Alyona Koolhaas, PCOM's MOPS and nursery coordinator, shares stories of God at work from her childhood in Kiev to the fall of the Soviet Union to falling in love with an American in Wisconsin. From her love of tiny tots to her deepening relationship with great big God, this is not a story to miss.

Lost? Hurting? Confused? In pain? Have you considered trying the Bridge Ministry? Men and women walk one-on-one with those who are struggling, suffering, or going through turmoil. Learn more about how it was founded, what it does, and how you can receive care from this important ministry in a time of need.

Pastor Courtney on how sitting in a different chair can change your life. (Seriously.) Also: words of wisdom from Clayton Simon, gentle invitations to innovation, recommendations, and news about what's coming next.

Pastor Courtney reads an excerpt on whimsical worship from her new book - Happy Now - and asks the question: is it okay to play in church? She invites listeners to write in with stories of their own joyful worship experiences, and to offer feedback in how our church can imagine new ways of fellowship, mission, and worship after the unique season we've encountered.

Happy Now by Courtney Ellis

How can we love our neighbors as ourselves if we don't seek to know and understand our neighbors' points of view? Pastor Courtney unpacks the power of story to see things--and people--as complex, nuanced, and interesting rather than one-dimensional. 

We talk about how many years it took Courtney and Daryl to begin seeing one another well within their marriage (hint: it's still a journey!), and take a note out of Mark Twain's book for reading the world (and Scripture!) through the eyes of wonder rather than just utilitarianism. 

Two Ways of Seeing a River by Mark Twain

What is the role of the imagination in a life of faith? Can a Christian imagination transform our lives, our churches, and our communities? Words of wisdom from a literature professor, a philosophy professor, and a Psalm. Plus: an invitation to explore our own imaginations for the sake of the Gospel.

C.S. Lewis's essay on faith and imagination

Karen Swallow Prior's book: On Reading Well

The Holy Post Podcast interview with Karen Swallow Prior

Psalm 57

Jeff shares stories about his cooking failures (see: nearly burning down the house) and a few tips along the way.

How can our food affect and influence our lives of prayer? Can cooking be an act of prayer? How about a beautifully set table? Do we always need to pray before our meals? What are some new prayer practices we might engage around the food that we eat?

Whet your appetite for an episode on food, faith, and our good Creator God!

What do we do when our feelings feel too big, untidy, or unacceptable to bring to God? A story from Psalm 137 on bringing a difficult feeling before the Lord, lessons from speaking anger rather than letting it simmer, and a picture of the God who answers our prayers from a place of expansive goodness and light, no matter what we ask.

Psalm 137

How the objects we use to gently lead us into prayer can help us connect with the Object of our prayer. Prayer beads for Protestants, pocket stones, and visual reminders that God is with us. This episode is all about easy physical reminders that God is near.