STUCK IN THE MESSY

When we see a homeless individual at church, we often feel at a loss. Should we try to interact with the person? If so, how? What do we talk about? Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Tamara Horton as we discuss ways to step outside of our normal church circles to connect with homeless friends.

At the Life Center, we understand we cannot meet every need, nor should we try to. That's why we partner with other local organizations to best serve our clients! Join Christa and our special guest Shellene Martinez as we discuss her work with the Littleton homeless community: their struggles, their barriers, and the beauty they bring to the world.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Humility is usually celebrated as a positive character trait…but what exactly is humility? Is it just self-deprecation? What does it mean to humbly serve others as Jesus did? Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Erin Marken as we dive into this topic and kick off our third season of Stuck in the Messy!=============================Scripture Reference=============================

When trying to help someone in need, where do you start? What boundaries should you set? How do you know when the resource-navigating process is over? Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Abbey Davis as we tackle these questions and more!=============================MISHAPS Acronym=============================➕ Mental health➕ Income➕ Strength➕ Housing➕ Addiction➕ Paperwork➕ Support=============================Steps for Resource Navigation=============================1️⃣ Assess safety2️⃣ Get “the big three”3️⃣ Address the original problem ✅ Step 1: Pursue housing ✅ Step 2: Enroll in support programming ✅ Step 3: Address family & health concerns3️⃣ Develop a safety net=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

True service is relational, which means it can also be messy! As we seek to serve the homeless, what does it mean to walk alongside them in practical ways? What does a long-term friendship look like? Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Joni Ann Morella as we discuss our experiences and give tips for navigating long-term relationships with homeless friends.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

In the first three Beatitudes in Matthew 5, Jesus upends our idea of who will experience the good life. The good life, He tells us, belongs not to the wealthy, the powerful, or the gifted; rather, it belongs to the poor in spirit, the grieving, and the meek. In response to this shocking revelation, our staff created a series of “beatitudes” reflecting how God has shifted our perspectives here at the Life Center. Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Brenda Dalton as we discuss what God shown us!=============================SHOW NOTES=============================Life Center “Beatitudes”✅ The good life is for those who recognize their own brokenness, for their idea of service will be perfected.✅ The good life is for those who are content with what they have, for their eyes will be opened to God's blessing.✅ The good life is for those who keep their gates open, for they will experience God's community, heart, and presence.✅ The good life is for those who view themselves as needy, for they will experience a special connection with God.✅ The good life is for those who stop trying to use their own wisdom, for they will experience true freedom.✅ The good life is for those who work, for they will see themselves as God sees them.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Our God is amazingly generous, often giving us undeserved blessings. However, He also frequently asks us to gain a reward through work. As we try to reflect God's character to others, how should these two principles play out in our relationships? When should we practice no-strings-attached generosity, and when should we let someone sow and reap their own reward? We invite you to join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Heather Johnston as we dive into this challenging topic!=============================SHOW NOTES=============================

Many of us compartmentalize our lives like a pie: one slice for church, one for work, one for family, and so on. But what if our “pie” became more like a “smoothie,” with the spiritual infusing every part of our lives? Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest John Hannig as we discuss the unpredictable beauty that comes when we say to God, “Your day, Your way.”=============================SHOW NOTES=============================

When someone asks for help, many of us jump into “fix-it mode” to solve the problem. While this may seem like a necessary response, it can also harm both the help-giver and receiver. Join Micah and Christa as we discuss how to identify and fight fix-it mode! You also won't want to miss an extended interview with one of our Life Center friends.=============================SHOW NOTES=============================

Many of us feel unsure how to respond when we see someone holding a cardboard sign. Should we smile and wave? Give money, toiletries, or food? Look straight ahead? If you've ever faced this dilemma, this episode is for you! Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Randy Fowler as we discuss our experiences interacting with homeless friends on street corners and offer tips for doing it well!=============================Steps for Interacting with Someone Holding a Cardboard Sign=============================● Conversation Topics and Example Questions● Name (Hi, I'm ____. What's your name?)● Music (Have you heard this song? What's your favorite type of music?)● Origin (Where are you from? Did you grow up in Colorado?)● Prayer (Is there something I can pray for you about?)● Sports (Did you hear about the [insert sports team] game the other day?)● Weather (What do you think of this weather? It's beautiful, crazy, etc.)● Today's activity (What are you up to today?)● Miscellaneous (Make up your own question!)=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

As we see more and more unhoused residents in our community, many of us are wondering, how can we help? Aren't there plenty of jobs available for the homeless? Why do some people receive assistance but still end up back on the streets? If you've ever had similar questions, please join Micah, Christa, and executive producer Colin McFarland as we tackle some of these topics.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

The word “trauma” is thrown around frequently these days. But what is trauma, exactly? How can we interact well with those who have experienced it? Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Lillian Dehn as we discuss how to how to better love those who are hurting and how to defuse sticky situations.=============================De-Escalation Techniques=============================⬇️ Speak slowly and lower the pitch of your voice.⬇️ Take deep breaths. The distressed person will often mirror this action.⬇️ Move slowly. Sudden movements can make the distressed person more anxious.⬇️ It can be helpful to raise your hands with palms out as a sign of openness. You can bring them around your face to draw the distressed person's attention to your face (or to protect yourself if needed).⬇️ Refrain from yelling, even if the distressed person is doing so.⬇️ Ask the distressed person questions like: How can I help you? What would make this better? What would make you feel safe?⬇️ Offer the person something to drink (water or non-caffeinated drinks are best). This can reset the person's fight/flight response if they feel it is safe to swallow and digest.⬇️ Don't touch the distressed person. They may think you are trying to control or harm them.⬇️ Use tools like CUFF. Be Calm, Unaffected, Firm, and Funny (without sarcasm).=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

It can be tempting to focus on what we think needs fixing in our homeless friends' lives. But our friends are part of a culture that has much to teach us! Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Joel Kostelyk as we dive into the cultural differences we've observed between economic groups and the beautiful aspects of homeless culture.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Sometimes, we humans allow our differences to divide us. We want to fight against this tendency at the Life Center, recognizing that building relationships with those different from ourselves is beautiful! Join Micah, Christa, and our special guests J.D. and Briana McCrumb as we discuss how this has played out in our own lives at the Mission Hills North Littleton Campus.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

What is service? Is it an activity we squeeze into our busy schedules? Is it simply being nice? In this episode, Micah, Christa, and our special guest Jackie Shinabery dive deeper into this topic. Join us as we discuss how our definitions of service have changed, how we prepare our hearts for serving others, and what God has taught us through our flops and successes.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Though Thanksgiving is behind us, we've got more blessings to chew on…metaphorically, of course. Join Micah, Christa, Alex, and our special guest JoAnn Hunt as we discuss the food bank, a crucial Life Center program! We hope you'll enjoy the stories of God's goodness throughout the food bank's 33-year history and dream with us as we consider the future.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Finding conferences about our line of work is difficult, so in August, the Life Center staff took things into our own hands. We jumped on a flight to Seattle, a city known for its unconventional approach to homelessness, to see what we could learn. Join Micah, Christa, Jose, and Alex as we discuss our experiences and how they inform our work at the Life Center.=============================Resources:=============================Places we visited:The Block ProjectDESCStreet BeanNew HorizonsRecovery CaféTiny Home VillageTent CityYellow Butterfly Coffee ShopTilth AllianceDelridge Community Center=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Sometimes we feel unequipped to care for others, especially if they see or experience reality differently than we do! So, how can we lovingly support others despite our differences? Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Mark Koeppen as we discuss how to love someone who requires extra care.=============================Resources:=============================MISHAPS acronym for resource navigating:- Mental health / Medication- Income- Strength- Housing- Addiction- Paperwork- Support=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

If you like personality tests, you'll enjoy this episode! Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Kristy Allen as we discuss the personality types we commonly see among our Life Center clients and what each type brings to the world.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Have you ever felt unsure how to help someone in need? Or perhaps you've helped someone, only to be frustrated by the results. Join Micah, Christa, and former Life Center Director Cara Runyan as we discuss poverty alleviation, our own brokenness, and how we can help those in need—without harming them or ourselves.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Many of us shy away from talking to our kids about homelessness, not knowing how to tackle this difficult topic. Join Micah and Christa as we have an honest, unscripted conversation with Everlyn (6), Ellie (7), and Addie (10) about how to interact with people holding cardboard signs and how God has made everyone—including our homeless friends—in His image. We hope this episode will encourage you as you jump into the messy and begin having these conversations with your own family!=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Though we expect to encounter cultural differences when traveling to other countries, we sometimes fail to recognize the microcultures that exist in our own backyards! Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Howard Stevenson as we discuss our cross-cultural experiences, the hidden rules of social classes, and how we can better serve those of different cultures—including our homeless friends.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Imagine you pull up to an intersection and see a person holding a cardboard sign. Your mind races: Should I give them a few bucks? Smile? Pretend to look at my phone? Look straight ahead? Situations like this can be difficult to navigate and frankly…super awkward. In this episode, we dive into the messy with a few Mission Hills staff members and discuss how these interactions have played out in our own lives.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Join the Life Center Staff as we look to examine the art of service. As believers, we have been called to serve each other and the world. While it seems like it should be an easy concept, for anyone who has jumped into the messy world of service, we realize that serving people in real life is much harder than we thought it would be. Listen in as we talk through the difficulties of loving the world around us, whether it be the person on the side of the street holding the cardboard sign or our neighbor who has had a loved one pass away.Let's be honest: Life is often messy, and service can be too! On the Stuck in the Messy podcast, we'll explore how to interact with the needy while recognizing our own areas of need. We hope you'll tune in as we discuss the awkwardness of service and hear stories from some friends currently experiencing homelessness.=============================Stuck in the MessyA Product of The Life CenterChannel Credits=============================

Not knowing what to say, fear of saying the wrong thing, or even our own assumptions can keep us from connecting with those different from us. Join Micah, Christa, and our special guest Adele Nielsen as we discuss our experiences interacting with Life Center friends and what we've learned in the process!We also invite you to tune in to our friend Nate's story at the end of the episode. You may notice his circular storytelling pattern, which we've learned is a cultural difference often observed between those who have grown up in poverty and those with wealthy or middle-class roots. The former typically use a casual register and may meander before getting to the point, while the latter often use a more formal register and chronological narrative pattern. For more information on this topic, see Chapter 4 of Bridges out of Poverty by Payne, DeVol, and Dreussi-Smith.=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================

Through the Mission Hills Ministry Development Program (MDP), the Life Center welcomed the lovely Kathryn Lewis for an 8-month residency last fall. In this episode, Kathryn joins Micah and Christa to discuss her experiences at the Life Center—the ups, downs, and everything in between. You won't want to miss it!=============================Stuck In The Messy: Channel Credits=============================