Halfway There

025: Zac Medeiros and the Puzzle that Christianity Was

Zac Medeiros shares his story of growing up in a Christian family in Quebec, struggling  through depression, and finding life in God’s Word again.
In Quebec, evangelical Christians represent less than one percent of the population. Zac and I talked about how that’s different from the United States where there may multiple churches of varying denominations even in small town. While most people call themselves Catholic, few have any faith in God to speak of.
Zac was on a path of losing a faith instilled by a Christian family when a series of mentors came into his life at the right times. Then while he struggled with a serious depression he discovered Christian podcasts (see the links below) which reignited his love for God and Scripture.
Now, Zac is trying to make a difference whenever he can, and he even preached a sermon recently that God is using to spread the message of the Gospel in his sphere of influence.
Great quotes from Zac:
Christianity was kind of a puzzle. Even at that young age, God touched my heart and I had love for him for what he did on the cross. There was still some part of me I could not put my head around it.
God shook me up but he wasn’t done breaking me.
He [Francis Chan] made me read the Bible because I could not believe what he said was true.
The only reason I decided to be clean was for the Gospel.
Podcasts Zac mentioned:
Francis Chan
Bad Christian
Sermon Zac preached
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024: Jesse Bean and Grace Greater Than Effort

Jesse Bean shares why an experience of God’s grace is more powerful than all the knowledge in the world. When all his role models fell apart, Jesse gave up all but his faith that God existed and lived “without God at all.”
But God wouldn’t let him go. Even when Jesse decided to live his life working as hard as he could to be moral and just a good guy, he knew that God was reaching out to him.
His crisis moment came after he got married. Jesse felt the weight of caring for another human being’s needs in addition to his one purely from his own effort. After realizing that he could not continue on his own without expecting the same kinds of moral disasters that plagued his childhood role models Jesse sought help first from a counselor then eventually from God.
Jesse takes us to the watershed moment when God wrapped his arms around him and he finally came back.
Today, Jesse serves as the accountant at South Fellowship Church and is studying to become a counselor himself.
Great quotes from Jesse:
In hindsight, I’m certainly thankful for the periods of struggle with my faith that occurred as I got out of high school.
I felt like after my dad fell, if I could live my life the way Ted Haggard lived his life, I would be okay. And then it became clear that won’t work either.
I feel like at that time there was, for lack of a better term, there was a tug on my heart that I felt like the Lord wasn’t willing to let me go.
I knew there was no way my effort was going to get me all the way through life.
It was during that time when I began to be open to what it really looked like to be in relationship with the Lord again, to see Scripture in a different way where it really wasn’t about what I needed to do to live the good Christian life but what was available for me through the gift of grace that I was able to receive…I did not have to rely on my effort anymore. I did not have to be afraid of who I would become if left to my own strength.
I knew grace very well and I had never experienced it.
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023: Jeff Brodsky is Barefoot Until the Last Child is Rescued

What would you do if God asked you to do something strange for awhile? Not a small step out of your comfort zone but a huge leap from it?
Today’s guest is a man of action who God has used to bring joy to many children through Joy International. Jeff Brodsky founded the organization in 1981 and he shares today several stories about how God led him to start his own ministry and how it evolved over the years to the work they do today rescuing girls caught in sex trafficking around the world.
(Note: be cautious as you listen to this episode. Jeff shares his story about how God led him and while there is nothing too explicit, the nature of his work means we have to mention sex slavery. I wouldn’t listen to this one with the kids in the car if you don’t want to answer any questions about that topic.)
That’s a difficult enough task, but Jeff also does something unique to show his solidarity with those children that need to be rescued: he goes barefoot all the time. Listen to the show to hear him explain how he decided to do it and why. But also hear the passion in Jeff’s voice as he describes his heartbreak over the unspeakable evil of sex slavery and you’ll understand why God called him to this life.
Great quotes from Jeff:
When God calls you, you have a decision to make. It’s either yes or no. There is no maybe.
God tells us to look for the least of these, to search for the least of these. I did. I started years ago to search for the least of these…My search continued until I learned about the plight of children that were kidnapped, forced, or manipulated into the commercial sexual exploitation world. When I saw what was happening to these children my search ended. You cannot get any lower than these children are.
I absolutely want to see every one of them who abuse these children dead…to themselves and alive to Christ and have their lives turned around. No man is above redemption, not even the abuser of these children.
Awareness without action is apathy.
After we stopped recording, I asked Jeff what he needed and what would help most. Without skipping a beat he said “Money.” They cannot rescue girls from sex trafficking without means to send people and fund operations. I’ve never asked this of you before but will you take a moment and got to the Get Involved page on Joy.org and make even a small donation. It could mean the difference to a child’s entire life.
Also, if you are new to the show or just haven’t subscribed yet, make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in iTunes today.
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022: Amy Patton Say God is in Your Story

Today’s conversation is with Amy E. Patton who shares how she learned to see God in her story. While she was a believer, it took a special community accepting her faults and all to help her understand the God could accept her too. Amy began to believe that God could use her, too, which led her in the direction of missions, story, and words.
We often talk about books that impact us and Amy had a unique list. She shared fiction books God used to connect her to people who have to find purpose in their story which make her come alive. Here are links to the book Amy mentioned (Amazon affiliate links):
Non-fiction books Amy mentioned:
Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead
Waking the Dead: The Glory of a Heart Fully Alive
Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream
7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess
Great quotes from Amy:
Jesus, this has nothing to do with heaven anymore. This has to do with me wanting to know you. And in that moment everything changed. All that ability and work and trying to be good enough for Jesus to love me just fell away.
God, I will did into my story but I need you to show me where you are.
In safe places with safe people as I began to share my story, I quickly discovered that they still loved me.
One of the great things about fiction is sometimes we’re not ready for the truth. And we can remove ourselves, and kind of go to that place the author has created and wrestle with an idea and later on realize this is my life too.
If you enjoyed hearing Amy’s story you will want check out her blog at amyepatton.com! I’ve been reading Amy’s blog for over a year and I think you’ll be encouraged by it. By the way, her post about refugees is called 7 Important Facts About the Refugee Crisis & Why It Should Matter to You. Read it and let her know you heard her on Halfway There!
Also, if you are new to the show or just haven’t subscribed yet, make sure you never miss an episode by subscribing in iTunes today.
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021: Lynn Byk and Working Together for Our Good

Have you ever been pushed to your limit? What if you got there by helping others in a way you felt called by God to do? Was he far away and distant. Or, close as you learned he was taking care of you deeply?
Today’s guest is Lynn Byk who shares the experience of going to the limit of herself only to find that God led her to an unlikely relationship that changed her life. In fact, all the relationships that Lynn shares in this episode will move and inspire you from her days as a missionary in South Africa at the end of apartheid, to the way she led her husband to Christ, and finally, how God healed her after a painful estrangement with her neighborhood.
God showed Lynn that he uses even our most painful experiences to bring us back to Him, together for our good, and that she can trust Him in that process.
Lynn wrote a book about one of those relationships called Mr. B: Living with a 98-Year-Old Rocket Scientist which you can get at Amazon (affiliate link).Lynn wrote a book about one of those relationships called Mr. B: Living with a 98-Year-Old Rocket Scientist which you can get at Amazon (affiliate link).
Great quotes from our conversation:
I think as a Christian you have to open your hand up and say what do you want from me Lord? Do you want me to go through hardship? Do you want me to not be sure because you want me to trust in you? Do you want me to love this person even though everyone is looking at me saying ‘why are you their friend?’
The only way I can tell you is if you ask him to reveal himself to you. Ask him if the things you learned when you were a kid were real.
I’ve learned that I don’t have to have chapter and verse to explain my life…there’s so much of Scripture that’s just story and the story is the process of a human being living and how God interacted in their life.
He always puts me in situations that are just a little more than I can handle and then says “Ah! Now you need me. Now we can do this together.”
To get more great books like Mr. B., see Lynn’s publishing website, Capture Me Books also.
Did you relate to Lynn’s story? If so, wouldn’t your friends like it too? Share the show with them today!
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020: Rob Karch and Embracing God in the Unexpected

Today my guest is Rob Karch. Rob has served, with his wife and family, as a global worker sharing Jesus with people in Quebec for twelve years. In today’s conversation, he shares the story of how he got there, why he fell in love with God through reading Scripture with emotion, and the most recent unexpected turn in his life.
Listen closely to Rob as he shares his heart of trust in God who so clearly has led him to share Christ with others. Even as he faces what can only be described as one of the most difficult challenges in his life, he tells stories of real hope based on the truth of the Gospel. That trust is so powerful.
Rob is a friend and every time I talk to him this passion for God’s mission in the world lights up his face. I hope you enjoy him as much as I do.
Great quotes from Rob in our conversation:
We do a huge disservice when we worry we’re going to miss God’s will somewhere because throughout Scripture when God makes himself known, it is unmistakable.
Simultaneously, there’s blessing and there’s suffering and it isn’t just one or the other.
God loves Muslims just like God loves a secular Americans. It’s the same thing. He’s pursuing them.
It’s almost as if God is saying “You know what? If you’re not going to go to these people, I’m going to bring them to you.” That’s the lens through which I’m seeing some of the refugee movements and things today. Some of these people are coming from the most difficult places to reach in the world and it’s almost as if God says, “Okay, I’m going to bring them to you.”
Did you relate to Rob’s story? If so, wouldn’t your friends like it too? Share the show with them today!
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019: Carol Wilson and Following the Lord’s Leading

When you think of the mission field, what countries come to mind? Africa? South America? Maybe Asia?
What about France?
Today’s guest is Carol Wilson, a woman who heard God’s call to go so she gave up her beloved teaching job and took a step. We talk about how the end is never really clear until much later. Instead, you just take one step toward what you sense God calling you to and see what happens. Carol did just that and He took her all the way to France where she served as a missionary for 36 years.
In today’s episode, Carol shares the story of her conversion at a Billy Graham crusade in Des Moines, Iowa, her call to the mission field, and stories from her ministries including what made her question whether she was in the right place and meeting Francis Schaeffer.
Books mentioned (Amazon affiliate links):
Great quotes:
Little by little, over the year, I can say things happened in my life…that caused me to see the need in France.
When I got there I learned it was called the graveyard of missionaries because there are so little results there.
If you’re willing to follow the Lord’s leading, he is able to lead you exactly where he wants you.
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018: Dell McDonald Says God Can Use Even You

How does a Michigan farm boy turn into a travelling minister who builds up the church around the globe? Today’s story is proof that you just never know how God is going to use the events in your life, even the ones you don’t think are for your good at the time.
The story belongs to Dell McDonald who I call the elder statesmen of our church. In our conversation, Dell shares the story of how he came to Christ in the middle of plowing a field, why he entered the Air Force, and how his sudden departure from the military was actually perfect timing for the work God would call him to do.
That work involved ministering to Christian members of militaries around the world with an organization called Association for Christian Conferences, Teaching, and Service.  He shares a remarkable story about a time when their work prevented potential slaughter. Once again, God was working even when it was difficult for anyone to know.
Dell and I talk about the Holy Spirit and his conviction that sometimes we just make it too complicated and, if we would just look, we would see God directing us everywhere.
Books that have influenced Dell (Amazon affiliate links):
Great quotes in our conversation:
If you’re a believer, sometimes you’ll cause a stir.
My thoughts and ideas and relationship with the Lord has been formed by a lot of people, not just one.
We talk a lot as believers about the Holy Spirit…but we don’t live that way. It’s knowledge we know that but we don’t experience it.
That’s what brings us Christian joy, the fact that we have this confidence: God is directing our steps.
God can use you as a soldier where you are.
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