You think you have a reason to complain. So did TJ Tyus. He faced criminal charges and the threat of prison. He lost his own dream of playing in the NFL. He gave his life to God and served for years without a paycheck, driving three hours round trip to teach Bible study and helping raise more than a hundred kids and send them to college. He poured that lost dream into his sons. One of them has been working toward the NFL since he was six years old, and he did everything right: the discipline, the degree, the prayer. He finally signed. He started a game and played well. Two days later he was cut. Then signed again, and cut again. Team after team, the same phone call keeps coming. And TJ adopted a little girl out of foster care, fought cancer beside her, and buried her. If anybody had the right to act wild, it was him. He told God the truth: you never failed me, but you disappointed me. Then he made a decision. If I cannot praise, I will not complain. I will praise God or I will be quiet. This message is for you if life just hit you with something you cannot control and you are one bad moment away from losing it. You did not have a bad day. You had a bad moment, and you kept adding "and" to it. Here is how you stop. IN THIS EPISODE • Why you keep asking God to end the challenge that is supposed to change you • Why your half squat does not count • What "David encouraged himself" really means: take courage • How to stop stacking "and... and... and..." and put a "but" in your spirit • The FOCUS reset: Find your feet, Observe your focus, Check the meaning, Select one next step • How to make your valley a valley of praise SCRIPTURES • 1 Samuel 30:6 • Matthew 4:1-3 • Luke 2:49 • 2 Chronicles 20:12 • 2 Chronicles 20:21-22 • Hebrews 11:6 CHAPTERS: Chapters 00:00:00 Welcome: The Gift of Being Coached Through Challenges 00:00:52 Without Challenge, There Is No Change 00:03:49 The Squat Lesson: Going All the Way Down 00:06:18 The Aries Story: God's Plan in Foster Care and Adoption 00:09:36 Cancer, Diabetes, and Learning to Encourage Yourself 00:11:29 When in the Wild, Don't Act Wild 00:15:37 Mission Over Mood: The Day After Aries Passed 00:15:55 David Was Distressed, But He Encouraged Himself 00:19:40 If You Can't Praise, Be Quiet 00:24:19 The Sword of the Spirit: Building Strength to Wield the Word 00:31:16 Education and Experience: What Makes You Confident in the Wild 00:33:32 I Must Be About My Father's Business 00:34:37 Jesus in the Wilderness: Led by the Spirit to Be Tested 00:38:43 The FOCUS Reset Formula 00:41:23 The Valley of Praise: 2 Chronicles 20 00:44:47 What Will Your Valley Be Called? 00:46:41 My Mother's Dementia and the Spirit She Prayed Over Me 00:48:15 Altar Call: Make Your Valley a Valley of Praise 🔥 IF THIS HIT YOU Share it with someone who is in the middle of a hard season and needs to hear this. Subscribe and turn on notifications → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLRzMQFmplNd4-H1X5bj1jA?sub_confirmation=1 📲 CONNECT WITH APOC 📱 Download the App → Search "APOC Ministry" in your app store 🙏 Submit a Prayer Request → Tap "Prayer" in the app 💸 Partner With Us → apocministry.org/give 📅 Join Us LIVE: Saturdays @ 11AM EST 🎤 ABOUT ERIC THOMAS — ET THE HIP HOP PREACHER Dr. Eric Thomas is a world-renowned motivational speaker, pastor, author, and educator. From homeless high school dropout to PhD, ET's story has inspired millions across the globe. Known as ET The Hip Hop Preacher, he has spoken to the NFL, NBA, Fortune 500 companies, and now leads A Place of Change Ministry in Grand Ledge, Michigan alongside his wife, Dede Thomas, and Associate Pastor TJ Tyus. With over 2.1M Instagram followers, 1.5M YouTube subscribers, and millions of podcast downloads, ET's message of faith, sacrifice, and accountability continues to transform lives worldwide.
