Live Inspired Podcast with John O'Leary

My friends, yesterday we celebrated Easter. In the ultimate revelation of love, we rejoiced in the stunning victory over death. And it reminded me of all I had learned by attending three funerals a couple of weeks ago.   At the first funeral, I was reminded to live in such a way that I can die with no regrets. At the second, to endure the unfathomable heartache of loss with honesty, with patience, and with a heart opened to blessings in the midst of the storm. And at the third, that even in the midst of divisive times or at the end a long, successful life, that phone calls reminding others of their value matter to them. And speak volumes about the individuals choosing love.

Craig Groeschel, senior pastor of Life.Church and creator of the free YouVersion Bible App, shares his unlikely journey to discovering his faith and strategies for staying hopeful in challenging times. The podcast discusses the transformative power of small acts of kindness and faithfulness, the importance of hope in the face of darkness, creating a vision and living with intention, overcoming bitterness, balancing roles while raising six children, and the power of gratitude and hope.

"Dad, you're so lucky." I heard these words while preparing for a business trip. Recognizing the truth within them transformed the way I saw myself that day. Embracing the truth within them will elevate the way you view yourself today. Let me explain.

Rob Angel turned a simple idea and an outrageous dream into a cultural phenomenon. As a twenty-something year old waiting tables, Rob began his adventure in creating the remarkably successful and beloved board game Pictionary. Beating industry giants Milton Bradley and Mattel at their own game, Rob led Pictionary to selling a staggering 38 million (!!!) games in more than 60 countries. Today, Rob shares how his intuition, passion and persistence led to creating the legendary game and how unconventional tactics led to unexpected success. Yet, my friends, this conversation is about so much more than Pictionary being one of the bestselling board games of all time. It’s a roadmap to finding success on your own terms, the power of taking the first small step and embracing the challenges that lie ahead.

Growing up, my dream was clear. With absolute confidence, I not only knew that I’d play professional baseball, but that I’d play for my hometown St. Louis Cardinals. It was a certainty. Until that dream, and the inevitability of obtaining it, was extinguished upon my waking up from one of more than a dozen surgeries after being burned at age nine. With great sadness, my dad shared that during the surgery the doctors were forced to amputate my fingers in order to save my life. As we journey professionally and personally, we will never understand the miracle of life fully. Until we allow the unexpected to happen.

rowing up on the east side of Detroit next to a drug house, Martinus Evans had to fight his entire life. In his early 20s when he was faced with the choice “lose weight or die”, Martinus vowed to run a marathon (without realizing a marathon is over 26 miles!). Since then, Martinus has run eight marathons and hundreds of other races in his 300-something pound body,  been featured in Men’s Health and Runner’s World and created his own devoted community for those who feel intimidated about running. Today’s conversation is more than taking the next right step in believing in yourself. Join us on a journey of courage, determination, endurance and what it means to love ourselves unconditionally. And my friends, as we celebrate Martinus’ accomplishments, you’ll gain encouragement for what you can do in your own life.

“You missed it, Daddy.” Over 19 years of marriage, Beth and I have moved three times. With each home, we’ve been blessed to have a grand magnolia tree tower over our front yard. As a guy who travels a lot, I’ve been to Washington, DC, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. I’ve stared straight up in awe at the redwoods north of San Francisco. I’ve hiked through the Costa Rican rainforest, basked under Hawaiian palm trees, and heard the whispering magic of aspens in the mountains of Colorado. Yet my favorite tree remains the magnolia. And my favorite experience is playing with my family below one as it blossoms. Today, I share when I missed the entire show.

"If he were a horse, I'd shoot him." I’ll never forget the sting of hearing those words spoken about me by a physician who didn't see the hope and possibility in a 10-year-old boy hoping to regain the use of his hands. Weeks later, I found a very different, kind-heart, visionary physician: Dr. Carlos Pappalardo. One who looked into my heart when he spoke with me, treated me as a person, and masterfully blessed me with the ability to again use my hands. Earlier this week I learned that Dr. Carlos Pappalardo passed away at the age of 93. Today, I want to share four specific encounters with this man, how they each had a profound impact on my life and how we all can learn to live a meaningful, significant, servant-oriented, faithful and generous life.  

My friend, we all go through dark times. The good news is that your life matters, the foundation remains firm, better days are ahead and you are not alone. These aren’t platitudes, but transformational truth. You see, light is awesome. It shows us the way. It provides clarity. And yet, it is in enduring the darkness that permits us to actually see the stars and more fully appreciate the light.