Rhett: 0:00

Imagine a world where every conversation feels like a genuine connection with authentic people. A place where you truly feel like you belong and where everyone can put here at the table. Friends, welcome to Armchair Authentic. All right, my man. Episode 100 is finally here. I cannot believe it. It's unbelievable. Three digits. Three digits. One zero zero. Yes. We made it. Let's addition accomplished. Mission accomplished.

Justin: 0:34

All right, we'll see you guys.

Rhett: 0:35

Yeah. So, hey, everybody, God bless. Have a happy new year. Love you. That's right. No, no, I'm not doing that. Hey, I I know many people think, well, hey, what's the agenda of the conversation today? Honestly, you and I had this just a few minutes ago. We do not have an agenda because at the end of the day, that has been what armchair authentic is.

Justin: 0:55

Yeah, we've never pre-planned a talk. So we really haven't. So we gotta just we're letting whatever comes out of our mouth.

Rhett: 1:01

So we're not even quite sure um exactly what direction this will go, but in pure armchair authentic fashion, um, it's gonna go somewhere, y'all.

Justin: 1:10

So I had someone ask me the other day that said, How have you kept this up every week? You're releasing another episode. And I just let them know I said not to take away because it is work, but at the same time, yeah. I mean, we just we really I told him we just hit play or we just hit record and start coming up with it. It's all natural conversation, and so there is no dead space unless it magically happens today. And that and that really scales it for us because we have kept this as a hobby, yeah. A hobby with purpose. Yeah. And so it's we just come in and do what we normally do. We were doing this before the podcast, and we're gonna start, we're gonna continue to do this once the recording button's done.

Rhett: 1:56

We did it for three hours before we even hit record. Actually, we met at uh Starbucks and Moody. That's right.

Justin: 2:02

That's right to the Moody Starbucks. Yeah, as our year is dwindling down. We like to get our connection in, and we spent three hours.

Rhett: 2:09

Yeah, just hanging out.

Justin: 2:11

Just no, I mean, we didn't even talk about what's the what are you dreaming out about next year? It was literally just rehashing some old coming, what's going on now, and encouraging each other. And yeah, it is, it's it's it's cool.

Rhett: 2:25

It's been good. Well, you know, last night um here in the Birmingham area, um a storm rolled through and like it was rain sideways. Like you know the rain is going sideways when it's pelting your window. Like normally rain falls, it's north to south, right? From up to down. And bro, I looked up, I pulled up, I was thinking, man, we must be in the middle of a tornado, you know. And I pull up uh the weather in uh old good old James Spann in the Birmingham, Alabama area. I'll go to Facebook, yeah, and I'm like, James Spann, boom. He's like, hey, you know, severe thunderstorm, no tornado type stuff, but like 70 mile an hour wind gust. Yes, line drive coming through. And I'm like, well, that's what this is. Okay, you know, and I'm thinking my first thought is well, there goes my uh outdoor furniture, probably flying into the neighbors. Which, which, which uh, believe it or not, I went out this morning and looked and it didn't even seem to move.

Justin: 3:29

This is so weird. Where we're at in Alabama, that's the state national bird.

Rhett: 3:32

Is the trampoline trampoline flying through the air? Yeah, I don't have a trampoline, but if I did, I would have thought it would have flown away.

Justin: 3:39

Umtact.

Rhett: 3:41

But it's in the transition right now, at least from the day of this recording of just like fall to winter. Yeah. And so you've got those cold fronts coming through. Oh, yeah. Um, and when those cold fronts come through, at least in the south, uh, there's a bunch of just weather patterns that just comes into like complete chaos.

Justin: 3:57

Yeah, and from December to January to February, yeah. Even though those are the coldest months that are coming up in January and February, you might even be listening now, and on this week, it could have just turned January. But it's amazing how you can get one of those warm days out of nowhere. Yeah. It'll just catch you off the road.

Rhett: 4:14

That doesn't happen anywhere else. It's only like right here where the Alabama, you know, Georgia, like the central Alabama.

Justin: 4:21

And it can be like a tornado warning. Oh, like take cover tornado. So you're happy when you get a warm day, but when the clouds rush in, it was 40 degrees the day before, it's 80 degrees today.

Rhett: 4:31

Yeah, it's like, okay, that that that that's nice in theory, but not so much with a weather pattern.

Justin: 4:36

Well, that happened too early November, where it's like we had to turn the faucet zone a little bit because we were in 70, 75 degree weather and it went below freezing. Yeah. And I put all the things, but then later at Thanksgiving week, I took them all off, put the hose in my pool to put a little more water in it, doing the leaf blowing thing. Yes, it is an interesting weather.

Rhett: 4:59

Well, I think the reason I mentioned the weather is uh, you know, that transitioning of seasons. Um, it really came to the forefront of my mind today because I even wrote it down seasons change transitions, which go along with honestly the whole journey up to episode 100 for us. If you're a first-time listener, uh Justin and I started this podcast uh 100 episodes ago. Today is the official last episode of Armchair Authentic for today. Um, you know, I kid I'm like, well, it's kind of like a dot dot dot ellipsis to which to be continued or not. It's like the friends episode. You know, it's like it are they gonna have a come back and do another show or are they gonna keep going or not? You know, and and so, anyways, just this whole idea of seasons, transitions, change. If you're joining us, we're glad that you're here. It's been a journey. Um, when we started out, it wasn't the mindset of let's just go to 100 and finish it there. Right. Um, but just with life and seasons and you know, um, seasons you're in, seasons I'm in, you know, this is just real life talk. Like it just is what it is.

Justin: 6:08

And just to me, even just unctions, you just get these senses of hmm. This might be yeah. What if what if we looked at this in a long time ago? What if we looked at 100 as being the closing of the time capsule? The time capsule.

Rhett: 6:27

Yeah, which honestly, that the whole mindset of time capsule is Justin and I stewarding our stories, stewarding our relationships, um, in a way that serve people, but honestly, selfishly serving my family, keeping this as a gift, hopefully to them, not a curse, yeah, uh, but hopefully a gift to them to where they could go back and what here's here's the thought like what I would have given to been able to go back and hear conversations of how like my granddad and my grandma and both sides, and how they met and stuff they went through life and how they struggled, how they overcame, how did they see God's faithfulness in their life, and how do they parent my dad and then my dad, and the same kind of thing with my dad and my mom, and like I'd give anything just to be able to go back and hear some conversations of my mom, who you know I lost at an early age. And so to be able to live in a time where we can document and just capture our conversations, our friendship, our stories, and what God has done, God is doing, and what we hope God will continue to do. We know as we just keep trusting in Him. Um well, and also I think it's a fun, a fun way to just steward our stories.

Justin: 7:41

And having last episode, having Pastor Scott was really, really awesome. Just to introduce to our listeners, yeah. That's that's Peace Scott, as we call him. Very, very uh important person to us who was part of very formative years. Yeah, primarily our first seven, but it just shows how important those years are because to this day we've stayed even if you hadn't taught with him in eight months, yeah. You can get on the phone and you feel like you're just talking to someone who has been a friend for years. Yeah. And that's what's special about it. And I fully intend that that's gonna be our relationship as long as I'm alive.

Speaker 6: 8:24

Yeah.

Justin: 8:24

And I'm grateful for that. And so it was fun to let the podcast audience get to hear from Peace Scott.

Rhett: 8:31

Yeah, a two-hour episode. Wow, imagine that. Yeah. Somewhere along that line. I don't know how it all finished out.

Justin: 8:35

You know, yeah, it was probably around an hour 50. Yeah, I think that's what it was. Yeah.

Rhett: 8:40

I don't I don't think that our conversation today will go there that long. Maybe it will. Um, but you know, if you were we were talking, like, where do we go with this? And I think we just we stay true to who we are and we talk it out loud. And, you know, I'm one espresso in, but that was three hours ago. So it might be wearing off. I just had some eggs and a biscuit and some bacon. Yeah, that was pretty great. My wife is home, and when she's home, she loves to cook and I love to eat it. So I mean I'm grateful.

Justin: 9:11

I benefited. So there was some left for me, and I came and ate it too. So good.

Rhett: 9:16

So my tone and my rhythm, it's so funny. When you're an uplifting, positive type, like always like, what's up, everybody? I love you know, it's so good to see you. You know, it's interesting when you when you're that type of person naturally, and then you get into a conversation like I'm talking now with you. A lot of people are like, Man, you okay? I'm like, no, man, I'm totally, I'm fine. I'm great. Yeah, I really am. Um, I I do think today's conversation, at least from my perspective, is probably more like reflective, uh, looking back, um being thankful, and just talking out loud, just even the process of maybe what this has been, yeah, what it is. And you know, I think everybody asks, well, what's next? You know, no any transition in life. Everybody's like, what's next? And I'm like natural. I think that's a natural question, but I'm I'm trying to live in, I'm not so much worried about what's next right now. I'm I'm in what's now.

Speaker: 10:07

Yeah.

Rhett: 10:07

I know I've mentioned that in several conversations, and that's just the season of life I'm in. And I hope not to really move from that. Not to say I won't make plans for the future, but living in this moment, living in this now, enjoying this conversation, and yeah, just reflecting on all that God has done through this podcast is yeah, it's been a ride, man.

Justin: 10:29

Yeah, it really has. And I feel like for me, being in this season too, I've mentioned several times throughout some episodes that December 06 season, yeah, which really felt like that was a season, by the way, you can go back and listen, but we went, me and Summer went through our first miscarriage, and it was very pivotal, the healing process, but it also was an awakening moment of hey, be aware, there's some stuff around you you're just not seeing.

Speaker 6: 10:56

Yeah.

Justin: 10:57

And it's beautiful what's there, the people in your life.

Speaker 6: 11:00

Yeah.

Justin: 11:00

You know, get the agenda out of your mind. You're in this climbing mode. It was just a recentering, a refocus. And I don't necessarily recognize there being a lot of agendas right now. Yeah. But I still do sense in this season, probably began to feel it late July. Like knowing, like there's there is a I've used the word in the past couple episodes, a pouring out that's happening right now. Personally, then I'm just I'm trying to empty myself of so many things without knowing the full ramifications of what that means. I'm like you, I don't, I'm not looking at what's next.

Speaker 6: 11:39

Yeah.

Justin: 11:40

You know, we do have things. I have things, you have things that we're working on in pursuits, if you will, with race car with Max and me. You know, I'm I'm I am in a season where I haven't talked a lot about it, but I ended up going back to school uh several months ago to get my master's. And, you know, as you're listening now, we I've completed one third of it. So it's been a hectic pace trying to uh finish this, but it's been wonderful and glorious at the same time. But what I do feel is as December of 06 was looming and that moment happened, I remember 07 was amazing. And I had zero expectation that it was gonna be amazing.

Speaker 6: 12:28

Yeah.

Justin: 12:29

But my goodness, it it was ministry redefined for me. And I I fully have the well, let me say it, I guess I have this expectation that you know we might be in it now in January 26th. I can't even believe we're talking that. If you're listening to the date of release, it's December 29th and you're gearing up for some great new year plans. But I'm excited for whatever 26 holds, but much like you, yeah. I just want to stay locked in on what I'm doing. I want to be as connected with summer with our boys who are in some really pivotal years right now of 16. Yeah, about to turn in a few days. Kyle will be 15, Britt is 11, and Ben is nine. And so locking in fully uh with them as we step into this year. And then the privilege that I get to have for gosh over 17 years now, yeah, at Church of the Highlands, just different roles throughout that journey. But this anticipation of what 2026 holds, and meaning you were using this word earlier just that prayer of as I'm emptying out so that and then as I'm being made, even made more new, this wineskin using the Bible's analogies that the Holy Spirit can pour in. And the wineskin is new, able to contain what he wants to pour in, and then I'm ready to continually pour out to be obedient to what God's asking. And he has not revealed that, but I'm ready to be locked in in a new, renewed sense. And I have full anticipation of whatever that looks like, what I'm getting to do right now at Highlands is to completely just lean in and just not just hear like what a job is, like, here's what I gotta do for my job. But Holy Spirit, what are you speaking in this moment? And how can how can the Bradshaws, how can, how can Justin, how can Summer, how can we take what you've poured into us and just be available, hopefully be humble in spirit, not to try to force things to happen, a fresh sacrifice mindset of I don't want to try to force things, but I do want to be available. I hope I walk in humility and we're ready to be poured out however you desire to pour us out. And if that is utilizing uh some of the skill sets he's given us to pour into in our world, which would be, you know, our teammates, which would be like pastors and leaders within our church, yeah, and just to be faithful to them and help them as they're taking care of their congregation, yeah. What can we give back to help support them to be as successful and caring as they can for the people that God has brought up that God has brought us at Highlands? What can we do to be poured out, to pour in? And then to take that mentality next um with school. What can I, yes, I want to achieve getting this master's degree, but what can I lean in and learn? What are you teaching me now, Lord, that had I done this in my 20s, yeah, I don't think I would have been as receptive. I would have been just trying to get it done.

Speaker 6: 16:07

Yeah.

Justin: 16:08

But how can I take what I'm reading and these projects and papers and whatever it is that I'm doing? Yeah, how can it be more than just a master's program? What can I ingest just by the power of the Holy Spirit that I can take this and also pour it out into Lord, whatever influence you give me? And if that's the smallest corner of a few people, I want to steward that.

Speaker 6: 16:32

Yeah.

Justin: 16:33

And if you want it to be more, that's your call, God. Because I'm just not I'm not turned on by the numbers. And that has been a progression. I think when we look back over the past two years, for me, this podcast and this time capsule, it's so great that other people are gonna get to hear this. But for me, it's been great because God has used our friendship and will continue to do so. But the fact that we hit record, I can be authentic as I want, but the fact is I'm still aware I'm being recorded. Yeah. And what that has done for me over two years has been so great. Because if you're listening to this, I still listen back, and I can still be the critiquer that I am. And there's a shadow side to everything, and there's a great side. Yeah. I listen for good feedback, and I think we should all do that, but there's still the shadow side that I get aware of. And God has used this for me because I'll re-listen and I'll ask God, would you expose some things that I'm still not even aware that I do? And I can listen back to an episode, and as good as it is, there's almost like a little prickling of something that wakes me up, and I realize, man, there's a little bit of tone there. I didn't realize, but when I talked about this, a tone kicked in, and no one would know. Yeah. But I knew. And it would it would be letting me recognize wow, there's still God just pinpointed something. It's like a mirror. I gotta take this to the Lord. That was a little indicator of something I'm still gotta deal with or struggling with.

Speaker 6: 18:24

Yeah.

Justin: 18:25

And I remember when we we hit episode 48. It was last year, this time, actually. Episode 48, there was something that just broke inside in the best of ways. Don't remember what we talked about, but I do remember that turning of the year. It was something fresh. And so I look back personally, it's been very self-gratifying. I'm grateful that we have hit episode 100. Like that's cool. Yeah. As a goal setter, as the creatives that we are, that I would say that would have been a bucket list to ever say that we had a podcast that hit at 100. And there's more things we can say about that. The irony of 100 and us stopping now when 100 is such a rare number to hit. Yeah. The percentages, that's something we can talk about in a second, too. But but to see how much I've even had personal growth over this hobby with purpose, it'd be like if we were playing tennis instead, I would be growing in even able to run more. We would have been tired on day number one by the end of two days, meaning you would be sprinting the court.

Speaker 5: 19:34

Yeah.

Justin: 19:35

Because you're developing what you're doing. And that's physically, that's mentally, and that's spiritually, whatever you're doing. And this has been a deep spiritual, and I would even say mental work for me.

Speaker 6: 19:47

Yeah.

Justin: 19:47

And I'm grateful uh for these two years. And I my hope and my prayer is as we step into 2026 in its entirety and in its fullness. That when I look back years, I'm going to begin to see a whole new uh all things new when I look at Justin. And that and that our listeners and our family in the future will look back and say, This is where I was at in this season, and these are wonderful truths. I don't anticipate going back on a lot of these things we've said and say, I don't believe that anymore. Right. There's always going to be that. But the grounding of our faith, my hope is that people can go back to this anytime and see a hundred-episode journey of two individuals who have not veered from our faith. But we have had to take some steps forward and some steps back on maybe some of the, as we talked last week, the construction, the deconstruction, the reconstruction of things so that we can enjoy the fullness of the of our relationship with God as He is continually pouring in and making even more things new within our life. But I'm extremely grateful for this opportunity that we've had getting to record these episodes. And then I'll cl I'll close with this portion before we move on. That way you can say something. But I'm also grateful, this is rare because we've done this 40 years. But to come and hit record, though I'm grateful to have someone so consistent like you, Rhett, because every week I know, whether it's every week or we had to batch record a few, we knew our episode weekly was gonna get in.

Rhett: 21:39

Yeah.

Justin: 21:41

And that's not normal when something is not something you're being paid for.

Rhett: 21:45

Right.

Justin: 21:45

When it's just a hobby, it would be easy to not feel it because we came in certain mornings and even kind of joke with each other, like, what if we just didn't record today? We did, but at the end, one of us would be stronger that day and we'd say, Let's just hit record. Yeah. And so we kept each other strong. But the fact to have a friend that we locked in with this hand in hand and said, We're committing to this. That's been very um with no end in sight. With no end in sight, and that's been very rewarding to get to experience that with a friend who you can be completely open with and negotiate our topics even as we're doing it in real time and just experience what that happened. You know, what happens in the moment when two guys sit down and hit hit the record button. It's been great.

Rhett: 22:38

Man, yeah. We I there's so many different places we could go with this, but try to stay along the same lines. Like I wrote down a bunch of little like one-liner type stuff when you were talking. Um if I if I'm reflecting on the podcast, number one, when we first started, I've always been this outgoing individual anyway, and I'm almost kind of like you can just tell how I feel by you know, it's on my sleeve, if you will. Yeah. Um, but it's amazing like the growth when I go back and I don't, but I can only imagine if we went back and hit episode one and then listen to episode now, right? Or any of them in the past 20, how much growth there has been in my own life. And so I wrote three word, three words down uh faith, my faith has grown because of the friendship. So our friendship has grown. Yeah. Not because not because of I don't know, maybe, maybe it is because of the podcast, but just like um the accountability and the intentionality of us choosing to make the time and realizing, okay, we're hanging out and we're gonna hang out and just do what we do and have a great time. Right. But just in doing that, of how we've even grown closer and more open in in ways that I couldn't have imagined that we needed to grow in. It's so it's so true. So the proximity, right, is huge. Um, and so that's been good. And you're right, the accountability, like it just seemed easy, but there were moments we talked about it earlier about yeah, like, oh, it's not like it's a burden, but yet it's okay, all right. We we yeah, we we need to do this. Um, it's never felt like work because it's always been worth it.

Speaker: 24:30

Yeah.

Rhett: 24:30

And so faith has grown, our friendship has grown, and it what's amazing is to me is that this has been fruitful, not only in our own lives for our own journey, um, but from the friends that we get to do life with, the ones that we know, the ones that we haven't met yet, and I say haven't met yet, that I know one day we will. Um, but it's been fruitful because I would have, if you would have asked me if we would have reached every continent on the planet with this, yeah, I'd have been like, you done lost your mind. Yeah. We're just two Alabama boys who love Jesus and we just been doing life with forever. And the fact that we've got people joining us randomly from different continents from time to time, and that we've literally hit all of those, um, it's just it is shocking to me. And so I don't think we'll know, you know, I know there's always just the cliche of we will never know until heaven how much the difference that we've made. But I do feel like even though this has been a journey for you and I more personally, in just getting vulnerable and getting beyond our insecurities and trying to become better communicators and processing and um serving people in a way, like I said, stewarding our stories, our relationship in a way that can help serve people. Yeah. Um, it really, it really has uh helped people. And and I'm like, wow, God can if if God can use this, he can use anything. You know, because I'm like some of the stuff we're just like it's just nonsense, but it's even it's not it's not nonsensical. It's nonsensical. Go back a couple episodes, that'll make sense. Um, but it's not nonsense, it it has purpose. And even in the laughter and the silliness, there's the purpose of the joy that it has brought our spirit and our soul and the medicine that it's fed us. Um, but also like I recognize there's a lot of people in this world that don't have that. And if we could have just been a little bit of light and and and joy and laughter in those moments, then it, you know, it was worth it. Yeah. Um, we never did it really for so much for other people as we've done this really for ourselves. And none of that sounds selfish. Um, and I don't mean that in a prideful, arrogant way. I mean that more in a let's just steward our conversations if for anything, you know, it'll bless our family. But then to see how it turns out to be a blessing to others has really blown my mind.

Speaker: 26:52

Yeah.

Rhett: 26:52

Um, I do think, you know, not going a different direction, but I think we were talking earlier at Starbucks about, you know, how we've learned a lot. But the reality is, again, we were talking about repetition and doing things over and over again. Well, what's funny is you can do things over and over and over and over and over again and not learn a thing. Yeah. Um, but we've tried to be, or at least I can speak for myself, um, and you just mentioned it of student of learning. You know, I'm 48 years old at the time of this recording, and I've never wanted to learn more than I've wanted to learn right now. Yeah. And when I say learn, I mean overall general sense of learning, growing, getting better, um, from psychology to just human you name it. I just want to learn. I just want to be a sponge in almost every environment that I'm in.

Speaker: 27:43

Yeah.

Rhett: 27:43

And when I go back and I listen, you know, to every episode and I have, um, every time I've listened, it hasn't really been through the lens of, oh, let me let me listen back so I can just enjoy this, even though that has been the byproduct of it. Yeah. It's always been through the lens of, okay, God, you've given me something, and it's really putty in my hands, you know, and I'm giving this to you, and you can if you can make something out of it. But I've I've really tried to dial in and listen, not through the critiquing, but through how can I get better? How can I and it it's really been a mirror for me, even you know, in its own little way of looking back to go, okay, wow, I didn't know I sounded like that. Right. Or, or wow, okay, you know, that was that was well said, or man, you can get better at being able to express this differently. Or when it comes down to you and me going, hmm, at the same time, you know, all the time. Uh when it goes down to when we first started this, even though it was authentic, there was a lot of ums and uh, you know, and and clearing of throats and how we've got rid of all those edits. And yeah, we edit, you know, I say we, you, you edited a bunch of that, and it sounded great, and still, you know, but um even getting away from that and learning and growing, and I guess what I'm saying is I'm just the season that I'm in now is is is a season of now. That's all I have. But I I hope wherever I am, and however long I have as a gift to live on this side of heaven, breathing life on this planet before Jesus comes back, is that I'll always have the mindset of growth and learning and getting better. Um, yes, for me, but also to steward it in a way that I can help people. And it's been amazing to me to see how God's used this little podcast, you know, to do some big things in some small ways. Is it and I know that sounds maybe like a paradox. How can you do big things in small ways, but really that's what it is.

Speaker: 29:42

Yeah.

Rhett: 29:43

Just being faithful with something small and then just doing that, and then God can bless it. And I think what we were talking about, um, and maybe this is a conversation we get into, but the more I read scripture, and I've always read these verses, they're just popping out at me like in a fresh way. Um, the least will be the greatest, the greatest will be the you know, the least in the kingdom of heaven mindset. Yeah, the rich will be the poor, the poor will be the rich. It's like this opposite mindset. It really is. And God just really gets a kick out of man, the less you strive, the more that He wants to bless you in thriving. And I don't mean in the Western sense, but I mean just like, man, the the less you try to um pursue your own agenda, you know, nothing wrong with agendas, but just, you know, I gotta make my way happen, get out the way, I'm gonna get it done. Like the more you lay that kind of stuff down and off your life. I don't know why I'm using the word putty today, but just this idea of just Lord, mold me, shape me, you know, just take me. Like I think here I am, you know, staying flexible. Flexible, that's a great, yeah. Like the more you're moldable and shapable and less about you and more about him and denying yourself, the more that God lifts you up, the more that God favors you, the more that God blesses you, the more that he opens doors and other countries and relationships, the more and it just it I it never ceases to amaze me. You cannot lay your life down enough. Yeah, God will just continue to lift you up. It's like, God, thank you for that. But like, I'm not doing it for that. It's an awesome byproduct, that's cool, but like it just makes me want to lay down my life more. It makes me want to go more incognito. It makes me will, you know, or whatever it is. And it's like the more I try to hide, the more God tries to not hide from sin, but like hide from the limelight or hide from the spotlight, the more God shines his light on it because it's this sense of I can trust you. Yeah. Because the more I can trust you, the more, because if I can get it through you, I'm gonna get it to you. And you're just an open conduit of of my love, of my grace, of my kindness, of of, you know, I'm growing in self-control, you know, all these different areas. And God's like, hey man, I'll of course I'll continue to open these doors for you because I can trust you in these places to know that these places aren't going to overtake you because they don't, it's not like they mean anything to you anymore. Yeah. You see it for what it is, but the worth on the other side of it, I guess, is what I'm trying to say is that it's really not about you. It's all about him. And I want to open these doors for you relationally. I want to open these doors for you financially. I want to open these doors for you because I know when you get there and you're on the other side of that door, you'll use it for my glory, not yours. It no longer defines you. Yeah. And so I I say that to say that I would have, if we would have done this five years ago, 10 years ago, I would have been living on the side of, oh, look at, yeah, we got a podcast, and oh man, yeah, we're in every continent and every country, and oh, this is amazing, and I'll look it out of the file, whatever. And like I like it, that none of that means anything to me.

Speaker: 32:48

Yeah.

Rhett: 32:48

I'm grateful, but my identity is not in it.

Speaker: 32:51

Yeah.

Rhett: 32:52

And I that's just a journey and a process, and we're all going through our own little process and journey. But I'm I'm I'm grateful to be on the other side of that, but I'm also hopeful that I'll remain on that side of it. Not even what I'm saying to sound prideful, but to be like, no, like my pride is in Christ. I humble myself in my weakness. He is made strong. And I think when I look at some of the things that I've opened up on about in this podcast, and I like what you said earlier. I hope people will give us the grace to get better because as culture changes, as life changes, you know, I don't believe there's going to be too many things that we've said that we'd go back on and go, yeah, I don't know if I believe that anymore. Especially faith for sure, that none of that's changing, but opinions or I might look back at this 20 years from now and go, I probably wouldn't say that the same way because I've got a better perspective on how I might be able to communicate that. Um, so I don't have any regrets by from anything that's been said, but I hope people do give us the grace 20 years from now when they listen back to go, oh, well, that makes sense. That's where they were in that season. That's what was happening in life. And but I man, I've opened up in some ways that I never thought I would. But what's interesting going back to that verse, um, I would rather boast of my weakness because it just makes God that much stronger in any area that I've been vulnerable in these conversations, from stuff that I've struggled with, um, the just the humanity side, you know, I didn't share that for the sense of, you know, just being vulnerable. I share that in the sense of bringing everything into the light because it's amazing the more you bring stuff into the light, with the wisdom of God, of course, the less power any of that stuff has over you. Hey friends, if you're enjoying today's conversation, could you do us a huge favor? Would you share the link of this episode with a friend, with a coworker, with a buddy? Uh email it, airdrop it, text it, comment on Facebook, however, you'd like to share it. Man, it would mean so much to us to help us get the word out to have more friends join us in on this journey. Thank you. All right, now back to the conversation.

Justin: 34:59

When we're talking about the analogy of upside down kingdom, yeah. In essence, that's what you were saying too. Upside down kingdom, absolutely. It's it's just it's not what you think. It's and I remember hearing Dallas Willard say that a long time ago, and I thought, man, that really stirred me in summer.

Rhett: 35:17

Yeah.

Justin: 35:18

And it really goes into the it's that vein of you're not trying to build up an empire for yourself. 100%. And you're not trying to get ahead and climb over people. It's just this other mindset of it's just not about you. And so when we talk about upside down kingdom, and you know, that's what we're talking about. And so I don't even, you know, I wouldn't even say we don't want to, you didn't say this, I'm talking about for myself. It's okay for you out there who have successful things going on. Like let it, let it roll, keep it going, give glory to God, glorify him for blessing you, however it is, whether it's financially, spiritually, mentally, physically. But for us, you know, when we looked at stats a long time ago, you and I were talking about this earlier. This is usually number one, it's a rarity to hit 100. It's I think it's this is just when you're reading podcast stats, and we happen to be talking about ourselves here. Yes, it's probably two percent of the, I forget, of the one million you know, podcasts. I forget what the whole number is, but it's the smallest amount that hits 100. Very few. And then if you go, if you go on to look at that, you know, studies will show you now that you've hit 100, this is when you just keep it going because you're about to experience another round of exponential. Yeah, it's the compound interest effect.

Rhett: 36:52

Yeah, and that we've experienced that up to up to these hundred. And some people are like, Why are you doing this? Are you like y'all worked so hard to get this far?

Justin: 37:00

It kind of goes back into that you know, reasoning I was going a while ago. First of all, things don't always make sense. There doesn't have to be a complete uh reason on paper to say because of this, because I I know for us and for me, you know, I'll speak for myself. Like Rhett's so good at saying that, I'll speak for myself. I'll speak for myself too. Um like we know, or there we go. I say we again. I know that um there's not a reason on paper. It goes back to that unction and having some discussions and knowing we have a grace and ability that we could keep doing this, but this it seems like a sense of obedience right now. Yeah. Without there being any clarity. And it's okay to have something that you just don't know. Yeah, but I do know there is momentum that kicks in it once you pass 100, and it just seems all the more in the pouring out to say, receive this offering, Lord.

Rhett: 38:08

And you know, yeah, I have for for sure.

Justin: 38:11

Receive this because I can't make sense of the momentum grabber in the sense of being in Western culture, especially. This is the time it's like, go steward this even more. Yeah. It's a simple act with me, it's a simple act of obedience. Yeah. And a continuation of being poured out.

Rhett: 38:31

Anytime there's transitions or changes, everybody's like, okay, your armchair authentic, but y'all are not being authentic. Are y'all okay? Are you good? Is there a riff between you two? Is there like y'all been putting on a good front? Either you're really good actors or or what? No, or you know, like there's no riff, there's no scandal, there's no nothing. It literally is just two brothers who are leaning into the spirit of the Lord of discernment, because you and I, as far as we're concerned, we're gonna be hanging out probably even more with you know, and get get a lot more time in than what you know, than we have been, because part of this is work. It's worth it, but it is work. It is, yeah. Um, so yeah, not that anybody's out there thinking, oh, Justin and Red, big breakup. They said one thing, it's really another. It's gonna come out some point. No, nobody's by the way, nobody's saying that they found us. Nobody's thinking about that. Um, but yeah, no, there's there's nothing. It literally is just going, being aware, but also being wise enough to know that um could we pick it back up? Absolutely. What will that look like? We have no idea. But I told you earlier, I said, man, like somebody asked me, or you think you'll ever do something like this again or pick it back up? And I was like, you know, I've been doing life long enough with this guy to know that anything's possible. And I cannot imagine that you and I somehow, some way won't continue to. Do something together. And what that looks like, we don't know. Maybe it's a chapter or two of our Armchair Authentic, or maybe it's something renew. We're not even talking about that. But we would be foolish. I would be foolish to say no, never again. That's right. I'm not going to do that. I've lived long enough to go, no, that's silly. There's too much, there's too much goodness in gifting there. But with everything you were saying about the season you're in, I mean, you know, it's really cool that I get to finish out 2026 with my son as a senior and him pursuing racing and getting a chance to do something he's dreamed about and worked really hard for it. And now I get to focus on that. And, you know, I don't know. There very well could be, you know, a plethora.

unknown: 40:44

Word of the day.

Rhett: 40:46

Yeah. Anyway, I had to say it last episode. Um plethora or variable of different things that I'm gonna be involved in and might do on my own when it comes to stewarding what God's given me. And a part of it could be a podcast. Which is a lot, by the way. Yeah. Highly gifted individual. You're very kind. Um, but I don't know. So we'll see. I'm having fun with it and just living in the moment. And yeah, it's it's been good. All that to say, man, it's been real.

Justin: 41:15

I mean, someone might come by and say, hey, um, we want to front everything there is for y'all just to do this all you want. And it's like, oh, okay. Well, well, that's a different conversation. Well, it won't be hobby with purpose.

Speaker 3: 41:28

It'll be hobby with paycheck. I'll take that. I'll take that. Hey, Fred. It's uh hobby elimination.

Justin: 41:36

We lock it, we lock the time capsule up and it can be something completely different. We'll explode it. Yeah, that's right.

Rhett: 41:41

We'll we'll pop this thing open again because money talks.

Speaker 3: 41:43

If anybody's out there wants to do that, just saying uh you could send that to my rounding number.

Rhett: 41:50

Is yeah, yeah. Um I'm uh yeah, I don't I'm not as witty tomorrow. I'll think of something I should have said that in this way.

Justin: 42:02

Always think of the witty lines of it.

Rhett: 42:04

Um I'm definitely uh I'm not Balton paid for, but I can be, depending on what it is. If it if it takes care of my family and and it's all you know in line with God's word and what he speaks, I'm I'm down, man. Bring it out. We yeah, we're not but we're not we're not softballing that out there to to try to get that. That's not a uh that what a passive aggressive way to try to get sponsored.

Justin: 42:27

Sneaky way.

Rhett: 42:28

You know, but even then, you know, I think we would put a lot of thought into it. It'd have to be a lot of dollars, a lot of zeros on the other end.

Justin: 42:35

Well, yeah, and and and I'm kidding. It's just it's just a gift set though. This is a gift and it's a platform that we enjoy. Yeah. And I don't know what happens past this point, but I do know um personally the voice will be being used because it's a it's a it is a recognized gifting that has been affirmed by others as well. Yeah. So I would be squandering if I don't.

Rhett: 42:59

Exactly.

Justin: 43:00

But I'm also in a season of heavy learning and observation and trying to humble some areas where I'm just really trying to get the fullness of what the season has to offer so that I can pour out the best that I can in service to whoever it is that I may get to get to serve. Yeah, and as I said, at Highlands, I get to serve Highlands College. I mean, we're about to crank up another semester, another semester of teaching coming up. I've got the content ready, and it has been so wonderful preparing this class. I mean, I cannot, I hardly can wait to go teach it. It's revving up, it's gonna be awesome. I love it. And then getting to experience these moments with you. I mean, it's awesome to get to even on a microphone to do this, it's amazing. And so I'm excited for whatever it is. So there is a lot of anticipation, yeah. And at the same time, it it's trying to be obedient to just allow a chapter to close to see what the next chapter is gonna say. And that brings a lot when you can conclude something, yeah, you allow something fresh to be written for the narration of that story, and that's just the visual that I get.

Rhett: 44:18

Yeah, one of the visuals I get, and and I use this visual, and the Lord kind of just deposited this in me when I made the transition from one life as lead pastor and passed the baton and moved back home and didn't know what's next, but I just knew we were supposed to, and it did make a lot of sense to people on the surface, and that's okay. Um, but it made sense in my spirit because when you hear from the Lord, you hear from the Lord and you just be obedient. And I've served the Lord for so long. I know when he speaks, and when he speaks, I know I know how to obey. I don't always get it right on the micro things, but on the macro things overall, I feel like I've been very responsive because I know that even though there's a sacrifice and there's the faith step, that God always meets you on the other side of it. And I've I have no doubt. Um, so I I I don't feel like there's any major transitions happening in any area um from what God's doing right now. He could, he could totally speak that for sure. Yeah. But it's kind of like the mental picture I got then is kind of the same mental picture now. And I'm gonna date myself here, but they kind of came back in about 10 years ago. They were popular again. They might still be the Polaroid picture, you know. Do you remember the Polaroid cameras? Oh man, you know, those are epic. You had to really wait. You take a snapshot, and then it's like, okay, and then all it it spits out the mmm, whatever, and you pull it, and then it's just blank. Yeah, it's just white, I think it at the from what I remember is like white because it's it's developing in real time in front of you. And you think you know what that picture is, but you don't know. You mean you took it, you snapped it, you know what was looking through the lens, you're like, Well, I'm just gonna take this snap because I just want to capture this, but I don't really know what it's gonna look like. But then over time, you know, obviously Polaroids, what a couple of minutes, but in life, the processing is longer than that for sure. Yes. But this is this idea of just we know something's there, of course, because God's always moving us if we're growing, right? We're not being stalmated, but we're almost in the season. I speak for me, you know, and I think collectively in the season of you mentioned pouring out, we poured out. Um, there's a new season, a new chapter. Um, what that looks like, we don't know, but I think over time, as that photo develops, we'll be able to see, oh, this is what it looked like, and this is what it is, you know. And and I speak that, you know, four years. This is the fourth Thanksgiving I've gotten to spend at home with my family, with my friends, with my son. Um, it's been a gift of just a grace gift given back to me to allow us to do this on this podcast. And stuff we dreamed about when I was in Idaho, and we talked for two years on it. What would it look like? And we could figure that out from a distance. And crazy. And here we are, and having the gift of that. I didn't know what any of that looked like. I didn't know how it would even be possible, but God. Yeah. And so I kind of feel like even with this stewarding of our gifting, like um, we'll always steward the gift, um, but the way we, the way that processes or or the way that um comes out, if you will, or the the the vein or the avenue in which that is developed might be different, but it's still the same gift. Yeah. So whether it's a podcast, whether it's a platform, whether it's a classroom, whether it's a coffee, yeah, you know, um, we're still going to be operating in the gift of uh sharing with others the faithfulness of God in our life, how we're applying it, what we're learning, how we're growing, with a lot of laughter just sprinkled in in every aspect of it.

Justin: 47:49

Yeah, we've taken what we do offline and put it basically on microphones. Yeah, I mean, we were already doing it. Yeah. Yeah. What what I enjoy is when we are in public, it whether it's a Starbucks or something, is when we do see somebody. You know, and I don't know that everybody does this. It probably is just a special gifting, maybe that we have, but I mean, it it's fun to stand up, greet somebody, yeah, arms are around them. We did this to two different people today. We're encouraging them, they're leaving, and you and you you know when you made a moment happen where someone's leaving encouraged. Yeah. And that once again, to not do this would be to squander an ability. If we don't stand up and greet and make someone feel like that million dollars in the spirit, yeah, and to affirm whatever it is that they're going through, the affirming it's been affirming giftings in them that maybe they have hung up a long time ago. Um, if it's just, hey, can we pray for you with this? You're going through something and you began to pray right there and they weren't expecting that.

Speaker 6: 48:59

Yeah.

Justin: 49:00

But then after the prayer, they're they're looking at you as if that's not normal. It probably isn't normal, but it is to us. And I'm grateful that that's normal. But get back to that word, to not do that would be to be it would be to be qu squandering a gift set that God has done. What is not squandering is stopping something on an episode when when trends would say momentum builds, yeah. That's upside down kingdom because you're listening to just an unction.

Speaker 6: 49:33

Yeah.

Justin: 49:34

Doesn't make sense. It will, it'll make sense in time, but it is a stepping out to a degree on the water just to see. I'm gonna get out of the boat. Let's see if we actually walk or if we just go under. But we've seen over 32 and a half years God's faithfulness. Yeah, like he's faithful, and he always provides a platform there where you don't fall into the water. As long as your eyes are fixed on him. There's a supernatural ability that you walk on water, which is humanly impossible. You can't do it.

Speaker 2: 50:08

Six like six inches driven, girl. It's impossible. Six inches, six inches.

Rhett: 50:16

Hey, friends, Red here. Just want to take a moment to speak to those who may be joining us for the first time. We want to say welcome, friends. However, you found us, we are so glad that you did, and we believe it wasn't by accident. We're so glad that you joined us in on this conversation today. In fact, if you haven't already done so, could we encourage you to follow us on social media? You can find us on Facebook or Instagram at armchairauthentic or over on X at ArmchairOff Pod. That's ArmchairOff A-U-T-H-P-O-D. All right. Thanks for taking the time to do that. Now let's get back to our conversation. I just did it at the movies for Believers Church and put the movie Elf together and it was a project. Which by the way, and that's so fun.

Justin: 51:05

I gotta say, like that is something you are so stinking good at because you know, we have a team of people who put together at the movies and they do phenomenal. Like our team is stellar. Yeah. But to see what you do as a single, like you as an individual, it's amazing. I got to watch what you have done these past at the movies, uh, which would have been just a few weeks ago. So cool how you just have this creative mind to get the pastor recorded. You got clay recorded, get the music going. It's amazing what goes into all this because people are witnessing the music of the movie. Yeah, but what they don't realize is when it fades out and now it's the pastor talking. Well, if you're watching the movie, voices are coming in. Yeah, you've got to now go find a soundtrack or create it with your own creativity, the music in the same key and the same movement to now flow it where the audience is here in a normal flow so that you can now, or your pastor, can come in and start speaking.

Speaker 3: 52:10

Yeah.

Justin: 52:11

And to create this experience, and if it's going to a happy moment, I noticed how you'd add a happy song, like a dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun, and it would lead to a happier moment, or you dwindle it down. And I just thought, man, just you are so good at that kind of stuff, and no one would know the detail that it takes to go into that. So Rhett is Mr. Creative, who is you're just such a great pastor to people. You take time with people, but then just your creative ability to sit down in front of that computer and and create a movement, like a very it's like a symphony that people who just experienced several weeks ago all this stuff, they don't know what went into it, but lives were changed. Yeah. And I just it's just it's I mean, it just goes. I know, I know I'm embarrassing you right now. I'm not trying to brag, but it is just to see the different growth points that we get to go through. It's fun to see your friend walking in what they do, and it's just you know, so good. Well, almost said phenomenal. But that word doesn't mean as much to us anymore.

Rhett: 53:19

Yeah, J-Ray's phenomenal. So shout out to J Ray again. Yeah, man, I appreciate that. You know, it means a lot to hear you say that. Um, I don't I don't get online a lot, go, hey, look at what I can do. Here's here's a nugget of just uh I don't know if you want to call it wisdom, understanding, or knowledge, but something that I've always tried to put myself into is this ability to be flexible to and to learn no matter the season. And so without the movies type stuff or production, no one, no one ever taught me how to do it. Not right um I just was like, it can be that difficult. So let me just figure it out. And so I'm a button pusher, yeah, but I ask a ton of questions. Thank God for the internet, right? For sure. But I would call people and I'll be like, hey, do you do you know anything about this or that, or do you know somebody that does? And I'm like, oh yeah, you need to call them. I call them, hey man, I'm working on this, never done this before, but um, you know, can you just give me this, this, that, and like, oh yeah, do that, that, and the other. And then I'll just mark it, write it down. And and so just become not even thinking about it, becoming a student.

Justin: 54:31

Yeah.

Rhett: 54:32

But I would say, no matter the season of life you're in, no matter whether it's high or low, a desert, a valley, um, if you're willing to shape your perspective to go, what can I learn through this? Through some of the toughest moments, I learned production. Through some of the toughest moments, I've learned these things. And and what's neat is that when I was learning it, I didn't really realize kind of the value that was there of how that would be used to help people in the future. And I just thought, well, I kind of am interested in that, right? But now able to produce something that's gonna administer to thousands, and it's like all from the comfort of my home with a computer.

Justin: 55:09

Yeah.

Rhett: 55:10

And now it's like that moment wasn't wasted. I learned, I've grown, and now I'm just so that that's what stewardship looks like. That's what growth looks like. I didn't I didn't think about, oh, I want to do this and learn this so I can produce something that goes on and does this. But it's kind of neat though when you think about it, and that can be for any area of anything in your life, yeah. You know, of just taking the mindset of learning and growing and not making the excuse to say, well, I don't know how to do that, so I guess I'm not gonna do that. Just go, no, figure it out. I I don't know. Maybe I'm just naturally wired to want to figure things out.

Justin: 55:44

Well, I think it's curiosity. It's curiosity. I think there's an important part with that because you as you do things, you gain knowledge. And yeah, you know, it's not just repetition. You said it a while ago, it's repetition with also seeking to understand to get better. It seems like yesterday, but it would have been 32 years ago. I'm sitting on stage. We did a worship night at Parkway, and Pastor Rod.

Rhett: 56:09

How many years ago? 32. Probably 32. Okay. Yeah. All right.

Justin: 56:12

Because it's right from the get get-go when we surrendered our life to Christ. And Pastor Rod is leading this, it's like a prayer and worship night. It might have even been one of those nights we bring in the new year. Remember how we would actually pray in the new year? It'd be midnight, and you didn't have tons of people there. Yeah, right. Where we came from.

Rhett: 56:32

But that's a whole nother conversation. Like, yeah, I don't think I even wanted to be there. Not because I didn't love God. I was just like, I think I would, you know, I think I'm sure God used to be a good idea.

Justin: 56:42

As we as we had just been playing music, Pastor Rod asked me to come on the stage. Now, my if you once again, there's a curtain, guys, so no one saw me on this stage. I'm behind a big baby grand piano or a big full-size grand piano. But Pastor Rod would be singing a song, playing piano, you'd have some of the band playing. And he would look at me and say, We're in the key of F. Well, I had no clue what being in the key of F meant. He was talking to me like I did. Had no idea. But I remember he said F, so I had just learned the F chord.

Rhett: 57:20

Hardest chord to play on the three guitar.

Justin: 57:22

Yeah, it's not an easy one. To get a good resume, kind of bar chording. Yeah. And I'm playing F. And he would nod his head like, good. And I would, I wore that F out. Of course, he played about seven different chords. And I'm on the F the whole time. But it still works because you're on the F. It kind of did work, but still I'm I'm thinking to myself, drumming it. Yeah, here's that F again. And after a while, I think he noticed, well, he's just staying on that one chord. Yeah. Like I don't know what F meant. I didn't know that means there's certain chords that go in that key. B flat, C, D minor, A minor. I mean, yeah, that's right. And then you begin to do this more and more and you seek to understand, and then you repeat it over and over. Now, if you were to tell me, hey, let's play in G, let's play in A, E, I know what that means, but it's taken a progression. Right. It's progressive. Seeking to get better. And you do get better at what you do. Yeah. And so when I look back at that, there's there's there's progression we go through in our skill. I mean, even look at man, I'm pulling this out of somewhere. Um it's like Nicodemus. This thought hits my head. Wow. Nicodemus in the Bible, you read in the New Testament, in the night, he went to go meet with Jesus. Right. Because he wanted to find out more about him. But we really never get to read the story where he fully like you, it seems like he wanted to believe, and he did believe he loved Jesus. He wanted to so bad, asking these questions, but he couldn't get his mind wrapped around, like, you must be born again. Yeah. Well, can I come out of the same womb I was born in?

Rhett: 58:59

Yeah, he's literally thinking through the literal lens of how do how can a human be born again that's he's trying to think of the possible, he's not thinking the spiritual sense.

Justin: 59:08

The spiritual, the impossible that God works in. Yeah. With God, all things are possible. But we know he went through some kind of progression. Because here's the thought after Jesus, uh, after he hung on the cross and he died, he was there to help with the whole funeral arrangements. So he had to show his face. He went from being in the night trying to stay away. There's something he had to die to where he did not care as much anymore. Identity. His rep his reputation no longer was where it was. We don't get to read any bit more. Maybe there's historical books that talk about Nicodemus, but as far as like canon, as far as scripture, don't really know what that progression looked like. But we as people have a moment and we have an opportunity to change. He his perspective. Perspective changed in some way.

Speaker 6: 1:00:01

Yeah.

Justin: 1:00:02

Just is not just our skill, but our mindsets and our recognition of things that was would have used to be, as we said a few episodes, dogma, like it's got to be this way. Right. Now give us some chance to have grace and let things shift and understand that no, I used to be so set on this, but I'm going to give myself the gift of grace to allow the Lord to continue to work in me so that I can. My hope is that I would remain sensitive that when Jesus walks into the room or when the Holy Spirit comes, I haven't created my own plan of what it's going to look like. Okay. Exactly. Because if you leave it to me, I'm going to look for the best dressed, most successful, the most followers, the most successful person who's walking into the room, I'm going to be like, they're from God. And you know who I'm not going to look at? That nobody that's standing near the corner that nobody's talking to. And what I see in scripture is we need to learn to look for that person in the corner, because it might be the Holy Spirit.

Rhett: 1:01:06

And that's the person that God sees. God sees both, but if his favor rests is on the unseen.

Justin: 1:01:12

That's right. And if our mind is set that what we have right now, it we just build momentum, build momentum, do this, do this, go build your platform, build your platform. Let steward, let steward, if steward means continue to accumulate, that might be the case, but he also might ask you to surrender your accumulated reputation of all these years.

Rhett: 1:01:36

Yep. Surrender and slow down long enough to see another human that actually God sees as well. And what I think is interesting about that and what sparks in my heart is that when you align your heart to what's on God's heart, which is that person, it's amazing how that gets God's attention and aligns his heart towards yours. Amen. And that that sounds selfish to go, well, let me go, I want to go serve that person so that God will serve me. That's not why we do it, but that is a blessing and a promise that does happen when you humble yourself and you slow down enough to go serve somebody that can't do anything for you.

unknown: 1:02:14

Yeah.

Rhett: 1:02:14

But what they're actually doing is they're actually doing something for you. Yeah. Even if they can't really do anything for you, against God's doing it for you. I know that's a deep thought. But it is the it's the it's the upside down kingdom. Yeah. You want to get God's attention? Be a servant. What did Jesus do? He washed the disciples' feet. He said, I know this doesn't make sense right now in this moment, but it will. Now go and do this with other people. Not necessarily like washing their literal feet, because everything he's talking about is spiritual. Be willing to lay your life down to do some of the dirty work that nobody else is willing to do, yeah. Or that you think is beneath you.

Justin: 1:02:52

Yeah.

Rhett: 1:02:53

Go do that because that's you want to be the greatest. Well, it starts there.

Justin: 1:02:58

Yeah, and why was he washing their feet too? Like they have been, they have been non-stop. Yeah. Their feet were pretty awful.

Rhett: 1:03:05

Well, yeah.

Justin: 1:03:05

I mean, and he's also entertaining, he's basically acknowledging that their feet needed to be washed, which meant he's also honoring the work, the efforts that they had done. And when we're serving somebody else, we're also taking the time to stop to recognize hey, I see, I see you, and there's value. There's something you've accomplished. I don't really fully understand the weight of it because it might seem a little ordinary, but I'm gonna value it because I was modeled by the Lord.

Rhett: 1:03:37

And and the one who came not to be served, and he could have claimed that right. He had the right to do it. You know, he's God chose to lay his life down in in that of a servant. Yeah, and the thing about washing feet is, at least from my understanding, is that most households may have a servant or somebody that would have been a low, low, low position, um, would have washed, you know, the people's feet. And that was considered to be not only like nobody's doing that. Yeah. Well, that's what I'm here to tell you as God. Yeah. Is that I am God, but I'm lowering myself to show you what it looks like to truly be lifted up. Yeah. And man, I there's so much, man, we could spend a whole other hour talking about that kind of servanthood worship.

Justin: 1:04:25

God has every right to give himself any credit, but I'm amazed at how they're I'm amazed at how they're constantly the Godhead, Father, Son, Holy Spirit. They're constantly like complimenting each other, even though they're one. Yeah. Like it is the Father. This is my son.

Rhett: 1:04:44

And you're if you see, if you're looking at me, you're looking at the Father, you're looking at me.

Justin: 1:04:48

And Jesus is giving every glory back to the Father. Yeah. The Holy Spirit is stirring the hearts to turn to Jesus.

Rhett: 1:04:56

I mean, it's He says, I came to glorify the Father, and the Father wants to glorify himself through me. It's beautiful. It's the it's this, yeah. It's this beautiful perfection of humility and servanthood and honor and just uh love for each other and fulfilling each other's uh you know, uh promise and will in their life. Yeah. It's the perfect unity.

Justin: 1:05:18

The one who would have the right to come in just bragging because I created even the tiniest. You know who my father is? Do you know we created the ground that you're standing on? Right. And and they don't brag on themselves. Yeah. So and maybe there's a lesson. Yeah. If you if you're hanging out with someone who's doing a lot of bragging on theirself, yeah, watch out because even our God, yeah, who has the right to do it, and he could brag for eternity, right? Yeah, you know, he he did have to show off on Job one time. Yeah, no, that's true. He had to, you know, he had to let him know, where were you? Where yeah. He let him do all the talking though.

Rhett: 1:05:58

He yeah, he let him do a lot of talking about it.

Justin: 1:06:00

Where were you in the mountains of creating? Where were you in Leviathan with all these amazing things? Where were you? Yeah, yeah. So it just looks different than what we would expect. Yeah. And so this really is this episode 100 is it's it's upside down kingdom.

Rhett: 1:06:17

It is upside down kingdom. And I think if I'm if I'm leaving, well, there's a lot of gifts, and I hope you there's a lot of wisdom. We're not trying to wrap up everything in one episode. So like if you go back and you listen, you're gonna hear just um so many nuggets of things that we would hope that our family would learn and that we grew in and that we hope that you would walk away with. Um, but as for me and my house, I love God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. I believe Jesus Christ is his death, burial, resurrection. Like it's it's real, man. And that's the greatest gift that mankind has ever been given. It's the gift of reconciliation and restoration and the forgiveness of our sins to bring us into, uh, really restore us back to a relationship that God always intended from the beginning. And that's the walk with him and be in his presence and and uh to get to experience his righteousness and his holiness and his purity of really the way that it was always designed to be in the first place. Um, this side of humanity, though, like there's still a lot of brokenness, um, the reality there, but but the the gift is the eternal life. That the gift, I mean, more than anything, that that is the greatest success. You know, my my son was quoting Forrest Frank the other day, and I was like, Yes, that's it. You know, and he was just saying, the greatest gift or the greatest trophy that I could ever receive, in other words, the greatest success I could ever have is that my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. My son was telling me that. I was like, Yes. Yeah, it's not a trophy. It's not that you won some race, it's not that you accomplished a lot. No, no, no. It's that your name is written in that book. And that is the greatest gift that I could ever um hope to offer somebody through my life. Is like if maybe you, maybe you may not always agree with with the things I say, but if you look at the fruit of my life, if you look at the my family, if you look at my hopefully it's you know filled with love, compassion, joy, peace, patience, good, you know, you the only place you'll ever find that is in a relationship with God because that's what he intended from the very beginning. Um, but so much brokenness in humanity is separated from us from that, and that is sin. And so sin keeps us separated. Why? Because God is holy. I mean, in the purest definition of holy means it's pure. I mean, that you can't have any stain or blemish. It's perfect. Sin isn't. There's brokenness. So a payment had to be made. And God chose for us not to have to make that payment. He chose to make that payment because that's who he is. Oh, I got this. I'll take that paint on. I'll take my own wrath on. In fact, I'll put my wrath on my son so you don't ever have to experience it. And so for me, man, like, what a great gift. And so my hope is let's say this is the last episode or if any recording of Rhett Bardon, is that my life was lived in a way that honors God the Father, the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, who, by the way, just clarity: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, Jesus, death, burial, resurrection, he sees that the right hand of the Father, he empowers the Holy Spirit to live on the earth. The power of God on the earth today is the Holy Spirit. And it's real, it's living. I mean, he's there. And so for me, my greatest gift is I can say, man, for God to love the world, I mean, he loved the world. He put an action plan in place that anybody who would believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn us, no, but to save the world through him. Save us from what? Sin. Save us from the separation. God never wanted us to be separated from him. God always longed for us to be in that relationship. And so, in the the only way, the truth and the life to get to the Father is through Christ Jesus. That is not a closed-minded mindset. That is the most life-giving, hopeful truth. Like if I I heard somebody say the other day, if I told you, hey, um, you know, had love for you to come over to my house, love for us to do dinner. And you're like, Yeah, okay, great. How do I get there? And I said, Well, you can get there anyway. Just go, figure it out. You'd look at me like I'm crazy. No, you're like, no, give me your address, give me the directions to go this way, get on this interstate, take that turn, go there, and then I'll get your house, right? You know, in that's what God does with us through Christ. You want to come hang out with me, be in a relationship with me? Here's the way, here's the truth, here's the life, here's the direction, here's the roadmap.

Justin: 1:10:43

Yes.

Rhett: 1:10:43

And that's the that that is loving, that is kind. You would look at me if I said, Hey, you know, go to Atlanta and go that way. It doesn't matter. You'll figure it out. I mean, like they're all these, all the roads lead to my house. You'd be like, that is the most dumbest thing I've ever heard. And that how that is rude, that is unkind. You're just gonna leave it up to me and tell me I can get there anyway I go. That's that's ridiculous. And so God in his great love said, Here's the way, here's the way to my house. It's through Christ Jesus. It's through Christ. And he's real, he's living, he's alive. And this is not some something I just say. This is something I've experienced. And I'm continuing to experience. And my hope is that the last breath that I ever breathe will be breathed, always glorifying and honoring him for who he is. He's a good, loving, kind, compassionate, gracious, merciful Father who loves you so dearly. And the greatest success in this life will not be an achievement, will not be butts and seats, will not be a trophy on a wall. The greatest success you'll ever have in this life is knowing that your name is written in the book of life and that your eternity will be spent with a loving Heavenly Father who created you in his image and in his likeness, and who longs to be in a relationship with you and has longed for that ever since he breathed the breath of life in you. He gave you a choice, and your choice is yours. You don't have to choose it, but he's given you a choice, and that is through his son to walk with him, to experience him, and to experience his love. And my hope is that anybody listening or that finds these episodes or that thinks of my life would be you know what? Red wasn't perfect, but he was a man after God's own heart. He loved God, he loved his family, and he loved the bride of Christ, and uh and who stood for truth with love and with grace.

Justin: 1:12:36

A society is gonna continue to choke the truth. What Rhett just said, that's what we believe. And if anyone, no matter what year we're in, whatever year this finds you, it's only gonna get harder to believe the truth that Rhett just proclaimed. We don't like being told that there's one way. And so as we move on, as you move on in your faith, if there's anybody who is telling you that there's another way, and they're trying to create comfort for you because that's a hard thing to hear. Or they carry too they care too much about their reputation to be the one to deliver something that would make you uncomfortable or traumatize you or or create mental health, whatever is being described in those days that will drive you into crazy states because it's not something your tickling ears want to hear. Just know that they are selling you something or they're medicating themselves to not tell you the truth. We cannot imagine how deep the grace of Jesus runs. But ultimately, wherever that way is and that bridge that you have to pass, Jesus is the way. He's the only bridge that will get you into eternity with God the Father. Every way that Rhett just described that with his wonders, his grace, his love. And there's a reason that narrow is the way. Just like taking two steps back, but then taking one step with God is so far much further than you could do on your own. I also believe that narrow path, Jesus can make it as wide as you can imagine, but it has to be Jesus who is creating that way. It cannot be anybody else. Yeah. And everything that we believe our faith is on Christ. As you're in your walk, in this journey, you've already made that wonderful statement and that belief, and you're living it, and Jesus is your capstone. The very foundation you build everything else on, I would also add that there's mountains and there's valleys. Mountains are wonderful. Really, really enjoy them. But at the same time, recognize that the mountains, you can almost feel less dependent on God because everything is wonderful. And so really lock in on the mountaintop experience and enjoy them knowing that they will pass. We weren't meant to live at the peak of the mountain.

Rhett: 1:15:27

Yeah.

Justin: 1:15:28

But also, what I would say is to um don't waste a valley. Valleys are coming. And there's gonna be a natural thought and an attempt to get out of that valley as soon as you can. Don't waste the valley. You're gonna be in it for a certain time. Don't rush the time as much as you want to. There is a valuable lesson that's being taught, and there is more grace to experience in these moments. There is so much to gain in the moment of a valley, so that when you return to the flat lands, the normal life that we can live in, you will be suited up and so much stronger for whatever it is that the land that you're going to be traversing after that. So take all you can, give all the glory you can to God. Keep an open, humble spirit and speak to the Holy Spirit that he would speak to you and reveal whatever truth he wants to reveal to you in this valley time, and it can get dark. It can be as as as John of the Cross said, it can be a dark night of the soul and all senses are gone. You don't feel anything. Let this also be an encouragement that that is completely normal if you find yourself in that place. It's the darkest room, it's the most intense pressure. It's a picture that's been taken and it hasn't developed yet. As Rhett was saying a while ago with the Kodak pictures, it's got to come into focus. But just remember that pressure, the deepest pressure, the most tightest pressure, it turns a piece of coal into a diamond. And without that, you cannot become that precious jewel that will be placed into the crown that gets to be thrown at the feet of the feet of Jesus.

Rhett: 1:17:24

Yeah.

Justin: 1:17:25

And those are some extra parting words really we want to lay out for you as you step into this journey with Jesus and a lot of these pastors and marketplace. Um, we call them marketplace ministers because you are a minister priest wherever you go. Absolutely. That you would step in fully embracing what life brings in the most ordinary situations, that we're not looking for the mountaintop peak performance, awesome days, but that we're learning to live in the ordinary to discover that that is where the extraordinary existed for a long time.

Rhett: 1:18:03

So as we're talking and we're we're beginning to land this plane in this chapter, I do want to give people an opportunity to respond. Um, I don't believe we've ever done this on an episode. Maybe we have. I just don't remember. I want to give people an opportunity to respond to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Um, oftentimes you'll hear podcasts, you'll hear people talking about having a relationship with God, but they don't often give you a next step. And I think there's no better way for me, for Rhett Bardon, to try to land a plane with my friends and people who have been on this journey than to give you an opportunity to respond to God and want to come into a relationship with God. And it's super easy. Um, I want to help you with a prayer. I want to help you with the words. Um, because oftentimes we don't even know where to begin or what to say, but we want it. And so I want you to know that the words necessarily aren't the most important thing, but it's really your heart that just wants to connect to God in this moment. And so wherever you are, um I want to help you with some words. And in the church, we would call this a prayer of salvation. What does it mean? It's just a prayer of recognition of who God is and what he's done for your life, and how you just want to be able to be in a relationship with him through Christ Jesus. And so if you if you're comfortable with that, wherever you are, um, you could say this out loud. You just mean it with all your heart, and you just say something as simple as God. I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son. And I believe Jesus died and rose again to save me from my sin and to restore me into a relationship with you. Today I ask you to forgive me of my sins and the things that have been in the way of our relationship, to forgive me, to cleanse me, to purify me. Me with your love. I give you my life today because you gave me your life. My life today, I surrender and submit to you because you are my Lord, you are my Savior, and you are my God. Father, I ask that you would give me the power of your Holy Spirit to fill me, to dwell in my life, to help me live out the relationship with the power and authority of Christ Jesus, my Lord. Today is a new day. I thank you for it. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Justin: 1:20:43

Amen. All things new.

Rhett: 1:20:45

Come on, baby. Hey, I just have to believe that somebody made that decision, maybe for the first time, or maybe some of you for the first time in a very long time. And I just want to tell you how proud of you I am. That is the single greatest decision of your entire life. And it was not by chance that you found this podcast. It was not by chance that you're listening to this right now. This was a sovereign, ordained moment for you. That's how much God loves you. That's how much God cares about you. He sees you right where you are. There is no randomness with the Lord. It is all on purpose and in his timing. And he loved you enough to make room for these two little crazy Alabama boys to create a podcast, to give you a moment to experience God right where you are. We're so excited for you. But I if if you'll allow me the opportunity, that is the single greatest decision. But in order to walk this out, you're going to need other people to walk with you. You need a family. And so I would encourage you wherever you are to find a local church. And I call it a life-giving church. It's one where you feel love, seen, and valued that speaks the truth in love, but with grace, where Jesus Christ is the only thing where they talk about Jesus. And I'm not talking about a Jesus or a form of Jesus. I'm talking about a Jesus, the Christ. Talk about his death, burial, resurrection, where they talk about sin and what God has done to redeem us from that. Like find you a good local life-giving church. Get involved with the community, begin to grow. In fact, buy a Bible, begin with a John, chapter John, you know, the book of John. It's like, you know, two-thirds on the way back of your Bible. Find it. It's John. There's several different Johns, but the one that just says John, start with that. That's a great place to start. Just begin to read it and get used to it. Even if you're not even comfortable or understand what you're reading at first, just say, God, will you speak to me? I want to read your word today. His word's alive, it's living, and it really is the power to help sustain your life. So you need the right people, small groups, community, church, family. You need the word of God in your life. And uh, I'm so proud of you. Um, you know, just let us know. Give us a shout out online, comment if you want to, if you're comfortable with that, let us know you made a decision. That way we can rejoice with you. But we're so excited for you, man. Way to go. So proud of you. So, so proud of you.

Justin: 1:23:06

Yeah, awesome. And also, just to the faithful listeners, we just want to say thank you. Thank you for taking a part of your week for the past two years to lean in and have some fun with us. Yes. And to just let us say what we say. And we do hope that throughout whether it's been as you're cooking dinner or you're in the middle of your work day, and you can work and listen. Maybe you're at the gym on a run, working out, whatever it is. Just thank you for the taking the time to make us part of your day. Yeah. It really is, it's an honor to us to even get to have that moment with you.

Rhett: 1:23:45

Yeah, no, no doubt. I mean, all the friends along the way, it's been awesome. Um, you know, the armchair authentic uh uh social media handle will still be there. We don't really manage that very well, to be honest with you. Some of you know, you're like, yeah, we know. Um, but but if you're interested in, you know, obviously Rhett Barton, I've still got my Facebook and Instagram. I'd love to hear from you. You can stay up to date. Justin does his, he's on there very rarely, not very much, but yeah, still there. It's still there. But uh there is so this is not goodbye. This is until we see you next time. Yeah, absolutely. And so please let us know. Stay, stay with us there, if if anything.

Justin: 1:24:23

Yeah, and I wanted to read this verse from Romans uh 15, verse 13. Okay. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rhett: 1:24:42

I love it, man.

Justin: 1:24:43

Yeah.

Rhett: 1:24:43

All right. Well, I guess this is uh not goodbye forever, but goodbye until until whenever. It's not goodbye forever, but it is goodbye until whenever. I'm trying to rhyme. Well, it doesn't really work. Say it again whenever forever.

Justin: 1:24:57

It's not goodbye forever, but it is goodbye for whenever.

Rhett: 1:25:01

For whenever. It's a Hallmark card. Is that a Hallmark card? Would you pay six bucks for that? I wouldn't, but whatever. Unfortunately, I do. You actually buy cards? I do. I would think you're right.

Justin: 1:25:15

But because you would think that's why I don't. Oh, is that what it is? I don't like to be pigeonholed. Yeah, that's it. So I'll go spend money on them instead of write one.

Rhett: 1:25:23

Hey man, we love y'all. Um, I think this is just a natural transition into you know, what's now is what's next. How about that? We'll see you on the other side, guys. See ya.