I'm so glad y'all asked this question

is none left? I'm glad we pulled up this question did change in much tired and long line of my fool of hump and down going back, Rangy cove evage. Yeah youation alright one of my favorite guests, Chad. People were lucky that ask questions today. Chad is uh so grounded, such a a good thinker, good listener, good at kind of I hope my wife's listening. Yeah, getting all this? Yeah yeah, you could kind of craft your way unbiasedly

through through these questions from from the listeners. And I love that about you, and uh so I look forward to every time you come to the EU Farm. So if you guys want to uh, if you have any question. Grangersmith Podcast at gmail dot com. That's the email email away. The more and more I get your emails, the more and more categories I get to divide them into. And the categories are pretty broad. So I split these up a little bit today and I'm gonna I'm gonna kind

of leave some of these to you. I'm gonna start with I'm gonna start with a very light one. It's says, hey, Granger, my name is Dakota. What my question is, what is your favorite dog breed? Oh? Which is good, it's are you a dog guy? I am okay, Yeah, I've got a crazy story about a dog. So I grew up with dogs and then got married and my wife did not grow up with dogs. Her dad was really allergic and so they could never have dogs. So then we get married and I'm like, hey, what do you think

about a dog? And she's like, no, that's just one other thing to take care of it. I'm like, okay, okay. And then I go on a trip about a year ago, a year in a couple months to Uganda and I'm there doing some mission work and getting to go to these remote villages, speaking to pastors, encouraging them, and I finish up in one particular village in the mountains. One of the pastors comes to me and says, Pastor, Chat,

I have a gift for you. Now. Our driver that was driving us around these villages he said, Oh, it's probably going to be like a chicken or a goat, and we'll just we'll butcher it and have it for lunch tomorrow. And I was like, oh, okay, okay, cool, that'll be a new experience. And the pastor comes out with this like six week old puppy. Wow, and we're all just shocked by this, like what are we gonna do with a dog? And so I call back home.

I'm on the video chat with my wife and kids, and my wife being you know, she's thinking, yeah, you can have the dog, because she's you know, in the back of her head going there's no way you'll get that back from Africa through customs and all that stuff like. So she's like, yeah, I'll be yeah, I'll be the supportive wife and I'll say, yeah, sure you can have a dog. This is one shot you have to have a dog. And sure enough it worked out. We got

the dog. Back. So now I have this dog. Wow, I don't know the breed or anything, but he's he's our African dog from Uganda. What does he look like? What does he lean towards? He leans towards like a German shepherd, but the hair is shorter. Okay, And I think he's got some sort of hound because anytime he sees a deer or a bird or something, he kind of like he'll put the foot up and the tail goes straight and he kind of points a little bit. So I'm not hound, but pointer or bird dog or something.

So German shepherd, bird dogs, Okay, something that's cool. Yeah. First of all, I want to go on this next trip to Uganda with you. We are going in October, so absolutely right, we're going. I'll get you there. I grew up with labs, actual fact, in fact, yellow labs. I had three yellow labs from two years old all the way up to the third. One died in twenty sixteen. So I've had a lot of labs, a lot of life with labs, i should say, and they've always been great.

They are shedders, but they're great family dogs. I now have three. I never thought i'd have three dogs. Especially My wife, similar to yours, didn't grow up with dogs ever, so the thought of her having three dogs was definitely not not predicted. But we have a German short hair two of them, we have a puppy and a six year old, and then we have a Vishla. All three or bird dogs. I've always heard that that mutts are are just a great dog because first of all, they're

very healthy. They don't have the pure breed health problems and so, Dakoda, it's hard to say. I do love dogs just like Chad. I'm not as much of a small dog guy. My dad used to say little dog, little brain. That might offend some people, but but but there's something about a bigger dog that wants to get up in your lap and be part of the family. And so so yeah, I think I'd lean just like Chad. I think I'd lean to the bird dog esque type. Yeah,

dogs are Thanks for the question, Dakota. Dogs are They just blow them my mind. How canines could be manipulated through breeding like that. Everything started with a wolf at some point, but you could have Chihuahuas and Great Danes and bulldogs and poodles and they are all manipulated. Through breeding, which is so bizarre. Yeah, so crazy. Take the shortest nose dog and read it with the other shortest nose dog and keep doing that. You're gonna have a bulldog.

I'm gonna let you pick some of these sweet based on the subject. We have urgent relationship advice. We have was it? What is it to be a man? We have making money? We have a Hey, Graandeur really need some advice we need We have a please answer, We have a promotion, we have faith and friends, and we have church and country music. And he goes, well, the urgent one. Maybe we should Maybe we should do it

just because it's urgent, the urgent relationship advice. Yeah, okay, Hey Grandeur, I'd like to keep my name off of this one. Thank you for saying that early. I've emailed a few times and I always love your wisdom and relationship advice. Thank you, buddy. There is a girl that i've dated almost two years that I dated almost two years back, so I'm assuming you're not anymore. We had an amazing relationship, but we were just two different people

in two different places maturity wise. I'm a little bit older. Recently, her and her boyfriend broke up. She's awesome. She excuse me. She is someone that I'd be willing to give another shot with if she was willing to take it. I'm not sure if I reach out to her first or wait and see if she calls me like she has done in the past. I can't stop thinking about what we could be and at the same time, I have no idea if she would even be interested anymore. What

are your thoughts? Immediately wonder what caused it not to work in the first place? And has that changed? Right? Was there some kind of circumstantial component that's now different? Yeah, we were just two different people in two different places maturity wise. So maybe he's thinking now that time has gone by, they're more equal in that in that category. So the question is, I'm not sure if I should reach out first or wait. I can't stop thinking about what could be. At the same time, I have no

idea if she'd even be interested. That's interesting, Yeah, I would. It sounds like, you know, as you consider this, you have hesitation, uh, And so I would explore that, what's what's your hesitation? And like, quite honestly, I would I would tell somebody pray about it like that. That would be you know, you know, explore what what is the hesitation? There have the things change that caused it not to work initially, And then I would yeah, I would seek

wise counsel, and I would seek the Lord. I would pray about it. Yeah, I think Chad and I will say that we could always say that at the beginning in every question is we'll pray about it. Pray about it first, seek wise counsel. That's that's that's the kind of the foundation of anything that we would tell you. I think, I think you just and after that he goes and has coffee, Yeah, and just lays it out. Yeah, just yeah, be honest, to be up front. There's nothing

you could lose from that. I think what what exhausts a lot of people is the game, right, the posturing and trying to figure out and not willing to risk it. And I think guys should be willing to risk it, to be the ones that take the risk in a relationship, to initiate and be the ones that are vulnerable first by reaching out and engaging. So that's good to keep to be, you know, consistent with my own own advice there, I would say, take some time, think about it, pray,

about it and then ask hef to coffee. Yeah, that's good, that's good. I avoid the game because no matter what her reaction to this is going to be, she's going to respect you if you're completely honest and you're saying, listen, this is how I feel. And you don't even have to tell her I think you're the one of my dream. You don't even have to say that, you just you

say what's on your heart. I think there could be something really special between us, and I wanted to bring that up to you as honest as I can, without playing games and without drawing this out any further. I care about you a lot, and I think I think we're very compatible. But before we go any further with that, what do you think? And she might go, oh, you know what, I just don't. I don't see us that

way anymore, And okay, good, guess what. Then you have a good answer, a solid answer to move on to the next part of your life. And if she says yes, then here we go. You're off to the races. So yeah, thanks for the question, buddy. What do you think, Chad? What was it to be a man making money? I need some advice promotion, please, answer, church and country music, faith and friends. Okay, let's go into church and country music. Okay, and then we'll see. I like that they couldn't lead

us a lot of different ways. Hey, Grandeur, I'm Kyle from Utah. I'm almost sixteen years old. I know you said to those looking for a church that they will know when they find the church that's right for them. I just recently left a church that my whole family was going to for many generations because I didn't feel right. I don't think that some of the things they were saying were with the Bible. So I want to find

a church that feels right. But I also know I need a way to find a church that my parents. I'm looking for a way to attend a new church because my parents wouldn't take me to the one and good. Okay, so your parent, you're sixteen, I got it, I got it. What would you recommend? And he then at the end he says, also, I want to be a country music singer. So that's where country music comes in here. I've watched

your podcast from the very beginning. So you're wondering you're not feeling right at your church that your parents go to, and you're having trouble reconciling going to another one separate because you're only sixteen years old. It's an interesting question. I don't think i've gotten into this this yet where a sixteen year old is going against where his parents

are going to church. Yeah, I think there's a couple of things going on here given the age, right that there is a there's a concept of honoring our parents that I think is pretty clear biblically and what does

it mean to honor our parents and respect them? And without going into all of that, I think that there's a component of that here that you know, has the conversation been had with him and his parents would be one of the questions that I would have for him and really encourage that conversation, for him to be open and transparent about some of those things and to have them as a part of the conversation rather than just making a decision and finding an alternative and then just

doing that one weekend and the parents kind of going where did that come from? Specifically to your dad, Kyle, So going to your dad and I would be I mean, it's tough because you're sixteen and not that you aren't capable of thinking on your own. You are, but you're gonna have to have some some scripture references that completely

contradict the current church, which is not easy. And as we said earlier, this is gonna take prayer and counsel and then you're gonna have to go to your dad and go, Dad, I gotta have to talk to you. And this is gonna take some massive maturity on your part. I don't know if I possess that kind of maturity at sixteen. That's all, just throw that out there. But you're gonna have to go with scripture references to your dad and go. It says this, this, this, And on

Sunday he said this, Dad, what do you think? And then then we get into where is your dad in this kind of situation? This is a tough one for me only because of the age. And what I don't want you to do is just bail on church, right, And so you end up just not going anywhere. You stay at home, your parents get dressed and go, and Sunday you stayed home saying I don't believe what you

are learning. That's not going to make anything better. You have to at least have a conversation and then you're going to have to find these scriptures, which is difficult, and then you're and then you're probably going to have to attend an online church for a little bit. Yeah, that's what I was thinking, that there's there's something to be said about the accessibility of great biblical teaching that's

available on whether it's through podcasts or online services. You can find historic and current sermons a lot of places, and you can still remain as a part of your family attending that local church, because I don't want to excuse the you know, the importance of the local body of believers is absolutely crucial, and so you don't want

to remove yourself from that. And so it is possible to get great sound biblical teaching and be a part of a church that maybe you don't you don't totally agree with everything that's happening, but there's still something about the fidelity of a group of believers and the beauty

of that and the benefit of that. I heard RCI Sproull say one time that all preachers, all teachers, all pastors will only be right about seventy percent of the time because they're human, not that they're intending to be wrong, but to get up there and speak for an hour and say one hundred percent truth the whole time is impossible because we're human. So I agree with Chad. Continue

to show up with your family. If you were if you were thirty years old and had a couple kids at home and a wife, okay, it's time to lead your family spiritually to where you feel called. But when you're sixteen and you're with your parents, there is a lot to be said for obeying your parents, following them. And as Chad said, there's going to be truth in all of these churches at some level. You're gonna be

able to find truth there. You're gonna have worship, You're gonna be able to worship, and everyone in that congregation doesn't all believe the same They're not all against you. There's people in there in those seats that feel the same way as you do. And if you're brave enough at sixteen, which I'm not necessarily even calling you to do this, but if you're brave enough, you could approach

an elder in the church, maybe even the pastor himself. Yeah, I mean that would be powerful if as a pastor, if I have a sixteen year old approach me about some things that I've been saying or teaching in a humble Wayah, that would be powerful, It would for both parties. Yeah, I think that's that's your answer. Man. I don't think

you move right now. I think I think you stay put and you continue to learn, and for everyone, continue to read the scripture on your own, in your own time, your own quiet time, which I was not doing at sixteen. I was not diligently sitting up and reading on my own, on my own merit, on my own discipline. I was not doing that at sixteen. So what I'm what I'm asking from you is above and beyond what I was capable of at that age. But reading on your own.

Everyone should be able to read their own and draw their own interpretations through their own reading and led by the Holy Spirit. That's a good question, man, That is good. Yeah, thank you, Kyle, and shout out to Utah. Where do you want to go out, Chad? So we had a question about masculinity. Yeah, it does mean be a man. It says for you, Kamma, what is it to be a man? I read that one, sir. It says, Hey, grangeer, how's it going. I've been trying to figure out how

to answer this for a while. Now. I know we all have different answers, but I haven't been able to get my answer. So I figured your answer might help me figure out mine. I ask you this because you're the best man, better said, most complete man I've ever seen. So for you, what is it to be a man? And what makes a man a man? Thanks? David. I have to say, right off the bat boom to I have to rebuke the me being the best man or

the most complete man. And it's interesting because Chad and I were talking about right before we started this podcast. We're talking about the world of social media, the world of influence that is unknown to humanity up until now, in fact, maybe even the last five years that recent that we could look everywhere and we could see examples and influence everywhere, and every time you see it, you're only seeing what you're supposed to be seeing. You're seeing

what that influencer has prepared you to see. So you're not seeing my flaws and my mistakes, and you didn't see my journey in my stumbling blocks and my obstacles and the ones that still come up. So you can't look at me as the complete man. But I can lead you where you can, and that's in the four Gospels, in the Bible. You can find the complete man there. And so I could tell you if you're looking at me, I could tell you what I'm looking at to try to seek this same answer. And I think Chad seeks

the same answer. I think at some level all of us seek the answer of what is it? What is it to be a man? So we continue to study every day. Yeah, yeah, that was a big part of my growing up and not having a dad present in the home for me, a lot of my early years, teenage years, formative years, I was exploring and asking that question, not even knowing I was asking that question, but wanting to know when do I arrive, When do I become this thing called a man? And so I'm looking at

I'm watching movies, I'm listening to music. I'm trying to look outside, mostly in pop culture for masculinity, and a lot of it had to, you know, revolve around alcohol, drugs, sex. It was those were in those arenas. That's where I

saw what I thought was manhood. And it was a big part of me understanding full what the Gospel is my new life in Christ and then having manhood defined completely counter culturally, and realizing that in Christ we have a demonstration of manhood that involves vision right, the ability to see God's power and presence despite the obstacles. The idea of empowering others and enabling others rather than using other people. The idea of integrity that man, what you

see is what you get. I'm not going to put on a show and be something I'm not. The idea of attitude that I can't control what happens to me, but I can control how I respond to those things, and so therefore my attitude, humility, the idea of that

I'm not going to build up myself. I'm going to walk humbly and have a right understanding of myself, my capabilities, and you know, the idea of meekness which man our culture often associates just because it rhymes with weakness, but meekness in the understanding that it is power under control, like the ability to have as a man, we have

certain strengths and abilities. We don't always need to tout those, we don't always need to make that the thing that people know about us, but we use it in order to serve and help other people. It's like a Nascar going into the pit, going at forty miles an hour and all that power under complete control. At forty miles an hour, it could wide open, it could, but it's holding it in meekness. And that, guys, that's a powerful thing.

Is harnessing what you're capable of and a very controlled atmosphere. And that's the much harder thing to do than fly off the handle and engage in power full strength. When you see it, when you see a quarterback and you're watching football and you see him going going off at the ref or casting out the coach or throwing his helmet, you just think, man, what a loser. But when you see the quarterback that it's fourth down and two, he's got to make this first down, he's just cold. His eyes,

his eyes are clear. He's composed. He's composed. He's checking out the line of scrimmage, looking back and forth. He knows exactly where he's going. That's that meekness in that quarterback. That's so admirable, and you go, I want to be on that guy's team. And he might not even make it, he might not get it. And you know that if he doesn't get it, He's going to be ready for the next game. And if he does get it, he's

not going to take the credit for it. He's going to say, this is the team's win, this is the fundamentals, this is my coaches that taught me this. That's the kind of guy you want to look up to. That's the man you want to become. Yeah. I talk to my sons about the idea of the victim mentality, that that is not something that that is not manhood. I

talk to them all the time. I'm not raising boys, I'm raising future men, and the idea that we take ownership, whether it's our fault or not, in any given situation. We don't blame someone else. We identify what it here? Can I own? What is it that I can take responsibility for and work on, get better and push through.

But I'm not going to blame other people. And so right now I'm in the world of youth sports and I get to coach little league and so, yeah, there's a lot of times the umpire man, we could really blame it. Man, we had bad umps or whatever. Man. So but that's now, that's not what men do. Men go, Okay, I go, I gotta make it clearer next time that I didn't mess up, or that I am safe, or that I made the throw or whatever. I've read this on this podcast before, and it echoes what Chad's saying.

But it's if by Richard Kipling. You heard this poet, I think I might as well read it to you, David. It says, if you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you could trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too. If you could wait and not be tired by waiting or being lied about, don't deal in lies or being hated, don't give way to hating, and yet look too good, And yet don't look too good nor talk too wise. If you could

dream and not make dreams your master. If you could think and not make thoughts your aim. If you could meet with triumph and disaster and treat those two impostures just the same. If you could bear to hear the truth you've spoken twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch the things you gave your life to broken and stoop and build them up with worn

out tools. If you could make one heap of all your winnings and risk it all on one turn of pitch and toss and lose, and start again at your beginning, and never breathe a word about your loss. If you could force your heart and nerve and send you to serve your long turn, to serve your turn long after they're gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to them, hold on.

If you could talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings, nor lose the common touch, if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, if all men count with you, but none too much. If you could feel the unforgiving minute, with sixty seconds worth of distance, run yours is the earth and everything that's in it, and which is even more, you'll be a man, My son, You drop the mic. Yeah, I look at that poet. If you want to know what is a man? What does it take to be a man? I look at

Ridrid Kipling's poem in eighteen eighty five. That's awesome. Yeah, good question, David. I don't know if there is a definitive answer for you, but there's there's a big universe for you to dive into. Thank you buddy. So you brought up nas car, have you? You probably have been in the pits I have. Man, It's it's incredible. I see I can only imagine, but you've been there and just the rumble shake your like nothing I've ever seen.

When when you're standing on a on it at the end of a turn or at the beginning of it straightaway and they're coming, They're coming all the way around the track and then they fly around that turn and rush past you. It literally will blow If you're wearing a hat or sunglasses, it just blows them off. It's unbelievable power. Man. I want to I want to be in the pits there. That would be sweet. We're gonna

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this is fun. If you have a question, email Grangersmith podcast at gmail dot com where me and chat are moving through today. Up next, we have some subjects we have making money, one that says question when it says I need some advice, promotion, please answer? And faith and friends. Any of those stand out to you. That's funny because when I ask you that, and I wonder if people are going, oh, please answer. I wonder if there's some we don't get to and then somehow we can respond

in comments or something. Sure, sure, making money making money probably interests people. Hey Granger, my name is Joe. I'm thirteen. Man. You guys get a young man. I know I have so much stuff I have to pay for Ammo prices right now are ridiculous and I love shooting. I have an l hunt that I need year for plus gas and renting a trailer, fishing, my truck savings account, et cetera. I have a car detailing business that pays okay, but

I can't get very very many customers. I'm trying to get a job on one of my family's ranches, but that's not a guarantee. Do you know anyway for me to earn some money? Thanks? And yege, he sounds like he's from Montana. Just like, yes, so did he say he's thirteen? I have run into this so many times on this podcast where I have to read their age over and over. But yes, thirteen, thirteen and thirteen he's Ammo prices are getting in his truck. Wait why, I

don't know? That's what I'm like. What So he's he's very future thinking because he's a good if he's in here, it is my truck savings account. He's saving up for it in three years? Yeah? Smart? Yeah, smart dude. He does sound like I'm Montana. It sounds like he's like elkkunt animal prices and get a truck. I have to start answering this the same way I answer all of these type questions. I just say, Joe, make sure you're not skipping out on just being thirteen year old boy.

I don't mean that in any kind of offensive way, because I was once that, and Chads wants that. I don't want you to get caught up in saving and responsibility of making money and adding jobs to your resume and skip out on the fact that sometimes you just got to go roll around on the dirt in the

sunshine and be thirteen. And I worry about that. And I think this might go back to what we said earlier with the world is so vibrant on social media right now that people feel like they're missing out a lot. The fear of missing out is a real thing. People watch these YouTubers, the influencers, these TikTokers, and they go, man, that's what I want to do. How do I get there? Yeah? How do I start saving so I could do that?

When when I look at it and go, man, you've got to You have a lifetime of responsibilities ahead of you and worries and bills to be paid and money to be saved and jobs to be worked. You have a lifetime of that. Why do you want to start that so early when sometimes just going out in the woods with your dog and finding a little fishinghole. Yeah. Well, and I'm impressed because there are a lot of younger folks in our culture that would love it to just be handed to them. Here's a young guy who is

willing to work. He's willing to do the hard thing. So my advice to you, in order to continue to enjoy being a kid is find a way to leverage what you love to do. It sounds like you love to hunt. Is there a way that you can do what you love by elk hunting or whatever, and you could, yeah, start to generate an income from that. I don't know, Yeah, like maybe going to an outfitter. Maybe maybe you are from Montana, maybe you are from a I'm assuming you're

from some kind of mountain state, Utah, Idaho, Colorado. And what if you go down to a local hunting outfit and say, my name's Joe, I'm willing to work for food and gas money, and I just want to be part of this organization. I love elk hunting, I love being out in the woods, and I want to learn and I want to learn from you older guys, and I'll carry your packs, or I'll sweep the floor, I'll wash your cars. I'm actually from a car to you detailing company. I could wash your trucks for you. I

can clean your rifles for you, exactly. There's a book called Where the Red Fern Grows, such an awesome classic, one of my favorites, and so it's like a strange it's like a strange ride, a passage in my family where I have to read it to my kids when they get to a certain age. We read it together. I read it aloud. And it's a story of this boy who his passion like yours, great our Joe greatyst email Joe is too. So he wants to go hunting,

and he wants to hunt raccoons with two dogs. And he can't afford the dogs or anything that goes with it, so he starts doing all kinds of odd jobs like collecting collecting berries and helping his grandpa at the general store and trapping hides. And this takes place in their late eighteen hundreds in Arkansas or Oklahoma, and he earns enough to buy these dogs that they're fifty dollars for two dogs. So that's that's an awesome book. And it's

such a simple, simple task for a simple goal. He wants two dogs and he needs to make money to get there. I think it's awesome you have dreams. And I think Chad is absolutely right that it's awesome you have this kind of ambition when we just talked about the entitlement problem, the millennial problem that we mentioned, and you don't seem to have that at all. In fact, you're willing to take on more and you're wanting advice on how to expand even more what you're already doing.

But the fact is these years are going to fly by. You're going to be fourteen, then you're gonna be fifteen, so fast, you're gonna be twenty and go, man, where did the seven years go? And you don't want to say, I know where those seven years went, working at the card to you telling business so that I could buy something that I don't even have anymore. So keep them, keep the passion and the ambition. Maybe pump the brakes

on money, money, money, and find a way. There's my brothers and I always say, there's there's always a back door to every house you want to go into, and in country music, we constantly see the line waiting at the front door of people trying to get in, and we always could find some kind of open window that

we could crawl through in the back. And I'm suggesting that with you, with this, with your l hunting passion, that there may be a back window you could slide through into one of these companies and you might be hunting for free, just for a sweeping the floor of the hunting lodge. Yeah, that's cool, Thank you, Joe. Let's see we got well here. This is the one that says question I opened it up. I saw the word church in it. You work at a church. Let's read

this one says hey Granger. I found out through my son watching Earl about you, and I watched the Smiths and your family as much as we can. Here's the deal. I've been in church my whole life. Recently changed churches as something was missing in our old one. Things have been better, but I need some personal Not sure how to say it. Tune up. Do you have an author or simply a daily devotional for a guy needs to be paper is I don't do any kind of apps. I work alone. I have a lot of time to

think thanks a lot, James from Ontario, Canada. So you have some classics out there, my utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. You've got Morning and Evenings by Charles Spurgeon that I think are phenomenal. You can get some really cool if you like paper, you can get some really cool kind of old bound versions of both of those. Yes, there would be one that's a little bit more intense

but still highly valuable. Is it's called for the Love of God, and it is there's a two volume version, but it basically yeah, you can get one volume per year. But these are all designed around daily interaction in the scriptures, so that you're every day, every year in the Word and these these men and very gifted teachers give you some insight into the text. Yeah, that's great. There was one that I got got one time for a gift and I went through it in a year and it

was like Devotionals from a deer blind or something. So it's very you know, it's very country relevant. It would read read a passage, help explain the passage, and then it would have a direct relation to nature in the outdoors and a way to connect with those thoughts in the outdoors. I'm assuming this is kind of where you're coming from. I know Ontario. Ontario is a very, very country place, so I think the fact is there's a lot.

There's a lot of really good ones, and if you find a Christian bookstore, maybe they could even direct you to some of these. And I always have to say that at one time in my life I became what I call a devotional junkie, and it became for me, not everyone, and I'm just speaking for myself. It became a little bit dangerous because it started replacing the actual Bible reading itself, and it starts to kind of clearcoat the Bible and cherry pick and paint everything beautifully, when

that's not always what we need in our life. Sometimes we just need to go straight to the truth. And what it also does, I think reading too many devotionals. Once again, it's not bad or wrong in any way. It's not wrong, but it needs to be a supplement, not a source. And it starts if you take the supplement too much, it starts to dilute the source, where the source gets boring or doesn't matter, or becomes irrelevant. There's the danger of it, once again, not saying James

that that could happen to you. But this is what happened to me. It starts to dilute the source, and so I had to I had to get rid of all devotionals and go straight to the source until I was good enough in the source that I could supplement, if that makes sense. And I think a way to guard against that is, you know, in a devotional, they'll have the scripture passage, and some of them have the passage kind of printed out there, or you need to

have your Bible ready. But I would say always begin with whatever passage that they're going to kind of give you their devotional thoughts on. You read the scripture first. You get into that passage, you read it, you process it, you want it, and then see what they are going to say or guide you in. So don't just open it up, see the scripture reference, and then read their thoughts and then move on. Yeah, make sure it's you guys having a conversation whoever the author of that devotional

is about the text. Yeah, yeah, and read the paragraph before the text and the paragraph after the text, just to get some of the foundation of where it's coming from.

You got to have that contrast a little bit for me when this all came to a head with me, I just started in Matthew Matthew one, opened it up, It's the beginning of the New Testament, and started reading just cold, no devotional, just out of my own interpretation, and made it all the way through the New Testament once before I was ready to then now onally check out some man made references and oh yes, I remember that part and I know how that now I know,

and it just and it connects everything way better. It's it's like watching take your favorite movie, and you could live your whole life just watching the preview of the movie. That's a great way to put it. And the previews are great, they're entertaining, you get a lot from it, but you're missing the whole thing, yeah, getting the highlights of it. And so no matter no matter how you think about the preview, you're still not seeing the end. They're not going to show you the end on the preview.

They're not seeing the wrap up. So anyway, that reminds me of the podcast idea. Remember I floated by you, Yes, yes, this idea of what would it be like to on a weekly basis just open the text, read a passage and just talk about it. But read the text and get into a passage of scripture and then continue with the next one, and just read through a book of the Bible at a time and just talk about it. You know, I think that would be so exciting. I would. I mean, I do that every day anyway, so it'd

be fun to to do it. Yeah. Sometimes if you do, if you get into this James, regardless or if it's devotional or if it's just Bible itself, say say prayer before you start, that you have a clear mind to be reading it, that you're reading it, not to just check a box, but you read it, or that you filled a space at your at your work when you're alone because you're bored. Don't think that's what you're doing. But say quick prayer and it could be as informal

as you want. Just God, I'm about to open up this word and I need it to speak to me. I need to see you through this text. I need to understand you better through this text in the way that it relates to me. And it's a it's a supernatural book. It does supernatural things, and you can't read it like it's where the red fern grows right. Yeah, yeah, I was open with in Psalm one nineteen think it's verse sixteen. Just was reading that this week. Were you yes?

Psalm one nineteen and he says, Lord, open my eyes so that I may behold wondrous things from your word. But this this request that God would open or pass to see what's there. Yeah, it's perfect. There's a time and it's like in the fifties. I don't remember which one, but it says, it is good that I've been afflicted. It is good that I have been afflicted. That is so powerful and not many people could come to that kind of reallyation that it's good that I've been afflicted.

Let's go to thank you, James. Let's go to all that you choose. Chad. Hey, Grangeer needs some advice, promotion, please answer or faith in friends? Uh, either advice or please answer. We've been I don't know they'll seem I get yeah, I feel bad for that. Let's go to please answer. It says, Hey, this is Jake from Wisconsin. You thought state farmed, didn't you. I just want to start by saying I love all your stuff and your

music and YouTube and your family. Thank you. Buddy, it says, but I want to know when things get rough, when it seems like no one is there for you, or mainly the one or mainly the one that you want to be there for you doesn't seem to care, how do you push through to find motivation to move on and be happy again? How do you find happy when it seems like there is none left? I'm glad we

pulled up this question. Thank you, Jake. Shout out to Wisconsin and man that this is this is like the question is this is the question that everyone asks and just words it differently, and you just went straight to the point. How do you find happiness when it seems like there is none left? Such a human emotion, such a human sentiment. Yeah, because I think it's very easy to tie our our happiness to circumstances. Right the if the conditions are ideal or our expectations are fulfilled, then

we can be happy. And I think there's true liberation and freedom when our joy, which I'm going to use a different word, right, our ultimate ultimate contentment isn't tied to circumstance or fulfilled expectations, because rarely do things play

out the way we would design them. And usually it's probably better that they don't, right, Yeah, that and I mean, how awesome, how blessed is it to be somebody who navigates this world and can have joy through a variety of different circumstances, because it's never tied to if this happens, then I'll be happy, or if this plays out, then I'll be happy. But it has to be tied to something that's not that doesn't ebb and flow or go

with the waves of the sea. Right, it's not tossed about, but a joy that is tied to something that is unchanging, you know where I'm going from. Right, So, if we tire how happiness to a job or something that's there in the future, something that we're hoping for that we hope plays out, or we tie it to a person, those things will almost eventually not turn out and have a high probability of failing. But if our hope is in something that is sure and yeah, isn't influenced by

you know, humanity or circumstances or job or money. Do you get this kind of question when you're when you're doing discipleship or counseling or yep, yeah, almost all the time. Almost all the time I figured. So this question sounds like the root of this question from Jake sounds like it's it's some kind of breakup, because he says, I want to know when things get rough, when it seems like no one is there for you, or mainly the one you want to be there for you doesn't seem

care mm hm. It sounds like there's been some kind of either girlfriend breakup, wife divorce, wife separation, or even a good friend has turned his back. So we are we are humans need community, we need connection. We're built for connection and community. And the good news for Jake is that we live in a modern world where it is we all we live closer together than we ever have in human history. Meaning if you were a pioneer in New Mexico on a ranch and you're you know,

you're all alone, it would be tough. It would be really tough. You know, you'd have to move to Kansas City or something. But Jake, wherever you are in Wisconsin, don't don't shut me off here. Okay, don't don't shut this podcast off when I say this. But there's a church close to you. And the reason I could even say that is because I was in I was in South Dakota on Sunday, Sue Falls, and I called Chad here about a week and a half ago or so, and I said, Hey, I'm going to be in Sue Falls,

South Dakota on Sunday. We're playing that night, and I'm going to be available that Sunday to go to a church. Do you have anybody there that you know of? He did a little research. I still don't really know how you did it, but he found a church for me. He goid, hey, check this out. Here's the website. If I was going to Sue Falls, this is where I would go. So I was like cool, So I went

and I went in with all these strangers. Of course I had two of my guys with me, but I went in to this church with strangers, and I went straight to the hospitality desk. I'd already emailed them before and told them I was new and coming, and they had a little gift bag waiting for me with a little coffee mug and a journal and a pin and we we had a great talk and then and then I was just welcomed instantly into this family. I'm not gonna lie guys on this podcast. We started to worship.

I literally started crying. I literally started crying because I had been on the road for a week. I was away from my family, away from my friends in Texas, and I felt like I was home. I felt for that time under that roof, I was accepted, I was wanted, and I was connecting with other humans. And the reason I even bring it up is because you said, when it feels like no one is there for you, and I'm telling you that wherever you go in Wisconsin down the road is a is a church, and I'll help

you find one. So if you wow, if you need help right there, I will. Yeah, I'll find one that I would go to near you. That's an incredible offer. I don't know how I would do that. Or email right back here, Okaja, email right back here if this is something that's perking your interest, and it absolutely might not, but you asked me, and so this is my answer and this is my podcast. So if email right back on the same email and say yes, actually, I would

like to hear from Chad about a church. Okay, Chad's going to get your hometown and he's going to find that for you. In fact, I don't know if I shouldn't even say this on air, but maybe if there's anyone listening that has that similar question goes, well, I'm in South Carolina, this town. Where is there a place here? Yeah, we might not always be able to find you one, but well look, yep, so good call. Yeah. Yeah, we're kind of like in the middle of maybe have time

to do one more. Let's do this promotion. Hey Grainger, my name is Justin Toner. I'm a big fan of yours and I've been wondering if I can get your opinion on something. I've been at my job for six years now, finally got a promotion dot dot sort of. They told me I have the job, but they needed to hire my replacement first. Well that happens, and then someone quits and now I have to stay longer. And they've been telling me different excuses and why I can't

just move up yet, and they keep delaying it. Would you just work through that or start looking for a new job. It's been four months since they told me I have the job. Thanks for your time. Come back to TOLS so soon. This is one of these questions where we just need you really present with us, so you could say so many questions. You could say, how's your boss, how's your commute to work, how's your benefits,

what's your skills? How easily could you move to another position? This? Man, I have to say this because going to go back to what we've said several times, here is open communication with your boss. It's a hey, boss, I would love to be able to grab lunch with you or sit down with you. When's a good time next Friday? Okay, no, how about next Tuesday? And so you can get him. You just need ten minutes with him and just say, boss,

I love this job. I'm even more excited about this promotion, and I feel like I could really deliver for you in this capacity. And to be totally honest with you, I'm a little bit stuck right now because I'm kind of in this I'm in my old job and I was excited, and so I'm needing some motivation. How could I stay motivated and still be encouraged that I am going to move up? Is there a date you could give me? Is there a deadline you can give me? Yeah?

I think that's the open communication. I think that just would clarify a lot and asking for give me a sense of the timeline, what needs to happen and when does that need to happen for me? Because I want to continue to be excited about working here and that future promotional job that you've offered. I continue to get excited about that. But because you offered it, you got

the wheels turning, and so now I'm really excited. And if you don't think that that's a possibility, I might need to explore something, because you know I'm thinking about that in that new position. Man, I would almost write down what Chad said on a notepad and memorize it somewhat, and an honest boss, Hey, if the guy is not a good guy, then you don't need to be there anyway. If he doesn't accept that with open ears and just say,

justin absolutely, let me give you a straight answer. If he can't, that's a good indication you're not in the right place anyway. But any decent man would say, I get it, absolutely, this is this is on me, and this is a this is a bad circumstance because of we lot. We needed to hire a replacement for your old job, so someone quit. Justin, I get it. Let me tell you what. Let me tell you what. July first, I'm gonna I'm gonna be either bump up your pay or you're gonna be the new spot. But we need

you here. Don't leave, or he might say, man, I'm in a different spot than I was when I told you you'd have the promotion. I don't think I'm in the position to say that. And then you can go, Okay, here's my two weeks. Yeah, and you'll feel better about it when you leave because you'll feel like you put it all on the table. Yeah. Yeah, that's a good call, dude. That's all the time we have. That went fast. I know it went fast. If you guys want to see

chat again, say more Chad in the comments. But yeah, you guys are awesome. See you next time. Thanks for joining me on the granger Smith Podcast. I appreciate all of you guys. You could help me out by rating these podcasts on iTunes. If you're on YouTube, subscribe to this channel. Hit that little like button and the notification spell so that you never miss anytime I upload a video. If you have a question for me that you would like me to answer, email Grangersmith Podcast at gmail dot com. Yie