Close to Home Podcast

Thoughts on developing the habit of thinking about our thinking.

Some reflections on prayer.

We treat the rejection of others as though it were infallible, when it’s really just someone’s flawed opinion. Here are some quick thoughts from Jia Jang’s, Rejection Proof.

A quick review and reflection on John Burke’s, Imagine Heaven.

I’ve struggled with the difference between contentment and complacency. I’ll explore the distinction in this episode!

I’ve learned there’s a big difference between asking for forgiveness and saying, “I’m sorry.” Let’s explore the distinction together in this episode.

None of us are going to get to the end of our lives and wish we had invested less in things like our marriages, our families, our friendships or our relationship with God....so, let’s work backwards and make the conscious decision now to invest consistently in what matters most to us.

The value of having wise people in your life cannot be overstated. We’ll explore that in today’s episode.

So, my son, Jonathan, has a tooth that’s barely hanging on, but because he’s scared, he refuses to pull it. As his dad, I want to force him to, but it’s his body, so I feel like I have to let him suffer through this one. I wonder how often God has to watch us needlessly suffer when our lives would be infinitely easier if we’d just follow his wisdom.

Sometimes to get the results you want, you gotta stop focusing on the results. It may seem counterintuitive, but let me explain.

Sometimes our prayers feel like we’re stranded on a deserted island and we have 1 flare left in the gun. Rest assured, God will never let you down.

It’s a simple, but difficult matter of integrity that will help us tremendously in all areas of life. How consistently do we do what we say we’re going to do? Let’s resurrect this simple, but somewhat forgotten virtue.

One thing I love about God is no matter how much we know about him, we are just getting started. I hope this encourages you and challenges you to pursue God more!

I think many of us carry an irrational fear when it comes to confronting the realities of life. Whether it’s looking under the hood to see how our car is doing or going to the doctor to get a check-up, most of us have an aversion to the cold, hard facts. Let’s explore this together in this episode.

It’s no secret that we live fast-paced lives and that we’re often addicted to a pace that is simply unhealthy for us to live in. What would it look like for your soul to slow down a bit? I explore that in this episode.

There are few killers out there as toxic as offense. Holding onto an offense will poison your soul faster than you can blink an eye, so let’s go to war against this toxic killer together.

The only way to keep growing is to be willing to embrace discomfort and failure on the road to success. I hope this episode encourages you to step into the unknown to fully embrace all that God has for you.

None of us want to be in a difficult situation, but sometimes these tough spots are where we encounter God the most profoundly.

People view clergy in all kinds of ways, so I thought it might be interesting for me to share how I fundamentally view my role as pastor.

I have a tendency to say, “yes” to commitments too easily. Let’s learn to prioritize our calendars and only say, “ yes” to the best possible things.

A huge part of seeing the results in our lives that we want to see is making sure we’re always learning and growing. I hope this message inspires and empowers you to learn and grow in the direction God has called you in.

In life, one of the most important assets we have access to is solid perspective. The challenge of course, is that our perspective is fallible and needs to be regularly challenged. In this episode, I offer some helpful advice on how to make sure your perspective is an asset and not a liability.

The word, “friend” has become a junk drawer into which we throw all kinds of ideas and definitions. Brad is one of my very best friends and in this episode, we have a casual conversation on what friendship means to us. Hope you enjoy!

When the trials of life squeeze us the most, the power of God can be displayed the most clearly. Hope this message encourages you!

I believe God has placed a deep longing in our hearts for the mysterious, the transcendent and the extraordinary. I hope this episode encourages and guides you to have an extraordinary and purposeful week!