The Jules Show

Let's face it - when you get right down to it, we're all a bunch of broken toys. We're sinners, with lot's of issues and hard as we may try to do the right thing, we just keep messing up.

If you're anything like me, you scratch your head sometimes, because on the one hand, you know God doesn't waste anything in our lives, but on the other you're sitting there thinking "Lord, how are you going to use this disaster in my life for your glory?"

My friend Mark Benson wondered this, too. After his infant daughter died at 90 days of life, and his marriage subsequently ended in divorce, Mark was struggling to see what God was doing with his personal tragedy.

In my podcast interview with Mark, he shares with me just how God redeemed his personal brokenness and placed on his heart a passion to lead men's ministry in an effort to help and disciple other hurting and broken men.

Click and listen to my podcast interview with Mark Benson.

That our children will sleep in their own bed each night is just a normal thing for most of us. But thousands of kids across Georgia, for a variety of reasons, aren't sleeping in their own, personal bed. Thankfully, there is an organization called Sleep In Heavenly Peace seeking to remedy this situation.

Check out my interview with Greg Watts, along with a lot of volunteers, is helping to ensure every child gets to sleep in their very own bed each night and sleep in heavenly peace.

If you live long enough, you're going to have to say goodbye to someone. We all intellectually know this. But when a loss does come, especially one we weren't expecting - like the sudden death of a loved one or a terminal diagnosis - the grief can overwhelm us. So what do we do when grief doesn't go away and sorrow overtakes us?

I think sometimes as Christians, we give short shift to the need to process grief. And we good Southern Christians can be the worst at putting on a happy face, the "Suck it up Buttercup everything is fine," outward appearance. It's like we think saying we're struggling with grief is wrong, or that by admitting we're having a rough time somehow means we don't have enough faith. Steve has helped hundreds of patients and their families navigate end-of-life decisions, and he helped me gain a better understanding of grief and its rightful place in God's order for our lives.

Listen to my podcast interview with Steve Severs for help and healing during seasons of grief.

To learn more about Affinis Hospice, visit their website at www.affinishospice.org

Angel Davis had been a Christian marriage and family counselor for years. Every day she came to work to help couples sort through their marital problems. But something happened along the way...she found herself becoming increasingly dissatisfied in her own marriage. She found herself believing the lies Satan tried to plant in her heart, and it nearly cost Angel her marriage.

I'm in that age group where so many couples who got married around the same time I did are now getting divorced. And most of them are Christians! It breaks my heart every time I hear of another friend's marriage crumbling apart. That's why I am so thankful for Angel Davis' willingness to be honest and share her own journey of how God, through the Holy Spirit and the truth of scripture , redeemed not only her marriage but also HER brokenness.

Angel reveals the many lies we believe about marriage, and she helps us combat these lies with the power of God's Holy Word. Whether you believe your marriage is bullet proof or you're thinking, "Hmmm it's kind of a dumpster fire," Angel has some valuable take aways that can help virtually every marriage.

Angel Davis is an author and licensed counselor. You can purchase her book "The Perfecting Storm" on Amazon.

Check out my podcast interview with Angel Davis.

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There's no doubt working in the corporate world can be exciting. Making money by teaching other people how to make more money has its rewards. But sometimes, it can leave you feeling empty. That's how it was for Tommy Murray.

Tommy had a very successful career as a corporate trainer. He spent his days teaching business professionals how to run their organizations to optimize their profit potential. It was work he felt good about doing, after all, helping businesses be more successful is a good thing, right?  Well, sure! But there came a point in Tommy's life when he realized the work was leaving him feeling empty.

As a Christian, Tommy began to feel a tug at his heart to use his teaching and training talents to do something more than just teach people how to make money. He realized he wanted to do this in a way that also shared the Gospel. But, as a husband and father with a family to support, he had (to use a good business-world term) to be strategic about what to do next.

As is so often the case, new opportunities seemingly come out of nowhere. Tommy "just happened" to reconnect with a former colleague who "just happened" to work for an organization called Prison Fellowship - a ministry started decades ago by Chuck Colson. (For a little background and context, Colson was Richard Nixon's "hatchet man" who later became a Christian during the Watergate scandal. In the midst of the proceedings, Colson's conscience compelled him to admit his role in Watergate and plead guilty for his crime. He served seven months in prison. It was during his incarceration that Colson realized that if people want to change the direction of prisoners' lives, they need to change the prisoners' worldview. Not long after his release, Colson founded Prison Fellowship.)

Fast forward a few years. Tommy Murray's friend suggests Tommy join the ministry. While the idea was appealing, Tommy was concerned how it would all come together financially. So he started praying big prayers and...well, you know what happens when you pray for God to do big things for His glory.

"So what do they actually DO, Jules?" you're saying about now. Glad you asked!

But before I tell you WHAT they do, I need to tell you a statistic which will both astound you and help you understand WHY they do what they do. Did you know one in three individuals in our society have been in jail? Most of the people in jail will eventually, be released. That means every day - at the grocery store, in the car rider line, at ball practice, even in the pew at church - you are coming into contact with folks who have been in prison. Many of these individuals will reoffend, because it's all they know. Prison Fellowship seeks to change the trajectory of the lives of men and women in the prison system in a variety of ways.

The Academy is a program designed to help people who are incarcerated understand the destructive behaviors that landed them in prison. They learn to take responsibility for their actions and understand the impact of their actions on the community. Academy participants are housed on a separate cell block from the general population for this intense, 12-month training program. They use biblically based materials and principles to specifically target criminal thinking and behavior. Inmates learn life skills, addiction recovery, victim impact, and techniques to bring practical cultural change. Because the vast majority of individuals in prison will be returning to society at some point, it is the goal of Prison Fellowship to equip these men and women with the skills necessary to be successful once released and, hopefully, prevent them from reoffending.

Another jewel in the crown for Prison Fellowship is the Wardens Program. Provided at no cost to either the wardens or the prison system, Prison Fellowship offers this leadership program designed specifically for prison wardens and their staff. As one can imagine, working in a prison can be a disheartening job. It's easy to lose faith in humanity when surrounded by prisoners. That is exactly what Prison Fellowship is seeking to prevent with the Wardens Program. Wardens are taught to be leaders with a Godly view of the men and women in their custody. Every person in prison, no matter what they have done, is a child of God and He loves them. Wardens are helped to understand they don't just have to be the authoritarian hammers of justice. They can have compassion and be examples of what a good leader can look like. They have a unique opportunity because so many of the individuals in prison have never had a positive role model. Tommy explained it this way, "Prison Fellowship has a top down and a bottom up tandem approach to making lasting change in the lives of the men and women in the prison system".

Talking to Tommy Murray was an eye-opening experience for me. I had no idea how many people in our communities have been in prison. Something else that shocked me was my misguided notion that most people in jail didn't know Jesus, when, in fact, most of them identify as Christians.

So many people and a lot of them Christians, have a very hard heart when it comes to people in jail. "Lock'em up and throw away the key!" or "They got what was coming to them!" is the wrong attitude on so many levels. First of all, most of the people in jail will be returning to a neighborhood near you, so helping these folks change their lives is, quite frankly, in everyone's best interest. But in the bigger scheme of things, as believers in the one true God and the saving grace provided by Jesus Christ, we have an obligation to love our neighbor as ourselves. Jesus shed HIS blood for ALL of us, not just the neat and tidy ones in church on Sunday.

Tommy told me one thing that you learn as a new staff member for Prison Fellowship is not to refer to the people in prison whom they are serving as "inmates" or "prisoners". They are just men and women, same as everyone. Treating these folks with dignity, something many of them have never been shown, is one more way to help them become the people God wants them to be.

It is my sincere hope the interviews I do here can help you in your walk as much as they help me in mine. Many times I go into an interview thinking the subject matter isn't something that applies to my life. And time after time, God reveals to me that it DOES. With Prison Fellowship I learned, yet again, that we serve a God of second chances. He gives them freely and expects us to do the same.

Prison Fellowship is always looking for volunteers to help make a difference in the lives of those in prison. But if going to a prison is a little out of your comfort zone, there are all kinds of different ways you can help. You may have heard of Angel Tree, the program which gives Christmas gifts to the children of parents in jail. This is a Prison Fellowship program. They even have a summer camp for the children, so if you feel led to work with children, here's a great opportunity!

Visit their website.

To learn more about how Prison Fellowship is changing the lives of people every day, check out my podcast interview with Tommy Murray.

In today's world, life can change in the blink of an eye. You go to work just like every other day, but on this particular day, you get called to the boss's office. You see the HR manager sitting next to your boss and you know nothing good for you is coming out of this meeting. As they're telling you how the company is making a change and how you don't factor into the new paradigm, all you can really hear is the sound of your own heart throbbing in your head. And as they're thanking you for your years of service as they whisk you out the door, all you can think is "How am I going to take care of my family?"

Or maybe you're living that beautiful "Christmas card picture" kind of life. Everyone looks happy and healthy, but something starts feeling off. And when you do some digging, you find out the marriage you believed was rock solid turns out to be anything but. You confront your spouse, only to find out they're having an affair and they're leaving you for someone else.

If you live long enough and have many friends, you've heard these stories way too many times. They break your heart. These are hurting lives. And events like these, and others like severe health problems or a sudden death, can be emotionally as well as financially devastating to individuals and families.

This is where the Real Life Center can help.

I had the great privilege of talking with the center's Executive Director, Cathy Berggren, recently. I was blown away just hearing the stories of how people in need of help and healing are finding it at Real Life Center. They are finding HOPE. The center provides virtually everything a person in need could...well, need. They have a food pantry, a clothes closet, and can provide financial assistance with rent and utilities. They also offer classes on a broad reach of topics, including parenting, and all types of emotional counseling. They even have an orchard which helps provide fresh produce in addition to the non-perishable food items they distribute. And all of this is provided in a Christ-centered, loving environment.

Jesus commands us to love our neighbors as ourselves, and this is the overarching theme guiding Real Life Center's approach to providing assistance. Each member of the staff and volunteer team looks at what they do as "neighbor helping neighbor". It's just that simple.

Cathy shared with me that they have countless stories of individuals who have come to the center feeling hopeless and ashamed but were able to find hope and healing. They have gone through their program and are now successfully supporting themselves. Many even return as volunteers to the center.

One such success story is the gentleman Cathy asked to join her for the interview. His name is Walter Holsten. Walter shared with us that he had one of those great lives going. Married with five kids, successful job in the financial sector, and he was in great health. But that all changed when he lost his job, his wife left him, and he suffered a heart attack. This successful man with a home on a lake found himself having to seek assistance with food and clothes. Walter said he felt so ashamed to ask for help, but at his wits' end, he went to Real Life Center.

Now, less than two years later, Walter is working full time for a hospice provider. He even serves as a chaplain at the hospital where he was treated for his heart attack.

In her nearly two decades with Real Life Center, Cathy and her team have been following Jesus' calling to love their neighbors and their Fayette County community has taken notice. Years ago, when Cathy was getting her master's degree in public administration, her thesis was of a faith-based charity that was able to get schools and municipalities to all work together. Her professor was skeptical that this model could work. But with years of prayer, dedication, and hard work, Cathy Berggren and Real Life Center are doing just that. It's a beautiful example of how all three entities can work together for a common goal. Cathy's even teaching the Real Life Center model to other non-profits and they, too, are meeting with success.

God has tasked Cathy with the responsibility of stewarding a thriving non-profit ministry. But it's one she is uniquely qualified to lead, because she knows personally what it's like to have your world come crashing down around you. Cathy was a home schooling mother of four, enjoying a comfortable life, and attending couples Bible study. However, that all changed when her husband left her. She was devastated and had a rough time figuring out how she was going to support four kids - until she reached out and got help. Now she is helping others do the same.

Cathy told me you really can't have a message without a mess. So the next time I get frustrated about my personal mess going on, I'm going to remember God will use the mess - as both refinement for me, and as glory to Him.

To learn more about Real Life Center, visit their website.

Check out my podcast interview with Cathy and Walter. Their real life stories will give you hope and inspire you to find out ways you can better "love your neighbor”.

We've all heard those crazy stories about A-List movie stars who got discovered by answering an ad in the paper for models. But if you're like me, you've been skeptical about the truth of those stories.

Apparently, however, some of those stories really are true, because I actually interviewed just such an actor. His name is Cameron Arnett. To say Cameron's life has been an adventure ride is sort of like saying a ton of flour can make a really big biscuit.

Cameron left his home in Haiti to attend the University of Miami intent on becoming a doctor. To make a little extra money, he REALLY did answer an ad in the paper for an agency looking for models. He found out he liked modeling. He did a little acting and found out he was good at that too. He ventured north to New York and was eventually signed by Elite, one of the largest talent agencies in the entertainment industry. His acting career looked promising, so he made the move to Los Angeles.

He was getting steady work and was making a fantastic living as an actor in supporting roles on tv shows like Miami Vice, China Beach, Doogie Howser, MD and my personal favorite, Star Trek: The Next Generation. (And no, I DID NOT geek out on him and ask all kinds of Trekkie questions, but thank you for asking.) By this time, he was married and had two children. By all accounts, his dreams were coming true and it seemed as if his life was about to get even better.

Cameron's big break came when he was cast in a starring role on a TV series of his own. He got all the way through the process and was finally ready to sign the contract on the role a lifetime. Then, at the eleventh hour, the producers came in with one of those, "Oh, by the way, we need you to be willing to do this one thing," requirements.

As a matter of conscience, Cameron refused to agree to that last condition. He had no idea at the time just how much it would cost him. The big break role evaporated, his agent subsequently dropped him, his wife ended up leaving him and he went from living in a comfortable home and driving a fancy car to bankruptcy. At his lowest point, he was living in a room provided for him by a woman who was on welfare herself.  But, as is often the case, the big God we serve has big plans for our lives. God was just preparing the way for something even better for Cameron.

You'd think that to stand on principle the way he did, Cameron must have been a very devout Christian. He tells me he really wasn't. Growing up in Haiti, he was raised with a Christian veneer; however, there was also a heavy dose of Voodoo to go with it. But as a child, his mother had always made him read and memorize the book of Proverbs. He credits this early scriptural grounding with providing his moral direction. He didn't realize it at the time, but now he understands it was Jesus using Proverbs to draw him to Himself and divert him from evil.

Cameron walked away from acting for many years. He choose, instead, to work in ministry...thinking he was done with the entertainment business. Then, through an unbelievable series of events, he moved to Georgia and married a Godly woman with whom he owns a production studio. Oh, and by the way, he's also staring in the new Kendrick Brothers' movie, "Overcomer." This seems very appropriate, because if anyone is an overcomer, it's Cameron Arnett.

Cameron's entertainment world odyssey is a fascinating tale of highs and lows and of how he allowed himself to be restored by Jesus. Cameron shares his story, but he also has a lot to say about the movie industry, especially the Christian movie industry, and our need as believers to support Christian filmmakers. He is very encouraged by what he sees as ample opportunity for Christians in film.

One of the things I love most about interviewing guests is the uncertainty of what they will tell me. It doesn't matter how much show prep I do, guests always manage to tell me something completely unexpected. Sometimes it's after we've stopped recording and I'm like, "Man, I wish we'd had that on tape!" But just as often, it happens in the interview, and I love when I get a real surprise. Listen closely to the interview with Cameron as he tells us about his wife. It's a "Wait! What? No Way!" kind of story.

There is a really old saying about how big things sometimes come in small packages. Nowhere is this more evident than in the package that is Glenda Anderson Leonard, president and co-founder of the Paul Anderson Youth Home.

But before I tell you about this amazing woman, I need to share something with you about preconceived notions. I knew when we booked the interview with Miss Glenda that she was a South Georgia grandmother in her 70's. Being from South Georgia myself, I sort of had an idea of what "that type" looks like. Let me just say, that image IS NOT the woman who walked into my studio! This petite, genteel Southern woman, who might be 100 pounds soaking wet, came in dressed way more stylishly than me. (My producer told me she'd donate a kidney to have hair as beautiful as Miss Glenda's.) So I was really excited to be interviewing this super cool, Godly woman who looks and talks like a woman a generation younger than she really is.

Ok, now that I have the backstory covered, on to why you want to know more about Glenda Anderson Leonard....

As I mentioned earlier, Glenda is the president and co-founder of the Paul Anderson Youth Home, a facility which provides a second chance to hurting young men ages 16-21. Many of the boys who come to the home are there as an alternative to incarceration in a youth detention facility or are there trying to get clean from substance abuse.

The home is the brainchild of Glenda's first husband, the legendary strongman Paul Anderson. Paul earned Olympic gold medals for weight lifting and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the World's Strongest Man.  He toured the world doing weightlifting exhibitions and even went to the former Soviet Union - during the height of the Cold War - when virtually no one from the United States was allowed to go there.

Paul eventually went back home to Taccoa, GA, and it was there he met and married Glenda. It wasn't long after their marriage that Paul felt the calling to help boys who needed a second chance. Paul had been a Christian for years and sharing his testimony was always a part of his speaking engagements - many of which were at prisons and youth detention facilities. It was his encounters with these hurting young men that gave rise to the idea for the boys home. However, the idea didn't come with funds to build the home. Glenda said she would often travel with Paul on his over 300 speaking engagements each year, in fundraising efforts on behalf of the boys home. The Anderson's however, were faithful and the funds started to come in. Truitt Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, was an early supporter of the home.

They settled on a location in Vidalia, GA, and they were able to help dozens of hurting young men and their families get a second chance. PAYH is able to provide individualized programs for each boy, depending on their situation, but all receive high school educations, counseling, and if necessary, drug treatment. Most importantly, they receive it all in a Christ-centered, loving, home environment. Paul Anderson died in 1994, but his dream to make a difference in the lives of troubled young men lives on in Glenda and their daughter, Paula Schafer, who also plays an integral role in the operation of the home.

You may be saying to yourself, "that's all great, but my kids are fine. Why do I want to hear about a home for troubled youth?"

Let me tell you why you want - no, actually NEED - to hear what Glenda has to say. I asked her this very question. Her answer shocked me. She said the majority of the families she talks with - parents whose kids have gotten into drugs or are engaging in criminal activities - never thought they would be in her office. Glenda offers up some great wisdom on how we, as parents, can do things better, as well as signs of trouble we need to be on the lookout for.

I have no doubt you will enjoy hearing Glenda's story. She is a small lady in size; and while she couldn't lift a thousand pounds like her husband could, you'd be hard pressed to find a stronger person than Glenda Anderson Leonard.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 28 to "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations...". This is called the Great Commission and it's probably the second most familiar scripture in the New Testament after, of course, John 3:16. But have you ever found yourself wondering what this means for you in your day-to-day life? Exactly how are we supposed to live this admonition out? After all, the apostles set a pretty high bar for service; and I can't help but feel, sometimes, I will never be able to meet their level of dedication.

Thankfully, the Bible also tells us we are all gifted differently; and we can serve the Kingdom in countless different ways. So for some folks, that means being a missionary in a country halfway around the world from home. But for others of us, it means serving right where we've always been. My friends, Shirley and David Duncan, are prime examples of serving right where you are. And for the Duncans, that doesn't mean serving in their town or in their church. It means serving, quite literally, in their own home.

Their story begins one hot afternoon in Middle Georgia. The Duncans live in a modest home in an average neighborhood in Macon, GA. David is handicapped, having lost both legs to complications from diabetes, so he is home most afternoons. On this particularly hot afternoon, a little neighborhood boy came by the house and asked David if he could have a cup of water. A lot of folks would have brushed the kid aside, but not David. He brought the boy a cup of water with crushed ice.

It was just a small gesture of kindness. But that simple cup of ice water turned into a snack a few days later, then into snacks for another kid a few days after that and pretty soon...well, you know what happens when you feed kids and cats! Now, less than a year later, the school bus stops in front of their house and deposits over 20 neighborhood kids into their care EVERY DAY for after school snacks. Yes, you read correctly - they feed snacks to over 20 kids EVERY DAY!

"Wow, that's great, but how is this a ministry, Jules?" I'm glad you asked! The Duncans have upped the ante. They are now serving a hot meal for supper on Friday nights, which they have affectionately dubbed, 'The Hot Dog Club'. However, they're not just providing a hot meal, they are also leading a Bible study for the kids and their families - many of whom have never heard the Gospel. It's like a Bible Block Party every week at their house. The Duncans also help these kids learn manners, respect for others, and the value of sharing and thinking of others. The kids are seeing up close and personal how virtual strangers are willing to show them kindness and love.

In my interview with Shirley and David, they share how the Lord placed it on their hearts to help these kids. Most of them come from single parent homes and virtually all of them are low income. David shared with me that this ministry should not even be possible since they are approaching retirement age and are on a fixed income themselves. They never know from week to week if they are going to have the resources to support The Hot Dog Club. But somehow, they always do. People and resources just show up, quite literally, like manna from heaven. Through the generosity of people all over Macon, the Duncans are able to share the love of Jesus with folks right outside their door.

Y'all have just GOT to listen to my interview with David and Shirley Duncan. They're an absolute hoot! Their lives have been an amazing adventure of service to God and such a fantastic example of how NOTHING is impossible when you step out in faith.

Shirley and David's story will inspire you, too. They are showing us that sometimes the scripture "love thy neighbor" means, quite literally, the person next door!