Halfway There

Bonus: Tim Morris and Why Your Heart Matters

Tim Morris is a coach who helps people discover their unique design and live into it. Tim lives in Cleveland, OH with his wife and two daughters. He discovered that much of our theology of the human person is based on the Enlightenment rather than the Bible and is bringing back a Hebrew understanding of the heart. in this bonus episode, we talk about the heart, why it's important to understand your design, and why it's hard for some people with God-given gifts to use them in the church.
Listen to Tim’s story in episode # 79 of Halfway There.
Topic we discussed:
What the Evangelical idea of the heart is currently
Why this understanding of the heart is dangerous
How the Hebrew understanding of heart is liberating
Why believing “the heart is deceitful” only is problematic
The one belief that will hinder you from accepting the truth about your heart
How Tim helps people understand the design of their heart
What happens when people discover their heart
The false definition of joy
How you discern your heart, emotions that should be let go, and the Spirit
Tim’s work with apostles and prophets (yes, they exist!)
The 5 Fold and how Tim helps them
Great quotes from Tim:
Your heart speaks through intuition.
When you actually lean into your design and step out – which means you have to step into courage – it is the hardest thing you’ll ever do because God designed you to be dependent on him.
Joy is the fruit of engaging your desire.
Links to resources we mentioned:
Tim’s blog post The Gospel of the New Heart
Join Tim’s Design Discovery Workshop use code HalfwayThere25Discount for 25% off
Tim’s website Design Discovery where you can take his 5 Fold test
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116: John Morgan and How to Overcome Fear

John Morgan is an inspirational speaker and George W. Bush impersonator. John overcame decades long fear to step into a calling as a performer.  Today, John shares the devastating grip fear had on him, the wilderness fear led him to, and how the Lord led him to freedom. We also talk about listening to “nudges from God” and learning the hard way to live without regret. This episode is full of laughs as John does his thing, too.  John’s story will inspire you to ask “What am I allowing fear to keep me from?”
Please listen to and share John’s story!
Stories John shared:
Why he is willing to be called an imitator of Christ
Nearly dying after falling off a diving board
Finding Christ at age 18 when his mom dragged him to church
Praying for a wife and how the Lord brought him a wife
How he experiences nudges from God
The moment he stopped striving to know God’s will
How he started impersonating George W. Bush
How his wife discovered his new career
The way he approached God to find out if he should pursue impersonation
Giving up the lead in a play because of fear
How he overcame the fear and found himself
Declaring war on unbelief and fear
Great quotes from John:
That day, I found the missing piece and it fit perfectly into my heart. It was a person; his name is Jesus.
When we simply take him at his word and believe him life takes on a dramatic and amazing dimension.
How do you know it’s not God?
I wrongly believed if you don’t try you can’t fail.
The way you overcome a fear is to take a step toward it.
Fear and unbelief work in tandem to keep us away from our relationship with God.
Resources John mentioned:
John Morgan’s website and how to book him
War On Fear: What Would You Do If You Were Not Afraid? by John Morgan
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115: Jason Feffer and Spiritual Disciplines for Your Journey

Jason Feffer is an evangelist for the spiritual disciplines. For over twenty years he has been helping people follow Jesus in their everyday lives with his teaching and writing. Currently, he pastors The Practice, a practice-based contemplative ministry at Willowcreek Church. Today, Jason shares how he discovered spiritual disciplines, the way disciplines have shaped him, and why it’s okay to use different disciplines than those around you. Books play an important role in Jason’s journey and he shares how insight from virtual mentors shaped him.
Listen to Jason’s story now!
Stories Jason shared:
Growing up in a Roman Catholic church then accepting Christ as a child
Realizing Christ is the center of his life
Discovering the meaning of discipleship
Reading the Bible out of guilt
How reading transforms his journey
Wrestling with imposter’s syndrome
Feeling like he didn’t belong and how community that brought him out
How The Jesus Prayer shaped his journey
Why it’s okay to use the disciplines that work for you
How to pastor a church around practices
Great quotes from Jason:
My whole life is centered on my relationship with Jesus; everything flows from being a disciple of Jesus.
Sometimes the most loving thing is to allow people to be where they are.
A spiritual discipline is any practice that helps to cultivate communion with the real presence of Christ in our everyday lives.
Because we are all uniquely wired, we will all connect with spiritual disciplines in a different way.
Resources we mentioned (Amazon affiliate links that send a small commission my way if you use them):
The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives by Dallas Willard
The Critical Journey, Stages in the Life of Faith, Second Edition by Janet Hagberg and Robert Guelich
The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God by Dallas Willard
Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster
The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God by Frederica Mathewes-Green
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
Jason’s website Being Disciples
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114: Sean Douglas from Abused to Ambitious

Sean Douglas is an Air Force Veteran, TEDx Speaker, Master Resilience Implementer, International Radio Show Host, Business Strategist, and author. Yes, he’s really busy! Today, Sean shares how he overcame abuse and alcoholism, found Christ, and began to discovered how the Lord want to use him. Sean grew up in an guilt-laden, religious home thinking God only wanted to punish him. It wasn’t until his wife dragged him to church years later that he finally understood how the grace of God could take his troubled past and turn it into a vision for helping many like him.
Listen and share Sean’s story today!
Stories Sean shared:
Sean shares about his businesses and speaking opportunities
Growing up in a serious Roman Catholic family and dealing with guilt and fear
The questions that his religion raised but couldn’t answer
Joining the Air Force after 9/11
Escaping from his abusive step-father
Developing a drinking problem in the military and the problems that caused including his house burning down
Attempting suicide in 2008
Becoming a drill instructor and finding his passion to speak
Discovering John Maxwell and leadership training
Giving his life to Christ after his wife dragged him to church
The song that brought him to his knees in surrender to Jesus
The moment God gave him the name to his podcast
Learning to hear from God in everyday situations
His vision for the Success Corps
Great quotes from Sean:
What will I do more of than anyone else?
We pour our life into our spiritual journey now.
Now, almost every decision I make, I listen for that little voice.
Resources Sean mentioned (Amazon affiliate links that send a commission to me if you use it):
Sean’s website The Success Corp and podcast Life Transformation Radio
Sean’s book Decisions: The Power To Overcome Self-Defeating Behaviors
The Bridge Church in North Carolina
Sean’s LinkedIn and Facebook and groups
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113: Thomas Umstattd and Untwisting the Gospel

Thomas Umstattd is the author of Courtship in Crisis and the host of the Creative Funding Show. He works with authors to help them sell more books. Thomas is one of the most articulate people I know and the thoughtful way he engages his faith will make you to think differently, too. Today, Thomas shares his story of being distracted by a version of the prosperity Gospel and how the Lord used experience to break free from it. His story has everything from viral blog posts, to feelings of abandonment when he changed his views, and even a dating grandmother.
Listen and share Thomas’ story today!
Stories Thomas shared:
Growing up in a “middle of the road” homeschool, Christian family
His faith coming his own
Subtly believing the “relational prosperity gospel” of courtship
Blogging about courtship hoping to make it practical
His experience with courting a young woman and her dad
The toxic language of purity culture and the difference from courtship culture
Why he became disillusioned with courtship
His grandmother’s dating life was better than all his friends combined
Breaking up with the courtship model of dating
The closeness of God as he experienced negative reactions to his new position
The healing that came through writing his book
Getting married himself and expecting their first baby
His podcasting career
Great quotes from Thomas:
When everyone around you has kissed dating goodbye you can’t date even if you want to.
Twisting the Gospel to do something that seems like a good thing is still twisting the Gospel. Twisting the Gospel makes it wrong.
The love of God was like a warm blanket around my shoulders.
You never really know God is with you in those dark places until you go to those dark places and experience God being with you.
Resources Thomas mentioned:
Thomas’ podcasts The Creative Funding, Novel Marketing, Liberty Buzzard
The viral blog post Why Courtship is Fundamentally Flawed
Thomas’ book Courtship in Crisis
Thomas’s conversation with Rebecca Lemke on her podcast discussing purity culture
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112: Evan Money Loves Getting Married and Other Joys

Evan Money is a coach and author who marries his wife all over again every year. Today, Evan shares why he marries his wife every year, the spiritual benefits of constant wedding planning, and how it inspires others. Evan is a high energy guy living his life to the fullest potential. He shares why he thinks he is constantly being converted, learning how to love himself, and how to practice being present. And he leaves us with a challenge to put as much effort into learning to love our spouse as we do fantasy football (ouch!).
Please listen to and enjoy Evan’s story!
Stories Evan shared:
What he means by “life to the full”
Growing up in Los Angeles in a “normal dysfunctional family”
Constantly being converted
The value of being in the present and how to practice presence
Discovering how to love himself
Marrying his wife again every year and the spiritual benefits
How the practice of marrying one another again inspires others
Releasing expectations about what a good Christian should be
Daily dark night of the soul
Spend the Day with Evan
Great quotes from Evan:
Let’s figure out how to create your life to the full and what does that look like being authentic to your life and faith?
Life is really about, I believe, living your dreams and serving other people. Greatness is doing them both at the same time.
I don’t think you can commit to a marriage and not commit to Christ.
What would it look like if you put as much energy into romancing your wife as you do into fantasy football?
Resources Evan mentioned (Amazon Affiliate links that send me a small commission when you use them):
Evan’s website
Evan Loves Susan
Your Personality Tree by Florence Littauer
StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath
The Five Love Languages: How to express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate by Gary Chapman
Rob Decker’s episode of Halfway There
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111: Vicki Proffit and The Encouragement of God

Vicki Proffit is the executive director of Sarah’s Home which serves girls rescued from sex trafficking. Today, Vicki lets us into her sweet relationship with the Lord through periods of waiting, finding direction, and miraculous provision. Vicki shares her concern to finish her life well in serving the Lord and the experiences that bring her to her knees before him. We also talk about Sarah’s Home, the problem of trafficking, and how you can be aware of trafficking in your area. Vicki’s heart comes through in a big way and will be an encouragement to you.
Please listen and share Vicki’s story!
Stories Vicki shared:
Her mission to trafficked girls at Sarah’s Home
Her amazing parents and how they shaped her
The encouragement she receives from many sources
Calling a friend at 4:30 AM because she felt God told her to
Waiting two and a half years for a license for Sarah’s Home
God’s provision at the house
Why it matters to her to finish well
Wrestling with pride in her life
The trouble with her eyes and struggling with healing
The problem of sex trafficking and abuse in the United States
What success means for rescued girls
How to be aware of trafficking in your area
Great quotes from Vicki:
Any weaknesses or idiosyncrasies I have are definitely not [my parent’s] fault.
There’s a yearning in my heart, now, that I want to finish well.
When it’s all about me, you don’t care who you hurt.
Resources we mentioned:
Finishing Well: The Adventure of Life Beyond Halftime by Bob Buford
Sarah’s Home training about recognizing sex trafficking
FBI’s website about human trafficking
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110: Michael Woodward and Living a Significant Story

Michael Woodward is the founder of jumbleTHINK and B-Side, husband and father. Today, Michael shares how the Lord led him into pastoral ministry, how seeing the best and worst of the church changed his perspective, and why he started a podcast. His trust in God has grown through business struggles and seeing the dark side of ministry. Michael’s heart for helping others step into their dreams will inspire you to live intentionally.
Please listen and share Michael’s story!
Stories Michael shared:
Growing up in the church in Central Pennsylvania
How the Lord led him to the Brownsville revival instead of college
Sharing Christ as a street evangelist during the revival
How the Lord answered his prayer for a job
The picture of what the church should look like and what it shouldn’t
How seeing the worst of the church changed his perspective
Why he doesn’t use the word “Christian” about himself
How his trust in God grew when his business took a turn for the worse
Why he started his podcast jumbleTHINK
How fear holds people back from pursuing their dreams
Great quotes from Michael:
In that imperfection with each other in relationships that are broken and with broken people we still see the glory of God and the goodness of God and that is a beautiful picture to me.
I don’t care what your dream is. I care that you’re living in it.
God does have a purpose for you and you are so much more significant than you realize.
Resources Michael mentioned (Book links are Amazon affiliate links that send a small amount back to me if you use them):
Michael’s podcasts jumbleTHINK and B-Side
The Celtic Way of Evangelism, Tenth Anniversary Edition: How Christianity Can Reach the West . . .Again by George G. Hunter III
The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkenson
Here is an example of what Michael is doing with The B-Side. In this episode, I’m the guest. I hope it encourages you.
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