In this solo episode, Ed Cyzewski asks what we're expecting in the new year. Are we waiting for the worst to happen? Are we immersed in the bad news on social media and news sites to the point that we have lost hope for anything good? Or are we waiting expectantly for God, remaining grounded in the present moment in faith? 

What worked in 2020? Before you answer "NOTHING!", consider for a moment the areas in your life where you felt at peace and grounded. How can you make more space for that? Are there changes you can make in 2021 that will help you stay rooted in God's presence and love? Now is as good a time as any to make small, incremental changes that can really grow and blossom in the course of a full year. 

In this episode, Ed Cyzewski shares how he's making changes in preparation for 2021 and making more space for life giving, soul restoring practices. 

We are going through a unique moment of shared trauma. Even caregivers have to find ways to cope with the trauma of this moment, and that is just the start of the challenges we face since safety measures have been politicized and made controversial. This brief solo podcast explores some ways to pursue soul care at a time when we face the challenges of isolation, imperfect technology, and misinformation. 

As we speculate about what a new year and a new president will bring in America in 2021, there are some larger trends to consider. The nature of politics and social media may prove especially challenging for our spiritual health and mental well-being. One school of thought in political analysis believes that negative partisanship is what has been driving our most recent elections and expect it to only grow if our social media and news media environments remain unchanged. How can our spiritual practices keep up with the crazy that may be coming our way? 

In this solo episode of Paths to Restoration, author Ed Cyzewski shares about the vision for this podcast. Moving forward we need to share more fact-based conversations about pressing issues such as the COVID pandemic and the rise of anti-vaccine social media posts. This is a time when the credibility of Christians is on the line, to say nothing of the thousands of lives that could be lost if we can't achieve herd immunity due to misinformation about the vaccine or medical experts. 

We'll still have interviews from time to time, but this podcast will also offer a weekly check-in about the sources of digital distraction and misinformation that may mislead, divide, and disrupt us so that we can make more space for spiritual practices and take steps to love our neighbors. 

We can use our phones to avoid the more challenging and uncomfortable aspects of life, and none may prove more challenging to ponder than our own mortality. Author Christiana N. Peterson shares what she learned from the mystics and how she has shaped her spiritual practices accordingly. Be sure to check out her books at her website www.ChristianaNPeterson.com or Amazon: Awakened by Death and Mystics and Misfits. 

Kris Camealy has one message to share, and it's a doozy: surrender. Surrender isn't easy, and it often shows up as times of waiting in our lives. During this episode Kris shares about her devotional writing, her book on Surrender (Everything Is Yours), and how she is caring for her soul at a time when there are plenty of distractions to find on social media. Learn more about Kris and her books at her website: www.kriscamealy.com. 

There is a lot of fear and anxiety over the outcome of the election and the transition process. How can we recover from the emotional and soul care challenges of the election and develop long term soul care strategies to carry us through the months and years ahead? In this brief solo episode, Ed Cyzewski talks through some ideas for social media, news, and soul care resets over the coming days. 

How can you change your phone use so that you have more control over it? Which spiritual practices have proven most helpful for pastors new to these disciplines? What will you read during Advent this year? Pastor and author Ray Hollenbach has a lot of wisdom and insight to share in this wide ranging episode on spiritual practices and healthier smartphone practices. Connect with Ray and check out his advent book, 25 Days of Christmas: A Devotional for Incredibly Busy People, at www.studentsofjesus.com.  

In this solo episode, author Ed Cyzewski shares about the ongoing soul searching in America after the 2020 election, including the questions so many are asking about why our nation is so divided over a man who clearly mismanaged the pandemic response. There aren't easy answers, but in sharing his own story, Ed offers a few ideas about how truth and compassion, joined together, can help us as we ponder what's next.