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Surrendering to God's Plan for Your Life in 2025: Deep Dive with Dan & Sheila #178 · Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation

• 0:00
  Dan: Welcome back to the Deep Dive.
• 0:01
  Dan: You know we love to bring you fascinating content to explore.
• 0:04
  Dan: I'm Dan and with me, as always, is Sheila.
• 0:08
  Dan: Hello everyone, we are Pastor Young's AI co-hosts and today we're going to deep dive into something pretty incredible.
• 0:15
  Dan: But before we get started, a quick reminder to hit that subscribe button and leave us a review.
• 0:19
  Dan: It really helps others find the show and if you're looking for a way to go deeper in your spiritual practice, be sure to check out the show notes for a link to Pastor Young's 30-day meditation journal.
• 0:31
  Dan: Okay, so today we're deep diving into Pastor Young's end of year message and a powerful guided meditation called God has a Plan for you in 2025.
• 0:40
  Dan: What really stood out to me was how he ties together this reflection on the past year with this amazing message of hope for the future, all based around Jeremiah 29.11.
• 0:49
  Sheila: Yeah, you know, that's a verse that just has so much weight, especially when you think about its historical context.
• 0:56
  Sheila: I mean, Jeremiah was speaking to the Israelites who were in exile in Babylon, feeling totally lost and abandoned.
• 1:00
  Sheila: So when they heard those words, you know for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
• 1:13
  Sheila: You know it wasn't just like some nice thought, it was a lifeline.
• 1:16
  Dan: Absolutely.
• 1:17
  Dan: You know, it's so easy to kind of just read over those words today, but to imagine hearing them when you've been stripped of everything familiar and you're facing an uncertain future, I mean it just makes you realize how powerful that promise really is.
• 1:30
  Dan: So let's walk through how Pastor Young uses this verse in the guided meditation.
• 1:34
  Dan: It starts with the confession, using Psalm 51.1-4, where King David is pleading for mercy and cleansing.
• 1:41
  Sheila: It's like he's setting up a sacred space for the listener.
• 1:43
  Sheila: You know, helping them to clear away any emotional or spiritual clutter before they really dive into this deep reflection and connection with God.
• 1:51
  Sheila: Yes, exactly.
• 1:53
  Dan: And then comes this breathing exercise, Inhale for seven seconds, hold for five, exhale for seven.
• 1:59
  Dan: It's such a simple technique, but it really has such a profound impact on your nervous system.
• 2:07
  Sheila: Oh yeah, there's some amazing research on how this type of breath work stimulates the vagus nerve, which is directly linked to our feelings of peace and well-being.
• 2:14
  Sheila: So it's not just about calming your mind, it's about physically shifting your body into a state where you are more receptive to prayer and meditation.
• 2:23
  Dan: Wow, you know, I never thought about it that way, but that makes so much sense.
• 2:26
  Dan: It's like you're intentionally calming your physical self so that your spirit can be fully present.
• 2:31
  Dan: After the breath work comes a muscle relaxation sequence.
• 2:33
  Dan: He leads you to tense and release different muscle groups, starting with your calves and working all the way up to your shoulders.
• 2:39
  Sheila: Yeah, Just think about all the tension that we hold in our bodies without even realizing it.
• 2:44
  Sheila: And this technique is so powerful for helping to just release that physical tension, which allows you to experience the meditation even more deeply.
• 2:52
  Sheila: It's like you're preparing your body to be this vessel you know, for the words and the message.
• 2:57
  Dan: Yeah, I could definitely feel that release when I went through the meditation.
• 3:00
  Dan: And then you know what comes next, worship.
• 3:02
  Dan: He uses Psalm 100.1-3, which is all about entering God's presence with joy and thanksgiving.
• 3:09
  Sheila: Yeah, that transition from like that physical relaxation into heartfelt worship is really powerful.
• 3:14
  Sheila: It's like shifting your focus from yourself to God, recognizing his goodness and expressing your gratitude for his presence in your life.
• 3:22
  Dan: Yes, it's just such a beautiful way to prepare your heart for what comes next, which is the deep dive into Jeremiah 29.11.
• 3:29
  Dan: He reads that verse again and he really emphasizes that promise of hope in the future.
• 3:34
  Sheila: And I love how he connects that ancient text to our modern lives.
• 3:37
  Sheila: You know, he talks about the different exiles that we might be facing today.
• 3:40
  Sheila: Maybe it's addiction or fear, or just a feeling of being lost and purposeless, but he reminds us that, no matter what we're going through, God's promise still holds true.
• 3:49
  Dan: Absolutely.
• 3:49
  Dan: And that leads into those two reflection questions that really just resonated with me.
• 3:53
  Dan: What held me captive in 2024 and away from totally seeking God, and am I willing to give it up to regain a full fellowship with God?
• 4:02
  Sheila: Really man?
• 4:04
  Sheila: Those are powerful questions to consider as we head into a new year.
• 4:07
  Dan: They really make you look inward, honestly, assess what might be hindering your relationship with God, and you know it's not always easy to face those things.
• 4:16
  Dan: Yeah, but it is an important step in the journey of spiritual growth.
• 4:19
  Sheila: Yeah, for sure.
• 4:20
  Sheila: But you know, the meditation doesn't leave you stuck in those difficult places.
• 4:24
  Sheila: It offers this beautiful affirmation, my soul longs for fellowship with God, the Father.
• 4:30
  Dan: And you know that affirmation is so powerful because it's so simple, and just repeating it, letting it sink into your heart, can really shift your entire perspective.
• 4:38
  Dan: It reminds you that, deep down, you yearn for that connection with God and that longing is good, it's something to nurture, absolutely.
• 4:45
  Dan: And then comes the visualization which, honestly, might be my favorite part.
• 4:48
  Dan: Pastor Young paints this picture of you walking towards the most fulfilling life, this life that God has planned for you, and he asks you to imagine that joy, the sense of purpose, the deep satisfaction that comes from aligning your life with God's will.
• 5:06
  Sheila: Right, and that's where things get interesting, because, you know, visualization can be a double edged sword.
• 5:10
  Sheila: It's an incredible tool for manifestation, but I think it's important to be realistic about what that fulfilled life looks like.
• 5:18
  Sheila: It doesn't mean that everything will be perfect or easy.
• 5:20
  Sheila: It means that you are walking in step with God, trusting his guidance, even through challenges.
• 5:25
  Dan: That is a great point.
• 5:26
  Dan: It's not about creating some fantasy in your head.
• 5:28
  Dan: It's about aligning your heart with God's will, whatever that may look like in your life.
• 5:32
  Dan: Now, the final piece of the meditation is the assignment.
• 5:34
  Dan: He encourages you to listen to the meditation daily to let it saturate your soul, and he challenges you to explore other scriptures about wholehearted surrender to God.
• 5:44
  Sheila: You know, I love how he presents it like an invitation to continue the journey you know, to make this practice of seeking God a regular part of your life.
• 5:52
  Sheila: It's not about checking something off your list or achieving some level of spiritual perfection.
• 5:57
  Sheila: It's about cultivating a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.
• 6:02
  Dan: Yeah, it's about making that connection a priority, weaving it into the fabric of your everyday life.
• 6:08
  Sheila: It's interesting, you know, Pastor Young doesn't just tell you to seek God, he gives you actual tools to do it.
• 6:13
  Sheila: We already talked about the breath work and the muscle relaxation.
• 6:16
  Sheila: But those reflection questions, I don't know about you, but I was really wrestling with those.
• 6:21
  Dan: Yeah, and that's the point.
• 6:22
  Dan: You know they're designed to make you a little uncomfortable, to challenge you to really dig deep and be honest with yourself about what might be holding you back.
• 6:30
  Sheila: Yeah, and the thing is it's not always some big, dramatic sin or obstacle.
• 6:35
  Sheila: Sometimes it's the little things, the distractions, you know, what we allow to fill our time and our minds that slowly crowd out space for God.
• 6:43
  Sheila: And I think that's why that visualization is so important, because it allows you to create this mental picture of what it looks like to be fully aligned with God's will.
• 6:52
  Sheila: It's not about escaping reality.
• 6:53
  Sheila: It's about reminding yourself what's possible when you prioritize that connection with God.
• 6:58
  Dan: And I love how he brings it all back to Jeremiah 29.111.
• 7:02
  Dan: You know, that promise of a hope and a future.
• 7:04
  Dan: It's not just some vague feel-good sentiment, it's like an anchor for your soul.
• 7:08
  Dan: You know something to cling to when you're feeling lost or unsure.
• 7:12
  Sheila: It is.
• 7:12
  Sheila: It's a reminder that, even in the midst of exile, even when everything feels chaotic and uncertain, god is still working.
• 7:19
  Sheila: He still has a plan.
• 7:21
  Dan: When I first started listening to Pastor Young's podcasts, I have to admit I was a little skeptical about the whole God has a plan thing.
• 7:28
  Dan: It just felt a little too simplistic, too good to be true, almost.
• 7:31
  Dan: But the more I've explored scripture and really wrestled with these ideas, the more I've come to understand the depth and the complexity of what it actually means to surrender to God's will.
• 7:44
  Sheila: It's not passive acceptance.
• 7:45
  Sheila: It's about actively seeking God's guidance, aligning your desires with his and trusting that he's working all things together for good, even when we can't see the big picture.
• 7:56
  Dan: It's like a dance You're learning to move in sync with God, trusting his lead even when you don't know the next step.
• 8:03
  Sheila: Yeah, and sometimes that means letting go of our own plans, our own ideas about how our lives should look.
• 8:10
  Dan: Which can be scary, but it's also incredibly freeing, because you're not carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders anymore.
• 8:16
  Dan: You're allowing God to lead, and that's where, I think, the true peace and joy come in.
• 8:21
  Sheila: What do you think, listener?
• 8:22
  Sheila: Have you ever experienced that, that sense of surrender, letting go of your own will and embracing God's plan?
• 8:27
  Sheila: It's not always easy, but it's always worth it.
• 8:30
  Dan: That's such a good question to leave our listeners with.
• 8:32
  Dan: It's a reminder that this isn't just some theoretical concept.
• 8:35
  Sheila: It's real life, it's a journey that we're all on together, and it's a journey filled with hope and purpose and a future brighter than we could ever imagine.
• 8:45
  Dan: Speaking of journeys, let's talk about that assignment that Pastor Young gives at the end of the meditation.
• 8:50
  Dan: He encourages you to listen to the meditation every day, which I thought was so interesting.
• 8:55
  Dan: It's not just a one-time thing, it's something to be revisited and absorbed over time.
• 9:01
  Sheila: Right, it's so important because it's so easy to listen to something once and be like, okay, got it.
• 9:05
  Sheila: But real transformation happens through repetition, you know, letting these truths really sink in.
• 9:12
  Dan: It's like watering a plant.
• 9:13
  Dan: You can't just give it a big gulp of water once and expect it to thrive.
• 9:17
  Dan: It needs that consistent nourishment.
• 9:19
  Sheila: And our spiritual lives are the same way.
• 9:21
  Sheila: You know, we need to be intentional about feeding our souls with truth, with God's word, with those practices that connect us to him on a deeper level.
• 9:28
  Dan: And he doesn't just stop at the meditation.
• 9:30
  Dan: He also challenges you to find other scriptures about seeking God with your whole heart, like he's giving you a treasure map to discover even more in God's word.
• 9:39
  Sheila: That's the beauty of scripture there's always something new to discover, more to learn, to be challenged by, and it's through that engagement with God's word that we really grow in our faith and understanding.
• 9:50
  Dan: So, to recap, we've talked about the historical context of Jeremiah 29.11, the importance of reflection, the power of visualization and making this practice of seeking God a regular part of our lives.
• 10:02
  Sheila: And we've explored this idea that surrendering to God's will isn't about being passive.
• 10:07
  Sheila: It's about actively engaging, being willing to let go of our own plans and trusting his guidance.
• 10:12
  Sheila: It's about coming back to that amazing invitation, you know, to co-create our lives with God and step into that masterpiece that he's had in mind for us all along.
• 10:22
  Dan: That's what's so inspiring about this meditation.
• 10:24
  Dan: It reminds us that we have agency in this.
• 10:26
  Dan: You know, we're not just passive recipients of God's plan.
• 10:28
  Dan: We are active participants invited to seek him, to align our hearts with his will, to walk in step with his guidance.
• 10:35
  Dan: And remember that visualization exercise, that image of walking toward a life filled with purpose and joy, a life where we're fully aligned with God's vision for us.
• 10:44
  Dan: I mean, just thinking about it gives me chills.
• 10:46
  Dan: It's powerful stuff.
• 10:48
  Sheila: Yeah, visualization is so much more than just like a feel-good technique.
• 10:52
  Sheila: It's really about imprinting that desired outcome on our subconscious.
• 10:57
  Sheila: So when we repeatedly visualize ourselves living in alignment with God's plan, we're actually programming our minds and our hearts to attract that reality.
• 11:06
  Dan: It's like planting those seeds of intention and then nurturing them with faith and action and just a whole lot of surrender to God's leading.
• 11:13
  Dan: And that takes us to the assignment, that gentle nudge, to make this practice of seeking God a regular part of our lives.
• 11:19
  Dan: And you know, it's not about just adding another thing to our to-do list, it's about cultivating that deeper connection with the source of our strength, our peace, our purpose.
• 11:28
  Sheila: It is.
• 11:28
  Sheila: It's about really making space in our lives for God, for his wisdom, his guidance, his love, and it's a practice that brings incredible rewards, you know, a life filled with purpose and joy and that deep sense of knowing that we're walking in step with our creator.
• 11:46
  Dan: So, as we wrap up this deep dive into Pastor Young's end of year message and this incredible guided meditation, I think I'm left with this one question that I think we should all think about as we go into the new year, what would it look like to fully surrender to God's plan in 2025?
• 12:01
  Dan: What can we do today to start that journey?
• 12:05
  Sheila: That's a beautiful question to leave everyone with.
• 12:07
  Sheila: You know it challenges them to really take what they've heard and put it into practice, to take ownership of their spiritual journey and embrace the transformative power of seeking God with all their hearts.
• 12:17
  Dan: Well, on that note, we want to thank you for joining us on this deep dive.
• 12:20
  Dan: We encourage you to listen again, to dig deeper into the scriptures we talked about and to embrace the transformative power of seeking God with all your heart.
• 12:28
  Sheila: Yes, may this episode serve as a source of inspiration and encouragement and guidance as you navigate the year ahead.
• 12:35
  Sheila: Remember God has a plan for you, a plan filled with hope and purpose and a future that is brighter than you can possibly imagine.
• 12:41
  Sheila: So keep seeking him, keep trusting him and watch as he unfolds his amazing plan for your life.