Heather M. Day is an author and communication specialist with more than 20 years of experience in the fields of marketing, communications, and nonprofit ministry. She is the author of Money and Spirit: Surrendering Our Finances to the Work of the Holy Spirit. Heather has spent the bulk of her career in the nonprofit arena, including in her current role as Director of Marketing for Barnabas Foundation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications and an Executive MBA from Olivet Nazarene University.

Our church participated in a demographic survey last year and we were astonished at how many people shared that they feel incredibly lonely. And what surprised us the most was that the largest demographic experiencing loneliness was young adults. So we were excited to talk with Dr. Jake Thurston to get his perspective. He is a young adult and works with young adults so he can speak directly to our curious question.

Guest Info

Dr. Jake Thurston is the lead pastor and church planter of Resilient Church, a growing ministry that serves a large number of students and young adults in the college town of Vermillion, South Dakota. He is an adjunct professor of Bible, Theology, and Ministry at Indiana Wesleyan University, Wesley Seminary, and the University of South Dakota. He is married to his wife, Kasey, and has two daughters and one son.

https://www.youneedfriends.com/

https://a.co/d/5J6M4Ai

When we get married or enter into a long-term relationship, we soon realize the stark differences between ourselves and our mate. The flaws that were invisible to us at the beginning are now, perhaps, all we see. This goes both ways because our significant other sees those flaws in us as well. Couples tend to spend a great deal of energy looking for ways to "change" their mate, when, in fact, they don't have the power to create change in others. So, what do you do? How can you encourage your partner to make positive changes?

Our guest on this episode has written two amazing devotional books that help us answer that question. She is a lovely person who is wise and so incredibly insightful. You will want to listen and take notes!

Guest Info

Amanda Hayhurst is a Christian author and speaker with a Master’s in Biblical and Theological Studies from Dallas Theological Seminary. She has been featured in Guidepost, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and Focus on the Family. She is the author of the best-selling devotionals Pray for Him and Pray for Her, which have helped thousands move from fix and control to surrender and prayer. She has a passion for encouraging others and considers herself a hype woman for other women. She has been married to her husband, Marcus, for fifteen years and gives God all the glory. They cherish every moment spent with their two young boys and adult bonus daughter.

You can purchase Amanda's Devotions from Amazon through these links:

Pray For Him: https://a.co/d/he3Wcsm
Pray for Her: https://a.co/d/3AcIS0q

Visit her website here: https://www.amandahayhurstwrites.com/

This episode guest hosts, Rev. Wesley Smith and Kevin Ward, dicuss the curious question; Where can we find God in Classic Rock?

Our two guests this week are both avid rock enthusiasts and musicians, playing guitar in their spare time. Let's here them dive into our latest curious topic on how God relates to rock and roll greats.

Our guest host, Mary Ana Smith, sits down with Rev. Carrie Wright to discuss her journey as an adoptive mom. Adoption seems to many as more of a challenge than a blessing, but Carrie feels the opposite having not only adopted two children, but also having fostered many. If you have considered fostering or adopting then this episode is a must listen!

Guest Info

What gives Carrie life is spending her days with people of all ages learning to give praise to God. We are all on this journey in different stages but each of us are called to praise in one way or another. The arts are the ways that she hears God the best and she loves it when others are bringing their “song” as well. Carrie fell in love with making music at 8 years old and that love continues to weave through her especially in the midst of worship. She is an ordained Deacon in The United Methodist Church and the Associate of Music and Worship Arts at Williamson’s Chapel UMC. Carrie is married to Clay, a tech guru working for Coca Cola Consolidated and stays busy chasing after their 4 kids ages 9 to 18.

It certainly feels good to help others in need. We donate food, money, and even time to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves. And, oftentimes we assume that we have done what's best for them. But was it the best for them? Or, was it something that made us feel good in the moment? This is a tough question to ponder and our guest on this episode shares some incredible insights and wisdom to help us tackle it.

Guest Info

Is it acceptable to question God or Christianity if you call yourself a Christian? Does doubt mean you're not truly a Christian? Should faith be so unwavering that questioning is off-limits?

These were questions I wrestled with in my youth, and I believe that misconception still lingers today. In this episode, our guest will help us explore the beauty of curiosity and how asking questions can deepen our faith.

Guest Info

Mandy Pallock passionately believes that lives will change as people engage with God’s Word. She is happily married to the man of her dreams, Peter, and they are raising three children together in South Texas. She’s a writer, speaker, and podcaster at presentlyengaged.com.

Mandy is a co-creator of Life Purpose Planning, a tool to help high schoolers and young adults understand and live out their God-given life purposes. She knows that discovering our purpose starts with asking a good question.

Mandy has over 20 years of professional experience in print and digital communication in the non-profit sphere. She has written for and supported Bible Study Fellowship, Splendeur Magazine, Character Training Institute (now Strata Leadership), and more. And she’s cheering for you as you live out your God-given life purpose!

We all love TV or movies in some way, shape, or form. Entertainment is a form of enjoyment for most of us. I believe we'd all agree, however, that a movie or TV show today looks vastly different than it did just 20 or 30 years ago. Our guest on this episode produces wonderful and educational Christian films and even worked in Hollywood for a time. His insight is invaluable and he provides us with great things to consider as we mull over our curious question.

Guest Info

Craig Dehut is a seasoned freelance video producer with over fifteen years of experience. In 2015, he co-founded Appian Media alongside his business partner, Stuart Peck, driven by a shared concern for the lack of engaging biblical media for young people. Their vision was to bridge the gap between the youth and Bible study through professionally produced, accurate, and free content. Appian Media has since produced multiple award-winning series, podcasts, workbooks, and children's videos, reaching millions worldwide.

Links