Finding Something Real

This is the sixth and final episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman and returning cohost, Dagmar from The Netherlands. This episode is with special guest, Craig Hazen.   Dagmar has co-hosted many Finding Something REAL episodes in the past four years. Although Dagmar is interested in, learned a lot about and is drawn to Jesus, and chose to get baptized when she was a child, she has not yet made a decision to take a leap of faith as an adult. She has a comfortable life and enjoys partying with friends and admits that were she to give her life to Christ her life would change and people would view her differently. She's grown up in a secular culture and for this series, reached out to some friends for new faith questions including some about the credibility of Jesus, why there are so many variations of religion and Christianity, and the history of Christianity.    ABOUT CRAIG HAZEN Craig Hazen is the Chief Strategy Officer at Stand to Reason. He was the founder and director of the M.A. Program in Christian Apologetics and Professor of Comparative Religion and Apologetics at Biola University in Southern California. He is a recipient of the Fischer Award, the highest faculty honor at Biola. Dr. Hazen is the editor of the philosophy journal, Philosophia Christi. He is the author of The Village Enlightenment in America and Five Sacred Crossings including numerous articles, book chapters and journals. He earned both his Ph.D. and his M.A. at the University of California, Santa Barbara.  -- -- -- -- --  LINKS   Visit Stand to Reason at www.str.org for more resources related to the biggest faith questions young people are facing today.    To find out more about what 2025 will look like for Finding Something Real, click here. 

This is the fifth in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman and returning cohost, Dagmar from The Netherlands. This episode is with special returning guest and Portland pastor, author, and recording artist, Josh White.    Dagmar has co-hosted many Finding Something REAL episodes in the past four years. Although Dagmar is interested in, learned a lot about, and is drawn to Jesus, and chose to get baptized when she was a child, she has not yet decided to take a leap of faith as an adult. She has a comfortable life and enjoys partying with friends and admits that were she to give her life to Christ her life would change and people would view her differently. She's grown up in a secular culture and for this series, reached out to some friends for new faith questions including some about the credibility of Jesus, why there are so many variations of religion and Christianity, and the history of Christianity.      ABOUT PASTOR JOSH WHITE: Josh White is a recording artist, author, and lead pastor of Door of Hope, a thriving church community in the heart of Portland Oregon.   More about Josh: https://youtu.be/XDgWLkmLdjI?si=VHS08aFu9OlvxQSE   -- -- -- -- --

This is the fourth in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman and returning cohost, Dagmar from The Netherlands. This episode is with special guest and leading philosopher, William Lane Craig. Dagmar wasn't available for this recording, but Signe from Denmark joined in for this conversation about why there are so many different versions of Christianity, what matters most, and why Bill Craig is a Christ-follower.    Dagmar has co-hosted many Finding Something REAL episodes in the past four years. Although Dagmar is interested in, learned a lot about, and is drawn to Jesus, and chose to get baptized when she was a child, she has not yet decided to take a leap of faith as an adult. She has a comfortable life and enjoys partying with friends and admits that were she to give her life to Christ her life would change and people would view her differently. She's grown up in a secular culture and for this series, reached out to some friends for new faith questions including some about the credibility of Jesus, why there are so many variations of religion and Christianity, and the history of Christianity.      ABOUT WILLIAM LANE CRAIG: William Lane Craig is a Visiting Scholar of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology and Professor of Philosophy at Houston Christian University. He and his wife Jan have two grown children. At the age of sixteen as a junior in high school, he first heard the message of the Christian gospel and yielded his life to Christ. Dr. Craig pursued his undergraduate studies at Wheaton College (B.A. 1971) and graduate studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.A. 1974; M.A. 1975), the University of Birmingham (England) (Ph.D. 1977), and the University of Munich (Germany) (D.Theol. 1984). From 1980-86 he taught Philosophy of Religion at Trinity, during which time he and Jan started their family. In 1987 they moved to Brussels, Belgium, where Dr. Craig pursued research at the University of Louvain until assuming his position at Talbot in 1994. He has authored or edited over thirty books, including The Kalam Cosmological Argument; Assessing the New Testament Evidence for the Historicity of the Resurrection of Jesus; Divine Foreknowledge and Human Freedom; Theism, Atheism and Big Bang Cosmology; and God, Time and Eternity, as well as over a hundred articles in professional journals of philosophy and theology, including The Journal of Philosophy, New Testament Studies, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, American Philosophical Quarterly, Philosophical Studies, Philosophy, and British Journal for Philosophy of Science. In 2016 Dr. Craig was named by The Best Schools as one of the fifty most influential living philosophers.

This is the third in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman and returning cohost, Dagmar from The Netherlands. This episode is with special returning guest and Stand to Reason speaker, Jon Noyes. Dagmar wasn't available for this recording, but Signe from Denmark joined in for this conversation about moving from atheism to Christianity, what makes the Bible a historically reliable document, and how to go from head knowledge to trusting Jesus.  Dagmar has cohosted many Finding Something REAL episodes in the past four years. Although Dagmar is interested in, learned a lot about, and is drawn to Jesus, and chose to get baptized when she was a child, she has not yet decided to take a leap of faith as an adult. She has a comfortable life and enjoys partying with friends and admits that were she to give her life to Christ her life would change and people would view her differently. She's grown up in a secular culture and for this series, reached out to some friends for new faith questions including some about the credibility of Jesus, why there are so many variations of religion and Christianity, and the history of Christianity.    We hope you enjoy this week's episode!     ABOUT JON: Jon has worked as a speaker with Stand to Reason since 2019. A former atheist, Jon used to think belief in God was unwarranted and irresponsible. Then, after examining the evidence for Christianity he was faced with the fact that Jesus is who He says He is and the Christian worldview tells the true story of reality. Ever since Jon has been passionate about engaging the culture with honest, well-thought-out reasons why people should trust the Christian worldview. Jon brings a unique perspective to his audiences and the Stand to Reason team, having more than ten years of experience in the legal field. In 2013 Jon earned a master's degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, graduating with honors. Jon is a founding pastor at Soli Deo Gloria Church. He also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and Bible Thinker. More than any of this Jon is the father of four daughters and the husband of Rheanna. They live in Ventura County, CA.   -- -- -- -- -- LINKS: Suicide, God, And Knowing You're Not Alone with Jon Noyes Eternity: Extreme & Scary? with Jon Noyes

This is the second in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman and returning cohost, Dagmar from The Netherlands. This episode is with special guest, Julia Garshagen. Due to technical difficulties, Julia Garschagen not only was our guest on this podcast, she also shared hosting duties with Dagmar. Together they discuss obstacles to faith, relationship with Jesus, and what repentance really means.   Dagmar has cohosted many Finding Something REAL episodes in the past four years. Although Dagmar is interested in, learned a lot about and is drawn to Jesus, and chose to get baptized when she was a child, she has not yet made a decision to take a leap of faith as an adult. She has a comfortable life and enjoys partying with friends and admits that were she to give her life to Christ her life would change and people would view her differently. She''s grown up in a secular culture and for this series, reached out to some friends for new faith questions including some about the credibility of Jesus, why there are so many variations of religion and Christianity, and the history of Christianity.      ABOUT JULIA: Julia Garschagen is a theologian and serves as the director of the Pontes Institute for Science, Culture and Faith in the German-speaking region. She speaks at universities and in business contexts across Europe and loves to be in dialogue about a faith that is both intellectually credible and existentially satisfying. Julia co-leads the biggest evangelistic youth outreach in the German-speaking world and teaches apologetics at a theological seminary. She is also co-founder of the charity Dios te ve, which helps young people in Peru to get a higher education. Julia lives in Cologne, Germany and loves the mountains.   -- -- -- -- --   LINKS: Dagmar's 2021 Episode with Julia Garschagen Christianity is Most Likely True, but I'm Not Sure I'm Ready to Give My Life to It  

This is the first in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman and returning cohost, Dagmar from The Netherlands. She's cohosted about 20 Finding Something REAL episodes in the past four years. Although Dagmar is interested in, learned a lot about, and is drawn to Jesus, and chose to get baptized when she was a child, she has not yet decided to take a leap of faith as an adult. She has a comfortable life and enjoys partying with friends and admits that were she to give her life to Christ her life would change and people would view her differently. She's grown up in a secular culture and for this series, reached out to some friends for new faith questions including some about the credibility of Jesus, why there are so many variations of religion and Christianity, and the history of Christianity.   -- -- -- -- --  LINKS: Dagmar's 2021 Episode with Josh White Dagmar's 2021 Episode with Justin Brierley Dagmar's 2021 Episode with Julia Garschagen Article I Wrote About My Youth Pastor Recent YouTube Video with Jason Schmidt    

This is the eighth and final episode in a series dedicated to a young woman named Olivea. With my last two cohosts, I have written a final letter. But, I thought for this one, I would bring on some friends. Today I am joined by one of my dearest friends, Melanie, and our guest Dr. Lisa Stanton. Lisa goes into depth about her transformative story of how she came to Jesus. Outwardly, it looked like she had it all, but on the inside, there was a God-shaped hole. Behind closed doors she was struggling with an addiction to alcohol, an eating disorder nobody knew about and even her biggest accomplishments didn't satisfy what she was truly searching for. Lisa's testimony beautifully shows how God is the only thing that will truly satisfy us when we have it all, and when he's all we've got. This conversation pinpoints one of Olivea's questions, “Why is Jesus Worth It?” You'll find that question gets answered time and time again in Lisa's story.     ABOUT LISA STANTON Dr. Lisa A. Stanton, PhD is a social psychologist, writer, and presenter with a specialization in behavior change theory and applications. Lisa currently lives with her husband in Minnesota. She spent two years as a fellow of the National Cancer Institute, which she spent researching behavioral cancer prevention at Northwestern School of Medicine in Chicago. Over the past several years Lisa also taught numerous college courses, co-authored over thirty academic publications, and presented at conferences in four countries. Currently, she helps her thousands of followers through her media and workshops about recovering from addiction.      -- -- -- -- -- -- LINKS: 52 Life-Changing Lessons I Learned in Recovery: A Journey Towards Sobriety, Honesty and Radical Forgiveness (Spiritual Guidance for Recovery, Receiving Everyday Miracles)  

This is the seventh episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Olivea. This episode is with special guest, Jason Schmidt. Jason's parents were Janell's youth pastors and to this day have had a lasting impact on her life. Jason was on the podcast back in 2021 and opened up about considering going into full-time ministry. He gives us an update on what he's been up to since the last time he was on the podcast, why he's passionate about youth ministry and goes into depth about what he learned from losing his dad in a car accident.            ABOUT JASON SCHMIDT Jason is currently the High School & Young Adult Director at Hope Church in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Before that, he went to Seattle Pacific University for his undergrad and played soccer there, and then went on to Boise State to pursue his Masters. Jason is passionate about reaching the next generation for Jesus and having them have a personal relationship with him. He has seen how God is using his love for both fitness and sharing the Gospel and has gotten to see how both of his passions are reaching the youth in his community.      -- -- -- -- --   

Happy Wednesday! We are taking a break from our usual format. We will be back with Olivea next week, but for this episode, we have a special treat! This is a special episode because we are celebrating Finding Something Real's 5th Anniversary! We started Finding Something Real in 2019 with a mission to reach young women. But we could not imagine what the Lord had in store. Today we are taking time to reflect on God's faithfulness over the past five years, with someone who has been there from the very beginning. Today we are joined by the assistant producer of the podcast, Ana!     ABOUT ANA TORRES Ana has been involved with Finding Something Real from the very beginning.  From brainstorming meetings to Zoom meetings during COVID, Ana was always a faithful supporter of the podcast. Ana grew up in the Chelan Valley and has always been passionate about sharing the love of Jesus with others. She graduated with her AA during her time in High School and completed her Bachelor of Business Administration at Northwest University. Ana goes deeper into her faith journey and how she has been able to see the Goodness of God even in some of the darkest times in her life. And why she believes in the mission of Finding Something Real!     -- -- -- -- -- 

This is the sixth episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Olivea. This episode is with special guest, Lindsey Medenwaldt. Although Olivea was unable to join in on this conversation, Lindsey shared about her ministry talking with people about Christianity. She remembers when she encounters questions, and she shares encouragement for Olivea.      ABOUT LINDSEY: Lindsey Medenwaldt (MA, JD, MPA) is the director of ministry operations at Mama Bear Apologetics and an adjunct professor at Northwestern College in Iowa. She engages extensively on the topics of apologetics and worldview as a writer, editor, teacher, and speaker. Lindsey and her husband, Jay, live in Iowa along with their daughters.   -- -- -- -- -- 

This is the fifth episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Olivea. This episode is with special guest, April Biondolillo. April shares with Janell and Olivea about her life journey, She talks about her ministry, Cherish ministry which exists to empower every girl everywhere to discover her purpose and Cherish her worth. April answers Olivea's questions and talks about her experience in relationships with young women and how she deals with feelings of insecurity and comparison in her own spiritual life.    ABOUT APRIL  April was born and raised in Texas. She now finds her home in the east side of Washington with her husband, Andrew, serving in the youth ministry together. After receiving her BA in ministry and leadership and a minor in writing in 2016, she served as a youth pastor in Washington state for 5 years, and led as the Director of the Women and Children's Shelter for the Union Gospel Mission for 2 years. In addition, she is the founder of her nonprofit, Cherish, a ministry that exists to empower every girl everywhere to discover her purpose and Cherish her worth. April loves encouraging and empowering girls to walk out their worth within.     -- -- -- -- --  LINKS: https://cherishglobal.org/about  

This is the fourth episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Olivea.  This episode is with special guest, best-selling author, Francine Rivers. In this episode Francine shares with Janell and Olivea about her life journey, how she hears from God, why trusting His character is so important, and how she knows He cares even when life can be full of disappointments or unexpected detours.    ABOUT FRANCINE RIVERS New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers had a successful writing career in the general market for several years becoming a born-again Christian; she then wrote "Redeeming Love" as her statement of faith. A retelling of the biblical story of Gomer and Hosea set during the time of the California Gold Rush, Redeeming Love is now considered by many to be a classic work of Christian fiction and it continues to be one of the industry's top-selling titles year after year. Since Redeeming Love, Francine has published numerous bestselling novels with Christian themes—including The Masterpiece, Bridge to Haven, and A Voice in the Wind —and she has continued to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the world. Her Christian novels have been awarded or nominated for numerous honors and in 1997, after winning her third RITA Award for Inspirational Fiction, Francine was inducted into the Romance Writers of America's Hall of Fame. In 2015, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Francine's novels have been translated into over 30 different languages, and she enjoys bestseller status in many foreign countries. Francine and her husband live in Northern California and enjoy time spent with their grown children and grandchildren. She uses her writing to draw closer to the Lord, and she desires that through her work she might worship and praise Jesus for all He has done and is doing in her life.  

This is the third in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Olivea. This episode is with special guest, Jesse Childress. In this episode Jesse shares with Janell and Olivea about his own faith journey, how childhood attachment impacts our view of God, how mental health is impacted by Christian faith, the problem of suffering, the power of experience, and much more.    ABOUT JESSE CHILDRESS Jesse Childress has an MA in Cultural Apologetics from Houston Christian University and is currently a student at Denver Seminary studying counseling, focusing particularly on the relationship between trauma and faith. He spent a term studying at Francis Schaeffer's L'Abri Fellowship in Switzerland and has a deep appreciation for good food, philosophy, theology, and literature. He has written for Summit Ministries, the Anselm Society, Conciliar Post, and An Unexpected Journal.     -- -- -- -- -- LINKS: How Do You Know You're Going to Heaven? What If Following Jesus Isn't Worth It? FSR YouTube channel FSR Speaking page FSR Patreon

This is the second episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Olivea.  Today we are talking with special guest, Erik Thoennes. Erik answers Olivea's questions about eternal security, God's character, and His love. Olivea shared in the first episode of this series that she is someone who loves singing, spending time with loved ones, and cooking. She talked about her relationship with her family and the difficult loss of her mother a few years ago. She has shared about some questions she's wrestling with in her faith journey, including doubts and disappointments with God. She hopes her story and honest questions will encourage others.    ABOUT ERIK THOENNES Erik Thoennes is committed to teaching biblical and systematic theology so that he and his students love God and people more fully. He strives to make the necessary connections between the study of theology, obedience to Jesus and fulfilling the Great Commission. He has taught theology and evangelism at the college and seminary levels for several years and is a frequent guest speaker at churches, conferences and retreats, in addition to co-pastoring a local church. Thoennes has received the University award for faculty excellence and professor of the year. His research interests include godly jealousy, the atonement, the exclusivity of Christ and theology of culture.

This is the first in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Olivea.  Olivea is someone who loves singing, spending time with loved ones, and cooking. She shares about her relationship with her family and talks about the difficult loss of her mother a few years ago. Olivea talks about her faith and her history with church. She opens up about several questions she's wrestling with in her faith journey, including doubts and disappointments with God. She explains what anchors her faith. She hopes her story and honest questions will encourage others. 

DESCRIPTION: This is the twelfth and final episode in a series dedicated to special co-host Lizzy. Instead of the usual interview format, Janell shares about an important milestone for the podcast, talks about some of the highlights from recording multiple episodes with Lizzy, and shares an open letter to Lizzy, talking about faith questions, love, and ultimately trusting God's character. Stay tuned for next week's episode when the next co-host for FSR will be officially introduced.    ABOUT JANELL WOOD: Janell has been a Christian for most of her life but has a deep passion for those who are struggling with faith. She's been through her own seasons of wondering, wandering, hurting, and doubting. With a Masters-level education in Counseling Psychology, a passion for apologetics, a background in advocacy for women in crisis, and communication skills gained from 20 years of "'til death do us part," Janell has found just one who has the answers. His name is Jesus. True Restoration, Eternity, Authenticity, and Love belongs to Him. And she loves to share and talk about what's REAL with others, whether it's one-on-one with young women on her podcast, or when speaking for a Christian audience or those outside the Church.    -- -- -- -- -- Links: FSR (Lizzy's previous episodes) Is God's Love for Real? And if So, Why Does He Love...Me? Doubts, Desires, Imperfect People and Love? with A.J. Swoboda Jesus Loves Me, This I Know with Bob Lashua Show Me the Evidence with Tim A. Stratton Trusting What You Know is True Even When... with Jennifer DeFrates For the Bible Tells Me so... with Robby Lashua Science Points to the Ultimate Designer with Melissa Cain Travis On the Autism Spectrum, Skeptical and Secure in Jesus with Brant Hansen Acknowledging Anxiety & Finding Joy in Christ with Josie Pettit Finding Jesus When All Else Fails with Robin Gerblick What's Sin? & What's the Big Deal? with Clare Williams FSR YouTube channel FSR Speaking page FSR Patreon

This is is the eleventh episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today we're talking with special guest, Clare Williams, the founder of Real Questions. Clare shares her desire to address real questions and answers some lingering ones that Lizzy has about sin and the holiness of God. Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is unsure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.      -- -- -- -- -- LINKS: www.realquestions.co.uk Real Questions with Clare Podcast Instagram @realquestionsuk     

This is the tenth episode in a series dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today we're talking with special guest, Robin Gerblick. Robin talks about her own story of struggling with insecurity, looking for love in all the wrong places, brokenness, and relationships, and how she has found grace and hope in her relationship with Jesus Christ. Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy has grown up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is unsure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.    -- -- -- -- -- LINKS: www.exoduswomensretreat.com www.RobinGerblick.com

This is the ninth episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today we're talking with special guest, Josie Pettit, creator of the Confetti Cake Project. Josie shares about her personal struggles with anxiety and shares about why she's so joyful and passionate about Jesus and mental health. Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention, but is not sure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.    -- -- -- -- -- LINKS: The Confetti Cake Project on Instagram www.confetticakeproject.org https://podcast.gospelinlife.com/e/the-problem-of-anxiety/ 

This is the eighth episode in a series dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today we're talking with special guest, Brant Hansen, a bestselling author and podcast host. Lizzy specifically requested having the chance to ask him questions and sometimes dreams come true! In this rich conversation, we discussed many topics including identity, emotions, following Jesus, and insecurity.  Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is not sure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.    ABOUT BRANT HANSEN: Brant Hansen is an author, nationally syndicated radio host, and advocate for healing children through CURE International. He's been featured on ABC's “Good Morning America” in addition to regular appearances on Focus on the Family and Family Life Today, among many others. He's written for CNN.com, The Washington Post, and U.S. News and World Report on a wide range of topics, and his work has been highlighted in The Irish Times. Brant has won national “Personality of the Year” awards for his work on his offbeat and quirky radio show, which airs on more than 200 stations. His podcast with his friend and radio producer, Sherri Lynn (“The Brant and Sherri Oddcast”) has been downloaded more than 17 million times. He leverages his radio platform to advance the healing work of CURE, which provides life-changing surgeries for children with treatable conditions. His first book, Unoffendable, has prompted a national discussion on forgiveness and our culture's embrace of self-righteous anger. He's been a game inventor, fronted a modern rock band, and still dabbles in singing and songwriting. He has been married for 34 years to Carolyn, and they have two grown children and two grandchildren.   -- -- -- -- -- LINKS: www.branthansen.com https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLO4Y5McDc3BX7pQknsiG3WV7TKbb3WaC8&si=2QGmt-q7U7MVT1Fu  

This is the seventh episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today we're talking with special guest, Melissa Cain Travis, a fellow of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture. Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is unsure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.    About Melissa Cain Travis, Ph.D. Melissa Cain Travis is a science and religion scholar with a special interest in the intersection of science and Christianity in the Western tradition. She is the author of Thinking God's Thoughts: Johannes Kepler and the Miracle of Cosmic Comprehensibility (2022), Science and the Mind of the Maker: What the Conversation Between Faith and Science Reveals About God (2018), and a contributing author for The Story of the Cosmos: How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God (2019). She is a Fellow of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture, a course instructor at DiscoveryU.org, and a core writing team member for The Worldview Bulletin and Shadowlands Dispatch. She regularly lectures at conferences, universities, classical schools, and churches around the country.   -- -- -- -- --   Links:  www.melissacaintravis.com Thinking God's Thoughts book The Discovery Institute  DiscoveryU.org https://youtu.be/ZmhPsqjDuQg?si=JWMdfw25HMU49F-7

ABOUT THIS EPISODE:  During the month of July we are featuring some of our previous episodes. This episode with co-host, Dagmar from The Netherlands originally aired in April 2021. Pastor Josh White from Portland, OR, addressed some of Dagmar's questions about the gospel.   To hear more episodes with Dagmar and hear more of her story, please visit: https://www.janellmwood.com/search?q=dagmar       ABOUT JOSH WHITE: Josh White is a speaker, recording artist, author of ‘Stumbling Toward Eternity', and founding pastor of Door of Hope, a thriving church community in the heart of Portland, OR. Josh is a self-proclaimed ‘amateur', a lover of learning and though everything interests him, above all he is serious about Jesus, obsessed with grace, and holds tenaciously to the centrality of the cross. In May of 1996, Josh met his wife Darcy at the now-defunct Satyricon nightclub in Portland. They have two beautiful children and have been back in the city where they fell in love since 2007.   To find out more about Josh, please visit joshawhite.com.

During the month of July, we will be featuring some of our previous episodes. This episode with co-host, Lucrezia from Italy originally aired in March 2021. Musical artist, Terrian addressed some of Lu's questions about hypocrisy and sin, recognizing the difference between what is Christlike and what is not. They also talk about how God can respond to our questions and practical ways to love.   To hear more episodes with Lu and hear more of her story, please visit: https://www.janellmwood.com/search?q=lucrezia.   ABOUT TERRIAN: Terrian is a Christian singer/songwriter and vocalist in TobyMac's band, DiverseCity. She released an EP, “Genesis of Terrian,” in 2021.  -- -- -- -- -- LINKS: https://www.janellmwood.com/the-podcast-upload/what-is-actually-christ-like-with-terrian

During the month of July, we will be featuring some of our previous episodes. This Episode with Andy Bannister and Guest co-host, Zoe originally aired November 30, 2022. In this conversation, guest Andy Bannister talks about the importance of taking the message of Jesus outside of the church walls. He shares about his faith journey and how he went from an "undercover Christian" to working in ministry, speaking about faith in public places. He discusses the questions he finds young people are asking about faith, and how he goes about addressing some of them. This episode is part of our Summer Flashback Series. We will return with new episodes dedicated to Lizzy and her questions beginning next month.    About Andy Bannister:  Dr. Andy Bannister is the Director of Solas, an evangelism and training organisation based in Scotland (but covering the whole of the UK). A highly in-demand speaker, Andy speaks and teaches throughout the UK, Europe, Canada, the USA, and the wider world. From universities to churches, and business forums to TV and radio, he regularly addresses audiences of both Christians and those of all faiths and none on issues relating to faith, culture, politics and society. Andy holds a PhD in Islamic studies and has taught extensively at universities across Canada, the USA, the UK and further afield on both Islam and philosophy. He is also an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Arthur Jeffery Centre for the Study of Islam at Melbourne School of Theology and is also an Adjunct Faculty at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.   To listen to more from Zoe and this series, please visit: https://www.janellmwood.com/search?q=zoe -- -- -- -- --   Links: https://www.janellmwood.com/the-podcast-upload/beauty-math-human-rights-clues-that-point-to-a-creator-with-andy-bannister?rq=zoe https://www.amazon.com/about-Jesus-without-Looking-Idiot-ebook/dp/B0BJMR545C?ref_=ast_author_dp https://www.andybannister.net/ https://www.solas-cpc.org/

During the month of July, we will be featuring some of our previous episodes. This Episode with Justin Brierley and Guest Co-Host, Caleb, originally aired on September 30, 2020. In this conversation, Janell and her son Caleb sat with Justin Brierley. Janell, Caleb, and Justin discuss Justin's work and faith journey, and why, after 15 years of interviewing some of the world's most brilliant skeptics, he still clings to Jesus Christ. Since this episode, Justin has returned several times as a special guest on this program.   ABOUT JUSTIN: Justin is a freelance writer, speaker, and broadcaster who has become known for creating dialogues between Christians and non-Christians. He is passionate about creating conversations around faith, science, theology, and culture. Through creative use of podcast, radio, print, video, and social media, he aims to showcase an intellectually compelling case for Christianity, while taking seriously the questions and objections of sceptics. Justin has worked in radio, podcast, and video for over two decades. Until April 2023 he was Theology & Apologetics Editor for Premier Christian Radio, and hosted the Unbelievable? Radio show and podcast as well as the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast. Justin was also editor of Premier Christianity magazine from 2014-2018, for which he continues to contribute articles. Justin's first book 'Unbelievable? Why, after ten years of talking with atheists, I'm still a Christian' (SPCK) was published in 2017. His latest book, 'The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God' (Tyndale) was published in Sep 2023. Justin currently co-hosts the Re-Enchanting podcast for Seen & Unseen and is a guest presenter for the Maybe God podcast. He has also recently launched The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief in God podcast documentary series. Justin is married to Lucy, a church minister in Surrey, and they have 4 amazing children.   -- -- -- -- --   LINKS: Original Episode Page: https://www.janellmwood.com/the-podcast-upload/2020/9/29/why-are-you-still-a-christian-with-justin-brierley?rq=justin%20brierley   To hear more FSR conversations with Justin Brierley, please visit: https://www.janellmwood.com/search?q=justin%20brierley   To find out more about Justin's current projects including his latest book and podcast, please visit: justinbrierley.com    

This is the sixth episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today's special guest, Robby Lashua, is a speaker with Stand to Reason. Robby is here to discuss Lizzy's questions about the Bible and how to approach it. Lizzy was unable to make it to this recording. She's a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is not sure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.  We hope you enjoy this week's episode!   About Robby Lashua: Robby Lashua is the newest Apologist at Stand to Reason. Formerly, Robby was the Pastor of Apologetics at Desert Springs Community Church in Goodyear, AZ, an Associate Professor at Mission Bible Institute, and host of Christ, Culture & Coffee, a weekly apologetics podcast. Having earned his Bachelor's Degree from Arizona Christian University, a Master's of Divinity from Phoenix Seminary, and a Master's Degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, Robby has a passion for equipping the church with good reasons to believe in classical Christianity. Most importantly, Robby has been married to his wonderful wife, Kelly, for over 13 years. Together they are raising four amazing kids to love and serve Jesus.   -- -- -- -- --   Links: Stand For Reason Living by the Book by Howard Hendricks Abortion: Big Questions and This Cultural Moment with Robby Lashua Who Can Separate Us From God's Love? with Robby Lashua REPLAY: Who Can Separate Us From God's Love? with Robby Lashua FSR YouTube Page FSR Patron  

This is the fifth episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Today we're talking with Jennifer DeFrates. Jennifer shares about her own faith journey, about the topic of suffering and God's will, Jennifer DeFrates is a former high school teacher turned homeschool mom and Christian blogger at Heavennotharvard.com and theMamapologist.com. Jennifer is a CIA graduate (the Cross-Examined Instructors Academy) and volunteers with Mama Bear Apologetics. She has a passion for discipleship through apologetics. Her action figure would come with coffee and a stack of books. She also describes herself as the reluctant ringleader of a small menagerie in rural Alabama.    About Jennifer DeFrates: Jennifer DeFrates is a former high school teacher turned homeschool mom and Christian blogger at Heavennotharvard.com and theMamapologist.com. Jennifer is a CIA graduate (the Cross-Examined Instructors Academy) and volunteers with Mama Bear Apologetics. She has a passion for discipleship through apologetics. Her action figure would come with coffee and a stack of books. She is also the reluctant ringleader of a small menagerie in rural Alabama.   -- -- -- -- --   Links: Jennifer's Website Mama Bear Apologetics Stand to Reason Cross Examined Instructors' Academy  Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diler-Rose The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom Compared to Who? by Heather Creek Moore  Cold Case Christianity by J. Warner Wallace Person of Interest by J. Warner Wallace Tactics by Greg Koukl Street Smarts by Greg Koukl Honest Prayers for Mama Bears FSR YouTube Page FSR Patron  

Happy Wednesday!   This is the fourth in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today we're talking with special guest, Tim Stratton, founder of Free Thinking Ministries. Tim is here to discuss Lizzy's questions about free will, and God choosing people. He shares about why these types of conversations are important to him personally. He also shares about his passion for Molinism.  Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is unsure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.    We hope you enjoy this week's episode!     About Tim: Timothy A. Stratton was in youth ministry for fifteen years. He started as an intern in Santa Cruz, California, then went on to work for Youth For Christ, Navigators, and eventually worked as a youth pastor for nearly ten years in the Evangelical Free Church in Kearney, Nebraska. He saw first-hand how the lies of “new atheists” were impacting the young impressionable minds of his students. This led Tim to devote his life to answering “tough” questions about God and Christianity. As a result, Tim founded FreeThinking Ministries in 2015. Tim pursued his undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska-Kearney (B.A. 1997) and after working in full-time ministry for several years went on to attain his graduate degree from Biola University (M.A. 2014). More recently, Tim earned his Doctorate in Systematic Theology from North-West University (Ph.D. 2020).  His doctoral work primarily focuses on demonstrating God's middle knowledge and mankind's libertarian freedom (“Mere Molinism”), and how this view has apologetic significance. Along with FTM, Tim is a professor of Theology at Trinity Theological Seminary and College of the Bible. He has spoken to numerous audiences around the country and loves to engage in one-on-one conversations with anyone doubting or wrestling with the truth of Christianity. He spends much of his time recording podcasts and writing articles on his website. He also enjoys interacting with our culture via several social media outlets. Tim is passionate about answering questions regarding God, the Bible, and Christianity.    -- -- -- -- --   Links: https://freethinkingministries.com/tim-stratton/ Human Freedom, Divine Knowledge, & Mere Molinism Faith Examined on Amazon FSR YouTube Page FSR Patron  

Happy Wednesday! Today Bob Luhn is joining us on the podcast. This is the third in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. In this episode, special guest, Pastor Bob Luhn, shares about God's love and answers some of Lizzy's questions about trust and why He believes God even when life is difficult. He opens up about suffering and the devastating loss of his beloved grandson last year.    Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is unsure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.  We hope you enjoy this week's episode!     About Bob Luhn Robert Luhn is an ordained minister and pastored for many years at the Church of the Nazarene in Othello, Washington.   -- -- -- -- --   Links: Is God's Love for Real? And if so, Why does He Love Me? Doubt, Desires, Imperfect People and Love? with A.J. Swoboda FSR YouTube Page FSR Patron          

This is the second in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. In this episode, special guest, A.J. Swoboda, shares his newest book, and we cover topics including questions about identity, love, desire, doubt, and criticism from within the Church. Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is unsure about having experienced His love.  We hope you enjoy today's episode!   About A.J. Swoboda: A.J. Swoboda (Ph.D., Birmingham) is an associate professor of Bible and Theology at Bushnell University and lead mentor for the Doctor of Ministry Program on Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Friends University. He is the author of many books, including The Gift of Thorns (Zondervan), After Doubt (Brazos), and the award-winning Subversive Sabbath (Brazos). He hosts the “Slow Theology” podcast (w/ Dr. Nijay Gupta) and writes the widely read “Low-Level Theologian” Substack. A.J. lives and works on an urban farm with his wife and son in Eugene, Oregon.   -- -- -- -- --   Links: FSR YouTube Page "How to Question Faith Without Losing It" with A.J Swoboda The Gift of Thorns Richard Dawkins Video FSR Patron      

This is the first in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. This first episode was recorded last winter. Lizzy is currently a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is not sure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.    Links: https://www.youtube.com/@findingsomethingreal https://www.patreon.com/findingsomethingreal    

Happy Wednesday! This is the twelfth and final episode in a series dedicated to special co-host and Janell's niece, Noelle. Instead of the usual interview format, Janell shares some of the highlights from recording 10 episodes with Noelle, talks about the Patreon episode Noelle and Janell recorded at the end of April together, and shares an open letter to Noelle, talking about regrets, love, Jesus, and sharing Him with others. Stay tuned for next week's episode when the next co-host for FSR will be officially introduced.  We hope you enjoy this week's episode!   About Janell Wood: Janell has been a Christian for most of her life but has a deep passion for those struggling with faith. She's been through her wondering, wandering, hurting, and doubting seasons. With a Masters-level education in Counseling Psychology, a passion for apologetics, a background in advocacy for women in crisis, and communication skills gained from 20 years of "'til death do us part," Janell has found just one who has the answers. His name is Jesus. True Restoration, Eternity, Authenticity, and Love belong to Him. And she loves to share and talk about what's REAL with others, whether it's one-on-one with young women on her podcast, or when speaking for a Christian audience or those outside the Church.    -- -- -- -- -- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Visit the Finding Something REAL Youtube channel! -- -- -- -- -- Links: Noelle's First episode Noelle & Drew Noelle & Xandra Noelle & Doug Noelle & J, Warner Wallace Noelle & Jeannine Hanger Noelle & Abdu Murray Noelle & Lindsey Medenwaldt Finding Something Real Speaking Page    

Happy Wednesday! Today Lindsey Medenwaldt is joining the podcast! This is the eleventh episode in a series dedicated to special co-host, Noelle. In this episode, host Janell Wood and guest Lindsey Medenwaldt discuss how to bridge the divide between Christians and non-Christians and have meaningful conversations. They explore the importance of building relationships, being good listeners, and sharing the gospel with love and respect. Lindsey shares insights from her book, 'Bridge Building Apologetics,' and emphasizes the need for Christians to be prepared to give a defense for their faith. They also address the question of why Christians make it their job to tell others about Jesus and the importance of knowing God through Scripture and prayer. Lindsey explains why prayer is a foundational aspect of bridge building apologetics. Prayer helps calm the mind, recall information, and seek guidance in conversations. She emphasizes the importance of active prayer life and being in constant conversation with God. Towards the end of the episode, Janell introduces the next co-host (hi Lizzy!) who will be joining the podcast for conversations soon.  We hope you enjoy this week's episode!   About Lindsey Medenwaldt Lindsey Medenwaldt is the Director of Ministry Operations at Mama Bear Apologetics, and she's our resident worldview and world religion specialist. She has a master's degree in apologetics and ethics from Denver Seminary, as well as a master's in public administration and a law degree. She wrote Bridge-Building Apologetics, which will be released in May 2024 (Harvest House). She's an editor and author for the Christian Research Journal, an editor for Women in Apologetics, and a member of the Pelican Project. She has also contributed to various writing projects, including a chapter about the Jehovah's Witnesses to the Popular Handbook of World Religions (Harvest House 2021). Lindsey and her husband, Jay (who is also an apologist), have been married for 16 years. They live with their daughters in Iowa. In her spare time, Lindsey loves watching British reality television, especially The Great British Baking Show, and she's an avid reader (Jay and Lindsey have an at-home library of more than 2,500 books!). -- -- -- -- -- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Visit the Finding Something REAL Youtube channel! -- -- -- -- -- Links: Noelle's First episode Noelle & Drew Noelle & Xandra Noelle & Doug Noelle & J, Warner Wallace Noelle & Jeannine Hanger Noelle & Abdu Murray   Why Christianity? with Lindsey Medenwaldt REPLAY: Why Christianity? with Lindsey Medenwaldt Do Christians and LDS Believe The Same Thing? REPLAY: Do Christians and LDS Believe The Same Thing?   Is the Enneagram Scientific Progress or Regress? Jay Medenwaldt   Mama Bear Apologetics    

Happy Wednesday! Today Abdu is joining Janell and Noelle. This is the tenth episode in a series dedicated to special co-host, Noelle. Abdu Murray joins Noelle, Janell, and special guest, Signe, for a conversation about his journey from being a proud Muslim to becoming a Christian. Abdu talks about the importance of love and treating people with dignity and kindness. He shares the challenges he's faced within his family and community due to his decision to embrace Christianity. Abdu emphasizes the need to separate a person from their ideas and see each person as intrinsically valuable even when disagreements occur. He shares about the fulfillment he found in Jesus and how becoming a Christian was not something he initially desired but a decision he made out of intellectual honesty. He talks about the purpose of the Christian faith not being about achieving happiness, but instead finding fulfillment, joy, and knowledge of God. We hope you enjoy this week's episode!   About Abdu Murray Abdu Murray offers the credibility of the gospel message as a speaker and writer with Embrace the Truth. He has authored several books including Saving Truth, Grand Central Question, Apocalypse Later, and the forthcoming More than a White Man's Religion. For most of his life, Abdu was a proud Muslim until a nine-year historical, philosophical, theological, and scientific investigation pointed him to the Christian faith. Abdu has spoken to diverse international audiences and has participated in debates and dialogues across the globe. Abdu holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School. Abdu lives in the Detroit, Michigan area with his wife and their three children. -- -- -- -- --  We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Visit the Finding Something REAL Youtube channel! -- -- -- -- -- Links: Noelle's First episode Noelle & Drew Noelle & Xandra Noelle & Doug Noelle & J, Warner Wallace Noelle & Jeannine Hanger   Embrace The Truth Abdu Murray - YouTube ”Was Jesus Raised from the Dead?” - Abdu Murray and John Loftus Debate Grand Central Question - Abdu Murray Saving Truth - Abdu Murray More Than a White Man's Religion - Abdu Mu   Questions Christianity Answers with Abdu Murray REPLAY: Questions Christianity Answers with Abdu Murray What Happens When You Embrace the Truth about Jesus Christ? with Abdu Murray Christianity: Is it helpful? Is it good? with Abdu Murray    

Today, Jeannine joins Noelle and Janell!  It's a conversation with Dr. Jeannine Hanger, Noelle, and Janell, discussing the trustworthiness and relevance of the Bible. Noelle shares her questions about the Bible and its translation throughout history. Jeannine shares her personal faith journey and her passion for the New Testament. Jeannine discusses students' doubt and skepticism over the Bible and the things she sometimes shares with them. She explains why she lives by the Bible's authority and how it can be relevant to people today. Towards the end of the conversation, there is a discussion about authenticity in the Bible- in passages of scripture that weren't part of the oldest manuscripts, and in the historical facts of Jesus' life and death. Jeannine shares about the compelling story of Mary of Bethany and why the tangible things mentioned in scripture are so meaningful to her. We hope you enjoy today's episode!    About Jeannine Jeannine Hanger has been involved with Biola University since 2000. She earned a Master of Arts (2004) and Master of Theology (2009) at Talbot in New Testament Studies and has taught undergraduates in an adjunct role since 2009. She recently completed her doctoral studies (2021) at the University of Aberdeen, also in the New Testament. Her research interests revolve around the Gospels. More specifically she has enjoyed exploring literary approaches to texts seen alongside their ancient world contexts. She has a heart for students to know God through the Word with every aspect of their beings: heart, soul, mind, and strength. As the wife of a pastor, Jeannine has also been deeply invested in the local church. Most recently, she and her husband have enjoyed launching Coastline Covenant Church alongside dear friends in ministry. They live with their three teenage children in the South Bay. -- -- -- -- --  We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Visit the Finding Something REAL Youtube channel! -- -- -- -- -- Links: Noelle's First episode Noelle & Drew Noelle & Xandra Noelle & Doug Noelle & J, Warner Wallace biola.edu  

Today, Dr. John Marriott joins Noelle and Janell!   Together they discuss reasons why people leave Christian faith, why John is still a Christian, and how he began studying deconversion & faith deconstruction. They explore the difference between having reasons vs. absolute certainty when it comes to faith. They talk about the theme of happiness and the search for deep satisfaction. John explains the concept of flourishing by aligning oneself with God's design and conforming to the nature of reality. The discussion also touches on the pursuit of pleasure, power, and wealth as inadequate sources of lasting happiness. Noelle shares more about why she's not a Christian and John shares some helpful insight for those who have a loved one who has left the Christian faith.    We hope you enjoy today's episode!    About Dr. John John is a faculty affiliate of The Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University's Institute for Quantitative Social Science. He is the former Research and Program Coordinator for the Biola University Center for Christian Thought and teaches part-time in the Department of Philosophy at Talbot School of Theology.  A former pastor, he holds a Ph.D. degree from The Cook School of Intercultural Studies. His dissertation focused on deconversion from Christianity to atheism. He is the author of five books on deconversion, A Recipe For Disaster: How the Church Contributes to the Deconversion Crisis (Wipf & Stock, 2018), The Anatomy of Deconversion: Keys to a Lifelong Faith in a Culture Abandoning Christianity (ACUP, 2021), Going... Going... Gone..! Why Believers Lose Their Faith and What Can be Done to Guard Against it (Renaissance Publishers, 2020), Before You Go: Uncovering Hidden Factors in Faith Loss (Leafwood Publishers, 2022), and Set Adrift: Deconstructing What You Believe Without Sinking Your Faith (Zondervan, 2023). John is also a contributor to an updated edition of the forthcoming book Apologetics for a New Generation (Harvest House 2025). His sixth book, The Good Book? Restoring Your Faith in the Bible by Questioning Everything You Assume About it, (Tyndale) is due for release soon. John is the Director of Cultural Engagement with the Renaissance Forum which focuses on connecting calling to culture for societal wellbeing. He enjoys speaking at churches and conferences on topics related to biblical studies, philosophy of religion, deconversion, and the relationship between the Church and culture. Dr. Marriott is also the International Student Services Coordinator at Whittier Christian High School, in Whittier California.  -- -- -- -- -- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Visit the Finding Something REAL Youtube channel!   Noelle's First episode Noelle & Drew Noelle & Xandra Noelle & Doug Noelle & J, Warner Wallace Dr. John Marriott  Set Adrift - Sean Mcdowell & John Marriott 

Happy Wednesday! We hope you are doing well! Today w are airing part two of our conversation with Detective J. Warner Wallace. Jim responds to Noelle's objection that she doesn't have to believe in Jesus. In this conversation they discuss reasons why people believe or reject truth claims. and how someone can come to the conclusion that Christianity is the right choice? They talk about how life experiences can impact belief. Jim explains how we cannot deny our fallen human nature.  Noelle and Jim discuss the exclusive truth claims of Christianity. Jim shares about why it's important to get identity right with God. He shares about different Bible translations and what they were written for- encouraging Noelle to read the primary source material. Jim also shares some reasons people don't come to Christ and the way pride vs humility interacts with the offensive nature of the gospel message.  We hope you enjoy today's episode!   About J. Warner Wallace J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective, popular national speaker and best-selling author. He continues to consult on cold-case investigations while serving as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He is also an adjunct professor of apologetics at Talbot School of Theology (Biola University), Gateway Seminary, and Southern Evangelical Seminary, and a faculty member at Summit Ministries. J. Warner became a Christ-follower at the age of thirty-five after investigating the claims of the New Testament gospels using his skill set as a detective. He eventually earned a Master's Degree in Theological Studies from Gateway Seminary. -- -- -- -- --  We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Visit the Finding Something REAL Youtube channel!   Links: FSR May 2023 with J. Warner Wallace FSR April 2024 with J Warner Wallace (YouTube) -- Cold Case Christianity (website) Cold Case Christianity (book) The Truth in True Crime (book)

Happy Wednesday! We hope you are doing well! Today, we welcome back Detective J. Warner Wallace! Jim shares about coming to faith in Jesus Christ and explains how he began asking the question, “Is the Bible accurate in the way it portrays Jesus?” He shares about his search on the topic and the conclusion of his search. He discusses the difference between objective and subjective truths and the implications of what it means if Christianity is true.  We hope you enjoy today's episode! -- About J. Warner Wallace J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective, popular national speaker and best-selling author. He continues to consult on cold-case investigations while serving as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He is also an adjunct professor of apologetics at Talbot School of Theology (Biola University), Gateway Seminary, and Southern Evangelical Seminary, and a faculty member at Summit Ministries. J. Warner became a Christ-follower at the age of thirty-five after investigating the claims of the New Testament gospels using his skill set as a detective. He eventually earned a Master's Degree in Theological Studies from Gateway Seminary. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Visit the Finding Something REAL Youtube channel!   Links: FSR May 2023 with J. Warner Wallace Cold Case Christianity (website) Cold Case Christianity (book) The Truth in True Crime (book)

Hello Everyone Today on the podcast we welcome back Douglas Groothuis! Today's discussion covers a few of Noelle's questions was about spiritual practices and why some of them might be concerning for Christians.  Doug shares about his own personal faith journey, why he's not an atheist or agnostic. He also talks about reasons followers of Jesus should avoid spiritual practices outside of Christianity. He responds to some of Noelle's questions and objections.  We hope you enjoy today's episode! -- About Douglas Dr. Douglas Groothuis has fire in his bones for the Christian message and many irons in the fire to explain, defend, and apply it. He has been explaining the world to the church and explaining the church to the world for nearly fifty years through his teaching, preaching, writing, mentoring, and general witness. His passion is to take to the streets the truth and significance of the Christian worldview for all of life. To that end, he publishes both academic and popular works, preaches in churches, gives public lectures, engages in debates, and has appeared on hundreds of radio programs and podcasts since 1983. He is known as a knowledgeable, sharp, forceful, but gentle communicator of the Christian message.   ----- Links: FSR October 2023 with Douglas Douglas' Website

Hello Everyone Today on the podcast we welcome back Xandra! In this episode, Noelle, Janell, and Xandra Grieme discuss the fine-tuning argument for the existence of God. They also explore why some people resist believing in God and the personal obstacles to belief. The conversation touches on the impact of negative experiences with Christians and the Christian belief in sin and redemption. The conversation explores the concepts of sin, brokenness, and the need for forgiveness. It emphasizes the understanding that sin is not only external actions but also an inherent part of human nature. The importance of accepting imperfection and avoiding judgment is highlighted, along with the idea that Christians should not expect non-Christians to live by Christian standards. The decision to follow Jesus is discussed, emphasizing the personal transformation and the discovery of one's true identity. The conversation concludes with the idea that authenticity is found in Jesus and that experiencing restoration, eternity, authenticity, and love compels believers to share their faith. We hope you enjoy today's episode!   About Xandra  Xandra Grieme received a BS from Colorado State University and later studied at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Xandra continued her studies at Victoria University of Wellington where she completed a master's degree in Conservation Biology. Her scientific research includes work in parasitology, flow cytometry, and ecological restoration. Xandra is passionate about educating youth on our role as stewards of the natural world. -- -- -- -- --  We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here!   Links: FSR November 2022 with Xandra FSR March 2024 with Xandra Museum of Created Beauty Who Moved the Stone? A Good & True Story by Paul Gould

Hello Everyone Today on the podcast we welcome back Xandra! Janell sits down with Noelle and Xandra.  Xandra shares her personal faith journey and how she reconciles her love for science with her belief in God. They discuss the integration of science and faith, the beauty of nature as evidence of a creator, and the problem of suffering.  They discuss the imperfections of the Church throughout history and the need to understand Jesus' message before rejecting Christianity. We hope you enjoy today's episode! About Xandra  Xandra Grieme received a BS from Colorado State University and later studied at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. Xandra continued her studies at Victoria University of Wellington where she completed a master's degree in Conservation Biology. Her scientific research includes work in parasitology, flow cytometry, and ecological restoration. Xandra is passionate about educating youth on our role as stewards of the natural world. - - - - -  We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here!   Links: FSR November 2022 with Xandra Museum of Created Beauty   Who Moved the Stone? A Good & True Story by Paul Gould

Hello Everyone Today on the podcast we welcome back Drew Berryessa! In this episode, Noelle and Drew discuss the challenges of being a Christian and accepting the LGBTQ community. Noelle shares her concerns about Christians who claim to be about love but then hate the LGBTQ community. Drew shares his personal story of struggling with his sexuality and how he found transformation through following Jesus. They discuss the concept of change versus cure and the importance of surrendering to Jesus. Noelle questions the compelling nature of the gospel and why someone would choose to deny themselves for a belief in an invisible God. In this conversation, Drew Berryessa shares his personal journey of surrendering his life to God and finding compelling reasons to follow Jesus. He emphasizes the importance of encountering Christians who demonstrate the love and character of God. Drew also highlights the power of love and acceptance in drawing people to God, and the need for Christians to prioritize relationship over winning arguments. He discusses the biblical perspective on sexuality, emphasizing the importance of understanding God's intention for sexuality and the consequences of sin. Finally, Drew reflects on the significance of restoration and authenticity in his faith journey. We hope you enjoy today's episode!   About Drew  In 1996, Drew surrendered his sexuality to the Lordship of Christ, leaving behind a homosexual relationship. Drew chose to trust Christ with his future, believing that the Word of God was trustworthy and that Christ would be faithful to give him a life worth living outside of a homosexual identity or relationship. This surrender began a process of transformation and healing confronting the issues of same-sex attraction and overall relational dysfunction in his life. Drew began full-time ministry to the sexually and relationally broken in 2004, joining the staff of Portland Fellowship, a para-church discipleship ministry in Portland, OR. Drew spent ten years in ministry there, ending his time as the Assistant Director to found A Living Letter Ministries in 2015. Drew's life and testimony stand in stark contrast to the current cultural narrative about sexual identity, demonstrating instead what Christ can do for a sexually broken life submitted to His Lordship. With the current shifts in ideology regarding sexuality, identity, gender, and God's transformative power, Drew's ministry, experience, and insight stand as a redemptive voice of truth to the body of Christ. Drew is a graduate of Multnomah Bible College, holding a Bachelor's Degree in Ministry and Leadership. In addition to being the Founder and Director of A Living Letter Ministries, Drew serves as a Teaching and Counseling Pastor at Living Waters Church in Medford, OR. Drew released his first book, Are We There Yet? in 2018, adding author to his list of accomplishments. Of all the roles and titles he carries, his most prized titles are that of husband and father. Drew and his wife Suzanne have been married since 2004 and together they have the joy of raising their three daughters. - - - - -  We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here!   Links: FSR March 2021 with Drew FSR June 2021 with Drew FSR April 2022 with Drew & Cynthia A Living Letter Isaiah 61 Proverbs 27:7 ”One who is full loathes honey from the comb, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.”

Hello Everyone Welcome to Season 7 of the Finding Something REAL Podcast! In this episode, Janelle interviews her niece Noelle about her background, family dynamics, and her journey with faith. Noelle shares her experiences growing up in Snohomish, Washington, and the impact of her relationships with her biological father and stepfather. She discusses her early involvement in church and her understanding of Christianity as a child. As she grew older, Noelle began to question her beliefs and develop her own worldview, emphasizing the importance of love, acceptance, and social justice. She also shares her current perspective on Jesus and her faith. Noelle expresses doubts about the existence of God and her ability to believe in Him. She discusses her interest in astrology and tarot cards and how it may conflict with Christianity. Noelle also shares her concerns about the Bible's accuracy and the disingenuousness she has experienced in the Christian church. She emphasizes the importance of love and kindness in her life and expresses a desire for security and hope. We hope you enjoy today's episode! -- About Noelle  This is the first episode in a series for a young woman named Noelle. Noelle is a Biology major at Western Washington University. She loves art, being in the outdoors, and values love and kindness. Noelle identifies as a member of the LGBTQ community. She went to church as a kid, although that's not part of her life anymore. She has struggled with anxiety. Noelle had a lot to say about her feelings and objections towards Christianity at this point in her life. She is looking forward to sharing her opinions on the podcast, as well as learning from the perspective of Christian guests. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here!

Please enjoy our last replay episode from Season 6! We begin Season 7 next week! — — — — Welcome to Wednesday! This week, we welcome back Zach Verrett! Zach shares his personal story of dealing with homosexuality. They talk about whether or not God cares about who we love, whether acts of homosexuality are sins, and the relationship between sacrifice and homosexuality. They also talk about the value of celibacy and how the Gospel is an invitation before life change happens. About Zach  Zach currently serves at The Austin Stone Community Church in their Connections Ministry and is involved with his church's engagement on the topic of sexuality. Previously, he spent five years touring with Unaltered Ministries. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! FSR: Gaia's Intro FSR: Gaia & Dr. Erik Thoennes FSR Gaia & Robby FSR: Frank Turek Austin Stone Church Unaltered Ministries FSR June 2021 with Zach  Preston Sprinkle Francis Chan Rethinking Sexual Intimacy - Julie Slattery

Hello everyone! In January and February we will be replaying a few of our favorite episodes from 2023 as we prepare to launch season 7 in March! We hope you enjoy! — — — — Hello! Happy Wednesday! Today, we are delighted to share an interview with apologist Tim Barnett. Time shares a bit about his faith journey and tells how a question about his faith pushed him to better understand the Christian faith and why he believes. He shares about the ministry he does in partnership with Stand to Reason and how Red Pen Logic with Mr. B got started. Tim shares some advice for those who have doubts about Jesus or Christianity, why he thinks Christianity is the best explanation for reality, and how our feelings do not determine verity. He also talks about whether there is evidence for the stories in the Bible and why he continues the work he does despite the backlash. We hope you enjoy this episode!   About Tim Barnett Tim Barnett has worked as a speaker for Stand to Reason since 2015. He is a dynamic speaker who provides a perfect blend of expertise and humor in each talk. Using easy-to-follow and visually engaging presentations, Tim trains Christians to think clearly about what they believe and why they believe it. Tim has worked as a professional teacher since 2008, employed in both the private and public sector. He has earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics from York University, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and a Master of Arts in Philosophy from Southern Evangelical Seminary. Tim serves as an adjunct Bible and Science teacher at Innova Academy, a classical Christian school, and serves on the pastoral staff at Cedarview Community Church. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! FSR: Ljuca's Intro FSR: Ljuca and J. Warner Wallace FSR: Ljuca and Dr. Keith Oglesby FSR: Greg Koukl - Oct 2021 FSR: Jon Noyes - March 2023 FSR: Robbie Lashua - April 2023 Stand to Reason Reality Apologetics Student Conference Norm Geisler  Sean McDowell Frank Turek Francis Shaeffer  Miracles - Craig Keener The Case for Miracles - Lee Strobel There is a God? - Anthony Flew A Fortunate Universe - Geraint F. Lewis Is Atheism Dead? - Eric Metaxas 1 Corinthians 15   

Hello everyone! In January and February we will be replaying a few of our favorite episodes from 2023 as we prepare to launch season 7 in March! We hope you enjoy! ---- Happy Wednesday!  Note: This episode speaks about mental health struggles and suicide Happy Wednesday All! Today, we welcome back Jon Noyes. He speaks about the current lack of talk about mental health and suicide in churches, why he thinks churches shy away from the topic, and why they desperately need to speak about mental health. Jon also shares some statistics about suicide and the prevalence of hopelessness in our culture. Later, Jon reminds us that there is hope in Christ. He shares the Gospel, Biblical accounts where people in the Bible continued through trials, the meaning of life, and what can be helpful to those who are considering suicide. We hope you are edified by this episode.    About Jonathan Jonathan has worked as a speaker with Stand to Reason since 2019. A former atheist, Jonathan used to think belief in God was unwarranted and irresponsible. Then, after examining the evidence for Christianity he was faced with the fact that Jesus is who He says He is and the Christian worldview tells the true story of reality. Since then Jon has been passionate about engaging the culture with honest, well thought-out reasons why people should trust the Christian worldview. Jon has developed a series of passionate talks to do just that. In 2013 Jonathan earned a master's degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, graduating with honors. Jon brings a unique perspective to his audiences and the Stand to Reason team, having more than ten years' experience in the legal field and serving more than five as a pastor in his local church. Jon also serves on the board of directors for Life Without Limbs and at Beacon Hill Classical Academy, where he teaches discipleship. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! Suicide prevention hotline: 988 Crisis Text Line: Text “Home” to 741741 FSR November 2023 - Nora's Intro FSR November 2023 with Jon FSR June 2023 with Abdu -- STR.org Jon Noyes + STR To The Point LIVE with Jon Noyes: Suicide -- Foxe' Book of Martyrs - John Foxe Reality Student Conference  Summit Ministries -- 13 Reasons Why -- Augustine John Stonestreet Bonhoeffer  -- Exodus 20:3 “You shall not murder.” Psalm 103:12 as far as the east is from the west,     so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 130 1 Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord; 2     Lord, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive     to my cry for mercy. 3 If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,     Lord, who could stand? 4 But with you there is forgiveness,     so that we can, with reverence, serve you. 5 I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,     and in his word I put my hope. 6 I wait for the Lord     more than watchmen wait for the morning,     more than watchmen wait for the morning. 7 Israel, put your hope in the Lord,     for with the Lord is unfailing love     and with him is full redemption. 8 He himself will redeem Israel     from all their sins. Romans 3:23 ”for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 8:38-39 ”For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20  “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 ”For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Hello everyone! In January and February we will be replaying a few of our favorite episodes from 2023 as we prepare to launch season 7 in March! We hope you enjoy! — — — — Happy Wednesday!  This week, we are releasing an episode with Rachel and today's guest— Alexis Zanias. Lexi shares about her faith journey, her love for educating students, and her love of questions and research. She talks about embracing the unknown, the importance of truth, and understanding definitions. Lexi shares five things that defined Christians in ancient Rome, and Rachel and her chat about the Bible and its authority.  They also discuss deciphering what may be the voice of God and what may just be our own voice.  We hope you enjoy!   About Alexis Alexis Zanias grew up near Allentown PA.  She attended Grove City College, where she received a degree in Biology/Secondary Education.  Lexi has her Masters in Environmental Science Education from Montreat College in NC.  For the past 14 years, she has been a secondary high school science and Bible/apologetics teacher in Asheville NC.  Before that she taught in Fort Lauderdale, FL and worked at Black Forest Academy, a boarding school for missionary kids in Germany.   When she has a break from teaching during the school year, Lexi loves to fill up her summers.  She worked with Summit Ministries for 9 summers at Student Conferences in TN, CA, PA and GA.  Lexi currently works in the summers for MAVEN as a field guide on their Immersive Experiences.  She loves spending time with Jesus, good discussions, Ultimate Frisbee, Lady Grey Tea, deep laughter and digging into good books.   - - - - -  We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! FSR October 2023 - Rachel's Intro FSR October 2023 - with Paul Copan FSR October 2023- with Douglas Groothuis   Maventruth.org Rosaria Butterfield Jesus Revolution Movie  Midnight Mass - Netflix miniseries Romans 5:8 ”…But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 10:9 ”…If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Ephesians 2:10 ”For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Hello everyone! In January and February we will be replaying a few of our favorite episodes from 2023 as we prepare to launch season 7 in March! We hope you enjoy! — — — — Hello Everyone!  Today on the podcast, we welcome returning guest Justin Brierley! Justin shares a bit of an update on Unbelievable? and how he is diving into culture apologetics after leaving the show. They chat a bit about his new book, how the new atheism movement is impacting culture, and the limitations of science as a worldview. They chat about Jordan Peterson, the “Fathiest Atheist,” and the growth of religion around the world. Justin discusses why who chooses Christianity over something else and how Christianity has influenced the world. They also discuss Christian celebrities, cancel culture, and fighting idol worship. We hope you enjoy the episode!   About Justin Justin is a freelance writer, speaker and broadcaster who has become known for creating dialogues between Christians and non-Christians. Justin is passionate about creating conversations around faith, science, theology and culture. Through creative use of podcast, radio, print, video and social media, he aims to showcase an intellectually compelling case for Christianity, while taking seriously the questions and objections of sceptics. Justin has worked in radio, podcast and video for over two decades. Until April 2023 he was Theology & Apologetics Editor for Premier Christian Radio, and hosted the Unbelievable? radio show and podcast as well as the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast. Justin was also editor of Premier Christianity magazine from 2014-2018, for which he continues to contribute articles. Justin's first book 'Unbelievable? Why, after ten years of talking with atheists, I'm still a Christian' (SPCK) was published in 2017. Justin currently co-hosts the Re-Enchanting podcast for Seen & Unseen, and is a guest presenter for the Maybe God podcast. His next book 'The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God' (Tyndale) will be published in Sep 2023. Justin is married to Lucy, a church minister in Surrey, and they have 4 amazing children - Noah, Grace, Jeremy and Toby. When he isn't working in a professional capacity, you'll find Justin involved in youth work and worship leading at church. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! FSR September 2023 - Alice's Intro FSR June 2022 with Justin -- ​​JustinBrierley.com Unbelievable? Show The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God - Justin Brierley Justin Brierley's "Unbelievable" book Unbelievable? Jordan Peterson vs. Susan Blackmore Unbelievable? Tim Keller Q&A on cancer, prayer, and forgiveness -- Jordan Peterson Phillip Yancey The Faithiest Atheist MAVEN  -- Sean McDowell's Interview with Justin Brierley Tim Keller's podcast 

Hello everyone! In January and February we will be replaying a few of our favorite episodes from 2023 as we prepare to launch season 7 in March! We hope you enjoy! — — — — Hello Friends!  Today on the Finding Something REAL podcast, we have a wonderful conversation with Signe and our guest Claudia Kalmikov! After getting checking in with Signe, we het to hear Claudia speak about her faith journey. She speaks about why trust is her favorite topic to discuss, why the truths found in the Bible transcend culture, and the message of the Old Testament and New Testament. They also chat about misinterpreting the Bible, putting our focus on Jesus, why meaning is more important than happiness, the problem with moral relativism, and much more! We hope you enjoy today's episode! About Claudia Claudia is a Christian apologist, national speaker, and blogger with a Master of Arts degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. She is on the speaking team for the Talbot Seminary Biola On-The-Road Apologetics conferences, teaches Apologetics at her church, and leads the ladies Bible study. Claudia has been a repeat guest on the KKLA radio show in Los Angeles, Real Life With Gina Pastore and David James. Her blog posts have been published multiple times in The Poached Egg online apologetics magazine, and she is a contributing writer for Women In Apologetics, and an Op-Ed contributor for the Christian Post online magazine. She blogs at Straight Talk With Claudia K. After raising two now adult sons, her focus now is to make an impact in the world for Christ. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here! -- FSR August 2023 - Signe's Intro FSR August 2023 - Signe & Abdu FSR June 2023 with Lindsey Ponder FSR June 2022 with Abdu -- Straight Talk with Claudia K The Christian Post: Two Ways that Relativism Falls Flat -- Francis Shaeffer  Article about Christopher Reeve speaking on stem cell research --   Bible Verse: 1 Peter 1:24-25 (NKJV) All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away,  But the word of the Lord endures forever. Acts 4:12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Hello everyone! In January and February we will be replaying a few of our favorite episodes from 2023 as we prepare to launch season 7 in March! We hope you enjoy! — — — — This week on the podcast, we are delighted to welcome J. Warner Wallace. Jim shares his story of coming from a contentedly non-christian worldview and not feeling like Christianity was relevant to him to believing in Jesus. He explains how marriage and becoming a father started turned his head towards the need for a solidified worldview. They talk about Jim's work as a detective and how his experience thinking things through in an evidence based way led him to belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They talk about how the agnostic worldview can work for a time, but can eventually fall through, the six atheistic explanations for the resurrection and how the explanations do not work, how suffering fits into the Christian life, and more. We hope you enjoy the episode!    About J. Warner Wallace  J. Warner Wallace is a Dateline featured cold-case homicide detective, popular national speaker and best-selling author. He continues to consult on cold-case investigations while serving as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. He is also an adjunct professor of apologetics at Talbot School of Theology (Biola University) and Southern Evangelical Seminary, and a faculty member at Summit Ministries. J. Warner became a Christ-follower at the age of thirty-five after investigating the claims of the New Testament gospels using his skill set as a detective. He eventually earned a Master's Degree in Theological Studies from Gateway Seminary. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! If you are interested in supporting the Finding Something REAL fundraising campaign, you can head to the webpage and click on the orange donate button. To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! If you would like to receive Janell's 7 Deep Faith Questions resource click here!   FSR: Ljuca's Intro Cold Case Christianity (website) Cross Examined Instructor's Academy Cold Case Christianity - J. Warner Wallace Forensic Faith book - J. Warner Wallace God's Crime Scene - J. Warner Wallace Person of Interest- J. Warner Wallace Person of Interest - talk given by J. Warner Wallace -- Damar Hamlin (Buffalo Bills) collapse Dateline Episodes featuring J. Warner Wallace Jim Wallace speaking to students at Kings Academy  -- FSR s2e15 with Lu and Allen Crostic - Part 1 and Part 2 FSR s4e5 with Lu and Allen Crostic FSRs4e9 with Lu and Stéphanie Rousselle Tim Keller 

Hello everyone! In January and February we will be replaying a few of our favorite episodes from 2023 as we prepare to launch season 7 in March! We hope you enjoy! — — — — Another Wednesday, another episode! We are excited to bring you a new episode of the Finding Something REAL Podcast! In today's episode, Gaia shares some of her current feelings about faith and how her Journey is going so far.  We are also excited to introduce Lindsey Ponder. Lindsey talks about her personal faith journey and a bit about The Bible Project. Then the group has a discussion about the Bible and seek to answer questions such as; Why should we read the Bible? How can we trust the Old and New Testaments? They also chat about authoritative vs submission issues, sin, and more. We hope you enjoy the episode!  About Lindsey Lindsey Ponder is a teacher and author passionate about understanding the Bible in its original context so that we can glean its wisdom for our own. A producer at BibleProject, Lindsey helps manage the organization's internationally acclaimed podcast. Lindsey is part of the family at Kessid Church, where she serves as a member of the teaching team and as a worship leader. A graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Lindsey is currently in pursuit of a Masters of Divinity at Western Seminary. When she's not studying or teaching, Lindsey enjoys hiking with her beloved dog and hearing someone's story over (copious amounts of) coffee. ----- We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here! To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here! FSR: Gaia's Intro FSR: Gaia & Dr. Erik Thoennes FSR Gaia & Robby FSR: Gaia and Zach FSR March 2021 with Brenna Blain -- The Bible Project | YouTube | Instagram | TikTok Bible Project Paradigm Series: Who Wrote the Bible? -- Kessid Church (Vancouver WA) Moody Bible Institute Western Seminary