On this episode my long-time friend Josh Wilson and I discuss his story of how overwhelming depression challenged his daily survival to work, function, and balance graduate school.  This episode is a bit longer as Josh details the valleys and eventual climb toward truly living again.

Listen in as Joe Belzer and I discuss the idea of celebrating the process of pain, why we don't do it well, and if the solution is take two scriptures and call me in the morning.  As we live each day, are we aware of people and experiences the Lord is bringing across our path learning from Philip and the Ethiopian.

My great friend and mentor of 31 years Joe Belzer joins me for a discussion around the idea of wounding and discernment.  Often our pain reveals our independence and self-reliance as God reveals our need to be more deeply connected to community.  After God, who is it that you seek for help in the midst of your pain?

In part 2, Ryan Freeman describes not stopping with transformation but instead pursuing a life of freedom and fulfillment to create a dynamic and contagious life.  God also uses some special people in his life to confirm he is on the right path as Ryan positions himself towards and abundant life of inspiration and influence.

If we are honest, most of our lives we want mercy for ourselves and justice for our enemies. But Ryan Freeman's story is one of being grateful for the justice system sending him to jail and becoming the "happiest jail resident" in the system. He is one of the most contagiously joyful people you will meet because his life is overflowing with gratitude.  If you are in a place without hope and life is impossible, listen to Ryan describe a story of realization and maturing that revolutionized each day of his life.  That same hope is available to you.

In 2 Cor 12:10 Paul writes, "That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  Most of us love personal growth, but dislike the struggle element of that growth.  But it rarely comes without challenge.  Listen to part 2 with Tonya Brueggemeyer as she describes creating a yoga class' environment of safety and struggle when sometimes making it to your mat is all you can do.

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Yoga and Christianity?  Many misconceptions exist around the practice of Yoga being rooted in Eastern religion.  But is it truly?  What if Yoga could help Christians in their pursuit of intimacy with God, their daily focus and actually deepen their faith?  Join me as my good friend Tonya Brueggemeyer explains how Yoga actually encourages each person to embrace their struggle, bring it with them to their mat and face it there in the flow of this dynamic community and ancient practice.

What is the difference between discipleship that adds and discipleship that multiplies while living out the Kingdom?   If each Christian has received the call of the Great Commission, which is to make disciples, can each of us answer yes to that question?  That call is to each parent, each friend, each neighbor, and each individual regardless of vocation, country or economic status to replicate their faith in others.  Is discipleship on your church's "menu?"

In John 14:12 Jesus says those who believe in Him will do greater things!  Is that true of your life?  Or have wounds and emotional lies stunted your spiritual growth and missional living?  Some damaging experiences are intentional and others are seemingly random.  But are you living free?  Listen as my good friend Jeff "big country" Eaton jump in deep to understand soul care.

Deep down every man is hard wired to quietly ask the question, "Am I enough?"  The answer is divinely designed to come from a father or a father figure such as a coach, a teacher, or older, wiser male.  What happens if the father is passive?  What happens if a son believes the mother is the one to answer the questions?  Bruce walks us through how these unravel the male identity.  http://forkingandkingdom.com/