MATTHEWS grew up in South Africa, and experienced the effects of Apartheid. His childhood was filled with places he wasn't allowed to go because of his skin color, and he had difficult family dynamics as well.  And yet, through it all, he found purpose in the darkness.  He now helps other people find their purpose in hard times, and creates  authentic, soulful music that reminds people that light can always be found even in the darkest moments.

Connect with MATTHEWS here or check out his website here.

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM out of Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to listen and connect here!

You have questions, we have answers.  The Ask Me Anything is back!  This was a fun batch of questions, all submitted by listeners.  We answer questions on everything from gnomes and trolls to animals hosting radio shows and even Aaron's mom wanting to know what Matt REALLY thinks of Aaron.  This is a short, fun episode that will put a smile on your face!

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM from Bakersfield, CA.  You can send us your own questions or comments any time here!     

Or find all the ways to listen and connect here!

Faith can be hard sometimes just by itself, but can feel near impossible when dealing with hurt and trauma.  Jason Gray has been making hopeful and encouraging music for over 20 years, but has faced some real hurt and trauma. This is a raw and honest conversation is also relatable, and it carries a lot of hope through it.  Jason Gray is a great musician, but also just a great human being.

Be sure to check out Jason's music (including the new acoustic album) as well as concert dates ands ways to connect here.

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to listen and connect here!

Sometimes, the line between being divisive and being truthful is hard to find.  Sometimes division is used as an excuse to not be truthful, but on the other side, truth can be misused to needlessly divide.  Confused yet?  We talk to our long time friend and musician Nate Parrish, who has spent some time on this, especially having gone through some real church hurt.  Nate is a rock musician, a worship leader, an artist, and an excellent communicator, and brings fun and depth to the conversation!

Find Nate's latest music, videos and news here.   You can also connect with him here on Facebook.

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to connect and listen here!

The Christian music industry was completely shaken be the recent accusations towards Newsboys lead singer Michael Tait, which he confessed to.

This has left a lot of people angry, confused, even resentful.  We wanted to have a level headed discussion about when an artist (or pastor or leader) falls, so we invited two important voices on this; Chris Hauser, who is a well established music promoter in the industry, and Jon Engen, who is a pastor and psychologist.  We are able to take both an inside look at the situation, and a ministry based approached.

Please note that while this episode does not contain any explicit details, it does reference drug use and sexual abuse, so listener discretion is advised for younger listeners. 

It seems to be a constant for us all.  There is stress at work, stress at home, stress when you turn on the news.  We know it's bad for us, but how can we avoid that feeling?  What can we do to minimize stress in every day life?  We brought back our friend and psychologist Jon Engen to talk about practical ideas to manage and avoid that every day stress that seems to be around every corner.  This is an episode we ALL can relate to!

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to listen and connect here!

Every industry has its fads, phases, and even disruptions.  We talked with the owner of CCM magazine, Logan Sekulow, about some of the trends and times that really stuck out in CCM history.  For those who have been around Christian music a long time, this will be a trip down memory lane, and for those who are newer, it's a fun look at what made the industry what it is today!  And this episode is FULL of fun CCM facts you likely didn't know!

Be sure to check out the new CCM Magazine here!  With LOTS of big things coming to that site!

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, California.  You can find all the ways to listen and connect here!

As humans, we are wired for stories.  We resonate emotionally and even spiritually through stories. Why do we resonate so deeply with them, and how can we ourselves be better story tellers in every day life?  Matt talks with movie producer Josh Walsh (I Can Only Imagine 1&2, Jesus Revolution, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever) about why stories matter, and why every one of us is a story teller.

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to connect and listen here!

And be sure to check out all the movies (including what's coming next) from Kingdom Story Company!

On one hand, we know the Bible says to not only love our neighbor (and the poor, and the outcast, and marginalized) but also to love our enemy.  On the other hand, at SOME point, you can only give so much.  Where and how do we find the balance between loving those around us, and creating healthy boundaries?  We welcome back our friend, pastor, and psychologist Jon Engen to help walk through this in an episode that should take some weight off your shoulders!

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  You can find all the ways to listen and connect here!

We have decades of experience interviewing others and getting their stories: artists, pastors, local leaders, actors... but what if we pointed the mics at each other?

This episode, we attempt to ask each other questions we haven't been asked before, and use those years of experience to ask each other some tough and unexpected questions.  

Consider It Joy is a production of 88.3 Life FM in Bakersfield, CA.  Find all the ways to listen and connect here!