The Almost Amazing Podcast

Welcome back to the Almost Amazing Podcast from CityRise Church! In this episode, host Jennifer Dennis and producer Justin Kellough lift a two-year "ban" to welcome special guest Andy Dennis back to the studio. We dive deep into why real human connection is becoming "gold" in a digital world and how church communities need to pivot. Andy, Jennifer, and Justin explore fascinating cultural trends—in...

In this episode of the Almost Amazing Podcast, Jennifer Dennis, Justin Kellough, and Ashley Miksch sit down to chat about life, friendship, and the misconceptions we often hold about God, suffering, and our past. From our hilarious experiences with drive-thru apps and "point hoarding" to the deeper, meaningful conversations about reconciling our theology with difficult life seasons, we're keeping...

Welcome back to The Almost Amazing Podcast! In this episode, Jennifer Dennis, Justin Kellough, and Ashley Miksch dive into the "Wild West" of AI, relationship boundaries, and the unexpected darkness of high school theater. The conversation kicks off with Jennifer's recent call-in to a Houston radio show regarding a major dating dilemma: when is it actually "safe" to give someone a key to your apar...

Welcome to Episode 182 of The Almost Amazing Podcast! In this episode, Jennifer Dennis, Justin Kellough, and Ashley Miksch dive into the art of conversation and the struggle of moving past perfunctory small talk. We explore why the standard "How are you?" often feels like a missed opportunity for real connection and brainstorm better ways to truly see the people around us. From Beth Moore's "conce...

Welcome back to a very special "Reunion Show" edition of The Almost Amazing Podcast! After a long hiatus due to the CityRise "Pathways" campaign, Jennifer Dennis, Justin Kellough, and Ashley Miksch are finally back in the studio to catch up on everything that's been happening in their lives. In this episode, the team dives into the complexities of work relationships, sharing honest stories about t...

Welcome back to The Almost Amazing Podcast! We are kicking off a brand-new year with some much-needed reflections on growth, digital habits, and the power of honesty. In this episode, Jennifer Dennis, Ashley Miksch, and Justin Kellough dive into their New Year's resolutions for the show—including a new bi-weekly schedule to keep things steady and sustainable. We also have a candid conversation abo...

Welcome to another episode of The Almost Amazing Podcast! 🎙️ This week, Jennifer and Justin dive into the chaos of the holiday season, starting with a hilarious look at their Spotify Wrapped results. From Jennifer's obsession with "Brown Noise" and "Space Music" to Justin's surprising status as a top 1% Beyoncé fan (and his K-Pop secrets), we explore what our listening habits really say about us....

Welcome to The Almost Amazing Podcast! 🎉 We're the podcast that was "supposed to be focused on parenting," but honestly, we've kind of lost the plot along the way. Hosted by Jennifer Dennis and produced by Justin Kellough, our hope is to provide encouragement and fun alongside incredible people who love Jesus. In this chaotic and fun Episode 178, we finally address the question everyone's been as...

In this episode of The Almost Amazing Podcast, Jennifer, Justin, and Ashley dive into the latest cultural headlines and their own wild week! Ashley shares the chaotic story of her friend's apartment flooding in the middle of the night, detailing the four-hour ordeal of scooping out dirty water. Then, the hosts tackle a viral topic: Is it embarrassing for an independent woman to have a boyfriend? T...

Welcome to The Almost Amazing Podcast! In this episode, hosts Jennifer Dennis and Justin Kellough check in with special guest Kaylie Simpson who shares her incredible and dramatic testimony of leaving a life of addiction and partying to become fully devoted to Christ. Kaylie recounts the moment her life changed forever on Halloween night, and how a relationship-focused sermon gave her the strength...

Episode 175 of The Almost Amazing Podcast is here! Join Jennifer Dennis, Justin Kellough, and Ashley Miksch as they dive into the hilarious and often awkward reality of being "public figures" at church and getting spotted out "in the wild". In this episode: Public Life vs. Private Life: What's the most awkward place to run into a church member? From Marshall's to the gym, the hosts share cringe-wo...

What starts with a debate about Lifesavers candy—and the safety feature of the hole in the middle—quickly devolves into a hilarious ramble that proves why The Almost Amazing Podcast has "lost the plot!" 🤷‍♀️ In this episode, Jennifer, Ashley, and Justin dive into everything from disturbing gym experiences (like that fire alarm at minute 29 and a devastating "fitness age" revelation) to terrifying...

This week, the Almost Amazing Podcast crew is all over the place! Join Jennifer, Justin, and Ashley as they unpack: Why the camera has a personal vendetta against their teeth. The surprise Kebab Shop run-in that proves the podcast is a total flop (just kidding!). The controversial yet "incredible" movie that's got Justin driving to seminary with the soundtrack on repeat. Ashley's very specific Sta...

Join hosts Jennifer Dennis and Justin Kellough on "The Almost Amazing Podcast" as they navigate the chaotic but hilarious world of ministry, seminary, and life's big questions. In this episode, they dive into their new podcast format (which might still be a work in progress 😉) and welcome back their favorite guest, Ashley Miksch. From getting dressed for a Bible study to facing down a "sloth" at...

Elizabeth Smith is a member of our church family who has joined our effort to disciple and mentor those younger in the faith through our Lift Groups. She shares about how she got involved and what God has taught her by leading others. If you are in Houston and are interested in mentoring others in the faith or being mentored yourself, visit https://cityrise.org/liftedlife and fill out a Lift Group...

Melanie Shankle is an author, speaker, and podcaster who is going to be speaking at our Women's Night of Worship on Sunday September 7th. Melanie shares a portion of her story with us, discussing her forthcoming book, and offers a preview of what she will be teaching on at our upcoming event. To learn more about Melanie, visit https://thebigmamablog.com/  To learn more about our Women's Ministry o...

Melissa Patin is a friend of the show and Jennifer's former supervisor. Melissa's husband recently passed away, and she offers a great deal of insight about facing grief, including what we can do for our grieving friends.

Kristen Campell is our Women's Ministry Director, and she shares with us lots of great opportunities for women to get involved at CityRise.

Alejandra Rojas is our Worship and Senior Adults Admin, serving our church in a variety of ways. She offers great insight into what people can do to get better connected to a Christian community through church involvement.

Ashley Miksch, our Student Ministry Associate at CityRise Church, joins us for a great conversation about friendships. Looking for meaningful frienships? Check out https://cityrise.org/adults for information on how to get involved at our church and start building godly relationships.

Jennifer and Justin chat with Andy Dennis about a book he read called "The Anxious Generation." Jennifer and Justin are fascinated by literature, but their Tiktok obsession greatly limits their time for reading. Andy was kind enough to give them a synopsis, and the discussion based on this book led to a fruitful conversation about parenting children in the digital age.

Amber Bender is the co-founder and Executive Director of Addi's Faith Foundation, which is a 501c3 organization dedicated to ending childhood cancer. They fund childhood cancer research as well as provide financial assistance to families struggling to care for a child with cancer. Amber shares with us the story about how this organization began and how you can get involved to help their work in ch...

This Redeemed Life was founded in 2007 by Marian Jordan Ellis with the desire to reach women with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and equip them with the life-changing truth of God's Word. Their motto is "Revelation Causes Transformation." All of their resources and events are designed for women to encounter Jesus through the living Word and experience His power to transform their lives from the inside...

Mary Ann Bridgwater is the Founder and President of Pray the Word Ministries, a ministry committed to expanding and enhancing prayer activity in Houston, our nation, and throughout the world. A frequent speaker and prayer consultant, her passion is leading others to experience a prayer life where they walk in the awareness of the presence of a Holy God. If you'd like to learn more about her minist...

Jennifer and Justin chat about Christmas. To learn more about all our Christmas Eve services, visit https://cityrise.org/christmas.