Halfway There

244: Jonathan Puddle and the Nearness of God

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Jonathan Puddle is the author of You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You, and is a pastor and podcast host himself. Today, Jonathan shares the first time he was moved by the Holy Spirit, deconstructing his faith for a season, and falling in love with Jesus all over again. Jonathan’s love for the Lord comes through as he shares his story and it’s a really beautiful way to reflect on the goodness and nearness of Him. Jonathan’s story reminds us that God loves us deeply.

Listen to Jonathan’s story now!

Stories Jonathan shared:

  • Quitting his day job to become a writer
  • Growing up as a YWAM kid around the world
  • Moving to Toronto to join the Toronto blessing
  • His mom leading him through the “sinner’s prayer” at four
  • Being moved at a Delirious concert by the Holy Spirit
  • How to think about supernatural experiences
  • Getting into the house church movement
  • Experiencing God while making pizza with a friend
  • Deconstructing shortly after he got married
  • Moving to Finland and not going to church for a season
  • Discovering Jesus through the Eastern tradition
  • How church history helped him
  • Going to a Roman Catholic church and drawing from multiple Christian streams
  • How the Holy Spirit spoke to him about his faith community
  • Deciding to start his podcast

    • Great quotes from Jonathan:

    I never renounced the faith that’s never occurred to me I just couldn’t make it all work in the package I’d been given.

    When you’re in the wilderness, God feeds you from his own hand.

    We were taught that pride is the unworthy thing and the antidote is self-hatred.

    [That experience] has given me a faith in God’s willingness and God’s ability to come and disrupt our lives.

    The issue with pride is self-righteousness not thinking too highly of yourself.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Jonathan’s website
  • You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You
  • The Lean Startup: How Today’s Entrepreneurs Use Continuous Innovation to Create Radically Successful Businesses by Eric Ries
  • Pagan Christianity?: Exploring the Roots of Our Church Practices by Frank Viola

    • Related episodes:

    • Paul Edwards and Serving God’s Other Children
  • Tricia Lott Williford and How God Works in the Waiting
  • Iain Bradbeer and God as the Architect

    • The post Jonathan Puddle and the Nearness of God appeared first on Eric Nevins.

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    Halfway ThereBy Eric Nevins
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