How Distracted Are You? Is This The Biggest Problem Today?

Summary

The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast: Episode Summary - "How Distracted Are You? Is This The Biggest Problem Today?"

Release Date: May 27, 2025

In this enlightening episode of The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast, titled "How Distracted Are You? Is This The Biggest Problem Today?", host Candace Cameron Bure delves deep into the pervasive issue of distractions in modern life and their spiritual implications. Joined by her son Lev Bure and guest Pastor JP, the conversation navigates through personal anecdotes, biblical insights, and practical strategies to overcome the myriad distractions that hinder spiritual growth and purposeful living.

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1. The Nature of Distractions in Contemporary Life

Candace opens the episode with a lighthearted confession about swallowing gum mid-recording, setting a relatable tone for the ensuing discussion. This leads into a candid conversation about their podcasting experience, highlighting the challenges of spontaneity versus meticulous planning.

Notable Quote:

Candace Cameron Bure [02:34]: "This is by far the most stressful podcast I've ever been on."

As the conversation progresses, the trio identifies the primary sources of distraction in today's society. They emphasize that distractions range from social media’s omnipresence to the allure of possessions, power, and ego.

Key Points:

• Social Media Addiction: Pastor JP shares his personal battle with excessive screen time, revealing that he once spent eight hours a day on Instagram ([15:16]).
• The Myth of Multitasking: Lev points out the inefficacy of multitasking, aligning with studies that suggest our brains can truly focus on only one task at a time ([09:29]).
• Possessions and Wealth: Discussions touch upon how materialism diverts attention from spiritual pursuits, echoing biblical teachings against the love of worldly things ([08:17]).

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2. Personal Stories Highlighting the Impact of Distractions

Candace recounts a poignant experience attending a funeral where she encountered grief-stricken individuals whose father had meticulously surrounded himself with scriptures even in his final days ([08:05]). This story serves as a testament to the enduring power of faith amidst life’s distractions.

Notable Quote:

Candace Cameron Bure [13:04]: "It's not that you can't have nice things, but you don't want nice things to have you."

Lev shares his struggle with sustaining focus during personal Bible study, likening his experience to symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) ([21:41]). His candid admission underscores the internal battles many face when striving for spiritual discipline.

Pastor JP’s Revelation:

Pastor JP [15:00]: "I was like, there's no chance I can be on this. And I actually took a break and I just, you know, deleted the app."

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3. Strategies to Overcome Distractions

The trio explores actionable methods to mitigate distractions:

• Acknowledgment: Recognizing and admitting the presence of distractions is the first step toward managing them.

• Removal: Eliminating sources of distraction where possible, such as deleting social media apps to reduce temptation ([16:19]).

• Leverage: Transforming unavoidable distractions into opportunities for spiritual growth. For instance, using physical pain as a catalyst to praise God ([19:37]).

Practical Tips from Candace:

Candace Cameron Bure [16:43]: "I will put my phone on the table because I don't want it near me. I have a green chair that I'll do like my quiet time in."

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4. The Spiritual Battle for Mental Real Estate

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to understanding the spiritual warfare waged over the human mind. Candace asserts that the spiritual war is fought for control over our thoughts, which directly influence our hearts and actions.

Notable Quote:

Candace Cameron Bure [27:42]: "We are all programmable beings."

Using biblical narratives, such as the story of the Golden Calf from Exodus, Candace illustrates how humanity repeatedly succumbs to distractions by misplacing their worship from God to material possessions.

Biblical Insight:

Candace Cameron Bure [32:41]: "It's like, you can enjoy nice things to the glory of God, but when we don't enjoy, the essence of enjoying is utility."

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5. Engaging the Next Generation: Listener Question on Parenting

In the listener segment, Zamora poses a question about effectively engaging children with the Bible without overwhelming them. Lev and Pastor JP provide thoughtful responses centered around authenticity, modeling faith, and integrating scripture into daily life.

Key Recommendations:

• Modeling Behavior: Demonstrating a genuine and lived-out faith to inspire children naturally.

• Age-Appropriate Teaching: Tailoring Bible engagement strategies to suit different developmental stages, from reading scripture during diaper changes to having in-depth discussions during adolescence.

• Interactive Tools: Utilizing children's Bible storybooks like Jesus Storybook Bible to make learning relatable and engaging ([43:28]).

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6. Concluding Reflections: Embracing Spiritual Discipline

As the episode wraps up, Candace reiterates the importance of discipline in cultivating a godly life. She emphasizes that spiritual maturity involves resisting the urge to succumb to every distraction and instead, choosing to focus on a relationship with God.

Final Thought:

Candace Cameron Bure [37:25]: "Not doing what we want, not succumbing to the distractions of the enemy."

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Key Takeaways

• Awareness is Crucial: Recognizing the numerous distractions that vie for our attention is essential in maintaining spiritual focus.

• Practical Solutions: Implementing strategies such as removing distractions and leveraging them for spiritual growth can significantly enhance one's faith journey.

• Modeling for the Young: Parents play a pivotal role in guiding their children’s spiritual development through authentic living and age-appropriate teaching methods.

• Spiritual Discipline: Commitment to spiritual practices, despite internal and external distractions, fosters a deeper, more resilient relationship with God.

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Through heartfelt discussions and relatable stories, Candace, Lev, and Pastor JP provide listeners with valuable insights into navigating the distractions of modern life. They encourage a proactive approach to spiritual growth, emphasizing that while life may indeed be like a roller coaster, shared faith and intentional living can make the journey meaningful and fulfilling.

Transcript

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Everything that happens to us today will be in an effort to try to get us to forget that narrative. Some people are hearing that for the first time. They're like, oh yeah, Braveheart, Gladiator, Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Shrek. Oh yeah, Shrek. Now more than ever, Lowe's knows you don't just want a low price, you want the lowest price. And with our lowest price guarantee, you can count on us for competitive prices on all your home improvement projects. If you find a qualifying lower price somewhere else on the same item, we'll match it. Lowe's. We help you save price Match applies the same item current price at qualifying retailers. Exclusions and terms apply. Learn how we'll match price@lowe's.com Lowest Price.

[Lev Bure]

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[Candace Cameron Bure]

What are we going to banter about exactly? I like, I just want to confess that I swallowed my gum just now. Yeah, because we started recording and I was like, oh, I don't know what to do with it. So I just swallowed it. So it kind of feels like it's stuck right here. But it's fine.

[Lev Bure]

I'm such a mom Because I would have just opened my palm and I'm like, here, give me your gum. I have a tissue right here. I'll put it in there.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

I would tell everybody. I'd be like, candace Cameron, bur. D.J. tanner. Let me spit out my gum.

[Lev Bure]

Yep. I know we were talking about what we were going to talk about, but.

[Pastor JP]

You love to plan. You love to plan.

[Lev Bure]

And Lev said.

[Pastor JP]

I said, we're planning or we're thinking about. We're going to talk about. And you love to plan. Banter everything.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Like. Yeah, like, I'm on a podcast right now. Almost every. This is by far the most stressful podcast I've ever been on.

[Lev Bure]

This is.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Oh, yeah, stop it.

[Lev Bure]

Because of me.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

But I'm not gonna say. I'm not saying because of you.

[Pastor JP]

I'm not gonna say it. But no, it's.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

It's just like. Yeah, it was. It's a lot. It was very detailed.

[Lev Bure]

Here's the thing, though. I don't feel like I'm a planner in my. Stop laughing, Lev. In my personal life, compared to Papa, compared to my husband, compared to Val. Like, Val's the planner, and I go with the flow. But when it comes to work, I very much do like to plan and be prepared. I also live off of a script. I am. So I want to know where I'm going when.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

So when you are in a. Like a. So when you're recording a movie, how off the script can you go?

[Lev Bure]

Not at all.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Not. You have to say exactly what's on. It has to be word for word.

[Lev Bure]

Yes.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Oh, man, that's wild.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

I would not have guessed that.

[Lev Bure]

That's why writing is so important. And when you watch a movie and the writing's bad.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

It's not always the actor. It's the writer.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

But what about when you hear about a scene that went off the script?

[Lev Bure]

Like, sometimes some movies are like that. Yeah, they're very. They're all about improv or like somebody.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Or something happened and they just kept rolling with it. I feel like.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah, because then there's actors. I mean, there's actors or comedians. But if. Put Robin Williams in a scene or even Adam Sandler actors.

[Pastor JP]

I said, those are the really good actors. I have to give them a hard time.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah, they're going to. They're just going to. They're going to roll. They're going to riff, they're going to do their thing. But for the kind of work that I do in. In the movies that I do, or if you're on a sitcom, like, especially a sitcom, it's word for word because those writers are all writing the jokes and then it's about the timing and. Yeah, there's not really any room to riff.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Mad props. I was in one movie and it was about the hardest thing I've ever done. And it was like four lines. Literally four. I mean, true.

[Lev Bure]

Were you playing a pastor?

[Candace Cameron Bure]

No, I was playing a prisoner.

[Lev Bure]

Right.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

It was a prisoner.

[Lev Bure]

It was like the name of it.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

It was Seasons of Gray. And it was a. It's like a modern day telling of the story of Joseph. And I just remember like this, I had four lines, so I thought, oh, like I'm going to run here for like an hour, maybe, maybe two. And it was sun up to sundown.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Shooting those four lines. I couldn't believe it.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah. If you're not in the film industry, you might not realize that you do one scene over and over and over.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

And over and over 27 times. And with, with like an hour in between every time.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

It's resetting the lights and I couldn't.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah. Moving the camera, getting different angles. So, yeah, I learned my lines pretty quickly.

[Pastor JP]

Sometimes I'm surprised that you like having things so organized. I would almost think that if you spend all of your time memorizing something so specifically, you'd almost wanna have the freedom of getting away from it. But you love to stay in that pattern.

[Lev Bure]

I do, yeah. Well, it's what I've been doing for 40 years.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

It's a superpower.

[Pastor JP]

Right.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

And so, like when you become really good at something, like our podcast is they like, roll the camera and then we figure out what we're going to talk about. In fact, Pastor Craig Groeschel was on the other day and he, I saw him and he goes, hey, I'm going to be on Becoming Something tomorrow. And I was like, you are? And he was like, yeah, did I make a mistake? I was like, oh, no, I wouldn't know. I don't, I. I don't know beforehand.

[Lev Bure]

I can just show up.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

He's like, are you serious? And I was like, yeah. So he was, he was offended. Not offended, but we just had a laugh about that.

[Lev Bure]

So you really just choose the topic on the day they choose it.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

They choose it. Once we're rolling, they tell me and then we talk about it, which is why, like, you gotta be like, that's, you know, it's a different muscle where I'm like, all right, the scripture ready. Think about the things, wherever it goes, kind of react to it. So.

[Lev Bure]

Because, like I know that today we're talking about the villain distracting us.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Oh, okay.

[Lev Bure]

And the distraction. The distraction, like. Yeah. Woo. That. That actually gives me anxiety when you're like, if I just came in the. Hey, today we're talking about distraction, like, off the cuff.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

Be like, what. I want to have time to think about that and process a little bit.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't. I don't know. It's a. It's some. Some preachers, too, will outline their whole message, but I'll just go off. I mean, I'm sorry, The manuscript, their whole message, but I'll go off an outline. And it's like Monica and I's parenting style is different where, like, there's been times where she's stuck in a situation and kind of panics. But she was a teacher. She loved a lesson plan. Loved to know what was going to.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

She was going to teach that day. And I love to react to whatever they're. They're throwing at me. But the villain does distract us. That is. That is the sleight of hand that they're constantly trying to play all the time. It's like, look over here, look over here, look over here.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

When I think, you know, God wants us to. What it says repeatedly in the scripture, set our mind on the things above, that this world and the things of the world are going to waste away. And in fact, it says in First John 2:15, do not love the world or things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him, which is hard for me because it's like, I love nice things, you know, I love experiences. There are things in the world that I love that I have to think through. Hey, how do I hold that? Loosely. Because if I hold it too tightly, that's going to be the bait that the enemy uses to lure me away.

[Lev Bure]

I can get distracted pretty easily at times. And, I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've missed a freeway exit.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

Just driving because I'm listening to a podcast or an audiobook or I'm just deep in thought. I can't talk on the phone, on my speakerphone, to anyone if I have to follow directions, because I will 100% miss every single turn.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

They say women are great at multitasking more than men. I don't know if that pertains to me.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah. They also say the latest studies say multitasking is a myth, that, like, we really can't. Like, our brains can only be focused on One thing. And that's why I think it's so important for us to, you know, not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind and to realize that this life is. Is very short. It's like, how do we not get sucked into the wrong things? I'll share a story real quick. Before I ever did a wedding, I did a funeral. And so the first kind of ceremonial thing I had to do as a pastor was a funeral. And there were these two guys, the two sons whose father had just passed away. And so I was going there to meet with them and their dad had passed away a couple days before. And so just to talk through the funeral, the service and what they wanted and, and they, they lived in this really wealthy part of town. And I. And it was like where the big houses are. But then it got to the place where it's like the big houses on the big estates, like big, like land, like a guard house and gates, that kind of thing. And I got there and we pulled in and drove through this like cobblestone road and got to this giant house, multi storied, you know, huge white pillars, big steps, and went inside. And there was like a. I'm an art major, so I was like, I'm pretty sure that's like a Monet on the wall right there. Like insane. Like where now? But there were these yellow post it notes everywhere, just yellow post it notes all over the wall. And we, we sat down with them. It was really intense and bloodshot eyes. They had been crying. They lost their father. Grief. And I was trying to minister to, through the situation and they, and I finally got the courage to kind of the situation lightened up a bit and I said, what's going on with the post it notes? And they said, oh, before dad died, he wanted to be surrounded by the word of God. He was, he had gotten sick. He had cancer and, and knew that he had, you know, had been diagnosed with just a few weeks to live. And so he wanted to be surrounded by the word of God. So he'd have him write out scriptures and put them on the wall. And I was like, wow. I was like, what, what else? And they kind of looked at each other. The, the mood lightened, you know, and they just started telling stories about their dad. He's like, man, anybody that came near him, he wanted to share the gospel with the, he would hear the, the people were mowing the lawn. He's like, bring him inside. The mailman would come, he's like, get him come in. Bring him inside. And he was in. In a hospital bed, in his. In his room, like on hospice. But he'd have people come in, and you would just share the gospel with them. And I was like, wow, what else? And they're like, well, dad had a lot of. He. He was. He was a wealthy man. I said, you know, I can tell. And they said in his last days, he just wanted to give it all away. And he would get frustrated because there was, like, power of attorney and trusts and all that, and he couldn't get it. He would just get frustrated that he couldn't give it all away. And I was just like, wow, what else? And they looked at each other and they looked back at me and kind of had this, like, smirk. And they. And they go, well, right before he passed, he sat up in his bed and he just looked at us and yelled, don't wait. Don't wait. Like I did. And then he laid down and breathed his last breath. And as a young minister, I just. I'll never forget that moment of this guy when he. When he's about to go from death. Death to life, and he gains the clarity of what's most important. He's like, hey, don't live for. Don't. Don't fall into those traps. It's not that you can't have nice things, but you don't want nice things to have you.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

And it's like, you can enjoy nice things to the glory of God, but when we don't enjoy. The essence of enjoying is utility. Like using. Enjoying it with friends, like having people over, you know, inviting. Being hospitable. I know that's something you're big on, being hospitable, but not just collecting it, not putting it in boxes and putting it on shelves and putting it away. And so what do you. What do you think are some of the biggest distractions of the world today?

[Pastor JP]

Yeah, I mean, obviously, possessions is a huge one. I think, interestingly, we see different distractions in different, like, geographical locations as well.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

I mean, I think possessions. I think it's big here.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Like on the west coast versus the east coast versus.

[Pastor JP]

I think that I would say, like, power.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

Is a big distraction. And even, I don't know how to say, like, pride or ego maybe, or notoriety, if you will. I think that, you know, social media can be a big distraction.

[Lev Bure]

It's a huge distraction for me. I know you're not on social media, love.

[Pastor JP]

I'm not.

[Lev Bure]

I know not. You know, I like talking about it too, just because I, I feel like there's not as many young people that aren't on social media. So the ones that aren't, they stand out.

[Pastor JP]

But I'll tell you, like, I'm not on social media. But again, the devil is so cunning that he'll find ways to try and pull me back. Like I went on this. Still, something I struggle with is not diving into YouTube shorts.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

Because YouTube shorts, I can go to YouTube.com and I'm on. It's not like you need the app or an account or anything. And so it's amazing how, you know, I'm not on it, but I can be.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

And it's like, man, like, he will do whatever he can to bring you where you fall.

[Lev Bure]

Did you get off social media because it was a distraction in your life or for a different reason?

[Pastor JP]

It was so. I don't know how crazy this will sound to you or not, but I remember one day I had the screen time report came on my phone and it said that I spent about 12 hours a day on my phone.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

Eight of those hours on Instagram.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Wow.

[Pastor JP]

Whoa. Eight of those hours. And so I was, at first, I.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Was like, for me.

[Pastor JP]

Yeah, exactly. And I needed to get off. I was like, there's no chance I can be on this. And I actually took a break and I just, you know, deleted the app. But then when I did that, I found, I would say I gained a lot of clarity into the other ways that social media was taking control over me personally, where that's again, for me, pride, ego, insecurity, like a loss of gratitude because I'm always looking at everyone else. And so it wasn't until I removed myself from a, you know, a long screen time perspective that I didn't actually gain clarity that it was taking so much more for me. So.

[Lev Bure]

So you, you like, I want to. Talking about distraction, you physically, in that instance, like, took it away, you deleted it, you got rid of it.

[Pastor JP]

Yes.

[Lev Bure]

What are some other practical ways when we're distracted that we can get out of that mode?

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah, I think acknowledging it, you know, out the gate, like the first step, just to say this is a distraction for me. As you say that, something I'm reminded of is John Piper said that one of the great uses of social media will be to show us in the last day that prayerlessness was not for lack of time. And it's like, wow, punch me in the face.

[Lev Bure]

Totally.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

And so as I think about distraction, you know, I'll. I will put my phone on the table because I don't want it near me. I have a green chair that I'll do like my quiet time in. That's. It's near the window. And so I put my. My phone over there and I'll sit down in my chair. And I've got my cup of coffee. We've already established like. Like a good cup of coffee. Got my Bible, I've got my commentary, I've got my prayer card cards. I've got my. My journal. And I'm just ready to go. Right. Me and Jesus. And. And I'm. I'm starting. I'll start reading and I hear that.

[Pastor JP]

Right.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Just like my phone.

[Lev Bure]

Yep.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

The, oh, text message, you know, And I'm like, oh, somebody needs me, you know, but. Okay, but God, it's your time. Oh, but what if. What if that's important? No, but Lord, it's. It's me and you. Oh, but what if it's a kid? Yeah. What if they. You would want. No, let's just stay here. And no matter what happens, like now, my mind is divided.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

And. And so I. Again, we just have to see this through the lens that the enemy is. Is trying to rob us of intimacy with our Creator. And when we begin to see it through that lens, then we know that they can use our phone. They can use a relationship, they can use something being broken. They can use illness. I mean, the whole book of Job is a text, is a case study of really how they can try to get us to a place where we're. Where we begin to blame God. Because I think one of the greatest tactics of the enemy is to get us to blame God for his work. Okay. That's what he wants us to do. There's people listening right now. You're mad at God because you lost someone. You're mad at God because of an illness. You're mad at God because of a job loss. You're mad at God for some particular situation. And Satan loves it when you shake your fist at God for something that he did. And, and, and so I think that's a big way that he distracts us is he tries to get us to. To be angry at God for something. And anger is. Is a distraction in and of itself. As James 1:19 says, Be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry. For a person's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. And so, number one, you acknowledge it, and number two, you remove it if you can. There's some distractions. You. You can't remove altogether. Like, if I, If, If I'm distracted by my knee hurting, I may not be able to remove that pain.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

But a lot of distractions, like social media, for you, it's like you can remove it. And so as you acknowledge it, are you able to remove it? If you can't remove it, what is it? What would it look like to leverage it for the kingdom? So, for example, if my knee hurt, how do I give praise to God in the midst of the pain of my knee so that someone might come to know him in a greater way? So what does it look like to use the distraction to press us further into God? So if we just acknowledge the tactic that he doesn't want us to have a close relationship with God, then we can begin to figure out how we. How we overcome that.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

What about you? What would you say are some of your distractions or how the enemy uses distractions to try to keep you out of a right or close relationship with God?

[Lev Bure]

I would say the majority of it, because I'm struggling with this so much right now, is my own mind.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

I can't stop it from thinking of a million different things that don't really matter.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

And I have the hardest time focusing on what I should be focusing on.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

And I. I think just because I. I do spin a lot of plates in my life. I have a lot going on, and I care about my family, and there's a lot going on at work and meetings and all of that. And that's. I mean, everyone has that.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

No, like, literally more plates than anyone I've ever met in my entire life. So let's just say that.

[Lev Bure]

Okay. So there's a lot. And I'm used to that. That is the pace of my life, and I enjoy it. But as I'm getting older, I do want a different sense of a peace and time for that personal life. And when I. And I set. I'm intentional about setting that time aside.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

However, when I do, I find my mind. I can't get my mind to focus nearly as easily as I used to in the past. And so that it's just a distraction, even with my Bible time. And I know a lot of people. I mean, it's kind of always been, you're kind of reading and your mind wanders, like, oh, the grocery list, or, oh, I've got to put some laundry in the washing machine. You know, it happens. But I'm like, I'm having a harder and harder time to. To go, like, switch it off. And go. Okay, let's refocus. Let's refocus. Let's refocus. And I've also just personal side note, reading through the Bible, I changed it up this year and I'm listening to the Bible because I read through the Bible every year and I decided to listen to it this year just as a different way.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

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[Lev Bure]

It's not just for celebrities.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

So do like I did and have.

[Lev Bure]

One of your assistant's assistants switch you.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

To Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Lev Bure]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month plan equivalent to $15 per month Required intro rate first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fe full [e-mail] alongside my study. But oh, it's I love the Bible app that I'm using and I love everything about it, but it is, it does not work for me. I'm not an auditory learner. I'm a visual learner, which I very much understand that. But half the time I don't even know what I just heard because I am thinking about every other thing and I don't even remember what the things I'm thinking about. It sounds honestly like I have add.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

Which I don't think I do.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah. Which I do.

[Lev Bure]

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[Candace Cameron Bure]

Let'S talk about it. So every war, every war is fought over real estate. Almost. That's a little bit of an overstatement. But most wars, most battles are fought over real estate. Whether that's the west bank in, you know, near Israel, whether that's Ukraine, whether that's the, you know, just really any, most any war in history, it's going to be fought over real estate. A lot of times. The spiritual war. So we're talking about the spiritual war. It's fought over the real estate of our minds. This is so important. There's an effort to influence how we think in the land, in our land right now. And we are all programmable beings. That's the reality. Because God, the creator of the heavens, the earth, and the made us programmable beings, which this is why, you know, our music and our entertainment and what we read, the literature we read and what we look at, it influences us. That's why, that's why you're working, Candace, in one of the most spiritually powerful industries in the entire universe. Because that's where the war is. That's where the battle is. It's like when you think about entertainment, I think I say often so far too often we are entertained by the things Christ died for. Like we. We take delight in being amused by the things that held Jesus on the cross. And so if the spiritual war is being fought over the real estate of our mind, I think we have to ask why? Well, as we said in episode one, it's because the mind feeds the heart, not of the heart comes flows our entire life. And I think that we believe today that we don't control our thoughts. But we do. And I can prove it. Like you, like everyone listening or watching right now, I just want you to think of a yellow school bus. Can you think about that like you see it? And it says school bus in black on the side, has the windows and the tires. There's a right. You think of a yellow school bus. You see it, you guys see it, you're listening. You just controlled your thoughts.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

You just said, hey, I want to think of a yellow school bus. And I'm going to. So at any point you can say, all right, I'm going to think of Jesus on the cross. I'm going to dwell on Psalm 23. I'm going to. I'm going to begin to recite Romans 12. You can choose something and you can take your minds back to that. I get that intrusive thoughts are reality. I went through a season where I struggled with anxiety and panic. I struggle with intrusive thoughts. And so I know that struggle well, intimately, sadly. But I want us to understand that if you have the tools, you can bring your thoughts back to the things of God at any point in your life, no matter what's going on, because that's what the enemy's trying to keep you away from. And it is a learned skill. And. And reading is difficult for me. I'm more auditory learner myself. And so I, I read out of pure discipline. The scripture says, discipline yourself for godliness. So it is a. It's a mature. But I do it because I know that it's going to produce godliness in my life.

[Lev Bure]

When you memorize Scripture, because you, you are the person who has just quoted the most scripture and you know exactly where it's coming from in the Bible, maybe that I've ever talked to in my life over these.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Thank you.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah, it's incredible. When you memorize scripture, are you obviously. Well, I'm assuming you read it, but are you. Is your memorization skill because you're hearing it more and it's the repetition of it, or it's because you're reading it? This is just Like a side question.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

It's the repetition. It's the repetition of saying it. And so I utilize the Bible in, in my, in my profession.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

So when I say these verses, it's because I'm doing like, premarit counseling or marriage counseling, or I'm sitting with some, some parents who have a problem prodigal, or I'm going through whatever the situation is. And I know that God in his kindness gave us these 66 books. 66 books written over 1500 years by 40 different authors on three continents and three languages with one central truth. God getting his children back.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

You know, God telling us how we can have a right relationship with him. And so as we write those truths on our heart, they really, you know, he says it's like a lamp in to our feet. It's guiding us. It's. It's showing us where to go. Like, it's all true, guys. Yeah, it's all true. There's this other world that we belong to that we, that we can't always see as clearly as we should. And we're going to be there forever and ever and ever. And it's all true. And, and he's, you know, the, the prince. It's this story that Hollywood is capitalized on. Disney is capitalized on. We've been lost to this curse on the land end, and, and the prince is going to come back and he's going to rescue us. Whether we're in the tower or in the castle or behind the dragon, whatever it is. He's going to slay the dragon, by the way. It's literally a dragon in Revelation. And he's going to slay the dragon and he's going to take us home to his kingdom. And it's all true. And everything that happens to us today will be in an effort to try to get us to forget that narrative.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

And even as, like, some people are hearing that for the first time, they're like, oh, yeah, Braveheart, Gladiator, Snow White, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Shrek. Oh yeah, Princess and the frog. It's all the same story repeated frozen, you know, it's the same story over and over. Curse on the land. There's a savior in the story comes, rescues the people from the curse over and over and over again. Because that's the story written on our heart. And, and that's why we, like, your story has a villain. And, and to overcome the villain, you have to draw near to the one who has the power to overcome the villain. And so that's the, the Villain wants to distract us from that reality.

[Lev Bure]

Can you unpack the story in the Bible, in Exodus about the golden calf, when the people are worshiped, Moses goes up to the hill. He's there for 40 days. Correct me if I'm wrong. But then the people are getting restless, they're getting distracted because they don't know if Moses is coming back down or not. And then they tell Aaron, hey, make us a golden calf, yeah, so we can worship something. Goes, okay, give me all your jewelry. This kills me when I read it. I'm like, Aaron, you're the high priest, what are you doing? I get so mad when I read it. But he's like, okay, yeah, and, and they, he crafts this golden calf so they can start worshiping them. But I think I would just love for you to unpack that story for us and any, and, and tell us how, you know, maybe what the golden calves are in our modern day story.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

I'd love to. And so it really is a story of patience. So God's people are enslaved to the Egyptians. So they're literally, they're in captivity, forced to work day and night against their will with, with no payments, you know, that just really kept alive. It's a, it's a terrible situation of, you know, if you have any context for slavery, it's awful. And this is their reality. And God in his kindness creates a way out for them. And not just a way out for them, but he parts a sea so that when their enemies, they're coming for them, the Egyptians are coming for them, Pharaoh and his army are coming for them. He closes the sea on them, so he delivers their enemy to them and sets them free. And so they're wandering in the wilderness and Moses goes up to talk to God and goes up Mount Sinai. And as they are waiting for him to come back, I mean, granted, God has just provided a way out of captivity for them. He's provided food for them out of the skies, provided water for them. And here they are, they're tired of waiting on Moses and so they say, hey, we want something else. We need something else to worship. And so as you said, Aaron takes all their jewelry and they make this, they build this golden calf and they, they have the audacity to say, this is the God that set us out of, to set us free from slavery. But let me show you something that's crazy. Exodus, earlier in Exodus. So when they're in, like, here's a good question. These guys were literally property like, like less than in poverty moments ago. Where did they get all the gold. That's why, like, now they have hundreds of millions of dollars in gold. Where did it come from? And it says in Exodus 11 or 12, I can't remember which one. It says that. That God made the Egyptians favorably disposed. Made the Israel, made his people favorably disposed to the Egyptians so that they candid them all of their gold. And so he sends them. He not just sets them free, but he sends them out free, delivers their enemy to them with hundreds of millions of dollars. And so they take the thing that God provided for them, and they. You. They create something from it that they then worship. And it's crazy. And this is the story that we live over and over and over and over. We take the gifts that God has given us.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

And then we begin to worship those gifts. That's what Satan did. God. God made him beautiful. God made him powerful. God made him strong. And he says, I don't want to worship you. I want to worship me. You know, there's like, you know, there's a. The mantra. So there's a Satanic Bible. The mantra of the Satanic Bible is. Is do as thy will. That's. It's not like seances and drink blood and just, you know, selfishness. Yeah, yeah. It's just. It's hedonism. Yeah. It's like, do whatever you want. Where the mantra, the Christian faith is, present your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

This is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1. And so that's. That's what's at odds. So when we go through this life, like, hey, I just want to do whatever I want. You know who. You know who does whatever they want? Toddlers. Right. You had little ones. I mean, I remember when Weston was, like, four, he was holding his cup of cereal with milk. You know, it was like a cup of cereal, and he just turned it upside down.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Just poured it over the table. I said, buddy, why did you do that? He was. I don't know. So I felt like it. I think it was four or something. I was like, that's what children do. They do whatever they feel like it. But the essence of spiritual maturity is to not do whatever you feel like doing.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Because we all have. We have desires and urges, like, within our. Like, that's the. So many people say, well, if God didn't want me to do it, he wouldn't make me feel this way. No, no. You have all kinds of feelings, all kinds of ways you feel that you shouldn't act upon. There Are all kinds of things you want to do that you shouldn't act upon. And so what does it look like for us to. To be a living sacrifice for us to live with love, joy, peace, patience, kind, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Not doing what we want, not succumbing to the. The, you know, the. The distractions of the enemy.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

What do you think are, you know, in relation to distractions? Like, the biggest threat that our world faces today? Like, what does the enemy want to distract us with most?

[Lev Bure]

Can I. Can I just please jump in? Because we were recently. Well, wasn't that recent? But at gather 25.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

And I loved the message. And I don't know if this part came from you or Jenny Allen. I mean, there were so many incredible people that were speaking. But. But the takeaway from me and I think Jenny talked about it was like, don't miss it. We're so distracted and it. And for whatever reason, you're distracted.

[Pastor JP]

Right.

[Lev Bure]

Don't miss it that God's here.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

That's right.

[Lev Bure]

God is like, wake up. Like, wake up. God's coming back. And we all know that, but we don't know if it's tomorrow and we don't know if it's a hundred years from now, if we're going to be alive when he comes back. But don't be so distracted in any way that you're going to miss.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

That's right. Yeah. That's like that guy, you know, the. The dad of the two sons. The last words he sits up.

[Lev Bure]

Right, right.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Don't wait, don't wait, don't wait. Like I did is essentially you could have said. Said don't miss it.

[Pastor JP]

Right, yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Don't miss it. Like I did. Like, understand there's this other kingdom, and you're living for that kingdom. In Paul's letter to the Church of Philippi, he says, there are those who live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction. They're going to go to hell. Their God is their stomach. Their mind is set on earthly things. What does it mean that their God is their stomach? It means they eat whatever they. They're hungry for. If they. If they have a fleshly urge, they just act upon it. And so that's. That's. He describes them as enemies of the cross of Christ. So what does it look like for us not to just act on every urge, but to surrender that urge to a God, a father who loves us?

[Lev Bure]

Yeah. And I'll also say that to the church, and I say it to myself as well of like, don't be so distracted in the things that we're doing for the church or for Christ that we're actually missing doing it with him and waiting upon him. And it's like busy. Yeah, the busy, the business. We can be busy within church culture. We can be busy doing things but missing the very reason why we're busy. Busy and to sit in his presence.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah, it's an acronym or acrostic. Being under Satan's yoke. B U S Y Being under Satan's yoke.

[Pastor JP]

That's good.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

So I think that that is something the enemy tries to get us to do.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah, I always, I hate, I don't like using the word busy when people are like, how you doing? And the natural is like, yeah, every, I'm pretty busy right now. And then I'm like, no, that's not, I'm not proud of that. I'm not, I don't want to be busy.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

You're optimized, utilized, deployed. I'm well deployed.

[Lev Bure]

Yes. That's good. Okay. Should we take a listening question? This is, is from Zamora. I love all the names.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Where are your listeners? I'm like, all those names are so unusual.

[Lev Bure]

I know I'd have to check Biblical. I know. I wonder if, I don't know if we have in the emails if some of us tell them where they're coming, what country they're from, but I would love to know that too. Anyway, Zamora asks, how do you engage your child in the Bible without overwhelming or over complicating the message?

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah, I think I said a couple weeks ago, extraordinary kids come from extraordinary parents. How did you. I mean I feel like they like what did, what'd your mama do? Well, for you to help you love God's word.

[Lev Bure]

Do you remember things?

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Love?

[Lev Bure]

I mean I could say talk as a parent, please. I mean give me your perspective.

[Pastor JP]

I want to hear from the, from the perspective of, of the parent.

[Lev Bure]

I mean I don't know, Zamora, how old your children are, but assuming if they're young or toddlers, I just invite them into the Bible, into the conversation. Just in life and daily walking. I, you know, don't think that you need to sit down and, and preach or teach a sermon to a four year old. But it's about, are you doing your reading time at night? Great. Is there a great biblical story, A Bible story, a great book that can engage where they're just learning what that's all about. And I think the biggest thing in parenting was Having the conversations and always trying to back it up with why? Because a lot of kids ask the question, why, why, why, why? It kind of doesn't stop. And so if, if there was a moment, just like in a Full House episode, there was a teaching moment.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yes.

[Lev Bure]

You want to teach the lesson. But I was. We always tried to teach why? Because the Bible says this. Because God tells us this and give them the reason. And so when kids were young, it's just about having those conversations. I know there's so many moms that are like, I don't know if my 5 year old is saved and really loves Jesus yet. And I'm like, it's okay. Like, it's okay. Just model the behavior in your life as a parent and be open to the conversations and have them in the questions. And there's so many great tools. But you, you know, I don't think when your children are very young, you need to be sitting them down to make sure that they're saved. Like, God cares for the children, for the little children, like so much. And that's gonna come. It's gonna come naturally.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

Over time.

[Pastor JP]

Well said.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Okay.

[Lev Bure]

Nothing to add?

[Pastor JP]

No.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

I mean, like.

[Pastor JP]

No, I think, I think, you know, growing up, I don't have children yet.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah, but you can teach.

[Pastor JP]

Little Willing. But I'm saying, I think, I mean.

[Lev Bure]

Speak from your perspective.

[Pastor JP]

Authenticity is huge.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

I think growing up and seeing parents who are authentic with their faith and, you know, even speak of it or live their faith out in a way that you see is real and authentic. And again, something I know you're passionate about is in a way that's vulnerable.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

Is really huge. I think not to present, you know, Christ or the Gospel in this thing. That's unattainable, almost.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Pastor JP]

But something that's so real, that's intimate, that's, you know, God is a relational God. And seeing that from someone who you're probably closest to relationally, your parents is a game changer.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

I would add quickly, just the different stages. So kids are in diapers. You're praying over them and you're quoting scripture to them. You're just bathing them in Scripture. So over that changing table, put a couple verses, just write it on the wall there. You can frame it. It's a cheap decoration or inexpensive decoration is to print out some scriptures. Throw a nice hobby lobby frame around it, put it on the, in the, in the nursery. And so as you change their diaper, just read the scriptures to them. Pray. Pray for them as, as they get older, where they begin to comprehend more. More kind of moving out of diapers now, reading. And so I know you have children's books that actually begin to give kids a biblical worldview at a really early age. It's like candy. What's the. There's like a character's name, right? Am I making.

[Lev Bure]

Well, I have. No, I have some kids books that are like the little Candace books and then some with generous family.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Yeah.

[Lev Bure]

And there's lots of character names in there. But teaching biblical lessons.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

So there's a, there's a, there's a lot of, of resources like that out there. Another one is the Jesus Storybook Bible where it just, it takes every Bible, every biblical story, and points it to Christ. It's really theologically sound. And so you start to read to them at night. You can just take some time before they go to bed and begin to read to them. As they get older into kind of Ellen, I mean, junior high and high school age, this is when you're telegraphing and you're going to begin to tell them what's going to happen. Hey, people are going to be really interested in dating and they're going to make some mistakes, and those mistakes are going to have real consequences because they're going outside of God's desire. And I want you to see that. You're going to see lots of tears, lots of breakups. You're going to hear gossip and rumors of so and so because they went out with so and so and did whatever. And as you, as you hear that, you're going to see, see people start vaping and get stuck in addiction and, and just tell them what's coming their way. And as a parent, you become a trusted guide and expert and show them where the scripture says, hey, it's a, it's a better way. It'll be difficult. It'll be difficult to not go the way of the world. But as you go this way, you're going to find life there. And as you, it's going to feel like you, like, know the secrets to the kingdom. You know, as you tell a child, someone in junior high and high school, this and, and then what happens then when they go to college, they're going to reach back out and say, hey, you were a trusted guide then. Will you be a trusted guide now? And so you're just kind of giving weight to the Bible and then help them. And then, you know, you touched on this. But I think the greatest thing we can do is model. And you, you said it last week. Episode Last week, Candace, the. The spiritual armor. Model that spiritual armor. Right. And so tell the truth, live a righteous life, the breastplate of righteousness, share the gospel, display faith, know the word of God, and always be praying and living out our salvation. As you model that for them, that's the greatest thing we can do. I think. So often kids see parents go to church and then they kind of live however they want, you know, the other six days and then that. That won't go well for you. No, I can tell you that.

[Lev Bure]

Yeah. Well, those. Thanks for sharing those answers. I'm going to add one little book that I loved reading to you guys. I don't know if you remember it, but it was called A Dangerous Journey and it was a kids version of Pilgrim's Progress and it was a great picture book too. But I loved reading that to you guys.

[Pastor JP]

I do remember that. I do remember that.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

It's why you are the God fearing young man you are today.

[Pastor JP]

It's, it's, it's a, it's a real thing, you know, as you, you know, come of age to, to realize that you have, you know, a wealth of even knowledge that you've been blessed with by parents who poured into you and invested into you. Yeah, it's, yeah, it's not for no reason.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

Show a child the way they should go and as they grow old, they will not depart from it.

[Lev Bure]

Amen. Amen. Thanks guys. And remember, we made a free PDF download for you called the no Fear Guide. Everything about your life is spiritual and you can learn about it and talk about it with confidence. Go to Candice.com to get the guide and it's also in the show notes. Until next time. Be grateful all day, every day. Close your eyes, exhale, feel your body relax and let go of whatever you're carrying today. Well, I'm letting go of the worry that I wouldn't get my new contacts in time for this class. I got them delivered free from 1-800-contacts. Oh my gosh, they're so fast.

[Pastor JP]

And breathe.

[Lev Bure]

Oh, sorry. I almost couldn't breathe when I saw the discount they gave me on my first order. Oh, sorry. Namaste. Visit 1-800-contacts.com today to save on your first order contacts.

[Candace Cameron Bure]

This episode is brought to you by LifeLock. Not everyone is careful with your personal information, which might explain why there's a victim of identity theft every five seconds in the U.S. fortunately, there's LifeLock. LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats to your identity. If your identity is stolen, a US based restoration specialist will fix it, guaranteed or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year by visiting lifelock.com podcast terms apply.

[Lev Bure]

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