Embracing Brokenness

Here we go again. Another messy situation to navigate in the middle of all the chaos. We have to stay connected to the vine and gather our tribe to work out our faith in the face of unexpected difficulties.

In this podcast, our team discusses how to approach the messy middle with the community of Christ.

One of the greatest challenges we as Christ-followers face is how to then navigate our daily lives in concert with him. Life gets messy in a hurry. Jesus was clear, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)

In this podcast episode, the team here at Embracing Brokenness discuss what that means in our lives, with a perspective that may help you to see the mess in the middle as an opportunity to grow in your journey with Christ.

With January nearly in the rearview mirror, we can see just how quickly life passes. Early on we gathered our team to talk about Spiritual Practices that each of us engages in to help kick-start the new year and provide clarity from God for what's next. 

Listen in to the second episode in our 2-part podcast series as we discuss spiritual practices that will be helpful in any season.

Here we are, 2024! We all have expectations heading into the new year. Some of us with a positive outlook, others do not. God has a plan though. As we open 2024 we gathered our team to talk about Spiritual Practices that each of us engages in to help kick-start the new year and provide clarity from God for what's next.  

Listen in to this 2-part podcast series to garner a few tips for starting 2024 with a focus on God and His purposes for you.

Joni Eareckson Tada joins Alisa Childers on our first podcast of 2024.  A diving accident left her quadriplegic at a young age. Yet through it all God has been faithful. After two years of struggling through depression and rehabilitation, she emerged with new skills and a fresh determination to help others in similar situations. 

Joni is a beloved Christian author, speaker and an internationally renowned advocate for people with disabilities. She is Founder and CEO of Joni and Friends, a Christian organization known for sharing hope through hardship within the disability community. Located in Agoura Hills, California, the Joni and Friends International Disability Center serves as hub for a global outreach which impacts hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities and their families.  

Pick up her latest book, The Practice of the Presence of Jesus, Daily Meditations on the Nearness of Our Savior

God's given each of us gifting and a purpose. Scott Wozniak joins Steve on the podcast to share his heart for people, business, and ministry straight from his latest book, Make Your Brand Legendary. Jesus certainly made his brand legendary as the Savior of the world. He also empowered us to live like He did. We simply need to invite Him into our journey. How? Listen in as Scott shares his story.

Get his latest book here: https://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Brand-Legendary-Experience/dp/B0CBHH58SY/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1701372010&sr=8-1

Learn more at https://www.scottwozniak.com/

Scott Wozniak, CEO of Swoz Consulting, has consulted with leaders on six continents, including Silicon Valley startups, multi-generation family enterprises and Fortune 500 companies. Scott is a member Mensa (international high IQ society), reads over 200 books each year and has written four books. His latest book, Make Your Brand Legendary, debuted at #1 on Amazon in the customer category. He also spent eight years as an employee at the Chick-fil-A headquarters, working on company-wide upgrades and though he is not an employee there anymore, he regularly consults with their leaders. Before becoming a business consultant, Scott was a ministry leader, from youth ministry to music ministry to serving as a senior pastor. Before all of that, Scott performed on stages all over the United States for 18 years a child actor (including a Christmas special on NBC). Scott lives in Atlanta with his wife and four children. In his spare time, he pushes his boundaries through a variety of extreme sports, from heli-skiing to kitesurfing.

We have much to be thankful for and plenty to be concerned about in a world filled with chaos. But God calls us to unity in purpose and oneness with Him. The time is short. Jesus' return is imminent.

How are you investing your energy?

On today's podcast, we look at the challenges we face in a world that wars against us and our purpose in it all.

Bonus PDF attached for a little Thanksgiving fun around the dinner table.

https://embracingbrokenness.org/thanksgiving-download/

Our journey as Believers in Christ can seem long and arduous. We get stuck in places we never knew existed. God intends for us to develop a deeper intimacy with Him but we lose sight of His goodness and grace. Jesus’ greatest commands seem illusive yet He provides the antidote. Working harder to garner His love is not the solution.

On today’s podcast, Steve and Colleen delve deeper into the stuckness and solutions toward a deeper relationship with Christ.

Link to Barna Study Summary

https://embracingbrokenness.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Research-on-How-God-Transforms-Lives-Reveals-a-10-Stop-Journey-Barna-Group.pdf

Link to Maximum Faith - George Barna

https://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Faith-George-Barna/dp/0983172900/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1699035027&sr=8-1

With the unrest we see in the Middle East and around the world, there's no better time than this for Shalom, Shalom. Peace be with you. Nothing missing. Nothing broken.

God has called each of us to live by the rules of the Kingdom today not just on the New Earth.

It's the operating system that God built into each of us from the very beginning.

Colleen shared her thoughts on being a culture of blessing in the Shalom of God's Kingdom during a presentation to our friends at Scott Mission in Toronto, Canada.