Podcasts about Cedarville University

Designing Solutions That Serve PeopleGabriel Payne thought he knew what his future should look like. After an aptitude test in high school pointed him toward engineering, the path seemed straightforward: attend a large, nationally recognized university and earn the kind of degree serious engineers were expected to pursue. Schools like Purdue, Northwestern, Harvard, and MIT stood at the top of his list. In Gabriel's mind, Christian universities simply could not offer the same level of engineering education.That mindset made his eventual decision even more surprising.As a homeschooled student, Gabriel always enjoyed learning and creating. He loved building with Legos and blocks in his family's Chicago home, asking questions, and exploring new ideas, but he never fit the future engineer stereotype of the kid constantly dismantling gadgets in the garage.Instead, his interest in engineering emerged gradually, growing through the realization that he loved solving problems and thinking analytically. Once he recognized that direction, he pursued it with determination and began searching for a program that would prepare him well for the future.Along the way, Cedarville University entered the conversation almost unexpectedly. Since it was his father's alma mater, Gabriel decided to visit campus, not expecting the experience to change anything. Instead, the visit challenged nearly every assumption he carried about Christian higher education. He found an engineering program that was academically rigorous and highly respected, but he also discovered something else he had not anticipated: a community where professors genuinely invested in students' lives.The more time Gabriel spent on campus, the more he realized Cedarville offered something larger universities often could not: the chance to grow academically, spiritually, and personally all at once.That realization changed everything.Now as a rising senior expecting to graduate in 2027, Gabriel is majoring in mechanical engineering with minors in biomedical engineering and Bible. Along the way, he has found opportunities that continue to confirm he made the right decision. Recently, he shared his experience on the Cedarville Stories podcast, describing how Cedarville has prepared him academically while also shaping his faith and sense of calling.One of the clearest examples has been his involvement in research addressing neck strain in military pilots caused by helmet design, an often-overlooked problem with real human consequences. Through Cedarville's close partnership with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Gabriel has also gained access to mentorship, research, and hands-on development opportunities that have expanded both his technical skills and his understanding of how engineering can directly impact people's lives.Those experiences have not only strengthened Gabriel's confidence as an engineer but also clarified the kind of work he hopes to pursue after graduation. As technology advances through artificial intelligence, aerospace innovation, and biomedical engineering, he wants to work where “tech and the human body intersect,” developing solutions that improve lives rather than simply pursuing innovation for its own sake.For Gabriel Payne, engineering has become far more than designing systems or solving technical problems. It is a calling rooted in creativity, knowledge, and faith and an opportunity to serve people well and ensure that the human side of technology is never forgotten.https://share.transistor.fm/s/a4e7eb53https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUKBKTjjKLI

A Win-Win FaithCarlos Hidalgo was alone in the fitness center at his church on December 1, 2025, working through his normal exercise routine, when pain hit with terrifying force. He would later describe it as feeling like a bomb had exploded inside his head.At first, the 1993 Cedarville University graduate tried to shake it off. He got in his car and started driving home. But then he saw something that stopped him cold: an oncoming truck appeared only halfway in his field of vision.That was when Carlos knew this was no ordinary headache. He turned the car toward the emergency room, not knowing that a hemorrhagic stroke had already begun changing the course of his day, his family, and his story.Before that frightening drive to the emergency room, Carlos had already spent years thinking about what makes a life successful. It was a question he had carried from his Cedarville days into his work with business leaders, and one he has had to answer in his own heart.Many of his Cedarville classmates still know him by his lifelong nickname, “Bumper.” Today, Carlos operates his own business as an advisor, coach, and encourager to executives, helping leaders look past money, status, and empire-building to consider what matters most.He knows how easily those lesser measures can take hold. More than a decade ago, Carlos came to see success differently. For him, it means living for Jesus, loving well, and finding joy in each day God provides.That hard-earned understanding became an anchor in the hospital, where the days stretched long and the questions grew heavy. During the first week, Carlos experienced a second stroke, and Susanne, his wife of 31 years and a fellow Cedarville graduate, found herself facing the question no spouse ever wants to ask: “Will I be a widow?”Still, fear did not get the last word.Carlos and Susanne leaned hard into prayer, and God's people quickly gathered around them. Their church family prayed, thousands more joined in, and when Carlos was life-flighted to Albany, eight friends from church reached the hospital before Susanne. Cedarville friends they had not seen in more than 30 years stepped close again too, helping with medical expenses and reminding the Hidalgos just how far the love of Christ can reach.Even in the middle of that uncertainty, Carlos saw the road ahead with remarkable peace and clarity. He called it a “win-win.” If he died, he would be with Jesus. If he lived, he would receive the gift of more time with his family.Carlos recently shared his story on the Cedarville Stories podcast. With the weight of someone who has looked eternity in the face, he delivered a simple message: Don't drift through life waiting for someday. Share the Gospel. Show the love of Jesus. Hold fast to love and truth.“God has called us to today,” Carlos says, “so get after it!”https://share.transistor.fm/s/f572d3f9https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC7ZY9gtbrQ

Finding Hope in Invisible GriefDrew Hensley has a way of stepping into people's troubles with the steady kindness of a pastor who knows Jesus meets us there. A 2007 graduate of Cedarville University, he now serves as a pastor in Charleston, South Carolina, with a heart for local church ministry and a deep compassion for people in pain.His compassion is rooted in the heart of Jesus, who sees people, welcomes them, and cares for them with steady mercy. Drew has tried to mirror that same kind of care in his own ministry, and that shepherding heart has shaped not only how he serves others but how he and his wife, Laura, have walked through their own struggles.Drew and Laura followed the Lord's calling with trust — even when that calling led them far from home to plant a church in Seattle. Adding to the bumpy road was the news that they could not have biological children. That loss cracked something open in them, and out of that ache came Invisible Grief.In Invisible Grief, Drew writes for the quiet sorrow many people carry — the kind that hides beneath a smile when hopes, dreams, and good desires do not come to fruition.He writes for those living with chronic illness, singleness, infertility, and other unseen wounds, offering the kind of encouragement that comes from both Scripture and experience. His voice is tender, honest, and full of hope, because he knows grief often does its deepest work in the hidden places.Through seasons of grief and prayer, Drew and Laura discovered that God had not abandoned them in the dark. He met them there. He gave them grace to keep trusting, and in time, He showed them His goodness in surprising ways. The adoption of their son, Silas, worked out through circumstances that only the Lord could arrange. Along the way, Drew says their relationship with God grew even closer, more intimate, and more hopeful.That same hope fills the pages of Invisible Grief. Drew's great encouragement is simple and sturdy: God sees, God knows, and God will restore all things.On the Cedarville Stories podcast, Drew shared his journey with the same honesty and warmth that permeate his book, pointing listeners to an everlasting hope big enough to hold both joy and grief — one that never lets sorrow have the final word.https://share.transistor.fm/s/293299e8https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tf_ZLHE9sk

Sheep, Stage Lights, and ScriptureLong before Abigail King set foot on the stage at Cedarville University, she was already dreaming of a life that would combine her greatest loves: animals and theatre. Even as a little girl growing up in sunny Florida, she imagined a future where the joy of performance could meet the companionship of creatures great and small.That dream stayed with her, and when it came time to choose a college, Cedarville was the right place.Abigail stepped onto campus with a dream in her heart, but she had no clear map for how it would unfold. She thought she might pursue a degree in something with animals, but biology didn't quite suit her. It wasn't long before she found her way to the theatre department — a place that embraced her creative spirit and gave her room to grow.Abigail fell in love with theatre, believing it was where God would transform her more than she ever expected.As she recently shared on the Cedarville Stories podcast, Abigail is now living out that childhood dream in the most unexpected and delightful way — as an animal trainer at Sight and Sound Theatres in Branson, Missouri. There, amidst the spectacle of biblical productions, she helps bring stories from Scripture to life by working with the animals that share the stage with actors, lights, and music.“Sometimes our sheep are a little too friendly,” she laughed. “They'll stop in the middle of the show to hang out with David. The audience eats it up, but we're in the back whispering, ‘Go, go, go!'”Abigail also serves in the theatre's after-show ministry, where cast and crew meet guests for prayer and conversation. “It's such a blessing to connect with people after the show,” she said. “We get to be part of something much bigger.”Though she hopes to one day work with service animals and children, Abigail is joyfully rooted where God has her right now. “This is the dream,” she said. “I'm just following where He leads.”With a heart full of gratitude and a barn full of well-trained animals, Abigail King is living proof that when you trust God with your gifts, He'll write a story better than you imagined.https://share.transistor.fm/s/d9e14c0bhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnJFMaruzdw

A Calling Shaped by ProvidenceShannon Yarosz's story bears the marks of God's providence. Often, that providence feels ordinary in the moment and only later reveals how lovingly the story has been arranged. On the Cedarville Stories podcast, Shannon reflected on a journey shaped by science, compassion, and a deep desire to serve others well.That calling began to take shape during her years at The Ohio State University, where she studied microbiology. She loved science and the discovery that came with it, yet she also wanted her work to touch people's lives in practical, everyday ways. Pharmacy became a natural fit, giving her the opportunity to pair scientific knowledge with personal care and to step into people's questions and concerns with help that truly mattered.As Shannon moved through school, training, and professional life, God kept placing people in her path. Several of those individuals would later become her colleagues in Cedarville University's School of Pharmacy. At the time, those encounters may have seemed small and unremarkable. Looking back, they tell a different story. They reveal the Lord's quiet faithfulness in leading her to a place where her work and faith could flourish together.That spirit of service is easy to see in Ask the Pharmacist, a community education program produced in partnership with a local television station. Through that outreach, Shannon answers healthcare questions and shares practical medication guidance for viewers seeking clear, trustworthy help. She has a gift for making difficult topics easier to understand, and she meets each question with both professional knowledge and genuine kindness. She wants people to feel prepared to care for themselves and their families.Her life also has a joyful rhythm beyond the classroom and clinic. Shannon is a wife, mom, and working professional who makes room for fun alongside responsibility. Her family loves hockey, and she has gladly joined in. Her children cheer from the sidelines, sometimes with a little laughter, and her husband records videos with playful commentary. Whether she is guiding students, helping viewers, or laughing with her family at the rink, Shannon lives with a steady joy that makes her work shine.https://share.transistor.fm/s/283a18bbhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGo185Ddzho

A Steady Rhythm of HopeDr. Lou Lilite learned hope in the hard soil of Haiti. He grew up in a ministry family surrounded by the daily realities of poverty, where need was easy to see and impossible to ignore. Yet even there, God planted gifts and purpose in his life.Through his parents' example, Lou learned that faith looks beyond what is missing and trusts God's provision even before it comes into view. Over time, that steady confidence became part of who he was. Music also became one of the ways God directed his life. It helped form his calling and opened his eyes to a future he could not yet see.In time, those early lessons and that growing sense of purpose led him toward one of the longest journeys of his life. For two and a half years, Lou worked to come to America, pressing through 13 applications before the opportunity finally came. With each application, he kept moving toward the future God was opening before him, one closely tied to the music that had become part of his calling. Even after he arrived, the road did not suddenly become easy.Lou still faced hardship, adjustment, and disappointment, but he chose to focus on blessings instead of bitterness, and that choice gave his life a steady, hopeful rhythm. He learned to keep moving forward with open hands, grateful for what God had provided and trusting Him for what came next.Today, as a professor of music at Cedarville University, Lou teaches more than technique, theory, or performance. He carries a deep love for people and a heart tuned to hope. Students and neighbors alike encounter someone who has not forgotten where he came from or the grace that carried him.That is one reason he visits Haitian immigrants in nearby Springfield, Ohio. He wants them to hear from someone who has walked that difficult road, understands both the strain and the perseverance, and can say honestly that hope is worth holding onto.Lou also wants fellow believers to respond to immigrants with the compassion and openness of Christ. He sees a beautiful parallel in the Gospel itself: Jesus made a way for sinners to leave behind the death of sin and enter the life of Christ. In the same spirit, Lou believes Christians should welcome others with mercy, dignity, and care.When Lou shared his story on the Cedarville Stories podcast, that message rang clear. Hope shaped him in Haiti, sustained him in America, and now flows through his music, teaching, and ministry to others.https://share.transistor.fm/s/61d4e8b6https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAcDgRcbFdU

Held by God Through Every TrialBrandon Stover's story is marked by God's faithful presence through both unexpected joy and deep hardship. As he prepares to graduate from Cedarville University with a degree in special education, he does so with a heart shaped by struggle, strengthened by grace, and anchored in the steady leadership of the Lord.When Brandon came to Cedarville, he found much more than a place to earn a degree. He found a Christ-centered community that welcomed him, cared for him, and showed him the love of God in everyday ways.Through friendships, professors, and the ordinary rhythms of campus life, Brandon began to see that Cedarville was a place where faith was lived out. That sense of belonging became one of the sweetest parts of his journey. As he recently shared on the Cedarville Stories podcast, God's hand was evident in every chapter, gently reminding him that he was never walking alone.But Brandon's college years also carried deep pain.Just weeks into his first semester, Brandon's mom was involved in a tragic car accident. In an instant, he and his family were thrown into a season of fear, grief, and urgent prayer. So much felt uncertain, yet God met them there. He brought comfort in the middle of heartbreak and reminded Brandon that even when life changes suddenly, the Lord remains present and faithful.Then, Brandon faced a crisis of his own when he experienced an 18-hour seizure and was diagnosed with Functional Neurologic Disorder. What followed was not just a medical challenge but a deeply personal one marked by memory loss, uncertainty about the future, and the painful realization that life no longer felt the same.Coming back to Cedarville after that experience was humbling. Brandon has spoken honestly about the embarrassment he felt at first and the uncertainty that followed.Yet it was there, in one of the hardest parts of his story, that God's care became especially clear. Friends surrounded him with love. People who had simply heard what happened came forward to offer support. Professors met him with patience and compassion.In that season, Brandon did not just endure hardship; he experienced the Lord's kindness through a community that refused to let him walk alone.That perspective has deepened his calling. Brandon knows many students need more than instruction. They need someone who can look at them with patience, dignity, and hope and credibly say, “I understand.” His story has prepared him to be that kind of teacher.As Brandon steps into what comes next, he does so with a deeper confidence in the God who has already guided him this far. He is trusting the Lord to open the right doors as he begins looking for a teaching position, and he carries with him a compassion shaped by all he has walked through.Brandon's life reflects a quiet but steady truth: God has been near in every hardship, faithful in every unknown, and kind enough to prepare him to care well for the students He will one day place in his classroom.https://share.transistor.fm/s/6278ab34https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j19mCpGnerg

A Song of Worship in the Midst of Motherhood In the quiet, faithful work of motherhood, Renee (O'Neal) Sallee '10 has learned a truth strong enough to carry both a family and a song: God is enough. That conviction now rests at the heart of her music, ministry, and home. A 2010 graduate of Cedarville University with a degree in early childhood education, Renee records music as Renee Leanne, creating songs that rise out of worship and gently invite others to do the same. Her album, Lift Your Eyes, carries that invitation with warmth and hope, urging listeners to turn from the weight of their burdens and fix their hearts on the faithfulness of God. She and her husband, fellow Cedarville grad Brian Sallee '07, are raising four boys in a season full of noise, movement, and holy responsibility. In the middle of that full life, Renee has learned that worship is not confined to a platform or a microphone. As she shared on the Cedarville Stories podcast, worship begins with a surrendered heart, “on your knees, looking up.” That posture has shaped the way she sings, mothers, and serves. There is a homespun tenderness in the way Renee talks about ministry to women. She hopes her music can travel “from one rocking chair to another,” meeting mothers in the quiet places where much of their faithfulness unfolds. She understands the ministry of repetition, the long afternoons, the whispered prayers, and the deep need for strength that does not come from self. Her message is simple and deeply comforting: The Lord sees, stays near, and is worthy of praise in every season. That is why Renee especially wants to encourage mothers who are carrying the quiet weight of daily faithfulness. She knows many women are pouring themselves out in unseen ways, and she wants them to remember that worship is not one more task to accomplish; it is a grace that lifts the heart and roots the soul. In worship, believers are formed by truth. In worship, parents learn to lead with humility and hope. In worship, children begin to see what faithful love looks like in daily life. Homes grow stronger when they are shaped by the joy of belonging to the one true God. Through Lift Your Eyes, her testimony, and the life she is building with her family, Renee offers a hopeful witness. God receives every surrendered voice, strengthens every trusting heart, and uses worship to build faithful believers, godly parents, and children who learn to follow Him.https://share.transistor.fm/s/81469219https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkbN0kvq078

Behind the MusicBehind the scenes at K-LOVE and Air1, ministry feels deeply personal.What listeners hear as a song, a familiar voice, or a timely word starts long before the microphone turns on. It begins with a team that believes what people listen to really matters because what fills the mind often shapes the heart.That belief fuels the work of Cedarville University graduates Jim Houser '91, Chief Radio Officer; Mandy Young '99, Vice President of Radio; and Steve Shore '02, Music Platform Program Manager.Together, they help lead a ministry that reaches far beyond radio towers and playlists. Every song choice, on-air moment, and programming decision is shaped by a clear purpose: to bring hope, encouragement, and the truth of Christ into everyday life.What gives the ministry its reach is the thoughtful work that happens long before a song ever plays. Off the air, teams are praying, planning, listening, and asking what people need most.They understand that music does more than fill silence. It can reset a home after a hard day, bring peace into a tense commute, or turn someone's thoughts back toward God when anxiety starts to rise. That daily care shapes every part of the network, creating a sound that is hopeful, grounded, and centered on Jesus.That is why K-LOVE and Air1 continue to make such a lasting difference: In a noisy world, they offer something steady and life-giving. They encourage believers who need hope for today and welcome people who may be hearing about Jesus for the first time.The ministry's future is just as inspiring as its present. As K-LOVE and Air1 keep growing across radio, digital platforms — now reaching 18 million people a week — and new ways of connecting with listeners, their mission remains clear: meet people where they are and point them to Jesus.Houser, Young, and Shore recently talked about the impact of Christian radio on the Cedarville Stories podcast. Their conversation offered a warm glimpse into a ministry that keeps showing up, serving faithfully, and changing lives one song or story at a time.https://share.transistor.fm/s/733ca10fhttps://youtu.be/OkQlfbPKsps

Today's final chapel of the academic year honors Cedarville University's Senior Class. Senior Class Chaplain Landon Heft and Dr. Steve Dye, Associate Vice President of Christian Ministries, give charges to the graduating Seniors from the Book of Hebrews.

Today's speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Dr. White concludes his series in the Gospel of Mark, proclaiming that the risen Jesus calls us to go and tell. His text is Mark 16:1-8.

Today's speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Dr. White concludes his series in the Gospel of Mark, proclaiming that the risen Jesus calls us to go and tell. His text is Mark 16:1-8.

Today's All-Access Day chapel speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Dr. White continues his series in the Gospel of Mark, reflecting on the crucifixion and how we are called to respond. His text is Mark 15:1-47.

Today's All-Access Day chapel speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Dr. White continues his series in the Gospel of Mark, reflecting on the crucifixion and how we are called to respond. His text is Mark 15:1-47.

Today's speaker is Dr. Zach Bowden, Chief of Staff and Assistant Professor of Theological Studies at Cedarville University. Dr. Bowden concludes the series, "Exodus: Our God Saves," looking at chapter 40. He teaches that the glory of God is not an abstract notion, but rather, it is for us, and shines forth in the forgiveness of sins.

Summary: In this episode, I'm sharing a sermon that I recently preached in chapel at Cedarville University. I explore the meaning of Christ's death in light of the Passover meal, the institution of the Lord's supper, and the hope of resurrection.  Biblical Texts: Exod 13; Luke 22; Luke 24; 1 Cor 11; Rev 19 Watch Here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuGg04QoNmA   This podcast is hosted by Ched Spellman (https://linktr.ee/chedspellman). Thanks for listening! My Most Recent Book: One Grand Story: How the Bible Tells its Story and Why it Matters Substack Series on the Canonical Approach: https://bit.ly/3rht399 Digital Tip Jar ("Buy Me a Coffee"): https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chedspellman Clarifying Note: The views of special guests are their own & do not necessarily reflect my own or the organizations with which I am formally and informally affiliated.

Today's chapel is led by Cedarville University's Student Government Association. SGA Chaplain Ethan Foster teaches from Genesis 42-50 that God's supreme sovereignty and glorious goodness call us to forgive.

Celebrating $205.8 Million and Future Cedarville SphereThe future of Cedarville University seems to rise right out of the waters of Cedar Lake on the latest Cedarville Stories podcast.The conversation opens with the kind of news that gives Cedarville plenty to celebrate. Dr. Will Smallwood, Cedarville's Vice President for Advancement, reflects on the strong finish of the 1000 Days Transformed Campaign, which raised a record-setting $205.8 million. He describes a campus humming with momentum — scholarships are transforming students' lives, new facilities reshaping daily routines, and generous gifts strengthening Cedarville's mission for years to come.That momentum is already showing up across campus. Students are learning in new and upgraded spaces, living in expanded housing, and stepping into opportunities that would have seemed out of reach only a few years ago. Smallwood points to the growing number of students serving with Global Outreach teams, discipleship thriving in residence halls and chapel, and a University determined to remain faithful to its mission. Cedarville, he explains, is not simply enjoying the success of a completed campaign. It is stewarding those gifts carefully and putting them to work right now.That makes the next part of the conversation sound even more believable.As attention turns to rumors about Cedarville's future, one idea begins to loom larger than the rest: the Cedarville Sphere. Not a simple bridge over the lake. Not merely another campus building. A sphere. A striking, immersive, 100,000-square-foot venue rising in the middle of Cedar Lake, wrapped in a 360-degree LED display and designed to reimagine chapel, classes, concerts, and even athletic events. With talk of renderings, architectural conversations, innovation, and a projected $400 million price tag, the vision sounds ambitious but not impossible for a University riding a wave of growth and generosity.In fact, it sounds like classic Cedarville — daring, distinctive, and centered on student transformation. The vision feels bold, but not outlandish for a University fresh off a historic campaign and full of forward-looking energy. For most of the episode, the Cedarville Sphere stands there in the imagination like the next big step, a landmark-sized symbol of a campus already expanding in remarkable ways.But beware of the loftiness of the idea. In fact, you'll want to stay tuned to the entire program to dissect fact from fiction on this special April podcast.Clearly, the playful ending of the Cedarville Sphere does not take away from the larger story. It sharpens it. Cedarville may not be building a glowing globe on Cedar Lake, but it is clearly building something lasting in the lives of its students.https://share.transistor.fm/s/77f2c625https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5JI5Gi4NlY

Today's speaker is Dr. Bob Lutz, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at Cedarville University. Dr. Lutz takes us through Psalm 1, and looks at what Scripture says about happiness, as well as the habits that produce it.

Today's speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Dr. White continues his series in the Book of Mark, looking at chapter 14, where we see faithfulness contrasted with faithlessness.

Today's speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Dr. White continues his series in the Book of Mark, looking at chapter 14, where we see faithfulness contrasted with faithlessness.

Today's speaker is Dr. Ched Spellman, Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Cedarville University. In today's message, we reflect on the way Scripture allows us to remember our own rescue. Dr. Spellman looks at the final Passover of the old covenant, in Luke 22.

Today's chapel is led by Cedarville University's Student Government Association. SGA Chaplain Ethan Foster teaches from Genesis 39:21 - 41:57 that as we live for the mission of God, we must reject self-glory, and reflect God's glory.

Today's chapel is led by Cedarville University's Sophomore Class. Zeke Klenzman, Sophomore Class Chaplain, declares that God made us to be His people, so we must proclaim His excellencies and live holy, for His glory. His text is 1 Peter 2:9-10.

Today's All-Access Day chapel speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Speaking from Mark 13:1-37, Dr. White encourages us to stay awake, stand firm, and stay faithful; Jesus is coming again!

Today's All-Access Day chapel speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Speaking from Mark 13:1-37, Dr. White encourages us to stay awake, stand firm, and stay faithful; Jesus is coming again!

Walking With Lyme, Walking With GodSam Sofio carried a simple dream of attending Christian university where faith wasn't an accessory but the air everyone breathed. He pictured chapel worship and professors who prayed before class. He also sensed a calling to tell stories that point people to God.Then his health took a hard turn, and money worries crept in.He woke up bone-tired no matter how long he slept. Headaches throbbed behind his eyes, his joints ached, and his mind stayed foggy. Ordinary days started to feel like hills with no summit, and his dream began to look expensive and impossible.Sam refused to pretend it didn't hurt. He carried his questions to the Lord, sometimes through clenched teeth, and he learned a quiet truth: God never stepped back. In long nights and slow mornings, Sam found the Father near — steady, faithful, and kind.He spent many hours searching for answers. He clicked through articles and forums. He tried to name what was stealing his strength and hope to attend a Christian university. When Lyme disease finally entered the conversation, it brought relief and new complexity at the same time. Treatments took patience, and setbacks took humility. Chronic illness demanded daily courage. Still, God met Sam in his struggles and comforted him so he could comfort others.Little by little, God kept Sam's dream alive. Doors opened, and provision came when it mattered most. Strength arrived in measured portions — enough for the next step. As the fog lifted just enough to see forward, one path came into focus: the Christian campus he had prayed for.That path led him to Cedarville University. The suffering didn't end, yet God kept Sam steady through it. Cedarville became the place where Sam could keep healing, learning, and walking with the Lord.Now, Sam studies professional writing and information design as a junior. He hopes, Lord willing, to serve a Christian nonprofit like Samaritan's Purse after graduating in 2027. He wants to tell on-the-ground stories that help prayer partners and donors see what God is doing.Sam doesn't waste his scars. He advocates for others battling Lyme disease and other chronic illnesses, speaking up so they don't feel invisible, and he's shared his journey in places he never imagined. From a Health and Human Services panel to a conversation with HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., Sam carries one steady message wherever God sends him: The Lord meets people in suffering, and He stays.https://share.transistor.fm/s/8aeede8bhttps://youtu.be/6y9qK0R8LbY

Today's speaker is Dr. Jon Wood, Vice President for Student Life and Christian Ministries at Cedarville University. Dr. Wood teaches us about the instructions for the tabernacle in Exodus 35-39, and describes several facets of what true worship of God looks like.

Today's CU Friday chapel speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Speaking from Mark 11:27 - 12:44, Dr. White urges us to surrender our lives to the King who gave His life.

Today's CU Friday chapel speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Speaking from Mark 11:27 - 12:44, Dr. White urges us to surrender our lives to the King who gave His life.

Today's chapel is led by Cedarville University's Student Government Association. SGA Chaplain Ethan Foster urges us to live a life of purity, and flee sexual temptation. He looks at the example of Joseph in Genesis 37 - 39:20.

A Story Bigger Than FootballRedemption opens like a familiar football story — with helmets, stadium lights, and the pressure to win — but quickly clarifies its real focus: Jesus changing lives inside The Ohio State Buckeyes' program.Available through The Wonder Project on Amazon Prime, this docuseries follows an ongoing spiritual revival that can't be measured on a scoreboard. Behind it are two unlikely executive producers: Marlee and Matt Benson, a husband-and-wife duo who stepped into filmmaking because they believed the message mattered.When Marlee shared how Redemption became a reality on the Cedarville Stories podcast, she made one thing clear: She and Matt didn't start as film professionals. Marlee is a 2021 Cedarville University graduate with a degree in communication, and she and Matt are simply people who love sports and Jesus. They were surprised to find themselves telling a story so much bigger than their own experiences.The docuseries idea was sparked at church. Marlee and Matt listened as former Buckeye tight end Gee Scott Jr. shared his testimony, and the idea arrived with clarity. They needed to share what God has been doing in and through these players.Marlee and Matt didn't have a roadmap, so they prayed. They prayed when they felt unqualified, when the logistics looked impossible, and when the responsibility of representing real people and real faith felt heavy.Then, the prayers started turning into tangible steps. A production company came alongside them. Funding followed in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars that seemed out of reach for two newcomers. And as the project grew, it gained the backing of former Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow, lending his credibility and support to a story centered on Christ rather than fame.Even with resources, the hardest work stayed relational. Marlee and Matt had to tell the stories of multiple players who stood for Christ without flattening them into slogans. They had to earn trust deep enough for players to share truthfully, not carefully. They chose transparency because the message mattered more than the optics: Jesus transforms lives, and that transformation gives hope in the middle of pressure, performance, and public scrutiny.As the story took shape, Marlee kept noticing how the players talked about prayer: not as a lever to pull for wins but as a way to stay close to God when life doesn't go the way they want. Gee Scott Jr. puts words to it near the end of the series: People sometimes treat prayer like a path to a national championship, but God doesn't promise that. What He promises, as Romans 8:28 says, is to work all things together for good for those who love Him, even when the “all things” include delays, doubts, and hard conversations.By the time Redemption was finished, Marlee realized the story had been working on her, too, reshaping how she saw faith in the middle of pressure and performance. Watching players talk about Christ's joy shook her out of spiritual routine. Their excitement renewed her own faith and reminded her that God still changes people in the present tense.That's the quiet thread running through the whole project. Two fans stepped forward with open hands, not because they were experts, but because they were willing storytellers for God's glory. They pursued excellence, faced obstacles honestly, and kept praying through every unknown, driven by the belief that if even one person met Jesus through this story, it would be worth it. And in the end, Marlee and Matt watched God create hope on the screen through testimonies that kept echoing long after the credits rolled.https://share.transistor.fm/s/f5a8343bhttps://youtu.be/tqF2jbZdyAc

Join us for a conversation with Jonathan Arnold, an Associate Dean and an Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Cedarville University.

Today's speaker is Fletcher Colgan, winner of the MDiv Preaching Award at Cedarville University. Mr. Colgan shows us from Joshua 10 that the Lord is faithful to His promises, by destroying His enemies and fighting for His people.

What happens when success, hustle, and constant work stop bringing fulfillment? In this episode of Unstoppable Mindset, I talk with marketing strategist and entrepreneur Carlos Hidalgo about business growth, faith, burnout, and the hidden cost of hustle culture. Carlos shares his journey from corporate marketing leader to founder of Digital Exhaust, along with lessons from his book The UnAmerican Dream about work addiction, burnout, and redefining success. Their conversation explores why growth does not need to be complicated, why storytelling builds trust in business, and why boundaries matter more than work life balance. Carlos also opens up about faith, failure, relationships, and the power of honest conversations. You will hear practical insights on leadership, personal growth, community, and building a life that is both successful and meaningful. Highlights: ·  06:04 – Carlos explains how his faith became a personal relationship. ·  17:32 – Why he left corporate work to start his own business. ·  25:40 – His approach to making business growth simple. ·  30:17 – How hustle culture often leads to burnout. ·  42:29 – Why boundaries matter more than work life balance. ·  54:33 – Why real community helps solve loneliness. Top of Form Bottom of Form About the Guest: Carlos Hidalgo is the co-founder and CEO of Digital Exhaust, a growth partner that helps clients make growth simple. Carlos serves his clients as an advisor, consultant, and teacher to ensure they have meaningful engagement with their customers at every stage of the journey and are able to mature and create sustainable growth. Carlos has 30 years of experience working with organizations of all sizes as an advisor, consultant, innovator, and growth expert. He is widely recognized for his expertise in demand generation, marketing, sales, and customer experience and for coaching executives in the areas of leadership and managing change. In addition to his work with his clients, Carlos has won numerous marketing awards and been named to several prestigious industry lists as a marketing leader. Carlos is also the author of Driving Demand, which is ranked as a top 5 marketing book of all time by Book Authority, and The UnAmerican Dream, which was released in 2019. In addition to books, Carlos is a well-known international keynote and TEDx speaker. You can follow Carlos on LinkedIn or on Twitter @cahidalgo Ways to connect with Scott**:** LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlosahidalgo/ Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/CHidalgoJr Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cahidalgo_ Twitter/X: https://x.com/cahidalgo About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Well, hi and welcome once again to an episode of unstoppable mindset. Today, our guest is Carlos Hidalgo. Carlos has many facets about him. He's a speaker. He deals with growth and growth management and with his company. He tries to make growth simple for the people who are his clients. I'm interested in learning about that, but he does other things as well. He is also involved with his wife and marriage counseling, which is a little bit different than the one I think I find a lot of people to do. So I think we got lots to talk about. So, Carlos, I want to welcome you to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Carlos Hidalgo  01:59 Thank you for having me. Michael, it's an absolute pleasure. Well, let's Michael Hingson  02:03 start with the early Carlos, why don't you tell us about you growing up and all that sort of thing, and where you came from, where you're headed, or whatever. Carlos Hidalgo  02:14 Sure, I was born one of six children. I was the youngest for about four years, and then my my parents had two more. So I am smack dab in the middle of middle six siblings. Was born in New Jersey, but call where I'm at now home, which is a little town in the Adirondack Mountains. And the reason I call it home, I started coming to camp here when I was five years old. Fell in love with the area, and then my father, in 1983 moved us up here when I was 12, and fell more in love with it. And that lasted for four years. And then my junior of high school, or right after my sophomore year, was told, Hey, we're we're moving I was 16, I was pretty pissed off at the prospect of leaving a place I loved, so I had engineered a plan to stay through my junior and senior high school, which in my mind, made perfect sense in my parents' mind, and for reasons now I understand, because I'm a parent, did not make so much sense, but I came back as often as I could, and then my wife and I moved here back full time in 2021 we also lived here in the 90s for two years, had our first son here so but grew up really charmed childhood was my dad was in advertising, so we got tickets to Great sporting events. We had horses that I took care of, along with some of my siblings, developed a love of the outdoors, which I still hold, which is one of the many benefits of living up here again. And so, yeah, pretty, pretty much, early childhood was, you know, be outside as much as I can run around school work wasn't my strong suit, but I muddled through and I Michael Hingson  04:04 made it. Where in New Jersey were you born? Carlos Hidalgo  04:07 Was born in a little town called Randolph in northern jersey. Spent most of our time in a place called blairis town. Their claim to fame as a prep school called Blair Academy, which I believe is still there. And then, I believe it was the original Friday the 13th was filmed. Part of it was filmed in Blairstown. Yeah, yeah. So I'm dating myself just a little bit. Michael Hingson  04:32 Well, we lived in Westfield for six years, so kind of know, New Jersey, but yeah, while we were back there, my wife always wanted to move back to California. She's a native. I was born in Chicago. She wouldn't let me call myself a native, even though we moved to California when I was five. But yeah, it's okay. Carlos Hidalgo  04:50 Sure, yeah, people get a little touchy about the term native or local and how it's defined, right? Michael Hingson  04:55 Oh, yeah, it varies all around the country, but there's. Nothing. You can't say anything bad about Chicago. They have Garrett Popcorn there. If you've never had it, next time we go through O'Hare Airport, you should get some Garrett Popcorn. Carlos Hidalgo  05:09 Okay, I will do that absolutely. Michael Hingson  05:12 Take a memo. Get Garrett Popcorn. It's it's really good stuff. Well, so what did you do for college? Or did you? Carlos Hidalgo  05:21 Yeah, I went to my first year, I went to a school called Word of Life Bible Institute. So it's a one year intensive program, study of the Bible actually here, not far from, literally eight miles down the road here, from where I live now. And at that point, it was really just an excuse to get back to the Adirondacks for a year, but I learned a whole lot. Met some incredible people, some of who I'm still very, very close with today. And then from there, I transferred to Cedarville University in Ohio. At the time I went there, we were about 2500 students. I think today they're closer to 7500 but I met my wife there, which was that, in and of itself, the three years of tuition that I paid as I transferred in, but study Business Communication, again, I wasn't a great student. What I realized is, if it was the things that I really loved to participate in, it was awesome. I had a really great time studying communication and language and how we speak. I was two years on the debate team, which was such a great education in and of itself. But everything else I didn't really love. I just the general ed stuff. I kind of thought, well, if I can skate by and, you know, get that, get the passing the credits. So that's really how I want about it. And the reality is, the way things are taught today, I'm a very visual and hands on learner, and so to sit in a classroom and try to take notes and go through theory and things like that just makes my brain hurt a little bit. So I but I but I finished. I got the degree and made some great friendships in the process. Michael Hingson  07:04 Well and clearly, based on what you did for your first year, you have a Christian orientation, or definitely a god orientation as well. Carlos Hidalgo  07:15 Yeah, that's that's really my operating system. Michael, I am a follower of Jesus Christ. I believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. I base my life on it. I spend time in it each and every day. And so what's interesting in that regard is, yes, I went to the Bible Institute. So while I had a lot of head knowledge about the Bible and God and Jesus and all these things, it's really been in the last 10 years that I would say I had a deep, meaningful relationship with them, and that came as from a lot of experience in my life, a lot of dark, dark moments in my life that were self induced, unfortunately. But really, what it's done for me is it's just radicalized who I am, changed my heart. And so it's gone from a having a head knowledge of it to a real experience and an engagement with Christ through His Word and through prayer. Michael Hingson  08:11 Yeah, head knowledge is is a fine thing as far as it goes, but there's nothing like personally experience coming closer to whatever it is, including dealing with believing in God and really recognizing what what God brings. And my last book that I wrote that was published last year, called Live like a guide dog, true stories from a blind man and his dogs about being brave, overcoming adversity and moving forward in faith very much deals with with a lot of that, the whole concept of the value and the power of personal knowledge, as opposed to just head knowledge. I talk about the World Trade Center a lot in that book, specifically in terms of what I learned and how I developed a mindset to be able to control fear, rather than letting it be the thing that overwhelmed me or overwhelms anyone and and I've had a couple people on this podcast who talk about it, and they say the same sort of thing that you did. It's not about knowledge that you sort of intellectually know. It's what you really know. So people, for example, in evacuating the World Trade Center, would look at signs, and they would follow those and a lot of people were able to do that, but that's still not knowing that is really relying on something else that you may or may not really have access to. So True Knowledge is the only way to go Carlos Hidalgo  09:38 100% and I find that I gather that through experience, yeah. And so the example I use is, if you ask me about my wife, you know, do you know Suzanne? I would say, Oh, yeah. You know, blonde hair, blue eyes, about five, five. Funny, smart. I could tell you all the different facts, but there's a big difference when you sit and you get to experience being with her, seeing. Her, how she interacts with people, how she treats others, all of those things. Take that knowledge and actually make an experience an experience, yeah. And so that's been the difference for me, as it regard, in my relationship with Jesus Christ, yeah, well, Michael Hingson  10:14 and Suzanne, so that's good. Carlos Hidalgo  10:17 Well, so absolutely, 31 years and we're still going. There you go. Michael Hingson  10:21 Well, keep going. That's that's cool. That's great to have that kind of a relationship. It's all too often we don't see a lot of that in marriage, and just people get married without knowing and that leads to all sorts of potential challenges. So it's good to really get to know someone Carlos Hidalgo  10:41 absolutely, yeah, I'm still, still learning, still studying her and learning all I can, after 31 Michael Hingson  10:46 years, and she is too Yes, she is. Carlos Hidalgo  10:49 She does a phenomenal job. Michael Hingson  10:52 So what did you do after college? Carlos Hidalgo  10:56 After college, I actually moved back up here, where I'm at now. Worked for two years for Word of Life, the same group that ran the Bible Institute. So then, actually, unbeknownst to me, i My heart was really at that point, I wanted to go into law enforcement. My father in law was an FBI agent for 30 years. I'd always been intrigued by law enforcement, so I thought going into and getting a job for a few years, cutting my teeth while I filled out a resume. So started working in the office of donor development or advancement, and that was the first time I really started to get any exposure to anything formal, marketing wise. In the meantime, applied to the FBI, never went anywhere. Ended up applying again, never went anywhere at that point. Then we moved to we left here after two years of marriage and having one child. We moved to Michigan for a brief time, and then we went back to down to from Michigan. We went to Dallas, where we lived for 13 years, and I worked while I was still trying to get into law enforcement. I kept getting marketing jobs and companies. So eventually I gave up the dream of law enforcement and just followed what's unfolding and had a pretty good career in two software companies as a director of marketing to cut my teeth and learn what global business was all about do a lot of travel, which helped me career wise wasn't so great home wise or parent wise when you're away from your kids, but it's been my career for 30 plus years. I've had a heck of a career doing it and very grateful for it, but I still still get intrigued at the whole concept of law enforcement, but I'm afraid I'm a little too old at this point to start down that path. Michael Hingson  12:47 How come you kept not getting anywhere with it? Carlos Hidalgo  12:51 Well, I did get to a point where the FBI I took a test when we lived in Dallas, and just they called after said I had scored well, which made me chuckle, thinking back to my college days of test taking, but and then they said, Hey, do you speak Spanish, which I do not, despite my name, which is very Spanish, Carlo. And they said, Okay, well, we'll keep your we'll keep your application on file. Let you know if anything changes. And that was the last I heard. So at that point, I just thought, okay, I can keep pushing this and trying. But again, as things started to unfold in the software world, the jobs that I had took care of my family. They provided well for us. They gave me opportunities to learn new things, try new things, opportunity to, like I said, international business, which I never done before. So at that point, I just thought, you know, I'm kind of seven, eight years into this thing. What does this look like going forward? And then are we going to have to just hit reset in all facets of our lives, financially, where our kids are settled, for me to go into law enforcement. So I abandoned it, and I'm okay with that. I think it would have been a phenomenal career. I would have loved it, like I said. I'm still intrigued by it, I still have great respect for it, but it just wasn't in the cards for me, and I'm okay with that. I think sometimes the way we grow is through the death of a dream. Michael Hingson  14:21 Yeah, I know I've always been intrigued by law and law enforcement, and I know that they're never going to hire me, and now they won't, right, but, but they wouldn't hire me, but I took, actually, some courses in college dealing with police and other things like that, because I was, and still am fascinated by it, and I have a great respect for the law. And I I admire good lawyers who are knowledgeable, who really are in it to deal with the law. And you can tell those from the typical ambulance type chaser who manipulates, but, but. I really appreciate the law. I in my life have had the opportunity to be involved with some efforts of the National Federation of the Blind, where we've gone several times to Washington to meet with congressional types. And so I've met some interesting people, met Ted Kennedy, met Tip O'Neill when he was still speaker, Senator Saugus from Massachusetts and others, and found and through them, got to meet some people who were truly committed to what they were doing. They weren't in it for the power. They were in it to try to really help the country and help their individual constituencies in their states and so on. It's a lot of fun. Carlos Hidalgo  15:47 Oh, I'm sure, I'm sure it was, I that's quite a roster of people you've been able to engage with, and I'm sure, no doubt, influence well. Michael Hingson  15:57 And we were there to talk about legislation that we needed. But I'll never forget first time we went in and we met Paul Tsongas. We talked about what we wanted to talk about, and he said, Well, it's the end of the day. What are you guys doing now? And we said, well, we're just going to go back to the hotel. And he said, You got a few minutes talk to you about Massachusetts. Well, we ended up staying for two hours. It was a lot of fun. Carlos Hidalgo  16:19 Wow, yeah, that is a lot of fun. I had an opportunity a number of years ago to do a tour of the West Wing, which was just phenomenal. So when you get, when you get those opportunities, I don't care what side of the aisle you may sit on or are partial to, the answer is yes, take it, because you learn a whole lot, and it's it gives you a whole new appreciation for our country. Michael Hingson  16:40 Well, 20 years ago, I was invited to come back and meet George W Bush because a congressman I had met was fascinated by my story and the story of my guide dog, Roselle, and he arranged for us to meet George W and we went back. It was supposed to be a brief, like two minute just photo op. This ended up being like a 15 minute conversation, and then it was a lot of fun. And I hope that we inspired him some, and we made a difference. And, you know, that's always a good thing. Carlos Hidalgo  17:13 Yeah, at the end of the day, right there people just like us. They are, I think the and I've heard that a lot about George W is his investment in people where he knew his you know, everybody in the staff that he knew their names, he knew about their families. So it doesn't surprise me that a two minute Meet and Greet was extended a little bit. Michael Hingson  17:34 We kept the Italian Prime Minister waiting while we finished our conversation, as it turns out, that's fine, Carlos Hidalgo  17:42 but it was good. There you go. There's your there, there's your the two truth and the lie icebreaker that they have. You do sometimes. There's, you can work that in, Michael Hingson  17:49 I could work that in, yeah, that would be, yeah, I should do that. Well, it was, but it was, it was, it was very enjoyable to be able to do that. Well. So now, so when did you start your own company? That's been a little while, at least. Carlos Hidalgo  18:04 Yeah, I started my first company that I started, I co founded with my brother. In 2005 I was working at the software company, and I just, I started to just have an edge of, you know, I should start something. I don't know what that looks like. And I remember one time just talking to my wife, and I said, I don't want to be 7580 years old. And think, what if, yeah, and my wife is very practical. And she said, Okay, so go for it, and if it doesn't work, just go get another job. And when she broke it down like that, I just thought, wow. Okay, she, I think she believes in me more than I do. So in 2005 I left the software company and we started a agency. And really, at that point for me, the Yes, I wanted to start my own company and see if I could do it. But the the big driving factor was my at that point, I we had four children, so we have four, and they were all pretty small, and I was traveling all over the country, and I didn't want to miss their childhood. And I remember coming home from trips and hearing conversations or seeing things that that I wasn't a part of, and I thought this, this isn't right. I need to be here. I need to be home. So I went to the software company, asked them what they thought they became my first client, and I did that for from 2005 to just early 2017 when I resigned my position as CEO there just to get my life back and kind of hit the reset button again, but this time, I meant it, so I left, and they're still going. But that was my first foray into entrepreneurship, and I just kept doing it since I started another consultancy, and now this is my third one, and also been part of about two to three other companies that. We launched, but never made it. So I enjoy the whole process. I love it, but, yeah, it's, I don't know. I mean, I will never say never, but the idea of not working for myself seems rather foreign to me. Michael Hingson  20:16 So the first company you had for 12 years, what did that do? Carlos Hidalgo  20:21 We were a mark. Marketing Yeah, we were a marketing services company. So we worked with business to business companies to help them in their demand generation, acquiring new customers and also customer growth. So that's really where a lot of my career has been sent, centered right, helping companies design them strategies, everything from content to technology to developing personas and putting together strategies on how to reach them when they're looking for something to buy that that client offers. Michael Hingson  20:52 Okay, well, that makes sense and certainly a worthy thing to do. So, when did you form your current company, digital exhaust, which is a very clever name, you'll have to tell me about that. Carlos Hidalgo  21:04 Oh yeah, there's a little bit of a story behind that. So I was working in 2022 early 2022 I had an offer to go be the Chief Revenue Officer of another agency, which I my wife and I talked about it, we prayed about it, and I had a really, really close friend of mine who was their chief strategy officer at the time, so the ability to work with him, stay in the industry and work with some really good clients, I jumped at, so I took that role over that role lasted eight months. I won't get into all those details of why? Never, never, really did get a clear answer. The answer I was given, not exactly. The numbers didn't the number. I'll just say the numbers proved otherwise. All that said that came to an end in 2023 I believe. Yeah, yeah, 2023 and so February, 23 so at that point, I was like, Okay, well, what do I do? I can try to go get a job, which I did. Nobody was really interested in, you know, early 50s, guy coming in. So, you know, did the interview thing. And then I just thought, Well, why don't, why don't I just bet on myself again and go for it. So at that point, the my friend who was the chief strategy officer, he had also left, so he and I started talking and thought, why don't we just do this together? You know, services he loves to implement, I love to sell. Let's just see if we can make a run at this. So here we are now. It'll be four years in or three years, I guess, in February or April of 26 and we're still alive to talk about it. And so that's how it came to be. It was really just, I've done this before. There's no security, no more security. I believe in working for somebody else than working for yourself. So bet on yourself and put out your shingle and see what you can make happen. Michael Hingson  23:06 Where did the name digital exhaust come from? That's a clever name. Carlos Hidalgo  23:10 Oh, thank you. We were, we were batting around so many different names, and we just had a thing, I think we had a running Google Sheet, like, let's just throw names up there. And then I was listening to a recording of a vendor that we had done work with in our early days, and he was talking about how you can track the digital movements of someone. And he said, You know, so basically, you know, they're leaving behind their digital exhaust. And he used the term twice. So I called my then partner, Tracy, and I said, Hey, what do you think about the name digital exhaust as a company? And he was like, Oh, I love it. So I said, Well, before we that, we have to call Dan and see if he would be okay. So I did some looking, you know, the whole trademark search, and when I told our partner about it. He said, Oh my word, I love it. He said, Never, never even thought that that could be a name, but if you guys want it, go for it. So we took it and it is, it's, it's, we think it's pretty unique, and it also describes a lot of what we do with customer data to get an understanding of how do you engage with them, where are they, and how are they going to interact with you and your brand? How so well. Again, he was right. I can look at your digital footprint or your digital behavior. I can see what sites you've visited, what web pages you visited, how much time you spend on a product piece, how much content you engage so I can look at all of that behind the scenes. Start to score that if you're an account that I want to go after, or if I'm a lead based sale, that gives me a lot of intelligence on what you're interested in. And then there's ways to kind of, from a insight perspective, determine where you are in that journey, whether it's your four. First time as a purchase, you're a current customer and you're interested in purchasing something else. So it gives us a lot of insight into that, so that I can message you or I also know when should sales place a phone call to you and start that conversation. So that's why we use the term digital exhaust, because, again, it's a lot of what we do and how we use our customer data. Michael Hingson  25:20 Several years ago, I watched a 60 Minutes program, gosh, I don't know it's actually a number of years ago. And one of the segments there was a guy who was on he was a private detective, and what he said was, I can tell more about you than most anyone else can simply by looking at your trash. And in fact, I can't remember if it was Mike Wallace or not. Who was the interviewer, but they went on investigated some trash cans and and this guy could just tell you so much about your entire life just by looking at what was in the trash can. It was really pretty amazing and and I don't mean that in any way as a negative thing, but it's very clever that people have that insight. So I appreciate what you're saying about digital exhaust. It makes perfect sense. Carlos Hidalgo  26:17 Well, good. I'm glad it does. It means we've hit the mark. I'm not I will say this. I'm not going to go through my customers trash, but I am not surprised that if you did how much you could learn about somebody, 100% but Michael Hingson  26:30 you do look at their their digital footprint and so again, and it makes perfect sense that you can learn so much that can help you, help them grow. Yes, absolutely gives incredible insight. You talk about making growth simple, tell me more about what that means. Carlos Hidalgo  26:51 Yeah, you know, I've been in the space a long time, and that really came a couple years ago. We started seeing different models that would come up different frameworks that would come out from different vendors. Started talking, you know, I talked to a lot of chief marketing officers in my role, and over and over, what we saw was just complexity of taking terms that everybody would know and applying a new term or creating a new term to replace the old term, because you wanted to stay edgy. And I finally had a CMO who said to me, this is all so complex. Is there any any organization out there, or any way to just make this simple? And I thought, Gee, I kind of been thinking the same thing, because I see all these talking heads out there on LinkedIn and at these conferences showing these overly complex, overly engineered models, and I'm like, You got to be a PhD to implement that thing. And again, I'm also a pretty simple guy. I don't think growth needs to be all that hard if you know your customer, what they need, when they need it, and why it's important to them. I'm going to be able to sell you quite a bit. I'm also going to be able to be a better marketing, better partner to you, because I'll be the first one to be able to tell you you don't need that, or you need that, but you shouldn't get it from us, and here's why. And so we just started saying, You know what? Let's create with our models. And we have models and we have frameworks, but we want them to be kind of what Apple is, right, really innovative, where you can use it. You don't necessarily have to have someone to guide you through it. And so let's just make it as simple as possible for our clients to grow their companies without these over engineered models, which mostly a lot of them are created to sell stuff. And while we want to sell stuff more, so we want to help customers be better at what they do. And so that's why we say is we want to help you make growth simple, cut through the clutter, get to what matters and move forward. Michael Hingson  28:58 Yeah, which makes a lot of sense. By by any standard, how do you find storytelling comes into what you do and how you interact with customers? Carlos Hidalgo  29:11 Yeah, it's really important in the beginning, right in the beginning stages. Anytime I'm engaging with you, if I'm a consumer and you're a brand, I want to your brand should tell a story about who you are, the value that the customer gets when they're going to interact with you, they're going to use your product, what you stand for. Can they trust you? Trust is huge. Right now. We live in a trust economy. I want to know that if you say something, I can you're going to stand behind it. So all of those things are come through in terms of story. Now, what I've always said is I think that story is important. But when it comes to now, especially in the world I live in business to business, once I get into maybe I want to purchase something for you or purchase your product. Now I. Moves from a story to a dialog because I started, I start need, needing to know, what are you interested in? What are your challenges? What are your needs, what are your pain points? And as you're telling me that I can respond more in a conversation, I can still use parts of the story, but now it's a two way dialog, even in a digital world. So if I can create that, that's fantastic, then you become my customer. And now I still want to keep telling you stories. I want to tell you a story about why you can trust us. I tell you a story about how I interact with you. I tell you a story about how I deliver service and how I help you onboard. So all that bleeds into what we call, you know, what I call the big customer experience, from brand engagement to what I'm buying to now that I become a customer, all of those are experiential factors that we have to consider. Michael Hingson  30:49 Well, yeah, and I think that storytelling is a very significant part of selling and sales, because it's part of what really helps create the trust, because people can see through it, if you're just blowing smoke or playing games. Carlos Hidalgo  31:05 Yes, they can absolutely. And you only get one shot if that's what you're gonna do only, yeah, once I realized that forget it, I'm not coming back, that brand loyalty is away real quick. Michael Hingson  31:16 Yeah. So do you encounter in the interactions that you have with people with a lot of burnout or who are going that way. Carlos Hidalgo  31:25 Oh yeah. It's, it's something that I went through in 2016 it's, it's a, I mean, the World Health Organization, whatever you think about them, they definitely have listed it as a illness or as a condition. So it's something that I've seen. It's something that I've written against quite a bit. I don't think we need to get there, but I also think it is part of the consequence, or the outcome of when we make work center of our universe, and we make work our God, when that's going to happen then, yeah, you're going to experience burnout. And I think burnout comes in different flavors, but I see a lot of people who are going through it, trying to work through it, trudge through it. I heard the term the other day, manage burnout. I don't know why you would want to manage burnout. I think you need to take steps to avoid burnout, to avoid it. Michael Hingson  32:17 Yeah, why is it so many people face it, and are experiencing burnout is because they just deal with work, they don't relax, or what. Carlos Hidalgo  32:27 Well, I think there's a lot, lot in that. I've done a lot of study, and that was the topic of some of the topic of my book that I released in 2019 the UN American dream is, I think we, especially in our Western culture, we have adopted this idea that the busier I am, the more important, the more valuable I am, and so and the reality is, none of us are well wired to go, go, go, go, go. Rest is actually a gift from the Lord. And you know, I think very few of us. But you know, think about the last time you talked to anybody. How are you? Oh, I'm so busy. We love to be busy. We love to have jam packed calendars, because it makes us feel good. The other part of it is when you think about workaholism, you know, that is an addiction. And the only time in my experience, we engage with or become addicted to something, it's when we're trying to avoid something else. And so think our workaholism, which leads to burnout, is right up there with our rising rates of anxiety, of depression, of loneliness, because we have bought a false narrative that if we go, go go, we jam pack our calendars, we work like and work like crazy until we hit some imaginary number or we can call it quits. That's what life is all about. And I just sit there and you know, my number one question to people who are running that race is, how's it working for you? You don't seem really happy right now, you don't seem fulfilled, and you're living on the promise of some day and some days, not a day in the week, right? Michael Hingson  34:03 I People ask me, How are you all the time? And my response is something actually that I borrowed from somebody else. I just say, I'm lovely. Yeah, I get lots of reactions from that. It's kind of cute, but it's great. You know, I I agree with you, there is a there's a need and a time, and it's appropriate to not work all the time. Yes, we we don't ever take time even just to sit and think about what we did today. We don't take time at the end of the day to go in our own brains. How did this work out? How did that work out? Why didn't this work? Why did this work? What could I do to make it better and then listen for answers? It's like praying. So many people, when they pray to God, they pray to Jesus and so on. They spend all their time praying and saying what they want, never realizing God all. And he knows that, yeah, when are you going to start listening for answers and really listening? And that's, that's the challenge that I see so often people don't listen, and the answers are always there. They're in their inner the the inner voice that they can hear if they but practice well. Carlos Hidalgo  35:17 And I think to part of that is you need to be still, right? And we see that in scripture where we're told be still and know that I am God, if I mean there, there. We have so much noise and so much input with our phones and constant, you know, interaction and constant noise. We don't give ourselves the ability to sit and think and process, to just to be still. And that is something that I would say, really, for me, over the last decade, has come into focus of I enjoy my downtime. I enjoy the silence that I it's one of the reasons when I run, I don't run with headphones. In my own little world, in my head, praying, thinking about things. There are times I'll drive in the car without the radio on, just in silence, and I tell people, then they look at me like, I have three heads. Yeah, I'm like, oh, it's I am so much better for it, because I'm no longer living life reactively. I'm able to live life in a way that brings me a lot of peace, a lot of joy, a lot of happiness. And when I work, I work really, really hard, but it's definitely not the center of my universe. Michael Hingson  36:27 I know people think I'm crazy, but I can go days without looking well, not days. I'll go a day. I do it volitionally, but I can go quite a while without looking at text messages, and when I do, their message is there sometimes, but I know that I could actually go for a considerable length of time without needing to carry my phone around. Now, the only reason I do carry it around, I mean, clearly some phone calls can come in and so on, but I use other tools on it that you have access to in other ways. So I use it for those things. But the bottom line is, is that I don't need to have this phone with me to stay in touch with people all the time. So if I carry my phone more often than not, I will be in a hotel room listening to something on the phone and, sure, relaxing, rather than all the other things that one could do with it well. Carlos Hidalgo  37:25 And the number of people that I talked to and research shows this that, you know, the last I saw was over 60% it's the first thing people do when they wake up is they reach over and look at their phone and I say, sit there and say, What is so important that you can't even wait 15 minutes from the time your eyes open. But we've become addicted. We've come addicted to the noise, to the constant, go, go, go. And then, you know, we have a friend of ours last year was just, I'm so busy. I'm so busy. Told my wife, over the next three months, I only have this one day I can do lunch. And then you start realizing, like, Well, really, that's, that's how you want to live your life over the next 90 days, you only have one day. Now, I didn't believe it when I heard that. I don't think they were trying to make excuse, and I don't think lying. I think in their heads, they really had this belief of, oh, I can. I've only got one day out of the next 90, but we've weed ourselves into believing that this is how we should be living life. Yeah, and it's not how I want to live life. I'll work hard, I'll put everything I've got into my clients and my business and things like that, but I don't want to be that strapped. I was that strapped one time, time wise and work wise, and it made me absolutely miserable. Mm, hmm. Michael Hingson  38:45 I know when I wake up in the morning I do reach for my phone right at the beginning. One of the very first things that I do is reach for it to see what the temperature is outside, to see what the temperature is your house, to see whether I want to turn the heater on, you know, but I don't look at messages. I don't need to do that. I'll do it eventually, but, you know, I So, as I say, I use it for other tools, but I use the phone, because that's the tool that's available to me that gives me that information, and it'll help me decide, do I want to turn the heater on, or do I want to turn the air conditioner off? And that's what I do. And then I put the phone down, and I start visiting with the dog and the cat, and we have conversations which is, which is kind of fun, Carlos Hidalgo  39:29 but yeah, you get to enjoy life. Michael Hingson  39:32 I remember, remember the old technology town? Now it's old Blackberry. Oh yeah, the black and Research In Motion. There was one night when Research In Motion lost communications with all of the blackberries, and every BlackBerry went dead, I think, for about 12 hours. But I heard that even during the time when that occurred, people committed suicide because they had no way to look at their blackberries. And. Get information. And I always thought you're that dependent, that you can't cope for a while, especially at night without that information. Carlos Hidalgo  40:09 Come on. Yeah, it's staggering. The number of, again, over 50% of people said that they would be panicked if they want an app without their phones and so and again, I used to, I used to live that way. So I understand it to a degree, but, well, I understand it. Yeah, I also tell people you don't have to live that way, because people i The people I know who live that way, don't seem very content or fulfilled, right, right? Which is really the issue, isn't it? Yeah, absolutely, because we only go, we only get one shot at this life, and I want to make the most of it. Michael Hingson  40:43 Make growth simple. Carlos Hidalgo  40:46 That's right, personal, personal and business wise, right? Michael Hingson  40:49 Personal and business wise. So what is hustle culture? Carlos Hidalgo  40:54 Well, hustle culture has been promoted by a lot of folks, a whole lot more well known that I am, you know, where Kevin O'Leary for Shark Tank, Shark Tank talks about, you got to be willing to work eight days a week, you know, and give everything you've got, you know. Gary Vaynerchuk talks about, you know, go, go, go, go. And, you know, we just see it out there of this, you've got to be willing to go above and beyond. If you want to have success, if you want to make this money, you've got to just make sure you're willing to hustle at all costs, which to me, there's a place for that. As I said, when I'm working I hustle. I work hard. I get in a zone. I kind of block everything out and and there are some weeks where we require over and above it. You know, 16 or a week is is not something that has never been done. But the difference is, there's a couple of differences. Is I'm going to work hard because that's what I'm told to do. In Scripture, it says that with everything you do, do it with all your might and do it to the glory of glory of the Lord. So I'm going to do that. Plus work was one of the first things that God ever created. He told Adam in the garden, I want you to work now, what we also see is that it was cursed when man sinned, and it was part of the curse in the garden. But I do believe work is noble. I believe it's valuable, I believe it has so many things that can teach us. So I'm working. I'm hustling hard when I'm working, but this idea that I need to give everything I have to my business so that I'm successful. Well, what about our relationships? What about our own our last word, too, right? Our own physical health? What about my marriage? All of these things that require work yet, you know, you got a guy like Grant Cardone talking about 95 hour work weeks. That's insanity. Yeah, at what point, you know, so to me, I really believe, and I've had some people who've argued with me over this. If you want to know what the object of your affection is, show me where you're spending the most time and attention. And it's not time or attention, time and attention, right? I cannot. I cannot be, quote, unquote, working, but I can be with my wife, but my brain is working. My brain is thinking about my work, thinking about my business, thinking about my career. So what good is it to her if I'm there or not? Yeah, I'm not investing in that relationship, and that is just as much work as anything else. And I would I would say the rewards are better and the gratification that much deeper. So can work life balance actually be attained? I don't believe in work life balance. I believe in boundaries, and maybe I'm splitting hairs, but when I see that, over 70% of people say that work life balance is unachievable. It tells me it doesn't exist. It's also the only place in our lives where we talk we try to separate work from life. Nobody talks about finance life, business, kids life, business, marriage life, business. But we talk about work life balance. Now I understand we spend a lot of time at work in our modern day culture, but if I can decide that I'm going to put boundaries around the things that matter most to me, so like work, like my relationships, like my physical, mental and emotional health, my spiritual health, and that's how I've started to live life. Is instead of trying to balance everything, I'm going to set boundaries. So what does that look like? Well, the first thing I do in the morning is not check the phone. I get up, I pray. I have coffee with my wife. Sometimes we have really deep conversations. Sometimes we look just let the caffeine kick in and let it wake up, and then we set time in prayer. So every day, pretty much between 815 and 830 I'm at my desk ready to work, but I've put a boundary around that morning time, which allows me to start the time with with my Bible and with my wife from 830 To about 1230 I'm locked in. I am working. There's a boundary around there's a boundary. And then about 1230 to one, about two o'clock, that's my workout. Either go to the gym or I go for a run, come home, make my protein stuff, and then I'm back working again. And so and then when I'm done work, between 530 and six, I shut it down. Work is over, and now it's my personal life again, and whatever that looks like, and some of that is seasonal, because of where I live, in the summer, it'll get stay light till 930 and the winter, it gets dark by 430 there's quite a disparity. But because I have those boundaries, I know that I'm able to bring the best of myself to each of those areas of my life, and that is far easier than balance. And when one of those boundaries needs to move, I get to have a conversation. Hey, I've got a call tonight overseas. Or do we have anything? Are we good if I take this call at 730 at night? So I take the call at 730 at night, but I have that discussion, and it's it takes more effort to move a boundary, takes very little effort to get knocked off balance. Michael Hingson  46:05 Yeah, and I think that makes perfect sense. I know for me, when Karen was here, we we enjoyed breakfast and we enjoyed dinner, and I think there's a lot of value in that. Now, I was always the earlier riser, but partly because I worked for companies that kind of required that. That is to say I worked, for example, when I lived in the east for California companies. So I ended up being there later. But when I worked in the West, calling the east, I had to be in work by six, because that's what I needed to do. But we agreed on that, and I hear exactly what you're saying. The fact of the matter is that you've got to really make some decisions, but if you're in a relationship, then you both have to agree and make the decisions together, which is what really should happen 100% Carlos Hidalgo  46:58 and those boundaries will change. I mean my boundaries now that I'm an empty nester, you know, had I lived this way 15 years ago, would have looked far different because I still had children at home. And so the boundaries can shift and change. But to your point, you have to talk about that. And what I have come to believe is that if I'm making those decisions in regards to my business, my job, my career, and I'm not having the conversation with my significant other, then I'm not I'm not sacrificing anything. I'm just selfish. And yet, what we see is, Oh, you got to sacrifice for your business. I've said to couples before, if you and your wife believe and want to say, hey, we want to go build this thing and we want to go sell it so we know the next five years we're hardly going to see each other, and we're both on board with that, and this is what we want. Go in peace. I think you're nuts, but Go in peace, but still, you made the decision together. That's right, and that's the difference. And I find that a lot of people do not do that, and I also think it adds to the stress and the loneliness and the anxiety and the depression is because we're chasing something that is so fleeting, and no matter what Empire we may build professionally, we can't take it with us, right? Michael Hingson  48:13 And that's something that I wish more people would truly realize. It would make for a much happier world. Carlos Hidalgo  48:21 It would. But the unfortunate part is, until the pain and consequence of how you're living outweighs the fear of change, most likely you're never going to do anything different, right? 48:31 So tell me, Carlos Hidalgo  48:32 oh, go ahead. No. Oh, okay, tell me about the Michael Hingson  48:36 title of the book, the UN American Dream. Where did that come from? And why did you name the book that, why was that the title? And so on, Carlos Hidalgo  48:42 yeah, and so in 2016 is when I informed the company that I had started with my brother 11 years earlier that I was stepping down. Didn't really know what that looked like. I literally just one day, through the help of a friend and God's good grace, decided that it was time for me to go. And so the way they wanted to handle it in end of the year, and I think this was like end of October ish, when I made that decision, they said, You know what, let's not announce anything. We don't want our clients to get spooked in q4 so let's wait until the turn of the the new year. So that was into 2017 so I made a post, and I published it in February, 2017 about why I was leaving the company, some of the things that I was learning along the way. And what surprised me was the phone calls and emails I got from colleagues who said, Hey, I just read your post. Can we talk? I'm kind of thinking about the same thing. I'm miserable. And it was one email in particular that still stands out, where he said, I'm miserable. I started to think like, wow, okay, this, this is not just me. My circumstances were different. But this seems to be a problem, so I started to just do some research on our obsession with work, the number of hours we work, this idea of balance and hustle culture. Really immersed myself in it, and I thought this isn't what Truslow Adams meant when he coined the term the American dream. We're killing ourselves for what like, for What's the objective here to just add another zero to my bank account. So as I started to do that research, I saw myself and a lot of that same story, and the mistakes I made and how I was, you know, I had put my business first all the things that we've talked about. And I thought, Man, this is really quite un American, really, because we say we're the land of the free and the home of the brave, but we're not free if we're slaves to our company or our jobs or our careers. So I thought, You know what? I think what we're doing to ourselves is un American, and we're chasing the UN American dream, and that's how I came up with the title, Michael Hingson  51:05 who have been some of your greatest influencers? Carlos Hidalgo  51:09 Wow, I have had a lot. Obviously, my parents have been huge influences in my life. My mom is a fierce prayer warrior, and so I fervently believe I would not be where I'm at today if it wasn't for her and her faithfulness and that and my dad is it has been in marketing and sales and advertising. So learned a lot from him, just in life, and then also in business. There's a gentleman who lives up the street who is kind of like a second dad to me, it's an interesting relationship, because his son is also my best friend, but gentleman by the name of Keith Vander wheel who is salt of the earth, wise, just a wise, wise man has loved me, has when needed, given me a swift kick in the rear end, and just really helped keep keep me focused, and been one of these guys that I can go to, and it's a little about almost 20 years older than I am, so he's one that has seen more and done more. So I'm thankful for that. And then I am very fortunate to have about three or four very, very dear, dear friends, close friends, I mentioned one, Keith's son, who spur me on to greater things, encourage me when necessary, rebuke me and help me. And then I would say, more than anything, my wife, I learned stuff from her each and every day, her steadfastness, Her Grace, her strength of character, she is absolutely the strongest person I know, and has been the biggest influence in my life. Michael Hingson  52:45 I when I was in college, did radio, and I've always liked comedy. I've always liked trying to be a little bit flip and so on, yep. But I will tell you that my wife constantly amazed me. She was pretty much a lot more straight faced and straight laced than i But when she came out with a zinger, it came out of left field, and you never saw coming. She was amazing. Clearly, she observed me a whole lot more than I thought she did, right? Carlos Hidalgo  53:18 And what a gift that is to have. My wife and I were just, we went out for brunch today, with it being the holiday, and I just, I told her, I said, I just love how much we laugh. Yeah, what a gift that is to have in your marriage. We're just laughing together and laughing at each other in a way that's not demeaning, but appreciates our differences. And you know, we can tease each other and enjoy it and know it comes from a place of love, yeah. Michael Hingson  53:42 How do we deal with the epidemic of loneliness in our lives and in our world? Carlos Hidalgo  53:48 Wow, that's a great question. It's first of all, I think it's heartbreaking. I see this especially with men. And statistics would show that that men especially struggle with loneliness. I think number one is we have to come to the realization we were not meant to live in isolation. We are communal beings. God created us to live in community, and we need to step into that. And part of that is letting your guard down and being vulnerable and letting people know where you struggle. Now I'm not talking about wearing your heart on your sleeve and walking right every stranger and spilling, but those closest of relationships, and I can say, you know, for me, when I isolated, that's when I became the worst form of myself and went to places I never thought I would go. And so I think loneliness, first of all, get off social media and your phone, because that's not a connection. No, your friends, all of your 1000s of friends on Facebook, are not true friends. They're people, you know, but they're not people that are going to walk with you through some of the hardest times of your lives, and so find those. Group, find that community, whether it's your church, whether it's a small group that you take part in, whether it's people at your work, but really start to invest in those relationships and bring as much to it as you're expecting them to. And for me, it became just with those closest relationships. I'm an open book. I'm not going to BS. I'm going to talk about what's on my heart, what I'm struggling with, what my victories are, what my low points are. And for me, that starts with my spouse. As I mentioned, I've got three other men in my life that are around my age that I can confide in, be open with, and it's the most freeing, wonderful thing, and it's their relationships that I cherish, and I think that's how we end this cycle of loneliness. But I think a lot of people have been duped. Well, I'm on I've got a bunch of friends online, yeah, you know, put the phone down, get off your social media platform and go be human and interact with other people. Michael Hingson  56:01 It gets back to the same thing we talked about earlier. There's a whole big difference between head knowledge and really knowing. And the friends who are truly your friends are people who you know and who know you and that you can truly be honest with and who will be honest with you. And that is not something that you get from all those Facebook friends. Otherwise, you're being awfully silly, right? Carlos Hidalgo  56:23 And I also think we have to get out of this idea in our culture that if I don't affirm you, I somehow don't like you anymore, this idea that tolerance and love are the same thing. Some of my closest friends have been some of the ones that have come to me and said, Hey, here's what we've observed, and we're sure you don't like that about you, and you know this needs to change. And I love that. I love that I friends who will call my stuff and a wife who will say to me, this isn't the best you like what's going on here? I need that in my life, because if all I want to do is have people pat me on the back and affirm me. I'm going to get entitled pretty quick. Yeah, and that doesn't help at all. Right? How do we bring civil discourse to our society? We're in an environment and in a world where we just don't appreciate or have conversations anymore. How do we deal with that? Well, I think a couple of things. First of all, I think we have to get back to an appreciation for and a respect for human life and humanity in general. Michael, I'm sure if you and I spent a few hours together, we would eventually land on a topic that we don't just that we don't agree on. I can be okay with that, and because if I'm open to say, Hey, Michael is a human being. He's smart. He's overcome incredible odds in his life, and maybe if I listen, I can learn something. Doesn't mean I'm going to come to your side of the the position, but I can at least learn something. But I think systematically, over decades, we've been denigrating the the value of human life. I mean, how many millions of babies have we aborted in this country? You know, your your own story, your parents were told, hey, just put him in a home. He's not going to amount to anything because of his blindness. That's insanity, you know. So today, instead of civil discourse, if I don't like you, I berate you online, I make something up about you, or I kill you. And right so and to tell you how far we've gone, not only does that happen, but then we're gonna have people who celebrate in the murder of whether it's an insurance CEO or a Charlie Kirk, or anybody, and I just sit there and say, Okay, we've we've gotten so far right civil discourse. And so I think number one is just a respect and a value for human life, which we have a lot of work to do there. And then number two, again, back to what I said, this idea that if I disagree with you, I somehow don't love you anymore. And the example I use is this idea of, well, you need we need more tolerance and affirmation. There was a time Michael where my behavior within our marriage just was unacceptable. I mean, I was cheating on my wife, and once she found out she still loved me, but she couldn't tolerate the behavior for reasons that I think I need to explain. So at that point, you say, All right, well, how do those two things work together? If I had kept doing what I was doing, I know for 100% she would have loved me till the day she died, but she died, but she wouldn't have been able to stay with me, because you can't tolerate that behavior. She's supposed to affirm that. And so this idea that because I quote, unquote, love you, I affirm you, I actually make the case that if I love you, I'm going to help you be the best form of yourself, which sometimes means disagreeing with you and pointing things out in your life. That are unhealthy, that's fair. So I think we have to get back to that place of we can have disagreement, still have respect for each other. We can disagree vehemently and still do it respectfully, right? And then at the end of the day, I can respect your position because of who you are as a person, and that you know, giving you the benefit of the doubt. This is a well thought out position. And so, okay, great. We agree to disagree. We can still be friends, yeah? Michael Hingson  1:00:27 And we might learn something, or at least be put on a path where we think about it, and we may discover that, oh, that person's right, correct, yeah, which is Carlos Hidalgo  1:00:36 cool, yeah, and it's not that hard. And again, no, do your do your homework. Know what the real issues are, and stop reading headlines on social media. Michael Hingson  1:00:46 Yeah, really, get away from that. What else should we know about you? Carlos Hidalgo  1:00:50 Well, I'm the father of four amazing kids spread all over the country, ages 30 to 20. He'll be 24 in 10 days, and then an amazing daughter in law, soon to be daughter in law, my second son is engaged, gets married next year. I love the outdoors, anything outside. And I would say, if I want your audience to remember anything, it's that what Jesus Christ has done in my life has been nothing short of amazing. And like I said at the beginning, this is my operating system, and it's who I am and my reason for being in each and every day. And I sit here and I just am in awe of the life I get to live. So I'm very, very thankful and very, very humbled by it all. Michael Hingson  1:01:36 If people want to reach out to you and maybe explore working with your company, using your company to help them. How do they do that? Carlos Hidalgo  1:01:43 Yeah, you can email me at Carlos at Digital exhaust.co it's not.com so make sure it.co's or I won't get it. So you can shoot me an email visit our website, which is digital exhaust.co or looked me up on LinkedIn, just Carlos adalgo, H, I, D, A, L, G, O, right. That is correct. Yeah. I appreciate you getting the name right on the introduction. So thank you for that. I worked at it well. Michael Hingson  1:02:12 I want to thank you for being here. This has been wonderful. And as I tell people all the time, if I'm not learning at least as much as anybody else on this podcast, and I'm not doing my job well, which means I do need to listen and think about it. And I appreciate all the insights that you gave us today, and I appreciate all of you being here and being with Carlos and me. Love to get your thoughts. Please reach out to Carlos. Please email me at Michael H i, at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, but most of all, wherever you're listening or watching the pod podcast, please give us a five star review and a rating. We love that. We love your your input, please. Of course, I want it always to be positive, but I'll take whatever you send because we we value that. And for all of you and Carlos, you as well, if you know anyone else who ought to be a guest on the podcast. We'd love it if you'd let us know we're always looking to meet more people to help show that we're all more unstoppable than we think we are. And with that, I want to thank you again, Carlos, for being here. This has been absolutely fun. Carlos Hidalgo  1:03:13 Michael, thank you so much. I've really enjoyed it. Michael Hingson  1:03:20 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m

Today's speaker is Dr. Randy McKinion, Professor of Old Testament at Cedarville University. Dr. McKinion continues the series entitled "Exodus: Our God Saves", speaking from chapters 33 and 34, in which we are taught to trust in, and worship, the God of all grace.

Stocking Classrooms, Building FuturesA first-year teacher stands in an empty classroom with a key in her hand and a knot in her stomach. Twenty-six desks. Bare walls. One loud thought: School starts soon, and the room has almost nothing.Dr. Megan Brown, an associate professor of education at Cedarville University, knows that moment well. Coursework can cover research and best practices. Training can shape strong habits. Still, the first year in a real classroom brings a different kind of weight — especially when the space begins as a blank slate.Megan teaches literacy courses to future educators, and she talks plainly about what teaching requires. Learning is hands-on. Students need materials in their fingers so ideas can stick in their minds. Yet school budgets only stretch so far. Families can only do so much. Teachers often fill the gaps with their own money: pencils, tissues, notebooks, cleaning supplies, even backpacks. For a new teacher, those costs add up quickly.That's where Malena Ball comes in. A 2022 Cedarville graduate with a degree in strategic communication, Malena now serves as marketing director for Crayons to Classrooms. In that role, she helps connect educators to practical, personal support. The Dayton-area nonprofit provides free classroom supplies for teachers in 144 schools, reaching more than 50,000 students through the teachers it serves.Malena has watched teachers push carts down the aisles and still expect a bill. “How much do I owe?” they ask, looking at the price tags left on some items to show their value. Volunteers smile back. “Nothing.” Relief softens shoulders, and gratitude shows up as tears. Being seen does that.Crayons to Classrooms stocks the consumables that disappear by October — glue sticks, erasers, paper, pencils. But Malena calls it more than a resource center. It's a care center. Teachers find air filters, hygiene products, Band-Aids, sanitizer, and tissues. Those supplies don't just serve learning. They support dignity, comfort, and confidence.Megan watched one new teacher arrive after visiting her classroom for the first time. Empty room. End of July. No paycheck yet. She left with two full carts squeezed into a small car and a face filled with relief. Now there was something to build with.That “something” reaches far past academics. A spare notebook helps a student keep up. A backpack handed quietly to a child in foster care says, “This is yours.” A pencil offered without a lecture says, “You matter here.”Megan and Malena shared these stories on the Cedarville Stories podcast. Their message? Equip teachers with training, care, and supplies. When teachers feel supported, students feel it too. And that feeling can shape those students' futures.https://share.transistor.fm/s/7fa1e2bdhttps://youtu.be/_4X2P8hjSuk

Welcome to Episode 377 of the Worship Probs Podcast! Brian and Kim are LIVE from Worship 4.24 Conference at Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH recording with a tremendous audience! Jump into this episode - You'll hear great encouragement & wisdom, tons of laughter with some crazy Prayer Concerns, and dive into our segment, Sliding Into the DMs, as the WP crew answers questies live from the audience. Check it out - and like, comment, subscribe, and share with a friend! 
Learn more and stay connected with >>> Worship Probs (instagram.com/worshipprobs) // Brian Tabor (instagram.com/briantabor) // Kim Tabor (instagram.com/kimtabor) // Worship 4.24 Conference (instagram.com/worship.424) Special thank you to Ally at Ally B Creative for editing the podcast [Follow @allybachanos and visit linktr.ee/allybachanos], and our great friend Scott Hoke for the voiceover intro [Visit www.scotthokevoice.com].

Today's speaker is Dr. Greg Couser, Senior Professor of Bible and Greek at Cedarville University. Dr. Couser urges us to trust and obey God, and to stay in the path of His love, no matter what may, or may not, come our way. His text is Exodus 32.

Today's chapel is led by Cedarville University's Student Government Association. In today's message by SGA Chaplain Ethan Foster, we see the marks of a good servant, as described in Genesis 24.

Secret Service and the Zero-Fail MissionThe U.S. Secret Service lives by a simple standard: zero fail. Every route, every rooftop, and every split-second decision demands excellence because the mission leaves no room for mistakes.Jeff Rinehart has built his career around that expectation. The 1993 Cedarville University graduate has spent nearly three decades with the Secret Service, rising into senior leadership and carrying the weight of protecting the nation and serving its government with quiet professionalism.To most people, the Secret Service looks like dark suits, earpieces, and sunglasses. Rinehart understands the mystique, but he points to something deeper. The heart of the work, he says, is service — service to the United States, to its government, and to the people who rely on it.That sense of purpose demands steady discipline. In a job where one mistake can change history, Rinehart has pursued excellence the way a craftsman pursues a clean finish: by doing the small things right every day. He has protected dignitaries and worked alongside world leaders, but he also recognizes that the agency's mission stretches far beyond what the cameras capture.The Secret Service investigates cybercrime and financial fraud, and Rinehart speaks about those cases with real conviction. When agents stop someone from draining a senior citizen's life savings, the work matters. When they track down cyber predators who exploit children online, the reward runs even deeper. He does not glamorize the job. He honors it, and he honors the people it helps.Over the years, Rinehart has stepped up to a wide range of assignments. He served on the presidential detail for President George W. Bush, handled sensitive work as a foreign attaché officer, and built cases as a criminal investigator. Each role demanded the same steady excellence day after day, whether anyone is watching or not.In his current role, Rinehart has helped keep President Donald Trump safe during multiple visits overseas, including trips to Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Those miles add another layer to the mission: unfamiliar terrain, shifting schedules, and constant coordination with host nations. Still, the expectation never changes. The detail must run clean, the planning must hold, and the team must be ready for anything.Rinehart recently shared his story as a guest on the Cedarville Stories podcast. In his trademark steady way, he made it clear that the Secret Service is more than an image. It is a calling to serve something bigger than oneself and a daily commitment to excellence in a mission where “zero fail” is not a tagline but a promise.https://share.transistor.fm/s/93bc077dhttps://youtu.be/YtBjp1nYnOM

Today's speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. In today's message, Dr. White shows from Mark 11:1-25 that Jesus exposes fruitless religion by demanding authentic faith.

Today's speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. In today's message, Dr. White shows from Mark 11:1-25 that Jesus exposes fruitless religion by demanding authentic faith.

Today's speaker is Dr. Billy Marsh, Associate Professor of Theology, Director of MDiv Programs at Cedarville University. Dr. Marsh shows from Exodus 25-31 how the tabernacle represented the presence of God as both the goal, and the means, by which God's redemptive covenantal plan will be realized for all of creation.

Today's speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Dr. White shows us from Mark 10:1-52 that the way of the cross means following Jesus through selfless service.

Today's speaker is Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University. Dr. White shows us from Mark 10:1-52 that the way of the cross means following Jesus through selfless service.

Dr. Jared Pincin: Fantasy Sports and Real ConvictionsSome of the most lasting lessons in life don't come from classrooms or textbooks but from watching the people closest to you do hard things without complaint. For Dr. Jared Pincin, those lessons were learned early by watching his college-educated father take whatever work was necessary to provide for his family, even when that meant working as a janitor at McDonald's during a tough recession.Pincin, associate professor of economics at Cedarville University since 2023, isn't just an expert in market theory. He's a man shaped by humble beginnings, hard-earned wisdom, and a heart for guiding young people well.Born and raised in Whitehall, Pennsylvania, Jared grew up watching his parents navigate life's ups and downs with grit and grace. His dad took that janitorial job during an economic downturn. He never showed bitterness or complained; he simply did what was needed to care for his family. That quiet determination left a lasting mark. Jared's own first job, stocking shelves for Nabisco, became a lesson in humility and trusting God's timing.His journey into economics began in middle school, sparked by a visiting stockbroker on career day. That interest grew through high school internships and eventually led him to earn a PhD. Though he didn't initially plan on teaching, the doors to academia opened, and he found joy in the classroom, especially in connecting with students and helping them think deeply about real-world choices.On a recent episode of the Cedarville Stories podcast, Jared shared more than just economic insight. He spoke candidly about his past involvement in fantasy sports and how it gradually led him to question the role of sports betting in his life. What started as a harmless March Madness bracket in high school ended with a suspension and a turning point. Over time, he began to see gambling not just as a financial risk but as a spiritual one.Today, alongside Cedarville colleague Colonel (Ret.) Greg Thompson, he speaks to students about the hidden dangers of sports betting, particularly how easy access and secrecy can foster habits with long-term consequences. It's not about legalism, he says, but stewardship and wisdom.Jared's story is one of thoughtful faith, honest work, and a calling to prepare the next generation not just for the workforce but for life.https://share.transistor.fm/s/f745bac4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-v5CZjqM4I

In this episode, Dr. Thomas White, President of Cedarville University, shares a powerful message from Joshua 1:6–9 on developing strong and courageous faith. Cedarville University is a Christ-centered institution committed to biblical truth and preparing students to live boldly for Christ.As Joshua steps into leadership during a season of transition, God reminds him of His constant presence and faithful promises. This message encourages us to trust the Lord, obey His Word, and walk forward with courage—no matter what lies ahead.Support the showFind us at! Calvary.us

Should AI be your tutor? Your counselor? Your kid's shortcut? Today we're asking the hard questions about artificial intelligence and faith. My guest, Rob McDole of Cedarville University, explains why discernment matters more than ever, how closed AI systems work, and what it looks like to prepare students spiritually—not just technologically—for the future. If you're a parent, educator, or leader, this is a conversation you don't want to miss.Prime Sponsor: No matter where you live, visit the Functional Medical Institute online today to connect with Drs Mark and Michele Sherwood. Go to homeschoolhealth.com to get connected and see some of my favorites items. Use coupon code HEIDI for 20% off!Equipping The Persecuted Coffee | ETPcoffee.comShow mentions: http://heidistjohn.com/mentionsWebsite | heidistjohn.comSupport the show! | donorbox.org/donation-827Rumble | rumble.com/user/HeidiStJohnYoutube | youtube.com/@HeidiStJohnPodcastInstagram | @‌heidistjohnFacebook | Heidi St. JohnX | @‌heidistjohnFaith That Speaks Online CommunitySubmit your questions for Fan Mail Friday | heidistjohn.net/fanmailfriday