The 44

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore a simple but serious question: What is the one thing that’s been holding you back from a deeper relationship with the Lord? We look at the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18 — a moral, religious man who walked away sad because there was one area of his life he refused to surrender — and we contrast him with Paul in Philippians 3, who released everything to purs...

Send us Fan Mail This episode looks closely at the often-overlooked words “fear not” and “do not be afraid,” especially as they appear throughout the story surrounding the birth of Jesus. Scripture shows these words are never spoken when life is calm, but when futures are uncertain and everything is about to change. From Mary and Joseph to the shepherds, fear does not disqualify people from God’s...

Send us Fan Mail This episode reflects on a heavy, exhausting week marked by sickness, sleepless nights, and the lingering question, “When is this going to end?” Using a familiar Seinfeld illustration, it explores why peace can’t be forced or shouted into existence, and why the pursuit of “serenity now” often leaves us more restless. Scripture points us instead to a renewed mind anchored in trust,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we eat on what biblical compassion really looks like — not the watered-down version we often settle for, but the powerful, gut-level word splagchnizomai that shaped the life of Jesus. We explore how He saw people, felt deeply for them, and then moved into action, and why that same pattern is meant to shape us today. Through Scripture, stories, and practical insight...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, the host shares meaningful reflections from a recent trip to Washington, D.C. with his daughters—walking through memorials, standing at the Vietnam Wall, and even finding a family name etched in stone. These moments opened a deeper conversation about sacrifice, gratitude, and the faith we inherit from those who came before us. Drawing from John 15:13 and Hebrews 1...

Send us Fan Mail This episode explores the powerful true story of Jamal Shead, a college basketball player whose quiet act of character and integrity—picking up trash after a heated loss—preached louder than any words. We connect Jamal’s moment to Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16:10 and three spiritual truths about integrity, witness, and peacemaking. When the world reacts with frustration, Jamal shows...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we eat on how sin slowly desensitizes the heart using a striking illustration of an Eskimo’s blood-covered blade and the fatal numbness it creates. Drawing from biblical examples like David, Solomon, and the sons of Eli, we look at how even God’s people can drift into spiritual callousness through small compromises. We then ties this into the theme of last week&ap...

Send us Fan Mail Check out the Excel Still More Podcast. Here is the Apple Podcast link.  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/excel-still-more/id1450565022 In this episode, we eat from Hebrews 11 — a passage often called the Hall of Faith. But what if we read it not just as a list of heroes, but through the lens of God’s grace? In this episode, we explore what isn’t mentioned in Hebrews 11 — the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The 44, we explore the powerful message behind the story of the donkey in the well — a reminder that when life throws dirt on us, faith teaches us to shake it off and take a step up. Through the stories of Hannah, Joseph, and Paul, we see how God turns rejection, betrayal, and hardship into stepping stones that lift His people higher. Scripture shows again and a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, “Let Down Your Nets,” we step into the story of Peter and Jesus in Luke 5:1–11 — a moment where weary fishermen learn that obedience to Jesus can turn emptiness into abundance. Through Peter’s frustration, faith, and surrender, we see how God often meets us right where our efforts have failed. This episode reminds us that the greatest miracle isn’t the full nets,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The 44 , we’re talking about the quiet power of simply showing up. Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds us that faith grows best in community — not in isolation. When we gather, we don’t just receive encouragement; we give it, and in doing so, we stir one another toward love and good works. Even when it’s hard, showing up becomes an act of faith, a rhythm of hope, and a rem...

Send us Fan Mail When life falls apart and the question rises — “What are we gonna do?” — Scripture points us again and again to one powerful answer: pray. In this episode, we explore moments when God’s people turned to Him in prayer — from Jehoshaphat surrounded by enemies, to Daniel in the lions’ den, to Hannah in heartbreak, to the early church in crisis, and even Jesus in Gethsemane. Each stor...

Send us Fan Mail Fear doesn’t need an invitation — it comes free and moves in fast. But hope? Hope takes work. In this episode, we eat on the difference between faith, fear, and hope, showing how fear spread through Israel, how Jeremiah chose hope among the ruins, and why true hope requires effort, endurance, and trust in God’s faithfulness. Learn how to anchor your soul when fear feels effortless...

Send us Fan Mail As Christians, we’re called not just to believe but to live out our faith in active, tangible ways. In this episode, we ask the striking question: When is the last time you did good—not because someone asked, but because you belong to Christ? From Ephesians 2:10, Galatians 6:9-10 and Matthew 25, we see that good works don’t earn salvation, but they are the fruit of it, the evidenc...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we wrestle with a simple but powerful question: Will it last? Recent weeks have brought a surge in church attendance following many current events which reminds us how tragedy and crisis often stir people toward God. But history, from the cycles in Judges to moments like 9/11 and COVID, warns us that emotional awakenings often fade. In this episode, we explore how...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we draw a surprising connection between TLC’s 90s hit “Don’t Go Chasing Waterfalls” and the way we sometimes handle Scripture. Just like chasing waterfalls leads to disappointment, chasing adjectives—labels and qualifiers God never used—leads us away from His clear will. Anchored in Ephesians 3 and 4, we explore how the Spirit has fully revealed God’s mind, why Hi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we reflect on the shocking death of Charlie Kirk and the growing division, violence, and uncertainty in our world. Using Philippians 1:21–24, Psalm 37, and Revelation 22, we explore what it means for Christians to live homesick for heaven—longing for our eternal home with confidence, yet living faithfully here and now. Like Paul, we desire to be with Christ, but u...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we eat on the reality of life that it is short. And if life is short as the Bible says it is and as we all know it is - like a vapor - then maybe the wisest thing we can do is spend our little bit of time not trying to control, argue, seek approval, worry about opinions, and bicker about petty things but instead LET ME…choose peace and purpose in my life. Let'...

Send us Fan Mail What do people really see when they look into your life? Jesus could see directly into the heart of man, but we often misjudge because of our own cloudy windows. In this episode, we’ll wrestle with how to clean our own perspective, avoid the trap of condemning others, and live as letters written by Christ. Ultimately, our testimony isn’t about showing our perfection—it’s about ref...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we eat on the question what are you panting for? In times of trouble or in times of peace are we still panting after God and His word in the same way a "Deer pants for the water?" This episode takes a peak into Psalm 119 and Psalm 42 and the idea of panting after God and His word no matter the season because we are always being chased (1 Peter 5:8).

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we eat on an ancient playlist called the Songs of Ascent and when they were sung, why they were sung and how we should incorporate some of the same songs into our own lives to keep pulling us and pushing us to great heights!

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The 44, we eat on what it means to pledge our allegiance to God with the same daily intentionality as school kids reciting the pledge of allegiance. Drawing from the book of Hosea where God laments Israel's love as fleeting like morning dew, we unpacks how to commit to God through our priorities, actions and trust.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we eat on an evening prayer of trust in God from Psalm 4 and how it can help on those nights where the stresses and anxieties of life keep us up.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we explore how God transforms our past into a divine classroom for growth. While we often allow our past failures, mistakes and sins to hold us captive, God promises something better! In this episode we eat on what it means to let the past refine us rather than define us.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode the host shares a story about meeting a man who questions why God allows evil in the world and why He won't put it all to an end. Through the telling of this story, we explore the concept of EVOL - love spelled backwards - as a metaphor for evil as the distortion of God's love. Using scriptures like John 3:16, Romans 8:38-39, this episode highlights God&a...