When We Walk

Micah and Shireen talk about the challenge of hearing God's voice and figuring out your purpose in life. How do I hear God's voice? Do I have a calling? What's my mission? Shireen shares her own story of discerning God's leading in different seasons of her life - from missions, to nursing, to raising kids and being in ministry - and the themes that stayed consistent throughout. They discuss the idea of God's will and compare it to a current to flow in rather than a tightrope to walk. But first, Micah shares a question about Jesus that makes them laugh!

After you complete this episode, ask yourself this question:

In my current phase/season of life, what is my understanding of my role in God's mission? What would those I'm in community with say in answer to this also?

Shireen shares her journey of achieving her sourdough-making dreams and Micah ranks his favorite breads. This leads to a discussion on the topic of identity. Who am I? What is my identity? What do I offer to the world? Many of us experience identity as a constant wrestling match with the labels we allow to stick to us in life. Micah and Shireen share some simple ways to manage the tension of identities always being more temporary than we'd like to think. They share some stories from their own lives about perceived identities through different seasons.

Something new for Season 2! Ask yourself these questions after listening to this episode:

What’s in my bio? What is my identity rooted in right now? Ask those around you: "How would you describe me?" Which labels do I carry that I have pride in and which ones are weighing me down? Reorient this and ask God what He sees.

Hey y'all! We're Pastors Micah and Shireen Eldridge and we're so excited you are joining us as we kick off Season 2 of the "When We Walk" Podcast. This episode is all about you - your questions from the comments are what we're going to be discussing today!

Our first season of When We Walk is a wrap! Join us in a few weeks when we launch Season 2 and make sure to share your ideas and comments below.

(Listen to this episode when you're alone or just with your spouse - this is not an episode for kids!) Sometimes talking with our spouse about sex can feel harder and more vulnerable than just having sex. This episode provides a great framework for how to have these conversations. Micah and Shireen unpack the four components involved in great sex: our bodies, emotions, spirituality and thoughts and cover specifics like foreplay and orgasms. Yes, we just included those words in our summary! ;) Getting better at our communication about sex can create an incredible connection and blessing in marriage that goes way beyond personal gratification.

It's February and love is in the air, in the stores, on our minds. This is a great time to talk about relationships and the next few episodes will center on this. During this conversation, Micah and Shireen focus on the topic of intimacy. Often our highly individualistic culture is at-odds with creating and maintaining intimacy but getting this right is a key to building relationships that thrive. They give many examples of getting it right - and learning from mistakes. Wilson the volleyball is mentioned and in-laws are brought up. Also, their worst anniversary experience is remembered and their waitress saw it all! 

Micah and Shireen are joined by their good friend Mike Hintz who has a passion for the Bible and a degree to prove it! Mike shares why he loves the Bible and how the questions that arise when we read it can lead to powerful meditation. They cover a lot of ground in this conversation and even talk about the practice of writing Jeremiah 29:11 on every graduation card. At the end, all three reveal their favorite people from the Bible and Mike's is ultra-obscure!

Micah and Shireen continue their focus on the Bible by talking about common hurdles we experience when reading the Bible. What should we do with confusing stories and things that make us ask, "How could God do that?!" This fascinating discussion covers a lot of ground: translations, the creation story in Genesis, interpreting meaning, science, evolution, context, Jesus, Old Testament, New Testament and so much more! Hopefully you are encouraged and equipped by the end of this talk to engage with the pieces of scripture that are challenging instead of just skipping them or writing off the Bible entirely. They also share how their daily walks have become fireside chats as the weather has gotten dangerously cold.

Micah and Shireen roll up their sleeves and answer a ton of questions about the Bible: who wrote it, is it reliable, what motivated its creation, does it have a purpose - and more! They share some tips on where to start for beginners and also ways to keep it fresh for those who have been reading it for a long time. Micah shows off his new daily devotional and Shireen shares her plan for the next month. Plus - the question is asked: does walking 22,000 steps at Disney count as exercise?

In this episode, Micah and Shireen talk about their own first experiences with the Bible and how they thought about it in the beginning versus how they approach it now. Shireen talks about her "wonder" phase of just getting to know the Bible and Micah tells a funny story of leading his first small group and learning some big lessons. They discuss the purpose of reading scripture and the multitude of methods available. Plus they talk about how they've personally found meaning and beauty even in the boring or confusing parts.