Tracks for the Journey

By Larry Payne

Tracks for the Journey will improve your well-being with practical insight and inspiration from progressive Christian spirituality, positive psychology, and justice ethics. Your host is Dr. Larry P

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4.9

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FAQs about Tracks for the Journey:

How many episodes does Tracks for the Journey have?

The podcast currently has 118 episodes available.

Tracks for the Journey episodes:

June 04, 2026 A Journey of Reconstructing Faith with Pastor Beau Stringer
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Each faith journey is unique, a work of God and the individual. In this episode Beau Stringer, Associate Pastor at Resurrection Church Downtown in Kansas City, shares his movement from evangelical, to pastor, to seeker, and to a deeper faith reconstruction. His journey casts light on the movement of many sincere seekers today to build something transcendent and meaningful in this challenging world.

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
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1h 15min
May 20, 2026 Sacred Smells: How Your Nose Connects You to God, Memory, and Life
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
One sniff of lilac blossoms, and suddenly Larry is standing beside his Grannie in her kitchen — decades erased in an instant. That's not nostalgia. That's neuroscience. And faith traditions have understood this power for thousands of years.
In this episode, Larry explores the surprising, sometimes overlooked gift of smell — from the trillion distinct odors the human nose can detect, to the sacred incense Moses was commanded to blend, to the lingering scent of costly perfume that filled the room when Jesus was anointed. He asks a quiet but important question: in the rush and noise of modern life, have we stopped paying attention to one of our richest connections to beauty, memory, and the sacred?
Listeners will come away with a fresh appreciation for a sense they use every day without thinking — and an invitation to slow down, breathe deeply, and discover that the world coming through your nose may be one of God's most underrated gifts.

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
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11min
May 09, 2026"What Are You Afraid to Leave Behind?"
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
We all know what it feels like to leave behind what's familiar — a home, a role, a comfort zone — and step into something unknown. This episode of Tracks for the Journey, draws on the words of Jesus on the night before the cross — "Come now, let us leave" — to explore why change is so hard, and why it might be exactly what we need. From biblical figures like Abraham, Ruth, and Mary Magdalene, to a personal story of leaving pastoral ministry for hospital chaplaincy, LP unpacks the grief and gift that comes with every departure. And yes — Tim Walz even makes an appearance as a modern-day example of someone who left his comfort zone and changed history.
Listening to this episode will help you:
Understand why change feels like loss — and find peace with that
Recognize the invitation hidden inside life's dislocations and transitions
Find spiritual grounding when you're being asked to leave behind a place, a past, or a fear
See your own journey reflected in the stories of Scripture and everyday people

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
...more
12min
April 30, 2026 What a Billion-Year-Old Rock Taught Me About Worry
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Enjoy this warm, imaginative episode of Tracks for the Journey in which I sit in my spring prayer garden and talk with Red — my billion-year-old granite stone. Through this playful yet profound dialogue, I probe Red's geological journey (meteor strikes, ice ages, and all) to offer a surprisingly simple antidote to modern anxiety: stop trying to figure everything out, plant yourself on solid ground, and live fully in the present day.

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
...more
10min
April 18, 2026 Danger: You May Lose Your Religious Liberty
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Religious liberty — one of America's most foundational values — is under serious threat, and Texas is where the battle is playing out most visibly. Fueled by the ideology of Christian Nationalism, politicians and public figures have targeted the state's 500,000-plus Muslim residents through discriminatory policies, inflammatory rhetoric, and outright denial of civil rights.
I argue attacks on the freedoms of any faith community is an attack on the freedoms of all — Christian, Jewish, Hindu, and beyond. This episode explains what religious liberty really means, who is threatening it and why, and how ordinary citizens can push back.

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
...more
13min
April 09, 2026 Field Notes: Secret of Science Plus Best Study Bible
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
The secret to material progress has been revealed! It is--Ignorance. Sound crazy? Listen to this edition of Field Notes as I quote the esteemed historian Yuval Harari make the case that we can only learn if we admit that we do not know the answers. Plus, explore the best study Bible I've used in a long time, the New Revised Standard Update Edition. I share why it is worth your small investment to fuel your spiritual development.

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
...more
10min
April 01, 2026 Let's Find God: From Stone Temples to the Soul
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Explores the evolving history of where God "lives" to discover a closer, more personal spirituality. Great stone temples and magnificent cathedrals once located the Divine. We need a better place now for our unique journey through the dynamic 21st century world. Here's your guide for merging spirituality with everyday life to improve your spiritual and relational experience.

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
...more
9min
March 17, 2026 Irish Courage and the Path to Well-Being
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Have you ever looked at your family's history as a sacred pilgrimage? Centuries ago, families in my heritage like the Magills and the Junkins fled political unrest and poverty in Scotland and Ireland, undertaking a perilous eight-week ocean voyage to America. They faced incredible unknowns with remarkable courage and determination to build a new life.
When we look back at the upheavals of the past—whether it's our ancestors stepping onto foreign soil 300 years ago, or the rough patches in our own modern lives—we can often see how God has carried us through. Just like the Jewish patriarch Jacob, who dreamed of a staircase to Heaven while traveling through a strange land, we can look at our difficult journeys and realize, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!”
Call to Action: Ideas to see your own history as a walk with God.

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
...more
7min
March 11, 2026The Case of The Disappearing Friend
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re "drifting" from your community or faith, this story proves you aren't alone. Here is a fascinating deep dive into history that ends with a powerful reminder to check in on the people you miss. Just like the mystery of Amelia Earhart, one of Jesus’ inner circle—Simon the Zealot—completely vanished from the pages of history.
From Rebel to Ghost: Simon started as a "Zealot" (potentially a radical political rebel) but after the "spectacular" event of Pentecost, he goes into "radio silence."
Gruesome Legends: Did he preach in Britain? Was he sawn in half in Persia? 🪚 Legend says he was martyred in some of the most intense ways imaginable.
The "Why" of Disappearing: We all have friends who stop replying to social media or "disappear" from our lives. Usually, it’s not because they don't care—it's just that life, timing, and energy changed.
The Search: Just as a shepherd looks for one lost sheep, we’re reminded that it’s never too late to reconnect with old friends or our own faith.

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
...more
11min
February 25, 2026Why Your Brain Gets "Stuck" and How to Finally Move Forward
Post your thoughts here. If you want a reply email me at [email protected]. I look forward to hearing from you.
Ever feel like a past experience is "stuck," haunting your thoughts no matter how much you talk about it? On this episode of Tracks for the Journey, psychologist Dr. Sharla Boyd explains that trauma isn't a character flaw—it’s a neurological hurdle.
What’s inside:
Learn how EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps the brain "digest" painful memories that have been stuck for years.
Understand the "weed" analogy: why we need to stop just mowing over our symptoms and start pulling trauma out by the root.
The Benefit: You’ll walk away with a new perspective on your own resilience and a roadmap for how to finally find peace. Listen now! 🎧

Support the show
Subscribe to this podcast for only $5 per month to get a monthly bonus episode, access to exclusive subscriber-only episodes, and the POSTINGS weekly newsletter on Substack with more resources for well-being!
Subscribe at https://tracksforthejourney.buzzsprout.com

Enjoy the Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/@tracksforthejourney77
...more
11min

FAQs about Tracks for the Journey:

How many episodes does Tracks for the Journey have?

The podcast currently has 118 episodes available.