March 31, 2025 • 46 mins
Dr. Linda P. Chinn is a native of New London, CT who currently resides in Douglasville, GA. She fulfills her mission of uprooting and pulling down false belief systems in the lives of God's people to build them up by planting in them the incorruptible seed of the living Word through her various ministries. Dr. Chinn is an accomplished entrepreneur and the creator of Linda Chinn Ministries as well as the founder of Christian Women in Training Network.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Keeping It Real with Doctor Linda Chen. This
is the podcast where real life choices need biblical truth
without the flock. Tune on every second and fourth Monday
at two pm in Eastern Standard Time as doctor Chen
shares faith filled, practical insights to navigate everyday challenges. Get
(00:21):
ready for real talk, real life and real answers.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Good afternoon, Good afternoon, Good after noon to another episode
of Ken It Read with Doctor Lindon. I'm Audrey recurning
to produce a show three you over day hand with
day on it.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Even though it is don't want to be outside.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
And I don't know where you are world, but lest
we made it so it is great day none. Let's
happy to be due. Today dot An got another great guess.
He was here here returning again. He came He shifts
from wisdom with U before doctor Charles Houston. Listen, I'm
trying to mess his name up again or Charles Houston
is his guests again today here before he did a
great job.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
She has had him back. You can tell you do
a good job you get a call back. I'm tall.
I'm just joking, y'all. If you didn't get a call
but does not mean, weren't not a great great guest.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
I'm just joking.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Anyway, Doctor Houston is back with ten today and today's
topic is the pursuit of happiness. When I saw that topic,
it reminded me of the Kreegardener story.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
And I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Guys have ever seen that story, but that's a great story.
Will Smith played for Gardener and pursue happiness. And I
took my daughter and my god something I ain't at
that time. They might have been thirteen maybe when I
took them to see that to that movie, and I
thought it was important that they saw that because I
wanted them to see what that look like when he
was pursuing something.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Will passed. So anyway, I'm gonna start rambling. I'm gonna
bring up doctor and doctor Houston.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
They're gonna give you what you need to figure out
how how to get to the pursuit of happiness, Like
what does that look like for you? What does that
mean for you? So dout further aduce, bring them to
the stage. Good afternoon, good afternoon, good.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Afternoon, good afternoon.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Introduction you It was good, Thank you, doctor myself. I
talk so much y'all. My throat is actually sore.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
And I'm gonna tell sie story and I'm going to
about but I had a conversation with Summer Solen. They
told me an introvert, right, And that's an introvert too,
which people don't know that because I can be an
exvert when I need be, which is all an ambrot
Did you know?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Did you know that was called ambrovert? Yes, yes, that's amber.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
But I've been talking so much over the last coelve
weeks in my throat is actually sore, and i woke
up this morning going, oh my god, my throat hurt
so bad. But I'm going to start talking and I'm
gonna turn on to you all, and I'm sure you
can help people find the suit of happening in this conversation.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So without due it's yours. Thank you, Thank you, y'all.
I love Audrey and I've just been thank doctor Houston
for being on. But I've been with Audrey in one
of her events in the recent past, and I see
the impact that she has on community. It is phenomenal
people from all walks of life. And I'm telling you
(03:18):
from the top to the bottom, to the bottom to
the top, so I can understand while you may be
a little horse, my sister, but God bless you and
save that voice because you will come back at the
end and give us some of your insights. Yes, I
will thank you, Thank you, Audrey. And it's a pleasure
to have doctor Houston back on. He is a wonderful
(03:41):
man of God, and he and I have been friends
for over twenty years. And I don't know if you
were here for the last show, doctor Houston, You're gonna
have to remind us of what we talked about. But
I just want to remind you all that he is
write a graduate from Syracuse. You what the orange and
whatever that other color is, but they wear it proudly,
(04:01):
him and his wonderful wife, and he has a bachelor's
actually in mathematics, but he also holds degrees in divinity,
mass you know, and divinity, and he does marriage and
family therapy. He has a successful pastoral and counseling practice,
and he's just an all around wonderful god. He's very humans.
(04:23):
He loves to laugh, but he also understands the time
to be serious. And he and his wife, Monica Houston,
have really a tremendous success in helping people. What they've
done and married couples strengthen their marriages through what they
had was called treasured moment retreats and who knows what
(04:44):
God will do and bringing that back. So, without further ado,
we want to welcome doctor Houston to keeping it real
with doctor Tin.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Hey, doc, Hey, how you doing, my sister? Good?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Good? Good? Listen, healthy people. What I didn't tell him?
What is something new about yourself that you would want
to tell people before we jump into this conversation about
the pursuit of happiness.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Well, in terms of the first thing that came to
my mind, besides the fact that I'm blessed and highly
favored of God, and I can tell that because he
woke me up this morning, but I actually completed a
journey of getting my my life full licensure as a
fully licensed practicing counselor so I'm now you see as
(05:37):
a December sixth.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Congratulations, beautiful.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yes, it was a journey, and I'm extremely thankful to
be able to have completed that, and uh learned a
lot in that journey, going through grad school for four
years and then uh, it's taking me about another four
years to get my fully licensed or my full licensure. Yeah,
(06:08):
but it's it's it's been a blessing again because what
I do as a fully licensing clinical practitioner is just
as important as what I do with the church.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And so I see a the building, yeah, at the
church as the building. We've got to we've got to
be we're King Tominded, right, we are King Deminded. And
he does this not only at the church, but he
has a private practice. And you, you know, you just
do this in your everyday life, whether you realize it
or not. I hope you realize that in your every compensation. Yes, yes,
(06:47):
And God does get it. And and that's the beautiful
thing about being believers in Christ Jesus is it's not
just what we do in the four walls of a building, right,
it's what we do. And so today we're talking about
the pursuit of happiness. And it's interesting how this topic
came about with him. And so one of the first
(07:07):
questions I'm going to ask you is define happiness for stop.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
When I thought about this question, the first thing that
came to my mind was basically, happiness is a temporary
feeling that is based on what is happening in the moment.
It's more of a reactive process than it is a
proactive process.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Hands down, hands down, hands down. Is based on what's
happening at the moment. It's temporary, it's temporal, it is fleeting,
it's gone away, y'all right, it's not gonna last.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
I love this.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
I love this. So then what is so I have
to I have to ask this. Then what is joy?
Because oftentimes people use the words interchangeably, but they are
not the same thing. Is that right?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
That is correct? That is correct? And so I look
at joy as a recurring internal emotion that flows based
on innately optimistic outlook on life choices and a determination
to focus on the positive.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
It's internal, yes, and it's a focus.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yes, ma'am, Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
So I like that because if something is temporary, you
can only focus on it for the moment that it
is before you.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Absolutely, But if.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Something is internal, it's with you wherever you go. Yes, yes, right, beautiful, beautiful.
So then that being the case, you've then you've really
explained the difference. So I hear people say I just
want to be happy, and then they pursue that happiness.
(09:02):
Is that a good thing to do? And is that
a good thing to desire in your opinion.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Actually it is not. And I also want to kind
of go a little bit deeper into the comparison as
well between joy and happiness. And there's two perspectives that
that that I got. It's one that I had, I
came up with through prayer and research, and then I'm
going to give you a second one based on AI
(09:29):
chat GBT wow. So my personal definition of the difference
between the two words is happiness is based on how
we respond to what's happening in our lives. Joy is
an internal conclusion that we choose regardless as to what
is happening. So you can also say.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Back that thing up, all right, a.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Family member, I say that too because she she she
she moves kind of slow, and so when.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
She said, yeah, I need to hear that again, we
need to hear that.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
So the difference between the two is that happiness is
based on how we respond to what's happening in our
lives currently. However, joy is an internal conclusion that we
choose regardless as to what is happening.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
It's a conclusion, Yeah, matters settled, I'm going to have
joy no matter what is happening. Is what I hear you.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Saying, yes, that is correct.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
I love it. I love that. Get me straight, give
us straight.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
So, happiness is often a pursuit of pleasure, but joy
is a result of the pursuit of purpose.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Come on one more time, yes.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Maam, Yes, ma'am. Happiness is often a pursuit of pleasure,
but joy is a result of the pursuit of purpose.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Jesus, Jesus. So then you know you're you're raising up
questions in my gut that you know, we kind of
talk about what we may talk about, but you know,
just raising up. So then do you think that happiness
(11:31):
is something we ought to be pursuing?
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Absolutely not, bam happiness bam. In reverse, happiness, in my opinion,
is not something that we pursue. It's not a goal
that we should be seeking after. Again, happiness is a
byproduct of the pursuit of purpose.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
So if we pursue the purpose because of the internal right. So,
so help me work this out in my head. If
I and if I pursue my purpose, joy is a byproduct.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Joy comes. Joy comes as a result of pursuing your
purpose because you are your set. Uh, It's a part
of how you how we are designed, how we are
designed by God, and how God uses life to shape us.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Yep. So I'm hearing you loud and clear. So this
whole internal thing is part of our DNA. And I
think what we miss is you know when we say people,
I you know, I just want to be happy. I
just I just like to be happy. I just like
to laugh and have a good time, you know. So
do children? To me, that's a child, that's a child
(12:54):
that's mindset come up hither right, and you know, uh,
And there's always wonderful absolutely that we could play. But
they yeah, don't worry, be happy right because I'm happy right.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
And the song that the Beatles came out with about
when the sunshine comes out and and when you think
about all of that, that came out of a lot
of strouble. So songs sometimes will give us fleeting feelings
of happiness, but I like that pursuit of purpose which
(13:33):
will ultimately bring us joy. So I'm hearing you say,
and I'm gonna say this again for somebody who's listening.
Happiness is not not the pursuit. That's what you're saying.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
It shouldn't be happiness. You can pursue happiness and and
fall far short of being fulfilled.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Absolutely, happiness and pursuing it, we fall short of being fulfilled.
And I don't know about anybody else but me, I
want to be full filled. I don't want to be
filled right to the halfway line, to the a quarter
of a cup. I want to be full filled, right.
And so why do we think happiness is so important
(14:19):
to people? And at the same time, I want to
ask you why it? Does it seem like it's so elusive?
But why is it important? And I think I'm gonna
guess why it's what seems to be elusive.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
No, no, I'll say this to the first part of the question.
People pursue happiness because the way we define it is off.
The way that we define it is it's a pathway
to comfort, to convenience, and to a beneficial life without
(14:56):
accountability and consequences.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
You being a little bit deep today and I'm loving
every second of it. So say it again, somebody who
can say it again?
Speaker 4 (15:11):
I will, I, I and and and I'll add this
because I have probably for the last decade, had a
big problem with with happy. The word happy because of
how it's defined by people. Happiness is defined by most
people as a pathway to comfort, to convenience, and to
(15:33):
a beneficial life without accountability and consequences. That's what most
people's mindset is. That's why they want to be.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Happy, comfort and convenience and there's no accountability and just
want to be filled with pleasure, no accountability.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
People find happiness is something that we don't have to
put in work for and that that is that is
not true on any level.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Okay, so then that's the reason why in my opinion,
and that's why it's so elusive, right, we can't really
grab hold of it because we really don't know the definition.
And if we really understood the definition of happiness, we
(16:29):
wouldn't even try to pursue it.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
It's elusive, that's right, we wouldn't try.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
It's almost like kind of holds water. Say that again,
mm hmm.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
It's a byproduct of the pursuit of again, of purpose
and developing and growing on the spiritual side of being
obedient to God in the life system. You know, how
how how we work work towards something that there's a
great amount of fulfillment when you're working towards something like
(17:03):
like I mentioned my LPC acquisition back in December sixth
That was an eight year process that the God that
God walked me through and at the end I had
a great amount of contentment and fulfillment. I could see
the prayer, the work that I put in, and how
he helped me along the way. It means a lot.
(17:27):
He didn't just give me with that so I could
be happy for a few days. He made me work
through it so I would appreciate the process of what
I went through.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
And in the interim, you were being held accountable, right,
And that's something you were being held accountable for what
you're studying. When we have exams, that's a way of
holding us accountable that, yes, you study this. When we
have group sessions, were accountable to other people. Yes, you
know these college students, now we have group sessions. You know,
(17:59):
leave it to somebody else. Well, you the smartest, and
you know I worked, you know, eight hours a day,
So you do it and I just come together and
I tie. You know, no, no, no, no, no. There's
a real accountability that comes along with the work to
finding joy. And so this is what we're saying people
that we talk about the pursuit of happiness. There are
many songs about happiness. There are movies about happiness. But
(18:23):
I agree with doctor Houston in that that's the wrong pursuit.
It is fleeting, it is empty, it is elusive. But
if we seek our purpose and search for the purpose,
the result is an inward joy. And if I'm believing
(18:44):
and feeling this thing right, because I'm feeling this thing,
joy will bubble up in your gut and continue to
flow out, while happiness is just a simple water at
the mountain.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
Yes, ma'am, very well, very well to it. And let
me say this too. There's an example. I just thought of,
doctor Chen, how God blessed me when I went to college.
I went to college, and I tell people this. I
went to college to get a degree. I went to
college to get educated. And because I was obedient to
(19:21):
God to go to college and get my education, and
I desired that He not only blessed me after four
years with a degree, he blessed me with a wife.
Because my wife of almost thirty one years, Monica Houston,
I met her in college and that's how we connected
and got together. And the Lord let me know that
(19:41):
was my wife in college. And so because I was
obedient to the purpose of why I was there because
I was there to study, I was there to grow.
I was there to get that degree. He blessed me
with excess or surplus in terms of a life partner.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
I have a friend, Elder Gail Walton, who told me
years ago, she said, Chin, you never know how far
your obedience will take you. Oh God, one step or
one act of obedience can be like a domino effect.
(20:22):
That's how you met your good thing. That's how the
Bible says when you find a wife, you find a
good thing, and you obtain the favor of the Lord.
So by a being obedient to answer into the inner
call to go to school, right, you met your good thing,
you obtained the favor of the Lord. Now you're walking
in the favor. You two have been able to counsel
(20:44):
people in marriage. So it's a domino effect. I mean,
you know, this is a keeping it real with doctor Chin.
And while I love God, y'all already know I believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ. We want to bring on
practical topics so that we under stand and we want
people to know today that you may be pursuing the
(21:05):
wrong thing if you just you know, I just want
to be happy. If that's all you want to be,
God help you. If you want more than that, God
bless you. And so I want to continue to ask
doctor Houston. I've got some more questions that I wanted
him to respond to us today. So when you think
about all the things in life to pursue, where would
(21:27):
you rate happiness?
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Oh, to be honest with you, I really don't don't
rate it even in maybe the top five things that
I might think about. Happiness again, should not be a
pursuit From a spiritual standpoint, God created us for his will,
(21:50):
for his glory. When we obey His will again for
our lives, we find happiness. It's along the way and
at the at the risk of quoting scripture, Jeremiah twenty
nine eleven tells us, for I know the plans that
I have for you, says the Lord plans to prosper you,
(22:10):
not to harm you, plans to give you a hope
in the future. God has this thing already set up
for us. It's our job to come into the testing ground,
to come into the training arena, to come into the crucible.
And also I am so that we can be shaped
(22:31):
and performed into what he intends for us. When we
start going off kilter and trying to pursue a lot
of other things, including happiness. We miss happiness that's built
into his system for our lives, his system.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
His system. And so when we think about this, Jeremiah
said this to the people of God who were in
exile because of disobedience. Yes see, they were in time out.
They were in a place because of their disobedience. And
you know what happens when when we're putting time out,
(23:08):
when we can't be where we want to be, can't
go we want to go, dealing with the consequences of
our behavior and our disobedience right to the one we
call Lord, the one we call God. All right, I'm
gonna put you in time out. You're gonna be in
this place. I'm gonna put you under this king called
never Canezza. But you still but I know the plans
I have for you. You might be in time out
(23:30):
right now, we might whatever state this country is in
right now. I don't I'm not saying whatever crat you
are or can that you are, that we have to
understand that you can still be joyful because of His plans.
And we've got to understand it's not about being happy
right now, despite who's in office. It's not about that.
(23:52):
It is about being obedient in the state that we're
in them. I am trying to get off topic, but
I'm going to get back on because our feel myself
going somewhere. But this is this is all amen. So
I want to ask you this about the Declaration of Independence. Right,
we know the Bill Rights. It says that that we
have the right to life and liberty. Right life, liberty, freedom,
(24:18):
life means living right and the pursuit of happiness. And
it's called one of our inalienable rights. Before I define
or if you define it, what in ale of what
an inalia little alienable right is? What do you say
to that part of the Declaration of Independence that we
(24:40):
have the right to pursue happiness?
Speaker 4 (24:47):
There's a lot I could say about that. Let me
keep it on topic. A lot of times are inalienable
rights oppose and violate God's commandments, statutes and principles. Our
our bishop, my my and your spiritual father has taught
(25:09):
us before that just because something is legal doesn't make
it moral.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Correct.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
So, there are a lot of things in our constitution which,
as as citizens of this country. We need to be
following unless and until it violates the moral code that
God has for me as a man of God, that
who has for you, that that God God has for me. Yes,
(25:39):
as a man of God and point view period.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Yes, my dad used to say that my dad's name
was Charles, and and so we're down in our family line.
We're up to Charles the fourth and so and and ale.
Inalienable right is one that no one can take from
you and that you don't give away. It's one that
(26:07):
no one can take from you. So that's the declaration
of independence that you have the right. Yeah, you got
the right to do it. No one can take it
from you, and you don't give it away. And yet
that's the problem that we have today and why people
I believe are trying to pursue happiness because they gave
their their right to be happy to somebody else. Well,
you know, I'm not happy because he doesn't come home
(26:29):
at work until seven o'clock and then you know, you know,
I got to cook dinner, and so you know, I'm
not happy in my marriage, and I'm not happy on
my job, and I'm not happy in my church, and
I'm not my goodness in my God right, so you
can give that right away, no one can take it
from you. But again at the top of the show,
(26:50):
we talked about pursuing that thing called purpose, where you
can find the joy, which is the river, rather than
the happiness, which is a water fountain, in a place
you may be or may not be.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Yes, ma'am. So those are facts, yes, yes, Caesar.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
Facts. So what do you suggest people do when they
are unhappy and really trying to pursue happiness? If I
came into your office and said, I'm just not happy,
and then you know, I've been pursuing happiness and I'm
finding my own happiness and so, but that's what I'm
(27:29):
struggling with. What would you say to me if I
said to you, I'm just not happy, h and I
want to be happy, Doctor Houston, talk to us.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Well, the first thing I would do, yeah, yeah, everybody
wants to be happy, I understand, which is probably what
I would say. But first of all, theoretically I'm going
to do theoretically and in application, Theoretically, my question would be, Okay,
what is your definition of happy? We have to go
(28:03):
back to the definition of what it is. We say
we're pursuing. Sometimes we pursue something and we don't even
know that we already have what we're pursuing. And so
you know, I could tell you stories in my own
life about that, you know, looking for something that God
had already given to me. Yeah, that that that was
(28:24):
near me that I didn't recognize. A lot of times
are happy is right with us? But from from an
application standpoint, uh, it's it's a multi tiered answer. Spiritually,
we need to use our tools that God gave us.
We need to be fasting and praying. We need to
be listening to to to to praise and worship music
(28:48):
and and and other other positive, uplifting, encouraging things that
there's a lot of stuff on on on the internet
and on social media that we don't need to listen
to because it's the source of a lot of our depression.
That's a whole Yes, it is another podcast. We need
to be studying God's Word, our church, Word of faith,
(29:10):
Family Worship Cathedral. The Lord gave our bishop the theme
for this year as this is the year of the Bible.
The Church, the people of God need to get back
to the Word, not the world. The church needs to
get back to reading, proclaiming, and living the Bible. This
is the year that we read it, live it, share it. Also,
(29:34):
we need to seek wise counsel. That's another thing that
we need to seek. I'm huge on mentorship on different levels,
not just we need to see people who know what
it is we're trying to find out, and you use
their wisdom so that we don't have to run through
the pitfalls and the errors and the issues that they
(29:56):
went through. That's called working smart and not how that's
just spiritually. Another area is physically. We must take better
care of our bodies. Yes, sometimes depression and a lack
of happiness because we're we're sick in our bodies or
we're not we're not healthy. We're not we're not exercising,
(30:19):
we're not drinking water, we're not eating proper more of
the better foods. Listen. I'm not a health food junkie,
but but I know when I need to put down
a piece of pie and pick up some broccoli, some
some string beans, some fruit. You know. Uh, it's important
that we do what we know we need to do.
(30:40):
Sometimes physical stuff makes it unhappy. One other area, our
mental and emotional states are off because we live in
a world that is compounded with stress and anxiety. It's everywhere,
It's everywhere, and so we need to develop self care routines.
(31:04):
I'm huge on that. And also I'm a therapist, so
we need to most, if not all, of us need
to find a therapist so that we can so we
can heal, so we can.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
We can process. Yes, we need help.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
It doesn't make you less of a human, it doesn't
make you less of a person of God, it doesn't
make you less of a leader. We need help. God
knows that, and he's waiting for us to ask him
to send us to where our help is.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Listen, I'm gonna put this out there. I have a
friend she doesn't know because I haven't reached out to
her yet, but I'm sure she's gonna be on this
podcast called enid Okia who's written a book, The Unhealed Believer.
I've been reading this book and focus pages and and
and and apostle in it. If you're listening today or
if you get this on the on the replay, get ready.
(31:58):
But you know, for people who don't have a Bishop
Bronner and and a pastor and all of that, that's
why I'm when I have this show keeping it real
with doctor Chen. I am doing this out of obedience
to a mandate God gave to me. This is not
about being in a church. Not everybody has a pastor,
not everybody has a bishop. It just so happens that
(32:20):
the three that I am really well connected with, three
overseers and bishops in various areas of the country. Believe
it or not, their theme for the year is the same.
It is about the Word of God. It's about it's
about getting in the worst. So in my opinion, it's
not the year of the Bible.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Oh, it's praying time, folks. It's always been that. The
problem is that we have too many illiterate believers. You
don't and I I'm just gonna be honest. Sometimes we
don't know. We call ourselves believers, but we don't know
even what we believe because we don't know it in context.
I'm gonna move on from that. So I want, I want,
(33:02):
I want to move on from that because I feel
myself getting there. So if you if we want to
be happy, you can be happy for fleeting moments, you
can have that, But if you want to be fulfilled,
then pursue, as doctor Charles Houston said at the outset,
(33:26):
pursue your purpose. Discover the joy of the Lord, which
is your strength, because it's the joy that's gonna keep
you when you can't be happy, when you're not happy.
It's it's the joy that sustains us when the marriage
isn't going the well. He said that it is a conclusion.
(33:50):
I loved that. It's a conclusion you. I mean, you
can't get any deeper and simpler than that. At the
same time, he had prayed and studied and decided to
share with us today that the joy is a conclusion
of the pursuit of your purpose. Get that happiness is
(34:13):
not the pursuit. Happiness is fleeing. Like holding water in
the palm of your hand, it's going to run out.
You know. You can't close your fingers tighten up to
hold the water in. And so before we bring Audrey on,
I want to ask you if you thought about a word,
doctor Houston, that if you could leave us with, what
(34:37):
would that be as it relates to happiness is not
the pursuit?
Speaker 4 (34:51):
Say that one more time, leave us with before.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Before Audrey comes back, Leave us with the word that
happiness is not the pursuit. Give us more on that
happiness is really not the pursuit.
Speaker 4 (35:08):
Hm mm hmmmm, Yeah, it kind of broke up a
little bit. Just just say it to me one more time.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
Can can you hear me? I can hear you now
that happiness is not the pursuit. Give us a fine
word before order comes back on.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Oh gotcha, yes, ma'am. Absolutely, happiness is not the pursuit.
It is and and and and it comes down to this,
it's not it's not the pursuit because it's built into
the system that is set before you by God. You
don't have to look for what you run across when
(35:49):
when you're on a road called obedience, we should be
pursuing obedience to God. And this is something to add
to the answer I was thinking about. Some people are
going to say, well, you keep saying this this purpose word.
You and doctor Chen keep mentioning purpose. What if I
don't know my purpose? What if you know, like you said,
doctor Chen, I don't have a bishop rona. Uh. You
(36:11):
always can do research on your own. There's a lot
of really good material out there. A lot of people
have heard of this book, some have not heard of it.
But there's a book called The Purpose Driven Life by
Rick Warren that that's been in print for a long
time now, so you could read up on on what
(36:32):
what purpose is. Also, God rest his soul, people like
doctor Miles Monroe has books on purpose. Yeah, there's no quick.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Breaking up. I don't know what you're.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Purpose, so we have to continue to be diligent and persistent.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Are you connected because you were breaking up? You seem
you seem to be breaking up?
Speaker 4 (37:09):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was. I'm connected. I don't know
what's going on, but I think this is a strong,
a strong podcast as usual. Amen.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Amen, all right, So I want Audrey to come back
on because I have a feeling, hey, Tyra uh, that
this is a topic that happiness really is not the
pursuit and I heard named it that the pursuit of happiness,
so that we could get into the thing that there's
something deeper and better than happiness. Come on, Audrey bel Candy.
(37:45):
You know I'll be up and taking on all thounsand notes.
I got to scripple all over my paper.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
One of the things that you said, doctor two, which
I was like, okay, what does that mean?
Speaker 3 (37:53):
You said, what is an illiterate believer. That was my question.
You said some just illiterate believers like that, What is that?
A biblically illiterate believer, someone who doesn't read their Bible.
We call ourselves believers, but we don't know what we believe.
Because this is the thing. You can believe in God,
(38:17):
but do you believe God? So in order to believe God,
you got to know what God said. In order to
know what he said, you have to read his book.
I've been in places and I mean just to help
us where people passes. And please understand, I'm not judging
anybody where we quote scripture so far out of context
(38:40):
that we are messing people up, you know, giving it
be given, giving unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaking
together and running over. We often quote that about money.
That is not about money. In the Bible, it has
nothing to do with money. So that's what I'm saying.
If we're gonna be believers, don't be a biblically in
literal believe. That's what I've been all right now.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
He's the one of the things I heard you say
was when you obey God's will, you will find happiness.
And I thought that was so I said retired in
the show, it's called the pursuit of mid instead of
pursuit of happiness. I thought that was so profound, like
we'll obey God's will, you will find happiness. And now
that was pretty good because most people are looking for happiness.
(39:27):
And then you said that they don't want to be accountable.
There's no accountability in your searching for happiness, and I
was like, oh, wait a minute now, and you have now,
so I thought that was really pretty good as well.
And then the last time I saw was joy is
the result of pursuit of purpose. And so you ended
your your your animation about talking about the purpose on
(39:50):
that book because I needed that back in the day,
like I didn't know what I was on and I
was all over the place, and I thought that was
really good. Joy is the result the pursuit of purpose.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
So thank for that. I got a lot of takeaways.
I did, doctor Houston, what do you say about the
whole thing where if we pursue the domino effect where
obedience takes us into that joy and that happiness, that
obedience has been a top popular word.
Speaker 4 (40:22):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
What are you saying, doctor?
Speaker 4 (40:27):
Can you it's so many things. I said, yes, can
you hear me? Yeah? Now, I can't you hear me? Yeah? Now,
I was just going to say, there's so many different
things that I can think of where God helped me
to desire to be obedient because I saw the result
(40:48):
of what He was doing in my life, even you know,
starting to date my wife in college, so really quickly
thirty seconds, I had an attraction into my life in college,
but I was looking at somebody else, to be honest
with you, and one night, this was at the end
(41:09):
of a party. Yes, at a party on campus, I
saw my wife who was she was just my friend.
Then I saw her across the room. Now this is
the end of a party two am in the morning.
And when I looked at her, the Holy Spirit said
to me, what are you looking for? And what he
was saying was what you need and what I have
(41:30):
for you is in front of you. Stop pursuing other stuff.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
Wow. So he didn't say what are you looking at?
He said what are you looking for?
Speaker 4 (41:41):
Right? He said yes, yes, yes, yes he did.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
And so this is you bring up a great point
because this is for the religious, like the strict religious.
The Holy Spirit spoke to him at a party. I've
had to say the whole come on here, doc, were
you saved and save the fire and filled with the
Holy Godess at that time? Can we keep it real.
Speaker 4 (42:14):
Listen? I would save, but I don't know how feeled
I was. I was not walking in my illness. So
at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
Good people, we are saying, and doctor Houston and I
are in agreement that pursuit is not the happiness is
not the pursuit. Pursue your purpose, walk in your purpose,
and nine times out of ten, the thing that gives
you the most joy, the most pleasure, the most fulfillment,
(42:52):
where your most productive likely is your purpose. It could
be feeding the hungry. I have a sister who who
loves helping people out and cooking meals for people and
doing things, and she gets so much joy out of it.
And I said, do you realize that that's your ministry,
That that's what you can Every time we talk, when
(43:13):
you talk about that, you light up over the phone.
That's her purpose to be helps. It's called the ministry
of helps. If you want to get biblical with it, right,
it's called servanhood. So look for your purpose and you'll
find your joy, and in your joy, those moments of
happiness will come. Amen. Last word, the last word, Audrey,
(43:40):
your doctor, to go for it. I'm gonna give it
a doctor.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Let me, let me, let me say, let me say
one more thing that that that I need to share
from my bishop, our spiritual father, me and you, doctor.
Speaker 4 (43:58):
Chen, go for something. He's said. Something he said before
is talking about how we climb the ladder of success,
which is also connected to pursuing happiness. He said it
would be a shame if we lived our lives climbing
the ladder of success to later realize that the ladder
(44:19):
was leaned up against the wrong building or path. We
got to make sure that we're pursuing what we're supposed
to be pursuing.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
Yes, and I think that came from doctor Chand that's
that's powerful. Don't don't have your ladder where you're climbing
to leaning against the wrong building.
Speaker 4 (44:36):
He has books.
Speaker 3 (44:36):
Yes, thank you, take us away on it.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Well, listen, now you guys now know God and God's
will and his word not.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
The pursuit of happiness. And you got it.
Speaker 2 (44:49):
Accountable listen, Accountability is big, big. I have accountability. Call
tomorrow morning, eight o'clock one, following that.
Speaker 3 (44:56):
We gotta be accountable. Thank you so much to watch it.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
You could have and end uple to spend forty four
minutes here with Doctor ten and Doctor Houston. We appreciate
you to stop a lot today. We should do us
a favorite jed us with two friends, not only.
Speaker 3 (45:08):
Two is free. Don't don't call you me.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Share with your friends so they aren't to miss an episode.
We never missed an episode, and do that. You must
subscribe to this show. We'll listening to it on Spotify, Apple, Google,
wherever you're listening, Amazon, wherever you're listen. Please spat to
the show and share it to bus. If you want
to support doctor ten, you can go to Lynda chen
Mysteries dot com to support her.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
And her mission and her We're there.
Speaker 2 (45:30):
We're back again in two weeks, same place, same time,
Doctor you to thank you again for it, Doctor ten, guest,
Doctor ten, thank you for lout me this this great
work that you're doing. We'll be back two weeks subscribing.
We'll took you someone till next time.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
Make it up greatly. Bye, everybody, Love you Doc, love
your Audrey Tea.
Speaker 4 (45:51):
Love you too, Love you too, and thank you Audrey.
Speaker 3 (45:54):
Welcome.
Speaker 1 (45:55):
You've been listening to Keeping It Real with Doctor Linda Chen.
If you enjoyed this episode, hit the light button and
share it with a friend. Be sure to support the
show by going to linditinministries dot com. Subscribe to the
show so you never miss an episode, and tune in
again in two weeks at two pm Eastern Standard Time.
Until next time, keep the faith and keep it Real.
Welcome to Keeping It Real with Doctor Linda Chen. This
is the podcast where real life choices need biblical truth
without the flock. Tune on every second and fourth Monday
at two pm in Eastern Standard Time as doctor Chen
shares faith filled, practical insights to navigate everyday challenges. Get
(00:21):
ready for real talk, real life and real answers.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Good afternoon, Good afternoon, Good after noon to another episode
of Ken It Read with Doctor Lindon. I'm Audrey recurning
to produce a show three you over day hand with
day on it.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Even though it is don't want to be outside.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
And I don't know where you are world, but lest
we made it so it is great day none. Let's
happy to be due. Today dot An got another great guess.
He was here here returning again. He came He shifts
from wisdom with U before doctor Charles Houston. Listen, I'm
trying to mess his name up again or Charles Houston
is his guests again today here before he did a
great job.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
She has had him back. You can tell you do
a good job you get a call back. I'm tall.
I'm just joking, y'all. If you didn't get a call
but does not mean, weren't not a great great guest.
Speaker 4 (01:10):
I'm just joking.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
Anyway, Doctor Houston is back with ten today and today's
topic is the pursuit of happiness. When I saw that topic,
it reminded me of the Kreegardener story.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
And I don't know if.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Guys have ever seen that story, but that's a great story.
Will Smith played for Gardener and pursue happiness. And I
took my daughter and my god something I ain't at
that time. They might have been thirteen maybe when I
took them to see that to that movie, and I
thought it was important that they saw that because I
wanted them to see what that look like when he
was pursuing something.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Will passed. So anyway, I'm gonna start rambling. I'm gonna
bring up doctor and doctor Houston.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
They're gonna give you what you need to figure out
how how to get to the pursuit of happiness, Like
what does that look like for you? What does that
mean for you? So dout further aduce, bring them to
the stage. Good afternoon, good afternoon, good.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
Afternoon, good afternoon.
Speaker 3 (02:09):
Introduction you It was good, Thank you, doctor myself. I
talk so much y'all. My throat is actually sore.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
And I'm gonna tell sie story and I'm going to
about but I had a conversation with Summer Solen. They
told me an introvert, right, And that's an introvert too,
which people don't know that because I can be an
exvert when I need be, which is all an ambrot
Did you know?
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Did you know that was called ambrovert? Yes, yes, that's amber.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
But I've been talking so much over the last coelve
weeks in my throat is actually sore, and i woke
up this morning going, oh my god, my throat hurt
so bad. But I'm going to start talking and I'm
gonna turn on to you all, and I'm sure you
can help people find the suit of happening in this conversation.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So without due it's yours. Thank you, Thank you, y'all.
I love Audrey and I've just been thank doctor Houston
for being on. But I've been with Audrey in one
of her events in the recent past, and I see
the impact that she has on community. It is phenomenal
people from all walks of life. And I'm telling you
(03:18):
from the top to the bottom, to the bottom to
the top, so I can understand while you may be
a little horse, my sister, but God bless you and
save that voice because you will come back at the
end and give us some of your insights. Yes, I
will thank you, Thank you, Audrey. And it's a pleasure
to have doctor Houston back on. He is a wonderful
(03:41):
man of God, and he and I have been friends
for over twenty years. And I don't know if you
were here for the last show, doctor Houston, You're gonna
have to remind us of what we talked about. But
I just want to remind you all that he is
write a graduate from Syracuse. You what the orange and
whatever that other color is, but they wear it proudly,
(04:01):
him and his wonderful wife, and he has a bachelor's
actually in mathematics, but he also holds degrees in divinity,
mass you know, and divinity, and he does marriage and
family therapy. He has a successful pastoral and counseling practice,
and he's just an all around wonderful god. He's very humans.
(04:23):
He loves to laugh, but he also understands the time
to be serious. And he and his wife, Monica Houston,
have really a tremendous success in helping people. What they've
done and married couples strengthen their marriages through what they
had was called treasured moment retreats and who knows what
(04:44):
God will do and bringing that back. So, without further ado,
we want to welcome doctor Houston to keeping it real
with doctor Tin.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
Hey, doc, Hey, how you doing, my sister? Good?
Speaker 3 (04:57):
Good? Good? Listen, healthy people. What I didn't tell him?
What is something new about yourself that you would want
to tell people before we jump into this conversation about
the pursuit of happiness.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Well, in terms of the first thing that came to
my mind, besides the fact that I'm blessed and highly
favored of God, and I can tell that because he
woke me up this morning, but I actually completed a
journey of getting my my life full licensure as a
fully licensed practicing counselor so I'm now you see as
(05:37):
a December sixth.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
Congratulations, beautiful.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Yes, it was a journey, and I'm extremely thankful to
be able to have completed that, and uh learned a
lot in that journey, going through grad school for four
years and then uh, it's taking me about another four
years to get my fully licensed or my full licensure. Yeah,
(06:08):
but it's it's it's been a blessing again because what
I do as a fully licensing clinical practitioner is just
as important as what I do with the church.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
And so I see a the building, yeah, at the
church as the building. We've got to we've got to
be we're King Tominded, right, we are King Deminded. And
he does this not only at the church, but he
has a private practice. And you, you know, you just
do this in your everyday life, whether you realize it
or not. I hope you realize that in your every compensation. Yes, yes,
(06:47):
And God does get it. And and that's the beautiful
thing about being believers in Christ Jesus is it's not
just what we do in the four walls of a building, right,
it's what we do. And so today we're talking about
the pursuit of happiness. And it's interesting how this topic
came about with him. And so one of the first
(07:07):
questions I'm going to ask you is define happiness for stop.
Speaker 4 (07:13):
When I thought about this question, the first thing that
came to my mind was basically, happiness is a temporary
feeling that is based on what is happening in the moment.
It's more of a reactive process than it is a
proactive process.
Speaker 3 (07:30):
Hands down, hands down, hands down. Is based on what's
happening at the moment. It's temporary, it's temporal, it is fleeting,
it's gone away, y'all right, it's not gonna last.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
I love this.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
I love this. So then what is so I have
to I have to ask this. Then what is joy?
Because oftentimes people use the words interchangeably, but they are
not the same thing. Is that right?
Speaker 4 (08:00):
That is correct? That is correct? And so I look
at joy as a recurring internal emotion that flows based
on innately optimistic outlook on life choices and a determination
to focus on the positive.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
It's internal, yes, and it's a focus.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yes, ma'am, Yes, ma'am.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
So I like that because if something is temporary, you
can only focus on it for the moment that it
is before you.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Absolutely, But if.
Speaker 3 (08:40):
Something is internal, it's with you wherever you go. Yes, yes, right, beautiful, beautiful.
So then that being the case, you've then you've really
explained the difference. So I hear people say I just
want to be happy, and then they pursue that happiness.
(09:02):
Is that a good thing to do? And is that
a good thing to desire in your opinion.
Speaker 4 (09:09):
Actually it is not. And I also want to kind
of go a little bit deeper into the comparison as
well between joy and happiness. And there's two perspectives that
that that I got. It's one that I had, I
came up with through prayer and research, and then I'm
going to give you a second one based on AI
(09:29):
chat GBT wow. So my personal definition of the difference
between the two words is happiness is based on how
we respond to what's happening in our lives. Joy is
an internal conclusion that we choose regardless as to what
is happening. So you can also say.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Back that thing up, all right, a.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Family member, I say that too because she she she
she moves kind of slow, and so when.
Speaker 3 (10:04):
She said, yeah, I need to hear that again, we
need to hear that.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
So the difference between the two is that happiness is
based on how we respond to what's happening in our
lives currently. However, joy is an internal conclusion that we
choose regardless as to what is happening.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
It's a conclusion, Yeah, matters settled, I'm going to have
joy no matter what is happening. Is what I hear you.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Saying, yes, that is correct.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
I love it. I love that. Get me straight, give
us straight.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
So, happiness is often a pursuit of pleasure, but joy
is a result of the pursuit of purpose.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Come on one more time, yes.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Maam, Yes, ma'am. Happiness is often a pursuit of pleasure,
but joy is a result of the pursuit of purpose.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
Jesus, Jesus. So then you know you're you're raising up
questions in my gut that you know, we kind of
talk about what we may talk about, but you know,
just raising up. So then do you think that happiness
(11:31):
is something we ought to be pursuing?
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Absolutely not, bam happiness bam. In reverse, happiness, in my opinion,
is not something that we pursue. It's not a goal
that we should be seeking after. Again, happiness is a
byproduct of the pursuit of purpose.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
So if we pursue the purpose because of the internal right. So,
so help me work this out in my head. If
I and if I pursue my purpose, joy is a byproduct.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
Joy comes. Joy comes as a result of pursuing your
purpose because you are your set. Uh, It's a part
of how you how we are designed, how we are
designed by God, and how God uses life to shape us.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
Yep. So I'm hearing you loud and clear. So this
whole internal thing is part of our DNA. And I
think what we miss is you know when we say people,
I you know, I just want to be happy. I
just I just like to be happy. I just like
to laugh and have a good time, you know. So
do children? To me, that's a child, that's a child
(12:54):
that's mindset come up hither right, and you know, uh,
And there's always wonderful absolutely that we could play. But
they yeah, don't worry, be happy right because I'm happy right.
Speaker 4 (13:11):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (13:11):
And the song that the Beatles came out with about
when the sunshine comes out and and when you think
about all of that, that came out of a lot
of strouble. So songs sometimes will give us fleeting feelings
of happiness, but I like that pursuit of purpose which
(13:33):
will ultimately bring us joy. So I'm hearing you say,
and I'm gonna say this again for somebody who's listening.
Happiness is not not the pursuit. That's what you're saying.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
It shouldn't be happiness. You can pursue happiness and and
fall far short of being fulfilled.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
Absolutely, happiness and pursuing it, we fall short of being fulfilled.
And I don't know about anybody else but me, I
want to be full filled. I don't want to be
filled right to the halfway line, to the a quarter
of a cup. I want to be full filled, right.
And so why do we think happiness is so important
(14:19):
to people? And at the same time, I want to
ask you why it? Does it seem like it's so elusive?
But why is it important? And I think I'm gonna
guess why it's what seems to be elusive.
Speaker 4 (14:34):
No, no, I'll say this to the first part of the question.
People pursue happiness because the way we define it is off.
The way that we define it is it's a pathway
to comfort, to convenience, and to a beneficial life without
(14:56):
accountability and consequences.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
You being a little bit deep today and I'm loving
every second of it. So say it again, somebody who
can say it again?
Speaker 4 (15:11):
I will, I, I and and and I'll add this
because I have probably for the last decade, had a
big problem with with happy. The word happy because of
how it's defined by people. Happiness is defined by most
people as a pathway to comfort, to convenience, and to
(15:33):
a beneficial life without accountability and consequences. That's what most
people's mindset is. That's why they want to be.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Happy, comfort and convenience and there's no accountability and just
want to be filled with pleasure, no accountability.
Speaker 4 (15:54):
People find happiness is something that we don't have to
put in work for and that that is that is
not true on any level.
Speaker 3 (16:07):
Okay, so then that's the reason why in my opinion,
and that's why it's so elusive, right, we can't really
grab hold of it because we really don't know the definition.
And if we really understood the definition of happiness, we
(16:29):
wouldn't even try to pursue it.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
It's elusive, that's right, we wouldn't try.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
It's almost like kind of holds water. Say that again,
mm hmm.
Speaker 4 (16:41):
It's a byproduct of the pursuit of again, of purpose
and developing and growing on the spiritual side of being
obedient to God in the life system. You know, how
how how we work work towards something that there's a
great amount of fulfillment when you're working towards something like
(17:03):
like I mentioned my LPC acquisition back in December sixth
That was an eight year process that the God that
God walked me through and at the end I had
a great amount of contentment and fulfillment. I could see
the prayer, the work that I put in, and how
he helped me along the way. It means a lot.
(17:27):
He didn't just give me with that so I could
be happy for a few days. He made me work
through it so I would appreciate the process of what
I went through.
Speaker 3 (17:37):
And in the interim, you were being held accountable, right,
And that's something you were being held accountable for what
you're studying. When we have exams, that's a way of
holding us accountable that, yes, you study this. When we
have group sessions, were accountable to other people. Yes, you
know these college students, now we have group sessions. You know,
(17:59):
leave it to somebody else. Well, you the smartest, and
you know I worked, you know, eight hours a day,
So you do it and I just come together and
I tie. You know, no, no, no, no, no. There's
a real accountability that comes along with the work to
finding joy. And so this is what we're saying people
that we talk about the pursuit of happiness. There are
many songs about happiness. There are movies about happiness. But
(18:23):
I agree with doctor Houston in that that's the wrong pursuit.
It is fleeting, it is empty, it is elusive. But
if we seek our purpose and search for the purpose,
the result is an inward joy. And if I'm believing
(18:44):
and feeling this thing right, because I'm feeling this thing,
joy will bubble up in your gut and continue to
flow out, while happiness is just a simple water at
the mountain.
Speaker 4 (18:58):
Yes, ma'am, very well, very well to it. And let
me say this too. There's an example. I just thought of,
doctor Chen, how God blessed me when I went to college.
I went to college, and I tell people this. I
went to college to get a degree. I went to
college to get educated. And because I was obedient to
(19:21):
God to go to college and get my education, and
I desired that He not only blessed me after four
years with a degree, he blessed me with a wife.
Because my wife of almost thirty one years, Monica Houston,
I met her in college and that's how we connected
and got together. And the Lord let me know that
(19:41):
was my wife in college. And so because I was
obedient to the purpose of why I was there because
I was there to study, I was there to grow.
I was there to get that degree. He blessed me
with excess or surplus in terms of a life partner.
Speaker 3 (20:01):
I have a friend, Elder Gail Walton, who told me
years ago, she said, Chin, you never know how far
your obedience will take you. Oh God, one step or
one act of obedience can be like a domino effect.
(20:22):
That's how you met your good thing. That's how the
Bible says when you find a wife, you find a
good thing, and you obtain the favor of the Lord.
So by a being obedient to answer into the inner
call to go to school, right, you met your good thing,
you obtained the favor of the Lord. Now you're walking
in the favor. You two have been able to counsel
(20:44):
people in marriage. So it's a domino effect. I mean,
you know, this is a keeping it real with doctor Chin.
And while I love God, y'all already know I believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ. We want to bring on
practical topics so that we under stand and we want
people to know today that you may be pursuing the
(21:05):
wrong thing if you just you know, I just want
to be happy. If that's all you want to be,
God help you. If you want more than that, God
bless you. And so I want to continue to ask
doctor Houston. I've got some more questions that I wanted
him to respond to us today. So when you think
about all the things in life to pursue, where would
(21:27):
you rate happiness?
Speaker 4 (21:30):
Oh, to be honest with you, I really don't don't
rate it even in maybe the top five things that
I might think about. Happiness again, should not be a
pursuit From a spiritual standpoint, God created us for his will,
(21:50):
for his glory. When we obey His will again for
our lives, we find happiness. It's along the way and
at the at the risk of quoting scripture, Jeremiah twenty
nine eleven tells us, for I know the plans that
I have for you, says the Lord plans to prosper you,
(22:10):
not to harm you, plans to give you a hope
in the future. God has this thing already set up
for us. It's our job to come into the testing ground,
to come into the training arena, to come into the crucible.
And also I am so that we can be shaped
(22:31):
and performed into what he intends for us. When we
start going off kilter and trying to pursue a lot
of other things, including happiness. We miss happiness that's built
into his system for our lives, his system.
Speaker 3 (22:46):
His system. And so when we think about this, Jeremiah
said this to the people of God who were in
exile because of disobedience. Yes see, they were in time out.
They were in a place because of their disobedience. And
you know what happens when when we're putting time out,
(23:08):
when we can't be where we want to be, can't
go we want to go, dealing with the consequences of
our behavior and our disobedience right to the one we
call Lord, the one we call God. All right, I'm
gonna put you in time out. You're gonna be in
this place. I'm gonna put you under this king called
never Canezza. But you still but I know the plans
I have for you. You might be in time out
(23:30):
right now, we might whatever state this country is in
right now. I don't I'm not saying whatever crat you
are or can that you are, that we have to
understand that you can still be joyful because of His plans.
And we've got to understand it's not about being happy
right now, despite who's in office. It's not about that.
(23:52):
It is about being obedient in the state that we're
in them. I am trying to get off topic, but
I'm going to get back on because our feel myself
going somewhere. But this is this is all amen. So
I want to ask you this about the Declaration of Independence. Right,
we know the Bill Rights. It says that that we
have the right to life and liberty. Right life, liberty, freedom,
(24:18):
life means living right and the pursuit of happiness. And
it's called one of our inalienable rights. Before I define
or if you define it, what in ale of what
an inalia little alienable right is? What do you say
to that part of the Declaration of Independence that we
(24:40):
have the right to pursue happiness?
Speaker 4 (24:47):
There's a lot I could say about that. Let me
keep it on topic. A lot of times are inalienable
rights oppose and violate God's commandments, statutes and principles. Our
our bishop, my my and your spiritual father has taught
(25:09):
us before that just because something is legal doesn't make
it moral.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
Correct.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
So, there are a lot of things in our constitution which,
as as citizens of this country. We need to be
following unless and until it violates the moral code that
God has for me as a man of God, that
who has for you, that that God God has for me. Yes,
(25:39):
as a man of God and point view period.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Yes, my dad used to say that my dad's name
was Charles, and and so we're down in our family line.
We're up to Charles the fourth and so and and ale.
Inalienable right is one that no one can take from
you and that you don't give away. It's one that
(26:07):
no one can take from you. So that's the declaration
of independence that you have the right. Yeah, you got
the right to do it. No one can take it
from you, and you don't give it away. And yet
that's the problem that we have today and why people
I believe are trying to pursue happiness because they gave
their their right to be happy to somebody else. Well,
you know, I'm not happy because he doesn't come home
(26:29):
at work until seven o'clock and then you know, you know,
I got to cook dinner, and so you know, I'm
not happy in my marriage, and I'm not happy on
my job, and I'm not happy in my church, and
I'm not my goodness in my God right, so you
can give that right away, no one can take it
from you. But again at the top of the show,
(26:50):
we talked about pursuing that thing called purpose, where you
can find the joy, which is the river, rather than
the happiness, which is a water fountain, in a place
you may be or may not be.
Speaker 4 (27:03):
Yes, ma'am. So those are facts, yes, yes, Caesar.
Speaker 3 (27:09):
Facts. So what do you suggest people do when they
are unhappy and really trying to pursue happiness? If I
came into your office and said, I'm just not happy,
and then you know, I've been pursuing happiness and I'm
finding my own happiness and so, but that's what I'm
(27:29):
struggling with. What would you say to me if I
said to you, I'm just not happy, h and I
want to be happy, Doctor Houston, talk to us.
Speaker 4 (27:41):
Well, the first thing I would do, yeah, yeah, everybody
wants to be happy, I understand, which is probably what
I would say. But first of all, theoretically I'm going
to do theoretically and in application, Theoretically, my question would be, Okay,
what is your definition of happy? We have to go
(28:03):
back to the definition of what it is. We say
we're pursuing. Sometimes we pursue something and we don't even
know that we already have what we're pursuing. And so
you know, I could tell you stories in my own
life about that, you know, looking for something that God
had already given to me. Yeah, that that that was
(28:24):
near me that I didn't recognize. A lot of times
are happy is right with us? But from from an
application standpoint, uh, it's it's a multi tiered answer. Spiritually,
we need to use our tools that God gave us.
We need to be fasting and praying. We need to
be listening to to to to praise and worship music
(28:48):
and and and other other positive, uplifting, encouraging things that
there's a lot of stuff on on on the internet
and on social media that we don't need to listen
to because it's the source of a lot of our depression.
That's a whole Yes, it is another podcast. We need
to be studying God's Word, our church, Word of faith,
(29:10):
Family Worship Cathedral. The Lord gave our bishop the theme
for this year as this is the year of the Bible.
The Church, the people of God need to get back
to the Word, not the world. The church needs to
get back to reading, proclaiming, and living the Bible. This
is the year that we read it, live it, share it. Also,
(29:34):
we need to seek wise counsel. That's another thing that
we need to seek. I'm huge on mentorship on different levels,
not just we need to see people who know what
it is we're trying to find out, and you use
their wisdom so that we don't have to run through
the pitfalls and the errors and the issues that they
(29:56):
went through. That's called working smart and not how that's
just spiritually. Another area is physically. We must take better
care of our bodies. Yes, sometimes depression and a lack
of happiness because we're we're sick in our bodies or
we're not we're not healthy. We're not we're not exercising,
(30:19):
we're not drinking water, we're not eating proper more of
the better foods. Listen. I'm not a health food junkie,
but but I know when I need to put down
a piece of pie and pick up some broccoli, some
some string beans, some fruit. You know. Uh, it's important
that we do what we know we need to do.
(30:40):
Sometimes physical stuff makes it unhappy. One other area, our
mental and emotional states are off because we live in
a world that is compounded with stress and anxiety. It's everywhere,
It's everywhere, and so we need to develop self care routines.
(31:04):
I'm huge on that. And also I'm a therapist, so
we need to most, if not all, of us need
to find a therapist so that we can so we
can heal, so we can.
Speaker 3 (31:17):
We can process. Yes, we need help.
Speaker 4 (31:20):
It doesn't make you less of a human, it doesn't
make you less of a person of God, it doesn't
make you less of a leader. We need help. God
knows that, and he's waiting for us to ask him
to send us to where our help is.
Speaker 3 (31:35):
Listen, I'm gonna put this out there. I have a
friend she doesn't know because I haven't reached out to
her yet, but I'm sure she's gonna be on this
podcast called enid Okia who's written a book, The Unhealed Believer.
I've been reading this book and focus pages and and
and and apostle in it. If you're listening today or
if you get this on the on the replay, get ready.
(31:58):
But you know, for people who don't have a Bishop
Bronner and and a pastor and all of that, that's
why I'm when I have this show keeping it real
with doctor Chen. I am doing this out of obedience
to a mandate God gave to me. This is not
about being in a church. Not everybody has a pastor,
not everybody has a bishop. It just so happens that
(32:20):
the three that I am really well connected with, three
overseers and bishops in various areas of the country. Believe
it or not, their theme for the year is the same.
It is about the Word of God. It's about it's
about getting in the worst. So in my opinion, it's
not the year of the Bible.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
It's not.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Oh, it's praying time, folks. It's always been that. The
problem is that we have too many illiterate believers. You
don't and I I'm just gonna be honest. Sometimes we
don't know. We call ourselves believers, but we don't know
even what we believe because we don't know it in context.
I'm gonna move on from that. So I want, I want,
(33:02):
I want to move on from that because I feel
myself getting there. So if you if we want to
be happy, you can be happy for fleeting moments, you
can have that, But if you want to be fulfilled,
then pursue, as doctor Charles Houston said at the outset,
(33:26):
pursue your purpose. Discover the joy of the Lord, which
is your strength, because it's the joy that's gonna keep
you when you can't be happy, when you're not happy.
It's it's the joy that sustains us when the marriage
isn't going the well. He said that it is a conclusion.
(33:50):
I loved that. It's a conclusion you. I mean, you
can't get any deeper and simpler than that. At the
same time, he had prayed and studied and decided to
share with us today that the joy is a conclusion
of the pursuit of your purpose. Get that happiness is
(34:13):
not the pursuit. Happiness is fleeing. Like holding water in
the palm of your hand, it's going to run out.
You know. You can't close your fingers tighten up to
hold the water in. And so before we bring Audrey on,
I want to ask you if you thought about a word,
doctor Houston, that if you could leave us with, what
(34:37):
would that be as it relates to happiness is not
the pursuit?
Speaker 4 (34:51):
Say that one more time, leave us with before.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
Before Audrey comes back, Leave us with the word that
happiness is not the pursuit. Give us more on that
happiness is really not the pursuit.
Speaker 4 (35:08):
Hm mm hmmmm, Yeah, it kind of broke up a
little bit. Just just say it to me one more time.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
Can can you hear me? I can hear you now
that happiness is not the pursuit. Give us a fine
word before order comes back on.
Speaker 4 (35:27):
Oh gotcha, yes, ma'am. Absolutely, happiness is not the pursuit.
It is and and and and it comes down to this,
it's not it's not the pursuit because it's built into
the system that is set before you by God. You
don't have to look for what you run across when
(35:49):
when you're on a road called obedience, we should be
pursuing obedience to God. And this is something to add
to the answer I was thinking about. Some people are
going to say, well, you keep saying this this purpose word.
You and doctor Chen keep mentioning purpose. What if I
don't know my purpose? What if you know, like you said,
doctor Chen, I don't have a bishop rona. Uh. You
(36:11):
always can do research on your own. There's a lot
of really good material out there. A lot of people
have heard of this book, some have not heard of it.
But there's a book called The Purpose Driven Life by
Rick Warren that that's been in print for a long
time now, so you could read up on on what
(36:32):
what purpose is. Also, God rest his soul, people like
doctor Miles Monroe has books on purpose. Yeah, there's no quick.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
Breaking up. I don't know what you're.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Purpose, so we have to continue to be diligent and persistent.
Speaker 3 (37:04):
Are you connected because you were breaking up? You seem
you seem to be breaking up?
Speaker 4 (37:09):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I was. I'm connected. I don't know
what's going on, but I think this is a strong,
a strong podcast as usual. Amen.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Amen, all right, So I want Audrey to come back
on because I have a feeling, hey, Tyra uh, that
this is a topic that happiness really is not the
pursuit and I heard named it that the pursuit of happiness,
so that we could get into the thing that there's
something deeper and better than happiness. Come on, Audrey bel Candy.
(37:45):
You know I'll be up and taking on all thounsand notes.
I got to scripple all over my paper.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
One of the things that you said, doctor two, which
I was like, okay, what does that mean?
Speaker 3 (37:53):
You said, what is an illiterate believer. That was my question.
You said some just illiterate believers like that, What is that?
A biblically illiterate believer, someone who doesn't read their Bible.
We call ourselves believers, but we don't know what we believe.
Because this is the thing. You can believe in God,
(38:17):
but do you believe God? So in order to believe God,
you got to know what God said. In order to
know what he said, you have to read his book.
I've been in places and I mean just to help
us where people passes. And please understand, I'm not judging
anybody where we quote scripture so far out of context
(38:40):
that we are messing people up, you know, giving it
be given, giving unto you, good measure, pressed down, shaking
together and running over. We often quote that about money.
That is not about money. In the Bible, it has
nothing to do with money. So that's what I'm saying.
If we're gonna be believers, don't be a biblically in
literal believe. That's what I've been all right now.
Speaker 2 (39:06):
He's the one of the things I heard you say
was when you obey God's will, you will find happiness.
And I thought that was so I said retired in
the show, it's called the pursuit of mid instead of
pursuit of happiness. I thought that was so profound, like
we'll obey God's will, you will find happiness. And now
that was pretty good because most people are looking for happiness.
(39:27):
And then you said that they don't want to be accountable.
There's no accountability in your searching for happiness, and I
was like, oh, wait a minute now, and you have now,
so I thought that was really pretty good as well.
And then the last time I saw was joy is
the result of pursuit of purpose. And so you ended
your your your animation about talking about the purpose on
(39:50):
that book because I needed that back in the day,
like I didn't know what I was on and I
was all over the place, and I thought that was
really good. Joy is the result the pursuit of purpose.
Speaker 3 (40:00):
So thank for that. I got a lot of takeaways.
I did, doctor Houston, what do you say about the
whole thing where if we pursue the domino effect where
obedience takes us into that joy and that happiness, that
obedience has been a top popular word.
Speaker 4 (40:22):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
What are you saying, doctor?
Speaker 4 (40:27):
Can you it's so many things. I said, yes, can
you hear me? Yeah? Now, I can't you hear me? Yeah? Now,
I was just going to say, there's so many different
things that I can think of where God helped me
to desire to be obedient because I saw the result
(40:48):
of what He was doing in my life, even you know,
starting to date my wife in college, so really quickly
thirty seconds, I had an attraction into my life in college,
but I was looking at somebody else, to be honest
with you, and one night, this was at the end
(41:09):
of a party. Yes, at a party on campus, I
saw my wife who was she was just my friend.
Then I saw her across the room. Now this is
the end of a party two am in the morning.
And when I looked at her, the Holy Spirit said
to me, what are you looking for? And what he
was saying was what you need and what I have
(41:30):
for you is in front of you. Stop pursuing other stuff.
Speaker 3 (41:34):
Wow. So he didn't say what are you looking at?
He said what are you looking for?
Speaker 4 (41:41):
Right? He said yes, yes, yes, yes he did.
Speaker 3 (41:49):
And so this is you bring up a great point
because this is for the religious, like the strict religious.
The Holy Spirit spoke to him at a party. I've
had to say the whole come on here, doc, were
you saved and save the fire and filled with the
Holy Godess at that time? Can we keep it real.
Speaker 4 (42:14):
Listen? I would save, but I don't know how feeled
I was. I was not walking in my illness. So
at the end of the day.
Speaker 3 (42:31):
Good people, we are saying, and doctor Houston and I
are in agreement that pursuit is not the happiness is
not the pursuit. Pursue your purpose, walk in your purpose,
and nine times out of ten, the thing that gives
you the most joy, the most pleasure, the most fulfillment,
(42:52):
where your most productive likely is your purpose. It could
be feeding the hungry. I have a sister who who
loves helping people out and cooking meals for people and
doing things, and she gets so much joy out of it.
And I said, do you realize that that's your ministry,
That that's what you can Every time we talk, when
(43:13):
you talk about that, you light up over the phone.
That's her purpose to be helps. It's called the ministry
of helps. If you want to get biblical with it, right,
it's called servanhood. So look for your purpose and you'll
find your joy, and in your joy, those moments of
happiness will come. Amen. Last word, the last word, Audrey,
(43:40):
your doctor, to go for it. I'm gonna give it
a doctor.
Speaker 5 (43:45):
Let me, let me, let me say, let me say
one more thing that that that I need to share
from my bishop, our spiritual father, me and you, doctor.
Speaker 4 (43:58):
Chen, go for something. He's said. Something he said before
is talking about how we climb the ladder of success,
which is also connected to pursuing happiness. He said it
would be a shame if we lived our lives climbing
the ladder of success to later realize that the ladder
(44:19):
was leaned up against the wrong building or path. We
got to make sure that we're pursuing what we're supposed
to be pursuing.
Speaker 3 (44:27):
Yes, and I think that came from doctor Chand that's
that's powerful. Don't don't have your ladder where you're climbing
to leaning against the wrong building.
Speaker 4 (44:36):
He has books.
Speaker 3 (44:36):
Yes, thank you, take us away on it.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Well, listen, now you guys now know God and God's
will and his word not.
Speaker 3 (44:47):
The pursuit of happiness. And you got it.
Speaker 2 (44:49):
Accountable listen, Accountability is big, big. I have accountability. Call
tomorrow morning, eight o'clock one, following that.
Speaker 3 (44:56):
We gotta be accountable. Thank you so much to watch it.
Speaker 2 (44:59):
You could have and end uple to spend forty four
minutes here with Doctor ten and Doctor Houston. We appreciate
you to stop a lot today. We should do us
a favorite jed us with two friends, not only.
Speaker 3 (45:08):
Two is free. Don't don't call you me.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Share with your friends so they aren't to miss an episode.
We never missed an episode, and do that. You must
subscribe to this show. We'll listening to it on Spotify, Apple, Google,
wherever you're listening, Amazon, wherever you're listen. Please spat to
the show and share it to bus. If you want
to support doctor ten, you can go to Lynda chen
Mysteries dot com to support her.
Speaker 3 (45:28):
And her mission and her We're there.
Speaker 2 (45:30):
We're back again in two weeks, same place, same time,
Doctor you to thank you again for it, Doctor ten, guest,
Doctor ten, thank you for lout me this this great
work that you're doing. We'll be back two weeks subscribing.
We'll took you someone till next time.
Speaker 3 (45:44):
Make it up greatly. Bye, everybody, Love you Doc, love
your Audrey Tea.
Speaker 4 (45:51):
Love you too, Love you too, and thank you Audrey.
Speaker 3 (45:54):
Welcome.
Speaker 1 (45:55):
You've been listening to Keeping It Real with Doctor Linda Chen.
If you enjoyed this episode, hit the light button and
share it with a friend. Be sure to support the
show by going to linditinministries dot com. Subscribe to the
show so you never miss an episode, and tune in
again in two weeks at two pm Eastern Standard Time.
Until next time, keep the faith and keep it Real.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.