by Jeff | Nov 13, 2016
The Psalmist writes that some people trust in chariots and horses; some even trust in princes. Every one of these things fail, eventually. If you’ve put so much energy into this year’s election and you’ve found a place of disappointment or disillusionment, Jeff and Dave would like to open up a conversation and talk about how to find that place of hope and peace again.
Has something in life let you down? Join the club. We’ve all got moments of great displeasure. The good news is, there’s hope!
Show Notes
[Tweet “Your level of happiness is directly related to the degree that you have forgiven and been forgiven.”]
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” Psalms 118:1-14 ESV
Notes coming soon…
Photo credit: Shawn Allen via Visualhunt / CC BY
by Jeff | Jul 24, 2016
Who’s on this episode?
Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw
Podcast: Download
Have you ever asked yourself, “What am I conforming my life to?” Every person who has ever walked this planet has conformed his or her life to something. It’s why we are influenced through peer pressure and the like. This week, Jeff and Dave welcome back Mike Jewel of Relational Integrity to look at the different ways we conform our life and what it will take for real transformation to take place.
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Show Notes
Coming soon…
by Jeff | May 29, 2016
Who’s on this episode?
Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Pastor Kirk Gerbers @kirkgerbers | Sarah Gerbers @sarahbeth_gerbers
Podcast: Download
Take a look around. Someone somewhere is taking a selfie right now. They might be wearing a Chewbacca mask, too. Chances are, they’re taking 100 photos just for one measly Instagram. That’s what life has become – one measly, filtered, selfie-centered photo. Is there anyone who will risk it all to live an unfiltered life? This week, Jeff and Dave sit down with Kirk and Sarah Gerbers, youth pastors from Destiny Church in De Pere, Wisconsin.
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Show Notes
Upcoming Events
May | Mental Health Month
We are partnering with the Don’t Let Go Campaign in raising awareness about mental health during the month of May. Learn more
Kirk & Sarah Gerbers
Kirk is a youth pastor of over 10 years. Born and raised in Green Bay, Kirk spent some years in Flint, Michigan and has been youth pastoring in De Pere, Wisconsin since 2013. He is on Twitter, but as you will find out in this week’s episode, he would rather be face-to-face than thumb-to-thumb.
Sarah is a professional photographer and owns Selah Photography. Born in Milwaukee, she met Kirk in college and the rest is history. In her time on social media, Sarah has found the good and the bad. She was in it for the wrong reasons and then started over.
Conversation Starters
Do you think the average person who is on a social media site spends too much, too little, or just the right amount of time using it?
What is the point of social media? Why is so much time and energy invested in snapping, gramming, liking, commenting, sharing? Is it all healthy?
What would you do with your time without social media?
How has our society changed since social media really took off in the mid-2000’s?
Could it be that my attitude or outlook on life has been based on how people think of me on social media?
Things to consider
Candace Payne, better known as the Chewbacca Mom, went unfiltered on Facebook and has inspired over 150 million people!
As humans we love to hide.
(more…)
by Jeff | Apr 24, 2016
Who’s on this episode?
Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason Kemper @kempster220 | Jeff Eckart @jeffeckart
Podcast: Download
What happens when 8 students take the challenge to pray for their school every day? Jeff Eckart from Never the Same shares how what began with 8 students has turned into a movement across America that is uniting middle school & high school students to love God and change the world in which they live.
Plus, we sit down with Bri and Lizzy to talk about the Don’t Let Go Campaign for Mental Health Month coming up in May.
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Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and Tune In Radio! Make sure to leave a ★★★★★ review and consider supporting the show.
Show Notes
Bri and Lizzy sat down to share about the Don’t Let Go Campaign
Download the poster
Don’t Let Go Campaign is a social media campaign based in Northeast Wisconsin that brings awareness around the issue of mental health. May is Mental Health Month. Listen to this week’s episode to hear Bri and Lizzy share their vision and like the page on Facebook.
Claim Your Campus & Jeff Eckart
Jeff Eckart believes that this generation is our best hope for change. He is the CEO of Never The Same, a movement uniting middle school & high school students to love God and change the world in which they live through their faith in Jesus. His organization launched Claim Your Campus as a way to unite students.
Claim Your Campus is students meeting for prayer at their school on a regular basis throughout the school year. The goal of CYC is to have students praying every day on every high school and middle school campus in America. CYC is not affiliated with a certain group or denomination and welcomes all Christ followers from any church, background, or culture. CYC seeks to unite Christian students of all kinds and from all backgrounds in praying for their schools.
CYC is encouraging, equipping & uniting middle school & high school students to pray for change 1x a week on their campus.
Our strategy:
Encourage students to organize 5 weekly prayer groups (1 per school day)
Our mission:
Equip 1 million students to pray (15 per campus on 67,000 campuses)
Our vision:
Unite this generation for prayer and change (Learn more)
CYC Connect
Get the CYC app
National Network of Youth Ministries
by Jeff | Apr 3, 2016
Who’s on this episode?
Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw | Jason Kemper @kempster220 | Terra Kay @terrakfree
The hardest months for me (Jeff) came in the days and weeks after Spring Break. How do you get back into the flow of life when you’re just “done?”
Podcast: Download
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Never miss an episode. Subscribe to the podcast for free on iTunes, Stitcher and Tune In Radio! Make sure to leave a ★★★★★ review and consider supporting the show.
Show Notes
Upcoming event info: Join Terra Kay at Sisterhood Hope Conference on April 16!
Slavery Still Exists. Here. Now. In Your City. Featuring Harmony Dust-Grillo, a social activist for women trapped in the sex industry. Learn what you can do to make a difference. Register online
Join Dave Wager and men from all walks of life at Silver Birch Ranch’s Men’s Retreat this May!
by Jeff | Jan 10, 2016
On this episode
Jeff Strommen @jstrommen | Dave Wager @wagerdaw
Depression.
According to the APA, “depression is a medical illness that affects how you feel, think and behave causing persistent feelings of sadness and loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems.
If you are struggling with depression and are contemplating suicide, please reach out and talk: 1-800-273-8255
Most of us would rather not talk about it. Its affects are wide-reaching mentally, physically and emotionally. And yet, we need to talk about it. You weren’t made to be depressed. But it does exist and people of faith and non-faith need to address it. Can we peel back the layers together and unpack this?
Podcast: Download
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Show Notes
What Are the Main Causes of Depression? (source)
There are a number of factors that may increase the chance of depression, including the following:
Abuse. Past physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can cause depression later in life.
Certain medications. Some drugs, such as Accutane (used to treat acne), the antiviral drug interferon-alpha, and corticosteroids, can increase your risk of depression.
Conflict. Depression in someone who has the biological vulnerability to develop depression may result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members or friends.
Death or a loss. Sadness or grief from the death or loss of a loved one, though natural, may increase the risk of depression.
Genetics. A family history of depression may increase the risk. It’s thought that depression is a complex trait that may be inherited across generations, although the genetics of psychiatric disorders are not as simple or straightforward as in purely genetic diseases such as Huntington’s chorea or cystic fibrosis.
Major events. Even good events such as starting a new job, graduating, or getting married can lead to depression. So can moving, losing a job or income, getting divorced, or retiring.
Other personal problems. Problems such as social isolation due to other mental illnesses or being cast out of a family or social group can lead to depression.
Serious illnesses. Sometimes depression co-exists with a major illness or is a reaction to the illness.
Substance abuse. Nearly 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have major or clinical depression.
