Anita Lustrea

Jan Silvious changed my life nearly 18 years ago. She spoke truth into my heart as she’s done with so many before me along with many who’ve entered Jan’s sphere after me. Her opus work is her book Fool-Proofing Your Life, which focuses on those who think they are always right, who try to control through anger and, well, she outlines it all on the podcast. If you have a fool in your life, you know it but possibly haven’t named it yet. I highly recommend Jan’s book!

We focus on a book she is in the midst of writing now. Jan discloses on the podcast that she has just turned a “Big” number birthday which has her thinking about what comes next. The book she is working on is titled Courage for the Unknown Season: Navigating the Inevitable Changes of Life. It’s a working title, so it might change, but if you stay connected to Jan at her website here, you’ll get the news when her new book releases in 2017. One of the staggering statistics Jan cites during our conversation is that 76 million boomers turn 70 this year, with a lot more following after. If you are a boomer like me, though I find it necessary to tell you I’m only 56 :), then you are beginning to think about retirement, legacy living, and a whole lot more.

My guess is that some fear is also part of your future thinking. Big changes are ahead for so many of us.

I hope you’ll check out the podcast this week and tell a friend who might also benefit, especially if she is in this season of life.

Happy listening!

Kathy Escobar has been a lifeline for many walking a confusing kind of faith journey. She calls it a Faith Shift. After navigating her own faith shift, she decided to take a look at the different stages of a faith shift based on her own as well as other’s journey’s.

I found Kathy after seeing her writings on the SheLovesMagazine website. I highly recommend connecting to that group of amazing women. After reading Kathy a few times over at SheLovesMagazine, I followed the link to her blog. I was not disappointed. The more I read, the more I resonated with her thoughts and her journey. Then one day she started talking about a book she was writing and the release date for Faith Shift.

I bought the book and gobbled it up. It described more of my journey than I really wanted to admit, but it also made me realize that I wasn’t alone. I breathed a sigh of relief as I read about the various stages of a faith shift. I began talking to friends about the book and found a hunger from seasoned Christians especially.

I was elated when Kathy was able to join me on Faith Conversations. Maybe this is just the message you need to hear. I hope so!

Happy listening, and please tell a friend and share the link on Facebook!

Thanks!

Who knew that a little pug named Oliver could have such impact on a family. Alison Hodgson had no idea until she picked up her daughter Eden’s diary. Well, it wasn’t called a diary because 7-year-old Eden couldn’t spell that. It was called The Pug List.

As you listen to this week’s podcast, your heart will be tugged in all kinds of directions. It’s a story of a family who lost everything when an arsonist set their house on fire. I’ll let the details come out in the podcast, or the book. What you need to know is that mom, and author of The Pug List, Alison Hodgson, is an amazing storyteller. She is a writer, speaker and humorist. She is a popular contributor to the design website Houzz.com and a Moth StorySLAM winner. You can find her writing all over the place: Forbes.com, Christianity Today’s Her.meneutics blog, and Religion New Service. She and her husband, their three children, and two good dogs live outside Grand Rapids, Michigan.

As Alison started to unfold the story from The Pug List on the podcast, and as I read the book (I couldn’t put it down), I found myself face to face with some of my own grief. Tears filled my eyes not just from Alison’s story and her family’s struggle. Her writing took me deeper, which is what good writing does.

If you’ve ever been up close and personal with trauma or struggled with PTSD, you will resonate on many levels with Alison’s story. I don’t want to spoil the ending, so I won’t give too much away. Just know that there are tears during the podcast, and I’m sure there will be tears when you listen to the podcast and read The Pug List. I’m recommending it to everyone as a great summer read!

On this week’s podcast, Dave and Licia Radford, also known as The Gray Havens, join me. You’ll notice a cameo appearance by their 11-month-old son Simon. He is adorable and really wanted to talk on the podcast, too, so you’ll hear his delightful chatter coming in and out of the conversation.

The Gray Havens, a narrative-pop-folk duo, have a new album out and you’ll want to check it out. It’s titled Ghost of a King, and you can find it here. If you are unfamiliar with Dave and Licia, we get to know their history on Faith Conversations, which includes a short stint on American Idol for Dave on Season 5. Once that was in his rearview mirror, he starting diving into song writing. The fuller story is on the podcast.

When Dave met Licia and heard her mad guitar skills, it didn’t take long to pop the question. The Gray Havens was born!

We also talked about Under the Radar, a podcast by my good friend Dave Trout. Dave has helped elevate the ministries of many Indie Artists. You might like to check out Under the Radar here.

Before our conversation was over, Dave mentioned the books that he is currently reading along with a couple on Licia’s nightstand as well. Here are some links if you’re interested:

Besides great conversation, you’ll also hear some clips from The Gray Havens new album, Ghost of a King.

Happy listening!

It seems like most people in my circles these days are in transition. Often it has to do with vocation. Sometimes we use words like career, job, calling, and vocation interchangeably, but there are distinct differences. This week on the podcast our focus is vocation with teacher, pastor, church planter, and author Deborah Loyd. She is author of the newly published Your Vocational Credo.

Deborah defines vocation as something that we would do whether or not there is a paycheck involved. She says it’s a passion that exudes from our soul and transcends any particular job or career we may find ourselves in. Vocation is that thing that brings joy even when there are the tedious bits you have to deal with.

If you are struggling to find your vocation, some helpful questions Deborah suggests are:

These questions aren’t necessarily answered easily or quickly, but they are worth pondering and exploring if you hope to live a fulfilling and satisfying life.

Deborah Loyd unfolds her story on the podcast of how she discovered the theme of her life. It all centers on voice. I don’t want to spoil it, so you’ll just have to take a listen!

I met Steve Siler, founder of Music for the Soul, years ago when he released the first issue-oriented project titled More Beautiful, about all aspects of the breast cancer journey. I knew he was a special guy back then. He was a Dove Award-winning songwriter, well-connected in the field of Contemporary Christian Music, and in the midst of that life that someone might look at and envy, he took a leap, a big risk and walked away from it. He listened to the nudge of God and left his steady songwriting contract to start a ministry that didn’t come with a paycheck.

Over the years, Steve and the folks at Music for the Soul have touched countless people who have struggled with everything from porn addiction, eating disorders, grief, suicide, and caregiving—just to name a few of the types of projects they’ve produced. Besides the incredible issue-oriented materials Music for the Soul has made available, Steve has also recorded a solo album of which the title song speaks to his personal mission as well as the mission of Music for the Soul, Broken to Bless.

I’m delighted to be able to talk with Steve on this week’s podcast about his new book Music for the Soul Healing for the Heart: lessons from a life in song. Steve and his work at Music for the Soul is all about the other. His heart for others, whoever they are, and whatever they are suffering, is huge. His story is inspirational and his cause is worth supporting. I hope you’ll enjoy his story. I know you’ll be inspired by it. I hope you’ll check out the link to Music for the Soul and see what they have to offer that you might use to bless someone. May we all be broken to bless!

On this episode of Faith Conversations, my husband Mike Murphy joins me to talk about the art of conversation and to discuss some of the points on his Friday Rumblings, a list that he posts each week on Facebook. You can find his Facebook page here.

We get into all kinds of sticky conversations on this episode. Here are Mike’s rumblings for this week:

Rumblings. May 6, 2016

1. “Blessed are the peacemakers” someone famous once said. What if those who say they believe actually acted on those words of Jesus? Peacemaking is a dangerous, radical activity in these days of unfiltered bombast and underdeveloped impulse control. The peacemaker always pushes against the prevailing winds. Such is the way of the kingdom of God.

2. I was at a National Day of Prayer breakfast this week. I was begging God to help our country. But I’m not sure we want what God is offering. Our view of God is too tightly bound up with our view of America. God is not dressed in red, white, or blue. He tilts neither to the right nor the left. If we really want to find God we need to look in the low places, where we’re hesitant to go. Those places that require trust and not certainty.

3. “As soon as it (the Bible) begins only to confirm our own views it is reduced to the status of a hand puppet. It no longer conveys an alternative; it simply parrots our own opinion.” Michael Casey in Sacred Reading

4. Probably the best event of the year in Washington D.C. is the White House Correspondents Dinner. It’s not for the timid but amidst the barbs and humor some real truth gets spoken. One speaker said “Obama came in looking like Denzel and leaves looking like Grady from Sanford and Son.” It’s not an easy job being President. Perhaps that’s why those who have held that office show such deep respect for each other. Praying we get someone in office who will continue the tradition of poking fun at him (her)self.

5. Good for Malia Obama. Acceptance to Harvard after a gap year. Gap years are a good thing in my humble opinion. More high school seniors should do it. The horribly racist comments on the FOX news site concerning this announcement were absolutely appalling. Kudos to FOX for pulling the thread.

6. Creating political and economic systems so the rich can get richer and the poor are further diminished is troubling. Read that last sentence carefully. Having wealth is not the issue. It’s about the systems created that can tend to bless one group at the expense of another. That’s what needs fixing. It’s something we don’t want to talk about especially if we have much and the systems work for us.

7. Anita and I spent some time with some Young Life staff last weekend. It’s amazing what happens inside of me when I’m around people who are sold out to God, to mission, and to possibilities. I learned the basics in Young Life. Go to those you want to influence. Don’t wait for people to come to you. Keep loving despite the response. Earn the right to be heard. Don’t bore people with the gospel. Good stuff. It’s served me well.

8. So, when did the National Enquirer become a reputable news source? Thought a new low was hit with the insinuation that Cruz’s father was somehow linked to the death of JFK. Disgraceful.

9. I watched with some dismay a video this week. A woman was at a town hall meeting somewhere speaking about the transgender bathroom issue in a school. She was speaking on behalf of transgendered students. In order to shush her the crowd (mostly Christian) began to sing “Jesus loves me this I know”. This was after they verbally taunted her with bible verses and told her to shut up. I know this issue is a tough one for many people. I get it. And this isn’t about that issue. I just thought using a song about Jesus to rudely shush someone up just seemed nonsensical and frankly not very Christian. How we go about sharing our thoughtful, considered opinion is as important as the opinion itself. Even on Facebook. Could a rude display of faith be one of the reasons so many run away from the church even though they are experiencing a deep spiritual hunger? Please know that every week I see great examples of faith shared and lived well. Those examples rarely go viral unfortunately. As it happens so often in life the good often pay a penalty for the actions of the few.

10. On the National Day of Prayer I wrote: Lord, today give us the desire to cooperate with the necessary work you need to do in our lives. You want us think, act, feel and pray like your Son. We say we want to be like Jesus and then whine and complain when you start to conform us to that image. Please don’t listen to our self-serving resistance. We don’t like to give up control. Do what you need to do. Remind us that it’s for the abundance of our own lives. Remind us that it prepares us to live for the sake of others. And remind us that what you need to do in and through us is your gift to us. You are our God. Just keep going. In thought, word and deed we want reflect your goodness and glory. Keep going. Don’t stop until we become the people you really want us to be. Amen.

Her bio reads like that of many authors. Gillian Marchenko is, besides an author, a speaker, wife, mother, and advocate for individuals with special needs, someone who deals with depression on a daily basis. Her new book Still Life is a memoir. It is her real and raw story, to quote the back of her book, and not one of quick fixes.

Not only is Gillian’s story compelling, the writing is beautiful. Beyond that, the content will help anyone who has a friend, spouse, or family member who is in this same fight.

Gillian writes about how life and faith intersect when depression is your daily journey. She talks about the victory it is to wake up a little more healed each day. How does Jesus figure into the equation? Gillian takes us to the gospels and talks about the woman who bled with a hemorrhage for years.

Gillian’s story is hard and important. I love the play on words that is her title. She said that living with depression is Still Life.

Happy listening.

I grew up in a stream of evangelicalism that deeply valued certainty. I might even say they made it an idol. When I started questioning some of my beliefs, it felt very unsafe to voice that. In fact, in my circles, I watched some become ostracized because of voicing questions and moving away from certainty.

Peter Enns, in his book The Sin of Certainty, tells his own story of why having “right beliefs’ isn’t the same as having faith. I’ve wanted to talk to Enns for a long time. His book The Bible Tells Me So is one worth reading and discussing, especially with a group of friends. And I hope to have him on the podcast again just to talk about his previous book. This week, however, I’m pleased to enter a conversation that hits my heart. This is a journey that I find myself on. I see that God desires my trust more than my right beliefs, but how does play out in everyday life? Who are the safe people in my life I can talk with? Important questions for anyone on the same journey.

Enns lays out his story and in his thought provoking, yet accessible, style challenges us to grapple with the depth and breadth of our own faith.

Happy Listening!

How do you know God is real? That’s one of the questions Addie Zierman explores in her latest memoir Night Driving. On the podcast this week, Addie Zierman is her usual authentic self. Growing up in an emotionally charged, fire-filled faith, Addie’s journey looks dramatically different today than it did in those early years. Today it’s more about the God who often seems hidden and silent.

In her quest to stumble toward this hidden God, she shares vulnerably as she makes room for doubt, disappointment, as well as darkness. Thanks to her openness, we feel permission to do the same.

One of the themes of Addie’s book and our conversation is that life is made up of losses. The reality is that small losses deserve our attention just as much as big ones and they often can accumulate without our awareness. One thing that is present in Addie’s writing and speaking, thanks to her own vulnerable sharing, is that we are not alone. And grief can lead to more life, freeing us to experience a more full life.

As well as checking out the podcast, I hope you’ll also click through to Addie’s blog. I highly recommend it and you can find it here: addiezierman.com.

I hope you’ll take the time to hear what Addie has to say on the podcast, and I hope you’ll read Night Driving as well.

Happy listening!