Halfway There

By Eric NevinsSociety & Culture Religion & Spirituality Christianity Spirituality Personal Journals

Halfway There episodes

July 25, 2022303: Ryan James Miller and Rediscovering Identity
Ryan James Miller is a performance coach, founder of the Foundations to Freedom Coaching Academy, husband of 20+ years, and father to two daughters. Today, Ryan shares how he came to Christ when nothing else satisfied, how he found a community and surrender ed to the Lord, and the mentors that shaped his walk. Then, Ryan tells about his experience at the Las Vegas shooting on October 1, 2017. That experience catalyzed him to become a better follower of Jesus. Ryan’s story reminds us that we cannot afford to waste a moment.
Listen to Ryan’s story in your favorite podcast now!
Stories Ryan shared:
Rediscovering identity and how
Growing up in a Roman Catholic church in Orange County, CA
The emotional turmoil of his family while growing up
Walking away from his faith entirely until he was 26
The moment he woke up and decided to “give God a shot”
The huge fight with his wife that made him take faith more seriously
Finding a community that helped him grow
How Mark Driscoll woke him up to faith
Getting recruited to plant a church
Diving into reformed theology
How God protected him while working in the church
Experiencing the shooting in Las Vegas on October 1, 2017
The perspective that brushing with death gave him
Why he started Foundations to Freedom Coaching Academy
Great quotes from Ryan:
God has to ruin my life to get me to realize what I really have.
What God has in store for us has nothing to do with us and everything to do with him.
God had been calling me my whole life.
Resources we mentioned:
Ryan’s website
Crazy Love by Francis Chan
Radical by David Platt
The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill
Related episodes:
Angus Nelson and the Power of Being in Christ
Heather Oncken and How to Be a Friend
Michelle Lazurek and Learning to Let Go
The post Ryan James Miller and Rediscovering Identity appeared first on Eric Nevins.
1 hr 1 min
July 18, 2022302: Sam Feeney and Experiencing God as Father
Sam Feeney is an author, strategist, coach, husband, and father of five. Today, Sam shares with us the paths he meandered as a young man, how everything changed when he met his wife, and what it meant to learn about God as Father. Also, he tells us why his family took a huge leap of faith and moved from Pennsylvania to Colorado. Sam is passionate about helping men grow in their faith and interactions with their families. Sam’s story reminds us that God is one but also three persons and keeping that perspective changes everything.
Listen to Sam’s story on your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Sam shared:
Growing up in Pennsylvania in a Christian family
Resisting faith because it might mean his dad was right
Deciding that he would become a Christian despite of his relationship with his father
Reconnecting with God on summers off during college
How meeting his wife changed him
How learning to be married challenged them
Learning about the Holy Spirit and navigating the ditches
Finding a church that had a good balance of faith in the Trinity
Holding his son helped bring healing
Why the idea of fatherhood is so valuable
Moving to Colorado with his family and the faith it took
Starting a business and his podcast, Made to Thrive
How career affects men and their interactions with their family
Great quotes from Sam:
For a long time I resisted faith because it might mean my dad was right.
If my dad loves me half as much as I love this kid, I’ve undersold him.
If you put eternity in our hearts, we’re looking for where he shows up as soon as possible.
My biggest challenge as a dad is trying to prolong credibility with my kids as long as I can.
Resources we mentioned:
Sam’s website
Top Five Regrets of the Dying: A Life Transformed by the Dearly Departing by Bronnie Ware
Forgotten God – Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit by Francis Chan
Extraordinary: The Life You’re Meant to Live by John Bevere
How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil by D.A. Carson
The Life of Trust: The Autobiography of George Müller: With An Introduction by George Müller
Related episodes:
Tim Winders and Redefining Success
Les Hughes and Jon Sanders and the Rise of EntrePastors
Kari Bartkus and the Friendship of Jesus
The post Sam Feeney and Experiencing God as Father appeared first on Eric Nevins.
1 hr 2 min
July 11, 2022 301: Lisa Appelo and The Lord's Mercy
Lisa Appelo is a speaker and author including her latest book Life Can Be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After It All Falls Apart. Today, Lisa shares how she found faith while growing up in Florida, learning to trust through a financial crisis, and how she called on that trust when her husband [...]
52 min
July 11, 2022301: Lisa Appelo and The Lord’s Mercy
Lisa Appelo is a speaker and author including her latest book Life Can Be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After It All Falls Apart. Today, Lisa shares how she found faith while growing up in Florida, learning to trust through a financial crisis, and how she called on that trust when her husband died suddenly. She had to learn how to parent as a single mom while dealing with grief and eventually the Lord led her back to writing. Lisa’s story reminds us that the Lord’s mercy isn’t always what we want but is always what we need.
Listen to Lisa’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Lisa shared:
Being a homeschooling mom of seven
Growing up in Florida in a church going family
Struggling with trusting the Bible and being directed to Jesus by a professor
Going to Youth Camp and rededicating her life at camp
Meeting her husband at church in high school and how their faith grew together
Reading the Gospel of John and deciding she would believe
Trusting God through a financial crisis and how God came through
Her husband’s death and how it affected her
Sensing God’s presence and people’s prayers as she picked up the pieces
Learning to parent as a single mom
How 2 Corinthians 10:5 helped her and how she fought the lies of fear
Learning how self-control had become an idol
Deciding to write instead of return to law
Why she wrote Life Can Be Good Again
Great quotes from Lisa:
Lord, do not let this be a mountain top. I want this to be real.
I saw God in ways I never would have otherwise.
When we step out in faith, he never calls us into a deal; he calls us to himself.
Resources we mentioned:
Lisa’s website
Life Can Be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After It All Falls Apart by Lisa Appelo
Countdown to Christmas: Unwrap the Christmas Story with Your Family in 15 Days by Lisa Appelo
Related episodes:
Harriett Miller and a Fierce Faith
Tricia Lott Williford and How God Works in the Waiting
Michelle Bengston and Overcoming Anxiety
The post Lisa Appelo and The Lord’s Mercy appeared first on Eric Nevins.
52 min
July 04, 2022300: Andrew Klavan and The Truth and Beauty
Andrew Klavan is an award-winning writer, screenwriter, and media commentator. An internationally bestselling novelist and two-time Edgar Award-winner, Klavan is also a contributing editor to City Journal, the magazine of the Manhattan Institute, and the host of a popular podcast on DailyWire.com, The Andrew Klavan Show. Today, Andrew shares the story of how the Gospels captured his attention as literature, finding Christ in his 40s, and the joy he’s found in Jesus. Andrew’s story reminds us that God is everywhere if we only have eyes to see.
Listen to Andrew’s story in your favorite podcast app!
Stories Andrew shared:
Growing up in a classic American suburb in a Jewish family
Being bar mitzvahed and receiving gifts
His guilt about not caring about the faith and throwing away his gifts
Looking for tough guy role models in books
His father’s anger about catching him reading the Bible
Wrestling with Jesus being in the center of his cultural and literary understanding
Dealing with mental illness in his 20s
The psychairistrist who helped cure him which he believes was a miracle
Starting to pray in his 40s in an off-handed way
Talking to God in his car and understanding that he should be baptized
The change that came over him after believing
His wife’s conversion as well
Finding Christ on every page of his memoir and realizing that the story wasn’t about him at all
Trying to get to know Jesus through reading the Gospels
Reflecting on his joy found in Christ
Teaching himself Greek so he can read Scripture in its original language
Studying the Gospels and the lines from the English poets that kept coming to mind
The Gospel-centered way of seeing the world
Struggling with envy and how it got better through Christ
Great quotes from Andrew:
Everything I found true and beautiful was represented in literature by Christ.
I believe both as a son and as a parent, you
When you’re not a cradle Christian, you’re not afraid to ask God questions.
Doubt is a really important function of faith.
Resources we mentioned:
Andrew’s website
The Truth and Beauty: How the Lives and Works of England’s Greatest Poets Point the Way to a Deeper Understanding of the Words of Jesus by Andrew Klavan
The Great Good Thing: A Secular Jew Comes to Faith in Christ by Andrew Klavan
The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy Sayers
Related episodes:
Jen Rosner and and Finding Messiah
Os Guinness and Carpe Diem Redeemed
Karen Swallow Prior and the Spiritual Practice of Reading Fiction
The post Andrew Klavan and The Truth and Beauty appeared first on Eric Nevins.
55 min
June 27, 2022299: Ryan George and Living With Courage
Ryan George has traveled to all seven continents and both polar circles. An adrenaline junkie, Ryan is a certified wingwalker a bungee jumping enthusiast, and a via ferrata connoisseur. Today, Ryan shares why he was baptized in three denominations, how he discovered “adrenaline” activities, and what he’s learned about the Lord while pursuing them. Ryan’s story reminds us that the Lord is never far away, even when life seems at its most dangerous.
Listen to Ryan’s story now!
Stories Ryan shared:
The two kinds of adrenaline junkies and which he is
Getting baptized into three different denominations
The moment in 2006 when he surrendered his life to Christ
Small group conversations that allowed him to ask hard questions
Taking his brother on a trip to New Zealand and doing lots of fun stuff
Outward Bound and how that helped his discipleship
Going to Antarctica and why he wanted to go to all the continents
How having a daughter changed him
What he’s learned about the Lord on each continent
The overview effect and how that shaped him
Why he’s careful about what he posts online
Experiencing God when he does adrenaline junkie activities
Great quotes from Ryan:
God doesn’t have borders or favorites.
I like to places that make everything in my life seem smaller on purpose.
I never dream too big for God.
Travelling the world has made me more humble.
It’s hard to have bad theology when you’re living Christ’s example.
Resources we mentioned:
Ryan’s website
Scared to Life: Tales of a Good God Who Reveals His Heart When Ours Is Racing by Ryan George
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing
Related episodes:
Angus Nelson and the Power of Being in Christ
Jen Rosner and Finding Messiah
Amy Debrucque and Conquering Fear
Aaron Niequist and Swimming in the Eternal Current
The post Ryan George and Living With Courage appeared first on Eric Nevins.
49 min
June 20, 2022298: James Bryan Smith and Loved Beyond Imagination
James Bryan Smith is a professor at Friends University in Wichita, Kansa and author, including his new book, The Good and Beautiful You. Today, James tells us how he found Christ, his amazing set of mentors, and the season when he forgot his first love. He also shares how God thinks about us and why it’s different that you may have been told. James’ story reminds us that no matter where you are on the journey, you’re loved by God deeply.
Listen to James’ story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories James shared:
His work at Friends University as a teacher
Growing up in a Methodist church in Denver
Giving his life to Christ before he went to college
Being mentored by spiritual formation luminaries
Having Rich Mullings in his attic for two years
Learning the spiritual disciplines from Richard Foster
Going to seminary and being ordained in the United Methodist Church
Why he wrote this book
How he realized that his soul had needs that weren’t being taken care of
Why memorization of Scripture is valuable to him
Great quotes from James:
It goes a lot better if I think I’m quite marvelous.
Every need my soul has, Jesus provides.
I want to be at the point where I love God even if God doesn’t provide all my spiritual feelings.
God is crazy about you and loves you more than you can imagine.
Resources we mentioned:
James’ website
Things Above Podcast
ApprenticeInstitute.org
The Good and Beautiful You: Discovering the Person Jesus Created You to Be by James Bryan Smith
Related episodes:
Laura Barringer and Scot McKnight and Becoming an Agent of Tov
Amy Jackson and Trusting God with the Questions
Brian Zahnd and the Beauty of Christ
The post James Bryan Smith and Loved Beyond Imagination appeared first on Eric Nevins.
50 min
June 13, 2022297: Les Hughes and Jon Sanders and The Rise of EntrePastors
Les Hughes and Jon Sanders are pastors who help pastors and others with a ministry background create a life of financial freedom as entrepreneurs. Today, Les and Jon share their individual spiritual experiences including resisting ministry and surrendering to the Lord. Plus, they share how being pastors led them to start coaching other pastors to create side hustles and other streams of income. The freedom that’s available is unlike anything we’ve seen before and may be how people serve in the future. Les and Jon’s story remind us that the Lord uses everything, not just the things we think are sacred.
Listen to Les and Jon’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Les and Jon shared:
Why Les and Jon started EntrePastors
Jon was born and raised in a pastor’s family in the MidWest
Jon resisting the call to ministry and becoming a firefighter
Les growing up with parents who were first generation Christians
The sense of God’s presence Les had as a child in tumultuous times
Les giving his life to Christ as a child
Les realizing that the anger he had was unhealthy
The student pastor who discerned what was really happening in Les
Jon’s experience of spiritual freedom
How the Lord broke Jon’s heart for rural America
Les’s experience in ministry
How a heart attack helped Les slow down and enjoy the journey
Learning to repent of pride for Jon
Meeting one another in a mastermind
How EntrePastors came about
The freedom that pastors can have by creating their own businesses
Great quotes from Les and Jon:
It’s not anyone else’s job to provide for my family. It’s my job. (Les)
It’s a shame when a pastor needs to leave a church environment to increase their income. (Les)
I never felt abandoned by God and I know now that’s just grace (Les).
The church is a terrible business model. (Jon)
If we can free some pastors up to go do some things in the marketplace, we can alleviate a lot of struggle for both the pastors and the church. (Jon)
Resources we mentioned:
EntrePastors website
Small Town Big Church, Jon’s podcast
Related episodes:
Robin T. Jennings and the Light of the World
Brian Zahnd and the Beauty of Christ
Heather Oncken and How to Be A Friend
The post Les Hughes and Jon Sanders and The Rise of EntrePastors appeared first on Eric Nevins.
1 hr 4 min
June 06, 2022296: Ryan Ragozine and Finding Faith Again
Ryan Ragozine, host of the Thinker Sensitive podcast. Today, Ryan shares his incredible journey growing up in a Christian family in Detroit. When he was 12 he lost his faith in God and turned to philosophy to find answers. He also shares the moment when his faith was revived, what he learned from his season of doubt and anxiety, and why he stared a podcast. Ryan’s story reminds us that no matter where you are on the spiritual journey, God isn’t finished with us.
Listen to Ryan’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Ryan shared:
Why he started Thinker Sensitive, a podcast for thinking seekers
Growing up in Detroit, Michigan in a Christian family
Praying while he was in bed and the question that challenged his faith
What he lost with his faith
Feeling jealous that faith was easy for his friends
Why he didn’t tell his parents
Turning to philosophy to find answers
Deciding that certainty is not a human possibility
The mystical experience when faith revived at 20
What he learned from his seasons of doubt
Going to study theology and struggling with OCD and anxiety
The trip to California that changed his anxiety
Why he started Thinker Sensitive
Great quotes from Ryan:
Philosophy in its root form is simply deep contemplation.
The kind of certainty I was looking for is actually humanly impossible.
All humans have to exercise faith. It just depends on what my faith is in and how well supported it is by reason.
Finding God again was about him not about me.
Just because you have doubts, doesn’t mean the answers don’t exist.
Resources we mentioned:
Ryan’s website and podcast
Related episodes:
Michelle Lazurek and Learning to Let Go
Loren Hicks and the Practice of Discipleship
Meg Glesener and the Smile of God
The post Ryan Ragozine and Finding Faith Again appeared first on Eric Nevins.
54 min
May 30, 2022295: Ernest Randolph and the Way of the Cross
Ernest Randolph spent 35 years working with youth in formal and informal roles. A graduate of Denver Seminary, he’s led Bible studies and house church for the past six years. Today, Ernest shares his calling to ministry, what happened when he chose between career and ministry, and how writing helped him clarify his faith. Ernest’s book Resurrecting the Cross is his understanding of the work of Christ and why it matters for today. Ernest’s story reminds us that while not everything goes according to our plan, God is always with us still.
Listen to Ernest’s story now!
Stories Ernest shared:
Growing up in Wyoming
Being confused by his parents actions as a kid
Finding Christ at Children’s Evangelism Fellowship
Feeling called to ministry at camp
Taking a solo backpacking trip after high school
Repairing a van to take kids to camp and how God showed up
Leaving for North Carolina wilderness camp
Coming back to Colorado and going to seminary
Choosing between seminary and working as an electrician
The depth he learned in seminary
Losing his ministry position and how that affected him
The wilderness years
Writing to discover what he himself believes
Great quotes from Ernest:
God does amazing things wherever you are.
When you’re in a church, sometimes you feel obligated to believe things that sometimes just aren’t true.
The meat is that we live by the Spirit.
He came to teach us to endure suffering for the sake of love.
When you understand the way of the cross, it changes your whole mindset.
Resources we mentioned:
Ernest’s website
Resurrecting the Cross by Ernest Randolph
Denver Seminary
Related episodes:
Amy Watson on Trauma, Healing, and Community
Douglas Groothuis and Walking Through Twilight
Hope Johnson and Waiting for God to Answer
The post Ernest Randolph and the Way of the Cross appeared first on Eric Nevins.
51 min

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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…

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