otherWISE

In this episode we talk with author, podcaster, and spiritual companion Lisa Colón Delay about her book The Wild Land Within: Cultivating Wholeness through Spiritual Practice. Lisa shares how spiritual practices introduce us to places - and voices - that are often ignored but are so critical to our spiritual journey. Lisa Colón Delay is a teacher, spiritual director, and host of Spark My Muse, a top-rated religion and spirituality podcast. Originally from Puerto Rico, DeLay has an MA in spiritual formation and has taughtin many settings, from graduate schools to workshops. Her work has appeared in several anthologies and in dozens of places in print and online, and she offers spiritual companioning and retreats. DeLay lives with her family outside Philadelphia.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

After a bit of a break, this week offers a powerful conversation with author Lore Ferguson Wilbert. We talk about intimacy, vulnerability, and community and the way each connects to the simple act of touch. Her book Handle With Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch In Life and Ministry includes Lore's personal experiences with appropriate and inappropriate touch, and how that act intersects with God's creative touch and Jesus' healing touch. Lore Ferguson Wilbert is a writer, thinker, learner, and author of the book, Handle With Care. She writes for She Reads Truth, Christianity Today, and more, as well as her own site, Sayable.net. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram @lorewilbert. She lives in New York and has a husband named Nate, a puppy named Harper Nelle, and too many books to read in one lifetime.We also talked about Andy Crouch's book, Strong and Weak: Embracing a Life of Love, Risk, and True Flourishing. You can find his “Four Quadrants” that we talked about in a review by Hearts and Minds Books here. Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with Stina Kielsmeier-Cook about deconstruction and de-conversion within her own marriage. In her recent book, Blessed Are the Nones: Mixed-Faith Marriage And My Search for Spiritual Community, she talks about her husband's movement out of Christianity and her movement towards Benedictine and Salesian spirituality as well as what she calls “spiritual singleness.” Stina's honesty, transparency, and insight are helpful in understanding just how challenging relationships and faith can be - and how beautiful as well. Stina Kielsmeier-Cook is a writer from the cold north where she raises kids, maxes out her library card, and is usually late for church. A former housing advocate for refugees, Stina loves to talk about public policy, parenting, and her neighborhood in Minneapolis. She works as Director of Communications at the Collegeville Institute, where she is also the managing editor of Bearings Online. Stina has a graduate diploma in Forced Migration and Refugee Studies from the American University in Cairo, and a B.A. in Political Science from Wheaton College. Connect with Stina on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook. You can check out her website here. Music by Robert Ebbens Artwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we welcome a RETURNING guest! Padraig O'Tuama, award-winning poet and current Theologian in Residence for On Being, joins the podcast to “trade” poems with Casey Tygrett. This week's format is a bit different and follows the flow of Padraig's own podcast, Poetry Unbound. The poems shared in this week's episode are intended to help us all understand how poetry and faith fit together, and how times like grieving the loss of a beloved friend or moving through a pandemic are ripe moments for poetry to do its best work. Pádraig Ó Tuama's work centres around themes of language, power, conflict and religion. Working fluently on the page and with groups of people, Pádraig is a skilled speaker, teacher and group worker. His work has won acclaim in circles of poetry, politics, religion, psychotherapy and conflict analysis. Poems featured or forthcoming in the following publications or platforms: Poetry Ireland Review, Academy of American Poets, Harvard Review, Post Road, Raidio Teilifís Éireann's Poem of the Week, Cream City Review, Holden Village Voice, Proximity Magazine, On Being, Gutter, Dumbo Feather, America, and Seminary Ridge Review. Interviews in Orion, Dumbo Feather, Eco Theo Review, Marginalia Review of Books and more. You can find out more about Padraig's poetry on his website. Music by Robert Ebbens Artwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk to author and spiritual director Charlotte Donlon about the uniqueness of one very familiar word: belong. We talk about loneliness and finding spiritual community as we engage with her recent book The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us To Each Other. Charlotte's honesty about her journey with bipolar disorder as well as her and her husband's journey to find spiritual community provide an important starting point for what it means to belong in all aspects of life. Charlotte is a writer, certified spiritual director, and podcast host. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Seattle Pacific University where she studied creative nonfiction. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, The Christian Century, Christianity Today, Catapult, The Millions, Mockingbird, and elsewhere. The Great Belonging: How Loneliness Leads Us to Each Other is her first book. Learn more about Charlotte, her writing, and her work here.Music by Robert Ebbens Artwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with author Kaitlyn Schiess on the way that politics flow out of our spiritual formation and vice versa. This conversation is critical in light of the political climate we live in and the overlap between our faith and the partisan divides all around us. We talk about ordering our loves, finding the power of liturgy, and learning how to live by Genesis 1 (rather than Genesis 3) in our politics. Kaitlyn Schiess is a staff writer at Christ and Pop Culture. Her writing has also appeared at Christianity Today, Relevant, and Fathom Magazine. She lives in Dallas, Texas. We talked about her recent book: The Liturgy of Politics: Spiritual Formation for the Sake of Our Neighbor. You can find out more about Kaitlyn on her website. *NEW Music by Robert Ebbens. Check out his new single “Love Goes On”Artwork: Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week on the podcast we talk with documentarian and justice worker Nikole Lim about the work she has done (and is doing) to liberate girls who are victims of sexual assault & oppression in Africa and around the world. We focus on her Chinese heritage, her own struggles in justice work, and the heartbreaking but empowering stories in her new book, Liberation Is Here: Women Uncovering Hope in a Broken World. Nikole Lim is a speaker, educator, and consultant on leveraging dignity through the restorative art of storytelling. She is the founder and international director of Freely In Hope, a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping survivors and advocates to lead in ending sexual violence through their rewritten stories.Nikole graduated with a degree in film production from Loyola Marymount University and is currently pursuing a masters in global leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary. Nikole consults regularly with international organizations including The Salvation Army, International Justice Mission, and Hope International. She is a native of the Bay Area and can often be found buying African fabric on the streets of Nairobi.Freely in Hope equips survivors and advocates to lead in ending the cycle of sexual violence. Join in building a world free of sexual violence by becoming a monthly donor here: http://freelyinhope.org/hopecircleYou can buy an autographed copy of Liberation is Here: http://bulk.liberationishere.com/ or download the free discussion guide for Liberation is Here: http://freelyinhope.org/freeMusic by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

In our official “Pre-Election Day” conversation we talk with author and historian Kristin Kobes DuMez about the history of white evangelicalism and how John Wayne - who wasn't an evangelical - set the template for American evangelical power & politics. This discussion comes from her recent book, Jesus & John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation.Kristin Kobes Du Mez is a professor of History and Gender Studies at Calvin University. She holds a PhD from the University of Notre Dame and her research focuses on the intersection of gender, religion, and politics. She has written for the Washington Post, Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Christian Century, The Daily Beast, and Religion & Politics, and has been interviewed on NPR's Morning Edition, CTV, the BBC, the CBC, and by CNN, the New York Times, the Economist, the Christian Post, PBS News Hour, and the AP, among other outlets. She blogs at Patheos's Anxious Bench.We also mentioned the following authors & works:Howard ThurmanJames ConeWillie James JenningsJohn Fea, Believe Me: The Evangelical Road to Donald TrumpMusic By Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we return with a conversation about the “glory and honor” of theology from other traditions. Our guest is Robert Chao Romero, author of the beautiful book Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity.This conversation is essential to those of us searching for theological voices from places other than the typical white European influences that are deeply woven into many churches and traditions.Robert Chao Romero (PhD, University of California at Los Angeles; JD, University of California at Berkeley) is associate professor in the Departments of Chicana/o Studies and Asian American Studies at the University of California at Los Angeles. He is the author of the award-winning The Chinese in Mexico, 1882-1940, Jesus for Revolutionaries: An Introduction to Race, Social Justice, and Christianity, and Mixed Race Student Politics.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

Today we talk with writer and activist D.L. Mayfield. We talk about her life in Portland, the truth about loving our neighbors, as well as some of our thoughts about sin that are essentially unhelpful. Much of what we talk about comes from D.L.'s book, The Myth of the American Dream: Reflections on Affluence, Autonomy, Safety, and Power.D. L. Mayfield is a writer and activist who has spent over a decade working with refugee communities in the United States. Her work has been published in McSweeney's, The Washington Post, Christianity Today, Christian Century, Sojourners, Vox, and the Englewood Review of Books. She is also the author of Assimilate or Go Home: Notes from a Failed Missionary on Rediscovering Faith. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and two children.Some other books we mentioned:Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, The Wisdom of Stability: Rooting Faith in a Mobile CultureWalter Brueggemann, The Prophetic ImaginationIbram X. Kendi, How to Be An AntiracistMichael O. Emerson & Christian Smith, Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in AmericaMusic by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with author and editor Cindy Bunch about the various spiritual practices that make up what she calls “self-kindness.” Her new book, Be Kind to Yourself: Releasing Frustrations and Embracing Joy releases today (July 28)!In a time when we are struggling with stress, pressure, anxiety, and uncertainty the practices of self-kindness aren't ways of “turning in” and away from others. Instead, to be kind to ourselves is a way of loving others, as Jesus teaches us to love our neighbor “AS ourselves.” (Matthew 22:38-39)Cindy Bunch is associate publisher and director of editorial at InterVarsity Press, where she has worked for more than thirty years. She acquires and develops for the Formatio line of spiritual formation books. She is the author of Be Kind to Yourself as well as several Bible study guides in IVP's LifeGuide® Bible Studies series.Cindy holds an MA in theological studies from Northern Seminary and completed her spiritual direction training at North Park Seminary. She and her husband live in the Chicago suburbs.We talked about several resources in today's episode:Knowing God by J.I. PackerGrieving A Suicide by Al HsuPaying Attention to God by William Barry, SJA Failure of Nerve: Leadership In The Age of the Quick Fix by Edwin FriedmanFather Michael Sparaogh's adaptation of the Ignatian practice of ExamenThe work of Christine Valters Paintner and the Abbey of the ArtsMusic by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week, we talk with Jay Kim about ecclesiology - the theology of the church - in the light of advances in digital technology. Specifically we talk about how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the thoughts he offers in his book, Analog Church: Why We Need Real People, Places, And Things In the Digital Age.Jay brings humor, humility, and his experience as pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California to a discussion that needs nuance and creativity in order to be helpful.Jay Y. Kim is pastor of teaching and leadership at Vintage Faith Church. He also serves on the core leadership team of the ReGeneration Project and cohosts the ReGeneration Podcast. He lives in Silicon Valley with his wife and two children.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

In this episode we talk with writer Marlena Graves about her new book, The Way Up is Down: Becoming Yourself by Forgetting Yourself. In this honest and prophetic conversation, Marlena brings together Scriptural imagination, her experiences as a Puerto Rican living in America, and an honest appraisal of the church and individuals in this present cultural moment.Marlena Graves is a writer and adjunct professor. Marlena holds an MDiv from Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, New York, and is a graduate of the Renovaré Institute. She has been a bylined writer for Christianity Today, (in)courage, womenleaders.com, and Our Daily Bread, and she is also the author of A Beautiful Disaster. She lives with her husband and three daughters in Toledo, Ohio.We also talked about Robert Chao-Romero's book Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

Today we get to chat with my our dear friend Austin Martin. Austin helps us understand how Christian faith often excludes its own history. He also helps point us toward the insights from the ancient writer John Cassian regarding how God is in everything.Austin is the Lead Pastor at Chaparral Church in Scottsdale, AZ. He holds a Bachelors in Biblical Literature from Ozark Christian College and a MA in Church History/Historical Theology from Lincoln Christian Seminary.Austin is married to Rachel with 3 kids, no pets, and an old off-brand Toyota.Some of the many references from the podcast:C.S. Lewis' introduction to Athanasius' On The IncarnationThe British monk Pelagius historically condemned as a heretic by the Western churchTish Harrison Warren, Liturgy of the OrdinaryJohn Cassian's Conferences and InstitutesThe Philokalia which Austin recommends as a good starting point for digging into the wisdom of ancient spirituality.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, a fiery and prophetic voice on the way followers of Jesus must engage in racial reconciliation. We draw on her books A Credible Witness as well as her newest book, Roadmap to Reconciliation 2.0 which is an update of her previous book of the same name.Dr. Brenda is is a dynamic speaker, author, professor, and thought-leader with over 30 years of experience in the ministry of reconciliation. Her mission is to inspire, equip and empower emerging Christian leaders to be practitioners of reconciliation in their various spheres of influence around the world. She is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church and serves as a member of the pastoral staff of Quest Church in Seattle, WA.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

Today's conversation is a very honest and realistic discussion of how transformation actually happens within our suffering. Our guest, KJ Ramsey, brings insight from a decade plus of dealing with AS (ankylosing spondylitis) and the limitations and suffering that come with a long-term chronic illness. Through that insight, she gives us a fresh approach to wisely encountering any type of suffering in our lives.KJ Ramsey is a therapist, writer, and recovering idealist who believes sorrow and joy are necessary friends. Her writings has appeared in Christianity Today, RELEVANT, The Huffington Post, Health Central, Fathom Magazine, The Mighty, and Introvert, Dear. You can find out more about KJ on her websiteHer book This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers released last week and is available now.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

Today we take a dive into the deep end to talk about neurotheology and transformation that comes when we realize that the most powerful love we can experience comes through the people with whom we form attachments. Jim's recent book Renovated: God, Dallas Willard, and the Church That Transforms brings the teachings of Dallas Willard together with contemporary neuroscience and the result is something Jim and Dallas referred to as a “soteriology of attachment.”The result is a change in the way we see our frustration with spiritual transformation, the way we engage in spiritual practices, and ultimately a new understanding of what it means to truly change our minds.Dr. Jim Wilder is a neurotheologian who has trained leaders and counselors for nearly 30 years on five continents. The founder of Life Model Works, he is an expert on the intersection of theology and brain science. He is coauthor of Rare Leadership and Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with spiritual director Barbara Peacock about her new book Soul Care in African American Practice.In our conversation, Barbara draws us in to the deep stream of spiritual direction and soul care flowing through the words of “ancestors” such as Frederick Douglas, Rosa Parks, Renita Weems, and Howard Thurman. Through her kindness, patience, and tenacity Barbara details the history of spiritual direction in the African-American tradition and the wisdom we can find when we explore the voices of those who suffered injustice and hate but pressed on in their formation with grace.Barbara L. Peacock (DMin, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary) is a spiritual director, author, teacher, and preacher. She is the founder of Barbara L. Peacock Ministries, a ministry committed to developing disciples through prayer, spiritual direction, soul care, mentoring, and teaching.You can find more information about Barbara's work here.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with author Leslie Leyland Fields about the journey of finding, writing, and also living the brutal but beautiful stories within each of us.Leslie's new book Your Story Matters: Finding, Writing and Living The Truth of Your Life released this week. In the book she weaves together masterful writing, personal commentary, and practical advice for the spiritual journey of uncovering the story within each of us.Leslie Leyland Fields is the multi-award winning author/editor of eleven books, including The Wonder Years: 40 Women Over 40 on Aging, Faith, Beauty and Strength and Crossing the Waters: Following Jesus through the Storms, the Fish, the Doubt and the Seas, which won Christianity Today's 2017 Book Award in Christian Living.She is also the editor of The Spirit of Food: 34 Writers on Feasting and Fasting Towards God, which is one of our favorites. Leslie and her family live in Alaska, and you can connect with more of her work here.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

Today we talk with author Gena Thomas, about the story behind her book Separated By the Border: A Birth Mother, A Foster Mother, and a Migrant Child's 3,000 Mile Journey.Gena's compassion and vulnerability gives us a closer view of what happens to mothers and children' trying to escape darkness and death in Mexico and Central America. In what could be a politically polarizing moment, the wisdom Gena brings (both in the book and in our conversation) helps us see our neighbors fleeing death and despair in an entirely new light.Gena Thomas is a writer, a faith wrestler, a wife, and a mom. She and her husband, Andrew, have been married for 11 years and they have two children, an 8-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl. She has written for several Christian publications, and published her first book, A Smoldering Wick: Igniting Missions Work with Sustainable Practices in 2016. You can find out more about Gena on her website.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

After some time away due to deadlines and then the “great pause” of preparing for quarantine due to COVID-19, we're back with a new episode.This week we talk with Chuck DeGroat, professor of Pastoral Care and Christian Spirituality at Western Seminary, about his brand new book When Narcissism Comes To Church: Healing Your Community from Emotional and Spiritual Abuse.With a gentle pastoral spirit and the heart of a trained counselor, Chuck helps us understand narcissism and the damage it can cause to the people and the witness of any local church.Chuck DeGroat (LPC, PhD) is professor of pastoral care and Christian spirituality at Western Theological Seminary in Holland, Michigan, and senior fellow at Newbigin House of Studies in San Francisco. He served as a pastor at churches in Orlando and San Francisco and founded two church-based counseling centers. He is a licensed therapist, spiritual director, and the author of two other books: Toughest People to Love and Wholeheartedness.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

After a week of “self-quarantine,” my wife Holley and I did a little review of the week gone by. We turned on the mics and headed to the basement because we thought, perhaps, it would be helpful.Enjoy a little bonus - and hopefully encouraging - conversation for your weekend!Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

Today's episode is a brief - but hopefully helpful - discussion about 3 specific questions that help us check in on the health of our soul. The point of this episode is to give you a resource that can be used on a weekly basis to stop, ask some critical questions, and gain perspective on God, yourself, and others.The questions we deal with are:What story are you telling yourself today?What has your body been telling you?What invitation do you sense God giving you today?We also reference the book As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life, if you are interested in further reading on how our stories shape our days.If you are interested in the Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation program that I mention in the episode, you can find more information here.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with the author, speaker, and yoga teacher Kathy Khang. Our conversation dives into the realities of growing up with a white image of God or Jesus and how that changes who we (white Christians) become and what we see. We talk about her recent book Raise Your Voice: Why We Stay Silent and How To Speak Up, as well as what it means to be Korean-American in the context of American Christianity.This conversation challenges us not only to listen to the Christian story through the filters of other races & ethnicities. It also invites us to raise our awareness of wise voices that get drowned out because they don't tell the story of faith we're used to hearing.Kathy is a speaker, journalist, and activist. She has worked in campus ministry for more than twenty years, with expertise in issues of gender, ethnicity, justice, and leadership development. She is a columnist for Sojourners magazine, a writer for Faith & Leadership, and a coauthor of More Than Serving Tea: Asian American Women on Expectations, Relationships, Leadership and Faith. You can find out more about Kathy on her websiteMusic by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This episode is deeply personal as our guest, Andrew Hendrixson, has been a friend for some time. Andrew is a visual artist and poet, as well as a beautiful human being seeking ways to talk about God when we don't have words.We talk about the vocation of the artist, what a poem or painting “is trying to say,” and how all art is following some sort of agitation. In Andrew's words, “I don't know how else I would understand God other than poetically or via metaphors.”Andrew has studied art and philosophy in multiple universities, the most recent being Yale University. He taught art at our alma mater, Mount Vernon Nazarene University. You can find his artwork here and you can connect with Andrew's work on Instagram: @andrewhendrixsonstudioMuch of his work can also be found in publications including New American Paintings, The Princeton Theological Review, Penmarks, and Yale Letters Journal.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

Is it possible that prisons are built after examining the stats on SECOND and THIRD grade students' reading scores?Today's episode is a bit longer but WELL WORTH IT. We talk with pastor and writer Dominique Dubois Gilliard about the often-ignored statistics about who is in our prison systems, how they got there, and the implications for Christians in knowing the truth about incarceration.HIs book, Rethinking Incarceration: Advocating for Justice That Restores is a nuanced and helpful dive into the reality of our prisons today and how we can begin to rethink criminal justice in the light of the elimination of racial disparities and the true rehabilitation of criminals as ones created in the image of God.Dominique has even provided a video curriculum for groups or individuals to explore his book and the issues around the prison industrial complex. You can access that curriculum here.Dominique DuBois Gilliard is the Director of Racial Righteousness and Reconciliation for the Love Mercy Do Justice (LMDJ) initiative of the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). Gilliard also serves on the board of directors for the Christian Community Development Association and Evangelicals for Justice. In 2015, he was selected as one of the ECC's “40 Under 40” leaders to watch, and the Huffington Post named him one of the “Black Christian Leaders Changing the World.”You can find out more information on Dominique via his website.Podcast music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with musician, church planter, retreat leader and author Justin McRoberts. We cover a wide range of topics including attentiveness & listening, and how wisdom is always discovered in the context of our real lives. We talk about the practice of prayer as it flows out of Justin and artist Scott Erickson's new book, May It Be So: Forty Days with The Lord's Prayer.Justin lives in the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two children. You can find out more about Justin here.Scott Erickson is a touring painter, performance artist, and creative storyteller who mixes autobiography, biblical narrative, and aesthetics to create art that speaks to our deepest experiences. Scott lives in Portland, Oregon, with his wife and three children. You can find samples of his work and other information here.Previously, they partnered together for a book called Prayer: Forty Days of Practice.One of Justin's songs that had a deep impact on me was this one, called “Waiting On Your Love.”

On this episode, we talk with the courageous and insightful Natasha Sistrunk Robinson about the world that helped create her recent book, A Sojourner's Truth: Choosing Freedom and Courage In A Divided World.Natasha weaves together her own story of faith, military service, and leadership development with the narrative of what it means to be a Black woman in America. We talk about how evangelism isn't bad, just incomplete and why the segregation of Sunday morning isn't as big of an issue as we might believe.Natasha is the Visionary Founder and Chairperson for the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Leadership LINKS, Inc., where she cultivates a team of influencers who offer leadership education that facilitates impactful living, character and spiritual development.Natasha is an anti-human trafficking advocate, who facilitates conversations about living in a racialized society, equity for women, and the importance of education.Besides A Sojourner's Truth, she has written two other books: Mentor For Life: Finding Purpose Through Intentional Discipleship and Hope For Us: Knowing God Through the Nicene Creed.We mentioned Natasha's talk from this past year's Apprentice Gathering in Wichita, KS as well.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week we talk with therapist and author Aundi Kolber about how we approach trauma in our life. Rather than trying to “force” healing or change, she advocates an approach based on the idea in the title of her new book, Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us Out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode - and Into A Life of Connection and Joy.The book launches TODAY (January 6th)!Aundi is a Licensed Professional Counselor (MA LPC), writer, and speaker in Castle Rock, Colorado. She specializes in trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. She has written for Relevant, CT Women, and (in) courage. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard won knowledge around the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain. Connect with Aundi at www.aundikolber.com, on Facebook at aundikolberwrites, and on Instagram at @aundikolberYou can also pick up a copy of my recent booK: “As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories In Our Spiritual Life” (a 2020 Christianity Today Award of Merit winner) here.Music by Robert EbbensArtwork by Eric Wright/ Metamora Design

I wanted to send out a bonus episode to start off 2020 to talk about a few things that happened in 2019 which includes:A bit of a new direction for the otherWISE guest list in 2020A new emotional challenge for me via depression and some encouragement for youSome thoughts about what happens when our journey of comparison takes a turn we didn't expect - good, bad, or otherwiseStick through to the end of this episode for a peek at the upcoming guests!As always, the music for otherWISE is courtesy of Robert Ebbens.Artwork for the podcast comes from Eric Wright/Metamora DesignYou can pick up a copy of “As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life” here

One of the last two episodes of Season 2! Today we talk with Dr. Shane Wood about his own formation journey and how it connects to his latest book, Between Two Trees: Our Transformation From Death to Life.Dr. Wood brings the flowing narrative of the Bible out of the strict academic space. He helps us see the wise connection points between our own story and the Scriptures' narrative of life and death. Our conversation is practical, vulnerable, and well worth your time.Shane J. Wood completed his Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh (UK) and published his dissertation entitled The Alter-Imperial Paradigm: Empire Studies & the Book of Revelation (BINTS 140; Leiden: Brill, 2016). In addition, Shane was recognized by Theology Degrees Online as one of the “100 Remarkable Professors & Scholars Theology Students Should Know About,” and he was also a featured scholar in The Armageddon Code: One Journalist's Quest for End-Times Answers by Billy Hallowell (Pureflix.com, Faithwire.com, and TheBlaze). He currently teaches New Testament at Ozark Christian College in Joplin, Missouri.Shane's website www.shanejwood.com offers a variety of free lectures (audio and video) and other unique Bible study opportunities.

As Season 2 slowly comes to a close, it's a blessing to have Emily P. Freeman as our conversation partner for this episode! Emily helps us think about choosing the “next right thing” (from her new book The Next Right Thing: A Simple, Soulful Practice For Making Life Decisions). We also talk about what it means to live a life of wisdom through listening, specifically as it pertains to a life of creativity.Emily is a writer, creative director, and spiritual mentor who helps create space for the soul to breathe so people can walk in step with their calling.She is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Simply Tuesday and Grace for the Good Girl as well as Graceful and A Million Little Ways. She's been writing online for over 10 years and is the co-founder of a growing community for writers at hopewriters.com. She and her husband live in North Carolina with their three children. Connect with Emily via her website and on Instagram @emilypfreeman.

After a bit of a hiatus, the otherWISE podcast returns with a truly challenging but hopeful conversation with Stephanie Tait. In her book The View From Rock Bottom: Discovering God's Embrace In Our Pain , Tait leads us on a journey through her experience with severe chronic illness with a new “theology of suffering.” Stephanie's story is key for any of us who are facing both tremendous suffering and a lack of clear hope for the end.As an author, speaker, disability advocate, and trauma survivor, Stephanie aims to do what she believes is sorely lacking in our trending conversations around Christianity – to partner sound theology and practice with the unashamed acceptance of struggle in the present tense. She has harnessed her wealth of both wisdom and experience, writing her deeply intimate understanding of pain into messages that foster healing within the Kingdom of God. You can find more on Stephanie's work & writing here and if you'd like to see a video version of her story you can watch a compelling piece from The Today Show here.We also talked a bit about my most recent book, As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories In Our Spiritual Life. Feel free to grab a copy here.

In today's conversation, we chat with Gem & Alan Fadling about our desires and the 8 questions that reveal God's work in us. In their new book, What Does Your Soul Love? Eight Questions That Reveal God's Work in Us they utilize years of ministry, speaking, and retreat leadership to talk about how we find the key questions around how God connects us to the real desires of our lives.Alan is also the author of the award-winning book An Unhurried Life and the follow-up, An Unhurried Leader. They co-lead the organization Unhurried Living, which resources and trains Christian leaders to rest deeper, live fuller, and lead better. They also host The Unhurried Living podcast.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

In this week's episode, the enigmatic Father Albert Haase talks about both the sacredness of the present moment and the life of being an “ordinary mystic.” We talk about his book, Becoming An Ordinary Mystic: Spirituality for the Rest of Us where Fr. Albert gives insightful and practical guidance on how to embrace the life of being an ordinary mystic.Albert Haase, OFM, is a preacher, teacher, and spiritual director. A former missionary to mainland China for over eleven years, he is the award-winning author of ten books on popular spirituality and the presenter on five bestselling DVDs. He holds a PhD in historical theology from Fordham University and an MDiv from Catholic Theological Union. He is currently serving as chaplain at Cedarbrake Retreat Center near Austin, Texas.Music by Robert EbbensArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

In this week's episode, Bethany McKinney Fox talks about disabilities and what it looks like to pursue Jesus' way of healing. We live in a biomedical culture that focuses on “cure” - meaning removing the limitations of a person's disability. In her book, Disability and the Way of Jesus: Holistic Healing In the Gospels And the Church, Bethany proposes seven marks of healing that rise from the life and work of Jesus.Bethany is founding pastor of Beloved Everybody Church in Los Angeles - an ability-inclusive community where people with and without intellectual disabilities participate and lead together. She is an adjunct professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary, and director of spiritual formation for new church starters for Cyclical:LA. She and her husband Michael live in Los Angeles, and enjoy exploring the city and making music together.Music by Robert EbbensCover art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

After a LONG time away, the otherWISE podcast is back with an episode that I know you'll enjoy. In this conversation, Catherine McNiel talks about the way we navigate different seasons of our spiritual journey. We talk about gardening and how the writing life informs the way she engages with God in different stages and states of growth. Her new book, All Shall Be Well: Awakening to God's Presence In His Messy, Abundant World releases on Tuesday, August 6th.Catherine is a writer and speaker who seeks to open eyes to God's creative, redemptive work in each day—while caring for three kids, two jobs, and one enormous garden. Catherine's first book, Long Days of Small Things: Motherhood as a Spiritual Discipline, was an ECPA finalist for New Author. She's on the lookout for wisdom, beauty, and iced coffee.Music by Robert EbbensCover art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

In today's conversation we have the chance to talk with Carol Berry, artist and author of Learning From Henri Nouwen and Vincent Van Gogh: A Portrait of the Compassionate Life.We talk about the lived, incarnational kind of wisdom that both Nouwen and Van Gogh exhibited in their life and work. Also, we talk about the intersection of these two luminous figures with Carol and her husband's life in ministry from L.A. to the northeast. Carol Berry presents us with a clear picture of what the compassionate life really looks like by asking us to see things through the lens of the psychologist/priest and the “failed” missionary artist.Carol Berry is an artist, educator and lecturer at the Vermont Humanities Council. She has also published chapters in the books Compassionate Eschatology: The Future as Friend and Turning the Wheel: Henri Nouwen and Our Search for God. She has an MA in art education from California State University.Casey Tygrett's book, As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life, is also available now.Music by Robert EbbensCover Art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

Today we talk with author & lawyer Justin Whitmel Earley about the life crisis that led him to develop a system of simple, soul-saving habits. His book The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose In An Age of Distraction is a practical look at how we can incorporate those same life-giving practices into our own lives.Justin is a mergers & acquisitions lawyer living with his wife Lauren and four boys in Richmond, Virginia. He spent several years in China working with The Urbanity Project and also as the director of Thought & Culture Shapers, a nonprofit dedicated to serving the community through the arts.We also discussed the book God In My Everything: How An Ancient Rhythm Helps Busy People Enjoy God.Music by Robert EbbensCover Art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week's conversation is a BIT different as it is an ACTUAL conversation.Our guest, Austin Gohn, generously suggested that we spend some time the similarities and intersections of two recent books. Austin's recent book, A Restless Age: How Saint Augustine Helps You Make Sense of Your Twenties is closely aligned with your “esteemed” host's, As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories In Our Spiritual Life.In this conversation, we talk about St. Augustine and how the restlessness of young adults today mirrors the restlessness of Augustine himself. What might Augustine have to say to our restlessness these days?We also tap into how memories and specifically the writing of a spiritual autobiography can be extremely helpful to our present and future spiritual growth.Austin Gohn (M.Div., Trinity School for Ministry) is one of the pastors of Bellevue Christian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has written for Fathom Mag, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, The Living Church (Covenant), and The Gospel Coalition. Find out more at www.austingohn.com.One BRILLIANT book we also mention is The Seven Storey Mountain by Thomas Merton, an immediate must-add for your reading list.Music by Robert EbbensCover Art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

We've had a few weeks off from the podcast - did you miss us?We return with the FIRST return guest of the otherWISE podcast, our dear friend C. Christopher Smith. His new book, How the Body of Christ Talks: Recovering the Practice of Conversation In the Church is a relevant and helpful resource for both individuals and communities.Christopher helps us walk through the theology of communication, the way our bodies work on a conversational basis, and gives some insight into communicating in our divisive social media culture.C. Christopher Smith is a long-time member of the Englewood Christian Church community on the urban Near Eastside of Indianapolis, founding editor of The Englewood Review of Books, and acclaimed author.Chris was born in Washington, DC, and grew up in the Southern Maryland suburbs of the nation's capital. He graduated from a large public high school, and came to the midwest to do his undergraduate work at Taylor University, an evangelical liberal arts school. After college, he got a fellowship to study history and philosophy of science at Indiana University, eventually graduating with an M.A. He has lived in central Indiana for over 25 years.He and Jeni Newswanger Smith have been married for almost 20 years. They have three teenage children, and live intentionally as part of the Englewood Christian Church community in the Englewood neighborhood.Books we talked about:Sherwin Nuland, The Wisdom of the BodyLesslie Newbigin, The Gospel in a Pluralist SocietyRichard Foster, Celebration of DisciplineHenri Nouwen, Donald McNeill, & Douglas Morrison, CompassionWillie James Jennings, Acts: A Theological Commentary on the BibleDon't forget you can also pick up a copy of Casey's new book, As I Recall: Discovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life wherever you buy your books!Music by: Robert EbbensCover Art by: Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week on the podcast, we talk with author and pastor Aubrey Sampson about her book The Louder Song: Listening for Hope in the Midst of Lament. This isn't just a book, this is a recollection of Aubrey's life experiences, journeying with Jesus through the darker spaces of life.Aubrey is a church planter, speaker, and the pastor of discipleship and equipping at Renewal Church in the Chicagoland area. She is also the author of Overcomer: Breaking Down the Walls of Shame and Rebuilding Your Soul.Aubrey writes for Propel Women and is currently earning her Masters degree in Evangelism and Leadership. She and her pastor-husband Kevin have three hilarious sons--which is to say there's a lot of Fortnite, Marvel, and Arsenal Football Club noise on in the background of her life. Connect with Aubrey at www.aubreysampson.com or @aubsamp.We talked (again) about the wonderful book The Critical Journey: Stages In the Life of Faith and if you're curious about the Enneagram you can read Chris Heuertz's (husband of otherWISE guest Phileena Heuertz!) book The Sacred Enneagram: Finding Your Unique Path to Spiritual Growth.Music written & recorded by Robert Ebbens.Cover art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design.

This week, we talk with author and pastor Kellye Fabian about the challenges of her life and the birth of the book Sacred Questions: A Transformative Journey Through the Bible.Kellye serves at Willow Creek Community Church where she is the Pastor of Protection, Conciliation, and Doctrinal Casework. She has written daily devotionals, small-group content, and class curriculum, in addition to leading spiritual discipline workshops and spiritual practices. Formerly a trial attorney, Kellye has a Certificate of Spiritual Formation through the Transforming Center and is pursuing a master of arts degree in New Testament at Northern Seminary. She lives with her family in the Chicago area.Music for the podcast provided by Robert Ebbens..Cover art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week on the otherWISE podcast we talk with author Ed Cyzewski about how contemplative practices (including driving in silence!) reconnected him with a deep stream of ancient Christian wisdom. HIs book Flee, Be Silent, Pray explains how these contemplative practices give context and depth to our formation today.Ed is a freelance writer, editor, and retreat leader. He is the author of multiple books and also an encouraging newsletter on contemplation and writing. You can find more about Ed on his website. He and his family currently live in Nashville, TN.Books we mentioned on the podcast:Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Way of the HeartThomas Merton, Conjectures of a Guilty BystanderMusic for the podcast provided by Robert Ebbens.Logo by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

On this episode of the otherWISE podcast, we talk with writer Bonnie Kristian about her book A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What it Means to Follow Jesus Today. Bonnie walks us through discerning what is “doctrine” and “dogma” and provides a few examples historically of what it means to interact with each other wisely along the journey with Jesus.Bonnie is weekend editor at The Week and fellow at Defense Priorities. Her writing has also appeared at other publications, including Time, CNN, Politico, The Hill, Relevant Magazine, Rare, The American Conservative, and more. In 2016, she graduated from Bethel Seminary with an M.A. in Christian Thought, and is currently exploring options for Ph.D. work in ethics. You can find more about Bonnie on her website.Music this week is provided by my dear friend Robert Ebbens. Cover art is courtesy of Eric Wright/Metamora Design.

This week the otherWISE podcast RETURNS!This episode debuts a new format, some new music by my good friend Robert Ebbens, and an extended conversation with poet and community leader Padraig O'Tuama.Poet and theologian, Pádraig Ó Tuama's work centres around themes of language, religion, conflict and art. Working fluently on the page and with groups of people, Pádraig is a skilled speaker, teacher and group worker. His work has won acclaim in circles of poetry, politics, religion, psychotherapy and conflict analysis.He is currently finishing up time as the Community Leader at the Corrymeela community in Belfast, Ireland. His books include:Daily Prayer with the Corrymeela Community, Canterbury Press, 2017.In the Shelter Hodder & Stoughton and Hachette Ireland, Feb 2015.Sorry for your Troubles. Norwich, Canterbury Press, 2013Readings from the Books of Exile. Norwich, Canterbury Press, 2012 .“Human in the City” and 12 poems, Discovering the Spirit in the City. London: Continuum 2010.We talk about everything from the history of the northern portion of Ireland, the way poetry is evidence of a poet's hunger, and the wisdom that comes in seeing how God teaches us through story and poetry together. I mention a book by Henri Nouwen called The Way of the Heart as well.If you enjoy this podcast, please subscribe and rate on iTunes when you have a chance. Thanks!

Today, in one of the last two episodes of this season we talk with author, activist, and spiritual director Phileena Heuertz, author of the new book Mindful Silence: The Heart of Christian Contemplation.Phileena is the author of Pilgrimage of a Soul and a founding partner of Gravity, a Center for Contemplative Activism. For nearly twenty years she and her husband, Chris, codirected an international nonprofit in more than seventy countries, building community among victims of human trafficking, survivors of HIV and AIDS, abandoned children, and child soldiers and war brides.Spiritual director, yoga instructor, public speaker, retreat guide, and author, Phileena is passionate about spirituality and making the world a better place. She has led contemplative retreats for a number of faith communities, including Word Made Flesh, World Vision International, and Compassion International. In addition, she is sought after as a speaker at universities, seminaries, and conferences such as Q, Catalyst, Urbana, and the Center for Action and Contemplation. Phileena was also named an “Outstanding Alumni” by Asbury University and one of Outreach magazine's “30 Emerging Influencers Reshaping Leadership.”

This episode is the beginning of 3 guests that I know you'll love who will close out Season 1 of otherWISE. Today we talk with O. Alan Noble about technology, truth, and bearing witness in a distracted age.We talk about his latest book, Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age and we dive into specifics on how we can wisely speak the truth within a culture that is simultaneously mastered and blessed by technology.Alan is assistant professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University and cofounder and editor in chief of Christ and Pop Culture. He has written for The Atlantic, Vox, BuzzFeed, The Gospel Coalition, Christianity Today, and First Things. He is also an advisor for the AND Campaign.We talked about the following books:John Irving, A Prayer for Owen MeanyJohn Steinbeck, East of Eden and The Grapes of WrathWendell Berry, Hannah CoulterCormac McCarthy, The RoadMusic by Austin MartinCover art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

In this episode, Casey is flying solo sharing some thoughts he picked up while teaching with Australian College of Ministry in Sydney, NSW.The key thoughts are about Jesus' invitation to the Kingdom, the life we live in public, and how formation into Christ is the most compelling thing that we could ever invest our lives in.Casey's new book, As I Recall: Discovering The Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Lives can be pre-ordered here or pick up a copy when it releases on April 9, 2019.Music by Austin MartinArt by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

This week, otherWISE hosts writer and pastor John Ortberg. John is a well-known author, with books like The Life You've Always Wanted, The Me I Want to Be, and If You Want to Walk On Water, You Have to Get Out of the Boat.In this episode we talk about his new book, Eternity Is Now In Session: A Radical Rediscovery of What Jesus Really Taught About Salvation, Eternity, and Getting to the Good Place.John is the Senior Pastor of Menlo Church in Menlo Park, California. He and his wife, author and speaker Nancy Ortberg, live in southern California. You can find more about John here.Music by Austin MartinCover art by Eric Wright/Metamora Design

The otherWISE podcast is back!Our guest today is Ashley Hales, author of the new book Finding Holy in the Suburbs: Living Faithfully in the Land of Too Much that releases on October 23rd.Ashley Hales holds a PhD in English from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She's a writer, speaker, the wife to a church planter in the southern California suburbs and mother to 4. Her writing has been featured in such places as The Gospel Coalition,Books & Culture, and Christianity Today. Connect with Ashley at aahales.comor on social media at @aahales.She also hosts the newly launched Finding Holy podcast.Here are the books we mentioned on the podcast:Death By Suburb, Dave GoetzThe Weight of Glory, C.S. LewisWhat Are People For? or Jayber Crow, Wendell BerryMusic by Austin MartinCover Design by Eric Wright/Metamora Design