Ep. 57 - Year in Review 2025

[00:00:00] Speaker A: So. So that's just like a microcosm of every life, every single person listening. There's some highs. We would call them highs. And then there's some things that happen that we would call lows. And finding rest. Right? Finding rest in Christ. [00:00:13] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:00:13] Speaker A: You know, counting it all. Joy. Seeing that, the trials and the hardships and the. Whatever it looked like. Yeah. It brought me to a place of full dependency. Right in the Father's love. Wow. [00:00:25] Speaker B: And it actually reminds me. And I've shared this before. I think I've shared it often because we record a lot of times on days. It's not always that way, but a lot of times I come into my office, where I'm at right here, right now. [00:00:37] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:00:38] Speaker B: And I'm like, kind of in that state of a little bit of fear, a little bit of. And I'm not saying that that was me at all today, but it just. Many times throughout this last year that I got here and I sat right here and I said, God, I don't know what I'm doing. And. And it's so amazing because. [00:00:54] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:00:54] Speaker B: In the midst of me feeling like I don't know what I'm doing, I also like every single time that I would have even said that sometimes out loud. It didn't take very long throughout that time of that day to be like, you're doing it. And for me to just be totally at rest with what I'm doing is what I'm doing, and I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. And that's okay. Hello and welcome to let's Talk Life, our final podcast episode for the year 2025. And we've recorded over a year's worth of podcasts now, 52 weeks in a year. And this is, as we sit right now, we're recording today, episode 57. I say that just to mention something that I think we all recognize. Time flies. I don't know how you feel about that, Carl, but time just flies by. And this year went by so fast. And so that's what we're here to talk about today is this year in review. And, boy, when I really think about the year 2025, one of the things that just struck me first, Carl, is that number 25 is like, that's a quarter of a century. And especially for us. [00:02:09] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:02:09] Speaker B: Like knowing and Remembering the year 2000 and how goofy that was. [00:02:14] Speaker A: Right. [00:02:15] Speaker B: And thinking, wow, that was 25 years ago. And what I'm really fascinated by this whole. Just thinking about 20 really makes up a bulk of My adult life and kind of for you too. And so a lot has happened since Bible college days and we get to connect every week and talk life and process out now even talking through the life, the life in Christ. And so I don't know how that all sits with you, Carl, but here we are going into the new year and we get to talk about 20, 25. [00:02:47] Speaker A: Yeah. We're just two guys on the journey. Right. We're fellow travelers. Right. You know, and it's that mindset and perspective is so sweet. Is so sweet. [00:02:56] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:02:56] Speaker A: And because oftentimes we think of looking at guys who've arrived or guys who figured it out and it's like, man, it's always Jesus in me, right? It's, it's the life in Christ. When we say about let's talk life somewhat the life that Christ is living in us and through us. You know the verse from Galatians 2:20. Yeah, so yeah, so yeah, that's a great perspective. 25 years, you know, it's, it's since 2000 and looking back in the past 12 months, like you said, time goes by so fast. You know, we think about how days go slow and, and the months go quick or the years go quick and, and you just look back and I know you had a lot of changes in your life. Just personally we were just mentioning them briefly and 20, 25, man. What, where do you want to start with, with, with a year in review. [00:03:47] Speaker B: Man, I, I don't even know part of it. So I, I mean just because you brought it up, I mean, yeah, big, big life changes you brough. I did have them in a small list of stuff too as I was processing through stuff, but just I have a daughter, she's 19 and she went off to college and like in her first year, she's married and so I have a son in law and that's, that's mind boggling in this last year and, and then Ian and I of course too having a baby born in February. So that's almost been a year and a couple more months. So she's turning one, so that's crazy. So yeah, just, just those two things are pretty monumental. And that's just like the tip of the iceberg as to all the things that are happening, which is just so neat. [00:04:37] Speaker A: And it's. [00:04:38] Speaker B: When I think about it, it's not all, it's not a whole bunch of bad stuff. It's, it's. Yeah, sure, along the way some frustration, some fear, some that. [00:04:47] Speaker A: Right. [00:04:47] Speaker B: But, but I'm able to to rest. [00:04:50] Speaker A: Yes. [00:04:50] Speaker B: In the midst of all that, that's what's really beautiful. [00:04:53] Speaker A: Right. So. So that microcosm of every life, every single person listening, there's some highs. We would call them highs. And then there's some things that happen that we would call lows. And finding rest. Right? Finding rest in Christ. [00:05:07] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:05:07] Speaker A: You know, counting it all. Joy. Seeing that, the trials and the hardships and the. Whatever it looked like. Yeah. It brought me to a place of full dependency. [00:05:17] Speaker B: Right. [00:05:18] Speaker A: In the Father's love. [00:05:19] Speaker B: Wow. And it actually reminds me. And I've shared this before. I think I've shared it often because we record a lot of times on Mondays. It's not always that way, but a lot of times I come into my office, where I'm at right here, right now. [00:05:31] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:05:32] Speaker B: And I'm like. I'm like kind of in that state of a little bit of fear, a little bit of. And I'm not saying that that was me at all today, but it just. Many times throughout this last year that I got to here and I got to the seat and I sat right here and I said, God, I don't know what I'm doing. And it's so amazing because in the midst of me feeling like I don't know what I'm doing, I also like every single time that I would have even said that, sometimes out loud, but always just talking to God, saying, God, I don't know what I'm doing. It didn't take very long throughout that. That time of that day to be like, you're doing it, and. And for me to just be totally at rest with what I'm doing is what I'm doing, and I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be. And that's okay. [00:06:18] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:06:19] Speaker B: And so it caused me to really think about that, and it really. It's really awesome because I can look back and kind of see, I guess, the ripples in the water. You know, when you toss that stone out there and you just. You see these connections. [00:06:33] Speaker A: Yeah, the connections. [00:06:35] Speaker B: The connections to people. Even the perspective, even that I have. And the ability just to rest in this unknown sometimes. All of it. Those. Those are all part of those ripples. So it's really a beautiful thing. [00:06:48] Speaker A: Yeah, that is. That is. And so when you think about, like, 20, 20, like, defining. Defining moments. [00:06:58] Speaker B: Wow. [00:06:59] Speaker A: Places where you saw the father in. In such a real way, anything come to your mind? [00:07:06] Speaker B: Yeah. I mean, aside from. Aside from those family things. [00:07:10] Speaker A: Yeah. Which are. [00:07:11] Speaker B: Both of. Both of which are fantastic. And also have a Lot of fear involved in them. [00:07:17] Speaker A: Like, huge. [00:07:18] Speaker B: Your daughter getting married. And like, okay, what is this? And I rested fact that his name is Zachary David. It's like God. Okay, you have this figured out. [00:07:27] Speaker A: Yeah. It's like God winking at you. [00:07:30] Speaker B: Right. And then of course, having a baby can. It can be some fear too. Is like, okay, one more. How does this complicate things? You know, babies are not cheap, so all that stuff. But I love the question. And my mind immediately goes back to Michigan. Something that I wanted to share. I have like, just an. I made some notes in kind of a list of things. And I put these words, I put deeper connections. And I want to start just by answering what you said and what you asked, man, like defining moments. Unquestionably. This was. This was back in October. [00:08:07] Speaker A: We were. [00:08:08] Speaker B: Both of us had traveled to Michigan. We're hosting. [00:08:11] Speaker A: Right. [00:08:12] Speaker B: Facilitating, I guess is a better word, this pastor's retreat together. And because I was in the mix with you and Scott and we're kind of facilitating this together. We're having this dialogue together, like knowing this is what we're trying to create, this environment for you guys just to share. And so in my mind, even though I was supposed to go on this quiet time alone with God with a paper in hand with things to think about, I was. I wasn't even on that track. I was. I was still thinking about what we as. As the leaders were thinking and talking about. And so the key phrase that God really. [00:08:50] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:08:50] Speaker B: Was just ringing in my ears. Is your deepest shame, Your deepest shame? What is your deepest shame? And I was like, I can. Yeah, I can't answer that question. I don't know. And at the same time, I was like. But I. But I do know there's something there because there's something in the way. Keeping me from really trusting. And so that. That was my walk with God in the woods that day and where I actually went to God and said. I actually asked him. Because I'm like, God, I can't. I can't answer this question. Would you help me to understand God? What is my deepest shame? And he broke through with a couple of really heavy things to grapple with. And that's not a story that I'll share right now in detail. And it maybe never will be. [00:09:42] Speaker A: That's right. [00:09:42] Speaker B: But what I can say is that it's absolutely the most beautiful thing in the world to be able to actually step into that and grapple with those really difficult things and to come out able to trust someone else. [00:10:00] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:10:00] Speaker B: Able to trust God with it, because that's true humility, as trueface says it is trusting God and trusting others with me. And so for me to be able to share that first with Scott and then to share that with you, and then to share it with my wife. [00:10:17] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:10:18] Speaker B: And those are the only three people still now that I've even shared it with. But to be able to actually express that to these people and to be loved in the telling of it, that is a defining moment. Because. Because I was actually able to just receive love where I think my walls were always up before that. [00:10:39] Speaker A: Right, right. [00:10:40] Speaker B: So. So that's probably my biggest one. I mean, I have a list of other things I would use the word. [00:10:44] Speaker A: I would use the word. Like, they're like vulnerability. Like vulnerability. So. So instead of protecting self, trusting. Right. Trusting someone else, you receive God's love. It was. It was God's love in a tangible way through the body of Christ, through another believer. Loving you just for telling it, just for sharing, just for opening up. [00:11:05] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. For sure. So, I mean, that's. It's so crucial. I think it's so crucial for people to really have that healing that they want, that freedom and that victory. [00:11:15] Speaker A: Right. [00:11:15] Speaker B: That abundant life that we read about. [00:11:18] Speaker A: Right. [00:11:18] Speaker B: From Scripture. But we're. We're always wondering what that looks like and. And I think that's a really beautiful picture of what that really does look like and. [00:11:26] Speaker A: Right. [00:11:27] Speaker B: It's what people are really, truly searching for. What would you say is your defining moment? [00:11:34] Speaker A: Yeah, I would say some highlights, definitely. The wild at hearts where you see pastors opening up and, you know, trusting God and others maybe for the first time. Usually it's for the first time like. Like you just experienced, you know, that's. That's always great for me, definitely it has to be God. God's restorative work, redemptive work. The arc of redemption in my life with. With the. The championship baseball game and. And Isaac on the mound. Just. Just all the pain and hurt and frustration and. And seeing the celebration and seeing the excitement, the tears of joy and just realizing that God redeems and he restores and he renews and doesn't always mean we win the state championship, but having the eyes to see God in it, having that. Having the spiritual eyes to see there's something bigger here than just a baseball game or just. But just how this whole town, like, this whole town was. Was affected and hadn't failed so miserably, this never would have happened. So this. This idea out there, guys, that Failure is fatal. Or that there's nothing else for us. You know, my belief is that there's nothing else. [00:12:48] Speaker B: Good. [00:12:49] Speaker A: And so you can check out this story from the stories archive in our podcast to hear the whole story. Yeah, that's beautiful. And I don't want to miss it. Right. I don't want to. I don't want to miss sharing God's work, His redemptive work, his. His glory through. Through our deepest shame, he can receive our greatest glory. And I think that's. That's beautiful, Right? [00:13:13] Speaker B: Yeah, it's so good. I go back to. Of course, at the retreat, you shared that story, and we. We did a podcast on just you sharing that story, and it is so beautiful, because I was always under the mindset, too, of, like, those aren't the. The great victories in life. Like, oh, that's. That's just a baseball game. It's like. No, there's so. There's so much more. [00:13:34] Speaker A: Yeah. Oh, yeah. [00:13:35] Speaker B: To that Than what. What I ever. Even. Because when. Even when I think back to our college days and playing soccer games, it's like, yeah, my whole life wasn't wrapped up in soccer, but it sure was really awesome for our team to unite together. And this was after you were, you know, graduated. [00:13:55] Speaker A: But we weren't that great when I was there. That's why I got to play. [00:14:00] Speaker B: That's right. And so. And it's so we're. But I just remember it's like a defining moment, just thinking about sports. Like, I just. I go back to this thinking all the time. I. I loved playing on Moody's Field because here you are in the middle of Chicago. The only piece of grass is the field that you're playing on, and we were playing Moody. And then the very next day, we're in a tournament at Moody, and we beat Moody, and they were like a huge rival. It seemed like we hardly ever beat them, if ever. And here we are on their turf, and we beat them, and it was just so exciting. And so there's nothing like that camaraderie of just being that team. And I think that's a really beautiful picture of the body of Christ. [00:14:39] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:14:40] Speaker B: Just us being together and edifying each other. And, of course, the next day, we played Northland Baptist, and they just whipped their butts because we were so exhausted. [00:14:48] Speaker A: Well, they were always good. [00:14:50] Speaker B: Yeah. So. But in any case. Well, those are fantastic stories. [00:14:54] Speaker A: Yes. And you bring up a great point and a different, you know, going down a different road here. I mean, you and I were together. I Think three or four times this year. And, and being on mission together. [00:15:03] Speaker B: Right. [00:15:04] Speaker A: You know, with. With. Well, I should say this. We're together all the time, but physically in person together. [00:15:10] Speaker B: Right. [00:15:10] Speaker A: Being on mission and the excitement and bringing Scott and. And the three of us. [00:15:15] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:15:15] Speaker A: You know, working together on a mission together, going after the hearts of pastors and ministry leaders. And that was that excitement again, you know, the excitement of, hey, I'm not alone. I'm not isolation. I'm not, you know, that. That my weaknesses are someone else's strengths, you know, and so just. Just realizing there's so, so much beautiful of that. I would like to say this. I mentioned this. I don't always have a word for the year looking forward. Like, Like, I think that's somewhat. We. We. We might manipulate that. You know, it's like, oh, I want to be wealthy this year. Okay. I'm. Wealth is my word. So. So I look back in like, 2019 is like, man, this is the year of vulnerability, you know, 2020, the year of restoration. 2021, the year of authenticity. 2022, the year of identity, where I started understanding the new covenant, my identity in Christ, even greater, you know. And so I look back and. And would define all seven years. Because now it's 2026 coming into. But looking back, it's almost seven years since. Since our D Day, our great collapse. [00:16:18] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:16:18] Speaker A: The false self in pushing forward into our new self in Christ. I would define it that way. Is. Is the word trust over all seven years, learning what it's like to trust the Father. [00:16:33] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:16:34] Speaker A: And I'm telling you like we. We quoted Proverbs 3, 5, and 6. Right. It's one of the first verses we learned. Man, when you start living it, when you. When you start embracing the fullness of trust, which once again, I define it this way as far mutual friend Wayne Jacobson. It's trusting what he wants for me, not trusting him for what I want, not trusting him for my goals or my ambitions or my greatest ideas or how to plan a church or how to grow a church. Just saying, God, whatever you want. Whatever you want in this situation, whatever you want, may I walk through it in obedience. May I walk through it with integrity. May I walk through it following you, walking this out in holiness. And that to me, is amazing. That to me is the fruit. The fruit is for sure. [00:17:26] Speaker B: Wow. Yeah, I love that. And we talk about trust often. I mean, I think that is a key component to our journey, both, but also just our dialogue with others and helping to equip others with this reality, and their very reality, too, of helping them to understand what they. What they have in Christ. Trust is a key element to the whole thing. I think that, you know, the word that I would say for this last year is for me, definitely the word rest. Because another word that I think I share with you off camera was networking. And it doesn't sound very spiritual or exciting, but it's miraculous for me because I'm not a natural. Like, it's not my forte, okay, to step into a room and to go into network and to connect with all these people. It's just not my forte. It's not my personality. It's not me. But because I'm at rest, yeah, I'm able. I'm actually just. It's just happening. It's not that I'm able to do this or I'm able to. It's just. It's just happening. It's like all of a sudden I'm in this conversation with somebody and we're exchanging numbers and there's this connection to go further. [00:18:41] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:18:41] Speaker B: And it's just so different. So I. I've. I've definitely just this last year, really, that trust word is key. And I think words, it's really transformed my life in the area of just being at rest. And. And it's similar to coming to this very spot and sitting down and saying, God, I don't know what I'm doing, but I can rest. [00:19:02] Speaker A: I can rest God and who I am. [00:19:05] Speaker B: Yes, yes, thank God what you're doing. And I'm okay. Whatever that might look like today, that's. That's me just really trusting in, okay, what's. What's your will for me today? What's happening today that I can be a part of? And I go back to even what Teresa was a teacher of my advanced ministry training class. And when she would fumble over stuff and she was like, okay, I was going to go here, and I don't remember, she would actually just pause and just say, spirit, what are we doing? What are. What are we doing? Yeah, because we're in union. We're doing this together. And it's like, okay, Spirit, what are we doing? You know, I lost my train of thought or I lost this, or, okay, spirit, what are we doing? I love that. That mentality of just being at rest. And this. This is what's so beautiful. You've been here to. To my office, to this facility that my office is in. And I love the nature of just being able to just. I'm gonna Step away from my desk. And I'm just gonna go walk and connect with people. [00:20:01] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:01] Speaker B: And just whoever I've come into contact with today. Sometimes it's nobody. Sometimes it's five people. Sometimes I never get back to my office and I get nothing done. It's like. But it's just. That's the beauty. It's. [00:20:13] Speaker A: Right. It's losing our agenda for his. [00:20:16] Speaker B: Yes. Completely. Yeah. It's such a beautiful way to live. [00:20:21] Speaker A: It's. It is. It is. [00:20:23] Speaker B: And I think it's the. It's the life that God really intends for us and we've. We've just over complicated it in so many ways. And that's. That's a sad reality. Right. [00:20:33] Speaker A: And it doesn't mean we don't make plans. It doesn't mean you don't have. [00:20:35] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:36] Speaker A: Ambition. It's just. God, it's. [00:20:38] Speaker B: Of course, I'm holding it loosely. [00:20:40] Speaker A: And whatever you have for me, let me have the eyes to see where you want me to step in, where you don't. Right. [00:20:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:20:48] Speaker A: Because ultimately, think about this. This isn't what you learn in Bible college. [00:20:52] Speaker B: Right. [00:20:52] Speaker A: This is what you learn. God. It's. You're the one that does it. God. It's up to you, not me. I'm not mission critical. You could. You can do this without me. Yeah. But the joy of that union. [00:21:03] Speaker B: Yes. [00:21:04] Speaker A: And the eyes to see him at work. [00:21:06] Speaker B: Right. Yeah. [00:21:08] Speaker A: Something beautiful about it. But the pressure's off me. It's not up to me to perform. It's not up to me to have the best words or the most eloquent. I mean, Paul said that I'm not the most eloquent speaker. And we're looking at like, wow, you're pretty good writer, Paul, you know, But. But he said Jesus is you. [00:21:22] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:21:23] Speaker A: You're the one that opens eyes. Holy Spirit. You're the one that opens eyes. You're the one that. [00:21:27] Speaker B: Yeah. Yep. That's the beginning prayer for my journey into all this. And it's the prayer that I continue to pray over other people. [00:21:35] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:21:35] Speaker B: As I work with them, as I just see them struggling in their own life and they just can't. [00:21:40] Speaker A: Right. [00:21:40] Speaker B: So I pray, God, would you give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation to know you? Ephesians 1:17. God, you do. The breakthrough with this person, it changes everything. It's changed everything for. For me, for you, for everybody that stepped into this, It's. It's just so amazing. And it's not like it's this. This new thing. It's the true gospel message that has been alive and well since Jesus walked the earth and, and was resurrected after his crucifixion and brought this, this eternal life that we have right now in this present time. So it's such an incredible thing. So, wow, what a good time together. And that's our very. I don't know, there's so many more things I think we could talk about in a year in review, but we only have so much time. And so, as always, it's a joy to talk life with you, Carl. And we're checking out of the year 2025.