The Jules Show

Are you a left brain or a right brain kind of person? Personally, I am more of a left brain type. Although I work in what is normally thought of as a creative industry, I really line up more comfortably in the left brain camp. I am, for the most part, a more logical thinker; and I typically prefer to do things in a specific order. I like to make lists and do the first thing on the list first. When I have to make decisions about things in my life, I, for the most part, don't make them based on emotion or feeling. I'm the same way with worship. Emotion and feelings, however, are an important part of having a relationship with our heavenly father.

While I know God loves me and He hears me when I call to Him, I'm not always sure how to hear Him and know when he’s getting back to me. It's not like He's sending me a text!

So how do we know when God is REALLY communicating with us and it's not just last night's enchilada?

Lucius Malcolm, author of the book "The Word Speaks," did a great job in my interview with him of taking me through some baby steps to learn how to tell the difference between hearing God and...well...something else.

Lucius begins by sharing the importance of getting quiet. That means turning off the phone, and all the other distractions in our lives, and actually getting in a place where we can focus completely on Jesus. Finding a place to be quiet is different for everyone, but you get the picture.

Meditation is also important, but not the" clear your mind of everything" meditation. He suggests focusing on a scripture and then actually visualizing a place in your mind where Jesus can come and sit with you.

Moment of total honesty here: At first I thought this was a little touchy feely, and I wasn't sure how comfortable I was with his suggestions. But as he explained it to me, and shared his own experiences and his personal testimony of how this worked in his life; I began to see how I could put his examples into practice in my own life.

When I was reading Lucius' book, I couldn't escape the feeling that I had accidentally taken someone's journal off their nightstand. Lucius said that was exactly what he was hoping the feel would be. The book is Lucius' personal story of listening to the Holy Spirit, but it's also a "how-to" guide for readers to do the same. For Lucius, journaling was an important part of the hearing-from-God process, and he urges us to do the same. This serves two purposes: first, as a record of what you feel you heard from the Lord, but second, and most importantly, as a way to document and then take to another person for verification. The most critical part of this whole process is being grounded in God's Word. God will never tell you something that goes counter to his Holy Word.� Having others who are also deeply rooted in the Word verifying what you felt was God, can help you be certain the message is accurate.

My take-away from my time with Lucius was that I need to push back all the stuff going on in my life. I need to spend time focused on the most important person and relationship in my life, and that's the one I have with Jesus.

Learn more about how to hear and discern the voice of God in my podcast interview with Lucius Malcolm. If you'd like a copy of his book, it's available online at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

Didn't you just love learning about sedimentary rocks, photosynthesis and the Scientific Method in school?  Yeah, me neither. To be totally honest, where science was concerned, I didn't graduate Cum Laude, I graduated "Thank ya Lordy!" So when I was approached with the idea of interviewing a scientist, I was a little skeptical.

Thankfully, the scientist I had the opportunity to speak with is no ordinary scientist. His name is Grady McMurtry, Ph.D., and he is a creation world view scientist. He's actually a missionary, who travels all over the world teaching about creation from the Biblical perspective. He unwraps the scientific history of the Earth as explained in the book of Genesis - that our world was created in six literal days. He has made it his life's work to debunk the theory of evolution. He explains - using current research - how humans did not come about by random chance.

Dr. McMurtry has been a scientist and teacher for a long time. I asked him when he first began teaching.  I thought he was kidding when he said he started when he was eight years old! He then shared with me his amazing journey of growing up in Berkeley, CA, the child of atheist parents, whose father taught evolution at UC Berkeley. He grew up in the paleontology lab; and it was because he was so well versed in scientific issues, that his third grade teacher asked him to teach the unit on dinosaurs. He new the material better than she did!

Grady has a fascinating story of how his scientific, logical brain - in a search for truth - led him to realize the Bible is the definitive source for truth about how we came to be in existence. Realizing the Bible was true regarding creation, his mind was opened and he was willing to learn the Gospel and receive Christ into his life.

As I mentioned before, I was not into science in school. I accepted the six day creation, because it's what I was always taught; and I didn't really care to delve into the matter any deeper. But I know for lots of folks, the age of the earth is a very big deal. So I asked Grady why it's so important for us non-science loving Christians to understand the science behind a creation world view. He told me the truth of the Bible begins with the truth of how the earth was created. It is foundational to all the rest of the truth presented in the Bible.

Grady also shared with me some valuable information as to how believers need to proceed when talking to non believers who come from an evolutionary world view. He makes the point that these folks are not often moved by emotional arguments or feelings. You have to speak their language. That's why people like me, who don't care about science all that much, really do need to care about it!

Talking to Dr. Grady gave me a new interest in, and better insight into, how folks who dig science think. But Dr. Grady shared with me that at the end of the day, whether you love digging into the details of how the earth was formed or you just aren't that into it, neither view matters when it comes to your salvation.

To learn more about Grady McMurtry and his ministry, Creation World View Ministries, check out my podcast interview with this very fascinating man of faith.

Have you met my friend Benji before? You might know him from The Jayar Show and then on the weekends on The JOY FM.   And because you hear him on the radio, you probably already know that he’s funny, talented, has an amazing heart, and... he's a little weird - like me!

But what you probably don’t know is that Benji has been down a dark road. 

Often times, people in the public eye, especially in Christian circles, don't like to reveal the negative things they've been through. So I am honored that my friend Benji, who never speaks on air about his struggle with addiction, has been willing to share his testimony on The Jules Show podcast. 

Benji grew up, for the most part, in a Christian home. His father wasn't a church-going man, but he didn't object when Benji's mom, aunt and uncle took him to church. Benji came to Christ as a young teen. Although he was saved, he never really developed a close relationship with Christ. 

High school came and went without much change in his faith. But just a month after his graduation from high school, Benji's dad died of cancer. He went ahead with his plans to go off to college in the fall, but not facing his father's loss led him into some pretty destructive behavior.

He started drinking, then got into drugs and his life took a turn down a dark road.

Years later, after getting clean and sober, Benji realized that God had been with him and was actually pursuing him through it all.

One of the greatest things about working at The Joy FM is the ability to hear from listeners who call in and tell us their stories of how God has used this radio station to help them through some very rough times. I'm humbled each time I sit behind a microphone and share something positive and encouraging with our listeners. But I sometimes feel like people in Christian radio ministry - just like church ministry -  think they have to give the appearance of never having had troubles. We are ashamed of our past and the mistakes we've made and think it will reflect poorly on our ministry if people know what we've done. This is why I am so thankful for the courage of my friend Benji, who by telling his story, can help others see how God uses every circumstance in our lives-even the bad and self destructive ones-to draw us closer to Himself. Sometimes rock bottom is the best place we can be because it allows us to hit our knees in submission to God's will. 

Benji's story is of grief, addiction, and ultimately redemption. He went down dangerous paths, even denying God's existence at one point, but God never let go of Benji. And God will never let go of us, either. No matter how low we get. In those days when we think we're too far gone for God to love us, He chases after us like a parent chases after a toddler running toward the road. Thank God we can't outrun God!

Listen to Benji's interview and learn his full story, as well as the scripture God has placed on his heart for this year. 

You can hear Benji each afternoon on The Jayar Show from 3:00-7:00 pm and on weekends 3:00-7:00 pm.

If you're like me, you spend a lot of time looking out windows - the ones in the house, the ones in the car, the ones in the office - at things human beings have built. Other than some trees and maybe a flowering shrub or some plants at the mailbox, I'm hard pressed to see much in the way of nature living in the 'burbs. I guess the reason why people say "I need to get back to nature" is because they, well, aren't near it on a day-to-day basis. So when the opportunity to talk to a real safari guide, a guy who spends most of his time in the bush came my way, I had to have a chat with him.

Fledge Fiamingo is, first and foremost, a teacher of the Gospel. His mission with Son Safaris is to take people on the trip of a lifetime - a safari in his native homeland of South Africa - to not only experience God's amazing creation, but to help them understand how all the beautiful creatures and plants actually fit together to tell the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Fledge has a colorful background and he shared with me his faith journey from professional naturalist and guide in South Africa, to his moving to Georgia and starting his safari missions ministry.

One of the things I enjoyed most about Fledge was his incredible storytelling ability. He can take something as mundane as a spiderweb and turn it into not only a science lesson, but also an engaging and incredibly meaningful testament to the creativity of God and His love for us. Fledge is definitely the kind of guy you'd want to sit beside you around a campfire.

You may be thinking, "Jules, I get the lesson part; but how is this a mission trip?" I'm so glad you asked! Part of the time you're in South Africa, you're learning, seeing and doing things related to nature. But for a significant portion of the trip, you'd be doing more traditional mission trip assignments like helping churches and working with children in orphanages. Son Safaris is providing a great opportunity to have so much more than just a unique adventure. They are providing ways to learn, grow in your faith, share the Gospel and serve others.

Click on over and check out my podcast interview with Fledge Fiamingo, if for no other reason than to hear a great story from a guy with an accent even cooler than mine!

It seems like substance abuse is problem that is hitting virtually every family in our country in one way or another. And Christians are not immune from this devastating problem.
It's been said, “Life doesn't happen in a vacuum”. When a person becomes embroiled in addiction, it's not just their life they are taking down a dark road. Usually, those closest to them get pulled in as well.

So what do you do when you don't have the problem, but someone you love does? How do YOU deal with THEIR problem, which is now your problem, too, just because you love this person?

Thankfully, there are people like Kim Maniaci with Walk of Faith House ready to offer help and hope to those struggling with addiction in their lives.

In my interview with Kim, she talks extensively about how Walk of Faith House got started, and how their long-range goal is to construct an inpatient addiction recovery center. Until that goal is realized in the meantime, the organization is offering counseling and referral services to reputable agencies. They also offer the Christ-centered recovery program called Freedom Small Group.

Kim shared with me that, surprisingly enough, most of the people they are helping at Walk of Faith House are not themselves addicts. They are the family members of addicts, trying to cope with the anger, pain, and frustration that often accompanies  having an addict in your life. Many times, family members seek help because they are at the end of their rope, but the addicts themselves have not reached that point.

But some addicts have hit rock bottom and are reaching out. Joining Kim in the interview is a brave woman named Layla Smith, who was willing to share her heart about her experience being addicted to Meth and how, through the Freedom Small Group, she found the strength that only God can provide to beat the addiction. She also found her real identity - the one that she has in Christ.

I had several takeaways from my interview with Kim and Layla. One was a cautionary tale for family members not to compare the addict with someone else in the family who may have gone down a bad road. But I think I was most encouraged by Kim's  admonition to never give up hope. God, who created all things, CAN redeem what seems like a hopeless situation.

Listen to my podcast interview with Kim and Layla and if you would like more information, please visit their website at walkoffaithhouse.com

Once upon a time, there were some folks sitting around a table at a committee meeting. The question was asked, "What are some out-of-the-box ways we could share the Gospel?" Someone spoke up and said, "How about a food truck?"

And so begins the incredible journey of Truck 316 - a ministry that operates out of, yep, a food truck!

In my interview with Alex Stroud, we hear all about what seemed like a crazy idea at the time. But that idea turned into a two hour brainstorming session, morphed into an action plan, and ended up actually getting funded in like no time!

It's high concept ministry to say the least. Here's a little about how it works. The truck is staffed with an all volunteer crew. They roll up to wherever they're invited (festivals, block parties - basically anywhere a traditional food truck would go) and sell food. Then with the proceeds from those events, they take the truck to homeless shelters, battered women's facilities and many other locations where needs of people are being met, and give meals away free of charge.

Only four people at a time can be in the truck, so they come with a bunch of other volunteers who give out the food, and sit and have conversations with those who just need to hear a kind word from another person. The goal of the ministry is to serve those who are hungry but not just physically hungry.

Alex said they look at the ministry as an opportunity to spread the seeds about Jesus and every now and then, they have some real breakthrough conversations. And while it is wonderful when those moments happen, he said what was really amazing was the change in his volunteers’ hearts. Seems it really is true it's better to give than to receive!

Ok, folks, full disclosure: When I heard about this ministry, they had me at "food truck!" Hey, I'm from South Georgia, so you know I love food almost as much as I love Jesus! But to me, this ministry is about so much more than food or even sharing the Gospel. It's a story about God using his people in a very creative way to draw them to himself. It's a story of how when you dare to think big for God, He will show up and bless you beyond what you could possibly imagine.

Now truck yourself on over to the podcast for the whole story and learn how you can book Truck 316 for your next event!

Have you ever met someone and thought, "Wow, he's the total package"? A jock-type who is also a creative writer AND has a heart for Jesus?

Well, this describes Georgia author and retired pastor Dick Hoard to a “T”. Like many boys growing up in rural Georgia in the 1960's, Dick had a love for baseball and football. But when he was 14 years old, an unimaginable tragedy struck his family which changed his life forever. On a hot August morning in 1967, he was awakened by the sound of an explosion in his driveway. The explosion was his father's car being obliterated by ten sticks of dynamite when he turned the ignition. Dick's father, the Solicitor General for Jackson County, Georgia, was headed to court that fateful morning to prosecute an organized crime case.

In my interview with Dick, he unfolds the events which led up to his father's murder and how after this horrific event - as you can imagine - changed his life forever.

The senior Hoard was quite the athlete, excelling at both football - playing at UGA - and baseball, playing minor league ball for a time. Dick, too, played football and it was on the football field where he found an outlet for the anger he felt at the loss of his father. But not completely. Dick tells of coming to a breaking point and, for a reason he can't explain, went to church. During a special missionary meeting there, he felt Jesus releasing him of his pain and anger.

It was during college at UGA that Dick first began writing about his father's murder which eventually became a memoir entitled, "Alone Among the Living." And it was during this time in college, when Dick actually met the man who killed his father. Hearing him tell this story gave me chills and brought me to tears at the same time.

Fast forward a few years. Dick wound up becoming a high school football coach and literature teacher. But God had gotten ahold of

Dick's heart in those early years after his father's death, and there came a point in time when he realized God was calling him to ministry.

And that's where's he's been ever since. But being in ministry did not dampen his passion for telling stories and he is the author of several novels, the latest of which is called "The Missing Boys."

Listening to Dick tell his story is like listening to a suspense book from Audible. But for me, the over arching theme of his story is forgiveness. Dick explains how he came to realize God forgave him and died for him. He also came to understand he had to forgive the man who killed his father. Dick's fascinating life is a story of one man's ability, via the Holy Spirit, to forgive what seems like the unforgivable. It was also a reminder for me that if this man can forgive the man who murdered his father, I can forgive that friend who stood me up for coffee.

When I was a kid, if you'd asked me "Who's your favorite super hero?" I probably would have said "Superman!" But now that I'm all grown up, my answer is definitely reserved for REAL people, protecting and saving all of us on a daily basis. Like fictional super heroes, they get to wear cool uniforms and drive fast vehicles. But, unlike Superman, these folks, unfortunately, are not bulletproof.

If you haven't figured it out by now, the real heroes I'm talking about are those in the military and those serving as first responders.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with John Dale with Reboot Alliance, a ministry dedicated to helping veterans, first responders and their families deal with the emotional trauma that often comes with this line of work.

John candidly shared with me his story of enlisting in the Army with the hope of making it his career. Unfortunately, the wear and tear from the extreme physical demands of his job took a toll on his body and his dream of a military career was cut short when he had to accept a medical discharge. His adjustment to civilian life was difficult, and there came a tipping point in his marriage. He and his wife realized if they didn't get help soon, they were headed for a divorce.

It was at this point when John's wife found Reboot Alliance. The couple entered the 12-week, Gospel-centered program. John was so overwhelmed by how much it changed his life, he decided to go to work for the organization full time.

John said sometimes it is  hard for soldiers and first responders to ask for help in dealing with all the trauma they witness because they are supposed to be the ones we look to for strength. Additionally, they often feel asking for help may be seen as a sign of weakness to their superiors who may question their ability to do their jobs.

But the magnitude of what these brave men and women face on a daily basis takes a huge toll on them emotionally and spiritually. Often times, they take their frustrations out on family members, most often their spouses. It’s usually the spouses who first reach out for help.

Reboot Alliance is peer-led. Former or actively serving veterans lead fellow servicemen and women through the program. John said one of the most powerful weeks of the program is when they talk about forgiveness. Veterans often carry tremendous guilt about some of the things they have done in the line of duty. Learning they have a God who loves and forgives them frees them to forgive themselves. It also helps them to seek and receive forgiveness from family members they may have hurt.

But as I mentioned, Reboot Alliance isn't just for military veterans. They also sponsor a program for first responders called FirstLine, which is set up just like the one for the military. In fact, John said one of the most powerful testimonies he has heard regarding the programs’ success
came from a police supervisor.

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get so busy going about my own life, I don't stop to think about the people who actually help make it possible for me to...well, go about my busy life. Our military personnel and first responders quietly go about the business of keeping us safe. John Dale helped me realize these folks make big sacrifices for ME. For US. So the next time you're at a restaurant or in a store and you see someone in uniform, go tell them you appreciate their service. It may not be a big thing for you, but it really does mean a lot to these folks.

Listen my podcast interview with John Dale to learn more about Reboot Alliance and Firstline. And if you or someone you know could benefit from these ministries, you can get connected to either via their website at www.rebootalliance.org.

Football is kind of a big deal….  This is certainly true in small towns all over Georgia. John Darsey, pastor of Redeemer Church of Madison jokingly told me if thieves wanted to make a fortune, they could probably do so on any given Friday night, because pretty much the whole town is at the local high school football game!

We love us some football here in Georgia. And just as many of us love Jesus, so it makes us sad to see our public school becoming increasingly hostile towards our Savior.  But what can we do about it?

According to John Darsey, there is a lot we can do.  

In my interview with John, he lays out play-by-play how his church has chosen to serve its community by coming alongside football players and coaches. He said he personally serves as a volunteer assistant football coach for the Morgan County High School team. In addition, many folks from his church have joined him in his quest to share Jesus simply by serving. They have cook teams who bring meals to the school and feed coaches and staff.  Others work in whatever ways the coaching staff needs them - marking the fields before games or just helping clean up facilities. The folks at Redeemer are always willing to jump in and help.

And the seeds they have planted over the years are reaping a bountiful harvest. John said he has had the opportunity to share the Gospel with hundreds of young men and many coaches over the years because he came with no agenda other than to serve. Earning their trust paved the way for their hearts to be receptive to the Gospel.  John humbly admitted he has had the honor of baptizing over one hundred students and seven coaches since he began his football ministry.

Ok, so maybe you're saying, "That's great, but football isn't my jam!"

That's ok! It's not mine either, so I've got some good news for you. You don't have to help out with football, or with any sports, if that's not your thing. John helped me realize there are PLENTY of ways to volunteer at your local schools. But there's one thing you need to keep in mind - don't go in there with an agenda. He suggests going to the school and telling them you'd like to volunteer your time. And if you don't have a kid at that school, all the better. Just go there to serve, and let the Lord do the leading. He will open the doors, in His time, for sharing the Gospel.

I have had the great opportunity to talk with many people who are working to be a source of light for Jesus in our public schools. There is a recurring theme I hear time after time, and that is to focus on what you CAN do. You CAN give your time to help with sports, or band or with mentoring programs. And don't forget organizations like FCA. Student-led faith-based organizations are currently protected under the law.

So take the ball and run it into the end zone! That's what you're supposed to do with the football, right?

I hope you enjoy my interview with John Darsey. If you would like more information about him and his church, go to redeemerchurchmadison.com

How long is your morning commute? 15, maybe 20 minutes? Maybe you have one crazy friend who drives all the way in to Atlanta every day? Well, I promise you my friend Erin Porter has THE longest commute EVER! She has to go all the way to Zambia - yes, the country in sub-Saharan Africa!!

Ok, so maybe she doesn't have to make the trip every day, but as the stateside executive director of Global Samaritans, an organization dedicated to helping children, villages and pastors, she does make the trip to Zambia several times a year.

The ministry was founded by Beau and Ruby Cheeves, two Athens area doctors who visited Zambia during the heighth of the AIDS epidemic. Their hearts was broken for the thousands of children left orphaned by parents who had succumbed to the disease. Global Samaritans started as an orphanage, then became a school and then a discipleship tool for local pastors, But wait, as if that weren't enough, they are now drilling wells for villages and hospitals all over Zambia. How did they get into the well-drilling business? Well - pardon the pun - this is such an amazing God story, you're just going to have to listen to my interview with Erin Porter and hear the story in her words.

I realized after talking with Erin that so many of the things I think are problems, really aren't. More than one third all Zambians do not have access to clean drinking water. And what access they do have, often requires them to walk hours a day to collect. But when a village gets a well, the transformation is amazing. Learn how a village getting a well means education and a world of possibilities for children, especially girls, which they may otherwise be denied.

Hear my podcast interview with Erin Porter and learn about how you, too, can help people in Zambia.