Around the Fire

In this episode of Formation Digs , I’m sharing a personal story from the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage —a moment that revealed more than just a stumble on the trail. It exposed a deeper spiritual issue: I had become—we’ve become people—someone who walked while reading, led while distracted, and lived without truly seeing . I now call this Gazing-Deficit Disorder —not a medical condition, but a sp...

What if 88% of the people in your church were still in the earliest stages of spiritual growth? That’s what recent research tells us. And yet—there’s hope. Because while spiritual maturity is stalled, spiritual hunger is rising. People are longing for depth. The question is: who will help guide them? In this episode, I share: * Startling data from Grey Matter and Barna Research * Why the church’s...

7 minutes | Hosted by Gene Maynard Intro (Show Notes Preview): Welcome to Formation Dig, a few quiet minutes each week to excavate the deeper layers of faith. In today’s episode, I’m reflecting on two practices that have been quietly shaping me: gathered worship and slow-motion Sabbath. These may seem like separate rhythms—but they meet at the intersection of formation. Come along as we explore th...

Welcome to today’s Formation Dig . I want to tell you a story—one that starts on a rugged mountain trail and ends with a hidden bench carved by time. I’d passed it dozens of times without seeing it. But the moment I noticed it, everything changed. That bench? It became a picture of what spiritual direction is all about: helping someone see what they’ve never noticed before. Not by giving answers—b...

What can a rickety wooden roller coaster teach us about the sacred work of spiritual direction? In this episode, I share a story from years ago—when a challenge from my sons, a belly full of junk food, and one unexpected seat partner led to a moment I’ve never forgotten. Through it, I discovered something essential about the quiet gift of presence and the heart of spiritual companionship. Spiritua...

“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” —Matthew 11:28 In this 15-minute Formation Dig, Gene shares a personal reflection on the practice of spiritual direction —how it changed his life, what it really is (and isn’t), and why this quiet work may be one of the most powerful gifts you can offer another soul. Whether you’re walking through a foggy season or longing...

It’s one thing to believe the truth. It’s another to let it reshape your life. In today’s formation dig, we explore what happens when truth moves from belief to embodiment—from something we know to something we live. The Spirit doesn’t just inform us. He walks the road with us. Call to Action: 📖 For more on the Spirit as our Guide, read the Thursday deep dive post at The Compass . 🧭 Want weekly...

Show Notes Intro: In a culture that rewards noise and spin, the Spirit invites us into something quieter, richer, and far more satisfying—truth you can taste. In today’s reflection, we begin to recover our appetite for what’s truly real. This isn’t just about believing the right things—it’s about hungering for the good, the beautiful, and the deeply true. Call to Action: 💬 For more on this theme,...

In today’s Formation Dig, we return to one powerful verse—John 16:13—and sit with Jesus’ words about the Spirit of Truth. This isn’t just a verse to understand. It’s a doorway into something deeper. If you’ve ever felt pulled between what’s real and what’s performative, today’s reflection is for you. Let this short episode re-center your day and reawaken your hunger for what’s truly true. 🎧 Liste...

This short 7-minute reflection centers on Jesus’ invitation in John 15: “Live in me. Make your home in me just as I do in you.” In a world of noise, drift, and distraction, what does it look like to remain? To stay close? To let the dust of the Rabbi mark your life again—not just on Sunday, but every day? This episode is a gentle call to return to nearness. 🎧 Love these short digs? Subscribe for...

Inspired by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s now-famous line—“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the other direction”—this Formation Dig invites us to reflect on the subtle compromises we sometimes make. What trains have we boarded that Jesus never invited us onto? And what would it look like to get off? This isn’t a call to panic or passivity. It’s a call to realignment...

What did it really mean to follow a rabbi in the first century? This Formation Dig explores what discipleship looked like in Jesus' world—and why it still matters for us today. We’re not called to just learn about Jesus. We’re called to walk closely behind Him. Close enough to be covered in His dust. Listen in, reflect, and carry today’s question with you. ➕ If this encourages you, consider becom...

🎧 Formation Dig: “Will You Leave Too?” Text: John 6:66–68 After a hard teaching, many walked away from Jesus. And then he turned to the Twelve with a question that still pierces today: “Do you also want to leave?” Peter’s reply? “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life.” In today’s Formation Dig, we explore what it means to value Christ—not just for what he gives, but for wh...

🎧 Formation Digs | The Spirit of Truth (John 16:13) In today’s Formation Dig, we reflect on Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth—not just to inform us, but to form us. In a world of noise, distortion, and pressure to conform, how do we listen for the Spirit’s voice and walk in what’s real? We’ll explore the meaning of the word truth in the Greek (ἀλήθεια), the relation...

🔵 Formation Dig: Sabbath for the Whole Household Exodus 20:10 – “But the seventh day is a sabbath... On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter...” The Sabbath command wasn’t just about rest—it was a radical act of liberation. In a world that ran on nonstop labor, God told His people to stop… together. Today’s 7–8 minute Formation Dig reflects on how Sabbath was design...

🟢 Bible Dig: Train Up a Child… Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” We often quote this verse like it’s a formula. But Proverbs are not formulas—they’re invitations to wisdom. Today’s 10 minute Bible Dig explores what this ancient line really meant in its original Hebrew context—and how formation happens far more through rhyth...

🟢 About This Bible Dig In today’s reflection, we step into the home of Martha and Mary in Luke 10—and into the tension between distraction and presence. Jesus' gentle words to Martha still speak to our overextended lives: “You are worried about many things… but only one thing is needed.” This short episode invites you to consider how your family rhythm—or your personal rhythm—might become more ce...

In this Formation Dig, we reflect on Deuteronomy 6 and what it means to cultivate a quiet, intentional family rhythm of faith. Every household already has a rule of life—even if it’s unspoken. This short episode invites you to notice the habits, phrases, and patterns shaping your home—and consider one small shift that might re-center your life around what matters most. 💡 Subscribe & Go Deeper Eac...

"Unless you change and become like little children…" There’s something Jesus wants us to unlearn —some posture of self-sufficiency or performance that stands in the way of deeper life with God. In this brief centering Bible Dig , we reflect on Matthew 18:3 and the surprising strength of childlike faith. It’s not about immaturity or naïveté. It’s about openness, trust, and the humility to receive r...

📩 Subscribe & Share: The Gift of Sabbath If this reflection helped you reimagine Sabbath as more than rest—as resistance, as renewal—would you share it? 🕯️ Subscribe to receive two short formation Digs each week—gentle invitations to live more rooted, more awake.🌿 Share this with someone who longs for margin but doesn’t know where to begin. Your simple act of sharing might be the invitation some...

🛑 Why Does Slowing Down Feel So Strange? If today’s Bible Dig helped you name the awkwardness—and still take a breath—would you help spread that grace? 📩 Subscribe to receive three Bible Digs each week—short, Scripture-centered reflections to re-center your soul. 🔗 Share this episode with someone who’s trying to resist the rush but feels a little lost in the quiet. 🕊️ A Blessing for the One Who...

💬 Want more like this? Every Tuesday and Thursday, The Trailhead offers short, reflective practices to help you slow down, listen well, and live deeply. If today’s Dig helped you recalibrate, consider becoming a paid subscriber to support this work—and receive weekly tools for your own spiritual formation. 👉 Click here to subscribe and grow with us. 📤 Share This Dig If today’s reflection helped...

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💬 If this reflection steadied your soul… Consider subscribing for more. Every week, I share short, Scripture-centered audio reflections to help anchor your life with God in the middle of real-world pressure. If you want usable, downloadable tools to help you put into practice what we’re discussing, you can get those ever Wednesday with a paid subscription. 📬 Click here to subscribe for a free or...

🙏 Let this be your posture today: Take a breath, lift your eyes, and join the ancient voice of the Psalms: “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” If this reflection helped center your heart, share it with someone who could use a moment of quiet joy. ➡️ New Bible Digs drop every week—short, 7–8 minute audio reflections designed to anchor your day in the Word. 📬 Subscribe for free or become a paid supporter...