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The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast
1KHO 681: It's Hard to Be Anxious and Grateful | Max Lucado, Calm Thoughts for Kids
00:55:21
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- [00:00]
Narrator
Oh, it's a beautiful world Ain't nothing on screen that's ever gonna be this view oh, it's a beautiful world and I just want to share with I just want to share with you this beautiful world Such a beautiful.
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Ginny Ert
Hey, friends, I am thrilled you are here today because today is a big one.
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Podcast Host
Max Lucado is back. Yes, that Max. He is the best selling inspirational author of all time.
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Ginny Ert
And we will be talking about anxiety.
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Podcast Host
Gratitude, and how to help kids navigate a world that has a lot of what ifs. I hope this episode feels like someone turning the volume down on your nervous system. Quick support Ask, because it really matters. If this podcast has helped your family at all, would you either leave a quick review or. Or share this episode with a friend? Today I run the show independently from prep to recording to editing to posting to marketing. So those two things are super helpful and how the message keeps spreading. And if you want a practical tool for 2026, our free tracker sheets are here at 1000hoursoutside.com trackers and the 1000hours outside app is on sale for 25 for the entire year through January 31st. It is built to help you close.
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Ginny Ert
Your phone and go live real life.
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Podcast Host
It gets tremendous reviews.
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Ginny Ert
Check it out.
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Podcast Host
Okay, Max Lucado, let's go.
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Sponsor Voice
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Ginny Ert
My name is Ginny Ert. I'm the founder of 1000 Hours outside and beyond.
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Narrator
Honored.
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Ginny Ert
Max Lucado's back.
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Max Lucado
How did this happen?
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Ginny Ert
Not once, but twice. It's because you have a new book out. Came out today. Actually. It's launch day for you. Huge. Congratulations. It is called Calm Thoughts for Kids. It's a devotional. 90 devotions for anxious days.
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Podcast Host
Congratulations.
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Max Lucado
Well, thank you. Thank you. How are you doing?
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Ginny Ert
Yeah, I'm doing well. I'm doing well. I saw the devotional and it is stunning. It's very calming. Well, it would make sense that it's coming, but it's all these, like nature, like the. The drawings are just beautiful. And I think it really pairs well with your book. For adults anxious for nothing, finding calm in a chaotic world. So if you've got kids, you can get a book for you and a book for them. But let's start off with congratulations, not only on the book, but grandchild number six.
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Max Lucado
How are you keeping up with all this? You are ahead of the game, man.
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Ginny Ert
Number six. Give us some hope for the parents that are kind of in, that are drowning like mine.
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Max Lucado
I, I have, I had a grandchild born last month and then a grandchild born last week and I have one more coming in about six weeks. I have three daughters and they, they were all pregnant. Now two have delivered and one is still, still waiting. But, you know, bless their hearts, they're, they, they're just so sleep deprived, you know, it's just, you, you just weather it. I wish there was a pill. I told him that. I said, I wish there was some kind of pill I could give you. I would, but I recall those days, but my wife really recalls those days. When you have a newborn, it just, you know, it's challenging. Precious little, little boy, precious little girl, though. And we're so grateful for Jack and then Sylvie. Jack and Sylvie. Jack was born before Christmas and Sylvie was born in the early week, early.
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Ginny Ert
Parts of January and then another one in six weeks.
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Podcast Host
So there's going to be these three.
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Ginny Ert
Cousins that are within just a couple.
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Podcast Host
Months of each other.
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Max Lucado
Absolutely. Isn't great.
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Ginny Ert
It's so great. That's what you have to look forward to. I mean, if you're in the days of babies, newborns or we're in teens, it's a lot. I, I think about that verse. Like I saw you post about the grandchild and another one's coming and everyone's so excited for you. And it's like that. Do not grow weary, you know, for. In a proper time, you know, in decades.
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Max Lucado
That's right.
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Ginny Ert
So, Max, you are America's best selling inspirational author with more than 145 million products that are in print. But your story didn't start there. You started with a family tree marked.
- [05:02]
Podcast Host
With the blight of alcoholism.
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Ginny Ert
Can you give a little hope for the person who's wanting to turn their life around and could never imagine? Max, bestselling inspirational author.
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Max Lucado
Well, is a wonderful story as I look back at it, but it was tough early on. I. Alcoholism really made a play for me. I do come from a family that has battled alcoholism. My dad was one of nine kids and several of his siblings battled it. He did not, interestingly. He saw what it did to them, saw what it did to his family. And he just said, my family's not going to drink. My brother and I did not listen to that advice. And to this day I can remember the sensation I felt as a teenager when I drank my first beer at my first course. And, and I do not know if I'm. If, if that whatever that gene is for alcoholism is in my body. I wouldn't be surprised though, because it created such a warming sensation that I was immediately another, then another, and I was building my little social calendar around when we could, as 15, 16 year olds, get drunk. And so it was, it got its claws in me early. And my battle in, in addition to the longing for alcohol was just the conviction that I had so disappointed my father, who was anti alcohol. And if I've disappointed my earthly father, no doubt I've disappointed my heavenly father. And so I really battled shame, embarrassment. You know, the curious thing about guilt and shame is that the very thing that caused it is often what we use to try to treat it. In my case, what caused it was just this sense of failure and drinking. And what I tried to. I tried to treat it with more failure and more drinking. So I was on a cycle that was going to get me into trouble. And it, it nearly did.
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Ginny Ert
Your dad was so wise about it that he would even take you to see his siblings that had kind of gone down that slippery slope and it hadn't worked out for them.
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Max Lucado
Right. Some of my earliest memories as a, as a kid, I grew up in West Texas, the flatlands, the wild, wild west West Texas. And he would take me to rehab facilities to visit his sister, to visit his brother, to visit a different sister. I never knew my grandfather, his father. And I've often wondered, we, my siblings and I have wondered if there was something in alcohol related to an accident he had with the rail railroad that took his life. We don't know for sure. And so I recall definitely being warned about alcohol. My older brother battled alcohol until the last two years of his life. He did die sober, but it took so much from him and I was on that same path. My dad told me if, if I wanted to go to Texas Tech with my drinking buddies, I could, but I had to pay my own tuition. If I wanted his help, I needed to go to a Christian college that required daily chapel and, and Bible classes as a part of the, the curriculum. And that's what turned me around. And so I'm. I'm forever indebted to him that he didn't give up on me. Most of all, I'm grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ, who really did pay for all my sins. He died on the cross for me. And that deep conviction has sustained me and. And directed my life ever since.
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Ginny Ert
Is that how you were finally able to reconcile the guilt and shame with your earthly father and also with God?
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Max Lucado
It was when I was 20 years old, Jenny. I had begun attending church again. I quit attending church not because I was angry at church. I was just embarrassed that the church doesn't want someone like me. I mean, I'm serious. I was a misogynist. I was a racist. I was a fighter. I was just a drunk. I was. I was a hypocrite. Hypocrite. That was one way with some people, another way with others. And I just didn't think church would want somebody like me present. But a friend kept inviting me and. And I started going to church. And this particular pastor had a deep understanding for grace. And do not recall exactly the topic he was teaching on, but whatever it was, it warmed my heart. I was 20 years old. And he said, does anybody want to come say yes to Christ? I think I was the one down the aisle. I commemorated that with a tattoo. You know, I think we've had this conversation. I do. I've. I've been tatted up. When I was 70, realizing that I had been a believer for 50 years, I thought, I've got to commemorate this. And so I took the word telesti, which is what Jesus said before he gave up his spirit on the cross. He said, it is finished. And the Greek translation is to. Telestai means it is paid. And I had that word tattooed on the interior of my right forearm. And it's just my way of remembering, you know, that it's all been paid for.
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Ginny Ert
Yeah. Who is the friend that kept inviting you?
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Max Lucado
He is my best friend to this day. I just talked to him this morning. He's still. He's sick. He got a bad something going on. So I pray that the Lord helps him. But Steve Green has been my dearest her. We were college roommates.
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Ginny Ert
Yeah.
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Max Lucado
So he kept inviting me to come to go to church, and. And I did. I went into. Soon thereafter, I decided I wanted to be a missionary, and so I kind of changed direction. He was in business, and he went into banking. I went into mission work. We stayed close all these years. And then after I started writing books, he started representing me in publishing, and he has represented me in publishing all these years.
- [11:43]
Ginny Ert
What a wonderful story. And you never know. You never know. Like, that's a pretty. It's a significant thing, but it's also Kind of a small thing to invite someone to church and to keep inviting. And he could have never known, Steve could have never known that one day you will be America's best selling inspirational author. That is incredible. Wow. Tell him I said hello. I think that that's. I mean, you know, isn't that crazy how you can play these parts in people's stories and you just don't know? You never know where it's going to go. So this new devotional is out for kids. It's out today. Calm thoughts for kids. 90 devotions for anxious Days. And like I said, there's a lot of crossovers between this devotion for kids and also this book for adults that's called Anxious for Nothing. The devotion for kids is be. It's absolutely beautiful. And it's got a lot of really special parts to it. It's got questions that you could talk about. So you could talk about it your youth group or with your family. It's conversation starters. Talk about it together. There's scripture, there's reflection, there's God's promise to you. And also there's a prayer at the end. And you talk about at the beginning of the book how grownups often forget that kids are under a lot of pressure. And you say, thanks to the Internet and social media, the kids might be under more pressure than we were. And I think that that's the truth. There are kids that listen in with their parents, which is so special. If you could give a message to the kid who is feeling that weight, what would you say to them?
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Max Lucado
There's no doubt that this generation is facing challenges that my generation did not face. We could not have conceived of the fact that you could have in one device a tool that would you to gamble, that would allow you to see pornography, that would allow you to hear gossip, and it could all fit in your purse or pocket. I mean, that's just. That's just incomprehensible. But that's the power of smartphones. And then add to that tablets and laptops and desktops. Some beautiful things have come out of those, but boy, some real tragedies and challenges have come out as well. And so my, my counsel to young people is, do not begrudge those who love you, who are trying to help filter the ideas that are coming into your mind. Do not begrudge those people because they. They want what is right for you. The devil traffics in thoughts of fear and anxiety. That's his heroin. That's his fentanyl. That's what he uses to try to pull people down. And he has found a great highway with which to deliver that drug of fear and anxiety in social media. And so please, please be careful. You know, I'm 71 years old, and I have a filter on everything, everything that I own. I'm 71. Why would I want a filter on a laptop? Just yesterday I got an alert that the particular filter I use that blocks any access to inappropriate images. Just yesterday I got an alert that it was down. The filter went down. I don't understand that world. I don't know why it went down. But I have a promise, a promise I made to my wife, and that is I will never be in the presence of an unprotected device. So I took my laptop to her and I said, honey, it's not protected. Go hide this laptop. And right now that laptop is in the hands of some tech guy who know who's going to fix it for me. But it's that. It's that vile. The. The world out there is that dangerous. That vile. Now, I think we've talked before about how our brains can be shaped. And if you're watching images or hearing threatening messages over and over, over, your brain is going to learn to think in that way. On the other hand, if you think good thoughts, if you love God, if you trust him with your fears, if you make your highest aim just knowing him, then your brain will be shaped in that direction. So choose wisely the direction you're going, because that brain is going to be with you the rest of your life.
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Narrator
Yeah.
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Ginny Ert
And even as a younger person, you can choose to do those types of things.
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Podcast Host
And you talk about that.
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Ginny Ert
There's one of the devotions is about choosing what your mindset is. And you have this story about two. Two pots and a spoon, a stew pot and a prayer pot, you know, and which one are you stirring up? And so this is in this kids devotional, a fantastic idea. Grandparents for Easter coming up. Or if you. If a child you know is getting baptized, it's a great idea for a book that's a gift. Calm thoughts for kids. 90 devotions for anxious Days. One of the topics that's in both books is this topic of what if, what if. So in the book for the adults, anxious for nothing, it's like, what if my kids have crooked teeth? And what if they can't find a spouse? And then what if they can't get a job? And what if this keeps them from having friends? And what if they end up homeless and hungry, holding a cardboard side that reads, my parents couldn't afford my braces. And then you have the same. You know, it's like a parallel message for kids. What if I missed the shot? What if I oversleep? What if I fall flat on my face? Can you talk about what we're supposed to do with all the what ifs?
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Max Lucado
It's funny hearing you describe those. Yeah. That they're, they're everywhere. And if, regardless of how old you are, what ifs are a part of life. And as parents, what we can do is we can have a strategy to help our children face the what ifs of life. We have strategies for everything else. Right. We have a strategy to help them make the little league team, a strategy to teach them to play the piano, a strategy to try to keep them healthy. What about a strategy to help them deal with the unknown, with the anxieties of life. What's our strategy there in my vision is that this book would just be one of many tools that you use. This particular book is, is unique because it, it gives you. It's 90 days. It provides 90 different conversations with your kids. So over a 90 day period, each evening, each morning, each way time you're driving to school, whatever, you find a little break in the schedule and you say, let's read this devotional, let's look at this scripture. And here's a discussion question. Because so many times, parents, as parents, we say, well, I don't have any ideas. How do I. How do I approach this with my kids? Well, that work has already been done. So, so take a day, each day for three, three months and, and explore this whole idea of fear and anxiety. I think your kids want you to. You know, I kind of wish I had, my parents had taken that initiative, you know, man, I had great parents, but I can't recall that they ever sat me down and said, hey, let's talk about what might keep you awake at night or make you dread going to school. And what you're doing is you're opening up the door for a healthy conversation on this topic.
- [19:20]
Ginny Ert
Yeah. You say anxiety is a meteor shower of what ifs.
- [19:25]
Podcast Host
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- [23:02]
Ginny Ert
How about the question of what if? What if I'm not where I'm supposed to be?
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Max Lucado
How do we treat that particular what if? Well, the answer is the knowledge of a good and loving and sovereign God. He watches over us. He uses our good choices, but he can even use our mistakes. So ultimately the answer for anxiety is creating a right understanding of God. Everything about anxiety is dealt with the proper understanding of God. The way you answer the question who is God? Is really the most important thing about you? And if your answer is well, I don't know, I don't care. I don't think there is a God that's going to create a certain type of person. And if your answer is I think God is good, I think God is faithful, I think God is fair, then the answer to that question of what if I end up in the wrong place? Well that's okay. God will make sure that if you happen to get there, he'll take. He'll use it for good and then he'll get you back in the right place.
- [24:13]
Ginny Ert
So good. Like you said, these are amazing things and really pertinent things to be talking to our kids about. You wrote in the kids devotional God wants you to Enjoy this moment right now and to trust him with all the what ifs. It's easy to think about all the worries, but how quickly can you think of 10 blessings things? How about 20? Life gives us so many reasons to worry, but God gives us so many more reasons not to. I love that you have tons of stories about being outside. So this works well for this podcast. And it's in the devotional. It's also in Anxious for Nothing. But you talk about a couple. I thought we'd bring up a couple. A couple of them. One of them was that you would go camping with, with all those aunts and uncles, like, with that big extended family. And you talk about how your dad, he was, like, into camping, also into camping gear, and that you had, like, the Cadillac of all tents. Can you tell us about it?
- [25:07]
Max Lucado
It was a huge tent. He bought it at some military store where you can buy equipment that's used in the Navy or the army, these surplus stores, I'm sure, if those stores are still around. But there was a great one not far from where I lived, and he bought this huge tent that would, you know, sleep a dozen people easily. And it required posts inside the tent, right? Not just post one post in the middle, but at least two poles. There might have been three, but I'll just say two. And they were thick things, as thick as a thigh, as thick as somebody's big forearm. And they would. You had to have those rotten poles to hold that tent up. And. And we would inevitably face rainstorms or windstorms. But if the poles were steady, the poles were steady, then the tent would stand. I. I think I told that story because there are two huge poles in the writing of the Apostle Paul that he refers to over and over again, one we've already discussed, and that is sovereignty that God is over everything. Everything has to answer to him. Jesus created the universe, and he's in charge of the universe. Nothing happens apart from his permission. And then the second one is grace is grace. The big topic, and unique to the Christian faith is this big pole of grace that we're saved not by what we do, but by what Christ did for us. So if you can build your tent with a deep understanding of God's sovereignty, He's in charge and his grace that he forgives, then you've got a chance of surviving any storm that comes your way absent those poles. It's going to be really, really tough. And so we deal with fear by trusting that God is in charge and that God will forgive you.
- [27:18]
Ginny Ert
Talk about the story of Joseph in Anxious for Nothing, in the part where after years and years and years, you know, he's. He's really got the short end of the stick. So many different times, and you really highlight how long and that there were moments of hope that got dashed, which I didn't. I really like the story of Joseph, but I hadn't thought about these parts of it before I read your book where, you know, he's in prison, he's falsely accused. He's in prison, and he thinks that he has a friend that's going to put in a word for him and the friend forgets and he's there for two more years in this prison. He wrote two years. Plenty of time to give up. Plenty of time for the world to turn gray, for gargoyles of dread to appear. Plenty of time to wonder, is this how God treats his children? Is this God's reward for good behavior? Do your best, and this is what you get, a jail cell and a hard bed. And it was just so long before he was able to say, you intended to harm me, but God use this for good. And you say, quite honestly, I have no words to counter the stress of the atheist or the agnostic because they don't have those two poles. They don't have those two poles of sovereignty and grace. And you say, if the story of Joseph teaches us anything, it is this. We have a choice. We can wear our hurt or we can wear our hope. So I like it when there's like a one, two punch with books where you can have the one you're reading and strengthen your own faith and your own self and then have the one that you're doing with your kids. And they. There's so much that coincides, just bringing more calm into your life. Okay, so you had the camping story in the devotional for the kids. Calm thoughts. You also talked about trusting your dad, crossing rivers. So can you talk about fishing with your dad growing up?
- [29:01]
Max Lucado
My dad was. He gets mentioned a lot, doesn't he? I wish. I wish people could have met that. Such a friendly guy. Everybody loved dad. Real strict when it came to alcohol, for sure, but he was everybody's best friend. And he loved to camp. He loved to take us on trips. And we would always go from West Texas up into the Rocky Mountains. That might mean New Mexico, might mean Colorado, but it always meant mountain streams. And mountain streams have fast flowing water. Early on, he taught us, you don't just go walking across one of these mountain streams. Now, we're not talking about those Gentle, nice little ankle deep things. I'm talking about those that are up to your shoulder. The water's white water and, and you just don't wait across that. Otherwise you'll get pulled down river. So he would teach us what is logical and obvious to adults. But as little boys we needed to be taught. Find a place where there are stones and you can step from one stone to the next, to the next, to the next. And he would show us. He would walk in in front of us. Sometimes he had put in an extra rock or two just to give us different places to stand. And then he would on the other side say, now do what I did. This is the picture of our heavenly Father that he leads us. He gives us these firm places to stand, like sovereignty, like grace, like his imminent return, like the fact that he knows our name, like his word is alive and well. These stones of life upon which we can step, that will take us through the speedy waters of life. If a person does not have those odds are really good. They're going to get sucked downstream. There's so many bad things that happen. But if you can stay on the stones, if you can keep putting your feet on the solid places left to you by your heavenly Father, you will make it to the other side. He will not let you fall. That's his promise to you.
- [31:11]
Ginny Ert
Do you think about like taking your grandkids and going fishing with them or camping? You know, it's interesting how these stories that you brought up about your dad and a lot of them are outside, they're in creation. They leave these lasting impacts of not only memories but also of these spiritual parallels. Do you think that for today's parents, because you know, today's kids are not outside much, the statistic is four to seven minutes a day outside, but four to seven hours on screens. Do you think that it is helpful for parents for passing on spiritual principles when they're getting their kids out to do these types of things.
- [31:47]
Max Lucado
I think that's so huge. You know, I think that the ability for kids to I, I would just. Was taking care of my grandson over this last weekend and he's almost three years old and he is very rambunctious and his parents are doing a super job of letting him, letting him fall, letting him stumble. They're not hyper protective of him. He rides a scooter up and down the street, up on sidewalks and down driveways. Now you got, you know, he's you. We're out there with him. We're not going to let him get hurt. But I love the fact that they just, they just let him go, let him burn that energy, let him run. They don't make him wear shoes all the time. He trips and falls, but he bounces right up. It's, it's just a beautiful thing. I didn't have boys and so I'm amazed at the energy of boys. I have three daughters and daughters and, and sons are two different animals. And then that three year old and watching him eat, oh my goodness, can he eat. But I think it's healthy. And I, I'm very grateful to have grown up in a setting where I could get outside and my parents didn't, weren't anxious about me and let me ride my bike and go on camping trips and all that is so important. So important. Yeah. Just one final thought. If there's something that makes me sad, it's when I go to a restaurant and there I see a mom and a dad and a child and a child and all four of them are on their phones. There's something inside of me that makes me want to go over and yank the phones out of their hands. Don't you know you're missing an opportunity for conversation here? And, and yet that happens so often. So, yeah, I'm really all about what you're urging us to do, Jenny, and that's get outside and learn from God's first missionary, the universe, and, and enjoy what he has done for us.
- [33:58]
Ginny Ert
Well, in the devotional for kids is actually a great tool for having these conversation topics. Calm thoughts for kids. I talked to this man named John Deloney. He's got a podcast, he works with Dave Ramsey, and he's got these conversation starter packs because he says that a lot of times we've forgotten, we've forgotten how to have conversations with our spouse or with our kids because of the screens and how ubiquitous they are. So in your devotion for kids, you know, there's all of these conversation starters. Do you know how many hairs are on your head? What does that tell you about how much you matter to God? The world makes a big deal about all these people who are rich and famous and they're popular and that attention can make you feel like you don't matter. But God doesn't agree, you know, what about the fact that he knows how many hairs are on your head? Or what are three of your best thoughts today? What a great question. What are three of your best thoughts today? So each of the devotions, there's 90 of them, each one has a conversation starter that you can talk about. Together so you could set your phones aside. There's things to talk about in the.
- [35:00]
Podcast Host
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- [36:20]
Ginny Ert
Verse that I've always loved, but I've never really considered the wording until I read it in your book you wrote about this is in Philippians so Philippians 4, which the Scriptures there's a lot of scripture tie ins in both books so you can be reading a lot of the same scriptures as your kids if you read both. But Philippians 4 and in the back of the kids devotional you have more verses for calm days. So Philippians 4 like is one to go to when you feel anxious. So there's verses for when you're worried.
- [36:52]
Podcast Host
About the future, when you feel small.
- [36:53]
Ginny Ert
When you feel like your problems are too big, if you feel like you're lonely, if you're overwhelmed, if you're anxious, if you feel far from God, if you're sad, if you're afraid. It's like These are the verses to go right to. So this flippy ends for this is. I have learned the secret of being content. And you said the word secret. There is actually a really interesting word choice. It's not like, like I've learned the five steps, you know, I've learned the principles. You know, you say the secret is an interesting word and it's a big deal because Paul said it and he said it at a time when he didn't have much. So you're talking in here about gratitude.
- [37:28]
Max Lucado
Isn't that the secret? If I recall right now, you know, I've written this, this is, this book was written six or seven years ago, anxious for nothing. If I recall right, that word secret is mystery. It's, it's like a mystery. It's, it's, it's, it's something that is within reach but not totally understandable. He's saying I'm, I'm learn the mystery of, of contentment. And that is to, to be content that I'm, boy, I'm stumbling around on my answer here. I've got too many. That's what happens when you get older. Your brain doesn't process words as well.
- [38:08]
Ginny Ert
Well, and I would imagine like you do sermons every week and you've got all of this content that you're putting out for people. So of course with 145 million things in print, I would imagine a lot of it jumbles together.
- [38:19]
Max Lucado
I do forget, I honestly do. I, I, I love that question though. I've learned the secret of being content. And then he says whether I have much or whether I have little.
- [38:33]
Ginny Ert
Yeah. Whether well fed or hungry. Yeah. Whether that you're in want or you're not. I mean it's really a big deal because I think that especially in this day and age. I was just talking to this lady and actually I had a conversation with.
- [38:47]
Podcast Host
A fourth grader over the holidays, Max.
- [38:50]
Ginny Ert
Who a fourth grade girl who was embarrassed that she had gotten Barbie dolls for Christmas because all of her friends at school had gotten makeup from Sephora Aura. And so I was talking to this woman about how they're just pushing these products so young, these Get Ready with me products for 10 year olds and 9 year olds. And they're doing face masks and you know, their skin's perfect. You know, they have, they don't have any need for that. And they're just being pushed like this consumerism and so gratitude and contentment. You talk about this and you know, in both books it's so important that we have, we have to have gratitude. And I want to. I'll read the Philippians. It says, I've learned the secret to be content. Wow. This is in a different version than the one I grew up with. So actually, I'm not even gonna read it. It's kind of like.
- [39:37]
Max Lucado
It's.
- [39:37]
Ginny Ert
It's kind of got a lot to it. I only remember the one from when I was growing up, but.
- [39:42]
Podcast Host
Okay.
- [39:43]
Ginny Ert
You gave an example, though, of your friend Jerry.
- [39:46]
Max Lucado
Yeah.
- [39:46]
Ginny Ert
Your friend Jerry.
- [39:47]
Max Lucado
Yeah.
- [39:47]
Ginny Ert
And his wife has Parkinson's. And you think, okay, well, these are, you know, like you're in this state of these grandkids, and. And this is, you know, supposed to be the prime of your life. And he's having to go appointments, and she's having trouble standing up, and you're like, well, how can you have so much gratitude? And he says, every morning, be counting our blessings.
- [40:08]
Max Lucado
Jerry, she. Ginger, his wife has since passed away, since I, you know, I wrote that book some years ago, but I play. I used to play golf with him about once a month. And he. He loves golf, but he couldn't play much because his wife had Parkinson's. And Parkinson's dominated their lives for about a decade. He's a retired dentist, and they retired with dreams of going on vacations and taking special trips. But Parkinson's changed all that. Yet he was still the happiest guy. I mean, you would never know it, that he was. He was dealing with a day in and day out tragedy. You'd never know it by talking to him. And that's. That's when I asked. I said, jerry, what's your. What's your secret? What. What keeps you happy? And he said, every morning, Ginger and I sit on the edge of the bed as I'm starting to get her dressed. We sit and we sing that song. Count your many blessings. He'd learned to be grateful. You know, it's really hard to be anxious and grateful at the same time. It really is. I think you can be one or the other. But if you want the quickest way to deal with anxiety, then count your blessings and you'll see anxiety. Picking up his dirty duffel bag and leaving your heart.
- [41:36]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [41:37]
Ginny Ert
Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Because you talk about being specific. You talk about being specific with your prayers, and you talk about being specific with your blessings. Things you had given an example of when your father in law was going to move in. And you're talking about how, you know, overall, I think everyone's like, of course. Of course they should move in. And then you kind of start, you know, your brain starts to kind of go down that rabbit trail and you're talking to adults and kids about thought management, about picking what you ponder on. Can you talk about how you walked yourself through that time of dealing with. I mean, I guess that was a long list of what ifs, but also dread, you said it was the labyrinth of dread. And you start to envision, like, what's it actually going to be like? And there's going to be other people here helping to take care of him and there's going to be the oxygen tank in the hospital bed. And you said, it's time for me to practice what I preach. I set out to last on my thoughts. Once again, I began to make a list of blessings. And in the book Anxious for Nothing, you have a long list of blessings you like, you count them one by one.
- [42:44]
Max Lucado
And I think that's a great tool. I really do. Yeah, I think where there is gratitude, there is an absence of dread. Where there's a spirit of appreciation, there is a absence of anxiety. And so if we can train our brains to begin to treat our anxiety by reciting the blessings that God has brought into our lives, then we stand a chance to truly lead a life that is marked by peace. This is the promise that God gives us, that he will give us a peace as we're attached to him, as we're leaning into him. You know, some. It's been years ago now. I was traveling and I was changing planes in what has to be the most challenging airport in the world. And that's o' Hare Airport in Chicago. And a storm blew in, one of those dark, billowy, almost night time in the middle of the day storms. And it began to ground the plains. And men passengers were grumbling. I was grumbling. We're all wondering if we're ever going to come to get out of o' Hare Airport alive. We, you know, it was just not a very happy time. And I was in the waiting area and I heard a person singing. And I turned and looked and there was a young mother and she was nursing a child and she was singing. And I realized that that child was probably the most peaceful person in the whole airport. Everybody else was anxious and worried. That child did not have a care in the world. Now, if someone were to yank that child away from the mother, then the child would let everybody know. But as long as the child was that intimately connected to the mother, that, that the child was receiving the very nutrients from the mother, the warmth of the mother, the comfort of the mother. Then the child was at peace. You know that Jesus said that he desires that we have his peace. His peace. Not just the peace of the world, but his peace. And as we remain connected to him, I would dare say we're. Whereas we're receiving his nutrients, we're receiving his warmth. But whenever we disconnect ourselves or allow the world to yank us away from him, that's when fear rushes in. So as long as we can stay abiding in him, connected to him, listening to him, then we will be. And we'll discover that peace that, that we so long to have. And we long for our children to have as well.
- [45:41]
Ginny Ert
Yeah, you talk about fear and worry and anxiousness in this devotional for kids. You talk about doing something kind of similar to that which is like the other side. You have setting a timer for five.
- [45:52]
Podcast Host
Minutes for the child.
- [45:53]
Ginny Ert
Think about a place that you love, Close your eyes and picture the things you see there and the things you do there. Imagine that God is there with you. Say it out loud. God is with me, the creator of mountains and meerkats and the moon. So, so many wonderful reminders for our children and for ourselves as well. One of the things that you challenge the kids, kids to do is to pray to God before you get out of bed. Lord, go with me today. And when troubles come, remind me to turn to you first. This is really good advice for all of us because so many are turning to their phones first thing before they get out of bed. But you talk about these prayers and so this is a good advice for children and for the adults. You talk about having specific prayers. So you had an example of one of your days which is like, you'd be like, I've got a 10 o' clock meeting, I'm talking to Ginny at 1. Help the sound to work.
- [46:42]
Max Lucado
Yeah, whatever.
- [46:44]
Ginny Ert
But that the specific prayers actually create a lighter look. You have a, actually a lot about specific prayers, that it's a serious prayer, like being specific instead of being all overarching. This makes it more serious. It gives us an opportunity for us to see God at work. And it takes these problems that sometimes can feel looming and reduce them down so that we really understand God can handle this. It's a bite sized prayer.
- [47:10]
Max Lucado
Yeah, yeah. And, and that's what that word means. Paul wrote, be anxious for nothing. But in everything by prayer and petition. Petition is a detailed request. You know, when you go to a restaurant, you don't just tell the attendant, hey, bring me something to eat. You say, you know, I would like a. A taco with cheese and. And sour cream. I mean, you begin to list. You make a specific request. And that's exactly what prayer specific requests do, is that they allow us the privilege of bringing these specific requests into the presence of our heavenly Father.
- [47:53]
Ginny Ert
You talked about there's this parable in Luke where the widow keeps coming to the judge. And like, she keeps coming and she keeps coming. And you say, what is this story doing in the Bible? This is a parable of contrast, not comparison, which I thought was interesting. I never heard that before, but just about how we're supposed to choose prayer over despair.
- [48:17]
Podcast Host
Peace.
- [48:18]
Ginny Ert
Peace happens when people pray. And you're supposed to just keep coming and asking.
- [48:23]
Max Lucado
That's such a great parable. But, yeah, there are parables of comparison and there are parables of contrast. And this is that story of widow who came and asked the judge for help, and he kept declining and she just kept asking. And in the parable, Jesus has the judge say, I finally, I'm going to give up. If I don't give this woman what she wants, she's going to drive me crazy. Now Jesus goes on to say, if he would do that, how much more would your heavenly Father, who is not like that judge, who does not have an irritable character or irritable bone in his body, how much more would he. Who's a. Who's a creator of grace and love, how much more would he respond to you in a. In a wonderful and powerful fashion? Jesus taught us that parable so that we would always pray and not give up. And that. That's such a. Thanks for mentioning that parable. I hadn't thought about it in quite a while, but it truly is one of great stories in Scripture. Is that Luke 18? I believe that's correct. Yeah. Anyway, it's a beautiful parable.
- [49:36]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [49:37]
Ginny Ert
Always pray and not give up. And I love that verse that says something like, if you ask for bread, who's. Who's going to give their kid a stone.
- [49:45]
Max Lucado
Yeah.
- [49:45]
Ginny Ert
Or snake or whatever the thing is. Yeah, yeah, yeah. If you ask for that. There's a couple other topics I thought were really pertinent for this day and age. You talk about that God designed the world to change. And I think that's something that we can feel a lot of anxiety about, kids can feel a lot of anxiety about. And you touch on that in this devotional for kids that when you look around the world, the seasons are always changing and this is normal. You know, sometimes it can feel like things are out of control, but that. That's a normal thing. And you're also, even with the kids, talking about how it's okay to rest. So the questions are, how busy are.
- [50:22]
Podcast Host
Are you?
- [50:22]
Ginny Ert
Do you have time to be still, to do nothing, to just rest? Rest doesn't always mean just to sleep. And sometimes grownups can forget how busy a kid's life can be. That's a big change. You know, you talked at the very beginning. If we're kind of getting to circle back around to the pressures that kids are under. One of the big changes, obviously, is technology. But another big change is that kids are busier than they used to be.
- [50:46]
Max Lucado
Yeah.
- [50:47]
Ginny Ert
As we're sort of wrapping it up, can you talk to families about. About the importance of having downtime?
- [50:52]
Max Lucado
Yeah, man, I. I would love your thoughts on this. You're closer to it than I am. I recall when my daughters. And again, my daughters are grown now. So back in the 90s, in the first part of the 2000s, they. They said they wanted to play club volleyball. And I. I remember thinking, what is club volleyball? What. Where did that come from? And I realized that there's a whole network of club sports in addition to the volleyball at middle school or high school. Then there's another layer in which if you want to really be good, then you play club sports. Folks, I'm not trying to beat you up. It's not my goal to purvey guilt here. I know you want the very best for your son and your daughter, but just did. Is it really necessary to layer one sport with yet another version of the sport until there's no free weekends and very little free time? Just remember, there's something that the child needs that comes with rest. There's something that happens when the child can have no obligation, nobody telling them, get out on the court or hurry. If, if we can dial that all down, just give them the space to be creative, to. To play in the grass, to look up into the sky, to have that time. That. That is essential, that downtime is good times. Downtime is good time. I like that quote that says, you know, God, after he created the world, he. He took a day off, and it didn't fall apart. If it didn't fall apart for God, it won't fall apart for you.
- [52:52]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [52:52]
Max Lucado
So set a good example. I. I had to learn this myself, had to learn that I was being really busy as a. As a pastor and a parent, so I had to dial some things down. And maybe you're as parents need to do the same.
- [53:07]
Podcast Host
Yeah.
- [53:07]
Ginny Ert
It's a hard time, you know, like you said at the very beginning. And it. You kick your devotional off with that. That kids are under a lot of pressure. My brother teaches. He coaches volleyball at a middle school near us, so. Middle school. And he had to cut 99. Zero girls from the team because they just weren't good enough. And I was like, gosh, that's so many kids that, like, wanted to play sports, but there's not enough room for them on the team. Team. And it's just. It's hard, you know, like, you want your kid to have teammates and to be able to play the sport. And so it just go, I guess it goes back to sovereignty and grace and just. It's like the what ifs, right? Like, well, what if my kid doesn't make the team? Then they have no friends, and then they can't play the sports. And they really are real things. It's like a. It's a tricky day and age, I think, to parent and to be a kid. I'll end it with these verses from Philippians. This is another thing that you talk about both. Both books Anxious for Nothing and this wonderful brand new devotional that is out today. Get it for Easter. Get it for your grandkids, get it for your kids. Start today, the kids. Nearly 1 in 9 kids between ages of 3 and 11 have been diagnosed with anxiety. It's about 11, though experts estimate the real number is likely much higher. It's called calm thoughts for Kids. You say, rejoice in the Lord always. Again. Well, you don't say it. God says it, but it's written in the book Philippians. We'll all say it. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing but in everything. By prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, then whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if anything is excellent and praiseworthy, meditate on these things.
- [55:02]
Max Lucado
Amen. Amen. Do you know that's the most underlined verse in the Bible? It is?
- [55:08]
Ginny Ert
Oh, yes, I read that. I read that somewhere in. Somewhere in your. It probably it was an anxious for nothing.
- [55:16]
Max Lucado
I believe it was.
- [55:18]
Ginny Ert
You talk about, like the scripture hall of fame, and everyone's like John 3:6, 16 and Psalm 23 in the Lord's Prayer. But, yeah, this is the most underlined One is Philippians 4, 4, 8.
- [55:28]
Max Lucado
We know that because of Kindle. You know, Kindle, the. Yeah, the tablet version of the Bible keeps up with which verse is underlined, which verses are underlined, and that one. That one wins the day.
- [55:41]
Ginny Ert
That one wins. Max. The new devotional is stunning and so needed in this day and age. Calm thoughts for kids. Thank you so much for writing it. For your 145 million products that are in print. Thank you to your friend who invited you to come to church. Oh, wait, would you say his name was Steve? Steve, all the way back then and has just set this, helped set this path of hope and help for families and for people all around the world. Thanks for being here.
- [56:09]
Max Lucado
Thank you, Jenny. Great to be with you.
- [56:12]
Podcast Host
All right, if you're sitting there feeling.
- [56:13]
Ginny Ert
A little calmer or thinking I needed.
- [56:15]
Podcast Host
That, do me a favor, send this episode to other people. Could be a friend, a sibling or parenting group, anyone who's been caring a lot. Second, if you've never left a review for the show, I would love one.
- [56:26]
Ginny Ert
Sure is perfect.
- [56:26]
Podcast Host
A sentence is enough, Truly. And if you want a practical next step after this episode, download the free Tracker sheet at 1000hoursoutside.comTrackers or grab the.
- [56:36]
Ginny Ert
1000Hoursoutside app while it's still on sale.
- [56:38]
Podcast Host
For 25 for the year through January 31st. Thank you for spending time with me today. Until next time. May you find extraordinary moments on ordinary paths.
- [56:50]
Narrator
Get outside, open your eyes Feel that sunshine kissing your skin Throw your worries.
- [56:57]
Max Lucado
Out to the wind.
- [57:01]
Narrator
Climb some trees Skin your knees Feel that grass on your feet again get out there and take it in. Oh, it's a beautiful world Ain't nothing on the screen is ever gonna beat this view oh, it's a beautiful world and I just want to share with I just want to share with you this beautiful.
- [57:42]
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Max Lucado
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