For the last episode of Season 9, Matt and Rachel welcome back their friend Tanner Olson to talk about his new book All the Things I Say to God. They discuss prayer and our tendencies to overthink and over-complicate what comes down to a conversation. They share their experiences with prayer, their favorite ways to pray, and why prayer is complicated sometimes.

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In this episode of "Make It Simple," Rachel and Matt explore the concept of changing one's mind as adults, noting how challenging it can be. They discuss personal examples of shifting perspectives on things like food, politics, and pop culture, highlighting that deconstruction and maturing often involve this process. They discuss how difficult it can be as adults to admit when we're wrong and the importance of discerning which beliefs should be held firmly versus those we should remain open to reconsidering.

Things Referenced in this Episode:

Maya Angelou: "Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better."

Knox McCoy, All Things Reconsidered: How Rethinking What We Know Helps Us Know What We Believe

Pop Culture: Friends, Ted Lasso, Hamilton, Back To The Future

Dungeons & Dragons

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This week Rachel and Matt explore the concept of trauma, distinguishing between significant and everyday hurts that create emotional wounds. They discuss the importance of acknowledging these wounds without letting them define us, advocating for a middle ground between denial and over-identification. Through a Christian lens, they emphasize honesty with God and the need to tend to our pain. Matt proposes three steps for healing: recognizing our wounds, differentiating our identity from them, and inviting compassionate witnesses to share our burdens. 

Referenced in this episode:

Chuck de Groot's book "Healing What's Within"

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For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

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This week, join Matt and Rachel as they share their personal experiences and practical insights on marriage, moving beyond simple advice. Discover the power of being "alone together," the necessity of forgiveness, and Matt's 4 essentials for marriage. They also explore John Gottman's ideas on contempt and the crucial act of "turning toward" your partner's bids for connection. Learn actionable steps to build a lasting and thriving relationship.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Our partners and friends at The Pastors Workshop 
• Books by Dr. John Gottman, specifically: 
  • The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work 
  • The Relationship Cure 
  • The Love Prescription: includes the framework of "turning toward," "turning away," and "turning against" bids for connection.
• Concepts by Dr. John Gottman:
  • John Gottman's "Four Horsemen of Marriage": Specifically, the concept of contempt.

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For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

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In this episode of Make It Simple, Rachel and Matt dive into what truly makes for a "good life," drawing insights from a decades-long Harvard study. Forget the idea of an easy, problem-free existence – they explore how meaningful relationships and the ability to bounce back from tough times are key. They also touch on the unexpected role of faith in building resilience and finding deeper meaning in life's journey.

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For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

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Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.

This week, Rachel and Matt discuss the challenges and importance of parenting teenagers. They reflect on their own teenage years and then delve into the significant developmental stage of adolescence, particularly regarding identity formation and faith. The conversation highlights the need for parents to adapt their role from governor to guardian to guide, eventually hoping to become a guru figure in their adult children's lives, while also acknowledging the unique difficulties of navigating the teenage years, especially in the age of social media.

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For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

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This week, Matt and Rachel discuss the often-misunderstood concept of discipleship, arguing it's fundamentally about a daily relationship "with God" rather than actions "for God." Drawing from Skye Jethani's book "With," they emphasize that discipleship is about walking with Jesus, resting in His promises, and letting His presence shape our identity and actions. This perspective contrasts with the common view of discipleship as merely learning doctrine or following religious rules, highlighting the importance of a constant, internal dialogue with Jesus in everyday life.

Things Referenced in This Episode:

Book: "With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God" by Skye Jethani

Quote: Os Guinness, "First and foremost, we are called to someone, God, not to something such as a vocation, motherhood, politics, teaching, or to somewhere such as a missionary to outer Mongolia or to some particular city."

Book: "Junk Drawer Jesus" by Matt Popovits

Biblical References: The Great Commission, (Matthew 28:18-20) / John 1 / Ephesians 2 / Genesis 1 & 2

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For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

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In this episode, Rachel and Matt talk about shows we've grown up with and their child stars, and examine how we feel about children in media, given how our culture treats celebrities. Given recent discussions around children's roles in social media, it's a timely conversation.

Things referenced in this episode:

Book: Disney High: The Untold Story of the Rise and Fall of Disney Channel's Tween Empire by Ashley Spencer
Book: I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeanette McCurdy
Documentary: Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV on Max
Book: Celebrities for Jesus: How Personas, Platforms, and Profits Are Hurting the Church by Katelyn Beaty
Previous Episode: Celebrities for Jesus with Katelyn Beaty

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For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

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In this episode, Rachel and Matt discuss the person of Jesus- not the idea of Jesus, the work of Jesus, or even the deity of Jesus. Who is he as a person?

Things referenced in this episode:

Book: Gentle and Lowly by Dane C. Ortlund
Book: He Loved Them by Jessica Thompson
Previous Episode: How Jesus Loves with Jessica Thompson
Statistic: Barna Research

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For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

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This week, we invite Chad Lakies back to help us finish our Junk Drawer Jesus series and talk about how to move forward as believers in today’s culture.

Rev. Dr. Chad Lakies is the regional director for North America at Lutheran Hour Ministries, and is a scholar on the intersection of church and culture. Check out his new book, How the Light Shines Through, anywhere books are sold.

Support the show

For more information on Make It Simple Ministries, head to https://makeitsimple.org/

To support Make It Simple, head here: Support the show

Buy your copy of Junk Drawer Jesus wherever books are sold.