Things Above

James Bryan Smith opens this episode with a story about the first church he served in as a youth pastor to help explain this thought from above. We are all different but we are one. The church had just gone through a split due to a disagreement among the members. Smith asked his mentor, Dallas Willard for some advice on what to do during this time. Dallas said, “When we disagree it’s p...

In this Things Above episode, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with Carolyn Arends . Carolyn has released 12 albums and is the author of 3 critically-acclaimed books. 15 of Arends’ songs have become top 10 radio singles on the Canadian pop and US Christian charts. Arends has earned 2 Dove Awards, 3 Juno Nominations, and was recognized as the West Coast Music Awards’ Songwriter of the Year. Her...

“The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart – this you will build your life by, and this you will become.” – James Allen The thought from above for this episode is, “you are designed for a divine destiny.”  James opens up the episode talking about the recent discovery of 2,000 year old Date seeds (link to the article at t...

Our thought from above in this episode is, “faith shines best in darkness.”  James Bryan Smith tells us the story about one of his students who was struggling with her faith, just before heading off to Seminary. This student was experiencing, what Smith would call, a dark night of the soul. James goes on to explain how we all experience a dark night of the soul at some point in our liv...

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Michael John Cusick . In this episode, they discuss a multitude of topics all related to the soul. How do we understand our soul and how do we help to restore it? Michael is a Licensed Professional Counselor, spiritual director, speaker, and author of two books including Surfing for God: Discovering the Divine Desire Beneath Sexual Struggle an...

The thought from above in this episode is: “God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called.” James Bryan Smith explains the thought from above in detail through his own experiences, and from others in the bible. Smith begins the episode talking about an experience he had as a student at Friends University in his campus fellowship group. A few of the group leaders asked...

James Bryan Smith begins season three of the things above podcast with this thought from above: “we are indebted to hope.” In this episode James talks about our life through the spirit in the passage in Romans 8. As he goes through the passage, Smith explains how we have been adopted into the family of God and what that means for us. At the end of the episode Smith closes with a quote...

James Bryan Smith gives a commentary on his three favorite conversations from season two of the Things Above podcast . In this episode we share a snippet from three conversation episodes. The three featured episodes are with authors, William Paul Young, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, and A.J. Swoboda. After each episode James gives us a commentary on how that conversation helped him to set his mind on...

You were made for beauty, goodness and truth. James Bryan Smith begins the episode talking about the three transcendentals; beauty, goodness and truth. Plato said, beauty is one of the transcendental forms because it stands above the actual form. They are higher forms and thus they help us to transcend ourselves when we encounter them. In this universe there many things that are beautiful, Thomas...

This week on the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with his long time friend Juanita Rasmus . Juanita is a pastor, Spiritual Director, and contemplative with a passion for seeing people transform into being their best selves in our world. Juanita co-leads the St. John’s Church in Downtown Houston with her husband, Rudy. In this episode, James and Juanita discuss her latest...

We all need Jesus with skin. This may sound odd but in fact it is very true. In this episode James Bryan Smith explains how he experienced the love of Jesus through an unexpected disaster with his neighbor. While living in their first home, James and his wife Meghan experienced a problem many new homeowners run into. They had a burst pipe in their basement. Luckily they had a neighbor named Steve...

In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Dave Mullins . Dave is a  speaker, teacher, writer, musician and recently co-producer of the movie “ Ragamuffin ,” David Mullins seeks to use these gifts to take the simple, life-changing word of God’s love to both the lost and to those in the Church who believe they are unlovable, unaccepted and unworthy of His love. David is...

In this Things Above podcast episode, James Bryan Smith give this thought from above: “We are saved by His life.” In 1992 James and his friend and fellow pastor Jeff Gannon, attend a conference in Maryland about how to understand the gospel. This conference would be one of the most impactful gatherings the two had ever experienced. The two main parts of the conference were about; the f...

We are in a season of lament. As we struggle to cope with all the problems the coronavirus has brought, we need a way to ease our suffering. In this episode James Bryan Smith explains how we can use the Psalms to help us deal with our pain. Smith explains how the Psalms provide us a way to explain to God how we are feeling. There are three main types of Psalms, Grace,  Thanksgiving, and Lament. Th...

As we continue to navigate through the coronavirus pandemic, James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Natasha Sistrunk Robinson. In this episode they discuss Natasha’s latest book as well as the difficulties that come with cultural biases in our communities. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is an international speaker, leadership consultant, diversity and mentoring coach with nearly 2...

In Romans 12:2 Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. and that is what we do this podcast. Today’s thought from above is this: God is in this. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, we have been hearin...

In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Bill Gaultiere. James and Bill discuss the importance of soul care, especially at a time when we are struggling with a global pandemic. Bill is a Psychologist (PhD; PSY12036 in CA) and pastor/mentor to pastors. He writes and speaks to thousands of people every week through the Soul Shepherding website, blog, podcast , and Faceb...

“For those alive in the kingdom of God, the world we live in is a perfectly safe place to be.” – Dallas Willard Life throws us many unexpected things, and we are now living in a time of uncertainty. None of us had planned for the virus to spread this rapidly. It is easy to be discouraged and feel upset at a time like this, but in this episode James Bryan Smith offers a different way to under...

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with his friend and fellow podcast host, Shane Blackshear . Shane is a Jesus follower, blogger, speaker & host of the podcast Seminary Dropout . The Seminary Dropout podcast features interviews with Christian authors, leaders, and thinkers where they discuss a multitude of topics around Christianity and current events. In this episode, James an...

The thought from above in this episode is: “We know our sin in relation to Him.” Sin is a very difficult topic to talk about. One of the most important things we can do is to think about how we understand it. We tend to be subjective to our own sin but objective towards the sin of others. We are often much more judgmental towards others and less on ourselves, because we naturally try to think well...

“What repeatedly enters your mind and occupies your mind, eventually shapes your mind, and will ultimately express itself in what you do and who you become” – John Ortberg The Thought From Above in this episode is: “Remember you are dust.” As we continue in the season of Lent we need to be reminded of the importance of the phrase “remember you are dust.” Lent begins w...

In this episode, James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with longtime friend and author Richella Parham. She is the author of Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison , published by InterVarsity Press (October 2019) and of the Renovaré resource A Spiritual Formation Primer. Her online home is Imparting Grace ; her physical home is Durham, North Carolina, where she lives wit...

James Bryan Smith begins this episode by sharing a story from Deuteronomy 30:15-19 . In this passage, Moses offers some powerful words at the end of his farewell address. Moses essentially says: I have told you about God’s commands and, at the center of them all, is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. He concludes with a warning, “Obey these commands. If you do, you will find...

In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith gives this thought from above: "God is happy about you." When Jim's son Jacob was around 7 years old he asked him a question that brought tears to Jim's eyes. Jacob walked up to his dad and asked, "Are you happy about me?" While Jacob's grammar was incorrect his desire was not. He wanted to know, like many of us do, if the person he lo...

James Bryan Smith has a conversation with Derwin L. Gray about our identity in Christ and how we can learn to love and see ourselves the same way God does. Labels you have internalized and apply to yourself every day. Labels like Afraid. Or Addict. Orphan. Damaged Goods. Failure. Maybe even Religious. These labels might be sewn into your life with such tight little stitches that they feel like a p...