Act Like Men

#42   – Boys to Men

Christian Service Brigade

Guest:  Scott Haima, President

Act Like Men – Men’s Leadership Podcast

Sponsored by Men’s Ministry Catalyst

Podcast Show Notes 

“It is better to build strong children than it is to repair broken men.”
— Frederick Douglas

Today we are discussing ways to do just that. Our guest, Scott Haima, the president of Christian Service Brigade (CSB), has committed his life to being involved in helping boys on their journey to manhood. In doing so he also helps men be repaired through their commitment to volunteering to build strong boys.

CSB’s mission is Building Godly Men of Today and Tomorrow. It starts with an understanding that many boys are being left behind in society in general, and school in particular.

Boys think, learn, mature, and play differently than girls. Experts tell us boys require more space and have a shorter attention spans than most girls. The traditional classroom model has proven ineffective in impacting boys and young men and mentoring them toward genuine spiritual formation.

Robert Lewis, in his book called Raising a Modern-Day Knight, talks about not only is the value to the boys, but the men involved, he calls a community of men. As we have talked many times, a boy or a man cannot go through this world alone, but needs a strong community that can encourage, hold accountable and help with raising our sons to become Godly men.

We have spoken in previous episodes about the value of multiple, trusted, Godly adults in the lives of our children. They mature more, expand their horizons, and see the value of Christian values and shared relationships.

Boys need hands-on activity, a lot of fun, and earnest, honest men who keep showing up to make a difference in their lives through planned and direction activities — all the while showing how God is involved in every detail of our lives.

CSB can help your church create a community of men to help you transform your boys to become men. They have very clear roadmaps for the men to get involved to make it easy to volunteer and lead the boys. With all of the resources available, your men can focus on the boys rather than all of the prep. Please take advantage.

Resources:
Scott Haima – President, Christian Service Brigade
To reach Scott Haima: [email protected]
To connect with the ministry: https://csbministries.org
Phone number for CSB: 800-815-5573
Just a reminder these podcasts are released on the 1 st and 3 rd Thursdays of
each month. For additional podcasts or resources go to:
https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/

So many men are missing a father’s blessing. “You cannot give what you do not have” says Dr. Chuck Stecker. It has developed into a curse today resulting in fatherlessness, broken homes, and has landed our country in a place of catastrophic proportions and a massive decline in our culture.

What is the antidote that is required to be able to receive a blessing? The term came from the Old Testament when we see Esau cry out that he also wanted what the eldest son had received from his father. In the Old Testament only the eldest son could receive a blessing.

Then we move to Jesus Christ in the New Testament and what is being said to Him as he rises up out of the water of baptism: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”. Since we are co-heirs with Jesus, it is now available for all of God’s children. God the Father, through earthly father’s and spiritual fathers, are the conduit of the Heavenly Fathers Blessing. We bless our sons and daughters. We are doing what God does for us — He blesses us as His son, for who He has created us to be, not for what we do or contribute to this world or to the Kingdom.

It is our job in our life to understand what the wound is in our life that causes us to medicate in some manner. In almost every case, it can be tied back to our father’s lack of a blessing. Repeating the question from the first session: What did we have to do to gain our fathers approval? When did your father tell you he was proud of you? Was it what you did, or who they are? We see our earthly father is how we view our Heavenly Father. If our dad picked at us, then we see God as a picky God. If we felt loved for who we are, we can accept God’s love.

Understand the main step is to get to the issue, rather than treating the symptoms.

Smalley and Trent in their research project and resulting book, lay out Five Key Steps to a Meaningful Blessing:

1. Meaningful Touch – a touch that says I love you
2. Spoken Word – words that foster a relationship
3. Attach High Value – assign great value and belief in the person
4. Forsee a Special Future – paint a picture of a special future
5. Commitment to That Future – demonstrate your commitment to that future

Fathers remember you cannot give what you have not received. It is never too late for you and for your children. Even if you have never received it, God still wants to bless you either directly or through a spiritual father.

Resources:

• Dr. Chuck Stecker – Men of Honor, Women of Virtue
• Ralf Garborg – The Family Blessing
• Jay Cookingham – Sonship, Restoring a Man’s Identity
• Smalley and Trent – The Blessing

To reach Chuck Stecker – [email protected]    www.achosengeneration.org

Just a reminder these podcasts are released on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month.   For additional podcasts or resources go to:  

https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/

Book:  The Family Blessing  Rolf Garborg   

Sonship: Restoring a Man's Identity by Jay Cookingham | Goodreads

“The insidious impact of the father wound in our nation is the greatest issue facing our culture right now.  It is impacting marriages; entire families and it will impact generations yet to be born.”  Dr. Chuck Stecker. 

Biblical understanding – what this wound looks like and the impact of not having it.   Jacob stole the blessing of his father.  It says that when Esau heard his fathers word, that Jacob had already stolen the blessing, he cried out with a loud and bitter cry and asked his father to bless him as well.  In the Old Testament, that was not an option.  This was before Jesus comes and now all sons and daughters can be adopted in the family of God and receive not only their fathers blessing with multiple children, but also know they can have the blessing of their heavenly father.  

Even society has identified with the alarming fatherlessness in America, the gender dysphoria that has arisen,  One Ivy League university identifies that one of four students struggle with the sexual identity.  This can all be traced back to the removal of the father from the family and the inability to bless his children due to his own struggles.  The father is responsible for affirming the identity of their children of who you are, and whose you are.   

How do you know if you believe you have received your fathers blessing?  One simple question can help you with that:  What will it take to gain the approval of your father?   Is your value fully attached to what you do (always trying to earn approval) verses who you are (adding value to those around me out of an overflow of identity – not to seek their approval).  

The danger all of this creates is how we see and relate to our earthly father; is how we see and naturally relate to our Heavenly Father.   If we have a significant father wound it is difficult to relate to loving, forgiving and Holy God, who is much different than even the best earthly Father.   We assume that God must be a certain way because my earthly father was that way.  

In our world today we see so much that is anti-manhood and labeled as toxic masculinity.   When men step into our role as a Godly man, we have the opportunity to change the world in which we live.  

MMC encourages you as man, whether you are pastor, leader of men in your church, a businessman, or a man in any role who is considering how God is calling you and wants to use your life, and to commit to being part of a group of men, who will: 

1. Connect with a small group of men who will consistently meet and encourage one another in the faith 
2. Learn to trust these men and become vulnerable with your own version of a Father wound and allow their love for you to help heal this wound
3. Allow these men to unconditionally love you and help you reframe how you see your heavenly father and how you gain your identity by knowing and accepting that you are a love child of your Heavenly Father. 
4. Be accountable to these men as they are to you to not settle for the cultural norms, but be a man who makes a difference, starting with your family.   

Gordon Dalby – The Healing of the Masculine Soul 

To reach Chuck Stecker – [email protected]    www.achosengeneration.org

For additional podcasts or resources go to:  

https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/

Book:  The Healing of the Masculine Soul   Gordon Dalby     Buy this on Amazon

We have the opportunity to move from being a spectator to becoming a fulfilled participant in the game of life – specifically a Christian life.   We can and should be a participant in our faith, our family, our community, our workplace and of course our church.  God has challenged us Watchmen to start a movement, a revival, that will transform the lives of those closest to us.  

Today we are continuing our conversation we started in the last episode - #42, The Watchman Part One – on some thoughts on solutions to a participant and not letting the vocal, loud, and angry minority group continue to have total freedom to the world around us.   God has called us to make a difference.   

Today we will look at just one area of the chapters and discuss seven things we can do to Stand in the Gap for our Family, that will transform our families towards the biblical family that God desires from us.  

Seven ways we can stand in the gap for our families: 

1. Take on spiritual leadership – take initiative to ensure we are the spiritual leaders of the family and make our family a safe place, a place of spiritual conversation, and a place of allowing God to work in them and for your faith to become their own faith.   
2. Be an encourager – find ways to bless your children with encouragement.  Encourage them for who they are, not just for what they do. 
3. Intercessory prayer – men are often intimidated by prayer.  Again, take initiative, and reach out to God, even if you are not sure exactly what to say or how to say it.  God looks at the heart and desires your passion to stay in the gap and cover them with your prayer.  
4. Model a servant's heart – show that you are not too big to serve, rather than be served.  One of the ways to do that is through being generous in many ways to your family so they know they are important.  Remember God was generous and gave His one and only son so we could have eternal life.  
5. Be transparent and honest – be vulnerable with those around you, especially when you mess up.   Boys can figure out that a man does not always have it together – they will know it even if we don’t admit it.  We become a more important man in their life when we open up and show them how we are wanting to grow. 
6. Problem solving and conflict resolution – it is important to take initiative to resolve issues at home.  In this process we are best to listen to help our family learn how to solve and resolve issues.  That is what we will do as adults – so let’s learn it as 
7. Family Devotions – it gives us the opportunity to discuss how the bible speaks to our daily living.   It is good for mom and dad to share with the kids how they might be applying the bible to their daily living.  Let your kids share how they might apply these principles in their daily lives.  

This is not a behavioral modification process.  This is a biblical transformation that God desires to deliver a transformation through Biblical  men, who step into the role that God has given to us that gets us to heaven and takes as many people with us as possible.   This world is not our home.  We are preparing eternal life.  We are playing for keeps here.  What a privilege we have been given to have an eternal impact.  

Resources: 

To order the book:  The Watchman, go to our website listed below, or go to Amazon and type in the name of the book by Dr. Jim Grassi.  

To connect Men’s Ministry Catalyst:  https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org

The Watchman – The Problem  Part One

New Book Release 

Guest:  Dr. Jim Grassi, Founder, President

Men’s Ministry Catalyst 

Act Like Men – Men’s Leadership Podcast

Sponsored by Men’s Ministry Catalyst

“Many people today are asking the question, “has our society gone mad?”  “Has our culture gone crazy?”  Many people are saying, “I never thought I would see a day like today?”

As a result of the questions above, Dr. Grassi has written a book out of his passion to address such questions, called The Watchman – referring to the Old Testament role outlined for leaders in the church of that day.   This is a clarion call for men to stand in the gap for their families, their pastors, their communities.  We need to keep intruders our of our life.  Begs the question:  Where are godly men today?   

How did a small group of people commander the overall agenda.  This has happened politically, socially, culturally,  in our schools, and in our businesses.  It seems as if you object as a majority against what is a few people with a strong and aggressive work, progressive, liberal agenda, we are labeled as haters, mad and angry group of people.  

This book has been written to speak to the root problem that needs to be addressed.  This book also provides strong, solid, biblical direction which we will address  the second episode of the two-part series.  

There are two things in culture that stand out.  The first is the failure of men to pursue and stand up for Godliness.  The second is that there is a small angry group of people whom we have allowed to define our modern culture.  

With so children growing up without a biological father, with so many children having all female teachers in elementary school, we see that ratio in many of our children’s ministries in churches – so where does a young man have a Christian male role model in their life  so they can see what biblical manhood(Kingdom Men – Tony Evans) is all about?  

We are facing a dangerous time in our culture today.  God has ordained men to be is spiritual leadership in our homes, community, workplace, and our church.   We are called to love those around us and to lead as Christ loved the church and ultimately gave his life to save us. 

In the next episode we will provide some clarity on how to move forward to be one who is active in restoring a prevailing Biblical culture in the world in which we live.   We will focus primarily on the family dynamics as that is where it has to begin.  

We pray that men will step into the God given opportunity to sound the clarion call to move back to biblical manhood and then lead the way.  

Resources: 

To order the book:  The Watchman, go to our website listed below, or go to Amazon and type in the name of the book by Dr. Jim Grassi.  

To reach Dr. Grassi:  [email protected]

To connect Men’s Ministry Catalyst:  https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org

Just a reminder these podcasts are released on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month.   For additional podcasts or resources go to:  

https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/

#41 – Why Men Hate Going to Church
Guest David Murrow
Act Like Men – Men’s Leadership Podcast
Sponsored by Men’s Ministry Catalyst

Podcast Show Notes:

Everyone says the church is male-dominated, and while that may be true in
the pulpit, the pews are pink!! The average church in America is 61% female.
Where are the men? That is the question that caused David Murrow to write
the book Why Men Hate Going to Church.

In his book, David Murrow looked at this topic from a sociological space, not a
religious space or spiritual space. He is looking to focus on the environment in
which you are drawing or not drawing men to your church, and ultimately to a
drawing or not drawing your men to Christ.

How do we build a sermon for men? No longer are we living in the lecture
hall era, which is what many of our churches have been for so long. Two key
ideas to get to men quickly: Get to your point right away. Most men are
looking for a reason to stay engaged or a reason to check out. Your first few
seconds determine that outcome. Second, use a visual that gets men to draw
in. When the visual aid is visible during the sermon and men are waiting to
see what you are going to do with this. It creates interest and excitement.
The visual aid ties the concept to a visual to which men will relate, understand
the concept concretely, and are much more able to integrate it into their life.
The world is very good as this on our phones with Social media and even TV
and movies are now part of the fast-moving scene. How do we capture the
audience, especially the men, in a few seconds, on the weekend services?

A secondary issue, although no less important is how we reach our boys
today. Usually today, the children’s ministry is boy-friendly. Lots of fast-
moving activities like object lessons, and strong visuals keep the boys
attention. When we get to the student's age (teenage years), some of that
changes. Now we have long worship sets, much less visual stimulation for the
boys, now teens, so they either become uninterested or drop out. In addition,
when the boys need strong men around, there is now an influx of young
women becoming youth pastors. Male students do not relate to them as they
would a man – even a young man. Consequently, we are losing boys in many
settings like this. Take the challenge and focus on reaching our young men.

David Murrow’s website has many options to help you evaluate your church
to see how you measure up to at least be gender-neutral as opposed to a
feminine context where so many churches have been. In addition, he has a list
of Free Stuff, as well as other books, courses, and ideas to evaluate as you are
committed to reaching men in your church and community.

To reach David Murrow go to https://www.davidmurrow.com

Just a reminder these podcasts are released on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of
each month.

For additional podcasts or resources go to:
https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/

Book: Why Men Hate Going to Church, David Murrow
Why Men Hate Going to Church: Murrow, David: 9780785232155:
Amazon.com: Books

#40  – Help for Pastor’s 

95 Network – Guest Dale Sellers   

Act Like Men – Men’s Leadership Podcast

Sponsored by Men’s Ministry Catalyst

Podcast Show Notes 

With roughly 300,000 churches in America. Of those 95% have less than 500 attending, 87% have less than 200 attending and 75% of the churches in America have less than 100 attending, pre-pandemic numbers.  The small church is the backbone of America.   

Maybe I will never pastor a large church, but as a small church pastor I thought I might have grown my church by now.   The struggle is real, the challenges are personal, and the outcome essential.   How do we best come along side these wonderful pastors and provide the support they are not getting anywhere else.   

95 Network provides support in the following ways: 

1. Content – weekly podcast, 
2. Connections – resources that can support pastors in nearly every area. 
3. Coaching – 5 Different Coaching Track; leadership, how to advance your message digitally, Discipleship, and more 
4. Consulting – Vision day with the local church  
5. Conferences – all about how to build your local church in many ways, Including a Soul Care for your practical personal life.  

https://www.95Network.org    There are two pop up surveys to provide input an and also to assess where you mage get the greatest benefit from the resources available.    The two surveys are:  Soul Care Essentials and The Healthy Church Assessment.  

This website is so practical to help you as a pastor to help you as you work through the various aspects of your church.   Knowing there is no plan B, the work of the church needs to be effective at growing up believers and reaching those who are not yet part of it.    

We know so many pastors are at their wits end with trying to build a local church. Too many want to find something else to do.  That is why this network of resources is such a vital place to help you as a pastor to find the support, encouragement, and tools you can use to keep moving forward and fulfill your God given calling.  

We love you pastors and want you to find fulfillment in building and reaching the kingdom of God.  Know so many love you, believe in you, and want to encourage you to fulfill your calling.   God made you just you are for such a time as this.   Be encouraged and reach out for help so you can move forward. 

Just a reminder these podcasts are released on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month.   For additional podcasts or resources go to:  

https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/

Book:  Stalled: Hope and Help for Pastors who Thought They Would be There by Now,   Dale Sellers 

Item #01 - Stalled: Hope and Help for Pastors Who Thought They'd Be Th – 95Network

#39 – Worry – Thoughts to Think About!

Welcome to Act Like Men – Men’s Leadership Podcast Notes. You are the
reason we exist. Both Dale and I trust there is an inspirational truth today
that will impact your life.

Worry is often the product that comes when we are distracted and fail to
distinguish the incidental from the essential or the urgent from the important
in our life. When we do that, we often miss the blessings God has for us. At
the bottom line, God intends our relationship with Him to be more important
than the task or event about which we are worrying.

We all have unknowns in our life when we are unsure about what is coming
next. We often want to fill in the blanks to complete a story that we are
unsure about. The problem is that as humans we often fill in the blanks based
on our fears, doubts, or uncertainties. In those moments, Jim reminds us to
hold fast to God’s Word and place our complete trust in Him.

What can we do? What does the Bible – our book of authority have to say.
Jesus in His sermon on the mount said this in Matthew 6:34, “do not worry
about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough
trouble of its own.” Eugene Peterson paraphrased that verse well saying “Give
your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up
about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with
whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

What are some steps to think thru this issue of worry that all of us face? The
chapter on Worry in the book, Overcoming Barriers Men Face, the author, and
founder of this great ministry gives us Six thoughts to consider:

1. Trust in God’s plan for your life and not your own. Our creator has a
plan in mind for us. Let us seek it out and trust the one who gave it to us.

2. Satan loves to attack when we are weak, frustrated, tired or become
over-sensitive to personal attacks, human events, and horrific disasters.
So follow the example of Jesus and take time to replenish your body,
soul, and mind. A weakened body and a frazzled mind are not a good
position to effectively deal with worry.

3. Deliberately distract yourself from the tensions, struggles, and worries
that begin to cast a dark cloud over you. Find things to do that can at
least temporarily distract you from your worries, so you are not
consumed by them.

4. Prepare and arm yourself with God’s Word and practical decision-
making skills. Too many of us try to resolve our worries with human
wisdom alone. The Word of God has clear direction for all of the
challenges in which we find ourselves and needing to overcome our
worry.

5. Since worry is useless, replace worry with praising God for what He has
done for you. Worry does not resolve any of our challenges. Worry
actually exacerbates our challenge since we have added worry to the
mix. Replace the worry with a healthy dose of praising God for His
goodness and love to us, no matter what we are facing.

6. Journaling is a good way to record the lesson you learn from God’s
answers and solutions to your worries and concerns. Journalling can
release the tension that you are feeling about the difficulty or trouble
you may be facing.

In every case with worry we need to find someplace to place it. Whether it is
something imminently real you are dealing with or if it is something you are
worrying about that may or may not happen, worry can be debilitating if not
managed properly. Keep in mind as you are deciding how deal with your
worry: God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20

Just a reminder these podcasts are leased on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each
month. For additional podcasts or resources go to:
Book: Overcoming Barriers Men Face

#38 – Overcoming Life-Altering Challenges   

Guest: Dr. Sonny Castilleja

Sponsored by Men’s Ministry Catalyst

Dr. Sonny Castilleja is a pastor in Longmont, Colorado.  He has been pastoring the same church since 1982.  He took over this church as pastor from his grandfather who started the church several years before him. His story cannot be reasonably put into Show Notes and be effective to guide you through this topic.  Please be sure to listen to his story:  https://www.mensministrycatalyst.org/podcasts/  or wherever you consume your podcasts.     

In 2000, he was involved in a car accident that completely wiped out his memory, both short-term and long-term. Can you imagine having something so important completely taken away from you in an instant?  Add to it that it was not his fault – nothing he did to make this happen.  At that point, you do not know if it is ever coming back and what your future is like as a result.   What would be your reaction?  How would you process this having no idea of the future?   

Added to it, now someone close to you becomes your caretaker and you are completely dependent on them to always do the right thing for you and still take care of themselves.  Talk about a trust journey whether you want to or not.  What is in your life right now, that becomes a complete step of faith for you and not necessarily because you want to take that step?  How are you dealing with it? 

Sonny and Nancy also lost their daughter.  First she turned her back on God, then her marriage, her family and her own body.   She had spent several years “violating” her body, as it has been described.  As a result, after several years, she found herself in the hospital and the doctor indicated she needed to have her complete stomach removed. Unfortunately, she died not too long after she hit that point.  As parents, we entrust our children to God, no matter what age they are.  How is your relationship with God impacted, when your children are in trouble, and there is nothing you can do for them? Do we take on fear, or do we choose faith, no matter the outcome. 

In the middle of all of this, Sonny’s brother had serious health issues and would not get help.  When it finally came to a crisis, and he was able to be committed to the hospital, it was too late and unfortunately he died within a few days. 

Devastating losses will come our way. How do we manage them? 

Pastor Sonny indicated that he developed a biblical belief that God is sovereign -in ultimate control.  Only God can give you peace in the middle of this kind of turmoil. Only God will reveal Himself to us in these devastating times if we let Him. If we know that this world is not all there is, and we are being prepared for Heaven, knowing Jesus came to die to pay for our sins so we can go there, it gives us hope on the toughest day and on the darkest day, to be encouraged in our faith that no matter what happens, God will work it all out.   

Job – the man of faith who had everyone turn on him said:  “The Lord giveth and the Lord takes away, Blessed be the name of the Lord”  Job 1:21 That is the kind of faith I want to have.  

Questions to ask yourself: 

1. Where are you in dealing with losses and disappointments in your life?  Are you blaming, bitter, medicating in some manner, or despondent?    
2. What one lesson did Sonny talk about that was encouraging to you as you are working through a tough spot in your journey?

Just a reminder these podcasts are leased on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month.   For additional podcasts or resources go to:  

#37 – Lessons From a Potter   

Guest: Pastor John Nunnally 

Act Like Men – Men’s Leadership Podcast

Sponsored by Men’s Ministry Catalyst

Podcast Show Notes 

Welcome to Act Like Men – Men’s Leadership Podcast Notes.  You are the reason we exist.  Both Dale and I trust there is an inspirational truth today that will impact your life.   

John Nunnally has been the pastor of Legacy Christian Fellowship for the past eleven years.  Just over a year ago, he took up a new hobby that would allow him to get away from his “day job” for a while and provide some rest by focusing on something so creative and demanding of your complete attention as pottery.  

For simplicity:  we will list some of the steps you go through in the process and lay out some lessons learned.  This is a podcast to which you have to listen to get the full impact of the tremendous truths that Pastor John lays out in this journey.   

Key Verses

Isaiah 64:8 – you are the potter; we are the clay…we are all formed by Your hand. 

Jerimiah 18:2 – I went to the potter's house…and the pot he was shaping was marred in His hands, so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.  

Philippians 3:13 – one thing I do, forgetting what is behind, and straining towards what is ahead…

Steps to Make Pottery

1. Wedging table – taking a hard block of mud and getting this block into a usable piece of clay.  Take out the memory by applying pressure so that it become moldable, and without hanging on the past shape. Am I willing to be pressed into a different form, not hanging onto the past?  
2. Thrown onto the Wheel – after your shape has changed, you are put into a ball and then thrown with force on the wheel so you can be shaped into the potter’s intended purpose.   When life throws you, you are not a failure nor a victim – let this be used by God to refine you into His intended purpose for you. The clay gets dry fast, so the potter uses a lot of water to keep the clay moldable and fresh. How do I view the tough experiences in my life?  Am I willing to stay yielded to the potter and trust Him with the outcome?  Do I let the water of refreshment from the Holy Spirit keep me in place so the potter can still mold me? 
3. Centering – If the clay is not centered and balanced, it cannot be shaped or formed as it is intended.  Am I centered or out of balance?  
4. Time on the shelf – after the shaping, there is time to cure, get leather hard, to be ready for the next step.   How do I view time on the shelf?  Do I get impatient, and frustrated, and expect that I can be cured on the run?  
5. Fired – the first round shrinks the porousness so it can hold water.   Are we willing to be in the fire so we can be used by God?  Before this first “firing”, we are still so porous we cannot even begin to be used by God.  
6. Fired again – This is the glazing that changes our form from raw clay to porcelain and something usable.   How patient are we to get to this phase?  It is here when people around us can see the work of God in our lives. Then we can start to be used by Him. 

Questions to ask yourself: 

1. Where are you in your “pottery journey”?  How are you adapting to the “the clay has no say in the outcome” journey?  
2. Who do you need around you to ensure you are fully committed to this long-term, character transformation journey that is designed for you?

Just a reminder these podcasts are leased on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of each month.