 and where am I going to go?

1083
00:41:51,079 --> 00:41:51,599
 Well, I have a friend

1084
00:41:51,599 --> 00:41:52,360
 in Doyle's town.

1085
00:41:52,460 --> 00:41:53,599
 Maybe I'll go around there.

1086
00:41:53,880 --> 00:41:55,039
 But Doyle's town is expensive.

1087
00:41:55,679 --> 00:41:56,840
 So I couldn't find anything.

1088
00:41:56,980 --> 00:41:57,639
 Let me find something

1089
00:41:57,639 --> 00:41:58,260
 in my budget.

1090
00:41:58,880 --> 00:42:00,500
 So here's one

1091
00:42:00,500 --> 00:42:01,460
 in this little town

1092
00:42:01,460 --> 00:42:02,300
 called Lansdale.

1093
00:42:02,519 --> 00:42:04,000
 I never heard of Lansdale before.

1094
00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:05,980
 This was back in December.

1095
00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:09,880
 So I got the apartment

1096
00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:10,900
 in Lansdale and I said,

1097
00:42:10,900 --> 00:42:11,739
 well, if I go there,

1098
00:42:11,739 --> 00:42:13,039
 I'm going to have to find a church.

1099
00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:14,079
 Where am I going to go?

1100
00:42:15,000 --> 00:42:16,880
 So I looked at all the churches

1101
00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:17,739
 in Lansdale.

1102
00:42:18,079 --> 00:42:19,659
 I investigated.

1103
00:42:20,079 --> 00:42:21,539
 I looked at different

1104
00:42:23,759 --> 00:42:25,280
 YouTube videos and stuff.

1105
00:42:26,539 --> 00:42:28,619
 And I saw this guy PB

1106
00:42:28,619 --> 00:42:31,840
 from Georgia Stinks.

1107
00:42:32,019 --> 00:42:32,219
 I was like,

1108
00:42:32,260 --> 00:42:33,420
 oh, this is interesting.

1109
00:42:33,619 --> 00:42:34,420
 This guy's pretty cool.

1110
00:42:34,940 --> 00:42:35,699
 And I started listening

1111
00:42:35,699 --> 00:42:37,199
 to Pastor Chris's sermons too.

1112
00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:37,780
 And I say, huh?

1113
00:42:38,340 --> 00:42:39,539
 I saw pictures

1114
00:42:39,539 --> 00:42:41,739
 of men's breakfast like this

1115
00:42:41,739 --> 00:42:42,500
 with all the guys.

1116
00:42:42,659 --> 00:42:43,519
 I said, this is what I need.

1117
00:42:43,619 --> 00:42:45,199
 I need some men to be around

1118
00:42:45,199 --> 00:42:48,440
 and to hear their stories and stuff.

1119
00:42:49,260 --> 00:42:50,800
 And so I decided

1120
00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:51,780
 I was going to go

1121
00:42:51,780 --> 00:42:53,280
 to Lansdale Life Church.

1122
00:42:54,340 --> 00:42:55,820
 And turns out it's only about

1123
00:42:55,820 --> 00:42:56,780
 10 minutes from my apartment.

1124
00:42:56,920 --> 00:42:57,960
 I can walk back and forth.

1125
00:42:58,820 --> 00:42:59,619
 I said, this is great.

1126
00:42:59,679 --> 00:43:00,679
 I'm just going to plug myself

1127
00:43:00,679 --> 00:43:01,940
 into everything I can.

1128
00:43:03,039 --> 00:43:05,019
 And this was the first week of March.

1129
00:43:07,139 --> 00:43:08,579
 So I decided

1130
00:43:08,579 --> 00:43:10,480
 also at the same time,

1131
00:43:11,420 --> 00:43:13,199
 I always wanted to write a book

1132
00:43:13,199 --> 00:43:14,099
 and now I'm retired.

1133
00:43:14,500 --> 00:43:15,340
 So I thought I would try

1134
00:43:15,340 --> 00:43:15,960
 to write a book.

1135
00:43:16,659 --> 00:43:18,019
 And this is where it comes in

1136
00:43:18,019 --> 00:43:21,059
 because the book that I titled

1137
00:43:21,619 --> 00:43:22,559
 was going to be called

1138
00:43:22,559 --> 00:43:23,079
 The Wilderness.

1139
00:43:25,299 --> 00:43:27,000
 And I already started

1140
00:43:27,000 --> 00:43:28,019
 taking all kinds of notes.

1141
00:43:28,139 --> 00:43:29,139
 And I said, Lansdale's

1142
00:43:29,139 --> 00:43:29,619
 My Wilderness.

1143
00:43:29,739 --> 00:43:31,079
 And it's not like the woods

1144
00:43:31,079 --> 00:43:33,519
 or Montana or anything like that.

1145
00:43:33,679 --> 00:43:34,659
 This is urban setting.

1146
00:43:35,900 --> 00:43:37,179
 But it's My Wilderness.

1147
00:43:37,179 --> 00:43:39,599
 Because I spend a lot of time

1148
00:43:39,599 --> 00:43:40,460
 walking around,

1149
00:43:40,579 --> 00:43:41,460
 going to all the parks.

1150
00:43:41,880 --> 00:43:42,800
 I walk every day.

1151
00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:44,119
 I spend a lot of time

1152
00:43:44,119 --> 00:43:45,340
 in my apartment writing.

1153
00:43:47,900 --> 00:43:50,159
 And so to come here today

1154
00:43:50,159 --> 00:43:52,000
 and hear your wilderness story,

1155
00:43:52,099 --> 00:43:54,760
 it's just like almost like God

1156
00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:59,760
 putting his stamp of approval on this.

1157
00:44:00,099 --> 00:44:03,980
 And this is what he wanted me to do.

1158
00:44:04,599 --> 00:44:05,900
 And I thank you for that.

1159
00:44:10,000 --> 00:44:12,820
 So, I was only going to be here

1160
00:44:12,820 --> 00:44:13,300
 three months.

1161
00:44:13,480 --> 00:44:14,059
 But my wife said,

1162
00:44:14,579 --> 00:44:19,139
 you know, I love you again.

1163
00:44:20,239 --> 00:44:22,599
 You're the love of my life.

1164
00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:23,340
 Why don't you make it

1165
00:44:23,340 --> 00:44:24,099
 only two months?

1166
00:44:24,699 --> 00:44:25,699
 So I said, okay,

1167
00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:27,639
 I'll make it two months.

1168
00:44:27,739 --> 00:44:29,500
 I called my host and I said,

1169
00:44:30,159 --> 00:44:30,519
 oh, listen,

1170
00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:32,559
 I'm going to only stay here

1171
00:44:32,559 --> 00:44:33,440
 two months now.

1172
00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:35,699
 So, I was actually,

1173
00:44:35,820 --> 00:44:37,239
 my last day was supposed to be

1174
00:44:37,239 --> 00:44:37,719
 on Thursday.

1175
00:44:37,840 --> 00:44:38,780
 But two weeks ago,

1176
00:44:39,039 --> 00:44:39,780
 for some reason,

1177
00:44:39,840 --> 00:44:41,599
 we were texting back and forth.

1178
00:44:42,000 --> 00:44:43,559
 And I don't know what happened.

1179
00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:45,099
 I don't think I did anything.

1180
00:44:45,139 --> 00:44:45,920
 But I thought,

1181
00:44:46,079 --> 00:44:47,139
 oh, I must have done something

1182
00:44:47,139 --> 00:44:47,880
 to offend her

1183
00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:49,400
 because she's not talking to me anymore.

1184
00:44:50,139 --> 00:44:50,940
 And so I wrote,

1185
00:44:51,019 --> 00:44:52,619
 I said, what's going on?

1186
00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:54,739
 You're not communicating with me.

1187
00:44:55,159 --> 00:44:56,699
 Should I stay another month?

1188
00:44:57,579 --> 00:44:58,139
 And she goes,

1189
00:44:58,780 --> 00:44:59,760
 what do you want?

1190
00:45:00,360 --> 00:45:01,920
 And I texted back,

1191
00:45:01,920 --> 00:45:03,739
 no, what do you want me to do?

1192
00:45:04,320 --> 00:45:04,800
 And she said,

1193
00:45:04,960 --> 00:45:05,659
 stay another month.

1194
00:45:06,219 --> 00:45:06,699
 So I was like,

1195
00:45:06,719 --> 00:45:07,760
 oh, I don't know what happened.

1196
00:45:07,900 --> 00:45:08,860
 And then she didn't talk to me again

1197
00:45:08,860 --> 00:45:09,960
 for another week after that.

1198
00:45:11,260 --> 00:45:12,420
 Finally, she started talking.

1199
00:45:12,760 --> 00:45:13,420
 And I called my,

1200
00:45:13,739 --> 00:45:13,940
 I said,

1201
00:45:14,119 --> 00:45:15,460
 Lord, what do you want me to do?

1202
00:45:17,300 --> 00:45:18,579
 If you want me to stay,

1203
00:45:19,219 --> 00:45:20,139
 I'll call my host.

1204
00:45:20,760 --> 00:45:22,420
 And if he didn't book it

1205
00:45:22,420 --> 00:45:23,760
 for the month of May,

1206
00:45:24,260 --> 00:45:27,019
 then I'll stay.

1207
00:45:27,519 --> 00:45:28,679
 But if he's booked it to somebody,

1208
00:45:28,719 --> 00:45:29,219
 I'll go home.

1209
00:45:29,420 --> 00:45:30,800
 So what's it going to be?

1210
00:45:30,800 --> 00:45:32,199
 So I called my host,

1211
00:45:32,739 --> 00:45:32,960
 and he said,

1212
00:45:33,039 --> 00:45:33,679
 no, it's open.

1213
00:45:33,920 --> 00:45:35,360
 So I guess I'm staying another month.

1214
00:45:36,619 --> 00:45:39,219
 So then she finally communicates to me

1215
00:45:39,219 --> 00:45:39,519
 and says,

1216
00:45:39,539 --> 00:45:40,219
 when are you coming home?

1217
00:45:40,900 --> 00:45:41,440
 And I said,

1218
00:45:41,579 --> 00:45:43,280
 well, you told me to stay another month.

1219
00:45:43,360 --> 00:45:45,380
 So now I'm here until the end of May.

1220
00:45:46,679 --> 00:45:47,699
 And I said,

1221
00:45:47,820 --> 00:45:48,699
 can I ask you,

1222
00:45:48,739 --> 00:45:49,980
 what did I do to offend you?

1223
00:45:50,059 --> 00:45:51,340
 I'm sorry if I did anything.

1224
00:45:51,860 --> 00:45:52,840
 And she said,

1225
00:45:52,860 --> 00:45:54,360
 no, I had a dream.

1226
00:45:55,119 --> 00:45:56,199
 And you were saying a lot

1227
00:45:56,199 --> 00:45:57,780
 of bad things to me in my dream.

1228
00:45:58,679 --> 00:46:00,420
 And they triggered some things.

1229
00:46:00,420 --> 00:46:01,980
 So I was like,

1230
00:46:02,039 --> 00:46:03,800
 there's nothing I can do about that.

1231
00:46:04,300 --> 00:46:05,340
 So I guess the Lord wanted me

1232
00:46:05,340 --> 00:46:06,340
 to stay here another month.

1233
00:46:06,960 --> 00:46:10,500
 And he must still have

1234
00:46:10,500 --> 00:46:12,460
 some work for me to do.

1235
00:46:15,019 --> 00:46:17,579
 And I liken it kind of like to Joseph.

1236
00:46:17,780 --> 00:46:18,900
 Joseph was in prison,

1237
00:46:19,079 --> 00:46:20,380
 not that I'm in prison or anything.

1238
00:46:20,639 --> 00:46:21,639
 It's more like a wilderness.

1239
00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:24,940
 But just the fact that

1240
00:46:24,940 --> 00:46:26,139
 he had to stay there.

1241
00:46:26,219 --> 00:46:27,099
 He couldn't figure out

1242
00:46:27,099 --> 00:46:29,500
 why he was there in that prison.

1243
00:46:29,500 --> 00:46:32,659
 But the Lord was working on him

1244
00:46:32,659 --> 00:46:35,420
 until he figured out

1245
00:46:35,420 --> 00:46:36,820
 what the Lord wanted to do,

1246
00:46:36,820 --> 00:46:38,760
 until he put things in his way

1247
00:46:38,760 --> 00:46:39,619
 to get him out of that.

1248
00:46:40,280 --> 00:46:42,360
 And so I still got a long way to go.

1249
00:46:42,500 --> 00:46:45,920
 And I hope the next 36 weeks

1250
00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:46,980
 or so that I'm here.

1251
00:46:48,099 --> 00:46:49,719
 I'm going to improve even more.

1252
00:46:49,800 --> 00:46:50,639
 And I've already seen

1253
00:46:50,639 --> 00:46:52,360
 a lot of improvements in myself.

1254
00:46:52,820 --> 00:46:54,059
 It's all because of you guys.

1255
00:46:54,900 --> 00:46:55,519
 Thank you.

1256
00:46:56,119 --> 00:46:56,659
 Thank you.

1257
00:47:06,500 --> 00:47:07,139
 Yeah, Rocky.

1258
00:47:08,340 --> 00:47:08,860
 Yeah, what's up, Rocky?

1259
00:47:15,179 --> 00:47:20,639
 No, there's no touch.

1260
00:47:20,860 --> 00:47:22,139
 I woke up the next morning

1261
00:47:22,139 --> 00:47:23,440
 and she was gone.

1262
00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:25,539
 Because there's a lake right there.

1263
00:47:25,760 --> 00:47:26,579
 And I think that.

1264
00:47:28,019 --> 00:47:28,760
 Yeah, yeah.

1265
00:47:29,579 --> 00:47:31,679
 Yeah, she was already a believer

1266
00:47:31,679 --> 00:47:33,559
 by the time that I talked to her.

1267
00:47:34,179 --> 00:47:35,760
 I think she brought up God first

1268
00:47:35,760 --> 00:47:37,000
 because I didn't even bring up God yet.

1269
00:47:37,119 --> 00:47:38,219
 I just asked her if she wanted food.

1270
00:47:38,360 --> 00:47:38,619
 And she was,

1271
00:47:39,099 --> 00:47:40,599
 God bless you and things to me like that.

1272
00:47:40,659 --> 00:47:42,039
 And then that's when we started talking

1273
00:47:42,039 --> 00:47:43,059
 about God.

1274
00:47:43,380 --> 00:47:43,960
 So, yeah.

1275
00:47:44,360 --> 00:47:46,000
 But I never got to really talk to her.

1276
00:47:46,059 --> 00:47:47,420
 Like I said, I woke up the next day

1277
00:47:47,420 --> 00:47:48,639
 and they were gone.

1278
00:47:49,039 --> 00:47:50,619
 Yeah, yeah.

1279
00:47:50,960 --> 00:47:51,179
 Thanks.

1280
00:47:51,800 --> 00:47:51,960
 Yeah.

1281
00:47:52,039 --> 00:47:53,900
 Thanks for your testimony too, Charlie.

1282
00:47:54,019 --> 00:47:55,280
 That was really good.

1283
00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:57,619
 We're all glad that you're here.

1284
00:48:01,379 --> 00:48:03,260
 Yeah, yeah, no, we're all glad that you're here.

1285
00:48:03,360 --> 00:48:04,340
 We're all rooting for you too.

1286
00:48:04,760 --> 00:48:06,280
 And I like that you brought up Joseph

1287
00:48:06,280 --> 00:48:09,199
 because, you know, he had to be patient

1288
00:48:09,199 --> 00:48:10,440
 through things that he's going through.

1289
00:48:10,519 --> 00:48:11,619
 It sounds like you're being patient.

1290
00:48:12,039 --> 00:48:13,340
 And he also says in that story

1291
00:48:13,340 --> 00:48:15,079
 that things that were bad that happened,

1292
00:48:15,159 --> 00:48:16,139
 God turned them to good.

1293
00:48:16,280 --> 00:48:18,260
 So that's what God's doing with you too,

1294
00:48:18,260 --> 00:48:18,840
 it sounds like.

1295
00:48:18,860 --> 00:48:20,019
 So I'm really rooting for you.

1296
00:48:20,059 --> 00:48:20,920
 I think we all are here.

1297
00:48:20,920 --> 00:48:22,260
 But we're glad to have you here, Charlie.

1298
00:48:22,619 --> 00:48:22,920
 For sure.

1299
00:48:24,059 --> 00:48:26,059
 Anyone else have a wilderness story

1300
00:48:26,059 --> 00:48:27,820
 or question or anything?

1301
00:48:29,119 --> 00:48:29,980
 Yeah, thanks, Roger.

1302
00:48:30,179 --> 00:48:30,860
 You know, that's really cool.

1303
00:48:30,960 --> 00:48:32,360
 I'm glad that you are able

1304
00:48:32,360 --> 00:48:34,079
 to have that sort of relationship

1305
00:48:34,079 --> 00:48:34,980
 with your son-in-laws.

1306
00:48:35,099 --> 00:48:36,340
 It sounds like it's a really good bond

1307
00:48:36,340 --> 00:48:37,760
 that you guys have for sure.

1308
00:48:39,159 --> 00:48:39,320
 Thank you.

1309
00:48:39,619 --> 00:48:39,920
 Thank you.

1310
00:48:40,079 --> 00:48:40,579
 Thanks for sharing.

1311
00:48:41,440 --> 00:48:41,679
 Thank you.

1312
00:48:41,940 --> 00:48:43,340
 Yeah, like they said there,

1313
00:48:43,559 --> 00:48:45,099
 you don't have to go too far away.

1314
00:48:45,500 --> 00:48:46,960
 It's Green Lane Park right over here.

1315
00:48:47,119 --> 00:48:48,719
 If all of you guys live here

1316
00:48:48,719 --> 00:48:49,619
 in Montgomery County,

1317
00:48:50,019 --> 00:48:51,480
 I think they give you like half off

1318
00:48:51,480 --> 00:48:52,420
 if you live here in the county.

1319
00:48:52,579 --> 00:48:54,400
 It's only like 20 or 30 dollars to stay there.

1320
00:48:54,539 --> 00:48:56,480
 And you can access the Perkeoman Trail

1321
00:48:56,480 --> 00:48:57,280
 from Green Lane.

1322
00:48:57,280 --> 00:48:59,099
 There's lakes there and stuff as well.

1323
00:48:59,539 --> 00:49:00,619
 So you don't have to go too far.

1324
00:49:00,760 --> 00:49:01,800
 Even here in Lansdale,

1325
00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:03,679
 there's walking paths and stuff

1326
00:49:03,679 --> 00:49:05,139
 that once you're in there,

1327
00:49:05,159 --> 00:49:07,460
 you can kind of feel the spirit of God

1328
00:49:07,460 --> 00:49:08,420
 just kind of close out

1329
00:49:08,420 --> 00:49:09,500
 this world around us.

1330
00:49:09,719 --> 00:49:10,420
 But yeah, no, thank you

1331
00:49:10,420 --> 00:49:11,780
 for sharing that testimony,

1332
00:49:11,880 --> 00:49:13,320
 especially the view in the oil field.

1333
00:49:13,480 --> 00:49:14,940
 That's really, really great.

1334
00:49:29,639 --> 00:49:32,199
 Yeah, I think it's the 9th Street Station too.

1335
00:49:32,440 --> 00:49:33,199
 I think that's what it's called.

1336
00:49:34,019 --> 00:49:34,860
 Because there's Lansdale,

1337
00:49:35,000 --> 00:49:35,659
 there's 9th Street,

1338
00:49:35,840 --> 00:49:36,820
 and then there's the,

1339
00:49:36,900 --> 00:49:38,840
 I forget the other station here in Lansdale.

1340
00:49:39,019 --> 00:49:40,579
 But I think it is 9th Street Station.

1341
00:49:41,539 --> 00:49:42,300
 But yeah, I know where you're at.

1342
00:49:45,559 --> 00:49:48,760
 Yeah, thank you.

1343
00:49:49,239 --> 00:49:50,380
 Yeah, it's all a hand come up over.

1344
00:50:00,379 --> 00:50:01,099
 Yeah, okay.

1345
00:50:05,839 --> 00:50:06,559
 All right.

1346
00:50:06,739 --> 00:50:07,599
 Well, that sounds great.

1347
00:50:07,780 --> 00:50:08,719
 Yeah, no, that sounds like something

1348
00:50:08,719 --> 00:50:10,260
 we should run past.

1349
00:50:13,319 --> 00:50:14,780
 Yeah, yeah.

1350
00:50:15,840 --> 00:50:17,239
 I know I look that much like that,

1351
00:50:17,239 --> 00:50:18,000
 Josh, I guess.

1352
00:50:19,440 --> 00:50:19,800
 Yeah.

1353
00:50:21,500 --> 00:50:21,940
 But no, yeah,

1354
00:50:21,940 --> 00:50:23,119
 that sounds like a great idea.

1355
00:50:23,199 --> 00:50:24,599
 We could run that past Pastor Chris

1356
00:50:24,599 --> 00:50:25,519
 and all these other guys

1357
00:50:25,519 --> 00:50:27,619
 and get us guys out there.

1358
00:50:27,699 --> 00:50:29,400
 Maybe have a little wilderness venture,

1359
00:50:29,879 --> 00:50:31,519
 men's retreat, I guess, if you will.

1360
00:50:32,320 --> 00:50:33,280
 That would be great.

1361
00:50:33,440 --> 00:50:35,519
 I think we would all kind of bond

1362
00:50:35,519 --> 00:50:36,400
 from that even more.

1363
00:50:36,679 --> 00:50:38,739
 It was like I said earlier in my speech,

1364
00:50:38,880 --> 00:50:40,599
 this is a great group of brothers.

1365
00:50:40,800 --> 00:50:44,440
 It's something that I definitely like to see.

1366
00:50:44,619 --> 00:50:45,619
 Because even at my old church

1367
00:50:45,619 --> 00:50:46,699
 with the Community of Christ too,

1368
00:50:46,699 --> 00:50:47,880
 that was one of the biggest issues

1369
00:50:47,880 --> 00:50:48,900
 that I also had was

1370
00:50:48,900 --> 00:50:50,579
 the people that I grew up with

1371
00:50:50,579 --> 00:50:51,500
 that were my age,

1372
00:50:52,239 --> 00:50:53,900
 I get older now and see them on Facebook.

1373
00:50:54,079 --> 00:50:54,880
 And there's a lot of them

1374
00:50:54,880 --> 00:50:56,880
 who've just denounced the Lord completely.

1375
00:50:57,840 --> 00:50:59,780
 And I kind of felt like Elijah

1376
00:50:59,780 --> 00:51:01,000
 in the story of Elijah then too

1377
00:51:01,000 --> 00:51:02,739
 when he tells God, he goes,

1378
00:51:03,219 --> 00:51:04,199
 am I the only one left?

1379
00:51:04,699 --> 00:51:05,320
 And God says, no,

1380
00:51:05,340 --> 00:51:07,199
 I have about 7000 more people.

1381
00:51:07,619 --> 00:51:09,159
 And that's kind of what he showed me

1382
00:51:09,159 --> 00:51:10,320
 when he brought me here to the church

1383
00:51:10,320 --> 00:51:11,039
 because I didn't think

1384
00:51:11,579 --> 00:51:12,860
 that I had anyone left.

1385
00:51:12,940 --> 00:51:14,139
 All the people I grew up with

1386
00:51:14,139 --> 00:51:14,920
 that were my age

1387
00:51:14,920 --> 00:51:16,719
 didn't really seem to follow anymore.

1388
00:51:16,820 --> 00:51:20,099
 And then I was in the young adult group

1389
00:51:20,099 --> 00:51:21,380
 there at the Community of Christ

1390
00:51:21,380 --> 00:51:22,300
 where I would help shepherd

1391
00:51:22,300 --> 00:51:23,619
 people even younger than me,

1392
00:51:23,619 --> 00:51:24,659
 probably my sister's age.

1393
00:51:25,179 --> 00:51:25,800
 And we could get through

1394
00:51:25,800 --> 00:51:26,599
 to a couple of them,

1395
00:51:26,599 --> 00:51:27,760
 but a lot of the other ones

1396
00:51:27,760 --> 00:51:28,760
 were still kind of challenging

1397
00:51:28,760 --> 00:51:29,480
 what you'd say,

1398
00:51:29,500 --> 00:51:31,780
 or they'd speak lowly of religion.

1399
00:51:32,460 --> 00:51:34,659
 They'd think that people of religion

1400
00:51:34,659 --> 00:51:35,679
 were mean to them

1401
00:51:35,679 --> 00:51:36,480
 or mean to their friends

1402
00:51:36,480 --> 00:51:37,280
 who kind of grew up

1403
00:51:37,280 --> 00:51:38,739
 if they were in LGBTQ

1404
00:51:38,739 --> 00:51:40,079
 or anything like that.

1405
00:51:40,139 --> 00:51:41,940
 And I'm like, well, we love everybody.

1406
00:51:42,219 --> 00:51:43,739
 I shouldn't get that confused.

1407
00:51:43,920 --> 00:51:45,079
 We're supposed to love everyone.

1408
00:51:45,260 --> 00:51:47,000
 And yeah, maybe there's some people

1409
00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:48,000
 that are harsh with it,

1410
00:51:48,000 --> 00:51:49,079
 but that doesn't reflect

1411
00:51:49,679 --> 00:51:50,739
 what the message

1412
00:51:50,739 --> 00:51:51,860
 we're trying to send here.

1413
00:51:51,920 --> 00:51:52,780
 You just got to come out

1414
00:51:52,780 --> 00:51:55,079
 and kind of listen to God's message.

1415
00:51:55,420 --> 00:51:57,260
 But it was hard to get through to them.

1416
00:51:57,340 --> 00:51:58,679
 So I really thought

1417
00:51:58,679 --> 00:51:59,780
 that I was the only one.

1418
00:51:59,860 --> 00:52:00,699
 That was half the reason

1419
00:52:00,699 --> 00:52:02,860
 why I was being a lonely Christian.

1420
00:52:03,980 --> 00:52:05,199
 Anyways, and just like

1421
00:52:05,199 --> 00:52:06,119
 he said about Reb Dev,

1422
00:52:06,219 --> 00:52:07,500
 that was one of the first sermons

1423
00:52:07,500 --> 00:52:08,360
 that I came here to see.

1424
00:52:08,400 --> 00:52:09,320
 And that was one of his things

1425
00:52:09,320 --> 00:52:10,119
 that he talked about

1426
00:52:10,119 --> 00:52:11,400
 was how important it was

1427
00:52:11,400 --> 00:52:12,320
 to find a congregation.

1428
00:52:12,940 --> 00:52:14,239
 And I remember actually crying

1429
00:52:14,239 --> 00:52:15,559
 when he was speaking about this

1430
00:52:15,559 --> 00:52:17,380
 because it resonated with me so much

1431
00:52:17,380 --> 00:52:19,019
 because of how important it was

1432
00:52:19,019 --> 00:52:20,440
 that I finally found this congregation

1433
00:52:20,440 --> 00:52:21,780
 when I came here

1434
00:52:21,780 --> 00:52:24,679
 and saw the branch of,

1435
00:52:24,679 --> 00:52:27,079
 I would say generations of people,

1436
00:52:27,340 --> 00:52:27,940
 the older men

1437
00:52:27,940 --> 00:52:29,699
 and then the middle-aged men

1438
00:52:29,699 --> 00:52:31,679
 and then the men my age

1439
00:52:31,679 --> 00:52:32,380
 and even younger.

1440
00:52:32,619 --> 00:52:35,139
 It's a really great spectrum

1441
00:52:35,139 --> 00:52:37,019
 of people here based on age.

1442
00:52:37,280 --> 00:52:38,800
 And I really like to see that.

1443
00:52:38,940 --> 00:52:41,300
 It really made me feel like

1444
00:52:41,300 --> 00:52:42,420
 I'm not alone

1445
00:52:42,420 --> 00:52:43,980
 and that there's other men here.

1446
00:52:44,159 --> 00:52:44,940
 And that's definitely

1447
00:52:44,940 --> 00:52:45,820
 one of the big reasons

1448
00:52:45,820 --> 00:52:46,860
 why I also started

1449
00:52:47,460 --> 00:52:48,679
 the softball team with Zach

1450
00:52:48,679 --> 00:52:49,900
 because I got here

1451
00:52:49,900 --> 00:52:50,320
 and I was like,

1452
00:52:50,320 --> 00:52:51,860
 there's a lot of young men here.

1453
00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:52,960
 I think we're ready to go

1454
00:52:52,960 --> 00:52:54,739
 and start a softball team.

1455
00:52:54,940 --> 00:52:55,480
 And like I said,

1456
00:52:55,539 --> 00:52:56,460
 I can't wait to keep

1457
00:52:56,460 --> 00:52:58,739
 furthering my relationship with God

1458
00:52:58,739 --> 00:53:00,800
 but also furthering my relationship

1459
00:53:00,800 --> 00:53:01,579
 with all you guys.

1460
00:53:01,699 --> 00:53:03,400
 And doing a men's retreat

1461
00:53:03,400 --> 00:53:04,139
 into the wilderness

1462
00:53:04,139 --> 00:53:05,940
 actually sounds like a perfect idea.

1463
00:53:06,179 --> 00:53:07,320
 So we should do that.

1464
00:53:09,519 --> 00:53:10,199
 Anyone else?

1465
00:53:12,219 --> 00:53:12,559
 Yeah, man.

1466
00:53:12,800 --> 00:53:13,559
 You want to come up or?

1467
00:53:14,139 --> 00:53:14,400
 Yeah, sweet.

1468
00:53:18,739 --> 00:53:20,460
 Josh, it's so nice to meet you.

1469
00:53:20,519 --> 00:53:20,980
 My name is Leo.

1470
00:53:22,940 --> 00:53:23,679
 And I'm going to connect

1471
00:53:23,679 --> 00:53:24,380
 a lot of points

1472
00:53:24,380 --> 00:53:26,860
 from my testimony to yours

1473
00:53:27,340 --> 00:53:28,579
 and what you shared today.

1474
00:53:29,219 --> 00:53:31,659
 And for those of you who know me,

1475
00:53:31,760 --> 00:53:32,780
 it's probably no secret

1476
00:53:32,780 --> 00:53:34,059
 that I'm an extrovert, right?

1477
00:53:35,099 --> 00:53:36,739
 I love conversations

1478
00:53:36,739 --> 00:53:37,639
 and relationships

1479
00:53:37,639 --> 00:53:39,039
 and I love being around people.

1480
00:53:40,639 --> 00:53:42,000
 But probably what most of you

1481
00:53:42,000 --> 00:53:43,599
 don't know is that growing up,

1482
00:53:43,599 --> 00:53:44,760
 ever since I was as young

1483
00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:45,639
 as I can remember,

1484
00:53:46,360 --> 00:53:47,139
 I've also always been

1485
00:53:47,139 --> 00:53:48,179
 a hopeless romantic

1486
00:53:48,179 --> 00:53:50,739
 and always enjoyed stories

1487
00:53:50,739 --> 00:53:52,460
 of the hero saving the princess.

1488
00:53:53,079 --> 00:53:54,480
 I always had these dreams

1489
00:53:54,480 --> 00:53:56,820
 of becoming an exemplary husband

1490
00:53:56,820 --> 00:53:58,340
 and father and things like that.

1491
00:53:58,820 --> 00:53:59,559
 And I'm 28 now

1492
00:53:59,559 --> 00:54:00,860
 and I'm still as single as they come.

1493
00:54:02,900 --> 00:54:04,559
 So when COVID happened,

1494
00:54:04,679 --> 00:54:05,719
 I had actually just got back

1495
00:54:05,719 --> 00:54:06,760
 from a year in Vietnam

1496
00:54:06,760 --> 00:54:07,619
 doing missions work

1497
00:54:07,619 --> 00:54:08,420
 and I was on a tear

1498
00:54:08,420 --> 00:54:10,159
 through the whole country,

1499
00:54:10,420 --> 00:54:11,619
 just city to city.

1500
00:54:11,780 --> 00:54:12,619
 I was with my friends

1501
00:54:12,619 --> 00:54:13,880
 and we were doing

1502
00:54:13,880 --> 00:54:14,820
 missions training programs.

1503
00:54:14,980 --> 00:54:15,880
 We were doing prayer nights,

1504
00:54:16,019 --> 00:54:17,119
 healing nights, sharing testimonies,

1505
00:54:17,719 --> 00:54:18,780
 going out evangelizing,

1506
00:54:18,840 --> 00:54:19,679
 praying for people,

1507
00:54:19,840 --> 00:54:20,699
 seeing people get healed,

1508
00:54:20,860 --> 00:54:22,039
 seeing demons get cast out.

1509
00:54:22,500 --> 00:54:24,619
 Just a lot of the miracles of the acts

1510
00:54:24,619 --> 00:54:25,440
 and just the Holy Spirit

1511
00:54:25,440 --> 00:54:26,679
 moving like fire

1512
00:54:26,679 --> 00:54:27,500
 through the country.

1513
00:54:27,980 --> 00:54:29,059
 And actually since that year,

1514
00:54:29,480 --> 00:54:30,500
 Vietnam has experienced

1515
00:54:30,500 --> 00:54:31,820
 its very first missions revival

1516
00:54:31,820 --> 00:54:33,579
 in its Protestant churches history

1517
00:54:33,579 --> 00:54:35,280
 where they've been sending out

1518
00:54:35,280 --> 00:54:37,159
 dozens of Vietnamese missionaries

1519
00:54:37,159 --> 00:54:38,199
 for the first time ever

1520
00:54:38,199 --> 00:54:39,579
 every year since 2019

1521
00:54:40,219 --> 00:54:41,940
 to other countries as missionaries.

1522
00:54:41,940 --> 00:54:43,980
 But when I got back here in 2020

1523
00:54:43,980 --> 00:54:44,820
 and COVID happened,

1524
00:54:45,239 --> 00:54:46,280
 I got stuck here in America

1525
00:54:46,280 --> 00:54:47,440
 because all travel shut down

1526
00:54:47,440 --> 00:54:48,679
 and I was actually really confused

1527
00:54:48,679 --> 00:54:50,019
 and upset at first with God

1528
00:54:50,579 --> 00:54:51,880
 because I had been serving him

1529
00:54:51,880 --> 00:54:53,300
 as a missionary probably for about...

1530
00:54:59,940 --> 00:55:01,099
 Six years at that point.

1531
00:55:01,960 --> 00:55:03,099
 And I thought I was gonna go back

1532
00:55:03,099 --> 00:55:03,920
 to Vietnam that year

1533
00:55:03,920 --> 00:55:05,360
 to be like a long-term missionary there

1534
00:55:05,360 --> 00:55:06,860
 and what ended up happening

1535
00:55:06,860 --> 00:55:07,840
 is I got stuck here

1536
00:55:08,360 --> 00:55:09,920
 and at first I was like,

1537
00:55:09,920 --> 00:55:11,519
 God, what the heck are you doing?

1538
00:55:11,519 --> 00:55:12,519
 Why are you pulling out the rug

1539
00:55:12,519 --> 00:55:13,199
 from under me?

1540
00:55:14,360 --> 00:55:15,880
 And very quickly he showed me

1541
00:55:15,880 --> 00:55:16,920
 that my worth,

1542
00:55:17,079 --> 00:55:18,820
 I was placing my worth in my work

1543
00:55:18,820 --> 00:55:20,000
 and results as a missionary

1544
00:55:20,000 --> 00:55:21,440
 in the activity of missions

1545
00:55:21,920 --> 00:55:23,860
 and I was really treating

1546
00:55:23,860 --> 00:55:25,780
 like that calling

1547
00:55:25,780 --> 00:55:27,800
 with this idolatrous attitude

1548
00:55:27,800 --> 00:55:29,079
 that I was putting my worth in there

1549
00:55:29,079 --> 00:55:30,000
 and I was seeing that

1550
00:55:30,000 --> 00:55:31,159
 if I was useful to God

1551
00:55:31,159 --> 00:55:32,940
 then I would be valuable to God

1552
00:55:32,940 --> 00:55:34,920
 and he showed me

1553
00:55:34,920 --> 00:55:36,300
 that I had this agenda

1554
00:55:36,300 --> 00:55:37,679
 that if I did good things for him

1555
00:55:37,679 --> 00:55:38,920
 that he would do good things for me

1556
00:55:38,920 --> 00:55:40,239
 and so it was very transactional

1557
00:55:40,239 --> 00:55:41,360
 and I didn't realize it at first

1558
00:55:41,360 --> 00:55:43,280
 but just through great mentors

1559
00:55:43,280 --> 00:55:44,480
 actually right here in this body

1560
00:55:44,480 --> 00:55:45,860
 God showed me that

1561
00:55:45,860 --> 00:55:47,480
 and he and actually like you know

1562
00:55:47,480 --> 00:55:48,159
 he posed like

1563
00:55:48,159 --> 00:55:49,500
 I received this question

1564
00:55:49,500 --> 00:55:50,480
 on my heart from the Holy Spirit

1565
00:55:50,480 --> 00:55:52,280
 like Leo, if you are unable

1566
00:55:52,280 --> 00:55:53,760
 to do any of these things for me

1567
00:55:53,760 --> 00:55:55,219
 am I enough for you?

1568
00:55:55,880 --> 00:55:57,159
 And that really shot down

1569
00:55:57,159 --> 00:55:58,679
 like every idol I had at that point

1570
00:55:58,679 --> 00:55:59,820
 including marriage

1571
00:55:59,820 --> 00:56:01,360
 even the idea of marriage

1572
00:56:01,360 --> 00:56:02,860
 because we often you know

1573
00:56:02,860 --> 00:56:04,300
 I think like the wilderness

1574
00:56:04,300 --> 00:56:05,900
 is a place where our needs

1575
00:56:05,900 --> 00:56:07,139
 are not getting met

1576
00:56:07,139 --> 00:56:08,619
 where our physical needs

1577
00:56:08,619 --> 00:56:10,019
 our relational needs

1578
00:56:10,019 --> 00:56:10,940
 our spiritual needs

1579
00:56:10,940 --> 00:56:12,860
 are not getting met right?

1580
00:56:13,260 --> 00:56:13,940
 And in that place

1581
00:56:13,940 --> 00:56:15,539
 all we have to fall back on

1582
00:56:15,539 --> 00:56:16,619
 and we still have that choice

1583
00:56:16,619 --> 00:56:17,820
 whether to fall back on him

1584
00:56:17,820 --> 00:56:19,679
 all that we have to fall back on

1585
00:56:20,880 --> 00:56:22,079
 we're posed with that choice

1586
00:56:22,079 --> 00:56:24,219
 do we fall back on God right?

1587
00:56:24,639 --> 00:56:26,219
 Or do we fall flat on our face you know

1588
00:56:26,219 --> 00:56:27,360
 like we always have this

1589
00:56:27,360 --> 00:56:29,039
 no matter how dire

1590
00:56:29,039 --> 00:56:29,880
 our circumstances

1591
00:56:29,880 --> 00:56:31,639
 or our weaknesses

1592
00:56:31,639 --> 00:56:33,260
 become in this life

1593
00:56:33,260 --> 00:56:34,820
 we always have a choice

1594
00:56:34,820 --> 00:56:36,099
 whether we turn to God

1595
00:56:36,099 --> 00:56:37,920
 or we turn away from him right?

1596
00:56:38,179 --> 00:56:38,980
 I think in the wilderness

1597
00:56:38,980 --> 00:56:40,219
 is that place

1598
00:56:40,219 --> 00:56:41,079
 where everything else

1599
00:56:41,079 --> 00:56:42,059
 gets ripped away

1600
00:56:42,059 --> 00:56:43,420
 to the point where

1601
00:56:43,420 --> 00:56:45,619
 we now can only turn to God

1602
00:56:45,619 --> 00:56:47,219
 or turn away from him right?

1603
00:56:47,400 --> 00:56:48,559
 Where you know there's that

1604
00:56:48,559 --> 00:56:49,980
 there's this saying

1605
00:56:49,980 --> 00:56:51,840
 we don't realize God is all we need

1606
00:56:51,840 --> 00:56:53,679
 until God is all we have right?

1607
00:56:54,139 --> 00:56:56,940
 And so like when I got back

1608
00:56:57,940 --> 00:56:58,820
 throughout COVID

1609
00:56:58,820 --> 00:56:59,980
 God taught me a bit

1610
00:56:59,980 --> 00:57:00,760
 about responsibility

1611
00:57:00,760 --> 00:57:01,960
 I started working part-time

1612
00:57:01,960 --> 00:57:03,300
 and then I went back to college

1613
00:57:03,300 --> 00:57:05,019
 at age 23 for nursing

1614
00:57:06,039 --> 00:57:07,420
 and he really taught me

1615
00:57:07,420 --> 00:57:08,659
 to slow down in that time

1616
00:57:08,659 --> 00:57:10,559
 and I you know like

1617
00:57:10,559 --> 00:57:12,679
 a lot of a lot of revival

1618
00:57:12,679 --> 00:57:14,699
 happens in someone in

1619
00:57:14,699 --> 00:57:15,679
 first in the heart

1620
00:57:16,199 --> 00:57:17,179
 in the wilderness

1621
00:57:17,179 --> 00:57:18,320
 it doesn't happen like

1622
00:57:18,320 --> 00:57:19,199
 you know like we were

1623
00:57:19,199 --> 00:57:20,559
 when I was serving in Vietnam

1624
00:57:20,559 --> 00:57:21,800
 we were constantly praying

1625
00:57:21,800 --> 00:57:23,400
 for you know like revival

1626
00:57:23,400 --> 00:57:24,900
 in the in the church right?

1627
00:57:25,099 --> 00:57:27,000
 In the people groups

1628
00:57:27,000 --> 00:57:29,699
 in the congregations

1629
00:57:29,699 --> 00:57:31,400
 but actually what God taught me

1630
00:57:31,400 --> 00:57:31,960
 throughout COVID

1631
00:57:31,960 --> 00:57:33,300
 is that revival actually begins

1632
00:57:33,300 --> 00:57:34,639
 in the heart of God's people

1633
00:57:34,639 --> 00:57:36,019
 he led me back to his word

1634
00:57:36,019 --> 00:57:37,119
 he led me back to himself

1635
00:57:37,119 --> 00:57:38,500
 and he actually showed me

1636
00:57:38,500 --> 00:57:40,980
 Leo it's more it's more important

1637
00:57:40,980 --> 00:57:41,980
 who you're becoming

1638
00:57:41,980 --> 00:57:42,960
 than what you're doing

1639
00:57:43,579 --> 00:57:44,659
 and most importantly

1640
00:57:44,659 --> 00:57:45,800
 Romans 8 29 right?

1641
00:57:45,920 --> 00:57:46,739
 We're predestined to be

1642
00:57:46,739 --> 00:57:47,980
 conformed to the image of his son

1643
00:57:47,980 --> 00:57:49,099
 so that he might be

1644
00:57:49,099 --> 00:57:50,260
 the firstborn among many brothers

1645
00:57:50,260 --> 00:57:51,599
 and so God's destiny for us

1646
00:57:51,599 --> 00:57:53,340
 is that we become like him right?

1647
00:57:53,440 --> 00:57:55,219
 And so who we're becoming in Christ

1648
00:57:55,219 --> 00:57:56,760
 we can only know that

1649
00:57:56,760 --> 00:57:58,179
 by getting to know Christ

1650
00:57:58,179 --> 00:57:59,840
 and God really showed me

1651
00:57:59,840 --> 00:58:01,980
 recently too like that

1652
00:58:01,980 --> 00:58:03,039
 it matters especially

1653
00:58:03,039 --> 00:58:04,219
 as this world gets darker

1654
00:58:04,219 --> 00:58:04,599
 and darker

1655
00:58:04,599 --> 00:58:05,840
 we know the world is getting darker

1656
00:58:05,840 --> 00:58:07,260
 because God prophesied in his word

1657
00:58:07,260 --> 00:58:08,320
 and we see it playing out

1658
00:58:08,320 --> 00:58:09,380
 in the current events

1659
00:58:09,380 --> 00:58:11,199
 you know it's going at a rate faster

1660
00:58:11,199 --> 00:58:12,800
 than human history has ever seen

1661
00:58:12,800 --> 00:58:14,059
 the world is getting darker

1662
00:58:14,059 --> 00:58:15,300
 but as that happens

1663
00:58:15,300 --> 00:58:17,000
 more of God's word gets fulfilled

1664
00:58:17,000 --> 00:58:18,800
 and we have to be able to recognize that

1665
00:58:18,800 --> 00:58:21,980
 and counter intuitively

1666
00:58:21,980 --> 00:58:23,480
 be reassured by that

1667
00:58:23,480 --> 00:58:24,920
 because our foundation

1668
00:58:24,920 --> 00:58:26,440
 is not what's happening

1669
00:58:26,440 --> 00:58:28,000
 but it's God's word right?

1670
00:58:28,440 --> 00:58:28,880
 And so like

1671
00:58:28,880 --> 00:58:30,599
 as God's word gets fulfilled

1672
00:58:31,120 --> 00:58:32,079
 God proves himself

1673
00:58:32,079 --> 00:58:33,320
 as the faithful one right?

1674
00:58:33,500 --> 00:58:34,880
 As the intentional one

1675
00:58:34,880 --> 00:58:36,320
 as the all-knowing

1676
00:58:36,320 --> 00:58:37,139
 the all-powerful one

1677
00:58:37,139 --> 00:58:37,960
 the one who's in control

1678
00:58:37,960 --> 00:58:38,900
 and in charge right?

1679
00:58:39,019 --> 00:58:40,099
 Even though things seem

1680
00:58:40,099 --> 00:58:41,139
 to be getting chaotic

1681
00:58:41,139 --> 00:58:42,880
 but if he already knew

1682
00:58:42,880 --> 00:58:43,699
 what happened in advance

1683
00:58:43,699 --> 00:58:45,139
 like an author of a novel

1684
00:58:45,139 --> 00:58:45,739
 right?

1685
00:58:45,940 --> 00:58:47,739
 He has a plan right?

1686
00:58:48,400 --> 00:58:50,320
 And so it's so much

1687
00:58:50,320 --> 00:58:51,340
 it's so important

1688
00:58:51,340 --> 00:58:53,000
 especially for Christians

1689
00:58:53,000 --> 00:58:54,780
 to know who God is

1690
00:58:54,780 --> 00:58:56,119
 not what he's doing right?

1691
00:58:56,179 --> 00:58:57,019
 What he's doing is changing

1692
00:58:57,019 --> 00:58:57,860
 all the time

1693
00:58:57,860 --> 00:58:59,219
 what he's done in my life

1694
00:58:59,219 --> 00:59:00,159
 has changed all the time

1695
00:59:00,159 --> 00:59:01,079
 from when I first took my

1696
00:59:01,079 --> 00:59:02,360
 first missions training program

1697
00:59:02,360 --> 00:59:03,599
 I went and served in Turkey

1698
00:59:03,599 --> 00:59:04,639
 for a year and then in Vietnam

1699
00:59:04,639 --> 00:59:06,239
 for a year after that

1700
00:59:06,239 --> 00:59:07,480
 and then I went to nursing school

1701
00:59:07,480 --> 00:59:08,079
 for years like

1702
00:59:08,079 --> 00:59:10,340
 we change like our seasons

1703
00:59:10,340 --> 00:59:11,179
 of life change right?

1704
00:59:11,320 --> 00:59:12,000
 And God changes

1705
00:59:12,519 --> 00:59:13,780
 what he's doing too

1706
00:59:13,780 --> 00:59:15,119
 but what does the Bible mean

1707
00:59:15,119 --> 00:59:16,699
 when it says God doesn't change

1708
00:59:16,699 --> 00:59:18,199
 like Jesus Christ is the same

1709
00:59:18,199 --> 00:59:19,380
 yesterday today and forever right?

1710
00:59:19,559 --> 00:59:20,760
 It means who he is

1711
00:59:20,760 --> 00:59:22,519
 his character doesn't change

1712
00:59:22,519 --> 00:59:23,320
 and that's what the Bible

1713
00:59:23,320 --> 00:59:24,119
 reveals to us

1714
00:59:24,119 --> 00:59:25,579
 the Bible the content

1715
00:59:25,579 --> 00:59:26,699
 of the Bible is often

1716
00:59:26,699 --> 00:59:28,320
 about what God is doing right?

1717
00:59:28,599 --> 00:59:30,139
 Like from Genesis to Revelation

1718
00:59:30,139 --> 00:59:31,260
 what he's doing

1719
00:59:31,260 --> 00:59:31,940
 has changed all the time

1720
00:59:31,940 --> 00:59:33,239
 he's not making light anymore

1721
00:59:33,239 --> 00:59:34,079
 he's not putting the stars

1722
00:59:34,079 --> 00:59:34,719
 in place anymore

1723
00:59:34,719 --> 00:59:36,099
 he's not splitting the Red Sea

1724
00:59:36,099 --> 00:59:36,599
 anymore right?

1725
00:59:36,599 --> 00:59:37,699
 He's not coming down

1726
00:59:37,699 --> 00:59:39,400
 on 120 disciples

1727
00:59:39,400 --> 00:59:41,059
 with flames of fire

1728
00:59:41,059 --> 00:59:42,860
 with tongues of fire anymore right?

1729
00:59:43,199 --> 00:59:44,139
 What he's doing

1730
00:59:44,139 --> 00:59:45,219
 will change all the time

1731
00:59:45,219 --> 00:59:46,500
 and what he's doing in our lives

1732
00:59:46,500 --> 00:59:47,139
 are going to change

1733
00:59:47,139 --> 00:59:47,960
 all the time too

1734
00:59:47,960 --> 00:59:49,980
 but who he is never changes

1735
00:59:49,980 --> 00:59:51,579
 his character never changes

1736
00:59:51,579 --> 00:59:53,260
 and so as we read the Bible

1737
00:59:53,260 --> 00:59:54,199
 as we study the Bible

1738
00:59:54,199 --> 00:59:55,159
 the most important thing

1739
00:59:55,159 --> 00:59:55,820
 we have to look for

1740
00:59:55,820 --> 00:59:56,880
 who is God in this?

1741
00:59:57,199 --> 00:59:58,340
 How is he revealing

1742
00:59:58,340 --> 00:59:59,760
 his character right?

1743
01:00:00,039 --> 01:00:01,480
 And again and again again

1744
01:00:01,480 --> 01:00:03,159
 every single story

1745
01:00:03,159 --> 01:00:05,119
 prophecy narrative poem

1746
01:00:05,119 --> 01:00:06,260
 in the Bible

1747
01:00:06,260 --> 01:00:07,500
 reveals a God

1748
01:00:07,500 --> 01:00:08,179
 who is loving

1749
01:00:08,179 --> 01:00:09,219
 who is caring

1750
01:00:09,219 --> 01:00:10,300
 who is faithful

1751
01:00:10,820 --> 01:00:11,159
 right?

1752
01:00:11,380 --> 01:00:12,079
 Who is intentional

1753
01:00:12,079 --> 01:00:12,860
 who is personal

1754
01:00:13,540 --> 01:00:14,619
 who's also universal

1755
01:00:14,619 --> 01:00:16,079
 who's powerful

1756
01:00:16,079 --> 01:00:17,059
 who's in charge

1757
01:00:17,059 --> 01:00:17,619
 right?

1758
01:00:17,679 --> 01:00:18,159
 Who's in control

1759
01:00:18,159 --> 01:00:19,380
 who's good right?

1760
01:00:20,219 --> 01:00:23,460
 Who is you know like

1761
01:00:29,460 --> 01:00:31,039
 and he's loving

1762
01:00:31,039 --> 01:00:35,239
 and he wants to know us

1763
01:00:35,239 --> 01:00:36,639
 through that love relationship

1764
01:00:36,639 --> 01:00:37,559
 and you know like

1765
01:00:37,559 --> 01:00:39,239
 I went through a really rough breakup

1766
01:00:39,239 --> 01:00:40,860
 the roughest one of my life

1767
01:00:40,860 --> 01:00:41,940
 just two years ago

1768
01:00:41,940 --> 01:00:44,019
 and since then I like

1769
01:00:44,500 --> 01:00:46,199
 my personality has changed a lot

1770
01:00:46,199 --> 01:00:46,980
 actually like

1771
01:00:46,980 --> 01:00:48,300
 through that relationship

1772
01:00:48,300 --> 01:00:49,380
 through that breakup

1773
01:00:49,380 --> 01:00:51,840
 I once again turn to God

1774
01:00:51,840 --> 01:00:53,039
 like when I felt the rug

1775
01:00:53,039 --> 01:00:54,079
 get pulled out under me

1776
01:00:54,079 --> 01:00:55,059
 about traveling

1777
01:00:55,059 --> 01:00:55,780
 I felt it again

1778
01:00:55,780 --> 01:00:57,159
 when the relationship

1779
01:00:57,159 --> 01:00:58,880
 like crashed and burned basically

1780
01:00:59,480 --> 01:01:00,780
 and it wasn't my choice

1781
01:01:00,780 --> 01:01:02,019
 for the relationship to end

1782
01:01:02,019 --> 01:01:02,679
 it was you know

1783
01:01:02,679 --> 01:01:04,000
 the other one's choice

1784
01:01:05,679 --> 01:01:07,199
 and in that time

1785
01:01:07,199 --> 01:01:08,460
 I really sought God

1786
01:01:08,460 --> 01:01:09,340
 through the wilderness

1787
01:01:09,340 --> 01:01:10,320
 I started to

1788
01:01:10,320 --> 01:01:11,199
 literally like

1789
01:01:11,199 --> 01:01:12,219
 just to save myself

1790
01:01:12,219 --> 01:01:12,880
 from spiraling

1791
01:01:12,880 --> 01:01:13,500
 into depression

1792
01:01:13,500 --> 01:01:14,059
 and self-pity

1793
01:01:14,059 --> 01:01:14,960
 I started to go out

1794
01:01:14,960 --> 01:01:15,920
 to places of nature

1795
01:01:16,460 --> 01:01:16,980
 parks

1796
01:01:16,980 --> 01:01:18,260
 hiking trails

1797
01:01:18,260 --> 01:01:19,719
 nature reserves

1798
01:01:19,719 --> 01:01:21,000
 my favorite place

1799
01:01:21,000 --> 01:01:22,139
 is only a 40-minute drive

1800
01:01:22,139 --> 01:01:23,039
 and it's actually right here

1801
01:01:23,039 --> 01:01:24,280
 on it's actually right down

1802
01:01:24,280 --> 01:01:26,159
 on the other end of Welsh road

1803
01:01:26,159 --> 01:01:26,579
 it's called

1804
01:01:26,579 --> 01:01:28,139
 a penny pack ecological reserve

1805
01:01:28,139 --> 01:01:29,719
 it's only a 35-minute drive

1806
01:01:29,719 --> 01:01:30,400
 from this building

1807
01:01:31,080 --> 01:01:32,820
 but it's like rolling grass hills

1808
01:01:32,820 --> 01:01:33,820
 and there's like horses

1809
01:01:33,820 --> 01:01:35,099
 and cottages in the distance

1810
01:01:35,099 --> 01:01:37,079
 I feel like I'm the Lord of the Rings

1811
01:01:37,079 --> 01:01:37,619
 when I'm there

1812
01:01:37,619 --> 01:01:38,599
 it's like it's magical

1813
01:01:38,599 --> 01:01:39,659
 I feel like I'm in the Shire

1814
01:01:40,400 --> 01:01:41,579
 and I go there

1815
01:01:41,579 --> 01:01:42,099
 and like

1816
01:01:42,099 --> 01:01:43,960
 I would come upon these places

1817
01:01:43,960 --> 01:01:45,340
 like these little clearings

1818
01:01:45,340 --> 01:01:45,860
 in the woods

1819
01:01:45,860 --> 01:01:47,000
 or this stream bed

1820
01:01:47,000 --> 01:01:48,159
 with like a little rock

1821
01:01:48,159 --> 01:01:49,280
 that's perfect for sitting on

1822
01:01:49,280 --> 01:01:50,599
 and I would experience

1823
01:01:50,599 --> 01:01:52,920
 this God who is romantic

1824
01:01:52,920 --> 01:01:54,099
 like this God who like

1825
01:01:54,619 --> 01:01:56,300
 I got this one moment there

1826
01:01:56,300 --> 01:01:58,280
 I got this feeling

1827
01:01:58,280 --> 01:01:59,800
 that God had been waiting

1828
01:01:59,800 --> 01:02:01,619
 from the beginning of creation

1829
01:02:02,199 --> 01:02:03,400
 for the past

1830
01:02:03,400 --> 01:02:04,840
 however many thousand years

1831
01:02:05,099 --> 01:02:06,199
 to meet Leo

1832
01:02:06,199 --> 01:02:07,199
 in that place

1833
01:02:07,199 --> 01:02:08,079
 and in that moment

1834
01:02:08,079 --> 01:02:09,340
 that's romantic

1835
01:02:09,340 --> 01:02:10,820
 and I started to experience

1836
01:02:10,820 --> 01:02:12,360
 a God who wants to know me

1837
01:02:12,360 --> 01:02:13,300
 on that level

1838
01:02:13,819 --> 01:02:14,760
 right where he like

1839
01:02:14,760 --> 01:02:16,559
 he became my faithful friend

1840
01:02:16,559 --> 01:02:17,119
 companion

1841
01:02:17,119 --> 01:02:18,840
 and he began to fulfill

1842
01:02:18,840 --> 01:02:20,539
 all the relational needs

1843
01:02:20,539 --> 01:02:21,239
 that I was seeking

1844
01:02:21,239 --> 01:02:23,059
 through a worldly relationship

1845
01:02:23,059 --> 01:02:24,400
 with a with a

1846
01:02:24,400 --> 01:02:25,619
 I mean it was a sister in Christ

1847
01:02:25,619 --> 01:02:26,340
 you know

1848
01:02:26,340 --> 01:02:26,840
 but like

1849
01:02:27,599 --> 01:02:28,300
 but like

1850
01:02:28,300 --> 01:02:29,360
 I started to experience

1851
01:02:29,360 --> 01:02:30,039
 this God that was

1852
01:02:30,039 --> 01:02:30,599
 you know

1853
01:02:30,599 --> 01:02:31,400
 who knows me

1854
01:02:31,400 --> 01:02:32,360
 and loves me deeper

1855
01:02:32,360 --> 01:02:33,619
 than any person

1856
01:02:33,619 --> 01:02:34,420
 uh

1857
01:02:34,980 --> 01:02:35,760
 let alone spouse

1858
01:02:35,760 --> 01:02:37,039
 ever will

1859
01:02:37,039 --> 01:02:38,699
 and ever is able to know me

1860
01:02:39,219 --> 01:02:40,000
 he knows me

1861
01:02:40,000 --> 01:02:40,880
 like he knows us

1862
01:02:40,880 --> 01:02:42,139
 from beginning to end

1863
01:02:42,139 --> 01:02:43,199
 inside and out

1864
01:02:43,199 --> 01:02:44,139
 he knows us better

1865
01:02:44,139 --> 01:02:45,980
 than anybody in the world

1866
01:02:45,980 --> 01:02:47,079
 because he created us right

1867
01:02:47,079 --> 01:02:47,940
 and not only that

1868
01:02:47,940 --> 01:02:48,519
 but like

1869
01:02:48,519 --> 01:02:49,380
 true love

1870
01:02:49,380 --> 01:02:50,119
 is when someone

1871
01:02:50,119 --> 01:02:51,239
 sees you completely

1872
01:02:51,239 --> 01:02:52,019
 right

1873
01:02:52,019 --> 01:02:53,360
 and accepts you completely

1874
01:02:53,360 --> 01:02:54,880
 and that's God alone

1875
01:02:54,880 --> 01:02:55,639
 right

1876
01:02:55,639 --> 01:02:57,400
 and that love is like

1877
01:02:57,400 --> 01:02:58,219
 literally like

1878
01:02:58,219 --> 01:02:59,019
 it's revolutionary

1879
01:02:59,019 --> 01:02:59,340
 it's like

1880
01:02:59,340 --> 01:03:00,480
 it's the most powerful force

1881
01:03:00,480 --> 01:03:01,920
 in the universe right

1882
01:03:01,920 --> 01:03:03,039
 love can overcome

1883
01:03:03,039 --> 01:03:04,659
 it can conquer anything

1884
01:03:05,199 --> 01:03:06,639
 and I'm I'm learning

1885
01:03:06,639 --> 01:03:08,239
 and getting to know

1886
01:03:08,239 --> 01:03:09,179
 that God

1887
01:03:09,759 --> 01:03:09,980
 right

1888
01:03:09,980 --> 01:03:10,780
 and I'm experiencing

1889
01:03:10,780 --> 01:03:11,920
 that God who just like

1890
01:03:11,920 --> 01:03:12,639
 loves me

1891
01:03:12,639 --> 01:03:15,860
 like language is not enough

1892
01:03:16,480 --> 01:03:17,199
 it's insufficient

1893
01:03:17,199 --> 01:03:17,960
 to capture

1894
01:03:17,960 --> 01:03:19,280
 like how deep

1895
01:03:19,280 --> 01:03:20,039
 and how intense

1896
01:03:20,039 --> 01:03:20,840
 and how amazing

1897
01:03:20,840 --> 01:03:21,579
 that love is

1898
01:03:21,579 --> 01:03:22,940
 and just how powerful

1899
01:03:22,940 --> 01:03:23,639
 that love is

1900
01:03:23,639 --> 01:03:24,480
 like that love

1901
01:03:24,480 --> 01:03:25,579
 literally overcame

1902
01:03:25,579 --> 01:03:27,340
 death for us

1903
01:03:28,239 --> 01:03:29,480
 and gave us eternal life

1904
01:03:30,079 --> 01:03:30,320
 right

1905
01:03:30,320 --> 01:03:30,980
 and like that

1906
01:03:30,980 --> 01:03:31,960
 like God

1907
01:03:31,960 --> 01:03:32,659
 God

1908
01:03:34,139 --> 01:03:36,320
 he exhibits many emotions right

1909
01:03:36,320 --> 01:03:37,659
 and so like we see in the Bible

1910
01:03:37,659 --> 01:03:38,860
 God has grieved

1911
01:03:38,860 --> 01:03:39,559
 he has regretted

1912
01:03:40,679 --> 01:03:41,820
 sometimes he's angry

1913
01:03:41,820 --> 01:03:42,039
 right

1914
01:03:42,039 --> 01:03:43,119
 he's a very just God

1915
01:03:43,119 --> 01:03:43,599
 right

1916
01:03:43,599 --> 01:03:45,699
 but God is not made up

1917
01:03:45,699 --> 01:03:46,500
 of these emotions right

1918
01:03:46,500 --> 01:03:47,460
 what is the substance

1919
01:03:47,460 --> 01:03:48,059
 of his makeup

1920
01:03:48,059 --> 01:03:49,519
 God is love

1921
01:03:50,000 --> 01:03:50,440
 love

1922
01:03:50,440 --> 01:03:51,739
 and especially as men

1923
01:03:51,739 --> 01:03:52,519
 it's so important for us

1924
01:03:52,519 --> 01:03:53,980
 to know this God

1925
01:03:53,980 --> 01:03:54,820
 who loves us

1926
01:03:54,820 --> 01:03:55,880
 because we can only love

1927
01:03:55,880 --> 01:03:57,440
 others as we are loved

1928
01:03:57,440 --> 01:03:58,579
 we can only give what we have

1929
01:03:58,579 --> 01:04:00,579
 and the more

1930
01:04:00,579 --> 01:04:01,420
 we get to know

1931
01:04:01,420 --> 01:04:02,739
 this God who loves us

1932
01:04:02,739 --> 01:04:03,179
 the more

1933
01:04:03,179 --> 01:04:05,300
 we are loved by God

1934
01:04:05,300 --> 01:04:06,420
 and it's so important to like

1935
01:04:06,420 --> 01:04:07,139
 especially as men

1936
01:04:07,139 --> 01:04:08,739
 to learn to be his bride

1937
01:04:08,739 --> 01:04:09,619
 as a church right

1938
01:04:09,619 --> 01:04:11,280
 because we can only love

1939
01:04:11,280 --> 01:04:12,059
 our brides

1940
01:04:12,780 --> 01:04:14,639
 as we are loved by God

1941
01:04:14,639 --> 01:04:15,340
 as his bride

1942
01:04:15,340 --> 01:04:16,119
 right

1943
01:04:16,119 --> 01:04:18,179
 and so as we you know

1944
01:04:18,179 --> 01:04:19,280
 like that

1945
01:04:19,280 --> 01:04:20,659
 the love that God has

1946
01:04:20,659 --> 01:04:21,139
 for his church

1947
01:04:21,139 --> 01:04:21,880
 he has chosen

1948
01:04:21,880 --> 01:04:22,800
 that picture

1949
01:04:22,800 --> 01:04:24,960
 of a bride and groom

1950
01:04:24,960 --> 01:04:25,980
 to portray

1951
01:04:25,980 --> 01:04:27,500
 like the most clear relationship

1952
01:04:27,500 --> 01:04:29,139
 between him and his church

1953
01:04:29,139 --> 01:04:29,679
 right

1954
01:04:29,679 --> 01:04:30,659
 and that's how he wants to love

1955
01:04:30,659 --> 01:04:31,699
 each and every one of us

1956
01:04:31,699 --> 01:04:32,920
 as men really

1957
01:04:32,920 --> 01:04:34,179
 is you know

1958
01:04:34,179 --> 01:04:35,179
 like the more we

1959
01:04:35,179 --> 01:04:36,300
 we experience

1960
01:04:36,300 --> 01:04:36,980
 and know

1961
01:04:37,599 --> 01:04:38,440
 and learn

1962
01:04:39,059 --> 01:04:40,800
 how to be loved by God

1963
01:04:40,800 --> 01:04:41,260
 the better

1964
01:04:41,260 --> 01:04:42,340
 we can love others

1965
01:04:42,340 --> 01:04:43,199
 and serve others

1966
01:04:43,199 --> 01:04:43,900
 yeah so

1967
01:04:43,900 --> 01:04:44,940
 thanks for letting me share man

1968
01:04:44,940 --> 01:04:45,599
 yeah

1969
01:04:45,599 --> 01:04:46,380
 and thanks so much

1970
01:04:46,380 --> 01:04:46,980
 for sharing Josh

1971
01:04:51,739 --> 01:04:53,179
 yeah thanks for that Leo

1972
01:04:53,179 --> 01:04:54,139
 yeah you're definitely right

1973
01:04:54,139 --> 01:04:55,380
 God is pretty romantic

1974
01:04:55,380 --> 01:04:56,099
 we can see that

1975
01:04:56,099 --> 01:04:57,099
 in the wilderness as well

1976
01:04:57,099 --> 01:04:57,739
 if you ever

1977
01:04:57,739 --> 01:04:59,099
 look at a sunset

1978
01:04:59,099 --> 01:04:59,880
 or the mountains

1979
01:04:59,880 --> 01:05:00,380
 or anything

1980
01:05:00,380 --> 01:05:01,139
 you can see that

1981
01:05:01,139 --> 01:05:01,980
 he's definitely

1982
01:05:02,659 --> 01:05:04,159
 knows how to make beauty

1983
01:05:05,159 --> 01:05:06,239
 and he does want

1984
01:05:06,239 --> 01:05:07,360
 what's best for us

1985
01:05:07,900 --> 01:05:08,340
 so yeah

1986
01:05:08,340 --> 01:05:10,000
 let's bow our heads and pray

1987
01:05:10,539 --> 01:05:11,320
 Lord I

1988
01:05:12,059 --> 01:05:13,139
 thank you again

1989
01:05:13,139 --> 01:05:14,780
 for this group of men here

1990
01:05:14,780 --> 01:05:16,920
 this great brotherhood

1991
01:05:16,920 --> 01:05:17,639
 that we have

1992
01:05:17,639 --> 01:05:18,860
 we're also blessed

1993
01:05:18,860 --> 01:05:19,820
 to have each other

1994
01:05:20,380 --> 01:05:22,320
 we also thank you

1995
01:05:22,940 --> 01:05:24,019
 just for the opportunity

1996
01:05:24,019 --> 01:05:24,800
 to be able to talk

1997
01:05:24,800 --> 01:05:25,539
 about the wilderness

1998
01:05:25,539 --> 01:05:27,059
 and and have all these men

1999
01:05:27,059 --> 01:05:27,619
 share that

2000
01:05:27,619 --> 01:05:28,820
 their personal stories

2001
01:05:28,820 --> 01:05:30,400
 to help us realize

2002
01:05:30,400 --> 01:05:32,440
 that even in the most

2003
01:05:32,440 --> 01:05:34,059
 troublesome times of our lives

2004
01:05:34,059 --> 01:05:35,260
 you still speak to us

2005
01:05:35,260 --> 01:05:36,800
 you still reach out to us

2006
01:05:36,800 --> 01:05:38,119
 and sometimes it may be

2007
01:05:38,119 --> 01:05:39,039
 through a storm

2008
01:05:39,039 --> 01:05:40,380
 sometimes it may be

2009
01:05:40,380 --> 01:05:41,280
 through a fire

2010
01:05:41,280 --> 01:05:43,760
 sometimes it may be pretty loud

2011
01:05:43,760 --> 01:05:44,739
 but other times

2012
01:05:44,739 --> 01:05:46,039
 it may be quiet

2013
01:05:46,039 --> 01:05:47,239
 we do need rest

2014
01:05:47,239 --> 01:05:48,420
 we do need silence

2015
01:05:48,420 --> 01:05:49,579
 we need to be still

2016
01:05:49,579 --> 01:05:51,699
 whether we're quiet

2017
01:05:51,699 --> 01:05:52,480
 and here together

2018
01:05:52,480 --> 01:05:54,139
 just meeting as men

2019
01:05:54,139 --> 01:05:54,960
 in this congregation

2020
01:05:54,960 --> 01:05:57,000
 or we're out in the wilderness

2021
01:05:57,000 --> 01:05:57,960
 directly trying

2022
01:05:57,960 --> 01:05:59,159
 to connect with you

2023
01:05:59,159 --> 01:06:00,460
 Lord we're so blessed

2024
01:06:00,460 --> 01:06:01,320
 to just be able to have

2025
01:06:01,320 --> 01:06:01,920
 the opportunity

2026
01:06:01,920 --> 01:06:03,619
 to have this relationship

2027
01:06:03,619 --> 01:06:04,260
 with you

2028
01:06:04,260 --> 01:06:05,880
 to be your sons

2029
01:06:05,880 --> 01:06:07,239
 and we can't wait

2030
01:06:07,239 --> 01:06:07,820
 to the day

2031
01:06:07,820 --> 01:06:08,719
 that we actually

2032
01:06:08,719 --> 01:06:09,320
 get to see

2033
01:06:09,320 --> 01:06:10,119
 this next world

2034
01:06:10,119 --> 01:06:11,139
 you have in store for us

2035
01:06:11,139 --> 01:06:11,739
 and how beautiful

2036
01:06:11,739 --> 01:06:12,840
 that world

2037
01:06:12,840 --> 01:06:13,900
 really is

2038
01:06:14,699 --> 01:06:15,860
 so Lord again

2039
01:06:15,860 --> 01:06:16,440
 to thank you

2040
01:06:16,440 --> 01:06:17,840
 for all the men

2041
01:06:17,840 --> 01:06:18,739
 here in this congregation

2042
01:06:18,739 --> 01:06:19,940
 we are super blessed

2043
01:06:19,940 --> 01:06:21,599
 and we thank you

2044
01:06:21,599 --> 01:06:22,320
 for everything

2045
01:06:22,320 --> 01:06:23,159
 in your name

2046
01:06:23,159 --> 01:06:23,760
 we pray

2047
01:06:23,760 --> 01:06:24,039
 Amen

2048
01:06:37,200 --> 01:06:39,139
 Thanks for joining us

2049
01:06:39,139 --> 01:06:40,480
 at Lansdale Life Church

2050
01:06:40,480 --> 01:06:41,659
 as we praise God

2051
01:06:41,659 --> 01:06:43,019
 and discuss his word

2052
01:06:43,600 --> 01:06:44,940
 don't forget to join us

2053
01:06:44,940 --> 01:06:45,960
 for worship lives

2054
01:06:45,960 --> 01:06:46,780
 Sunday mornings

2055
01:06:46,780 --> 01:06:48,260
 at 10 a.m. eastern

2056
01:06:48,260 --> 01:06:49,199
 on YouTube

2057
01:06:50,000 --> 01:06:50,679
 be blessed

2058
01:06:50,679 --> 01:06:52,260
 and have a great day