On Wednesday, September 10th, a student at Evergreen High School shot two students before shooting himself. Within the same hour, Charlie Kirk, a young political activist and speaker, was shot and killed while speaking at an event at Utah Valley University. In I Thessalonians 4, Paul exhorts the church in Thessalonika to live in light of Jesus’ resurrection. He then adds, “that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” What does grieving with hope look like? Dave and Autumn discuss how to respond to tragedy, to lament, and to long for the kingdom with hope.

Autumn and Hunter discuss an article by Ian Harber called “The Christian in a Therapeutic Age.” Harber contends that while therapy terms describe real struggles, their overuse has turned treatable conditions into fixed identities. Amplified by social media, this therapeutic culture isolates people and worsens anxiety. In contrast, Christianity grounds identity in God, tells a story of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Committing to Christian practices - prayer, worship, Scripture, sacraments, community—nurtures resilience and belonging.

Social media personalities have popularized the notion that knowing and loving oneself can be achieved by reaching into a grab-bag of mental health diagnoses and neurodivergent labels. But what do we lose in a world in which people view themselves and others through labels and diagnoses rather than personality and relationships? Hunter and Autumn discuss the article “Nobody has a Personality Anymore.” In this article, Freya India, a young journalist from the UK, posits that the tendency to label and diagnose differences that would have been ascribed to “personality” in previous generations leaves young people dissatisfied and stuck.

In this episode, Hunter and Autumn consider what Proverbs teaches us about how to work wisely—commending diligence, urging careful planning, and calling us to seek wise counsel. While Proverbs and various New Testament passages emphasize the immediate reward of diligent, thoughtful work, Jesus also emphasizes the eternal nature of our work and the necessity of working wisely in and for his kingdom.

Autumn and Hunter discuss Proverbs’ vision for work, tracing a pattern from the Old Testament’s creation blessings to the New Testament’s kingdom rewards. Proverbs promises that wise, diligent work leads to provision and flourishing, while Jesus echoes that principle and reframes it, presenting true wealth as treasure in heaven and eternal reward. Understanding wisdom principles about work within New Covenant realities reveals that stewardship of our material and immaterial resources shapes us as disciples, builds enduring kingdom wealth, and displays God’s kingdom.

For the fall Vision for Life book club: Silas Marner

After three months away, Pastor Hunter Beaumont sits down with Autumn to share what he learned during his sabbatical. Before stepping away, Hunter identified three hopes for his time off—time with friends and family, a renewed vision for ministry, and space for creativity. In this episode, Hunter shares what he did, what he learned, and what he’s looking forward to as he begins the work of ministry again.

In this episode, Dave and Autumn discuss the biblical vision of work and vocation through the lens of Proverbs and the understanding of work in biblical wisdom literature. Proverbs 22, Colossians 3:23-24, and various passages in Ecclesiastes teach that work is central to living with purpose and fulfilling God’s design for humanity. Based on these passages, today’s episode examines what it means to work heartily for the Lord, seeing our daily tasks as both a calling and a way of participating in God’s good, creative design. This conversation invites listeners to reimagine their work as a vital part of God’s redemptive plan for the world.

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The VFL Podcast will return July 30, 2025!

Autumn and Dave talk about their recent reads, summer reading plans, and the encouragement they find in Ecclesiastes 12 to assume the humble posture of a learner who pursues the words of the wise.

What is your summer reading plan?