When We Walk

Consumer culture has infected the air we breathe.In this episode, Micah and Shireen talk about the constant want for the newest and next best thing. Many of us have begun shaping a new lifestyle based on desires over needs. All of this connects with greed in the human heart. As a result, materialism has become the new dominant system of identity. By asking: “why am I doing what I’m doing and is this the wise way to live?” it allows us to bring our desires to God and to ask Him instead of doing just what we want. Being open-handed about materialistic things and smart about what you are digitally feeding into creates room for simplicity and generosity in our lives.As you listen to this podcast, reflect on these questions:How do we avoid finding our identity, fulfillment, and status in what we own? Where are you most vulnerable to the world around you influencing you? What is it feeding in your life?

In this episode, Micah and Shireen talk about the complicated, confusing, and challenging topic: Parenting.Things you do as a parent that have worked before, may need to change. Adaptability is one of the most important qualities for a parent to have as their children get older. God has created a world that naturally teaches us to be wise through the natural consequences to our actions. But how do you do that with a five year old? We want to save our children from pain, but that isn’t really how God parents us. Allowing mistakes, focusing on wisdom, and navigating failures demonstrates that we have agency and we can listen to His wisdom or stray from it.As you listen to this podcast, reflect on these questions:Where does wisdom fit in your strategic approach to parenting? What's the one thing you'd want to teach your kids? How can you adapt to the new season your kids are entering?

Micah shares a time he was caught off guard by a challenging question asked by one of his kids in public. Often times, we question if we know enough to answer the hard questions.In this episode, Micah and Shireen discuss our original design and natural responsibility to value life. By understanding that it is ultimately a heart issue over a political stance, we can then focus on effective ways to help mothers and children within our communities. God has tasked us to embrace these families as a church by acting as the hands and feet of Jesus. The end goal isn’t a particular law or candidate because God is bigger than that. Yet we must still be wise with the influence we do hold.As you listen to this podcast, reflect on these questions:How can we care for mothers and children? How can I talk well about these topics? How do I embody conviction and compassion?

The desire for happiness is part of our makeup and design. Where we go wrong, are the things that make us happy.Our culture has twisted the true meaning of a fulfilling and enjoyable life. Many followers of Jesus believe that they are deserving of certain things because God “wants us to be happy”. However, scripture defines true joy as suffrage on earth. Micah and Shireen explain that by choosing to follow Jesus in a culture that will condemn you and turn on you, you will need to understand what it means.They discuss that when you choose to redefine joy, it won't always feel like a sacrifice. It's what we were originally designed for, and will instead become the desire of your heart. There is a deep-seeded joy and long-lasting happiness available to you.As you listen to this podcast, reflect on these questions: How do you currently define happiness? Where are you finding your joy? Are you ready to suffer?

Everyone has an initial emotional response to their algorithm, the difficult part comes down to how you react.In this episode, Micah and Shireen discuss a heated topic: Harrison Butler’s commencement speech. They remind us that responses can change with context and urge their listeners to listen to the entire speech before choosing to cancel or celebrate Butler. In today’s culture, people are forced to pick a side, and once you pick, you dare not criticize it; however, there is a credibility that comes when you can challenge your own party. Overall, his speech has sparked an important conversation about the next generation that Micah and Shireen dive into.Before you pick your side, are you willing to say “my own team doesn’t always do everything right”?As you listen to this podcast, reflect on these questions: What is the biggest calling in your life? What is becoming your idol? Are you feeding in to cancel culture?

Micah and Shireen discuss a sensitive topic for many: getting older.But this sparks the question: is getting older “in” again?In this Episode, Micah and Shireen challenge the idea that new is always better. In a culture where we want to stay young, hip, and relevant, we don’t value getting old. Instead of creating new language, what if we go back to the very beginning? They reflect on the early church and its purest form before cultural movements worked their way into the church. The best place to root our faith is in what was first planted.As you listen to this podcast, reflect on these questions:How do we navigate an increasingly spiritually confused world? How do we stay grounded as a church? How do we incorporate early spiritual practices in our lives?

We love the redemption stories but we don’t always understand the work it takes to get there.Micah and Shireen reflect on the first big fights in their relationship. This sparks the conversation about how conflict resolution has quickly lost value as people tend to prioritize standing their ground over finding peace and reconciliation. Micah highlights that though Jesus was a man of conviction, He was also a man of compassion. We often forget how Jesus Himself walked in a politically hostile environment. But how did He go about things?As you listen to this podcast, ask yourself these questions:Are there any relationships in your life with active conflict? How can you resolve it? Can you have strong convictions and not let it lead you to strong devices?

Micah kicks off this episode by asking Shireen a big question: "what would her life look like today if they'd never met?" This then leads them to discuss singleness and how the church has made marriage the finish line and seen singleness as something to "fix". They offer a different perspective based on Paul's statements that elevate singleness to the same level as marriage. They share from their experiences, practical ways to bridge the relational gaps we find in our lives that will actually produce a more fulfilling life.After this episode, consider the following:How can your relational status can be a gift to the world? If you're married, how can your marriage be a gift to those around you? If you're a parent, how can your parenting be a gift to the world? If you're single, how can your singleness be a gift to the world?

At the recording of this podcast, Micah and Shireen have just returned from visiting Lifegate's three campuses in Serbia. They talk about the perspective shift that happens when you begin to see how God is moving in our world and the differences in cultures and worldviews. Experiencing life outside of our American context opens our eyes to how much bigger God is than we previously thought. We also discover that some of our long-held "Christian" ideas may actually have more to do with our culture than Jesus.Compression socks, communism, honor-shame societies, gen Z and DVT are some of the topics covered in this fascinating episode.

This week Micah and Shireen approach a topic that causes tears, fights, distance, joy and pleasure: trips.When it comes to trips, Micah and Shireen couldn't have grown up in more different of families. They both share their experiences with traveling while growing up - from miserable drudgery to creating core family memories of fun. Discover the secrets to successful trips through the stories they share and the hidden benefits they've found along the way. Some questions as you finish this episode:Where do trips fit in my life? Do I value them? What do those I'm in community with think about trips? What's my next trip and who am I going with?