Mike Garrison: Hey, Carl, what's going on? Dude?

Mike Garrison: How's it going.

Carl J Cox: How you doing? Bro.

Mike Garrison: Man. I'm doing great.

Carl J Cox: Okay, we got all that stuff. Good. So have you. Did you do any hunting or fishing this past weekend?

Mike Garrison: Fishing. I don't. Hunting takes takes me away from fishing.

Carl J Cox: So, okay, so your priority is the fishing side. And okay, okay, cool. I was just because why did I assume? Maybe because I saw you in your camo gear. I assumed you were hunting then. But you you

Carl J Cox: primarily just fishermen.

Carl J Cox: Yeah, okay.

Mike Garrison: Because I like to fish for wild trout, and they're pretty spooky.

Carl J Cox: Oh, okay. All right.

Mike Garrison: So try your.

Carl J Cox: You're.

Mike Garrison: Yeah.

Carl J Cox: You're in ninja mode. Then.

Mike Garrison: Well, I mean as ninja as a fat older guy can be

Mike Garrison: true story.

Carl J Cox: Oh, man! So good!

Mike Garrison: My goal is not to fall down

Mike Garrison: when I'm fishing. It's like it's not to fall in and bash my knees

Mike Garrison: so.

Carl J Cox: That's so. Do you catch any good fish? This weekend.

Mike Garrison: No, it was it was different. It was different because

Mike Garrison: I've been kind of in a funk spiritually for about a year and a half.

Carl J Cox: Really.

Mike Garrison: Just really struggling and like prayer. Life has been awful right, you know, and basically I cause I came to. I came to faith later in life, through A, B and I group

Mike Garrison: through Referral Group.

Mike Garrison: And so I I never have connected with church Christianity.

Mike Garrison: Right. And so, and every time I do I default into this

Mike Garrison: facsimile of who I am

Mike Garrison: right. And so and I've one of the st books I read that really spoke to me was John Eldridge, wild at heart, like it was a I don't know if you've read that book, but it was a good

Mike Garrison: I I kind of moved away from it because I had gotten really excited. My dad not was not a Christian.

Mike Garrison: and I shared the book with Dad and was like, Hey, dad, this book is like, why, I feel like you're I became a Christian because of how you love me. You love me like this.

Mike Garrison: like God loves people in this book.

Mike Garrison: It didn't work. Dad died

Mike Garrison: an unbeliever. I was holding his hand. It was awful right.

Carl J Cox: Oh, man!

Mike Garrison: And so like I've been like I I really have been in a funk ever since my dad died

Mike Garrison: just and like everybody's like, well, you know my God's in charge. You don't know that he wasn't saved. I'm like, actually, I have a great degree of confidence

Mike Garrison: because of the conversation that he wasn't

Mike Garrison: I? I would love nothing better. But I don't live the platitude life.

Mike Garrison: you know. I've got a severely disabled kid platitudes just offend me

Mike Garrison: right. They just don't work. I don't often react to them. I just kind of like, okay, whatever you know. But so anyways, long story short.

Mike Garrison: Eldridge

Mike Garrison: just came out with cinema

Mike Garrison: quality videos

Mike Garrison: about wild at heart.

Carl J Cox: Oh, wow!

Mike Garrison: On Youtube.

Mike Garrison: on you, and they are. They're amazing. He had thought about having them on Netflix. That's how how good they were.

Mike Garrison: And and so I I've known about him for about a month, Carl.

Mike Garrison: but I I watched it for a little bit. Oh, I gotta do something else right?

Mike Garrison: And so finally, I was so frustrated with my, you know.

Mike Garrison: sin, life and everything

Mike Garrison: I was. You know what

Mike Garrison: I'm gonna sit down and watch a prologue, and it was freaking, beautiful.

Carl J Cox: And.

Mike Garrison: It was John Eldridge.

Mike Garrison: Fly fishing was kind of the theme

Mike Garrison: at the end of it. He's like, I realize that every time I go fly fishing. I'm looking for my dad, and I never find him.

Carl J Cox: Oh, wow! That put the hair on the back of my neck.

Mike Garrison: Yeah. And then the then the st episode is this dude from Wales.

Mike Garrison: who's a world famous artist doing stuff I've never seen before. He basically etches

Mike Garrison: on cowhide

Mike Garrison: big skins

Mike Garrison: and creates these

Mike Garrison: I've never like. I grew up in Washington, DC.

Mike Garrison: Dupont Circle, Georgetown Galleries. My dad used to frame for the National Gallery of Art. Like so like I've been to Rodin, I've been to all the stuff right?

Mike Garrison: It's like it's not that I dislike local art. It's gotta be art. But you know.

Mike Garrison: anyways, that

Mike Garrison: stuff reconnected me. And so the whole way down

Mike Garrison: to go fishing. It's about our drive to where I wanted to go fish.

Mike Garrison: because I have a less chance of falling at that place

Mike Garrison: because it's flatter.

Mike Garrison: I mean, I have to wear knee pads, Carl. It's pitiful.

Mike Garrison: And so like cause, I've got bad knees as a paratrooper. So anyways, whole way down, I'm listening to a podcast that Eldridge is doing about the prologue about the st episode.

Mike Garrison: And I'm like.

Mike Garrison: like, and this one guy

Mike Garrison: Mark, that st episode is like he goes every time I tried to do it. I was the st guy at church, the last guy to leave. I tried to fit in the box, and I don't fit in the box, and then I realized, God isn't in the box. God is wild and God like, and I'm like, Oh, and I was like, Oh, I mean, I really

Mike Garrison: I really it was. It was a great experience. It was great. I only caught fish, but I really was kind of meditating as opposed to.

Carl J Cox: Yeah.

Mike Garrison: Really fishing, and which is fundamentally what I'm looking for. So anyways.

Mike Garrison: That's what's going on. And so that's why I sent you that audio clip

Mike Garrison: because this podcast.

Mike Garrison: Is a

Mike Garrison: a, really.

Mike Garrison: if it works well, a really subtle and really sneaky call to faith.

Mike Garrison: yeah, Luke, 

Mike Garrison: is

Mike Garrison: price marketing plan

Mike Garrison: right?

Mike Garrison: Set the out, out, by Find a person, they receive your piece, there remain.

Mike Garrison: And and so that's really what this podcast. Is about. It's what the new book is going to be about, why should I refer you? Is the book.

Mike Garrison: My tagline is the most important word is the last word you.

Carl J Cox: Yeah, yeah, right.

Mike Garrison: Because at the core of this system is that human beings are

Mike Garrison: unbelievably precious and unique.

Mike Garrison: right and and like, you're worthy of being referred.

Mike Garrison: if you're human.

Mike Garrison: But now we got to get other people involved

Mike Garrison: right.

Carl J Cox: Exactly. Yeah.

Mike Garrison: That's ridiculous. But, anyways, how are you doing.

Carl J Cox: Doing well. No, I appreciated the

Carl J Cox: the transparency. I shouldn't be surprised. You're very transparent. But I appreciated the transparency on the face. It's interesting.

Carl J Cox: well, actually, I'll share with you. It was it was really good. So

Carl J Cox: This was last night when our our call with

Carl J Cox: call with my kids. So of my were on the call, and

Carl J Cox: anyways, but this is this is this is a Seth Holbrook. And so my son played football with this kid. He's years. One of my sons played football with him, says my heart is full.

Carl J Cox: days ago I tore my acl.

Mike Garrison: Hmm.

Carl J Cox: Tonight I toured again.

Carl J Cox: so do not do not mistake the red eyes and tear streak faces for sadness. Over the last year there's been plenty of pain and disappointment

Carl J Cox: at times felt like wave after wave, physical, emotional hurt. I'm skipping over little things. It's not for the hurt, the joy of sharing the field with my friends and teammates might be diminished.

Carl J Cox: not for the struggle I might not see and love my family as they do now, not for the pain I might not know, and this must be his girlfriend.

Carl J Cox: I can see Christ working through the storm. I know that nothing happens outside of his control, and that he will use all things for my ultimate good.

Carl J Cox: so thankful for that he's chosen to work in broken places and through broken people.

Carl J Cox: Even now I see Christ clearer than yesterday. I rejoice, knowing that he will continue to use my broken body to mold me into the image of Jesus. My heart has never been fuller. God has never been more gracious and more merciful to me than he is right now, so I'll continue to go. The journey of joy and rest of hope in him. I'm looking for me years from now, standing in the presence of my Savior, praising Him for the way he used this period of time in my life for glory and good.

Mike Garrison: Not a bad call?

Carl J Cox: And

Carl J Cox: and so what? What was what? Why, I bring this up is is

Carl J Cox: It's been good. I'm a bike

Carl J Cox: by my

Carl J Cox: build. How, how I was made. As I am a I'm a doer achiever st over people. That's that's why how I operate.

Carl J Cox: But I

Carl J Cox: recognize the importance of I love my wife. Love my kids, love, you know, but I'll recognize if there's a a doubt of often I'll take a path to do rather than to be.

Mike Garrison: And.

Carl J Cox: You know, and and so I've been. I've been reflecting on this a lot. I mean, I do a pretty good job of daily Bible reading.

Carl J Cox: You know. Pretty good job of of praying daily.

Carl J Cox: but

Carl J Cox: sometimes you we miss. I. Miss

Carl J Cox: Ims is

Carl J Cox: it. All he's asking is to be

Carl J Cox: like him, to be in him, to be with him right is to be in his presence.

Carl J Cox: because we can't do anything that will overcome the Grace. Right? It's just the grace that's been given. And so I'm just sharing this in my own self-reflection. It's for whatever reason it's been hitting me more because when I had my the Hernias surgeries.

Carl J Cox: the part of this is I wanted to get back to the hernia that I mentioned, while everyone was saying where there were you know, everyone was like saying, out of I was like, of course, in my head, I'm like, you guys are a bunch of liars. But outside of outside, but maybe they were, and you know, maybe they were wonderful. But what bothered me.

Mike Garrison: Out of 

Carl J Cox: Exactly.

Carl J Cox: But what bothered me last night was when this was happening. I was not like this kid, Seth Holbrook.

Mike Garrison: Oh, yeah.

Carl J Cox: You know. And and so here, this year old kid.

Carl J Cox: last night, just put this. I'm embarrassed now, looking back

Carl J Cox: at what I just went through the last months, because here I have an opportunity

Carl J Cox: to

Carl J Cox: B or and I did not.

Carl J Cox: I complained more. I struggled more. I you know I did not do the things that I could have, and anyways, it's a little self-reflection on my own journey, and here, by the way, I was not. I did not grow up a believer, but at college I became a believer and

Carl J Cox: and so yeah, it's it's this journey is the good news about reading the Bible? Is this everyone, every single one, except for Jesus, who, of course, because he's God.

Mike Garrison: Oh, yeah, okay, I you know I I take great comfort from the fact that everyone else complained.

Mike Garrison: You're like, I've I've resigned. I'm not, Elijah. I'm not taking the fast train right like, I'm not going to be gathered home like that. So I'm like, Okay, well, I'm here right? And so like I would just encourage you. It's like like, and it's not. I don't come at this from cynicism.

Mike Garrison: but I like when I hear stuff like that

Mike Garrison: I

Mike Garrison: I just think it's beautiful.

Mike Garrison: Yeah.

Mike Garrison: right? I I don't know his heart. I don't know him. I don't know what's really going on, and I've seen too many

Mike Garrison: men, let alone women

Mike Garrison: that work that God works through, and they say beautiful, wonderful things that make a difference in my life

Mike Garrison: only to discover that they were just as struggling as much as I was in a different way. And so I'm not diminishing him at all. In fact, I think I'm actually like

Mike Garrison: appreciating what it really is. It's just this beautiful, wonderful

Mike Garrison: act of worship to share that right.

Carl J Cox: And.

Mike Garrison: And and and I I wish him nothing but more

Mike Garrison: of that.

Mike Garrison: Right, you know. It's like people ask me.

Mike Garrison: They always try to understand what it's like being the dad that I am with the son, with the massive challenges. And and I always tell them I'm like you don't really want to know.

Mike Garrison: like I said, you just don't want to know, because it's not helpful for you.

Mike Garrison: and it's also not necessarily helpful for me

Mike Garrison: to describe how tough it is, I said. What you do need to know

Mike Garrison: is how it changed me

Mike Garrison: right. It didn't remove sin from my life.

Mike Garrison: It did not.

Mike Garrison: It did not make me a better person.

Mike Garrison: but it gave me an opportunity

Mike Garrison: to

Mike Garrison: grow

Mike Garrison: and be used in spite of myself.

Mike Garrison: You know, and people will come to me like man. I'm so inspired by how you share about your son. I'm like, really

Mike Garrison: like, okay, I mean, like, I, initially, I'm like, why, like, I'm just talking about how awful it is. So like, Oh, it's so inspirational, I'm like.

Mike Garrison: you know, and like, and I and then I used to get offended, Carl, because they'd be like, well, what inspired me is you didn't leave, I'm like, was that an option.

Carl J Cox: And.

Mike Garrison: And like. So I like, why? Why? Why am I getting adulation

Mike Garrison: for doing the absolute minimum standard

Mike Garrison: like? Don't abandon your family

Mike Garrison: woo. That's admirable, right? But but I've gotten past that now. It's like, okay.

Mike Garrison: fundamentally, one of the reasons God has taken me. I believe this, and I know it. The reason he's taken me is, I've had a couple of clients say to me, you know, Mike, one of the most important things about work with you as a coach right?

Mike Garrison: The least profitable thing I do, by the way, but one of the the most important things is, I know that there's nothing I can bring to you

Mike Garrison: that you can't handle.

Carl J Cox: Hmm.

Mike Garrison: I went. Well, don't. It's not a challenge.

Carl J Cox: Okay.

Mike Garrison: Quick!

Mike Garrison: It's not a contest.

Mike Garrison: Don't.

Carl J Cox: Yeah. What else do you have for me? God.

Mike Garrison: It's like, it's like, like, you know, you're doing well. You're blessed. This is good. So anyways, this is really what the podcast. Is about

Mike Garrison: like when you get down to it. Carl. Did I send you the questions.

Carl J Cox: And yeah.

Mike Garrison: I guess.

Carl J Cox: well, maybe you did. But I just listened to the recording part, so.

Mike Garrison: Yeah, it's good.

Carl J Cox: No, I I've done a couple of these, so we'll be okay.

Mike Garrison: Good. Yeah. The the basic concept is is exploring the intersection

Mike Garrison: between being thoughtful enough and professional enough to anticipate needing to answer this question, why should I refer you?

Carl J Cox: Right, right.

Mike Garrison: Also understanding the the intrinsic opportunity

Mike Garrison: that is offered to you doing business this way?

Mike Garrison: Right? Yes, yeah. Yeah. And and what what scares some of my clients is they're they're like, this is a freaking love story. I'm like, yep.

Carl J Cox: Yeah.

Mike Garrison: This is what it is right, you know.

Carl J Cox: It really is, because.

Mike Garrison: Like one of my favorite books, is raving fans.

Mike Garrison: And when you look at raving fans, raving fans is a story about...