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

Art Costello is the creator of Expectations Therapy. Today he shares about how God led him throughout his life both through loneliness, the war in Vietnam and the loss of his wife. His unique experiences of talking with God became a vital part of his prosperity and success in his life. You will find Art’s stories relatable and his method of understanding your expectations invaluable. Listen to Art’s story now! Stories Art shared: Teaching people to manage their expectations. Moving to a rural area as a child and the loneliness that brought The hill where he spoke to God as a child and the extraordinary experience he had there Using his intuition to stay safe in Vietnam The amazing pastors who discipled him The health diagnosis for his wife that shattered his charmed life The tailspin he went into after his wife died How he received the message of expectations matter Our roles as humans The steps of expectation therapy Be faithful. Great quotes from Art: God planted the seed of expectation in every man, woma

Penni Zelinkoff is a speaker, podcast host, and coach helping people overcome not feeling good enough.  Today, Penni discusses discovering how she connects to God and recognizing that she was loved just as she was and is. Drifting away from the lord led her closer to him and aided her in accepting that God doesn’t want to see her dressed up to see him. Penni also shares her powerful strategy for releasing feelings of being not good enough. Listen to Penni’s story now! Stories Penni shared: The decision she made to take her life back and discovered her purpose Growing up in Hawaii in the Lutheran church How questions without answers led her to a Bible study The dream that changed her life Learning to listen to the inner voice of the Lord Her morning routine that keeps her grounded The importance of gratitude journaling Growing away from the Lord Deciding to go back to church and being seen by the church and God Living in her purpose by motivating others through mentoring and podcasting Overcoming the feeling

Tracy Higley is a writer, serial entrepreneur, and mom with a passion for helping women become unstuck in life. Today Tracy shares stories about owning her faith, losing a child and facing the fact that she was addicted to getting things done. In a world focused on constant productivity her story resonates with us all during the busy season surrounding Christmas. She was driven to the end of herself before she was able to realize she didn’t have to do it all. Her story will inspire you to ask important questions about what you truly want during this season and your life. Listen to Tracy’s story now! Stories Tracy shared: Running on dual tracks as an author and business person The moments when her faith became her own Becoming a “classic overachiever” in high school Not feeling valuable unless she was doing something for the Lord Learning to get still and observe the Sabbath How losing a child and a pregnancy changed her parenting How she felt when God didn’t seem to be holding up his end of the deal The Chri

Aaron Walker is a life and business coach, author, and mastermind facilitator. Aaron has been successful all his life with business all over Nashville. From the outside, it appeared he had everything together. He did all the right things like going to church, reading his Bible, and praying every day. His life took a dramatic turn on August 1, 2001 when his car struck a pedestrian sending him into a five year dark night of the soul. Aaron opens up about the darkness of that period and the way it deepened his relationship with the Lord. Today, Aaron mentors men through mastermind groups and coaching, a significant impact he may never have reached without going through that difficult experience. Listen to Aaron’ story now! Stories Aaron shared: Growing up in a Christian family in Tennessee Giving his heart to Christ at a revival in 1970 How his life changed when he hit a pedestrian in his car on August 1, 2001 What his life was like before the accident Why he was angry going through the dark night How he learne

Tim Morris is a coach who helps people discover their unique design and live into it. Tim lives in Cleveland, OH with his wife and two daughters. He discovered that much of our theology of the human person is based on the Enlightenment rather than the Bible and is bringing back a Hebrew understanding of the heart. in this bonus episode, we talk about the heart, why it's important to understand your design, and why it's hard for some people with God-given gifts to use them in the church. Listen to Tim’s story in episode # 79 of Halfway There. Topic we discussed: What the Evangelical idea of the heart is currently Why this understanding of the heart is dangerous How the Hebrew understanding of heart is liberating Why believing “the heart is deceitful” only is problematic The one belief that will hinder you from accepting the truth about your heart How Tim helps people understand the design of their heart What happens when people discover their heart The false definition of joy How you discern your heart, emot

John Morgan is an inspirational speaker and George W. Bush impersonator. John overcame decades long fear to step into a calling as a performer.  Today, John shares the devastating grip fear had on him, the wilderness fear led him to, and how the Lord led him to freedom. We also talk about listening to “nudges from God” and learning the hard way to live without regret. This episode is full of laughs as John does his thing, too.  John’s story will inspire you to ask “What am I allowing fear to keep me from?” Please listen to and share John’s story! Stories John shared: Why he is willing to be called an imitator of Christ Nearly dying after falling off a diving board Finding Christ at age 18 when his mom dragged him to church Praying for a wife and how the Lord brought him a wife How he experiences nudges from God The moment he stopped striving to know God’s will How he started impersonating George W. Bush How his wife discovered his new career The way he approached God to find out if he should pursue impersona

Jason Feffer is an evangelist for the spiritual disciplines. For over twenty years he has been helping people follow Jesus in their everyday lives with his teaching and writing. Currently, he pastors The Practice, a practice-based contemplative ministry at Willowcreek Church. Today, Jason shares how he discovered spiritual disciplines, the way disciplines have shaped him, and why it’s okay to use different disciplines than those around you. Books play an important role in Jason’s journey and he shares how insight from virtual mentors shaped him. Listen to Jason’s story now! Stories Jason shared: Growing up in a Roman Catholic church then accepting Christ as a child Realizing Christ is the center of his life Discovering the meaning of discipleship Reading the Bible out of guilt How reading transforms his journey Wrestling with imposter’s syndrome Feeling like he didn’t belong and how community that brought him out How The Jesus Prayer shaped his journey Why it’s okay to use the disciplines that work for you H

Sean Douglas is an Air Force Veteran, TEDx Speaker, Master Resilience Implementer, International Radio Show Host, Business Strategist, and author. Yes, he’s really busy! Today, Sean shares how he overcame abuse and alcoholism, found Christ, and began to discovered how the Lord want to use him. Sean grew up in an guilt-laden, religious home thinking God only wanted to punish him. It wasn’t until his wife dragged him to church years later that he finally understood how the grace of God could take his troubled past and turn it into a vision for helping many like him. Listen and share Sean’s story today! Stories Sean shared: Sean shares about his businesses and speaking opportunities Growing up in a serious Roman Catholic family and dealing with guilt and fear The questions that his religion raised but couldn’t answer Joining the Air Force after 9/11 Escaping from his abusive step-father Developing a drinking problem in the military and the problems that caused including his house burning down Attempting suicide

Thomas Umstattd is the author of Courtship in Crisis and the host of the Creative Funding Show. He works with authors to help them sell more books. Thomas is one of the most articulate people I know and the thoughtful way he engages his faith will make you to think differently, too. Today, Thomas shares his story of being distracted by a version of the prosperity Gospel and how the Lord used experience to break free from it. His story has everything from viral blog posts, to feelings of abandonment when he changed his views, and even a dating grandmother. Listen and share Thomas’ story today! Stories Thomas shared: Growing up in a “middle of the road” homeschool, Christian family His faith coming his own Subtly believing the “relational prosperity gospel” of courtship Blogging about courtship hoping to make it practical His experience with courting a young woman and her dad The toxic language of purity culture and the difference from courtship culture Why he became disillusioned with courtship His grandmothe

Evan Money is a coach and author who marries his wife all over again every year. Today, Evan shares why he marries his wife every year, the spiritual benefits of constant wedding planning, and how it inspires others. Evan is a high energy guy living his life to the fullest potential. He shares why he thinks he is constantly being converted, learning how to love himself, and how to practice being present. And he leaves us with a challenge to put as much effort into learning to love our spouse as we do fantasy football (ouch!). Please listen to and enjoy Evan’s story! Stories Evan shared: What he means by “life to the full” Growing up in Los Angeles in a “normal dysfunctional family” Constantly being converted The value of being in the present and how to practice presence Discovering how to love himself Marrying his wife again every year and the spiritual benefits How the practice of marrying one another again inspires others Releasing expectations about what a good Christian should be Daily dark night of the

Vicki Proffit is the executive director of Sarah’s Home which serves girls rescued from sex trafficking. Today, Vicki lets us into her sweet relationship with the Lord through periods of waiting, finding direction, and miraculous provision. Vicki shares her concern to finish her life well in serving the Lord and the experiences that bring her to her knees before him. We also talk about Sarah’s Home, the problem of trafficking, and how you can be aware of trafficking in your area. Vicki’s heart comes through in a big way and will be an encouragement to you. Please listen and share Vicki’s story! Stories Vicki shared: Her mission to trafficked girls at Sarah’s Home Her amazing parents and how they shaped her The encouragement she receives from many sources Calling a friend at 4:30 AM because she felt God told her to Waiting two and a half years for a license for Sarah’s Home God’s provision at the house Why it matters to her to finish well Wrestling with pride in her life The trouble with her eyes and struggli

Michael Woodward is the founder of jumbleTHINK and B-Side, husband and father. Today, Michael shares how the Lord led him into pastoral ministry, how seeing the best and worst of the church changed his perspective, and why he started a podcast. His trust in God has grown through business struggles and seeing the dark side of ministry. Michael’s heart for helping others step into their dreams will inspire you to live intentionally. Please listen and share Michael’s story! Stories Michael shared: Growing up in the church in Central Pennsylvania How the Lord led him to the Brownsville revival instead of college Sharing Christ as a street evangelist during the revival How the Lord answered his prayer for a job The picture of what the church should look like and what it shouldn’t How seeing the worst of the church changed his perspective Why he doesn’t use the word “Christian” about himself How his trust in God grew when his business took a turn for the worse Why he started his podcast jumbleTHINK How fear hold

Anna Scheller is a wife of 36 years, mom of 7, black belt and business owner. Today, Anna shares her story of learning to trust God through anxiety, losing money in business, and dealing with abuse of her children. Anna stands out as an example of how the Lord uses such difficult times to refine  and gives the grace needed at just the right time. Anna’s heart for mentoring women and teaching sales as a service will inspire you to be just a little more confident and take the next step toward the abundance of the Kingdom. Please listen and share Anna’s story! Stories Anna shared: Her ministry now including a Taekwondo ministry What she’s learned about her faith from Taekwondo Finding Christ after her sister died by watching Billy Graham on television Beginning to read the Bible everyday How memorizing Scripture helped her overcome anxiety Serving in her church together Yielding to grace in her business The abundance of the Kingdom of God How Anna learned to trust that God speaks to us today The gratitude God b

Alex Vasquez is an inspiring Christian who encourages others to be entrepreneurs. He owns a media company, ALEXVMEDIA, helping people get more online traffic for their business. Alex shares the choices that changed the course of his life including giving his life to Christ, repenting and turning his heart back to his wife, and deciding poverty wasn’t for him. Throughout his story, Alex shares the books that shaped him including the one he was reading when he met his wife, the books that shaped his walk with the Lord, and the ones that made him into the businessman he is today. Please listen to and share Alex’s story! Stories Alex shared: Growing up in a non-Christian home and turning to music to soothe his wounds Finding Christ in 2002 and leaving his old lifestyle Reading the Bible as often as he could in the early years Sharing Christ with others in the Navy Meeting his wife because he was reading a Christian book How a long distance marriage hurt their relationship The repentance that led to renewed relat

Mary DeMuth is the author of thirty-six books. But it’s the story behind why she started writing and how the Lord used the process to heal her that will fascinate you. Mary shares her story of sexual abuse as a child, her chaotic home, and knowing nothing of God beyond swear words. When she found Jesus, he used the writing process to bring her to joy. Today, Mary explains how that process worked and the advocate she is becoming for victims of abuse. Her joy is hard won and beautiful as a result. I know you will be changed by her story! Please listen and share Mary’s story. Stories Mary shared: Her podcast Pray Every Day Her chaotic and difficult childhood and knowing nothing about God beyond swear words Finding Jesus through YoungLife Why sharing her story helped her heal Becoming a writer and publishing Writing her story and how it helped her heal Becoming a missionary to France Overcoming sex abuse through marriage Why she wrote The Seven Deadly Friendships How her love for the church drives her message fo

Grace Ji-Sun Kim is Associate Professor of Theology at Earlham School of Religion and author of 15 books and an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Her family found community in church after emigrating to Canada where she began to have some of her deep questions answered. Grace’s questions eventually led her to study theology which was not an easy field to pursue for a woman but her calling was clear. She wrote Healing Our Broken Humanity with Graham Hill as an exploration of the practices it takes to embed the Gospel in our communities to allow us to love with Christlikeness. Please listen and share Grace’s story! Stories Grace shared: Immigrating to Canada from Korea and finding community in church The youth pastor that embraced her questions about the faith Dealing with racism in society and sexism in the church The struggle to figure out her calling in theology How she overcame being a woman in a man’s field Feeling God was not with her during college and the peace that resulted Why she w

Suzanne Stabile is an internationally recognized Enneagram master, teacher, and author. Today, Suzanne shares her story of finding the Enneagram, how she studied it for years without teaching, and answers your questions. Suzanne grew up being exposed to many spiritual practices and that shows in her openness to them. Suzanne explains exactly what the Enneagram is, why you should not rely on it exclusively, and how it can help your relationships. Please listen and share Suzanne’s story! Stories Suzanne shared: Founder of Life in the Trinity ministries with her husband Growing up in the panhandle of Texas with kind, Christian parents in the United Methodist church Joining the Roman Catholic church and why it was attractive Being exposed at a young age to many spiritual practices Discovering the Enneagram with Richard Rohr How the Enneagram helps us understand ourselves What the Enneagram is designed for and how it helps us Whether the Enneagram changes Suzanne answers your questions about Enneagram Great quot

Tony Weedor is a regional director with Advancing Native Mission sending people back to their home countries with the Gospel. Today, Tony shares how he found Christ, what it cost him, and how God is using him now. Tony grew up in a Muslim family in Liberia and describes for us the division and turmoil that country experienced. He is a man of great questions and the Lord used his questions to lead him to Christ when he stumbled into a Bible study one day. The missionaries were not afraid of questions and his heart came alive when he heard the answers. Tony’s story will take you out of North America and into a world few of us get to see. Please listen and share Tony’s story! Stories Tony shared: Growing up in a Muslim family in Liberia where slavery was still part of the culture The racial and tribal division of Liberia in his youth The many questions about his faith that he could not ask The missionaries who were not afraid of his question The differences between how God is portrayed in the Bible and the Kora

Marie White is an author, Tedx speaker, and YouTuber. Today she shares the story of how the most difficult time in her life became the catalyst for her work as an author. Marie takes us into the moment when she discovered her child was missing, how she cried out to God, and the intimacy she finds with him as she trusts him. She faced every parent’s nightmare and then wrote the book to help other parents going through similar circumstances and found a wider audience than she imagined. Marie’s story is a powerful example of how God turns tragedy into trust. Please listen and share Marie’s story! Stories Marie shared: Growing up going to church Feeling unworthy of Jesus for three days after her husband found Jesus Discovering her husbands secret Bible reading Sharing the Gospel with her family Her family’s mission to foster children How she felt when her youngest child was abducted The unexplained peace she feels about the situation The powerful moment she couldn’t hold the sorrow in anymore and cried out to Go

Craig Greenfield is the founder and director of Alongsiders International and author including The Urban Halo and Subversive Jesus: An Adventure in Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness in a Broken World (Amazon affiliate link). Craig grew up in a home of generous hospitality which shaped his view of what it means to follow Jesus. Instead of merely inviting the poor into his home, Craig and his wife make their home with the poor. Today, Craig shares the story of how he became convinced the Gospel is for the poor, moving to one of the world’s highest drug dealing neighborhoods, and the “God questions” that led him back to Cambodia to lead a movement of children mentoring children. Craig inspires me to think about the Kingdom of God in new ways and I know his story will do the same for you. Please listen and share Craig’s story! Stories Craig shared: The Alongsiders movement that he leads Growing up in an affluent neighborhood in New Zealand His parent’s radical hospitality and the impression it made on him The s