The Signpost Inn Podcast: Recent Episodes
Signpost Inn
You picked up your phone 186 times yesterday. That's not a discipline problem, it's a hunger problem. This week we trace the ache behind the scroll back to Augustine and forward to the empty tomb, and land on the strange freedom of a faith that doesn't need you to fix yourself first.
When you scroll, you're looking for something real. The compulsion isn't random, and it's not just weak willpower. It's a hunger for heaven, misdirected. Samuel James calls the internet an "epistemological habitat" — not a tool you use but an environment that shapes what you crave, what you notice, and what you believe is true. And it's designed by teams of behavioral psychologists who know your patterns better than you do.
We walk through the five digital liturgies that form us online, the structural forces stacked against you (and why shame is the wrong frame), and then what Jesus actually offers when you're starving for something real. If you've ever felt trapped by your phone and blamed yourself for not trying harder, this one's for you.
Links:
- Samuel James, Digital Liturgies: Rediscovering Christian Wisdom in an Online Age (Crossway, 2023) https://amzn.to/3RLOZX4
- Giving Up On Growth: Rest in Restless World. Lecture by John Newton https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/giving-up-on-growth-rest-in-a-restless-world-john-newton/id1381533696
- Augustine’s Confessions https://amzn.to/4fyXMEQ
Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Connect with us:
- Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
- Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
- Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
The world is genuinely dangerous and your nervous system knows it! The usual answers (trust God more, don't be anxious, just believe) don't seem to help, they only make you feel more ashamed that you must not be “doing it right!”
So what does Jesus actually do with our generalized anxiety and fear?
Brandon, Matt, and Liv work through what it feels like when Jesus changes the context you're living inside. Why willpower-based answers to anxiety tend to make things worse. How Jesus recontextualizes even death. And a few practices — imaginative Gospel reading, the Daily Examen — that train your body to feel what your theology already knows.
If low-grade dread is just part of how you move through the world, this one's for you.
Links:
- Check out Liv’s substack https://livbooth.substack.com/
- Book: How your 21st-Century Church Family Works by Peter L. Steinke: https://amzn.to/3QXcMTy
- Book: A Roman’s Confession by Kade Dutton https://amzn.to/4eNpbmd
- Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Connect with us:
- Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
- Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
- Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What does Jesus actually feel when he looks at you — worn out, knocked flat, barely holding on? The Gospels have a word for it. And it's nothing like the soft, managed thing we usually call "compassion." Today Brandon and Matt dig into Matthew 9:36, the Greek behind two of the most overlooked words in the Gospels, and a gut-level emotion that drove everything Jesus did. Then we close with an imaginative exercise to help you actually receive it — not just understand it.
Links:
- Käthe Kollwitz, The Downtrodden https://i0.wp.com/nmwa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1986.187-GAP.jpg?fit=1200%2C999999&quality=80&format=webp
- N.C. Wyeth, The Lost Sheep: https://www.manresa-sj.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/11-N-C-Wyeth-The-Lost-Sheep.jpg.webp
Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Connect with us: Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
A listener asked a question we couldn't stop thinking about: if nothing we do saves us, are we just supposed to sit back and let Jesus do everything? Are we "grace potatoes"? This episode untangles what it actually means to work on your relationship with God — and why the real question might be bigger and better than you realized.
Links:
- Liv’s Substack https://livbooth.substack.com/
- Not Home Yet https://amzn.to/4gDZC8e
- Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Connect with us: Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Join Matt and Brandon for an incredibly moving discussion with Tom Gibbs, the creator of Art Lectio. After a brief introduction and explanation of Tom’s unique method for meditating on and praying with art, Tom guides the gents through three meditations on three completely different paintings. Each one opens up thoughts, and prompts prayers, that are profound and beautiful.
If you are listening to this one on your podcast player you’ll definitely want to open the images linked below, or pop over to our YoutTube channel and watch along. https://www.youtube.com/@signpostinn
Links to view the Art we looked at
- Thomas https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6c/Der_ungl%C3%A4ubige_Thomas_-_Michelangelo_Merisi%2C_named_Caravaggio.jpg/3840px-Der_ungl%C3%A4ubige_Thomas_-_Michelangelo_Merisi%2C_named_Caravaggio.jpg
- The Temptation of Christ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Christ_in_the_Wilderness_-_Ivan_Kramskoy_-_Google_Cultural_Institute.jpg/3840px-Christ_in_the_Wilderness_-_Ivan_Kramskoy_-_Google_Cultural_Institute.jpg
- Woman Holding a Balance https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/68/Johannes_Vermeer_-_Woman_Holding_a_Balance_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg/1920px-Johannes_Vermeer_-_Woman_Holding_a_Balance_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
Other Links:
- https://artlectio.com/
- https://instagram.com/artlectio
- https://www.youtube.com/@ArtLectio
- https://substack.com/@artlectio
- Join us for for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Connect with us:
- Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
- Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
- Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
When the structures we lean on for spiritual safety collapse, what remains? Terri Fisher joins Liv Booth and tells her story of leaving a “mechanized faith” and spiritually abusive past and discovering a quieter and more durable faith.
After years in rigid ideological communities that promised predictable outcomes, Terri found herself without words, stripped of spiritual identity, and wondering whether to stay in the faith at all. Ancient prayers, creeds she didn't write, and a liturgy that turned out to be bigger on the inside, rescued her.
Terri and Liv also discuss how Tolkien's daily mass shaped The Lord of the Rings, why humility matters more than confidence, and how attentiveness, to your kids, to the birds, to the onion you're cutting, might be the most practical spiritual discipline there is.
Links:
- Terri Prays with Saints https://terriprayswithsaints.substack.com/
- Prayer for Beginners by Peter Kreeft - https://amzn.to/4usVcoX
- Prayer: the Great Conversation by Peter Kreeft - https://a.co/d/0diRCjCZ
- The High Hallow: Tolkien's Liturgical Imagination - https://amzn.to/42VxvJN
- Anselm Society —anselmsociety.org
- That Thing Liv Wrote livbooth.substack.com
- Stand Up - U2 https://open.spotify.com/track/3541c9HnGOaCrPbUnO2e0K?si=c881114a8c2146ed
Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Connect with us: Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
In this episode, we read John 5:1-18 together and enter the story of a man who's been disabled for 38 years. We ask the question Jesus asks him: do you actually want to become whole? Not just relieved. Not just a little better. Whole.
Links:
- Death Comes to the Soul: The Vulnerable Christian in Distress — Fr. Gabriel O’Donnell The Thomistic Institute Podcast https://podcast.thomisticinstitute.org/death-comes-to-the-soul-the-vulnerable-christian-in-distress-fr-gabriel-odonnell/
Connect with us:
- Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
- Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
- Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
In this episode, we read John 4 together and invite you to enter the story of the woman at the well with us. As we go, we reflect on soul thirst, the deeper questions that drive our lives, and the way Jesus makes himself available to people who feel ashamed, skeptical, or far from God. This is a slow, prayerful episode for anyone who needs to be reminded what Jesus is really like.
Links:
Books and other things referenced in the show
- John 1:1-7:1 - Concordia Commentary by William C Weinrich https://amzn.to/41B0JwZ
- Friends of big bear valley eagle cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE
Connect with us:
- Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
- Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
- Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
- Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work atrex-daugherty.com
In this episode, we dive into the topic of our very popular webinar on “reading the Gospels with your imagination” What is it, what do we teach, and we answer some of the big questions and concerns people have been asking. Whether you're wondering how reading the Gospels with your imagination works, concerned about staying grounded in Scripture, or curious about how this practice can be a powerful prayer practice, this is the episode for you!
Links:
Books referenced in this episode:
- How to Read the Bible Like a Human Being by Tony Stoltzfus https://amzn.to/4szumKX
- Theology Is for Proclamation by Gerhard Forde https://amzn.to/3No2ES7
- The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience by Simeon Zahl https://amzn.to/4bKoh7b
Connect with us:
- Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
- Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
- Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
- Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
This episode releases on Good Friday, and we're leaning into the gravity of the day. We explore the universal experience of grief exhaustion—that bone-deep weariness that comes from living in a world marked by loss, disappointment, and unrelenting demands.
We give you permission to name it: life IS hard. Then we ask the harder question: what do exhausted people actually need? And we discover that God offers more than mere presence. Through Jesus—the One who has been through the worst grief and emerged victorious—God provides divine solidity, not just solidarity. He holds, carries, and transforms our grief, making it participate in his death-and-resurrection pattern. We grieve, but not as those without hope.
Links:
- Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
- Donate to Signpost Inn: https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
Connect with us:
Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
"By any human measure, Jesus' life was an abject failure." If he ever dreamed of a successful career in ministry, or of being hailed as king. That dream died.
What about you? Which of your dreams have died?
Brandon, Liv, and Matt explore a hard but hopeful truth: God is in the habit of making good things come out of death. This episode digs into Brandon's article of the same name, wrestling with what it means when God doesn't stop the death of our dreams.
We talk about the importance of grieving, how to sit with people in their pain without trying to fix it, and why the pattern of Jesus' life, from failure to cross to resurrection, is the pattern for ours too.
If your life feels like a failure, if you're stuck in a season that doesn't make sense, this one's for you. God's not done yet.
Links:
- Read the article: "The Dream That Died and the God Who Didn't Stop It" https://www.signpostinn.org/blog/the-dream-that-died-and-the-god-who-didnt-stop-it
- Free Webinar — Reading the Gospels with Your Imagination (March 21st): https://www.signpostinn.org/events
- Brandon's Book — Changing the Conversation: Learning to Dance Instead of Fight: https://amzn.to/3PfFLkd
- Donate to Signpost Inn: https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
Connect with us: Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
"The God of the Old Testament is a monster." If your teen or adult child has said something like this, you know how it feels. And if you're honest, part of you might wonder the same thing.
Today Brandon sits down with Old Testament scholar Adam Hensley to tackle the hardest questions head-on. How can the God who commands "utterly destroy" be the same God who says "love your enemies"? What do we do with passages like the Canaanite conquest or Jephthah's daughter? Is the OT really about law and judgment while Jesus is about love and grace?
This isn't about winning an argument with your kid. It's about understanding what they're wrestling with, and finding real answers you can hold onto yourself.
Honest. Compassionate. Hopeful. Your child's hard questions might be an invitation for both of you.
Links:
- Called to be God’s People by Andrew Steinmann
- Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
- Donate to Signpost Inn: https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
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Follow us on Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn and Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn/. Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Why do disagreements with my kids, or anyone I love, feel like the end of the world?
When my kid comes at me with 'Dad, you CAN'T believe that!' It feels like everything is on the line. Like if we can't agree, we're done. Have you felt that way recently?
Brandon and Liv explore the concept of a "relational home"—that safe emotional space where we can hold pain without being destroyed by it. The problem? We often make our kids that home. Their approval becomes our anchor. And when they challenge our faith, our politics, our identity, it feels like an existential threat.
The solution isn't better arguments. It's a better anchor. Drawing from 2 Timothy 1:12, Liv shares how when God is your relational home, you can hold space for conflict without it threatening your existence. You're free to stay in the room, stay curious, stay loving—because your security isn't on the line.
Links:
- FREE Download — The Surrendering Prayer: https://u.pcloud.link/publink/show?code=XZm9vd5ZymrayTkfJ5JbEWqkm6KI4bwa41zV
- Spiritual Direction with Brandon: https://www.signpostinn.org/spiritual-direction
- FREE Webinar — Heal & Deepen Your Relationship with Your Kids: https://www.signpostinn.org/webinar
- In Prayer by CPH https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.cph.indevotion.android
- Free Lectionary readings (Complementary) https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/revised-common-lectionary-complementary/next?version=CSB
- Readers bible
- 10 minute consultation calls
- Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
- Donate to Signpost Inn: https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
Connect with us: Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Here's an uncomfortable reality: we parents can easily idolize our kids.
When your teen or adult child is distant, critical, or just doesn't seem to like you, it cuts deep. You want their approval, their friendship, their gratitude. That's not wrong—it comes from love! But what happens when their opinion of you becomes the measure of your worth?
Brandon, Liv, and Matt explore the common trap of needing our kids' validation—and why it always backfires. When your child's approval becomes the sun in your identity solar system, you become grasping, controlling, or bitter. The very thing you're doing to win their love pushes them away.
The solution isn't trying harder. It's letting God be your source of validation so you're finally free to love your kids without needing anything back. That's when you can give them what they actually need: compassion, patience, and a parent who isn't desperate.
Practical. Honest. Hopeful.
Links:
- How to Read the Gospels with Your Imagination Workshop: https://www.signpostinn.org/events/gospel-imagination-mar-21
- Free Webinar — Heal & Deepen Your Relationship with Your Kids: https://www.signpostinn.org/webinar
- Brandon's Book — Changing the Conversation: Learning to Dance Instead of Fight: https://www.signpostinn.org/book
- Join us for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
- Donate to Signpost Inn: https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
Connect with us:
Facebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn
Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn
Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Your kid doesn't want to go to church. Before you panic or strategize, take a breath. This episode isn't about fixing your kid. It's about looking in the mirror first.
Brandon, Liv, and Matt explore why kids resist church (some reasons are healthy, some are legitimate critiques, some are heart resistance) and then ask the harder question: What implicit theology are you modeling at home? Your kids notice the gap between what you say about God and what you show them.
The good news? You can become what your teen actually needs: a "safe haven" where doubts are welcomed and a "secure base" that encourages exploration and offers forgiveness when they stumble. That's how God relates to you. And it's what you can offer your kids.
Practical. Honest. Hopeful. It's not too late.
Links:
- Join us for for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
- Donate to Signpost Inn: https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
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Follow us o nFacebook www.facebook.com/SignpostInn and Instagram www.instagram.com/signpostinn/. Check out our website www.signpostinn.org for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Have you ever stood in your kitchen, listening to your kids scream at each other, and thought: "A good parent wouldn't have kids like this. Did I screw them up?"
How about the holidays with family? Was it like a Hallmark movie, or were there disagreements and fights? Did you feel a little helpless and wonder if you failed your family?
Today we're going to talk about this feeling, because if you've ever asked it, you're not alone. Somewhere along the way, most of us started believing a lie: our kids are our report card. If they turn out well, we pass. If they struggle, fight, or walk away, we failed.
Links:
- Not Home Yet: Audio book link
- Changing the Conversation Book link
- Join us for for an event: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
- Donate to Signpost Inn: https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
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Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Why does pain feel like "reality" and joy feel like a vacation?
It is December 26th. The wrapping paper is in the trash, and for many of us, that "magical" feeling—if it was there at all—is starting to fade into the gray reality of winter. When the Christmas lights come down and we discard the tree we often feel like we are "homeless" in a broken world again.
Join Matt and Brandon as they discuss how sorrow sometimes feels more real than joy. The boys think we have it backwards. They think the incarnation means that God has made this world his home, and that his presence is actually the most real thing of all!
Join us for a workshop on trusting God, or for one of our 4 week intensives here: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Links/References
- That Thing Liv Wrote - Liv’s Substack (https://livbooth.substack.com/)
- Take our audience survey! (https://myformflow.io/signpost-inn-ministries/survey)
- Matt’s recommended song: God With Us by We Are Messengers.(https://open.spotify.com/track/4iaksnylPofkl5A1MpEsnS?si=g8ODsV1xRi27KmapweP6tg)
- The Mystery of Christ & Why We Don’t Get It by Robert Farrar Capon (https://amzn.to/3NchwCi)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work atrex-daugherty.com
We tend to believe that trials and times of fear or grief, mean we've done something wrong. We feel that if we just prayed more, were more faithful with our spiritual disciplines, etc, we would feel fine, even through the worst!
But Scripture offers a different picture. Feeling our grief, fear, and pain, while lifting it all to God is prayer. Feeling bad is NOT a sign that I am bad. It’s an honest experience and expressing it to God is a powerful and intimate connection with God.
And more than that, our deep longings point to a deeper, more real reality that is waiting for us in the resurrection!
Join us for a workshop on trusting God, or for one of our 4 week intensives here: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Links/References
- Mockingbird Ministries - https://mbird.com/
- Brandon’s Advent Music Playlist - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2RjWQlIIUrXi0vcCTwfzZp?si=Qn_ENutRTjqEE84cODKxBg
- That Thing Liv Wrote - Liv’s Substack - https://livbooth.substack.com/
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website (http://www.signpostinn.org) for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
🥳 Donate to our matching fund drive! https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
Happy "National Pie for Breakfast Day." Or as most people call it... the day after Thanksgiving!
How is your soul doing this morning?
Maybe you woke up a little cringe? Maybe you’re wondering "Why did I bring that up?" "Why was I so awkward?"
Psychologist Brené Brown calls this a "Vulnerability Hangover." That regret we feel after we’ve been seen, or after we’ve tried to connect with family and it felt messy.
We often mistake this emotional exhaustion for spiritual failure. We think because we feel bad today, we must be bad!
Today the Signpost Inn gang is is going to help you with that hangover with a little theology… and a slice of pie.
📌Join us for a workshop on trusting God, or for one of our 4 week intensives here: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Links/References
- Download the Navigating Emotions Toolbox: https://www.signpostinn.org/emotions-toolbox
- Check out SmartHerNews: https://smarthernews.com
- See Liv’s Picture on our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/signpostinnpodcast
- Please give us a 5 star review!: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
A technical glitch becomes a beautiful opportunity. This week, Brandon and Liv pull back the curtain and invite you to the back porch for a special, from-the-heart conversation. In celebration of Signpost Inn's 5th birthday, they share the real story of the ministry's journey: the unexpected joys, the raw and honest struggles, and the passionate vision that fuels it all.
It's also a chance to partner with us. Through December 31, 2025, every gift to our ministry will be doubled thanks to a generous $12,500 matching grant. Your support helps us raise the $25,000 we need to continue providing resources like this podcast, workshops, and spiritual direction.
Listen in for the full story, and find out how you can pray for us, give to the matching fund, and share the message of grace.
Give today: www.signpostinn.org/donate
Links/References
- Buy Brandon’s book: Changing the Conversation: How to Dance Instead of Fight in Everyday Conversation.
- Get Brandon and Liv’s book as an audio book!
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks! (https://www.podsnacks.org/show?id=37a58158cbc54f779d5d2bad01306947)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
On this special Halloween episode, hosts Liv and Brandon ask why creating AI avatars of the dead seems so alluring. What does it say about our deepest soul questions and longing for the permanent approval of the dead? And what does God have to say about all of this? Liv and Brandon wrap it up with lots of hope as we talk about the real promise of resurrection life in Christ that we celebrate on All Saints Day.
IT’S SIGNPOST INN’S 5TH ANNIVERSARY! And generous donors have given us $12,500 for our matching fund drive. From now until December 31, 2025 all your gifts will be doubled! Help us keep going strong for another 5 years, donate today: https://www.signpostinn.org/donate.
Join us for a workshop on trusting God, or for one of our 4 week intensives here: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Links/References
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks! (https://www.podsnacks.org/show?id=37a58158cbc54f779d5d2bad01306947)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What do you do when you know you need to make things right with someone, but you have no idea where to start?
We've all been there - stuck in a conflict where we know something needs to happen, but we're paralyzed. Maybe you're the one who got hurt and people keep telling you to "just forgive," but you don't even know what that means. Or maybe you're the one who messed up and you want to apologize, but you're terrified of making it worse. You're caught between wanting peace and not knowing how to get there without either pretending everything's fine or making yourself a doormat.
Last episode we talked about what to do when someone you love won't talk to you. But what about when they WILL talk – and now you have to figure out what to actually say?
Join us for a workshop on trusting God, or for one of our 4 week intensives here: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Links/References
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks! (https://www.podsnacks.org/show?id=37a58158cbc54f779d5d2bad01306947)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
In our polarized world, we're facing an epidemic of relational silence. Maybe it's your child who's pulled away. Your spouse who's emotionally checked out. A friend who's gone cold after a disagreement. A sister who won't return your calls. The silence is deafening, and it hits us at the deepest level because we're wired for connection. When those we love most won't engage, we long for restoration, and it makes us feel worthless, unlovable, and much much more.
Join Brandon, Liv, and Matt for an emotional and powerful exploration of loneliness and finding connection in Christ.
Join us for a workshop on trusting God, or for one of our 4 week intensives here: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Links/References
- Explore.org
- Register for a Workshop or Intensive
- Not Home Yet Audio Book
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks! (https://www.podsnacks.org/show?id=37a58158cbc54f779d5d2bad01306947)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
WHY IS IT SO DANG HARD TO TRUST GOD? I know I should trust him, but more often than not I don’t and hang on to my fear, my anger, my sin. What’s going on here?
This week we getting a real and talking about our own struggles with trusting God and how getting to know Jesus for who he really is has helped!
Join us for a workshop on trusting God, or for one of our 4 week intensives here: https://www.signpostinn.org/events
Links/References
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks! (https://www.podsnacks.org/show?id=37a58158cbc54f779d5d2bad01306947)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
This week the Signpost Inn Podcast goes off the trail and into the uncharted wilderness with an unscripted and unfiltered episode! We're missing Matt, saying “goodby” to Peter, and wrangling technology… but then the conversation took “a leap” into the deep end and we talked about how our souls’ have a longing for adventure — real risk — and how God doesn’t only provide security and comfort but also calls us to take real risks and real responsibility.
Join us as we toss out the script, and the BS, and get real about our fears and faith.
Links/References
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks! (https://www.podsnacks.org/show?id=37a58158cbc54f779d5d2bad01306947)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Do you wake up in the morning with the vague sense that you’re already falling behind?
In today’s episode, the group talks about how each of us have deep questions of the soul that we need God to answer or else we’ll spend our lives demanding answers from everyone and everything else. Questions like, “Am I capable?” “Am I enough?” and especially, “Am I lovable?” We are often completely unaware of these soul questions, but they subconsciously drive most everything we do. To top it all off, we’re often terrified of bringing these questions to God, the only one who can truly answer them! So tune in for our conversation as we compassionately unpack this dilemma and explore answers from Henri Nouwen’s book, The Return of the Prodigal Son.
We pray this episode changes the way you understand how God relates to you :)
Links/References
- Matt’s sermon on Psalm 16
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks!
- Review the podcast!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Have you ever felt childish for believing in beauty — in meaning — in Jesus? Like, the really “grown up” way to think is that faith is a cutesy, meaningless fairytale?
If so, we want you to know you’re not alone! Also, you’re not naive, you’re just remembering home. In this conversation we talk about The Chronicles of Narnia and how they teach us childlike faith in goodness, truth, and beauty. We share our experiences with Narnia and some of our favorite passages too. Come along for the ride and learn to let God be God and watch his story unfold around you.
Links/References
- Not Home Yet, by Brandon and Liv Booth: https://www.signpostinn.org/product/not-home-yet
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks! (https://www.podsnacks.org/show?id=37a58158cbc54f779d5d2bad01306947)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Has a book ever jumped off the shelf, interrupted your life and left you forever changed?
On today’s show the gang shares the books that have ambushed them and left them with a new view of life, themselves and God. These books have opened our eyes to beauty, truth, and goodness and we’re eternally grateful! Be warned, Listener, after this episode you will walk away with a “dangerous” reading list of books that are waiting to disrupt your life for good!
We hope you enjoy today’s show. Jesus thinks you’re the bee’s knees (aka, he likes you)
Links/References
- Interior Freedom, by Jacques Philippe: https://amzn.to/3IMEihX
- The Lightbringer Series, by Brent Weeks: https://amzn.to/45gjBUt
- Hind’s Feed on High Places, by Hannah Hurnard: https://amzn.to/41dBnFp
- The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/4kZn5iF
- Hamlet, by William Shakespeare: https://amzn.to/452D2yF
- The Snow Queen, by Hans Christian Andersen: https://amzn.to/3IJ4xpE
- Abel’s Island, by Williams Steig: https://amzn.to/3UuxjNi
- Practice in Christianity, by Søren Kierkegaard: https://amzn.to/4kUctBC
- The Abolition of Man, by C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/40B3AWv
- On the Freedom of a Christian, by Martin Luther: https://amzn.to/454fJV8
- Into your hands Father, by Wilfrid Stinissen: https://amzn.to/3IJ5bU6
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks! (https://www.podsnacks.org/show?id=37a58158cbc54f779d5d2bad01306947)
- Review the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-signpost-inn-podcast/id1583479686
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Do you know a lot about God, but still sometimes feel disconnected from him? What does it mean to love the Lord with your heart, soul, mind, and strength?
Today’s guest, Dr. Reverend Alan Johnson shares about spiritual formation and his journey from knowing information about God to experiencing him relationally. As a pastor, Dr. Alan sheds some light on the unique challenges that ministry leaders face in cultivating their relationship with God. Anyone facing questions or trials can find it easier and safer to retreat into the realm of knowledge about God rather than wrestle relationally with these questions. Throughout the show Dr. Alan talks about his experience of spiritual formation and the practices that helped him relate to God and see himself more and more as a beloved child of God.
So, come join us for a great conversation as we learn to let Jesus pull his weight and form us into who he made us to be, children of God.
Links/References
- Try out Spiritual Direction with Pastor Alan
- Check out Pastor Alan’s sermons
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks!
- Review the podcast
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Does your everyday life feel boring and disconnected from a sense of meaning and purpose? What if your boring life is way more holy than you think?
On today’s show the gang tackles the topic of vocation and our desire for meaning and purpose. The question of vocation often feels like trying to find a needle in a haystack, if we miss God’s calling on our lives everything else is pointless! What if that’s not how vocation works? Looking to Martin Luther, the group discusses his idea of “The masks of God” and how it relates to vocation. God delights to work through ordinary means. Police officers, government officials, and grocers are used by God to meet our needs for safety, peace, and daily sustenance. This perspective is larger than the category of occupation, helping us understand how the embrace of a friend and our honest conversation with a loved one is God at work to meet our hearts’ need for acceptance and belonging. The group closes the conversation with a rubric for making decisions about life and vocation.
We pray this conversation blesses you and opens your eyes to God at work for you, in the world around you.
Links/References
- “God at Work” by Gene Veith
- Explore your relationship with God through spiritual direction
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks!
- Review the podcast!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Is more information about God making you feel further from him? How do we know God more deeply when the only tool we have is mining for more data?
Join us for today’s episode as we navigate the dark woods of information overload. Together, Brandon, Liv, and Peter unpack the crisis of meaning and how the answer that is often presented is to amass greater knowledge about God. The difficulty with this answer is that it takes propositional knowledge about God and makes it the sum total of what it means to have a relationship with him. Many of us experience a disconnect between the information we know about God and our life experience. Is there a way to experience the truths we believe about God? The group discusses various types of knowing and how faith in God is most connected to a participatory knowing. Instead of always seeking more information, we are invited to consent to the fact that we currently are in relationship with God.
We pray you are blessed by this podcast! Jesus loves you!
Links/References
- Explore your relationship with God through spiritual direction
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks!
- Review the podcast!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources! Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Does real rest feel like an elusive dream? Has your rest been turned into just another productivity hack?
Today’s episode examines the nature of rest and why we all feel exhausted. Join Brandon, Liv, Matt and Peter as they unpack our human desire for rest and the obstacles we face to receiving it. A core insight that the group focuses on is that rest is really a trust issue. We can’t receive rest so long as we don’t trust God to give it to us. The group also challenges the assumption that we rest in order to work, citing the creation account for viewing rest as the culmination of work. The group closes out the conversation with some practical advice about how they’ve experienced rest in their own lives.
Thanks for joining us today! Jesus loves you. Rest in his love.
Links/References
- Get the Ebook: How to Actually Rest in Christ
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks!
- Review the podcast!
- His Heart Beats, (song) by Andrew Peterson
- We’re here to help you rest. Talk with us!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Does the Christian faith provide real hope for our day-to-day life? Or are we simply suffering here until we die?
In today’s episode, the group tackles the issue of whether or not faith in Jesus provides any real hope for our earthly life. Sure, we understand that one day we’ll be resurrected and live eternally, but what about dealing with all the sin and suffering we face right now? The conversation focuses on our expectations for the Christian life and our sense that we are doing something wrong if we are suffering. The group talks about how it can be freeing to simply accept the difficulty of life and lay aside attempts to deny or distract us from this reality. The episode reaches its conclusion as the hosts expound on hope as the expanding of our vision to include more than our sufferings and sin.
Thanks for joining the discussion! Leave us a review and let us know what you think
Links/References
- Get email summaries for the show on PodSnacks!
- Liv’s “How to Host an Easter Feast” ebook
- Ebook: How to Actually Rest in Christ
- Want to talk with us?
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Is faith in Jesus more than intellectual assent? What if God meant for food and drink to invite us into the richness of embodied experiences of his love and goodness?
In this episode, Brandon interviews Gisela Kreglinger, co-author of “Wine in the Word,” a Bible study about wine and its place in Christian feasting and fellowship. A through-line in the conversation is the idea that modern Christianity emphasizes intellectual knowledge about God, but glosses over the idea of experiencing God with our bodies and our emotions. Gisela unpacks how wine in particular, rich in symbolism as well as flavor, is an invitation to enjoy God and his good gifts.
Thanks for joining the discussion! Let us know what you think
Links/References
- “Wine in the Word” by Gisela H. Kreglinger and Randy Frazee
- “Cup Overflowing” by Gisela H. Kreglinger
- How to Actually Rest in Christ (ebook)
- Sign up for our weekly email of grace-filled goodness
- Schedule a call with us!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
How are we supposed to survive this crazy world while we wait for God to redeem us and bring us home?
In today’s conversation, the gang wrestles through the question of how to endure life in the meantime between the cross and our eventual resurrection. They sit with Psalm 13 and reflect on the relatability in the psalmist’s words, “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?” This passage launches the group off, talking about how difficult (and dangerous) it is to give an answer for the suffering we experience in life. The conversation finds its focal point in Jesus’ passion and how he endured suffering alone so that we wouldn’t have to.
Jesus suffered through hell for you and he promises to be with you through all of your own suffering.
Links/References
- Liv’s articles for Lutheran Witness
- How to Actually Rest in Christ.
- “I’m with you”, by Israel Houghton
- Schedule a call with us!
- Exodus 90
- Review the podcast!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What is taking a spiritual retreat all about?
In today’s episode, Brandon interviews Niecy LoCricchio on her book Space to Breathe, which is aimed at helping you plan a meaningful retreat for yourself or your group. Together, Brandon and Niecy unpack the fears we often experience as we enter times of silence and intimacy with God. Throughout the conversation, Niecy gives practical advice and teaches us about the purpose of a retreat. You won’t want to miss Niecy’s unique perspective on planning for “reentry” after your retreat!
Friend, God loves you. May you experience his goodness and find a space to simply be with him.
Links/References
- Space to Breathe, by Niecy LoCricchio
- Niecy’s website - The Soul Care Place
- How to Actually Rest in Christ
- Virtual Event: Explore the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises
- Signpost Inn Retreat: a grace-filled weekend of rest in Jesus
- Review the podcast!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What if spiritual discipline is not about achieving, but about receiving?
In today’s episode, Brandon, Liv, Matt, and Peter explore the role of spiritual disciplines in the Christian life. Although easily twisted into a legalistic means of achieving moral improvement, the spiritual disciplines are actually the practices which help us receive God’s love. They are indeed disciplines, because it takes effort to train our hearts to let go of our own agenda and simply receive from God. They are paradoxically very hard and very easy all at once! But when we are freed from connecting spiritual discipline with our acceptance and self-worth, we can begin to engage with them in a receptive, curious manner.
We pray that you hear the gracious invitation of Jesus to receive regular reminders of his love as you practice spiritual discipline!
Links/References
- How to Actually Rest in Christ
- Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted by Gretchen Ronnevik
- Signpost Inn Retreat: a grace-filled weekend of rest in Jesus
- Review the podcast!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What if spiritual disciplines were intended as rest for the bedraggled believer, not routines for self-driven sanctification?
Join us today for a conversation with author Gretchen Ronnevik about realistic, grace-filled spiritual disciplines. Learn from Gretchen’s experience with spiritual disciplines in the exhausting vocation of full time motherhood. Brandon and Gretchen explore questions like, “What is the goal of spiritual disciplines?” “What part do my efforts play?” and “Will grace make me lazy?” With analogies and stories throughout, this conversation will change the way you understand spiritual practice and discipline!
We pray that the momentous grace of God would overwhelm you with joy and peace as you know that Jesus enjoys being with you!
Links/References
- Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted by Gretchen Ronnevik
- Gretchen’s website
- Signpost Inn Retreat: a grace-filled weekend of rest in Jesus
- Domestic Monastery by Fr. Ronald Rolheiser
- Review the podcast!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
At the heart of the gospel is the idea of freedom. So, what does it mean to be truly free?
In this episode, we had the great pleasure of talking with Fr. Jacques Philippe, the author of one of our absolute favorite books, Interior Freedom. Joining us all the way from France, Fr. Philippe unpacks how true freedom, consenting to reality, is quite counterintuitive to our human perception that freedom is the ability to choose whatever we want. Freedom is not the ability to shape reality as we choose, but rather the acceptance that our loving heavenly Father is using all things for our good. The obstacles to consenting to reality are many, because we often find ourselves, others, and the world to be unacceptable and burdensome. We talk with Father Philippe about how God’s “realistic” love helps us to accept ourselves, sinners though we be, and about how this love frees us up to accept others too.
It’s a wonderful conversation and we pray that you are blessed with true interior freedom as you come to know how much Jesus loves you!
Links/References
- Interior Freedom by Jacques Philippe
- Signpost Inn Retreat
- Send us feedback! --> podcast@signpostinn.org
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
How can I learn to be curious instead of closed off? What if I didn’t need to have all the answers?
In today’s Bonus Episode, Brandon is interviewed by Adam Ormord, president and co-founder of LifePoint Resources and host of the Being Formed podcast. Brandon shares his faith journey and his core desire to be curious, explore the questions of life, and yet to remain rooted in what is true. The conversation centers around Brandon’s book, Changing the Conversation and the attitude of listening and curiosity.
We pray this conversation frees you up to be curious. Jesus loves you!
Links/References
- LifePoint Resources
- Changing The Conversation, by Brandon Booth
- Send us feedback! hello@signpostinn.org
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Wait, what?? The reality of our sin nature is good news!?
In today’s episode, Brandon, Liv, and Matt tackle the topic of original sin and how the Bible paints an accurate (and freeing) picture of our slavery to sin. Pulling from chapter 2 of Not Home Yet (Brandon and Liv’s book), the group unpacks the truth that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. Interestingly enough, part of our slavery to sin is our desperate attempts to liberate ourselves. The world constantly sells us various products and systems that promise to help us surpass our limitations and faults. We end up on an endless chase, always trying to find “the thing” that will enable us to break the chains that bind us. The reality of how hopeless our condition is ends up being good news because we can finally give up the chase, acknowledging that there’s no point! Then, and only then, are we able to hear God when he offers us a different way forward.
We pray this conversation blesses you with a freeing picture of reality.
Links/References
-
Not Home Yet, by Brandon and Liv
-
Low Anthropology, by David Zahl
-
The Unexpected Way, by Paul Williams (good luck!)
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What even is spirituality and what is Christian spirituality?
Brandon and Matt sit down to explore the modern emphasis on spirituality as opposed to religion. They connect the question of spirituality to the meaning crisis and how modern spiritualities all claim to have the answer for a holistic, fulfilling life. Is this analysis true of Christian spirituality as well? How does Jesus answer the questions of meaning and meet our desire for more? Tune in for the answers to those questions, and more!
Jesus, the god-man, really likes you (and we do too)! May this episode remind you that you are not alone in your desire for more.
Links/References
- “Not Home Yet” by Brandon and Liv Booth
- “In the Meantime” - Signpost Inn’s weekly email
- “Spirituality” by Philip Sheldrake
- “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor Frankl
- "Theology the Lutheran Way" by Oswald Bayer
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What is scripture’s primary purpose?
On today’s show, Brandon, Matt and Peter further the conversation from last episode about obstacles to reading scripture. We take a deep dive into how we each come to scripture with expectations that impact how we receive its message. The guys discuss how the main objective of God’s self-revelation in the Bible is to show us his character, who he really is. Brandon walks us through several scripture passages that show us the compassion of Jesus and unpacks how we can hear all of scripture through Jesus’ loving voice.
Friend, today may you know the heart of Jesus who loves you enough to die for you!
Links/References
- Passages of scripture
- Matthew 5 (The Sermon on the Mount)
- Mark 1:4-0-42 (The man with leprosy)
- Luke 7:11-17 (The widow of Nain)
- Exodus 34:5-8 (God reveals himself to Moses)
- Deuteronomy 10:12-15 (Fear the Lord, keep his commandments)
- Send us feedback! hello@signpostinn.org
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Is God truly present in his word?
Today’s conversation is centered around our shared desire to read more scripture and some of the common obstacles that get in our way. Brandon, Matt, and Peter tackle questions like, “How do we experience God’s presence through the Bible?” and “Is academic study the best way to encounter God in the Bible? We wrap up with thoughts about what it means to “stand under scripture” and let its story shape us.
May this podcast be enjoyable and equip you to dive into God’s Word!
Links
- Matt’s sermon
- Sign up for In The Meantime, our weekly email :)
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Why is the present moment so important?
Inspired by a chapter from C.S. Lewis’s, The Screwtape Letters, Brandon, Matt and Peter discuss the importance of the present. Satan wants nothing more than to distract us with anxious thoughts about the future or trap us in unhealthy rumination upon past events. But God only ever invites us into the present, where we can encounter his presence and grace. The guys shift gears a bit and explore how our perception of who God is directly impacts our willingness to receive his invitation in the present moment.
We pray you enjoy the conversation and that it benefits you! Thanks for listening!
Links
- The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What does it mean to practice gratitude?
In today’s episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter explore the topic of gratitude and how we become grateful people. The conversation centers around the idea that “you see more of what you attend to.” With some wisdom from Kurt Thompson to further guide the discussion, the gang then wraps up with how to practice gratitude and teach it too!
Thanks for listening! Jesus likes you :)
Links
- Kurt Thompson “Giving Thanks, Part 1”
- Kurt Thompson “Giving Thanks, Part 2”
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What is the way of Jesus and how can we practice it?
In today’s episode, Brandon and Rachel sit down to talk about John Mark Comer’s book, Practicing the Way. The conversation is guided by the book’s subtitle, Be with Jesus, Become like him, Do as he did. After sharing some of the helpful insights from the book, Brandon and Rachel note a few key distinctions that need to be unpacked. What makes one a saint? What is the gospel message? What did Jesus do in the first place? Come join the conversation and learn more about the way of Jesus!
Thanks for listening! May you experience the presence of Jesus with you today :)
Links
- Signpost Inn’s Vision for 2025 and Beyond!
- Practicing the Way podcast
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Is there any hope for connection in this isolated world? Today Brandon sits down to chat with his long time friend, Luke Wall, Executive Direction of Only7Seconds, a non-profit addressing the loneliness epidemic. Together they discuss the status of our collective social health in this modern era and why we feel so lonely. A central truth soon emerges: no one person, or organization can fix the loneliness epidemic...but, no one needs to!
The fruitful path forward is to dream small and keep it simple. Take the 7 seconds to send a text. Ask someone to lunch. Tell your family you love them. Like building a set of legos, we can build towards relational health one small step at a time. Even this is hard! We first need to receive the love and attention of Jesus so that we can move past our obstacles of fear and insecurity. Enjoy the show! Jesus cares about YOU! Check out Only7Seconds and the work Luke and his team are doing!
Read Abandonment to Divine Providence, by Jean Pierre de Caussade.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What can we learn about Christian discipleship from The Chronicles of Narnia?
In today’s episode, Brandon and Matt interview Joe Rigney, author of the book, Live Like a Narnian: Christian Discipleship in Lewis’s Chronicles. Joe shares his perspective on Christian discipleship as whole person formation and how he believes C.S. Lewis’s books directly further this formation. The conversation then turns towards specific characters and scenes from the books and how they shape our thinking and desire to align with the true, good, and beautiful. Stick around to hear about how books are like friends and why contrasting the books against the movies can be helpful!
Thanks for tuning in! May this show awaken you to the reality of beauty in our world! Jesus loves you.
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Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
How do we fix our attention? What’s wrong with it anyway?
Today Brandon and Peter talk about the human faculty of attention, how and why it’s often hijacked, and what needs fixing. At the core of the problem with our attention is our human need for security and significance. The world is like a chaotic carnival that distracts and overwhelms us with many loud voices all trying to bend our attention to their own interests. We’re not safe and we have no idea where to turn for trusted direction and guidance. The good news is that we have a powerful ally working on our behalf. Jesus, the lord, is near. We are not alone to be harassed and manipulated, God himself is for us with the entirety of his being! Secure in his loving presence, we can finally attend to something else beyond the chaos of the world: Jesus. “Fixing” our gaze of Jesus is paradoxically what fixes our attention.
May you find this episode valuable and encouraging! Jesus love you.
The book Brandon referenced
- Good Judgment by Richard Davis
Brandon and Liv’s new book is now available! Check out the Signpost Inn Store to grab a copy!
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Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
What does forgiveness feel like?
It’s Christianity 101: Jesus died on the cross to forgive you all your sin. But how often do we brush past this foundational truth in our daily walk with Jesus? What would it look like to sit with the truth that “I am forgiven”?
Join us on the back porch today as the guys do their best to sit with the truth of forgiveness in Christ. Psalm 103 guides us through the conversation, defining forgiveness and helping us unpack some of the resistance we have towards accepting God’s forgiveness. It gets personal and a little emotional as we do our best to actually sit with this simple truth on today’s show. Thanks for joining us :)
Brandon and Liv’s new book is now available! Check out the Signpost Inn Store to grab a copy!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
How do we change?
In today's episode Brandon and Peter discuss a theory for change and how skillful listening is a major factor. We all need change, a change in how we experience and view God. We need to deconstruct our bad/wrong images of God and rebuild a true picture of who Jesus is. The question is, "How?" We often get caught in the weeds of trying to change through behavior modification or amassing more knowledge about God, but these do not work. We change as we encounter the goodness and love of God, and listening helps us to experience God as loving and good.
Brandon and Liv’s new book is now available! Check out the Signpost Inn Store to grab a copy!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
In this exciting episode Matt sits down with Brandon and Liv Booth to discuss their new book, Not Home Yet: How to be human in an inhuman world. Brandon and Liv unpack the central image of being a weary traveler who is not at home in this world. They also chat about how Brandon is a hawk and Liv is a frog and how that influenced the book. The conversation turns to Jesus, the God-man, who shows us what it is to be human and what God is truly like.
And don’t forget to check out the Signpost Inn Store to grab a copy of Brandon and Liv’s new book when it’s ready!
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Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
In this episode Matt and Brandon discuss a short but powerful article by Henri Nouwen. They define spiritual disciplines, talk about why it’s so hard to take time to be with God alone, discuss the struggles of Christian community and how we can engage it better, and also how the call to ministry is not what we often think. Along the way they dive deep into topics like forgiveness, faith, and prayer.
You can read the article for yourself here.
And don’t forget to check out the Signpost Inn Store to grab a copy of Brandon and Liv’s new book when it’s ready!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
A deep dive into cults and church abuse
In this episode we interview our very own Matt Boland about his deep dive and presentation on cults, how they operate, and how our churches can sometimes use similar bad practices. Along the way we discuss how unconditional love always beats conditional love and how we can learn to be leaders like Jesus.
If you are fascinated by cults, and how church leadership can go wrong (and do better) this is the one for you!
Books we reference on the show:
Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Beliefs by Steven Hassan
When Prophecy Fails by Leon Festinger, Henry Riecken, and Stanley Schachter
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
In this episode, Brandon sits down with Adam Ormord, the executive director of Lifepoint Resources to discuss an article Adam wrote about attending to God—and the important insight that we see more of what we attend to. In other words, attention matters! Join Adam and Brandon for a wide ranging and fascinating discussion about how, why, and what goes wrong in our attempt to pay more attention to Jesus than to ourselves.
Adam is a spiritual director, pastor, and the executive director and co-founder of Lifepoint Resources. Lifepoint Resources envisions a highly relational community of transforming people whose souls are set on being with Jesus and becoming people of love. So they have made it their mission to provide Christ-centered soul care to everyone in need so that each and every person can enjoy the fullness of life with God in the Kingdom now and forever.
Adam is also the host of the Being Formed Podcast and recently hosted Brandon over on his show to discuss spiritual direction and Brandon’s book Changing the Conversation: How to dance instead of fight in everyday conversation.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Brandon and Matt sit down with special guest, Michaela Neff to discuss attachment theory and our relationship with Jesus. Michaela, a licensed professional counselor, provides insights into how attachment styles developed in childhood affect our perception and connection with God. We also share some personal stories about our own experiences with God and ask Michaela to give us practical steps on how to change our unhealthy attachment styles and improve our attachment to God.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Links from the show:
Watch Brandon’s Lecture on Attachment Theory and Liturgy on YouTube
Check out our new Liturgical and Sacramental Spiritual Direction Newsletter
Listen to the Meier Clinics podcast
Check out Meier Clinics in Richardson Texas and connect with Michaela
Taking a look in the mirror…
Hey listeners! Brandon, Matt, and Peter are on the back porch today for a conversation about looking in the mirror and embracing reality. The central idea behind today’s conversation is that God reveals the truth to us for our own good. Though sometimes the truth is convicting and uncomfortable, it shows us the way forward. On the flip side, truth can also be very comforting as it cuts through the lies and false narratives that harm us. Join us for advice on dealing with “the shoulds” as well as thinking of God, the movie director!
May our conversation today point us all to The Way, The Truth, and The Life, Jesus :)
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Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Sign up for Gemini and trade at least $100 to get free crypto. The more you trade, the more you and you and Signpost Inn will earn! https://www.gemini.com/share/vgk4n65s8
Links from the show:
Send us feedback! podcast@signpostinn.org
Our weekly newsletter: Grace-filled encouragement for your journey
How can we differentiate God’s voice from spam and scams?
Brandon and Peter here on the back porch today to chat about our image of who God is and what his voice sounds like. Peter shares his experience of receiving spam messages from trinity@tryharder.net and his pursuit of sorting through the junk to better hear the voice of God. A central tension that we discuss is the desire to delete spam, but the fear that we’ll inadvertently ignore God’s real messages at the same time! Brandon and Peter discuss some “spam filters” that help us discern God’s voice and have a clearer image of God.
May this episode encourage and equip you! Jesus loves you :)
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Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Sign up for Gemini and trade at least $100 to get free crypto. The more you trade, the more you and you and Signpost Inn will earn! https://www.gemini.com/share/vgk4n65s8
Links from the show:
Peter article, “Getting Spam from God”
Our weekly newsletter: Grace-filled encouragement for your journey
How can we develop emotional resilience when the news reminds us that the world is on fire?
In today’s episode, Peter and Brandon sit down on the back porch to chat about some suggestions for navigating the morning news without panicking. We begin with a compassionate diagnosis for why we find ourselves pulled into the chaotic current of news and media. Our introduction centers on the concept of our attention and why it's so valuable. We then walk through 3 steps of developing resilience: Acceptance, Perspective, and Connection.
We pray this episode graciously points you to Jesus! You matter to him :)
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Sign up for Gemini and trade at least $100 to get free crypto. The more you trade, the more you and you and Signpost Inn will earn! https://www.gemini.com/share/vgk4n65s8
Links from the show:
Brandon’s article, “Faith for Fiery Days”
Our weekly newsletter: Grace-filled encouragement for your journey
Life is crazy! How do I attend to the reality of Christ’s presence and love?
Today is a follow up episode to our podcast on “Is God Asleep in the Boat?” Brandon and Peter shift the conversation to examine 3 prayer practices that have helped them notice God’s presence and love in the midst of chaotic seasons. Each suggestion flows from the foundational truth that prayer is a response to God, not a work we need to get better at. We touch on the illusion of perfect peace and also how perfect prayer is possible (hint: Jesus does it for us).
Thanks as always for tuning in! We pray that this podcast gives you practical ways to attend to Jesus’ love. Jesus is for you, friend!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Sign up for Gemini and trade at least $100 to get free crypto. The more you trade, the more you and you and Signpost Inn will earn!
Links from the show:
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Article, “Prayer - A Personal Response to God’s Presence”
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Ebook, 5 simple prayers that can obliterate anxiety
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The Serenity Prayer
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The Prayer of Abandonment
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Our weekly newsletter: Grace-filled encouragement for your journey
Does Jesus care about us and the storms we are facing?
Living in our chaotic world makes us exhausted and angry. We often find ourselves repeating the disciples’ frantic question in the middle of the storm, “[Jesus] Don’t you care that we are going to perish?” In today’s episode, Brandon and Peter unpack this story from scripture with an eye for how it illuminates our image of God. Is Jesus the type of person who gets angry with us for our doubts? What if Jesus’ nap is actually meant to give us comfort and confidence? Join us as Jesus builds our faith and shows us that he is never inactive.
Thanks for listening to today’s conversation! We pray that it encourages you and points you to your capable savior!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Sign up for Gemini and trade at least $100 to get free crypto. The more you trade, the more you and you and Signpost Inn will earn! https://www.gemini.com/share/vgk4n65s8
Links from the show:
Rembrandt’s Painting: https://picryl.com/media/rembrandt-christ-in-the-storm-on-the-sea-of-galilee-b39d6b
Martin Luther’s book, The Freedom of the Christian: https://amzn.to/3U45s5S
Our weekly newsletter: Grace-filled encouragement for your journey
The Psalms shape us by the feelings they evoke.
In today’s episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter sit down on the back porch to explore a few psalms together. We work through a few common presumptions we have about the Psalms and Brandon gives us his simple guide to reading poetry. We spend some time actually doing the process with Psalm 121 and Psalm 16 to close out the conversation.
We pray this evocative exploration of the Psalms helps you engage more deeply with God’s Word! Thanks for joining us on the back porch!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Sign up for Gemini and trade at least $100 to get free crypto. The more you trade, the more you and you and Signpost Inn will earn! https://www.gemini.com/share/vgk4n65s8
Links from the show:
The Bible Project’s Video on the Psalms
Signpost Inn Spring Retreat: Register today!
Our weekly newsletter: Grace-filled encouragement for your journey
Updates from the back porch
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Disciple
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Bitcoin
Can anyone say the word “chastity” without cringing?
In this episode, Brandon interviews Father Ronald Rolheiser about his brand new book, Chastity and the Soul: You Are Holy Ground. Father Rolheiser explores chastity as, “proper respect, reverence and patience,” and unpacks it in the context of sexuality and beyond. Our conversation takes us back to the Garden of Eden where we discuss a lack of chastity as the original sin. Throughout the episode, Father Rolheiser shares immersive stories that help us deepen our understanding of this important topic. Join us as we learn the fruitful path of “carrying the tension” and letting God give us gifts.
Links from the show:
Chastity and the Soul: You Are Holy Ground by Father Rolheiser
Signpost Inn Spring Retreat: Register today!
Our weekly newsletter: Grace-filled encouragement for your journey
Updates from the back porch
-God or Nothing by Cardinal Robert Sarah
- Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Thanks to Rex Daugherty for creating the original theme music for this podcast. He's an award-winning artist and you can check out more of his work at rex-daugherty.com
Sign up for Gemini and trade at least $100 to get free crypto. The more you trade, the more you and you and Signpost Inn will earn!
Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast! We're glad you're here for today's conversation with David Zahl about the book he co-authored, Law and Gospel: A Theology for Sinners (and Saints). We start with the question, "what does this phrase, 'law and gospel' mean? David then explains why this tool was so energizing for him and his team at Mockingbird. We find that the law and gospel filter clarifies our experience of this broken world and shapes our expectations for how God interacts with us. So grab a drink and a seat and learn with us how God uses both the law and the gospel for our good!
Links:
David Zahl's website: Mockingbird
The book: Law and Gospel: A Theology for Sinners (and Saints)
Signpost Inn Spring Retreat: Register today!
Our weekly newsletter: Grace-filled encouragement for your journey
Updates from the back porch
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Zotero (file storage)
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Shogun (TV series)
Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast! In today's episode, Brandon interviews Heidi Goehmann on her newest book, Emotions and the Gospel. Throughout the conversation, Heidi unpacks the good news regarding our complex emotions. We talk about what it means to process our emotions and how life wouldn't be better without emotions. Join us and explore how our emotions help us connect with God in different and deeper ways.
Thanks for listening! We pray this episode delights and encourages you!
Links from the show:
Heidi's Book, Emotions and the Gospel
Heidi's Podcast, Life in Relationship
Heidi's Website
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Welcome to another back porch conversation with Brandon, Matt, and Peter. We’re glad you’re here! Today’s episode is an attempt to unpack the idea of the "gospel" of sin management. After a bit of a rough start, jumping straight into some criticisms, we refocus and find our way to the central issue of our desire for security. Even though we know we are saved by grace alone, it FEELS like we must be continuously growing, managing our sin in order to be secure in Christ's love. We ask ourselves what "abundant life" as a Christian really means and explore how abiding in Christ, not managing our sin is the way forward. Join us for the journey! May this conversation bless and encourage you :)
Links from show:
Peter’s camera
Dopeamine Nation
Infinite whiteboard
Conversation about true life with Peter Malysz
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Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast!
👀 Join us for an incredible retreat!
This is our final episode on The Lord's Prayer. Together, Brandon, Matt and Peter cover the second half of The Lord's Prayer and examine the "our petitions." Join us as we navigate the rich meaning of these petitions as well as the apparent problems which each of them presents. We tackle questions like, "What is the daily bread I am praying for?" "Is God's forgiveness contingent upon my own willingness to forgive?" and, "What if God doesn't give me my daily bread or deliver me from temptation?"
God loves you and we're grateful you're here :) We pray this episode encourages and comforts you.
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Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast!
🔔 Join us for an incredible retreat! 🔔
This is our second of three episodes on The Lord's Prayer. Join Brandon, Matt and Peter as they look at the first half of The Lord's Prayer and unpack the "thy petitions." With each petition, we ponder both the wonderful truths we are invited to receive as well as the requests we are making of God. We focus on meaningful insights that help us to pause and contemplate the words of The Lord's Prayer.
May this episode open your eyes to the depth and beauty of The Lord's Prayer! God loves you and we're glad you're here :)
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Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast!
🔔 Join us for an incredible retreat! 🔔
Today we begin a series of episodes on The Lord's Prayer. As a ministry desiring to help you connect with God in prayer, we think it's crucial to look at how Jesus taught us to pray! In this introduction we cover the context of the Lord's Prayer where it appears in Matthew and Luke. We explore why Jesus taught this prayer and how it differs from how we normally think of prayer. We wrap up with the basic structure of the prayer and our first impressions of the Lord's Prayer.
May this episode bless and encourage you! God loves you and we're glad you're here :)
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Welcome to another episode of the Signpost Inn Podcast! Our guest today is Dr. Piotr Malysz a professor of History and Doctrine and Samford's Beeson Divinity School and a personal friend of Brandon's. Growing up in a region of southern Poland that was deeply influenced by the Lutheran reformation, Piotr holds a deep love for the intersection of history and theology.
Today's conversation focuses on Dr. Malysz's article "On Death, Dying, and Dying Well." Piotr shares his perspective on death as a dehumanizing condition that leads us to live for "bare survival." Brandon and Piotr unpack some of our attempts to get out from under death's influence. But ultimately, the gospel phenomena of true life that God offers us in Christ proves to be the only way to thwart death. Piotr beautifully portrays the way in which "God for me" changes everything and allows us to live life freely.
Check out Dr. Malysz's bio for links to several articles. Or click here to go directly to his article on Death, Dying, and Dying Well.
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We have a end of year matching fund drive! Your generous gifts will be doubled, now through Dec 27! https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
Please check out Restoring the Soul: https://restoringthesoul.com/
Join us this episode for an interview with Julianne Cusick about forgiveness and trauma. Julianne shares her own story of betrayal trauma and forgiveness and how God led her to minister as a betrayal trauma specialist. We talk about how to forgive, why forgiveness is so hard, and whether or not we really should forgive and forget.
We pray this episode blesses you! Thanks for joining us!
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Matching fund drive! -- donate and DOUBLE your gift today -- from now until December 27, 2023. CLICK HERE --> https://www.signpostinn.org/donate
When you’re on a long hike, carrying unnecessary weight will slow you down. The same is true on our spiritual journeys. We all lug shame and guilt, unrealistic expectations, false identities, and distorted views of God that distract and exhaust us.
In this episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter are discussing how spiritual direction can help identify unnecessary burdens you may be carrying and encourage you to lay them in God’s loving hands. It’s not always easy, but it’s definitely possible!
Here's the links we referenced!
Broken Cisterns episode
Tim Keller Sermons Podcast - “Shameless Prayer”
ESDA - Find a spiritual director
Anam Cara - Connect with a spiritual director
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The journey of life can be exhausting, it’s easy to focus on the difficulties and forget the beauty all around us. Sometimes we need to stop at a scenic overlook.
Today we’re taking a look at the ways a spiritual director can help you pause, notice, and savor the sacred moments in your life. Those times where God has made his presence known.
At these times a spiritual director can be like a tour guide, someone who is specially trained to help you notice the beauty and appreciate the details of God’s presence.
As a trained spiritual director I listen carefully to help people identify moments of wonder, breakthrough, intimacy and grace. I ask discerning questions to help you cherish these spiritual vistas. I help you pause and savor the presence of God.
Thanks for joining us for this multi part series on spiritual direction, we know you'll enjoy today’s discussion!
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Is God calling you to step off the beaten path of faith? Are you feeling the itch to explore other churches, denominations, or maybe even other religions? Do you feel disillusioned with the faith of your upbringing? Then you need a friend, and this episode is for you.
In this episode we are discussing how a spiritual director can accompany you when God leads you off the beaten path of faith.
There's certainly comfort in sticking to the well-worn path, but sometimes God invites us to follow him into the wilderness. Some people call it deconstruction or disentangling or disillusionment, others experience it positively as exploration and expansion, but whatever you call it, or however you experience it, these are the times you need a skillful and compassionate guide - someone who can help you discern your own motivations as well as God's invitations.
So join us for today's conversation as we discuss how spiritual direction provides safety and discernment when it feels like God is leading down unfamiliar roads. Let's learn to embrace uncertainty and walk in faith, not fear.
Check out "Meister Eckhart's Book of Darkenss & Light"
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Want to try spiritual direction? https://www.signpostinn.org/sd/brandon-booth
When you're on a long faith journey, it helps to have a trusted travel buddy by your side - someone who's been down similar paths before. But not all companions are the same.
Today we are continuing our series on Spiritual direction. What is it? And why should you have a spiritual director? In this episode, we'll distinguish spiritual direction from other relationships and explain why it’s great to have a spiritual director as one of your traveling buddies. A spiritual director is specially trained to walk alongside you with understanding, discernment and care. They won't try to push you in a specific direction or solve all your problems. Instead, they'll thoughtfully listen and then ask the kinds of questions that spark self-awareness and invite you to talk to God directly.
Together, you'll tend the campfire when you're feeling stuck, celebrate arrivals as they happen, and find rest in God's grace. Spiritual direction provides the rare gift of being heard and known, so you can hear and know God more intimately.
Do you long for a travel buddy who won't judge the twists and turns in your spiritual journey, someone who can help you feel less disconnected from God? Then walk for a bit with us today as we unpack the unique value of spiritual direction.
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Life is full of twists, turns, and unexpected detours that can leave us feeling a little lost and disconnected. We all need patient traveling companions to walk alongside us and provide care, perspective, and hope.
In today's episode, we'll explore how a spiritual director listens with compassion and provides perspective and encouragement when we hit roadblocks on our spiritual journeys.
Join us as we unpack how spiritual direction provides sustenance for your soul when you feel stuck or abandoned, and how it helps you find new paths to walk in hope, and new ways to reorient your soul to Jesus’ love.
Are you ready to get un-lost, reconnect with God, and get “back on the road” with renewed passion? Great! Let's get started!
Do you want a companion on your journey with God? Sign up for spiritual direction
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Does the world feel like a scary place? Do you wonder what to do with your feeling that everybody's out to get you? Well, then this episode is for you!
In this episode, Brandon and Peter tackle a single word listener question, "cynicism?" We begin our conversation with a reading from Brandon's book, Changing the Conversation: How to dance instead of fight in everyday conversation. We then explore how finding our security in Jesus allows us to embrace curiosity instead of cynicism. Thanks for joining us for this back porch conversation :)
Get Changing the Conversation!
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Relationships are complicated and messy. How do we grown in self-understanding that breeds compassion for ourselves and others? Can God really redeem my broken history of relationships?
Today's episode is a conversation with our friend Shell Odum, founder of the ministry A Radical Relationship. A Radical Relationship provides community centered life coaching and groups for you to participate in! Shell speaks from her personal experience about divorce and how her relationship with God flourished in the midst of brokenness.
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How am I, with all my duties and responsibilities, supposed to live a life of prayer and devotion to God? Can my family, my work, and my duties be a spiritual journey with God? In his book, Domestic Monastery, Father Ronald Rolheiser retrieves deep wisdom from the ancient monastics, making it easy to understand and very applicable to those of us who live “normal” lives.
Join us for a delightful conversation about family life, commitment, fidelity, and how God is very much in our daily lives.
Father Rolheiser is a Catholic priest in the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, former president of the Oblate School School of Theology in San Antonio, Texas, and specialist in the fields of spirituality and systematic theology. He has a regular column in the Catholic Herald which is featured in approximately 90 newspapers in five countries.
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Links to resources mentioned in the show:
Domestic Monastery by Ronald Rolheiser
The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis
Abandonment to Divine Providence by Jean-Pierre de Caussade
What is we humans capable of? What is a realistic view of what we can accomplish?
Join us for today's delightful conversation with David Zahl about his newest book, Low Anthropology. You'll breath a sigh of relief as you listen to David share about low anthropology and it's refreshing perspective on life. The team here at Signpost Inn absolutely loved reading this book and talking with David! So much of the vision and mission at Signpost Inn is expressed beautifully by David and his team at Mocking Bird Ministries. Be sure to check them out after listening to the episode!
Why are we so afraid of acknowledging our limitations? What does needing help say about us?
In this episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter talk about needing help, recognizing our limitations, and why the doctrine of sin is so good. That's right, understanding Sin is wildly helpful to experiencing the freedom to ask for help. God knows your limitations! The pressure is off! Take a deep breath and enjoy today's show :)
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Can an experience of God change us? What if it doesn't?
With these questions and many others, Brandon interviews Professor Simeon Zahl about his book, The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience. In this week's conversation, Professor Zahl breaks down the false dichotomy between trusting the Bible and having a personal experience of God. The Bible clearly uses experiential language to describe relationship with God, yet how to we navigate subjective experiences in a world where we acknowledge the realities of sin and self-deception? The conversation touches on many more areas of insight, including our experience of God (or lack thereof) in the process of sanctification. Join us for this delightful conversation! And as always, send feedback or questions to podcast@signpostinn.org
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Do you struggle with indecisiveness?
In this week's podcast Brandon and Rachel sit down with Emily P. Freeman, author of The Next Right Thing, a New York Times best seller! Emily shares from her book about how indecision is an opportunity for spiritual formation. Whenever we find ourselves at a crossroads, it is an invitation to trust God and practice discernment. The conversation finds its way to the topic of agency vs. control and how those are important to understand regarding our decisions. Emily also shares some soulful practices for creating safe spaces for our souls. You're going to enjoy this one! Thanks for listening!
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Do you struggle with indecisiveness?
In this week's podcast Brandon and Rachel sit down with Emily P. Freeman, author of The Next Right Thing, a New York Times best seller! Emily shares from her book about how indecision is an opportunity for spiritual formation. Whenever we find ourselves at a crossroads, it is an invitation to trust God and practice discernment. The conversation finds its way to the topic of agency vs. control and how those are important to understand regarding our decisions. Emily also shares some soulful practices for creating safe spaces for our souls. You're going to enjoy this one! Thanks for listening!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Feeling disconnected? Confused? Distant from God?
This week's conversation is centered around spiritual dryness. What is it? Why does it happen? And what can we do about it? Brandon and Peter explore the topic with compassion and curiosity. One of the main themes that emerges is that we humans are not projects to be fixed or problems to be solved. However we are experiencing seasons of spiritual dryness, we know that God approaches us with understanding and compassion, not condemnation. May this conversation refresh and encourage you.
Signpost Inn Ministries exists to walk with you through times of spiritual dryness. Consider trying spiritual direction with Brandon to explore your own feelings of spiritual dryness.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
We need a space where our souls can be listened into the light of God's love.
In this episode Brandon talks with Adam Ormord, Executive Director of Grafted Life Ministries, about what it means that we have shy souls. They talk about how our souls need a space with no agenda, a space where we can simply be. They talk about some of the common challenges with soul care like trying to measure our growth and progress. Adam and Brandon ask, "what does it mean to go at God's speed?"
The themes that come up in this episode are so on point with what Signpost Inn Ministries is all about! You're going to enjoy this one!
Be sure to check out Grafted Life Ministries: https://www.graftedlife.org/about/our-staff
By the way, follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Make sure to check out our website for more resources!
What is the purpose of our Christian life?
Join Brandon and Peter for this week's conversation on the back porch. They explore the big question, "what is the purpose of the Christian life?" Using the analogy of the solar system, Brandon and Peter spitball about what various theological perspectives put at the center of their solar system. What is the most important thing around which everything else revolves? Acknowledging the grand scope of the question and their inability to provide an authoritative answer, Brandon and Peter humbly explore their own thoughts and feelings on the issue. Join them on the back porch for this down to earth conversation.
Become a new monthly supporter of Signpost Inn Ministries and we'll give you the perks of being a paid subscriber to Brandon and Liv's new book project!
By the way, follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Make sure to check out our website for more resources!
How does liturgy shape one's spirituality?
In this episode, Brandon talks with Rob Goodman, an Anglican priest serving Holy Trinity Anglican Church in San Antonio, Texas. Together they nerd out about liturgical spirituality and sacramental theology. They explore what liturgy is and how everyone has a liturgy. They examine how good liturgy tells the gospel story and points us to Jesus. Brandon and Rob also talk about the topic of the sacraments and how they fit into the story that the liturgy is telling us about God. Join the conversation!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Check out our website for more resources!
Join Brandon and Liv Booth for a special Good Friday episode where we meditate with you on the compassion that moved Jesus to suffer and die for you.
We begin by reading the Good Friday Litany from the ancient Mozarabic Breviary. And then contemplate the seven last words of Christ from the Cross and the prayers of Joachim Mynsinger of Frundeck (1514-1588).
We know you'll find this both moving and uplifting--a fantastic way to deepen your own prayers this Good Friday.
The music used in this episode is: “Fall Asleep” by Alexander Nakarada (www.serpentsoundstudios.com) Licensed under Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 License
Hospitality is life itself. Humans need to be accepted by other humans. They need to know their life has a place and a purpose.
This episode is a little different. Rather than a conversation or interview, Liv Booth reads a piece she wrote about the beauty of hospitality. Part memoir, part reflection, Liv shares several formative experiences of hospitality and how they have shaped her and taught her honesty, vulnerability and trust. Hospitality is life and it comes in many forms. Join us to hear Liv share about grand expressions of hospitality like Easter Feast as well as simple, two-chair hospitality in small apartments. Sit back and allow this vision of hospitality to bless and inspire you.
Transcript: https://www.signpostinn.org/blog/hospitality-is-life
Send us questions or feedback! podcast@signpostinn.org
The three hardest things to say in the English language are, "I'm sorry, I need help, and Worcestershire sauce."
Join the conversation as we explore how challenging it is to truly admit our faults and ask for help. We discover that the ability to say I'm sorry and admit our limitations does not come from within us. We are enabled when God shows himself to us as a compassionate, forgiving God who won't damn us when we admit our faults to him.
We love hearing from our listeners! Send us your feedback along with any questions you would want us to address! Email us at podcast@signpostinn.org
Liked this episode? Check out, "What do I do with my sin?" https://signpostinn.podbean.com/e/what-do-i-do-with-my-sin-fixed-episode/
as well as "Broken Cisterns." https://signpostinn.podbean.com/e/broken-cisterns-on-sin-and-prayer/
In this episode, Brandon interviews Tara Owens about spiritual direction. They talk about the ancient roots of spiritual direction in the church and how it differs from discipleship and counseling. They emphasize and explore how spiritual direction really does not have an agenda. A fundamental aspect of spiritual direction is trusting that God is present, desiring to be with you and that this is enough of an agenda. Spiritual direction isn’t a replacement for other key aspects of Christian growth such as preaching, teaching, and evangelism. Rather, it is like a table leg that works alongside those things to bring stability and wholeness to our journey with God. Join us for the discussion and explore what Spiritual Direction really is all about.
Check out Anam Cara Ministries!
Here's the poem that inspired Tara's earthworm metaphor! Earthworms by Lynn Unger
In this episode, Brandon interviews Father Gavin on his latest book, “Mysteries of the Lord’s Prayer: Wisdom from the Early Church.” They talk about the rich history that the Lord’s Prayer has in the prayer life of the the church and why it is so important and good to reflect on the Lord’s Prayer. Father Gavin invites us to embrace the strangeness of the Lord’s Prayer because the wonderful truths contained therein are too wonderful to become commonplace. Join them on the back porch for the full conversation about God our heavenly Father and the daily bread he provides for us.
Check out Father Gavin’s book today! https://amzn.to/3XYFjG8
Today's guest, Steve May, is a friend of Brandon's and has been a psycotherapist for over 20 years. Brandon and Steve explore the topic of trauma and how it connects to spirituality. Steve shares some of his experiences with helping others through trauma and sheds light on the feelings of shame that often come with trauma. You won't want to miss this one.
Check out Steve's Facebook profile and visit his website to learn more about his work.
Brandon and Matt interview J.P. Moreland about his book Finding Quiet which was born out of Professor Moreland's own experiences with anxiety and depression. The interview touches on topics like the relationship between body and soul, the nature of anxiety, and some practical habits to develop in order to cope with negative self-talk in a healthy manner.
In this episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter discuss a question that comes in from a listener about fantasy stories. As avid readers themselves, the group talks about why they believe fantasy stories to be wonderful and good. The great authors, Tolkien and Lewis are brought up throughout the conversation and introduce some meaningful points. Ultimately, the group affirms the joy of fantasy stories while at the same time acknowledging that this powerful form of literature can be used in harmful ways.
In this episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter contemplate the significance of Jesus' incarnation. Brandon invites all listeners to consider how the truth of the incarnation impacts their relationship with God. The group discusses how to not simply think nice thoughts about Christmas and the incarnation, but how to practically experience these truths. The episode closes out with a few artful expressions which give us the opportunity to consent to the truth and beauty of Jesus' incarnation.
Brandon, Matt and Peter reflect on the first whole year of the Signpost Inn podcast. They share favorite episodes and talk about what was most fun and impactful for them. In highlighting some of key insights from various episodes, the topic arises of how we make sense of different perspectives on faith and following Jesus. The group talks about how contemplation is an invitation to go beyond intellectual knowledge into experiential knowledge of God. The conversation finds its center around to how to navigate the tension between a personal, living relationship with God and staying in the boundaries of the factual doctrines that guard us from error.
Brandon and Peter are drawn into a conversation about realistic expectations for the Christian life. The questions stem from a passage in, “Interior Freedom” by Jacques Philippe in which Philippe remarks that we waste our time and stunt our spiritual growth if we focus on our sins and limitations. The central issue becomes clear as the conversation progresses: If I have been fully redeemed and freed from sin by Jesus’ death on the cross, why do I not experience this freedom from sin? What do I do with my sin? The beatitudes lead Peter and Brandon to consider grief and acceptance as the proper response to one’s sin. They end with a discussion of the cycle of the Christian life being one of continual repentance.
(Thanks to a listener who alerted us that our previous upload was incorrect! This one should work! Reach out anytime at podcast@signpostinn.org with questions or comments)
What is contemplation and how does it develop our core identity?
In this episode Brandon interviews Dr. Thomas Kimber from Melbourne School of Theology where he is the Dean of Faculty and a lecturer in Missional and Pastoral Theology. Dr. Kimber's unique perspective on contemplation connects liturgical practices--our embodied rituals--to God's shaping of our soul and identity.
This is the final episode in our series of conversations on the topic of contemplation with experts and practitioners from across the Christian and religious spectrum.
What exactly is contemplation and contemplative prayer? Is it new age nonsense or does it lie at the very heart of the Christian life? And if it's the latter, how exactly does the average Joe "do" it?!
In this episode Brandon interviews Dr. Kyle Strobel from Biola's Talbot School of Theology. Dr. Strobel brings an amazing wealth of knowledge about the history of contemplation in the Christian tradition and especially in the protestant tradition.
This is the third of a series of conversations on the topic of contemplation with experts and practitioners from across the Christian and religious spectrum.
Here's a list books that were mentioned on the show.
Dr. Strobel's Books
Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul
Beloved Dust: Drawing Close to God by Discovering the Truth About Yourself
Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards
Embracing Contemplation: Reclaiming a Christian Spiritual Practice
Books by others
Prayer by Hans Urs von Balthasar
What exactly is contemplation and contemplative prayer? Is it new age nonsense or does it lie at the very heart of the Christian life? And if it's the latter, how exactly does the average Joe "do" it?!
In this episode Brandon interviews Father Theodore from the Benedictine monastery of Our Lady and St. Laurence in Cañon City, Colorado. Together he and Brandon take a deep dive into contemplation from the Orthodox perspective.
This is the second of a series of conversations on the topic of contemplation with experts and practitioners from across the Christian and religious spectrum.
Find out more about Father Theodore's monastery and schedule a visit! www.ladyminster.com
What exactly is contemplation and contemplative prayer? Is it new age nonsense or does it lie at the very heart of the Christian life?
And if, as we argue in this episode, it's the latter, how exactly does the average Joe "do" it?!
In this episode Brandon interviews Dr. John Kleinig of the Australian Lutheran Church tackle all these questions and a few more.
Dr. Kleinig holds a Ph.D from Cambridge and is the author of several books on the topic of prayer in the Lutheran tradition. Together he and Brandon take a deep dive into the biblical model of contemplation from the Lutheran perspective.
This is the first of a series of conversations on the topic of contemplation with experts and practitioners from across the Christian and religious spectrum.
You don't want to miss this episode!
A few of Dr. Kleinig's Books referenced in the show:
Grace upon Grace: Spirituality for Today
Wonderfully Made: A Protestant Theology of the Body
Leviticus (Concordia Commentary)
Hebrews (Concordia Commentary)
Prayer: We Speak to God
In this episode Brandon interviews Matthew Lyda and Miles Klickman, co-founders of Recover the Wild, a ministry helping people recovering connections to God self and creation. We talk about the need to betray anything that betrays life and vitality, how Recover the Wild helps men recover from sexual addictions, and Matthew's and Mile's vision for changing communities everywhere.
Link to free Filterless Poetry email course, exclusive to podcast listeners: challenge.matthewlyda.com
Other resources mentioned in the show:
www.recoverthewild.com
Recover the Wild book by Matthew Lyda
Back by popular demand, this is a second interview with Rose Marie Jackson. What starts out as a tame question about her new line of work as an Integration Facilitator quickly becomes deep and personal. Rose Marie and Brandon talk about many things including: Our deep sense that the whole universe has betrayed us, how grief and anger often underly anxiety and depression, our need to grieve and forgive, and then they fall into the deep end of the pool talking about what God’s heart for us truly is and how we can experience God as he really is.
Here's a link to Book Brandon Recommended:
I Believe in Love: A Personal Retreat Based on the Teaching of St. Thérèse of Lisieux
In this episode we go way off script and have an honest to goodness "back porch" conversation between regular hosts, Matt Boland and Brandon Booth, and our newest staff member Peter Gammell.
There's no topic, instead we each take a turn sharing something we've been thinking about or struggling with while the others listen. If you've ever wanted to get to know us a little better, this is the episode for you!
In this episode Matt and Brandon welcome Brandon's son, Torben Booth, into the studio to ask his questions. He asks about getting distracted during prayers, the possibility of God turning us over to Satan, and some tough questions about the book of Job.
Visit https://www.signpostinn.org/donate to give today!
In this episode Brandon interviews Rose Marie Jackson, a recently retired licensed independent clinical social worker. We start with the question “How do you feel about God” and do a deep dive into the relationship between emotions, feelings, and thoughts; the distinction between good and bad guilt, and how to feel safe with and loved by God. And so much more!
This is an episode you are going to want to share with everyone! Enjoy!
On today's episode: God doesn’t promise to give us everything we want right now, instead he promises to be all that we need. Prayer is the practice of trusting God is enough. And, what do you say to someone who just can’t get to the place where they believe God is enough?
Here's the link to schedule spiritual direction with Brandon
www.signpostinn.org/brandon-schedule
Please donate today at signpostinn.org.
Hey listener's this is a special episode drop! Matt and Brandon welcome Peter Gammell to the back porch to talk about Signpost Inn's new book club that YOU can join, as well as about our recently released online course on prayer. We talk about books actually can "read us," why it's so valuable to read contemplatively with others, and dig into a pithy idea that we are kinda like hunter / gatherers when it comes to our spiritual lives.
Join us and then, join us in a book club or class on prayer!
Find our more at the following links:
Book clubs: the books that read us.
Simply Pray, a self-paced course on prayer.
Matt and Brandon continue answering listener questions. This time they talk about how to teach children to pray, and the complicated issue of wanting to have faith in God’s miraculous ability, but not really having confidence that he’ll come through.
Got your own questions? Send them to us at podcast@signpostinn.org. Send them as an audio clip and we'll feature your voice on the show!
Here's a link to one of Matt's favorite books that came up in the show:
Hinds feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard
Please help us close our financial gap! Donate at signpostinn.org today!
Matt and Brandon sit down on the back porch to answer a few listener questions. They chat about crafting private prayers and about whether or not it’s okay for a Christians to meditate. You can send us your questions too! Email them to podcast@signpostinn.org, or find Signpost Inn on Facebook or Instagram. If you send your questions as an audio clip, we'll feature you voice on the show!
Here's a link the book Brandon referenced in the show: Grace upon Grace by John W. Kleinig
In this episode we continue with the second part of Brandon's interview with Adam Hensley on the Psalms. This time Adam answers Brandon's questions about praying with those those psalms that refer to the "righteous man," and what about the "mean" Psalms?
In this episode Brandon interviews Dr. Adam Hensley, assistant professor of Old Testament Studies and Hebrew at Australian Lutheran College in Adelaide Australia.
They focus their conversation on Adam's expertise in the Psalms. They discuss what the psalms are, how they teach us to pray, how they are arranged, and much MUCH more.
One quick note: Adam uses the word "Antitype" to refer to Jesus several times throughout this episode. This just means that Jesus is the fulfillment of a promise or prophecy foreshadowed or prefigured by someone or something in the Old Testament.
Brandon continues his conversation with Dr. Rick Marrs, author of Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered. This time they talk about praying the Psalms, what advice Dr. Marrs has for someone who is struggling to feel God's love, and more.
Links and things referenced in the show:
Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered
Dr. Marr's blog @ Concordia Theology
Doxology
Ambassadors of Reconciliation
This is a special, immediate-release episode because we have exciting news! Signpost Inn is growing and we've brought on two new staff members: Peter and Rachel Gammell!
Peter and Rachel Gammell have just joined our team so we wanted to introduce them to you as soon as possible.
This is a big leap of faith for all of us and so we are simultaneously launching and new fundraising campaign: More Room at the Inn. Our goal is to fully fund all our staff's salaries and to expand all our ministries and make them available to as many people as possible.
If you, like us, believe in the power of creating welcoming spaces for people to be heard and known, please join us with your monthly support.
Brandon sits down with Dr. Rick Marrs who is a professor of Practical Theology at Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, and the author of Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered. They talk about the role of emotions in our prayer life, how to experience God's love for you, and more.
We have over 1,000 downloads of our podcast. Thank you for sharing us with your friends! Please be sure to give us a 5 star rating so others can find us too.
Links and things referenced in the show:
Making Christian Counseling More Christ Centered
Dr. Marr's blog @ Concordia Theology
Doxology
Ambassadors of Reconciliation
In this episode Brandon interviews Christian Jones, the executive Director of the Flint Mission Network, which is a collection of Lutheran ministries to inner city Flint Michigan. This episode is a little longer than normal because before Brandon and Christian first talked a bit about the work Christian is doing and what it means to be a Lutheran. When the conversation turns to prayer, however, they go pretty deep and ask some of the hard questions like, “Why does prayer sometimes feel like talking into a void?” and “What do you say to people whose prayers aren’t being answered.
Links to things referenced in the show:
- The Flint Mission Network https://flintmissionnetwork.org/
- Luther’s Small Catechism on the Lord’s Prayer from CPH http://catechism.cph.org/en/lords-prayer.html
- More about the Collect form of prayer https://anglicancompass.com/the-collects/ and https://www.presbyterianmission.org/wp-content/uploads/collect_prayer_form.pdf
Please rate and review our podcast, it really helps other people find us.
Email feedback, questions, or comments to podcast@signpostinn.org
Matt and Brandon continue their discussion about the brain and spiritual practices. They touch on several different practices and Brandon shares some of his own experience with contemplative prayer and how it has helped him with his anxiety. The guys also get into a discussion about gratitude and liturgy.
Please rate and review us and share us with your friends!
Email questions to podcast@signpostinn.org
Matt and Brandon sit down to talk about a some research Matt has been doing on spiritual practices and how they effect our brains. Along the way we discuss the similarities and differences between Eastern meditation, mindfulness, and Christian meditation practices and how the fad of mindfulness might be an open door for Christian evangelism.
Links to books referenced in the show
Finding Quiet: My Story of Overcoming Anxiety and the Practices that Brought Peace by J. P. Moreland
Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices That Can Transform Your Life and Relationships by Curt Thompson
Email your questions and comments to podcast@signpostinn.org
And please rate and review the podcast, it helps other people find us! Thank you!
In this episode Brandon interviews Oliver Willis about an amazing experience he had while on one of Signpost Inn's Contemplative Prayer Retreats. Oliver went home with a refreshed relationship with God and a lot of new questions to ask his friends about how they perceive God.
Join us for a Contemplative Prayer Retreat yourself! See our upcoming retreats and register: https://www.signpostinn.org/event-types/prayer-retreats
Or contact us directly to talk about scheduling a private retreat for yourself or your group.
We want to hear from you! Send us your questions and feedback at podcast@signpostinn.org
In this final part of a 3 part series, Father Joseph explains what Icons are and how they are used in religious practice. He defends them against the accusation that they are idolatry and at the same time expands on his previous discussion about prayer.
Links:
Ladyminister: The The Monastery of Our Lady and Saint Laurence
Email your questions and comments to podcast@signpostinn.org.
In this second of a 3 part series, Brandon continues his interview with Father Joseph. In this episode they discuss prayer. Brandon asks Father Joseph to define prayer, and for his advice for those who struggle to pray.
Links:
Register for a Signpost Inn prayer retreat or workshop
Ladyminister: The Monastery of Our Lady and Saint Laurence
Email your questions and comments to podcast@signpostinn.org.
Please send us your questions so Matt and I can start hosting regular, listener questions episodes. email us at podcast@signpostinn.org with your questions about prayer, Christian spirituality, theology, or whatever else you'd like to hear us bat around on the back porch.
We'd also really appreciate your feedback on how we're doing. Send that to the same email.
Finally, don't forget to check out all the cool events coming up on our calendar: https://www.signpostinn.org/events. We've got some great online workshops and a bunch of Contemplative Prayer retreats lined up!
In this first of a 3 part series, Brandon interviews Father Joseph, an Orthodox monk at The Monastery of Our Lady and Saint Laurence. In this episode Father Joseph answers the question: "What is Orthodoxy, and how is it different from other kinds of Christianity?"
Links:
Register for a Signpost Inn prayer retreat or workshop
Ladyminister: The Monastery of Our Lady and Saint Laurence
The Orthodox Way by Kallistos Ware
Welcome to the Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Eastern Christianity by Frederica Matthews-Green
Email your questions and comments to podcast@signpostinn.org.
Happy New Year! Do you pursue God or does God pursue you? In this episode Matt and Brandon talk about the common phrase "pursuing God," and suggest that there are better metaphors for understanding our relationship with God.
They also talk about what's in store on the podcast for the coming year. There are some really great episodes and interviews coming soon!
Email us with your feedback at podcast@signpostinn.org. We try to answer every email.
Here's a link to the book Brandon talks about on this episode: The Pursuing God: A Reckless, Irrational, Obsessed Love That's Dying to Bring Us Home, by Joshua Ryan Butler.
Merry Christmas! In this special episode Brandon and Liv Booth join Matt Boland to meditate on the meaning of the incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. We discuss a bit of philosophy, a bit of mystery, and a lot of love.
We pray that this Christmas you experience the mystery and joy of being loved by God, who would go to any lengths just to be with you!
Questions? Send us an email at podcast@signpostinn.org. We try to answer every email.
This episode's intro and outro music is Hark! The Herald Angels Sing arranged by Dee Yan-Key, and is used under the creative commons attribution license. More from him can be found at https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dee_Yan-Key
In this episode Matt and Brandon define and discuss the practice of Centering or Contemplative Prayer. They tackle some of the questions and concerns people have about this form of prayer, showing how it is firmly rooted in scripture, and how helps us really rest in God's love.
Here's a link to the book Brandon quoted: Centering Prayer by Basil Pennington
To book Brandon to teach an online Workshop on this form of prayer send an email to info@signpostinn.org.
We would love to hear your questions and comments. Email us at: podcast@signpostinn.org. We try hard to respond to every email!
In this episode Brandon and Liv talk about one of the core ministries of Signpost Inn, Host Homes for people who need a sabbatical season. We talk about how to become a host home, and how we can help you take a sabbatical time to reconnect with God and find direction.
Brandon and Liv also talk about how they met and reveal “The Secret” to college success (well, the secret to Brandon’s success anyway ;)
If you are interested in becoming a host home, or taking a time away, email liv@signpostinn.org.
Don't forget next Tuesday is Giving Tuesday! Our show, and our entire ministry, is donor supported. Please donate at www.signpostinn.org/donate.
We would love to hear your questions and comments. Email us at: podcast@signpostinn.org. We try hard to respond to every email!
On this episode Brandon and his wife, Liv (pronounced "leave"), talk about a central theme of Signpost Inn's ministry: hospitality. Liv explains how true hospitality is a way of embodying and giving grace to others, as Christ did for us.
As a bonus, you'll also learn the difference between "painting" and "pointing" communication styles... Can you guess which one is Brandon and which one is Liv?
Don't forget Tuesday, November 30th, is Giving Tuesday! Our show, and our entire ministry, is donor supported. Please donate at www.signpostinn.org/donate.
We would love to hear your questions and comments. Email us at: podcast@signpostinn.org. We try hard to respond to every email!
In the last episode we talked about it can be healthy to deconstruct our bad images of God. This time around we explore just how different, and how good, our prayers can be when we experience God as he really is--a Good Father. In the course of the conversation we touch on the topic of spiritual disciplines as well, and seek to avoid some of the damaging misconceptions we sometimes have about them.
Did you know that Tuesday, November 30th, is Giving Tuesday? We would greatly appreciate your support as our show, and our entire ministry, is donor supported. Please donate at www.signpostinn.org/donate.
We would love to hear your questions and comments. Email us at: podcast@signpostinn.org. We try hard to respond to every email!
In this episode Matt and Brandon tackle the popular issue of Christians deconstructing their faith and turning away from Christianity. You might be surprised to find that we don't think deconstruction is a bad thing--especially if we are constructing our bad images of God's character. In fact, we all need to "deconstruct" our faith at some point in our lives.
We also give a little advice to those who have friends or family in this scary and important process. How do you help people experience the true, loving God?
Also, you'll find out that Brandon once invited Jesus to smoke a cigar with him ;)
Here's a link to the book Brandon referenced in the show:
After Doubt: How to Question Your Faith without Losing It by AJ Swoboda
We would love to hear your questions and comments. Email us at: podcast@signpostinn.org. We try hard to respond to every email!
In this episode Matt and Brandon keep talking about the concept of the False Self. We talk about how the gospel frees us from the lie we believe that we have to secure ourselves, and how prayer--specifically contemplative prayer--is one way to rest in the truth of the gospel.
We get into all kinds of topics, justification and sanctification, love of God, the way we misunderstand gratefulness, etc.
You'll also find out that Brandon doesn't like Ferraris.
Grab a seat and a drink, and join us on the back porch for a fun conversation!
Here's a link the Prayer of Abandonment that Brandon read at the end of the show.
We would love to hear your questions and comments. Email us at: podcast@signpostinn.org. We try hard to respond to every email!
In this episode Matt and Brandon unpack the concept of "The False Self" that Brandon discusses in his book Changing the Conversation.
You'll hear a lot of vulnerable stuff about both Matt and Brandon's past and how they both encountered the loving God who gives us our true identities.
Links to the books we talked about in this episode:
Changing the Conversation - How to Dance Instead of Fight in Everyday Conversation by Brandon Booth
The Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen
Also, if you're looking for a good read, visit our recommend books page at www.signpostinn.org/resources/books-we-recommend.
We would love to hear your questions and comments. Email us at: podcast@signpostinn.org. We try hard to respond to every email!
In this episode we try to get heads and hearts around the concept of prayer. What is it? Why do we have such a hard time with it?
If you're interested in the article Brandon read that changed his view on prayer for the better it's here: A Personal Response To God's Presence, by Armand M. Nigro, S.J.
Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast. In this episode we introduce you to our ministry, how we came to be and what we do. Wonder what Spiritual direction is? What we do on our prayer retreats? How we offer hospitality to those in need of a sabbatical? We talk about all that.
Check us out at signpostinn.org.