00:19.78
Andrew – Josh is muted but he’s saying hello hello hello we’re just 2 normal guys how to live this jesus life. My name’s Andrew and.

00:22.74
Josh – Ah, that’s funny I’m Josh and that was a lot of things in 1 moment to be honest I I forgot to unmute I had a mouthful of bacon egg bites from Starbucks. Um, and the song went on a lot shorter than I expected to do for some reason but you would assume at 75 episodes plus because there’s devment episodes in there. We’ve re-recorded that I would know how long it’s going to be but I decided to take a bite right? when it started and then it was ending and I was like oh shoot.

00:50.83
Andrew – Ah, so good.

00:58.62
Andrew – Rate rate.

01:01.90
Josh – And then I ran and I was talking with my mouthful and I was making it work and then Andrew’s like Josh you muted who be move on those mornings.

01:05.72
Andrew – Ah, so good I saw it I The people can’t see you. The people can’t see you but I can’t and I saw just the moment in your eyes where you’re like oh no, that song’s way shorter than I thought it was going to be and anyway it was hilarious. You jumped in you were.

01:21.86
Josh – And my mouth is so full and I’m like trying to so now like the worst part.

01:25.10
Andrew – Dude you were passionate too I mean that would that would have been the best intro yet I’m confident. Um like if we had a clean take on it. It would have been you guys would have had your mind blown honestly at how good it would have been. Um Josh is on.

01:30.78
Josh – Probably yeah I would go with that too.

01:39.35
Josh – Yup, you’ have been like man. Josh is’s like on it today like he really you just give a gusto performance. Um, the worst part is is like I scarf down my bacon egg bite like i’ even get to enjoy it. So that’s how my day’s starting.

01:43.24
Andrew – Higher Ah, totally totally. But we came in we came together. Ah right right? Well welcome.

01:57.10
Josh – Um, ah disappoint it now.

01:58.48
Andrew – Welcome to episode 75 my friend this is it’s crazy to me that it’s 75 like I’m pretty stoked about that and you know it’s just a number but we’ve been at it for a while and and I’m pretty proud of that so I don’t know man how’s ah, how’s your week going. Ah, you doing.

02:20.37
Josh – I’m doing great the weather here sucks like I just I live in Colorado for a lot of reasons but 1 of those reasons is we’ve pretty mild winters like it snows a little bit. It doesn’t usually get cold for long periods of time.

02:33.11
Andrew – Right? right.

02:38.10
Josh – And yeah, we just kind of go along with our day but not this week I think this week it’s been like in the teens every single day and I don’t know if it was yesterday the day before but it was relatively nice because I remember boring shorts to go walk my dog in the morning. Um.

02:44.11
Andrew – Oh dang.

02:57.10
Josh – And it wasn’t like shorts weather but I was lazy I didn’t want to go back upstairs and put pan on so I just manned up. Um, but then somewhere along the day like around like 1 or two I went to go get the mail and like there was like two inches of snow on the ground and it was cold and I was like what the heck happened.

03:02.54
Andrew – Um, yeah, yeah.

03:14.60
Andrew – Ah, nobody let me know. Ah.

03:16.60
Josh – Like no one told me this but also don’t look at the weather except in the morning. So there’s that too and I just ask? yeah I just ask Siri in the morning hey Siri what’s the temperature today and then she tells me I don’t ask her what the weather is I don’t care I just need to know in that moment can I go outside with shorts on or do I need to go.

03:26.26
Andrew – And I had.

03:34.59
Andrew – Right? That’s fair, speaking of the weather um dude the other day. It’s been really cold and really kind of snowy but like not much snow. However, we might get a lot tonight and tomorrow which is cool. It’s it’s up in the air still. But.

03:35.74
Josh – Fight some pains That’s my life because.

03:54.27
Andrew – Um, the other morning I was getting ready to shower and I was I looked at the weather because I just wanted to know like you know how should I dress after a shower is it gonna be freezing cold or one of those warmer days and it was ° at the moment and it was a high of like 20

04:09.79
Josh – Look come dog.

04:13.12
Andrew – You know so like not not warm. Um, but ah, the thing that made that feel especially crazy is I’ve been doing this um cold exposure stuff. Um, so at the end of my shower I take a hot shower and then at the end.

04:28.76
Josh – Yeah, why do you hate yourself.

04:30.70
Andrew – I turn the water all the way to freezing cold. Um for I so I’ll tell you why? No no, it’s crazy. Um I know it’s crazy. But it’s actually awesome. Um, but you so for the last fifth so you start out. And you do that for a week of showers and you do 15 seconds of cold water as cold as you possibly can make it then you go up to 30 seconds and then you go up to 60 I haven’t gone to 60 yet. But I’m close to 30 so basically um, what happens is cold exposure like It’s this weird thing where you you feel really cold in the first moment and then your body like your skin almost goes numb really quickly and it doesn’t really feel cold anymore. But the awesome thing is it? Um, it. It’s a natural way to have your body inject a ton of dopamine which is like the feelgood hormone in your brain so that happens like you get like a 500 % spike of dopamine so you feel amazing like the rest of the morning. And it also your brain also injects a ton of this other hormone called neuronephrine which will make you like if you have inflammation or a headache or anything like that. Um, that hormone fights that. So it. It just sets you up to like feel awesome. Um, but it’s brutal and when you look at your weather app and and it says ° it’s like am I really gonna do this but I’ve been doing it every time for like almost two weeks now dude you can’t no.

06:11.58
Josh – Do you get to go back to warm after the fact that’s the worst part of it. Oh that’s miserable. Yes, it is.

06:18.00
Andrew – No, you end on cold you endone Cold. No, it’s not because you step out it sound listen it sounds miserable. But I promise you when you get out and and actually um, like step out and start drying off. Ah you you warm up immediately. It’s crazy because it’s not that like I take a nice long hot shower before this cold moment and dude I’m telling you. It’s pretty cool I’ll send you the little guide and and you can join me if you feel crazy about it. But you feel good after I’m telling you.

06:51.45
Josh – Yeah I yeah I just I just snort some like crystal meth um, or smoke it to get my dopamine in the morning. It just seems so much easier than having to get out of a cold shower. 1 thing like start with a cold shower. That’s fine. Wake up, you’re like ah but like man to end your shower like that’s the best time of the day is in a warm shower. It’s like this will sound gross. But it’s like you’re back in your mother’s womb like all just cozy and then you got a freaking shock.

07:09.90
Andrew – You’re like no do the he listen. I know I’ll tell you if you do the shock. That’s what it is? Yeah yeah.

07:28.64
Josh – Like oh so that’s what it is. It’s like you’re getting born every day like literally it’s like you’re coming out of the world and like that shock of like what the heck just happened like no I don’t I don’t want to do this this sounds miserable I’d rather fast again than do this.

07:39.52
Andrew – Yeah,, that’s it all I’m telling listen though dude it makes you it makes you value the warm shower. Even more though in the moment because you’re like this is so good and I know there’s gonna be a part that sucks that’s coming in so I’m just gonna love this nice hot shower while I got it and I’m still gonna end on cold I think I’m gonna do this. Always.

08:01.61
Josh – Well, it’s not. It’s not horrible that like you get two days off every week according to this thing you just sent me so like you’re just going to start looking forward to your Sundays and Mondays because I wouldn’t want to do this on a Monday ah, there’d be miserable way to start the week

08:08.41
Andrew – Yeah, oh you? Yeah yeah, no right? My brother is also doing this and he’s yeah.

08:21.20
Josh – This there’s there’s instructions on how to do this. Can we read through these instructions instruction one print. This is like a poster or an image poster and he says it says print and paste on your fridge which is weird that that’s where you put it. You would assume like let’s put it in the shower or something that reminds you unless you know you get ready in the.

08:26.77
Andrew – Totally.

08:35.22
Andrew – Ah, put it in the bathroom by the shower. Yeah.

08:40.65
Josh – In the kitchen for your shower that’s impossible for some people I guess ah start with a warm shower nice. That’s helpful ah finish with a cold shower see seconds above ah and just so you know guys there’s 6 instructions that was only the third one. There’s 3 instructions after.

08:41.75
Andrew – Ah, that’s right? um.

08:59.75
Josh – Ah, your cold show. Ah 4 relax and breathe slowly. Ah I’m pretty sure that cold is gonna do that for you like you’re gonna you’re go be breathing slowly your body’s gonna go into shock.

08:59.80
Andrew – Ah, let me tell you why Josh? No no, no okay when you first when you first do this when you first do this, it is hard to breathe. So breathing slowly is important otherwise you’re gonna be like hyperventilating in the cold because it’s like it hits you so hard and I say this on the first day you do it. It just hits you so hard that you’re like like it’s all it’s hard to breathe but on the second da second third day fourth day it’s just like.

09:20.89
Josh – Well then you’re going to pass out.

09:28.45
Josh – Yeah I bet.

09:34.82
Andrew – Oh and you still want to breathe slow so that one’s an important one people if you do this breathe slow try to relax.

09:41.16
Josh – Do this for at least 5 times a week and then the 6 and final step which I think is the important step here. Ah check off with a marker or a pencil so it has boxes for every day.

09:44.91
Andrew – Um, yes, most and do not use a pen. Do not use a pen. Yeah yeah.

09:58.22
Josh – Yeah, that that is weird that they’re like anti-pin who has pencils lying around their house. Let’s you have like children I don I don’t have any pencils maybe a mechanical pencil of my desk somewhere but not that I’m aware of but I think the seventh step that they’re not considering a step but they really want you to complete this step.

10:01.98
Andrew – And um.

10:16.71
Josh – Share your comments on Facebook Twitter and Youtube etc use the hashtag what the heck what does it say whim of method when hof method.

10:22.53
Andrew – Wim Wim Hof Wim Hof that’s the guy that’s the guy who’s like the world record holder for for cold exposure. Like stayed in icy water for like an hour and twenty minute hour 20 minute hour 20 minute hour 20 minute hour and twenty minute hour 20 minutes or something and then got out like didn’t go into shock and die like all the things I was just telling you huge dopamine increase huge neuroepineinephrine increase I don’t know.

10:36.29
Josh – What does this do for you. Yeah, yeah, but like but why increase it so much like like that dude like is he planning to lie fall in a lake like does he live near water.

10:51.23
Andrew – I Don’t know that dude’s like he’s him in case of in case of I I see Lake Fall Um, yeah I don’t know but where he lives but he spends a lot of time in Icy water. That’s for sure. Um.

11:10.77
Josh – This is like ice ice baths right? It’s the same idea ideology or idea like giving you the same you know, um, they’re not chemicals. They’re what do they call them brain stuff hormones. Yeah.

11:11.15
Andrew – But I don’t know. Dude Yeah yeah, yes, totally totally dude. Um, yeah hormones hormones. Yeah, but it it literally is ah. It’s like you take a shot of espresso and I swear I you warm up immediately when you turn the cold water off and start drying off. Ah your skin does go Numb. Ah.

11:39.95
Josh – Yeah, you’re no longer getting blasted with zero degree water you’re going to warm up. It’s inevitable.

11:47.21
Andrew – Okay, and when it’s ° here my water is extra cold like it’s still water. It’s not already due but it’s cold.

11:52.10
Josh – Well do you like do you? So do you like make sure the heat is turned up before you do it like in the house where you’re like I’m gonna crank the heat. So when I get out at least I start warming up. Do you like run but naked straight to your fire and like start like start doing the the the you know.

12:01.17
Andrew – And no because ah.

12:11.00
Josh – 5 minutes on one side five minutes on the other thing to warm up like as a dude. How do you protect yourself.

12:14.80
Andrew – Dude I’m telling you you you dude you’re fine. Your body is made for this all right? um.

12:21.15
Josh – I don’t think that part of my body is made for that. Not cold I’m sorry my Audi will become an inny.

12:25.94
Andrew – Ah, that’s what I would say new bodies made for this bro, you can read I’m okay Josh I think by the next time you podcast with me, you should try day one and just tell me how it goes.

12:42.80
Josh – No I can tell you how it’s gonna go I already know like don’t have to imagine I’m like yeah I can know exactly how this is gonna play out.

12:45.64
Andrew – Don’t tell. It’s so good I know I know this is crazy but it makes you feel really really good and it’s like I’m gonna keep doing it like.

12:59.20
Josh – So does so does crystal meth but I don’t do it like.

13:04.64
Andrew – This is far from that all right I’m not telling you to get naked and go roll around in the snow. Although people do that I’m not telling you to do that Josh okay, and this is not addictive because I hate it every time but I just know it’s gonna make me feel really good and so I keep doing it.

13:10.12
Josh – Well, that would be stupid too.

13:21.76
Josh – Yeah, right, two weeks from now and just is gonna be like I just can’t stop like I just I can’t get enough of it I I took a cold shower for seven and a half minutes this morning and he’s like I have no on the last time I’ve taken a hot shower I don’t even I don’t even know if a might my shower gets hot I haven’t checked recently.

13:24.64
Andrew – You know? Yeah, ah.

13:31.90
Andrew – Um, this man this is my fourth shower of the day and I’m freezing. Oh man.

13:41.36
Josh – Ah, yeah, much for shower of the day. Yeah I just shiver throughout the day. My body. My only body temperature never actually gets above 90 but you know it’s fine I don’t think so.

13:48.45
Andrew – Who dude speaking of it speaking of it being fine and of you know things that things that make you anxious things that you look forward to or don’t which I I Both love and hate.

13:58.40
Josh – Yeah, make this transition.

14:08.43
Andrew – My cold shower and I am now on a mission Josh to get you to do this people if you think Josh should do this please email us at hello at this jesus life podcast and say Josh it’s time. Do this thing or comment on Instagram which we never update.

14:26.61
Josh – We just we did the last week I bored another.

14:26.42
Andrew – Or message us on Facebook which we will see we yes I love that you did. We’re horrible at social media except for staying semi consistent on podcasting but people let Josh know he should do a cold shower. But. Yeah man speaking of of anxiety and things that you are not looking forward to as you are your first cold shower. Um, yeah, man take us into it. What are we talking about today.

14:57.20
Josh – Yeah, so we’re in the middle of this season on church words so we started this thing off with turning the other cheek talked a lot about butt cheek. So if you didn’t have an opportunity to listen to that 1 actually just had a conversation with coworkers a couple days ago about butt cheeks and just like how we need to bring that word back into our vocabulary so I’m really on this crusade. Ah then last week we talked about casting the first stone and that whole story with Jesus and the pharisees and then we’re back to this week ah which probably something you’ve heard before maybe not as popular as other things because let’s be honest americans really like our anxiety so we try not to talk about things that tell us not to to worry. Um, but Jesus tells us in the great um in the great commission I talk a lot about the great commission. My life. But.

15:39.61
Andrew – Right.

15:45.46
Andrew – That.

15:49.51
Josh – Ah, no, not in the great commission but in ah the sermon of the mount. Ah, right in the middle of it. Um, he kind of lays us down of not to worry, but he says at the end of chapter 6 Ah don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will bring its own worries today’s troubles is enough for today.

16:06.78
Andrew – Um.

16:08.21
Josh – Um, the other way that another I don’t know what version that is but this is the NAV therefore do not worry about tomorrow tomorrow or about self each day has enough trouble of its own. That’s how I always read that verse so it sounds strange. But.

16:21.38
Andrew – That’s right? Yeah yeah.

16:25.58
Josh – Yeah, so Andrew what’s ah, what’s first thoughts about stop wearing you stupid idiot that’s how I interpreted the verse.

16:31.50
Andrew – Ah, man it is so easy to say and let me say church word style if somebody sees you in a moment where you should be worried or where something just goes horrible in your life and they say hey don’t worry about tomorrow. Like that’s not a good way to necessarily advise people in the moment this is ah out of the sermon on the mount. So it’s something probably we’ve all heard if you’ve like spent time in the church or read the bible very much or whatever you probably heard this. But. Dude, it is exceptionally hard to not worry um about things and I don’t know if it’s always been this way I don’t know if in our american culture of like everything should be really fast. Our day needs to be filled to one hundred and twenty percent of our capacity with meetings just in case, one cancels or whatever like or that’s the hyper connecttivity of like I can reply anywhere anytime to anything. Um I’m always available like I don’t know if those things make us more worried. Or or not um I don’t know there’s probably a lot of reasons where we’re a worried people. But I also think there’s probably always been plenty to worry about like when Jesus was talking about this. He gives examples right before that verse of like look at the birds in the air like they’re not. Preparing for the future but I feed them every day and I know that even if 1 of them falls like I’m aware of it. That’s god you know it’s like how much more important are you guys that are made in my image. Um, we’ll say my is god’s image. You know, um, but first thought. Ah, that was a long intro when I look out my office windows into the backyard. It’s currently snowing and I have 2 bird feeders there. Um and it’s awesome I have 2 little girls you know 3 and 1 year old and. They both love looking out the windows and watching the birds eat the seeds that um that we put out so I’ve used that as as ah, like ah object lesson with my three year old where anytime we’re putting birds seed out I talk about god telling us like hey like god says not to worry about. Anything in life like the food that we’re going to get and then I get to talk about like he supplies all the birds with all their food like they don’t have to worry. They just come check our bird feeder. Sometimes there’s food there sometimes there’s not if there’s not.

19:11.87
Andrew – They just go another place and get food like the birds don’t have to worry about things god provides and sometimes that’s through us sometimes it’s through other people you know? Um, but yeah, that’s that’s my first thought is that like it’s cool to be able to take that literal stuff about the birds. Not worrying and apply it just to filling a bird feeder and watching the birds come in and eat. Um, but it’s exceptionally hard in my life to not to not worry about things even though I’m well aware of this even though I try to teach this to my three year old it is. Super hard to live out for me. Yeah.

19:53.29
Josh – I Think too like I think we mix worry or anxiety with with fear like um, fear fear is a normal response to something right? like um. Fear engages our fight or flight. Um, it’s a defense mechanism for us. Um like fear essentially sees a threat and then reacts to that threat. Um like that’s a good thing like you know, um I don’t know I’m picking this as example, it’s probably a bad example of guy with a gun.

20:15.94
Andrew – If a.

20:25.10
Andrew – Um, yeah, right.

20:26.45
Josh – Ah, walks into a building and you’re in there right? like fear is a normal response am I fighting this guy or am I running away from this guy right? like that’s that’s to protect ourselves um, anxiety or worry like imagines a threat and can’t move on from it right? like it’s not even a real.

20:38.36
Andrew – Yeah, yeah, yeah.

20:43.90
Josh – It’s not active. It’s not present in front of you but like we create these these situations or ah potential situations in our head and then we oftentimes freeze up by those situations and can’t move on from them. But in all reality it’s an imagination like it’s not a real threat in front of us.

20:48.81
Andrew – Yeah.

20:56.76
Andrew – Yeah.

21:02.97
Josh – Um, and I think that that seizes a lot of our time if we’re not, we’re not careful and like back your earlier point like I think this is part of the human condition like Jesus is talking about it here. Paul talks about it later like worry is pretty normal. Um in the fact that we all worry at from time but worry is pretty.

21:05.70
Andrew – Um, yeah.

21:10.43
Andrew – Yes.

21:22.99
Josh – Devastating or anxiety is pretty devastating to our lives and and we all know people that like anxiety is taken over. Maybe it’s just for seasons or maybe it’s more their personality but like um, they just worry and and are scared about everything.

21:28.20
Andrew – Yeah.

21:39.42
Josh – Um, and they just can’t function and like today you know in today’s age you know this is 2022 the beginning of 2022 um and like covid in some parts of the country covid’s over in other parts of the country covid is still. You know very prevalent. Um in terms of you know media coverage and.

21:39.58
Andrew – Yep.

21:52.73
Andrew – Yeah.

21:56.99
Josh – And all that fun stuff but like it could have and for a lot of people. It sucked a lot of people into it and they lived in fear for the last two and a half years when in all reality it probably wasn’t as scary as as we thought it was going to be and I’m someone that was hospitalized by covid. So um.

22:04.30
Andrew – Um, yeah.

22:13.36
Andrew – Great. Yeah, you had a really bad. Yeah.

22:16.67
Josh – You know I say from that perspective but wasn’t ever really scared of it and now I’m like super Immune to it I officiated a wedding a few weeks ago where someone was covered positive and I had no symptoms at all pretty awesome. Um I feel like a superhero. Um.

22:33.70
Andrew – Ah, it’s funny. That’s right.

22:36.11
Josh – Take that national imunity the any day. Um, but ah like I think there’s that piece that just kind of takes over actually someone um I work for a company that that services the Church. You know we’re a for profit Business. We’re making money on the backs of the church which yeah. Could both, You’re not both you depending on the day. Um, but it’s ah it’s full of a bunch of you know Youth Ministry Kids a good portion of it then there’s others that don’t have any you know affiliation with the church but someone posted Ah ah some point this week they’re like has anyone anyone tried this yet as an Ex Youth pastor.

23:00.34
Andrew – 1

23:14.33
Josh – Have we tried writing Covid on a piece of paper and throwing it into the firessuming you ready it that way and that’s that’s pretty funny like how has no one done this yet or nailed it to the cross like come on can somebody get on this.

23:17.54
Andrew – Ah, that’s so good that is. That’s so good. Have we thrown it into a campfire yet has can we can somebody please do this. That’s awesome. Oh man, that’s funny. Yeah, but there’s there’s a.

23:32.91
Josh – Um, good old Youth Ministry activities.

23:36.38
Andrew – There’s all kinds of yeah, totally. But there’s all kinds of incentive right? to to people keeping other people scared like okay I was just thinking so you and I were both talking about doing taxes before this and um, like.

23:46.76
Josh – Yeah, yeah.

23:55.52
Andrew – Realistically like I’ve used turbotax for years. You said you did too and like when you first put in your information. It’s almost always like you’re gonna need to pay $70000 you know or some obscene number like that’s always how it starts where it’s all in the red and you’re like oh crap. This is gonna suck you know, but it’s always some huge number and then you get through but but that that jolt of fear is like I’ve gotta keep going I can’t like that you either do fight flight or freeze right? where you’re like I am gonna run away. And act like this is nothing and I’m not going to file taxes. You know, don’t do that. It’s a bad idea. Um, or I’m going to fight it like I’m going to fight through this and actually do this so I know what I owe or don’t or you freeze and you’re just like this is bad. my day is ruined. my week is ruined this is going to be a horrible year because you’re probably doing that early in the year you know but you apply that to the same to situations of like stuff in the news like covid you know, like real thing. Huge thing. Um, but there’s a lot of incentive by people who are writing and doing doing media around it. To keep you scared and keep you thinking oh man the next huge horrible thing is coming is then you’re paying attention like you’re just frozen locked in and sitting in fear you know if you’re terrified of what’s happening you keep checking for the updates you keep like I don’t know people know this and and there’s definitely psychology behind it.

25:19.39
Josh – Know.

25:29.56
Andrew – But um, but it’s not not good like living in fear I think Jesus one of the reasons he cared about it and taught so clearly about it is when you’re in fear one you’re thinking about yourself. More than anything you’re like what’s going to happen to me if this thing happens if this thing I’m imagining. You know if I don’t have food tomorrow. That’s a real thing. You know that he talks about if you don’t have food tomorrow. That’s a problem you know, but but it’s tomorrow. It’s like no like focus on moment focus on today the things that are actually happening and if you can start there then maybe you can be present enough to do things like hear from god like what he wants to speak to you? Um, that you can actually live in joy and like live out the fruit of the spirit we spent time on. Um, a while back you can I don’t know being present allows you to actually live in the way that Jesus wants us to live and kind of modeled for for us to live as opposed to like being in fear like you’re just in your head realistically about something that hasn’t happened. Um, and that you have no control over you know, like last thing I know I’ve been gone for a minute but a long long while ago like early in our marriage. My wife said this thing that to me has been like super helpful where she basically like I was worried about something and she’s like. Can you control that at all and like if the answer is no to can you control or influence that thing you’re worried about then don’t worry about it as much as possible like if you can’t actually control or influence it like what’s the point of of being worried about it. And reality is there’s no point and sometimes we just like to worry to have something negative to talk about. Maybe so anyway, those are my my many thoughts bundled at 1 and Josh I don’t know what you were just searching for around your office but I hope you found it. Man.

27:38.22
Josh – Yeah I didn’t find it. Um, yeah I don’t know it’s probably in my memories box off the look. But um I have a box of memories. It’s not that big of a box for the life that I’ve lived but um.

27:46.50
Andrew – And.

27:57.94
Josh – I Think anxiety and in a lot of ways comes back to control like I think we create a lot of anxiety in our lives trying to control things that we can’t control right? like there’s there. There are things in our life we can control right? We can control our actions we can control ah to some extent our thoughts if you know.

28:04.56
Andrew – Yeah.

28:17.50
Josh – Um, and we can control some of our behaviors we can control a lot of those things. Um I can’t control other people’s behavior I can’t control how they react to certain situations and then there’s elements that only God can control um that that’s outside of my control. And I think oftentimes we find ourselves in anxiety or worry when we’re trying to control something that we don’t have the ability to control or it’s not our lane to control like um, we we want something to happen in our life and and maybe it’s a devastating thing. Maybe we’ll go as far as like you know I have cancer I’m not saying I do But if.

28:37.94
Andrew – Yeah, for.

28:52.31
Josh – In in this illustration like you don’t have control over beating the cancer in your life. You have elements that you can do. But then you try to take God’s part of it and say well if God’s not gonna take this cancer from me. He doesn’t love me and then you start to spiral like it’s it’s that piece of like we’re we’re trying to control things that.

29:05.27
Andrew – Um, yeah.

29:10.38
Josh – God never intended us for control and now we’ve created this level of anxiety inside of us because we feel like we we can’t do anything and you’re like yeah and that’s what Jesus is talking about. There’s plenty for tomorrow to worry about right? like don’t worry about tomorrow worry about today and read through. Um.

29:10.57
Andrew – Right.

29:22.42
Andrew – Right.

29:29.00
Josh – Matthew 6 like the whole bottom section there. We didn’t read those verses but Andrew mentioned the birds of the air right? like read through those versa and see like god does care about you. God’s gonna take care of you. Um god has a bigger plan that you’re playing ah ah, an element inside of and and take comfort in that god is good and.

29:29.86
Andrew – Yeah, right.

29:37.50
Andrew – Yeah.

29:42.90
Andrew – Hundred percent

29:47.19
Josh – And believe that to be true god is faithful believe that to be true and he’s going to. He’s going to do what he believes is best for you and for you know, all those who love him? Um, what I was looking for was a plaque so I’ve had a plaque. Ah probably since shoot I was like 12

29:49.80
Andrew – Yep.

30:06.89
Josh – So we’ve talked about this on podcast for I was a strange child I had an executive desk in my bedroom good old ldesk had files and computers and all that fun stuff. Well on that desk I don’t even know where it came from was a little wooden plaque with a sticker on it that said, um. Don’t worry about anything and said pray about everything and don’t forget to thank god for his answer I think it was the new living translation of Philippians 4 6 um so I’ve probably read that I don’t know a thousand times in my life. Um I was looking for it I know I still have it because I’ve recently seen it. But now that I’m thinking about I’m pretty sure I put in my memories box.

30:25.75
Andrew – In. Nice, yeah.

30:43.85
Josh – With all my other favorite memories. Um, because I dont want to lose it and then I lost it but um, like it’s a great reminder in that whole section and I’m going to read through these verses because I think they the whole thing is good and helpful. But this is flippy.

30:54.93
Andrew – Read 4 6 and 7 man both of them. It’s so good verse 7 to beautiful boom.

31:01.15
Josh – I was going to read 4 through 9 of philippians for this is Paul writing the flippians closing out philippians really or at least starting to um, he says this rejoice in lord always again I say rejoice. Anytime the ball repeats itself. It’s probably important, especially when Jesus does it probably important but we’ll apply that same principle to to Paul here rejoice in lord always I say again rejoice let your gentleness be evident to all the lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition. Thanksgiving present your request to god and the peace of god which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus finally brothers and sister sisters. Whatever is true, whatever is noble. Whatever is right? Whatever is pure. Whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. Think about such things. Whatever you have heard or received or heard from me or seen in me put into practice and god the god of peace will be with you. Um I think I think we learn a lot of different things from this right? like 1 is.

32:13.95
Andrew – Yeah, yeah, yeah.

32:17.58
Josh – If you’re not fostering a relationship with Jesus, you’re not bringing you know your worries your fears your anxiety. Um the things that you’re thinking about on on a regular day if you’re not bringing those up in conversation with god you’re you’re trying to tackle him on your own and that at that point. Yeah god like god’s not guarding your heart. He’s not guarding your minds because you haven’t get him those things. Um, like he’s your understanding or his understanding that transcends all isn’t going to give you a hope or a peace. Um, because you’re trying to take on the world by yourself. Um, and then the other part is this is focus on the good stuff about life like it’s too easy for us to to look at all the bad things like my saying recently when someone asked hey how you doing.

32:48.26
Andrew – Yeah, yeah.

32:56.90
Josh – Can’t complain. Um, you know I said that ah this week to somebody and that person said you really can’t think of anything to complain about and I was like well I probably could. But what’s like what’s the good in that. Um and I’m a natural complainer I’m pretty damn good at it like I can come up with anything to complain about. Um.

32:55.84
Andrew – And.

33:02.68
Andrew – 10

33:14.58
Josh – But when you go through life like yeah in all reality is it really anything important to complain about now. My life is pretty darn good when I’m looking at my you know, ah potential paying in taxes of $7000 um like yeah that sounds like a bad day. But then you look back and like man I made a lot of money last year that that’s the worry.

33:18.92
Andrew – We hit.

33:29.70
Andrew – Um, right, right? right.

33:33.23
Josh – That I could be paying that much in taxes on top of my day job and where I’ve already you know taken the deductions of my paychecks. Um, so like there’s there’s there’s good in all things and I think it’s a good practice for all of us to to take the time and and thank God for those things. More importantly, though.

33:38.58
Andrew – Um, yeah. Um, yes.

33:50.63
Josh – I shouldn’t say more important equally importantly, write those things down so you can be reminded of them. Um and write those things down when things are good. It’s easier to come up with a laundry list when things are good. Um, but when things are bad. You can come up with a list but it doesn’t have the same effect when things are good because you’re like but what about all these other things god.

33:50.46
Andrew – Um, yeah, yeah.

34:03.61
Andrew – Yeah.

34:10.51
Josh – Um, you’re not working here. You’re like but look at all the places. Yeah, where he isn’t work and the things that he is doing in the places where you know he is multiplying your faithfulness like write all that stuff down um have it have a running list inside your journal or wherever you put it I put it inside of ah a notes app on my computer on my phone.

34:13.80
Andrew – Ah, yeah.

34:27.46
Andrew – And then I have him.

34:30.10
Josh – Um, and it’s just a running list. Um, and you can always go back to it and you know oftentimes for me, It’s like it’s like those moments like it’s like my memories box of physical things. You have a go back and it just like Retri there’s all these cool memories. You’re like oh I remember that or I remember when we were going through that and then he did this and.

34:38.11
Andrew – Yeah, yeah.

34:48.12
Josh – Um, all that fun stuff. Um, like there’s that piece of like you’re reminded of how faithful God is you don’t have to force yourself to be reminded of it. Um, you don’t have to like will it into existence um in your brain. Um, it’s just the natural state that you’re constantly in because you’ve chosen to focus on the good things here’s all the great things about life right now.

34:52.12
Andrew – And yeah, um.

35:00.75
Andrew – Yep.

35:03.94
Andrew – Um, yeah.

35:07.62
Josh – Um, and these are the things that are important and because we all have bad things about life. There’s crap going on in everybody’s life is as Jesus said here right today is enough trouble to worry about itself like just focus on today and focus on be present on what’s in front of you. Um, and man it’s such a good practice and then if you’re not fostering relation or Jesus in general like.

35:09.35
Andrew – Um, sure. Yeah yeah.

35:27.70
Josh – Yeah, this is where you end up, you’re trying to do life on your own life can be hard.

35:26.66
Andrew – Yeah, totally man. Totally I so we’ve been doing this podcast a long time and we were doing it when this happened but so my daughter recently turned one and and I thought like it. Birthdays and and stuff like that are a great moment to like look back of like wow what what’s happened in the last year you know, just like New Year’s is and a year ago I had just found out like I don’t know 5 or 6 or eight days before she was born that that my job was going away and I had basically like ninety days in that role because of a reorganization at work. Um, and in that ninety days I’d have a chance to apply for new jobs at at the place at work and all that so that happened ah. I found that out which was a huge shock I knew my daughter was gonna be born any day like could it come any moment at that point and and I just come out of the year of the chicken this this learning of like god is faithful that had really been more like two years eighteen months something like that um dude that was a crazy season and like just this morning I was praying because I’ve tried to do that to start my day and and ah I was praying and just saying like god like man like my life’s not perfect now. But there’s so much good in it and you’ve done so much in this last year and like just reflecting on how crazy a year ago even today was when it just had this brand new baby in the house starting paternity leave having no job in you know, ninety days like all these things were reality a year ago but they’re just they’re things in the past they’re like I can learn lessons and I can see god’s faithfulness through all of that even today like that that my life is better and more full. Because of those hard moments because of those troubles that I can understand things about god that I didn’t know as well. Then you know and so like that looking back I just think is so wise you know like it’s it’s not even smart. It’s just wise because when you get when I get into that next moment of that. Call I didn’t expect of hey your job’s going away. You’re essentially fired. You know, like or whatever that type of thing is when I get to that next huge hurdle I’m going to need to look back and remember like well what do I already know to be true about god and about.

38:15.14
Andrew – Faithfulness in my life and is goodness and and I think that I was telling you to to please read verse 7 philippians four seven because it says in the peace of god which surpasses all comprehension will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and I think that. It’s probably always been the human condition condition to be worried like you were saying but we live right now we live in a certain cultural context right now at least Josh and I in the us and worry is prevalent. You know it’s like multibillion dollars a year. Spent on on things to um to make you worry less or or not think about your worries or whatever who who knows how many billions of dollars is spent in the us around those type products. But um, man you want to look radically different. Ah, speaking of like ways to talk about Jesus and your faith be a person who walks through life with peace like like have peace inner peace like knowing yeah, there’s troubles today but I don’t have to worry about the ones that aren’t here yet like we’ll deal with those when they come. You know be a person who walks around with peace. Um, and like that’ll make you stand out but even more than like your testimony or chance to tell other people about Jesus in those moments like this is something that just makes your life infinitely better like you want to be present. Like all the all the current books are about like Josh and I have referenced some of those books that we’ve really enjoyed like the ruthless elimination of hurry about being present and how to do that like that’s important and and that’s like in the culture like everybody wants that you know not to worry. But. But you start walking around with real peace and real understanding of like I don’t have to worry about things that aren’t here yet. Let’s just deal with the troubles that are here today and also let’s live into the joy. That’s here today you know like just makes your life better and like I just think.

40:19.94
Josh – Um, you.

40:24.64
Andrew – Anytime Jesus is teaching us something like the entire sermon on the mount is for the good of of not just the people around you that you can witness to but it’s for your good like it makes your life better more enjoyable, more authentic. Um. You’re better to be around. You’re better as ah, any role that you have your better employee better husband better father in my case, whatever like you’re you’re better for it like nothing Jesus Teaches is to make your life suck. Um, you might see it as a burden initially to say. Do not worry about anything. Um, but it’s actually really freeing um and and it’s really good and if you can be a person who walks around with the peace of god that passes all understanding or comprehension that means like in the moment when something big hits. You’re you’re calm and you’re. Soberminded about it and clear about what’s going to happen like dude that’s revolutionary. That’s that’s not the norm you know? Um, so anyway I just I wanted to call that out because I think it’s like so much of this if if you grew up in the church you might over. Spiritualize something and think like well I just gotta live in this perfect peace and never have worry at all because then people around me will be able to see my life as different and like yes, that’s true, but it’s also just for your good so that maybe you can hear god maybe you can pray. More authentically you can live more authentically you can have actual peace in your heart and mind and in that moment when worry hits you can do the thing Josh was just talking about of looking back on those big moments in your life and saying like yeah actually this this sucks this is a challenge but. I know these things to be true about god and I know these things to be true about my experience like I don’t need to let worry consume me in this moment as tempting as it might be because if I do that I’m gonna miss the boat on something in this situation. So yeah man I know I said the same thing a few times but I’m just trying to drive it home. It’s four year good and the good of everybody around you to to live this way.

42:43.40
Josh – When I think too like you know we’ll all go through hard seasons and hard times and oftentimes those are those the ones that beat us up to such a way that you know we start to lose faith in that kind of stuff probably because we have the wrong perception about it like.

42:48.56
Andrew – Um, yeah.

43:03.60
Josh – Um, as you were talking. You know some of Paul’s words and some of James Words come and come into my mind and I didn’t know the reference off top of my head. So I just googled it. Thank you Google and the the world and the day we live today. We can quickly find things in the bible. But um, this is Romans 5 Um.

43:10.61
Andrew – In Ukraine.

43:20.69
Josh – Paul talking about hope and peace and and how do we find it. We’ll just start at the beginning this is therefore since um, we’ve all been justified through faith and meaning those that have put in their life in Jesus’s hands we have peace with god through our lord Jesus Christ through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And now boast in the hope of the glory of god not only so but when we all but we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverance perseverance character and character hope.

43:53.22
Andrew – Yep.

43:56.99
Josh – And hope does not put us as shame because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts to the Holy spirit who has been given to us right? like we all want to live with hope. But we’re only going to get to those places of hope if we persevere through the hard times like instead of us looking at these things of like.

44:08.73
Andrew – Second.

44:13.94
Josh – Woe is me everything is horrible. We should be looking at these things of God is still God he’s still in control. Um and he’s going to work all things out for for my good because I love him. Um, and let that let that play out because our faith is only going to increase our character is only going to increase and hope is only going to be instilled in us.

44:21.88
Andrew – Yeah.

44:32.22
Josh – If we perseverevere you through the hard times and hard times are goingnna come. That’s how we grow right? like things don’t grow if they’re not stretched right? your muscles if they’re not stretched. Um, if they’re not pushed hard. They’re not gonna get any bigger. They’re gonna stay as they are um like if if you’re same thing with your brain I think it’s a muscle.

44:35.40
Andrew – So yeah.

44:47.27
Andrew – Yep.

44:50.67
Josh – Not really sure how that works. Um I failed biology I didn’t really fail biology but my teachers were hot in high school. So I paid attention. Um, but I got a good enough grade to pass I don’t remember her name. No I told everyone that but she was hot. Um as a teenage boy it always was helpful to have hot teachers you paid more attention. Um.

44:57.82
Andrew – Are so funny.

45:10.50
Josh – She wasn’t that smart though I do remember that no offense to her. Ah but like you know your your brain’s not going to increase if you don’t push it hard right? like that’s just the reality of how life works. Um, if you want to stay where you are for the rest of your life. Don’t push yourself whether that’s.

45:20.37
Andrew – Um, yeah, right.

45:27.70
Josh – Um I want to get to hope I want to persevere through things on a better character. Yeah, if you don’t push yourself. You’ll stay the same It’s the same thing if you’re not foster relationship Jesus and he’s not leading that process. Yeah, you’re going to stay the same. You’re going to be the same today that you were a year ago America can be more like Jesus because you’re just not pushing like when we push through hard times we push through difficult things. Our faith increases. Our character increases and then we get to live in this hope that we find in Jesus James says it this way in James won he says consider a pure joy my brothers and sisters whatever whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing your faith produces perseverance let perseverance finish its work.

45:53.76
Andrew – Um, yeah.

46:05.61
Josh – So that you may be mature and complete not lacking anything if wisdom lacks you should ask God Um, who gives generously to all who ah, all without finding fault and it’ll be given to you and when you ask you must believe and not doubt because.

46:10.79
Andrew – Yep.

46:24.69
Josh – The one who doubt is like is like a wave in the sea being tossed back and forth by the wind that person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord um such a person is double minded and unstable in all they do. But how often is that the norm like it’s not like picking on a specific person.

46:37.76
Andrew – Am.

46:42.10
Josh – Often. Do we all find ourselves like god man problem and then you’re like playing this game of back and forth I feel far from god I feel close to god I feel like that’s a miserable life I’m sorry folks, you can feel close to god always just an fy I you may not feel that way. But I I’m I’m a living proof. And we can always feel close to god if we’re willing to put in the work. Um, but it’s the perseverance piece that I don’t think we like perseverance. Um, who knows why maybe because there’s less athletes today and we just didn’t work hard anymore in our lives. It’s funny like I grew up playing hockey um at a pretty pretty decently competitive levels.

47:14.55
Andrew – Yeah, you.

47:19.40
Josh – Um, and the thing that I miss there’s 2 things I miss about hockey one is just the team like being in a team atmosphere like that and working hard to a common goal like that’s fun and the second thing that I miss is like extremely hard practices where pucks don’t hit the ice and we just skate right? like when we call them. We call them ladders.

47:22.98
Andrew – Yeah.

47:30.58
Andrew – Um, yeah, yeah, right? Yeah yeah.

47:39.60
Josh – It’s you know, red line or blue line blue or red line to to red line red line to other blue line red and far goal line and just you just skate till you throw up but I’m a man so I never threw up and and I was a goal he saw was lugging around £20 worth of pads of my legs and I was still beating skaters because that’s how you get attention to people.

47:39.77
Andrew – Um, yeah, yeah, yeah, right? nice.

47:58.19
Josh – Um, but like it was that piece too of like man when you work hard especially in a group like there’s something that happens with that like when things get hard. You know when when things get hard in a group of people and we all have to rally around a common thing like that draws your core together. Yeah I’m in the church planting world right now and like.

47:58.20
Andrew – And.

48:12.21
Andrew – Yeah, yeah.

48:17.11
Josh – You know church finders say this all the time I’m really hoping for a crisis. Um because when crisis hits the group and like there’s a bonding that happens in the midst of that crisis. Um, you know we’ll probably ask you more for like a little crisis. No, then it’s not like overwhelming going to kill somebody but like a little bit of crisis helps. You don’t want to create that crisis then you’re a fraud and.

48:18.93
Andrew – 9 wow! yeah.

48:30.17
Andrew – Right? right.

48:36.44
Josh – Creates other issues but like there’s something to that of like when we’re persevering and pushing hard. Um, that’s where maturity comes in that’s when we start to be more complete and more look like Jesus you know that the finished work starts to to play out. Um in our lives is is when we choose to push through the hard times. So I say all of this to say this like let.

48:41.69
Andrew – Um, yeah.

48:55.85
Josh – Difficult times. Let things when they’re not going as planned. Um, let those times be an opportunity for you which I know if you’re in the midst of it. This is a hard like it’s hard to hear for us that aren’t in the midst of it. It’s much easier to hear but like let that look see you know, look at that as a time that God’s God’s doing a work in you. So.

49:00.65
Andrew – Yeah, yeah.

49:15.10
Josh – You know, dig harder into foster relationship. But Jesus um in those seasons because I I guarantee he’s gonna have a lot to say um, he’s going to walk you through that? um like um I’m trying to find the verse really quick and I didn’t find it. Um, Matthew John we talk about John 16 ah, where is it where is it where is it where is it where is it don’t be anxious about anything present your request to god yeah, and the piece of god which transcends all understanding like sit in that place with Jesus? um, like let him guard your heart and your mind and. Um, when it starts to run off have those conversations of like god here’s the things that are like consuming my thoughts today and I can’t seem to shake it like where does this comfort and why is it happening help me understand this better like dig into those those hard conversations with god because in the midst of the hard times like there’s there’s definitely going to be some good that comes out of it. You’re Goingnna see some shaping of who you are like think of you you always hear the example and this will be my last illustration a I promise and I’ll hand it back over but like like you’re you’re a potter. Oh this might be an illustration of the bible. Ah say you’re like a potter and you’re making a pot right? Um, if you really think about it if you were the clay in that.

50:09.61
Andrew – Ah, yeah, 1 Oh yeah, no worries, No worries’s.

50:29.24
Josh – In that situation like that’s a pretty violent process like there’s punching going on. Um I took a pottery class in high school by a teacher that used to do larping which I thought was fantastic and awesome. Um, but ah like he would like.

50:30.47
Andrew – You? Yep yes.

50:45.59
Josh – Beat the crap out of this clay to get it to a state that he needed then you’re just like wailing on it and then you’re like shaping it into the thing and like towards the end of it. It’s more gentle to like fine tune the things but like majority of the process is a pretty violent process and I’ll find those verses and we’ll put them in the show notes. So we have them but um, like it’s a violent thing like.

50:53.39
Andrew – Pray pray pray.

50:59.47
Andrew – Yeah m.

51:04.47
Josh – Going through change is going to feel really violent for you and because you’re changing the way that you perceive life. You know you’re dying to self to take on more of of Christ’s ways not just in um behavior but admission right? like you’re going to care about the things that Jesus cares about like that’s a.

51:18.90
Andrew – Right.

51:24.10
Josh – That’s a hard process dying to yourself is hard. Um, you know when you go through hard times I think the other big piece of this too is like if you’re losing something or someone um like mourn that it’s okay to mourn that I don’t think we as americans like to mourn things in general we. don’t do it? Well um especially christians like christians we don’t do it well you look at jewish tradition and customs and when someone dies and you know, um the the process that they take to mourn that like there’s something to it like mourn the death of dreams mourn the death of lost relationships mourn the death of um. You know things that you cared a lot about like mourn those things feel the pain of that. That’s that’s healthy and important I think we just try to push it all away and act like everything’s great like yeah we we end up just creating these little pockets inside of us that just want to burst out and eventually do and cause harm to ourselves into the relationships around us. So when you lose something mourn it when it’s hard mourn. It. Um, but also in the midst of that um dive into you know deeper into your relationship with Jesus and make sure you’re living inside of you know his protection of your heart and your mind rather than you trying to do it and control everything on your own trying to fix things that god never intended you to fix and then see the hard times as as times are are you shaping.

52:29.87
Andrew – Yeah, yep.

52:35.83
Josh – Jesus gonna do some work inside of you and you’re gonna come out on the other end you know as as Paul and as James said you know with greater character full of hope and a finished work that’s mature and complete as Jesus designed us to do and if you don’t lean into those things that those things never come you just.

52:39.31
Andrew – Yep, yeah.

52:50.61
Andrew – Right? Dude let that’s so good. So many awesome points and like your pottering clay example and I know that’s a biblical example too. We’ll have to look it up and add it um to the show notes. But my final thought is just that.

52:54.44
Josh – Stay the same.

53:10.58
Andrew – Like Josh and I you both we’ve we’ve known this for a long time right? We’ve known these verses in this concept for a long time and many of you listening probably have to It’s not something you learn once and and call good. It’s something that’s a principle you keep aspiring to. You know, like at least in my life. It’s it’s something I keep aspiring to where there’s plenty of things I worry about and and plenty of things I shouldn’t worry about you know? Um, but it’s good to know this and it’s good to know what it means and like maybe that’s part of that Clay. You know you got to beat it. Hard to get all the air bubbles out right to get it to where you where it won’t split when it’s under the pressure that goes into that happens in the kiln you know, but you gotta put it through the hard time to to have it be ready for that and I think that’s totally applicable in life is you gotta learn this principle. Then you’re gonna have to relearn it then you’re gonna have to live it in a moment where you don’t want to live it then you’re gonna learn it deeper then you’re gonna know it in a real way. You know like it takes time and it takes that hard shaping to be ready for those moments where you need to be ready to to truly live it out but it is better for you every time. You you choose not to worry and choose not to live in fear but to live in peace and and hope and and be honest about what’s coming but also live in peace and hope rather than letting your your circumstances. Define how you see the world. So yeah, man this has been awesome. And and that’s my final thought is like it’s aspirational. You know and you you keep working towards it over time as your situations keep changing but it’s always worth it and it’s always better for you and everybody around you in your relationship with god if you do it. So. Yeah man, thanks for this awesome conversation. This has been Ben Killer and you and I probably are both gonna have something to worry about today and probably gonna be reminded. We just talked about this. So anyway, man that’s how it goes but this has been really really good. Yeah.

55:21.84
Josh – Absolutely and we appreciate. You know everyone tuning in and listening to us give us a share I know there’s the verbiage that plays on our outro but all that fun stuff. But you know I think we have an opportunity to to make a difference in the lives of those around us so you know share this message of hope and how we find that hope. With Jesus? Thanks for listening to Andrew it’s always you see you brother. Love you.

55:44.11
Andrew – Good to see my men you.