Podcast appearances and mentions of Larry Crabb

Part 1 of Larry Crabb's Freedom Series conversation. Head to largerstory.com for more information and content from Larry Crabb.

**Exciting news! With You in the Weeds has been nominated for “Best Local Podcast” in Inside Columbia magazine's “Best of Columbia” contest! You can help us win by voting TODAY and EVERY DAY through April 30th.  Here's the link to cast your vote and thanks so much for your support!** Welcome back to our Parenting in the Weeds series! In this episode, we dive into a common parenting trap - the temptation to control your child rather than love them for who they are. While this desire often comes from a good place, such as wanting them to be successful or safe, it can lead to unintended harm.  Listen in as John, Lynn and Shay explore the ways parents try to mold their kids in their own image instead of fostering their unique God-given design. You will learn about three common parenting traps - the Perfection Trap, the Mini-Me Trap, and the Take Care of Me Trap - as well as how to break free from them by focusing on the true goal of parenting. Key Takeaways: The Goal of Parenting: Helping children develop character qualities and the skills necessary to meet the demands of life. Supporting their unique design and pointing them toward Jesus. Modeling love and guidance without trying to control their every outcome. Three Parenting Traps: The Perfection Trap: Expecting children to meet impossible standards can lead to anxiety, fear, and struggles with self-worth. The Mini-Me Trap: Trying to live out unfulfilled dreams through your child instead of embracing their individuality can lead to rebellion. The Take Care of Me Trap: Relying on children for emotional support rather than allowing them to develop independence can hinder your child's emotional maturity. How You Can Break Free of These Traps: Acknowledge that your child is not yours to control - they belong to God. Recognize when fear, ego, or personal baggage drives parenting decisions. Give children space to grow, make mistakes, and develop their own faith and identity. Trust that God is working in your child's life, even when they take unexpected paths. Be encouraged that even if you recognize yourself in any of these traps, you're not alone! Parenting is a journey of learning, adjusting, and leaning into God's grace. Book recommendation: Men of Courage by Larry Crabb

Marriages in the culture today—including Christian marriages—are struggling, as many couples are disillusioned and disappointed. But they don't have to be that way! Dr. Larry Crabb helps us to get to the root of the problem—selfishness—while pointing to God's heart for men and women to enjoy true oneness in marriage.

Marriages in the culture today—including Christian marriages—are struggling, as many couples are disillusioned and disappointed. But they don't have to be that way! Dr. Larry Crabb helps us to get to the root of the problem—selfishness—while pointing to God's heart for men and women to enjoy true oneness in marriage.

Our suffering can be fertile ground for God to transform us, or it can also lead to incredible bitterness of soul, or something Dr. Larry Crabb has called a “demanding spirit”. This week we will talk about how Job developed a demanding spirit and how the gospel sets us free not to live a life of this dark bitterness. Gospel Mixtape | Wisdom & Songs Steve Treichler Hope Community Church - Downtown Minneapolis Download Message Slides For more resources or to learn more about Hope Community Church, visit hopecc.com.

Marriages in the culture today—including Christian marriages—are struggling, as many couples are disillusioned and disappointed. But they don't have to be that way! Dr. Larry Crabb helps us to get to the root of the problem—selfishness—while pointing to God's heart for men and women to enjoy true oneness in marriage.

Marriages in the culture today—including Christian marriages—are struggling, as many couples are disillusioned and disappointed. But they don't have to be that way! Dr. Larry Crabb helps us to get to the root of the problem—selfishness—while pointing to God's heart for men and women to enjoy true oneness in marriage.

Today on the Daily Nugget, Mike talks about a verse that completely transformed his ministry. He shares the story of learning under well known teach Larry Crabb. Dr Crabb taught him something that radically transformed his entire ministry.

Question #6 of the Seven Questions of Spiritual Theology: How is the Spirit working to implement the divine solution to our human problem? | Listen to Larry Crabb

A listener once suggested that for a podcast episode I should read from the book I wrote in 2016, THEM- The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others. It's about relationships, which of course, is what this podcast is about. But I don't know if reading from it would interest many of you. Maybe the first chapter might, I don't know. It's about how people are like houses when it comes to deepening our relationships with others. But before we get into today's episode, here's what this podcast is all about.  Welcome to You Were Made for This If you find yourself wanting more from your relationships, you've come to the right place. Here you'll discover practical principles you can use to experience the life-giving relationships you were made for. I'm your host, John Certalic, award-winning author and relationship coach, here to help you find more joy in the relationships God designed for you. To access all past and future episodes, go to the bottom of this page to the yellow "Subscribe" button, then enter your name and email address in the fields above it. The episodes are organized chronologically and are also searchable by topics, categories, and keywords. THEM - The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others My book THEM has never sold well. Many of them sit on a shelf in our basement to prove it. Two of my relatives I know bought the book, and I offered it to the rest of the extended family as Christmas gifts after it came out. But no one wanted a free and signed copy. I was going to pay the postage, too. Yeah, that was my Charley Brown Christmas alright. But I did get an award and a cash prize for the book. Writers Digest named it the “Best Inspirational Book of 2016.” However, there wasn't much competition for inspiration in 2016. It was a lean year in the inspiration department, as you may recall. Nevertheless, I'm going to take a chance and read from selected portions of chapter one of the book that I think you'll enjoy hearing, and maybe even find inspiring. It's about a useful principle that could help you in deepening the relationships in your life. It's called, “People Are Like Houses.” People are like houses I'll begin with this. Every house has multiple openings. All kinds of openings— windows, doors, chimneys, even clothes-dryer vents. Openings to bring the outside in, or openings to let the inside out.  When you walk past some houses, the resident of the house will see you from inside through a window, open the door and come bounding out to greet you.  “Why don't you come in and I'll get you something to drink. Please stay a while so we can chat and get caught up with each other's lives. I've been thinking about you. I have so much to tell you since we last met. It is so good to see you.”  This is how some people respond when we walk past their houses. Such people are wide-open houses with openings that invite you in. They are easy people to engage with—the low-hanging fruit of relationships. It doesn't take a lot of work to relate with people like this. Me, I get along great with children and older ladies because they are houses with relational openings I can easily pick out. Younger than eight and older than eighty is my sweet spot. With everyone in between, not so much.  Other people are houses with fewer openings. Walk past someone's house like this and when she sees you from her front window, she closes the drapes, pulls the blinds, and turns off the lights. If you go to her front door and ring the doorbell, she'll pretend she's not home and leave you standing there like a rebuffed Jehovah's Witness.  Closed openings to this house A number of years ago, the elders from a church in our area called me into a meeting to ask me how they could better care for their pastor, who was going through a rough time. Their question showed me they didn't know him very well. The better we know someone, the easier it is to care for them.  I responded to their question with, “I think you need to get to know him better.”  “We've tried, but it's hard because he plays it close to the vest. He doesn't let anyone in,” replied one of the elders.”  His house is full of closed doors and covered windows. The opening to his house is hard to find, but if you work at it long and hard enough, you'll find it.  “Maybe he plays it close to the vest because he's been hurt in the past with being more open, and he doesn't want to be hurt again. Maybe he plays it close to the vest because he doesn't trust you.”  A few heads nodded, but that's as far as it went. Some people have closed houses like this. I'm like this myself at times. I play it close to the vest when I don't trust people either. I close the openings to my house to protect myself, which Christian psychologist Larry Crabb calls the most common sin of us all—self-protection. Delayed openings Other people have houses whose openings will close up at first, but who wait to see if you come back, and then if the stars are properly aligned, and they've finished watching Dancing with the Stars, will crack open the door and whisper to you, “Now is not a good time, maybe next week. I'm not feeling well right now.” So you leave with a small opening for the future, a little hope.  Still other people, when they see you come by, will call out from the window, “I'd really like to talk, but the baby is napping, and my husband thinks I spend too much time with my girlfriends, so could you please come back tomorrow? Come at night, though, and come to the back door. I really need to talk to you.” Different houses, different openings Get the picture? People are like houses with many different openings. Some are wide open, and others closed shut like a lake cottage in the dead of winter. The frustrating thing for me is that I often want to enter a person's relational house through the opening I want, through an easy opening like the front door. I don't want to have to come back again and again, or wait until spring. And I don't want to go to the back door at night. Nor do I  want to talk through the screen of the kitchen window, or get on the ground and whisper through the basement window.  But the fact is, if I want to relate well with someone, I have to go with the opening that person gives me, not the one I want. This principle is especially true in caring for others. We can't care well for people if we don't know them very well. To care well means at times we have to pursue people and look for openings to get to know a person at a heart level. It's not always easy, for some people have closed up many of the openings to their house. We can't give up, though. It's important that we work at it. For in the end, it's always worth it.  The openings children give us These grandsons of ours have also taught me much about how people, even children, are like houses. They open themselves up to us when they want in ways they want—not at the time or manner I prefer.  On the occasions Janet and I have picked them up from school because their parents were away, I've wanted to understand how their day went. What did  they learn in kindergarten today? What is going on in their little hearts. I want to know because I love them deeply and want to enter into their world. When I try to get into their “house,” they are often very closed. They pull the blinds and turn off the lights with their favorite response, “It's classified.”  It's classified? Please, don't they know who I am? I've changed their diapers, which should entitle me to more than, “It's classified, Grandpa.” They closed one of the openings to their house I was trying to enter.  I wondered if there is another opening they would give me. There was.  I discovered the opening one night when Janet and I were babysitting and it came time to put them to bed. They got their pajamas on, brushed their teeth, and crawled into bed. I then read them a book.  “Can you read another one? Please? Oh please!” “I need a glass of water.” “Where's my Star Wars guy? I have to look for it. I can't go to sleep without it! Really, I won't fall asleep without it!” Typical bed-time stall routines. I've been through all of this many times, but then one night, Grant, firmly tucked in bed with the covers up to his chin, pulled out from his arsenal of sleep-delaying tactics, this question “Grandpa, are you going to die?” I didn't see this one coming Has someone been talking to this boy? Does he know something I don't know?  Ironically, his question came eerily close to the question too frightening for all of our family just six years earlier, “Is Grant going to die?” More about that later.  As I sat down on Grant's bed and looked into his eyes, I could tell he had moved from stalling at bedtime, to a deep metaphysical issue people have pondered for centuries. I was not prepared for his question, nor for such an opportunity to see into his heart. Grant was giving me an opening to his house, and I wanted to take advantage of it. I can't afford to miss this one, I thought, even though it came at night when I am least alert. But there he was, opening his house to me in a way that worked for him.  As I sat on the bed, I told him, “Yes, I will die someday, but it most likely wouldn't happen for a very long time.” I went on to tell him that when I did die, I would go to heaven to be with Jesus, where I would wait for him—to join me many years later. I told Grant we have nothing to worry about when it comes to dying if we know Jesus. For if we know Jesus, we will spend forever with Him and with all the other people who know Him.  Grateful for this opening I was invited into A smile broke out on his small lips that told me he was okay with my answer. He could now call it a day because his question about the destiny of humanity was settled and he could move on. He was comforted, as was I.  “Good night, Grant. I love you.” “I love you, too, Grandpa.” I turned out his light, thankful for the opening he had given me to his house, to his heart. We connected at an unwelcome, unexpected time for me. I found with our grandkids some of the most significant conversations I've had with them happened at night sitting on their bed, because it is when it is most comfortable for them. It's when they were the most reflective. I have to be on guard, to be aware, so I can take advantage of the openings they give me.  *   *   *   *   *   *   * Well there you have it, the “People Are Like Houses” principle from chapter one of my book, THEM. In addition to the two examples of this principle I've shared here, there are three more stories like it in chapter one of the book. But we've run out of time for today, as you've probably finished with folding laundry or picking up the kids from school. I'll leave you with two thoughts. I wonder if people you want to understand better are giving you “openings to their house” that you might be missing.  And secondly, are you making it harder on people to relate to you because many of the openings to your house are closed?  Are your drapes closed and your porch light turned off? It might be worth the risk to switch the lights on and open a window are two. Closing As we close up shop for today, I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about today's episode. I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's show, to look a little more closely at the openings people may be giving you into their house. Because when you do, it will help you experience the joy of relationships God desires for you. Because after all, You Were Made for This. Well, that's it for today. Don't forget to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them.  And I'll see you again next time. Other episodes or resources related to today's shows 139: Why Should I Listen to This Podcast? 021: The Most Important Relationship of All Prior recent episode  213: Five Things to Watch for in Your Next Conversation All past and future episodes    JohnCertalic.com Our Sponsor You Were Made for This is sponsored by Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry.  Donate Please consider donating to help cover the costs associated with this podcast and the other services we provide missionaries around the world. You can make a tax-deductible contribution to Caring for Others when you click here.  You can also contribute by clicking on the yellow "Donate" box in the upper right corner at the top of the first page.    

In this episode, hosts Rick and Lauren are joined by counselor Matt Scheuneman from the Biblical Life Counseling Center, focusing on the spiritual journey of men and the challenges related to shame. Together, they delve into the complexities of societal expectations, personal regrets, and cultural pressures that contribute to the weight of shame in our lives. For Matt's wife, he joined us for an episode called “Weariness in Friendships with the Open Door”Also check out our Barbie episode with Amanda McIntyreMatt references Rick's sermon from February 19. Rick refernces our episode The Angry Path to God. Matt references the book Fully Alive: A Biblical Vision of Gender that Frees Men and Women to Live Beyond Stereotypes by Larry Crabb. Want to get in touch with Matt? E-mail him here. Email Rick at rickdunn61@gmail.com or find him on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Email Lauren at laurengmorgan@gmail.com or find her on Instagram.

On episode 248 I am joined by John Eldredge. John is an author, a counsellor, and a teacher. He is also president of Wild at Heart, a ministry devoted to helping people discover the heart of God, recover their own hearts in God's love, and learn to live in God's Kingdom.   John grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles (which he hated), and spent his boyhood summers on his grandfather's cattle ranch in eastern Oregon (which he loved). John met his wife, Stasi, in high school (in drama class). But their romance did not begin until they each came to faith in Christ, after high school.   John earned his undergraduate degree in Theatre at Cal Poly, and directed a theatre company in Los Angeles for several years before moving to Colorado with Focus on the Family, where he taught at the Focus on the Family Institute.   John earned his master's degree in Counselling from Colorado Christian University, under the direction of Larry Crabb and Dan Allender. He worked as a counsellor in private practice before launching Wild at Heart in 2000. John and Stasi live in Colorado Springs with their three sons (Samuel, Blaine, and Luke), their golden retriever (Oban), and two horses (Whistle and Kokolo).   While all of this is factually true, it somehow misses describing an actual person. He loves the outdoors passionately, and all beauty, Shakespeare, bow hunting, a good cigar, anything having to do with adventure, poetry, March Madness, working in the shop, fly fishing, classic rock, the Tetons, fish tacos, George MacDonald, green tea, buffalo steaks, dark chocolate, wild and open places, horses running, and too much more to name.   In this episode you will hear: 00:00 intro 02:58 why don't need another men's book04:48 the stages of the masculine journey - the boy, cowboy, warrior, lover, king, and sage08:08 the two fundamental needs of little boys10:08 it is important to discover for yourself that you have got what it takes14:08 a cry for a father's engagement18:38 Ryan's testimony23:08 why can't we trust men?26:58 the cure for the narcissistic life28:48 Christ the Warrior32:38 the tools of the enemy38:58 you need to tell each other your story42:08 getting hooked up to the one who knows you best and loves you most45:38 God heals trauma50:18 John's Heartprint   Those with ears, let them hear.   Always love Ryan     Connect with John Website: https://wildatheart.org/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/wildatheart/ Podcast: https://wildatheart.org/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/LoveGodLiveFree Books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-John-Eldredge/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AJohn+Eldredge    Connect with Always Better than Yesterday Website: https://abty.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alwaysbetterthanyesterdayuk/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/abty/ Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/weareabty Join our mail list here for exclusive content here: https://abty.co.uk/contact     Sign up for our coaching here: https://abty.co.uk/coaching Thank you to our sponsors MattMedia Online Marketing and Exhale Healthy Coffee.   Matt Media are an independent agency who specialise in content marketing helping business owners get their message seen by the right audience.   If you want to get your business seen through the power of social media, head to https://mattmedia.online/     Exhale is the first coffee to be sourced, roasted and lab tested specifically to maximise its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potency.   An independent lab test showed one cup of Exhale coffee has the same antioxidant power as 1.8kg of blueberries or 55 oranges!   Get £10 off your first bag when you visit https://exhalecoffee.com/abty   Please email your questions and comments to podcast@abty.co.uk   #JohnEldredge #WildatHeart #Masculinity #JesusChrist  

On this episode, Jared & Audrey launch their podcast and talk about how to get quiet before God. and offer a frame work for doing so. PAPA Prayer by Larry Crabb https://amzn.to/3tUOxts Send comments and topic ideas to jaredclugston@outlook.com

When Dr. Larry Crabb approached Scripture, he asked the question: "What questions has God answered for us?" His study produced a framework of understanding that he called "The Seven Questions of Spiritual Theology." This was the foundation of his Schools of Spiritual Directions training, and during 2024, Larger Story will be sharing recordings of Dr. Larry Crabb that have not previously been released. During each month this year, on our podcast, in our book club, and on our blog, we'll be exploring the 7 questions of Spiritual Theology, why they matter, and how they can help us become people who are more like Jesus. This week's episode provides Dr. Crabb's introduction to the first question: "Who is God?"

Pastor Chris Ansell of Restoration Community Church continues an Advent series for us. This week we looked at our craving for love. Dr. Larry Crabb says that in our relationships we look for two elements, security and significance. We examined how human relationships ultimately fall short of this need and only God can truly fulfill us. Passages: 1 John 4:7-8; Psalm 36:5; Zephaniah 3:17; Isaiah 54:10; Romans 5:6-8; John 4:10; Galatians 4:4-5

HCP - Ep. 180 - 7 Values of Godly MenOn this episode of the HCP, Drew shares some content from a talk he gave to the men of his church. This content included 7 values of Godly men. The conversation starts in Gen. 3 around the fall of man and the silence of Adam. Men are named “the remembering one” in Gen. 1 and called to remember and lead others to remember. Some of this content comes from “The Silence of Adam” by Larry Crabb. For a copy of these values please email us - address below.You can email us at info@healthychurchpodcast.com orTo find more information about The Healthy Church Podcast go to:http://www.healthychurchpodcast.comor find us on FaceBook!For a video of today's podcast, you can find it on FaceBook or YouTube!

This month Jonny Shenk joins us to talk about the knowledge of suffering and his theory as to why God allows pain and sin in the world. Thank you to everyone who has supported us this far, it means so much! Cover Art by Reagan Hostetler Recommendations: Shattered Dreams by Larry Crabb

Jesus invites us to come to Him in faith with all of our requests. So what do we do with the times He doesn't seem to answer prayer for legitimate needs? Dr. Larry Crabb explores the mystery of relationship with a God Whose character can be trusted even when life doesn't make sense to us.

Introduction: In this episode of "Soul Care for Therapists," host Dawn Gabriel welcomes Malia Doss, a licensed marriage and family therapist with 18 years of experience. Malia's diverse background includes roles as a certified public accountant and an executive in the music industry. She transitioned into therapy after realizing the profound impact of being part of other people's lives and the richness it brought to her own journey. The Intersection of Spirituality and Therapy: Malia and Dawn delve deep into the differences between spiritual direction and therapy. While both have their merits, they emphasize that spiritual direction offers a unique approach to understanding oneself and one's relationship with the divine. Malia recalls her initial arrogance when starting her training in spiritual direction, thinking it was similar to therapy. However, she soon realized the profound differences and the depth of spiritual direction could offer. The Power of Spiritual Direction: Spiritual direction provides a space for individuals to explore their relationship with God and their spiritual journey. Unlike therapy, which often focuses on problem-solving, spiritual direction is about deepening one's connection with the divine. Malia mentions Larry Crabb's' work on the "upstairs and downstairs room," highlighting the complexities of weaving in one's relationship with the Lord into therapy. She believes that everyone is on a unique journey, and spiritual direction can be a powerful tool for those ready to delve deeper into their faith. Community and Support: Malia emphasizes the importance of community, especially for therapists. She reflects on the challenges she faced when starting out and the lack of generosity she sometimes encountered from peers. However, she believes in the power of finding "your people" and building a supportive community. Dawn echoes this sentiment, mentioning her initiative, "Sacred Space Groups for therapists," which focuses on integrating spirituality and preventing burnout. Tips/Action Steps: Self-awareness: Recognize where you are on your spiritual journey. If you find yourself constantly thinking about your relationship with the Lord and seeking more, consider spiritual direction. Seek Mentorship: Find a spiritual director or mentor who can guide you on your journey, ask questions, and provide valuable insights. Build Community: Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who can support and uplift you. Whether it's a formal group or informal gathering, community is essential. Summary: In this enlightening episode, Malia Doss shares her insights on the profound impact of spiritual direction and its differences from therapy. Both Malia and Dawn emphasize the importance of community and mentorship in one's spiritual journey. Whether you're a therapist or someone seeking a deeper spiritual connection, this episode offers valuable insights and actionable steps to enrich your journey.   Links and Resources Sacred Space Community Groups - with Dawn Soul Care Retreats: Exclusively for therapists who want to recharge in a deep and fulfilling way. You will engage in your own spiritual journey, find some release from the work you do, as well as connect with other therapists all while enjoying the beauty of Colorado at a secluded and peaceful retreat center. Limited to 6-8 therapists. Malia Doss is a therapist at Authentic Connections Counseling Center  

Next up in our marriage series, we are focusing on communication. How we interact with our husbands will either build our marriages up or tear them down. But honest, humble communication isn't easy. Today, I'm talking with Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Heather Bjur. She helps us understand why we might react the way we do, how humility can change our relationships, how our thoughts shape what we say, and how to begin to become emotionally honest. You'll hear us talk about… Attachment style How your thoughts affect your communication Creating new neuropathways Becoming emotionally honest When to seek counseling Heather is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at Valley Christian Counseling Center in Fargo, North Dakota. She is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional who offers EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and Emotionally Focused Therapy (for couples). Additionally, Heather holds a certificate in Spiritual Direction through the late Dr. Larry Crabb's New Way Ministries. GET ALL THE SHOW NOTES   CONNECT WITH HEATHER Instagram | Facebook | Website    GTL BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY Girls Talking Life turns 5 next month! I'll be celebrating by giving YOU the chance to win gifts! Be sure you are on my mailing list or following me on Instagram so you know how and when to enter!

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Lisa Brockman, Ruling Elder for First Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida, and author of Out of Zion: Meeting Jesus in the Shadow of the Mormon Temple. In part one of a two-week conversation, the two discuss her path as a sixth-generation Mormon—including her childhood dream of a temple marriage—to accepting Christ as a student at the University of Utah. She recounts how her spiritual journey was influenced by Josh McDowell, Larry Crabb, and James Spencer. She also describes coming to the realization that the biblical God is the only God who will not abuse His authority.

Midst the struggle you wonder about the plans God has for you. I thought it was all about prosperity, but this is far from that.  Some things don't make sense. It wasn't meant to be like this. I didn't see this as my future. How did I get here? Questions and ponderings flow through the brain, and we wonder if God is there at all. People say things that feel like grains of sand being rubbed into an open wound.  You need more faith Pray more Give more God intends for you to prosper Try harder You've got sin in your life You need to forgive God has plans for you You wonder about the end product. Where is all this going?   Can anything good come out of this mess I am in?  You try to work it all out, but it's all a bit of a puzzle. A jig-saw puzzle. Jig-Saw puzzle  I think when I'm 94, if I make it to that age, I might be able to see how a few pieces have fitted together and something Godly good has emerged.  At this moment, I still wonder how. It's a mystery.  I think it's a bit like being given a 10000 piece jigsaw puzzle without the accompanying picture of what the puzzle will look like. Mountain scene, tropical birds, an old house. You have no idea.  To complicate it even further, there are no straight edged pieces. This puzzle could seemingly go on forever. No easy parts for you to make a quick start with nice neat borders.  So you make a start and find a few pieces that connect. This one fits in here and maybe this one will go here. You notice that a lot of the pieces look the same. In fact, it looks like this complete puzzle has only slight shade differences to it. There is a lot of sky! I thought this life was meant to be easy. No complications. Straightforward and simple, yet it's more like a vast blue sky puzzle. Did you ever think that mystery was in the plans God has for you? Held in someone's thoughts I often receive requests for prayer. (email me at barry@turningthepage.co.nz if you want) There is pain, loss, and desperation. First, I believe, they want God to act in certain ways. But I also think there is a deep, probably unconscious, need to feel that someone else knows the struggle.  That they are being held in someone's thoughts.   They want to be held, known and loved by at least one other person. Being alone and completely abandoned is the worst of crimes we can do to each other.  I hold people in my thoughts during the day. Prayers form around Spirit nudges for this person and that person. Their puzzle is jig-saw messy, like mine. Then someone quotes Jeremiah 29:11, and especially the translation that has the word ‘prosper'.  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV At this point, I understand why Jesus got angry and picked up a whip.  Bitterly cold comfort to someone dying from cancer, or having had their house burn to ashes.  We hear the word ‘plan' and we think blueprint, map, already laid out for us. We hear the word ‘prosper' and we go to what the world considers as prosperity – the good life of health, wealth, beautiful people, and anything advertised to us as what will bring us personal fulfillment. Yet here we are, like Job, sitting in an ash heap picking at our sores. Quite frankly, I wish some people would just shut up and keep their band-aid clap trap verses for their own happy face mask wearing friends.  In the original Hebrew, this verse would most likely be read in this way. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you says Yahweh thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you a future and a hope Jeremiah 29:11 Thoughts.  Thoughts that God thinks towards us. Thoughts of peace, a future, a hope. Reality hits that we are not there yet. We, like the people of Israel that this verse was originally intended for, are in exile from the home always intended for us. Forsaken There are some words, that we may know from hearing them so often because people have said them to us as little mantras. Forsaken, I believe, could be one of those words. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6 Forsaken means to be remote, absent, depart from.  In God's thoughts, you always held, loved, known, even though you may feel in exile and in a strange land. God is on the move with thoughts and intentions to bring you to jig-saw puzzle completion with no pieces missing or in the wrong place. Jig-saw pieces move and clip together. Sometimes awkwardly, sometimes with ease. We look at our life and see how God's thoughts have been shaping the puzzle. Amid the pain of the present day, we know we are held, loved and known.   Perhaps you have to change your thinking about the plans God has for you. Quotes to consider The moment God is figured out with nice neat lines and definitions, we are no longer dealing with God. Rob Bell  When you stand before Me [God] in mystery, you will eventually rest within Me in trust. When you can't figure Me out, you will give up the illusion of predictability and control and discover the joy of freedom and hope. Larry Crabb 66 Love letters – Job Control eventually gives way to mystery and the letting go of control. Suddenly, we are not in charge. Rohr, Richard . The Wisdom Pattern: Order, Chaos, Reorder Real silence, real stillness, really holding one's tongue comes only as the sober consequence of spiritual stillness. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Questions to answer When you hear the words ‘I have thoughts towards you' what is your first reaction? Why that reaction? A jig-saw puzzle unfolds itself as the pieces come together. Have you seen this happen in your life? What does prosperity look like to you? How is it portyaed to you through modern media? What do you think Gods view of being propserous looks like? Further reading Barry Pearman Photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash   Read this further here FOLLOW ME! Email me: barry@turningthepage.co.nz Website: https://turningthepage.co.nz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turningthepage1atatime Twitter: https://twitter.com/barrypearman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barry_pearman/ Podcast https://turningthepage.co.nz/podcast-listen-mental-health/ Support Turning the Page with a Donation https://turningthepage.co.nz/give/

"Is God good? I know he loves the people around me, but does he love me the same? Sometimes the questions feel louder than the belief in me, what do I do with that?" These questions are common to the Christian journey of faith and our guest today, Stacey Tafao, discusses how vital the lost art of spiritual formation is to our lives. Learn how sometimes the question isn't "What is the answer to this?" as it is "Who is God for you in this moment?" Today we are joined by Stacey Tafao. She is the Pastor of Spiritual Formation and Community at Fellowship Church in Knoxville, TN. Stacey joined us previously and told us her story for the episode A Life Reframed: Redeeming our Wounds. Stacey references A Long Obedience in the Same Direction by Eugene H. Peterson. Stacey references the work of Larry Crabb. Stacey references A Severe Mercy by Sheldon Vanauken Stacey mentions graftedlife.org https://www.graftedlife.org/Stacey references The Road Back to You by Ian Morgan Cron Connect with StaceyEmail Rick at rickdunn61@gmail.com or find him on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Email Lauren at laurengmorgan@gmail.com or find her on Instagram.

After over 40 years as a psychologist, what did Dr. Larry Crabb find were some foundational ways of fostering spiritually forming relationships? Moving beyond psychological techniques and beneath surface struggles, he offers a framework for developing the kind of conversation where the Spirit can do His deepest work. Tune in for his conversation with fellow psychologist Dr. Jim Cress.

Be a part of two amazing session experiences, In the Studio With Michael Card. We're opening the Mole End archive to present music and conversations that will challenge and ignite a new commitment to serious follow Christ's example. In the first half we'll feature a session with the Late Dr. Larry Crabb and singer songwriter Sara Groves. Don't miss this unique teaching discussion based in Larry's book, The Pressures Off” combined with Sara's in studio performances of songs that connect with this theme. In the second half we've found a session from the Joy In the Journey radio series about Jesus as our servant leader based in John 13. Michael will teach on this passage and perform his song “Basin and Towel”. Great teaching, fellowship and stirring performances are all waiting for you to enjoy and share, In The Studio with Michael Card.

Trouble comes. It's nothing new, but we have the assurance of others, so we hold on tight and ride our way through it. You can see it coming. You're sailing along. Life seems to be going along ok, but out on the horizon, you can see a storm. You know that it's coming straight at you. You didn't cause the storm; it was simply part of the ebb and flow of being on the ocean.  On your little boat, you wonder if you will make it through. You prepare, get ready, and you hold on tight.  Trouble comes. You know it comes. You've been through trouble before, but this storm seems bigger and all-consuming. This will test everything in you.  You look at the only crew member you have, and he is asleep in the back of the boat. He is a wise old sailor, an ancient mariner that has callused hands from handling the ropes in many a storm.  Just his presence seems to bring calm to your soul. Perhaps you can make it through. He stirs a little, opens an eye, looks over the seas, and says, ‘You'll be alright, just steer into it and hold on tight.' With that, he yawns, rubs his stubbled face, and goes back to sleep. And you thought he would stand and command the wind and the waves to be still.  Not this time.  You aim into the storm and hold on tight.  It's inevitable I sit with people and listen to their storms.  The most often heard phrases are ‘What did I do to deserve this' or ‘I didn't deserve this'?  Both point to a kind of surprise that they have a storm, a full-blown hurricane whirling and stripping at their life.  They look to fate, logic, and God for reasons. A crime and, therefore, a punishment. A reaping of what you've sown. Choices and consequences.  Sometimes there is a connection. You can hardly blame God for a speeding ticket when you drove too fast and were caught.  But at other times, it seems you can't make sense of anything at all. You're just stuck in the middle of the mess, and night time is rolling in, fast.  Oh, and Jesus seems to be fast asleep in the corner of the boat.  Sorry, here's the hard truth. This was inevitable. It's normal to have times of trouble, but it's not what we were made for, and that's why it causes so much pain. Good listening helps the storm-tossed to get through. But trouble comes At the bottom of the swirl, where everything settles, comes the conclusion of the angst of the moment. Well, that's the way I read the last verse of the pain story of a man named Job.  Out of probably the first book ever written for the Bible comes the woe of a man caught in a whirling hurricane where he has lost his family, his wealth, and his health. If you think your trouble story is bad, read the story of Job and be thankful. Read the storm here. Job is literally sitting in the town's rubbish heap, throwing ashes over himself, and picking at his sores (read self-harm).  The last three words sum it up.  I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;     I have no rest; but trouble comes. Job 3:26 It's a simple acknowledgment that trouble comes.  There is a normality to trouble. Post the time of Garden of Eden tranquillity of ease, quiet, and rest, we now live in a world where trouble comes.  In my nostrils I still have the faint fragrance of a garden where ease, quiet, and rest were the norm. I get little morsels of it every day; I soak in them, but I know trouble comes. It will come as sure as storms at sea.  It's normal to feel that way One of the strangely comforting things to say to someone when they are going through trouble is that what they are experiencing is normal. This is not to downplay the struggle or to minimise their pain, but more so to say, ‘This is trouble and we can get through it.'  It's normal that you are feeling depressed, anxious, overwhelmed, in grief. It's normal for your body to be reacting in that way. It's also normal for your friends and family to not know what to do. It's normal to curse, blame others, project out your pain, run, hide, and feel guilt and shame. It's normal to want vengeance. It's normal, but in the long term not good to stay in that hole. I often add that I would be concerned if they weren't feeling these emotions and desires for all that they have been through. It would be abnormal.  It brings a strange reassurance to the storm-tossed that what they are going through isn't strange to you. That you are in their boat with them. That you know what trouble is all about and you can be a steadying hand on their shoulder as they face the wild.  The building of faith has storms Jesus, the one who knew trouble like no one else, speaks to the storms in our souls. That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.  There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don't you care if we drown?”  He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down, and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”  They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!” Going through internal storms (not running from them) builds our faith muscles. This is where borrowing some faith from someone else is such a beautiful Garden of Eden gift. Quotes to consider Christianity is one beggar telling another beggar where he found bread. D.T. Niles  The Book of Job proclaims from the beginning that there is no correlation between sin and suffering, between virtue and reward. That logic is hard for us to break. This book tries to break it, so that a new logos, called grace, can happen. Richard Rohr. Job and the Mystery of Suffering Untested faith tends to produce a very mechanistic and impersonal spirituality. Mature faith, however, almost always has a quality of paradox and mystery about it Richard Rohr. Job and the Mystery of Suffering Sometimes people who don't know God well presume that God would use power the way they would use power: as a dominative force. They want a deus ex machina, a magician God who appears out of the wings to solve the problem. The paradox of the Book of Job is that Yahweh remains totally present in power, yet to all appearances does nothing. And for thirty-seven chapters, God says nothing. It's our worst nightmare: a silent, hidden, and ineffective God. Richard Rohr. Job and the Mystery of Suffering. Too often, our version of trusting God carries with it an expectation of what God should do. We are, of course, to trust God to do all that He tells us in the Bible He will do. But this is where we sometimes get off-track. Without noticing it, we tend to trust God to do what we think a loving God ought to do. An honest look at what we mean when we use the word trust would likely turn up a subtle demand, a stubborn sense of entitlement to whatever good things we'd like God to give us. Larry Crabb When God's Ways Make No Sense When you stand before Me [God] in mystery, you will eventually rest within Me in trust. When you can't figure Me out, you will give up the illusion of predictability and control and discover the joy of freedom and hope. Larry Crabb 66 Love letters – Job.    Questions to consider You've been in times of trouble. What helped you through your storm? What's your natural reaction to trouble? What would be an unnatural, or even a supernatural, reaction to trouble? With no sense in minimising your struggle, what's it like to be reassured that the trouble you're in is normal? Further reading Photo by Alex Block on Unsplash Barry Pearman   Get a weekly email full of help for your Mental Health and Spiritual formation * indicates required Email Address *   First Name * Last Name *     Read this further here FOLLOW ME! Email me: barry@turningthepage.co.nz Website: https://turningthepage.co.nz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turningthepage1atatime Twitter: https://twitter.com/barrypearman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barry_pearman/ Podcast https://turningthepage.co.nz/podcast-listen-mental-health/ Support Turning the Page with a Donation https://turningthepage.co.nz/give/

At times, it can seem like God isn't with us, but God is there with, ‘and it just so happened' moments to bring about a larger story going on.  I often listen to people's stories and wonder where God is in them. Often the stories tell of mess. There is brokenness, hurt, and pain.  I listen for two things. One is for what is happening in the here and now. Their Red Dot.  The Red Dot is a concept I learned from Larry Crabb. You go into a shopping mall, and you want to find where a particular shop is, and at the entrance, there is a map of the building. You notice a large arrow pointing to a location on the map, and there is a large red dot. The arrow says ‘You are here'.  It's that central ‘You are here' groundedness that I'm listening for. Where are they in their soul right here, right now? The second thing I am listening for is what is going on around them. What is God up to in this mess? They are often so captured by the mess that they can't see outside of themselves. An outside perspective is needed. If there is a ‘You are here' knowing, then I want to express a ‘You are within' connection to them. You are held; you are known; you are loved. A larger story One of the concepts that surprised me many years ago is that I am part of the meta-narrative of God. The Big story of what God is up. Part of the eternal flow that has and will continue to go on forever. The Bible expresses stories of people just like ourselves caught up in this gulf stream of God's goodness. This three person dancing trinity sweeps me along and seems to at times sneakily in the background orchestrate things to bring about perfect symphonic harmony. Paul alludes to it in Romans 8:28  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. Romans 8:28 We can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:28 (Message) There is a little phrase that I think points to this background movement of God. Have you noticed this subtle little phrase acting itself out in your life? And it just so happened I read these words ‘And it just so happened' in the Bible and I have a sneaky suspicion that God is up to something. Something good. It's like the boyfriend that ‘just so happens' to turn up at the girlfriend's place around an hour before dinner. There is a kind of background motivation going on that we need to sit with and let it be revealed. There are many examples of this in the Bible, but I want to focus on two of them. These two are so entwined in how they point to the larger story of God. Ruth in the fields A mother and her daughter-in-law, both widows, return home from a foreign land. They are poor. The mother-in-law, Naomi, is bitter and angry at God. Ruth, her foreigner daughter-in-law, is trusting and hopeful. They are in deep need of something to happen. Something good. They have no one to care for them and to look after their needs, but God is at work, in the background. They need food, and it is harvest time. One of the laws that God set down for the people of Israel was that the landowners were to leave the edges of their fields as places for the poor to go and harvest from. God cared for the poor. Still does. “When you reap the harvest of your land, don't reap the corners of your field or gather the gleanings. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners. I am God, your God.” Leviticus 23:22 So Ruth goes to harvest from that which was left behind. Now Naomi had a rich relative named Boaz, from Elimelech's family. One day, Ruth, the Moabite, said to Naomi, “I am going to the fields. Maybe someone will be kind enough to let me gather the grain he leaves behind.” Naomi said, “Go, my daughter.” So Ruth went to the fields and gathered the grain that the workers cutting the grain had left behind. It just so happened that the field belonged to Boaz, from Elimelech's family. Ruth 2:1-3 The rest of the story goes on to a love story of Boaz and Ruth marrying and having a baby. Oh, and the name of the town where this story was unfolding? It was Bethlehem. Yes, that Bethlehem of the Christmas story. Pregnant Mary She was a pregnant teenager. She had been told by an angel that she was going to be pregnant with God. That she would have a baby, but it wasn't going to her fiances. Her fiance, Joseph was also told that it wasn't going to be his, but he was to look after Mary and to carry on to marry her. A lot of mysterious stuff going on. Probably everyone thought it was terrible having a baby outside of marriage, but God was on the move. Luke doesn't record the words ‘And it just so happened', but I think it would fit into the Christmas story. At that time [And it just so happened], Augustus Caesar sent an order that all people in the countries under Roman rule must list their names in a register. This was the first registration; it was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to their own towns to be registered. So Joseph left Nazareth, a town in Galilee, and went to the town of Bethlehem in Judea, known as the town of David. Joseph went there because he was from the family of David. Joseph registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was now pregnant. While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have the baby, and she gave birth to her first son. Because there were no rooms left in the inn, she wrapped the baby with pieces of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough. Luke 2:1-7 It just so happened that a census was being taken. It just so happened that Joseph was from Bethlehem and, according to the rules of the census, he had to return to his hometown. It just so happened that Mary gave birth to Jesus there in Bethlehem, the same place Naomi returned home to with Ruth, who had just so happened to glean in a field owned by Boaz. It just so happened that there is a direct genealogical connection between Boaz and Joseph. Read the family tree in Matthew 1: 5-16. It's a mystery, unfolding It's interesting. It brings an assurance to know that there is a bigger picture to be seen and there is a larger story going on. But it's not something to get obsessed with. I don't believe God would want you to look at every little thing to see if there is a secret meaning, code, or theory. No, I simply believe that God can use the most seemingly hopeless of situations to bring about the larger story going on. There is a pilgrimage, not a plan of precision perfection. There is a path, not a tightrope where you worry about falling off. There is a dance not a demand to follow in rigorous legality. God doesn't take away our free will to choose. Ruth still had to choose to go to a field and gather grain. Joseph and Mary still had to choose to take the long pregnant journey to Bethlehem. You still have to do the work, get out and L.O.F.O. (Look Out For Opportunities). But perhaps in your grain fields there might be instances of ‘and it just so happened.' Quotes to consider Often times we're looking for nice clear linear logical explanations about why we feel this compulsion and need to give efforts to something. There might not be any explanations other than something within you that says if I don't head in this direction something within me will die. Rob Bell https://robbell.podbean.com/e/a-hymn-for-the-curve/  A full search into our soul causes life to begin, not end. And then it's as if we've never lived before. Dark nights may not go away, but they hold the promise of a bright morning. This world's sunsets become another world's sunrises. And joy comes into sight. Larry Crabb Soultalk Every hard thing we endure can put us in touch with our desire for God, and every trial can strengthen that desire until it becomes the consuming passion of our life.   Larry Crabb Soultalk Whether life is bumpy or smooth, the most supernatural thing we can do is to want to know God better, to value his pleasure and his purposes above everything else, and to want directions for the journey into his presence more than a plan for making life work. Larry Crabb Soultalk Immature spirituality focuses on experience. Mature spirituality focuses on seeing and knowing. David Benner Mysticism is simply the longing for heart knowing of God. David Benner Questions to consider How does it feel to be part of something much larger going on? Can you reflect back on your life and notice some ‘And it just so happened' moments? What part does you taking action have a role in God being able to orchestrate those ‘And it just so happened' moments?   Further reading   Barry Pearman Photo by Héctor J. Rivas on Unsplash     Get a weekly email full of help for your Mental Health and Spiritual formation * indicates required Email Address *   First Name * Last Name *     Read this further here FOLLOW ME! Email me: barry@turningthepage.co.nz Website: https://turningthepage.co.nz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turningthepage1atatime Twitter: https://twitter.com/barrypearman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barry_pearman/ Podcast https://turningthepage.co.nz/podcast-listen-mental-health/ Support Turning the Page with a Donation https://turningthepage.co.nz/give/

Pastor Eric and Pastor Susan undertake a thoughtful exploration of the challenges of emotional struggles and offer a wealth of resources and tools for overcoming them. The conversation is enriched by the contributions of Dr. Larry Crabb and Dr. Hanscom, whose expertise has transformed Eric's and Susan's lives.The podcast thoughtfully considers the impact of uncertainty on our emotions, particularly the manifestation of anger and anxiety. The Entropy Model of Uncertainty is discussed in detail as a potent means for addressing the uncertainties of life. The hosts  also examine how this model can be used to address attachment issues and kindle the flame of hope for a brighter future.Drawing from Dr. Larry Crabb's spiritual formation teachings and Dr. Hanscom's approach to dealing with pain, the podcast offers pragmatic insights and tips for enhancing emotional well-being.This episode provides a holistic approach to emotional healing, bringing together diverse sources of knowledge and expertise. It is an invaluable resource for all those who yearn to deepen their comprehension of emotional struggles and seek effective strategies for surmounting them. Through this podcast, listeners will gain newfound wisdom and resources to promote their emotional well-being and nurture hope amidst life's uncertainties.Support the show"Healing the City" is a profound and dynamic weekly podcast that dives into the complexities of creating healthier communities. Featuring the voices and perspectives of the esteemed members of the Village Church, each episode is thoughtfully crafted to address the challenges and opportunities for meaningful change in our cities. With a holistic approach to healing, the podcast explores a wide range of topics, from soul care and spiritual direction to mental health and community involvement. It provides listeners with insightful and thought-provoking perspectives on the issues facing our cities, as well as practical steps they can take to make a difference. Join hosts Adrienne Crawford, Eric Cepin, Ashley Cousineau, Jessica Dennes, Michael Cousineau, Mark Crawford, and Susan Cepin as they navigate the complexities of our communities with wisdom, grace, and a deep commitment to positive change. Through their engaging discussions, listeners will be inspired to become active participants in healing the city and creating a brighter, healthier future for all. The Village Churchvillagersonline@gmail.comThe Village Church meets at 10a and 5p on Sundays1926 N Cloverland Ave, Tucson AZ 85712Mail: PO Box 30790, Tucson AZ 85751

Podcast Home.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.comHelp me to continue to make and share great Biblical content everyday and download a free PDF version of this Book at | PatreonMoses Before Pharoah - Part 4 - The Plague on the Firstborn (Exodus 11 1-11)In this episode, we delve into the story of Moses and Pharaoh as they face the culmination of their epic struggle. After nine failed attempts to convince Pharaoh to release the children of Israel from Egypt, Moses finds himself at a crossroads. What do you do when someone repeatedly rejects the message you're delivering? Exodus Chapter 11 holds the answer.The episode begins by exploring the first three verses of Exodus 11, which serve as a brief interlude in the narrative. God instructs Moses to gather silver and gold from the Egyptians, preparing for what is to come. These precious materials will later play a significant role in the construction of the Tabernacle, a dwelling place for God among the Israelites.Moving forward, the focus shifts to the tenth and final plague: the death of the firstborn. This plague not only targets the firstborn of the Egyptians but includes the firstborn of the Israelites as well. The episode contemplates the reasoning behind this severe judgment, suggesting that it serves as a demonstration of God's sovereignty over the Egyptian gods. By attacking the gods associated with procreation and fertility, including Pharaoh himself, Yahweh asserts His superiority.Furthermore, the tenth plague is viewed as a judgment against the Egyptians, showcasing the Israelite belief that the first share of all produce belongs to God. The episode explains that this concept was prevalent among both the Hebrews and the pagan cultures of the ancient world.As the devastating plague unfolds, causing immense grief and outcry throughout Egypt, the children of Israel are set apart and spared from the tragedy. The episode foreshadows the forthcoming Passover, which will provide a means of escape and protection for the Israelites.Amidst the intense emotions and escalating tensions, Moses confronts Pharaoh once more. Verse eight reveals Moses' great anger as he departs from Pharaoh's presence. The passage pulsates with raw emotion, capturing the weight and gravity of the situation.Drawing from the insights of Dr. Larry Crabb's book "Effective Biblical Counseling," the episode briefly touches on the relationship between psychology and a biblical worldview. Crabb's notion of "spoiling the Egyptians" is introduced, suggesting that believers can glean valuable insights from psychology while filtering out elements that contradict Scripture. This perspective aligns with the biblical account of the Israelites taking the useful materials from Egypt while leaving behind the spiritually and occultly charged aspects.The episode concludes by setting the stage for future episodes, promising to explore the remaining chapters of Exodus and the intricate details of God's deliveranceSupport the showFurther Discipleship Training Courses Free at;linkedin.com/in/jeremy-mccandless-68353b16Podcast Archive also athttps://www.youtube.com/c/JeremyRMcCandlessThe LIFE Podcast - The Bible Project | FacebookMy Amazon Author Pageamazon.com/author/jeremymccandlessJeremy McCandless is creating podcasts and devotional resources | PatreonHelp us continue making great content for listeners everywhere.https://thebibleproject.buzzsprout.com

Show Notes: What can church really be?  Where is “the Church” heading now? Kep chats with pastor Anthony Vartuli about the “small” church that they have been a part of for the past almost 2years – How do these kinds of deep relationships develop with the Holy Spirit's leading.  Order Real Church by Larry Crabb: https://store.largerstory.com/collections/featured/products/real-church-does-it-exist-can-i-find-it Anthony Vartuli's Bio: Anthony Vartuli served as a pastor in various different churches for 27 years. He has also served as a spiritual director in Larry's School of Spiritual Direction for the past 7 years. Presently, he serves as a hospice chaplain. Anthony holds a Masters in Theology (with an emphasis in pastoral counseling) from Dallas Theological Seminary, a Masters in Biblical Counseling from Colorado Christian University, and a Doctor of Ministry degree (with an emphasis in Spiritual Formation) from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Anthony is married to Diane, who together have 3 children. Both have enjoyed a lasting friendship with Larry and Rachael Crabb since 1995. Larry has also been a trusted mentor as Anthony and Diane have dealt with both the joys and the difficulties of life. Anthony enjoys playing golf, reading books, and hanging out with his family. People have described Anthony as a calming presence, perceptive when it comes to the movement of the Holy Spirit in other's lives, able to meet people where they are, not where they are supposed to be.

Four types of power play a part in our lives, but the power that will transform you enters your ditch and is with you.  I've seen it all. Through the eyes of my half-dead body, I watch them come, look, and then go. Will no one stop to do what I cannot do for myself? I am alone, and no one wants to engage, connect, look upon my swollen face, and pierce my life with hope. It's a gift of power I need. I need someone to cross the line and do what I cannot do for myself. The disempowerment of abuse Abuse, in whatever form it comes, has a nasty way of taking the life out of you. You are left feeling less than others. You're small, weak, and insignificant. You get stripped of something of the gloriousness that you once were. Abuse that harms doesn't have to fit into the major categories of sexual abuse or violence. It could be a little well-aimed slight by a child in the schoolyard. A put down by a bully. A lack of basic essentials such as affirming touch and encouragement. No one escapes the blows and cuts from living in a broken world. Unfortunately, many of our wounds can remain untreated or undertreated for our lifetime. Many people come to this website because they pray into an internet search engine the words ‘God, I want to die.'. But I wonder what it would be like to pray, ‘God, I want to live fully.' I don't want to live a half-dead life. I want a life where I am fully alive, where wounds have been changed into scars. Abuse cuts and traumas have become beauty marks and toned muscle. The harm now brings something of God's life to others, and as we connect, we ‘mouth to mouth' resuscitate those who robbers and thieves have violated. What would it be like to be fully alive? Overpowered Jesus tells a story about power. “A man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing and wounded him and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a priest came down that way. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to that place, looked at him and passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine. Then he set him on his own donkey and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.  The next day when he departed, he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said to him, ‘Take care of him. I will repay you whatever else you spend when I return.' Luke 10:30-35 (denarius, a coin worth about a day's wage.) In Jesus' story, we find a man experiencing the effect of Power over. He had been assaulted, robbed, and left half dead. Thieves, robbers, bullies, and tyrants had stolen something of his glorious humanity. Perhaps a fellow human was the only way to restore something of power within. If you were to look through the eyes of the dying man, what would you see? What expressions of power would your heart engage with? Perhaps it comes down to three questions. Are you with me in my need? Are you against me in my need? Are you ambivalent about my need? Power with, power against, power withheld.  Four types of power What does this dying man see? Power withheld The eyes see the avoiders. Those who create a void. They have the power to do something, but they hold back.Maybe it was fear or a sense of inadequacy. Perhaps they were too busy, or they were holding on to some sense of self-importance. Let's not make excuses for those who withhold good. Instead, we can all do for one what we wish we could do for everyone. Power over He had already seen the violence of ‘power over' relationships, but now another human was moving towards him. But this was a different expression of ‘power over.' This was someone doing for him what he could not do himself. People often use this parable as a justification for rescuing people. Yes, this was a rescue mission because he could not do what was needed for himself.  One of the most challenging and saddest moments of my life was when I worked at the coal face of people with mental illness, and I would encounter people so unwell with their illness that they could not make rational decisions. Illness had thrown them into a ditch. There was typically a psychosis involved. They were lost in a ditch of hearing, seeing, and feeling things that no one else was experiencing.  Often they were a danger to themselves and others. I would have to use ‘Power Over' and call others who had formal power, by law, to take this person into care. So it was ‘power over,' but not to take something away from them; more so, it was to give them something back. The Samaritan did what the man could not do for himself. Power with I like this form of power the best. It's the idea that I will do what I can do, you will do what you can do, and together we will make a difference. The Samaritan went to be with the half-dead man. He crossed the lines. He poured out oil and wine to clean and disinfect. Bandages were bound around the wounds. I wonder if these strips of cloth came from his clothes being ripped apart. This was ‘withness' in deepest connection. Power given The ‘power with' transfers into enabling others to give power to the recovery process. The Samaritan knows that others can help in ways he can't. He uses his own money, two days' wages, and the promise of more to ensure empowerment continues. A healing nest is needed. A power within begins to grow. Something happens in this man. The power within him begins to grow. Strength returns to his body and also to his soul. Perhaps because he has experienced both the worst of power and the best, he now has a deeper awareness of humanity. It is lovely to see someone grow in their internal power. They begin to see the lines of their unique shape.  They see those who have used ‘power over' badly. They see those who have ‘withheld power' and leave them alone. But then they begin to see those with them and want to continue to be with them. As a result, inner beauty and strength grow. Something both glorious and good begins to grow within the soul. Its beauty and strength begins to transform the dangerous roads we travel on. Its love is unstoppable and dangerous, and it must have release. And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin These four types of power play a part in all our lives. The power that will transform you, will enter your ditch and be with you. It's your eyes I want to see Looking into mine Got you live on my mind All the time. Bruce Cockburn   Quotes to consider Therapists accomplish good results because they are lovers, in the personal sense of that word, and not experts. Only genuine, unpurchaseable love does what needs to be done in the human soul. Larry Crabb. The Safest Place on Earth. Give a Man a Fish, and You Feed Him for a Day. Teach a Man To Fish, and You Feed Him for a Lifetime Christ taught us that the supernatural love of our neighbor is the exchange of compassion and gratitude which happens in a flash between two beings, one possessing and the other deprived of human personality. One of the two is only a little piece of flesh, naked, inert, and bleeding beside a ditch; he is nameless; no one knows anything about him. Those who pass by this thing scarcely notice it, and a few minutes afterward do not even know they saw it. Only one stops and turns his attention towards it. The actions that follow are just the automatic effect of this moment of attention. Simone Weil Simone Weil. Waiting for God Giving and receiving unconditional love is the most effective and powerful way to personal wholeness and happiness. John Bradshaw We live in the shelter of each other. Celtic saying  I don't see how we can show anybody we love them if we do not sacrifice for them. Richard Rohr -Job and the Mystery of Suffering Sacrifice of oneself for the other is simply love in its later stages. It's a very old-fashioned word. Richard Rohr -Job and the Mystery of Suffering Questions to answer Which of the four types of power grabbed your attention? How can we cultivate more ‘power with' in our relationships? Lines get crossed all the time. What type of power helps restore the soul? We are all traveling from a Jerusalem to a Jericho. What has happened on your pilgrimage? Further reading Barry Pearman Photo by Derick Daily on Unsplash   Read this further here FOLLOW ME! Email me: barry@turningthepage.co.nz Website: https://turningthepage.co.nz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/turningthepage1atatime Twitter: https://twitter.com/barrypearman Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barry_pearman/ Podcast https://turningthepage.co.nz/podcast-listen-mental-health/ Support Turning the Page with a Donation https://turningthepage.co.nz/give/  

Show Notes: An introduction to the book REAL CHURCH – This week we are changing things up a bit by having a little "church service" as Kep Crabb is joined by two of his good friends, Duncan Sprague and James Shelley. Join us this week for a time of worship and conversation about what church has been and what the church could become.  Order Real Church by Larry Crabb: https://store.largerstory.com/collections/featured/products/real-church-does-it-exist-can-i-find-it Watch the podcast here: https://youtu.be/p0Yljnr3WkA Transcript Kep Crabb: Welcome everybody to the Weekly podcast brought to you by Larger Story called Relational Spirituality where you belong, you become, and you can be known. We're doing something a little different today as we introduce a book that we're going to be covering for the next few months for these podcasts. The book is called Real Church, subtitle is “Does It Exist and Can I Find It?”  So, we are going to have what we call kind of a Larger Story church time today. We're going to do some singing, some talking, some worshiping.   [00:01:28] Worship:   [00:02:37] Kep Crabb: Couple of quick things before we get started here. My dad wrote this book in 2009, actually 2008 is when he wrote this book, Duncan can remember this, but he was right in the middle of drafting the book 66 Love Letters, which I believe is really his kind of Magnum Opus in respect to what he has written.  This book, he had to take a break from writing 66 Love Letters just to clear his mind a little.  One of the things that he says in the book is he authored this book out of some of his frustration or disappointment that he has had with church. He used to say, he said this to me all the time, I would love to give up on church, but I can't because Jesus never did. The book starts really with a question is he says, “Why don't I like to go to? And I don't think I'm alone.”   I think there's a lot of people out there who are disillusioned. Well, I'm joined today by two of my closest friends. I have got James Shelley here, Duncan Sprague here with me.   I really wanted to talk to these two guys specifically about Real Church, what we're gonna be talking about for the next few months in our podcast because they are in a little bit of a different place now when it comes to where they are in respect to church. Dunc and I have had many conversations about our disillusion with church and disappointment that we have had at times with church.  I think James and I have had some of that as well, but James has been involved in his church, his local church now for a decade plus, where it has just been really feeding you. And blessing you in a way that is producing major fruit. And so to get the contrast between these two brothers as we talk about church today a little bit as we introduce this book to you all for this podcast series that's going to be happening in the second quarter of this 2023 year.  I would like to introduce Dunc on this side. Dunc's been a pastor.  And James is a music leader at his church. And we did some music for you a little bit earlier. You get a chance to see some of that. Guys, thanks for joining me today.   [00:04:34] James Shelley: Good to be here.  [00:04:34] Duncan Sprague: Great to be with you.   [00:04:35] Kep Crabb: You guys have both read the book, and I know you've just read it recently and I've gone through it again recently too.  What are some of the things that stand out to you in respect to this book? James, why don't you start as you've just recently read this  and you are just now getting into kind of reading Larry Crabb a bit these days.  [00:04:49] James Shelley: It's been a good journey so far. I mean I can see that where Larry was when he wrote the book, and were already past when he wrote it. And, quite honestly, if today's social media and the things that are going on in this world that I do not know that it's actually got better, on the churches front.

What does it like like to be truly known and why are we so scared of it? How can it be both our deepest desire and our worst fear? This month we sit down with special guest Kristen Miller to discuss these topics and more. Cover Art by Reagan Hostetler Recommendations: The Bema podcast Soul of Shame by Kurt Thompson Becoming a True Spiritual Community by Larry Crabb

It's easy to read about someone else's knotted up life but it's hard to uncover the knots in our own lives.  Will Chenault understands the power of our stories and why they matter in light of God's larger story. You will appreciate Will's practical insight and wisdom as he leads us down a road that isn't as scary as we thought.   If we don't tell our stories, our stories tell us.  But we can't name what we don't know. We have to identify where the harm happened so the healing can begin.  God wants to take those broken, shattered pieces and make something more beautiful than it was before.  We are so excited to share this episode with you.   "God is working.  He's restoring.  He's bringing hope.  I wouldn't do this work if I didn't deeply believe that.  But we have to do the hard work. It's a holy calling, entering into the stories of others with a view towards redemption." "If we don't do the work, a lot of Christians walk around with giant heads and shriveled hearts. We can know doctrine but not know how it impacts our relationships." "We cannot be spiriually mature unless we are emotionally mature." Peter Scazzero, author of The Emotionally Healthy Church. "I don't know where to cauterize the wound unless I know where you are bleeding." Will is now affectionately known as "Mr. Amanda" (listen to Amanda Chenault's Rambling Episode 74) Will is also the Soul Care Pastor at Fellowship Bible Church, entering into the lives of many people and helping them process things in their life at a point of need.  Learm more about Soul Care & Story Groups and Will's counseling practice at The Pratt Clinic.   The Sacred Romance by John Eldredge (one of Will's top 5 books that was monumental in discovering his life's calling) Learn more about Dr. Larry Crabb (the father of Chrisitan Psychology) and Dr. Dan Allender (a pioneer in training people to listen and work through narratives of harm–both their own stories and the stories of others–to foster truth, goodness, and beauty in all of their relationships). Proverbs 16:24: "Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body." We LOVE connecting with you!    Join our Facebook group   • Follow us on Instagram • Follow us on TikTok   • Follow us on Pinterest    

Wednesday February 1, 2023 Today Point of View‘s host is Kerby Anderson! His first guest is Dr. Larry Crabb. Larry has a great new book, Waiting for Heaven. Kerby's other guest is Dr. Joshua Chatraw. Joshua also has a new book to share, “Telling a Better Story.” Connect with us on Facebook at facebook.com/pointofviewradio or on Twitter @PointofViewRTS […]

Fear is a very interesting emotion. It's created by one thing: uncertainty over the future, and it operates in the realm of our imagination. It's amazing how we play things out in our minds, and most people don't know what to do with it. Fears end up running wild in their imaginations, particularly when they wake up at two or three o'clock in the morning and their minds start whirling. That's when fear runs rampant, and it cripples our lives in a multitude of ways. Interestingly, in both the Old and the New Testament, the number one imperative from God to His people is to fear not. Be anxious for nothing. Do not worry. So what is it that we fear? Well-known psychologist Larry Crabb says that we all have two basic psychological needs in our lives: The need for security, and The need for significance What do I mean by significance? It's the belief that your life makes a difference that will last over time. At the end of our lives, each of us hopes that our life was important in some way. Our need for significance creates an incredible fear of failure in us that we carry around - an incredible fear that we're going to fail somehow out in the workplace or in our relationships. As you listen to this message, ask yourself these questions: How is God trying to use this in my life? What's He trying to teach me? Maybe for some of us, He's trying to make a spiritual breakthrough in our lives. Today is the second of 3 talks that I gave back in 2009 after the stock market crash. These talks became the foundation of my book The True Measure of a Man, which continues to impact many lives, both men and women. Learn how to get Chapter 1 of The True Measure of a Man for FREE here.

Dean Weaver, EPC Stated Clerk, welcomes Lisa Brockman, Ruling Elder for First Presbyterian Church in Orlando, Florida, and author of Out of Zion: Meeting Jesus in the Shadow of the Mormon Temple. In part one of a two-week conversation, the two discuss her path as a sixth-generation Mormon—including her childhood dream of a temple marriage—to accepting Christ as a student at the University of Utah. She recounts how her spiritual journey was influenced by Josh McDowell, Larry Crabb, and James Spencer. She also describes coming to the realization that the biblical God is the only God who will not abuse His authority.

A family friend and listener to this podcast told me about an unpleasant experience she recently had at a big box retail store that got me thinking about climate change. Not the climate change we hear environmentalists and politicians talk about. I'm thinking about relational climate change. How the climate in a room changes when parents fail to discipline their children. And how it improves when they do. Continuing our “Thankful in November” series, today's episode is about how we can be thankful for parents who discipline their children because of how it improves the relational climate we live in. But before we get into today's episode, here's what this podcast is all about. Welcome to You Were Made for This If you find yourself wanting more from your relationships, you've come to the right place. Here you'll discover practical principles you can use to experience the life-giving relationships you were made for. I'm your host, John Certalic, award-winning author and relationship coach, here to help you find more joy in the relationships God designed for you. To access all past and future episodes, go to the bottom of this page, enter your name and email address, then click on the follow or subscribe button. The episodes are organized chronologically and are also searchable by topics, categories, and keywords. The need for a relational climate change I think most of us at one time or another experienced what a listener to our podcast went through recently while in the check-out line at Walmart. A father in front of her had a toddler strapped in his cart, while another young child, standing at his side, engaged in all manner of behavior to irritate the kid in the cart. The poking and taunting of the toddler elicited back-and-forth yelling between the two kids. And what do you think the father did about this? You guessed, it. Nothing. It got so irritating to our listener friend that she stepped out of line, abandoned her cart, and went across the street to a grocery store to buy the same items she left behind at Walmart. The climate change between the two stores was palpable. From chaos at Walmart to peace and calm at the grocery store. No undisciplined kids creating tension for fellow shoppers. The sad thing for me about stories like this is that it's not the kids' fault. It's on the parents for failing to disciple their children. The dad in this case needed to go sit on a chair in the time-out corner. My thoughts on child discipline Having raised two kids of my own with my wife, and then watching them parent their own children, I learned a few things about disciplining children. I'll start with this. Parents who discipline their children well when they are younger will have to discipline them less when they're older. When you don't discipline kids when they're young, it is much harder to do so when they're older as teenagers when the consequences of bad behavior are much greater. And then if you don't discipline them as teenagers, you get adults like Meghan Markle who's at the epicenter of the family dysfunction in Britain's royal family. It's been reported that he said he regrets not disciplining his daughter when she was a child. “I gave her everything she wanted,” he said. “I never said no.” Parents are sometimes reluctant to discipline their kids because they want their kids to like them, to not be upset with them. They want their children to view them as a friend. Children don't need you to be their friend. They need you to be a strong parent to teach them the most important thing they need to know as a young child, and that is to obey. The most important thing a young child needs to know The main job of young children is to learn to obey. Oh, there is so much disobedience out there. But it doesn't have to be that way. Years ago I attended a week-long conference featuring Christian Counselors Larry Crabb and Dan Allender. During a Q & A session, someone asked Crabb for parenting advice. He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts and said, “I'm not a parenting expert by any stretch of the imagination. All I can tell you is that the main task of a parent is to drive foolishness out of the heart of a child. Stick with that, and you'll do fine as a parent.” Let that sink in for a moment, “the main task of a parent is to drive foolishness out of the heart of a child.” It's taken from Proverbs 22:15 in the Bible. Parenting by a thousand paper cuts If there was ever a comment to illustrate the phrase, “easier said than done.” It would be Crabb's comment. Parenting is hard work. Kids wear you down. Over and over again they push you to your limits of patience. If I were to write a parenting book, I would entitle it, Parenting by a Thousand Paper Cuts. How many times do you have to say “no?” How many times do you have to pit your will against your child's will? It is so much easier to give in to your kid's disobedience. To just raise your voice at them, with no attendant consequence for their disobedience. When a child disobeys, a negative consequence for the child is called for. Just raising your voice out of frustration for the child not obeying you won't cut it. A parent's job in dealing with disobedience is to introduce some form of “pain” into their life. Depriving them of something they enjoy usually works. And every kid is different in this regard. It's not rocket science. So what does God say about discipline? Through Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, God has a number of things to tell about us about discipline in the Book of Proverbs. I count ten verses dealing with the discipline of children. The first five are directed to children themselves, the recipients of parental discipline. If you have kids, you might want to share these with them. It likely won't register with your children at the moment you need to disciple them. Instead, share these verses after the storm of misbehavior passes and relational calm returns. How children should view discipline With regard to children and what their attitude should be, Solomon says the following: Proverbs 1: 8 My child, listen when your father corrects you. Don't neglect your mother's instruction. Proverbs 4: 1-2 My children, listen when your father corrects you. Pay attention and learn good judgment, for I am giving you good guidance. Don't turn away from my instructions. Proverbs 6: 20 - 23 My son, obey your father's commands, and don't neglect your mother's instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life. Proverbs 12:1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction. Proverbs 13:1 A wise child accepts a parent's discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction. Why parents need to discipline their children As for parents, here are principles from the Book of Proverbs to keep in mind about why it is so important for them to discipline their children. Proverbs 13: 24 Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Proverbs 22:15 A youngster's heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away. This is the sum total of Larry Crabb's philosophy I mentioned earlier. Proverbs 23:13-14 Don't fail to discipline your children. The rod of punishment won't kill them. Physical discipline may well save them from death. Proverbs 29:15 To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child. Proverbs 29:17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad. So what does all this mean for YOU? How can you use what you've heard today to help you find more joy in the relationships in your life? If you're a parent, disciplining your children, not only benefits them and you, it also goes a long way to improving the relational climate of those around you. No one wants to be around bratty kids. No one wants to be around parents who ignore or can't handle their child's misbehavior. People probably won't say so, but we'll be thankful for you when your kids act up and you step in to take control of them. So be the kind of parent we can all be thankful for. To see this in action, one really helpful thing you can do is watch episodes of the TV Show, Supernanny. You can see past episodes on YouTube. You'll get a lot of good ideas to help you understand what may be causing you to be weak when it comes to child discipline, and how to get a lot better at it. I'll have a link to it in the show notes. Here's the main takeaway I hope you remember from today's episode Be thankful for parents who discipline their children. Teaching children to obey teaches them they are not the center of the universe, a lesson one can never learn too early. It also makes them a lot easier to parent when they're teenagers. It's a great gift to society when parents discipline their children well. Relationship question of the month. This question I'm asking you is part of the Relationship Question of the month for November. Namely, What is one relationship you are especially thankful for? Just go to PodinBox.com/John  and record your answer using your phone or computer. With your answer, please include your name and where you're from. It's that simple. I'll need your response by 5 pm Central time on November 16, 2022. Again, head over to  PodinBox.com/John  and leave a message for me. I'll pick several responses to air on our Thanksgiving episode. Who knows, it could be yours! And if so, it will look good on your resume. Closing In closing, I'd love to hear any thoughts you have about today's episode. I hope your thinking was stimulated by today's show, enough to put into practice what you've just heard about disciplining children For when you do, it will help you experience the joy of relationships God desires for you. Because after all, You Were Made for This. Well, that's it for today. If there's someone in your life you think might like to hear what you just heard, please forward this episode on to them. The link is JohnCertalic.com/184. Or scroll down to the bottom of the show notes for this episode and click on one of the options in the yellow “Share This” bar. And don't forget to spread a little relational sunshine around the people you meet this week. Spark some joy for them. And I'll see you again next time. Goodbye for now. Related resources to today's episode 139: Why Should I Listen to This Podcast? 021: The Most Important Relationship of All The TV show, Supernanny Last week's episode 183: Thankful for People Who Inspire Us The place to access all past and future episodes go to JohnCertalic.com Our Sponsor You Were Made for This is sponsored by Caring for Others, a missionary care ministry. The generosity of people like you supports our ministry. It enables us to continue this weekly podcast and other services we provide to missionaries around the world.

Lori Leander loves mentoring young women. After struggling with an eating disorder and post-partum anxiety, Lori reflects on how bringing those things to the Light and seeking counseling helped her. She is taking what she learned and is intentionally meeting with other women to share who God is.    Lori Leander Show Notes  Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis  True Spirituality by Francis Schaeffer  The Strong Women Podcast 66. Welcoming the Stranger with Rosaria Champagne Butterfield  Connecting by Larry Crabb  The Peacemaker by Ken Sande  A Young Girl After God's Own Heart by Elisabeth George  Hinds' Feet on High Places: An Engaging Visual Journey by Hannah Hurnard  CSLewisDoodles on YouTube  Union with Christ by Rankin Wilbourne  Breakpoint  Join Strong Women on Social Media: https://linktr.ee/strongwomencc   Erin and her husband, Brett, run Maven which “exists to help the next generation know truth, pursue goodness, and create beauty, all for the cause of Christ.” Check out more about Maven here: https://maventruth.com/    The Strong Women Podcast is a product of the Colson Center which equips Christians to live out their faith with clarity, confidence, and courage in this cultural moment. Through commentaries, podcasts, videos, and more, we help Christians better understand what's happening in the world, and champion what is true and good wherever God has called them.  Learn more about the Colson Center here: https://www.colsoncenter.org/    Visit our website and sign up for our email list so that you can stay up to date on what we are doing here and also receive our monthly book list: https://www.colsoncenter.org/strong-women   

Josh Brower is the co-director of high school ministry, and Hank Currin is the co-director of middle school ministry at LMPC. These men join Brian to talk about their callings and ministry to teen boys at LMPC.RESOURCES:The Life We're Looking For: Reclaiming Relationship in a Technological World by Andy CrouchThe Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology in Its Proper Place by Andy CrouchMy Tech-Wise Life: Growing Up and Making Choices in a World of Devices by Amy Crouch and Andy CrouchThe Silence of Adam by Dr. Larry Crabb (more appropriate for high school seniors)Man Enough by Nate PyleWild Things: The Art of Nurturing Boys by Stephen James and David ThomasThe Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School edited by Cameron Cole and Charlotte GetzRadically Different: A Student's Guide to Community by Champ ThorntonThoughts for Young Men by J.C. RyleSpecial Guests: Josh Brower and Hank CurrinHost: Brian SalterProducer: Ben WingardMusic arranged by David Henry and performed by David Henry and Hannah Lutz.To contact Pillar and Ground or to submit a question that you would like to hear addressed on a future episode, please email podcast@lmpc.org. 

This week we're discussing what your purpose in life is and what living in God's will means for you. Cover Art by Reagan Hostetler Recommendations: Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper Heaven by Randy Alcorn Shattered Dreams by Larry Crabb

Retired All-star pitcher Tim Burke is our guest on today's podcast. The former NY Yankee, Met and Expo describes how God changed his life while playing in the minors (it was the best of times, it was the worst of times). In addition, Tim shares the rollercoaster journey of international adoption he and his wife experienced.  Not only did Tim walk away from baseball at the height of his career, but he also walked away from his faith. You will be encouraged as you hear his comeback story. Tim explains his battle with depression and marriage troubles. Stay tuned to hear how God used these challenging times in “beautifully painful ways.” You will be moved as Tim details the dark times when his life fell apart and his growth through brokenness.  Be sure to subscribe to the Post Game with Paul Golden podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.

Day 72 Today's Reading: John 4 The average American is exposed to between four thousand and ten thousand commercial messages every day. But it's truth that is a rarity. We have opinions but not truth. One of my friends put it this way: “Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not everyone is entitled to their own truth.” Truth is universal. It isn't limited to individuals, geography, or ethnicity. We see this in today's reading of John 4, in which Jesus has such an important one-on-one conversation with a Samaritan woman. In this conversation Jesus will tell the truth, the difficult truth, but the liberating truth. In fact, He will share two truths that will set this woman—and an entire city—free. For as He said in John 8:32 (TLB), “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” That means we need truth in order to have freedom. And as He shared two truths with the Samaritan woman, He shares those same truths with us: (1) the truth about God; and (2) the truth about ourselves. It's the second truth that we usually miss. After this immoral woman met Jesus at a well and realized this is not just some Jew but this was the Messiah (truth about God), she went back to her city. Listen to her words: “The woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, ‘Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done'” (John 4:28-29). What a message. She did not say, “Come see the Messiah.” She did not even say, “Come see a man who told me all my good points and increased my self esteem.” She said, “Come see a man who told me the truth about me. He told me my faults, my sins, and revealed to me my past.” And Jesus did. He told her that she was immoral and living in immorality. This Samaritan woman was saying, “Come see a man who has told me two truths—the truth about Himself and the truth about me.” We need truth to be free; we need to understand and embrace these two truths to experience freedom. We live in a society that grossly overexaggerates ourselves, but Jesus doesn't do that. Remember the truth about this woman: He said, “Go call your husband and then come back.” “I have no husband,” she said. “That's nicely put: ‘I have no husband.' You've had five husbands, and the man you're living with now isn't even your husband. (John 4:16-18, MSG) In Finding God, Larry Crabb wrote: “Feeling better has become more important to us than finding God.” You can't feel better unless you find God, let's be clear. Listen to the Samaritans' response when they heard this woman's raw words: “From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, ‘He told me all the things that I have done” (John 4:39). She was telling the city, “Today I am free because of two truths: I met a man who told me all things (truth about God) and all things that I have done (truth about me).” In other words, she was saying, “And after He exposed my dark past, He still wanted me and loves me. This is not a normal man. He is different!" When we come to Jesus, we will hear the truth about ourselves, but we will also hear the truth about Him. And despite the revelation of our real selves and our messed-up lives, we discover that He loves us and wants us. That's two big truths. Plato said, “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.” When you come to Jesus, you come to the light. Don't be afraid. The true “you” will come to light, but so will the true God. And He is amazing.

The following podcast is a edited version of The Village Community's sermon series on relationships.  The series is based on the principles that come from the Marriage Builder, written by Dr. Larry CrabbSupport the show (http://cash.app/$thevillagechurch)

The following podcast is a edited version of The Village Community's sermon series on relationships.  The series is based on the principles that come from the Marriage Builder, written by Dr. Larry CrabbHealing the CitySupport the show (http://cash.app/$thevillagechurch)

The following podcast is a edited version of The Village Community's sermon series on relationships.  The series is based on the principles that come from the Marriage Builder, written by Dr. Larry CrabbHealing the CitySupport the show (http://cash.app/$thevillagechurch)

The Woman Amidst's new season kicks off this week! In this intro episode, Haley and Katie Rae catch up on life and what is to come in this new season. With a look into a few of the episodes and an overview on the last few months of life, enjoy this little teaser of an episode and stay tuned for Episode 1 next week! Show Notes Connecting by Dr. Larry Crabb

Katie and Matt are joined by Sarah Pattison and Makayla McCartney to continue their discussion on what it means to be made in the image of God as a female and being open, inviting and nourishing. Katie references Fully Alive by Larry Crabb as being a big influence on her for this conversation. Sarah references Isaiah 48:12The group references John 15:5Makayla references You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith Makayla references Hebrews 4:12Makayla references a liturgy from Every Moment Holy Vol. 1. You can find it at The Happy Envelope!Find more about Makayla McCartney here and find her on social media. Find more about Sarah Pattison here as well as her stationary store The Happy Envelope and find her on social media Find more about Matt Scheuneman here or find him on social media. Find more about Katie Neely here or find her on social media.  

Katie and Matt are joined by Sarah Pattison and Makayla McCartney to discuss what it means to be made in the image of God as a female and being open, inviting and nourishing. Katie references Fully Alive by Larry Crabb as being a big influence on her for this conversation. Find more about Makayla McCartney here and find her on social media. Find more about Sarah Pattison here as well as her stationary store The Happy Envelope and find her on social media Find more about Matt Scheuneman here or find him on social media. Find more about Katie Neely here or find her on social media.