Originally released on September 4, 2024, as “Deep Listening Might Save Us,” this conversation returns to The Being Formed Podcast exactly two years later. Once again, on Adam’s birthday.

Coincidence? We don't think so...

Bringing this episode out of the archives feels like a birthday gift because its message reflects the heart of LifePoint Resources: every soul deserves to be heard.

Stephen W. Smith has been a friend and mentor to Adam Ormord as he has found his way more deeply into spiritual formation, spiritual direction, and the care of the soul. In this powerful conversation, Steve and Adam explore our fundamental need to be heard and the healing that can happen when another person offers us their attentive presence.

Deep listening is more than a communication skill. It is a way of loving. When we listen without rushing to fix, advise, interrupt, or prepare our response, we create space for another person to feel seen, known, and received.

The conversation was inspired by Steve’s article, “Deep Listening Might Save Us,” published in July 2024. Steve later returned for Episode 41 to discuss his book of poetry, Greening: Poems in the Unfolding of Our Lives. Including this "remixed" episode, Steve has now appeared on The Being Formed Podcast more often than any other guest.

Near the end of the conversation, Steve invites listeners to create an acrostic using the word LISTEN. Allow each letter to represent a posture or skill that helps you become more present to another person.

Consider:

Read “Deep Listening Might Save Us” by Stephen W. Smith

Listen to Episode 41: “Greening (with Stephen W. Smith)”

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

What happens when the ministry you have poured your life into is suddenly no longer yours?

After more than three decades of ministry together, Mike and Lori McDaniel found themselves facing an unexpected and painful ending. What followed was a season of grief, disorientation, and the difficult work of discovering who they were apart from the roles and ministry that had shaped so much of their lives.

In this episode of The Being Formed Podcast, Adam Ormord (host) invites Mike and Lori into a heartfelt conversation about the subtle ways identity can become entangled with what we do for God, learning the language of grief and lament, slowing down enough to pay attention to our souls, and redefining what success looks like when much of what once made it visible has been stripped away.

At the heart of Mike and Lori's journey is what they now call The Great Invitation, the invitation of Jesus in Matthew 11 to come to him, learn from him, and discover a sustainable way of life with God. Before the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, perhaps we first need to hear again the Great Invitation: Come to me.

Mike and Lori are co-founders and Directors of The Great Invitation, a ministry providing soul care to pastors, church leaders, and missionaries through retreats, individual coaching and spiritual direction, and onsite coaching for ministry teams. They have spent 36 years in ministry together, leading in pastoral ministry, church planting, soul care, and spiritual direction. They founded Grace Point Church in Bentonville, Arkansas, in 2001, where Mike served as Lead Pastor for 23 years while Lori built and led ministries in children's, missions, and women's ministry. They have also lived overseas as missionaries, training leaders and planting churches. Their shared love for the nations has taken them to over 30 countries, strengthening indigenous leaders and cross-cultural workers.

Mike is first and foremost a pastor at heart, having shepherded congregations for over two decades and mentored other pastors and church leaders along the way. He holds his Doctorate in Ministry from Dallas Theological Seminary and is a certified Spiritual Director through Denver Seminary. He is also an Associate Certified Coach through the International Coaching Federation and completed the Flourishing in Ministry Life Coach certification at BIOLA University. He is the author of The Resurgent Church.

Lori is an experienced ministry leader, author, mentor, and Bible teacher who speaks at conferences globally. Lori holds a BS in education and psychology, an MA in theology and intercultural studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Talbot School of Theology (BIOLA University). She completed the Flourishing in Ministry certification at BIOLA and is completing both her International Coaching Federation credentials and Narrative-Focused Trauma training at the Allender Center (Seattle School of Psychology and Theology). She is the author of The Mission of God and You.

Mike and Lori were high school sweethearts and have been married for 35 years. They have three married adult children and seven grandchildren.

To learn more about Mike and Lori and their soul care ministry, visit https://greatinvitation.org.

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

What if the greatest obstacle to the life God is inviting you into isn't a lack of ability, but the stories you've come to believe about yourself?

In this episode of The Being Formed Podcast, Adam sits down with transformational coach, author, and founder of We Train Coaches, Jeff Caliguire. In 2021, Adam entered Jeff's coach training program with a dream that had been sitting on the back burner for years. During that season, God rekindled the vision that would eventually become LifePoint Resources.

Rather than focusing on strategies for success, this conversation dives beneath the surface, to the places where limiting beliefs, fear, and transition often keep us from becoming who God created us to be. Together, Adam and Jeff explore why transformation is always relational, why listening for God's voice matters more than simply changing behaviors, and how coaching, spiritual direction, and authentic community can help us recover the dreams we've stopped believing are possible.

Whether you're standing at the beginning of a new chapter, wrestling through a season of transition, or wondering what God may still have for you, this conversation offers both hope and an invitation to take the next step.

"The transition is often harder than the change."

"A great coach doesn't allow you to stay where you are."

"When we're connected to the Vine, transformation becomes possible."

"Young men see visions. Old men dream dreams."

"What's the downside of not taking the next step?"

As you finish listening, consider taking these two questions into prayer:

In Part Two of this special dual-release conversation, Adam Ormord continues his dialogue with Jessica Vangsnes, host of the Transforming Us Podcast.

While Part One explored some of Adam's story, this episode turns toward Jessica and her journey of ever-increasing friendship with Jesus. Together, Adam and Jessica explore how attachment, friendship, and the healing presence of Christ have shaped her own process of becoming.

Throughout the conversation, they reflect on what it means to move beyond performance and self-protection into deeper trust, greater relational wholeness, and the freedom of walking with Jesus as a faithful Friend. They also discuss the importance of spiritual companionship, the gift of being known, and why transformation is rarely a solo endeavor.

The episode concludes with an Ignatian-inspired prayer practice and a conversation about LifePoint Resources' upcoming Sacred Way Community—a journey of relational spiritual formation designed for those longing to grow in community with fellow pilgrims.

In this episode:

Connect with Jessica Vangsnes and Transforming Us

Learn more about LifePoint Resources and the Sacred Way Community

If these conversations have encouraged you, consider sharing both episodes with someone who longs for a deeper, more relational journey with Christ.

Thank you for listening to The Being Formed Podcast. Wherever you find yourself on the path today, may you discover that Jesus is already walking beside you, and that His invitation is not simply to arrive somewhere, but to be formed into a person of love.

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

In this special dual-release episode, The Being Formed Podcast welcomes Jessica Vangsnes, host of the Transforming Us podcast, for the first of a two-part conversation exploring pilgrimage, attachment, and the slow work of spiritual formation.

Jessica is a certified trauma-informed relationship coach, group facilitator, and the visionary behind Transforming Us. Integrating a rich background in ministry, soul care, Gottman 7 principles facilitation, and the Enneagram in relationships, Jess guides individuals and couples away from internal division and toward sacred wholeness with Christ.

Her work is forged in the fire of her own need for wholeness. For 18 years, she and her husband, Travis, have navigated the beautiful, complex terrain of marriage, foster care, adoption, and caregiving. It was through her own profound seasons of pain and personal healing that Jess discovered her calling: helping others tend to the shadowy places of their souls.

Today, Jess lives in South Carolina with Travis and their five children, ages 7 to 20. Jess views every person as a unique reflection of God’s image. Believing that true healing is a collaborative process with Jesus, she helps people unearth subconscious patterns and name attachment wounds, bridging practical psychological tools with spiritual formation.

Part One of our two-part conversation focuses a bit more on Adam's story - from discovering spiritual direction and walking the Camino de Santiago to the lessons learned about trust, embodiment, and the transforming love of God. Along the way, Adam and Jessica explore how the Enneagram, attachment theory, and the ministry of presence can help us move from striving to abiding, from performing for God to walking with Him as a beloved friend.

In this episode:

Part Two continues the conversation by exploring more of Jessica's story, her journey into attachment work and relational transformation, and the ways God has shaped her through coaching and the Enneagram.

Connect with Jessica Vangsnes and Transforming Us:

If this conversation encourages you, consider subscribing to The Being Formed Podcast, leaving a review, and sharing the episode with someone who could use a fellow pilgrim on the journey.

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

Adam Ormord (LifePoint Resources) sits down with author, worship leader, coach, and spiritual director Becky Ykema to discuss her new book.

After more than two decades serving in churches ranging from church plants to one of the largest churches in the country, Becky began noticing subtle patterns shaping ministry culture. Those observations became her new book, Composing Church: Considerations for the Modern Creative Leader.

While written with worship leaders and creative teams in mind, this conversation reaches much further, exploring the formation of ministry leaders, the culture of our churches, and the invitation to become people who lead from authenticity rather than performance.

Whether you're a pastor, worship leader, volunteer, elder, or someone who simply longs for a healthy ministry culture, we believe you'll find encouragement and hope in this conversation.

In this episode, we discuss:

• What it means to "compose" a church culture.

Resources Mentioned:

Connect with Becky:

Thanks for listening to The Being Formed Podcast. If this conversation encouraged you, consider sharing it with someone who loves the Church and longs to see her become more like Christ.

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

What if the deepest truth about you is not what you do, what you believe, or even what you have accomplished, but that you were created for relationship?

In this solo episode, Adam Ormord explores the idea that we are, at our core, relational souls. Drawing from the work of Richard Plass and James Cofield, Todd and Elizabeth Hall, Trevor Hudson, Henri Nouwen, and others, Adam reflects on the transformative power of loving relationships and why trust sits at the heart of spiritual formation.

Along the way, he shares personal stories of God's faithfulness, explores the difference between knowing about God and knowing God relationally, and invites listeners to consider what it means to live as God's beloved.

Whether you find yourself longing for deeper connection, wrestling with trust, or simply seeking a more experiential relationship with God, this conversation offers a timely reminder that transformation happens in the context of love.

Where in your life might God be inviting you to move from simply knowing something about Him to experiencing it more deeply through trust?

"Perhaps the deepest invitation of the spiritual life is learning to come home - home to the God who sees us, delights in us, and has never stopped watching the horizon for our return."

The Being Formed Podcast is a Soul Care Ministry of LIfePoint Resources.

What if Jesus is always moving toward us, offering us friendship and love, but we've lost the ability to notice?

In this episode of The Being Formed Podcast, Adam Ormord sits down with Dale Gish, founder of The Ignatian Center, spiritual director, retreat leader, and guide of the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius.

Drawing from a recent pilgrimage through Spain, Dale shares stories from visiting significant locations in the life of Ignatius of Loyola, including Montserrat and Manresa. Along the way, he reflects on the transformative power and enduring wisdom of the Spiritual Exercises, and why Ignatian spirituality continues to resonate with so many people today.

Together, Adam and Dale explore the life of Ignatius and the invitation to discover God's presence in the ordinary moments of daily life. They also discuss the growing interest in the 19th Annotation of the Exercises and how this accessible pathway allows people to journey deeply with Jesus while remaining fully engaged in everyday responsibilities.

Whether you're new to Ignatian spirituality or have been walking this path for years, this conversation offers a thoughtful introduction to a tradition that has helped countless people cultivate a more attentive, discerning, and relational life with God.

In this episode, you'll hear:

About Dale Gish

Dale Gish is the founder of The Ignatian Center, a ministry devoted to helping people encounter God through the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius. He is a spiritual director, retreat leader, and experienced guide of the Exercises. Through teaching, training, retreats, and pilgrimage experiences, Dale helps individuals and groups cultivate deeper attentiveness to God, greater discernment, and a more intimate relationship with Jesus.

Resources & Links

The Ignatian Center: https://www.theignatiancenter.org

Connect with Dale and learn more about upcoming cohorts, webinars, and training opportunities through The Ignatian Center.

Reflection Question

Where do you sense yourself on the journey with Jesus right now, and what invitation might be waiting for you in this particular stretch of the road?

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.

What does it look like to walk with Jesus in a way that is relational, intentional, and deeply transformative?

In this episode of The Being Formed Podcast, Adam is joined by spiritual director and retreat guide Kim Van Natta for a conversation about a new initiative from LifePoint Resources called the Sacred Way Community.

Together, they explore the growing hunger many people are experiencing for a more relational and experiential life with God, especially in a cultural moment marked by exhaustion, disillusionment, disconnection, and spiritual uncertainty. They discuss the difference between merely learning about God and learning how to be with God, and why intentionally small, immersive, and formational communities can become sacred spaces of healing, growth, and transformation.

Adam and Kim also unpack the vision and rhythm behind The Sacred Way Community, an 18-month cohort journey centered around relational spiritual formation, shared retreats, contemplative practices, and authentic community.

This conversation is an invitation to slow down, listen deeply, and consider where God may be inviting you into deeper formation and a more sustainable way of following Jesus.

Kim Van Natta is a spiritual director, Ignatian retreat guide, and the founder of Transforming Experiences. Her work centers on helping people cultivate deeper awareness of God’s presence through spiritual direction, contemplative practices, creation-based experiences, and relational spiritual formation.

Kim is helping lead the development of The Sacred Way Community and will serve as the first Director of this new initiative through LifePoint Resources.

The Sacred Way Community is an 18-month journey of relational spiritual formation designed for those longing for a deeper, slower, and more authentic life with God.

The journey includes:

Our first cohort is scheduled to begin in September 2027.

To receive updates and learn more as plans continue to unfold, visit: LifePoint Resources or email: swcLifePoint Resources

As you listen to this conversation, where do you sense an invitation toward deeper formation in your own life? What has been stirring in you?

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources, a nonprofit ministry devoted to making soul care accessible to all. Through spiritual direction, retreats, webinars, and formational community, we help you cultivate a deeper, more sustainable life with God. www.lifepointresources.org

If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with a friend, colleague, or leader who may be interested in joining the Sacred Way Community.

What sustains a leader over time?

In this episode of The Being Formed Podcast, Adam Ormord (Founder and President of LifePoint Resources) sits down with retired Navy chaplain and author Gregory Woodard to explore the inner life of leadership. Drawing from years of experience in ministry and the military, Greg shares how leadership that lasts is not built on competence alone, but on a life that is rooted, attentive, and formed from within.

Together, they explore the drift many leaders experience - remaining effective on the outside while becoming disconnected, isolated, and unhealthy on the inside - and why so many leaders struggle to finish well.

Greg introduces a framework of four essential rhythms - relational, spiritual, emotional, and physical—that help leaders cultivate a more sustainable and integrated life.

This conversation moves from Greg’s personal story, to practical insights for leaders today, and ultimately to the deeper invitation of becoming the kind of person who leads from the soul.

Greg Woodard is a retired Navy chaplain who served for over two decades, walking alongside individuals and leaders in some of life’s most challenging and formative moments.

He is the author of Leadership from Within: Navigating the Path Toward Soul-Driven Success, a book that invites leaders to cultivate a sustainable and integrated life through intentional rhythms of soul care.

Learn more: www.gregwoodard.com

As you listen, you might take a moment to notice:

Where in your life are you leading from the outside in… rather than from within?

And gently consider:

What might it look like to pay attention to your soul - not to fix anything, but to be present to God there?

The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources, a nonprofit ministry devoted to making soul care accessible to all. Through spiritual direction, retreats, webinars, and formational community, we help individuals and leaders cultivate a deeper, more sustainable life with God. www.lifepointresources.org

If this episode resonated with you, consider sharing it with a friend, colleague, or leader who might be carrying more than they realize.