What's going on, everybody?

I'm Derek.

I'm your host.

This is the Truth Response.

We are having a few technical difficulties.

My Internet is not great, so it's been goofy.

But this is take two.

But this time we didn't get 30 minutes in before, like, we had to start over.

That happened a couple episodes ago.

I am here with a couple special guests.

Yeah.

And one of which is my mom.

I'll introduce her first.

Her name is April.

Hi.

And then we've got Ashton, who is my sister, and she is the one who came up with the topic for this week.

And so I'm gonna go ahead and let her introduce it for everybody and then we'll get rolling.

Okay, so my idea for the topic this week is so, like, when you have people who say they're Christians, but then you, like, get to talking to them and you're like, oh, like, maybe that's not scriptural Christianity.

Like, that's not really what the Bible tells us we should be doing.

And maybe like, kind of how to handle those situations and how to lovingly correct them in that or lovingly remove yourself from those situations.

So, yeah, that's my idea.

And welcome to the Truth Response.

All right, so, Ashton, will you pray with for us today?

Yeah.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for bringing us together and giving us the opportunity to talk about you and the word that you provided us.

God, we're just really grateful for all the opportunities that you've given us and given Derek through this podcast and the ways that you've enabled each of us individually to reach out to people and share your word.

So thank you for bringing us together and allowing Derek to allow me to pick the topic.

And yeah, we love you and we praise you.

It's your name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

All right, so kick us off.

What.

What made you think up this topic?

Okay, so I was having a conversation with somebody, okay.

And they were telling me.

They tell me all the time, like, they're a believer.

They go to church, right?

To do, like, the whole Sunday check in, Sunday checkout type thing.

And we were having a conversation about how to raise our kids in a world that is just so, like, woke, right?

And I was asked, you know, what would I do if my kiddo came up to me and was like, hey, I'm gay.

Would I just, like, kick them out and, like, not love them?

And I was like, no, I would love them.

I would just educate them and that they're making a choice to commit sin and they're going to have to atone for that and that I'm not going to encourage that.

And that turned into a conversation about how well we're called as Christians to love and accept everybody.

And I was like, well, not technically.

So, yeah, that's where it really kind of got me going, was like the difference between like accepting and enabling and loving versus I don't know, what else do you call that, like pacifying probably.

So say tolerance is what it sounds like to me.

Yeah.

You know, the whole tolerance coexist stickers on the bumpers of people's cars somehow including some of the most exclusive belief systems that there are out there.

Yeah.

And I mean, that's, that's solid.

I, I've had situations in my past where people have, like, I had a friend who invited me to his wedding.

Him and his husband were getting married, and I was like, sorry, dude.

Like, there is nothing that I would love more than to be able to celebrate with you, but I can't.

That's not, it's not something I can do.

I can't celebrate that.

That caused a rift, so I could definitely see.

And, and he claimed to be a believer as well, so definitely falls in line with what you're talking about here of the whole.

Like, we have a lot of people who think Christianity is one thing when maybe it's something that they, they're missing.

Right.

So.

Okay.

Yeah, I.

Go ahead.

No, go ahead.

So we were talking about, you know, she has a, a kiddo who's a girl and I have two boys.

And so we were talking about just like what that looks like in the world today, like where they're at in their lives.

And so, you know, Kenny, my oldest, he's seven, we talk about all the time, you know, like, we can love everybody.

Right?

And as Christians, we're, we're called to lovingly correct.

And so just like I correct him when he's doing something wrong, if he sees someone doing something wrong, it's his job to say, hey, that's not what the Bible tells us to do.

Like, this is clearly what it says.

So.

Yeah.

And I find a lot of times people start trying to correct without using scripture and they, they come at it like they think they're right and they'll either like cherry pick verses or not have any scripture, but use either tradition or just this concept of whatever love might be to them.

Right.

To justify this idea that you, you saying that I'm doing something wrong is quote unquote judging.

Which I, I put a post out on Facebook the other Day, first one I posted in forever.

And it was like, I'm so tired of hearing this, you know, the whole you can't judge me thing, which Paul clearly calls us to judge one another.

It's.

It's very clear.

Nobody likes to talk about that, though, right?

Nobody does.

And yeah, and it's also clear that we're not talking about condemnation, because if you are with Jesus, you are not condemned.

Jesus said that.

And then he also said that if you're not, you are condemned.

So that one's clear.

Like, that's clear as day.

Already settled.

So when I'm coming to you with something and saying, hey, you know, like, you're stepping out of line here or there or whatever that might look like, that's, yes, judging through accountability, but not condemnation.

Because Jesus already settled that.

That dispute.

Right.

So that's.

Yeah, that's good stuff.

So, yeah, your post actually got me real, real pumped, real fired up.

Yeah.

I was actually surprised to see some.

Of the fact my.

Yeah, my.

Oh, we lost.

You said again.

Oh, I was, I was just saying I was surprised to see all the positive comments.

Yeah, I.

My Sunday school hates to see me coming with that.

Yeah.

Because it always comes up.

Everyone's like, oh, we're not called to judge.

I'm like, oh, but wait, but wait.

We are actually.

Yeah, you actually said that to me the other day.

Yeah, but judging isn't.

It doesn't have to be like, oh, you know, like horrible, harsh things.

Like, it doesn't have to be like that.

It's like, it's a dude.

Hey, here's a reality check.

I love you.

You're wrong.

Here's why.

Let's be better and let's squash this.

I didn't do that.

Then I don't love you.

Let's squash the lie right now.

That, that people like to throw around there, and that is that the Bible says we have to be nice because that's not a thing.

Kindness, kindness, not nice.

I don't have to be nice.

Right.

Those are two different things.

And not that you shouldn't be nice if you can be not saying that.

But the, the scripture that most people go to whenever they talk about, you're not allowed to judge, you know, is.

What is it, James?

I believe when it talks about the log and the plank, I think it's.

James, if I'm wrong, correct me.

Don't have stable enough Internet to look it up right now.

But I, I believe that's where most people have used for me anyways.

And they're like the log in the plank or this back in the plank.

And you know, you're like, take the plank out of your eye before you can, you know, remove the spec from somebody else's.

Well, that's actually dealing with, like, if you're struggling with the same thing they are, but you're like, ignoring and living in your own thing and trying to call them out.

Right?

Like, it basically.

Yeah, but.

Yeah, and I'm like, okay, you are missing that whole passage altogether in.

In.

In entirely.

And by the way, it's in.

Matthew.

Matthew 7:3.

Yeah.

Matthew 7:3.

Yeah, yeah.

No, I. I. Matthew, I struggle with.

I. I like to hit people with like a.

Well, what's the definition?

Like, can you define that for me?

Because, like, nine times out of 10, like, we use secular definitions, right?

We're like, oh, like, you know, I'm supposed to be.

There's definitions like loving and.

Right.

It's just the definition.

I just think this.

Well, no, because there are sometimes, like, people come in with like, off the wall things, like in my Sunday school class, and they're like, well, this is the definition I found.

And I'm like, wow, that's.

That's a take.

That's.

That's some good paraphrasing.

Yeah, but can't we, like, you know.

And so I think literally look at.

Look it up.

Like, look, we have these fancy little things right here that allow us to look stuff up anytime we want to, unless we're out in the middle of nowhere and have no cell service.

But I mean, yeah, we can.

We can look it up at any time.

So you got to start from a common ground, which I love.

I love the question of.

Well, can you define that?

Me?

Because that is the first step, right?

Talking with people who aren't believers even.

You gotta find, like, okay, where's a common ground that we can land on before we can ever start this conversation?

And it doesn't have to be a big common ground.

It can be a small common ground.

We just have to find one.

Right?

Yeah.

I love the judgment thing.

I pull that all the time.

She does.

Me too.

And people here.

Yeah.

Oh, my gosh.

Mom just looked at me and though you should be crying right now, look, I get that so often now.

And I'm like, I'm just saying.

Oh, habit.

I'll say.

I'm not trying to judge, but.

And she's like, you're not judge or you.

It's okay to judge.

It's not okay to condemn.

I'm like, okay, Ashton, I Mean, you're.

The condemnation thing has already been settled.

So, like, do you claim Jesus.

Right.

All right, yeah.

So under, under your declaration.

Right under your declaration.

Because here's the other thing as you, you brought up at the beginning.

Like, there are people who think that they are and are not.

Yes.

And Jesus clearly states that in, in Matthew as well.

Wow, look at that.

Matthew 7, 21, 23.

And I know I talk about it a lot on here.

Can't beat it into your all's heads enough.

Not YouTube, but you guys out there.

Well, on YouTube either.

Everybody I come in contact with, right.

Like, and it's not because, like, I want to instill fear either.

Like, it's, it's because I want that to be people's passion and that's what people should be pursuing.

And just for a frame of reference, it's, it's the whole.

Not everyone that says Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of the Father who is in heaven.

And many will say to me.

So.

Sorry, have we not, you know, cast out devils and healed and done many wonderful works.

And I'll profess them to them, you know, depart from me, for I never knew you, you know, and it's like, man, like all, all I want.

All I want for me.

All I want for you guys.

All I want for all of you listening is, is like, I want you guys to live life as though your only goal is that Jesus knows you.

That's it.

Like, is that Jesus knows you.

And so like, as much as I, I pound this into to every podcast almost, that we go there and record, it comes up a lot, but it's like, yo, you know, there's, there's a lot of you out there that Jesus specifically was like, hey, not everybody thinks they get it.

Get it.

Not everybody that I am working through gets it.

Not everyone that, that I use truly is known by me.

And it's because they're.

They're only hearers, right?

They're not also doers of the Word.

And that's not a faith based thing.

That or works based thing.

That's, that's, that's not what that's saying.

But.

Do you hear static?

Yeah, a lot of it.

Cool.

I hear nothing.

You don't hear static.

Wow, that's wild.

It's almost like the ocean.

Yeah, maybe we're buying.

We're by an army aviation base.

Maybe they're jamming our signal.

I don't know.

Anyways, apologize for the.

Oh, and it's gone.

Yeah, it Went away.

That's really weird.

I never heard it.

So maybe he'll cut all that, maybe he won't.

What was I saying?

It's not a workspace thing.

Oh yeah, it's not a workspace thing.

It's, it's, you know, it is.

Are you digging?

Are you living life every day with Jesus?

Because that's the only way, you know, that you can really be known is by being in relationship on a regular basis.

Now there is something to be said for establishing a relationship.

I mean, we haven't necessarily hung out in a while, right?

Or, or talked in depth in a while, but.

Or on a everyday basis.

Hey, we had a whole like 24 hours less than a year ago that we didn't stop talking.

That's true, that's true.

We just covered a whole year in one day.

That's, that's fair.

That's fair.

But what I'm saying is, you know, like we, we, we don't necessarily talk every day, but we have an established relationship and so that established relationship means something as well.

But in order to keep in a relationship, like you got to keep feeding into it.

It's not one sided.

That's why whenever you see friendships that, you know, only one person is like putting in the effort to be there or to talk or to communicate or whatever, you start seeing that friendship dissolve.

Because it takes two.

Same with marriages.

It's one of the biggest problems with marriages these days is that it, both parties are not actively pursuing the other.

And when you stop doing that, it starts to dissolve, it becomes static and nothing is, is nothing is on a line.

You're either growing or you're dying, right?

Like you're either getting better, right, or you're getting worse.

There is no like status quo or whatever.

So I don't know.

That's, that's the whole like, man, so many people in the pews, in the chairs need to hear that Jesus loves you so much and you're missing the mark.

And I don't just mean sinning, I mean you've missed it.

Just, just because you're baptized doesn't mean that you're got your ticket punched, right?

Just because you're in the seat on Sunday doesn't mean you got your ticket punched.

In fact, if those are the tick marks that you're basing your belief system on, you're wrong.

It's, you're not, you're not a follower of Christ.

All right?

Like that's, you may believe that he exists and believe that all this stuff is True.

But there's a difference between a belief in and belief of right?

So I believe that it is the thing, but I'm putting all that I believe in him.

Two separate things.

So.

Because that was all it took, you.

Have to check yourself.

Yeah.

Yeah, check yourself.

What.

What is.

What is happening in your life that aligns with Scripture, Right?

Just like we were talking about the works and faith.

Faith is not works based, but when you have faith, you want to do works and you have to check yourself constantly.

Am I growing?

Am I doing what Christ asked me to do?

Are people calling me out and telling me, hey, listen, I love you, but you're missing the mark.

I love you, but you're.

You're kind of going out in left field here.

And when that happens, then you have to double down and you have to really check yourself.

And the only way you can do that is by being in the word and.

And praying and asking God to show all of that to you.

So.

Yeah, I also think, like, there's a big testimony to.

Or not testimony, testament to, like, the heart change.

Like, it's evident.

I think that my friend Kylie said something actually really beautiful where, like, it's kind of silly, but, like, she said that the kind of Christian she wants to be is, like, when you're turning a radio station, like, in a new city, and you're like, flipping through, you're trying to find a channel and, like, you can hear, like, just a note, but it feels different.

And it's a Christian radio station where you're around.

She's like, I want to be that for the people I'm around.

Like, I want them to come around me and just feel.

Feel just like a little bit different.

Like, you can tell it feels different.

It feels safe, it feels warm, it feels loving.

And I think that that's a huge testament, too, to, like, the heart change.

Like, you know, you can be baptized, you can show up on Sunday, you can, you know, do all the things, check your T's, you know, whatever, dot your ice, whatever, however you say it.

But, like, I think that it's important to remember, like, it should be your every day.

It should be the people in the grocery store who are like, you know what?

I love your smile.

Thanks for being nice to me today.

Or, you know, being involved in being that light among everyone that you're around.

I think that's super important, too, to just remember that.

Like, it doesn't just stop there.

And I think that's where the difference between, like, believers and, like, non believers, I think that's where the lines get mixed is like.

They're like, okay, but I'm here.

Like, I'm doing the things.

Like, I am a nice person.

I. I do the loving thing.

Like, I encourage people to love themselves, and I encourage people to do the better thing.

I have good morals.

I know right from wrong.

And I think that there's, like, a huge gap in between, like, morality and, like, spirituality.

So I.

Sorry.

I checked out for a minute.

Internet.

Were you checking yourself or did you.

No, no, the Internet.

The Internet cut out.

So.

Okay, so one thing that we talked about in last week's podcast, which I don't know if either of you have been able to listen to it yet or not, we.

We talked about the.

The Helmet of Salvation, right?

No.

Was it last week?

Yes, I'm pretty sure in the Helmet of a Salvation episode, we.

We talked about a really cool scripture that kind of ties.

Ties a lot of the.

The works and the works idea into it, right?

Where it's like, yeah, it's by grace you have been saved.

Right.

But also works.

And that is like, you are being called to not be conformed to the world, to the pattern of this world, but instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

And then it says something that's even cooler, which I guess I'd never really caught before, which is awesome.

And that is.

It's an answer to, like, literally everybody's number one question is, is.

And that is how you will know the.

The perfect and, you know, whatever the perfect will of God, right?

Everybody's constantly like, what's the will of God?

Right?

And you.

You can't know that, right.

Until you allow him to transform you through the renewing of your mind.

Right?

So I thought that was.

That was so cool because I was like, it's so simple, and it's.

It connects the whole thing.

And that transformation is where the works come in, right?

That transformation after.

After your mind has been renewed, then that transformation happens and you just find yourself doing.

It's not.

It's not a.

You have to check the boxes.

It's a.

You are just that new creation now.

Yeah.

So I think about it a lot, too, because, like, I've been a Christian my whole life, right?

Like, I've, like, been in the church.

Like, probably 89% of my life, 89% of my days have been spent in a church doing something.

Right?

And I think that for me, the aha moment was when I was in, like, 2022, I went back to church with my kids, right?

And I'm like, okay, like, we're doing the thing.

We're here every Sunday.

I'm like, hey, I'm here.

Here we are.

How's it going?

It's going.

You know, that thing.

And then slowly, when I like immersed myself with, with people who were like minded, who brought the word to me when I was struggling, then it became like, instead of like a happy to like sit there and think, okay, Ashton, what would Jesus do now?

It's like a knee jerk reaction.

I'm like, look at me.

I didn't have to think about that.

There it is.

Well, it's a true.

Like once your head changes, it's almost like a.

You're leveling.

Not, not just that, like your heart.

Changes, then your head changes.

But there's the whole.

Hiding his word in your heart, right?

Yeah, like, yeah, that, that's an important bit.

We miss it a lot.

And a lot of people will be like, well, I can't memorize things.

And I get so tired of hearing that because it's like, yo, you should be in it.

You should be meditating on it.

I'm not saying you got to have the word for word esv, right?

Cuz or the, the King James, like what we had pretty much beat into us as, as Awana people, right, Growing up in a Baptist church.

But like, we're not saying that, that we have to have like everything word for word memorized.

No, you need to have the concepts memorized.

Right?

Because that's the thing that's, that's changing and renewing us.

That's the concepts that, that Jesus teaches and the Bible puts out there is what renews our mind so that we can be transformed and actually not just be hearers, but doers.

Right?

So, yeah, I think that once you're.

Actually like, no, go ahead, finish your thought.

And then.

I just think that once you are actually like in it and you're hearing it, then you can't help but to do it.

I think that it just becomes like a.

At least for me personally.

Like once I had like that, the door open.

Now I get mad at myself if I'm not doing it.

And if I see people like I love and care about who are like, just skirting by, I'm like, nah, man, like, we gotta be more.

I don't want to be lukewarm.

I don't want him to spit me out of his mouth.

Like, I want to be on fire.

Like, be on fire with me.

I want to catch everybody on fire.

Yeah, we, we also talked about we.

Don'T want to be complacent.

Right, right.

But also, you can't do it alone, right?

Like that's, that's something that is important too.

Like with.

I, I like to use the analogy you got to have people, right?

And you got to have like minded believers who are there to, to build you up and hold you accountable around you all the time.

Because the analogy of like the, the coals, right, you got a campfire, and as the evening progresses, the campfire dies down.

What a lot of people don't realize is that if you wake up that next morning, if you take those coals and they're all together and you put some kindling on it, you can relight that fire with those coals there.

And it's, it's one of those things that with, with one coal, it's extraordinarily hard, but with a bed of coals that, that fire can be rekindled.

And so it's extremely important to keep those people around you because there's going to be times where you're gonna.

Your fire is going to dim, right?

Your fire is going to come close to going out.

Because life hits hard and we're not perfect.

We are just human.

So we need those people around us.

So 2.

Nothing better than showing up.

No, no, no, no, no.

Go, go, go.

I was just.

There's nothing better than showing up somewhere and maybe not feeling 100% energized.

And Ashton is bouncing off the walls with the Holy Spirit dripping off of her and so much energy and that just feet, you feed off of that and it brings you where you need to be.

All right, so back to the topic at hand.

All right, let's actually dive into the topic now.

Right?

Gone all over the place.

So what are, what are some things that you think then, Ashton, People are missing that think they're Christians, but then maybe, maybe aren't.

Not that obviously we're not here to condemn one way or the other.

But some, some.

There's some red flags.

There's some warning signs of things like, oh, you don't really believe all of these things.

Like, what are some things that, like that you would say are some things that we interact with a lot.

Okay, so like, main red flags for me when my, like, flashers go on would be like, so we talked about the kindness versus nice thing.

A huge thing for me is like the idea of like, enabling, I guess.

So a lot of times, like, I'll hear people say, like, well, you're called to care for.

As Christians, we're called to care for our brothers and sisters, and we're called to provide for our brothers and sisters, and we should be working as a body to make sure that everyone's okay.

That's a red flag for me because I'm like, you're right, we are called to do that, but it also is a lot of, like, internal.

Like, you have to have a relationship with God before my relationship with you is going to fix anything for you.

Like, it has to be a up and then over, in my opinion, aside from like a me feeding that spiritual.

You know, like, dish.

And that's just my.

I would, I would say yes and no.

Like, I see what you're saying, but I would want to bring a little bit of clarity to some of that.

And that is like, I think that as far as, like, as far as, like, your spiritual depth, I guess you could say, like, that's got to start with that relationship with God.

But, man, one of the best ways for somebody to find Jesus is through relationship with.

With others.

And it's.

It's generally not gonna.

Just how I feel.

Stronger spark from nowhere, you know, and even.

I'm talking, even the non believers coming in, like, that's.

We've got to be in the world.

Right.

I should say we got to be friends to our neighbors.

We gotta.

We gotta be loving on people in.

In our community in order to.

In order to.

For them to, like, see it.

For them to.

To, like, actually, you know, trust you enough to actually care what you.

You say.

Right.

So.

Right.

But I'm not disagreeing with what you're saying either.

Maybe a better.

No.

Yeah.

Another, like, red flag I could say is, like, when people are like, wait, I didn't go to church because I didn't like the pastor.

Okay, okay.

Or I didn't go to church because my friend didn't go this week.

You know, I think that it needs to be more.

That's a red flag for me because I'm like, well, if you're going for the people.

How about.

How about the.

The line?

Yeah, I just really didn't like the worship.

I saw.

I saw.

I saw a video.

I saw a little whatever reel or whatever the other day on YouTube or I'm kind of back on Facebook, you know, because of trying to sell stuff on Facebook.

And it's dumb.

I'm gonna be deleting it soon.

But.

But I saw a reel the other day that was like.

It was like, you know, love it.

Whenever people come up to me and say, yeah, I just really didn't like, worship.

And it's like, well, that's fine, because we weren't worshiping you.

And I was like, that is the best response ever.

Like, that is gonna be up my sleeve next time.

So.

And I know this is probably gonna get me in trouble with the elders.

I don't.

I don't care.

But, like, that is the best response.

I probably.

That is the best response that you could have is, okay, we weren't worshiping you, but thanks for that.

Like, because immediately, any.

Anytime those complaints happen, the first thing I think of is, okay, where's your heart?

It's obviously not worshiping God.

Like, you may.

You may be wanting to sing the words, and you may be wanting to do these things, but you're not in the right heart frame or mindset to.

To be doing this.

And it's not something that's like, we're gonna turn this switch on on Sunday, and all of a sudden we can worship.

Now, worship is a lifestyle.

A worship is something that you need to be practicing throughout the week.

Once again, not saying that we can be perfect at it in any stretch, but it is something we need to be practicing on a regular basis.

Yeah, I think.

Yeah, I think that.

I love when people say that.

Like, the worship just wasn't it for me too.

I'm like, oh, man.

Like, I felt Jesus right next to me.

I don't know what that has to do with.

Like, that's a you right Problem.

You should, like, adjust your heart when you come inside the door.

Like, that's not.

Yeah, you're gonna get what you get out.

Get.

You're gonna get out what you put in.

Not only that, see, so.

Yes, but a bigger thing is you're gonna get what you're looking for.

But no, no, no.

What's bigger is you're gonna get what you're looking for.

Like, if you come in looking for something to complain about, you're gonna find it, I promise.

You know, the church is broken, people.

What.

What else do you expect, you know?

Like, right.

If you're looking to get hurt, come to church looking to get hurt, you know, because it's gonna happen, right?

If you're looking for Jesus, though, that's who you find, and you're gonna find Jesus.

Right.

100.

And so that is possibly even more important than the quote, unquote, effort that you're putting in having an outcome.

Because it's like, your heart has got to be in that place of submission, you know, and if it's not, I'm not saying that God can't, like, break through, right?

And.

And, you know, soften your heart in the midst of it.

But, man, like, don't.

Don't come at me with the.

I don't really, like, worship today.

Like, I mean, I'm not saying that I don't have times where I think, man, it's just.

I don't like these songs.

Right?

Okay.

But whenever I go into it, I worship God, right?

Like, because I'm on the praise team, so I'm looking at the songs ahead time.

Like, I really don't like this song, but that's not my choice, right?

I don't get to pick.

And so one of the complaints that I've heard even from praise team members and not current, but in the past was like, man, we're doing this song again, and it's like, yo, heart, check your freaking heart.

If.

If we only had one song to sing for the rest of eternity, you need to be able to worship in it, right?

You need to be able to use that to worship God.

And so, like, it doesn't matter if we sing the same song for 30 minutes.

Like, you should be able to worship God there, because that is what we're here for.

That's what we're here to do.

It's.

It's not about what I like and don't like, right?

It's not about me.

It's.

It's about God and us coming together as one and.

And worshiping him in the moment.

So I don't know.

That's.

That makes me think of my next big red flag.

All right, let's hear it.

Is when people say, well, I just didn't really get anything out of it.

I just didn't really do anything.

Or that one I don't like.

Yeah, I was reading the Bible, and, like, I just didn't like.

I don't know what God's trying to.

Like, I don't know what God wants me to see in that.

Okay, read it again, bro.

He doesn't want you to see anything.

Like, he wants to see him.

If you don't see it, you need to be digging in deeper.

This is not about you.

Right?

This is a whole book all about one dude.

Three, technically, if you want to get technical, but, like, one dude.

So I don't know.

I don't tell you.

I'm sorry that you didn't get a mirror.

There's bathrooms for that.

I don't.

I just.

That one really irks me.

I just think anything out of it.

Okay.

So one of my big red flags is I don't have to go to church to have a relationship with Christ.

Well, I mean technically it's true, right?

But like, yo, like, is it?

Well, it is.

Okay, let's.

We gotta, we gotta.

Don't forsake the gathering.

But it's technically true.

You don't have to have that in order to have a relationship.

However, if you are alone intentionally on an island with a bunch of demons, probably not going to win that battle.

I'm just saying like, intentionally, like I said, it's like the whole like, dude praise, you know, he's stuck in the flood or whatever and he's on this rooftop and prays to God to sin.

Sin to help save him or whatever.

And a boat comes along and he's like, nah, God's gonna save me.

And then a helicopter comes along.

Now God's gonna save me.

And then he drowns and dies and, and he's like, God, why didn't you save me?

He's like, I sent you a boat and a helicopter.

You know, like.

Right, right.

What more did you ask for?

And so it's, it's one of those like, if you're choosing that you're going to fail, it just doesn't work.

Now the opposite is also true.

Well, not the opposite, but like if, if you are stuck alone, God will meet you where you are.

If you can't, if you can't be around people even though you want to be, then God's gonna meet you there and growth can happen and, and Jesus can get to know you and you can, you can know him.

So I don't wanna, I don't want to exclude that.

That's not what I. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

No, what I said was.

I know, but people like to hear, people like to hear what they want to hear.

Right?

And so that's why I go into all these like dissertations on things, find things.

Cuz it.

Yeah, I, I don't want people to be able to come around and say, well you said this.

And it's like, okay, well first off, go back and listen.

That's not what was actually said.

But now I can clearly say, no, we actually clearly stated that that's not what we said.

So we covered that bit.

But what I'm saying is that's a red flag for me is when someone says I don't need.

You know what that says to me?

What they're scared of?

They're scared of conviction.

100, 100.

And I think that's what really gets People.

Because, like, and I talk to Kenny about this all the time.

Like, and Kaden, now that he's getting older, too, I'm like, that, like, icky feeling in your belly.

Like, that's conviction.

Like, you.

You people don't like that.

Grownups don't like that.

They're like, ooh.

Oh, yeah.

Like, I don't really.

I'm not really sure I want to hear that today.

Like, that's not really what I want to hear.

I think that's what keeps people out.

Like, oh, I don't.

I don't need to go to church.

Because, like, that every time.

It's like telling me exactly.

Like, you see, sitting in my room at home.

Yeah.

Yeah, dude.

God is.

And he's speaking that to you.

You're hearing that for a reason.

It's just people choosing to not want to change.

Sure.

Yeah.

So.

So another big red.

Another big red flag for me is when people are like.

They say, like, well, it shouldn't be taken literally because that happened so long ago.

Like, the Old Testament, like, really is just like a bunch of stories.

And so, like, we don't really need to learn anything from that because, like, we're past that.

Jesus came, he died.

Now we're done.

We're done with Old Testament now.

Yeah, yeah.

They need to go to some Old Testament classes and learn.

Learn a lot.

1.

1 just to, like, continue on with that Old Testament red flag, right?

One of my favorites is the whole, like, we're going to use the Old Testament to judge you, condemn you, right?

Is the whole, like, yeah.

Oh, well, you know, you can't have tattoos because in Exodus or Leviticus or wherever it says.

And.

And then it's like, oh, and well, not just there.

Let's use more Bible, right?

Let's use New Testament.

Men can't wear hats from the stage, right?

They can't wear hats in church.

Because in.

In Corinthians, I believe it is it.

It goes into, like, men can't have their heads covered while discussing prophecy.

Which people missed that part.

And I've actually.

What?

And please don't get offended.

Nobody get offended by this, please.

Well, I don't really care, but please just don't take this wrong.

Right?

Like, it's mostly been women.

Not all.

Mostly been women that have called me out on that.

I'm like, did you not read the passage right before that where it says, it's not for women are supposed to remain silent except for with their husbands.

It's like, yo, I ain't married to you, for one.

And if we want to go full on literal all the way.

Yo, you're missing the point here.

Like you, you can't be calling me out on this, actually.

So what, you know, yeah, absolutely, that's one of my big, big ones, is like, okay, you, you're missing this relationship that Jesus wanted with us when, when Abraham first set up the covenant with God, which God set up the covenant with Abraham by using himself for both sides of the party, which is really a very cool part of the story that I didn't even, that I missed until like eight months ago.

And like the fact that Abraham didn't have anything to do with the covenant, that God literally made the pact with himself, saying that, if your side screws this up, I'll pay the penalty.

And if I screw this up, I'll pay the penalty.

And so from Abraham, we knew we had to have Jesus and.

Which is just a stronger thing.

But like, it's like you're missing the point of all of this.

The Israelites missed the point of all of this, right?

Like they, they didn't catch on to the idea that you're supposed to be the example that is taking God to the people, not just excluding everybody from everything, not just being set apart, but you're actually supposed to like show others why doing things the way God wants them done is good and moral and beneficial and showing them who he is.

And yet time after time after time after time, it was, nah, it's all right.

I'll either go join this other, you know, pagan group or I'm gonna set up so many rules that we can't even possibly A, do anything without stepping on a rule or B, possibly even, even get to the main core 10, right?

Because it's so the core 10 are so far behind fences that we can't even think about, you know, the fact that we're supposed to love our neighbor, right?

Which is, encompasses half of the, the 10, right?

Yeah.

Like, we can't even think about that because it's so far behind the fence that I'm already tripping over all this other stuff.

Like I can't, I can't even think about that.

And so they miss the point so much that it's supposed to be a relationship of love and forgiveness and reconciliation and, and this, this God who wants just a relationship with you from even, even Old Testament, right?

Even all throughout the Old Testament.

And so people all the time will say things like, you know, well, that's the Old Testament, or vice versa.

The, you know, well, actually you know, the law in the Old Testament says this, and it's like, okay, well, why are you wearing clothing of two different cottons, right.

Or two different materials?

You know, that's technically against the Old Testament law, too.

And no, it's not cherry picking for us to follow some laws and not others.

That was established.

Read the book.

Like, there, there's moral law, right?

And then there's three different laws.

I can't remember them all right now, but three different types of laws.

One of them is moral.

And that's.

That's the.

The biggest of them.

That, that is important.

And that's summed up and two, right?

Jesus said, love God with all that you are and love your neighbor as you would love yourself.

I don't know.

That is.

That is one of the biggest ones for me.

I can't tell you how many times, like, Lizzie and I have encountered it for her tattoos or for me in a hat.

And, you know, just the.

I don't know.

And.

And people are so quick to, like, get disgusted at the dirtiness and realness of people.

And now that's another one for me, like, is that you can't say that in church.

Why the hell not?

You know, like, I mean, what's so special.

What's so special about this gathering and this building that I can't be me in front of the one who's with me at all times?

Right?

And I.

Go ahead.

I've talked about many times when we've done urban plunge up in Omaha.

One of the most profound moments for me was we went to a church service where homeless and near homeless would come.

Everything they had, they brought, you know, their backpack, everything they had on them and sit through that service.

And nobody judged them there because.

That'S.

Not why they were there.

You know, they were there to worship.

And they did get a meal for sitting through the entire service.

But the thing of it was, it really gave a whole new meaning to the hymn Just As I Am.

They came just as they were.

And nobody better than I, not the pastor, not the worship leaders, not the people who weren't in that position that they were in that came to that church that day.

They loved on them.

Just as they were.

Yeah.

Shout out to such a good hymn, too.

The.

If you're not into traditional hymns, if you are, you.

You know exactly what she's talking about.

But if you're not, check out Testament of Steel's version of Just As I Am because it is equally as solid.

Same lyrics, just in a modernized rock and rolly type feel.

Because, yeah, come as you are, you know.

Right.

Because here I am.

Because you have to, you have to lay the stuff down at his feet, not at the door.

Right?

Like, don't leave your baggage at the door.

Like, come in as you are.

Come to Jesus.

Let him do the exchange right here.

Let him do the exchange.

Right, right.

Don't leave it at the door because as soon as you walk back out, you're going to pick that luggage back up, you're gonna pick that baggage back up.

Right.

And so.

Yeah, absolutely.

That's, that's so good.

Yeah.

No, and I mean, I'm not kidding.

It changed my whole perspective on that song.

Yeah.

And my life.

I mean, just seeing people who came with everything, all they had and I was leaving and I was leaving my baggage at the door quite a bit.

Yeah.

See that makes you think of, See that makes me think of the casting crown song.

If we are, if We Are the Body, that.

That's a pump song for me, cuz that if you like, just read the lyrics, it is such like a.

Hey, you idiot.

Like, what are you doing?

Like, this is clearly, this is clearly written for you.

Like, if we're the body, if we're the body, why are we judging them when they come through?

Well, why are we not allowing them to come and worship as they are?

If we're the body, why are we not out here teaching rather than sitting in the pew saying, oh, well, hey, did you like, see them, like doing that?

Like, here's, here's.

So that's like a huge.

You pivotal.

Like you caught yourself when saying judge.

Let's take it a step further.

Like, like just for clarity's sake, right?

How about we start saying unjustly judging, right?

Because like, you're not using Jesus's righteousness, which is, look, scripture says, hey, yo, you shouldn't be looking at that.

Or hey, you shouldn't be stealing, or hey, you shouldn't be lying.

Like that's Jesus's righteousness, right, that says that.

But, but my own, my own righteousness, that's an unjust judgment, Right.

Call.

Especially whenever it's, it's rooted in different, different, you know, like desire, you know.

So I mean, as much as I don't necessarily like that, like whenever we're saying judge, unjust judgment would be that looking down upon.

Right, that, that, that condemnation that we have.

Yeah.

Upon your own, like your own pride or your own.

Oh my gosh, I think is what really gets me going.

I'm like, yeah.

This made me think of another.

When Derek, when you were little, you always wanted to sit on the front row.

And it would drive me insane.

Because.

I felt like everybody's looking at me, everybody sees everything about me.

And I wasn't about that at that time.

Now I love sitting towards the front.

I mean, there's only one row in front of us now.

And I couldn't care less what's happening around me.

It's what I need to be careful.

The way I said that I do care what happens around me, but I love being able to only focus on Jesus.

It's not a stumbling anymore.

Right, right.

And so I don't have people that are in front of me and I'm like looking at their hair or looking at what their Bible is or whatever.

I am focusing on the message, the worship and, and what's happening here.

Between.

I've had people tell me and this goes along, along with that a little bit, but I have had people tell me, you know, like, you know, I'm good, I know how to feed myself.

So I'm gonna, I'm.

I work on Sundays, right?

Not like as a job, but I work in the church, in the behind the scenes stuff or in the kids stuff or insecurity or whatever.

And that allows other people to go into service.

But I don't need to because I can do that.

Like, I know I can worship through music on my own.

I do that every day.

I can read scripture on my own.

I do that every day.

Even the people that are like.

And I'm in this group and that group, and I'm in accountability.

Okay, great.

But what about the people that need to see you in there?

Their relationship's not there yet.

Amen.

You lost me.

Yes, still there.

Totally agree.

Yeah.

Okay, so.

Okay, well, there we go.

Were we gone?

I was gone.

I don't know.

I don't know.

But.

But sometimes people, people need to see you.

People that aren't, aren't, that aren't there yet, you know, that, that are like, okay, this person says this, but are they living it?

Like, can I trust it?

You know that, that are looking to you for like, okay.

No, they mean it like, this is, this is where I need to be.

And at some point the hope is that they're just like, what you're saying, Mom?

Like, April, you, you're saying, you know, I, I don't focus on those around me.

I'm.

I'm there for worship.

And hopefully someday everybody in that room will be there, but there's steps along the way and Some people need to see you in there because maybe you're a strong male leader and the church and you're, you're doing these things and it's like, okay, like, where are you?

You know, like you, you, you say these things, but where yet?

Or maybe you're the leader of the women's ministry, you know, and yet you're constantly not in service and it's like, okay, how can I, how can I trust this person if they don't even go to church?

You know?

And so like, I think a lot of times that can become easy for us as long time believers to fall into this habit of like, I don't want other people to get burnt out.

And my shoulders are broad.

Like, that's something that I've, I've done, right?

I, I've, my, my shoulders are broad.

I can carry a lot.

God designed me to be able to do this.

So I, I will take on the extra this or I'll take on the extra that and, and the whole, all the while a.

You're stealing, you're robbing the opportunity from somebody else.

Right?

But also you're not present, right?

You're not present in people's sight.

And not that we should do that for prideful reasons, but as a, as a coming together, as a drawing, as one in unity, as a lending credibility to who you are and whose you are.

Right?

And not just in a way that says I'm doing things, you know?

So I, I think that, I think that's up there too.

Like that, that those, those are easily, could easily be some of those people.

If that, if that's been you, I'm not pointing any, I'm not talking about any particular person.

So if you're hearing this and you've said that to someone or to me, I'm not talking about you, okay?

But I am saying like, those could easily be the people that Jesus is saying.

Yo, you're missing the point.

You're missing the point.

Yeah.

Have you seen those, those reels that are like.

I forgot for a second that this is the whole point.

Yes, yes.

They're like, yeah, they're like sweet little moments like, of like parenting.

You're like in your marriage where it's like just a very calm, soft moment.

It's like, oh man, I forgot this was the point.

Yeah.

It's so easy.

I think that, you know, I have that.

Yeah, yeah, well, and I have that thought so often, like sitting like in the sanctuary, you know, on Sunday mornings, I'm like, oh man, like here it is.

Here it is.

This is like, this is it.

This is why we're here.

Well, and I think just to tie it in.

And you can't have that if you're not in there.

To tie it in with our, Our current series that we're.

We're, you know, we're inserting this episode in the middle of.

Right.

But to tie it in with the series, honestly, that is one of the biggest things that I think is spiritual warfare that we don't connect to.

Spiritual warfare.

Is that the devil or however you want to put it, you know, whatever is causing us to want to sin.

Maybe not Satan himself, but demons, whatever.

Like, they just need to distract you.

You know, they don't need to.

They don't need to necessarily convince you that God doesn't exist in order to.

To start winning some of the battles.

Right?

Like, all they got to do is say, hey, you know, let's.

Let's sidetrack a little bit, you know, so easy, easy.

Distraction.

I always.

I.

Okay, I have adhd.

That could be an excuse, whatever.

But occasionally I will find myself sitting there and, like, my brain is.

My brain is thinking about something for like a good 30 seconds and I like, snap back and like, not today, Satan.

Not today, Satan.

Not today.

Do not distract me.

Like, why are you doing that?

I don't need to be thinking about grocery shopping.

I don't need to be, you know, thinking about, oh, I need to order that on Amazon or what I'm gonna have for lunch, or the fact that my shoe keeps falling off.

Like, I don't need to think about those things.

But it truly is.

It's.

I mean, it's the devil trying to distract us.

He's tapping us on the shoulder while we're missing something that's dangling right in front of us.

It's one little.

One little nugget.

Yeah.

It could have been, like, monumental.

And at the same time, I think that, that we got to be careful not to guilt trip ourselves about all of that.

And because.

And it's easy.

I mean, I.

Not that.

Not that the chosen is the end all.

Be all.

And I think it.

I. I heard a take on it today that I was like, oh, that's a good, like, I don't know, warning, be cautious of it kind of a thing is that.

Let's not, like, read it into the text, right?

Like, it can be a fun, fun thing to really fill in and, and make it real.

Right?

But let's not read into the text the things from the movie, the show like, you know, let's take it for what it actually is.

But I think that one of the, the things that is so cool that gets brought out in that is that, that I can't tell you how many times I've told them, and they just don't get it.

They're just not getting it.

And so, like, hey, the 12 that walked with Jesus didn't always get it.

You know, like, they got, they, they were dense as well, they struggled as well.

I mean, Paul, hey, even Paul, who saw Jesus got knocked off his high horse, one could say, but, but even him, who started out as this devout Jew, right, killing the, the Christians who, you know, believed in blasphemy to the Jewish people and to the Jewish culture, I guess law even he was like, yo, I am.

I am the chief of sinners, right?

So I think that, I think that we just gotta.

I really hope the wave sound is not passing over through into the recording because it's like super loud right now.

It's really distracting.

You're like yelling over it.

You sound like you're like yelling at the ocean.

I don't know, I just think that, that even he was like, man, I don't, I don't do the things I want to do.

And, you know, I always do the things I don't want to do.

And, and so like, we, we have to remember that we're all human and that it's not our righteousness, but Jesus's who's already covered us.

Which is also stuff we've talked about in past weeks of the, the truth response as well.

And Breastplate of righteousness in particular.

Like, it's his righteousness that covers us.

It's not our own and it's nothing that we do.

So we, we also can't necessarily be like, yo, I, I've screwed up enough that it's gone.

You know, it's not like a, A, a, A full and empty meter, you know, it's a, it's a covering, you know.

So.

Yeah, I, that, I think that like the, like the.

Speaking of that, like the House of David, like, you can.

Have you seen that?

I've been watching a little bit of it.

I think I'm at episode like five.

Okay.

I haven't started.

Glenn and I watched it together as my husband.

And the whole time, the whole time I felt like I was in Bible trivia because I was like, I'm not sure that's how it happened.

And so Glenn and I spent the whole time like fact checking the show.

And so it really got us into the show because we were in the show, we were in the Bible and I was like, hey, they're just like dramatizing a little bit.

But like it was still cool because it kind of like initiated like the diving in part because then it took it from just a show that we're watching to like a show like, like you said, like glorifying God.

And like even the small things that we're doing, you know, instead of sitting there scrolling our phones, tick tock, stuff like that.

During our quality time together, we were like in the word and I think it's a good, it's okay to let things like that, things like that start.

Oh yeah.

One of our favorite things to do is get together and watch a Christian or a film based on Bible stories because some of them are definitely not Christian, I. E. Noah or, or Exodus, Gods and Kings.

Definitely not Christian films.

However they take a biblical story and try to reproduce it.

We like to take those, those movies and tear them apart as we go through and we're like, you know, well, this can't be true.

And I don't like the way we portray that.

Oh, that's really good.

You know, like, so that's, that's, that's always fun to do.

So.

Okay.

I know that we've been on for actually going for just under an hour.

I know it says we've been recording for longer, but a lot of that's getting cut out.

So a lot of that other eight or nine minutes will get cut out probably.

So.

So I guess as we head towards a closing.

What are some, what are some thoughts?

What?

Mom, you haven't talked a lot.

Like what, what are you, what are you thinking?

As, as we're talking about, like people who claim to be a Christian and yet are just in the claiming stage and not in the believing, actively acting like Christ stage.

So what are my thoughts?

What are my thoughts?

Yeah.

I would say my thoughts are.

We have to remember to pour into people like that who realize, I'm sorry, don't realize that they are missing the mark a little bit or a lot of it.

And we need to spend time pouring into them.

Correct, correct doctrine, Scripture, showing them the truth.

And if your gut's telling you, showing you red flags that someone, someone's missing the mark, then, then we're called to pray for them.

We're called to, to reach out to them and, and to guide them a little bit.

That's good.

Or a lot.

Yeah.

Oh, for sure.

And what about you, Ashton?

I think like, what I think about the most is something I learned about in my Sunday school class.

We're studying the Sermon on the Mount, and I can't remember.

It's in the very beginning.

I don't know exactly what verse it is, but it's where we're called to be peacemakers.

And I think that there's a lot that goes into that, and that's actually kind of like how I thought of this topic is like, we're called to be peacemakers, which does not mean we're called to be peacekeepers.

They're two very different things.

I think that being a peacemaker is exactly what we're talking about.

We're living the life actively.

I may not always be using my words to show you that I'm living that way.

A lot of times I think it should just be like a feeling and like an observational.

Like, I don't know, like you can observe it in my behavior.

I think that being a peacemaker is not only between, like, brothers and sisters in Christ, like, making sure that we understand and come to a.

A conclusion.

Conclusion.

But I think it also is more of, like, peacemakers of the world as well.

Like, we need to make sure that we're correcting our other people were around and what they're doing and making sure that they realize that.

That they're wrong.

Because otherwise, like, we're doing them disservice if we know that they're living in sin and we're not calling them out on that.

Like, we're going to have to atone for that.

And I think that's really.

That's what really hits me is that for a long time I let people.

I'm like, okay, be wrong.

That's okay, be wrong.

And I think that there comes a time where, like, once you have the grace and you have the mercy for your brothers and sisters, once you realize that it's not enough to just say it's okay, then it's your.

It's your job, it's your responsibility to correct them.

Them.

So I got two things to say in regards to what you're saying, and I absolutely love it.

One is, I am so blessed to have a daughter who exemplifies what it means to be a peacemaker.

The kid may be crazy at home at times, but she.

When she's out and about with anybody else, the kid can make the two people who have forgotten why they're there remember why they're there and come together and do something productive and enjoyable together.

And it's been really Cool to get to see that.

That peacemaker in her.

And then the other thing.

I don't remember.

So we'll let that one slide for this.

This time.

Oh, I remember.

If we're gonna.

If we're gonna put our.

I was gonna say, like, I have learned that I am very thankful for people who.

Who can.

Who are better at the gentle side of things and the coming alongside of side of things.

As much as I can do that, I am.

I was created as a different part of the body.

And I know that most people don't realize that a hand grenade is part of a body, but I am a hand grenade.

I'm a bull in a china shop.

I am that guy.

But the more that I've grown, the more that I've come to realize that that's not an accident, that God didn't accidentally create.

Create me to be that way.

That sometimes hard things need to be said and tough things need to be done.

Now learning when is important, and I. I'm growing in that.

Right?

But like.

But that also requires others who are not that.

That can come alongside after I do my destruction.

Right?

Destruction.

Recollection.

Right.

To come alongside them and be like, okay, this is what he was saying.

This is.

This is what he was meaning.

This is.

So you're shocked awake.

Like, here's how we course correct, you know, and coming in and.

And like, reaffirming the things that, you know, I've said that are the right things and.

And not just reaffirming them, but then, like, actually guiding in.

In how to do that on a regular basis.

I. I've come to appreciate people who.

Who are the opposite of me in that.

Which is.

Is cool.

What were you gonna say, Ashton?

I was thinking you're dropping the bomb and I'm over here hugging them after the bombs.

And that's what I'm saying that.

That I'm appreciative of people like you who are there for that to where they're not.

Like, I quit this church thing, right?

Yeah.

But the hard.

The hard thing is, honestly, that guy's mean.

And honestly, it's more the people who.

Who are new to this whole thing that just are innocent bystanders in.

In.

In the bomb dropping.

Because I really do believe that God has called me to the church people, that.

That I'm the.

I'm called to not bring discipline to, but like, to correct the church people.

Because if you.

I mean, believe what you will.

I believe that he's given me that dream and envision through that Vision through a dream that I am.

I'm that.

That built for that.

I am that guy that is supposed to be calling those people out who are pew goers who are just sitting in.

In service, who are checking boxes to say, hey, wake up.

You may not be making it, and I'm not.

I'm not going to judge whether you are or aren't, but I am gonna call out like, hey, you might not be, so check yourself before you wreck yourself.

Right?

So I really appreciate those who can come along beside the people who are either new or are maybe weaker that need.

Need that, you know?

And weak.

Weak is not necessarily a bad thing.

It.

You know, all kinds in the body, right?

We're all made a little different, and we all have different giftings, so that's important.

But I really appreciate those people.

So.

I have to fangirl a little bit on my two best friends because there's three of us.

And we always joke that there's three of us for a reason, because Kylie and I like to have those hard conversations.

And we love to just, like, blow things up.

And then Sammy comes along behind us and is like, no, it's okay, guys.

Like, they love you.

Like, they love you.

They're saying that because they love you.

Like, give me.

Let me give you a hug.

And one of my favorite things is when Sammy sits there and she just, like, pats my arm.

She doesn't say anything.

She just passed my arm.

She's like, it's gonna.

It's okay.

It's gonna be okay.

We could have said that nicer.

Like, maybe next time, don't be so harsh.

We don't have to, like, slam our hands on the table or, like, our papers across or stack them aggressively, because apparently I do that when I have something to say.

But I think I. I agree with what you're saying.

Like, it's beautiful to have people in the body who are like that, who have the gift to come through and put out the fire that may be.

Running a little bit or.

Or even just the people.

But I admire.

I was gonna say even the people that.

That have the discernment that I can have the conversation with before I blow up.

Like, yes, that.

They're like, I don't say it that way.

Like, you need to clarify how you're gonna say that before you say that.

I'm not saying don't say that, but, like, let's.

Let's reword this a little bit.

You know, don't say it that way.

Let's be a strategic grenade not just like a, you know, napalm bomb.

You know, like, what are we gonna say?

Talk about nuclear warfare.

Bad timing.

I was just gonna say, I appreciate the.

The opposite.

You guys are more willing and able to do that.

Whereas if I was going in to drop a bomb, I would just start crying.

I mean, I wouldn't be able to.

I'd be like, but you're doing it wrong, you know, and that's not going to get anywhere either.

So come along and clean up the.

Yeah.

It's interesting because.

Because dad.

It's funny that that's.

That's the way that we kind of are.

Because dad is somewhere in between where not.

Not that he's gonna cry, but he holds his tongue, probably more so than he should.

Right.

And until the bomb goes off.

Right.

But the bomb is like.

It's like you're just continuing to add explosives to this bomb, you know, and until a point where it's like the.

The right trigger has been done and where the strategic bomb, which, you know, like, I'm trying to learn to be, you know, like, would have been better six months ago, you know, and now we're six months into the future, you know, but it's just so interesting to see, like, how.

How, like, coming from.

From you being the way that you are and dad the way that he is, that.

That we just don't care and we're gonna explode anyways, so.

Okay.

I mean, you can tell me I'm wrong, but I want three sources or.

Just one good one.

Right.

Just give me a scriptural source.

Right.

Like just something.

There we go.

Right?

Yes.

So you guys aren't just family, Right.

Like, you guys are on here.

You guys have other things going on with.

With life that you're a part of.

I want you to give shout outs to some of the stuff that's going on.

I know that.

Ashton, we're gonna start with you.

You're looking at doing a podcast here soon, right?

Do you have anything.

Yeah.

That you can.

Yes.

So we are.

We just newly got a pastor in the church, so I am now able to use some of their sound system stuff, and the church will endorse me now that we have a pastor.

And my podcast is called the Truth Between Us.

Okay.

And it's between me and my friend Kylie.

We're doing it together, and we're gonna have some of those hard conversations about what it's like to be a wife, a woman, and a mother in the world today.

And the goal is to empower other young, maybe older Christian Women in their ability scripturally to not leave their house, but to take care of their house and shape them well and, and to really set the tone for their families.

So.

And that was called what again?

Yeah, that's what we're doing.

The truth between us.

So be watching out for Ashton and the truth between us.

And then April, I know you've got a ministry I'm sure you want to plug as well.

Of course.

Recently I started a non profit that is called Love Serve Table Testify foundation and it basically we serve Honduras and people who are just broken their poverty.

When you say poverty, people think it's only lack of material things and that's not the truth.

It's lack of relationships with, with yourself, with God, with others, and with the land, with the earth, with where you're at.

And so this nonprofit which we just recently became tax exempt.

So that's exciting.

And we educate.

Outer poverty is our mission statement.

Educating out of poverty and whatever that looks like.

Physically, spiritually, educationally, educationally, everything.

And Ashton's plugin as well, because she's on my board, so she helps with the secretarial things and guiding me in all things that are social media that I have no idea what I'm doing.

So cool.

It's been fun.

God's really blessing us.

Love ServeTestify foundation.org and what are we raising money for?

Right now we're raising money for the rebuilding of homes after a recent storm hit that was hurricane force winds destroyed 20, 23 homes in the community in which we are doing most of our outreach.

Do you have a goal set like a certain amount of money you're hoping to reach to for that?

No, no, I'm not huge on goals like that because I feel like that puts a cap on what God does.

All right, so they can go to.

Listeners can go to love serve testify foundation.org I'll put a link in, in our description and they can donate there.

You can also sign up for.

And 100 of the proceeds.

Yes.

Go towards the 100%, right?

Yeah.

Because you, you don't, you all don't take a paycheck for, for this, which is.

We don't take a paycheck and any, any fees that are office fees or supplies.

We cover ourselves.

So 100% of your donations go for food, housing, schooling.

And if you can't, you can read all about it.

If you can't support monetarily, we get it.

I mean everybody on this podcast right now has been broken, has been real poor at a time.

So we get that.

And what's.

What's even more important is prayer is a big thing.

Subscribe to their newsletter, which is what, once a month?

Yes.

I think is when you said what you send out.

Yeah.

I'm not gonna hound you with email, with emails.

So go check them out.

Go support them.

Be looking for the podcast the Truth between us coming out here, hopefully in the next months, coming months, it'll be all.

You'll have something to hear and look forward to more collaboration probably I. I'm hoping for.

So that'll be cool.

So yeah.

Thanks for joining us today.

I know this episode is little bit longer.

We've done a couple of long episodes lately.

But I think that it's important to really get out there and pitch some things that are off the wall that we sometimes miss.

Right.

Like sometimes we like to take a blind eye to the way that things are.

And so sometimes that takes a little while to unpack.

But I appreciate all of you.

I appreciate you, mom, Ashton, Ash Brown.

I'm so excited, guys.

I'm like the biggest fan for.

I just appreciate you guys coming on and, and for the topic in and of itself.

Thank you for having us.

Yes, thank you.

And if you guys have any questions for them, leave them in the comments.

Don't forget to like subscribe, do all the things, watch the YouTube or at least comment and like on the YouTube.

Don't forget about our goal.

By the end of the year, we want to have a hundred subscribers and a hundred listens on everything else in the first 24 hours so that we can have a live party and who knows, maybe we can get.

Maybe we can get April and Ashton to come down and, and actually join us in person for that.

Maybe we can talk them into it and be kind of crazy.

I'm in.

Maybe.

And that would be a live episode.

Maybe by that time we can have a joint episode with the truth between us because it sounds like we have some similar, similar goals that, that we have.

So be really cool.

So check it out.

Who knows, who knows what's gonna happen here soon.

But I appreciate you guys.

God knows and God bless.

Hey, thanks for joining us.

Make sure to subscribe and give us a like on itunes and Spotify so that you will never miss a show.

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You don't want them to miss out on the truth.

Because we are all about the truth.

You thanks for joining us this week and God bless.