Rhett: 0:00

Palms up. When you're saying palms up, what you mean is a life of surrender, that you know. If you're not flowing with that open handedness, it's like I'm not going to live my life trying to grasp anything. I'm going to live my life with my hands open to go. Hey, it's not mine anyway. This is all God's.

Justin: 0:16

If I've tried to pound through, like to make things happen. Yeah, I don't have a lot of that where I look back and say, well, that was well worth it. It is those things where you just surrender it and you try to stay faithful to what you've been given without it identifying who you are, because it's like we already know whose we are. If we can walk around in everywhere and say this is for the glory of Jesus, everything, and really mean it, it's easy to kind of open up and just say hey according to you, wherever you have wired me to go be, that's where I'll be and I'm completely content with that.

Rhett: 0:51

We try to overcomplicate it. We're like, oh my purpose is this right? No, no man. Your purpose is, wherever you are, to bring the kingdom, rule of God, into that situation.

Speaker 3: 1:12

What is going on, friends? Welcome back to another episode of the podcast, with your friends Rhett and Justin, right here at Armchair Authentic. It's always great to have you along for the ride today. We cannot wait to jump into the conversation, so we're jumping into it right now. You guys ready, here we go.

Rhett: 1:33

So, justin, you can tell and anybody that's been listening to this podcast can tell that I do not sound like my normal self right now and in we we uh, postponed this recording a couple days to see if I could get through it, and I even told you before you came over, uh-huh it's like are you sure you want to do this?

Justin: 1:52

he said.

Rhett: 1:52

He said I can't smell, but I don't think I've totally lost all sense of smell and, uh, I could have covet who knows? I don't know what did I tell you it doesn't matter, I ain't scared, you ain't scared. Well, you know't scared, I ain't scared. I know you're not scared.

Justin: 2:09

But I don't know how wise you are. I think I'm good. Well, I'll say this I couldn't smell for a few days the other day.

Rhett: 2:18

So I think, whatever you might have, I've got the antidote. Well, hey, bring it on, so, anyways. So I'm not feeling great, so I uh anyways, so I'm not feeling great. Um, really it affects you. It affected me, yeah. So I've started taking um some medicine and and uh, you know, because it could be just be a head cold based off the allergies- because I'm known to have allergies and uh, so anyways. So, in an effort to steward things well and for us to continue this, dropping these on Monday yes, you know this is called working working through things when you don't even feel like it.

Rhett: 2:47

And I'm six feet separated from me.

Justin: 2:49

I feel all right, we got our measuring tape out. Cdc would be proud, especially the 2020 man god, I do not miss that season at all.

Rhett: 2:59

No, man, that was something else. Man, oh man, oh, geez, lord thankful we're through that. So much, yeah, about that I'm, I want to be set free. I'm having some trigger moments right now, you being a pastor in that time. Oh, man, that was tough, that was a tough season can't please anybody no, we had a great church, though, so they were amazing. We actually grew through that season, which is.

Rhett: 3:22

I remember that that was rare is rare, very rare, very rare, but anyway I was.

Rhett: 3:28

I was wanting to tell you this. I was talking to Pastor Clay, who had the honor and privilege of serving, and we were on a conference call this week and then and this is actually, I don't know, yesterday or two days ago, right in the midst of all this just yunk junk that I'm dealing with. And so I was. I was taking some Dayquil and I was taking Mucinex DM at the same time and you know, I just thought that's what you're supposed to do, I don't know, just take as much medicine as you can. And I'm sitting there, uh, talking through some stuff, and I had a couple of just things I was going to read through with Pastor Clay and I couldn't read the sentences, like literally two sentences, and I started laughing. I was like I'm not even going to, I'm not even going to pretend, but I just couldn't read them, like I was reading them, but it was like you know it was just all over the place and Clay's laughing like are you okay?

Rhett: 4:16

I was like man, you know.

Speaker 3: 4:16

I don't feel good.

Rhett: 4:17

I said I've been taking, I'm on some medicine and so I get off that call and I look online, I'm Googling and stuff. I'm like, hey, can you take Dayquil with Mucinex DM? At the same time? It's like, don't do it. It was like, whatever you do, don't mix it too, because it's got like combined ingredients, which it gives you more than you should of something whatever. And one of the byproducts or what do you call it, the side effects was confusion.

Justin: 4:47

And I was like bro.

Rhett: 4:48

I nailed that one Not being able to put two sentences together or a coherent conversation with my pastor.

Speaker 3: 4:57

And he's probably thinking like, are you?

Rhett: 4:59

okay, man, I'm like not really yeah. So I don't know if you've ever mixed medication.

Speaker 3: 5:03

So for the doctors and nurses out there when I say that they're probably like oh, you didn't. I'm like not really.

Rhett: 5:06

Yeah. So I don't know if you've ever mixed medication. So for the doctors and nurses out there, when I say that, they're probably like, oh, you didn't, I'm like yes, I did. Well, yeah, another thing too.

Justin: 5:12

This was a long time ago. This is 2011. I won't name the actual person on the story I'm actually talking about, but me and a couple of my ministry friends and friends in general, we went to Australia for a conference. And it's a long flight to Sydney Australia. It's like with stops and everything. It's still like 21 hours so it's a long time a lot of time trying to get over there.

Justin: 5:38

And so, uh, we flew. Uh, we have a great time, great conference. Now we're getting back in and you're already dreading the long flight. And so someone offers one of my buddies like um I forget what it is, what's one of the ambient is ambient yeah yeah, it was actually ambient and I had. I had an experience one time on another trip to switzerland where someone offered me one, and you know this I'm I never do medication it's just a sleep aid.

Rhett: 6:07

It's so rare, right? It's a sleep aid, yeah, or medication.

Justin: 6:10

It's supposed to be to sleep, but I'm not used to anything, so I mean even like, if I get so your tolerance?

Justin: 6:16

yeah barely Advil yeah, I mean it can do a number on me in the best of ways it's like it'll resurrect me from the dead and so I was already like cautious because I don't have a lot of record of taking stuff. But I remember taking one of those back in 2007 and kind of waking up from it and it was just weirdville to the point. I told summer we were together and we both took it and I and I told her I don't know that I feel right about ever taking those again, like it's just weird for me just talking me. I've taken melatonin, man.

Rhett: 6:50

Melatonin does the same thing for me, man I'll take melatonin, which is like just a sleep, like a little sleep aid before you go to bed. It gives you some weird dreams.

Justin: 6:58

Man, it's the closest I've ever felt to like chavez yeah, in the spirit world on young guns when doc's girl yeah, I'm a beautiful butterfly though for those who haven't seen it they're just they're high as a kite, they're just yeah and yeah, and it's like we're in the spirit realm i've've never had a.

Rhett: 7:27

You know what do they call that Acid trip or something like that where you like out-of-body experience. But I've taken melatonin. It's pretty darn close. I'm just saying we're drug-free.

Justin: 7:36

I've never been drunk, I've never taken pills, I've never done any of that, but it must be what people go through, because, ambien, I was in this other place like what is going on and I always like have swore since then not, I don't want to do that again.

Justin: 7:53

So the we're, we're flying home from Australia and one of my buddies, he someone recommends like why don't you take this? And he really wanted to get some good sleep. He had to sing the next day, believe it or not. When we got home it was like a Saturday night. We had church the next day. Probably shouldn't have sang, but he did.

Justin: 8:08

And so he took this Ambien and as he took it, the stewardesses were serving our meal. So we're getting ready to take off, like we just took off, and they're already serving us our meal because they want to go and get it, to get us on the right side of the time zone of what dinner is. And so me and a buddy just kind of nudge him, like kind of to wake him up for his meal. And I don't know what happened I don't know if it's just a side effect it had with him or the whole deal that you don't wake somebody up immediately but he awoke from that state and it was like he was not completely there to the point that it's like he can't function. His hands aren't fully functional boy. His eyes are bloodshot red.

Justin: 8:56

He's getting a little bit violent, like he's he's shaking the person in front of like the chair, and you can just see the lady's hair bouncing like 100 miles an hour and he would just be erratic and I would cut him his food and feed it to him, that's funny, does he? Remember any of this? Oh, he remembers nothing.

Justin: 9:17

And we hit a nervous point because he began to threaten me because he thought I took his water. Oh, come on, and I just remember thinking like I'm going to have to punch him out, like, like I'm going to have to knock him out, like he's. He's about to get physically violent on me and so, thankfully, he didn't. He starts going into these I mean just shakes all this stuff that even the stewardess begins to look and say is he okay?

Rhett: 9:51

Me and my buddy were like I mean, we're nervous the fact that stewardess is asking this question. Flight attendant, yeah, yeah, flight. What is a stewardess? Well, you know, 20 something years ago it was steward and stewardess Okay, and now it's flight attendant Okay, political correct Flight attendant yeah, when they got nervous.

Speaker 3: 10:00

I got nervous.

Justin: 10:02

Thankfully it. He just went out cold and he woke up later, perfectly fine, but the stories we would tell, him.

Speaker 3: 10:08

He remembers nothing to this day.

Justin: 10:10

We remind him of the ambient story and he just cannot imagine he would have acted out he thinks you're making some of this up man.

Rhett: 10:18

Oh, he has to because he was in another realm golly, you didn't pull off the phone and like, do the selfie and I, I think we had blackberries, oh, oh man, that that's crazy.

Justin: 10:28

To think that was that long ago iphone came out. What in? 07 or 08, 08, I think something like that my son was born in january and I am um with highlands, as our listeners would know that in the early days we were issued blackberry phones.

Justin: 10:44

Yeah, and we it took us forever to change everybody was and then every corporate we and we were corporate because that iphone comes out and we are like, yes, we want the iphone and the powers that be, who are like, nope, we're sticking to blackberry because blackberry is the thing. Yeah, and finally they let us branch out, but no in 2011. No iphones, man, it was. I watched the. You know what I I might have to apologize, ritt, what's that? I just I just took a shot by saying it was 11 by the time we got him. We didn't.

Justin: 11:19

They approved him probably in 2010 or 11, because I must have not recorded him, because I was just nervous. Oh, okay, because I did have a, I did have my iphone to record. Okay, because I remember being in a session with one of the you know, the worship leaders of hillsong. That was also a signed artist and there was a weird contract going on that they could not you could not have their name, image or likeness, like captured on camera, okay, and I was there in the lab, it was like a lab and I'm just recording her talking to this guy and I'm catching great stuff that I'm going to take home to the team.

Justin: 11:59

I said delete it. Oh bro, they they sent a whole team to me after that session and they're like I mean they're like, sir, we noticed you recording. You must delete this right now, you know. And I'm like oh man, seriously.

Rhett: 12:14

Yes, you must get rid of that. Do you know who I am? Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that didn't work at all. You know who I am? My name's Justin. They're like okay. Does it end in Bieber. No, yeah, no, they could care less.

Justin: 12:26

I did. Before I hit delete, I did drop where I was from. Yeah, and I will say in complete you know disclosure here they did say, okay, so you're with Highlands. I said yeah. They said will you be sure, after you teach your team this, will you delete this? Yeah, and they did give me the trust. And so I did actually keep it. I mean, I did actually get to take it home and I honored them and deleted it.

Speaker 3: 12:50

So you did delete it, so I did have an iPhone.

Justin: 12:51

Okay, Because I remember thinking like, oh, they're going to come and this is going to be a great time, and it was like security, like you've got to delete everything.

Rhett: 13:00

Dude, dude. I remember but the dates are going to throw me. But the iPod remember. Oh yeah, in the iPod shuffle. Was it the iPod, which one was it that had the actual Bono and the whole, like.

Justin: 13:12

That was the iPod video. Yeah, that was amazing. That's the one Summer got me.

Rhett: 13:18

That was amazing. You were living large man if you had one of those dude.

Justin: 13:21

Oh God, I got that for Christmas if you had one of those.

Rhett: 13:26

Oh god, I got that for christmas. I mean it was amazing I was. I was living in dallas at the time and I'll never forget having that and then being on the train going downtown dallas and working every day and having that with me and listening to my music and flipping around through the oh man, it was like the world, it was your soundtrack oh yeah, it was my soundtrack, it was the only way to cope.

Justin: 13:42

Taking that train ride every day, working the job that you did not like? No, no, you were doing it all for the family. You were being a responsible man taking a train.

Rhett: 13:51

Two hours just to go to work. I know it sounds like, oh, that's cool. No, it's not. After your first day you're like, okay, I'm over it. Yeah, it's not this big city.

Justin: 14:01

living out in the country, taking the train to the big city, it's not as awesome as it sounds.

Rhett: 14:07

every day, no, it's not. It's definitely not oh man.

Justin: 14:16

So yeah, so it's. It is funny how it just kind of kind of knocks you out with your, with your medication, but I feel like you're you're doing good, You're getting good focus. I'm trying right now. I'm trying You're, you're awake somewhat.

Rhett: 14:27

Some people are like, oh well, we'll just wait for next week's episode, it's gonna be better, um, or some people are like, no man, I like this version of it just a little bit more. Chill a little bit it is.

Justin: 14:35

They're lower, they're like all of a sudden it feels like justin's bringing the energy. This is weird, nope I'm being the same.

Speaker 3: 14:42

Reps is being that much slower.

Justin: 14:46

No, seriously, we um.

Rhett: 14:47

It's the first time I've laughed in a couple days, so that I've you know if for anything, man, this is good because I've just been staring at the ceiling. Yeah, it was funny, you know. You came in and and, um, I had obviously cleaned up the living room before you came over the house, but uh, I've been sleeping on the couch for two or three days now.

Justin: 15:06

Yeah.

Rhett: 15:07

And not because I'm in the dog house or anything, but literally, like I'm a, I'm hard to sleep. Let me say this Linda says I snore. I don't think I snore, but yeah, she says I snore and that's just on a normal day, right. But now you? Add the congestion and the coughing and the sneezing and all the stuff that comes with it. And uh, I told her. I said I'm going to go sleep on the couch. She's like really.

Justin: 15:30

I was like yeah, I'm, I'm, I'm mad that I say you don't have to do that, as she's handing you your blanket. You don't have to, really don't have to do that, babe.

Rhett: 15:39

No, I'm like I'm going to go do this because I love you so much.

Justin: 15:42

And I got to put all this stuff down that you have.

Rhett: 15:44

Yeah yeah, we used to have a guest room and I've turned that into our home gym at this point, so now it's just the couch.

Justin: 15:51

And yeah, but uh you know, three days fresh on the couch, yeah.

Rhett: 15:54

And it's comfortable, but I'm so tall that I can't stretch my legs out all the way from the armrest and that's a little annoying. That's a lot annoying, but when you take NyQuil and man, that stuff will knock you out. I don't have bad dreams with NyQuil, but anyways, I don't know. So yeah, anyway, all that to say, yeah, well.

Justin: 16:15

I'm recovering now. I was feeling under the weather probably at the beginning of the week, nothing like you're feeling. I think it was regrouping. You know, as you heard in the last episode, that we were away. Uh, we went to celebrate really different things, me and summer. As we already said, we have officially celebrated our 25th anniversary yeah summer walked officially and was hooded.

Justin: 16:38

We had her commencement ceremony where she received her doctorate. Congratulations, received her doctorate. Congratulations, gcu. Yes, dr summer, I love it and it was. It was such, a, I mean, cool event packed out house. It was just, it was great um and then, but but the the cool thing we did with the family is we made just the trip of it.

Rhett: 16:56

So y'all combine the celebration with a family trip.

Justin: 16:59

Yeah, man, I mean we, we literally got on the, the mean we're already boarded the plane, the sun is somewhat out and we're about to go From Birmingham, and we're in Birmingham making our way to Phoenix, and then, right before we're about to pull out, it's like it thunders. Of course that afternoon thunderstorm All the people out on the tarmac area, just run for you know they have to run for a cover yeah for refuge like 20 minutes, and so now we're doing our thing.

Justin: 17:30

We're just kind of waiting the pilots back on saying, oh, you know they talk. It's like, uh, yeah, any minute. Now I hope to have some good news for you. Let's see, I'll be right back yeah, he does all that kind of stuff. Well, finally he comes back. He says great news, we are about to and they're running back in like it was just so funny we sat out there for two hours.

Justin: 17:56

That's crazy and so we had already moved off the gate at a point. Now we're just waiting on the tarmac and I mean I watched, I've been wanting to catch up. I've not watched in full the creed movies, like the kind of the new rockies. Yeah, apollo creed his son, all that stuff. I said I sat and watched an entire creed movie sitting still, which meant I got to watch part two and we were finally in the air because we did get up and running. So it delayed our flight because the plan was we arrived on it was a wednesday. We arrive on the wednesday and we get our rental car. We we've always wanted to try for you guys in phoenix right now listening in any area who has this. We've always wanted to try um raising canes. Oh yeah, it's great, loved it man great experience.

Justin: 18:42

My boy, my 15 year old dax was, has been like we got to do canes. All the sons have followed suit like canes.

Rhett: 18:48

Canes, it's a chick.

Justin: 18:50

For those who don't know, it's a chicken tender joint that's right yeah really good with that, like come back sauce or kickback sauce, whatever it is. Yeah, I saw my first cactus ever like a real cactus yeah, I told you you're gonna see one.

Rhett: 19:01

Yeah, and it was a canes. Oh, oh, there you go, literally at Canes.

Justin: 19:04

I see my first cactus. Well, we get our rental car. The sun's already going down, our plans have kind of shifted. We're several hours off our time, but we have to get in this car. We're in Phoenix. We have to drive four hours north to Page, arizona.

Rhett: 19:26

So that's where we're going to start. So five-hour flight doesn't include getting. I mean, it's not normally probably a three-and-a-half-hour flight, but then you have the extra two hours. Now you're there, you're driving four. You got your chicken in here.

Justin: 19:31

Got to find our canes to eat at. The rental car. We had a Tahoe. I think I told our listeners before we got there and it's just like man, as I want it to be. No, the suburban's bigger. At the time I was like okay, I kind of willed and dilled. You know, he started like an extra, so like 80 a day. We'll get you this all in all. I talked him down to 25 extra an hour, I mean extra day. So we were like let's just take that 25 times eight.

Justin: 19:59

Boom, there we go yeah we're gonna get that much charge. It's gonna worth it. And we got this Jeep. We already talked about before how I love Jeeps and we got a Jeep Wagoneer like the XL big version.

Rhett: 20:11

Yeah, I don't really consider those Jeeps. It's not, but it had Jeep on it, rhett, and I thought about it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know.

Justin: 20:19

I know I the Canyon's in my Jeep.

Speaker 3: 20:22

It's a fancy Jeep, it's not really a Jeep.

Rhett: 20:25

But it's a Jeep. It's made by Jeep. I mean, it's smooth. Jeeps aren't smooth, this is smooth, those are nice though.

Justin: 20:31

We took it and drove and just I mean so much space. The kids I mean, they got little ports where they can have all their electronics. Oh, we were just loving it. And if you know anything about me, I don't live like on the frills of having the greatest cars in the world. I just kind of drive what I can until it's done. I'm in the middle of driving a 2005 Suburban right now that only has 143,000 miles, that needs a set of new tires badly.

Justin: 20:56

That needs a set of new tires. That Rhett told me last week I was like bro. I was like you need to go.

Rhett: 21:03

The wires are almost. I was like you need to go find some used tires and put them on there.

Justin: 21:08

And so I'm just not used to that. So we were in some style and I was like man, you really do you get what you pay for?

Rhett: 21:14

It's amazing how this grips the road man.

Justin: 21:16

This has got tread on the tires. What happened to that bump? I'm used to feeling these bumps all the time.

Speaker 3: 21:20

I'm not sliding all over the place.

Justin: 21:22

This is crazy. It's come to a stop. My back end stayed in place when I turned to the right and so but I mean, bro, I mean seriously, I was. You know me, I can't stay up late and drive like it's. It's one of those things I'll get sleepy at the wheel. So I mean, in about an hour summer was I'm oh.

Rhett: 21:42

I hit the point, it's kind of like that National Lampoon's vacation.

Speaker 3: 21:44

It hit a point where I told Summer your voice.

Justin: 21:53

All it's doing now is soothing me, yeah, and we had to pull over.

Rhett: 21:57

Have you ever had to pull over?

Justin: 22:09

Roll the window down, stick your head out the window, turn the heater on, turn it off, freeze yourself in the face. Oh yeah, man, I've done that before. I'll put my hand behind my head, sometimes like to try to just stretch, but then next thing I know I'm massaging myself in the neck and I'm like, oh god, that's not helping I'm putting myself to sleep.

Justin: 22:17

And so, summer graciously, she took over the wheel. And of course, then I'm wide awake because someone else is driving and it's not me. So now I'm like, well, be careful, right there she's like I gotta watch out for this turn where that guy might be pulling out. I'm such a backseat driver and so we finally make it there.

Justin: 22:34

We have a great time, we do the we. We get there at 3 am and, bro, let me tell you, there's a one chunk of arizona, just one chunk, that doesn't honor daylight savings time. It's like this one spot in. Arizona One spot.

Rhett: 22:50

Coming soon to the United States of America. I hear that we're supposed to be getting rid of this thing.

Justin: 22:54

I hope so, because one spot in our house that we're staying at is right on the line.

Rhett: 23:00

There you go.

Justin: 23:01

So we don't even know what time it is. Is it four, is it three? We don't even know what time it is. Is it four? Is it?

Rhett: 23:04

three is it? We don't know, we don't know, and, and I'm like, what time is it in birmingham?

Justin: 23:09

alabama in birmingham, and we didn't know, but we had a kayak appointment oh, the next day for rentals.

Rhett: 23:15

So like what time is it?

Justin: 23:16

yeah, it's like and don't be late. So it's like well, is it 10? What saturday, like it was so confusing. Anyway, we made it. We guessed wrong and got there an hour early which is always good there you go. But yeah, bro, we had a blast, we got to take the kayaks up antelope canyon got it, so you can actually kind of beach the kayaks and get out and go we walked around had lunch, just kind of on.

Justin: 23:42

You know know, one of the canyon areas Beautiful. Got back in the kayak, tried to get it back within our seven-hour time.

Rhett: 23:48

Did anybody fall out of the kayak? Did y'all get in the water at all?

Justin: 23:51

No, oh man, Come on. No, not there why not Too cold. Well, how do I say this? I mean golly, the water is beautiful. First of all, there was an algae bloom going on that we had to be careful of in that season. Secondly, there's no restrooms of any sort.

Justin: 24:10

I know that's why you get in the water well, exactly, let me just say this I'm laughing, but that's the truth, exactly so when I'm driving my, when I'm pulling the kayak up yeah right by that shore is more than you can imagine. Oh well, there you go, where people have relieved theirself oh gross nasty and I don't want to know that I'm like you gotta be like, not just relieved, that's not. That's not in the brochure, they really relieved theirself yeah, yeah, yeah, that's not on the brochure not a one really. Yeah, yeah, two really double the double portion.

Justin: 24:40

Yeah, and that is something yes, I'm looking at it like and we got all these people. I'm like what are you a bunch of animals? Yeah, no, even though it's like, yeah well, we kind of are we gotta have a place to go, I guess. Yeah, it was it, that was like well yeah, so we weren't getting any water but we pulled, we pulled up the kayak.

Rhett: 24:57

You just ruined any idealistic mindset of me thinking oh, I want to go there someday and do that.

Justin: 25:05

It was wonderful pulling up it's all those granola people.

Rhett: 25:10

It's all natural. It is all natural, man, we don't need anything.

Justin: 25:13

It was where the shore met it. Everything just kind of floats around.

Rhett: 25:16

Who needs a toilet? We're out in nature.

Speaker 3: 25:24

So nasty need. It was where the shore met it everything just kind of who needs a toilet.

Justin: 25:26

Well nature, so that was the mindset, you know. Hey, well, that's good. I mean, you know, I mean maybe not that we plan ahead to not have to do that, if you know what I mean. Yeah, but I mean to go to the bathroom. Yeah, that was. I will tell you that was a um, a little fun adventure to find ways to do that. How long were y'all out there? All day, day, oh yeah.

Rhett: 25:37

And you ate lunch and you drank water. We ate lunch. We drank tons of bro we got those hydro flask backpacks.

Justin: 25:44

Yeah, the camelbacks oh the camelbacks, where you are just loaded down with water. So we had more water. It was awesome. But there were so many people, we would all have to go. So I'd run ahead and maybe or we'll have one of the boys run ahead and say, hey, tell me if anybody's coming, We'd run back If nobody's coming. We were like, all right, quick, go to the bathroom right here on this sand, and then you cover up the sand and I mean all of us. We worked our magic and we were like creatives out there, Like we were living in nature.

Rhett: 26:14

Yeah, they're like we're going to laugh at this one day, but right now I'm kind of double, you know.

Justin: 26:18

Yeah, it was the real deal. I mean, it's the only way to do it. So you know that it's happening. It's just like there's an etiquette to it. You have to use the restroom. You got to cover it up. There's tons of sand. Don't leave proof.

Rhett: 26:39

Don't Nothing, you just got to cover it all up. I'm sorry Y'all, this is just how it was On this episode of Armchair Authentic, we were really authentic.

Justin: 26:44

Yeah, but it was awesome. We did the King and we went back the next day.

Rhett: 26:47

What do they call that? The Bear Grylls? I've never seen any of that, but like the, you know the Bear Grylls, the survival stuff.

Justin: 26:53

Yeah, the survival stuff of stuff.

Rhett: 26:53

Oh yeah, it was that you're trying to live that out in arizona we did. I mean, it was because there's nothing like if you go there with a tourist mindset, thinking, it's not no, you're in the middle of nowhere dude, you're yeah, you better come prepared, there's nothing.

Justin: 27:06

There's nothing there, and some are prepared as well, and that made it so fun for us. And so I mean, I feel like we outlasted everybody. We pull it up and there's like 50 kayaks where they just kind of park it to the side by the end of it. It's like we're one of only three kayaks, there you go. So we just we we had two kayaks, two in each made our way back to where we go. Um, bro, it's like you're in the middle of radiator springs it's beautiful.

Justin: 27:30

We went and we're like we've seen this before. We went and looked up the movie cars by pixar and it's like radiator springs was inspired by you know, arizona land and other. So we have movie night that night in our house and we watch cars, and then that planted that song in my mind. Let me just tell you about that song. We're driving the next day to now make our way towards where we're going to do glamping near the Grand Canyon, and so we stopped first to go see what's called Horseshoe Bend iconic spot. It's like if you go to the Southwest Airlines app, which is who we flew with, like that's their cover page.

Justin: 28:11

Oh, the Colorado Get out and go enjoy yeah, the river, you got the, yeah, it's beautiful, and Horseshoe Bend we went and saw that. Out and go enjoy yeah, the, the river, you got the, yeah, it's beautiful and the horseshoe bend we went and saw that. Well, as we're leaving to go make our way deeper down into valet valet or you're looking at me, like I know I say val, and summer makes it so much more eloquent.

Justin: 28:29

Like is valet valet so whatever it is, valet um, arizona. We're near where the grand canyon is. It is, and you're hearing the guy on the phone. You know, I know I'm on the podcast right now talking because I've never seen this kind of country. I've not seen it and I know that our listeners out there. You would feel this way if you came to the south and you saw all the greenery. It's beautiful, but I've not seen this, so it was wow factor. And so we're driving, making our way in the canyons, the beauty of the. I mean I think I told you this. I turned, I cranked up life as a highway by rascal flats, having fun with the family, but as I'm doing it, I just hit the gas. Nostalgia, baby, nostalgia kicks me so much I'm getting emotional. Yeah, like, I'm like. Oh my, my gosh, this is amazing I'll just start laughing out loud.

Justin: 29:17

Kids are like they're laughing summer's laugh. We're having the best time because it's beautiful and just that whole journey of pulling through a corner where it turns into open land. It was just like the glory of god and all his majesty. Yeah, we did that, we made our way um.

Speaker 3: 29:33

Anyway, I could keep talking on this trip it was just that's just the first two days.

Justin: 29:39

It was so beautiful.

Rhett: 29:40

It's mesmerizing. Oh my gosh, it's alluring, it draws you in.

Justin: 29:46

Well, we were drawn in and we stayed there longer, once again, than we planned, so our drive to the glamping grounds was dark now no, he said glamping. I did say glamping. Bougie camping Guys, I'm not a camper, this is not a tent.

Rhett: 30:00

I'm not a camper, this is a hardwood floor tent with canvas walls, with a nice king-size bed, with a king-size bed and an open potbelly stove.

Justin: 30:09

I saw the pictures. It's nice.

Speaker 3: 30:12

And plumbing with water and a shower. It's true.

Rhett: 30:14

That is not camping.

Speaker 3: 30:16

Hey, friends, just want to take a moment and say, if you are enjoying today's conversation, could you do us a huge favor? Would you take a moment and copy the link from your favorite podcast platform and share it with a friend? Email it to a friend. How about airdropping it over to your buddy or your sister right now, man, that would mean so much to us. Thank you All right guys. Right now, man, that would mean so much to us. Thank you, all right guys. Back to the conversation.

Rhett: 30:40

It was not camping, it was glamping that's the way I would do it by the way if I want to do it that's how I'm going to do it. Well, let me just say this, and I have done the backyard stuff cold, yeah, I do me, and summer will do the uh backyard tent you know, around 1 am we're like you want to go in boys?

Speaker 3: 30:54

yeah, let's go.

Justin: 30:55

Yeah, exactly that's what it becomes, but to stay out. When we got there it was freezing, Like they were going through a cold snap. So it was like and it already is cold in the mountains, it was 31 degrees. Yeah, I'll walk into that. Dark tent Number one it's like ain't no light switch? Nope, the tent is is freezing, so I'm you know.

Speaker 3: 31:19

But the glamping side once again they provide firewood.

Justin: 31:20

Yeah, have you got the oven? The oven and the match, yeah, and so I lit the match, tried to get all the kindling going and I got a fire and it. It warmed up nicely. But I will tell you this there's, there's a road that to get to this camping site. It says you know, siri's like, take a right right here. Well, I keep driving because gps all I'm going off is gps here never need a map again.

Justin: 31:41

I saw nothing I saw nothing, so I kept driving it rerouted me through flagstaff and added like 40 something minutes to my drive and I'm like whoa hold on yeah so at the next chance I turn the car around and I go look and I'm like where's this turn, where's the road? And I'm looking, I'm like where's this turn, where's the road? And I'm looking at my GPS. It's the only way I can see it. When it shows me a turn, I look harder and I realize there's a dirt road, tiny yeah. So I turn down it, thinking I'm on the wrong road.

Rhett: 32:11

I just decided to go a little bit more.

Justin: 32:20

It's desert and it as bumpy as you can imagine. I keep driving and, according to siri it's or google maps or whatever kind of maps apple maps I'm turning the same direction. That's saying to go I don't. I still, to this day, don't know where we were, but we drove 23 minutes on this road into the depths of wherever I bet your kids are freaking out. We're all, we're all a little bit like where's the crazy?

Rhett: 32:40

killer clown and you're like looking, you're looking at your gas gauge going. How much gas do I have? And oh yeah, I mean if this car to break down. There's nobody. This is a one-lane road. There's nothing.

Justin: 32:49

There's only a road only with the help of satellite will we be able to like.

Speaker 3: 32:53

There's nothing. I don't know what cell phone service and I'm trying to know, oh gosh, no, no, there's nothing I'm being.

Justin: 32:59

I'm trying to be brave inside Like, hey guys, this is part of the adventure. Inside I'm like Lord, please, yeah and um, and we just keep going to the point that it's just in the middle of nowhere and I'm just you're driving through these little I don't know. You know you're already in a very I mean just very. It's like a lot of Indian reservations, all that stuff. So there's things that are kind of hanging up along the way.

Rhett: 33:28

And it's like am I allowed out here? That moment you got like a huge SWAT team come around you and then you're in Area 51.

Justin: 33:32

Oh, we brought that up right.

Rhett: 33:34

The government shuts you down we did. Sir, what are you doing out there? We did bring that up.

Justin: 33:38

You know, you got UFOs flying out there.

Rhett: 33:40

Yeah, we, even we thought this could be the middle of one of those places and thankfully we came out of it. You were on somebody's radar. We had to be.

Justin: 33:53

And we saved 40 something minutes. But when we got back on a normal road I mean we were rejoicing Like never again I'm going to something minutes. But when we got back on a normal road I mean we were rejoicing, yeah, like never again I'm gonna take the 40 minutes next time. Yeah, praise the lord. And so we got to that tent, got it ready. That was a beautiful trip. Two days worth of that. Saw the grand canyon not doing it justice now, but it was awesome. If you ever go, go to a place called shoshone point and that is not advertised, it's kind of off the beaten path, but if you bring you some flashlights, you park in this. Um, you, just, you can even ask for shoshone point, but you park and it's a tiny little gravel parking spot. Not a lot of people were there, but you just take about a mile hike in the woods. Is it a flat walk? No, okay, no, probably pass, it's not flat at all.

Justin: 34:37

It's rocky and it's like got trees.

Speaker 3: 34:40

It's flat sometimes, but the next thing.

Justin: 34:42

You know you're on some rocks, but you take about a mile high.

Rhett: 34:44

Do you have your walking sticks? No, okay.

Justin: 34:48

No, we just had our flask. I mean our little flat. Why do I keep saying flask?

Speaker 3: 34:51

Oh wait, Our hydro flask yeah.

Rhett: 35:02

Oh, okay, wait a minute. Now the truth is coming out. That's the liquid courage. No wonder you were so brave, but we, we, exactly. Yeah, that boldness is you're, very you're very cautious, justin.

Speaker 3: 35:09

This does not sound like you. No man, where did this come from? Justin? I've been sipping on grandpa's. You sound like me as a kid when you're being cautious.

Justin: 35:16

Justin, exactly Now. You told the truth.

Rhett: 35:20

It was all water.

Justin: 35:21

I promise people, I guarantee it was water, I know you, but we got out to the most gorgeous view you'll ever see. It just stops and it becomes this point. It's literally this point with almost a 360 view. You can't Gorgeous.

Rhett: 35:35

I mean, we could not believe it. You can't even describe it. The 360 view, you can't gorgeous.

Justin: 35:39

I mean we could not even describe the pictures, can't even. No, I mean you take a picture like, yeah, and then the sun sets and it's just dark and it's like, well, now we're gonna make the. We made the hike back in the dark, but it was like. It was such a sweet family time, peppered in with moments where I was looking behind me to make sure once again there's no crazy clown that's chasing us. Because all those thoughts were in my head it's amazing like so nervous and I'm like no guys, it's good out here.

Rhett: 36:01

Crazy how we got messed up from all those crazy movies used to watch. Oh yeah, you don't watch the movies. You don't have any. You don't have anything to be scared of, I don't even remember clown movies, but lately it's been a clown figure that's been walking usually it's michael myers.

Justin: 36:13

oh man, do you remember when, when we used to, when we would watch Halloween and Michael Myers and there was that one scene where that body comes swinging from the doorway?

Rhett: 36:25

Oh, sure, yeah.

Justin: 36:26

And I remember it would make us scream. But now we know it's happening and we would rewind it and we'd watch it again Every time.

Rhett: 36:34

Every time it made us scream.

Justin: 36:35

That's so stupid and we would do it like seven times and it was like can we do it without screaming?

Rhett: 36:39

Yeah, I got it this time, every time. I don't remember us doing that, but it definitely sounds like something we would do.

Justin: 36:48

It was hard not to. We had the environment, but yeah, so we did that. And then we finally.

Rhett: 36:53

That was our dopamine hit of rush for us. It and then we finally that was our dopamine hit of rush for us was scaring the mess out of ourselves thrill yeah, thrills were part of it.

Justin: 37:01

Yeah, and then we we left the the glamping deal which we'll never forget that was awesome and made our way to the hot weather of phoenix and then went to like a water resort. You drove through sedona though right oh yeah yeah, yeah come on.

Justin: 37:12

man drove through sedona on the way, saw the shopping, got some ice cream in Sedona. We stopped in and out first, got some in and out. Probably the best in and out I've ever had was in Flagstaff, arizona. Okay. Then we went and got dessert in Sedona. Amazing views, beautiful country. I wish I had longer to stay there, but we were passing through, that's awesome. Made our way to Phoenix and spent three days there and we first night night family pics with a photographer we had hired. Second day we did a water resort and then ate at a place that was called like um god russell, wrestlers roost or wrestlers roost very cowboy feeling okay like a texas roadhouse type deal yeah, it was like a delay of celebrating my birthday like the family and I mean they do the whole thing.

Justin: 37:56

They brought me a cowboy hat bandana.

Rhett: 38:00

You were eating that up, weren't you? Yeah, oh yeah, I was loving the cowboy hat.

Justin: 38:04

I was like this might be my new thing.

Rhett: 38:06

Man, if I—.

Justin: 38:07

You know, when you get inspired, it's like I might wear this necklace. I'm going to be the new cowboy hat guy.

Rhett: 38:11

No man, you get out there and all of a sudden I'm a cowboy, I'm going to give them a cowgirl.

Justin: 38:16

Remember that song.

Rhett: 38:17

I'm a cowboy and you can be my cowgirl. Those are the dumbest songs, man.

Justin: 38:27

But no, you get inspired by it. I have my Arizona flag wrapped around my neck.

Speaker 3: 38:29

Yeah, I have my little cowboy hat I was like this is going to be my new thing.

Justin: 38:35

Then you wake up the next day. You look at the hat it's like nah I better not.

Rhett: 38:39

It's fun while you're out there, but then it's like all right, you get home. It's like people are going to say take that hat off. Yeah, it's almost like can I rent a hat while I'm out here? Can I rent some clothes while I'm out here? Let me turn it back in.

Justin: 38:50

Yeah.

Speaker 3: 38:58

And then celebrated our 25th.

Justin: 38:59

It was beautiful. And then summer just walked that stage and it was glorious. And then let me just tell you, we had some luggage to repack and get back on that flight and we were back home and so did you buy a lot of souvenirs?

Rhett: 39:09

did you have? It wasn't?

Justin: 39:10

because of that. It's because we planned such a long trip. Okay, we had to plan for some cooler weather. We didn't know it'd be freezing. We didn't plan for freezing, yeah, but we didn't know it'd be freezing. We didn't plan for freezing, yeah, but we planned for some cold, cooler weather. It's hard, hot weather. Also, summer's graduation like her clothing yeah, some dresses, and summer was so good with us to wear whatever we wanted to wear. But all the boys were like we want to wear, we want to dress up. Did?

Justin: 39:36

you have, so we packed suits, and for me and the boys everybody wanted to dress up nice.

Rhett: 39:41

Did y'all go and do any? Uh, I mean, you were there long enough to probably need to stop by and have a car wash, but a washing machine and dryer like laundromat oh yeah, we did in our hotel.

Justin: 39:51

Our hotel room had one not far from it, so we watched it.

Rhett: 39:55

Yeah man, I know those long trips like that are hard, it's like golly.

Justin: 39:59

Yeah, we had a lot to pack, and so we did southwest, and I'm not used to like where you can like check in luggage for free well, that's ending it is, I heard yeah well, we got it before it ended and on our way home.

Rhett: 40:10

I might throw everything in there I don't want to keep it with anything, and so but yeah, and that was a direct flight for you to come back too, so you don't have to worry about losing your luggage or anything.

Justin: 40:20

No, it's awesome that's great and, like you said, man, it was beautiful. The stars. I've never seen the stars so clear. I mean I just that's all I remember I was stargazing brother yeah, I mean, I'm just staring like this is not, this isn't real yeah they've put a, they've put something on the ceiling.

Rhett: 40:35

You get in a true dark, where they got like a true dark place, where there's no natural light.

Justin: 40:39

Yeah, it's dark. They call it dark place certified yeah you get there in in.

Rhett: 40:45

Correct me if I'm wrong, but when you were there the moon wasn't out, so it was uh, it's perfect. Yeah, so that's even better so you're really getting you can see the milky way, you can see stars, and I mean it went by with the naked eye, you know which? That was the coolest thing for me. Yeah, oh, it was I mean it was all great, but I just remember that being in that spot at 14, looking up and giving my chance, my eyes a chance to settle in.

Justin: 41:10

I'm like golly, this is insane. It took me three, 33 years later, but I finally saw it.

Rhett: 41:16

Well, you just got.

Justin: 41:16

You got there, man, you got there you could hear the coyotes in the background.

Rhett: 41:20

I mean yeah, yeah, that's pretty surreal man. Okay, I'm back in the car. Yeah, you're seeing all these buildings. It's like my gosh.

Speaker 3: 41:28

I saw this on bugs bunny I know all these wily coyotes territory.

Justin: 41:33

Yep, yep, I know it's really albuquerque, but still it's the same that that Arizona. The mountains, the way they're oddly shaped, it's like okay, that wasn't just the cartoons.

Rhett: 41:42

Yeah, it's real. Now I'm bringing it to life, man, I'm glad you guys had a good time.

Justin: 41:46

You deserve that, thank you man, We've been planning that trip, yeah, For a long time, feels like, you know, at the time of this recording, it's like that season has come to an end. You're kind of in this liminal stage right now and then fresh things are coming. Who knows what that is, but you know, we talked a few weeks ago talking about passing the baton and how you know our pastor for 24 years, Pastor Chris Hodges, passed the baton to Pastor Mark Pettis, yeah, and so we've been going through that as a staff you know really the word, really as a team, yeah, and it's been awesome. Literally, we came back from our trip that we just talked about and we went straight to our annual all-team retreat. Yeah, it was great, and so that's been. I know you know it was fun seeing you there with your wife on staff. It's crazy.

Rhett: 42:40

It's crazy how big it is Cause. So we were there that one night and I'm looking for you and I couldn't find you.

Justin: 42:44

Yeah, I didn't see it all. Yeah, until the next day. How in the?

Rhett: 42:46

world? Are we at the same retreat and? The same staff. I know we had to change this man Saturday. We got to get in touch and then the next day over I was like, okay, there he is, all right, there he is.

Justin: 42:59

It's funny and everybody else had seen us, except we hadn't seen each other.

Speaker 3: 43:03

Everybody's like yeah, I've been talking to Rhett, I'm like I hadn't seen him. Then we finally get to hang.

Justin: 43:10

It was really cool because it's not just symbolic, because it's actually happening, but just seeing a lot of these what's going to be amazing changes come up.

Justin: 43:19

But you're, as I said, you're in this liminal stage. You just you're kind of palms up, but you're also just, you're trying to execute your responsibilities the best you can. You're trying to maintain you always want to maintain your integrity. You know, no matter who's listening, that's such an I mean that keeps you in the game of life. You know, at least in the right space that you want to be in and um, but then also just your responsibilities, just stewarding well, what you've been given, do it as good, to the best of your abilities. But then always stay kind of palms up to to say I'm, I'm going to, I'm going to whatever I have, I'm going to take hold of it and do it great, but I'm not gonna hold on to it too long, I'm gonna hold it very openly because it's not not my identity, yeah, but then it just kind of you know, when you, when you live in that way, it just gets you excited for what's to come, even if you don't know what's to come.

Rhett: 44:10

But you know that it's gonna be good and it's a great way to live life, no matter if you're in a season of transition or not. You know, yeah, man, palms up. When you're saying palms up, what you mean is a life of surrender. That's right that you know. If you're not flowing with that open-handedness, it's like I'm not going to live my life trying to grasp anything. I'm going to live my life with my hands open to go.

Justin: 44:34

Hey, it's not mine anyway, this is all God's and um, and there's a blessing that follows with that man for sure. Yeah, yes, I think with me so many times if I've tried to pound through, like to make things happen. I don't have a lot of that where I look back and say, well, that was well worth it.

Rhett: 44:53

Anytime I've ever tried to hold onto something, it always slips in my hands anyway because I'm not strong enough to hold on to it.

Justin: 44:59

Yeah, yeah, and it hurts on the way to it.

Speaker 3: 45:03

Hey guys, red here Just want to take a moment and say thank you to every single one of you who have taken the time to follow us on social media. Now, if today is your first time to join us for an episode, man, we want to say welcome, friends, it's so good to have you with us. Could you take a moment look us up on Instagram or Facebook? You can find us there at Armchair Authentic, or you can go on over to X. Find us there as well, at Armchair Auth Pod. That's Armchair Auth A-U-T-H-P-O-D. All right, now back to the conversation.

Justin: 45:36

It is those things where you just surrender it and you try to stay faithful to what you've been given, without it identifying who you are, because it's like we already know whose we are. Yeah, and just watch them. What happens Like the doors that have opened for me have come from things that have not been forced. It's been those grace flows, those divine flows in relationships, the grace flows and operating in a God-given ability that he's giving you and being enough just to operate in that and just watching him work through it. Because if you look at everything like it's all for his glory anyway and really mean that that's you know it sounds like such a cliche statement, but if we can walk around in everywhere and say this is for the glory of Jesus, everything, everything and really mean it, I mean it's easy to let go of things that you're not supposed to be holding on to.

Justin: 46:30

It's easy to kind of open up and just say, hey, wherever I contribute the best, god, according to you, wherever you have wired me to go be, that's where I'll be and I'm completely content with that, because the projection that we can put we can easily put projections of what we think we're supposed to be doing and and that's where it gets hard to actually want to let go, cause you're living this, this. You know I'm giving air quotes here, you're. You're living the dream. Yeah, you're wanting to accomplish the dream, the projection that you've put out there like, ooh, I want to do this. And our wanting to do this isn't always what God's best. As we've said before, what God's best is.

Rhett: 47:12

Man. I was at a retreat a few weeks ago and had the opportunity to sit down with I'm not going to name drop, but just a pastor I admire, and we were talking about three things identity, purpose and assignment and kind of the differences between these three. And as we're talking about this, it just kind of had it come up in my spirit so if you're cool with me going there really quick, be awesome. This. It just kind of had it come up in my spirit. So if you're cool with me going there really quick, be awesome. Um, so there's three questions around this, because I was the reason we got in those conversations, because I was, truth be told, just like I think I'm still grieving some of the the past is that the best is behind me, and as if grieving the identity and some of the things that come along with you know notoriety, if you will, or titles or whatever from things in my past, right, and so he closed the session around these three things identity, purpose and assignment. They're all three different and they all have their place, and there's three questions, he said, that are around this.

Rhett: 48:14

Number one when it comes to identity, who am I Right? That question we ask ourselves. And, according to the word of God, our identity is that we are a beloved creation of God. We're created in God's image and we're loved by God. I mean, that's, that's truly who we are. And he was telling me that he has to remind himself Again. This is high-level pastor. If I gave you his name, you'd be like, oh my gosh, he struggles with self-image stuff. Are you kidding?

Justin: 48:42

me, you would think they arrived a long time ago. They won't, for nothing yeah.

Rhett: 48:48

Everybody knows this person's name. Humble, but yet, just I mean he's like and he says every day I send myself a text. He set up a text to send himself every day. That comes to him every morning. That just reminds him of who he is so cool. And I started sending a text to myself every morning. After this it was like every morning I'm getting myself a text.

Rhett: 49:09

I didn't know you could do this by the way you can set up a shortcut on your iPhone and tell it to send a text and tell the verb is to send it and every day I get this text to myself and it's kind of like a text from myself, but also from the Lord speaking to me kind of like, hey, reminding you, son, who you are, and so like, yeah, my identity it's not on what I do, it's on who, who, who's I am Right and so.

Rhett: 49:33

But then there's purpose. Like um, does God say we are Like our purpose, like what should I be doing? That's the question around purpose, what should I be doing? And I love this. He clarified it. He said here's our purpose. Let's just, let's not overcomplicate purpose. And you interrupt at any point. You have something you want to say here. This is scary. But he said my purpose, your purpose as a child of God, a follower of Christ, our purpose is simple. It's to bring the kingdom rule of God into every environment that we come into. If you're struggling with your purpose right now, just know wherever you are, like your role is just to bring the kingdom rule of God into every environment. And what does that mean? It means, like, think of the fruits of the spirit love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, self-control. Like those are the fruit of walking with Jesus. If you bring that fruit, that's the God's purpose for our lives.

Speaker 3: 50:26

Yeah, we try to overcomplicate it. We try to over sexify it I don't know if that's a word or we really do Like, we're like. Oh, my purpose is this right?

Rhett: 50:36

No, no, man. Your purpose is, wherever you are, to bring the kingdom, rule of God into that situation. Yeah, your job. The grocery store, the restaurant? Yes, you know the car that just cut you off.

Justin: 50:51

Yeah, it gets to that point of we said this a few weeks ago when you're we talk more in the sense of when you're coaching somebody. But also it's the question you can ask in every area, like where is God in this, every situation we're going through, where is God in this? Like, our job is to bring His kingdom into every domain that we operate. No-transcript, even in that pain and in that purposelessness, is to still be able to find a way to ask that question, which means we have to have trust and we have to have hope. We can't lose trust and we can't lose hope in Jesus, but asking ourself, even in this tough time where is the kingdom of God in this? Am I bringing the kingdom of God even into this terrible, depressing situation? Where is God in this moment? Because he is supposed to exist?

Justin: 52:13

in every part of our life, and he wants to be in every part of our life, and he wants to be in every part of our life.

Rhett: 52:17

Yeah.

Justin: 52:18

And we can dictate living the good life. Yeah, and we want that. But God never created those conditions of saying I'm only there, he will go into the depths with us. And how do we even go into the depths that we're even in right now? Right, how can you bring the kingdom of God even into that place? Which seems like the least likely place that we would be talking about on this point.

Speaker 3: 52:42

Yeah.

Justin: 52:43

But we're even supposed to bring the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, even into these places, no matter where we are?

Rhett: 52:51

Oh, 100%. He gave an example. He was like I'm on this. He said, well, he was on the airplane and he was on the back of the plane and he's sitting there and he's sitting beside somebody who's just really happy Like singing and dancing, you know kind of like jamming to music, and he's looking at this guy like, oh man, you've got to be kidding me. This is like this is going to be. It was like a seven, eight hour flight across the country. You know, to overseas.

Rhett: 53:20

And he was like, and it was in that moment the Holy Spirit reminded him this is where you're called to bring the kingdom God. This is your purpose right now. Your purpose is to be a not a thermometer, but a thermostat.

Justin: 53:34

Right.

Rhett: 53:35

And I'm calling you to bring the fruit of the spirit in this situation. So good, and, yeah so, and I'm, I'm calling you to bring the fruit of the spirit in this situation, and and yeah, so. And then there's assignment, right? So we talked about identity, purpose, right, and questions around this, and then and then assignment, and so assignment, like you hear that word a lot, in fact, when we started our podcast.

Rhett: 53:54

We talked about that a lot. And so what is assignment? It's wherever it is. It's the place that we fulfill the purpose of God. Like right now, our assignment you and I we're sitting here, we're making this recording that's going to go out, and our assignment is to bring the fruit of the Spirit, the love, the joy, the peace, the patience, the goodness, the kindness, self-control, the wisdom, the knowledge of God, and just the fun and the relationship. Knowledge of God, and just the fun and the relationship.

Rhett: 54:20

And you know, even when I'm not feeling good, when you're feeling good, whatever, like just to encourage people, to inspire people, to remind them of God's love for them, like that's our assignment. Yeah, this is not our identity, right, right, it's not our identity. No, we are children of God, yeah, right, and our purpose is to bring the kingdom, rule of God and rule of God, and one of our assignments right now is what we're doing. Yes, right. And so back to what you were saying. Like you know, there's micro assignments that are short term Right, and there's a macro, like our husband, whether you're a husband, a father, you know, uncle, aunt, niece, nephew, Right. But he said we can either add to the chaos in the room or change the atmosphere with the kingdom of God. Nice, yeah, I mean, like, think about that for a second when we walk into a situation. We can either add to the chaos in the room or we can change that atmosphere with the kingdom of God.

Justin: 55:10

Yeah, I love it. It reminds me of you know. We've talked before about you know, growing up we kind of go into the hot tub and hanging out with like whatever young people that were our age hanging out and and and that stands out to us because we got to feel the impact.

Justin: 55:26

That's why we can recall that 32 years later yeah that you know, we would go, step into an environment like that, with people who obviously had a different kind of mindset, a different worldview, a different pleasure system that they're actually living for and trying to achieve in that moment.

Justin: 55:43

And here we come, just, it's like because of our love that we've received from the Lord and the forgiveness that he's given us, we are just naturally just. It's reverberating, it's beaming out of us and we could walk into those moments and we completely would change the atmosphere. And it wasn't to bring any glory or notoriety to ourself, but it was to actually truly care, like we had a true care for those people and it it would show through and it would completely alter what would end up being the rest of that beach trip. We'd end up hanging out with that crew for the next five to six days and it completely changed. That was the kingdom of God, was our little crew for that week. We became a kingdom, if you will. We brought his kingdom into it and it revolutionized what the plans were before we came into that circle.

Rhett: 56:41

Oh, yeah, and I mean very frank these. These are people who were wanting to do a spring break the way the world would want to do a spring break.

Justin: 56:51

They were all planning to hook up with each other.

Rhett: 56:52

They were all doing it, that was their objective. And then and then, god shows up and amidst the chaos of two crazy guys like us, yes, and they start softening their heart and all of a sudden they're like yeah, hey, man, we all sing that, you know yes yes to be in the light song or whatever that is I sing of your love yeah, I mean like there's

Justin: 57:10

just something. The holy spirit. When you bring the kingdom of god into an environment, the holy spirit, you don't have to do it, you don't have to fix anybody. Yeah, the holy spirit will soften the hearts. So good, and he softened the hearts of those people in our circle. And what are they doing today? I don't know, but I sure hope that that seed that was planted, that it didn't return void and impacted their life. But in moment, god was present with us all and it was really, really special that we're talking about it once again 32 years later. That was an assignment that existed in that moment.

Rhett: 57:51

And he spoke to vocational assignments. There are times in our vocation, what we do that are assignments and in this particular person I was talking to, it resonated with me when he said none of my assignments were my identity, because it's so easy to tie into our identity with what we do. In fact, I had a hard time when I transitioned from the lead pastor at One Life and I'm sitting with family at a holiday or not just family, but any friends what's the first thing people do in a conversation? When you're meeting somebody, you're talking hey, man, what's your name? Or whatever, and then you're like, oh, what do you do always?

Rhett: 58:30

yeah, that's like mostly I shouldn't say always yeah, no, that's like 99.9 of the time and in that season of transition I was like well, I could tell you what I did, what I'm currently doing, you know, and I'm like I don't know.

Rhett: 58:45

And I even told Linda like I was, I had a hard time with that it's so tough because I was like, as a man, I don't care, man, woman, whoever you are. Like that's, it's easy to tie in our assignment. That was an assignment by God for a season of my life, but that is not who I was, that's not who I am. And so I don't know where you are today when you're listening to this, and maybe you love the season you're in, maybe you don't love the season you're in, but at the end of the day, it's just reminded that who you are is. You're a child of God. Right, that's your identity. Your purpose is to bring the kingdom and rule of God into every situation. That's the fruit of the Spirit.

Rhett: 59:23

And your assignment right now might be to be XYZ at this company, but that's just an assignment. That's not who you are, that's not your identity. And so there's three phrases that tie all this together, and the first one says when it comes to these things, take time every day to be mindful of our identity, of who we are. So take time to be mindful, to remind ourselves who we are. We're a beloved son or beloved daughter of God. Right To be faithful to your purpose. Just be faithful to your purpose, man.

Rhett: 59:53

Be, faithful to love. Be faithful to be kind. Be faithful to show up. Be faithful to have self-control. Be faithful to be kind. Be faithful to show up. Be faithful to you know have self-control. Be faithful to be patient. Be faithful to you. Know to love people the way that God has loved you In every environment, every environment, not just your assignment right, but just be grateful for your assignment, knowing it can change Back to your open-handedness.

Rhett: 1:00:11

Like you don't have to hold on to it, just be grateful. Hey man, I'm grateful for it, but this doesn't make me, this doesn't break me, this doesn't shape me. I mean, I'm grateful, but this is not who I am right. Yeah, and the thing that he closed with, which really touched me and hopefully you can help me kind of tell this a little bit, because I think we've talked about this before but he began to read the story of Moses. What do we know Moses for? What's the big what's? What's the big pedigree?

Justin: 1:00:41

that we know.

Rhett: 1:00:47

Exodus, getting people out of Egypt right Crossing the Red Sea. But if you go back you know what he was. He was born right and all the, all the Egyptians were going to kill these baby boys and save the baby. Save the baby put it in a basket, put it in the Nile. Pharaoh's daughter picked him up. Right Moses was raised in what In like a in the Pharaohs yeah, he was like, he was like kingly yeah.

Rhett: 1:01:07

Kingly Right Palace living. But then he made a mistake. Well, you know to be argued a mistake, I mean he murdered somebody and he and he did it all in good cause because he was trying to take care of the Hebrew people Right. So an Egyptian slave Right, or an Egyptian you know beating on a Hebrew, yeah, and he was like I don't like this. So he killed that Egyptian, yeah, he murdered yeah, right. Well, then word got out that he killed somebody and he ran away.

Justin: 1:01:34

Yeah.

Rhett: 1:01:34

He went out in the middle of nowhere called Midian right. And there in the middle of nowhere, you got to imagine if you think about like I love to contextualize scripture like this, it doesn't really say it's there. But if you think through humanity for a second and this is what he was saying he said could you imagine Moses in this moment? Now, this is before the burning bush moment, this is before the Exodus. He's in the middle of nowhere, he's killed somebody, he's thinking, you know, he's out here just living life as a nobody right now, yeah and uh, what Moses would be known for hadn't even been done yet. So good, I mean, think about that for a second.

Justin: 1:02:09

Yes, what Moses would go on to be known for, he hadn't even done yet and there's no telling how many times in that season he thought, the past I mean the best has already passed.

Rhett: 1:02:23

Think about the best, the best. Yeah, I killed a guy. Think about the palace, think about where it was, the good life, the comfort, the money, the notoriety, the you know, I mean position, the title, the man, the position, the title, the man.

Rhett: 1:02:37

maybe I missed it. Maybe I was supposed to do something for God in there and here I am, out in the middle of nowhere, hiding from everybody. Nobody can see me. In this season, midian means the middle, I'm in the middle and yet what we would know Moses for he hadn't even done it yet. So you think about, so the encouragement to me in that, here, at 47 years old, looking, thinking that my best is behind me, you know, just being truthful of what I'm processing and trying to move forward in, and maybe you are too somebody listening, man, it's like maybe what you're going to be known for, you haven't even done yet. Yeah, think about that for a second. Yes, not to make it about you, but there's encouragement there to go. No, god's not done with me, that's right. Like we're just getting started. Yes, and then, of course, you know moses, burning bush moment, aaron, go.

Rhett: 1:03:29

you know all the plagues everything the you know egyptians yes, and he's in his, in his 80s, you know I mean and like this, huge millions and millions and millions and millions and millions of israelites, you know, set free from the captive of egypt.

Justin: 1:03:45

And yeah, oh man, yeah he didn't see that moment coming, when god would lead him back, and there's so many of us who are hopefully you're. You're doing what you're, you're handling your responsibility right now you're stewarding something.

Justin: 1:04:00

Maybe you've made a I mean like you did right years ago and handed off a church when it was going really, really well, but you were feeling the voice of the Lord and it really felt like, oh man, that could have been the heyday. The greatest thing I've ever done has already happened. Maybe you're in the middle, just you're parenting your kids right now and it feels like all that you're doing is spending time with your kids and there's no other time for anything else. But yet you found a way to be faithful to that and say, but you know what, in the season of this assignment, I'm going to be faithful to that, if you can. Just when you hit those nights of wondering, like Lord, is there more?

Justin: 1:04:43

The answer is yes, and God, just like he spoke to Moses, just like he spoke to so many people, not just recorded in scripture, but even people that you could even think of, you're just one moment away from that voice to say, okay, here is this upcoming assignment. Because you have also either been faithful in this assignment or because you have been humble you've humbled yourself or because you have been repentant. Maybe you're going a wrong direction and you woke up and realized this is not the way I'm supposed to be going. Repentance means you're turning the direction back, coming back, and because you took that one step back, you might be one step back from assignment. And so every ear if we can have ears to hear I love that. The greatest thing that you're going to be a part of probably has not even happened yet it hasn't even happened yet.

Rhett: 1:05:39

So, when it comes to identity, who are we? We're child of god, beloved, created in his image, more a masterpiece man. It's awesome. Our purpose is simple to bring the kingdom rule of god into every situation. What does that mean? It's the fruits of the spirit wherever you are just walking his love, his kindness, his goodness, his peace, his patience, his self-control. That's given to us by the power of the Spirit. Wherever you are, just walk in His love, his kindness, his goodness, his peace, his patience, his self-control. That's given to us by the power of the Holy Spirit through our relationship with God. This is our purpose, everybody. This is it. It's not just standing on a platform, it's not having the next reel that gets a million likes. It's bringing the kingdom rule of God in every situation. And what? What is your assignment? It's right where you are, man.

Rhett: 1:06:25

You know we have vocational assignments, but be wherever you are, just be content and be grateful. In that, live open-handed, like you said.

Justin: 1:06:31

Palms up, baby palms up and the Holy spirit, even now, just let us know Speak to us Our receptors, lord. They're open, our palms are up, we're hearing what you have to say. So speak to us, lord. We want to walk in your will. Amen.

Speaker 3: 1:06:51

Hey friends, thank you so much for joining us on today's conversation. We cannot wait until our next episode that drops next Monday. So until then, we hope you have a great day, stay safe and we will see you soon, right here with your friends Red and Justin at Armchair Authentic.