Michael In The Middle

Episode 54 features a frank discussion of the necessity of honesty as well as the price that is paid for true forgiveness to occur in our most significant relationships. Before the conversation gets heavy there's also a healthy dose of Boston Red Sox family lore. Jeff Scott's grandfather, Stephen Nease, was president of Eastern Nazarene College for a number of years. He also served as president at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, Southern Nazarene University, and Nazarene Theological Seminary. Jeff is deeply ingrained in the church and in higher education. He is thoughtful, highly learned, and also funny. The story he shares in the podcast centers largely around a crisis of faith and, later, the journey he and his wife, Joy, have taken toward wholeness. It's worth every minute of your time!

In his return to the podcast after a long layoff, Michael talks about the temptation to give up when the going gets tough. In the pursuit of doing something worthwhile there are often moments when the simple determination to keep going is the key to breakthrough.

My wife and I recently moved to a new home. One of the things we love most about it is the "sunroom" that looks out over a sprawling back yard. Watching the sunrise from time to time as it breaks the darkness across our yard and the 160 acre farm with which we share a fence line is never not amazing. Even the tiniest bit of light can start the process of shattering darkness. Episode 52 includes two stories of well-lit graciousness and gratitude. In a time when the darkness of anger, even evil, abounds, the light of goodness can help us overcome it!

With the arrival of Episode 51, I was drawn to #51 of the St. Louis Cardinals, worn so well and for so long by Willie McGee. As a rookie center fielder for the Cards, McGee patrolled the field like a boss. He's still teaching young Cardinals outfielders how to play the game. I played a lot of baseball growing up, well enough to have had college baseball opportunities. I chose a different path, influenced greatly by my parents and other mentors. The in between of life both in age and in circumstance is an interesting place to live. It's my turn now as a sort of patriarchal figure in our family lead the way in getting the middle of good things for the sake of others.

Episode 50 of Michael in the Middle was a few weeks in the making, but it was worth the wait. Joe Drake is one of the most interesting men any of us will ever know. His life story took almost as many twists and turns as any motorcycle enthusiast ever took on a mountain road. On the verge of divorce years ago, Joe and his wife, Val, were invited to church and lovingly brought into a relationship with the God from whom they had been running for years. "Smokin' Joe" Drake is now "Reverend" Joe Drake. Still "ready for adventure and whatever comes our way," Joe is an international leader in Bikers for Christ as well as lead pastor at Bethel Church of the Nazarene in Nashville, TN.Join Michael and Joe for an often entertaining yet deeply moving chat about loving God and loving people!

With a long and successful career in baseball including college and the pros, Nick Hiter knows what it takes to lead a winning team. In Episode 49, Michael and Nick talk about the similarities involved in baseball and business and how the lure of competition can bring out the best in us. Every game, every new day keeps us running toward our goals that should also include helping others "score" as well.

A few years back, Lauren Alaina recorded a terrific song entitled "Getting Good." The lyric expresses how we are prone to think about all that could go wrong or could be better and often miss out on all the goodness that is already surrounding us. In these days of global unrest and warring factions, it might seem that we are doomed. There is much to be concerned about, to be sure, but there is so much good to be found and shared. Living generously is a great way to be part of a brighter future!

Steve Pennington has been speaking life into audiences, particularly of children and their families, for almost 50 years. Episode 47 of Michael in the Middle offers insights into how giving life to creatively designed puppets allowed Steve and his "friends" to share an uplifting and fun message with millions. The conversation touches on how the characters were created, including the brilliant Snowbird, and how family imprints the persons we become. http://www.steveandfriends.org/ http://www.prokidsusa.com/

We all have times in our lives where relationships can feel as if they're beyond repair. Maybe some are, but they don't all or always have to be. In Episode 46 Michael talks about looking for redemption whenever and wherever we can find it. Take a few minutes to consider how you can be a conduit for redemption in your own life and in the lives of others.

Dr. Ron Jackson is back for a second time on Michael in the Middle to talk about old times, old friends, and the age-old quest for finding oneself. Michael and Ron enjoy some laughs, which everyone needs to do every day, but also get reflective about the passage of time and even the passing of friends. Dive in to the reality of time-tested friendship and the truth of God's desire for each of us to find our ultimate identity in God's creative process.

Episode 44 of Michael in the Middle of explores the notions of goodness and the power of a moment. Listen as Michael tells stories of goodness and challenges is to seize the moment when it is available to us.

Episode 43 of Michael in the Middle is out and it's sure to be a fascinating journey for listeners. Josh Cobb can hardly remember a time when he wasn't singing. The son of immensely talented musicians, Josh has seen the way an audience can be moved to tears or shouts of joy with a well-delivered song. He's widely regarded as having one of the great voices in the music world today. The singing came fairly easily. The voice is a gift. But the redemptive road to where he is now has had its share of bumps and bruises and twists and turns. As a grateful husband to Beth and father to Judah, Josh Cobb can sing with a soul that is freer than it's ever been. You can hear in his story and you can hear it in his songs.

Teachers are an indispensable, too often taken for granted, mostly underpaid group of people. Even if they are living paycheck to paycheck, it's not unusual for them to buy essential school supplies for their students who have even less in the way of financial means.  Teachers work as many hours outside the classroom as they do in it. Simply put, teachers are heroes who make a world of difference in the lives of their students.  Ep. 42 of Michael in the Middle pays tribute to the profession and three hero teachers in his life. Listen and then share the love with a teacher you know. 

When Michael and Rob (Varnish Media) set out build this podcast, the alliterative "Michael in the Middle" just had a nice ring to it. Now the phrase has become a working brand and a way of life. As Season 2 begins with Episode 41, Michael takes a look back at some significant excerpts from five of the episodes shared in the last half of the inaugural year. A doctor, a couple of preachers, a couple of singers, a songwriter, and a play-by-play college football announcer each demonstrate a commitment to excellence and a commitment to love. With our world spinning outwardly and away from each other, maybe Diamond Rio had it right again with "we gain a lot of ground when we both give a little... Ain't no road too long when we meet in the middle."

Moved by the death of one his dad's oldest and dearest friends, Michael focuses Episode 40 on what it's like to take a moment to remember one another and to be in touch while the opportunity presents itself. Recounting the story of a visit with his dad to see a friend in a nursing home a few years back, Michael reminds us God reaches out to people in a personal way, and most of the time God reaches out through us.

Gary Morsch is a medical doctor with a sincere heart of love for the world and an adventuresome soul that has seen most of the world. In Episode 39 of Michael in the Middle, listeners are invited into the amazing mind of one of the most interesting persons one could ever meet. With time for only a few vignettes, Gary and Michael discuss the founding of Heart to Heart International, a leader in relief work around the globe, meeting Mother Teresa in Old Calcutta, among other stories. You'll want to listen to every minute and then maybe listen again!

What's it like to tell the stories of others' days of glory on a basketball court, baseball field, or football field? Michael knows at least one good person to ask such a question. Greg Ruff is a veteran who served in the Air Force. Not only did Greg Ruff do a stint in the US Air Force, but he is also a veteran of the broadcasting business, specializing in live play-by-play, sports information, and marketing. With more stories than an hour can hold, Episode 38 of Michael in the Middle is a fun look back at some great moments in middle Tennessee sports, while also offering a glimpse into what it takes to succeed in any field.

In an era where name calling and labeling of others is rampant, Episode 37 seeks to redeem the way we talk about each other. We are all known by our names given at birth or by titles we've been given, but many are known by names given them by others that are less than kind. The world is longing for redemption whether it knows it or not. We can and should do better as we think of and address one another. Be a part of the movement that leans in that direction.

In a world full of people trying to get ahead, even if it means running over or around others, Episode 36 of Michael in the Middle takes a look at a better way to live. Sharing thoughts from a letter to his oldest grandson from a few years back, Michael reminds us of the a more redemptive way to "be" today. Be committed to making this a good day by getting out there in the middle of doing something good for someone else!

Real gratitude is both emotional and intentional. It is something that can only be expressed after becoming aware of its presence, perhaps even its necessity. Episode 35 of Michael In The Middle is built around personal experiences as well as a call for all of us to recognize its benefits.

Are feelings real? Do they matter? Can they be a valid source of help? In Episode 34, Michael returns with a look at life after loss and how we ought to lean into the feelings that flow out of our challenges. It's a short but important look at how we can channel the emotions that impact us in a positive way.

It just so happens that one of country music's biggest stars is also one of the Oklahoma Sooners' biggest fans, and one of his biggest hits included a great hook line ".... I always dreamed about livin' in your radio, how do you like me now?"  Well, long before he became the radio voice of OU Sooners football, basketball, and baseball, Toby Rowland was one of the all-time easiest guys to like. Pursuing a dream that began in college, Rowland moved from calling basketball games at his alma mater, Southern Nazarene University, to a successful stint at CBS affiliate KWTV (Channel 9) in Oklahoma City and a long-running morning sports talk show (KREF - The Ref sports network, before ultimately landing one the ultimate dream jobs in all of college sports.  Michael and Toby have been friends for decades and even worked together at SNU in the 90s. This episode is full of insights into the broadcasting world as well as personal stories that come alive during the conversation.

Sometimes it seems like life is one dark storm after another. The current sense of malaise is real but it's also nothing new. Sadness and despair have been a part of the human equation, at least on occasion, since the dawn of time. It would be easy to believe that our best days are behind us. In Episode 32, Michael is challenging himself and his listeners to believe for a better day. On even the darkest and dreariest of days we need to be reminded that the sun is shining brightly on the other side of those clouds. 

For singer/songwriter Rick Lee James, the words for songs just flow out of so many life experiences. His music expresses the joys and sorrows that so often accompany living one's life and, wow, does he ever have a gift for capturing a moment. Episode 31 of Michael in the Middle explores how James became an expert and social media influencer by simply offering up Mr. Rogers quotes. Rick also is a successful podcast examining various "Voices in My Head." You'll experience all of this and more through his words and music in this sometimes somber, always inspiring episode. As always, we're glad you're here!

When we started Michael in the Middle, a decision was made to use song titles (chosen by Michael) as titles for the episodes. Michael's love of great songs and great singers/musicians informs so much of the ethos of the podcast, and Episode 30 is no exception. The episode features a great love story that just happens to cast a beautiful and talented lady, Andrea, and a handsome man, Wes, who was given one of the all-time great voices in gospel music history. "Most of All" captured the iconic voice of B.J. Thomas in 1970, a song that talks about life on the road for a singer. Wes's career as a member of the famed Gaither Vocal Band meant Andrea held things together back home. Four sons, all in their teens, and maybe a million miles later, two things remain constant for Wes and Andrea - their love for God and their love for each other. This hour of rich conversation will bear that out in full measure!

The life of the late Charles Johnson, pastor of Fitkin's Memorial Church of the Nazarene in Meridian, MS, for 61 years, is a testimony to one man's faithfulness as a gifted preacher and valiant civil rights leader. God led Charles to Mississippi, a place he initially dreaded that became a place of great triumph. Listen as Michael weaves past interviews with friend and author, Chet Bush, and Charles' friend and Michael's father, Talmadge Johnson. There's even a bonus song by Charles and the Fitkin's choir reminding us all that God has made us in His image.

Episode 28!! In case you have missed a few segments, here are a few highlights that will serve as a good reminder of the reality that life is full of fun and occasional pain, but that it is always good!

Borne out of a lifelong friendship with Jacob Morris, Brodrick Thomas eventually found himself on the campus Trevecca Nazarene University in 2011. Twelve years later, Thomas has earned MBA, Masters in Organizational Leadership, and more recently a Doctoral degree in Leadership and Professional Practice from TNU. Along the way he also met and married Lauren Thomas and life is sweet with their two children and a new role at Franklin Road Academy in Nashville. And it all started with a friendship! Episode 27 of Michael in the Middle covers the journey from small town Alabama to the big city, with plenty of challenge and glory to go around. Enjoy the ride!

It's cliche, but it's also true: You don't know what you don't know until you can see it for yourself. In Episode 26, Michael revisits moments of clarity gained from a move from Oklahoma to Mississippi as a 15 year old. Confronted with a newfound understanding of perceived racial differences, Michael found a friend and mentor in the wife of one of the Civil Rights movement's most significant personalities. While seldom talking about race, Mary Meredith helped Michael and countless other students bridge the potential divide of skin color by simply being a fellow human being who pursued excellence in work and in relationships.

For a preacher's daughter whose mother never missed a show, Chonda Courtney Pierce could never have imagined when she first started performing for family and friends as a little girl where the roads of life would take her. As a best-selling comedian making records and making people laugh she often hid the pain of overwhelming losses. Episode 25 of Michael in the Middle is a special hour of laughs mixed with real talk about the duality of joy and sorrow, yet Chonda's enduring faith offers a testimony of great hope!

The late Robert Palmer's classic, "Every Kinda People," implies that we are all created to help "make what life's about." This thought came readily to mind during Michael's recent trip to New York City. Here in Episode 24, Michael talks about seeing people, not just as another body but as a person with a soul.

When you're a young parent and wonder whether you're going to be a good one, you just take it a day at a time. Next thing you know, it's 30-40 years later and you realize that your kids are where you were wondering how they're doing as the grownups now. Hopefully, the joy of being together and reminiscing with our adult sons warms your heart a bit here in Episode 23. It was so fun to be a part of the live taping. Being together, while physically rare, collapses time and distance with ease and gratitude for the moments!

In 2001, Jimmy Eat World sang some lines in "The Middle" that said "it takes some time... you're in the middle of the ride, everything will be just fine..." When Rob Walls decided, with the encouragement of his wife, Courtney, to launch his own business, he had no idea where it would go. But he took the plunge and now he's reaping the joys of helping others tell their story. Episode 22 of Michael in the Middle kicks off 2023 with a fun conversation about how decisions we make, we think for our own sakes, actually hold the promise of making a positive difference for others.

Episode 21 is all about finishing well. As 2022 has drawn to a close, Michael shares lessons learned while completing a doctoral program in 2020. The comparison to running a marathon has parallels to the challenges of daily life.

Marrying into the legendary Speer Family and working with Bill and Gloria Gaither, among others, has allowed Allison Speer to experience the impact of gospel music up close and personal. Here in Episode 20, Allison shares how she got her start in the business and how it ultimately became her life's calling. In addition to being gifted with an amazing voice, keen wit, and an eye for art, Allison has also become an accomplished songwriter. Listen as she shares how people and songs have impacted her life and how the songs she's written have come together.

Larry Dunlap is a pastor in a traditional sense but never let's tradition get in the way of following where he sees God leading him. Whether it's helping establish a ministry to immigrants in West Texas or giving wings to a surfing and skateboarding ministry via a mobile pizza oven, Larry's heart runs wide open. Episode 19 is a fun-filled and touching look at how ministry in a local church can make a world of difference.

In Episode 18, Michael explores how to know when we're holding on too tightly to our fears or maybe even to our loved ones. Learning how to let go, even just a little, may well be the key to better days in our relationships and other facets of life.

Here in Episode 17, Michael encourages us to find out what makes our heart sing. What is it that takes your breath away? Could it be that making someone else's life better is just what you need? Could it make the world better in the process?

Episode 16 is a fun but reflective conversation with my brother, Dr. Jeffrey T. Johnson. Memories of our childhood give way to current realities, ultimately leading yo to the recognition of the one-year anniversary our mother's passing. Anne Genell Crawford Johnson was, and always will be, our "yellow rose of Texas." Her story obviously shaped ours. Perhaps hearing this conversation will impact your story as well.

MATT LITTON is a bestselling collaborative writer, speaker, publishing consultant and creativity coach. He has written three #1 Wall Street Journal & Publishers Weekly bestselling books and multiple top fifty Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) non-fiction bestsellers. He is the author of The Mockingbird Parables (Tyndale), Holy Nomad (Abingdon Press) and In the Presence of Jesus (Tyndale). His current collaborations include The God Who Stays by Matthew West (with Matt Litton) and On Our Knees by Phil Wickham (with Matt Litton). Matt resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

Homecoming weekend at my Alma Mater is always a highlight of any year. The idea of going or coming home is one of the good things in life and Episode 14 of Michael in the Middle is a celebration of, and a challenge to live, a life of goodness. The goodness of God evokes a desire in me to share that sense of goodness and generosity with others. I hope it does for you as well.

Lucky for you, Episode 13 of Michael in the Middle was able to secure an hour with Joe Dubin, aka Nashville's Media Darling. More widely known now for his persona as "Big Joe on the Go," Dubin tells his story as a native Nashvillian whose life was greatly impacted by his late mother. Joe Dubin is a big man with a big heart who knows how to find and tell a great story. Enjoy this episode with a true Nashville treasure.