Curt Thompson M.D. is back for part two of his Things Above conversation with James Bryan Smith. In this episode, James asks Curt questions regarding his books, “The Soul of Desire” and “The Soul of Shame.”

Psychiatrist, speaker, and author Curt Thompson connects our intrinsic desire to be known with the need to tell truer stories about ourselves — showing us how to form deep relationships, discover meaning, and live integrated, creative lives.

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In episode two of season five, James Bryan Smith opens the episode with Colossians 2:6. A key word in this verse is “walk” Smith explains what Paul means in this verse through a story from his high school track team. James closes the episode with 10 things about who we are in Christ, from his latest book “The Good and Beautiful You.” 

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Season five of the Things Above podcast has arrived! To start off the new season James Bryan Smith shares a story to explain how God doesn’t call the qualified but rather God qualifies the called.

Smith closes the episode by explaining how grace is opposed to earning not effort. When we receive grace we must also acknowledge that it is not opposed to effort. When we realize God has chosen us that should inspire effort on our part.

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In this episode, James Bryan Smith’s thought from above is, “You must live the exchanged life.” Smith opens the episode by telling us that we are all saints. He goes on to explain how we are saints and how we can live into that identity each day. James closes the episode with a story about a prince in Benin, Africa.

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James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Angela Gorrell about her latest book, “The Gravity of Joy.” Dr. Angela Williams Gorrell joined Baylor’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary in Fall 2019 as Assistant Professor of Practical Theology. Prior to joining the faculty at Baylor University, she was an Associate Research Scholar at the Yale Center for Faith & Culture, working on the Theology of Joy and the Good Life Project, and a lecturer in Divinity and Humanities at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. She is an ordained pastor with 14 years of ministry experience. Dr. Gorrell is passionate about finding issues that matter to people and shining the light of the Gospel on them. She is the author of always on: practicing faith in a new media landscape and a new book, The Gravity of Joy: A Story of Being Lost and Found, which shares findings of the joy project while addressing America’s opioid and suicide crises. Dr. Gorrell’s expertise is in the areas of theology and contemporary culture, education and formation, meaning-making, joy, new media, and youth and emerging adults. Dr. Gorrell regularly consults, speaks, and leads workshops and retreats on her research and areas of expertise.

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James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “You are dedicated.” In this episode, James recounts a story in which he was fasting to help explain his thought from above. Smith closes the episode by telling us we are saints and we have been made holy. We are dedicated by God and dedicated to God.

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In this episode, James Bryan Smith thought from above is, “there are benefits to doubt.” Smith gives us three reasons to explain why there are benefits to doubt in our faith. The first reason is doubt allows you to make your faith truly yours. The second benefit is doubt helps faith take root. His third reason is that doubt is a gift to make our faith deeper.

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James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Dr. Amy Bragg Carey. Amy is the fourteenth president of Friends University and is currently in her seventh year as president. She previously served as vice president for institutional advancement at the University of Northwestern in St. Paul, Minn. She brings to Friends a strong background in development, marketing and communications, and enrollment management. Her doctoral study, completed at Azusa Pacific University, focused on the turnaround of small private universities and the factors that contribute to their success.

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James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, Jesus is Lord. Smith opens the episode with a reading of Colossians chapter three to help illustrate his thought from above. To close the episode, James reads a passage from Dr. Scot McKnights commentary on Colossians.

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James Bryan Smith talks about two kinds of love, “gift love” and “need love.” In this episode Smith’s thought from above is, to love one another just as Jesus has loved us. “Need Love”, is a kind of longing love much like romantic love. “Gift Love” is God’s love, it doesn’t need anything in return. Smith helps explain each of these “loves” in more detail and closes the episode with a passage from John 13:34.

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