The Collide Kids Podcast | Faith, Family Discipleship & Fun Christian Interviews

Welcome to a special season finale episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark is joined by Brian Dixon—author, podcaster, business coach, and co-founder of Hope*Writers—for an episode packed with encouragement, practical tips, and a dose of hope just in time for summer.

Brian shares his journey from being a teacher to helping writers share their message through Hope Books. Learn why “hope” is at the heart of everything Brian does, both in his faith and in his work with authors.

Listen in for Brian’s step-by-step advice on how to build, not just write, a book—including planning, mapping, and sticking to a goal (with a deadline!). Discover why everyone, even kids, has a story worth sharing, and how tough moments in your life can be transformed into hope-filled messages for others. Plus, we get a sneak peek of Brian’s upcoming children’s book “Ruby May Writes a Book,” and practical ways families can make time for big dreams.

Thank you for tuning in all season! Be sure to check the show notes for links, discussion questions, and more resources. Wishing you an amazing summer—remember, God loves you so much!

Go to https://yourhopestorybook.com/ to download a digital copy of Brian's book for aspiring writers!

Clip Finder:

Viral Evangelism Strategies: "It's giving a reason for the hope that you have."
— Brian Dixon [00:06:51 → 00:06:53]

Viral Topic: Write the Book You Needed
"Generally what I recommend is you write your book for yourself two or three years ago."
— Brian Dixon [00:16:46 → 00:16:51]

Viral Topic - The Gift of Time: "But yet we look at our hours in the week, 168, and we say, lord, we don't have enough. No, he's given you everything you need, right? Everything you need to live a life of godliness, to live the vision and the mission that he's put you on this earth to do."
— Brian Dixon [00:19:46 → 00:20:01]

How to Structure a Bestselling Book Chapter: "Every chapter follows the same structure. So it might have a quote at the beginning, then a story, then some teaching points, then maybe some application questions, and then maybe a journal prompt. That's what's called the chapter outline."
— Brian Dixon [00:23:42 → 00:23:55]

Longing for Acceptance as a Kid: "For years I wanted Eddie to come to my house and play with my Lego. Like, that was like, the vision is like, one day Eddie will come to my house and I'll finally fit in and I'll finally be cool."
— Brian Dixon [00:28:52 → 00:29:01]

The Power of Belonging: "But what I realized in sharing that is that that is part of my hard story is not feeling like I belong. Right? And so I believe that God can use a story like that to encourage me to make sure nobody else ever feels that way."
— Brian Dixon [00:30:11 → 00:30:26]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Get ready for another fun and faith-filled episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark sits down with Aaron Collier, a husband, dad, Disney enthusiast, and manager at WinShape Camps. Aaron shares all about his journey from children’s pastor to camp leader, his love for shaping kids’ faith, and why summer camp is such a big deal for families.

Discover the amazing story behind WinShape Camps and how camps now reach over 100 cities and even stretch internationally! Aaron explains what makes camp so special,  why partnering with local churches is key, and how camp experiences help kids find their gifts and deepen their faith even after summer ends.

You’ll laugh at Aaron’s “shaken, not stirred” Diet Coke memory, and learn how you can join camp, support local campers, or land an awesome summer job. Christen also wraps up with three great family discussion questions so you can keep learning and growing together.

So, whether you’re a camp veteran or totally new, tune in for camp stories, encouragement, and a whole lot of fun! 

Go to  camps.winshape.org to learn more about their overnight camp or a day camp experience in your area! 

Know a college student looking for a summer job? check out workatwinshape.org !

Clip Finder:

Making Life Decisions After College: "My wife and I wanted to settle down, have kids, and you can't really travel on the road and do that. Like, as a married couple, it's a little hard."
— Aaron Collier [00:05:18 → 00:05:26]

Dream Jobs and Unexpected Journeys: "And then just a few years ago, a role opened up for me to oversee church partners at WinShape Camps, and it's like a dream role."
— Aaron Collier [00:06:03 → 00:06:12]

Empowering Communities Worldwide: "They do what we call a catalyst model where they launch the city to be able to do it on their own eventually, which is just so such a cool equipping thing that we get to do."
— Aaron Collier [00:11:08 → 00:11:18]

How Summer Camp Changed My Life: "camp truly did change my life."
— Aaron Collier [00:13:46 → 00:13:48]

Finding Purpose Through Camp: "And I wouldn't be doing something for around fourteen years if I didn't fall in love with it."
— Aaron Collier [00:13:48 → 00:14:20]

Finding Your Calling: "You're so good with kids and, like Mhmm. Can't truly help me discover, like, what my calling was in life. And it was just so instrumental to me."
— Aaron Collier [00:14:36 → 00:14:45]

Viral Camp Experiences: "Coolest part of the week, though, for our Winshape  Communities teams is, like, on Friday, we do what we call Friday Family Fun Day Mhmm. Where at lunchtime, we invite parents to what we call the closing party, and they get to come and see the recap of the entire week and get to dance with their kids as they're doing the theme song."
— Aaron Collier [00:17:47 → 00:18:04]

The Importance of Local Church Partnerships: "if we're not partnering with a local church, we're actually not doing a service for the local church and connecting them with their community."
— Aaron Collier [00:22:02 → 00:22:09]

Partnership with Local Churches: "We're not the church. And so we get to come within the local church and partner with them."
— Aaron Collier [00:22:34 → 00:22:39]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to another fun and inspiring episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! This week, host Christen Clark is joined by Jared Greer, known for his appearances on "American Ninja Warrior" and as the founder of Overcoming Obstacles Ministries.

Jared shares his incredible journey from youth pastor to American Ninja Warrior competitor and explains how his passion for Jesus and overcoming challenges led him to create a traveling ninja obstacle course ministry. With honesty and humor, Jared tells behind-the-scenes stories of his TV appearances—including funny fails, tough training, and how God used every win and wipeout for His glory. He also offers practical advice on facing your fears, bouncing back after setbacks, and sharing your faith with friends.

Families will love hearing how Jared’s ministry has helped over 180,000 kids hear about the hope of Jesus, and how anyone can start practicing sharing the gospel right where they are. Plus, you’ll enjoy some ninja jokes and thoughtful discussion questions perfect for sparking conversation at home!

Special thanks to our editor, Jay Lee, from provisionpods.com.

Check out obstacleministry.com to learn more about Jared, Overcoming Obstacles events, and Jared's amazing trick shots!

Clip Finder: 

Following Multiple Passions vs. Specialization: "You really need to kind of specialize in something to, like, become the best."
— Jared Greer [00:04:54 → 00:04:57]

Resilience After Failure: "What do you do when you fall? You get back up. And I just keep getting back up and saying, okay, God, how can you use my failures for your glory? How can you use success for your glory? Whatever happens, First Corinthians 10:31, whether you're eating or drinking or whatever you're doing, do it all for the glory of God."
— Jared Greer [00:10:56 → 00:11:09]

Understanding the Gospel Basics: "God is real, God loves us. Sin entered the world."
— Jared Greer [00:21:29 → 00:21:32]

Viral Topic: The Human Condition and Redemption: "God showed his love in this way that while we were sinners, Christ died for us."
— Jared Greer [00:21:58 → 00:22:03]

Viral Topic: "How to Receive the Good News According to Jesus": Jesus said that, you know, with two words is how he described to receive the good news, the gospel, to repent and believe.
— Jared Greer [00:22:06 → 00:22:55]

Viral Topic: Sharing Faith with Family
"just share out of the overflow of your relationship with Jesus seems to, to be what has worked best for me, you know, like just to, to you're reading the Bible and just talk about it, you read it with them."
— Jared Greer [00:23:33 → 00:23:43]

Viral Topic: The Greatest Leadership Tip
"Really? Just that your walk with Jesus is the most important thing. He's like, that's. That's the most important thing. Like, if we can keep that at the forefront of our lives, then, you know, there are other things we have to figure out, but, like, they'll fall into place."
— Jared Greer [00:25:58 → 00:26:11]

Viral Nostalgia: "I can smell it, you know, like, it was like such a tangible cool experience because I was like die hard baseball fan and so super special times with my dad and my whole family."
— Jared Greer [00:28:41 → 00:28:42]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to a very special Mother’s Day episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark is joined by two incredible guests—Brooke McGlothlin, founder of Million Praying Moms and author of Praying for Teen Boys, and Stacey Thacker, writer, speaker, and author of Praying for Teen Girls. These two moms share candid stories and heartfelt wisdom about the power of prayer in parenting, reminding listeners that prayer isn’t a last resort—it’s the first and best thing we can do for our kids.

Brooke and Stacey talk about their new books geared specifically for parenting teen boys and girls, sharing why boys and girls need unique prayers and support. They open up about tough parenting moments, how God sometimes says “no” for a greater purpose, and why letting go and trusting God is the ultimate act of faith in motherhood.

Don’t miss this encouraging and hope-filled episode—perfect for moms, dads, and anyone wanting to leave a legacy of faith. Happy Mother’s Day!

LINKS: 

www.millionprayingmoms.com

https://brookemcglothlin.net/

http://staceythacker.com/

Clip Finder:

Viral Topic: The Hidden Value of Motherhood: "Those little faithful things you're doing right now with your little ones, if that's you... those little faithful steps of obedience that you're taking, God sees them and they matter. They truly matter."
— Stacey Thacker [00:18:11 → 00:18:17]

Title: The Power of Faithful Routine  
Quote: "He does not despise the ministry of the small things. And step by step and day by day, as you show up in our faithful, with your family and doing the things God has called you to do, he will work that ministry out, because that's something that he is."
— Stacey Thacker [00:18:19 → 00:18:31]

Viral Topic: The Importance of Recognizing Gender Differences in Parenting  
"We're actually making a statement that we think that there's differences and those differences matter. Especially when you're getting into the nitty gritty of praying for their hearts and their walks with God and their futures and their hurts and their hopes."
— Stacey Thacker [00:20:34 → 00:20:47]

When God Says No: "I do believe when God says no, it's a mercy and I don't always have the explanation."
— Stacey Thacker [00:33:08 → 00:33:12]

The Power of a Mother's Prayers: "Her faithfulness to pray has just, you know, I am the fruit of those prayers and what God has done in my life and through my life."
— Stacey Thacker [00:35:23 → 00:35:30]

Generational Impact of Prayer: "if we could just get moms praying that literally God could use it to change generations."
— Brooke McGlothlin [00:15:00 → 00:15:05]

Viral Topic: The Power of Prayer in Parenting: "But I think that our prayer lives is this unique way that God has given only to believers that we can literally partner with him for the hearts of our kids."
— Brooke McGlothlin [00:23:04 → 00:23:16]

Viral Topic: The Power of Prayer in Parenting: "stand up, because prayer is the long game."
— Brooke McGlothlin [00:30:34 → 00:30:38]

Power of Family Prayer: "And my grandmother and my mom and my aunt were all literally on their knees, face down on the floor in the bedroom, praying and crying out to the Lord for my grandfather."
— Brooke McGlothlin [00:38:12 → 00:38:25]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark welcomes Darren Goodrich, children’s pastor at LifePointe Church, longtime ministry leader, and dad of three, for super practical conversation all about prayer and how it can shape family life.

Darren shares his inspiring path to children’s ministry, the importance of finding your unique “life point,” and how God patiently led him from business success to faithfully serving families. Together, Christen and Darren discuss why prayer doesn’t have to be complicated or intimidating—even if you’re starting today! Darren introduces his simple “Pray WITH God” method using the acronym WITH (Wow, I’m Sorry, Thank You, Help), making prayer easy and memorable for both kids and parents. Darren encourages every family to simply “start where you are,” reminding us that there’s no wrong time to begin making faith part of daily life.

Special Thanks to our editor, Jay Lee from provisionpods.com

Clip Finder:

Finding Clarity in a Life Calling: "God began to, he began to reestablish his calling on my life, not to just serve in the marketplace, but to pastor his people through the local church."
— Darren Goodrich [00:06:12 → 00:06:22]

Finding Purpose in Uncertainty: "And that while I was following the right calling, I still hadn't found the right fit."
— Darren Goodrich [00:07:10 → 00:07:15]

Viral Parenting Insights: "You just got to start where you are."
— Darren Goodrich [00:09:27 → 00:09:28]

Viral Friendship Goals: "Kids like having friends that close and love you so much that they would do that for you. That's awesome."
— Darren Goodrich [00:10:19 → 00:10:27]

Viral Topic: The Simplicity of Jesus' Instructions  
"Jesus simply said, get up, take your mat, and go home. Three simple instructions. That was this man's next right step. That was where his new journey began."
— Darren Goodrich [00:10:49 → 00:11:01]

Viral Topic: Comparison and Calling  
Quote: "We see this friend getting an award, or this family's taking a big vacation, or someone's getting a promotion, and we forget what God has called you to, what he's called me to. And he's called each of us to something special. We have to start where we are."
— Darren Goodrich [00:11:07 → 00:11:16]

The Power of Daily Prayer: "And so praying with God really kind of sets my tone for the day. I notice when I'm like, the way I respond or talk to my kids, I'm like, oh, that was. That was a little harsh. You know, I need to."
— Darren Goodrich [00:18:03 → 00:18:19]

Creating a Prayerful Home: "I wanted to equip parents to help help their children pray and help provide a method that they are going to be able to remember easily so that they could take this model and it can just be a rhythm in their home of just creating an atmosphere and an environment of prayer."
— Darren Goodrich [00:20:35 → 00:20:54]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

We’re celebrating a huge milestone on the Collide Kids Podcast—episode 200! Host Christen Clark throws a sparkly, joy-filled party with two of her favorite friends and ministry leaders, Christie Penner Worden and Kim Hudson. This episode is all about friendship, following God’s call beyond the church walls, and discovering how faith and fun intersect in all parts of life.

Christie and Kim share about their beautiful Christ-centered friendship and what to look for in good friends. They also talk abou their unique jobs at CTA (Christ To All), helping equip churches and families to disciple kids during the week—not just on Sundays. They give personal stories of how God led them into unexpected ministry roles and how being a “pastor” can look very different than a church stage. They encourage both kids and grown-ups that God uses a wide variety of gifts, passions, and vocations to build his kingdom.

Stick around for Christen’s signature Family Discussion Questions to keep the conversation going at home, and details on 2 exciting giveaways for families and kids ministry leaders in celebration of 200 episodes! (find out how to enter on social media @collidekidspod).

Special thanks to our amazing editor, Jay Lee, from provisionpods.com!

Clip Finder:

Viral Topic: The Value of Non-Ministry Work for Jesus: "Well, then that discounts all the doctors and nurses and firefighters and plumbers and shop workers and butchers that also love Jesus and find ways to minister to others and be ministered to in their jobs."
— Christie Penner Worden [00:10:37 → 00:10:50]

Viral Topic: Pastoring Kids Beyond the Classroom: "How can we pastor you when I don't get to sit right in front of you? So it's been a different, season, but it's been an incredible season, and I love it."
— Kim Hudson [00:14:09 → 00:14:18]

Fashion Fails: "We did not look like reasonable people. We did not people you could wanna message or even ask what are you doing because the answer was going to be too weird."
— Christie Penner Worden [00:17:41 → 00:17:52]

Viral Hotel Lobby Drama: "I have never experienced a more dramatic lobby employee in my entire life with a Manila envelope, and he's got it."
— Christie Penner Worden [00:19:58 → 00:20:06]

The Power of Openness to New Connections: "What God showed me is sometimes he wants you to be in places where you don't know anybody so that he can bring new people into your lives and fill a hole that you didn't even know existed."
— Kim Hudson [00:23:34 → 00:23:44]

Viral Topic: The Importance of Trust in Friendships: "How do you pick friends? You pick friends who are gonna keep your trust, who are gonna keep you know, grown ups might say, keep your confidence."
— Kim Hudson [00:29:59 → 00:30:05]

Viral Topic: Sharing Joy in the Midst of Pain:  
"having someone who will sit with you and hand you Kleenex with one hand and hand you confetti in the other hand, I think it's really special to be able to trust someone enough to know that they're not making light of your situation when they're trying to help you find joy."
— Christie Penner Worden [00:32:11 → 00:32:24]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to this episode of the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark welcomes Korey Klein, director of SuperStart at Christ in Youth, who provides his insights into nurturing faith in Gen Alpha pre-teens.

Korey shares about the dynamic SuperStart events, where fourth through sixth graders experience energetic worship and gospel lessons. Highlighting Gen Alpha's digital-native upbringing and strong family influences, Korey stresses the essential role of parents and other family members in shaping faith, noting that 40% of Christian Gen Alpha kids never read the Bible.

Tune in to hear Korey's advice on using gifts to serve God, regardless of age, and join in on the family discussion questions provided to spark meaningful conversations.

Special Thanks to Jay Lee from provisionpods.com for editing this episode!

Clip Finder:

Fostering Faith in Youth: "We get to put on fun events from January through April every year on the weekend for children's pastors, preteen pastors, to bring their kids for a weekend so they can intentionally just sit right by them, worship with them, hear from the word, hear the gospel, and give them a takeaway for kids to really know what the gospel is about and to share with others and to really grow in their faith."
— Korey Klein [00:04:40 → 00:05:00]

"Tired Eyes, Full Heart": "I say it's a tired eyes, full heart. That's kind of a season that we're living in and I couldn't be happier."
— Korey Klein [00:05:15 → 00:05:51]

**The Power of Interactive Teaching:** "It's not like, hey, someone just comes out and I'm going to talk to you for 20 minutes."
— Korey Klein [00:07:53 → 00:07:56]

Guarding Your Heart: "Guard your heart above all else. It determines the course of your life."
— Korey Klein [00:08:22 → 00:08:25]

"Gen Alpha's Open-Mindedness: 'They're kind of open. They're very open to things too. But like only about 16% of the study that I've read through about Gen Alpha showed that they, they were actually committed to a faith.'"
— Korey Klein [00:12:12 → 00:12:22]

"Gen Alpha and Faith Engagement": "For about 40% of Gen Alpha from this study that I'm going off of that, this place called One Hope, did they. Who would say. They who are Christians, 40% of them actually never read the Bible."
— Korey Klein [00:13:58 → 00:14:10]

"Modern Parenting and Digital Connection: Even in a game like Minecraft or Fortnite."
— Korey Klein [00:15:13 → 00:15:16]

"Be the Main Voice in a Sea of Influences": "But I think if we're talking about kids right now and a younger age, I would say, man, go for it. Even if it feels weird and you're like, man, they have so many other voices. Well, that's the thing, they do have so many other voices. So just be a voice in that and be the main voice."
— Korey Klein [00:18:32 → 00:18:48]

"Gen Alpha and Trust": "They trust family over institutions way more right now."
— Korey Klein [00:20:08 → 00:20:11]

Trust and Faith: "But it's like, you know, thinking about now in life as I get older, it's like, hey, what is that? What's that diving board in life, you know, now what's that thing? In life as we as adults, maybe it's like that to remember that God's got us, that he's not gonna. If we just put our focus on him. Just like Peter walking on water when he just focused on Jesus, he's like, hey, I got you."
— Korey Klein [00:27:16 → 00:27:35]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Welcome to the Collide Kids Podcast! Join host Christen Clark for a captivating episode with Dave Almgren, a prolific faith-based film marketing expert. From children's pastor to toy store owner and film marketer, Dave's story is a remarkable journey of creativity and faith intersecting.

Dave has contributed to marketing over 70 Christian films, connecting families to meaningful stories that inspire. He shares insights on the power of creativity, encouraging young filmmakers to express their unique stories. Trusting in God's timing has been key in his career, emphasizing faith's role in life's journey.

Dave also co-hosts "Two Pastors Popcorn and a Movie," exploring faith and film further. Enjoy this episode filled with inspiration, laughter, and discussions to ignite creativity and meaningful family conversations!

"King of Kings" comes out this weekend! Go to angel.com to learn more about when it is available near you!

Special thanks to our editor, Jay Lee from provisionpods.com

Clip Finder:

"From Theology to Entrepreneurship: A Surprising Journey": "Yeah, gosh, you know, I have a degree in biblical theology. So where I am at today, never thought I would be where I AM or even the path to get here."
— Dave Almgren [00:08:19 → 00:08:29]

"From Children's Pastor to Entrepreneur": "It felt like, okay, I'm no longer a children's pastor at a church, but I was a children's pastor working with families and to, to share and minister to people who wouldn't necessarily darken the door of a church, but they were coming through our door."
— Dave Almgren [00:09:54 → 00:10:08]

From Toy Trade Shows to Movie Ministry: "And it gave me an opportunity to exit out of the retail full time and jump into something that was a little bit different, but the same in some senses because it was still dealing with Veggietale fans and customers and, and the ministry piece of it as I was primarily working with pastors and you know, building awareness for films like the Veggie Tail Pirates movie."
— Dave Almgren [00:11:03 → 00:12:09]

**A Refreshing Change in Filmmaking**: "And so it was refreshing to work on the best Christmas pageant ever because it was, it was funny and poignant, but on the nose with a great message."
— Dave Almgren [00:12:33 → 00:12:42]

Nurturing Creativity in Kids: "If you're a kid, be creative. Don't worry about what somebody else has. Let God flow through you with creativity. And parents, absolutely, you know, encourage the creativity in your kids."
— Dave Almgren [00:16:15 → 00:16:28]

God's Timing: "God always shows up on time. Not always my time, but he shows up on time and he has shown himself faithful."
— Dave Almgren [00:20:20 → 00:20:28]

"From Red Carpets to Vaulted Classics: Insights from the Two Pastors Popcorn and a Movie Podcast": "And just recently, we were able to expand a little bit. We were on the red carpet last week for The Chosen Season 5."
— Dave Almgren [00:22:44 → 00:22:51]

"Childhood Beach Adventures": "We'd have our camper right next to the river and I'd brave out into the, the murky water and try to have a good time and swim and come out freezing. But that was always a fun time with sisters and mom and dad and you know, riding up in the camper up in, you know, in the camper above the, the truck when you're driving down the road and yeah, I don't know if you can do that legally now, but that was a fun, fun memory as a kid doing that ...good memories."
— Dave Almgren [00:23:51 → 00:24:29]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to the Collide Kids Podcast! This week, host Christen Clark chats with Bryan Davis,  Christian fantasy author famed for the "Dragons in Our Midst" series.

In this episode, Bryan tells the incredible story of transitioning from a computer geek to a best-selling author. What started as a creative idea to inspire his homeschooled kids transformed into a prolific writing career, boasting over 50 books published! (That's a lot of books!) Bryan shares how he collaborates with his family to brainstorm fantastical stories and his process of integrating themes of mercy and forgiveness into his fantasy stories.

Listeners will also hear Bryan recount an absolutely incredible experience of God’s provision he had early in his journey, reinforcing his understanding of faith, sufficiency, and contentment. This episode offers a magical blend of storytelling, faith, and creative wisdom.

Check out daviscrossing.com to learn more about Bryan Davis and his books!

Special thanks to our editor, Jay Lee from provisionpods.com.

Clip Finder:

"Twisting Tales with Dragons": "But we brainstormed that story. How could a boy breathe fire? And he said, his parents are dragons. I said, well, how about if we say his parents used to be dragons and they got transformed into humans? And he said, how about if we say they got transformed in the time of King Arthur?"
— Bryan Davis [00:06:14 → 00:06:32]

"Embracing the Unknown in Writing": "Well, I am what a lot of people call a seat of the pants writer, or pantser for short. Discovery Writer is a nicer term. I sit down with just a character and a problem and I just go. I start teaching myself about the character, what he or she would do in their ordinary worlds. And then I present the problem. Some people call it a crisis point. Then I destroy that ordinary world so that they can't exist in it anymore and they have to go on their journey. So I go on the journey with them, not knowing what's going to happen."
— Bryan Davis [00:11:45 → 00:12:18]

"The Last-Minute Sale That Made All the Difference": "Finally he said, this would be good for my men's ministry. I'll buy it. So he gave me the money, and I looked at the money and I said, this is the last money I'm going to get."
— Bryan Davis [00:18:41 → 00:18:50]

Unexpected Encounters with Readers: "And as the man was walking away, he stopped, looked at the fathering book as if for the first time, and he said, Bryan Davis wrote this book? I said, yes. And he turned around, turned around, and he saw the sign on the wall. Bryan Davis, author. He said, are you Bryan Davis? I said, yes. Then he started shaking and his face turned red and he said, you're gonna think this is really weird."
— Bryan Davis [00:19:00 → 00:19:29]

The Power of Storytelling: "I think because stories are memorable. You know, you could teach an academic lesson and give like a pastor, he gives three points and tells you about the Greek. But if he's smart, he'll tell a story that illustrates the lesson."
— Bryan Davis [00:22:27 → 00:22:41]

"The Best Way to Learn Writing": "That's probably, I would say, is the best way to learn to be a writer. Get with other writers that you can share with and brainstorm and figure out a path to go on."
— Bryan Davis [00:24:11 → 00:24:21]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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Welcome to the Collide Kids Podcast! Host Christen Clark has a thought-provoking conversation with Erick Vargas, a Christian entrepreneur and app developer who focuses on integrating technology with faith.

Erick Vargas shares his journey from uncertainty about his career to becoming a co-founder of the Sabbath Space app—a tool designed to help Christians reduce screen time and enhance connections with their faith, family, and community. Fueled by his personal struggle with tech addiction, Erick explains how he was inspired to create an app that introduces balance in digital usage. He highlights the app's unique blend of technology and physical devices that encourages users to prioritize real-life interactions over digital distractions.

Listeners will get valuable insights into the importance of managing screen time, especially for young minds, and discover the beauty in boredom as a springboard for creativity. Erick also offers practical tips to break free from the tricks that tech companies use to keep us glued to our screens.

Tune in for an episode that not only explores the intersection of technology and faith but also encourages a thoughtful approach to digital consumption. 

To learn more about Sabbath Space and download the app for yourself, go to https://sabbathspace.io/ today!

Special Thanks to our amazing editor, Jay Lee, from provisionpods.com

Clip Finder: 

"Understanding Coding: Coding is a language. You know, it might sound scary, but really, it's kind of like doing math, Right?"
— Erick Vargas [00:08:30 → 00:08:37]

"Creating Through Collaboration": "Absolutely. And so, like, I like. I would encourage anybody if you went to, like, these websites called Fiverr or Upwork. These are freelance websites where you could just hire a developer and say, hey, make me this, and work together."
— Erick Vargas [00:09:47 → 00:10:02]

"Tech Overload and Parenting: A Personal Revelation": "I just had my firstborn son and he's two now, and I look at my phone and I spent six and a half hours that day on my phone and I was like, what? Like, how is that possible?"
— Erick Vargas [00:11:03 → 00:11:17]

"The Importance of Sabbath Rest": "I wanted to take a break and rest from all the incoming messages of the world. Trying to capture our mind and capture our attention. Telling me that I need to be richer or fitter or whatever it is that is not rooted in the identity that Jesus has purchased for me on the cross and say, hey, all this is going away."
— Erick Vargas [00:14:17 → 00:14:42]

Breaking Bad Habits: "The analogy I like to describe this as is, is not keeping cookies in the house. Right. So if you're on a diet, just like, just make it easy on yourself, don't keep the cookies in your house."
— Erick Vargas [00:17:09 → 00:17:20]

The Dopamine Dilemma: "And the problem with getting all of these dopamine hits with these notifications is you start to seek more and more and more of that."
— Erick Vargas [00:20:11 → 00:20:22]

**Bringing Ideas to Life:** "And so it's pretty cool, at least in software, to say, I have an idea and then bring it to life.... It's like a magical thing to say, like, wow, I designed this keychain with a chip in it, and other people are getting value and experiences out of it. And so that's what God has taught me is like, don't let your ideas just be an idea only, but get it out there in the world so I could bless other people."
— Erick Vargas [00:24:15 → 00:24:47]

Bark proactively works to monitor, detect, and alert you to potential issues on your kids' devices. Visit bark.us to learn more about how you can keep your kids safe online. Use the code COLLIDEKIDS to get 15% off Your Bark Technologies Plan !

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show