Karl Clauson: 7 Resolutions to Transform Your Life

Risk-taking is the Christian life. It's put this out there. Were we can't do it. Whether it's giving up your gifts, your finances, your time in your life, take risk, take risk, put it out there to get out of the boat man, you gotta take some steps and when you do you find yourself in total reliance on God.

Welcome to family life today where we want to help you pursue relationships that matter most and will think Dave Wilson and you can find us if we live today.com or on our family life, family life today so we never had in the studio, a participant in the Iditarod never happen again.

Really even know what it was until our kids started watching movie when they were little about the Iditarod I thought possible.

How can anyone really do that. It was the truth is we got a got a dinner 1100 mile dog one day. How many dogs will start with 13 finished and Norm was seven wonders of the dogs.yeah immediately, so let me disclaim none of my dogs died, but I dropped them at different checkpoints. Maybe there dehydrated when they got a pulled muscle or they've got a lacerated pad or something like that little cut on the pad.

We take good care of these dogs are incredible athletes. So you finished with seven I finish with seven dogs and they could do that though there strong I had two girls up and lead your sisters write you dad that they were amazing. You want okay and you want more like Abramov. I had a dog named King sounds pretty typical. Yeah, he was a big strapping guy but he was superfast to use a super athlete and very smart but when I got out on the West Coast of Alaska into the headwinds of the Bering Sea wins he couldn't handle it side to pull him back into the team and I was looking through my team and I grabbed these two sisters and they both were born together in a remote village they trained together, they race together and they died together, and they ran in tandem lead side-by-side and they had the same name.

White eyes while we were both white eyes and so I put those girls up and lead his face in a stiff wind coming out a check to look headed for the village of quick we were mushing right across the field like a movie over motion, write a short sound effects and actually I'd ignored the counsel of a village elder in check to look when I got out on that ice and the wind began to pick up the want to see on the ice. We were on the ocean from check to look the quick you're running right across the ocean. Your long ways away from land. So there's some pressure cracks with the tides and different things, but we're making pretty good time and the storm came in and blew them bloom blue and those girls were doing great in then it got to full whiteout condition and I couldn't see beyond. My hand stretched out and I was pedaling with my muck luck.

So it's like pushing on the snow and I put my feet up on the runners to give myself a break to put my foot back down and were stopped and I'm like oh no. So I crawl up to my dogs. If you're ever out in the situation. Dave and in here so here's some coach you are have actually happened in the next week or so. So if you're ever in a situation like this, you never want to let loose of the sled. The guidelines of the dogs so I crawled on my hands and knees because the wind was gusting. I did know at times gusting to 92 miles an hour and two snow machines come out looking for me and it ripped the cowling off one snowmachine so they decide to turn back and this is prior to GPS or anything so I'm out on that sea ice alone and I got pinned down for about five hours. That thread did a foxhole, prayer, and it's a God, get me out of this one man but God showed mercy. He let that windstorm let up, but before it let up. I got my dogs into a little ball and by this time I had a dogs and my team and I had these two girls up and lead men. I got them into a little ball and I just huddled around the menacing guys were to get out of here and it's like those white eyes girls look to me like were to make it. Dad, you make it, but I crawl back to my sled. I put up a snowshoe in the sea ice and I put some Gore-Tex up for a windbreak, but it felt all that wind cut through all my gear and I thought there's a better chance an ottoman a diopter so I called out to God, and five hours later I had a break in the storm.

I could see just above the ice crystals that were at about a 5 foot levels were. They stopped and I could see the lights of quick just barely off in the distance.

I got those dog strong out I got those two girls back up and lead and I looked at him as a girls, we gotta go and I think they knew we had our Tookie and a scorcher here folks, so they, like I did in the command-we headed out and ultimately made it in. I had breathed in ice particles for that whole time. So my full face mask was frozen to my face and when I got into the village of Kodiak. There is no doctor, but there is a veterinarian and that was good enough.

He put me over a stove and we heated it up and it began to melt and then he cut the Wilmot facemask up the back and peeled it off. It just took one full layer of skin off my face so I needed, put some Vaseline on sleep. About seven hours and then we headed out the next morning from quick.

Are you may have made. As she tried to squish, you're in trouble when you get to thinking as well.

I guess you are well.

I mean when I hear the story of the get okay. It is a metaphor of life, so much so in the whole race problem is that you female dogs in the front. There something about the strength of women and even together yeah that'll preach today well I mean were talking today and yesterday about the seven resolutions that you wrote a book in your subtitle were self-help ends in God's power begins walking through that, because that sounds like a lot of self-help enemy say to Dave if you missed yesterday hello back and listen because you can hear more about Carl just talked about like you want to hear that Jeff self-help bill we can do a lot inner strength. I love to tell people in our church and even on radio in Chicago or host a radio show.

I I love to tell people you know a good prayer to pray is just a little bigger than me. God just a little bigger than me actually where I got that prayer was on that ice from check to look to quick because it was there when I started to pray, it was beyond me could not get off that ice and I did a foxhole prayer that I didn't mean but God was extended mercy, and he got me off that ice but ever since then I've been telling people this. Whether it's giving of your gifts, your finances, your time, your life, take risk, take risk, put it out there. Gotta get out of the boat man, you gotta take some steps and when you do you find yourself in total reliance on God. And so, believe it or not. I don't ask people to find an easier path. I actually believe that the blessing of God is found in the toughest times when we're in over our heads and we know it now, here's the reality worrying over our heads all the time but sometimes God has to prove it to us and that's what I live for is getting out on that edge when I was reading about Carl. I put it down for a second after I read what you just said and I thought when was the last time I did something so risky that I couldn't do it. Apart from God. It's been a while. I think that we get comfortable. I think that we get older till and we don't want to take the risk. Risk-taking is the Christian life. It's put this out there. Were we can't do it. It's a beautiful thing because every time I get myself in over my head. We planted a church in South Loop in Chicago and because of what happened before and mine and my brides lifecycle of my bride been married 34 years because of what's happened in our life in the past. My thought, working to build it and they're going to come. We built it feel like I'm preaching better than I ever had. Understanding the grace of God, but I realize some South Loop in Chicago's tough ground hope man God by his grace allowed me to see something the very thing written about and that is that this isn't about your fancy footwork your ability to preach. God wants to keep us reliant on him all the time in OT what God did in me.

She showed me that it's easier to gather a crowd than it is to make disciples.

So that's my most recent fall I'm out on the edge now or plant in this church but were getting some sweet people 17 different languages spoken in our little church but I will say this, they are hungry for God and were making disciples and it's in awesome thing would've I had learned the lesson had people been showing up and I think we have been managing crowds more than discipling people and so I praise God for even difficult moments doing ministry. It's awesome. You don't he say that it's easy to you know the bring a crowd and make disciples talk about that in your family with a look like as this is dad's is moms were called make disciples in her own home, I found as a pastor it's easier to do it out there it is in here big time and so with that look like and I'm so glad yes that because I think the key for us, sit near today and I thought about this coming on family life today aren't what's the kicker here. We want to pass off to our kids the right things but in a in an Americanized Christianity and I'll keep saying this, we have a propensity to bootstrap self-help pull it up we go do it.

You know, we ought to.

We should let's get to church. Let's get plugged in all those words easily come off of our lips, but that's mainly focused on behavior. Behavior modification will never change anyone ever changes anyone I was studying again a book that I had read many years ago called Divine conspiracy by Dallas Willard and he builds a case that I can't believe I said it down.

I ran downstairs starting my bride. I was up studying and I ran downstairs and I said Babe Babe look… Here's what he says he's is working to be stuck in behavior modification until we come to the point where were broken and then we have this huge vision of God. He says here's the problem. And it's true. Our behaviors follow our belief and so for any parent or grandparent anyone that wants to leave a legacy in the home. Dave your question. The key is you be boiling with conviction about what you believe about God first and foremost because it's easy to pass off behavior modification to kids without even knowing it. And the secret sauce of the abundant life that bears fruit in its to God's glory that we bear much fruit, so he's all for that is a life that says oh God, I'm in a believe you and I'm in a trust in you and dinner behavior begins to get aligned with God cannot look at this story in John 15 Jesus that I'm the vine you're the branch you abide in me, you will bear fruit.

We got a choice.

We can either focus on fruit production, which is really just performance or behavior. I got of love and joy and peace and patience and kindness and that last one self-control. Gotta have that or we can focus on proximity to Jesus, but we can't do both and we got a choice, and the legacy to leave our kids and grandchildren is that they see mom and dad, grandma and grandpa, aunts and uncles living in proximity to Jesus stumble and bumble along but don't even give them a hint of you need to be 11. You need to be patient. No no no no, man.

That's the fruit that's the fruit of an abiding relationship with Jesus and you know what happens if we aren't producing the real stuff will wind up as parents and grandparents and we can all fall into this, by the way, and it's easy to do, but is much as we can fall into what God can pull us out. But when we know we can't be producing fruit. Or at least that's what we should have, should we have a were Christians don't you know and we don't have it were pasted on fake fruit fake grapes fake bananas fake apples.

And here's the problem.

The closer people get to you. The more they know it's for the ones that really now are your kids if you're faking it. They know it in a second.

Yeah. So often as a pastor you know and like you said, need to have the same thing people come up with after sermon. Your hope and are going to go mad. I was the best servant ever heard in my entire life. But that's not often what I hear, but often I did hear from a dad usually I get my kids to follow Jesus and I got a 10-year-old I got a 17-year-old call Jesus in their wondering and they're expecting you know get a minute Christian school make sure their new youth program here. We got all the stuff going on and I've never said that. I've never said that one time I said you on fire.ca lately like what Mike are you on fire for Jesus yes and I came thought by your wife because that's up to her, but are they seeing in your home a man whose what you said just earlier taken risk where of God, then show up were toast your scared to death because you're stepping out on water in your Serengeti and make this solid in that brings fire in your soul because I'm sure is my neighbor I'm get more money and I and I should be given. Whatever the risk is are they see in an unfired attic is like they're going to catch Internet can be taught.

As you can be passed on because they catch it to me like yeah I gave him the wrong answer like you didn't tell me what to do in my Just fall on your face and ask God to stoke something in you that's real that'll be passed on. Hopefully your kids. It's actually the only way and somebody simply listen right now going will how I get that you're listening to Damien Wilson with Carl Clawson on family life today will hear his answer in just a minute, but first here's a special message from Carl himself, Carl Clawson here and I want to lay down a challenge and it's a good one for you.

A lot of us think of different things were investing in this world the weekend to remember woe don't turn away. I know you heard a bunch, but you want to see something rock your world. You want to take hold of God's power. You want to get challenged in a way and get hope in a way like you haven't lately week and to remember something to fire those boilers of love in your marriage that may be has been gone for a long time. I'm telling it'll put fuel in your soul and you will find your marriage radically transformed want to encourage you to check it out right now. This is a vital time. It's like half off on this thing right now, so check it out. Family life. We can remember there's gotta be one near you.

And even if it's a bit of a drive it's worth it. Take the trip. It's worth it. Take the trip.

He's right. It's totally worth it. Register for your weekend to remember right now and get 50% off@familylifetoday.com right now, back to David and with Carl Clawson and how to pass on real faith your kids go to Matthew 13 and there's two stories prove one point Jesus told. He said the kingdom of God's kingdom life living in the kingdom which is power to the kingdom of God is like a guy who walked into a field and he found a treasure I got chills right now there's nothing like the word of God C finds a treasure and that treasure was so bodacious he buries covers it up goes home liquidates all earthly assets to buy that field. Then Jesus said, and there's a guy who was a pearl hunter. He was looking for the best pearls on the planet.

He found this parole in this thing was blaming and he went and liquidated everything he had to go get that pearl, I don't care what you gotta do. Go climb on top of a little hill somewhere you need let Jesus rekindle that love you once had, because that is the stuff that's going to stick to kids. That's the stuff I couldn't agree more. And I think for people listening like I want to do that, but I'm not and you're saying the first place. We go as we bow we say God I have nothing and I think you can't fake it every day. It's that prayer of God. I surrender all, all that I am.

I give it to you and I can see there watching and they know it in a pickup on it and wanted to say to Carl, you mentioned before, we were on air that you're discipling a son. It's older yeah because he came to you and it's awesome. I mean my son is using the tech industry and he's a great kid in a six-day strapping kid just some everything yeah he's he's got a lot. It's a blessing to be able to have my adult son to be coaching him up in the word of God and sharing with them and even looking back and telling him you know son, I missed an opportunity to really pour into you.

I let it become professionalized almost outsource some of my discipling of my son to youth ministry. He regret that back only a sure man, I got more regrets. Look at that stacker regrets by me back if we can learn from those and by the way, it's one thing to have regrets it. The dangerous thing to never share them with someone because that's when they have power for something positive though you told your son about yeah say I missed an opportunity man. I told him straight up. I didn't discipling. I didn't to cycle you sent any got that quiet right there seizing the moment that were seizing the moment and were watching fruit born out of it by your marriage, how to keep that fire we have these talks where we look face-to-face and we do this is not chicken your man card. By the way men, but I look into my wife's eyes and I'll take her hand and I'll ask her what's going on. How are you doing what you feeling when we go to feeling because feelings oftentimes we talk in terms what were thinking or what's going on or what's going on but you gotta get down to feeling you're the first time ever saw one of these goofy fueling wheels ever seen a feeling will tell you all my work all my word. I thought oh my manhood is gonna tell the feeling will was tongue-in-cheek. Here I was invited to come to a group of goodness 614 years ago and I said yeah come on up group, the mentor meet in this upper room and they said be there at 6 o'clock I walk in and walking and there's this 5 foot diameter thing in the middle of the circle and I'm like what in the can't hear this.

I like what what's going on and I sit down and here we go, somebody Braden, here we go, and we get these granite rocks in our Hanover given to us and were supposed to leave this rock down. I'm catching on quick on the field and I'm like, did I miss who stole the ladies from this and what are the dudes doing here and they start going around the corner talking about their feelings and it gets to me, like I gonna put a feeling down here not forget the feeling that I'm put the rock on but with the minute I set it on the feeling that life but me. You did say that I thought about good grief, but this is all were talking about is getting plastered it a point of need.

Before God in understanding how we feel and for me to mind that out of my bride what you feel and I can help her process things.

In truth, that will help set us both free and she does the same for me.

Date nights are awesome 12 years.

I spoke with family life on weekends to remember. I remember telling Dennis Rainey back in the day. I remember coming up to him and I said Dennis I love these weekends to remember, but we need to focus on the power talk because without the power of God found through brokenness enough emotional intelligence in space where we can get in touch with our feelings without the power of God deposited in those moments all the rest of the stuff is bandaged.

It's all glitter.

It doesn't matter one bit compared to being broken in understanding who we are and are need before God and let him meet us there. Then as you said so often it's where self-help ends and the power, God begins.

It's like if you don't know the power God we said it every week.

And remember, you can take this manual home. There's good stuff in here.

It's the word of God. It will do nothing without the power of God, not a chance. Your life will not change in yes it was things in said to me years ago that she wanted to do in our marriage, and it really does bring fire back is pray together all big time every single day and this farm is like really everything anyone else like to lift and we told couples just start there.

I me. I think what you just said is awesome and told me years ago when we are alone, would you just asked me I had to write this down Carl. Okay tell me what to ask you how you doing how you feeling I love the feeling large-scale me that why was I really see us. You don't even know what my life is you don't know what's going on.

You never ask Mike.

It's that simple. You just ask but I think dates you we get so busy and I think families are so busy even with their kids, but for meaning to turn to you and to say how are you feeling I want to get that rock in the feeling start. I remember we were here one time and somebody asking a question like you ever get lonely and you said yes I thought never asking that question. Are you lonely you feel any want to quit when I get to do it here. It's mutual to really get into the depths of each other's heart. They give it a couple listen right now you will do some risky and one of your resolutions. This take risk here is a risk for you and your marriage, get on your knees together with your spouse and pray them maybe done you hundreds, as I'm guessing most couples are doctors. I will get on her knee is all special thing about this thought that her posture, I need to render in humility when you go down in your knees. Your like low like I need you.

We need each other. If your spouse will do it then you do it, but man, if you two can do it together. It could be a brand-new start power and outthink us today as I've said this before.

If your spouse doesn't pray with you something that's magnificent about you reaching over putting your hand on your spouse even in bed think I thank you for my spouse and then say the things that are good about them. They forgot like thank you God that he's a good provider. Thank you that he's kind of thinking that he's goodhearted and you may have problems at first coming up with something to speak life as you pray and sing things that God sees in your spouse power to Bactine and indistinct help. Here's the even listening to Damien Wilson with Carl Clawson on family life is book is called the seven resolutions where self-help ends in God's power begins. You can get a copy of family life to a.com or by calling 800-3583 29 that's one 800 F as in family L as in life, and then the word today. If you know anyone who needs to hear today's conversation.

Be sure to share it from wherever you get your podcasts. Why are there simple way you can help more families discover God's plan for marriage and families is by leaving a rating and review for family life now.

Tomorrow will be back with Carl Clawson to talk about reigniting your fire for God killing your sin. That's tomorrow on behalf of David and Wilson. I'm Shelby Abbott will see you back next time for another edition of family life, family life today is a production of family life crew ministry helping you pursue the relationships that matter most