Ep. 6 – Talk: As a disciple, pray without ceasing. As a leader, keep calm in the storm

Discussion on the role prayer plays in a leader’s life and handling anxiety w/ Dean Crowe, Founder, and CEO of Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research. 

Questions and lessons explored in this episode: 

• Do you trust God and believe that he is in control? Why or why not? 
• Are you experiencing God’s peace, or are you struggling with anxiety? If the latter, how is anxiety holding you back and limiting your prayers? 
• Why is prayer important in a leader’s life? 
• What role does perseverance play in leadership, and why is it important? When is the last time you persevered, and it paid off? What did you learn? 
• How will these discipleship and leadership principles help you transform your workplace through your pursuit of Christ? Any other advice or insights for our listeners? 

Discipled Leader is a show that provides struggling, stuck, or merely surviving Christian Business leaders with a framework to grow their influence through becoming a redemptive (i.e., change for the better), Christlike presence in the workplace, and living a more fulfilling personal and professional life. www.prestonpoore.com 

Transcript

0:05

Hi, I'm Preston Poore and welcome to the Disciple Leader Podcast. Along with my young, professional co-hosts and adult children, Caroline and Ben, and a special guest, we'll explore a life-changing framework designed to help struggling, stuck, or merely surviving Christian business leaders grow their influence by becoming a redemptive, Christ-like presence in the workplace and living a more fulfilling life. Buckle up and get ready to be transformed. Hey everybody, it's Preston Poor. So glad you're here. Thanks for joining Disciple Leader. Today we're going to chat with a special guest and gain their insights on Disciple Leader's fifth chapter, talk, and discuss how to apply your faith in the workplace. Caroline's going to facilitate today's discussion, and then be sure to stick around for Ben's hot seat where we get to know our guests through a series of humorous questions. But hey, I want to set up the chapter real quick, like I do in every episode, and walk through the dual principle, the summary, and the anchor scripture behind chapter five. So the dual principle, and I wrote a dual principle, one based on discipleship and one based on leadership, and combine those for each chapter. And the dual principle for chapter five talk is this as a disciple, pray without ceasing. As a leader, keep calm in the storm. And the summary that I wrote is simply this it says constant conversation with God cannot help but mature your relationship with Him. When you're close to God, you'll be able to weather any storms that come your way. And the anchor scripture for this chapter is Philippians 4, 6 and 7. This is from the message. It says this it says, Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. And before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. So today, we're going to talk about the role prayer plays in a leader's life and how to cope with anxiety. Caroline, who's our special guest today? Today, our very special guest is Dean Crow. She's the founder and CEO of Raleigh Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research. It's a national nonprofit organization based here in Atlanta that funds childhood cancer research through grassroots initiatives. By vision and leadership, Dean works to empower a nationwide group of volunteers, families, and friends who want to do something to help the fight against childhood cancer. She also leads Raleigh's national advocacy efforts. Raleigh has awarded more than $22 million in childhood cancer research grants across the country and worldwide and secured more than $29 million in new federal funding through the Department of Defense Medical Research Program for Cancers in children, adolescents, and young adults. Raleigh also provides financial support to families battling childhood cancer. According to GuideStar and Charity Navigator, Independent Charity Watchdogs, Raleigh operates at a 93% efficiency. If you would believe it, Indian's free time, as if she has any, she loves spending time with her husband, her children, and traveling all across the world. She's also an avid Auburn football fan. And we are just so glad to have her on our show today. I'll have the listeners know that she's also a dear friend and a personal mentor and actually is the start of my career personally as I interned for Rally many years ago when I was in college. And so uh Dean had a little bit of faith in me. So I just am really honored to get the chance to uh interview her today. So Dean, um I love how the end of this chapter kind of went just reiterating that leaders really need to ask for God's help. Um we can't do it all in our own power. And when we were talking to you about this discussion around chapter five, you made the comment that Raleigh wouldn't exist without a conversation with God. So I was wondering if you could start us out today by just kind of painting the picture of those initial days of Raleigh and what your conversation with God and how he interceded uh might have looked. Well, thank you first for having me and Preston, congratulations on such a great book. Um, I think great things are gonna come from this, and you know, leaders are gonna really be able to benefit from it. So thank you for taking the time and you know, listening to God who put it on your heart to do this. And um, Caroline, thank you for your question. Um, without a doubt, Rally would not exist without prayer. So the Rally was founded out of a prayer circle. My husband coached a baseball team and it was a travel baseball team. And at the time it was for 13-year-olds. And after that season was over, he had really gotten to know William, who was one of the pitchers on that team. And I was teaching a Bible study, and some of the baseball moms um had started coming to my Bible study, and I heard that William had been diagnosed with brain cancer. And I told Reed, and I would love to tell y'all that I had gone and taken a meal and done all that, but I didn't. But Reed did go and see him. And then 18 months after William had had chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, still I was teaching Bible study, and some of those baseball moms were still in there, and they came up and they said that William had relapsed. And um I knew that that was terrible. And a few days later, um, one of them called and said, We're gonna do a prayer circle at William's house. Will you come? And I was like, absolutely. And I remember driving over there to his house and I was praying, like, Lord, just let there be, you know, like 10, 15 people here. And I'll never forget driving up, and there were probably 75 people in William's driveway. And it was moms and dads and kids, and we all stood in a circle and we held hands and we prayed. And after it was over, some of the baseball moms, you know, went up to Nancy and said, you know, what can we do to help you? And she said, Um, I don't need my grass cut, I don't need, um, we don't need food, I don't need my bills paid. I am just so angry at God because we have one shot to save William. And if it doesn't work, he's dead. And another baseball mom looked at Nancy and said, Well, then we're just gonna meet in your driveway every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9.30 and pray William through treatment. And I was like, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:30 and pray okay. That's like, okay, that's a lot. And for over a year, a minimum of six to as many as 18 women literally pulled up on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 9:30 at the end of William's driveway and we prayed him through treatment. And um, it was through that exposure to childhood cancer that I realized like, here were these women that were committed and we wanted to do more than just pray. And of course, we made sure that they were fed and their bills were paid and all that, but we had this innate desire to do more. And at the time I was teaching a Bible study um and had a you know, fairly large number of women attending my study, but I really felt like the Lord told me that He had something else for me to do, but I had to, in faith, walk away from the study, and it made really very little sense. And I remember kind of tussling with the Lord about it and going into the last class um of the spring, and um I stood up and I just said, y'all, this is it. This is my this is last class, and um the Lord has something else for me to do, and I don't know what it is, but I know he has said that I need to just I need to stop teaching um here right now to see what it is. So really um that was pretty key. And a lot of the ladies came up and said, What happened? Why are you doing this? Where are you going? I was like, I have no idea, I really don't know. And then slowly through that, um, the Lord started revealing the need for childhood cancer research, that it is completely different than adult research, that it is severely underfunded by the government, um, and that really private sectors need to come in and help to do the seed funding for it. So hopefully, you know, things can grow. So it was, and I knew that we had these women that wanted to help, and the dads and everybody wanted to, you know, participate. So it was really all founded in prayer. But probably the coolest thing is that baseball team that I mentioned in the very beginning, the stars, um, the manager of that team is Tony Medlin and his wife. And this, we were playing East Cobb baseball, which is really competitive. We were the number two team at the time. Um, they prayed over every person before they drafted them. So I really feel like Raleigh from the very, very beginning, before we ever had any idea that it was going to happen, was you know, immersed in prayer. Um, so I just, and I always tell Tina and Tony, who are still dear friends of ours, um, how much that means to me and that I know that the prayer had a big part. But it's a dialogue with God. You know, there's a dialogue. So it's not, um, I mean, it was a struggle to walk away from teaching that Bible study. I I honestly, it was a struggle, but I knew he had more. So you have to be willing to, you know, step out. Yeah. Well, I think you displayed a lot of trust there. Um, and you speak to a lot of what we've read in this chapter around hearing from God. So the title is talk, and you know, it encourages leaders leaders to talk to God, but um, in a very tactical sense, can you talk to us and listeners about what it looks like in your life to listen to God? So learning to talk to him and then learning to kind of take his cues and listen to what he says. Yes, and I think that is so critical. Um, just like Preston, you talked about in the chapter, listening to God and really taking the time to do that. And I think how we all hear from God can be very different for everybody. And I think we would love for someone to hand us a, you know, a formula and say, this is how you hear from God, but that's not how he works because we are all individuals and he meets us where we are. For me personally, a lot of times it is just um like the nudging of the Holy Spirit, or I don't have that peace that the verses that you read in the beginning, Preston alluded to. And I have this unsettleness where I know what to do, but I'm fighting against doing it might have happened today. So, you know, where, but as soon as I do exactly what I know it is that, you know, or what I feel like he's leading me to do, as soon as I do it, um, it's just peace. And it's like, okay, that was the right move, and I'm so glad that I did it. And, you know, one day maybe I'll stop, you know, struggling against it. Another way that he speaks to me is um, you know, I can be headed one way and really feel like it's the right way. And then I'll have someone say, I why don't you consider this? And I'll be like, well, I don't know. And then another person might say, Why don't you consider this? And it's the same thing. And sometimes if I hear two or three people say something different than what I'm thinking, I really feel like that it could be the Lord saying, look at this in a different way. And that is one way that, you know, he definitely does speak to me. Many times in Rally, he has, you know, given me a mystic theme verse for the year, um, or had someone um reach out that it's just something like I hold on to for the whole year, for a whole time period. It might not be a calendar year, but for a time period where and I listen to that and I kind of try to measure everything, um, if you will, you know, against that um what happens. And then sometimes, you know, I think he speaks to me when when I am thinking about something and he says, you know, is this really where you want to erect your tombstone? You know, is this what you want on your tombstone? Dean died right here on this, on this principle, right here. And so a lot of times it's like, I really probably don't want it to be that. So this is the way he can kind of move me along. So um, I guess it's lots of different ways, but I would say mainly it's that just inner voice of the Holy Spirit just leading me, and you just in your gut, know he's telling you, you know, whether it's to pick up the phone and call someone or whether it's to go and you know, encourage someone on your team, or you know, in my case, reach out to a rally family, um, or you know, make a hard decision. Um, a lot of times that's it, you know, and you just it's just listening. And once you move forward, I think, you know, again to what Preston said, um, you get that piece. When you move forward and you don't have that peace, you can be pretty sure, you know, that might not was the right move. So that's really how he speaks to me a lot. That's really good, Dean. There's two uh things I want to call out real quick. Um, Rick Warren says that uh God speaks through four different things. He says, number one, through the Holy Spirit, certainly uh through prayer, through scripture, people, and circumstances. And that's pretty much what you just said, right? Uh so that's excellent. Uh and so just really, really in line with that. And then the other thing, uh cool, I've got a friend named Stan Lanier, he's a composer, you might know Stanton. Uh, but he always told me, he said, Preston, if you feel like that there's a check in your heart, uh um know that that's probably something that you probably need to pay attention to. If there's not a check in your heart, keep praying and keep moving. Yeah. Um, so I I think what you just said in terms of the Lord speaking to us and listening to him through those four ways that Rick Warren talked about, and then a check in your heart as well, uh, as you mentioned, without the peat in your heart, you can make a big I always say if there's a check in your spirit, check it out. There's a reason it's there. I say that all the time. Like, there's a and like that's what happened today. I kept, you know, I talked to like two or three people, and then I was like, I really feel like this is the right thing to do right here. And as soon as I did it that way, it was fine. That's awesome. Um so kind of on this note um of really relying on the Holy Spirit and seeking that peace. I really like how you first in this story had to step away from something, but even stepping away from something and stepping back allowed you to have peace to kind of gain a different vision, different direction. Um, so I just love that comment. Another question I have for you is around getting away from self-reliance. And maybe this is through communication of your friends and trusted advisors, but as a leader and as a fully capable woman, you know, doing a wonderful job, how do you step away and um kind of redirect your own heart to be in full reliance on God and like his true desire? I think one thing is, you know, growing as a person, as a leader, as a Christian, you know, as a woman is um, you know, learning and I had a mentor. Um, I was fortunate enough to win um a grant one time that provided me with money to get a mentor and uh or a coach. It was a coaching. And um, we really talked about how do you go to the next level. And I think the Lord just really used that. Um, and he, you know, he taught me to ask the question, like, what do you mean? Um, and how to test when there's, you know, what to do when there's pushback or when you do kind of have that, like, I'm not sure what to do, or you know, that type thing. And it was more for me, because you know, as you know, Caroline, I can go 90 to nothing and spend, you know, 100 plates and I love it, you know. So it energizes me. So for me, for really, he taught me to stop and to examine and to push back critically on you know what was going on and investigate it thoroughly. So for me to do that, I like had to slow down, I had to look at the signals and I had to access my critical thinking side. And um, now it is not uncommon for me when in having to make decisions um that are not ones that just come like this, where I kind of start feeling that I'll say, I need some time, you know, for to my team or to whoever's asking me to make a decision. Um, I'll say, like, I need some time to think about that. And I remember, um, it's probably like five years ago, something happened in Raleigh, and a um Raleigh parent sent me this, you know, sent me uh an email. And um, and I just wanted and I really thought about it. And he called another, he called a board member and he said, Do you think she's upset? And he said, No, I think she's thinking and praying through it, and you will get her answer. And um, and that's what I want to do because my initial gut reaction was like, oh no, like that's terrible. But I was like, no, I need to really think through this and be able to address it, you know, from thinking and drawing on a critical side and not just an emotional side. So um, so and that's really, you know, I think for someone with my personality, that's a lot to step back and um and then, but then to see the Lord work that into how I kind of operate when it comes to, you know, rally and my business um decisions is good. Yeah. Yeah. I think this is really good. Um, you've kind of shown us two different paths, one where you feel that check in your spirit and you've learned to take a cell uh a step back and to examine and to be thorough in prayer. And then you've also really learned to lean into the piece and you know, run a hundred miles an hour when you've got the green light. And so that to me is so special. Um, and it I think it's something learned. Um, I mean, for a lot of us, maybe not for you. I think you have a great gut instinct and the Holy Spirit definitely talks that way to you. But um for us young leaders, how would you suggest we kind of develop that discretion on when to step back versus when to take the green light? And that's a great question. And I do, um, I mean, I am a, you know, I'm a do-er-goer, you know, make change happen. Um, you know, if there's something going on, a crisis, or, you know, even, you know, a fun place to go to lunch, I'm all in, you know, so so I kind of spread the gamut. But I really love the story um in Exodus, where um, you know, they've gone through all the 10 plagues and the death of the firstborn, and finally Pharaoh says, you know, go, just go. And they leave, and then they um they get to the Red Sea and they are grumbling and complaining, and you know, they're just going crazy on Moses, like you shouldn't have brought us out here, we would have been better back there. And um, Moses holds up his arms and he says, Be quiet, be still. And that's usually where people stop in this story. But what I love is what comes next. He cried out to God and God said, Move! Like, what are you doing? And he parted the Red Sea and they walked through it, you know. And so I think a lot of times we as Christians tend to want to stop and be still so much that we don't hear God say, move. Um, you know, when they got to the other side of the Red Sea and Miriam led them in the, you know, a beautiful praise and worship dance to the Lord for all that he had done. Um, and so I think um, I think when you need to really be still and stop, you really will know it. Um, but I think, you know, I'm and you've heard me say this um at Rally and um in life. I'm like, there's really not too much, I there's I don't think there's anything we can mess up so badly we can't fix it. Like if we really, you know, because sometimes I think we get paralyzed and we don't make a decision because we're scared we're gonna make the wrong decision, then we don't, we're not doing anything. And God created us to have a brain and to, you know, take action and to but use our brain. And then also if you do mess up, you just admit it and you're like, gosh, maybe we shouldn't have crossed the Red Sea. But actually they did, they got to the other side and here we are today. So there you go. That's kind of you know what I would say to y'all like stop, but also really be ready to go. Um think God says go more than he says stop. I think that's incredible. Um, and it kind of alludes to the idea that when we don't seek him in prayer, we're potentially settling for less. And I think you and this example you just gave of even um people crossing the Red Sea is that God has big things for us. So it kind of is the whole story of Raleigh as well that um, you know, you listened to that check in your heart and you said, no, I think he has something for me. And boy, did he, he had $22 million in funding for childhood cancer research. So I mean, praise be to God, honestly, for all of that. But you're one of my favorite, um, I guess, big goal setters and dreamers. And I think you have a very active mind and heart in that direction. So just a little bit, can you talk to us about God's character and what you've learned as you've sought after those big dreams and big goals? I think he's just so faithful. You know, I think he um he's really faithful. I think he plants little seeds in our hearts, and then we have the opportunity to let them, you know, be planted and then to grow. So I would dare say, you know, he planted a seed in, you know, your dad's heart to write a book and it was like, no, and then, you know, then that seed, you know, he started watering that seed and then it grew. And then, you know, now we have this great book on leadership that encourages us to be a disciple and a leader, which is wonderful. Um, I think for me, you know, allowing listening to kind of where he plants a seed. So when Raleigh started, you know, we are all about funding childhood cancer research, and that is what we Do when we fund the best research and we have a dual peer review process, and we have an incredible, you know, medical advisory board made up of top oncologists around the world. But what I started, you know, but the Lord put in my heart, there's more I want you to do. And I and I had no idea what the more I want you to do is, and I knew it was more I want you to do within Rally. So um, so I um had applied for a scholarship to um the Harvard Business School, and I was, yes, and I was um, but I the first time I didn't get it, I was the next one to get it. And that next year I got it and I was really excited and I went, and um, there's this one time when and you live in a kind of a pod with a little apartment and you have um, you know, four men and four women, and then you come together one day, several times a day, but one time it's your turn and you can say what it is is your big problem within your found, you know, within your foundation. So I said, My big problem is that I don't know what to do next. And I kind of explained about you know how successful we were and what was going on. And two of the men there said, um, you need to get involved in advocacy and you need to be involved in policy. And I was like, and then so one of them I said, you know, I said, well, he said, start on your, I said, how do you do that? And he goes, well, start on your local level. And I said, well, Senator Johnny Isaacson's on my board, and they go, you should go national. You should start national. And so I was like, okay. And then after that, after that meeting, one of the men came up to me and he said, um, Michael did, and he said, Um, if you want to know about advocac advocacy and policy, um, do you want to have dinner together? And I'll tell you, um, I'll tell you what I know. And I said, Well, sure, but what's your background? Because I'm like, what do you really know? And um, he's like, well, you know, I went to Princeton and then I got, you know, I don't know, I got my master's at Yale, and then I worked on the Hill and worked worked around with some people. And then I was the under-secretary for um for Madame Albright when she served. And I was like, I'm secretary of the state. And he goes, yes, I go, so you know a little bit about policy. He goes, just a little bit, Dean. I was like, yeah, let's eat dinner together. Absolutely. Absolutely. So um, and he, I still do keep in touch with him because he's the reason that I got involved in policy and advocacy. He's the reason that Raleigh has redirected and gotten $29 million worth of funding through the Department of Defense medical research program. But all that came from the, you know, that seed that the Lord planted in my heart that I have more for you to do than what you're doing right now. And um, and I wanted it, you know, I wanted to know what it was. But if I would have gone and gotten the um Harvard scholarship the first year, I wouldn't have met Michael. Um so I just think that it was the Lord's timing to put all that, you know, together. So I don't know um if that answers your question, but you just have to look for how he's moving and then watering. And I think you, as you know, you always need to be willing to grow and learn and do and take risks as and keep going. I think that's a huge uh story that speaks to perseverance, both personally and professionally, you know, it's like seeking others' opinions, um applying again for that uh program, you know, you kept going and God kept opening doors. So I love that you kind of speak to the perseverance piece um of all this. Perseverance. Just keep going. Um I have one more question for you. And I think this is a special question for you, um, especially given what you work in every day. It's childhood cancer, it's very hard life situations and um you are pressing forward day after day and working just in incredibly sad situations. Um so as a leader running rally and also caring for these families, how do you personally deal with anxiety? Sometimes not really well. Um, you know, to be honest, um, and sometimes better than others. I think, you know, it's it's really hard when you fall in love with these kids and you fall in love with their families, and then, you know, a child doesn't make it or a child has such incredibly severe side effects that their parents have to kind of say goodbye to one child and learn to love another child. Um and that's really hard, you know, when you watch that happen and you and you and then it the longer you're in it, you can almost see what might be coming down the road, um, similar to a situation that um that you know that I'm dealing with today of a relapse that's happened, and I know what is basically gonna happen. Um, it'll take a while, but barring a breakthrough, it will not turn out well. Um, so that's really hard. Um, I think really, you know, leaning into the Lord and being honest with him. Um, and you know, I mean, I tell them all the time, I don't like this. I know this is not your will that these kids get cancer. I know that you allow it, but we live in a fallen world. I'm very grateful that Genesis one and two say Adam married Eve and that he didn't marry Dean and Dean didn't give him the apple. Like, I'm so happy about that. So, you know, that's you gotta take what you can. But you know, um, I mean, I you know, we live in a fallen world. And so it's hard. You know, it's really, really hard. And then and then the families become your friends. Absolutely. Yeah. And um, and you've seen that happen, and they become your friends too. Um, and so, and then you get very protective of them. Um, but for me, I think it's really helpful to lean into the Lord. I think when there is super duper sad news or a child passes away, I really just like to be quiet and be alone and be alone with the Lord and just alone with my thoughts. Um, I also think for me, um, I'm not an exercise fiend, but I do enjoy walking um a whole lot. And that is really helpful. And um about probably four or five years ago, I got into yoga and um and I love it, and I can do it at home. And I have um, you know, you need a mat, and I have my little, you know, I can pull up a video and you can do 10 minutes worth of yoga. And for me, and it can just reset, you know, my mind. Um, and that that is just really helpful. Um, I read a um, you know, I have a devotion that I, you know, read in the morning that's super short that helps to just, you know, put a perspective or a verse in place um that, you know, I try to like lean into and you know remember. But it's hard, you know, it's really um it is, but it's also you have like a lot of great joys that happen with kids that survive and beat. And then um, we laughed at Raleigh. Um, I can't even tell you how many um graduation invitations that I got. And it was so fun because it was kids that were, you know, diagnosed before they were even, you know, in kindergarten and now they're graduating from high school. So you celebrate all the victories too, um which are which are amazing. Yeah, but you have to figure out what works for you. You do. Um, and I think that's very personal. Um, it's very different for everybody, um, what works for them. Yeah. And I appreciate that you started off saying being honest with God just because that's a reminder that it is a personal relationship, you know, and then um he can work through things with you that way by talking with you. Um, I think that's so important. Yeah, so important. So important. Um, we've covered so much, and I am just so glad that I've been a part of this conversation, but talking about how God plants seeds and it is by talking with him and listening to him that huge things can happen, like Raleigh Foundation. Um crazy, getting on the move and just enabling women and men like us to do big things um that are within his will. So um thank you for sharing your heart, your wisdom, and honestly, thank you for the work that you do each and every day and the leadership that you display. I so appreciate you. Thank you for your support. Um, you're amazing. You've your fingerprints are all over Rally. So I really do appreciate that so much. And they will continue to be, I know. Do you feel like one person in your personal life and another in professional life? Are you driven by your faith and yet you feel like that you can't bring it to your workplace? Does this disconnect make you feel like that you're not honoring God and everything that He's called you to do? Do you feel like that you're merely surviving day-to-day at work without purpose or meaning? Do you want to grow your influence and positively shape your work environment, but you're not sure how? Hi, I'm Preston Poor, author of Disciple Leader, inspiration from a Fortune 500 executive for transforming your workplace by pursuing Christ. You know, honestly, it took me a long time to figure out that it's not about changing your leadership style. While learning to be a better leader certainly is necessary, and many excellent books have been written to that end, changing your style will not change who you are. Listen to this. Who you are needs to change before what you do changes. Becoming who you're meant to be as a Christian leader does not begin with focusing on leadership. Your calling toward better leadership is a calling toward deeper discipleship. My new book, Disciple Leader, provides struggling, stagnant, or merely surviving Christian business leaders with a framework to grow their influence through becoming a redemptive, Christ-like presence in the workplace and living a more fulfilling personal professional life. Through the book's 10 dual discipleship and leadership principles, stories and application, you'll experience personal professional transformation. For example, you'll change from struggling to live out your faith in the workplace to being empowered to positively shape your environment. You'll move from a stagnant, stale, dormant faith to one that's growing, active, and fulfilling. You'll shift from merely surviving day-to-day to thriving and living a life of purpose and meaning. If you're struggling to live out your faith in the workplace, worry that you're missing the opportunity to make a positive difference, or fear that you're living an unfilled life, it all stops here. Visit my website, PrestonPore.com, and order your copy of Disciple Leader Today and begin to experience personal and professional transformation. Okay, so Dean, uh getting towards the end here for a minute. Uh we have a little segment called the hot seat, just a couple fun uh and easy questions for ourselves and the listeners to get to know you a little bit. Um so they're gonna they're gonna come quick. So be ready. Are they short answers? Real quick answers? Yeah, they can be whatever you want them to be, but yeah, probably probably a little quick. All right, so you ready? Yeah, okay. Okay, let's go. Cake or pie? Pie. Godfather or Star Wars? Star Wars. How many times have you sneezed in the last seven days? Seven. Okay, perfect. Uh do you like the word capital? Big dogs or small dogs? No dogs. No dogs. There you go. There you go. Uh how many hours of sleep do you need? Seven. Seven. Okay. Uh say good day, mate, in an Australian accent. Good day, mate. That was good. You said stake a mate. He's upstairs. I'm trying my own a little bit there. Um how often is it healthy to cry? Ooh, that's really good. I think it's what you need. Well, what you mean as long as you're not being manipulative with your tears. You know what I mean? You have to think about I work with a bunch of bleeding hearts. We're all nonprofit people, you know. Okay. What's your favorite car? Bread, pasta, rice, or potatoes? Pasta. Yeah. Okay, good call. Uh, stale sour patch kids or fresh circus peanuts? Oh, uh, something sour, for sure. Really good. That's good. Thank you for doing the uh yeah, this is fun, isn't it? Thanks, Dean, for being such a good sport and uh going through that. Um, so as we wrap things up today, I was just curious to see if there's one takeaway after reading the chapter, sitting through this conversation today, um, what's one thing that you would like our listeners to think about, take away from our conversation today? I would say like the verses that you opened up with um out of Philippians, and that I think if you apply that and don't get too over-analytical about it, um, that you will be able to walk forward in the peace that surpasses all understanding. Because I think that is really when you have a prayer life and you're talking with God, um, that's kind of the ultimate that it doesn't necessarily have to make sense to anybody else, but when you have that peace that he gives you, it does surpass understanding and it allows you to move forward. Or if you need to be still, to be still, or if you need to stop crying to stop crying, or if you need to cry to cry. So um, I think that that would be what my takeaway would be is you really living in his peace that surpasses all understanding is such a gift, and it is an active thing that we have to accept. And you're encouraging people to do that, Preston, and I think that is a wonderful, wonderful thing. Well, thanks, Dean. Such a good word. Thank you for your takeaway on that. Uh, and thank you so much. You've been so generous uh a few ways. One with uh certainly with your relationship with Caroline and your mentorship as she's become a young professional and growing with Turing. I've seen you, I've appreciated from afar your leadership and leaning in with her. So thank you so much for that. And I absolutely agree. Absolutely agree. And also want to say how much I appreciate you leaning your your name uh and who you are to endorse the book and uh your very generous promise that you made against that. So we appreciate the time and today very thank you. Well, that's all for today's episode, and thanks for listening. Join us again next time when we explore another life-changing principle from Disciple Leader. And be sure to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes or other streaming platforms so you'll never miss an episode. Plus, if you don't have a copy of Disciple Leader, stop by my website at PrestonPort.com and order yours today. I'll end with this Transformed lives, transformed cultures. I encourage you to allow God to work in you and through you to change your world.