Are We Too Fragile in Life?
Breaking Bread Podcast
There is a lot of offense these days. Probably not more offending than normal as people have acted badly for a long time. But it seems people are quicker to call foul when they are hurt by others. “Trauma”, “emotional hurt”, “abuse”, “bullying” are household terms and sometimes we drop them when the opportunity is right. Have we become connoisseurs of the offenses against us? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter and Ted Witzig Jr give us some important tips on living in a world of offense. “Trauma”, “hurt”, “abuse”, and “bullying” are too real to...
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Emotional Affair
Breaking Bread Podcast
We are built for relationship. There is a yearning, need and desire within us for emotional connection with others. In the marriage relationship this can be both an asset and a liability. In this episode of Breaking Bread, marriage and family therapist Kaleb Beyer helps us understand the signs, offense and repair of emotional affairs – when emotional intimacy outside the marriage compromises the covenant of marriage. Show notes: Three stages of emotional affairs: 1st Emotional intimacy with another person outside of marriage. Deep connection at the...
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Habit Formation
Breaking Bread Podcast
We are creatures of habit. Rhythmic, repetitious actions that are triggered almost without notice. For good or bad, these habits shape us in profound ways. To help us wield the power of habit for good, Kathy Knochel and Brian Sutter take up the topic of habit formation in this episode of Breaking Bread. Show notes: Habits are reinforced by the positive feedback we experience when we do them. Typically, bad habits form naturally with immediate favorable reinforcement. For example, scrolling on your phone becomes a habit when it seems to cure momentary...
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Anxiety and Our Youth: Instruction (Part 2 of 2)
Breaking Bread Podcast
Generation Z has been dubbed “the anxious generation.” Any adult who has the opportunity to walk alongside these anxious ones knows how painful it can be. Sometimes we need someone who has walked this road in both directions to provide light and insight. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Nichole Suvar, an anxiety and depression survivor, speaks from her own journey of anxiety and illumines a path forward for the anxious - both young and old. Show notes: Nichole Suvar is an anxiety and depression survivor and Intentional Living Strategist who speaks and...
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Anxiety and Our Youth: A Story (Part 1 of 2)
Breaking Bread Podcast
Generation Z has been dubbed “the anxious generation.” Any adult who has the opportunity to walk alongside these anxious ones knows how painful it can be. Sometimes we need someone who has walked this road in both directions to provide light and insight. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Nichole Suvar, an anxiety and depression survivor, speaks from her own journey of anxiety and illumines a path forward for the anxious - both young and old. Show notes: Nichole Suvar is an anxiety and depression survivor and Intentional Living Strategist who speaks and writes on the...
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Six Keys to Better Brain Health
Breaking Bread Podcast
Just as there are aspects of our physical health we can improve, there are ways we can improve our brain health. Many of these are quite simple and attainable. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Ted Witzig Jr. proposes six ways we achieve better brain health. Show notes: Six keys to better brain health: Physical Exercise: 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. Muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days each week. Food & Nutrition: ...
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Relational Wounds: A Block to Marital Intimacy
Breaking Bread Podcast
Husbands and wives want healthy attachment, intimacy and oneness. Yet, sometimes it can be elusive. In this episode of Breaking Bread, marriage and family therapist Kaleb Beyer helps us see one barrier to intimacy – relational pain. Fortunately, there is a path forward but be forewarned, it will require going backward before going forward. Show notes: Intimacy has cleverly been defined as “into me you see.” This is a good definition and a wonderful intention for marriages. It is not uncommon, however, for “blocks” to exist that prove intimacy difficult. One...
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Welcoming Correction as a Disciple of Christ
Breaking Bread Podcast
Of the 12 disciples, Peter seems to be corrected the most. And yet, so much teaching surfaced out of his mistakes. Peter, in this way, exampled for us what it looks like to be a disciple of Jesus. Recognizing and embracing his need for correction. In this episode of Breaking Bread, teachers Katie Miller and Isaac funk encourage us to share in Peter’s mindset. After all, the transformation from fishmen to apostle was remarkable in Peter and holds promise for each of us as well. Show notes: Being corrected is fundamental to the learning process. Every person in progress needs correction....
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Walking through Disappointment with Our Kids
Breaking Bread Podcast
As the saying goes, “we are as happy as our least happy adult child”. Parents get this. How do parents walk with their kids through disappointment? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter gives us thoughtful cautions and helpful suggestions. Show notes: Our kids have disappointments. Disappointments such as: being excluded, being mistreated, unhappy with circumstances, unhappy with themselves, failure to excel, failure to succeed, losing a job, losing a spouse. Parents feel their pain. Often, we are as happy as our least happy...
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Understanding ADHD in Adults
Breaking Bread Podcast
ADHD has been well understood in the classroom. For a long time, ADHD has been well understood in children and treated for optimal growth in their maturing years. What about adults? What does ADHD look like later in life? How should we understand its effect on life and relationships? How do we treat the disorder for optimal living in the mature years? Show notes: What is ADHD? ADHD stands for Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. It is a brain disorder. Individuals with ADHD might find it difficult to focus, stay on task, calm and quiet...
info_outlineSpiritual disciplines are ancient. Yet they are growing in popularity with our contemporary Christian culture. What are common cautions that should accompany our wise application of spiritual disciplines? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Isaac Funk helps us understand four cautions: legalism, agency, syncretism and mysticism.
Show Notes:
Spiritual disciplines are those practices we habitually do in the body that form us into Christlikeness. Reading the Word, silence, solitude, fasting, tithing, fellowship are just a few of many. Many spiritual disciplines are classic. Practices employed by Christ and faithful believers for thousands of years.
Understanding the “shadow” of a thing is important for wise and healthy use. We want to have this circumspect understanding of spiritual disciplines. Without it, we can fall into ditches that are unhelpful. Consider four trappings to be thoughtful about.
- Legalism: Legalism is an unhealthy relationship with performance. At its worst, dependence on performance erroneously replaces faith in Christ.
- We need to remember the following…
- Spiritual disciplines are not our morality.
- Spiritual disciplines are not our performance.
- Spiritual disciplines are not our forgiveness.
- Spiritual disciplines do not secure merit with God.
- We need to remember the following…
- Agency: When employing spiritual disciplines, we can become confused with who is at the source of the effort. Is it us? Is it God?
- We need to remember the following:
- We do not control our spiritual growth; rather we make ourselves available to God through the practices to be formed by him.
- God is the first source behind any practice.
- We need to remember the following:
- Syncretism: Syncretism is the blending or merging of different religious beliefs and practices. Many different religious faiths, as well as atheism, share bodily practices that on the outside look the same.
- We need to remember the following:
- Many bodily disciplines will benefit human beings regardless of walk of life or religious beliefs. However, these are not uniquely Christian unless we are employing them to grow in Christ likeness.
- We need to remember the following:
- Mysticism: By mysticism, we mean experiencing God in ways that transcend ordinary sensory perception and intellectual understanding. If applied unhealthily, the believer can develop errant ideas about God that are steeped in individual experience.
- We need to remember the following:
- Our discipleship experience with God should never contradict the Bible.
- Be accountable to the larger Christian community. Include other people in your discipleship journey with Christ.
- We need to remember the following: