May 21, 2025 • 40 mins
In this final episode of the Where’s God? series, the Beyond Sunday team reflects on God’s rescue in the midst of overwhelm, drawing from the image of Rahab’s scarlet rope as a symbol of hope. Through honest stories, Isaiah 43, and a call to real community, they remind us that even when life feels like too much, God’s presence and power are already reaching out to pull us through.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Hello and welcome to Beyond Sunday, the podcast where
we explore the message seriesof King of Kings Church and dive
a little bit deeper into whatwe're taking Beyond Sunday.
My name is Dena Newsome and Ihave some great guests today
Always amazing.
Go ahead, introduce yourself,guys.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You go first.
I was gonna, but I went likethis, so you went first.
Okay, well, I'll go first, yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I'm Zach Zender and I'm Peter Bay.
I'm the teaching, the teachingpastor, one of them, or the one
for King of Kings campuses.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
And I'm Peter Bay and I am the campus director at our
Northwest Omaha campus Crushedit.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Can you guys do that, the whole podcast, yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I could.
I could talk as Peter For ourloyal listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
They will tell that you guys are saying the wrong
names.
They've switched places.
But I wonder how long you couldkeep it up.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Oh, I could do this all day.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
And, as Peter Bay I'd like to say, I'm still waiting
to buy a teacher a milkshakethis month.
That's right.
Which out of context, thatfeels weird to say.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
So maybe listen to a couple of weeks back on the
Beyond Sunday podcast.
Well, I was going to explainthat, peter?
Speaker 3 (01:16):
You had mentioned that by May 30th, if a teacher
sees Peter at a place where theysell chocolate shakes or any
kind of milkshake, was it that'scorrect, zach, that you would
purchase one for them?
Speaker 2 (01:29):
That is correct, zach , but I did limit it to just one
teacher.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Per family.
I said I wasn't going to buythe whole family.
Yeah, got it, got it.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
But if multiple teachers show up at the same
time, that was fair gameAbsolutely.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Or if there's two teachers in a family.
I guess we could get them both,or you could.
I don't know, zach, would yoube willing to double down on
that also, and you would offermilkshakes if anyone sees you,
but you'll buy for the wholefamily, yeah as Zach Zender,
author of the Red LetterChallenge, I will purchase a
milkshake for the entire familyIf you catch me at a place where
(02:03):
they sell milkshakes till May30th.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Thanks Zach.
No, if they catch.
I think if if they catch Zachat a milkshake place, he'd do
that.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Great.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Just imagine someone new to this.
They're like what is going on,or maybe it seems normal.
They just don't know our voices.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
They probably have turned it off by now yeah, good
point.
So this week I'm not sure ifyou guys know it's not like
National Milkshake Week, it isNational Try a Fruit and
Vegetable Day that happens thisweek.
So my question for you is whatis your favorite fruit or
(02:47):
vegetable and why?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, I've got, I will answer that, but then I've
got a follow-up question for youboth, so this, if we got you
earlier.
This is Peter.
You didn't know it, but it's meso the king of all the fruit
and this is close, I've talkedabout this a lot with people
close to me Pineapple.
(03:11):
I think pineapple is the kingof all fruit.
I do think, though, when amango is in season, it can be
the best of the fruit, but whenit's out of season, it plummets.
Vegetables asparagus.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I'm more of a fruit guy than a vegetable guy and I
would say that the fruit that Ilove the most is a kiwi, with or
without hair.
You know, if I could get itwithout hair, I'd take it.
Yeah, I would take that.
But I've also found that if youjust slice it, it's really not
(03:48):
that big of a deal, and I thinkthere's like healthy stuff in
the hair skin area?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Is there healthy stuff in everyone's hair?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I don't think so.
That's a whole, nother podcastOne fruit though that like is
kind of interesting in our homelately is the guava.
Do you guys like guava?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
I don't think I've ever seen a guava.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I'm not a big guava fan, Okay but Allison's been
buying a lot of them and theystink Like they smell bad and so
they smell in my opinion andthe other two boys agree like
body odor and so a lot of timeslately I've just seen I think
it's my oldest son, nathan, theguava which usually sits in the
(04:33):
fruit bowl on the island in thekitchen.
I've seen it just outsidemultiple times just sitting
there because Outdoors yeah,because Nathan moves it outdoors
because he can't scents are abig deal for him.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Like it smells like, even it's a Like.
It smells like it stinks, evenbefore it's opened or yeah, it
just stinks I guess I've neverhad him around that long.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
So anyway, just kind of.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Would you take a bite of the kiwi without cutting it
up, just like a hairy bite onyour?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, I would do that .
Yeah, okay, and vegetable.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
What's your?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
favorite vegetable.
Great, yeah, vegetable,favorite vegetable.
Gosh, what do I like?
I don't like a lot ofvegetables, if I'm honest with
you, but I'd probably goasparagus or Brussels sprouts,
but I want bacon, honey syrup,like something sweet with it,
(05:29):
cereal you know what I mean?
Chocolate syrup.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yeah, what are we going for here?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
A good, Brussels sprouts are, yeah, really good.
Okay, what do you got, dina?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
I'm a strawberry girl , I like strawberries and there
are not a lot of fruits that Ilike.
So, strawberries are just mygo-to Veggies.
There's many more veggies Ilike.
I like a lot of veggies, but Ithink broccoli is probably my
favorite, and when I was a kid Ihated broccoli.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
But now it's so good.
What was I thinking?
My mom knew better for so manyyears.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Well, it's a great spiritual lesson of how we can
change in life.
You know who we once were isn'twho we're going to be tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, and Strawberry Girl sounds like a song from
like the 70s.
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Okay, so here's a follow-up question.
Yeah, what's?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
your question so this is something I like and, for
all you listeners, I want you toconsider this as well.
If there is a food that youcould eliminate from your life,
that means you never have to eatit again.
I know what you're thinking.
I'm gonna don't I get to pickwhat I want to eat or not eat.
Okay, this is fictional, solike you could choose to never
(06:41):
eat this food again, but indoing so, you lose one of the
top days of your life, and byand not like my kid's graduation
day, no, it's just like like ahealthy day.
So would you be willing to losea healthy day to never have to
eat something again, and if so,what is that food for you?
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Mushrooms.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
There we go, we're in the game is is on Mushrooms.
Why that?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Oh, the smell, the texture, the taste.
I can't stand them.
There's nothing about them thatI like.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
You know, Dina, I'm going to agree with you, I'm not
a mushroom guy either.
Wow, and I think I know whatyou're going to say, pete.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
I've got several.
You could probably name a few.
Go ahead.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think you're going to go any crockpot dish.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
That wasn't the first thing on my mind, but I agree,
I would give a week of my lifeto avoid a roast in a crockpot
with carrots and potatoes.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Just thinking about it and that one bay leaf yeah it
just ticks me off.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I will say this for myself there's a few that I like
, but I think soups are veryoverrated and I get really
frustrated when someone makes medrink my meal.
Wow.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Most times.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
If you're going to give me a chili, that's okay.
I like a lobster bisque.
You know a good clam chowder,so there's several that I like,
but I don't think soup was meantto be the main staple of a meal
.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
That's quite the hot.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
take my daughter firmly believes that soup is not
a meal, it's hands down.
One of my daughters at her homehosts Soup Sundays where
everyone can come to her house.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Out of spite.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
They will make soups and you can come and eat the
soup and just hang out.
That's Soup Sunday.
My other daughter protests thatthat is not good enough because
soup is not a meal.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Kenna protests.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Your other daughter is amazing.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I knew Kenna would be the protester, because Jordan
has kids, I think.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Kenna is on to something here and again.
I know there's a lot of peoplethat like soups and that's a hot
take.
That's just my opinion and I'mfine with having my opinion and
I'm fine with you having youropinion out there.
If you like a lot of soup, cool, go for it, you can have mine.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Wow.
So you don't think peopleshould drink their meal, unless
they run into you at a placewhere they sell milkshakes and
Zach will buy one for the wholefamily.
Drink your meal on him untilMay 30th.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
That's not really a meal, that's just a dessert,
more of a dessert.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Yeah, dessert meal.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Thank you so much for coming to Food and Jesus
sponsored by King of Kings.
We'll be putting our cookbookout soon.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Let's get to the Jesus.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
That's the next book.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Yeah, Food and Jesus.
A Red Letter Cookbook.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Red Letter Eating.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Okay so in our message series.
We wrapped up our Where's Godseries this week, week five,
Where's God?
God Will you Rescue Me, andPastor Greg kind of walked us
through the last week of this.
I've really enjoyed this series.
I don't know about you guys.
It's asked some challengingquestions and, I think, made me
(09:47):
reconcile with some things in myhead.
But what are you taking beyondSunday from this message?
God will you rescue me?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Yeah, I think one thing that stood out for me was
that imagery um of that Rahaband the.
That's what?
Was it scarlet rope?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
or did she tie something?
Speaker 3 (10:11):
yeah right, scarlet rope, the hope yeah yeah, uh,
that imagery of that tied intothe blood of of Christ and uh,
yeah, that rope of of Tikva.
Uh, yeah, that rope of of Tikva, uh, the word for hope that
that stood out for me and was agreat image of like Jesus,
(10:33):
pulling me out of my challenges,but not not yanking me and
dislocating my shoulder.
But it's a gentle, except whathe endured was not gentle at all
.
So, yeah, I thought that waspowerful.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I took away that he's probably going to get some
brownie points with hismother-in-law.
If you heard the message.
He really hyped her up andkudos to Greg.
That's just a really smart moveas a preacher to elevate your
mother-in-law.
I can learn from that, and sothat's one takeaway, and
probably the second takeaway isjust kind of an overall.
(11:09):
Like he will, he has, he is, hewill rescue me, that this is
the God that we serve.
It's not a God of fleeting hopeor like I might.
No, he will.
It may not be like he said, howI want him to, but it'll be how
I need.
They are, but that feeling ofoverwhelmed.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
I just liked the consistent reassurance, through
several of the points that hemade, that we may feel
overwhelmed but we know thatGod's got us.
That was really my biggesttakeaway.
Speaking of that, can you guysshare a time that you felt
overwhelmed?
How did you deal with it?
What maybe helped you getthrough it?
(12:07):
A struggle that you had whereyou felt like you're not
treading water it's getting alittle high.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Yeah, I go through these seasons it probably hits
me three or so times a yearwhere I look at my schedule and
the next six weeks are justbrutal schedule and the next six
weeks are just brutal, um, andI get overwhelmed and I think,
um, like I'm going to, I'mreally going to hate these next
six weeks and, um, honestly, forthose it's.
(12:39):
It's kind of this thing of likeyou, just you you start going
through these weeks and you getone major thing done at a time
and you realize I'm still alive,and and then by the end of it,
um, it's, yeah, it's at the endof it, I have a tendency to be
like, oh, I survived and it wentgreat, and look back and, um,
(13:00):
I'm, I'm definitely grateful andthankful when it's done, but I
think, uh, I have.
The harder part for me islooking for when I'm looking
forward on those really justpressing into God, to be like I
know you're already there,you've already conquered these
six weeks are in your hands andto go in without fear.
(13:20):
My tendency is to get anxiousabout it and that doesn't help
with the feeling ofoverwhelm-ment, overwhelm-ness,
overwhelming, yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
The overwhelming feeling.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
There you go.
Just rephrase it there you go.
Yeah, for me, I think I wasgoing through what I felt like
was really overwhelming, let'scall it, maybe in November,
december, january was a seasonfor me and it just felt like
there was a lot of thingscolliding.
And you know there was becauseof how the year went in 2024, I
(13:58):
was forced, in my red letterside of things, that I needed to
write a manuscript for a wholenew book in 60 days, which is
super daunting, overwhelming.
On top of that there was amedical uncertainty in our
family.
On top of that there wasanother family issue that was
(14:21):
sensitive, that wasn't resolved,and on top of that there was
King of Kings launching a thirdcampus, fremont that I was kind
of becoming the point person forand it was exciting, but there
wasn't real answers on how thatwould look.
And all of those things werehappening kind of at the same
time, and I think to what Peterjust said.
(14:45):
When I looked at all of that inone you know, fell swoop, oh my
gosh, that can be crushingPractically, when I took things
day by day and built out a listof stuff to do and at the same
time, had two healthy rhythmsthat I didn't always do healthy,
(15:06):
by the way, but the two healthyrhythms would be for me to
actually just physically workout and listen to scripture or
worship song is one, and thentwo would be actually talking
about it with someone else,because sometimes the things
that I was carrying I didn'tneed to carry and someone else
(15:26):
could help with that and thatactually lightens the load.
So, anyway, that was a really,really overwhelming season that
at the front of it I was like Ijust feel like these next couple
months are going to be a slogand I didn't know if I'd make it
through.
So anyway, yeah, here I am.
(15:46):
It's May, so I did make itthrough in case you know are you
still working out?
Yeah, wow, I mean not thismoment, but you might deserve a
milkshake or some broccoli.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Are you a teacher?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
No, I'm not a teacher .
I mean, I'm a teaching pastor.
It is in his job title.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
That doesn't count.
I mean, I'm a teaching pastor.
Yeah, it is in his job titlethat doesn't count.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
How about you?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
I think the times when I feel very overwhelmed I
am not typically somebody thatgets stressed out that easily I
feel like I can handle a lot,and not always in my life, but
right now but the times I getoverwhelmed are when my personal
life has a lot, and then mywork life does too, and that's
(16:30):
when I'm like, ooh, I don't knowwhat to tackle first, or
there's not enough hours in theday.
I feel like as long as it's oneor the other, I'm okay,
balancing it because I can giveup a little of my personal time
to get the extra work done, or Ican, you know, schedule my work
around the personal obligationsor whatever needs more time.
But it's when they both kind ofare flaring up that then I feel
(16:53):
overwhelmed and my go-to isfinding somebody that just I can
talk to and unload about it too.
My best friend lives inColorado and we call each other
when we're like driving or lateat night or walking our dogs and
just kind of unload.
And sometimes she calls me andunloads her life, and sometimes
(17:14):
I call her and unload my lifeand then I just feel much better
, I can float again.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Yeah, having that person that you can talk with is
so huge in the midst of it,cause they're there to kind of
be that voice of reason for you.
And I think that sometimes whenwe get overwhelmed, we carry it
ourselves too much, and that's,that's the danger.
And if I could just close theloop on what I just said, what's
kind of neat about what all ofthose things were kind of
hanging in the balance for meand overwhelming and like I had
(17:44):
work to do, so like in the 60days, like I didn't actually set
my alarm but I, my body, wasjust waking up super early, like
at four, 35 o'clock, and I juststart writing for like two
months straight.
It was like that and that's notnormal for me.
So I don't know if that was Godor if that was just like my
body just saying, hey, get upand go.
So like that was my big pieceof it.
(18:05):
And then, like in a period ofthree days, like three of those
four things, like the manuscriptwas written, the medical
uncertainty became certain in ain a good way for us.
The family situation had areally good answer in that
moment and then a little bitlater the Fremont team would
start getting built and it'slike God doesn't always answer
all the things in our favor, butin that particular case, like
(18:28):
he did all those things, like wegot through it and like he was
faithful, it happened on histime through hard work, through
other people, through whatever.
But it is really challenging tobe going through all this stuff
and having to feel like you gotto hold onto it yourself.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
It's nice to share that burden, but we're yoked to
the King, so that is an easy outthere if we turn to Him in that
.
So, Greg, Pastor, Greg talkedabout Isaiah 43 in this.
I'm just curious how that bookspeaks to you, if there's a
piece of that that you guys likemore or that speaks to you more
(19:05):
.
Just all of Isaiah.
He didn't reference all of it.
It's a piece of that that youguys like more or that speaks to
you more.
Just all of Isaiah.
He didn't reference all of it.
It's a long chapter, but whatspeaks to you from Isaiah 43?
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Yeah, from Isaiah 43 as well, as it reminds me of
other times, like Job this comesup a lot, but God's sovereignty
, lot, but God's sovereignty andlike in Job is um, when Job
questions God and God is liketimeout, like I've I've created
the mountains, I've I've tamedthe beasts, I've like in in all
(19:37):
these things that God um has thepower to do.
And then in Isaiah 43, it's likeall the things that he has done
and what he, how he providesfor us and goes before us and
wins our battles, thatsovereignty of like God uses
things that we don't evenunderstand to his good and for
(20:02):
us to just be able to live intrust that he's got.
This he has already overcomeand because of that, I don't
have to be the best in my area,I don't have to be the flawless
(20:23):
speaker, presenter, I don't haveto um parent perfectly, he's
covered for me for eternity, andso I get to seek after him and
and do my best and when I fail,as I do, um, it's it's not the
end, because the battle's beenwon.
(20:44):
So that that reminder in Isaiah43 is like he's gone before the
battle's won, even if you're inthe midst of defeat.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
Yeah, and I think there's so much in that Isaiah
43 of stuff he's done and howbig he is and how mighty he is.
But the stuff that I thinkparallels really well in that
chapter for me is the parts thattalk about I have redeemed you,
I have summoned you by name.
You are mine, do not fear, donot be afraid, for I am with you
.
So I think that combination ofthe sovereignty and control of
(21:14):
God and yet I'm his, he's mine,so it's that perfect like kind
of balance of knowing this great, big, powerful, mighty God is
also my God and he loves me andhe's redeemed me, like that
(21:35):
guy's with me.
Like that's pretty radical tothink about that I don't need to
be facing these things on myown and my own finite power and
wisdom, these things on my ownand my own finite power and
wisdom I've got the infinitepower and infinite wisdom of god
that knows my name and loves meyeah yeah, I could walk around
with that more often, that imageit's a beautiful thing to like
(21:59):
know that god knows and loves mepersonally that yahweh.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
That Yahweh active God within my life today, and
then that I mean the scripturethat says approach the throne of
grace with confidence.
To approach God like my papaand, even though he's the ruler
(22:28):
of the universe, to enter hiscourt and not be afraid that
he's going to murder me becauseI came in unwelcome, but to
approach him and just be likeI'm hurting, I'm overwhelmed, I
can't do this and he can take it.
So to know this gives meconfidence to actually do that,
(22:48):
to find him approachable.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
It should be impossible to be overwhelmed if
we actually had those thoughtsrunning through our minds all
day and every day.
It should be, but obviouslywe're in a broken world and we
forget that and we get caught upin things and start thinking of
ourselves too highly and startmissing out on remembering that
God is big and mighty, and yetstill here.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Yeah, my image that I love from Isaiah is where it
talks about the waters will comeand they won't wash over you,
you know, and it's just themental picture of tiny me and my
big God holding me up when thewater's coming.
Because, again, that to me islike the image of overwhelming.
The flood's coming.
(23:30):
You're looking at your scheduleand it's so busy, or you know
these things are uncertain andthat water's heading your way
and you don't know what to do.
But God's got it.
You're not going to be washedaway with it because he's there
with you.
That's the one I love out ofthat.
So what do you think it is?
We talk about the isolationthat we feel when we're
(23:53):
overwhelmed.
We talk about turning tosomeone or letting unload or
feeling like we're in community.
What do you think it is aboutcommunity that is essential at
these times and that's beensomething that, as we've gone
through this series, it's beenbrought up in some way, shape or
form every week finding somesort of solace when we have pain
, when we have loss, when we'rein grief, when we aren't hearing
(24:15):
God, like being in community.
What is it about community thatyou think is essential at these
times?
Speaker 2 (24:23):
We were designed for it, we were wired for it.
So when we don't have it likesomething should feel off right.
I think the first 10 Englishwords we have I'd have to check
back and see how many Hebrewwords it actually is of God
speaking to mankind is it is notgood for the man to be alone.
It's just not good to be alone.
God designed us and wired usfor community and for connection
(24:48):
with others, and that's the wayit's been from the beginning.
And I think, specifically whenit comes with overwhelm, it is
really great to have someone tojust speak with and to share
what's going on and, again, forthem to be that voice of reason,
for them to empathize with youat times or to problem solve at
times, depending on what youknow, who you're talking to and
(25:10):
what they need.
I think sometimes we miss that,by the way, in community, in
community a community is notperfect, right.
So sometimes, like my wife'stelling me all the things that's
going on and she wants me toempathize with her and I want to
solve her problems, or viceversa.
So it's not perfect, but it'swhat we're designed for and when
it is done and lived out well,it can be a supporting voice
(25:32):
that, you know, is superimportant, that I need to hear
that I'm not alone and that someof the things I'm carrying
maybe I don't need to becarrying and they can remind me
of that truth that we justtalked about in Isaiah 43, that
can remind me of that truth thatwe just talked about in Isaiah
43 that, hey, god's big and heloves you and you're important,
but you're not that important.
(25:52):
So, like chill, I just need tohear that sometimes, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Yeah, and with that, I think, comes a challenge,
because I think that peopleoften will say how they're
nervous for the currentgeneration because of the
challenges they have, or it'sjust so different.
And I don't totally agree withthat, because I am so impressed
(26:19):
by Gen Z and Alpha, like theseare generations that are getting
after it and want to beinvolved and want to serve and
want to minister, andpassionately.
It's like Zach, you and I areboth millennials, right.
Yeah, we kind of like we werean issue.
Yeah, like our generation man,we fell off.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
We're coming back, millennials, I see you.
I see you, but for me, I do seethat the current challenges
that are a lot harder ofteninvolve isolation by the things
on our smartphones, by thecountless number of streaming
(27:00):
apps.
You know people saying like, oh, I wish I could just get away.
I heard a high school student.
I asked her so what are yougoing to do now that the school
year is done?
People saying like, oh, I wishI could just get away.
I heard a high school student.
I asked uh, asked her.
So what you're gonna do nowthat the school year's done?
She said I'm just gonna sit inmy room and try to finish tiktok
and I said what does that mean?
she said just enjoy it untilit's done, and like the thought
(27:23):
of that, I think for a lot ofpeople is like amazing, oh, I
wouldn't have to deal withanybody and I'll just like
scroll on my phone.
But the reality of that is it'salso so utterly meaningless.
And that's the current challengethat we are facing not just
youth, but adults as well, notjust youth, but adults as well
(27:51):
that I would love to urge peopleand spur them on to like cap
that time in your life, whateverthat is.
Figure out a way to spend lesstime isolated, whether it's with
your phone or streamingservices, uh, or whatever that
is and and force yourself toengage with the people around
you, first and foremost, thepeople who love you, but then
(28:14):
also the people who don't evenknow you Like put yourself in a
public situation with eyes upand a heart ready, and maybe
nothing happens.
But maybe you see someone who'sjust, you can tell they're down,
and if that happens, you don'teven have to go talk to them,
(28:37):
but pray for them in that momentand put yourself in
environments where you actuallyget that opportunity.
And then, holy Spirit, give usthe courage that, if we're moved
, we're maybe do go talk to thatperson, just say, hey, can I
help you with anything?
How are you doing?
And at first it'll be awkward,but this is where God created us
(28:59):
, for community, and the kingdomof God is all about
relationship, and so when westrip ourselves from it for that
chance to just finish TikTok, Ithink we do ourselves a lot of
harm, or, at the other side ofit, we miss out on a lot of good
.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
I'm a big Disney movie fan and one of my
favorites is WALL-E.
I don't know if you guys haveseen WALL-E and if our listeners
haven't check it out, butthere's a scene WALL-E Earth is
uninhabitable and everyone's onthis floating spaceship that
they've been on for I don't knowhow many years and they've
gotten to the point whereeverybody's just kind of
floating around on these littlefloating loungers and obsessed
(29:42):
with their screens in front ofthem, to the point that at one
point in the movie like two ofthe little Barka loungers bump
into each other and the twopeople like look up and notice
that there's other humans around.
And that's my favorite part ofthe whole thing of oh hi, you
know, like just that they hadgotten so engrossed in their
(30:05):
screens and their isolation,that they had forgotten that
they had this whole ship ofother people around, and I think
that is a danger of where a lotof our society finds a lot of
their fulfillment from theirscreens or their phones.
So, yeah, how can we just putthat down and remember that, hey
(30:29):
, there's other people here andwe can do things together, and
that's sometimes fun, yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And it is a day like it is a danger, because the more
we like don't have eyes up andjust kind of do what we want,
let's call it, whether it'sscreens or something, it doesn't
have to be screens, it could besomething else, but that's very
me focused, very self-focused,and that feels good like in the
moment, but over the long haulit's not fulfilling and it's
(30:57):
pretty, pretty lonely.
And real fulfillment comes whenyou keep those eyes up and you
start looking out and seeingthere's, there's a purpose for
me here and I'm here to helpothers, and so anyway, yeah,
it's very rewarding.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's fix your eyes on Christ,
and in order to do that, we haveto have our eyes up and see the
other people who are created inthe image of God.
I know for me.
Well, I wonder for you too.
Because, like there are, thetendency is either to like these
are both things where we focuson ourself and we're focused on
(31:32):
ourselves.
We either are like thinking ofourselves like I'm pretty
awesome and uh and I, and sothen we get into like achiever
phase, which is fine, you know.
But then the other tendency islike I'm a failure, and but both
of those have a high tendencyto just really focus on ourself
(31:52):
and, weirdly enough, neither ofthem will lead to anything that
will last.
And so that that spot in themiddle that doesn't mean that
you shouldn't achieve and workreally hard.
I wonder for you to where doyou have a tendency to?
Are you more optimism orpessimism?
(32:15):
Are you more like I'm the man,I'm the woman or I'm a failure?
Where do you guys land?
Speaker 1 (32:23):
I'm always optimistic .
I don't feel like I walk around, I'm the man, but I'm always
You're a woman.
Oh, this is well true, but Ifeel like I'm always like
waiting for the best, like I'mnot.
Oh my gosh, I'm a failure andeverything's going to poop.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Yeah, and I think for you, dina, it's because you
love to include others in yourstory.
You want that.
So that's yeah.
You have your eyes probablymore fixed in the right area
than the wrong.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
Yeah Well, and I'm always expecting the best.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
Like just in general, not just about myself, but just
always expecting this is goingto work out.
We're going to figure this out.
I'm always.
I'm not the Debbie Downer.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
That's classical strawberry girl.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Yeah, I tend to be more optimistic too, and which
is good and so.
But but where it kind of canplay out in an unhealthy way is
like cool I'm, I'm, I'm doingall these great things, so why
isn't X, y or Z happening in mylife?
Does that make sense?
Yep, so I'm optimistic, I wouldsay, for the most part.
There are times where I can getdown on myself, but, but the
(33:40):
optimism can turn even intonegativity when you start
listening to the enemy's lies orwhen you have different plans
for maybe what's happening, forwhat God wants.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
What about you, Peter ?
Speaker 3 (33:52):
Oh man, happening for what God wants.
What about you, peter?
Oh man, I am.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Yes, we're three for three on Optimus.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
I've got positive sentiment override, for sure,
but it's like I have that PSOuntil I don't, and then, man, I
can just be a downer, and itdoesn't happen too often and
even when it does, I try to fakeit so that other people aren't
affected by it.
Um, but yeah, yeah, and I canthink I have the sense to be
(34:24):
like.
People want to be around me.
They like, why wouldn't they?
They enjoy me, you know, um,and and that's maybe a
conversation for another day butI think in general and it's
okay if you are wired to be arealist or you're wired to be an
(34:45):
optimist, I mean, part of thatis how God made you, and maybe
you're just more strategic oranalytical and you're like no,
everything is crumbling and Ican see it, and that's how God
made you and you're going tohelp fix it.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
And maybe you're more like me and you're just like we
can do this, even when it'slike really hard and the realist
would be like, no, we can't, weneed to pivot.
But we need those optimisticpeople too need to pivot, you
know like, but we need thoseoptimistic people too to to spur
us on.
But either way, uh, where areour eyes fixed?
On ourself or on Christ?
And I think that's probably thebigger part of it for me.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
So any final takeaways from this God will you
rescue me message or the seriesin general.
This is the like I said thelast week of our where's God.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Tikvah.
That was a Hebrew yeah, theHebrew word for hope.
We always have hope, NT Wright.
In kind of urging people tothink about hell differently.
He said think of it less ofgnashing of teeth and flames and
(35:59):
torture and think of it more soa wasteland with no hope, with
no fruit of the spiritwhatsoever.
And that's a really devastatingthought because we can connect
with that here.
We've all felt overwhelmed atsome point.
We've all felt hopeless.
(36:19):
We've all known the person whogot the prognosis that looked
like their life is over, or whomade the mistake, or we've been
the person who's made themistake and felt like my life's
over now.
I'm hopeless.
But God would say no, youalways have hope through Christ.
(36:40):
And if anyone listening to thisdoesn't feel that, talk to
someone around you.
Don't be isolated.
And if you know a Christian,talk to someone who's carrying
that hope in Christ.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
It's good and I'll double down on that.
And since Greg got browniepoints with his mother-in-law,
I'll take some brownie pointswith my wife, allison, because
she was the one, and some peopledon't know the process of
preaching here, so this isbeyond Sunday, but there is a
before Sunday it might beanother podcast name where we
(37:16):
talk to Greg and we speak intohis message.
He shares thoughts of what he'sgoing to preach and we'll speak
into that, and similarly, when Ipreach, I'll share my thoughts
and they'll speak into that.
And when I saw that Greg wasgoing with a rope analogy, it
reminded me of the thing thatAllison taught me, which was the
tikvah.
The Hebrew word for hope isrope, but it is a sure, strong
(37:57):
something we can hold on, topull on, yank on.
That is bigger than you canthink or imagine, and so I think
, just in my overwhelm and inthis series, where's God,
knowing that I can hold on tohim, no matter what I'm going
through?
That's a big reminder for me.
So thank you for Greg forputting in the message, and
thank you for Allison forputting it before Sunday.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
I also just want to give a shout out to my wife and
mother-in-law.
Love you guys.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
Well, thank you guys for being here today and we will
be back next week with lookingat our Memorial Day weekend
message.
And until then, let's keep—Hold on Do you have a jingle.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
You asked this last time.
Do you have a sign-off?
Speaker 3 (38:43):
We did, but this is different.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
A jingle's different.
I don't have a jingle.
Do you have one?
Now, I feel like I'm going tohave to come up with one.
Did you write one?
I did.
Do you want to wing it?
All right, let's hear it.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
He's just making this up right now.
What?
Speaker 3 (38:59):
So it goes like this when you're driving in your car,
near or far, thinking aboutwhat you just heard on Sunday,
listen to this podcast and learnsome more.
It's not a chore.
Jesus loves you.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
The On Sunday.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Podcast for Humans.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Wow, that was like a combination of fun and a little
scary.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
Like Batman, Jesus loves you.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
I wish that our audience could see his eyes and
the eyebrow movement that washappening.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
I didn't even know it was going to go there, it was
great.
Beyond Sunday.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Can you come back and repeat that?
No, I can't.
All right, let's keep livingour faith beyond Sunday.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
That's the tagline there you go.
Hello and welcome to Beyond Sunday, the podcast where
we explore the message seriesof King of Kings Church and dive
a little bit deeper into whatwe're taking Beyond Sunday.
My name is Dena Newsome and Ihave some great guests today
Always amazing.
Go ahead, introduce yourself,guys.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
You go first.
I was gonna, but I went likethis, so you went first.
Okay, well, I'll go first, yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I'm Zach Zender and I'm Peter Bay.
I'm the teaching, the teachingpastor, one of them, or the one
for King of Kings campuses.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
And I'm Peter Bay and I am the campus director at our
Northwest Omaha campus Crushedit.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Can you guys do that, the whole podcast, yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I could.
I could talk as Peter For ourloyal listeners.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
They will tell that you guys are saying the wrong
names.
They've switched places.
But I wonder how long you couldkeep it up.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Oh, I could do this all day.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
And, as Peter Bay I'd like to say, I'm still waiting
to buy a teacher a milkshakethis month.
That's right.
Which out of context, thatfeels weird to say.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
So maybe listen to a couple of weeks back on the
Beyond Sunday podcast.
Well, I was going to explainthat, peter?
Speaker 3 (01:16):
You had mentioned that by May 30th, if a teacher
sees Peter at a place where theysell chocolate shakes or any
kind of milkshake, was it that'scorrect, zach, that you would
purchase one for them?
Speaker 2 (01:29):
That is correct, zach , but I did limit it to just one
teacher.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
Per family.
I said I wasn't going to buythe whole family.
Yeah, got it, got it.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
But if multiple teachers show up at the same
time, that was fair gameAbsolutely.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Or if there's two teachers in a family.
I guess we could get them both,or you could.
I don't know, zach, would yoube willing to double down on
that also, and you would offermilkshakes if anyone sees you,
but you'll buy for the wholefamily, yeah as Zach Zender,
author of the Red LetterChallenge, I will purchase a
milkshake for the entire familyIf you catch me at a place where
(02:03):
they sell milkshakes till May30th.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Thanks Zach.
No, if they catch.
I think if if they catch Zachat a milkshake place, he'd do
that.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Great.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
Just imagine someone new to this.
They're like what is going on,or maybe it seems normal.
They just don't know our voices.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
They probably have turned it off by now yeah, good
point.
So this week I'm not sure ifyou guys know it's not like
National Milkshake Week, it isNational Try a Fruit and
Vegetable Day that happens thisweek.
So my question for you is whatis your favorite fruit or
(02:47):
vegetable and why?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah, I've got, I will answer that, but then I've
got a follow-up question for youboth, so this, if we got you
earlier.
This is Peter.
You didn't know it, but it's meso the king of all the fruit
and this is close, I've talkedabout this a lot with people
close to me Pineapple.
(03:11):
I think pineapple is the kingof all fruit.
I do think, though, when amango is in season, it can be
the best of the fruit, but whenit's out of season, it plummets.
Vegetables asparagus.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
I'm more of a fruit guy than a vegetable guy and I
would say that the fruit that Ilove the most is a kiwi, with or
without hair.
You know, if I could get itwithout hair, I'd take it.
Yeah, I would take that.
But I've also found that if youjust slice it, it's really not
(03:48):
that big of a deal, and I thinkthere's like healthy stuff in
the hair skin area?
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Is there healthy stuff in everyone's hair?
Speaker 2 (03:57):
I don't think so.
That's a whole, nother podcastOne fruit though that like is
kind of interesting in our homelately is the guava.
Do you guys like guava?
Speaker 3 (04:08):
I don't think I've ever seen a guava.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
I'm not a big guava fan, Okay but Allison's been
buying a lot of them and theystink Like they smell bad and so
they smell in my opinion andthe other two boys agree like
body odor and so a lot of timeslately I've just seen I think
it's my oldest son, nathan, theguava which usually sits in the
(04:33):
fruit bowl on the island in thekitchen.
I've seen it just outsidemultiple times just sitting
there because Outdoors yeah,because Nathan moves it outdoors
because he can't scents are abig deal for him.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Like it smells like, even it's a Like.
It smells like it stinks, evenbefore it's opened or yeah, it
just stinks I guess I've neverhad him around that long.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
So anyway, just kind of.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Would you take a bite of the kiwi without cutting it
up, just like a hairy bite onyour?
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Yeah, I would do that .
Yeah, okay, and vegetable.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
What's your?
Speaker 2 (05:06):
favorite vegetable.
Great, yeah, vegetable,favorite vegetable.
Gosh, what do I like?
I don't like a lot ofvegetables, if I'm honest with
you, but I'd probably goasparagus or Brussels sprouts,
but I want bacon, honey syrup,like something sweet with it,
(05:29):
cereal you know what I mean?
Chocolate syrup.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
Yeah, what are we going for here?
Speaker 2 (05:35):
A good, Brussels sprouts are, yeah, really good.
Okay, what do you got, dina?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
I'm a strawberry girl , I like strawberries and there
are not a lot of fruits that Ilike.
So, strawberries are just mygo-to Veggies.
There's many more veggies Ilike.
I like a lot of veggies, but Ithink broccoli is probably my
favorite, and when I was a kid Ihated broccoli.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
But now it's so good.
What was I thinking?
My mom knew better for so manyyears.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
Well, it's a great spiritual lesson of how we can
change in life.
You know who we once were isn'twho we're going to be tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
Yeah, and Strawberry Girl sounds like a song from
like the 70s.
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Okay, so here's a follow-up question.
Yeah, what's?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
your question so this is something I like and, for
all you listeners, I want you toconsider this as well.
If there is a food that youcould eliminate from your life,
that means you never have to eatit again.
I know what you're thinking.
I'm gonna don't I get to pickwhat I want to eat or not eat.
Okay, this is fictional, solike you could choose to never
(06:41):
eat this food again, but indoing so, you lose one of the
top days of your life, and byand not like my kid's graduation
day, no, it's just like like ahealthy day.
So would you be willing to losea healthy day to never have to
eat something again, and if so,what is that food for you?
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Mushrooms.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
There we go, we're in the game is is on Mushrooms.
Why that?
Speaker 1 (07:06):
Oh, the smell, the texture, the taste.
I can't stand them.
There's nothing about them thatI like.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
You know, Dina, I'm going to agree with you, I'm not
a mushroom guy either.
Wow, and I think I know whatyou're going to say, pete.
Speaker 3 (07:20):
I've got several.
You could probably name a few.
Go ahead.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I think you're going to go any crockpot dish.
Speaker 3 (07:29):
That wasn't the first thing on my mind, but I agree,
I would give a week of my lifeto avoid a roast in a crockpot
with carrots and potatoes.
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Just thinking about it and that one bay leaf yeah it
just ticks me off.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
I will say this for myself there's a few that I like
, but I think soups are veryoverrated and I get really
frustrated when someone makes medrink my meal.
Wow.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Most times.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
If you're going to give me a chili, that's okay.
I like a lobster bisque.
You know a good clam chowder,so there's several that I like,
but I don't think soup was meantto be the main staple of a meal
.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
That's quite the hot.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
take my daughter firmly believes that soup is not
a meal, it's hands down.
One of my daughters at her homehosts Soup Sundays where
everyone can come to her house.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Out of spite.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
They will make soups and you can come and eat the
soup and just hang out.
That's Soup Sunday.
My other daughter protests thatthat is not good enough because
soup is not a meal.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Kenna protests.
Speaker 2 (08:36):
Your other daughter is amazing.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
I knew Kenna would be the protester, because Jordan
has kids, I think.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Kenna is on to something here and again.
I know there's a lot of peoplethat like soups and that's a hot
take.
That's just my opinion and I'mfine with having my opinion and
I'm fine with you having youropinion out there.
If you like a lot of soup, cool, go for it, you can have mine.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Wow.
So you don't think peopleshould drink their meal, unless
they run into you at a placewhere they sell milkshakes and
Zach will buy one for the wholefamily.
Drink your meal on him untilMay 30th.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
That's not really a meal, that's just a dessert,
more of a dessert.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
Yeah, dessert meal.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Thank you so much for coming to Food and Jesus
sponsored by King of Kings.
We'll be putting our cookbookout soon.
Speaker 3 (09:18):
Let's get to the Jesus.
Speaker 1 (09:19):
That's the next book.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
Yeah, Food and Jesus.
A Red Letter Cookbook.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
Red Letter Eating.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
Okay so in our message series.
We wrapped up our Where's Godseries this week, week five,
Where's God?
God Will you Rescue Me, andPastor Greg kind of walked us
through the last week of this.
I've really enjoyed this series.
I don't know about you guys.
It's asked some challengingquestions and, I think, made me
(09:47):
reconcile with some things in myhead.
But what are you taking beyondSunday from this message?
God will you rescue me?
Speaker 3 (09:58):
Yeah, I think one thing that stood out for me was
that imagery um of that Rahaband the.
That's what?
Was it scarlet rope?
Speaker 1 (10:09):
or did she tie something?
Speaker 3 (10:11):
yeah right, scarlet rope, the hope yeah yeah, uh,
that imagery of that tied intothe blood of of Christ and uh,
yeah, that rope of of Tikva.
Uh, yeah, that rope of of Tikva, uh, the word for hope that
that stood out for me and was agreat image of like Jesus,
(10:33):
pulling me out of my challenges,but not not yanking me and
dislocating my shoulder.
But it's a gentle, except whathe endured was not gentle at all
.
So, yeah, I thought that waspowerful.
Speaker 2 (10:48):
I took away that he's probably going to get some
brownie points with hismother-in-law.
If you heard the message.
He really hyped her up andkudos to Greg.
That's just a really smart moveas a preacher to elevate your
mother-in-law.
I can learn from that, and sothat's one takeaway, and
probably the second takeaway isjust kind of an overall.
(11:09):
Like he will, he has, he is, hewill rescue me, that this is
the God that we serve.
It's not a God of fleeting hopeor like I might.
No, he will.
It may not be like he said, howI want him to, but it'll be how
I need.
They are, but that feeling ofoverwhelmed.
Speaker 1 (11:46):
I just liked the consistent reassurance, through
several of the points that hemade, that we may feel
overwhelmed but we know thatGod's got us.
That was really my biggesttakeaway.
Speaking of that, can you guysshare a time that you felt
overwhelmed?
How did you deal with it?
What maybe helped you getthrough it?
(12:07):
A struggle that you had whereyou felt like you're not
treading water it's getting alittle high.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
Yeah, I go through these seasons it probably hits
me three or so times a yearwhere I look at my schedule and
the next six weeks are justbrutal schedule and the next six
weeks are just brutal, um, andI get overwhelmed and I think,
um, like I'm going to, I'mreally going to hate these next
six weeks and, um, honestly, forthose it's.
(12:39):
It's kind of this thing of likeyou, just you you start going
through these weeks and you getone major thing done at a time
and you realize I'm still alive,and and then by the end of it,
um, it's, yeah, it's at the endof it, I have a tendency to be
like, oh, I survived and it wentgreat, and look back and, um,
(13:00):
I'm, I'm definitely grateful andthankful when it's done, but I
think, uh, I have.
The harder part for me islooking for when I'm looking
forward on those really justpressing into God, to be like I
know you're already there,you've already conquered these
six weeks are in your hands andto go in without fear.
(13:20):
My tendency is to get anxiousabout it and that doesn't help
with the feeling ofoverwhelm-ment, overwhelm-ness,
overwhelming, yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
The overwhelming feeling.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
There you go.
Just rephrase it there you go.
Yeah, for me, I think I wasgoing through what I felt like
was really overwhelming, let'scall it, maybe in November,
december, january was a seasonfor me and it just felt like
there was a lot of thingscolliding.
And you know there was becauseof how the year went in 2024, I
(13:58):
was forced, in my red letterside of things, that I needed to
write a manuscript for a wholenew book in 60 days, which is
super daunting, overwhelming.
On top of that there was amedical uncertainty in our
family.
On top of that there wasanother family issue that was
(14:21):
sensitive, that wasn't resolved,and on top of that there was
King of Kings launching a thirdcampus, fremont that I was kind
of becoming the point person forand it was exciting, but there
wasn't real answers on how thatwould look.
And all of those things werehappening kind of at the same
time, and I think to what Peterjust said.
(14:45):
When I looked at all of that inone you know, fell swoop, oh my
gosh, that can be crushingPractically, when I took things
day by day and built out a listof stuff to do and at the same
time, had two healthy rhythmsthat I didn't always do healthy,
(15:06):
by the way, but the two healthyrhythms would be for me to
actually just physically workout and listen to scripture or
worship song is one, and thentwo would be actually talking
about it with someone else,because sometimes the things
that I was carrying I didn'tneed to carry and someone else
(15:26):
could help with that and thatactually lightens the load.
So, anyway, that was a really,really overwhelming season that
at the front of it I was like Ijust feel like these next couple
months are going to be a slogand I didn't know if I'd make it
through.
So anyway, yeah, here I am.
(15:46):
It's May, so I did make itthrough in case you know are you
still working out?
Yeah, wow, I mean not thismoment, but you might deserve a
milkshake or some broccoli.
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Are you a teacher?
Speaker 2 (16:01):
No, I'm not a teacher .
I mean, I'm a teaching pastor.
It is in his job title.
Speaker 1 (16:03):
That doesn't count.
I mean, I'm a teaching pastor.
Yeah, it is in his job titlethat doesn't count.
Speaker 2 (16:09):
How about you?
Speaker 1 (16:09):
I think the times when I feel very overwhelmed I
am not typically somebody thatgets stressed out that easily I
feel like I can handle a lot,and not always in my life, but
right now but the times I getoverwhelmed are when my personal
life has a lot, and then mywork life does too, and that's
(16:30):
when I'm like, ooh, I don't knowwhat to tackle first, or
there's not enough hours in theday.
I feel like as long as it's oneor the other, I'm okay,
balancing it because I can giveup a little of my personal time
to get the extra work done, or Ican, you know, schedule my work
around the personal obligationsor whatever needs more time.
But it's when they both kind ofare flaring up that then I feel
(16:53):
overwhelmed and my go-to isfinding somebody that just I can
talk to and unload about it too.
My best friend lives inColorado and we call each other
when we're like driving or lateat night or walking our dogs and
just kind of unload.
And sometimes she calls me andunloads her life, and sometimes
(17:14):
I call her and unload my lifeand then I just feel much better
, I can float again.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
Yeah, having that person that you can talk with is
so huge in the midst of it,cause they're there to kind of
be that voice of reason for you.
And I think that sometimes whenwe get overwhelmed, we carry it
ourselves too much, and that's,that's the danger.
And if I could just close theloop on what I just said, what's
kind of neat about what all ofthose things were kind of
hanging in the balance for meand overwhelming and like I had
(17:44):
work to do, so like in the 60days, like I didn't actually set
my alarm but I, my body, wasjust waking up super early, like
at four, 35 o'clock, and I juststart writing for like two
months straight.
It was like that and that's notnormal for me.
So I don't know if that was Godor if that was just like my
body just saying, hey, get upand go.
So like that was my big pieceof it.
(18:05):
And then, like in a period ofthree days, like three of those
four things, like the manuscriptwas written, the medical
uncertainty became certain in ain a good way for us.
The family situation had areally good answer in that
moment and then a little bitlater the Fremont team would
start getting built and it'slike God doesn't always answer
all the things in our favor, butin that particular case, like
(18:28):
he did all those things, like wegot through it and like he was
faithful, it happened on histime through hard work, through
other people, through whatever.
But it is really challenging tobe going through all this stuff
and having to feel like you gotto hold onto it yourself.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
It's nice to share that burden, but we're yoked to
the King, so that is an easy outthere if we turn to Him in that
.
So, Greg, Pastor, Greg talkedabout Isaiah 43 in this.
I'm just curious how that bookspeaks to you, if there's a
piece of that that you guys likemore or that speaks to you more
(19:05):
.
Just all of Isaiah.
He didn't reference all of it.
It's a piece of that that youguys like more or that speaks to
you more.
Just all of Isaiah.
He didn't reference all of it.
It's a long chapter, but whatspeaks to you from Isaiah 43?
Speaker 3 (19:15):
Yeah, from Isaiah 43 as well, as it reminds me of
other times, like Job this comesup a lot, but God's sovereignty
, lot, but God's sovereignty andlike in Job is um, when Job
questions God and God is liketimeout, like I've I've created
the mountains, I've I've tamedthe beasts, I've like in in all
(19:37):
these things that God um has thepower to do.
And then in Isaiah 43, it's likeall the things that he has done
and what he, how he providesfor us and goes before us and
wins our battles, thatsovereignty of like God uses
things that we don't evenunderstand to his good and for
(20:02):
us to just be able to live intrust that he's got.
This he has already overcomeand because of that, I don't
have to be the best in my area,I don't have to be the flawless
(20:23):
speaker, presenter, I don't haveto um parent perfectly, he's
covered for me for eternity, andso I get to seek after him and
and do my best and when I fail,as I do, um, it's it's not the
end, because the battle's beenwon.
(20:44):
So that that reminder in Isaiah43 is like he's gone before the
battle's won, even if you're inthe midst of defeat.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
Yeah, and I think there's so much in that Isaiah
43 of stuff he's done and howbig he is and how mighty he is.
But the stuff that I thinkparallels really well in that
chapter for me is the parts thattalk about I have redeemed you,
I have summoned you by name.
You are mine, do not fear, donot be afraid, for I am with you
.
So I think that combination ofthe sovereignty and control of
(21:14):
God and yet I'm his, he's mine,so it's that perfect like kind
of balance of knowing this great, big, powerful, mighty God is
also my God and he loves me andhe's redeemed me, like that
(21:35):
guy's with me.
Like that's pretty radical tothink about that I don't need to
be facing these things on myown and my own finite power and
wisdom, these things on my ownand my own finite power and
wisdom I've got the infinitepower and infinite wisdom of god
that knows my name and loves meyeah yeah, I could walk around
with that more often, that imageit's a beautiful thing to like
(21:59):
know that god knows and loves mepersonally that yahweh.
Speaker 3 (22:02):
That Yahweh active God within my life today, and
then that I mean the scripturethat says approach the throne of
grace with confidence.
To approach God like my papaand, even though he's the ruler
(22:28):
of the universe, to enter hiscourt and not be afraid that
he's going to murder me becauseI came in unwelcome, but to
approach him and just be likeI'm hurting, I'm overwhelmed, I
can't do this and he can take it.
So to know this gives meconfidence to actually do that,
(22:48):
to find him approachable.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
It should be impossible to be overwhelmed if
we actually had those thoughtsrunning through our minds all
day and every day.
It should be, but obviouslywe're in a broken world and we
forget that and we get caught upin things and start thinking of
ourselves too highly and startmissing out on remembering that
God is big and mighty, and yetstill here.
Speaker 1 (23:10):
Yeah, my image that I love from Isaiah is where it
talks about the waters will comeand they won't wash over you,
you know, and it's just themental picture of tiny me and my
big God holding me up when thewater's coming.
Because, again, that to me islike the image of overwhelming.
The flood's coming.
(23:30):
You're looking at your scheduleand it's so busy, or you know
these things are uncertain andthat water's heading your way
and you don't know what to do.
But God's got it.
You're not going to be washedaway with it because he's there
with you.
That's the one I love out ofthat.
So what do you think it is?
We talk about the isolationthat we feel when we're
(23:53):
overwhelmed.
We talk about turning tosomeone or letting unload or
feeling like we're in community.
What do you think it is aboutcommunity that is essential at
these times and that's beensomething that, as we've gone
through this series, it's beenbrought up in some way, shape or
form every week finding somesort of solace when we have pain
, when we have loss, when we'rein grief, when we aren't hearing
(24:15):
God, like being in community.
What is it about community thatyou think is essential at these
times?
Speaker 2 (24:23):
We were designed for it, we were wired for it.
So when we don't have it likesomething should feel off right.
I think the first 10 Englishwords we have I'd have to check
back and see how many Hebrewwords it actually is of God
speaking to mankind is it is notgood for the man to be alone.
It's just not good to be alone.
God designed us and wired usfor community and for connection
(24:48):
with others, and that's the wayit's been from the beginning.
And I think, specifically whenit comes with overwhelm, it is
really great to have someone tojust speak with and to share
what's going on and, again, forthem to be that voice of reason,
for them to empathize with youat times or to problem solve at
times, depending on what youknow, who you're talking to and
(25:10):
what they need.
I think sometimes we miss that,by the way, in community, in
community a community is notperfect, right.
So sometimes, like my wife'stelling me all the things that's
going on and she wants me toempathize with her and I want to
solve her problems, or viceversa.
So it's not perfect, but it'swhat we're designed for and when
it is done and lived out well,it can be a supporting voice
(25:32):
that, you know, is superimportant, that I need to hear
that I'm not alone and that someof the things I'm carrying
maybe I don't need to becarrying and they can remind me
of that truth that we justtalked about in Isaiah 43, that
can remind me of that truth thatwe just talked about in Isaiah
43 that, hey, god's big and heloves you and you're important,
but you're not that important.
(25:52):
So, like chill, I just need tohear that sometimes, you know.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Yeah, and with that, I think, comes a challenge,
because I think that peopleoften will say how they're
nervous for the currentgeneration because of the
challenges they have, or it'sjust so different.
And I don't totally agree withthat, because I am so impressed
(26:19):
by Gen Z and Alpha, like theseare generations that are getting
after it and want to beinvolved and want to serve and
want to minister, andpassionately.
It's like Zach, you and I areboth millennials, right.
Yeah, we kind of like we werean issue.
Yeah, like our generation man,we fell off.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:40):
We're coming back, millennials, I see you.
I see you, but for me, I do seethat the current challenges
that are a lot harder ofteninvolve isolation by the things
on our smartphones, by thecountless number of streaming
(27:00):
apps.
You know people saying like, oh, I wish I could just get away.
I heard a high school student.
I asked her so what are yougoing to do now that the school
year is done?
People saying like, oh, I wishI could just get away.
I heard a high school student.
I asked uh, asked her.
So what you're gonna do nowthat the school year's done?
She said I'm just gonna sit inmy room and try to finish tiktok
and I said what does that mean?
she said just enjoy it untilit's done, and like the thought
(27:23):
of that, I think for a lot ofpeople is like amazing, oh, I
wouldn't have to deal withanybody and I'll just like
scroll on my phone.
But the reality of that is it'salso so utterly meaningless.
And that's the current challengethat we are facing not just
youth, but adults as well, notjust youth, but adults as well
(27:51):
that I would love to urge peopleand spur them on to like cap
that time in your life, whateverthat is.
Figure out a way to spend lesstime isolated, whether it's with
your phone or streamingservices, uh, or whatever that
is and and force yourself toengage with the people around
you, first and foremost, thepeople who love you, but then
(28:14):
also the people who don't evenknow you Like put yourself in a
public situation with eyes upand a heart ready, and maybe
nothing happens.
But maybe you see someone who'sjust, you can tell they're down,
and if that happens, you don'teven have to go talk to them,
(28:37):
but pray for them in that momentand put yourself in
environments where you actuallyget that opportunity.
And then, holy Spirit, give usthe courage that, if we're moved
, we're maybe do go talk to thatperson, just say, hey, can I
help you with anything?
How are you doing?
And at first it'll be awkward,but this is where God created us
(28:59):
, for community, and the kingdomof God is all about
relationship, and so when westrip ourselves from it for that
chance to just finish TikTok, Ithink we do ourselves a lot of
harm, or, at the other side ofit, we miss out on a lot of good
.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
I'm a big Disney movie fan and one of my
favorites is WALL-E.
I don't know if you guys haveseen WALL-E and if our listeners
haven't check it out, butthere's a scene WALL-E Earth is
uninhabitable and everyone's onthis floating spaceship that
they've been on for I don't knowhow many years and they've
gotten to the point whereeverybody's just kind of
floating around on these littlefloating loungers and obsessed
(29:42):
with their screens in front ofthem, to the point that at one
point in the movie like two ofthe little Barka loungers bump
into each other and the twopeople like look up and notice
that there's other humans around.
And that's my favorite part ofthe whole thing of oh hi, you
know, like just that they hadgotten so engrossed in their
(30:05):
screens and their isolation,that they had forgotten that
they had this whole ship ofother people around, and I think
that is a danger of where a lotof our society finds a lot of
their fulfillment from theirscreens or their phones.
So, yeah, how can we just putthat down and remember that, hey
(30:29):
, there's other people here andwe can do things together, and
that's sometimes fun, yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:36):
And it is a day like it is a danger, because the more
we like don't have eyes up andjust kind of do what we want,
let's call it, whether it'sscreens or something, it doesn't
have to be screens, it could besomething else, but that's very
me focused, very self-focused,and that feels good like in the
moment, but over the long haulit's not fulfilling and it's
(30:57):
pretty, pretty lonely.
And real fulfillment comes whenyou keep those eyes up and you
start looking out and seeingthere's, there's a purpose for
me here and I'm here to helpothers, and so anyway, yeah,
it's very rewarding.
Speaker 3 (31:12):
Yeah, yeah, I mean it's fix your eyes on Christ,
and in order to do that, we haveto have our eyes up and see the
other people who are created inthe image of God.
I know for me.
Well, I wonder for you too.
Because, like there are, thetendency is either to like these
are both things where we focuson ourself and we're focused on
(31:32):
ourselves.
We either are like thinking ofourselves like I'm pretty
awesome and uh and I, and sothen we get into like achiever
phase, which is fine, you know.
But then the other tendency islike I'm a failure, and but both
of those have a high tendencyto just really focus on ourself
(31:52):
and, weirdly enough, neither ofthem will lead to anything that
will last.
And so that that spot in themiddle that doesn't mean that
you shouldn't achieve and workreally hard.
I wonder for you to where doyou have a tendency to?
Are you more optimism orpessimism?
(32:15):
Are you more like I'm the man,I'm the woman or I'm a failure?
Where do you guys land?
Speaker 1 (32:23):
I'm always optimistic .
I don't feel like I walk around, I'm the man, but I'm always
You're a woman.
Oh, this is well true, but Ifeel like I'm always like
waiting for the best, like I'mnot.
Oh my gosh, I'm a failure andeverything's going to poop.
Speaker 3 (32:46):
Yeah, and I think for you, dina, it's because you
love to include others in yourstory.
You want that.
So that's yeah.
You have your eyes probablymore fixed in the right area
than the wrong.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
Yeah Well, and I'm always expecting the best.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
Like just in general, not just about myself, but just
always expecting this is goingto work out.
We're going to figure this out.
I'm always.
I'm not the Debbie Downer.
Speaker 3 (33:14):
That's classical strawberry girl.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (33:17):
Yeah, I tend to be more optimistic too, and which
is good and so.
But but where it kind of canplay out in an unhealthy way is
like cool I'm, I'm, I'm doingall these great things, so why
isn't X, y or Z happening in mylife?
Does that make sense?
Yep, so I'm optimistic, I wouldsay, for the most part.
There are times where I can getdown on myself, but, but the
(33:40):
optimism can turn even intonegativity when you start
listening to the enemy's lies orwhen you have different plans
for maybe what's happening, forwhat God wants.
Speaker 1 (33:50):
What about you, Peter ?
Speaker 3 (33:52):
Oh man, happening for what God wants.
What about you, peter?
Oh man, I am.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Yes, we're three for three on Optimus.
Speaker 3 (34:00):
I've got positive sentiment override, for sure,
but it's like I have that PSOuntil I don't, and then, man, I
can just be a downer, and itdoesn't happen too often and
even when it does, I try to fakeit so that other people aren't
affected by it.
Um, but yeah, yeah, and I canthink I have the sense to be
(34:24):
like.
People want to be around me.
They like, why wouldn't they?
They enjoy me, you know, um,and and that's maybe a
conversation for another day butI think in general and it's
okay if you are wired to be arealist or you're wired to be an
(34:45):
optimist, I mean, part of thatis how God made you, and maybe
you're just more strategic oranalytical and you're like no,
everything is crumbling and Ican see it, and that's how God
made you and you're going tohelp fix it.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (35:01):
And maybe you're more like me and you're just like we
can do this, even when it'slike really hard and the realist
would be like, no, we can't, weneed to pivot.
But we need those optimisticpeople too need to pivot, you
know like, but we need thoseoptimistic people too to to spur
us on.
But either way, uh, where areour eyes fixed?
On ourself or on Christ?
And I think that's probably thebigger part of it for me.
Speaker 1 (35:25):
So any final takeaways from this God will you
rescue me message or the seriesin general.
This is the like I said thelast week of our where's God.
Speaker 3 (35:37):
Tikvah.
That was a Hebrew yeah, theHebrew word for hope.
We always have hope, NT Wright.
In kind of urging people tothink about hell differently.
He said think of it less ofgnashing of teeth and flames and
(35:59):
torture and think of it more soa wasteland with no hope, with
no fruit of the spiritwhatsoever.
And that's a really devastatingthought because we can connect
with that here.
We've all felt overwhelmed atsome point.
We've all felt hopeless.
(36:19):
We've all known the person whogot the prognosis that looked
like their life is over, or whomade the mistake, or we've been
the person who's made themistake and felt like my life's
over now.
I'm hopeless.
But God would say no, youalways have hope through Christ.
(36:40):
And if anyone listening to thisdoesn't feel that, talk to
someone around you.
Don't be isolated.
And if you know a Christian,talk to someone who's carrying
that hope in Christ.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
It's good and I'll double down on that.
And since Greg got browniepoints with his mother-in-law,
I'll take some brownie pointswith my wife, allison, because
she was the one, and some peopledon't know the process of
preaching here, so this isbeyond Sunday, but there is a
before Sunday it might beanother podcast name where we
(37:16):
talk to Greg and we speak intohis message.
He shares thoughts of what he'sgoing to preach and we'll speak
into that, and similarly, when Ipreach, I'll share my thoughts
and they'll speak into that.
And when I saw that Greg wasgoing with a rope analogy, it
reminded me of the thing thatAllison taught me, which was the
tikvah.
The Hebrew word for hope isrope, but it is a sure, strong
(37:57):
something we can hold on, topull on, yank on.
That is bigger than you canthink or imagine, and so I think
, just in my overwhelm and inthis series, where's God,
knowing that I can hold on tohim, no matter what I'm going
through?
That's a big reminder for me.
So thank you for Greg forputting in the message, and
thank you for Allison forputting it before Sunday.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
I also just want to give a shout out to my wife and
mother-in-law.
Love you guys.
Speaker 1 (38:27):
Well, thank you guys for being here today and we will
be back next week with lookingat our Memorial Day weekend
message.
And until then, let's keep—Hold on Do you have a jingle.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
You asked this last time.
Do you have a sign-off?
Speaker 3 (38:43):
We did, but this is different.
Speaker 1 (38:45):
A jingle's different.
I don't have a jingle.
Do you have one?
Now, I feel like I'm going tohave to come up with one.
Did you write one?
I did.
Do you want to wing it?
All right, let's hear it.
Speaker 3 (38:53):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (38:55):
He's just making this up right now.
What?
Speaker 3 (38:59):
So it goes like this when you're driving in your car,
near or far, thinking aboutwhat you just heard on Sunday,
listen to this podcast and learnsome more.
It's not a chore.
Jesus loves you.
Speaker 1 (39:20):
The On Sunday.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Podcast for Humans.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (39:25):
Wow, that was like a combination of fun and a little
scary.
Speaker 3 (39:31):
Like Batman, Jesus loves you.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
I wish that our audience could see his eyes and
the eyebrow movement that washappening.
Speaker 3 (39:38):
I didn't even know it was going to go there, it was
great.
Beyond Sunday.
Speaker 1 (39:44):
Can you come back and repeat that?
No, I can't.
All right, let's keep livingour faith beyond Sunday.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
That's the tagline there you go.
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