The Connected Life

Throughout history people from all walks of life have believed that they could gain insight into their future, as well as others futures through one means or another. Many ancient texts are filled with prophecies regarding mankind. But what happens when we as humans have a direct relationship with an unconditionally loving Creator that wants to talk to us? In this episode Justin and Abi are joined by Pietze, Abi's best friend. They take a critical look at the role of prophecy in life, dating, and marriage, while exploring freedom of choice. They discuss the messiness of learning how to hear God's voice and how they posture themselves after years of trial and error. If it seems fascinating to hear about your life and your future from the one that created you, or you're trying to weed through past confusion in this area, this episode is a must.

For every bit of deconstruction of one's faith, there must be a reconstruction of something, otherwise the end result will only be demolition. In this episode Abi talks to Justin about the foundational tenants of his faith that guide his life after reconstructing what he spent years deconstructing. He shares the truths he now holds dear and why they're so valuable to him. Together they invite you to discover what your foundation will be when everything has been torn apart and put back together. If you're looking to build a life of faith that won't easily be shaken, this episode is a must!

The message often conveyed through religion is one of self-deprecation and unworthiness. A system of principles based on caring for others without regard for oneself leaves many people feeling broken, bitter, and burned out. Without a proper balance, people are bound to find themselves living a lifestyle of codependency and frustration or narcissism and elitism. In this episode Justin and Abi address the lack of self-love within the message of religion. They explore how this lack of love creates a sense of self-abandonment. They discuss ways to live a balanced spiritual life, founded in self-love, that results in other-centered, servant-hearted love. If you're needing a good detox from a belief system that minimizes the value of your life, this episode will help you find a healthy balance!

The journey to deconstruct one's faith can be filled with beauty and pitfalls. Some will find themselves reconstructing what was torn down, while others will leave their lives demolished and in disarray. In this episode, Abi and Justin explore their own seasons of deconstruction. They discuss the ways their personal experience with the process liberated them and the ways they made messes in the midst of it all. They highlight the vital importance of grace and humility necessary to healthily walk through this kind of passage, while looking candidly at the potential outcome of walking away bitter and resentful. If you're going through a hard season of faith, or you know someone who is, this episode is filled with hope, inspiration, and a roadmap to clarity!

As humans we were designed to be progressively growing, evolving, and maturing. The process for this to happen can often look messy and feel very disrupting, especially in relation to faith. In order to express a life of mature love, however, this journey is a must. In this episode Abi and Justin explore the six phases of faith with Australian author and poet, David Tensen. Together they begin tackling a cultural faith term that can have either scary or liberating connotations known as "deconstruction". They examine the necessity of questioning your beliefs and how the unavoidable life breakdowns are a natural phase of life meant to bring freedom, if we'll humble ourselves and embrace the invitation. If you've ever had a faith crisis, or been concerned about someone who has, this is a must listen to and share episode!

Like anything else, religion is filled with rules and ideologies that we adopt as the truth we should live by. If we spend enough time in any system, we will all eventually be faced with circumstances that invite us to question what we believe. In this episode, Justin and Abi talk about some of the key misconceptions about life that they learned from religion and how it affected them. They challenge systems of hiddenness and level the playing field for all humans. No matter what faith you ascribe to, this episode will cause you to question what you've been taught and invite you to discover what you really believe to be true about faith, life, and love.

For many, faith and mental health simply don't mix. People either have strong spiritual practices that lack practical understanding of the human condition or they lack any type of spirituality and their tools for self-help are their religion. In this episode Abi and Justin bridge the gap between faith and emotional health as they discuss the need for spiritual and practical answers to the human condition. Through a lens of compassion, they discuss the detrimental problems that arise when leaders of faith deny the much needed practical tools presented by the mental health community while addressing the need and power of a spiritual encounter. If you're looking to create a life that's full and well rounded this balanced conversation might just be the answer you're looking for.

Since the beginning of time, religion has been a universal thread throughout humanity. Though varying immensely in its expression from culture to culture, the sad but common bond of performance ties them all together. In this episode Justin and Abi use their Christian faith as the focus of dialogue to explore how all expressions of faith are built on a hierarchal structure. These structures are mankind's way of attempting to get to God, leaving those ascribing to this system judging themselves and others. If we are ever to find our way back to the arms of love that we came from, performance MUST be eradicated from our faith. If you've been burnt or burned out by religion, or you're looking for a more authentic way to express your faith, this episode is a must.

Faith can be a touchy subject for many people. For some, faith is what miraculously saved them from their deepest darkness. For others, it's the source of some of their greatest pain. Faith is an undeniable part of the general human experience, which is all the more reason to explore it. In this conversation starting episode Abi and Justin dive into their personal histories with faith as the foundation to a larger dialogue they'll be exploring in the coming months. They share how they came to have a relationship with their Creator and how that journey was, and is, filled with confusion and mystery. If you've ever had a battle with faith, disappointment, humanity, and God, this on-going conversation might just heal something inside of you, or fuel the fire for even greater faith experiences in your journey.

In today's society, the moral compass regarding pornography points in many directions. In a world that has become progressively sexualized, the normalization and acceptance of pornography is at an all time high. With so many varying opinions on the matter, who's to say what is really right or wrong about pornography? In this sobering episode, Justin and Abi are joined by their close friend and filmmaker, Benji Nolot. Benji shines a light on the real world of pornography as he shares his story of going behind the scenes and documenting firsthand the experiences of those producing and performing. He breaks down the devastating affects to those involved in the creation of it as well as the viewing of it. This may be one of the most powerful episodes The Connected Life has ever recorded and no matter what your stance, or experience with porn, this is a must listen to and SHARE episode. Listen now and join the revolution to help liberate an enslaved world and restore innocence to humanity.