Room For Joy Podcast

On this episode of the Room for Joy Podcast, Tory and Tony are joined by Jim Lee, the CEO and founder of Grad Solutions. Grad Solutions is a business that allows anyone a way to earn their high school diploma. Jim believes that every student can accomplish great things with dedication, guidance, hard work and caring support! His background is in finance, management, and education and he stays active in volunteering for causes he believes in. He has 8 children and a wonderful wife that supports his vision to create the premier dropout recovery provider and to help create graduation success stories, one student at a time. Listen in as Jim and your hosts discuss how you can make an impact on generations to come by impacting just one at a time.

This episode is a very special interview with Chris Cheney of Gilbert AZ. Chris thought he was just "helping out" at a charity event, but when people started getting up on stage and tell their stories of what Room For Joy did in their lives, found himself irresistibly compelled to get involved. Hear his story and how his time "tending bar" turned into a passion for helping children. 

In this episode, we wrap up our series on Romans 13 with how we are to respond to a multitude of confusing decisions in modern society. These last verses, (8 - 14) summarize the context of Romans 13!  But there are some strict warnings about what not to do and what we must do. Listen in as we uncover the truth about walking upright as modern day believers.

God’s laws are outward expressions of His love. Therefore, we can easily see that being obedient to the laws that are righteous and honor God, are a demonstration of our love for God. This is where our conscience comes into play. Submitting to authority is a matter of conscience, because we instinctively know what is right and wrong as human beings, created in the image of God.  So, if we know the difference between them, our conscience is our guide to discerning between them and that includes things related to government action. Should we be in submission to human authorities because we know, as Christians, that it is the right thing to do? Is part of the Christian sense of humility that we are not the ultimate authority, so we ought to be submissive to those in power over us? Of course that’s correct! We should do everything for the glory of God. That means submitting using God’s laws as the guide for our conscience. With this in mind, following our conscience can put us in a position of rebelling against evildoers, even within our governing bodies. But what is our ultimate responsibility towards government rule? Journey with us in this episode to find out. 

If you have been listening in with us over the past few episodes, you know that we have been doing a series on the deeper issues of Romans 13. We have been talking about the deeper meanings of governing authorities, who that is and whether or not we should ever have cause to resist them.  In this episode we delve into verses 3 and 4. These verses have a lot of important information to help us answer those questions. If rulers are those who we shouldn’t fear if we are doing what is right, then what should we consider if we are doing right and the rulers are doing things that are producing fear anyway? Now, we aren’t talking about general policy debates or legislation differences, but (at least in the United States) actual constitutional breaches. If an authority usurps the law of the land, and ultimately, God’s ordained purpose for its existence in the first place, then it is prudent to consider our response to this. Join us as we unpack the meaning of these verses and try to discern what a proper response should be and if that ever changes.

On this episode of the Room for Joy show we are taking a break from our Roman's 13 series to chat with a SPECIAL GUEST, Jeremy Wood of Phoenix, AZ Jeremy has been an entrepreneur since the age of 24. In 2006 he founded a home improvement, design and building store in NE Phoenix, called “Improve Home Center” where he serves as the CEO. He graduated from Southwestern Bible College in 2002 with honors and a degree in Biblical studies with an emphasis on pastoral ministries. He was a pastor in his early 20’s and has extensive leadership experience with church and parachurch ministries over the past 20 years, and has been happily married to his beautiful wife, Karina since 2004. They have 3 amazing children, and most recently he is the Founder of Great 48! Great 48 is a movement to protect and restore our constitutional freedoms during times of crisis.  Jeremy's movement has attracted the attention and participation of tens of thousands of people, many of whom aren't clear on what Great 48 is trying to do and why. So, we sat down with Jeremy to hear his story and why he is so passionate about protecting our freedoms here in Arizona. Let us know you're listening and what you think.

This is the second episode in our series on Romans 13. A relevant discussion in light of the decisions we all must make in a world where we are faced with confusing and often terrifying situations. In our first episode, we covered the deeper issues behind verse 1 and what it means to be subject to governing authorities. If you missed it, go back and listen to the podcast and get caught up. In this episode, we are moving on to verse 2 which says, “Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgement on themselves.”  “Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgement on themselves.”  Once again, at first glance, this seems pretty straight forward: Don’t resist authority or you will bring judgement on yourself! If we go back to who qualifies as a true “governing authority” then we must also ask, will I bring judgement for resisting an ungodly authority? During World War II, Oskar Schindler, an industrialist and member of the Nazi party, resisted the governing authorities and saved the lives of over 1,200 Jews by smuggling out from the regime. His resistance to governing authorities most certainly didn’t bring judgement upon himself but blessings as he was being obedient to God, whether or not he knew it is not the issue. Right and wrong are inherent values in human beings. We were created in His image and we naturally understand the differences between good and evil. How are we to respond to authority in today's economic and political climate? Listen in and together we will find some answers.

This is the first in a multi-episode series that steps into a little deeper water than normal on the RFJ podcast. Today starts a series delving into the topic of Romans 13 (pasted below) and how it can and should be used as a guide for the way people of God should respond to authority. Do we blindly obey what we are told to do by the authorities in our lives or do we make waves? What is the appropriate response? Join us and we take a journey into Romans 13 and uncover practical truths, one section at a time. Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. 8 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. 11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

Prayer is one of those basics of our Christian life but can be difficult to implement. A lot of Christians say they need to pray more but struggle to make prayer a daily habit. Learning to pray and pray consistently is just like any other positive habit you try to implement, it may be tough at first, but the only way to make it part of your life is to just start. In this episode, Tory and Tony share their experiences with prayer and offer insights and suggestions to make it more fruitful. Here are some tips that they did not share during this episode: Use the Lord's Prayer, found in Mathew 6: 9-13 as a guide if you are unsure where to start or how to pray. Start with Praise; Pray God’s will to be done in your situation; Pray for and thank God for provision over your situation; Confess any sin and pray for forgiveness; ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your heart and shine a light on areas that need forgiveness; Pray for protection, safety, and deliverance from temptation.  

There isn't a person on the planet that doesn't face adversity. We can either deal with it on our own strength or relying on God to bring us through it. Relying on God will always bring us closer to Him and build our faith. Over the years, through meeting the families who are always going through a personal struggle dealing with a chronically ill child, we have always been inspired by their strength. Everyone has a different story and each family and member copes in different ways. They all, with few exceptions, are the strongest, most courageous, God-fearing people we have ever met! If you have been joining us for a while, you have had the privilege of hearing some of their stories. Some have made us cry, some have made us laugh but all, I hope, have inspired us. They show us how to weather the storm! On this episode, we talk about ways to weather the storm when adversity strikes.

Have you ever found it hard to have peace, to be nice to others, to be patient, loving and kind even with the most difficult people or circumstances? In this episode Tory Smock, founder of Room For Joy and co-host Tony Stark Policci open up about their struggles with their own humanity. During stressful times, our own shortcomings can be amplified and if we don't keep ourselves focused, we can blow beautiful opportunities to show God's love to the world. Christ's followers are called to be salt and light, but too often we can easily slip into being "salty" and "pusillanimous" (you can google that word while you listen to this episode).

In this episode of the Room For Joy Show, Tory and Tony are joined by an incredible guest, an award-winning news reporter, Messianic Rabbi, Jack Zimmerman. Jack has covered papal visits and has interviewed state and world leaders, including the President.  The three of them discuss the topic of when life, even the world seems out of control and offer practical ideas about how to respond in times of crisis. Their guest, Rabbi Jack, came to faith in Jesus in 1988. He holds the unique distinction of being an Ordained Nazarene Pastor, a Messianic Rabbi with the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America and Staff Evangelist for Jewish Voice Ministries International. Jack was used by the Lord in the secular arena to equip him for work in the ministry:  His career began with ABC television in New York, where he served as the stand-up comedian / audience warm-up host for a live TV show. Jack would later go on to host his own television segment, as well as a morning radio co-host in New York and Florida. As the founding Rabbi of Tree of Life Congregation in Phoenix, Arizona, Jack shepherds’ Jewish people and non-Jewish people alike. He reminds us all that Ephesians declares that the wall of partition has come down, and that Jew and Gentile are one in Messiah, in accordance with the olive tree imagery of Romans 11. He is a well-educated teacher who effectively combines his comedic talent and great theological depth, in imparting the scriptures. As a Pastor and Rabbi knowledgeable in Hebrew, he understands the Bible from a Roman Greco viewpoint, as well as from its Hebraic origins, and helps his audience to understand and see the transition from one to other. He has taught Bible classes throughout the United States, as well as at theological universities in Russia and The Ukraine. Jack also is a frequent guest speaker at conferences and events. Jack holds a degree in Journalism / Radio TV Communications from the City University of New York, and resides in Phoenix with his wife Sandie, and their children Jordan, Ryan and Casey.

In this episode, we are going to talk about the battles we wage on a daily basis. At the time of this recording, we are a few weeks into the global Corona Virus epidemic. We are fighting something we can't see when it comes to this virus.  But we are also battling other unseen forces, fear, anger, sadness and a whole host of thoughts and feelings. So what are the weapons we should wield? Ephesians deals with topics at the very core of what it means to be a Follower of Jesus—both in faith and in practice—regardless of any particular problem in the community. It helps us: Understand our spiritual position and eradicate fear or doubt! Understand the key teachings within the book. Know who GOD says we are as Believers. Apply these truths to our life in a practical way. Transform our life through application of the truths. Listen in and let's shore ourselves up with the armor of God.

If you have been following us over the past several episodes, you know that we have been talking about many different aspects of the journey of faith, both through Room For Joy and personally. On this episode however, we will be venturing into some deeper water in the light of current events regarding COVID 19 and our responses as part of the Body of Christ. We dive into scriptures like 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” And we explore the realities of fear and faith. Fear is a powerful human emotion that can cause us to respond in destructive ways and even paralyze us... or it can motivate us to take positive action.  How do we deal with fear and step into faith so we don't get caught in the trap of NOT turning to God, our Rescuer, who knows every personal and world disruption we will face. His timeless Word, the Bible, has all the answers and antidotes to keep us calm, cool, and collected. Join your host's, Tory Smock and Tony Stark Policci, as they explore these powerful topics.  

How are you at living in the light? Do you often struggle with "dark" places in your life? It's crucial to acknowledge the reality of spiritual darkness, because unless we do, we may not understand the necessity of focusing on the light of God.   From the first book of the bible we see that God’s light is the brightest. We see it in Genesis, when there is light before the creation of the sun and moon, we see it in Exodus when He teaches Moses how to make the menorah to serve as a concrete symbol of God Himself, the source of light. The Psalmist said that God “wraps Himself in light as with a garment”  and The LORD is my light and my salvation.” Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” It’s not always easy to see our way out of the darkness, but if we commit to remember that FOLLOWING Jesus is how we get and stay in the light, we will be less likely to go to dark places and if we find ourselves there, be able to get out quicker. When Room for Joy does a room makeover for a chronically ill child, we put a light that shines for years, perhaps even a lifetime, into the lives of the children and their families. And that extends to everyone who supports our mission with their prayers and financial support. It’s all done to reflect the bright light of God’s love.

In this episode, we are diving deeper into the subject of hope. We talk about how illness or disease, especially when it involves your child, doesn’t make sense and it’s stressful and scary. Everyone handles these things differently, but in the years of working with chronically ill children and their families, we have seen time and time again that those who have a strong faith in the Lord, have a special kind of hope and it inspires us to grow deeper in our own faith. Join us on a journey of exploring the importance of hope.

Recently, the mom of one of our room recipient kiddos said that she was amazed at how our obedience to the Lord can be used to impact the eternity of another person. Thinking about eternity is pretty intense in the first place, but thinking about impacting someone else’s eternity can be overwhelming! But, it shouldn’t be. It’s really The Holy Spirit who acts to bring us to repentance and ultimately salvation. Our responsibility is to be obedient! But obedience isn't a simple topic. In this episode Tory Smock, founder of the Phoenix based non-profit organization "Room For Joy," sits down with Tony Stark Policci to discuss what obedience means and how our response to it impacts the world around us. They unpack the concepts of: Trusting God vs Being in Control The Promises of Obedience Divine intervention and a whole lot more. If you would like to learn more about how you can support Room For Joy through prayer, volunteering or financially supporting our mission, please visit our website at: www.roomforjoy.org or contact us at 602-619-0209. We would love to hear from you!

Passion is one of those words that gets used a lot without really understanding the original meaning of the word. Many people use the words  “passion” or "passionate", when referring to strong emotions, an intense desire or boundless enthusiasm, a drive to do a particular thing or a particular cause. But the word passion actually comes from a Latin word that means to suffer.   So really, being passionate means; "A Willingness to Suffer for What You Love" The most famous example being the passion of Yeshua, Jesus. That’s why the stage performances of Christ’s life are called “passion plays” Anyway, thinking about passion that way changes your perspective, if you use it to describe an activity, goal or cause that you care about so much that I you are willing to suffer for it.

Matthew 6:21, says; "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also”. All of us have special talents or gifts, which are a sign of the power and majesty of God. These talents and gifts are not given to us just for our own use but are given to us for the improvement of the lives of others and so that we can serve God better.  

Richard Stearns, the president of world vision wrote a book called the hole in the gospel. Chapter 25 of that book is titled Time Talent and Treasure. He talks about how many don’t really have a sense of what they have to offer. That they are willing to sign up and show up but are confused about just what they might possess that could be of value to God’s kingdom. So one of the traditional ways to think about this involves looking at the 3 t’s—time, talent, and treasure. Each of us has resources in all three of these categories, and we often have far more to offer than we think.   Of all three, time is the one we all get equal portions of. Time is a finite resource, most of us waste a lot of it.

Join us today as we talk with Karla, Emmett’s Mom about his extraordinary medical journey! She will also be sharing valuable information for anyone with small children in their homes.

We are talking with Kannon’s Dad, Ryan, who will be sharing about Kannon’s medical journey. We will also be talking about his room makeover which was completed in August of 2018. The theme was Dirt Bikes.