thrivingbeyondbelief

Today on the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast, Tod Jacobs and Peter Lynn from Not a Partnership!

Beyond being a typical collaboration between two authors or scholars, this book represents the culmination of more than fifteen years of work that Tod and Peter have done together in the area of marriage. The students of the institute they lead have provided a living laboratory for how to prepare for marriage, face and ultimately overcome its classic and idiosyncratic challenges.

The pair’s primary objective with their students as they head towards marriage is to help them focus both on developing a mature and idealistic vision of marriage as the primary vehicle to create wholeness, meaning, purpose and happiness in their lives, and on working to perfect the character issues that lie at the core of a successful spouse — giving, empathy, focus, staying power and a strong desire to help build the other.

Their work combines practical and mystical Jewish wisdom with modern theory and techniques, and with experience accrued through years of real world implementation and practice. Their unique but differing backgrounds and accomplishments broaden the impact of their work and partnership still further.

About the Authors:

Tod Jacobs

Tod Jacobs is Director of the David Robinson Institute for Jewish Heritage in Jerusalem, which he co-founded in 2005. Prior to his current role teaching and counseling his students and alumni, he enjoyed a distinguished career on Wall Street as one of the leading authorities on the telecommunications industry globally. As a managing director at JP Morgan and before that a partner at Sanford C. Bernstein and Company, Tod acted as a frequent commentator on network television and in leading newspapers and magazines, and testified several times before the U.S. Congress as an expert on telecom and media issues. His credits in print and broadcast journalism, where he worked prior to Wall Street, include nominations for both the Pulitzer Prize for investigative journalism and the Emmy Award. Tod lives in Jerusalem with his family.

Dr. Peter Lynn

Peter Lynn has served as Dean of Students at the David Robinson Institute for Jewish Heritage since its inception. An MA in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania and a PsyD in Human and Organizational Psychology, Peter lectures at Touro College in Jerusalem. He is also the Founder and Director of Greatness Within Seminars, where he helps empower individuals and organizations through the application of Positive Psychology. An accomplished athlete and Ironman finisher, Peter was captain of the U.S. World Duathlon Team. Peter lives in Jerusalem with his family.

Visit: Not A Partnership

Today on the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast, Kayla Stocklein!

Widow of Megachurch Pastor Leaves Breadcrumbs of Hope for Those Lost in the Wilderness of Mental Illness in New Book Kayla Stoecklein Shares the Journey that Led to Her Husband’s Suicide, Encourages Others to Be a Safe Space for Those Struggling in ‘Fear Gone Wild.'

“It’s crucial we approach this message as both a love story full of life and a tragedy full of loss at the same time. When we leave room for both/and in another person’s story, we start to leave space in our own life for both sorrow and celebration to coexist.” – Foreword by NYT Bestselling author Lysa TerKeurst

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 23, 2020— On August 25, 2018, Kayla Stoecklein lost her husband Andrew—megachurch pastor of Inland Hills Church in Chino, California—to suicide. In the wake of her overwhelming tragedy, she embarked on a brave journey to better understand Andrew’s harrowing battle with mental illness and, ultimately,
to overcome the stigma of suicide.

She intimately retells all that led to that tragic day, her journey to better understand, and the light she has found in the darkness, all in hopes of better equipping those who find themselves walking a similar path.

“From the very first letter I wrote to him just a few days after he went home to heaven, I knew there would be deep purpose in my pain,” writes Stoecklein. “God was planting a burning message inside of my heart as he intricately used our story as a lifeline of hope for others.” In just 10 short months, what started as occasional panic attacks quickly morphed into frequent, severe attacks, and then into a deep, full-fledged battle with depression. Kayla watched as her strong, lively husband went from a passionate pastor and doting father to an empty, bleak shadow of himself. The battle Andrew faced was a deadly
combination of mental illness and spiritual warfare, and on Aug. 25, 2018, he ended the battle by taking his life.

Because Andrew had planned to be open about his depression, Kayla became an open book about his suicide and has found a renewed purpose in providing hope to others lost in the all-too-familiar wilderness of grief and mental illness. Since Andrew’s death, she has written in real time about her grief on God’s God This, a blog Andrew started as his father was dying, and on her Instagram account.

About the Author:

Kayla Stoecklein is an advocate for those confronting mental illness. When she isn’t busy raising her three young boys, you can find her on the beach, sipping an iced coffee and searching for little glimpses of heaven on earth.

Today on the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast, Laura Smith!

In the new book, How Sweet the Sound: The Power and Promise of 30 Beloved Hymns from Our Daily Bread Publishing, author Laura Smith takes a fresh look at 30 classic hymns, sharing warm devotional stories and making meaningful connections between these songs of the past and our twenty-first century lives.

Do you miss listening to the sweet harmonies of hymns being sung in church? Do you recall precious life memories when a specific hymn encouraged your heart? Hymns will forever be God’s music packed with truth, redemption, and joy, no matter how the times or culture change. There is a reason they still speak to us, generation after generation. How Sweet the Sound marries the past with the present by showing how hymns unite, restore, and re-center God’s children.

Each chapter includes the lyrics to a favorite hymn, an interesting modern-day story of how that hymn continues to impact lives, and questions for contemplation. These stories will appeal to those who grew up in church singing from a hymnal, as well as a new generation seeking truth put to music. You’ll enjoy hearing the stories of how hymns have affected other people’s lives as you remember how the hymns you treasure have affected yours.

About the Author:
Laura L. Smith is a music lover. She grew up singing old hymns in her traditional church, then rushing home to count down the rest of the Top 40 on Billboard’s music charts with Casey Kasem. A best-selling author, Smith speaks around the country sharing the love of Christ with women at conferences and events. She lives in the college town of Oxford, Ohio, with her husband and four kids.

Please welcome John Mark Comer to the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast this week talking about our world of HURRY and how we can eliminate it!!

Our worst moments tend to happen when we are in a hurry—late for an appointment, behind on our to-do list, cramming too much in our day. It occurs when we’re trying constantly to do more, creating a bone-deep tiredness not just in our minds or bodies but deep in our souls. In short, hurry doesn’t just make us weary. It is the great enemy of our spiritual life.

Author and pastor John Mark Comer proposes that the solution to being fully present to God, others, and our own hearts is found simply by following the unhurried way of Jesus. He explains, “Jesus invites all of us to take up the ‘easy’ yoke. He has—on offer to all—an easy way to shoulder the weight of life with his triumvirate of love, joy, and peace.”

Comer’s journey to discovering the life-changing remedy of slowing down began while he was pastoring a successful megachurch with six services each Sunday, a marathon lifestyle which left him feeling burnt out and detached from those around him. In a moment of desperation, he asked his mentor, John Ortberg, for advice. The response he received was the same as what philosopher and Christian spiritual formation teacher Dallas Willard had given to Ortberg years before: “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. There is nothing else.”

As Comer put this simple truth into practice in his own life, he experienced radical renewal in his mental, spiritual, and emotional well-being. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry describes his transformation and offers hope amidst the toxicity in our fast-paced, modern world.

In a casual, conversational tone, he presents a poignant message: “This is an invitation—for all the tired, the burned out, the stressed, all those stuck in traffic and behind on their to-do list….If you want to experience the life of Jesus, you have to adopt the lifestyle of Jesus.”

John Mark Comer lives, works, and writes in the urban core of Portland, Oregon. He is the pastor for teaching and vision at Bridgetown Church. Prior to that, he was lead pastor of a suburban megachurch. He has a master’s degree from Western Seminary and is the author of Loveology, Garden City, and God Has a Name. John Mark lives in Portland with his wife, Tammy, and their three children.

Today on the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast, Alli Worthington!

Alli is like many of us – a woman following her calling in ministry, work, and family – who found herself at a spiritual crossroads. God called her into something new, but she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to say yes. Standing Strong delivers a wealth of practical tips and Godly wisdom that will leave you encouraged to follow the dream God has planted in your heart.

You are enough” is a well-intentioned, encouraging message preached to overwhelmed, burnt-out women. Bestselling author Alli Worthington used to be one of them, but when faced with adversity, found herself searching for more. Being enough was no longer enough.

In her new book Standing Strong: A Woman’s Guide to Overcoming Adversity and Living with Confidence (Zondervan, September 2020), Alli encourages women to draw strength from their God-given identities, to overcome the obstacles that keep them from reaching their full potential and living out their dreams, and to walk confidently in the direction of their calling. With God, they are more than enough.

“God has made you strong, with the ability to survive anything that comes your way,” writes Alli. “Even when you feel weak and overwhelmed, you’re stronger thank you think. There is a strength within you that passes human understanding.”

Alli found herself at a spiritual crossroads—the Lord was calling her to step away from her comfort zone and into something new, but she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to say yes. What if everything fell apart? Why should she have to leave something she loved?

Alli is available for interviews and can speak to:

• A life-changing partnership: saying “yes & Amen” to God
• How to break through the 6 common roadblocks that hold women back
• Why self-empowerment can be just as crippling as self-doubt
• What you need to know about your inner critic
• The surprising secret to confidence
• What to do when you feel unsupported in achieving your goals
• How to become unshakable in the face of adversity
• The 5-Second Secret to push past self-doubt
• 6 keys to stepping into the future with strength

“Your calling won’t look like anyone else’s, ever. God chose you. He made you exactly who you are. He set your life in motion. He put you here on this Earth right here, right now because He wants you to partner with Him, and He has something special that only you can do in His kingdom.”

Alli Worthington is known for her straight-talking encouragement and practical tools that help women reach their dreams in business and life. She’s a business coach and co-founder of Called Creatives, where she coaches writers and speakers.

Author of The Year of Living Happy, Fierce Faith, and Breaking Busy, Alli is a well-known speaker and host of the popular podcast, The Alli Worthington Show. Her no-nonsense, guilt-free take on business, family, and balance have led to appearances on TODAY and Good Morning America. Alli lives with her husband, Mark, and their five sons outside of Nashville with the only golden retriever who refuses to retrieve.

Today on the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast, Dawn Barton!

Dawn Barton has endured more pain and heartache in her lifetime than Hallmark can fit into a single movie: the loss of a child, divorce, cancer, rape, near-death of her mother from a brain aneurism, the death of her only sibling, and her husband’s substance abuse.

But because she experienced such incredible pain, she also knows incredible joy… so much so, this sassy southerner refers to herself as a "Joyologist.”

In her new book, Laughing Through the Ugly Cry:… and Finding Unstoppable Joy, Dawn shares her powerful journey to find hope, joy, and laughter in the midst of even the most unfathomable circumstances. And though her trials were heavy, her words are light—laced with the humor and perspective that keep you laughing, no matter what.

“Even in the face of all the things you can’t control – the announcements, the diagnosis, the calls you hoped you’d never get – there’s something you do get to control,” writes Dawn. “Choose to look for joy in the small spaces between fear and confusion, and make that the moral of your story.”

Dawn knows the adversity she’s experienced has enabled her to experience joy in a more profound and vibrant way. Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is a beautiful book that will encourage anyone facing difficulty to do so with humor and faith, and to mindfully seek joy no matter how bleak circumstances may appear.

“Finding joy in your life does not mean you walk around in a perpetual state of skipping and laughing. It doesn’t mean you are grinning and waving to every single passerby, although that would be fun. It means when you are sitting in the pain, you can take a deep breath and smile because you have one more breath to live.”

Today on the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast is musical artist, Banning Liebscher!

Banning Liebscher is on staff at Bethel Church in Redding, California. He and his wife, SeaJay, are the directors of Jesus Culture, a ministry dedicated to mobilizing, equipping, activating, and sending a new breed of revivalists worldwide.

Related Links:

• WEBSITE: Leadership.JesusCultureSchool.com
• INSTAGRAM: @thebanning
• TWITTER: @thebanning
• FACEBOOK: /thebanningpage

Today on the Thriving Belief Podcast, on mother/daughter relationships, Dr. Helen McIntosh and Blythe Daniel.

Are You Struggling with a Difficult Mother-Daughter Relationship?
Dr. Helen McIntosh and Daughter, Blythe Daniel, Provide Tools
to Help You Restore What Needs Mended!

Relationships between mothers and daughters can be messy and hurtful. Dr. Helen McIntosh understands the uncertainty of a strained relationship and the scars that can develop. Raised by a mother who battled anxiety, anger, and alcoholism, Helen struggled to understand her mom’s verbal abuse, thinking something was wrong with her.

Years later, after becoming a Doctor of Counseling Psychology, Helen recognized she did the best she could with what she knew about her mother. She had a deep desire to help other women hurt by their mother-daughter relationship and to raise her daughter Blythe differently by maintaining a good relationship with her.

Today on the Thriving Belief Podcast, we have Jen Fulwiler!

About Jennifer:
When SiriusXM radio host Jennifer Fulwiler decided she wanted to seriously pursue stand-up comedy, she repeatedly heard there wasn’t a place for a minivan driving, female comic with six kids. But Fulwiler wasn’t going to let anyone stand in her way. After countless open mic-nights, she self-produced a comedy tour, using her personal credit card to secure venues. Tickets sales were explosive with many shows selling out in hours. And she’s doing it again this year!

About the book:
In her newest book, Your Blue Flame: Drop the Guilt and Do What Makes You Come Alive, Fulwiler is sharing what she’s learned about following your passions. She inspires readers to discover their blue flame and build a life they love. Fulwiler didn’t move her family cross-country or quit her job to follow her blue flame. Instead she encourages readers to do more of what makes them come alive in their actual lives.

Jeannie Gaffigan (Executive Producer The Jim Gaffigan Show and New York Times Bestselling author of When Life Gives You Pears) wrote the foreword and says, “In a book that is part The Artists Way and part ‘Change Your Life, I Changed Mine!’ Jennifer Fulwiler has a plan for you to find your true passion and to not let anything stand in your way.”

Related Links:

• FACEBOOK: /jen.fulwiler
• INSTAGRAM: @jenniferfulwiler
• TWITTER: @jenfulwiler
• WEBSITE: JenniferFulwiler.com

Today on the Thriving Belief Podcast, we have Sharon Jaynes!

Sharon is an international inspirational speaker and Bible teacher for women’s conferences and events. She is also the author of several books, including Becoming the Woman of His Dreams and The 14-Day Romance Challenge. Sharon and her husband, Steve, call North Carolina home.

Words have the power to spur others on to achieve greatness and also the power to have a lasting negative impact. International speaker Sharon Jaynes encourages women to recognize the incredible power of their words and to learn how to use them to encourage future generations through her teachings in The Power of a Woman’s Words (April 2020, Harvest House Publishers).

In The Power of a Woman’s Words, Jaynes illustrates how words can bring life or cause damage through stories of the women of the Bible. There are examples of women who gossiped, whined and lied and those who prophesied, encouraged and instilled truth. Some used their words to both build up and tear down. Jaynes asserts that God calls His people to learn to harness the power of their tongue to lead others to Him.

“He entrusted words to mere mortals,”

writes Jaynes.

“Our words also have creative potential. They can light up a child’s face disheartened by discouragement, lessen the burdens of a husband weighed down with worries, lift the spirits of a friend who feels dejected by life, cheer on brothers and sisters in Christ to grow in grace, and bring the message of the hope and healing of Jesus Christ to a wounded world.”

The Power of a Woman’s Words offers lessons for women to learn how to foster their attitudes, motives and goals for greater influence and how to harness the power of their words to use as a source for good. Jaynes offers personal experiences as practical advice to women who desire to use the gift of their words to encourage and build up.

Jaynes created a guide for learning how to use the gift of words to shape the lives of others. In The Power of a Woman’s Words Workbook and Study Guide (April 2020, Harvest House Publishers), readers will find a lesson for each corresponding chapter of the novel.

“Words are one of the most powerful forces in the universe, and amazingly, God has entrusted them to you and me. Words become the mirror in which others see themselves.”

Related Links:

• FACEBOOK: /SharonJaynes
• INSTAGRAM: @sharonejaynes
• TWITTER: @sharonjaynes
• WEBSITE: sharonjaynes.com

Today on the Thriving Belief Podcast, we have Rachel Van Kluyve!

Rachel is a Nashvillian stay at home mom turned momtrepreneur. Most days you can find her in a messy bun and yoga pants wrangling two boys while running a real estate business, homeschooling, DIYing, and keeping up with her passions. She's mostly known for her thrifty finds and the ability to make the dollar count. Amazon is her go-to and she tends to say she has eloquent taste on a Target budget. She's most passionate in life about her faith, her three men, writing, and serving silently behind the scenes. Rachel is an introvert gone socialmediavert and when she's not busy you can find her... well never not busy.

Today on the podcast: Harold & Rachel Earls!

Today on the podcast: Sara Hagerty

About Sara

Sara Hagerty is a lover of God, a wife to Nate, and a mother of seven-four adopted from Africa and then more through miracle pregnancies. She's also a bestselling author and speaker. As a lifelong admirer of words, Sara has experienced their power to revive. Raw words written in tearful honesty and shared with her readers. Words whispered in hidden places as conversation with God and worship to Him. Today Sara's words offer God's hope to readers facing unexpected life circumstances. You can follow her on Instagram @sarahagertywrites.

"Life is a total of minutes spent.Attaching a bandaid to a child’s wound.Turning off the outdoor lights before bed.Lugging the overloaded grocery bag to the kitchen counter.Sending a text message.Sifting through a stack of mail that’s full of advertisements.Powering off the computer.Applying mascara.At fifteen, when I gave “my whole life” to Jesus, I didn’t consider that living the radical life for God would one day call forth minute-by-minute faithfulness of me. I gathered my fifteen years like a stack of files and foisted them on the one who’d been watchful, in exchange for a notepad we would fill with our adventures together.At fifteen, surrendering my whole life and my whole heart meant the big picture, not the minutiae. After all, I could remember only four or maybe five of those fifteen years.I imagined that Christianity was lived in broad strokes—as a highlight reel.Minutes were what happened in between."

Today on the podcast Jessica Hottle!!

#1 lie women believe:

• What if someone doesn’t like what I am doing?
• What if someone makes fun of me or ridicules me?
• What if?

So, what’s the truth—God's truth to this lie? First, to discover it’s a lie, we have to know what God’s Word says about our feelings of inadequacy and fear.

For example, John 14:27 says,

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

God’s Word is where you and I can unravel all of our emotions and feelings and begin to make sense of them.

Reading through the Book of Psalms will remind you that being real with God and expressing your emotions, while continually going to Him and searching Him out, only increases your faith and dependence on Him.

Does your past disqualify you from the future you have with Christ? Absolutely not.

Do your works or your mistakes qualify you or disqualify you from living out the call that God has placed on your life? No, they don’t.

We can strengthen our skills and our gifts, but they are not what qualify us or disqualify us.

When we have made it about us, we have missed that it’s about Him.

You do not qualify yourself; He qualifies you. And, guess what? You are called and equipped for this moment, this day, and the rest of your life.

Lie #1: I’m Not Qualified

The enemy tends to whisper this lie in our ears, and it goes straight to our hearts. "I’m not qualified." Those words tend to form into other words, such as "Why am I doing this? I don’t feel like I can do this." Or, you may find yourself not doing something God has called you to because those words have kept you hiding in fear.

• INSTAGRAM: @jessicahottle
• FACEBOOK: /jessicahottle22
• WEBSITE: JessicaHottle.com

On the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast this week: Beth Jones

Reinvent: start fresh and love life!

Reach your God-given potential and live a joyful life by finding your purpose in Christ with this inspiring guide from Beth Jones, host of Hillsong Channel’s The Basics With Beth.

The world around us is in a constant state of reinvention, from technology, to careers, to family. It’s easy to struggle in the midst of change, and each season brings new challenges. But we need reinvention: the kind that leads us to new fulfillment and our calling in Christ. To REINVENT ourselves in Christ means a transformation in our hearts, souls, bodies, and minds. And we can achieve this by biblically exploring and answering the questions:
What do you want? What do you have? What will you do? and Why will you do it?

Let the baggage of the past become history today. Let God renew your hope, and you will experience the joy of living like never before. No matter what has happened, and no matter where you are on this journey, REINVENT will help you start fresh and love life!

On the podcast this week: Laura Smith!

From Laura:

"I’ve been searching my whole life for beauty. Not in the world—there’s plenty of that—in the crimson of a cardinal’s feather, in the sound of waves crashing along a shore, in the melody of a Beatles’ ballad, or in a Chagall stained glass window. The world is filled with beauty, but me, well that was another story. It took me years to discover my true beauty, to fully grasp I am made in the image of my Creator, and therefore, I am beautiful. The incredible thing is…so are you. You were marvelously made by God to inspire awe. No matter what the world tries to tell you, no matter what you try to tell yourself. No one can rob you of the incredible true identity God instilled in you. I tell stories (through books, blogs, and speaking) in hopes of helping you discover what took me so long to see: your beautiful, true reflection in Christ."

Related Links:

• INSTAGRAM: @laurasmithauthor 
• TWITTER: @LauraLynnSmith 
• FACEBOOK: Laura L. Smith Author 
• WEBSITE: www.laurasmithauthor.com

This week on the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast: Caitlin Crosby

Related Links:

• WEBSITE: TheGivingKeys.com
• INSTAGRAM: @TheGivingKeys
• FACEBOOK: /TheGivingKeys

This week on the Thriving Beyond Belief podcast: Paula Faris.

Related Links:

• WEBSITE: https://www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com/
• INSTAGRAM: @bittyandbeauscoffee
• FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BittyandBeausCoffee
• TWITTER: @bittyandbeaus

The Thriving Beyond Belief podcast this week featuring: Amy Olrick!

Amy Olrick is an author and a techie who has spent her professional life working with organizations to build social movements grounded in the ethic of love. Her work and writing has been featured in The Guardian and USA Today, and she is an advocate for the global life-saving work of Help Refugees.

Related Links:

• WEBSITE: GrowingConnected.com
• INSTAGRAM: @amyolrick
• FACEBOOK: /growingconnected
• TWITTER: @amyolrick
• AMAZON: The 6 Needs of Every Child

The Thriving Beyond Belief podcast this week featuring: Courtney DeFeo!

The “tween” years are a critical transition period in the life of a young girl. Girls this age are changing in profound ways. Loaded with fun activities and engaging content, Treasured will initiate meaningful conversation between moms and daughters during these critical preteen years.

ABOUT THE TREASURED STUDY

Whether you lead a group of moms and daughters or complete this study one-on-one with your daughter, we equip you digitally with everything you need:

This 6-session faith-based study is designed to connect moms and daughters with engaging content around topics critical to the preteen years: Identity, Body, Emotions, Friendships, Technology, and Faith. It contains a flash drive of digital files that includes everything you need for a small group study with moms and daughters: teaching videos (DVD option included), discussion questions, leader guides, participant guides, and connection ideas and more. This can also be used as a one-on-one study with a mom and her daughter.

To be used on its own, or in conjunction with the Treasured Study, the Treasured Journal is designed to help girls think about the questions they are already asking, and creates opportunities to interact with their moms. There are 6 weeks of topics (the same topics as the study) with 5 days of things for her to think about, doodle, and do. There are things for moms to do, too. Go through it together, and you’ll discover a deeper connection with each other, and in the process, she’ll discover just how Treasured she is. When used alongside the study, it allows moms and daughters to take what they’ve learned in the study one step further.