The God Journey

"To turn boys into men, we teach them to disconnect from vulnerability, from their feelings, from others. The consequence of a disconnected boy is a disconnected man." So says Terry Real, therapist and author who specializes in helping boys and men who struggle to find connection in a world where few men model healthy relationships. He was interviewed on a podcast that Kyle and Wayne both listened to and wanted to share the nuggets they gleaned from it. Intimacy comes from vulnerability, and when men only learn how to act out of anger and aggression, they do tremendous damage to themselves and others. They miss out on the gift of life, which is relational joy with their spouse and others. Podcast Notes: The video of this podcast. NY Times Podcast with Terry Real Help Needed Again in Kenya The post Masculinity Without Domination (#990) first appeared on The God Journey.

As Wayne and Sara celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, Kyle has a lot of questions to ask about their journey in marriage when he is 13 years into his. In this two-part conversation, they discuss how marriage evolves over the course of decades, either moving toward greater frustration or to mutual fulfillment. They cover a broad swath of marital issues, including commitment, faithfulness, sexual play, control, finances, getting help from a third party, and making room for the other to change in ways that might be challenging. Learning to love someone over a lifetime in a relationship of mutual love and self-sacrifice is one of the greatest gifts God makes available to our human experience. Podcast Notes: The video of this podcast. Get Wayne's newest book, It's Time! The post Finding Our Way to Us, Part 2 (#989) first appeared on The God Journey.

As Wayne and Sara go off to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, Kyle has a lot of questions to ask about their journey in marriage when he is 13 years into his. In this two-part conversation, they discuss how marriage evolves over the course of decades, either moving toward greater frustration or to mutual fulfillment. They cover a broad swath of marital issues, including commitment, faithfulness, sexual play, control, finances, getting help from a third party, and making room for the other to change in ways that might be challenging. Learning to love someone over a lifetime in a relationship of mutual love and self-sacrifice is one of the greatest gifts God makes available to our human experience. Podcast Notes: The video of this podcast. Get Wayne's newest book, It's Time! The post Finding Our Way to Us (#988) first appeared on The God Journey.

Friendships can change unexpectedly, leaving you feeling uneasy. The discussion highlights seven signs that might indicate it's time to end a friendship. The speakers share personal stories on the value of authentic relationships versus superficial connections. They emphasize the importance of being present and recognizing unhealthy dynamics in friendships. Additionally, they reflect on the emotional toll that obligated relationships, such as those in workplaces or religious settings, can exert. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to prioritize genuine connections.

The podcast dives into the recent funeral of Pope Francis, sparking discussions on the stark contrast between Jesus' authentic ministry and the opulent traditions of the Catholic Church. The hosts reflect on the evolution of faith within institutional frameworks. They question how sincere believers can navigate these complexities while fostering genuine connections. Additionally, the conversation touches on the transformative power of focusing on divine love and community service, challenging the status quo of modern spirituality.

Since Kyle was unavailable this week due to sickness, Wayne dives solo into the mailbag to share observations and questions from listeners that have built over the months. Thus, it is impossible to put a theme on this podcast since we get to cover a wide range of topics from our listeners, including dealing with abusive people, finding our true identity apart from sin and law, how God experiences our pain, whether God is vengeful, and praying for our country in these turbulent times. Podcast Notes: Sorry, there was no video for this podcast. Get Wayne's newest book, It's Time! The post Abusive People, Identity, and God’s Pain (#985) first appeared on The God Journey.

"Redemption has always cost someone something."  That text from a friend sent Wayne on a journey of discovery of the difference between the nature of love and the nature of darkness, and he invites Kyle to share it with him. Evil always takes something it doesn't deserve to cause pain for someone else. Love gives something another does not deserve, even at significant personal cost, and bears the pain that others are experiencing. Love and Life can only be offered; they can never be forced, neither in giving love nor receiving it. They also talk about making room for growth in others when the status quo is based on their bondage, not freedom. Podcast Notes: The video recording of this podcast.  (New FB policy only preserves this link for the first 30 days after the recording date.) Living Beyond Our Transformation podcast that Wayne referred to in this one. Get Wayne's newest book, It's Time! The post You Cannot Force Love (#984) first appeared on The God Journey.

Kyle and Wayne have been listening to The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, a podcast by Christianity Today about the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and 1990s. This spawns a conversation about spiritual warfare and how easily our fears can be manipulated to compromise truth. Our preoccupation with the forces of evil, especially in a fearful state, will do more harm than good. They both share their experiences, questioning what was real and effective and what now seems like a waste of time and spiritual passion. Evil seeks to delight us with something so engaging that we can't see where it will lead us until we're caught in its trap. That's why God invites us to engage him out of trust where we can see more clearly. Podcast Notes: The video recording of this podcast.  (New FB policy only preserves this link for the first 30 days after the recording date.) Poem by Benjamin Cremer The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea podcast Get Wayne's newest book, It's Time! The post The Satanic Panic (#983) first appeared on The God Journey.

When pushed to the extreme, how do you know when to listen to your body warning you to stop, and when do you persevere through it? Sara Jacobsen joins Kyle and Wayne for a conversation about recovery from trauma and how to honor the healing process. Sara and Kyle were taught not to listen to subconscious warnings and to continue to please the demands of others to their own detriment. They are learning to recognize stress signals and the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding their response to difficult situations. Developing self-awareness and the ability to respond appropriately to emotional cues is an ongoing process that requires self-compassion and patience. At the end of this podcast, Sara shares what she has learned from the past three years dealing with her childhood trauma and the freedom God's Spirit is sowing into her life. Podcast Notes: The video recording of this podcast.  (New FB policy only preserves this link for the first 30 days after the recording date.) Sara's statement of growing freedom: "Understanding why and how my belief system was formed helps me feel compassion for myself. It gives me the capacity to have patience when I struggle to create new neural pathways. It gives me the strength once again to endure and face deep emotional feelings from abusers. It gives me courage to stand up against the evil done towards me. It awakens me to see what was stolen from me in my formative years. It gives me a glimpse of hope during my internal fight. It opens my eyes a little more to the wrong I endured. It releases me from condemnation heaped upon me. It allows me to speak up and say it wasn’t my fault; I’m not the bad person here. They are. It frees me a to realize I was victimized and not responsible for any of it. It shows me how strong I am to endure so much and survive. It acknowledges my goodness as a human being. It helps to discount the abusers’ words about me. I’m not who they say I was." Get Wayne's newest book, It's Time! The post Listening to Your Body (#982) first appeared on The God Journey.

"Power does strange things to people," say recent studies. "Like alcohol, (it) has a tangible effect on the brain."  Holding power over others actually rewires the brain to give them less empathy and respect for others. Is that why Jesus told his followers that while the world assumes authority over others, it isn't so in his kingdom? Kyle and Wayne discuss power distribution in hierarchical systems and why it almost always leads to abuse, indulgence, and corruption. Podcast Notes: The video recording of this podcast.  (New FB policy only preserves this link for the first 30 days after the recording date.) Sorry, but the Science BBC Report on Drunk with Power is not currently available on the web The Roys Report:  Honor Culture and How to Control the Masses Get Wayne's newest book, It's Time! The post What Power Will Do To You (#981) first appeared on The God Journey.