Outpost Soul: Recent Episodes
Trent Ballard
Wounds. We all have them whether we admit it or not. Some are traumatic while others are subtle and hidden. When we experience them and re-experience them we often feel as if we are isolated in a vast desert, lost, unknown, with no direction. This podcast meets you there and helps you move towards healing and a contagious life.
What happens when a nation deceives itself? What happens when a people group ask the Lord for something, He allows it, but it will come back to bite them? This is the story of King Saul and first Samuel. They want a visible leader and they get one, but his outward appearance far outweighs the strength of his heart. This is the first of several episodes in this series on 1 Samuel
Mike and Linda share their story of when an incredible difficult life diagnosis moves their faith from firm to contagiously intimate. Listen as they walk us through curve thrown to their family but how the steadfastness of the Lord produced that same steadfastness in their faith.
Speaking in Tongues: this gift is from the same Spirit that prioritizes love and is Love. Then why all the confusion? The reason for producing this episode centers around a divisive and damaging battle, much like in the Corinthian church of Paul's day. It goes like this: if you have the Holy Spirit, you will speak in tongues, therefore if you don't speak in tongues, you must not have the Holy Spirit. One favor: if you listen to part of it, listen to all of it.
Twice in the first 7 chapters of John Jesus speaks of water flowing out of a person's life. For many believers it seems a disconnect from the reality in which they live, so why would Jesus say it if it is not possible? Or are we simply missing something? Listen in as we discuss John 7.
Sijae Schiefer and I continue our discussion regarding when we have breakthrough into the the Lord's grace and freedom from the lies of fear. It is that fear that paralyzes and keeps us back from experiencing God and His abundant life.
Join me as my good friend Sijae Schiefer and I discuss a challenging time for her in the church and how the Lord has proved Himself faithful to redeeming that experience.
Kristin Jones will not spectate! Listen in as my friend Kristin Jones explains how she went from a tennis alternate to a passionate contagious dispenser of life and inspiration. You can find her on instagram at kristin_jones_22. She likes her supplements, and a lot of coffee! Her faith keeps her focussed and rooted despite, at times, when others are less than encouraging she chooses to live above the negativity and go for more.
Outpost Soul is about going through challenges beyond our ability, being transformed, and living a contagious, abundant life. Mark Barrington's story is one that parallels theme. From early ages of being excluded and bullied to a life that is full and satisfying. Listen as we unpack his journey....
Why me? Have you ever been through an incredibly challenging time and asked why me? Listen to Jen Slavev describe her journey back from a near death car wreck and how she chooses to live each day with purpose and a contagious energy.
Bruce Dodson speaks about broken cisterns in a time of COVID. We unpack symptoms of what it looks like for individuals to struggle in a time of COVID and how important Hope is to share with others.
In 2017 I sat in church and heard a sermon on John 21. I wrote down key points from that sermon and this past weekend actually found that notes. One main point was that "breakthrough is 6 feet away." Prophetic? Possibly--lean in and listen.
Splanchnizomai? Yes Splanchnizomai is a greek word used in the New Testament only in relation to Jesus and His compassion for others. It explains why we feel the truth of God in our visceral parts, ie our gut. It also unpacks how the we know we are experiencing the Kingdom of God.
Today's podcast is a story of God's protection, healing and transformation in my friends life. In a situation where bitterness and a desire for revenge could be on the agenda, the Lord rewrites the story to one of healing, redemption, and freedom.
Scott Bain is contagious! His gratitude and passion for life overflow which is amazing with his origin story. But with faith inspired determination and trust in the Lord, a convergence and alignment is presently in motion in Scott's life and his new business launch www.thinkbaingroup.com. Listen to a true story of desert wounds-contagious life.
Today’s podcast is a one off. This is a discussion with Dru Dodson from Arkansas, Barrett Ruakere from New Zealand and Myself in Colorado about the church being missional moving forward post COVID.
My good friend Alisa Shanks joins me to discuss the deep core question woman are asking. Her work has been in the areas of body image and eating disorders, emotional recovery and processing. She is the friend and mentor so many want and are looking for to invest in their own developing maturity. You will deeply enjoy this conversation.
My good friend Mike Akel is creator of Churchville on Facebook as well as co-creator of the movie Chalk and others. Talented in the creative arts, a gifted athlete, and a heart for Christ and His purposes, Mike's life went through some hard years and challenges. The Lord transformed his art as Mike learned to lean on Him through issues with his father to his own challenges with depression while playing basketball in Europe. Listen in as Mike shares his story.
I have known Jamie since she was 17. She grew up in a social bubble of ministry expectations only to find her self in a relationship with someone repeatedly unfaithful in marriage. "There were days when getting out of bed were a challenge." How did she live through it and become more authentic and contagious than she was before? Listen in to find out.....
The tables get turned for today's episode as Josh Wilson interviews me to hear the story of how the Lord brought about the Outpost Soul podcast. My plan was to have a podcast on Christian leadership and the Lord had the real plan in place and used some good friends to redirect it towards what it has become. As always, if you have thoughts, feedback, topics, or a guest you think we should have on, email us at outpostsoul@gmail.com.
On this episode my long-time friend Josh Wilson and I discuss his story of how overwhelming depression challenged his daily survival to work, function, and balance graduate school. This episode is a bit longer as Josh details the valleys and eventual climb toward truly living again.
Listen in as Joe Belzer and I discuss the idea of celebrating the process of pain, why we don't do it well, and if the solution is take two scriptures and call me in the morning. As we live each day, are we aware of people and experiences the Lord is bringing across our path learning from Philip and the Ethiopian.
My great friend and mentor of 31 years Joe Belzer joins me for a discussion around the idea of wounding and discernment. Often our pain reveals our independence and self-reliance as God reveals our need to be more deeply connected to community. After God, who is it that you seek for help in the midst of your pain?
In part 2, Ryan Freeman describes not stopping with transformation but instead pursuing a life of freedom and fulfillment to create a dynamic and contagious life. God also uses some special people in his life to confirm he is on the right path as Ryan positions himself towards and abundant life of inspiration and influence.
If we are honest, most of our lives we want mercy for ourselves and justice for our enemies. But Ryan Freeman's story is one of being grateful for the justice system sending him to jail and becoming the "happiest jail resident" in the system. He is one of the most contagiously joyful people you will meet because his life is overflowing with gratitude. If you are in a place without hope and life is impossible, listen to Ryan describe a story of realization and maturing that revolutionized each day of his life. That same hope is available to you.
In 2 Cor 12:10 Paul writes, "That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Most of us love personal growth, but dislike the struggle element of that growth. But it rarely comes without challenge. Listen to part 2 with Tonya Brueggemeyer as she describes creating a yoga class' environment of safety and struggle when sometimes making it to your mat is all you can do.
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Yoga and Christianity? Many misconceptions exist around the practice of Yoga being rooted in Eastern religion. But is it truly? What if Yoga could help Christians in their pursuit of intimacy with God, their daily focus and actually deepen their faith? Join me as my good friend Tonya Brueggemeyer explains how Yoga actually encourages each person to embrace their struggle, bring it with them to their mat and face it there in the flow of this dynamic community and ancient practice.
What is the difference between discipleship that adds and discipleship that multiplies while living out the Kingdom? If each Christian has received the call of the Great Commission, which is to make disciples, can each of us answer yes to that question? That call is to each parent, each friend, each neighbor, and each individual regardless of vocation, country or economic status to replicate their faith in others. Is discipleship on your church's "menu?"
In John 14:12 Jesus says those who believe in Him will do greater things! Is that true of your life? Or have wounds and emotional lies stunted your spiritual growth and missional living? Some damaging experiences are intentional and others are seemingly random. But are you living free? Listen as my good friend Jeff "big country" Eaton jump in deep to understand soul care.
Deep down every man is hard wired to quietly ask the question, "Am I enough?" The answer is divinely designed to come from a father or a father figure such as a coach, a teacher, or older, wiser male. What happens if the father is passive? What happens if a son believes the mother is the one to answer the questions? Bruce walks us through how these unravel the male identity. http://forkingandkingdom.com/
My friend and mentor Bruce Dodson continues the discussion started by Dru and myself in the previous 2 episodes regarding tragedies and strategies. Bruce explains that story is the language of the heart that is typically not an innate understanding for men. But when the story includes the impostor, it becomes woven into the fabric of his story.
When success is built on “false strategies” and fig leaf coverings it leads to the impostor identity, performance identity, as well as hiding. Dru Dodson and I discuss if this success built on a false authenticity is of the Lord and how we can actually fool ourselves in this context.
I am excited to share with you this discussion with my good friend and mentor Dru Dodson as we discuss how men experience traumatic and subtle tragedies that wound early in life and develop subconscious strategies to cover them up. These "fig leaf" coverings become engrafted into our personalities and identities operating covertly to guard us against much needed vulnerability.