Young Americans today are showing charity like never before. Yes, you read that right. A recent survey found that 84 percent of Millennials gave to a charitable organization in 2014. (source) More than 3 out of every 4 who made a donation gave on their own and not through their company by payroll deduction or other means. What does it mean to show charity? Is charity just about dollars and cents? Jeff and DW offer their take on this ever-important virtue.

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The Notes

How much do people give in my community? Find out here.

What are some ways you can show charity? Share in the comments below.

Before you go flying off the handle this 4th of July, you’ve gotta listen to this conversation about temperance. Jeff, DW and Jason are back with a great conversation about living self-controlled lives. Maddy and Raven join in this week to share some of their own experiences as young women trying to live this out.

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The Notes

[Tweet “Self-control is the ability to master your innermost desires & emotions in a way that honors God and others. #HNRTB”]

Read the story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4

No story about self-control could be complete without mentioning Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in it, especially if he’s the dude who hit your car early in the morning. Thankfully, this story has a good ending and Audie was a good sport about it. Read it.

Quote: “It is only through facing our fears of exposing our underlying emotions that will ultimately give us peace of mind. When we stop wrestling with our emotional baggage in our minds, we stop wrestling with ourselves and others.” (source)

Have a thought? Share it on the TweetBack or in the comments below!

On the Father’s Day episode, Jeff  and DW continue the Virtuous Living series discussing the 5 things that keep you from being diligent. Diligence (or careful and persistent work or effort) is not only a key to life success, but something that makes a father truly great. Leave us a thought on the TweetBack or in the comments below!

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Coming soon…

The Virtuous Living Series continues this week as Jeff & DW challenge us to embrace a lifestyle that pursues chastity. Most people will think sexual purity when they hear the word ‘chastity.’ However, it’s so much more than that! Guys and girls, listen in. This is a conversation that needs to happen more.

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The Notes

Physical purity. Usually, when the topic of purity comes up, the conversation becomes about what clothes we should wear or not wear. It’s all about the outside… what we can see, feel, touch, or smell.

Mental Purity. Our mind is where purity begins. It’s the decision-making part of us. What does a pure, chaste person think like? What thoughts you dwell on and the stuff you put in your mind is so important. That leads into the third category…

Emotional/Spiritual Purity. You and I have an incurable problem with selfishness and self-centered thinking that it single-handedly causes breakdowns in every relationship – it’s cray. We need an answer for this. We need a savior. Chat with a Live Coach to learn more.

“You’ve gotta be a wuss if you get beat up with a #selfiestick.” @jstrommen // HAHAHA! #HNRTB

— HopeNet Radio (@hopenetradio) June 15, 2015

Jeff and DW have spent countless hours training for their respective sports. Jeff spent years playing soccer. Dave worked in the trenches on his football team at Wheaton College. If you grew up around athletes or any sports in general, it’s not hard to see a bunch of egocentric people seeking their own glory around every corner. As a Christian, we’re taught to be humble. But is it really possible to be an elite athlete and be humble? What would that look like?

This week’s episode features two special guests: Jeff and Nancy Swider-Peltz. Check out their bios after the break.

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The Notes

Is it possible for athletes to be humble? What does that look like? #HNRTB

— HopeNet Radio (@hopenetradio) June 8, 2015

Jeff Peltz

Jeff is an Assistant Football Coach (Defensive Line) and Spiritual Coordinator at Wheaton College (Thunder). Last year, they went 11-1 – best record since 2003, and appeared in their first playoff game since 2010. A 1981 Wheaton graduate, Jeff has coached the Wheaton defensive line for 33 years. He has coached nine All-Americans and over 46 All-Conference players in his tenure, most recently including NFL star, Andy Studebaker. Peltz became Wheaton’s career sack leader with 37 and set the former single-season sacks record of 14 in 1978, a record which stood until 1995. He captained the 1980 football team and earned All-CCIW Second Team honors in 1979 and 1980. In 2003, he was inducted into Wheaton’s “Hall of Honor” as a player.

Jeff has a heart for ministry and also serves as the Spiritual Coordinator for the football program. He is in charge of organizing player small groups, team chapels, and also organizes the Wheaton Football Missions trips that take place over spring break.

Jeff shares a story of a senior player cleaning the cleats of the player who took his spot on the line. #HNRTB #teamswiderpeltz #humility

— HopeNet Radio (@hopenetradio) June 8, 2015

Nancy Swider-Peltz

Nancy Swider-Peltz, Sr. is the first four-time U.S. Winter Olympian. She’s a two-time World Record holder and has competed in 8 Olympic Trials. She’s in the National Speedskating Hall of Fame. After her first Olympic team in 1976 at 19, Nancy set her first World Record in the 3000m that same year, and secured a second in the 10,000m in 1980! Nancy made the 1980, 1984 and 1988 Olympic Teams and participated in four more Olympic Trials – 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2002 – for a total of 8 Olympic Trials in 4 decades. At the 2002 Olympic Trials, at the age of 45, she was paired with her daughter Nancy Jr., age 14. That same year she set four personal bests and currently holds five age-group World Records.

Nancy has coached five skaters to Olympic Teams since 1988 and has been the head coach of the Park Ridge Speedskating Club since 1985. (

Dear Class of 2015,

What an exciting time to be graduating! People of faith who have graduated long ago cry, “The sky is falling!” Headlines across the interwebs echo the supposed Christians walking away from the Church and becoming nuns… wait – Nones. But they may not be who we think they are. Then, they want you to believe that Millennials want nothing to do with church these days. Jeff and DW have one thing to tell you, “Don’t believe the hype!”

This week on the podcast, Jason and Mike join Jeff and Dave asking the question, “Why do so many young people keep the faith after graduation?”

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The Notes

Coming soon…

As The Avengers: Age of Ultron tears up the box office this month, you can count on kids around the country to buy into the action figures, posters and costumes this year. It would seem that kids love heroes, no matter what their outfit. Jeff, DW and Jason are back with a fun conversation about what the real cost of being a hero entails. Hint: it’s more than this mask or this shirt. Listen in and join the TweetBack!

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The Notes

This week will mark 2 years since the Moore, Oklahoma EF5 tornado struck the city, obliterating Plaza Towers Elementary School taking the lives of 24 adults and children. Nearly 400 were injured. In the midst of the chaos, we saw plenty of heroes arise from the destruction. One of them, Anna Canaday, recalled her story to The Daily Beast:

She remembered that as the tornado bore down on this school in Moore, Okla., she and Simonds took the kids into the hall, among them her own daughter, 5-year-old Kali.

“I just grabbed as many kids as I could, eight of 10 kindergartners,” Canaday recalled.

Canaday took half the children and Simonds took the others. The teachers had them get down on their knees against the wall and cover their heads, just as they had often done in the school’s regular drills. The tornado roared ever near.

“We just held them and told them to keep their heads down,” Canaday remembered. “I kept telling them they were going to be just fine and God was going to take care of us. I prayed as loud as I could.”

The twister was right upon them in all its fury.

“When it hit it was so loud,” Canaday said. “I just kept telling the kids under me, ‘It’s going to be OK.’ I prayed aloud…‘Just take me instead because they’re the babies.’”

You don’t need to wear a cape to be a hero. But if you were to have some sort of costume, would you choose Superman?

Aside from the obvious need for Clark Kent to get a new shirt every time he became Superman, you also never saw him hang around long enough for people to shine the spotlight on him. When you do something heroic, be humble about it.

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.” Matthew 6:1

It might seem like these 2 examples are contrary. Giving an interview sharing your story about your experience isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In Anna’s case, she inspires other teachers and community members to do their job with heart knowing what truly matters is caring for students.

Each day, headlines across the news and social media point to the world being a place of chaos, dysfunction and hopelessness. Lately, it’s been news of riots in Ferguson and Baltimore, earthquakes in Nepal and  How do we find hope and peace in a time when life is chaotic?

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For many students in high school and college, change is coming. Change is inevitable in life, no matter what season you find yourself in. Sometimes, changes are made without our choosing. Sometimes, we get to choose to change. This week, Jeff, DW and Jason are talking about the latter. In Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland, there’s this exchange between Alice and Cheshire Cat that goes something like this:

Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?

The Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to

Alice: I don’t much care where.

The Cat: Then it doesn’t much matter which way you go.

Alice: …so long as I get somewhere.

The Cat: Oh, you’re sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.

When you get to a fork in the road, which way you go is important. Many times, we make a choice without realizing the long-term effects of the decision. Unfortunately, sometimes our choice to just let life happen can have undesirable consequences. How do we make decisions that are both good and lasting?

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[Tweet “If change is not systemic, it’s not change at all. -George Rotan #forkintheroad #HNRTB”]

The most common changes people make in life are relational, health, or financial. These can also be the most painful ones to make as well because they are often ones we hold close to our heart. There is one more that needs to be considered – spiritual change. The effects of making a spiritual change has great influence on the other areas of our life.

Jason is getting things ready for Summer Camp at Silver Birch Ranch. Learn more about being a camper or volunteering this summer!

Links!

National Day of Prayer

Police seek arrest of mother who left disabled son in woods – CBSNews.com

60 Small Ways to Improve Your Life in the Next 100 Days – LifeHack.org

“Nobody can ever take your choice away.” @wagerdaw #forkintheroad #HNRTB

— HopeNet Radio (@hopenetradio) May 4, 2015

So, I’ve made good changes; what’s a good structure to make lasting change?

The stages of change (Stages of Change)

1. Pre-contemplation

You’re in the Precontemplation stage if: You’ve heard plenty of times (from your doctor, your spouse, your friends, or maybe your own conscience) that you should make a change — but you’re not seriously considering doing anything about it anytim...

DW and I felt terrible that we gave you the most meaningless episode of HopeNet Radio last week. So to make it up to you, we’ve got the most meaningful episode for you this week. Jason, Terra Kay, and Kristen are back to make sure you only get the very best from Solomon’s book of Ecclesiastes.

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[Tweet “The pot of criticism is huge, full and boiling over. @wagerdaw #HNRTB”]

What we discuss on the show

“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.” Ecclesiastes 5:10

[Tweet “I wish I realized that I didn’t have to learn everything the hard way. @kristenjanelife #HNRTB”]

“It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.” -Ecclesiastes 7:2-3

“That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. God will judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14