When Jesus Breaks Your Bracket

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I can hold it. A daily program powered by the Truth Network. This is kind of a great thing, and I'll tell you what. Where pop culture, current events, and theology all come together. Speak your mind.

And now, here's today's Truth Talk Live host. Mm-hmm. Bracket Buster. In other words, what is your Jesus actually? Is what we're saying.

Your Jesus bracket buster.

So it's March Madness, certainly for those of us in North Carolina and Places around the country, it's always a different kind of time, but it just so happens this year that it lines up. With Palm Sunday is coming this Sunday. And so, undoubtedly, when Jesus came on Palm Sunday, he broke every bracket. I mean, nobody. anticipated him to be what he was.

I don't know if anybody did other than the Lord, obviously, and the angels, but other than that, but as he rode in that day on that donkey. On a donkey. On a donkey. That would tell them based on the prophets that here comes the Messiah. And so they gather around and they start shouting this.

They're quoting Psalm 18. Why are they quoting Psalm 118? Excuse me, not Psalm 18, but Psalm 118. They're quoting it because it is the Passover Psalm. This is Passover.

Week that they're heading into, and so it's a very holy time for them, and they have an anticipation of. You know, they've heard about this Jesus. He's done miracles. He's on the white donkey. He's got we got it going on.

Here it comes, right? This has got to be the deal. And so they break out Quoting Psalm 118, because they think this is the deal. And you may be familiar with these words. Most people would tell you that they say, Hosanna.

Well, actually Mm. Wasn't exactly like that. If you look at it in Psalm 118, it actually says. Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity. And then it says, Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord.

We have blessed you out of the house of our God. And I say this only to see that this was a prayer And interestingly, a lot of people think Hosanna is a name of God. And inside of the word Hosanna is the word save, and Jesus' name means that in Hebrew, right? It's Yeshua. And so when you hear that S in a Hosanna, that is the idea of Jesus inside of the name of Hosanna.

But it's actually a prayer to be saved now. But but wh wh what they're asking for right, in their own mind, is not this salvation from their sins, but a salvation from Rome or any number of things. Of course, I hope some people there ha had their heart in the right place. I don't know. But the bottom line is, Doc, it wouldn't have been many.

Hmm. He broke their brackets. And so, in your life, in my life, you know, you ask for something, Jesus gave you something. radically different than you ever thought about, looked like complete tragedy, ended up being like one of the most amazing things that ever happened in your life. Like I can tell you time and time again, it was the worst of times, but it was the best of times.

Right. I would not be here talking to you if Jesus hadn't broken my bracket. Oh. There's no doubt about it that I was the Chrysler dealer in Moxville, North Carolina. This is my testimony.

And my office manager chose to embezzle a great deal of money. which caused the dealership to collapse. True story. the last day of the dealership, I'm putting the key in the door to lock it. Like my dreams my entire career, I was 40 years in the car business.

Everything I'd ever saved, all of it's right here. Unfortunately, God is detangling me from this false identity that I had. But nonetheless, here I was. I was a car dealer. And as I'm locking the door on what I think is my dreams.

Right. Stu Epperson. Drives up. And he looks at me and he says, Robbie. You know, he doesn't have any awareness.

Like, Stude, didn't you notice there's no cars on the lot to speak of? Like, are you not aware that I'm putting the lock tonight? He wasn't aware of any of that. He looked at me and he said, Robbie. Do you know where I could find a sales manager?

A true story. And I looked at him and I went. I do. I know a guy. Yeah, I'm not a sales manager anymore at the Truth Network.

Haven't been for many years. But nonetheless, that was the detangling where Jesus totally broke my bracket. He smashed it to pieces. And You know, the truth is, I have nightmares to this day, Doc. Hopefully that they only come in spurts.

Where I still have to sell one more car in order to make payroll or whatever in the world. That God knew my heart wasn't meant to be a car dealer, even though I spent forty years doing it. I love serving the Lord here at the Truth Network.

So there's the question for you out there. As you hear that story, or you think about how Jesus broke your bracket, he wasn't the type of Savior you necessarily bargain for. 8663487884, when you shouted Hosanna, you had a picture of a particular type of salvation. eight six six three four eight seven eight eight four doc. Yeah.

As I'm listening to your story, I remember Eighth grade. English class.

Okay.

So to write, you know, part of English is writing. And so we were to write out Our dreams. And I'd never done that before. And this teacher wanted us to Think about what do you really want to do with your life? And at that point, I'm growing up on a farm.

My dad owned the Lynchburg Livestock Market. We showed cattle with N4-H.

So I'm writing down all these things that I'm going to do with the cattle industry. And I was a member of the American Angus Association. And uh at at that age already.

So um Mm. All those dreams came crashing down as we went through a very tough economic time and my dad had to sell the stockyard. And I remember what you're talking about. I can remember that day driving away from that stockyard. Knowing that I'm never coming back to this.

This is never going to be what I thought I was going to be. I'm not going to have Carson Cattle Company. You see those tract and trailers driving down the road, and if it's a cattle truck, they always have their name on the front of it. Yeah. Carson.

I was dreaming that. And um and so that was one of the bracket busters and then uh I I I was ready to be married at twenty. and uh she comes up to the house and she hands me the engagement ring back and says, um You're just not spiritual enough for me. And uh Wow.

Okay.

And that crashed the dreams. But then it was through those crashing of dreams that God then opened doors if I would start going through them. And you have to make choices. And I began to submit to His will. And all of a sudden, everything that I thought I wanted.

It wasn't what I wanted. God had something better. And when you I've heard it said, there's no better place, safer place than to be right smack in the middle of God's will. And when we have our will, and I want God to do this for me. Um God has a way of busting brackets.

And for those who follow brackets like you do, Doc, it's upsetting.

Well, at one point, I was at 36 and 1 on my bracket. I was rolling. And then uh Sweet 16, all of a sudden all these teams start losing on Sunday night. And I was humbled again. I'm not ready to be some prognosticator of.

Who's going to win basketball games or not? But you know, Robbie, when you think about Jesus coming in and everybody's thinking he's going to be the Messiah that's going to rule and reign. He came to save, and they were crying out for him to save. And their way of salvation wasn't his way. His way was to go to a cross to die for us.

That's the Easter story that we're coming up on. Hosanna, what's your Jesus bracket-breaking moment? 866-348-7884-866-348-7884. Let's see if I can say that again. Bracket Breaking Moment.

There you go. I'd love to hear from you. We'll be right back. Truth Talk Live. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com.

Welcome back to Truth Talk Live. Today's question that we would love to hear from you is... What was your Jesus bracket-breaking experience? I We have been discussing That what they cried out was Hosanna, Hosanna to the son of David, right? And Hosanna in the highest, which is asking.

Jesus, you know, he's asking, save us now, beseech thee. In other words, it's a very sincere prayer. For salvation Because again, they were in a tough place. They were sitting there facing the Romans. You know, maybe you're in a tough place.

You're praying, praying, praying. Save. Beseeching. Nail, beseeching. Eight, six, six, three, four, eight, seven, eight, eight, four.

And you and you do that and then all of a sudden something comes out of the field that just this this this really Yeah. You know what? What could this possibly have to do with that? But oh my goodness Well, as we, you know, we're getting closer to Easter, this Sunday being Palm Sunday, I challenge people to saturate their heart with Scripture during this time. For me, it's reading the book of Mark.

I'm calling it having a remarkable Easter by reading of the remarkable life of Jesus from the life from the book of Mark and Mark 1 through 16, 16 chapters. You think about how Jesus just changed so many people's lives of what they thought they were going to be doing, the call of his disciples, your fishers. of fish. I'm going to make you fishers of Man. Um as he called them.

as he discipled them. Mentored them. We use that word. He brought them beside him to be with him, Mark 3:13, to be with him. Him so that he could send them out to have power over all kinds of things from demons and disease.

He is preparing them. And uh He had to also prepare them Guys, you're going to end up giving your life for me. I don't know if they really thought of that when they first left the Sea of Galilee. But Peter had to come to that place where he understood, I really am, I'm going to die for Jesus. That's a bracket buster right there.

Yeah, they are. They are Lots of them. And I know you've got one, you know, in your story, whatever that may be, you know. And I know in my case, a lot of my bracket busters were health issues, right? Like, oh my gosh, here comes that call.

You've got cancer. And not only cancer, but you got lymphoma. And not only lymphoma, but you have this very strange kind that tends to take people's lives very quickly. Um Yeah. But that particular, and I've said it, I don't know how many times, that it was the worst of times, but it was the best of times.

Mm-hmm. I can't even, you know, he healed me, but the amazing stuff in the middle of that. was what he taught me about Love and taught me that I could be loved because I think that was one of the biggest agreements that he would like me to break: I'm unlovable. And had I not gone through that particular experience and similar ones shortly thereafter, I never would have seen it. What was your Jesus bracket breaking moment?

866348788486634 TRUTH, Doc? Yeah, as you think about the works of God. They're mysterious, and And as soon as you think you've got him figure it out. He'll bring into your life something else. Um He shapes us.

We're vessels. And the vessel has to be used in different ways. You think about a plate that has a service. You think about a pot that has a service. You think about a glass that has its service.

It's all been shaped for different things. And there's times when God needs us at different places. And to get us at that place, he has to shape us. And that's why the old song, we don't sing it this that much now, but have thy own way. He's the potter.

We're the clay, and the key for clay to be shaped is for it to stay soft. There you go. We got stew. Stew! It's got a bracket breaker.

Guys, I absolutely love this topic. I tell you, and you know, it's funny, you watch these and March Madness. And every year, they show bracket breakers from the last year and the year before And half the time no one ever knows what happened to that team. But when Jesus breaks your bracket, it changes your life, right, forever. And so I just was at a gas station.

I'm driving through Gaffney, guys. There's this giant peach. I'm passing it on. Yeah, there is. Oh, yeah.

You know where I'm talking about? I've been there. And uh they're going to be right pretty soon in a couple of months when the hot weather comes. But I was just filling up my car. And this dude was filling his car up right next to me.

Super nice guy. And I said, hey, turn on 88.3 FM. I said, you'll love it. I said, I'm on there a lot at this time, but we've got some great guys filling in. They're talking about bracket busters.

And he looked at me and said, you know. He said, I'm actually driving my daughter, helping her with her DoorDash business because she lost her job recently, and that was a real change in our life. And he said, I got three sons and three daughters. And I just thought, wow.

So I thought, hey, This guy's had some things happen in his life. He's a new listener, and I want to give him a shout-out for hanging in there with his kids. And being a good dad. and a new listener to eighty eight point three, the Truth Network, and You guys helped stimulate a conversation because right when I said bracket busters, he lit up because everyone's thinking about Mark's madness, right? Oh, absolutely.

Absolutely. And it's pretty maddening from what I've seen from Doc that he follows those things.

Well, I did pick High Point to win in the first round. And so my bracket wasn't busted like a lot of people because a lot of people didn't want to see High Point win. I'm so glad they won that first game. And I was really kind of hoping they win that second game, even though I. didn't pick them, Stu.

I didn't pick them.

Well, I took him I took I took him all the way. And of course, Robbie took Carolina all the way, and that didn't go. Oh, no. Where is Carolina today? I hear there but someone just said there's no teams from Carolina In the tournament anymore.

And I think they're they don't like Duke.

Well, let me give you hey, let me give another cool shout out, Doc. I was at lunch with a in Greenville. With a godly man who is uh is a Christian financial planner, and he's helped a lot of folks navigate through the financial waters. And I said, Hey, let's cut right to the chase. I said, Mike, what's your birthday?

No. And he said, well, he said it's 10:31. I whipped out my day to work calendar. I said, I got a gift for you. And listen to this, listen to this.

October 1 Corinthians 10:31, he read it. He looked at me, he says, You're not going to believe this. He said, That was the theme verse of my Christian financial firm that when I started years ago, that verse is birthday verse. And I love it.

So, thank you, Dave the Word Doc, for busting all of our brackets in those Bible verses. I'm glad it wasn't. I think Leviticus 10:31, where they pursued the Philistines and cut off their toes and their legs. You know, I'm glad that wasn't. Yeah, we don't need that one now.

Whenever I put the wrong verse, Doc Carson catches it, thankfully, and he gets me back on track. But hey, love you guys, keep up the good work. I'm going to hang up and listen. I got. I listened to ninety six point nine FM, our new Greenville signal, beautiful signal.

Met some listeners today, and also 88.3 is coming in like a local here, all the way through Gaffney, Boiling Springs, coming into. Castonia, then of course 105.7, and then all the way into Winston-Salem.

So we just love what you guys are doing. Keep up the good work. Thank you, Stu. That's awesome. Really bracket busting.

All right. How about you? 866 348 7884. What was your bracket busting moment? And when I think of you, Doc, I I can't help but think that Liberty.

was for you That was the last place I ever thought I'd be. And then to do what I got to do, I mean, I pinched myself so many times, like, you got to be kidding me. And the fact that I could care less, absolutely could care less about liberty. And then next thing you know, I'm the campus pastor there and I love the place and I love the students, but a lot of their brackets got busted and that was part of our ministry. Bracket Busters.

866-348, 7884-866-348. 7884, we'd love to hear your testimony. How Jesus took it. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. How fun!

Today on True Talk Live, we are bracket breaking. When did Jesus break your bracket? You know, it's March madness time, and a lot of people are experiencing, you know, trying to follow their team through the brackets or. You know, there are no perfect brackets now. Everybody has at least one loss.

and the other day a whole bunch of 'em. when high point one. They thought Wisconsin was it. You write down, I know they're going to win. You write down, I know what I'm going to do with my life.

And then God gets involved. And it breaks your bracket, right? And so right before the break, We're talking, but by the way, we need your, like, what's your story? Because that's the best part of the show, always, is the testimonies people calling in. The number to call in and share is 866-348-7884.

866-348-7884. And so I happen to have another good friend in the studio with me who just came in. He's the one, the only, the world-famous Bill Hitchcock. Himself is with us. William?

Yes, William. Bill Hitchcock. Himself, yeah. He's right there. I didn't realize he was still a rail.

He's right there, right next to you. Probably thinking of Hitchcock. It's different, right, Bill? It's not the same. Yes, Hitchcock's correct.

Oh, they were plural. I'm Kit Carson. Oh, and um but nonetheless, Bill. I'll bet you when your wife got that diagnosis, it broke a few brackets. Oh, absolutely.

It's uh As men, we're fixers. I can fix anything. I can go out there. rebuild your car, take the motor out, put the transmission back, whatever. fix the toilet.

I mean I can I can do it. I can work on it, I can fix it.

So. When we walked into that room and the doctor said that uh Stage four metastatic breast cancer. Which has already moved to her bones. But that's exactly what metastatic means. It means it's already left her breasts and moved to her bones.

So Yeah. It made me... Very reliant. on God instead of myself. I wanted to fix it.

You know, most women's problems I can fix in two minutes. They don't want me to fix it. They want me to listen. That's part of the man's dilemma. That's part of the fixing right there as we learn not to fix it.

Yeah. Part of the man's dilemma is. We don't want to listen. But anyway, backing up, a very good friend of mine in a men's life group. When I went to that life group on Sunday morning, we met and uh He just stared me straight in the face and said, You got to trust God.

And I said, that's easy for you to say. You're not in this situation, but it has proven to be. Absolutely 100% true. Uh Her diagnosis Less than 25% make it five years, and we are coming up on our 10th anniversary of diagnosis. and God has been good Uh she's got some physical issues.

But uh overall Every brain scan for the last five years, she gets a brain scan every three months. They just moved it to every six months and every scan has come back nothing new.

So Praise the Lord. You know, when the Bible says you can lay hands on someone and pray for them. I pray with my wife every day I lay hands on her And for everyone out there in radio land, you have the horsepower. You've got the Holy Spirit. You have the power.

that raised Jesus Christ from the grave and Jesus Christ from the dead.

So. Guys, you got it. You just got to call upon it and use it. Yeah, so what's your like, I know you got one. And it's a testimony, right?

The hero of the story is Jesus. It just is. And. It's fascinating how he Gives us these opportunities by busting our brackets to lean on him and trust in him. And we wouldn't know how far we can lean.

Unless you've had your bracket busted. I mean, it just it's how it goes. 866-348-7884-866-34TRUTH doc. You know, I hadn't thought of it in those exact words, but whenever we're in Israel, We go to Nazareth, and that's where Mary was growing up, and Joseph. And I always look at that story of Mary in Luke chapter 1.

Um Boy, her life. was just Maybe picture perfect? It's just all coming together. She she's following the Lord and got a great home and she's met a great guy. She's gonna get married and they're gonna settle down there in Nazareth and raise a family and All of a sudden, one afternoon, the Bible says Now, in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel sent by God to.

Nazareth walks into the house and says, Well, hello there, Mary, highly favored one, the Lord is with you. Guess what? Your life is going to change today. And all of a sudden she went from this everything is picture perfect to She's now carrying a child, and when she tells people how she got pregnant, she says, by the Holy Spirit. He changed her life completely.

And look at what we do with her today. We look at her as one of our greatest role models because she said, I am your servant. She embraced the bracket breaker himself.

So we got Matt is in Jacksonville, Florida. Matt, you're on Truth Talk Live. What you got for us? Great to hear from you, Matt. Yeah, yeah, good to hear from y'all.

My bracket buster was also non-Hodgkin's lymphoma cancer. My diagnosis was four years ago. I just went today for my yearly checkup, and I'm still clean. Praise God. Thank you, Lord.

Yeah, I think I I Mine was believe it or not, nineteen ninety six.

So I think Is this my twentieth year or thirtieth? Thirtieth. Thirtieth. Yeah. Yeah, God is good.

So, four years, believe me, every single one is because I know that feeling of like.

Okay, I made it one more year. Yeah, one more year. Yeah, yeah. It's the better feeling than thinking I'm going to die, and here I am four years later, and. I'm still kicking.

And so how about your family What what was that like for you, Matt? Um, to watch them suffer as you suffered? Um Well, that was the hardest. Leaving them thinking I'm going to leave them. Um, thank God they were all by my side.

And um praying for me. I went to my mom's church after I Got up and around and everybody in that church came up to me and told me how they were praying for me.

So It was pretty powerful. Yeah, isn't it it it's a fascinating Experience that God allows us to see for a moment. Like it's a wonderful life. Like all these people who love you so much, and you really, you didn't have a sense of. Of it, right?

Or I didn't. I can speak for my own story. Like, man, I had no sense that, you know, my sisters would fly here from. one from Michigan and one from Illinois and my mom and, you know, all these people descended on the situation. And it totally brought us together in a way I didn't anticipate.

But You know, God knew what was important in my life. And so I praise God for you, Matt. I praise God for your testimony, man. Thank you. You're welcome.

You have a great week. God bless. Papai, enjoy your Palm Sunday. How about you? 866-348-7884.

866-348-7884. What was your? Jesus Bracket-breaking experience, right? And it's fascinating that he tends to do it in all areas of my life. Like you talked about, Doc, there was that girl that I was engaged to also when I was 16 that broke my bracket.

But, you know, man, I'd hate to not have the kids that I have. You know, I mean, you know, I don't know. All these things that happened that were just, man, this was not what I had planned. And the moments we do. This is the worst moment of my life.

And hindsight gives you that ability to now see, okay, my worst moment has become my best moment. And that breakup with that the gir young lady that I was engaged to. I I was destroyed. Oh yeah.

Okay.

I had a lot of people that were Uh Sympathizing with me. I'm going to use that word. But I had a my mom's first cousin. Uh he came up to me a couple of days into the breakup and he said. Dwayne?

There's a whole lot of people feeling sorry for you right now. They feel horrible about what happened to you. I don't. I believe, I can see it happening right now. I knew exactly where I was standing when he looked right at me and he said, I believe God just hit you with the best blessing and he just hit you right square between the eyes.

He has blessed you like you will never ever believe. And I can look back now and I can say, thank God she broke up with me because I would not have Danita. And uh, she my wife is such a helpmate. You know her. Oh my god.

All right, let me just explain for those who don't know, because I do know Danita. And so, Doc is not unlike myself in that. He doesn't exactly have those organizational skills. That would require the many different things that he does. But Danita is like.

Like, man, if everybody ought to have a Danita in their life, like, it's just laying out everything for him, his calendar, everything.

So he always knows what's going on. But on top of that, The mother that she was to your children and the amazing children that you have, and it's just your family, Doc. Yeah. But that would have never happened if this, and you know, the statement that hurt me was: you're not spiritual enough, but she was right. She was absolutely right.

I wouldn't, there was no seek first the kingdom of God in my life. I was seeking Dwayne's life. I can't help but wonder what she thinks now. Like, this guy ended up being a campus pastor at Liberty. I broke up with him because he wasn't spiritual enough.

That's understandable. We got Mike, he's in Dayton, Ohio.

So. We're going to get back with him. I know Mike will want to talk to Bill because you know they're They were both at boot camp together not just a week ago. And so he's actually. Hugged on boot camp buddies.

Boot camp buddies. But we need your call. We really do. I love these testimonies. 866-348-7884.

866-34 TRUTH. Your bracket-breaking experience. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Ah Yeah. Welcome back to True Talk Live.

Today's question. What was your Jesus bracket busting, bracket breaking? Moment, like when all of a sudden it came out of left view, you thought. You thought that Jesus' salvation looked like this, but it ended up being something else. Oh my goodness, what amazing stories there are out there if we could only hear yours.

866-348-7884. People say I say that too fast, so I'll go slow. 866-348-7884. So you don't have an excuse not to call. And they need to have it on their speed dial.

So we got Mike, who does have it on his speed dial. Mike. How cool is it I got Bill Hitchhock right here in the studio with me? Yeah, I got mine on speed dial. Um Dr.

Carson must have read my mind about the speed dial thing. I just call I just looked on my history and just go back to the history and I and I get right back on to talk live. There you go. Yeah. Well I have two of them.

Um, I don't know. They're not they're not Sir, um Cancer or that kind of part where, you know, oh my gosh, look what God did, you know, through that cancer and the sorrow. But God has made me closer through this truth network, that's for sure. Um the lineup in the morning, uh breakfast uh Bible for breakfast. Yeah.

Oh my. Um Yeah, uh and then I start off with um I I'm a little earlier bef that I start off with James McGee. Is that right? Jay Vernon? J.

Vernon, yes. McGee, yeah. And walk through the Bible. Jay Vernon McGee. Yeah, I listen to that in the morning.

And then it goes to something else I can't remember right off the hand. But I I listened to it all the way till about eight o'clock and or uh through um David Jeremiah would be on round eight o'clock. Yeah, around eight o'clock. Yeah, and Um I'm sorry, I'm drawing a blank. But um it It's it's it touched me all the way through the the through the morning.

And then it gives you a scripture verse to try to memorize. And I try to do that as well. And I've been doing that for the last of before I went to boot camp. And um And it was it's been really good. It's been really touching my heart.

Um And it's changed me. It's busted my bracket. You know what I mean? Um date the word in the morning is also I get that email in the morning before before I start listening to Truth Talk La live and um He's bust my bracket too.

So, so, yeah, I mean, that's the idea of scripture: is it You go, wait a minute. You know, I'm struggling right there. If I were real honest with myself, and I think that. that those people that day you know, there at the triumphal entry They really weren't being honest with themselves. Ha ha ha.

I mean, yes, I need a Saviour, But my biggest Problem. is is my sin problem, right? And they We're not looking at that. Who does? I just need the immediate things taken care of.

But that's why the scripture comes in there for Mike and says, excuse me, you know, you're supposed to love one another. Wait a minute, I'm pretty mad right this minute. I don't know how much I'm loving one another. And then, you know, the word comes along, whether it comes through preaching or it comes through date the word or is it whatever it may be. And it just.

It's a bracket buster. It's a lifebuster. You know what I mean? It's a renewing of your mind, right? We talked about it.

Right. Well, when we talk about God's word, one of the images is it's a hammer. Yeah. And hammers break things down so they can build things up. And that's what God's Word does to us.

You know, and um To change something else, you know, I went to that boot camp, like uh Robbie said, and And um that boot camp really Made me think about that, uh, there's people out there that really care about other people. Um there was Eight or nine Different Members on the team that was on this boot camp. And They gave up their weekend. They gave up they had two people working in the kitchen with Robbie. Uh I mean, they really just gave up that weekend to to minister to Yeah.

you know, and then two of the other people there. And I really Touch my heart. Um It's hard to when you go to church every Sunday, you sit next to someone, you say the pastor, you really don't see that love. That you've shared, that's been shared when you go to the spoot camp. They're really well, you know, when you talk about that, Mike, I can't help but think.

I got Bill right here, like the master. If you want a bear hug from the he's been nominated as the best hugger at any camp he's ever been to. Like, if you want. And and Bill, can you kind of explain, like, if you go to either the will a hug be involved at at camp? Yeah.

The majority of time. Majority of time, yes. Um Um The good lords Kind of I guess gifted me a little bit with uh I can kinda feel when someone's really hurting. And so I've been blessed that I can pass on that hug or or even just a good word in someone's ear that, hey man, you matter and you're valuable and And you are loved, you know, because A lot of times, I mean, as men, we get beat up. There's no two ways around it.

I mean Satan wants our identity. He wants He wants fathers out of the family. you know, anything to to kill steal and destroy and including joy you know he wants he wants it all so Um yeah, I just I have a I've Had this blessing of being able I've done it at church multiple times where I walk up to somebody and it's like, are you all right? And of course, the standard answer is, oh, yeah, I'm fine. Then I just stand there and look at them again and say, Are you really all right?

And next thing, the floodgates open, and I get this 30-minute conversation and blessed enough to pray with this person. And uh You know. They may come back a week later and say, man, you would never believe how much I needed that. And I said, No, no, that's God. He put it on my heart to administer to you.

I just sensed it, or felt it, or Holy Spirit, or whatever, and it just.

So yeah, um I'll take the badge of best hugger. He is. You know, I've experienced it. And again, Mike was. You helped in the kitchen too 'cause you were there at our you know, for the big fire and and and helped us with the timing and it was fun, wasn't it?

Yeah, it was fun and, um, Yeah, this This uh you know, just that camaraderie and that love for for one another there was it was was really awesome. It really It felt like there was a father everywhere everywhere around. You know what I mean? I had a good father when I grew up. And if they don't like You really did.

And and I felt like, um that, you know, every one of these guys care about me as much as I care about them. And um That was really an awesome feeling through the whole weekend. Yeah, because when you think about it, Mike, and Bill, I would say the same thing, and Doc. That experience is itself a bracket breaker. In other words, you wouldn't think you would go to a camp.

Something's called a boot camp or something called a man camp, either one, which Bill and I have and Mike have now been to one, and experienced that kind of Of a band of brothers, of people that you really would feel comfortable to share what's going on in your life for real, people that really do. Essentially, care for you deeply, like Mike said, and really. You know, it's a bracket breaker because if if somebody had told me 15 years ago, look, Robbie, maybe 18 years ago, you know, you go to a camp and this is what you're gonna experience. Are you out of your mind? I mean, with a bunch of men.

Like What are you talking about? It's a bracket breaker. It really is. Talk. Um guide does work in our lives to get us to the levels that we need to be.

And um we talk about the bracket busting with Coaching, you know, you need someone in your life to make you do the things that you don't want to do and to get you to those levels. And I guess I was also, as we've been thinking about this idea of breaking down the military, a lot of times to get soldiers to where they can be, that band of brothers, the first thing that has to happen is they have to break you down. And um i out of the breaking comes the building. And God puts us back together. And um The shaping That's what I'm always looking.

It's like, Lord, if I could just see exactly what you are shaping, I'd be a little bit more maybe pliable. But that's where the faith comes in. As God took different people in the Bible, I just, all right, Joseph, we've talked about him, Old Testament Joseph. My goodness, I'm in a prison. I thought I was going to be like, you know, all the stars and the moon, the sun, they're all bowing down to me, and I'm down here in some stinky prison.

And the people that I asked to help me have forgotten me. And I'm forgotten. But all of a sudden, through a situation, he gets elevated and he's the Prime Minister. Um Yeah, and then he broke his brother's brackets in lots of ways, in lots of ways. And I find it fascinating we're talking about.

Boot camp, Mike, because one of the first talks after the introduction talks, kind of, we hit him with the poser. And and you know All men pose, whether they want to admit it or not. And when they see that, it breaks their bracket. Like, oh, wait a minute. You mean sometimes I'm not being myself?

That sounds like another Truth Talk Live show sometime. The problem is that we're not being ourselves with God. And that's what I that's that's the s struggle. for that save now beseech thee, that Hosanna. is can we really be real with God?

Yeah.