Wherein we discuss simplicity with Keith and Tracy Gatzke. Besides being a fad right now and a desire in our hearts, simplicity may also be integral to the Christian life. More than that, it may in fact be the integrating factor, as well as a gauge of our souls and a path to evangelization. Whether it is or not, we had a great time talking about it with friends.

Of things referenced, we do bring up Marie Kondo's Netflix show. We're trying to think-- we might not have referenced any books, which is doubly surprising, as Keith and Tracy are also bibliophiles. Quadruply surprising? Marie Kondo has written books: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and Spark Joy, to name them. But we mention the show...And we're not necessarily even promoting the show. Just illustrating our culture's interest in simplifying.

Feel welcome to leave a review and let us know what you thought; you can also comment on our facebook page. Or if you know us, give us a ring and we can chat for a bit. If you don't know us, and would like to give us a ring, let's start with email. Email is good for a first introduction. [email protected].

As always, 

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• and please rate, review, and share!
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Wherein we discuss the practice of fasting. As one of the three practices associated with Lent, and the one that most people talk about when Ash Wednesday rolls around, it still seems to need some more unpacking. Or maybe, we still needed to unpack it some more for ourselves.. As usual, spending some time talking through the topic was enlightening for us, the podcasters-- we hope that the episode sparks conversations that are life-changing for you, as well!

We make two literary references: The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien, and Dune, by Frank Herbert. Definitely recommend the first one; I think we also recommend the second one. But not to the same degree. Not knocking Dune, just putting it in its place.

Feel free to email us at [email protected], to leave a review (or at least rate the podcast...), and to share the episode with friends. I think we also asked a question--something to the effect that we'd love to hear if you have better things to say about fasting, because we're not all that good at it-- that you can answer on facebook on our page, "A Word from Our Outpost with Joseph and Crystal Gruber". Provided you're not fasting from facebook...

Happy penitential season!

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

We talk about the Our Father and the Lenten practice of prayer. The cornerstone of the Sermon on the Mount is Jesus' counsels on piety: almsgiving, prayer, and fasting; the cornerstone of those counsels is prayer; the cornerstone of prayer is the Our Father. It's a prayer that teaches us what to ask of God, in what order, and in so doing, makes us into children who relate to God and the world rightly.

We reference Matthew 6:1-18. The Catechism is also chock-full of things about the Our Father in its last section, including really excellent quotes from Tertullian and Aquinas and Augustine. We recommend it, too.

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

There are so many good causes out there in need of different types of support. As missionary disciples, we often feel the call to give financially to some of these things. In this episode we discuss how to sort through which things YOU should give to. There's a reason that some issues in the world break your heart and that you're passionate about certain causes-- these are often the things we're called to give to, whether it be through service or gift!

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

We discuss the difference between curiosity and studiousness, or the hatred of unknowing versus the love of reality as gift. We also discuss our media consumption and our love of people, most especially as they relate to our being disciples of Jesus.

References:

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Joseph and Crystal have a conversation about institutions, what they are, why they’re important, and how we can best participate in them. Their long term end, or telos, as well as their short term purpose, or scope, is discussed as well as how that affects our perception of the goodness (or lack thereof) within particular institutions.

This conversation will (hopefully) help to redeem the way we think about institutions and how they can help shape us for the better, into the saints we were made to be.

Inspired by the book True Leadership from the Habiger Institute for Catholic Leadership: https://www.stthomas.edu/media/catholicstudies/center/ryan/publications/publicationpdfs/trueleadership/TrueLeadershipFinal.pdf and https://www.amazon.com/True-Leadership-Habiger-Institute-Catholic/dp/1944418717

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

How do we win people over to Jesus? And can we do it in a way that keeps winning us over to Him too? Joseph and Crystal gave a talk at a parish on this topic last year; because their daughter is currently in the hospital with some respiratory issues, they're sharing one of their first forays into giving talks together with you, their listener.

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

A discussion about growth and fixed mindsets in light of humility and pride. We talk about why failure is necessary and what it has to do with being human. Jesus' death and resurrection are a source of hope for us as we contemplate our sins and short comings and in our pursuit of holiness.

Still referencing Carol Dweck's book, Mindset!

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Crystal and Joseph discuss failing well. The difference between having a growth mindset and having a fixed mindset is the difference between being able to grow from failure and being crushed/defined by failure. How we identify ourselves, and what we allow our identities to get wrapped up in also gets tangled into the topic.

The book we referenced is called Mindset by Carol Dweck:

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph

Join us as we're joined by Deacon Dave and Marcia Etters, sharing their story of conversion and reversion. Hopefully, we'll have them on again to unpack more of the key moments, as well as to talk about formation, family, and parish life.

As always, 

• check out our work, and join our email list, at https://ouroutpost.org/
• join our free resource library platform here
• catch our other podcast, Love Your Marriage, by clicking here: https://ouroutpost.org/podcasts/
• see what we have upcoming in terms of events here: https://ouroutpost.org/events/
• send us an email at [email protected]
• and please rate, review, and share!
• If you're a Catholic husband, feel free to sign up for some time to chat with Joseph! https://bookme.name/ouroutpost/45-minutes-with-joseph