How often do you jump to the rescue at the first sign of someone's trouble? In some cases, helping can be a disservice to the person receiving it. In this episode, we examine motives for helping and the results that come when we do. If you're a helper like I am, you might find this conversation... helpful.

For two years I've been helping Desiree bring one of her lifelong dreams into reality. Well, I should probably say that I've been TRYING to help her, but in this podcast, I'll tell you how my help might not be all it's cracked up to be! I learned a lesson the hard way, and I hope you can take my cautionary tale to heart and take a closer look at your own helping tendencies.

In this episode, we look at a few more trucking topics that people ask me about. For instance, why do some trucks go into the weigh stations and some don't? And why do trucks take so long to pass each other on the interstate? These are questions that my fellow motorists ask me when they find out I'm a truck driver. So join me for this episode and I'll fill you in.

Walter is a kind, gentle soul who almost chased me away on my first day on the job! In this episode I answer some of the common questions people ask me about trucking, and I tell you the story about Walter teaching me how to train students at a trucking school. After the first day, he didn't know if I'd return to work for a second day of his kind but relentless instruction. But he was instrumental in helping me learn to teach trucking, and I will always be grateful for that.

Note: The sound quality in this episode is worse than usual. Please pardon the imperfections.

Losing the ability to do something you've always been able to do is perhaps the most foreign transition you can go through - and the hardest to admit. When I realized I was losing my ability to engage in a favorite hobby, I grieved the loss and looked for ways to regain it. Transitions begin with an ending, even if we don't want to admit it.

Our words are powerful things, and most of us have no idea how they affect other people. They can either work like acid, resulting in corrosion or rust, or they can work like fertilizer, resulting in growth, empowerment, and stronger self-esteem. In this episode, I reminisce about the words I heard from my mother when I was a kid and the ones my partner Desiree says to me as an adult. The affect they have on me is remarkably similar, even though they're decades apart.

"Don't go to bed angry." It's advice you've probably heard all your life, but I don't think it's necessarily a one-size-fits-all approach to conflict resolution. Tune in to find out why this advice doesn't work for me.

Brent is back after a few months off. In this episode, you'll learn what he's been up to and what he imagines for the future of Out of Your Shell Podcast! If you have any questions or comments, or if you'd like to suggest a topic for a future episode, feel free to reach out at [email protected].

Today we will honor a superhero who is the most invisible and underestimated contributor to the Circle of Life (and death). I will describe the life of this superhero and reveal the wonders of their work that will continue to be largely invisible, underestimated, and unappreciated – even by the hero themself! We will not walk away unchanged, however, even if the hero continues their work in obscurity. The hidden mysteries of our hero’s selfless deeds will be revealed for all to see, and we will recognize the change that is taking place so we can walk away feeling grateful, hopeful, and empowered by their work in our world.

This is a story about how transitioning from one hometown to another can rock your world and leave you gasping for breath, but it can also be filled with small moments that take your breath away.

Andy Stanton-Henry was raised as an Evangelical Quaker in Mt. Gilead, Ohio. This small town is in the heart of the Midwest United States, surrounded by Amish country and positioned close to the rolling Allegany foothills. Many people have described rural Midwesterners as backward and unsophisticated. But the words Andy uses to describe his small-town neighbors are: competent, creative, resourceful, and resilient.

Andy’s a soft-spoken guy who loves to tell a good story. He recently wrote, “…we don’t just tell stories, we live them. And the stories we tell become the stories we live.” Andy is the author of a book that takes a deep dive into the challenges of rural life and ministry from the perspective of someone who values the investment that groups and individuals make in their small communities. This is an amazing resource for anyone who is living or serving in a small town that is underestimated and underappreciated.

This link will take you to Andy’s book, Recovering Abundance: Twelve Practices for Small-Town Leaders https://a.co/d/3mgtcVb

And you can visit www.recoveringabundance.com to learn more about what he and Ashlyn are up to.