Friends in Low Places: A Gospel of Messy Belonging

If there’s one anthem that could double as a gospel, it’s Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places.”

And I know some people would roll their eyes at me calling that holy. But look closer: what’s the real message? That belonging isn’t reserved for the elite. That community isn’t built on polish. That love shows up messy, raw, barefoot, sometimes drunk, sometimes broken—but still love.

And that’s gospel truth.

The Statue of Liberty Posture

Last year, someone asked me what kind of people I wanted to serve. I didn’t say executives. I didn’t say influencers. I didn’t say enlightened saints.

I said: “Messy. Statue of Liberty. Bring me your everyday Joes. Bring me the ones who don’t perform. Bring me the ones who are tired of pretending.”

That wasn’t just rhetoric. That was my mission statement. And it lines up with the gospel itself. Jesus wasn’t born in a palace—he was born in a stable. The Buddha didn’t awaken in a temple—he awakened under a tree. Spirit has always shown up in the low places.

Prema: Love for the Messy

Prema—divine love—doesn’t love you for your performance. It loves you as you are. Love meets us in our lowest places. Love says: “You don’t have to change to be worthy. You are worthy, and change will grow from here.”

That’s why “friends in low places” is gospel. Because the love of God isn’t for the curated—it’s for the cracked open.

Chaitanya: Consciousness of Wholeness

Chaitanya—consciousness—reminds us that low doesn’t mean broken. Low doesn’t mean less-than. It means grounded. Real. Fertile.

When we reframe the low places as holy places, consciousness expands. We stop shaming ourselves for being messy. We start blessing ourselves for being real.

Ananda: Joy in Belonging

Ananda—bliss—shows up when we stop pretending and start belonging. That’s why you laugh harder with your “low place friends” than at any black-tie event. Bliss comes when we’re seen without masks.

That’s gospel.

Practice for You

This week, try this:

• Reach out to one of your “low place friends.” Not the ones you network with, but the ones who know your mess.

• Tell them: “You belong. You’re loved. Not when you get it together. Now.”

• Notice the joy that rises when you both drop the performance.

The Takeaway

Messy humans are holy humans. Belonging is the gospel. Love, consciousness, and joy are not found in polish—they are found in low places.

At QFFC, this is our posture. Not yachts for the elite. Pontoons for the people.

And there’s always room for you.