 doesn't seem good. I'm Angela Madden. I'm here today with Cori Langford and Cori we have a phenomenal show today. Oh my goodness we do have a phenomenal show. We have special guest Brant Hansen today who's gonna be talking about his phenomenal book Life is Hard. God is Good. Let's Dance. This book is so transforming. It deals with anxiety. It deals with worry but it deals with joy and we get to get into some good conversation because this is what we need today because how many of you struggle with anxiety? I mean let's be real I have to wrestle with I have to deal with it. I have to get God in the midst of it but I'm telling you I thank God for the word and conversations like this to help us deal with anxiety and worry. Yes I'm excited and and it's gonna be a fun show here you know his title Let's Dance I'm all for that but it's also throwback Thursday and I think we might get a little clip from 2012 of his place featuring maybe a familiar face. I don't know what you're talking about I don't I don't I don't know about this clip I don't know what's going on I don't know if it's blackmail what's happening here today. I'm excited I love whenever we get to go back and kind of get a glimpse into what was and then to look into our future and I think that's what Brant's gonna do for us you know even even the title of his book to me is like that is a great life motto. We need to know that we need to hear that we need to be able to understand that life is hard. Just for some people I think some believers get frustrated at other believers because it feels like man you have a great you have a black card credit card with God everything you do just works out you know your marriage works out in your finances work out you ever have that where you just feel like somebody so connected to God that everything seems to go well when your life is falling apart and you're going God are you getting my messages guy is the Wi-Fi of heaven broke I've been praying about this where Jesus but we're gonna get ready to talk about this our next guest is a best-selling author nationally syndicated radio host an advocate for healing children through cure international. Brant Hansen also knows how challenging life can be but he also knows how good God can be as well in his new book life is hard God is good let's dance brand shares how we can find true joy no matter our circumstances brand welcome to hope today. Thanks I'm honored to be here. Thank you. It is such a privilege to have you here today. Listen this book is life changing and I'm not just saying that you were hitting stuff and I was going through this book and I'm going you know that's when you get hit really deep in your moments throughout this book but I love how you got into this in the focus of it. Let me ask you this question first what inspired you to write these words. Well so I talk about Jesus a lot because I'm a Jesus follower and I'm on Christian radio and stuff and whenever I mentioned him saying hey you should be like the lilies of the field of the birds of the air you don't need to be anxious people are like oh that's really pretty but realistically I'm still going to be anxious right I mean we gotta be realistic I'm like wait a second Jesus is realistic he's not making this so he's not crazy he's saying something that's actually true deeply true and we can be this way we can become different kinds of people are not so anxious and he said you will go through troubles but be of good cheer for I've overcome the world he's not naive like he's telling us God is telling us we don't need to be worried and I think there's a way to live that out it's it may sound unrealistic to you at first but we can become that sort of person how has this deep sense of well-being no matter what what joy really is. What I love about this book and the words that you chose is you weave us through the narrative of your own life and the own your own struggles that you have that has amplified anxiety tell us and tell viewers how you manage the call of God on your life while dealing with your own mental pressures that you deal with every single day. Yeah so I mean I'm on a spectrum I was diagnosed years ago and that explains a lot of what I went through growing up I just been through a lot of like trauma growing up but you can read about that in the book but the neat thing to me a beautiful thing is that the way the Bible continually focuses on just today just today being faithful with just today like and and trusting God with just today's problems Jesus is literally telling us to just focus on today like like like not being concerned about the next week and next year I don't know how to handle next year I don't have any big plans honestly but I try to be faithful with whatever comes whoever comes across my path today and I find that that's a much more peaceful and childlike way to live not childish but there's a real simplicity that comes with that and there's so much biblical wisdom about that like starting with Psalm 23 the Lord is my shepherd I lack nothing like I have what I need for today he's gonna give me my daily bread my resources for today that's what I ask for like God please give me I'm an introvert who's on the radio I need a social energy I ask him for that I ask him for the right words that I'm gonna need so it's just a daily thing but I find this is a much lighter way to live it's way more fun and it is very doable such as that's just one of the ways that I've learned you know I I feel that and I feel so much transparency I too am an introvert and so but the calling of God is always extraversive so I call myself an amoevert which is a combination between one and two but I often need to go disappear to get recharged right so I get that you know that struggle there but I have a question there's so many questions as I was going through this book one one question and thought is why don't believers truly trust God it because it seems as if they they don't believe in the God that they've created in their mind how you talked about that a lot go can you expound on that yeah so a lot of it's who we're actually paying attention to I mean we say we trust God but we're paying attention to the news constantly like of course you're gonna be anxious if that's what you're paying attention to but so your attention determines who you're becoming so I know this now I've had to memorize scripture so that I can turn it over in my head and I can remember who I am who God is I could take it with me wherever I am I used to think that was a childish thing to do to memorize scripture but it's not Jesus is constantly quoting scripture so I'm able to capture thoughts when I'm good when I'm on an anxious train of thought stop it and just be like you know what I'm gonna recite the scripture again but there's ways to actually deal with this and I also mentioned to people when you're anxious outsource your worry to God you can actually outsource it I tell a story about a guy in the book he's not even coming at it from Christian standpoint but he was he was laughing because he said to help his his productivity what he would do is outsource his worry to his personal assistant and he would have her worry about stuff for him and he was laughing he's like you know what it works like I would just tell it as long as somebody's worrying about it for me I can concentrate on today's stuff I'm like that's genius and it's totally biblical we're told to cast our cares on God let him handle it and then you can just do your daily thing so there are ways to to deal with this to become this sort of person is less anxious and outsourcing your worry to him as it is a totally biblical way to my gosh chapter 5 outsource the worry was incredible I mean it went when he talked about in that story he said you know he tells the the woman and she's like okay I'll worry about all the things you worry about today it makes me feel like being a father now I understand what my parents did for me in going out and making the money and going out and getting the food I never had to worry about that adulthood is overrated but I wanted to go into that why are we such addicts to having control what is that about in your words right so worrying really is control it's it's it's thinking it's gonna help somehow if I worry today it's gonna help I liken it to when you're going bowling you watch people you release the ball and then people start gyrating and they start like moving like I want the ball go this way I'll lean this way like it's really funny like dude you release the ball it's gone you can't control that now it's gone but we humans want to have some sense of control over things we don't have but the beautiful thing about this is like we we don't have to worry because we know how this ends like if you actually trust God who knows how this is like I'm already there in the future I'm telling you you don't have anything to worry about like we can actually believe that I liken it to watching a sports game really watching let's say for example the Steelers win they come back and win at the last second and your Steelers fan just to pick a team but during the game you might be really nervous and upset you're ticked off at the refs you're upset about the fumble or the play calling or whatever but if you rewatch the game knowing that they come back and win you're not agitated anymore you can actually enjoy the game like there's something about knowing how this ends that can fill you with a sense of well-being no matter what even even if the worst-case scenario happens his peace shows up you know enough people have been through stuff they'll tell you his peace showed up in a way that they've never experienced before and they were able to make it somehow like that's the worst case scenario we can actually live life like this where we can go you know what I can trust him I know how this ends wow so I want to go into this a little bit because you got really deep when you talked about the church systems of today right and how they have made God and almost like a product right which do you feel that this is what is feeding a lot of people to say life is hard but God is kind of sketchy I don't really know do you feel that because the kingdom is not being taught how it should be that this is affecting people what would you say in your own words on that totally we don't talk about the kingdom of God even though it's Jesus's favorite subject like when we start talking about we don't talk about it very often it's too bad because it's so beautiful it's so good everybody's yearning for it so when people walk away from faith that feel like they're they're walking away from the trappings of church culture but they never really understood the kingdom but it's so good my example of this I feel like when people recognize the kingdom of God even if they're not believers they get goosebumps they'll see it in action like just watching a reunion video like a soldier coming home and surprising his daughter or something you like you tear up like or you watch the Olympics opening ceremonies you see all these nations together where people are singing together and they're at peace and there's this processional or when you watch someone hearing for the first time on YouTube they can watch videos of somebody's hearing being restored or their site being like you this is all kingdom of God stuff it's all like a it's all like an advanced trailer of heaven this is what Jesus is showing that the kingdom is breaking through and when people fall in love with that they really understand how good it is it's hard to walk away from that it's too good that that goodness that that you're talking about you talk a lot of it about joy in this and it really really had me thinking that am I truly experiencing the joy of the Lord or have I been robbing myself of his joy because of what I've been thinking about why do you feel like joy is such under attack with people who specifically believe in God well so much of it again we're putting our attention on things that are going to cause anxiety we shouldn't be surprised but the beautiful thing about this is look at like David in Psalms he's catching the way he's thinking and he's talking to himself about it you can remind yourself of what you can actually do this and when you do that like David David will say why are you so downcast oh my soul but you're trusting God he's like talking to himself straightening himself out we actually forget to do that like instead of going down that train of thought about what could happen next week or next year which is terribly injurious to yourself physically like just remind yourself of what's true that you can actually trust God it's not because you don't know what's going on in the world you can know it but you know more you know the goodness of God ultimately that's what you can draw on to have the sense of being regardless of what's happened well I I incredibly love that and I'm just submerging in this so so there were some things that you had said as well when you talked about you know people always have that argument you know the world is so bad and you know where is God and you had said some you said where is God let me let me show you the places where God walks please share with us about cure international and what you've seen firsthand in these third world countries that can't afford the services that they get please expound upon that so viewers can know and and even how to connect with the the organization yeah thanks for bringing this up because people need to know about this especially if they're like weary of church culture in our particular setting God is still healing people using his people he's this is how he's doing like these are full-on surgical hospitals for children who have correctable disabilities and cure heals thousands of children each year so that they can get up and walk and run for the first time it's stuff like that they've been considered cursed their whole lives now they're 12 years old they can finally walk and run back into their village and freak people out people like who did this like this is mainly in Africa where we have these surgical hospitals but also in the Philippines we have some programs in places like Vietnam for instance but I say this because these healings are so obviously it's Jesus like this is the most Jesus shaped thing I've ever seen and for somebody like me who's been through a lot of hypocrisy up close does it actually see how Jesus is still using his people in the world it's it's life-changing so I'm always when when people are like that when they get bitter and cynical where's God in the middle of all this like hey you know what I'll take you where he is I'll show you you can't deny it because it's people crying tears of joy seeing their daughters get to dance for the first time in their lives they might be 15 years old and they're not considered cursed anymore and they're told that God loves them like these hospitals share the gospel with everybody now thousands people become believers in these hospitals every year but people don't know about it because it's not big PR thing it's doctors actually doing the work the nurses and and like janitors all these people working at these hospitals but it's all in the name of Jesus it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen it's just cure.org if you want to want to look into it's beautiful cure.org I was so moved when I saw that because just like like you were saying in the book these surgeries you know if you don't have insurance in America and you do surgery like this thousands upon thousands and most hospitals say hey if you don't have insurance we're not even gonna talk to you we're not even gonna see you so for them to go there and say listen I'm coming to use my skill set to heal you it's such a beautiful miracle and I'm so grateful that you are a part of this and so tell us more how people should allow God to enter into their life and be his hands his feet his eyes his ears how can we do that more in our society? Well our society is sick with anxiety and sick with anger what they don't need is a group of Christians who are just angry and anxious about different things you know and we're the ones that shouldn't be so weirdly hopeful that people ask us why we're so hopeful we're supposed to have a ready answer for the hope that we have when people ask about it and unfortunately a lot of believers are so glued to the news that they're anxious and angry too instead of being a non-anxious presence in their home or their community or their church or like in their schools we're supposed to be the ones who are at peace so I think we're missing out and a lot of it has to do with what we're putting our minds on but the cool thing is we can become that sort of person who's not anxious anymore it's a process but it is something that as we as we commit arresting these thoughts and focusing on scripture reminding ourselves of what's true how this ends the goodness of God we can actually be of good cheer it is realistic here's the other thing too one last one less thing on the net everybody knows who's like any kind of doctor and endocrinology that humans are the only creatures on the planet that can worry about the future like what could happen next week for next year we're the only ones that get ulcers we die from this we're not made for this animals don't do that and here's Jesus in his tenderness saying you know what you should be like the animals they're not worried about what's gonna happen this week next year they're okay God loves them he loves you even more don't you know he's got you covered even an even worst-case scenario I'm here you can trust me you're safe with me like we should know that Brent thank you thank you for your words thank you for your book thank you for your obedience to God listen you have to pick up this book order this book life is hard God is good let's dance brandt takes you transparently into his life into what he experiences and so we can reclaim the joy of the Lord brandt thank you again for taking the time to be with us here today on hope today thank you it's in the interest of transparency I hope you like the fake back actually hides the trash can back here but it looks like books so that's kind of cool I love that I love that so perfect thank you again bread you to thank you hey listen stay with us because when we return in 60 seconds we have a blast from the past with our throwback Thursday we'll be right back Jesus's two greatest commandments are love God and love others learning how to love better is a lifelong journey this month with your best gift of cornerstone television we'd like to send you love like that five relationship secrets from Jesus by dr. Les parrot discover how to truly love those in your life with this revolutionary guide blending the latest research in psychology and sociology with biblical insights parrot shares five practices being mindful approachable gracious vulnerable and empathetic to help you forge meaningful fulfilling connections with others love like that will revolutionize every relationship in your life ask for your copy of love like that five relationship secrets from Jesus by dr. Les parrot when you give this month to support Christian television through cornerstone network give online at ctvn.org slash donate or call us at 888-665-4483 hope happens here we are so thankful for our partners here at CTVN today's throwback Thursday comes to us from February 2012 from the popular show his place check it out and see if you can recognize this familiar face just supposed to dry off when you get out the shower you know Louis turned on the water while I was changing the filter you know what I think he did it on purpose why would someone want to do that to you you put some glue for the camera exactly oh wait no you don't they're falling to him around today you know what I don't even know if I care anymore okay you know I thought Perk just supposed to be on TV and it was supposed to make me a big star I should have been a big star back now instead you look all washed up okay you know what I just you know I'm not even not even really worried about it anymore so what are you going to do if it doesn't happen well you know I don't know I mean I I'm still chef Marcus you know I'm saying and I do have a loyal YouTube following and and there's more people like Dirk out there you know I'm saying so somebody probably found me I don't know anything about television well you know somebody just better find me I'm sure somebody's gonna find me maybe they'll show up dry with a fresh cup of coffee oh my goodness 12 years ago yeah a little little little chin hair and everything I love that and you are not all washed up chef Mark it was my first real like television acting experience and I was just so honored to be on there and doing that show and it was just amazing like I just looking back I'm like I look good too well yeah I'm a dad or two and everything I'm like okay I didn't raise some weight can we talk about not only looks change but like there's a there's a telephone booth a pay phone behind you baby you can't even find those that was just so long ago that was so beautiful I can't stop smile I think I have like a little bit of tears in my eye there you guys can see but that was so special I read I did not know I did not know that that clip was going to be shown so that was a surprise to me here live on the air I love that you know and I think that even when you look back at those moments you really can reflect and see the faithfulness of God like who would have thought that after his place you'd go away you'd establish your own business doing your own thing and then you'd be back here with us for hope today yes you know if I could tell myself my former seven I know people like saying this but if I could tell my former self anything I would say to myself again Romans 8 and 28 all things work together for the good to those who love God and those who are called according to his purpose it's going to be alright breathe relax and don't be anxious like today's topic about anxiety and worry in a generation that is fueling it because bad news is good news because people are like hey after this figure out how something blew up all over there and people stick to that because we're addicted to drama we're addicted to chaos and we don't understand how much that toxicity is inside of our body and inside of our mind wrapping around our thoughts wrapping around our imagination then eventually wrapping around our heart yeah not allowing us to rest and I thank God for Brent being transparent and talking about the true joy of the Lord and where God is working in life I know he's doing some amazing things and what did you think about the conversation I love how he brought our attention back to the father for today yeah yes for now you know because like he said we actually we know the end is good for us it's for our good and even when we can't see the end that you couldn't see 12 years ago that you were gonna be back at CTVN right but you could trust God here today in this moment that he's gonna provide for you the manna for today he's gonna provide for you every need he's gonna walk with you be before you and beside you and I think that like just bringing that awareness back center to our lives it is it's exactly what Brent says it keeps the anxiety at bay keeps it up babe my dad knows that at times I can over hyperventilate I think about a thousand things at the same time I don't know if any of you are like this and I'll be like I gotta do this and I gotta get this done in this gun and I have all these the deadlines so I write everything down in my day it's how I it helps with anxiety but my dad always say Corey Bible says give us this day it'll stop right there he'll say that's it he said let's just take that part of the scripture give us this day and it helps me go today today is enough God is the God of today God is the God of today's hour he may be he's the God of five minutes he's the God of moments and if you're having a moment right now and you're thinking about things and you're thinking about bills and you're thinking about your family or somebody sick in the hospital you're thinking about your loved one you're thinking about your marriage whatever makes you grab your chest bring God into that moment and say God I need you right now in this moment God help me pass Holy Spirit help it pass help me navigate this and what we really need God to navigate are the areas that aren't changing yeah that's right I love that branch said you know shared the story about releasing his worries his secretary or his assistant and that's really what to cast those cares like release them write them on your prayer journal and then trust God to handle them better than you can better because we need that we need to offset the worry like he said in this book in chapter five it says outsource the worry literally just as business people who are running a business and they're using other people to say hey listen I'm gonna pay you to answer the phones I'm gonna pay you to answer my emails what are we allowing God to do it let me ask you this question are you working harder than God are you worrying about things now if you're gonna stay up and worry why would God take over this for you God needs our permission that's he gives us or his his wheel our wheel he gives us our wheel our free will to love him our free will to deal with whatever but when we willfully say God I am giving you permission to come into my day I'm giving you permission to come into calamity I'm giving you permission to come into my world navigated and steward the ship of my chaos to a place of peace will you allow God to Stuart your day with his peace today on tomorrow's hope today discover what true freedom means and how to experience it pastor and author Jason Lozano provides encouragement to those struggling from addiction or brokenness by sharing his personal story of redemption and healing plus Israeli worship leader Ruth Fazzal leads us in a time of worship through the violin don't miss tomorrow's hope today cornerstone television wishes to thank all our faithful viewers whose consistent prayers and financial support have made this program possible