Andy Jenkins

One day I received a Zoom request for a meeting. It was from Carol. Carol is from Kenya. Turns out, he found my book (from an Advance event) in a thrift store in my hometown... “I followed the link listed in the front of the book. There, I saw the videos were free— entire workshops… free.” He reached out to his friend Philip, who still lives in Kenya. Philip registered for the free course and watched the entire workshop overnight. “Finish it,” he told Carol. “It's really good. Finish it.” They did— and that's when they reached out…

n this talk I continue discussing the “ten things I learned from the #75Hard Challenge.” (I'm currently, as of the airing of this talk, on day #73— meaning I have TWO MORE to go!) (If you haven't listened to the first talk already, go ahead and finish this one and then loop back— they work together but can function in either order!) Here are observations 6-10…

This summer, I did— and am still doing— the #75Hard challenge… It works like this— ✅ Follow a meal plan of your choice ✅ No cheat days ✅ No alcohol ✅ Two 45-minute workouts each day— one of which must be outside ✅ Take a progress picture each day ✅ Read 10 pages per day (audiobooks don't count) ✅ Drink 1 gallon of water That's it— and it's supposed to be more of a #MentalChallenge than a #PhysicalChallenge… ⭐️ As of the recording of this talk, I'm 61 days in… so, the light is at the end of the tunnel, for sure. And, so far, here's what I've learned… (Think of this as my Top 10 lessons. I'll communicate them in an order that makes sense to me— though not necessarily the order of importance…)

The “thing” Amanda is now part of is called TRANSFORMATION— a healthy movement people undertake to move from obese to fit… Her journey includes marathons and pole fitness, which we discuss a bit in this talk. And it includes a brighter outlook that has affected work relationships, taken an already-good marriage to the next level, and caused to her see things differently… “There are so many things that I just tolerated before,” she said. “I was sick and didn't even know how good I could feel.” In other words, she's created a new normal, a better level of LIFE. And— “This has affected so much more than just the time I spent investing in myself…”

Carol is a trainer and nutritionist. Part of her mission is to “demolish the diet culture strongholds of fear, false guilt, and shame so that you experience the fruit of the Spirit in your relationship with food and body image” And, “We are fearfully and wonderfully made, His image bearers, and when we seek the Kingdom first we trade in the ashes of willpower for the richness of His power in us.” In other words, faith and fitness aren't two separate ideas. They flow together…

Oola is about finding balance— and growth— in the seven key areas of life (Fitness, Finance, Family, Faith, Field, Friends, & Fun), while living with less stress… … so that we can live our purpose. The digital framework uniquely bends to you— and then pushes you forward by providing you with curated videos and suggestions specifically for you. The daily tracker— on an app— marks your progress, checks daily streaks, and provides built-in accountability (and celebration) for your progress…   Listen + learn more at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/173 

I've gotten to see Bryan on a personal level. And, as great of an athlete as he is, he's a MUCH better person. A husband, a father, a coach, and business entrepreneur, Bryan has his hand in a lot of things— and has moved on from athletics to, well… the next chapter of life. In this talk we reflect on the track-- and then tackle 6 lessons that apply directly TO life... And, you learn how you can join Bryan and the team on a project to find growth + balance in all areas of life. Read more + listen at www.Jenkins.tv/blog/172

In this talk I continue where I left off last week, talking about the Oola story— how it intersects with me, right here / right now, anyway… Oola is in the middle of a global launch. In fact, it's HAPPENING the day this podcast airs— 7/7/2021. The goal is to positively impact 1 BILLION (yes, with a “B”) over the next 7 years… And, even though Beth + I have bought Into the vision (and invite you to join us), that's not where it began for me…

Face it, you're one of the best investments you'll ever make. We intuitively know this. If you asked ANYONE, “What's more important, people are things?” They'd answer you quickly— and easily— “People.” If we made it personal and asked, “What's more important, YOU or your possessions…?” “Me, of course…” It's a no-brainer. Yet we spend years and even decades training to acquire money so that we can acquire stuff… … stuff that we'll eventually store and never look at again, sell for a penance of what we bought it for, or just giveaway. Someone said it well, “You spend the first half of your life acquiring things, and then the second half of your life realizing that the most important things aren't things at all… it's the people your didn't prioritize in the pursuit of those possessions…” Since we know that… And since we've OWNED that reality… Why not just change it up NOW, instead of waiting until later? Why not—

My friend Randy Pardue is back on the podcast, and here's why… … as I decided to talk to a “family coach,” I knew I wanted to host someone who's successfully navigated a blended family (that's coming soon), as well as someone who is STILL married— decades later (and happily so)— to the first person with whom they fell in love… Randy + Tammy have been married 42 years, and still date each other like most engaged couples. They truly adore each other, and would rather be with one another than anyone else in the world. And then there's this…

In this episode, Lance and I talk about the fact that, as Hebrews 12:2 says, Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. That is, He is writing our story. Sometimes we get off track, sometimes the chapter doesn't look so good, and sometimes it appears that we're in the middle of nothing but chaos... ... but, all things work out in the end. ... and it all comes together.

The first thing my friend Ingrid showed me as we began talking was her Bible— the one she had when she was 21. Inside, she wrote an inscription, something she believed God told her… “I love you and I want you to be free.” ⭐️ Ingrid was around alcohol her entire life. Casually. She tried it when she was 12— and immediately spit it out. “That's important,” she says, “because we learn that it's an acquired taste. We don't naturally like things which are harmful to our bodies.” (The good news is that if it's a learned behavior, you can unlearn it or replace it.) Eventually, she acquired the taste and began drinking more… Especially as she got older (it became more of a crutch, as if often does). And as she got remarried (into a fabulous family of extroverts who never meet strangers, always invite everyone Into the home, and constantly pull out more chairs for more people). “It was just the perfect storm,” she says. She found a path forward and quit. And, her husband, who had been her “drinking buddy,” quit with her... + Read more + listen at www.Jenkins.tv/blog/167 

Yes, there is a science to fun— and there are steps you can take to set an environment where fun more readily happens…

In this talk we discuss the third— and final— soul wound(s) of the Soul Wholeness series, guilt and shame. It’s a nasty tag-team duo that works like this…

In this talk we continue the Soul Wholeness series… … and discuss the topic of soul ties. Here’s why: Issues arise when we attach our hearts, for any reason, to the wrong place. When we do, bad fruit always emerges. When we connect our hearts in the right way to the right things, beauty emerges.

We’re designed to grow by exploring the world around us. But, we bump into painful experiences as we do. So, we create (often unconscious) rules to protect ourselves from future pain. Some of the rules are functional (and help us), others are dysfunctional (and hinder us). In this talk I reference three rules of human nature, related to soul health, govern how we uniquely approach the world. Then, we’ll go farther. We’ll discuss how these rules can create ruts— both good and bad. * Functional rules = friends = help us (don’t touch a hot stove, fear of heights, walking down dark alley) * Dysfunctional = foes = hinder us (lack of trust in relationships, fear of failure, etc.) In the the end, we eventually get more of what we expect, creating a “flywheel” of momentum. In other words, if we don’t work through the “triggers” we discussed in the previous video we’ll find ourselves constantly living from “soul memory,” something much like muscle memory. How does it fit with soul health? Well, in the same way you can’t drive a car by always looking over your shoulder, you can’t drive through life by staring in the rearview mirror. Gaze back when you need to… But live “ahead,” leaning forward…

Brandon Lazarre is the founder of Your Purpose Coaching, and serves as a life coach with a unique angle towards helping you discover your specific design… … that design, in turn, launches you into your purpose.

Faith is NOT about behaving a certain way, it’s about BECOMING who we really are, who we’re designed to be. https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/161 

Two of the joys we most crave— freedom from guilt & shame and authentic community— exist in the place which seems scariest, the light. Those who are willing to “go there” discover true freedom comes not in hiding, but in realizing there’s nothing more to cover-up.    ++++   Listen in at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/160 or your fav podcast provider.

We each have a body, a soul, and a spirit. It’s easy to confuse the soul and the spirit, but distinguishing  each from the other is essential to walk in total health... We must recognize there is an “outer person” and an “inner person” to each of us. In some sense, we do. But, most of us don’t realize the Bible also teaches that we are comprised of a body, a soul, and a spirit— and that the soul and the spirit are two different entities. That is, the “inner person” can be subdivided even more. It’s easy to separate the “body” from the “spirit” or the “body” from the “soul.” But delineating the “soul” from the “spirit” sometimes proves a bit more difficult.  1 Corinthians 6:17 tells us, “Whoever is united with the Lord is one with Him in spirit” (NIV).     This spirit is the true “inner man” we want to live from. It is the key to pulling the unseen world into the visible world around us. The problem is that the spirit is often hidden beneath or behind the soul.    And, whereas the spirit is quiet, steady, and humble, the soul can become aggressive, outraged, and opinionated. Quickly. In other words, the soul is the internal part of us that’s still “in process.” The soul is comprised of the following: The mind, which includes our thoughts The will, which includes our desires The emotions, which includes our feelings Are those not the parts of us that cause the most problems and create the most chaos? In this talk we break it down and begin stepping towards total health…  +++ Read more at  https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/soulorspirit

The resurrection isn’t only something that happened to Jesus, it’s something that also happened to you. Here’s why and how… Jesus not only died in our place, He also lived in our place… That is, He gives you His death and He gives you His life… and more— that’s actually just the tip of the iceberg. +++ Read more at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/breakthrough

God doesn’t simply reveal truth to you so that you can study it; He reveals Himself to be encountered and experienced. When He shows you another facet of Himself (in this book or anywhere else!), He's inviting you to receive it. And, I guarantee, God is better experienced than merely explained. Moreover, He invites you to receive it— in full— right then, in that moment. There’s no waiting, and He doesn’t give Himself in pieces (see John 3:34). He gives Himself— and His gifts— completely.’ We often think (because we’ve been taught) that we must “step it up” and “believe harder” in order for the Lord to do a great thing in us. I’ve heard some pastors at a well-known church say, “Dig in deeper” and “go after God.” But, the Bible tells us clearly that faith isn’t something we generate— it’s something that comes to us (see Romans 10:17). The gifts we receive by faith come from a faith that is also a gift in and of itself! Galatians tells us we actually live the life we live now by the “faith of the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). Look at the King James Version. Most other translations miss this one and suggest that it is faith in the Son of God. The KJV rightly denotes that God Himself places the faith there. It is His faith working in us! The gifts we receive by faith come from a faith that is also a gift in and of itself! If the Lord places within you a desire for freedom, it is His invitation for you to receive it. And it is His faith alive in you which makes it happen! ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Listen at https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/invitation or your fav podcast provider

In the final talk in our Life Planning series we discuss time management— and the reality of tradeoffs.

Wherever we focus our time + energy will grow— for good or bad. So, it’s important that we focus on the things we want to grow. In talk #3 we dive deep into the law of the harvest, that is, sowing and reaping. And, we see that it works in every area of life.

In talk #2 of the Life Planning series we discuss the soundtrack which plays in our heads. Who’s got a bad one, sometimes? ✋ And, who needs to change the story they tell themselves? ✋ Yeah— all of us at one point or another… Here’s why…

Many of us hate goal setting, but we know we should do it. That is, living with intentionality is better than “doing random” or just “going with the flow.”

The final “F” of #Oola is Fun…. (I know, some of you are “all in” on this— and some of you are wondering, “What in the world?”) Either way, hear me out….

Our working definition for #OolaFriends is this:

Faith is a humble confidence that everything is going to be OK… … it doesn’t mean everything IS OK, that everything is good… some things are outright ugly… … but faith is the hope that all things, in the end, work out for our God…. ++++ Here’s our definition:

Let’s talk about FIELD for a bit...

This can be a tough area for a lot of people… And it can be a GREAT one. And it can be both. Even at the same time. ❌ Long post warning ❌

Here’s our definition for Finance…

Fitness— one of the easiest areas to see progress (and, yeah, one of the easiest areas to “let go.”). Let’s define it like this….

If any one thing is characteristic of ALL of us, it’s likely that inner struggle we feel… “I want to do this, but I know I should do that…” Or- “I don’t know WHY I did that thing right there— I’d already decided I wasn’t going to…” We do this with “big” things and “small” things, with actions we would classify as sins and everyday occurrences as simple as sleeping in too late, fudging on the diet, loosing our temper, letting something fluster us, or even allowing something to get under our skin… Paul wrote about it in Romans 7:14f— “the good the I want to do, I don’t do… and the evil I don’t want to do… I find myself doing that!” Who can relate?

It’s easy to spiritualize the promises of God (detaching them from real life) or even futurize them (punt them to the after-life). The early church looked at it other way, though— they were so certain that the promises of God were for the present that they even relegated to after life to unnecessary. Paul corrected their theological error (1 Corinthians 15) and, in doing so, showed us something remarkable. We don’t have to pick and choose. The gifts of God are for later… and they’re for now. Our hope is eternal. It transcends the present to work in the future, it redeems (and restores) our past… and it’s good for right now, wherever we are.

Without faith— and obedience— it’s impossible to “please God” (Hebrews 11, John 15). But, both of these actions are the results, the natural overflow, of encountering His radical grace + unconditional love. That is, they don’t create dynamic spirituality, they’re the results of an authentic encounter. 

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sin, according to the riches of His grace, which He made abound toward us...” (Ephesians 1:7-8). +++ Redemption— in the ancient world— meant “freedom.” We toss it around, along with other “church words,” without really thinking too much about it… But the word is deep. And, as Jesus was called our Redeemer… it was a word that linked Jesus to freedom- to a freedom from the yoke of bondage. Furthermore, redemption not only means “freedom,” it means freedom now in this life, not later after you die…

“Christ became for each of us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). +++++ A few years ago I read Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning. In that book he reminds us of some of the perplexing truths in Scripture— * “All things work together for the good” (Romans 8:28). * “All things are made beautiful in His time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Notice— Paul (who wrote Romans) does say that all things are good. Rather, he contends that all things— even the worst of all things— work together in our favor. Manning suggests this includes the horrible things other people (i.e., government officials rolling over and asking for payoffs in order to follow the laws they’re elected to actually adhere to, people turning against us), as well as the sins we commit. Even then, at our own worst moments, God works on our behalf. Though waiting is often involved— and thew “new” doesn’t appear overnight— God often uses these times to impart something to us that can’t be acquired ay other way.

The best way to live forward is to look back and remind ourselves of who the Father says we are, to evaluate our place in His story, and to stay in close proximity to the Author and Finisher of our faith. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/finish  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

Jesus called both rebels and rule-keepers to abandon their lesser identities and embrace their roles as sons & daughters of the king. When they experience the lavish love of their Father, the natural response is to overflow that connection to others. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/prodigals  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

Everyone in the body of Christ has a special purpose, something they offer that only they can bring. Learning how to encourage people to fulfill their destiny enhances their life and it blesses the church as a whole. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/wwww or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

Answering some of the commonly asked questions about spiritual gifts not only helps us clarify what the gifts are, but it also empowers us to serve our purpose with even more clarity and confidence. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/fivequestions  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F  

God’s will for our lives can’t be reduced to a formula, as the true treasures of the Kingdom are found in relationship. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/cautionflags or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

Discovering your purpose includes working through the areas of instructional obedience, your natural talents + created design, and— then— your spiritual gifts. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/yourpurpose  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

Understanding the reason we’ve been gifted highlights their highly relational nature. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/sixpurposes  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

Spiritual gifts are different than natural talents, they aren’t confined to or defined by positions and titles, and they’re not constrained to the four walls of the church. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/definition  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

The New Testament authors spend more time defining spiritual gifts and describing how to use them than they do providing us with a definitive list as to what the gifts are. As such, and since the gifts are relational, any way in which God chooses to express Himself through us might be a venue for our spiritual gifts. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/open  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

Spiritual gifts are the presence and power of God expressing Himself through His redeemed children to empower them for the work of ministry to the church and mission to the world. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/manifestations  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

We each have a unique design— natural talents, abilities, and the bent Proverbs speaks about which are given to us when we are born. Understanding that design is part of discerning God’s call on our lives. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/design  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F 

As individuals, Christ lives in us. As a group, He is us. The church is the body of Christ. Each of us has a unique role as either an equipper of the saints or as a minister. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/gifted  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F  

We often presume the “will of God” is something that’s hidden, something only few people can find. However, God reveals several things in Scripture which He clearly says are His will for each of us. As we seek His specific plan for our lives, it’s best to begin with the things He’s clearly said. . . . More at https://www.Jenkins.tv/blog/will  or your fav podcast provider. . Learn more about the project at www.LifeLift.online . . Grab the paperback at https://amzn.to/2Zyvz6F