40 Minutes of Faith Podcast

How are we shaped through faith formation and God's plan for our lives? Do we resist or cooperate with God's artistry? How do we handle feeling broken? Do we expect ourselves to be perfect? Do we accept others in all of our imperfection?

Bible study recommendations, faith-based word of the year, and the intersectionality of faith and social work (plus a sneak peek at social work classes).

Guest Craig and I discuss ethics: what do freedom, faith, baptism, grace and community have to do with decision-making?

How can we honor our parents/elders when they are facing memory loss and are at risk for health and safety issues? Balancing care, responsibility, and loss of independence.

Guest Liz and I discuss volunteering with sick people at home and in nursing homes. What training is available and how can visits like that go?

Guest Kris Stache and I discuss boundaries in faith-based settings, communication around delegating, Jeremiah 29:11 and traveling distances to get to church.

A letter to you about walking through a dark valley. Prayer, comfort from Psalm 23, and encouragement.

Guest Patrick Linnell and I discuss grace: what is it, how do we share it with others, and what the difference is between random acts of kindness and intentional acts of love.

Guest Chiquita Gernimo and I discuss time: how can we balance time with God, getting things done, down time, prioritizing, and setting limits?

Guest Carrin Mahmood and I discuss hospitality: how can we “entertain angels unaware”, support our housing or food-unstable siblings and not make assumptions about who needs help?

Guest Jane Bearden and I discuss how loving diverse people goes beyond simply welcoming people to faith communities. How can we affirm people and why is language during church services so important?

Guest Blake Shipman and I discuss Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life, faith and resistance in Germany during WWII. Letters from prison, gospel music, and why this this pastor’s history and writing is meaningful today.

The most listened to episodes of 2021 so far include worrying, prayer shawls, Islam, a Lutheran praise band, immigration, pop culture, fear, the book of Ruth, racism and adoption, and preparing our hearts for a pilgrimage to Israel (even if we will not travel soon).

Different Bible studies have overlapping themes and Biblical texts, from Hebrews to 1 Samuel. Listening for God, suffering, praying together in community, resources and questions for consideration are offered for your faith journey.

Guest Brian Hittle and I discuss confidence and uncertainty before, during, and after deployment, as well as faith when retiring from the military. Family and military member strengths, strategies, challenges and resources are shared.

Guest Linda Greenberg and I discuss Sabbath, from Biblical command to modern-day planning, work, spiritual time, and how Sabbath is different from vacation. What can be done during intentional Sabbath time?

Guest Laura Champagne and I discuss faith after trauma. Trigger alert for listeners who have experienced trauma. The healing process can take years and includes different methods of individual, group, and faith work.

Remembering and forgetting God, the past, letting go of nostalgia and spending time with God are in many places in scripture, including Isaiah. Which aspects of remembering and forgetting can bring us closer to God and each other?

Guest Marianne Gould and I discuss church services and music adaptations during COVID. Helping our neighbors, encouraging each other, and making a joyful noise to the Lord. Has anything good come from these unexpected changes?

Guest Ken Dimmick and I discuss pilgrimage to Malta. Paul’s shipwreck, ornate cathedrals, simple prayerful spaces, numerous islands and plenty of boat rides defined this pilgrimage. How can people walk with God from home?

Guest Heather Collis-Puro and I discuss mending and relationships. What do clothing with holes, Bible verses, and transformation have in common? What not to say, false positivity, and hope.

Guest Sundae Schneider-Bean and I discuss “expat” faith, global moves, loneliness, and asking for help. How can we connect with community in a new location, handle pandemic fatigue and support one another from a distance?

How can your creativity help to look at relationship with God over the years? Faith journey maps, scrapbooking and prayer calendars are not only for talented artists. Anyone, even mathematically inclined or logical/less artsy people can sketch simple tools.

Guest Joanne Hines and I discuss contemporary church music. We hear some live examples and 2 short original compositions for piano. Why do people disagree about contemporary worship songs? Why are they so meaningful to others?

Guest Gülsüm Kucuksari and I discuss the Muslim faith, part 2, including women’s rights, modesty codes, respecting one another, resources, and more.

Guest Gülsüm Kucuksari and I discuss the Muslim faith, historical context for modern day understanding, and what students in her classes are most surprised to learn. Inter-religious statement from the ELCA (Lutheran), Sufism and more.

Guest Martin Lohrmann and I discuss Lutheran beliefs about salvation: what does not result in salvation, and what does? How can we understand law and gospel in Matthew 5:13-20? Original song about this topic!

Guest Becky Powell and I discuss third culture kids. Who are they, where are they, how can faith communities be intentionally welcoming? Strengths and challenges of TCKs and military BRATS, resources and changing how we think.

Guest Teresa Garcia and I discuss the faith experiences of a pilgrimage to Israel, from Joppa to Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Jordan River, Jerusalem, and more. Photos on the YouTube of the podcast.

Guest Lindsay Marks and I discuss preparing spiritually for a pilgrimage to Israel, highlights of being there, how different cultures view and take sabbath time (or not), and a Seder meal. Even if you are not planning a trip, these resources will contribute to your faith journey.

Guest Anita Stolle and I discuss Prayer Shawl Ministries, knitting, praying, supporting people in need, and collaborating with others to share God’s love locally and afar. How can you start or participate in a prayer shawl ministry even if you have never knit anything before?

Guest Jeff Cox and I discuss suffering, encouragement, baptism, anointing with oil, ushering, planting dreams like seeds, and life as a holy calling.

Best of 2020 and most disputed episodes include faith and fear, church and society (social justice), inclusive and expansive language, human rights, international faith, gloom and diagnosis, and spiritual direction.

What’s next in these days of uncertainty? Military moves are often filled with uncertainty and also new friendships; separation from families during COVID, trusting God amidst grief; and Martin Luther’s Morning and Evening Blessings.

3rd semester seminary courses include practical theology, intro to Islam, rural ministry, Isaiah, and Lutheran beliefs. Pastoral care, Muslim culture and stereotypes, institutional faith growth and decline in less populated regions of the US, prophets of old speak to us today, and what do Lutherans believe?

Guest Sarah Mount Elewononi and I discuss the Garden of Eden, non-violent communication, shame, judgement, washing each other’s feet, commandments, accountability in love, and a dancing trinity.

Adoption and Racism part 2: Guest Jennifer Hamrick and I continue the discussion on adoption and racism, Christian and non-Christian resources around adoption, racism, finances. Affirmative action and “the short end of the stick”.

Adoption and Racism part 1: Guest Jennifer Hamrick and I discuss adoption and racism, the US education system, white privilege, lessons learned and what not to say to someone in a family with a transracial adoption.

Second semester seminary courses about Bible translations, faith development, welcome and inclusion, zoom fatigue, online learning and an original poem by Carrin Mahmood.

Guest Ollie Bergh and I discuss health, living with a diagnosis, changing what we eat, and what the Bible says about this topic. Diabetes, monks, setting limits with people who offer home-made food, and more.

Guest Stephanie Hittle and I talk about Bible passages with vineyards, vines and how our lives bear fruit in the world. What does the world consider to be success, and is it the same thing that God is looking for? A youth guest summarizes the Bible story at the end of the episode.

How do we care for creation? Photos of Iona, Scotland, different learning styles (multiple intelligences), stewardship of our planet, animals and people far and wide. Pilgrimage & labyrinth recap, prayers by Thomas Merton, George MacLeod, John Baillie, and Stephanie Hittle.

Seminary student Barbara Cox discusses first-semester courses: Lutheran Ethics, Minor Prophets, 21stCentury Leadership, and more. Lectio Divina, Bible Commentaries, favorite textbooks and valuable faith lessons learned.

Guest Becky Powell and I talk about going on pilgrimage to Spain, how people can take a pilgrimage without leaving their homes, different learning styles, what is involved with pilgrimages, and what we discovered in Santiago de Compostella, Spain, which is the end of the Camino of St. James

Guest Carmen Ruvalcaba and I discuss spiritual gifts. What are they, and how do you figure out what yours are? Volunteering during different seasons of life, setting boundaries and praying for guidance can be experienced in different ways. New sung Lord’s Prayer composed and performed by Erik Haitz after the closing prayer.

Guest Dr. Jay Alanis and I discuss immigration and the Bible. Where in scripture do we find migrants? Did they travel voluntarily? How do we welcome people from other lands? What happened during the Exilic Period along the US – Mexico border? How are the identities shaped of peoples whose homeland borders are shaped by political decisions, and as they arrive in a new place?

Guest Michelle Knight and I discuss faith and addiction. Spiritual dryness, rehab, how faith communities can support people around alcohol, drugs, other addictions. What to say or do and what NOT to say or do when it comes to alcohol, recovery, treatment, and enabling.

Guest John Evans and I discuss pop culture and Christianity: “skulking henchmen”, summer camp for grown-ups, cherry-picking laws, and a variety of books and movies, many of which are considered for children, yet are read and viewed by adults as well. How do we see and hear God in pop culture?

Guest Paula Jenkins and I discuss the Book of Ruth. How is the famous verse from this book most often misquoted? Women’s rights during Biblical times, generosity to “outsiders”, Miriam, and incorporating care for neighbor into our everyday lives through contemporary gleaning.

Guest Michelle L’Allier and I discuss spiritual direction: what is it? How is it different from counseling? What do people talk about during a spiritual direction meeting? How much does it cost? How often do people meet? What are some resources to learn more about spiritual direction?

Guest Casely Essamuah and I discuss global faith in action, persecution, perseverance, being available to God, outreach during COVID-19 and the benefits of different worship styles. “I thought I was all set. And then the Lord redirected me.”