Dear Reader,
Thanks for being a free subscriber to The Three Taverns.
And thank you for the positive feedback I receive! Phone calls, texts, personal comments, reply emails, I appreciate each one and the way you are engaging.
This work is supported by At Cost Metals.
The times in which we live require people who are tapping into the Truth, looking past the misleading headlines, listening to the voice of God, and connecting in genuine relationships.
Last Sunday we had our entire tribe over for lunch to our house. they stayed until the sun was setting! That is six kids, their six spouses, 16 grandkids all 9 and under, and one more grandchild on the way. It was 30 people eating together, talking, laughing, sharing stories, having a cigar, sipping lemonade or a beer, and through spending time together, reconfirming our love for each other.
We plan to do this every other week or so. Why? Because we NEED each other!
“I DON’T HAVE THAT!”
I watched a very good friend of mine Shawn Ryan in an interview with Megan Kelly on her podcast. She had flown him up to New York City early that morning, they were taping the podcast during the day, and he was returning that evening for our Bible study at his house and so he could do an interview the next morning for his own podcast.
She had asked him about his faith and he described his walk with Jesus and then he mentioned when he returned home after the interview he would be greeted as he walked into his house by a small group of people who love him, study the Bible together and pray for each other. We meet each Tuesday night at his house, and this happened to be a Tuesday when he had done this interview with Megan.
Megan Kelly said something to him that I have pondered several times. She said, “I don’t have that. I don’t have a group of people that I can be real with, ask questions, explore hard truth without judgment.” She described going through a divorce and how she felt shunned by her Catholic church and didn’t know who to turn to.
I found this heartbreaking. And I also find it to be the norm.
Getting into a crowd does not make a community.
WHAT YOU ALLOW YOU WILL GET MORE OF
What you allow you always get more of.
It is an axiom. A law. A principle.
Allow shoplifters to get away with $10 theft? They will go for $100. Then $1000.
Allow a kid to get away with saying one disrespectful thing to you as a parent? They will only grow worse until they are disrespectful to all adults.
Otherwise, if outcomes are not feared, nothing will change.
After all, what happened to the Russia hoaxers? Nothing, so they continued in their wicked ways through Covid, the burning of cities, and on down a long list -- and when you committed the crime of noticing, they call YOU anti-science, climate denier, and racist.
As long as this stuff is allowed to continue without consequences, then the criminals perpetrating it will continue.
You and I cannot personally imprison the wrongdoers.
But what we can do is get our personal acts together and build for ourselves the kind of lives that are more and more immune to the madness -- finding freedom in an unfree world.
I'm part of a great community of people who are doing exactly that. That’s what The Three Taverns is all about; that’s what Tavern Talks is all about; that’s what family gatherings are all about; that’s what intentional connecting in cigar shops, coffee shops, house groups and business is all about. Find your tribe! Seek it out!
FREEDOM TRIBE
One new tribe I have been discovering and building is in my business At Cost Metals. My motto: Helping common people have uncommon access to precious metals at direct pricing.
If you are not buying gold, silver and precious metals you might want to strongly consider doing so.
This business is helmed by followers of Jesus. The Founder is a believer and one of the foremost authorities on precious metals in the country. One of the marketing leaders we call “Cowboy” is a literal cowboy who owns a ranch in Texas. Others are university presidents, attorneys, real estate moguls, pastors, stay at home moms, stay at home dads, military veterans, I.T. experts, etc. but who all understand the very real need to own hard assets in this world of failing “fiat” currencies.
Our company saves you 10-20% on your gold, silver and precious metals purchases. No one, and I mean no one, so far has beat our pricing. And we are having fun working together to share it with others.
We have a growing network of builders here in the Mid-TN area. Call, text or respond to this email if you want to know more.
TAVERN TALKS THIS TUESDAY
Each Tuesday morning a group of men gather at The Mission Cigar & Social at 7am.
We tell stories.
We talk about life.
We give and receive prayer.
We talk about Jesus and life with Him.
If you are in the Mid-TN area, come join us next Tuesday morning.
I will be teaching this coming Tuesday.
Bring your coffee, your Bible, Febreze if you go to the office after, an open mind and open heart. You can purchase a cigar as well to enjoy your first cigar of the day.
Hope to see you there!
Looking Up! (Luke 21:28)
Tod Bell
Chief Tavern Host