View From A Hearse

This is Darren Kuhn with the masculine journey podcast research the ancient paths to find ways that God brings light into a dark world and help set men free from the struggles that we all face on a day-to-day basis.

Your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and for choosing The Truth Podcast Network. This is good Truth Network so tell me who is the favorite speaker you've ever heard speak of all time you hear this guy or gal you walk out like a wow I didn't pay enough to hear that inspiring message will guess what we got that person on the phone on the line right now on the show on truth talk I'm Stu Epperson and this guy not only speaks all over the country hundred times a year in some cases EC also has written some books tremendous books. He also has some fascinating stories in our day.

The name his book will tell you a lot view from a hearse and anyone that can bring humor into situations around funerals and dying and bereavement is that you know is someone it's got high marks in my book in the more I read this man's books, the more I've talked to him. I've got a Noah's son through social media. I've just been so encouraged identity long overdue have this guy the radio show Bruce Goddard.

Welcome to truth talks are. Thank you. Glad to be here to be anywhere my friend. Thank you.

Well, it's just really good to have you and I is so funny. This is a complete social media encounter how we met. Because your son is like a social media guru Luke Goddard. He's hilarious and I met him. Another friend, a good friend of my daughter's sent me to point me to the page and we got connected and I tell you what, the more the more I watch him, the more I learn, where he got it from. I know I learned that that the ones that say the tree don't fall far from the acorn house. I go way past me to get a little world. Well you guys at you, but that the neat thing. The underlying thing I see in the there's a theme in the in the message in the in the in the legacy of the Goddard family and that is appointing people to God but doing it through all kinds of different ways through stories to relationships and it all started in Reynolds Georgia. Now the two books in front of me first one is called a view from a hearse that your first book in their you are standing in front of a hearse with the Goddard funeral home name on this well shined, dapper hearse, you're in a suit and the, the, the sub title of the book is lightened up and then your SQL I guess you'd say it is called the legacy of you, Lynn Brown, which is really a fascinating story, but I have both books in my hand. Both are personally autographed by the author in I'm talking to the author right now. So start out by telling us who is Bruce Goddard war Christian. I am a I was born at the right time in the right place by) and simply by the grace of God I had nothing to do with it.

My parents setting. Where I grew up really almost didn't see Michael, my profession, God did it extended his dry skin, had a wonderful run almost 66 year low. So I've been rather bushy time achievement. I've had a wonderful situation a bit in the funeral business am 1/4 generation director and see life would begin filling the most critical. Most people do with death when they're impacted by I get it you would get everything in my life. Even now in a bigger way is not renting a house across the country but grown-up. It is a small count. I began to realize that I see life in a different light.

Because it is short and we really do need lineup check I said way too seriously and so who I am. I'm a regular guy Monotype Reynolds Georgia to talk southern loves to go up north and talk a bit because they look at me funny and out of another listening to your funny right on. This is not catalytic pay.

So you are just a little guy and suddenly find yourself there is the Goddard family store in then in the back.

There is the Goddard family funeral home and you find yourself packing shelves and next thing you know you find yourself in bombing or in the back of her hearse in your or are going with your daddy to talk to a family what was out like is a little guy jumping into the family business. I mean, you were you were dying to get into that happen.

The watch in my dad. Going to the places that where he knew anybody and everybody knew him, everybody loving them out of fear that he would tightly come 13 years old I started going with him of death tells Lily Woodward if I could pick up my side of the stretcher movement out but I watch and ability situations and I would see people's hand lift up a little bit because he was there and he knew what he was doing and not as an early age I knew I wanted to do my daily good memo microenvironment you Georgia and I knew when I got three outgoing motorist even going to come back to do my data is data opportunity to give but yet went directly ago you probably rate him a booking, went on quite a story, you remember that when yeah I do and goodness me there's just so in this is molecular book there that these are quick, pithy stories when I flipped the page and there's another chapter, and I really like that because I don't have a long attention span so actually read your book quicker than I read a lot of books, but also because it was compelling but tell us what it was like there, you are on your first there you are thrown right into the fire with that, you know, gathering the body get you in on one body, and you want to start getting together and then he jumped up in that house that literally the first death, when I was the first one okay when you and the daddy rope stretch of his big wrap around Rockport throughout the country. People work people in the yard. Not again. People bring including title VII project in $2000 that go around it. We rode up to the door and you take the stretch on and imagine them talk to his family. So I go in and that stalking around rode the stretcher next to the bed and I'm watching and all of a sudden I looked down I thought so I moved and backed up. I got myself together.

He's back up to the bed and I looked down and in the house of the man reached out to stretch his nose and I'm thinking you know I don't know what going on here that I got problems on I went to go get Dan, Nana and I was going to give them a sedated we got from his promise that is managed not dated, and he looked across the room.

The man it was damaged in a chair on the other side of the room a limited English father letting the bear son learn quickly that that's the funny thing is happening. The most serious situations, like Apple stores and you can shake a stick at like that about one, but that this one I stayed in the business. After that now all of the stories are in his book view from our hearse subtitle lightened up by the author Bruce Goddard donned his nice suit, a lien leaning casually in a beautiful sunlight against the Goddard funeral home hearse and then his SQL is the legacy of human Brown which were you tell more stories and I just got here you tell everybody about this sweet lady who kinda took care you guys and y'all ended up taking care of her and her family sweet lady in your home could to make some amazing food, but she got she had asked that telephone and because you had one telephone and if you missed the call, it could be trouble right was no question about women in bondage to the telephone. Think about being in a small town funeral home before funeral business before you were before the call forwarding program.

Actually, she got the first answer she never did, not counting and you needed six pallbearers to get that thing in the house and we were glad to have a 90 day with little freedom but yeah, we would ask you phone as a kid I was trying that we have found that one phone we had was in the hall of a house in the link cubbyhole and all you remember that you had one phone given the hall. We had another phone on the desk walk away. We had one phone number and I was trying to kid when it found that I had answered Goddard funeral home at home.

If I say if I said hello. I get slapped remember vividly sitting on the floor on all of the floor target black rotary got one thing, mama and daddy one lumbar strike began on the best-of-breed components about a 90 day Lord have mercy.

I can't target a phone so we can expand on the phone but yet we had yesterday was a managing wonderful, wonderful lady.

I could talk all day about, but she could hear very good and she should but sometimes you actually found in the bank, the store you talk about is when mom and dad dinner with Dr. Watley and Rosemary live next door to her best friends and and daddy asked Ms. Jesse was the actual phone and that and if she would something you write down the name of the crowd, phone number and next door to not a lot of castigating.

I heard all that I was really young, but I knew what they were doing and I knew Paul writing down. I remember that she write anything down but Danny told the story she went next door did that issue today at somebody's dated consumer did you get to see where the church is very upset if it would get did you get the name of God said no I'm sorry they were excessive. Did you get a imitative treatment I got upset I got upset you meet him in a semi-special way, if you become famous talking on the computer looking to get the name and phone number. She said it would even Dr. Whatley right here… Some lovesick story will hold another story because we don't take a break of you hearse your get hearse from Bruce Goddard more stories blown away were take you inside the world of the funeral service and were talking to a Christian undertaker and no that's not in oxymoron.

This guy loves Jesus and he speaks all of the cars he goes places that a preacher can even get into, and shares about Christ. He's got more stories.

What about golf.

What about the family store what I speak in all of the country wait to hear more from Bruce Goddard's in a bizarre stories view from the hearse. After this, hang on more truth talk is coming up.

Don't forget about our true talk podcast learn all about us in following a social media at Stu Epperson Instagram. We got to Facebook on there to please reach out and you'll meet Bruce thereto could reload all this stuff up there so everyone can be encouraged to make sure you get a copy or multiple copies of of all of his books more coming up right after this was a special thank you to wonderful partner helping us advance the message of this program of the gospel in the thank you goes out to my pillow.com Mike Lindell, the inventor CEO has now open his heart to say thank you as well. He wants to give you the opportunity to do what I've done I've slept on his pillow.

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You can also call this toll-free number 800-944-5396 thank you my pillow for partnering with us to advance the good news the gospel and thinking all you guys that have checked about supporting our sponsors. Anybody ever ridden in a hearse. That's right. It's what they used to take the deceased from a point-to-point will. The man on with me right now on our show our special guest Bruce Goddard has written a book called view from a hearse and he knows a lot. In fact, Bruce. You are are you second or third generation in the funeral, a business or generation lavished on this: and that's the Goddard family funeral legacy has continued and what what got your family and undertaking in what can you be a Christian undertaker the same time.

No update. You come to find out that under segregated Christian go over drops what you do with the stuff we do with everyday. While you see you see life from a different perspective in the you have to figure out how to how to live in the some people target. Unit one extremely guess her and I tell you, in your stories really do grip me in what I love to is your you're talking about your your your here you are burying dear close friends, neighbors, parents, grandparents of kids grow up with lifelong friends.

I think the two brothers that you talk about that that were just close the twins and they were asked to know him in one thought, one was going to die. The other one died sooner unit with a kidney failure and you're there you are with them in your what's it like to be on the I'm not going to funerals and I as a believer I preached at funerals I have served as a pallbearer. I've been there to should always try to share the Lord always try to love and just be there, just listen to me after the best advice ever got a shot up enough with your people are hurt and what's it like to be on the inside to to be the administrator. The actual head of the mortuary or the undertaker or the funeral director Bruce Goddard, as you have been in your family has been for all these generations.

What's that like in the faith particle the faith component of that we want one thing you should eventually I'm very careful not to you my grandma Christianity.

Now people strode invulnerable time, but I think over time you build a reputation of living out the principles of this Christian life. But by always doing the right thing being completely honest and you end up when you really you said something that is really true loud sound I'm waiting on a family. They have tears now and I have tears in my house know them, love them all my life and it is very interesting Justin on that side of the desiccant and no status of business a minimum is a ministry but is also busy that Bill slapped charge for people you should sit there one day and when some grant that is backed out with her grandchild and you have to say this is what you owe me an especially in a small town where you know everybody so it is is so unique thing in and of its you build relationships through all that that most people don't ever get to be a limit is probably know the connection between families of that deeper relationships because I want things with people at a very rough time in my life and will never forget it. I never forget people still chase you down but it but when something happens but it still just kinda crazy when the the young person is instructed to sing a song, but they got the song mixed up terribly mixed up and want your stories like I couldn't believe it. So that really do have an immediate jingle Bell stories argument. Yes sir. Hello this this this book is chock-full is I just couldn't believe. I just can't read I needed your book in detail. I need your book as I been reading books awesome books on theology on Christians in politics. Just a lot of heavy stuff and then all of a sudden you're out your boy Lucas is amazing. Who brought us together as a social media star has his own swag is a hilarious guy in heat. He gets me in touch with you use in your books.

I start reading like wow thank the Lord, a merry heart do us good like a medicine and even the jingle bells guys example, that in it you absolute limit.

Can you imagine going to funeral is possibly thinking golden bells anything jingle. They'll think about Jordan hundred degrees and with the bands wedding and the nice thing – it through the snow and yeah crazy things that may not been to funeral man's name was Mr. White in the particulars, Mr. Smith and Smith Pamela Smith in the building I go stopping yes and try to think that and you talk about in the way you handled it there so much grace in here these quick 50 Proverbs really and course your ultimate agenda is a believer in Christ is to point people to God but you, you find you get into this massive death of either.

I can't think of anything more difficult and challenging trying to bring out to bring to shine the light of Christ instant you know it is in the context of of death and dying of a family.

This just devastated.

And I guess you you found yourself there and you're even your wife stepped in to help you and your whole family's cannabis, whole your whole family you is invalid and not involving on the golf course with your pops and that that the phone the phone the golf course rings and you gotta stop the round of golf.

We got a new manager machine that was the message on the daddy would put on the machine and Goddard of Goddard funeral home in this is a telephone answering device.

Their wedding this fall short of his afternoon. Robbie Reynolds got college not going to adopt him. Sometimes I be really good. Yeah it was small town. A business is always your commentary when they look to use and was going I will just say was that when I look to you and that they come right after your dad to say you got a phone call would you tell him it is just what is it what is that indicate had just happened to somebody. In that area. I'll go with you and we got some biweekly management started we got put in the book that you talk about is that one should want to have that happen and I went with dad back to the Pro shop and he went in to talk on the phone and it was Mr. Strickland who called and not a lot of play golf withits epic probably have.

She been sick in whatever daddy talked on following a bit and not came back around and started by Dr. Diaz taking docs you thought about the living said Southern Adventist recognition know that was Mr. Strickland sure, but he said he bought some bacon in the store last week and he noticed today's date was on the one God created the problem to change the message that we had and originally followed by the market building you clear but we still have your personal will collect your home number and get us off the dock off to save the bike in regard to eat and that so well you really change the message on it, and commission on Billy Morgan to get more view from a hearse from Bruce Goddard that's the title of his first book, his second book is the legacy of you and Brown were to meet you and Brown and this will be a remarkable story you won't want to miss. Additionally were to talk about more about golf more about finishing well and is something an article that was placed in one of Bruce Goddard's families close friends coffin at his death you want to hear that were asked Bruce how he came to know the Lord as his Savior and give him some closing thoughts we come back on truth talk with Stu Epperson. Hang on, struggling with road rage staying on the highway with a Christian card. I hear Dr. driving on road rage from last week show we need to change the I hate writing at a competitive field where battle is going on in reality a motion defended Mimi fighting is a coordinated many flavors that other driver for your neighbor staying on the highway with a Christian car guy to Christian card hard friends. It's inevitable. We know those two things you gotta do right. Death and taxes course on estate taxes more than the other but you know the last guy they say to let you down is the undertaker while he's on the phone with me right now. Bruce Goddard is on truth talk I'm Stu Epperson and this guy is hilarious he speaks how many times you speak Bruce on afternoon I know you're hitting the retirement mark right now but yeah just a bit about back in beacon and I been doing it for 25 years for many years I spoke 100 times a year while working full-time in the funeral business and that's another story.

You will businesslike expanded, but on account you started going to further places. I think my wife told me we lifted up week I spoke 38 states.

So I got around and Canada, Mexico, but yeah, it's never a member advertisement I've never done anything but just go somewhere somebody is speak so been around but now not as much gold plated courses, the thing about speaking in all actually spoke the group in Connecticut, whatever you call it is just yesterday, I had never done that before but but yeah, I'm not speak as much for the way place is not any for Cisco well let me ask you about. Let me ask you how to tell through quick and honest by your Christian testimony, but tell through quick. How is you you house you and you become such a prolific speaker. We hear you are successful undertaker you got a general store you're venturing into the furniture business raising a family. You got a house on the golf course and all of a sudden you're speaking all over the place what what word it is where this gift come from and and will ask you how did you back into it is this fascinating. Yeah so I was asked to speak undertaker local undetected to the to the County ministerial Association banquet and I thought what in the world about you all the lies will be there and so I did that an outsider tell funny stories.

Most of about medium.

They laughed so hard, and oxidant splines of my assessment do that I need to share my faith in the bit and so I added that the next time I just exploded and I think I don't care what you do if you do it enough, you get better so you feel comfortable speaking is not like I have notes when I speak I hire not done it thousands of times and I've got a lot of material and lower material continues to be added as I live life so yeah I don't think you know I can't. I guess I had a you that God gives me I didn't know it and out, you start using it and God opens up doors. I do know that you never do what God wants you to do and if you would step out on a limb and I can remember some limb stepping out a bit. Big advancement. I don't found out about I'm thinking my goodness got uncomfortable soft so when it does come through you, stepping out more. Your faith grows and you and God you you gotta be willing to walk out on limb. I've been missing limb walking, limb walking yeah he's a limb walking undertaker written a book called a subtitle like the Goddard hang out with this guy. You'll be belly laugh, and you'll be crying, but you also see someone who's real is genuine, who loves the Lord. He's written a sequel to his book view from Earth, called the legacy of you and Brown want to meet you in just a second, quickly tells how you met Christ. Bruce and what Jesus is done to change your life and how your Christian faith is really really the heart of all of the stuff. It is so I grew up in a Christian home and I went to university George English is a lot of people do rebound from all that on October 18, 1978 in a supernatural instrument. Jesus Christ invited my life and I've never been the same.

I certainly have never been perfect but I've never been the same. And I begin to understand that it's not about me it's about God's grace what he's done for me and I began to see that and it's not about keeping about the rules and regulations in the checkbox is about God living in me doing to me that what I could not do by myself and I've had a wonderful journey and and mop mop much frat life is not. I love speaking church is not jerky but I much more comfortable in a corporate environment. Out of comfortable with the word but certainly more dynamic environment where I'm very careful but they went out. I don't cram Christianity down people because I can't get anybody to go. These things are not that I membership fight in a world mouth additionally needed so I'm just dustbin my mediation, so something you got a great demand, a wonderful wife of been married for 43 years past July got three kids, nine grandchildren of my life and a lot to do it become a Christian when when I went.

What did she was very godly so Islam started was a drugstore and some mouse what I want a closer let me ask you this just time extemporaneously here I was, I was on the I'm Stu Epperson this is truth talk special guest Bruce Goddard's book view from her purse is a must read. You'll be laughing and crying all the way through just a real solid book. But in real quick pithy Proverbs and wrote cool lessons in life. Great for the corporate context. Great for graver church people who take themselves too seriously, for Pete's sake, but Bruce, I was on the phone with an atheist yesterday and he cussed me pretty good and hung up on me and all I said is I admire your faith man takes a lot of faith to believe what you believe in and that course one to get in the gospel, to what meaning and I'm not mad at him and actually texted him after that. But he said some immediate comment through me off my rocker. He said I've never met a Christian who is happy there.

The most visually appealing world what you say to a guy like Vladimir you are a businessman successful in the funeral business which is your you seen death up close more than just about anybody I know what you say about to an atheist who says I've never seen a happy Christian little asking a lot of unhappy Christians must while we were going from a I'm certainly just all you wanted to just follow me around and see about I'm unhappy a live lime got a wonderful life and live it to the fullest. I'm certainly blessed and I don't live my life so that I made a lot of unhappy people that surrounded live by the law in Jack-in-the-Box and then whatever you know and and I miss out on what God probably what he said is true that he definitely did, it doesn't mean that the faith isn't going to collide with with conflict and even in the case of what you deal with and dealt with for you just let me your you are bearing you know that the wife of Amanda been married 3040 50 years. Your you are bearing a child and you thought you talked about some pretty rough, pretty grisly situations where I don't know if you didn't have the Lord you and I got through even said so in your book that there is no question and so you know the truth is nothing in the Bible is that we… Trouble. Pretty sure somebody teaching that your Christian and I don't have trouble. I take a break and stroking TV to get off of a tree while there is a lot in the Bible with the people who are going through trouble. Using assessment, we will have probably saved my word and that and so trouble is, life, and bring additional businesses. One piece of that is not delusional. I wanted something, but I get a lot worse well and and is so much of the Bible written in this world you will have trouble in the about people going through trouble. So this is part of it is not a perfect likeness with your guy and that's the voice of Bruce Goddard, author the book view from a person probably make this a two-part podcast as I'm asking a quick question wrap up in the morning stay on and do some bonus coverage because there's a couple other stories you have to here, so please download the podcast if it is demo this whole broadcast or not he will hear in real time, or you just jumped on whatever station you listened one AFR awesome affiliate stations that carries truth talk maybe you listen to the truth. Up and down Jacksonville and a note maybe. Maybe your listing in South Carolina wherever your listing Utah or one of her friends at KU TR AMA 2095.3 FM. This program is also available on a podcast just Google Truth Network podcast or go or the podcast are Bruce Goddard, an interesting object was placed in the coffin of a close family friend as I know, I do believe you shed some tears, but there also some big smiles with this guy had this object placed in his coffin. Are you all did it and it signified something powerful about you not not how it maybe not how we start or not you know that, but how we finish. Can you talk quickly about him. The golf course and in the consummation of that event. It is funeral was that the closing way. Lying his son just got recently in Chicago and what will I deplete my daily one of his best friends play golf with them all the time I get the ball a mile limited to hundred yard days. That way would be bad on the drive, but he could plant like a wild man and Otto I met you I never said I quit like him and he was always remember that is not how you drive is how he arrived. He said a million times 300 yard and a big hello I drop I actually need that I will have time to go into that I was overland my dad. Dad's eyes. You have to be in a small town and maybe I'll how many hours we spent together in managing their data still I get out and actually in the prep room and I'm doing embalming process on my back. Don't funeral home my knockdown and I got some inaccurate and I took my printer, stuck, went out it was his son and I knew very well and you will you do me a favor, will you marry this letter with Monday and so yes and so I did the clutter that you are saying that, how many years at St. Cody and am a lot so the lesson hit me back somewhere doing it. Funeral board that is true in life we we we many people start out and we make bad mistakes we do stupid.

We suffer the consequences of the spell and we thank our life is over and we get this mentality that that we do not measure up because people are hidden at 300 yard and we didn't hundred 80 and the lesson is for all of us is not how you as long as you breathe in, you got an opportunity to keep moving forward to do the right. Next thing and watch God do things that you never thought possible. So what a great lesson for my printer that was never mentioned that his funeral I was thinking about that I did that writing about it. I told that story many times this kind of abbreviated version that is your Facebook page Bruce Goddard they can watch a little bit you did in the course. Your friend has a Bible verse on his tombstone just to some real faith components and anything about the words of Christ. We all can't wait to hear well done good and faithful servant not well done, good and famous servant, and how are we binding on finishing well. How are we walking trusting him to leave a mark, and to maybe for some of us need a quick focus on driving so much and folks on the arriving folks on the putting short game you're doing and I think you know and that's another patient is not just the people that mess that you need to rob the people that have done well and lived and you still have to finish with link to you like the last never opened another opportunity in the rise and maybe you think you've done all you can do Christian RAM you not done to you down and we haven't talked about. We haven't talked to you and Brown will do that next time will have you back on again to talk about you and Brown will make that another podcast is that book is powerful and we talked about some of the stories are Bruce Goddard get his books. Learn more about him. Bruce was the main website you sent people to to get your book view from our first lighten up or the legacy of human Brown a hardback book by Bruce Goddard what was the best we can learn about you go to just Bruce Goddard.com okay that's Geo DD ARD MBR use EE to get if you guys got God in his name. You better you better read his stuff and check them out right and that's a big endorsement but what I didn't want a great man of God would encourage your son looks amazing.

Your whole family. I got to know you through social media and what an impact you're having on the king. Thanks for being honest man. What a treat to have you in and what were networking to have you stay tuned will have you get on for the legacy of human Brown thank you thank you thank you