Ronnie McBrayer

No CTRL

A timely message from Ronnie: "Most of the control you think you have is an illusion...Most of what you think will strengthen that control is an empty scarecrow...Most of what is left to do, is the best you can...and leave the rest in the hands of God."

”The Path is Made by Walking”

"Faith is not having all the answers. Faith is not being protected from trouble or suffering or cancer or poverty or loss. It’s not this gullible “smile though your heart is breaking” sentimental rubbish that is nothing more than wishful thinking. And faith is certainly not a big payoff - where 'If I just believe then all my wishes will come true.' Rather, faith sees the world for what it is; knowing there are no shortcuts, no easy fixes, no silver bullets, and sometimes no sight of or sound from God. But in faith there is tenacity. There is going on, there is moving on, and keeping on. There is putting one sluggish step in front of the other."

Boxing God, Part 2

A continuation of his talk from Genesis 32, "Boxing God," Ronnie uses the example of Jacob to plot a path of personal transformation. Ronnie says, "Surrender means accepting things as they are: Yourself - others - the world - realty; and admitting your limitations in how you can change any of those things. Surrender meaning taking the days as they come, rather than imposing your predesigned, prefabricated template onto them.  Surrender is letting go of the past - all those regrets and mistakes - and taking hold of the future, even when reaching for that future comes out of the mud and pain of defeat." 

Boxing God, Part 1

From Genesis 32:22 and following, Ronnie speaks about his self-admitted favorite story from the Old Testament: Jacob's Wrestling Match with God. Ronnie says, "Jacob ended up crawling in the mud begging for mercy - but it was not for the purpose of humiliating or harming him. It was for the purpose of remaking him - and setting his life in an entirely new direction...As Dr. James Finley rightly says, 'Transformation is the result of our willingness to open our hearts to the aching...'"

Displaced

"There are seasons in life when you are exactly where you feel you need to be. The stars are aligned. It’s a groove. Then there are times when all is wrong. In such times you can make changes - if you have a little courage. But  sometimes changes can’t be made - not in relation to where you are or what you are doing. You can’t jettison the relationships you have...can’t escape your work...can’t run away to some broader horizon. What then? 
At such times, "build your home; plant your garden. Settle in, not to sour, but to live - and flourish.

Backsliders Bonus: ”Don’t Worry About Tomorrow”

Bobby Rains captured another fun recording from those old boys Ronnie plays music with: The Backsliders. This is a great blues tune - "Don't Worry About Tomorrow."

Life Interrupted

"Your life is a stone thrown into a body of water. The ripples roll causing actions and reactions long after your energy is expended, the moving waters finding shores upon which we will never stand...What ripples are you making? When your existence has been interrupted, and the force of your life has been expended - and it is left to germinate - to expand - to grow or to deplete here - can you leave knowing that you put that force and energy to use in the best of places? I’m not talking about changing the world; about being famous; about being so important that you will be the subject matter taught in history class one day. It’s just not that complicated. It’s about living intentionally - purposefully. It’s about being awake, being aware, that this one life is your opportunity."

A Backsliders Bonus: ”See Me Through”

Bobby Rains, who provides recording and technical assistance for Ronnie's podcast, occasionally snags audio from "The Backsliders," the band Ronnie has fronted for the last decade. Here is one of those audio grabs: "See Me Through." It is a song based on an obscure Van Morrison tune, adjusted and rearranged by The Backsliders.

The Cost of Kindness

A brush with fame...and a revolutionary, simple way of living. These come together in Ronnie's latest talk on practicing kindness.

The Rusty Goat

Ronnie uses this talk to announce a new project that he and Cindy are undertaking: "The Rusty Goat - A Coastal Farm and Retreat." Listen to hear more about this worthy project.