From Fractured To Golden My 90th And Final Day of Exodus 90: A Journey Toward Freedom and Brotherhood

From Fractured To Golden

My 90th And Final Day of Exodus 90: A Journey Toward Freedom and Brotherhood

There’s a Japanese philosophy we learned about while in Japan called Kintsugi—the art of repairing broken pottery with gold. Colin and I actually looked at a workshop on this, but it was crazy expensive.  But the idea is that instead of hiding the cracks, Kintsugi emphasizes them, transforming what was once broken into something even more beautiful. It speaks to the soul, doesn’t it? That healing isn’t just restoration—it’s transformation...kind of like what we all just went through!

This past 90 days, I (and I hope all of you) experienced my own spiritual Kintsugi. This wasn’t just a detox or a challenge—it was a reawakening.

Let me walk you through how each discipline slowly chipped away at my distractions, revealing not only the cracks in my spirit—but also how God (and you guys) helped fill them with gold.

Prayer: Filling the Cracks with Stillness and Scripture

Exodus 90 begins and ends with daily prayer and Scripture reading. Each day, you're invited into the story of the Israelites’ journey out of Egypt—a parallel to our own personal exodus (hopefully) from the slavery of habits, sin, and worldly noise.

Before Exodus, I prayed, but was often rushed. My time with God was more task than transformation. But setting aside 60 minutes (well, er maybe 30/40ish) of silent prayer each day rewired something in me. The silence stopped being uncomfortable. And it started becoming natural.

In Kintsugi, before gold is poured, the pieces must first be handled with care for assembly. Exodus prayer taught me that God's hands are always gently holding the fragments, preparing them for restoration.  Sometimes this takes both hands and the assembly isn’t immediate.  

Asceticism: Embracing Sacrifice to Discover Freedom

Here’s the part that scares most people—ascetic practices. Asceticism to many is a scary word.  During Exodus 90, we give up:

• Snacks & sweets

• Beer, Bourbon and Wine

• TV and movies and sports

• Unnecessary phone use computer and social media

• Music 

• Frivolous spending

• And pretty much anything that brought us joy 

It’s intense. But here’s the secret: freedom is on the other side of sacrifice.  Early on, I realized how often I used comfort to cover cracks I didn’t want to face—stress, boredom, ego, insecurity. Removing these comforts didn’t break me. It revealed me. And in that vulnerability, God could begin His work.

Kintsugi teaches that beauty isn’t in flawless surfaces—it’s in the golden seams. Asceticism exposed my brokenness, but more importantly, it showed me where God wanted to shine.

Fraternity: Healing Through Brotherhood

The fraternity and brotherhood during this Exodus journey helped provide weekly  accountability, reflection through this blog (thanks for humoring me with it), and prayer. This brotherhood was vital. I had always believed in walking with others spiritually (hey isn’t that why we joined this men’s group), but the vulnerability, honesty, and encouragement in our group changed me.

When one of us was struggling, another would send a Scripture verse, a word of encouragement or some dumb meme. When someone broke a discipline, he confessed it openly. There was no judgment—just support, just grace...and some good ole roasting.  But through this fraternity, many us formed new bonds with our partners that opened up new friendships that probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise.  There wasn’t anything I enjoyed more than my weekly coffee with Sean, and Sunday afternoon meeting with all of you.     

Much like the cracks in Kintsugi that are strengthened by gold, our flaws, when shared as part of our community, become points of connection—not shame.  And are the bond we need to become stronger.  

The Gold in the Cracks

Coming out of the past 90 days, I felt lighter (literally and figuratively)—but not because I had lost anything. I actually felt whole, because God had filled places I didn’t even know were empty.

Exodus 90 didn’t make me perfect. It revealed how deeply I needed grace. It reminded me that God doesn’t require us to be shiny and unbroken.  He asks us to bring our pieces to him so He can do the mending.

Like a Kintsugi vessel, I now wear my experience with gold seams. Not to boast in my strength—but to show how God heals, renews, and beautifies what the world sees as broken.

And with all this bling we now have….mothers lock up your daughters the Exodus 90 boys are back on the loose!!!

But seriously, thank you for being my brothers for sharing, suffering, and praying together throughout this 90-day journey. You guys are truly helped bring out the goodness of God in my life throughout this journey.