Episode #24 - Seriously, Just Call

I know normally we deal with ordinary events, but I had something extraordinary happen yesterday. I had the chance to have a phone call with one of my favorite musicians of all time, Mat Kearney. I was star struck and stunned, but it was so much fun to chat with him for a few minutes. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Well...we all have the chance not once, but everyday, to talk to someone far greater - the Creator of this world. Through prayer, even if you aren't sure what to say, you can boldly approach the throne of God. In fact, he wants you to...so what are you waiting for? 

#SetYourMindAbovePodcast

Transcript

Welcome to the Set Your Mind Above podcast, where every day, ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths! I am your host BJ Sipe, and I’m so glad you’ve tuned in today! I am excited to share my life & my faith with you, and I sure hope you’ll do the same with me along the way.

So, I know that generally we try to take everyday, ordinary events and learn lessons from them on this podcast, but something very unordinary happened yesterday that I’ve just got to share with you today. If you would have woke me up yesterday and told me that I would have a phone call with one of my favorite musicians of all time that afternoon, I would have told you that you were crazy. But that is exactly what happened. I was in my office working on some different things, and as I usually do I have music on in the background to study to. My phone pinged and I had a notification that Mat Kearney was doing an exclusive acoustic performance starting right then for YouTube premium subscribers. Mat has been one of my favorite artists since his debut album in 2006 when I was sixteen years old, and since then he has become my wife’s favorite music artist as well. I relate a lot to his music as he is a fellow Oregonian that grew up in Eugene. I put my phone down and logged into my YouTube account on my computer and brought up the live video so I could listen to it in the background. Mat was in his studio, donning a t-shirt and ball cap with his guitar in his hand. He started playing some of his songs off the new record before he made an announcement that caught my attention. I clicked back on the video as he explained he had set up a call in fan-line. “I’d love to hear from some of you guys,” he said, “Seriously, give me a call – let’s chat.” The split screen now displayed the phone number you could call in to visit with Mat. I thought I’d never get through as I picked up my phone and dialed the number, I was immediately met with some elevator-ish hold music. As I waited on hold, I heard the first caller come through and talk to Mat for a few minutes. As they wrapped up their conversation, suddenly I heard a voice come in saying, “Hello?” I recognized that voice, because it was Mat’s. But it didn’t come from my computer, it came from my phone! I picked it up, moving away from my computer because I recognized there was a bit of lag, and said nervously, “Is this Mat Kearney?” “This is him!” he replied back. I was stunned, star struck. I couldn’t believe it; I was one the phone with Mat Kearney! Ahh! I introduced myself and we started to visit together. I shared with him that I was also from Oregon, and when he found out I was from Salem he started to heckle me because he was from Eugene. Eugene and Salem are always competing to see who can be the next biggest & best behind Portland, he likened it to the middle & youngest brother. I told him that my wife and I had purchased tickets to meet him & see the show in Cincinnati this fall, and how much his music has meant to both of us through the years. I learned that the song we walked back down the aisle to at our wedding, “Young, Dumb, & In Love” was actually a song Mat wrote for his own wife about their wedding, which was awesome. We ended the call and I sat stunned for a few minutes as he took a few more calls. I couldn’t believe what just happened, that was absolutely remarkable. He ended the live stream and I got back to work, still reflecting on my experience. I’ll probably never get an opportunity like that again aside from our meet & greet in October, so I’m so glad I picked up the phone and called while I had the chance. 

I don’t know who your favorite musician is, or if you’d ever have the chance to speak with them. However, I do know that each of us have an opportunity to speak to someone far greater than any musician, actor, athlete, politician, or influencer every single day. We all have the opportunity to approach the very throne of God & speak to the Creator of all things through prayer. In fact, he wants to hear from us. Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mount, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:7-11) Jesus could not be any more clear. He wants you to ask, he wants you to seek, and he wants you to knock. Just as children come to their earthly fathers with requests, so your heavenly father wants you to come to him with yours. Do not misunderstand what Jesus is saying, God is not some kind of a magic genie that grants your wishes. We are to understand him as a concerned and caring Father that loves & provides for his children, so of course he wants to hear from us! And this is not merely a once in a lifetime opportunity. You can boldly approach the throne of grace at any place & any time. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” How incredible is it, that at any time we desire we can speak to our eternal Father? We are not put on hold, we do not have to go through some religious leader or wait for a certain period of time. You can stop right now, pray, and have an audience with the Almighty. I know some of you might be listening to this podcast and you are nervous to pray, because you aren’t sure what to say. You know what, you don’t have to worry about that. Romans 8:26-27 teaches, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Don’t let anything stand in your way of speaking to God. He’s waiting to hear from you, so seriously, just call & he will answer. 

Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Friday’s, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and weekly video sessions that are uploaded on Saturdays. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above!