Episode 8
· 53:17
Welcome to Get Steppin', the podcast where your hosts, Nathan Gill and TK Jeter, look at the steps that Jesus took and how we can follow him by making our faith a verb. Now, like the disciples did after they were done staring at the clouds in acts one, let's get stepping.
Speaker 2:I don't know if you've noticed, but, in the area we live in, the squirrels are quite terrible. Have you noticed this at all?
Speaker 3:The most I've noticed is some of my trash can thingy that, you know, the one you take out to the
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 3:A chunk of it has been
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 3:Chewed away. Like, legitimately chewed away. Like That's
Speaker 2:what I'm
Speaker 3:I feel like it could place I don't know why this is the first thing that pops in my mind, but I feel like I could, like, like, gently place a small baby through that hole.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's it I I it's kinda crazy. That's why I was gonna say that I I always say squirrels are thugs in our in our area because they if you look down on trash today, every single trash can has been burrowed through.
Speaker 3:Okay. It's just squirrels.
Speaker 2:It's terrible. I I I could definitely fit my whole arm through the hole that that, is in the side of mine. I've tried to, like there there's some people that, like, tie soap. There's certain kinds of soap. Like, I don't know if it's, like, Irish Springs or some kind of soap.
Speaker 2:They're like, you squirrels just don't like this soap. So I'll see people, like like, pantyhose with soap in it, and, like, they're tied off on the and, like, that's not working.
Speaker 3:Can get it why it would be Irish Springs. Like, if I was a squirrel, I would also hate Irish Springs. That's the soap I've never liked. Anyway, squirrels. Squirrels.
Speaker 2:So, anyways, I but there was one day I came out and I'd usually, they're all, you know, they all run away. But, anyways, one day I I I came out and I opened my recycling bin, which does not have a hole in it because there's nothing in there to eat. It's just cardboard and paper. So I open that one, I'm throwing stuff in it. But as I open it, a squirrel jumps out of the hole and I so I let go of the lid and it goes into the recycling bin and slams on it.
Speaker 2:And I hear it, like, rustle around in there Like, like, doing this thing, you know? Weird sound effect. But, and so I had I had, like, figure out what I'm gonna do. So I just threw the lid open. It came out and looked pretty mad, but didn't It didn't attack you.
Speaker 2:Didn't attack me, but I was somewhat terrified. I I always I I thought it was, like, raccoons that would, like, maybe do that kind of damage to a, to a trash can, but, like, the fact that squirrels are, like, burrowing through trash cans. Again, these are plastic. They're not, you know, they're obviously not, you know, aluminum. That'd be insane.
Speaker 2:We do live close to a refinery, and sometimes I wonder, could they be, like, you know, nuclear? Am I losing it? You know, like, some crazy mutant squirrels that are, like, just taking over the town.
Speaker 3:Excessive muscle. Yeah. They're just, like, yoked. Yoked squirrel. Actually, that'd be pretty cool.
Speaker 3:Like, have you seen the videos of the, like pit bulls that are, like Yes. Mat like, massively built? Yeah. Those are the squirrels we have in Wood River.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:Like, you can see their muscle definition.
Speaker 2:There's, like, veins popping on the sides. They got, like, stretch marks, like, right on it right here, but the shoulders have just been, like, brilliant.
Speaker 3:Yeah. You could have all the acorns, bro. I don't want no shovel.
Speaker 2:Do you even
Speaker 3:lift, bro?
Speaker 2:I just think what is happening? No, man. The squirrels are crazy. And I'll let go sometimes we'll we'll get a little lazy, and we'll just put a trash bag outside the door, and then I'll just take it out there eventually. But sometimes I don't know.
Speaker 2:And the squirrels just decimate this trash bag, and then there's trash all over my backyard. And I'm like, what the heck, man?
Speaker 3:That actually says that. So funny enough, though, like, I don't know. Maybe somebody's, like, ruined or killed the squirrels that were here. Because I know there was a hole in the side of my house.
Speaker 2:What?
Speaker 3:Again, yes. There was a hole on the side of the house, right before I bought it. I don't know how long it'd been there, but squirrels have chewed through the siding to, like, live in there. And so when I when I first got the house, there's a piece of the siding with, like, just socks stuffed in it. And I was like, what is that?
Speaker 3:And Chris was like, yeah. Squirrels. What? I can ask any more questions.
Speaker 2:Yeah. You know them them squirrels stuffing socks in the in the siding of our house. Yeah. That was
Speaker 3:just one of those things where it's just like you accept it. You don't question it. You just let it be.
Speaker 2:It's their world. We're just living in it.
Speaker 3:Apparently. Apparently.
Speaker 2:They take over, man. I thought about going back to my parents' house and grabbing my pellet gun and just camping out in the backyard and just one at a time. Just pow pow.
Speaker 3:Imagine a little kid, like, walking by, sees you like quick scope of squirrel. You're gonna ruin the And
Speaker 2:then I just, like, lay them out in the line, like, everybody take look at this. Don't come near this house.
Speaker 3:Stakes in your front yeah.
Speaker 2:Don't come near this house, man. This will be you. Stay away from my trash can. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 3:No. But at my house, though, like, they're not they're not really a problem anymore. As far as I can tell, like, the trash cans don't have any holes in them.
Speaker 2:Wait. Do you have, like, new trash cans?
Speaker 3:Well, okay. No. Not the trash cans, but the trash bags.
Speaker 2:Oh, okay.
Speaker 3:They're never, like, ripped up or anything like that.
Speaker 2:When I open my the lid to my trash can, the bags are, like, in pieces. Seriously? Yeah. It's almost like a whole family comes in there and just has, like, a party. Gorse.
Speaker 2:Yeah. What? I don't
Speaker 3:know why that came. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 2:Okay. Enough about squirrels. That was way too much. You
Speaker 3:know Don't be vigilant about seeing squirrels around.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Please don't mug me. Yeah. Watch out for those. Yeah.
Speaker 2:But, anyways, no. I I I do wanna welcome everybody back to our podcast. This is now our eighth episode. You know, we've made it this far. Yay.
Speaker 2:Dang. You know, most podcasts may not. I don't know.
Speaker 3:Yeah. People stop me at Walmart like, I've heard your voice before.
Speaker 2:No. They don't. Yeah. No. They don't.
Speaker 2:I don't. And, anyways, I I you know, welcome everybody back. This is our podcast. We're we're calling it Get Stepping. And we've been looking, at this idea that in Acts one, you got the disciples.
Speaker 2:They've they've spent three years with the with Jesus with the Jesus. Sorry. They've spent they've spent three years in Jesus' ministry, and he's now been put on the cross. He's died. He's been resurrected.
Speaker 2:He's come back. He's they've had this time, and and now he's he's ascended into the clouds, and they're standing there staring. And they're like, oh, it's our you know, now it's time for us to really put this into practice and start making some decisions, and really start walking this faith and this being like Jesus, like that whole idea. Like, I'm gonna have to take these steps myself now. Jesus isn't gonna be here to hold my hand.
Speaker 2:He may be with me in spirit, but he's not gonna be here on earth, to walk me through all these moments. I can't just rely on whatever he's gonna oh, yeah. You know, I'm gonna do whatever he does. I'm gonna have to actually step out and do some things. That's kinda been our whole motto is, to get stepping.
Speaker 2:As we've been kinda going through this, it's been really I don't know. It's been really cool to get with you, TK, and just talk about these things and share our lives. Like, some of the stories I've been hearing from different people, that have listened are really they're really encouraged by our conversations and and and getting to know you on a different level. You know? Like, there's some people that that maybe have known me, but, like, at our church, but to to get to hear you and hear your story and like, there's people that I've been close to, they're like, man, I can't wait to hear TK's story.
Speaker 2:I can't wait you know? I'm like, well, I'm, you know, I'm on there too. And, but it's just funny, like, it's been encouraging. We've had some people, some friends texting us, like, live tweeting us, like, as they're listening to the episodes and, you know, fan no. No.
Speaker 2:I wouldn't say fan questions really, but they're they're like, hey. When are you gonna talk about this? Like, you know, it's it's just been a really encouraging, and uplifting time, I feel like, for me, getting with you and talking about scripture and what steps we should be taking. I mean, I I don't know.
Speaker 3:No. I've also loved it very much. For those listening at church, like, I meant it when I stood up and I said, hey, guys. You're gonna you're gonna hear me talk. If nothing else, you're gonna hear me talk.
Speaker 3:And stop laughing at me.
Speaker 2:Dude, it's hot. It is hot, man.
Speaker 3:It's warm in here. Oh my gosh. Freaking room.
Speaker 2:He's shedding layers on
Speaker 3:Yeah. Got me. Guns out. Anyway, no. It has been very encouraging and, like, friends hours away, they're like, hey.
Speaker 3:Listen to your podcast. And I'm like, dang. Thanks. This is the first time you've texted me in six months. No plan.
Speaker 3:Kinda. Kinda. But no. It is very nice to to know people are being encouraged because that's literally all I care about, like, doing this. I mean, we don't have to record our conversations.
Speaker 3:We could just, like, go hang out at McDonald's Taco Bell.
Speaker 2:I was gonna say, hey. I can't leave you just refer like
Speaker 3:Well, I know you, McDonald's.
Speaker 2:So, you
Speaker 3:know, people pleasing TK was like, McDonald's is where we would go. No. And I just I
Speaker 2:know that's not true.
Speaker 3:I just sit there sad.
Speaker 2:Why is it?
Speaker 3:But yeah. Yeah. These have been some very fruitful conversations for myself. Like, I was actually thinking about this last night when I was struggling to fall asleep, and how God is, like, just revealing stuff to me, challenging me through these conversations because, I mean, yeah, we do prep work, but not I'm not, like, planning. I'm gonna say this second
Speaker 2:Right. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Idea, whatever. You know? So, in that sense, it's like like, I don't remember which episode it was. But, like, literally in the middle of episode, I was like, cut to the heart. And I was like, dang.
Speaker 3:That's actually
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 3:Really challenging right now. Yeah. So These are just these
Speaker 2:are just conversations we're having, and people get to be a part of it.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So welcome, guys. I feel like maybe next time, I should just, like, pull up a chair next to me, and I'll envision you as a listener sitting right there
Speaker 2:There you
Speaker 3:go. Staring at me awkwardly as you don't say anything.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It's been it's been really encouraging. Like I said, I've had some people text me or or say, you know, hey. I hadn't thought about that or, hey. I need to I you know, with the episodes about step team, like, man, I really need that.
Speaker 2:Like, I can you help me get that or how do I even get you know, how do I even start a step team? Because I'm I feel alone, you know, like those types of things. It's been really encouraging, and challenging too to know that there are people that God's trying to help and, and trying to, you know, give direction to and give give that part of his kingdom to. So Yeah. It's been really it's been really challenging and encouraging, but but again, half the time, I don't even think about people that are listening.
Speaker 2:I'm just considering what, you know, it's it's like our friendship and and talking about our lives. So and as as we're starting this next episode, you know, one of the things we're gonna look at is, steps of purpose or purposeful steps.
Speaker 3:Yeah. That was a weird way to put it, steps of purpose.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I mean, like, whenever you think about that phrase I mean, I I heard people say, like, man, I mean, that guy's on a mission. He's walking with a purpose. You know, like like, that kind of a phrase. Like, what kinda comes to mind when you're thinking about steps or purposeful steps?
Speaker 2:You know?
Speaker 3:Steps of purpose. Yeah. I think
Speaker 2:of I don't know
Speaker 3:what my mind is thinking of just, like, the negative side of things. But, in James four, I believe it is. Mhmm. It's really embarrassing if I'm in the wrong chapter.
Speaker 2:You're fine.
Speaker 3:But James is talking about, people being, I guess, essentially vain in the way that they plan out their lives. They're like, on this day, we'll go to this town and make money. And James is like, y'all are being foolish. It's like, I don't know. Like, why are you trying to make plans without including God in that?
Speaker 3:So that's one thing I think about. But on the other hand, I just think of the idea and the notion of I'm going to I have a goal that I want to achieve. And so my next steps Mhmm. That's not just gimmicky because that's the name of the podcast. But my next steps are are gonna be purposeful and intentional so that I could reach said goal.
Speaker 3:So in the context of, like, the actual passage where they're looking and they're like Yeah. Yo. Like, this Jesus. Like, he's called you to a mission. Again, talking about, like, us being in that in that scenario and that charge of, like, oh, wait.
Speaker 3:Like, there's stuff I've gotta be doing now. I feel like the step team was I was talking about purposeful steps of doing that in community and, like, aspects of that community. And for this one, like, choosing joy, man, that's rough. Because Mhmm. I mean, I I feel like I've I'll I'll probably talk about this a lot more throughout the podcast today, but that that's kind of been, like, where God has been poking at me lately Right.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:About joy. I shared I think I we talked a little bit about NCYM last episode, but very much at NCYM, that's kind of how God has challenged me. Like, hey, dude. We we gotta work on this one. And then the so I I write an email to my parents almost every week every week in quotation marks because I'll be honest.
Speaker 3:Sometimes I just miss it. I'll be a little busy Oh, yeah. And just and just kinda forget to actually get it out. But mostly every week, I'll send out an an email. And and the email this week, I was talking about because we we're going through the fruit of the spirit.
Speaker 3:And first week was love, which thank you again for teaching that lesson. That was amazing. But this week was joy. Yeah. And I kid you not, like, nobody else chose this like, chose the week of joy.
Speaker 3:Like, all the other weeks have been filled, and nobody chose joy. And I feel like those got again, like Interesting. TK, you Yeah. You better be working on this. So that's also funny.
Speaker 3:But I I mean, I I just talked a little bit about that of, like, there have been some he's just he's just been hitting that hard with me lately because I shared I was reading through Job 13 and how Job was like, I'm afflicted on outside all sides and all that.
Speaker 2:Right. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I think it's thirteen fifteen where Job says, like, though he slay me, I'm still gonna, like, hope in him. I'm gonna plead my case. Like, I wanna plead my case to God. And I've I've just kinda felt like that's the scenario that I've been in. But going deeper than that, God has been, again, challenging me with joy and all that and been reading through Jeremiah and Jeremiah 31.
Speaker 3:Like, literally, like, I was listening to it and, like, reading through it. At the same time, like, almost coming to tears, which, like, that doesn't really happen to me when I'm reading scripture. Like, I love scripture, and it's, like, very moving and very powerful. But, like, emotionally, it doesn't usually move me in that sense.
Speaker 2:To hit.
Speaker 3:But I was like Yeah.
Speaker 2:In that kind of way.
Speaker 3:Yeah. Yeah. And that was also just very recently that I was, like, reading through this passage. So I don't know. Anyway, joy's been very prominent for me, and so it's kind of ironic again that, like, this is the week that it's falling out for us to talk about in the podcast.
Speaker 3:So
Speaker 2:Yeah. Because we've been sick, and we hadn't talked to you know what I'm saying? We haven't been able to get together to actually record. Yeah. So that's kinda crazy.
Speaker 2:Yeah. No. I think, you know, God God plans us sometimes to have to talk about certain things or have to focus or re I mean, I'm telling you. I remember one time I was reading a book, and I sat I hadn't read it in a in a while. And then I pick it back up, and it and I'm talking, like, months later.
Speaker 2:I pick it back up, and when I read this next chapter, it is like right in the middle of what I needed to hear. It was like God said, yep. You're putting that book down for now. You're gonna need that
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Later. And that's kinda I feel like that's maybe what he's doing for you. He's like, hey, man. This is something you're going through. This is something you need.
Speaker 2:Like, joy is something that's done on your mind, like, going through different different trials and and, maybe this is just the right time. Yeah. You know, that's good for you. Yeah. Sometimes it's it's it's kinda weird.
Speaker 2:It's hard to know what's happening. But I think it goes back to the God directing our steps and, like, I don't really see it at the time, but then I'm like, oh, wow. This is you know, he he wanted me in this place right now so that I could learn this lesson at this time.
Speaker 3:Yeah. So Which and, again, like, this right now is the time for me to be moving with purpose and intention. Yeah. Which at times is a little uncomfortable, but also, at times, it's very encouraging, which we'll get more on that later. But, again, the the phrasing that we've got is choosing joy
Speaker 2:Right. Yeah. Which It's hard.
Speaker 3:It says a lot. Yeah. I don't know. I'm trying not to, like, rant or rant. Not rant, but, like, just pop off.
Speaker 3:You know?
Speaker 2:Well, there's a well, there's huge so
Speaker 3:much more.
Speaker 2:There's a huge difference between between being happy and being joyful. Yeah. Right? Which I'm sure you probably talked a little bit about with the teens.
Speaker 3:I talked a lot about it with
Speaker 2:the teens. Yeah. So there there's like this whole you know, and I think people think, well, I, you know, I I need to be happy. Like, I think that's, like, a perception of the world, like, I need to find my happiness. But joy is a totally different animal where you do have to choose it sometimes.
Speaker 2:It's not something you just can achieve by unlocking these alright. If I have this possession or if I make this amount of money, if I have this right person in my life or this right relationship, like, I'm not gonna achieve happiness like I think I am. Yeah. That joy is something that's a lot a lot more unconditional. Is that is that what is
Speaker 3:No. I'm just I don't know why I'm trying to, like, hold myself back. I'm like, I've we've got so much more to talk about,
Speaker 2:but I'm
Speaker 3:like, okay. Yeah. You're good. It's literally just on my heart right now. So I'm just gonna give me give me thirty minutes.
Speaker 3:No play.
Speaker 2:Thirty. Not thirty minutes. Maybe. I
Speaker 3:don't know. We'll see. No. Okay. So literally this Wednesday, my lesson was overjoy, and we started off the class, and you've given me a lot of ideas, but, just like watching the way you taught class.
Speaker 3:But so we started off class talking about happiness, and, like, we had them list off some things that make them happy. Yeah. And they had a nice list. None of them listed their siblings, by the way, which sucks. What?
Speaker 3:We'll we'll get to there. We'll get to there. But I have them trying to define what they think happiness is Right. Which they had some some definitions going. And then I have them list out some things that maybe stole away their happiness.
Speaker 3:And some of them listed their siblings
Speaker 2:Oh, man.
Speaker 3:Kind of as a joke Yeah. Yeah. But just kinda. But, like, the point was, like, there are things that make us happy.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 3:And based off your definition, it's kind of like your happiness is like a reaction. Right? So, like, good thing happens. I am happy because of good thing that happens. But when you also look at the list that can take away your happiness, it's like, okay.
Speaker 3:Well, happiness is not a lasting state. It's a fleeting. Yeah. It's fleeting. And, like, even and there doesn't even have to be something that, like, counteracts your happiness.
Speaker 3:Like, it's just like, oh, wow. That was such a good time with my friend. It's not that, like, I don't enjoy that time that I had anymore, but, like, that that emotional response of happiness, like, it just fades away. You know? Right.
Speaker 3:So happiness in in and of itself is it's foolish to chase after. Like, it's it's legit just foolish to chase after because, like, it's always gonna be diminishing. Therefore, you're always gonna be seeking the next thing that make you happy or, like, you obtain everything that's gonna make you happy in your life. And
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:And then, like, I don't know. You're just gonna have to keep moving on to the next step. But then we looked at joy, and I was like, what do y'all think joy is? And some of them was like, it's like happiness, but, like, better. And so it was it was fun to to to look at joy, and we looked at several different passages.
Speaker 3:I I have one group look at Exodus 15. That's literally, like, right after, God defeated, like, the Egyptian army and pharaoh, and Moses and all of Israel is singing, and then Miriam starts singing. And their happiness isn't responsive, like, watching how God moves, like, watching what God is doing in their life. And, like, as they watch that, their in a sense, it's it's kind of like that reaction, but, like, joy comes from, like, watching what God has done. It's not like I'm doing anything, therefore, I'm choosing joy because, like, of what I've done.
Speaker 3:But it's literally like a response to God.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Instead of a reaction Mhmm. With a feeling, it's a response with of a choice. Is that what is that
Speaker 3:that's kinda what you're going with. It's it's a response
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Of of who God is and what God is doing in my life.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:Which is deeper than happiness because it's it's it's it's removing that aspect of this is something that I can obtain for myself. Right. Right? And, also, it's different from happiness because, like, God remains constant.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 3:And if I'm staying in relationship with God, there's a constant supply of joy because God's always gonna be working and moving in my life. Yeah. Another passage that we looked at was second Samuel six, David dancing with all of his might, which is, that's Christian meme culture. There are a lot of memes about it as well, which is just really funny. I was actually about to put that in my email, like, a link to one of the videos.
Speaker 3:And then I texted Sydney. I was like, is this a good idea? Thankfully, she reined me in. I did not add a TikTok to my email. That would have been just kinda silly.
Speaker 3:But, anyway, second Samuel six, David dancing, with all of his might. And, again, it's just like celebrating God, like, being able to be in the presence of God. Like, they were bringing the ark back to Jerusalem and, like, the joy that that brought for the entire nation.
Speaker 2:Mhmm.
Speaker 3:And David's response is literally, like, to dance, like, with all of his might. And his wife, Michael, was looking on him and, like, not so shameful. Mhmm. And he might have, like, you know, stripped off a little clothing or whatever. But Michael looked at David, and he's just like, dude, you look so dumb doing that.
Speaker 3:Like, that's that should be to your shame. And David's response is like, it's not. Like Yeah. I will do even more things, like, so much so that, like, I'll look foolish to myself. But but, like, I'll do that because of the joy that I have in my God.
Speaker 2:When you're full of joy, you're embarrassment's the last thing on your mind.
Speaker 3:Exactly. And that was another thing that I told my Yeah. That I told my teens was, like, if you have joy in the Lord and if and part of that is, like, seeking relationship with God. Like, David was seeking after bringing the ark to Jerusalem, and that was bringing him joy. Like, that he could be closer to God.
Speaker 3:Like, in that sense, like, physically closer to God, and that brought him joy. But, like, he that was something he had to work for and that he he had to seek after. And so, like, for the teens, I was like, if you're gonna be reading your Bible, like, are you only gonna do that at home? Like, like, would you be willing to do so in a coffee shop? Like, would you be embarrassed about it?
Speaker 3:Would that bring you shame? If somebody said something, would you be like, okay. Let me put it away. Or are you gonna pray for your food at school? Like, random examples like that, but, like, practicing spiritual disciplines and, like, intentionally seeking after God.
Speaker 3:Not to put it on show, but, like, it's okay if other people see it.
Speaker 2:We took some teens back to Troy, the night that I helped you that that I did the lesson for the teens. Mhmm. I went with you to take some teens back to Troy. I got you sick. Oh, you know, all that all that kind
Speaker 3:of stuff.
Speaker 2:But, no. I I I remember in the on the car ride, we did, like, what was it called? Highs, lows, and buffalo?
Speaker 3:Yeah. High, low, buffalo.
Speaker 2:Which I thought the buffalo part. I got the high, low, okay, that makes sense. Like, the best thing, the worst thing. I thought buffalo was, like, something awkward, But I think you guys said something random. But, anyways, one of the girls in the car was, like, this week I opened my Bible.
Speaker 2:Was it at the lunch table or in class or something? And she said and I had somebody ask me a question. And, like, it's just, like, how cool is that? Like, not to be Exactly. Like, she's obviously trying to not, cut this part of her life off from God.
Speaker 2:She's trying to include God in everything. Yeah. And in an unembarrassed, shameless, like, way Yeah. And it's gonna open some doors. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And, I mean, it's all it's gonna open a lot of doors. It could be positive or negative, but I think it's it's something to be said when especially when a teenager does something like that, but when anybody, a disciple out of joy chooses I'm gonna do this for God, I don't care what consequences, because I know the benefits of choosing this are gonna bring. Yeah. It's a big deal. Like, that that stuck in my head that that night when she said that.
Speaker 2:I was like, wow. That's a big deal. I don't know if I would have done that as a high schooler.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying? I don't know if I would have I don't remember ever busting my bible out unless there was like a plan, like, hey. We're all gonna do this. Yeah. You know, we're gonna see what happens.
Speaker 2:We're good. Yeah. We're gonna No.
Speaker 3:Like, her telling me that was, like, very encouraging to me as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah. What a challenge.
Speaker 3:Yeah. And, like, just see this is an aside. I'm gonna get back to my pedestal. I'm I'm preaching right now. But, like, that was such an encouragement and, like, seeing the way that God is is filling these teams with boldness and courage, like, to just be themselves and God.
Speaker 3:Like, that oh, man. It's so exciting to see. It's genuinely so exciting to see. But, yeah, joy, joy in the Lord, and shame don't
Speaker 2:They don't mix. Yeah.
Speaker 3:They don't mix.
Speaker 2:They can't coexist. Yeah.
Speaker 3:And that that yeah. That's just an important ask. Again, pursuing your relationship with God is gonna bring you joy, and there's there's no shame in that. There is no shame in that. The last special that we went to was Luke one, Mary's Magnificat, that song.
Speaker 3:It's funny to me how sometimes in the Bible, more often than I feel like normal life allows, people just break off in a song. I was like, it's like a like a musical or something.
Speaker 2:Right. Yeah.
Speaker 3:So I I just think that's kind of funny now. But Mary's song after, like, she's visiting Elizabeth and John the Baptist sleeps in the womb Mhmm. And Mary starts singing. And her song is literally about God placing favor on her because she's literally bearing, like, the savior of the world, Jesus. You know?
Speaker 3:That's that's cool in and of itself, but even more so well, I guess, with that, like, the savior of the world, like, Mary's song is about the hope that Israel has and the hope that the world has, and that brings her joy. And so, like, I guess the last the last big point that I had for the teens was the fact that, like, we have hope, and that hope brings us joy.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:And another and, I guess, another thing, like, as long as we have hope in God, we have joy in God.
Speaker 2:Mhmm. Well, and how many we talked earlier about happiness and how many of those things we chase that we think are gonna bring us happiness, but they don't not just bring us happiness, they also don't bring us any hope. Yeah. And what's the point, like, really, if we think about that? And there's things we'll chase that we think, well, I see this person, and they're they look happy Mhmm.
Speaker 2:Because they've got them, but we really don't know. We think that's what's making them happy when it's maybe not. So I'm gonna take a break real quick, and we'll jump back into another passage. Okay. As we're coming back, I do wanna apologize.
Speaker 2:We may have some feedback in the background. There's some stuff going on here at the church building that we didn't know about.
Speaker 3:That's my tummy rumbling. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah. It may you know, we just can't control some of that stuff. But, anyway, let's, we're gonna jump into this passage in Matthew seven, which I know falls under the umbrella of the Sermon on the Mount. And I brought it up this time. Crazy.
Speaker 2:This is a Matthew seven, starting in verse seven. It says this, ask and God will give it to you. Search and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. Yes.
Speaker 2:Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find, and everyone who knocks will have the door opened. I think you mentioned this, in a podcast before, but and then then it says, if your chill children ask for bread, which of you will give them stone? Or if your children ask for fish, which will give them, you know, which of you will give them a snake? Even though you are bad, you know how to give good gifts to your children.
Speaker 2:How much more your heavenly father will give good things to those who ask him. Amen. And again, this is like to me, this is like a moment where I can see clearly, like, Jesus is saying, look, man, if you just take make the right choices or knock and ask God for help, you know, make make these steps of bringing God into the equation, like, things can change. And I and what better scenario, I feel like when we're going through hard times or we're going through, like, things that just don't make sense and joy is kinda gone, Like, to ask God, help me with this, help me choose joy, help me bring that part into it. Does that make sense?
Speaker 2:Like Yeah. Because it can be so difficult. Like, some of the battles we go through, when we're going through loss or we're going through pain, you know, it can be really confusing. And Jesus just plainly is and and, again, he's talking about, you know, you're you're not gonna give your kid something he's not asking for, like, something you know, you're gonna you're gonna take care of him, and that's how God feels about me. It's like whenever I'm going through something hard, when I need a need a door opened, I need help with something, God's not gonna turn his back.
Speaker 2:He's not gonna answer. He's not gonna ignore the call. He's not gonna ignore me knocking on the door. He's gonna be there to help me. It's encouraging Yeah.
Speaker 2:To be reminded that I sometimes choosing joy or having or that purposeful step or step of purpose is, like, only one step away. Sometimes it it it can feel so far away, but it really isn't if I'll just lean into, God. You know, if I'll just lean into his process and things. I can think back. You know?
Speaker 2:Again, we're talking about joy and going through hard times, and I can think back in times in my life where I've really been I think I've talked about the miscarriages and different things. It was easy to feel really alone, really, you know, and and feel like I had nothing, if that makes sense. And and it was really hard to to see anything besides the negativity in my life. And I think I I it took a long time for me to kinda start making those choices, choosing to I I'm not gonna just all of a sudden magically feel better. I'm not gonna have the, you know, happiness.
Speaker 2:You know? I think that that's what I was after. I was like, oh, well, what's gonna make me happy and and help me feel better instead of choosing something that's gonna last? Yeah. Does that make sense?
Speaker 3:Yeah. That makes a lot of sense.
Speaker 2:And, yeah, that can be that can be really damaging in itself. I think at times, you know, we'll we'll self we'll self medicate, you know, whether it be I think some people, you know, they'll go to drugs, they'll go to alcohol, or or maybe they'll go to pornography or, you know, sexual sin and stay in things like that, and we'll try to fill that void that that only God can fill. And it really it robs us because we're again, we're after this happiness. Help me feel good right now, but it's not gonna last.
Speaker 3:Man, that so, again, just from my personal experience and what I've been learning about joy, because I was I was wondering how okay. Well, looking back on on the last year, 2024, and just being, like, very, very depressed throughout it all, and and how hard many moments of it were and how difficult it was to just find the strength to smile at people and stuff like that, finding the strength to want to interact with people, not just, like, on the sense of, like, me being introverted, but, like, I just don't want to be around people. I don't want to see people. I don't want people to see me. It was it was it was very hard.
Speaker 3:And as I was as I was talking about that and as I was thinking about that, it also made me think about how much I have grown spiritually over this past year and the fact that I could still sing praise to God wholeheartedly and, like, mean every single word. Like, I was thinking about, like, I found the song or the song, I Raise a Hallelujah. Yeah. Like, I only learned that, like, I think at at camp Okay. Actually.
Speaker 3:So I I'm probably really late to the game. But, like, singing
Speaker 2:That's a
Speaker 3:good song. It's a good song, like, moving me so deeply. And
Speaker 2:I had never sang it as a worship song until jump start. Yeah. It was a really cool moment. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I don't know. Just, like, being able to praise God and being so joyful in those moments and not like, when I was thinking about my depression and how God's gotten me through this last year, He also put that on my mind of, like, dude, you've you still been praising me, like, wholeheartedly. And that that made me that made me think as well. Like, maybe at least in that in that aspect, I've been very joyful. And that doesn't mean that, like, the depression went away, which also raised questions for me.
Speaker 3:And and coming to at at least this is where I'm at right now that although there are still hard things that are going on, that doesn't mean that you can't have joy as well. Like Yeah. Those can be simultaneous. And I I think that's also the point of joy, like, going against joy versus happiness. If I was just seeking after being happy right now Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah. I've I've told you guys, I've told my teens, like, I was not happy.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 3:But I was joyful. Mhmm. And that, again, is a a big difference between joy and being happy.
Speaker 2:I remember, back in, 2017, my my aunt passed from cancer. She had been battling that. I I wanna say from February, she had breast cancer she had battled. That was a really hard thing for me to go through. It was hard.
Speaker 2:You know, I was, I cared about her so much. She she loved me. Always, you know, a good she wouldn't she wouldn't let you get away with anything. My aunt's stuff, man, she would, she was a good woman. And I miss her a lot, but I I I remember being at the funeral and and and dealing with that and, being conflicted because I'm so sad, but I'm also so joyful for knowing where she is as a woman, you know, being finally getting to go home, that kind of a thing.
Speaker 2:But it was sad to not have her anymore. You know? Yeah. It was hard. It was hard hard time.
Speaker 2:And me and my uncle will talk about it sometimes, and we'll talk about how much we miss her and and love her. And, and that's actually coming up, the anniversary of that. But it's, it is crazy sometimes to think about how in a difficult time to think of being joyful, it's kinda it's it's hard to grasp unless you've sometimes, you can be there. You can find yourself there. And like you were talking about being being in that depressive state, but then looking back and realizing that I've been kind of experiencing joy even though I've been, in this depressive state.
Speaker 2:So it's it is, it's kind of a weird two sided coin where I'm like, maybe this is just life. Like, I've I'm gonna have hard things happen. Like, I'm not gonna avoid that forever. So I I gotta find, okay. Well, what is my what's gonna be my action plan?
Speaker 2:You know? Let me share this real quick. You kinda talked about James earlier, James four, but I'm gonna read in James one, starting in verse two. It says, my brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of trouble, you should be full of joy. And I'm thinking, man, to be in the crowd when that's said
Speaker 3:I'd be like, what?
Speaker 2:Nani. I think you got that wrong. Come again. In verse three, it says, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do.
Speaker 2:Then you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need. And what I see is looking at my troubles as in a different light, looking at it in a different, like, tent. Like, I'm trying to I don't know how to describe that. Like, I'm gonna see this trouble instead of as, like, this devastating moment in my life. I'm looking at it as an opportunity.
Speaker 2:Yeah. You know, I I do I think God makes bad things happen to me in my life? No. I I don't believe that. I think I think things just happen, and that's life, and people pass away, and we go through pain.
Speaker 2:There's abuse. There's things that that people that other people do that are awful, that affect us, whether they abuse us directly or they say something, you know, whatever. And it's a it's a time of trouble, and this is it says you should be full of joy in those times. And the only way to do that is to is to outs like, basically, is to tap into that power of joy through God. And it's just again, it's a challenge.
Speaker 2:This is hard to even talk about. This is really hard for me to even even grasp as we're talking about it right now. It's a challenge. Like, it's not, not something easy. But but what I noticed in that verse is it says because you know these troubles test your faith.
Speaker 2:Like, that it what that tells me in James is is that I can see past the trouble. I can see past the pain to something that's much deeper. I'm seeing a purpose to this pain. Not that it not that the pain was done on purpose, but that I can find a way to spin this pain to make me grow Yeah. To make me appreciate what God has done, to make me, love him even more.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Does that make sense? Like Yeah. It's a it's a challenge to look past this painful moment and remember that God is with me through it.
Speaker 3:Yeah. No. I mean, again, I I mentioned earlier, like
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Part of part of us being in a relationship with God is the fact that we have hope. Like, because we have God, we have hope. Because there is Jesus, we have hope. Because the spirit is Right. Indwelling in us, we have hope.
Speaker 3:And that hope produces joy. And then another thing, like, was mentioned earlier, like, unlike happiness, like, joy isn't something that I just run off and go grab and take for myself. Like, it doesn't work like that. Yeah. Joy is produced through relationship with the father.
Speaker 3:Mhmm. Right? Mhmm. When Paul in Galatians is listing out the fruit of the spirit, he's not saying you produce joy, but rather it's it's the spirit that produces joy. I I think of John 15.
Speaker 3:This is one that we read off when we were talking about love. I'm pretty sure. Yeah. But Sydney brought this up, and I I don't know. This is yeah.
Speaker 3:But, anyway, John fifteen eleven, these things I have spoken to you that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full. And she's just telling the disciples, like and he was talking about love, but more importantly, he's talking about, I am the vine. You're the branches. As long as you abide in me, as long as you remain in me Right. Like, the things that you need to produce are going to be produced.
Speaker 3:As long as you remain in me, as long as you, like, are in step with the spirit, what you hope to produce in your life, the spirit is gonna produce for you. Jesus here's talking about love, and right now, he's talking about joy. Like Yeah. Yeah. That's a light bulb moment for us as Christians.
Speaker 3:Like, for me to be having joy produced in my life, and I'm I'm trying to work that precisely. Like, no. I'm trying not to say for me to produce joy, but that's not how it works.
Speaker 2:You're right.
Speaker 3:For joy to be produced in my life, I abide in the Lord. Mhmm. Right? I I am pursuing that relationship over all things else. Like, in in, again, Matthew six, Jesus says, seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you.
Speaker 3:Like, he meant that. Like, he meant that.
Speaker 2:It's like if I just focus on being a part of the vine Yes. Then these are byproducts.
Speaker 3:Mhmm.
Speaker 2:It's not I'm not gonna work and work and work until I can have joy. Yeah. Yeah. I'm gonna connect to the vine, and this is a this is just gonna happen because of because of that connection. Yeah.
Speaker 3:That's what you're okay. And, again, it's my life is a testament to this. It's not that that stuff goes away. It's not that I'm just happy all of a sudden because that's that's a fallacy, but rather it's the spirit is going to work in you and allow you to experience joy even in situations where it doesn't make sense.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Right? So, like, we have those x's 15 moments where God has literally just delivered me from the greatest thing that I had no power over. And, like, I'm elated above the roof over that, but also moments when people are really close to me and they're trying to heap shame on me. Right. Right?
Speaker 3:Or Jeremiah in Lamentations three where he's like, god has literally afflicted me. Like, he's pierced arrows in my heart. Like, he's made me eat gravel. Like, he's rolled me in the dirt. But even with all this, like, I'm gonna hope in him.
Speaker 3:Right? I'm reminded that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, and his mercy's never come to him. He'll be new every morning. Like, that that is joy.
Speaker 2:It's kinda like I feel like what you're talking about, like, it makes joy almost connected to confidence. Hear me out. Like, when I when I see somebody who's full of joy, it's like they have this confidence that everything's gonna be fine. Does that make sense? Like, that and and it it is because their source of confidence comes from Jesus, because it comes from God, because they're tied into that vine.
Speaker 2:Yeah. Yeah. The joy that they have is a, who cares, man? And it's gonna be fine. Like, I'm gonna God's got this.
Speaker 2:Like, I you know what I'm saying? That that that's that confidence and joy. I feel like they kinda go together in some way. Like, I don't wanna make does that make sense? Like, I've got we've sang that song in the back with the kids, and they love it, man.
Speaker 2:They get crazy loud. We like to sing it last so when the parents come out, they're, like, screaming, I've got confidence by the time they get back there. Let me read this verse real quick. This is in first Peter four. It says, but be this is verse 13.
Speaker 2:But be happy when you are sharing in Christ's suffering so that you will be happy and full of joy when Christ comes again in glory. And I again, this is this says happy, but I think it's really the same. Be be joyful. Okay? Be joyful in Christ's suffering as you suffer with him.
Speaker 2:That's what we're talking about, you know, going through suffering and hard times. And, again, whenever I can connect to the vine and I can see things, well, how did Jesus deal with his suffering? How did Jesus deal with being betrayed and being thrown on the cross and going through all this physical, emotional, spiritual pain? He found yeah, sure, he asked, hey, God, take this from me, but he but he knew the purpose behind it. That's kinda what we're talking about, purposeful steps.
Speaker 2:He saw the purpose behind this as greater than my pain, this as greater than the thing I'm going through, and I know what this is gonna mean if I can faithfully follow God through it. Because there's something bigger and better on the other side of that pain. Yeah. And whenever I can fully identify and can, like you said, connect with that vine and know that's how Jesus would handle this, like, that's the steps he took. So I guess the question that I'm finding myself coming to in this podcast is if I know that's the Jesus what Jesus did in his pain and suffering, is he saw the purpose that was bigger than that?
Speaker 2:Like, what is I guess the question in front of us is what is the purpose? Again, the pain wasn't on purpose, but what purpose can god find in my pain? Does that make sense? Like, what, like, what what can he take from this pain and spin it and say, well, this is gonna bring glory to my name? Like, yeah, this there's a whole thing about Joseph and what you intended for evil, God made.
Speaker 2:You know, God intended for good. It's awesome. Yeah. And I think how but how many times do like, we have these moments where we're like, this is awful. I hate my life.
Speaker 2:Like, why is this happening? But then years later, we'll look back and we'll say, well, man, there was some serious crap going on, but God found a way to make that good. You know? But it's so hard to see in the moment. You know?
Speaker 2:I I I think the question we're asking is so hard to answer when you're going through and we know some people that are going through some hard times right now with diagnosis. I may have put too many s's on that. With a diagnosis I'm sorry. I'm I'm I'm sorry to laugh, but with a diagnosis or with a with a, with a sin that's that's just choking them. Or they have a family member who's going through a they're making decisions they wouldn't make.
Speaker 2:Like, there's people don't know that they're going through these things. So to ask that question is so I don't even wanna ask it because I don't wanna say, well, what do you think God's trying to do? And then, like Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, how hard is that to hear when you're going through loss or you're going through terrible news?
Speaker 2:That is so not it it feels unfair to even ask the question. But I do think it's good for me at times whenever I can think about, okay. Well, Jesus went through through his pain, and how did he see it? How did he handle it? He did ask God to take it away.
Speaker 2:So, hey, that must be okay to do. God, take this take this away. You know, that's okay. But he also said, but if this is your will, this is what's gonna happen, I wanna glorify you through it. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I think that's the difference sometimes. When when we bring joy into it and we're, again, we're joyfully following God through these troubles in his suffering, I'm gonna be willing to go through whatever it is to to glorify his name. Does that make sense? I'm gonna look for the silver lining or the, you know, the opportunities or the I think there's just a there's a verse in the Bible, I think it's in Proverbs, that says it's better to go to a funeral than a party. And that's crazy.
Speaker 2:Like, we wouldn't think that. But, like, but God works in those moments when we are heartbroken, when we're hurting. He wants to take somebody in the kingdom and say, I'm gonna put you right here to bring joy into this moment. Not your joy, not your happiness, but, like, the joy of following and being a disciple. Does that make sense?
Speaker 3:Yeah. That makes sense.
Speaker 2:Like, I'm gonna interject that instead of all this. It's because it is. Funerals can be downright awful, obviously. None of us wanna experience that. But I think it's better to go to that than a party, like, to be there for somebody, to share hope, like you're talking about, to have that hope.
Speaker 2:Like, if I and I'm only gonna be able to do that if I'm part of the vine. Like, you're saying it's gonna be a byproduct. It's gonna be this is this is gonna naturally happen as I'm connected to God. Mhmm.
Speaker 3:Yeah. That's deep stuff, dude.
Speaker 2:It's a it's a hard question to even wanna ask and but I think that's a as we're closing this out for today, I I think that's the question that a lot of us have to ask ourselves is, okay, bigger, small pain, there God doesn't wanna just have me go through this for nothing. Like, again, he didn't plan it, but he's not but he has something that can that he wants to use this for. He wants to to take this pain and change it into something good. Yeah. I mean, it's evident.
Speaker 2:Over time and time again in the Bible, bad situations, you know, Jesus dies, painful. I keep doing that motion. It's a weird cringey motion with my hand. But he but he takes this pain and this, suffering and transforms it into new life. Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, it's a just what a what a challenge. And and I'm hoping, you know, this morning or wherever you're at listening to this, that you'll that you'll consider that your first of all, your pain is temporary, and second of all, God is with you in this. Connect to that vine. Be a part of his kingdom, and you'll be able to you'll have access to the joy that God gives. I know we talked about step teams.
Speaker 2:If you're going through this kind of pain, it's great to have people in your life. You need to have them. You need to have other people that are there's people going through the same stuff, and you may not even know it. And I just wanna encourage you to, get in there and connect with people. We do wanna invite you back.
Speaker 2:We, you know, we'll be releasing another episode next week, and we'll, dive into another purposeful step, and we'll see you then. Oh, yeah. Wait.
Speaker 3:I was on the off clap. Clap. I've got confidence. Oh, yeah.
Speaker 2:My lord is gonna see me through no matter what the case may be. I know my lord is gonna fix it for me. I've got confidence. Oh, yeah. My lord is gonna sing.
Speaker 2:Oh my god. He's dying. He's dying. Oh, man.
Speaker 3:Can that be the outro?
Speaker 2:Please don't do that.
Speaker 1:Unfortunately, that's all we have time for today. We hope you enjoyed the show and that you'll take what you've learned to apply to your walk with Christ. Please make sure to rate and review the show on your favorite podcast app. And, we look forward to joining you for the next episode of Get Stepping.
Listen to Get Steppin' using one of many popular podcasting apps or directories.