Deep Thoughts, Simple Truths

You may have made some New Years Resolutions before, or maybe you haven't. This year is coming to a close and a new one awaits us. I wanted to encourage you to write more than just resolutions. Write goals. Write some dreams, some things you want to accomplish. Remember the SMART acronym: Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Relevant. Time-bound. Ask God if there are things he wants you to do. Then p...

You've lived as long as you have and have learned quite a few things about how this world works. You've read things, you've heard things, but also have experienced things. Your worldview is what you think is real. What you think is real determines what is true- those are your beliefs. What you think to be true is what is good- those are your values. And what you think is good is what you will do-...

Have you tasted what good, life-giving community tastes like? In this episode I invite a fellow believer and co-worker on the show to talk about the importance of connecting with people and what community is. I met Derek Thomas in the lunch trailer at work. It was just him and I. Minutes into our talking I found out he was a Christian. And this was right after our world was washing their hands con...

Forgiveness. It's more than just saying you are sorry or that you forgive the other person. To forgive means to let go. It means not keeping a record of wrongs. It means forgiving people their faults the way that God has forgiven you. In this episode, Pastor Aaron Denn of The Grove Church* joins me as we look at what forgiveness looks like and what it means. We look at verses from the Bible and dr...

Welcome to this episode! We have a guest with us and he happens to be pretty cool. His name is Tim Johnson and yes he's related to me. We were live and in person for this recording and I had no idea where it was going. I took his lead and followed along. This man has depth to him. He lead with signs and destinations and purpose. I hope that he makes you laugh and you think about the things that we...

In this NEW episode, I wanted to talk about what NEW is. Sure, it might be a NEW car or job, but it's only NEW once. Then it's OLD and gets OLD as time goes on. Then you go in search of something NEW again. All this striving for the NEW things this world has to offer you won't satisfy your soul. They are only temporary. Let's check out what God's Word says on what NEW is. He has continually NEW th...

Hey listeners! Words have power. They can change your life. The right ones can lift you up and help you keep going. The wrong ones can stop you in your tracks and make you doubt. In this episode, we have a conversation with Tiffany Johnson about words. Encouraging ones, Godly ones. The best words I know come from the Bible. They are true, everlasting, and so comforting.  I very much appreciat...

I'm so excited to announce my very first guest on the show! I have utmost respect and admiration for this man. He's coached me, encouraged me, listened to me, corrected me. My life wouldn't be where it is today without him. Give it up for Erik Shirkey everyone! In this episode, we talk about relationships, divorce, healing, and health. We have both been through some things and talk about them. And...

It sounds like such a churchy, religious word, doesn't it? The fear of the Lord. Is it still something that we should know about and practice? Yes. Yes we should. It's a word that's similar to honor, respect, awe, admiration, reverence. We aren't supposed to be afraid of God and that he would smite us if we make a mistake. It's the other way around. We are to revere him and respect him and his wor...

I believe that the Bible is the breathed-out Word of God Himself. No other book has stood the test of time. It's where we get the 10 Commandments and the Golden Rule. So many truths are contained in it. It's a best seller worldwide. Yes there are some complex subjects and themes, but that doesn't make it invalid and outdated and false. It's worth studying and investigating. There are also verses t...

Worship sounds like a very churchy word, but its seen in everyday peoples lives when you look at what they spend their time and attention on. It's where there heart is, what they talk about a lot. In this episode we check out some Scripture and where this idea of worshipping comes from. More than a song, worship is what you show devotion to and admiration for. The only person worthy of true worshi...

After God spent 6 days creating the world, He rested. Not because He was tired or had to recover. But He stopped working. He made that day holy and sanctified it. He told the people of Israel to observe the Sabbath. It was a big deal. Rest to God is necessary, and the kind He gives is more than a break or a day off or not working. In Matthew, Jesus says to come to Him, and He will give us rest. It...

Training never seems fun and glamorous. Its where you sweat, its where you make mistakes and have small wins. It's where you learn what to do to make you successful. In this episode, we'll look at what it means to train. Wouldn't it be nice if life had a set of instructions you could follow that would set you up for success? Spoiler alert: 2 Tim 3:16. All scripture is given by inspiration of God.....

Children are amazing creatures. In this episode, I share some things that I've learned from them and things I've noticed about them. And then I talk a little about how I treat them. Things that I think are important. Our job as parents is to raise healthy, responsible, and respectful children. I pray that the things I'm doing today will have a good lasting impression on them and that our relations...

You spend your whole life moving. From the time you were little til now and beyond. Every action requires movement. It's a sign of life. Some movements are habit, others you are learning right now. But more than just moving around, it's about your direction and destination. Where is all this moving getting you? Where will you end up? The verse that answers the question is Romans 8:29. Conformity t...

I have a flow of verses that I run through. It starts with Gods Word. By listening to it and reading it, it gets in your heart. Out of the overflow of your heart, your mouth is speaking. Life is in the power of the tongue. And if you believe what you say will happen, it can be done for you. The verses, as promised, are as follows: Isaiah 40:8 Matthew 24:35 Matthew 4:4 Luke 1:37 Isaiah 55:11 Prover...

We've just celebrated Easter. On the third day Jesus rose again. There's a significance about the number 3 in salvation history. That's what we look at in this episode. The story of Abraham offering Isaac his son has some amazing parallels to Jesus on the third day. Have a listen and be amazed at how God saved us.

I had a some more thoughts on good Christian music. What I like about it, how many genres there are, what the anointing is. The bottom line is music is an art and the truth ultimately comes from Gods Word. Music is meant to assist us and encourage us and remind us of the truth. It's the artists rendition of what God has done in their lives. There are songs about all kinds of things, but the best o...

Lets say you made waffles for breakfast and topped them with butter, syrup, and whip cream. Then you add red hot pepper sauce on top. Are your waffles good? They may be edible but I don't think they would be enjoyed. Good music is the same way. It needs to have all the right ingredients. Good music is about what is true, noble, right or just, and lovely. It's composed well and has good lyrics. A s...

Time. Everyone has it. Some use it. Some use it well. In this episode we look at all the time we have and what we do with it. If I were to look at how much time you spend doing different things in a week, what could I conclude about how well do things or what kind of life you live? Time is what we use in exchange for things. By spending time doing something, you gain something. You spend time prac...

In this episode, we get into communication and why its so important. There's 5 levels of depth to it, beginning with very cliche conversation to absolute honesty and openness. A relationship is only as good as its communication. There are also 5 languages that you 'speak' in. Once you learn what dialect other people speak in, it's easier to relate and communicate with them. The relationship feels...

In this episode, we'll take a dive into lots of information about habits. What they are, how they're formed, what they do. They say a lot about us. When they are managed well, we have discipline. We can do the daily things easily and have energy to do something that isn't quite as regular. You can change your habits when you understand the why behind them. As my coach says, "If you justify it, you...

I've heard so many phrases about what you deserve. You deserve a cookie, a vacation, someone that gets you. In this episode, I try to go a little deeper into the subject and give my humble opinion about what is actually being said when the phrase is used. Have a listen and I hope it helps.

This is the gospel. This is the good news after we heard what the Law told us. That we didn't measure up, we fell short, we missed it, we're not perfect. But the love and grace of God made a way for us to be forgiven. He sent Jesus to die in our place. He bore the punishment the Law required so we could go free. We can now know the amazing saving grace that He freely gives us and appreciate it so...

What makes you a good person? There are people who do good things, as well as people who don't. In this episode, I compare our humanity to the 10 Commandments. You might be thinking, '10 Commandments? Isn't that old and outdated?'.  Its my conviction that the 10 Commandments are still valid today. They are God's Moral Law. We've made 52 million other laws to try keep these 10.  I am quic...