FriDudes - Getting Real. Pursuing Truth.

• Yes!  You are in!  What a great way to start the year!  Happy New Year!  And if you happen to be listening to this in July, you can start in July.  You don't have to wait for January to start a new initiative.  So how about you?  Are you maximizing your God-given gifts for the greater Purpose?  Meet Marcus, here you go...
• Thanks for joining.  Yes there is more, stay tuned for Part 2 of 2.  Do you detect wisdom via Marcus?  I sure do. I verify to you he is truly and Iron Sharpens Iron brother.  If you haven't fasted yet, back up and check out Casey and the Fast and the Christmas.  Get closer to your Heavenly Father.  Ask Him why he wired you the way he did?  What you can do more with the strengths that He has gifted you.  Write it down.  Share with a few selected/trusted others to hold you accountable.  
• Oh if you would like to learn more about Alpha or GCrossSurf or Rooted, hit us up at FriDudes.com.
• Living your Best Life and if you dig that opening hook that is Marcus Rogers and the song is called...'Best Life'.  Give him love and buy/stream his music. 
• Now go, love your creator and Heavenly Father with all your heart, soul and mind.  That includes better tuning in and using your gifts to honor Him and also leverage those same strengths to better love on others.  Get it?  Got it.  Good.  Check Matt 22: 36-40.  Everything else you are trying to do well hangs on doing those two first.  Now go...

• Yes!  You are in!  Merry Christmas!  For many this can be a season of indulgence.  Confession, I will be eating some fun food.  Confession, I also love eggnog.  Shhhhh.  And today we are going to talk... health and fasting.  Haha!  Leave it to a calling by Greg and answer by the Jogging Jesus, oh and if you dig that intro check out Marcus Rogers and his song Best Life.  Give him some love. Here you go...
• Bonus points for you to listen about fasting and health (spiritually and physically).    Even if by chance you are listening to this in July,  this will apply.  For those that loved the Lord and wanted to get closer to God, that wanted to hear God better...fasted.  How about you?  
• Hey, you heard my confession.  I got this much later in life.  So if this is a new challenge for you, go for it.  Test it for yourself.  If you really love Jesus then follow His lead.  
• If you by chance are a pastor, that listen is a gut check.  Casey is right.  Many pastors don't talk about fasting enough.  Case in point, I grew up in church.  I can't recall a fast growing up.  I don't recall any pastor talking about it.  I can think of giving something up for lent.  If you have preached on fasting and challenged your church, well done.  Keep going.  
• On the spiritual or physical health front, odds are there is or will be room for improvement for you.  Me?  Heck yeah.  For we are all Rom 3:23.  There is always room for improvement.  So as you think about your goals for 2025 and beyond, if you would like to learn more, have questions for Casey or Greg on fasting or GCrossSurf and life planning, hit us up at FriDudes.com.  
• So now go, love God, with all your heart, soul and mind.  That includes fasting.  Fasting is absolutely a way to show God how much you love.  Next, love others.  Encourage some loved ones to do this with you.  For you all will be stronger for it.  Matt 22:36-40.  Merry Christmas

Yes!  You are in for seconds with Resilient Richard.  First time?  Back up one episode if you will.  What gifts from God, these Dudes have been from the Central Valley of California.  Do you love or need a story of Hope and redemption?  Me too!  As I love to ask the skeptic, does this broken planet need more Hope or Hopelessness.  Hope, here you go...

Wow!  Thank you Richard!  And thank you Daniel the Faithful, Rogelio the Real and Powerful Paul.  Thank you Spirit Filled Church in Indio, CA and getting me up near Big Bear, CA.  Thank you Life Church, Visalia and the others in that area for sending me those Bold Brothers.  What a series!  What a gift!  Note that, I prayed and asked specifically.  God delivered exactly what he thought best.  Not what I was thinking.  What he was thinking.  We are all blessed by it.

If you haven't seen the article posted, you can find some pictures of the guys and event here...https://www.fridudes.com/post/giving-thanks-for-visalia-ca

A few challenges for you...

Most important, are you ready to give a stranger or loved one the reason that you have Hope? 1 Peter 3:15.  Each of these brothers were ready.  Practice and then pray for God to tee you up.  Get ready, you will be sharing and encouraging more shortly.

Next challenge.  Since many of you listen across the states and some around the world, pray on making a pilgrimage to Cali.  You have brothers and sisters here.  If you haven't seen Sequoia and Yosemite yet (check that post), schedule that trip and add Life Church in Visalia to your itinerary.  Fresno is nearest airport.

And/or come to the Coachella Valley.  You have brothers and sisters here too.   Palm Springs is nearest airport.  You could also fly into Ontario, LAX or San Diego.  Check out overflowshowers.org calendar for service sights and locations.  Check out Spirit Filled Church, Victory in Christ, RedDoor, Abundant Life Churches in Indio and Southwest Church in Indian Wells.  

Want to learn more.  Questions for the brothers and/or sisters, hit us up at FriDudes.com.  Bonus, sign up and qualify for a Deep Hike in the region (actual hiking and Bible study in the desert and/or up in the surrounding mountains).  Hint:  Check out Joshua Tree National Park or Painted Canyon in Mecca).

Philippians 4:6-8, New International Version
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

• Yes!  You are in!  Meet Resilient Richard.  About 20+ years ago, he was on his deathbed.  So he and those involved thought.  What happened?  Glad you asked, here you go...
• https://www.behindthewalls.com/
• https://www.fridudes.com/post/giving-thanks-for-visalia-ca

• Yes!  You are in!  Meet Daniel the Faithful.  Why Faithful?  Let me tease this, you listen to what happened to Daniel and then I'll ask you.  Would you still go to church after this happened to you?  Would you stop believing in God?  Daniel didn't.  He kept going and now he's realizing Rom 8:28.  It is quite and amazing testimony.  It stopped me in my tracks.  Daniel the Faithful, here you go...
• Thank you Daniel!  Super bold.  Super brave.  I know people who left church after a lot less.  I know people who became atheists for a lot less.  That is an amazing testimony of Faith, perseverance and Rom 8:28.  Avid listener, versed ones, you know that Rom 8:28 is one of the best promises in the Bible.  For Good and better yet Amazing will come out of brutal.  
• So for you that are done and out.  Heart broken. This is for you.  Your Best Life is coming if you so choose to embrace and believe in God's promise in Rom 8:28.  Don't give up.  Keep going.  Love God with all your heart, soul and mind.  Next, love others.  Matt 22: 36-40.  Side note, show me someone doing that despite brutal, that is Faith.  That is a powerful testimony.  Think Daniel the Faithful.  Now go live your Best Life.  If you dig that opener, check out Best Life by Marcus Rogers, give him some love, buy his music and support him.  I love you.  Thanks for listening.  Now go love...

• Yes!  Casey is back.  Back again!  The Jogging Jesus going Old School and sharing lessons from thousands of years ago that are still so relevant to today.  Our land does need some healing.  Here you go...
• Opening Song:  "Your Peace Will Make Us One" by Audrey Assad, give her some love and buy/support her music.

• Yes!  You are in!  Rogelio the Real is back!  Rogelio is a gift from God.  Thank you dear Brother for being so real and bold.  Sharing Truth on what didn't work in your life and what did.  Talking tattoos and past decisions and further reflections.  
• Thanks again my dear Brother Rogelio.  Getting Real and sharing Truth.  A shout out to Rogelio's sister.  You are seen faithful one.  Good and faithful servant.  You suffered profound loss and yet you still believe in God.  God bless Julian.  You will see him again.  Rev 21:4.  For now, you know, Julian helped bring your family back together.  
• Blue the Dog, how about you?  Are you guilty for loving an animal too much?  I do believe God gifts us certain animals.  We get a taste of unconditional love through many of these pets.  No judgement.  Quick to forgive.  Why do most people love and get along with animals because they can't talk back...haha!  
• Dad's.  Most of you have/had challenging ones.  A few of you have/had awesome earthly Dad's.  I had one of them.  However, you see your earthly Dad or don't for that matter, you do have the Ultimate Heavenly Father.  He loves you dearly.  Every testimony recorded on this podcast reflects that.  We think we are unbreakable until we get broken.  Truth, we were broken from the start...Rom 3:23.  Hence, we all need Rom 8:1.  So knowing that love your Heavenly Father with all your heart, soul and mind.  And just like that.  Love others.  Especially the ones hardest to love.  Pray for your enemies.  Do acts of kindness.  Everything else you are trying to do correctly hangs on doing those first two.  Not my words.  Your Jesus Christ's words, check Matt 22: 36-40.
• Speaking of Love, give some love and support 
• Can you hear Rogelio striving to live his Best Life?  Getting past the temporary highs that let us all down eventually?  Roger that!  Ending on an upbeat, Best Life by Marcus Rogers.  Buy it, add it, stream it, give him some love.  If you dig, please share with someone else also looking for an upbeat and a Best Life...I love you, now go love some more...

• Yes!  You are in!  Meet Rogelio the Real.  Powerful Paul blazed the trail getting Real.  Enter Rogelio and he flat out brings it.  Getting Real...sharing what didn't work in life.  Pursuing and Sharing Truth on how is life got way better.  Buckle up, here you go...
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• Yes!  You are in!  Meet Powerful Paul.  My name for him.  He struggled with porn and co-dependencies.  Now free and stronger.  We tackle what works.  Getting Real and Pursuing Truth.  God put him on my path up the top of Pali Retreat near Big Bear, CA.  Showed me a good tree producing good fruit, ironically quite a few from the region of Visalia, CA.  This one called Life Church.  Speaking of good trees producing good fruit, a Special thanks to Spirit Filled Church in Indio, CA for getting me up there.  You think California is Godless.  Think again...here you go...
• WOW!  Epic.  Do you pray for God to put people on your path that you may encourage and sharpen?  In return, they can sharpen you.  Iron sharpens iron Pro 27:17.  What are you wrestling with?  Paul opened my eyes on Celebrate Recovery.  I thought it was just alcohol and drugs recovery.  Thank you for enlightening me and others, Paul!  
• As usual, questions and comments?  Let us know at the 'Contact Us' page at FriDudes.com.  
• If you are so moved by Paul's testimony, you can check out https://celebraterecovery.com/
• Now go, Love God, Love Others, whatever else you are trying to do hangs on doing those two correctly first.  Not my words. Jesus Christ's word, Matt 22: 36-40.  I love you, now go love.  Pray for that next person that God will put on your path.  
• How about that new opener?  Strong!  Best Life by Marcus Rogers...if you dig, give him some love and buy that music

Yes!  You are in!  Meet Brother Gilbert aka Gilberto.  He was dealing drugs.  Now he's dealing Hope.    If you like success stories, case studies, results, getting real and pursuing Truth…I'm stoked to share part of his story with you.  Here you go...

Thank you my dear Brother Gilberto of Victory in Christ Church, Indio, CA.  A beacon for Christ.  Shining Matt 5:16

NIV In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

If you are so moved, please reach out to him.  You frustrated with this world?  Invest in sources that work.

Odds are that you know an addict.  Avid listener knows that I am active in streets of the homeless with my brothers and sisters of Overflowshowers.org.  Working with key church partners like Spirit Filled, Abundant Life, Southwest, RedDoor and sweet Brother Gilbert and Victory in Christ church.  So we know addicts.  The bulk of those on the streets are addicted...contrary what others will tell you as they ask for your dollars.  Brother Gilberto is another living, breathing example that changed hearts = changed lives.  Giving God thanks for the merciful judge.  What a story!  Please share that one.  Please rally around Pastor Gilbert and his efforts.  Pray on it?  Ask what you should do next.

Now GO, love God and love others, Matt 22: 36-40.  Everything else you are trying to do correctly hangs on those two.