Halfway There | Christian Testimonies | Spiritual Formation, Growth, And Personal Experiences With God

Lyndsey Medford is a writer and speaker living with a rare autoimmune disorder in the crumbling empire of the American South. Today, Lyndsey shares what her disorder was like as a child, the pressure she felt to make her story a redemptive one, and the kind response of the Lord who only wanted to be with her. We talk about how to develop a holistic view of yourself and the spiritual implications of doing so. Learning to listen to God, to our bodies, and to one another is a crucial discipline for the spiritual journey. Lyndsey reminds us that doing so means letting go of expectations and learning to simply be with God. Listen to Lyndsey’s story in your favorite podcast player now! Stories Lyndsey shared: Moving and finding herself back with family Her experience of learning to live in her body Growing up in North Atlanta and how church was part of her life Experiencing an autoimmune disorder as a child Praying for healing a lot The pressure she felt to turn her story into a redemptive one What the Lord said a

Matt Fagioli coach, consultant and a serial entrepreneur. His company is called Certain Success and he works with business owners and entrepreneurs to help them grow amazing Christ centered businesses while becoming (as closely as possible to) exactly what Jesus intended for them to be. Today, Matt shares his upbringing in the Roman Catholic church, why he decided to return to church after he had children, and how the pandemic shifted his perspective. He also tells the story of discovering that there is so much more to walking with Jesus than checking the boxes on the Christian to do list. He’s found a new way of relating to the Lord. Matt’s story reminds us that wherever you are now on the journey, the Lord has more to show you. Listen to Matt’s story now in your favorite podcast player! Stories Matt shared: Wrestling with how to be a Christian business owner Growing up in the Philadelphia area in a Catholic school Not thinking very much about the Lord during his 20s Wanting something more at a time in life

Beth Allison Barr is the James Vardaman Professor of History at Baylor University and author of the book The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth. Today, Beth shares how she grew up knowing Jesus, learning that there were some things women didn’t do, and how intellectual curiosity is deeply important for her spiritual journey. We also discuss how knowing Church history and taking a curious approach to biblical interpretation can shape our faith in positive ways. Beth’s story reminds us that understanding church history with an inquisitive mind is a vital part of Christian growth. Listen to Beth’s story here or where you get your podcasts. Stories Beth shared: Growing up in a Christian family in Texas Never not knowing faith in Jesus and getting baptized as a young woman Realizing that there were expected gender roles in high school Using her intellectual curiosity and how that clashed with a literal interpretation of the Bible The distinction between man’s interpreta

Frank Viola is a bestselling author, conference speaker, blogger, and podcaster. Today, Frank shares how he found Christ, a moment when he experienced the overwhelming love of God, and an encounter with a demon. Frank shares that his calling is to those who want to experience Jesus more fully and he shares multiple stories from his writing. We also explore the idea of the dark night of the soul and how he understands it and whether he’s experienced one. Frank’s story reminds us that the Lord is active even when we can’t directly sense him. Listen to Frank’s story in your favorite podcast player now! Stories Frank shared: Exploring the deeper journey Growing up in New York and then moving to Florida The “two conversions” he experienced The awakening he had when he was 16 years old Sensing a call to ministry at 17 Encountering a demon and asking for help from his church Feeling like God is far away The distinction between the dark night of the soul and the dark night of the spirit What it’s like to have a sens

Sara Billups is a Seattle-based writer and cultural commentator whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Christianity Today, Ekstasis, and others. Sara writes Bitter Scroll, a monthly Substack letter. She is completing her Doctor of Ministry in the Sacred Art of Writing at the Peterson Center for the Christian Imagination at Western Theological Seminary. Today, Sara shares about her 90’s youth group kid upbringing, moving to Seattle and finding a devastated church, and the dark season when she compartmentalized her faith. Sara’s story reminds us that while the spiritual desert is isolating, community is the best way through. Listen to Sara’s story in your favorite podcast app now! Stories Sara shared: Growing up in a house where her father converted to Christianity from Judaism Her parent’s relationship and her father’s conversion Celebrating Jewish holidays and how that shaped her How growing up in 80s Christianity influenced her Exploring a Christian counterculture and finding her people Reading crea

Mike Bolton is a husband, father, grandfather, and loyal friend. While he defines himself more by relationships today, he also is an author, podcaster, former pastor, and businessman. Today, Mike shares the story of how he found faith in Christ, the scholarship he lost and how that changed his life, and the ways crisis has shaped him. He tells the story of how he discovered the Lord at work in unexpected places which taught him to say yes to opportunities and see what He was up to. Mike’s story reminds us that while life with God has twists and turns, it’s a beautiful sight to behold. Listen to Mike’s story in your favorite podcast app now! Stories Mike shared: Growing up in Manitoba, Canada Deciding not to go to church in high school Life falling apart and the question it made him ask Deciding to follow Jesus because of the peace he saw in others around him Why we need to ask, seek, and knock Losing his hockey scholarship in school because of his faith How the Lord provided at his church instead The mindset

Lisa Lamb is a professor of preaching, a writer, and a pastor working to equip leaders in South East Asia. Her passion is to develop leaders who preach radically good news, deeply rooted in Scripture. The Lord took her and her husband on a surprising pandemic journey to seven countries, where they experienced his amazing provision at every turn. Today, Lisa shares the story of how she fell in love with preaching of the Word, the journey of becoming a professor, and why she wrote a book for pastors. Her story reminds us that the Lord is leading even when the circumstances may not appear so. Listen to Lisa’s story in your favorite podcast app now! Stories Lisa shared: Serving in South East Asia and how that’s different from the US Growing up in California in a Christian family full of prayer How she was shaped by her sister’s disabilities The wholehearted way here sister approached life Reading a lot of four views books in college Going to seminary right after college and leaving Her sense of calling as a chil

Chris Grainger is the founder of The Lion Within Us and has a passion for serving others. He is building a community that provides Christian men encouragement to become the leaders God intends them to be. Chris connects with others by sharing personal stories of professional success, hurdles encountered and how every circumstance is an opportunity to build the Kingdom. Today, Chris shares how he found Christ as a young man, sensed the Lord’s presence during one of the most difficult moments in his life, and the questions he asked when tragedy struck his family. He also shares how suffering catapulted him to a place of service and led to creating the men’s community, The Lion Within Us. Chris’ story reminds us that even in our darkest moments, the Lord is with us. Listen to Chris’ story in your favorite podcast app now! Stories Chris shared: Creating a ministry for men Growing up in Virginia in the countryside Started going to church because his girlfriend went to church Giving his life to Christ at 16 Going

Melony Brown Author, speaker, and host of the Challenges Won’t Stop Me podcast. Today, Melony shares about the neurological condition she’s had since she was two years old, how living with her condition changed her relationship to the Lord, and the peace she felt leading up to brain surgery. We also talk about the mindset she developed that allowed her to overcome the challenges she faced and help her students as a result. Melony’s story reminds us that two things can be true at the same time: suffering is difficult and the Lord is present within them. Listen to Melony’s story in your favorite podcast app now! Stories Melony shared: Growing up in Atlanta, Georgia Having a stroke at the age of 2 and the health challenges that ensued Her family’s reaction to the stroke and the mindset they instilled in her The family’s sudden decision to return to church Mom’s visit to find a church while she was in college Meeting her husband at the first church she went to Learning to study the Bible Deciding to get baptized

Alex Sezer is helping other do business better by transforming their culture. Always a high achiever, Alex led the Texas A&M football team as captain and scaled multiple business in his 20s. Today, Alex shares how he learned the value of hard work, his calling to preach, and the season of doubting his faith that helped shape him along the way. Ales also shares how he knew it was time to leave his fancy job and start something new which is a fascinating look inside his experience. Then, we talk about how to create a culture wherever you find yourself.  Alex’s story reminds us that culture is what we create through our treatement of other. Listen to Alex’s story in your favorite podcast app now! Stories Alex shared: Growing up in Orange, TX in a pastor’s family How the Lord came through to get a scholarship to play football How his grandfather and father influenced him Giving his life to Christ at 13 Falling in love with the Lord and reading the Bible voraciously Studying preachers like Dr. Tony Evans and

Julia Gentry is the Founder of The Dream Factory and Co & author of a best-selling book in Christian Leadership, Dream-I Dare You. Today, Julia shares about how her mom’s faith influenced her, the dream that moved her to action, and the beliefs she had to let go in order to embrace the life God had for her. Julia also shares how failure builds endurance and why it was a leap of faith to write her own book. Julia’s story reminds us that God’s dreams for us are bigger than we could imagine if we’ll listen. Listen to Julia’s story wherever you get your podcasts! Stories Julia shared: The work she does with The Dream Factory Yearning for something more in her mid-life awakening Growing up in Denver, CO in a Christian family Knowing God at a head level Realizing that God was inviting her to something deeper The dream she had that moved her to action What she had to unlearn in order to grow The moment that she learned her parents were getting divorced as a child and the ramifications for her beliefs The core d

Bob Wheatley is a bestselling author, podcaster, and former professional athlete. He serves as a co-host of That Singles' Show a singles ministry sponsored by KCBI Radio in Dallas and his work has been featured on nationally syndicated radio outlets like WAY-FM and THE FISH. After graduating from the University of Southern California, Bob played four years of professional baseball in the Toronto Blue Jays' and St. Louis Cardinals' minor league systems. Today, Bob shares the focus he had to have to become a professional athlete, knowing the right things to say and do, and the moment when the Gospel got ahold of his heart. Bob’s story reminds us that conviction of sin is part of the process when living life with the Lord. Listen to Bob’s story in your favorite podcast app today! Stories Bob shared: Moving to Nashville, Tennessee Growing up in California in a Christian family Getting baptized because it was just time Feeling that God was an umpire in the sky who will make you follow the rules Learning to follow

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

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 d

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 ov

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 St

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 f

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 s

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 Messi

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