James Finke is back on the podcast to talk about apologetics and why Christians should be ready to explain what we believe and why we believe it. He's passionate about making this accessible to regular people like us, and we dig into the historical evidence for Jesus, his resurrection, and the early church. But this isn't about winning arguments, it's about being prepared when someone you love starts asking questions.

James shares a story that changed him: an acquaintance died unexpectedly after they'd talked casually about Jesus. It left him asking, what if our silence costs someone the chance to hear the Gospel? That hit me hard. If we truly believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, shouldn't we be willing to have those hard conversations with the people we love? Sometimes you're not meant to bring someone all the way in one conversation. Sometimes you're just supposed to be a rock in their shoe, leaving them with a question they can't shake.

Learn what you believe. Understand why you believe it. Love people enough to have difficult conversations. And trust God with what happens after you plant the seed.

Learn more about James Finke, his books, and his work at AuthorJamesFinke.com.

James also created a Christian Author's Toolkit with resources for anyone interested in writing and independently publishing Christian books. Visit AuthorJamesFinke.com/Blake.

Live Action Network

Live Action works to reach women facing unexpected pregnancies with life-affirming information, resources, and hope when they need it most.

To support their work, text BLAKE to 70723 or visit LiveAction.org/donate/Blake.

CrowdHealth

CrowdHealth provides a community-powered alternative to traditional health insurance, including access to bill negotiation, lower-cost prescriptions, and healthcare resources.

Get your first three months for $99 using code SPEAKEASY at JoinCrowdHealth.com.

CrowdHealth is not health insurance.

#TheSpeakeasyPodcast #JamesFinke #ChristianApologetics #Apologetics #ChristianPodcast #Faith #Jesus #TheGospel #Christianity #Bible #SharingYourFaith #GreatCommission #CrowdHealth #LiveAction

In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on what happens when we finally begin to heal. What if joy, playfulness, and whimsy aren't distractions from a serious life with Jesus, but actually evidence that we're getting better? Over the past year, God has been teaching me to slow down and rediscover the enjoyment of life. I spent years understanding the Christian life through suffering and perseverance, but He's showing me another truth: He created us to experience joy too.

This past year has required dismantling identities I built and allowing God to tear down what I could never dismantle myself. Healing can feel violent. But somewhere in the cracks, I began noticing flowers. A candle while I work. Tea on a rainy afternoon. Being present enough to actually recognize a beautiful moment while it's happening. Learning to rest was ultimately learning to trust, and I'm discovering that whimsy doesn't mean ignoring suffering, it means noticing God's goodness while you're still walking through the hard things.

Sometimes the flowers grow right through the cracks.

CrowdHealth

CrowdHealth offers a community-powered alternative to traditional health insurance. Members receive access to resources including bill negotiation, lower-cost prescriptions, and vetted doctor lists. When larger healthcare expenses arise, members contribute through the CrowdHealth community.

Get your first three months for $99 using code SPEAKEASY at JoinCrowdHealth.com.

CrowdHealth is not health insurance.

#TheSpeakeasyPodcast #BlakeGuichet #Whimsy #ChristianLiving #ChristianPodcast #Healing #BiblicalJoy #Rest #Faith #RootedHope #TrustGod #CrowdHealth

What if one of the most powerful things you could do for your marriage is also one of the simplest, and most overlooked?

In this episode of The Speakeasy Podcast, I sit down with Brad and Heidi Mitchell of Build Your Marriage for an honest, practical conversation about praying together as a married couple and why this simple spiritual rhythm can have such a profound impact on a relationship.

Brad and Heidi have been married for more than four decades, but their story hasn't been without difficult seasons. They share how they met as teenagers, navigated the rocky early years of marriage, and eventually faced one of the deepest betrayals a marriage can experience: infidelity.

Their story is ultimately one of forgiveness, reconciliation, and God's ability to restore what feels completely broken.

CrowdHealth

CrowdHealth offers a community-powered alternative to traditional health insurance. Members receive access to resources including bill negotiation, lower-cost prescriptions and testing, and doctor recommendations. When larger healthcare expenses arise, members contribute through the CrowdHealth community.

Get your first three months for $99 with code SPEAKEASY at JoinCrowdHealth.com.

CrowdHealth is not health insurance.

#TheSpeakeasyPodcast #BuildYourMarriage #ChristianMarriage #Marriage #Prayer #PrayingTogether #ChristianPodcast #MarriageAdvice #Faith #Jesus #BradAndHeidiMitchell #CrowdHealth

What happens when you've achieved everything the world says should make you happy, and you're still empty?

In this episode of The Speakeasy Podcast, I sit down with baseball legend and ordained minister, Darryl Strawberry, for a powerful conversation about surrender, grace, obedience, and the transformation that happens when Jesus becomes Lord over every part of your life. Darryl is a four-time World Series champion and eight-time All-Star, but today, he says the most important part of his story isn't what happened on the baseball field. It's what happened when a man who seemingly had everything finally surrendered his heart to Jesus.

Live Action reaches women facing unexpected pregnancies with life-affirming truth, resources, and hope. You can help support their work by texting BLAKE to 70723 or visiting LiveAction.org/donate/Blake.

CrowdHealth offers a community-powered alternative to traditional health insurance. Members receive access to bill negotiation, lower-cost prescriptions and testing, vetted doctors, and community support for larger healthcare expenses. Get your first three months for $99 with code SPEAKEASY at JoinCrowdHealth.com. CrowdHealth is not health insurance.

If you're feeling stressed, exhausted, and disconnected, it might not be because life is too busy—it might be because your priorities are out of order.

In this solo episode, I share a deeply personal lesson God has been teaching me over the past year: there is a biblical order to where our time, energy, attention, and devotion belong. After a season where work and ministry had climbed to the top of my priorities, God gave me a vision showing just how disordered my life had become. Then the board changed, revealing a simple order that would begin reshaping everything: God. Spouse. Children. Community. Ministry.

I walk through each of these five areas and share what I'm learning about putting them back in their proper place, not through perfection or another checklist, but through surrender and obedience.

Episodes Mentioned:

• Ep. 407 - Navigating Change: How God's Shifted My Entire Life
• Ep. 411 - Where Do I Start? (Bible Reading, Journaling, & Staying Rooted)

Bible Verses:

• Matthew 22:37 — Love the Lord your God with everything you have — the first and greatest commandment
• Psalm 27:4 — One thing sought above all else — dwelling with God
• Genesis 2:24 — The covenant of marriage — two becoming one
• Proverbs 31:11-12 — The wife who brings her husband good all the days of her life
• Psalm 127:3 — Children as heritage and gift, not achievement or identity
• Deuteronomy 6:6-7 — Faith impressed on children through the ordinary moments of life
• Hebrews 10:24-25 — The call to genuine, embodied community
• Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 — Two are better than one — the value of real relationship
• Mark 8:36 — The cost of gaining the world while neglecting what matters
• Matthew 6:33 — Seek first the kingdom — the right order always starts with Him

## Sponsors **CrowdHealth** CrowdHealth offers a community-powered alternative to traditional health insurance, giving members access to bill negotiation, lower-cost prescriptions and testing, vetted doctors, and support when larger medical expenses arise. Get started for $99 for your first three months at

**JoinCrowdHealth.com** using code **SPEAKEASY**. CrowdHealth is not health insurance.

**Live Action** Live Action works to reach women considering abortion with life-affirming information, support, and hope before a decision is made. Your support can help put resources in front of women searching for answers when they need them most. Text **BLAKE** to **70723** or visit **LiveAction.org/donate/Blake** to support their work.

How do we raise kids who actually want to come to us with the hard questions?

In this episode of The Speakeasy Podcast, I sat down with Kate Henderson, co-founder of Gather Moms, to talk about intentional motherhood and navigating conversations our parents never had to have. Our children are constantly receiving messages from everywhere, so if we want to shape their worldview, we have to start meaningful conversations first.

Kate and I discuss practical ways to make those conversations feel natural, and why asking questions is often better than giving answers. We also tackle gender and sexuality, and the complicated world of screens and social media.

What matters most is creating a home where questions are safe and your children know they can come back to you. You don't need to have every answer, you just need to keep showing up and pointing them toward Jesus.

Just Thrive

Your gut health impacts so much more than digestion—it affects your energy, immune system, brain function, and overall well-being. Just Thrive's clinically proven probiotic is designed to arrive in your gut 100% alive, helping support whole-body health. Visit JustThriveHealth.com/Blake and use promo code BLAKE to save 20% on your first order.

CrowdHealth

CrowdHealth is a community-powered alternative to traditional health insurance, helping members navigate healthcare expenses with transparent pricing, bill negotiation support, and personalized care advocates. Learn more at JoinCrowdHealth.com and use promo code SPEAKEASY.

#TheSpeakeasyPodcast #KateHenderson #GatherMoms #ChristianParenting #IntentionalParenting #Motherhood #FaithAndFamily #JustThrive #CrowdHealth

I sat down with Susan Peters, CEO of Unbound Now, to discuss the myths that keep people from recognizing trafficking and how we can respond when something doesn't seem right. Susan explains that trafficking rarely looks like movies portray it. Instead, victims are often groomed over time through manipulation and relationships with people they already know.

Susan and I discuss how parents, teachers, coaches, and community members can recognize warning signs and what to do when something doesn't seem right. We also talk about the hope found in restoration and how survivors can heal with compassionate support.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or someone who wants to make a difference, this conversation equips you with practical knowledge and encourages you to become a safe, attentive presence in your community.

Sponsor: CrowdHealth

CrowdHealth is a community-powered alternative to traditional health insurance that helps members navigate medical expenses with transparent pricing, bill negotiation, and personalized support. Visit JoinCrowdHealth.com and use promo code SPEAKEASY to receive your introductory offer.

#TheSpeakeasyPodcast #Episode422 #HumanTraffickingAwareness #UnboundNow #SusanPeters #ProtectTheVulnerable #Parenting #FaithAndCulture #CrowdHealth

On today's episode, I have a conversation with Steven Rofrano, founder of Ancient Crunch, to unpack the growing conversation around seed oils, processed foods, and how the modern food system impacts our health. Steven's childhood health struggles led him to question the foods most of us consume every day.

Together we discuss why families are rethinking processed foods, what seed oils are and why they became so prevalent in America, and the contrast between American food culture and more traditional approaches found in Europe. We also talk about paying attention to how food makes you feel instead of accepting poor health as normal.

Steven and I encourage you not to get overwhelmed by every new health trend, but to make thoughtful, sustainable changes that support long-term wellness. This episode offers practical encouragement to ask better questions about the food we consume every day.

Sponsor: CrowdHealth

Healthcare doesn't have to be confusing or controlled by the traditional insurance system. CrowdHealth is a community-powered alternative that helps members manage medical expenses with transparent pricing, bill negotiation support, and personalized care advocates. Learn more at JoinCrowdHealth.com and use promo code SPEAKEASY to receive your introductory offer.

#TheSpeakeasyPodcast #Episode421 #HealthyLiving #Nutrition #SeedOils #RealFood #FamilyHealth #Wellness #CrowdHealth #AncientCrunch

As we reach the halfway point of the year, I reflect on the importance of slowing down long enough to evaluate where we've been, where we're headed, and how God is shaping us in the process. Rather than chasing constant productivity, I encourage you to embrace the natural rhythms of each season, recognizing that every season has a purpose. Just as creation doesn't bloom year-round, neither are we meant to live at the same pace all the time.

Sponsors: Just Thrive and CrowdHealth

Just Thrive offers clinically proven probiotics designed to support gut health, energy, immunity, and overall wellness. Visit JustThriveHealth.com/Blake and use code BLAKE to save on your first order.

CrowdHealth provides a community-powered alternative to traditional health insurance, helping members navigate healthcare costs with greater transparency and support. Learn more at JoinCrowdHealth.com using code SPEAKEASY.

This episode is an invitation to rethink what a thriving marriage actually looks like. If you've been focused on loving your spouse but wondering how to genuinely like them too, this conversation is for you.

I sat down with Christian counselors Chris and Jamie Bailey of Expedition Marriage to discuss building a marriage where both people are willing to let God transform them. Their story is proof that healthy marriages aren't built by perfect people.

Chris and Jamie share how their relationship began before either knew Christ and how years of anxiety, unhealthy expectations, and emotional struggles nearly derailed their marriage. Jamie opens up about severe anxiety and panic attacks, while Chris discusses the helplessness he felt trying to "fix" something he couldn't control. Together, they explain how counseling, faith, and learning healthier patterns moved them toward healing.

Here are some great resources Chris and Jamie shared to help you on your journey:

For Wives: CLICK HERE

For Husbands: CLICK HERE

Sponsor: CrowdHealth

If you're tired of the traditional health insurance system, CrowdHealth offers a community-based alternative designed to help families access quality healthcare without many of the frustrations of conventional insurance. Learn more at JoinCrowdHealth.com and use code SPEAKEASY for a special offer.

#Marriage #ChristianMarriage #Relationships #ExpeditionMarriage #ChrisAndJamieBailey #TheSpeakeasyPodcast #CrowdHealth #MarriageAdvice #FaithAndFamily