April 10, 2025 • 17 mins
In this episode of Courageous Retirement, host Vona Johnson discusses the importance of being intentional about the issues we focus on as Christians. Inspired by a quote from a well-known comedian, Vona explores how we can shift our focus from disagreements to responding with love and understanding. She explores love, not in the worldly sense by ignoring sin, but the kind wrapped in truth and forgiveness.
She emphasizes the significance of relying on the Bible for truth and provides practical steps to ensure we walk the path Jesus would have us walk and responding to disagreements the way He would have us respond.
Vona also introduces ClubMore, an unconventional, loosely knit community of people who pledge to seek more of Christ in their lives.
Subscribe to Courageous Retirement on Vona's YouTube channel or your favorite podcast location as she encourages you to have the courage to live a life of purpose and love during this incredible retirement season.
00:00 Introduction and Meme Reflection
00:21 The Importance of Focus for Christians
00:58 Understanding Different Perspectives
04:20 The Role of the Bible in Finding Truth
06:46 Living and Sharing God's Love
13:16 Invitation to Club More
14:12 Practical Steps to Engage Faith
16:47 Conclusion and Upcoming Episode
"What is Truth?" Blog
Scripture referenced:
Luke 22: 39-53 Jesus agonizes in the Garden and is arrested
Join ClubMore at ClubMore.Live
I'd love to hear from you! Send me a text message!
Thank you for stopping by today! Remember to Engage Your Faith and Live Your More as you reap the benefits of Courageous Retirement!
To watch the video, check out my YouTube Channel!
Learn more about the show, author Vona Johnson, and more at CourageousRetirement.com!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Vona Johnson (00:00):
Recently I saw a meme.
(00:01):
It was a quote from Wanda Sykes,and although I pretty much
disagreed with everything shesaid in the post, I completely
agreed with her punchline, whichwas, we're focusing on the wrong
things.
Now, she didn't say things.
Today I'm gonna go into why.
I agree with the fact that we'refocusing on the wrong things and
(00:24):
what we as Christians can doabout that because there's a lot
of things we don't agree with inthis world.
I think we need to shift ourfocus, I look forward to sharing
with you some of the things thatGod has laid on my heart around
this topic.
Do you fear?
What lies beyond retirement?
What if it's a gateway to a lifefilled with purpose, meaning,
(00:45):
and adventure rather than anend?
Discover peace and fulfillmentas you boldly enter this new
chapter in CourageousRetirement, a Christian podcast.
I'm your host, author, and coachVona Johnson.
Let's get started.
Basically her post, the one thatgot me really fired up, said,
"until a drag queen walks into aschool and beats eight kids to
(01:06):
death with a copy of To Kill AMockingbird, I think you're
focusing on all the wrong.
I did a little bit of research,not a lot.
And I can tell you that fromwhat I've researched, this is
kind of her thing and she mustdo a whole routine on that, and
that's fine.
I think that she appeals to alot of people.
(01:26):
I personally don't agree withmany of the things that she
stands for based on the researchI did.
But that's not the point.
And actually, maybe it is thepoint because.
I think that there are peopleout there that would step back
and call her names fordisagreeing with and taking the
stances that she does ontransgenders and book bans and
(01:47):
all of those things.
And the whole point of myconversation today is I think
we're focused on the wrongthing, even though I disagree.
With her stance on those things.
I think it's really importantthat we think about how we
respond to the people that wedisagree with.
There are so many issues in theworld that we, even as
(02:08):
Christians disagree on.
Uh, we are so polarized in somany things, and we've gotten to
the point where I.
Whether, whatever side of theissue, whether it's abortion or
transgenderism, L-G-B-T-Q,books, there are so many things
that we disagree on, but I thinkwe're missing a huge opportunity
(02:30):
as we, we look at this issue.
So there's a lot of evil in thisworld, and Satan has been having
a heyday.
I think it's important torealize that his goal is to get
rid of all of us.
And if we can buy off on thelet's kill each other, then he
doesn't have to work so darnhard.
Right.
(02:50):
I think part of the problem thatis the root of all of this is
that we don't know what we don'tknow.
We all.
Believe in the things that webelieve in based on our
experiences in life.
Beginning from, from a verysmall child.
We make stories up in our heartsand in our minds about things
that are happening to us.
And then we look for thingsthat, confirm that belief about
(03:14):
ourselves and about otherthings.
Since we don't know what wedon't know, sometimes we're
believing in things that may ormay not be true.
Now, I'm gonna tell you rightnow that I would never
intentionally lie to you.
I'm always gonna tell the truth.
I'm about integrity and I'mabout truth and a lot of other
things, but those are reallyintegral into who I believe that
(03:36):
I am.
But the reality is, is that Ionly know what I've been exposed
to, but I've come to this hugerealization that in a world full
of lies and fake truth and.
Social media and the actualmedia out there trying to skew
our thoughts and, and geteverybody to buy off on what
(03:58):
they believe is true.
We have to be really careful andwe have to be careful who we
listen to.
Not only do our parents believethings that may or may not be
true, but we have church leadersand our mentors at work, and our
friends, all kinds of peoplehave been led down the wrong
path.
Shoot.
Adam and Eve were led down thewrong path from the very get go.
(04:19):
Right?
So there's only one thing, andI'm, I know that I'm preaching
to the choir here, but I've gota reason for this, but there's
only one thing that we canreally believe in, and that is
the Bible.
Now, think about that for aminute.
I think only 4% of all theChristians in the world believe
that the Bible is 100% accurate.
They go through, and they pickand choose the things that they
(04:40):
wanna believe.
Well, not only that, but it's areally big book.
So in reality.
They may not intentionally bepicking and choosing, but we
haven't been exposed to all ofthe different things that we
need.
God gives us what we need whenwe need it.
All of our experiences in lifeare accumulating to create us
into the person that he wants usto be.
(05:02):
Now we're gonna go down somewrong paths.
I've believed things that werenot correct before.
Even in my coaching journey.
There were things that I coachedon.
I was taught in my coachingcurriculum that I now look back
and go, Hmm, that was, that waskind of new age.
That was a little woo woo.
I wouldn't necessarily do thattoday.
(05:24):
But the point is, that's all Iknew at the time.
I was believing and trusting theperson, the people that were,
were training me to become thiscoach.
Now, was that a mistake?
Maybe, but I don't think so.
I think God exposes us to thingsthat may or may not be exactly
the truth because it makes usmore aware for one, and it also
(05:48):
helps us to understand otherswho may be believing things that
aren't exactly true.
So if we can buy off on andagree that the Bible is 100%
accurate, then that is where wego to for truth.
A year ago, March 27th, 2024, Iwrote a blog what is Truth, I
(06:08):
thought it was reallyinteresting because when you
think about when Jesus was goingthrough the trial, when they
took him to Pontius Pilot,Pontius Pilot, the man who was
questioning.
The word Jesus the truth.
Asked him what is truth?
It's ironic that truth wasstanding there before him.
(06:31):
Pilate asked him the question,gave him the opportunity, and
Jesus was silent.
Now, I think that there aretimes when we are gonna have the
opportunity to share the truththat we know the Bible says, and
there are gonna be times when.
I think the Holy Spirit is goingto ask us to be silent, to wait
for a better opportunity becausewhen we speak truth, we need to
(06:55):
speak truth in love, and there'snot always going to be the
opportunity to do that.
So the reality is, that we we'reall sinners.
We have our chosen sins andthere are other sins that people
are living in that we are justappalled at.
But the reality is, is thatthey're still God's children and
there's still an opportunity forthem to repent of those sins.
(07:16):
But if we that know that truthand know that don't bring them
in and love them right wherethey are and show them God's
love.
We are never gonna get acrosswith that message.
Courageous retirement isn'tabout going off and sailing
across the world or skydiving.
You heard me say this before.
Courageous retirement isspeaking truth in love to those
(07:40):
who God brings into our lives.
And those of us who have beenaround the block a few times
often have a better opportunityto speak that truth into people.
And I think we miss thatopportunity a lot.
And so I'm hoping that when youwalk away from this
conversation, you will realizethat.
The next time somebody comes toyou with a problem or you have a
(08:02):
grandchild or a child who isstruggling or have walked away.
You can love them to the pointthat they know that they can
trust you and they can come toyou with that challenge.
Or if they never come back toyou.
And sadly, there are people inthis broken world who have
separated themselves, separatedtheir lives from the, the people
(08:23):
that God gave them to help them.
But they've walked away becausethey were so offended by
something that somebody said,Satan really won there, didn't
he?
But we can pray that God willbring somebody else to share
that truth with them.
So it's like this just big woveninterconnection of all of us.
(08:44):
But if we are calling peoplenames, if we're, I mean, I've
talked about this, I've been sofrustrated on social media by
the horrible things that peopleare saying about other people
who they love.
I have read posts from peoplethat I admire greatly and have
(09:04):
been brokenhearted because ofthe things that they said about
people who believe what Ibelieve.
They didn't say it to medirectly, but they were saying
it about me because that's whatI believe.
And the hateful way that theyreacted to that piece of news or
that event, made me wannaunfriend them, made me wanna
(09:27):
cancel.
And then that would make me justexactly what they have been
doing in the world.
And there I am.
See I'm even doing it right nowand I'm trying to talk against
it, but it's they them, and weneed to.
I just want us to all take astep back and take a deep breath
and think about when we seethose comments, rather than
(09:48):
running the other way orresponding in anger, maybe we
just stop and we just pray.
But if we know God and we knowthat he is there, we know that
that's the most powerful giftand tool we have to help bring
others to him.
I always love to say that wedon't know that the person in
(10:08):
front of us that we're prayingfor might be the next Saul.
And the word that we say to themmay trigger something in their
heart, and they will turn toJesus.
They will turn to the Bible.
Not in that moment, but atanother moment.
And they might be the next Paulout there sharing with the
world.
We just don't know that.
(10:29):
So I just encourage you toreally think about the next time
you wanna re respond to a postor, or somebody in front of you
in anger and call them names.
I know nobody wants to do that,but it happens.
I just want you to again, stopand take a breath and, and
question whether that's reallythe best way to respond.
(10:50):
I just recently read this when Iwas going through some of my
devotions and I read the storyabout the agony that Jesus went
through in the garden.
He was praying and was talkingto God.
First of all.
He took a couple of hisdisciples with him and asked
them to, to stay up and watchfor them, and they kept falling
asleep.
Like, really?
(11:10):
Jesus needed them in thatmoment, and they were over there
sleeping.
But remember he was praying toGod and he was sweating blood.
He was so tormented by what heknew was coming and he was
asking God if there was any waythat.
God would take that cup fromhim.
And then a few minutes laterwhen Judas showed up with the
(11:33):
people who were going topersecute Jesus and take him to
trial, Jesus just walked up andallowed Judas to, to kiss him.
But Peter.
Remember Peter got so angry, hetook out his sword and he cut
off one of the young men's earsthere.
He responded in anger and Jesusresponded and said, no, no,
(11:56):
Peter, don't you know, he, hehealed that young man and he, he
made the comment that those thatlive by the sword will die by
the sword.
He did not want us to respond inviolence and anger.
Ironically, you know, Peter wasthen the one who denied Christ
just shortly after, and I thinkthat that's us.
(12:16):
We are, you know, we'redefending him and everything in
one minute, and the next minutewe're denying him.
And so I'm just asking you tothink about how we can let go of
some of that anger that we have.
I mean, think about it.
What if God.
He's less concerned aboutwhether we're right or wrong on
(12:37):
all these divided issues thatare out there, and he's more
concerned with how we respond tothe people that he has in front
of us.
That's a big what if, isn't it?
In my podcast, longing for More,I created 175 episodes talking
about what our soul longs for.
And then truly, you know, it'slike we try to fill these,
(12:58):
these.
Longings in our soul, ourlongings in our heart for
everything.
What really, all that our soulslong for is more.
Jesus I could tell you all thestories, but I'm not gonna tell
you them all here becausethey're, they're in those
episodes of longing for more.
But it's the basis for.
All the work that I do, I talkabout how we need to engage our
(13:19):
faith and live our more, and Iknow that there are people out
there that do long for more, andso I created Club more.
And it's really just, it's apledge and it's a pledge to seek
more of Christ in our life.
It's all about how we havesomething missing in our life.
How once we start realizing thatit's Jesus, we start to create
(13:41):
order in our life.
Then we start redefining ourpriorities to have more of Jesus
in our life, and then we startto live for our eternal purpose.
We start to live our more.
That's what it's all about.
That's what living your More is,that's what Club More is.
And if you're interested inbecoming a member of ClubMore
(14:01):
Simply go to club more.live andsubscribe to the newsletter.
I would love to have you join usin this somewhat unconventional
type club.
At the beginning I mentioned that if you stayed to
the end, I would share with youwhat I think we need to do to be
able to.
Have the courage to do whatGod's asking us to do.
(14:22):
In those moments when we maybewanna lash out, we wanna pull
out our sword and respond and,I'm just gonna say, I believe
with all my heart.
In my second book, Equipped forMore, I expand on it.
But the first three issues inEquipped for More and the first
three things I'm always gonnatell everybody to do is get in
(14:42):
the word.
That's where we're gonna meetJesus.
That's where we're gonna learnwhat he wants for us in our
life.
It's incredible how throughthose words.
We can randomly pick'em up, butthey're not random for him.
He shows this exactly what weneed when we need it.
I could give you hundreds ofexamples how he's done that for
me in the past, but be in theword, spend time in the word
(15:02):
every single day, even if it'sonly a few minutes.
Even if you find an app andlisten to it, do a devotion, it
doesn't matter.
He will lead you, but get in theword.
That's where the truth reallyis.
The second step is then to prayevery minute.
Pray without ceasing.
We can be having an ongoingconversation with Jesus all day
(15:22):
long.
So ask the Holy Spirit.
every day I ask that he willgive me wisdom to know where
he's leading me.
Discernment to know how torespond to where he is leading
me.
And the courage to take actionthere.
And I think that that's a greatthing that you could be praying
for as well.
And then the third thing that weneed to do as we're in the word
and we're praying and goingthroughout our day, is we need
(15:43):
to listen.
We need to turn off the radioand the TV and the scrolling
through the phones all day longand just.
Go for a walk in the quiet.
As you get ready for the day,just have moments of quiet and
listen to where God is speakingto you and what he's saying.
I could create a formula foreverybody, but it wouldn't be
(16:04):
for everybody because.
Every one of our paths isdifferent and God is calling
every one of us to respond to adifferent need in a different
place.
And I have this beautiful dreamof if we were all doing exactly
what God asked us to dothroughout the world, we
wouldn't have crime and evil andwe wouldn't have people that
(16:25):
were hurting because we wouldall be doing what God's will is
for us.
I know that's heaven.
We're not gonna get that here,but we who know Jesus and love
Jesus can always continue towork towards that.
So that's what Lord has beenasking me to share with you
these last few weeks.
(16:46):
In the next episode, in twoweeks, I had a beautiful
conversation with a man whotalks about.
This bullying that's happeningin the world, whether it's an
inner bullying or a bullyingamongst ourselves, I had a great
conversation with him and we aregoing to share about how we can
courageously say no to thebullying that's happening in our
(17:07):
world, and I'm excited to sharethat message with you, and hope
you'll come back for that.
In the meantime, I pray that youwill engage your faith and you
will live your more as you liveout this beautiful season of
retirement.
Thanks for stopping by.
Have a blessed week.
Recently I saw a meme.
(00:01):
It was a quote from Wanda Sykes,and although I pretty much
disagreed with everything shesaid in the post, I completely
agreed with her punchline, whichwas, we're focusing on the wrong
things.
Now, she didn't say things.
Today I'm gonna go into why.
I agree with the fact that we'refocusing on the wrong things and
(00:24):
what we as Christians can doabout that because there's a lot
of things we don't agree with inthis world.
I think we need to shift ourfocus, I look forward to sharing
with you some of the things thatGod has laid on my heart around
this topic.
Do you fear?
What lies beyond retirement?
What if it's a gateway to a lifefilled with purpose, meaning,
(00:45):
and adventure rather than anend?
Discover peace and fulfillmentas you boldly enter this new
chapter in CourageousRetirement, a Christian podcast.
I'm your host, author, and coachVona Johnson.
Let's get started.
Basically her post, the one thatgot me really fired up, said,
"until a drag queen walks into aschool and beats eight kids to
(01:06):
death with a copy of To Kill AMockingbird, I think you're
focusing on all the wrong.
I did a little bit of research,not a lot.
And I can tell you that fromwhat I've researched, this is
kind of her thing and she mustdo a whole routine on that, and
that's fine.
I think that she appeals to alot of people.
(01:26):
I personally don't agree withmany of the things that she
stands for based on the researchI did.
But that's not the point.
And actually, maybe it is thepoint because.
I think that there are peopleout there that would step back
and call her names fordisagreeing with and taking the
stances that she does ontransgenders and book bans and
(01:47):
all of those things.
And the whole point of myconversation today is I think
we're focused on the wrongthing, even though I disagree.
With her stance on those things.
I think it's really importantthat we think about how we
respond to the people that wedisagree with.
There are so many issues in theworld that we, even as
(02:08):
Christians disagree on.
Uh, we are so polarized in somany things, and we've gotten to
the point where I.
Whether, whatever side of theissue, whether it's abortion or
transgenderism, L-G-B-T-Q,books, there are so many things
that we disagree on, but I thinkwe're missing a huge opportunity
(02:30):
as we, we look at this issue.
So there's a lot of evil in thisworld, and Satan has been having
a heyday.
I think it's important torealize that his goal is to get
rid of all of us.
And if we can buy off on thelet's kill each other, then he
doesn't have to work so darnhard.
Right.
(02:50):
I think part of the problem thatis the root of all of this is
that we don't know what we don'tknow.
We all.
Believe in the things that webelieve in based on our
experiences in life.
Beginning from, from a verysmall child.
We make stories up in our heartsand in our minds about things
that are happening to us.
And then we look for thingsthat, confirm that belief about
(03:14):
ourselves and about otherthings.
Since we don't know what wedon't know, sometimes we're
believing in things that may ormay not be true.
Now, I'm gonna tell you rightnow that I would never
intentionally lie to you.
I'm always gonna tell the truth.
I'm about integrity and I'mabout truth and a lot of other
things, but those are reallyintegral into who I believe that
(03:36):
I am.
But the reality is, is that Ionly know what I've been exposed
to, but I've come to this hugerealization that in a world full
of lies and fake truth and.
Social media and the actualmedia out there trying to skew
our thoughts and, and geteverybody to buy off on what
(03:58):
they believe is true.
We have to be really careful andwe have to be careful who we
listen to.
Not only do our parents believethings that may or may not be
true, but we have church leadersand our mentors at work, and our
friends, all kinds of peoplehave been led down the wrong
path.
Shoot.
Adam and Eve were led down thewrong path from the very get go.
(04:19):
Right?
So there's only one thing, andI'm, I know that I'm preaching
to the choir here, but I've gota reason for this, but there's
only one thing that we canreally believe in, and that is
the Bible.
Now, think about that for aminute.
I think only 4% of all theChristians in the world believe
that the Bible is 100% accurate.
They go through, and they pickand choose the things that they
(04:40):
wanna believe.
Well, not only that, but it's areally big book.
So in reality.
They may not intentionally bepicking and choosing, but we
haven't been exposed to all ofthe different things that we
need.
God gives us what we need whenwe need it.
All of our experiences in lifeare accumulating to create us
into the person that he wants usto be.
(05:02):
Now we're gonna go down somewrong paths.
I've believed things that werenot correct before.
Even in my coaching journey.
There were things that I coachedon.
I was taught in my coachingcurriculum that I now look back
and go, Hmm, that was, that waskind of new age.
That was a little woo woo.
I wouldn't necessarily do thattoday.
(05:24):
But the point is, that's all Iknew at the time.
I was believing and trusting theperson, the people that were,
were training me to become thiscoach.
Now, was that a mistake?
Maybe, but I don't think so.
I think God exposes us to thingsthat may or may not be exactly
the truth because it makes usmore aware for one, and it also
(05:48):
helps us to understand otherswho may be believing things that
aren't exactly true.
So if we can buy off on andagree that the Bible is 100%
accurate, then that is where wego to for truth.
A year ago, March 27th, 2024, Iwrote a blog what is Truth, I
(06:08):
thought it was reallyinteresting because when you
think about when Jesus was goingthrough the trial, when they
took him to Pontius Pilot,Pontius Pilot, the man who was
questioning.
The word Jesus the truth.
Asked him what is truth?
It's ironic that truth wasstanding there before him.
(06:31):
Pilate asked him the question,gave him the opportunity, and
Jesus was silent.
Now, I think that there aretimes when we are gonna have the
opportunity to share the truththat we know the Bible says, and
there are gonna be times when.
I think the Holy Spirit is goingto ask us to be silent, to wait
for a better opportunity becausewhen we speak truth, we need to
(06:55):
speak truth in love, and there'snot always going to be the
opportunity to do that.
So the reality is, that we we'reall sinners.
We have our chosen sins andthere are other sins that people
are living in that we are justappalled at.
But the reality is, is thatthey're still God's children and
there's still an opportunity forthem to repent of those sins.
(07:16):
But if we that know that truthand know that don't bring them
in and love them right wherethey are and show them God's
love.
We are never gonna get acrosswith that message.
Courageous retirement isn'tabout going off and sailing
across the world or skydiving.
You heard me say this before.
Courageous retirement isspeaking truth in love to those
(07:40):
who God brings into our lives.
And those of us who have beenaround the block a few times
often have a better opportunityto speak that truth into people.
And I think we miss thatopportunity a lot.
And so I'm hoping that when youwalk away from this
conversation, you will realizethat.
The next time somebody comes toyou with a problem or you have a
(08:02):
grandchild or a child who isstruggling or have walked away.
You can love them to the pointthat they know that they can
trust you and they can come toyou with that challenge.
Or if they never come back toyou.
And sadly, there are people inthis broken world who have
separated themselves, separatedtheir lives from the, the people
(08:23):
that God gave them to help them.
But they've walked away becausethey were so offended by
something that somebody said,Satan really won there, didn't
he?
But we can pray that God willbring somebody else to share
that truth with them.
So it's like this just big woveninterconnection of all of us.
(08:44):
But if we are calling peoplenames, if we're, I mean, I've
talked about this, I've been sofrustrated on social media by
the horrible things that peopleare saying about other people
who they love.
I have read posts from peoplethat I admire greatly and have
(09:04):
been brokenhearted because ofthe things that they said about
people who believe what Ibelieve.
They didn't say it to medirectly, but they were saying
it about me because that's whatI believe.
And the hateful way that theyreacted to that piece of news or
that event, made me wannaunfriend them, made me wanna
(09:27):
cancel.
And then that would make me justexactly what they have been
doing in the world.
And there I am.
See I'm even doing it right nowand I'm trying to talk against
it, but it's they them, and weneed to.
I just want us to all take astep back and take a deep breath
and think about when we seethose comments, rather than
(09:48):
running the other way orresponding in anger, maybe we
just stop and we just pray.
But if we know God and we knowthat he is there, we know that
that's the most powerful giftand tool we have to help bring
others to him.
I always love to say that wedon't know that the person in
(10:08):
front of us that we're prayingfor might be the next Saul.
And the word that we say to themmay trigger something in their
heart, and they will turn toJesus.
They will turn to the Bible.
Not in that moment, but atanother moment.
And they might be the next Paulout there sharing with the
world.
We just don't know that.
(10:29):
So I just encourage you toreally think about the next time
you wanna re respond to a postor, or somebody in front of you
in anger and call them names.
I know nobody wants to do that,but it happens.
I just want you to again, stopand take a breath and, and
question whether that's reallythe best way to respond.
(10:50):
I just recently read this when Iwas going through some of my
devotions and I read the storyabout the agony that Jesus went
through in the garden.
He was praying and was talkingto God.
First of all.
He took a couple of hisdisciples with him and asked
them to, to stay up and watchfor them, and they kept falling
asleep.
Like, really?
(11:10):
Jesus needed them in thatmoment, and they were over there
sleeping.
But remember he was praying toGod and he was sweating blood.
He was so tormented by what heknew was coming and he was
asking God if there was any waythat.
God would take that cup fromhim.
And then a few minutes laterwhen Judas showed up with the
(11:33):
people who were going topersecute Jesus and take him to
trial, Jesus just walked up andallowed Judas to, to kiss him.
But Peter.
Remember Peter got so angry, hetook out his sword and he cut
off one of the young men's earsthere.
He responded in anger and Jesusresponded and said, no, no,
(11:56):
Peter, don't you know, he, hehealed that young man and he, he
made the comment that those thatlive by the sword will die by
the sword.
He did not want us to respond inviolence and anger.
Ironically, you know, Peter wasthen the one who denied Christ
just shortly after, and I thinkthat that's us.
(12:16):
We are, you know, we'redefending him and everything in
one minute, and the next minutewe're denying him.
And so I'm just asking you tothink about how we can let go of
some of that anger that we have.
I mean, think about it.
What if God.
He's less concerned aboutwhether we're right or wrong on
(12:37):
all these divided issues thatare out there, and he's more
concerned with how we respond tothe people that he has in front
of us.
That's a big what if, isn't it?
In my podcast, longing for More,I created 175 episodes talking
about what our soul longs for.
And then truly, you know, it'slike we try to fill these,
(12:58):
these.
Longings in our soul, ourlongings in our heart for
everything.
What really, all that our soulslong for is more.
Jesus I could tell you all thestories, but I'm not gonna tell
you them all here becausethey're, they're in those
episodes of longing for more.
But it's the basis for.
All the work that I do, I talkabout how we need to engage our
(13:19):
faith and live our more, and Iknow that there are people out
there that do long for more, andso I created Club more.
And it's really just, it's apledge and it's a pledge to seek
more of Christ in our life.
It's all about how we havesomething missing in our life.
How once we start realizing thatit's Jesus, we start to create
(13:41):
order in our life.
Then we start redefining ourpriorities to have more of Jesus
in our life, and then we startto live for our eternal purpose.
We start to live our more.
That's what it's all about.
That's what living your More is,that's what Club More is.
And if you're interested inbecoming a member of ClubMore
(14:01):
Simply go to club more.live andsubscribe to the newsletter.
I would love to have you join usin this somewhat unconventional
type club.
At the beginning I mentioned that if you stayed to
the end, I would share with youwhat I think we need to do to be
able to.
Have the courage to do whatGod's asking us to do.
(14:22):
In those moments when we maybewanna lash out, we wanna pull
out our sword and respond and,I'm just gonna say, I believe
with all my heart.
In my second book, Equipped forMore, I expand on it.
But the first three issues inEquipped for More and the first
three things I'm always gonnatell everybody to do is get in
(14:42):
the word.
That's where we're gonna meetJesus.
That's where we're gonna learnwhat he wants for us in our
life.
It's incredible how throughthose words.
We can randomly pick'em up, butthey're not random for him.
He shows this exactly what weneed when we need it.
I could give you hundreds ofexamples how he's done that for
me in the past, but be in theword, spend time in the word
(15:02):
every single day, even if it'sonly a few minutes.
Even if you find an app andlisten to it, do a devotion, it
doesn't matter.
He will lead you, but get in theword.
That's where the truth reallyis.
The second step is then to prayevery minute.
Pray without ceasing.
We can be having an ongoingconversation with Jesus all day
(15:22):
long.
So ask the Holy Spirit.
every day I ask that he willgive me wisdom to know where
he's leading me.
Discernment to know how torespond to where he is leading
me.
And the courage to take actionthere.
And I think that that's a greatthing that you could be praying
for as well.
And then the third thing that weneed to do as we're in the word
and we're praying and goingthroughout our day, is we need
(15:43):
to listen.
We need to turn off the radioand the TV and the scrolling
through the phones all day longand just.
Go for a walk in the quiet.
As you get ready for the day,just have moments of quiet and
listen to where God is speakingto you and what he's saying.
I could create a formula foreverybody, but it wouldn't be
(16:04):
for everybody because.
Every one of our paths isdifferent and God is calling
every one of us to respond to adifferent need in a different
place.
And I have this beautiful dreamof if we were all doing exactly
what God asked us to dothroughout the world, we
wouldn't have crime and evil andwe wouldn't have people that
(16:25):
were hurting because we wouldall be doing what God's will is
for us.
I know that's heaven.
We're not gonna get that here,but we who know Jesus and love
Jesus can always continue towork towards that.
So that's what Lord has beenasking me to share with you
these last few weeks.
(16:46):
In the next episode, in twoweeks, I had a beautiful
conversation with a man whotalks about.
This bullying that's happeningin the world, whether it's an
inner bullying or a bullyingamongst ourselves, I had a great
conversation with him and we aregoing to share about how we can
courageously say no to thebullying that's happening in our
(17:07):
world, and I'm excited to sharethat message with you, and hope
you'll come back for that.
In the meantime, I pray that youwill engage your faith and you
will live your more as you liveout this beautiful season of
retirement.
Thanks for stopping by.
Have a blessed week.
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