Life Beside Christ
Life Beside Christ
Community, Faith, and the Great Outdoors | Ft. Adam Fox
When was the last time you truly surrendered your daily struggles to faith? Join us in an eye-opening conversation with Adam Fox, a beloved friend of the Hays family, as he steps in for Brady, who is enjoying a well-deserved anniversary break. Adam shares his deeply personal faith journey, taking us from his roots in a Christian home to his evolved understanding of integrating faith seamlessly into every facet of life. The discussion turns poignant as we uncover how everyday moments, rather than grand gestures, often lead to the most impactful spiritual growth.
Ever struggled to ask for help, even when you knew you needed it? We tackle this familiar battle head-on, discussing how to balance self-reliance with seeking divine and communal support. Adam opens up about the common hesitation men feel in admitting vulnerability, and we talk about the indispensable value of a non-judgmental support system. Metaphors, personal stories, and candid reflections abound as we emphasize the importance of surrendering even the smallest issues to God and keeping our eyes on the bigger picture.
From bow hunting to church hymns, we explore how faith intertwines with our daily activities and passions. Adam discusses the joys of archery, the heartfelt beauty of nature, and how our hobbies can serve a greater purpose. Our conversation also touches on the dynamics of church life, the evolving landscape of worship styles, and the enduring connections within our community. Whether you're inspired by favorite Bible verses or the camaraderie of a church family, this episode promises a rich tapestry of reflections and insights that are sure to resonate and uplift.
We love hearing from our listeners whether it's criticism, advice, or just thoughts on the conversation we had. Find us or reach out to us here:
•Email: lifebesidechristpod@gmail.com
•Instagram: @lifebesidechristpodcast
•Intro/Outro Music: "Our Days" by David Hays
welcome back to life beside christ podcast. We are two episodes in a row, a haze down. Um, it is the same one again. It's starting to become a pattern. Happens a third time? We're gonna have to have a serious conversation with him.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean first time, pretty excusable Maybe. Maybe I mean I could get my shots in.
Speaker 1:You guys both had one under your belt, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean, you can't blame him, though it's his anniversary today.
Speaker 1:I guess we said that. Last time, though, we said we can't blame him I mean you can't blame the guy.
Speaker 2:I just want to treat people how I want to be treated. You know what I'm saying. You know what I'm saying. That's funny, that's funny.
Speaker 1:Yeah, taking a different angle from last time. Huh, yep, you don't want to hear from him later, or what?
Speaker 2:I don't know if he'll listen to this. I don't know. I think I can say whatever I want.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so with that, Brady, just I guess Zoe won't ever listen to this. She doesn't listen to this anyway, Brady basically forgot his anniversary and said, yeah, next Wednesday works for me Come Wednesday today.
Speaker 2:Sorry, anniversary's today Can't be there, which is wild to say, and I even text you. You text him to confirm yeah like we, good for tonight still oh actually no. I got married three years ago today, so that is crazy that it was three years ago, I know. I got two kids already. They better slow down bro, Good grief.
Speaker 1:But we are joined today with a replacement for Brady A good one, adam Fox. He's one of our probably most supportive listeners so far, which is pretty sweet. But Adam is joining us today and we'll hear from him pretty soon. Do you have anything to say right now, before we get into the meat of it?
Speaker 3:I just want to thank you for asking me to come on here tonight. I'm happy to be here. I just want to thank you for asking me to come on here tonight.
Speaker 1:I'm happy to be here. A lot of the emails we've read have come from Adam and it's nice getting those and hearing from you guys.
Speaker 2:Nice to finally meet him, you know, in the flesh yeah.
Speaker 1:No, so just a little bit before we go in. So adam works with your dad. I guess I think maybe we'll understand more later. But so you guys have been have known him for a while, yeah, and then I met him through you guys, kind of with through you guys, and then bow hunting, or not bow hunting, but uh, the archery club, so yeah, anything else before I don't think so I think we could just get into kind of your story and, uh, we can just ask questions from there and just get to know you better, I guess, or let the audience know you better.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's the thing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so go ahead and share as much or as little as you want about whatever you want really, I guess, your faith, your journey to here, to here, good English.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:To this point, I guess, and we can talk about some stuff after.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that sounds good to me. Just a little bit of my background. I've known Carter's parents for longer than he's been alive, so I kind of grew up with his mom and got to know his dad when I was still in high school and I probably have pictures of him as an infant at home somewhere. So I know I do of Brady. But yeah, so I've known the Hayes family for a long time and been a part of their lives for a long time, and I have a wife, amanda. She's at home right now. We've been married for a little over 23 years now. So that's just a little bit about my personal, personal life, who I am, and but what got me here tonight? Yeah, I would say I don't have any like really exciting earth shattering story of you know anything happening and bringing me to faith or anything like that. I was.
Speaker 3:I was, uh, uh, fortunate enough to be raised up in a Christian home, um, christian family, um, you know, raised up in church, going to church, from you know the time I was born until you know now, and so you know, it's always been a part of my life and, you know, started out in some of the smaller churches that you guys know, and then went to some larger churches and then now we we've been at it's Cherry Hills Church in Springfields where we go now. We've been there since shortly after we got married, really, my wife and I. You know, she was raised ina Christian home and always been a Christian person, and it's been a great, I would say, journey in life. You know, like I said, nothing earth shattering, any big moment where that brought me to be a believer, or anything like that. So not exciting I would say in that way.
Speaker 3:But what I would say is that I have, you know, as I have, let's just say, matured, matured in years in life. I would say that I have also matured in my faith, not just in what I know, but how I practice it and how I use it and what I don't know the best way to describe this but parts of my life that before I never really thought about. You know, what does God have to do with this? Or what does you know, how can I use this for God's glory? You know, as I've gotten more advanced in my years, I've learned that there are a lot of things that I don't have this desire or this passion just to use it for me, but it's to be used for God's glory and you know, as you look deeper into that, it's easy to find those things and to be able to do that to serve God in a better way each day.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's funny because we've talked about it a little bit before too, and I think a lot of people are always looking for that big like. Okay, big reveal, reveal yourself to me, god, so I can believe in you. Otherwise I'm I'm not sure, or or I'm not gonna buy into it until something like that happens to me, and or they just hear it and they expect it to happen to them the same way and not let their faith be their faith and it kind of be repeat of someone else's, instead of really being a believer themselves in whatever their journey is and all that. Um, but the other thing is, too, is I kind of in my head, chuckled, because when you talked about maturing in your faith, there was something I was thinking about last week and it's like sometimes I have to stop myself, and not in an excuse way, but I have to understand that I'm 25.
Speaker 1:We talked about last time where how much I just worry, worry about stupid stuff, overthink things, and I'm like, okay, I, I gotta understand, like I've got to slow down, I gotta have patience, and I'm like I just I just kind of like expect to. If I don't know it, then it's my fault right now, like instead of understanding whatever it is, I'm going through, to kind of learn from it and mature through it over time and it's not going to happen overnight. But it is something that, like I thought about last week, I'm like what are you doing, dude? You're expecting the results to happen now, like like you've lived your life and to know all the answers, and I'm like I don't. I stopped myself from thinking that way and it was just kind of a funny thought.
Speaker 3:You're exactly right because you know, I I look back to when, you know, I would have been in my 20s, you know, and the things I I worried about then or that were of concern to me. I look back now it's like, oh, that's a whole different set of things now, that that I worry about, or that. I look back and like, wow, that wasn't. It didn't seem like a big deal. It doesn't seem like a big deal at all now. It was to me. Then I was in a different place in life and you know, and it's kind of I think that's part of maturing and being able to take those things and just say, okay, I can't do this.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know, you got to surrender this to God and say here, you know, this is you you show me what to do, right?
Speaker 1:yeah, carter you, I thought you have a thought. No, I lost it. Oh, my bad, too much rambling by me. No, you're good. Um, but yeah, it is something that we have to definitely remind ourselves often. But that's kind of like talking to someone today about the podcast and understanding too, like that's we're we're trying to. I guess the point of this podcast is one for ourselves, like we've talked about, but for younger Christians, for newer Christians, I guess to to talk about these things, and I think that's that's good to bring up.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I think it's. I think it's great that you're doing this. I've been you guys know I've been impressed with you. Some, from the beginning you know think it's great that you're doing this. You guys know I've been impressed with you from the beginning. You know it's great that you're doing this. And yeah, I know you're aiming it towards younger Christians, but just so you know it affects older Christians as well. You know we're all maturing in one way or another and you know we're all learning, we're all growing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, that's a good point. All we're all learning, we're all growing. Yeah, yeah, that's a good point. Yeah, we've had a lot of support from all ages and all length of believers, I guess, in that sense, and so again, we appreciate anyone who supports us and all this, I guess um, I don't know if this is too personal of a question, but you mentioned using like maturing through the word and all that.
Speaker 2:How do you use the word and all that to kind of fight your battles in life against the devil, I guess and life against the devil, I guess you said it better whenever you're explaining your thing? But just knowing how to use God to fight your temptations and all that, Like, I guess I'm coming from a place where I struggle with these little things that I know me and God can beat, but I keep struggling every day. That I know me and God can beat, but I keep struggling every day. And I didn't know if you had advice for me and others on how to use that and just be stronger, I guess, through.
Speaker 3:God.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's a good question, that's a tough one there to tell you the truth, but what I would say is there's, know it's, there's going to be. We'll call them seasons in your life where, where things are more challenging than others, Times are going to test your faith. Times that are going to seem easy. You're going to go through times, probably, that you, you, you question, you know what is your purpose and what has helped me over the years, if there's some times where I would even, you know, question the reality of it all, but there's always something that brings me back to say there's no doubt that this is real you know that God is real.
Speaker 3:You know, and there are things that will push you, or could potentially push you, to that point sometime where you are questioning what is your purpose, and I would recommend some of what you're doing already is you're surrounding yourself with fellow believers, friends that are like family to you, family that are like friends to you. Whatever it may be that they're going to be there to help you through those challenging times, to encourage you. There's going to be specific verses, chapters of the Bible that are going to stand out to you on one day and aren't the next because they don't seem as applicable, but there's always something in there and it may not be specifically related to whatever the exact thing is, but there's a foundation there that is something that's going to hold you up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that makes sense. Okay. So maybe my problem is I don't know if it's being too shy or too guilty where I don't go and ask for just a talk even if it's just a talk with a friend or family and kind of help me through that. But I also think that's through God. Help me through that, but I also think that's through God. But I think both those kind of go hand in hand where you talk it out and get back to God and get back on the right foot.
Speaker 3:So yeah, I think some of that is you're being the stereotypical man. You know we were fixers. We don't. We don't want to ask for help, we want to deal with it ourselves and it's. It's very easy to fall into that. But you know, I would encourage you to have somebody in your life that you can go to with, look down upon you for anything, not going to judge you in whatever it is, and have that brotherhood there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that makes a lot of sense yeah.
Speaker 1:So I've got a question and maybe this is hopefully, maybe it makes sense in the question, but you just kind of said having someone to go to and in my head it's kind you like being like the stereotypical male, like right, and I'm like, well, if I've got an issue or if I've got stuff I'm struggling with, I should be able to turn to god and talk to him about it. But I'm like no, I need to figure this out myself. So I guess maybe do you have any advice on or thoughts where, like maybe you've went through the kind of same thing where like, okay, this, I, this has got to be with, like, with God, I've got to come to the solution, I've got to get through this, whatever it is, with God, instead of trying to say, god, I can do this, this is my problem, I can fix this one. Because I think a couple weeks ago I was in a funk, I guess, and Brady and Carter kept going like dude, what's wrong with you? Like leave me alone, dude, how about that? Just leave me alone.
Speaker 1:But it was like I was just frustrated about little things. It was like I was just frustrated about little things and uh, but I was like it was stuff that I was like no, like I and it sounds stupid. It sounds stupid, but like saying like now, this isn't big enough to bring up in prayer, like this isn't big enough to take to him. This is, this is something that I'm being frustrated about for no reason and I need to fix it myself, kind of thing. So I don't know, do you have anything for other?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would say you know one, there's no problem too big or too small. Yeah, and you knew that already. Yeah, you know. But it's hard to convince ourselves of that and unfortunately, with with a lot of us who are stubborn, and unfortunately, with with a lot of us who are stubborn, especially if it's a big problem, it gets to the point where you almost have to be broken to be able to to surrender it. Because you get to the point where there, you know, you finally realize there's nothing I can do here. You know nothing, it's I can't fix it, it's not me, I got, I gotta surrender it, all you know. And and that's not an easy place to get to. Yeah, and it's not an easy thing to do, doesn't sound?
Speaker 3:fun no, no, it's, it's not, and it can be a big problem or a little problem, but that's kind of like you say, like you do, you go through, like the seasons, the ups and downs yeah and not to interrupt you, but I kind of go back to.
Speaker 1:I think I told carter about this. I was, I was driving to a wrestling meet and I was like dude, this thought just like it clicked in my head. Um, but I remember when I was going through like driver's ed, I was driving first time, driving on like the interstate and the my, the driver's ed teacher in the passenger seats like you keep. Do you feel yourself like swerving?
Speaker 2:Not like hard but like that's that Macedonian.
Speaker 1:Yeah, whatever Cars are still new there, they haven't gotten in there. Get out of here, anyways. But like, like trying to stay perfectly in the center but're looking too close. So she's like, look further ahead on the road to keep yourself straighter in your lane. I was like god, that doesn't make sense. Like like I, I don't know. So then I was like, okay, I'll try it and you're you stay if you like you know, if you're looking further ahead, you, it was easier to like keep yourself centered, I guess, and now, as you've been driving for even a year, like that becomes easier. But like as a first-time driver on there going 65 or 70, like you're trying to say perfectly, and you're just like making those little adjustments, trying to stay in, like swerving and how I was. Like that to me sounds like you're focusing too much now, like on what you, what's leaving, and you're driving past every two seconds instead of looking forward and trying to get to the ultimate destination.
Speaker 2:There you go.
Speaker 1:In a straighter line kind of, I guess.
Speaker 3:That's a I really like that analogy. To tell you the truth, you know, I mean, where do you A lot of rambling? Sorry, no, I like it. You know where do you put your focus, you know, is it where it needs to be or is it somewhere else? I like that you were talking earlier about a couple weeks ago you were in a funk or whatever, but one thing that I found encouraging about what you said there was that you had friends that noticed that that's saying a lot right there. You've got those people there that you know, they know they know the, the normal levi yeah and.
Speaker 3:But then they know when something's not right also, they can see that you know and you know that's a.
Speaker 1:That's a good thing to have right there too yeah, yeah, I guess I appreciate them a little bit yeah yeah, even even them.
Speaker 3:They don't show up, right, yeah, right.
Speaker 2:What I was going to say earlier and this is going back a little bit, but about the bigger little problems just trying to solve on your own, that God already knows, he knows everything. It's if you want to go through those problems with God or without. Yeah, you're trying to find a solution, but there's an easy way out. It just it's tough to get there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, and it's not like you're. You're turning quote, unquote your back to God and saying I'm like I'm walking the other direction. Yeah, You're you're trying to do good, right. It's like, okay, you walk with me, but on that side of the road.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm going to walk on this side. You can walk with me, but stay on that side. I'll get this taken care of, but instead of being like, all right.
Speaker 3:Yeah. You know, but it makes me think of. Do you guys remember the old bumper sticker that said God is my co-pilot? Yeah, that one always annoyed me. It's like co-pilot.
Speaker 2:No, it should be your pilot, yeah, so you think you're driving the whole ship there. That's funny.
Speaker 1:Any other thoughts? I kind of interrupted you a second ago. Did you have anything else?
Speaker 3:If I did, they're gone already.
Speaker 1:My bad, my bad. No, that's okay.
Speaker 3:I enjoy the discussion.
Speaker 1:So I guess, before, I guess, before, I guess well, I guess, I guess, yeah, you do that a lot you are guessing um, before we start asking you more questions, is there anything else about you and your journey that maybe you want to talk about, or any experiences with kids or anything like that? You've that stuck out to you, I guess?
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I'd be happy to you know, I would say this is when I talked earlier about how, as I've gotten older and been able to, to mature and you know, learn what, uh, you know how to use my life and these things that God has blessed me with. You know my, my talents, my desires, ability. You know, whatever it may be, my hobbies, things like that, that's, that's something that I've been learning a lot here in the last few years. I would say, and you know, of course, you guys, I know we've shot archery together.
Speaker 3:That's something that I do a lot of and I've had the privilege of being able to teach kids, have a good group of adults that I get to hang out with at the archery range and things like that, and one of the things that I've come to learn here recently is that whether it's that hobby or whatever your hobby, your talents, your abilities may be, you know it hit me one day. It's like well, I don't have that just for fun.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know it is there, it's something that I do enjoy and I know God has given me that ability to enjoy it, but it's like there is so much more that can come from it when you're able to share it with others and to, you know, encourage others with with those, um, those things that you do in life, whatever it is. Unless your hobby is like stealing cars or something, then you know it's not really good at it, yeah, yeah. That's. That's probably not something from God right there.
Speaker 3:But you know if it's something that is good and you can use it for his glory, for his purpose, you know why not do that and and it's like I've been able to see and get a greater appreciation for it and get a lot more satisfaction out of the things that I enjoy doing. Once I learn that, boy, I can teach somebody how to do this.
Speaker 3:I can spend time doing this with somebody else. I mean these things. I've been able to do some of these things with my wife, you know, and it's just, there's been a variety of people that have come into my life because of these hobbies that I have and these desires and abilities, and it's like you know, I was a slow learner, but I've learned that, you know, I can use these for a greater good.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And it's been a nice experience.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is something, though, too Like, even kind of, like you said, the stuff that you do that you never really had much thought in, as just your hobby or something you enjoy doing, how much you can use to. It may not even be in a biblical way, like not biblical, but like a in a I don't know a christian setting I guess, but like helping somebody out and just kind of showing um love, I guess, to other people.
Speaker 3:Exactly and setting an example for them whatever it may be, Just go there and use your God-given abilities and yourself as a person to just interact. It's going to bring people into your life that you may never have noticed before, you may never have talked to, but all of a sudden they're there and you have a common interest and you know it's a good way to be. Yeah, and you know, I've seen some different things. Where I was challenged last year to speak at an event, oh yeah.
Speaker 3:About one of my hobbies, you know archery, bow hunting, that kind of thing and I was able to look like, take a much deeper look into those things and what I found is and I think you can probably do this with a lot of different uh, uh hobbies, whether it be a sport or anything but I found so many parallels from what I do that were in the Bible, you know, and I was able to talk about that and I was like I challenged people to, um, to take a really deep look into what they enjoy doing, whatever it may be, and find, you know what, what is in the word about that that can bring a deeper meaning to you and use that yeah that's good Carter.
Speaker 2:Yes, sir.
Speaker 1:Got anything after that. Not not too much um, hey, man, you you did. You had a good episode last last episode I know right and people were giving him compliments and and now he's a little back, down back.
Speaker 2:They got way too high.
Speaker 1:I gotta bring them back back to sitting there and watching, yeah I don't have much off of that.
Speaker 2:I do have a question. I was listening to another Christian podcast and they brought up that God is like a hotline he's 24-7, all the time which I completely agree with. Yeah, he's 24-7, all the time, which I completely agree with. But the problem is I find myself not believing that. Okay, I do believe that 100%. I know what you mean.
Speaker 1:Or where you're going, yeah.
Speaker 2:In my day-to-day things. I'll wake up, pray, and then it's like once I say amen and 10 minutes later it's like I've forgotten. And then lunchtime I'll remember again. It's like, well, it's not really like a 24-7. It's like three times a day.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:I remember, oh, yeah, here we go yeah. But I didn't know if you guys felt the same way or if that's just a personal thing or what you mean like just thinking about, like how I just throughout the day, or I'll just go off and forget it. And then, uh, and whenever it's time to lay back down in bed, I was like, oh well, thank you for all these things. I forgot the all that stuff.
Speaker 1:But yeah, I think it's, and we've talked about it a little bit Like how easily it is to be distracted, not just with like work, but just other things, like with your phone, with music. And like how easy it is to just be distracted From things and we allow ourselves maybe to do it too much. I know I'm guilty of that, but not thinking and doing things with God throughout the day, I guess, and putting him at the first thought of things, I guess, but I don't have an answer.
Speaker 2:I'm just kind of putting myself along next to you, like for adam to answer for us. Yeah, like what I think?
Speaker 1:like it's not literally like this, but it's almost like me saying amen is like hanging up for now yeah, call you like, yeah, it's like yeah, and maybe it's better to not think of it as a hotline more of like, you know, like he's with me all the time time kind of thing, instead of when I call.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I think, you know. I think there's something to be said about having a scheduled time every day.
Speaker 3:You know I prefer to start and end every day in prayer, you know, but throughout the day I don't have a set time or anything like that. I may see something or somebody, or somebody says something, or I see somebody that's struggling that day, whatever it is, you know, and I'll take time to to say a quick prayer right there. Um, you know, and also there's, there's been times where I've I've thought, well, I need to be more intentional about, you know, keeping uh in communication with God throughout the day, and so there will be something like, anytime this would happen, that would be a reminder to me to stop and pray for a little bit, and it's something like I did it anytime I felt the need to get up and get a snack, like, well, I'm going to pray for this person instead, and so there's things like that.
Speaker 3:You can do that, so you don't go from after you get out of bed in the morning until you lay in bed at night and think, oh, I haven't thought one bit about this all day. Right, you know, because that can happen.
Speaker 1:Life is busy, things, things can pull you away, and that's, that's uh yeah, because I there's been times where I felt myself like I'm forcing myself to. Okay, I I gotta do it now, just to like almost checkmark my daily checklist. I guess, and not at all times doing it with the right intentions, I guess, and just kind of doing it like going through the motions kind of thing and not meaningful time in prayer and stuff like that.
Speaker 3:I get what you're saying for sure, because that can happen.
Speaker 3:It just feels like something that, oh, that's just what I'm supposed to do so that's why I do it, but there's no real meaning behind it, and I think sometimes you can. If I were to decide to pray every time I dropped my pen on the floor or something like that, then it would marginalize or minimalize what I was doing. So I think there's a balance in there and there's certain things that are going to go on each day that are more meaningful and you're going to be able to. It's going to mean more to you is what I'm trying to say in that sense.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that makes sense, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yep, that makes sense.
Speaker 1:So I'll go with the next question, then. One of my I enjoy asking people, especially on here when we have guests is a verse that always comes to your head when you need to, or just a verse that immediately comes to your head that you turn to a lot, I guess.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I have actually there's. There's three of them, and I feel terrible cause I never have memorized exactly what the three. I'm terrible remembering things like that.
Speaker 1:Hey, you can look them up and cut it out.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'm not looking on my phone right now.
Speaker 1:I don't see yeah, yeah, so, but but Proverbs 27, 17 is one of them that I I keep so.
Speaker 3:but Proverbs 27, 17 is one of them that I keep, and that is as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. You know, it's something that it reminds me, because there's times that I think I know better than other people.
Speaker 3:And that's a good reminder to me that you know a lot of wisdom can be gained from other people Now you have to be able to vet out what is right, what is wrong, who to listen to and who to not listen to, but where you gain that wisdom from and that advice and that kind of goes along with that, and so that's one of them that I fall on quite a bit. I wouldn't say I have a favorite Bible verse or anything like that, but that's one that comes to mind a lot, right.
Speaker 1:Yeah, carter, I like hearing it from anybody, all the time.
Speaker 2:Oh, I didn't prepare for this. Hey man, it's okay, you want one of mine.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, Let me hey man, it's okay you want one of mine.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, let me.
Speaker 1:I always turn to Revelations 320. I've said it on here multiple times and I haven't memorized this one either, but definitely not looking at it. Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me, and it's just a good reminder.
Speaker 1:I was like it was one of the first ones after doing the Bible study with their family at their house. That stuck out to me when I read it it was like okay, that one's gonna stick to me, because I think it was a little bit different and for them. They grew up Christian and I kind of was introduced to Christianity and Jesus in a more serious way through them or through their family, and it was just like he's not forcing his way into my life, he's not there, right? So if he's knocking at the door and I finally got to the point in my life where I was like, oh, there is someone at that door, let me open it, kind of thing, and it was just a good little visual, I guess.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it applies on many levels too, whether your whole life or just maybe you have one little part of your life that you're like no, this is for me, I don't need you here.
Speaker 2:Well, he's knocking at the door, you know, yeah, yep, that's a good, I found mine, you found yours. Yep, it was on the other side of my cross. There you go. Uh, mark 9, 47, let me, let me go. Uh, not look for it real quick intermission. Okay, it says and if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell. I like the seriousness of it.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like this isn't a joke. If you're sinning and something's causing you to sin get it out of your life.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's definitely something too. I think we I keep saying it, but we've talked about some of this stuff before but things get so watered down a lot of times in daily life, or even sometimes in churches among fellow believers even, that we don't always think of the ultimate truth that we're either going to be with God in eternity or separated from Him, and it's pretty serious.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it is. It's a serious matter that, unfortunately, a lot of people don't take seriously.
Speaker 2:Can't serve two masters brother.
Speaker 1:That's right. That's right, it's really okay. Saul, do you have another question, or do you want?
Speaker 2:me to go Me oh yeah, that's what I asked. I got a. So did you grow up in Linville?
Speaker 3:I did grow up in Linville, okay.
Speaker 2:So the shop? Was that always there whenever you were born? The mower repair shop? Yes, it was, yep it was.
Speaker 3:My parents started that before I was born and up through, you know, until they recently retired here in the last few years, and I worked for them growing up and through high school and through college, and so, yeah, I'm a Linvillian to the core.
Speaker 1:Okay, so all two of the Linville people that listen will know exactly what you're talking about. Yeah, yeah, that's good, we got to keep it.
Speaker 2:Don't want them coming might bump up our population or people moving into lynnville, yeah, um. So I don't really know my parents story or where they grew up that much. So was my mom also from lynnville, or was she there, did she move there or what was the, I guess? How did you get to know my mom into meeting my dad?
Speaker 3:Well, when I was really little and I don't know up to what age I remember your mom, cause she's, uh, maybe five years older than me, four or five. I can't remember where she's at, but, um, her and her two brothers, I remember them, uh, in Linville growing up. They were older than me, but, uh, I remember where she's at, but her and her two brothers, I remember them in Linville growing up. They were older than me, but I remember where they lived there. And then I remember them at the Linville Christian Church and Bible school days sitting on the steps out there, probably playing a kazoo and singing songs in the morning, and I remember. And then then she was gone. I don't remember. I must move somewhere. I didn't really know.
Speaker 3:And then, um, later on, when I was in high school, then, um, I had known your uncle Jason. We went to a lot of bow shoots and things like that and hung out with him. Then your dad started showing up and your mom was with him. That was before they were married. Then I was like, oh hey, I know you. It was kind of like never, you know, your mom's a very social person. It was kind of like, well, there wasn't a 12-year gap in there, or whatever it may be.
Speaker 2:That's funny.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so that's when I got to know your dad, and then he became one of my best friends. He was actually one of the groomsmen in my wedding.
Speaker 2:Okay, I did not know that Yep Learning too much for today.
Speaker 1:Any other Linville questions?
Speaker 2:I don't think so Not yet Linville heavy episode here.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's funny. Um, so how long have you been going to the church you've currently been going to?
Speaker 3:23 years? Yeah, pretty much. We uh uh. We got married in 2001 and, and we were still in college we went to University of Illinois at Springfield and so we lived on campus and prior to that we went to church in Jacksonville and my wife was from Ashland and we'd go to church there some. But once we got married we lived in Springfield. It was somebody that she worked with, I believe, at a daycare that invited to go to church at his then it was Cherry Hills Baptist Church and it's just Cherry Hills Church now. But so we started going there, and that was late in 2001, I believe. And then, other than a short stint where we have, you know, attended a more local church when it was something that we could, were able to be there more regularly, you know, a short stint there, then that's where we've been the whole time.
Speaker 2:So is that a big church, or is it a pretty small church, or it's.
Speaker 3:It's pretty big, I would say. Right now I think our numbers are around 1500 a week. Oh, wow, um, when we were going there, it was probably about half that, but that facility was outgrown and um I can't remember what year now it might have been like 2005 um moved to a new facility with a larger space and actually they're doing some remodeling for additional space right now.
Speaker 1:Really, yeah, it's been so. Is it a? Is it still a baptist denomination church or is it non-denominational? It's non-denominational.
Speaker 3:They were, I believe, originally part of the American Baptist Association and then it's probably I always think things like two or three years ago it's probably been like seven years ago that they just they pulled out of the association. They didn't, you know, they're, the church is, you know, self-sustaining. They didn't really need anything from that association. And I think there are some other reasons too, but I don't want to quote anything without being certain on it. And so, yeah, we're just Cherry Hills Church now and it's a great place to be. We've got a good team of pastors and it's a large church. But I've always told people it doesn't feel that way. If you want to hide, you can hide, I guess, but you can only do that if you're trying to.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Because it's very personal, I would say We'll need to go sometime.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like I've not been to a ton of different churches, but I like going and seeing how different churches are, especially not in the same, I don't know like fashion of church, I guess.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:But so do they like First Christian? They're mostly like they do a traditional service, traditional music I guess, and then they do like more like modern contemporary. What do you guys kind of follow?
Speaker 3:We used to do right now. They just started back to three services again each Sunday. Used to do that all the time. They had 8 o'clock and then 9.30 and 11. And 8 o'clock was always the traditional service with hymns, and then the 9.30 and 11 were a contemporary service. Now they do three identical ones and the message is the same throughout them and everything like that.
Speaker 3:And as far as like the, whether there's a praise band or a choir or whoever's up there, it varies from from week to week, you know. Sometimes it's, you know the whole choir is up there and it's really going. Sometimes it's it's two or three up there, you know, singing with maybe a guitar or a violin in the background or something like that. So there's a wide variety of that, the type of service, whatever it may be, and it seems to suit people. Well, because it's not. You know, there was a lot of people that didn't like a praise band.
Speaker 3:Well you know, it's not that that's every week or whatever it may be so yeah.
Speaker 1:So what's? Do you have a favorite of the music type? I guess Do you have a favorite that your church does. That is a good question. Or do you just enjoy all of them?
Speaker 3:I enjoy. I'm not one that likes to sing.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Some people they love to sing, and that's not me. I love to listen to it. Yeah, and there are certain people who at times are like, oh, this person's up there as lead singer today. You know, their voice may be something that I really like or whatever. Whatever it may be. Yeah, sometimes it is just the type of music I wouldn't say I have a particular favorite, but I enjoy listening to it. Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, listening to it. Um, yeah, yeah, it's when I started going to lynnville. Um, it's basically all hymns with the occasional, like your dad or someone playing piano or guitar or something like that and singing something a little bit different and I enjoy.
Speaker 1:I enjoyed the hymns sometimes when there weren't a ton of people there, it was a little rocky to get through there yeah, and but I also I also enjoy some of the more modern or contemporary music that we hear from going to the first christian services. But they do a traditional 8 am too. It's like I like I enjoy the kind of a mix. Enjoy a mix because sometimes I want to hear a whole room singing Amazing Grace or something like that I don't know. I just kind of like it.
Speaker 3:I went to Linville this past week to the Christian church and I'd actually forgotten about hymnals because I hadn't had them Our church had gotten rid of them a long time ago I was like, oh wow, you know hymn number and they're on the board up there the ones we're going through and I was like, huh, I'm going to have to sing really quiet, which I did.
Speaker 2:There's a few in there that get after it and you can really hear them, but they're there.
Speaker 1:every week there's nothing wrong with that. That's right, absolutely wrong with that.
Speaker 3:That's right. What's crazy. I admire somebody that will sing at the top of their voice without a care in the world because they're loving it, and that's not me.
Speaker 2:Same here, yeah, so I went to that Illinois College Bible study. I didn't go to school there, I just showed up. That's so funny to me. To give myself some background here. My sister went to IC so she invited me and I went, but they were singing these new Christian songs. I'd never heard these in my life. They didn't go to Linville singing out of a hymnal.
Speaker 1:Like, hey, you're doing this wrong. Yeah, yeah, we gotta slow it down out here. Acapella only. Yeah, I was like I was.
Speaker 2:I was really impressed they. They were singing and I mean everyone kind of like was looking down or had their eyes closed. I was kind of looking around like these people are singing like what the heck like they know these songs. That was. That's really cool. If once I have children, I hope to expose them to that music and so they can know that better, I guess there's something about that, that energy in the room that can really get you.
Speaker 3:You're ready for worship at that. At that point, you know yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:So I'll go with my next question. Is there a person from the bible that you find yourself relating to or connecting to often, or maybe, as you've read through a book, you're like?
Speaker 3:yeah that's. I can see myself kind of doing that that one, I can't say, as I've ever really thought about that before, that is intriguing I've. I can't say, as I've ever really thought about that before, that is intriguing I've. You know, I've studied different people in the bible and different things, but um, as far as one that I relate, to.
Speaker 1:Hmm, I always kind of think about Peter, not Peter, uh sorry, paul get those, but well, peter, sometimes too Paul Get those, but well, peter sometimes too, but Paul, and just that. It was like an immediate switch after his meeting with Jesus on the road.
Speaker 1:It was like my whole life is dedicated to this now, and he even wrote like I still sin, I still do things I don't want to do, but my faith is 100% in Jesus. Through all of his epistles and letters it's pretty evident that that could be any one of us struggling with the same things that he struggles with Maybe not the wisdom that he shared through those, but the struggles that he talks about and shares is just like any other person, I guess.
Speaker 3:Well, and it's a great example that if, if somebody ever says well you know, God can't use me for anything whatever it is like yeah, well, look at Paul.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:He can use anybody Literally.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. I would assume I'm going to have to think about that question some more because I never thought about that, but I would assume there's probably parts of a lot of people in the Bible that you can relate certain things to.
Speaker 2:But yeah that's a good question where did you come up with that question? Did you just think that up?
Speaker 1:oh, that one, I thought of these next couple. I got off of a chat GPT.
Speaker 3:I would assume we probably all got a little bit of Jonah in us at times.
Speaker 1:Wanted to go the other way.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would assume we can all relate to that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, do you have any other questions before we go, because we're about 50 minutes here.
Speaker 3:Wow time flies doesn't it, it does.
Speaker 2:I have no more questions about the Bible.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:But I have different questions.
Speaker 1:Okay, you can go.
Speaker 2:So how did you get into hunting and what is your favorite thing to hunt or type of hunt or place to hunt?
Speaker 3:Okay, Well, I kind of grew up hunting. My dad did a lot of hunting as my whole life and I got to go with him as a child and when we were kids of course we had BB guns. And growing up in Linville we didn't have to walk too far to get outside of town to go shoot at sparrows or whatever it may be. Outside of town to go shoot at sparrows or whatever it may be, there was local farmers at that time. All had hoglots around their house right outside of town and the birds just flocked to there, and so our Saturday mornings were with our BB guns at these hoglots, shooting at birds.
Speaker 3:That's what we did, and then, as we got a little older, me and my brother and some of our friends we would. We would just pack something to drink in a bag or whatever and we would just take off to the timber for the whole day and we would cook what we shot. Yeah, if we shot something, we may pack some snacks or fruit snacks or something with us, but, uh, you know, we kind of relied on what we were gonna shoot that day and we'd light a fire and it was not good eating. But you know, um, that's what we did, um, and so kind of grew up hunting and it's one of my passions, I would say.
Speaker 3:And you know, bow hunting, uh is by far my favorite. I mean, I gun hunt too. I enjoy, um, bow hunting and deer, um, um, probably my favorite is is hunting from the ground, uh, where you're kind of on a even more even playing field with them. There's something, something kind of neat about having a wild animal that close to you at eye level and you're hidden from them, whether it's something you're going to try to take home to put in the freezer or not. There's. There's something that's really to me is is really enjoyable about that.
Speaker 3:And I shoot, you know, traditional archery equipment you know, recurves long bows, everything like that and and there's something really neat about having to get that close and uh, I find myself doing a lot more watching the animals now than what I used to. I'm not so focused on getting the shot or the kill, but just enjoying them and learning from them. It's really neat to just be a part of nature. I've always had that desire to be outdoors. There's many nights where it's a nice evening and I think, yeah, I'd rather just sleep outside in a tent tonight.
Speaker 1:I've always been impressed when I see you post a buck or something like that you've gotten. And I'm like, without even looking, I'm like I know you got that with the recurve or a longbow like that's even more impressive than a compound like in the videos.
Speaker 2:I mean I think you just posted one where one was off to the left and then the next picture. It's like right there yeah how in the world?
Speaker 3:yeah, they can. You know, it's kind of neat when you can get them to be that close to you and and sometimes they don't know you're there, sometimes they do but they can't figure out, figure you out, and so they're kind of curious yeah you know, and I get just as excited over you know, bringing home a doe is what I do bring a big buck. You know, I'm not a trophy hunter, I don't pass them up, but I you know, yeah, I, I get just as much excitement out of that yeah, you know it's.
Speaker 2:I don't think that's part of it. Yeah, so I know the prep that brady does for deer hunting. It's all the clothes and the scent stuff. Um, is that about the same on the ground, or do you have to be even more thorough?
Speaker 3:and whatever, I don't know anything about it more thorough, I would say, because you're, there's no chance that your scent is going to carry over top of them and I hunt the wind, no matter what. I don't worry about scent control or buying the scent lock clothing or anything like that. One, I'm too cheap to do that and two, I know that if they're downwind of me they're going to smell me no matter what. So I have to basically play the wind, based off of what I know of their patterns, where I think they're going to be coming from, going to and setting up somewhere that you know with whether, whatever the wind is, that day, that they, they're not going to pick that up, because their eyes can fail them, their ears can fail them, but their nose will never fail them out there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, dang, that's crazy. Yeah, it's amazing how, even if you don't think you stink, how bad they can how easy, they can smell you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's crazy. Huh stink, how bad they can, how easy they can smell you. Yeah, it's crazy, oh well I've got some more like rapid fire questions, I guess. Go for it, uh, to send us off unless we've got anything else you've got, or you want to talk about or do anything before we get into that, I guess, or no, I don't.
Speaker 3:I don't think I have anything in particular. I'd say go for it.
Speaker 1:So you don't have to give super long answers. The first one was preferred worship style. So what kind of music? But we kind of asked that one Favorite Christian podcast.
Speaker 3:Well, I'm going to have to go with Life Beside Christ.
Speaker 2:There's one person, at least there's one. We were just staring at him, he's sweating profusely right now.
Speaker 3:I do really enjoy it. There are some Christian bow hunting podcasts that. I listen to as well, and I do enjoy them, but this is one that I don't miss, yeah, Well it's hard to miss when we put one out a month. Yeah, one a year. You can never really fall behind.
Speaker 1:So that's kind of a plus in that sense too. But we appreciate that. Do you have a go-to worship song or just a Christian song that you like to listen to? Hmm, that, or just like a Christian song that you like to listen to.
Speaker 3:Hmm, that I don't have one particular one. It's weird. I wake up every morning with a song in my head.
Speaker 1:Yeah, basically the same way.
Speaker 3:And sometimes it's a song from church, sometimes it's whatever music I have playing on a YouTube channel at work and, yeah, I wake up with a song in my head. I don't think I have a favorite. I'll probably think of it as I'm driving home, but yeah, that's what I would call my favorite, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Favorite all-time movie.
Speaker 3:Oh, favorite all-time movie. Well, that one's easy. Forrest Gump, forrest.
Speaker 2:Gump. Yeah, okay, that's a good answer.
Speaker 1:Favorite Christian movie or show.
Speaker 3:Ooh Well, I mean I wouldn't say it's necessarily a Christian show, but you know the Duck Dynasty yeah, I enjoyed that, and War Room was a good one.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you guys got a chance to watch it or not. Someone's going to make a comment to me after they hear this episode. I've told you to watch War Room, and I still haven't yet.
Speaker 3:That's one I need to watch. It's been a while since I've seen it, but I remember it being very good yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I need to watch that. Yep. What about have you? Jace Robertson has his new show Treasure Hunting with Jace or the Robertsons, I don't know. It's kind of like his new show of the Robertson family, I guess.
Speaker 2:I haven't heard of that.
Speaker 1:Oh well, sorry.
Speaker 2:No, I'll watch it tonight.
Speaker 1:Call me a liar, do you prefer?
Speaker 3:a large church or do you prefer a smaller church? You know, I grew up In what I would call a very small church starting out, and then we went to a larger church which was First Christian. Yeah, they weren't near as large then as they are now. I think, from the standpoint of opportunities to do things and be a part of things more than just a Sunday morning, the larger church has more to offer as far as that goes.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Not that a small church can't do, that Right, you know. But I do enjoy the larger churches has more to offer as far as that goes. Yeah, not the small church can't do that right, you know but I I do enjoy the, the larger churches I would say. I think um, you know, I probably have gotten more out of those that way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, um, hopefully this question makes sense, but it may be even tied into like hunting. But are there things throughout your daily life that make you think of god? I guess, like we talked about before, like one of our first episodes, like the stars are like. It is like a quick reminder for me when I see them, that like how little you are this is crazy yeah god made of this. Is there anything like that for you?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would say nature in general.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know, just the mere fact that you can be out there and you can look at this giant oak tree that came from an acorn.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:You know, and you're like this little tiny acorn that fell on the ground and ended up in the dirt and all of a sudden there's this. You know, many years later there's this giant tree from it. That doesn't happen by chance. Right you know, and that's one of the things I love about being out there hunting, and you know, I can sit in a tree for hours and just watch squirrels and stuff like that. That's one place and you know, when I'm sitting in a tree stand that's something that brings me closer to God.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know yeah.
Speaker 3:And that's to me, I would say, just nature itself, and there are obviously people out there that are a part of my life that definitely would. I would put in the same category.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, carter, last chance. I got one last question to send us off. You got any other things to throw in?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Okay, our last chance. I got one last question to send us off. You got any other things to throw in? Yeah, okay, um, so last time we talked we talked about out west and how we need to get out there. I'm proposing we make a big old camping out west trip and go out. We can hunt, we can fish, go out camp, go see the mountains, all that stuff once. I uh, or I could just not get a job ever if I just go live out there, that'd be ideal.
Speaker 2:So I'm I'm good anytime you guys want to go. You guys carter's trying to leave tomorrow. Yeah, I've got nothing to do. You've got a topper on your truck.
Speaker 3:I mean, you can just throw a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad in the back and yeah, there you go that gas money's gonna kill me the gas money is rough.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I gotta save up for uh a little while with no job it's, it's tough.
Speaker 3:The downside of going out there, if you're anything like me, is one, you won't want to come back here and two, you're gonna every day. At some point you're going to wish you were back out there. Yeah, because it's just, it's beautiful. You know, it smells better when you're in the mountains and in the pine trees. And I don't know, maybe the folks out there, if they come to the Midwest, they think that this is better. I don't know. It could be a matter of perspective, but this dusty corn bean thing, yeah, that's fun.
Speaker 2:Um, one more question yeah, go ahead. Uh, so our group me, brady, levi, I don't think zoe, but oh, kind of zoe we've been talking about if we're gonna stay, to stay in Jacksonville or move out of here. Did you ever have the want to move out of Illinois? And I guess what kept you here? And it seems like you have a very happy and fulfilled life, so it's all worked out. But I didn't know if you had the same urges to get out of here as well.
Speaker 3:Yeah, at one time I did, actually After we got married, you remember me saying earlier, we were still in college and when I graduated I was applying for jobs in many different places Missouri, I would say, border states around here. I did apply for some jobs in Colorado. We went to Colorado on our honeymoon, had a cabin in the mountains, um, you know, most people go to a beach or something like that. That's just a sunburn for us, so. But I applied for some jobs out there with um, like the department natural resources type places, and then states bordering illinois and then other places in illinois. So I wasn't, I wasn't attached to this area, but I but I am attached to this area.
Speaker 2:I mean all my family's here.
Speaker 3:Um, you know I I wasn't against moving away. Looking back now, I'm really glad we didn't, because you know there's things that happened in life that it's been really good to have family close and to continue to have family close.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, guess we're not moving. Yeah, yeah, guess we're not moving.
Speaker 1:All right, so I'll ask my last question Any advice for newer, younger Christians, or maybe even something that you would tell yourself as a younger adult about faith, following Jesus, anything like that that you want to share or send everyone off with?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I would say maybe one don't sweat the finite details right away. I think some people can get too caught up into thinking that they have to be perfect or this or that.
Speaker 3:And the thing is you're never going to be perfect and and that's you know it's unattainable, and you know people you need to be able to to grow and mature and know that that's going to be something that is ongoing. You know it's. It's not going to come overnight. You know you're not going to know everything in the Word overnight. You're going to maybe sin without knowing it because you don't have that knowledge yet, and that's okay. You know that's one of the reasons that we have, you know, we have been given this great gift of, you know, forgiveness of our sins and grace and mercy. You know, um, and so that's what I would encourage people is to have a desire to, to learn and to grow and immerse yourself in the word so that you can learn. But don't get discouraged. If there's something that you're you realize oh, I've fallen short on this or that you know because we're all going to do that. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, just staying trying to get back on that path and yeah, and rolling with the bumps and and have people, find people that are going to encourage you along the way and help you grow. You know people that um have your best interest at heart and that are, you know, going to help build you up. And and uh you know, that are also willing to tell you if you do something, if something is wrong.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, that's some good advice. Well, we appreciate you joining us and filling in for Brady, even though, I mean, you were going to be with us even if Brady was here. He's just nice to rub it in his face.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right. New and improved. Yeah, in his face. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, new and improved.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but we appreciate you coming on and supporting us and everything else.
Speaker 3:I really appreciate being here. This has been a good time and, yeah, I enjoy what you're doing. I applaud you guys for what you're doing. I mean, probably you're taking you out of your comfort zone a time or two, and I think that's a great thing.
Speaker 1:So yeah, yeah, definitely does that. Well, we appreciate it. We'll see you guys next time.
