Podcasts about Bible Belt

Today, we explore the history of the Bible Belt. We'll trace its origins, examine its difficult legacy like racial dynamics and post-Civil War beliefs. Also, we look at its modern power, from televangelists and theme parks to its outsized role in American politics...Welcome to Religion Camp!

In this conversation, Dominic Lawson shares his journey from Christianity to Judaism, exploring the complexities of faith, cultural identity, and personal growth. He reflects on his upbringing in the Bible Belt, the questions he had as a child, and the impact of a major life event on his spiritual exploration. Through a series of meetings with religious leaders, he found a sense of belonging in Judaism, emphasizing the importance of making the world a better place. Now, as part of an interfaith family, he encourages open dialogue and exploration of faith for his daughter. In this conversation, Dominic Lawson shares his journey of converting to Judaism from Christianity, discussing the complexities of navigating his religious identity, family dynamics, and the cultural implications of his faith. He emphasizes the importance of empathy, community service, and the spiritual practices that resonate with him, while also reflecting on the appreciation he has developed for Christianity through his Jewish lens. The dialogue explores the challenges and joys of embracing a new faith, the significance of high holy days, and the encouragement to explore spirituality in a way that feels authentic to oneself.Chapters03:00Introduction to Conversion Journey05:00Upbringing in the Bible Belt11:00Questions and Curiosity in Faith12:51Rebellion or Curiosity?16:49Cultural Identity and Community20:41College and Exposure to Other Faiths24:41Inflection Point: Divorce and Self-Discovery25:40Exploring New Beliefs27:03The Chosen People: A Responsibility to Improve the World28:56The Journey of Conversion: A Year of Learning31:14Finding Common Ground: Jewish and Black Experiences32:55Questioning Beliefs: The Role of Inquiry in Judaism34:01Interfaith Dynamics: Navigating Family and Faith36:29Creating a Unique Family Tradition: Blending Faiths38:35Spiritual vs. Cultural Identity: Defining Jewish Practice41:30Community and Service: The Heart of Judaism42:54Appreciating Christianity: A New Perspective45:10Family Reactions: Sharing the Journey of Conversion49:22Exploring Religious Identity and Assumptions51:47Understanding Jewish Practices and Dietary Laws54:32Incorporating Jewish Traditions into Daily Life56:53The Journey of Conversion and Personal Growth58:20Curiosity Questions: Reflecting on Faith and Identity01:03:05The Intersection of Black Culture and Judaism01:09:37Encouragement for Spiritual ExplorationDominic Lawson - Guest Info and Podcasts:Mental Health RewrittenBlack is AmericaThe B-WordInstagramLinkedInLike what you heard? Share with others and follow us @ponderingthoughtspodcast Instagram

Johnny Manziel couldn't make it to GameDay, but he did make it to Miami. The Dodgers are spending like there's no cap, DraftKings had to eat a brutal betting glitch, and the Chiefs are moving from Kansas City to…Kansas City. Comedian Matt Stanton joins the show for a full breakdown of NFL teams in a White Elephant gift exchange, plus Sip/Chug/Drainpour chaos, domes vs open-air stadiums, DK Metcalf vs a fan, USC backing out of playing Notre Dame, and why MLB owners are cheap billionaires hiding behind “competitive balance.” Also: too many CFB 26 clips, a Flyers radio hot mic disaster, Jake Paul and Andrew Tate both getting knocked out, and a Chromakey Christmas miracle. Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction | How was your sports weekend? 00:06:17 Beer Intros 00:11:57 Matt Stanton's NFL Rankings: What teams would bring to the White Elephant Gift Exchange (32-25) 00:15:21 Matt Stanton's NFL Rankings: What teams would bring to the White Elephant Gift Exchange (24-17) 00:18:37 Matt Stanton's NFL Rankings: What teams would bring to the White Elephant Gift Exchange (16-8) 00:21:59 Matt Stanton's NFL Rankings: What teams would bring to the White Elephant Gift Exchange (7-1) 00:23:36 Sip, Chug, Drainpour - Matt Stanton's NFL Rankings: Warped Tour Edition, Halloween Candy Edition, Secret Santa Gift Exchange Edition 00:27:57 The Chiefs are moving from Kansas City to Kansas City 00:31:44 Why are all these cold weather teams building stadiums with a dome? 00:32:42 Mookie shoe horns in CFB 26 clips 00:35:14 Back to the domes vs. open air stadiums debate 00:37:29 Matt Stanton walks us into a CFB 26 clip trap 00:40:54 DK Metcalf swung at a fan, claiming they hurled slurs at him. The fan says he just used DK's government name. Who do we believe? 00:45:18 Next level petty: traveling to hate on a player 00:46:18 Shouldn't it be DZ Metcalf? 00:48:19 Mookie goes to the CFB 26 well again 00:50:23 Did Johnny Manziel miss his flight for Gameday, or just forget what city the game was in? 00:54:36 The Johnny Manziel apology 00:56:38 We need a camera on Michael Irvin for the rest of the playoffs 00:57:54 What a horrible first round of CFB playoff games 00:59:31 Mookie ruins the show with another CFB 26 clip 01:00:45 USC backs out of the Notre Dame game 01:03:34 Notre Dame picks up BYU on the schedule and maybe it's time for a Bible Belt conference 01:07:25 Another damn highlight from Mookie 01:08:28 DraftKings has to pay a bettor who capitalized on a DraftKings glitch 01:15:54 Dodgers owe $169 million in luxury taxes, more than almost half the league has in payroll 01:19:18 We can debate salary caps and salary floors, but MLB really needs to fix the deferred payments 01:22:06 You can't really be mad at the Dodgers for exploiting a loophole 01:22:59 Billionaire owners in MLB are just cheap 01:28:56 What MLB franchise would Elon Musk buy? 01:30:15 FanDuel Sports Network files for bankruptcy, and several fan bases may be struggling to figure out where they can watch their team this year 01:32:24 Mookie telegraphs another set of CFB 26 highlights 01:34:42 ScottSki45's Stat of the Day: Greg Maddox craziness 01:39:07 Mookie just drops AI slop in our laps 01:40:25 Philadelphia Flyers radio announcer gets caught on a hot mic 01:43:22 Beer recaps 01:44:32 Jake Paul and Andrew Tate both got knocked out 01:46:20 What are you bringing to the White Elephant gift exchange? 01:47:34 This was a Chromakey Christmas Show 01:48:01 Outro #SportsPodcast #NFL #CollegeFootball #MLB #JohnnyManziel #NotreDame #USCFootball #KansasCityChiefs #DKMetcalf #DraftKings #Dodgers #MLBLuxuryTax #SportsBetting #WhiteElephantGifts #SportsComedy

After pastoring in the “buckle” of the Bible Belt, Seth Price and Corbin Madden felt led to plan a church in Bozeman, Montana. They share their burden for the area and their progress as they raise support. Mission Montana is a church planting project through Free Will Baptist North American Ministries.  Find out more about the Maddens and Prices: https://fwbnam.com/madden/ and https://fwbnam.com/price/. #NAFWB #BetterTogether #ChurchPlanting #Bozeman #BozemanMT #BozemanMontana

On Today's Show:A filthy riddle where I'm rock-hard going in, get longer and thicker with every stroke, shoved deep into something hot, dark, and moist, and burst with sticky white cream dripping everywhere (sweeter and hotter than you're imagining).Suddenly Not-So-Vanilla in Virginia listens to our beach episode with her husband, gets dripping wet fantasizing about semi-public exposure and orgasms, but panics about chickening out or getting caught—help her turn shy into sun-kissed ecstasy.J drives his wife to a secluded Mediterranean beach in off-season, shields her while exposing her bikini-clad body to the sun and wind, then fingers and sucks her to a convulsing orgasm— but hints at an even wilder adventure four days later.Backpacking Kait's canceled flight leaves her "homeless" in London, so she crashes with hot hostel receptionist Lana for wine-fueled first-time girl-on-girl action, with nipple-pinching, clit-sucking, and a face-grinding orgasm she'll replay forever.Bible Belt cross-dresser Sarah hides her smooth-shaven legs, stilettos, wigs, and sexy dresses from her wife, gets a pro makeover into a total stunner, and teases the thrill of finally stepping out in public as her dashing alter ego.Submit Your Story: Got a secret fantasy or steamy confession? Write to Nikky at Nikky@dearnikky.com or submit anonymously at DearNikky.com/confessions. By submitting, you certify:You're the sole creator of the submission.You're 18+ and legally able to submit erotic material.No prohibited themes (bestiality, incest, underage, rape, non-consensual content, racial slurs).Names/identifiable info may be changed.You release all rights to the submission.Say Hello: Have a burning fantasy or just want to chat? Email Nikky@dearnikky.com or connect on Twitter (@DNikky162), Instagram (@DNikky162), or Facebook (@DearNikky).Nikky wants to hear your naughtiest thoughts! Support the Show: Love these private peeks into filthy lives? Leave a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker or your favorite platform to help new listeners discover the heat.Your support keeps the conversation sizzling! Support Nikky:Nectar.ai: Explore your wildest fantasies with immersive AI experiences at Nectar.ai.Perfect for Dear Nikky fans craving more.Featured Release: Dear Nikky: Sex Confessions From People Just Like You is out now! Dive deeper into the raw, unfiltered stories you love.Contact:Email: Nikky@dearnikky.comWebsite: DearNikky.com/confessionsSocials: Twitter (@DNikky162), Instagram (@DNikky162), Facebook (@DearNikky)Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/dear-nikky-hidden-desires--6316414/support.

Episode SummaryIn this episode of the Faithful Fitness Podcast, Coach Alex sits down with personal trainer and writer Christina Barkley, founder of Dogged Strength. Christina shares her journey from Hollywood's entertainment world to a Christ-centered fitness practice, recounting how a powerful encounter with God shifted her perspective on health and strength.Together, Alex and Christina unpack the truth about New Year's resolutions, why so many fail, and how to approach fitness with a mindset of stewardship rather than vanity. They also discuss discipleship through training, practical ways to set sustainable goals, and the importance of integrating faith into every part of life—including workouts.Christina also gives listeners a glimpse into her upcoming book Lean Through the Fire and how her writing and training both flow from her desire to serve others and glorify God. This conversation is equal parts encouragement and practical wisdom for anyone seeking to honor God with their body and start the new year strong in faith and fitness.Main Discussion Themes-Christina's journey from casting in Hollywood to co-founding Dogged Strength with her husband.-A powerful testimony of God's protection in a life-threatening moment.-How discipleship and training overlap—“rubbing off” through proximity and practice.-Why New Year's resolutions often fail—and how to redeem them under Christ.-Fitness as stewardship versus vanity (California's image obsession vs. the Bible Belt's neglect).-Practical strategies for consistency: goal-setting, accountability, and performance-based goals.-The importance of integrating Scripture and prayer into training sessions.-A behind-the-scenes look at Christina's upcoming novel Lean Through the Fire.Timestamped Outline00:00 – 07:00 | Christina's story: from Equinox trainer to launching Dogged Strength with her husband.07:00 – 15:00 | A powerful alleyway encounter and the shift from vanity fitness to strength for life. 15:00 – 22:00 | Training as discipleship: “rubbing off” in proximity and practice.22:00 – 30:00 | Scriptures that fuel Christina's fitness journey (Proverbs 3:5–7, 1 Corinthians 15:58). 30:00 – 38:00 | Redeeming New Year's resolutions: small, consistent goals over quick fixes.38:00 – 46:00 | Vanity vs. stewardship in different cultural contexts (California vs. Arkansas).46:00 – 55:00 | Service, mental health, and fitness: how focusing on others changes everything. 55:00 – 01:00:00 | Christina's upcoming book Lean Through the Fire: faith, friendship, and trials. 01:00:00 – 01:04:00 | Rapid fire Q&A: myths about women and weights, overcoming “failure” in fitness.01:04:00 – End | Christina's encouragement to integrate God into all areas of life + closing prayer.Move Forward Today-Get Coach Alex's new book today! Faithful Fitness Devotional (40-Day Guide): https://faithfulfitnessdevo.com-Join the BetterDaily community! Faith And Fitness Foundations: https://betterdaily.live/beginner-Commit to Consistency – Don't aim for five workouts a week out of the gate. Start small, be consistent, and let God build your strength over time.-Write Your Goals – Like Christina suggests, email or write down your 3-month, 6-month, and 1-year fitness goals for accountability.-Shift from Vanity to Stewardship – Fitness isn't about perfection in the mirror—it's about honoring God with your body.-Connect with Christina – Subscribe to her newsletter (link below in featured guest resources) for encouragement in both faith and fitness.Featured Guest Resources-Christina Barkley's Website & Newsletter → https://writingwhileweightlifting.substack.com/-Dogged Strength (Christina & her husband's training company)- https://www.instagram.com/doggedstrength/?hl=enBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/faithful-fitness-by-better-daily--5150768/support.

Juliana Roberts is an Auburn University alumni, agriculture advocate, and a passionate voice in the CBD and wellness space. As a mother of two boys and a farmer's wife, she blends industry expertise with a grounded, real-world understanding of how agriculture and plant medicine intersect. Herinterest in the medicinal potential of cannabis began at age 16, when she saw firsthand how it could support both mental health and physical pain relief.Today, Juliana serves as a Sales Representative at Samson Extracts, where she helps bring quality CBD isolate to markets across the country. She is driven bya mission to educate, advocate, and expand access to safe and trusted products. 

In the year since President Trump won re-election — thanks in part to capitalizing on sitdowns on friendly podcasts — Democrats have been looking for their own answer to the so-called “manosphere.” One of the top contenders has emerged from an unlikely place: bright red Oklahoma. That's where Jennifer Welch and Angie “Pumps” Sullivan started their hit podcast, “I've Had It.” They've interviewed some of the biggest names on the left side of the political spectrum, like former President Obama, New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, and Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders. Welch in particular has gone viral for testy exchanges with former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.  Kara and Jennifer talk about what it's like to be a liberal atheist in the Bible Belt, why Jennifer finds centrist Democrats so frustrating, and why she's skeptical about Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's recent break with Trump. They also talk about what Democrats get wrong about red states, and what she thinks the party needs to do to appeal to voters outside the coasts and big cities.  Please note: The original interview for this episode was taped Friday morning, before Greene announced her decision to resign from Congress and Mamdani met with Trump. We taped a second interview on Saturday morning to get Jennifer's reaction to the news.  Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No Agenda Episode 1818 - "Bible Belt Buckle" "Bible Belt Buckle" Executive Producers: Sean Wester Josh "Sheepdog" Bufford Sir Nate the Rogue Chris Associate Executive Producers: Nomadic Stephen/Moose Eli the coffee guy Alejandro Alcocer Linda and Scott Johnson Linda Lu, Duchess of jobs & writer of winning résumés Valdimir Putin Become a member of the 1819 Club, support the show here Boost us with with Podcasting 2.0 Certified apps: Podverse - Podfriend - Breez - Sphinx - Podstation - Curiocaster - Fountain Knights & Dames Chad Hewitt > Sir Blue Acorn of Folsom Art By: Darren O'Neill End of Show Mixes: MVP EOS Gen Zed Hat Flag.mp3 Øystein Berge EOS Flashlight_NAmix.mp3 David Denton EOS ACC.mp3 David Denton EOS JCD.mp3 Engineering, Stream Management & Wizardry Back Office Jae Dvorak Chapters: Dreb Scott Clip Custodian: Neal Jones Clip Collectors: Steve Jones & Dave Ackerman NEW: and soon on Netflix: Animated No Agenda Sign Up for the newsletter No Agenda Peerage ShowNotes Archive of links and Assets (clips etc) 1818.noagendanotes.com Directory Archive of Shownotes (includes all audio and video assets used) archive.noagendanotes.com RSS Podcast Feed Full Summaries in PDF No Agenda Lite in opus format Last Modified 11/20/2025 16:51:07This page created with the FreedomController Last Modified 11/20/2025 16:51:07 by Freedom Controller

In today's episode of The Atheist Experience, Justin (Deconstruction Zone) and Mike Briggs (Geology Daddy) tackle the nature of morality outside of religion, cosmological origins, and deep critiques of biblical literalism and theological consistency.Sam in FL promotes the "cult of X," defined by hedonism and lack of morality, claiming it is his faith. Recognizing him as a troll, the hosts insist on a clear argument for his specific God, noting he provides no philosophical substance. Larry in TX discusses secular humanism and theists' misperceptions of atheist morality. Mike stresses morality is internal, based on introspection and empathy, not divine authority. Justin suggests critiquing supposedly "objective" God-given morals using internal biblical examples (slavery, genocide). Hollis in WA, who is deconstructing, questions why God did not reconcile the fallen angels. Justin explains this is an ancient, widespread archetypal theme across Near Eastern mythologies. The hosts clarify that the Satan-as-fallen-angel idea developed much later, noting the biblical inconsistency that other fallen angels are imprisoned. Ahmed in Germany questions the cause of the Big Bang and the need for a creator, citing suffering as a potential test. Mike explains that quantum fluctuations in a vacuum might spontaneously produce universes, noting the Big Bang may not be the beginning. The hosts challenge the test premise and expose the God of the Gaps fallacy. Marilyn argues "we're all gods" because we are the image of God and claims atheists are closer to the truth than Christians who require a master. Mike challenges her ambiguous definition of "God" and points out the contradiction in her simultaneous belief in Jesus as *the* son of God. Justin criticizes her "perfect design" concept using common physical flaws (choking, needing glasses). Ulrich in Mexico claims veganism is wrong and that lacking connection to God "messes up your mind." Justin demands substantive evidence for his God rather than mere complaint. Using internal biblical critique, Justin pressures O Rick on the moral acceptability of Deuteronomy 22 (stoning non-virgins) and 1 Samuel 15:3 (killing Amalekite babies). O Rick repeatedly evades the questions, exposing his theological inconsistency. Des in Jamaica, who is deconstructing, asks what prevents atheists from being evil, arguing fear of eternal consequence keeps Christians moral. Mike explains morality is an evolutionary adaptation driven by empathy and social cooperation. Justin argues Christian theology offers no moral consequence, as sins are forgiven solely by accepting Jesus, meaning moral behavior is irrelevant to destination. Billy in KY, an older atheist living in the Bible Belt, expresses his struggles with the chastisement and ridicule he faces in his community after deconstructing his Christian faith. Justin validates his position, noting that reading the Bible is often the key to deconverting believers. Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

This is a biographical interview with my former pastor of around 18 years, brother Bobby Utley of Kannapolis, NC. God has used this man in many ways to be a beacon of the King James Bible believing way in the heart of the Bible Belt. A friend of Dr. Peter Ruckman and other great preachers, he has a lot of good stories from his 53 years of pastoring. If you have any questions or comments, please email kyle.kiker@1611ministries.org. Thanks for watching/listening.

The American South is known for a lot of things, some good and some bad. “The Bible Belt” encompasses a bit of both. Many folks grew up in and around churches, if they grew up in this region, which is great, if you consider that they had exposure to the Bible! However, exposure is not indicative of a saving faith. Growing up in the United States, I understand the “cultural Christianity” that is so prevalent in this nation. In today's message, pastor Mark addresses this phenomenon and warns that we ought not to settle for this simple or weak idea of Christianity, but we ought to press deeper and look for genuine faith.

Send us a textBorscht Belt Meets Bible Belt: Rabbi Yosef & Bina GoldwasserTo inquire about dedicating an episode - please email podcast@lubavitch.comDid you enjoy listening to this episode? Leave us a five-star review on the podcast platform and/or email us at Podcast@Lubavitch.com - we truly value your feedback!“I got back to New York, I called Rabbi Posner. I was all excited. I said, "Rabbi Posner, we're ready to move." And he said, "Not so fast. I want you to go check it out again." ”  - Rabbi Yosef Goldwasser"We really wanted somewhere we could really feel like we were needed in what we were doing. " - Rebbetzin Bina Goldwasser"When you know you're Jewish, and you're crossing yourself in church, then you know you're a fraud. And I was a fraud. And I needed to stop." - Rochel Leah FryProduced by: Gary Waleik & Shneur Brook for Lubavitch International/Lubavitch.com - A Project of Machne IsraelAvailable on all major podcast platforms - and online at Lubavitch.com/podcastSupport the show

This is the audio of the session "LGBTQIA2s+ Staying Sober in the Bible Belt" led by James from Tulsa from Day 1 of Virtual ICSAA 2025. Recordings from the conference are being edited for public sharing and are being uploaded as they are made ready. Follow/subscribe to us on buzzsprout to be alerted as your favorite episodes are available. For information on ICSAA 2026 in-person in Phoenix next year, check out https://www.aasecular.org/icsaa-2026 and register now!Session Description: Join James for a meeting on staying sober in the Bible Belt.For more info on secular AA including Zoom meetings, in-person meetings, and virtual gatherings, check out:- https://aasecular.org- secularAA@gmail.comSecular AA is AA sobriety that is neither religious nor irreligious, focusing on the practical, humanist tools of Alcoholics Anonymous and borrowed from the wider recovery community. Secular AA is a growing subculture within AA, offering 100 agnostic/atheist/freethinkers AA meetings every day + regional events and the International Conference of Secular AA (ICSAA). More @ https://aasecular.org

Because we lived along the East Coast for so many years, we had the opportunity to see many of America's old lighthouses. I mean, we came up over the top of a hill on an interstate one day and I saw what I certainly never expected to see hundreds of miles from the ocean. It was a lighthouse with a bright, functioning light on top. Obviously, it wasn't there to point any ships in the right direction. Actually, it was part of a church that stands right near the highway. This lighthouse is for people! I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "The Great Lighthouse Shortage." It seems to me that Jesus intended for every church to be a lighthouse, whether or not they have a lighted tower as part of their building, as He intended for every Christian to be a lighthouse, every ministry. Tragically, there are so many lives around us headed for eternal disaster, and there is a terrible lighthouse shortage. We know that Jesus said that those who belong to Him are "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:16). And Matthew 4:16, our word for today from the Word of God, tells us which direction our light should be pointing. Jesus says, "The people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned." See, it's the people in spiritual darkness, the people who are spiritually dying who should be the focus of all this light that God has given us. The problem is that often we're content to have all the lights inside the church, shining on those who are already headed for heaven. Meanwhile, we let countless lost people just get another day closer to hell. We do what's easy. We just work with the sheep who are already in, when Jesus said He would leave ninety-nine of those just to go out and find one lost one. But notice, you have to go out to find them. You can't just stay in the Christian cocoon waiting for someone to stick their head in the door and say, "Excuse me, but is there any light in here?" The lighthouse needs to be out where they are! We can go to all our Christian meetings, and fellowship with all our Christian friends, and enjoy all our Christian books and programs, and we feel like we must be winning. Well, not when two-thirds of Americans can't tell you half of the Ten Commandments or who did the Sermon on the Mount! Not when the number of people who say they believe in nothing has doubled in just a few years, not when the number of those who are self-declared witches grew over 1,500% in a decade. Even in one Bible Belt state, the statistics came in this way: two-thirds of the people even there are essentially un-churched! You have working near you, living near you, going to school with you - people who have no idea that what Jesus did on the cross was for them and that He's their only hope! If our Christian subculture makes us feel like we're winning, it's the illusion of winning. How can we be content to spend all our time with the already rescued when we're living surrounded by a sea of dying people? How can we say that we're following the One who came, as He said, to "seek and save what was lost" and not be doing that with all our heart? If you're following Jesus, I'll tell you where He's going. He's always headed for a sea of lost people. That should be where we end up, too. Oh, it's bright inside the lighthouse, but it's very dark outside the walls. So many headed for eternal destruction! They desperately need a lighthouse - a lighthouse that's out where they are, pointing them to life in Jesus Christ. Please, be their lighthouse!

This week on The FratChat Podcast, we're putting the “Commander in Beef” back in Commander-in-Chief with From Fittest to Thickest: The Top 5 Fittest and Least Fit U.S. Presidents! From Teddy Roosevelt punching his way through history to William Howard Taft turning bathtubs into national monuments, we're ranking which presidents could actually survive a workout and which ones would tap out after the warm-up. We're talking steak-for-breakfast diets, McDonald's diplomacy, and the presidents who made the White House scale cry for mercy. It's America's ultimate fitness test, and let's just say... some of these guys failed the mile run hard. But that's not all! In Emails from the Listeners, a listener's roommate takes Halloween enthusiasm to a full-blown horror movie possession, while Cindy from Atlanta wants our take on Bravo star Wendy Osefo's fraud arrest. PLUS, this week the news brings us the latest on a high school teacher who weaponized “liquid ass.” Plus, in Not the Drag Queens, a Texas man with a mile-long rap sheet proves once again that the creeps are coming from inside the Bible Belt. Buckle up! This episode's got more twists than Taft's diet plan. Got a question, comment or topic for us to cover? Let us know! Send us an email at fratchatpodcast@gmail.com or follow us on all social media: Instagram: http://Instagram.com/FratChatPodcast Facebook: http://Facebook.com/FratChatPodcast Twitter: http://Twitter.com/FratChatPodcast YouTube: http://YouTube.com/@fratchatpodcast Follow Carlos and CMO on social media! Carlos:  IG: http://Instagram.com/CarlosDoesTheWorld YouTube: http://YouTube.com/@carlosdoestheworld TikTok: http://TikTok.com/@carlosdoestheworld Twitter: http://Twitter.com/CarlosDoesWorld Threads: http://threads.net/carlosdoestheworld Website: http://carlosgarciacomedy.com Chris ‘CMO' Moore:  IG: http://Instagram.com/Chris.Moore.Comedy TikTok: http://TikTok.com/@chris.moore.comedy Twitter: http://Twitter.com/cmoorecomedy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE! In the Bible Belt, churches outnumber stoplights, and faith dominates every aspect of daily life. But what happens when your truth doesn't align with the beliefs of those around you? For Melinda Williams, growing up sensitive to the spirit world meant being branded as something she was not—evil. Family and community members shunned her, accusing her of working with darkness and even calling her “the devil.” But the truth was far different. Melinda's gift was never rooted in fear or negativity—it was anchored in light. Over time, she realized the real darkness often came from those who claimed to speak for the light, condemning others while hiding their own fears. Instead of folding to the weight of judgment, Melinda chose a path of empowerment. She embraced her abilities, devoted herself to helping others, and began sharing her message of positivity and spiritual truth with the world. Today on The Grave Talks, a conversation with Melinda Williams—about faith, rejection, resilience, and the power of embracing who you are, even when the world tells you not to. This is Part Two of our conversation #BibleBelt #PsychicMedium #ParanormalPodcast #TheGraveTalks #SpiritualJourney #HauntedStories #GrowingUpHaunted Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE! In the Bible Belt, churches outnumber stoplights, and faith dominates every aspect of daily life. But what happens when your truth doesn't align with the beliefs of those around you? For Melinda Williams, growing up sensitive to the spirit world meant being branded as something she was not—evil. Family and community members shunned her, accusing her of working with darkness and even calling her “the devil.” But the truth was far different. Melinda's gift was never rooted in fear or negativity—it was anchored in light. Over time, she realized the real darkness often came from those who claimed to speak for the light, condemning others while hiding their own fears. Instead of folding to the weight of judgment, Melinda chose a path of empowerment. She embraced her abilities, devoted herself to helping others, and began sharing her message of positivity and spiritual truth with the world. Today on The Grave Talks, a conversation with Melinda Williams—about faith, rejection, resilience, and the power of embracing who you are, even when the world tells you not to. #BibleBelt #PsychicMedium #ParanormalPodcast #TheGraveTalks #SpiritualJourney #HauntedStories #GrowingUpHaunted Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

Jill M. Jackson, known as the Mississippi Medium, has lived a life shaped by extraordinary spiritual experiences. Growing up in the Bible Belt, she began seeing spirits around the age of seven—an ability that left her both frightened and confused, especially when told by her preacher that her gifts were “evil.” For years, Jill hid her abilities, pursuing a conventional career as a CPA and Business Manager in Hollywood. But after several near-death experiences, she could no longer deny her soul's true calling. Today, Jill is a Psychic Medium, Spiritual Teacher, and published author dedicated to helping others awaken to their own gifts and life purpose. In her book Mississippi Medium, she shares unforgettable experiences from the spirit world, including visitations and messages from murder victims seeking justice. Today on The Grave Talks, Jill opens up about her journey, her mission, and the remarkable encounters that have defined her work with the other side. This is Part Two of our conversation. For more information, visit her website at jillmjackson.com. #TheGraveTalks #PsychicMedium #MississippiMedium #NearDeathExperience #Message From Beyond #Mediumship #TrueGhostStories #ParanormalPodcast #SpiritualAwakening #TalkingToTheDead Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

Jill M. Jackson, known as the Mississippi Medium, has lived a life shaped by extraordinary spiritual experiences. Growing up in the Bible Belt, she began seeing spirits around the age of seven—an ability that left her both frightened and confused, especially when told by her preacher that her gifts were “evil.” For years, Jill hid her abilities, pursuing a conventional career as a CPA and Business Manager in Hollywood. But after several near-death experiences, she could no longer deny her soul's true calling. Today, Jill is a Psychic Medium, Spiritual Teacher, and published author dedicated to helping others awaken to their own gifts and life purpose. In her book Mississippi Medium, she shares unforgettable experiences from the spirit world, including visitations and messages from murder victims seeking justice. Today on The Grave Talks, Jill opens up about her journey, her mission, and the remarkable encounters that have defined her work with the other side. For more information, visit her website at jillmjackson.com. #TheGraveTalks #PsychicMedium #MississippiMedium #NearDeathExperience #Message From Beyond #Mediumship #TrueGhostStories #ParanormalPodcast #SpiritualAwakening #TalkingToTheDead Love real ghost stories? Don't just listen—join us on YouTube and be part of the largest community of real paranormal encounters anywhere. Subscribe now and never miss a chilling new story:

The American South is often associated with a strong religious identity and a rich tradition of ghost stories and folklore. While these two aspects seem distinct, they frequently come into conflict, creating a profound tension for those who investigate the paranormal. The controversy between paranormal researchers and the communities of the Bible Belt is not merely a debate over whether ghosts exist; it is a fundamental clash of worldviews.

President Alvin F. Meredith and his wife, Sister Jennifer Meredith, have lived all over the world so when the call came to move their young family to Rexburg, Idaho, to lead BYU-Idaho, they did what they've always done: They prepared themselves to love a new place and new people. On this week's episode, the Merediths share their thoughts, at the beginning of a new school year, on how to bloom where you're planted. 1:56- From the Bible Belt to Africa and the Middle East 5:36- Being Where Your Feet Are 8:20- The Kind of Person You Want to Marry 12:10- Temple Sunrise Tradition 15:40- Beginning With the End in Mind 21:18- Bloom Where You're Planted 27:45- Life Decisions Not Career Decisions 33:41- 100 Days of Listening 35:49- FHE for Secular Learning 39:20- The Value of Education 45:43- The Gospel is Joyful 50:42- What Does It Mean to Be All In the Gospel of Jesus Christ? “Education is important for everybody but the type of education really needs to be guided by the Spirit.”

We're excited to have you meet our guest - Pastor Robert J. Morgan, an awarded author and teaching pastor of The Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has served for 40 years!

Grow up in a small town? You might be surprised at what kind of carnage can take place in such quiet corners of the world!  First, Benton relays the story of Katherine Knight, Australia's most famous female murderer. Then, Anna recounts the quadruple homicide that changed Keddie, California in 1981. Finally, the two settle in for a classic episode of City Confidential, profiling the attempted murder of Darlene Summerford.Our TV doc this week is Season 2: Episode 4 of City Confidential, "Foul Play in the Bible Belt".

From 2004 - A conversation with author Suzi Parker about her irreverent book "Sex in the South: Unbuckling the Bible Belt," in which she - herself a southerner - examines some of the interesting attitudes about sex and sexuality that she has encountered over the years.

Ever notice how witchy spaces don't always feel the same? On this episode, I share my trip to Michigan and how stepping into a crystal shop there felt free, relaxed, and judgment-free nlike the heavy, watchful vibe I get walking into similar shops in the Bible Belt. We'll discuss how regional culture influences spiritual spaces, what it means to practice witchcraft in a place where “someone's always watching,” and why it's essential to create spaces that feel safe and welcoming.crystal shops, witchcraft in the Bible Belt, spiritual spaces, witchy culture, judgment-free witchcraft, regional spirituality, energy of places, practicing witchcraft in public, inclusive witchy spaces.

266. Choosing Fun and Adventure in Your Marriage and with Your Family: An Interview with Dan & Sam Mathews   Isaiah 55:12 MSG “So you'll go out in joy, you'll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause. No more thistles, but giant sequoias, no more thornbushes, but stately pines— Monuments to me, to God, living and lasting evidence of God.”   *Transcription Below*   Dan and Sam Mathews have been married since 2014 and currently reside in Missouri with their two kids, Canyon and Ember. Since the moment they got married, Dan and Samantha have been living a life of sacrifice and faith. From backpacking in Arkansas to RV road trips across the US, they have always taken the adventurous route. Sam is a lifestyle vlogger and content creator, and Dan hosts a hunting podcast in addition to his social platforms. Together they share their life of adventure online with millions of followers. Follow them on socials @wearedanandsam.    Thank You to Our Sponsor: Sam Leman Eureka   Questions and Topics We Cover: What are a few adventures you're so grateful you said yes to in life? Matthew 25:26 MSG says, "That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that!" So drawing your wisdom from the Lord, how does your faith fuel your sense of adventure?  How can we begin to enjoy an adventurous life in our marriage and with our family?   Other Episodes Mentioned from The Savvy Sauce Podcast: 82 Traveling with Your Family with Katie Mueller 242 Stories Series: He Gives and Takes Away with Joyce Hodel     Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)   Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger:  (0:11 - 1:47) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.    The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today over 55 years later at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka.   Owned and operated by the Burchie family, Sam Leman's Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at lemangm.com.    Dan and Sam Mathews are my guests for today, and you may know them from all the social platforms at WeAreDanAndSam.   They live a life of high faith and delightful adventure, and their book, Always Choose Adventure: One Couple's Journey of Chasing the Things in Life That Matter Most, is actually going to release this month. I would highly recommend it. It was an amazing read.   I read through it so fast, and it was a great combination of enjoying the stories but learning so much along the way. It's kind of like our chat for today. We're going to cover various stories, but Dan and Sam are also going to give us simple and practical ideas and tips for adding a sense of fun into our marriage and into our family life.   Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Dan and Sam.    Dan Mathews: (1:47 - 1:48) Thank you for having us. We're excited. We are really excited.   Laura Dugger: (1:49 - 1:59) Well, I'm so excited to journey back and get to hear more of your story, but will you first just give us an overview of what current life looks like right now?   Sam Mathews: (2:00 - 2:29) Yes. Currently, I'm 22 weeks pregnant with our third baby. We have two kiddos.   Canyon is almost nine. Ember is seven. We live in Southern Missouri.   We love adventuring and traveling, and Dan hunts. We share life on every platform, so just lifestyle, vlogging, and sharing our adventures. We recently settled down in a home, and so this is our first time doing DIYs for ourselves.   Yeah, it's a fun season right now.   Dan Mathews: (2:29 - 2:46) And Sam loves to host, so I think we have 48 parties scheduled this summer and knocked out a couple already, but yeah, we're excited about life, excited about adventure, and sharing that with people and how they can actually get out and adventure more.   Laura Dugger: (2:47 - 3:01) You do that so well, but if we're going back then to more of the origin stories, will you both share your journey of growing up and your stories that eventually led for the two of you to overlap with one another?   Sam Mathews: (3:01 - 3:37) Yeah, definitely. It's always been me, my mom, and my sister. My mom was a single mom raising us, born in California, but then she moved us to Southern Missouri when I was young, and this was a great place to raise us.   In the Bible Belt, we were raised pretty much in church. She did an amazing job as a single mom, just caring for us and pointing us to Christ. We got plugged into a church very early on.   We volunteered there. My sister and I worked there. We attended there, and so we're really involved, and that's how I met Dan when he came to Bible College.   Dan Mathews: (3:37 - 4:58) Yeah, I grew up in central Wisconsin. We went to church Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, was very, very involved with the kid's ministry and youth group and just any opportunity I could be around that church community, I was. We had a group called Master's Commission that would come up and do outreach at our church.   They were from Florida, and I was like, man, I want to do that one day. These guys are awesome. They're doing human videos, and they're all musical.   My dad's brother and his family moved down to Southern Missouri, and I get a call one day right after high school. They were like, “Hey, there's a Master's Commission program down here. If you want to do it, we'll pay for it.” I was like, “Sure, let's do it.” Almost no questions asked, just kind of like, all right, tell me the date I have to be there. Then, I started packing stuff up and quit my job and moved down knowing absolutely nobody. I got plugged into the church. I became very, very involved, and then just built a community, and through that, I went there with Sam's sister, her older sister, and I got to know Sam, and then I ended up working out at the gym that she worked at.   Sam Mathews: (4:59 - 5:00) Which was at our church.   Dan Mathews: (5:00 - 5:15) Which was at the church, and so we were just around each other all the time, and that kind of developed over years and years and years. Then one day, I was like, wow, this chick is awesome, and now we're here doing podcasting.   Laura Dugger: (5:16 - 5:32) Which is incredible. Okay, so just to pause, and you go into more of these stories, love your books, so easy to read, but can you take us back to what you both first thought of one another when you were meeting those days at the gym? Oh, gee.   Sam Mathews: (5:33 - 6:22) For sure, Dan is the life of the party, like he is comedy, and just, he has all the jokes, and definitely a charmer with all the ladies, but so fun to be around, and not only his humor draws you in, but I didn't grow up with a father, and so I liked the, I don't know, like strong aspect that he had, just like the confidence, and then his relationship with the Lord was something that I desired to have for myself, you know, a leader in a couple like together, someone to point me towards Christ, but the lightheartedness and jokes and humor keep the hard days fun, but that for me was, you know, I always can count on you for a good joke.   Dan Mathews: (6:23 - 6:41) Yeah, I, when I first met Sam, it was kind of in a group setting, and it was with her older sister with my younger brother, and it was like, oh, this is, you know, Justine's sister. Little sister. Didn't really think a whole lot of it, but after a couple years, I think you were probably a sophomore at that time when I first met you.   Sam Mathews: (6:41 - 6:42) Yeah.   Dan Mathews: (6:42 - 7:36) And, and then after a couple years, it was like she was volunteering in the youth group, and she was on the recreation staff at our camps, and so it's like we were spending more time together, and I'm like, oh, Justine's sister's kind of cute, and yeah, we started, we started just kind of a friendship. We were just around each other all the time. I mean, like before we were dating, we're really interested in each other.   It's like I was walking back from the lake, and she'd hop on my back, and I'd just give her a piggyback ride up to the cabins, and then looking back, I'm like, wow, our lives just were really intermingled and overlapped for years and years, but early on, she was younger. She had braces. She was a hip-hop dance instructor, so I mean, she would have like one sweat pant leg rolled up, high-top Nikes on all the time, like thought she was the coolest thing ever.   Laura Dugger: (7:36 - 7:52) I was. I didn't think. Oh, that's amazing.   I love that, and my husband and I were also friends first, and I feel like that does set you up well in marriage. Like you've got your built-in buddy.   Sam Mathews: (7:53 - 8:30) Exactly. I was going through pictures yesterday, because I was going to post a trend online, and it was like, oh, how cute. How many months have you been married?   And it's like months? You put a picture for every year, and it's like we've known each other since like 2008, maybe 2009. Then, like started our like dating in 2010. I look at pictures of us from 2010 as a couple. I'm like, oh, my gosh, we've grown so much just like, you know, like physically, but even just relationally and spiritually, and like it's crazy looking back, and so thankful for so many years of friendship with him, but you know, relationship-wise, it's been great.   Dan Mathews: (8:30 - 8:52) Well, and I feel like doing life together is a great model before ever like the romantic side comes in. You get to know the person in group settings. You get to know who they are without the interest, because people can put on a different face once you're trying to impress somebody, you know, but we were just being our genuine selves around each other for a long time.   Sam Mathews: (8:52 - 8:59) Probably saw some stupid moments, some hard moments, but that's, yeah, that's what you want to see before you get into a relationship with someone.   Laura Dugger: (9:00 - 9:12) Absolutely. Yeah. And as we're starting back that far, then when you reflect back, what are some of the adventures that you're most grateful you've said yes to in life?   Sam Mathews: (9:13 - 10:38) Yeah. Oh, my gosh. I feel like dating, we weren't even dating at this point, the canoe trip when you did a master's commission, and that was so fun.   It was like all of his friends, my sister, all the master's commission group went kayaking, and I decided to tag along as a sibling, and his brother did, and maybe a couple others. And that was fun, but it also gave me an opening into how Dan adventures, because his way of adventuring is way different than mine. I grew up, like I said, with a mom.   We would camp at a cabin, and you'd pack the car full of everything you need. Dan would literally just put everything in a backpack and hike in two miles to go camping. And so being in that group, going kayaking, it was so fun, and it sparked this new love for adventure and new desire to learn a new way of adventuring.   That was so fun. I mean, that was before we were married, but this is kind of jumping far ahead, but when we were married, we moved to Colorado for a couple of years, and although it was a hard season for us, we learned so much. We gained so much from it.   A lot was birthed in us in that season. I mean, physically, I welcomed my daughter. We welcomed our second child in Colorado, but spiritually, I think God planted a lot of seeds that it may not have been a tangible adventure of being out in the woods, but spiritually, we were in the woods, and we grew so much, and I'm glad we said yes to it because it opened the door and led to so many other things.   Dan Mathews: (10:38 - 12:31) Yeah, I feel like a lot of our adventures, some are traditional. I mean, a big adventure for me was leaving home. I mean, I moved straight out of my parents' house to a different state, and that was totally crazy for me.   But then watching Sam, I mean, she moved out to California for a summer, went to a ministry out there. Then I saw her go to Colorado and Nanny for a couple, all summer long, and so I was like watching this, and we were talking, and I realized, like, we're both all in on an adventurous life, and even when we don't have the answers, it's like, is the Lord telling you not to do it? No?   Okay, well, then we'll see what happens, and I thought that was really cool to watch her just like, oh, I'm going to California for a summer, and at first, I was like, please don't. I don't want you to come all the way to California, but then I was like, that's going to be so incredible. Like, you're just leaving everything behind and starting over for a whole summer in a different state, and so that was like the early dating years where we were kind of doing our own adventures, but we were watching and encouraging each other in doing them, and then we started actually going out and camping and floating rivers and hiking up waterfalls, and if you've never camped in the backcountry with someone, I suggest doing it. It's a great metric for if there's someone you want to marry.   Like, if you can figure out canoeing and camping, you're probably going to be okay in marriage. That's good. And so, yeah, we started doing that stuff, and then from there, it was just like one after the next, going to Alaska, camping in grizzly country by ourselves, and it's our first time there.   Like, we've done some pretty wild things, some pretty traditional things, but at the end of the day, all of the adventures are what brought us together.   Laura Dugger: (12:32 - 12:45) Well, and just thinking of the adventure that drew you together, and then also your current platforms on socials and vlogging and preserving all of these pictures, like you said, you've captured all the pictures throughout the time.   Sam Mathews: (12:45 - 12:45) Yes.   Laura Dugger: (12:47 - 12:58) When you look back, do you feel like God had given you little seeds of what was yet to come or what kind of career you would be in someday, or was this totally a shock to both of you?   Sam Mathews: (12:59 - 13:57) You know what? Looking back at pictures or even videos that I took, I could see how it was something that the Lord was birthing in us, and I would say probably me so more than Dan. I think Dan's like, whatever you want to do, I'm along for the ride type of thing.   It probably wasn't his first choice as a career, but now that we're in it, we love it and we're thankful for the blessing it is to our family and the time that we get to spend with the kiddos. But I look back and I started videoing and taking pictures like years before even starting on social media, and then even the first few months in the year of sharing, it was like I didn't know what I was doing, but I still wanted to just share life and encourage people and love on people and inspire people. And yeah, it's crazy to look back on, but I also see the work the Lord was doing to get it all started before we even thought about it and knew that it would be something that we'd be doing.   Dan Mathews: (13:57 - 16:00) Yeah, and I feel like with Sam, she gets promptings from the Lord that she doesn't know what it is. She doesn't know what it means. And early on, I think the very first one, she's like, babe, I just have this feeling like a big change is coming.   And I'm like, anymore? Like, do you have any more information for me? That's not a whole lot to go off of.   And I mean, in the conversation, I was like, okay, we'll see. Then I just forgot about it. And I mean, it was like the next day.   There was an issue at work, just a very immoral thing that they were asking us to do as employees. And I was like, no, I can't be part of this. And I called her right after, and I was like, babe, I think this might be it.   Like I'm going to resign tomorrow. And we talked and prayed, and I only had like a five-minute car ride home. We talked, prayed, got off the phone, and immediately I get a call from my buddy.   And he's like, “Hey, dude, don't know what you're doing for work right now, but I've got a job for you if you want to come work at this place I'm at.” And I was like, “Oh, my gosh.” So then two years later, the same thing happened.   She's like, I feel like a change is coming. Boom, big change. Two years later, I feel like a change is coming.   All of a sudden, we're in a car moving out to Colorado. And it was just like that cycle. And so now when she's like, hey, there's a change coming, I'm like, oh, my gosh.   I got to pack my bags. Something big's happening. I know something major is happening.   And so, I don't know that early on either of us expected us to be where we are today. But we knew that we wanted to prioritize time together. We wanted to prioritize time with our kids and above all of it, time with the Lord.   And if we could get those three in the right order, it didn't really matter where we were. It didn't matter what state we were in. If we were living in a bumper pole camper, an RV, a tiny home, or a regular sized house, we just knew that we had to prioritize those things, and everything was going to work out.   Laura Dugger: (16:01 - 18:03) Truly. And that's the promise from Matthew 6:33, that you're really living that out. And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka has been owned and operated by the Burchie family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago. If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed.   They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle. This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible.   They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple, Welcome to Sam Leman's. Their customers keep coming back because they experience something different. I've known Sam and Stephen and their lives my entire life and I can vouch for their character and integrity, which makes it easy to highly recommend you check them out today.   Your car buying process doesn't have to be something you dread, so come see for yourself at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka. Sam and Stephen would love to see you and they appreciate your business. Learn more at their website, samlemanchevy.com or visit them on Facebook by searching for Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka. You can also call them at 309-467-2351. Thanks for your sponsorship.    There's a verse that you quoted in your book, and I had never read it before, in the message translation.   So, it's Matthew 25:26 that says, “That's a terrible way to live.” It's criminal to live cautiously like that. So, drawing your wisdom then from the Lord, how does your faith fuel your sense of adventure?   Sam Mathews: (18:04 - 19:50) Yeah, a lot of faith and trust. Several points in our life have been like a crossroads where we feel like we want to almost desire more out of everything to go towards the direction where God is leading us, where we don't know the outcome. We don't know what's ahead.   We don't know what's coming and it's forcing us to trust the Lord, to have faith, even though we're fearful of it. Or we look at another option where it's like, you know what, this is very comfortable. We know the outcome.   We know what's going to be required of us. We know how we're going to get there, how we're going to pay for it. And it was something we didn't desire.   We liked being in a position where we needed the Lord. We're reliant upon Him. And so, you know, we talk often in the book about being comfortable.   And I feel like when you're in a comfortable setting in life, it's safe. There's no risk involved. There's little to no trust in the Lord.   I say that, you know, there's more to the story of that. But that you don't want to be at a place where you don't need God, where you don't need to rely on Him. And so, for us, we just encourage people that if you do find yourself in a comfortable place, to maybe step out of your comfort zone a little bit.   To what's an area where you need to trust the Lord more? Is it finding that new job that you've been waiting for, that you've been hoping for? Is it moving to the state that's closer by your family or closer by your friends that you really desire but you're scared too?   To not just be comfortable and stay for the sake of not being fearful or not, like knowing what's next, but instead step out, trust the Lord, you know, as long as you have peace and as long as you feel that yes from Him. And just lay fear aside and move forward with the Lord.   Dan Mathews: (19:50 - 21:54) Yeah, with every big decision that we make, we're led by peace. And we've said it for years. If either one of us don't have peace about it, we're not doing it.   But when there are multiple doors open, we say we're going to choose the most adventurous one. If we don't feel a specific direction from the Lord, let's just pick the most adventurous one. And it's kind of become common practice for us to not have really many of the details planned out on a major decision on a trip.   And people are like, do you have any idea of what you're going to do when you move there? Or how long you're going to be traveling the country in an RV? And we're like, nope, we'll figure it out.   I joke with my buddies all the time because they're like, “I mean, how do you know everything's going to be okay? How do you know this?” I go, well, between me and God, we've got everything figured out.   And they're like, “Oh, okay, I get it.” I'm like, “well, the Lord has everything figured out, but I can throw myself in that team, you know?” And I feel like it's been an encouragement to some of our friends as they watch it.   And they're like, whoa, you guys did it. I'll talk about it for years. And even when we moved out to Colorado, in our minds, we were going to move out there.   All of our friend group was like, one person needs to move. And then everybody else is going to slowly follow out. Well, we end up moving out there.   And I'm like shooting my buddies messages like, “All right, when are you coming out? And one by one, it was like, “No, I don't think we're coming.”   No, it's not going to be for at least five years. It's going to be, you know, maybe when the kids graduate, all of these different responses. And I'm like, man, that was one of the biggest things that we missed when we were out there.   But we knew that moving to Colorado, taking a pay cut, paying more in rent, like all of those things were a stepping stone to get us to where we were today, to trusting the Lord and starting our first business together, trusting the Lord with our finances, with our time. And really putting us in a position where we were fully dependent on him for our survival.   Sam Mathews: (21:54 - 22:40) And so even if something doesn't work out, we mentioned a couple of stories in the book where we may have moved forward without peace, and it did not end well. But the Lord always brings it around and teaches us something from it or a situation where we felt the peace to move to Colorado, but we were only there for two years. It was hard on us financially.   We got into debt. We had no friends, no family out there. It was a hard season.   We still gained from it. So instead of looking at something as a complete loss, we still look to find the good. You know, what did the Lord birth in us?   You know, like Dean said, spiritually, we grew together. Financially, we started a business. Like so much good came from it that even though it maybe on paper or to others, it didn't make sense.   It was still good. And something that the Lord, yeah, started for us.   Laura Dugger: (22:41 - 23:05) And you've learned those lessons and now you get to share them with others. Even super practical with this one. Our family has never done the RV thing before, but even just dipping our toes in and trying a vacation that way.   What tips do you have for families, maybe who aren't traveling around, living out of their RV, but vacationing with one, what are some of your best tips?   Sam Mathews: (23:05 - 24:27) I just saw a video of someone sharing the other day where they took their family of, let's see, four, six total on an RV for the first time. And I was like, oh no, because the first warning I give to everyone is you have to drain your poop through the hose. If you're out on that, RV life is not for you.   RV vacation is not for you. Do you have to get down and dirty and take care of a few things? There's a lot more maintenance that comes with RV vacationing or RV life.   And I usually have the dirty work for Dan to do and I'm inside cooking, cleaning. But an RV has all your basic needs. You can still go to the bathroom, you can still shower, there's a toilet, there's a bed.   It's just on a lot smaller scale. And if you're not good with being in close proximity with all your children or your spouse, then you may just need a little bit of a bigger space to stay in. But it's fun because you get to navigate it together and you get to learn just a new way of life or new way of traveling.   And yeah, the maintenance of the restroom, you have to have water hookups, or you need solar for electric or you have to be hooked up to electric. The great part is you can go anywhere, and you can get right up close to some great adventures. Our favorite spot to park an RV is the rim of the Badlands.   It's so pretty. Is it the North Rim?   Dan Mathews: (24:28 - 24:28) Yeah.   Sam Mathews: (24:28 - 24:54) It's gorgeous. You wake up to the sun rising over it and it's the most peaceful thing to be right there next to it. And you can't do that with a cabin in the woods.   But the benefit to a cabin in the woods is that's its own adventure. And so just do a little bit of research on the maintenance required for setting up, tearing down the RV in order to get on the road and to like park it and set up.   Dan Mathews: (24:55 - 26:44) I like how you weave some of the worst parts about our RV life in there. But I will say being on the road, traveling and like just kind of deciding on the way is one of the greatest things ever. I did not, like we definitely had a plan.   It was like, “Hey, we're gonna stop one time.” Growing up, we've got five kids. So, it was like, we're stopping one time to go to the bathroom.   If you have to go, you're just gonna have to hold it type of thing. We were fairly structured in the traveling to a place. But being in an RV, it really opens up so much to where you can on the way be like, oh, I just saw a billboard.   I wonder what that is. Look it up. How far away is it?   Hey, what if we take a 45-minute detour and go check this out? Like we found places in the middle of Kansas that 1% of the population knows about. We camped.   There's spots that you can camp on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Like no guardrail, back your vehicle right up, walk out the door, sit there, have coffee or whatever in the morning. And that was like our favorite part about it.   There were nights that we would drive until like one in the morning. And we might be sleeping in a truck stop. But we were on the way to Glacier National Park or to the Oregon coast or wherever.   And so, I feel like ditching the schedule and just kind of figuring it out as you go is one of the most freeing things on a vacation. And the other nice part about it is if you find a place that you absolutely love and you're like, we want to spend four days here, do it. You don't have a new reservation somewhere else that you have to get to.   You can just go wherever the wind blows, have fun with the family. And yeah, I think everybody needs to do it at least one time.   Laura Dugger: (26:44 - 27:02) Oh yeah, for sure. What a great challenge to step outside our comfort zone like you said. Well, one other amazing adventure that you've embarked on together is becoming a surrogate twice, I believe.   Will you tell us a little bit more about that process and that experience?   Sam Mathews: (27:03 - 31:10) Yeah, definitely. So, in 2018, we had our daughter and she was a little bit more work than our first. So, our first was super easy.   Ate well, slept well, like barely cried. And our daughter, maybe it was just her being a girl. A little bit more needy and required some extra grace and some more prayer for patience on my part.   But at that point, I was like, yeah, I think I'm done. Having children of our own and parenting our own children because even raising two kids is going to be a task. But I didn't feel like I was done carrying children.   And I'm like, I still want to have babies, but I don't want to have more to parent. How do I do that? But I felt like the Lord just laid surrogacy in my heart.   And I started thinking about it, praying about it, researching it. And I brought it up to Dan like, hey, what would you think about me doing this? And I had to educate him a little bit on like what being a surrogate was.   As a gestational surrogate, I wasn't carrying an embryo with an egg that was mine. So, I'm not biologically related to the baby. And after some prayer, we both felt at peace about it.   And so, we walked through that door and started the process of meeting a couple or going through an agency to start a journey. And yeah, we've done two now. So, in 2022, I delivered a baby boy for a couple.   And then in 2024, so just last year, I've just actually in a few days, I'm going to hit my year mark of my second belly bud being one and a little girl for a couple. And it was like the most, one of the greatest adventures I've been on. And I've gained so much from it.   And it's so rewarding to see someone who desires to be a parent, to be a mom, but physically can't. To see them walk that road and just step into the role that like watching her become a mom is like, you can tell that's what she was meant to be. That's what the Lord had for her.   And it's so fun seeing the joy of their family and watching her grow up and like being a part of her life. That, yeah, like we just encourage other people, if you're able to do something like that, or no matter what it is, it's not just surrogacy, but if God's calling you to something that may require a lot more from you or something that is not normal, it's not traditional, you don't see it a lot, like just step out and do it. And yeah, it's been fun.   It definitely grouped Dan and I closer together. Spiritually, he was there for me in times of emotional hardship. Pregnancy in itself is hard, but to do it multiple times, you know, this is my fifth pregnancy now.   There's a lot of roles that he takes on to care for the kids more, to care for me more. And we've grown closer and just his love for me, seeing it that even though it's not our baby, like he's still caring for me and taking care of me as if it was. And the Lord, I've had to rely on the Lord so many times because pregnancy and birthing in itself is a miracle.   To go through moments of transfer, like the embryo doesn't always take the first time on a transfer or your levels are off or maybe one of the ultrasounds is, you know, something doesn't look good on it. We're constantly relying on the Lord and it gives us an opportunity to share with intended parents, you know, someone who didn't have hope, didn't have anything to look forward to for parenting their own children, to just like be an encouragement to them spiritually and then share these journeys with others publicly has been a great way just to share our faith and to share how going through a surrogacy journey caused us to rely on the Lord and, you know, point everything back to Christ and, you know, God being just very pro-life and we're excited to bring this life into the world.   And so, yeah, definitely a big adventure to embark on to bring two babies into the world that aren't ours, but one of like the greatest things I've ever done. It's awesome.   Laura Dugger: (31:11 - 31:25) It's a beautiful sacrifice and I'm sure others are also wondering at that moment when you meet the baby that you've been carrying, how did you handle those emotions of sharing the baby?   Sam Mathews: (31:25 - 33:42) Yes. Yeah, definitely. So, when you go into surrogacy, you know, from the beginning that it's not your child, especially as a gestational carrier, not related to it.   Throughout the pregnancy, all these milestones that you hit, you're excited for it, but you're excited for it for the parents. So, finding out, you know, there's a heartbeat and seeing the baby for the first time on ultrasound, you're excited for them. Finding out the gender, you're excited for them.   You know, delivering the baby, you're excited for them that you do a lot of mental prep, but there's also like a lot of research that shows to like plan something after delivery for your family to do, something for you to do with your kids so that when you do leave the hospital, you don't think about what you don't have anymore. You think about what you do have at your house with your family. And so, it may seem hard.   I think a lot of times people compare it to adoption where the birth mom is literally giving up her child to somebody else and the hardship that that would cause on her as a surrogate. And I can only speak for myself because I'm sure there are times where it is hard for a surrogate. But for me, it wasn't because I did a lot of mental preparing, emotionally preparing that I knowing that this child wasn't mine going into it.   I knew that at the end of it, I would deliver the baby and the baby would be taken from me and I'm not raising this child. And a lot of times you don't even touch a baby until like maybe you're discharged to see the baby before you leave. So, it's not like I'm delivering the baby.   The baby's being given to me and I'm holding and I'm bonding with it. And then it's being taken away. It's no, this is from the moment it comes out of the womb.   It is their baby and it's in their care. And again, seeing their face, their joy, the moment where like they're seeing their child for the first time is so rewarding. And that's something that I would never want to take from them.   It was never my role to be this baby's mother. It was to just carry their baby and to bring their baby into the world. And so, it's not as hard as you think, thankfully.   I mean, I wouldn't have done it a second time for sure if it was. And we're praying about a third one. But it's so rewarding.   And yeah, you know from the beginning that it's not yours. So, it's easy to, in a sense, pass the baby off.   Laura Dugger: (33:43 - 34:56) Well, that's a story that really encapsulates stewardship. I think that's a great example.    Did you know you could receive a free email with monthly encouragement, practical tips, and plenty of questions to ask to take your conversation a level deeper, whether that's in parenting or on date nights?   Make sure you access all of this at thesavvysauce.com by clicking the button that says join our email list so that you can follow the prompts and begin receiving these emails at the beginning of each month. Enjoy.    For both of you, your lives are just fascinating mostly because you're living this life of faith and sacrifice. So, it's compelling to get to hear how you're actually doing that. But then I love how you call out that you don't recommend people go to the other extreme and become reckless and chase adventure. You discern between choosing adventure and chasing adventure.   So, I'm wondering if you can give us any of your definitions or parameters around what choosing adventure does and does not look like for you.   Dan Mathews: (34:57 - 38:00) Yeah, I think that choosing adventure for us is looking at opportunities where we can spend as a family, where we can get outside of our comfort zones and just really put it in the Lord's hands. Have fun along the way, you know, whether it's ziplining or jumping off a cliff, like a lot of people think adventure has to be this grand thing and super dangerous. And for us, it isn't really.   Like there's been a couple of times where we've been like, this got crazy quickly. Maybe we could have planned it out a little bit better. But at the end of the day, it all worked out.   And so, when we talk about people choosing instead of chasing or not being reckless, it's all about like, do something new, do something fun, do something that puts you outside of your comfort zone, but isn't going to put you in a bad position. I'm not the guy that's like, you know what? Never swam across Lake Michigan.   I'm going to give it a go, see how it happens, and see what happens. If that's the case, it's like maybe start out with a triathlon and see what you're going to do and work your way up. And so, I don't ever want anyone to take the book or take the things that we say or the adventures that we've had in life and think I'm going to do something absolutely crazy that doesn't make sense.   That's not logical. That's not safe. Like, that's not what this is about.   It's about just getting outside of your comfort zone. And the more you're outside of it, the more comfortable you become with being uncomfortable. And I tell people, like on some of my backcountry hunts, I want to be comfortable in suffering.   Like when I'm really, really struggling physically to climb up a mountain with a 70-pound pack on my back, I want to be like, I know I'm making it out of this. It's not fun in the moment. Like it hurts.   My legs are burning. My back hurts. I feel like I need a break, but I'm going to keep pushing through.   And when I look back on that, I'm going to go, that was brutal and awesome. And I loved every second of it. And I feel like that's how, how we view our trips, our road trips.   I mean, driving, what was it? Thirty something thousand miles in a couple months and visiting dozens and dozens of states. It was like, there were times where it was like, I don't want to be on the road anymore.   The wind is literally about to tip the RV over. I'm almost taking out construction cones or running into things because I had never driven an RV before. And the very first place we go is Wisconsin.   And we drive right past Chicago and there's like construction for a hundred miles. And so it's like all of those things, they were fun. Yeah, they were scary in the moment we got through, we were never in any real danger.   And so, yeah, I feel like it's a stair step when it comes to adventure. I didn't start out just wandering around Alaska by myself. It started with going down to Arkansas, being five miles away from the vehicle and then kind of built from there.   Sam Mathews: (38:00 - 39:50) Yeah, to not be reckless, like to, you know, we talked about this earlier to move forward when you have peace. And just because you have peace with it, someone else may not understand it. But with peace, like there's wisdom too.   You don't want to move forward with a lack of peace and not using wisdom in a decision because yeah, that will get you in trouble and that will cause hardship and pain later down the road. But if you have peace about something and there is that open door and you feel the release from the Lord to go on this adventure, then do it. And even though if it doesn't work out, you know, God will still work everything out.   But yeah, like Dan said, when you, the more you do things that are outside your comfort zone or that, you know, even others may not agree with, but you feel at peace with and you're moving forward, the easier it becomes to do those. And the more you would trust the Lord. And like you said, again, it doesn't have to be some grand adventure.   We encourage people that if they're new to choosing adventure and they're new to stepping outside their comfort zone, try like a new restaurant one day, go to like a new, I was thinking the other day, we live in Missouri and we always travel outside of Missouri for adventure. I'm like, we need to do a six-month adventure just within Missouri. Like we drove two hours South and through Missouri to go to Georgia last week.   And we were driving down this hill on one of the roads. I'm like, this looks like, it looked like Georgia already, or it looked like Colorado, the hillside and the trees and the fog, I'm like, this is beautiful. And I look down, I'm like, oh, we're still in Missouri.   So, there's so much to adventure and to explore in your own backyard or down your street that it doesn't have to be something crazy wild. We're not saying go, you know, jump out of a plane and skydive or something, but just start small, start where you have peace and where you feel the Lord's leading.   Laura Dugger: (39:52 - 40:26) That's great. I love having a handful of practical things. I think of my brother, Drew and his wife, Amanda, when their kids were really little, they just drew a two hour radius to see what places would be fun to go invest and explore.   Or for us, I would say one of our most recent adventures, we didn't know what it would look like on the other side, but it's become one of our favorite things in life and probably our best decision in parenting for us as we started homeschooling our kids last year. And it has been a wild adventure.   Sam Mathews: (40:26 - 40:27) That's an adventure.   Laura Dugger: (40:28 - 40:36) So, any other tips to get people started? Those are even trying the new restaurant. Yeah.   Anything else like that that you would say?   Dan Mathews: (40:37 - 42:13) The nice thing is that we all have this supercomputer in our hand or in our pocket all the time. And there are so many lists of like the top 10 places to see, places to eat. There's books that are just like places to canoe before you dive, places to hike before you dive, and they have all of this stuff listed out.   And so, it's not that you have to be a pioneer and find a new place that nobody's ever been before. Look at the research that people have done before you and look at lists, get on Pinterest or any social media platform and try to just figure out what are practical things that you can do. And then you can also say, how difficult is this going to be for me?   Do I really need to jump that far into it right now? Or should I just go to a local park that might have a cool cave that I can explore? Or maybe there's a creek near the house and like, what if we just go down there and see if we can find fish or crawdads or try to skip rocks?   My kids, that is one of their favorite things. I'm like, I love doing it as a kid. I didn't realize how exciting just the act of watching a rock skip on the water would be for kids.   And so there's, yeah, there's a million different resources online for things that you can practically do close to home. And it might, for some people, just be trying that DIY project instead of calling a carpenter to put yourself up, you know, or a handyman. Like, give it a try.   The worst that's going to happen, you have a hole in your wall. Now you watch a video on how to patch it.   Laura Dugger: (42:14 - 42:37) That's so good. And I'm seeing a theme. A lot of these are getting outdoors and nature.   That's always an adventure. But then I'm even thinking simple things in conversation, trying out a new question, even with a loved one. Or you said at the beginning that you love hospitality.   So inviting somebody new into your home. I think any of that novelty is just really good for us. Yeah, definitely.   Dan Mathews: (42:38 - 44:32) Yeah, I think even making it a point in conversation when somebody asks you how your day is, instead of just saying good and continuing on, actually stop and talk to them. Because a lot of people, their biggest fear might not be going on a road trip, might not be financial ruin. It might just be opening up and being vulnerable with another person.   And so it could be the person at the office that you've never actually had a conversation with. You know each other. You might wave when you walk by their desk.   But actually talk to them. Get to know them. Tell them about yourself.   And so the book has a lot of those types of things lined out where it's like it might not be physical. It might not be out in nature. It might be within your home.   It might be, I mean, some people need to do this with their kids. Like that might be the scariest thing is talking to your teenager. Like actually having a conversation.   And we're going to sit down and we're going to have a meal together and actually talk as a family. And so, yeah, it looks different for everybody. And that's one thing, because our passion is being outside.   Like Sam wants a houseboat. She wants to buy a houseboat and renovate it and live in it for a certain amount of time. And we've had other people who a bunch of homeschool families bought sailboats and sailed all around the world as they were homeschooling their kids.   And I heard that and I was like, yeah, yeah, we're going to have to do that at some point. But I know for a lot of people, just going outside is a big deal. And so it looks different for everybody.   We do give a lot of nature examples, but there's different ways for every type of person, every level of. What would you even call it? Social.   There's a lot of different levels to the social scale. And so no matter where you are, there's something for you to be a little bit more adventurous.   Laura Dugger: (44:34 - 44:42) OK, so like I said, you've made a compelling argument for getting outside of our comfort zone. Why do you think some of us resist this attractive lifestyle?   Sam Mathews: (44:43 - 46:46) Yeah, I think there's fear in it. There's sadly nowadays, you know, what will other people think of me? What will what if we fail?   What if we lose money? What if we what if I look a certain way that I don't want to appear to others? And that's where you just have to think back to Christ.   Like what is it? What really matters at the end of the day? It's how God views you.   And if you fail, oh, well, what if the Lord like just opens up so many doors and creates an avenue for you to get out? Or what if so much good comes from it that we can't be afraid of failure? Again, move forward cautiously with wisdom and with the Lord's peace and direction.   But in our book, we share one of our biggest adventures was going out to Colorado and renovating a van for five days. And we broke down on the side of the road, something no one wants to do in the desert, in the middle of twice. We did twice.   We broke down in the middle of Kansas and then in Colorado again. And it was we'll be honest, it was not fun. It was one of like the scariest times.   But looking back, like we're so thankful we did because so much good came from it. Like we met some amazing people who helped us along the way. And it's now one of our favorite stories to tell of encouragement that just because you say yes to adventure and just because something bad happens, it's not all a waste.   And I think, yeah, that fear just keeps people from being able to move forward and being like, you know what? Like I'm comfortable right here in my house, my kids in public school, not going anywhere because I know where my money's coming. I know like what's happening tomorrow.   I know how people are going to respond. And I'm just going to like stay here. Not that that's a bad thing, because the Lord needs people in every season in every situation.   But if he's prompting you to step out and to try something new, like don't be afraid of what's required from you or what could happen. You never know like where it could lead.   Dan Mathews: (46:47 - 48:10) Yeah, I think a lot of it is those few things, fear, pride, or just you believing that God isn't big enough or doesn't care about your situation. And unfortunately, a lot of people are there where I really want to try this, but like what if things go wrong? And for us, it's like when things go wrong, that's where the Lord provides.   That's where the Lord directs. That's where he leads. That's where his word can be the lamp to your feet and a light to your path.   When you're trying to do it all on your own and you're staying in this safety net of comfort, nothing amazing happens in that place. And so, we've seen it time and time again, the Lord's provision, the Lord's provision in our lives and not only the provision financially, but actually like setting us free from constraints like social constraints of like you have to work nine to five. We heard that over and over and over.   And I'm like, well, the nice thing is Sam and I are both hard workers and super driven, and I'm sure we could get jobs again. Yeah, so like worst case scenario, we run completely out of money and we go back to go back to work. And I'm like, what does failure actually look like?   And I try to get people to break it down for me. People who are like, I'm glad that worked for you, but that couldn't work for us. And I go, why?   Sam Mathews: (48:10 - 48:10) Yeah.   Dan Mathews: (48:11 - 48:20) Like, why couldn't it work for you? And they're like, well, I like what happens if it doesn't work out? And I'm like, let's expand on that as far out as we can think.   Sam Mathews: (48:20 - 48:21) Even the worst.   Dan Mathews: (48:21 - 48:24) Like, does that work? Like, are you going to die? No.   Sam Mathews: (48:24 - 48:24) Yeah.   Dan Mathews: (48:24 - 49:02) Like, no, you'll probably just come back home if it doesn't work out, you know? And so, trying to trying to show people that because the fear of the unknown is pretty significant to people. Something completely new to them that they've never tried it's really challenging to get people to take that first step.   But once they do, the second step is easier. The third step is easier. And pretty soon you're jumping and sprinting and you're like, whoa, this whole life is out here that I didn't even know existed.   So yeah, I definitely think it's those three, though.   Laura Dugger: (49:03 - 50:59) That's good. And it makes me think that typically the way that we grow our faith is action. We put our faith into action and God gives us with more faith when we're faithful with the little faith that we have.   And it also makes me think back, I believe it was episode 82, 82. Traveling With Your Family With Teacher, Wife, and Mother to 4,, with the guest, Katie Mueller. I'm going to link to it. I think you guys would love it where she parallels what God called people to do throughout the Bible with travel, what that looks like today, practical, fun things.   But Sam, something that you said reminded me of this when you're like, “Well, if nothing else, it's going to be a great story.” And she referred to that, like when things went wrong growing up on their travels, they laughed so hard about those memories. And in their family, they tragically lost their dad very unexpectedly.   Actually, her mom, I'll link to Joyce Hodel's episode as well. She shares that story. But their family has all of these stories and all of these memories from choosing adventure.   So that makes me start to think of marriage and family. And as we put that together with adventure, you guys always make adventure feel approachable, even in parenting. And I'm thinking on page 15, you wrote that as a kid, anytime you get to drive cross country, stay at a hotel or eat at a restaurant, it's an adventure for no reason other than it's a break from the norm, right?   And you know what? That's the whole point. Choosing adventure is about stepping out of your comfort zone and trying something new.   There's no right or wrong way to do it. So, with that in mind, Dan and Sam, how can we begin to enjoy this adventurous life in marriage and in family?   Sam Mathews: (51:00 - 51:49) Yeah. Bringing your kids along is such a fun, it requires a little bit more packing, but such a fun aspect to adventure. And going on date nights with your spouse, trying something new, experiencing it together, finding something you enjoy together, but realizing that it can also, there's another level of fun to have your kids along with.   And sometimes we'll drive 30 minutes away and stay at a hotel for a night just because it's a new place to go and the kids love it. And it doesn't have to be expensive. They go putt-putt and that for them is the greatest thing.   If you end it with ice cream, it's even better than the cherry on top, that it's just something fun for them. But yeah, realizing that it can be a family thing, but it could just be you as a couple too. But yeah.   Dan Mathews: (51:50 - 54:56) Well, and for kids, there's so much adventure to be had right at home or right in your backyard. I bought, I went to Walmart one day and I bought two extra large king-size sheets just so that we could do forts. I was like, I'm gonna put these in the closet and now I've got like the alligator clips and so I can clip them to different things.   And when it's a rainy day and the kids are bored and we're stuck inside, it's just a break from the norm. And then they'll be like, mom, dad, come see what we did. And they might build like a little shop where they sell us stuff inside of their fort.   Or they might make beds for us and for the stuffed animals and for our dog and all of these different things. And so, breaking out of the norm is just what adventure is. Like if they're not used to that, if they're not used to that time together, like some days it's, we're gonna go jump on the trampoline and they're like, wait, both of you at once?   Normally one of us is getting stuff done and the other one's hanging out with them. And when all of a sudden it's like both of us unexpectedly are walking to the trampoline, they're like, oh, family trampoline jump. If you need really good ideas for adventure and you're a parent, just watch Bluey.   If you haven't seen Bluey, that dad is awesome. And like we used to do the claw game. I would put all of their stuffed animals in my lap.   My thumb was the joystick and then my other hand was the claw and they had to move it and I would pick up the stuffed animals. And to them, it was the greatest thing they'd ever done. And we saw it on a cartoon.   And so, incorporating family into it, I feel like it's just, it's really easy. And aside from excuses, there's no reason not to get the kids involved in it. Also, there's a million books about getting kids outside.   And so, like checklists that they can do. Every national park, if for those that don't know or haven't visited national parks, I didn't know this because we didn't go to any national parks growing up, but your kids can become a junior ranger. They get these booklets and they get badges of the individual parks and they have to learn about nature and about the animals that are there and about the history.   And so that became a thing for the kids. Every place we went, it was like, “Oh, I need a junior ranger badge.” And I mean, they had wooden badges just lining their chest.   Like they were some war hero and they absolutely loved it. And so there's things like that locally in nature parks and stuff. But doing it together.   I mean, that's what it's all about. For me, I watched the guys on TV and I'm like, that guy just went to New Zealand by himself or like watching alone. I'm like, I don't want to do that.   It would be pretty crazy, I feel like. I think everybody needs some type of alone time here and there. But for me, I want to share this stuff with my wife, with my kids, with my buddies.   And so, yeah, that's what it's all about.   Sam Mathews: (54:56 - 55:07) Yeah, like you said, have those stories to tell with your family, of your family members. That way, if something does happen and they pass, you have so much to look back on of the memories you're able to share together.   Laura Dugger: (55:09 - 55:15) Absolutely. And to bring those up and share them with our kids while we are together. They love hearing stories about when they were little.   Sam Mathews: (55:16 - 55:16) Oh, yeah.   Laura Dugger: (55:17 - 55:29) And you guys have taken it a step further where you document it then and preserve. So if we want continued inspiration after this conversation, where can we go to follow you two and your adventures?   Sam Mathews: (55:30 - 56:08) Yes, we do. Our kids love watching our travels and stuff. We share along for videos and stuff on YouTube, Facebook.   But we share our life on every platform. We are Dan and Sam. Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook.   And then Dan has his hunting content over at the Nomadic Outdoorsman. And yeah, we share day-to-day life, what that looks like, lifestyle. But then our travels, our adventures, mom life, welcoming a new baby, our surrogacy journeys, whatever life looks like at that time and how we're enjoying it, what God's teaching us, where we're going.   And we laugh along the way, the encouragement and try to inspire you to live an adventurous, fun-filled life.   Laura Dugger: (56:09 - 56:28) Love it. We'll add links to all of those things in the show notes for today's episode. And you two may already be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge.   And so, as my final question for both of you today, what is your savvy sauce?   Sam Mathews: (56:31 - 57:15) Ooh, practical knowledge. Let's see. I would say with motherhood, don't think that, I don't know if this would be considered savvy sauce, but it's just a good reminder to myself that as a mom, you may think you're alone in something, you're going through it, and it's just you, but you're not.   You are with a community of people who are feeling the same thing that you're walking through, going through the same thing, and just reminding yourself you're not alone because I think it makes the journey a lot easier to know that there's other people walking through the same season, the same hardship, the same joy, the same trials as you. And it makes life a little bit easier when you feel less alone.   Dan Mathews: (57:16 - 58:26) I think for me, it would be that your kids are going to be an extreme version of what you are. So, if you're showing fear and decisions, if you're hesitant, if you're not trusting the Lord, that's gonna be compounded in their lives. And they're just a more magnified mirror image of what their parents are.   And so, we try to, in everything that we do, go, is this something that's gonna set up our kids for success? And it's not like, oh, we have to have money in the bank for them, you know, for a retirement fund one day or a college fund. I'm talking like everyday lessons.   If I put my phone screen in front of my kids, they're gonna do that more and more and more. If I prioritize things that aren't meant to be prioritized over my wife, they're gonna see that. And so, we try to be very, very clear about what our priorities are.   We try to live intentionally, showing them the right way to do things and being an example to them. And so, yeah, that'd be my savvy sauce.   Laura Dugger: (58:27 - 58:49) I love it. You two are so full of integrity and you definitely shine the love and the light of Jesus brightly by the way that you live. So, I know I'm leaving this conversation feeling very inspired to choose adventure.   And I just wanna say thank you for being my guest today.   Sam Mathews: Thank you so much for having us. It was a joy.   Dan Mathews: (58:49 - 58:50) It was a blast.   Laura Dugger:  (58:52 - 1:02:06) One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before?   It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.   If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him. You get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you ready to get started? First, tell someone.   Say it out loud. Get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents

Today we honor the journey of Mary B. Safrit, a writer, podcaster, and content creator, to explore her story of growing up in the Bible Belt, navigating faith, queerness, and deconstruction. Mary B. shares candid reflections on her upbringing, spiritual journey, and the challenges and growth that come with embracing her identity and leaving behind people-pleasing tendencies. Together, MaryB & Leslie discuss the complexities of church culture, relationships, and finding authentic community.Topics of Interest:Childhood memories growing up on a farm and in the SouthNavigating multiple church traditions (Methodist, Episcopalian, Catholic school, Southern Baptist)Experiences with evangelicalism, purity culture, and people-pleasingComing out as queer and the impact on faith and relationshipsThe challenges of deconstruction and leaving church communitiesThe importance of authentic friendships and making peace with lossBuilding community, healthy relationships, and embracing personal agencyMary B.'s work as a podcaster and writer, and where to find her onlineCheck out MaryB's podcast, Found Family HERE.Find out more about MaryB on her WEBSITE. Honoring the Journey is hosted, produced and edited by Leslie Nease and the artwork for the show is also created by Leslie Nease.Want to get updates/announcements and a FREE Deconstruction Journaling Prompt PDF? Sign up for Leslie's Monthly Newsletter! You can do that HERE.Pick up Leslie's new book, Honoring the Journey: The Deconstruction of Sister Christian here.Interested in working with Leslie as your Life/Faith Transitions Coach? Check out her website and learn more about what she offers! https://www.leslieneasecoaching.comIf you'd like to be a part of the Honoring the Journey Team as a Patreon Supporter, please check it out at this link!Would you like to leave a voicemail for Leslie? Click here!If you are looking for community as you deconstruct or just a place to go and enjoy the company of people who are seekers, learners and who are looking to connect with the Divine without religious baggage, please join the Private Facebook Community! Leslie is very passionate about connection and community, so if that sounds like you, please come join us!

Episode 25:32 Why Going To Church Can Be BAD For Your Health

What happens when knowledge becomes more important than faith? In this penetrating exploration of 2 Peter 2, we confront the uncomfortable reality of false teaching and its destructive influence in our lives.The sermon begins with a fishing story that captures our relationship with Scripture. Sometimes we throw out a perfect cast net that catches nothing, while a tangled mess somehow brings in fish. Similarly, our approach to God's word shouldn't depend on our expertise but on our willingness to swim under whatever net the Holy Spirit casts.At its heart, this message examines how false teachers operate—secretly introducing destructive ideas that appeal to our desires for comfort, success, and sensuality. They promise freedom while being enslaved themselves. The metaphor is striking: false teachers hand you a spoon to dig out of your prison while Christ stands nearby holding the key. Most dangerously, their deception doesn't explode like a short-fused firework; it slowly leads you down a path until you're far from truth.What makes this message uniquely powerful is its challenge to the knowledge-centered Christianity prevalent in Bible Belt culture. Through biblical examples like Noah (who built a boat before ever seeing rain) and Lot (who made terrible decisions yet remained righteous through faith), we see that God values faith over expertise. Noah is called righteous not because he knew everything but because when he had nothing to go on except God's word, he said, "That's enough for me."The sermon concludes with a profound insight: God isn't terribly concerned that we get everything right; He's concerned that we never stop running to be made right. This distinction changes everything about how we approach our spiritual lives. Are the voices speaking into your life drawing you closer to Jesus or further away? Are you pursuing knowledge as your salvation, or are you pursuing Christ with the knowledge you have?If you've ever felt that intellectual understanding of Scripture should be enough, or if you're wondering how to discern true teaching from false, this message offers both challenge and hope. Listen now and discover why swimming under God's net is always better than trying to throw your own. If you want to learn more about the MidTree story or connect with us, go to our website HERE or text us at 812-MID-TREE.

Send us a textWhat happens when you feel God calling you to something new? In this pivotal episode, host Justin reveals his plans to plant King's Banner Church in Tyler, Texas, bringing along a vision to revitalize faith in what he describes as "the buckle of the Bible belt." The announcement comes alongside news of his forthcoming book "Burn," described as a "field manual for catching spiritual fire."Drawing from Matthew 9:36-38, Justin unpacks a powerful ministry principle: when we take spiritual responsibility through prayer, God begins giving us spiritual authority to act. This principle has guided his journey from small living room gatherings to now launching a church with 30-35 people. The conversation explores how we often pray for change but fail to recognize we might be the very answer to those prayers.The hosts dive deep into what they call "event Christianity" – the phenomenon of Sunday services that look impressive but don't transform lives beyond the weekend. Justin challenges listeners to consider whether they've chosen "looking faithful" over actually exercising faith, noting how comfort has become the enemy of calling for many believers.Perhaps most provocatively, Justin suggests that while many churches focus exclusively on reaching the lost, there's an urgent need to disciple those already in the pews: "If you want to reach the lost, start with raising up the found." He shares alarming statistics about declining church attendance in the Bible Belt, painting a picture of communities that know just enough about Jesus to miss knowing Him personally.As Justin prepares for this transition, longtime podcast listeners can rest assured that Navigate will continue with co-host Tim and new team member Casey. The episode concludes with an invitation to follow the journey of King's Banner Church and support this mission to awaken what Justin calls "the sleeping giant of lethargic Christianity." For those feeling that nudge toward their own next step of faith, this conversation offers both challenge and encouragement to move beyond comfort into purpose.Check out Kingsbanner.org Support the show

"Segment one – on the road again, drunk intros, comedy highs & lows, bouncing back mid-bathroom break, killer early show vs 9:30 chaos, swingers oversharing, post-show paychecks, giving fans too much conversation, palmetto belts & Go to Hell pants, Charleston bar weirdos, two Confederate flags too many, ghost bartenders, Florida runs, the art of reveling in your wins, ego balance, bad vibes in the Bible Belt, comedy therapy, Jordan vs moist hotel floors...Segment two – midnight gas station pit stop, ghost girl vs tech bro, ghost cat makes bank, Jonathan can't pee under pressure, British soldier bathroom bullies, would you rather, Three's Comedy Tour… @ jordancentry @mrwilliamscomedy @kingjasonallen podcastzoningout@gmail.com Three's Comedy Tour at Copper Fox Distillery in Sperryville VA - July 18th & 19thhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/threes-comedy-tour-at-copper-fox-distillery-tickets-1337308849769?aff=ebdssbdestsearch"

Send us a textEp 633: A Journey to Sexual Liberation! Join us!Lauren Elise Rogers is a Certified Holistic Sexuality Educator and Embodied Intimacy & Relationship Coach, celebrated for her warm and approachable style. Her holistic and embodied approach to education and coaching is deeply rooted in her own pain-to-purpose journey.Summary:Discover how Lauren Elise Rogers transformed from a restrictive Bible Belt upbringing to become a certified holistic sexuality educator helping others reclaim their sexual autonomy. This powerful episode explores the intersection of faith, sexuality, pleasure, and personal empowerment.Lauren shares her compelling journey through divorce and self-discovery, highlighting how early religious teachings can shape our relationship with intimacy. Through her work as an intimacy coach, she guides clients in untangling inherited beliefs about sexuality while maintaining their spiritual connections.Key highlights:- Exploring the contradiction between religious celebration and condemnation of sexuality- Understanding erotic plasticity and belief systems- Identifying and "weeding out" limiting beliefs from different life stages- The importance of body wisdom in setting boundaries- Reframing pleasure and consent in intimate relationshipsReady to challenge your own beliefs about sexuality and spirituality? Listen to this transformative episode that bridges the gap between faith and sexual empowerment.Timeline:00:00:02 - Exploring Sexual Wellness and Education, intimacy00:03:07 - Exploring Sexuality and Religious Beliefs00:07:25 - Exploring Faith and Spiritual Practices00:09:41 - Embracing Pleasure and Human Experience00:12:21 - Breaking Free from Negative Beliefs00:26:17 - The Importance of Negotiating Pleasure00:35:16 - Exploring the Roots of Sexuality00:48:00 - Understanding Childhood Sexual Exploration00:50:58 - Teaching Kids About Healthy Sexuality00:53:33 - Body Image and Tampon Myths00:54:53 - Questioning Beliefs About Sex and Consent00:57:25 - Exploring Safe Consensual SexKey Takeaways:• Lauren transformed her life from a restrictive background in Virginia's Bible Belt to embracing a pleasure-centered approach to intimacy, which challenges conventional religious teachings.  • Her journey included overcoming early marital struggles and a divorce, showcasing that personal growth can stem from significant life changes.  • Lauren emphasizes the importance of examining and redefining ingrained beliefs about relationships and self-worth to foster empowerment and self-awareness.Connect with Lauren:Website: www.sexedforyou.com/freeconsultYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@partnershippodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sex_ed_for_you/Support the showExclusives: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1599808/subscribeRuan's newsletters: https://subscribepage.io/ruanwillowhttps://linktr.ee/RuanWillow https://payhip.com/RuanWillowBooks Affiliates BeeDee dating app https://beedee.app/?r=ohfuckyeahThe Fantasy Box https://thefantasybox.sjv.io/c/6250602/2141126/26423

On today's show, episode 179, I'm speaking with David L. Jones, who grew up under the umbrella of the Southern Baptist Church in North Carolina, USA. I had a wonderful conversation with David about his spiritual journey, from his vocation as Pastor of an Independent Sunday-keeping Baptist Church to pastoring a Seventh-day Sabbath-keeping fellowship located in a high concentration area of the North Carolina Bible Belt. The area has a strong presence of Protestant evangelical and fundamentalist Christians who collectively maintain a strong influence on religious beliefs based on social and political life. I'll be speaking with David about his spiritual journey, leading both he and his wife into pursuing a lifestyle according to the Laws of the Mosaic Torah, especially that of observing the Seventh-Day Sabbath and keeping biblical festivals in harmony with the teachings of the Dead Sea Scrolls Zadokite Ecclesiastical Calendar and faithfully adhering to the Torah's clean and unclean food laws. David and the Baptist Church he was pastoring stopped putting up Christmas Trees and partaking in whole-hog barbecues, the eating of pork shoulders, bacon, and a unique blend of seafoods such as oysters, clams, and shrimp. With all these changes, we'll learn how they affected not only his immediate family but also how the biblical Torah amazingly touched and changed the lives of the congregation he was pastoring as an Independent North Carolina Baptist Church. Further, we'll also learn about the Jones Family singers and their love for music in the genres of Southern Gospel and Bluegrass. Please, join me now for my interview with David L. Jones.

Please, feel free to send a text message here and give us feedback. Also, you may send a text msg or leave voicemail (425) 550-6670. Please DO NOT ask questions here because I have no way to respond to your questions. If you have questions, please send an email: questions@cominghome.co.ilOn today's show, episode 179, I'm speaking with David L. Jones, who grew up under the umbrella of the Southern Baptist Church in North Carolina, USA. I had a conversation with David about his spiritual journey, from his vocation as Pastor of an Independent Sunday-keeping Baptist Church to pastoring a Seventh-day Sabbath-keeping fellowship located in a high concentration area of the North Carolina Bible Belt. The area has a strong presence of Protestant evangelical and fundamentalist Christians who collectively maintain a strong influence on religious beliefs based on social and political life. I'll be speaking with David about his spiritual journey, leading both he and his wife into pursuing a lifestyle according to the Laws of the Mosaic Torah, especially that of observing the Seventh-Day Sabbath and keeping biblical festivals in harmony with the teachings of the Dead Sea Scrolls Zadokite Ecclesiastical Calendar and faithfully adhering to the Torah's clean and unclean food laws. David and the Baptist Church he was pastoring stopped putting up Christmas Trees and partaking in whole-hog barbecues, the eating of pork shoulders, bacon, and a unique blend of seafoods such as oysters, clams, and shrimp. With all these changes, we'll learn how they affected not only his immediate family but also how the biblical Torah amazingly touched and changed the lives of the congregation he was pastoring as an Independent North Carolina Baptist Church. Further, we'll also learn about the Jones Family singers and their love for music in the genres of Southern Gospel and Bluegrass. Please, join me now for my interview with David L. Jones. Support the show

When we experience consequences for the sin that we are partaking in, we need to respond in worship, thanking God for loving us enough to discipline us. The Bible is never supposed to be used as a weapon against us but rather as the Good News that there is forgiveness for those who believe and repent.

When we experience consequences for the sin that we are partaking in, we need to respond in worship, thanking God for loving us enough to discipline us. The Bible is never supposed to be used as a weapon against us but rather as the Good News that there is forgiveness for those who believe and repent. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/640/29

Jonathan Van Ness is here, queer, and worried about JD Vance not getting it in the rear.Order our new book, join our cult, and more by clicking here: https://linktr.ee/ivehaditpodcast.Thank you to our sponsors:Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://SHOPIFY.COM/haditHoneyLove: Save 20% Off Honeylove by going to honeylove.com/Hadit! #honeylovepodAddyi, The Little Pink Pill: See full prescribing information and medication guide, including boxed warning for severe low blood pressure and fainting, at http://addyi.com/piBilt: Start paying rent through Bilt and take advantage of your Neighborhood Benefits™ by going to https://joinbilt.com/HADIT.Homes.com: When it comes to finding a home - not just a house - we have everything you need to know, all in one place. https://homes.com. We've done your home work.Follow Us:I've Had It Podcast: @IvehaditpodcastJennifer Welch: @mizzwelchAngie "Pumps" Sullivan: @pumpspumpspumpsSpecial Guest: Jonathan Van Ness @jvn ​See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of The Guilty Files: Revisited, Brian and Dani pull back the heavy velvet curtain on one of the South's most chilling and misunderstood cases: The Corpsewood Manor Murders.Set deep in the remote woods of Georgia, the brutal killings of Dr. Charles Scudder and Joseph Odom in 1982 were far more than a simple robbery gone wrong.Brian uses his law enforcement and investigative background to walk us through the crime scene, the suspects, and the tragic chain of events that led two killers to this secluded sanctuary. Meanwhile, Dani peels back the layers of fear, rumor, and societal judgment that surrounded Corpsewood Manor—examining the cultural anxieties of the Bible Belt, homophobia, Satanic Panic, and the dangerous intersection of isolation and rumor-fueled hysteria.Together, they explore the media myths, police missteps, and moral panic that still linger around this case, asking hard questions about justice, bias, and the way small-town narratives can distort the truth. Was Corpsewood a true den of evil as some claimed? Or were Scudder and Odom simply unconventional victims in a deeply intolerant time?It's a case filled with shocking details, cultural complexities, and moral gray areas—and one that hits very close to home for Brian in more ways than one.

There are moments in life that break us and moments that remake us. Mo Isom Aiken's story is one of both. From an Elite Division 1, All-American athlete to a woman haunted by trauma, addiction, and suicidal despair, Mo's life took a dramatic turn when a near-fatal car crash became the very altar where heaven met earth. What followed was a supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit that not only saved her life, but ignited a transformation so complete it would ripple through her marriage, her motherhood, and her mission around the world. This isn't just a story of redemption. It's a call to awaken to the invisible spiritual warfare waging over every soul—and to the freedom that comes with surrendering everything.In this episode of the Revelations Podcast, host Reagan Kramer sits down with Mo Isom Aiken for an unfiltered, deeply moving conversation that spans trauma, healing, and the raw power of a life fully yielded to Jesus. Mo opens up about growing up in the Bible Belt, navigating father wounds and performance-based identity, and the spiritual warfare that nearly claimed her life. Together, they explore Mo's radical encounter with God in the wreckage of her Jeep, the prophetic call that led her family from a fifth-wheel RV across 48 states to the mission fields of Nigeria, and the power of intercession that reshaped her view of prayer entirely.This episode is for the believer who feels stuck in cycles of shame or silence, the seeker longing to hear God's voice again, or the weary warrior who needs to remember what it means to defect from the kingdom of darkness and live fully alive in Christ.Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:Gain deeper understanding of how a supernatural encounter with God can occur amidst unimaginable personal tragedy.Learn how radical obedience—like selling everything and living in an RV—can unlock divine provision and spiritual growth.Reflect on the importance of prayer, spiritual warfare, and intimacy with the Holy Spirit in a chaotic world.Become Part of Our Mission! Support The Revelations Podcast:Your support fuels our mission to share transformative messages of hope and faith. Click here to learn how you can contribute and be part of this growing community!ResourcesMore from the Revelations Podcast hosted by Reagan Kramer: Website | Instagram | Apple Podcast | YoutubeConnect with Mo Isom Aiken: Website | Instagram | Facebook | XCheck out the online course “Sex, Jesus, and the Conversations the Church Forgot” by Mo Isom Aiken Read “Wreck My Life: Journeying from Broken to Bold” by Mo Isom Aiken “Fully Known: An Invitation to True Intimacy with God” by Mo Isom Aiken | Buy Here Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA): WebsiteBible VersesJohn 10:10John 14:6Ephesians 6:12Mark 12:30 Luke 10:27John 5:6–92 Corinthians 12:91 Thessalonians 5This Episode is brought to you by Advanced Medicine AlternativesGet back to the active life you love through natural & regenerative musculoskeletal healing: https://www.georgekramermd.com/Episode Highlights[00:31] The Battle Between KingdomsThere's a real war for our souls, one that doesn't start with politics or behavior but with allegiance to light or darkness.Just as no man can serve two masters, we cannot live in both worlds. That lie keeps us stuck, powerless, and numb to God's call.Cultural Christianity is an illusion; we should consider what full surrender actually looks like.Mo Isom Aiken, a former All-American athlete turned revivalist and prophetic voice shares her story of defection from darkness—and the fire of obedience that followed.[02:56] Mo Isom Aiken: Childhood and Early LifeMo discovered her identity through competitive sports.Despite being raised in a Christian household, her faith was cultural and lacked deep personal roots.She describes the impact of early exposure to pornography and the pressure of performance-based love from her father.Her struggle with an eating disorder and need for control remained hidden behind a mask of success.[12:22] Transition to College and Personal StrugglesAt LSU, Mo excels as an All-American goalkeeper but continues battling inward brokenness.[13:02] Mo: “How much of my true self and my true life can people handle? Because they have this picture of me, and yet I am destroyed inside.”Her father committed suicide, devastating Mo both emotionally and spiritually.She turns to sexual sin, secrecy, and self-harm, wrestling with suicidal thoughts and tormenting spiritual voices.Though publicly praised, she describes living with private torment and deep spiritual oppression.[20:54] Spiritual Awakening and HealingMo survives a violent car crash and has a supernatural encounter with the Holy Spirit while trapped in the wreckage.She describes the weight and wonder of God's presence as overwhelming yet freeing.[22:58] Mo: “The kingdom of darkness was literally mad because things had been set up in my life that my gifts, my talents, my destiny, my anointing, my very God, given fingerprint of God, purpose was going to be leveraged for evil was going to advance the kingdom of darkness, if not for the mercy of Jesus”In that moment, she chooses full surrender to Jesus and receives a baptism of fire.Her salvation marks a clear defection from darkness into God's Kingdom—spiritually, emotionally, and physically.[28:20] Recognizing God in the Midst of DarknessMo reflects on how God pursued her even during seasons of rebellion and bondage.She shares a deliverance session where a spirit confessed she had “defected” from its kingdom.The conversation highlights how spiritual warfare is strategic and real—but God's grace is more powerful.Mo encourages listeners to stop excusing bondage and fully embrace the invitation to be made whole.[33:22] Impact of Faith on Personal RelationshipsReturning to campus, Mo feels conviction and begins separating from old friends and sinful patterns.She committed herself to purity and obedience, even when it meant facing rejection and isolation.[39:07] Mo: “But if you won't separate yourselves from the ones who are holding you back from your destiny — then you've tightly gripped something God's asking you to open your hands about right? When you open your hands, when you let go of things, He will then, in time, refill what is His good portion.”Through FCA, she found a godly community, received a baptism at LSU, and experienced revival.A two-year intimacy fast sets the stage for meeting her husband, Jeremiah, and building a Christ-centered family.[46:45] Fifth Wheel Missions and Family LifeMo recalls receiving a prophetic word in college about living in a fifth-wheel RV and going on mission.A decade later, she and Jeremiah sell everything and travel the U.S. with their four kids, sharing the gospel.She shares how moments of humor and hardship—like a sewage overflow—shaped their faith and resilience.The RV season prepared them for deeper obedience and future international missions.[56:44] Mission to Nigeria and Angelic VisitMo recounts a dream where an angel tells her she'll go to Nigeria to forge a deeper connection to the divine.Initially resistant due to fear for her children, she surrenders and receives confirmation from her mentors.The family spent eight months in Lagos serving under Nigerian spiritual leaders.Their time becomes a season of discipleship, humility, and spiritual equipping for future ministry.[1:14:19] The Power of Prayer: Greatest Takeaway from NigeriaMo describes prayer as the single greatest lesson from their mission season.In Nigeria, daily prayer was non-negotiable—fostering spiritual strength, wisdom, and breakthrough.She challenges Western believers to move prayer from a fallback to a foundation.Prayer, she emphasizes, is the gateway to discernment, power, and intimacy with God.[1:21:24] Teaching the Next Generation to Prioritize PrayerMo and Reagan discuss the difficulty of maintaining a prayerful life amid Western busyness and distractions.Mo explains how she and Jeremiah are raising their children to see prayer as essential, not optional.They commit to resisting hustle culture and modeling devotion in everyday life.Mo calls for prayer warriors to arise—those who walk in reverence, not performance. [1:32:39] Spiritual Warfare and the Call to Live Fully SurrenderedMo prays a powerful blessing over listeners for renewal, healing, and sanctification.Revival begins in surrendered hearts, not just pulpits; it is in living God's Word to be kind and loving to all those around you.It is our time to live fully awake, defecting from darkness and advancing God's Kingdom with boldness. About Mo Isom AikenMo Isom Aiken is a prophetic voice, revivalist, and bestselling author whose life and ministry are marked by radical obedience, spiritual boldness, and supernatural transformation. A former all-American goalkeeper at LSU, Mo encountered the living God in a near-fatal car accident that became a divine turning point. From the ashes of trauma, addiction, and loss—including her father's suicide—Mo rose into deep intimacy with Jesus and a calling to call others out of darkness and into the light. With more than 14 years of experience speaking, teaching, and discipling, Mo now carries a powerful anointing for deliverance, prayer, and spiritual awakening.Alongside her husband Jeremiah and their four children, Mo lives as part of a family on mission—mobilizing across America in a fifth-wheel RV before being prophetically sent to Nigeria through an angelic encounter. Their journey is a living testimony of surrendered faith, courageous intercession, and generational restoration. Whether preaching in churches, serving the overlooked, or training others in spiritual warfare, Mo is driven by one purpose: to see Jesus made known, captives set free, and the Kingdom of God established on earth as it is in heaven.Connect with Mo on her website or socials: Instagram, Facebook, or X.Enjoyed this Episode?If you did, subscribe and share it with your friends!Post a review and share it! If you enjoyed tuning in about generational curses and how to break them, leave us a review. You can also share this with your friends and family. Revival starts in the heart willing to defect from darkness and say yes to God. It rarely feels convenient, but in surrender, healing flows to your life and everyone around you.Have any questions? You can connect with me on Instagram.Thank you for tuning in! For more updates, tune in on Apple Podcasts.    

What happens when freedom becomes a threat... and fantasy meets a gun barrel?In this haunting ReWired episode, Dani steps beyond the factual ruins of The Corpsewood Manor Murders and into the dark psychological maze left behind.Dr. Charles Scudder and Joseph Odom weren't just victims of a brutal double homicide in the isolated woods of Georgia — they were scapegoats of a society that feared what it couldn't understand.But was this really about Satanism? Or sex? Or stolen money?Or... was it about a slow-simmering cocktail of paranoia, repressed desire, and desperate identity?

Tucked deep in the woods of northern Georgia, the stone ruins of Corpsewood Manor still whisper secrets—of ambition, isolation, and brutality. In this week's Uncovered episode, host and former law enforcement officer Brian peels back the layers of one of the South's most chilling and misunderstood double homicides.This isn't just a story about murder.It's about fear. Judgment. And the fatal consequences of standing out in a place that demands conformity.

CULTIVATING SAINTS, SAGES, AND STATESMEN THROUGH THE GREAT TRADITION OF CHRISTENDOMIn this episode, we interview Deacon Harrison Garlick, a former "Bible Belt" protestant who became not only Catholic, but an ordained Catholic Deacon, and the Chancellor of an entire Diocese thanks to the Bible, beauty, and Church history.Deacon Garlick is a member of Eternal Christendom's Advisory Board, and the co-host of "Ascend: The Great Books Podcast." You can follow him on X: https://x.com/HarrisonGarlic1VISIT OUR WEBSITEhttps://eternalchristendom.com/BECOME A PATRON OF THE GREAT TRADITIONHelp us continue to dig into the Great Tradition; produce beautiful, substantive content; and gift these treasures to cultural orphans around the world for free:https://eternalchristendom.com/become-a-patron/EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNTS AT ETERNAL CHRISTENDOM BOOKSTOREhttps://eternalchristendom.com/bookstore/CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIAX: https://twitter.com/JoshuaTCharlesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/joshuatcharles/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuatcharles/DIVE DEEPERCheck out Eternal Christendom's "Becoming Catholic," where you'll find hundreds of thousands of words of free content (as big as the Bible!) in the form of Articles, Quote Archives, and Study Banks to help you become, remain, and deepen your life as a Catholic:https://eternalchristendom.com/becoming-catholic/LISTEN ON APPLEhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eternal-christendom-podcast/id1725000526LISTEN ON SPOTIFYhttps://open.spotify.com/show/3HoTTco6oJtApc21ggVevu

This week, V and Sami are joined by Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan, hosts of the I've Had It podcast, to talk about their new book Life Is a Lazy Susan of Sh*t Sandwiches. They dig into dealing with religious trauma, marriage to a sex addict, and what it's really like being progressive in the Bible Belt. Then, they deep dive into the overlap between faith and politics, the Democrats' ongoing messaging struggles, and why Trump still unfortunately has a hold on so many voters.  Watch this and more today youtube.com/@thebetchesnews!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Prohibition era (1920–1933), enacted by the 18th Amendment, birthed an overnight economy of moonshiners who distilled and distributed homemade liquor to meet America’s insatiable demand for alcohol, transforming rural farmers and opportunists into underground entrepreneurs who supplied speakeasies. But this new economy didn’t disappear after Prohibition was repealed. If anything, it became stronger, at least in the South. Moonshining persisted due to persistent poverty, high liquor taxes, and entrenched cultural traditions in the rural South, where Bible Belt traditions meant respectable folks didn’t want themselves to be seen at bars or liquor stores. It grew in the 1940s and only disappeared when industrial distillers were able to produce spirits that undercut moonshine prices. To explore this topic is Chris Skates, author of “Moonshine Over Georgia.” A historical fiction novel, it pulls from the harrowing, exciting, and very real stories Chris’ grandfather would tell him growing up, working as a revenue agent in Prohibition-era Georgia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nine days ago in Frisco Texas an altercation at a track meet shocked the nation. Austin Metcalf was a promising track and field athlete attending a championship competition when he got into a brief altercation with another athlete, Karmelo Anthony, over a tent. According to witnesses, in a matter of moments after the disagreement started, Karmelo took out a knife from his bag and stabbed Austin Metcalf in the heart. Austin died moments later in his twin brother's arms. This tragedy reopened the wound and division that has been present for nearly the entirety of our nation's history. Austin Metcalf is far from the first victim of black on white violence, bringing pressing and relevant questions about law, order, and race to the surface yet again. But as family and community mourn for Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony is being held in jail on a one million dollar bond, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been raised by the black community for Karmelo Anthony, who they see as a victim in the encounter, despite him confessing to the stabbing. We are at the point where even the unjustified murder of a high schooler cannot be objectively condemned as a terrible tragedy by some sides of the aisle.At a certain point it's time to say the quiet part out loud. Why are Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont the safest states to live in and also, coincidentally, the least diverse? Why are black women more likely to commit murder than white men? And what are the implications of this in relation to what neighborhood you live in, how you protect your family, and even what sports you put your kids in? This episode is brought to you by our premier sponsors, Armored Republic and Reece Fund, as well as our Patreon members and donors. You can join our Patreon at patreon.com/rightresponseministries or you can donate at rightresponseministries.com/donate.Join us today as we unpack this important topic.*MINISTRY SPONSORS:**Reece Fund.* Christian Capital. Boldly Deployedhttps://www.reecefund.com/*Private Family Banking*How to Connect with Private Family Banking:1. Send an email inquiry to banking@privatefamilybanking.com2. Receive a FREE e-book entitled "How to Build Multi-Generational Wealth Outside of Wall Street and Avoid the Coming Banking Meltdown", by going to https://www.protectyourmoneynow.net3. Set up a FREE Private Family Banking Discovery call using this link: https://calendly.com/familybankingnow/30min*Squirrelly Joes Coffee - Caffeinating The Modern Reformation*Our audience can get a free bag of coffee (just pay shipping) by visiting ⁠https://squirrellyjoes.com/rightresponse ⁠

Dr. Gillian Frank continues to explore the progressive religious communities in conservative areas, focusing on the Unitarian Universalist ministers and LGBTQ couples who participated in same-sex marriage ceremonies in Birmingham, Alabama. The episode highlights Reverend Luna Jensen Borad's, detailing the political and religious struggles leading to and following the legalization of same-sex marriage. Personal stories from Kay and Andrew illustrate the impact of finding liberal religious spaces in a conservative environment. The episode examines the intersection of faith and social justice, unraveling the complex history of marriage equality and the enduring presence of liberal religion in the Bible Belt. Red State Religions is produced by the Institute for Religion, Media, and Civic Engagement with generous funding from the Henry Luce Foundation. Created by Dr. Gillian Frank Producer: Andrew Gill Executive Producer: Dr. Bradley Onishi Audio Engineer and Music: R. Scott Okamoto Production Assistance: Kari Onishi For more research-based podcasts and public scholarship visit www.axismundi.us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first episode of 'Red State Religions,' host Dr. Gillian Frank explores the progressive religious communities in conservative areas, focusing on the Unitarian Universalist ministers and LGBTQ couples who participated in same-sex marriage ceremonies in Birmingham, Alabama. The episode highlights Reverend Luna Jensen Boad's and Reverend Lne Broussard's roles in these historic events, detailing the political and religious struggles leading to and following the legalization of same-sex marriage. Personal stories from Kay and Andrew illustrate the impact of finding liberal religious spaces in a conservative environment. The episode examines the intersection of faith and social justice, unraveling the complex history of marriage equality and the enduring presence of liberal religion in the Bible Belt. 00:00 Introduction to Red State Religions 00:51 A Historic Day in Alabama 05:30 The Path to Marriage Equality 15:53 Personal Stories of Love and Struggle 25:27 Finding Community in Unitarian Universalism 33:10 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview Red State Religions is produced by the Institute for Religion, Media, and Civic Engagement with generous funding from the Henry Luce Foundation. Created by Dr. Gillian Frank Producer: Andrew Gill Executive Producer: Dr. Bradley Onishi Audio Engineer and Music: R. Scott Okamoto Production Assistance: Kari Onishi For more research-based podcasts and public scholarship visit www.axismundi.us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices