Curious Living

Parenting is different today than it was just 40 years ago . . . even just 20 years ago. Christian parens are facing unprecedented challenges when trying to raise children in a Christian household. How can we raise our kids to know God with such obstacles today in society and in the world? Our guest on this episode helps us explore that with some hard questions and great exploration so we hope you...

We would all agree that today's world is incredibly divided. This division isn't just political, it's societal, it's religious, it's even within families and between friends. As people of faith we wonder where God is in that division. How is God, or IS God, working in it for good - to help bridge the divide? Our guest on this episode is perfectly equipped to help us explore that question. Guest In...

In today's world, "focus" is hard to come by. Our attention spans are shrinking by the minute and the worldly things that distract us become more and more enticing. We can easily lose the limited amount of focus we have and forget to keep our eyes upon the things that really matter in life. Wes Woodhouse shares his expertise with us so that we can learn how to put our focus on those things that ma...

In this episode, we will hear from an incredibly brave woman who endured a devastating tragedy. She not only endured, but she grew closer to God and found an incredible hope throughout her experience. She shares all of this with us in this episode so we hope you'll check it out! Guest Info Debbie Wilkins Baisden , mom of four boys, was widowed without warning.  The depth of pain was only matched b...

If you are listening to this episode and were born before the turn of the 21st century, then you may be looking at today's youth and wondering the same thing. How in the world can we help this younger generation be their absolute best when they are being raised in unprecedented times (COVID, technology, etc.) Our guest on this episode is not just talking about helping youth, he IS helping youth to...

We all endure challenges in our lives. Then, down the road, we face a situation where someone else is having a challenge as well. Do we share our story? Does it matter? Would it really help?  Our stories have power and this is one of the many ways God uses the challenges in our lives to bring about good for us and for others. But, how do we share our story? Should we? And how do we know it will ac...

The concept of the Holy Spirit is challenging for Christians to wrap their minds around, let alone those who are not Christians. Oftentimes we simply choose to ignore this part of the triune God because it can be hard to explain and understand. In this episode we will face this curious question head-on with the lead pastor of Williamson's Chapel UMC - Rev. Wes Smith. Guest Info     To paraphrase P...

Our thoughts are powerful and they drive us to do all things in our lives. As followers of Christ we often wonder what is guiding these thoughts . . . is it us? is it society? is it media? or is it God? Our guest on this episode helps us sort through those curious questions and helps us land in a place where we know how to lean into our faith in such a way that it guides our thoughts, and then our...

There is so much trauma in the world - much of it is unresolved and carried around with us. It shows up in many ways - most of which are unhealthy. So how do we heal our trauma to move into a healthier life? How does our faith help us heal? We explore these curious questions in this episode with the author, podcast host, and coach Danielle Bernock. Guest Info: Danielle Bernock is a childhood traum...

Communication is hard - especially when you're married. Not only do we bring different personalities to the table, but we bring all sorts of different ways to think, feel, and do. No wonder it's such a challenge at times to communicate effectively to the one you spend the most time with! Our guests on this episode bring not only a ton of wisdom to the conversation, but they bring their own persona...

We all experience pain and suffering in our lives. And, we tend to respond with, "why is this happening to me?" The truth is that we may never know the "why" behind things, but we can spend quality time exploring the curious question of "is there purpose to be found within this painful experience?" Our guest today has experienced her fair share of suffering in her young life and is a true inspirat...

The holidays are not so jolly for many people. Grief, sickness, financial worries, stress, relationship issues, and so many other "life" events can lead us to feel "off" during the holidays. We want to enjoy the festivities and have fun, but we just can't. What do we do about that? In this episode, we will hear from not only a wise pastor but a woman who has struggled with this in her own life.  G...

It's one thing to love someone - it's another thing to love them as Jesus loves them. Those who follow Christ feel as though they know what this looks like and practice it daily. But are we TRULY loving them like Jesus?  Our guest on this episode has studied love in a very profound way after experiencing losses and challenges in her own life. Her wisdom comes shining through in this episode. Guest...

Sharing our faith with others can be intimidating, uncomfortable, and scary. What if they ridicule us? What if we push them further away from God? What do we say? These fears are especially strong when the person we are talking to doesn't believe in God. How do we effectively share our faith with them? Our guest in this episode is that person who once didn't believe in God. She was witnessed to by...

We hear it all of the time - how important it is to love yourself. This is rule #1 when building (or rebuilding) self-esteem. But to "agape" love yourself is so much more. It's a deeper love. It's the love Jesus has for us and that's a powerful love.  In this episode, we talk about how to truly "agape" love ourselves the way Jesus loves us. Our guest, Amy Connell, guides us through the importance...

This is a tough curious question to address. Many of us have had times in our life when we felt worthless - not of value to anyone or anything - and simply not enough. This leads to struggles with our mental health and contributes to dysfunctional and unhealthy relationships. And, some of us have encountered situations in our childhood that contribute to this feeling of not being "enough" in this...

This episode is close to our heart at Williamson's Chapel because it's about caring for kids who age out of the foster care system. We have several families who are foster parents and we are devoted to helping families who foster and the children in the foster care system. Miriam's ministry is powerful and you may feel called to join her in helping these vulnerable children. Guest Information Miri...

Chang is hard. Transition is hard. And, yet, we all have to endure it in our lifetime. In this episode, we talk with our very own Pastor Jan who is entering into a huge transition as she enters retirement. She shares her wisdom and experience with us as well as some biblical insights that can help us move through transitions with confidence and grace. Rev. Jan Brittain  has served as the senior pa...

Change requires us to make a "shift" - in our thoughts, our attitudes, and our actions. Our guest on this episode explores the concept of a "God shift" and how we can lean into that and respond in such a way that amazing and powerful things can happen in our lives and the lives of those around us. Guest Info Shayna Rattler, the Founder of the God Shift ™ Movement , is a prophetic minister, author,...

It's part of our nature to view suffering as a bad thing. But, what if there are blessings that can come from it? What if suffering is a gateway to something better?  In this episode we talk with a guy who can speak from personal experience about suffering and the blessings that can come from it. Podcast host Paul Granger shares his story with us and helps us recognize the upside to our suffering....

Is this "calling" something that I'm driving, or is this something God is genuinely calling me to do? This is a question many of us ask as we try to figure out next steps in any given situation. Are we driving this, or is God?  Our guest for this episode helps us sort through that question and land in a place where we feel confident with our next steps toward God's true calling in our lives. Guest...

It's crazy how divided we are these days. We argue over most things and we struggle to see the gray in any issue. It seems to always boil down to "I'm right/you're wrong!" Our guest on this episode has a lot to say about that and wrote a fabulous book that addresses this very issue. Check out the links below to get her book and to read more about her. Guest Information: Staci Diffendaffer is the a...

Have you ever wondered what a "normal" Christian is supposed to look like? Well, let's take that up a notch and ask what a "radically"  normal Christian may look like! I think we'll all be surprised . . . or, at the very least, intrigued by what our guest for this episode, Josh Kelley, has to say about this. Josh has a fascinating story to share and was a phenomenal guest. You will most certainly...

Grieving a deep loss is a process and, at times, we may feel as though we will never have joy again. But there can be joy on the other side and our guest for this episode helps unpack grief and shares hope for the joy that this to come.  We intentionally published this episode as Christmas approaches because we know the challenge many face as the holidays arrive. Others expect us to smile and have...

This episode is packed with fantastic insights and motivation to lean into our faith and trust in a God that ALWAYS provides. Today's world is a bit scary for many of us as we are unsure about our job security, finances, and health. But our God is one that provides for our needs in ways we never imagined. Mike was a fantastic guest with great energy and wisdom to share. Plus, he just interviewed B...