Halfway There

Halfway There

By Eric NevinsSociety & CultureReligion & SpiritualityChristianitySpiritualityPersonal Journals
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Halfway There episodes

  • 254: Shā Sparks and Finding Purpose

    Shā Sparks is the CEO (Chief Excitement Officer) of Sparks of Fire International, a Certified Fearless Living Coach and Trainer, host of The Power of Investing in People Podcast, and Co-Founder of #FIRESTARTERS Book Project. Today, Shā shares how she spent much of her life without love and waiting to die, how she broke up with alcohol, and why she decided to pray for herself. Shā also tells us how God led her into her calling helping other as a coach. Her story reminds us that learning to receive love is an important part of the journey.

    Listen to Shā’s story now!

    Stories Shā shared:

    • Spending many years wanting to die
  • Why she chose the title “Chief Excitement Officer”
  • Growing up on a farm in Central Iowa
  • Her dad’s anger at home and how it started depression in her
  • Having a kegger at 11 year old
  • Dealing with suicidal ideation
  • Feeling that the Lord was always with her even in her darkest time
  • Sensing the devil speaking to her
  • Giving her life to Christ after a DUI at 16
  • Realizing that she needed to leave her abusive relationship
  • Deciding to pray for herself instead
  • Getting counseling to discover herself for the first time
  • Contemplating the love of God
  • Getting into coaching to help women out of abusive relationships

    • Great quotes from Shā:

    I was so giving that I forgot to give to myself.

    I thought if I had needs, I was a bad person. The reality is we all have needs.

    Love is what really surprised me.

    When you are working to heal, you are working on your purpose.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Shā’s website
  • FIRESTARTERS: How to Be a Spark of Hope in the Midst of Change by Sha Sparks
  • Women Who Love Too Much: When You Keep Wishing and Hoping He’ll Change by Robin Norwood
  • Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life by Henry Cloud and John Townsend

    • Related episodes:

    • Paul Sohn and Finding Your God-Given Purpose
  • Idella Kercher and God’s Abundant Provision
  • Marc Schelske and the Wisdom of Your Heart

    • The post Shā Sparks and Finding Purpose appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    49 min
  • 253: Chuck DeGroat and Invitation to Obscurity

    Chuck DeGroat is professor of pastoral care and Christian Spirituality at Western Theological Seminary and author of When Narcissism Comes to Church. Today, Chuck shares about dealing with anxiety his entire life, pursuing a life of influence, and how stepping back from that helped him find wholeness. Chuck also discusses the brokenness that so many pastors experience and how we can facilitate wholeness. Chuck’s story reminds us that honesty is the key to walking with the Lord.

    Listen to Chuck’s story now!

    Stories Chuck shared:

    • Growing up on Long Island, NY
  • Experiencing anxiety as a kid
  • The chaotic nature of his religious world as a child
  • Why he was drawn to Calvinism
  • Going to Dort College to find a softer version of reformed faith
  • Moving to Chicago and having a bit of a faith crisis
  • Feeling like he should go to seminary in Florida
  • Reaching the height of anxiety while in seminary
  • Going to see the professor of counseling
  • Deciding to get a degree in counseling to buy some time
  • Getting called out for flirting with a client
  • Taking a job at a church plant and getting fired years later
  • Moving to San Francisco and a new kind of anxiety and busyness
  • Getting counseling that picked up the fractured pieces
  • Why we get so many narcissistic pastors

    • Great quotes from Chuck:

    We all at some level have to reckon with our own dividedness.

    We are all walking contradictions.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Chuck’s website
  • When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community From Emotional and Spiritual Abuse
  • Wholeheartedness: Busyness, Exhaustion, and Healing the Divided Self
  • Toughest People to Love: How to Understand, Lead, and Love the Difficult People in Your Life — Including Yourself
  • The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill

    • Related episodes:

    • Jeff Munroe and Stewarding Your Pain
  • Kristin Kobes Du Mez and Knowing Christian History
  • Laura Barringer & Scot McKnight on Becoming an Agent of Tov

    • The post Chuck DeGroat and Invitation to Obscurity appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    1 hr 5 min
  • 252: Cherlyn Decker and Learning to Roar

    Cherlyn Decker is a best-selling author, speaker, and coach. Today, Cherlyn shares how she spent her life trying to achieve, how it all came crashing down when she lost her job, and the steps took through the spiritual desert. Cherlyn also tells us how she ended up with a spiritual director and how that helped her during a tough time. Cherlyn’s story reminds us that the Lord often takes away our self-made and protective identities to show us our true selves.

    Listen to Cherlyn’s story now!

    Stories Cherlyn shared:

    • Growing up in Washington DC
  • Giving her life to Christ at youth camp
  • Learning to hear God’s voice on a regular basis
  • Surrendering her law career
  • Meeting her husband at church during law school
  • Receiving directional dreams from the Lord
  • Hiring a spiritual director for help
  • Why we have to go through the desert
  • Getting rid of a poverty mindset
  • How she sees herself today
  • Why she wrote her book ROAR Back

    • Great quotes from Cherlyn:

    I’m extremely mouthy with the Lord.

    I never knew I was going to struggle with who I was.

    God really does the best transformation work.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Cherlyn’s website
  • ROAR Back: Transforming Struggle Into Strength by Cherlyn Decker

    • Related episodes:

    • Patrick Meyers and The Kind Initiator
  • Cherrilynn Bisbano and the Struggle for Identity in Christ
  • Cliff Ravenscraft and Finding Yourself in Christ
  • Jonathan Puddle and the Nearness of God

    • The post Cherlyn Decker and Learning to Roar appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    45 min
  • 251: Janna Thompson and Spiritual Sassy Pants

    Janna Thompson is the creator behind Project Shine. Today, Janna shares some surprising moments when the Lord has spoken and worked in her life. Janna shares how the Lord met her when contemplating suicide, protected her during a horrific car crash, and provided for her needs. She also lets us into her prayer closet where we glimpse the intimate nature of her relationship with him. Sometimes that involves putting on her “sassy pants” and asking God some tough questions. Janna’s story reminds us that the Lord can handle them.

    Listen to Janna’s story now!

    Stories Janna shared:

    • Growing up in a non-denominational, traditional church
  • Feeling rejection and insecurity as a child
  • Beginning to see into the spiritual world
  • Her parent’s divorce and how that left her feeling like an orphan
  • Overdosing on anxiety medicine at high school graduation
  • Dropping out of college and going to live with her dad
  • Challenging God to show up or she would commit suicide (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255)
  • A horrific car accident that should have killed her
  • Meeting her husband because of the accident
  • Putting on her “sassy pants” to talk to God
  • Challenging God to give her a car
  • The miracle of a baby after an infertility diagnosis
  • Her daughter Clara’s birth
  • The healing of Clara and trusting God for healing

    • Great quotes from Janna:

    Being a parent is my greatest adventure.

    Good, bad, or ugly, no matter what you describe about the spiritual realm, it sounds scary.

    His pursuit of me was greater than my ability to misunderstand him.

    Prayer was never meant to be a monologue.

    Never fall for the trap that God has rejected you.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Project Shine

    Related episodes:

    • Patrick Meyers and the Kind Initiator
  • Lauren Gaskill and the Joy of Healing
  • Tim Morris and How Your Heart’s Desire Unlocks Your Purpose

    • The post Janna Thompson and Spiritual Sassy Pants appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    1 hr 19 min
  • 250: Drew Moser and Enneagram Type is Just the Beginning

    Dr. Drew Moser is the Founder & CEO of TypeTrail, and enneagram-based coaching firm. He’s the author of The Enneagram of Discernment: The Way of Vocation, Wisdom, & Practice and is co-host of Fathoms: An Enneagram Podcast. Today, Drew shares about sensing a call to ministry, beginning marriage in a season of grief, and how discovering Enneagram gave him a better understanding of himself. His story reminds us that knowing ourselves is a key part of the journey with Christ.

    Listen to Drew’s story today!

    Stories Drew shared:

    • Getting into and serving others through Enneagram
  • Growing up in Central, Illinois in a Christian family
  • Feeling small looking at the empty and dark church sanctuary
  • Challenging his teachers with hard questions
  • Feeling like an imposter as he was being celebrated in high school
  • Feeling shame, guilt, and a hangover after a night of partying and how that brought him back
  • Opening up to his youth pastor and feeling accepted
  • Switching his major to Christian ministry
  • How his “perfect life” crumbled
  • Starting marriage in a season of grief
  • Moving to Denver to attend Denver Seminary
  • Doing some counseling to help move through grief
  • How grief gave him empathy for others
  • Discovering Enneagram as a way to understand his team

    • Great quotes from Drew:

    Type is the trailhead.

    Is the Enneagram Christian? No. Is the Enneagram anti-Christian? No

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Andrew’s website for TypeTrail
  • The Enneagram of Discernment: The Way of Vocation, Wisdom, and Practice
  • Fathoms: An Enneagram Podcast
  • Lament for a Son by Nicholas Wolterstorff

    • Related episodes:

    • Suzanne Stabile and How Enneagram Helps Relationships
  • Jim Gum and Healing Through Enneagram
  • Ryan Lui and Embracing Your Uniqueness

    • The post Drew Moser and Enneagram Type is Just the Beginning appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    54 min
  • 249: Sue Donaldson and The Welcoming Heart of God

    Sue Donaldson is an author, speaker, and podcaster. Today, Sue shares about doubting her faith in college, struggling with her singleness, and learning to lean on the Lord more than her husband. Sue is a master at creating great conversations and she tells us how that became part of her ministry. Plus, she reminds us that not being hospitible is really about pride, not personality. Her story will encourage you to just be a friend to make a friend.

    Listen to Sue’s story now!

    Stories Sue shared:

    • Forgetting how much she enjoys speaking
  • Growing up in a Christian family in Southern California
  • Giving her life to Christ at 15 when she understood the Gospel
  • Waking up one day and doubting her faith in college
  • The woman who helped her understand doubt
  • Learning that it is her faith not her parent’s faith
  • Becoming a missionary teaching
  • Why she decided to marry her husband
  • Learning to depend on the Lord more than her husband
  • How she got into teaching Scripture
  • How she began creating more meaningful conversations
  • Ministering to women via wine nights

    • Great quotes from Sue:

    When you get to do God’s gift, it’s not a drag.

    It’s okay to doubt. God is big enough for your questions.

    When you study who God is, you can’t help but open your home.

    Don’t be afraid to open your door.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Sue’s website
  • Say Something Special: 252 Conversation Starters by Sue Donaldson
  • Hospitality 101: Lessons From the Ultimate Host A 12-Week Bible Study by Sue Donaldson

    • Related episodes:

    • Carol Wilson and Following the Lord’s Leading
  • Gisela Kreglinger and Savoring the Goodness of God
  • Laura Flanders and the Mentored Life

    • The post Sue Donaldson and The Welcoming Heart of God appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    49 min
  • 248: Jay Bakker and Discovering Unbelievable Grace

    Jay Bakker is an author and speaker at Revolution Church. If his name looks familiar, it’s because he is the son of famed televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. Today,  Jay shares about growing up as his parents rose to fame and fell, how he ignored God for a season, and discovering the radical nature of grace. He describes getting sober and why he things of theology as art. Jay’s story reminds us that God accepts us as we are because he loves us.

    Listen to Jay’s story now!

    Stories Jay shared:

    • Growing up as a televangelist kid
  • How his parent’s scandal affected him
  • Realizing that his parents really believed what they preached
  • Going to the alter a thousand times as a child
  • Ignoring God in order to live
  • Beginning to understand grace through Bible study
  • Joining a 12 step program to get sober
  • Starting Revolution in Atlanta
  • Getting dialectic behavior therapy
  • Struggling through doubt
  • Accepting others to accept himself
  • Thinking of theology as art
  • Where he thinks the church is headed

    • Great quotes from Jay:

    So much of what I’d been taught, and the culture I grew up in was only part of the story.

    Grace is anarchy. You don’t get an asterisk.

    I’m not going to let someone’s political views make me hate them.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Revolution
  • The Ragamuffin Gospel: Good News for the Bedraggled, Beat-Up, and Burnt Out by Brennan Manning
  • Peter Rollins

    • Related episodes:

    • Jamie Rowe and Finding His True Home
  • D.L. Mayfield and the Gift of Paying Attention
  • James Prescott and Processing Grief Well

    • The post Jay Bakker and Discovering Unbelievable Grace appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    1 hr 6 min
  • 247: Amy Watson on Trauma, Healing, and Community

    Amy Watson is a businesswoman and podcaster. Today, Amy shares her story of unbelievable trauma and the community the Lord used to help her heal. Amy tells us about being abused by a serial killer, finally sharing what was happening and getting help, and the moment she felt safe enough to fall apart. Amy has turned her story into the ability to minister to others with similar ones through her podcast Wednesdays with Watson and it’s making a difference. Her story reminds us that the Lord wastes nothing, even our most painful moments.

    Listen to Amy’s story today!

    Stories Amy shared:

    • Growing up in Florida
  • Being padlocked in a room by her mom and stepdad
  • Meeting and being abused by Henry Lee Lucas, a notorious serial killer
  • The church people who showed up at the door with candy
  • Her mother inviting a pedophile into her home who abused her at 14
  • Telling a woman at church what happened
  • The moment she felt safe enough to fall apart
  • Going to the hospital and being diagnosed with PTSD
  • The moment she learned that her ex-husband passed away
  • The friend who made her family
  • The first time she was dropped off at a foster family
  • Writing in the psych ward
  • Why we have to be careful about our language
  • The value of community for healing trauma

    • Great quotes from Amy:

    I have been an adult as long as I can remember.

    Trauma does not have to be the end of your life.

    The thing the Lord has used the most is his people who love me.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Amy’s website
  • Markus Watson’s website and episode of HT

    • Related episodes:

    • Mary DeMuth and Her Avenue for Healing
  • Shea Watson and Conquering Shame
  • Caroline Abbott and Coming Home to the Lord 

    • The post Amy Watson on Trauma, Healing, and Community appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    57 min
  • 246: Charles Causey and Chasing Candor

    Chaplain Colonel Charles Causey is an author, pastor, and chaplain. Today, Charles shares with us his story of resisting the call to ministry, how the Lord’s providence has cared for his family through the years, and why  he decided to become a writer. We also discuss his latest book Candor which is all about navigating difficult conversations with love and grace. Charles’s story reminds us that the Lord’s heart for us is always truth but also love.

    Listen to Charles’s story now!

    Stories Charles shared:

    • Growing up in Leavenworth, KS
  • Feeling a little inoculated to the faith by college
  • Getting involved in Campus Crusade for Christ in a small revival
  • Giving his life to Christ at a backpacking camp
  • Feeling God’s call to serve him full time
  • Switching over to being a chaplain in the Army reserves
  • A moment of worship that shaped him
  • How his ministry set him up for enjoying seminary
  • Making a deal with God to have time with his family
  • How getting laid off allowed him to apply for jobs and still get paid
  • Planting a church in Minnesota
  • Struggling with God while living away from his family
  • Deciding to become a writer while deployed during the Surge
  • Why he wrote his book Candor

    • Great quotes from Charles:

    Sometimes you feel lost when you’re not around those you love the most.

    God has big shoulders.

    Write for yourself.

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Charles’ website
  • Candor: The Secret to Succeeding at Tough Conversations by Charles Causey
  • The Lion and the Lamb: The True Holocaust Story of a Powerful Nazi Leader and a Dutch Resistance Worker by Charles Causey
  • In Danger Every Hour: A Civil War Novel by Charles Causey

    • Related episodes:

    • Rob Burns and Crossing Cultures
  • Billie Jauss and Home is Where We Are
  • Mike Elder and the Legacy of Faith

    • The post Charles Causey and Chasing Candor appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    56 min
  • 245: Billie Jauss and Home is Where We Are

    Billie Jauss is an author, speaker, podcaster, and baseball wife. today, Billie shares how she sensed a connection to God as a young woman, when an atheist counselor advised her to go back to church, and how she as discovered the value of sharing herself with others. Billie writes and podcasts devotional material and hosts Bible studies which help many stay grounded in the Bible. She also gives us a peek behind the scenes of what it’s like living inside of baseball. Billie’s story reminds us that whatever your life is like, God is right there with you.

    Listen to Billie’s story now!

    Stories Billie shared:

    • Getting into baseball and writing devotionals
  • Growing up in rural North Carolina in a protestant family
  • Sensing a connection with the Lord as a young woman
  • Separating from her husband during a hard time
  • The question her counselor asked that sent her back to church
  • The priest who advised her to go to a Bible-based church
  • How her husband noticed her growth
  • Learning Jeremiah 29:11 and what it mean to her
  • Feeling like she had to hide who she was
  • Being available when fellow baseball wives need her
  • The difficulty of being in a sport like baseball
  • The value of Baseball Chapel
  • The times she’s been disappointed in God

    • Great quotes from Billie:

    Baseball is a family. Fans are a family.

    Home is where we all are together.

    He is the way, the truth, and the life. To turn back to him is what

    Resources we mentioned:

    • Billie’s website
  • Making Room: Doing Less So God Can Do More by Billie Jauss (Amazon affiliate link that sends a small commission my way if you use it)
  • Baseball Chapel

    • Related episodes:

    • Gari Meacham and Hitting Life’s Curveballs
  • Jamie Rowe and Finding His True Home
  • Manny Randhawa and the Conduit of Grace

    • The post Billie Jauss and Home is Where We Are appeared first on Eric Nevins.

    50 min

About Halfway There

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Each episode of Halfway There features an ordinary Christian sharing their story of spiritual formation on the journey of life with God. Go beyond the classic Christian testimony into the ups and…