‘Adoption is often framed by happy narratives, but the reality is that many adoptees struggle with unaddressed trauma and issues of identity and belonging'. 

Brent is joined by Cameron Lee Small to talk about his new IVP book ‘The Adoptee’s Journey: From Loss and Trauma to Healing and Empowerment’.

Cameron is himself an adoptee. He faced his own tumultuous search for and reunion with his mother in Korea.  Cameron is now a licensed clinical counsellor, and mental health advocate based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  He was born in Korea and relinquished into foster care at age 3.  He was then adopted in 1984 to a family in the States.  His private practice, ‘Therapy Redeemed’ specializes in the mental health needs of adoptees and their families wherever they may be in their own adoption journey.  

Links mentioned in this episode:

www.amazon.com.au/dp/1514007045?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

www.ivpress.com/lifeguide-bible-studies

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

How do we think about faith and doubt in an everchanging world?

Brent is joined by Jennifer Holberg to discuss Alfred Lord Tennyson and his massive poem ‘In Memorium’.

Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing.  She’s also the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’.  

• (1:35) Who was Tennyson?

Links mentioned in this episode:

www.amazon.com.au/dp/1514005247?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

calvin.edu/people/jennifer-l-holberg

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

‘The history of the theology of worship is riddled with examples of clergy and worship leaders who have sought to manipulate their parishioners’ anxiety in order to spur repentance and turn people toward God.  Even if such ends may be desirable – at what cost’?

Brent talks with J. Michael Jordan about his new IVP book ‘Worship in an Age of Anxiety: How Churches Can Create Space for Healing’.

Rev. Dr. J. Michael Jordan is an ordained Wesleyan pastor with eleven years of pastoral ministry experience in United Methodist, American Baptist and Wesleyan churches.  He currently serves as associate professor of Bible and Theology at Houghton College.    

• (1:00) An age of anxiety;

Links mentioned in this episode:

www.amazon.com.au/dp/1514006103?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

/ivpress.com

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

What can trigger grief? Does your grief feel too much to bear?

Brent talks with Steve Carter about his new book from Thomas Nelson ‘Grieve, Breathe, Receive: Finding a Faith Strong Enough to Hold Us’.

Steve is a pastor, speaker, author, podcast host, and the former lead teaching pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago.  He hosts the Craft and Character Podcast, where he helps people get better at the art and craft of communication while ensuring their character always leads the way.  An avid sports fan, Steve has co-hosted with ESPN sports anchor Samantha Ponder, NFL Player Sam Acho and Trey Burton The Home Team Podcast, which unpacks the intersection between faith, culture, sports and family.  

• (1:35) Personal expressions of grief;

Links mentioned in this episode:

.stevecarter.org/book

/www.amazon.com.au/dp/0785235612?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

/www.thomasnelson.com

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

Instead of resigning ourselves to a life of isolation and judgement, should we embrace the notion that we can stand proudly in our uniqueness, fully blooming into the remarkable beings that we were always meant to be?

Brent talks with Cally Logan the author of a new Bridge-Logos Publishers book called ‘The Wallflower that Bloomed: Finding Your Place at the Lunch Table of Life’.

Cally is an author and senior writer for Crosswalk.  She’s been featured on shows like the ‘700 Club Initiative’ and her writing has appeared in numerous outlets including Christine Caine’s ‘Propel Women’.  Cally served as a mentor to young women for several years, and enjoys challenging ladies to develop deeper relationshps with God and to live fearlessly and authentically.     

• (1:20) A wallflower;

Links mentioned in this episode:

callylogan.com

www.amazon.com.au/dp/1610369955?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

/www.bridgelogos.com

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

‘Everyone who met Dallas Willard was impressed by his personal attention, calm confidence, wisdom, and profound sense of the spiritual.  But he was not always the man who seemed to live on a different plane of reality than the rest of us’.

Brent talks with Gary Moon about the new paperback edition of his IVP biography ‘Becoming Dallas Willard: The Formation of a Philosopher, Teacher, and Christ Follower’.

Gary is director of the Martin Family Institute and Dallas Willard Center for Christian Spiritual Formation at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.  He is also co-director of Fuller’s doctor of ministry degree program in spiritual direction wich blends ancient Christian spirituality, Ignation spirituality and spiritual formation insights from Dallas Willard.  

• (1:10) Who was Dallas Willard?

Links mentioned in this episode:

www.amazon.com.au/Becoming-Dallas-Willard-Formation-Philosopher/dp/1514011131/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&q

/www.westmont.edu/about/institutes-and-centers/martin-institute/dallas-willard-research-center

www.ivpress.com/lifeguide-bible-studies

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

‘We often see setbacks and disasters as events that keep us from our best life.  But they’re really opportunities to grow in leadership’.

Brent talks with Gayle Beebe about his new IVP book ‘The Crucibles that Shape Us: Navigating the Defining Challenges of Leadership’.

Gayle has been president of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California since 2007; previously he was president of Spring Arbor University in Michigan.  He’s spent more than 3 decades in higher education and has written or edited 10 books and more than 40 articles.    

• (1:05) Disasters and what they teach us;

Links mentioned in this episode:

www.amazon.com.au/dp/1514008068?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

Brent talks with Patricia Weerakoon about her ‘Growing Faith’ book ‘The Best Sex for Life’.

Patricia is a counsellor, sexologist and academic.  She trained in medicine at the University of Sri Lanka and did her postgraduate study in sexology at the University of Hawaii.  She taught at Sydney University where she was the director of an internationally recognised postgraduate programme in sexual health.  She’s also a popular conference speaker and the author of several books.  

• (1:00) What is the best sex for life?

Links mentioned in this episode:

www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01KP9RCC4?ref_=mr_referred_us_au_nz

patriciaweerakoon.com

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

In the second part of our podcast about the movie ‘The Train’ Brent talks with Michelle Young about the art curator featured in the movie – Rose Valland.

Michelle is the author of a forthcoming book from Harper One, an imprint of Harper Collins, about the World War 2 Resistance spy.  The book will be issued in May 2025 and will be called ‘The Art Spy’.

Michelle is the founder of ‘Untapped New York’ and the author of a number of books about the city.  She’s professor of architecture at Columbia University GSAPP and an instructor at CUNY School of Journalism.    

• (1:05) How Michelle got interested in Rose Valland and World War 2;

Links mentioned in this episode:

michelleyoungwriter.com

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.

Is it ever justified to sacrifice a human life to save a work of art?

Brent is joined by Hannah Long to discuss the 1964 movie ‘The Train’ starring Burt Lancaster and Paul Scofield.

The first part of a two part feature – the second part will drop in a couple of days! In the second part, Brent interviews author Michelle Young about Rose Valland, the World War 2 Resistance spy whose book became the basis for ‘The Train’.

Hannah is a passionate cinephile.  She writes cultural commentary and film criticism for a number of publications including ‘The Dispatch’, ‘Angelus News’, ‘American Consequences’ and ‘The Bulwark’.

• (1:00) ‘The Train’ and John Frankenheimer;

Links mentioned in this episode:

x.com/HannahGraceLong

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Thanks to our sponsors, Liquid Edge Creative who take care of the technical stuff behind the scenes.