Halfway There

340: Lisa Woolery and The Widow and the Orphan

Lisa Woolery is a mom, author, and widow. Today, Lisa shares how her life changed when her husband died and the spiritual journey she took as a widow. She tells us the story of finding faith as a teenager, meeting her husband in high school, putting her faith on hiatus and living the “good life,” and how adopting children changed all that. Then, Lisa relays how the Lord was with her through the valley of the shadow of death even when she was mad at him. It took small steps of faith and courage to find herself and her faith again. Lisa’s story reminds us that the Lord cares about the widow and so should we.
Listen to Lisa’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Lisa shared:
Growing up in a Christian family in Southern California
The moment in 4th grade when she gave her life to Christ
The mentor who helped her learn to read the Bible and pray
Meeting her husband at youth group for the first time
Becoming a teacher at a Lutheran school and struggling
Leaving church and going into public relations
How her faith went on hiatus for a season
Waiting for children and praying for them
Adopting children and the weird things people say
How the Lord feels about us as his kids
How marriage changed and got harder after adopting children
Deciding to grow together and do things that enhanced their faith
Moving to get stress out of their lives
How her husband passed away and how it changed her life
Taking care of her kids and the experience of grief
A season of being mad at God
Realizing that she could walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Learning how to be her own person
What she’s learned about herself through this process
Great quotes from Lisa:
I’ve never had a problem trusting God.
I decided not to do the why and to do the acceptance instead.
I realized that my acceptance was actually submission.
Resources we mentioned:
Lisa’s website
Lisa’s Instagram
Related episodes:
Harriet Miller and A Fierce Faith
Tricia Lott Williford and How God Works in the Waiting
Lisa Appelo and The Lord’s Mercy
The post Lisa Woolery and The Widow and the Orphan appeared first on Eric Nevins.

339: Thom S. Rainer and The Changing American Church

Thom S. Rainer is the founder and CEO of Church Answers. With nearly forty years of ministry experience, Thom has spent a lifetime committed to the growth and health of the local church and its leaders. He has been a pastor of four churches and interim pastor of ten churches He is the author of numerous books, including I Am a Christian and I Believe. Today, Thom shares how he ended up in ministry instead of banking, the difficulty of losing his father, and his thoughts on the changing nature of the American church. He reveals what he’s seeing as churches struggle to come back from the pandemic and the problems pastors are asking to be solved. Thom has been steeped in American Evangelical churches for decades and has a finger on the pulse of the local church. His story reminds us that the local church is still a vital institution for growing in Christ.
Listen to Thom’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Thom shared:
Hearing the Gospel from his high school football coach
Why it took a couple of days for him to become a Christian
Dropping out of church almost immediately
Deciding to get closer to Christ when he started dating his wife
Going into banking when they got married and getting immersed in church
Watching a five year old die and how that led him to a sense of calling
Losing his father and how that became a dark night of the soul
Becoming the CEO of Lifeway and how that affected him
The issue of glass houses for people in the pastorate
Why he started Church Answers
How churches can get healthier
Whether the digital church counts as “being in church”
The problem with “consumer Christianity”
The issue of expectation in churches
Great quotes from Thom:
I was probably my pastor’s both best and worst church members.
One of the surprises since Covid is that digital attendance has fallen off the cliff.
With expectation should come equipping and empowering.
Resources we mentioned:
Thom’s website for Church Answers
I Believe: A Concise Guide to the Essentials of the Christian Faith by Thomas S. Rainer
I Am A Church Member by Thomas S. Rainer
Church Equip
Related episodes:
Jonathan Carone and Unlearning and Relearning
Michelle Ferrigno Warren and Life on the Jericho Road
Loren Hicks and the Practice of Discipleship
The post Thom S. Rainer and The Changing American Church appeared first on Eric Nevins.

338: Becky Castle Miller and Trusting Your Emotions

Becky Castle Miller is a PhD student in New Testament at Wheaton College with Esau McCaulley, researching emotions in the Gospel of Luke. She did her master’s thesis on emotions and discipleship under Scot McKnight. She writes and speaks on emotional, mental, and spiritual health in the church. She and her husband and their five kids and cat returned to the US in 2020 after living in the Netherlands for eight years, where she served as a discipleship director at an international church. Today, Becky shares about growing up homeschooled, the moment God loved her and the belief she had to let go of, and some practices to try when church gets difficult. Plus, she encourages you to learn and understand your emotions because Jesus cares about them, too.
Listen to Becky’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Becky shared:
Moving back to the US during the pandemic
Studying emotions in the Gospel of Luke
Tracing the history of teaching on emotions in the American church
Growing up as a military kid all over
Being homeschooled using Abeka curriculum
Forcing herself into the box of American fundamentalist Christianity
Realizing that she believed God loved her less because she was a woman
Experiencing an emotional breakdown and what she learned about herself
Practices for interacting with the Bible
Talking out  her ideas in real time
Discovering church icons and why they are valuable
Great quotes from Becky:
If we’re suffering under legalism, that’s not an easy yoke.
I had to face the fact that I had believed that God loved me less because I was female.
When Scriptures are used against you, it is hard to read the Bible.
Retraumatizing yourself is really unhealthy.
Resources we mentioned:
Becky’s Substack
Becky’s Instagram
The Blue Parakeet, 2nd Edition: Rethinking How You Read the Bible by Scot McKnight
A Year of Biblical Womanhood: How a Liberated Woman Found Herself Sitting on Her Roof, Covering Her Head, and Calling Her Husband ‘Master’ by Rachel Held Evans
Jesus Feminist: An Invitation to Revisit the Bible’s View of Women by Sarah Bessey
The Wisdom of Your Heart by Marc Alan Schelske
Truce Podcast by Chris Staron
Creating Space for God by Jodi Niznik
Related episodes:
Noble Gibbens and Emotional Healing for Growth
Marc Alan Schelske and The Wisdom of Your Heart
Tim Morris and Why Your Heart Matters
The post Becky Castle Miller and Trusting Your Emotions appeared first on Eric Nevins.

337: Kent Sanders and The Beauty of the Written Word

Kent Sanders is a ghostwriter who helps leaders grow their impact and influence through books and other content. He is the host of the Daily Writer podcast and the founder of the Daily Writer Club, a membership community that helps writers build a business with their skills. Today, Kent shares how his faith was shaped by spending time in Ukraine, the season of doubt and searching he had while pastoring others, and how learning about the history of worship shaped him. Then, Kent tells us how he ended up as a creative and writer including the work he does today to support writers. Kent’s story reminds us that while the Lord provides at every step, some of where they lead will surprise you.
Listen to Kent’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Kent shared:
Growing up in Missouri in the woods
Going to church with his mom as a kid
Participating in Bible Bowl
Giving his life to Christ as a middle schooler
Travelling with a music team in college
Spending the summer in Ukraine
Coming back to the United States and realizing the complacency of the culture
Feeling a strong pull to vocational ministry
Struggling with his faith in his late 20s
What he learned about himself on the other side of his questions
Teaching the history of worship and how it shaped him
Experiencing different Christian traditions
Discovering blogging and podcasting
Beginning to write and get clients
Leaving his professor job and starting his own business
Why you should write a book
Great quotes from Kent:
As a kid, you don’t appreciate the sacrifices adults make for you.
The more challenges you have the more opportunities  you have to grow.
I was starving for beauty but didn’t know it until I experienced it.
Resources we mentioned:
Kent’s website
The Daily Writer website
The Case for a Creator: A Journalist Investigates Scientific Evidence That Points Toward God by Lee Strobel
The Faith of Elvis by Billy Stanley, Kent Sanders
Related episodes:
Sarah Geringer and Transforming Your Thought Life
Gregory Gillam and The Road of Healing
Jon Fugler and Ditching Performance Christianity
Andrew Klavan and The Truth and Beauty
The post Kent Sanders and The Beauty of the Written Word appeared first on Eric Nevins.

336: Christy Boulware and Love That Casts Out Fear

Christy Boulware suffered a nervous breakdown caused by severe panic and anxiety disorder in 2011. Today, Christy shares the story of her first panic attack sitting on a beach when everything should have been fine. Then, the anxiety got worse and changed her life. Christy tells us bout her holistic approach to healing, the passages of Scripture that helped her, and the moment she understood God’s love for her for the first time. Plus, we discuss what you can do to redefine success and pay attention to your body and heart when you need to. Christy’s story reminds us that while we may have anxiety, fear does not equal a lack of faith and God is still with us.
Listen to Christy’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Christy shared:
Growing up in Missouri in a Catholic family
Getting into life as an achiever
Having an anxiety attack on the beach
Getting checked out for serious health issues and being diagnosed with anxiety
The science behind stress and anxiety
Experiencing back to back panic attacks for three weeks
Contemplating suicide because of the darkness she was experiencing
Praying with her husband for the first time
Her holistic approach to get back to normal
The passage of Scripture that helped her
Understanding God’s love for the first time
Learning that her identity was shaped by her understanding of God’s character
Redefining success as faithfulness to the Lord
Practices that help you navigate anxiety
Paying attention to your body to avoid anxiety
Why fear does not equal a lack of faith
Great quotes from Christy:
Surrender is a daily choice.
When fear is operating, love can’t freely flow.
Fear is an indicator not a dictator.
Anxiety will isolate you more if you are not vulnerable about it.
Resources we mentioned:
Christy’s website
Nervous Breakthrough: Finding Freedom from Fear and Anxiety in a World the Feeds It by Christy Boulware
Related episodes:
Alicia Michelle and the Renewing of Your Mind
Ryan George and Living with Courage
Sarah Geringer and Transforming Your Thought Life
Marc Schelske and The Wisdom of Your Heart
The post Christy Boulware and Love That Casts Out Fear appeared first on Eric Nevins.

Collin Hansen and A Library of Influences

Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. His new book is a biography of Tim Keller titled, Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. Today, Collin shares how studying theology shaped him, his grief at sin and struggle to grow, and the consolation of knowing Jesus as a friend. We also talk about his friend and mentor Tim Keller including his influences from a variety of traditions and writers. Learning from across Christianity’s traditions helps us grow to be more well-rounded, empathetic, and joyful. Collin’s story shows us that follow the steps of the greats of the faith leads to our growth, too.
Stories Collin shared:
Growing up in South Dakota in a Methodist family
The revival that changed his life
Being thrust into leadership in youth group
Going to college at Northwestern University and the Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
The theological development of seeing Christ in the Old Testament
Pursuing rhythms and patterns of behavior for transformation
How his perspective changed after conversion
Experiencing grief at his own sin and trying to understand why nothing changes
Going to therapy and how that helped him
Jesus as a friend and the disciples
Writing as part of his life as long as he can remember
Getting to know Tim Keller through the Gospel Coalition
Why he decided to write a book about Tim Keller’s spiritual formation
Why it’s important to learn from diverse sources
A Kingdom of God view of suffering in this life
Great quotes from Collin:
Unless I’ve tasted His goodness for myself, then clearly something has not happened.
None of us has a friend like Jesus.
If it’s not a faith that I’m willing to lose my life over, it can’t be the faith that’s in the Bible.
We’re more likely to see blind spots today if we’re learning from a hundred people than if we’re learning from two people from a specific era.
Resources we mentioned:
Collin’s profile 
Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen
A God-Sized Vision: Revival Stories that Stretch and Stir by Collin Hansen and John Woodbridge
Related episodes:
Marc Schelske and the Wisdom of Your Heart
Phileena Heuertz and Christian Contemplation
Tim Morris and How Your Heart’s Desire Unlocks Your Purpose
The post Collin Hansen and A Library of Influences appeared first on Eric Nevins.

334: Dr. Amy Sherman and The God of Shalom

Dr. Amy Sherman directs the Center on Faith in Communities at the Sagamore Institute. She’s the author of seven books, most recently, Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society. Today, Amy shares how her diverse denominational background shaped her worldview, what she learned from health challenges that have affected her productiving, and what we need to know about shalom and human flourishing. The Kingdom of God that Jesus taught and brought has room for every human being to thrive with the Lord and we get to participate in it’s unfolding. Amy’s story reminds us how that works and encourages us to show up and pursue a life of flourishing.
Listen to Amy’s story now!
Stories Amy shared:
Working as a minister to ministries at the Sagamore Institute
Why she wrote Agents of Flourishing
Growing up near Buffalo, NY in a liberal Methodist church
Learning about the social Gospel in her church growing up
Finding Christ and being discipled by a young family in a charismatic church
Going to Messiah College and discovering Christians like C.S. Lewis and Francis Schaeffer
Working at a think tank with George Waggle
Deciding to get her PhD at University of Virginia
Working at her church as director of ministries
Experiencing chronic pain since a bad accident
Health challenges that have limited her productivity
Reading a devotional during a season struggling with lyme disease
Reframing productivity as fruitfulness
How flourishing and shalom are beyond circumstances
Believing that God desires your flourishing
Great quotes from Amy:
Flourishing involves resting.
The biblical concept of flourishing is not contingent on circumstances.
Shalom is the world as God wants it to be.
God desires your flourishing.
Resources we mentioned:
Amy’s website at Sagamore Institute
Agents of Flourishing: Pursuing Shalom in Every Corner of Society by Dr. Amy Sherman
Kingdom Calling: Vocational Stewardship for the Common Good by Dr. Amy Sherman
The God Who Is There by Francis Schaeffer
When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
Related episodes:
Amber Cullum and the Journey to Grace
Peter Englert and Digital Ministry and Discipleship
Lori Ann Wood and Questions in the Silence
The post Dr. Amy Sherman and The God of Shalom appeared first on Eric Nevins.

333: Thorsten Moritz and Created to Interpret

Thorsten Moritz is a theology and hermeneutics professor who started Warehouse Theology. Today, Thorsten shares his story of growing up as “a good Lutheran” in Germany, going to the United States in high school, and studying theology at a fundamentalist school. As he began to question the institution, he knew he needed more perspectives and pursued theology until he got a PhD. He shares his philosophy and practice of interpreting the Bible and why it’s so vital that each believer learn how to move beyond proof texts to interpretation.  Now, Thorsten shares about what he’s doing with Warehouse Theology and why he’s working to decentralize theological education. Thorsten’s story reminds us that how we read is a critical skill for all of us.
Listen to Thorsten’s story in your favorite podcast player now!
Stories Thorsten shared:
Growing up in Germany in a picturesque town in the Black Forest
His family who were survivors of WWII and good Lutherans
Leading a church youth group and starting to studying
Coming to the United States as an exchange student
Going to theological school in Germany and realizing the philosophical commitments
Choosing to get his master’s in England
The opposite of good hermeneutics
Why how we interpret matters
How he thinks of the dark night of the soul
Interpreting for Grant Osborne in Germany
Why interpretation is so vital for the Christian
Great quotes from Thorsten:
Christians apparently have decided by majority that they want to go for a managed humanity and that’s the opposite of what I saw in the New Testament.
Interpretation requires imagining of oneself into the other including the implied author.
No matter how intellectual my approach might be, I know my limits.
We need to start reading each book as one thing.
Resources we mentioned:
Thorsten’s website
Hermeneutical Spiral: A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation by Grant Osborne
Related episodes:
Noble Gibbens and Emotional Healing for Growth
Jen Rosner and Finding Messiah
Andrew Klavan and the Truth and Beauty
The post Thorsten Moritz and Created to Interpret appeared first on Eric Nevins.