Backstage with JamieKBates

If Jamie’s laugh annoys you, this is not the episode for you LOL!!! This week she brings in 3 Gen Zs - Kennedy, Kat & David - and they talk all things teenager!!! The Zs open up to Jamie about school, friends, pressures they feel and what adults can do to best help them feel loved and supported. They teach Jamie about new slang, cool bands, the best shows and what apps aren’t “soccer momish” ha! They are hilarious, fun and honest - enjoy learning and laughing with us!

Bryan & Melissa Wright sit down with Jamie this week to talk about the good, the difficult, and (most importantly) the beautiful parts of having a blended family. They are super transparent about their journey and share openly about their ups and downs along the way. They offer up some wonderful ideas for parents trying to blend families, they tell a story of redemption with one of their ex’s that is so inspiring and you will sense the deep love they each carry for their “bonus children”. Listen and be reminded that God is not thrown off by messes along the way and believe (with Bryan, Melissa & Jamie!) that blended families can be a beautiful picture of God’s amazing grace.

Many say that science and Christianity are mortal enemies but our guest this week is here to tell you why the opposite is true! Dr. Michael Guillen has triple PhD’s in mathematics, physics & astronomy, he was a science correspondent for multiple news outlets, a physics instructor at Harvard, a best selling author and a 3 time Emmy award winner. Dr. G comes Backstage this week to talk to Jamie about why Science + God aren’t enemies but actually the perfect power couple. They talk about Mars rocks, black holes, dark matter and Christianity’s part in developing the scientific method. He tells his personal journey from atheism to God and how science was the one that brought him there. You will love his stories, his passion and hopefully start to believe with him that science might be the greatest missionary of all time if we stop making it our enemy.

Science + God Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/science-god-with-dr-g/id1512670962

So many questions surround this mysterious book we call, the Bible. What is it all about? What's with the Old Testament violence? Is it a true historical narrative or is it mythical? And in this week's episode WE ANSWER NONE OF THEM! Instead, Jamie brings you one of her friends, Tracy Wilde-Pace, as they discuss what the Bible means to them and why they attribute the Bible to saving both their lives. Tracy shares with Jamie how a devastating loss drove her to the Bible and how she found, through a story about a boy named Joseph, a “meanwhile” in her own story. Enjoy as they hilariously hurricane all over scripture, fan girl over Paul, grieve about Moses, wish the prophets could take it down a notch emotionally and take sides on the Paul/Barnabas argument. They ask some tough questions, they get into the Bible vs. women assertion, they talk study tactics briefly but this is not a teaching on the authority and authenticity of scripture. Instead, this is a dialogue between 2 friends who fell in love with the same book, and hope you do too!

We are bringing you a heavy hitter this week as Dr. Caroline Leaf comes Backstage to talk to Jamie about her new book, Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess! Dr. Leaf is a cognitive neuroscientist, a best selling author, a communication pathologist and was one of the first in her field to study neuroplasticity (how the brain can change with directed mind input). Dr. Leaf breaks down for Jamie the difference between the mind and the brain, she expounds on neuroplasticity and brilliantly explains 5 scientifically proven steps that can help reduce our stress, anxiety and toxic thinking. If you wrestle with your mind at times (like Jamie!) this episode (and this book!) is for you! Enjoy Dr. Caroline Leaf as she teaches us how to Clean Up Our Mental Mess!

Warning: In this episode we talk very candidly about sexual betrayal inside of a marriage which could be triggering for some who have experienced it. We also talk openly about sex so please consider that as you listen.

This week, Jamie brings in Trey & Holly Tanella who she first met as students in their youth ministry! T & H have now been married 10 years, have 5 incredible children and have come Backstage to talk openly about their marriage and how their experience with infidelity almost destroyed them. Trey vulnerably explains how his affair started, Holly talks about how she never saw warning signs and they both tell the story of how it all came crashing down in one moment…and how they rebuilt from ground zero into what they now describe as “a marriage we always dreamed of”. You will love their candor, their humor, their love for each other and their willingness to tell their story in hopes of, in Holly words, bringing hope to others. Enjoy this beautiful story from two of the most real and lovable people out there!

In this episode Pastor Matthew Barnett, the founder of the LA Dream Center, talks to Jamie about growing up a PK who watched his father, a pastor, consistently and practically love the least loved in their community (even when it cost him). He recalls being a 20 year old kid asked to take on a 3 month project in LA and 27 years later...well you will have to listen to hear the story. 😉 This episode is not about 3 steps to success, instead it’s about finding a cause and serving your way into purpose. Currently, The LA Dream Center has 700 residents, they serve 3,000 hot meals a day, 40,000 people a week in their food ministry and the list goes on...and on..and on! Enjoy Pastor Matthew as he reminisces with Jamie, eases us of the pressure to “find a call” and reminds us that the need in front of us will always dictate the call.

For this Valentines day SZN launch, Jamie is bringing back her husband Dustin along with their therapist, Randy. This is an episode all about marriage and the millions of nuances that accompany it! The 3 of them talk about how to see each other's perspective, how being happy+sad isn’t bad and how to handle your experience when it might not be the other person's reality. Randy also gives advice on how compromise is never the goal and offers many tools and language to help us build healthy relationships. Enjoy Jamie, Dustin, Randy and this Backstage glimpse into their relationship!

*Warning: This episode contains explicit discussions regarding sex and pornography* In this SZNs final episode, Jamie brings you porn star turned pastor, Brittni De La Mora! Brittni has starred in over 250 adult films, was named one of the top 12 female porn stars in 2010 by Maxim magazine and Howard Stern dubbed her the world's smartest porn star. Brittni and Jamie talk about the adult film industry, what it’s like Backstage being a porn star and the harrowing reality of what porn does to the actors and the audience. Brittni talks about XXXchurch showing up at a porn convention where they gave her a Bible and told her that Jesus adores porn stars and years later...well you’ll have to listen to find out! 😉 Enjoy Brittni’s story which is told first person without a drop of shame attached to it! 🤍

This week Jamie brings you Emily Thomas who shares her story of rushing into a marriage in her early 20s with someone who seemed perfect on paper and ended up in a situation she never saw coming. She vulnerably shares her story of moving to his country and suffering abuse immediately as well as infidelity. She talks about not being allowed to have a phone, only being able to eat what he gave her all while being forced to work to support them. She talks through the devastation of fearing for her life but also grappling with her faith tradition which told her “God hates divorce”. She gives us a backstage look into the mind and heart of an abused woman that one day meticulously planned her escape. She also talks through the gut wrenching experience of divorce and how she preferred death to the shame that accompanied that choice. We talk about how the church can do better to love and join those in abusive situations as well as those walking through painful divorces. Enjoy Emily...and lots of love and gratitude to her angel to Hazel, wherever you are (you’ll understand when you listen!).