How to Get What You Really Want: “Last Things First”

Something we all have in common is making messes of our lives at one time or another. In this episode, Andy reveals the silver lining of this fact.

In this episode, Andy explains how the messes we make of our lives can bring us closer to God.

It's a misconception that Christianity is about staying out of trouble. In this episode, Andy discusses the flaw in this belief.

What kinds of guardrails do you need in order to protect yourself in the area of your finances? In Part 5 of Guardrails, Andy reveals a simple, 3-part plan to establish personal guardrails that will protect you from financial disaster.

The messes in our lives are rarely solved with quick, simple fixes. In this episode, Andy introduces a better approach.

We live with the tension between our values and our desire for immediate gratification. So why bother having guardrails when they feel like barriers to getting things that seem so good? In Part 6 of Guardrails, Andy shares a story that will encourage you to establish guardrails now . . . once and for all.

A great marriage doesn’t happen by accident. It requires preparation, care and regular maintenance. But sometimes we don’t want to make the effort. As long as everything seems fine, do we really need to talk about it?

In Letters To The Next President, Andy Stanley extracts three extraordinary leadership principles from the stories of three ancient political leaders: a Babylonian king, a Judean governor, and an Egyptian pharaoh. As you listen, you will discover that these leadership lessons are not just applicable to those who hold public office, but to leaders everywhere. Whether your leadership context is home, business, team, or classroom, these three principles will help you maximize your leadership potential.

In Letters To The Next President, Andy Stanley extracts three extraordinary leadership principles from the stories of three ancient political leaders: a Babylonian king, a Judean governor, and an Egyptian pharaoh. As you listen, you will discover that these leadership lessons are not just applicable to those who hold public office, but to leaders everywhere. Whether your leadership context is home, business, team, or classroom, these three principles will help you maximize your leadership potential.

When we choose to commit to a marriage, we do so with hopes, dreams, and desires. But these often turn into expectations that you look to your partner to fulfill. Your relationship becomes marked by the belief that your spouse owes you something. Sound familiar? In this episode, Andy explains how to avoid this cycle.

As long as you think your spouse owes you, your marriage will be all about keeping score. That destroys intimacy. It destroys love. But what are we supposed to do about our hopes, dreams, and desires?

In Letters To The Next President, Andy Stanley extracts three extraordinary leadership principles from the stories of three ancient political leaders: a Babylonian king, a Judean governor, and an Egyptian pharaoh. As you listen, you will discover that these leadership lessons are not just applicable to those who hold public office, but to leaders everywhere. Whether your leadership context is home, business, team, or classroom, these three principles will help you maximize your leadership potential.

Happy couples decide they owe each other everything but are owed nothing in return. To get there requires effort. Every married person makes a choice every day, whether they realize it or not. In this episode, Andy explains how happy couples make the better choice.

When I meet the right person, everything will be all right. This way of thinking creates trouble in our dating lives and sets us up for trouble in marriage. In this message, Andy challenges us to ask ourselves Am I the person the person I'm looking for is looking for? And he previews God's list of behaviors that will lead to success in dating and marriage.

Humble shepherd. Giant-slayer. Gifted poet. Mighty warrior. Flawed man. Legendary leader. For the next four weeks, we're talking about David—one of history's most famous kings. But he wasn't great because of his reputation or military prowess. He was great because of where he'd learned to place his hope.

Are the Bible's teachings about women relevant? In this message, Andy explains that Jesus' teachings about honoring women were extremely counter-cultural in the first century. They remain so today. So Christian men especially need to transform their thinking. And there are two simple steps to start with.

Culture convinces us - and sometimes we convince ourselves - that sex is only physical. But if that is true, why is the pain of sexual sin so deep? Because sex is not just physical. It was designed by God to be so much more. In this message, Andy addresses common myths about sex outside of marriage and has two specific challenges going forward.

The way of God isn't appealing when we have been wronged by someone else. Our natural urge is to try to get even. We want to wrong the people who wrong us as a way of getting payback. That seems just. It seems fair. But does it solve anything? Maybe there’s a better way.

You can say, "I do." But can you follow through? A promise - even a promise as big as a wedding vow - doesn't mean anything without preparation to back it up. In this message, Andy has a "to do" list that will prepare you to one day say "I do" and mean it.

Few things are as repulsive as a leader, parent, boss, or politician who leverages influence for his or her benefit to the neglect of those he or she is responsible for. Few things are as inspiring as a leader who says no to himself or herself in order to say yes to those for whom he or she is responsible. So how can we lead well when authority is placed in our hands?

There's no win in comparison

Plans are great. Reality is greater. Reality wins. Things don’t always go as planned. Some dreams don’t come true. So what do you do when you discover your dream can’t come true?

We all dream of a trouble-free life made possible by something. In this episode, Andy asks the question of what really makes people happy.

Take your cue about you from the One who made you, loves you, and redeemed you.

Sometimes it seems that happiness and holiness are mutually exclusive. In this episode, Andy explains why the opposite is true.

What are you going to do with what God has entrusted to you?

Jesus taught and pointed toward an ideal, yet refused to condemn those who fell short

If your goal is happiness, no amount of money alone will ever be enough. In this episode, Andy explains how the way you view money can actually help you find peace.

Why is it so easy to make decisions that hurt us in the long run? In this episode, Andy explains that it has to do with the distinction between pleasure and happiness.

What can I do to help?

It's easy to make life all about ourselves. In this episode, Andy explains why life is much better when it's not all about you.

You konw what part of the problem is here? I"m not getting what I want!"

The only obstacle to you being reconciled to God is you.

We all have limited resources. In this episode, Andy explains that how we see the world affects how we use our money.

How does God view time? In this episode, Andy argues that if we saw time how God does, it might affect the way we use our own.

Every one of our kids will have a story. What can we do now so our part in their story is great?

Actions do'nt merely speak louder than words, sometimes they echo into the next generation

Gratitude and ingratitude are relationally determinative. In this episode, Andy explains the value of closing the loop with people who have influenced you.

What do you do when your life falls apart? In this episode, Andy explains how to pick up the pieces.

One good thing about being part of something big is that we can make a big difference. In this message, Andy Stanley gives you a chance to help change the world.

You can't blame your way into a better future. In this episode, Andy explains how to own your part of your past so it doesn't own you.

Most of us don't feel rich. But if you make over $48,000 per year, you're in the top 1% in the world. In this message, Andy Stanley asks you to rethink how rich you really are.

There's plenty of advice out there about how to get rich. In this message, Andy Stanley tells us how to be rich.

Sometimes we look at our pasts and our decisions don't even make sense to us. In this episode, Andy explains how to transform your thinking.

There's a big difference between owning things and being owned by things. In this message, Andy Stanley tells you how to be the owner, without being owned.

How do you get past the stuff other people have done to turn your life upside down? In this episode, Andy explains how to release the past.

Your job matters. The people you work with matter. What you do matters. In this episode, Andy looks at how to go the extra mile and make a difference in the marketplace.

We all have bad habits we wish we could break and weaknesses we wish we were stronger than. In this episode, Andy Stanley explains that you can't solve a problem if you don't know what it is.

We try to do the right thing, but we keep messing up in the same ways we always have. In this episode, Andy gives us the fix for this problem we all have.

Life is full of change. Transitions can be both exciting and stressful. That’s because we can’t see into the future to see what comes next. But what if there was a way to prepare? What if we could do something now to influence where we end up?

Sometimes you know what’s coming next—a graduation, a wedding, a new baby, a new job, or retirement. But there’s no correlation between knowing what’s next and being prepared for what’s next. In this episode, Andy explains how to prepare for the season ahead.

We all mess up, but we don't have to let our bad habits rule us. In this episode, Andy gives us three things to do the next time we are tempted to fall back into destructive habits.

While it’s impossible to be fearless, we can all fear less. In this episode, Andy explains some practical ways we can all fear less.

All religions point to three things: you ought to...you don't...you're toast. Religion is all about following the rules. In this episode, Andy explains that Jesus had something different in mind.

How do you get from where you are to where you wish you were? In this episode, Andy introduces an idea that can help you find your way.

“Might makes right” is the default setting for the world. Those with wealth and power write the rules, and they usually write them to favor themselves. But someone came to turn this paradigm upside down.

People who use their religion to justify the mistreatment of others are not only on the wrong side of history—they’re on the wrong side of God.

Learn the most powerful, transformational, and inspirational leadership principle on the planet. You can lead without it, but you won’t be a leader worth following unless you embrace it.

Have you ever met someone that later you wish you’d never met? Sometimes the people we choose to surround ourselves with become our greatest regrets.

We need personal guardrails so we don’t stray into areas of life that can harm us or the people we love most. In this episode, we learn how to establish guardrails that protect our most important relationships.

When it comes to our finances, it’s easy to cross the line into places of financial risk. In this episode, we learn how to establish guardrails that protect us from greed.

An unguarded heart can overpower our best intentions. In this episode, we learn how to establish guardrails that protect our hearts.

Americans are migrating away from religion at an unprecedented rate; Christianity in particular. Once upon a time Americans believed religion offered solutions. Today, religion is viewed by many as the problem.

Do you have religious doubts? When your prayers go unanswered, do you wonder if God exists? Does science make God seem unnecessary? Before you abandon your faith, consider this: What if the god you’re walking away from never existed to begin with?

Jesus loves me, this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Should we really believe something just because the bible tells us so? Andy explains in this episode.

Are you caught up in doubt because you’ve been trying to find peace with your understanding of God? If the idea of God has lost its appeal, in this episode Andy explains that it oculd be because you’ve mixed him up with a gaggle of gods don’t exist.

We all want to rid the world of injustice. But we can only recognize injustice if we know what justice is to begin with. We don’t always agree about what is just. So, who gets to define justice? We'll talk about it in this latest episode.

The idea of autonomy is attractive. One of the biggest barriers to belief in God is that we don't want to need anyone. But what if the idea of autonomy is really the illusion of autonomy?

We live in a culture that tells us newer and shinier is better. So, what do you do when you're no longer content with what you wear, drive, or live in?

Leaders are everywhere—in government, in the community, at the office, and in our homes. But the ones worth following are the ones who first learn to lead themselves well.

What do we do with the big mysteries in life—the mysteries that won't resolve no matter how much we explore them? What do you do with your unanswered questions?

We all have a framework that helps us make sense out of life. It helps us make decisions that make sense. But is there a framework that makes sense out of faith?

We all wonder. But what do we do when wonder leads to wander, and we've wandered far from the option of a personal faith? What if there's a version of faith that actually makes sense?

In this episode, Andy gives advice on the topics of debt, sexual choices, and self-improvement.

All of life is connected. In this episode, Andy explains how to be wise with our time now in order to create a drama-free life in the future.

What do you want for yourself? Is it a what? Is it a who? And are you sure it’s what you really want?

We’ll never get what we really want until we discover what we value. In a world of short-term desires, how do we focus on what we care about the most?

If you could choose, how would you want people to describe you? In this episode, Andy explains how your response to this question can help you uncover what you really value.

What we naturally want is often in conflict with what we ultimately value. So, how do we put aside our natural wants to pursue what we ultimately value?

We all want to be right, especially in the heat of an argument. But instead of settling for being right, what if we tried to make things right?

With just a few words, each of us has the potential to build up the people around us or tear them down. So, what do we do with that power? Is there really a way to control what we say?

Words have power. The words spoken about you and to you have shaped the person you are today. So, how do you use this power for good?

What goes around often comes around. When we find ourselves in positions of power over the people who have hurt us, how will we respond? If our words are stones, will we choose to throw them or use them to pave the way forward?

A great marriage requires preparation, care, and regular maintenance, but sometimes we don’t want to make the effort. As long as everything seems fine, do we really need to talk about it?

In every marriage both people have hopes, dreams, and desires for the relationship. But how do we keep them from turning into expectations for each other to fulfill?

As long as you think your partner owes you, your marriage will be all about keeping score. What do we do with the unfulfilled hopes, dreams, and desires we have for the relationship?

Want to know the secret to a happy marriage? It’s a choice that happy couples don't always know they're making, but it makes all the difference.

Growth and healing almost always start with a conversation. In this episode, Andy hosts a raw and candid conversation about race, racism, and faith.

If a hero has superpowers and saves the planet, none of us are qualified for the job. Maybe we need to rethink what it means to be a hero.

There’s often a disconnect between where we want to end up and the path we’re currently on. How can we avoid moving in a direction that’s guaranteed to get us where we don’t want to be?

The way we live our lives doesn’t always line up with the type of future we have in mind. When we find ourselves dissatisfied with the path we’re on, will we choose to change course? And do we really have to give up something to do so?

If you’ve ever gotten lost, you know you can’t always rely on yourself to get where you want to go. That’s why we all follow someone or something we trust. So, who do you trust?

The appeal of money, acceptance, or security can lower our defenses and lead us away from the path we want to be on. So, what do we do when we realize we’ve chosen what’s appealing instead of what’s ultimately satisfying?

There will always be someone who seems smarter, richer, or funnier. But what do you do when chasing more money, recognition, or likes still leaves you wanting more? How do you keep discontentment from stealing the life you were born to live?

We’ve all made a mess, been a mess, or experienced a mess. But could our messiness be just the thing that brings us closer to everyone in our lives?

When we find ourselves in a mess, we usually look for a quick fix and an easy way out. But God invites us to something much better—something that has the potential to improve every aspect of our lives.

Many people believe Christianity is all about staying out of trouble. But a life following Jesus is not about avoiding something. It’s about becoming something.

The messes in our lives can be, well . . . messy. And if we’re not careful, they can become even messier. So, how do we make choices that lead us forward instead of backward?

How we manage our money says a lot about what and who are important to us. But would our perspectives change for the better if we viewed money the way God views it?

Your time is your life. So, what’s the purpose of it all?

Our freedom gives us rights, but with rights comes responsibility. So how do we use our freedom well?

We place our hope in what, or who, we depend on the most. But what do we do when we’re left disappointed? One of history’s most famous kings offers us a way forward, even when the odds are stacked against us.

Payback. It’s always tempting. But does it really solve anything? Maybe there’s a better way.

Leading others can lead to some of our biggest challenges. So, how do we lead well when we are given authority and power?

Life rarely goes as planned. So what do we do when we discover our dreams and plans for the future can’t—or won’t—come true?

While it’s impossible to be fearless, we can all fear less. But where do we start?

The story of how the world got the Bible begins with a single event—an event so extraordinary it was worth writing about.

The backstory of the Bible gives us important context for the stories in it. In this episode, Andy explores the radical worldview introduced “in the beginning.”

The Old Testament is the gritty, epic history of the people of Israel. But even broader than that, it’s the story of God preparing the world for a Savior.

The Bible did not create Christianity. That means peace with God is possible even when we don’t have peace with everything in the Bible.

We all want to win. But each of us defines winning differently. So, what’s your win?

When left unchecked, our emotions have the potential to control us. So, how do we silence the voices that fight for our attention?

We all have a past, but how do we move forward when the weight of our pasts impacts our ability to live in the present?

There will always be someone who seems smarter, richer, or cooler. So how do we keep discontentment and comparison from stealing the life that’s right in front of us?

Anger shows up when we’re not getting what we want. But would it lose its grip if we looked beyond the things we want—or even deserve?

Living with too much fear can cause us to become self-absorbed, distracted, and overly protective. So how do we keep fear from controlling what we say and do?

Sometimes the people closest to us are the ones who see the mistakes we’re about to make—mistakes that could be avoided if only they said something. So how do we speak up when there’s something worth saying?

Our friends influence the direction of our lives. So what do we do when they’re leading us somewhere we don’t want to end up?

In romantic relationships, we all want to avoid unnecessary heartbreak. So how do we protect our most important relationships when we find ourselves veering into dangerous territory?

Do you have money or does money have you?

If we look close enough, we see that the emotions inside of us have the potential to hurt those around us. So how do we minimize the negative effects of guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy?

Knowing what we could have fuels discontentment with what we do have. So what do you do when you’re no longer content with what you wear, drive, or live in?

Whether we believe or not, we all wonder certain things about God. So, when it comes to faith, is there anything we can be sure of?

Let’s face it: some people can rub us the wrong way. But would we see them differently if we first took a look at ourselves?

We’re all grateful for someone, but do they know how we feel about them? Expressing gratitude might be more important than you think.