So many parents are quietly exhausted—not because they don’t care, but because they’re trying to be perfect.

In this episode of Encounter Grace, Justin sits down with Susan McKnight to talk about why perfection was never God’s requirement for parenting—and why grace, not performance, is what actually forms healthy kids.

Drawing from Paul David Tripp’s teaching on God’s present grace, Susan helps us reframe parenting as something that happens between the cross and eternity. We explore why God calls unable people to parent, how our weaknesses become invitations to depend on Him, and why parenting is as much about God’s work in us as it is His work in our children.

This conversation is honest, pastoral, and deeply freeing for any parent who has ever felt like they’re failing.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why healthy kids don’t need perfect parents
  

• What “present grace” looks like in everyday parenting
  

• How God uses parenting to expose—and heal—our hearts
  

• Why confession and humility are gifts to our children
  

• The difference between grace-filled parenting and permissiveness
  

If you’re a tired parent, a young family just getting started, or a leader walking with others through the challenges of parenting, this episode offers hope, clarity, and a reminder that God’s grace is not just for salvation—it’s for today.

#ChristianParenting #ParentingWithGrace #GospelCenteredParenting #EncounterGrace #FaithAndFamily #ImperfectParents #HealthyFamilies

Why do the opening pages of the Bible matter so much—for our faith, our lives, and the world we’re trying to love well?In this episode, we introduce a new Encounter Grace segment, “Why This Matters,” where we slow down and revisit foundational truths that quietly shape everything else. And there’s no better place to start than Genesis 1–3—the introduction not only to Scripture, but to reality itself.We explore how these three chapters reveal who God is at the deepest level:Genesis 1 shows us God as Creator, declaring the goodness of the material world.Genesis 2 reveals God as King, calling His people into meaningful, culture-shaping work.Genesis 3 unveils God as Redeemer, displaying grace on the very day sin enters the story.Rather than treating Genesis as abstract theology or a battleground for debates, this episode asks a more personal and practical question: What was God revealing about Himself to His redeemed people—and what is He still revealing to us today?If you’ve ever wondered why creation, culture, work, embodiment, grace, and human dignity matter so much to Christian faith, this conversation will help you see Genesis 1–3 not as distant history, but as a living foundation that brings clarity, hope, and purpose to everyday life.Because when we truly encounter the God who is Creator, King, and Redeemer, it changes how we see the world—and how the world encounters grace through us.#Genesis #BiblicalTheology #ChristianWorldview #BibleStudy #EncounterGrace

We all want change—but most of us don’t know where to start. Big goals feel overwhelming, and trying to change everything at once usually leads to nothing changing at all.In this first episode of our new year-long series, 1 Habit to Change Your Life, we start with the foundation: how habits actually work—and why they quietly determine the shape and direction of your life.Drawing from everyday experience, brain science, and lived wisdom, we explore why your brain is constantly turning repeated actions into autopilot patterns—for better or for worse. Skills become habits. Reactions become habits. Even distractions become habits. And once a habit forms, it begins to lead you.The key insight of this episode is simple but powerful: with focus and intentionality, you can choose which practices your brain turns into habits—and therefore which outcomes your life moves toward.You’ll learn:Why habits conserve mental energy and shape long-term directionHow repeated practices physically change the brain over timeWhy lasting change happens by degrees, not overnightA realistic rhythm for building habits without burnout or overwhelmThen we introduce Habit #1 in the series:Deep Breathing Throughout the DayThis practice may seem small, but it has outsized impact. When emotions rise, the first thing to go is oxygen to the brain. Learning to pause and breathe creates space to think, respond, and choose wisely—rather than react and regret.You’ll be guided through:A simple, repeatable breathing patternWhen to practice it during the dayWhy it calms the body and steadies the mindHow to build it into your daily rhythm until it becomes second natureOur invitation is straightforward:Choose one intentional practice. Do it daily for 40–50 days. Let it become habit. Then build the next one.Over time, small practices compound into meaningful, lasting life change—the kind God often invites us into.#OneHabitToChangeYourLife #ChristianPodcast #SpiritualFormation #HabitFormation #EncounterGracePodcast

In this episode of Encounter Grace, Jason sits down with Dr. Matthew Bingham to explore his deeply insightful book, A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation. Together they unpack the biblical idea of “heart-keeping,” the difference between spiritual formation and sanctification, and why the Puritans still offer such a practical, refreshing vision of everyday discipleship.

Dr. Bingham walks through the classic Reformation pattern of Scripture → Meditation → Prayer, then shows how this rhythm naturally extends into self-examination, the natural world, and Christian relationships. This conversation helps demystify spiritual formation and invites believers into long, steady growth in Christ that engages both the mind and the heart.

Whether you're a pastor, small group leader, or simply hungry for a deeper walk with Jesus, this episode will encourage you and give you a richer framework for daily communion with God.

👉 Get Dr. Bingham’s book here:https://tinyurl.com/heartaflame#SpiritualFormation

#Puritans #ChristianGrowth #MatthewBingham #HeartAflameForGod #SpiritualDiscipline #ChristianLife #ReformedTheology #BibleMeditation #ScriptureAndPrayer #ChristianPodcast #DiscipleshipJourney

What if the key to transforming your relationships is simply learning to recognize the type of conversation you’re actually in?

In this episode of Encounter Grace, Jason and Justin unpack the big ideas from Charles Duhigg’s book Supercommunicators and explore why some people connect instantly—while others constantly talk past each other.

You’ll learn:

✨ The 3 types of conversations happening in every relationship
✨ Why communication fails—even with people you love
✨ How to use looping questions to create attunement
✨ The role of laughter in building trust
✨ The most common mistakes that sabotage conversations
✨ Simple habits that make you a “supercommunicator”

Whether you're navigating holiday family dynamics, leading others, growing in marriage, or trying to love people well in everyday life, these tools will help you have better, more meaningful, and spiritually grounded conversations.

Scripture: James 1:19 — “Quick to listen, slow to speak…”

If this episode encourages you, comment below:
👉 Which type of conversation do you default to—practical, emotional, or social?

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share this with someone who wants healthier relationships.

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Your memories are shaping your faith more than you realize.

Curt Thompson says we don’t actually remember the past — we remember the last version of the past. And those remembered stories become the scripts that guide our reactions, relationships, anxieties, hopes… even how we hear God.

In this episode of Encounter Grace, Jason and Justin explore how God meets us inside our memories to bring healing, reframing, and lasting spiritual formation. Drawing from Curt Thompson’s Anatomy of the Soul, neuroscience, attachment theory, and Scripture, we look at how Jesus can literally rewrite the way we remember our story — and why that matters for your future.

We’ll talk about:

🧠 Why your memories aren’t accurate (and why that matters)

📖 How Scripture uses memory to shape faith

💡 What happens in the brain when we revisit a memory

🙏 How to safely invite Jesus into past moments

⚠️ How to discern the difference between Jesus’ voice and your own thoughts

❌ Why this isn’t “new age” — but deeply biblical

✨ A simple practice for letting God reshape your internal story

Whether you’ve carried painful memories, struggled with shame, or simply wondered how God transforms the inner life, this episode gives a hopeful, grounded way forward.

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Gratitude doesn’t just restore you… it re-stories you.

As we move from Thanksgiving into Advent, we all long for the same four things: peace, hope, joy, and love. But how do we actually cultivate them in real life—not just as ideas on a Christmas card?

In this episode of Encounter Grace, Jason and Justin unpack the surprising key the Bible and neuroscience both point to: gratitude.

Not the vague feeling… the practiced habit.

We explore:

Why gratitude is “ground zero” of the Christian life

How giving thanks literally rewires your brain

Why your mind runs better on joy than on anger, anxiety, or frustration

The difference between restoring you and re-storying you

Why Scripture commands gratitude in all circumstances

Two practical gratitude habits that can change your life

How thanksgiving prepares your heart for Advent

You’ll also learn simple, repeatable practices like verbalizing thanks daily and building Appreciation Memories—habits that reset your emotional state, strengthen your identity in Christ, and help you live with more calm, hope, and joy.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, distracted, or spiritually numb, this might be the episode that opens the “front door” again to a warm, grounded life with God.

Listen now to learn how gratitude unlocks the life God designed you for.

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When God is the perfect communicator and His Word isunchanging… why do Christians so often disagree about what He’s saying?

In this episode Jason and Justin unpack the trajectory of theology—how God’s truth is revealed and then received through five key filters: Tradition, Culture, Reason, Experience, and Personal Temperament.

You’ll see why no one reads the Bible in a vacuum, how yourbackground and personality color your theology, and why recognizing your filters can actually deepen your confidence in God’s Word rather than weaken it.

🔍 In this episode we explore:

➡️ Why sincere Christians can read the same verse and land in different places

➡️ How your theological tradition quietly sets your “starting point”

➡️ The way culture (time, place, and social norms) shapes what feels “normal” or “obvious”

➡️ Why reason is a gift from God for understanding Scripture, not the enemy of faith

➡️ How experience can both clarify and distort what you believe about God

➡️ The role of personality/temperament in what you notice, emphasize, and apply

 ➡️ How paying attention to your filters can protect you from tribalism and “us vs. them” thinking

If you’ve ever wondered, “What are my filters?” or “How canI read my Bible with better lenses?” this conversation will help you wrestle honestly, think more clearly, and love God and His people more deeply.

Ever felt like your faith just isn’t working anymore? Like what used to bring you close to God now feels dry or confusing? You’re not alone.

In this episode of Encounter Grace, Jason and Justin unpack “The Critical Journey” by Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich — a powerful roadmap of the six stages of faith that every believer walks through on the journey toward maturity and love.

You’ll learn:
 The six stages of faith and how to recognize where you are
 Why many Christians hit the Wall — and how to move through it with grace

How God uses seasons of confusion, silence, and surrender to deepen your faith

What it looks like to live from love, not performance

Whether you’re just beginning your walk with God or you’ve been following Him for decades, this episode will help you make sense of your spiritual journey — and remind you that God is still at work, even when you can’t see it.

#faith #spiritualgrowth #spiritualformation #faithjourney

It feels like we’re shouting past each other more than ever. Politics, social issues, even church debates — conversations turn into conflicts faster than ever before. But what if there was a way to disagree without destroying relationships?

In this episode of Encounter Grace, Jason and Justin unpack how Christians can navigate polarization with wisdom, humility, and grace. They’ll explore why we’re so divided, what faithful dialogue looks like, and how to practice it in your own conversations.

You’ll learn:
 The psychological reasons behind polarization and “tribal thinking”
 What it means to practice charitable listening and emotional regulation
 Practical tools for de-escalating tension and staying relational
 How to reframe disagreement as an opportunity for growth
 Why faithful dialogue is essential for Christian witness in a divided world

 Whether you’re tired of arguments online or struggling to talk with family members who see things differently, this episode will give you the tools to build bridges—not walls.

#disagreement #conflict #politics #culture