On Track with Spencer & Jake: Recent Episodes
Spencer & Jake
Life is full of problems, trials, successes, and unique stories. We are a couple of friends that have been through some life and want to encourage you as you continue onward. We want to talk about the hand life dealt us, and how we have dealt with life. We don't always have the right answers, but we have real ones. We haven't always made the right choices. We haven't always felt we were heading in the right direction, but we are on track and we are excited to talk about that.
In the Bible Paul talks about being single as having full focus on God. Whereas marriage involves split focus on God. Spencer and I talk about how being single but being preoccupied with relationships/marriage can detract from the very blessing and opportunity of singleness. It's a common problem, but how do we transition our thinking and lifestyle? We share some testimony and experiences to shed some light on the matter.
This week #OnTrack, Jake dives into his recent experiences of navigating loneliness in a new place and how to use the “basics” to not stay in a lonely place but to move into the call of God.
Jake: "Excited to share some new things happening in our lives! There is some transition and some new seasons taking place, but do not fear! The Lord knows everything you need before you even ask. Our God is so good at providing everything we need. Why does He do this? Because He is our heavenly Father that loves to take care of His children."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "We've got another guest! In this episode, our good friend, Collins joined us! He takes us through his life growing up in Ghana, transitioning to another culture, and how he found Jesus. Join us as we learn about another culture and have some good laughs along the way!"
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Spencer: "The story of Gideon is a powerful one! In this episode, Jake and I mix it up from our normal episode and dig into it! We go through the story while sharing our thoughts and opinions throughout. Join us On Track as we relate to Gideon!"
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Spencer: "This week on On Track, we invited our good friend, Adriana, to join us! We discuss seasons of life and the highs and lows that come with them. We share some of our past seasons and also update you on some new seasons coming up in our lives!"
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Spencer: "You asked. We answered. Pretty self-explanatory! Join us and learn a bit more about your favorite co-hosts as we have a lot of off track conversation and even more laughs!"
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Spencer: "Towards the beginning of summer, Jake and I set some goals. In this episode, we give you all an update on how we are doing! ... Or not doing.. We also discuss a bit of goal setting and where we feel that we are at in the process. Join us as we take a look back on this summer and on some bad deals we've made in the past!"
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Jake: "In this episode we talk about what it means to love others through words and actions. We explore examples from our lives about what it means to lay down one's life. Jesus has called us to turn the other cheek and go the extra mile. Is it easier to do that for someone we know and love or a stranger? What does it mean to lay one's life down? Can't we just settle this over a Frosty?"
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "In this episode, Jake and I sit down and talk about what's happening in life. Jake talks about some of the struggles he is feeling emotionally after coming back from vacation in Alaska while knowing there are changes happening in his life. We considered not posting this episode, but this is what On Track is about: having real conversations and supporting, encouraging, and challenging one another."
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Spencer: "We all have a calling in our lives. Some people know exactly what that is early in life, others find out along the way! This week, Jake and I discuss what we believe our life missions are and how we came to see them develop in our lives!"
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Spencer: "Lies, deceptions, temptations, etc... they all stink and aren't worth keeping around. In this episode we are joined by our very own, Peter Taylor! Peter opens up about his life and his struggle with intrusive thoughts. We talk about where they come from and how to battles them. Join us as we have some fun and dig into a deep conversation!"
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Jake: "Often times our focus is 'What am I going to do'. That can be about school, work, future plans, you name it. In this episode we talk about how it's more important to focus on who I am going to be and less on what I will do. God has a plan for you and for me. The plan can take all sorts of twists and turns. It very well may end up in a much different direction that I thought, but I can help God out with my attitude and character. Who am I when God calls? Check it out!"
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "'Adventure is out there!!' In this episode, we invited our friend, Carissa, and we dig into what adventures look like in our life, why we should live an adventurous lifestyle, and some future adventure ideas! Oh! And there are a ton of laughs.. so RIP headphone users.."
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Jake: "We dive a little deeper into making the most of today! Spencer and I talk about some ways to include God in the day, and some of our struggles with that. It's easy to follow an old routine for everyday life, but there's so much more that each day holds for us. Be more than self-confident, be God-confident!"
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "Each day we are all faced with decisions, plans, opportunities, etc but do we always make the most of them? I don't know about you, but we don't! However, we would love to do better! This week, Jake and I discuss what it looks like to make the most of today and how we can live our lives to glorify God."
Jake: "Cool cool cool!"
Spencer: "It's that time of year...! Summer! Insert "In Summer" from Frozen 2 Summer is a time for new things, to refresh and reset, and to spend with family and friends! Jake and I dig into what this time of year looks like for us and what God has been speaking to us specifically for this summer! So grab your hammocks, put on some sunscreen and join us as we kick off this season!"
Jake: "Cool, cool, cool!"
Jake: "Oh buddy, I've been a busy bee. I've gotta take some time to restore my body, mind, spirit, and relationships. God gave us a great example of rest. He rested after 6 days of creating all that we know. My work is nowhere near as impressive, so yeah I think I should follow His example. The hard part is finding what actually fills me up. Turns out I need more than one fuel source. Tune it to find yours."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Jake: "You ever have a plan and then lose your foc… Yeah, me neither. Distractions are something that we deal with everyday. They are an opponent to productivity, self-discipline, time management, and a whole slew of other positive things. Distractions are a serious component to procrastination. In this episode we talk about distractions we deal with and how we handle them."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "Who you surround yourself with affects the trajectory of your life. In this episodes, we invited our good friend Sean to talk about in impact friends have and why it is so important to have a solid inner circle. Join us On Track as we dive deep into discussion and laugh way too much!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Jake: "This is the testimony of my sister Alisa. She has had an incredible journey through drug addiction, family separation, and much more. Her story is powerful, real, and inspiring. There was a lot we talked about that I didn't know until this podcast. This is a story of hopelessness turned to hope, wandering turned to found, and discouragement turned to encouraging. The story is rough in the journey, but the destination is beautiful."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Jake: "This week we talk about conviction. What is it? Do you have some? How do you know? Being convicted by the Holy Spirit can lead to some powerful transformation in our lives. Or we can ignore the opportunity to change because… well things can get uncomfortable. We dive into scripture, testimony, and even the Meriam-Webster dictionary to bring some clarity. Join us as we are challenged and encouraged in being convicted by the Holy Spirit and making those convictions are own."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Jake: "This week we talk about bitterness and the rot it causes when we hold onto it. It can stem from a small conversation, an intense relational issue, or even doing the dishes. The important thing is to identify if you have bitterness and resolve it. Not always easy, but always necessary. We have some tough stories from our lives that we are still working through, but God and friendships are helping us grow through them."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "Questions a lot of us ask are 'How do I hear God's voice?' and 'How do I know it's God?'. In this episode Jake and I dig into what our experiences have been like when it comes to hearing from God and we give some tips on how you can grow in this area of your life! And of course, as per usual, we are our normal goofball selfs!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Spencer: "This week we are joined by our new friend and artist, Joel J. Wright! We dig into what it looks like to love others and the importance of viewing situations from different perspectives, especially during this season of life where things are different than normal. Jake and I had a ton of fun getting to know Joel and we hope you do too! Also, make sure to check out his music and follow him on Facebook and Instagram!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Jake: "In this episode we talk about what does it mean to be vulnerable in relationships with the people you are close to or even strangers. Vulnerability is often an uncomfortable experience, but it often takes a move away from comfort to reach some serious depth. It's often tough to be vulnerable, especially to be the first one to open up. Is there risk involved? Yup. Could I get hurt? Yup, but it's worth it for the growth and the love that can come through the risk and the pain."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "After talking a lot about coming back and doing a part 2 of an episode, it finally happened! This week we brought in Aaron to discuss giftings and strengths. He dig deeper into how we use our giftings/strengths, where we place our identity, and get some incredible encouragement from Aaron! Join us On Track as we continue the conversation!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Spencer: "What does it take to have courage? This week, Jake and I tap into what it looks like to live a life of courage, why it's important, and why it can be difficult. It takes leaving our comfort zones to be in courage and we dig into some stories where we had to do just that!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Spencer: "This week, Jake and I talk about what healthy decision making looks like. Every day we are making decisions, sometimes they are small things like what toppings to put on our pizzas; sometimes the decisions we make are life changing. We dig into some examples in our lives (cough cough jobs cough) and how we go about making those choices."
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Spencer: "Bullying is sadly something that is very common in life. It had huge effect in my life and in my insecurities. This week, Jake and I share our experiences with bullying. What did it look like? How did we respond? How has it affected us still to this day? Join us On Track as we open up some more of our past!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Jake: "In this episode of On Track we talk with two friends or ours, Mia and Ellis, about the journey towards marriage. They share their story of being single and how they moved, developed, and grew with God to a place where their stories intertwine. What are things to work on myself? What are some things I should expect, or that I should not expect? Is marriage even right for me? Join us as we hear some great wisdom!"
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "Some topics are bit more difficult to talk about and this week Jake and I tackle one of those. Grieving/mourning is something everyone has (or will) experience which is why we want to share our some of our experiences with you. Life isn't always easy, but there is hope. Join us On Track as we dig to how we have uniquely experienced and dealt with grieving/mourning."
Jake: "Cool beans."
Jake: "Dreams can massively impact our night, how we sleep, and even follow us through our day. I've had a lot of dreams that lifted me up and brought me joy as well as those that caused fear and sleeplessness. We dig into the impact dreams can have, what do they mean, and where do they come from? Are they spiritual, natural, do they effect our mentality and emotions? All this and lots of examples and testimony in this episode!"
Spencer: "Nice!"
Peter Taylor (maybe): "This week on The Peter Taylor Show... I mean.. On Track, you asked and they answer. Hosted by the amazing, most wonderful editor, Peter, they discuss some fun things from the past as well as what's to come in the future. Grab a snack, a cozy seat, and enjoy this special episode."
Spencer: "Nice! Wait.. what?!"
Spencer: "It's that time of year, the time for giving! And with giving comes receiving! This week we discuss the the impact giving can have and how important it is to be able to receive, even if it is hard. Jake and I dig into how we have struggled with receiving and how we have been learning to allow others to bless us."
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Spencer: "For this week on On Track, we invited our good friend Kayla to join us as we discuss purpose and calling! We dive into what our purpose/callings are and how we can start taking steps towards them today. Also, Jake apparently had a 20 year plan for his life that he set up as a kid.. we were just as surprised too!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Jake: "In this episode of On Track, we are joined by our friend Ruth as we talk about the people we are surrounded by. Some people we can choose to be around and others we have to learn to live with. Ultimately, we become more like the people we surround ourselves with. It is important to understand the influence people have on us as well as the influence we have on others. Are we pouring out or being filled up? Either way, it is important to surround ourselves with people pushing us toward a positive position."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "The past few months have been.. well... different than expected! In August, I had some major changes occur in life and God has done nothing but provide in some amazing ways! In this episode, Jake and I talk a bit about my journey through this time and some Bible examples of God's provision! Also... Peter might be Batman..
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Spencer: "This week we are discussing transitions and how we embrace them! We share some from our lives and a bit on how we approach the times of change. Maybe it's a new job, new ministry, or maybe it's transition out of something, we all have these times in life and we learn along the way. Join us and our amazing friend, Duncan, as we tackle these ideas. Oh. And we have PLENTY of off track conversations! Buckle up!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Jake: "It's so easy to procrastinate. We agree. We live it. We dig into some reasons why people procrastinate, why we procrastinate, and how to go about overcoming those. Plenty of off track talk to delay the real topic!"
Spencer: "Nice!"
Jake: "We talk about what life can look like if we are under committed or over committed. Life can often feel anxious or like we are drifting aimlessly. It's important to do some self analysis to see how we feel about what we are committed to. How "busy" are we versus how committed are we to individual events, people, and passions? We talk about figuring out where we are and how we feel and making the changes to move toward where we want to be."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "What do you say you believe in? If your actions don't show it, do you actually believe in it? That's what we tackle this week as we are joined by our good friend, Zach! We discuss our convictions and how our actions speak louder than our words. We also dig into a secret (no longer secret) talent that Jake has!
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Jake: "We dig into what it means to trust in truth with our friend Devin. In these crazy times how do I know what's true and can I really trust anyone or anything? We talk about overcoming insecurities and self-deception to see what truth really is and where it comes from. We dissect our relationships with God to find out if we are following the real deal or an imitation such as "vending machine god" or "general god". Then we take steps to follow after whats true and learn to trust in real God.
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "A good ol' oxymoron. Or is it? This week, Jake and I discuss what it looks like to be patient as we wait for the promises of God. We also get to answer some of your questions and reminisce about our terrible hair styles from highschool!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Spencer: "This week we are discussing loving others! What does it look like? Why is it so important in our lives? And where might we (...I) fall short? We asked an amazing man to join us this week, CJ! He is someone Jake and I both look up to and respect a ton, especially when it comes to loving those around us. We also talk about a trip Jake and I went on and CJ shares about an unwelcomed visitor he had stop by. As always, we get real and share about our experiences but we make sure to share a great deal of laughs along the way!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Jake: "We don't have to define loneliness. Everyone knows what it is and everyone has experienced it. We dive into a few stories of loneliness derived from some significant transitions in our lives. We also discuss some ways that got us through it and got us out of it."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Jake: "We discuss a few aspects of hope. What is it? What is it not? What's the difference between a temporal and eternal mindset of hope? It is crazy powerful! In the end, we still have questions."
Spencer: "Nice!"
Spencer: "On this week's episode we invite our first guest to join us On Track! Kaella! We dig into what fear is, our personal fears, and what overcoming them looks like. All while sharing some very deep and personal stories and some funny ones along the way."
Jake: "Cool beans!"
Spencer: "We all have strengths, talents, and gifts and it's important that we know what they are! Knowing them allows for a better understanding of how to use them. In this episode, Jake and I share more about how we are made and how we utilize our strengths!"
Jake: "Cool beans!"