The #AskSteveAustin Podcast

Episode 68 of the #AskSteveAustin Podcast is a BONUS Episode, featuring Steve Austin's friend and spiritual mentor, Rev. Ed Bacon. This audio comes at a time when many of us are grieving the deaths of Kate Space and Anthony Bourdain. Rev. Bacon recently offered deep insights into the epidemic of despair, sharing his own personal story of the night he nearly died by suicide.

Ed Bacon is an Episcopal priest, speaker, and author of 8 Habits of Love. Now, after decades of leading churches, he travels from his Alabama home, teaching across all spiritual paths as well as in non-religious contexts how our Oneness in Love overcomes our separateness in fear. He also works to help save the Pando forest in southern Utah. You can follow Ed at edbacon.co and on Facebook and Twitter.

Articles mentioned:

Preventable Tragedies of Suicide (The New Yorker)

Latest CDC Report - Suicide Rates on the Rise

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Episode 67 of the #AskSteveAustin Podcast is all about the 7 energy levels and stress reactions we all have. What's yours? This is part two of Steve Austin's talk with life coach, Judy Sutherland. Follow Judy's work at judysutherland.com.

Show notes:

Listen to Part 1 of Holding Up the Light (just click here)

View Steve's energetic profile & stress reactions (just click here)

View the 7 levels of energy (just click here)

Connect with Judy Sutherland online (just click here)

From the ELI Website:

A Mirror That Reflects Your World

The Energy Leadership Index (E.L.I.) is a one-of-a-kind assessment that enables leaders to hold up mirrors to their perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, and overall leadership capabilities. The E.L.I. forms the initial launching point for the Energy Leadership Development System, helping give you a baseline for your current performance and situation. Whether you proceed through the full system or not, the realizations that you’ll gain from the Energy Leadership assessment and debrief process alone will change the way you view your world.

Background: An Attitudinal Assessment

There are two main types of assessments: Personality and Attitudinal. Personality based assessments, such as Myers Briggs and D.I.S.C. are very valuable tools that pinpoint certain personality types so that people can have more of an understanding about what their strengths and weaknesses are. By understanding your personality and how it relates to what you do, you can adapt your behavior to “work with what you have,” to function effectively.

The E.L.I. is an attitudinal assessment, which is based on an energy/action model. This assessment differs from personality assessments as it is not intended to label a person and have them work well within that label. Instead, it measures your level of energy based on your attitude, or perception and perspective of your world. Because attitude is subjective, it can be altered. By working with a coach using the E.L.I., you can alter your attitude and perspective, make a shift in your consciousness, and increase your energy and leadership effectiveness.

There are no limits as to the potential growth that you can achieve. Once you realize that your level of consciousness is directly related to your actions, you can move from functioning effectively, to functioning optimally.

As part of the Energy Leadership Index assessment and debrief process, you’ll learn about the 7 levels of leadership and how much energy you currently have in the catabolic-suppressing range and in the anabolic-inspirational range. You’ll be debriefed on the findings of the assessment, and coached on how to navigate yourself to higher performance.

If you proceed on to the Energy Leadership Development System, you’ll be coached on how to become your ideal image of who you need to be as a leader for your situation, division, team, and/or company.

What is Energy Leadership?

Energy Leadership™ is the process that develops a personally effective style of leadership that positively influences and changes not only yourself, but also those with whom you work and interact, as well as your organization as a whole.

Before we explore the rest of what Energy Leadership may have to offer you, let’s define the two key underlined terms above.

Leadership

Leadership is how you interact with everyone, including yourself. Leaders are quite visible within small and large businesses. We tend to think of them as business owners, CEO’s and managers at all levels. Traditionally, leadership also extends into politics and other global affairs. However, parents, therapists and health care providers, solopreneurs, sports coaches, consultants, mentors, partners in relationship, teachers, authors, and others who interact with people on a regular ...

Episode 66 of the #AskSteveAustin podcast with Steve Austin is a BONUS episode - A Tribute to Steve's grandfather, Ben House. In this episode, Steve shares some personal stories and journals, talks about blessings, and shares his grandfather's favorite Scripture.

Show notes:

Number 6:22-27- “And the Lord said to Moses, Speak unto Aaron and his sons, saying, “Use this wisdom to bless the children of Israel, saying, ‘The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His Face to shine upon you, And be gracious to you, The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. And they will put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”

Deuteronomy 21:5 - “And the priests of the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the Lord, your God, has chosen to minister, and to bless in the name of the Lord; And by their word shall every controversy and every punishment be settled.”

1 Chronicles 23:13 - “And Aaron was separated, that he should sanctify the most holy things, and he and his sons forever, to burn incense before the Lord, to minister, and BLESS in His name forever.”

To My Grandpa - The One with Alzheimer's (blog)

If I had Spoken at My Grandfather's Funeral (blog)

In Memory of Benjamin Norris House, Sr.

May the Lord bless you and keep you,

Make His face shine upon you,

Be gracious to you,

And give you peace.

Judy Sutherland is a life coach and Steve Austin’s dear friend. In Episode 65, we’re going to be talking about energy, living your best life, and holding up the light for others.

Show Notes:

What does it mean to be a woman on a mission?

How life coaching changed Judy’s life 3 years ago.

Limiting beliefs

“...being invited into the holy ground of other people’s stories.” - Wm. Paul Young

Uncovering your judgments

The art of inviting people into a conversation.

What do love, service, and generosity have to do with each other?

What does it mean to lead with love?

As a mother, wife, human being, and life coach - what does womanhood mean to you today?

How can I honor myself?

Intentions, Goals, and Purpose

Levels of energy

Cultivating Quiet/Stillness/Disconnection/Reflection/Prayer

Help for tired parents

Courageworks.com (Brene’ Brown’s website)

Judy’s daily practices

Shonda Rhimes - TED Talk

The Year of Yes

Daring Greatly

The Gifts of Imperfection

JudySutherland.com - life coaching, energy assessments, discovery calls, and more!

Tweetable Moments from Judy:

There are moments in our lives when we become the teacher, and there are moments when we become the student.

Let love speak for itself.

I love to give my life away. Generosity is an outpouring of who I am.

Honor yourself, and keep the promises you make.

Taking responsibility for your life is an inside job. What you need, you have.

Letting go of the outcome has revolutionized my life.

I am finding fulfillment with today. The most important thing in my life right now is this conversation.

Your voice matters.

Admit that you need help. Reach out to therapists, coaches, and friends. If you need help, go get that.

Say yes to your beautiful life, and watch it expand.

Other Resources from Steve Austin:

Support the show on Patreon (and join the Messy Grace Tribe)

Subscribe to the newsletter and get Friday freebies!

Steve's books

Follow Steve on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Join the launch group for Steve's upcoming book, Catching Your Breath: The Sacred Journey from Chaos to Calm

Blog post: I Need You to Help me See God Clearly

Blog post: God is Love. No, Really.

Welcome to Episode 64 of the #AskSteveAustin Podcast with Steve Austin, sponsored by Audible. For a free 30-day trial and one free audiobook, go to audibletrial.com/asksteveaustin - This mailbag episode includes Steve's responses to listener questions about: people pleasing, boundaries, speaking in tongues, anger, same sex attraction, atheism, and a whole lot more!

Last week, we reached a great big milestone - 25,000 downloads! Thanks to all of my wonderful guests, the messy grace tribe on facebook, and you the listener - this is a big deal! Thank you!

GIVEAWAY! For the next four weeks, I’m going to be giving away a paperback copy of my book, Self-Care for the Wounded Soul, plus a $25 Amazon gift card. All you have to do for your chance to win is leave a 5-star rating & review on iTunes. Take a screenshot of your review and email it to me at [email protected] - I’ll be giving away a copy of my book and an Amazon gift card every week for the next four weeks. Leave a review. Email it to me. It’s that simple. Good luck! And thanks for listening.

Show notes:

Have you followed my blog? This week on the blog, I shared a couple of new posts. One about the most depressing thing Jesus ever said, and another with 5 podcast episodes you don’t want to miss. Check those out, plus information on my life coaching and more at iamsteveaustin.com

My new book, Catching Your Breath: The Sacred Journey from Chaos to Calm, is due out in October! Want to stay up-to-date with all that’s happening with this new book? Join the launch team at catchingyourbreath.com! Subscribers get a free excerpt of the book, exclusive bonus content, and details on how to join the launch team.

Are you a member of the Messy Grace Tribe on Facebook? It’s an exclusive, closed Facebook group for supporters and guests of the AskSteveAustin podcast. If you’re looking for a way to continue this conversation every single day with other like-minded, grace-filled people, join the Messy Grace Tribe on Facebook! You can sign up for as little as $1 a month by going to patreon.com/iamsteveaustin. If you’re looking for a safe and diverse community of people who care about compassion, unity, and humanity - and aren’t obsessed with denomination, dogma, or doctrine, join The Messy Grace Tribe on Facebook! Sign up at patreon.com/iamsteveaustin

This week's questions include:

How do you find the strength to be the most authentic version of yourself, even if it’s bound to disappoint the people closest to you?

How do you personally deal with the fact that just because Jesus can heal someone or fix a situation doesn't mean he will? How does that affect your faith?

How do you decide when to engage in a conversation or not?

How can we have better conversations with the Evangelical/Fundamentalist brethren?

How did Jesus not punch someone? Or, go absolutely bananas?

What guidance can you give to a Christian who is experiencing unwanted same-sex attraction?

Did you pray in tongues? If you did have the 'gift of tongues', do you now believe it was real? Is it something that like the Assemblies of God's I've been to, you practiced? Is it a farce? What are your thoughts now?

Do Jews, Christians, and Muslims all worship the same God?

What is your opinion on atheism?

If you imagine God as a living person, here, now, how do you imagine him/her?

Connect with Steve:

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This week on Episode 63 of the #AskSteveAustin Podcast, Steve Austin welcomes his dear friend and fellow writer, Sarah J. Robinson. In this episode, the two look at the real meaning of joy in the Bible. Don't miss this conversation on the most depressing thing Jesus ever said. Music in Episode 63 by Jon Scott.

Yesterday, a friend of mine sent me a message that read, "Life sucks." And I responded, "Yep. It's a promise from Jesus." This episode is all about that. Well, kinda.

Many of us want to believe that Christianity is about the end of suffering, pain, and hard times. We want the successful Christian life to equal health, wealth, and happiness. But we forget that before Jesus ever resurrected, he was betrayed, mocked, beaten to a bloody pulp, nailed to a cross, and buried. This is a conversation about hard times. And hope. And cultivating joy in the midst of it all.

Show Notes:

Music in today’s episode by Jon Scott: jonscottonline.com

Join Sarah Robinson’s Joy-Full Course at beautifulbetween.com/joy

Sign up for Steve Austin’s 7-Day Self-Care Challenge for free at jointheselfcarechallenge.com

Read this week’s post on how to spark your creativity by practicing stillness

Join the Catching Your Breath launch team!

Submit a guest post to iAmSteveAustin.com!

Support the #AskSteveAustin Podcast on Patreon

Related Resources:

Looking for God in the Darkness

Feel hopeless? Listen to this.

I was a pastor when I nearly died by suicide.

A Spotlight, Depression, & Words that Changed Me

I'm Not Disappointed in You

Hello, friend! I’m Steve Austin, welcome to this special edition of the #AskSteveAustin podcast. On Episode 62, Steve Austin lets you in on the heart behind his upcoming book, Catching Your Breath: The Sacred Journey from Chaos to Calm. For the past month, people have been donating to the Kickstarter campaign at KickstartMyBook.com, helping make this book a reality. The Kickstarter ends May 2nd - and we're working really hard to reach the $10,000 goal, so listen to this episode for excerpts from the book, answers to listener questions, and several songs by Devin Balram. 

Show Notes:

So - what is Catching Your Breath all about?

After writing four other books, why this one, and why now?

What was the toughest part about writing this book?

What is the most important message you like for readers to take from this book?

What is your Enneagram number?

What do you do when being optimistic and joyful is your goal, but you’re having a less-than-perfect day?

If there was one sentence, one paragraph, one page, one chapter that you really wanted listeners to grasp, what would it be?

What can I expect to get out of the book? How do you plan on actually helping me get from chaos to calm? Is this just another dime-a-dozen book? What about the book is uniquely, “Steve Austin”

Donate to the Kickstarter campaign until May 2nd at 10am CST at KickstartMyBook.com - thanks!

Special music in this week's episode by Devin Balram

Background music courtesy of BenSound

On Episode 61 of the #AskSteveAustin Podcast, Steve sits down with Jamie Wright, author of the new bestseller, The Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever. *Warning: if you're a prude, you may want to skip this episode (or it could be exactly what you need). Jamie is the perfect balance of faithful and foul - listen at your own risk. 

The Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever, began as a blog, to chronical everyday dumbness, hilarious ineptitudes, and downright disasters of a wannabe world-changer who some days would rather just stay in bed. When to her surprise, her blog wins a large and passionate following (including Steve Austin), she begins to see that maybe a “bad” missionary - awkward, doubtful, and bare-butt honest - is exactly what the world and throngs of American do-gooders need.

This book will NOT take "a literary dump on your soul," like Jamie says is possible. But it WILL, in parts, cause you to throw your head back and belly laugh. In the foreword of this book, here’s what Jen Hatmaker says, “...this broken down world and our busted-up human hearts deserve better than a list of rules and a church that emphasizes fitting in over true belonging.” (Be sure to listen to the entire episode for a chance to win 1 of 3 copies of this fantastic new book!)

Author Jamie Wright is a writer and speaker best known for her snarky faith and lifestyle blog, The Very Worst Missionary. As a passionate advocate for missions reform and humanitarian aid that is sensible, meaningful, and enduring, she has traveled the world sharing her experience with churches, nonprofits, and universities. She procrastinates in Northern California, where she lives with her family, two dumb dogs, and an evil cat. For more information please visit www.theveryworstmissionary.com

Show notes:

Support Steve's Kickstarter for Catching Your Breath, at KickstartMyBook.com

Theological shifts

Book writing

Becoming The Very Worst Missionary

Steve’s short-term missions trips

The truth about missions agencies

Where you come from matters

“God will not be swallowed like a pill to cure the herpes of your soul…”

Jamie’s experience with mental illness

Remaining faithful while having doubts

How do we encourage honesty and vulnerability in our children?

What is it about the truth that makes people so uncomfortable?

For those of us post-Evangelical Christianity, what happened? Did the church change? Did we? Where do we go from here?

Jamie’s least-favorite Christianese phrases

Do you believe the Church of Jesus Christ is the Hope of the World?

How should we respond to people who disagree with us theologically?

Why are you still such a passionate follower of Jesus, even though you’re obviously a terrible missionary?

usic

"Gettin' Our Church On," by the Drew Hale Band.

"Not Crazy," by Act of Congress ActOfCongressMusic.com

Follow Jamie Wright on Twitter and Facebook. Get the book here.

Follow Steve Austin on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and his blog.

Support Steve's Kickstarter for his upcoming book, Catching Your Breath: The Sacred Journey from Chaos to Calm, by going to KickstartMyBook.com today!

Are you grateful? Join Steve Austin and Diana Butler Bass on Episode 60 of the #AskSteveAustin Podcast. Could gratitude change your life, family, community, service, and politics? You are going to love this conversation about the transformative power of giving thanks!

Show notes:

Retweet Steve Austin's pinned post on Twitter this week for a chance to win 1 of 3 copies of this wonderful new book!

Order your copy of Diana Butler Bass's new book, "Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks".

Support the Kickstarter for Steve Austin's upcoming book, "Catching Your Breath: The Sacred Journey from Chaos to Calm". Ends May 2nd!

Join the 7-Day Self-Care Challenge!

Check out the new welcome video at iamsteveaustin.com

Follow Steve on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Support the show & join the Messy Grace Tribe!

Follow Diana Butler Bass online at dianabutlerbass.com

With the morning birdsong,

My heart echoes thank you.

With the rustling sounds in the kitchen,

My heart echoes thank you.

With the early noise in the suburbs,

My heart echoes thank you.

With the awakening words of day,

I add my voice and say thank you.

-"Gratitude," Diana Butler Bass

Tweetable Moments from Diana:

Gratitude's greatest strength is that it is a feeling. And gratitude's greatest weakness is that it is a feeling.

Gratitude helps us live as our best selves, even in very difficult circumstances.

Gratefulness gave me the capacity to look back over all the places I had been and read it differently.

Gratefulness turns the past to empowering, instead of disempowering.

Because of gratitude, tragedy doesn't have to be the last word.

Hello and WELCOME to episode 59 of the #AskSteveAustin Podcast, featuring Drew Hale and Tullian Tchividjian, with Steve Austin. This show is sponsored by Audible.com - sign up for your free month’s membership at audibletrial.com/asksteveaustin!

Did you listen to the Good Friday bonus episode? If not, you’re going to want to do that. It features confessions and laments from Rev. Liz Edman, Paul Young, Sarah Simmons, JJ Landis, Robert Vore, and so many other friends. Check it out today!

And if you’re experiencing a dark night of the soul, be sure to read this week’s blog, “Hope for the Forsaken: A Doxology of Darkness” at iamsteveaustin.com - while you’re there, check out info on my life coaching, follow my weekly newsletter, and so much more.

Show notes:

Join the messy grace tribe and support the show at patreon.com/iamsteveaustin

Rate and review the show on iTunes 

Listen to the very end of this episode for a HUGE giveaway. If you’re a reader, you don’t want to miss this.

Follow Steve Austin on Twitter.

Tullian Tchividjian's website.

Drew Hale's website.

Featured songs in today's episode: Hard Lessons from a Looking Glass, Pieces (feat. Vince Gill), Pills (written by Drew's wife, Emily)

 

Tullian's Tweetable Moments:

Grace is a Divine vulgarity.

In the world of performancism, success equals life and failure is tantamount to death.

What we do is important, but it is infinitely less important than what Jesus has done for us.

Christianity is not about good people getting better.

Rebellion and conformity are often opposite sides of the same coin.

There's a big difference in grace a lot vs. grace alone.