The coronavirus pandemic has consumed the planet. In this time of widespread uncertainty, how do we not be afraid? What other things in life cause us dread?
Join Tom, Ryan, and Jacob for what’s sure to be a “time capsule” of a podcast. We dive into how the current coronavirus crisis is affecting our daily lives, and we also cast the conversation beyond this pandemic — starting with our relational fears, and then spreading to fears for our sexuality and spiritual fears.
Namely, we ask this question: is Jesus enough? What if He isn’t?
We hope you enjoy our latest episode below: FEAR.
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Enjoy our FEAR episode! And don’t forget to comment below. We’d love to hear from you. We’re with you.
What anxieties or fears do you feel during this coronavirus pandemic? What relational, sexual, or spiritual fears do you face frequently? How do you overcome your fears?
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About the Author
I haven’t had a chance to listen to the whole podcast yet, but it is timely.
Personally, at this time, I find reading the Psalms to be of great comfort in these troubled times…especially Psalm 23.
Also, I love listening to music on YT and two of my favorite songs are:
– “Still My Soul Be Still by the Gettys – the one by the New Irish Choir is the best
– the old hymn – “Be Still My Soul” speaks to me so much – Libera does it up great.
Well, that’s enough from me for now – I’ve got dishes to wash from supper. Thanks for putting this together.
The Psalms are such a snapshot of the human heart’s wiring for the divine…never more relevant than now. Feeling inspired to read a Psalm (or two) a day during this crisis. What a comfort to know I’m not alone in my pursuit of and angst with the Almighty.
Men, thanks so much for this podcast on fear. It really caused me to think about my fears, both in my younger days and now that I am retired. My types of fears have changed so much. Sure, fears have driven me all through my life, but being an Enneagram number 1 (the Reformer) I haven’t had time to really focus or address those fears directly. I have been too busy trying to fix myself and others around me. But fears have driven me closer to Jesus, closer to the cross, where I know that I know that He is my source. As a teen and young man I had the fears that all young men have: Can I be a man and function as one? Can I feed myself and a family? Can I build a career? As an SSA sufferer, can I even get married and love a woman? Can I even make it? But, of course those fears dissipated as I grew into manhood and God helped me to tackle and succeed in each of those categories. He has been very good to me. But now, five years into retirement, my fears are somewhat different. They don’t haunt me like they did as a young man because I have years of experience under my belt, but they are still very real. My biggest fear right now is of losing my wife, that God would take her home before I go. Frankly, it terrifies me. We are so in love and so bonded in this one-flesh mystery He created I don’t know how I would function. We are always together, we love being together every minute, never tire of one another, and frankly, to not be able to be sexually intimate anymore with my wife is quite unnerving. My next biggest fear is really the financial issues we face. I was forced into retirement too early at 57 and God has greatly provided, but our nest egg over the last month has shrunk to terrifying levels. I can go back to work, I think, but who is going to hire someone as old as me? I’ve been through several stock market drops, so I believe it will come back, but it is quite a ride. My third biggest fear is that I will have to live with this same-sex-attraction until I die. Oh, how I want it all to go away, and I have desired that my whole life. I’m afraid that I will be attracted to the male nurse that attends to me on my death bed in the hospital as I’m dying. I know that sounds silly, but I consider my SSA to be a “thorn in my flesh” and I want God to throughly remove that thorn. I actually suspect it will continue to some degree, but God is truly healing my mind through counsel and hearing from men like me in YOB. But how nice it would be if it all went away? I will say though, He has used this thorn in my life to make me a better man, caused me to draw closer to Jesus and rely more on Him. So what Satan has meant for evil, God in many ways has redeemed in so many ways. Thanks for the podcast and the thoughts on fear!
Thanks for listening and responding, Michael. Always love hearing from our listeners! Prayers for your finances during this uncertainty…indeed, God will use our thorns in the flesh for inexplicable good. I’m learning patience in that truth.
Great podcast!
Spending my days alone in my appartment and doing my work from home, it’s really encouraging to hear that people are experiencing the same issues as I am. The idea about the semi-daily is just brilliant!
May God bless you!
This whole pandemic has been a great equalizer of sorts, leveling all of us into similar places of isolation and containment. On the one hand, it’s a beautiful thing to see how we’re all connected…and on the other, it’s still maddening, of course. In any case, I hope you survive this season well at home. And hope you enjoy the semi-daily podcast!
Oh man, I totally hear you on the fear about losing the men that walk this road with you. I’ve experienced that many times over… I’m sure you have as well. It makes me fear that the ones who are currently walking with me will also leave, and I definitely resonate with what you said. However, I take comfort in the fact that Christ walks this road with me. I am never alone because He knows this road and He guides me on it. He knows the way… He is The Way. He walks with each of us as we continue to strive to be His disciples. We are never alone because of Him!
I feel like this fear is not an uncommon one amongst men and women in our community, especially after we experience that first loss of a fellow journeyer. It’s such a comfort that Jesus lost people journeying with Him along the way, too. Indeed, he knows. And we never need to feel alone.
Wowww I haaaddddd to come and comment on this episode. As a 2 myself, I listened to Jacob and immediately thought, “Uhmmmmm yes. Yes. Yes! Wow he has to be a 2.” Looking in the recent group poll, my intuition was confirmed. I related, at least in some sense, to everything that he said. Although I also related in some way to the other things mentioned by both Tom and Ryan… ¯_(ツ)_/¯
In any case, I am thankful for the fact that y’all talked about coronavirus and the fear surrounding it, but didn’t focus entirely on it. In turn, I am especially thankful for the discussion about all the other realms of life that can cause fear in our lives. It was refreshing to hear other people admitting to fears and sharing honestly. And, like Ryan said, that no one jumped super fast to give the perfect Christian answer and kind of just patch over the fear with theology or platitudes or whatever else.
It’s good to know I’m not alone in some of these things! Thanks for the vulnerability guys!
Oh and that wandering spider does sound horrifying. Along with you all, I really hope it doesn’t wander too far and that it keeps its social distance haha!
That wandering spider is geographically closer to you than me, Keegan…I’d be slightly more concerned than me. Haha.
Glad you enjoyed the episode. We definitely didn’t wanna focus too entirely on COVID-19 but felt we couldn’t not talk about it either. I hope it was a solid jumping off point to talking more about those other fears in future episodes. Thanks for listening and responding!
HAHA! Trruueee but I am on an island. Can they swim? Yikes
Yeah I think it was a great launching point for sure
Loved this one you guys. Fear is a funny thing, isn’t it. Fear of things that might not even happen. I’ve had fear of that the guys I walk this journey with will one day just walk away, no matter how close we are. Fear of how others would react if they knew about my being SSA. One thing I’ve thankfully never been fearful of is if Jesus will be enough for me. 35 and still single has taught be to rely on him more and be content in my singleness until the right time comes, if it ever does. I’d say one of my biggest fears doesn’t even come in regards to my sexuality, but if I’m ever “man enough” since I never had that kind of influence in my life. Will I ever measure up? Am I too clingy with the friendships that I have? That’s what I’m afraid of. The coronavirus hasn’t really changed my life except that I can’t hit the gym, but one of my best friends lost his job, so that makes me hurt for him. As a type 8, I’m fine during all of this. And yes Tom, I think you should stockpile PoT. Between them and Jockey, that’s all I wear. And huge props for mentioning Annie Downs and her That Sounds Fun podcast! Love her!!
Thanks for listening and sharing, Chris! Annie’s pretty great. Her podcast has been a huge blessing during this whole shutdown.
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