March 7, 2025 • 34 mins
Dive into an enlightening discussion on the importance of authentic community among men and the struggles that often lead us to a deeper connection with ourselves, others and God. In this episode, we explore how isolation can create an illusion of strength and independence, but ultimately, it is the bonds forged through shared experiences that empower us to thrive. We unpack the idea that wrestling with our faith isn't just a personal journey, but a collective experience that is best navigated within the warmth of a supportive Christian community.
Get ready to hear real-life stories of men who have faced their challenges head-on, learned to lean on one another, and discovered the life-changing power of accountability and openness. We encourage listeners to embrace discomfort and continually ask God what He is teaching you through your circumstances. The conversation serves as a reminder that we are not alone in this journey; we are called to lift each other up and work towards healing together.
Join us for this powerful exploration, and don't forget to share your thoughts and experiences. We'd love to hear from you! Subscribe, and follow us as we continue to build a symphony of support and encouragement in the foxhole.
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Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Foxhole Symphony, a podcast about the
transformational value of men inauthentic community.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
In our foxhole.
Men are equipped to buildrelationships that foster
belonging, accountability andgrowth.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Stop believing the lie that you can thrive in
isolation and instead join us onthe journey from broken to
whole.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Hello everyone.
They call me the maestro and weare back in the foxhole where
we actively pursue belonging,accountability and growth
through authentic relationships.
No masks, no agendas, just iron, sharpening iron.
Steve and Mark are in thefoxhole today and they are
digging in for round two.
You know what time it is?
(00:48):
Get comfortable, open yournotes app and let's get this
symphony started.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Welcome back to Foxhole Symphony Podcast.
I'm Sarge here with my goodfriend Mark.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I'm good brother.
How are you?
I'm always glad to see you withthe palm tree swaying in the
background.
You dog.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Yes, you as well.
Good, we had we're coming offan incredible episode with Josh
Ugalde, duro, duro, duro, and weare we're going to have part
two, you know, part two ofwrestling with God, and it's
just interesting, right, how Godworks.
(01:26):
I mean, we have this, you know,this great conversation with
Josh, and then we find ourselvesin the midst of scriptures and
a devotional, you know, and, andall these different things.
God's talking to us aboutstaying in the fight, right, and
, and, and, and wrestling withGod, and, and, of course, you
(01:46):
know the circumstances of ourlives.
So God's up to something.
Let's jump in and, you know,let's maybe start with, I guess,
some, some things going on,right, I mean, let's talk a
little bit about the fights thatwe're in and what's happening,
and then we can maybe jump to,you know, some scripture and
(02:08):
devotional thoughts and seewhere God takes us.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
I'm in with you, but isn't there like a, even a
monopoly?
You can, you know, go aroundjail, right?
You get a, a do not pass, go,do not right.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Get out of jail free.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, can I don't?
Don't we get one of those?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
as believers.
No, sorry, do not pass go, donot collect 200 straight to jail
, bro um I went isn't there likea gold willie wonka golden
ticket, right, isn't there?
Speaker 1 (02:39):
yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
you know, yeah, I mean, if only life were that way
.
And yet, god's in it all.
Right, god is in it all.
And you know, particularly inthe fight, and he, he, he brings
us right where he needs us,right where he wants us.
Uh, and that is either to workin our own hearts or to use us
(03:00):
to impact others, right?
And so, um, you know, we, weknow that to be true, we've
experienced that and even areexperiencing that now, aren't we
?
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, the fight of our lives, right?
I mean, josh was great and hisperspective, I think, was
beautiful.
I hope, you know, peopleappreciated that as much as we
did.
And here we are.
Um, I think it's appropriate tosay that this is different for
every man.
We all have different tolerancelevels for the fight, for the
stress, for the anxiety, theuncertainty, the fear, the doubt
(03:31):
, whatever it is that'sattacking us or coming at us,
and some of it's worldly and allof it is of the enemy, in my
opinion, who wants to distractus and keep us from being
effective fighters for God,because there's so much to do
for him.
But while I, you know, I havetried to end every one of these
(03:53):
87 episodes with one word whatis it?
Peace, right, right, and Idon't say it lightly, it is a
quest.
Shalom, shalom, right.
I'm in it for wanting that foryou, for me, for anyone
listening, both of you.
Peace matters in what we do.
(04:16):
I think, after processing thistoday and, as you mentioned,
wrestling with it, I'm a littlespoiled.
I don't think I've been in agood fight lately.
So, okay, I it, I'm a littlespoiled, you know, I don't think
I've been in a good fightlately, so, okay, I mean I'm,
I'm willing to admit that.
You know I haven't, you know,sold everything and gone to
Africa.
You know I haven't done anystreet evangelism lately,
(04:39):
whatever it is that's.
That's a little stressful,although street evangelism
wouldn't be stressful for me atall but I haven't really reached
out there and put myself on theline like you have in the
stress that you have.
But I, I do have worldly thingsgoing on around me now that are
(05:00):
trying man, they're, they'redistracting, they're dark, yeah,
and're dark yeah, and you knowthey're out of my control, out
of my control and I have beenspent.
I spent the last two, threeweeks just trying to give the
Heisman to this whole situation,going la, la, la la, can't see
you, can't hear you, to stayover there, right, and it's been
(05:22):
mildly effective.
I mean, I was sick for a bit ofit, um, I was had other
distractions, you know, goodones at work and things like
that.
But, as you mentioned earlier,I got hit right between the eyes
by our friend Justin camp, whotends to either hit me in the
solar plexus or right there,right on the noggin right,
(05:45):
justin said ever been in themiddle of something tough,
prayed for rescue and heardnothing, ever questioned God.
Why aren't you rescuing me?
And without going into detailright now, justin basically says
take a deep breath.
You might be exactly where Godwants you.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah, that's, that's a tough pill, bro.
Yeah, well, it's interesting.
(06:36):
You were talking about peaceearlier.
Right, peace be still Right.
And uh, in the midst of thestorm, in the midst of the storm
, and, um, you know, we me drawnear to me, right, right, um,
and so you know, uh, some stormsof our, of our own making, you
know, and and and others, uh,are, are, you know, uh, god led
(07:04):
right, I mean, I you again thatjust the red sea moments, red
sea seasons, like you and I'vetalked about, right, like you
know, the Israelites, I mean,you know, following the pillar
of fire, following God, like youknow, to the promised land, and
not the direct route, right,the indirect route, you know, to
the edge of the red sea, whereyou know the armies are
breathing down their neck andthey're going to, they're going
(07:25):
to, they're toast right, onlyfor God to reveal his power and
glory, and you know majesty andlove and all the things, and the
parting of the sea.
And so you know, man, that'sour God, that's our God, right
and and so working in andthrough it all, um, for his
(07:50):
purposes and for his glory.
And so we were foolish to thinkthat he's not in it, right,
like God, why.
You know why me, why this, likeI mean, of course, that's human
nature, but to acknowledge youknow it's, it's like God, where
(08:11):
are you?
Well, right there, right, rightthere with us.
You know exactly where he'sbrought us, exactly where he's
led us.
We're asking the wrong questions.
I sometimes ask the wrongquestions, not why am I here, or
(08:31):
how did you get me here, orwhere are you, but what is it
you want to do through this?
What are you doing?
You know, and that was, andI'll be honest, not because of
any you know, wisdom or orenlightenment, but those were
questions I was asking, you know, 15 months ago, as things were,
(08:52):
you know, really coming to ahead and falling apart and, um,
you know, personally andprofessionally, and he didn't
ask God, like God, what are you?
What are you up to here?
Like, what are you up to?
Because there's way too manythings happening simultaneously
(09:16):
that are altering my life foryou to not be in it.
Like, there's just too manythings.
This is not coincidence, right?
So, like God, what are youdoing?
Where are you leading?
And help me to be still enoughto hear it and to see it now in
my, in my shortcomings.
(09:37):
I wanted to know the whole plan, and that's, that's not God's
way to show us the whole plan,right.
He just says be obedient, takethe next step.
Okay, lord, what's the nextstep?
Right?
And so anyway, by the way,you're not alone in that.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I just want to be clear Even our Bible heroes got
it kind of step.
Moses got it step by step,abraham got it step by step,
jacob got it step by step.
Right, paul Paul, that Jacobgot accepted.
Right, paul Paul, you're goinghere, right?
Yeah, right, exactly.
I get a feeling that some ofthe things they slowed down and
listened for may not have beenexactly what they wanted to hear
(10:13):
at the moment, such as okay,we'll play Jeopardy.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I need you to sacrifice your son.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Right, pardon me, hello, hello Right.
Your son, pardon me, helloRight.
So so I just want to.
I'm teasing a little, but I'msorry to interrupt you.
You're doing great.
I just those.
What is going on here momentsis a great God question.
What are you up to, big guyRight?
My father, my Holy father, whatare you up to, big guy right?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
My father, my Holy father, what are you doing?
Why is that important to askhim?
Why is it important to know,right?
Well, because we're human, youknow.
I think again, just toacknowledge that he's, that he's
in it, acknowledge that he'sactive and he knows and he cares
(11:10):
and he's, he's, he's sovereign,he's orchestrating.
I was just talking to a guyearlier today.
He told me this story about hisgrandson that told his dad he's
four years old and he wastelling his dad that God
(11:30):
controls everything.
God controls everything, thesun, the moon, everything.
And the dad started teachinghim about sovereignty, what the
word sovereign means.
So, of course, this, you know,young, young boy was like, ah,
(11:51):
he's so confused.
He's like, dad, god controlseverything, right, it's just so
sweet.
But he, he, he's, he's in itall, he's in it all, and um.
And so we wrestle, right, wewrestle.
And so sometimes we wrestleagainst ourselves, sometimes we
wrestle against humans.
You know, I was just reading inGenesis about Jacob, you know,
(12:16):
wrestling with the angel,wrestling with God for a
blessing, for a blessing right,and he was not going to, I mean
relentless, he was not going togive up, he was not going to
give up, right.
And so, you know, regardless ofthe fight we're in, right it's,
it's not time to give up, likeGod wants us to continue to, to,
(12:40):
to persist, to press on andpress in to him over and over,
and over and over again on ourknees in prayer, over and over,
and over and over again on ourknees in prayer.
You know, it's not the time tostop, it's not the time to cower
, it's not the time to put ourhead in the sand, but to keep
wrestling, to keep wrestling,and God honors it.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, and I'm playing this out in my head and I have
for, as I've mentioned, days andweeks Listening to God say stay
right.
There could be one of thehardest things, mark.
Stay right there.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Ouch.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
This is where I want you and the closest I've come to
true surrender to.
That is something like what Itold you this morning and it
sounds like this in my head Allright, lord, I hear you.
I'm open to the fact that thismight be where you want me.
(13:47):
I'm open to it, to the factthat this might be where you
want me.
I'm open to it.
I'm scared.
I'd rather not be here.
As a matter of fact, if youwant me to pivot, just let me
know and I can make that pivotvoice very loud.
By the way, while God is tellingme the truth, I'm going left,
left, keep going, but I try tosit and listen to God and I'm
(14:15):
looking for a way out.
The truth is, I'd rather not.
I want to lean in.
I want to be a lean inner.
I do In my heart.
I want to be seen as a manwilling to stay right where I am
and learn.
Whatever the fight I'm in, thewrestling match I'm in, I
(14:37):
believe that my God hassomething good there for me.
But, bro, I turn left in abouta nanosecond.
Often, I'm pretty settled inwhere I am today.
I'm trying to look at thisopposition in my life in a good
way I'm standing up.
(14:59):
I had to admit I'm shaky, shakyyeah.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, yeah, and it's, it's.
That's a?
Um, I'm not sure that's aterrible place to be.
No, I'm.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
I'm learning yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It's hard to say.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Yeah, yeah, yep, but you know what it it, it it.
It's interesting because we'retalking about being in the fight
, we're talking about needing towrestle and yet, at the same
time, we're talking aboutsurrender.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
And so, typically, those two things are not put
together in the same sentence,right, especially in a wrestling
match.
And so, um you know, I thinkit's we, we surrender to our own
will and we keep wrestling withGod.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
That's good.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Yeah, that's a good descriptor.
Yeah, and there's, there's agood.
I mean, I, you do this.
We train, we do things to helpourselves, whether it's
emotionally, physically,spiritually, et cetera.
So, wrestling with God.
I see him laughing, you know, Ithink he's kind of like you
know, you hold the kid by thehead as he flails.
(16:11):
His arms can't reach you.
What is that?
What is that?
There's a Broadway.
Your arms too short to box withGod.
Right?
Do you remember that?
That actually was a play, butthat's how I feel in it.
But I have to admit, when Ihave a chance to talk to you or
one of my other V2G brothers orsomeone that I'm close with, and
play this out, I've never heardfrom anyone to look at me and
(16:37):
go run.
It's okay run.
There's empathy, there's love,there's compassion.
Right, there's all the things Ineed to build me up because,
ultimately, the goal is to findsome fruit here, right, some
loves, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, gentle,
right.
Some fruit of the spirit in thewrestling and I wish it was a
(17:04):
light switch.
It was like I'm strong, I'msleeping, I'm strong.
Right, if I'm not sleeping, I'mstrong.
I don't have that switch.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, no, I I don't know if that switch exists.
I mean, my goodness again, justin our humanity, I mean my
goodness again, just in ourhumanity.
I mean we check eBay.
Yeah, I mean we might, you know, you might be able to, like,
you know again, maybe ignore,you know, distract ourselves,
(17:41):
you know, to a certain extent,yeah.
Yep, um, but I mean when there'sa, when the fight is real,
you're like, this goes beyond myhuman strength, right, right,
for better or worse.
Right, like right now I'mlaunching C12 South Florida,
(18:07):
Like the mountain in front of meis huge, it's beyond my human
strength.
It's incredibly exciting.
It's not a crisis.
I couldn't be more excited yetcan't be done on my own strength
.
You, right now, you're in adifferent situation where that
involves crisis.
That's beyond your control,beyond human strength, right,
(18:32):
and so you know, it's just.
It's interesting that it'salmost, you know, two sides of
the same coin.
And you know, we becomecompletely reliant.
You know, we become aware,aware that we can't do it, and
reliant on God to move, becauseif he doesn't, if he doesn't
(18:55):
right, then what?
And there's serious stakes,serious implications, yes, if
God fails to move, and that manthat that, that is where you
know, in the experiencing God,study, right, the black beat
like it's a, it's a crisis, it'sa crisis of faith.
I don't to our knees and says,ok, lord, like, I surrender, I
(19:34):
surrender to your will throughthese circumstances, whatever it
is you're doing, I trust thatyou're at work.
Stay on my knees and wrestlewith you to move, and, and and
move mightily in this situationfor your glory and honor,
(19:56):
through, through me, and I willdo whatever it is you asked me
to do, I will be.
I am 100%, fully obedient andready to move when you say move,
to move when you say move.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
That's it.
I'm just thinking it through.
If I play this out, I spendmany hours, many days saying
Lord here.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
I am.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Send me, lord, show me your face.
Lord, right, I'm asking him,I'm inviting him in.
Come on, let's go.
I'm with you, I'm right.
How often do you hear me fullof passion and energy and hope
for the world, and off I go andhere's God, putting himself
right in front of me, probablysmiling, going.
(20:39):
Mark, here I am, I'm right, I'mdoing exactly what you asked.
I'm in the middle of this messand you need to turn to me now,
now, when it's the hardest, nowwhen you need to turn to me now,
now when it's the hardest, nowwhen you want to turn away here,
here.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
I am, and what you just described was the fruit of
the spirit.
Right Now, all of a sudden,your desires are fully aligned
with his and and, and none of itis within your control, and
that is exactly where God wantsus and that's exactly what we're
talking about.
That's the kind of wrestling,that, that that God's looking
(21:15):
for, right.
That those are the type oftypes of like faith, building
faith, activating, you know,seasons of life that you know
sanctify us, that draws near tohim, that, that that that you
know chip off areas of our heartthat need to be chipped off,
(21:38):
right, that humble us, that thatbring us into alignment with
his spirit.
Like, yeah, jacked up, I meanlisten.
But when you're in crisis,you're like, how could this
possibly be happening to me?
Jacked up, I love it, listen.
But when you're in crisis,you're like how could this
possibly be happening to me,right?
Speaker 1 (21:58):
So you know, Well, ephesians 6.12, you know it and
love it, for we do not wrestleagainst flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against theauthorities, against the cosmic
powers over this presentdarkness, against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenlyplaces.
Right, the word calls us andreminds us.
(22:27):
God knows, he knows exactlywhat I'm dealing with.
He knows exactly what you'redealing with.
Yeah, the fact that you'vedecided, steve Sargent, to put
yourself in a position where themountain is so big, it's
impossible for you to ignore thepower of God in it.
Gee, that's what a coincidence.
Not at all.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Not at all, not not at all.
And um, and you know, mate,listen, like I, I mean in all
honesty you, and you know, otherbrothers in my life know that I
love to live on the edge, right, so I mean that is it's no
surprise that that I will putmyself in this position.
But when it's for God, oh man,I mean it's like 10 times more
(23:11):
exciting, I mean a thousandtimes more exciting, and you
know to, to be in a positionwhere you know, and really
everybody else knows, and youand you get to proclaim that
there's no way, like, whateverhappens, like this, this will
(23:31):
either be the biggest mistakeand most horrific decision of my
life, right?
Or like God is going to performmiracle upon miracle upon
miracle, and I believe in myheart of hearts that's exactly
what he's going to do.
But but I and everybody elsewill know that it's only him,
(23:51):
that it's only him, that I havenothing to do with it.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
And you can't say it enough.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Right and like it's.
That is just man.
I'm so grateful to be in thatspot, to be on that spot and,
quite frankly, it's very freeing.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
I know I feel you and I'm watching you and it's.
It's exciting for me to watchRocket Sarge on another.
You know launch pad, it reallyis.
Do you know that?
But I don't want to go intothose details here.
Justin says something reallytelling at the end of this
devotional.
He says in the okay, so what doI do now?
Right, justin asks.
And he says God doesn't alwaystake opposition away, brother,
(24:31):
because he's built you toconquer and not cower.
He's given you everything youneed.
And spend time reading Ephesians6, 10 to 17, which I just read
out loud.
So I say, praise God for givingme everything I need, that I
should have more confidence inmy God, whether I have it or not
in myself.
(24:52):
Meh, I'm less concerned aboutit even now than I was 30
minutes ago when we started or26 minutes ago when we started
now than I was 30 minutes agowhen we started or 26 minutes
ago when we started.
But it is so freeing to knowthat I stand there with all of
my heroes, both living today, myBible heroes and my God, and
(25:15):
dealing with whatever it isthat's in front of me.
I'm missing other challenges, bythe way, because I've got a big
one blocking my vision rightnow.
There are plenty of littlethings going on it's tax time
and all the other things in lifethat makes us.
What am I going to do with mygarden?
This year I've got snow on theground, so there's little
challenges that I know God is inbecause they are fruitful no
(25:38):
pun intended right right fromthe get go, but there's a big
distraction in front of me.
My God is in the middle of itand he's calling me to be the
man that that my wife and boysand family need, and I'm just
going to continue to be the bestdisciplined, passionate,
supportive husband that I can be.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Amen, amen, amen, which is exactly what he's
called you to be, and so that'sthat's exactly.
I mean, there, it is right,that is what we get to do.
In the midst of you know, thefight is, is, is we, you know,
(26:18):
by taking the gloves off in ourflesh, we put them on in the
spirit, that's good, by justloving, just loving and caring
for and offering grace andlistening, and all the things
(26:38):
that maybe don't come verynatural to us, especially when
our backs against the wall,especially when crisis hits.
But that's the opportunity thatwe have If, if, if, we're
willing and able to surrender toour flesh and and fight, you
know, for and with God, right Towrestle our way through that to
(27:04):
his, his, his blessing, and theway that we do that is being in
step and in sync with hisspirit.
And, um, man, that that's a,that's a life, well-lived,
that's, you know, that's beingin, in, in his will, in spite of
our circumstances.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Yeah, there's a there's adone good and faithful
servant in there somewhere rightSarge.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, that's exactly right, brother, that is exactly
right.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
And who doesn't.
Who doesn't want to hear that?
Here's a little tidbit I pulledoff the web.
I forget who said it and Iapologize, but I've been praying
an awful lot about this Matterof fact.
Every time I open my eyes inthe morning, same whether it's
for you, for me, for thebrothers that you know and I
know and love and all thechallenges in our lives.
(27:53):
And this smart person saidthere's three potential answers
to prayer.
Yes, not.
Yet I have something else inmind for you.
I'm telling you.
I have it written down here onmy desk because I never want to
forget it.
I'm not saying there aren'tmore than three answers, that's
(28:17):
not the point.
But for me, three answers,that's not the point.
But for me, keeping in mind thatmy father has never turned his
back on me.
I've turned my back on him, buthe's the same and he says yes,
he might say not yet and hemight redirect me and I'm okay
(28:38):
with all three.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Yeah Well, amen, that's a good word right there.
I'm okay with it.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Yeah, yep, so wrestling with God in the fight
of our lives Funny, it soundsawfully big now that I think
about it.
Having not been in World War IIor any of the other big
conflagrations in our world, Iknow there are big fights.
Some of these seem pretty big.
They're personal, they're mineand yours.
(29:15):
Right, they're ours, ourpersonal fights.
I chuckle at just thinking aboutGod with me wrestling with God.
You know the, the, the metaphor, metaphorically, just what am I
doing?
But I so love that he lets meplay it out, that, like my God,
(29:35):
has a playful spirit and lets mehit him in the legs.
You know, as it were, um, thatis comforting in some strange
way, but, um, the part aboutthis probably the best part for
me is that I've had at leastthree men that I can talk to,
(29:59):
that I've chosen to speak thisout with, as I would most, any
joy or challenge.
But without authentic communityas part of my principled life,
the foundational things I counton, I can't imagine doing this.
I can't imagine so.
(30:22):
Hallelujah, thank you for beingyou and you other guys, if
you're listening, you know whoyou are.
Thank you for being you.
I have brothers who are kindenough to listen to me, yeah,
and occasionally share wisdom.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Perspective, Like I said, empathy, love, compassion,
peace.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Yeah, amen.
So for all our listeners, ifyou're in, if you're in the
fight of your life, no matterwhat you're facing no, you're
not alone.
Number one, and surroundyourself with others.
Get in community with others.
Get in community with otherswho can lift you up, walk with
you, support you, challenge you,equip you.
(31:06):
This walk, this journey, is notmeant to be done alone, but
just know God is with you in thefight.
Keep praying, keep wrestlingand keep asking God to move.
Until then, thank you forlistening.
If we can be of support for you, if, if, if we can pray for you
(31:31):
, drop us a line, mark and Iwill commit to praying for you
and uh, and walk with youhowever we can.
Until then, peace, peace.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Have you been up against something that was
impossible for you to control ornavigate?
Did you see your lifeunraveling before your eyes and
time was slipping through yourfingers like a handful of sand?
I would say that those momentsare opportunities for us to lean
into our loving Father inheaven, not because he will make
everything play out the way wewant them to, but because we
(32:07):
will have our sovereign and holyCreator by our side, walking
through that valley with us, andif we truly trust Him and His
word, his truth, his promises,we will navigate that dark and
difficult valley together.
While God doesn't promiseanyone what they want in their
(32:28):
own human nature, he doespromise that he is for us and
not against us.
He does promise that he came togive us life and to have it
more abundantly.
Our challenge is to rememberthat we are not omniscient.
We don't know people's hearts.
We don't know who is promisedtomorrow.
(32:50):
We don't know what God hasplanned for us to receive or
sacrifice, and that's a verydifficult place to be when we
are not in relationship with God.
Spending time with God,remembering who we are and, most
importantly, remembering who heis, that's where we want to be.
(33:12):
That's where I want to be Leanin and know that he is the great
.
I Am in and know that he is thegreat I am.
Lord, please continue to usethis podcast to impact the lives
of all who listen.
I ask that you would bring hopeand healing to each and every
one of them.
Meet them right where they areand reveal yourself to them like
(33:34):
only you can do.
In Jesus' name amen.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
If you enjoyed today's episode, please share it
and invite others to theFoxhole.
You can find us wherever youdownload your favorite podcasts.
Be sure to subscribe so youknow when new episodes drop, and
please rate us and commentthere too, as it'll help us get
found by others who couldbenefit.
Find, follow and like us onyour go-to social media networks
by searching Foxhole Symphonyor visit foxholesymphonycom to
(34:01):
make it super easy to find us.
Drop us a line with feedback,questions, topic requests.
Who knows, maybe you'll be aguest on a future episode.
In the meantime, prepare tomove, embrace discomfort and
just be you.
Welcome to Foxhole Symphony, a podcast about the
transformational value of men inauthentic community.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
In our foxhole.
Men are equipped to buildrelationships that foster
belonging, accountability andgrowth.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
Stop believing the lie that you can thrive in
isolation and instead join us onthe journey from broken to
whole.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Hello everyone.
They call me the maestro and weare back in the foxhole where
we actively pursue belonging,accountability and growth
through authentic relationships.
No masks, no agendas, just iron, sharpening iron.
Steve and Mark are in thefoxhole today and they are
digging in for round two.
You know what time it is?
(00:48):
Get comfortable, open yournotes app and let's get this
symphony started.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Welcome back to Foxhole Symphony Podcast.
I'm Sarge here with my goodfriend Mark.
How are you?
Speaker 1 (01:00):
I'm good brother.
How are you?
I'm always glad to see you withthe palm tree swaying in the
background.
You dog.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Yes, you as well.
Good, we had we're coming offan incredible episode with Josh
Ugalde, duro, duro, duro, and weare we're going to have part
two, you know, part two ofwrestling with God, and it's
just interesting, right, how Godworks.
(01:26):
I mean, we have this, you know,this great conversation with
Josh, and then we find ourselvesin the midst of scriptures and
a devotional, you know, and, andall these different things.
God's talking to us aboutstaying in the fight, right, and
, and, and, and wrestling withGod, and, and, of course, you
(01:46):
know the circumstances of ourlives.
So God's up to something.
Let's jump in and, you know,let's maybe start with, I guess,
some, some things going on,right, I mean, let's talk a
little bit about the fights thatwe're in and what's happening,
and then we can maybe jump to,you know, some scripture and
(02:08):
devotional thoughts and seewhere God takes us.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
I'm in with you, but isn't there like a, even a
monopoly?
You can, you know, go aroundjail, right?
You get a, a do not pass, go,do not right.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Get out of jail free.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, can I don't?
Don't we get one of those?
Speaker 2 (02:27):
as believers.
No, sorry, do not pass go, donot collect 200 straight to jail
, bro um I went isn't there likea gold willie wonka golden
ticket, right, isn't there?
Speaker 1 (02:39):
yeah?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
you know, yeah, I mean, if only life were that way
.
And yet, god's in it all.
Right, god is in it all.
And you know, particularly inthe fight, and he, he, he brings
us right where he needs us,right where he wants us.
Uh, and that is either to workin our own hearts or to use us
(03:00):
to impact others, right?
And so, um, you know, we, weknow that to be true, we've
experienced that and even areexperiencing that now, aren't we
?
Speaker 1 (03:09):
Yeah, the fight of our lives, right?
I mean, josh was great and hisperspective, I think, was
beautiful.
I hope, you know, peopleappreciated that as much as we
did.
And here we are.
Um, I think it's appropriate tosay that this is different for
every man.
We all have different tolerancelevels for the fight, for the
stress, for the anxiety, theuncertainty, the fear, the doubt
(03:31):
, whatever it is that'sattacking us or coming at us,
and some of it's worldly and allof it is of the enemy, in my
opinion, who wants to distractus and keep us from being
effective fighters for God,because there's so much to do
for him.
But while I, you know, I havetried to end every one of these
(03:53):
87 episodes with one word whatis it?
Peace, right, right, and Idon't say it lightly, it is a
quest.
Shalom, shalom, right.
I'm in it for wanting that foryou, for me, for anyone
listening, both of you.
Peace matters in what we do.
(04:16):
I think, after processing thistoday and, as you mentioned,
wrestling with it, I'm a littlespoiled.
I don't think I've been in agood fight lately.
So, okay, I it, I'm a littlespoiled, you know, I don't think
I've been in a good fightlately, so, okay, I mean I'm,
I'm willing to admit that.
You know I haven't, you know,sold everything and gone to
Africa.
You know I haven't done anystreet evangelism lately,
(04:39):
whatever it is that's.
That's a little stressful,although street evangelism
wouldn't be stressful for me atall but I haven't really reached
out there and put myself on theline like you have in the
stress that you have.
But I, I do have worldly thingsgoing on around me now that are
(05:00):
trying man, they're, they'redistracting, they're dark, yeah,
and're dark yeah, and you knowthey're out of my control, out
of my control and I have beenspent.
I spent the last two, threeweeks just trying to give the
Heisman to this whole situation,going la, la, la la, can't see
you, can't hear you, to stayover there, right, and it's been
(05:22):
mildly effective.
I mean, I was sick for a bit ofit, um, I was had other
distractions, you know, goodones at work and things like
that.
But, as you mentioned earlier,I got hit right between the eyes
by our friend Justin camp, whotends to either hit me in the
solar plexus or right there,right on the noggin right,
(05:45):
justin said ever been in themiddle of something tough,
prayed for rescue and heardnothing, ever questioned God.
Why aren't you rescuing me?
And without going into detailright now, justin basically says
take a deep breath.
You might be exactly where Godwants you.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
Yeah, that's, that's a tough pill, bro.
Yeah, well, it's interesting.
(06:36):
You were talking about peaceearlier.
Right, peace be still Right.
And uh, in the midst of thestorm, in the midst of the storm
, and, um, you know, we me drawnear to me, right, right, um,
and so you know, uh, some stormsof our, of our own making, you
know, and and and others, uh,are, are, you know, uh, god led
(07:04):
right, I mean, I you again thatjust the red sea moments, red
sea seasons, like you and I'vetalked about, right, like you
know, the Israelites, I mean,you know, following the pillar
of fire, following God, like youknow, to the promised land, and
not the direct route, right,the indirect route, you know, to
the edge of the red sea, whereyou know the armies are
breathing down their neck andthey're going to, they're going
(07:25):
to, they're toast right, onlyfor God to reveal his power and
glory, and you know majesty andlove and all the things, and the
parting of the sea.
And so you know, man, that'sour God, that's our God, right
and and so working in andthrough it all, um, for his
(07:50):
purposes and for his glory.
And so we were foolish to thinkthat he's not in it, right,
like God, why.
You know why me, why this, likeI mean, of course, that's human
nature, but to acknowledge youknow it's, it's like God, where
(08:11):
are you?
Well, right there, right, rightthere with us.
You know exactly where he'sbrought us, exactly where he's
led us.
We're asking the wrong questions.
I sometimes ask the wrongquestions, not why am I here, or
(08:31):
how did you get me here, orwhere are you, but what is it
you want to do through this?
What are you doing?
You know, and that was, andI'll be honest, not because of
any you know, wisdom or orenlightenment, but those were
questions I was asking, you know, 15 months ago, as things were,
(08:52):
you know, really coming to ahead and falling apart and, um,
you know, personally andprofessionally, and he didn't
ask God, like God, what are you?
What are you up to here?
Like, what are you up to?
Because there's way too manythings happening simultaneously
(09:16):
that are altering my life foryou to not be in it.
Like, there's just too manythings.
This is not coincidence, right?
So, like God, what are youdoing?
Where are you leading?
And help me to be still enoughto hear it and to see it now in
my, in my shortcomings.
(09:37):
I wanted to know the whole plan, and that's, that's not God's
way to show us the whole plan,right.
He just says be obedient, takethe next step.
Okay, lord, what's the nextstep?
Right?
And so anyway, by the way,you're not alone in that.
Speaker 1 (09:53):
I just want to be clear Even our Bible heroes got
it kind of step.
Moses got it step by step,abraham got it step by step,
jacob got it step by step.
Right, paul Paul, that Jacobgot accepted.
Right, paul Paul, you're goinghere, right?
Yeah, right, exactly.
I get a feeling that some ofthe things they slowed down and
listened for may not have beenexactly what they wanted to hear
(10:13):
at the moment, such as okay,we'll play Jeopardy.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
I need you to sacrifice your son.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Right, pardon me, hello, hello Right.
Your son, pardon me, helloRight.
So so I just want to.
I'm teasing a little, but I'msorry to interrupt you.
You're doing great.
I just those.
What is going on here momentsis a great God question.
What are you up to, big guyRight?
My father, my Holy father, whatare you up to, big guy right?
Speaker 2 (10:44):
My father, my Holy father, what are you doing?
Why is that important to askhim?
Why is it important to know,right?
Well, because we're human, youknow.
I think again, just toacknowledge that he's, that he's
in it, acknowledge that he'sactive and he knows and he cares
(11:10):
and he's, he's, he's sovereign,he's orchestrating.
I was just talking to a guyearlier today.
He told me this story about hisgrandson that told his dad he's
four years old and he wastelling his dad that God
(11:30):
controls everything.
God controls everything, thesun, the moon, everything.
And the dad started teachinghim about sovereignty, what the
word sovereign means.
So, of course, this, you know,young, young boy was like, ah,
(11:51):
he's so confused.
He's like, dad, god controlseverything, right, it's just so
sweet.
But he, he, he's, he's in itall, he's in it all, and um.
And so we wrestle, right, wewrestle.
And so sometimes we wrestleagainst ourselves, sometimes we
wrestle against humans.
You know, I was just reading inGenesis about Jacob, you know,
(12:16):
wrestling with the angel,wrestling with God for a
blessing, for a blessing right,and he was not going to, I mean
relentless, he was not going togive up, he was not going to
give up, right.
And so, you know, regardless ofthe fight we're in, right it's,
it's not time to give up, likeGod wants us to continue to, to,
(12:40):
to persist, to press on andpress in to him over and over,
and over and over again on ourknees in prayer, over and over,
and over and over again on ourknees in prayer.
You know, it's not the time tostop, it's not the time to cower
, it's not the time to put ourhead in the sand, but to keep
wrestling, to keep wrestling,and God honors it.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
Yeah, and I'm playing this out in my head and I have
for, as I've mentioned, days andweeks Listening to God say stay
right.
There could be one of thehardest things, mark.
Stay right there.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Ouch.
Speaker 1 (13:26):
This is where I want you and the closest I've come to
true surrender to.
That is something like what Itold you this morning and it
sounds like this in my head Allright, lord, I hear you.
I'm open to the fact that thismight be where you want me.
(13:47):
I'm open to it, to the factthat this might be where you
want me.
I'm open to it.
I'm scared.
I'd rather not be here.
As a matter of fact, if youwant me to pivot, just let me
know and I can make that pivotvoice very loud.
By the way, while God is tellingme the truth, I'm going left,
left, keep going, but I try tosit and listen to God and I'm
(14:15):
looking for a way out.
The truth is, I'd rather not.
I want to lean in.
I want to be a lean inner.
I do In my heart.
I want to be seen as a manwilling to stay right where I am
and learn.
Whatever the fight I'm in, thewrestling match I'm in, I
(14:37):
believe that my God hassomething good there for me.
But, bro, I turn left in abouta nanosecond.
Often, I'm pretty settled inwhere I am today.
I'm trying to look at thisopposition in my life in a good
way I'm standing up.
(14:59):
I had to admit I'm shaky, shakyyeah.
Speaker 2 (15:05):
Yeah, yeah, and it's, it's.
That's a?
Um, I'm not sure that's aterrible place to be.
No, I'm.
Speaker 1 (15:13):
I'm learning yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Right.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It's hard to say.
Speaker 2 (15:16):
Yeah, yeah, yep, but you know what it it, it it.
It's interesting because we'retalking about being in the fight
, we're talking about needing towrestle and yet, at the same
time, we're talking aboutsurrender.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
And so, typically, those two things are not put
together in the same sentence,right, especially in a wrestling
match.
And so, um you know, I thinkit's we, we surrender to our own
will and we keep wrestling withGod.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
That's good.
Speaker 1 (15:49):
Yeah, that's a good descriptor.
Yeah, and there's, there's agood.
I mean, I, you do this.
We train, we do things to helpourselves, whether it's
emotionally, physically,spiritually, et cetera.
So, wrestling with God.
I see him laughing, you know, Ithink he's kind of like you
know, you hold the kid by thehead as he flails.
(16:11):
His arms can't reach you.
What is that?
What is that?
There's a Broadway.
Your arms too short to box withGod.
Right?
Do you remember that?
That actually was a play, butthat's how I feel in it.
But I have to admit, when Ihave a chance to talk to you or
one of my other V2G brothers orsomeone that I'm close with, and
play this out, I've never heardfrom anyone to look at me and
(16:37):
go run.
It's okay run.
There's empathy, there's love,there's compassion.
Right, there's all the things Ineed to build me up because,
ultimately, the goal is to findsome fruit here, right, some
loves, joy, peace, patience,kindness, goodness, gentle,
right.
Some fruit of the spirit in thewrestling and I wish it was a
(17:04):
light switch.
It was like I'm strong, I'msleeping, I'm strong.
Right, if I'm not sleeping, I'mstrong.
I don't have that switch.
Speaker 2 (17:16):
Yeah, no, I I don't know if that switch exists.
I mean, my goodness again, justin our humanity, I mean my
goodness again, just in ourhumanity.
I mean we check eBay.
Yeah, I mean we might, you know, you might be able to, like,
you know again, maybe ignore,you know, distract ourselves,
(17:41):
you know, to a certain extent,yeah.
Yep, um, but I mean when there'sa, when the fight is real,
you're like, this goes beyond myhuman strength, right, right,
for better or worse.
Right, like right now I'mlaunching C12 South Florida,
(18:07):
Like the mountain in front of meis huge, it's beyond my human
strength.
It's incredibly exciting.
It's not a crisis.
I couldn't be more excited yetcan't be done on my own strength
.
You, right now, you're in adifferent situation where that
involves crisis.
That's beyond your control,beyond human strength, right,
(18:32):
and so you know, it's just.
It's interesting that it'salmost, you know, two sides of
the same coin.
And you know, we becomecompletely reliant.
You know, we become aware,aware that we can't do it, and
reliant on God to move, becauseif he doesn't, if he doesn't
(18:55):
right, then what?
And there's serious stakes,serious implications, yes, if
God fails to move, and that manthat that, that is where you
know, in the experiencing God,study, right, the black beat
like it's a, it's a crisis, it'sa crisis of faith.
I don't to our knees and says,ok, lord, like, I surrender, I
(19:34):
surrender to your will throughthese circumstances, whatever it
is you're doing, I trust thatyou're at work.
Stay on my knees and wrestlewith you to move, and, and and
move mightily in this situationfor your glory and honor,
(19:56):
through, through me, and I willdo whatever it is you asked me
to do, I will be.
I am 100%, fully obedient andready to move when you say move,
to move when you say move.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
That's it.
I'm just thinking it through.
If I play this out, I spendmany hours, many days saying
Lord here.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
I am.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Send me, lord, show me your face.
Lord, right, I'm asking him,I'm inviting him in.
Come on, let's go.
I'm with you, I'm right.
How often do you hear me fullof passion and energy and hope
for the world, and off I go andhere's God, putting himself
right in front of me, probablysmiling, going.
(20:39):
Mark, here I am, I'm right, I'mdoing exactly what you asked.
I'm in the middle of this messand you need to turn to me now,
now, when it's the hardest, nowwhen you need to turn to me now,
now when it's the hardest, nowwhen you want to turn away here,
here.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
I am, and what you just described was the fruit of
the spirit.
Right Now, all of a sudden,your desires are fully aligned
with his and and, and none of itis within your control, and
that is exactly where God wantsus and that's exactly what we're
talking about.
That's the kind of wrestling,that, that that God's looking
(21:15):
for, right.
That those are the type oftypes of like faith, building
faith, activating, you know,seasons of life that you know
sanctify us, that draws near tohim, that, that that that you
know chip off areas of our heartthat need to be chipped off,
(21:38):
right, that humble us, that thatbring us into alignment with
his spirit.
Like, yeah, jacked up, I meanlisten.
But when you're in crisis,you're like, how could this
possibly be happening to me?
Jacked up, I love it, listen.
But when you're in crisis,you're like how could this
possibly be happening to me,right?
Speaker 1 (21:58):
So you know, Well, ephesians 6.12, you know it and
love it, for we do not wrestleagainst flesh and blood, but
against the rulers, against theauthorities, against the cosmic
powers over this presentdarkness, against the spiritual
forces of evil in the heavenlyplaces.
Right, the word calls us andreminds us.
(22:27):
God knows, he knows exactlywhat I'm dealing with.
He knows exactly what you'redealing with.
Yeah, the fact that you'vedecided, steve Sargent, to put
yourself in a position where themountain is so big, it's
impossible for you to ignore thepower of God in it.
Gee, that's what a coincidence.
Not at all.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
Not at all, not not at all.
And um, and you know, mate,listen, like I, I mean in all
honesty you, and you know, otherbrothers in my life know that I
love to live on the edge, right, so I mean that is it's no
surprise that that I will putmyself in this position.
But when it's for God, oh man,I mean it's like 10 times more
(23:11):
exciting, I mean a thousandtimes more exciting, and you
know to, to be in a positionwhere you know, and really
everybody else knows, and youand you get to proclaim that
there's no way, like, whateverhappens, like this, this will
(23:31):
either be the biggest mistakeand most horrific decision of my
life, right?
Or like God is going to performmiracle upon miracle upon
miracle, and I believe in myheart of hearts that's exactly
what he's going to do.
But but I and everybody elsewill know that it's only him,
(23:51):
that it's only him, that I havenothing to do with it.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
And you can't say it enough.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
Right and like it's.
That is just man.
I'm so grateful to be in thatspot, to be on that spot and,
quite frankly, it's very freeing.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
I know I feel you and I'm watching you and it's.
It's exciting for me to watchRocket Sarge on another.
You know launch pad, it reallyis.
Do you know that?
But I don't want to go intothose details here.
Justin says something reallytelling at the end of this
devotional.
He says in the okay, so what doI do now?
Right, justin asks.
And he says God doesn't alwaystake opposition away, brother,
(24:31):
because he's built you toconquer and not cower.
He's given you everything youneed.
And spend time reading Ephesians6, 10 to 17, which I just read
out loud.
So I say, praise God for givingme everything I need, that I
should have more confidence inmy God, whether I have it or not
in myself.
(24:52):
Meh, I'm less concerned aboutit even now than I was 30
minutes ago when we started or26 minutes ago when we started
now than I was 30 minutes agowhen we started or 26 minutes
ago when we started.
But it is so freeing to knowthat I stand there with all of
my heroes, both living today, myBible heroes and my God, and
(25:15):
dealing with whatever it isthat's in front of me.
I'm missing other challenges, bythe way, because I've got a big
one blocking my vision rightnow.
There are plenty of littlethings going on it's tax time
and all the other things in lifethat makes us.
What am I going to do with mygarden?
This year I've got snow on theground, so there's little
challenges that I know God is inbecause they are fruitful no
(25:38):
pun intended right right fromthe get go, but there's a big
distraction in front of me.
My God is in the middle of itand he's calling me to be the
man that that my wife and boysand family need, and I'm just
going to continue to be the bestdisciplined, passionate,
supportive husband that I can be.
Speaker 2 (25:58):
Amen, amen, amen, which is exactly what he's
called you to be, and so that'sthat's exactly.
I mean, there, it is right,that is what we get to do.
In the midst of you know, thefight is, is, is we, you know,
(26:18):
by taking the gloves off in ourflesh, we put them on in the
spirit, that's good, by justloving, just loving and caring
for and offering grace andlistening, and all the things
(26:38):
that maybe don't come verynatural to us, especially when
our backs against the wall,especially when crisis hits.
But that's the opportunity thatwe have If, if, if, we're
willing and able to surrender toour flesh and and fight, you
know, for and with God, right Towrestle our way through that to
(27:04):
his, his, his blessing, and theway that we do that is being in
step and in sync with hisspirit.
And, um, man, that that's a,that's a life, well-lived,
that's, you know, that's beingin, in, in his will, in spite of
our circumstances.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Yeah, there's a there's adone good and faithful
servant in there somewhere rightSarge.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
Yeah, that's exactly right, brother, that is exactly
right.
Speaker 1 (27:32):
And who doesn't.
Who doesn't want to hear that?
Here's a little tidbit I pulledoff the web.
I forget who said it and Iapologize, but I've been praying
an awful lot about this Matterof fact.
Every time I open my eyes inthe morning, same whether it's
for you, for me, for thebrothers that you know and I
know and love and all thechallenges in our lives.
(27:53):
And this smart person saidthere's three potential answers
to prayer.
Yes, not.
Yet I have something else inmind for you.
I'm telling you.
I have it written down here onmy desk because I never want to
forget it.
I'm not saying there aren'tmore than three answers, that's
(28:17):
not the point.
But for me, three answers,that's not the point.
But for me, keeping in mind thatmy father has never turned his
back on me.
I've turned my back on him, buthe's the same and he says yes,
he might say not yet and hemight redirect me and I'm okay
(28:38):
with all three.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Yeah Well, amen, that's a good word right there.
I'm okay with it.
Speaker 1 (28:50):
Yeah, yep, so wrestling with God in the fight
of our lives Funny, it soundsawfully big now that I think
about it.
Having not been in World War IIor any of the other big
conflagrations in our world, Iknow there are big fights.
Some of these seem pretty big.
They're personal, they're mineand yours.
(29:15):
Right, they're ours, ourpersonal fights.
I chuckle at just thinking aboutGod with me wrestling with God.
You know the, the, the metaphor, metaphorically, just what am I
doing?
But I so love that he lets meplay it out, that, like my God,
(29:35):
has a playful spirit and lets mehit him in the legs.
You know, as it were, um, thatis comforting in some strange
way, but, um, the part aboutthis probably the best part for
me is that I've had at leastthree men that I can talk to,
(29:59):
that I've chosen to speak thisout with, as I would most, any
joy or challenge.
But without authentic communityas part of my principled life,
the foundational things I counton, I can't imagine doing this.
I can't imagine so.
(30:22):
Hallelujah, thank you for beingyou and you other guys, if
you're listening, you know whoyou are.
Thank you for being you.
I have brothers who are kindenough to listen to me, yeah,
and occasionally share wisdom.
Speaker 2 (30:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:40):
Perspective, Like I said, empathy, love, compassion,
peace.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Yeah, amen.
So for all our listeners, ifyou're in, if you're in the
fight of your life, no matterwhat you're facing no, you're
not alone.
Number one, and surroundyourself with others.
Get in community with others.
Get in community with otherswho can lift you up, walk with
you, support you, challenge you,equip you.
(31:06):
This walk, this journey, is notmeant to be done alone, but
just know God is with you in thefight.
Keep praying, keep wrestlingand keep asking God to move.
Until then, thank you forlistening.
If we can be of support for you, if, if, if we can pray for you
(31:31):
, drop us a line, mark and Iwill commit to praying for you
and uh, and walk with youhowever we can.
Until then, peace, peace.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Have you been up against something that was
impossible for you to control ornavigate?
Did you see your lifeunraveling before your eyes and
time was slipping through yourfingers like a handful of sand?
I would say that those momentsare opportunities for us to lean
into our loving Father inheaven, not because he will make
everything play out the way wewant them to, but because we
(32:07):
will have our sovereign and holyCreator by our side, walking
through that valley with us, andif we truly trust Him and His
word, his truth, his promises,we will navigate that dark and
difficult valley together.
While God doesn't promiseanyone what they want in their
(32:28):
own human nature, he doespromise that he is for us and
not against us.
He does promise that he came togive us life and to have it
more abundantly.
Our challenge is to rememberthat we are not omniscient.
We don't know people's hearts.
We don't know who is promisedtomorrow.
(32:50):
We don't know what God hasplanned for us to receive or
sacrifice, and that's a verydifficult place to be when we
are not in relationship with God.
Spending time with God,remembering who we are and, most
importantly, remembering who heis, that's where we want to be.
(33:12):
That's where I want to be Leanin and know that he is the great
.
I Am in and know that he is thegreat I am.
Lord, please continue to usethis podcast to impact the lives
of all who listen.
I ask that you would bring hopeand healing to each and every
one of them.
Meet them right where they areand reveal yourself to them like
(33:34):
only you can do.
In Jesus' name amen.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
If you enjoyed today's episode, please share it
and invite others to theFoxhole.
You can find us wherever youdownload your favorite podcasts.
Be sure to subscribe so youknow when new episodes drop, and
please rate us and commentthere too, as it'll help us get
found by others who couldbenefit.
Find, follow and like us onyour go-to social media networks
by searching Foxhole Symphonyor visit foxholesymphonycom to
(34:01):
make it super easy to find us.
Drop us a line with feedback,questions, topic requests.
Who knows, maybe you'll be aguest on a future episode.
In the meantime, prepare tomove, embrace discomfort and
just be you.
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