Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation

Renew Your Mind Day 29 | You Were Never Meant to Carry it Alone

• Pastor Robert Young • Season 4

Share episode

Send us a text

What if the very thing you’re avoiding—asking for help—is the key that unlocks your healing? We dig into a countercultural idea drawn from Pastor Robert Young’s Renew Your Mind Challenge: some forms of restoration are designed to happen with another person, not in isolation. Confession, prayer, and accountability are not punishments; they are the structure that keeps the weight from crushing you and the support that helps you lift more than you can alone.

We connect that conviction to a practical, low-friction path: Pastor Young’s pastoral counseling. With three decades of experience, he brings a steady, biblically grounded approach that meets you where you are. We explore who this is for—those in crisis, those who need a non-judgmental ear, and those seeking clarity in a noisy world—and why alignment matters. Instead of patchwork advice, you get guidance rooted in a worldview you already trust, so choices, habits, and hopes line up.

We also break down the three pillars that shape the work. Resolving marital conflict offers translation and perspective when communication loops get tight. Substance abuse relapse prevention focuses on the high-stakes middle game, when triggers and environments test new sobriety. Success planning strategies move beyond repair into stewardship, turning goals and talents into a coherent, faith-aligned future. Add the logistics—30-minute phone or video sessions, Monday through Saturday, clear confidentiality, and accessible pricing at $40 per session or three for $100—and excuses fade. What’s left is a simple, courageous step toward connection.

If you’re tired of carrying it alone, consider this your nudge. Subscribe for more conversations that blend honest faith, practical tools, and real-world wisdom, then share this episode with someone who needs a safe place to start. Ready to pick up the phone and begin?

Support the show

Consider helping us to take the Gospel to others here:
https://patreon.com/churchplanting
https://cash.app/$WellnessInstitute
Leave a voicemail question or prayer requests here:
(585) 331-3424
Leave an email question, prayer requests or comment here:
robyoung51.ry@gmail.com


SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, we are.

SPEAKER_00:

Usually, you know, we take a stack of articles, maybe a big nonfiction book, and we just break it all down for you. But today, we're looking at a specific set of ministry documents.

SPEAKER_01:

And they tackle a problem that I think, well, I think pretty much everyone listening has felt at some point.

SPEAKER_00:

I think so. I'm Dan.

SPEAKER_01:

And I'm Sheila. And before we really get into the heavy stuff, and it is a little heavy, but in a good way, we should probably clarify our role here. That's a good point. For anyone new, or maybe for the regulars who might notice, we sound a little clearer, a little sharper today.

SPEAKER_00:

We aren't just two podcasters who stumbled on this material. We are actually Pastor Robert Young's AI co-hosts.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. We've been specifically designed, you could say, to analyze his content, process the text, and serve it up to you in a way that really gets to the heart of the matter.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Ross Powell We have ingested the source material, specifically an excerpt from day 29 of Pastor Young's Renew Your Mind Challenge, which is titled Never Meant to Carry This Alone.

SPEAKER_01:

And the other document is the brochure for his pastoral counseling services. So our mission today is to connect the dots between the philosophy and the well, the practical application.

SPEAKER_00:

Because let's be honest, the philosophy itself is tricky. We're talking about that crushing weight of trying to do everything yourself, you know, the vibe. Oh, yeah. The pull yourself up by your bootstraps thing. Yeah. Society just loves that narrative, the self-made person.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell It's the dominant cultural script for sure. The idea is that if you're struggling, you just need to work harder. You just figure it out. And if you ask for help.

SPEAKER_00:

That's seen as a weakness.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. Like a glitch in the system.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell Right. Don't burden anyone with your mess. But today we're going to contrast that with the materials from Pastor Young. And his core argument seems to be that going it alone isn't just difficult. It's actually completely contrary to the biblical worldview he teaches.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell And not just contrary, but destructive. We want to explore why isolation is a trap, according to these texts. And then we're going to unpack the specific new resource he's offering to bridge that gap.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell Because realizing you need help, that's step one. But knowing where to get it, that's usually the much harder part. For sure. So let's start with that first document. You mentioned it's from day 29 of a challenge. I feel like that context, it really matters here.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell It's crucial context. I mean, if you've made it to day 29 of a renew your mind challenge, you have been doing some serious mental and spiritual heavy lifting for a month.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. You're at the finish line.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, you've probably been meditating, praying, changing your habits.

SPEAKER_00:

You're expecting a victory lap. You're expecting, congratulations, you're a spiritual superhero now.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. But instead, right at the end, Pastor Young drops this truth bomb. He explicitly points out attention. He writes, Our society teaches us to pick ourselves up by the bootstraps, to not need anyone. He gets that. He acknowledges that's what we're programmed to believe. Okay. But then he pivots. He pivots to the biblical view, which he says operates on a different level.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell And what is that level? Because I think a lot of people assume religion is also about personal strength, you know, just me and God against the world.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Ross Powell That is a really common misconception. But the text highlights a specific command. Confess our faults one to another and pray for one another. Aaron Powell Now I want to pause there because the next part of that sentence is the key.

SPEAKER_00:

It's the why.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. The text says, so that we can be healed.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Ross Powell So that we can be healed. Wait, let me just unpack that. The structure of that sentence, it implies the healing is conditional.

SPEAKER_01:

Precisely. That is the aha moment. It suggests that if you don't confess to another person, if you don't connect, you might actually be blocking your own healing. Wow. You can pray alone, read alone, meditate alone, all good things. But this specific type of restoration, it requires an another. It's a structural requirement of the faith.

SPEAKER_00:

That's a massive perspective shift. Because usually when I think of dealing with a crisis, my instinct, and I think most people's instinct, is to retreat. You go into a quiet room, you shut the door, you figure it all out, and then you come out when you're fixed.

SPEAKER_01:

We want to present a finished product to the world. But Pastor Young is arguing that the fixing happens in the connection, not before it. He also lists two other outcomes in the text: edification and accountability.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, let's talk about accountability. Yeah. Because that is that's a loaded word.

SPEAKER_01:

It really is.

SPEAKER_00:

I think most of us hear that and we shrink a little. We think of, I don't know, the principal's office or someone wagging a finger at us.

SPEAKER_01:

Like we're being policed.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

But in this context, look at how it's grouped. It's with healing and prayer. Pastor Young presents accountability as a form of support. Think about a spotter at the gym.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, I like that image.

SPEAKER_01:

When you're under a heavy weight, let's say you're bench pressing and you have a spotter, are they there to judge you?

SPEAKER_00:

No.

SPEAKER_01:

Are they there to scream at you for struggling?

SPEAKER_00:

No, they're there to make sure the bar doesn't crush my throat.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. They're there to help you lift more than you could alone and to keep you safe. That's accountability in this context. It's being loved enough that someone won't let you fail in silence.

SPEAKER_00:

So it's not about judgment. It's about survival.

SPEAKER_01:

It's about survival. That reframes the whole concept. It's not about getting in trouble, it's about not getting crushed. And this leads to what the text calls one of the most overlooked elements of renewal: simply asking a fellow human for help.

SPEAKER_00:

Sounds so simple.

SPEAKER_01:

It does. Yet it's often the hardest hurdle for people to clear.

SPEAKER_00:

It really is. It feels like admitting defeat.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

But looking at this text, if the biblical worldview requires us to lean on each other, then seeking help isn't a bug in the system.

SPEAKER_01:

It's a feature. It's a feature. It's the operating system working as designed. If you're trying to do it alone, you aren't being strong. You're technically operating outside of the design specs.

SPEAKER_00:

You're running the software on the wrong hardware. Okay, so we've established the philosophy. You need people. You cannot bootstrap your way to spiritual or mental health.

SPEAKER_01:

Right.

SPEAKER_00:

But that leads to the practical problem. You can't just dump your trauma on a random coworker or your neighbor.

SPEAKER_01:

Precisely. And that's where the second document comes in. Pastor Young isn't just offering a philosophy, he's offering a venue. This is where we transition to the pastoral counseling services brochure.

SPEAKER_00:

So let's define this. Because pastoral counseling, that can sound a bit vague to some people. Is it preaching? Is it clinical therapy? Is it just a chat?

SPEAKER_01:

The brochure gives a very specific definition that I think is worth reading verbatim. It says pastoral counseling provides help in navigating life's issues from a biblical standpoint.

SPEAKER_00:

Navigating life's issues. That is broad.

SPEAKER_01:

It is. But the lens is specific from a biblical standpoint. That's the differentiator. If you go to a secular life coach or a clinical psychologist, they're operating from a certain framework, maybe humanism, maybe cognitive behavioral theory.

SPEAKER_00:

And those are valuable, of course.

SPEAKER_01:

Of course. But Pastor Young is offering godly counsel. It's advice rooted in a specific, unchanging framework that, you know, the listener presumably already values and trusts.

SPEAKER_00:

So it's about alignment. You want advice that matches your belief system. But who is this actually for? Because I think there's a stereotype that you only go to a counselor when your life has completely fallen apart.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell The crisis model of care. Aaron Powell Right.

SPEAKER_00:

The house has to be on fire before you pick up the phone.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Ross Powell And the source material certainly addresses that. It lists someone going through crises or life struggles as the first target audience. That's the emergency intervention. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_00:

The fire extinguisher.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. But the second one is really nuanced and important. It says, it is for someone who just needs a non-judgmental listening ear.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell Okay, can we just pause on non-judgmental? That feels huge, especially in a religious context. I think a lot of people fear going to a religious figure because they expect a sermon. They expect to be told, here's where you sinned, here's where you messed up.

SPEAKER_01:

It's a very common fear that confession will lead to condemnation. But by explicitly advertising non-judgmental, Pastor Young is signaling safety. He's aligning with that earlier text about confessing faults. You can't confess a fault if you're terrified of the response. You only do it where you feel safe. So he's creating an environment of safety first.

SPEAKER_00:

That is crucial. And then there was a third type of person mentioned, which I found really interesting.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. Someone who needs help figuring out what's going on in the world right now.

SPEAKER_00:

Seeking clarity and chaos.

SPEAKER_01:

Exactly. The world is noisy, it's confusing. The news cycle is relentless. Sometimes you don't have a specific personal tragedy. You aren't getting divorced. You aren't sick, but you just feel overwhelmed.

SPEAKER_00:

Unmoored.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah, unmoored. This service offers a way to look at the world through that biblical lens to find some grounding when everything else feels shaky.

SPEAKER_00:

So it's not just for personal crisis, it's for existential confusion. That expands the audience significantly. But now we have to ask the question why Pastor Young? Right. There are a lot of counselors out there. Why is he the right guide?

SPEAKER_01:

Well, credentials matter here. And the text highlights a very specific metric. Pastor Young brings over 30 years of experience in pastoral counseling.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell 30 years. That is. Well, it's a lifetime in this field.

SPEAKER_01:

It is. And think about what that means from a like a data perspective. Think about how many self-help trends have come and gone in the last 30 years.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, totally. The secret, the minimalists, the hustle culture, all the different productivity hacks.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell Exactly. Longevity implies stability. It means he has seen the cycles. He's not going to be shocked by what you bring to him. He's likely seen it or something very much like it before. He's worked with individuals, he's worked with couples, he understands the machinery of human nature.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell And looking at his bio here in the notes, he's not just a counselor. He hosts Growing Closer to God with Guided Meditation and the Not Your Parents' Religion podcast.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell I found that combination fascinating.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell It really paints a picture. The meditation guide implies he can be calm, soothing, introspective.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

But not your parents' religion. That suggests he's willing to be real, maybe a bit edgy, or at least unconventional. He's not just a robot reading a script.

SPEAKER_01:

He balances the calm with the engaging. He's approachable. And that is so crucial for counseling. You don't want a wall. You want a person. You want someone who can sit in the silence with you, but also someone who can speak truth when it's needed.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, let's get into the nitty-gritty. What does he actually do in these sessions? The brochure lists three specific pillars of specialization. And honestly, they cover a massive range.

SPEAKER_01:

They do. The first pillar is resolving marital conflict.

SPEAKER_00:

The classic. But linking back to accountability, marriage is hard. Yeah. You lose perspective so easily.

SPEAKER_01:

You do. You get stuck in loops. You have the same argument for 10 years. Having a third party who has 30 years of seeing marriages work and fail is about getting a translator.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell A translator, I like that.

SPEAKER_01:

Someone who can decode what your partner's actually saying versus what you're hearing. It provides that objective other that the day 29 text says we need.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay. And then there's the second area: substance abuse relapse prevention.

SPEAKER_01:

Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_00:

I noticed the wording there immediately. Relapse prevention.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

That is very specific.

SPEAKER_01:

It is. It implies he's working with people who are already on the journey of recovery. It isn't just general advice like don't do drugs, it's strategic support for maintaining sobriety.

SPEAKER_00:

That feels very tactical.

SPEAKER_01:

It is. It acknowledges that the struggle doesn't end when you put the substance down. That's actually when the real work begins. It's about managing triggers, managing environments, dealing with the emotions that you used to numb. It is high-stakes work.

SPEAKER_00:

It's heavy, important work. And then there's the third pillar, which I think is going to surprise some people. It's not about fixing a crisis.

SPEAKER_01:

No, it's not.

SPEAKER_00:

It's called success planning strategies.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. This is where the service pivots from being restorative.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

So fixing what's broken to being generative, building what is new.

SPEAKER_00:

Explain that distinction. Because usually when you think of pastoral counseling, you think of problems. My marriage is broken, I'm struggling with addiction. But success planning, that sounds like life coaching or business consulting.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell It connects back to the biblical concept of stewardship. In this worldview, if you have talents, goals, or a vision, managing them well is a spiritual act. It shows that Pastor Young isn't just interested in getting you back to zero. He's interested in taking you into the positive growth, future planning. How do I align my career with my faith? How do I build a legacy?

SPEAKER_00:

I love that. It really covers the full spectrum of the human experience. You have crisis management with substance abuse, relationship health with marriage counseling, and then future optimization with success planning.

SPEAKER_01:

It shows a holistic approach. You aren't just a bundle of problems to be solved. You're a person with a future to be planned. It validates that wanting to succeed is a godly desire, not just a secular one.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, so we know the why we are meant to be alone. We know the what biblical counsel, and we know the who a veteran with 30 years in the game. Now let's talk logistics. Yes. Because sometimes the biggest barrier isn't psychological, it's just friction. Is it complicated? Is it expensive? Is it a hassle?

SPEAKER_01:

The source material is very clear here, and it seems designed to remove every possible bit of friction. First, the format, 30-minute sessions.

SPEAKER_00:

Short, punchy, to the point. I like that. Doesn't feel like a massive time sink.

SPEAKER_01:

And it's accessible, phone or video. You don't have to drive to an office, you don't have to sit in a waiting room hoping you don't run into your neighbor.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. You can do this from your car on your lunch break or from your living room. It fits into a modern life.

SPEAKER_01:

And the hours, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

SPEAKER_00:

That Saturday availability is key for working professionals.

SPEAKER_01:

Absolutely. And then there's the big one privacy. The text is bold about this. All sessions are private and confidential.

SPEAKER_00:

In a world where everyone shares everything on social media, having a guaranteed confidential space is a rare commodity.

SPEAKER_01:

It really is.

SPEAKER_00:

And finally, the investment. I was actually surprised by this.

SPEAKER_01:

$40 per session.

SPEAKER_00:

That is incredibly reasonable. I mean, compare that to standard therapy rates or life coaching rates. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_01:

Which can be hundreds of dollars an hour. It's very accessible. And there's a bundle offer, three sessions for$100.

SPEAKER_00:

So he's incentivizing commitment.

SPEAKER_01:

Right. He wants you to come back, not just to take your money, but because, like we said, healing is a process. It takes time. You can't fix a 10-year marital problem in one 30-minute call. Three sessions lets you actually get some momentum.

SPEAKER_00:

Aaron Powell And the tech says you can schedule as many sessions as you need to obtain your goals. So it's flexible.

SPEAKER_01:

It is. You aren't signing a year-long contract. You're in control.

SPEAKER_00:

So my take on the logistics: it's low friction, the price is right, the format is easy, the privacy is guaranteed.

SPEAKER_01:

Aaron Powell It connects back to the bootstraps myth we started with. Often we use it's too expensive or it's too hard to schedule as a new set of bootstraps. Wow. Yeah. We use logistical hurdles as an excuse to stay isolated. Pastor Young has effectively dismantled those excuses.

SPEAKER_00:

You remove the obstacles, so you have to face the real issue. Are you willing to ask for help?

SPEAKER_01:

That's the core question.

SPEAKER_00:

As we wrap this up, I want to circle back to the promise in the text. There was a scripture quoted at the very end of the brochure that felt like a real reality check.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. Many are the troubles of those that live for God, but God will deliver him out of all our troubles.

SPEAKER_00:

Many are the troubles. It doesn't say if you're religious, life is easy.

SPEAKER_01:

No. It explicitly acknowledges that troubles are expected. They are part of the human experience. But the promise is deliverance. And what we've learned today by connecting the day 29 text with the counseling brochure is that the vehicle for that deliverance is often another person.

SPEAKER_00:

God delivers us, but he might use Pastor Young's voice on a phone call to do it.

SPEAKER_01:

Precisely. The service isn't replacing the faith, it is the practical application of the faith. It's the mechanism by which the healing happens.

SPEAKER_00:

So, listener, here's the deal. If you've been nodding along, if you felt that twinge of, yeah, I'm carrying too much, then take action.

SPEAKER_01:

Check the description box. The links are right there. You can contact Pastor Young and start the process. It's just a click.

SPEAKER_00:

Don't let that bootstraps mentality keep you stuck. You have a resource. You have a guide with 30 years of experience.

SPEAKER_01:

And you have a biblical mandate not to do this alone.

SPEAKER_00:

I want to leave you with a thought, something to chew on as you go about your day. We talked about how the written word says to confess to one another so that we can be healed.

SPEAKER_01:

It raises a pretty provocative question for everyone listening.

SPEAKER_00:

If the written word commands us to lean on each other to be healed, what healing are you specifically delaying right now, simply because you haven't picked up the phone yet?