Hosts Steve and Lisa Cuss look back at insights from Matt Wenger, Ben Mandrell, and Kyle Strobel on the themes of healing, leadership, and spiritual formation. Matt shares insights on overcoming pornography and sex addiction with grace and self-kindness, Ben reflects on playful leadership and resilience during his time at Lifeway, and Kyle unpacks the role of discipleship and spiritual growth in navigating life’s challenges.

Episode Resources:

Explore Matt’s work at the Begin Again Institute

Understanding the Signs and Causes of Betrayal Trauma

More about Ben Mandrell 

Read about the turbulent times at Lifeway Resources 

Read Dr. Strobel’s Formation Substack

Read Dr. Strobel’s book The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus’ Path of Power in a Church that Has Abandoned It

Read Galatians 3

Complete Episodes:

Sex and Porn Addiction, Misconceptions That Prevent Healing with Matt Wenger

Beyond Self-Help: Real Spiritual Formation with Dr. Kyle Strobel

Ben Mandrell on Leadership and Resilience in Turbulent Times

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Capable Life Intensives

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Host Steve Cuss welcomes Ben Mandrell, former president of Lifeway Resources and current senior pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church, for a rich conversation on leadership,faith, and resilience when things are good or in flux. Ben shares candid reflections on navigating cultural shifts, organizational challenges, and the personal cost of leadership amid institutional changes. From closing bookstores at Lifeway to finding joy and playfulness even amid tragedy, his journey reveals how presence and discernment sustain both leaders and communities. Steve and Ben explore the power of daily spiritual practices and small acts of connection that strengthen our relationships with God and one another.

Episode Resources:

More about Ben Mandrell 

Learn about Bellevue Baptist Church

Read about Ben Mandrell's call to the Bellevue senior pastor role

Read about the turbulent times at Lifeway Resources 

Watch Rick Warren's address to the SBC in 2022 

Listen to the sermons of Adrian Rogers

Explore the work of Mark Batterson 

Read Steve Cuss’ book: Managing Leadership Anxiety 

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

Join Steve at an upcoming intensive: 

Capable Life Intensives

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Host Steve Cuss and Dr. Kyle Strobel disrupt self-help versions of spirituality and call us back to genuine encounters with Christ. Together we explore how hidden dynamics like assumptions, reactivity, and self-reliance often sabotage spiritual formation—and why cultivating watchfulness in prayer and scripture is the antidote. Drawing from Colossians 4:2, early evangelical practices, and personal stories, Dr. Strobel shows how honesty about our emotions in real time opens the door to true transformation. We also name the dangers of “guruism,” guilt-driven church culture, and unrealistic expectations, pointing instead to authentic growth rooted in humility, friendship, and God’s presence in the ordinary.

Episode Resources:

Read Dr. Strobel’s Formation Substack

Read Dr. Strobel’s book The Way of the Dragon or the Way of the Lamb: Searching for Jesus’ Path of Power in a Church that Has Abandoned It

Read Dr. Strobel’s book Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul

John Coe’s free online Bible courses

An introduction to the life and writings of John Cassian (video)

Read Colossians 4:2

Read Galatians 3

Read Colossians 2

Read Psalm 73

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Capable Life Newsletter

Join Steve at an upcoming intensive: 

Capable Life Intensives

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Host Steve Cuss sits down with Matt Wenger for a candid conversation about addiction, intimacy, and healing. Together, they unpack the complexities of sexual addiction, the ripple effects it has on loved ones, and why recovery is best understood as a "team sport." Matt highlights the power of vulnerability, group support, and true intimacy as antidotes to the false connections addiction promises. Steve and Matt also shine a light on betrayal trauma experienced by partners, offering hope, empathy, and pathways toward healing for everyone impacted.

Episode Resources:

Explore Matt’s work at the Begin Again Institute

Understanding the Signs and Causes of Betrayal Trauma

Romans (from the New Testament) - It is mentioned in the context of discussing sin as an infection or condition rather than solely a moral issue.

Read The Great Commandment (in Luke, Matthew, and Mark’s gospels)

Read Romans 8:38-39 

Read Romans 7 (Paul discuss sin struggles)

More about Matt Wenger

Other Media:

Steve & Clarissa Moll discuss the Four Spaces of Anxiety

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In her monthly visit to Being Human, Clarissa Moll from Christianity Today’s The Bulletin takes the host’s chair and turns the tables on Steve Cuss for another rich exploration of the Four Spaces of Anxiety. Together, they discuss how the frenetic pace of modern life can obscure God’s presence—and how intentional pauses can restore spiritual clarity and resilience. The conversation dives into rumination, false needs like control and approval, and the role of prayer and journaling in nurturing healthier relationships. Steve and Clarissa offer insights on differentiation, boundaries, over-functioning, and even the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

Episode Resources:

Listen: The Bulletin

Read: Genesis 28 (NLT)

Read: Tom Hanks' most iconic roles, from Forrest Gump to Toy Story (EW)

Explore: Introduction to Bowen family systems theory

Other Media:

Steve and Clarissa’s August episode of Being Human

The Bulletin: Steve and Clarissa on Smart Drugs in the Workplace

Explore Clarissa Moll’s website

Read Clarissa Moll’s Substack

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Steve Cuss is joined once again by his wife and fellow counselor, Lisa Cuss, for a practical conversation on the Four Spaces of Anxiety and how these shape our relationships, leadership, and faith. Building on recent Being Human dialogues with Toni Collier and Dr. Les Parrott, Steve and Lisa unpack the hidden assumptions that fuel reactivity, disconnection, and stress. Steve and Lisa explore how faith, vulnerability, and intentional community can break anxiety’s grip and create healthier families, churches, and neighborhoods.

Episode Resources:

Steve & Clarissa Moll discuss the Four Spaces of Anxiety

Explore Toni Collier’s website

Toni Collier’s Don't Try This Alone

Toni Collier’s Broken Crayons Still Color

Toni Collier’s Brave Enough to Be Broken

Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott’s Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts

Dr. Parrott and Judah Smith’s Bad Thoughts: A Preacher and a Shrink's Guide to Reclaiming Your Mind and Soul

Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott’s website

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World-renowned relationship expert Dr. Les Parrott sits down with host Steve Cuss for a raw discussion about reclaiming your mind and soul. Parrott shreds toxic beliefs about empathy, parenting, and vulnerability that have infiltrated Christian culture, replacing them with a vision for emotional and spiritual health that actually works. Together, Steve and Dr. parrott dissect the razor-thin line between empathy and enmeshment, reveal how technology can fuel genuine human connection, and unpack why hearing God’s voice without shame is a game-changer. 

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott’s Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts

Dr. Parrott and Judah Smith’s Bad Thoughts: A Preacher and a Shrink's Guide to Reclaiming Your Mind and Soul

Pastor Judah Smith’s instagram

Drs. Les & Leslie Parrott’s website

David Brooks’ How to Know a Person

Steve & Clarissa Moll discuss the Four Spaces of Anxiety

The Gospel of Mark (ESV)

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

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Capable Life Intensives

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Discover how anxiety weaves its way into every corner of life—and how to break free. Host Steve Cuss sits down with Toni Collier, founder of Broken Crayons Still Color, for a raw conversation on her journey from brokenness to healing and redemption. Together, they unpack how faith, authentic community, and radical vulnerability can transform deep wounds—like “parentification,” betrayal, and infidelity—into powerful testimonies of hope and resilience. This episode continues Steve’s exploration of the Four Spaces of Anxiety and showcases the need to stop the spread of reactivity.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Explore Toni’s website

Toni Collier’s Don't Try This Alone

Toni Collier’s Broken Crayons Still Color

Toni Collier’s Brave Enough to Be Broken

Explore North Point Ministries

Explore the work of Dr. Curt Thompson 

Timothy Keller’s The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Listen to Steve and Clarissa Moll Set up The Four Spaces of Anxiety

Watch Steve explain The Four Spaces of Anxiety

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

Join Steve at an upcoming intensive: 

Capable Life Intensives

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The Four Spaces of anxiety and emotional freedom take center stage as Being Human kicks off a new monthly appearance from Bulletin moderator Clarissa Moll, who flips the script and interviews Steve Cuss. Together, they’ll shape the conversation threads that future episodes will explore every four weeks. This month, Steve unpacks the wildfire spread of anxiety and lays out practical disciplines to disrupt reactivity and foster emotional resilience. Rooted in biblical wisdom and grounded in everyday experience, Clarissa re-introduces Steve’s transformative “four spaces” framework—a must-hear for anyone seeking peace, clarity, and connection in a chaotic culture.

Resources mentioned in this episode include:

Explore Clarissa Moll’s website

Read Clarissa Moll’s Substack

Listen to The Bulletin

Watch Steve explain The Four Spaces of Anxiety

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

Join Steve at an upcoming intensive: 

Capable Life Intensives

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Jimmy Carnes, a Capable Life trainer, joins Steve Cuss—Anxiety Expert & Creator of Capable Life—for a raw, practical conversation about how unseen emotional patterns like triangulation and interconnectedness can complicate leadership and relationships. Together they explore what it means to lead without having the answers, and why “being human-sized” is more powerful than pretending to be in control. They unpack how lighting a candle can bridge the gap between belief and the felt presence of God. 

Sign up for Steve’s Newsletter & Podcast Reminders:

Capable Life Newsletter

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Capable Life Intensives

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