Podcasts about sbnr

Questions? Comments? Text Us!In this week's episode of Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue, Jerry L. Martin and Abigail L. Rosenthal explore how God communicates through intuition, dreams, insights, and the quiet promptings that redirect a life. Their conversation speaks directly to listeners who wonder why God can feel hidden and how to recognize a true divine nudge.Jerry reflects on the moment he heard the message “Your work here is over,” a turning point that led him away from a successful Washington career and toward writing God: An Autobiography. He describes how inner guidance can be unmistakable even when it arrives without logic or explanation.Abigail offers her own powerful experiences, including years of divine absence in her twenties, a visionary encounter with angelic presence and prophecy, and the moral resolve that shaped her effort to remove a predatory figure from her temple. She shows how spiritual experience intersects with honor, justice, and courage in real life.Together, Jerry and Abigail consider why divine guidance is unpredictable, how intuition challenges rational analysis, and how spiritual communication reshapes our understanding of calling and purpose. They reflect on timing, prophecy, and the ways God works through both silence and intervention.The episode also turns toward women's lives, agency, vulnerability, and the limits of second-wave feminism. Abigail reflects on what she feels called to now, and Jerry considers how her insights continue the larger spiritual and philosophical journey they share. This intimate dialogue weaves together spiritual autobiography, lived philosophy, and honest testimony. Other Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:The Life Wisdom Project – Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.From God to Jerry to You – Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God – A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue – Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story – Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind – Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.What's On Your Mind – Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. Stay ConnectedRead the book: God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher at godanautobiography.com or AmazonShare your questions and reflections: questions@godanautobiography.comShare Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Carol has been listening to concerts lately, and noticed the way the different instruments blend to bring the music alive. She has a concern that the beautiful sounds created by AI could make it obsolete, ending the collegiality and collaboration between musicians. Rev. Bill notes that technology always makes new things possible, but leaves room to preserve the rich value of what's come before.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Questions? Comments? Text Us!In this week's episode of God: An Autobiography, The Podcast, Jerry L. Martin explores one of the most practical and urgent spiritual questions we face: How do we know what we're meant to do with our lives—and how do we tell when God is guiding us?Drawing on the Hindu concepts of dharma and swadharma, Jerry explains the difference between our role-based responsibilities and our deeply personal calling; the tasks that “have your name on them.” From there, he turns to the heart of the episode: a clear, four-step method God gave him for recognizing divine communication in daily life.You'll learn how God speaks through prayer, dreams, intuition, hunches, insights, and inner signals, and how to prepare yourself to receive that guidance. Jerry breaks down each step—listening, heeding, openness of heart, and sensitive attunement—as a real spiritual practice you can begin using today.Whether you're discerning a big life decision or simply trying to stay more connected to the sacred in everyday moments, this episode offers an accessible, experiential path for SBNR seekers looking to deepen their relationship with the Divine.Listen in as Jerry shares how your search for God meets God's search for you, and how the relationship unfolds from there.Other Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:The Life Wisdom Project – Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.From God to Jerry to You – Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God – A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue – Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story – Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind – Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.What's On Your Mind – Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. Stay ConnectedRead the book: God: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher at godanautobiography.com or AmazonShare your questions and reflections: questions@godanautobiography.comSubscribe and listen free wherever you get podcastsShare Your Story | Site | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Carol observes that notions of heaven and hell - what becomes of us after our human lives end - generate a huge amount of concern in traditional churches. Rev. Bill explains the New Thought understanding, and that we actually don't have to wait for death to experience either one. (Rebroadcast from 7/13/2022)Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rev. Bill reminds us that New Thought is not new, but is the creative process that has been at work since the beginning of time. He then describes how the New Thought movement began, the badasses and troublemakers who contributed to it, and how we got to where we are today.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol notes the internal process we go through when we're dealing with a particularly challenging situation - surrounded by darkness, searching for a glimmer of light, feeling hopeless and looking for something (or someone) to blame. She and Rev. Bill discuss the spiritual perspective, and how an awareness of Oneness can begin to turn the experience around.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rev. Bill finds the New Thought teaching to be very simple and straightforward, and has been schooled by Carol over the many episodes of this podcast that people in traditional religion don't think that way. Carol describes how she can now speak both languages, using the one that's appropriate to the audience.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Questions? Comments? Text Us!Radically Personal is a new series exploring how divine reality reveals itself within the lives of individual seekers. Based on Dr. Jerry L. Martin's newest book, Radically Personal: God and Ourselves in the New Axial Age, the series invites listeners to rethink what it means to encounter the divine as intimately present and personally responsive. Each episode follows the unfolding conversation between human experience and transcendent reality, uncovering how theology itself must evolve to meet a pluralistic, spiritually awake world.In this premiere episode, “How Divine Reality Reveals Itself in Every Spiritual Journey,” Jerry begins with a simple but profound truth: reality discloses itself. Drawing from philosophy, theology, and lived experience, he explores how ultimate reality — or what we might call God — has revealed itself across times, cultures, and religious traditions.Through stories like missionary Kenneth Cracknell's awakening in Nigeria and reflections on Abraham Joshua Heschel's life-seeking theology, Jerry challenges traditional boundaries and invites a new kind of understanding. Theology Without Walls, he argues, is not just a scholarly ideal but a way of life: the quest to orient one's being toward the ultimate source of meaning.Hosted by Scott Langdon, this episode introduces listeners to a living philosophy of faith — one that honors revelation wherever it occurs and asks how each of us might find our own access point to the divine.✨ Listen as theology becomes personal, revelation becomes universal, and the search for God becomes the search for your truest self.Other Series:The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:The Life Wisdom Project – Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.From God to Jerry to You – Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.Two Philosophers Wrestle With God – A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue – Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.What's Your Spiritual Story – Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.What's On Our Mind – Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.What's On Your Mind – Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. Stay ConnectedShare your thoughts or questions at questions@godandautobiography.com

Rev. Bill is back from the ANTN Retreat with news about "An Awakened Path." Carol imagines that it's about the spiritual path that each of us is on, moving beyond our challenges and circumstances to deepen spiritually. Spot on - and Rev. Bill describes the new collaboration between the various branches of the New Thought community to bring these powerful ideas more widely into the world.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol notes that "thank you" shows good manners, but that gratitude is more of an attitude. Rev. Bill points out that Gratitude is the next-to-last step in a Practical Prayer, and it's the only one that we can actually feel in our body. (Rebroadcast from 6/29/2022)Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has been aware of an increasingly chaotic swirl of events and changes going on, including the added complexity brought on by AI. Her question is who's thinking? Is anybody thinking? Have we outsourced our thinking to AI? Rev. Bill turns the conversation to ethics, moving from what we can do to what we choose to do.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

One of the things that used to drive Carol nuts was when someone was working hard to get through a major challenge, and wasn't getting the desired result, a church friend would say "it's God's timing". Rev. Bill points out that this is dismissive of the person's experience, and makes God the scapegoat.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol loves New Thought, and knows that it is a composite of many religions and traditions. This includes Buddhism, and she notes that many of its peaceful practices get skipped in the adoption. Rev. Bill observes that Buddhism is one of the few major religions that doesn't pray to its founding prophet.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has been observing lots of changes, challenges and threats to the life and society we've gotten used to. She and Rev. Bill explore the in-your-face experiences and how we can know the spiritual Truth and the larger context of what's going on. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

More and more people today say, “I'm spiritual, but not religious.” But what does that actually mean, and why is it so common in our generation?   In this episode, we explore why one in three Americans now identify as SBNR, six defining aspects of this mindset and why they matter, and why practices like crystals, energy healing, and horoscopes have become so attractive. We'll also look at the surprising ways this trend could be good for the Church and the major challenges it presents.   If spirituality has become a curated experience, what happens when God doesn't fit our custom order?

Carol claims that the Devil is really popular. In thirty-plus years as a Pastor, she gots LOTS of pushback from congregants when she made the claim that the Devil doesn't exist. Rev. Bill helps dig into the metaphysics, and describes how we can each have our own personal devils - or not. (Rebroadcast of Episode #53 from June 2022)Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol notes the changes that are happening in our world, and ponders what is being asked of us as well as how our unique combination of gifts, talents and skills can be brought to the challenge. Rev. Bill notes that our tendency to use our prior experiences to predict what will happen next. Instead, we can go back to the initial awareness of out gifts and then re-engage in the inquiry into what's ours now.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol recalls back to when she'd just met Rev. Bill, and he claimed that the answer to every prayer is Yes. That's different that the world of traditional religion, where the answer could be yes, or no, or not now. The dive in for another round of discussion about it, including some very simple examples of how what we want and what we ask for and what we believe we'll get are not always in alignment.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol and Rev. Bill took part in a special presentation for Interfaith Awareness Week, including a discussion of Practical Prayer, and how it can be used by anyone regardless of their religion or spiritual background.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has an amazing story about a set of purple chairs that she created almost 25 years ago to serve a specific purpose in the church she was leading. She left, the church is gone, but the chairs keep showing up to serve the same purpose. Rev. Bill points out how Consciousness and Spiritual Principle are at work.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has been thinking about the diversity that exists in the world around us, and was reminded about the richness when each person shares their gifts in a way that brings uplift to everyone. Rev. Bill agrees, and points out the contradictions that are inherent in the current efforts to eliminate efforts toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

There is a mental and spiritual process of decluttering which Carol finds to be very similar to the spring cleaning (or yard sale season cleanup) that we do in our physical space. She and Rev. Bill discuss how the process is the same with our inner life, including our desire to hold on to "stuff" that has served its purpose and is past its usefulness.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

There seems to be a lot of change underway - even more than usual. Carol observes that sometimes things change all at once, or sometimes it comes about gradually. Each time it happens, she tries to remember that the impact will pass. She and Rev. Bill explore how we see ourselves before, because of, and beyond the changes.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has noticed that some people are intentionally avoiding news of the world around them to avoid the disturbance and distress that can accompany it. She and Rev. Bill agree that it's important to maintain an awareness, while not being consumed by it. Together they agree on the importance of the mantra, "I know nothing... now what can I know?"Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Artificial Intelligence is getting a lot of attention. Carol and Rev. Bill discuss if it's possible that AI is a great way to expand and deepen our spirituality. Or that it could be a major obstacle to our spiritual growth.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

The pandemic lockdown was five years ago, and Carol recalls that when everything stopped people were talking about getting back to a new normal. Now, it seems that the religious or spiritual lives of many have not resumed. Rev. Bill observes that when we're faced with a new challenge we can respond in a new way, or try to keep doing what we've always done.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has found that a lot of people are feeling like they don't know what to do, with all the fear and hesitance that comes from the lack of clarity. Rev. Bill points out that world and national events, plus local ones, can feel overwhelming, making us simply want to ignore it all. But it's important to pay enough attention so that when Divine guidance shows up we'll understand how to take our next step.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Rev. Bill is solo again, taking on a fundamental topic: We want to know why things happen, especially "bad" things that happen to us, or other "good" people. And when we do a prayer for something new and different, we want to know how it's going to come about. Rev. Bill explains that both questions ought to be off limits.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

The New Thought philosophy tells us we can "look a fact in the face and know something better". Rev. Bill is solo today, talking about one of his favorite topics - the Pivot. It's the specific technique we can use to overcome a tendency toward the experiences we've always had to invite something new, and wonderful.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol points out that scripture says that Death and Life is in the power of the Word. She and Rev. Bill dive into the tremendous power of words, especially when they are focused and activated in a practical prayer. (Rebroadcast from episode 86 on 1/25/2023).Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

For the 200th episode, Carol wanted a topic that is especially intriguing and uplifting. More fundamental than growth, the Universe is expanding in all ways, so the conversation is about how we are expanding in our spirituality, too. Rev. Bill (as usual) takes the discussion back to the fundamental concept that we are already 100% spiritual, and what expands is our awareness of it.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

A listener is having trouble with intrusive thoughts about tripping and falling, and is concerned that this repetitive mental activity could be drawing a problem into his life. Carol's experience is that the negative thoughts are coming from within, so the best place to start is an internal dialog to change the thoughts. Rev. Bill adds that it's not our thoughts that create our experience of life, but our beliefs. He suggests a technique to pivot from the undesired experience to what would be preferred instead.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol wants to talk about AI. Can it can enhance our expression or risk dulling our minds? She and Rev. Bill explore the rise of Artificial Intelligence and its impact on creativity, spirituality, and human thought. The conversation turns to AI-generated prayer, offering a fresh perspective on tradition, technology, and the soul of spiritual practice.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has noticed that many people have a tendency to think of God in human terms, to anthropomorphize the Infinite. Rev. Bill has some ideas about why this happens, the two discuss the challenges and benefits of letting go of the idea of a Guy in the Sky.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

In this episode, we explore the deep roots and evolving expressions of what it means to be "Spiritual But Not Religious" (SBNR), especially through the lens of Christian mysticism and contemplative history. We ask: What does it truly mean to be SBNR? Where did these spiritual instincts come from? And can we trace a meaningful lineage that validates the SBNR experience as more than just a modern reaction, but part of a legitimate spiritual path? The conversation journeys through the lives and legacies of figures like Emerson, Thoreau, John Muir, and the Quakers—spiritual seekers who shaped an evolving Christian spirituality that was less institutional and more experiential. We touch on the influence of Calvinist Puritanism, the rise of Transcendentalism, and the period that became known as The Jesus Movement. Ultimately, this episode invites listeners to consider how the SBNR impulse—often seen as post-religious—is in fact deeply rooted in the Christian mystical and contemplative tradition. It's not about rejecting religion entirely, but about seeking a more integrated, soulful, and embodied way of being. Whether you're inside, outside, or somewhere in between institutional religion, this is a conversation for anyone on a spiritual path. Stay connected! Follow us on Facebook or Instagram @natureasbeloved. Send us your ideas, questions, or feedback: natureasbeloved@gmail.com.

Questions? Comments? Text Us!In this heartfelt episode of What's On Your Mind, Jerry L. Martin and Scott Langdon explore a deeply personal spiritual journey shared through three emails from a listener named Roxana. Spanning over a year and a half, Roxana's correspondence reveals an inspiring evolution from doubt and disconnection to curiosity, courage, and a desire for oneness with the Divine.Through Roxana's words, listeners will resonate with the emotional honesty of someone searching for truth in the wake of personal suffering, disillusionment with religion, and the isolating static of anxiety. Her initial doubts and questions, sparked by pain, secular influences, and spiritual exhaustion, give way to hopeful inquiry, theological exploration, and a longing to reconnect with God.Jerry and Scott reflect on Roxana's unfolding story with compassion and philosophical insight, discussing themes like panentheism, the nature of divine communication, the role of suffering in spiritual growth, and the difference between religious doctrine and lived spiritual experience. They unpack how spiritual progress often begins not in certainty, but in openness- the kind that Roxana beautifully models through her vulnerability and persistence.This episode offers encouragement to those feeling spiritually adrift, reminding us that we may already be home, we just need to remember. Whether you're religious, spiritual but not religious (SBNR), or spiritually curious, Roxana's journey invites us all to look inward and listen deeply.

Our money says "In God We Trust", and Carol thinks it shows that we all share a common belief that we're carrying with us at all times. Rev. Bill agrees, mostly, and points out that we can trust the Infinite to create according to our beliefs even when we don't like what we're believing in.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has been a leader in three different religious denominations, and has found one consistent element throughout, which is the hunger for truth - for what is true? Her answer suggests that each of us has what is true for us. Rev. Bill takes the New Thought perspective and goes back to the Ultimate Truth that there is ONLY God, showing up differently for/as each of us.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Things happen - "bad things" - and Carol has found that people get paralyzed by fear that they'll get worse, or catastrophe will ensue. She and Rev. Bill explore how we can all turn to the Principles underlying the New Thought teaching, and the foundational source of the power of Practical Prayer.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

People around Carol are insecure about meditation - afraid that they're going to do it wrong,that they'll choose the wrong technique, or an unsuitable teacher or guru, or that they won't be able to stay awake, or sit still, olr whatever. Rev. Bill reminds us that we can't figure it out ahead of time, so the thing to do is meditate, then see how it went, then either meditate that way again, or try it a different way.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

We're starting a new mini-series! In these shorter episodes, Stephen will be sharing his musings and reflections, speaking about the ways Wilderness Christian Mysticism connects with what's going on in our world.  For this first "musing," Stephen shares his reflections about the current state of affairs, while responding to the question: Why would a Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR) person want to embrace anything Christian? ___ Follow along on Facebook or Instagram: @natureasbeloved Share with us your feedback or thoughts: natureasbeloved@gmail.com

Carol has a notion of a Sacred Contract - an agreement we make as we begin our human lives about who we're here to be, and what we're here to do. Rev. Bill has a similar idea that we are born with a unique set of skills, abilities and possibilities, and our opportunity is to figure out what they are and how best to use them. They wholeheartedly agree that predestination, where we have no free will, is hogwash.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

The reason for prayer is to change an experience we're having in life - a Practical Prayer works! Carol and Rev. Bill discuss the techniques, how different it is from "traditional" prayer, and the ways that their prayers have been yielding results in their lives.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has found that New Thought has Affirmative Prayer, and Practical Prayer, as well as Affirmations and Realizations, and wants to know what the differences are. Rev. Bill takes a giant step back to discuss the differences between New Thought and other spiritual practices, then takes a running jump into Carol's question.Our apologies for the substandard audio quality on a portion of this episode.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

People are talking to Carol about synchronicities, with certain sequences of numbers appearing over and over, and other indicators that there's more going on than meets the eye. Rev. Bill suggests that these "little happy coincidences" are indications of the "big happy coincidence", which is another version of the Creation Story of the Universe.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol says that everyone wants abundance, but knows that we are pulling from a limitless sea of potential. The question is how we can connect with it, and experience it? Rev. Bill says that we can't pray for abundance, but instead get to align ourselves between the experience we desire and the Infinite Power that brings it into our lives.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has noticed what seems like a discrepancy in the New Thought philosophy - that we are individulized expressions of the One Divine Presence, but there is no separation. Rev. Bill jumps in with examples that include lifting our hands, raindrops and rainbows.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

There have always been difficult times, and Carol reminds us that even in the midst of good times we can experience difficulty. Rev. Bill notes that events are currently moving very quickly, and that there will - somehow - be a process of re-balancing. Our challenge is to keep ourselves balanced while the process unfolds.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol believes that it's crucial to attend to our spiritual growth, but has noticed that not everyone agrees. Rev. Bill points out that "practice makes practiced", and that everyone is free to attend to life at the experiential level, or develop a practice to cultivate a deeper awareness of our spiritual nature.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★

Carol has found that the idea of "oneness" can be a heavy lift for people coming into the New Thought philosophy. Non-duality is easy, because it means the same thing as oneness. But where did the notion of duality come from in the first place? Rev. Bill describes how our perspective on the world and sense of duality comes at us through all five senses.Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen!There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resources to bring Practical Prayer, more fully into your life at be-the-light.com. This podcast is supported by listeners like you. We're grateful for your tax-deductible donation at newthoughtphilly.org or donate using PayPal. ★ Support this podcast ★