The Why Behind The What: Recent Episodes
Nathan Albert
Welcome to the Why Behind the What where the 'what' can spark a conversation; the 'why' can open up one's soul. In Season Three, we are discovering the Divine all around us, seeing the Spiritual in everything, and hopefully being surprised by the Sacred. Learn more at nathanalbert.com.
I think I found a squirrel whisperer. He helped me be so still I experienced the mystical and mysterious all around me.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I am not a normal or wise person and this caused me to cut open my hand with scissors. This got me thinking about the damage and pain we cause when we're not aware. Yet, it got me thinking about how much damage and pain our theological beliefs cause.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I am mildly obsessed with sea glass. And by mildly, I mean wildly. It has shifted my entire understanding of the spiritual life. By far, it has become one of my favorite metaphors for the Christian faith and the spiritual life.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I once got kicked in the face with a tap shoe. I had a mustache at the time, so I probably deserved it. Thinking about that experience, I'm reminded how slowing down and being aware is the beginning of the spiritual life. And, you're less likely to get hurt.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Some people seem to think the best way to be relevant is to strip away the stuff that actually is relevant. Sometimes, though, you need to restore it instead.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Have you ever hit the wall? Have you ever hit an invisible wall inside a museum? Sometimes, discovering what you can't see by bumping into it is the best way to see.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I've had a wooden bowl in my office for over a decade. This simple bowl has radically impacted my identity as a pastor and chaplain.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
My son has a fascination with the magical food elevator. In this episode, I share how his love of the food elevator can be an illustration of being seen by the Divine.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I have always loved home repair shows, even though I am not very handy with home repairs. A couple of home repair shows have taught me a thing or two about the need for us to create spiritual homes where we can thrive.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
There is something about the process of creating art, as well as Netflix's Blown Away, that reminds me of the process of the spiritual life.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
As a Musical Theatre Performance major in college, I took a lot of dance classes. It was one in particular where I learned it wasn't perfection that made you a dancer, but falling did. Maybe the spiritual life is similar.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Remember Instagram before it was Instagram? One of my favorite posts was of a tree enveloping a fence. That picture made me think there might be a connection with God.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I read Valarie Kaur's book, See No Stranger, last year and it really impacted me. Seeing someone as a stranger can actually do much harm. And, maybe seeing strangers as humans can be a healing balm to our world.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I find little fingerprints everywhere and, most of the time, they smell like peanut butter. Something about seeing those fingerprints remind me of my deep love for them. Yet, they also remind me of God.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
While living in New York City, a friend once gave me the following advice: "Don't forget to look up." Since then, I've tried to make it a practice in order to see the Divine.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I once knew a mildly well-known birding expert. He taught me how to see differently.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
We all need the chance to change, grow, evolve, and experience a metanoia. Sometimes, butterflies teach us how.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
There's an ancient story about a Rabbi who was captivated by what others refused to see. In this story, it reminds us that we are seen not by what we do, but by who we are.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
What is it about a flame or a campfire that is so mysterious and mesmerizing? Is it just because were pyromaniacs? Or is there something spiritual going on? I think there is something spiritual about the mysterious fire.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I have a deep appreciation for art, especially the works of Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock. In this episode, I share a little bit about seeing their work and discovering the more beyond which I cannot always see.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Once a cardinal almost flew into my face. After thinking about the entire experience, it reminded me of a story from the Bible and how the Divine is often most present in the stillness.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Driving around town with my son, we found some pretty epic views. And, as we did so, it led us to find beauty and awe all around us.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Living in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago taught me about the fullness of peace. And, may we all experience it to the fullness.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I confess a rebellious thing I once did and how an ancient and crumbling theatre taught me about the spiritual life.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I don't know much about trees, but the one in my backyard that is almost dead has taught me quite a bit about the spiritual life.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
If every loving thought is from God, then perhaps every loving thought is the Divine speaking to us.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
A professor of mine in the UK, Professor Lady Laws, taught me history and helped me fall in love with Durham Cathedral. She also made me realize something about the imprint of the Divine.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
While practicing Shakespearean monologues my acting coach once said, "Read it until something happens." That changed not only how I read Shakespeare, but all spiritual texts.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Have you ever compared cows with God? Compared the bovine with the Divine? In this episode, we do just that.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Everything can make music if you really want it to...and if you listen. Thanks to some ice on a lake and a children's book, I've learned this well.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In finding myself surrounded by a group of deer, I had a quick decision to make. And, I hope it's the same one we make any time we encounter God.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
While working as a hospital chaplain, I awkwardly held hands with a woman as she grieved in front of her husband's hospital bed. I didn't think I was doing anything spectacular, but I learned I supported her more than I thought.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
An underwhelming bison taught me a thing or two about church and God.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Working as a hospital chaplain, I had met a woman who experienced deep joy even as she was living with deep grief. And, it centered upon dress shirts.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Nothing like your 2-year-old son playing with micro machines making you think of spiritual things.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I don't have the greenest thumb nor do I enjoy gardening. But when I started a garden a year ago, I was amazed at how much it made me think we all need to be replanted at times.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
While living in New York City, I visited the Body Exhibit. My best friend who went with me had a drastically different experience than I did. However, how we viewed the exhibit changed how I saw everything.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I once worked at a regional theatre in Tennessee performing Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. In rehearsal one day, a sacred and beautiful thing happened. It was the best performance.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Welcome to Season Three of The Why Behind the What. In this episode, discovering the Divine in all things, seeing the Spiritual all around, and being surprised by the Sacred. At least that's the hope.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
On this, the season two finale, I encourage us to practice the contemplative in order that we might discover the Divine.
If you want to become more connected, more aware, less anxious, less distracted, then practice the contemplative.
If you want a faith that is rekindled, a healing balm for your wounded soul, a life that is transformed, then practice the contemplative.
This will be the last episode in Season Two, but I have dreams and hopes for Season Three, which will be short stories and reflections on how to discover the Divine in all things all around us.
Yes, I said short. None of this 2-hour podcast interviews (who's got time for that). Instead, just a story that I hope will allow you to discover ways in which God is nearer to you than you could hope.
I'll be taking a bit of time to write and compile those episodes and will be back soon. Until then, subscribe, share, and leave a review of the podcast!
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
While working as a pastor, Steve Austin, survived a suicide event after secretly suffering from mental illness, anxiety, and PTSD. However, a moment the ICU changed everything for him. He knew God wasn’t done with him yet.
In this episode, Steve and I talk about this experience that brought him on a journey from deep depression through a long deconstruction of faith to a renewed love for the Divine. We also talk about how to be a Christian Agnostic, the importance of doubt, and the benefit of breathing.
And, Steve reads us a section of his soon-to-be-released book, Slow Miracles.
To learn more about Steve Austin, be sure to check out his website and follow him on Twitter.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Rich Villodas speaks and writes about three of my favorite topics: contemplative spirituality, racial justice, and the art of preaching! I couldn’t wait to have him on this podcast.
In this, the 30th episode of The Why Behind the What, I interview Rich about his new book, The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformational Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus. We talk about his journey of discovering contemplative spirituality, how these transformational values can help us live a deep life instead of a shallow life, and how racial justice is an essential contemplative practice
If you want to learn more about Rich, be sure to check out his website and follow him on Twitter. If you’re in Queens and looking for a church community, I recommend you check out his church, New Life Fellowship. You can also stream services online.
Finally a few great resources Rich recommends in this episode are, Barbara Holmes’ Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church and Henri Nouwen’s Out of Solitude and The Way of the Heart.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
What if the faith isn’t simply believing things about God, but practicing the way of God? What if faith isn’t knowing things about the Divine, but experiencing the Divine all around you?
That’s what Aaron and I talk about in this episode.
Aaron Niequist is a liturgist, writer, and pastor. He’s worked as a worship leader at Willow Creek Church and Mars Hill Bible Church. He’s also the creator of A New Liturgy, which is a collection of modern liturgical worship recordings as well as The Practice, which is a formational ecumenical practice-based community at Willow.
He’s the author of the book The Eternal Current: How a Practice-Based Faith Can Save Us from Drowning, and also a podcast by the same name. To learn more about Aaron, be sure to visit his website. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
A book Aaron mentions often in this episode is Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I speak with a truly Creative Theologian, Rev. Jim Keat, Digital Minister at The Riverside Church in NYC, and the Director of Online Learning at the Convergence Network.
Jim is exploring the expansiveness of the spiritual life and the Divine through the digital. He thinks outside of the box, sure, but he’s leading us deeper into truth and reality.
We talk about being a digital minister, the freeing faith journey, we get a bit heretical, and talk about how breathing and running can center ourselves upon the Divine.
His newest project is called Free and Simple, which chronicles his journey living in an airstream with his wife. Other known projects Jim created include, Be Still and Go, The Word Made Fresh, Thirty Seconds or Less, and many more.
You can learn more about all his media projects, videos, podcasts, and content on his website: jimkeat.com. Be sure to follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @IdeasDoneDaily.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Truth bombs and cheese.
This has been the theme of so many of my conversations with David Rice. He is a pastor, practical theologian, former cheesemonger, chef, gardener, father, and husband.
David is one of those guys who, when he speaks, you listen. He spoke incredible encouragement and truth bombs into my life and soul.
In our conversation, we talk about spiritual formation, church, and cheese. Yep, cheese; my guess is you didn’t expect that one.
You can learn more about David via his website and you can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In a time when so many Christians debate and argue, fight and exclude, Traci Rhoades is a loving voice of unity encouraging each of us to deeply love the Church instead of divide over our beliefs about the church.
In this episode of the podcast, Traci shares how she, as a small-town southern baptist, discovered and fell in love with liturgy, prayer beads, silence, the book of common prayer, and the broad church experiences of other traditions. She moved from not simply loving her particular faith tradition and church experience, but loving the Great Tradition, the historic church experience.
Traci just released a book called, Not All Who (Spiritually) Wander Are Lost. If you’re like me, a bit of a church mutt, not sure where you land or what church is your style, this might be a great resource for you.
If you want more information on Traci, you can check out her website and blog. Also, be sure to connect with her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Is it possible to be less anxious? Can social media be a tool we use rather than a tool that uses us? And how can prayer calm our minds and help us discover the Love of the Divine?
These are just some of the topics I address in this episode with Ed Cysewski. Ed is a writer, editor, and author of multiple books. He blogs a lot on prayer and writing.
Two of his books we talk about in this episode are: Flee, Be Silent, Pray: Ancient Prayers for Anxious Christians and Reconnect: Spiritual Restoration from Digital Distraction. You can follow Ed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Be sure to subscribe to Ed’s newsletter to receive free content.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
What if faith is a dynamic evolving rather than a static arriving?
Well, it is. And, Colby Martin shares with us just what this means and how we can shift from a conservative understanding of Christianity to a progressive one and still find union with God and others.
Colby is the author of Unclobber: Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality and The Shift: Surviving and Thriving After Moving from Conservative to Progressive Christianity. He also is the co-pastor, with his wife Kate, of Sojourn Grace Collective in San Diego, California as well as host the podcast, The Kate and Colby Show. You can learn more about all this on his website colbymartinonline.com.
Be sure to follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as get some free stuff on his website.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I have the chance to speak with Yael Shy, who I first met and heard speak at the National Association of College and University Chaplains Annual Conference. She spoke on rest as resistance and revolution, and after hearing it, I knew I needed to get her on this podcast.
Yael is the Senior Director of NYU’s Global Spiritual Life Center, Founder and Director of MindfulNYU, which is the largest campus-wide mindfulness initiative in the country, and the author of the book, What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond.
Yael shares how meditation has revolutionized her life, rekindled her faith, and allowed her the tools to manage anxiety and stress. She also guides us through a short meditation at the end of this episode.
You can learn more about Yael on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Some resources Yael recommends in this episode are: Tea and Cake with Demons; The Way of Tenderness; Ten Percent Happier; and Journey Live.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I have the privilege of interviewing my friend and colleague, Matt Nightingale.
Matt and I met probably twelve years ago thanks to Twitter and our friendship developed at a yearly conference we attended where it became our tradition of always having breakfast together. Our breakfast always ended up being hours of conversation and countless cups of coffee.
Matt is a pastor, spiritual director, an educator, ted-talker, musician, father, and does great work surrounding spirituality and sexuality. He has a profound journey and his story is incredible. He has a TEDx talk with his former wife that shares part of his painful and redemptive story.
Be sure to connect with Matt on his website. You can also follow him on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
A few people and resources we mentioned in this podcast are: Steve Wiens, The Journey Center, Quest Novato, Eva Sullivan Knoff, Joanna Quintrell, The Christian Closet.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I interview Megan Westra a pastor from Milwaukee, WI. Megan is the author of the soon-to-be-released book, Born Again and Again: Jesus’ Call to Radical Transformation, and is also the host of The Podluck Podcast.
We have a wonderful conversation about contemplative spiritual practices, leaving behind a rigid, conservative, fundamentalist upbringing, how we can discover the Divine in silence, and ways we can work for the good of all people.
You can learn more about Megan via her website and can connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Other resources mentioned in this podcast episode are: the Enneagram and Walter Bruggeman “Sabbath as Resistance”
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Reparations, contemplative prayer, the Good Samaritan, the Choctaw Nation, and the racial history and segregation in Lynchburg, VA are a few of the topics Dan Harrison and I talk about in this episode.
Dan is the third pastor of the infamous Church of the Covenant, which has been a force for racial justice and integration within Lynchburg, contemplation, and creating a community of people who live out the teachings of Jesus since 1954.
In this episode, we talk about our role of dismantling white supremacy, the Good Samaritan, reparations, contemplative prayer, and his journey of moving from a fundamentalist Christian faith to an expansive spiritual life.
Dan mentioned his interview with Quan McLaurin and the LUnderground Railroad GoFundMe Campaign to raise funds for staff who feel racial trauma at the institution and hope to leave Liberty University but are financially unable to do so.
If you want to learn more about Dan and Church of the Covenant, check out the website and you can follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. And maybe someday a TikTok?!?
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I have the privilege of speaking with Dr. Daniel White Hodge, Professor of Intercultural Communication and Department Chair of the Communication Arts Department at North Park University in Chicago.
He is the author of 5 books, including The Soul of Hip Hop, Heaven Has a Ghetto, Hip Hop’s Hostile Gospel, Homeland Insecurity, and his most recent, Baptized in Dirty Water: Reimagining the Gospel According to Tupac Amaru Shakur. He also hosts the podcast Profane Faith, which I am loving right now!
We talk about systemic racism, the ongoing black experience in our culture, a bit about how the president has changed communication and the presidency, as well as what white people do to screw up this work.
A few resources that Dr. Hodge recommended include Color of Fear Film and White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Be sure to check out his website and follow him on Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
I’m happy to welcome back Darren Calhoun, who appeared on this podcast in episode eight of season one.
In this episode we continue our conversation around racial justice, the need for intersectionality as we dismantle systemic racism, and his response to living through a pandemic, engaging in protests, and the self-care needed to endure it all.
Darren is a worship leader, a justice advocate, and a photographer based out of the great city of Chicago. He is also a member of the band, The Many, which is creating some beautiful music and resources.
Darren is truly one of the best human beings I have ever met.
For more information about Darren, check out his website. You can also follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Be sure to check out his band, The Many. You can support Darren and his work on Venmo and Cash.App with the handle @heydarren.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Being healed from the leprosy of whiteness.
That, among other things, is what Dave Capozzi and I talk about in this episode. We talk about whiteness, when we've messed up, the importance of shutting up and listening, and checking our motives.
Be sure to follow Dave on Twitter and Instagram. A couple of resources Dave mentions in this episode are The Cross and the Lynching Tree, and Raising White Kids.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
What if the answer to the racial segregation within our churches is not diversity, but discipleship? And what if our church’s methods of discipleship have actually contributed to our racial segregation?
In this time of racial violence and protests, what if our role, as white people, is not to become woke, but to become dismantlers, repairers, and reformers?
In this episode, I interview David Swanson, pastor of New Community Covenant Church in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago and the author of Rediscipling the White Church: From Cheap Diversity to True Solidarity.
You can learn more about David on his website and follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Resources that David recommends in this episode include: Be the Bridge, White Awake, Trouble I’ve Seen, Roadmap to Reconciliation, Divided by Faith, and every essay and book by James Baldwin.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
A metaphor, resources, and a moment of prayer. Let’s get to work.
Podcasts: Code Switch, Existential, Momentum, Pass the Mic, Profane Faith, Speaking of Racism, and White Homework.
Books: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, Just Mercy, How to be an Anti-Racist, Stamped from the Beginning, Antiracist Baby, Stamped: Racism, Antiracism and You.
Between the World and Me, We Were Eight Years in Power, The Case for Reparations, The Beautiful Struggle, and The Water Dancer.
The Cross and the Lynchburg Tree and God of the Oppressed.
The Warmth of Other Suns, Slavery by Another Name, The Color of Law, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, Tears We Cannot Stop, and Trouble I’ve Seen
White Fragility, White Like Me, Waking up White, White Awake, Raising White Kids, and Rediscipling the White Church.
Subscribe to my newsletter and I'll send you a PDF of the above resources. Be sure to check out my website and blog.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I interview Dr. Steve Dawson, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Lynchburg, about the positive impact of meditation and yoga on his life. He introduces us to his personal journey of spiritual awakening through reading ancient texts as well as writing and journaling. Additionally, he shares how essential it is to actually practice contemplative spirituality rather than solely read or write about it. I hope this is a conversation that compels you to practice.
Resources Steve mentioned in this podcast are, The Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, The Way of the Pilgrim, and To Know Yourself by Swami Satchidananda.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I interview Co-Rectors Rev. Dr. Diane Vie and Rev. Todd Vie of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. We discuss what it has been like for them to work together as married Episcopal priests, the power of ancient prayers found in the Book of Common Prayer, and shared how mysterious the Christian faith can and must be.
For me, the conversation was very enlightening and gave me an even greater appreciation for liturgy, the Book of Common Prayer, fixed-hour prayer, and the Episcopal Church. And, we end with a beautiful blessing from Diane that has become one of my all-time favorites.
“Life is short and we don't have much time to gladden the hearts of those with whom we travel. So, be quick to love and make haste to be kind. And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit be with you and remain with you always. Amen."
For more information on anything we talked about, Rev. Diane and Todd recommend the following resources and websites as a good starting point: The Book of Common Prayer; The Online Book of Common Prayer; Your Faith, Your Life; Bishop Curry’s Way of Love Podcast; St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; the Episcopal Church.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I interview Steve Wiens, a spiritual teacher, writer, and pastor who loves helping people reconstruct their faith after their theological foundations have crumbled. He hopes to give people permission to experience new and expansive ways of understanding God, themselves, and the world in which they live.
We discuss his newest book, Shining Like the Sun: Seven Mindful Practices for Rekindling Your Faith, and how we can become more mindful so we might discover the Divine. Be sure to pick up a copy of this book, because it is so good! It’s the book I wish I wrote.
To connect more with Steve, check out his website and be sure to listen to his podcast, This Good Word with Steve Wiens. You can also find him on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
Additional resources mentioned in this podcast are: The Transforming Center, Ruth Haley Barton, and the Enneagram.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I interview singer-songwriter Marielle Kraft about how she spends four days in silence and solitude every year in a tiny cabin. She shares how it impacts her soul, faith, and her songwriting.
Yet, the coolest part of this episode is that Marielle plays a song she has never ever played publicly. Yes, that’s right people, it’s a world premiere performance on the podcast! And, it brought tears to my eyes.
You can find Marielle’s music on Spotify, iTunes, SoundCloud, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your music. Follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. You can also buy some merch on her website.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
What does it mean to be a Contemplative Ecumenical? In this episode, I invite you to join me in, what I hope will be, a new movement of people who embrace this mysterious, contemplative, and transformational way of life and begin to identify as Contemplative Ecumenicals.
This episode is based on a former blog series I wrote: On Being an Ecumenical; Part 1; Part 2; Part 3. Resources I reference are The Pocket Meister Eckhart and The Pocket Thomas Merton.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I force us to ask whether social media and our digital devices enhance or inhibit our spiritual life and transformation. The more I use social media, the more I am questioning the value of social media.
I’d venture to say that we serve the god of our smartphones much more than we serve the God of the Universe. We are much more focused on our devices than on the Divine.
Great books you should read on this topic: Digital Minimalism; iDisorder; The Distracted Mind; Reclaiming Conversation; Bored and Brilliant; Irresistible; The Shallows; 10 Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now; I Used to Be a Human Being: An endless bombardment of news and gossip and images has rendered us manic information addicts. It broke me. It might break you, too; How to Break Up with Your Phone;
If you need a few new podcasts on this topic, I recommend: It’s Complicated; Note to Self; Your Undivided Attention.
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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com.
This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
In this episode, I introduce you to Fixed Hour Prayer and Liturgy; absolutely ancient and foundational practices in the history of the Christian tradition.
Fixed Hour Prayer is pausing to pray throughout our day at regular intervals- usually in the morning, around lunch, in the early evening, and before bed. Liturgy, meanwhile, is the guiding and organizing principles of a church’s worship gathering; the rituals, traditions, and structure within the service.
These are two practices that I was taught to view as too rote and traditional as well as lacking passion and vitality. I was so wrong. These practices have absolutely changed everything for me.
It was Fixed Hour Prayer and the Liturgy that revived my soul; it brought tears to my eyes; it gave me the words I knew I needed to pray but didn’t have the words for; it changed how I viewed and experienced church gatherings; it made me so much more appreciative of church history and global faith community.
Here are some incredible resources to start experiencing Fixed Hour Prayer: The Divine Hours (Volume One); The Divine Hours (Volume Two); The Divine Hours (Volume Three); The Divine Hours: Pocket Edition; Book of Common Prayer; The Online Book of Common Prayer; Hour by Hour.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Many of us read ancient scriptures like we do a news article or a tweet; for information. But the ancient scriptures aren’t simply meant to be skimmed for info, they are to read for transformation. In this episode, I introduce you to Lectio Divina, Divine Reading, which is by far my favorite way to read and listen to scripture.
And, you might just learn Latin in this episode. Ok, ok, you won’t be fluent, but you might learn four words, which will make you far from even remotely amateur.
Here is a brief summary of how to do Lectio Divina:
Number 1 - Lectio: Read the passage. Listen for a word or phrase.
Number 2 - Meditatio: Read the passage. Define that word or phrase.
Number 3 - Oratio: Read the passage. Write a letter to yourself from God about that word or phrase.
Number 4 - Contemplatio: Read the passage. How do you need to respond? What needs to happen?
A couple of recommended books are: Sacred Rhythms by Ruth Haley Barton and Invitation to a Journey by Robert Mulholland.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Dear Diary, After forgetting about you for almost 20 years, I picked you up and decided to reread parts of you. Oh dear Lord in heaven. What was I thinking of writing all that stuff? It’s some of the most hysterical, embarrassing, vomit-inducing, fundamentalist stuff I have ever read. It is epic. So, I have decided to read those parts to my podcast listeners. Sincerely, Nathan
Journaling is a powerful spiritual rhythm. It gives voice to our prayers, longings, and desires. It filters our prayers and thoughts to their core and can become a time capsule for our prayer life. It also can be a way to hear the still small voice of God.
My favorite journals are Moleksine. I've always got a handful lying around my office. A good resource about journaling is from a professor of mine: Journaling as a Spiritual Practice.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
Centering prayer allows you to be in union with God, to be aware of God, and to be as close to God as your very breath. It is a holy act, where you don't have to worry about doing, but instead settle into simply being. And, it's a lot more difficult than you think.
Father Pennington's structure for Centering Prayer: 1. Be with God. 2. Use a word with stay with God. 3. Use the word to return to God. Isn't that great? Be with God, stay with God, return to God.
Two great resources I recommend are Centering Prayer, by Basil Pennington and Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, by Cynthia Bourgeault.
Resources I recommend: Centering Prayer, by Basil Pennington; Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, by Cynthia Bourgeault
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May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
So, the last few days have felt like a year or two, right?
I don’t know about you, but I am doing my best not to absolutely panic almost daily. And, it’s been breathing, the breath prayer, as well as meditation that has really been anchoring me and giving me moments of calm. In this short episode, I share just a quick story about how taking a walk somehow enabled me to calm down, become less overwhelmed, and see the beauty around me.
If you haven't listened to Episode Four on the Breath Prayer, be sure to check that out as I think it's an incredibly important practice during this time. It's my hope that as you listen to this and future, episodes, you will be reminded of practices that can anchor you, center you, calm you, and connect you with God.
So, Be safe. Be well. And through all of this, may we all have peace, may we all have calm, may we all have happiness.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.
What if you could pray without ceasing? A bunch of monks tried to answer that question and a few hundred years later they came up with an answer- the breath prayer; a mystical and ancient way to connect with the Divine today. The breath prayer also has a 100% success rate at calming my anxiety, so it's worth a try.
If you need a Sesame Street music break, check out the Belly Breathe Music Video.
As mentioned in the episode, here is a list of breath prayers: Yah, Weh; God I can’t, but God you can; God of love and peace, cast out my fear and anxiety; Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief; I will love you, God, You are my strength; Lord make me according to your heart; For God alone my soul in silence waits; God of peace, calm my nerves; Spirit of Love, have your way; Speak, Oh God, Your servant is listening; And of course there’s the classic: Calm the F down, you’ll be ok.
A few resources mentioned include: Centering Prayer; Zen Habits; Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening; The Way of a Pilgrim; The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God: On the Prayer of Jesus: The Classic Guide to the Practice of Unceasing Prayer Found in The Way of a Pilgrim
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, may you have happiness.
In this episode, we talk about solitude; a somewhat boring sounding topic but one that is absolutely essential to spiritual transformation. Solitude always made me lonely, until I realized it was an opportunity to turn toward the Divine and be present to the One who is in all things.
Additional books mentioned in this episode: Thoughts in Solitude, by Thomas Merton; Invitation to Solitude and Silence, by Ruth Haley Barton; The Way of the Heart, by Henri Nouwen.
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca
May you have peace, may you have calm, may you have happiness.
Silence is essential to the spiritual life. Something I never knew. It creates a space for us to be still and hear the still small voice of the Divine. It allows us to open ourselves up to God so God might do a transforming work in us.
Here are a few great resources referenced in this episode: Stillness is the Key, by Ryan Holiday; Thoughts in Solitude, by Thomas Merton; Invitation to Solitude and Silence, by Ruth Haley Barton; The Way of the Heart, by Henri Nouwen.
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May you have peace, may you have calm, may you have happiness.
In this episode, I share how at some point, faith can stop working. And when mine did, I spent a lot of time shutting out the world by putting on noise-canceling headphones and laying under a desk crying. I also realized, though, I needed something more, something new. What I discovered, and the journey I have been the last few years is that the something new I needed was, in reality, something quite old. Ancient actually. And God used the ancient to transform my life today. Join me for a journey to the ancient.
Here are some great book resources referenced in this episode: The Emotionally Healthy Leader, by Pete Scazzero; Just This, by Richard Rohr; New Seeds of Contemplation, by Thomas Merton; Concerning the Inner Life, by Evelyn Underhill
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May you have peace, may you have calm, may you have happiness.
Oh, hey, we're back! Here's the trailer for the upcoming Season Two of the Why Behind the What. This season's theme is Ancient Contemplative Spirituality for Today's Transformation. When my faith stopped working, I knew I needed something more; something new. What I realized in my spiritual journey was the something new I needed was quite old; ancient actually.
New episodes will drop every two weeks. Subscribe now and review this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
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May you have peace, may you have calm, may you have happiness.
Nothing beats a four-year-old speaking into a microphone. Stay tuned for all new episodes soon!
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This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca.
May you have peace, may you have calm, may you have happiness.
I love the city. In them, I am connected to my spiritual side. In them, I sense God's presence. In this episode, I share how the city is the place where I see God's ultimate creation and God's ultimate creations' creations.
In this episode, I interview Ray McKinnon, a minister who has been at the Charlotte protests in recent days. He shares his story of being present at the Charlotte protests as they turned from peaceful to violent, his heart for humanizing both police officers and protestors, and what it is like for him to be an African American minister in North Carolina. It is a powerful and important episode.
You can follow Ray on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.
There are a couple of sound troubles in this episode, but I do hope it doesn't hinder your listening.
In this episode, I interview a good friend, Geoff. Our friendship started as we were both professional actors. I auditioned him for a theatre company. We then worked for the same theatre, became roommates, performed in the same show, both moved out of acting, became roommates again, and have continued a friendship that we value.
So, it's been a while. But, glad to be back with a new episode.
In this podcast, I share a sermon I recently co-preached with one of my best friends, Josh. He and I give the why behind what we do in a Sunday morning church gathering. To listen to more sermons, check out my sermon page.
In this episode, I interview Darren Calhoun, a worship leader, social activist, and photographer. We talk about his reaction to the recent police shootings that resulted in the death of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile, the Black Lives Matter movement, racial justice, and intersectionality.
You can learn more about Darren on his website, follow him on Twitter, or like his Facebook page. To find out more of what Darren is doing, be sure to check out Evangelicals for Social Action and Urban Village Church.
There are a couple of sound troubles in this episode, but I do hope it doesn't hinder your listening.
This is a special episode in response to the mass shooting at Pulse in Orlando, to honor the lives lost, and challenge each of us to have our actions speak louder than words.
In this episode, I interview 16 of my LGBTQ friends by asking them the following questions: What was your initial reaction to the shooing in Orlando? What are you feeling now? How can we come along side you in this time of grief and pain?
Much thanks to: Rachel, Amanda, Darren, Geoffrey, Dion, Ben, Jonathan, Nate, Trish, Jami, Michael, Steven, Tyler, Lauren, Chris, and Kevin.
This. Is. Family.
In this episode, I share why I wrote my book, Embracing Love: My Journey to Hugging a Man in His Underwear. After giving a summary of how my book came into existence, I also share a model for church I call Belong Believe Become and how many churches, unfortunately, reverse this model.
For those interested, Embracing Love is available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or the Covenant Bookstore. An eBook version is available for the Kindle, Nook, iBooks, and Google Play.
In this episode, I interview Tony Gapastione. He is an actor, pastor, and filmmaker. Most recently, he released his film 1440 and Counting and will soon begin production on his second film, Neighbor.
You can find out more about Tony, his work and films at tonygap.com
In this episode, Nathan interviews Jeff Kready, Broadway performer who has starred in such shows as A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Billy Elliot, and Les Miserables. They talk tap dancing dresses, the struggles of performing, the joys of storytelling, and the way faith plays a role.
Check out Jeff's website or follow him on Twitter.
In this episode, I share an example of the why behind the what from the letter to the Colossians. In it, he reminds listeners the 'what' comes from Colossians 3-4, but the 'why' comes from Colossians 1-2.