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Submit ReviewNon-religious conversations about life, love and God. Past guests include Wm. Paul Young, Brian Zahnd, Lisa Sharon Harper, Kim Walker-Smith, Priscilla Shirer, Bradley Jersak and many more.
This podcast currently has no reviews.
Submit ReviewTryphena and I kept the mics rolling right after our interview with Aundi Kolber, and let me tell you… it’s a wild ride! We discussed the provocativeness of wholeness, including a physics lesson and a reflection on quantum physics… Why? Because presence is a powerful resource, and I have some theories about it. We talked about anger and injustice, we examined the time that Jesus had a panic attack, and we landed on rest and the safety of unproductivity. Strap in, it’s a wild ride.
For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #136: Flexible strength—compassionate survival (with Aundi Kolber)
Register for my one-day You Are Enough seminars in Finland, May 6 & May 13 2023.
Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
My good friend Aundi Kolber returns to the show to discuss her brand new book, Strong Like Water: Finding the Freedom, Safety, and Compassion to Move through Hard Things—and Experience True Flourishing. Our conversation revolves around reframing many things we’ve seen as weaknesses, even sins, as forms of strength that enabled us to survive hard things. We reflected on the particular shame we feel after having put in years of healing work in therapy, only to feel like we fall apart again. Aundi explained how resilience has been weaponized at times, and she honours the fact that we should never have had to be this strong. This is a powerful and intimate conversation that I think will bring real hope to you. Enjoy.
Order Strong like Water: Finding the Freedom, Safety, and Compassion to Move through Hard Things—and Experience True Flourishing by Aundi KolberLearn more about Aundi’s work at aundikolber.comFollow Aundi on Instagram and Twitter.
Register for my one-day You Are Enough seminars in Finland, May 6 & May 13 2023.
Grab my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (good for women too)Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportFind every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Here’s a new Puddcast B-Side, unpacking idol smashing and how to create a welcoming, forgiving space as we deconstruct from toxic theology. My pastor, Amy Ryan, joined Tryphena and I to discuss our takeaways from Brad Jersak’s thoughts on the necessity, perils and possibilities of deconstruction, including how painful and confusing it can be for us in the midst of it. We examined our own parenting in light of power dynamics, and how each revival or movement in the church or culture persecutes the one that comes next. As usual, there’s loads in here.
For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #135: The necessity, perils and possibilities of deconstruction (with Brad Jersak)
Register for my one-day You Are Enough seminars in Finland, May 6 & May 13 2023.
Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
The wonderfully wise and gentle Brad Jersak returns to the show, with a guest co-host! This special episode was recorded live when I was visiting Jonathan Martin recently, and we co-interviewed Brad about his latest book, Out of the Embers: Faith After the Great Deconstruction. We reflected on the historical precedence of faith deconstruction, observing that it is both a current move of God in our time as well as an ancient tradition of idol smashing. We discussed the harm we can do to others in our deconstruction journey, and how deconstruction can liberate from toxicity while also being incredibly painful and destabilizing. We talk about the importance of not replacing one form of fundamentalism with another, and moving from alienation to communion. Brad left us with a ton of practical tools on how you can connect with God and feel God’s love, right now, wherever and whoever you are.
Order Out of the Embers: Faith After the Great Deconstruction, by Bradley Jersak.Learn more about Brad’s work at bradjersak.comFollow Brad on Instagram and Twitter.
Register for my one-day You Are Enough seminars in Finland, May 6 & May 13 2023.
Grab my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (good for women too)Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportFind every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Here’s the latest Puddcast B-Side, exploring themes of laughter and silliness and the value of everything, from our interview with Dave Connis. When Dave said, “Everything counts” something inside me exploded, or clarified, or whatever… it’s been big for me. Tryphena and I discuss finding joy in all things, redefining joy as a valuable part of serious work, and discerning what will and won’t bring joy. We riff on learning to see all the mundane aspects of our lives (especially as parents) not as surpluss to the real work but as the real work, as much as our rest is also a valid part of the real work, because it’s all part of the whole life we’re living. We also touched on accepting our bodies, even as they age, and loads more as usual.
For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #134: A theology of laughter and co-creation (with Dave Connis)
Register for my one-day You Are Enough seminars in Finland, May 6 & May 13 2023.
Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Children’s and Young Adult author Dave Connis comes to The Puddcast to teach us the importance of laughter (and more). Dave’s hilarious and meaningful storybooks, The Inventions of God (and Eva), and The Stories of God (and Kiki) both captured our affection in a big way. We reflected on being intentional about the stories we tell our children and what we pass on to them; seeing ourselves within the continuum of generations before and after ourselves; how God invites all the parts of ourselves to co-creation; and more. If you’re a human being make sure to have a listen, and if you have kids, grandkids or nieces & nephews, make sure to grab his books from the links below.
Order The Inventions of God (and Eva), by Dave Connis (illustrations by Amy Domingo)Order The Stories of God (and Kiki), by Dave Connis (illustrations by Amy Domingo)Learn more about Dave’s work at daveconnis.comFollow Dave on Instagram and Twitter.
Grab my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (good for women too)Check out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportFind every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Just in time for Christmas comes a wild ride of a B-Side. Looking back at our interview with Lisa Sharon Harper, Tryphena and I reflected on themes of forgiveness and reparations, the gift of tongues as Indigenous celebration, how the monarcy dehumanizes people, the emotional impact on Europeans of that dehumanization, the myth of an American Christian nation and more. We were both deeply impacted by Lisa’s book Fortune and so we sounded off, big time.
For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #133: How race broke the world (with Lisa Sharon Harper)
Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Acclaimed speaker, activist, playwright, and the author of several books, Lisa Sharon Harper is on The Puddcast! Recognized as one of the most important and powerful voices speaking to matters of justice and religion today, Lisa joined us to talk about her latest book Fortune: How Race Broke my Family and the World - and How to Repair it All. Blending fascinating ancestry research, family biography and memoir with a detailed history of race law in the United States, Fortune moved me profoundly. In this interview we discuss colonialism, radical re-connection to our stories and land; we explore shalom, confession, and the rehumanizing process of forgiveness. We talk about the lies of European supremacy and the greatness of pre-colonial African nations. There is some heavy content within, but it’s also full of hope and wisdom. Please listen today and let your heart be impacted.
Order Fortune: How Race Broke my Family and the World - and How to Repair it All, by Lisa Sharon HarperOrder The Very Good Gospel, by Lisa Sharon HarperLearn more about Lisa’ work at lisasharonharper.comFollow Lisa on Instagram and Twitter.
Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
The B-Side is back! Katie Gaddini’s evocative book unveiling the factors that cause single women to feel alienated in the church triggered some THOUGHTS from both Tryphena and myself. Having both served in churches for many years, we each shared some of the ways we’ve seen “the ideal Christian woman” trope play out, why this and other things are so problematic, and what we want to see happen. We talked about a deep faith in Jesus bringing about a wide embrace of people, how we each need to be doing the work of growth and introspection, how marriage can be a framework of control, church NDAs and more!
For maximum impact, make sure you listen to the source episode, #132: Why single women are leaving the church (with Dr. Katie Gaddini).
To enter the giveaway I mentioned, head over to jonathanpuddle.com/giveaway
Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Sociologist and author Dr. Katie Gaddini joins us to talk about the factors forcing single evangelical women out of the church. Rather than a focus on faith deconstruction, we talked about power structures and cultural norms, such as “the ideal Christian woman,” how such stereotypes develop, and how they alienate people who don’t fit them. We touched on sexuality, purity culture, whiteness, patriarchy, affluence, wealth, and more in a quest to understand why the largest group currently leaving the church is women. This important conversation is based on Dr. Gaddini’s helpful and accessible book, The Struggle to Stay: Why Single Evangelical Women Are Leaving the Church, which I highly recommend.
Order The Struggle to Stay: Why Single Evangelical Women Are Leaving the Church by Dr. Katie GaddiniLearn more about Katie’s work at katiegaddini.comFollow Katie on Instagram and Twitter.
Buy my latest book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
To commemorate the launch (and the irony) of my latest book (a men’s Bible devotional), my friend Anthony McLean returns to host the show and interview me! We talked about men’s mental health, overworking ourselves, permitted male emotions, and purity culture… and then we riffed deep on original sin, brokenness and how to understand freedom and love in a beautiful wide open field of grace. This ended up being one of my most favourite conversations and I hope you’ll listen to the whole thing.
You can order my brand new book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men, right here.
You can learn more about Anthony McLean at anthonymclean.org
Listen to the earlier episode when Anthony interviewed me about learning to love ourselves.
Support the show and my other work by becoming a Patron or making a one-time donation, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Professor, researcher and podcaster Dr. Holly Oxhandler is my guest, talking about the supports that helpers need to keep on helping. Whether we’re talking about parents, therapists, pastors, teachers or literally anyone else who helps, Holly’s research has shown the importance of seeing the divine inside ourselves so that we can connect with the divine in others. Her book, The Soul of the Helper: Seven Stages to Seeing the Sacred Within Yourself So You Can See It in Others, has been very impactful in my life and we unpacked her social work research, what she’s found, and why it works. This is gentle and vulnerable and practical, like all good Puddcasts should be. Get in!
Order The Soul of the Helper: Seven Stages to Seeing the Sacred Within Yourself So You Can See It in Others, by Dr. Holly K. OxhandlerListen to Holly’s podcast (with Robert Vore), CXMH: a podcast at the intersection of faith & mental health.Learn more about Holly’s work at hollyoxhandler.comFollow Holly on Instagram and Twitter.
Buy my brand new book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Time for another B-Side! Tryphena and I kept the mics rolling after we bid farewell to Jonathan Martin, and we leaned into his thoughts on God walking with us, even as we think we’re walking away. We riff on the divine power revealed in human agency, finding peace in the knowledge that God is present in everything, discerning the simple next steps in front of us, and walking life out in community.
For maximum impact, make sure you listen to our source episode, #129: Finding hope on the road away from God (with Jonathan Martin).
Buy my brand new book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men (it’s women-friendly!)
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportCheck out my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Pastor, writer and social leader Jonathan Martin returns to the show to explain how the journey that we’re each on is the journey we need to be on. Using the story of the disciples leaving Jerusalem on the road to Emmaus, Jonathan explains that even when we think we’re walking away from God, love finds us on the road. Tryphena and I ask him about the risky nature of doubt, of how granting freedom works as a pastor, and how to be honest about the harm done to us, while holding on to hope that perhaps healing is possible after all. It’s beautiful and raw and real, if you’ve felt at all disillusioned by God or church or the world in the last few years then I commend this to you wholeheartedly.
Order The Road Away from God: How Love Finds Us Even as We Walk Away, by Jonathan MartinListen to Jonathan’s podcast, The Zeitcast.Learn more about Jonathan’s work at jonathanmartinwords.comFollow Jonathan on Twitter and Instagram.
Buy my brand new book, Mornings with God: Daily Bible Devotional for Men
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This here’s a B-Side, folks! As Tryphena and I walked back through our interview with Kevin Sweeney about mystics, mushrooms and the power of letting go, we found ourselves camped out discussing our value and worth when we’re not productive. Tryphena asks, if a flower shines with no one to see its beauty, is it still beautiful? We shared some dark night of the soul stories and challenged each other to live present, right here and now, in this cosmos, rather than escape.
For maximum impact, make sure you listen to our source episode, #128: Mystics, mushrooms and the power of letting go (with Kevin Sweeney).
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Pastor, poet and mystic Kevin Sweeney comes to The Puddcast this month to share about his journey of encountering God while high on mushrooms. And that’s just the beginning! Starting this episode, we welcome Tryphena Perumalla-Gagnon as a co-host on the show. Tryphena and I had a blast with Kevin, exploring what it means to lean into the contemplative and mystical and find God present in the everyday moments of our lives. He explained the importance of transitioning from spiritual peaks to spiritual practices, and how the key to safety, identity and fulfilment really does lie in letting go of everything. We touched on a range of topics, including vulnerability, pastoral idealism, parenting, pursuing the Spirit without the expectations of others, and much more. Get in!
Order The Making of a Mystic: My Journey with Mushrooms, My Life as a Pastor, And Why it’s Okay for Everyone to Relax by Kevin Sweeney.Learn more about Kevin at imaginehi.org and listen to his podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-church-needs-therapy/id1525310667Follow Kevin on Twitter and Instagram.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
BONUS EPISODE! I’m away on vacation so instead of a fresh interview, Tryphena and I decided to share our B-Side from episode 127 (back in the days of episode 127 the B-Sides were exclusive to patrons only). Tryphena echoed the question of many listeners by asking why—after 3 years—I decided to publicly engage the topic of LGBTQ+ faith when I have been mostly silent on it. You’ll hear lots of my own story with my dad, and we talked about Bridget’s amazing poise and grace in carrying this heavy burden, for all our benefit. And more!
For maximum impact, make sure you listen to our source episode, #127: What gay Christians experience in church (with Bridget Eileen Rivera).
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Bridget Eileen Rivera comes to The Puddcast this month to share what it’s like for LGBTQ Christians in the church today. Her book, Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church, is a compassionate, heartbreaking exposé on the theological and sociological structures that block queer Christians from pursuing Christ together. Bridget shared her journey of growing up believing she was an object of wrath, before diving into Scripture to find the truth of her belovedness. We explore some of the different ways queer Christians live out their faithfulness and the importance of allowing everyone the dignity to follow the Holy Spirit. I commend this discussion to you as strongly as I can.
Order Heavy Burdens: Seven Ways LGBTQ Christians Experience Harm in the Church by Bridget Eileen RiveraLearn more about Bridget at meditationsofatravelingnun.comFollow Bridget on Twitter and Instagram.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This month I got to interview a true kindred spirit, Ashley Abercrombie. Ashley’s message of embracing transformative love by bravely facing disagreement and conflict was challenging to me in all the best ways. Ashley grew up in the American South before moving to Los Angeles and Manhattan. Along the way, she faced addiction, perfectionism, sexual assault and more, and today is a writer, podcaster, pastor and mom to three young kids. Her latest book is called Love is the Resistance: Learn to disagree, resolve the conflicts you've been avoiding and create real change. It’s excellent.
Order Love is the Resistance: Learn to disagree, resolve the conflicts you've been avoiding and create real change, by Ashley Abercrombie.Learn more about Ashley at ashabercrombie.comFollow Ashley on Instagram and Twitter.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This month I connected with long-time blogger and author Tsh Oxenreider all about Lent. Tsh grew up big Bible church and after living abroad for many years found herself drawn to the Catholic church. Her new book, Bitter & Sweet: A Journey into Lent is a practical, easy to use devotional tool for leaning into the upcoming season of Lent. Our conversation has got me reflecting on the seasons of nature, especially winter, the darkness and the hope we need, and how Lent grew out of the human need for hope in this season. Did you know that Lent predates the Bible? We talk about all this, and the idea of “being in the season of Lent”, rather than Lent as something you do.
Take my survey! A few quick questions to help me plan for this year.
Order Bitter & Sweet: A Journey into Lent by Tsh OxenreiderLearn more about Tsh at tshoxenreider.comFollow Tsh on Twitter and Instagram.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
I had the great joy of welcoming author, psychologist, researcher and podcaster Hillary L. McBride, PhD to the show this week. We discussed the idea that our bodies are a source of wisdom and truth, the topic of her critically important new book, The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living. Hillary shared profound insights on the burdens our bodies bear when we ignore them, the ways Western colonialism has disembodied all of us, and how salvation itself can be a bodily reality. She offers helpful guidance for those of us getting used to being in-person again after COVID lockdowns, and more. I highly recommend this discussion and her book!
Order The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living (Canadian edition)Order The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living (US edition)Learn more about Hillary at hillarylmcbride.comFollow Hillary on Twitter and Instagram.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
My new friend Daniel Bowman Jr. is my guest this week, and he shares his story of learning he was autistic as an adult. Daniel is an English professor and poet, and he shares the importance of understanding the different ways brains work, the gifts present in neurodiversity, and the importance of moving away from a pathology paradigm. We also discussed the life-giving rhythms of contemplative prayer for folks whose brains desire consistency and repetition. Daniel is the author of On The Spectrum: Autism, Faith, and the Gifts of Neurodiversity.
Order On The Spectrum: Autism, Faith, and the Gifts of Neurodiversity by Daniel Bowman Jr.Learn more about Daniel at danielbowmanjr.comFollow Daniel on Twitter and Instagram.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Kat Armas comes to the show this week to discuss embodiment, the sacredness of survival, and the faith of our grandmothers. Kat argues that our grandmothers, especially abuelitas in Latine cultures, function as live-in ministers particularly because the privilege to receive formal religious instruction is often unavailable. We all miss out on the unique, embodied, ways of knowing truth and practicing wisdom when we don’t turn our gaze to these figures who have been in our lives since before we were born. Kat’s book is called, Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach us About Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength, and it’s excellent. Check it out below!
Order Abuelita Faith: What Women on the Margins Teach us About Wisdom, Persistence, and Strength, by Kat Armas.Learn more about Kat at kararmas.comFollow Kat on Twitter and Instagram.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Michael F. Bird, editor of The New Testament in its World with N.T. Wright returns this week to discuss things that he wishes Christians knew about the Bible. Mike is a scholar and theologian and his new book, 7 Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible, provides lots of fodder for thought and discussion. He lays out how the Bible came to be, how to respond to literalist claims about Scripture, examining why people should read the Apocrypha, and then we talk about critical race theory and why it’s important to read outside your own tradition, listening to the stories of folks who don’t look like you.
Order 7 Things I Wish Christians Knew about the Bible by Michael F. BirdRead Mike’s blog at patheos.com/blogs/euangelionFollow Mike on Twitter.
Order Evangelical Theology, Second Edition: A Biblical and Systematic Introduction by Michael F. BirdOrder Early Christian Readings of Genesis One: Patristic Exegesis and Literal Interpretation by Craig AllertMike’s review of African American Readings of Saul, by Lisa Bowen
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week, pastor and author Brian Zahnd returns to The Puddcast to discuss his new book, When Everything’s On Fire. This helpful and timely book is a sort of field guide to maintaining faith in a secular age, and so we unpacked deconstruction, modernism as a framework for secular society, Nietzsche’s predictions about the death of God, postmodernism and more. I asked Brian some very pointed questions about faith leaders espousing a faith we can’t support and why that’s led so many to deconstruction. It’s wonderful.
Order When Everything’s on Fire: Faith Forged from the Ashes by Brian ZahndLearn more about Brian at brianzahnd.comFollow Brian on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
By popular demand, Aundi Kolber returns to The Puddcast this week. Aundi and I discuss the success and impact of Try Softer, the brand new Try Softer Guided Journey companion book, and we riff at length on Jesus’ relationship to traumatic events. Expect to learn more about how your process pain and shift into the shame-free life that God has designed you for.
Order The Try Softer Guided Journey: A Soulful Companion to Healing by Aundi KolberGet some great videos from Aundi on moving towards yourself in compassion and kindnessFollow Aundi on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week I am honoured to welcome Christine Caine to The Puddcast. Christine and her husband Nick founded the A21 Campaign, a global anti human trafficking organization, and Christine is a much sought-after speaker, writer and activist. We discussed how to keep our faith anchored in Jesus in the context of doing hard, exhausting work. When we know that the mission before us is costly and painful, and we are tempted to call it a day, how do we continue in faithfulness? Especially when we know that God still loves us if we tap out. Christine’s insights are hard-won and she explores them all in her latest book, How Did I Get Here?: Finding Your Way Back to God When Everything is Pulling You Away. This is my last episode for the next few months, as I head into my summer vacation.
Order How Did I Get Here?: Finding Your Way Back to God When Everything is Pulling You Away, by Christine CaineLearn more about A21 Campaign’s mission to trafficking and slaveryFollow Christine on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Christina Dent joins me on The Puddcast this week to talk about the war on drugs. Christina is the Founder and President of End It For Good, a nonprofit advocating a health-centred approach to drugs rather than a criminal justice one. Living in Mississippi, Christina changed her own mind about how best to approach drug laws after she became a foster parent and saw the negative effects of our current approach up close. She shared powerfully with me about the real choices before us as people who claim to care about humans made in the image of God. Get ready to be challenged!
Learn more about Christina’s organization at enditforgood.comWatch Christina’s TEDx talk on ending the war on drugsFollow End it For Good on InstagramFollow Christina on TwitterOrder Johann Hari’s book, Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs
For drug recovery and addiction services, help-problematic-substance-use.html">in Canada and the United States, there is help!
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week on The Puddcast we welcome hip-hop artist, poet and hope-activist, Propaganda. We discussed his debut book Terraform: Building a Better World, which is a collection of poetry and prose designed to jolt your imagination and get you thinking about injustices that we all take for granted. Prop can flip between talking hip-hop, politics, coffee, church history and science fiction at will… so we had a fun time calling out things that we want to see change in the world.
Order Terraform: Building a Better World, by Propaganda.Learn more at prophiphop.comListen to The Red Couch Podcast with Propaganda and AlmaFind Prop on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.Follow Prop on Instagram and Twitter
Donate to Steve Austin’s memorial fund for his family.Order Steve Austin’s new book, Hiding in the Pews: Shining Light on Mental Illness in the Church
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week on The Puddcast I am joined by Justin McRoberts. Justin’s focus is on helping people live generous lives that faithfully do good work in the world around them. He’s a musician, a writer, a coach, and he hosts the @Sea podcast. We talked all about the process of becoming, trying something, failing, refining your understanding of your own passions and pivoting around those things in order to create something amazing out of whatever life has handed you, all themes from his new book, It is What You Make of It: Creating Something Great from What You’ve been Given.
Order It Is What You Make of It: Creating Something Great from What You’ve Been Given by Justin McRobertsLearn more at justinmcroberts.comFind his music on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.Listen to his podcast, @Sea with Justin McRobertsFollow Justin on Instagram.
Support the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Liz Milani is a writer and seeker who runs The Practice Co app and Instagram, and joins me this week to talk about daily spiritual practices that are authentic to our self of sense. We talked about leaving church when our bodies break down, deconstructing and reconfiguring our faith, and reconnecting to our bodies and a more holistic, sustainable spirituality. Liz and her husband Jesse were formerly pastors at a megachurch in Australia—we have loads in common, this was a really refreshing discussion for me personally, and there’s loads of hope and practical wisdom in here for anyone wrestling with God, church and their sense of self.
Download The Practice Co app for iOS or Android.Learn more at thepracticeco.comFollow The Practice Co on Instagram.Follow Liz on Instagram.
Supporter the show and my other work, at jonathanpuddle.com/supportOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
On The Puddcast this week is writer and cartoonist, Heather Caliri. Heather’s work on finding God’s grace in awkward, uncomfortable places has been featured on ChristianityToday.com, In Touch Magazine, Fathom Magazine, Relevant Magazine.com and more. Heather shared with me how she asked the most serious questions of her faith and experienced God respond with love and dignity. That grace slowly transformed her life, and now she teaches others how to let dignity transform their lives and their most difficult relationships.
Register for Heather’s course, 30 Days to Loving DignityLearn more about Heather at HeatherCaliri.comFollow Heather on Instagram and Twitter.Bruce Kramer interview On BeingCarol Howard Merritt on The Puddcast: Forgiving the ChurchChimamanda Adichie TED Talk on The Danger of a Single Story
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week, theologian, lecturer and mother Julie Canlis comes to The Puddcast, to talk about ordinary, embodied holiness. Julie is the author of A Theology of the Ordinary, and we discussed how the Holy Spirit connects us to our bodies in normal, everyday ways and how the full life of Jesus transforms all of the mundane moments of our lives into sacred pathways of holiness. We even discussed John Calvin, as Julie’s framework for understanding Calvin’s beliefs goes contrary to much of what I thought I knew about Calvinism. I highly recommend this conversation to you, it is full of earthy hope and simple love for creation and life.
Order A Theology of the OrdinaryOrder Calvin's Ladder: A Spiritual Theology of Ascent and AscensionRegister for the Book of Revelation course, featuring Fr. John Behr, Wm. Paul Young, Brad Jersak, Cherith Nordling, Julie Canlis and more remarkable teachers.Learn more about Godly Play at godlyplayfoundation.org
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week I am joined by my friend Lisa Colón DeLay to talk about the healing power of spiritual practices. Lisa begins by explaining why we should acknowledge that we live in a white-dominant culture and the importance of learning about non-white spiritual practices, especially embodiment. We discussed a rubric for identifying our core areas of trauma as well as how to move them from areas of non-awareness into conscious awareness, through spiritual practices led by the Holy Spirit. Lisa unpacks many themes from her excellent book, The Wild Land Within: Cultivating Wholeness Through Spiritual Practice, which is an excellent discipleship resource.
Order The Wild Land Within: Cultivating Wholeness Through Spiritual Practice.Visit Lisa online at lisadelay.comListen to Lisa’s long-running podcast, Spark My Muse, at sparkmymuse.comFollow Lisa on Twitter.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week on The Puddcast we talk all about depression. Diana Gruver, author of the wonderful book, Companions in the Darkness: Seven Saints Who Struggled with Depression and Doubt, shares her own story with depression, and the fellowship we can find with notable Christians who have struggled just like us. Whether you suffer from clinical depression, periodic bouts of depression or you just know someone who does, there’s hope and practical advice in here for you.
Order Companions in the Darkness: Seven Saints Who Struggled with Depression and Doubt, by Diana Gruver.Visit Diana online at dianagruver.comFollow Diana on Twitter and Facebook.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week on The Puddcast, author, speaker and podcaster Tiffany Bluhm joins us to discuss why we silence women. She unpacked the imbalance of power exposed during sexual misconduct allegations, why men are excused for their behaviour and women are blamed for it. We explored the reasons women don’t always speak up and what often happens when they do. Tiffany explained why we don’t believe those women who do speak up. All this and more, drawn from her new book, Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up.
Order Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak UpVisit Tiffany online at tiffanybluhm.comFollow Tiffany on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Artist and poet extraordinaire, Morgan Harper Nichols returns to The Puddcast this week. We talked all about compassionately reframing our memories of past events, a major theme in Morgan’s new book, How Far You Have Come: Musings on Beauty and Courage. Whether you’re already a fan of Morgan’s work or are discovering her for the first time, I think you’ll find beauty and encouragement to be who you are, where you are right now.
Order How Far You Have Come: Musings on Beauty and Courage, by Morgan Harper NicholsVisit Morgan online at morganharpernichols.comFollow Morgan on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week I have the great delight of discussing the life and faith of Eugene Peterson, with Winn Collier, who wrote his authorized biography. Winn has pastored for 25 years and was deeply impacted by Eugene’s work, both in The Message and in his many pastoral books. Winn now directs the Eugene Peterson Center for Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary. We discussed the holy ordinary, a major theme of Eugene’s life, and we reflected on a life lived in pursuit of divine love. Expect warmth and encouragement and hope.
Order A Burning in My Bones: The Authorized Biography of Eugene H. Peterson, Translator of The Message by Winn CollierVisit Winn online at winncollier.comFollow Winn on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week we are joined by Enneagram teacher, Ian Morgan Cron. Ian is a bestselling author, psychotherapist, and host of the Typology podcast. Ian’s book, The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery is one I highly recommend, and so I was thrilled to welcome Ian to the show. We talked about the doctrine of original goodness, the mystery of God in our lives, the unconscious motivations of each Enneagram type, the Enneagram types under stress, dying to the false self and more.
Order The Road Back to You: An Enneagram Journey to Self-Discovery by Ian Morgan Cron & Suzanne StabileVisit Ian online at ianmorgancron.com and typologypodcast.comFollow Ian on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week we are joined by Kurt Willems, to discuss how Jesus’ humanity redeems and transforms our human suffering. Kurt is a pastor, podcaster and theologian and his book is called, Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems Our Pain. Every time I speak with Kurt I find him to be this delightful blend of the academic, the pastoral, and deep spiritual formation. We talked about how Jesus meets us in our brokenness and leads us through the traumas of our life, renewing our humanity in the process. And a whole lot more, as usual!
See https://jonathanpuddle/podcast for transcripts.
Order Echoing Hope: How the Humanity of Jesus Redeems Our Pain, by Kurt Willems.Click here to learn more about the book.Listen to Kurt’s excellent podcast, Theology Curator.Follow Kurt on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week, my guest is Melinda Estabrooks. Melinda is a Canadian television host, conference speaker and editor of the new book, “Always Know.” Melinda’s career in Canadian broadcast TV and radio spans over 20 years and while we had interacted at industry events in the past, this was the first time we really got to actually talk with one another. I asked her to share her story of being abandoned as a baby, then adopted by a Canadian family, experiencing racism growing up, depression and mental health difficulties, and even walking through a divorce while in public Christian ministry. If you’ve ever felt like God and everyone else doesn’t see you… then Melinda’s story is for you.
Order Always Know, by Melinda Estabrooks and the guests of See, Hear, Love directly from Crossroads or from Amazon.Watch Melinda’s show at seehearlove.comFollow Melinda on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week, popular Christian sex blogger and author Sheila Wray Gregoire returns to the show with her daughter Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach to discuss their groundbreaking research on harmful Evangelical teachings about sex. Sheila explained that despite blogging and writing about sex for years, she kept hearing the same problems from people, which forced her to ask, “What if the problem is not a lack of good content but a really rotten foundation?” They conducted a survey of 22,000 Christian women to test many popular evangelical teachings about sex and see how they corresponded with women’s sexual and marital satisfaction. They also looked at the best-selling Christian marriage or sex books to see which books spread those teachings. Their findings are important and powerful, and they’re available in their new book, The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended. Content warning: contains a discussion on sexual assault in marriage, and is not appropriate for children. This interview offers hope to anyone who grew up in purity culture, or who has experienced sexual difficulties in marriage and wondered whether it was all their fault.
Order The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You’ve Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended, by Sheila Wray Gregoire, Rebecca Gregoire Lindenbach & Joanna SawatskyLearn more at greatsexrescue.comFind Sheila & Rebecca’s other work at tolovehonorandvacuum.comFollow Sheila on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.Follow Rebecca on Twitter and Instagram.
Become a supporter of the show on Patreon at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week you get to enjoy a brand-new piece of content, the first Puddcast B-Side! I sat down (virtually) with my good friend Chris and we unpacked the ways that episodes 100 and 101 (the panel on Jesus & Trauma) impacted us. I also shared some behind-the-scenes discussion on how the panel came together, some challenges I faced running it and more. Going forward, I’ll be releasing a B-Side for every episode, where a friend of mine and I discuss the topics in further depth. You may also get some funny bloopers, mistakes, gotchas and various other things. It's gonna be fun!
Since this week is the very first one, I’m sharing it here publicly on The Puddcast—going forward the B-Sides will be available exclusively to my Patreon supporters. You can become a supporter for $3/month or $32/year. To sign up and gain access to The Puddcast B-side and lots of other benefits, go to patreon.com/jonathanpuddle.
Order my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week we dive into the 2nd half of our panel discussion on Jesus & Trauma. Once again, my guests are Wm. Paul Young, Alison Cook, Ph.D, Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe and Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson. Building on the discussion in the first half, where the lenses of psychology, neurology, theology, and cultural studies were applied to matters of identity, brokenness, colonialism, institutional religious structures, diversity and more, we went after forgiveness and reconciliation next. The conversation is shorter but no less robust.
Order The Pastor: A Crisis, by Paul Young & Bradley Jersak. Learn more about Wm. Paul Young at wmpaulyoung.com. Follow Paul on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Order Boundaries for Your Soul: How to Turn Your Overwhelming Thoughts and Feelings into Your Greatest Allies, by Alison Cook, PhDLearn more about Alison at alisoncookphd.com.Follow Alison on Instagram and Facebook.
Order The Brain-Based Enneagram: You are not A number by Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe.Learn more about Jerome at drjerome.com.Follow Jerome on Instagram and Twitter.
Learn more about Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson’s work at voicesglobalcollective.online and sageandsavant.onlineFollow Ahmeda on Instagram.
Support me and my work by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Welcome to the 100th episode of The Puddcast! As I looked back over the first 3 years I realized that the intersection of Jesus & trauma formed a throughline across many conversations. I wanted to do something special and so I assembled a panel to discuss this subject. My guests are Wm. Paul Young, Alison Cook, Ph.D, Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe and Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson. We went so deep and long that I’ve split the discussion into 2 parts, with the 2nd part coming next week. Using the lenses of psychology, neurology, theology, cultural studies, and more we look at identity, brokenness, colonialism, institutional religious structures, diversity and more. If you’ve ever wished to know precisely why it’s so hard to believe that God loves you, if you’ve wanted to understand yourself better, to know why our societies are so busted right now, why we struggle to put ourselves in other’s shoes, and more… then this is the discussion for you.
Learn more about Wm. Paul Young at wmpaulyoung.com. Follow Paul on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Learn more about Alison Cook, Ph.D at alisoncookphd.com.Follow Alison on Instagram and Facebook.
Learn more about Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe at drjerome.com.Follow Jerome on Instagram and Twitter.
Learn more about Ahmeda Mansaray-Richardson’s work at voicesglobalcollective.online and sageandsavant.onlineFollow Ahmeda on Instagram.
Support me and my work by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week we do a bit of a retrospective and I highlight some of the most popular episodes since The Puddcast began, as well as those that were the most impactful in my own life. As promised, I also reveal the guests of my upcoming panel on Jesus + Trauma!
Inside this episode you’ll find a replay of the very first episode of The Puddcast (“God is Everywhere”) as well as clips from my interviews with Luke Gifford, Aundi Kolber and Stephanie Tait. There’s also lots of further commentary from me looking back on the first 3 years of The Puddcast. As well, tune in to hear the exciting news of what I’ll be able to do once I hit 70 Patrons!
Support me and my work by becoming a Patron at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my trauma-informed 30-day devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about recently on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
My guest on the show this week is poet David Tensen. Once upon a time, David was the worship director at a megachurch… then he led a large inner healing prayer ministry… then his life fell apart and he started writing poetry. David recently released his first book The Wrestle: Poems of Divine Disappointment and Discovery. We talked all about breakdown, disappointment and surprising joy. David read a few of his poems for us—if you’ve ever experienced your life falling apart then this will be a blessing for your heart’s journey.
Order The Wrestle: Poems of Divine Disappointment and Discovery by David Tensen.Visit David online at davidtensen.comFollow David on Instagram and Twitter.
Learn more about HeartSync inner healing.Learn more about Elijah House inner healing.
Order my trauma-informed devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You from all retailers today.Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Brendan Kwiatkowski is a PhD candidate, researching adolescent males’ levels of emotional restriction and related pressures. I’ve loved the work that Brendan shares online and so he joined me on the show to discuss the masks that men & boys wear, trust vs vulnerability, issues of identity and sense of purpose, and the fragmentation that results from not being our true selves. If you have a male in your life, listen in.
You can learn more about Brendan and listen to his forthcoming album, Songs of Masculinity, at remasculate.org.Follow Brendan on Instagram at re.masculate.
Order my trauma-informed devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You from all retailers today.Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week on The Puddcast I’m giving you 3 readings from the audiobook of You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You. I’ve included the first 3 days: Your God, Your Body and Your Temple. If you enjoy it, you can buy a copy of the full audiobook directly from my website, at jonathanpuddle.com/store. It will also be available on Audible, Apple Music, etc. in the coming weeks.
Order my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You from all retailers.Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Popular author Lysa TerKeurst returns to the show this week to catch us up on the reconciliation of her marriage and how to forgive things that can’t be forgotten. We discussed dealing honestly with grief and acknowledging pain instead of spiritual bypassing. We talked at length about forgiveness, why it’s important for our healing, and how to give forgiveness to someone who really doesn’t deserve it… and why maybe the matter of their deserving-ness is the wrong question. I highly recommend you check this out along with her new book, Forgiving What You Can’t Forget. I was moved, y’all.
Order Forgiving What You Can’t Forget: Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That’s Beautiful AgainFollow Lysa on Instagram.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week we welcome the most specialist guest ever, Maija Puddle, my better half! Maija’s undergrad was in Political Science specializing in Public Policy and her masters’ thesis (in development and cooperation) was on power and language. So in the aftermath of the US election, Maija and I had an in-depth discussion on abortion, democracy, representation, the dangers of spiritualizing politics, and how God does and doesn’t work within society to bring about change. Expect hope, fire and lots of love.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Scott Erickson (AKA scottthepainter) is a touring painter, visual storyteller and creative curator who I am very excited to welcome to The Puddcast this week. We discussed a number of the themes from his new Christmas book, Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-With-Us Then, Here, and Now. Specifically, we talked about honesty in the face of pain and how vulnerability itself is the doorway to connection with God. Expect a jovial, lighthearted conversation that suddenly takes a beautiful, sacred turn as Scott hits reset on our understanding of a very familiar story.
Order Honest Advent: Awakening to the Wonder of God-With-Us Then, Here, and NowFollow Scott on Twitter and Instagram.Learn more at scottericksonart.com
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
It’s a great honour to welcome multi Grammy award-winning, platinum-selling artist, Lecrae, to the show. We discussed his journey of learning to live authentically as his true self within a culture that didn’t celebrate him for who he was. That journey affected his relationships, his faith, his music and more. Lecrae shared vulnerably about things the evangelical church has been unwilling to discuss, to the pain and devastation of those seeking to live whole lives with robust faith. He also explained how deeply objectification is built into Christian culture. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Lecrae and hope that you’ll check out his new album, Restoration, and his new book, I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion, But Found My Faith. Much more in the show notes below.
Order I Am Restored: How I Lost My Religion, But Found My FaithListen to Restoration on SpotifyWatch the video series, Road to RestorationFollow Pete on Twitter and Instagram.Learn more at Lecrae.com.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week I’m thrilled to welcome Pete Greig, one of the founders of the 24-7 Prayer movement and author of a number of books that have deeply impacted me. My friend and pastor Amy Ryan co-hosted the discussion and we asked Pete to help us understand how to pray and how to handle the silence that often happens in response to our prayers. His answers to us were deep and powerful and his comments on the church were insightful! Make sure to grab a copy of his latest book (republished for the COVID context), God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer. It’s honestly wrecking me right now.
Order God on Mute: Engaging the Silence of Unanswered Prayer.Order Dirty Glory: Go Where Your Best Prayers Take You.7prayer.com/dailydevotional">Sign up for Lectio 365, the daily devotional that Pete spoke about.Follow Pete on Twitter and Instagram.
Listen to Amy & Adam Ryan previously on The Puddcast talking about pastoring with the Holy Spirit.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week on The Puddcast we welcome Duncan & Kate Smith, the leaders of the Catch The Fire movement of churches. I’ve known Duncan & Kate for many years and I asked them to share what it means to encounter the Holy Spirit and have the Spirit revolutionize your life. We took our time to get there, building up a beautiful framework for knowing God has a loving Father and taking on the life of Jesus into our own lives. If you’ve ever wondered what the deal was with those crazy Charismatics, then have a listen to this and see if you too don’t catch an excitement for the experienceable presence and tangible love of God.
You can buy Duncan’s book, Consumed By Love.Listen to Duncan & Kate’s podcast, the-fire.simplecast.com/">Into the Fire.Follow Duncan & Kate on Facebook and Instagram.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
I’m honoured to welcome to The Puddcast this week, my city’s mayor, Cam Guthrie! Cam and his wife Rachel shared some of their life story along with insights on managing hectic schedules, putting in boundaries, dealing with criticism, supporting one another’s career goals, the COVID rollercoaster and the opioid overdose crisis. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with them.
Follow Cam on Twitter and Instagram, follow Rachel on Instagram.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week we are joined once more by Max Lucado, one of the most prolific Christian authors of our time. Max and I briefly discussed some themes from his new book, You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence and Power before we moved on to examining the intensity and pain of the moment we find ourselves in, how so many of our systems are failing us and how we desperately need help from the Holy Spirit. There’s a little something in here for everyone.
Order Max’s latest book, You Are Never Alone: Trust in the Miracle of God's Presence and Power.
Follow Max on Twitter and Instagram.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
To celebrate my book launch in a few days, you get a very special edition of The Puddcast this week where my friend Anthony McLean hosts the show and interviews me! We talked about trauma, vulnerability, courage, blackness, the importance of embodiment in our spiritual practice, performance vs identity, challenges Enneagram type 2s tend to experience, and we practiced some self-compassionate meditation together.
You can order my brand new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You, right here.
You can learn more about Anthony McLean at anthonymclean.org
I briefly referenced the idea of not feeling safe with God. If that’s an issue for you, I talk about it at length in my devotional book, but I also discuss it in this article here.
You can support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleYou’ll find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
On The Puddcast this week is Derwin L. Gray, pastor of Transformation Church in South Carolina, and author of The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches about Finding True Happiness. We discussed the Beatitudes as an invitation to a life of meaning and purpose, how that intersects with racial justice, how the prosperity message has crippled our witness, and our great need for leadership from those who have pastored on the margins.
Order Derwin’s book, The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches about Finding True Happiness.Follow Derwin on Twitter and Instagram.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
This week we look at a crucially important topic: suicide and mental health. My guest is Kayla Stoecklein, whose husband Andrew died by suicide two years ago. Andrew had been the lead pastor of their church, and had struggled with significant mental health issues for some time. Kayla shares vulnerably how warning signs were missed and a great tragedy could have been averted. She provides hope and practical help for anyone facing depression, anxiety, panic attacks or suicidal ideation, as well as for those people loving others through it.
Order Kayla’s excellent book, Fear Gone Wild: A Story of Mental Illness, Suicide, and Hope Through Loss.Follow Kayla on Instagram.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder my new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
I’m joined this week by my good friends Marc & Tryphena Gagnon, who share their story so far raising their multiracial family. Marc is of French Canadian heritage and Tryphena’s family is from India, and they have learned a lot about one another and themselves as they raise their mixed-race children to understand and own their racial identities and engage with the world around them in compassion and love. Marc is also the teaching pastor at Lakeside Church in Guelph.
Tryphena recommends the following books:White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngeloMartin Luther King, Jr. (Little People, BIG DREAMS series), by Maria isabel Sanchez VegaraRosa Parks (Little People, BIG DREAMS series), by Lisbeth Kaiser
Visit Marc & Tryphena’s church at lakesidechurch.ca
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder by new devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You.Find every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Hey friends, I’m off for a little vacation. The Puddcast will be back on air sometime in August! Thanks for your support… will talk soon.
My guest this week is Kevin Makins, pastor of Eucharist Church in Hamilton, Ontario. Kevin and I chatted about walking away from God, building communities that are safe for people questioning their faith, and how Jesus shatters the idols we make out of our churches and communities. This conversation presents a hope-filled, loved-centred path forward for the church in secular society. It’s full of joy. You’ll love it.
Order Why Would Anyone Go to Church? A Young Community’s Quest to Reclaim Church for Good, by Kevin Makins.Visit Kevin online at kevinmakins.com.Subscribe to his YouTube channel at youtube.com/kevinmakins.Follow Kevin on Twitter and Instagram.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
K.J. Ramsey is a therapist, writer and the author of This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers. K.J. and I have become good friends over the course of the pandemic, and in this interview we discussed the hope embedded in suffering, the tension between Jesus’ words “All these things and more you will do” and “In this life, you will have troubles”. She shared how stories that include very hard things can also include great hope and love, and how brain science reveals that being still with God in the midst of our suffering is of transformative importance. I cannot recommend her to you highly enough.
Order This Too Shall Last: Finding Grace When Suffering Lingers by K.J. RamseyFollow K.J. on Twitter and Instagram.
I’ve been shortlisted for best Christian blog of the year in Canada! Follow The World Guild on Facebook to watch the awards ceremony on Saturday 13th June.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Rich Villodas, pastor of New Life Fellowship in the heart of Queens, NY, joined me on the show this week. I’ve been hugely impressed by Rich’s depth of thought and the integration of emotional health, racial reconciliation, Holy Spirit power and more that he teaches and embodies. We discussed sexual wholeness, contemplative spirituality and discipleship all in the lens of his new book, The Deeply Formed Life.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Read Kaitlin Curtice’s piece on pressing into the discomfort of this moment.Order The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich VillodasFollow Rich on Twitter and Instagram.
Lore Ferguson Wilbert is a long-time blogger and author of the new book, Handle With Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch in Life and Ministry. Lore (pronounced Lor-ee) joined me on the show to discuss the wonder of the Incarnation, the playfulness and delight of Jesus, platonic vs sexual touch, healthy touch in community, and my wife’s philosophy on hugging. For a healthier church, for a healthier, more embodied world, I highly commend this interview and Lore herself to you.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Order Handle With Care: How Jesus Redeems the Power of Touch in Life and Ministry by Lore Ferguson WilbertRead the opinion piece in The Guardian, “I desperately miss human touch. Science may explain why.”More on Andy Crouch’s rubric of authority and vulnerability.Find Lore online at sayable.netFollow Lore on Twitter and Instagram.
My guest on the show this week is Lucy Peppiatt, Principal of Westminster Theological Centre in the UK. Lucy is a Charismatic Anglican and is a theologian, an educator, pastor and author. We discussed the gifts that Charismatic Christians offer the world in a time of crisis, as well as the areas that Charismatics need to be particularly careful about. We covered the power of prayer, using prophecy responsibly, anchoring what we say about God in the real world, as well as the importance of co-suffering & lament with our brothers and sisters around the world.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Read Lucy’s article Charismatic Christians, Crisis, and Coronavirus parts one, two and three. Order Rediscovering Scripture's Vision for Women, by Lucy Peppiatt.Learn more about Westminster Theological Centre here.Follow Lucy on Twitter.
This week I had the distinct privilege of sitting down with Christopher Heuertz and discussing his brand new book, The Enneagram of Belonging: A Compassionate Journey of Self-Acceptance. Chris’s work has been instrumental in my own journey of self-love and so it was a real honour to drill deep into some core philosophical aspects of the Enneagram (including some of the ways people frequently misapply the tools), followed by a review of the new language he gives us in this book. If you have ever felt frustrated or put into a box by the Enneagram, you’ll find some things here that I hope will be helpful and freeing for you.
UPDATE: I am aware of claims against Chris Heuertz and I have done my best to investigate the issue as far as I am able. You can read about these claims here, along with Chris’ response to them, and the response of an investigation by the board of directors of the Gravity Institute. I have chosen to keep Chris’ interview here as I believe the material is helpful. I encourage you to discern for yourself how to proceed regarding Chris’ work.
Listen to Chris read the first 9 minutes of the book for free, right here.Order The Enneagram of Belonging: A Compassionate Journey of Self-Acceptance, by Christopher L. HeuertzFollow Chris on Instagram or TwitterVisit Chris online at chrisheuertz.com
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
My guest on the show this week is YouTuber and Instagram personality, Emma Mae Jenkins. Emma and I talked about God meeting us where we are, finding our confidence in who God says we are, dealing with haters online, loving yourself and those who attack & demean you, and finding joy in difficult circumstances, even in eyebrow bullying (which we have both experienced!). She shares some beautiful thoughts from her new devotional, ALL CAPS YOU. She’s utterly delightful.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Follow Emma on Instagram and YouTube.Order Emma’s new devotional for young women, All Caps You.Visit Emma online at emmamaejenkins.com
Jonathan Martin is an author, pastor and host of The Zeitcast, and he is one of the biggest influences and encouragements in my life and work. Jonathan joined me on the show this week to chat about seasons of life, allowing things within us to die, and placing hope in a resurrection that we can’t orchestrate ourselves. We touched on grief, community, hope, church life and the importance of intentionally incarnating rebirth within our own lives.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Listen to The Zeitcast with Jonathan Martin. Order How to Survive a Shipwreck: Help Is on the Way and Love Is Already Here by Jonathan Martin. Order Prototype: What Happens When You Discover You're More Like Jesus Than You Think? by Jonathan Martin.Visit Jonathan Martin online at jonathanmartinwords.comFollow Jonathan on Instagram and Twitter.
Jamie Sumner is a writer and novelist whose latest non-fiction book, Eat, Sleep, Save the World: Words of Encouragement for the Special Needs Parent released the first week of widespread COVID-19 lockdown. Jamie joined me on the Puddcast to talk about letting go of parenting guilt, being present in the moment day-by-day, rethinking our priorities and leaning into God for resilience. If you’re a parent or someone looking after children, there’s hope for in here.
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFind every book or resource I’ve talked about on my Amazon storefront, in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.
Order Eat, Sleep, Save the World: Words of Encouragement for the Special Needs Parent by Jamie Sumner.Order Jamie’s middle-school novel, Roll with It.Visit Jamie online at sumner.com/">jamie-sumner.comFollow Jamie on Instagram and Twitter.
My guest this week is Tim Day, one of the top thought leaders in Canada regarding the church, mission and culture. Tim is Executive Director of City Movement Canada, and Director of Waybase.com (The Impact Network). We discussed the very real suffering caused by COVID-19, how individuals, churches and ministries are responding to it, and what God invites us to examine about ourselves, within the pain.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleAccess crisis resources for the Canadian churchVisit Tim online at timday.orgVisit WayBase, Canada’s premier church & ministry collaboration platform.Learn more about City Movement Canada.Order Tim’s book, God Enters Stage Left.
Many of us were raised to believe all kinds of myths about emotions, such as they’re sinful, they lead us astray, that emotions aren’t spiritual and so on. Right now, terrorized by the fear of a global pandemic, we’re surrounded by emotions! The truth is that emotions are a God-given source of wisdom when we know how to interpret them. In this episode, I share some science on what emotions are in our brains and bodies, a few practical tips on how to process the fear, anger and sadness coming up during this COVID-19 crisis, and then we practice accessing our emotions and bringing them to God.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder The Wisdom of your Heart: Discovering the God-Given Purpose and Power of Your Emotions by Marc Alan SchelskeListen to my podcast with Marc.of-Core-Emotions-2018.pdf">Brené Brown’s list of emotions.6 core emotions.
My guest this week is Dr. Jerome D. Lubbe, the creator of the Brain-Based Enneagram. We talked about science, hope, trauma, shame, the Brain-Based Enneagram… pretty much anything relating to the psychological framework of Jesus and the application for that in our lives. I’ve linked to a bunch of resources below for those wanting to dive deeper into the topics we covered. Get some!
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleThe Neurotheology of Self-CareVisit Jerome at drjerome.comOrder Whole-Identity: A Brain-Based Enneagram Model for (W)holistic Human Thriving by Dr. Jerome Lubbe.Learn more about the Brain-Based Enneagram.Get the scoop on my self-love devotional at jonathanpuddle.com/devoListen to Dr. Jerome Lubbe on The Zeitcast with Jonathan Martin: Neuroscience and the Enneagram Part 1… and Part 2.
In October 2016, Andrew & Norine Brunson were arrested and jailed in Turkey. Andrew was ultimately held for 2 years. I had the privilege of sitting down in person with Andrew and Norine and hearing their story. They shared about the persecution they experienced, the trial of faith he endured and how Andrew ultimately learned to stand in the darkest place of his life and press into God for strength every day. I was inspired and challenged!
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder Andrew’s book, God's Hostage: A True Story of Persecution, Imprisonment, and Perseverance
My guest this week is author, speaker, trauma-survivor and disability advocate Stephanie Tait. We had a profoundly deep conversation on the theology of suffering, prosperity, faith, trust, disabilities and ableism, and community. I cried real tears, you guys. I strongly urge every one of you to take the time to listen to this, Stephanie’s wisdom and grace are remarkable and every one of us have something to learn from her.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder Stephanie’s book, The View from Rock Bottom: Discovering God’s Embrace in our PainVisit Stephanie at stephanietaitwrites.comSupport Stephanie’s work on PatreonFollow Stephanie on Twitter and Instagram
This week's guest on The Puddcast is yours truly! I'm introducing my new devotional You Are Enough: Learning to Love Yourself the Way God Loves You through a free daily email during the season of Lent. In this episode, I explain the origins of Lent, how Easter is like heart surgery for Christians and why it’s worth preparing for surgery, and then I read the first daily reflection along with the accompanying meditation from my book. My invitation to you is to give up self-hatred, self-doubt and self-condemnation for lent this year, and try on love instead.
Sign up for the Lent email series at jonathanpuddle.com/lent
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
This week I had the great pleasure of chatting with John Mark McMillan all about his brand new album, “Peopled with Dreams.” An accomplished singer-songwriter, John Mark is quite possibly my favourite musician on the planet, so this was a real treat. We talked about life and death and gods and a God who bleeds alongside us, and the connection between love and suffering. Listen today!
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleListen to Peopled with Dreams by John Mark McMillan on Apple Music or SpotifyVisit John Mark online at johnmarkmcmillan.comFollow John Mark on Twitter and Instagram
Danielle Strickland joined me on The Puddcast this week to discuss how women and men can work together for a brighter future, one in which girl’s self-confidence doesn’t peak at 9 years old, where 1 in 3 women will not experience unwanted sexual attention and where men don’t live in fear of sexual accusation. We discussed power, fear, corruption and the Billy Graham rule, too. Whoever you are, you need to listen to this!
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder Better Together: How Women and Men Can Heal the Divide and Work Together to Transform the Future by Danielle StricklandVisit daniellestrickland.comLearn more about Brave GlobalFollow Danielle on Twitter and Instagram
Michael Bird is a theologian and New Testament scholar, who was responsible for editing the landmark work with NT Wright, The New Testament in it’s World. Mike and I talked about how to read the New Testament, what it tells us about power, empire, community, culture, history and more.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder The New Testament in its World by NT Wright and Michael BirdWatch the Council of Nicea rap battleCheck out Biblica HipsteriaRead Mike’s blogFollow Michael Bird on Twitter
David Kinnaman is President of the Barna Group, specialists in church-related research. He joined me on the show this week to discuss what is working in churches around the world looking to build resilient, faithful disciples. We also discussed using research as a lens on what’s happening in culture, and using that as a means of helping the church understand its times and the way forward.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder Faith For Exiles: 5 Ways for a New Generation to Follow Jesus in Digital Babylon by David Kinnaman and Mark MatlockLink to Brené Brown interview with Russell Brand Sign up for news on my devotional, You Are Enough: Learning to love yourself the way God loves you
My guest this week is poet and artist Morgan Harper Nichols. We talked about Morgan’s upbringing, her lifelong search for a creative outlet, her self-doubt and feelings of insufficiency, and the surprise success of her artwork and poetry. We also discussed Instagram as a platform that can foster personal intimacy and connection. Expect lots of graceful thoughts, kind words and laughter.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder All Along You Were Blooming: Thoughts for Boundless Living by Morgan Harper NicholsFollow Morgan on Instagram and Twitter
This week I am joined by Courtney Burg AKA Mombojombo, to talk about everything to do with trauma-informed parenting. We touched on boundaries, safety, self-regulation, rewiring your own brain, tantrums, and changing your parenting to reflect the unconditional love of God. Even if you’re not a parent, there’s something in here for you!
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder Boundaries, by Dr Henry Cloud & Dr John TownsendGet Courtney’s Breaking Free journaling guideFollow Courtney on Instagram
My guest this week is Episcopal priest and poster of popular liturgical reflections, Father Kenneth Tanner. We discussed the character of God and what it means to participate in the life of God, who has already done all things and redeemed all of creation for our benefit. It might leave you speechless at the goodness of God. You have been warned.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Follow Father Kenneth on Instagram and Twitter
Listen to my interviews with Wm. Paul Young and Brad Jersak.
The one and only Sarah Bessey joined me on the Puddcast this week. We had a rich and tender dialogue on pain, grief, the tension between where we’ve come from, where we are, and where we’re going… and how to find safety along that road. We talked about making room for the stories that don’t get told as well as how to honour the legacy of Rachel Held Evans while being faithful to our own callings as well. Listen and share today.
Resources mentioned:
Support me and my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder Miracles and Other Reasonable Things: A Story of Unlearning and Relearning God, by Sarah Bessey.Find Sarah at an event near you at sarahbessey.comFollow Sarah on Instagram and Twitter
Cara Meredith, author of The Color of Life, joined me on the show this week to talk about the unique role white people can play in racial justice and reconciliation work. Cara is a former high school English teacher and used to work in the non-profit outreach sector before focusing on speaking and writing. We talked all about how to have our eyes and ears opened to the realities of injustice and how to start feeling the pain of it ourselves, as a way to enter the conversation holistically and with integrity.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder The Color of Life: A Journey toward Love and Racial Justice, by Cara Meredith.Read Cara’s blog and other writing at carameredith.comFollow Cara on Instagram and Twitter
My guest this week is Pastor Gricel Medina. Serving in the Evangelical Covenant Church, Gricel has been involved in planting and mentoring multi-ethnic church congregations and has served on a number of boards and committees for racial gender equity, among many other things. She shared her powerful life story and we discussed the problems of a white-centric and male-centric church leadership culture. Get ready!
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder The God Who Sees, by Karen González.Learn more about the Reverend Dr. Elizabeth Conde-FrazierFind out more about Sandra van Opstal at sandravanopstal.comRead Gricel’s writing at EzerRising.comFollow Gricel on Instagram and Twitter
Gena Thomas joined me on The Puddcast to talk about immigration, family separation, border issues, language, power, foster care, and being Christ to others while also seeing Christ in others. We discussed some of the stories told in her new book, Separated by the Border, all about her family’s journey to return a young girl to her mother, after she was separated from her family at the border. Get your tissues ready.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder Separated by the Border: A Birth Mother, a Foster Mother, and a Migrant Child's 3,000-Mile Journey, by Gena Thomas.Article in local news about the reunification.Visit genathomas.com to join her mailing list.Follow Gena on Instagram and Twitter
Jefferson Bethke (along with his wife Alyssa) is a popular YouTuber, as well as an author and speaker. You know him from the spoken word video Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus. Jeff & Alyssa have an amazing set of training and encouraging videos for your marriage, your parenting and more, and now Jeff has a new book out on hustle culture and the importance of slow, quiet, spiritual rhythms. We discussed a whole bunch of things, from social media to Sabbath. Listen below or anywhere you find podcasts.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleDonate to my GoFundMe for my trip to South Africa.Order To Hell With the Hustle: Reclaiming Your Life in an Overworked, Overspent, and Overconnected World, by Jefferson Bethke.Visit jeffandalyssa.com or homeroomonline.comFollow Jeff on Instagram and Twitter
Jaye Thomas is a world-renowned worship leader and songwriter from Kansas City and a good friend of mine. Jaye and his wife Nayomi recently left the staff of IHOP to focus on their ministry, Song of Hope. With three primary pillars: Bible study, community discipleship and worship for people in prison, Jaye and Nayomi are actively ministering the love of God to people in church and out of church. Jaye and I discussed freedom, hope, self-righteousness and seeing Jesus in people we don’t expect to find him in.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleVideo of Botham Jean’s brother reaching out to Amber Guygersongofhopeministries.orgjayethomas.comJaye’s worship mentoringFollow Jaye on Instagram and Twitter.
Gary Thomas, the bestselling author of Sacred Marriage, Sacred Search and close to 20 other books joined me this week to turn my whole world upside down. His latest book, When To Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People hit me square between the eyes and so we talked about difficult relationships, protecting our identity and mission, and knowing when to call it a day. Gary covers toxicity in the context of church, workplace relationships, parents, marriages and more. Order the book below and have a listen to this important discussion.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder When To Walk Away: Finding Freedom from Toxic People by Gary ThomasVisit Gary at garythomas.com
Shane Pruitt is a blogger and evangelist, who, along with his wife Kasi have 5 kids—3 through adoption. Kasi oversees the Adoption & Foster Care Ministry at Lake Pointe church, and Shane, who is also the Director of Evangelism for The Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, joined me for a broad ranging discussion on authenticity, personal hardship, adoption, God’s sovereignty, and rethinking God’s will for your life. We also discussed his book, “9 Common Lies Christians Believe - And Why God’s Truth is Infinitely Better,” which he explained was the fruit of hearing too many bad Christian clichés during some of the hardest times of their life.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder 9 Common Lies Christians Believe - And Why God’s Truth is Infinitely Better, by Shane PruittVideo of the Pruitts bringing their daughter home which went viralLake Pointe church’s adoption ministryChristian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO)Visit Shane at shanepruitt.com
Natalie Frisk oversees the curriculum development for kids from birth to high school at The Meeting House (think Bruxy Cavey). She joined me on The Puddcast to talk about parenting and discipleship of children, especially in a context of deconstruction. How do you raise kids to care about faith when you’re busy cleaning up the junk in your own spiritual life? Natalie had many amazing and insightful things to share. You should definitely order her book at the link below and enter a draw to win another copy as well.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleRead or watch my memorial to Jarrid WilsonNatalie’s ReKnew blog post: Born Disciples: On Raising Kids to Follow JesusOrder Raising Disciples: How to Make Faith Matter for Our Kids by Natalie FriskWin a free, signed copy of Natalie’s book by entering my giveaway.Visit Natalie online at nataliefrisk.comDownload a free copy of The Meeting House kids’ church curriculum at curriculum.church
This week Max Lucado joined me to discuss happiness, that elusive joyous emotion we all want to feel all the time. Max’s latest book is called How Happiness Happens: Finding Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment and Unmet Expectations, so we riffed on that subject for a while and also talked about writing, pastoral ministry and a few other things. Hit the links to order his book or enter my giveaway to win yourself a copy!
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder How Happiness Happens: Finding Joy in a World of Comparison, Disappointment and Unmet Expectations, by Max LucadoOrder Just In Case You Ever Wonder, by Max LucadoWin a free copy of the book by entering my giveaway.Listen to Carey Nieuwhof’s interview with Max about his writing method.
For pastors and ministry leaders: book some free conversation and encouragement.
Ruth Chou Simons, author & popular creator of inspirational artwork joined me this week to talk beauty, truth, art, history, trends in wallpaper, the industrialization of modern education, how to have a conversation with your children, and surviving the moment by moment hopelessness that besets all of us while we await our own maturity. Sound packed? It sure is! Listen today and enter the giveaway to win a copy of Ruth’s latest book, Beholding & Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleOrder Beholding and Becoming: The Art of Everyday Worship, by Ruth Chou SimonsWin a free copy of the book by entering my giveaway.gracelaced.com - Ruth’s shopperuthchousimons.com
Sarah Ball is a highly energetic, “can-do” mother of 5 who was floored by crippling panic attacks and generalized anxiety. The kind of person who just didn’t understand depression was riddled by it until God drew her into healing, a journey which included therapy, emotional counselling, spiritual healing, physical health and fitness, and more. Sarah is the author of Fearless in 21 Days: A Survivor’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety, which we discussed in this interview.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleFearless in 21 Days: A Survivor’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety, by Sarah E. Ballsaraheball.come-ball.teachable.com/p/fearlesstraveler1">The Fearless Traveler - Sarah’s guided tour out of anxietyMy group book study on Sarah’s book Fearless.
Aundi Kolber is a licensed therapist and author who I’ve been following online for the last couple of years. We finally managed to schedule some time together and the result is a really helpful conversation on trauma, what it does in our bodies and brains, and how God designed our bodies and brains to give us the feedback we need in order to heal. As Aundi says, you can become a partner with God in his healing of you. Listen and share today!
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddlePre-order Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode--and into a Life of Connection and Joy, by Aundi Kolber.bravelyimperfect.com- Aundi’s websitemanage.com/subscribe?id=f32f58bb11&u=559b8cddf5af77ceaf3a1eb54">Sign up for Aundi’s free “Grounding” trainingFollow @aundikolber on Twitter and Instagram
Mary DeMuth is the author of over 30 books including popular fiction and Christian living titles. A survivor of sexual abuse at a young age, Mary has devoted much of her life to helping people walk out healing, and now she has turned her sights on the church itself. In this powerful discussion she shared deep truths about where the church is failing, and why, and practical tips on how we can all do better. We discuss her latest book, We Too, which is part expose, part memoir, part healing guide, and predominantly a clarion call for the church to do better. Check out the resources below and please consider sharing this important message with others.
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddleThe Day I Met Jesus, by Frank Viola & Mary DeMuthWe Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis, by Mary DeMuthBoz Tchividjian - GRACE: Godly Respond to Abuse in the Christian EnvironmentWeToo.orgPredators, by Anna SalterMary’s 21 Days to Healing Email Series for Sexual Abuse Recoverymarydemuth.com
Priscilla Shirer came back on the show to discuss finding our identity and significance in God, both major themes of Overcomer, the new film from the Kendrick Brothers which she stars. Priscilla shared about some events in her life that exposed her own identity issues, while I pointed out that in her last film she played a music teacher and now she’s playing a principal. Promotion!
Resources mentioned:
Support my work at patreon.com/jonathanpuddle
Find a screening of Overcomer.
Order Defined (Ephesians 1 & 2 Bible study) by Priscilla Shirer
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