Do you ever imagine what your life might be? Turns out to get what we want we might need to live a different way! Jesus imagined a different world in the beattitudes and it is revolutionary, counter-intuitive, and totally not how most people live their lives. Read them in Matthew 5:3-12 (CEV translation) then listen to Imagine by John Lennon. 

This week George Benson plays Breezin in the background. Full playlist of songs is on Google Play Music, My 3 Sons. 

Whether deliberately or incidentally we will serve someone or something. I was terrible at deliberately choosing who or what I would serve but as I've gotten older and understand a little more of the gospels I think it is a lot simpler. Of course I've sifted through plenty of terrible and great advice to get to this point. I'm still not where I need to be but increasingly feel like I'm heading in the right direction. My hope for you 3 boys is that you will be able to sift through the good and bad advice and make great decisions about who and what you serve. 

Matthew 22:37-39 is the verse I quote from The Passion Translation this week. Tender Surrender by Steve Vai is the background track and the Bob Dylan song, You Gotta Serve Someone is the featured song. The full My 3 Sons playlist is available on Google Play Music.  

Be generous because we're living in paradise. I reflect on how I reject religion and look for my faith to inform every aspect of my life. We have so much and so many people telling us how we should be living. How do we respond to all this input? This week I use verses from all over the bible that help me attempt to be less religious and more of a genuine follower. 

I lean into James 1:27 as James is a really influential book in my faith. But I start back in the Old Testament with Deuteronomy 6:5 then bounce in Micah 6:8 on my way to the New Testament and Matthew 6:2-4, Matthew 23:23, and Mark 12:30-31. I remain amazed at how consistently certain messages run through the bible and think that when they're repeated so consistently there must be something to it. 

 The backing track is Spooky as performed by the Atlanta Rhythm Section. I deliberately choose this because of the name of the track and will let you determine why I thought it was apt. It is also a pretty cool tune that one of the bands I was in played. 

The song this week is Another Day in Paradise by Phil Collins. He has already featured in this podcast and in many of his songs he asks really good questions. It is well worth listening to his solo albums and also those of Genesis the band that launched his career.  The full My 3 Sons playlist is on Google Play music. 

I didn't want to be me for years! Why do we pursue the life others project onto us? Actually, I think I just took this on myself when it wasn't there at all. However, don't spend your life living according to popular thinking and doing what others are. Rather be you and make your own decisions about what to wear, what to do, where to go, and what to believe. 

Song in this episode is Beverly Hills by Weezer. Backing track is The Messiah Melody by Neil Zaza (sorry that I could only find a YouTube link for this track). Full playlist of My 3 Sons available on Google Play.

This week I talk about getting what you put in. I remember being at school, in bands, riding races and getting what I deserved. Other times I don't get what was deserved both good and bad! But mostly Mum and I think life is about what you put in.  In some ways this episode follows on from the Easter Episode as the verse I use is from Luke 23:30. 

New Radicals, You Get What You Give is the song this week and the backing track is from the US Army Blues band and called Precious Lord. I don't have a link for that as it came from a CD or download and they don't seem to be on Google Play Music. 

Full playlist for all the songs from My 3 Sons podcast is on Google Play Music.

What makes me stop and think every Easter! The verse is from Mark 16:8 and even now after many years reading it and knowing what it says I still wonder what on earth happened! My hope boys is that Easter will be a moment you hit pause and refresh in your faith. Not because you've wandered away or made mistakes, but because taking a moment to reflect on where you're at, what you're doing, and how tomorrow might be is essential to living the best life you can.

This song is one of my top all songs from an incredibly talented artist who was very controversial. The Cross from Prince is musically stunning and lyrically striking. Unlike so many Christian songs that seem to tell us what to think, Prince asks as to consider the Cross. 

The background track is a guitarist called Marty Friedman and called the Last Lament (my favorite track of his has the best name, Battle of the Barbie Bandits)!

Full My 3 Sons playlist is on Google Play music.

Jesus wants us to have the best lives possible, better than we can imagine. But every good thing has the capability to actually steal life from us! So how do we pursue a great life without it destroying us? Reflecting on John 10:10, I share my thoughts on how wanting it all might not be a bad thing, but it could suck all the joy out of your life if you're not careful! 

Listen to Queen, I Want it All this week with the backing track Thunder Current by Frank Gambale's The Great Explorers (seems like a good choice given this weeks subject)! Full playlist for My 3 Sons available on Google Play music.

I'm now taking a break to ride the length of the country so won't be back for at least a month!

Everybody is unlikable at times but Jesus said we're supposed to love others! Are we really any good if all we do is love those who are lovable? Sticking with the theme of love and the love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13, this week I talk about how difficult I find it to love others. And if I can't, can I claim to follow Jesus? Other references are from Matthew 5:46 (Message), and John 13:35 (Amplified). 

The song is Let Love Rule by Lenny Kravitz and the backing track is Chameleon, a Herbie Hancock tune performed by Maynard Ferguson. Full playlist of all the songs of this podcast available on Google Play Music, My 3 Sons.

The history of humanity is littered with people being saved by love. In this episode I recount some of those stories from my life. We all need to be rescued at times and the bold, heroic love that leads to dying for each other is the best kind. The bible describes this kind of love, the kind was pursue and hope you boys will too, in 1 Corinthians 13. The Message version really captures what love looks like.

The U2 song, Love Rescue Me seems to talk about how we all need rescuing and love so that is the track for the week. The backing track is from a guitaris called Bary Moore and titled The Loner (I couldn't resist the juxtaposition of love and loneliness sorry)! The full My 3 Sons play list is on Google Play Music. 

This entire podcast is actually all about Mum and my love for you 3 boys, My 3 Sons.

This episode I reflect on the journey and challenge of representing Jesus. I remember in my teens not noticing any difference between those at church and those not at church. I explore this idea this week and the idea that we're all always representing someone or something. While I'm not great at it I connect Mark 12:30-31 and the idea that if I'm not loving others am I really loving God? It feels impossible to talk about this without thinking about being light and the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:16.

For the 2nd consecutive episode I quote Gandhi, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ” (find it here) and I start mentioning books that have been influential in my thinking (unChristian and The Way Back). In fact, I think the next season of this podcast will be books that influenced me! 

The song this episode is, Jesus He Knows Me by Genesis. The full playlist for the My 3 Sons podcast is here on Google Play Music. Backing music this week is On Your Way Sweet Soul by Andy Timmons.