Breaking Bread Podcast

In a n era that boasts the most human connectiveness in the history of the world, we struggle with isolation and depression in epidemic proportions. Evidently not all human connections are equal. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Katie Miller and Isaac Funk take on this crisis for connection directly. Not only do they identify the problem but also provide a vision for hope.    Show notes :   What...

Drama  sells i n  the box office,  newsstands ,  social media feed s  and more . It draws an audience because it is interesting. Yet, because drama  often  plays  on  relational conflict, it is painful .  B ecause we are relational beings, we  unfortunately  find ourselves too often on  drama's  stage . In this episode of Breaking Bread, Craig Stickling  pe e ls  back the layers of  drama and help...

She was useful until she was not. She was a victim of abuse and mistreatment . She was an abandoned outsider of God's covenant people. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kaleb Beyer and Matt Kaufmann linger on Hagar's story. At her most desperate moment, God loves her really well . So struck by the encounter, Hagar names God Elroi, the God who sees me.   Show notes :   In her desperation, God find...

God has created us with the ability to connect with him. In fact, we are most satisfied when we do. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Isaac Funk explains that spiritual disciplines are ways through which we walk with Go d. Yet, at times, our spiritual disciplines may seem dull, flat or tired . It is in times like these that we need to think creatively about the activities we regularly engage in t...

A lot of health for  marriages  lies in the prework , be fore the marriage happens.  In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kaleb Beyer and Arlan Miller speak  about  the  pre-contemplative, contemplative and engagement  phase of marriage and the great deal  of promise  these stages hold. They  bring to bear  resources and advice for both singles and the supportive community that surrounds them.     S...

May is M ental H ealth A wareness month. Like most matters that get highlighted with a month's recognition, there is a story to be told . In this episode of Breaking Bread, R on Messner and Ted Witzig Jr. join to tell the story. A story that has loving as Jesus loves at its center.   T he story of mental health can be told from two perspectives : a societal understanding of mental health and the c...

God was very thoughtful and intentional about how to bless his people. "Do it like this" he told Aaron. His blessing (captured in Numbers 6 ) is beautiful poetry. Not only is it beautiful to the ear, but it is also health to the heart and soul. In this episode of Breaking Bread, let's learn together about how God chooses to bless us, how to receive His blessing and how to bless others with our Fat...

The capacity for emotion sets us apart f rom all things living . It gives us the capability for healthy , deep and intimate relationships. What does it look like when our relationships are too enmeshed emotionally? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter and Kathy Knochel teach us about enmeshment and the dangers of being too emotionally dependent on others.     Show notes   While we are t...

There is a lot of offense these days. Probably not more offending than normal as people have acted badly for a long time. But it seems people are quicker to call foul when they are hurt by others. "Trauma ", "emotional hurt ", "abuse ", "bullying" are household terms and sometimes we drop them when the opportunity is right. Have we become connoisseurs of the offenses against us? In this episode of...

We are built for relationship . There is a yearning, need and desire within us for emotional connection with others. In the marriage relationship this can be both an asset and a liability. In this episode of Breaking Bread, marriage and family therapist Kaleb Beyer helps us understand the signs, offense and repair of emotional affairs – when emotional intimacy outside the marriage compromises the...

W e are creatures of habit . Rhythmic, repetitious actions that are triggered almost without notice . For good or bad, these habits shape us in profound ways. To help us wield the power of habit for good, Kathy Knochel and Brian Sutter take up the topic of habit formation in this episode of Breaking Bread.     Show notes :   Habits are reinforced by the positive feedback we experience when we do t...

Generation Z has been dubbed "the anxious generation."  Any adult who has the opportunity to walk alongside these anxious ones knows how painful it can be. Sometimes we need someone who has walked this road in both directions to provide light and insight. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Nichole Suvar , an anxiety and depression survivor, speaks from her own journey of anxiety and illumines a pa...

Generation Z has been dubbed "the anxious generation." Any adult who has the opportunity to walk alongside these anxious ones knows how painful it can be. Sometimes we need someone who has walked this road in both directions to provide light and insight. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Nichole Suvar , an anxiety and depression survivor, speaks from her own journey of anxiety and illumines a pat...

Just as there are aspects of our physical health we can improve, there are ways we can improve our brain health. Many of these are quite simple and attainable. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Ted Witzig Jr. proposes six ways we achieve better brain health.   Show notes :     Six keys to better brain health:   Physical Exercise:   150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-inten...

Husbands and wives want healthy attachment, intimacy and oneness. Yet, sometimes it can be elusive. In this episode of Breaking Bread, marriage and family therapist Kaleb Beyer helps us see one barrier to intimacy – relational pain . Fortunately, there is a path forward but be forewarned, it will require going backward before going forward .     Show notes :   Intimacy has cleverly been defined as...

Of the 12 disciples, Peter seems to be corrected the most. And yet, so much teaching surfaced out of his mistakes. Peter, in this way, exampled for us what it looks like to be a disciple of Jesus. Recognizing and embracing his need for correction. In this episode of Breaking Bread, teachers Katie Miller and Isaac funk encourage us to share in Peter's mindset. After all, the transformation from fis...

As the saying goes, " we are as happy as our least happy adult child " . Parents get this. H ow do parents w alk with their kids through disappointment? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter gives us thoughtful cautions and helpful suggestions.   Show notes:   Our kids have disappointment s.    Disappointments such as: b eing excluded , b eing mistreate d , u nhappy with circumstances ,...

ADHD has been well understood in the classroom. For a long time , ADHD has been well understood in children and treated for optimal growth in their maturing years. What about adults? What does ADHD look like later in life? How should we understand its effect on life and relationships? How do we treat the disorder for optimal living in the mature years?     Show notes:   What is ADHD?   ADHD stands...

The thyroid gland is the master gland of the body. From this command center, hormones are dispatched. Those hormones send marching orders for our bodies to follow. The marching orders orbit closely to those matters that preserve and propagate life. While this bustle of activity happens beneath the boundary of our skin, effects surface in our thoughts and emotions. In this episode of Breaking Bread...

A lot goes into a thriving marriage. In this episode of Breaking Bread , Kaleb Beyer uses the research of Dr. John Gottman to place his finger on the components of a marriage that not only lasts, but flourishes. View the Sound Relationship House Model here

What is normal? In a world of air brushing and curated content, it can be illusive . Yet, having a good compass toward knowing normal goes a long way toward good mental health. Studies have shown that supernormal stimuli can have a damaging effect on our brains .  In this episode of Breaking Bread, addiction specialist , Jacob Feucht , teaches us what supernormal stimuli are, how to spot them and...

Bullying is as old as the hills . Yet it has gained more thoughtful attention in recent days. In this e pisode of Breaking Bread, Craig Stickling, a middle school counselor , provides much needed insights into this broken relational posturing between people.

Conflict does not spell doom in the marriage relationship. However, how we do conflict might. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kaleb Beyer shares four behaviors that need to be avoided when "working things out" with your spouse. Kaleb explains what they are and how they can be avoided.   Show notes :   Four negative behaviors that spell trouble for marriages and how they can be avoided .   Criti...

Both the secular and the religious tout mindfulness and meditation . It's no wonder , because t hey promise a great deal of health to the one who practices them. Does mindfulness and mediation , however, look the same across the secular and religious worldviews? To answer this question, Kaleb Beyer and Isaac Funk speak to both the therapeutic and Christian uses of these practices .    Show Notes :...

Sadness is a universal emotion that touches every life. Life's challenges often bring moments of deep sorrow. As Christians, how can we navigate these feelings while staying anchored in God's promises? Whether you're in the midst of sadness or supporting a loved one through their struggles, this episode offers encouragement as you seek to find God's light in the midst of dark days.   Sadness is an...