This Good Word With Steve Wiens

Episode 255 | Deconstruction, Reconstruction and Human Flourishing

Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:52:06 +0000

In this episode, I explain why I believe deconstruction and reconstruction are a healthy part of human development, how we see many examples of deconstruction and reconstruction in the bible, and why it's essential for human flourishing. Enjoy!

Episode 254 | Original Sin or Original Blessing?

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 19:23:35 +0000

Are humans born with "original sin" or "original blessing?" How you understand where you come from (your origin story) drastically affects how you see yourself and the world around you. In this episode, I talk about where the doctrine of original sin came from and how it affects those who ascribe to it. Enjoy!

Episode 253 | The Shape of Reality

Fri, 03 Dec 2021 15:09:33 +0000

How do you perceive reality? Is life basically a system of scarcity, where it's all up to you to crank it up, make it happen, and dig deep? Or is life energized by a ground of being that keeps sending gift after gift to each one of us? How you perceive reality deeply affects your experience of reality.

Episode 252 | Brave Church with Elizabeth Hagan

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 05:10:00 +0000

Reverend Elizabeth Hagan is a graduate of Duke Divinity School, a multi-published author, and has been a pastor for 15 years. She saw the isolation, loneliness, and shame that remains unspoken when Christians shy away from difficult conversations on taboo topics. Elizabeth knew that the church could do better to foster a sense of acceptance and belonging. So she wrote Brave Church to open the door to the presence of God in difficult conversations.

You can follow Elizabeth's work on her website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Episode 251 | Staying Awake with Tyler Sit

Thu, 06 May 2021 05:02:00 +0000

Tyler Sit is a pastor, author, and church planter of New City Church in South Minneapolis, a multi-racial church focused on environmental justice and centering marginalized voices.

Tyler's new book, Staying Awake: The Gospel for Change Makers, is a practical exploration of Christianity for people who want to show up for justice and stay in the movement. Complete with stories, worksheets, poetry, and a commitment to centering queer people of color, this book is here to support you in staying awake: to God, to the evils of oppression, and to the world’s coming liberation.

Episode 250 | A Burning in my Bones with Winn Collier

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 00:25:00 +0000

Winn Collier just released A Burning in My Bones, the authorized biography of Pastor and author Eugene Peterson. It's a brilliantly written book about a centered pastor during a time when many pastors succumbed to a consumer-driven philosophy about church and spiritual development. Winn's spirit is gentle and his voice grounded me. We recorded this conversation during the week that Daunte Wright was killed by a police officer here in Minneapolis, and also just before the Derek Chauvin verdict was read, so I was scattered. Still, we had a robust conversation about what we both loved about Eugene Peterson. Enjoy.

Episode 249 | Rescued from Shame-Based Religion with Kevin Butcher

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 05:48:00 +0000

Kevin Butcher is a dear friend of mine, and I loved this conversation. He just can't stop talking about God's expansive love, and I can't get enough of it.

He was a Pastor for thirty-five years, but now he's the Founder and Executive Director of Rooted Ministries, a nonprofit that comes alongside isolated, wounded, discouraged pastors and their families.

His brand new book is called Free: Rescued from Shame-Based Religion, Released into the Life-Giving Love of Jesus. I'd encourage you to pick it up today wherever you like to buy books. But if you order by clicking this link, you'll be supporting my favorite small bookstore, Hearts & Minds, owned and operated by Byron & Beth Borger. Just fill out the title and the author on their order page (it's easy) and they'll get it to you asap.

Episode 248 | Echoing Hope with Kurt Willems

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 00:01:00 +0000

Kurt Willems is the founder and pastor of Pangea Church in Seattle, Washington. Also a writer, blogger, podcaster and speaker, he maintains the resource website Theology Curator and hosts the Theology Curator podcast. Kurt is passionate about taking dense ideas and communicating them in ways that are empowering for people in all walks of life. He holds a master of divinity degree from Fresno Pacific Biblical Seminary and a master's degree in comparative religion from the University of Washington. His wife, Lauren, is a special education teacher. They have two young daughters. Check out his brand new book, Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems our Pain. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

Episode 247 | Sarah Bessey Returns

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 05:25:00 +0000

Sarah Bessey is the author of the popular and critically acclaimed books Jesus Feminist, Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith, and Miracles and Other Reasonable Things. Her brand new book is a collection of meditations entitled A Rhythm of Prayer: A Collection of Prayers for Renewal. She is a sought-after speaker at churches, conferences, and universities all around the world. Sarah is also the co-curator and co-host of the annual Evolving Faith Conference and she serves as president of the board for Heartline Ministries in Haiti. Sarah lives in Abbotsford, British Columbia, with her husband and their four children.

Episode 246 | 3,000 Miles to Jesus with Lisa Deam

Thu, 04 Feb 2021 00:11:00 +0000

3000 Miles to Jesus follows the adventurous journey of three pilgrims who set off for Jerusalem in the 1400s. We’re invited to grab our staff and scrip and come along. Walking with these travelers of old, we hear their stories, gain nuggets of wisdom, and learn an important spiritual truth: all of life is a pilgrimage. The book draws on the rich history of the Christian faith to encourage us on our daily and lifelong walk with God.

Author Lisa Deam writes of her inspiration for this book: “I discovered that in their travels, medieval pilgrims displayed qualities I wanted to emulate. They were patient. Faithful. Courageous. And inefficient—gloriously so. Pilgrims were in it for the long haul, risking everything to take a journey of faith. The conviction that drove them is one to which I daily aspire.”

You can follow Lisa on her website, on Twitter, and on The Contemplative Writer. You can find out more about her book 3,000 Miles to Jesus here.

Episode 245 | Queer Prophets with Greg Paul

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 21:20:59 +0000

Greg Paul is a pastor and member, as well as the founder, of the Sanctuary community in Toronto. Sanctuary, a community in which people who are wealthy and people who are poor live, work, and share their experiences and resources on a daily basis, makes a priority of welcoming and caring for some of the most hurting and excluded people in Canada’s largest city, including people struggling with addiction, mental illness, prostitution, and homelessness. Greg is the author of the recently released Resurrecting Religion and several other award-winning books: Simply Open; Close Enough to Hear God Breathe; The Twenty-Piece Shuffle; and God In The Alley. His newest book, Queer Prophets, was released late fall 2020. He is the father of four children and married to Maggie, who has three children of her own. They have three grandchildren.

Episode 244 | Your Life is Your Curriculum, Part 2

Thu, 14 Jan 2021 20:50:45 +0000

This is the second part of a two-part series that I created to help people engage in life as it really is, rather than life as we'd prefer it to be. Most of us are well aware of the things we'd like to change in our lives: maybe it's a number on a scale, or something about our job, or how we function in a relationship... come to think of it, what DON'T we want to change in 2020? In part 1, I talked about the importance of sitting in the discomfort of WHY we want those things to change before rushing to change them. Otherwise, we're just trading one type of discontent for another. In part 2, I talk about setting an intention to live life as it really is, and then naming the things you need to pursue in order to live well from that place of tension. Enjoy!

Episode 243 | Your Life is Your Curriculum, Part 1

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 05:47:00 +0000

Most of us are well aware of the things we'd like to change in our lives: maybe it's a number on a scale, or something about our job, or how we function in a relationship... come to think of it, what DON'T we want to change in 2020? In this episode, I talk about the importance of sitting in the discomfort of WHY we want those things to change before rushing to change them. Otherwise, we're just trading one type of discontent for another. We need to start to see our actual lives - as they really are right now, not as we want them to be - as the curriculum we need for becoming who we really are. Enjoy.

Episode 242 | Honest Advent with Scott Erickson

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 05:43:00 +0000

Scott Erickson is a painter, artist, and author of several books, including Honest Advent. We had a wide-ranging conversation about Advent, his creative process, and how his faith has evolved over time. Enjoy!

Episode 241| Four Practices For Staying Alive Until November 3rd (and long after)

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 05:00:00 +0000

Is it possible to hold strong opinions and beliefs AND learn to express them without alienating and dehumanizing those who disagree with you? Can you really engage and have a robust conversation where you disagree without getting triggered and traumatized?

In this episode, I introduce four practices that will help you learn to engage in tough conversations with grace and passion and leave conversations feeling energized instead of defeated and angry.

Enjoy.

Episode 240 | New Records and New Theology with Latifah Alattas

Fri, 04 Sep 2020 16:20:12 +0000

I met Latifah Alattas last year when we started collaborating on a new project (The Fun Parts Podcast). I was immediately drawn to her creativity, her infectious laughter, and her commitment to honesty. She's a singer/songwriter who has written under many different monikers, including Moda Spira and Page CXVI.

Latifah just released a new album called All (as Page CXVI). It's gorgeous, including old hymns she's rewritten to have gender-inclusive language and also some incredible original songs.

You can check out Latifah's work at ModaSpira.com and PageCXVI.com, and you can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Enjoy!

Episode 239 | LGBTQIA+ Church Trauma and Recovery with Rebecca Bowers

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 00:32:00 +0000

I loved this conversation! Rebecca Bowers is an LGBTQIA affirming and inclusive therapist and advocate, living in southern Louisiana. She primarily works with clients who have gone through spiritual and religious trauma. She sees many clients who have experienced these specific traumas and works to help them reconcile and recover. Trigger warning: We talked a lot about the kinds of trauma that LGBTQIA+ individuals experience from religious institutions and how to move toward healing. Resources from Rebecca: Disclaimer: Each resource may not be right for each person. If something does not rest well within your body or your mind, then leave it for now. You do not have to agree with what is on the screen. Before diving into resources, tell a friend what you are thinking and ask for their support. If you have a therapist, send them an email and tell them you may need to unpack some of what you read in your next session. I highly recommend therapy, but therapy may not be right for you- do the best you can for yourself, and always try to offer kindness towards yourself.

Episode 238 | An Ode to Women Who are "Too Much"

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 00:10:00 +0000

I recorded this episode based on a blog post I wrote a few years ago when the Me Too movement was just getting started. The blog was titled "An Ode to the Women Who are Too Much." We need to hear those voices, to hear their stories, and to stop telling women they are too much.

Click here to read "An Ode to the Women Who are Too Much."

I also mentioned Sue Monk Kidd's gorgeous new book, The Book of Longings. It's an imaginative story centered on the question, "What if Jesus had a wife?" The main character is Ana, the wife of Jesus, who had a voice that needed to be heard. And, as Sue Monk Kidd suggests in the Author's Note at the end of the book: if any woman's voice would have been silenced, if Jesus did have a wife, it certainly would have been hers.

So, to the women who are "too much:" We need you.

The song Bang (from the album Divorce by Moda Spira - a.k.a my friend Latifah Alattas) was used by permission.

Episode 237 | Born Again and Again with Megan Westra

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 17:09:06 +0000

Megan Westra is the host of a great podcast called The Podluck, and she's the author of a fantastic new book called Born Again and Again, which chronicles her evolving faith. Our conversation went everywhere from her super-conservative upbringing in the Southern Baptist Church to the questions she's currently still wrestling with.

Click here to buy Megan's new book, Born Again and Again.

Find out more about Megan by visiting her website - and make sure to follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Episode 236 | Listening to Your Inner Wisdom

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 16:12:45 +0000

Why is it that most of us listen to everybody else but neglect our own inner wisdom? Why don't we trust that voice? Is the heart (as the bible claims), really "deceitful above all things?" In this episode, I talk about how to learn to listen for your inner wisdom, how you can borrow true wisdom from others in order to find your own inner wisdom, and what we can learn about inner wisdom from a bizarre story called the 18th camel. Enjoy!

Episode 235 | You are Not Your Feelings

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 17:29:38 +0000

Why do we get so triggered by Facebook posts with which we disagree? Why can't we just smile and move on? This episode deals with the idea of dualism, and how our brains are still hardwired to keep us safe from sabertooth tigers hiding behind the blueberry bush even when they aren't there. It also explores a mindful practice that can help you to move on more quickly by detaching yourself - and your identity - from your feelings.

Also mentioned in this episode: Fun Parts Podcast! Check out the trailer for this brand new podcast that explores the relationship between sexuality and spirituality.

Episode 234 | Separated by the Border with Gena Thomas

Sun, 14 Jun 2020 20:40:24 +0000

Gena Thomas advocates for families who have been separated at the border. In this conversation, we talked about Gena's experience adopting Julia, a child who had been separated from her family at the border between the US & Mexico, and also about how she worked tirelessly to find Julia's mother, Guadalupe, so they could be reunited. You can read all about Gena's story in her book, Separated by the Border.

You can follow Gena on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and find out more about her work at www.genathomas.com

Also mentioned in this episode:

Kids in Need of Defense

Bethany Christian Services

In the Country We Love

Episode 233 | A Conversation with Austin Channing Brown

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 16:19:38 +0000

I recorded this interview with Austin Channing Brown in July of 2018, but it's incredibly poignant given the events of the last few weeks, with the killing of George Floyd, the global protest, and the overwhelming call for systemic change. Please consider buying her book (which is currently #15 on the NYT Bestseller list): I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness.

Episode 232 | You are Not Alone and This Will Not Last Forever with Jessica Kantrowitz

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 01:15:00 +0000

Jessica Kantrowitz is a writer and theologian living in Boston, Massachusetts. She writes about theology, culture, social justice, and chronic illness, including her own struggles with depression and migraines. Her writing has been featured in places like Sojourners, Think Christian, The Good Men Project, and Our Bible App. She earned her MDiv from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram and you can purchase her new book, The Long Night: Readings and Stories to Help You Through Depression here.

Episode 231 | Finding Grace for Yourself and Hope for the World

Thu, 28 May 2020 01:07:00 +0000

Click here to buy my new book, Shining Like the Sun: Seven Mindful Practices for Rekindling Your Faith.

Episode 230 | What the Faith? With Allison Del Fium & Ashten Wickham

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 05:05:00 +0000

We live in a multi-faith society which often results in misinformation, ignorance, disagreements, hate speech, violence, and even wars. What the Faith is a new community born out of a desire for empathy rather than division. To find commonality in the midst of chaos. To find out more about What the Faith, check out this episode's show notes.

Episode 229 | Beyond Awkward Side Hugs with Bronwyn Lea

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 14:29:06 +0000

Bronwyn Lea is the author of Beyond Awkward Side Hugs: Living as Brothers and Sisters in Christ in a Sex-Crazed World. Find out more about Bronwyn and her book by visiting this episode's show notes!

Episode 228 | Resurrection with Amanda Held Opelt, Rachel Held Evans' sister

Sun, 12 Apr 2020 23:41:01 +0000

It's been almost a year since we lost our friend Rachel Held Evans. In fact, she was supposed to come out of her medically induced coma on Easter Sunday, 2019. Just two weeks after that, we lost her. I had the incredible opportunity to have a conversation with Amanda Held Opelt, Rachel's sister, about her journey of grief, the hope she's holding onto these days, and her renewed view about what resurrection means.

Her words were powerful and inspiring; I hope you enjoy this conversation.

Episode 227 | Good Friday Bonus Episode: Experiencing the Stations of the Cross

Fri, 10 Apr 2020 16:05:07 +0000

A custom of our Christian tradition is to keep vigil with Christ at different times and in different ways during Holy Week. One of the places from which we draw this custom is Jesus’ request to his disciples to keep watch while he prayed and agonized in the Garden of Gethsemane. We also know that there were those few—including Mary Magdalene, Jesus’ mother Mary, and the apostle John—who stayed near the cross and kept watch as Jesus suffered and died. Despite the horror of what was taking place, those most intimate with Jesus stayed with him to the end.

Walking and praying through the stations of the cross is one way we can keep vigil with Christ during these holy days. Traditionally, there are fourteen Stations of the Cross—most of them taken directly from Scripture, along with a few that have been passed down in Christian tradition.

This episode is based on An Invitation to Walk with Christ: Stations of the Cross Prayer Guide by Ruth Haley Barton.

Exploring Further:
Transforming Resources; Lent Resources
Transforming Community
Ruth Haley Barton

Music Credit:
Lead me to Calvary performed by Don Moen, from the album Hymns of Hope
Were you There, performed by The Vigil Project (featuring Andrea Thomas), from the album Vigil, Series 1
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, performed by Sandra McCracken, from the album She Reads Truth: Hymns

Episode 226 | Exploring Monastic Rhythms of Healthy Leadership with Jerome Daley

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 21:08:39 +0000

You know when you meet someone for the first time and find yourself agreeing with almost everything they say? That was how my entire conversation with Jerome Daley went. His emphasis on soul-care, on finding sane rhythms for your life, and on the contemplative journey was all water for my parched soul these days.

For more, check out his amazing book, Gravitas: The Monastic Rhythms of Healthy Leadership.

Jerome Daley is an executive coach, retreat leader, and conflict consultant who is passionate about helping leaders thrive...and build thriving organizational cultures. With over 20 years in people development, he strengthens leaders in the journey toward true identity and vocational calling. Making his home in the mountains of North Carolina, he and his wife Kellie are parents of three grown children. His great delights are taking spiritual retreats, drinking good wine, backpacking in the mountains, and playing with his grandson. More at www.Thrive9solutions.com.

Episode 225 | Moving from Conservative to Progressive Christianity with Colby Martin

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 01:18:00 +0000

Colby Martin (author of Unclobber: Rethinking our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality) is about to release another book, titled The Shift: Surviving and Thriving after Moving from Conservative to Progressive Christianity.

Colby is passionate about carving out a space within Christianity that includes:

a whole-heartedly affirming posture toward LGBTQ individuals,
a broader acceptance of other spiritual practices and religious perspectives,
an agreeableness toward science,
and a commitment to always growing, transforming, and trusting that the best days are yet to come.

Colby is currently partnering with other progressive Christian churches as a co-director for Launchpad Partners Inc, an organization committed to planting and resourcing similar faith communities all across the country.

You can follow Colby on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and find out more about his work on colbymartinonline.com

Episode 224 | Learning to Pray When Anxiety & Fear Takes Over

Mon, 23 Mar 2020 15:35:06 +0000

If feelings of fear and anxiety are threatening to sweep you away right now, there is a way to pray that allows you to name your feelings - as big as they are, to welcome reality as it is rather than fighting it, so that you can let those feelings go and find peace even in the midst of the storm.

In this brief episode, I guide you through how to welcome any feeling you have, as big as it is, feeling it in your body so that you can eventually move through it and let it go. Using The Welcoming Prayer (originally written by Mary Mrozowski but adapted and widely spread by Fr. Thomas Keating), I teach the three movements of this kind of prayer: (1) Focus/sink in; (2) Welcome; (3) Let go.

I hope this method of guided prayer will help you to find a sense of calm and peace even in the midst of so much uncertainty.

Grace and peace, my friends.

Links:

You can read more about Father Thomas Keating and the Welcoming Prayer here.

Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com

My new book, Shining Like the Sun: Seven Mindful Practices for Rekindling Your Faith, can be purchased here.

Episode 223 | Welcoming Reality in Times of Uncertainty

Thu, 19 Mar 2020 03:51:00 +0000

As the world struggles to come to terms with a new reality in the midst of a global pandemic, we are coming to terms with the reality that we're not as in control of life as we thought we were. In this episode, I share five practices for learning how to welcome reality - even when it's awful, scary, and painful - instead of fighting to try to control it.

Music on today's episode is courtesy of audionautix.com.

Episode 222 | Theology of the Womb with Dr. Christy Angelle-Vidrine Bauman

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 05:05:00 +0000

The following excerpt describes the journey that Dr. Christy Vidrine Bauman took that resulted in writing her fabulous book, Theology of the Womb:

"If it is true that God is a male, then His Divinity or Deity is expressed in His masculinity. Yet I am a woman, and there are parts of my body; such as my breasts, my vagina, and my womb that are telling a story about God that I have never learned or understood. This is an exploration of the significance of a womb that must shed and bleed before it can create. How will we engage our body which cyclically bleeds most of our life and can build and birth a human soul? How will we honor the living womb, that lives and sometimes dies within us?"

Theology of the Womb is a book about the theology found in the cycle of the womb, which births both life and death. Every day each one of us is invited to create, and every day we make a decision knowing that from our creation can come death or life. Women’s voices have been silenced for a long time as society and the church has quieted their bodies. Will we courageously choose to listen to the sound of your voice, the song of your womb, and speak for the world to hear?

I talked to Christy all about this book, her ideas behind a robust theology of the womb, and about her hopes for those who read it. I can't wait for you to listen to this conversation.

Mentioned in this episode:

A Litany to Honor Women is from The Book of Common Prayer

Visit Christy's website to find out more about Story-Voice consulting.

***

Dr. Christy Vidrine Bauman is the author of three books: Theology of the Womb, A Brave Lament, and Coming Home. She is a psychotherapist, supervisor, and professor who focuses on the female body, sexuality, and theology. She lives in Seattle with her husband, Andrew and three kids: Wilder, Selah, and River.

Episode 221 | Ali Hormann is All the Things

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 05:13:00 +0000

Maybe you haven't heard of Ali Hormann yet, but that's all about to change. She's a wedding photographer, pastor, comedian, mother of three, and writer who believes nobody has to be pigeon-holed into identifying as just one thing. We talked about body image, theology, comedy, parenting, pastoring, politics, and we could have talked for about sixteen more hours. Ali is hilarious and deep, and I loved this conversation.

Check out Ali's photography business on her website or on Instagram.

Follow Ali on Twitter and Instagram.

And if you live in Minnesota, make sure to check out one of Ali's comedy shows - she'll be at Rick Bronson's House of Comedy at the Mall of American on March 22nd and 24th.

AND - this is the last call for anyone who'd like to join the launch team for my new book, Shining Like the Sun. Click here to apply to be on the launch team (deadline is March 1st).

Episode 220 | In Which I Read Excerpts from My New Book!

Tue, 25 Feb 2020 18:18:32 +0000

In this episode, I did two readings from my new book, Shining Like the Sun: Seven Mindful Practices for Rekdindling Your Faith, which releases on April 7th. I can't wait for you to listen to these excerpts and also to get your hands on your own copy.

Click here to pre-order Shining Like the Sun.

I also invited listeners to consider joining my launch team.

The first 50 people to join the launch team will receive a final copy of Shining Like the Sun as soon as my publisher receives it in the warehouse, weeks before it is released to the public. Everyone on the launch team will get access to a pdf of the book, as well as access to a private Facebook Group in which I'll host several book readings and also lead a discussion on the contents of several chapters.

I hope you'll consider joining my launch team. Thanks so much!

Episode 219 | But You Live in a Snow Globe! (Surviving Your Own Copernican Shift, part 3)

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 18:16:04 +0000

This is part 3 of a four-part series called "Surviving Your Own Copernican Shift." If you're going through a faith deconstruction - or reconstruction - or both, you need help understanding a framework for spiritual development that allows questioning, expanding, and believing new things. Part One was about understanding that disruptions are the first step of growing spiritually. Part Two was about learning how to see the invitations into new beliefs that disruptions bring.

Part Three is about seeing your belief system as a snow globe - you need to get outside of it to see its limitations and also what you're missing.

Enjoy!

Episode 218 | Unpacking the Superbowl Halftime Show with Joanna Luehmann (Surviving Your Own Copernican Shift, Part 2)

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 22:56:38 +0000

Joanna Luehmann is a Latinx pastor and theologian who took to Twitter on Sunday night and Monday following the Superbowl to give a different perspective to the halftime show to anyone who thought it was oversexualized. She graciously agreed to talk to me with virtually zero time to prepare, and what she offered was a beautiful, challenging and timely critique to Progressive Christians like me who need to spend a little more time seeing how our own implicit biases cloud our vision. Please take some time to listen to Joanna's insightful invitation into a decolonized way of seeing the world.

You can follow Joanna Luehmann on Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and Patreon.

Enjoy.

Episode 217 | How to Survive Your own Copernican Shift, Part 1: Disruption

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 05:03:00 +0000

Until the early 1500's, everybody assumed planet earth was the fixed, immovable center of the universe, the reference point for the entire universe (apparently it didn't occur to anybody how utterly convenient that was for those of us who lived there). When Copernicus discovered the earth was also orbiting around the sun, nothing actually changed - except how we see everything.

This episode (disruption) is part one of a four-part series on the essential movements when you have your own Copernican shift, whether it's about religion or science or a relationship. Nobody likes life as we know it to be interrupted, but without disruption, we'd never expand how we think so we can see differently.

Enjoy.

Episode 216 | Self-Contempt, Shame, and a Better Way Forward with Andrew Bauman

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 05:06:00 +0000

Andrew Bauman is the Co-Founder and Director of Christian Counseling Center: For Sexual Health and Trauma. He's a licensed mental health counselor with an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the Seattle School of Theology and Psychology. He's also the author of several books, including Floating Away, Stumbling Toward Wholeness, The Psychology of Porn, and A Brave Lament (with Christy Bauman).

We had a fascinating conversation about why it seems so easy for Christians to see themselves as hopeless sinners, but how hard it is to see themselves as good & glorious. We talked about why we use self-contempt and shame as a way to try to crucify ourselves because we don't really believe (even though we say we do) the work of Christ is enough.

I can't wait for you to listen.

You can get in touch with Andrew and the many resources he provides by visiting his website, and you can also check out his work at the Christian Counseling Center: For Sexual Health and Trauma.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

A Brave Lament (Documentary)

Theology of the Womb: Knowing God Through the Body of a Woman by Christy Angelle Bauman

Episode 215 | The Book of Waking Up with Seth Haines

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 05:04:00 +0000

Seth Haines is one of those friends that makes me want to pursue things that really matter. His new book is vintage Seth Haines: poignant, at times snarky, and pure gold throughout, The Book of Waking Up: Experiencing the Divine Love That Reorders a Life is a beautiful call to attach yourself to a love that satisfies deep down. This is how Seth describes his new work:

I wrote The Book of Waking Up: Experiencing the Divine Love That Reorders a Life for those who want to wake from their coping mechanisms, attachments, and addiction and wake to the Divine Love that brings true, inner sobriety. Grab a copy at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Bookish (my favorite independent book seller)*. Then, as you read, come back here to check out the library of books that influenced The Book of Waking Up. (And don’t forget to check out my award-winning book, Coming Clean: A Story of Faith.)

*Reminder: Consider supporting your indie booksellers.

You can follow Seth on Twitter, Instagram, and on his website.

Episode 214 | Try Softer with Aundi Kolber

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 05:12:00 +0000

I met Aundi Kolber at the Festival for Faith and Writing in 2018, and she’s been a friend ever since. This is Aundi’s second time on the podcast, and this is how she describes herself:

I am a deep thinker and deep feeler. Sometimes I get bored with small talk. I love stories, people, counseling, theology and my precious family. I find myself constantly amazed by God’s faithfulness in my life. I write, think, and chew on this often. I believe that Jesus is my ultimate hope and healer. I am a licensed professional counselor in Castle Rock, CO and attended Denver Seminary for my graduate education. I am married to the love of my life and have a daughter and son who are the joy of my heart. My hope for this blog is to create a space to dig into hard, funny, and imperfect things. My work has been featured on Relevant, CT Women, The Huffington Post, The Mudroom, Happy Sonship and Circling the Story.

If you enjoyed my conversation with Aundi, check out her website, follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and you can buy her brand new book, Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode--and into a Life of Connection and Joy.

Click here to subscribe to my weekly newsletter, Finding God After Losing Faith.

Episode 213 | The View From Rock Bottom with Stephanie Tait

Thu, 02 Jan 2020 05:12:00 +0000

For Stephanie Tait, pain has never existed on a spectrum opposite of joy. Pain, with the way it weaves into our lives, families, and work habits, has been the connecting point of grace and struggle that defines her career. As an author, speaker, disability advocate, and trauma survivor, Stephanie aims to do what she believes is sorely lacking in our trending conversations around Christianity – to partner sound theology and practice with the unashamed acceptance of struggle in the present tense. She aims to create space for the reality of suffering, as well as practical tools and experience for its management, in the center of our faith ethic, our communities, and our joy.

Our conversation centered around the themes of her new book, The View From Rock Bottom, and also about the subtle ways most of us buy into a kind of prosperity gospel, even though we may not realize it.

Visit Stephanie’s website or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Buy The View from Rock Bottom here.

Click here to sign up for my weekly newsletter, Finding God After Losing Faith.

Episode 212 | Finding God After Losing Faith

Thu, 26 Dec 2019 05:25:00 +0000

So many of us begin thinking about resolutions or "words for the year" as we wrap up one year and head into the next. One of the things that I'm going to be especially intentional about in 2020 is being rigorously honest about what I say I believe. You may not believe this, but there are many times when I simply nod along, agreeing with what I should agree with, while internally I am feeling angsty. So, I'm committing to doing the work of being kind and compassionate, while also refusing to simply go along with something I don't really believe in.

For some reason, when I get a bee in my bonnet like this, it actually helps me to create something related to what I'm wanting in my own life so that other people can be on the journey with me. So, I'm creating a new weekly resource called Finding God After Losing Faith. Like I described on this episode, this weekly email will be designed to help people to keep searching for God even after a certain belief system - or religious system - has stopped working for them. Each week I'll share the best and most inspiring resources I'm finding that's helping me as my own faith evolves.

This resource will be totally free, but it will only be available to my weekly email subscribers. You can subscribe by clicking here.

Episode 211 | Advent, Part 4

Thu, 19 Dec 2019 05:10:00 +0000

The season of Advent marks the beginning of the church calendar, and it's a season of naming our deepest longings, those places in our lives where everything feels shrouded in darkness and hopelessness. It's a season to ask for light to come into those places, for Christ to come into those places. It's a season to practice waiting for the impossible to become possible.

My conversation is with Ruth Haley Barton, a dear friend and the Director of the Transforming Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The music on this episode is by Page CXVI (used by permission) from their album Advent to Christmas.

Episode 210 | Advent, Part 3

Thu, 12 Dec 2019 05:07:00 +0000

My conversation is with Ruth Haley Barton, a dear friend and the Director of the Transforming Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The music on this episode is by Page CXVI (used by permission) from their album Advent to Christmas.

Episode 209 | Advent, Part 2

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 10:57:07 +0000

My conversation is with Ruth Haley Barton, a dear friend and the Director of the Transforming Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The music on this episode is by Page CXVI (used by permission) from their album Advent to Christmas.

Episode 208 | Advent, Part One

Thu, 28 Nov 2019 15:31:05 +0000

My conversation is with Ruth Haley Barton, a dear friend and the Director of the Transforming Center in Chicago, Illinois.

The music on this episode is by Page CXVI (used by permission) from their album Advent to Christmas.

Episode 207 | The One Where Jenn Interviews Me

Thu, 21 Nov 2019 05:05:00 +0000

Last week (episode 206), I had such a great conversation with Jennifer Dawn Watts that we immediately scheduled a time for her to interview me. I found myself reflecting on some of the things she asked me - and some of the surprising ways I answered - days after we talked. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Episode 206 | Real with Jennifer Dawn Watts

Thu, 14 Nov 2019 21:03:38 +0000

Jennifer Dawn Watts is the Founder and CEO of Living Well Counselling Services, with two locations in Calgary Alberta offering services in person and worldwide via telephone and online AND she's one of my favorite new friends. We could have talked for hours!!!!

For more about Jenn, make sure to check out the Show Notes!

Episode 205 | Committed to Misunderstanding

Fri, 01 Nov 2019 14:31:52 +0000

Have you ever felt like someone was committed to misunderstanding you? What do you with that? Most of us stay in those kinds of conversations for far longer than we should. In this episode, I share what I think is happening with the person who is committed to misunderstanding you, and what you can do about it.

Episode 204 | Impossible Beauty with Melissa Louise Johnson

Thu, 24 Oct 2019 14:21:26 +0000

Melissa Louise Johnson is a writer, a Marriage and Family Therapist, and a gifted Spiritual Director. She advocates for embracing authentic beauty in the world through her podcast and her blog, both called Impossible Beauty. We talked about her journey with body image and food issues, as well as how she's writing and revealing a counter-narrative about beauty in a world that still praises thinness at all costs.

Check out Melissa's podcast and blog, and follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

Resources mentioned on the episode:

The Illusionist (documentary)

The Emily Program

Melrose Center

Hillary McBride

Episode 203 | The Church of Us vs Them with David Fitch

Thu, 17 Oct 2019 13:14:02 +0000

I have David Fitch on the podcast today, talking about post-structuralism, the Matrix, why Chicago has the best weather on the planet, why you were duped into believing it was your idea to vote for your favorite candidate in 2016 - and 2020, and his new book, The Church of Us vs. Them: Freedom From a Faith that Feeds on Making Enemies.

You can follow David on Twitter and Facebook.

Episode 202 | Evolving Faith, Part 3

Thu, 10 Oct 2019 14:34:27 +0000

I attended the Evolving Faith Conference in Denver last week, and I loved it. Evolving Faith is "a gathering for wanderers, wonderers, and spiritual refugees to help you discover...you are not alone."

I took some time at the end of each day to record my thoughts about what I experienced that day and how I'm processing it. In Part 1, I talked about how I felt sitting in a room on the first day of the conference, where about 120 faith leaders gathered to listen and learn about what it means to lead our congregations through significant change. It was such a beautiful gift for me to be in a space that was created for me to work through my own questions, fears, and hopes as it relates to the church (Big C), but also the church (little c) that I pastor.

In Part 2, I talked about how genuine faith will always evolve.

In this episode, part 3, I talk about three final thoughts about evolving faith in general, wrapping it up with some genuine love for my new favorite homiletical hero, Cece Jones Davis.

Here are the speakers and curators from Evolving Faith I'd encourage you to follow (sorry I don't have time to link all of these folks, but if you google them, you'll find their websites, or you can go to the Evolving Faith website to find out more. There will also be an Evolving Faith Podcast coming out soon, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Sarah Bessey

Jeff Chu

Dr. Eric Barreto

Barbara Brown Taylor

Danielle Shroyer

Dr. Peter Enns

Jasper Peters

Tanya Marlow

B.T. Harman

Cece Jones Davis

William Matthews

Kaitlin Curtice

Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes

Jennifer Knapp

Jen Hatmaker

Lisa Sharon Harper

Episode 201 | Evolving Faith, Part 2

Sat, 05 Oct 2019 12:14:36 +0000

I'm in Denver, attending the Evolving Faith Conference, which is "a gathering for wanderers, wonderers, and spiritual refugees to help you discover...you are not alone."

I'm taking some time at the end of every day to record my thoughts about what I experienced that day and how I'm processing it. In Part 1, I talked about how I felt sitting in a room on the first day of the conference, where about 120 faith leaders gathered to listen and learn about what it means to lead our congregations through significant change. It was such a beautiful gift for me to be in a space that was created for me to work through my own questions, fears, and hopes as it relates to the church (Big C), but also the church (little c) that I pastor.

This episode is Part 2, where I talked about how genuine faith will always evolve.

I'll wrap it up with my final thoughts in part 3 early next week.

Episode 200 | Evolving Faith, Part 1

Fri, 04 Oct 2019 01:38:11 +0000

I'm in Denver, attending the Evolving Faith Conference, which is "a gathering for wanderers, wonderers, and spiritual refugees to help you discover...you are not alone."

I'm taking some time at the end of every day to record my thoughts about what I experienced that day and how I'm processing it. This episode is part 1, where I discuss how I felt sitting in a room today where about 120 faith leaders gathered to listen and learn about what it means to lead our congregations through significant change. It was such a beautiful gift for me to be in a space that was created for me to work through my own questions, fears, and hopes as it relates to the church (Big C), but also the church (little c) that I pastor. I'll be posting more thoughts tomorrow night (part 2) and then I'll wrap it up with my final thoughts in part 3 early next week.

Episode 199 | Making Space for Loss

Thu, 19 Sep 2019 20:01:36 +0000

In this episode, I share the five things I learned this summer about making space for loss after my father in law died. If you're dealing with loss, or if someone you love is experiencing loss, I hope this is a helpful resource.

Episode 198 | Letting Go and Grabbing Hold Again

Thu, 22 Aug 2019 06:22:00 +0000

We're always in the process of letting things go - we take breaks from social media, vacations from work, we get injured and can't work out anymore... but how can we be mindful about how we let go of those things, so we really let them go? And when it's time to pick them back up again, how can we grab hold of those things - when it's time to do so - mindfully, instead of trying to hold it the same way we used to hold it? Whether you're taking a vacation, scheduling a day off, or taking time off of a creative project, it's helpful to think through what you are letting go of and how you are letting it go. Enjoy.

Episode 197 | You're Building Something, Part 2 (Encore)

Thu, 15 Aug 2019 05:11:00 +0000

This is Part 2! If you missed part 1, check it out here.

You're working on something, and you're not done yet, and you don't quite know how it's going to turn out, and you kind of want to quit but you are also oddly thrilled about this project. How do you stay in it? What do you need to keep going? Enjoy.

Episode 196 | You're Building Something, Part 1 (Encore)

Fri, 09 Aug 2019 03:01:40 +0000

Episode 195 | Stay Curious with Steph Williams O'Brien

Thu, 01 Aug 2019 11:43:42 +0000

Steph Williams O’Brien is a pastor, writer, leadership coach, podcaster, and she’s a really good friend. She is a passionate influencer that encourages me to be who I am, ask the hard questions, and to embrace possibility and hope.

Check out the full Show Notes here.

Episode 194 | Sexual Ethics and Fidelity to Christ with Bridget Eileen

Fri, 26 Jul 2019 18:42:18 +0000

Bridget Eileen is a multi-racial gay Christian woman who has chosen to be celibate - but not because the bible tells her so. This conversation was so fascinating to me for a million different reasons - I loved getting to know Bridget and I think you will, too.

Click here for the Show Notes and to get in touch with Bridget.

Episode 193 | Light from Distant Stars with Shawn Smucker

Thu, 18 Jul 2019 05:05:00 +0000

Click here for the ShowNotes.

Episode 192 | Dear Church with Lenny Duncan

Tue, 16 Jul 2019 19:31:43 +0000

Lenny Duncan, author of the brand new book, Dear Church: A Love Letter From a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the U.S.

Click here for the Show Notes.

Episode 191 | Spiritual Trauma with Hillary McBride

Thu, 11 Jul 2019 05:05:00 +0000

Click here for the ShowNotes...

Episode 190 | The Bible Was Never Trying to be Clear

Thu, 04 Jul 2019 05:08:00 +0000

Episode 189 | The Two Halves of Life

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 05:05:00 +0000

Episode 188 | Quaking with Fear and Preaching Anyway with Ashley Wilcox

Thu, 13 Jun 2019 11:43:27 +0000

Ashley M. Wilcox is a Quaker minister and founder of Church of Mary Magdalene. She is currently writing a handbook for feminist preachers called The Women’s Lectionary, to be published by Westminster John Knox Press in September 2020. Ashley travels around the country to speak, preach, and lead workshops and retreats.

Through her ministry, Ashley brings Friends deeper into their own tradition and helps those in other denominations and faiths experience God through Quaker practices and spirituality.

Ashley is a graduate of Candler School of Theology and Willamette University College of Law. Before going to seminary, Ashley worked for appellate courts in Washington and Oregon. Her writing has been published in Friends Journal, Western Friend, and various Quaker anthologies.

Ashley was born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her partner Troy and their two orange cats.

You can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and make sure to check out her website for more of her writing and preaching.

Enjoy!

Episode 187 | Brie Stoner

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 05:04:00 +0000

Brie Stoner is a musician, writer, student, and 2015 alumna of the Center for Action and Contemplation’s Living School for Action and Contemplation. She co-hosts Another Name For Everything, the popular new podcast featuring Richard Rohr. Her music, which has been featured in national and international television broadcasting, includes the production and composition of the soundtracks for the NOOMA film series with Rob Bell. Brie has published blogs for The Omega Center, The Contemplative Society, and Northeast Wisdom websites, and contributed to an anthology edited by Ilia Delio, OSF: Personal Transformation and a New Creation: The Spiritual Revolution of Beatrice Bruteau. Brie has served as content curator and podcast host for Ilia Delio's online forum, The Omega Center, research assistant to Cynthia Bourgeault, and currently serves on staff with the Center for Action and Contemplation.

Enjoy!

Mentioned in our conversation:

The Universal Christ by Richard Rohr

Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr

Falling Upward by Richard Rohr

Another Name for Everything: A Podcast with Richard Rohr, hosted by Brie Stoner and Paul Swanson.

Episode 186 | The Liberating Path of the Hebrew Prophets with Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev

Thu, 30 May 2019 05:01:00 +0000

Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev founded and leads Beit Midrash of Santa Fe, a multi-faith sacred learning community. He has led workshops at retreat centers, synagogues, churches, and seminaries across the United States, including Union Theological Seminary, Ghost Ranch, Santa Maria de la Vid Abbey, and Stony Point Center. His teaching invites learners into an adventurous exploration that engages the body, heart, and soul as well as the mind. He is an experienced spiritual director, accompanying people of many faiths. Nahum is the Scholar-in-Residence at Temple Beth Shalom in Santa Fe, NM and a Fellow of the Rabbis Without Borders Initiative.

His new book, The Liberating Path of the Hebrew Prophets: Then and Now (Orbis, 2019), Rabbi Nahum mines Biblical wisdom to illumine a way forward. His book explores the rich territory of liberating social change as articulated by the Hebrew prophets and lived by Biblical persons. Ward-Lev examines the development of these Biblical liberation themes in contemporary prophetic writers including Paulo Freire, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Martin Luther King Jr., and bell hooks.

In clarifying practices for the liberation journey, prioritizing reciprocal relationships, engaging in dialogue, exercising social and artistic imagination, and nurturing a love ethic in public life, his book empowers readers of all faiths and backgrounds to see through a prophetic lens and engage in prophetic action.

Please check out RabbiNahum.com if you'd like to get in touch with Rabbi Nahum, invite him to lead a study with your community, and find out more about his work.

Enjoy the podcast!

Episode 185 | Getting Misunderstood and Moving On

Thu, 23 May 2019 05:02:00 +0000

On today's episode, I talked about getting misunderstood - then and moving on. We can't get everybody to see what we are trying to do or understand what we really meant. You can waste a lot of emotional energy trying to answer questions you just can't answer anyway. I told a few stories from John's gospel about how Jesus refused to answer certain questions and just moved on. You can, too. Enjoy.

Episode 184 | I Came to South Texas with Edward Vidaurre

Thu, 16 May 2019 05:02:00 +0000

Episode 183 | Women Rise Up with Katey Zeh

Thu, 09 May 2019 05:02:00 +0000

I got to know Katey Zeh when our mutual friend Erin Lane introduced us, and I’m so glad she did. Katey has experience working as an advocate for women and girls who are being trafficked, which has greatly informed how she reads the bible. The result is her brand new book, Women Rise Up: Sacred Stories for Today’s Revolution. Katey speaks the truth of the abuse, oppression, and erasure women have endured in the stories told in the Scriptures, much of which is still happening in the world today.

Click here to enjoy the episode.

Connect with Katey:

“I don’t know anyone who more seamlessly marries her scriptural imagination with an activist sensibility than Katey Zeh. She is a reliable, skilled, and (thanks to be God) altogether human teacher who is not afraid to trouble the waters of some of our most beloved (and forgotten) readings of biblical women – and their enduring witness in our modern lives. If you are looking for an easy bake women’s book study, you won’t find it here. But if you dare to go where few have willingly gone into this study of what it means to be a female follower of God, you will come out the other side just as Zeh hoped: more resilient, more compassionate, and better able to rise up in the face of injustices near and far. I recommend this book to any girl beginning to wonder what relevancy the biblical stories have in her life – and any pastor, counselor, parent, or mentor who cares enough to walk into the complexity with her.” – Erin S. Lane, Author of Lessons in Belonging.

Episode 182 | Mu

Thu, 02 May 2019 16:29:51 +0000

This is a rebroadcast of an oldie but a goodie - I think you might agree that it has aged well in the last two years.

Enjoy!

Links: Music kindly provided by Sisters of Murphy (songs: 17 and Green Over Red (Radio Edit). Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. And - I meant to mention this but forgot: Listen to this fabulous interview with Krista Tippet and Padraig O Tuama to hear more about Mu.

Episode 181 | Disagreement

Thu, 25 Apr 2019 05:01:00 +0000

On this episode, I talked about how to know when to voice that disagreement, and how to know when to keep silent. I posed five questions you can ask yourself to decide whether or not it's worth it to have that disagreement. Enjoy!

Episode 180 | More Than You Can Handle with Nate Pyle

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 05:13:00 +0000

My friend Nate Pyle is a great writer and also a compassionate pastor, who knows about pain and loss firsthand. Professional uncertainty, the intense impact of mental illness, and the struggle to build a family after infertility and a lost pregnancy have left Nate with more questions than answers. One answer he has come to, however, is that God regularly gives people more than they can handle, regardless of the well-known cliche that says otherwise.

In Nate's book, More Than You Can Handle: When Life's Overwhelming Pain Meets God's Overcoming Grace, he shares his own story, the stories of others, and a fresh look at the life of Jesus, in order to help people deal with life's inevitable pain.

Enjoy!

Music on this episode: Julie's Song by Joel Hanson

Episode 179 | Glorious Weakness with Alia Joy

Thu, 11 Apr 2019 05:15:00 +0000

Alia Joy is the author of Glorious Weakness: Discovering God in All We Lack. She writes poignantly about her life with bipolar disorder as well as grief, faith, marriage, poverty, race, embodiment, and keeping fluent in the language of hope. She lives in Central Oregon with her husband, her tiny Asian mother, her three kids, a dog, a bunny, and a bunch of chickens.

Make sure to connect with Alia on her blog, on Twitter, or on Instagram.

Enjoy!

Episode 178 | Jon Sweeney

Thu, 28 Mar 2019 07:01:00 +0000

When Jon Sweeney and Mark Burrows were reading Daniel Ladinsky's gorgeous translations of Hafiz, they had an idea: What if we translated the work of Meister Eckhart into poetry? The result is one of my favorite new resources: Meister Eckhart's Book of the Heart. If you like Rumi and Hafiz, you are going to love this little book.

Meister Eckhart was a thirteenth-century priest, mystic, and nearly a heretic. A wide range of current spiritual teachers and mystics, including Richard Rohr, Eckhart Tolle, and Rudolph Steiner, credit Eckhart as being an important influence on their work. In addition, Eckhart's work has influenced 20th century American Buddhism and the Theosophical tradition. In our time, as many of us are hungry to experience God through mystery, paradox, and an embrace of the unknown, Meister Eckhart is a good guide.

Enjoy.

Episode 177 | Instagram Fail

Thu, 21 Mar 2019 05:40:00 +0000

Mary and I worked really hard to create an epic Harry Potter birthday party for one of our boys, and it was coming together in such an awesome way that I shared in on Instagram. And it WAS an epic party, in all the good ways, UNTIL it was a complete and utter disaster. Ha! Instagram fail.

What does it look like to choose to courageously show up face-to-face with your weakness, your limits, your concerns, your half baked ideas and your ambivalence when it's so tempting to only reveal your curated self? In this episode, I talk about all of that.

Oh, and if you'd like to see those Instagram pics, go here.

Enjoy.

Episode 176 | Regulation

Thu, 14 Mar 2019 05:17:00 +0000

Homeostasis is the ability your body has to regulate temperature, produce or reduce glucose, eliminate toxins, fight infection, and many other things - without you even thinking about it.

What if you had a way to regulate your emotional state of being? Instead of getting swept away in anger, or fear, or shame, what if you could notice those feelings without judging them, allowing yourself to feel them fully, but then separate your self from your feelings so you don't get swept away?

In today's episode, I talk about cultivating the ability to have feelings rather than allowing your feelings to have you. Enjoy!

Episode 175 | What Do you Want?

Thu, 06 Dec 2018 05:35:00 +0000

There is an ache that accompanies the season of Advent, and it is related to the invitation that Avent gives us: to name what we're deeply longing for - in our own lives and also in the world.

This is easier said than done. In this episode, I name the three most common questions that come up as it relates to naming what we really long for, and I differentiate between the longings that are impermanent and the longings that don't go away.

Enjoy! Check out the show notes for links to three podcasts that I'm loving right now, along with ways to find out about my books, my speaking events, and everything else.

Episode 174 | Getting Back At It

Thu, 29 Nov 2018 05:37:00 +0000

On today's episode, I talked about the unique challenges - and invitations - that come when you decide to get back at something that you haven't done for a really long time. I offered four questions that will hopefully encourage you as you go about the business of doing something that feels scary. Enjoy!

Episode 173 | Advent with Ruth Haley Barton

Thu, 22 Nov 2018 05:21:00 +0000

I talked with Ruth Haley Barton about how the season of Advent - the four weeks leading up to Christmas - helps us connect with our deepest longings for what needs to be made right in our own souls, and also in the world. I also announced that we're releasing five exclusive Advent episodes which will only be available to Patreon supporters. Click here to become a Patreon supporter and get those bonus Advent episodes.

Check out this episode's show notes for more information about Ruth Haley Barton, the Transforming Center, and Advent.

Episode 172 | Piles

Fri, 16 Nov 2018 17:02:16 +0000

On today's episode, I talked about how my wife's mad organizational skills helped me to see how out of balance my life was, and how I am slowly getting back on track.

Episode 171 | What are you supposed to do with those lemons?

Thu, 08 Nov 2018 05:31:00 +0000

In this episode, I talk about how to change your perspective and find joy even when you are suffering through circumstances that aren't changing.

Episode 170 | An Alternative to Pushing Through

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 21:53:18 +0000

On this episode, I talked about what to do when you've been going, and going and going..... but you don't know how to stop, and you don't know how to do it any other way.

Enjoy.

Episode 169 | Finding Holy in the Suburbs with Ashley Hales

Thu, 25 Oct 2018 16:02:37 +0000

Ashley Hales is the author Finding Holy in the Suburbs: Living Faithfully in the Land of Too Much. Check out the Shownotes for more information about Ashley, her book and how to connect with her.

Episode 168 | Reflections on Oscar Romero on the Eve of his Sainthood

Fri, 12 Oct 2018 16:36:29 +0000

Archbishop Oscar Romero is being canonized as a Saint by the Catholic Church on Sunday, October 18, 2018. In this episode, I share some reflections on his life and also how we can follow his lead in these times of violence, bitterness, and division in our country. For more on Oscar Romero, check out this episode's Show Notes.

Episode 167 | Angsty Book Proposals with Erin Lane

Fri, 05 Oct 2018 01:04:01 +0000

Erin Lane is one of my favorite human beings, and if you listen, you'll know why. If you don't listen, you don't deserve good things. Find out more about Erin on the show notes.

Enjoy!

Episode 166 | A Flexible Faith with Bonnie Kristian

Mon, 01 Oct 2018 16:32:41 +0000

Bonnie Kristian is a theological and political writer who had columns and bylines at publications including The Week, Rare, Time, CNN, Relevant, Politico, The Hill, ReKnew, and The American Conservative. You can find out more about Bonnie, her new book, and how to get in touch with her by going to this episode's Show Notes.

Enjoy!

Episode 165 | Raise Your Voice with Kathy Khang

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 23:24:38 +0000

Kathy Khang is the author of Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How to Speak Up. She wrote it to challenge and encourage everyone to find and use their influence to bring about the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven. Find out more about Kathy on this episodes Show Notes. Enjoy!

Episode 164: Live at Art House North with Tov Music and Shawn Smucker

Thu, 20 Sep 2018 03:30:52 +0000

Check out the Show Notes to find out more about Shawn Smucker and his incredible books, and Tov Music and their breathtaking music.

Episode 163 | Learning to Speak God from Scratch with Jonathan Merritt

Thu, 13 Sep 2018 05:31:00 +0000

Jonathan Merritt is the author of the brand new book Learning to Speak God from Scratch, and he's also published more than 3500 articles in outlets such as The New York Times, USA Today, The Washington Post, Buzfeed, and many more.

To find out more about Jonathan and to link to the content we discussed in this episode, check out the Show Notes.

Enjoy the podcast!

Episode 162 | The Unlikely Seminarian with Dan Cook

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 11:17:50 +0000

Dan is a good friend of mine who hosts a brand new podcast called The Unlikely Seminarian. Check it out!

And check out this episode's Show Notes for links to all the great stuff we mentioned in the podcast.

Enjoy.

Episode 161 | Now

Thu, 30 Aug 2018 05:31:00 +0000

On today's podcast, I talked about mindfulness. And an eye injury. And a walk in the woods. And asking for help.

Enjoy, my friends!

In this episode:

I mentioned Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh

I want to give you free books! Click here for a chance to get SIX FREE BOOKS all from guests I've recently interviewed (or will interview very soon):

The Eternal Current by Aaron Niequist

Learning to Speak God From Scratch by Jonathan Merritt

Of Mess and Moxie by Jen Hatmaker

I'm Still Here by Austin Channing Brown

A Light So Lovely: The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle, Author of A Wrinkle in Time by Sarah Arthur

Experiments in Honesty by Steve Daugherty

Episode 160 | The Eternal Current with Aaron Niequist

Thu, 23 Aug 2018 05:32:00 +0000

Aaron Niequist is the author of the brand new book, The Eternal Current: How a Practice-Based Faith Can Save us From Drowning.

When the limits of his own faith experience left him feeling spiritually empty, Aaron determined God must have a wider vision for worship and community.

In his search, Aaron discovered that there was historical Christian precedent for enacting faith in a different way, an ancient and now future way of believing. He calls this third way "practice-based faith."

This book is about loving one's faith tradition and, at the same time, following the call to something deeper and richer. By adopting some new spiritual practices, it is possible to learn to swim again with a renewed sense of vigor and divine purpose.

Enjoy!

For more information about Aaron and to connect with more of his work, visit the show notes page.

Episode 159 | Experiments in Honesty with Steve Daugherty

Thu, 16 Aug 2018 05:31:00 +0000

Steve Daugherty is a pastor and counselor, and his most recent book is called Experiments in Honesty.

Visit the ShowNotes page for more information about Steve Daugherty and his work.

Enjoy!

Episode 158 | The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle with Sarah Arthur

Thu, 09 Aug 2018 05:31:00 +0000

Sarah Arthur has just released A Light So Lovely: The Spiritual Legacy of Madeleine L'Engle, Author of A Wrinkle in Time, and it's gorgeous!

I loved this conversation about Madeleine, who is one of my very favorite authors.

For links to all of the content we discussed in the podcast, please visit the show notes page.

Enjoy!

Episode 157 | Rethinking Incarceration with Dominique Gilliard

Thu, 02 Aug 2018 05:15:00 +0000

In Rethinking Incarceration, Dominique Gilliard explores the history and foundation of mass incarceration, examining Christianity’s role in its evolution and expansion. He assesses our nation’s ethic of meritocratic justice in light of Scripture and exposes the theologies that embolden mass incarceration. Gilliard then shows how Christians can pursue justice that restores and reconciles, offering creative solutions and highlighting innovative interventions. God's justice is ultimately restorative, not just punitive. Discover how Christians can participate in the restoration and redemption of the incarceration system.

In our conversation, we talked about:

The United States has 5 percent of the world's population but 25 percent of the world's incarcerated.
We have more people locked up in jails, prisons, and detention centers than any other country in the history of the world. There are more jails and prisons than degree-granting colleges and universities, and in many places, more people live behind bars than on college campuses.
Mass incarceration has become a lucrative industry, and the criminal justice system is plagued with bias and unjust practices. And the church has unwittingly contributed to these problems.

You can get in touch with Dominique Gilliard by following him on Twitter, Facebook, or his website.

Enjoy the podcast!

Episode 156 | I'm Still Here with Austin Channing Brown

Thu, 26 Jul 2018 05:17:00 +0000

Austin Channing Brown is a writer, speaker, and practitioner who helps schools, nonprofits, and religious organizations practice genuine inclusion. Her writing has appeared in outlets like Christianity Today, Relevant, Sojourners, and The Christian Century.

Austin Channing-Brown's new book, I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness has quickly become the book everybody is talking about, and it's well-earned. In story after story what it's like to live as a black woman in a world where white culture is still normalized, her unflinching honesty runs parallel to an invitation to create a better world.

You can follow Austin on Twitter and Facebook, and you can check out her events calendar here.

Enjoy!

Episode 155 | Midrash with Rabbi Alan

Thu, 19 Jul 2018 11:34:52 +0000

You win.

Rabbi Alan is back on the show, and he's talking Midrash, which is an expansive way of viewing the Scriptures that will most likely shatter your brains (in the very best way possible).

If you're new to the podcast, Rabbi Alan is one of my mentors - and one of the greatest influences in my life as far as how I see God and especially how I read the Bible. He's funny, brilliant, and he's been on the podcast six times, so he's no slouch. I love him and you will, too.

And hey, I'm doing a LIVE PODCAST on Friday night, August 10th at Art House North in St. Paul, where I'll be taking the concepts we talked about in this episode even further, so grab your tickets soon. I'll be joined by my friend Shawn Smucker, author of The Day the Angels Fell and the follow-up that just came out, The Edge of Over There. I'll also be joined by my friends Tov Music (Steve and Heidi Haines), who are finishing up their first studio record, and it's some of the best music I've heard in a very long.

Enjoy the podcast then go grab those tickets!

In it together.

Episode 154 | Jen Hatmaker!

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 05:15:00 +0000

Jen Hatmaker is hilarious. And really, really courageous. I unabashedly love her.

We talked about her writing, the Enneagram (of course), and her courageous journey in and out of the evangelical subculture.

What else can I say? It's Jen Hatmaker!

Enjoy.

Episode 153 | Trauma with Aundi Kolber

Thu, 05 Jul 2018 05:17:00 +0000

Aundi Kobler is a therapist who specializes in helping people overcome trauma, especially in helping people understand how trauma is stored in the body differently than other memories.

"According to leading researchers like Bessel van der Kolk and Peter Levine," Kolber writes, "trauma occurs when a person’s natural threat response is activated in their body, but their ability to cope becomes overwhelmed and ultimately stuck in a hyper/hypo vigilant mode. Thus, the traumatic event(s) become “stuck” in a person’s body instead of being stored as a normal memory. This inability to properly integrate the event into the narrative of their life is what results in symptoms such as flashbacks, disturbing thoughts, physical ailments or emotional volatility."

This was such a fascinating conversation - both in terms of understanding bigger traumatic experiences but also smaller ones, which might happen several times in a given day. It was also really helpful for those of us who are trying to support someone who has been through a significant trauma.

Enjoy the podcast!

You can get in touch with Aundi by checking out her website, following her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, and also by reading her published articles below:

Relevant Magazine: 3 Ways to Support Someone Recovering From Trauma

When the Wound is Healing

Huffington Post: Learning to Celebrate in the Middle of Pain

Resources:

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Episode 152 | The Very Worst Missionary with Jamie Wright

Thu, 28 Jun 2018 05:14:00 +0000

Jamie Wright is a writer and speaker best known for her snarky faith and lifestyle blog, Jamie the Very Worst Missionary. She recently published her first book, The Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever. It's gorgeous, raw, hilarious, and deeply moving.

If you're losing your faith, leaving a religious system that no longer works, or if you can no longer pretend that you believe what you actually do not believe, you're going to love Jamie's book and also this conversation.

You can find out more about Jamie here, and you can also follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

Enjoy.

Episode 151 | Race with Daniel Hill

Thu, 21 Jun 2018 05:40:00 +0000

When we're talking about race, diversity, inclusion, and white supremacy, language really matters.

In this episode, I interviewed Daniel Hill, author of the fabulous new book White Awake: An Honest Look at What it Means to be White. One of the most helpful distinctions he draws out is the importance of understanding the narrative of racial difference. Race is a social construct created by human beings to assign different levels of human value onto people on the basis of differences. This profoundly evil construct is what enabled slavery. It enabled White Christians in the south to see no problem in watching a black man get lynched at the same park where they were enjoying their church picnic.

Daniel is the pastor of River City Community Church, a vibrant, multi-ethnic church in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago, and he's also the author of 10:10 Life to the Fullest. You can also connect with Daniel on Twitter.

Enjoy!

Episode 150 | Motherhood and Monasticism with Micha Boyett

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 05:12:00 +0000

Micha Boyett is the author of Found: A Story of Questions, Grace, & Everyday Prayer. She's also a blogger, wife and mom with a Master of Fine Arts in Poetry. Oh - and she's a former youth pastor. I met Micha at the Festival of Faith and Writing last spring, and after talking with her just once, I knew I had to have her on the podcast.

We talked about a lot of things, but what I found most fascinating was how she reframed motherhood as monastical - instead of just doing the daily grind of diapers, bottles, playdates, and losing yourself completely, she began to see it as a way of approaching God through prayer.

I loved our conversation so much that we didn't even get to the main thing I wanted to talk to her about in the first place, so we're trying to schedule a part 2 with Micha. I wanted to talk to her about her youngest son, Ace (which is the BEST name ever) because he has Down Syndrome. Micha is trying to change the cultural conversation about what it's like to have children with Down Syndrome, so she and two other moms who also have kids with Down Syndrome have a killer new podcast called The Lucky Few in which they talk all about it - so check it out!

You can read Micha's writing on her blog, and you can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

Enjoy!

Episode 149 | Immigration with Karen Gonzalez

Thu, 07 Jun 2018 05:24:00 +0000

Karen Gonzalez is an advocate and an ally for immigrants and refugees. She works with World Relief, a nonprofit which helps immigrants and refugees navigate their way through the difficult waters of living in the United States.

We talked all about the challenges that immigrants and refugees face these days in the U.S., we talked about the recent family separation crisis facing immigrants, and we talked about ways that we can get involved to promote change.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Karen's new book is coming out next spring, so make sure to keep an eye out for it. I can't wait to read it.

Enjoy!

Resources we talked about:

Fact Sheet about Families Being Separated at the Border

Love Undocumented

Welcoming the Stranger

How to find out which Congressperson you should call

World Relief

Get in touch with Karen:

Website

Twitter

Instagram

Episode 148 | God's Many Voices with Liz Ditty

Thu, 24 May 2018 13:55:15 +0000

Liz Ditty is a speaker and writer trained through Sustainable Faith as a spiritual director. She loves encouraging others who have heard the wrong story about God to take their questions and hurts straight to God. She's a regular teacher at Westgate Church in the Silicon Valley and lives with her husband and two children in San Jose.

Liz's new book, God's Many Voices is available for pre-order, and you can get in touch with Liz on her website.

Enjoy!

Episode 147 | Life on Trial

Fri, 18 May 2018 14:27:14 +0000

For this week's episode, I did something I have never done before (at least I can't remember doing it) - I am replaying a sermon that I recently preached.

It's called Life on Trial, and in it, I imagine that the biblical concept of "eternal life" is on trial. What does it mean? Who gets to define it? What does Christianity say about it and what does Jesus say about it? And why are those two answers different?

Hope you enjoy this, my friends.

If you'd like to hear other sermons from our church, go here.

Episode 146 | Sonderlust with Reverend Sarah Heath

Thu, 10 May 2018 05:34:00 +0000

Sonder is the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.

Sonderlust is the realization that you are envious of those random passersby because you assume that they are living better lives than you are.

It is also the name of one of my favorite podcasts, hosted by today's guest, my new best friend Sarah Heath. She's a pastor, a speaker who travels all over the United States, and she wrote a great book called What's Your Story. Sonderlust the Podcast explores the journey Sarah is taking after accepting a challenge from her best guy friend John: A year of figuring out exactly how it is she wants to live her life. John gave Sarah four unique challenges, all of which she explores episode-by-episode.

You have to love your job.
You need to go on dates.
You have to love where you live.
You must find friends outside of your work circle.

I loved my conversation with Sarah - she's funny, honest, and wise. Take a listen and then go check out her podcast, but it's a serial podcast, so you have to start with episode one.

You can follow Sarah on Instagram, Twitter, or by checking out her website.

Enjoy!

Episode 145 | Matt Bays Reprise

Thu, 03 May 2018 15:52:00 +0000

Matt Bays is one of those author friends who I consider near and dear, although we've never met in real life. I consider his wisdom to be hard-won, a real gift for the rest of us. His journey has included so much pain, and yet he still finds a way to be hopeful.

Enjoy, my friends.

Episode 144 | You're Building Something, Part 2

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 05:32:00 +0000

In part 1, I wanted to help you keep perspective on the good work that you're doing - whatever it is - and to help you remember that all good work takes time. I hate that there aren't too many satisfying metrics in the "slog time" - those moments where you just have to keep going: whether it's writing, editing, teaching, hammering, cooking, driving, or tutoring.

I also talked about drilling down and trying to name what it is that you're building - beyond just the book, movie, bakery, or curriculum. What bigger thing are you hoping will happen when that smaller thing -the book, movie, poem, recipe, building, business, or whatever - is done.

In part 2, I talked about some examples of times that I've had to keep perspective when I've missed deadlines, when I get jealous of other authors, or when I'm tempted to do somebody else's thing rather than just keep working on building that thing that I'm building. I talked about the critical importance of having a "cutting room floor" file. And I talked about how to know if your idea is still fuzzy, and also how to know if it's ready to pitch to someone.

Enjoy!

Episode 143 | You're Building Something, Part 1

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 15:20:43 +0000

In this episode, I wanted to help you keep perspective on the good work that you're doing - whatever it is - and to help you remember that all good work takes time. I hate that there aren't too many satisfying metrics in the "slog time" - those moments where you just have to keep going: whether it's writing, editing, teaching, hammering, cooking, driving, or tutoring.

Enjoy!

Part two will come out in two days, in which I'll talk more about some examples of times that I've had to keep perspective when I've missed deadlines, when I get jealous of other authors, or when I'm tempted to do somebody else's thing rather than just keep working on building that thing that I'm building.

Episode 142 | Fear with Adam Hamilton

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 05:14:00 +0000

Adam Hamilton is the pastor of Church of the Ressurection in Kansas City, Missouri, and also the author of several books, including his newest, titled Unafraid: Living with Courage and Hope in Uncertain Times. We had a really interesting, practical conversation about fear and how to deal with it in our lives in a way that is productive rather than paralyzing.

You can find out more about Adam's work, including some of the resources he mentioned at the end of the show on his website.

Enjoy!

Episode 141 | The Day After

Thu, 05 Apr 2018 19:12:25 +0000

No matter how big or small your creative effort is, if there comes a time when it gets out there into the world, there will inevitably be "the day after" the big event. What happens on the day after? How do you feel and what do you do?

In this episode, I talked about the four stages of the creative process, from idea to preparation to actually doing it to the day after, and I covered the range of emotions you feel during each stage. I recorded this episode especially for my friend Aaron, who is planting a church this Sunday, and has been through stages one and two, and is about to go through stages three and four.

I hope this is helpful for any of you who are doing anything creative!

At the break in the podcast, I mentioned Author School, which is a course led by Rachelle Gardner, who has helped more than 150 authors bring their idea to published form. She's insightful, super helpful, and this course is great for anyone who is trying to get their manuscript in front of a publisher or is trying to put together a proposal, or a query letter, or is trying to decide whether to self-publish or go the traditional publishing route. For more information, check out Author School.

Episode 140 | We Follow Where it Goes

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 05:08:00 +0000

In this episode, I almost lost my voice. Ha! My passion level for this subject is high to quite high.

I tried to do several things:

1. I talked Ressurection - it's holy week.

2. I talked about why losing your faith is actually good. If we are growing and honest at all, we end up losing our faith many times. It's what happens to healthy people. And then some of us keep following the faith/God/Spirit where it is going.

3. I talked about the vital importance of following where it goes, how to do that, what not to be afraid of, what's normal, and what to expect from other people when we do.

Whew! This was a fun one.

Enjoy.

Episode 139 | Haines Interviews Wiens

Thu, 22 Mar 2018 05:30:00 +0000

One of my dearest friends, Steve Haines, interviewed me on this episode, and it was incredible. He asks such probing, spacious questions. We talked Star Wars, pastoring, spiritual practices, childhood, and Mary Martin Wiens even made a surprise appearance (honestly - we didn't even know she was going to show up) at the end... and she basically stole the show. This one was so much fun.

Enjoy.

Episode 138 | Wiens Interviews Haines

Fri, 16 Mar 2018 04:04:09 +0000

Friends!

I've been waiting to interview one of my dearest friends, Steve Haines, for a really long time, and it finally happened. We talked art, creativity, life, protest, faith, and his new project, Tov Music. At the end, you'll hear a scratch track from one of the songs on his new record, and it's so very good.

I hope you fall in love with Steve like I have. He's one of the best. Next week, you'll hear Haines interview Wiens. So fun!

Enjoy!

To find out more about Steve's new project, visit Tov Music.

Episode 137 | Spiritual Practices that You Might Actually Enjoy

Fri, 09 Mar 2018 15:40:45 +0000

Most people that I talk to feel guilty about their spiritual practices. They feel like they should be doing more, or doing better at them, and because they're failing, God must be really disappointed with them.

Let's quit that nonsense.

In this episode, I introduced some simple, really enjoyable, momentary spiritual practices that could help you attune yourself to God by finding some practices that help you enjoy God.

I really hope this is helpful, and I'd love to hear from you if it was!

Have a great day, my friends.

Episode 136 | Too Much

Thu, 01 Mar 2018 05:32:00 +0000

Have you ever felt like you just can't work on one more thing about yourself without totally imploding? Maybe it's time to quit trying so hard to smooth out all the rough edges. Maybe some things are just a part of the package that is you - and they're not going to change. What if you could give yourself the freedom to let some of those rough things stay rough?

How do you know if that rough part is something you need to work on or something you can just let go?

How do you know who to listen to?

How do you know who to blow off?

This one was a fun one, friends. I'm a firm believer that you can't work on everything, and that you just need to let some rough edges stay rough.

Enjoy!

Episode 135 | Learning to See

Thu, 22 Feb 2018 05:30:00 +0000

In this episode, I talked about getting in touch with the reality that you really don't see as well as you think you do (relax, neither do I).

I told a story about when an undocumented immigrant spoke at our church. I also told a story about a time when Jesus essentially said everybody was blind - except for a blind guy.

Cards face up on the table: I really do want to see more than I currently see. I want to see through the lenses of people who don't believe what I believe, who don't look like me, and who have widely different perspectives. So I talked about one way to get there.

Enjoy the podcast, my friends.

Episode 134 | How a Secret-Keeper Became a Storyteller with Laura Parrott Perry

Thu, 15 Feb 2018 05:34:00 +0000

Oh, my sweet Lord. This is one of my favorite episodes.

Laura Parrott Perry is the author of a brand new book called She Wrote it Down: How at Secret-Keeper Became a Storyteller. It's penetrating, gorgeous, raw, hopeful, and at times hilarious. I loved it.

Laura says that we all live inside our stories and we make homes of them. But when our stories become secrets, those homes become prisons. If you have a story you are not telling anyone, anywhere, in any way - that is not privacy, it's secrecy. The difference between privacy and secrecy is simple: Shame. A lifelong secret-keeper, Laura Parrott Perry began the process of transforming into a storyteller when the dark secrets she'd been carrying around became too heavy and her life began to collapse under the weight of them. Sexual abuse, eating disorders, alcohol, perfectionism... Those secrets were all Laura's story that was making itself known when she was unwilling to tell it. Bit by bit, story by story, Laura began to shine a light into all those dark corners and tell the truth. She surrendered to the facts of her life and her past, and in doing so began to write a beautiful new future.

Fair Warning: This episode contains stories of childhood sexual abuse.

You guys, this conversation was so beautiful, so hopeful, and so honest. If your story is making itself known in any unsettling way because you are keeping it a secret, I hope Laura's words help.

Laura is also the co-founder of a nonprofit called Say it Survivor, which is committed to raise awareness and remove the stigma surrounding sexual abuse by telling our story shamelessly and encouraging other survivors to do the same.

You can get in touch with Laura through her website, Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Enjoy the podcast!

Episode 133 | Tree of Lies with Scott Perkins

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 05:12:00 +0000

Scott Perkins was on staff at a large church, had a marriage that looked like it was thriving from the outside. But on the inside, he was exhausted and looking for an escape hatch. So he resigned his position, separated from his wife, and started a new relationship. That's how his book Tree of Lies begins.

Scott went on a long journey where he eventually discovered that focusing on behaviors and trying hard to get it right is not the path to God, it's the path to burnout. In this conversation, we covered lots of ground: we talked about true self and false self, freedom and rest, and how to get honest about your actual life.

Enjoy.

Links we discussed on the show:

Tree of Lies book

The Deeper Journey by Robert Mulholland

His Worksheet to assess your life

Tree of Lies Website

Episode 132 | Permission

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 05:23:00 +0000

Just in the last few years, it seems as though the tide of culture, in general, is sweeping everybody away from their true, essential selves and into the quagmire of tribe and groupthink. It's becoming harder and harder to know who you are, what you think, and how you feel. It's becoming harder and harder to spend time on what's genuinely important.

During this episode, I shared some stories, practices, and questions that might help you to regain a sense of your essential self. These include learning to say the shortest, truest thing, knowing how to identify toxic relationships (and giving yourself permission to set boundaries and even leave them), and learning to simply sit with the Divine and experience God's love, who accepts you as you are and not as you should be.

Enjoy.

Episode 131 | Presence and Process with Daniel P. Coleman

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 05:32:00 +0000

This episode is for anyone who has jettisoned a theological framework that couldn't hold your deep questions and your desire to see an integrated thread of seemingly different traditions.

Danny Coleman grew up in the charismatic stream of Evangelical Christianity, where his particular church put sole emphasis on that future moment when all will someday be made new by Jesus at his second coming. Danny kept wondering if there was more, and it led him to a house church, then the Quakers, then... this book. It is refreshing and hopeful. Coleman's view combines Christian contemplation, Buddhist meditation, and process theology in developing a transformative and inclusive view of God, each other, and the universe. This episode will stretch your thinking, most likely. Enjoy!

Connect with Daniel by heading over to his website, or by viewing this brief video or this one (where he discusses process theology). You can buy his book here.

Episode 130 | Influence

Thu, 18 Jan 2018 15:38:59 +0000

What difference are you making in the world, and how can you know if you're wasting your time?

Who are you to think that you have influence over people in a way that might make their life better?

How do you know your own sphere of influence? How can you tell where it starts and where it stops?

How can you grow healthier in the way that you view influence?

In this episode, I tackled the dirty word "influence." I believe you can be wrecked by constantly wanting more and more influence, always hungry for the affirmation that it never really gives. But I also believe there is a way to think about influence that is healthy, necessary and life-giving.

Enjoy.

Books & Podcasts I mentioned:

The Typology Podcast with Ian Morgan Cron

The Road Back to You Podcast with Suzanne Stabile and Ian Morgan Cron

The Road Back to You book by Suzanne Stabile and Ian Morgan Cron

The Sacred Enneagram by Chris Heuertz

Episode 129 | Unarmed Empire with Sean Palmer

Thu, 11 Jan 2018 16:58:49 +0000

Sean Palmer is the teaching pastor of Ecclesia Houston, a diverse church in the heart of downtown Houston. Ecclesia has been a huge part of the recovery efforts after Hurricane Harvey nearly destroyed the city, raising more than $2 million dollars and hosting volunteers from all around the world, putting them to work at rebuilding.

Sean and I talked a lot about the church - particularly how it can be a beloved community in the world once again. His new book, Unarmed Empire: In Search of Beloved Community, is a powerful message of hope about the church in 2018 and beyond.

You can get in touch with Sean on Facebook and Twitter, and by listening to his podcast, Not So Black and White.

Enjoy.

Episode 128 | Talking About God with Steve Saccone

Thu, 04 Jan 2018 05:42:00 +0000

Steve Saccone is a pioneer in the field of unrestricted education and leadership development. For more than a decade, he has partnered with churches nationwide, as well as globally, to design and launch innovative internship programs called Protégé. His work in and with local churches has equipped many to develop transformational leaders and more effective leadership pipelines. He has written several books, including Relational Intelligence, Protégé, The Protege Playbook, and his latest one, Talking About God: Honest Conversations About Spirituality.

I've known Steve for more than a decade, and his compassion for people shines brightly in this conversation, and also in this book. Please check out his website for more information, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Enjoy!

Episode 127 | Light with Rabbi Alan

Thu, 28 Dec 2017 05:31:00 +0000

Rabbi Alan is back!

Well, sort of. It's been so long since I've had him on that I needed to resurrect this brilliant episode that we recorded last Christmas. Because - maybe you missed it then, or you are new around here. Either way, you're going to love Rabbi Alan.

Enjoy.

Episode 126 | Ash Gallagher Lives in Northern Iraq

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 05:48:00 +0000

I met Ash Gallagher in southern California, but that's not where she lives. She's a correspondent and producer working and living in the middle east, covering stories in Iraq, Israel, and Palestine. Our conversation was broad-ranging - we talked about the effect that President Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel is having on Palestinians, and we talked about the heroic spirit of the Iraqi people. She's knowledgeable, gritty, and hopeful.

Enjoy!

You can get in touch with Ash by checking out her website or by following her on Instagram.

Other resources mentioned in this episode:

Rabbis For Human Rights

Lynne Hybels

Preemptive Love Coalition

Episode 125 | The Sine Waves of Advent

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 05:39:00 +0000

Inhale, exhale. Waking, sleeping.Working, resting. Giving, receiving. Day, night. Grabbing hold of, letting go. Confronting, forgiving.

All of life is based on Sine Waves - we go up, we come down. Advent especially is a time to recognize those places where we've gotten stuck and are no longer moving through the regular rhythms. It's a time to cry out in desperation. It's also a time to receive comfort from the God who actually cares.

Enjoy.

Episode 124 | The Good Gift

Thu, 07 Dec 2017 05:32:00 +0000

So what is the Eucharist?

Maybe you call it the Lord's Supper, or Communion, or Holy Communion, or the Common Table, or something else entirely. Maybe you celebrate it daily or weekly at Mass. Maybe you celebrate it monthly at church. Maybe you don't think about it or celebrate it at all.

Well, it's one of my very favorite things. To practice and also to talk about.

In this episode, I talked about the language and history of the Eucharist and about where it's found in the Scriptures. I told a story about a time that the Eucharist changed every atom in my body, and I offered a new way to think about practicing the Eucharist.

Enjoy the podcast.

Episode 123 | Truth

Thu, 30 Nov 2017 16:57:33 +0000

Where can we find truth in a culture where everybody feels lied to all the time?

What happens to the psyche of a people who feel lied to?

In this episode, I compared and contrasted three definitions of truth - and explored what it would look like to reimagine a culture full of people who graciously carried truth, not like a weapon, but like a firm place to stand in a culture where everything feels like quicksand and fog.

Enjoy!

Episode 122 | Theology For the Rest of Us

Thu, 23 Nov 2017 05:39:00 +0000

I have a strong suspicion that many of my listeners and readers are the kind of people who hate Christian cliches and who are tempted to throw away their faith because of troubling doctrines like...

Hell - how can we possibly believe that a loving God could decide that anyone needs to spend an eternity of conscious torment?

A Violent God - how does the God we seem to see in the Old Testament square with Jesus?

The church - are we at the beginning of a new reformation?

Sound like you?

In this episode, I tackled all three, in the hopes that you might find a way to hang on to your faith, but also explore some new ways to see some old things.

Some of the resources I mentioned in this episode:

The Four Views of Hell

Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

CrossVision

Enjoy!

My work:

Purchase my new book, Whole: Restoring What's Broken in Me, You, and the Entire World here!

I host a weekly podcast. I write books. I have a website. I am the pastor of a great little church. I am sometimes available to travel to hang with your tribe to help you all become more you. And yes, I do Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Oh, and if you’d like to stay up to date with my writing and events and such, you can subscribe to my email list. There. We’re all caught up.

Episode 121 | The Little Falls Edition

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 05:45:00 +0000

I recorded this podcast on location in Little Falls, Minnesota, which is something that most podcasters only dream about.

Ha!

During this episode, I talked about five ways that I'm trying to tend to my own soul in this time of angst, extreme reaction, polarization, and overall insanity. I hope it helps you! It helped me to stop and think about some tangible ways to stop the insanity.

Enjoy!

Episode 120 | Just Can't Get Enough of Kaitlin Curtice

Thu, 09 Nov 2017 05:57:00 +0000

Kaitlin's brand new book, Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in Everyday Places is out, and it's gorgeous. You're going to want to get it RIGHT NOW. We live in a hurricane generation, and we're getting uprooted all. the. time. Kaitlin's book has a grounding effect; it is a slow kindness that will spread all throughout your being.

Kaitlin is a Native American writer, teacher, and worship leader. You can get in touch with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and on her website, where you can read her blog and book her for a speaking event.

Enjoy!

Episode 119 | Spiritual Abuse with Carol Howard Merritt

Thu, 02 Nov 2017 05:51:00 +0000

A pastor for almost two decades, Carol Howard Merritt as served Presbyterian (USA) churches in the swamps of Cajun Louisiana, a bayside village in Rhode Island, and an urban neighborhood of Washington, DC. Her committee and board work with the church includes serving as Moderator of the Special General Assembly Committee on the Nature of the Church in the 21st Century. This breadth and depth of practical experience informs her consultations with denominational governing bodies, seminaries, and local churches.

The award-winning author of Tribal Church: Ministering to the Missing Generation, Reframing Hope: Vital Ministry in a New Generation, and Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God After Experiencing a Hurtful Church. Carol is a frequent contributor to books, websites, magazines, and journals. She is a regular writer at the Christian Century where her blog is hosted.

Carol is an Adjunct Faculty member at Dubuque Theological Seminary and a Senior Consultant at Center for Progressive Renewal. She is a founder and host of UNCO, an open-space “unconference” that attracts church leaders across denominations and generations. Since 2011, a growing community of participants meets to generate ideas and develop plans for ministry.

You can find Carol on Twitter, Facebook, and on her website.

Episode 118 | Start

Thu, 26 Oct 2017 05:44:00 +0000

I want to help you get started on that thing you've been dreaming about, but you haven't started yet.

That book.

That podcast.

That piece of technology.

That film.

That nonprofit.

That church.

That piece of art.

That piece of jewelry you want to put on Etsy.

That small business.

I've been creating things for my entire life, and if I could sit down with you and hear about the thing that you're dreaming about, I'd want to ask you the five questions that I talked about in this episode.

And there is a special invitation at the end - because I believe this world is going to be better the sooner you get your idea out there in the real world.

Enjoy, friends.

Episode 117 | Time is a Bully

Thu, 19 Oct 2017 05:44:00 +0000

We waste time. We spend time. We wish time would slow down, or speed up.

Mostly, we're all too aware that there's not enough time for everything we want to squeeze in.

Time is a bully.

But what if there was a different way to look at time? How can we capture those moments that are ripe with life, brimming with hope, and exploding with possibility?

In this episode, I talk about two different kinds of time: Chronos time, and Kairos time.

Enjoy.

Episode 116: Love Big, Be Well with Winn Collier

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 05:52:00 +0000

Winn Collier is the pastor of All Souls Charlottesville, and he just wrote an "epistolary novel" called Love Big, Be Well: Letters To a Small Town Church, which I devoured in 3 hours. Winn is a pastor's pastor, with a sacramental, hopeful outlook on what it means to be faithful in an age that is being formed by the dumpster fire that is social media.

This was the first time that Winn and I talked, but from the very beginning, I knew he was a kindred spirit. If you need to get a sense of hope, this is the person to listen to. Then go out and get this book - it feels like coming home.

You can connect with Winn on his website, on Facebook, or Instagram.

Music on today's episode is by Sara Groves (He's Always Been Faithful)

Enjoy!

Episode 115: Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God with Brian Zahnd

Thu, 05 Oct 2017 05:41:00 +0000

Nearly three hundred years ago, a young preacher by the name of Jonathan Edwards gave a sermon called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," which has aruably become the most influential sermon in the history of the Evangelical church. In it, he says “The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood.”

Lovely image.

Brian Zahnd is the founding pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. When he was in his twenties, he was greatly affected by Edwards' vision of God as angry, violent and retributive. "What I did know was that I liked Jesus," Zahnd says, "But I was really scared of his Dad, the faceless white giant with obvious anger issues."

In his brand new book, Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good News, Zahnd paints a very different, very biblical portrait of God: one that looks like Jesus. In it, he asks questions like: Is seeing God primarily as wrathful toward sinners true or biblical? Is fearing God a normal expected behavior? And where might the natural implications of this theological framework lead us?

I loved this book, and I loved my conversation with Brian.

Enjoy!

Oh, and Here is the hilarious and poignant youtube video of "Fyodor Dostoyevsky" reviewing Brian's book.

Music on today's episode is by Masss (Silver Collar)

Episode 114: Puerto Rico with Carlos A. Rodriguez

Thu, 28 Sep 2017 05:44:00 +0000

Carlos A. Rodriquez was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and he's traveling there early next week with as many water filters as possible so that people can have access to clean water. Please join me by donating here so that Carlos can get thousands of water filters to people in need. They cost $13 apiece, so please consider being generous!

Carlos is a pastor in North Carolina, and he's also the author of Simply Sonship, and his brand new book, Drop The Stones.

Oh, and make sure to check out his podcast - he has had some amazing conversations with people like Brian Zahnd, Brian McLaren, Richard Rohr, and others.

Carlos is hilarious, deep, gentle, and I loved my conversation with him. Enjoy!

The music on today's episode is from Stefan Van Voorst (Halfway).

Episode 113: Forgiveness

Wed, 20 Sep 2017 05:43:00 +0000

Let's be honest: Forgiveness is so very hard.

I suppose that we all know that letting go would be of some value to our own personal well being; we just can't seem to be able to do it. Or maybe you've been to church and you were told that you "had to" forgive, which only heaped shame and guilt on your already burdened shoulders.

So let's not do that.

But let's talk about forgiveness. What isn't it? What is it? And how can we move towards it, even when it feels impossible?

Enjoy.

Music on today's episode is from my brilliant friend Matt Moberg (Tangled Up)

Episode 112: Richard Rohr

Thu, 14 Sep 2017 05:41:00 +0000

Richard Rohr is a Franciscan Friar, and the author of many bestselling books, including Everything Belongs, Falling Upward, and The Divine Dance. I met him last summer when a few other pastors spent a weekend with Father Richard at the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was hilarious, wise, deep, generous with his time, and we all loved our time with him. So when I reached out to him to be on the podcast, and he graciously agreed, I couldn't wait to share him with you. He's one of the most influential theologians of the 21st century, and is way ahead of his time.

Enjoy!

Music on today's podcast is The Prayer of St. Francis, performed by Meredith Van Voorst.

Episode 111 | Inner Sobriety with Seth Haines

Thu, 07 Sep 2017 15:22:42 +0000

This is the second time I've had Seth on the podcast - I love this guy. September is National Recovery month, so in this episode, we talked about how his understanding of sobriety has matured since Coming Clean: A Story of Faith came out two years ago. We talked about the foundational principle that God has created everything for good - including sex and beer. But we also talked about the pursuit of the deeper desire of intimacy with Christ that seems both elusive and right in front of our face.

Enjoy the podcast!

And then connect with Seth on his website, or by subscribing to his Tiny Letters, or by joining his Patreon Community. And make sure to grab a copy of Coming Clean.

Music on today's episode is from Andy Gullahorn (Song: I Want to Be Well).

Episode 110 | Dialogue

Thu, 31 Aug 2017 20:48:47 +0000

Emotions are so raw right now. White supremacy, CNN, Alt-Right, Alt-Left, Fake News, Fox & Friends, Antifa, President Trump, Nashville Statement... the list goes on and on.

We all know what instant reaction looks like.

What does dialogue look like? Is it possible to learn more about each other, even while holding wildly differing views? How do we give dignity to someone when we disagree? How do we learn from someone even if we don't change our mind?

In this episode, I talk about tangible ways to enter into dialogue with "the other" - not necessarily to adopt their point of view, but to humanize them instead of caricaturing them.

Enjoy.

Music on this episode is from Stefan Van Voorst (song: Love Will Show its Face)

Episode 109 | Whole, Part 2

Thu, 24 Aug 2017 05:49:00 +0000

"When something shatters, the broken pieces find their way into hidden cracks and crevices. Then they end up inside of us, causing pain, especially to the most vulnerable. It’s easy to walk past the fragments of brokenness. We’re busy and overwhelmed. And maybe that particular piece of jagged glass hasn’t hurt you. But it is hurting someone.

Last night, I watched a video showing a five-year-old boy in Aleppo, Syria, being pulled from a burning building and placed in an ambulance. His home had just been bombed, and he was covered in dust, stunned. The left side of his face was bloody, but he didn’t say a word. He didn’t cry. He simply touched his face with his hand and then wiped that blood on the orange seat where he sat.

Who is going to pull the jagged glass out of his mouth?

I’m a pastor, and I live in the suburbs, far away from buildings that get bombed. But I see jagged glass everywhere. Last Sunday at church, a dad came up to me with tears in his eyes. “He’s back in treatment,” he choked out, speaking of his youngest son and the addiction that keeps getting the best of him. I hugged this brokenhearted dad, prayed with him, and held him as he cried."

That's from the preface of my second book, Whole: Restoring What is Broken in Me, You, and the Entire World, which just released on Tuesday, August 22nd. This one took a long time to write. Lots of editing, lots of head scratching in front of a blinking cursor. I felt lost a lot of the time. But I'm really, really proud of what came together.

My good friend Becky read it several weeks ago, and we spent about an hour discussing what went into writing this book, and why it's important for this time in our world. This is part 2. You can listen to Part 1 here.

Enjoy!

Music from this week's episode is from Joel Hanson (song: Let Me Tell You Everything).

Episode 108 | Whole, Part 1

Thu, 17 Aug 2017 05:41:00 +0000

Who is going to pull the jagged glass out of his mouth?

That's from the preface of my second book, Whole: Restoring What is Broken in Me, You, and the Entire World, which is set to release on Tuesday, August 22nd. This one took a long time to write. Lots of editing, lots of head scratching in front of a blinking cursor. I felt lost a lot of the time. But I'm really, really proud of what came together.

My good friend Becky read it several weeks ago, and we spent about an hour discussing what went into writing this book, and why it's important for this time in our world. Part 2 will be next week.

Enjoy!

Music from this week's episode is from Joel Hanson (song: Let Me Tell You Everything).

Episode 107 | What Falls From the Sky with Esther Emery

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 05:45:00 +0000

Esther Emery was lost: her marriage was a mess, her career had stalled out, and she didn't know what to do. So she decided to go off of the internet for a year. A YEAR.

Then she wrote a book about that experience, and it's gorgeous, thoughtful, and challenging. Her book is called What Falls from the Sky: How I Disconnected from the Internet and Reconnected with the God Who Made the Clouds. It's so good.

Here's what Sarah Bessey has to say about Esther's book:

"You've never read a book like this one: frankly self-deprecating, boldly complex, intense, joyfully honest, devastatingly beautiful, heartbreakingly funny. What Falls From the Sky is about so much more than one woman's year without the internet, it's about marriage and choices, faith and rest, community and family, grief and hope, food and dirt, all the thigns that make our lives worth living. It is impossible to live an unexamined life with Esther as your friend. She is completely herself and so her story sings of freedom within the silence and even within the noise."

I loved my conversation with Esther, and I think you will, too. Get in touch with Esther and all she does by visiting her website.

The music on today's episode is from Nichole Nordeman (Beautiful Day).

Episode 106 | Finding God in the Waves with Science Mike McHargue

Thu, 03 Aug 2017 05:41:00 +0000

I wasn't ready for how much I would enjoy my conversation with Science Mike - I've heard his voice a bunch on his own podcast (Ask Science Mike) and The Liturgists - his story is expansive, rich, beautiful, and hopeful. We talked about God, fundamentalism, Spiral Dynamics, America, and... Ghostbusters.

Mike McHargue (better known as Science Mike) is an author, podcaster, and speaker who travels the world helping people understand the science of life's most profound experiences. His bestselling debut book, Finding God in the Waves, has helped thousands understand faith in the 21st century.

Mike hosts Ask Science Mike, a weekly question and answer podcast helping hundreds of thousands explore the questions they've always been afraid to ask. He cohosts The Liturgists Podcast with his friend Michael Gungor. With over a million downloads per month, The Liturgists Podcast is reshaping how the spiritually homeless and frustrated relate to God.

Mike frequently appears before sold-out audiences in New York, Chicago, and London. He's a favorite for churches, colleges, and conferences exploring the intersection of science and faith, with recent stops at The University of Georgia, Mars Hill Church (Grand Rapids), The Wild Goose Conference, and Google. Mike is a frequent contributor to RELEVANT magazine, Storyline, BioLogos, and The Washington Post. He's also a frequent guest on radio program and podcasts worldwide, including recent interviews on SiriusXM and NPR.

Mike McHargue is one of those rare voices that can speak knowledgeably and authentically about both science and faith. He's a for anyone looking to dig deeper into doubt, atheism, and how God rewires our brains. Mike's mix of honesty, humor, and affability allow him to connect with remarkably diverse audiences.

Episode 105 | God, Part 3: Tribes

Thu, 27 Jul 2017 05:45:00 +0000

I've been enjoying my sporadic series on God - I hope you have, too. In case you missed the first two episodes, here are the links to Part 1 and Part 2.

In this episode, I talked about the inevitable association that nearly all of us will have with a religious tribe - that group of people with whom we share spiritual affinity, similar beliefs, and shared values. I also talked about what happens when you feel like you no longer fit within that tribe, how to process that in a healthy way, and how to move into something different. I talked about how to lose your tribe without losing your faith.

I talked about closed systems, broken systems, and open systems.

I talked about what Jesus was really talking about when he said he didn't come to bring peace, but a sword, and that you're supposed to hate your father and mother.

And I talked about how to graciously keep growing, even when it's confusing to you and everybody else.

Enjoy the podcast.

P.S. I also mentioned my new book that's coming out on August 22nd! Take a look!

Music on today's episode by my good friend Matt Moberg.

Episode 104 | At Home in the World with Tsh Oxenreider

Thu, 20 Jul 2017 13:48:22 +0000

Tsh Oxenreider (yep, that's how you spell it) is the author of Notes from a Blue Bike, Organized Simplicity, and At Home in the Word: Reflections on Belonging While Wandering the Globe. She's also the founder of the community blog The Art of Simple, and she hosts the top ranked podcast The Simple Show.

Tsh and her husband Kyle and their three kids sold their house, put their furniture in storage, and spent nine months traveling the globe. They went to China, Singapore, Australia, Uganda, France, Croatia, and beyond, "world-schooling" their kids (look it up, it's a thing) and experiencing wanderlust and contentment.

I loved catching up with Tsh, and I think you'll be inspired by her story of adventure alongside ordinariness.

Episode 103 | The Listening Day with Paul Pastor

Thu, 13 Jul 2017 05:34:00 +0000

Paul Pastor is a writer living in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge. His writing on Christian spirituality has won numerous awards and critical recognition for its beauty, insight, and depth. Paul just released The Listening Day: Meditations on the Way, Volume One. In it are 91 reflections, meditations, and thougths on the bible and spirituality - you might call it a poetic devotional for those who think devotionals lack beauty and depth. This book is thoughtful, lyrical, and beautiful. I enjoyed my conversation with Paul, and I think you will, too. Paul is also providing a free 12-week group discussion guide based on The Listening Day. Download for free here.

Episode 102 | The Beatitudes with Stu G

Thu, 06 Jul 2017 05:12:00 +0000

On this week's episode, I chatted with my friend Stu G, who has just released a beautiful record and also a book into the world, centered on the paradoxical teachings of Jesus in the beatitudes - blessed are the poor, those who mourn, the merciful, the meek, which directly contrasts today's measures of who is blessed and who is not. I've had the chance to sit around a campfire late into the night with Stu, who is brilliant, humble, and so gifted. Here's what Stu G has to say about words:

I am in love with words - a would-be poet even - but am often at a loss for what to say. I used to think I spoke best through my guitar, but I now see how easy it is to hide behind the ambiguity of music. I am more enthralled by the power of words, which can bring life and death. Words are dangerous - even controversial - depending on how they are used or interpreted. Like the teaching of Jesus, I want to be challenged - though it can be painful and fearful. And I want to challenge others - encouraging them to take risks and embrace adventure, to share their hopes and fears, and to live the questions to the answers they seek. I myself am a thinker who is always questioning, always wrestling, always trying to find a better way. I used to live for the future, like weekends or holidays. I used to say, ‘One day I will do this or that.’ But all we have been promised is today. ‘Today is the day of salvation,’ says St. Paul. In an age of social media, we need to work at being present to others, to the task at hand, and to stay in the moment - living for eternity but in the here and now. The new ‘now’ for me is one of community and collaboration - of creating with and performing for a wider group of people. I’m passionate about the connection we make when God inhabits the creative space between artists and seekers. For me this is an authentic expression of church and a foretaste of heaven.

Check out more information about Stu's book, record, and upcoming film here.

You can support me on Patreon here.

My work:

I host a weekly podcast. I wrote a book. I have a website. I am the pastor at a great little church. I am sometimes available to travel to hang with your tribe to help you all become more you. And yes, I do Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Oh, and if you’d like to stay up to date with my writing and events and such, you can subscribe to my email list. There. We’re all caught up.

Episode 101 | Break Open the Sky with Stephan Bauman

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 05:16:00 +0000

Stephan Bauman is a new friend who has written a courageous new book called Break Open The Sky: Saving Our Faith From a Culture of Fear. Stephan is the former President of World Relief, and he has seen firsthand in some of the most difficult places in the world how it is possible to embrace love in the face of fear. He describes his book this way: "An expedition into living a life of authentic faith, free from the fear that so often plagues our faith communities. We can either turn away or choose to be brave. The journey is not for the faint of heart.

As I have gotten to know Stephan, what I appreciate most is that his fierce message is wrapped in his own humility. He's gentle and winsome, and therefore I am finding his message irresistible.

Enjoy the podcast.

Music on today's episode is by Andy Gullahorn (Song: If You Want to Love Someone).

Episode 100 | In Which I am Interviewed

Thu, 22 Jun 2017 05:26:00 +0000

For the 100th episode, my brothers in law (Joel and Adam) decided to turn the tables and interview me. I'd say I was nervous, but that would be lying. I had a blast and I couldn't wait to do it. We talked curiosity, God, writing, my next book, creativity, and so many other things. 100 episodes????? Whaaaaaat????

Music on today's episode is by Joel Hanson (Song: Keep On Singing).

Episode 99 | God, Part 2: Deconstructing Dualism

Thu, 15 Jun 2017 05:17:00 +0000

So, let's talk about God. What is God? Where is God? Who is God? And how does God inhabit our stories, our hopes, our fears and our dreams? Where is God taking all of this, if God is taking all of this anywhere at all?

In this series - and I have no idea how many episodes it will take - I'm going to do what I do: I'm going to share my own journey of understanding God, I'm going to talk about some odd, poignant and interesting stories in the Scriptures, and I'm going to invite you to show up with your story as well.

In the second episode of this series, I talked about the universal temptation to label and judge everything in comparison to something else, and to decide that one is good, and one is bad. We learn this as children, and it's very helpful. But if we don't learn to hold the tension of two seemingly opposing thoughts, we'll always choose sides, we'll only seek out the facts that support our side, and we'll dehumanize the other side (the enemy). There's a better way. Enjoy!

Music on today's episode was by Grayshot (Song: You Know the Way).

Episode 98 | The Light is Winning with Zach Hoag

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 05:44:00 +0000

Zach Hoag is one of many people who are noticing declining church attendance in the United States. Unlike many people who see it as a collapse, a loss, or even a death, Zach sees a surprising resurrection happening just below the surface. He calls this post-Christian reality an "apocalypse" in the truest sense of the word: a revealing is happening, and it just might be the best thing to happen to the church.

"Could it be," Hoag writes in his brand new book, The Light is Winning: Why Religion Just might Bring us Back to Life, "that what this apocalypse is revealing is our need not merely to be spiritual or merely to cling to religious ritual but to embrace a spiritually resurrected religion? To inhabit the rooted religious practices that can sustain us over the long haul and bring life to the world?"

I loved my conversation with Zach. He's humble, funny, brilliant, and I sincerely believe he's on to something really rich here. The Light is Winning is a story of death, resurrection, and a brilliant new beginning. It's the story of how the church will resurrect, revive, root down and find true flourishing.

It's the story of letting there be light. You can purchase Zach's insightful new book here.

Enjoy!

Music on today's episode is by Matt Moberg (song: Pirate Song).

Episode 97 | God Part 1

Thu, 08 Jun 2017 15:40:58 +0000

In this first episode, I talked about the three reasons I'm doing this series: (1) I am part of a larger phenomenon that I believe is happening globally - we are in the middle of a massive shift in how we understand God, each other, and the world; (2) The most common question I get is why I have such a love affair with the Hebrew language and the Hebrew Scriptures - and so I want to take that further into how it helps me understand God outside of my own categories and my unconscious narrative; and (3) I want to give you a third way of understanding God apart from the tired progressive/conservative binary.

This is meant to be a conversation starter. So let's converse!

Music on today's episoe was by Matt Moberg (song: Minnesota Man).

Please check out my Patreon Page for lots of new content that you can only find there.

Episode 96 | I'll Push You with Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck

Tue, 06 Jun 2017 05:13:00 +0000

Born just over 36 hours apart, Justin & Patrick are life-long friends with a rich, deep relationship that spans beyond 40 years. They travel together, live life together through its ups and downs, and most importantly, will do anything for each other.

I had such an amazing, inspiring time talking to Justin and Patrick on this week's podcast. I can't wait for you to get to know them and their remarkable story.

Over the past 20+ years, a progressive neuromuscular disease has slowly taken away Justin’s ability to use his arms and legs. From each morning until night, Justin requires daily assistance in every aspect of life such as eating, getting dressed, bathing and even using the restroom.

In the spring of 2012, Justin learned about the Camino de Santiago while watching Rick Steves on Public Access TV. Soon after, Justin asked his lifelong friend, Patrick, what he thought about tackling the ancient pilgrimage. Patrick's response was simple and direct. He said, “I’ll push you.”

Two years later, they started their journey and had absolutely no idea how they would make the 500 miles from the southwest of France to the Cathedral in Santiago; over several mountain ranges like the Pyrenees, through rivers, and across the vast “desert of Spain" called the Meseta… they just knew they had to get there.

Justin and Patrick had to rely on the help and strength of friends, acquaintances and even complete strangers in order to navigate the many challenges they faced on their 35-day journey.

Since returning from Spain, they have used their heartfelt storytelling to share the comical details of their journey… the joys, the struggles, the beautiful relationships, and the lessons they learned in faith, hope, love and friendship.

Go to I'll Push You to find out all the details about the book and the film, book Justin and Patrick to speak at your church, business, or school, and purchase their book, I'll Push You.

Enjoy the podcast!

My work:

Episode 95 | HopeMob with Leroy Barber and Todd Hiestand

Thu, 01 Jun 2017 14:51:59 +0000

Leroy Barber has dedicated more than 25 years to eradicating poverty, confronting homelessness, restoring local neighborhoods, healing racism, and living what Dr. King called “the beloved community.”

In 1989, burdened by the plight of Philadelphia’s homeless population, he and his wife Donna founded Restoration Ministries, a non-profit created to serve homeless families and children living on the streets. In 1994 he became Director of the Internship Program at Cornerstone Christian Academy. Licensed and ordained at Mt Zion Baptist Church, he served as Youth Director with Donna, and as the Associate Minister of Evangelism. In 1997, he joined FCS Urban Ministries in Atlanta, GA and worked with the Atlanta Youth Project as the founding Executive Director of Atlanta Youth Academies, a private elementary school providing quality Christian education for low-income families in the inner city. He went on to plant and pastor Community Life Church, a missional congregation in southeast Atlanta, and served as the Atlanta City Director for Mission Year, a national year-long urban ministry program focused on service and discipleship. In 2007 Leroy became President of Mission Year and led the organization until 2013. He also served as Co-Executive Director of FCS Urban Ministries from 2009 to 2013 and as Global Executive Director of Word Made Flesh from 2013 to 2015.

Leroy is currently the Executive Director of The Voices Project and Holla Mentors, organizations committed to supporting and developing leaders of color. He serves on the boards of the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA), The Simple Way and EEN, the Evangelical Environmental Network. He is the author of Embrace: God's Radical Shalom for a Divided World, Everyday Missions: How Ordinary People Can Change the World (IVP), Red, Brown, Yellow, Black, White: Who’s More Precious in God’s Sight?(Jericho). He was also a contributor to Tending to Eden, and the groundbreaking book UnChristian: What a New Generation Thinks about Christianity and Why It Matters.

Leroy has been married to Donna for the past 31 years and together they have five children – Jessica, Joshua, Joel, Asha Joy and Jonathan.

Please consider contributing to HopeMob!

Enjoy the podcast.

Music on today's episode was by Matt Moberg (Bravery Songs)

Episode 94 | Brave is the New Beautiful with Lee Wolfe Blum

Thu, 25 May 2017 05:33:00 +0000

Lee Wolfe Blum is the honest, vulnerable, and hopeful author of Brave is the New Beautiful: Finding the Courage to Be the Real You. Lee's first book, Table in the Darkness: A Healing Journey Through an Eating Disorder, chronicles her journey with an eating disorder and exercise addition that landed her in the hospital with clinical depression.

Lee offers stories from everyday women who have found true beauty in the process of discovering how to become who they really are. In Brave Is the New Beautiful, Blum weaves reflections from her own journey with inspirational stories from everyday women who chose to take off their masks and live authentically.

This is a gorgeous book, and Lee's heart and passion comes through so clearly in this conversation. You can follow Lee's writing on her website, and you can also follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Music on today's episode is by Ellie Holcomb (song: The Valley).

Episode 93 | Writing with Shawn Smucker (Correct Version!)

Tue, 23 May 2017 18:30:56 +0000

Peeps! I mistakenly released the wrong mp3 file for the Shawn Smucker conversation earlier today. This is the right one! Sorry about that!

I first heard of Shawn Smucker when one of my friends came home from the Festival of Faith and Writing and said, "Steve. I got to meet SHAWN SMUCKER." And then he went on to gush. And the guy that was gushing is a phenomenal writer himself. I honestly hadn't heard of Shawn, but that changed quickly. Shawn is a gorgeous writer, who has written quite a few books, including Building a Life Out of Words, which tells the story of when he quit his job and started writing full time. He's currently writing a novel (I am terrified of writing fiction), and he talks about it on the podcast. If you are a writer, or want to be a writer, or simply love words, you're going to love this conversation. Music on today's episode is from Sara Groves (song: My Dream).

Episode 92 | Villains, Victims, and Heroes with Lola Wright

Thu, 18 May 2017 05:14:00 +0000

Lola Wright, in her own words, is "here to be a fierce and loving invitation for the transformation of humanity." Come on now! She works with the Bodhi Spiritual Center in Chicago, where she's a leader, coach, guide, minister, speaker, and teacher. I met her on Twitter, and our conversation went from zero to ninety in about fourteen seconds. Her love for God, for people, and for the restoration of all things comes through passionately and articulately. She's funny, irreverent, wise, and hopeful. She's on Facebook Live every day, and you can follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Music today is by my friend Stefan Van Voorst (I'm With the Drunks).

Episode 91 | What is the Bible? with Rob Bell

Tue, 16 May 2017 05:32:00 +0000

Whaaaaat? Rob Bell is on the podcast today. I've been looking forward to this one for a very long time. Rob Bell has written a bunch of books, including Velvet Elvis, What We Talk About When We Talk About God, and Love Wins. His most recent book is called What is the Bible? How An Ancient Library of Poems, Letters, and Stories Can Transform the Way You Think and Feel About Everything. I'm finding it really delicious, satisfying, and enjoyable. Order it now! I'd also encourage you to listen to the RobCast, Rob's weekly podcast. Sooooooooo good. The music on today's episode is from my friend Stefan Van Voorst. The song is called Hope Take Hold.

Episode 90 | Rabbi Alan Returns, Part 2

Thu, 11 May 2017 05:15:00 +0000

It's Rabbi Alan... again! He's back for more after such a robust episode last week. What more do I need to say? There will be more laughter, more stories, more mind blowing questions, observations, and conversation about what it means to finally share that hidden, intimate thing with God that you have never shared before. See? I told you. Enjoy! The music this week is from my friend Stuart Garrard (better known as Stu G). He has just written a stunning book called Words from the Hill, all about his observations on the Beatitudes of Jesus, and it's so good. He's also released a record called The Beatitudes, (featuring John Mark McMillan, All Sons and Daughters, Audrey Assad, Propaganda, and many others) which is so beautiful, I could cry. The song today is called Heaven is All Around. Buy it, share it, do all the things.

Episode 89 | Rabbi Alan Returns, Part 1

Thu, 04 May 2017 05:15:00 +0000

It's Rabbi Alan! What more do I need to say? There will be laughter, stories, mind blowing questions, observations, and conversation about what it means to finally share that hidden, intimate thing with God that you have never shared before. See? I told you. Plus, there will be more next week from our resident guru. Enjoy! The music this week is from my friend Stuart Garrard (better known as Stu G). He has just written a stunning book called Words from the Hill, all about his observations on the Beatitudes of Jesus, and it's so good. He's also released a record called The Beattitudes, (featuring John Mark McMillan, All Sons and Daughters, Audrey Assad, Propaganda, and many others) which is so beautiful, I could cry. The song today is called Oh Blessed. Buy it, share it, do all the things.

Episode 88 | Glory Happening with Kaitlin Curtice

Thu, 27 Apr 2017 05:15:00 +0000

Kaitlin Curtice is a Native American author of the forthcoming book Glory Happening: Finding the Divine in Everyday Places (it releases on November 7th, 2017). She's also a frequent writer with Sojourners, and she leads worship at First Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia. Her writing is elegant, poignant, and it creates space for busy people like me to rest and be at peace. Talking to Kaitlin was like experiencing grace - her experiences and her stories invite me into a slower, more beautiful way of living. I loved my conversation with Kaitlin and I love that I now get to share her with you!

Follow Kaitlin on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; Please check out her blog, and you can read her articles at Sojourners here. Music on this episode is by Ben Howard (I Will Be Blessed)

Episode 87 | Organic Torah with Rabbi Natan Margalit

Thu, 20 Apr 2017 05:30:00 +0000

Rabbi Natan Margalit is the Director of Organic Torah, which is a not-for-profit, program based, educational initiative to integrate ancient Jewish wisdom as a leading-edge voice in contemporary efforts to create a healthier, more sustainable, prosperous and just world. I met Rabbi Natan through our resident guru, Rabbi Alan Ullman, and when we first talked, there was an immediate spark between us. I kept interrupting him, shouting YES!!! so much that he could hardly finish a sentence. So we decided we needed to record a podcast, because I knew you would love him. Please check out his work at Organic Torah, and if you're in the Boston area, please look him up and attend one of his classes. He's brilliant, creative, and I'm so grateful you are going to get to glean some of his wisdom.

Music on this episode is from Ben Rosenbush and The Brighton (song: High Flyer).

Episode 86 | Loss

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 05:53:00 +0000

It's Holy Week. Before we can get to the resurrection, we need to go through the pain of loss. Mary Magdalene, we are told, "stood by the empty tomb and wept." Grieving loss can be a tricky thing - you think you're done, and then grief sneaks up on you and lets you know that there's more to do. Sometimes this shows up in your dreams, haunting you with bizarre scenes. Sometimes it shows up in your body - through sickness, a persistent ache, or extreme fatigue. This week, we pause to take a look at the ways in which most of us need to process grief and loss more than we think we do. Music this week by my friends in the amazing band Grayshot (the song: Long Year)

Episode 85 | Power with Kyle Strobel and Jamin Goggin

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 04:25:00 +0000

One of my friends recently told me that I HAD to read this new book - The Way of the Dragon Or the Way of the Lamb, by Kyle Strobel and Jamin Goggin. It's one of those books that is so good that it sort of hurts to read it. Kyle and Jamin decided to seek out people over the age of 70 who had a different relationship with power - such as J. I. Packer, Dallas Willard, Marva Dawn, John Perkins, Jean Vanier, James Houston, and Eugene Peterson - gathering their uncommon wisdom about taking the path of vulnerability and weakness instead of grabbing power. I loved my conversation with Jamin and Kyle, and I now consider their book required reading for every pastor. Enjoy.

Episode 84 | Preemptive Love with Jeremy Courtney

Thu, 30 Mar 2017 05:22:00 +0000

"Violence unmakes the world, but preemptive love has the power to unmake violence."

Jeremy Courtney is the founder and CEO of the Preemptive Love Coalition, which brings relief to families fleeing war in Syria and Iraq. They help refugees rebuild their lives. And we provide lifesaving medical care for children in conflict zones.

Jeremy and his wife Jessica moved to New York City just after 9/11, then to Istanbul, and finally to Iraq during the Iraq War in 2006. Their story is less heroic than it is humble; they have simply fallen in love with the Iraqi people, so they are in it for the long haul because in their words, the Iraqi people are "our people." Enjoy.

Become a monthly sponsor of Preemptive Love. Read Jeremy's book, Preemptive Love. Read Jeremy's article in the Washington Post: The World is Scary as Hell. Love Anyway.

Episode 83 | Poetry with John Blase

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 05:06:00 +0000

John D. Blase is a gentle, wise soul, and he just published a book of poetry, titled: The Jubilee: Poems. His words help me want to love better, stay grounded in what matters, and use my words to heal and restore, instead of divide and conquer. He's also the author of Know When to Hold 'Em: The High Stakes Game of Fatherhood, Touching Wonder: Recapturing the Awe of Christmas, and he co-wrote of All is Grace: A Ragamuffin Memoir, with Brennan Manning. We talked poetry, of course, but we also talked about writing in general, about the importance of civil discourse, Brennan Manning, and what it means that our words form us. You can purchase The Jubliee: Poems here, and you can connect with John on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and on his website. The music on this episode comes with permission from one of my favorite singer/songwriters, the brilliant Sara Groves. The song is called Floodplain.

Episode 82 | Transformation with Ruth Haley Barton

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 05:38:00 +0000

Ruth Haley Barton is one of my dear friends, and has also been a mentor for many years. She's the author of many books, and is also the Director of the Transforming Center, which is dedicated to strengthening the souls of pastors, Christian leaders, and the congregations and organizations they serve. In this episode, we talked all about the nature of transformation -- it was so good for my soul. Ruth just recently launched a brand new podcast called Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership, and season 1 is all about Developing Sacred Rhythms in the Life of a Leader. I got the chance to interview her in all nine episodes; we had some expansive conversations that I think will really be helpful in your own journey of spiritual transformation. Enjoy this conversation, and then make sure to check out her new podcast!

Music: I am New by Joel Hanson

Episode 81 | Mu (Or: Please Ask a Better Question)

Thu, 09 Mar 2017 05:55:00 +0000

Have you ever experienced that awkward moment when someone asks you a question, and you know they want an either/or response, but you just can't go there? Have you ever wanted to demand a better, more expansive question, one that respects the nature of your answer, and the fact that their small question can't contain the truth of your nuanced answer? Well, well, well. You need to get to know Mu. Enjoy! Links: Music kindly provided by Sisters of Murphy (songs: 17 and Green Over Red (Radio Edit). Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. And - I meant to mention this, but forgot: Listen to this fabulous interview with Krista Tippet and Padraig O Tuama to hear more about Mu.

Episode 80 | Lent

Tue, 28 Feb 2017 21:57:28 +0000

Lent is the season when most of us feel deprived, guilty, and hungry. But it was really meant to be a season where those of us who feel lost, lonely, and empty could return to God to be filled and finally satisfied. It's a season to get really honest about the ways in which we've gorged ourselves on things that don't satisfy. It's a season to come home. Enjoy. Music used by permission from The Brilliance. Songs: See The Love, Oh Earth, Brother (featuring Propaganda), and Night Has Passed/Morning Has Broken.

Episode 79 | Yeses and Nos

Thu, 23 Feb 2017 03:25:00 +0000

On today's podcast, I talked about your body, your soul, your mind, and your spirit. In all of those areas, what are you saying yes to? What are you saying no to? What limits are you recognizing and how are you gently noticing what you need, and then moving toward those things? In this season of such high anxiety and stress, it's important to pay attention to these four areas, and start getting serious about what you are saying yes to, and what you are saying no to. Enjoy! Resources: Music on this podcast brought to you by Ben Rosenbush and the Brighton, from their album A Wild Hunger. Sabbath, by Wayne Mueller; A Prayer Guide for Lent by Daniel Lukas. And email me at steve (at) stevewiens.com if you live in Syndey and want to meet likeminded folks!

episode 78 | The Seeker with Jeff Johnson

Thu, 16 Feb 2017 03:12:00 +0000

Jeff Johnson is the founder and director of Motion 117 Productions, where he creates films, primarily because he's fascinated with the question "why." Jeff's also a part of the incredible band Cloud Cult, who produced a feature film called The Seeker, which Jeff directed. It's beautiful, haunting, and surprising. Jeff's a very good friend of mine (he's also the father of twins). I loved talking to him about his creative process and the journey of telling fascinating and hopeful stories in the world. Enjoy!

Living in Awe, Running With the Wolves, and Through the Ages all appear on this podcast with kind permission from Cloud Cult.

You can follow Jeff on Facebook and Twitter.

Cloud Cult's Stories from the Road, (and other Cloud Cult videos) can be viewed here.

episode 77 | fall with Scott Madison

Thu, 09 Feb 2017 03:05:00 +0000

Almost exactly one year ago, Scott Madison fell 30 feet from a truss high above the stage at the church where he works. He probably should have died (but, well... he didn't). Scott's remarkable recovery and startling insights into a new life with God are inspiring, challenging, and humbling. I've known Scott for about ten years, and I loved this conversation. Enjoy! You can follow Scott on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

episode 76 | decisions

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 04:13:00 +0000

Sometimes we make decisions way too quickly and we regret them. Sometimes we let decisions drag on forever as the anxiety piles up like laundry. Sometimes we let others make our decisions for us. What's behind that? What are we afraid of? Is there a better way? I was recently trying to make a decision about a risky idea that has been nagging at me for quite a while. I elicited the help of some friends via email and got wildly different reactions. I swung wildly with those reactions, promising myself I'd never do the idea and then convincing myself I had to do it. Then I had a conversation with one of my friends that honestly changed everything. She helped me see decision making from an entirely different point of view. So that's what this podcast is all about. Enjoy!

episode 75 | outsider with Nish Weiseth

Thu, 26 Jan 2017 03:06:00 +0000

In which I interviewed the inimitable Nish Weiseth, a self-proclaimed Enneagram 5 with a 5 Wing, author, speaker, mother, feminist, and hopeful-yet-angsty activist. We covered a range of topics, from being raised by atheist parents in the buckle of the bible belt, to getting Facebook stalked by vicious alt-right trolls. She talked a lot about how she is embracing the reality that in many ways, she's always been an outsider. We talked about how hard that's been, but also how that has been transformed into courageous action. We talked about where she sees hope in the world, and also what drives her crazy. We even talked about the reality of getting demoralizing royalty statements (because misery really does love company). I loved getting to know Nish - and I think you'll love our rollicking conversation as well. Connect with Nish on Twitter and Facebook, and please consider buying her book, Speak: How Your Story Can Change the World.

episode 74 | prayer with Dan Lukas

Thu, 19 Jan 2017 03:21:00 +0000

In which I interviewed my friend Dan Lukas, and he actually blew my mind about how he thinks about prayer. So many of us are terrified that we're getting it wrong, and we give up before we've even started. "I pray," he says, "so that I am made to look more and more like my creator." We tackled a lot of the big questions about prayer, including if prayer changes God's mind, what to do when prayers aren't answered, the many different ways to pray, how to figure out if it's God speaking or yourself, and many more. This was easily one of my favorite podcasts so far. You're going to love Dan's wisdom and humility. Get in touch with Dan on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and at his church. And please check out his podcast, Lord Teach Us to Pray.

episode 73 | learning

Thu, 12 Jan 2017 03:44:00 +0000

In which I invited everybody to the uncomfortable - or exciting, depending on your personality - place of allowing yourself to learn new things, to change what you think, and to expand as a human being. Would you be willing to watch/read the news from a different source for a while? Would you be willing to look stupid but ask what something is when someone brings up something you don't know in a conversation? Would you be courageous and ask to spend time with someone who knows more about something than you do? Would you be willing to use your imagination more than your intellect from time to time? Let's be learners, friends. 2017 needs it.

episode 72 | epiphany

Fri, 06 Jan 2017 15:53:10 +0000

In which I talked about cultivating the ability to see the light of Christ in the world in unexpected places, while taking unfamiliar journeys. In the Christian household, Epiphany is the season where we look for the light of Christ, and we wonder what unexpected, unfamiliar place(s) it will show up in the world. Epiphany means "revelation" or "showing forth," and during its season, we remember the three pagan astrologers who left everything, following a star to find a baby in a manger. Their response wasn't doubt or cynicism, but wonder, awe, and joy.

Can we open our eyes this season to see the unexpected places that the light of Christ is shining? Can we abandon the familiar in order to go on an unfamiliar journey? And when we find it, can we allow ourselves to respond to wonder, awe, and joy instead of cynicism, even if it shows up in a very unexpected place?

I mentioned Ruth Haley Barton's wonderful Epiphany post. You can read it here.

I also quoted J. Phillip Newell's book The Rebirthing of God: Christianity's Struggle for New Beginnings.

You can purchase Beginnings on kindle for $2.99 (through January 7th).

You can purchase These Good Words: 30 Days of Scripture and Reflection for .$99

episode 71 | change that actually changes you

Thu, 29 Dec 2016 09:38:44 +0000

In which I talk about a different way to approach the idea of resolutions. Resolutions tend to make us feel "less than," and that life can only be enjoyed when we've reached our goal. Change that actually changes you involves taking the time to listen to what your soul really wants, and where God wants to lead you, instead of only focusing on what you don't like about yourself. And please consider using my new journal - These Good Words: 30 Days of Scripture and Reflection, available as an immediate download here. You can find this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 70 | light with Rabbi Alan Ullman

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 16:09:49 +0000

In which Rabbi Alan and I talk about how LIGHT is always found hidden in the darkness in the Scriptures, beginning with Genesis 1 and ending with Revelation 21. Some juicy quotes: "Sacred wisdom isn't on demand." Come on now! And, "God-light is at its essence, freeing." Enjoy.

episode 69 | refugees with Lynne Hybels

Thu, 22 Dec 2016 09:36:00 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 68 | the enneagram part 2 with Stephanie Spencer and Charles Dean

Thu, 15 Dec 2016 09:51:00 +0000

episode 67 | the enneagram part 1 with Stephanie Spencer and Charles Dean

Thu, 08 Dec 2016 22:29:08 +0000

episode 66 | birthed: finding grace through infertility with Elizabeth Hagan

Thu, 01 Dec 2016 09:38:00 +0000

episode 65 | thanksgiving

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 19:33:16 +0000

episode 64 | scapegoat

Sat, 19 Nov 2016 00:28:41 +0000

episode 63 | practice with Aaron Niequist

Thu, 10 Nov 2016 22:27:59 +0000

episode 62 | words with Ferg Breen

Thu, 03 Nov 2016 09:07:00 +0000

episode 61 | emotion

Thu, 27 Oct 2016 14:41:19 +0000

Check out this week's ShowNotes here.

episode 60 | watchpost

Thu, 20 Oct 2016 11:47:43 +0000

Click here to register for Genderfull (a different kind of conversation about masculinity and femininity, and how to find fullness - yours and God's - beyond the binaries.
Click here for this week's shownotes.

episode 59 | palingensia

Thu, 13 Oct 2016 15:01:00 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here!

episode 58 | clean water

Fri, 07 Oct 2016 13:56:48 +0000

Click here to donate for clean water! : https://www.teamworldvision.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donate.participant&participantID=50237 Email me at steve@stevewiens.com if that link doesn't work. Thank you!!

episode 57 | choose and choose again with Kevin Butcher

Thu, 06 Oct 2016 09:12:00 +0000

episode 56 | anchor

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 09:07:00 +0000

episode 55 | parenthood with Jim and Lynne Jackson

Thu, 22 Sep 2016 09:03:00 +0000

episode 54 | stop yourself

Thu, 11 Aug 2016 14:15:10 +0000

episode 53 | closer than close with Dave Hickman

Thu, 04 Aug 2016 09:12:00 +0000

episode 52 | church with Tim Soerens

Thu, 28 Jul 2016 09:35:00 +0000

episode 51 | not bad enough with Andy Gullahorn and Joel Hanson

Thu, 21 Jul 2016 09:36:00 +0000

episode 50 | the wingfeathers with Andrew Peterson

Thu, 14 Jul 2016 09:05:00 +0000

episode 49 | formation with Christine Osgood

Thu, 07 Jul 2016 09:18:00 +0000

episode 48 | numbers with Rabbi Alan Ullman

Thu, 30 Jun 2016 13:53:22 +0000

Click here to view this episode's ShowNotes.

episode 47 | blindspots with Steve Person

Thu, 23 Jun 2016 10:10:50 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here. Register for Sobriety and Spirit here.

episode 46: Sobriety with Seth Haines (encore)

Fri, 17 Jun 2016 19:29:11 +0000

episode 45 | lament with Jon Huckins

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 09:49:00 +0000

episode 44 | script

Thu, 09 Jun 2016 05:46:48 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here. Register for Sobriety and Spirit here.

episode 43 | courage with Amber Salhus

Thu, 02 Jun 2016 09:37:00 +0000

episode 42 | judging

Thu, 26 May 2016 11:55:01 +0000

episode 41 | the global immersion project with Jer Swigart and Steve Haines

Thu, 19 May 2016 07:37:00 +0000

Visit the Global Immersion Project here.
Check out the ShowNotes here.

episode 40 | sweat

Thu, 12 May 2016 07:11:00 +0000

episode 39 | belovedMess

Thu, 05 May 2016 09:38:00 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 38 | masculinity with Nate Pyle

Thu, 28 Apr 2016 09:10:00 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 37 | new

Thu, 21 Apr 2016 11:38:54 +0000

Click here to subscribe to receive email updates and also to receive a pdf of an unpublished chapter of Beginnings.
Click here to view this episode's ShowNotes.

episode 36 | Jesus with Sarah Bessey

Thu, 14 Apr 2016 11:35:07 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 35 | creativity with Bob Stromberg

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 11:21:00 +0000

This episodes ShowNotes can be found here: http://www.stevewiens.com/2016/04/07/this-good-word-episode-35-creativity-with-bob-stromberg/

episode 34 | peacemakers with Lynne Hybels

Thu, 31 Mar 2016 08:45:00 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 33 | sobriety with Seth Haines

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 09:22:00 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 32 | wandering with A.J. Swoboda

Fri, 18 Mar 2016 21:09:07 +0000

Check out this Episode's Shownotes here.

episode 31 | shalom part 2 with Rabbi Alan Ullman

Thu, 17 Mar 2016 12:09:47 +0000

episode 30 | you

Thu, 10 Mar 2016 09:12:00 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 29 | kilimanjaro

Fri, 04 Mar 2016 15:18:16 +0000

Connect with me at www.stevewiens.com, or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Check out this episode's shownotes here.

episode 28 | unredeemed with Matt Bays

Thu, 03 Mar 2016 09:19:00 +0000

episode 27 | leadership with Jo Saxton and Steph Williams

Thu, 25 Feb 2016 09:19:00 +0000

episode 26 | shalom

Thu, 18 Feb 2016 09:32:00 +0000

Click here for this week's ShowNotes

episode 25 | unraveled with Jen and Charlie Dean

Thu, 11 Feb 2016 12:37:38 +0000

Click here to view this episode's ShowNotes.

episode 24 | circles

Thu, 04 Feb 2016 12:58:33 +0000

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episode 23 | dangerous with Joel Hanson

Thu, 28 Jan 2016 09:35:00 +0000

episode 22 | race with Dee McIntosh

Thu, 21 Jan 2016 12:54:16 +0000

Check out the ShowNotes from this episode here.

episode 21 | success

Thu, 14 Jan 2016 16:02:36 +0000

Click here to view the ShowNotes for this episode.

episode 20 | journey

Thu, 07 Jan 2016 12:51:35 +0000

episode 19 | stop

Thu, 31 Dec 2015 09:21:00 +0000

episode 18 | god with Erin S. Lane

Wed, 23 Dec 2015 09:52:00 +0000

episode 17 | monsters

Thu, 17 Dec 2015 12:35:59 +0000

Click here to view this episode's show notes.

episode 16 | infertility with Mary Martin Wiens

Thu, 10 Dec 2015 12:38:33 +0000

To view this episode's ShowNotes, click here.

episode 15 | seeds

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:46:49 +0000

Check out this episode's ShowNotes here.

episode 14 | expanse

Thu, 26 Nov 2015 12:22:10 +0000

Check out this episode's shownotes here.

episode 13 | light

Thu, 19 Nov 2015 15:23:39 +0000

Check out this episode's shownotes here.

episode 12 | tov (with Rabbi Alan Ullman)

Thu, 12 Nov 2015 12:05:35 +0000

Check out the ShowNotes here.

episode 11 | hero with Jenny Hill

Thu, 05 Nov 2015 15:26:16 +0000

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episode 10 | fear

Thu, 29 Oct 2015 14:24:44 +0000

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episode 9 | questions with Catie Schlenk

Thu, 22 Oct 2015 22:34:49 +0000

Check out the shownotes from this episode here: http://www.stevewiens.com/2015/10/22/this-good-word-episode-9-questions-shownotes/

episode 8 | boxes

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 12:13:38 +0000

Check out the shownotes for this episode at http://www.stevewiens.com/2015/10/15/this-good-word-episode-8-boxes-shownotes/

episode 7 | grace

Thu, 08 Oct 2015 00:54:00 +0000

episode 6 | run

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 23:51:00 +0000

episode 5 | swing

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 14:33:28 +0000

episode 4 | wind

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 11:20:44 +0000

episode 3 | skin

Wed, 09 Sep 2015 22:37:00 +0000

episode 2 | tension

Wed, 02 Sep 2015 20:22:00 +0000

episode 1 | human

Mon, 24 Aug 2015 11:08:47 +0000