Applying Jesus

E3: Applying Jesus to Wellness - Interview with “Michael” Season 3, we are exploring with our guests how people of faith can pursue wellness in all their different parts - mind, body, spirit, and community. We are talking bout mental health, physical health, and the health of our souls and spirits because each has a relationship with the other and can affect for positive or negative. Our guests have experience, wisdom, and expertise to share! In this episode, Amy gets very personal about her own journey through recovery. She talks with a trusted friend and adviser, as well as someone in the program with her. Someone who has lots and lots of experience with the program. “Michael” brings his wisdom and we focus on what living a life in sobriety looks like. About Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid fellowship dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined Twelve Step program. Following its Twelve Traditions, AA and autonomous AA groups are self-supporting through the strictly voluntary contributions from members only. Find out more at www.aa.org. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only know God in a more expansive way but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

Applying Jesus to Wellness - Interview with Dr. Seth Lawrence of Life Prescribed In this episode, Amy talks with her personal Physical Therapist, Dr. Seth Lawrence, who has started a mission to ensure people are optimally healthy to enjoy they life they were created to live. We explore the effect pain has on our whole person and simple steps to take to recover from injury and move into living fully and completely as we were created. In Season 3, we are exploring with our guests how people of faith can pursue wellness in all their different parts - mind, body, spirit, and community. We are talking bout mental health, physical health, and the health of our souls and spirits because each has a relationship with the other and can affect for positive or negative. Our guests have experience, wisdom, and expertise to share! About Dr. Lawrence Dr. Seth Lawrence is a Nationally Licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy, Public Speaker, and Life Optimization Coach. When his feet hit the ground in the morning, Seth is thankful for three things; his family, his health, and the opportunity he has that day to help people grow. Seth specializes in the comprehensive rehabilitation and collaborative training of not only the everyday individual but also the elite athlete. He takes an eclectic approach to his therapy that puts emphasis on education. “Knowing why you do what you do is just as important as the act itself.” Seth believes this is the key motivating factor in rehabilitation as well as when trying to achieve next level goals in life, sport, career, family and beyond Seth has an extensive career in health and fitness starting in 1999 as a personal trainer. After receiving his Bachelor of Science Degree in Kinesiology from the University of Houston he went on to earn his Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in 2008. Since that time Seth has kept his attention on helping individuals and organizations through their health and fitness journey. He opened a CrossFit gym in 2013 where he would not only coach, but provide seminars, videos, motivational speeches, and personal rehabilitation and training on all aspects of health and fitness. Since his primary education, Seth has continued growing his knowledge base to be as efficient as possible in helping people reach their goals. He has since received his certifications in Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization, Dry Needling, CrossFit level one, Endurance, Olympic lifting, and Mobility. In 2019 Seth opened Life Prescribed, a life optimization consulting company where he provides seminars, online coaching and consulting, and interactive presentations that help people grow and maximize their time and energy. In an attempt to further spread his message of positivity and healthy living, he wrote, “Your Life Prescribed”. This book is a guide to life optimization and turning the hassles of life into healthy habits. Seth is an advocate for the Alzheimer's Association hosting many fundraising events such as “A WOD to Remember” in honor of his father Ernie Lawrence who died at the age of 61 from early-onset Alzheimer's disease. He has since participated in annual fund-raising events including “The Walk for the Cure”, and “Blonds vs. Brunettes” flag football games. His drive to spread knowledge about physical health and fitness and how it can positively affect mental health is fueled by the idea that good life decisions and habits can help stave off Alzheimer's disease. Seth has a unique skillset that bridges the gap between health and fitness. He is passionate about people and education. Find Seth on Instagram at @life.prescribed, on Facebook at LIfe Prescribed, www.drsethlawrence.com, and find his book Life Prescribed: Bridging the Gap Between Health & Fitness on Amazon.

Applying Jesus to Wellness - Interview with JJ Simmons In Season 3, we are exploring with our guests how people of faith can pursue wellness in all their different parts - mind, body, spirit, and community. We are talking bout mental health, physical health, and the health of our souls and spirits because each has a relationship with the other and can affect for positive or negative. Our guests have experience, wisdom, and expertise to share! In episode 1, we explore boundaries, soul wellness and what it means when we take time away from toxic relationships to heal. We speak with a wonderful friend and co-laborer in the pursuit of wellness for the Body of Christ, author, speaker and influencer, JJ Simmions. She talks about her experiences with wellness, family of origin trauma and how she had to get well to ensure her daughter grows up with a much different set of tools than JJ did. About JJ Jillian “JJ” Simmons is a veteran radio/tv host, Self-Love Coach, 3 X Author, and Speaker from Cincinnati, Ohio. JJ is the Founder of JJ's I'm Me Foundation that encourages at risk middle and high school girls to be the best version of themselves and she is also the creator of the movement Respect My Crown that helps women to deepen in spirituality, accountability, sisterhood and service. She is a proud mom to an teen daughter Alani and resides in Houston, TX. Find her on Instagram @jjonthemic on Instagram and https://www.wellandgood.com/author/jsimmons/, listen to her podcast called Respect My Crown and learn more about her I AM ME Foundation at https://immefoundation.org/. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Dr. Elaine Heath Ok everyone, get your web browser or Amazon app ready because Dr. Heath lists off books we should be reading throughout this interview! I was quite in awe of her and I really can't wait to be equipped through her resources and even going to spend time at Spring Forest with her this year. Dr. Heath has so much knowledge and experience - and when you combine the two you get wisdom. Dr. Heath is the real deal and a voice we need to hear more from in all aspect of church and life. We will be using one of her books God UnBound as a study in April and May at URHeights! Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. About Dr. Elaine Heath Elaine Heath's vocational journey includes having served as Dean of the Divinity School at Duke University, and the McCreless Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theology. She is a pioneer in new forms of theological education. In that capacity Heath is co-founder and President of Neighborhood Seminary. The author of twelve books, Heath is an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church and served in pastoral ministry prior to her academic ministry. She lives with her husband at Spring Forest, an intentional Christian Community and farm in rural North Carolina where she serves as Abbess. Learn more about her on her website: www.elaineheath.org. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

E7: Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Xach Blunt Oh Boy! That's right - my guy in the chair - who makes this whole experience possible - is stepping out in front of the mic today! Not that is anything new for Xach. What I learned about him, about his creative work and how he foresees how the Church will engage the next generation, left me wanting to let him just run with this thing all the time! He is the best and really loved talking with him and having him in the hot seat. He is gracious and full of wisdom. Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. About Xach Blunt Xach Blunt is an artist, writer, and lifetime learner. He holds authenticity as his highest standard. Generosity, empathy, compassion, gratitude, and love finds every page and canvas he chooses to strike. Xach's work is dynamic and unprecedented; the breath of fresh air that fills the spirits of those who don't feel as deeply as they once did. His art has received over 10,ooo,ooo views online and has been featured on Afropunk, We Are Mitu, Write About Now, Button Poetry, Culture Clash Magazine and more. Xach Blunt is a Texas Grand Slam Poetry Festival finalist, an Individual World Poetry Slam finalist, and currently racked 4th at the highest level of competitive poetry in the world. Learn more about him on his website, www.xachblunt.com or on Instagram. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Dr. Sarah Simmons This season just keeping getting better and better. In this episode, I talk with another new friend I met in 2021 when we worked together to put on a COVID Vaccine For Kids Town Hall. It was a great success and you can find it here: https://youtu.be/-3KIRLD6T3A. Dr. Sarah is a wonderful resource and learning more about her background was fascinating. You will learn in such an enjoyable and engaging way from her! Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. About Dr. Sarah Simmons Dr. Sarah Simmons is the Director of Health Outcomes at Bread of Life, Inc. She is a family medicine physician with 20+ years of experience in outpatient, urgent care and hospital / ICU care. She is also holds a masters in Public Health and has spent the last 8 years focused on community health and addressing health inequities. Dr Sarah has a passion for serving vulnerable populations and is committed to creating pathways for everyone to achieve the highest level of health possible. Dr Sarah resides in Houston with her husband and four boys and enjoys being an avid soccer mom, traveling, and running. Where to find us: https://breadoflifeinc.org/Click on volunteer to find opportunities to join us in our work! Or find us at Bread of Life, Inc on Facebook and Instagram Learn more about the UH CHW Initiative here: https://uh.edu/honors/Programs-Minors/co-curricular-programs/data-and-community-health/community-health-worker-initiative/ Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Dr. Jasmine Jenkins It was a delight to spend time with a wonderful, talented and powerful woman - our guest today - Dr. Jasmine Jenkins. We've known each other for many years so this is an episode where we do a pretty good job staying on point, discussing her expertise, which is reimagining education. I love learning from Dr. Jasmine - and in this episode, I really do! Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. About Dr. Jasmine Jenkins Jasmine Jenkins began her professional career as a Bilingual 4th grade teacher in Alief ISD. Recognizing that many of the challenges that she and her students faced on a daily basis stemmed from policy issues at the national, state, and local levels, she decided to pursue a master's degree and Ph.D. in Political Science at the University of Houston and focused her research on education policy and school governance. Dr. Jenkins has worked as a new teacher advisor, curriculum specialist, and school director with Teach For America, and she served as the Manager of Community-Based Initiatives with Advantage Testing of Houston. She was also a founding member of the regional strategy team for the Organizing Network for Education (ONE) Houston and a 2016 candidate for the Texas State Board of Education. In addition to leading the Houston GPS team, Dr. Jenkins is an adjunct instructor at Rice University. A Pennsylvania native, Jasmine has been living and working in Houston since 2006, and she is passionate about expanding educational opportunities for all children. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Rev. Dr. Tori Butler One of my favorite humans is talking with us today about her life in ministry and how to engage gender equality in the Church. We are joined by my preaching coach and pastoral mentor, Rev. Dr. Tori Butler. She is so special and just the best person to talk with at any point in time. Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. About Rev. Dr. Tori Butler Rev. Dr. Tori Butler was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. She received a BA in History and International Relations from McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. She received her call to ministry following a semester abroad in Argentina. She is a graduate of the Divinity School at Duke University where she received her Master of Divinity degree. She was recruited out of Duke to serve in the Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church where she ministered in three cross-cultural appointments as well as being the Chaplain at Wiley College. She was ordained by Bishop Janice Riggle Huie in 2014. By God's amazing grace and through tremendous perseverance on May 13, 2019, she received her Doctor of Ministry degree from Emory University with a concentration in Biblical Interpretation and Proclamation. Her Doctor of Ministry project is entitled, “The Power of Mourning: Creating Spaces of Vulnerability for Black Clergywomen to Lament and Holler. She recently had the honor of speaking at the 57th Anniversary of the March on Washington. Dr. Butler is a contributor to Do Not Be Afraid: Bishops & Young Clergy Share Signs of Resurrection & Words of Hope and I'm Black. I'm Christian. I'm Methodist. Her sermon entitled, “Holy Spirit, We Need You” was placed on a list of Anti-Racism Sermons in June of 2020 by Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church. She contributed a devotion for the United Methodist Communications Lenten Devotional Series called, “Holy Saturday: Tarrying Together.” She has been a featured panelist for Emory University, Howard University, the Convocation of Black Pastors, and the General Commission on Religion and Race. Her passion is talking about how God uses lament to give voice to individual and communal pain and in the same breath gives voice to a God who is able to step into that pain and transform it into joy. The new joy of Dr. Butler's life happened on July 1, 2021. Rev. Dr. Tori Butler became the senior pastor of Asbury Town Neck United Methodist Church in Severna Park, Maryland where worship can't be explained but must be experienced! In this new role, she wants to invite people into a transformative encounter with the Holy Spirit. Her prayer is that all would know the healing, redeeming, and restorative love of God. Her calling is to help others discern their purpose, and get to their next level in life and in the Lord. Therefore, she seeks to honor God in everything that she does. Her goal in life is to be his hands and feet in the world. She sincerely prays that God will use her as a prophet, teacher, preacher, scholar, activist, evangelist, counselor, writer, shouter, and dancer all for the glory of God. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. Visit www.urheights.com to learn more!

E3: Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Rev. Anne Dunlap, SURJ - Part 2 This conversation was so rich and deep, we had to break it up into two parts. In our conversation with Rev. Anne Dunlap of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SUJR), we talk about her journey and faith, get a little nerdy with our sacred texts and about what justice looks like to reform law enforcement in America. Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. Big Takeaways: About Rev. Anne Nurtured into faith-rooted organizing in the Central America solidarity movement in the 1980s, Anne is particularly grateful to the Central American, Black, immigrant, worker, and indigenous leaders who have challenged and taught her to think and act more deeply about what it means to be human, and what it means to be free. Anne is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and also the founder of FierceRev Remedies, offering herbal consults, workshops, mentorship as well as consulting, teaching, and preaching, all towards the goal of racial justice and collective liberation that's rooted in healing practice with the land. She's currently co-editing a book on congregational organizing, and led the creation of the SURJ-Faith Community Safety for All: #DefundPolice Congregational Action Toolkit. She is proud to be from Arkansas, and has lived in a lot of different places which have taught her about the importance of the relationship of place and culture. Now happy to call Buffalo, NY home, Anne loves life with her beloved and their kitty; herbcrafting; long nature rambles; snuggling baby goats; loving on her people; music, books, and poetry; and building community. Find Rev. Anne: on her website https://fiercerevremedies.com/about/, on Twitter @fiercerev, on SURJ's website: https://surj.org/people/anne-dunlap/, and listen to her regularly on the SURJ's podcast The Word is Resistance on all podcast platforms. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

E3: Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Rev. Anne Dunlap, SURJ - Part 1 This conversation was so rich and deep, we had to break it up into two parts. In our conversation with Rev. Anne Dunlap of Showing Up for Racial Justice (SUJR), we talk about her journey and faith, get a little nerdy with our sacred texts and about what justice looks like to reform law enforcement in America. Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. Big Takeaways: About Rev. Anne Nurtured into faith-rooted organizing in the Central America solidarity movement in the 1980s, Anne is particularly grateful to the Central American, Black, immigrant, worker, and indigenous leaders who have challenged and taught her to think and act more deeply about what it means to be human, and what it means to be free. Anne is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and also the founder of FierceRev Remedies, offering herbal consults, workshops, mentorship as well as consulting, teaching, and preaching, all towards the goal of racial justice and collective liberation that's rooted in healing practice with the land. She's currently co-editing a book on congregational organizing, and led the creation of the SURJ-Faith Community Safety for All: #DefundPolice Congregational Action Toolkit. She is proud to be from Arkansas, and has lived in a lot of different places which have taught her about the importance of the relationship of place and culture. Now happy to call Buffalo, NY home, Anne loves life with her beloved and their kitty; herbcrafting; long nature rambles; snuggling baby goats; loving on her people; music, books, and poetry; and building community. Find Rev. Anne: on her website https://fiercerevremedies.com/about/, on Twitter @fiercerev, on SURJ's website: https://surj.org/people/anne-dunlap/, and listen to her regularly on the SURJ's podcast The Word is Resistance on all podcast platforms. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

E2: Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Michael Gienger In this episode, Amy talks with the indomitable Michael Gienger, who is of ferocious mind, passionate heart and delightful disposition about the work his community engages in to embody the love of God to the most vulnerable. Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. Big Takeaways: About Michael The Rev. Michael Gienger serves as a co-pastor of Central United Methodist Church in Galveston, Texas, a hybrid church plant/revitalization. He is an elder in the United Methodist Church, having earned an undergraduate degree in religion from Baylor University and a master of divinity degree from Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Pastor Michael Gienger has a vision of building a community at Galveston Central Church, where all are welcome, regardless of socioeconomic status. “My dream for Central is that you walk in there and can't tell the difference, who is being served and who is serving,” he said. Find Michael: on Instagram @michaelgienger, on Facebook @michael.gienger and discover more about the work happening at Galveston Center Church on their website: http://galvestoncentralchurch.com. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

Applying Jesus to New Vision - Interview with Tracie Jae - The Quiet Rebel Today Amy talks with her new favorite friend - Tracie Jae - for the first episode of Season 2. Season 2 is intentionally different than Season 1. In this season, we are talking with folks hard at work re-imagining what it means to respond and reform the issues within our society. These conversations are going to help us, in the Church, re-imagine what it means to be a part of the solution - the Kin-Dom Come. Big Takeaways: Get some bubbles & practice the meditation, follow Spirit and this is a process of becoming aware of others to have transformative conversations. We talk about A LOT in order to give you a lot to think about, in a non-linear way, what it might look like for those of us in the Church to approach the transformative discussions we need to have to begin and continue in the work of changing the world to bring about God's vision. About Tracie Tracie's work in the world is creating incremental and organic shifts to the status quo using conversations as instruments of change. Whether working with individuals, communities or organizations, she creates space to ensure that voices are heard and thoughts are respected. Her proprietary frameworks include 100 Voices Guided Conversations and HUMAN Centered Equity (TM). As often as possible, she incorporates silence in her work to offer participants opportunities to seek their own truths. Tracie holds a BA in Business Management and MA in Strategic Communication and Leadership. What I appreciate is her commitment to service that spans over two decades of volunteerism and vocation in Houston's non-profit sector; including 5 years in education. She currently serves as Regional Representative for The Labyrinth Society and is active on the League of Women Voters Marketing Committee. With all of that, she has successfully launched three daughters into adulthood. She loves hot coffee, recharging so she can slay new dragons and bubble meditation. Find her: https://quietrebellife.com/about-2, @quietrebel.life on Instagram, on Twitter @quietrebelLLC and on Facebook @alwaystraciejae Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

Our goal is to be a brave and collective space to explore the dynamics and application of our faith in Jesus through the lenses of Relationship, Empathy, Action and Love.

E9: Applying Jesus to Spiritual Growth - Hitting Walls with Jacqueline Smith In our final episode of this season, we welcome friend, ministry partner and licensed therapist Jaqueline Smith to the podcast to discuss what it means to hit a wall, what that looks like and how Jesus handled it - so we can to. About Jacqueline Smith, LPCA After Jacqueline completed her Master of Arts in Counseling in 2016, she dove into clinical training and experience, ensuring she would be prepared to work with clients from childhood through their senior years with knowledge and skills to support her work. She is one of very few clinicians holding triple licensure – as a Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, and also as a fully licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. She continues to work and train at the esteemed Houston Galveston Institute, providing school based services to students in the greater Houston community, and has benefited from the ongoing educational opportunities HGI is well known for. Specifically, she has learned collaborative dialogic processes, and so adopts a collaborative stance with all of her clients, working alongside them to find solutions to their problems and engage the internal and external resources they have available. Jacqueline is talented in her clinical work with more than only students. She has worked with adults engaged with child protective services, helping them overcome substance use difficulties and learn to lead productive, satisfying lives that best support their important relationships with children and other family members. She has also worked with clients in inpatient substance use facilities, supporting clients with substance use and co-ocurring disorders in their journeys of recovery. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

E8: Applying Jesus to Spiritual Growth - The Hero's Journey as a Discipleship Model with Pastor Christian Washington Today, Amy's pastor, boss and close friend, Christian Washington, joins the podcast to breakdown our spiritual formation principles that look a lot like Joseph Campell's The Hero's Journey. Christian talks about what led him to see this model in the life of Jesus, in his own life and how we can all engage in the process as the people of God. About Christian Washington He is the co-founder, visionary and executive leader of Upper Room Heights. A native of Compton, CA but now residing in the Heights neighborhood of Houston - Christian's calling is to unite, inspire and equip culturally diverse people to make a significant impact on their family, community, and world. He has expertise in strategic management consulting, studied theology at Princeton Theological Seminary and communications at the University of California, San Diego. He is also all kinds of published - with numerous articles and papers as well as collaborating with Rev. Dr. Rudy Rasmus on his book TOUCH: Pressing Against The Wounds of a Broken World published by Thomas Nelson. Last but not least - he has been married to his wife and best friend, Johanne for over 20 years and they share a deep love for Jesus and people along with two particular obsessions--world travel and great food experiences. Find him @significancecoach on Instagram, Christian Washington on Facebook and at www.urheights.com. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

TBA

E6: Applying Jesus to Spiritual Growth - The Hero's Journey For our episode today, Amy introduces the critical path we take here at URHeights in our faith formation. Our spiritual growth model at URHeights is designed on the concepts of the Hero's Journey, known to many through the work of Joseph Campbell. This is about being equipped to be transformed and transform the world around you.The hero's journey can be boiled down to three essential stages: The departure. The hero leaves the familiar world behind. The initiation. The hero learns to navigate the unfamiliar world. The return. The hero returns to the familiar world. Joseph's Campbell's influential work, The Hero With a Thousand Faces (1949), analyzes the concept of the hero's journey, and its various stages. Campbell lays out 17 total stages of the hero's journey structure. However, not all monomyths necessarily feature all stages, or in the same order that Campbell described. It is striking to apply this conceptual idea to the life of Jesus because it really does apply and it maps to Our Spiritual Growth “wheel” at URHeights, which comes in 4 parts: Awaken, Equip, Invest and Launch. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

E5: Applying Jesus to Hard Conversations - The Scene at Simeon's House Today's episode is stepping away from defining bias and how that shows up, to go deep with Tajuana Antwine to explore how Jesus handled a difficult situation and the hard conversation that emerged. About Tajuana TaJuana Antwine is so very many things! But at the heart of it all, she is a servant of Christ. She has served and lead within in ministry contexts as well as having an expertise as a change management consultant. She owns MindShift LLC, a company dedicated to helping clients to plan and manage their individual and organizational transformations. With her knowledge and passion for diversity, the last 15 years has seen her offerings to include digital transformation. Most recently, she has created a story-based course, offered in both corporate and ministry settings, designed to help a participant understand how to listen with empathy - and then take action towards becoming allied with underrepresented communities. Find her: @mindshiftllc on Instagram and https://www.mindshiftmanagement.com/. Her MyStory Course can be found at https://mindshiftllc.thinkific.com/. Scripture mentioned is Luke 7:36-50 from the Passion Translation. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

E4: Applying Jesus to Hard Conversations - Community, Competency & Crisis Bias Today's episode finds Amy visiting with a good friend and fellow author, Rev. Omar Al-Rikabi, discussing 3 new biases in the only way they can - through lots and lots of conversation!. The definitions of these biases will be explored and can be found in more detail in Brian McLaren's book Why Don't They Get It? and can be found on his website: https://brianmclaren.net/. About Omar Omar's speciality is telling stories, which he does in his two published works: The Advent Mission and Between You and Me. You can find both of those resources at www.seedbed.com. When not telling stories, Omar likes to watch movies with his wife Jennifer, read books with his three daughters, and work in the kitchen cooking and grilling for family and friends. You follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @omarrikabi or visit his blog omarrikabi.com. His latest project, a new podcast, will be launching in 2022 so stay tuned for that! He also has a major obsession with space, Star Wars and all the wonders of the Heaven. Find him @omarrikabi everywhere! Scripture mentioned is John 9:1-25 from the Message Translation. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

E3: Applying Jesus to Hard Conversations - Complexity, Confidence & Consciousness Bias Today's episode sees Amy and Tajuana back together again, covering 3 new biases. The definitions of these biases will be explored and can be found in more detail in Brian McLaren's book Why Don't They Get It? and can be found on his website: https://brianmclaren.net/. About Tajuana TaJuana Antwine is so very many things! But at the heart of it all, she is a servant of Christ. She has served and lead within in ministry contexts as well as having an expertise as a change management consultant. She owns MindShift LLC, a company dedicated to helping clients to plan and manage their individual and organizational transformations. With her knowledge and passion for diversity, the last 15 years has seen her offerings to include digital transformation. Most recently, she has created a story-based course, offered in both corporate and ministry settings, designed to help a participant understand how to listen with empathy - and then take action towards becoming allied with underrepresented communities. Find her: @mindshiftllc on Instagram and https://www.mindshiftmanagement.com/. Her MyStory Course can be found at https://mindshiftllc.thinkific.com/. Scripture mentioned is John 9:1-25 from the Message Translation. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights and our Technical Director is Xach Blunt. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

E2: Applying Jesus to Hard Conversations - Comfort, Contact & Confirmation Bias Today Amy talks with special guest Tajuana Antwine of Mindshift LLC about 3 different forms of bias and how they show up in our lives and in Scripture. They not only relate as women but share their different life experiences in a genuine and connective way. About Tajuana TaJuana Antwine is so very many things! But at the heart of it all, she is a servant of Christ. She has served and lead within in ministry contexts as well as having an expertise as a change management consultant. She owns MindShift LLC, a company dedicated to helping clients to plan and manage their individual and organizational transformations. With her knowledge and passion for diversity, the last 15 years has seen her offerings to include digital transformation. Most recently, she has created a story-based course, offered in both corporate and ministry settings, designed to help a participant understand how to listen with empathy - and then take action towards becoming allied with underrepresented communities. Find her: @mindshiftllc on Instagram and https://www.mindshiftmanagement.com/. Her MyStory Course can be found at https://mindshiftllc.thinkific.com/. The Biases explored today can be found and defined in Brian McLaren's eBook Why Don't They Get It? and can be found on his website: https://brianmclaren.net/. Scripture mentioned is John 3:1-12 from the Passion Translation. Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!

Season 1 is intentionally about developing relationships and empathy for others. This season is called Applying Jesus to Hard Conversations. We are learning what it means to pay attention to ourselves and balance those topics that create hard conversations. We talk a lot about bias and examples from the life of Jesus to see how He interacted with others, to learn how we can adapt and grow in our relational and empathic interpersonal skills. We can have an impact on our culture for the better and show the upcoming generations how to engage – we will be learning how to do that well. In episode 1 – Amy Vogel will introduce the series and concepts to be discussed. Today sets the baseline for the rest of the seasons, as we learn about how we can look into the Bible to see how Jesus handled hard conversations – which will give us a vision for how we can do it too. If you want to learn more about the biases we will be covering, see the list below: Confirmation Bias Complexity Bias Community Bias Complementarity Bias Competency Bias Consciousness Bias Comfort or Complacency Bias Conservative/Liberal Bias Confidence Bias Catastrophe or Normalcy Bias Contact Bias Cash Bias Conspiracy Bias Conflict Bias Crisis Bias Applying Jesus is hosted and produced by Amy Vogel, Director of Spiritual Growth for Upper Room Heights. We record at the Chapelwood UMC Digital Studio in Houston, TX. We hope something you heard today deepened your faith, opened your eyes and led you to not only knowing God in a more expansive way, but shifts how you connect, especially with those who are easy to overlook. To find out more about Amy and our church community, go to www.urheights.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram & Youtube. Remember we love you – and there is nothing you can do about it!