WEBVTT

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 I don't know if you've ever dreamed for something and see what happens five years ago or seven years ago,

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 but we never really knew what was going to happen, and we just kind of dreamed,

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 and we didn't know what God was going to allow to happen in the life of the church.

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 We knew we wanted to be about gospel, mission, and community.

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 We knew we wanted to be a family.

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 We knew we wanted to be outwardly focused and raw and real and authentic,

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 but we didn't know what God was going to do.

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 We didn't know what it was going to look like five years later.

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 We realized that sometimes things change, even things change beyond your ability to take control of them,

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 and you don't know what's going to happen, but here we are.

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 Can I ask you a question?

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 Have you guys ever had a dream that was so real that you woke up and you could have sworn that it really happened?

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 You ever dream like that?

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 Okay, so I call those Christina dreams.

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 So I'm going to get in trouble after this, okay?

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 But that's what I call them, Christina dreams, because I didn't until I got married.

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 Now, it's nothing about SCX because there's kids in here and all those things, and we're not talking about that.

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 But so after the second month of being married, I was getting ready, and I got up early,

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 and I'm more the morning person, and Christina's more the midnight person.

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 There's a joke there.

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 Anyway, so I was getting ready, and I was getting my breakfast, and I was eating and doing things,

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 and Christina walks out, and she's not happy.

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 I mean, she is not happy, and I don't know what the heck's going on.

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 We've been married two months.

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 I'm trying to figure out what's going on, and I could tell that she's actually physically angry at me.

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 And so being the new young husband trying to be responsible, I look at her, and I say,

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 Hey, how are you doing?

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 What's going on?

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 And she goes, I just had this dream last night, and you were so mean to me, and I'm so angry with you.

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 What do you, guys, what do you do when you're a guy and you hear that, right?

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 I mean, I'm like, okay, so I'll tell you what not to do because it's what I did.

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 I said, Hey, you know it's just a dream.

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 Get over it.

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 It's not real.

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 Snap back into reality.

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 You do not want to do that.

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 Newly married guys, do not do that.

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 Write down on your little pad, do not do this when my wife has a Christina dream

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 because it will only lead to pain and heartache and suffering.

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 After 18 years, this is what I learned to do.

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 I say, Oh, honey, I'm so sorry that I was mean to you.

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 Now, you can't say I was mean to you in a dream because they're going to think you're making fun of them

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 because it's just a dream.

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 So you can't say that because I've tried that too.

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 You just have to say, Honey, I'm so sorry that I was mean to you.

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 I didn't mean it.

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 Please forgive me.

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 I love you.

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 And for some reason, I don't understand, but for some reason, that works.

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 But that's a Christina dream.

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 And we had them all the time.

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 So it was Wednesday, and Wednesday is normally my...

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 Hold on.

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 You'll understand.

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 It was Wednesday, and Wednesday is normally my sermon day, prep day.

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 And so I was working through a sermon and trying to figure out what to do.

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 And all of a sudden, I realized that I had a lunch appointment in IFC Central,

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 and I was going to be massively late.

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 I mean, it was a really important appointment.

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 I've been trying to get a hold of this guy forever, and I was going to be massively late.

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 And so I ran out, got out, got my phone, and I'm running out the pathway of our flat,

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 and two things happened at the same time, which is never a good thing for a guy,

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 and especially for me.

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 But two things happened at the same time.

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 The first thing that happened was my phone rang,

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 and so I picked it up, and I started talking to the person on the phone.

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 And then a taxi pulled up right as I got there.

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 I mean, he pulled up immediately when I got there.

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 And so I jump in the taxi, and I'm talking to the person on the phone,

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 and I say to the taxi guy, I'm going to be massively late.

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 Can you drive as fast as you can?

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 And he just takes off driving.

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 So he's driving, and I put my seatbelt on, and I'm thinking, okay, this is good.

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 I'm going to get there in time, and everything is great, and no problems.

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 I'm not going to miss my appointment whatsoever.

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 And I'm talking to the person on the phone,

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 and then all of a sudden I just realize that we're going in the wrong direction.

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 We're not going anywhere near Central.

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 We're going towards Hong Kong Country Club and to Ocean Park.

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 And so I'm going the exact opposite direction that I need to be going,

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 and so I just hung up the phone and said, I'm sorry, I got to call you back.

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 Hung up the phone, and without trying to start an accident or a misunderstanding,

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 I say, hey, do you know where you're going?

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 And the guy goes, no.

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 But I'm going fast.

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 And immediately, I woke up.

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 It was a dream.

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 But it impacted me so heavily in my heart,

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 and I've been thinking about it these last couple weeks.

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 It's a dream.

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 And I realized that that is so much like us in Hong Kong,

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 that many of us here in this room, we're going 100 miles an hour,

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 fast, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast, fast.

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 And we're busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy, busy.

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 And we're busy, busy, busy, and we're fast, fast, fast.

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 And after a while, we start doing those things, and we forget where we're going.

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 Sometimes we're so fast and we're so busy, we forget what we're all about.

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 Sometimes we're so fast and we're so fast.

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 Sometimes we're so fast and we're so busy that we forget why we're here.

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 And when I realized that that is true of me, and it's true of all of us, if we're honest.

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 And it's true of the church sometimes.

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 When you think about it, students, you guys are so eager to get out of school.

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 You're so eager to pass your class.

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 You're so eager just to get to the next grade.

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 You're so eager to get out of the teacher's strains.

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 And you're doing all these things because you're busy, busy, busy, fast, fast, fast.

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 But you don't realize that maybe the reason God has you in school is because there's a classmate right next to you who needs to hear about Jesus.

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 And you're so busy, busy, busy, busy, fast, fast, fast, fast, that you missed this amazing opportunity.

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 And it might be the reason why God has you in that class.

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 Singles.

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 Hong Kong singles.

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 Busy, busy, busy, busy, fast, fast, fast, fast.

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 You're trying to seal that next deal.

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 You're trying to get your first apartment so you can get 2.5 apartments or three apartments so you can rent out two of them and live off the third one.

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 That's the Hong Kong dream.

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 And you're doing it, and you're fast, fast, fast, fast, fast.

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 You're trying to get married because you don't want to be single anymore because that's wrong.

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 I don't know where you've heard that, but that's what you've heard.

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 And trust me, there's a lot worse things than not being married, and one of them is being married to the wrong person.

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 And it's true.

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 I do that counseling all the time.

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 But you're single, and you're fast, fast, fast.

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 You're trying to move, and you're trying to do these things.

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 You're trying to move up the ladder.

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 And you miss why God has you here.

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 And you don't realize that maybe the reason God has kept you single is because there's other people that you can reach out to and share with them the love of Christ.

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 And their lives are falling apart.

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 And maybe that person that God wants you to share to you, maybe that person is going to be the next person who's the evangelist of Hong Kong.

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 And they're going to use their gifting, and they're going to reach thousands of people for the gospel.

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 But we're so busy, busy, busy, busy, busy that we just don't think about that next step.

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 We don't think about why we're here.

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 We just think about doing parents, work, life, meetings.

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 Busy, busy, busy, busy, fast, fast, fast, urgent, urgent, urgent.

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 You just keep doing things over and over and over again.

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 And you're trying to get to the end so that one day you can retire and you can do what you really want to do and start an NGO or whatever you want to do.

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 Because you just hurry and you're busy and you're fast and you just do it in the middle of all this busyness.

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 You forget the purpose that you're here.

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 You forget the reason why God has you here.

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 You forget those kids that you're hugging right now.

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 You forget those kids that you're investing in their lives.

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 You forget the mission that God's going to send them on.

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 You're going to forget the opportunity that you're going to have to share with them and open up their lives and do amazing, incredible things.

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 But you're so busy and you're so fast and you're so urgent that we lose our purpose and our focus.

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 And the passage today, and I was told I only got 10 minutes to talk on it, so I'm in trouble.

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 We're going to come back to it.

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 But the passage today is all about busy, busy, busy, focus, focus, focus, purpose, purpose, purpose.

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 And what you see in this passage in Luke 5, and I think it's really interesting because it's one of my favorite passages.

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 And we've talked through Luke for three years, but we didn't talk about this passage.

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 And maybe it's because God wants us to talk about this passage today on our fifth birthday.

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 But this passage is all about these group of fishermen and they're so busy doing what they want to do.

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 And so busy focused on what the urgent thing is and what's the important thing.

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 That Jesus is there and there's this massive crowd preaching and they're not even focusing on those things.

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 They're just focusing on cleaning their nets and putting things up and getting ready to do the next day of business.

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 And Jesus has to come into their life and Jesus has to come into your and my life.

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 And sometimes he needs to break up the busyness and sometimes he needs to break up the urgency.

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 And sometimes he needs to break it up and help us focus on things that are really important.

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 And you see it in this story.

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 Now normally we have somebody read it, but you have the passage in front of you.

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 And in the time I have left, I just want to share with you three things I've learned from this passage

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 and that we as a church must continue to learn.

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 Guys, five years is the, like, that's the strategic time.

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 Churches have to decide, are they going to be a church that builds a huge staff team?

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 Are they going to be a church that allows people to use their gifts and their talents to reach the Lord and reach people for the Lord?

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 Are they just going to be a club?

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 Are they going to be a church that's going to multiply and reach other people who aren't in church already?

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 That's the mark where we have to decide.

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 And that's where churches either stay where they're at or they expand and they plant and they do other things.

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 Reaching people that aren't in church.

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 And so the passage talks about Jesus coming into these guys' lives.

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 And Jesus does some awesome things in their lives.

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 And the first thing that you need to see in this passage is that when Jesus comes in,

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 he's trying to get them to focus on something besides himself.

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 Now, the passage is not about you leaving your work and going to work for Christ.

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 The passage is not about you leaving your parents and going to be a missionary.

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 The passage is not about you loving Jesus with all your heart, all your mind, all your soul, and all your body.

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 The purpose of this passage is asking the question to the disciples and to us,

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 is Jesus enough?

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 Is Jesus enough?

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 In the midst of the busyness, in the midst of the craziness, is Christ enough?

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 And it's so incredible because Peter is sitting there.

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 And Peter is just this, he's just a seasoned fisherman.

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 He knows everything.

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 He's done everything.

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 He knows every part of the lake.

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 He knows when to fish.

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 He knows where to fish.

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 He knows where to catch fish.

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 And for that whole night, he caught nothing.

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 And so he's not even listening to Jesus.

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 He's just frustrated and angry and trying to think about what he's going to do next.

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 And then Jesus says, hey, let's get in your boat.

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 I want to take you someplace.

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 And, you know, if you think about it, it's kind of crazy.

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 It'd be like me, you know, after you've had a terrible day at work,

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 maybe you're a stock trader or something like that,

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 and your whole portfolio is falling apart, and everything's just,

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 Oscar knows what I'm talking about.

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 We've talked about this all the time with the crazy market.

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 Everything's just falling apart.

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 And all of a sudden, I come into your office, and I say, hey, I got a great stock for you.

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 I want you to buy all this stock.

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 Change all your things, liquidate all your assets, and buy this stock.

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 What would you think about me?

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 You think, well, you're the pastor.

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 What are you doing here?

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 I know what I need to do.

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 I know how to do it.

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 And that's the story that we all struggle with.

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 We all struggle with the story of busy, busy, busy.

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 I know what to do.

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 I know how to do it.

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 And we don't have room for Christ to come in and take control.

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 We don't have room to trust him.

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 We don't have room to believe in him.

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 We don't have room to give our lives to him.

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 In the midst of this passage, something incredible happens.

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 Because when Jesus does this miracle, Peter looks at him, and he says, get away from me.

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 I'm a sinful person.

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 And I've been thinking about that for a long time.

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 Because usually, if you know God is right near you, you want to grab onto God.

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 Because you need God.

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 But he realizes that he's broken.

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 And he realizes that he's selfish.

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 And he realizes that he's prideful.

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 And he realizes that he's self-centered.

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 In the passage, he said, that's just where God wants you.

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 Because until you realize that, until you realize your brokenness, until you realize your need,

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 until you realize your self-centeredness, you're never going to know Christ.

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 You're never going to know grace.

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 You're never going to know mercy.

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 You're never going to know mercy.

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 So Peter meets Christ.

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 And Christ shows him that he isn't enough.

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 That only Christ is enough.

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 The second thing this story tells us is that after they bring in this huge catch,

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 I mean, it is a massive catch.

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 It's like you at your work.

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 And all of a sudden, you've been working all this time.

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 And all of a sudden, your payday comes in.

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 I don't know what your payday is.

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 I've talked to people over and over in Hong Kong.

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 Some guys tell me it's $2 million.

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 And then they can leave for the rest of their life.

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 Some guys tell me it's $5 million.

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 And they can leave the rest of their life.

00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:12.620
 Some guys tell me it's $10 million U.S.

00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:14.379
 And then they can leave the rest of their life.

00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:15.179
 And really follow Jesus.

00:14:15.539 --> 00:14:16.740
 I don't know what your payday is.

00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:18.039
 But their payday comes in.

00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:18.980
 Everything comes in.

00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:20.220
 And they stay there.

00:14:20.439 --> 00:14:22.360
 And what do they do with that payday?

00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:25.620
 They leave it.

00:14:28.299 --> 00:14:30.939
 Because they realize they've met something greater than money.

00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:35.220
 They realize they've met something greater than their payday.

00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:37.700
 They've met God.

00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:42.620
 And they've decided to leave those things behind and to follow him.

00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:46.220
 And that's the second message of this story.

00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:47.660
 And the story tells us this.

00:14:48.320 --> 00:14:53.460
 That as we go on this journey, we're going to face things that we're going to be asked before the Lord.

00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:55.960
 Are we willing to give these things up or are we not?

00:14:55.960 --> 00:15:03.200
 And what we see in the passage is that sometimes following God means that we give things up.

00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:08.080
 Because there's something so much greater that he wants to give us.

00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:11.940
 I don't know what God is asking you to give up.

00:15:12.020 --> 00:15:12.740
 Maybe it's nothing.

00:15:12.840 --> 00:15:14.060
 Maybe it's nothing.

00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:19.980
 But I know that in our life, as we go on this journey, things pop up in our life.

00:15:20.020 --> 00:15:23.680
 And the Holy Spirit shows us, hey, you really love this more than you love God.

00:15:23.740 --> 00:15:27.440
 You need to consider, do you want to cling to this or do you want to cling to God?

00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:29.220
 I don't know what that thing is that you're clinging.

00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:32.480
 But if you're a Christian and you're on this journey sometime in your life,

00:15:32.820 --> 00:15:36.180
 you're going to come to this place where you have to decide, am I going to leave it behind?

00:15:37.500 --> 00:15:39.820
 Or am I going to cling to it and keep it the rest of my life?

00:15:41.100 --> 00:15:44.279
 And the problem is when you cling to those things, we think we're clinging to life.

00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:46.740
 But what it actually is is this anchor that's around your neck.

00:15:46.740 --> 00:15:48.480
 And it actually ends up drowning you.

00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:53.480
 And so the disciples come to this decision of faith.

00:15:53.680 --> 00:15:56.379
 And they realize that what they've seen, Jesus, is worth it.

00:15:56.420 --> 00:15:57.600
 And Jesus can take care of them.

00:15:57.800 --> 00:15:58.720
 And he's all they need.

00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:00.440
 And so they just leave it all behind.

00:16:02.580 --> 00:16:06.080
 The last thing I want us to see as a church, as we go on this journey for the next five years,

00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:08.980
 and guys, I am so impressed by where we're at.

00:16:09.080 --> 00:16:09.820
 It's so humbling.

00:16:09.920 --> 00:16:10.980
 It has nothing to do with the staff.

00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:11.639
 It has nothing to do with the elders.

00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:12.840
 All we've been doing is praying, praying, praying.

00:16:12.920 --> 00:16:14.139
 And God doing something.

00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:15.320
 I don't know what he's doing.

00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:18.779
 We're still trying to pray, God, what do you want us to do in this whole process?

00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:20.960
 But I realize this.

00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:26.600
 If we want to be on the mission that Jesus wants us on,

00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:28.700
 if we want to do what Christ has called us to do,

00:16:28.920 --> 00:16:32.100
 if we want to make sure that we don't go in the wrong direction on this journey,

00:16:32.460 --> 00:16:34.320
 if we want to make sure that we're following Christ,

00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.960
 then we have to have the same mission that Christ has.

00:16:37.379 --> 00:16:43.060
 And the passage says that the mission that Christ had is reaching people who aren't in church.

00:16:43.059 --> 00:16:48.039
 That's the mission that Christ came for.

00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:50.699
 Luke 19 says,

00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:54.639
 Christ said he came to seek and save lost people.

00:16:56.059 --> 00:16:59.719
 And if we, as a church, want to be on this same path,

00:16:59.779 --> 00:17:02.479
 if we want to make sure that we're going in the right direction the next five years,

00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:06.559
 if we want to make sure that we're not deviating and going someplace where we don't need to be going,

00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.119
 we need to make sure that we have the same mission that Christ has.

00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:14.839
 And his mission is people who aren't in church.

00:17:16.460 --> 00:17:20.440
 And so you're going to hear things today about why we spend our money the way we spend it.

00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:24.179
 We spend a lot of money that doesn't come back to you guys.

00:17:25.079 --> 00:17:28.179
 We spend a lot of money that's outreach and focused on ministries,

00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:29.579
 and we're going to support more ministries.

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:31.299
 And these are the things that we keep doing.

00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:34.659
 And we realize we do it because we want to be obedient as a church family.

00:17:34.660 --> 00:17:37.100
 We want to be on the same mission that God has us on,

00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:40.279
 and we want to be faithful at the end when we get to see him in heaven.

00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:43.860
 And so there are going to be things you're going to hear, experiences,

00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:45.759
 and you're going to go, well, I didn't even know we did those things.

00:17:45.800 --> 00:17:49.060
 And you know, there are a lot of things this church does you don't even know about.

00:17:50.680 --> 00:17:53.400
 And some people say, well, if I knew about all those things, I'd give more money.

00:17:53.460 --> 00:17:56.660
 And I'm like, that's the wrong reason to tithe.

00:17:57.880 --> 00:18:03.800
 The reason you give your finances is because you realize that all that you have is God's.

00:18:04.660 --> 00:18:08.900
 All that you have is God's.

00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:13.019
 And you understand the gospel, and in that process of understanding the gospel

00:18:13.019 --> 00:18:16.320
 and loving the Lord, you give back to him what is already his.

00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:20.019
 There are going to be a lot of things that we're going to do as a church,

00:18:20.080 --> 00:18:22.040
 and you're not going to receive the benefits of those things.

00:18:22.100 --> 00:18:24.480
 We want to make a great nursery because we have all these kids coming in.

00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:26.240
 I think there's nine pregnant women again.

00:18:26.500 --> 00:18:29.800
 So there's something about the coffee or the food or something around here.

00:18:29.799 --> 00:18:34.639
 But every time I turn around, there's just more pregnant women walking around, which is awesome.

00:18:35.180 --> 00:18:37.819
 But we have like 18 little kids now in the nursery.

00:18:37.879 --> 00:18:39.980
 And we're like, okay, we need to make a great nursery.

00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:42.339
 Well, some of you singles aren't going to ever see a nursery yet.

00:18:42.899 --> 00:18:45.879
 You want one when you get married, but the money is going to go to that.

00:18:46.399 --> 00:18:48.919
 We invest a lot in the college students.

00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:52.539
 You know, college students, and I'm sorry, guys, but college students,

00:18:52.860 --> 00:18:57.320
 if you do a cost-based analysis, you guys just are not a good cost-based.

00:18:57.820 --> 00:18:59.140
 You just are not, right?

00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:01.340
 College students just don't give back.

00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:02.000
 They don't tithe.

00:19:02.080 --> 00:19:02.480
 They don't serve.

00:19:02.660 --> 00:19:05.980
 And usually they're here for like three years, and then they go, or four years, and they go.

00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:08.440
 Or if you're like my wife, seven years, and then you go.

00:19:12.120 --> 00:19:12.920
 Five and a half.

00:19:14.580 --> 00:19:15.940
 Okay, whatever.

00:19:15.940 --> 00:19:16.019
 Whatever.

00:19:16.380 --> 00:19:19.759
 But I just try to say is that we invest in the university ministry, guys,

00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:23.559
 because we believe that the university students are going to be the next leaders of Hong Kong

00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:26.620
 and all the other countries they go back to, and that's why we give money to that,

00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:27.940
 because we want to be a part of that.

00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:31.240
 And, you know, there are going to be people they touch and influence and reach out to

00:19:31.240 --> 00:19:34.500
 and minister to and share the gospel, and you're never going to know about it

00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:37.019
 until you get to heaven.

00:19:39.180 --> 00:19:42.360
 Someone's going to come up to you and say, you know, I'm here because of what you did

00:19:42.360 --> 00:19:45.840
 in investing in these students, and they invested in me.

00:19:45.940 --> 00:19:49.059
 Thank you so much for what you've done.

00:19:50.759 --> 00:19:55.880
 So the story is that we need to be careful, because we can lose direction,

00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:56.900
 and we can lose focus.

00:19:57.580 --> 00:20:01.059
 We can go off on the wrong tangent if we don't keep these things in focus,

00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:03.539
 and the focus is Jesus, a relationship with him.

00:20:03.580 --> 00:20:04.340
 It's all about him.

00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:07.019
 In the end, we're not going to ask you how you did this,

00:20:07.080 --> 00:20:07.440
 well, how did this.

00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:09.259
 We're going to ask you, how did you love Christ?

00:20:09.259 --> 00:20:12.759
 Did people see the love of Christ in your life?

00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:16.859
 In the end, we're going to ask, hey, were there things in your life that God gave up?

00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:18.980
 Yeah, we gave up these things.

00:20:19.099 --> 00:20:20.019
 Well, what was the return?

00:20:20.099 --> 00:20:21.379
 Something so much more incredible.

00:20:23.559 --> 00:20:25.619
 Did you invest your life in people who don't know him?

00:20:25.619 --> 00:20:28.500
 That's why the church is here.

00:20:29.899 --> 00:20:32.959
 And we believe that as we keep doing this for the next five years,

00:20:33.099 --> 00:20:34.759
 that God will find us faithful,

00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:39.299
 and Watermark will have an amazing impact in Hong Kong and beyond.

00:20:40.919 --> 00:20:41.779
 Does that make sense?

00:20:42.739 --> 00:20:43.639
 I don't know if I went over.

00:20:44.659 --> 00:20:47.919
 I'm going to ask Kirby and Ryan to come up.

00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:49.519
 So Kirby, come on up, guys.

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:52.420
 So Kirby and Ryan are some friends of ours,

00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:54.420
 and they've been in Watermark now for a little while.

00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:57.799
 And I've just kind of asked them to come and share their story.

00:20:58.700 --> 00:21:03.400
 And I usually ask questions that I don't tell them ahead of time,

00:21:03.460 --> 00:21:05.119
 but I promised to them I wouldn't.

00:21:06.059 --> 00:21:10.319
 So I can just stand up here.

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:14.119
 So guys, thanks for...

00:21:14.119 --> 00:21:15.960
 Ryan, you want to introduce yourself?

00:21:16.519 --> 00:21:17.160
 You guys.

00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:18.539
 Hey, good morning, everybody.

00:21:18.539 --> 00:21:20.259
 My name is Ryan Jip,

00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:22.579
 and this is my lovely wife, Kirby Jip.

00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:24.779
 Son is somewhere outside.

00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:25.500
 Xavier Jip.

00:21:26.559 --> 00:21:28.519
 And so as we thought about you guys,

00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:32.319
 you guys are one of the worst parts about our church, I think,

00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:33.980
 is that people come and go and come and go.

00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:36.259
 And so you guys are going, right?

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:38.299
 I hope that's common knowledge,

00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:40.019
 and everybody knows that.

00:21:41.139 --> 00:21:42.139
 It is now.

00:21:42.200 --> 00:21:43.319
 It is now, yes, that's right.

00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:46.399
 So we won't put the video online yet.

00:21:46.400 --> 00:21:51.320
 And so, Ryan, I thought maybe you could just share a little bit about your story,

00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:53.220
 like how you guys found Watermark,

00:21:53.340 --> 00:21:54.800
 and not just maybe even physically,

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:59.259
 but just where you were at on this journey in your spiritual life,

00:21:59.320 --> 00:22:00.620
 and what happened.

00:22:01.340 --> 00:22:01.519
 Okay.

00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:05.960
 So we're both from small-town Iowa in the USA.

00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:09.259
 So in my opinion, Iowa's got nicer people,

00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:11.339
 more cows,

00:22:11.660 --> 00:22:13.180
 better food than Texas.

00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:13.819
 I don't know.

00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:16.480
 So Texas is bigger.

00:22:16.579 --> 00:22:17.920
 It was supposed to be a birthday celebration.

00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:19.299
 Happy thoughts.

00:22:19.460 --> 00:22:20.039
 Happy thoughts.

00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:22.839
 So debate at number one and two, number two at Texas.

00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:23.259
 So we'll see.

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:29.420
 So the interesting thing about where we're from is everyone there is very religious.

00:22:29.700 --> 00:22:32.460
 We both grew up in a very Christian household.

00:22:33.920 --> 00:22:35.799
 She was a Catholic,

00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:39.500
 so very different than what my upbringing was.

00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:41.259
 I was kind of evangelical free.

00:22:41.899 --> 00:22:43.460
 The interesting thing was in our town,

00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:44.700
 almost everybody went to church.

00:22:44.819 --> 00:22:46.639
 So it didn't matter if you were actually religious or not.

00:22:46.680 --> 00:22:47.440
 You just went to church.

00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:49.960
 If you asked on a survey what your religion was,

00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:51.539
 you checked Christian,

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:53.140
 and that was what the situation was.

00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:55.980
 But it was more kind of culturally religious.

00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:01.000
 Not a lot of people were true relationship with God so much,

00:23:01.100 --> 00:23:02.340
 especially in the Catholic church.

00:23:03.320 --> 00:23:04.240
 It was pretty much,

00:23:04.680 --> 00:23:06.360
 here's the list of things you need to do to be confirmed,

00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:07.440
 and here's what you have to do.

00:23:07.660 --> 00:23:10.140
 And it was a lot more regulation and documentation.

00:23:10.299 --> 00:23:11.460
 It was a little bit strange.

00:23:11.580 --> 00:23:14.340
 And actually, it was kind of clicky as well, too.

00:23:14.339 --> 00:23:17.839
 Her church and my church were kind of warring feuds against each other.

00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:20.359
 I was part of an Awanas program,

00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:24.559
 and her church said that my Awanas program was the devil

00:23:24.559 --> 00:23:26.359
 and leading people away from Christ.

00:23:26.679 --> 00:23:29.079
 And yeah, it was kind of interesting.

00:23:29.659 --> 00:23:32.740
 So I guess we're kind of Romeo and Julia.

00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:36.759
 Of Iowa.

00:23:36.959 --> 00:23:37.459
 From Iowa.

00:23:37.459 --> 00:23:37.980
 Of Iowa.

00:23:39.459 --> 00:23:40.259
 Someplace romantic.

00:23:40.259 --> 00:23:40.740
 Yeah.

00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:46.379
 So my upbringing actually was,

00:23:46.900 --> 00:23:48.619
 I would say,

00:23:48.700 --> 00:23:50.579
 pretty strong in learning about God.

00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:52.700
 With the Awanas program,

00:23:52.819 --> 00:23:55.240
 I even did crazy stuff like Bible quizzing

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:57.039
 and memorization and stuff like that.

00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:00.819
 So I got a lot of knowledge about Christianity,

00:24:01.379 --> 00:24:03.480
 and I would say I know a decent amount,

00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:06.160
 but never really found such a spiritual connection

00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:07.019
 when I was a kid.

00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:10.200
 When we were both young,

00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:12.940
 both of our dads passed away kind of at different times.

00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:14.720
 So those were very challenging.

00:24:15.139 --> 00:24:18.240
 For me, it was a very big repression moment.

00:24:18.839 --> 00:24:21.079
 For you, it was a very emotional moment.

00:24:21.220 --> 00:24:22.759
 So I think both of that helped us

00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:26.960
 to kind of help you repress some a little bit to control

00:24:26.960 --> 00:24:30.019
 and to me to learn to bring some of that back out again.

00:24:30.019 --> 00:24:34.379
 And we both found a very kind of religious connection in that as well, too.

00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:38.299
 Both kind of helped point our ways towards Christ a little bit more.

00:24:38.879 --> 00:24:39.019
 Right.

00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:43.740
 So even moving forward into, I guess, kind of college and things like that,

00:24:43.879 --> 00:24:46.639
 we still stayed relatively Christian,

00:24:47.059 --> 00:24:50.579
 but kind of a cyclical motion of going back and forth.

00:24:50.619 --> 00:24:51.900
 Like you said, life moves fast.

00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:52.759
 You lose God.

00:24:52.879 --> 00:24:56.259
 You kind of lose your focus on Christianity so much.

00:24:56.259 --> 00:25:00.140
 And then when we got out into kind of the real world,

00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:02.700
 we decided we needed to find a church.

00:25:03.359 --> 00:25:06.579
 And we got hooked up with this very big mega church in Milwaukee.

00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:09.480
 Seven church services,

00:25:09.960 --> 00:25:12.319
 and you can go any day of the week, any time you want.

00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:14.940
 And we didn't really find a connection in that.

00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:16.819
 It helped us to grow a little bit,

00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:19.920
 but just not so much of a good connection with Christianity.

00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:22.980
 So when we moved to Hong Kong about three years ago,

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:26.820
 my boss told us to go to Island ECC.

00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:29.940
 So we went there and again kind of fell into,

00:25:30.120 --> 00:25:31.440
 it's more of a mega church,

00:25:31.680 --> 00:25:33.259
 didn't really meet so many people,

00:25:33.980 --> 00:25:36.060
 kind of slipped in and then stopped going.

00:25:36.560 --> 00:25:39.259
 And then actually we were sitting in a cafe de corral,

00:25:39.360 --> 00:25:42.600
 and there was some hairy dude sitting next to us with a big beard,

00:25:43.519 --> 00:25:43.800
 Eric.

00:25:43.799 --> 00:25:43.919
 Eric.

00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:49.720
 So we're the only white people in this cafe de corral for some reason.

00:25:50.720 --> 00:25:52.819
 When we came here, we didn't know anybody.

00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:53.839
 We had no friends.

00:25:54.919 --> 00:25:56.740
 We were kind of sad and lonely.

00:25:56.940 --> 00:25:58.680
 I was up in China most of the time,

00:25:58.779 --> 00:26:01.079
 and she was down here by herself.

00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:03.579
 So we met Eric,

00:26:03.720 --> 00:26:04.279
 and Eric said,

00:26:04.359 --> 00:26:05.559
 well, why don't you come try Watermark?

00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:07.639
 And then when we came here,

00:26:07.980 --> 00:26:09.099
 we got attacked.

00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:11.899
 Day one,

00:26:12.179 --> 00:26:13.899
 we didn't have name tags, I think.

00:26:13.980 --> 00:26:15.119
 So everyone just came in and said,

00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:16.000
 hey, what's going on?

00:26:16.039 --> 00:26:16.480
 How are you guys?

00:26:16.500 --> 00:26:17.000
 That's a secret.

00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:17.859
 Don't tell anybody that.

00:26:17.980 --> 00:26:18.720
 If they don't have a name tag,

00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.779
 you get pounced on, right?

00:26:21.019 --> 00:26:22.919
 So it was just crazy,

00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:23.579
 and it was awesome.

00:26:23.679 --> 00:26:25.700
 We just got attacked and loved

00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:27.339
 and made too many friends,

00:26:27.639 --> 00:26:30.399
 and it's just been really good since then.

00:26:31.639 --> 00:26:32.000
 Kirby,

00:26:32.079 --> 00:26:33.000
 how would you say

00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:34.579
 that the church's family

00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:35.159
 has helped you,

00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:36.799
 just like on your spiritual journey?

00:26:36.919 --> 00:26:38.220
 What are the things that you would say

00:26:38.220 --> 00:26:40.819
 just helped you take the next step

00:26:40.819 --> 00:26:41.379
 in that process?

00:26:42.119 --> 00:26:43.259
 Yeah, so as Ryan said,

00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:45.759
 when we came into Watermark the first day,

00:26:45.879 --> 00:26:47.259
 we met so many people,

00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:48.199
 and we were just overwhelmed,

00:26:48.399 --> 00:26:49.399
 and within that week,

00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:50.960
 I wasn't working,

00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:52.240
 and I was here by myself,

00:26:52.299 --> 00:26:53.460
 and I think I attended

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:55.480
 about two or three Watermark events

00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:57.099
 between the Women of Watermark group,

00:26:57.220 --> 00:26:57.839
 meeting with,

00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:00.220
 I think I met with Cindy and Kelvin.

00:27:01.699 --> 00:27:02.099
 Shen,

00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:03.059
 they've already left here,

00:27:03.179 --> 00:27:04.399
 but they were the first ones

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:05.180
 to reach out to me

00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:06.180
 and then several other women

00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:07.860
 from that group I had lunch with,

00:27:07.940 --> 00:27:09.220
 so within that week,

00:27:09.280 --> 00:27:10.340
 we were just overcome

00:27:10.340 --> 00:27:12.800
 with community and meeting people,

00:27:13.120 --> 00:27:15.040
 and through that,

00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:16.320
 I think as Ryan said,

00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:17.220
 we always went to church,

00:27:17.300 --> 00:27:18.840
 but we never became involved,

00:27:19.120 --> 00:27:19.940
 and so we had church,

00:27:20.019 --> 00:27:21.040
 and we had our own community,

00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:22.480
 but they were never two,

00:27:23.080 --> 00:27:24.220
 or never one,

00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:25.160
 and here,

00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:27.120
 our community is now our church,

00:27:27.120 --> 00:27:28.780
 and so by having that,

00:27:28.880 --> 00:27:29.680
 it's really helped us

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:31.060
 to bring God into our life.

00:27:32.140 --> 00:27:32.539
 Before,

00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:34.060
 we kind of just went down

00:27:34.060 --> 00:27:35.039
 the path of life,

00:27:35.100 --> 00:27:36.259
 and we thought we were making

00:27:36.259 --> 00:27:37.519
 our own choices for ourselves,

00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:38.580
 and now we really see

00:27:38.580 --> 00:27:40.100
 that God has a plan.

00:27:40.600 --> 00:27:41.480
 We came here.

00:27:41.660 --> 00:27:42.240
 We were going to be here

00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:42.840
 for two years.

00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:43.500
 No kids.

00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:44.620
 No dog.

00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:46.920
 Now we're leaving

00:27:46.920 --> 00:27:47.799
 three years later.

00:27:48.460 --> 00:27:49.180
 One kid,

00:27:49.279 --> 00:27:49.779
 one dog,

00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:52.580
 and when we made

00:27:52.580 --> 00:27:53.539
 our pros and cons list,

00:27:53.600 --> 00:27:54.220
 so staying here

00:27:54.220 --> 00:27:56.120
 for another year last year,

00:27:56.519 --> 00:27:58.180
 Watermark and the community

00:27:58.180 --> 00:27:59.000
 that we had here

00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:00.539
 were really on the top of the list.

00:28:01.140 --> 00:28:01.880
 It wasn't jobs.

00:28:02.019 --> 00:28:02.940
 It wasn't house.

00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:04.039
 It wasn't anything of that.

00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:05.660
 It was the people we've met here

00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:07.340
 and the friends that we've made.

00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:08.900
 We've had holidays here.

00:28:08.980 --> 00:28:10.560
 We've had our baby dedicated here.

00:28:10.660 --> 00:28:12.539
 It's really become our family,

00:28:12.940 --> 00:28:15.220
 and it's really hard

00:28:15.220 --> 00:28:15.960
 to think about anything.

00:28:16.840 --> 00:28:18.100
 No one ever cries up here,

00:28:18.100 --> 00:28:18.840
 so don't worry about that.

00:28:20.299 --> 00:28:20.860
 That's great.

00:28:21.080 --> 00:28:21.500
 So we just,

00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:23.320
 we pray when we go back

00:28:23.320 --> 00:28:24.820
 that we find a community

00:28:24.820 --> 00:28:25.860
 like we have here,

00:28:25.859 --> 00:28:29.679
 and that we just can continue

00:28:29.679 --> 00:28:31.500
 to love people

00:28:31.500 --> 00:28:33.579
 and grow in God

00:28:33.579 --> 00:28:34.399
 and know that

00:28:34.399 --> 00:28:35.740
 he always has a plan,

00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:37.419
 and I think when we came here,

00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:38.579
 we thought this is our plan,

00:28:38.659 --> 00:28:39.279
 this is our choice,

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:40.519
 and now we realize that

00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:41.699
 it's not.

00:28:42.639 --> 00:28:42.939
 Amen.

00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:43.839
 That's great.

00:28:44.199 --> 00:28:44.819
 So you guys,

00:28:44.899 --> 00:28:45.559
 as you think about

00:28:45.559 --> 00:28:46.859
 now you're heading out soon,

00:28:46.939 --> 00:28:47.179
 right,

00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:48.899
 not to make more tears come

00:28:48.899 --> 00:28:49.279
 or anything like that,

00:28:49.299 --> 00:28:50.899
 but what are some words

00:28:50.899 --> 00:28:51.579
 of encouragement

00:28:51.579 --> 00:28:52.159
 would you say,

00:28:52.219 --> 00:28:52.599
 because I'm sure

00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:53.059
 there are people

00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:54.939
 in this family right now

00:28:54.940 --> 00:28:55.539
 who are kind of

00:28:55.539 --> 00:28:56.000
 where you were

00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:56.700
 three years ago

00:28:56.700 --> 00:28:57.380
 or two years ago

00:28:57.380 --> 00:28:58.039
 and you're coming in

00:28:58.039 --> 00:28:59.360
 and they're being attacked

00:28:59.360 --> 00:29:00.759
 or maybe they're

00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:02.220
 trying not to be attacked.

00:29:02.420 --> 00:29:03.220
 Would there anything

00:29:03.220 --> 00:29:04.080
 that you would encourage

00:29:04.080 --> 00:29:05.620
 anybody here

00:29:05.620 --> 00:29:06.880
 as you leave?

00:29:07.100 --> 00:29:08.440
 What would be your words

00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:08.860
 for us?

00:29:10.100 --> 00:29:11.259
 I think I would say

00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:12.059
 my hardest thing

00:29:12.059 --> 00:29:12.700
 about coming here

00:29:12.700 --> 00:29:14.600
 was I didn't want

00:29:14.600 --> 00:29:15.580
 to reach out to anybody.

00:29:15.840 --> 00:29:15.960
 You know,

00:29:16.299 --> 00:29:17.140
 people invited me

00:29:17.140 --> 00:29:17.980
 to go and do stuff

00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:18.420
 and I just,

00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:19.259
 it was easier for me

00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:19.980
 to not do that,

00:29:20.140 --> 00:29:21.700
 and so if anybody's new here

00:29:21.700 --> 00:29:22.860
 or has been coming here

00:29:22.860 --> 00:29:23.340
 a few times

00:29:23.340 --> 00:29:24.299
 but just hasn't gone

00:29:24.299 --> 00:29:24.799
 to anything,

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:25.200
 you know,

00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:26.299
 take that invitation,

00:29:26.460 --> 00:29:26.960
 go to coffee

00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:27.599
 with that person

00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:28.319
 that's invited you,

00:29:28.399 --> 00:29:29.480
 go to that community group

00:29:29.480 --> 00:29:30.240
 that somebody said,

00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:30.960
 hey, come join us

00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:31.399
 for one night.

00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:31.980
 I know it sounds

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:33.119
 uncomfortable to begin with

00:29:33.119 --> 00:29:35.079
 but everybody here,

00:29:35.299 --> 00:29:36.159
 all the members here,

00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:37.019
 all the community here,

00:29:37.099 --> 00:29:38.519
 they really are genuine

00:29:38.519 --> 00:29:39.659
 in wanting to love you

00:29:39.659 --> 00:29:40.399
 and bring Christ

00:29:40.399 --> 00:29:41.159
 into your life

00:29:41.159 --> 00:29:42.379
 and to have you be a part

00:29:42.379 --> 00:29:43.759
 of this amazing family here.

00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:45.000
 So don't think

00:29:45.000 --> 00:29:45.980
 it's a superficial thing

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:46.619
 when somebody says,

00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:47.619
 yeah, we should get together.

00:29:47.819 --> 00:29:48.740
 I know in Hong Kong

00:29:48.740 --> 00:29:49.879
 that's all the time

00:29:49.879 --> 00:29:50.559
 it happens

00:29:50.559 --> 00:29:51.819
 but when somebody here

00:29:51.819 --> 00:29:52.200
 says it,

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:53.059
 they really mean it.

00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:55.720
 And when they say,

00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:56.419
 I'm praying for you,

00:29:56.460 --> 00:29:57.200
 they really mean it.

00:29:57.659 --> 00:29:58.839
 And it's just,

00:29:59.159 --> 00:30:01.099
 be a part of the family.

00:30:01.379 --> 00:30:02.200
 Don't just come

00:30:02.200 --> 00:30:03.159
 and leave.

00:30:03.539 --> 00:30:04.379
 This family here

00:30:04.379 --> 00:30:05.200
 is really genuine.

00:30:05.339 --> 00:30:05.839
 They want to be

00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.700
 a part of your life.

00:30:06.700 --> 00:30:09.600
 And I just say quickly

00:30:09.600 --> 00:30:11.120
 to get involved.

00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:12.240
 Like in the last churches

00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:12.740
 we were at,

00:30:12.819 --> 00:30:13.440
 the mega churches

00:30:13.440 --> 00:30:14.100
 and things like that,

00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:15.180
 I wasn't really involved

00:30:15.180 --> 00:30:16.220
 in anything that was going on

00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:17.920
 and Eric's pushed me

00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:19.420
 to be part of the kids ministry

00:30:19.420 --> 00:30:20.279
 which has been fun.

00:30:20.460 --> 00:30:21.440
 I'm not qualified

00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:22.259
 or know what I'm doing

00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:22.759
 but it's,

00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:23.960
 they've taught me a lot

00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:24.500
 and I've learned a lot

00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:25.700
 about the kids

00:30:25.700 --> 00:30:26.600
 and dealing with them.

00:30:27.299 --> 00:30:28.039
 And then even,

00:30:28.299 --> 00:30:29.400
 I've been sometimes

00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:30.200
 counting offering

00:30:30.200 --> 00:30:30.920
 and that's been

00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:32.759
 a huge challenge to me

00:30:32.759 --> 00:30:34.460
 to give more myself

00:30:34.460 --> 00:30:36.400
 and to be more dedicated

00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:37.039
 on tithing

00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:37.680
 and things like that.

00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:38.000
 So,

00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:39.279
 just get involved

00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:39.920
 with the church.

00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:40.940
 Get involved with

00:30:40.940 --> 00:30:43.160
 the things that are around you.

00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:44.680
 It's not just helping

00:30:44.680 --> 00:30:45.660
 so much other people.

00:30:46.160 --> 00:30:47.819
 It actually helps yourself

00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:48.359
 quite a bit

00:30:48.359 --> 00:30:49.220
 and helps you grow

00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:50.160
 and meet new people

00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:51.180
 and have new experiences

00:30:51.180 --> 00:30:52.440
 and just have a fun time.

00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:52.879
 Amen.

00:30:53.319 --> 00:30:54.319
 So I'm going to pray for you guys.

00:30:54.379 --> 00:30:54.900
 Can I pray for you?

00:30:55.099 --> 00:30:55.259
 Sure.

00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:55.940
 Okay.

00:30:57.519 --> 00:30:57.879
 Father,

00:30:58.039 --> 00:30:59.019
 we just thank you for this day.

00:30:59.140 --> 00:31:00.460
 We pray for this precious family

00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:01.099
 and we,

00:31:01.879 --> 00:31:01.920
 Father,

00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:02.599
 you know

00:31:02.599 --> 00:31:03.699
 three years ago

00:31:03.699 --> 00:31:04.399
 when you brought them here

00:31:04.399 --> 00:31:05.639
 that they had become

00:31:05.639 --> 00:31:06.359
 a part of this family

00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:07.759
 and we pray for their next journey

00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:08.699
 that you would bring them

00:31:08.699 --> 00:31:09.500
 into another family

00:31:09.500 --> 00:31:10.559
 that would love them

00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:11.359
 and encourage them

00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:12.559
 and challenge them

00:31:12.559 --> 00:31:13.759
 to be a part of this,

00:31:13.819 --> 00:31:15.119
 your family.

00:31:15.879 --> 00:31:16.059
 And Father,

00:31:16.199 --> 00:31:16.839
 I just thank you

00:31:16.839 --> 00:31:18.119
 for the awesome son.

00:31:18.199 --> 00:31:19.139
 It's amazing to see him

00:31:19.139 --> 00:31:20.159
 even just grow up

00:31:20.159 --> 00:31:22.240
 and turn into a little man,

00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:22.859
 a little person.

00:31:23.059 --> 00:31:24.000
 And I pray,

00:31:24.119 --> 00:31:24.219
 Lord,

00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:25.859
 that he would come to know you

00:31:25.859 --> 00:31:26.639
 at an early age

00:31:26.639 --> 00:31:28.559
 and he would do mighty things

00:31:28.559 --> 00:31:29.319
 for your kingdom,

00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:30.779
 even in Iowa,

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:31.859
 that he would do

00:31:31.859 --> 00:31:32.639
 mighty things

00:31:32.639 --> 00:31:33.559
 and people's lives

00:31:33.559 --> 00:31:34.139
 to be changed

00:31:34.139 --> 00:31:35.419
 because of how much

00:31:35.419 --> 00:31:36.139
 he loves Jesus.

00:31:36.899 --> 00:31:37.459
 So I thank you

00:31:37.459 --> 00:31:39.079
 for this precious family

00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:40.500
 and pray that you would guard them

00:31:40.500 --> 00:31:41.479
 and watch over them

00:31:41.479 --> 00:31:43.199
 and just always make their home

00:31:43.199 --> 00:31:44.279
 a place of peace

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:45.439
 and mercy

00:31:45.439 --> 00:31:46.339
 and grace.

00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:47.819
 And we love you

00:31:47.819 --> 00:31:48.519
 and we pray these things

00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:49.399
 for your son Jesus' name.

00:31:49.799 --> 00:31:50.039
 Amen.

00:31:50.639 --> 00:31:51.259
 Thanks, guys.

00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:58.220
 Ti NATIONAL

00:31:58.900 --> 00:32:11.940
 Goddamn

00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:13.220
 God