Can I Laugh On Your Shoulder?

Our guest this week is the remarkable Jay Kim, who serves as the lead pastor at West Gate Church in the heart of Silicon Valley, California, and a teacher in residence at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz. Jay is not only a gifted pastor, but a seasoned writer, having authored several books, including Analog Church and Analog Christian , and most recently, the 40 Days Through The Book: Colossians...

In this episode, join us for an inspiring conversation with Rachael Powell, the Chief Communications Officer of Passages. Passages is an organization with a remarkable mission – they've brought over 10,000 Christian college students to Israel while helping them to grow as leaders and caring community members on their college campuses. Rachael has a profound passion for Gen Z and younger millennial...

Today I'm so excited to be joined by the remarkable Sharon Jaynes, a renowned international speaker and best-selling author of 26 books with nearly 1 million copies sold. She's a prominent voice in the global faith community, having served as the former Vice President of Proverbs 31 Ministries and co-host of their radio program. Sharon's latest book, "Praying for Your Child from Head to Toe," is a...

Today we're celebrating seven – yes seven! – years of producing this podcast and want to take a quick second to thank YOU for being a part of the show, reaching out, listening, and giving us the motivation to keep producing new shows. We are excited to welcome on Ike Miller, a pastor who helped start Bright City Church along with his wife, Sharon, back in 2018. Ike has written about the intersecti...

Every parent struggles with maintaining their own identity while also trying to pour all their energy into being a mother or a father. Our guest this week knows all about that. Dr. Morgan Cutlip knows what it feels like to lose yourself in motherhood and she's been determined to help others navigate that with more success. You might have come across her on social media, her podcast, her blog, or t...

What if your past could become your passageway to true connection? This week, we welcome the author of Get Past Your Past , Jason VanRuler. Jason opens up about his journey from a broken home and the struggle trying to avoid repeating those same patterns. He brings insights on healing, the power of vulnerability, and the role of psychological care, self-help, and healthy relationships in our lives...

I am so excited to be joined by Christa Hardin this week, founder of Reflections Counseling Center and the host of the immensely popular Enneagram and Marriage podcast, which has over a million downloads. For over two decades, Christa has been helping couples find renewal and happiness together. Utilizing the Enneagram, alongside other research-based marriage tools, she works to offer couples a de...

Today I am thrilled to be joined by Chuck and Ashley Elliott, content creators who you may recognize from platforms such as YouVersion or RightNow Media. Beyond their online presence, Chuck is a pastor at Bethel Church in Evansville, Indiana, while Ashley serves as a licensed counselor. Recently, Chuck and Ashley co-authored a transformative book titled I Used to Be ____. Life can take unexpected...

Hey there, amazing listeners! I'm excited to share today's special episode with you. You see, today marks a significant milestone for me: I'm celebrating my 38th birthday! What better way to celebrate than with all of you? Birthdays, especially as we grow into adulthood, carry this intriguing blend of excitement, reflection, and dread. Lately, I've been pondering this unique tension surrounding bi...

I am so glad to be back! I took three weeks off from the podcast. If you have been here since the beginning, you know that I've only taken one week off in the past seven years. It was one of those summers where I gave myself time to rest, and I pulled out some replay episodes. I planned to come back last week, but I got sick and lost my voice. I am here now and am so excited about what's on the ho...

This episode originally aired July 29th, 2020. A few months ago, I heard about this show called The Chosen . It depicts the life of Jesus and the disciples in a unique way, taking a look at Jesus' life, and how the disciples became disciples. When I first heard about it, I was skeptical, but I gave it a try. After the second episode, I was hooked! Not only have I watched the entire season once, I'...

This episode is a replay that originally aired on August 7, 2019.  ( Click the featured times below to jump forward in the episode) Laughter is the best medicine, and Kevin Fredericks ( KevOnStage) is here to talk about how humor can heal and bring us together. Kevin does it all. He has nearly 5 million followers and 140 million views on YouTube. He's a fast-rising entertainer who's already sold o...

My guest this week is Ruth Chou Simons, is a Wall Street Journal bestselling and award-winning author of several books and Bible studies, including GraceLaced , Beholding and Becoming , and When Strivings Cease . She is an artist, entrepreneur, and speaker, using each of her platforms to spiritually sow the Word of God into people's hearts. Through her online shop at GraceLaced.com and her social...

My guest this week is Inés Franklin. She currently serves as a teaching pastor at Mariners Church, where she preaches sermons and writes and teaches theology and discipleship courses. Inés is the founder and president of  Trochia Ministries , a Christian discipleship ministry, which seeks to provide resources designed to equip and encourage believers to develop genuine, mature, and resilient faith...

My guest this week is Curtis Chang, a theologian, consulting faculty member at Duke Divinity School and a Senior Fellow at Fuller Theological Seminary. His ministry experience includes serving as a senior pastor of an Evangelical Covenant Church in California, a campus minister with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and engaging in racial reconciliation work in Soweto, South Africa. Curtis is the...

My guest this week is the incredible Sandra Byrd, an experienced devotionalist who has authored more than 50 books. Sandra's newest devotional, Dwell , was just released and focuses on the heartwarming topic of home. She created this devotional to draw inspiration from window views and cozy armchairs to spend time with God. It's the perfect book to keep on your nightstand or coffee table and help...

My guest this week is Jenell Jones, an education entrepreneur who is currently operating two childcare and early learning centers. Her centers specialize in providing high quality learning experiences to children who experience trauma in low-income areas. In her spare time, Jenell prides herself by staying active in her church community in Arizona. She enjoys sharing her time, talent, and treasure...

My guest this week is the hilarious and amazing Elizabeth Passarella, the author of two books , "It Was an Ugly Couch Anyway" and "Good Apple." She is contributing editor for  Southern Living and former editor at  Real Simple  and  Vogue . Elizabeth has spent more than 20 years writing about food, travel, home design, and parenting in outlets including  The New York Times ,  Wall Street Journal , ...

My guest this week is Karrie Garcia. As a pastor, life coach, author and CEO, Karrie inspires change in others by boldly sharing her journey to freedom. With more than 10,000 hours of experience under her belt, Karrie has been speaking formally since the age of 19. Her audiences range from church small groups to crowds of thousands. Karrie's authentic, raw, and fearless approach to addressing chal...

My guest this week is the incredible Jodie Berndt. She is a wife, mother, speaker and author of the best-selling Praying the Scriptures book series , which teaches to use God's word to enhance your prayer life. Her newest book, Praying the Scriptures for Your Marriage , is available now. She and her husband Robbie have four children, and they live in Virginia Beach. Jodie has such a deep well of w...

Welcome to Episode 350! I can't believe we're here. I'm coming up on 7 years in podcasting, which is incredible, and I've had the chance to talk with so many amazing people.  Every 10 episodes I do a solo show. And it's really just me! No team. No people sitting nearby. Just me sitting by myself at my desk in my office/recording studio. I wanted to do something fun for this episode, so we're doing...

My guest this week is Jenny Nuccio, a mom, wife, coach, mentor, and founder and CEO of Imani Collective. What first started as a non-profit training program has developed into a social enterprise and holistic women's empowerment program in Mombasa, Kenya. Jenny started going to Kenya when she was 18 and started Imani Collective at 21. She didn't have mentors along the way and humbly entered every...

My guests this week are Dr. Ed Gravely and Dr. Pete Link Jr. Ed serves as Professor of Christian Studies at Charleston Southern University and occupies the Ott Chair of Theology there. He has been teaching koine Greek and New Testament at the university and graduate level since 2002, and the focus of his research and writing is in the field of Textual Criticism. Ed serves as an elder at his church...

My guest today is Dr. Heather Thompson Day, an interdenominational speaker, an ECPA bestseller and contributor for  Christianity Today and   Newsweek . She is also the host of  Viral Jesus , a new podcast with  Christianity Today,  which charts in the top 200 of all Christian podcasts in the U.S. Heather is an Associate Professor of Communication at Andrews University. She is passionate about supp...

My guest today is the incredible Mignon François, a speaker, entrepreneur and community leader who has inspired thousands. Mignon is the Founder and CEO of The Cupcake Collection. A multi-million dollar bakery brand she created from scratch. Since planting its roots in 2008, Mignon's business savvy has earned her the titles of "Woman of Legend and Merit" by Tennessee State University, "Emerging Bu...