The Why Behind The What

S.2 Episode 31 - Catching Your Breath with Steve Austin

While working as a pastor, Steve Austin, survived a suicide event after secretly suffering from mental illness, anxiety, and PTSD. However, a moment the ICU changed everything for him. He knew God wasn’t done with him yet. 

In this episode, Steve and I talk about this experience that brought him on a journey from deep depression through a long deconstruction of faith to a renewed love for the Divine. We also talk about how to be a Christian Agnostic, the importance of doubt, and the benefit of breathing. 

And, Steve reads us a section of his soon-to-be-released book, Slow Miracles. 

To learn more about Steve Austin, be sure to check out his website and follow him on Twitter.

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.

S.2 Episode 30 - The Deeply Formed Life with Rich Villodas

Rich Villodas speaks and writes about three of my favorite topics: contemplative spirituality, racial justice, and the art of preaching! I couldn’t wait to have him on this podcast.

In this, the 30th episode of The Why Behind the What, I interview Rich about his new book, The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformational Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus. We talk about his journey of discovering contemplative spirituality, how these transformational values can help us live a deep life instead of a shallow life, and how racial justice is an essential contemplative practice

If you want to learn more about Rich, be sure to check out his website and follow him on Twitter. If you’re in Queens and looking for a church community, I recommend you check out his church, New Life Fellowship. You can also stream services online.

Finally a few great resources Rich recommends in this episode are, Barbara Holmes’ Joy Unspeakable: Contemplative Practices of the Black Church and Henri Nouwen’s Out of Solitude and The Way of the Heart.

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.

S.2 Episode 29 - The Eternal Current with Aaron Niequist

What if the faith isn’t simply believing things about God, but practicing the way of God? What if faith isn’t knowing things about the Divine, but experiencing the Divine all around you? 

That’s what Aaron and I talk about in this episode. 

Aaron Niequist is a liturgist, writer, and pastor. He’s worked as a worship leader at Willow Creek Church and Mars Hill Bible Church. He’s also the creator of A New Liturgy, which is a collection of modern liturgical worship recordings as well as The Practice, which is a formational ecumenical practice-based community at Willow.

He’s the author of the book The Eternal Current: How a Practice-Based Faith Can Save Us from Drowning, and also a podcast by the same name. To learn more about Aaron, be sure to visit his website. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

A book Aaron mentions often in this episode is Dallas Willard’s The Divine Conspiracy.

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness. 

S.2 Episode 28 - Digital Dimensions of the Divine with Rev. Jim Keat

In this episode, I speak with a truly Creative Theologian, Rev. Jim Keat, Digital Minister at The Riverside Church in NYC, and the Director of Online Learning at the Convergence Network.

Jim is exploring the expansiveness of the spiritual life and the Divine through the digital. He thinks outside of the box, sure, but he’s leading us deeper into truth and reality.

We talk about being a digital minister, the freeing faith journey, we get a bit heretical, and talk about how breathing and running can center ourselves upon the Divine. 

His newest project is called Free and Simple, which chronicles his journey living in an airstream with his wife. Other known projects Jim created include, Be Still and Go, The Word Made Fresh, Thirty Seconds or Less, and many more. 

You can learn more about all his media projects, videos, podcasts, and content on his website: jimkeat.com. Be sure to follow him on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook at @IdeasDoneDaily.

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness. 

S.2 Episode 27 - Truth Bombs and Cheese with David Rice

Truth bombs and cheese. 

This has been the theme of so many of my conversations with David Rice. He is a pastor, practical theologian, former cheesemonger, chef, gardener, father, and husband. 

David is one of those guys who, when he speaks, you listen. He spoke incredible encouragement and truth bombs into my life and soul. 

In our conversation, we talk about spiritual formation, church, and cheese. Yep, cheese; my guess is you didn’t expect that one. 

You can learn more about David via his website and you can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. 

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.

S.2 Episode 26 - Spiritual Wandering with Traci Rhoades

In a time when so many Christians debate and argue, fight and exclude, Traci Rhoades is a loving voice of unity encouraging each of us to deeply love the Church instead of divide over our beliefs about the church.

In this episode of the podcast, Traci shares how she, as a small-town southern baptist, discovered and fell in love with liturgy, prayer beads, silence, the book of common prayer, and the broad church experiences of other traditions. She moved from not simply loving her particular faith tradition and church experience, but loving the Great Tradition, the historic church experience.

Traci just released a book called, Not All Who (Spiritually) Wander Are Lost. If you’re like me, a bit of a church mutt, not sure where you land or what church is your style, this might be a great resource for you. 

If you want more information on Traci, you can check out her website and blog. Also, be sure to connect with her on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest.

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.

S.2 Episode 25 - Reconnect with Ed Cyzewski

Is it possible to be less anxious? Can social media be a tool we use rather than a tool that uses us? And how can prayer calm our minds and help us discover the Love of the Divine?

These are just some of the topics I address in this episode with Ed Cysewski. Ed is a writer, editor, and author of multiple books. He blogs a lot on prayer and writing. 

Two of his books we talk about in this episode are: Flee, Be Silent, Pray: Ancient Prayers for Anxious Christians and Reconnect: Spiritual Restoration from Digital Distraction. You can follow Ed on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Be sure to subscribe to Ed’s newsletter to receive free content. 

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness. 

S.2 Episode 24 - The Shift with Colby Martin

What if faith is a dynamic evolving rather than a static arriving?

Well, it is. And, Colby Martin shares with us just what this means and how we can shift from a conservative understanding of Christianity to a progressive one and still find union with God and others. 

Colby is the author of Unclobber: Rethinking Our Misuse of the Bible on Homosexuality and The Shift: Surviving and Thriving After Moving from Conservative to Progressive Christianity. He also is the co-pastor, with his wife Kate, of Sojourn Grace Collective in San Diego, California as well as host the podcast, The Kate and Colby Show. You can learn more about all this on his website colbymartinonline.com. 

Be sure to follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram as well as get some free stuff on his website. 

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.

S.2 Episode 23 - Meditation with Yael Shy

In this episode, I have the chance to speak with Yael Shy, who I first met and heard speak at the National Association of College and University Chaplains Annual Conference. She spoke on rest as resistance and revolution, and after hearing it, I knew I needed to get her on this podcast.

Yael is the Senior Director of NYU’s Global Spiritual Life Center, Founder and Director of MindfulNYU, which is the largest campus-wide mindfulness initiative in the country, and the author of the book, What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond.

Yael shares how meditation has revolutionized her life, rekindled her faith, and allowed her the tools to manage anxiety and stress. She also guides us through a short meditation at the end of this episode. 

You can learn more about Yael on her website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Some resources Yael recommends in this episode are: Tea and Cake with Demons; The Way of Tenderness; Ten Percent Happier; and Journey Live.

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Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.

S.2 Episode 22 - A Yearly Contemplative Breakfast with Matt Nightingale

In this episode, I have the privilege of interviewing my friend and colleague, Matt Nightingale. 

Matt and I met probably twelve years ago thanks to Twitter and our friendship developed at a yearly conference we attended where it became our tradition of always having breakfast together. Our breakfast always ended up being hours of conversation and countless cups of coffee. 

Matt is a pastor, spiritual director, an educator, ted-talker, musician, father, and does great work surrounding spirituality and sexuality. He has a profound journey and his story is incredible. He has a TEDx talk with his former wife that shares part of his painful and redemptive story.  

Be sure to connect with Matt on his website. You can also follow him on  Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.

A few people and resources we mentioned in this podcast are: Steve Wiens, The Journey Center, Quest Novato, Eva Sullivan Knoff, Joanna Quintrell, The Christian Closet.

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Review this podcast on Apple Podcasts. If you need help, here's a quick tutorial video on how to review a podcast.

Music Credit:‘Creative Minds’ from www.bendsound.com. 

This podcast was written and created on Monacan Land. Learn more at native-land.ca

May you have peace, may you have calm, and may you have happiness.