In this episode of Space for Life, Tommy welcomes entrepreneur Jeff Johnson for a deeply moving conversation about surrender, resilience, and the ways God reaches us through life’s hardest moments. Jeff shares the powerful story of hitting the breaking point in his fourth-generation steel fabrication business, kneeling alone on the shop floor, and asking God to take over.

What follows is a journey of obedience, transformation, and learning to “take your hands off” while still doing the next right thing. Through biblical stories of Simon Peter, reflections on work, and moments of vulnerability, Jeff illustrates how surrender opens the door to a deeper relationship with God and an unexpected path to renewal.

0:00 Intro

2:17 Scotland Trip and How They Met

3:45 Jeff Begins His Story

6:02 Marriage Counseling and Learning to Listen

7:49 Faith and Work in Jeff’s Life

10:26 History of Johnson Machine Works

14:07 When Nothing Works

16:28 Breaking Point on the Shop Floor

19:42 Praying Over the Building and Workers

23:49 The Unexpected Turnaround Begins

26:54 God’s Mercy, Not Formulas

29:33 Why Work Matters in God’s Design

40:38 How God Used the Crisis to Reach Jeff

44:22 Jeff’s Tuesday Night Practice of Surrender

46:25 Invitation for Anyone Needing Encouragement

Jeff’s Podcast, Courageous Crossroads

Artists & Writers

• Surrender is often where true transformation begins.
• Desperation can bring unexpected clarity.
• Work is part of God’s design for purpose and flourishing.
• Vulnerability opens doors that effort alone cannot.
• God uses circumstances — even painful ones — to reach us.
• Doing the next right thing is part of surrender, not separate from it.
• Resilience is built in the quiet, unseen moments.
• Prayer can reshape environments, mindsets, and outcomes.

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In this conversation, Tommy welcomes back author and teacher Gary Thomas to talk about his new book, The Life You Were Reborn to Live: Dismantling 12 Lies That Rob Your Intimacy with God. Building on Gary’s deep engagement with Christian classics and spiritual theology, they explore how many sincere believers unconsciously live by “old rules” and assumptions, even after being spiritually reborn.

Gary and Tommy unpack why following Jesus is not about a safe, rule driven life, but about a deeper, riskier, more adventurous way of living that flows from intimacy with God. They dive into specific lies many Christians quietly absorb, like “family first,” “God owes me if I do my part,” and “I need to stay in control.” Along the way they connect Scripture, stories from church history, and their own personal experiences, including Tommy’s journey through his daughter’s cancer, to show how dismantling these lies is less about losing something and more about stepping into a fuller, freer life with God.

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In this episode of Space for Life, Tommy sits down with parenting expert Keith McCurdy, founder of Live Sturdy and CEO of Total Life Counseling, to unpack what it really means to raise sturdy kids.

Keith shares decades of experience counseling more than 15,000 families, guiding parents toward raising emotionally mature, capable, and resilient children. Together, they explore the role of healthy struggle, practical responsibility, and emotional regulation in child development—and why comfort and happiness shouldn’t be the ultimate goals.

This conversation challenges modern parenting norms and provides practical steps for building sturdier families—ones grounded in values, identity, and the kind of leadership that grows capable kids and healthy adults.

• Why parenting can feel overwhelming and guilt-inducing
• What “sturdy” really means in child development
• How overprotection creates fragile kids
• Why emotions shouldn’t dictate parenting decisions
• The connection between practical skills and emotional maturity
• The value of healthy struggle and discomfort
• Moving children from consumers to contributors
• Establishing family identity and guiding principles
• Leading with sacrifice and consistency in parenting
• Practical steps to begin raising sturdier kids

00:00 Introduction to Parenting Challenges

02:50 The Importance of Raising Sturdy Kids

06:10 Generational Wisdom in Parenting

08:51 The Role of Emotions in Parenting

11:48 Defining ‘Sturdy’ in Parenting

14:50 Practical Skills for Sturdy Kids

17:51 The Impact of Struggle on Growth

20:43 The Disconnect Between Happiness and Growth

24:05 The Process of Maturity Through Trials

32:09 The Fragility of Overprotection

36:21 The Role of Discomfort in Growth

41:31 Establishing Family Identity and Guiding Principles

47:03 Transitioning from Enabling to Empowering

55:42 Practical Steps for Raising Sturdy Kids

Keith McCurdy

President & CEO, Total Life Counseling

Founder, Live Sturdy

Counselor, Speaker, and Parenting Coach

livesturdy.com

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