Today's episode is a recording of my homily for the First Sunday in Lent.

A reflection on living whole—aligning thoughts, words, and actions—and why real integrity is about inner transformation, not just outward behavior, in light of this Sunday's Gospel.

In this episode, I look at Christ's "salt of the earth" passage, and why salt is such a powerful analogy for both spiritual life and physical survival. I talk about the real physiological role of sodium in the body, the importance of electrolyte balance, the dangers of both too little and too much, and how modern metabolic health connects to issues like blood pressure. This is a conversation about balance, essential things that often go unnoticed, and how the living expression of faith is meant to preserve, strengthen, and bring life to the world around us.

This episode is a follow up to episode 35. These are my thoughts on the modern fear economy and how constant exposure to anxiety-driven media shapes our mindset, stress levels, and even our physical health. Building on the idea of secondhand stress, I talk about why fear is such an effective tool, how chronic stress quietly wears us down, and why Jesus' repeated command to "be not afraid" is not sentimental but deeply practical. This is about resisting manufactured fear, paying attention to what is actually true in our own lives, and ordering ourselves toward the will of God rather than the constant churn of alarm.

In this episode, I'm talking about decrepitude — the slow, often unnoticed decline that many people mistake for "normal aging." Rather than focusing on disease or dramatic outcomes, I'm talking about the everyday metabolic forces that quietly shrink capacity over time. Using what I call the four horsemen of metabolic syndrome — chronic stress, lack of quality sleep, poor nutrition, and sedentarism, I think through how these fundamentals interact, how they fail together, and why neglecting them leads to unnecessary decline with age. This is a conversation about preserving capability, resilience, and dignity over the long haul, and why aging doesn't have to mean surrendering function.

In this episode, I talk about secondhand stress—the anxiety and tension we absorb simply by moving through certain environments. From school hallways and lunch tables to workplace break rooms and meetings, I discuss how stress spreads through proximity, chronic negativity, and politicized conversation, even when nothing "bad" is happening to us personally. It's a look at how toxic negativity in our environments affect our interior lives, why we feel exhausted without knowing why, and come to dread school or work the next day. Then I offer some practical suggestions for what simple awareness, restraint, and steadiness can actually do about it.

The USDA put out a new food pyramid and dietary guidelines this week. This week's episode is my thoughts on the the idea food pyramids/dietary guidelines in general, along with some history, and politics behinds them.

In this episode of Purpose and Perseverance, I reflect on the truth that we were never meant to do life alone. Drawing from Scripture, the Harvard longevity study, and the growing epidemic of loneliness, we explore how deep, meaningful relationships shape not only our spiritual lives but our mental and physical health as well. This conversation looks at why Christianity is fundamentally a relational faith - and why presence, connection, and communion may be among the most important practices of a well-lived life.

In this episode, I talk about personal evolution - the quiet, often uncomfortable work of becoming better over time. Not better than other people, but better than who we were yesterday. The idea of personal exceptionalism is not about ego, entitlement, or comparison, but responsibility: the responsibility to steward our bodies, minds, and souls and multiply the "talents" God has given us in each of those areas. Ultimately, it's about the idea of aspiring to become the best versions of ourselves over time.

As the New Year approaches, this episode is about exploring the difference between expectations and aspirations, and why confusing the two can quietly undermine our mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Expectations outcomes, they're finite, and often fuel anxiety and discouragement when things don't go according to our will or life doesn't cooperate. Aspirations, by contrast are open ended, hopeful, and about direction (purpose) rather than arrival. My prayer is that this episode helps listeners let go of the pressure of perfection and choose faithfulness, trust, and perseverance stepping into the year ahead.