EXTRAordinary Lives

Sue Smedley co-directs the Rivendell Institute's program on spiritual formation at Yale. On this week's show, she delves more into the process and practices of spiritual formation, which endeavors to help those following Jesus go deeper in their faith  - from head to heart, from knowledge to application. The Rivendell Institute website puts it this way: "As followers of Christ, it is our desi...

At the age of 6, Sue Smedley told God she would be His missionary. She was shy and nervous about public speaking, but as she saw God work through her, she gained confidence. She worked with Cru's high school ministry for many years and now writes curriculum and teaches about spiritual formation to graduate students at the Rivendell Institute at Yale. You'll be hooked by her caring and fun personal...

Andrew and Rachel have been married for less than 4 years and have already accomplished much, including moving from Austin to San Diego, achieving success at their workplaces, building strong connections with friends and their church family, and...having 2 delightful daughters! They are "go-getters" who are beginning to slow down, perhaps, but just a little. You'll love hearing how they met and ab...

Hayley talks about her newly-released book titled Barefoot King: The Indian Dalit who Defied Caste to Bless Others, which tells the true story of Raj, an Untouchable in the Indian caste system, and the incredible ways God intervened to take him out of harsh poverty and slavery into a fulfilling life of helping others. Hayley weaves a story of many exciting events that are transformed from ang...

It's my birthday week! I thought it would be fun to share my own story.  Even though I was raised in the Bible Belt, I did not grow up in a Christian family. Instead, my family believed in Christian Science. We didn't go to the doctor, and we believed we were spiritual and perfect, and that the material world did not actually exist. Go figure. This is how God broke through and placed me into...

Mike and Nicole are a couple you cannot help but love. Married for over 40 sweet years, they are kind-hearted, love hospitality, and are devoted to living their lives to serve Jesus. Mike has written or co-authored over 110 intriguing books and was the Editor of Focus on the Family's magazines for many years. Nicole grew up in Switzerland, was an impressive ski racer and instructor, and has a "swe...

Ryan is the lead pastor of Seacoast Community Church in Encinitas, and Sara, his wife, is the volunteer coordinator at the Community Resource Center. Ryan and Sara talk about their hearts for the marginalized and relate stories about God's impact on their lives. Ryan shares about the power of God working through his pastoral messages to touch people's lives, often in different ways than he would e...

Ryan is the lead pastor of Seacoast Community Church in Encinitas, and Sara, his wife, is the volunteer coordinator at the Community Resource Center. Ryan and Sara talk about their different backgrounds and personalities and relate stories about God's impact on their lives. Sara became a caretaker of her younger sisters in her teens and developed a heart for the marginalized, and Ryan moved e...

Jim Black, a criminologist and professor emeritus of Sociology at the University of Tennessee, constantly looks to apply God’s principles in his everyday life, and in some unusual places such as Death Row and Peanuts Cartoons. You'll enjoy his fascinating stories and see how God has influenced his life and decisions. He is a man of integrity who desires to be humble and kind and is grateful for th...

Carly is a true friend with a delightful laugh, and a go-getter with a list of impressive accomplishments, but what I most admire about her is her faithfulness to the Lord during hard times. These include being a gifted musician though deaf in one ear, loving running and races but dealing with debilitating injuries, and having the deep desire to be married but remaining single for longer than anti...

Barbara has had her faith tested and has stayed strong trusting in the Lord's love and provision. Her God stories include meeting her husband, Warren, with whom she has worked in campus ministry for over 40 years, and adopting two daughters who now are moms themselves. You'll hear the astounding story of her oldest daughter Claire, an abortion survivor, and you'll glean from Barbara's expertise as...

Kathy looks for daily miracles - large and small - in her life and encourages us to do the same. She has experienced unbelievable yet documented healing from a brain tumor and Crohn's disease. She and her family of 12 include joyfully-welcomed twins with down-syndrome. She has a strong faith that she's asked God for, and He has given it in abundance.  You'll be encouraged by her stories!

Steve is honest about his "epic failures" and grateful that God has intervened in his life to surprisingly use these downfalls to help him flourish. You'll hear about his heart to help others answer questions about the Christian faith, and learn about how he got that 3-inch gash on his noggin.  Steve mentions the book, Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. He also appreciates the insights into Chr...

Debbie sees following Christ as a “wild ride” with a faithful, loving Companion. She has devoted her life to growing in her relationship with God and, even though she has experienced some difficult trials these past few years, she has remained stalwart in her faith and has seen God’s extraordinary provision. To know Debbie is to love her sweet big smile, her caring heart, and her peaceful spirit....

You can't miss Jeff's giant heart for people and his love of learning and teaching, especially about theology, which he has lived out while walking through some painful circumstances such as his daughter, Sophia, only living 13 days, and his wife of 30 years being diagnosed with and treated for stage 3+ cancer. Jeff is a deep thinker, and his ideas on education are refreshing and uplifting. He cer...

Hello everyone! The week of September 15, I will be taking a pause . Listen to the audio to find out why! However, I want to recommend Matt Carlson’s message, “For - To - Thru” given on the Sunday (September 6) he was commissioned to be a co-pastor at Generation Church in South Oceanside. You will resonate with his story and also appreciate his pointers about the freedom that is found in the gospe...

Kalli Hendrickson is a delight, especially with her easy laugh and sincere heart. She is a gifted artist, art teacher at Santa Fe Christian Schools, and entrepreneur, and she’s in the process of writing and illustrating a children’s book. As a teen, Kalli's life was hit with sorrow and fear and she was voted “Shyest” by her high school peers, but God knew,  and He gave her a new identity in Him. S...

Hayley and Micah Lyle live an extraordinary life centered around an authentic and deeply personal relationship with Jesus. Part 2 of their interview continues with valuable life lessons learned after college. You'll hear how they began dating (and some excellent tips on that daunting subject), about their beautiful outdoor wedding and reception (complete with fancy porta-potty, but of course!), wh...

Hayley and Micah Lyle live an extraordinary life centered around an authentic and deeply personal relationship with Jesus. Hear their stories about God's supernatural work in their lives during good times and hard times including stories of being freed from a gaming addiction, joining together in a revival at their Christian high school, witnessing miracles at UC Berkeley, and seeing God work in u...

Dom is a talented musician who was offered several major recording contracts as a teen. But he was wise enough to see where that road could lead. Instead, through a series of interesting turns, he is currently the Pastor of Worship and Families at Seacoast Community Church. Be aware, though, that his definition of worship is down-to-earth. It's simple and intentional, living out Jesus to our world...

In this interview, you’ll hear about how God can use clogged sinks in Rome and the importance of not comparing yourself to others. I admire Lauren's strong sense of belief. She is unwavering and is compelled by Christ's love to tell others about Him. Lauren has served on Cru staff in Kansas, Rome, and now, San Diego. She admits her personality can sway toward being anxious; yet, this trait is coun...

Matt Davis is the Principal at Horizon Prep in Rancho Santa Fe where he directs the elementary, middle school, and high school. But be sure to call these the Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric Schools because it's a Classical Christian school. I was an English teacher there for 9 years and loved working with Matt. In fact, everyone does because he is beyond gracious - as you'll note at the end of the pod...

Myra is intentional about living her life for Jesus in both happy and tough circumstances.  She and her husband even worked at a Christian orphanage while on their honeymoon in Thailand. And when life has dealt some hard to explain hands, she has stuck with Jesus, hanging on to trust Him and His plans and to feel only the comfort He can give. We’ll hear about a few of those events today. Than...

Lyn and Andrew’s story has it all: romance, dog stories, and fascinating locales such as Namibia, Greece, the UK, and …Texas. They both worked with Cru on European university campuses. Now, they are busy designing an app called Toucan Together for Cru’s Family Life ministry in the UK that aims to boost relationship wellness with beneficial biblical principles. You can’t help but enjoy and admire t...

Marie Wolfe Grunzke is my darling niece who packs a lot of wisdom. She thinks deeply about life and choices due to the impact of her relationship with Jesus. You’ll hear about an impromptu teaching gig in China, an answer to her plea to God, “Do you really love me?” and her desire to control situations but her decisions to, instead, hand those over to God. Thank you, Marie!