Most people turn to religion for a sense of connection they are lacking and a senze of meaning they are lacking.

Get a haircut ya goof

People in need of emotional stability gravitate to religions like Christianity and Islam because both depend on dogmas. But thinkers and confidant people gravitate to Judaism because it is not a religion and doesn't depend on a dogma. Judaism is an uncomfortable intellectual exercise to help humans ascend.

Thank you for sharing Pip. God has a plan for you Brother. Also thank you, Calvin.

Good to meet you Pip. Thanks so much for sharing.

Thanks! It's good for the soul hearing such stories about how Gods love changes people 🤗

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 🎙️ *Introduction and Get to Know Your Guest* - Introduction to the podcast with Pete sharing about his life. - The "Get to Know Your Guest" segment with light-hearted questions. - Pete's preference for solitude and football dominating his childhood. 10:17 ⚽ *Love for Football and 5-A-Side Dream Team* - Pete's childhood obsession with football. - Creation of a dream 5-a-side football team, emphasizing players from Manchester United. - Playful banter about the potential dynamics and interactions within the team. 16:23 🏫 *School Experience and Dealing with Opinions* - Pete's perspective on school and the desire to leave early. - Admission to giving too much importance to other people's opinions during adolescence. - Reflection on the impact of caring about others' opinions on personal growth. 19:06 🌏 *Football Pursuits in Australia* - Pete's pursuit of a football career, including trials and rejections. - The decision to travel to Australia for a trial with a lower division team. - Realization of the diminishing likelihood of playing at a high level but the aspiration to be paid to play. 20:03 🌏 *Football Career in Australia* - Pursued a career in football in Australia. - Shared challenges and the significance of the opportunity. - Reflection on the level of Australian football at the time. 23:27 🛤️ *Life After Football in Australia* - Discussing life after football in Australia. - The decision-making process after not making the squad. - Exploring and traveling around Australia for nine months. 26:25 🌍 *Traveling Across Australia* - Buying a car and realizing the vast distances in Australia. - Opting for bus tours and meeting people from different countries. - Reflecting on the transformative experience of nine months of travel. 29:54 🚀 *Return to England: Post-Travel Reflections* - Returning home after nine months of travel. - Challenges of readjusting to familiar surroundings. - The initial disconnect between personal growth and others' perceptions. 32:02 🤔 *Friend's Influence: Introducing Faith* - Introduction of a friend named Phil and his Christian faith. - Initial resistance and skepticism toward organized religion. - Phil's genuine care and perspective on sharing faith. 35:27 📖 *Reading Mark's Gospel* - Phil giving a copy of Mark's Gospel to the speaker. - The speaker's plan to read it to end the conversation. - The impact of Jesus' teachings, especially in Mark chapter 2. 38:51 🕊️ *Attraction to Jesus* - Transformation in the speaker's view of Jesus. - Jesus confronting religious hypocrisy and making faith personal. - Attraction to the person of Jesus rather than organized religion. 39:48 🤔 *Critical Thinking and Truth* - The speaker's rational approach to truth. - Acknowledging the significance of Jesus if true. - Emphasizing the importance of truth in personal beliefs. 40:01 🤔 *Faith Exploration Journey* - The importance of determining if there's enough credible evidence to make faith reasonable. - CS Lewis quote: Christianity is either of infinite importance or of no importance at all. - Obsession with finding credible evidence for faith through studying history, archaeology, and science related to the Bible. 41:41 📚 *Investigating the Unforgivable Sin* - Investigating the concept of the unforgivable sin and its weight on the speaker. - Discovering a perspective that as a Christian, committing the unforgivable sin is not possible. - Feeling a sense of relief upon realizing he hadn't committed the unforgivable sin. 43:19 🤷‍♂️ *Long and Unclear Conversion Process* - Acknowledging the conversion process as a long and uncertain journey. - Sharing a pivotal moment when the speaker realized the importance of faith. - Highlighting the gradual progress and how it wasn't immediately clear where he stood on his faith journey. 48:16 🛤️ *Church Attendance and Sacred Space* - Attending church with a deep desire to hear the Bible taught by a knowledgeable preacher. - Feeling a sacred connection to the Sunday morning church service despite a worldly lifestyle. - Emphasizing the significance of the church service as a pivotal point in the week. 50:07 🌱 *Progress Over Perfection* - Reflecting on the idea that progress in the Christian journey is guided by God's grace and timing. - Drawing parallels between spiritual growth and the gradual progress in weight training. - Emphasizing that living a good Christian life is not about personal efforts but accepting Christ's transformative work. 56:47 🔄 *Free Gift of Salvation and Ongoing Discipleship* - Affirming salvation as a free gift, emphasizing Christ's role in it. - Contrasting the misconception of an expensive discipleship with the reality of ongoing, God-guided growth. - Highlighting the lifelong process of discipleship and how it leads to genuine change through God's kindness. 58:05 😇 *Kindness of the Lord Leads to Repentance* - Challenging the misconception that self-control leads to repentance, emphasizing God's kindness. - Sharing personal experiences with mentors and the impact of love over anger in fostering change. - Exploring the idea that the love and kindness of God lead to a natural turning away from old ways. 01:00:10 ⚽ *Love for God and the Desire to Honor Him* - Drawing a parallel between players' love for a coach and believers' love for God. - Stating that God's kindness and love create a desire in believers to live in a way that honors Him. - Emphasizing that God accepts believers whether or not immediate life changes occur. 01:00:24 🎚️ *Understanding Salvation* - Salvation is not just about personal actions but centered on Jesus. - Lessons learned: Salvation is a free gift secured by Christ. 01:00:59 🙏 *Impact of Phil in Christian Journey* - Phil played a significant role in the speaker's Christian journey. - Phil's influence went beyond sharing the gospel, emphasizing living as a Christian. 01:01:55 🛡️ *Phil's Diagnosis and Impact* - Phil's cancer diagnosis was a turning point, impacting the speaker's faith journey. - Phil's deteriorating health over nine months deeply affected those around him. 01:03:55 🌟 *Phil's Faithful Life and Death* - Phil remained a faithful friend and Christian, even in the face of terminal illness. - Phil's unwavering faith and peaceful passing left a lasting impact. 01:06:51 📖 *Reading Scripture to Phil* - Despite Phil's weakening state, reading Scripture, especially from Romans 8, brought comfort. - Phil's faith remained strong until the end, embracing death as gain. 01:08:00 🌍 *Impact on Current Life and Work* - Phil's influence led the speaker into evangelism, mission work, and Christian outreach. - The speaker's current life is devoted to sharing the Christian faith. 01:10:30 ✨ *Advice for Those Exploring Christianity* - Emphasizing the uniqueness of grace in Christianity. - Grace sets Christianity apart, highlighting it as a gift, not something earned. 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Thank you for sharing your brave experience. I’ve felt similar so I know how hard it is to even talk about it or admit it to yourself let alone others ❤

Looking forward to this content!

Thankyou for sharing this down to earth and real testimony, I hope there are more to come in the future. I found the regret, or sadness, in losing people you loved, who had professed their faith, and then returned to their old ways confronting, in a good way. I dont know all the circumstances behind those two instances you both raised, but I want to share this with you. I was one who professed my faith in Jesus and repentance of my sins, and I believed it and professed it with all of my heart. But I went and did as was described of the man in Matthew 12:43-45. I went very low in my sin and reached new depths of wickedness I never thought possible. But God had mercy on me, because he knows me so well and understands me better than anyone else, for many years now I have been living and walking in faith in Jesus, and I dont regret any of my backsliding, because that is what was needful. I wish I could go back to those who loved me and assure them their labour was not in vain....maybe one day I will, with God all things are possible. You are both in my prayers.

Alistair- your life story is an inspiration and I want to thank you and Calvin for a reminder to me and the many who have heard your voice, that God is always with us through the storm and through the rain.

Thank you Alistair and Calvin. Looking forward to Part 2.

Thanks so much for your honesty Alistair. No dissing the Doric Calvin 😅