Halfway There

324: Lori Morrison and God’s Compassion for the Hurting

Licensed private investigator, podcast host, author, and speaker Lori Morrison. Today, Lori shares about being around church and slowly drawn to the Lord, working in the justice system to learn compassion, and how she became a private investigator. She also gives us tips about personal safety and some deep thoughts about God’s love for all people, including those who commit crimes. Her book is called How to Kick Fear to the Curb where she explains the biblical case for being strong and not afraid. Lori’s story reminds us that the Lord loves justice even when it doesn’t look how we want it to.
Listen to Lori’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Lori shared:
Working as a private investigator and what that means
Growing up in Indiana but not going to church
Slowly being drawn to Jesus as a young woman
Beginning to read and do Bible studies
How getting involved with helping others helped her
Learning compassion for others by working with inmates at the jail
Being a stay at home mom while her children were little
Working in the domestic violence court and how that opened her eyes
Becoming a private investigator
Learning to depend on the Lord as she helps families
Understanding God’s heart for justice
Realizing that God love perpetrators as well
Connecting with the Lord when she’s working a case
How to have situational awareness
Great quotes from Lori:
There’s a lot of different ways you can get justice.
As Christians, we can be too trusting. We trust in titles and positions as opposed to trusting in character.
God wants to be in every part of our lives.
In God we trust. Everyone else gets a background check.
Resources we mentioned:
Lori’s website
How to Kick Fear to the Curb: Private Investigator Approved Personal Safety Tips with Biblical Evidence to “Fear Not” by Lori Morrison
The Unlovely Truth Podcast
Related episodes:
Christina Dent and Compassion for Others
April Diaz and Power and Justice in the Kingdom
Craig Greenfield and Good News for the Poor
The post Lori Morrison and God’s Compassion for the Hurting appeared first on Eric Nevins.

323: Jon Fugler and the Ditching Performance Christianity

Jon Fugler is the Chief Content Officer with Trans World Radio and has been writing for Christian audiences for 40 years. Today, Jon shares how he found Christ through sports and then applied his performance based mindset to his faith. He was good at it but, as with all performances, it crumbled eventually. That’s when a friend shared a powerful book that redefined his life with Christ and set Jon on a path of enjoying the company of Jesus wherever he goes. Jon shares the strategies he uses to find peace, accept himself, and experience the Lord. Jon’s story reminds us that you can’t work your way into relationship with God even if you’re doing good things. It’s all about the joy of knowing Christ.
Listen to Jon’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Jon shared:
His ministry and radio experience
Growing up in Rochester, NY
Hearing a college football coach speak and hearing the Gospel
Applying his performance practices to his faith
Getting hurt and realizing that a baseball career wouldn’t happen
Deciding to go into radio and Christian ministry
Being plagued by anger and not knowing why
Reading With by Skye Jethani and learning about living with Christ
Learning to reset with a half day retreat of silence
Learning rhythms and appropriate pacing in his life
Developing the desire to know Christ
Great quotes from Jon:
The longer we perform for God and the more we do, the closer we think we are.
I was believing the lie that if I was serving Jesus well, I also had a good relationship with him.
We need rhythm in our lives.
Resources we mentioned:
Jon’s website
With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God by Skye Jethani
Related episodes:
Skye Jethani and Living Life with God
Nicole Jacobsmeyer and Joy After Suffering
Jill Baughn and the Adventure of Joy
Laura Padgett and Ambassadors of Joy
The post Jon Fugler and the Ditching Performance Christianity appeared first on Eric Nevins.

322: Suzie Eller and Getting Started with Prayer

Suzie Eller is an author and podcaster with a new book called Prayer Starters: Talking with God about Hard Times and also the Prayer Starters podcast. Today, Suzie shares about the ordinary people who shaped her in simple ways, why she determined to write about things that mattered after cancer, and how she learned to pray. Suzie brings much wisdom to our prayer life that she’s learned from her own. Suzie’s story reminds us that the Lord is never far away if we only turn an ear toward him to listen.
Listen to Suzie’s story in your favorite podcast app today!
Stories Suzie shared:
Working at Proverbs 31 and developing her own ministry
Growing up in a fractured family not knowing about God
Finding Christ in her late teens when friends knocked on her door with an invitation
Challenging God because of her family life
The ordinary people who shaped her
Going to college and getting married at 20
Studying the Bible as much as she could
Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis at 31
Starting a writing career after her survival
Deciding to just start somewhere with writing
Diving into content creation
Learning how to pray through journaling
Making video curriculum while grieving and the community she found
How she joined Proverbs 31
What she learned by working there
How Prayer Starters helps you
Great quotes from Suzie:
Unless we wrestle out those hard questions, our faith is someone else’s faith.
Wrestling with God is part of my faith because it always has been.
Is there a chance, God, that you want to talk to me?
Just show up is a really powerful path to connection with God.
Resources we mentioned:
Suzie’s website
Prayer Starters: Talking with God about Hard Times by Suzie Eller
Suzie’s books on Amazon
Related episodes:
Sue Donaldson and The Welcoming Heart of God
Dan Rudman and Ripples of the Gospel
Heather Oncken and How to Be a Friend
Sarah Geringer and Transforming Your Thought Life
The post Suzie Eller and Getting Started with Prayer appeared first on Eric Nevins.

321: Noble Gibbens and Emotional Healing for Growth

Noble Gibbens is a coach, speaker, and podcaster known as the EQ Gangster because of his big beard and tattoos. Today, Noble shares how he developed a very unhealthy relationship with God full of self-loathing, what happened when he gave up on performing for people, and the moment he learned about emotions. He also gives us a little strategy for how to properly process emotions when we have them. Noble’s story reminds us that God loves the whole of our human persons including our emotions.
Listen to Noble’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Noble shared:
Being an executive coach to large companies
Learning how to stuff and avoid emotions as a child
Developing a performance based relationship with the Lord
Pursuing God throughout his early adulthood
Getting financially independent at age 30
Experiencing depression when he stopped performing
Performing at West Point
Realizing that he hated himself during a dark night
The tattoos that remind him of the lessons of this season
Spending time in Scripture during depression
Discovering his feelings and emotions
Reading the Bible for emotions in a new way
How to understand and process emotions
Great quotes from Noble:
I didn’t feel safe talking about emotions for four decades.
I thought I was extra holy because I hated myself more than you hate yourself.
I became the Christian that I used to hate.
If you don’t heal your emotional issues, your friends, family, and coworker will be forced to.
Emotionally healthy people help heal people emotionally.
Resources we mentioned:
Noble’s website
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Pete Scazzero
Feelings Wheel
Related episodes:
Marc Schelske and the Wisdom of Your Heart
Meg Glesener and the Smile of God
Os Guinness and Carpe Diem Redeemed
The post Noble Gibbens and Emotional Healing for Growth appeared first on Eric Nevins.

320: Courtney Lowman and Building a Culture of Discipleship

Courtney Lowman is a speaker, teacher, and the podcaster behind The Journey of Ruth podcast. Today, Courtney share how she found amazing mentors early on, the moment when heartbreak brought clarity, and the ministry that the Lord has given her since. Courtney is passionate about discipleship because she knows that one “meal” on Sunday isn’t enough to feed you for the entire week. She now provides resources for disciplers around the world including with her newest resource, the Bible Journal for Busy Women. Courtney’s story reminds us that God often has plans for us beyond our limited imaginations.
Listen to Courtney’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Courtney shared:
Hosting the Journey of Ruth Podcast
Growing up in Arizona as a pastor’s kid
Experiencing the difficulty of ministry as a child
The women who let them sit with them on Sunday and were her first mentors
The vision the Lord used to draw her deeper
Evaluating her friendships for depth
Clubbing for Jesus in France
Wrestling with going to international missions
Learning that missions is discipleship
Seeing that her podcast is having an international impact
Her mom getting brain cancer and other struggles
Great quotes from Courtney:
Sunday morning is not enough to feed you fully for the entire week.
No one else is going to feed you.
Go out and use the gifts God has given you to serve your community.
Resources we mentioned:
Courtney’s website
Building Bold Disciples
Bible Journal for Busy Women
Related episodes:
Loren Hicks and the Practice of Discipleship
Cheyenne Olson and the Foundation of Scripture
Caesar Kalinowski and Discipleship as Mission
The post Courtney Lowman and Building a Culture of Discipleship appeared first on Eric Nevins.

319: Peter Englert and Digital Ministry & Mentorship

Peter Englert is a pastor, podcaster, and writer who has a unique ministry using podcasting as a discipleship tool. You know I love to share great examples of new media making a difference. Today, Peter shares how he ended up in ministry, the mentors who showed him incredible kindness, and how his ministry has evolved to include the digital world. Plus, Peter reminds us that digital and physical don’t always have to be in conflict. Often, they actually augment one another.
Listen to Peter’s story in your favorite podcast app today!
Stories Peter shared:
His ministry in Rochester and online
Growing up in NY and being told he was destined to be a talk show host
Connecting with people from the Northeast
Being in church three times a week as a kid
Feeling called to ministry at 13
Putting his career in ministry on hold but seeing how God worked it out anyway
The mentors who have shaped him by inclusion
Getting let go from a job
A season of transition when the Lord asked him to be faithful
How his job has evolved to change ministry
His dream for how in person and digital ministries coexist
Great quotes from Peter:
We’re scared to tell our stories but that’s what God wants us to do.
Sometimes we miss out because we are not patient.
If I’m going to be talking 70% of the time, I may as well put it online.
Resources we mentioned:
Peter’s website
Why God Why Podcast
Browncroft Community Church
Related episodes:
Laura Flanders and the Mentored Life
Jeff Tacklind and the Winding Path of Transformation
Jay Kim and Analog Church
The post Peter Englert and Digital Ministry & Mentorship appeared first on Eric Nevins.

318: Jodie Niznik and Creating Space for God

Jodie Niznik served in vocational ministry for over twelve years. Her calling and passion is to equip people to create space for God in their lives and take another step in their journey with Jesus. She does this through writing, teaching, and her Scripture meditation podcast. Today, Jodie shares about how finding Christ at church camp, the first time she learned about lectio divina, and how she helps others engage the practice. Jodie’s story reminds us that there are many ways engage the Lord if we just take a little time.
Listen to Jodie’s story in your favorite podcast app now!
Stories Jodie shared:
The process of lectio divina and the guardrails we need
Growing up in Atlanta with a good family.
Finding Christ at church camp at 13
Having a very performative view of her faith
Deciding to do things on her own and the distress that resulted
Discovering Christian community at the University of Boulder
Getting married and moving to Texas
Hearing God tell her to go to seminary
Her experience with God through school
Starting to work at her church at the end of her schoolwork “on fumes”
Experiencing lectio divina for the first time
Leading her first lectio experience
Meditating on Psalm 37
The process of practicing lectio
Why she started a podcast about lectio, So Much More: Creating Space for God
Deciding to move away from working at the church
Experiencing God through a painful experience
Great quotes from Jodie:
I had to slow down or I wasn’t going to do any kind of work God called me to (24:16)
There’s not a return but there is a new space.
God wants to speak to you through His Word.
Resources we mentioned:
Jodie’s website
Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership: Seeking God in the Crucible of Ministry by Ruth Haley Barton
Related episodes:
Sharon Swing and How to Listen to Your Life
Traci Rhoades and A Firm Foundation
Sarah Geringer and Transforming Your Thought Life
The post Jodie Niznik and Creating Space for God appeared first on Eric Nevins.

317: Randy Mortensen and Removing the Stigma of Addiction

Randy Mortensen is a guide for talented management professionals whose drive has led them down a path of compulsive and destructive behaviors, the host of the Courageous Recovery podcast, and a published author. Today, Randy shares how he came to Christ after years of being a church attender, how he finally quit drinking, and the ministries he’s started to help others do the same. Randy work hard and achieves much but has also suffered because of addiction. Randy’s story reminds us that shame never gets the last word because Jesus took it all for us.
Listen to Randy’s story now in your favorite podcast app!
Stories Randy shared:
Being a public speaker around the world
Sneaking a beer out of his dad’s man cave
Losing his five year old son
Sitting in the Lutheran church every week as a kid
Giving his life to Christ when his mentor invited him over for an afternoon
Going forward for an alter call at an Amway event
Teaching with Willow Creek across the country
Living the high life with success
Hearing from God in Haiti
The moment he realized he had to stop drinking
Going to rehab to give up alcohol
Launching a faith-based recovery program
Why he started the Courageous Recovery Podcast
Great quotes from Randy:
My business life was always very successful, but my personal choices were horrible.
First you have to be willing. Then you have to be obedient. It’s the obedience that’s the hard part.
For those who are struggling with mental health, we need to serve them not judge them.
Resources we mentioned:
Randy’s website
From Success to Significance: When the Pursuit of Success Isn’t Enough by Lloyd Reeb
Related episodes:
Rob Decker Discovers God’s Tenderness
Christina Dent and Compassion for Others
Engel Jones and the Power of Connection
The post Randy Mortensen and Removing the Stigma of Addiction appeared first on Eric Nevins.