Rusty visits with Mike Breaux to discuss the necessity of community with others, what it looks like to be a good parent both when your kids are living in the house, and when they move out, among other topics. Rusty's new book "Better Together" comes out February 6th, preorder it from pastorrustygeorge.com today! Podcast notes: 1. How does the fire crises in Ventura relate to the power of what God can do through community? a. Community is intentional, but also organic. Love God, love people. That’s how the church grows. “This is why God put us on the planet. To love him, and out of our overflow of love for God, we serve each other… we do life together.” – Breaux b. It is not draining but energizing when you get to help people in immediate need. 2. Power of community through recovery and groups a. It is all about spiritual formation, God changing us from the inside out. “First we pray that someday what happens in the auditorium trickles down to basement, now we pray for what happens in the basement to make its way up to the auditorium.” “Shame cannot survive vulnerability.” – Brene Brown 3. How did you get your kids to actually want to come back and hang out after they grew up and left? Were there things that you and Debbie decided early on so that this would happen or was it “accidental-like? a. Sit down and write a paragraph about what it means to be a great parent, spouse, leader, etc. Look at this continually to remind yourself who you want to be. “We decided we want to create an environment that is a home, and that’s more important than having a nice house.” – Breaux b. Have that intentional attitude to create an environment where kids want to be, and where they want to bring their friends. 4. What is the balance between maintaining the friendship but also maintaining the boundaries for your kids as a parent? “Truth without love is brutal, but grace without truth isn’t grace or love.” - Breaux a. Make no doubt in your kids mind that you love them and think they’re awesome, no matter what they do. b. Make a priority to show high love and make high limits. Two questions: What’s an app you’re using right now that you enjoy? Speech Prompter Book recommendations? James Bryan Smith, Great and Beautiful God Brennan Manning, Abba’s Child Jennie Allen, Restless Also mentioned: Keith Repult, Just Breathe