The Rise Podcast with Brandon Garland

In light of the reactions and responses I've seen from both sides following the election results, I feel a press from God to talk about the dangers of over-identifying with politics and politicians (as well as other areas) and putting our joy and peace in the hands of outcomes we cannot control.

In this episode, we take a look at 1 Kings 1, and we learn that sometimes, being excluded is a blessing! And that some attacks actually serve to propel us towards our purpose.

On a normal week, the noise of life can be deafening- and it's about 5 times louder on Election Week. So, how do we learn to silence the noise and hear the voice of the Father? Let's look at how Jesus did it, and how we can follow in His path.

Most, if not all, of us have some political persuasions and opinions, some stronger than others. The question is: what impact, positive and negative, does sharing them on Facebook or Instagram have? What influence does it have, and what influence can we lose, especially as Christians, whose primary message must be Jesus? Let's talk about it!

What you repeat you will reap! Let's continue to learn to shift our internal narrative and replace lies with truth.

Every day, I walk through what some might call a 'mantra' or a declaration. It helps fill my mind with God's truth about me and fill me with the peace and confidence I need in my daily life. I hope it blesses you!

Just in time for spooky season, let's talk about Christians and Halloween. We look into the origins of Halloween, certain practices or traditions that truly might invite darkness into your life, and how to disagree as believers. It's gonna be spicy.

As Christians, we say, by default, that we trust God with our eternal salvation (a BIG deal!). Yet it can be harder to trust Him with things like bills, health issues, and timing for big events in our lives (still big, but compared to eternity...) Let's talk about that gap, and how to close it!

When you KNOW what God is calling you to do, just do it! Don't use Christian camouflage to delay your obedience.

FIRST EVER SPICY FRIDAY! YOU ASKED- LET'S TALK ABOUT IT. SHOULD PASTORS WEAR LOUIS OR YEEZY OR GUCCI OR DRIVE THAT CAR OR LIVE IN THAT HOUSE??? SHOULD YOU??? LET'S TALK ABOUT IT! DROP YOUR SUGGESTION OF OUR NEXT SUBJECT IN THE COMMENTS ON SPOTIFY, OR DM ME @BRANDONGARLAND ON INSTAGRAM.

In this episode, we preview Friday's first SPICY FRIDAY episode, and dive into how to find God in our lives beyond just Sunday mornings or our quiet times. If God truly is everywhere, then we're never at a place where He isn't- we simply need to learn to see Him. Add your Spicy Friday topics or questions in the Spotify comments OR dm them to @brandongarland on Instagram.

In this final episode based in the Parable of the Talents, let's talk about that area in your life that you've been investing so much time into, but seeing no results ... Could it be that God gifted you in so many areas, just not that one? And maybe if you stopped spending your time on that, you'd begin to see a great return in other areas of your life...

In this second episode based around the Parable of the Talents, we take an interesting look at the idea that we each have areas of 5 talents (gifting), 2 talents (things we're just fine at) and 1 talent (things we're not good at). Whether it's a strength, a weakness, or somewhere in between, take it and multiply it!

In this episode based on the parable of the talents, we talk about how to stop comparing what God gave us with what He gave them, and how to start using them to fulfill our purposes!

No one wants to do the things that are best for them all the time! But to become the version of ourselves that we deeply want to be, and the one God knows that we can be, we have to ruthlessly commit to doing what we want MOST instead of what we want NOW.

If you keep making the choices and building the habits you're currently making, where will it lead you? What kind of person will you end up becoming? If you want to step into all that God has for you, you have to learn to make decisions based on these kinds of questions instead of simply doing what's most convenient or pleasurable.

If you will simply keep going- don't give up, and don't let this failure be final, and in a matter of time, you won't even recognize the you that you've become.

If you have no shortage of problems, but feel like you never quite have the time (or memory) to remember to pray, this episode is for you!

Some miracles are obvious (Jesus resurrecting Lazarus, God providing you your dream home). Others are a little harder to notice (God sustaining you through an otherwise impossible situation, or giving you contentment in your current apartment). But both are miracles!

Some changes we make are not necessary in the slightest, but are birthed out of boredom or comparison. In this episode, we tackle how we can make decisions not based on these two traps, but based on a greater reason.

We often overestimate the impact of ONE BIG DECISION but underestimate the impact of ONE SMALL DECISION regularly repeated across days and months and years and decades. If you want to step from average into greatness, it may not be one massive, earth-shattering step that you need; it may be one small step done CONSISTENTLY over time!

In this episode, we close out the week talking about how one key mark of maturity is being able to see that often, what appears to be mundane provision is, in reality, a miracle !

In this Midweek episode, lean in as we talk about how even though Jesus doesn't excuse us from problems, His presence does qualify us for peace.

This Monday, join me as we look at Proverbs 9:6 and learn how to leave simple-minded thinking behind to step into all that God has for you!

As Noah couldn't control when the rain would come, you cannot control when your opportunity will arrive. But, like Noah, you can do what God's called you to do today, believing by faith that one day, the rain is coming.