Pedestal

387 DAYS!! Wowzers! Sorry for being silent for so long, but there's a good reason for it. I've been questioning a lot and I knew it wasn't right for me to get on here and try to teach something I wasn't fully convinced of. But… we back!! At least for this episode—we'll see where it goes from here. Haha I pray you're blessed by this episode the way I've been blessed in walking through this crazy season of life. Love y'all! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace!

Does God provide for us in the every day issues or is it only in the “big moments?” Here's a live listen-in to a current issue I'm dealing with. To trust the process is to know Who is in charge.

God has given me the word “quiet” a few times over the past couple days, so these are my thoughts on why! Bonus spoken word poem at the beginning!

Quick thoughts: What do you think about when you look out of a window? — Questioning the Bible: Why did Uzzah lose his life for saving the Ark of the Covenant from hitting the ground??

The idea of building the Kingdom of God right here on earth is new to Tyler and me. However, this is not a new concept. In fact, it is exactly how the early church would've understood their role through scripture. In this episode we will discuss some of the issues in the church that kept us away from receiving this truth and how God brought it to our attention. Let's sharpen each other as we humbly receive some truth! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

Welcome to season 2! Now let's start building. Tune in to hear as Cole and Tyler discuss what it truly means to build the Kingdom and what role followers of Christ have been given. We're excited to work alongside this Pedestal community in the construction of an unshakable, impenetrable New Jerusalem. But first we need the blueprint. This episode is Part One of a conversation in understanding what the blueprints are and what tools we need to work effectively. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

What a week it has been! God has moved in so many ways and taught me a slew of lessons that I'm super excited to share with y'all! Habits, hope, new resources, and faithful commitment highlight the main points of this message. Tune in to learn through my experiences what God could be trying to teach you! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

Walk through the final section of the first chapter of our James study with us! God has saturated this book with beautiful, practical truths and has used our deceased brother in Christ, Charles Spurgeon, to help us better understand these passages. Tune in as we squeeze out these truths using cross-referencing and Spurgeon's findings! The Bible is so cool. Thanks for studying along with us! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

In part 3 of our walk through James, we discuss the goodness of our God and our role in response to His goodness. As we cross-reference Deuteronomy 8, we can see a better view of the importance in remembering that it is God alone who brings about all good things, not our efforts. Though we may tirelessly work and strive to earn money/status/relationships, it is God who blesses us with them. So what does that mean? What does that call us to do? Join in as we try to better understand these practical questions and deep truths! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

Being the most heart-piercing episode so far, I highly recommend for any and all people to tune in! Whether you're a non-believer, new believer, or Nam-believer (believer since the Vietnam War), I promise you will get something powerful out of this message. This comes from a combination of 3 life-changing lessons God hit me with past week via book, sermon, and a small group discussion. Tune in to be challenged to a Third.Line.Faith! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

What makes a good parent/mentor/friend? I believe it comes down to two attributes that are not innate, but ones we must work hard to attain. These two attributes, when applied, will change the lives of those around you. I have found them to be the most important keys to building relationships, bridging cultural/experiential gaps, and changing the lives of the youth around me. So, what are these two attributes? Tune in to join the conversation! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

As we continue our study through James, we discover an important key to prayer: "meden diakrinomenos." [Greek] Scripture tells us that Solomon was the wisest person to have ever lived and the wisest who will ever live.  So, how did he attain such wisdom and how can we use his story to positively impact ours?  Help me walk through the difficult concept of wisdom and how doubting can hinder our ability to receive it. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

Let's dive into Bible study together. What is considered a "fruitful faith walk" and how can we practically live it out? Well, God has answered that question for us and nestled the answer into two small books of the Bible.  Join in as God leads my personal Bible study into a discovering of overlap in truth found in James 1 and 2nd Peter 1. God's Word is amazing and this revelation will forever change my walk with Christ. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

Let's talk racism. God doesn't turn a blind eye to current events. He doesn't overlook the chaos. So, I pledge that Pedestal, as a community, won't either. However, we will look at current events a little differently—from the most important perspective: the heart of the people affected. This entry is meant to continue the conversation in an open, loving, and hopeful way. I am not arrogant enough to believe that I have all the answers, so I won't try to give them. As in all things I will submit to scripture to better understand what God desires to be my next step. I pray that together the Pedestal community will rise up and be counter-cultural. How? Four simple steps: humble ourselves, pray, seek God's face, and turn from our wicked ways. In doing so, God WILL hear us, forgive us, and Heal.Our.Land... He promised. Tune in to join the conversation! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

Shame is inevitable, our response to it is what reveals where our trust lies. If I'm being honest, I often find myself trusting in my own strength to pull me out of the sin I am stuck in. And when I realize I'm not nearly strong enough, I decide it's best to try to hide myself and/or my sins from God and those around me. However, this fight is futile. Hiding my sins from the Lord always feels like I'm being hunted and fills my mind with an anxiety and hopelessness that was never created for a human to bear. So maybe, just maybe, my view on how God sees my sin is askew... This episode will give some insight on the destructive nature of shame and how the Bible's battle plan against it is counter-cultural. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

If you could talk to Jesus right now, what would you say to Him? More importantly, what would He say to you? What if I were to tell you that you have access to hear from Jesus Himself (and no, I'm not talking about prayer)? Tune in to see how Jesus is just as real and tangible today as He was in the days when He was walking the Earth those 2,000-plus years ago! This is an EXTREMELY important message to hear if you want to grow in your walk with Christ and/or understand why one of the most neglected Christian practices is absolutely vital for spiritual growth. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

We have all heard people say, "God is just not fair," or "life is just not fair." The crazy thing is, I completely agree with you! However, I'd like to shine some light on what I mean by that. Listen in as we discuss how God being unfair is actually the greatest truth we could ever hope for! And the next time you start to think, "God is just not fair," you'll say it with enthusiasm and a smile! Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace!

Our satisfaction is short, but our desires extend, so our drive for satisfaction arrives at a dead end. If we have desires that this world cannot possibly quench, then we're created for a different world, to it we must clench.

The battle against contentment is my fiercest and most lengthy crusade. Looking forward to the future is exciting, but I often neglect my duty of tending the crops because I get distracted by the hopeful vision of the garden. If you frequently find your mind living in your future and missing the here and now, I know God will speak to you through this entry. Thank you, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

The craziness that is COVID-19 has taught me many things. One of which is the humbling, embarrassing reality that I rely on way too many uncontrollable variables for my spiritual growth. Listen in as I am real, honest, and open about my faults and shortcomings during the quarantine. Thank You, Lord, for Your grace upon grace.

Welcome to Pedestal! Listen to learn the heart and mission behind this podcast.