Geoff Heth was my pastor for many years.  In this interview we discuss the impact of stress when times change or events out of our control develop.  How does knowing God make a difference and in what ways do we prepare and adapt?

Geoff has 25 years of pastoral experience and is presently in the final stage of completing his Doctor of Ministry with an emphasis in Leadership at Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary. 

You can find out more about Geoff at https://www.efreelethbridge.ca/.

Sean McCauley was a pastor for 25 years, until receiving a traumatic brain injury from a rear end accident with his daughter and her friend in the back seat of the car.  

His multi-year journey into self discipline, healing, and strength has led him to 10 years later owning a fitness training program that includes combative arts/self defence, nutrition and the development of the Formidable Lifestyle through our Identity and responsibility in life.  In this interview he tells us about becoming “STRONG in Character and READY for ANYTHING.”

You can find out more about Sean, his family, and his work at www.formidable-living.com.

I'm really pleased with the topics we covered in this conversation with Tim Sawatsky. We discuss Tim's habits and routines that allow him the "margin" in his live so that when things go wrong, he's able to respond appropriately without caving in.  We talk about how important exercise is. As well as how Tim's daily routines ground him, and how writing in a certain kind of way can lead to spiritual and emotional breakthroughs.

Tim is an Assistant Pastor at C3 Church Calgary West.  He began his career as a youth pastor and youth worker, working with high school and university students, special needs youth as well as supported his family with non-ministry related jobs as needed.  You can reach him through his church’s website https://myc3church.ca/ or on Instagram: https://instagram.com/timsawatsky

How do you remain calm, continue self-care, and really deal with the stress, anxiety and worry in life, and especially in times like this when COVID-19 is disrupting our lives in such a dramatic way?  

I turned to Ed Weiss, THM, MC, PHD. a good friend, a pastor, and a therapist who has counseled me in the past and who knows how to deal with depression & anxiety.  

Ed really opened up about his own personal self-care routines that enable him to do his job. He also gives some really practical advice for dealing with the stress that we are all facing today.

To find out more about Ed and the sites he mentioned, you can visit https://www.thirdspacemind.ca/counselling and https://www.thehouseonline.ca/

Bio: 

Ed Weiss, THM, MC, PHD.  Ed has been working with youth and young adults for over 36 years. 

Ed founded Reach Out Youth Ministries, a non-profit organization that provides counselling and care to young people struggling to navigate through the challenges of an extended adolescent journey. Identity development is a major component of The Long and Twisting Path to Adulthood. Ed has been effective in helping many young adults with their identity formation.

Ed's community contributions include his partnership in establishment of The House, as well as being one of the founding directors of Third Space. He serves at the campus of UBCO as a therapist in partnership with Third Space MIND and the Student Union.

Blog post: 

https://meditateonchrist.com/practical-steps-to-calm-anxiety-and-worry-in-uncertain-times/

I’d like to add to yesterday’s podcast that the reason really listening to God is important is more than getting information.

We often think of listening to God as a way of getting information, to help with decisions or direction.

But in fact, I find that usually getting information is not that useful for living your life. Yes, sometimes we are facing big decisions.

But on a day-to-day basis, we need reassurance, hope, connection, and a sense we are loved.  We want to hear that God’s got this, that he’s on our side.

And THAT’S usually how God shows up.  That’s actually what he does when I listen and write out questions and responses.  

Usually the “answers” are much more in the category of emotional types of responses in the way of God helping, or encouraging me.

For example, one of the people who replied to me yesterday said that in answer to their question they felt God was saying:

“Don't be concerned about it.  I'm in control.”

This is beautiful… I’ve often written similar things.  

And you know what?  It’s true!  And it’s helpful and reassuring.

The next step to try is this:  Dig deeper, and ask another question!  So, in our example above, ask “Why shouldn’t I be concerned about it?” 

And I’ll continue that dialogue.  

So, again, I’d encourage you to give it a try, and ask God what to do about a situation in your life today.  And then, when you’ve written something down, continue the dialogue by writing another question, related to the answer you just wrote.

What happens then is that God goes deeper too and there’s an expanded sense of his goodness, his love, his care, and his attention in my life.

And then the result of this is that I actually feel better, more confident about making those decisions, jobs, or tasks.  Coming from this new perspective of peace, hope, and reassurance makes these things much easier to do or move forward on.

God telling us that he loves us is, in a curious way, more powerful than getting specific directions like “turn left, or turn right.”

Give it a try.  Ask a further question and keep the conversation going.

And let me know how it goes.

Thanks,

Dean

On my walk today I talk about how sometimes I fake listen to God, and what happens when I truly listen.

I'm answering a common question/complaint I've heard on Facebook and in my own email.  If you're opening yourself up in meditation, can you be deceived?

In this episode I talk about what it takes to develop a meditation "habit," and some of the benefits to doing so.

Here's the last episode of my talk on the story of Gideon.

And now we see Gideon calls all the people forward, gathers 32,000 into an army and they are ready to go!  This is a good sized army, but not compared to the 135,000 they are up against.

Then, God tells Gideon "You have too many people."

What??  So 22,000 people go home.

"Alright, are we good?" Gideon thinks.

"You have too many people" God responds, and whittles them down to just 300.

Only 1% of the original army is left!

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Comment here: https://meditateonchrist.com/when-god-uses-only-1-percent-gideons-story-part-5/