The Listening Porch

The Psalms don’t just tell stories of victory, they carry the long memory of God’s faithfulness. In this episode of Listening Porch, Ray Hughes and Eric explore what it really means to be a psalmist. Not just a songwriter, but a person whose life becomes praise. From David’s victories and failures to our own moments of shame, response, creativity, and redemption, this conversation reframes worship...

What does it actually mean to be a psalmist? In this Listening Porch conversation, Eric and Ray reflect on #44 from 107 Things I Forgot to Say the Last Time I Talked About Worship, Creativity, and Music. Together, they explore how the psalms are more than songs. They are stories of real lives lived before God. This episode dives into tension and release, lament and praise, and how David’s psalms d...

On a cold November porch in Alabama, we talk about deserts, waiting, creativity, and why God often speaks beyond the narrow parameters of thought. A conversation about stillness, listening, and finding beauty where we least expect it. -- Join Selah Creatives: Get access to all of Ray’s online courses, teachings, monthly live Zoom gatherings, and a community of over 100 like-spirited creatives → se...

In this episode of The Listening Porch, Ray Hughes reflects on the difference between fitting in and belonging, and why so many gifted, creative, Spirit-filled people feel misaligned in the places they’re trying to serve. Drawing from the life of David, Ray explores how the Holy Spirit expresses Himself through poetry, music, story, and creativity, not just within sacred spaces, but through everyd...

In this episode of The Listening Porch, Ray and Eric sit down to talk about something so many creatives quietly carry: the feeling of not fitting in. Drawing from the life of King David, they explore why so many musicians, poets, worship leaders, storytellers, and dreamers walk through seasons of misalignment, and how God uses those very seasons to shape purpose, discipline, and fire. David didn’t...

There are plenty of good ideas floating around. But God ideas… those are the ones that ask us to slow down. To listen. To partner. Thoughts are like diamonds in the dark. They do not shine until someone turns on the light. Sometimes that light is attention. Sometimes it is patience. Sometimes it is the Holy Spirit saying, “Stay with this.” In this Selah Creatives moment, we explore how ideas grow,...

In this episode of The Listening Porch, we explore a beautiful metaphor: Writing feels like walking through a forest, looking for the sea. Ray and Eric talk about: - How writing, creativity, and spiritual life mirror a long forest journey - Why wonder is essential, especially in the “ordinary” seasons - Why there’s no such thing as writer’s block - The difference between getting lost and being los...

In this episode of The Listening Porch, we’re literally on a porch outside, surrounded by dogs barking, cars passing, and creation doing what it does. And in that setting, Ray shares one of the themes that has shaped his entire life: wonder. We talk about the “mystery of Christ,” not as something we’re meant to comprehend, but something we’re invited to apprehend — to step into, experience, and wa...

In this conversation, we explore how worship, music, and even church architecture influence the way we encounter God. From the awe of ancient cathedrals to the simplicity of a living room or open field, we talk about how real worship isn’t confined to walls or production — it’s born in moments where love meets love. We discuss the beauty of sacred spaces, the loss of wonder in modern worship, and...

In this episode of The Listening Porch, Ray Hughes shares the heart behind the name itself — why porches once mattered so much, how storytelling shaped families and cultures, and what we lose when we trade real connection for technology. From Irish legends to front porch memories, this conversation reminds us that stories are sacred spaces — and that listening itself is an art form.

In this episode of The Listening Porch, Ray Hughes and Eric Yun dive into the beauty of creative freedom — how every artist, poet, and musician carries the potential for a new revolution when they stop trying to fit in. They discuss how styles evolve, how comparison can kill creativity, and how to rediscover the purity of making art just because it’s in you. From the birth of musical genres to the...

In this episode of The Listening Porch, Ray Hughes explores what happens when music moves from being lived to being consumed. Drawing from his book 107 Things I Forgot to Say About Worship, Creativity, and Music, Ray unpacks how the invention of technology—from the microphone to the radio—shifted music from porches and fields to studios and stages. What began as a divine sound born from place and...

In this episode of The Listening Porch, Ray and Eric talk about the kind of creativity that no one else will ever see — songs, poems, prayers, and moments meant only for God. They start with one of the short reflections from 107 Things I Forgot to Say — “Write a song today that you don’t want anyone to hear but God.” From there, the conversation unfolds into the tension between honesty and perform...

Starting from a passage in Ray’s book 107 Things I Forgot to Say, Ray and Eric explore how music becomes the language of those who laugh, live, long, and love. The conversation moves from laughter as warfare and healing, to music as the breath of life, to songs that hold the ache of longing, to melodies born of love itself. This episode touches everything from Psalm 2’s laughter of God, to the cry...

In this first episode of The Listening Porch with Ray Hughes, we explore a question that has echoed through history: If the church changes the way it understands music and worship, can it change the world? From Luther’s hymns to the songs of the Wesley brothers, every reformation has carried a sound. Ray unpacks how music, creativity, and worship not only shape the church but ripple outward into c...

Storytellers are the guardians of memories, Ray tells us. In this episode, Ray shares some of the memories of his early years and how the stories of our lives give shape to the people we become.  These formative memories of family history encourage us that our memories, even the darker, painful ones can become a wellspring of hope and redemption for generations to come.   Visit The Listening Porch...

The Places we love have a profound ability to awaken wonder in our hearts and fill us with a sense of purpose and destiny.  In this episode, Ray shares about his love of Wales, Scotland and Ireland a how a prophetic encounter set him on a lifelong course of discovering how deeply these lands were woven into his heart.    Visit The Listening Porch online for more inspiring episodes. You can help su...

In this episode, Ray Hughes shares from his lifelong study of King David and shows how this misfit shepherd boy’s unwavering pursuit of God's presence shaped his legacy as a poet, worship leader, and king. Ray emphasizes the timeless relevance of David's story, highlighting how his longing for God expressed through music continues to inspire generations and shape the language of worship today.   I...

In today's conversation, Ray shares about the generational power of storytelling. This episode spans everything from the importance of paying attention to learning the difference between a distraction and a daydream.    Visit The Listening Porch online for more inspiring episodes. You can help support the show by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/rayhughes or sign up for one of my online courses at...

In this conversation,Stephen and Ray are continuing the discussion on fascination imagination and wonder, adding to it a bit about storytelling, songwriting, and how dialect impacts destiny.   Visit The Listening Porch online for more inspiring episodes. You can help support the show by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/rayhughes or sign up for one of my online courses at www.rayhughes.org  Also, c...

In this opening conversation, Ray Hughes shares his timeless wisdom on the topics of fascination, imagination and wonder. As creatives and followers of Jesus, nurturing these expressions of faith are vital to living a full and vibrant life.  Tune in to hear Ray share insights on how we can move beyond dull obligation to a religious life and maintain a sense of wonder for the long haul.  Visit The...

Hello Everybody.  I am thrilled to announce a new series of conversations here on The Listening Porch. Each week, starting Friday, February 2nd, (that's Groundhog Day in case you were wondering,) my good friend Stephen Roach will be joining me for a series of talks about life, faith and the creative journey I've traveled.  We’re calling these talks Deep Roots and Tangled Limbs. I believe these can...

I'd like to wish you a Happy New Year!   Visit The Listening Porch online ! You can view a video version of this episode and help support the show by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/rayhughes . You can also sign up for one of my online courses at www.rayhughes.org or check out my beautiful, handmade ink pens at redriverturning.com .

Somebody asked me, "What is Beauty"?  Here's what I told them.  Visit The Listening Porch online ! You can view a video version of this episode and help support the show by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/rayhughes . You can also sign up for one of my online courses at www.rayhughes.org or check out my beautiful, handmade ink pens at redriverturning.com .

Today I'd like to tell you about my new book.  Visit The Listening Porch online ! You can view a video version of this episode and help support the show by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/rayhughes . You can also sign up for one of my online courses at www.rayhughes.org or check out my beautiful, handmade ink pens at redriverturning.com .