Halfway There

284: Kari Bartkus and the Friendship of Jesus

Kari Bartkus is a podcaster and spiritual director who walks with women during times of grief or heartache. Today, Kari shares her ability to see the hurting people, how she discovered spiritual formation, and why she walks with those going through grief. She also shares practices that you can use to serve the grieving and aren’t we all right now so that you give what’s needed when. Kari’s story reminds us that Jesus is close to the brokenhearted.
Listen to Kari’s story now!
Stories Kari shared:
Growing up in a Christian family in Indiana
Sensing Jesus as a friend
Going forward at an alter call in tears
Craving God’s word as a high schooler
Learning communication and Bible in college
Writing and editing at a church in the area
Growing into spiritual formation as a children’s ministry director
The holy moments of spiritual direction
Her observation about how spiritual care is distributed in the body of Christ
Caring for those who are grieving
What people need most going through grief
Why seeing people is important to Kari
The moment when someone ministered to her by seeing her
Starting her podcast, Let’s Encourage One Another
The value of asking permission
Spiritual practices for walking through grief
Great quotes from Kari:
Some relationships are about being in proximity to one another.
We’re all made in God’s image and because of that, we’re all worthy of respect.
It’s easy for us to overlook people, especially those that we’re not similar to.
Resources we mentioned:
Kari’s website
Kari’s Grief Journal
Related episodes:
Becky Antkowiak and Faithfulness Through Grief
James Prescott and Processing Grief Well
Janell Wood and the Shaping of Identity
The post Kari Bartkus and the Friendship of Jesus appeared first on Eric Nevins.

283: Loren Hicks and the Practice of Discipleship

Loren Hicks  is a pastor and the podcaster behind the 5 Minute Discipleship podcast. Today, Loren shares the lessons he’s learned in over two decades of ministry, how the Lord redirected through heartbreak, and how he pivoted to serve his congregation during Covid. Loren is passionate about helping people take the next step in the faith. His story reminds us that even when our plans don’t work out as we expect, it’s the Lord who directs our paths.
Listen to Loren’s story now!
Stories Loren shared:
Serving as a local pastor in California
Growing up in Texas in a Christian family
His family’s return to the Lord through Loren’s uncle’s death
Sensing God’s call as a child
Beginning to preach at 15
How his father encouraged him in the journey
Becoming a youth pastor and pastoring a small church
Getting declined for overseas missions
Moving to California to do campus ministry
Learning the practices of solitude and silence
Focusing on learning how to be with the Lord not doing for the Lord
How the pandemic shaped his identity with God
Starting the 5 Minute Discipleship podcast
His passion for discipleship
Great quotes from Loren:
God has unique ways of working.
Trying to understand the grace of God has been a theme of my life.
The doing flows out of the being.
Resources we mentioned:
Loren’s website
The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives by Dallas Willard
Related episodes:
Markus Watson and How Suffering Transforms
Felicia Song and Digital Discipleship
Caesar Kalinowski and Discipleship as Mission
The post Loren Hicks and the Practice of Discipleship appeared first on Eric Nevins.

282: Nancy Kay Grace and The Imprint of Grace

Nancy Kay Grace is a pastor’s wife, cancer survivor, and author. She understands dealing with unexpected challenges. Today, Nancy shares about how the Lord provided in ministry, her struggle with cancer, and learning rest in the Lord when those challenges arise. She reminds us to remember that we are his children and that he loves us, which is pure comfort when challenges arise.
Listen to Nancy’s story today!
Stories Nancy shared:
Serving in ministry for 45 years with her husband
Growing up in Chicago in a church-going family
Moving around with her husband
“Sneaking in the back” at a college church meeting and meeting her husband
Serving in rural churches
Questioning her faith after her husband was let go
Learning to pray specifically about her needs
Discovering that she had tongue cancer
Worshipping the Lord as she recovered
How the Lord has provided doctors over the years
Learning to listen to the voice of the Lord
Great quotes from Nancy:
The optimism fades but we still trust the will of God.
We have to love the people but look at the Lord and trust his promises.
I will speak for the Lord.
I had to rest in God and then go forward again.
Resources we mentioned:
Nancy’s website
The Grace Impact by Nancy Kay Grace
12 Words For Christmas: An Advent Devotional by Nancy Kay Grace
Related episodes:
Amber Cullum and the Journey to Grace
Jesse Bean and Grace Greater than Effort
Joe Pomeroy and How Grace Cancels Shame
The post Nancy Kay Grace and Trusting the Peace appeared first on Eric Nevins.

281: Brandon Andress and The Controversy of Love

Brandon is the author of What Can't Be Hidden (2021) and bestselling Beauty in the Wreckage: Finding Peace in the Age of Outrage. Today, Brandon shares how he learned not to be afraid of new ideas, the spiritual grief he suffered, and what he learned about being a good shepherd through it. We also discuss the radical idea of Christlike love and what makes it so controversial. Brandon’s story reminds us that the journey with the Lord  sometimes leads to unexpected places.
Listen to Brandon’s story now!
This episode is sponsored by The Ten Minute Bible Hour. Thanks to Matt and his team for supporting us. Go check them out!
Stories Brandon shared:
Growing up in Indiana in a Christian family
The fundamentalist family church he great up in and why he loved about it
The sudden desire to read theology
Learning not to be afraid of other people and ideas
Why love is a controversial idea
How 2017 was a spiritual desert through grief
What suffering taught him about shepherding people
Why he wrote a work of fiction
The professor who helped him become a writer
Meeting the husband of his high school English teacher
Great quotes from Brandon:
I want to know things deeply and I’m going to search until I find it.
I don’t need to move forward in my life in a defensive posture.
Whenever you’re tilling up the ground, it sure does provide opportunities to see beauty.
Resources we mentioned:
Brandon’s website and Su
What Can’t Be Hidden by Brandon Andress
Beauty in the Wreckage: Finding Peace in the Age of Outrage by Brandon Andress
The Myth of a Christian Nation: How the Quest for Political Power Is Destroying the Church by Greg Boyd
Everything Belongs: The Gift of Contemplative Prayer by Richard Rohr
Related episodes:
Brian Zahnd and the Beauty of Christ
Phileena Heuertz and Christian Contemplation
Erik Fisher and the Productive Life
The post Brandon Andress and The Controversy of Love appeared first on Eric Nevins.

280: Becky Antkowiak and Faithfulness Through Grief

Becky Antkowiak is a writer, leader of the 540 Community for writers, and my new best friend. Today, Becky shares with us her story of following a calling that seemed to not work out only to discover how God uses everything. Becky also opens up about a season of grief and lets us in on how she found the Lord when he seemed absent. Becky leads a group of writers called the 540 Community and explains why everyone has a story to tell. Becky’s story reminds us that no matter where we find ourselves, God is working.
Listen to Becky’s story now!
Stories Becky shared:
Homeschooling and working at Redemption Press
Growing up in Virginia
Going to Bible college
The pastor that she looked up to
Convincing her grandfather that she loved Jesus at 4 years old
The spiritual biographies that influenced her
Learning that teaching was not for her
Feeling angry that the Lord didn’t take her overseas
Why “living for God” does not mean “ministry” work
How her husband helped her through the anger
Receiving a lupus diagnosis
Sensing God’s distance while grieving her sister
Processing her grief and where God is in the middle of grief
Why she started the 540 Community
Great quotes from Becky:
You don’t need a crazy education to homeschool but you do need to have commitment.
As long as you are putting your best effort in, you’re working hard, and you’re happy,  find a way to do that for Jesus.
I lived in a bubble until the last year.
Resources we mentioned:
Becky’s website
540 Facebook group
Redemption Press
Through Gates of Splendor by Elizabeth Elliot
George Müller: Delighted in God
Related episodes:
September McCarthy and Suffering as Sanctification
Douglas Groothuis and Walking Through Twilight
James Prescott and Processing Grief Well
The post Becky Antkowiak and Faithfulness Through Grief appeared first on Eric Nevins.

279: Rodney Olsen and Kicking at the Darkness

Rodney Olsen is a husband, father, cyclist, blogger and podcaster. Today, Rodney shares the moment he knew he wanted to be in radio, the somewhat meandering path he took to get there, and the providential meeting that sealed the deal. Rodney is passionate about helping believers anchor their faith in Christ with a Kingdom view of the world. His story will remind you to take action against the darkness. Oh, there’s a cool Bruck Cockburn reference in there, too.
Listen to Rodney’s story today!
Stories Rodney shared:
Why he started his podcast, Bleeding Daylight
Growing up in Western Australia
His dad’s faith and why he abandoned it
Giving his life to Christ at a church camp
Studying to be a chef
Moving to Christian radio
How the Lord puts things in our hearts to do
How his radio station brought people to the Lord
Why we need not fear the dark night of the soul
The poverty that Compassion fights around the world
Great quotes from Rodney:
We can be a whole lot more than we imagine if we follow Jesus’ lead.
If you’re going to go deep-diving into faith, you’ve got to have an anchor.
Resources we mentioned:
Rodney’s website
Faith Tried and Triumphant by Martin Lloyd-Jones
Related episodes:
Travis Johnson and World Changing Community
Christina Dent and Compassion for Others
Meg Glesener and the Smile of God
The post Rodney Olsen and Kicking at the Darkness appeared first on Eric Nevins.

278: LaTrae Wilson and the Great Exchange

LaTrae Wilson is an author and podcaster. Today, Trea shares what it was like growing up as a pastor’s kid, why she walked away after high school, and how the Lord brought her back. Her journey to healing the wounds took a commitment to valuing herself and accepting the grace and love of God. Trea’s story reminds us that no matter how far away we go, it’s only one step back.
Listen to Trea’s story now!
Stories LaTrae shared:
Growing up in Oakland, CA as a pastor’s kid
Why she moved to Texas
Giving her life to Christ as a child
Wandering away when she was 18
How her son saved her life
Struggling with wanting to be cared for and ending up in bad relationships
Figuring out what she was looking for by reading journals
How her story is like her grandmother’s
The kinds of relationships that held her back
Realizing that she needed to love herself better
Joining a community to help
Why she’s writing a book and starting a podcast
Great quotes from LaTrae:
My son saved my life. I saw God work miracles, through my son.
If I didn’t love myself, I didn’t love God the way I should love God.
God is love; he is an emotional person.
Resources we mentioned:
Trea’s website
UNRAVELED: Managing Love, Sex and Relationships
Related episodes:
Christa Hutchins and How Failure Refines
Scott Distler and Creating Space to Listen
Tiffany Jo Baker and Giving Life to Dreams
The post LaTrae Wilson and the Great Exchange appeared first on Eric Nevins.

277: Brian Zahnd and the Beauty of Christ

Brian Zahnd is a pastor, author, and America mystic. Today, Brian shares his first experience with Jesus, the season when he began to “renovate his theological house,” and how to think about deconstruction. Through his writing, Brian has become one of the pastors shining light on the path for those ready to leave American Evangelicalism but not ready to leave Christ. His latest book, When Everything’s On Fire, is his latest spotlight on the path toward Christ.
Listen to Brian’s story now!
Stories Brian shared:
Growing up passively going to church
His spiritual experience when he was 15
When David Wilkerson prayed for him
The history of thought from the Enlightenment
How the Jesus Movement influenced him
What Eugene Peterson told him about his pentecostal background
The men who influenced him as a pastor
How his church began to grow
Why he started to feel uneasy and what he began to read
Praying “God, show me what to read.”
The “risky” period as he sought Jesus
What might have happened if he missed that train
How he thinks about deconstruction
Why he likes the term “water to wine” better than deconstruction
How love factors into spiritual life
Great quotes from Brian:
America is a tough place to be a mystic.
If anything, I felt like I was front-sliding not backsliding.
You can do bad theology in good faith.
I need to find a Christianity that was worthy of the Christ who captured my heart.
Trust Christ and his beauty to win the day.
Resources we mentioned:
Brian’s website
When Everything’s on Fire: Faith Forged from the Ashes by Brian Zahnd
David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man Who Believed
The Divine Conspiracy 1st (first) edition Text Only by Dallas Willard
Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ by Dallas Willard
Related episodes:
Chuck Mallot is a Hippie Turned Saint
Step by Step on the Camino with Jan Costas
Keith Giles and Separating Church from State
The post Brian Zahnd and the Beauty of Christ appeared first on Eric Nevins.