WHOA That's Good Podcast - Are You Carrying Around What's Actually Killing You? | Sadie Robertson Huff & Jonathan "JP" Pokluda

Episode Date: March 15, 2023

Are you carrying around what's killing you? Pastor and author JP Pokluda tells Sadie it really can be that "simple" to take a step back and pinpoint what you're allowing to have control over you and how to take control back. But the good news is that owning those mistakes — those vulnerabilities — is a way to reclaim your own life, and when you can, share those struggles with others! Sadie has a good method for determining if you're oversharing on social media. JP encourages us to turn our struggles into our story and turn our messes into our messages. You're not alone in whatever it is that looms large in your life, whether in secret or not. Sadie and JP share how their anxieties physically manifested in each of their lives and how far they've come to be able to talk freely and encourage others. Plus, can some forms of anxiety actually be a product of pride? And JP has a new definition for "success": FAITHFULNESS.  https://athleticgreens.com/whoa — Get a FREE 1-year supply of Vitamin D & 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase! https://www.trymiracle.com/whoa — Get 40% off + 3 FREE towels with code WHOA at checkout! https://nativedeo.com/whoa — Get 20% OFF your first order with code WHOA! - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh search, you could read so many books after this, you could watch so many YouTube sermons after this, and you will be so blessed by the ministry. He puts out his new book. It's called Why Do I Do What I Don't Want to Do? Y'all how relatable is that? I can't wait to talk to him about this book this idea and just hear more about his life He actually was already on the WoW that's good podcast But my husband got to interview him which I was like no fair So here I am with him back on the podcast with a new book and I'm so excited JP Welcome to WoW that's good

Say to you're so awesome at that. That's the best intro of any podcast I've ever been on before in my life. Wow. What a compliment. Thank you. I have to say, you know, I listened to your podcast this week and I don't know if that intro was better than the intro that y'all had on the Gardry Heart podcast. Oh, let's go.

When your friends straight up attacked you and I love your quote, you said, I think this is the worst intro of any podcast of the history of podcast. That's exactly. And yours was the best, mine was the worst. That's exactly how these things are going down in the kingdom. Oh my gosh, whatever. I have to say though, truly, your podcast is awesome.

So many of my friends listen to it whenever my team you know found out I was having you on the podcast today. So many of them were like we love his podcast. So thank you for it. It's like wise. Touching so many people and we're grateful for that. Before we started recording we were talking about Azbury revival and I just want to bring that up because I know so many people are interested and invested in what's happening there And you actually got to go sit in the room and so tell us a little bit about what's happening around the world Yeah, you know my friend tells this story of

going through Iceland and there's this there's this town And it's a ghost town and there And you see all of these empty buildings because once upon a time, the herring fish, that I don't know much about, but would come through there. And there was this amazing commerce and industry that was born out of this and people moved there.

And they set up shop and there were companies and organizations. And then one day the fish just left. Like they stopped moving, they stopped swimming near that place. And then as the years went by, the entire, you know, the entire city and town shut down. And so I think what we saw at Asbury is just, there's this outpouring of the spirit in a place.

And we know that God is everywhere. He's omnipresent, but sometimes he works in unique spaces and unique times. And so as I was in Nashville, I was like, hey, I wasn't me, actually, the guy I was with said, hey, we should go there. And at first I was like, you know what? The spirit of God is everywhere.

Let's pray that what's happening there would happen in Waco. We don't need to go there. But I took a nap and I woke up from the nap and I thought, you know what, let's do it. And so we got in the car, we drove four miles, four hours north. We went to the university there in Wilmer, Kentucky. And as we got inside, like I would just say, yes, I mean, the spirit of God is working through generation Z. And it was, it was no lasers, no lights, no, you know, amazing worship. There was worship. And it was it was no lasers no lights no you know Amazing worship there was worship and it was amazing, but not in the typical sense that we think about that Like you and I have experience somewhere like passion those kinds of play it was just different and not that there's anything wrong

With that contrast it just the it's like the Holy Spirit to say hey For such a time as this There's just gonna be this organic grassroots movement. And then as we left there, we stopped at Lee University on the way down. And I pray by the time that your listeners are hearing this, that it's flooding our country and we're singing on universities in anyone whose generation Z right now,

I would tell you that for whatever reason, the herring are swimming through, you know, your generation, the spirit of God is moving through your generation. And so avail yourself to him and say, God, what do you want me to do? What does faithfulness look like for me? And let's see what he's up to. It's good. God said, so good. I love that so much. And I feel like a lot of people have that same mentality as either like, well, I wanted to happen in Waco. So, so why would I go? I wanted to happen here. And I think it's cool that you got to experience it and see it, but also still believing that it will happen in Waco and seeing what happens where, where we are planted. And so, I yeah, it's a great, um, great call. And it makes you

excited because it's like, man, this one's not ending. It's actually just starting what's going, what God's going to do and so that's awesome. You obviously have a huge heart for Gen Z and this whole age group and I'm for one so appreciative of that I remember so Christian and I are on the passion team where we just help cast vision for a conference and I remember is about a year, maybe two years ago when we were talking to Lewin Shelley and they were like, who do you all think should speak? We were like, everybody is listening to JP. JP is who is really pouring into this age group right now and we're so grateful for his

voice and we truly mean that. Like, you're the first person we thought of because you are who people are listening to especially young people What where does that heart come for from for people are age? Well first of all, thank you. That's that's super kind. I always wondered how I got there. So now I know and that's helpful They love you too, but me and Christian were like he's awesome. Thank you friend He's really awesome. Thank you, friend. Here's the deal, Sadie. I have a heart, a huge heart for the church,

the bride of Jesus. And I would just tell leaders of churches, if you're listening or maybe you can share this with the leader of your church, if you're not reaching the future of your church, your church has no future. And so this thing called discipleship, it's Jesus's model, it's one generation,

you know, consistently and constantly throughout generations looking back and saying, hey, let me raise you up. Let me pour into you. Let me invest in you at an inconvenience to me. Let me share all of the resources that God has entrusted to me with you so that you would know my God. You see this in Deuteronomy 6 when there's a turnover in generations and one is going into the Promised Land and the other isn't. And it's like here, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you're passing on from generation to generation. This is who God is.

You know, write it on your forehead, bound it to yourselves, meditate it. When you sit, when you stand, when you wake up, when you go to bed, when you walk on the path, in your homes, around your tables, continue to reflect on who God is. And so this is the model that Jesus gave us. Like, I mean, to Matthew 16, when he's raising up the apostles, he's calling the apostles and he's saying, hey, I'm going to build my church and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. And who did Jesus use?

He could have used the elderly and he could have used toddlers, but he chose young adults. You know, he chose these people around 18, you know, 18, 25 years old and said, hey, let's go build this movement. And they had to be really confused. They're like, Jesus, what are you talking about? This assembly, but lo and behold, it's one of my favorite prophecies in the scripture because you know this Sunday over a billion people are gonna gather in his name and it started with those 12 on the side of a hill. Wow that is cool that's super cool I love that so much. Well I'm so excited to dive into just more of your life and also this book and some of the things I might ask might be repetitive to whatever you were on the podcast the first time

about your story but I feel like for those who are listening we've grown a lot in audience since then so not everybody might know your story and this book is such a call to holiness it's a call to righteous living and you know for people who listen to you talking you love the word and you're so well spoken and Have written this book they might not know the backstory of your life and what you're coming from So I want to make sure people know where you're coming from and your story is so Intersaid I want to hear about when you got to college and all of a sudden all this freedom was open to you It kind of sounds like one night you're introduced to a keg stand and the next day It's like downhill from there. And so tell us a little bit about that time of your life and what that looks like

Yeah, thank you. Thanks for saying that and I do I want if you read What do I do what I don't want to do and you think oh man? This is just another pastor who grew up in the church and won the Sunday School Award You know that that's not the. And I really think there is this flooding of lukewarm Christianity that an entire generation is tired of. And so this is for someone who wants to grow as a disciple. For me, I was raised in a small town, South Texas, 6,000 people in the middle of nowhere. I was raised on a farm, 20 acres, you know, mom and dad, I was Catholic. I went to Catholic school for nine years,

but then when I went to high school, I was, you know, total identity crisis. And so like just this flood of hormones and confusion and couldn't find my click, my people, and I would try with the, you know, the 4-H and FFA, the agricultural program. I showed pugs, chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, you know, but I also drove this 1979

Mercedes-Benz with hydraulics that super fly on the back. I had both ears pierced first tattoo at 14, you know, and I just, I was confused and I couldn't find a place to fit in. And I really just invited all of this sin in my life. I started partying in high school, drinking, you know, past reparties, those kinds of things. And I got my act together enough, my senior year to graduate. And at this time, I'm going to church, you know, I'm just day dreaming for an hour on Sunday. I'm going to youth group, but it's really just a time to be around girls that I'm interested in, those kinds of things. And I, things. And my mom says, hey, you can go away for two years or you can stay here for four years. That's what we'll pay for. And I said, well, I want to go away.

And she kind of turned me on to this technical college where I would go and study art because school wasn't really my thing. I just didn't do well there. You know, I love school, but the class has gotten the way. Ha ha. Friends, it's almost beach season. And I know y'all have some vacations coming up. Maybe starting to get planned. Maybe in the works and go down to the beach. And I know we all want to be filling our best.

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one-year supply of vitamin D and also five free travel packs for your first purchase. Just go to athleticgreens.com slash woe that's athleticgreens.com slash woe and check it out today. And so I go to this two- year college and I cram four years aparting into two years because I have all of the freedom that college offers you, but none of the responsibility and maturity to go with that freedom. And so it looks in that first couple weeks, you know, I did things that I promised that I would never do.

You know, I had gone through in youth group at the time, it was like true love weights and those kind, I had the ring and those kinds of things. And now I'm just, you know, they say drug sex and rock and roll. And in my case, it was like drug sex and hip hop. And I just, I'm just looking for the next party, looking for, you know, the, the parting people, the group to hang out with.

And, and my, my worldview of God at the time, was he's like this sheriff in this guy that just wants to get me if I do something wrong. So I'm like, well, I don't want anything to do with that God. And so I kind of ran from him. Well, I graduated somehow, some way, I moved to Dallas, I get in the corporate world, and I start making money.

And I'm really kind of everything wrong with Dallas and a person Because I'm I'm just living for the the club scene, you know We have the penthouse condo. I'm driving a Jaguar different suits every day of the week and And I'm at this club one Saturday night and someone invited me to church the next day I just said, hey, what are you doing this weekend? They said I I'm gonna go check out this church. I said, great, pick me up, you know. And I went and I was hung over. I had a headache from the night before. I smelled like smoke, you know, still from the club. And I just started wrestling. What do I believe is true about God? Like I always said that I believed in God, but if I was born in Iran, I'd be Hindu. If I was born

in China, I'd be Buddhist. If I was born in Iran, I mean, Iran would be Muslim. Sorry. If I was born in Iran, I'd be Hindu. If I was born in China, I'd be Buddhist. If I was born in Iran, I'd be Muslim. Sorry. If I was born in India, I'd be Hindu. If I was born in Israel, I'd be Jewish. What are the odds that I'd be born to the right country and the right faith and the right family? And so as I began to look at world religions, it was kind of, it was deconstruction.

It was the word that was happening. I didn't have that word at the time. But I kept tripping over Jesus Christ. And that two thousand and twenty three years ago, this man reset the calendar. Like we started counting over from the day he was born. And he was born in this town called Bethlehem, which is a town no one would have ever heard about except he was born there. And he lived in another city called Nazareth, which is a city that no one would know of, and no one here in America would know of, except he lived there. I mean, there's,

there's cities between Bethlehem and Nazareth that are much bigger than Bethlehem and Nazareth that we've never heard of because Jesus didn't live there. And he was a carpenter, and he became the single most polarizing character in the history of history. And I was like, how did that happen? And I realized it's because he died and he came back to life. Yep. And now I'm seeing that crucifix, you know, in a whole new light, I'm like, oh, that was a payment. Because I am an alcoholic, a drug user,

I am a porn addict, like all of these, I'm materialistic, narcissistic, all of these things, these labels that, I was like, oh, that was a payment for those things. I don't have to be stuck in those things. Wow. My freedom has been purchased through Christ and I can be with God forever

because of what he's done for me in Jesus. And I trusted in that. And then everything in my life began to change from that moment forward. Dang. That's a dang, that's good moment. That exceeds the woe. That's so good. That's an amazing testimony. And so after that, you go to church, you start to have all these thoughts and all these questions with God. And then what led you from that point to now being a pastor? Like, did you

ever think from that point that you'd actually go all the way to being a pastor and a leader in that context? No, never. I mean, looking back, I see these Easter eggs that got placed in my story, but I wanted to be, you know, a business owner, you know, I didn't want to be a pastor. And so I got plugged into a church, and that's why I'm so passionate about the next generation belonging to a church, a local expression of a church, not the buffet of podcasts, churches, not listening to this one and this one, but being there and serving there and under authority there, because I went to a membership class, and at the membership class, my friend, it wasn't even me, my friend said to the guy that was leading the class, hey,

we're looking for someone to teach us the Bible. And he said, I'll teach you the Bible. And we sat down at this round table and we Genesis 1, 1 in the beginning got created the heavens and the earth. There's like Genesis 1, 2, Genesis 1, 3. And we just started going through the Bible. And and did that for five years. And five years in, I'm sitting in my desk at AT&T and the Lord says, you're going to come work for me. And I'm not a huge like God said guy, but there has been times in my life where God just said, and he said, you're gonna come work for me.

And I didn't know what that meant. I thought I'm gonna raise money and give it away and work with business relationships, never considered the church. And so I go home and I'm like, I'm like, okay, I'm gonna hire an attorney and I invite my friend over because I'm like, this is crazy man. I think I just was called

in the ministry of some sorts. He's like, hey, you've been growing, I get it. And I'm going to hire an attorney and he goes, well, well, why don't you pray about it? And I'm like, oh, that's good advice, I'll pray about it. So he was like, if this is God, he's gonna show you what he has. And so I pray for five days.

God, put me where you want me. Help me find contentment there. Put me where you want me. Help me find contentment there. Put me where you want me, help me find contentment there. And on the fifth day, I'm walking through the four year of AT&T and a friend from that church calls a pastor and he goes, Hey, I have a job I want you to consider. And I was like, Oh, I'll serve anywhere. Tell me where to be. And he's like, none like a job, like an interview. And I'm like, Oh, interview

where? And he's like, the church. And I was like, Oh, this is JP. And he goes, I know, I'm praying over this job description. And I think you're the guy. Wow. And I was like, oh, this is JP. And he goes, I know, I'm praying over this job description and I think you're the guy. Wow. And I'm like, what did you know five days ago? He's like, I had no idea. Well. And I'm like, oh my goodness.

And so, you know, God was just so big in my life in that moment. And I cried and, you know, and then I was slow to be obedient because I was scared because it was a big financial shift for us. We were dual income, no kids, and we were kind of moving to being a single income with a child. And I was, you know, monochamary to sales guy, a successful business developer, and here I am, I'm like, hey, I think I'm gonna go be a pastor. And it wasn't like they were asking me to speak, by the way. You're like, hey, well, you set out chairs and like help small groups and so. So that's what happened.

That's awesome. Man, I loved your story in the book about the gym guy, like the chairs. You talk about how like everybody has to pick up chairs if you're serving in ministry. And I was like, man, that would be Christian, for sure. Well, definitely trying to get too many chairs that he probably should. But that, it'll be a for sure. But no, that actually leads me into something that I think is really cool about the book, is you have all these vices and virtues. You have all these sins that we struggle with,

and then kind of ways to get out of that sin with biblical instruction and these life-giving virtues. But I love how you're so open about your back story and it is, I guess a dramatic story with drugs and alcohol and pornography and sex and all of these things. And I love that you don't just say, oh that was a bad life. You're like actually know there are other sins that hit me along the way that are still going to hit me like pride and things that we don't necessarily put as much weight on, but those things are just as deadly if you will.

Those things are, and they're sneaky, you're actually, because you might not see that you have them. And I love how you start to talk about pride in the book and you talk about how after you get past all this, you start walking through pride and how pride actually leads to anxiety. And when I read that, I was like, man, that's such a good thing to note because I don't think, I think so many people are walking around with anxiety and they don't know where it's coming from. And I think a root of that a lot of times is pride.

So can you speak to that a little bit and what that looks like in that time of your life? Yeah. And I just, I want to highlight that you said a lot of times. And so as we talk about anxiety, sometimes people are really offended because of these blanket statements and generalizations. And so we understand that everyone's situation with their mental health is unique to them, but there's also patterns that we can recognize that might be helpful to some people and maybe even most people. And if it's not helpful to you, that's fine. Just say, oh, that's, I may be an exception to the very thing

that they're talking about. But I would say, like for me, my anxiety, and I did have severe anxiety panic attacks, couldn't sleep. It felt like I was running 100 miles an hour and I ran right into a brick wall. I ended up in the hospital, and in the hospital, my heart was skipping beats.

And I was like, I remember, you know, turning to the doctor in the ER. And I'm like, you know, she said, hey, you have PVCs and PACs, premature ventricular contractions and premature atricular contractions. And I said, I feel that in my chest, I said, can you fix it?

And she said, no, but you can. Wow. And I said, well, how? And she said, do a whole lot less than what you're doing. And she's just like, you're carrying too many chairs. You know, she didn't say that, but the metaphor in the book, you're carrying too much. And so, what God did in His kindness and mercy to me is everyone my whole life said, oh, you're so high capacity, you're so high capacity, you're so high capacity, you can carry so much.

And in that moment, he just cut my capacity into a fraction. And I could carry so much. And what does that do when somebody says, oh, you're so high capacity is like, just feed your ego feed your pride Right, and I had told Sadie. I don't know that I've shared this story on a podcast But I had told my small group of guys like weeks before that I said hey, I sent some spiritual arrogance in my life

I You know, I just got a book deal and I was speaking places and I said I just feel myself growing spiritually arrogant and I sense that God needs to wrestle me like Jacob and knock my hip out of socket. So they started praying at 11.09 because in my birthdays November 9th, they started praying at 11.09 Jacob's hip for me and two weeks later my heart starts skipping beats and I hit this wall at a hundred miles an hour. I'm in the hospital, you know, and so be careful. Be careful. Which is great for man.

And so that was that was pride, you know, leading to in my life anxiety. And so that's an example of what that can look like is is when we start to operate outside of the power of Christ and Colossians, he says, I stringuously contend with all his power at work in me. When we're doing it in our own strength, man, it is a ticking time bomb. Just wait, because that,

that everything coming crashing down is, is what's in front of you. Yeah. Yeah. Y'all, I think we all know that sleep is very important. Not just, you know, to close your eyes, have some good dreams. It sleeps important for you physically, mentally, spiritually, all the things, trying to be a wife and a mom and a business owner.

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slash woe and use the code woe to claim your free three-piece talset and save over 40% off. Again, that's trymiracle.com slash woe to treat yourself today. It's true, man, when I think about my anxiety because I used to have really bad anxiety, panic attacks, the whole thing, really similar to yours. I actually have a heart, my heart skips a beat as well. And yes, and I have gone to the hospital, like, yes, emergency room, like your story was so similar to mine.

I actually used to, I would, when my heart was skipping a beat, I would just go to the emergency room and drive around the parking lot until I would call myself down because I got to the point where I knew it was anxiety But I and I knew that was probably what they would tell me But I needed to like be close enough to where I could just like work it out and so a very very similar But mine came from really just living a double life. I was trying to keep up with such a double life and I was, I think the world looked at me as one way, but I knew I was not really living that way and I was, had a lot of secret things hidden and it wasn't really until I started walking in the light, actually confessing sin and stop living this double life that I began to not feel as anxious, you know, and

not having to keep up with these two sides. And so I do think that, yes, everybody is different. And it comes from different places. And for some, they just have, you know, some chemical things. But I think for me, I can definitely pinpoint it too. So some underlying roots have sin in my life. And so your story was super relatable. Can we talk about that for just a second? Because a really sense in this generation that's rising that they are done with perception management, like they are

done with playing games and hiding sin. And I just, I want you to what you just did, Sadie, and what I'm trying to do is to give you permission to not hide your sin. And the proverb says, you know, if you conceal your sin, you will not prosper. And that we are to continue, we're to confess our sin for sacred sin.

You have first John 1, you have James 5, 16, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed for the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective. And so if there's anything that you're hiding, get a couple believers and bring it to the light and what's going to happen in the same way that Sadie and I just shared our stories. And those stories that we shared briefly, they were not always that easy to share. Like there was once upon a time where my heart would start skipping beats, just the thought of having to say that out loud because it was so vulnerable and just such a soft spot in my life. But there's this verse I've never noticed and a mutual friend of ours, it turned me on to it. It's in Revelation 12 and it says, the devil has trampled over by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. And so if I am Satan and the little G God of this world and the Prince of

the air as the scripture calls him, I'm going to do everything I can to keep you from sharing your story. Because if you share your story, it's a battle strategy to defeating me. And I just saw that. So plainly in the scripture for the first time, I was like, man, I experienced that. And I've seen other people experience that. But I just want to call an entire generation to turn your struggles into your story, to turn your mess into your message and even your ministry and let God use it. It's good.

Gosh, I love that so much. When I was thinking about just confession and stuff and how important that is. And then sometimes, you know, it's more private confession with a friend. And then sometimes it is, you know, more of a public confession. For me, without lights like in my life, you know,

at that time of my life, I remember. And I'm just gonna give a like very, I, you know, at that time of my life, I remember, and I'm just gonna give a, like, very, I guess, honest example, because I do think that this is a really common thing that people go through. I was in a relationship for a while, and it was not a healthy relationship, but we were literally Instagram goals, and that was whenever Instagram goals was actually a thing,

and everybody's hashtagging goals and this and that, and we just fed into it But that was like not our life at all and I remember one day. I kind of like sought for what it was and um I was doing this thing and it was really exciting. It was like a big deal publicly and Behind the scenes the guy that I was dating was just not even talking to me that day. He wasn't, um, he wouldn't talk to me. He was just kind of jealous of what I was doing and ended up sending some really hateful texts to me right before I did it and I was crying before I went on stage and it was

like this whole thing. Well, that night I like we never made up. It was like he was mad. He said rude things. I cried. We didn't talk and that night I Get a tagged post from him and I'm like no way if he said something about this I'm gonna be so mad and I get on Instagram. It's like I'm so proud of this girl and look how awesome she is And I was just like oh my gosh and the reality is like that had been going on for a long time that was just the night that I finally like realized this is how much of a lie we're living and people think we're goals when in an all-reality this is miserable you know this is no way to live and I'm I'm just as guilty as he was in just that relationship of not not living at all

the way that God had for us to live. But anyways, I said to say like, that's where we were at. And there are so many tears behind the scenes and so many smiles in front of other people. And so, you know, at first what that looks like is getting out of that relationship and confessing to my close friends and family just how bad it was and some of the things that I had walked through. But then later, I really felt like I needed to like publicly kind of share some of that things that I had walked through. But then later, I really felt like I needed to publicly kind of share some of that reality because I felt like I had led so many people

with just a false perspective. And so I ended up posting like this YouTube video and then I posted a blog. It was my first blog I ever wrote. And man, it was just so good for me to just kind of walk in the light of that. And at one time I asked Christine Kay, and I was like, you know, I feel like we're kind of

overshares as a generation sometimes, like we shared too much on Instagram, or maybe that should be privately said. And she said, I feel like, say to you a good kind of guideline, I guess, to know when it's good to post something and when it might be too much is, you know, when it becomes your testimony, then it's time to share. And I thought that was such a good way of looking at it. That when it's a testimony, then publicly share it, you know, so I needed to walk through some of that privately first with my friends and my family and actually get healthy myself.

Then when it's a testimony, man, that's when you start sharing and you're so right, the enemy just loses its power and those things that I thought, if people know this, it will just qualify. If people know this, they will not look at me saying, how can they trust me, all these things. But it's actually what I found is what gained people's trust in me and actually what people begin to love about the way that I communicated is that I was honest and I was like, hey, this is the reality of what I'm walking in. And so I'm glad that we brought that up because I know that so many people, especially with social media, it's easy to live

a double life. It's easy to put out a persona, what you want people to think about you, but it is a really empty way of living. And I experienced first hand. Sadie, that's so powerful. And so there's somebody listening right now and you're in a relationship that you know is not godly and you know that it needs to end. And you, God and His kindness is using Sadie's story to embolden you and to encourage you to literally place courage in you to do the next right thing. And then there's other people that maybe it's not a relationship, but you know that there's sin that's hidden. Like you know that there's pornography that you feel like you can't talk to or like a dog to his vomit.

The proverb say you've continued to go back to something that's toxic. And maybe it's self-righteousness. was vomit, the proverb say, you've continued to go back to something that's toxic. And maybe it's self-righteousness. Maybe it's a vengeful heart. Maybe it's legalism. And there's this, there's in acts and the church is building an axe. And so like as you turn the page from axe chapter two to axe chapter three to axe chapter four, There is so much momentum. 5,000 people are saved. 3,000 people are saved. 4,000 people are saved. And it's just like they preach the gospel. And these people get saved. And the church is just building and building and building and building. And you get to Acts chapter 5. And it's like someone pulls the parking brake. And there's this

couple, Ananias and Sephira. And what had just happened is Barnabas had sold the field and made some money and he laid the money at the Apostles' feet for the church, and they saw him get these accolades of kindness and applause, and they said, well, we wanna do that. And so they sell a field, and they take the money, and they make it look like they're bringing the money to the church, but they actually keep some for themselves. And they lie out of a desire to manage perception. They want people to think much of them while they're actually living a double life.

And the church stops and they die. It's the craziest thing they die right there. They fall over dead. And I'm not trying to fear monger. I'm not saying that you're, you know, somebody whose listening is gonna fall over dead I am saying that God is trying to tell us something as he's building his church that I will not build it on inauthenticity Yeah, I will not build it on Persepsi-perception management. I will not build it on hidden sin I will build it on what is true what is right? What is pure? What is noble? What is excellent praiseworthy worthy and admirable. And so we must be those things. And every one of us has the ability

to be honest and transparent as you just modeled so well for us. So true. Gosh, I love that. Well friends, we've got Easter coming up and I cannot wait to watch honey hunt those Easter eggs with her cousins this year It's gonna be different last year because now she can actually run so it'll be so much fun

But honestly one of the best parts is bringing home all the candy and the goodies from all the Easter eggs She didn't need it so I'ma be eating it, you know as the perks have been a mom We love candy in our house. It doesn't have to be Easter to theme candy But Christian actually is obsessed with those hollow little chocolate bunnies, so if we get that, that is the real gift. If you're a candy lover like me, then you're going to love the limited edition candy shop collection from Native. I've got so many fun delicious synths like gummy bears, strawberry and vanilla taffy, like I have right here in sweet cinnamon hearts. You're probably know native because they're aluminum-free deodorant

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like I was about 50 words, those great words, all of them were good. And she said, I want you to pick 10 that you want to live by. So I picked my 10th rather easy. And then she goes, okay, now I want you to pick five, which is a little bit harder. And then she said, now I want you to pick two because you're really only going to remember two. And I picked two and my two words. and I mean, I really thought about it. I was like, I like, what do I want to live by? Like, what do I want people to, you know, when they see what I'm putting out,

this is kind of a banner over it. And my two words were faith and authenticity. And I mean, I really look at my life or the past however many years, and it has been a guideline for how I wanna live and what I wanna put out. If it isn't fall under that banner of faith and authenticity, then it's not true to who I am, you know? And I feel like it actually having those two things at the forefront of my mind has helped steer what my yeses are, what my nose are, what things I'm starting with and hello, what things I'm like, okay, that's not really that necessary you know and so it is so cool to have that authenticity were at the forefront of my

mind because I do want everything I do to be authentic I think about that verse where it says the godly walk with integrity I'm like I want to walk with integrity with authenticity when people see my life whether they see me at the coffee shop or they see me at the church or they see me in my home that it would always be a consistent theme, a consistent person. And so I love that we talked about that. You mentioned something in the book where this is not again, I love how you said, it's not like God's going to strike you down and you're going to die. But there is a reality to the fact that sin does lead to death, right? And I just preached this message. It's so cool that we're talking about this. And as I was reading through your book this morning, I was like, man,

this is like exactly what I was just preaching on, but I should have read this because this is better. But it was I was talking about how, you know, in the beginning, whenever the enemy said, you know, you will not surely die to eat. He's like, it's not that bad. You're not going to die. But I was like asking the question, but, but will you, you know, you will not surely die to eat. It's like, it's not that bad. You're not going to die. But I was like asking the question, but will you, you know, but doesn't it all lead to death? And you have this quote in the book where you say to someone, like, are you carrying around what's killing you?

And I thought that was just such a profound thing to ask yourself and really sit with the reality of what you're carrying and what you're walking and what you're continuing to feed, if you will. And so can you talk about that idea of getting rid of those things? Sure, yeah. And so a lot of what I speak on is pornography and because of my own story and trying to help people break free from that. And so when I get done, people will line up. And it's men and women.

One in every three viewers of pornography is female. And I just read a stat yesterday that 87% of women in the church have viewed porn. And I'm like, man, I can't clarify that stat. I can't go and research it and validate it, but I can tell you it was in print. And I was like, man, that's a big number. And so what will happen is people will come up to me and they'll say, hey, my story is similar to yours. And they'll say, what do you mean? And they'll say, well, you know, I'm struggling with porn. And I go, okay, you're struggling pornography. You know, how do you, when's the last time you

access it? And they, they say, we know, like last week or yesterday or this morning or they'll say a time, and I'll say, well, how do you access it? And they say, my phone. And I'll say, okay, where is your phone right now? And they'll say in my pocket. and I'll say, oh, I thought you said you were struggling. And they say, well, I am. I'm struggling. And I go, I don't know that you've even begun to struggle because you're not struggling with porn. You're carrying it around with you in your pocket. It's going with you everywhere you go. Like in your pocket right now, you have a gateway to every wicked and vile image that you don't want to look at. And they're like, well, what am I supposed to do?

Get rid of my phone. And I'm like, well, in one word, sure. Yeah. I mean, that's not, you know, Jesus jumps to a Matthew five, gouge out your eye and cut off your hand. And so in the same way that it's like, Hey, he may not kill you in like X five. He may not ask you to gouge out your eye and cut off your hand in a literal sense. I do think he's speaking hyperbolicly there, but I do to make the point of, yes,

sure, get rid of your phone or get a flip phone, or get a software on your phone that will prevent you from just being so easy. Now, you can imagine, you can switch out the send if it's materialism, where's your credit card? Oh, it's in my pocket, okay. Well, where's your credit card? Oh, it's in my pocket. Okay. Well, where's your where's your where's your Amazon account? Oh, it's in your pocket And so whatever the struggle is you can kind of identify What how do I how do I access it and what does it look like for me to remove access to it?

And so that's the thought behind that idea. That was so good. I love that so much because it's true So many times we're like, oh, I can't stop, you know, doing this. And it's like, well, what are you doing to feed that? Is it literally in your pocket? Is it right in front of you? Or have you done anything to try to remove it? I mean, it's the same thing with like the shows that we watch and the music we listen to. And like I mentioned, I listened to your guard your heart podcast and I love how you gave credit to old grandma for the garbage and garbage out statement because it sounds you know like something that your grandma says and not very cool but actually that's a great thing to live by like sure that is true what you put in will come out what you put in does affect you. Next thing you know we talk you talk about, that I want to touch on is how everything

does really start with a thought. And you talk about renewing your mind. But I love even in the introduction, you talk about how renewing your mind, you know, Paul says it, but there's actually like science behind that you literally can renew your mind. And I know that was really hopeful. And so speak to that for a bit with for people who are sitting there and they're like, I'm literally stuck in the process,

like stuck in the patterns of my mind. And they're sinful and they're toxic and how do I stop thinking about these things? Yeah, yeah, absolutely. When I was on the podcast with Christian, you end saying, what's the best advice you've ever been given? And what I said then was, you know, pay attention

to what you pay attention to because thoughts take you places. And if 20 years ago you would have went to a psychiatrist for anxiety or depression, you would most certainly would have left, you most likely would have left with a prescription to an SSRI, a select a serotonin reuptic inhibitor, which can be a helpful medication to some, and I'm not a doctor, and I'm not here to give medical advice. But what I see more and more common is people are leaving a therapist's office with some sort of prescription of a practice, a therapy, a way of thinking.

There's something out there called cognitive behavioral therapy, which is really, you know, if we were to boil it down, it's meditation, and as a Christian, you might even call it prayer. It's just sitting still and holding thoughts in your mind for a period of time or breathing in, you know, trust in the Lord with all your heart and breathing out, lean not on your own understanding or, you know, he is my shepherd, I shall not want, you know, those kinds of things just reflecting on those ideas. And one of the greatest modern psychiatric discoveries is something called neuroplasticity, which is for a long time they thought if our brain

was damaged it cannot heal, if our brain was damaged it cannot heal, if our thinking is damaged it cannot heal. But what we're seeing or what they're discovering, not me, but what they're discovering is that the brain actually can heal and that your thought patterns are most often a pathway of healing your brain. And so as you think, man, I don't know, I can't stop thinking this. It's better to start, I can stop thinking this. I can take these thoughts captive. It is going to be work, and it is going to be a practice. And it doesn't mean that you shouldn't get help.

It doesn't mean you shouldn't see a psychiatrist, a therapist, or a counselor. What I'm just saying is what I'm seeing more and more as a pastor is people are leaving those offices with a practice that looks a lot like prayer and meditation. And so I'm not saying even pray the anxiety away, which we should, we should work to pray it away. But I am saying the action of prayer is actually a step toward healing in and of itself. It's good. It's so good. So I love the whole title of this book and the idea of this book and you

write about how you could have chosen 50 different titles for this book because there's so many things that were relatable, but how your two-year-old or your toddler kind of gave you a good idea by a moment that you had. And I have an almost year-old in the house, Christian, appreciate you. And this was so relatable to our life right now. And so talk, tell me the story about the toddler moment because I think that that's so relatable to what I watch. Honey, go through and also what I go through sometimes. I was such a good analogy. Yeah.

Well, my friend, Ginny, actually came up with the title. So just to give her credit, we did wrestle with a ton. But what I learned from parenting toddlers is, I mean, kids, it seems like they will walk into a room and say, what is the dumbest thing that I can do right now? Do I want to take these crayons and draw a picture on the wall? Or do I want to end the example? Say he's talking about is my son just

had this cup of milk or juice or whatever it was and he just lifted up. He looked at it and then he just turned it upside down and just ported out all over the table and I'm just like, why would you do that? And he's like, I don't know. I don't know. And I think it's like, you know, God made us emotional beings,

but a part of maturity is not doing whatever you feel like doing. It's not doing whatever you want to do. And in Romans 7, you see this wrestle. It's the most relatable chapter to me in the entire Bible because he just says, the good I want to do, I do not do and the bad I don't want to do this I keep on doing. Why do I do what I don't want to do? And it all culminates in crescendos at the gospel and Romans 8.1 for there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. And I love just the just Paul's honesty. And what I

found, Sadie, is we grew up for if anyone listening grew up in church, the church is real big on the don'ts. You know, don't do this, don't do this, don't watch our radio movies, don't listen to this music, don't have sex until you're married, don't do this, don't do this, don't, don't, don't, don't. And even when you grow up, still don't, still like, what are the rules, what are the rules? And those are the vices that we're trying to avoid.

But what I've found is that Jesus has come to give us life so that we might have it to the fullest, have it abundantly, John 1010. And there's always a counterpart virtue that we can pursue. So rather than trying to kill pride, if we pursue humility, and if we focus on what we should do, rather than what not to do, we won't do what we're not to do, and we will live the full life that Christ has for us. And so if instead of greed, I focus on generosity, if instead of entitlement, I focus on gratitude, and I begin to pursue the righteous life that God desires for me, and pursue holiness as the Scripture calls us to, that we're to be holy for He is holy. It's then I don't have to think so much, give so much of my mind and effort to the things

that I'm trying to not do. But I can walk in the fullness of grace. I can walk in the fullness of the life that Christ has for us. And I think there's so much freedom, enjoy and adventure and fun in that path. And so that's, that's the heart behind the book. That's good. It's so encouraging because it's, it's true. It's just like tension of, you know, the world's giving you this message of like, do what you feel like doing, whatever you feel like doing, do it. That's what you should do. It's like seeking pleasure, seeking

through, seeking satisfaction, all these things. But of course, it comes up empty. Well, then there's this whole other side of like the church. It's like, don't do this, don't do this, don't do this. And so it can be really tempting. But it's like, well, I can't do anything here. I can do everything here, except for that's empty. And so it's so great to be like, hey, but don't miss what actually Jesus is saying, that there is a fullness to life. And it's not about what you can't do or what you withheld from doing. It's actually look at what all the things that God offers you and the fullness of who he is and walking in the way, walking the truth, walking the life. So I love that you're highlighting those good things, and it's not just the vices, but it's the virtues. It's the life

giving thing on the other side of it, because that's when you're really going to start living, It's the life giving thing on the other side of it because that's when you're really going to start living Living for the will of God for your life I mean Christian and I talked about this in dating like once we stop saying like oh here's our boundaries and saying actually We just desire God's will for our life like it's more than what we can't do It's actually what we get to have and fullness if we wait, you know Once you start thinking like that man It becomes such an easier way to live, you know? And so I love that.

I will ask you, you know, you've already been asked what's the best piece of advice that you've ever been given. So I can't phrase it the same way with it in the podcast. You're welcome too. Okay, then I'll start the right back, at you. Normally I give the second time guests a pass,

but I feel like you got one ready for us. And so give us the best piece of advice. Yeah, and you know, the best advice that I have to reflect on often is Matthew 633. Seek first is kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you. And here's how I say it in a pithy way. Everyone has a goal.

And you have your target set on something, whether it's to be rich or famous, successful, married, a certain number of kids, a certain kind of neighborhood, a certain life. Like everybody has something that they're shooting at. And in Christianity, it's hard to determine success. And I think the best word for us to set the crosshairs on, for us to aim for our lives, the trajectory of our lives, to be centered towards is faithful. And so we have to define success as faithfulness. And so that's the best advice,

besides pay attention, what you pay attention to. I would say, I would say, determine success as faithfulness. That's so good. Gosh, I you pay attention to. I would say, I would say, determine success as faithfulness. That's so good. Gosh, I love that so much. And I just wanna shout out how much scripture you have poured over us during this podcast. For those listening, so much of his advice

has been straight from scripture. Every time I hit you with the question, it would be like, well, this scripture makes me think of what you're saying or the best he's like, well, it starts with this scripture. And truly, it's an inspiring thing to sit here and listen because I'm like, I hope that most of my advice is tied to the truth is tied to scripture. And I love that you go

the step further of actually being able to quote it and to be able to quote it, you got to know it. And so thank you for taking the time to know it and share it with us. And man, it makes me wanna go dive into my Bible. I just had David Platt on recently and he at Passion, he know quoted Romans. Yeah, Romans. And it has just made me want to dive in.

Like I wanna know scripture like that. And you're someone like that too, where we watch you and we're like, man, I wanna be like that. And so thanks for not only, you know, saying good things, but also just living a good life. We have a quote in our house that says, you know, your life preaches more than your words do. And your life certainly does, which is saying a lot.

And so again, we're grateful for your JP. Everybody go out, get this book. It is going to do incredible things for your life. Really just stepping into the fullness of what God has for you and that's something that I want everybody to experience and I'm grateful that I got on the path myself and I encourage all of you too as well. JP, thanks again for taking the time. Hey, thank you so much. I appreciate you so much. I'm so grateful for you and Christian and we pray for you often and thank you so much for having us on the day. you