Podcasts about Much Afraid

We've been Much Afraid to cover Jars of Clay's sophomore record, but it's time to face our fears. We got off to a rocky start with their self-titled, but we're open to a Truce now that they've left their drum loops behind them. Whether this record leaves us feeling Overjoyed or Weighed Down, we won't trade our love for Tea And Sympathy.If you like what you hear, please rate, review, subscribe, and follow!Connect with us here:Email: contact@churchjamsnow.comSite: https://www.churchjamsnow.com/IG: @churchjamsnowTwitter: @churchjamsnowFB: https://www.facebook.com/churchjamsnowpodcastPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/churchjamsnowpodcast

In this podcast episode, host Jon interviews two guests from Australia, Darren Iselin and his daughter Beck, about the concept of wellbeing in schools. Beck, a teacher, discusses the increase in mental health issues among her students, such as anxiety and depression, as well as the rise in neurodivergent behaviors. She also shares her observations about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student wellbeing. The conversation highlights the importance of relationships, trust, and cultural norms in fostering student wellbeing and flourishing. They conclude by expressing their hopes for the future of education, including a focus on connection and a joyful hope for student flourishing. To learn more, order Jon's book, Just Teaching: Feedback, Engagement, and Well-Being for Each Student.   The Just Schools Podcast is brought to you by the Baylor Center for School Leadership. Each week, we'll talk to catalytic educators who are doing amazing work.   Be encouraged.   Mentioned: Flourishing Together by Lynn Swaner and Andy Wolfe Novice Advantage by Jon Eckert Connect with us: Baylor MA in School Leadership Baylor Doctorate in Education Jon Eckert: @eckertjon Center for School Leadership at Baylor University: @baylorcsl   Jon: Welcome back to Just Schools. Today we have two guests in from Australia. Darren Iselin is one of our only ever repeat people on this podcast, he was so good the first time we brought him back again. And this time he's also brought his daughter Beck. Beck is in her sixth year of teaching year four in Australia. And so today we are going to have a conversation where we make a case against wellbeing. So if you aren't intrigued already, hopefully you will be after we start to hear from some of our friends here. So let's start with Beck. So Beck, you're in your sixth year. So you've been teaching a little bit before Covid hit and then you've had almost half your time before and after Covid. How would you describe the wellbeing of your students in Australia now? And then we'll dig into why maybe that wellbeing is not the right term for our kids. Beck: Yeah, absolutely. Within my classroom context, in any given year post Covid, I generally have around 10 kids diagnosed anxiety. I've seen depression as well in addition to then neurodivergent behaviors, seeing a massive increase. Jon: Neuro divergent. I love the terms used. I mean five years ago, we never heard that but all right, so continue with neurodivergent. Sorry to interrupt. Beck: So that's an increase in that, in addition to what I was already seeing. I think there's been a lot of children coming in just not at their, we talk about battery packs and they're coming into that school day and their battery pack is just completely drained at the start of the school day. And I think Covid times are really interesting for me. I was still teaching grade one back then and in Australia we only had remote learning for a short time. But for my students, the students who attended school, their wellbeing if you want to call it that I guess, they just seemed happier and settled and then the students who were learning at home seemed the same. And so then coming back from Covid was really hard because the students at school that had had so much more attention had had a different school day, they then struggled with having everyone back together and then the students who were at home who had had Mom and Dad doting on them for the whole day and only having to do some hours. Jon: I want to be in that house. I don't think our kids felt like they were doted on our house. Beck: I know sitting in Mom and Dad's office chair, we saw Ugg boots with the school uniforms, so then they loved that time. And so what I found really interesting was the coming back to I guess what we had considered normal school. And I feel like we've kind of been struggling to still come back after that, if that makes sense. Jon: Yes. Well in the US some schools were out for long periods of time, so there's significant learning loss that's happened and they're not able to figure out ways to minimize that impact and then accelerate forward on top of all the shifts in the way kids have gone through schooling over the last four years. Darren, we had a conversation with a renowned education scholar and in that conversation we were talking about wellbeing and flourishing and some of the issues that Beck just alluded to because we're seeing that in college students, we're seeing in grad students, we're seeing it in K through 12 students for sure. He mentioned that he did not like the term wellbeing and he didn't like the term flourishing. From what you recall of that conversation, what was his beef with those two terms? To me those have been some of the most ubiquitous terms in schools and who's against wellbeing? And here I'm saying we're making a case against it. What was his problem with those terms? Darren: Yeah, I think it comes out of a sense that the way that we are orientating the whole educational process has become highly individualized, highly about the self, the atomized version of who we are, and we've lost sight of, I guess a larger understanding of community and understanding of relationship and understanding of how we do this educative process together as opposed to siloed and isolated. And I think his main concern was around that the notion of wellbeing has become more and more about an introspective subjective version of what that means as an outcome as opposed to something that is around a collective purpose and meaning making that can be shared in a journey together. Jon: So when you think about Aristotle's view of the purpose of education, it was to lead to a flourishing society, which is an individual component to that, but that also has a communal purpose, it's not just to flourish. That becomes an issue. So I think I agree that was one of his things that he was pushing back against. And then I felt like he was also pushing against the idea that if kids believe that when they go to school their wellbeing is going to be attended to, and educators see wellbeing as the end, that communicates to them a freedom from struggle. And in fact, in his view, and also I think in our shared view, education is struggle. It's not freedom from struggle, it's freedom to struggle well. So I know Beck, you were just in US schools, you were visiting and then you have your school context, and again, you just got to drop in on a US school. But do see kids struggling well in schools, do you think they think of wellbeing and flourishing including struggle? Is that something that your students in Australia... Or my perception is in the US that's not something that's expected as a part of wellbeing and that wellbeing is freedom from it. What do you see? Beck: I love that because I think some teachers can be so quick to put up the poster, the growth mindset poster of the struggle is healthy. And you might see it in a room in that sense physically, but I like to talk about it almost like this sense of accomplishment. And so at one point a school that I was in had a model where if students experienced struggle, the classroom was then no longer a safe space. And it was like, okay, we need to remove them from the struggle. We don't really know what we'll do with them at that point. We might have calm down strategies, we might do all sorts of things, but then what was happening was that these students never got to experience the sense of accomplishment that came from doing a task that they thought they couldn't do and then actually succeeding in that. And I've even heard students say to me like, "Oh, I had no idea I was able to do that," or "Oh, that was actually really fun." Or to the point where I had one student discover just a love of reading, had never wanted to touch a book or pick up a book before that. And then just with that I guess a sense of going, you can do it and being careful with the language that I used around her, she's now the student that literally walks around with her head in a book and that's just unlocked a whole new world for her as well. And so I think I'm cautious to never rob my students of that and to embrace that struggle. Jon: I love the idea of not robbing your students of it. And you mentioned in a conversation we had earlier about the space in a classroom you can go if you feel like you need a time to take a break and you just need to disengage and then not participate. And obviously there are times when kids are unregulated and they just need a space to calm down and that's real, but it becomes a crutch. And so then you've taken away the chance for a kid to struggle well. So how do you balance that? The kid who needs some time to regulate versus the kid who needs to be stretched, the cognitive endurance needs to be challenged, the push has to be there. How have you figured out how to balance that? I know you've figured out all the answers because in your sixth year of teaching, so how do you do that? Beck: I think I couldn't not mention relationship. So much comes down to the trust that is built. But I guess if I could say practically aside from that, I have had spaces like that in my classroom. In my grade one classroom we had the cool down couch. Jon: I want to go to the cool down couch. Beck: It was great. It was this bright green vinyl. I had kids asleep on that thing. It was great. But one thing I loved was having a space, I've seen tents, I've seen all sorts of things, having a space where the student was still in close proximity to their peers. They were still part of our discussions, but they just perhaps weren't sitting at their desk in a scratchy chair. Maybe it was a little bit quieter where they were, but there was always a sense of I feel that it's best for you to be in this room. We want you here. This is community, this is belonging. And what pathway is built if when they begin to struggle, I send them out. And so yeah, I guess what I saw then was children who maybe don't look like they're listening the way that we might expect. I've heard crisscross applesauce. That's a big thing here. Jon: Yes, it's a big thing here. Yes. Beck: Yeah. But then still being able to engage in discussion just might not look the way that I expect it to look. Jon: No, that's good. So Darren, when you look up the word flourish, so we've picked on wellbeing for a little bit, and again, I want to make it clear we're all for wellbeing. We know you can't do any of the work that we do in schools without wellbeing. But if we're communicating to kids that the definition of wellbeing or flourishing, if you look up in Merriam Webster's, the dictionary, it says flourish means to grow luxuriantly. I don't think anyone would read that and think, oh, that means I need to struggle. And so how do we as leaders of schools and catalysts for other school leaders, how do we help our educators communicate to students what it means to struggle well? Especially as Christians because I think we have a better view of what it means to flourish as human beings knowing that we're made in the image of God. So how do we do that? Have you had any success in Australia doing this? Do you have any hope for us? Darren: Look, I think there is hope, and I think it's very much around how we're framing that conversation, John. To talk about this notion of flourishing as though it's the removal of all of those mechanisms that will imply risk, that will imply struggle, that will imply a wrestling through actually goes against the very grain of what we're really after with genuine wellbeing and genuine flourishing which we want in our school communities. I think something that comes back to our training as educators is always around that Vygotskian term around the zone of proximal development. And of course what we can do together can be exponentially better than what we can do on our own. And I think that notion of proximal development, we could apply to very different frames. We can do that pedagogically, what that pedagogical zone of proximal development looks like. What does relational proximal development look like? Going back to Beck's couch and the safe spaces that we create within our classrooms, what does cultural proximal development look like? Where we're actually together working on solutions that will expand and what we end up with through struggle, through risk, through uncertainty is actually better rounded and better formed students, better formed teachers, better formed communities within our schools. Jon: I love that ZPD applied to relational development. So my question then for Beck is you're now in that sweet spot I feel like in the teaching profession. The first year you're just trying to figure it out. The second year you're trying to pick up what you muddled through the first year. And by the third year you hit a, if you've gotten to teach the same grade level subject, you kind of like, okay, I get this. And you can look around and see what colleagues do I pull into this? How can I be more intentional about things other than just being survival mode? So your zone of proximal development for relational development as a leader in your classroom and beyond, you have more capacity for that now. So how have you seen your capacity for struggle increase? Because now you have the ability to not constantly be thinking about what am I saying? What am I doing? What's the lesson plan? You have this bandwidth, how have you seen yourself grow in that relational ZPD? Beck: I think there's definitely been, as with probably comes with any job, just an easing into it. And so there is a sense of it just being a lot of second nature and also just coming back every day and just having eyes that would see beyond the behaviors and having eyes that would see beyond maybe the meltdowns and the language used not just from my students but from within the whole school community. I think that obviously with then success and going, oh, I've done this before. I remember when I did this for this student before, this really worked quite well. And it never is the same for two students, but there's definitely a confidence that grows. And whilst I am in my sixth year, I don't feel like I'm in my sixth year. I feel like I have so much more to learn. But I think teaching is just like that. I think that the point where you just say, no, I've learned everything there is to learn, that's a dangerous place to be in. And I think there's so much to learn from our students as well. They teach me so much every day. And one of my greatest joys is when I see them begin to celebrate each other's successes and interact with each other in the same way that I guess I'm trying to create that culture. Darren: And becomes a very cultural dimension, John, where there is that capacity for trust, for engagement, for that sense of that we are in this together. And because we're in it together both within the students but within our classroom, there are these cultural norms that are created that are so powerful. And as someone who, obviously I'm very biased going into my daughter's own classroom, but when I see classrooms that are actually reflecting a culture where that proximal development is taking place culturally, relationally, pedagogically, it really is a transformative space. It's a safe space, but it's not without risk. And so it's not safetyism, as Jonathan Haight would say, it's actually a place where people are entrusted to be able to be who they are, to be real and authentic in that space and allow for that image bearing capacity to find its fullness. Jon: Yeah. So when you say that, I go back to the, obviously we need schools to be safe, we need classrooms to be safe, but I think if we tell kids that they're going to wait until they feel safe to share, marginalized kids will never share. And so in fact, they need to be respectful spaces that celebrate the risk taking what you described about seeing kids and celebrating that. And I think what you also described was gritty optimism. It isn't the naive optimism of a beginner. So my first book I wrote was called The Novice Advantage, and I talk about the shift that happens when you go from naive optimism to gritty optimism where you're optimistic based on things you've seen kids grow and do that you didn't think they could do. And when you can take that from the classroom and make that be a school-wide value, that's when it gets fun. Because when we say struggle, nobody wants to struggle. I don't want to struggle. I know sanctification is a process of being stretched. I want to be stretched without having been stretched. I don't want to go through the process of it. I want the benefit of it on the back end. And so I think what I want to see as a profession or people like you Beck and you Darren, leading other educators in this struggle where we celebrate the growth that we see, when we do more than we thought we can do and that it be fun. I don't think that the way I'm conceiving of wellbeing, that includes freedom to struggle well as being something that's onerous and compliance driven. I see it as something that, no, I could do this in August. I can do this now in December. Beck, I could do this as a first year teacher. I can do this now in my sixth year and I can point to how I've grown. So if you were to think back over the six years, how are you fundamentally different as a teacher because of some of the hard things that you've gone through in your first six years? Beck: I think to throw another buzzword in, I would say resilient. Darren: Oh yes. Jon: Yes. Beck: I think there's been so many micro moments. It's very hard to pinpoint and say this class or this child or this parent or this moment, but it's just the micro moments every day. Teachers make thousands upon thousands of decisions daily. And I think there's almost a sense of empowerment in going, when I speak from my own successes, I then can call that out in someone else. I think every teacher starts their career one of two ways, very bright-eyed. I was like, I've got the rainbow- Jon: Idealistic. Beck: ... rainbow decor, I've got the cool down couch, everything's alliterated. And I think I was very blessed to actually have taught the two cohorts that I taught in first grade again in fourth grade. And that was very significant for me because one, I got to enjoy all of the great things I saw in grade one, but they was so much more independent. But also it was in some ways a second chance to go, Hey, that thing that I really didn't do well when I was fumbling around in grade one, let's do that again and let's do it together. You know that I was there and I know that I was there, but we're both on this journey together. And that then created stronger community and this sense of identity to the point where I had one of my students create a hashtag on Cecil, which is a platform that students can upload to. And one of the photos he goes, hashtag 4B for life. And I was like, "What did you mean, Luke? What is this?" And he was like, "Oh, it just means we've got each other's backs," and all these things that, I mean, I could have put signs up and said, we're a family and we have this and these are our class rules and whatever. But I would much rather that come from their mouth and just knowing that they felt it was safe, I didn't have to prove that something... I didn't have to prove that I was a safe person. I didn't have to prove that my classroom was a safe space. It just became that. And yeah, looking back, I think it just makes me more excited, I think for the years ahead. Jon: Well, they owned the culture. It wasn't you forcing the culture. They owned it and you have the evidence of it. So Darren, you've been in education a little bit longer than Beck. Darren: Just one or two more years. Jon: How do you see your growth or the growth of educators like Beck? Where are you encouraged by growth that you've seen in yourself or growth just in the profession and what you've seen in Australia or you've been all over the world seeing this, where do you see optimism for this growth? Darren: I think the optimism comes John, when you see the capacity for that transformative interaction between student and teacher. That sacred moment on day one, which for many of our schools in Australia are going back within one or two weeks for that day one. And we start afresh. We start afresh with the newness of a new year, a new class, new minds, new hearts, new relationships to engage with and to see the transformative impact that that has. And year after year, we come back to that core element of what it means to actually be about this ancient task of teaching. To be able to engage this space well through struggle, yes, through risk, through uncertainty, through all the things that will be thrown at us in this year. And yet there is something about being a part of a community, a network, a culture that is established within a classroom that truly is a microcosm of what that school should look like right through as you talked about those norms and values that flow, and then indeed what a wider community would look like. And that notion of flourishing of what shalom might look like in its holistic sense, I think is the responsibility that every teacher has. And I get excited at this time of the year, this beginning phase that every teacher goes in, whether they've been teaching for 30 years or this is their first year of teaching, when they stand before that class for the first day, that first hour when they're establishing those norms, those expectations, we are filled with hope. We are filled with expectation, we are filled that we want to be part of 4B forever- Jon: That's right. Darren: ... because of what we are endeavoring to achieve here with purpose and meaning and something that goes far beyond just a transactional arrangement. Jon: I mean, teaching is one of the most human things we do and it's what keeps us coming back to it. And I'm excited about the tools that are out there from AI to ChatGPT to whatever, but anything that takes the human out of it is a problem. And so in just teaching, I define wellbeing as purpose-driven, flourishing, and then feedback is purpose-driven wisdom for growth. There's this huge component. And that only comes from humans. Because AI is consensus, it's scraping whatever the web has said on a certain topic and says, Hey, here's what consensus is. That's not wisdom. And so we gain wisdom from struggle. We're much more able to help and have empathy for people once we've been through something hard. We become much less judgmental. And I think that's grounded in two Corinthians four, seven through 10. And I think as educators we get to live that out all the time. And so I was sharing with you before we jumped on, I memorized these verses as a kid, but I didn't memorize verse 10, which is the most important one. So if you remember Paul's writing to the Corinthians and they were known for pottery that would be cracked and you could put a light in it and the light would shine through it. So it makes this passage even more powerful. And it comes from our friend Lynn Swaner and Andy Wolfe's book Flourishing Together. And they use this as their paradigm for what this means. And it's super encouraging in this way. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the all surpassing power is from God, not from us. We're hard-pressed on every side but not crushed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not abandoned, struck down but not destroyed. So those are the ones that are there and those are daunting if you put in educators instead of we. Educators are hard-pressed on every side. Darren: Sums up our profession. Jon: It's felt like that, right? But that gives us the opportunity to show Christ. And so that's where verse 10 comes in. We always carry around in our bodies the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also may be revealed in our bodies. So our creator had to come, suffer, die and we carry that around so that we can then reflect his glory to others because he's at work in us. So as we do this work, that's the hope, that's the joy. Darren: Absolutely. Jon: Right. And so we're going to wrap up our time with a lightning round. And so I always like to ask, I have five or six kind of go-to questions here. And so I'm curious and feel free to build on anything that we've talked about so far, but this is a word, phrase or sentence. I'm terrible at this. I always would go too long if I were asked this. But if you were to think back on this past year and what we've just talked about, what real wellbeing is, really that's what we're talking about. What is real wellbeing? What's one word that sums up for you how you've approached your own wellbeing in this past year? What would be a word that comes into mind? And in this one, I really do want the first word that pops in your head. Beck: Fulfillment for me. Jon: Great word, Beck. That was quick. She's younger than we are. Her mind works faster. So Darren, go for it. Darren: I'll tell you something quite random, gaming. Now I'm not a gamer, but I love games and Beck shares that passion. We often don't get to play them as much as we should, but we have room full of games that we can pick at any given time. But there is something that is dynamic about gaming. There's something about when you enter into play into that space of actually struggle, of risk, of uncertainty, of joy. And I think in all of that, that to me has been something that has really resonated with me as I've looked at this whole notion of wellbeing is we need to play more, we need to have more fun, John. We get to far too serious about too many things. Jon: That's right. Darren's a lightning round guy like I am. Beck had literally one word. Beck: I'm obedient. Follow the instructions. Jon: So I wasn't planning to ask this one, but in the last year, what has been your favorite game that you have played? One of your top five? Beck: I have to say Ticket to Ride for me. Jon: Oh, I love Ticket to Ride. Beck: And all the expansion packs. Jon: I've not done the expansion packs. All right. Ticket to Ride. Great. Darren: We just love our trivial games. So anything that's got trivia in it. And there are some really awful games of that, there are some really fantastic games that we play with that. Beck: Lots of eighties trivia. Darren: Lots of eighties and nineties trivia. Just to boost the points for- Beck: That's not my sweet spot. Darren: ... Mom and Dad. Jon: Yes. Well my kids love the Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit because I sit and listen to them and I am both proud and cringing that they know Harry Potter that well. Darren: My children are like that with Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. Beck: Or any sport. Jon: Oh well that's okay. Sport is all clear. All good. Okay. So what's the best book you've read in the last year? And it doesn't have to be education related, but it could be. Beck: Mine is a Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard. Jon: Okay. Beck: Yeah. Fantastic book. It's an allegory, follows the story of a character called Much Afraid, who is on her way to the high places and has to walk in the hinds' feet of the shepherd leading her. Powerful. Jon: That sounds powerful. All right, Darren? Darren: Mine was a book by Andy Crouch called The Life We're Looking For, really about reclaiming relationships in a technological age. And I just found that such a riveting read. I read it almost in one sitting. It was that engaging. Jon: Wow. I love Andy Crouch. That's great. So two great recommendations there. All right. Worst piece of advice you've ever received as an educator? Either one of you. Beck: As an educator, that's tricky. Jon: Or you can just go, worst piece of advice that could be fun too. Darren: Well, the classic that is often rolled out is don't smile till Easter, right. Now it might have a different terminology in the US . Jon: It's Thanksgiving. Don't smile till Thanksgiving. Darren: From my day one of teaching John, I refused to even go to that space. It was just so against everything that I believed as far as the relational heart of teaching. Jon: That's great. Beck: I would've said the same. Non-educator worst advice, just add caramel syrup to American coffee and it tastes better. That's terrible advice. Nothing will save it. Jon: Nothing will save American coffee. Hey, it's a struggle. It's part of the struggle. There you go. It's not contributing to your wellbeing. Darren: The joy in the journey. Jon: That's good. All right. So I will say about 70% of the people on this give the worst piece of advice that they've ever received that don't smile till the thing. And so we get that every time. Beck: Original. Jon: It's so sad that- Darren: Tragic. Jon: ...that is so pervasive. Best piece of advice you've ever received? And this could be in general or as an educator. Darren: I will go with education again, John, that at the heart of education is the education of the heart. And so just keep it real and keep it relational. And it's all about relationships. Beck: As an educator, best advice I've received, I don't know if you could call it advice, but the quote "The kids who need love the most are the hardest to love." That's my favorite. Jon: That's good. Last question, last word for the listeners. What do you hope in the years ahead as an educator will best define what it means to flourish as a student? So word, phrase, or sentence. What would flourishing really look like for a kid moving forward? Beck: I would say a word, connection. And I would love to see Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs starting at the bottom not always at the top in our classrooms. Jon: Love it. Darren: Yeah. I think for me the word that constantly comes to mind is joyful hope, is a joyful hope in what we do, that what we've been entrusted with every year within our classrooms. That there's a joyful hope that awaits. Jon: Well, thank you for being with us today. It's been a huge blessing for me.  

This month we're discussing Jars of Clay's second album, Much Afraid! Was it a sophomore slump or a masterpiece? Depending on whom you ask, you'll get a wide variety of answers. Join us on a musical journey as we attempt to answer this question for ourselves. (Who are we kidding? We all know that this is Mike's favorite album!)

Dive into the first book review of our Well Balanced Reader Challenge for the Month of July. We'll be discussing the timeless classic, "Hinds Feet in High Places" by Hannah Hurnard. With your hosts Mindy Hansen and Zona Garrett from ChristianInfluencerInspired.com where we have Month 1 Well Balanced Reader Challenge in today's blog. Book Description - "Hinds Feet in High Places": In "Hinds Feet in High Places," Hannah Hurnard takes readers on a transformative allegorical journey. The book follows the main character, Much-Afraid, as she embarks on a pilgrimage to the High Places, guided by the loving Shepherd. Through her encounters with various characters and challenges, Much-Afraid learns valuable lessons about faith, trust, and the true nature of love. This captivating tale serves as a source of inspiration, encouragement, and spiritual growth for readers of all ages. We would like to express our gratitude to our sponsors for this episode, Christianbook.com and Amazon Prime Day. Visit linktr.ee/christianinfluencer for a wide range of Christian books, including "Hinds Feet in High Places," and take advantage of special offers and discounts. Don't forget to also check out Amazon Prime Day for amazing deals on books and other products that can enhance your reading experience. Benefits of Becoming a L.I.F.E. Style Influencer Patron: Are you passionate about our podcast and want to take your support to the next level? Consider becoming a L.I.F.E. Style Influencer Patron. As a patron, you'll receive exclusive benefits, including: Mindy's Tabs Template: Get access to Mindy's personal tabs template, a valuable tool for organizing and highlighting key insights in your books. 100 Books for the Well Balanced Reader Vol. 1: Enjoy a curated collection of 100 transformative books for spiritual growth, carefully selected by our team. Exclusive Season Podcast Sticker: Show your support and proudly display our exclusive podcast sticker, available only to our patrons. General Support: By becoming a patron, you provide crucial support for our podcast, allowing us to continue creating quality content and inspiring others. End of Season Livestream: Join our fan call livestream at the end of each season, where you'll have the opportunity to share your feedback and ideas for the podcast. Exclusive Video Episodes: Experience our podcast in a whole new way with exclusive video episodes of this season, featuring screen shares and behind-the-scenes glimpses into our home or studio while filming. Thank you for joining us in this insightful episode of the Christian Influencer Inspired Podcast, where we reviewed "Hinds Feet in High Places" as part of our Well Balanced Reader Challenge. Don't miss out on the powerful lessons and inspiration that this book has to offer. Visit Christianbook.com or take advantage of the amazing deals on Amazon Prime Day to add "Hinds Feet in High Places" to your reading list. To become a L.I.F.E. Style Influencer Patron and unlock exclusive benefits, visit our Patreon page patreon.com/christianinfluencerinspired. Your support as a patron allows us to continue creating content that impacts lives and inspires others on their journey to a L.I.F.E.Style of Influence. [Closing Music] Stay tuned for more exciting episodes as we explore various books and topics that empower and equip you to live a life of purpose and influence. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/christianinfluencer/message

Come along for the final episode of our Book Club series reading Hinds Feet on High Places. We last saw Much-Afraid as she fell asleep in the grave on the mountain, has she reached the end of her journey? Find out by reading and listening along with us. Let us know what you thought! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theologyandreality.substack.com/subscribe

Read along and listen in as we discuss Much-Afraid's struggle with doubt in the Valley of Loss, her peaceful rest in the Place of Anointing, her acceptance of past trials in the midst of the Floods, and her abandonment to the Shepherd's command in the Grave on the Mountain. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theologyandreality.substack.com/subscribe

What's up guys! Welcome back. Today we have a great show planned for you. Let's go!-Beau is Afraid Trailer Talk-The Batman II Script/Film Update -Football Talk-Ranting and Raving Follow us everywhere!https://linktr.ee/thwakjak

Aging beautifully takes being YOU - relaxing into who you are, who you were meant to be.But how DO you overcome FEAR and step into being a confident, beautiful woman who makes her own decisions, believes in herself and follows after her heart?The 2nd part of our Story from the last episode reveals 4 things that the heroine, Much Afraid, learned about becoming someone who feels valued and treasured and "good enough".Listen to discover:1. The key to joy.2. The one action that releases the good even from a place of harm.3. The way to receive the greatest love any heart can hold.4. The one perspective that will set your purpose free.It's a beautiful allegory for the heart. The last episode of Season 1 for S.O.F.T. and Strong opens the door of discovery, setting the tone for Season 2 - a Journey into your Real Identity and how to live it with passion.______________________________________________________________________Bernice McDonald is a Mindset Coach who  inspires women beyond 50 seeing their dreams disappearing off into the distance as they age. She gives them new eyes and a new fire inside as they step into their purpose, find the courage to make bold decisions and grow to fully love this next phase.

 Her name was "Much Afraid".  Scared of what was ahead. Scared of not being loved by the people close to her. Scared to step out on her own.She didn't want love that hurt in any way. She didn't want Sorrow. She didn't want Suffering. All she wanted was that good life. To reach the top of the mountain, the "High Places". To be free. To find that sweet life lived with joy and peace, filled with good things. In this story, we meet a heroine who stepped out of her comfort zone and took a risk. A chance. She's fictional but she's a mighty symbol of each of our hearts.What will happen when I get old? Who will I be? How can I find the wings to fly me to my elderly years...with confidence. Without letting fear stop me.Talking about all of this in this episode. It's a beautiful illustration of the human spirit and how we can walk this road from Not Enough to Brave Enough. From Not Enough to... listen and find out what her name became when she had overcome the sorrow, the suffering and the fear of moving forward.Read the book: "Hind's Feet on High Places" by Hannah Hurnard. (Amazon.ca)  (Amazon.com)

Chapter 8 of Hinds Feet on High Places. Road yaita seyachinja all of a sudden, Much Afraid learns to continue to trust God still. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/lillian-munemo/message

1 Samuel 21 v 1-15

Suffering is something we all experience; we need to prepare ourselves for the journey so that we survive it.  You're  not alone...we all must go through it. foxnews.com/nick-hall-where-is-god-when-we-suffer psychcentral.com/9-best-ways-to-support-someone-with-depression en.wikipedia.org/Hinds_Feet_on_High_Places patreon.com/spiritualandshi

Hinds Feet on High Places. The story of “Much-Afraid,” a shepherdess employed by the Great Shepherd. Longs to accompany the Great Shepherd up to the mountains where he leaps with feet like a hind. But she’s crippled - physically: deformed feet and face; and emotionally: paralyzing fear. No courage. But longs to be loved, to be changed, to be able to leap with hinds feet on high places. I think in fact we want the courage to face all of life's hang-ups, problems, issues and circumstances that are gonna come our way, don't we? Don't we want courage to face an unknown or new career? Don't we want courage to face hardship or grief or failure?We want courage to face the current situation that we're in, maybe that's filled with conflict or boredom and we're all staring at ourselves in the mirror saying, “If I just had the courage to face this then I'd get through it. If I just had the courage…”Courage wouldn’t exist without fear. If you weren’t afraid, you wouldn’t need courage. Courage is taking action WHILE BEING afraid. Courage is demonstrating a kind of deep faith that can’t be just put on a plaque or a poster or a coffee mug - in fact is inexpressible with words.Where do you get that kind of courage? Acts 23 gives us a direction to head…

Much Afraid

Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada with a sweet story for Mother’s Day… And it’s a story for any mom who is going through a painful trial, or who still has a thorn in her heart from a past wound. Like my own mother, Lindy Eareckson. When I broke my neck, that tragedy became her painful trial, as much as mine. Of course, I didn’t realize what a broken neck meant. I was just a teenager. To me, paralysis was something that would wear off in time. But my mother knew differently. And so, the painful thorn of my life-altering injury went far deeper into her heart than it did into mine. Over time, though, that thorn sank deeper into me as I began to understand the permanency of my paralysis. And while I was in the hospital, I read a little book that helped me adjust. And it was that Christian classic, maybe you’ve read it, “Hind’s Feet on High Places” by Hannah Hurnard. Perhaps you’ve heard of it and, if not, it’s really something worth reading, especially if you are struggling through pain or hardship in your walk with Christ. My mother was blessed by it, too. “Hind’s Feet” is the story of the good Shepherd’s love for a little lame young woman named Much-Afraid. And let me share with you our favorite part where the Shepherd wants to give this lame girl a little seed. Okay, so here it goes: “Much Afraid, bent forward to look, then she gave a startled little cry and drew back. There was indeed a seed lying in the palm of the Shepherd’s hand, but it was shaped exactly like a long, sharply-pointed thorn… She said shrinkingly, ‘This seed looks very sharp. Won’t it hurt if you put it into my heart?’ He answered gently, ‘It is so sharp that it slips in very quickly. But, Much-Afraid, I have already warned you that love and pain go together, for a time at least. If you would know love, you must know pain as well.’ Much-Afraid looked at the thorn and shrank from it. Then she looked at the Shepherd’s face and repeated his words to herself. ’When the seed of love in your heart is ready to bloom, you will be loved in return,’ and then a strange new courage entered her. She suddenly stepped forward, bared her heart, and said, ‘Please then plant the seed here in my heart.’… Then the Shepherd pressed the thorn deep into her heart. And it was true; it did cause a piercing pain, but it slipped in quickly and then, suddenly, a sweetness she had never felt before tingled through her. It was bittersweet, but the sweetness was the stronger. Her pale, sallow cheeks suddenly glowed pink and her eyes shown. And for a moment Much-Afraid did not look afraid at all.” You know reading that I can say that was me. And that excerpt from the book also describes my mother. When I broke my neck, both of us learned that joy and pain go together. Peace and suffering do as well. And Tim Keller has said, “The joy of the Lord doesn’t come after the sorrow. It does not come after the weeping. The weeping drives you into the joy, and it enhances the joy, and then the joy enables you to actually feel your grief without it sinking you. And then you find you are finally emotionally healthy.” That’s what happened to me and my mother. And it’s why, for me, Mother’s Day always has in it a hint of sorrow, but a lot of joy. So, for you, mom, listening who may yet still feel the thorn in your heart, let it drive you into the arms of your Good Shepherd. And when you do, this Mother’s Day may well be bitter-sweet. But the sweetness will be all the stronger. And Lindy Eareckson would agree. © Joni and Friends

Nehemiah 2 (Chris Gillan)

Caitlin Weierhauser (@UncleCait!) joins Kevin and Caroline to talk all about Jars of Clay's sophomore album: Much Afraid!SHOW NOTES:Crazy Times - Music VideoMuch Afraid Album Promo DocGCF Spotify PraylistPATREON!Subscribe to our Patreon to get a weekly 2nd Service episode and become a "Patreon saint" ;)GCF - Second Service Patreon!CHARITY:This month we're matching iTunes reviews with donations to Trans Lifeline. Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and we’ll match it with $1. 2000 reviews = $2000 donated!Become a follower on social media:Twitter: @christianfunpodInstagram: @christianfunpodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/christianfunpod/Website: www.goodchristianfun.com

On an exciting new SoSnSbSb, we've got one hell of a professional guest. Producer / musician / all-around industry talent Andrew Horowitz is here! You may know him from Tally Hall. You've most certainly heard his work on John Legend's Love in the Future. Today you can also know him from this podcast! We're talking Bruce Springsteen, Parliament, and Jars of Clay.  And, of course, we're keeping it cool with a refreshing Brooklyn Summer Ale. It's SoSnSbSb! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sosnsbsbpodcast/support

Habakkuk 3:19—"The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” 1.  The Shepherd gives _____________ and _____________ to journey with Much Afraid to the High Places. 2.  What Fearing relatives threaten to drag down Much Afraid and Sabotage her mission? R_______________ B_______________ C____________ F______________ P______________ S____________ P______________ 3. When I am afraid, I will _____________ in you.  Psalm 56:3 4. ________ walk. 2 Corinthians 5:7 says: "For we walk by faith, not by sight". 5. _________ in the ___________ with all thine heart. And lean not on your own         _____________; In all your ways ____________him and he will __________your path.      Proverbs 3: 5-6 6. James 1:2-3—Count it all _______, my brothers, when you meet _______ of various     kinds, for you know that the __________ of your faith produces ____________. Jennifer's Questions:  1.      Do you tend to be easily discouraged when the going gets tough and sink into the depths of despair? Or are you more likely to look at the bright side and persevere? 2.      Do you believe the promise of Romans 8:28? Identify the worst things that have happened to you, and then ask yourself if you trust God to use those things for your good. The Bible asserts that he will. 3.      How do you respond when God asks you to sacrifice for Him? Do you build the altar he requests of you (laying down what he wants you to lay down) with joy or resentment in your heart? 4.      What common trait is found in Galatians 5:22; Philippians 4:4 and 1 Thessalonians 5:16? 5.      Where is your “Valley of Humiliation”? Have you returned there, since you received         salvation, to bring the gifts God has given you to others who need them? 6.      What was your name before you allowed God to into your heart? Were you a Much Afraid? Bitterness? Resentment? Self-Pity? Who were/are your most persistent enemies?

Dr Trent Langhofer finishes the year with Much Afraid

Dr Trent Langhofer finishes the year with Much Afraid

Can Your Brokenness Really Be Beautiful? Find out what John thinks in this episode. As a therapist I often see and hear stories that would break anyone’s heart. Parent’s weeping over the condition of their child or the state of their family.  A mom sobbing over the fact that her child is depressed and miserable after suffering years of abuse. A dad riddled with guilt for failing to foresee that his own son would attempt suicide. A little seven-year-old boy saying that his life is over because he feels that he must choose sides in a bitter divorce... ...all stem from brokenness. As I talk about this I am struck with the question, “What does it mean to be broken?”  A simple search in a Thesaurus reveal definitions such as “run down”, “kaput”, “out of order”, “not working”, and “wrecked”. I don’t know about you, but when I come across a machine that I rely on for coffee, a restroom, or anything else that I need or want, and it’s “out of order” I’m not happy.  In fact, it could ruin most of my morning, especially if it’s coffee that I can’t get! None of us enjoy things that are broken, how could we? If something doesn’t work it’s a huge inconvenience to our daily lives.  If we buy a product that’s broken we take it back to the store.  If we have a computer that crashes or it’s too old, we are quick to discard it and get a new one. But, what if we are the one that’s “kaput”?  What if someone we love is “wrecked?”  What then?  Unlike a product, we can’t take it back and get a new one, no matter how bad we may want to. The longer I am a therapist the more I am convinced that all of us are broken in some way.  It’s just that some may seem more broken than. No one is perfect, everyone is fallen.  Our brokenness is a result of our sin, and being sinned against. Stop Judging other people’s brokenness Our sinful nature tends to rear its ugly head when we are quick to judge or point out someone else’s weakness doesn’t it? How easy it is to think that you’re thankful that your child doesn’t behave that way, or have feelings of contempt when someone is critical of you. I remember when my wife and I had our first child, Anna.  She was a very content baby, rarely causing trouble . . . her terrible two’s never came. My wife and I would often see other children get out of control, become rowdy, and disrespectful toward their parents, and we would think, “Boy, we must really know how to be good parents.” Then God humbled us with our son, Noah.  We knew that he would be a high maintenance child from his earliest beginnings in the womb! Don’t get me wrong, our son is an awesome child, but I am positive that many parent’s looked at us and thought that we should be better parents because of his impulsiveness and lack of self-control when he was younger. Like I said, we’re all broken, but some people’s brokenness is just a bit clearer! Who is it in your life that you are quick to judge their brokenness?  Maybe you are a teacher and you misinterpret your student’s brokenness as bad behavior or simply as a thorn in your side. Perhaps you have that one co-worker that is always getting on your nerves.  Or maybe, you have a very needy friend or family member that can’t stop calling you. I’m confident that you’re thinking of someone at this very moment – someone that you have a hard time getting past their behavior and seeing their brokenness. Reflect on your own brokenness Think for a moment about your own brokenness.  I know nobody wants to intentionally think about their brokenness, but trust me, I think you may find it helpful. Usually there is an outward behavior that’s masking brokenness.  Is your outward behavior over eating?  Prolific gossip? An addiction of some kind?  Anger? An obsession? Fear of rejection? Whatever your outward behavior may be allow it to enter your mind and stay there for a moment.  Reflect on your brokenness.  Weep over it if you want.  Tell God that you hate it if you want. Don’t beat yourself up.  You may have tremendous guilt and regret over your brokenness, but don’t go there.  God is a God of forgiveness.  God invented forgiveness after all! “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1 This verse includes self-condemnation!  WARNING: I want to offer a warning here.  You may have experienced horrific events in your life and this may become very painful for you to reflect on.  You may want to talk to a close friend that you trust or a counselor before you go on.. Brokenness usually originates from one of three factors; biological, environmental, or situational.   For some, brokenness can be biological or hereditary; such as depression, anxiety, and other disorders.  Or, brokenness can be a result of environmental factors such as poor living conditions and a hostile or chaotic lifestyle. Brokenness can also develop from situational factors such as abuse, neglect, trauma, loss, etc. Whatever the cause, brokenness is still brokenness, and it cut’s deep. The Bible has a lot to say about human brokenness.  Words found in the Bible such as despair, anguish, and suffering poignantly describe brokenness. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible talks about human brokenness.  The moment sin entered the world was the moment that brokenness began to crush the human spirit. You don’t have to read much of the Psalms to see how the writers are broken before God.  The story of Job clearly shows brokenness; how can anyone recover from such loss? James tells us that we should consider it pure joy whenever we face trials of many kinds. The apostle Paul says we should “boast” in our weaknesses. How can these men say such things? Where does James get off saying that we should consider it pure joy when we face trials of all kinds? It seems obvious that James does not really know what he is talking about.  Or, what about Paul?  We’re supposed to boast in our weakness – preposterous!  They must not really know that much about brokenness, right? Wrong! The above examples, and countless others found in the Bible, know more about brokenness than we will ever experience, thank God for that! The apostles were tortured beyond comprehension, and they suffered greatly, yet they could still place their hope and confidence in God in the midst of their suffering. I think that this is the key – to be able to place our hope and confidence in God in the midst of our brokenness. This is why, as a therapist, I can say to a young woman who was raped, “There is hope even when all hope seems lost”. This is why I can say to a single mother of two whose life seems to be crumbling around her, “Hang on, this too shall pass”. This is why I can say to the father whose son attempted suicide, “Your son will feel good again.” I can offer, without a shadow of a doubt, the hope of Christ no matter what ones brokenness may be, because Christ himself was broken for us!   “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Isaiah 53:3-5 Perhaps the best illustration of how Christ sees our brokenness can be found in the book Hinds’ Feet On High Places, written by Hannah Hurnard. In chapter 12 of this allegory, Shepherd (Jesus) is talking to Much-Afraid, a woman walking on her journey of suffering. Isn’t this great news?  Can you believe this truth, that God sees us as what we will be when we are with him in heaven, rather than just as we are today? I for one am glad that God does not give me what I truly deserve.  Isaiah 61:3 says something similar, “ to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.”  Now What? At this point there is not much more that I can say about what you can do with your brokenness. You have already admitted that you have weaknesses, you have reflected on those weaknesses and on your brokenness. Now, I would suggest that you take those weaknesses and your brokenness to God.  Let God lighten your burdens and rest in him alone.   This is what Jesus says to you. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29. **** Thanks for listening, I truly feel honored that you tuned in. I would love to hear from you. Your friend, John There are many ways to find me: Website: www.johncordray.com Twitter: @JohnPCordray Instagram: JohnPCordray Periscope: www.periscope.tv/johnpcordray Please leave a review on iTunes or Stitcher Radio it really does help me! For Therapists: I want to help you help others so I have put together this training course just for you if you are interested in starting your own private practice. Use this link to sign up: www.freeprivatepracticecourse.com  

Pastor Harry shares from the final chapters of Hinds' Feet On High Places. The purpose of prayer is intercession!

Pastor Harry is joined by some City Chapel ladies as they share about how prayer can bring Comfort, Contentment, and Courage into our lives.

Prayer changes us. It changes the way we talk and the way we walk.

Based on the Christian classic, Hinds' Feet On High Places, this sermon series is about how conversations with the Shepherd will change your life.