We’re going through a prayer series right now in the Classroom, and if you haven’t jumped in yet, I’d really encourage you to check it out—especially with your FIRE TEAM. Everything you need is there to get started. We’re reading Keller’s Prayer as part of it, and one thing that’s really stuck with me is his take on the Lord’s Prayer. It’s easy to treat it like something basic or familiar, but Keller pushes you to slow down and actually meditate on each line. And when you do, it hits differently. This isn’t just a general idea about prayer—it’s how Jesus Himself taught His disciples to pray. That’s actually been one of the most comforting parts for me. There are a lot of books and traditions on how to pray—Keller’s book included. There’s the Book of Common Prayer, written prayers in the Catholic and Anglican churches, and a whole lot of other liturgies and frameworks. Some of that stuff can be helpful, for sure. But what gives me peace is knowing these words in the Lord’s Prayer are straight from Jesus. If this is how He told His disciples to pray, then I don’t need to overcomplicate it. If it was good enough for Him to teach, it’s good enough for me. That truth has been huge for me. Keller also talks about how Martin Luther used to pray through each line of the Lord’s Prayer two or three times a day. I’ve been trying that rhythm lately, just taking one line at a time, and it’s honestly been the most impactful thing I’ve done so far in this class. I’m putting together a short doc that shows how to use the Lord’s Prayer as a simple structure for your own prayers. I’ll drop it in the Classroom soon. If you’re needing a reset or looking to deepen your prayer life, this is a great place to start.

As part of our new habit this week (slowing down and meditating on Scripture), and motivated by Matt's post yesterday, I want to share a theme has been pressing on me over and over again: God places real value on testing. Most of us spend our lives asking God for comfort, clarity, or breakthrough. That has been me recently. I want answers and I ask for clear guidance, especially during this time in my life where I'm changing careers. But Scripture consistently shows us something deeper: God often gives us testing first. “Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind.” — Psalm 26:2 David didn’t avoid testing. He invited it. Why? Because testing exposes what’s real, not just what’s claimed. James pushes this even further: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” — James 1:2–3 Trials aren’t punishment. They’re training. Testing produces steadfastness. Steadfastness produces maturity. And maturity produces a man who is hard to move and steady under pressure. Paul ties it all together: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern the will of God…” — Romans 12:2 💭Discernment comes through testing. God is trying to get that through my hard head. I'm not going to discover God’s will in comfort alone. I will discover it when my beliefs are pressed, refined, and proven. 🔨 God tests His sons not to break them, but to form them. A faith that has never been tested is a faith that has not yet been forged. This is how enduring men are made. ❓Question for the group: What do you sense God is testing in you right now—patience, obedience, humility, trust, something else?

Brothers, Over the last several weeks, a handful of us (5–7 men at any given time) have been walking through a structured, eight-week journey into prayer, built around Scripture, spiritual habits, reflection, and the simple desire to truly know God, not just know about Him. I need to share this with all of you because what has happened in my life and inside this circle of men has been nothing short of transformative. 🔥 What Changed For Me Personally For the first time in my life, I feel like I actually understand what it means to converse with the Creator of the Universe. Not recite words. Not send up quick requests when life gets messy. But actually speak, and listen, to the God who made me (isn’t it CRAZY that we can do this?) It feels like a doorway that used to be cracked open has now been blown off the hinges. I learned that prayer isn’t an add-on to faith, it is the relationship. Once that clicked, everything changed. It gave purpose, direction, and intimacy to my time with God. I no longer pray only “when I feel like it.” I’m learning to build a relationship through rhythm and discipline focused on Scripture, silence, confession, and praise. I’ve been overwhelmed by a new desire to praise. I never realized how central adoration is to understanding God’s nature. And, in one of those moments only God can orchestrate, I recently met a Christian law professor who actually teaches about praise in the vocation of law. Our conversation showed me the deep connection between praising God and understanding His will for your life. Connecting those dots flipped a switch in me. My relationship with God feels… real now. And because prayer has begun to shape me from the inside, I can finally start leading my family spiritually in the way I never understood before. My conversations with God now spill over into my conversations with my wife, my kids, and even my work. Prayer is changing the way I carry myself. Not perfectly, but honestly. 🔥 What Changed Within Our Group

Job 5:7 NIV [7] Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward. https://bible.com/bible/111/job.5.7.NIV

Hi Team, My Mother-In-Law passed away this morning. So things will be a little crazy for us the next couple weeks to months. That being said I will see you all Saturday morning!