EXTRAordinary Lives

Steve is honest about his "epic failures" and grateful that God has intervened in his life to surprisingly use these downfalls to help him flourish. You'll hear about his heart to help others answer questions about the Christian faith, and learn about how he got that 3-inch gash on his noggin. 

Steve mentions the book, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. He also appreciates the insights into Christianity presented by the organization, Stand to Reason. Check them out at https://www.str.org/

Debbie sees following Christ as a “wild ride” with a faithful, loving Companion. She has devoted her life to growing in her relationship with God and, even though she has experienced some difficult trials these past few years, she has remained stalwart in her faith and has seen God’s extraordinary provision. To know Debbie is to love her sweet big smile, her caring heart, and her peaceful spirit.

Podcast notes: In the podcast, Debbie mentions a quote by author and speaker, Karen Burton Mains, and these verses from the Bible, "Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you" (1 Peter 5:7), "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7) and from the Living Bible version, "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand." Debbie also mentions the verse from John 16:33: "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" and Hebrews 13:5, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 

You can't miss Jeff's giant heart for people and his love of learning and teaching, especially about theology, which he has lived out while walking through some painful circumstances such as his daughter, Sophia, only living 13 days, and his wife of 30 years being diagnosed with and treated for stage 3+ cancer. Jeff is a deep thinker, and his ideas on education are refreshing and uplifting. He certainly enriched my heart for education and my students when he was my boss at Horizon Prep. He is now the Head of School at Calvin Christian School in Escondido, California.

Jeff mentions some valuable resources: the song, "Imago Dei" by Sean Feucht, the books Its Not About Me by Max Lucado and The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis (which is an intriguing story about heaven, and is not about marriage), and the podcast entitled, "Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life." He also recommends the book by Paul David Tripp, Awe: Why It Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do.

Hayley and Micah Lyle live an extraordinary life centered around an authentic and deeply personal relationship with Jesus. Hear their stories about God's supernatural work in their lives during good times and hard times including stories of being freed from a gaming addiction, joining together in a revival at their Christian high school, witnessing miracles at UC Berkeley, and seeing God work in unexpected ways at a Bible school in Germany and at a non-profit fighting against labor trafficking in India. Get ready for some impacting insights!

Hear the podcast on Spotify, Apple, Google, Stitcher, or on my website, www.extraordinary.live. On the website, you can also read Hayley's short story about Raj, an Untouchable, that inspired her to write his autobiography. 

Dom is a talented musician who was offered several major recording contracts as a teen. But he was wise enough to see where that road could lead. Instead, through a series of interesting turns, he is currently the Pastor of Worship and Families at Seacoast Community Church. Be aware, though, that his definition of worship is down-to-earth. It's simple and intentional, living out Jesus to our world, which is desperate for Him. You'll love his story, and you'll be enlightened about how easy and practical true worship can be and encouraged to simply, practically, and literally love your neighbor.

Dom takes his definition of worship from the Message version of Romans, 12:1 - "So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering." He and his family live out this directive, and you'll learn about practical ways you can do the same. 

Check out Dom's podcast with Matt Carlson, "Grow Love Live"! Dom also mentions the book, Family on Mission, by Mike and Sally Breen. 

In this interview, you’ll hear about how God can use clogged sinks in Rome and the importance of not comparing yourself to others. I admire Lauren's strong sense of belief. She is unwavering and is compelled by Christ's love to tell others about Him. Lauren has served on Cru staff in Kansas, Rome, and now, San Diego. She admits her personality can sway toward being anxious; yet, this trait is countered by a strong sense of trust and belief in Jesus. You'll see these opposites played out in her stories, all told in her confident and humble manner, full of faithfulness.

Matt Davis is the Principal at Horizon Prep in Rancho Santa Fe where he directs the elementary, middle school, and high school. But be sure to call these the Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric Schools because it's a Classical Christian school. I was an English teacher there for 9 years and loved working with Matt. In fact, everyone does because he is beyond gracious - as you'll note at the end of the podcast - plus humble, kind, responsible, dedicated, and wise. You'll hear some fun and insightful stories about how God has worked in his life such as meeting his wife as they collided for a frisbee, being hired at HP through a friend of a friend of a friend, and climbing 14,500+ foot Mt. Whitney multiple times - why not?!