A Morning Testament

[00:00:26] You know, PBM family, on this Sunday morning here in Pennsylvania, I'm looking at that kind of a sunrise, that moment in the sunrise where the trees are still black and the sky is just starting to take on light.

[00:00:48] I'm watching this track. I'm watching the planes fly from Philly International over my head, the same track they took my whole life growing up here.

[00:01:03] And the fire's burning, glowing perfect right now. Coffee, you know.

[00:01:14] And I've been sitting here, you know, probably for about almost two hours, playing with the fire, making coffee, watching the sunrise, and thinking about, and I don't know if this has been your experience or not.

[00:01:32] One of those planes is going overhead now, you can hear it.

[00:01:34] I don't know if this has been your experience with God, but for me, He's been calling out to me for a very long time.

[00:01:52] Some people, they spend the whole, this is the weird thing about it.

[00:01:58] Some people seem to spend their whole life chasing Him down.

[00:02:03] You know what I mean?

[00:02:06] I don't understand this part of it.

[00:02:09] But some people seem to spend their whole life chasing Him down.

[00:02:15] And I spend a big chunk of mine running away, turning away from Him.

[00:02:22] And every so often, His presence would be so apparent that it would be fundamentally undeniable.

[00:02:33] Undeniable.

[00:02:37] So, uh, you know, He gives you things you never see coming.

[00:02:42] He puts situations before you that can only be His hand.

[00:02:51] But suffice it to say, you know, you ever know anybody in life who's given you so much you just, you have to praise them.

[00:03:03] Like they won you over.

[00:03:04] Fair and square, they won you over.

[00:03:08] I look at my life and that's the way I feel about it.

[00:03:12] And it's a weird feeling.

[00:03:13] It's not always a good feeling.

[00:03:18] You know, a lot of the blessings are earned, sure.

[00:03:24] But some of them are just right out of, you know, they come raining down on you for no good reason.

[00:03:35] I could tell you, you know, I could tell you a bunch of stories, a bunch of instances where God reached out to me and it was breathtaking and awe-inspiring and so on.

[00:03:44] But I don't think that's what this little short testament is going to be all about, right?

[00:03:54] I don't think that's what I want it to be about.

[00:03:58] My family's in the house and they're all wrapped up in pillows and blankets and dogs.

[00:04:07] Lots of my family's in there.

[00:04:13] And there's something about this whole journey, man.

[00:04:19] You get to a point in life where, what else is there to do?

[00:04:27] And I don't mean in terms of responsibility or, you know, things to do.

[00:04:32] But I mean, what else is there to do but praise God for everything that you've been given?

[00:04:41] The opportunities you've been given, the opportunities that you've squandered.

[00:04:50] I see opportunity in all of it, you know?

[00:04:56] I felt compelled to come on this morning, which is kind of rare, specifically this early.

[00:05:03] But sometimes the stars align, you know?

[00:05:05] Sometimes the clouds are just so.

[00:05:07] The sunrise is just so.

[00:05:09] The fire is just so.

[00:05:10] The coffee, which I'm almost out of.

[00:05:16] It's all just right on the money.

[00:05:18] I do this thing where I go over every strand of the last 13, 15, 20 years of my life.

[00:05:35] And try to figure out what could I have done better?

[00:05:41] And what should I do better going forward, you know?

[00:05:48] And in doing so, man, you can absolutely destroy a beautiful moment like the one I'm having right now.

[00:05:58] All of this sort of analyzing.

[00:06:01] You gotta be real careful.

[00:06:04] You gotta be real careful because you wind up missing out on what's happening right before you.

[00:06:15] I don't know if it's God that gave me all that focus or not.

[00:06:18] I really don't know.

[00:06:22] But I can tell you, particularly if you have young children, particularly if you have...

[00:06:27] See, particularly if you're living a moment in your life that is somewhat challenging and rewarding.

[00:06:33] Like, take a few...

[00:06:37] Take about six deep breaths.

[00:06:40] Because that lowers your blood pressure immediately.

[00:06:43] Lowers your anxiety immediately.

[00:06:44] So there's six deep breaths.

[00:06:46] And then take in what's happening all around you.

[00:06:52] Take it in.

[00:06:55] Understand.

[00:06:55] Like, look around.

[00:06:57] You know?

[00:06:57] Look at the way that the fire is crackling in the pit.

[00:07:03] Look at the weeds and the vines that are growing up the fence.

[00:07:07] Understand that you're sitting in this position in your life for a reason.

[00:07:15] Look at the ants or the bugs crawling on the ground.

[00:07:18] The birds flying in the sky.

[00:07:23] And, you know, most importantly of all...

[00:07:27] No matter how breathtaking the landscape is that lies before you or not...

[00:07:35] This is your short dance in the sun before God calls you home.

[00:07:43] I talk about this all the time.

[00:07:49] Because like preparedness, you know...

[00:07:51] It's one of those things that if it...

[00:07:55] If it gets its hooks in...

[00:07:57] Just one person...

[00:08:01] Then the effect it can have is...

[00:08:04] It's just mind-altering and life-altering.

[00:08:07] In other words, if we do 15 shows here on PBN...

[00:08:13] And the message resonates with one person...

[00:08:17] And hooks one new person into prepping.

[00:08:20] And then that one new person gets...

[00:08:23] Walloped by Mother Nature...

[00:08:25] Then all of a sudden it makes a huge difference.

[00:08:29] You know what I mean?

[00:08:31] So...

[00:08:31] Give honor to God, PBN family, this Sunday morning.

[00:08:36] It's a wonderful life, man.

[00:08:38] It's everything that you make it.

[00:08:40] So...

[00:08:41] Enjoy it.

[00:08:44] I'll talk to you soon.