Shows
LifeLiftHow many of the healing miracles weren’t miracles?If you need a miracle, and it’s not coming, I want to encourage you to shift your thinking and— just maybe— see something “new” in this talk.
30 times we see “healing” in the New Testament, it refers to a supernatural in-breaking of Heaven.
40 times it doesn’t.
Well, it doesn’t AND it does…
There are two different concepts presented throughout the Bible, both working TOGETHER and not separately. And, when we see how they fit, what they do, and what it all means practically…
Well, listen in.
Becau...2023-11-0826 min
LifeLiftNo faith, no problemSome people believe that if you don’t have enough faith, the miracle won’t— it can’t— come. They teach that, if you think about it, faith is the strongest force in the universe— even mightier than God Himself.
“That’s why you’re not healed,” they proclaim (often with an annoying degree of confidence)— “you don’t have enough faith.”
💔
Here are two problems with that line of thinking…
👉 First, it places an emotional and spiritual burden on the person NEEDING the healing that Jesus never put on them.
👉Second, when we look i...2023-11-0121 min
LifeLiftGod doesn’t make people sick, ill, or injuredMany times we don’t know why we’re sick, injured, or ill…
… and it’s easy to blame God.
When we do, we actually place things on Him that we don’t see attributable to Him from the Bible.
It makes sense that we do this— on one hand. Quite simply, when we’re facing something difficult we want (we NEED) answers.
But…
If God causes people to be sick… then why go to the doctor to change it?
Or if he brings illness to “teach us a lesson,” th...2023-10-2519 min
LifeLiftMiracle or no miracle, healing can start nowSomebody asked me a few weeks ago, “Why do you teach natural health?”
And, “Why teach practical stuff alongside the spiritual…?”
🤷♂️
By that, they meant something like this: “You teach grace and healing… why do we need natural health if we have supernatural power available to us?”
It’s a great question.
The sarcastic reply would be, “Why do you need doctors and Western medicine if we have supernatural power available? Whereas ‘church people’ seem hesitant to venture into the natural health waters for fear that they’ll contract ‘new age’ demons, few of...2023-10-1125 min
LifeLiftAre you depressed or are you just tired?A few years ago, I found myself sitting in a nearby coffee shop.
(I find myself in places like that a lot.)
As I finished typing a chapter for a project I was completing, I stared out the oversized storefront window next to my table. Outside, the day was perfect. It wasn’t one of those dreary, grey-colored days that makes you feel foggy.
Yet, as a closed the computer (without turning it off, of course), I thought, “I’m really tired.”
Inside, something was brewing. Something wasn’t quite right…
☔️...2023-10-0436 min
LifeLiftFive signs you’re about to redline your lifeIn music, the rests are as important as the notes you play. Life is the same way.
There’s a definite beat to Creation that works well for us when we embrace it.
We discussed this in the previous episode…
🌎 The created order is built on a rhythm of “off” and “on.” We’re designed for bursts of work and pauses for rests.
🌎 Part of living a life of balance means there are definite times of Sabbath and rest, those moments of complete OFF.)
In this talk we begin highlighting f...2023-09-2731 min
LifeLiftValue the Pause as Much as the ProductivityIf you’re like me, you consider your day to begin when you wake up in the morning. Right before you— if you’re like me— prep that coffee. Or, if you stayed up to midnight, you may look at your watch and think, “Oh, gee… it’s already tomorrow… a new day. I’ve got to get in bed.”
We’ve programmed ourselves to think of our days as "daylight first” and “nighttime second.” We get up to start the day; we go to bed to end it.
🌝
Turns out, that’s backwards. Creation doesn’t beg...2023-09-2028 min
LifeLiftSometimes you need a “hard reset” in order to keep goingIn our culture we value productivity…
… not the pause.
But, the pauses are often part of the productivity. And, they’re how we find healing, renewal, and the energy to move forward.
✅✅✅✅✅
If you’ve own a cell phone (I know, the technical name is mobile phone, now, and everybody has one), you’ve probably had unresolvable issues with it, called tech support, and then heard them tell you something like, “Alright, do this for me. Let’s perform something called a hard reset. We’re going to completely power the thing down, wait...2023-09-1326 min
LifeLiftThree keys to unlocking your purpose (Spiritual Gifts 5)Unlocking your purpose changes everything. And, I believe your purpose is found in the area of your supernatural gifting… a topic we’ve been dissecting and discussing on the podcast for the past 4+ episodes).
But…
… as much as we’d like to “jump ahead” and “get it done,” we can’t just go from “here” to “there” without the proper foundation.
More important that any of the “purpose” you’ll do is walking with an awareness of who you are and who your Heavenly Father sees you as…
As you live from that, walking in His presence, y...2023-09-0616 min
LifeLiftSupernatural ≠ Natural (Spiritual Gifts 4)For the past few talks we’ve been working through the topic of “spiritual gifts” (even though, as we discussed in talk #1 of the series, that term doesn’t actually appear in the New Testament— something more powerful and insightful does, instead).
There are FOUR misconceptions people have about these “spiritual gifts” (re-listen to installment #1 of the series for a better understanding of what these gifts are). In this episode we want to walk through each of those…
Here’s what you need to know:
❌ Supernatural “gifts” and natural talents are NOT the same.
You rec...2023-08-3019 min
LifeLiftYou're thinking too small (Spiritual Gifts 3)The first time we see someone “clothed” with the Holy Spirit to do something on God’s behalf— at the capacity of Heaven— is found in Exodus 31:2-5. Oddly enough, it’s NOT a reference to God gifting Moses to speak, to set His people free, to lead them through the Red Sea (even though we know God was present in each of those moments).
Notice—
“See, I have chosen Bezalel… and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for...2023-08-2316 min
LifeLiftThrough you to others (Spiritual Gifts 2)A few years ago I was in a church service when the visiting preacher, at the very end of his message, locked eyes with me, and began talking. To be clear, in front of everyone, he directed his statements towards me.
They were clear.
They were concise.
They were spoken in front of everyone— so all the people attending that morning could hear exactly what he said.
They were laced with grace.
💙
The VAST majority of the things he said to me were facts there’s no way...2023-08-1630 min
LifeLiftGod's power through you (Spiritual Gifts 1)A few years ago I revisited a book my Dad wrote 20+ years ago, re-drafted it, and then re-published it. In the process I learned a TON about the subject of the book, spiritual gifts.
Along the way, I discovered some “good news” and I stumbled into some “bad news.”
😳
The bad news is this…
The term “spiritual gifts” that I heard so much about growing up in the church (a great church, a super-experience) doesn’t actually exist in Scripture— not in the original Greek language. So, all of that reading and studying...2023-08-0923 min
LifeLiftGrace Already Covered the Clutter… but Work On You, Anyway (Design Not Default 5)Who you are is greater than what you do. The fruit of your life is an overflow of the person you’re becoming.
⭐️
💥 INSIDE-OUT
Work on you while you work on the dream. That is, do BOTH at the same time— it’s not “either-or” but “both-and.”
This matters…
A Yale study affirmed that:
* 15% of the people who succeed do so because of their education or skill* 85% do so because of their interpersonal skills
Notice, the majority of people who “make it” do so because of WHO they are...2023-08-0225 min
LifeLiftBefore deciding What You’ll Do or Where You’ll go, Decide Who You’re Going With (Design Not Default 4)Relationships are the currency of those who live in the realm of their inherent greatness. Walking in healthy relationships with whole people is essential to living your purpose…
🚌 BUSINESS example =
In the book Good to Great, Jim Collins studied the factors that made companies— working in the same time period with identical market conditions and opportunities— excel towards “greatness” while others plateaued at “good.” This was a change, because— until that time— most compared the great to the bad. He wanted to identify the determining factors that helped some companies “level up.”
Here’s what he discovered...2023-07-2629 min
LifeLiftWhy would you Even Think About Doing That? (Design Not Default 3)Knowing your true internal motivation(s) for the life you’re trying to build empowers self-awareness (knowing who you are), as well as self-leadership (knowing how to move forward with faithfulness).
Here are a few things you need to know about “the why,” that is, the third rung of the ladder in the Advance framework.
💙 The HEART is never neutral (it may be numb, such that you don’t hear what it’s saying, but it’s always expressing its opinion about things).
Learn to listen to your heart, because one of two things wi...2023-07-1923 min
LifeLiftDon’t Invest More Time Deciding What to Wear than Determining What You’ll Do (Design Not Default 2)Saying “yes” to the great stuff in life often requires saying “no” to the good. That is, our most pivotal decisions don’t usually come to down a choice between “good” and “bad” but, rather, “good” and “great.”
But…
If we say “yes” and prioritize our process— the plan we’ve created to move from “where we are to where we’re designed to be”— and do those things consistently, we can relax about the results. They’ll come.
💥
Note: in the Advance framework, under “implementation” (how, the hands), we talk about TIME not talents or tasks, we discuss SCHE...2023-07-1229 min
LifeLiftA little Bit of Intentionality Goes a Really Long Way (Design Not Default 1)The first step to living a life by design (instead of default) is deciding where you want to go. The second step is owning where you are now…
(Where you are NEVER defines who you are— it’s just your current location, your starting point. Nor is where you are where you must remain. However, where you are IS where you must begin. So…)
Create a plan, and enjoy the journey. Here’s how…
✅ DREAM— and develop the “best case scenario” for every area of life.
We spend more time planning what we’ll...2023-07-0528 min
Advance-castEmotions | recognize your soul limits to sustain long-term healthIt’s easy to hit your stress ceiling when it comes to the realm of emotions. And, whereas we can’t expect perfection from the people around us (nor from ourselves), we can create margin so that we can handle the oncoming trials and needs with greater ease.
In this episode of Advance-cast, we talk about emotional margin— and often-overlooked area of living well.
+++++
🚌 Join the waitlist at www.EatSleepAdvance.com/14
🎧 Audiobook +eBook at no cost = https://www.eatsleepadvance.com/offers/Hj6r35YY
💜 Grab Andy’s “best of Soul Wholeness...2023-07-0233 minAdvance-castEmotions | recognize your soul limits to sustain long-term healthIt’s easy to hit your stress ceiling when it comes to the realm of emotions. And, whereas we can’t expect perfection from the people around us (nor from ourselves), we can create margin so that we can handle the oncoming trials and needs with greater ease.
In this episode of Advance-cast, we talk about emotional margin— and often-overlooked area of living well.
+++++
🚌 Join the waitlist at www.EatSleepAdvance.com/14
🎧 Audiobook +eBook at no cost = https://www.eatsleepadvance.com/offers/Hj6r35YY
💜 Grab Andy’s “best of Soul Wholeness...2023-07-0233 min
LifeLiftYour Soul Needs Margin, Too (Soul Stuff 3)Back in 2014, a child-therapist my family visited for a season described stress in a revealing way. Kristen, the counselor, likened our souls to balloons…
“You can blow a balloon up,” she said, moving her hands larger and farther part as if an expanding party-type of balloon rested between them. “At first the balloon is fine with the air you blow in…”
“At some point, the balloon reaches max capacity,” she continued. "Then we have four options.” She described the first three scenarios, explaining—
🎈 You continue adding air to the balloon, thereby causing it to explode.
T...2023-06-2820 min
LifeLiftWhere You Are Isn’t Who You Are, and… (Soul Stuff 2)It’s easy to forget that we’re truly valuable…
🔥 that we bear the image of the Creator
🔥 that we’re chosen, Holy, and dearly loved (Colossians 3:12-13)
🔥 that He promised we’re never separated from His love (Romans 8:31-39)
🔥 that God doesn’t hold our sins and failures against us, so He isn’t punishing us because of them (see Jeremiah 31:34)
🔥 that the same grace that “saves us” also calls us to do something extraordinary (Ephesians 2:8-10)
🔥 that the gifts and callings of God are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
Yes...2023-06-2126 min
LifeLiftWhere We Really Find Connection + Cleansing (Soul Stuff 1)We’re promised two gifts that we each desperately want and need come when we take the hurts and pains of the past, stop hiding them, and move into the light:
🎁 Connection = that is, we find we’re not alone, we meet acceptance with a healing community
🎁 Cleansing = we find healing, and we’re able to repurpose the pains to help others…
Here’s part of the problem:
We don’t like the light.
(Guilt and shame THRIVE in the dark— and fight to keep us there.)
But…
❌ F...2023-06-1433 min
LifeLiftLet’s Just Agree: That was So Not Me (Grace Basics 6)In this talk we discuss the notion that everyone is “window shopping.” We’re constantly looking for a better plan, a different program, or more reliable steps to take us where we want to be.
In the same way that we look in storefronts for the latest shoes, the coolest gadget, or the most up-to-date fashion, so do we often “shop” for our spirituality.
And then we seek to perform to earn it.
👇
Yet everything you need is already here…
💙 Peter says that, since you’re reborn in the line of Jesus ra...2023-06-0729 min
LifeLiftJesus Was More Successful At Salvation Than Adam Was at Sin (Grace Basics 5)I don’t know where I first got the thought— “we seem more confident in the enemy’s ability to deceive us— and to steal, kill, and destroy— than we are about Jesus’ ability to heal and mend and restore all things.”
I guarantee the concept isn’t original to me, but maybe you can relate. Maybe you’ve even— like me— found yourself on the WRONG side of that belief structure at some point.
🤔
Buried in the New Testament we find an interesting title given to Jesus. Actually, we find two of them that correspond to...2023-05-3119 min
LifeLiftJesus Didn’t / Doesn’t Cause Sickness, Storms, or Sticky Situations, But… (Grace Basics 4)We have a lot of crazy ideas about God. Lots of them.
We talk about His discipline- and how harsh it can be. How he scourges us to get us “in line.” As if God is very much like the high school hall monitor that was always waiting to catch us…
… but on a cosmic level, one with bigger ramifications.
😳
Today, I hear THREE primary areas that (in my opinion) we get wrong about God. Namely, we mistakingly believe that God causes:
❌ sickness
❌ storms
❌ struggles
...2023-05-2429 min
LifeLift“I Hate Theology” is an Absolutely Dumb Statement (Grace Basics 3)Over the past few years it’s become popular in hipster-ish types of churches (not that I’m opposed to ANY expression of the church) to say things that SOUND right but actually breakdown to “nothing” when placed under the weight of any scrutiny at all.
For instance, this one…
“I hate theology, but I love Jesus.”
😳
Sounds cute and clever, but really?
When we break it down, we get this:
👉 Theo- = God
👉 -ology = study of
That is, “theology” reveals what we believe to be true about— a...2023-05-1725 min
LifeLiftThe Happy God (Grace Basics 2)I knew a pastor who used to say, “God’s in a good mood.” To his dying day, he’d chuckle- in a serious way- when he said it. He was convinced that God was absolutely happy.
Somehow, I was totally uncomfortable with what he said— but I WAS (super-strangely enough) NOT uncomfortable with the opposite…
Why would I be more cozy with the notion that…
❌ God was angry,
❌ God had a “short fuse,” and
❌ God was ready to pour out His wrath on His children?
🤷♂️
The thrust of Scripture shows u...2023-05-1032 min
LifeLift(God is Good and) Good is Gooder Than Most People Think (Grace Basics 1)What is God actually like?
That’s a big question— and one that matters.
You see, we practically “live out” our beliefs, even those we’re not aware of. And, one of the biggest, most important beliefs is what we think when we think about the Creator.
💛
Some of us think of God in theological terms…
Others think about Him in “Bible words.”
Some of us even wonder if He’s a “him” or “her” or a “ghost” or a “spirit” or something else…
Or even if He is…
💛
W...2023-05-0324 min
LifeLift10x Potential + (Heaven in Business)A few weeks ago I met Andy Mason… online. We’re in a common Facebook group, because we use the same software to run our websites…
One of his posts led to an offline conversation which led to us swapping books. He was already planning to come to town, two weeks in the future, so after ready his book, I was about to meet him in person…
His book… Heaven in Business.
The reason he was coming to town?
To lead a workshop based on the principles in the book.
(He came...2023-04-1937 min
LifeLiftThe bill always comes due (Future Grace #7 of 7)The Lord established an everlasting covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7:16. He promised an offspring of his would always sit on the throne.
Notably, this occurred BEFORE David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband to cover the forced affair (see 2 Samuel 11:1f.). David never confused to this sin on his own— he was confronted (see 2 Samuel 12).
Yet God— who knew from the beginning that David would fail— STILL honored the covenant. The Bible refers to this as the “sure mercies.” They’re guaranteed. They’re certain. Regardless of what we do.
💙
For thi...2023-04-1218 min
LifeLiftThe body (still) keeps the score (Future Grace #6 of 7)“Repressed emotions are unfinished business,” David Stewart writes— they highlight pages in the past that continuing altering our story in the present” (Healing Oils of the Bible, p116).
As this relates to pain in the body, Dr. Stewart writes, “When you have an emotional experience, especially a traumatic or painful one, the amygdala assigns a part of your body to remember the experience until you are ready to deal with it” (Healing Oils of the Bible, p25). That is, “They can- and will— cause health malfunctions” (p116).
This means that sounds and smells might not be our only reacti...2023-04-0524 min
LifeLiftThe thing that requires the greatest faith (Future Grace #5 of 7)The disciples spent a lot of time with Jesus. That’s how “discipleship” worked back in Biblical times. Whereas we’ve reduced the concept to “... the breed of discipleship they experienced was a life-on-life encounter whereby the rabbi imparted everything he knew and did to his students.
As a result, the students learned they could do anything the rabbi did.
“My rabbi does _____________,” they reasoned, “therefore I can, too.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The episode of Peter walking on water makes more sense when you understand this dimension of their discipleship model...
Do you remember Peter’s s...2023-03-2941 min
LifeLiftSoul memory works like muscle memory (Future Grace #4 of 7)There are 3 facts about human nature:
👉 FACT 1 = We’re designed to explore and grow. We, by our nature, venture forth and look into the unknown.
👉 FACT 2 = Some of that exploration causes PAIN. That is, not all exploration is pleasant. As a result, we create RULES to help govern how we make " in the future.
Some of those “rules” are:
✅ FUNCTIONAL = that is, they’re friends. They’re healthy and they help us reach our potential.
Other “rules” are…
‼️ DYSFUNCTIONAL = they’re foes. They’re unhealthy and they hinder us from making progress…2023-03-2242 min
LifeLiftWho’s really the center of the universe? (Future Grace #2 of 7)During my first year of college I developed the habit of sitting down with a paper calendar— the kind I still carry to this date— the first day of class, syllabus in hand. I always wrote which chapters were being covered on which dates, when terms papers were due, which day I had tests, and any other noteworthy items the professor offered the class. That way, I had everything at a glance. And, I could work ahead...
I carried the same habit to grad school and quickly realized I had a problem: I had far more to read...2023-03-0835 min
LifeLiftIt’s better to go to the house of mourning than the house of feasting (Future Grace #1 of 7)Solomon tells us it’s better to “go to a house of mourning than a house of feasting” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). That is, something in looking at life soberly— from the vantage point of our humanity— shifts everything into perspective.
In this talk I launch a new podcast series— Future Grace.
The event that spawned the thought process behind it was the death of my paternal grandfather— years ago. I attended the funeral ceremony (at the funeral home) and was told that “He’s not here.” The pastor explained that “to be absent from the body is to be present with Chr...2023-03-0137 min
LifeLiftSacred space where others are overwhelmed by graceCulture trumps just about everything. If you create an environment where people can thrive, they generally come alive.
💙
Let me tell you where I’m headed in this talk…
Proverbs reminds us that the “fear of the Lord” is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).
On the other hand, “fools despise such knowledge and instruction” (also 9:10).
Notably, there are two kinds of fear presented in the Bible. That is, there are two different Hebrew words we translate the same in English.
Understanding the RIGHT KIND OF FEAR is essential…
...2022-11-3042 min
LifeLiftThe environment in your house drives the behavior in your homeWe talk a great deal— especially in the church— about women submitting to men. And we go straight to Ephesians 5 to do it…
But…
… when you read the entire passage, it seems that Paul isn’t giving us of DO and DON’T type of behaviors. Rather, he’s telling us how to create a climate in which everyone thrives.
⭐️
Look at Ephesians 5:2, which is the sentence that leads us into Paul’s exposition about husbands and wives and Christ and the church.
“Submit to one another,” he writes. That is, live in a...2022-11-1636 min
LifeLiftAuthority is accountability and responsibility— not controlAfter the Fall, something interesting happens with Adam and Eve.
Feeling ashamed, they hid themselves. Yet God approaches them, as it seems must be part of their regular routine to meet each evening.
He looks for Adam.
Genesis 3:9 tells us the Lord called to the man and asked, “Where are you?”
God didn’t seek Eve— even though she technically sinned first. He sought the one to whom He entrusted His Word, the one He now held responsible, Adam.
Why?
Remember, God gave Adam the commands ab...2022-11-0934 min
LifeLiftLead Strong, Love StrongerThe concept of spiritual leadership and Biblical authority hasn’t received much positive press lately. In any area— the home, business, church, politics, nothing. In fact, most discussions about the topic seem overtly negative— and with good reason.
Over the past few years, we’ve seen an uptick in abuse. As well, many cases of hidden abuse (sins buried under the carpet or tossed into the closet for decades or more) have surfaced.
Our society shudders at the idea of authority. Furthermore, our trepidation isn’t unwarranted.
💔
Here’s the tension…
2022-11-0236 min
LifeLiftHow to quit falling back into the old habitsMost of us understand that we have a body and Spirit. We often confuse “soul” and “spirit” as being the same thing, though. They are different.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (emphasis added).
Notice, the Word of God will separate, dividing the inner parts of us, so that we can discern what is Spirit and what is soul.
🔥
Notice what...2022-09-2829 min
LifeLiftWhere you are isn’t who you areWhere you are isn’t who you are. It’s your location, for sure, but it’s not your identity.
We often confuse our place in life with our personhood— for good and bad. When things are going great, we tend to think too highly of ourselves. The opposite is true, as well. When things are crummy, we thing we’re a disaster…
Turns out, where you are is just your location. Nothing less, nothing more.
And, whereas we may have done something to get us to where we are (it’s not always true— oth...2022-08-1738 min
LifeLiftAll things at all times all for good (w/ Adam Hicks)Adam and I wrap our series of 3 talks here, landing on the premise that “all things work together at all times for your good” (Romans 8:28).
Notably, Paul— the author of the verse— didn’t say that—
❌ all things are good
❌ all things are caused by God
❌ God only works the things together for the good in which it wasn’t your fault, that you had not part to play…
Saint Augustine referenced this verse centuries ago and said, “If God works everything together for the good, that means He even transforms my si...2022-06-0836 min
LifeLiftDevelopment in your disaster (w/ Adam Hicks)In the previous talk Adam and I discussed the first thing to do when you face trauma— recognize where you are and choose to feel it…
We’re promised that Jesus meets us “in the fire,” and the truth is that we’re going to go through the pain…
As Adam says, “It’s better to go through it WITH Jesus than it is to endure it without Jesus.”
That leads us to the point of talk #2 in a series of 3: Self-development in your disaster.
You see, there are things you can acquire in a...2022-06-0132 min
LifeLiftYou can feel it now or you can feel it later (w/ Adam Hicks)Last year I met my friend Adam Hicks, a pastor at Desperation Church, in the Green Room at a church facility dedication.
We have similar stories…
👉 happily married
👉 doing what you feel like you’re called to do
👉 things have never looked better
👉 the rug is pulled out from under you when the wife taps out
Ohh….
👉 you don’t necessarily get to go through it without others watching in and weighing in…
Notably, I met him when we were BOTH on the other side of the p...2022-05-2526 min
LifeLiftPrayer is less about the words and more about the living relationshipIf we took and poll and asked people what prayer is, most of them would say, “Prayer is when I talk to God…”
But maybe it’s more about the PRESENCE than it is the words we say.
(Especially when we realize that He already knows what we need before as ask, that He’s already promised to work all things together for the good, and that He’s told us nothing can separate us from His love.)
If you’re struggling to find the words…
… or if you FIND the words but then...2022-05-1828 min
LifeLiftHope is a better apologetic than dogmaometimes it’s not what you say, it’s what you do…
And that’s especially true when you live through something. When you exhibit a hope that defies that odds, a disposition that makes no (human and logical) sense yet seems steady, people take notice.
And that’s a better explanation of your faith than the words you can spout from a book theology or even recite from Scripture.
Sure, the words help. But they merely explain what’s already true— and what’s seen— your living faith.
⭐️
Over a decade ago a st...2022-05-1131 min
LifeLiftThe “small” in front of you is the door to the “big” that seems beyond your reachWe’re always looking for the next big thing, it seems— a project, a place, or even a person that will help grant us our identity and value.
But the “big,” Biblically speaking, often comes through the small.
In fact, the extraordinary— and supernatural— often breaks through the moments of ordinary and natural.
In the Old Testament we meet King David, the man who established Israel as a dynasty.
But before he was the king, he was the shepherd boy.
And it was during that season he did the one thin...2022-05-0430 min
LifeLiftVibrant faith is more about transformation and less about informationLast week, I shared the first talk from a small group I co-led over a decade ago. This week, let’s continue…
The second week of the “Simple Christianity” series at the Birmingham Dream Center (during our small group that ran from January 2011 through August 2011), we talked about this reality:
Faith is more about LIFE TRANSFORMATION than it is amassing INTELLECTUAL INFORMATION.
That sounds like a no-brainer, I know.
🤷♂️
But how many times have you heard people say they’re leaving one church for another because “I’m not being fed” at my old ch...2022-04-2727 min
LifeLiftDon't look for next-level revelation if you haven't already done what's clear (Presence #5)So many people are looking for a grand word from the Lord about some secret revelation or the next big thing for their life, but they overlook the things He’s already clearly said. Namely, they side-step— even if unintentionally— His Word.
In this talk we discuss the notion that the Word:
Provides us with safeguards as we step forward in life
Highlights our ability to steward what God says (and provides a benchmark for that “if you’re faithful with little, you’ll later be faithful with much” scenario)
There are three main ideas in this talk.2022-04-0650 min
LifeLiftLove is the greatest cure for (yet another) cancel culture (Presence #4)The second facet of the “power, love, sound mind” trifecta is love— something that’s been watered-down in our cancel culture.
In this talk we make four observations related to love.
⭐️
We begin here…
✅ The context of 1 Corinthians 13 isn’t (specifically) about marriage, it’s about spiritual gifts— that is, the supernatural empowerments God gifts His people (these are the focus on part 3 of LifeLift.)
The “love chapter” actually highlights multiple spiritual gifts.
The main point seems to be something akin to this: if you can’t exercise your gift in a...2022-03-3032 min
LifeLiftYou're empowered to perform above your natural capacity (Presence #3)The longest talk in the entire LifeLift framework follows the shortest. Here, we begin by discussing power, which leads us to the topic of the Holy Spirit.
Listen for five main headings—
⭐️
The first is this—
✅ Jesus is the Baptizer of the Holy Spirit.
John the Baptist said he baptized with water— but that Jesus would baptize people in the Holy Spirit, something we never see fulfilled during Jesus’ earthly ministry.
Peter interprets Acts 2 / Pentecost as the “baptism of the Holy Spirit,” something prophesied in Joel 2:28-32, which he...2022-03-231h 02
LifeLiftThe right attitude and the right agenda both matter (Presence #2)In talk #2 of the Presence part of the LifeLift framework, we outline a “framework within the framework,” using 2 Timothy 1:7—
“God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.”
This verse provides us a great outline to not only do the things Jesus did (i.e., WWJD?), but to ALSO do them in the same way Jesus did them…
That is, we want to live do the ACTIONS of Christ will also living with the same ATTITUDE (notice, Paul said to let “this mind” be in you that was in C...2022-03-1610 min
LifeLiftDon't forget who you are (Presence #1)There are four facets to the LifeLift framework. The first two are—
👉 Identity (knowing who we really are), which was the subject of the previous 5 talks
👉 Presence (since we “live” Christ, as we learned in those five, developing an awareness of His presence is one of the best habits we can develop.
In this talk we shift from the first part of our framework to the second. We begin discussing what it means to live with an awareness of His presence.
The first concept related to this provides us a great segway fro...2022-03-0929 min
LifeLiftWhen people encounter you, they encounter God's presence & power (Identity #5)We concluded the previous talk with the assertion that we’re now “full” of the “fullness of Christ,” who was full with the very presence of the Godhead. This reality enables us to live His presence— and empowers us to walk in HIs power throughout this world, functioning at a level that exceeds our natural capacity.
In this talk, we make four observations as to what this means…
⭐️
Here’s our first observation:
✅ Christ being “formed” in us is bigger than having a moral compass or keeping a standard of rules.
That is, ou...2022-03-0236 min
LifeLiftYour stone has been rolled away (Identity #4)In the previous episode we discussed the reality that we’ve been “included” in every facet of Jesus’ life…
… including His death, His burial, and His resurrection.
That means that— in this life— we live a “resurrected life” rather than a pre-Cross life. Yes, we should be willing to “take up our Cross” and deny ourselves, but that’s only part of the story. The same power that raised Christ from the dead now lives in us (Romans 8:11).
⭐️
In this talk we outline— using 5 main ideas— what this means for us.
Here’s the first… 2022-02-2329 min
LifeLiftYou're part of it (Identity #3)Everyone wants to be included. In this talk we discuss how you were included— supernaturally— in every significant part of Jesus’ work on earth (and even some of His work in Heaven).
Here’s where we begin…
👉 Baptism is a picture of our eternal reality.
It might just “look” like a religious ritual, but there’s far more being signified by a person going “in and out” of the water than what you might have imagined.
Once we understand what baptism is, we readily grasp the next main point of our talk…
2022-01-2640 min
LifeLiftWho you really are (Identity #2)In this talk we pick up where we left off in the previous…
(Last episode = Jesus shows us what God is actually like. This episode = He shows us what we’re really like, too.)
Here’s the outline…
✅ The name change = Jesus declared who Peter is before we ever saw the evidence.
Jesus named Peter for who he was designed to be in the future, not how he acted in the past (or even the present).
It takes a while before Peter evidences “fruit” of what Jesus has deemed to be true...2022-01-1937 min
LifeLiftWhat Jesus actually came to do (Identity #1)One of the foundational concepts for understanding who you are is understanding who God is…
… and that entails grasping hold of what Jesus actually came to do.
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Four big ideas to listen for in this talk—
👉 No one had seen God, until Jesus came.
Some of the heroes of the faith encountered God throughout history in radical ways.
In Jesus, rather than remaining “unseen” or being seen “in disguise” or through a mediator, God was present as a human. He was one of us.
👉 Jesus isn’t...2022-01-1240 min
LifeLift98. EasyPaul encouraged us to not stray from the simplicity that is found in Christ (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
His thought was, well… we tend to make things infinitely more complex. We tend to move towards complex religious systems.
Jesus, on the other hand, came to make things easy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Moses received the Law- ten commandments which, in Hebrew, were expressed using only ten words (they have a far more economical language than we do).
613 more laws were then added to explain what those ten words meant. They had moral laws, civil laws, and reli...2021-12-1529 min
LifeLift97. Dream Big, Step SmallToday I step back and talk about one of the big takeaways from the recent Oolapalooza. Namely, we’ve got to—
👉 Dream big, then
👉 Step small
We often get these two backwards.
We overestimate what we can achieve in a day, yet we underestimate the power of our dreams— and the greatness that’s been placed inside of us.
So, here, we talk about what the dreams SHOULD be like…
… and how they should effect each area of your life…
… and how to set SMART goals…
2021-12-0835 min
LifeLiftDisconnect from Unhealthy Hindrances (The Freedom March #5 of 6)Issues arise when we attach our hearts, for any reason, to the wrong place. When we do, bad fruit always emerges. When we connect our hearts in the right way to the right things, beauty emerges.
(This is the third type of soul wound we discuss in this series— go back to lessons 3 & 4 for Triggers / PTSD and Guilt + Shame / Moral Injury.)
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Here are three main ideas to listen for…
1. The “fruit” we see in our lives is a result of the unseen “roots.” To grow better fruit you must nurture better roots.
2...2021-11-1221 min
LifeLiftFree of Guilt & Shame (The Freedom March #4 of 6)This talks leads us to the second of three types of soul wounds we discuss in this bonus podcast series, guilt and shame.
They’re a nasty tag-time that thrives in the dark— and, unfortunately, get lots of help from unhealthy people who spew at other people…
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Here’s this duo works—
We’re born with a moral compass— an internal rudder of right and wrong. When we violate our personal conscience, soul wounds can occur. Moral Injury, a soul wound akin to PTSD, is often the result. Rather than eliciting a fight or flight...2021-11-1226 min
LifeLiftLeave Your Baggage (The Freedom March #3 of 6)You don’t make it to adulthood without some baggage.
And, no, not all baggage is bad. Some of it’s just… well, baggage. Just like at the airport. Just stuff we carry around.
⭐️
Here's where the issue with bagage comes in, though...
We often mis-read events in the present through the lenses of the past. Triggers often create a response which would actually be appropriate in a different time and place. The un-health manifests when we react to a safe present as if it is an unsafe past.
Here are t...2021-11-1242 min
LifeLiftEverybody Hurts (The Freedom March #2 of 6)Everybody hurts.
I think the band REM actually sang it first, but we’ve all FELT it…
Some of us have even said it.
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Another bonus episode of the podcast…
The truth is that many of us face challenges, hard times...
In the same way we pause when we encounter physical pain, we should also stop when we experience emotional pain. This requires us to recognize that some wounds and scars aren’t visible— they’re invisible. Even though they remain unseen, they’re just as real.
Here are thr...2021-11-1232 min
LifeLiftThe Soul or the Spirit (The Freedom March #1 of 6)In this bonus episode of the podcast we introduce the Freedom March 5-Week Intensive…
… and we do so by talking about the difference between the Spirit (the part of us totally connected to God) and the soul (the part that causes all of our “issues”).
⭐️
Here’s what to listen for in the talk:
We each have a body, a soul, and a spirit. It’s easy to confuse the soul and the spirit, but distinguishing each from the other is essential to walk in total health.
Here are the three main poi...2021-11-1232 min
LifeLiftYou’ll Overcome It (The Freedom March #6 of 6)Jesus has been far more successful than you and I were taught— and what most of us have experienced.
⭐️
We’re all emotional.
Our feelings are a vital part of who we are. If we don’t find healthy ways to express our emotions they’ll “leak” in unhealthy ways.
⭐️
In this video we open Scripture and discover how soul health is part of the overall health Jesus offers us.
Here are three main points to listen for.
1. Redemption = freedom.
2. Jesus is our Redeemer, the One wh...2021-11-1129 min
LifeLift92. Emotional Wholeness is Part of Total Wholeness (Coaches Series #12, with Fanicy Hunter)Fanicy Hunter (pronounced like “fancy”) is a therapist AND a yoga instructor. She combines both, in the park, to empower people towards total wholeness…
I asked her how she came up with that combination, so she told me the back story.
“When I was a kid, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to teach dance or if I wanted to be a psychologist. This does both.”
No, there wasn’t a straight line from 9-year old kid, charting her life dream, to where Fanicy is today. As we often say, life is BOTH beautiful...2021-09-2946 min
LifeLift91. People are the most fantastic & frustrating things you'll ever meet (Coaches Series #11, w/ Mark Reid)Though he never left— by his own admission— his hometown while he was growing up (the annual church trip to Six Flags— less than 2 hours away— seemed liked a big trip), Mark now lives on the other side of the planet. In Japan.
But before that he’d already spread his wings and flapped around the globe, nesting in places as different from Centerpoint, Alabama (where we both grew up, outside of Birmingham) as Tuscaloosa (Roll Tide!), FSU, Vermont, and more…
Now, he’s in Japan— a place he first lived when he taught English years ago post-c...2021-09-2256 min
LifeLift90. Life coach Carol Peters found my book in a thrift store (Coaches Series #10)I met Carol Peters through a strange set of circumstances…
One day I received a message via Calendly, a Zoom request for a meeting. It was from Carol.
Carol is from Kenya. Turns out, he found my book (from an Advance event) in a thrift store in my hometown of Centerpoint, Alabama— outside of Birmingham.
“I followed the link listed in the front of the book,” he said, “and it took me to the Advance website. There, I saw the videos were free— entire workshops… free.”
He reached out to his friend Philip, w...2021-09-0828 min
LifeLift87. The cost— and payoff— of change (losing half your body-weight talk w/ Amanda Hicks, Coaches Series #9)My friend Amanda has pink hair… and has lost (almost) half her body weight in the past 2.5 years.
After a series of “no wins” in life, she looked at the person in the mirror. Though she couldn’t blame everything going on in her life on her, she could manage the person in that mirror— and take full responsibility for them.
“I began a diet plan that month,” she told me. “And I committed to sticking to it for just 30 days.”
That was it.
A lot of times people assume we’ve got to eat the en...2021-08-0454 min
LifeLift85. Live by design, not default (Oola 4 of 4)Oola is about finding balance— and growth— in the seven key areas of life (Fitness, Finance, Family, Faith, Field, Friends, & Fun), while living with less stress…
… so that we can live our purpose.
The digital framework uniquely bends to you— and then pushes you forward by providing you with curated videos and suggestions specifically for you.
The daily tracker— on an app— marks your progress, checks daily streaks, and provides built-in accountability (and celebration) for your progress…
🚌
In this video I talk you through the product itself…
👉 we discuss the 70...2021-07-2130 min
LifeLift84. Who you are is far greater than anything you’ve done (w/ Olympic Gold Medalist Bryan Clay), Oola 3 of 4 + Coaches Series #7Let me introduce you to Bryan Clay…
You’ve probably already SEEN him, but you may not know him.
Long before I met Bryan I saw a photo of him circulating the Internet— one where he was draped in the American flag, fresh off winning the Decathlon. That feat officially dubbed him, for that four year Olympic period, “World’s Greatest Athlete.”
But he’d already won— on some level— even before he had the title. Prior to the Olympics, Clay was tested by SPARQ to establish his SPARQ Rating across a number of different sport...2021-07-141h 00
LifeLift83. Where you are is where you must begin (Oola 2 of 4)In this talk I continue where I left off last week (see www.Jenkins.tv/blog/170), talking about the Oola story. My piece in it, anyway…
Right now, Oola is in the middle of a global launch. In fact, it’s HAPPENING the day this podcast airs— 7/7/2021.
The goal is to positively impact 1 BILLION (yes, with a “B”) over the next 7 years…
And, even though Beth + I have bought Into the vision (and invite you to join us), that’s not where it began for me…
🚌
About seven years ago I met Dav...2021-07-0744 min
LifeLift81. What we learned from a second shot at parenting (w/ Randy Pardue), Coaches Series #6My friend Randy Pardue is back on the podcast, and here’s why…
… as I decided to talk to a “family coach,” I knew I wanted to host someone who’s successfully navigated a blended family (that’s coming soon), as well as someone who is STILL married— decades later (and happily so)— to the first person with whom they fell in love…
Randy + Tammy have been married 42 years, and still date each other like most engaged couples. They truly adore each other, and would rather be with one another than anyone else in the world.
And th...2021-06-2334 min
LifeLift80. God isn’t finished writing your story (w/ Lance Gilliland), Coaches Series #5I invited friend Lance over to the #Hilltop to record a talk about faith and we got to chatting so quick I forgot to take notes…
(You can listen at www.Jenkins.tv/blog/168 or on your fav podcast provider.)
in this discussion, we move into the realm of faith-- and talk about Lance's story. Part of it anyway.
That leads us to a encounter from his childhood when he stole a handful of Jolly Ranchers, felt he’d gotten “left behind” in the rapture because of his disobedience, and then met grace…
… so...2021-06-161h 03
LifeLift79. I love you & I want you to be free (w/ Ingrid Cook), Coaches Series #4The first thing my friend Ingrid showed me as we began talking was her Bible— the one she had when she was 21. Inside, she wrote an inscription, something she believed God told her…
“I love you and I want you to be free.”
⭐️
Ingrid was around alcohol her entire life. Casually.
She tried it when she was 12— and immediately spit it out.
“That’s important,” she says, “because we learn that it’s an acquired taste. We don’t naturally like things which are harmful to our bodies.”
(The good n...2021-06-0940 min
LifeLift75. You can’t drive forward using a rearview mirror (Soul Wholeness #3)It’s impossible to ride a bike— at 20mph+ — while looking BACK over your shoulder.
Straight up, if you try it, you’ll crash 90% of the time.
Same is true in life.
It’s almost IMPOSSIBLE to live forward while constantly looking back over your shoulder.
Here’s what that observation has to do with soul health…
We’re designed to grow by exploring the world around us. But, we bump into painful experiences as we do. So, we create (often unconscious) rules to protect ourselves from future pain.
...2021-05-1234 min
LifeLift74. You were created to create something only you can create (w/ Brandon Lazarre), Coaches Series #2Brandon Lazarre is the founder of Your Purpose Coaching, and serves as a life coach with a unique angle towards helping you discover your specific design…
… that design, in turn, launches you into your purpose.
🏹🏹🏹🏹🏹
Brandon uses the analogy of an arrow— and says we’ve all been created, like arrows, differently than other arrows.
Some arrows…
🎯 Explode and cause a big “boom,” like Rambo.
🎯 Others are like those with which you hunt deer— they resemble a precise surgical scalpel.
🎯 Still others are more blunt— like practice arrows.
But they’re a...2021-05-0541 min
LifeLift73. You can have certainty of faith (w/ Randy Pardue), Coaches Series #1My friend Randy has been working on a book, Immerse, for the past few months. This one is all about finding confidence in your faith, by learning who you really are…
… that, in turn, provides you with certainty.
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
Randy and I began this conversation by talking about butterflies— and how a caterpillar enters a cocoon and emerges as something totally new— something so radically different that there’s no correlation between what was “before” and what is “after.”
So it is with us (2 Corinthians 5:17).
🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
That leads us to the first main idea of this discussion— faith...2021-04-2837 min
LifeLift72. I took a psych eval, because emotional health is as important as physical health (Soul Wholeness #2)Two of the joys we most crave— freedom from guilt & shame and authentic community— exist in the place which seems scariest, the light. Those who are willing to “go there” discover true freedom comes not in hiding, but in realizing there’s nothing more to cover-up.
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For years— probably a decade or more— I was told I needed to share my story with others.
“There’s power in it. And healing,” I was encouraged. “Your words will set people free.”
A family member felt certain that owning my story would set me free, too.2021-04-2134 min
LifeLift69. Revelation = Invitation (Redemption #7)God doesn’t simply reveal truth to you so that you can study it; He reveals Himself to be encountered and experienced.
When He shows you another facet of Himself (in this book or anywhere else!), He's inviting you to receive it. And, I guarantee, God is better experienced than merely explained.
Moreover, He invites you to receive it— in full— right then, in that moment. There’s no waiting, and He doesn’t give Himself in pieces (see John 3:34). He gives Himself— and His gifts— completely.’
We often think (because we’ve been taught) that...2021-01-0533 min
LifeLift68. To Achieve “Big,” Go Small (Life Planning #4)In the final talk in our Life Planning series we discuss time management— and the reality of tradeoffs.
🎳🎳🎳🎳🎳
We’ve got to be honest with ourselves; we can’t do everything.
And, a yes to one thing is most often a no to something else (and vice versa— a no now empowers us to say yes later).
We shouldn’t see this as restrictive, but as freeing…
… so freeing that we actually place things on our calendar.
You see, our calendar reflects our stewardship of our most valuable currency, time. In t...2020-12-2937 min
LifeLift67. The Law of the Harvest (Life Planning #3)Wherever we focus our time + energy will grow— for good or bad. So, it’s important that we focus on the things we want to grow.
In talk #3 we dive deep into the law of the harvest, that is, sowing and reaping. And, we see that it works in every area of life.
🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎
Sowing and reaping is a principle implemented on the 3rd day when the power of seed bearing plants were spoken forth by God (Genesis 1:11). You know the principle: like begets like based on something already inside the first of the “likes.”
Someho...2020-12-2227 min
LifeLift66. Your Private Soundtrack (Life Planning #2)In talk #2 of the Life Planning series we discuss the soundtrack which plays in our heads.
Who’s got a bad one, sometimes?
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And, who needs to change the story they tell themselves?
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Yeah— all of us at one point or another…
Here’s why…
👉 We’ll live from the story that’s playing there moreso than any other thing. Whereas many of us are quick to “shut up” someone who speaks against us, we need to learn to manage our own negative self-talk as well.
Read that ag...2020-12-1527 min
LifeLift65. Start Here (Life Planning #1)Many of us hate goal setting, but we know we should do it. That is, living with intentionality is better than “doing random” or just “going with the flow.”
🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️🤷♂️
But maybe there’s something about how we’re often taught to set goals that unsettles us moreso than the idea of goal setting itself.
In this 4-part series, we break it down and offer another way to look at things, empowering you to move from where you are to where you’re designed to be.
Here’s where we begin…
In talk #1 we learn that there’s a certain rhythm to Creation...2020-12-0829 min
Warrior HopeEmotional Health = Part of Total Health (Andy Jenkins)In this talk we discuss the importance of emotional health— as a component of overall health.
You see, we’re all multi-faceted people, having various parts to us.
1. Physical 2. Spiritual 3. Intellectual 4. Social / relational 5. Emotional
We readily identify with the first four- but maybe not the fifth.
And, we generally OWN and notice the OBVIOUS issue in any area with the exception of emotional issues.
Turns out, though, that you’re only as strong as the weakest link.
Look at it this way: a 20-link chain with 19 links can ca...2020-06-011h 01
Warrior HopeEmotional Health = Part of Total Health (Andy Jenkins)n this talk we discuss the importance of emotional health— as a component of overall health. You see, we’re all multi-faceted people, having various parts to us. 1. Physical 2. Spiritual 3. Intellectual 4. Social / relational 5. Emotional We readily identify with the first four- but maybe not the fifth. And, we generally OWN and notice the OBVIOUS issue in any area with the exception of emotional issues. Turns out, though, that you’re only as strong as the weakest link. Look at it this way: a 20-link...2020-06-0100 min
Warrior HopeEmotional Health = Part of Total Health (Andy Jenkins) | S1E7I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers…Those are the words of the apostle John, in the short letter he wrote to his church (see 3 John 2).He wanted them to prosper…… to gain…… in every area…… and in their health.And he assumed that the measure of health they experienced in the soul would be the gauge of how well those other areas went (I think).That means we should pay attention to the soul (whic...2020-06-011h 01Warrior HopeMoral Injury – A Deeper Look (Andy Jenkins)Continuing from our interview in the previous episode with General Mukoyama, we discuss Moral Injury- a close counterpart to PTSD that often looks like it and manifests symptoms in similar ways. Despite that cliche that if it “looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck… then it’s a duck,” when it comes to PTSD and Moral Injury, the two are different.
In this talk we take a deeper dive…
For more info, go to www.WarriorHope.com/blog/04
The post Moral Injury – A Deeper Look (Andy Jenkins) appeared firs...2020-03-2352 min
Warrior HopeMoral Injury - A Deeper Look (Andy Jenkins)Continuing from our interview in the previous episode with General Mukoyama, we discuss Moral Injury- a close counterpart to PTSD that often looks like it and manifests symptoms in similar ways. Despite that cliche that if it “looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck… then it’s a duck,” when it comes to PTSD and Moral Injury, the two are different. In this talk we take a deeper dive… For more info, go to www.WarriorHope.com/blog/04 2020-03-2300 min
Warrior HopeMoral Injury – A Deeper Look (Andy Jenkins) | S1E4In this talk we build on the previous two, so you may want to roll back to the discussion on PTSD if you haven’t been there yet…
Here, I discuss Moral Injury- a close counterpart to PTSD that often looks like it and manifests symptoms in similar ways. However, despite that cliche that if it “looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck… then it’s a duck,” when it comes to PTSD and Moral Injury, the two are different.
Turns out, if you treat someone for PTSD yet they have Mo...2020-03-2352 min
Warrior HopeIntro to PTSD (Andy Jenkins) | S1E2In episode 2 of the Warrior Hope podcast we talk about PTSD.
The reality is that most of us are not diagnosable with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. So, our goal isn’t to get a diagnosis. Rather, our goal is to talk honestly about the emotional hurts of the past— not matters how big or small they are— so that we can walk forward in greater degrees of health.
Many of us stuff our feelings— especially the feelings of hurt and pain.
The problem is… well… emotional hurts get dealt with. Turns out, we either handl...2020-03-0933 minWarrior HopeIntro to PTSD (Andy Jenkins)In episode 2 of the Warrior Hope podcast we talk about PTSD.
The reality is that most of us are not diagnosable with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. So, our goal isn’t to get a diagnosis. Rather, our goal is to talk honestly about the emotional hurts of the past— not matters how big or small they are— so that we can walk forward in greater degrees of health.
For more information, go to www.WarriorHope.com/blog/02
The post Intro to PTSD (Andy Jenkins) appeared first on Centers Of Hope.
2020-03-0933 min
LifeLift19. I Took the Psych Eval (Claim Your Freedom #1)Two of the joys we most crave— freedom from guilt & shame and authentic community— exist in the place which seems scariest, the light. Those who are willing to “go there” discover true freedom comes not in hiding, but in realizing there’s nothing more to cover-up.
++++
For years— probably a decade or more— I was told I needed to share my story with others.
“There’s power in it. And healing,” I was encouraged. “Your words will set people free.”
A family member felt certain that owning my story would set me free, too.2019-09-0333 min
LifeLift6. Living in Heaven, Walking on EarthThe Bible outlines a few contradictory things about us- things that we need to hold in tension.
First, everything that happened to Jesus has already happened to us. We were crucified with Him, we died with Him, and we were buried. We also arose with Him AND we’ve been seated with Him in Heaven.
That means that, right now, we’re “here” and “there” at the same time. This is our current experience.
Second, the Kingdom of God is a kingdom- not a democracy. It functions with rank, order, and spheres of authority. I k...2017-08-291h 13
LifeLift4. Health + HealingThere are two kinds of healing. At least.
This may sound strange- even in Heaven we'll choose health + healing.
(For definition purposes, I refer to "healing" as something God does AND "health" as something you do, OK? Just to keep the terms straight... Anyway...)
Think about it. Health + healing was available in the Garden of Eden AND we see the "leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations" in Heaven (see Genesis 1:29, Ezekiel 47:12, Revelation 22:2).
When Jesus walked the earth, He healed people in two ways. First, He performed mi...2017-07-2946 min
LifeLift3. No Faith RequiredJesus marvels at great faith, but a lack of faith never restrains Him.
Somebody told me this more than once: "If you don't have enough faith, Jesus can't move."
I've even seen this belief used to blame people for their own lack of healing, lack of provision, lack of other good thing their Heavenly Father is supposedly holding back from them.
Simply because they don't have enough belief?
Is faith really the most powerful force in He universe? Even stronger than the hand and bigger than the heart of God?
2017-07-2548 min
LifeLift2. The Blessing of AbrahamSomewhere, we bought the line that poverty is noble, that sickness is a blessing, and that Heaven is when things really start happening in our favor. Yet, a quick look at the Father of our faith shows us something radically different...
In fact, Paul writes that one of the reasons Christ redeemed us was "so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles..." (see Galatians 3:13-14).
What does the blessing include? Well…
*Health, vitality- see Genesis 12:14, Genesis 14:14f., Genesis 21:1f., Genesis 17:1f., Genesis 12:10, 20:1
*Financial, abundance- see Genes...2017-07-1843 min
LifeLift1. SozoSalvation isn’t just Jesus’ name (the name Jesus / Yeshua literally means “He saves”), it’s what He does. Furthermore, Jesus not only saves us FROM certain things, He also saves us TO an amazing life.
The word in the New Testament used for “save” is sozo (this part of the Bible was originally penned in Greek). That word means far more than being “saved” from sin, though. The word is used to denote-
*forgiveness of sin, guilt, and condemnation
*physical safety
*spiritual freedom / deliverance
*physical healing
*raising the dead
...2017-07-1551 min