Haystack Nation

In this episode of Haystack Nation, Vanessa and our in-studio guest Maliyah pose some challenging questions about prayer, faith and life’s twists and turns and Jesse once again gives his unscripted and unrehearsed answers.

Life is full of good questions, and someone has to ask them. On this podcast Vanessa challenges Jesse with a few questions about spiritual battles and Jesse gives his unscripted and unrehearsed answer. Let's see how this goes...

Father’s Day is here, but where are all the fathers? Is there a fatherhood crisis in our homes, our churches, our communities and in our country? Does having a father really make that much of a difference? Jesse and Vanessa talk about the importance of fatherhood, salute fathers everywhere for their presence and dedication, and acknowledge our heavenly Father who is our ultimate source of love, care and security.

Graduating from college can be exciting but thinking about what’s next can sometimes be daunting. No doubt life is challenging, so what can lead you to succeed in the school of life? On this episode Jesse and Vanessa talk about how the challenges of the “real world” can leave you broken, but through Jesus you can find the wisdom, love and healing you need to make life a success.

When people find out you're an Adventist it can lead to all kinds of conversations and questions. Some think you're Jewish, others think you belong to a cult and others think you're just odd. On this episode Jesse and Vanessa share some of their experiences explaining Adventism to others and share some thoughts on how you might approach someone who wants to know more about your Adventist faith. 

Love can be expressed in many different ways. It can be funny, serious or romantic. But where does it come from and what is it? Is the world’s definition and expression of love the same as the Bible’s? In this episode Vanessa and Jesse take a look at the “L” word and explore the kind of love God wants us to have in our lives.

Everyone starts off the new year hoping it will be better than the last in some way. But what keeps our hopes alive even when things go wrong? Jesse, Vanessa, Doane, and Evanette (Hopey One Kenobi), start off the new year sharing resolutions, talking expectations and looking to Jesus to renew our hopes for 2022. 

The holidays can be full of fun activities and wonderful moments but sometimes they can be a time of unexpected crisis. On this last podcast of 2021, Jesse, Vanessa, Doane, and Evanette revisit some positive holiday moments and Doane talks about his recent trip to help tornado victims find hope and faith in time of crisis.

There’s a lot to do during this time of year. Holiday parties, shopping, traveling, visiting family and other activities compete for our time and attention. But what’s the point of it all and what should be our attitude? On this episode, Jesse, Vanessa, Doane and Evanette try to make some sense of it by sharing their do’s and don’ts of Adventist holiday parties, discussing the spirit of Christmas and reflecting on the blessings of this past year.

An old familiar hymn calls us to stand in the promises of God but for whatever reason we all wrestle with trusting in God's promises. Even people in the Bible struggled to fully trust in what God promised. Jesse and Vanessa share their thoughts and own "ups and downs" with claiming God's promises and explore ways God can help us be more confident when pursuing His promises and blessings.