220: A Podcast You and I Want to Listen To
You Were Made for This
Have you noticed how everyone seems to have a podcast these days? Most of them just don’t appeal to me. So, in 2018, I created one that does— a podcast I want to listen to and one you’ll want to listen to as well. I’m going to give you an example of what I mean shortly. Welcome to Season Nine and episode 220 But first, I’m John Certalic and you are listening to episode 220 of You Were Made for This, a podcast about … well, … stick with me and you’ll soon find out soon. It’s been quite a number of months since I recorded any new episodes on a regular basis. It’s not been...
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219: The Christmas Story for 2024
You Were Made for This
On that first Christmas Day, Mary treasured all its details and thought about them often. May we do the same with the Christmas story in 2024. So here's the original story told in Luke's Gospel, just as it happened: At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there...
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218: It’s Better to Listen Than to Talk
You Were Made for This
Today’s episode, #218, brings to a close Season 8 of our You Were Made for This podcast. If you’ve been listening for any length of time, I hope you’ve come to appreciate the high value we place on the skill of listening as a way to enrich our lives. As we wrap up Season 8 today, I’m going to share a story that illustrates why it’s better to listen than to talk. But before we get into today’s episode, here’s what this podcast is all about. Welcome to You Were Made for This If you find yourself wanting more from your relationships, you’ve come to the right...
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217: God Will Surprise Us
You Were Made for This
In the past dew episodes I’ve been talking about how I tracked down my birth father and met him for the first… and last time in my life. You’ll find links to those episodes at the bottom of the show notes. Today’s show concludes this painful chapter in my life by focusing on a larger relational and spiritual principle that applies to all of us. Namely, sometimes in our difficulties God will surprise us in unusual ways to remind us he is still working for our good and for his glory. But before we get into today’s episode, here’s what this podcast is all about. Welcome to...
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216: Our Past Helps Us Understand Our Present
You Were Made for This
Hello everyone. If you haven’t listened to episode 215, “Searching for my Birth Father,” I suggest listening to that episode before continuing with this one. Just go to . Today’s episode, #216, continues with the theme of how understanding our past helps us understand our present when we see how God began shaping us early on to find joy in being the person he created us to be. Before we get into this I need to tell you that Carol, our announcer and executive director on vacation this week. Filling in for her is the latest addition to our staff, our chaplain and family cat, Father...
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215: Searching for My Birth Father
You Were Made for This
One of the more popular topics from past episodes has been the story of Gail Rohde who was adopted as an infant, and her search as an adult for her birth mother. Then several years after finding her, she searched for her birth father - and found him, too. I’ll have links to those episodes at the bottom of the show notes. It can be a relational minefield in dealing with the dynamics of adoptees wanting to know where they’ve come from, especially when it’s been hidden from them. I have a similar story about searching for my birth father that I wrote about in my book, THEM. ...
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214: People Are Like Houses
You Were Made for This
A listener once suggested that for a podcast episode I should read from the book I wrote in 2016, THEM- The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others. It’s about relationships, which of course, is what this podcast is about. But I don’t know if reading from it would interest many of you. Maybe the first chapter might, I don’t know. It’s about how people are like houses when it comes to deepening our relationships with others. But before we get into today’s episode, here’s what this podcast is all about. Welcome to You Were Made for This If you find yourself wanting more from...
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213: Five Things to Watch for in Your Next Conversation
You Were Made for This
One thing on my mind lately is a question about the meaningful conversations we sometimes have with friends, and what makes them different from other conversations. I started thinking about this while reading news articles about the Super Bowl played earlier this month. Meaningful conversations and the Super Bowl don’t quite seem to fit together, but they do in my mind. Keep listening and I’ll explain the connection in today’s episode, number 213. Welcome to today’s episode Maybe they’ve always done this, I don’t know, but it seems that sports journalists lately are using a...
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212: Little Things We Do Matter the Most to People
You Were Made for This
The older I get the more I’ve come to appreciate how it’s the little things we do for people that matter most to them. Little things that come naturally for us because of how God uniquely made us, I’ve got a few stories for you today to illustrate this point. Stories that I hope will inspire you to bless others in ways that are easy and natural for you. But before we get into today’s episode, here’s what this podcast is all about. Welcome to You Were Made for This If you find yourself wanting more from your relationships, you’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll...
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211: A Men’s Breakfast Like No Other
You Were Made for This
A men’s breakfast can be fun and still have a greater purpose than eating and conversation. When organized with a larger objective in mind it can be a great way to bless people and a means to live out the Gospel. Today’s episode is about my Men with Waffles breakfast and the impact it had on others not even in the room. Especially women. Breakfast with a friend A few weeks ago my friend Randy was in town for the Christmas holiday. We used to go to the same church, but his job change meant a move to Pittsburgh. He and his wife are still closely connected with friends they have back in...
info_outlineOn that first Christmas Day, Mary treasured all its details and thought about them often. May we do the same with the Christmas story in 2024.
So here's the original story told in Luke's Gospel, just as it happened:
At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census.
And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancée, who was now obviously pregnant. And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born.
She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified,
but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said.
“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of
David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.
“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”
When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.
All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.
The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.
~ Luke 2: 1-20 (NIV)
There you have it. The Christmas Story for 2024.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
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I hope you enjoyed hearing or reading the Christmas Story one more time. Here are other episodes about Christmas from our podcast library you may listen to or read.
The Gift of Joy - Part 2, episode 6
Make it a Merry Christmas This Year episode 136
Christmas with a Good Man Brings Joy episode 135
A Christmas Gift of Silence, episode 80
The Christmas Gift of Deep Personal Connection, episode 81
A Christmas Gift of Anticipation, episode 82
The Best Christmas Gift - Be With People in Community, episode 83