Sunburnt Souls Unhinged: Where It All Started | Faith, Mental Health & Mayhem

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Thank you, Jessica.
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It's nice being introduced by Jess because I know she's just a lot better than I am in every way.
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She's better looking, she's younger, she can run faster, she's had more babies, she's basically achieved way more than I ever have, and I get to be the recipient of her saying nice words about me.
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That is awesome.
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And it is nice to be in a room full of people where I actually like every single one of them.
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Because as a pastor, I spend a lot of times in rooms where I like about 42% of people.
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In case you didn't see it just before, Steve, who is awesomely recording tonight, had to get Andy to move because his head was in the way of me.
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Only a head that big could be in the way of someone when they're standing Andy Sword and why don't we give him a round of applause?
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Come on.
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That is a good head.
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See, Jess is better than me, and I don't even mind.
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I know a lot of people, when they have a hotter wife than themselves, get like sheepish about it, but I think it's epic.
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And the main reason, or many reasons, I mean fantastic reasons, I think it's awesome.
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The best is because I hacked the system and I beat the system.
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See, I asked Jess to marry me when she was just 18 years old.
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Right?
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And if you're into science, you know that at 18 years old, somebody's prefrontal cortex is not fully developed.
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Right?
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And the prefrontal cortex is the executive thinking part of your brain that helps you weigh up decisions such as long-term ramifications of big decisions.
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Like that's what your prefrontal cortex did.
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So I asked Jess to marry me before she had the cognitive ability to know that she could do better.
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Right?
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And so I'm not being mean and saying that she was brain damaged.
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All I'm saying is that, like all 18-year-olds at that time, they were brain deficient.
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Who else asked their wife to marry me, you, at 18 years old?
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Come on, there's a f okay, Robert.
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Was she way hotter than you?
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Yeah.
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It stands.
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Right, so we do that.
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And so for Jess, she's had the burden and the blessing of being married to me.
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I mean, sometimes it's really horrible for her, and sometimes it's really fun.
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Usually it's really horrible.
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And early in the marriage, when her prefrontal cortex was still developing, we got married and went on our honeymoon.
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Okay?
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And on our honeymoon, she discovered that I am wild in bed.
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Okay?
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Not in the creepy way you perverts are helping, hoping I elaborate on, but in the having night terrors and scaring her to death kind of wild in bed.
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Okay, so early in the marriage, where I think it was on our honeymoon or pretty new into it, and we're away at a hotel and we're as you know, we're asleep.
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And a sleep Dave thinks that the building is on fire.
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Okay?
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And at that point I turned into a sleep firefighter Dave.
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And I'm thinking, okay, I know somehow in sleep state that people die from smoke inhalation more than they die from the flames.
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And so I'm like, I've got to stop Jess getting smoke inhalation because I'm heroic and this is our honeymoon.
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And so I found a pillow and uh thought, okay, what's the best way to stop smoke going into her lungs?
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And so I lovingly crawled onto her chest and held the pillow over her face and pushed down as to not let the smoke get to her.
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Yeah, thanks.
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So I wake up because she's punching and scratching and trying to get me away.
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And the weird thing about a night terror, if you've never had one, is there is a point when you wake up and it's always very surprising.
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And in this point, I wake up to myself trying to smother my new bride in bed, and that's where I wake up, and so I'm very surprised.
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But I speculate that there's someone else in the room who's a little more surprised.
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We got through that.
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And then the night terrors continued for the next 20 years.
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And only two months ago, I was I had a night terror.
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I went to sleep, and this is exactly what happened.
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In the dream, I was in a city I was unaware of, and I started walking down the street, and I pooed my pants.
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And that's it.
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I've gone from a firefighting heroic man to a pants pooper in only 20 in only 20 years.
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Right?
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Gone.
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And so I'm like, okay, I've got to figure this out.
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And so I'm still asleep, and I get up and I start rubbing my hand up and down the bed thinking that there must be something to clean up, and then I am thinking later, that would have been disgusting if I found anything.
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Because I would have smothered it all over the bed.
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And I didn't find anything, because there's nothing there.
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And so I start sniffing along the bed like a helicopter, trying to figure out where the turd is.
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And okay, it's not there, it must still be in my undies.
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So I got up and took my undies off and then slinked around to the basin in the ensuite and started cleaning my undies at the sink like a backpacker trying to save two bucks on laundry.
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Right?
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And as I said, in every night terror, there's a time you wake up and it's very surprising.
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I'm at the sink nude, rubbing my undies, trying to find a turd that never existed.
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Just wake up like that.
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Once again, there's one person who's more surprised than you.
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Poor Jess looks over.
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I'm nude at the theme.
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What are you doing, Dave?
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I'm getting rid of a turd.
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She's like, she's like, do you need any help?
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And that's when you know she's the better one than me.
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Because if I saw that in her night terror world, I'd just go sleep in another room.
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But she's like, Do you need any help?
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Do you need do you need something?
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I'm like, no, I've got it.
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It's okay.
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It's been such a ride.
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But I bring the worst to the table in the marriage, but she's not perfect either, just in case you're wondering.
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I know she seems it.
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Um, but early in the marriage, when my night terrors were still heroic, she lost her wedding rings.
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Wedding ring and engagement ring.
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She was mortified.
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That was the best thing that's ever happened to me.
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Dave, I don't like it when you buy TVs all the time and bring them home.
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We've got enough TVs, why do you keep buying TVs?
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Why?
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Because I've got a wedding ring.
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Dave, why is there a troop carrier downstairs?
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Like a land cruiser.
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You didn't get a mechanical check, you didn't tell me it was coming.
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Why do you have a troop carrier now?
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Why?
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Well, I've actually got this magical ring, and it gives me powers to do all kinds of things.
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But that continued on.
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I thought, oh man, I don't know how long I can get away with this because she was getting older and her prefrontal cortex was starting to develop.
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And I'm like, ugh, I better buy another wedding ring in case she realizes she could have done better.
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So I quickly got another ring on it, and the best thing, the miracle from heaven, the greatest amazing blessing happened.
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You know, she lost that too.
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Dave, why don't you ever help me out in the garden?
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Well, Jess, I would love to help you in the garden, but I've got this 2003 edition wedding ring that's black gold and yellow gold from my original wedding to my original wife.
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And if I go out and work in the garden, I could scratch it or get it dirty, and that would be dishonoring the sanctity of marriage that I hold so dearly.
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So, Jess, I would love to come out into the yard, but I can't because I've got my wedding ring.
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It was the best, it was the best, Andy.
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She's been through a lot and she needs your prayers.
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Now you might be thinking, Dave, why did you like buy all those TVs?
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And why did you keep buying TVs?
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And then why did you go and buy that troop carrier on a whim, spend lots of money, and just bring it home?
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That's not a normal thing to do.
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You know, I started thinking about that.
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And then one time I went to Maccas only like two years ago and came home with a boat.
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I saw it on the way there while I drove to Maccas, and on the way back, I'm like, that must be for me.
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So I bought the boat, bought it home to a surprise family, and the lady said on the way out, you know, the engine doesn't work on this, don't you?
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I'm like, yeah, I'll fix it.
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So I based the I'll fix it on my complete like mechanical uselessness.
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I can't fix anything.
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I don't even have tools, man.
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I'll go at home.
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Oh, I can't fix that.
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So what I did is bought another engine.
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And so I got it off marketplace and bought it home, but then I realized, man, engines are heavy.
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So I had to buy a hoist to carry the engine around the yard and move it and stuff.
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And then I thought, oh, I got a hoist, I've got an engine, I'll buy some engine mounts and buy a couple more engines and fix them up and sell them on marketplace to pay for the first engine based on my mechanical ability.
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And so none of that worked out.
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And eventually, though, the boat got fixed at the mechanic, and for like weeks we had fun in Talabajura Creek, tubing around, doing all kinds of fun stuff, you know, and the family was stoked, and I was stoked.
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And then one day I drove the kids to King's again, and on the way home, man, on the side of the road was my dream boat.
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And I got out and I'm looking at it, and I'm like, man, this thing is mince.
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I started up all it rush.
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You know, I look at it, I'm like, how much is it?
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17 grand.
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Really?
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Open up my banking app.
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We've been saving hard.
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17 grand.
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It must be a sign from the Lord.
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I'm gonna get this boat too.
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It was a miracle from heaven, so I brought it home.
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Jess comes home that afternoon, two boats, one engine dead, three on the hoist, uh, two on the hoist, one on the stand, all of this stuff.
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And of course, she's the good one and way better than me, she didn't even shame me or make me feel bad or do anything.
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All she did was walk up, hold my hand, and return the wedding rings.
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No, she didn't.
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She didn't.
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She didn't, but she should have.
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Now, why, Dave?
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Do you buy all this stuff?
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Why do you go on these crazy endeavors?
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Why do you think things are a ideas are a good when they're obviously terrible?
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And when someone tells you that they're terrible, you just won't listen.
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Why?
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Well, I'm not mentally well.
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Like 25% of the Australian population, I got issues with my mental well-being.
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And like 2% of the Australian population, I got bipolar disorder.
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That's why I do it.
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Right?
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If you know anything about bipolar disorder, imagine a poll, and on one end is your depressive side, your darkness, your despair, your depression when you feel like life is the worst, and you wouldn't kill yourself, but you would welcome some sort of meteorite smashing into the house and killing you and everyone you love.
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Right?
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That darkness and that heaviness, and I get stuck by that in my bipolar, it's that end.
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And then you go to the other end, which is the mania, which is the the manic part of your bipolar swings where you can't rationalize things properly, and you think that ideas are good when they're terrible, and you spend money outlandishly, and you like go on endeavors, like the amount of business names that I have, and every few months GoDaddy reminds me, do you still want this domain?
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I'm like, that was before diagnosis, Dave.
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No, I don't freaking want that.
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Right?
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It's hard.
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And because I have this mental illness, the people in my life that I love are affected.
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And so I can be a really good dad a lot of the time, and I can also do some horrible things.
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And I can be a good husband a lot of the time, but I can also do some things that are very stupid.
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And I can't excuse, excuse the stupidity that I do out of my own weakness, but it frames why I do the things out of my mental illness.
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Right?
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That's my life.
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And with my life, so I got like these, not psychosis, but close, these manic episodes.
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I've got this depression happening, I I find it hard to rationalize, you know, good decisions.
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I make poor financial choices.
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Sometimes they pay off.
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We still got the 17 grand boat, by the way, and it's a lot of fun.
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Some of you been on it, so you're glad I'm manic, right?
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You're praying for it! But God thought it would be funny, with all of that going on, to make me a leader of the most mentally crazy group of people on the planet.
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The local Christian church! That's what he's got me to do with all this going on.
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And can I just, I mean, I'm sure you know, but Christians are crazy.
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Like, I know this one Christian who's epic.
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Her name is Marjorie, and she's the best.
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She's everything you want in a human being.
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She's the best Christian ever.
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And then there's the rest of you.
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You do crazy stuff.
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I do crazy stuff, but I'm mentally ill.
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Why the hell do you do it?
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You drive me insane.
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I go to church, and there was a little period where I was a bit fat.
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You might even remember it.
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I was just a bit fat, not like super fat, bit fat from my cerequil, which is an antipsychotic that I take.
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It gives me the munchies.
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And I got a bit fat.
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I was at church one day in the kitchen, just chilling.
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Oh, in the kitchen, that's funny.
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I wasn't eating anything.
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That's just where I happened to be.
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And this old Japanese lady comes up to me, man.
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She's got to be like 200.
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She comes up, rubs my belly, and goes, big belly, big belly, and then just trottles on and off.
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Could you imagine if I did that to her?
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I'd be at HR getting fired.
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She just gets away with it.
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And I wasn't even super fat, not like rub your belly lucky fat, just a bit fat.
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She's at me.
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Christians are crazy at the moment.
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We're doing some crazy things in the Christian church when it comes to songs.
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And we sing this, ready?
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Oh man.
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It takes 15 years to say one word, right?
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And then we go singing.
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Okay.
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Who are we saying singing to?
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God knows we're singing, He can hear it.
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We know we're singing because we're in rows and we're looking forward, and there's sound coming out of our mouths, so we know we're singing.
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But imagine you're walking down the beach with your best mate, and then all of a sudden you're standing at each other and go, walking.
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I can tell you're walking, there's footprints in the sand.
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And footprints in the sand's not a Bible verse, but I've been told by crazy Christians that it is.
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Right?
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Why do we do this stuff?
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When I was early on the mental health journey, I went to get some help, but I went to a different church hoping they were less lunatics and got some help from a guy who'd been in ministry a long time.
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I'm like, I'm gonna go get some wisdom.
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And so I get there and I'm like, hey man, I'm just a bit dark, I'm feeling anxious, I'm like depressed.
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You know, I've never had this before, I've been good in the past.
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What do I do with it, man?
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You know, you got any advice?
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And he goes, Oh.
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1 Peter 5, 7 says, cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.
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I'm like, yeah, bro, I know that verse.
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Like, and I've heard it, I've read it, and uh, I know it.
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I've gotten prayer, I've like gone to get some deliverance, nothing came out.
00:17:04.029 --> 00:17:07.869
Like, I think I'm good, but I just like I need some help.
00:17:08.109 --> 00:17:09.710
Oh, I don't think you understand, Dave.
00:17:10.109 --> 00:17:14.269
1 Peter 5 7 says, Cast all your anxieties on him because he cares for you.
00:17:15.470 --> 00:17:17.869
Yeah, I know, man.
00:17:18.029 --> 00:17:25.230
Like, like I don't need you to write a verse on a post-it note and stick it to my head.
00:17:25.470 --> 00:17:27.710
Like, I need some actual help.
00:17:27.950 --> 00:17:30.669
And he goes, Look, I don't think you understand.
00:17:31.149 --> 00:17:33.869
He goes, Look, I can offer that too.
00:17:34.109 --> 00:17:34.829
Thank you very much.
00:17:34.989 --> 00:17:35.549
Alright.
00:17:36.189 --> 00:17:39.629
He goes, look, we're next to his fruit bowl in his home.
00:17:39.789 --> 00:17:40.269
Alright?
00:17:40.429 --> 00:17:43.389
And he grabs an apple and he grabs a banana.
00:17:44.109 --> 00:17:46.589
He goes, Here, you have the banana.
00:17:46.829 --> 00:17:48.109
I'll have the apple.
00:17:48.909 --> 00:17:49.389
Alright?
00:17:49.629 --> 00:17:51.229
Now let's swap them.
00:17:53.309 --> 00:17:54.829
It's just like that.
00:17:55.229 --> 00:17:59.229
All you gotta do is swap your anxiety for the presence of God, and then you'll be fine.
00:17:59.309 --> 00:18:03.469
And he's like wagging his banana around like his soul, like world hunger.
00:18:03.629 --> 00:18:07.549
Woo! And I go out of there worse than when I went in.
00:18:07.789 --> 00:18:12.269
Now, do I believe that verse is scripture and inspired and powerful and helpful?
00:18:12.509 --> 00:18:15.069
Yes, but not like that.
00:18:15.389 --> 00:18:20.509
It's something we journey through, it's something we work with, it's something that shapes us.
00:18:20.669 --> 00:18:33.389
And instead of us feeling like God is against us in those moments, like I did, we should be grabbing verses that say God is close to the brokenhearted, and God is there for those that are anxious, and he's walking with us, not shunning us.
00:18:33.549 --> 00:18:34.750
How bloody stupid.
00:18:34.909 --> 00:18:37.309
Healed, like healed, healed.
00:18:37.469 --> 00:18:41.229
If we can walk around with a banana, that'll solve everything.
00:18:44.269 --> 00:18:48.189
So I left worse, then I and then I started thinking, well, you know what?
00:18:48.269 --> 00:18:53.229
We are in the church quite good at taking care of people who've got physical illnesses.
00:18:53.469 --> 00:18:54.669
Like we are quite good at that.
00:18:54.829 --> 00:18:56.269
Credit where credit's due.
00:18:56.429 --> 00:19:08.669
Like where we're sitting right now, if a lady came in and her foot was missing, someone would give her a chair, give her another chair to put the foot rest on, the rest of the foot on, get her a beer, whatever.
00:19:08.750 --> 00:19:10.349
Here you go, Lon, we'll take care of you.
00:19:10.429 --> 00:19:11.229
The bathrooms are here.
00:19:11.389 --> 00:19:12.029
Do you need help?
00:19:12.109 --> 00:19:14.989
Like, we we know what to do when someone's physically sick.
00:19:15.229 --> 00:19:19.789
And I just would love to see us grow knowing what to do when people are mentally sick.
00:19:21.309 --> 00:19:24.989
I actually preached this a similar thing at a church one day.
00:19:26.189 --> 00:19:31.949
And I started trying out the amputee analogy, but I hadn't planned to start the amputee analogy.
00:19:33.389 --> 00:19:37.309
And it dawned on me halfway through, and you can I mean you can understand why.
00:19:37.389 --> 00:19:40.589
I sometimes find it hard to know if it's revelation or craziness, right?
00:19:41.069 --> 00:19:50.349
So I'm going and oh, these guys don't understand that physical illness and mental illness are in the same bucket, you know, and they can be solved by God, but we've got to treat it anyway.
00:19:50.429 --> 00:19:59.869
I start going, look, if there was a person in this room who just had their foot amputated, you wouldn't go up to them and say, this is a matter of faith, and if you had more faith, you've had a foot, right?
00:19:59.949 --> 00:20:00.829
That's what I said in this church.
00:20:00.909 --> 00:20:02.429
It was a big church my mate was running.
00:20:02.589 --> 00:20:06.429
I didn't check any of this with him because I only just thought of it.
00:20:07.309 --> 00:20:11.069
So I'm like, it's not because she doesn't have faith that she doesn't have a foot.
00:20:11.309 --> 00:20:15.709
And then this pocket of ladies just start really laughing to the left.
00:20:15.789 --> 00:20:17.549
I'm like, they dig my analogy.
00:20:17.709 --> 00:20:19.789
So they up the ante, so I up the ante.
00:20:20.189 --> 00:20:23.709
You haven't been forsaken by God, and that's why you're an empty tea.
00:20:23.869 --> 00:20:26.349
Everything is just coming from the bucket of brokenness.
00:20:26.429 --> 00:20:30.750
We all carry brokenness, some of it's it's physical, some it's spiritual, some it's emotional.
00:20:31.069 --> 00:20:33.069
Start hitting that good theology, right?
00:20:33.149 --> 00:20:35.629
And they start cracking up even louder.
00:20:35.869 --> 00:20:38.909
And then I start thinking there may be something wrong here that I'm missing.
00:20:38.989 --> 00:20:40.589
And I said, check my fly.
00:20:40.669 --> 00:20:42.109
No, they're not laughing at that.
00:20:42.429 --> 00:20:44.109
Thought I'll just go for one more.
00:20:44.269 --> 00:20:46.109
And it's just saying, you know what?
00:20:46.429 --> 00:20:54.349
And if you were sick, and someone came up to you and they just blah blah blah blah blah blah banana, right?
00:20:54.509 --> 00:20:58.989
They're laughing again, and everyone else has stopped laughing and was sort of doing this.
00:21:00.029 --> 00:21:01.949
Bro, you couldn't have planned this.
00:21:02.269 --> 00:21:08.269
A lady was there for the first time who just had her foot amputated.
00:21:09.389 --> 00:21:11.229
Bro, that is not normal.
00:21:11.389 --> 00:21:13.869
There's the chances of that are slim.
00:21:14.029 --> 00:21:16.189
Most of us only know two amputees.
00:21:18.509 --> 00:21:19.949
Right, so she's in there.
00:21:20.109 --> 00:21:24.189
Anyway, the cool thing is, she didn't think I was picking on her because I wasn't.
00:21:24.429 --> 00:21:26.509
I was saying she's a legend for pitching up.
00:21:26.669 --> 00:21:29.069
I was saying she's a legend because God can use her.
00:21:29.229 --> 00:21:37.229
And I was saying that her deficit wasn't a reason to hold her back from full life in Christ, because it was a physical deficit, and we understand that.
00:21:37.309 --> 00:21:41.949
But sometimes we think a mental deficit holds people back from having a full life in Christ.
00:21:42.109 --> 00:21:47.709
And I know my life is weird and wonderful and all crazy stuff happens, but it is full.
00:21:47.869 --> 00:21:50.909
I live full for Jesus, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
00:21:51.069 --> 00:21:52.029
And so I'm saying this.
00:21:52.189 --> 00:21:56.750
Anyway, so this lady's, everyone tells me, lady, after, of course, everyone tells me.
00:21:56.829 --> 00:21:58.669
Wait, there was an amputee.
00:21:58.829 --> 00:21:59.789
There was an amputee.
00:21:59.949 --> 00:22:01.389
Why'd you say amputee so much?
00:22:01.469 --> 00:22:02.750
I'm like, I don't know.
00:22:03.469 --> 00:22:07.629
So I start playing on my phone, so no one will keep telling me.
00:22:07.949 --> 00:22:12.349
And then I open up my Facebook, and there's a message from an unknown person.
00:22:13.309 --> 00:22:15.549
And it's a picture of her stump.
00:22:17.469 --> 00:22:17.949
Right?
00:22:18.589 --> 00:22:20.109
But she sent it.
00:22:20.989 --> 00:22:22.109
She was a hero.
00:22:22.269 --> 00:22:27.389
She pulls her nothing off, takes a photo, and sends it to me.
00:22:27.949 --> 00:22:29.629
I'm like, this lady's the best.
00:22:29.869 --> 00:22:34.589
And isn't that how we should handle mental illness, like we did with the physical illness?
00:22:34.829 --> 00:22:41.789
Where, like, yeah, it's unideal that she doesn't have a foot, but it's not because she was like doing anything wrong spiritually.
00:22:41.949 --> 00:22:45.789
And it's not ideal that she doesn't have a foot, but it's not because God has forsaken her.
00:22:45.949 --> 00:22:52.989
It's because this world is broken, and every person in this room, including me, you, and her, have something broken about us.
00:22:53.149 --> 00:23:08.269
And if we're like, you know, big enough to admit it, we might admit that maybe it's physical and you have a back issue, or maybe it's physical and you've got a knee issue, or some sort of sciatica nerve or something, and that's your cross to bear, and it's okay.
00:23:08.509 --> 00:23:14.269
And God is with you in that, and God is carrying you in that, and he's going to keep carrying you in that.
00:23:14.429 --> 00:23:20.349
And with that same rationale and mindset, I have bipolar disorder, and it hasn't lifted yet.
00:23:20.429 --> 00:23:23.949
And I've prayed and I've asked and I've repented and everything else.
00:23:24.189 --> 00:23:27.549
And it seems for the time being that that's something I'm gonna carry.
00:23:27.709 --> 00:23:30.509
And while I carry it, I'm doing it with God.
00:23:30.669 --> 00:23:34.829
I'm doing it with people I love, and I'm not gonna let that destroy me.
00:23:35.069 --> 00:23:36.269
Is it hard?
00:23:36.509 --> 00:23:37.149
Yes.
00:23:37.789 --> 00:23:42.269
There are some days I wish I was dead, but I'm not gonna hasten it.
00:23:42.429 --> 00:23:47.069
I'm gonna get through and make it to, I don't know, what's old enough to die young?
00:23:48.109 --> 00:23:49.629
Like 68?
00:23:50.829 --> 00:23:52.349
Is that too young?
00:23:53.469 --> 00:23:56.509
Big, you got my sister-in-law gasped.
00:23:56.669 --> 00:23:58.989
Did you you said 68 as well?
00:23:59.309 --> 00:24:01.149
See you in heaven, sister.
00:24:03.469 --> 00:24:05.949
Don't come to that family gathering.
00:24:06.429 --> 00:24:07.709
You eat the son.
00:24:08.909 --> 00:24:09.309
Right?
00:24:09.469 --> 00:24:10.909
You hear me, don't you?
00:24:11.389 --> 00:24:13.949
Don't we want to just get a little better with this?
00:24:14.269 --> 00:24:19.149
I just feel like as the people of God, we can just get better and then bless people.
00:24:19.229 --> 00:24:27.389
And we don't need to pander to some of the misconceptions that are coming into the medical industry that are there to do damage, and I'm not going there today.
00:24:27.549 --> 00:24:35.229
What we need to do is have sound people who are pressing in in their faith and moving forward and doing what God has called them to do.
00:24:35.549 --> 00:24:38.829
And that's where you become part of the solution.
00:24:39.789 --> 00:24:43.789
On every table, there is a present underneath the food.
00:24:44.189 --> 00:24:44.750
Alright?
00:24:44.909 --> 00:24:50.109
I want you to choose one person to take that present, and you're gonna turn it over.
00:24:50.189 --> 00:24:56.750
And in a moment, this is why I want you to have a warning is that you're gonna stand up and read what's on the bottom.
00:24:56.909 --> 00:24:59.469
Okay, so grab the present, it's under the food.
00:25:00.269 --> 00:25:02.509
Grab the present, it's under the food.
00:25:08.269 --> 00:25:11.469
By the way, it's a good present, like it's actually a good present.
00:25:13.549 --> 00:25:14.509
Alright.
00:25:20.269 --> 00:25:21.229
Alright.
00:25:23.629 --> 00:25:29.469
Alright, so do we have on every table one person willing to stand up and read out what's on there?
00:25:29.709 --> 00:25:34.109
I figured I'd hedge my bets and have one between four, because surely one between four can do it.
00:25:34.189 --> 00:25:34.829
Who do you reckon?
00:25:34.989 --> 00:25:36.829
Jezus designated his daughter.
00:25:36.989 --> 00:25:37.789
You can do it.
00:25:37.949 --> 00:25:39.389
You're here, you work.
00:25:39.629 --> 00:25:40.109
Right?
00:25:40.349 --> 00:25:43.709
Okay, everyone who's got one and is willing to share, stand up.
00:25:48.029 --> 00:25:50.109
Alright, is that one from every table?
00:25:50.509 --> 00:25:52.589
I can't quite see everyone, that's okay.
00:25:52.909 --> 00:26:01.949
Now, in Australia, like I said, one in four people struggle with their mental well-being.
00:26:02.669 --> 00:26:06.589
That's the ratios of what we see right before us right now.
00:26:06.829 --> 00:26:14.189
I'm not saying the people standing up have the mental health condition that they're about to read out, but they represent the population.
00:26:14.750 --> 00:26:17.789
One in four, look how many people are standing.
00:26:18.029 --> 00:26:19.549
Alright, what's your say?
00:26:20.669 --> 00:26:21.629
Okay, what's your say?
00:26:21.949 --> 00:26:22.589
Anxiety.
00:26:25.709 --> 00:26:31.069
Oh yay! OCD.
00:26:32.829 --> 00:26:33.789
ADHD.
00:26:34.509 --> 00:26:35.229
Depression.
00:26:36.509 --> 00:26:37.629
Eating disorder.
00:26:38.909 --> 00:26:39.549
Yes.
00:26:41.149 --> 00:26:41.949
Okay, thank you.
00:26:42.109 --> 00:26:43.309
Stay standing for a moment.
00:26:43.549 --> 00:26:49.469
That's just a that's just some of the mental health conditions people are struggling with in your world.
00:26:49.789 --> 00:26:50.349
Right?
00:26:50.669 --> 00:26:54.509
So this is the representation of how many people struggle.
00:26:54.829 --> 00:27:01.629
Now, if you know somebody standing, stand.
00:27:04.669 --> 00:27:07.549
If you know that person that's standing, stand.
00:27:11.069 --> 00:27:13.069
Like anyone in the room standing.
00:27:13.309 --> 00:27:15.309
If anyone in the room standing, stand.
00:27:19.709 --> 00:27:21.309
It's nearly everyone.
00:27:22.189 --> 00:27:32.750
In our society, in our churches, in our friendship groups, you are struggling with mental well-being issues or you are there to help people who are struggling with their mental health issues.
00:27:32.989 --> 00:27:35.309
This is not a me thing.
00:27:35.789 --> 00:27:37.389
This is a wee thing.
00:27:37.869 --> 00:27:39.869
This is everybody you know.
00:27:40.189 --> 00:27:42.429
You're either struggling or you're helping.
00:27:42.589 --> 00:27:45.309
And even if you're struggling, you can still be helping.
00:27:45.549 --> 00:27:47.629
This is the epidemic, no other.
00:27:52.189 --> 00:27:54.429
And we are the solution.
00:27:54.989 --> 00:28:03.949
See, the thing is it's really awesome when it's like psychologists and um capitalists and psychologists who can really get in and help.
00:28:04.509 --> 00:28:06.989
But most of us aren't bad.
00:28:07.629 --> 00:28:10.269
But we can still be part of the solution.
00:28:10.669 --> 00:28:11.709
Does that make sense?
00:28:12.349 --> 00:28:14.109
You are part of the solution.
00:28:14.989 --> 00:28:16.589
So you might think, well, what do I do?
00:28:16.669 --> 00:28:18.349
Like, how do I actually do?
00:28:19.229 --> 00:28:21.069
How do I do part of the solution?
00:28:21.309 --> 00:28:24.269
Well, the fact that one of the big things you can do is equip yourself.
00:28:25.389 --> 00:28:27.149
Get quick to help other people.
00:28:27.309 --> 00:28:35.469
For a little bit of knowledge and get some equipment, and when it comes to time, for your opportunity to help, you've got some resources in the bank.
00:28:35.709 --> 00:28:37.229
You know what you could do?
00:28:40.189 --> 00:28:40.429
Right?
00:28:40.589 --> 00:28:50.269
I know that's clean take delivered, we know you've got a podcast, everyone's got a podcast, but you've podcast anything, we know what's coming eventually, yeah, clicked well done, great.
00:28:51.469 --> 00:28:54.589
The difference is mine's good.
00:28:56.269 --> 00:28:56.589
Right?
00:28:56.669 --> 00:28:58.189
And a lot of you have been on it.
00:28:58.349 --> 00:29:08.669
You listen to stories, I've got 110 now, and they're stories of people who are walking with their mental well-being issues, and they figure out how to continue in life.
00:29:08.829 --> 00:29:13.309
And in the discussion, you might pick up a few pointers on how you can help others too.
00:29:13.549 --> 00:29:19.949
Sometimes I get professionals on who don't have mental health issues, but they speak into that space, and that's a massive blessing too.
00:29:20.109 --> 00:29:20.429
Right?
00:29:20.589 --> 00:29:22.429
All of that is they're just waiting.
00:29:22.589 --> 00:29:25.469
And then you might think, well, I don't I don't really want to do that.
00:29:25.549 --> 00:29:28.909
I don't really want to listen to podcasts, what else can I do instead?
00:29:29.229 --> 00:29:31.629
Well, I reckon just resource yourself.
00:29:31.869 --> 00:29:36.109
If you're an auditory learner, listen to someone else's podcast if you want.
00:29:36.669 --> 00:29:39.229
If you like going to conferences, go to a conference.
00:29:39.709 --> 00:29:43.789
If you want to go get coaching, get qualified, do a course, do something.
00:29:44.589 --> 00:29:51.709
Because it's not a matter of if it's happening in your world, the question is whether or not you want to be part of the solution.
00:29:54.829 --> 00:30:04.989
Probably a year ago, I went to church and about an hour before it started, this dude walked in.
00:30:05.469 --> 00:30:07.549
And it took me off guard for two reasons.
00:30:07.709 --> 00:30:13.949
Okay, the first reason was I was there by myself and I didn't recognize him, so I was a little bit like, oh, who's this guy?
00:30:14.189 --> 00:30:32.829
But secondly, he came in with like this aggressive demeanor, and you could tell he wanted an argument, and so he comes in and he's wanting to fight about theological things and things we believe, and just was like calling me a heretic and just going hard, man.
00:30:32.989 --> 00:30:33.229
Right?
00:30:33.309 --> 00:30:38.429
And he's like trying to stand over me because he was a bit older than me, like a dad would stand over a kid.
00:30:38.589 --> 00:30:40.829
It disgusted me on every level, right?
00:30:41.069 --> 00:30:42.109
He was just wrong.
00:30:42.189 --> 00:30:45.709
And he came into our house and did our spiritual house and did that.
00:30:47.309 --> 00:30:50.509
I mean, I'm a jerk, but I don't know if I do that.
00:30:50.669 --> 00:30:52.269
Like, that's pretty bad.
00:30:52.509 --> 00:30:59.549
And so he did that, and I wish this wasn't the case, but it rattled me.
00:31:00.750 --> 00:31:03.069
I'm not a tough dude, I'm not a brave dude.
00:31:03.709 --> 00:31:05.789
When that stuff happens, I get rattled.
00:31:06.189 --> 00:31:09.869
And so I got rattled, and then I eventually kicked him out and slammed the door.
00:31:10.109 --> 00:31:12.029
And I thought that would be really emphatic.
00:31:12.269 --> 00:31:20.829
But a door slam is really not that emphatic because the wind sort of stops it from going fast, and you're like, ah, it was less satisfying than I thought.
00:31:21.709 --> 00:31:25.629
I kicked him out, and I sat down and I was like, proper shaking.
00:31:27.229 --> 00:31:28.989
Man, what the hell do I do now, guys?
00:31:30.029 --> 00:31:37.149
And then two minutes later, Jason walks in and he comes in and he can sense something has just gone down.
00:31:37.869 --> 00:31:40.589
You know those emotionally and spiritually intuitive people?
00:31:41.309 --> 00:31:44.909
And he comes over and before I even say anything, he gives me the biggest man hug.
00:31:45.869 --> 00:31:50.669
And then he sits me down and he's like, mate, what a and I debriefed it with him.
00:31:51.469 --> 00:31:55.149
And I told him what happened, and he corrected the untruth.
00:31:55.469 --> 00:31:57.069
And he spoke life over me.
00:31:57.709 --> 00:32:00.669
And he spoke strength over me.
00:32:01.149 --> 00:32:07.549
And he cut this destructive this this like potential for destructive anxiety off.
00:32:08.109 --> 00:32:09.309
And he turned it around.
00:32:09.789 --> 00:32:14.989
And then he lays hands on me at the end and prays one of the most powerful and humble prayers I've ever heard in my life.
00:32:16.349 --> 00:32:20.989
And because he existed, I got through that day.
00:32:23.549 --> 00:32:29.309
All of us get to choose to be like the first person or the second person.
00:32:30.109 --> 00:32:31.309
All of us get to choose.
00:32:31.389 --> 00:32:42.669
It is your choice daily to bring anxiety in people's lives and make their life worse and tear them down and destroy their mental health and send, you know, hand grenades of hate their way.
00:32:43.869 --> 00:32:52.989
Or you can be part of the solution and bring life and bring words of strength and show people how to be alleviated of their anxiety.
00:32:53.149 --> 00:32:55.549
Instead of making anxiety, you break it.
00:32:55.709 --> 00:32:59.469
And I saw that in action that day, and it changed me.
00:33:00.669 --> 00:33:05.949
I want to be an anxiety breaker, even as someone who sometimes struggles with anxiety.
00:33:06.109 --> 00:33:11.789
I want to be part of the solution because God has given me enough to help other people, and He's done the same with you.
00:33:13.629 --> 00:33:20.269
Be an anxiety breaker every day of the week, and you'll see something awesome happen.
00:33:20.349 --> 00:33:32.269
And last thing I want to tell you if you feel completely ill-equipped and like you got nothing to give, all I want you to do is memorize these four words.
00:33:33.469 --> 00:33:36.029
How can I help?
00:33:37.229 --> 00:33:43.149
If someone's in despair in their mental health, they don't know what to ask for, as you know, they don't want to put you out.
00:33:43.229 --> 00:33:46.269
There's all kinds of layers and triggers and things going on.
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But if they love you and you know that you've got their best best interest in at heart, walk up.
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How can I help?
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See God do a miracle in their life and yours.