Faith, friendship, and freedom

The conversation revolves around the deep bond between two friends, Darren and Keith, who share a strong faith in God. Keith shares his journey from addiction and abuse to finding freedom and purpose through his relationship with Christ. They emphasize the importance of being approachable, the transformative power of God's love, and the significance of healthy relationships. Keith highlights that being a son to God is more important than simply finding one's calling or purpose. They discuss how suffering can lead to a greater capacity for love and empathy. Keith has been saved since August 2009, and they reflect on the profound revelations that come with a spiritual journey. And the nice thing about this setup is you get your mic nice and comfortable, just chill out. Chill still. Oh, it's great. And you can put your headphones on if you want, you don't have to, you don't have to pro-feel, you can. Is that good? Mm-hmm. We're good about that? That's good. And I feel like I'm about to go on a ride. You are. We're about to go on a ride. Let's go. Let's go. Let's do it. I'm going to, first off, start off by just saying welcome to the studio. Welcome to Legacy Studios. Thank you, Darren. And it's literally, when I tell you literally, it's always an absolute pleasure to see you. Yeah. Because you bring with you more than just Keith and a bodysuit. There's more than that. And I feel like, you know, those roaming salespeople that used to walk around with a suitcase and they'd open it up and everyone would go, that's amazing. You know, I always know you're bringing something that's going to be unique and it's going to always be food for people to devour. Yeah. And I don't know whether it's because it's me and you or whether it's just because that's who you are. Because I've never seen you and I haven't been there, right? So I kind of wouldn't know that, right? But this is Keith Morell. He's a very good friend of mine. We've done life with each other since 2013. That's when I was saved. Yes. Thank you, Darren. Thank you for this sober, peaceful place. Thank you. Yes. Great. It really is. It's very special. Yes. But Keith and I have been doing life since 2013. And I think a lot of people in life, Keith, I don't know what you think about this, but a lot of people put pressure on relationship building. And there's this pressure, I'm not sure where it comes from, but it can be a very unhealthy pressure on building a relationship. What I've really enjoyed about ours, even though sometimes we could have gone for months and it's like, you know, you drop a matchstick and it's like, where's Darren? But the fact of the matter is every single time we do speak or get together, it's always about joyful things. It's always about God. There's always this aura around us that God is with us. And so would you agree that that's really the measure of a strong relationship? Absolutely. It's, it always goes back to Darren, the way that I view you or see you or experience you is that you always have a Jesus and his presence in mind. And you're always have others focused, you have others focused as well, but it's really very special and unique how God has wired you and how disciplined you are to prioritize your relationship with God, where it really just spills into every relationship that you're tied to. So even as I, I'm sitting in this room, I have such a joy of being in your presence. Thank you so much for saying that. Yeah. It's really kind. So it's becoming saved in 2013, and before I even say that, the word saved is like just kind of thrown around, like it's just such a common thing. But saved is like when your entire being becomes transformed, it's a, it's a wake up call. It's like, oh my gosh, it isn't just me. You know, this world's about so much more than that. You realize that there's so many more things to be a part of. And it's like the world expands into a place that it's like Earth becomes its own universe. Does that make sense? Yes. But, you know, in 2013, when I gave my life to Christ, everything changed. The world became a universe. I remember one of the first things that brought a massive smile on my face when I found Jesus was like, wow, I think all my whole life I've like been the expert the whole way. Like, you know, I've been at the top of the tree and I could go into any building even and you know, give me 20 minutes. I'll tell you everything about it and there'll be nothing else to uncover. And I found that when I bumped into Jesus that day, all of a sudden I wasn't the expert in the room anymore. And that gave me so much peace. It actually took a ton of pressure off. And what I loved about it was that I felt like I was being drawn into something where I would never know it all. And that puts your thinking to a posture of receiving. So instead of bringing all the information and having to sort of deliver it and having to look incredibly smart while you're doing it, we become the taught instead of the teacher. And that relationship, when we start off talking about relationships, that's such a beautiful thing, especially for a leader to be in a position where he can be taught too. to a leader, the insult, if it's done by God, is actually rest. Yes. 100% agree. It's interesting, Darren, the fact that we're sitting here and leading up to coming here. One of the things that I've been passionate about is relationships because I never experienced good relationships growing up. I grew up in abuse and addiction. And so when you started communicating about relationships and how God has changed you, the first thing I heard was freedom, you know, and liberty. And that's what Christ has given me, is that what the enemies plan all along was to steal relationships or to destroy relationships. And so now that we have intimacy with Christ, we're experiencing the richness and the glory of relationships and godly relationships. So even when you and I are separated for three months due to life circumstances, we always pick up right where we're left off because Jesus is the priority. And with Jesus being priority, relationships are priority. And so it's not about all the things that we do. It's about being with God and being with God with others. So when you were saying, you know, I have to be the teacher, you know, Jesus is our teacher and he's the best person to learn from. And as I've come to Christ as a man who is completely broken through addiction and abuse, the Lord delivered me out of addiction first, but then I spent the next four years of my life in an abusive marriage. And the Lord was teaching me through intimacy with him what it means to be healthy. And so the Lord used that. The Lord uses everything, every single battle, every single situation and circumstance for us to be continuously dependent upon him. And it was also through godly relationships where people who never experienced those things, whether it be abuse or addiction, who actually, I was like, man, see that guy right there? Oh, he's God. And you know, and the Lord just led me through that. But it was the relationship aspect, it was relationship with God and relationship with godly men. Excellent. Yeah, I love it. What I love about you, Keith, is you're so approachable. And I think that is one of the biggest qualities of anyone that wants to go around as a Christian, as a Jesus follower, because being approachable means that you then have access without trying to contrive it. You're not trying to make this thing up. I mean, it's just, but the fact that you're approachable means that people can come to you and talk to you about things. And if you saddle that along with all the different things that you've been through in life, and like you just described very briefly, it's been kind of rough. A rollercoaster ride in Disney doesn't quite give it justice. There's been pain. There's literally been physical hurt. There's been mental abuse. There's been so much more than that. And on some days, all of it together. And that's something that this world doesn't have an answer for. And we see that because we see the prisons are full. We see mental institutions are becoming, you know, more full. And we see people on the streets just not sure what to do. But you're saying, and you're rightly saying, that God found you and somehow, even over a time that wasn't five minutes, he began to unravel that in you and began to show you who you were, what you were about, how to hold yourself in life in front of people. And that very thing gave you freedom. Absolutely. And I'm forever grateful for that freedom. And you know, God places desires in you. And his word says, take the lie to me and I will give you the desires of your heart. Well, when you come from those levels of abuse or addiction, you really don't know anything of what is healthy or what you really want. But as you are a new creation, and as you continue to stay in faith to Christ, the Lord starts revealing those things. And I think a very sad part that I see is that people think it's always about calling or purpose. And it's really about being a son. And the Lord is a father, our God is a father, and he desires sonship from us. And so as a son, I receive the best relationship to my father from my father, and from my relationship with the father gives me healthy relationships around me, you know, and you continue to guard that and protect that, not that you will not go through difficult things, but through the midst of that suffering, or discomfort, the Lord leads you through it, and you are able to lean on his voice. And it's his voice that sustains you in the midst of that. And through that suffering, God creates a greater capacity to love. Wow. Because when you see the person that's hurting you and what's affecting you, the Lord sees what's affecting them. And there's an empathy and compassion that he has for them. But the Lord wants it way more than we do. So we have to sit back, stand back, and allow God to do his work. But we are called to love God and love people. And the only way I'm able to do that is with him. With him. I can't do it under my own power. So good. Wow. Tell me real quick, how long have you been saved? How many years has it been? August 2009. Wow. What you've described and what really you're describing, and the word that keeps resounding in my head, is revelation. And so when we become a Christian, it's like three or four people show up for the Bible, right? It's like, oh my gosh, suddenly I have a library of books. And then you start looking at it, and you're like, wow, that's a lot of pages. And I'm not sure how I'm going to get through that. And it can be quite daunting, as a matter of fact. And then everyone's around you, and all of a sudden the dialogue changes to all these scriptures. And you're looking down, and everyone's wearing Jesus sandals. You're not sure exactly. You're not sure. You've got a pair on right now. Before we did, he had these really nice shoes on. I want a pair of those. But yeah, but all of a sudden, people show up, and they're different. And it can be a little bewildering. I remember when I first came to Christ, my wife says, you're going to a Bible study. You're going to start a Bible study. And I'm like, OK. So she hooked me up with this Bible study. And the morning of, I said, I'm not going to this Bible study. Everyone's going to be wearing Jesus sandals. They're going to put me in the middle, lay hands on me, and pray for me. I'm not going. She says, well, if you don't go. And I said, all right. I know the rest of that sentence. I'm out of here. So I left. I left. And when I got there, I met, actually, someone who turned into an incredible friend for many years. And it was an absolute blessing. But when you first start off as a Christian, the revelations might come in terms of the world looks brighter. The people seem kinder. I've had the chains taken off of my life a little bit. I feel lighter in my step. I don't feel the pressure, the stress. I feel something I think is peace. It's unusually incredible. And then the next step is you might want to sort of become a voice box for God and start expressing it to people. But you're a little nervous and gun-shy because you're not sure how they're going to respond. And there are, well, I guess what I'm getting to, there are layers of revelation that come. Can you talk a little bit about your layers of revelation? Well, I would say layers of revelation is, it's always going to come at a cost. It's going to be, it's going to be painful, but you can and will experience peace on the inside through those difficult things. I would say that, that we are like an onion. Everyone says we're like an onion and there's layers and there's, there's, there's root systems that have been developed in your life through childhood trauma or experiences where there's these belief systems that do not line up with what God says or, or they're, they're ungodly beliefs is what it is. And so through walking in the relationship with God and others, you know, God starts going to those roots and exposing those roots because he brings everything that's dark to the light. And so there's healing. There's a supernatural healing that God is doing through your experiences in, in life. And so revelation comes with a cost, but also it's continuously being dependent upon God through each and every single situation and circumstance. Can I ask you a question? I got you trapped in my podcast room, by the way, so you don't kind of have a choice. But no, seriously, I know there's the book of revelation and we have revelation throughout scripture and a lot of people are absent of even the notion that possibly God might speak to them. You know, maybe some people are even afraid of what that might even, what might God say, right? You know, it's love all the time. It's always love. But I, I would want to say that we're right to know and to expect and to desire revelation from God. It's an interesting thing for a new believer because it's already kind of strange enough as it is, but could you tell me what it was like for you to first really start receiving revelation? And obviously it starts in the spirit, right? But could you describe that a little bit? Do you remember even a moment where that happened for you? I remember when I first got saved, you know, and I know you don't open up your Bible to a page and, you know, you just pick whatever is off the page, but that's kind of what happened. And interesting enough, it was Ecclesiastes 12. It was the last verse and it was basically the Lord speaking to Solomon, Solomon saying that the Lord knows every secret thing, good and bad. Literally, I heard that in my spirit and my desire was to be pure before the Lord. It was a repentance and action moment. And although I know when I got saved, I felt like I got healed from my addiction. I think it was in that moment of really bringing all of the things that I knew to be wicked behaviors or evil behaviors to the Lord. And when I made those confessions, I literally had angelic hosts in my home. And so I was having these supernatural experiences with God at the beginning that really wooed me to him. His love drew me because my prayer was when I came to the Lord, I was like, Lord, I love this drug and I cannot quit. If you're real, I need you to prove yourself to me. And so there's these constant supernatural experiences that I was having. But it was it was the inner working of the Holy Spirit and the word started jumping off the page and it became a part of me. I just wanted to hear God's voice and do what he says. I wanted to obey his commands. I wanted to love him like he loved me. That was the pivotal moment for me of of hearing that spirit of kindness and gentleness. And that was drawing me to him. It was like I didn't deserve any of those things. But yet this God wanted to speak to me. He cared about me. He loved me unconditionally. And that has never changed from that moment. That same love and capture in my heart that sustained me in that moment is the same thing that is sustaining me today is desiring to please the father, desiring to obey him, but also depending upon his grace alone to sustain me. Well, you know, it's amazing for me. I just see it right now is you, right, Keith, right there in front of me. You went through a very large part of your life in drought. You had none of these things. You wouldn't even have recognized what love was if someone were to come up and said, hey, I represent love. You would have been hard pressed not only to see it, but even to believe it. So what's occurring to me right now is this. It has to be supernatural. Because it's almost like me. I mean, I'm going through this cancer thing and I've had plenty of needles where people infuse things into my body. Right. But when we meet God, it's like he says, hey, let me give you my best signature. You know, I love it when Donald Trump signs a signature. It looks so good. It's like I want to sign something like that one day. It's like, how many times can you do it? It looks exactly the same. Right. Yes. But with God, his signature is always underscored the same. Yes. And it spells L O V E. Yes. And it's so amazing. It doesn't matter who you are, what you've been through, where you are today, what you're facing. Those four letters, when spoken from God in our hearts, it helps us identify exactly who we serve and who's with us. Yes. And it's God that's with us with love. Right. And that's I think that's the first thing to know about God. Yes. Is that he loves us so much. You know, the famous scripture from John 3, 16, that he loved us so much that he gave his only son, his only begotten son, I think is what it says. What do you read? King James? Are you King James guy? Give it to me in your version. I want to know. It's difficult. For God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son. You know. That whomsoever should believe in him should not perish, but have eternal life. Correct. And for anyone listening to this and that has a child, they even know someone, the very notion of handing over your son for people that God knows, but that you don't know as a human being is ridiculous. It doesn't make any sense. So that scripture for me just defines love like no other. And Keith, the reason why you've been able to come out of the places that you've been in life is because you've witnessed and been a part of God's love wrapping around you and kind of pulling you out of the pit and then staying with you. And I think this is something we should talk about next is everyone can be a hero. You know, heroes, they pull people out of the ice or they, you know, lift up a car when someone's under it, but they do it. There's a moment that that happens and God has his moments. But isn't God an expert on the longevity of a relationship? Absolutely. I think he proves that through our marriage, right? He gives us this, this precious gift in our lives. My wife is a picture of God's redemption for me, right? Yes. My wife, Kenya. She's amazing. Yeah. Her, her smile brightens up any room. Beautiful. She's always caring, loving and serving others. But she really prioritizes her time with the father every morning. And so I get the reward of that. So there's, there's always redemption. God is so redemptive in a sense where, where the enemy was, had all this, these dysfunctional relationships around me. God's ultimate plan and desire for man is, is relationship with him. But then he, he continues to, to bless those who, who choose him. And so God has given me my best friend, you know, and so we, our conversations always centered around Christ and how we can be a blessing to others. And that's the beauty of, of, of finding a godly wife or godly relationships in general. To become one, I'm just blown away by that, that, that the Lord would entrust me with something so special. So special. Like, if you look at Genesis, there's no divorce there. Yeah. I'm not sure if you noticed that. That's right. So Adam and Eve, I mean, look, you think that was a bit of a shock when they, when that, when that whole sin thing happened and, and God sort of came over and said, look, you've committed the most ultimate sin, and this is going to carry on for the whole time the earth is even present. And you're responsible for that. And I mean, that whole weight of that must have come down. And if there was ever any time for Eve or Adam to say to the other, look, I think our relationship's over. Yeah, yeah. It would probably have been then. But God, God, sure, he ushered them out of the garden. I get that. But he never left them. And he kept speaking with them. And, and basically he was saying, even though you've done the most unrighteous thing you could possibly have been a part of, I'll never leave or forsake you. Amen. And in this moment for me, if I may bring it to my current condition, which is called The World Calls Cancer. As you know, Keith, I have stage four nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and it's, it's a pretty tricky little disease. One of the most beautiful things. And in 2013, before I say that, I'll share with you, I was an atheist and I went through it and I became so isolated and so rigid with my thoughts. And I literally thought I was going to die. And there were days where I came very close to it. And even just thinking those things beat me up. They beat me up. It was almost as bad as the chemo. Yeah. I was beat up. It's so amazing in this moment. We're sat here right now. I have it. I'm praying for it to go. But I'm at peace. And I've, in this time, developed such understanding of not only who God is, but what he wants to do for me. And the best thing of all, he wants to be with me forever. And that's that eternal aspect. Yes. And I've often looked at this journey in a new way. It's like I'm passing through. I believe I'm going to beat the cancer. I told you, I think we're on the front end of an amazing miracle. Yes. But obviously. But this experience on this planet is temporary. And the rest is eternal. You know, I think there's a scripture, actually, in the book of James. And I'm not mistaken. It says something like this, you know, for what is our life but a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. So there it is right there. And anyway, I have so much peace just going through what I'm going. It comes at a cost. There's lots of pain and suffering. Just a week ago, I was told that my right eye is starting to divert to the right. And it is. I'm having double vision issues. But it doesn't sadden me. It doesn't make me want to go hide in a box. Yes. I said to Ashley Tracy a little while ago, I said, you know, this world can take my eyes. It can take my hearing and take even my mouth. But it can never take my spirit. That's right. Because that's inertly connected to the Holy Spirit and to God. So God finds us along the way when we seek him, when we desire him, and when we want him. And this ethereal thought of a God that's really, you know, we can't tangibly put our hands on him, but we can absolutely put our spirit on him. Yes. What are some of the ways from sort of the basic measures that we might take as Christians to do that leading up to the more, I guess you could say, profound ways? Although I don't see that often, Darren, as you're asking this question, I really reflect on your life. You're a picture of holiness. You are set apart for God. So I think that's very important for us to remember is that we are set apart for God. Another thing that I feel is very, very important is rest with the Lord. I've heard a pastor say, busyness is artificial significance. And so if we get ourselves too busy, we kind of tend to lose ourselves in a sense of our intimacy with God. And I'm really working on those things. Can you share some of your disciplines with me? I'm like a little, I heard this the other day, like basically a rat and a monkey in a cage. I'm all over the place, but I'm really trying to settle into resting with the Lord and slowing down with the Lord and embracing every season. Like we live in such a high pace structure in the West that a lot of men, including myself, we can tend to find our significance in what we're doing, whether business or even church activities. We have to be able to have communion with God before we get too busy because he is the number one priority, not what we do. So we have to find our significance and our identity in our relationship with Christ alone. And I see that you do that, Darren. I was having a conversation with a mutual friend. I was like, if I had half of Darren's disciplines or wirings or giftings, man, I'd be so much better. You're very kind. Thank you for saying all that. That means everything. The whole subject matter and what has led to these recordings is that very thing. And you didn't know that. And it's what I call slow enough to see. And I'm actually writing a book right now called Slow Enough to See. God's writing the book, actually, because he's given me the material. And I'm currently on a 28 day war fest. This is day 10. And I've never felt so alive, so with it and vibrant as I am now. Yes. And people wonder, how do you do that? I mean, you know, people do war fest and that's fine. But I told Tracy, I want to be part of something with the Lord that is almost unachievable in the worldly sense, but only achievable with God. We may go past 28 days here. I may go to 50. I don't know. But I want to do something remarkable with the Lord. Yes. Not just for myself and my health, which is important because a fast apparently can rid the body of cancer. Come on. But I also want to do it because I want to leave a legacy for others. And I want people to realize that you can never do too much for him because of what he's done for us. And those yearnings in my stomach, which actually have been very few, are worth it. Any weakness I might get, it's worth it because what it does, it draws us closer to him. So when we're in silent prayer with just me and God or you and God or anyone at all, there are things we can hear, little whispers that we would otherwise not have heard. They're dormant. They're not dormant because he's not speaking. They're dormant because we're unable to listen. We're not slow enough to see or to hear in that case. Yes. But for us and for me, seeing what God has shown me is literally the most important thing. I often see God literally with his arms stretched out in that posture of just really giving peace. I see that a lot right now in my life. And over these last few days, this hugging effect where he's got me. And it's just so beautiful. Yes. And I think here's the key. When you experience really what God is and who he is, you want more. It doesn't become disposable anymore. It's certainly not garbage. Right. But it becomes so critical and it fuels you in a way that the world is remiss about doing. And that's how I get through this. This is how I'm getting through this cancer journey with relationships, which is what we started talking about in the beginning. Yes. With even the memory of the past, those tragic moments in 2013, how I went through it. And then reflecting on how God is treating me now in this moment, washing all of that away. And being slow enough to see, listen, and hear him. And so I think that's really the main thing is just being slow enough to see. Sometimes the tail can wag the dog, or the rat tail. Yes. You know, as you mentioned, you were like a rat going around in a rat cage. So that's how I do it right now. And I'm gung-ho on it. And I've become extremely vocal. By the way, I've been coaching myself up. This is really important. Sometimes we feel like we're too busy. So what I often do is, I did it last night around the dinner table. I started preaching. My daughter was there. Her boyfriend was there. Tracy was there. And I started preaching fight and war. And how this thing's not going to win. And I won't cower down to the enemy. And I won't be a prisoner to this devil. That's good. But I'm going to be free with the Lord, because he gave me freedom from the beginning. He gave me peace. He gave me love. He wants to heal me. And I just started preaching at the table. And within five minutes, I felt great. And it was almost like I'd been lost. And then I had been found. And I think that's the biggest thing, quite honestly, with anyone that's walking with Christ. Is at the end of the day, even during the day, do you still feel found? Or are you lost? Yeah, that's a great question, Darren. And I think I have my moments for sure. There are moments. But you've communicated what that requires is to be found, is to pick up your cross and deny it daily. And that requires a flesh dying. And obviously, fasting is one of the best ways to deny the flesh. Yeah, because by the time I'm finished with the fast, I might not have any flesh left. I was at 135. I'm at like 129 right now. But I figured, who cares? You look radiant. Thank you. You look radiant. My wife is, she would hate that I say this, but she does 21 day water fast. And she's so radiant. And the Holy Spirit is just moving effortlessly through her. And I see the benefits and reap the benefits whenever anyone around me is fasting, because there is a sense of God being placed upon. He's given us His Spirit. But there's, I believe, extra measures because the flesh is being crucified. And so Christ is being revealed. And so I just thank you for everything that you're doing. I'm encouraged by the peace and the joy that is surrounding us in this room. And your commitment to the Lord and to fight. Fight with the Lord, for the Lord, and for your family, and for the body of Christ, and even for those that are lost. Thank you. You know, I just want to share a few words about this gentleman right here sat in front of me. He's got a coffee cup on the table. He's just been to a coffee shop. And it might well be that most of those people in there don't know who he is or what he stands for, where he draws his character from, until they speak with him. Keith doesn't go around bashing people over the head with the Bible. Keith is a very ordinary, good-looking man, of course. Thank you. But an ordinary man. And I think God uses ordinary people extraordinary ways. And what I love about you, Keith, is the fact that you carry yourself with confidence. But you are able to merge into society, kind of just like Jesus did until he didn't have, you know, a one-hit poster on the wall for him. But, you know, he was able to go with tax collectors and stuff like that. And you have an incredible ability to find yourself in places where you're able to help the people that are hurting the most. And I dare say you've, like, that's a weekly event. You know, it's something you expect. And as you said before, God uses our pains to help people that are in pain today. And the reason why we can do that and the reason why you do that is because you've been healed through your pain. So you're able to show people that healing side of what they're going through and how you can be healed through the Lord. And we all have that. We've all been through things. I think that's one of the things we need to do, Keith, is to remember how God has healed us and go around and help people in those hurts. And I just want to say you do that. You also have a gift of prophecy, which is a great thing. That's a spiritual gift where you're able to see things the Lord is showing you as you're speaking with somebody, even in prayer. But it's a great asset that you have to be able to do that. And I know God is so pleased to have you on the team. And you're a willing participant in the kingdom. So thank you for that. Amen. Thank you. Darren, you know, I guess we can both agree there's nothing more fulfilling than that, right? Right. Hearing our father's voice and sharing what he's speaking to others because he's at work in the other person's life. And, you know, I had that opportunity this morning as I sat in a coffee shop and I was spending time with the father in the coffee shop and had that experience with a guy that I've seen 20 times. And of course, he comes to speak to me about business. And God had a totally another plan. And so it was literally hearing God's heart, hearing God's heart for him and being able to discern what he needed to hear from the Lord and then releasing it. Wow. Where he's walking away, he's having to ponder on those things that he heard that only the Lord would know. And he would have to hear about my Lord, Jesus, and I would share the gospel and I shared testimony. And so there's nothing more fulfilling than that. That's so good. And again, what comes to mind even right now, I never thought about this before, but, you know, when Christianity is done right, people don't run away from you. Yes. And it's a balance that we have to have. We can be very awestruck with our God, but we have to meet people where they are. And I don't even think we have to have an agenda. That's correct. I think an agenda is always dangerous. I think we have to allow God to usher us into a conversation because we're put there because his design is that we're part of that tapestry in that moment. I dare say, have you ever had anyone run from you because you've said something? Maybe once. Oh, I've never had anyone run from me. As long as my heart is focused on the Lord and focused on the heart of that person, they never run because there's a care. There's a kindness. There's the fruit of the Spirit that is operating in those moments. And it's not the fruit of Keith. It's the fruit of the Spirit. And so through the fruit of the Spirit, one of the main ones that we often forget in our Western culture is patience. The Lord is patient with people. He was patient with me. Yeah. I mean, when I first came to the Lord, it was like, share the gospel and then lead them to Christ. But that is an agenda. That's what you're kind of talking about. Well, we just assume, right? We're immature in our faith. But literally, it's just revealing God's heart to people and planting a seed. And maybe there will be a moment, you know, where God does desire for you to lead someone to Christ. But it really is being obedient to him and really caring about someone and loving that person enough to do what the Lord is calling to you in that moment. That's so good. There's a scripture in the Bible. It's in 1 Peter 3. I don't know off my heart, so I'm just going to say it up front. I'm going to read this. I'll start with verse 13, 1 Peter 3. It says, Now, who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled. But in your hearts, honor Christ, the Lord of glory, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. So good. Yet do it with gentleness and respect. And that scripture really came to mind a little earlier in this podcast and in this discussion. And it's very interesting how we're ending with what we've just said. And it's really a full circle moment. But that scripture really, I think, does a great job of tying the laces up on the boot. Yes, absolutely. And I just want to encourage everyone out there. Keith, you too. I want you to help encourage others as well. Just to always be prepared and do it, especially with gentleness and respect to share the gospel. Because I'll say one more thing is that as my life journey becomes a little more hazardous, in a sense, I think I can say it that way. I don't honestly know how this ends in terms of my life. Whether I'm here for another year, even, or whether I'm here for another 30 years. And that has a way of really sharpening things up. It has a way of emphasizing the need to make even recordings like this, where we give God the glory. That's what we've done today, Keith. I want you to know that. And so I would encourage everyone out there just to slow down enough to see. It's good. Just take some time with God. Ask yourself if he's still there for you. Have you drifted from him? He's pressing in at you. Have you drifted away? Any thoughts for closing? Just a big old thank you, Darren. Just this was a sweet time. And I'm honored that you would invite me because of the sincerity of your heart and your friendship with God and how you've prioritized Tracy and your children. You're a man of order, a man who loves God, who prioritizes his wife and his children, and has been a great asset to anyone that you know of, whether they know Christ or they don't. You are a source of hope and encouragement always, Darren. And I wish I could be with you every single day. I do recognize the season that you're in. And just thank you for your intentionality and your obedience to Christ. I'm going to be pondering on a lot of things that we discussed today. I'm excited to continue to fight alongside of you through prayer for you, your health, and your family. I absolutely know without a shadow of a doubt that the Lord is getting the glory. He's getting the honor and the praise. You're giving that back to Him as an act of worship. Thank you for your worship, Darren. Thank you, Keith. Revealing the true heart of worship. Thank you. Thank you so much. You know, all we're doing is leading pathways to Christ. That's what we're doing. We don't want any residue left on us. We want it all towards Him. Yes. So why don't we finish up in prayer? Yeah. Would you like to maybe lead that? Sure, absolutely. All right. Father, thank you for your presence. Thank you for your joy, peace that is surrounding Darren and I. Yes. We trust you, Father. You're a good God. You're so intentional about pursuing our hearts and revealing your heart towards us and to us. Thank you for our time together. And I pray that anyone listening to this would experiencing a deep healing in the air of relationships, beginning with their relationship with you, Father. I pray that if there are marriage situations and circumstances or children far off, God, you are Christ, our healer, and that you can restore and redeem anything the enemy has taken. And so I pray that you would bless the listeners that are hearing this just to go deeper with you, Lord, in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Amen. It's been a pleasure having you in the studio, Keith. Thank you, Darren. Let's do this again. I see you got your eyes slightly closed. I think they might be a little bright in here right now for some reason. That's right. But it's a pleasure having you in here and I hope to do another one soon. Life is amazing. Yes, it is. Be blessed, my friend. Thank you, Darren.