Bryce Crawford on Sharing Your Faith Without Fear (even when it's hard)

Summary

Stay True with Madison Prewett Troutt

Episode: Bryce Crawford on Sharing Your Faith Without Fear (even when it's hard)
Date: December 1, 2025
Guests: Bryce Crawford, Grant Troutt (Madison’s husband)

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Overview

This episode of Stay True dives deep into authentic faith, bold evangelism, and spiritual leadership. Madison, alongside her husband Grant and guest Bryce Crawford, unpacks how to share your faith with courage—even when it’s uncomfortable, resistance is real, and you fear being misunderstood. Bryce shares his powerful testimony of finding Jesus in the midst of darkness, the realities and challenges of street evangelism, and practical wisdom for fighting the fear of man. The conversation is honest, energetic, and deeply rooted in biblical truth, with practical encouragement for listeners at every stage of their faith journey.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. How They All Met: Brotherhood and Mountain Hikes

• Madison and Grant reminisce about meeting Bryce at a men’s conference in Montana led by Pastor Levi Lusko.
• Memorable moment: Early morning hikes, eating huckleberries, bonding through shared cold plunge misery, and quoting scripture to get through it.
  • “That was the coldest cold plunge I’ve ever done.” – Bryce (03:57)
  • “We came down, and the cold plunge is where me and you, like, that was brotherhood.” – Grant (03:30)
• Takeaway: Meaningful, faith-driven friendships are often forged in shared experiences and discomfort.

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2. Bryce’s Engagement Story and Navigating Insecurity

• Bryce shares the nerves and spiritual attack ahead of proposing and how mentorship and prayer helped him see God’s joy in giving Maddie to him (11:34–14:28).
  • “God finds joy in trusting you with Maddie.” – Mentor, quoted by Bryce (11:48)
• Unexpected, sweet details: practicing getting down on one knee (14:11), and how the imagery of Maddie in a white dress moved him to tears and stirred his heart about Christ’s return and the imagery of the bride (12:59–13:47).

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3. Honest Marriage Advice for Couples

• Madison and Grant briefly share their own journey—three years married, the whirlwind of a short engagement, major life transitions, and early challenges (15:24–21:01).
  • Madison’s tips for engaged couples:
    • “Fight to unite and not to be right.” (19:21)
    • “Love from being filled and not to be filled.”
    • Prayer together as a marriage game changer.
  • Grant’s wisdom:
    • “You’re the thermostat of the relationship. Everything about y’all’s relationship is on your leadership.” (21:15)
    • The necessity of sacrificial leadership based on Ephesians 5 and modeling Christ’s love for the church.
  • Vulnerable stories about boundaries, accountability, and the sanctifying nature of married life.

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4. Bryce’s Testimony—From Despair to Deliverance

• Bryce opens up about growing up around “cultural Christianity,” losing his grandfather, deep bitterness toward God, and years of anxiety and depression (23:52–27:28).
  • “When I was 17, I planned on taking my life on Christmas day… I thought it was the only way to get the pain to go away.” – Bryce (25:12)
• The turning point: a Christmas night encounter at Waffle House with a stranger sharing his own pain, sparking an epiphany about God’s love and a heartfelt cry to Jesus that ended Bryce’s depression and anxiety.
  • “I haven’t had [crippling anxiety and depression] since that day. It’s been over four years. Praise God.” (27:28)
• Discussion about the mystery of suffering and why healing looks different for different people (28:13–29:57). The takeaway: God’s grace comes in many forms; sometimes, weakness makes us dependent on Him.

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5. Evangelism in Everyday Life—Courage, Rejection, and Authenticity

• Bryce describes how he began to share his faith at school and with strangers—even with people who bullied him (30:27–34:03).

  • Vulnerable story: Bryce reaching out to a former bully who threatened him, resulting in a surprising, tear-filled reconciliation (33:25–34:03).

• Key principle: Don’t put pressure on yourself to convert people; your job is to plant and water, God brings the increase.

  • “The Bible tells us that we plant seeds and water seeds, but God’s the one who brings the increase. So your job is to deliver the message.” – Bryce (49:23)
  • The Gospel is more than “Jesus loves you”; it’s about our need for a Savior, the penalty of sin, and Christ’s resurrection (50:21).

• Dealing with Fear of Man and Rejection:

  • Fear comes from the pressure to save people and from being focused on ourselves (struggling with “what will they think of me?”).
  • Practical advice: Start small—share in spaces where people can’t walk away (Uber, elevator, coffee shop), get your reps in, embrace listening as the core of evangelism (51:05).

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6. Personal Spiritual Disciplines and Secret Life with God

• Bryce and Grant discuss the critical importance of hiddenness, prayer, and the “secret place” for leaders and anyone striving to follow Jesus (36:58–39:47, 58:24–61:30).
  • “I have this like weird sensitivity to God’s spirit… when I get on my knees and close my eyes, for a split second, I’m tuning my heart to heaven and asking God to speak to me…” – Bryce (38:27)
  • Madison: “I need people to call me out and be like, Maddie, that was actually a very prideful approach. I care more about your soul than I care about your feelings.” (46:19)
• Emphasis on keeping grounded, having honest accountability, and being willing to rest and withdraw (as Jesus did).

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7. Apologetics—Equipping for Real-Life Questions

• Bryce shares his love for apologetics, driven both by curiosity and necessity—handling hard questions from skeptics, classmates, and strangers (61:43–63:55).
  • References to memorizing entire chapters (Romans 12), repeated practice, and the biblical mandate to “be prepared to make a defense… but do it with gentleness and respect.”

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8. Memorizing Scripture—Practical Tips

• Start with verses you love and share regularly.
• Take one verse per week, build gradually, and practice aloud.
• Suggestions: 2 Corinthians 5:10, John 3:14–18, Romans 12:2, Ephesians 1–2 (66:00–68:04).
  • “I don’t want to just be an Instagram bio Bible verse believer. I want to be a weapon-equipped, ready to storm the gates of hell, all-offense believer.” – Bryce (67:59)

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9. What God Is Saying Now—Call to Sincerity and Holiness

• Bryce’s urgent plea: “Sincerely follow Jesus. Jesus is not just your Savior, He’s your Lord. Submitting your life means it will cost you something—but it’s worth it.” (68:46–72:21)
  • Insightful teaching on the image of Christ as judge (Revelation 5), and warning about the temptation to “stop at Jesus loves you” without emphasizing repentance, holiness, and true discipleship (72:21–73:32).
  • Madison: “People accept this invitation of, like, ‘Oh, I’m loved by Jesus,’ but I’m not gonna actually submit to him as Lord… an invitation to follow Jesus is to come and die.” (72:51)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Evangelism:

  • “If I’m going to be a fool for anyone, I want to be a fool for Jesus.” – Bryce (52:13)
  • “You can’t reach who you don’t love.” – Grant (54:21)

• On Spiritual Leadership:

  • “You’re the thermostat of the relationship. Everything about y’all’s relationship is on your leadership.” – Grant (21:15)
  • “I want people to see my flaws. I want to be a laid down lover of Jesus.” – Bryce (44:28)

• On the Cost of Following Jesus:

  • “I want to let people know what they’re in for. It’s going to cost you something to follow this guy, but it’s worth it.” – Bryce (72:10)

• On Living for the Approval of God, Not Man:

  • “If someone wants to go get the praise of man, go get your praise… It didn’t work. And I was tempted with it after I was a believer, and it still ain’t fulfilling.” – Bryce (43:32)

• On Scripture Memory:

  • “Delight in the law, meditate on it day and night. I think so many of us are more discipled by the world than we are by the Word.” – Madison (65:55)

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Most Impactful Timestamps

• Bryce’s Testimony & Waffle House Encounter: 25:12–27:54
• Engagement & Spiritual Attack: 11:34–14:28
• Evangelism Stories (bullying, fear): 30:27–34:11
• Practical Evangelism Tips: 49:23–53:02
• Secret Place & Withdrawing: 58:24–61:30
• Call to Sincere, Holy Living: 68:46–72:21

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Final Encouragement & Prayer

Bryce closes in heartfelt prayer, asking for boldness, courage, and the peace of Jesus for every listener (74:55–76:00).

“We ask for your boldness, just as the new converts in the book of Acts prayed for boldness, so do we, God—not just for today, but for every day…” – Bryce (74:55)

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Summary Takeaways

• Faith is meant to be shared—even when it’s intimidating.
• Evangelism is about listening and real presence, not pressure or performance.
• Accountability, withdrawal, and deep personal prayer are as vital as public ministry.
• True discipleship means surrender, not just intellectual agreement with Christianity.
• Boldness comes from the Holy Spirit and seeing yourself as sent—right where you are.

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This episode is a rallying cry to “stay true”—to Jesus, to truth, and to the call to make Him known, however and wherever He places you.

Transcript

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Filter to save up to $1,500. Book your warm getaway at vrbo.com the Bible tells us that we plant seeds and water seeds, but God's the one who brings the increase. So your job is to deliver the message.

[A]

I think a lot of people want to share the gospel, but they genuinely don't know how. What do you say to someone when you share your faith?

[B]

When I was 17, I planned on taking my life on Christmas Day because I thought it was the only way to get the pain to go away. But a lot of believers are living as if I they don't want Jesus to return because they know he's going to bring judgment.

[A]

And so we're constantly walking into rooms thinking, what do they think about me? Okay, if I share my faith, what are they going to think about me?

[B]

I want to let people know what they're in for. It's going to cost you something to follow this guy, but it's worth it.

[C]

I remember she looked at me one day, she said, grant me and you are good. When you and God are good.

[A]

I want to hear like how you guys met and what was the moment that you were like, Maddie is the one.

[C]

You're the thermostat of the relationship. Everything about Yalls relationship is on your leadership.

[B]

Like practice getting down on one knee. I was like researching. I was like what's or knee to go down on? Like I was practicing with my roommates, making sure my posture wasn't weird.

[A]

What's up guys? Welcome back to another episode of Stay True podcast. I'm your host, Madison Pruitt Trout. I have my handsome husband on the podcast Grout and we have a friend.

[C]

Here, special, special guest today.

[A]

Who. Who do we have?

[C]

We got the one and only Bryce Crawford.

[A]

Come on.

[C]

Thanks for being here, bro.

[A]

Let's go on the podcast. And how you know Bryce, man, we.

[C]

We had an unforgettable meeting, bro.

[A]

I mean, like, forgettable brotherhood.

[C]

Quicker than most guys go. And it was in Montana.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And Pastor Levi Lusko took us up a mountain, bro. How about that mountain? Like that?

[B]

Hike mountains, you know?

[A]

And it was like 4 or 5am it was early.

[B]

Yeah, it was. It was interesting. I've never done anything like that before. I'm from the south, man. I've never done anything like that before.

[C]

I'm Dallas, Texas. It's flat. I remember thinking when we started, bro, I was like, I don't think I'm going to make this.

[B]

Like, I had blisters on my feet. We got done. Yeah, I was the last one. We were coming down the mountain. You slow?

[C]

On the way down, I thought my.

[B]

Feet were going to catch on fire. Oh, no. My feet were rubbing in those shoes.

[A]

Meanwhile, I was still asleep. I think you got back. I would, like, had just woken up after you had, like, hiked a mountain. Y' all had. I mean, what else did you. Okay. Are you going to keep going?

[C]

So we would go up this mountain. Levi Luska would, like, pause us, be like, guys, here's like, a moment of a sermon. He would pick these berries. We would eat them. Do you eat some of those?

[B]

It was like a huckleberry. Is that what that was?

[A]

Huckleberry?

[B]

They were so good.

[C]

And then we got. We came down, and the cold plunge is where me and you, like, that was brotherhood. So we got in hot tub, and then we were going.

[A]

So this is like, so many of you guys there. But it sounds so. It's like you guys are face to face in this cold plunge. And I think you guys were, like, quoting scripture to stay in this moment.

[C]

So cold. It was, like, colder than I ever would have imagined. And all I could think to say was, what scripture are you memorizing right now? He's like, Matthew 5. I was like, tell me.

[B]

He got us through it.

[C]

Got us to get us through, Bro.

[B]

That was the coldest cold plunge I've ever done.

[C]

But then I remember you had to preach that that day. And, bro, my legs. Remember when you, like, knelt down on stage and you. You came off. You're like, bro, I forgot. I couldn't even use my legs.

[B]

Almost crumbled. Yeah. When I got down, it was hard, man.

[C]

So anyway, Good to see you again, bro.

[B]

After that, I have the best view of you right now, right across from each other. And I'm in your chair.

[C]

You're in my chair. So if you feel the spirit.

[B]

Yeah, let's go.

[A]

That was a very bonding experience. It. It was a special. Montana is a special place.

[C]

Super cool.

[A]

It's beautiful. Great people. It was a great conference.

[B]

Yeah. So fun. Pastor Levi's the best.

[A]

Amazing. We need to have him on the podcast. But anyways, I just remember you came back from that experience, and you were like, man, I feel like I can conquer the world. Cuz you had done so much, and it was like, 8am I know. You came back. You had gotten up so early.

[C]

It was amazing.

[A]

Hi. Cold plunge sauna. Y' all went and got coffee. You're, like, sharing testimonies, man.

[C]

That's so good.

[A]

Otherwise, girls are like, let's. Let's sit around and, like, tell each other, like, you know, totally not that morning.

[C]

Not, man, so good.

[A]

But, man, we're so thankful you came on the podcast. Thank you for coming on. Thanks so much. I mean, you host your own podcast. You evangelize in the streets. You, you know, have your own ministry and do so many amazing things. You have live events going on, which you're actually in town for right now, which we might go to tomorrow night. So just super thankful for all you do and your. Yes. And also, you just got engaged.

[C]

Come on, now.

[A]

You just got engaged. And your girl's name is also Maddie.

[C]

Yeah, it's a great name.

[A]

Which is a great name.

[C]

Is it M A D D Y.

[B]

Y Y M A D D Y.

[C]

Love it.

[A]

And I'm. M A D I. Yep.

[B]

Oh, yeah.

[A]

But she's. She's a sweet one. I really like her a lot, and I'm excited. Now we can do, like, you guys are gonna get married, and then we can do couples trips.

[B]

Yeah. Like, real. Yeah, we're getting. We're just getting started.

[C]

Just.

[B]

It's gonna be so.

[A]

We're just getting started.

[B]

Just getting so kind of.

[A]

I want to hear, like, how you guys met and what was the moment that you were like, maddie is the one.

[B]

Okay. Well, I actually. I knew about Maddie in high school, so I'm from town in Georgia called Cartersville. She's from, like, Woodstock are kind of, like, right next to each other on the map. And I went to a small, private Christian school. Maddie went to a big public school. I was very geeky and nerdy, and Maddie was very beautiful and awesome. Wow. So we knew where like, the pretty girls went to high school when I was. When I was fresh.

[C]

And so, like, glasses or.

[B]

No, no glasses. But, like, I probably should have. Like, it was straight A's. Yeah, straight A's on Studious student. Come on.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And so I knew Maddie from, like, just seeing her around on social media. And like, we. We laugh about it now, but, like, I would. I would, like, like her posts on Instagram and stuff like that. Only like, the ones without her high school boyfriend. You know, like, like, that kind of thing. I got secretly crushing and. But just like, lost college. She's goes to a big high school, I go to small high school, nothing crazy. Then I become a believer, graduate high school, and then I'm like, okay, move to LA off of Call of Jesus. And every now and then I would, like, actually think of Maddie.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And I'd be like. But just like, oh, she's just the pretty girl from where I'm from. Lost cause, nothing.

[C]

She got away.

[B]

And then she got away and I did nothing about it. And if I, like, really care about something, I'm, like, super nervous. Like, super nervous. I'm. I. I like, like to talk to people extroverted, but I can get really nervous. So I was. My roommate runs a Bible study out of our house. And at the time, we were in an apartment. I'm sitting there waiting for it to start, and she walks into my apartment.

[C]

No.

[B]

And I almost lost myself when I. When I saw her unannounced. Unannounced.

[A]

Had no idea.

[B]

So she had just. She had just moved to la and I was freaking out on the inside. Freaking out.

[A]

And do you think she remembers you at this point? Like, are you.

[B]

Like, she knows she had never met me. Oh, I just knew who she was. Yes. And I. I probably. I don't know why Maddie agreed to start spending time with me because I totally blew it. When I first introduced myself to her, she was talking to my roommate, like, introducing. I go up. I'm like, hi, my name's Bryce. And she goes, oh, hi, my name's Maddie. And I go, I know.

[C]

No.

[B]

Like, so awesome. So awful waiting for you. I know.

[A]

I've liked some of your posts without.

[B]

Your boyfriend, but I never DM'd her. I never, like, DM'd her. Way to go.

[C]

Way to go.

[B]

Which, you know, this is like. And like, back in the day, before I was a believer, like, that was like, something I really struggled with. I tried to find my worth in girls. I was DN everyone. DMing everyone out the wazoo. When I was, like, in ninth grade, tenth grade, like eighth grade, you know, just DMing everyone. But I never DMed Maddie because I was like, if I ever meet this girl in person, like, I will freak out if I knew I said something cheesy in her DMs. And. And so. So we met, and I, like, totally blew it. And I was so nervous. Like, we would be in, like, public settings, and she would be the. Please don't do this if you're dating someone. I would, like, not say goodbye to her. I wouldn't hug her. I would, like, almost act like she wasn't there because I was so nervous, and I didn't want anyone to know I, like, had the fattest crush on her.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

It's like, I would, like, acknowledge everyone except Maddie. So that was bad.

[A]

So what did she think you were playing hard to get?

[B]

I don't know. I think. Yeah, she did. She did think.

[A]

We do have her here. She's our live audience right now, so we keep making eyes of her, and at some point, she may come across.

[B]

So. So it was that. Yeah, that was great. And honestly, like, I. I was scared to get in a relationship because. Because I knew my past. I knew what I had struggled with. I knew. I knew that it was hard. And so I kill, like, I legitimately, for, like, three weeks, was like, God, please take away my feelings for Maddie. Because I had an immediate, like. Like, I saw her in my apartment. I'm like, oh, my gosh, you're the best thing on the planet. And I was like, okay, I just saw you, and we said hi awkwardly for five seconds. Like, I don't know anything about you. I don't know where your heart's at. I don't know, like, how you do under heat. I don't know how you do under good times. Like, I don't know anything. But I had the fattest crush on her. And so I kept asking God to take away my feelings for her. And every day, they wouldn't go away. And I kept asking and asking and asking and asking it. But I would spend a lot of time with Maddie in group settings, and. And Maddie was just the best. Super intentional with people. Caring, kind, loving, gentle, serves others. And so I really liked that. And so then, because she's from the hometown next to me, we flew back together for Thanksgiving. She was with her family, I was with my family. And I've never brought a girl home. And I had invited myself to Maddie's Thanksgiving so I could spend time with Maddie.

[A]

Wait, how did that go down. He's like, we're in this Bible study together. He's gonna invite me over to the.

[B]

Parent, take me to Thanksgiving. That was the boldest I've ever gotten right there. That was ass. Big bowl. Yeah. And so. So I. I asked Maddie if I could go, and she's like, well, only if I get to come to yours. And I was like, it's a good move.

[C]

This is. I like that.

[B]

I was like, yeah, but deep down, I'm, like, thinking I've never in my life brought a girl home before, but I'm so glad I did. And so that was kind of like, really. The kickstart was, like, when we got that time with our families and stuff like that and getting to know each other. But apparently Maddie, the night we met, after she left the apartment, called her mom.

[C]

Stop it.

[B]

And told her that she had met her husband. What? On the phone?

[A]

I got chills.

[B]

Yeah. I had no idea.

[A]

What? That's crazy.

[C]

It had to be the I know. Part where she was like, you know what?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

She's like, I love the unashamedness.

[B]

Yeah, it was definitely. Definitely that part.

[C]

Crazy, man.

[A]

That was wild.

[C]

All right, get us briefly into, like, you just got engaged. It looked amazing. Tell me about, like, the emotions, the feelings. What'd you say? Like, how did that go?

[A]

Do you remember what you said?

[B]

I do not remember what I said. I had to watch it back because I was like, I. I totally blacked out.

[C]

So scary.

[B]

But I remember the night before I started getting, like, spiritually attacked, like, heavily. Just haunted with my past, haunted with the moments I've been a bad leader in and out of our relationship. Moments that I've made mistakes before and after. I've been a Christian, like, all these other things, and. And I got hit hard when I called him a mentor of mine, and he was just kind of gave me this different perspective that, like, God finds joy in trusting you with Maddie. And I was like, okay, wow, God, it's God's joy to, like, give Maddie to me, because the whole time we had been dating, I would ask God permission to take Maddie on dates. And so the past few weeks leading up to the engagement, I was asking, like, I felt like I was asking God for his hand in marriage, like, can I marry your daughter? And so it was like, that day, it was his joy to give Maddie to me, like, hand her over to me. So that shipped my perspective. That morning really gave me a lot of comfort. You know, I've been to the satanic temple twice that Was the scariest thing I've ever done was proposing to Maddie. Hands down. Hands down. Like, definitely scariest thing I've ever done. It's a scary thing.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And when. Yeah, I did black out, I don't know what I said. I was just a mess crying and. Because I got the picture, you know? You know how they say, like, I always would hear Christian married couples be like, man, marriage changes the way you view God. It just changes the way you view him.

[C]

You see him in a new light.

[B]

And all this other stuff. And I'm thinking, like, yeah, right. Like, it kind of like, yeah, sure.

[C]

He didn't do it for a second.

[B]

Yeah. You're just like, it's corny, you know? It's like, oh, it's like a cliche, corny Christian thing. Like, yeah, marriage changed the way you view God. But when I saw Maddie get out of the car in her all white dress, I. I immediately started crying. The second the car pulled in the driveway, I immediately started crying, man. Because I started thinking about the return of Christ and the Galilean wedding and the imagery of what it looks like for us to be the bride of Christ. And I'm like, this must be how God. This must be what? Like, how God feels when he sees people coming home, when he sees people putting faith in him. And so, yeah, led Maddie down to that spot, said whatever was on my heart.

[A]

Sweet things.

[B]

Yeah, some sweet stuff. And got down on one knee. Will you marry me? Maddie's in shock. I'm in shock. She's, like, nodding her head yes, and I'm like. I'm like, oh. Oh, blacking out. Like, trying to put it on.

[C]

Teach you the next part. No. Do I put it on?

[B]

No, they don't. Teach them. No, they do not.

[A]

They don't. Like, do y' all YouTube it before, or is it just, like, scripture?

[C]

I'm not seeing nothing.

[B]

Like, I, like, practice getting down on one knee.

[C]

Which knee did you.

[B]

To make sure? I did a. Went down on my right knee.

[C]

Okay. Okay. I don't remember, but I remember thinking about it. I go, what's more natural? I like, practice.

[B]

I was, like, researching. I was like, what's the proper need to go down on. Like, I was practicing on my roommates, making sure my posture wasn't weird. Like, you know, all shoulders down.

[A]

We're really getting some people into some. Man. That's some good stuff.

[B]

Amazing, guys. That's.

[A]

That's the real life stuff.

[C]

Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome.

[A]

Right before pro. I was telling them right before that you got Covid right before our engagement.

[C]

Dude, ours was. Ours was audible on the fly.

[A]

I supposed to be so picked up on it because he was supposed to go.

[C]

We were doing Florida with her.

[A]

Group trip to Florida. He was supposed to go. So sick.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So he can't go. And I was so bummed because I was like, dang it, I thought I was going to get engaged.

[C]

Yeah. And so I had to audible on the fly to meet her two days later at this hotel. And literally the Lord gave me like supernatural strength for a few hours. I just got better, like in bed for 36 hours, get up, propose an hour later, and then I'm good the rest of the night. It was, it was wild. But I remember being like, okay, Lord, I. What do I say? And it's just such a crazy moment. And then if you think that's wild, wait until she literally walks down the aisle and you are like, this is my life will never be the same.

[A]

I'm so excited for you guys.

[B]

Thank you.

[C]

It's really cool.

[A]

It really, like marriage is. It's the most beautiful, humble, refining, like wild adventure, best friendship. I mean, it's just like the best.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And I'm so excited for you guys. It's going to be really, really great. And we said this off camera, but like, we truly are just here for you guys and however we can support you in this season. And marriage engagement was hard for us in a lot of different ways. There was just a lot going on even like in our personal lives outside of engagement season. Your grandmother passed away. There's just a lot going on in a short time. We had a three month engagement. The world thought we were crazy. Maybe we were a little bit. But also it was like we were just so excited to get married. And now I feel like we've. I mean, we've only been married for three years, but we've learned a lot in those in those three years. Hey, friends, it's Maddie. If you've read my new book, Dare to be True, I would love to hear what you think. Your reviews mean so much to me. They help more people discover the message and the heart behind this book. So if book has encouraged you, challenged you, or reminded you to live with bold faith and honesty, would you just take a minute to leave a review? It truly makes such a difference. And if you haven't gotten my new book yet, Dare to be True, you can go and find it anywhere books are sold. Thank you so much for being a part of this journey and for daring to be True. Right alongside me. Stay True Merch drop. We got a new Stay True merch collection, you guys. And this is my favorite collection yet. I am wearing the jersey from the Stay True Merch collection. And, you guys, it is so amazing. It says Stay True on the front, Stay Free on the back. It's got John 8:32. It is the coolest jersey you've ever seen. But we have sweatshirts, we got T shirts. This is seriously my favorite collection yet. This is the perfect Christmas gift, birthday gift, New Year gift to yourself. You guys, you need to check out this new collection. I'm so excited about it. And you can go To Stay True podcast.com will also include the link to the exact merch landing page in the show notes. You guys got to go and check it out. Let me know what you think. If you rep it, tag us. We want to see it. Go and check it out, you guys.

[C]

And there's just a spiritual target on married couples, like, godly married couples. There just is. And it's not to, like, be afraid, but it's like, Satan hates this. He hates marriage. And. And so, man, y' all just. Y' all know that, but also, like, lock in, you know, I remember I just did a wedding in Waco, and I remember thinking, like, I was telling Maddie, because you're thinking about the return of Jesus Christ. And there's this moment where the groom is there and. And everyone stands up and turns back to the door.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And the doors slowly open and the music's going and the groom is waiting. And I just had me thinking. I said, like, you know, if Jesus is coming back for his bride, what would it look like? How crazy would it be? And if those. If those doors opened and the groom is waiting, and let's say the bride was, like, holding a drink and, like, kissing a guy.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And I just like, how. How shocking would that scene be? And how many Christians right now, like, when that door opens and Jesus comes back, they want to marry Jesus. And they're in the white dress, but they're like, I just want to. Okay, sorry, sorry. Now I'm ready for you.

[A]

Like, flirting with the world.

[C]

What will we be caught with when Jesus comes back? How many Christians are stuck in that? So it just had this image of, like, I want to be so ready to stare down Jesus as he comes back for me.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So. Yeah.

[B]

So good.

[A]

Crazy. So good. And one of the biggest. I mean, encouragement to you would give you guys is just, like, fighting for purity and engagement season. It was the hardest for some Reason, like, I think a ring being on my finger, it was like, man, it almost feels like we're married.

[C]

Totally, totally.

[A]

And just like, I mean, to all engaged couples listening to this podcast that is, you know, put up the extra boundaries and have your accountability partnership. But I wrote down a few things that this is what I would tell my engaged self. And this is for you guys.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

This is for the married. Married couples listening, engaged couples and singles for when that time comes. Okay. Fight to unite and not to be right. That was one of the hardest things for me when we first got married was I just wanted to be right all the time. And it was my way or the highway.

[C]

And I'm just listening right now. I'm not going to. There's nothing to say.

[A]

Through prayer and humbling myself before God that he was like, actually, you got a lot of junk that I need to sort through. And it was very sanctifying. So fight tonight not to be right. Love from being filled and not to be filled. Finding what you need in him first before you can give it to your spouse. I mean, I think that was one of the funniest things for me when we got married was I had this, like, thought that every single morning we were gonna get up, we were gonna have our quiet time together. We were gonna ask each other intentional questions. We're gonna have breakfast together. And he's like, no, I'm going to the coffee shop, and I'm having my quiet time. Like, you get along with the Lord. I'm gonna go get along with the Lord. And I just learned. I was like, wow, Yeah, I can't try and get what only God can give me from you. Like, I have to get this from God first. And that was really huge. And then praying together every single day in marriage has been one. I mean, I feel like that totally shifted everything for us. Our first six months of marriage was really challenge, like, just hard in a lot of different ways. Very exposing of just, like, sin nature that I thought I had dealt with. And then it just brought back up again. And praying together every night was very unifying and helped us fight just spiritual warfare. And then, yeah, I put up stronger boundaries in dating and engagement. So that's. That's my encouragement and advice headed into marriage.

[C]

So prayer, prayer together, change the game for us. Everything in marriage.

[A]

What would you say to, like, I mean, anybody listening and then to. To Bryce, like, as a stepping into being, like, the leader of a home, leader of a family, spiritually?

[C]

Yeah, totally. And I want to hear from you too. But it's, I think, like, you're. You're the thermostat of the relationship. Like, everything about Yalls relationship is on your leadership. And I think it was easy to, like, think it's 50, 50. And it is. Until it's not. It's like, man, I remember she looked at me one day, she said, grant me and you are good when you and God are good. And that changed everything. Where I was, like, how our faith is in our marriage. It's on me. And so I just would tell you, man, like, Ephesians 5 is that blueprint for marriage where it says, as Christ loved the church. You love your wife, bro. That's like. That's sacrificing everything. And. And you know that. But for anybody listening, like, the man is the leader. And it's not a dictatorship, man. It's this covering of I got you. And I remember she looks at me, she's like, I follow you as you follow Christ. And what an honor to have that role for you and Maddie, man. So I'm just excited to see you do that. And what's cool is, like, y' all are so young that at 22, you're getting married. And because marriage is the best. And I think young people are like, when I'm older. And what we would say and what I know y' all are saying is like, dude, get married young. Don't rush it. But, like, get married young and have kids. We have a baby now. It's the best. And it will make you more like Christ. But it is. Paul says it's the mystery of the gospel. So what I. I love about our marriage is Paul says marriage is actually a reflection of Jesus and the church. So you and Maddie, it's not even about Yalls love. It's not about y'.

[B]

All.

[C]

It's that people will walk by and go, I want their savior like I want their Jesus. Why does he forgive like that? Why does she love like that? So that's what I would say.

[A]

I can't wait to see. I mean, you two are better together. And I just can't wait to see how God's gonna use the two of you together. Okay, so I wanna hear a little bit of. For those of you who may have not heard Bryce's story, I'm sure a lot of people listening have, but I'd love to hear just a little bit of your testimony and just how you became a believer and just what you're doing now and then kind of segue into, like, I'd love to talk a little bit about, like, evangelism. Cause that's such a big part of your heart and what you do.

[C]

Ye.

[B]

Thanks for the encouragement. That is all so good. I'm going to take a picture of that notebook.

[C]

I know.

[A]

I have a few notes from Addie too. I was like, I learned. I learned a lot on just. Yeah, being a. A submissive wife was. It was a challenge for me at first. And now it's like my favorite thing. I love talking about submission. That's a whole another podcast, but let's go.

[B]

We'll.

[A]

We'll have Maddie on round two another time.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Praise God. Yeah, that was kind. Thank you guys for that. Yeah, I mean, I. I grew up. I grew up in. In the South Bible Bell. State of Georgia. Peach State. Best state ever.

[C]

Come on, man.

[B]

And I. I grew up in church. I went to a private Christian school. And I was around a lot of people that said they were Christian with their mouth, but their actions were the total opposite of what the Bible would say is the fruit of a Christian. And there's this instance in the Gospels when Jesus asks his disciples to who do the people say that I am? And I think that we have to ask ourselves that question every day. And to me, Jesus was the guy on my Bible quizzes and tests in Christian school. To me, he was a hypocrite. Because I watched other people with their mouth claim Jesus, but then with their actions do the total opposite. And so I thought that that's what Jesus was like if these people were like him. And then when I was in the eighth grade, I lost my grandfather to pancreatic cancer. Sorry, the ninth grade. And then Jesus became the guy that killed my grandfather. And so I had a deep bitterness towards God. But at the time, I didn't know. It was this false image of who God actually was. Right. I let other people define who he was, but to me, I'm just mad at God. Had depression and anxiety for years, from the 8th grade till junior in high school. Trying to fill the hole in my heart with whatever I could. Couldn't do it. I. When I was 17, I planned on taking my life on Christmas day. Because in 2020, because I thought it was the only way to get the pain to go away. And I got so desperate. I was like, I want this nightmare to end. It was like every night I would go home and just cry and cry and cry and be depressed and sit in my bed and all this stuff. And so I go to Waffle House because it's the only thing open on Christmas. I go there packed. Everyone's in there. And I. I sit down, and ultimately I'm, like, sitting down with this guy who has no grid for God. He begins to dump all of his life issues on me at the table. And I'm sitting there thinking to myself, you, I came here to escape from my problems one last time, and now you're dumping your life issues on me. You have no idea what I'm about to do when I go home. This is what I'm thinking about.

[C]

Did you know this guy?

[B]

No, I had no idea. Random guy? Yeah, random guy. So there's like this, like, little sidebar at Waffle House that you can kind of walk up on that are not at the booths. And. And there's a bunch of families in there. And I was there by myself, and this guy was there by himself. So I was like, if we eat together, we'll get to sit down faster and I'll pay for your meal. And he's dumbing his life issues on me. And then he had looked at me and said, you know, my wife's divorcing me. She's taken my kids. I'm losing everything. It's my last Christmas with them. And then he said, I love my wife, but she doesn't feel the same about me. There's no growth in a relationship if the love isn't mutual. And when he said that, it was. It was like time had stopped. And all the stuff I'd learned growing up in church and in School, the 18 inches between my head and my heart had finally connected. And it's like how Jesus responds when Peter says, you're the Christ in Matthew 16. And Jesus says, it's not by flesh and blood that you've been able to understand this, but it's a gift from God, meaning there's no willpower I can conjure up to understand the Gospel. Jesus does this miraculous thing where he unveiled my eyes at night the same way he does a lot of people, to understand his grace. And I had finally understood. Maybe the reason I don't feel God's love is because I haven't given myself an opportunity to love him back. And so I just threw money on the table, ran out of the place crying, and went into my car and said, jesus, if you're real, take away my anxiety and depression, because this is why I want to take my life.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And the crippling anxiety and depression I haven't had since that day. It's been over four years, praise God. And that was like my foot in the door to Jesus. Like, if this guy's really is God, he took away my stuff. So I gotta. I gotta figure out if he's. He's the way. And so I was still on Christmas break, so I kind of locked myself in my room with my Bible and this theology book and learned and sought, Sought the face of the Lord. And now we're here today.

[A]

Wow.

[C]

Wow, bro. Wow.

[A]

Wow. Thank you for sharing all that.

[C]

Have you ever connected with that guy?

[B]

I've never seen that guy ever again in my life. Bro.

[C]

That feels like an angel.

[B]

That's. Every time I tell everybody it could have been an angel, I'm like, could have been, dude.

[C]

That's crazy, man. Praise God.

[A]

That is wild. So do you feel like right there in that moment when you prayed that prayer, it was when your depression and anxiety.

[B]

Immediately I'd felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders. And. And I. I think that was something I. I had a hard time reconciling because there were a lot of people in my life after that that had depression and anxiety that I would pray prayers for them with more faith than I had that night.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And God doesn't take away their depression and anxiety. And so, like, I'll get grilled by, like, Christians, rightfully so, who say, I want what you have, but I'm not getting it. So does that mean God doesn't love me? Does that mean that you're his favorite? Does that mean that you're more special than. Than I am? Like, this isn't that. And it took me a while to kind of wrestle with that because I. I, like, at first, I'm like, I don't know.

[C]

Right.

[B]

Why he took mine away and he won't take yours away. I don't know. Yeah. And. But what I found is that there are things in my life that I still pray for God to take away out of my life that aren't depression, anxiety, that God doesn't take out of my life. Right. And that's what. That. That's what. Why Paul had the thorn on his side. Yeah. He's complaining and then he says, but I'm grateful for it because it keeps me humble and relying on God. And so maybe for some people, this may sound crazy, but your depression and anxiety keeps you humble and reliant on God.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Maybe for other people, it's not that. Maybe it's something else. And I've got my own things that I deal with. But, you know, I don't think. I don't think it's, you know, the wisdom and healing of God can be God supernaturally taking away your depression and anxiety. And I'm going to believe that for everyone that I encounter. But the supernatural healing of God could also be God giving wisdom to the doctors to prescribe the right amount of medication or the right procedure to make sure that you get through what you're going through. That could be that. And I. I don't. I don't know what it looks like for all people, but that was, like, one of the hardest challenges I had to wrestle with. Especially, like, watching friends of mine in high school. And, like, people I would come across, like, crumbling.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Under the same thing I was crumbling under, and just, like, going, like, man, God, where you were here for me. Like, where you at for this?

[C]

So hard, bro. That's so hard. And, dude, that's your story. And, like, keep telling that story boldly. The Enemy would love for you to be like, well, it's not everyone else's, so don't be so bold about it. That's your story, bro. How did you go from getting encountered with Jesus to, like, when did. When did the, like, evangelism burden come in? Like, how did that come upon you?

[B]

Yeah, well, it was kind of immediate, but it was. I was just trying to do what Jesus was telling me to do because Bryce had been lord of his life for the first 17 years of his life, and that led me wanting to take my life. So now I'm like, okay, I need Jesus to be the Lord of my life. And Jesus says, go into all the earth, preach the gospel to all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son of the Holy Spirit, and teach them everything that you know. And so I would run up to people and be like, jesus loves you. Then I run away before they could respond because I didn't have the answers to their questions. And then.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And then I would start sitting there and, like, taking questions, and then I would, like, have to. It really challenged me to go deep because I wouldn't have an answer in the moment.

[C]

But I would say it was this. Was this. Like, hey, I'm gonna go to random people or I'm gonna go to my high school friends.

[B]

It was everywhere. So the back half of my junior year, because I was a junior in high school, on Christmas break when I got saved.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So then the second semester, my junior year, everyone was kind of like, all right, whatever. At school, like, all right, whatever. Like, he's. This Christian thing. It'll probably die out.

[C]

It's a phase.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. And then I come back senior year, and I'm, like, the biggest loser in high school. Senior year is, like, the best year of your life. And I'm, like, the biggest, most hated kid in my Christian high school. Like, I would get food thrown at me in the student section football game. Yeah. Because they didn't want me to sit in the student section with them because.

[C]

Of this Christian or just.

[B]

Yeah. Because I was, like, following Jesus. They thought I was, like, the righteous police. They thought I was weird. I would literally be in class and, like. Like, specifically, I remember, like, my personal finance class. People would come to class, run in and freak out, crying. Like, I literally have this vivid memory of this one girl in high school who had, like, give me such a hard time, who ran in crying and sat down with me and was like, I think I sold my soul to the devil and, like, all this other stuff. Like, so I've, like, talked to her for, like, the last five, ten minutes of the transition period into class, and she just gets some peace and comfort. She's like, thanks. Thanks so much. Bryce literally walks right across the other side of the room and begins to make fun of me with all. With all of her friends. And I'm sitting there thinking, like, what in the. Like, what in the world? Like, you just ran to me for help and then you just went. And so that was interesting. But I was going to high school friends. I was going to random people in the parking lot. Anyone I could find, I would. I would. I would preach to. But I had this one guy that I was, like, really trying to go after my first year who, like, bullied me all from, like, fourth grade in school. And then he left our school after freshman year, went to a public school, dropped out, joined a gang, started dealing drugs, started, like, doing, like, really crazy stuff. And I was, like, four months into being a believer, and this guy posted something about, like, how he was going to convert to Islam. And I, like, slid up and was like, hey, bro, give Jesus a try. And he starts, like, cussing me out over Snapchat. Like, this, this and that, blah, blah, blah. And it's like, I'm gonna kill you. And I was like, oh, okay. And I, like, knew how this guy was living. I'm like, this guy. This guy ain't playing. Like, he. He could really do this. He could really do this.

[C]

And.

[B]

And I was like, just meet me for lunch. Like, meet me for lunch. We just talk. And. And I sent him, like, my favorite spot, and he's just like, if you show up, I'm gonna kill you. And I was like, okay. And I showed up and I got out of the car, and he got out of the car and he fell into my arms crying, wow, no way. And opened up to me for two hours at this restaurant. And I would, like, go pick him up. He'd, like, run out of gas, and I'd go pick him up and he would be like, hot box in his car. And I would be like, preaching the gospel to him while I'm, like, filling his car up with gas. And like, that was like, my guy my first year. Like, I'm really going after him. And. But I was trying everything to get to everyone.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Wow, bro.

[C]

That's amazing.

[A]

That's. That's beautiful. That's evangelism.

[C]

It is.

[B]

Man.

[A]

I cannot wait to tell you about this coffee brand my husband Grant and I are absolutely hooked on. It's called seven weeks coffee, and it has quickly become the only coffee we drink in our house. But it's not just about the taste. The coffee stands for something we deeply believe in. Seven weeks coffee is America's pro life coffee company on a mission to fund the Pro Life Movement 1 cup of coffee at a time. Why are they called seven weeks? Because at seven weeks, a baby is the size of a coffee bean. And it's the same time a heartbeat is clearly detected on an ultrasound. And as a mom, that just hits different. They've built their business around saving lives by donating 10% of every sale to pregnancy centers and pro life organizations nationwide. They've now raised over $1 million and saved thousands of lives. Now, let me tell you about the coffee because I'm very picky about what I put into my body. It's mold free, pesticide free, shade grown and low acid, and it's organically farmed. Trust me, this is the pro life coff you'll want on Christmas morning. So go to seven weeks coffee.com and save 15% forever when you subscribe. And this holiday season, you can claim up to four free gifts with your order. Plus exclusively for my listeners. Use code stay true for an extra 10% off your first order. That's a 25% off total savings on your first order plus up to four free gifts. Just use code stay true at checkout. And I love that you were doing that too, because I think we just, we live in such an interesting time where so many people, like, do it online but aren't doing it offline and in real life. And I love that for you I mean, it was years of doing that off camera and just in your real life, going to people that you knew, going to people that you didn't know, that just is, I think, so beautiful and that people need to hear that. And then the Lord really just blessed your ministry and your ability to be able to do it online to show people, like, the importance of evangelism and of sharing your faith. I mean, it talks about in Scripture, like, you know, let your light shine so that others may see him and glorify him. And. Yeah, we're just so proud of. Of what you're doing and. And think it's amazing, too. And we were talking about it, too, and. And Grant was saying, like, you're super passionate about prayer, and I'd love to kind of transition into that for a second too, of just what it looks like for you. I know part of an evangelism tool for you is, like, asking people if you can pray for them. And I think that's one of the easiest ways to evangelize. I think a lot of times people are like, I don't know what to say, and I don't know how to do it. I'm not very good at it. I don't have the right words, but I think it is such an easy way to just be like, can I pray for you? Or how can I pray for you? What has your prayer life since day one always been strong? Is that something that, like, what does it look like between you and God in your private prayer life right now?

[C]

And.

[A]

Yeah. How has that grown over the last few years?

[B]

Yeah, when I. So that senior year of high school, I'd, like, lost a lot of friends, and so Jesus had become my number one friend. I don't mean that cliche. Just got no one to talk to. So it's kind of like. Kind of how it was.

[A]

Saved me. Now you're my bestie.

[B]

It was. It was an interesting time.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And that was like, a lot of. I literally had a guy text me the other day. He's like, you ever just feel like you want to punch God in the face? And I was like, dude, I feel like that a lot. Like, you're not weird for feeling that way. And, like, sometimes that's what prayer looks like.

[C]

Right.

[B]

That's just what it was. I. It was just looked like a lot of conversation because I wasn't talking to anyone. So I was just kind of, like, letting it rip on God, why don't I have any friends? Why this?

[C]

Why?

[B]

Or sometimes, God, thank you for this. God, you know, you can't forget the Thanksgiving and the gratitude. I don't want to just be ripping God a new one every time I call him. But so that was kind of like where it really started for me. And then now, like, when I'm going in the street, if someone's beginning to be a little reserved to Jesus. And I had to repent when we first started, like, making the videos, because I love watching God move in a supernatural way. But I was, like, leading with that more than the gospel. And I was like, okay, let me leave with the gospel first. Because that's like, what's going to save somebody? And then if they're, like, having a hard heart, God can soften their heart. So that was when I'm just like, if I really believe Jesus is the way, then he's greater than how this guy feels.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I'm gonna pray for him. And so that's kind of like where that came from, was just trusting God to do the thing that he does, which is bringing people to him, drawing people to Him. But in my quiet time, it has become. I've. I don't mean this in a weird way. I just. I. I feel like the past few months, I've developed this oddly sensitive prayer life to the Holy Spirit, like, when I'm there and. And I'm really focusing on closing my eyes. Not because I think there's something super special about closing your eyes, but I got ADHD to the max. I need to focus. So I gotta close my eyes. And when I get on my knees and close my eyes, I. I have this, like, weird sensitivity to God's spirit and, like, what he's doing. Like, even whether it's I'm in the bathroom getting ready to propose to Maddie or I'm getting ready to go hit the street, or I wake up first thing in the morning, or all these things when I'm getting on my knees and I'm closing my eyes for a split second, I'm kind of, like, tuning my heart to the. To heaven and, like, asking God to speak to me and Hear me. James 5:17. The fervent prayer of a righteous man conquers much. And I don't think we really trust in how much our prayers do. Not only for other people, but for ourselves. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. Amen.

[C]

I love it.

[A]

Amen.

[C]

I remember I hadn't met you yet, but it was at. It was in Montana, and I was. I was in that hotel dinner spot. How cool is that spot, by the way, on that lake?

[B]

So cool. Yeah, bro.

[C]

And I remember because I had seen you online and popping up everywhere. I was like, who's this dude? It's killing it. And you walk by with your friend, and I had the same waitress you had. And I had had her for 30 minutes, and I'm sitting there by myself, hadn't told her one thing about Jesus. And I. I look out the window, and you spent 15 minutes with this girl. I mean, you were just talking to her, no camera, no nothing. And the Holy Spirit. I was just so convicted. And I remember she came back in, and I was like, hey, I gotta tell you about Jesus. She goes, what? That guy back there just said that. I said, I know I'm at this Christian thing that he's at. And I just remember in that moment being, like, so convicted, bro, just by the way, that it's one thing to do it on camera, man. You are the guy that, when nobody's looking, you looked at that girl and told her about Jesus. And then, you know, we hiked the mountain and had the whole moment. And then you preached that day. And I just remember hearing this depth in you, bro, as you preached. And I was like, man, you don't get that without a secret life with God. You know, it's one thing to evangelize. It's another thing to get up there and just declare who God is. I think there's a lot of people that want what Bryce Crawford has, right? They think, which is, I want to do a lot for God, and I kind of want it to blow up, too, man. What would you say to that person? Because I know a little bit on what comes with the platform. For my wife, it's not always easy and it's not always good. Talk about, like, how have you been through this journey with balancing the hidden life with Jesus? And a lot of people looking at you. What would you say to that person that says, I want to be Bryce Crawford?

[B]

Oh, man. Well, I mean, our heart in starting the ministry was we wanted more people to be bold for our faith. If they could watch Bryce talk to a Satanist and navigate a hard conversation, maybe they can have enough boldness to invite their friend of 10 years to church. That was the goal. And initially I wanted to micromanage, because then it became a popular thing to video evangelism. And that was something I can't control, is whether people are doing it on or off camera. And I wanted to make disciples. I wanted people to go hard and go preach the gospel. And so I began thinking of Paul in Philippians, saying whether the Gospel is being preached in vain or out of a good heart. Praise God, it's being preached. And Matthew, chapter six. This is what I'll get a lot of heat for, is they say, don't let your left hand know what your right hand's doing. Why do you video it? And then they cut the verse right there, and I'm like, we got to read the back half of the verse. It says, lest you be seen by others. So if someone's entire heart posture is to be seen by others, and that's why they flaunt what they do, they've gotten their reward. And that's people's praise and people's eyeballs. And so to me, if someone wants to go make evangelism videos for. For the sake of themselves, it may sound harsh, but you got your reward. Go do your thing. Go get your eyeballs and your praise, because it's really not that important. And like, I. I would be foolish to say I didn't struggle that way like everyone does when you. No human being was designed to have access to every human being on the planet. No human being was designed to have every eyeball on them. So when. When you're getting put in these positions, it can be difficult and it's hard to navigate. Right. So I'm not going to say I was perfect. I'm not going to say I haven't had moments of pride. I can't say that. I can't say that. I haven't had moments of struggle with those things. But what I've learned is that that stuff's very fleeting.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Jesus's number one persecution was people changing their mind about him. Yeah. One day they were laying palm leaves at his feet. The next week they're saying, crucify him and released the thug and the rebel. You know, it's like, I can't. I can't juggle that. I don't want that pressure. I know how my close friends and how my fiance and how her family and my family views me, and that means a lot to me. And so if someone wants to go get the praise of man, go get your praise, man. Because I. I've tried. I tried before I was a believer. It didn't work. And I was tempted with it after I was a believer, and it still ain't fulfilling. And so I. I think it's just keeping people around myself that's been the. This has been the biggest game changer for me. Trying to keep my heart aligned is not surrounding myself with people that are impressed by me because when people are impressed by you, they won't tell you the truth about yourself because they're afraid that you're going to get mad at them. Does that make sense? Right. So if I surround myself with people that are impressed by me, then I can't be held accountable.

[A]

Yeah. Right.

[B]

Then I'm really just a. I'm just a glorified idol. Yeah. And I don't want to be a glorified idol. I want to be a laid down lover of Jesus. And I want people to see my flaws. And Maddie will keep it real with me real fast and my friends will keep it real with me real fast. And sure, it may hurt, but Proverbs says the sign of a true friend is someone who can wound you with their words for the sake of your soul. That's a really big deal and that gives me chills to think about. And so if you can surround yourself with people that don't just have a view of your life, man, praise God for how you guys have navigated stuff. Because a lot of people have a view of your life and because they have a glimpse of Maddie and Grant Trout, they think that they have every right and reason to say whatever they want about you.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

But they, that's true. They don't have a voice in your life because they don't know what you've been through. They don't know what's crushed you. They don't know what's pruned you and refined you. They don't, they haven't spent time with you outside of a 10 second video clip on social media. Yeah. And like, you know, that's really helps me a ton.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a, that's good.

[A]

Thank you.

[C]

It's a process. Like.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

When you hear or see things for the first time, it, it's like really hard. And I don't know if it was for you, but I, I like, it's just really disorienting when people that don't know you have a lot of things to say about you. And it all started because you just wanted to obey Jesus. And I think like, I've walked her through and us through just like really teary eyed nights where you're like, should we just quit it then? Like, is this even worth it? You know? And every time it's just like, who are you doing it for? Remember why you started. And, and so, man, it's. And your level is different too, man. Your level is just, is. Yeah, it's. It's hard, man. I know you've had hard times with that. So.

[A]

Yeah. And I. And I think, too, what's so beautiful is, like, it talks about in Romans, like, we all have different gifts, and I think we're just living in a time where everybody wants to have the same gift. Everybody wants the gift to be the mouthpiece. You know, the mouth where you're seen and you're heard and you're popular and you're popping off. And I love that Scripture talks about. No, no, we all have different parts of the body, but, like, the point of the body is to edify the head, and the head is Christ. And so whether you're the hand or the foot or the mouth or the eye or the parts that are inside that keep you alive, that aren't seen, no matter what part of the body you are, it's all to glorify God. And I love that you were talking about that. Like, if you're trying to go after other people's praise, and that is your reward. And I think that's what people don't understand. And it is so important to have that accountability, because a lot of times, like David talks about in the Psalms, it's like we have these, like, hidden sins that we can't even see. I need people to call me out and be like, Maddie, that was actually a very prideful approach to that. Like, that was actually a really. That seemed like you had some selfish, like, vain, like, ambition in that. And I need those kind of people that I'm, like, continuously confessing to and that will call me out. Because, like you said, I don't want to just be like, I don't want to just have people around me that are constantly telling me what I want to hear or what feeds my ego. Like, I want people that are like, no, no, I'm trying to. I want you to look more and more like Jesus every day. Like, I care more about your soul than I care about your feelings. I care more about your holiness than I care about how many followers you're getting on Instagram. And. And having those kinds of friends, like, truly makes all the difference. Being plugged in the local church. We were talking about this right before. Like, that's been so huge for us. I mean, especially right after we got married, moved to Waco, serving at a local church. And I just see, like, life comes in seasons. Like, you may have the season, like, the Lord may ask of you in a couple years to tuck away with him for a little bit, and then it's, like, seasonal. Like, I just had. We just Had a kid, and I'm like, man, next year, thinking about 20, 26, I'm like, I kind of want to tuck away with Jesus and my daughter for a little bit, you know? And it's like, just like life moves in seasons and. Yeah. Anyways, so that's a whole nother topic. But I want to kind of transition for a second because I think a lot of people want to share the gospel, but they genuinely don't know how. And they're like, that's great. But, like, when I feel like the Holy Spirit tells me, go share your faith, I get really scared, or I don't know what to say, or I think I'm going to say the wrong thing. And then what if I make them question? And then now all of a sudden, I'm in this awkward moment, and they're like, I liked what Bryce said about, I'm just gonna tell him Jesus loves him and then run away. Yeah, I'll do that. So what, like, one. I guess, practically, what do you say to someone when you share, you know, your faith? And also second to that, how do you deal with the fear of man and the fear of rejection when it comes to sharing your faith? Because I'll speak on behalf of myself. I've had a lot of moments where it's so much easier for me to evangelize and share the gospel sitting right here on this camera than it is for me in a coffee shop to go up and share it with my barista. And so how do you deal with the fear of man and fear of rejection? And what would you encourage those who wrestle with that, too?

[B]

Yeah, I mean. I mean, first, I will say that a lot of times, fear of man comes from a pressure to save people. Bryce can't save anyone. You can't save anyone listening or watching. So the Bible tells us that we plant seeds and water seeds, but God's the one who brings the increase. So your job is to deliver the message. The message of the gospel is not just Jesus loves you. That is not the gospel. The gospel is the fact that you and I are sick with this disease called sin. And there is no antidote on this earth that can fix that disease called sin. And because of sin, we deserve to be held accountable and punished for that. The same way a murderer deserves jail time. But because God has great love for us, he not only decided to pay the price for that sin with his own life, but he defeated sin and death. I think that's the important part for me. I forgot for a long time is that he rose from the dead. If all Jesus did was die, he's no different than you and me.

[C]

Yeah, right.

[B]

There's the fact that he defeated sin and death, that you and I are sick with sin. We deserve to be punished because of our sin. But God loves us so much that he paid our price for us and defeated the very thing that you and I can't escape. And if we put our faith and trust that his blood cleanses us of all unrighteousness, we'll be saved. And there's ways that you can do that. The greatest tool of evangelism is listening. Listening. Just listen, ask questions, be intentional. That's the greatest gift you can. Like when you ever been through something so hard and you have that one person that's trying to tell you how to do it through it, and you're just like, man, I just want you to be here for me. Can you just like, sit here with me right now, like, the ministry of presence and listening to people, and then you, you. You kind of soften their heart with just your demeanor towards them.

[C]

And then you can just say, hey.

[B]

Man, can I just share my story with you real quick, since I heard a little bit of yours? Yeah, sure. You'd be shocked at how many people are open to hearing your perspective if you just simply listen to them and ask questions. But we've got to deliver the gospel, because gospel is what saves. Proverbs says that the fear of man is like a snare, snares like a bear trap, and if it grabs onto your leg, you can't be move. And so all Satan's trying to get you to do with the fear of man is say, well, what happens if they don't like me? What happens if they react to me? And what happens if this. And he's trying to trap you. But Jesus says that the harvest is ripe. So the issue isn't that people aren't ready to give their life to Jesus. There's actually a lot of people ready to give their life to Jesus. But he says the laborers are few. There's just not enough people doing it. And so if I'm going to be a fool for anyone, I want to be a fool for Jesus. Because in this lifetime, what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world someone's opinion, but just to forfeit their soul? Like, I don't want someone to lose an opportunity to hear the truth about Jesus just because I'm, like, worried about how they feel. And I'm not saying that from a place of Like, I beat it all, man. I get so scared to share my faith. Like, we'll go to some of these places, and it will take me an hour and a half of pacing and prayer before I talk to one person. But what I have found is that after I talk to one person, it's like a snowball, and it just keeps rolling and rolling and rolling. And so if you're someone that needs to get the reps in, put yourself in situations where people can't run away from you. Yeah. Talk to the waiter or waitress. Talk to the Uber driver, the elevator. Like, the elevator pitch, you know, Like. Like, you know, and if the waitress doesn't like it, they'll probably send another waiter to your table. That's okay. Talk to that person. Like, get the reps in. Learn what you do right or wrong. Learn what flows. Learn how to weave the gospel into your story. Because no one can say, God didn't move in your life. You know what I mean? No one can't say, well, that didn't happen to your story. Story's not the gospel. But it does help. So I know there was a lot there.

[A]

No, that was so good. I'm fired up. I'm ready to go evangelizing the street. That's really good, because I think so often we're so much more focused on ourselves than we are other people. And so we're constantly walking into rooms thinking, what do they think about me? Okay, if I share my faith, what are they going to think about me? Instead of just walking into rooms and actually seeing. Seeing people and saying, holy Spirit, speak to me. Holy Spirit, speak through me. Holy Spirit, move in their life. How can I be an encouragement to them? How can I love them? How can I wash their feet? And instead, we're just like, man, I just don't want to sound bad. I want to say the wrong thing. What are they going to think of me? I. This is going to get awkward. This is going to get uncomfortable for me. And I just love what you're. You're saying, because it's just like, man, it's not about me. It's all about him. And if this life is short and we're going to be held accountable one day, like, if I'm going to be held accountable for the people that, when I wasn't obedient to share my faith in those moments, and, like, that's terrifying. And so that is. That's just so good and convicting. And it's. It's something that we should all. It doesn't matter. You don't have to be a preacher. You don't have to be, you know, a podcaster. You don't have to be any of those things. Like, just use your voice, use your story. Use the word of God and the spirit of God that's on the inside of you to share what Jesus has done in you, to share what the gospel says. Yeah. Do it. It's important, and it's needed. And I love what you said, too, about the. I mean, it's. We need people out there doing it.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

It's right.

[C]

And I heard. I heard someone say, you can't reach who you don't love, and so you can't. I think even sharing the gospel can be about us in terms of, like, I want to have a story to tell somebody, and it's like, we got to be moved by love first. Yeah. It says Paul was provoked in his spirit. He was looking at the idols in Greece, and Paul was provoked. And I wonder how many of us are like, are we actually looking at people that are lost and careful? Yeah. And I think, man, we always got to ask ourselves that, do I even care?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And it's one thing when you're in that moment and Jesus, but, like, daily, I'm like, do I believe that you're actually going to hell? And if I do, how would I not say something?

[B]

Right.

[C]

And do I want to confess? Like, I feel like I've had seasons of evangelism being natural versus, like, really fearful. And I've been telling Maddie I was, like, the last three years, it was nothing for me to talk to the Uber driver barista. Like, natural. It's so hard right now. And I'll just look at her, and every time I do it, I come home full of life, and I'm like, that's what I was made for. And it's what you say about the snowball effect when you actually risk it and go out in faith. You're like, I was made for this. Like, I was built to do this. So I just. I love that, man. And I love that you go into dark spaces where a lot of people are afraid to go.

[A]

Yeah, bro.

[C]

People are afraid to be with the people that you're going to. And it's what Jesus did. He went to everybody, and you don't even realize how many people you're sparking. I helped lead this high school ministry, and after the, like, Cold Plunge video that they saw, they go, you met Bryce Crawford. I was like, yeah. And then they just stare at me.

[A]

They're like, I was like.

[C]

I was like, do you want me to, like, turn into him? What do I say?

[A]

What do you want to say?

[C]

They want me to say something crazy. I'm like, he was amazing. And you don't even realize how many people you're impacting to go. They go on the streets and just share the gospel.

[B]

Praise God.

[C]

They do it, bro. Praise God and your obedience, man. Like, praise God for that person at Waffle House, for your yes, man. Praise the Lord.

[A]

And that. That's what I love, that people are watching your content and they are led to go and evangelize. Like, that's what they're stirred in their hearts to do. I remember we did a podcast with David Platt, and I told him, I was like, I went to Passion Conference, and his message, the whole message was he got up there and he. He only spoke from the moment he got there to the moment he walked off the stage. Romans chapter one through nine, memorized completely. Just shared the whole thing. And I was like, literally had my Bible out and was following where he didn't mess up a single word. And I was mind blown. And I was so inspired and challenged from that moment of, I'm going to start memorizing scripture, like, I'm going to know my word like that.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And I was so moved by that that I didn't walk away saying, wow, David Platt. I, like, walked away saying, wow, God, I want to love God like that. And I truly do think that people are watching your content. And they're sure, some people are like, oh, my gosh, Bryce Crawford. But really, they're like, wow, he loves God like, he loves God. And I want to love God like that. He shares his faith, and I want to share faith, like, my faith like that. And that's what everyone. That's what we should all strive to be is like, we're living our lives in such a way that people are, wow, I want to love Jesus like that. I want to know the Jesus that he knows and that she knows. Like, that's just so beautiful. And even in having this conversation, this podcast, like, the word of God just flows out of you. And it's really cool to see, like, you spend time in the secret place. What would you say, like, to the people who are listening, just the importance of that secret place and the hidden spaces. You know, it talks about in scripture how Jesus would. He would go and he would preach to the masses, but he would constantly withdraw to have that quiet time with his friends. Father. And how important those private life moments are. And the hidden spaces are, what does that look like for you? And what would you encourage those listening to make sure that they cultivate in their life?

[B]

Wow. I, I mean, I think, I, I really think, Grant, you hit it kind of nail on the head earlier by saying, like, do we actually love people? Right? Because I, I, I believe that's the language God speaks, this love. And I'm not talking about, like, the fluffy love, the, the, you know, sex, drugs or alcohol or the dopamine hit. I'm talking like, unconditional, sacrificial, lay your life down kind of love. And that doesn't just go for me, for other people. The only way, if I want to do it as a follower of Christ, to love people that way is knowing that I've been loved by God and let that fuel me. Love God, love people. Right? And so when I'm, when I'm spending my time with Jesus is absolute, absolutely essential. Read Psalm 91. He who dwells in the shadow of the most high, he will be protected. Like all the, all the praying grandmas out there. If you're going through it, they're praying Psalm 91.

[C]

All right?

[B]

If you want to know the, the, the juice they got, the spice they got. They're praying Psalm 91. All right? Like that, that's what they're doing.

[A]

Listen, my Mimi's got that one memorized. She's got Psalm 91.

[B]

Oh, yeah, my juju, she's got them, but she's got it printed out. She's got to print it out on, like, a laminated sheet of paper, dishing it out. Pray this every day. I gotta meet you, you know, Dude, Juju, she's got, she sounds sharp. She is, she is not in town this time, but she is, like a faithful saint and follower of Jesus. But the quiet time is so important. You know, I, I used to get so awkward, right? Because I love people. I think as followers of Christ, you just love people.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Like if, if you got 2 cents in your brain and you love Jesus, you love people. And I would feel so awkward pulling away because I'm like, oh, what if this person thinks that I just don't like them? Or what if they think I'm a jerk? Or what if they think I'm prideful because I pull away? And I would come home from these conferences and these trips drained. I would literally be physically sick. I can't tell you the amount of times I've come home from trips and I am, like, sick and, like, physically sick and drained. And, you know, Jesus withdraws from the crowds more than he does run to them. And I think it's wisdom because he knew the reliance he needed on the Father in the incarnate form flesh. And so for me, as a believer, I. I'm kind of starting to get to this point where I don't care if someone thinks that I'm a jerk because I pull away. I don't care if someone thinks I'm not being mean about it. But if I got to go be with my dad, I got to go be with my dad, because I can't help people if I'm not fooled myself. I'm a limited human being just as everyone else. And so if you're someone that feels burnout or drained when you talk to people, the only reason a car engine burns out is either it's not doing something that it's not designed to do, or it's been fueled with the wrong fuel. And a lot of people are fueling their engine right now with interacting with people versus interacting with the Father, because if we can interact with the Father and get our source of fuel there, then. Then we'll really have what people need from Jesus through us. And so it isn't. It is not an option to get quiet with Jesus. It is essential to get quiet with Jesus or you will burn out 100 man.

[A]

Amen.

[C]

Where did the love for, like, apologetics come from? Where did. Where did, like, I want to learn this, to defend this. Is that just part of evangelism, or is that, like, the studious part of you that just loves?

[A]

We're going back to the nerdy part of brides.

[B]

The nerdy. The nerdy. The nerdy part. Like, so many car rides, I'll, like, listen to debates, like on the. On the, on the. On the carplay. It started out right when I became a Christian, because when I would sit down with people, they asked me a lot of moral arguments. Well, if God's so good, why does suffering exist? Or, you know, things like that, or, well, why doesn't Jesus just stop the thing I'm doing right now? A lot. A lot of moral arguments or why do you think this is wrong? Why does God think that's wrong? Well, if God thinks murder is wrong, then why did he allow this to happen in the Old Testament, like, all this stuff? And so that was kind of like where it started was. I think apologetics goes hand in hand with preaching the gospel. First Peter 3, 15. In your heart, honor Christ as Lord and be prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks for the hope inside of you, but do it with gentleness and respect. So like you guys said earlier, like, someone's gonna walk by Maddie and Bryce, and the hope is they go, I want their savior. And if someone came and tapped on Maddie and I's shoulder and said, hey, what do you have that I don't have? I better be ready to make a defense. What does Timothy say? Paul writes to Timothy, preach the word in and out of season. Be prepared to preach the word in out of season. Like, I better be prepared to make a defense, but with gentleness and respect. Yeah, and so that's kind of where it started. And then just out of curiosity, like, we're interacting with so many different religions and different perspectives. I gotta. I gotta stay strapped up. Like, I've looked like an idiot so many times, like, going to people and, like, you know, random people that know that, like, know the Bible better than me, that aren't even Christians. And I'm like, dang, I gotta get this right, you know? And so it is. It is our duty as believers to be equipped with the word of God on our hearts. And. And to know. We don't have to know everything about God. Yeah, but God gives us enough. He gives us enough. And when you ask the Holy Spirit to help you, it makes it ten times easier. And. And. And so it was really just preaching the gospel and being pure. What. What does Paul say? I've become all things for all men so that I might bring some to know Jesus. I can't win everybody, but I'm gonna do everything I can to bring as many people as I can. You know, Jesus. Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

It's amazing.

[A]

I love that so much. And I love when the Lord is talking to Joshua and he's like, meditate on the law day and night. Like, never let it depart from you. Like, then. Then you will be prosperous and successful in all that you do. And I just think that so many people are like, how do I memorize scripture? I don't know how to do it. I don't know. The Bible is so overwhelming. And I just love, like, scriptures, like, delight in the law, like, meditate on it day and night. I think if we spend as much time as we do in the Word as we do on our phones, I just think so many of us are more discipled by the world than we are by the Word. And it's like, how much time are we actually spending in the word of God and letting it convict us and call us out? It says, scripture is useful for correcting rebuking training in righteousness and encouragement. So most of the time we read it, it should be rebuking us. It should be calling us out. And I just think that that's so powerful. But what does it look like, practically for you to memorize scripture? And how would you encourage those listening to if they are like, okay, I want to be better about it. I want to be able to have an answer if someone has a question, you know, for the hope that I have. But what does that look like practically for me to, you know, where do I start and how do I do it?

[B]

Yeah, I think I love what you said because we live in the most hungry time period I think we've seen in a long time, but we live in the most biblically illiterate time we've ever seen. People are so hungry, but they don't want to turn to the Bible. They want to turn to ChatGPT or they want to turn to the cliff notes on TikTok and on Instagram. And to me, that's where the devil gets you, because that's what he was trying to get with Jesus in the. In the wilderness for 40 days. He was trying to twist it just a little bit to get him. You know what I mean? But then how does Jesus defend it with scripture? The first temptation Jesus gets is to turn a stone into bread. And he says, man shall not live by bread alone. Straight up. Like, you can't live just on physical food. You got to read the Word of God. So practically for me, what studying scriptures are, is the first scriptures I started to memorize are the ones I just love that I cling to, that I share the most, like, a lot of the scriptures that, like, I share when I'm preaching or, like, things that I like. I'm like, man, I want a scripture for that. And I found a scripture.

[C]

I'm like, man, that's so good.

[B]

And I just started memorizing it, and I would read it over and over and over again. In high school, my senior year, I had to memorize all of Romans chapter 12 for, like. Like a. That was like a test. You had to memorize Romans chapter 12 and, like, recite the whole thing. And, like, it really looked like I know and, like, to people. That sounds like a lot. And I remember seeing that when I entered that class on the first day of senior year and going, I'm never going to be able to memorize Romans chapter 12. And then by the end of the first semester, it was rolling off my tongue because every week I took one Verse at a time. And then the next week I would tack on a verse and then. And like when I would speak it to the teacher, I would share from one verse to the one that was that week. And so I think again, with people that you love and you trust, find these verses, cling to them. Give yourself a week, practice it, share it with people. I got the gospel shared with me in a grocery store by someone saying, hey, I'm trying to memorize some Bible verses right now. Can you hold this for me and let me read it to you out of memorization so I can see if I remember it? I'm like, man, that, that lady was hitting the reps in while also preaching the gospel, you know, like she was getting it. Yeah, like these people do that stuff. It's real. Like they're handing out the Jesus figurines or quoting the scripture. Like it's real. And so, so, yeah, so all that, all that stuff is great. But I think, man, choosing some scriptures that you really cling to, some core scriptures. I would start with the gospel, plain and simple. Yeah. If you're looking for stuff to memorize, 2nd Corinthians 5:10. That gives you the issue of sin there. Memorize John 3:14 through 18. Right there gives you a clear picture of the gospel read. Memorize Romans 12, 2. The importance of needing Scripture. Do not be conformed to. This world will be transformed by the renewal of your mind. Memorize Ephesians 1 and 2. You know, there's, there's so many key passages, but like we. I don't want to just be an Instagram bio Bible verse believer. Totally. I want to be a like, weapon equipped, ready to storm the gates of hell. All offense believer. Like, I'm ready to like, quote it.

[A]

Yeah. Amen.

[B]

Yeah, that's it.

[C]

That's it.

[B]

Come on.

[C]

I love that. 2nd Corinthians, 2nd Timothy 3:16. It's. It's all scriptures. God breathed prop profitable for teaching, rebuking all that training, man, I, I want to. And I think we got to transition kind of to the end. But Bryce, what would you say that the Lord is putting on your heart right now? Just seeing seems like revival and a lot of young people. What is the Lord aside from evangelism? Like, what's he burning on your heart right now? Is there a certain, like, man, I'm just still preaching the simple gospel. Is it to return the church back to holiness? Like, what would you say right now, the Lord's burning on your heart that you'd love to share with Anybody listening?

[B]

Yeah. I think God's really given me a burden for sincerely following Jesus and not just for myself. I want to see people sincerely follow Jesus. Jesus. I'm. I'm kind of tired of beating around the bush. I can tend to do that sometimes because fear of man, it's real. But when I read Revelation 5 and John the disciple is seeing an open vision of the throne of heaven when he's crying at the fact that no one can open this scroll of judgment. And he's weeping because he wants it open. That's crazy to think about because there's believers out there that don't want Jesus to return because they know they're living in secret sin and they're sitting on the fence. But John the disciple was weeping at the fact that no one could bring judgment. It's an interesting perspective. A disciple of Jesus was crying because no one could bring sincere judgment. But a lot of believers are living as if they don't want Jesus to return because they know he's going to bring judgment. But when Jesus looks and says that there. I mean, sorry, when John looks and he sees that there is someone that is able to open the scroll, he sees the lamb that was slain sitting on the throne. And this isn't just some sweet imagery. I mean, the prophet Isaiah In Isaiah chapter 6, he sees the same image that John the disciple sees six or seven hundred years before. But this is pre incarnate Jesus and he sees the same image, except he sees glorified Jesus sitting on the throne. But then now John is seeing the suffered version of Jesus getting glory on the throne. That flips the narrative of the world. The person that suffers never gets the glory. The person that suffers deserves the suffering. They deserve the wrath. They deserve the humiliation. But the one who got ultimately humiliated and ultimately suffered is the one that's getting the glory. And on that day, that's the guy who rightfully has the right to judge us where we stand. And so that, that I, I've been burdened with sincerely following Jesus. We sing songs like is anyone worthy to open the scroll and break the seal? And all these college students my age will open their hands and smile and sing that song. And they don't understand that they're asking God to stop time and space, return and judge them where they stand. And I don't think people would sing that song if they knew what they were singing. Wow. And like you said at the very beginning, Jesus is coming back for a spotless bride, a pure bride. He's not going to open the doors and the bride that he's come for is not going to be drinking beer and kissing another. Another spouse. They're going to be awake and ready. That's what they're going to be. And so that is the message that has been burdened on my heart is whether I. Whether I close my eyes in prayer and I see the glorified Jesus on the throne, or whether I close my eyes and I see the suffered Lamb of God who has taken away the sins of the world on the throne, I want to be able to look at that image and rejoice and be glad that that is the one that is going to judge me where I stand, that that is the one that has cleansed me of all unrighteousness. Because if I sincerely follow Jesus, I anticipate that moment because that is a joyous day. Yeah. Yeah. You know. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Like, we. We love the scripture where Jesus wipes away every tear. But. But we don't understand that passage when he's wiping away every tear. That's after Jesus has just thrown people into hell. You know, like, we don't read the full narrative. I don't think we understand. We like to cherry pick. And so I just want to make sure.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That every person I come in contact with, I'm not just trying to convert stat cards so I can go home and show people how many people got saved.

[C]

Totally.

[B]

You know, I want to. I want to let people know what they're in for. You got it. It's going to cost you something to follow this guy, but it's worth it. And. And that's really. That's really what. What I'm burning for right now.

[C]

Beautiful, bro.

[A]

I love that so much because it's true. It's. I think a lot of times the message just stops at Jesus loves you, and it doesn't continue past that. And so people accept this invitation of, like, oh, I'm loved by Jesus, but I'm not gonna actually submit to him as Lord. Like, I just. I admire that he's my Savior, but I'm not gonna submit to his lordship. And so therefore, they continue living in this life of sin and in this, like, cheating relationship. Like, I'm kind of half in, half out. Like, I got a relationship with God, but a relationship with sin. And, man, I just.

[B]

I.

[A]

That that's what my heart has been burning for is in the book of Revelation. I've been sitting on the seven letters to the churches and just the lukewarm church, the adulterous church. You know, the people who. It's like, okay, I look alive on the outside, but I'm actually dead on the inside. I'm living a hypocritical life. That was the rebuke Jesus gave to the Pharisees. It's like, hey, hey, great job. You're these whitewashed tombs. Like, you look good on the outside, but the inside is full of dead bones. Like, you're a hypocrite. And man, it's a convicting. It's a hard message, but it's a beautiful one if you really ha, like, understand its fullness because it's an invitation to like, surrender, to lay down. I mean, Bonhoeffer says, like, the. The invitation to follow Jesus is to come and die. It's like, hey, we get to die to ourselves, to be made fully alive in him. And that's actually the greatest invitation of all time. It's the freest, most amazing place to be. And yeah, Jesus is coming back for a spotless bride. And that. I think that that can sound so, like, pressuring, but it really is so freeing when you understand that it's not by your own might, strength or power, but by the blood of Jesus Christ and through his spirit that you can walk out a life of holiness, resisting sin and following, choosing to follow him. Man, what a powerful conversation. This has been so good and I know, so encouraging to everybody listening. We're just so grateful for your love for Jesus and your heart for people the way that you hunger for people to come to know Jesus. And you're bold in your faith. You're unashamed, but you also like, you know the word of God and that is so encouraging, convicting and all the things. So super grateful for yalls friendship and so grateful for this conversation. I'd love for you to just pray over those who are listening and just pray specifically, I think just for like a second spirit of. Of boldness and a spirit of courage to rise up and to be who God has called them to be and to, you know, go out and make disciples and to share their faith.

[B]

Yeah, absolutely. Thank you guys for having me on, by the way. Yeah, Jesus, we just thank you so much. We thank you for who you are. We thank you that you're perfect and that you're whole. Even though we're broken. God, we thank you that you have taken the keys to death in Hades and that you have given us life and life abundantly. God, right now we just ask for your boldness. Just as the new converts in the book of Acts prayed for boldness. So do we, God. Not just for today, but for every day. God, we need your boldness and your strength. Not only just for people, but to get through the day. I mean, the things that life throws at us, the. The tough times, the trials, the tribulations. God, we need your strength and your boldness to get through it. Thank you, Jesus, that you are the prince of peace. That you give us a peace that doesn't make sense to our brain but gets to our heart. God, we just love you. You're the most amazing father ever. We love you, Jesus. Thank you for everything you do for us. Thank you for everyone watching and listening. Would you bless them and keep them? Would your face shine upon them all the days of their life? God, we love you. It's in your name we pray. Amen.

[A]

Amen. So good. So good. And as always, guys, be sure to stay you and stay true. We love you.

[B]

You have. Life and life abundantly. God, right now we just ask for your boldness. Just as the new converts in the book of Acts prayed for boldness, so do we, God. Not just for today, but for every day. God, we need your boldness and your strength, not only just for people, but to get through the day. I mean, the things that life throws at us, the. The tough times, the trials, the tribulations. God, we need your strength and your boldness to get through it. Thank you, Jesus, that you are the prince of peace. That you give us a peace that doesn't make sense to our brain but gets to our heart. God, we just love you. You're the most amazing father ever. We love you, Jesus. Thank you for everything you do for us. Thank you for everyone watching and listening. Would you bless them and keep them? Would your face shine upon them all the days of their life? God, we love you. It's in your name we pray. Amen.

[A]

Amen. So good. So good. And as always, guys, be sure to stay you and stay true. We love you.

[C]

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[B]

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[C]

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