Podcasts about 2c113

In the last post, we explored how God does not always display His love by preventing suffering in our lives. Rather, He shows His love to us by comforting us through our sufferings. In that post, I mentioned that I would like to bring this idea to life through a few stories. As I think about people in the Bible that God loved who suffered, it’s hard to ignore the plight of the Israelites in Egypt. It becomes the most real to me when I imagine the life of a Hebrew woman named Jochebed told in Exodus 2. When Jochebed got married... The post His Plan for Our Pain appeared first on Loving Theology.

“When I set aside what I wish He would do for me with His power, I begin to see how much He does for me with His presence.” I wanted to talk about God’s love for us. As I think about His love, my thoughts are often drawn back to the question of pain and suffering. When we are in distress it’s easy to wonder where God is if He loves us. Sometimes, the presence of suffering can feel like evidence that He doesn’t care. But the Bible is actually quite comfortable declaring His love for us and acknowledging our suffering in the same breath. For example, consider... The post His Companionship in Our Distress appeared first on Loving Theology.

For our post this week I put together this video. Join me as I talk about the voice of God. People always teach on prayer and talking with God (as we have done in this series) but what does God actually sound like? Do we hear Him audibly? He can do that. Do we see signs throughout our day? Yes, this can be confirmation. Does He speak through people? Yes, of course! However, let's talk about The post How Does God Talk to Us? appeared first on Loving Theology.

Have you ever felt alone? The fear of being alone certainly ranks among our deepest and most meaningful. But the word “alone” doesn’t fully describe it; after all, we can be surrounded by people, even friends and family, and still feel alone. I long to feel a true connection where I’m loved even when I’m unlovable, where I can share every unbecoming thought without fear of judgment but assured of my unreserved acceptance. While I treasure my closest friendship (Monica), we are each limited in patience and grace, and we are both affected by... The post Overcoming Loneliness appeared first on Loving Theology.

“Is that You God?” Have you ever had a thought while you’re praying and wondered whether it was His voice or just your own? How do we discern if He’s talking to us? In John 10, Jesus explains our relationship with Him as a Good Shepherd with His sheep. He assures us not only that He will speak to us, but that we will recognize His voice: “The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. … and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.” (John 10:3-4) So, how do we develop... The post Learning God’s Voice appeared first on Loving Theology.

Have you ever found yourself wondering if God’s trying to tell you something? I know I have. We long for His direction in our life, but it can be hard to know when He’s speaking. Sometimes I think I’ve heard Him, but when everything goes wrong, I start wondering if I missed the mark. Other times I don’t really know what to do, and I wish He would just make it easy and give me a sign. But figuring out whether it actually was a sign from Him is just as difficult. However, at a very fundamental level, our communication with God isn’t based on... The post Does God Still Speak? appeared first on Loving Theology.

In our post for Father’s Day this year, we issued the first release of a guide for Christian couples who are trying to conceive, including a guide for IVF. We also promised to release further updates to this guide as we had time to put the research we’ve done in the best format for you. So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce the first major update to this guide for couples who are trying to conceive. The post TTC Guide Intro appeared first on Loving Theology.

A lot of things can make us happy for a little while, but, once the newness fades, the happiness seems to fade right along with it. We all struggle to feel satisfied at times, but how do we approach that struggle? Join us as we take a very practical, “how-to” look at our series on satisfaction and ask the question, How do we find satisfaction? The post How to Find Satisfaction appeared first on Loving Theology.

Whether it’s more work or more play, we’ve seen in this series that neither promise to satisfy. However, we often experience our most meaningful success and our most lasting joy in the context of our closest relationships. Whether it’s friendships, dating, marriage, or family, perhaps relationships can offer what success and pleasure can’t on their own – satisfaction. If any relationship could, our closest and deepest one (marriage) certainly has the best chance. So, let’s take a look at marriage to see if it can provide satisfaction as we ask the hard question: Can my soulmate satisfy me? The post Can Soulmates Satisfy appeared first on Loving Theology.

Why did God make pleasure? Can our desire for pleasure ever be fully satisfied? What does enjoying pleasure look like as Christians, in what ways are we limited? Like we discussed last week, God wants us to enjoy life’s good things. Whether it’s relaxing with a glass of wine, admiring the beauty of nature, traveling to a new and exciting place, or even having sex, God made it all for us to enjoy. Pleasure is defined as “a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment”; it is essentially the experience of happiness. So, if we pursue pleasure, will we find happiness? Will we find satisfaction? The post Satisfying Our Desire for Pleasure appeared first on Loving Theology.

What can we do to be successful? How do we know when we’ve achieved success, or, more specifically, at what point does success bring satisfaction? So often, success can leave us feeling empty or even sorrowful as we wonder "What's the point?" How can we find a meaningful success that satisfies our desire to leave an impact? Join us as we talk about all of this: 1. The Ingredients of Success 2. Success and Sorrow 3. Meaningful Success The post Satisfied in Success appeared first on Loving Theology.

Are you happy? A lot of things can make us happy for a little while, but, once the newness fades, the happiness seems to fade right along with it. How can we find it again? What does it mean to be happy? From Harvard studies to the Pharrell Williams song, from America’s Declaration of Independence to Bhutan’s measure of Gross National Happiness, it’s easy to say that “the pursuit of happiness” is central to us as people regardless of the culture, or sub-culture, in which we find ourselves. But, for all our searching, it remains just that: a pursuit, a search. Now, we ... The post How to Be Happy appeared first on Loving Theology.

What should we forgive? EVERYTHING. How do we forgive even the hardest things? After releasing new videos for our series on forgiveness, we have a new discussion style video to help make this series very practical. Join us as we talk about how we forgive and what that process looks like, including: How do we know when we need to forgive? Once we’ve forgiven, it feels like we can check it off the list and put it behind us, but forgiveness can often look more like a cycle rather than a checkbox. So, how can we identify when we’re struggling with unforgiveness and ultimately find inspiration to forgive again? The post How to Forgive appeared first on Loving Theology.

On Mother’s Day, we shared about our first miscarriage as we said Happy Mother’s Day to those who’ve struggled to conceive or had a loss. My Father’s Day gift this year represents something of a milestone for this story. Little Evie came in time for Father’s Day. Our journey in bringing her into this world was bumpy, to say the least, but it gave us a new perspective on life and a renewed, heartfelt desire to comfort and help those who are on a similar journey. Because of this, I’ve been working to pull together a Father’s Day gift for you should you (or anyone you know) find yourself on this journey, trying to conceive. But, before giving you that gift, I’d like to... The post A Gift for Father’s Day appeared first on Loving Theology.

In the story of the adulterous woman that we discussed last week, it’s inspiring to see the way that Jesus showed His love for her when He defends her and refuses to condemn her. We stopped just short of the end of this story though. At the end, He says one more thing, “Go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:11) Jesus was being so kind and loving, telling her she was not condemned. But then, in the very next breath, it almost sounds like He was condemning her or at least condemning her lifestyle. It’s easy to feel like His command, “sin no more”, was an example where His love took a back seat to righteousness. But, we know from our first post of this series that everything He does is loving. So, where was the love in... The post God’s Commandments are Love appeared first on Loving Theology.

God is for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. His love for you is completely selfless. That’s who He is. In our last post, we saw that we need to know God as a person and who He is to know what love is. I ended with John 17:26: “I made Your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love You have loved Me with may be in them and I may be in them.” When we see true love in action through what He has done, it inspires us to love Him and others. As a result, the same love He has can be in us! Let’s take a look at His love in action so that we can be inspired in this way. Because He is all-knowing, He knew what would happen when He created the world. He knew that if He gave us free will, we... The post God’s Faithfulness is Love appeared first on Loving Theology.

How would you define love? I can only imagine how vastly different each person’s definition would be. Even as I looked at the definition in the dictionary, it was incredibly vague. The Bible, however, has a lot to say about love and gets very specific about what it is and isn’t. I’d like to start this series in a familiar verse from 1 John 4. Verse 8 states, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” That last phrase, made up of only three words, comes off pretty bold compared to the vague definition in the dictionary. God is love. Could this phrase possibly mean that love is God? Let’s tackle this question with... The post The Definition of Love appeared first on Loving Theology.

Last week I promised to share something God showed me that helped me see the gift of salvation in a whole new light as we finish this series on Resting in Our Weakness. It comes from the end of our passage in Matthew 11; in verse 30, Jesus says “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” At first glance, I have to admit that I didn’t really see much difference between those two statements. But in writing this series, I finally saw what He meant and how He saved us from what each of these statements represents. Let's... The post Resting in Our Salvation appeared first on Loving Theology.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:29) His example of gentleness and humility are the prerequisites that enable us to be at rest. In the first post of this series we explored the first of these virtues, gentleness (meekness), and saw how meekness allows us to receive His yoke so we can follow Him. This week let’s explore humility to see what connection it has to rest. The second word ‘humble’ comes from the Greek word ‘tapeinos’. This word describes “the person who depends on the Lord rather than self”. At first glance, this... The post The Work and the Worry appeared first on Loving Theology.

When Monica and I got married, we planned to wait a year before having kids, but apparently God had other plans. Abigail was born just 10 months after we got married, literally as soon as possible. Even Elijah was born just 14 months after Abigail. While the timing wasn’t exactly planned, we were grateful. After Elijah turned one, we decided we were ready to try for another baby. On October 31st, 2018, Monica surprised me with a positive pregnancy test in hand. I couldn’t have been more excited! Over the next five days, we told our parents, debated names, and started daydreaming about the future. I left for work on November 5th like any other Monday. Around lunchtime, I heard my phone ring... The post Happy Mothers Day appeared first on Loving Theology.

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) That’s a promise I’d like to cash in on. But, how do we? It goes on to say, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30) I wish I could say ‘Amen’, but when I really think about it, I’m not so sure that’s how I feel. It doesn’t always seem easy and light. Thankfully, Jesus tells us more in this passage: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:29) In order to find rest, we must learn from His example of gentleness and humility. In this series we’ll explore each of these virtues and see how they enable us to rest! This week let’s explore gentleness. This... The post Yoked with Jesus appeared first on Loving Theology.

God desires to bring us closer. His voice has the power to change us for the better, but sin can cause us to hide our hearts from Him. In hiding our hearts, we are unable to hear His voice. He’s aware of our weakness though and longs to help us, not to shame us. We must trust His gentleness when we feel that He wants to change the topic of conversation. But, now that we have heard His voice, how do we know that He will listen to our prayers? Do our prayers matter? We do indeed have... The post God Hears Us appeared first on Loving Theology.

“If you want to hear God more, let Him lead the conversation.” We all want to hear God's voice.  When I felt led to start this website, I wanted to be sure it’s what God wanted.  So, I set aside time to take a retreat and pray for God’s direction.  On the first day, I sat down and wrote out my questions: “Should I start a website?”, “Do I need to go to seminary first?”, “What should I write about?”, etc.  I got a hot cup of tea, sat down outside with my Bible next to me and asked my first question… no answer… my second question… no answer.  No matter which question I asked, all I got was a chorus of crickets.  If I’m honest, I... The post Hearing God appeared first on Loving Theology.

We saw, last week, how the Good News is that Jesus gives us freedom from slavery to sin. But how did He do this and what does this freedom give us? Let’s look again at what Jesus read in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” This word for ‘liberty’ on both counts comes from the Greek root ‘aphesis’ and can be understood as “a letting go, a release, pardon, complete forgiveness”. At first glance this might seem like an odd translation, that is ‘forgiveness = freedom’. But, as ... The post Peace with God appeared first on Loving Theology.

When we read about Jesus, it’s incredible to see all He did in such a short time. He healed so many, taught so many, and, ultimately, died for so many. But, for everything He did, what was the main point? Why was He here? He answered this question for us, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) So, this is the good news, this is the gospel: He came to set us free. But we aren't slaves, so what is He talking about? The Jews of... The post Set Free appeared first on Loving Theology.

Despite the wonderful upbringing I had, I have endured some really tragic moments and some seasons in my life that were completely overwhelming. Though I knew of God my whole life and was raised in church, I never brought my worries, hurts, shames, nightmares, and losses to God until much later in life. For years I walked with so much shame that it weighed on me more and more each year. I dealt with nightmares that would keep me up and made me afraid to sleep. I dealt with so much pain from losing my dad at a young age. Even after having wonderful counselors and support from the beginning, I still had so many questions. I became depressed, angry, and alone. I not only had my own pain but developed a burden for those facing similar tragedies that I couldn’t bear. I felt powerless. Here’s the thing though: one day I finally... The post God’s Rescue Plan appeared first on Loving Theology.

"When He asks us to pray, He isn’t giving us another to-do; He’s inviting us to put everything on Him and just breathe." This week we’ll finish up this two-part series from last week on making room to receive God’s invitation. If I can say it simply, God is inviting you to be with Him. When we’re busy, though, this can feel like an obligation rather than an invitation. However, God isn’t interested in obligating us to spend time with Him; after all, we no longer live under the law but under grace. What’s more, God doesn’t invite us to spend time with Him for His own benefit (as if He needs anything from us) but for our benefit. During Jesus’ ministry, He was... The post …And Be Refreshed appeared first on Loving Theology.

"God invites us to accomplish more by doing less, to release the strain of busyness and be refreshed by spending time with Him." Do you ever feel overwhelmed? If it’s not one thing, it’s another: another crisis at work, another project with a deadline, another soccer practice, another gymnastics class, another pile of laundry to fold, another errand to run, another problem with the house, another problem with the car, another … you get the idea. Sometimes there are ebbs and flows to the rhythm of life and other times it doesn’t seem to stop. It’s tempting to think that this problem is exclusive to modern times. While some elements of our culture encourage or seem to require us to be busy, the fundamental responsibilities that ultimately drive our tiring schedule are as old as society itself. Let’s go all the way back to Moses and live a day in his shoes. Shortly after leading the... The post Make Room for God… appeared first on Loving Theology.

This is the last in our series on God’s love in our suffering. This week, I’d like to consider a character from the New Testament to talk about his unusual perspective on suffering. Paul wrote quite a bit on the topic of suffering, and I can understand why given how much he went through. When you read his account of the physical and emotional suffering he endured and consider how many friends he lost to martyrdom, it’s hard to imagine very many people who have more credibility on the topic of suffering. Perhaps the most... The post Rejoice in Suffering appeared first on Loving Theology.

We are in a series on God’s love in our suffering. Seeing the suffering in this world and experiencing suffering in our own life may make it seem that God doesn’t love us. However, there is one character in the Bible whose story powerfully refutes this. If God loved anyone, He loved Jesus. Yet, Jesus suffered more than we can possibly comprehend. Jesus’ story makes plain that our experience of suffering in no way negates God’s love for us. So, when Jesus was suffering, how did the Father show His love? Why didn’t God prevent His suffering? What came of His suffering? Answering these questions from Jesus’ story may also answer these questions for our own story. Let’s see... The post Why We Suffer appeared first on Loving Theology.

"Christ offers His account to repay us for the debts we forgive one another; an account full of peace and joy and love." Last week we talked about the parable of the unforgiving servant. This parable shows how the forgiveness we give to others flows from the forgiveness we first received from Christ. There is another story in the book of Philemon (of all places) that brought this parable to life for me. It honestly transformed my perspective on forgiveness... The post His Promise to Repay appeared first on Loving Theology.

"When He asks us to forgive, He invites us first to receive His forgiveness so that we are empowered to simply pay it forward." I love the disciples. So often they do exactly what I would picture myself doing or ask the very question that’s on my mind. Take Matthew 18 for example; starting in verse 15, Jesus explains how to handle conflict … Once Jesus finished, I just imagine watching the disciples nod their heads as they are walking. A little further down the road ... The post His Forgiveness: Pay It Forward appeared first on Loving Theology.

"Knowledge only becomes eternally significant when it inspires us to love better." As I was reading 1 Corinthians, I came across the familiar chapter on love. After strolling through the recognizable list of all the things love is and isn’t, I was surprised to find a verse I’ve read many times: “as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” You see, I thought I knew this verse... The post The Aim Is Love appeared first on Loving Theology.

The Project Upland Podcast heads to Lander Wyoming and meets up with the Wyoming Wildlife Federation (WWF). A jump-off point to some of the finest upland bird hunting in Wyoming, Lander was recently the epicenter of bird hunting enthusiasm as it played host to the inaugural Films of the Feathered event. Joined by Sam Stein, … The post #66 | Feathers, Films and Fun with Wyoming Wildlife Federation – Project Upland appeared first on Project Upland.

What might you learn from an 86-year-old upland bird hunting icon? Tune in to find out! Ben Williams is a revered bird hunting author, columnist and photographer. His writing and photography have been featured in countless publications for decades. Ben is about as knowledgeable as they come on upland bird hunting. A Montana resident for … The post #65 | On Western Wings with Ben O. Williams – Project Upland Podcast appeared first on Project Upland.

Semantic Shenanigans Episode 16 – Wakanda Driving Privileges Wakanda driving privileges – what? Our show is ready to download here. … Continue reading The post Semantic Shenanigans Episode 16 – Wakanda Driving Privileges appeared first on Semantic Shenanigans.

Semantic Shenanigans Episode 15 – Coldplay Justice Coldplay Justice – seriously? Our show is ready to download here. Social Stuff … Continue reading The post Semantic Shenanigans Episode 15 – Coldplay Justice appeared first on Semantic Shenanigans.

Semantic Shenanigans Episode 14 – Jedi Jive Turkeys Jedi Jive Turkeys? Our show is ready to download here. Social Stuff … Continue reading The post Semantic Shenanigans Episode 14- Jedi Jive Turkeys appeared first on Semantic Shenanigans.

Semantic Shenanigans Episode 13 – Farshtinkener Sharks Farshtinkener Sharks? Well, yeah. Our show is ready to download here. Social Stuff Shanna … Continue reading The post Semantic Shenanigans Episode 13 – Farshtinkener Sharks appeared first on Semantic Shenanigans.

Semantic Shenanigans Episode 12 – Nepotism Nepotism? Well, maybe a little bit…. Our show is ready to download here. Social Stuff … Continue reading The post Semantic Shenanigans Episode 12 – Nepotism appeared first on Semantic Shenanigans.

Semantic Shenanigans Show #11 – It Goes Up to Eleven Eleven? Yes, eleven! So our show (number eleven) is ready to … Continue reading The post Semantic Shenanigans Show #11 – It Goes Up to Eleven appeared first on Semantic Shenanigans.

We Lost September!! September was somehow lost as we got caught up from the summer and talked about a couple of fandom kerfuffles.

Semantic Shenanigans Episode 09 – If you build it, they will fan If you build it, they will fan! Our show is ready to … Continue reading The post Semantic Shenanigans Episode 9 – If You Build It, They Will Fan appeared first on Semantic Shenanigans.

We have been TRYING to contact you by e-mail…but OH WAIT! You’re so swamped that you’re still working your way through your unread messages circa late Winter/early Spring. We feel ya. Stuff builds up FAST! It’s called inbox overload. What can we do to keep up? Let’s ask Seth and Lex!   Ugly e-mail buildup? You need an inbox overload remover… These messages aren’t spam. Whether you’re at home or work, people send you messages because they have questions! Clarifications! Invitations!… The post Problem Solvers…ish #12: Inbox Overload appeared first on The Greylock Glass.

The word is Witzelsucht. It’s not a grubbin’ German pasta. And it’s not funny. Well, actually it is kind of funny. When it happens to someone else. But maybe not someone you have to live with. Unless you like an endless supply of puns—good, bad, and nonsensical. But then again, you’re here again, right? So maybe you’re just a little teched, too…   Just when you they’re going to blame it on Witzelsucht… Suffering from a rare joke-inducing brain affliction…yada, yada, yada…Doctors say just nothing to be done but grin and bear it…But no.… The post Problem Solvers…ish #11: Witzelsucht—What Makes PSI So Darn Punny. appeared first on The Greylock Glass.

THAT’S RIGHT, mumsy and dadsy! I’ve waited too long to come out. This is ME! The REAL ME! And if you’ve got a problem with that, well you can just cram your homophobia where the sun don’t shine! So THERE! Oh…and can I borrow the car tonight? And maybe twenty bucks? Please? NSFW: Seth & Lex ponder the possible comeuppance triggered by come-outance… Hoo-boy! Just a few words, right? How hard can it be? But your hands are clammy and your breath is shallow and you feel this fucked up out-of-body sensation that would be cool at any other time.… The post Problem Solvers…ish #10 — Come Out and Be Your Gay Self! After College, Maybe… appeared first on The Greylock Glass.

CAN our heroes rescue a poor, lost student from the complex pitfalls (and pratfalls) of and American literature classic like George Orwell’s Animal Farm? Can Lex and Seth illuminate the obscurities of illusion (Or was it allusion? Or maybe e-lusion?) constructed to make life murder for a hapless adolescent? In a pig’s eye, I say, but you can dream if you want! NSFW: Seth & Lex plumb the literary depths of a AmLit classic… Today’s problem came in via e-mail from a completely unknown source!… The post Problem Solvers…ish #9 — Allusions down on the Animal Farm appeared first on The Greylock Glass.

NSFW: Seth and Lex waste the time of a listener who contacted us to ask how to more time to make valuable use of his life… Today’s problem came in via e-mail from a completely unknown source! What a shame that he knows how to get a hole of us—he may want his money back. Oh, wait! We don’t charge for our ishy advice! Do you remember those halcyon days when you had lots of time to just fritter away? But you didn’t have any money to go do cool stuff?… The post Problem Solvers…ish #8 — The Time/Money, Work/Life (im-)balance appeared first on The Greylock Glass.

NSFW: Your kids have a lot to gain by working the Santa Claus angle—and the tooth fairy, and the Easter Bunny, and…FLOZZ? Today’s caller presents Seth and Lex with a real doozie of a problem—a crisis of faith, you might say. Can a family be atheist and still incorporate a little childhood mythology into the mix? So many questions…How does Santa Claus get his reindeer to fly? Does the Easter Bunny buy all that candy at the drug store? And where do leprechauns go after St.… The post Problem Solvers…ish #7 — Santa Claus and other Slippery Deities appeared first on The Greylock Glass.

NSFW: Your Twitter fan base is puny—have you thought about becoming famous? You put your best pithy quotes and clever memes out there in the Twittosphere, but where’s the love? Seth and Lex will lay out your personal path to Social stardom. Does size matter? It does when you’re talking about your sphere of social media influence. Face it, who’s going to give you the time of day if you have a measly 50 followers on your @ccount? Anybody? You need to take action.… The post Problem Solvers…ish #6 — Becoming Kind of a Big Deal on Twitter appeared first on The Greylock Glass.