Episode 367: Eyeing the Impossible (feat. Shannon Bream)

Thanks for tuning in to Becoming Something, where we promise to keep the conversation honest and real for young adults in their 20s and 30s. Every moment we live is training for a future moment, and that's why we do this podcast, because we want you to be prepared for everything that life is going to throw at you. Our hope with this podcast is that it would help you become all that God desires you to be. So with that in mind, let's jump right in to this week's episode of Becoming Something. What's up, Podcasts? We're the Shaboy JP in the podcast studio with Shannon. Wow, we're going to her first. That's the first time ever. It's a first, Shannon Breen. Well, it's a pretty big day. Welcome to Becoming Something. We're so glad you're with us. I am honored to be with you guys. You have the best conversations and just so much transparency and real world good advice that I'm happy to join you guys. And bad advice, honestly. So much transparency. Me and too much head times. Those other two voices are also Nate and Kathy. They're here too. Also, I've always thought we could crush the 2PM time slot on Fox News. What do you think? I don't know, man. Where did you go to law school? Or maybe the 3PM? We call it the 3. And us three run with it. Reporting the news? Yes. That's my little skeptical. I might contribute something different. Let's do a little bit of like just an interview real quick. Just try it because Shannon is here and she did say, she was like, hey, we're looking for new anchors and those kinds of things. So go ahead. So just with the news. How would you? The news is not good. There's a lot of bad things happening. Her job is the news. She just insulted them. No, no, no. Not the people who report the news. The news is not awesome. And there's... It could be discouraging. It could be discouraging. But God is still on the move. Yes. And he's alive and active. So that's all I got. Do you ever get nervous for interviews? I mean, you get to interview the most important people in the world. That's a huge, huge show. Like you today. That's where that was going. Sometimes you know that it's going to be hostile. You really have to just get your head right for it. Sometimes you know you're interviewing foreign leaders. And so there's a language barrier and sometimes there's like translation happening while you're trying to get to a point. So yeah, there are all kinds of little hiccups that are... Sometimes there are special interviews that you know, just a little bit more nerves than usual. You have been there almost 20 years, which means you went to work for them when you were five. Exactly. And so law school from FSU, I mean, your goals for a lot of people. I mean, you're doing it. And so you're going to hang out with us, the Be So crew. I want to talk about your new book, Nothing is Impossible, because it's so... As marks your life. It's so encouraging. And I know that it's going to encourage and help a lot of people. But yeah, I mean, just manhouse life. How are things going? It's good. I would like to give a little shout out to undergrad was Liberty University. So go Flames. Let's go. My favorite school in the country. Fan the Flames. And then yeah, I went home to Tallahassee where I grew up to go to Florida State on a nice free ride from law school. It's nice to graduate debt free. And yeah, I've moved around the country, you know, working different markets, doing that I was a lawyer for a little while and I did not love it. So I did not keep doing that. And I had my midlife crisis at 29, changed over into what I absolutely love. And I think it's my passion and at least for the season where God has me. And yeah, I've been here in DC doing this 20 years and I cover the Supreme Court and politics and I write books. And it's so thankful that I'm in a place where I have a platform that the Lord is glorified that I've got an employer who does not have any problem with me talking about Jesus, in fact, encourages it, quoting Bible verses on TV, whatever. If it's organic, you know, it just works. I'm so, so thankful. Come on. Well, I mean, every now and then God just pours out grace and favor on a life and says, hey, this person's going to represent me. And he did that with you. Tell us more about the midlife, I'll say, quarter life crisis at 29. Yeah. So I was a lawyer for a few years, even when I was in law schools. One of those things are like, this is not what I'm going to do for the rest of my life. I had changed my major a lot of times in undergrad can totally relate to kind of not knowing where your life is going to go. I was interested in journalism and my late father was like, that's not a real job. He thought it was show. And so he's like, you're going to law school or med school. So pick one. My dad was a Marine. So when he said things, he really was not joking. So I like, no one's going to let me into med school. I mean, and I can't stand blood and guts. That's not happening. But he's like, you do like to argue a lot. It might be a good place for you. So even at school, though, I just knew that wasn't going to be my path. The traditional legal thing. So I did it for a few years and then I decided I was going to see what the whole journalism thing was about. Had a friend of a friend who was a local news anchor in Tampa, where I was practicing law. And I said, you know, could I come and see what the newsroom is like? And they let me do that. And then I said, well, I want to come volunteer here. And it doesn't work that way. You can't work here for free. You can do an internship. But I was really 29 at that time. And I had all these places tell me, no. Finally, University of South Florida in Tampa, Goobals, said, all right, this is super weird, but we will let you we'll do internship credits for you. But you have to take a news writing class. Like you don't know anything about this, which was 100% true. So I would go and intern at night and overnights and weekends when I could sneak out of my law firm. And as I got to the end of that internship, I listen, my husband and I prayed. We sought more mature Christian counsel because I really felt like this is what I was supposed to do. But we tried to be smart and wise and discerning about that. And I got to the end of that internship and I went to and I was grandma intern. Everybody else was like 18, 19 years old and I was called Grandma intern at 29. And I went to my boss and said, hey, I'm going to leave my law firm, my TV boss. And he's like, no one's offered you a job here. Also true. But I said, we do this thing called stepping out in faith. And so he definitely thought I was a little bit crazy. My firm thought I was crazy. But I did have a couple of partners at my firm who said, there's something else I always wish I'd done. And it got too late for me. So like I'm going to be cheering for you. And a job opened up. It was 2 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the TV station and I would go in and make coffee and answer phones, write scripts for the morning show for the anchors and eventually start working the teleprompter and just whatever job somebody quit or got promoted. I would just pick up the job until finally one day my boss there said, hey, you know, we might start letting you go out if we're short staffed and we really need something covered and you're the only one here. So I took that opportunity. And you know, the scripture says, see someone skilled in their labor. They will not stand before obscure men. They will stand before kings. And I mean, you are so great at what you do. And so I want you to talk to because our audience is predominantly young adults and in ministry, so much of ministry's pattern recognition. And there was this pattern that I observed early on where people would come out of college and they would get into the real world. And they would say, is this, is this really it? And if you think about it, it makes sense because at 18, you're supposed to choose the path for your life, your professional life at 18. Like what 18 year old? I couldn't even tie my shoes at 18. What much less know what I'm going to do the rest of my life. And so, so often people get on a path only to realize they don't like it. Like for me, I loved art. I go to art school and I'm like, you know what, I don't like making art for other people. Like this was always a hobby. And when it became a profession is like, this isn't, I don't want to do this. And so to that 29 year old that's listening right now that that feels like, man, I don't think I can do this the rest of my life. Like what advice would you have for them? I would say do seek good counsel and listen. I mean, listen to the Holy Spirit's guiding because listen, every job, including this one, which I absolutely love and obsessed with, it's going to have bad days. And so there's a difference between having some rough patches and some difficult things and working long hours, those kinds of things, normal stressors, you're going to have in any job. No job is perfect. But there's something different when you dread every day of your life going to a job and thinking, I cannot imagine this being my future. I can't imagine doing this every day. Um, but it was really scary to leave what my educational track was all these years of undergrad and law school and worrying about what people were going to think. That's a big part of it too. Cause you're like, is everyone going to think I'm crazy? Because I'm abandoning this path. And if you're making good money, like I was as a lawyer, they're going to be fears about leaving that. Um, but I, I came to find along the way that it wasn't money that brought meeting to my work or to my life. And there are different ways to find meeting and what you think God has called you to and just be discerning and wise about that. And I felt certain about that path after a lot of prayer and a lot of consideration. But I will also say it's not guaranteed. It's going to be easy path. Even if you figure out what your thing is, your passion, your purpose, I got fired from my first TV job by a guy who told me I was the worst person he'd ever seen and I would never make it in the business. You're kidding. Is that true? That's a true story. And so there will be some hiccups along the way. How did you, okay, how did you recover from that? I mean, especially to hear that from someone in your fields, like, yeah, that's what I, you know, you guys know, like every TV and radio studio, there are soundproof rooms, edit bays. I locked myself in one and cry. Okay. Two hours. I called anyone that I thought loved me like my mom, I had just signed with the TV agent and like, I'm the worst client ever. I literally just got fired. And somehow she believed in me. She's like, he's wrong. I see it. You get, you know, it was a wake up call on that. Hello. Yes. I did not have a degree. I didn't have any real experience. I was learning on the job. And so I had to be honest with myself. There's a lot of room for improvement here. Am I serious about this? Am I going to commit myself to the work? Not just the fun parts of this, but the hard parts of this too. And it taught me a ton of humility and that your job can't be your life because I spent six months trying to get a phone call back from anybody that would consider hiring me. It was tough. Yeah. Wow. Well, the book is Nothing is Impossible with God by Shannon Bream. And so what inspired you to write this book, Shannon? I love the stories of overcomers and I've always kind of had this collection. You know, anytime that you do a book or a project, there are things you want to include that you just can't get everything in. And so these stories had always been rattling around for me. Like this is a collection. I want to do these overcomers at some point. Gideon, he starts the book and he's like my favorite story about just coming from complete fear and disbelief that God could use him. You know, God shows up and immediately addresses him as mighty warrior. He's like the translation is, pardon me. I mean, like, I don't think you have this right. And how many of us have had that experience? We all probably have in our lives. Like I'm not equipped for this. You've got the wrong person. We see that over and over again. And every one of the people that I cover, all of these heroes from the Bible, they all had something to overcome, whether it was people actively plotting against them, it was their own self doubt, their own mistakes. I love Peter's story. And JP, you and I got to talk about Peter and, you know, just how much he felt like a failure and had denied God at his moment, denied Christ at the moment. He would have needed his closest friend, but God didn't condemn him. He could have come back and said, your sideline forever, you have no merit. You denied your faith. You failed. But Jesus doesn't do that. I mean, it goes back to him in redemption and in love. And the early church is built on Peter the rock. So I find so much encouragement in that that God's never done with us. If we come back to him with, you know, wanting to rebuild that relationship and be redeemed, he's just waiting to do that. So all of these are overcomers. And the book with Jesus is the ultimate overcomer of sin and death, which, of course, leads us to that beautiful first Easter story. I love it. So the book is nothing is impossible with God. I'm going to ask you, you know, anything that surprised you along the way, was there one character where you're like, oh, I didn't know that was a part of the story as you begin to do research. But I want to insert this right here and just say I was, I was this week was with the most successful person that I know. And so. Went to lunch and we. Second most successful person. You're with us every week. What are you talking about, Kathy? Second to Nate and Kathy. Third to Kathy. And so in, in, you know, he was telling me, I was just asking questions because this, when I say the most successful person, this guy had been at the top of three different, um, what are the fields? Okay. So he went from one field was at the very top next field, very top next field, very top. So it was like, this is not chance. This is not luck. This is not, you know, background and connection. I mean, he just reinvented three different industries. And, uh, as we were talking, he would, he was telling me about his grandmother. And he was like, I was raised in a matriarchal, uh, family. And my grandmother was just, you know, so such the rock of our family. And when we would get together, she would want to talk about our failures. She would say, Hey, tell me somewhere where you failed. And he said, this did two things in me. One, is it helped me to, to see, you know, failures as lessons to learn everything I could from them, but to it, it helped me to not be marked by shame. That I, that in the midst of the failure that I wouldn't think I'm done, I'm finished, but I would see just on the other side of it all the time and that she instilled that in us. And I was like, wow, that is the secret to the success of the single most successful person that I know personally. And so that's so much of what I see in this book is it's, it's people, you know, you, you mentioned, and we got to talk about Peter, but it's like at the, you know, at the height of his shame, uh, when he just really, you know, he says, Hey, I'm going to go back to fishing. Jesus says, no, I've called you to so much more than fishing to fish for people. And he really becomes the beginning of the, the, you know, what we know is the church movement today that nothing's going to stop the unstoppable force that, that Christ created. Well, the cat's out of the bag. Finally, someone has learned about my athletic ability and has decided to sponsor me. They have the three nails. Interesting. Haven performance collection is sponsoring you. You give off athlete vibes. Well, here's the deal. I've said for so long, I've talked about three nails and I've said, uh, you know, and we're not sponsored. It's just amazing that they reached out and they were like, well, would you like to be, and it's still absolutely amazing, particularly the Haven performance collection, which is just like, but a little better than another brand out there that we won't name by name that a lot of people go to, but this is quality made by Christians and they really care about the product. Check it out. You're going to love it. And how do they get amazing news code, be so for 10% off. Let's go. Even if an item's already discounted, you can get an additional 10% off. Wow. Save me lots of money. Check it out. Promo codes on promo codes. Let's go. And so was there any surprises in here for you as you begin to dig into these stories? Was there one that you're like, whoa, I didn't see that coming. You know, there are a couple, um, because I always learned so much in writing these stories. I feel like I get to know these people on a different level and digging into the story of Jonah, I, you know, I originally was thinking about him, about this overcoming rebellion idea, overcoming when we are, when we have fear. And it's not wrong to think that he was fearful of going to Nineveh when God said, go there. But the Assyrians who were running the show there, I mean, they're brutal. I talked about in the book, it is hard to include the things that they did to their enemies, but I did just, you know, what we're talking about. So it wouldn't be strange that Jonah would be afraid, which is where I'd always approach that story. But the truth is there's definitely this undercurrent with Jonah, where he doesn't think that they're deserving of the same grace that he has been given. And it just gave me a different angle on the story. You know, he didn't want to go. And even when they did have revival, he was kind of put out about it. Like God, how could you forgive these horrible people? And it put up a mirror for me too. Like, is there anybody that I think group of people think differently, vote differently, um, live differently that I don't think are worthy of God's grace? Like shame on me if I have that thought. Um, God has come for every single person past, president, and future. He loves us equally, wants relationship, wants redemption. And it's not my place to judge someone else in that in any way, I could think that they're less deserving of God's grace than I am. So Jonah's story was a little bit of an eye opener to me when I started to get into it from that angle. Yeah. I want to hear, I want to hear about another one if you have it. But, uh, I, I think about so often people ask, like, when is God going to deal with evil? Like, why doesn't, you know, why doesn't God deal with evil? And we're always asking him to deal with the evil just past ourselves. You know, we, we, we want him to deal with the murderer, but not the person who slanders their neighbor or gossips or, you know, whatever our sin is. We're like, God deal with all of that sin. And the, the issue is if God dealt with evil today, he'd have to deal with us. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely right. Where do we draw the line? Because we're all sinners saved by grace. Like, where's the cutoff line? Yeah. Um, any one single sin separates us from him. And so, yeah, I mean, we all have to, to look in the mirror about that and think, um, yeah, where have I been in hypocrite about this? And thank God for his transforming grace. I know what it's meant in my life. Why wouldn't I want every single person I have a chance to communicate with to have that same opportunity? Yeah. Yeah. So most of our listeners do not work in quote unquote full time ministry and it can be hard to follow Jesus in certain cities, certain fields. I would think for you, I mean, you're in like the most competitive field of the most competitive city, like DC, you're doing journalism. What, what have you learned in following Jesus in a really, really difficult place in a difficult field that you could pass on to, to our listeners? I mean, it keeps everything in perspective for me for sure. Cause this is a town full of ego maniacs for all a bunch of Bams and have ego and everything else. Um, and so I think for me, the morning reset is just not negotiable. I mean, yes, I occasionally have over stuff, my alarm clock or something and running out the door, but otherwise I've got to put on the armor. I've got to quit my brain, get my perspective that, you know, if I get passed over for something here, somebody says no to an interview request. Um, I'm in competition, not only with, you know, people from other networks, but from my own network, I mean, that stuff can really get to you, but I believe God has purpose and a path designed for each one of us were to do our work, were to prepare, were to pray and trust him. But man, he's thrown open doors. I never could have thrown open myself. Yeah. Different timing than I would have wanted. I spent years in frustration asking him why and having to mature and grow, but he's also closed doors that have protected me. And so, um, I find that just spending the time with him allows me to let go of the striving, the pressure, the anxiety. And man, if I don't start my day that way, it's a different kind of day. I mean, I've talked to a lot of young adults for their life. I just don't have time for that. I don't have time in my schedule. I hope that's convicting to hear that from you. You, you, of all people would be someone who wouldn't have time for it. And yet you still make time for it. That's awesome. I think the message of this book is really helpful because we just are all failures and we are going to fail at some point or another. And so it's kind of like not our goal in life shouldn't be, let's try to avoid the failure, but like, what do I do when that happens? So I'm curious, like, did you see any like common thread from these stories of like, man, this is what they did when they failed, or maybe it's just what God does, like what, what do we do when we fail? Because everyone listening is going to at some point. So prepare us, please. Exactly. Uh, well, he works through that. If we're willing to come to him in humility and say like, ooh, I really messed this up. I've had those moments in my life. We have shame. I mean, shame will stop you from going to him when that's the number one place you need to go when you're really struggling with your own embarrassment or failure about something, but he always works in it. Like he's always sitting there waiting for us. He's not like, nope, you're in a timeout. I'm not talking to you right now. I'm not going to help you or redeem you. Um, or your broken heart. You think about David, you think about song 51 where he's lamenting. I mean, you know, getting someone else's wife pregnant and then having the husband kill that's about a big failure. Failure as you can have. But yeah, God was able to call David a man after his own heart. I mean, David was so broken and repentant over his sin. He got it. Yes. Um, and so I think if we have that posture, God is willing to meet us in any failure, we're not sidelined from him using us from him working from him being in relationship with us. Now, listen, I do think that there are times he's going to say, you've got some reconciliation and some redemption to do here. You've got some accountability you need to build in. There are consequences for our sin. He's not going to fast forward over that for us. So those are all very real parts of it, but he himself is never going to love us any less. He's never going to distance himself from us. He's going to be there when we fail and we come back to him and ask for his help. I'm teaching tonight at our women's ministry on the story of David and best sheba in Uriah and literally my wrestle this whole week is I'm like, how is he still referred to as a man after his own heart after this? Like even in acts years later, he's recorded and that way. And man, God was very kind to convict me of my pride in holding something against someone that God no longer does. Like we either believe scripture is true that as far as the east is from the right west, so far he's removed our transgressions for us that he remembers it no more like Isaiah says, or we don't believe it. And I was like, man, I don't think I believe it. And it has been honestly the kindness of God to be like, no, and that's how I look at you. I still call you daughter, no matter what you've done and no matter what you will do, you're not going to lose that title. Just like David didn't lose his loan away by it, but it's this returning to God that you see in David's story. And that's what is available for all of us. Yeah. I mean, continuing in our sin or rebellion or rationalization, that's a different story for sure. But I'm like you too. A lot of these stories I look and it's so easy to judge with the hundreds or thousands of years. And then I'm like, hello, when have I done similar things? Totally. When have I been outright rebellious or thinking that I know better than God, which is really what sin is. Totally. I'm not supposed to do this. And that's what pride is. Yes. Yeah. And when you think of, yeah, when you think nothing. When you think nothing is impossible for God, like when I'm reading this, so many of these stories, like in the center of them is a miracle, like God moving in and doing something supernaturally. And like, what do you say to the listener, the viewer today that's like, is God even, but is he still in the business of doing miracles? Is that something that was reserved for that time? Like, if I need one in my life, like, what am I to do? What am I to look for? How do I go about this? Because it just feels so farfetched. It does. I do believe he is still doing miracles. I mean, I've seen, you know, medical diagnoses change on a dime that you could not explain a doctor could not explain. I mean, I've seen, I would say smaller miracles in my own life. And listen, it's not always the miracle we want or that we're praying for, but God is working. And so, you know, I've shared openly about a story with a chronic medical condition that I struggled with for years, lived in chronic pain. Of course, I wanted to be healed. I prayed for that miracle, for the miracle of healing. I was, you know, always going back to Paul's story in Corinthians, where he talks about the thorn in his side multiple times, asking God to heal him. God's like, Nope, but my strength is made perfect in your weakness. And Paul goes on to say, well, therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses so that Christ power may rest on me. So while I didn't have the physical healing I was praying for, I had the Lord's presence in that deep, deep valley in a way that I would not have chosen that valley, but man, it was palpable. I felt him speak to me and I asked him, okay, if I'm not going to get my thorn in the flesh removed, will you guide me to someone who will help me with this condition? Cause I'd gone from doctor to doctor. I'd been told I was emotional and I was cause I was living in exhaustion and 10 out of 10 pain. And I'd given up on the medical community, but I said, all right, if you're not going to heal me, please guide me to a doctor or someone who can help me. And he did in a way that was kind of miraculous. I mean, that I had this deep heart to heart with my husband. He was the only person who knew just how bad things had gotten for me. And I was to the point where it was like, I can't live like this anymore. I literally cannot live like this anymore. It was very dark. And we prayed that night. The next day I started again, working the phones, trying to find a specialist. And there was an amazing cornea specialist here in DC who was not taking new patients, but I called the next day and explained trying not to sound emotional to the receptionist and said, listen, is there any chance that he would see me? Um, I'm really struggling. And she said, can I put you on hold? And she came back and said, I just had a cancellation on the other line. Can you come tomorrow? And I take that as my miracle, not my miracle of healing, but my miracle that led me to this doctor who immediately without hesitation, diagnosed me and began treatments that changed my life. We may not always get the miracle that we're initially praying for, but I do believe God works to help us where we're at. Was it pain in your eyes? Yeah. And what I didn't know was I for almost two years had been tearing my cornea on a daily nightly basis. You're kidding me. And it's the worst pain. It is, if you've scratched your eye. I mean, it is the, I mean, I've passed kidney stones. I'm telling you, there is no pain like eye pain. I always said you were so emotional about it. Yeah, that's nice. You did. You just threw him on anger when he needed a light vest. That's what I felt with that doctor. Yeah. That's not kind. But this doctor who diagnosed me, he said, you know, I'm looking at, before he even looked at my eyes, he looked at my chart and my explanation and he said, I know what you have, but let me examine you. He examined me. He said, yep, this is, you have this map dot fingerprint dystrophy is the name of this, which is a mouthful. But he said, basically I'm looking at the surface of your eyes like somebody who's been playing soccer on a grass field with the most sharp cleats for two years at once, ever fixed the field. And he said, this is why you're in so much excruciating pain all the time. It's a condition that the, the cells of your eyeball generally root back in. It holds your corny and your eyeball together, but mine don't do that. So they tear off constantly. And at the end of that visit, he said to me, um, what I'm finally feeling, the tiniest glimmer of hope in nearly two years. And he says, there's no cure for this. So there is no cure, but there are ways to manage it. And thank God, literally for this doctor who has been an answer to prayer and I'm pain-free, probably 99% of the time now because of that answered prayer. Yeah. Wow. That's amazing. Yeah. He's still doing miracles. I mean, and, and, and they look different for everybody. And I mean, I heard a testimony this morning, someone shattered their risk. One day their, their athletic career is at least, is either over or temper temporarily on halt by all accounts, risk shattered. And a guy prays for him and he goes in the next week and his risk is totally healed. Nate and I were just in Pittsburgh and, um, you know, at a unite event and we called people forward, Miss Tanya, who was like, Hey, I, I sense the Lord wants to heal somebody. If you need healing, would you come forward? And we went out and I was so glad I had my pastor friends with me because we went out and there was just overwhelming hundreds and hundreds of college students wanting prayer for healing. And, you know, I, I told her, I said, she goes, I sense God wants to heal somebody here tonight. And I, you know, I kind of jokingly selfishly said, well, I hope it's me. Cause, you know, I still have neuropathy in my leg. I'm still got, you know, just some, some health issues. I would love a healing. And so it's like, I don't get tired of, it's like, I, it's like, I trust the Lord. And I grant it in my situation. It's certainly easier to than some other situations. Like if I had eye pain every day, I think I would have a lot much, a lot harder time trusting him. But I, I, I take great joy in him healing other people. And, and I do think we have to maintain this idea of hope. And so if somebody's struggling with hope right now, like, like the, the, the title of the book, nothing is impossible with God. And they're, they're like, you know, it just seems like he doesn't want to do this. Or I don't know if he can. And, and all of that, if we're going to put a title over, it's just like, Hey, I'm losing hope. And, and, and that is a dark place. That's what you said a second ago is like the, the darkest places I've seen are people where they're just, they, they're letting go of hope. How can somebody renew their hope? How can they, they go back to that? Well, I think Joseph's story is the best illustration of that. I mean, decades of things happening to him that were unfair and unjust. I mean, completely at odds with his man, um, him being a man of integrity. I mean, first of all, his, he was his dad's favorite. His brothers hated him and they thought, let's murder him. No, no, we'll just step back one step from that. We'll just sell him into slavery into some other country and never know what happens to it. And then fake his death for our father, the dad enormous pain too. So, I mean, nothing was fair about Joseph's life. He goes and is working in slavery eventually because he is this man of integrity. He doesn't ever turn on the Lord, at least we don't see that account in scripture. But we never see that from him. He rises to the occasion wherever he is. Then when he's, you know, in this leadership in this home, the wife wrongfully accuses him completely false of sexual assault. He goes to jail. He stuck there for years. There's somebody he does a favor. He interprets a dream for him and always giving the credit to God. That person gets out of jail and says, you know, Dave, um, Joseph's like, remember me, the guy does not remember him. So he stuck for decades in situations that were not of his own doing, that were completely unfair. I would be sitting in a jail cell knowing I was innocent, like God, what are you doing? Get me out of here. Like this is completely a disaster. I mean, there can be times that you feel like what is God doing? But what I love is at the end of history, if you know it, he's in a position of prominence now because he has again been able to interpret dreams, always giving the credit to the Lord. He's number two in all of Egypt. So when famine spreads to the land, everybody comes to him for food, including his brothers that wanted him dead. They don't recognize him. I think it's such a great story. I got so many questions when we get to heaven because like he recognizes them. Then when they finally after a lot of back and forth, he reveals himself. I cannot imagine the complete freak out these guys were having their first conversation. I would just love to be like, and now how are we going to explain this to dad? Yeah. You know, like they just, I just, there's so much I want to know about this story. But in Genesis 50, there's that verse we've heard so many times where Joseph says to them, what you meant for evil, God meant for good. Not you guys did some bad stuff. God had to rework it and make sure it all worked out. Yeah. That's right. Oh no, God meant it for good. Yeah. So there are bad things that can happen to us. Yep. And God can still mean them and have a purpose for them to be good. So when you are struggling and hopeless, I totally get there. Yeah, I've been there. I get it. It is a dark, horrible, painful emotionally, along with physically placed for a lot of folks. But look at Joseph. I mean, decades it took before the answer started to make sense. And I think sometimes there are things this side of heaven that won't make sense to us, but please know God is completely aware of your story. He is aware of your suffering and nothing is a surprise to him. He's with you in it. So good. Can we get her on staff? I'm telling you. She's awesome. I'm like, not qualified. Do you want to move to Waco, Texas? I do love Waco, Texas. I've been there. You've been there. This is my sister from another mother. I'm telling you every time. I feel like Waco is like too cool for me. No. Oh, yes. That I was thinking the same thing. Yeah, what's going on? We don't have a vibe. We don't have a DC vibe. Oh, my goodness. I want to I want to shout out, you know, our friend, a friend of the show. Is it Sammy, Samantha? Did she go by Sammy? Yes. Shout out. Shout out. My friend is Sammy. Shout out, Sammy. And I just I'll wrap by asking you, did you what was your favorite story? I'll say this too. I wanted to say this about Joseph. I think you've got a generation coming up that is so identified by their trauma. You know, and and we can't move past it. And if you want a story of somebody who, you know, falsely accused, betrayed by their family, sold into slavery, imprisoned, I mean, Joseph would just be every counselor and therapist dream. I mean, the cash cow of whatever psychiatrist he stumbles upon. And and and God takes all of his trauma and and breathes power on it and uses it to help him be in a position where he rules the land and is as an advisor to the most powerful person in the land. And so I just just don't lose hope in the midst of your trauma, in the midst of your hurt and your pain. Ask what could God do? What could he do? Right. And and see what he's up to. But Shannon, in the book, nothing is impossible with God. Is there a story that was was your favorite or most stood out? We may have already covered it, but I'm just curious. Yeah, I love them all in different ways. They're like your children, you know, you don't want to decide on one of their really in some days, I feel like any one more than the other. I would say too. I mean, Daniel is somebody who it was decades of faithfulness we see in his life. I mean, he he and his friends were kidnapped and taken away to this foreign country that, you know, unlike the Assyrians who really brutalized their enemies, the Babylonians, this this was different. What happened in the Babylonian Empire? They wanted you to see the fine wine and the art and the music and the finalries of life. That was the seduction of that place. That's how they wanted to change their mind. And so all of this was at Daniel's feet. And yet whatever roots that he had as a Hebrew young man were so strong that every time he's threatened in his life and it's decades, we get to see not just those young years with him, but well into his 80s is when he's finally thrown into the lion's den. He never gets afraid. He never backs down. If he is afraid, he always is faithful to the Lord. When they say you can't praise, like, I'm going to go sit in the window and pray like I always do. I am not changing my routine. Yeah. God is faithful. I am his child. Um, and so I think he's such an inspiration of somebody that we see story after story of faithfulness of him and it never waivers. And so to, to live a life of that and to be in your 80s or 90s or however long the Lord blesses you to live and still be inspiring and faithful. Um, I think it's just such a good roadmap, such a great example for us. Let's go. The book is nothing is impossible with God available everywhere. Books are sold. Pick up a copy. We're on with our friend, Shannon Bream, uh, live in the Bream is her podcast. You're going to go on it. Want to go check that out. And Shannon, we just, we're so grateful for you. And thanks for coming on and sharing your time with us. Well, thank you guys. And I'm going to plan a trip to Waco just so I can go to lunch. Yes. Yes. That would be so fun. Cool enough. Oh, yes. Hey, I'm coming. I'm coming to DC in a month and a half. So we can hang there too. I'll take you to lunch. She's, she's actually really busy. Sorry. Yeah. I know. She's, I'm bringing my wife. You can hang out with her. I love it. Come and we'll take you to lunch. There's a good place just down the corner. We'll make it quick. Back to work. Go on. Go. Thank you, friend. Thanks for getting on. I love you guys so much for what you do. We'll talk with you soon. Much love. Bye. Thanks for tuning in to Becoming Something where we promise to keep the conversation honest and real for young adults in their 20s and 30s. Every moment we live is training for a future moment. And that's why we do this podcast because we want you to be prepared for everything that life is going to throw at you. Our hope with this podcast is that it would help you become all that God desires you to be. To find out more, visit BecomingSomething.com.