Thriving in Singleness

Rustin joins us freshly returning from taking a gap year to spend time on the mission field in Costa Rica. He shares his journey of salvation and learning how to surrender his desires for a spouse to the Lord, trusting Him with whatever the outcome may be. He found true joy in his Singleness and decided to use this time by taking a gap year to grow in his faith. 

Singleness is often looked at as a temporary thing. And if it's looked at as a calling, it's looked at as a temporary calling. But what does it look like when it is a lifetime calling? Mark Warnock, pastor at Family Church in West Palm Beach, Florida joins us to share about how God had called him into a lifetime of singleness, how it has been an incredible adventure, and he has so much incredible wisdom to share about seeking out the Lord and doing life well by following God's calling and seeking out what He has for you.

It always sucks to be ghosted with no explanation or a chance to get any closure. Holly Schwarting shares her experience of being ghosted and the healthy approach she took to maintain a healthy perspective in the midst of it. The conversation shifted into talking about why it is so important to live in the present, maximizing what God has in front of us right now. 

Chris Kish is a legend of his own, diving wish sharks, surfing, snowboarding, living an incredible life in Palm Beach, Florida, however he has mostly been living out his purpose by leading Gospel Communities at Family Church. Chris recently published the book "Becoming the Household", which is about building these communities. 

Jessica Faith joins us to share her journey of learning to trust in the Lord through her singleness, as well as to give insight on what it looks like to desire marriage in a healthy way, while trusting the Lord in the midst of singleness. 

Caleb Kaminski joins us for an episode to talk about "the waiting season" and the healthy way to view this as a waiting season as well as a negative way to be viewing this time as a waiting season. 

Luke Hasings, also recognized as the Narrowwayman, joins us for an episode to talk about Masculinity, why it is not toxic, and why it is important. We talk about why masulinity plays an important role for men in singleness and why God created men to be masculine. 

Mylee Bankston, author of Is Being Single a Gift, talks about a lot of the bad advice she was given in her singleness and we discuss the truths that counter them. Mylee works in the heart of the music industry in Nashville, TN, and ironically soon after publishing her book, she ended up meeting her spouse and they were married soon after. She still has a heart for singles as we discuss many of the challenges she faced in the midst of her singleness, including how she navigated the bad advice!

Jackson Southern joins us for another episode to talk about what it looks like to trust in God's timing, and the challenges surrounding it. 

Shannon, also recognized as The Steady Single on Instagram, joins us for an episode to talk about multiple things, including how becomming obsessed with gratude has helped her in singleness as well as discussion around surrendering, controlling our perspctive, dating, and the importance of masculinity and femeninity. 

Stacey Szczepanski, author of Unlocking Love joins us for an episode to share about how being catfished lead to her finding calling in her singleness, and how she learned to lean into the Lord more in the difficult times. Stacey and Josh find common ground discussing singleness and the Church while Tom chimes in with his perspective on it as the married voice. Join us for a fun conversation!

Brianna Rossi joins us to discuss the inspiration for her new book, Single and standing. She has such incredible insight about the happy ending she has found which wasn't a relationship, but the joy she found in her singleness prior to finding a relationship. Brianna has been on the podcast a few times before, but now that she released her book, we knew there was much more for her to share. Joint the conversation as it's always a great time with Brianna!

Priscilla K, who runs the instagram page MoneyWithPriscilla, joins us for an episode to discuss money, and singleness, and additionally, we talk about the parallels behind the compounding effect of money and investing and the actions we take in our everyday lives. 

The Thriving in Singleness team have a fruitful discussion of "The 5 Core Principles of Thriving in Singleness". We disuss why each is important to doing singleness well, and why they lead to doing life well! And did I say team? Yes, we're a team now. We're onboarding two new permanent hosts for the podcast! Taylor Cyr and Rachael Kabagabu, who were each recently on the podcast, are joining Josh and I as hosts for the podcast, brining more dynamic to the conversation as we will interchangeably be hosting the episodes and keeping the conversation uplifting, encouraging, and now the lead of some female perspective. So what are the 5 core principles of Thriving in Singleness? These principles are Identity, Purpose, Community, Purity, and Surrender. Why did we choose these in particular and what is their significance? I guess it's time to stop reading and listen in!

Rachael K joins us for another episdoe to discuss the challenges and fears of turning 30 years old. As it turns into a time of reflection, forcing trust and surrender in the Lord in what He is doing in your life, it definitely stretches you, and Rachael talks about it very well. Also, stay tuned: Great news coming in episode 75!

Taylor joins us for another episode to discuss what it looks like to be married to Christ. We discuss the comparisons between a marriage in the world and being married to Christ. Additionally we talk briefly about anxiety and how Taylor has been able to overcome it. 

TJ is a private life coach who left Wall Street in the midst of receiving a promotion, and surrendered himself to the Lord and where God wanted him with his work, his faith, and his relationships. He did meet his spouse soon after his surrender, but he has incredible wisdom to share about the sexual sin he was caught in beginning in his teenage years, and how God has healed and brought him past in through his divine grace. Singleness is heavily on TJ's heart and in this episode he shares the first 3 of the 5 things to know if you're 30 and single. Join us for an incredible conversation, and share with anyone you know may benefit from hearing it!

Kate & JJ Tomlin from the Heart of Dating podcast join us to talk about their personal experiences in singleness and what they had learned throughout their journey. Have you ever thought about your reasons for Thriving in Singleness, or how you would want to look back on your singleness when you're married? Definitely some tough concepts to ponder. But these are great concepts we tackle in todays episode. Stop by our instagram to let us know what you think!

Megan Skees, life coach and host of the Pursuing Truth Podcast, joins us for an episode to discuss her journey of coming to surrender and trust the Lord in whatever direction life may be taking her, and how to live in expectation in the midst of it. 

Returning from a month-long hiatus, Josh interview's Tom with the questions so many of the listeners have been wanting to know. Tom discusses the life changes he has been through recently along with a deep discussion on where his passion for singleness comes from, even after 9 years of happily being married. Join us for the conversation!

Kaila from the Convos With Kaila Podcast joined us for this episode and one of the highlights she spoke about was how she recently took a dating fast, what that meant, how it benefited her, and when it may be time to consider taking a dating fast. Such an awesome concept that may be worth considering if you are finding marriage has been an idol. Join us for this episdode as we take a deep dive into this concept.

Mel New is a Christian Dating coach and runs the IYKYK Dating platform, joins us for an episode to discuss online dating, as well as hope in the midst of dating. Join in for the conversation and keep an eye out for her upcoming workshops. Use the code "THRIVING" for a 50% discount!

Courtney Leo from the Grace for Growth Podcast joins us for a conversation about how it is important to allow yourself to grieve, and how just because this is difficult doesn't mean you're lacking faith. We also had a great conversation about why dating yourself is important and how good God can be through your singleness, allowing you to live out a better vision for your life. Join us for some real, in-depth conversation. 

Jackson Southern joins us for an episode to share how God had altered his heart and brought him to a place of full surrender, and how much joy he has found in his singleness. When we surrender it takes the weight off our shoulders and it allows us to experience life at a totally different level. Listen to his story about what God had tought him in his singleness and where God is leading him next. 

Rachel is a missionary in Kenya and has some incredible insights as to why the mission field has been a great place for her in her singleness, and why it is an incredible option to consider. 

Danile Noe joins us and shares what God has taught him about how he sees his singleness as a calling and how we are to be good steward of what He has given us. 

Join Tom and Josh for their conversation with speaker, coach, and entrepreneur Esther Weaver where they discuss changing your insecurities into confidence. 

Collen Chao, author of "In the Hands of a Fiercly Tender God joins us for the episode to share what God had tought her in her extended period of singleness, and how it has helped her through the trials she is currently facing. Listen in to hear about how she recognized her discontentment as a good thing. Incredible perspective and awesome conversation. 

Philip Wilder, author of Single isn't Second Best, joins us for an episode to share about the inspiration for his book as well as what God had taught him in his marriage, as well as his singleness. He provides encouraging steps to take singleness a day at a time, and trusting the Lord though singleness day by day. 

David Bruehlmann, the host of Unlock Meaning on Youtube joins us for another episdode to share about how important it is to find purpose in your life and how you are able to seek it out. 

Brianna Rossi joins us for another episode as she is now in a relationship and has a lot to reflect on in regards to how she handled her singleness and how it has been beneficial now that she is in a relationship. And don't mind Josh, as his internet dropped off early on the episode. 

There's an interesting thing that happens when you're thriving in singleness. It actually makes you more attractive, builds more confidence, and helps you to be fearless. Josh and Tom breakdown why thriving in singleness makes you more attractive as well as many other aspects of Thriving in Singleness that greatly improve your life. 

Valentine's Day can be tough. It can put additional pressure on the feelings of loneliness you may already be experience. For this episode, Tom steps out to allow Joshua to lead the discussion with 4 guests from prvious episodes. Sie Gregory, Taylor Cyr, E-man, and Bethany Anderson. Join us for the episode and find some encouragement along the way!

JJ Viljoen joins us for this episode and presents us with the challenge of questioning whether Singleness should be referred to as a season. While Josh is very opinionated on this concept, Tom is conflicted, as he has often referred to this time as a season. Additionally JJ talks more about how freeing it is to let go, and how much easier it is to surrender when you don't give yourself anything to hold onto. You'll want to join in on this episode as there is a lot to unpack. 

So many times the challenges are acknowledged in Singleness, but how do we go up against it? And how easy it is to feel like the purpose for our lives is going to come into play when we finally get married and start a family? Our guest today takes these challenges head on in our incredible conversation with actionable steps and great wisdom behind facing adversity and finding your purpose in life. 

Esther Marie is the author of the book Single Shouldn't suck. She shares the incredible perspective that God had given her in Singleness, which inspired her to live an amazing lifestyle glorifying to the Lord. Even though she is currently in a relationship, it not only hasn't taken away from, but it has complemented the lessons she has learned, enabling her to have a healthier relationship that stays pointed towards Christ. Join us for this incredible episode!

Melissa Wilson joins Tom and Josh for a conversation about why she believes singleness to be a gift, and why it is such a difficult thing to accept, as well as why this perspective produces great long term benefits in other seasons of life. 

Markeisha Tonoi from the Authentic Culture Co joins us for an episode to share about her walk in Singleness and the incredible things God has been teaching her. 

So blessed to have made it to episode 50! For this episode Tom and Josh are joined by Jalein Abania, Brianna Rossi, and Caleb Edwards to talk about dating in 2022. We have a round table discussion to hear about the challenges, as well as what makes dating different in 2022. 

Brandon Heidemann describes himself as "Just a dude who loves Jesus and the adventure He brings". He's a well rounded adrenaline junkie, he runs an adventure camp for kids, called Camp Royal, and he shares about trials he has faced in his life that taught him to grow closer to the Lord through the hardship of it all. He shares the honest challenges of singleness in His late 30's but also about how he's learned to look into God's eyes and not His hands. Searching for who God is instead of what He has for him. 

Kristen Clark from The Girl Defined Podcast joins us for an episode, and although she is now married and didn't have an extensive season of singleness, there's a lot of things that she would have liked to approach differently with what she knows now. She shares some incredible insight on where we find our purpose, finding true joy, and where we find our identity. The Girl Defined podcast is targeted towards women and they have incredible books as well. Be sure to check them out!

Bethany Beal, from The Girl Defined Podcast, joins us for an episode to talk about her walk through singleness and how God had taught her not to keep marriage as an idol. She walks through standards she held and why it was ok to compromize in certain areas that didn't take away from what God had for her. She shares the boundaries she maintained in her dating relationship and the benefits she experienced in holding true to them.  Lastly she shares about how God taught her to surrender, and she makes some compelling points about how to submit your desires to God when you're having a difficult time doing so.

Ben Bennett, who co-authored the book "Free to Thrive" with Josh McDowell, joins us for an episode to be real about his singleness and what God has been teaching him through it, as well as how building meanful connections with friends has helped him find how God provides in singleness. Ben has been working for the Josh McDowell ministry for 5 year now and he shares about the incredible things God has been doing in the years he has been in the ministry.

Arlene is a fitness instructor specializing in Lagree, as well as formerly being crowned Miss Bakersfield. She shares what God has tought her primarilly with living in California during the pandemic, that although community is very important, it's also important to be alone and learn about yourself and focus on doing the things your love and are passionate about. 

Jaleina is a well known social media personality who has been working closely with The Chosen to bring the story of Jesus to life.  In our episode she shares about how living in purity has been helpful for her to enjoy her singleness and focus on the purpose God has given her for this time. She also shares about how she transitioned to finding joy in her singleness as well as how she gets respect from her friends and community, and why it is so important to be respected. 

Bethany Anderson, creator of The Hope Adventure, shares her journey of singleness in the midst of her faith, as well as her work as a full time missionary. We address important questions like "If God put the desire of marriage in your heart, does that meen it's definitely going to happen?". Certainly an uncomfortable question to address. Bethany refers to herself as a "Seasoned Single" and has so much value to share about what she has learned, and how wonderful her journey has been. 

Brianna Rossi, creator of Single and Standing joins us for an episode as she shares the joys she has found in her singleness. Even though she grew up with a strong desire for marriage, she shares her journey as she learned to trust God with whatever His plan is for her, even if His plan is for her to be single. She discusses some of the joys she has found both in her travels and in her everyday life. It't tough to let go of the idea of getting married and find true joy in where God has you right now. If you can relate, I highly encourage you to listen to the full episode.

We pick this episdoe up rigth where we left it off with our conversation about Missionary Dating and dig in deeper into the conversation around singleness, and what God has been doing in E-man's life. 

E-Man is from Bakersfield California and works for a mission called City Serve,  networking with churches across the country distributing food and goods to families in need. When he's not working with City Serve he is volunteering his time in the mission field with Mission One Eleven. He shares about his incredible experience working in Missions and how God has been moving in incredible ways and providing opportunities to help others and share Christ with the unreached. Work as a missionary is a great way to allow God to use you in singleness as well as any other chapter of life you are in. But don't wait for the right moment. Pray that you know exactly when God is calling you, whether you are ready or not!

David is a missionary in Cambodia and the author of Single for a Season. He shares of the different places God has taken him in life, as well as the challenges he has faced in singleness, being let down, and ultimately trusting God in wherever he takes him in life. 

JP Austin, also recognized as The Submissive Femenist, joins us for an episode to share about her journey in singleness, and how God has been teaching her incredible things in the midst of it. She speaks of the joy that she has found in singleness, even as she continues to pray for her future husband. Her incredible faith and joy leads us in an enjoyable conversation.