When the world seems to crumble around us, where can hope be found? This week's deeply moving episode takes you through the valleys of human despair, bearing witness to stories where life's harshest blows bring us to our knees. I share not only my own journey but also the intimate tales of those who've walked through the fire of loss, betrayal, and heartache. We find solace in a little bit of scriptural timeless wisdom of from the book of Job and a stirring poem that echoes the sentiment of divine companionship in our loneliest hours. It's a raw look at the reality of suffering and the quiet emergence of strength and faith that often goes unnoticed until we're tested.
Understanding that our community's voice is a beacon for others, we share a heartfelt invitation to become a beacon yourself—by bringing our stories into the lives of friends in need of this very message. Your support enables this podcast to be a sanctuary of hope for more listeners each week, with a new chapter of reflection ready every Sunday at 7pm. Join me again as I continue to bring understanding and shared wisdom, one story at a time.
When the world seems to crumble around us, where can hope be found? This week's deeply moving episode takes you through the valleys of human despair, bearing witness to stories where life's harshest blows bring us to our knees. I share not only my own journey but also the intimate tales of those who've walked through the fire of loss, betrayal, and heartache. We find solace in a little bit of scriptural timeless wisdom of from the book of Job and a stirring poem that echoes the sentiment of divine companionship in our loneliest hours. It's a raw look at the reality of suffering and the quiet emergence of strength and faith that often goes unnoticed until we're tested.
Understanding that our community's voice is a beacon for others, we share a heartfelt invitation to become a beacon yourself—by bringing our stories into the lives of friends in need of this very message. Your support enables this podcast to be a sanctuary of hope for more listeners each week, with a new chapter of reflection ready every Sunday at 7pm. Join me again as I continue to bring understanding and shared wisdom, one story at a time.
Hey, welcome to the bartender's perspective. I'm so happy to have you here. Breakfast done for the day, pull up a chair, have a seat, I'll pour you a drink. Let's get started Before we begin. You know I always keep my podcast clean, but this topic is going to be geared more for young adults, you know, and on If you were listening to this with your children, you might consider pausing this episode and coming back to it, as it is not really appropriate for younger youth, but I will leave that up for you to decide what's best. So, with that being said, at tonight's podcast I want to talk about a very serious subject matter which could be traumatizing or hard for people to hear.
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Tonight I want to talk about hitting rock bottom. What does it mean and what led us there, along with how we got there? I'm going to talk about God in this episode, as he does play a paramount role in this topic. I'm going to give some examples of my own stories about people out in the world who got there, several people that fought against rock bottom and won. You know, of course you've got to put in some scripture, and then I'll give my final thoughts in the end.
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What does it really mean to hit rock bottom. I mean you know the literal is we've all swam in a pool or river or lake, ocean and swim to the very bottom. You know at least scooby gear. When it comes to the ocean, you touch the bottom and you can go no further. You have gone as far as you can go, so let's hear that we're at the bottom now.
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What does it really mean? It means you're burning yourself out All the traumas and stress and overcompensation. You know toxic relationships. You know they're coming to a head and your mind is finally given up on itself. It's horrible, it's just absolutely horrible. You know rock bottom was a place for many, but not all have hit at some point in their lives. You know it's my perspective on this. You might have lost the job that you really liked suddenly that you've had for so long. You might have recently found out your significant other has been cheating or leaves you for someone else after many years of what you thought was a good marriage. You might be at the point of seeing your life at its end and you have that razor, poison or gun at the ready to finish it all as it just seems hopeless In the book of Job, chapter three versus 25 and 26.
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But I've always feared has happened to me. What I dreaded has come true. I have no peace, no quietness, I have no rest. Only trouble comes. It's a hard place to be all in a just plain sucks.
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So, right away, for me to put it, there was one point in my life I lost everything. I lost my family, my job, my home, my finances. Everything I knew was gone. There was nothing left. I sat in my misery for the longest time, with no end in sight. But this was where I want to bring God into the mix.
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The way to the world was on me and I was in pain and despair. It was in that moment, the light being so cold and stepping into a hot tub or a hot bathtub. This warm rush of relief came over me from nowhere. It really came from nowhere. It was super cool. I felt contentment, relief from my agony, peace and fulfillment. It was unbelievable, y'all, the sudden change that occurred in that moment. I'm getting chills right now just thinking about it. It was there like when you were a lost child and your parent comes and finds you and takes you in their arms. He came to me. He came to me when everything else in this world was gone and he told me I'm here, I'm with you and everything will be all right that night. I fell asleep after that and I slept peacefully. I woke up the next day and in my heart life began again and God would continue to be there, like he always has, like he's always has been After all that I just didn't always know, but he was there.
Speaker 1:
Sometimes in life you have trial and tribulation. A lot of people get mad at God in times like this, which I understand and respect that perspective. You know, how could you let this happen? Why am I enduring this? Everything is going wrong and you just don't see how you can go on. You just can't see away. There was a poem it was written once about God and not always knowing when he is there, and it is relevant in this situation. I think that goes.
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One night I dreamed a dream as I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord. After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints. This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life there was only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed you the most, you would leave me Any whispered my precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever. During your trials and testings, when you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you. You know, as far as the Almighty is concerned, when you've hit rock bottom and you have fallen the point of that poem you might have given up, and for some of you who did, you found the strength that you didn't know you had, and you got up and you kept going. So in Scripture it has a lot to say about rock bottom.
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James, chapter 4, verses 9 and 10. Hit bottom and cry your eyes out the fun and games. They're over. It's time to get serious, really serious. Deuteronomy, chapter 31, verses 6. You do not need to be afraid. God is always by your side. Trust in Him and rely on Him for strength. Romans, chapter 8, verse 18.
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For I consider, from the standpoint of faith, that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us. That last one, I mean, it's essentially just try and look at the bigger picture. It doesn't seem possible right now. That one hits home for me. But if you're a believer, god is waiting for you. And for those of you who think he turned His back on you, I have news for you. He didn't. No one. You think you're on your own. You're not. For those of you who used to believe, don't believe or subscribe to something else. That's your right. I urge you to at least consider this perspective. Maybe this will bring someone comfort in what you were going through. It might provide answers that you've been asking. Is it so bad to believe in a higher power, greater than yourselves, that can help you in this life when all seems lost? You know it's up to you Now. There have been many people besides myself that have hit rock bottom in their lives and, despite the odds, they found their way back. Now. Look at Lady Gaga great example, great great example.
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After dropping out of Collaborative Arts Project 21 in New York based musical school, the unconventional singer did some small gigs around town until she gained a loyal following in the downtown Lower East Side Club scene. She finally caught the eye of Rob Fusari, a music producer, who then collaborated with her to cut some tracks in the studio that they shopped to other people in the music industry. But things just, essentially they went south and Lady Gaga was suddenly dropped after only three months of being signed onto a major label. But she, she was a content with wallowing her misery. She picked herself up and continued using her previous material with Fusari for performances, particularly one at Lollapalooza, where she gained critical fame. By 2008, she was already signed onto another label and released her debut album, the Fame, which has become one of the most successful albums in pop history. She kept her poker face and also went on to tell the world that there was nothing wrong with you and that you're on the right track.
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Because he were born this way. I know, I know. I couldn't resist putting that in there. Anyways, jerry Seinfeld, you know he had a pretty rough in his younger days, you're unhappy with Seinfeld's performance. The bosses behind the sitcom, benson, decided to cut the comic genius from the show. You know he was the last to know about it too. It's terrible, you know. After showing up for rehearsal he found, you know, that his character had been erased from existence without any warning. No matter, he sucked it up and he returned to doing stand-up gigs at local venues. Eventually, his hilarious performances impressed the likes of Johnny Carson, you know, and David Letterman. In time, his career took off to incredible heights, having starred in nine solid seasons of his hit show Seinfeld for almost a full decade, you know.
Speaker 1:
Hitting a little closer to home, a dear friend of mine shared her story with me, this story. It was once about how she came dangerously close to hitting rock bottom in her life, but like two magnets pressing away from each other, she narrowly and narrowly avoided it because she made a choice at that point in her life the. Rather than go all the way to the bottom, she saw her situation for what it was and she made the choice to keep going. Though she stumbled, she didn't fall. It was so funny, you know. She jumped with me and she called. As she said. She was rock bottom adjacent and I laughed at her humor. She's got a great sense to your man. It was so true. After hearing her story, you know she kept going in her situation despite the odds and I have the deepest respect for her and what she is endured. And I have the deepest respect for her and what she is endured. She's strong-willed and sure of herself. You know she doesn't let anybody else dictate her life, how she feels or the decisions she makes. You know I'm honored to call her my friend. I Don't often get together with bar patrons but you know she has this outlook on the world pretty similar to mine and I can talk to her for hours about the world. She's part of what inspired me to write this podcast episode.
Speaker 1:
But everyone's rock bottom. You know it's different and it might not always be the same. You know the experience they have and it took me a while to realize that that we are all different people and our lives are unique and vastly different from each other. I used to debate this with people that rock bottom was the same for everybody. I was wrong in the sense of the points of view of so many people in their different lives and how we all get to rock bottom. You know it's. It's definitely different, it really is. But where I drew my perspective from this topic. You know there is only one rock bottom. You know when you reach the bottom, you quite literally hit bottom. And though we have our own unique you know, in different paths we take, you know, like you know there's a destination. You know everybody's when they're traveling towards rock bottom. You know we do all we do ultimately all end up in the same place. But again, in this case, you know, just pointing out, we each just have our own different circumstances and experiences in our lives that get us there.
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So hitting rock bottom it's not the end. There's hope, y'all. It's a powerful opportunity to embrace it and use the experience for growth and transformation. It's a chance to rebuild, discover more about yourself and emerge stronger than you ever thought possible. Check the lessons learned in the depths of rock bottom, for they can be telling y'all. It can be the foundation of a remarkable ascent to something bigger and better than you ever dream possible.
Speaker 1:
Rock bottom is not permanent, not if you don't want it to be. It can be stepping stones to something new. What do y'all think? Are you hitting rock bottom currently? Have you been at rock bottom for a while now. If you are, please, please, don't give up. Wherever you are in your life currently, I can't reiterate this enough. If you're there, this is not the end. Try looking at each day forward as an opportunity and then opportunities for a new beginning. If you can't see it right now, take some time to ponder and look again. When you finally get to that point which I hope you do ask yourself that question what is that beginning going to be? Wherever you are, the choice is yours.
Speaker 1:
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