Smells Like Smoke

As Trevor wraps up Season One of Smells Like Smoke, he unpacks the hidden danger of letting the fire harden your heart. Rescue work, suffering, and carrying the pain of others can either refine us or slowly make us numb. Through personal stories, biblical truth, and practical wisdom, Trevor talks about compassion fatigue, emotional shutdown, Sabbath rest, lament, and what it looks like to stay ten...

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke , Trevor talks about the reality that following Jesus will cost you something. From time and comfort to relationships and energy, obedience always carries a price tag. Trevor shares honest insight on sacrifice, burnout, boundaries, and how to stay faithful without becoming bitter. If you’ve ever wondered why obedience feels heavy, this episode is a reminder tha...

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke, Trevor talks about staying rooted when faith feels quiet. While we want quick answers and visible growth, God often does His deepest work in the waiting. If you’ve been discouraged by silence, slow progress, or unanswered prayers, this episode is a reminder that faith grows deep before it grows wide.

Burnout isn’t a badge of honor and exhaustion isn’t faithfulness. In this episode, Trevor challenges the lie that constant grind equals devotion and unpacks why you can’t rescue others if your own soul is depleted. Jesus modeled a different rhythm by stepping away to be filled before pouring out. If you’ve been running on fumes, it’s time to rebuild what matters. Because soul work fuels rescue wor...

What happens when clarity turns into cynicism? In this episode, Trevor DeVage unpacks the tension between discernment and pride, and how easily the desire to spot what’s wrong can harden the heart. Learn how to recognize “wolves” without becoming one yourself, and why true spiritual maturity requires both wisdom and humility. Stay sharp, stay humble, and lead in a way that protects without woundin...

Why do so many self-improvement efforts leave us feeling stuck? In this episode, Trevor DeVage unpacks the difference between surface-level improvement and deep, soul-level healing. Discover why habits, discipline, and mindset shifts can’t fix what’s broken inside and how true transformation begins with surrender, honesty, and healing.

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke , Trevor explores how politics can become a false source of identity, hope, and control. As tensions rise, many people feel exhausted and divided, looking to systems to fix what only Jesus can heal. This episode is not about sides. It is about staying grounded. Trevor shares how to keep your faith from being shaped by political noise, hold conviction with compa...

You got the job. Hit the goal. Made the money. So why does it still feel empty? In this episode of Smells Like Smoke, Trevor unpacks the lie at the center of hustle culture that success can satisfy your soul. He breaks down why achievement delivers a temporary high but never lasting peace and how many men unknowingly turn work into worship. If you’ve ever felt the pressure to keep chasing the next...

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke, Trevor unpacks a powerful image from the book of Epistle of Jude, “clouds without rain.” It’s a warning about the things in life that look promising but ultimately leave you empty. Why do we keep chasing success, pleasure, power, or control, only to feel just as thirsty when we get there? This episode dives into the danger of counterfeit hope, things that prom...

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke, Trevor tackles a hard truth: while the church isn’t perfect, it was never meant to be. It was meant to be a rescue station. If you’ve ever felt disillusioned, disconnected, or tempted to walk away, this conversation is for you. Trevor unpacks why leaving the church doesn’t stop the “fire,” why mission matters more than comfort, and why real life change happens...

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke, Trevor explores the tension between truth and grace and why both are essential if we want to truly help people instead of pushing them away. Too often we swing between two extremes. We either offer brutal honesty that wounds, or soft grace that never challenges anyone to change. But real rescue requires both.

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke, Trevor Devage challenges the idea that safety should be the goal of faith. In a culture obsessed with minimizing risk, emotionally, financially, and relationally, we have learned how to follow Jesus without ever needing courage. We attend when it is convenient. We speak when it costs nothing. We serve when it fits our schedule. And then we wonder why our faith...

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke , Trevor Devage challenges men to ask if they are fighting the wrong fight. Many Christians are exhausted, not from rescuing people, but from battling everyone around them. We win arguments, yet the fire is still burning. Rooted in Jude 23, this episode is a call to remember that people are not the enemy. Strong men fight for others, not against them. When we s...

In the gym, drifting gets you hit. In life, drifting costs you your edge. This week on Smells Like Smoke , Trevor Devage explores why faith requires fight and why men are built to contend, not coast. From the boxing ring to the Winter Olympics, the lesson is clear: nobody drifts into victory. This episode is a call to re-engage, reclaim discipline, and take one intentional step back toward the fir...

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke , we explore the balance between judgment and mercy, urgency and compassion. Jude 23 calls us to rescue with mercy, not manipulation. Hell is real. Truth matters. But hope is the point. This week’s challenge: Speak one hard truth with compassion to someone you love. Not to win but to rescue.

We all know good people. Hardworking. Responsible. Moral. But what if goodness is hiding brokenness? This episode explores why Jesus did not come to make bad people good. He came to rescue the lost. Trevor DeVage unpacks why morality cannot heal the soul and why honesty is the first step toward real rescue. Stop hiding behind “I’m fine” and start living healed.

In this episode of Smells Like Smoke , Pastor Trevor DeVage challenges the way we see people and how that perspective shapes the way we treat them. Drawing from experiences inside Wilmot Prison in Tucson, Pastor Trevor unpacks why judgment fails, why pain drives behavior, and why rescue begins with understanding. Most people already know their lives are not working. Addiction, anger, success, and...

Welcome to Smells Like Smoke , a bold podcast for those who are tired of safe, comfortable faith. Inspired by Jude 23, this show is about getting close enough to the fire to rescue people, not just talk about it. Each episode challenges you to trade comfort for courage and distance for action. This is not about winning arguments or playing church. It is about stepping into messy, real-world situat...

In the season finale of The Make , Pastor Trevor unpacks why tracking your spending isn’t just financial — it’s formational. Discover how clarity, accountability, and first-fruit generosity can shape spiritual habits, reduce anxiety, and bring lasting peace to your financial life.

Today on The Make , we unpack how to stop letting money own you and let Jesus lead, even when inflation rises and Amazon keeps calling your name. Pastor Trevor DeVage dives deep into practical rhythms of faith and finance: learning to “give first, save second, live on the rest,” creating kingdom margin, practicing contentment, and discovering how true freedom comes from trusting God, not your payc...

Today on The Make , we sit down with Mario and Sherry Henry, Pantano’s dynamic Next Steps duo. We talk about their journey from church wounds to healing, service, and purpose. Hear how their three-step framework—connect to Jesus, connect to community, and connect to purpose—equips people to move from Sunday taking to everyday making.

In this powerful solo episode, Pastor Trevor opens his heart about a divine stirring that’s been growing in his soul, a “holy discomfort” that’s shaking him (and perhaps all of us) out of spiritual autopilot. Drawing from Isaiah 41:4, Trevor explores what it means to be summoned by God in this generation, a generation marked by restlessness, distraction, and hunger for purpose. He unpacks how ever...

Today on The Make we sit down with returning guest Rebecca Hamlin to talk about life updates, Soul Space’s expansion, and how to build rhythms of faith, prayer, and balance in a noisy world. From family and community growth to spiritual practices of slowing down and seeking God, we explore how intentional habits bring transformation and hope.

In this heartfelt episode of The Make , Trevor DeVage opens up about the loss of his family’s beloved rabbit, Max, and the grief that follows. Joined by Kids Director Stephanie Marsh, they dive into stories of faith, family, and the importance of creating intentional spaces for children and students in the church. From pet stories and snakes in the office to navigating ministry transitions and wit...

On this episode of The Make , Trevor DeVage welcomes Pantano's own Brandon Osmer, a Caliber Collision GM, husband, and dad, to share how following Jesus shapes his workplace, his family, and his community. From leading a collision shop with compassion to walking through loss, IVF, and parenting three strong-willed kids, Brandon’s story shows how ordinary moments become opportunities for extrao...