บทถอดความฉบับเต็มของ Ep. 137 | Coach Cast - Catching Up with FCA | ft. Chip Parker, Trey Lee & Tim Clark

had. 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:28.159 So I've liked it. 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:29.439 Well, I'm sure it existed. 00:03:29.520 --> 00:03:30.240 I just don't remember it. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:30.560 Okay. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:33.280 So I lived, it was my second year of teaching. 00:03:33.439 --> 00:03:38.080 I lived every teacher's nightmare of the first day of school. 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:39.199 What is that, Trey? 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:41.439 I think for men and women it may be different things. 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:42.319 Okay. 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:43.680 You may you may need to be. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:47.280 I was sick the first day of school. 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:48.159 So yeah. 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:52.719 So in Omaha, our meet the teacher was like the night before the first day of school. 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:57.599 And so I'm sitting there, you know, meeting all these parents, and I'm like, I feel like death. 00:03:57.759 --> 00:03:59.680 I really need them kids gave you the crud. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:01.280 Well, no, no, I just met them. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:02.639 But literally, I'm not kidding you. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:05.360 By the time I got home, it was a stomach bug. 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:10.240 And so I literally had to call my principal that night and be like, I think I'm gonna miss the first day of school. 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:15.199 And it was terrible because like you teach the routines, you teach procedures, all of those things. 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:18.000 So you had to start out with a substitute on the first day of school. 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:21.040 Oddly enough, I don't think that's any kid's worst fear for the city. 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:23.920 It is a teacher's like first day of school nightmare. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:25.439 I have two relatable stories. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:28.079 So as a student, I missed the first day of school in eighth grade. 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:30.959 I had a massive eye infection and I went home during first period. 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:33.040 I wear contacts and probably had them in for too long. 00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:35.439 But um when's the last time you changed your contacts? 00:04:35.600 --> 00:04:36.959 Oh, that's uh that's not fair. 00:04:37.040 --> 00:04:39.759 I changed them right after the baby was born, but prior to that it'd been a while. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:44.639 So I had to miss, and I I felt behind for like the next like six weeks at school as a student. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:48.160 But as a teacher, I had almost had to miss the first day of school one year. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:49.920 I got summoned for jury duty. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:56.560 Oh put me in a like uh ethical conundrum because I was teaching civics that year. 00:04:56.879 --> 00:05:00.000 And so I was like, do I get out of jury duty? 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:05.680 And like that feels kind of counterproductive, or do I do I miss the first day of school? 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:10.879 And so I called and told them the situation, and they said, Hey, we'd rather you be at school. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:12.959 Don't worry, we'll we'll summon you again soon. 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:15.040 Three weeks later, I was summoned for jury duty. 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:21.920 And shout out to the Columbia County Clerk of Courts for getting me to be able to be at the first day of school because missing that is a is a challenge for sure. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:26.160 Yeah, because you start you know what's you want to start the school year off like with on a high note. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:30.240 And I mean it's really sweet, like the sub had all the kids write, like, we hope you feel better, Miss Sib. 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:34.000 So I had a stack of like you know, notes from the sib that I had never met before. 00:05:35.040 --> 00:05:38.160 Let me write you this very thoughtful card, though I have no clue who you are. 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:39.120 It meant a lot. 00:05:39.199 --> 00:05:39.839 It meant a lot. 00:05:39.920 --> 00:05:40.879 All right, what about you fellas? 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:46.240 So, Trey, I'm not sure if you were still teaching and coaching in the COVID era or had you already moved. 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:49.040 Okay, so that was obviously just a crazy time. 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:51.839 But I was coaching football at Brantford, Suwannee County. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:55.120 I know we did things a little bit differently through the COVID, you know, era. 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:56.639 So this would have been 19, I guess. 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:57.839 1920. 00:05:57.920 --> 00:05:58.000 Yeah. 00:05:58.399 --> 00:05:58.879 So 20. 00:05:59.199 --> 00:06:01.279 That's probably the most memorable start for me. 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:01.759 Yeah. 00:06:02.000 --> 00:06:04.800 Because, you know, obviously it was almost September when we started. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:04.959 Yeah. 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:05.279 Yeah. 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:14.000 But I remember coming coming in and we our first football game that week, when you we had to cancel a cancel week one, find somebody to play. 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:16.560 And so it was just so rushed, and people are wearing masks. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:19.120 We're talking about you know how we keep people away from each other. 00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:21.600 I remember thinking, like, we're gonna play football tonight. 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:23.360 Like, let's get to play football games. 00:06:23.519 --> 00:06:25.279 You're not gonna be keeping people away from each other, right? 00:06:25.439 --> 00:06:26.959 Yeah, serious question. 00:06:27.040 --> 00:06:27.519 No names. 00:06:27.759 --> 00:06:30.480 Did any players wear a mask behind their face masks? 00:06:30.639 --> 00:06:31.199 Absolutely not. 00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:33.839 I think that would have been socially pretty tough. 00:06:34.079 --> 00:06:35.199 Yeah, socially pretty tough. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:37.120 Yeah,

I'm here for that. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:43.759 So I don't have a first day of school memory, but you said favorite school memory, and I do have a clear, far and away favorite school memory. 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:49.519 So in school, like I was always the good kid, made good grades, never got in trouble, all that stuff. 00:06:49.680 --> 00:06:58.160 But my senior year, we were in class, I was in an honors English class, and the National Honor Society had done uh coat drive for winter. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:03.680 But the thing is, not all the National Honor Society did it, like only the people who really took that seriously did it. 00:07:03.839 --> 00:07:14.399 But yet they came on the speaker about one o'clock that day and said, please release the National Honor Society students to go, it was to take a picture for the coat drive or whatever. 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:21.600 Well, when they said that, I mean, they didn't say only the ones who participated, and I was a National Honor Society student. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:22.399 Why not? 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:25.680 So I got up and I walked out. 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:34.560 The bad part is when I got to the door and looked behind me, three quarters of my honors English class had walked out with me, and we just all left. 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:46.480 Well, when we came back, waiting on us at the school was the principal, the vice principal, and the dean, whose daughter I was currently dating at the time. 00:07:46.720 --> 00:07:47.040 Okay. 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:50.079 And I'm leading the way through the gates, and I can see it in my head. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:52.160 You know, Taylor County had a fence all the way on school. 00:07:52.240 --> 00:07:53.120 There's a gate you walk through. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:55.519 They were sitting there waiting on us at the gate. 00:07:55.839 --> 00:07:58.480 And the vice principal looks at me, Mr. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:02.879 Thompson looks at me, and he says, Chip, I'm disappointed in you. 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:04.160 I you knew better. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:05.680 I thought you were a leader. 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:12.319 And my favorite moment in the history of school is when I looked at him and said, Well, they kind of did follow me out the door. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:20.399 And that's the story of how I got half the National Honor Society in school suspension at Taylor County High School. 00:08:20.639 --> 00:08:22.160 Oh my God. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:24.160 It's incredible. 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:24.959 It's pretty good. 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:28.560 And the best part about this is my dad saw the assistant principal, Mr. 00:08:28.639 --> 00:08:32.799 Thompson, like a few weeks ago at a funeral back home, and they were talking about that. 00:08:32.879 --> 00:08:34.799 And I was like, Oh, yeah, I remember that, buddy. 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:35.360 I remember that. 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:36.159 That's amazing. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:40.159 They said

that the ISS teacher said that was the best day of school she had ever had with. 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:49.840 I could just imagine as Tim calls them NARPs, non-athletic regular people walking up and being like, uh, ma'am, can I have my work? 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.240 And ISS teacher being like, excuse me. 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:59.600 The best part of that day was like our teachers finding out we were all in ISS and them sending us assignments like, draw me a picture of a clown. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:00.879 That's your assignment for today. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:02.639 I mean, just like crazy stuff like that. 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:03.519 That's cool. 00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:05.600 Well, guys, thanks again for being here. 00:09:05.759 --> 00:09:09.360 So yeah, I want kind of wanted to hear about FCA, what's going on? 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:14.399 You had a really awesome, I want to say get together, but a kickoff is probably a better word. 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:15.519 So definitely want to talk about that. 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:17.120 But then it says FCA, it's a rally. 00:09:17.360 --> 00:09:18.159 It's a rally around. 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:18.639 Sure, yeah. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.200 We call it the kickoff classic, is what what we call it. 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:23.759 But yeah, it's everybody calls their football game the kickoff classic. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:24.240 Right, yeah. 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:25.360 But ours is the coolest. 00:09:25.440 --> 00:09:25.840 But that's fine. 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:28.639 Yeah, it's it's a rally, it's a back to school, you know, rally. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:30.399 Would you call it a bash? 00:09:30.559 --> 00:09:30.879 No. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:32.639 No, no bashing. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:33.279 Yeah. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:36.159 Dancing did not happen in the building that night. 00:09:36.320 --> 00:09:38.639 So well, I will say you did have this going for you. 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:39.919 It was sponsored by Sunny's. 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:40.240 Yes. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:43.279 And Sunny's was slinging the pulled pork, and I was a fan of this. 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:44.320 What a really cool thing. 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:50.639 So, for those of you who don't know, Sunny's originated in Gainesville, Florida, and they do a lot for the schools in Gainesville, Florida. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:55.679 And so for the last five years or so, they've been sponsoring the kickoff in Gainesville. 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:58.320 And the Gainesville director is my boss. 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:01.919 And so he was meeting with Sonny's and they said, We love what you guys do. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:03.120 We appreciate you guys. 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:04.559 And so we want to do more. 00:10:04.720 --> 00:10:10.559 And so more meant they were going to sponsor Lake City's kickoff classic and Ocala's kickoff classic. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:17.440 So the north, the central, and the southern parts of FCA for

north central Florida all got meals sponsored. 00:10:17.519 --> 00:10:24.320 And so Sunny's catered in, sponsored 500 meals, and they definitely brought more than enough for 500. 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:25.759 So they had 530 there. 00:10:26.080 --> 00:10:26.960 There was more than 500. 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:31.600 Yeah, we had 530 uh in attendance and plenty of food left over. 00:10:31.679 --> 00:10:33.120 And so shout out to Sonny's. 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:36.960 And it was the Lake City Sunny's location who came over and served. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:37.279 Yeah. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:43.279 So the Gainesville team kind of put that together and then hired out the Sunny's up here to come and serve. 00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:46.799 And so they brought, they brought the food, set it all up, served the food. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:50.960 All we had to do was provide 10 tables and 10 volunteers to serve food. 00:10:51.039 --> 00:10:52.960 And it was essentially no cost to us. 00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:55.360 All we had to do was pay their workers for the day. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:56.639 That was the that was the deal. 00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:59.360 So they brought the food and we paid their workers for the day. 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:02.639 And for 500 meals, we got out of there for almost a dollar a plate. 00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:02.960 Wow. 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:03.919 So that's incredible. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:04.879 Yeah, it was pretty cool. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:05.840 I got a question for you. 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:07.360 So you said 530 people. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:08.960 So who all was at this event? 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:12.080 Like who was invited and kind of what was the purpose like behind it? 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:12.480 Yeah. 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:15.200 So FCA is a student-led organization, right? 00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:20.159 And so almost everything that we do, especially on school campuses, is student-led has to be student-led. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:23.600 This is the one event where we don't want students to have to serve at all. 00:11:23.840 --> 00:11:26.000 And we want to pour in and invest in them. 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:31.360 And so we ask any of our FCA leadership teams at the schools to come and to be involved. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:36.559 But specifically, the the main target audience for this is football teams and football coaches. 00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:37.039 Okay. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:45.440 And then our kind of part B, the the people we attack next, are any of the other athletic teams on campus and athletic coaches. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:49.519 Part C, the people that we invite next, we open it up to the community here. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:51.600 We don't do that for every kickoff classic. 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:59.840 But being from a lot of rural small towns with a ton of FCA support, we want anybody who is interested to feel like they can come and be a part of this. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:01.919 And

so yeah, it was it was really cool. 00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:04.960 We had almost every varsity football team in attendance. 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:10.320 There were a couple that had some like orientation that night and and were not able to make it, that kind of thing. 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:17.039 But almost every varsity football team and a lot of other varsity and JV and middle school sports showed up and were present. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:20.000 And so yeah, it was a it was a really cool night. 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:21.679 Last year we had 350 there. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:23.679 This time we went up to 530. 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:29.120 And it's not all about numbers, but numbers are an indicator of whether or not we're growing in momentum. 00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:31.759 And it seems that we are gaining some momentum here. 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:34.000 And so uh fun night, great band. 00:12:34.080 --> 00:12:38.240 The speaker, Frank Renoso, was incredible, did such a great job. 00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:42.159 And I gotta say, we we brought our team since last year has grown. 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:47.200 Last year, I just hired George Dial to do FCA sports whenever we had the kickoff classic. 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:53.120 But in the past year, Joe Gaddy has joined our team, and Tim, who's on the podcast with us today, joined our team as well. 00:12:53.200 --> 00:12:55.600 And and they're kind of all spread out through the region. 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:58.559 Yes, Joe handles handles Suwannee County for us. 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.639 Tim serves all four counties that I serve. 00:13:00.720 --> 00:13:05.840 So Columbia, Hamilton, Lafayette, and Swannee with the outdoors, and George also handles those four counties as well. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:08.720 But yeah, we all are we are all spread out all over the place. 00:13:08.879 --> 00:13:14.799 But man, if there was anybody who was more designed to run games than Joe Gaddy, I've yet to find that person. 00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:19.120 The dude was in his calling, in his element, and that was was incredible. 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:20.559 What a great part of that. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:24.879 In fact, some of the coaches were asking for his number of other teams who don't know Joe. 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:27.840 They were like, I just want to tell him how great of a job he did just engaging us. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:37.039 And then Tim did our coaches moment, and we always want the coaches to be able to stand up, to be able to be prayed for by their team and by the community around them. 00:13:37.279 --> 00:13:40.000 And Tim just absolutely crushed that. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:45.200 And so looking back, last year I ran around like a chicken with my head cut off at this event. 00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:47.120 And this year had our team there. 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:51.200 George came and was launching t-shirts with the homemade t-shirt launcher that he had. 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:52.080 Which was

pretty sick. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:53.120 It was pretty sick. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:14:08.639 And it was really nice this year to not have to do that and to be able to be back behind the scenes, just loving on, caring for coaches during the games, praying with and for a team, helping the worship team kind of know when and where to make some, you know, to cut some songs, to move some songs, whatever. 00:14:08.720 --> 00:14:10.320 But phenomenal, phenomenal evening. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:11.440 It was it was a really good night. 00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:14.960 It was cool, you know, as your friend to see you, like you say, step back sometimes. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:16.720 You know, leadership happens on a platform. 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:19.120 Oftentimes leadership happens off the platform. 00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:20.159 And so that was cool. 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:22.799 And you mentioned Tim, you know, sharing talking to coaches. 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:30.320 I text Trey while you were talking, used illustration of fire and fireplace, you know, to to kind of talk to coaches uh about their faith. 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:31.440 And I thought it was phenomenal. 00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:35.440 How about sharing like that just illustration, you know, with everybody listening? 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:41.200 Because I I do think it was a it was a really good way to understand what faith is and what faith isn't. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:41.600 Right. 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:48.480 Well, my background coming into this was 12 years of of football coaching, nine as a head coach, you know, leading up to this last end of school year. 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:50.480 So, you know, it's really fresh for me. 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:59.039 And so having the opportunity that Trey gave me to to encourage the coaches presented an opportunity for me to really come from a relatable place, you know. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:06.159 So I wanted to emphasize two things to him when I when I had the microphone and that moment is just that one, there's really good coaches in our area. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:06.399 Yeah. 00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:12.240 So I kind of highlighted that we had state championships in multiple sports across, you know, our area and our four counties. 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:18.000 And then the the second thing was that I know what cost that comes at, you know, that it's a heavy, heavy profession. 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:20.559 It's there's a lot of stress, it's the time commitment. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:34.159 There's a whole lot that that goes into what these these coaches put on the table for their student athletes and and care for them from the physical and performance standpoint, let alone the ones that truly care about pouring in spiritually to the to the well-being of their kids. 00:15:34.320 --> 00:15:38.240 And so I just wanted to encourage them really to not waste their influence. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:16:06.240 And and the illustration that Chip was referring

to was just that, you know, I felt like when I was coaching, I could get in that rut of focusing on the grind and and just having so many irons in the fire and doing so many things that, you know, we we can get in that call it stagnant maybe phase where consciously I didn't feel like I was doing anything wrong, but I was going through the motions and and it's almost like, you know, I said you get on YouTube and you put that image of the fire up on the TV, right? 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:07.840 Which a hundred percent happens. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:08.960 Oh, absolutely. 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:14.000 Every Saturday during the fall and winter, my wife is gonna YouTube TV a fireplace. 00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:14.480 I'm telling you. 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:16.159 So we don't have a fireplace in pace. 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:19.679 So we would literally put that just for the ambiance so I can feel that ambient. 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:21.679 You guys are building this even more and more right now. 00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:22.320 Yeah, 100%. 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.559 Yeah, so my wife's a a big Christmas time nut, you know. 00:16:26.720 --> 00:16:36.159 So man, you you Google that or you you YouTube that during Christmas time, man, there'll there'll be some stockings on the little fireplace on there, you know, there'll be some jingle bells in the background. 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:44.960 So I use that illustration just to kind of portray that you know, we can put that up there and it can look great and it can sound great, and we really feel like we're we're presenting well. 00:16:45.120 --> 00:16:51.200 But when you get close to it, it's not producing, it's not generating any of that truly effectuating warmth, any of that heat. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:54.879 It's not changing the temperature per se of anything around it. 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:58.080 And and that can be tough, and it can be easy to slip into that. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:03.840 And and for me, I said, you know, I would tell myself, I'm just busy, you know, this is this is what we've got to do right now. 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:07.440 But it it was just it was tough to get up and go chop the metaphorical wood. 00:17:07.599 --> 00:17:09.759 Yeah, to it was a lot to want to carry it. 00:17:09.839 --> 00:17:16.480 And so I just wanted to encourage those coaches to not waste their influence and to be very conscious about that and to let us help them with that. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:30.960 That's you know, um, just because the job is heavy, you know, we have Trey, we have George, we have Joe and and myself that can just be there for them and help to carry that loads on throughout the season when they need somebody to talk to, some advice, you know, just some counsel, some encouragement. 00:17:31.200 --> 00:17:37.359 But the opportunity for them to use their influence that they have is just astronomical at the in the coaching field for sure. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:37.759 Yeah. 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:38.000 Yeah. 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:44.960 I thought it was just such a good illustration about, you know, it's a lot easier to turn on a picture of the fireplace than it is to build a fire, you know. 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:51.680 But even thinking about that even more, that fire on the fireplace is often gonna look a lot better than the fire that you build as well, you know. 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:52.079 Right. 00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:54.960 And it's gonna start out big and fast. 00:17:55.039 --> 00:17:58.720 And if you're building one, it's not gonna start out big and fast and let's use diesel. 00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:10.720 But like, you know, I I just thought it was a good illustration for a lot of people in the room, and it's something that we've talked about at the church for a while, is performative Christianity, where it what we're focused on is what does this look like? 00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:11.680 How is this seen? 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:13.119 How does it come across? 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:15.200 And so I I think that fits really well. 00:18:15.279 --> 00:18:20.000 A lot of times in our faith, we're just concerned about is the fire on TV not is it real? 00:18:20.160 --> 00:18:23.039 You know, and so I I thought that was I thought that was really good. 00:18:23.279 --> 00:18:30.480 So we've already said, Tim, that you are far more manly than Trey because um he works with FCA and you work with FCA outdoors. 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:37.039 But I I know that like you serve on his team and Trey's kind of like the administrator that helps administrate and lead the team and the region as a whole. 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:45.759 But while FCA is like Trey was saying, a student-led, like let's do the huddles, let's get in the schools, FCA outdoors is really an offshoot for that, right? 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:48.160 Like you're not focused on students, you're focused on coaches. 00:18:48.400 --> 00:18:59.519 Well, yes, and really the FCA's goal that you go through the mission is to we we see the the opportunity to reach far more of these kids if we if we minister these coaches first and foremost as well. 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:11.440 But you know, you're right, Trey and Joe, when you think of SCA, those guys are the the boots on the ground guys that are in these campuses, you know, face to face with these student athletes and the coaches on a more daily basis than I am. 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:24.240 And I haven't been with the team very long, but but what we've effectively been able to do so far is is Trey, Joe, they they can work to funnel those extra opportunities for the coaches and athletes to to receive ministry through the outdoors experiences in my realm. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:26.000 And so what do those look like? 00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:27.519 What do those outdoor experiences look like? 00:19:27.759 --> 00:19:31.839 So so far, I mean, it's dead absolute middle of summer in Florida, right? 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:36.640 There's not

much to hunt and the fish are hot. 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:37.119 Right. 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:38.160 Even even the fish are hot. 00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:39.599 Now everybody's hunting water. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:39.839 Right. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.480 That's what's happening. 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:41.200 Yeah, seriously. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:43.039 So we've been doing a lot of bass fishing right now. 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:43.359 Yeah. 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:47.039 So a great example is is the week before the the kickoff classic. 00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:51.279 I got a hold of Joe and said, Hey, you know, who's some bulldogs in live oak that like to fish? 00:19:51.359 --> 00:19:52.640 And he said, Oh, I've I've got you. 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:55.680 You know, there's this, there's this boy, I call him T3, and he loves to fish, man. 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:56.000 Take him. 00:19:56.160 --> 00:20:00.319 And so I got off we connected through Joe and and he asked if his brother could come. 00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:01.200 I said, Absolutely. 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:05.119 And we got on the boat and they they're football players, so they didn't mind getting up early. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:08.319 So we were at daylight on the water and we we fished for a few hours. 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:11.279 They had a phenomenal time and just talked and built that relationship. 00:20:11.599 --> 00:20:18.880 You know, when we were done, we climbed up on the hill and got in the shade and we opened up, you know, the Bible and and we had a great devotional and we prayed and we just talked. 00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:20.319 And that's what it is. 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.599 That's truly what it is. 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:25.599 I'm not bound by the constraints of um of our region either. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:32.319 You know, I've I've talked to to many people in you know, Georgia's made connections for me in other counties too that aren't in our four county region. 00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:42.720 And uh I've really enjoyed so far the freedom to be able to branch out off of these campuses and and reach these student athletes and and opportunities that don't always present during the school year or two. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:47.759 Because you look at look at a guy like Trey, he may be with, for example, CHS baseball, right? 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:48.559 Take that for example. 00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:51.440 He's gonna see them from January to to May, right? 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:53.519 And they're in their sports season. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:21:03.839 But because there's so many student athletes at CHS, he may not see a lot of those kids again until if they're underclassmen in the following baseball season again, especially at a school that size where they may not dual sports. 00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:04.480 Yeah, right. 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:15.359 So this gives a great opportunity for our team to continue to stay in connection with these coaches, with these athletes in

the summer, on the weekends, in the off seasons when some of those may fall through the cracks. 00:21:15.440 --> 00:21:15.759 Otherwise. 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:16.559 Yeah, that's good. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:24.559 I I think another thing that that I heard about you doing, saw you doing, is you had a group of guys that connected to the orchard. 00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:36.480 Shout out Tony DeMoya here from our Lake Sea location and and some of his guys, Hayden, some of his buddies that you you did something with that they loved and had they showed up from that to the kickoff classic that night. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.519 So so tell tell us about that. 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:40.640 Cause I think I know what it was, but tell talk to us about that. 00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:41.119 Right. 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:45.599 It was just a hunter safety course for FWC certification, and it was as simple as this. 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:57.119 I was contacted and said, Hey, we're doing this class, and really the the involvement that we're looking for with FCA is if you guys are willing, would you come in and and just help, just assist and do it, do some devotionals each day? 00:21:57.200 --> 00:21:58.079 And so that's what we did. 00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:13.680 And so simple little opportunities like Like that that we can put together, it turned out to be just far more to me effective, you know, spiritually, just to be around a group of men pouring into young men, not only spiritually, but just also just a good practical cause. 00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:16.319 You know, let's get these kids into the woods and let them do it safely. 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:18.720 Let's teach them, let's get them in God's creation. 00:22:18.880 --> 00:22:23.680 And it all just came from one idea and one conversation, and and that's what FCA outdoors is, really. 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:24.400 That's cool. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:24.799 Yeah. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:30.400 And it was from the other side of this, you know, there was FWC did the work, right? 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:34.000 They did the legwork and we were able to just come in and partner with them. 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:37.440 And so it wasn't necessarily an FCA outdoors event. 00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:42.559 It wasn't necessarily, you know, something that we were were trying to take hold of. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:45.359 It was just something that we were invited to come be a part of. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:51.039 And and through, we've talked about this plenty when I've been on the podcast, but you know, Tim is a local missionary as well. 00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:52.559 He support raises as well. 00:22:52.720 --> 00:22:55.599 And through the generosity of others, we were able to provide them a meal. 00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:59.599 Every kid left with a Bible, which many of them already had FCA Bibles. 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:06.319 And so what I told them was if you've already gotten one of these, now your your job is to take that and give it to somebody else. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:10.559 And so, you know, they they didn't have them with them when they showed up, but they left with another Bible. 00:23:10.640 --> 00:23:13.680 And so, yeah, if they had one, now they're on a mission to go give it away. 00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:15.039 Um and how many kids were there? 00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:15.599 15. 00:23:15.759 --> 00:23:23.039 And Trey, something off of that point that you made, you know, the first day we had the Bibles and Trey said, you know, hey, we have Bibles here for you guys. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:24.880 And exactly what you said, they were church kids. 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:25.200 Yeah. 00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:28.319 So a couple of them took one, you a couple of them grabbed a couple. 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:32.720 But then when Trey had that idea and told it to me, I told them that before I left on day two. 00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:34.000 Man, they the stack was gone. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:34.400 Awesome. 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:35.119 That's awesome. 00:23:35.440 --> 00:23:36.640 They just rushed to the table and everything. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:38.160 And I'll encourage you too. 00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:44.319 I think some of those kids from conversation I've had are more church adjacent kids than church kids. 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:53.920 And so that's cool seeing them get intentionally, you know, invested in hey, not not just come on Sunday and this is church, but this is faith outside of church. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:23:54.079 Right. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:55.039 And what does that look like? 00:23:55.119 --> 00:23:56.079 So I think that's really cool. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:24:04.960 And again, just from the orchard perspective, you know, shout out to a guy like Tony who is kind of willing to open up, say, let me know what I need to do, let me be able to help. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:07.519 I just want to get these guys in front of Jesus, these kids in front of Jesus. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:13.920 Yeah, Tony has definitely bought into that idea of informal missionary that we've been talking about over the last year or so on Sundays. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:15.359 And and that's what it looks like. 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:24.880 I think a lot of times we're going to overcomplicate this, but Tony, Tony has recognized his time, his talents, and his treasures, and he's been able to use those to influence and reach other people. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:27.839 And that I mean, that's all that an informal missionary is, right? 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:31.119 Is it doesn't have to be fancy, it doesn't have to be something crazy. 00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:38.160 This this took very little on his end other than I like this, I have a passion for this, I'm good at this. 00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:42.240 How can I use this to get others in the room and tell them about Jesus? 00:24:42.400 --> 00:24:42.559 Yeah. 00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:43.519 It's really good. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:44.000

Really good. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:44.319 Yeah. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.680 All right, I got a question for you guys. 00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:47.599 So both of you guys have been coaches. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:53.119 So what has it been like stepping away from coaching, but still being around it? 00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:59.119 Well, um, that's a great question for me because we're we're in the the season that that I lived in. 00:24:59.200 --> 00:24:59.359 Yeah. 00:24:59.440 --> 00:24:59.519 Right. 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:00.880 So Trey was a baseball guy. 00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:06.079 So spring, I'm sure, is that is that time for him, even though sports at this point or year round at the high school. 00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:06.799 Yeah, they are. 00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:13.440 But certainly for me, at I mean, today's Monday of the second week of August, I'd be wide open. 00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:13.680 Yeah. 00:25:13.839 --> 00:25:15.279 It'd be nine 90 miles an hour. 00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:20.160 So it's been incredibly refreshing for me personally, for my family to be at the pace that we're at now. 00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:23.759 There's a lot of things I could go into with that, but it's it's just been such a blessing. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:36.960 But in terms of what it's been like for me, from the football standpoint of it, it it's been it's been amazing, honestly, to to still feel the connections that I have with former players, especially ones that are currently still playing at the program that I left. 00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:38.640 We're in almost daily communication. 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:39.119 That's awesome. 00:25:39.279 --> 00:25:41.759 And it's cool because I'm from a different angle of it now. 00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:42.160 Yeah. 00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:48.880 We're really blessed that the that the coach that replaced me at Brantford, you know, we're we're good friends and we're very aligned in the vision. 00:25:48.960 --> 00:25:53.039 And he's been been very welcoming about my continued influence on those kids there. 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:53.279 Yeah. 00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:56.160 And so I've I've had no hesitation to reach out to them. 00:25:56.240 --> 00:26:00.720 And you know, today they all got the day one, BNNO this week, go get it text. 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:05.839 And it's just neat to start to build that relationship up continually, but from a different angle. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:06.240 Yeah. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:08.079 So it's been it's been exciting for me. 00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:10.720 It's uh I I have not missed the whistle yet. 00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.680 I'm sure I'm going to. 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:11.920 Yeah. 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:12.400 I'm sure. 00:26:12.559 --> 00:26:15.200 You know, those Friday night lights kick on, it'll, you know. 00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:15.920 Absolutely. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:21.359 But but it certainly has been phenomenal to stay connected with those kids and be able to continue to

influence them just from a different, different. 00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:21.920 Yeah. 00:26:22.000 --> 00:26:22.799 I have a question for you. 00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:25.680 So I mean you said this is your first season stepping away. 00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:26.480 What was that? 00:26:26.640 --> 00:26:30.720 What would that look like for you when you felt like God's calling to do something different? 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:32.240 Like how did you like process that? 00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:33.119 Who did you, yeah? 00:26:33.200 --> 00:26:35.039 I I kind of don't know all the details of that. 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:35.519 Okay. 00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:38.160 Well, I don't know that we have enough to give all the details of the colours. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:49.599 All the details, but some of the details always love to hear how did people because that whole process of following God, trusting him on a calling, it's it's just so cool to see that like discerning process of God takes. 00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:51.759 So I bring it to kind of here just maybe bits and pieces of that. 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:52.319 Yeah, absolutely. 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:53.599 I'll give you the Cliff Notes version. 00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:54.240 Perfect. 00:26:54.480 --> 00:27:01.519 If you rewind to last football season, there were there were a bunch of different factors that made last football season pretty difficult on me. 00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:04.400 We I had a a coach that that took a job in Georgia. 00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:11.440 I wasn't able to replace him as a defensive coordinator, had another coach on campus that that had some health issues within his family, had to step away. 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:17.119 So about eight days before the season, I've I was looking at being the the only varsity football coach on campus there. 00:27:17.200 --> 00:27:23.839 And I had phenomenal help, phenomenal volunteer volunteer guys, but they they were guys with nine to five jobs and you know weren't on campus with me. 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:27.279 And so it was a grind of a football season, you know, I'm not gonna lie, it was. 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:42.960 And and about halfway through the season, I was in the weight room running a group, and and Noah, our regional director, came by just to see me, and he just kind of casually mentioned, hey man, you'd be great at the outdoor stuff and said, But we, you know, we both know you'll coach till you die. 00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:43.359 Yeah. 00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:45.839 And we we chuckled and moved on about the day. 00:27:45.920 --> 00:28:00.799 And I think as you kind of mentioned, the discernment of of hearing Laura's voice in that little seed that he planted and then began to water through other things that that Trey termed confirmations, yeah, you know, throughout that process were very affirming and enlightening to me. 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:02.319 And that just began to grow. 00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:06.000 And by the end of the football

season, I pretty much knew that that that was it for me. 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:06.480 Yeah. 00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:17.839 And and just through prayer and and just further convictions of the time taken away from my family, with the the state that that it was in in my football career coaching career, all those doors just started to open up. 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:24.160 So I like to tell people that I really didn't have that in terms of call to the mission field, the road to Damascus moment. 00:28:24.319 --> 00:28:33.359 It was it was a whole lot of just kind of personal conviction with my family of the time that I was devoting to it and what he was doing to to myself and the leadership of my kids and stuff like that. 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:38.720 And so ultimately it through prayer and and all that seeking the Lord's will, it led to a phone call to Trey Lee. 00:28:38.799 --> 00:28:38.960 Yeah. 00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:39.599 And here we are. 00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:40.000 Yeah. 00:28:40.160 --> 00:28:46.079 As you're talking, it made us so we've started a sermon series called NIL Name, Image, and Likeness, and it all goes back to like Jesus. 00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:57.680 And as you were talking, Chip made a comment yesterday about kind of the the tension between that sanctification process of knowing what you want for your life, what God wants for your life, and like choosing what God wants. 00:28:57.759 --> 00:29:03.759 And it takes sacrifice, it takes hanging your hat of like, man, this is where I felt God was this is what I'm really good at. 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:05.039 But God, I trust you in that. 00:29:05.119 --> 00:29:08.880 And the fact that you took that leap and like I guess Trey mentioned your support raising as well. 00:29:09.039 --> 00:29:10.559 That's I've been on the side of that. 00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:11.680 That's that's not easy. 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:17.759 That is constantly like dying to self every day of like, God, like I rely on you to supply all of my needs. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:20.400 And as God does it, he does it like every time. 00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:22.559 So I mean it's Romans 12, too, right? 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:25.759 I mean, we're just in all things, we're just what's the Lord's will? 00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:26.000 Yeah. 00:29:26.160 --> 00:29:26.960 What's the Lord's will? 00:29:27.039 --> 00:29:29.920 And if we do that, then it's Roman, then it's Romans 8, 28. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:32.400 We're trusting that all things are gonna work together for good. 00:29:32.559 --> 00:29:33.039 Yeah, yeah. 00:29:33.200 --> 00:29:33.519 Really cool. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:35.279 All right, Trey, used to be a coach. 00:29:35.440 --> 00:29:38.799 What is that process like now that you kind of stepped away from that? 00:29:39.039 --> 00:29:39.279 Yeah. 00:29:39.359 --> 00:29:41.839 So this this baseball season will be year two. 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:45.920 So I've had a year out of coaching, and and that's all I really known as an adult. 00:29:46.079 --> 00:29:49.519 I I remember I was not gonna coach because I was going into education. 00:29:49.599 --> 00:29:51.119 Everybody's like, oh, you're gonna coach, you're gonna coach. 00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:52.000 And I'm like, no, I'm not. 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:52.240 Yeah. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:54.240 And and I never took a break from it. 00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:58.160 I jumped straight from baseball playing into baseball coaching. 00:29:58.400 --> 00:30:02.000 And I will say year one was refreshing and relaxing. 00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:03.920 Year two, I miss it a little bit. 00:30:04.480 --> 00:30:08.880 I don't know that I'll ever not miss it, but I get to scratch that itch all the time. 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:09.759 I get to go out. 00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:16.319 I mean, I spent some days with Columbia High School's football team this summer holding the pads and getting run through by some high school football players. 00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:21.680 And and one of those boys that's over there playing wide receiver, he might should look at safety because he was hitting me. 00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:26.079 And I was like, my goodness, you know, I'm not, I'm not built for this, but I get to scratch that itch. 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:27.519 I get to go and hang out with coaches. 00:30:27.599 --> 00:30:31.839 I get to speak their language, you know, not all their language, but I get to speak a lot of their language. 00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:36.079 You know, uh, baseball and football coaches, we are very similar in a lot of ways. 00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:39.119 And so I get to hang out with basketball coaches and learn that a little bit. 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:47.359 And and that's what's really cool about this job is I get to see different sports that are very different from the culture that I knew through baseball. 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:50.559 And at the end of the day, all the coaches are still like the same. 00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.319 All the coaches' hearts are still the same. 00:30:52.400 --> 00:30:56.160 They're they have this competitive fire in them that they just they can't relinquish. 00:30:56.240 --> 00:31:05.359 And and here's the the cool thing about it over the last couple of years talking to them, every single one of those coaches knows in their heart of hearts that wins and losses ultimately mean nothing. 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:05.839 Yeah. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:10.559 And yet when the lights turn on, there's something about them that they just can't get away from. 00:31:10.720 --> 00:31:10.880 Yeah. 00:31:11.039 --> 00:31:12.640 And it's like, no, I'm here to win. 00:31:12.799 --> 00:31:12.960 Yeah. 00:31:13.119 --> 00:31:18.559 And then, and then after they taste that loss, like practice, the intensity level just increases so much. 00:31:18.720 --> 00:31:28.799 And and it's really cool because I think I think that's super important for us to be able to see and know that like we are all designed a specific

way and called into a specific season. 00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:32.400 And these coaches are just those guys who just can't let it go sometimes. 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:34.000 And it's just a relentless pursuit. 00:31:34.160 --> 00:31:34.319 Yeah. 00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:35.680 How do we get better? 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:38.000 And like I said, they all can rationalize. 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:40.559 Like, hey, it's not about wins and losses at the end of the day. 00:31:40.640 --> 00:31:44.079 And at the same time, they cannot turn the switch off whenever it's on. 00:31:44.160 --> 00:31:46.240 And so I get to scratch the itch all I want to. 00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:48.000 I get to be home with my family all the time. 00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:51.440 Sammy thinks that he is like a sideline reporter or something. 00:31:51.519 --> 00:31:54.000 He gets to come stand on the sidelines with mascot. 00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:54.480 Yeah. 00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:55.119 Yeah. 00:31:55.359 --> 00:32:02.960 You know, he he doesn't even know what it's like to watch a game from the stands because we're in the dugouts or we're uh you know, we're on the field or whatever at courtside. 00:32:03.039 --> 00:32:04.880 It's it's it's really awesome. 00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:20.000 So I I don't regret in the slightest leaving, but there are some days that I just really miss the relationships you can build because when they come to you straight from school every single day and you see them every day, I I still and and I love what I do. 00:32:20.160 --> 00:32:22.720 I served here, leading student ministry here for a while. 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:26.160 I have never had a ministry impact like I had coaching. 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:35.279 And you know, there's there's some great stuff happening through FCA, and we're we're doing great things and reaching way more people than I could have ever reached as a coach at LCMS. 00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:38.799 But those 20 guys every year, like they were my guys. 00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:39.119 Yeah. 00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:42.720 And we did everything together and we poured in. 00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:48.240 And for for three months out of the year, like we, you knew, you know, what they had for dinner. 00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:48.960 You know what I mean? 00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:50.480 Literally, we ate dinner together, right? 00:32:50.559 --> 00:32:57.039 And so, so I I miss that aspect, but I I don't miss the grind at all. 00:32:57.279 --> 00:32:59.119 So it was time for me to give it up. 00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:05.839 I wanted to be home with my kids, and middle school doesn't take up nearly the time that most of these coaches that we're serving have to give up. 00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:07.599 But I didn't want to, I didn't want to miss that. 00:33:07.680 --> 00:33:09.599 I wanted to be at Sammy's jujitsu practices. 00:33:09.680 --> 00:33:09.759 Yeah. 00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:12.559 I wanted to, you know, see whatever Nate gets passionate about. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:16.559 Now Sadie's here, and like I don't have to make that decision. 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:17.920 I just get to be a dad. 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:22.000 And that's that's the I don't miss the grind of coaching at all. 00:33:22.160 --> 00:33:22.400 Yeah. 00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:22.960 Yeah. 00:33:23.200 --> 00:33:27.599 Well, what are some things that you guys are like looking forward to for this coming year? 00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:28.559 You just had the kickoff. 00:33:28.640 --> 00:33:33.920 So what are like some goals, things that you guys as FCA are like praying into or excited about this year? 00:33:34.160 --> 00:33:36.160 I'll take this one first, let you think about it some. 00:33:36.319 --> 00:33:44.240 But I am very excited to have Joe Gaddy in Suwannee County helping to serve mostly at Suwannee High School because that's where he works. 00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:49.200 Okay, resource the middle school and also resourcing Brantford, middle, and high. 00:33:49.359 --> 00:33:52.160 And so is that because you like Columbia better than Swanee? 00:33:52.319 --> 00:33:59.440 No, it's because I like to I like to be able to be anywhere that I can be and not anywhere that I have to be, if that makes sense. 00:33:59.599 --> 00:34:00.960 And so we have a guy there. 00:34:01.200 --> 00:34:04.079 I I heard that as more than just I refuse to wear green and white. 00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:05.839 I I do wear green and white. 00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:06.160 Okay. 00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:11.360 Ask Hunter Abercrombie, text Chip, and tell him that you have seen me in a Swanny Bulldog shirt, please. 00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:12.159 I'm waiting for Hunter. 00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:13.280 I'm waiting on that text hunter. 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:17.599 But no, I'm excited to watch our team grow prayerfully in the next couple weeks. 00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:19.360 Our team's gonna grow a little bit as well. 00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:23.760 And so that just it gives us an opportunity to reach more people in more places. 00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:33.519 And in a sense, what I'm most excited for is this is the start of working myself into the background and everybody else being able to say, Hey, Joe Gatty's the FCA guy. 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:40.480 I like I don't want to be the FCA guy, I want to be the guy who's pouring into the FCA guys, and so this is like step one into that. 00:34:40.559 --> 00:34:41.920 And so I'm very excited about that. 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:46.559 But then Fields of Faith for Live Oak is already locked in, and we're excited to have that happening. 00:34:46.719 --> 00:34:51.039 And Patrick Young is gonna be our guest speaker there, and he's gonna do an incredible job. 00:34:51.199 --> 00:34:55.199 Fields of faith at Columbia, that team is starting to get together and work on that soon. 00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:59.039 Hopefully, we see fields of faith just all around soon. 00:34:59.119 --> 00:35:03.760 Uh, I know Rantford took a year off

last year, and maybe we're able to relaunch that this year. 00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:08.400 Mayo does two each year, and so seeing one in Hamilton County this year would be incredible. 00:35:08.480 --> 00:35:14.960 And having a team that has grown allows me to be able to go and help Hamilton be resourced to do that now. 00:35:15.199 --> 00:35:17.280 And so that's that's what I'm most excited for. 00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:19.760 It's not really flashy to anybody else, and that's fine. 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:20.800 We're not about flash. 00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:27.360 We're we we just want to continue to grow and do the things that we do and do well and reach more people in more places. 00:35:27.599 --> 00:35:28.320 Yeah, very cool. 00:35:28.480 --> 00:35:29.119 What about you? 00:35:29.440 --> 00:35:32.880 So as I said earlier, I'm only three months into this, right, Dre. 00:35:33.119 --> 00:35:33.519 Something like that. 00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:36.960 So we've been we've been blessed to have the opportunity to do some things in the outdoors already. 00:35:37.039 --> 00:35:38.159 Yeah, I've taken a lot of advantage. 00:35:39.280 --> 00:35:39.840 Right, exactly. 00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:44.639 So that's where I'm going, Jim, is that as I am a I am an admitted outdoors nerd, right? 00:35:44.719 --> 00:35:53.440 So I'm an I'm an outdoorsman, but I love just the the Romans 120 of those invisible attributes, right, that God has written into creation that nobody can deny. 00:35:53.519 --> 00:35:53.760 Yeah. 00:35:53.840 --> 00:35:54.000 Right. 00:35:54.159 --> 00:36:06.079 So, you know, why are there so many different species of waterfowl, for example, and and every single one of them different color patterns and feather structure and all that when he could have made every single bird look like a crow or something. 00:36:06.159 --> 00:36:06.320 Yeah. 00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:09.199 Or why did he have to make them taste good? 00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:09.840 Exactly. 00:36:10.719 --> 00:36:14.639 I swear to you that God made cows taste as good as they do is evidence of his goodness. 00:36:14.880 --> 00:36:15.599 A hundred percent. 00:36:15.760 --> 00:36:16.239 Absolutely. 00:36:16.400 --> 00:36:17.199 Yeah, a hundred percent. 00:36:17.360 --> 00:36:30.320 So with that, you know, he he causes the the bass to spawn, you know, and he causes the deer to to chase after each other when when the weather starts changing and you know, when it gets cold, there he causes the waterfowl to start migrating this way. 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:40.800 So it's gonna be really, really cool, I think, for me, because I am that outdoors nerd that just loves to see God's glorious creation, to see the opportunities he opens up as those things start to change by his design. 00:36:41.039 --> 00:36:46.239 So right now, all we've been doing is is bass fishing, but I know that when the fall comes here, we're gonna get some kids in a deer stand. 00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:48.400 Yeah, we're gonna set up

some dove shoots, maybe. 00:36:48.480 --> 00:36:50.719 You know, when it gets really cold, we're gonna be in the duck blind. 00:36:50.800 --> 00:36:53.519 And then as the spring rolls around, we're gonna chase turkeys. 00:36:53.599 --> 00:37:01.599 So um, I think it's gonna be really, really neat to see how he opens up through what he's created opportunities for us to do ministry and his creation. 00:37:01.760 --> 00:37:01.920 Yeah. 00:37:02.079 --> 00:37:06.639 I would uh just like to throw out that there is a coach of one of our high school teams sitting at this table. 00:37:06.800 --> 00:37:09.119 The Belmont boys golf coach is at this table. 00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:10.880 Here he's a big deal, to be honest with you. 00:37:11.039 --> 00:37:11.760 Big deal. 00:37:12.000 --> 00:37:13.840 I was thinking that he might need to be reached. 00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:16.719 And so he might need to, he might need to go fishing soon. 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:21.440 You know, do I need to get the Belmont boys the inaugural Belmont Boys golf coach? 00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:22.000 No, you're not. 00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:23.599 I know this isn't the inaugural season. 00:37:23.840 --> 00:37:26.880 No, so Chase Hagler actually started the team last year. 00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:28.320 Yeah, but that was a crazy story. 00:37:28.400 --> 00:37:32.239 So first year Belmont's ever had a sport, that's you know, he started the golf team. 00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:34.800 And at the end of the year, Leanne's like, yeah, he he left. 00:37:34.880 --> 00:37:36.880 He got hired by IMG Academy. 00:37:37.039 --> 00:37:38.960 I was like, no, he didn't get hired by IMG Academy. 00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:41.840 You don't leave Belmont to go get hired by IMG Academy. 00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:49.039 100% got hired as like the director of golf at IMG Academy, has like a whole staff under him and everything, and they found me. 00:37:49.199 --> 00:37:50.079 Big shoes to fill. 00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:51.840 I was literally about to say that. 00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:52.559 You know what? 00:37:52.719 --> 00:37:54.960 Hey, your thing everybody loves to win. 00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:56.159 Winners hate to lose. 00:37:56.320 --> 00:37:58.559 I don't care what I'm playing, I hate to lose, baby. 00:37:58.880 --> 00:37:59.119 Yeah. 00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:05.679 Well, as we wrap up this conversation, wait, that's that's as we wrap up after that. 00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:07.840 Well, I I was gonna ask if we could pray for him. 00:38:07.920 --> 00:38:10.400 Like how I'm sorry if you want to get spiritual, that's why whatever. 00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:11.360 I do. 00:38:12.000 --> 00:38:18.800 How could seriously, how could we, just as a church, as listeners on the podcast, just could be praying for you guys and encouraging y'all this year? 00:38:18.960 --> 00:38:21.280 Any specific things that we could yeah, pray for. 00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:26.559 Well, as as Trey's mentioned, you know, our team overall, just praying

that it that it would grow if it's his will. 00:38:26.800 --> 00:38:31.599 You know, and and there's some really good leads that that Trey's working on right now for that, and we're excited about them. 00:38:31.840 --> 00:38:37.519 Those fields of faith that he mentioned, those are phenomenally impactful events, and so that the preparation of that will go smoothly. 00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:41.519 Personally, for me and my branch of our team, you just more more opportunity. 00:38:41.760 --> 00:38:53.679 You know, the Lord has blessed us so far incredibly in the short time that we've been doing it, but there's people out there who don't know about FC Outdoors yet, and we're excited for them to for that to be on their radar and potentially make those connections. 00:38:53.840 --> 00:39:06.639 There's coaches that uh maybe not even are that outdoorsy that we can still reach because of you know the the relationship that Joe, Trey, George have already put in place there, and and we can introduce them to it maybe. 00:39:06.719 --> 00:39:14.639 So just be in prayer that he would continue to show us the direction we want to go with his team with with the outdoors and it being so new specifically and open up his doors. 00:39:14.800 --> 00:39:15.280 Yeah, yeah. 00:39:15.360 --> 00:39:16.159 What about you, Trey? 00:39:16.239 --> 00:39:19.840 Yeah, mine's gonna be kind of obscure, but it's just been heavy on my heart. 00:39:20.000 --> 00:39:26.719 There's another nonprofit organization that is, I don't know what the word they they just oppose us drastically. 00:39:26.800 --> 00:39:31.199 And so to be clear, they are not a Christian non-profit organization. 00:39:31.519 --> 00:39:31.760 They're not. 00:39:31.920 --> 00:39:32.880 I can see where that's going. 00:39:33.199 --> 00:39:34.719 Yeah, thanks to clear that up. 00:39:34.800 --> 00:39:34.960 Yeah. 00:39:35.280 --> 00:39:43.440 The Freedom from Religion Foundation, they sent out a letter on their behalf, nobody else's behalf, to every superintendent in the state of Florida. 00:39:43.599 --> 00:39:54.159 And basically, if I could summarize the letter, it said FCA is doing their job, but they highlighted some things that we could be doing poorly and we need to be careful to make sure that we're not doing. 00:39:54.239 --> 00:39:55.360 And that's true. 00:39:55.440 --> 00:39:56.480 We want to be good stewards of that. 00:39:56.559 --> 00:40:04.559 We want to honor and respect the the guidelines that we have to be on campus because if we get kicked off campus, then we now are upper creek without a paddle, literally. 00:40:05.119 --> 00:40:07.119 And so they did highlight some of those things. 00:40:07.199 --> 00:40:15.920 And so we want to pray for us to be obedient to what God has called us to do to steward the resources and time that we have well to be equipped and trained to do that well. 00:40:16.079 --> 00:40:17.679 But the real prayer request is this. 00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:22.639 And I thought our our president, Matt Roop, uh, the state president for Florida's FCA, said it really well. 00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:28.639 Our real prayer is that those who are coming against us in opposition, we pray for their salvation. 00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:39.840 And specifically, Matt said, let's take it one step further and pray that instead of being opposed to us in the near future, that they're coming on staff with us and helping us fulfill the mission and vision that God's laid on this ministry. 00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:53.760 And so if you guys could just join in praying with that, but pray for our staff because they are watching us like hawks and they send letters every day on the superintendents and in hopes that the superintendents will lock us out, shut us down, or whatever. 00:40:54.000 --> 00:40:57.920 But the reality is if we do our job the right way, we're not breaking laws. 00:40:58.000 --> 00:40:59.840 We're not we're not out of compliance. 00:40:59.920 --> 00:41:03.039 And so, but we do want them to come to a saving faith in Jesus. 00:41:03.199 --> 00:41:06.239 And that's our hope and goal for the Freedom from Religion Foundation. 00:41:06.400 --> 00:41:07.119 Yeah, awesome. 00:41:07.280 --> 00:41:11.440 Well, anything else you guys want to wrap up our conversation with or any last words, Chip? 00:41:11.599 --> 00:41:11.760 No. 00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:12.480 I'm good, I guess. 00:41:13.840 --> 00:41:14.079 All right. 00:41:14.239 --> 00:41:15.840 Well, guys, thanks for being here with us. 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:18.960 Thanks for sharing us, telling us more about FCA and kind of your goals. 00:41:19.119 --> 00:41:22.880 We'll be praying for you guys, and we're excited to, yeah, see what the future holds for you guys. 00:41:22.960 --> 00:41:25.280 But for the listener, we are praying for you guys. 00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:28.239 We hope you have a great week and we'll catch you next week. 00:41:28.480 --> 00:41:32.079 Thanks for joining us for this episode of Let's Talk About That. 00:41:32.239 --> 00:41:38.400 We hope it encouraged and challenged you as we continue to grow on this journey of faith and embrace community together. 00:41:38.559 --> 00:41:42.480 If you have more questions, thoughts, or feedback, we want to hear from you. 00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:47.760 Be sure to reach out to us through our social media or visit our website to stay connected. 00:41:48.000 --> 00:41:53.280 If you found today's discussion meaningful, don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. 00:41:53.440 --> 00:41:59.360 Until next time, we hope that this episode inspired you and will keep Sunday's message at the front of your mind. 00:41:59.519 --> 00:42:00.320 See you next week.