Episode 153 :: Dennis Allen:: Stories of Evaluating the Methods of the Mission and Jesus’ Call to Discipleship
Release Date: 05/12/2023
Episode 174 :: Douglas McKelvey :: Stories of Leaning into Advent, Lament, and Living with Every Moment Holy
Simply Stories Podcast
Today, I have the absolute pleasure of sharing my conversation with the one and only Douglas McKelvey. Douglas is a songwriter, author, and liturgy writer extraordinaire. I have never met someone like Douglas. His gift with words and passion for Christ cultivates a visceral invitation to be more present in this life, to find your fight again as you walk this weary way, and speaks to our hope of the next life with Jesus. Douglas shares with me his story of what led him to Nashville, TN, his journey from songwriting to fiction writing and the idea of unpacking his belief that every moment...
info_outline
Episode 173 :: Carole Holiday :: Stories of Learning Who You Are Again After Loss and Living with Grief
Simply Stories Podcast
A self-proclaimed “accidental author”, Carole Holiday was living a very full life as a wife, mother, and nana, until one day, everything fell apart. Her marriage to her childhood sweetheart of over 35 years ended, followed by losing her job and ultimately filing for bankruptcy. Then she developed heart issues because of all the stress, and a continued windfall of loss, and grief in losing close loved ones, until it felt like there was absolutely nothing recognizable about the life she had known. In her book I Don’t Know Who I Am Anymore, Carole shares her story, but it...
info_outline
Episode 172 :: Mike Nappa :: Stories from the Valley of the Shadow, and Blessing Those Who Mourn
Simply Stories Podcast
Over the last several years, I don’t think there is anyone who has not been touched by loss or some kind of grief. Today's guest, author, and literary agent Mike Nappa is incredibly familiar with loss and living with grief. In 2016, he lost his beloved wife, Amy, to cancer. In his learning how to live life without her, God has shown him why grieving is such an important part of losing a loved one. As Mike says, he learned how to cry into his keyboard and produced one of the most poignant books that bears witness to grief that I have ever personally encountered. It is called ...
info_outline
Episode 171 :: Gary Miracle :: Stories of Taking Heart, Persevering in Suffering, and No More Bad Days
Simply Stories Podcast
Gary Miracle is an author and a speaker who passionately believes in the power of storytelling and how it unites us and spurs us on when life is tragically hard, and also reminds us who we are and who God made us to be. In this episode, he shares his story of growing immersed in church culture on Sunday but then suffered from an identity crisis the rest of the week as he chased perfection, and changed personas in order to be affirmed by anyone and everyone. Finally, later in his life and career, now a married man with kids, Gary reached his breaking point and reached out to his friend Bart...
info_outline
Episode 170 :: Justin & J.L. Gerhardt:: Stories of Encountering God at the Intersection of Story and Worship
Simply Stories Podcast
Justin and J.L. Gerhardt are on the podcast today, and you will love hearing from them! There is an epic retelling of their meeting and falling in love complete with 90’s Hearthrob meet cute and all. More than that, Justin and J.L. share about their journey of God leading them both into ministry with words, calling their family to travel the world, and unleashing their creativity and courage to press into new ways to encounter God and His Word. This journey has given birth to various creative outlets for the Gerhardt family, but the one we talk about the most in this episode is Justin’s...
info_outline
Episode 169 :: Nikki Anders :: Stories of The Journey to Bethlehem
Simply Stories Podcast
I am so excited to share with you a really special conversation with the incredibly talented Renaissance woman Nikki Anders. Nikki is an award-winning musician, songwriter, and music producer in the TV and film industry. She shares some of her experiences in the music industry as a solo artist and member of the music group Avalon, her and her husband Adam’s time working on “Glee” as well as many other films, and now are the creative team behind the new movie musical “The Journey to Bethlehem.” Nikki shares how the Lord closed and opened so many doors over the last seventeen...
info_outline
Episode 168 :: Travis Thompson :: Stories of Mental Health, Addiction, Faith and Healing
Simply Stories Podcast
Travis Thompson is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who practices in Middle Tennessee. He is a PhD candidate who works with clients from many backgrounds to find the deeper meaning of their struggles and embrace long-term recovery from the pains that they experienced. His work is focused on being healed from past hurt and toward future success. During our conversation, Travis shares his journey of wrestling with his own mental health as a teenager, his recovery and healing journey, and entering the world of becoming a mental health professional serving and helping others like...
info_outline
Episode 167 :: Kelly Balarie :: Stories of The Power of God’s Word and Taking Every Thought Captive
Simply Stories Podcast
I have a powerhouse on the podcast in the form of Kelly Balarie. Kelly is an author and a speaker who is passionate about Jesus and the Word of God. She is a sister in the trenches and a self-proclaimed spiritual cheerleader. Every book she has written, she writes from a place of “this is where God has been faithful to me in this season.” Or “this is what God has been teaching me,” full of authenticity, and powerful scripture-saturated insights for women who desire to walk well and be filled to the fullness of God. In our conversation today, you’ll hear about her...
info_outline
Episode 166 :: Dr. Clarence Shuler :: Stories of Finding Hope in Dark Places and Cross-Cultural Relationships that Can Heal
Simply Stories Podcast
Dr. Clarence Shuler is the President and CEO of his nonprofit BLR- which stands for Building Lasting Relationships. Their mission is to equip others for discipleship in various venues. He and his wife both speak and write about marriage, but also dealing with infidelity, and divorce, but they especially love to minister to singles in the church. Whatever it looks like, the Shulers are committed to “loving people with God’s love with no agenda and see what happens.” During our conversation today, Dr. Shuler shared his story of coming to Christ through a relationship that would impact...
info_outline
Episode 165 ::Kayla Craig :: Stories of Curiosity & Questions in Faith & Holding Every Season Sacred
Simply Stories Podcast
Today I have the absolute joy of sharing with you my conversation with Kayla Craig. Kayla is a modern liturgist as the woman behind Liturgies for Parents online. She is a Mama of 4, a supportive pastor’s wife, and just this week she released her second book Every Season Sacred. In our conversation today, you’ll get to hear Kayla’s heart as she shares about what it looks like to pursue an honest and abundant life full of wonder and work. In all the spaces she occupies, she offers an open invitation to be curious, to express our questions, doubts, or confusion as we walk out our faith...
info_outlineToday, I have Dennis Allen on the podcast. Dennis followed his heart to the Air Force as fighter pilot, and suddenly was hit with a life altering diagnosis that ended his military career. Propelled into the business world, he would ultimately become a consultant to guide businesses how to better address internal issues, shore up where they might be struggling, and reevaluate leadership. In his work, he began to see the similarities in the issues he was unpacking within businesses and modern Western discipleship, and the Church. Thus his book The Discipleship Dilemma: Rethinking and Reforming How the Church Does Discipleship was born.
In our conversation he shares with us his personal story of God quite literally giving him a new heart and growing his heart to help leaders in churches as well as every member of the Body of Christ refresh and recapture their vision for Jesus’ call to go and make disciples of all nations. We unpack what discipleship is and isn’t, and how to address some of the issues going unaddressed in churches and hurting hearts who are questioning God because of their encounters with His people. Its a challenging message and conversation, but its a really really good one. I hope you’ll circle up for this family meeting of sorts and dive deep with us.
There are all kinds of ways this conversation could land on you and wherever you are in life as a whole and your relationship with God or with His church. I want you to know that no matter what, there is room for the wrestling and questions, and that is part of being a disciple in fact. There is hope for redemption, friends. Above all else, there is a God who loves you dearly and made you on purpose. Seek Him, and you WILL find him. I hope this podcast can be a tool to point you to places in scripture where you can learn to know Him more, but also to resources, tools and people that could perhaps aid you in your journey. Just know that you’re not alone. We’re all learning. Praise God He’s not finished with us. Just remember. You matter to the Lord. Your story matters.
Connecting with Dennis:
Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty
References:
Theodoret (wrote about Simeon)
To follow a rabbi as a Jewish student
Constantine’s impact on Christianity (we have great episodes on this part 1 and 2)
The word for “take heart” - Tharseo
You have never met a mere mortal - C.S. Lewis
The Jesus Storybook Bible - Sally Lloyd Jones
Billy Graham’s Interview at the end of his life
William Wilberforce “You may choose to look the other way, but you can never say you did not know.”
Scripture References:
Matthew 28:19- Go and make disciples
John 6:66- From that time on many stopped following Jesus
John 14:6- Jesus is the way, the truth and the life
Psalm 143:3, 1 Peter 5:8- We have an enemy of our soul
James 3:1-5 Responsibility and accountability for leaders
Micah 6:8- do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God
Acts 15- Early Church arguments
The Church is the Bride of Christ
Matthew 16:18, Romans 8:36-39- Nothing can stop the church
Matthew 16:24-26-If you are my follow Me you must take up the cross and follow Me
Ephesians 4:11-16 (not GAlatians) - some are called to be evangelists
1 Peter 4:12-19 - we have the reason for the hope
1 Corinthians 12-We all have spiritual gifts
Jeremiah 29:11- plans for hope and a future
Romans 11:11-31-You are grafted into the family of God
John 15-without Christ we can do nothing
2 Pter 1:3-we have all been given what we need for life and godliness
John 21:22- do you understand what it means to be a disciple?
John 16:33- Take heart I have overcome the world
Exodus 14:13-14-Don’t be afraid (before Red Sea crossing)
Psalm 91:4-6- We live under the shelter of His wings
Luke 15:11-32- Prodigal sons and daughters
JOIN OUR PATREON COMMUNITY!!!! I would be honored to have your support to keep the Simply Stories Podcast going. You can sign up for as little as $3 a month and each tier offers gifts that I hope will bless you in return.
Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:
Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)
Facebook
Twitter
Blog