Episodes
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This Christmas week, we talk a little about what we do not know and the goodness of our ignorance in our life with God.
The reflections in this series stem from my (re)launched book, The Practice of Remembering: Uncovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life.
I reference a poem by Wendell Berry, called Manifesto: Mad Farmer Liberation Front and a quote from Karl Barth that can be found in the book Watch For the Light: Readings for Advent and Christmas.
Music by Robert Ebbens
Podcast art by Broadleaf Books -
This week begins a limited series of reflections on Advent called “Advent Memories.”
In week 1, I offer a few thoughts about moments of wonder in my own life and how Advent is a time where we remember the wonders of the past so we can anticipate the wonders of Jesus yet to come.
The reflections stem from my (re)launched book, The Practice of Remembering: Uncovering the Place of Memories in Our Spiritual Life.
This is a reboot of my 2019 book, As I Recall, that won the 2020 Christianity Today Award of Merit in Spiritual Formation.
A new meditation will drop each week, and I believe they are wonderful companions to the book as well.
Photo by Laura Nyhuis on Unsplash
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Missing episodes?
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In this episode we talk with author Tasha Jun about growing up in a Korean-American family and finding belonging through faith, family, and community.
Tasha is a Korean American melancholy dreamer, wife, and mom, who grew up in a multicultural and biracial home. She's spent her life navigating liminal space. Writing has always been the way God has led her through the ache and towards the hope of shalom. Her debut book, Tell Me the Dream Again: Reflections on Family, and the Sacred Work of Belonging is available now, wherever books are sold. Find her at https://www.tashajun.com or sign up for her monthly notes at https://shalomsick.substack.com
You can find Tasha’s recent book here and you can also pre-order my re-released book, The Practice of Remembering: Uncovering the Place of Memories In Our Spiritual Life here.
Artwork by Broadleaf Books
Music by Robert Ebbens -
It has been 5 months since my last podcast (almost). What happened? Where have I been?
In this episode I talk about everything from book launches, family crises, health crises, and what happens when things don’t go like we think they will.
I refer to the wonderful podcast by Katherine May in this episode - you should probably go listen to her podcast first. It is extraordinary.
Music by Robert Ebbens
Podcast Art by Broadleaf Books -
NOTE: This week’s podcast features some significant language about human sexuality, sexual dysfunction, and sexual assault. Please listen with discernment.
We talk this week to author Sheila Wray Gregoire about her new book She Deserves Better: Teaching Girls To Resist Toxic Teaching on Sex, Self, and Speaking Up. (with Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach and Joanna Sawatsky). In the book, Sheila and the authors talk about empirical research regarding how the teachings of religious communities have harmed the sexual and social health of girls - but also how religious communities can be part of the solution for women and girls moving forward.
Sheila, Rebecca, and Joanna are also the authors of the best-selling book The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover what God intended, featuring one of the largest research projects on sexuality and Christian faith.
Sheila Wray Gregoire is the face behind BareMarrige.com, the largest single-blogger marriage blog. She's also an award-winning author of nine booksand a sought-after speaker. With her humorous, no-nonsense approach, Sheila is passionate about changing the evangelical conversation about sex and marriage to line up with kingdom principles. She lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband. They have two adult daughters and two grandbabies.
Music: Robert Ebbens
Cover Art: Broadleaf Books -
This week on the podcast I talk about how we look at former stages of our life & our faith and learn to bless what was good, but leave behind what we cannot take with us. Much of the content from today’s podcast is taken from my book The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality For Unsettled Seasons.
If you’d like a written version of this episode, you can find it on my blog.
Music: Robert Ebbens
Cover Art: Broadleaf Books -
In this episode we talk with writer, speaker, and gastronomist Kendall Vanderslice about food - specifically, how food connects to the greater story of our life and faith. Our conversation is drawn from her most recent book, On Bread Alone: A Baker’s Reflections on Hunger, Longing, and the Goodness of God.
You can find Kendall’s writing and her previous book We Will Feast here and you can also pick up a copy of my new book The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality for Unsettled Seasons here.
Music: Robert Ebbens
Cover Art: Broadleaf Books -
This episode celebrates LAUNCH DAY for my new book (and the namesake of this podcast), The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality For Unsettled Seasons. If you haven’t picked up a copy yet, you can get one here and here.
In this episode we talk about how books are meant to start things, to be beginnings, and I invite all of us to explore what the Divine may be starting with us in our restless seasons.
I also mention Neil Gaiman’s book Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change the World which is simply lovely.
Music: Robert Ebbens
Cover Art: Broadleaf Books -
Today we talk with author, activist, and professor Marlena Graves about our restlessness around belonging and how racism is, at the core, a spiritual formation issue.
Marlena received her M.Div. from Northeastern Seminary in Rochester, New York, where she is now the Assistant Professor of Spiritual Formation. She is pursuing her Ph.D. in American Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH.
Marlena has been on the pastoral staff at several churches, worked at non-profits, been on the residence life staff at a university, and worked for the Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC). Since 2015, she has been an adjunct professor at Winebrenner Seminary in the areas of discipleship and spiritual formation. She has written for a wide variety of venues like Christianity Today, RELEVANT magazine, and served as a board member for the Redbud Writers Guild.
She is the author of three books including Forty Days on Being a Nine, The Way Up Is Down, and The Gospel of Peace In A Violent World.
Her new book, Bearing God: A Christ-Formed Life In Uncharted Waters comes out on September 5, 2023 but you can pre-order here.
Music by Robert Ebbens
Next week – my new book The Gift of Restlessness launches into the world on April 25, 2023. There’s still time to pre-order and get in on some of the pre-order gifts.
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Today we talk with Jeff Crosby about the restlessness of needing to feel safe and how we listen to our longings in restless times.
Jeff is an organizational leader in the world of words, ideas, and book publishing. Currently president and CEO of a trade association of publishers, he has served in various executive roles, including as vice president at Ingram Book Company, and at IVP, a publisher in the Chicago area. He combines a background in journalism, leadership studies, and business with a love of language and insight from several fields in exploring faith and spirituality in light of applied practice. He and his wife of more than forty years, Cindy, have two grown children and six grandchildren.
His book, The Language of the Soul: Meeting God in the Longing Of Our Hearts comes out on May 23 and you can pre-order a copy here.
You can still pre-order a copy of The Gift of Restlessness - and get some free stuff - by following this link.
Cover art courtesy of Broadleaf Books
Music by Robert Ebbens -
On this episode of the podcast, I talk about attachment and belonging through the metaphor or making (and unmaking and remaking) our bed. Much thanks to Dr. Renita Weems for the illustration of making the bed, as quoted in Barbara Peacock’s book Soul Care In African-American Practice. (p. 78)
The content of this episode is inspired by Chapter 2 in my new book The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality for Unsettled Seasons. You can pre-order the book and then get some pre-order freebies here.
Music by Robert Ebbens
Artwork by Broadleaf Books -
In this episode, we talk with Sean Palmer about the Enneagram, forgiveness, and what it really looks like to live with a posture of forgiveness everyday.
Sean Palmer is the author of Speaking by the Numbers: Enneagram Wisdom for Teachers, Pastors, and Communicators(IVP 2022); 40 Days on Being a Three (Enneagram Daily Reflections), and Unarmed Empire (Cascade 2017). He is also the Teaching Pastor at Ecclesia Houston, one of America’s most innovative and vibrant multi-site churches, serving a predominance of Millennials and young adults.
Sean is a frequent guest on a range of podcasts and has been featured on National Public Radio. Sean is also a speaking and preaching coach, helping speakers conquer self-doubt, lack of clarity, and listener boredom through the craft of storytelling.
Sean and his wife, Rochelle, have been married for over 24-years and live in Houston, TX with their two teenage daughters.
Our conversation comes from content in the upcoming book, The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality For Unsettled Seasons. Pre-ordering is NOW available as are gifts for all pre-order customers - you can find more information here.
Music by Robert Ebbens
Artwork by Broadleaf Books -
Fair warning: this conversation will challenge what you know and believe about calling, vocation, and doing “what you love.”
In this podcast, we talk to musician, author, and coach Justin McRoberts about the question “What am I here for?” We talk about the restlessness that comes with searching out your purpose, and how sometimes leaving the thing you are “called” to will make you better for the Kingdom as a whole.
Justin McRoberts is the author of 6 books, including his most recent book, "Sacred Strides: The Journey To Belovedness Through Work and Rest.” He also coaches artists and ministers. Justin lives in Martinez, CA where he can often be found playing music with his 12yo son or wrestling with his 5yo daughter.
http://justinmcroberts.com
The book that started this conversation, The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality For Unsettled Seasons is currently available for PRE-ORDER. If you pre-order, I have some wonderful free stuff for you! You can find more information about pre-ordering and the free stuff here.
Podcast Music by Robert Ebbens
Artwork Courtesy of Broadleaf Books -
n this the first episode of a brand new podcast, I talk about where the book The Gift of Restlessness: A Spirituality For Unsettled Seasons came from and why I believe it is key to the transformation story of every human (spiritual) being on earth.
The book is currently available for PRE-ORDER and if you do that (or have already done it) you can sign up for some free stuff here.
Music for the podcast is provided by Robert Ebbens, whom you can hear more of here.
