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[00:00:25] Speaker B: It's great to have my good friend and ten time world champion bullfighter Dusty tuckness to be here with us this morning. And I want to bring Dusty out right now hearing your story. They go home and tell their wives and their significant others. And when I announced that Dusty was going to be back with us, I had so many women say, we're crashing the party. We want to hear a story, too. So I said, well, man, can you do the weekend service? Will that be a problem for you? He said, man, I could make that work. So I am so glad that he could be here this morning. He has an incredible life story. God is using him in such a phenomenal way. We've been talking about Daniel, and I told Dusty, I said, I really don't know too many people whose lives mirror the life of Daniel than Dusty. When you think about, as we're going to talk about this morning, the disciplines that he follows, the dedication he has to Christ, the top of his game and what he does, I mean, he really mirrors that beautifully. It's not perfection, it's consistency. And this man lives that life. And I'm glad to call him a friend. I'm glad he could be here. And welcome to those of you who are watching online. We're glad that you're a part of this, Dusty. I guess just to start off by just sharing a little bit of your story, how in the world did you get into this profession of bullfighting?
[00:02:07] Speaker C: Yeah, for know, it was pretty simple. I grew up in the rodeo world and my dad fought bulls. My mom was involved in rodeo and I was always around it at a young age. And it's kind of funny. I've been thinking over the last year or so, when we're asked as a kid, what do we want to be when we're grown up? And I think we say something, but I don't know if we really wrap our mind around what would it take to be that person or to do that career. And for me, obviously, I was drawn to rodeo.
My parents were divorced at a young age, but I would go with my dad in the summer in rodeo and just as I got older and more knowledgeable, man, there was something about the sport of rodeo that just kept pulling me to it. And it come to a point in my life where one of the hardest decisions I ever had to make turned into being one of the best decisions I've ever made. And that was making the phone call to my mom and asking if I could move away from her, live with dad, and move out from her home. And as a mother's love, several, you will understand that is, our relationship was great, but you kind of take that, I think, kind of hard. And she had the authority or every right to say, you know what? No, you're coming home, and whatnot. But she supported me and allowed me to make that decision. And from that decision, I got to spend more time around rodeo and get a little more involved with dad. And I got in a pretty good wreck my freshman year in high school. Up until that point, I could honestly say I don't know what fear was or nerves was or anything like that with older brothers, and that you learn to be tough as a younger brother. And it really opened my eyes of what this sport could and can do to you. And at that moment on, it was dang near career ending for me.
And the hard part about that is I was still just drawn to the sport. But there was an event that my dad used to put on in Cody, Wyoming, and it was bad enough that I could only stay in the arena for the first three bowls, and then I had to leave the arena. I just couldn't control my emotions, my thoughts. I was locked down, and I went and pretty much hit out the rest of the event. I didn't want to be seen, but making that hard decision to move with my dad allowed me to go to. It was cowboys with a mission rodeo Bible camp there in Matizi, Wyoming, just outside of town from where I grew up. And going into that situation, it was just, I was going to a rodeo school that had some church stuff with it.
My goal was to work out my kinks and my bullfighting and see if this is something that I was going to end up doing at all.
And through that, it literally changed my life. I ended up finding out real quick. I went to a Bible school that allowed me to fight bulls, and that's where I received Jesus into my life, and it turned into being the greatest decision I've ever made. And going back to saying what was one of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life turned into being the best things. We don't always see it as it's unfolding in front of us, but like it tells us in his word, later you will understand. And as I've looked back and reflected, I see God had this all planned out through my years. And turning over even a new leaf from there down the road, that's turned into a bigger part that I'm more happy about is my mom has even changed her life and given it to Christ. So as you reflect back and look back and you see just God had his hand in it the whole time from start to finish. You learn to enjoy, I guess, the process even more. For me. Yeah, that's just kind of a quick summary of my testimony of I was driven to the sport of rodeo, but it was God's plan the whole time. I truly feel that this is where he has me and this is where he's using me and the platform he's given me. So it's up to me to be the light and the vessel. Every opportunity and place that I'm at, whether it's fort worth or wherever I travel and get to go. Because it's through him that I get to live this life and be a part of such a great community.
[00:06:41] Speaker B: That's awesome, Dusty. What a great testimony, really, when he's talking about that, it sounds like a desire that God puts in your heart leads ultimately to your destiny. I mean, God, first of all, puts a passion to do something, which is how you begin to discover what he's really created you to do. And I think when your desire fits your design, because as a kid, I'm sure every kid started out with some ideas in their head. The things they wanted to do when they got old enough. But as they get older, they start discovering, well, I don't know, that my design fits my desire. You know what I mean? And so eventually you realize, well, I'll never be a pirate.
I'm not going to be an astronaut.
But in your case, that desire fit your design. I mean, that desire to be a bullfighter began to align with who God really wired you up to be. And it's incredible that to be that injured that early in the career, that didn't stop you. And I don't know if y'all have noticed, he's got a broken arm up here, which I pray for Dusty a lot, but I was really praying for him. This know that he could be here for this was when we talked about him coming, he know, provided that, you know, you might double check with me to make sure I'm able to be there.
I'm trying to tell him about the hazards of my line of work. I said, well, I got a paper cut one time. It's nasty, dude. I walked out there. It was scary. It was scary.
It was pretty bad. I couldn't write for a while. I mean, y'all pray for me. I came out here bandaged one time with a big old band aid.
I'm not complaining. I'm not complaining. But I love his story, because, really, kind of the second thing I want to talk to you about, Dusty, is your discipline. Because to work through and fight through injury, like me and the kids, we all go out, as many of you do, to the rodeo every year. It's been our kind of our tradition. And when Bob Tallman announced the other night that Dusty is. They call him the know, and he said, man, he's got a broken arm. And I looked down there, and, man, this guy's out here doing what he does injured. And it kind of made me think, too, that in our life, a lot of times we're called on to play hurt. We have to come to church. Maybe when you're not feeling like it, you have to go to work when you may be going through a hard time.
You got to smile when you may not feel like smiling. And part of that is just discipline. And discipline is one of the things that really makes us who God would have us to be and certainly has made you who you are. So talk a little bit about your disciplines of taking care of yourself and how you kind of came back from some of these really tough injuries and got back in the game.
[00:09:32] Speaker C: Yeah. So, ultimately, like I was saying before, I think everything we go through in life prepares us for something God has or sees down our path in our life. So, for me, man, discipline is big. Discipline is doing what needs to be done, regardless of the circumstances. And I really try to own that every day.
I try to lean on the fact of being 1% better every day. I always feel there's something we can learn and grow. And for me, what's big is balancing my why. But physically and spiritually and more so spiritually, if you're off tilter on one of those, you kind of recalculate what you got going on, because we're supposed to stay in step with God, and we can't get too far ahead of him in anything we do with that being in the forefront of really, when you was talking about dreams and goals and desires and stuff you want, God will give us the desires of our hearts, but it's got to be what's good and pleasing to him. Are we doing it for our own self gain and visions, or are we including God into it? And for me, I think I really got to check myself every day when I'm chasing these goals and I'm chasing these dreams and I'm doing the things that I'm doing, am I being that of a light and a witness for Christ wherever I go and whatever I do, that just kind of helps keep me in check. But my discipline is one of the greatest acts of self love.
Being disciplined daily in all areas of life. It's not just your physical side. It's spiritual, it's relational. It's all those areas where just think of what Jesus really did for us and the sacrifice and determination and the discipline that he went to give us the chance that we could be here today and do what we're doing. So it's just waking up every day and finding some way somehow to improve.
It's what keeps me motivated, I guess. Keeps putting the logs on the fire to be disciplined in the areas. And I heard several speakers talk about the love of the sport. And when you truly love something, you will go to whatever heights and lengths it takes in order to accomplish that or to be there for that one person. So for discipline is very big for me. And just consistently pursuing excellence, focusing on being 1% better every day. And the word tells us in Colossians that we should do all things to glorify Christ. So that's waking up every day and putting a smile on your face, that's making your bed, that's doing the things that most people don't want to do. Because I heard a speaker say a while back, talking about the chosen sufferings to the unchosen sufferings. And the strength that you can get out of the chosen sufferings is things that you put yourself through, working out, studying your bible, cold plunges, or whatever it is that'll help prepare you for those moments of the unchosen sufferings, the sicknesses, the deaths in the family, the hard relationships or whatever. So we've got to develop ourselves in a way, physically and spiritually to one. We encounter those moments in our life that we're ready. What does it say in James? The testing of our faith produces endurance. And I don't know about you guys, but I want to have that endurance. I want to be prepared and ready. And the word tells us to be prepared and ready to armor up every day and to act accordingly to his word. And trust what you're doing. Trust what you're putting into. So, yes, discipline is very big to me.
[00:13:18] Speaker B: How big is that mental game? I know we talked a little bit about when you're hurt and, man, you just got to fight because a lot of people go through things and really it gets bigger in your head sometimes than it does in reality.
[00:13:32] Speaker C: Absolutely.
[00:13:32] Speaker B: And, I mean, the devil we talk about, if our minds is the strongest thing God's given us, our mind, then doesn't it stand a reason that that would be the first place the devil would attack, would be in our mind?
With your discipline, how do you stay on top of the mental game of what you do? Because there's a great fear factor involved in it. Overcoming injury, fighting through adversity.
How do you stay on top of that mental game?
[00:13:58] Speaker C: Yeah, so just leaning back onto my first big wreck that I had as a kid, leaning on Christ and accepting him, really showed me that I had purpose, I had identity, and I had a reason, and that really changed my whole thinking.
Some of you guys may know, but a couple of years ago, I sustained a pretty bad injury, displaced fracture, my tib fibia, and with that, the game of rodeo. Everybody, for some point or some reason, have been injured, but a lot of injuries, when you see somebody limping or gasping forever or whatever, you might not really know where they're hurting, what's hurting, but you just know they're hurting, and then they got to go through different tests to figure that out. Well, mine was easily seen with the naked eye. You could look down and know that that is not good. That leg is not supposed to be that way. And mentally, looking at it when it's your own body, it could really play a factor in how you process everything from here on out.
And kind of a long story short on that, once that injury happened, I'm really big on my nutrition anyways, but normally, through the holidays, I'll kind of relax a little bit, enjoy it with family and friends while I hit the ground running, stayed on point, stayed true to everything that. What I put into my body, I wanted it to be able to help heal my body in the quickest, best fashion possible.
As I got a month into it, we come to find out that I had to have a whole new surgery. The surgery that was done wasn't lined up right, and, boy, that'll really take the wind out of your was just. I was pretty mad for a solid half a day. And then one of my mentors, Rex Dunn, I mean, he used to tell me all the said, you know, life's trials and tribulations are like a flat tire. You can get out and throw your sucker in the dirt and be mad, or you can get out and change it and move forward. And as soon as that thought hit my instantly I started getting a hold of my doctors and everybody and got back into everything that needed to be taken care of in a timely fashion. And at that moment, I just remembered thinking, and I felt like it was the holy spirit just tapped me on the shoulder.
Know, if you're going to put that much time into your physical side and benefits, you need to do that with your spiritual and mental as well. And so I'm not a reader outside of my devotions and my Bible, but I started getting into good motivational books, a lot of setbacks into comebacks, a lot of good testimonial type stories, and goggins was one, how to make your bed is another one. There were several marine books that I read that these guys went through a lot of the trenches and really overcome everything. So every day, everything that I was reading from my Bible to those books, I was reading, reading true stories about people that they overcome and that they just didn't take no for a reason. So it was steadily callousing in my mind through this process. And I remember listening to a podcast with Sean White. If you guys don't know who he is, he's an Olympic gold medalist and he got in a bad wreck after a lot of his success before. And the one thing that he said that stuck to me was I had to be acceptant that things can and could happen again. You've got to accept that. And then the other thing that I started thinking was the game didn't change. So why am I trying to change into my mind when I come back? And I believe I'll be back quicker and sooner than anybody thinks. When I step in that arena, the bulls are still going to buck. The guys are still going to be on top. They're going to maybe hang up. They're maybe going to get hooked. You may get hooked. So I just had to accept the fact that this could happen again. But the game didn't change where God has brought me to through all this, into this. This is just part of the story. And there's no reason that I need to start trying to predict what God's already got worked out in proverbs when it talks about don't lean on our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge him. He's going to direct our steps, but we've got to put in the work faith without works is dead. So I've got to still wake up and put my best foot forward every day. But trust my training. Why would I go through four and a half months of therapy and different types of training to suit back up and step in the arena and then start questioning, am I ready? I think that goes back to trust in your training, trust in who's your teacher, who are you leaning on? And if there's facts to back it up for what you're doing, then you got to trust that sometimes it's hard, too.
And I don't think trust and faith is meant to be easy. I think you find out what your true character really is through it all. And the other side of adversity, I think your character is really revealed. And I told myself, if this could just change one person's life for the betterment, then it was all worth it. It's so much bigger than me and my injuries.
God's got the plan and the finished product already there. So it's up to me to continue to wake up and put my best foot forward every day.
[00:19:27] Speaker B: And I think too, Dusty, one of the things God's given you through all this is influence. I mean, you have influence with a lot of young guys that are coming up in that sport, even people out of the world of rodeo. You have great influence in that area. And I don't know that it's our successes that create the greatest amount of influence as it is how we overcome adversity. I think that speaks far more about your character and about who you really are is how you deal with the adverse, difficult circumstances of life. I know a lot of times in life, Dusty, I don't know if you found that to be true in that season, that it was almost like God was saying, how bad do you want?
[00:20:08] Speaker C: Yeah, exactly.
[00:20:09] Speaker B: I mean, it's just like you want it bad enough to pay a price to go through what you're about to go through. You guys have had that in business. If you've started a business, if you've started a new career, you've started a new relationship, you're going to go through these seasons of testing where it's almost like God's saying, I want to bless you and I want to do what you're designed to do, but it won't be easy. And how bad do you want this? And that's what I think about when I heard you say that, because you obviously demonstrated how committed you were to what you knew God has called you to do. And as a result of that, man, God has just given you increased influence. I mean, now there are young bullfighters and people, as I said, in the profession and outside that are just fans that are so influenced by your story and how you have proven yourself to fight back through things that possibly could have ended your career. So I think your discipline is certainly huge. Which leads me to the third thing I want to talk to you about, and that's just determination.
I know those two kind of go hand in hand, but just the fact that in your head you have to say, never give up, never give in, never give out. I mean, you just have to be determined. And it just seems like in any profession, determined people end up doing more because of their determination, their level of commitment to what it is God has called them to do. And I know determination in your sport, your dedication to that certainly has made you very influential and successful. So talk a little bit, if you would, about just your determination every day to get up and just to pursue the thing God has called you to do. What that's like.
[00:21:53] Speaker C: Yeah, for me, like I said, they both go kind of hand in hand, but it's doing what you said you were going to do and backing it up with your confidence. I don't think there's definitely a fine line between confident and cocky, but when you write things down, you write your goals down, be committed to it. And that's really with the relationship with Christ, is we can sit there and Genie in a Bible type deal or whatever, but you say you're going to follow God, follow God, and that's day in and day out. That's not just Sunday. That's not, you know, I'm going to make this work. I'm going to see what he's got. Be that person that you want to try to prove somebody wrong for their tactics, and then you're going to fall in love with what they're doing and really watching several people, and I say goggins a lot. Cameron Haynes, those guys are just true definitions of never give in, never back down, and truly show what the body can handle and the mind can handle so much more. So I really feedback and bounce back off a lot of those guys on, hey, you say you're going to do it. Do you know, I heard a quote from Tim Tebow the other day that I think it'll stick with me forever. Now, he said he had several quotes that he had wrote down growing up, he said, but the one he said that he'd read every day said somewhere someone out there is working harder than you. And when you meet him, he will beat you.
[00:23:16] Speaker B: Wow.
[00:23:16] Speaker C: And I read that, and that kind of goes hand in hand with what I've said for several years. The only person that's going to keep you from doing something is yourself. And I firmly believe that if you believe in yourself, if you believe you can or you believe you can't, you're usually right.
And that's what I really try to just focus on is ever since I've read that quote, I think about it like, man, if I run into that guy, he's going to beat me, and I don't want to accept that. And going back first, Colossians is do all things to glorify Christ. If that's waking up and that's shaking hands or whatever it is, God has called for different things in different past and lives for different reasons, and for that certain reason and being that impact in maybe that one person's life.
So the determination for me is just to wake up and consistently be disciplined.
[00:24:08] Speaker B: Yeah. And I tell you, too, when you're talking about the dedication factor, the discipline factor, it's surrounding yourself, too with people who share visions and goals and ideas. Like you said, I'm listening to these people now. They're kind of pouring into my life. And I know, man, when you go in that arena, you're working with some other guys, and you guys work incredibly so as a team. And I know building people around you in life, having good friendships, I guess, is what I'm going for. Having the right kinds of friends, how important is that you'll meet? Like the old saying goes, you'll have a lot of acquaintances in life, but you'll have very few really good friends in life. But finding those friends and relying on them and allowing them to pour into you and you pour into them, I mean, I know you've got a circle of friends that have helped you through thick and thin. How important is that for people to find their people?
[00:25:04] Speaker C: Man, I think that's huge. That's part of fellowship. I think the community amongst itself is having people to lean on and rely on and help you through the good and the bad times through life, is, I think, all part of God's plan for each and every one of us. And to find those close knit people in your life is truly special. I've got a great support group and some, like I said, there's a small group of us that it's a family and we've seen a lot of life together and we've all experienced high moments together and we've all experienced low moments together. And to have that group back in me, in my areas in life where there's been some hard days or even the good days, you really, truly find out, I guess, who's on your team. When you're going through a valley, it's either a chosen valley or an unchosen valley. You can really find that out. But the camaraderie with that group, as well as the guys in the arena.
Here in Fort Worth, I'm Weston Rakowski's first year with Nathan Harp as well. He's been here since 2015.
Man, we got such a tight knit brotherhood.
And it's further than just in the arena. Being in the arena on the same page is huge, especially with what we do, the unpredictableness of it. But the outside of it is we hold each other accountable and both physically and spiritually. And that's what I really value with like harp and a few guys that are close to my life like that is you're going to tell me if I do right, you're going to tell me if I do wrong, both physically and spiritually. And that's where we need to hold each other accountable because I think when we're going through things in life, if you don't have some of those, it can be easy to say, heck, I'm going to go on this 21 day fast just after you ate a big old Thanksgiving dinner. I'm ready now. But once you're hungry, that's when it's hard. So you got to lean on a brother like Harp and say, hey, hold me in check here. If you see me doing it, tell me, or vice versa.
And that's what I enjoy almost more now. And what I do for a living is the camaraderie and getting to see people and share those moments and times with them. So, yeah, that brotherhood and that fellowship is, I think everybody should dabble into that in all areas of their life.
[00:27:43] Speaker B: Yeah. And you really have to work to find those kinds of relationships.
Proverbs 17 talks about if you're going to have friends, you show yourself friendly. So it's putting it out there to say that the responsibility of having a great friend is, first of all, you have to be a great friend. So you have to make that investment in other people and you're going to invest in some people in your life that won't turn out to be that for you. I mean, you're going to trust some people that weren't worthy of your trust. You're going to be betrayed along the way. 52 cards and a deck of cards and only four aces. So you'll go through probably a lot of people do. You find those real special ones that God will put in your life. And when you find them, man, you found something get really kind of special. You kind of call them safe people, I think, too dusty. People that will let you have a bad day, they'll let you maybe say something that you might have meant in the moment, but you didn't really mean it long term.
And they love you and respect you enough to let you have bad days. And you need. Everybody needs safe people in their life. That's the beautiful thing about going to church, is you find yourself with a community of people that are struggling. We're all the best any of us are ever beer sinners saved by grace, right? And you just find people and you begin to develop relationships with people that share your values to encourage you along the way. I mean, we're all broken, right? We're just broken in different places. We're broken in different ways. And somebody described christians as just one beggar telling another beggar where they found bread. And that's kind of what it boils down to. And along the way, you meet people you click with and you have a great relationship with, and they encourage and support you. And you've certainly found that, and you certainly are that to a lot of those circles of friends that you've got in your life. I guess the last thing I wanted to share before we worship a little more this morning and get you to talk a little bit about is what I would call your devotion, your dependence upon mean. I come from a place, Dusty, where I really believe we are immortal until God is finished with us. I think you enjoy a protection in life that you're going to be here till he calls. You know, my wife went to heaven just a few years ago. And I really struggled with the idea that I wasn't ready for her to go. But for some reason, it was God's timing for her life. And I think in all of our lives, we're going to find that God has a purpose. And the minute his purpose is over, he'll call us home. But until then, he's got something for us to mean. Being committed and totally devoted to him is the key to discovering and following along his plan. And again, Dusty, I think your devotion to the Lord and your commitment to him, I mean, I kind of circle back to where you started as a young man, when you placed your faith and trust in Christ. And you made the comment that that was kind of the turning point of your life. And what would you say to people that are in the room watching online that are good people, but maybe they've just never invited Christ into their life? How would you encourage them to step up and make that decision?
[00:30:46] Speaker C: The benefit of that man, it's worth know just to keep it simple. But I'm sure you've always thought like you've been on edge to make a decision on whether to, or whether to or not. And like I said, it's totally worth it. It's life changing.
But you've got to understand too, once you do make that first commitment, you got to keep that commitment going. And I guess how I can relate it into something maybe we can understand a little bit better. How many of you have been coming to this church for several years or a good while now?
And I got to come to this church last year and speak, as Brother Bill said, with the men's group, and this is such a cool place. It's easy to see this place and fall in love with it.
But have you ever wondered about who the architect was who built this place?
So think of your life as like this church, and think of the architect and think of just how much more he could do for your life and through you and in you. And so I'll leave you with this. Where you're at at this moment, at this time, at this day, at this place, you're there for a reason. And you are loved and highly favored in Christ's eyes.
[00:32:14] Speaker B: Amen. Amen. That's a good place to leave it. Let's pray together. And when I go to the Lord in prayer this morning, I want to pray for each of you, those of you watching online, that if you've never made the commitment that Dusty's talked about, what a life changing moment, what an incredible moment this could be for you. And so, as we pray, let's pray for those who may not have made that step, that this might be the moment where they say, lord, I'm all in. I'm trusting you. Let's pray together. Father, thank you for our friend Dusty, for sharing just a few pages out of his life with us this morning. Thank you for how you're using him to influence and to touch literally tens of thousands of people across the country. And father, we're so grateful that as a young man, he settled the issue that he was going to trust you as his savior. And Lord, this morning we come before you. We realize that it's not a person's religion that makes a difference. It's their relationship with you? You said, I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the father except by me. So, God, we know. It's not our religion, it's not our church. It's a relationship with you that's most important. It's the difference between heaven or hell. And I pray this morning as we close that if there's one in the room or one person watching online who has never humbled their heart and invited you into their life, that through the influence of this man, they may say, lord, I now know I need to do as dusty did. I need to receive you into my heart as my savior and my lord. And so right now, where I am in this moment, with all that I know about me right now, I trust all that I know about you. Come into my heart, forgive my sin, be a reality in my life. And God, I will thank you and I will praise you. In Jesus name we pray. Amen. Would you thank my buddy dusty for being here this morning?
[00:34:22] Speaker A: Thank you so much for tuning in today. If you have any questions or prayer requests, please contact us by visiting metchurch.com so that we can follow up with you this week. We look forward to seeing you next week.
