Band of Brothers: Carentan with Paul McDonald and Juan Velazquez
Coming up on the Men at the Movies podcast, we continue on to Carentan in our Band of Brothers series. At some point in our masculine initiation, fear takes over and we have to respond. We can hide in our foxhole screaming as the world blows up around us. We can numb ourselves to the fear, minimizing it. Fear can make us lose hope as we die to our dreams and purpose. Or we can listen to that still small voice telling us to stand up and start fighting once again. Join us as we discover God’s truth in this story.
Quotes
At some point, fear takes over. What are you going to do with it?
Our core fear is that we aren’t good enough, we don’t have what it takes.
The fear of letting others down can be paralyzing and blinding.
Fear leads us to lose sight of the objective.
Blithe experiences transformation by being vulnerable and having someone receive with compassion.
Just because you can see doesn’t mean you can fight.
You are a man with a purpose, and you need to prepare yourself for that purpose.
You don’t think you’re going to make it when the world is blowing up around you. We need someone to show us how to do it.
Following Jesus involves a daily battle with fear.
Themes
Different responses to fear
Blithe: lost, wandering, fear controls his body, actions, and decisions. Afraid of letting others down. Admits what holds him hostage, and having someone receive it with compassion. Is healed from his blindness, but fear still keeps him from fighting. Transformed from someone who hides in his foxhole to a man who volunteers to take point.
Welsh: responds by getting drunk, numbing himself, has a bravado, convincing himself that life is just a game.
Spiers: a man with confidence, bravado, appears to have no fear. A man without hope.
Winters: when the bullets start flying, shows Blithe how to fight. Gives him step by step instructions on what to do next. Reminds him who he is and what he needs to do.
When the bullets start flying you need someone right beside you.
Resources
“Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. He went to Beersheba, a town in Judah, and he left his servant there. Then he went on alone into the wilderness, traveling all day. He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again.
Then the angel of the Lord came again and touched him and said, “Get up and eat some more, or the journey ahead will be too much for you.”
So he got up and ate and drank, and the food gave him enough strength to travel forty days and forty nights to Mount Sinai, the mountain of God. There he came to a cave, where he spent the night.
But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” - 1 Kings 19:3-13 (NLT)
Questions
When have you felt most afraid?
From a physical standpoint, where do you feel fear? In your head, your chest, your neck, your abdomen? Why do you think your fear exhibits itself in those areas?
How do you express fear? Do you freeze, fight, or flee?
What is your core fear? Letting someone down? Not being/doing enough? Making a mistake?
How has vulnerability and honesty set you free from fears?
How has your fear been minimized instead of faced?
How do you try to numb your fears?
Where do you feel hopeless, like you’re dead already?
When have you felt like you were cowering in a foxhole?
How did you stand up and start fighting back?
More info
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Edited and mixed by Grayson Foster
Logo and episode templates by Ian Johnston
Audio quotes performed by Britt Mooney, Paul McDonald, and Tim Willard, taken from Epic (written by John Eldredge) and Song of Albion (written by Stephen Lawhead).
Southerly Change performed by Zane Dickinson, used under license from Shutterstock.
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