Brandon Lake
Appearances
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I've had some experiences in waffle house, but they weren't supernatural.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
you're out there and you're either dreams are coming true or you're just running at a really fast pace. It's almost like you're off the ground and like, I've just needed things that ground me, that bring me back to reality and remind me that like, like I was saying earlier, like God cares as much, if not more about the way that I'm spending time with my family and loving and being a great husband.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
as much as he does and more than me going out and ministering to people that I don't even have a very personal relationship with. And God's in that. And he's called me to do that, but he's called me first and foremost to my family. That's my first ministry.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And if I'm not taking care of that, and also he knows that like, there's a reason why I think he blessed my marriage with Brittany and her specifically, because he, He knows she has things, we're a unit, we're a team, and God uses my wife, uses community to keep me in line. I jokingly call her my second Holy Spirit, because she's just got crazy discernment. She knows when I'm off.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
She knows the things I need to hear. She knows how to put me in my place. She also knows how to encourage me in the right way. but I've just had to stay grounded. It's been my family. It's been doing things that are opposite of like being on a stage.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Like there's a reason why we bought land and we moved outside of the city where I would come home from a trip and in the middle of the city, I'd feel so claustrophobic. Anywhere I went, people wanted to talk and, oh, how was this? And I was like, I love people.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
But I hated coming home and feeling like I hate people.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I'm in the people business. Like that's what Jesus is all about people. And I don't want to. But there there's a reason why Jesus got away often.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And where I live now is my wilderness in a great way. And it revives me. And now I've had to find things. Bro, if you told me a few years ago that I would be revived by getting on a tractor, And spending time with cows and mini donkeys and being out in nature. I would have told you you're crazy because I was really attracted to like the city life and fashion. And I still love that stuff.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
But I've really had to learn what... what like gives me life and, and, and, and revives me and centers me. And so it's where I live. It's, it's who I live with and not just my family, but my community and being planted in the church, you know, a tree, I think there's a scripture that says like a tree planted by streams of water will flourish. And, and,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
even though I jokingly, I think before we started, it was like, bro, it's really hard to go to church right now because like all the mamas want to stop me in the hallway and be like, we're so proud of you and pinch my cheek and shout out to all the mamas listening in.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And shout out to my mom. She, she also loves Brandon. And you know, it's crazy. Okay. Mama, hear this. This is crazy. My parents, I meant to bring this up with you. So I'm glad to remember my parents were going to name me Bryce. No way. Yeah. Yeah. It was the first name and they were going to name me Bryce. And for some reason, at the last minute, they switched to Brandon.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Yeah. I always thought it was such a cooler name than Brandon. I had an insecurity about my name growing up. I was like, I could never be anybody of significance with the name Brandon Lake. And I don't even know why I thought it was weird. And now I'm just like, I like my name, you know. But yeah. What was I saying? Basically, it's hard to go to church sometimes.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Yeah, but being planted, like we've had to find new ways of doing church. We go to church now, same church, but a different campus that's like really small. And even that, where like the worship is like, it's not like the main campus where it's completely dialed and just, and the worship's actually awesome, but like,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
literally like they're the most country people and it's, it's so humble and just, and I, I just love it so much. Like getting to hear some of the imperfections and stuff and it's not so glossy and, and like transitions are, I love that the transitions are horrible sometimes. And you're just like, you feel this awkwardness and I'm like, yes, we need to get more comfortable with the uncomfortable.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Okay. Everybody asked me this and, um, all right, I'm gonna probably scare some people off, but I have not shampooed my hair in probably 15 years.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
A church has become so slick that I think people don't trust it anymore. Like give me the real thing. Hmm. You know, like who cares about perfect transitions? Like we're just a bunch of people coming together to like lift up the Lord, minister to him and then like love on each other.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And so, um, I'm going on a tangent, but no, I love it. Um, yeah, it's, it's, I have had to find people that are proud of me. but not impressed by me. So that they don't reinforce what everyone else is saying out there when they're putting glory on you. And they're not trying to. But when they're praising you, even for just doing a great job, you can take that home sometimes.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And I've had to learn how to quickly get that off of me, give it to the Lord. and, and, uh, and have people around me that are like, know how to say the right things, ask the right questions. They know, like my best friends know when I'm off, they can tell something's up. What lie are you believing? You know?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Um, and so, yeah, man, it's a lot of things, but ultimately the biggest lesson I learned, and this is so elementary, but it's been transformative. My counselor said, because I was trying to fill, um, I was trying to cure any kind of anxiety, depression, panic attack, insecurity with, again, good things. My wife, another opportunity to write, like cool things.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
but I wasn't filling it with God, time with God. And I had to learn to go to God first and go to God most. And anytime I do that, I feel like I stay in the right state of mind, you know? And I'm trying to still learn how to be transformed by the renewing of my mind and give God, because sometimes I won't let him in and he's like, okay, well, I'm not going to, you know?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Yeah. I don't use shampoo. Um, uh, I don't even think I've cut my hair in probably five years. Um, so my, my ends are definitely split, but yeah, condition conditioner only. And I'm still searching for the perfect like organic conditioner cause they put a bunch of crap in, you know, most of the stuff out there. But, uh, yeah, only condition air dry.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
But when I let him in, he's like continually transforming my mind and helping heal that, you know?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And, bro, I literally just learned this lesson again. Okay. not only will, if you take the opportunity to slow down, God do a deeper healing, but I even think he honors it so much that your opportunities after that time of rest will be tenfold than had you just kept on going and not slowed down. And I have real, I mean, dude, the past six months,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I come off of this tour this past summer, summer worship nights tour. We ended in Hawaii and I'm just being real like my wife was was not in a good place, like of just like I need you home like and we even do tour in a pretty sustainable way, like a few shows on come home for a few days. And I just wasn't listening. I wasn't paying close enough attention to how she was feeling.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And it was, cause it wasn't like, I don't want you to do this. It was just like, man, that's a lot of dates or like, you really think Hawaii is the best, you know, cause you have to be out on the West coast and then you're going to Hawaii and it's just going to be like a long two weeks, you know? And we've had to find, this is a good thing, practical thing. Me and my wife have had to find our, um,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
our boundaries of like how many days away. And we found out very quickly that nine days is like breaking point, you know? And now it's like it, you would think after you do traveling a while and all this kind of stuff that you would be like, Oh, okay. We've worked up to like, now we can do 14 days or whatever. No, it's actually going to like about three days. And it's like, babe, I need you home.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Like, and it's not like things are falling apart at home and I'm falling apart, but it's just like, you don't feel as you don't feel right. You know?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And I come home from this tour, and we just had a real, no, actually, I was in Hawaii, and I was hanging out with this pastor, and he said, it was like hearing from the voice, just directly from the Lord, and he told me what I needed to hear, and I came home, and I was like, I need to apologize, and I apologized to my wife, and I was like, I've not been really hearing what you've been saying, and she was like, I think we need to,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
be off for like eight months until the next summer tour. I said no to a spring tour that they'd already had kind of working out everything. And it's not like I make 10 bucks off of a tour. It's like, this is how I provide for my family too. And so I said no to... you know, basically years work like in. And so I was like, man, this is really tough. And things were popping off for me.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And so I'm like, how at the height of my career so far would I why would I take eight months off? Yeah, I was like, all right. So I met with my manager. We're taking eight months off. I, you know, want to be obedient. And then, dude, like I've been home so much, but yet because we were obedient and obedience brings blessing. um, the, so many doors have opened up for me.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And what's really cool is right in this time of taking, I got to go hang out with John Maxwell.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Oh, I mean, amazing. Author, leader, just amazing man of God. And he gave me like my new mission statement for this season, probably the rest of my life. And he looked at me and he said, Brandon, um, And I wouldn't have had that opportunity had I not slowed down. And I got to have dinner with him and he was like, Brandon, stay in the church, but never stop moving towards the lost.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And that struck me to like my core. And right after, like around this same season, I have this song with Jelly Roll and then I'm getting invited to do American Idol and I'm getting invited to do Jimmy Kimmel and I'm getting invited to do all these crazy things that I wouldn't have had
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
time to do and and honestly i was home so long that my wife was like go get out the house you've been home you did the thing like yes i want you to go and now we get to celebrate all these new opportunities instead of you know because of that obedience and and um and honestly i'd probably be half dead if i kept saying yes to all these tours and stuff and so man i just think like god
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
He has glorious hair. No, I kept shouting out Pantene to try to do a sponsorship, and they wouldn't even respond to me. So I was like, bump them, dude. Let me – Honestly, hey, there's actually a product. Shout out to these people. I need to connect with them. It's called Curlsmith.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
blesses and what i was gonna say too is like not only has it been really cool um to have opportunities say yes to opportunities i wouldn't have had but they have been the biggest opportunities i've ever had to reach lost people like not just edifying the saints but like truly truly like reaching lost people have never listened to worship music ever christian music are now listening to hard fought hallelujah in their life come on
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
what is this? Like, I feel something. It's like, yeah, it's called the spirit of God. And he's speaking to you. And then they're like, well, and then like, I was on the phone with this radio station yesterday and she's like, okay, hard fought. Hallelujah. Wasn't like my introduction to you, but tell me about this graves in the garden song and all that. She had no idea.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And so it's just like an open door. And so it's just been really cool. That like all to say, when you, when you obey God,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
especially when it's like when he's telling you to slow down yeah spend time with him spend time with those that he's placed around you um go deeper um man it only gets higher and it might be later but like the way he i think blesses it it's tenfold yeah had you not obeyed you know yeah man i i i i want to talk about that song hard for hallelujah
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Sometimes when I want my hair to be a little more plickety-plack instead of shabloom, I put a little of that Curlsmith gel in, and I noticed one day I was looking on the can, just happened to pick up this can of gel, and then it had a scripture on it. Oh, wow. And the scripture and then a little writing or whatever and encouragement or something. So I need to hit them up and be like, let's collab.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
You know, sometimes you write stuff and you think you know what it's for or you don't know what it's for, but you're just like, I like it. It moves me. And then you find out after you release it, you're like, oh, that's what... So I want to be honest and say like, I didn't write that song with my friends because I was going through a really hard time at the moment. Like...
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I somehow we stumbled on this fresh way of, of saying kind of this, you know, just really simple truth. Like, and what you said, like, I always feel like it, but man, that's when I need it the most. And, um, I think all of us can relate to that. Like most days I don't feel like praising, you know, that's when I need to praise.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
It shifts your perspective, puts it back on God, not the situation you're in. Um, Praise is a weapon. Things I believe, if this is all real, then my praise is a weapon. It shifts the atmosphere. It pleases the heart of God. And so we wrote this song, and we kind of have this new motto of just write for your phone first.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
So even if we can't see a place where this song could land and minister to certain people, we're going to write the song even if it only lives on my phone so I can listen to it.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
and we kind of and i honestly it was a hard fought song to write because like we got the first verse in the chorus then i went back and labored over the first two and probably the lyric i'm most proud of is like you know your faith isn't proven like gold till it's been through the fire yeah and i wanted to encourage people they're like man that's when it matters the most you know it's like not how you're praising when you're all you know cupcakes and rainbows and jelly beans it's like no dude like how are you gonna praise and
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
and persevere and when you don't know what you know tomorrow looks like and um and so yeah we i teased it on instagram and i just thought it sounded cool had a growl to it it does sound cool the rasp is awesome i love that that's kind of ever since graves in the gardens came out just kind of started to chase the rasp i'd never sang like that before i love the rasp
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
so and yeah it felt like a cool bridge of like this feels gospel it feels country it feels you know worshipful and and so uh i teased it on instagram and then basically people in the comments threatened my life if i didn't release this whole song so we finished it put it out and then i was really dreaming about like This feels like such a special song. How can I share it with somebody?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And Jelly Roll immediately came into my mind. And I'm like, gosh, I've been so inspired by his story. And that he's like, I am a believer in God. He's changed my life, but I have got a long way to go. And it's been, it honestly has been such a beautiful friendship. because he's really helped me with some things.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And one, he's helped me with getting a very realistic perspective on probably the average person out there and the way they're wrestling, you know? Because I can live in a bubble. Most of my friends are Christians, and I try to get out of that bubble to realize who am I writing for? It's not just for people who already believe.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
It's mainly for people who don't know who Jesus is and that don't know that God has such an amazing plan for their life. And so it's been really healthy. And so I reached out to him. What's crazy is he'd already heard the song on Tik TOK a week before he threw his phone in the river. I've learned a lot from him too. He got a flip phone dog. Like he, he battles the same things.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And so he's like, I can't, I'm, I'm like consuming too much content on my phone. He, he gets a flip phone, but right after he'd heard hard fought. And so he, I reach out and I'm like, dude, would you be willing? I had no idea. I was just like, I want Jelly Roll in this song because this sounds like his story. A man of faith, but he's still fighting to find it every day.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And he'd already heard the song. And so I had no idea. I was about to reach out, ask him to get on the song. And he's like, bro, I've been praying for a song like this.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
he goes this song is going to do for millions what it did for me it's gonna get millions of people to worship for the very first time come on they might not even see it coming come on and so then yeah we released it and it's just been crazy how God's using it and I've gone into some spaces that are very secular and I thought I
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I'm gonna feel very unwelcomed and get the cold shoulder and it's like, why are you here? And dude, it's crazy how I've just felt so welcomed by these secular-ish stations and just the way they're embracing it because it's real and it's honest, it's authentic. And I think, last thing I'll say is like, I'd love to see more worship sets more churches, like kind of keep Bubba in mind.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
No system. Literally, condition, get out of the shower, maybe put a little gel if I'm trying to be on Bryce's podcast.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Like we call him Bubba, the guy who's like in the back of the room and he's like, he got dragged there by his wife.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Yep. And I just don't know if like when you're opening song or the most of your songs have so much Christianese language.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I think he has a hard time going like, Can I sing that? I'm not there yet. I think he hears a hard fight. And I'm not saying hard fight is the answer, but I love when your first song is like, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. I think he's going like, what does holy mean? Holy crap? I don't know. I don't know.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Obviously, that's where we want to get to in a worship set is where it's just every eye is fixated on him.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And it's just like everyone. It's like vertical.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
But like give Bubba some language. He can be like, all right. I find myself in that song. I feel like that, you know? And, um, and hopefully that's what some of my music can continue to do.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
So it stays... A little more tame. But even when I do shows, I'll put gel in it. And the difference between my hair from song one to like song 13, like wrapping up the show, it literally goes from like this to like.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I want to say too, man, like for anybody listening, like I love what Jelly Roll said when we had asked him, we're like, what do you wish the church had said to you years ago that might've like kept you around? He's like, I just wish they would have shown me a little more grace and specifically patience. Not everybody's going to have a, I believe God can, but he's like, not everybody.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I haven't had a Saul to Paul kind of moment. And, and I'm, he goes, if you look back at interviews five years ago, I'm definitely not that man.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
But imagine what God can do with me in five years from now.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And I think if we would give people some more patience and not expect them to be a completely, I believe God can make you a new creation, but some of your behaviors, some of your patterns got to be worked out, you know? I believe he made me brand new that the moment that I accepted Jesus, I was a new creation. But that doesn't mean I carried into that new life some like old ways of thinking.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And I'm surrounded by sin. I'm surrounded by temptation, all that. And so you have to gain tools. You have to just like in a marriage, like you grow old.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
closer and closer you learn each other's love language you learn how to best serve each other yeah like that's that's the kind of the way it is with uh you know i think a relationship with the lord he cares so much about that relationship and not just checking boxes and stuff like he wants to transform your heart and you but you got to give him time and or you got to let him in and and do the hard work but yeah man um
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
yeah, I don't know where I was going with that, but just, I love that he, he, um, he's owning it. And he even said, this is what I was going to say. Like, dude, we're talking yesterday and we're about to do stage coach.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And, um, And he's like, bro, what if instead of, and I don't know if we're going to do this, but he, he came up with it. There's some logistics we got to work out and stuff. But he was like, what if instead of going into the bridge of that song, we broke it down and you just start praying over people, bro, a hundred thousand people.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
yeah lions man i want to see it big yeah i like it i ain't got time for like getting into all the products and all that kind of stuff i have people trying to like get me into all these different products and i'm like i just don't have the time for it or i don't care that much yeah that makes it carry on easy at the airport because then you have to worry most people check the back because they got to bring their hair products and stuff and now you just most of those are over three ounces i think that's all you can take and yeah
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
He's like, what if you just like led a moment?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And he's like, anybody who's going through a hard time, bro, you just like pray for him. And then we ramped back up and go into, I'm like, Jelly roll just came up with that idea. Like what? This is crazy. And so I'm, I'm, I'm watching him continually. Like, like he's evolved, he's growing. And, um, and all it has taken is like this relationship, dude.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And like, I think more transformation happens around the dinner table. than anything. That's what Jesus did. And so I'm just trying to be, you know, one by one, just whoever God puts in my path, it's like, do what you're doing and just share your heart and just love on them.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And, you know, you're doing the big things, podcasts, you're speaking, you're preaching, you're all the big things, but man, God moves in those things. But he also is like, you know, bump into a dude, you know, on the street. And it's like, God cares just as much about that moment than speaking to 10,000, you know?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Oh, gosh. I don't know about the greatest. I mean, I would say... knowing your tendencies being the same as mine, when you do feel insecure or you're wrestling, especially once you're married, do not isolate yourself.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Um, obviously everyone maybe needs a moment to like, you know, take it to the Lord first, but our biggest fights were in moments where I drew away instead of drawing near, drawing near. And I think as men, we have a tendency to be like, let me go figure this out first. Let me figure, you know, and, um, and dude, the more you just.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Own, like get rid of your pride and just be humble and just go, Hey, I want to work this out. Like, tell me what I need to hear that you're not saying, you know, like tell me the hard thing or whatever. I mean, I would say too, this is not going to sound deeply spiritual, but I think it is. Um, she actually, my wife said this one day on a, the one podcast we did, uh, we need to do a podcast.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I want to call it pillow talk. And it's literally us like laying in bed.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Um, and, uh, and she said on this thing, uh, Intimacy isn't great sex. Intimacy is what you do that leads to great sex. We've got this idea that intimacy, real intimacy is like, is having great sex. Um, And she's like, no, it's the things that you do that that's a byproduct. Intimacy is like, what have we been, how have we been fostering our relationship?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
What are the things that give us life and make us feel close? And dude, nothing grows our marriage more than having fun together. I know it doesn't, it's not deeply spiritual and yet it is, but we've really learned these past few years, especially when I travel and I'm busy when I come home, what can I do as the man to lead and go, Hey, let's do this, this, or this that fills our tank.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Like jokingly said, what leads to great sex for us was going on bike rides and playing tennis.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
It's not sexy, and yet it is. I'm telling you, we bond over watching The Office, that TV show. Dude, I love that show. Biggest Office fan. What's your favorite character? I mean, how can it not be Dwight Schrute? Come on. Literally, he's the GOAT. He's the GOAT. He's amazing.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
um but dude literally like we nothing nothing is more curing and and helps us grow and love each other more than when we're laughing together like she's my best friend and if you can keep her your best friend stay in that place of like you just have so much fun together yeah and dude bring her into everything with your traveling and all your opportunities and all of that
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I've had to learn the hard lesson of like, there are some things I protect her from, like when someone hurts me because she will take it. She'll carry it twice as much as I will.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And she's had to like forgive people. And I had no idea she was wrestling with that because I just brought work home and I was like, this person did this or blah, blah, blah. And she's like, what? And then months later, she's like, I finally forgave that person. I'm like, what? You've been carrying that around for so long? No, it's not that big of a deal. We already made up about that.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
It's all good. But bringing her in on just celebrating all the wins and just like... I, you, you know, you might assume that they're aware of everything and feel a part of everything, but I'm still learning 14 years in a marriage like that. I have a tendency to like leave her out of things, not intentionally, but just like, you know, and then
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
But the more she's apart, because God knows, like, I needed that partner. I need her perspective. Her discernment is so high that I need that. I can be honestly more just like the really happy guy and just like, ah, overlook things. And she's like, no, something's wrong here. We have to address this or this is going to grow like a cancer.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And so, sorry, that's a lot, man. No, I love that. But ultimately, like, dude, have fun together. Dang. You have one life, bro. And one marriage, hopefully.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I do. Depending on when this releases, my new record, King of Hearts, is out June 13th. 16 songs, I think, and then a few more on the Deluxe. So excited about this record, and then it leads into the King of Hearts Tour, which tickets are on sale right now, and they are flying. Let's go. Where are they at? It's like North America Tour. Just go to BrandonLake.com. BrandonLake.com.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
and uh get the record come out on tour it is going to be so entertaining but more importantly going to be an encounter with god people are going to get healed saved we've seen thousands of people give their lives to the lord so if you want to be a part of a movement like that i believe it's it's more than a concert it's more than a show something's happening and all over and it's bigger than me and so and it's not about me but these are going to be powerful nights um
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Thank you for honoring me and saying those things. It's really kind. Um, Lord, we love you so much and we thank you for this opportunity. God, I just want to recognize that you are up to something. Whew. you are up to something that we can't even perceive. But it's, it's huge. And I thank you that we get to be a very, very small part of it.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Thank you for Bryce and thank you for the amazing, amazing work that he's doing. But beyond the things that, He's got his hands in that are amazing. Lord, just thank you for his heart. Thank you for saving him, for healing him, and now using him as a vessel to help point people to you, and ultimately they get saved and healed.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Lord, for anyone listening in right now that feels far, God, I pray that right now that your presence would just sweep in And that they would experience your nearness. That you are a father to the fatherless. But God, you're also a friend. Holy Spirit, you are a friend. Thank you for befriending us. For loving us. Lord, thank you for calling us your sons and daughters.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And sharing this incredible kingdom with us. And God, I just pray... If anyone's listening right now that doesn't have a relationship with you, that that would begin today. The word says that if you confess with your lips, he's Lord, you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, that you'll be saved. And so I just pray if there's anyone right now...
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
You're like, I believe Jesus was raised from the dead. I confess you as my Lord, my Savior. Lord, I just pray that they would make that commitment today and start this amazing relationship with you, the one that made them, designed them, loves them more than anything. Obsessed. God is obsessed with you.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And God, if there's anyone under the sound of my voice right now that needs a miracle, a physical healing, God, we speak healing in the mighty name of Jesus. And I'm just going to simply say, cause that's all that is needed in Jesus name. Be healed. Yes. Be healed. And Lord, thank you for our time. And we just want to give you glory. And, um, all the honor, all the praise.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Lord, thank you so much gratitude in our hearts for allowing us to do this, but more importantly, just to know you and love you and be loved and be known by you. So we thank you and it's your. Holy name we pray. Jesus. Amen.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Let's rage. Come out on tour. Listen to the record.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I'm telling you, we're going to turn up. It's going to be awesome.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Well, um, before I get into it, I want to say like, I am not the poster child for like, uh, depression, anxiety, panic attack. Like I've just tasted enough of it to know that it was real. Cause I would have said before I had, um, I'll share the story of when it began and now the pace of my life and the things that I do.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
So many mountaintop experiences can actually, if you're not careful, on the back end of that is a pretty deep valley.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
It was several years ago that I would have told you that depression or anxiety, you could wish it away. And then I realized, no, it's spiritual, but it's also physical. And you can be chemically imbalanced. And so there are some real physical reasons why you're prone to attack or depression. And so kind of how it came about for me was not through an immediate just like,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
you know, low point and something happened and I fell into depression or something. Mine came about because all my dreams were coming true. So like I this was, gosh, probably 2018. And I was writing a ton of songs. I used to be a part of this group called Maverick City Music. And we were before we were named anything, we were just writing a ton of songs.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And then that led me to my first record deal with Bethel Music. And as soon as I signed with them, they're like, we have a tour in like a few weeks. Would you, you know, can you jump on the tour?
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And then between that time, I had written songs with like some of my all time heroes, Matt Redman, Phil Wickham. And all this was pretty new to me getting introduced to like all of my heroes.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And so I'm on the craziest high. And back to back and then i go on this tour and it wasn't like you know my content like my my only context for leading has been local church i'm still a local church kid you know or man now i can't say that anymore um and just leading you know a few hundred to maybe most 1500 people in the room
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And then I jump on this tour where every night it's like minimum 3000 people. And they're not just giving me the mic to sing a few songs. They're like telling me to go after healing and stuff, which the crazier story is healing broke out in my church right before this happened.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I'm doing so good. Having a blast on the West Coast. Let's go. Let's go. And you're originally from the East Coast. Same here. East Coast. Yep. On the other side. Grew up in between Myrtle Beach and Charleston. Old Dirty Myrtle.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And my best friend, Micah, who's actually here hanging with me, who actually got me out of this crazy panic attack, which I'll tell you in a second, Micah was healed of like a five year like gut disease. And crazy, crazy, like over the phone, like a wild, wild, radical...
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
miracle yeah and so i see this happen and my church dude is like we have like charismatic roots but like through the whole seeker friendly movement i like to say uh we're like charismatic but like with the seat belt on really tight yeah yeah and so all of a sudden seat belt came off and and in a really beautiful and not like hype way or like trying to manipulate anything or like
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
we had this worship night and hundreds of documented healings took place. And, um, and so I jump on this tour and sorry, I'm talking a lot, but it's a long story. Okay. So I jump on this tour and then I start going after it. She's like, Jen's like, you got to like pray for people to get. And I'm like, I don't even know how to do that. Except I just watched this guy do it at my church.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Like, let me, uh, I'll just say what he said. And cause I have faith for it. I believe God wants to, he's the same yesterday, today and forever. If it happened, the Bible, it can happen today. I believe it. Miracle signs and wonders follow those who believe lay hands on the sick and they will recover. Okay.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Let's even when I don't feel like it or feel like it's going, I'm still going to align, you know, my posture with what the word says and what are going to go after it. And all of a sudden, dude, so many people were here healed on this tour. Wow. And saw a dude like who had a metal plate in his shin from an accident years ago.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
We went after metal like one of the worship leaders were going to this ministry time and Jim was like, if anybody gets a word or just like wants to go after something, just say it in the mic because there's like six leaders on stage. And I'm kind of leading this moment and my buddy Hunter walks up to the mic and he goes, metal plates. And I'm like, I'd never heard of that before.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I'm like, what do you mean metal plates, whatever. And so I'm like, you don't even know what's okay. We pray for metal to dissolve. Or disappear, you know, for increased mobility and whatever. So they bring this dude backstage. He's like, they're like, you've got to hear this guy's story. And one of our worship leaders jumped off the stage and had prayed for this guy.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And he comes backstage and he's like, you've got to hear this. He's like, I was in an accident. I have this metal plate in my shin for like 12 years. And you could see the scar around where they put it in there. And he goes, after you prayed, I reached down and I touched my leg.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
the metal's gone i have not felt my muscle and bone in my leg in 12 years i can't feel the metal i was like dude can i feel it and he's like yeah absolutely and i'm feeling his leg and i'm like dude i can't from what i can tell there is no metal in here it's completely normal so we saw crazy stuff like that happen and i'm the guy that's gonna say like it's either all real or it's not.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
That's what we called it, too. That's so great.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And I'm just like, I've seen too much to like,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
dude everyone like growing up myrtle beach um for half my childhood then we moved to charleston's where i'm now but um it's more the more classy uh part of the east coast but growing up in dirty myrtle everyone would go there on vacation yeah and i'm like why no i'm more of a florida guy grungy dude yeah but yeah everybody would everybody would come to myrtle beach and we would escape to the mountains it was like opposite everybody from the mountains came to us but i love charleston man charleston's a gem
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
know i know some people can fabricate things but i've definitely seen real i mean there's a literal miracle in this room i'm a miracle my mom had six miscarriages and i'm alive wow like i've seen too much to not believe and so we end up writing this song too good to not believe that the bridge is like all of these real miracles that i've seen anyways that was a long way of just saying i was on this crazy high
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I didn't get, so I fly not home after this tour. I go to Disney World to meet my family. Nice. Most people, that's heaven. It was hell to me.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I had zero time to decompress. share with my wife, just like, you know, what I'd experienced just. And so I, all this is pent up. And then all of a sudden it was like the enemy attacked and he knew exactly where to attack my insecurities, my fears. And I just allow what I did. And what the enemy loved is that I isolated myself.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Didn't share with my wife over the next two days, all of what I was wrestling with mentally. I went into a dark place where I was like, when my wife would laugh at someone else's jokes and stuff, I'm like,
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
is she like like them or like crazy and i had zero re i'm like crazy thoughts got so bad in two days so fast that i was even like i don't even want to be here anymore like dude it was it's embarrassing to say and that's why probably a lot of people don't talk about it because it felt so embarrassing that i didn't even want to admit to my wife that i was
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
wrestling with such immature thoughts but they felt so real I didn't even recognize who I was my mental state and so we're going to bed one night putting the kids to bed and I reached out and I texted Micah and my buddy Nate and I was like guys I don't know what's going on right now but I need help and I was too prideful to pick up the phone
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
which is actually literally the lyric in this song was Sons of Sunday. I was like, 3 a.m. God, I was too prideful to pick up that phone. 3 a.m. I know I needed help, but I didn't want anyone else to know I was losing it. But I texted the guys. Micah immediately calls me. I didn't answer. Cause I was like, I don't want to talk about it. I just need help.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And so then he sends me a voice memo of him praying over me. And like that scripture in the Bible, right? Where like, like David plays for Saul, who's got that evil spirit tormenting him.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Dude, that's like exactly what happened. He's praying over me. And all of a sudden it's like something broke. I broke. And I finally surrendered. And my wife, she looks over at me and she's like, babe, what's going on? Because I'm listening to that prayer. And she didn't know. And I just broke. And dude, she held me. I was like fetal position. And she just held me.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And I just finally really reached out to the Lord instead of trying to fight it myself.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Because I kept... I think the enemy loved it. I was like, I can get over this. I'm tougher than this. I can fix this. And even a professional Christian like me didn't go to the Lord first. He was like, in that moment, I used him as a last resort instead of my first response. And luckily, it was the power of the Holy Spirit, but also the power of real community that kind of broke that.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
But then that began my journey of... figuring out what are the tools that I need to combat what's going to happen again when I come off of another mountaintop experience. How do I level out? And so that's been a journey, which I can share some things, but I've had to learn how to redefine success, redefine who I... That God...
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
God loves me not for the things that I'm doing for him, but just like loves me for who I am.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
And I had to, to stop chasing all of these, like these highs, these, these dreams coming true to make me feel fulfilled. And, and I realized one day I even ran to my wife for that fulfillment. And cause it was, it was like months of learning.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
How do I, how do I, um, how do I honestly like fix this? And I was going to my wife. I became extremely needy. I needed sex every single day to feel. And she was like, at one point she was like, babe, I cannot fill what you are trying to fill.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
charleston is a wet east coast gym yeah it is we're obsessed um yeah i say often like it would make a lot more sense if i lived in nashville i'd probably get a lot more work done um not that i need to be any busier uh but we just we can't leave charleston and now we have like deep roots we just bought a farm and um and we got a bunch of animals now so
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
Only God can do that. And I'm still learning a very elementary lesson that like, I've got to go to God for like everything. And, um, so it was a tough way of learning that, but I'm so grateful that I did. Um, And learning to also define or celebrate as much as writing with a hero or doing a tour.
The Bryce Crawford Podcast
The Brandon Lake Interview (EP 93)
I want to celebrate changing my kid's diaper as much and realize God looks at that and goes, man, I'm so proud you're being such a good dad right now. Being a present father, he's probably more proud of that than me getting up and singing for 10,000 people. Yeah.