Halfway There

364: Jason Van Ruler and the Willingness to Change

Are you afraid to address that one thing in your life, even though you know your life would be better if you did?
Our guest today says it's time to open the door to change, no matter what mess waits for us on the other side.
Jason VanRuler is the author of Get Past Your Past: How Facing Your Broken Places Leads to True Connection. Jason is known for his ability to relate and connect with his clients and offer hope to those who have felt hopeless. Today, Jason shares how he ignored God for many years, the quiet way the Lord spoke to him, and how meeting his wife gave him the willingness to open up. Jason challenges us to find community and within it, the true love of Jesus for the broken hearted. Jason's story reminds us that no matter how far we go from God, it's only one step back.
Listen to Jason's story wherever you get your podcasts, right now!
Stories Jason shared:
Working as a therapist and becoming an author
Having a lot of volatility in his childhood
Ignoring God for a long time
Welding trailers for a living and having it out with God
The quiet way the Lord spoke to him
The slow opening of his heart and how that led him back to church
Getting baptized in the Missouri river
Finding his journal with his goals for his life
Meeting his wife and how that relationship changed
How willingness affects our lives
Deciding to go to seminary and become a therapist
The community that encouraged him
Great quotes from Jason:
Life distracts us from the truth.
When we become willing, things can change.
Community is really the secret sauce to growth and change.
Fear is a teacher.
Resources we mentioned:
Jason’s website
Get Past Your Past: How Facing Your Broken Places Leads to True Connection by Jason VanRuler
Jason’s Instagram
Related episodes:
Sarah Geringer and Transforming Your Thought Life
Todd Johnson Says Just Say Yes
Sarah Symmons and Setting the Captives Free

363: Carmen Joy Imes and Understanding Imago Dei

Does how we think about humanity—ourselves included—really matter? 
A bad understanding of the human person has led to everything from indifference to unspeakable atrocities. Worse still, some theological camps look at human beings so negatively that it shows in their interactions with others. 
Fortunately, the Bible gives us a way of viewing humanity through God's lens. Our guest today reminds us how to see humanity as the image of God that the Bible reveals us to be and what it means for us.
Dr. Carmen Joy Imes is associate professor of Old Testament at Biola University. She is the author of Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters and Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters. Today, Dr. Imes shares with us the deep sense of calling she had as a girl, where it took her around the world, and how she entered biblical studies. She shares what the Bible says about the image of God and why it may not be what you've been told.
Dr. Imes' reminds us to treat everyone with the respect the image of God in them deserves.
Listen to the episode wherever you get your podcasts!
Stories Carmen shared:
Growing up in Colorado in a Christian family
Having a deep desire to learn new languages as a child
Her parent’s sense of stewardship for her heart
Feeling called to missions as a girl
Preaching the message on a mission trip and getting sick
How we lost the idea of the image of God in society
Going to the Philippines as missionaries to Muslim communities
Returning and going to seminary only to realize she needed a PhD
What imago dei really means and why that matters
Why we need to recognize ourselves a fully human
Great quotes from Carmen:
My worth does not come from what I do or what I produce.
We are fully embodied, three-dimensional people with loves and desires, and we need to actually attend to our loves and desires; those say much more about us than the doctrinal statements we affirm.
There is something that is truer and goes further back [than sin] and that is the imago dei.
Resources we mentioned:
Carmen’s website 
Being God’s Image: Why Creation Still Matters by Dr. Carmen Joy Imes
Bearing God’s Name: Why Sinai Still Matters by Dr. Carmen Joy Imes
You Are What You Love by James K.A. Smith
Lectio 365
Related episodes:
Beth Allison Barr and Christian Curiosity
James Bryan Smith and Loved Beyond Imagination
Kristin Kobes Du Mez and Knowing Christian History

362: Jeff Crosby and Longings of the Soul

What does your soul long for? Have you ever been hit with a wave of longing, at a loss for words for what to call it?
What if I told you that those moments are deeply formational and there's even special word for it?
Our guest today says that those longings of the soul need special attention and calls us to listen up.
Jeff Crosby is the president and CEO of ECPA, the trade association of Christian publishing, and the author of “The Language of the Soul: Meeting God in the Longings of Our Hearts,” published by Broadleaf Books. Today, Jeff shares how he found mentorship in his father-in-law, the season of life when his faith moved to more spiritual formation focused, and where he discovered the words to describe that soul level longing for Jesus to make all things right.
Jeff's story reminds us that our faith is already and not yet but that Jesus can be trusted to meet us in the longing.
Listen to Jeff's story in your favorite podcast app today!
Stories Jeff shared:
Growing up in Indiana and other places
Going to Ball State University and meeting his wife
Remembering going to church occasionally but not regularly
Responding to the Gospel at church camp
Hopping on the church bus to keep going to church on his own
Being mentored by his father-in-law
How the recommended books he received shaped him
The moment he looked into the mirror and noticed something changed
Discovering spiritual practices and how they helped him
What he learned from the psalms
Recovering part of his identity as a creator of words
The longings we all feel
The Portuguese word saudade, and the idea of longing
How to identify your longings and invite the Lord into them
Great quotes from Jeff:
When we are operating out of a strong sense of who God has made us to be, it isn’t hard, it’s joy.
"If those are my longings, how has God met me in them, which is different than saying, 'How has God met them?'"
Be in touch with the longings of your heart and the ways God is leading you in the midst of them.
Resources we mentioned:
Jeff’s website
The Language of the Soul: Meeting God in the Longings of Our Hearts by Jeff Crosby
The Cross of Christ by John Stott
Basic Christianity by John Stott
The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalogue by James Sire
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Related episodes:
Suzanne Stabile Shares How the Enneagram Helps Relationships
James Bryan Smith and Loved Beyond Imagination
Douglas Groothuis and The Twilight of the Soul

Shadia Hrichi and Christ Over Cause

Have you ever felt pressured to choose a cause over the Lord? Whether it's today's charged political culture or even certain theological camps, fitting in can be more attractive than staying faithful Christ alone.
Our guest on Halfway There today reminds us that we're called to live for Christ and his cause, alone.
Shadia Hrichi is a Bible teacher, award-winning author, and speaker who is passionate for seeing lives transformed through the power of God’s Word. She holds a master’s in biblical and theological studies as well as a master’s in criminal justice. Today, Shadia shares what it was like growing up in a mixed culture home, how she found Jesus later in life, and the calling she received to go to seminary to become a teacher. She also shares her own moment of feeling separated from God and how that led her to a life-changing insight. Shadia's story reminds us that following the Lord has it's ups and downs but he he never leaves us alone, even if it feels that way sometimes.
Listen to Shadia's story wherever you get your podcasts, right now!
 
Stories Shadia shared:
Growing up in New York as the daughter of immigrants
Having no religious experience as a child
Moving from New York to California
Going to a Bible study with her husband
The question the pastor asked her and working through her faith intellectually
Experiencing wonder of God’s creation
Getting divorced a few months after becoming a Christian
The support she received from her church
Deciding to go to seminary after a conversation with her pastor
Her dark night of the soul and the song that helped her
What breaks the Lord’s heart and her conversation with him
What she learned while studying Rahab
Great quotes from Shadia:
There is no regular life. It’s all with God.
We’re not called to live for a cause. We’re called to live for Christ.
Having Bible knowledge does not prepare you to teach.
Resources we mentioned:
Shadia’s website 
Rahab: Rediscovering the God Who Saves Me by Shadia Hrichi
Shadia’s Amazon author page
Related episodes:
Rob Burns and Crossing Cultures
Christy Boulware and Love That Casts Out Fear
Jay Kim and Why We Need Real People

Britt Mooney and Reborn for This

Have you ever wondered why the Bible says that Christians are aliens and strangers in this world? How can the Gospel spread through people without power in their land?
Our guest today reminds us that the Kingdom of God often operates silently and without notice but is never inactive.
Britt Mooney is an author, podcaster, and pastor who thrives on telling great stories. Today, he share how he rebelled against cultural Christianity, discovered what it was like to really be an alien, and the theological truth about God that changed how he operated. Britt works to help believers like you understand just how counter-cultural the faith Jesus calls us to is and how beautiful a story it tells.
Listen to Britt's story wherever you get your podcasts!
Stories Britt shared:
Growing up in Alabama and Georgia
Being dragged to church as a child
Playing the church game and finding a personal relationship at a Christian concert
Rebelling against cultural Christianity
Becoming a public school teacher
Receiving a call to Asia to serve
How living in Korea shaped his understanding of living as an alien
Calling people to the Kingdom of God
Praying against racism, especially in the church
Being ready to give up on the church and the group that helped him through
 Writing We Were Reborn for This
Great quotes from Britt:
When God accepts you, you don’t need to be part of anyone else’s club.
We, of all people, should know that law does not change hearts.
Giving up on the Church is the first step to giving up on your faith.
Resources we mentioned:
Britt’s website
We Were Reborn For This: The Jesus Model for Living Heaven on Earth by Britt Mooney
Related episodes:
Bill Brown and Waiting on the Lord
Gari Meacham and Hitting Life's Curveballs
Neil Matthews and Accepting God's Acceptance

359: Nancy Lindgren and the Difference of Mentorship

Ever wished you had a mentor to guide you through life and faith? Feeling isolated and trying to figure everything out on your own is not what Jesus intended for His church.
Our guest today reveals how mentorship can transform lives, including your own.
Nancy Lindgren is the Founder and CEO of MORE Mentoring, and author of Mentoring Made Real: The Power of Authentic Connection. In this episode, Nancy shares her journey from a young woman with a calling to the leader of a mentoring ministry. She opens up about learning to listen to the Lord in prayer and the pivotal moment that turned mentoring into her mission.
Listen as Nancy shares the trials and triumphs of waiting on God’s timing, and how her story exemplifies the need for intentional relationships in the Church. These connections, spanning different ages and experiences, help us grow in our faith in profound ways.
Download now to hear Nancy’s inspiring story on your favorite podcast platform!
 
Stories Nancy shared:
Growing up in Nebraska
Hearing Christian teaching and music as a child
Giving her life to Christ as a young girl
The car accident that gave her a sense of calling at 15
Starting a family immediately after college
The season when she learned to wait on God
Waiting for direction on where to go for two years
Learning to listen to the Lord in prayer
Learning to wait and be patient
The moment when the Lord gave her a mission in 2014
Overcoming challenges in mentoring
Writing a mentoring guide in 2016
Making disciples now around the world
How to go about engaging the process of mentorship in either direction
Great quotes from Nancy:
Be a mentor for a season and friends for life.
I knew he was a God who speaks.
You're absolutely qualified because Jesus qualifies you.
Resources we mentioned:
Nancy’s website 
Mentoring Made Real: The Power of Authentic Connection by Nancy Lindgren
Related episodes:
Laura Flanders and The Mentored Life
Harriett Miller and A Fierce Faith
Peter Englert and Digital Discipleship and Mentoring

Paul Ybarra and Discovering Kingdom Character

Have you ever wondered about your purpose on this planet? Do you feel destined for more, yearning to accomplish something meaningful, even if you can't quite pinpoint what it is?
In today's episode, our guest is Paul Ybarra, a coach dedicated to helping people uncover their gifts and live up to their full potential. Paul's path to becoming a coach wasn't straightforward; it was a winding, sometimes bumpy road shaped by his faith in Jesus.
Paul Ybarra's story is one of redemption and empowerment. Growing up in the Jehovah's Witnesses, Paul later turned to a life of drug dealing before a pivotal encounter led him to Christ. This profound change allowed Paul to embrace his true self in Christ, bringing a newfound sense of freedom. Today, Paul is passionate about seeing others win and, more importantly, empowering the younger generation.
Paul's story teaches us that no matter where we come from, finding ourselves in Christ opens us to so much more.
Listen to Paul's story wherever you get your podcasts right now. 
Stories Paul shared:
The importance of mindset in the Christian journey
Growing up in San Jose in a Jehovah’s Witness family
Experiencing religion not relationship with Jesus
The embarrassment he felt at school
Seeing God’s hand looking back
Being shunned from the congregation and moving away
Selling drugs and living a street lifestyle
Praying on Halloween night in 2001
Moving to Ohio and getting clean
The coworker who brought him to Christ
Learning to sense the Holy Spirit in the moment
Backsliding in Texas
Sensing an ultimatum from the Lord to choose
Realizing that he can be himself
Discovering his ministry and discipling others
What happened when people started calling him coach
Helping people find their assignment within purpose
Great quotes from Paul:
If I can’t experience the God of the Bible, I may as well go back to San Jose and live the live I want to live.
As I submit to Christ, there's a calling on my life and I don't have to hide it anymore.
I can still be Paul...except my character is different.
Resources we mentioned:
Paul’s website
Related Episode:
Christina Dent and the Spark of Curiosity
John Swanger Shares Light in Dark Places
Kelly Albright Was Saved in Sin City

Christina Dent and the Spark of Curiosity

Christina Dent is the founder & president of End It For Good and author of Curious: A Foster Mom’s Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs & Addiction. She was previously with us on episode #235 which can be found below. Today, Christina shares with us about why she chose to write a book to support her endeavors, the integral link between connection and drug use, and why fear needs to stop being our motivator when addressing addiction issues. Christina paints a vision of creating a health-centric approach to helping people overcome addiction. Hers is a movement rooted in the way Jesus sees them not behavior modification that we can all learn from.
Listen to this important conversation with Christian Dent where you get your podcasts right now.
Stories Christina shared:
The work of End It For Good
The effects of three strike laws and why we need to understand it
The farmer who has
How Jesus treated people and how it’s different than our approach
The stigma that people are silently suffering with
The Rat Park experiment
Why addiction is a symptom of loneliness and other experiences
How to influence community by being curious
The CRAFT Method of interacting with addicted family members
A nuanced, moderate approach to drugs
Why fear is the worst motivator
Why she chose to call the book Curious
What you can do to get involved
A health centric approach to helping people overcome addiction
Great quotes from Christina:
If we want to help people move away from addiction…we have to shift away from
Fear is the only thing that’s been used to think about drugs.
It doesn’t matter where you fall on the political spectrum. A health centered approach to drugs gets you more of what you want.
None of us change the way we think without going through a process of asking how it changes everything else.
We are in the image of God and not made to (55)
Resources we mentioned:
End It For Good’s website
Curious: A Foster Mom’s Discovery of an Unexpected Solution to Drugs & Addiction by Christina Dent
Related episodes:
Christina Dent and Compassion for Other
John Schlitt is a Rock Star Redeemed
Rose Ann Forte and Letting Go of Shame