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

Ellen Rosenberger is a mom, missionary, and author who has a passion for helping churches serve their missionaries well. Her experience as a missionary kid was positive and she headed back to the mission field after college where she met her husband. But the expectations of others and some “relationship drama” led to depression. Ellen shares how experiencing depression for the first time gave her a deeper understanding of Christ’s love for her as she is. Ellen’s books draw on her extensive mission experience to help missionaries be authentic and transition well. Please listen and share with a friend! Stories Ellen shared: The adventure of growing up as a missionary kid in Bolivia Learning TESOL in college and the people who invested in her Wrestling with depression under the weight of expectations when she went to Nicaragua on her own Meeting and marrying her husband, Luke What churches should know about the experience of being a missionary What it is really like being a missionary How to care for the missi

Jeremy Myers is a blogger, author, and podcaster at RedeemingGod.com. Jeremy shares how he moved from megachurch pastor wannabe through abandonment and depression to find life in Jesus anew.  That period of spiritual darkness stripped away many beliefs, friends, and practices that Jeremy was putting trust in until he was free. Finally, Jeremy found that while Jesus seemed to be far away, he wasn’t really (listen to the heart rock story for that). Jeremy’s story is one that proves God is there in our darkest hours and that even when we think we are abandoning him, we might be moving away from religion and closer to personal relationship. Please listen and share with a friend! Stories Jeremy shared: Growing up in a Christian home as a pastor’s kid When his friend died in a hiking accident and how that changed his life’s direction His education at Moody, Denver Seminary, and Dallas Theological Seminary Getting fired from a job because of changing theological beliefs The depression that came after “the rug was p

Mark Waltz is a coach, speaker, and pastor who helps “broken people be connected to God’s unconditional love, his hope, and his healing.” Today, he shares the story of how he got there. Mark shares the stories of dealing with shame through trying to be perfect, the moment he vented his anger at God, and the love he found in others. Mark’s vulnerability is a calling only one who grasps his own belovedness by the Father can have. And I hope it spurs you to share more deeply in your relationships, too. Please listen and share with a friend! Stories Mark shared: Growing up in a fundamentalist environment headed to church three times a week (or when the doors were open) Noticing joy in Christians from other churches Dealing with sexual abuse at the hands of his father by trying to be perfect The moment when shame almost overwhelmed him and he spent 11 days in a psychological ward The phone call from student’s parent that showed him what it’s like to love without agenda How he thought about God before, during, and

J. Parker is a Christian sex author and blogger at Hot, Holy, & Humorous and today she shares the story that led her there. J. grew up a pastor’s kid who went her own way as a young adult, including with sexuality. The baggage she took into marriage caused some difficult years and J. talks openly about their struggle. A practice of clinging to Scripture refined her until one day she realized her marriage was a lot better. When God began nudging J. to start sharing her story, Hot, Holy & Humorous was born. J. is a example and teacher of the biblical worldview of the body and sexuality. Please listen and share with a friend! Stories J. shared with us: Growing up as a drag racing preacher’s kid Finding Christ after college and returning to her childhood faith Meeting her husband after deciding she was no longer interested men Dealing with the baggage of her previous life after she was married How God led her to Christlikeness toward her spouse Making a spiritual discipline of 1 Corinthians 13 and why y

Hi Friends, This week, if you were looking for a great story this week, let me recommend to you episode #37 with Mark Casson. Mark shared that today is the anniversary of his release from prison. He shares the story of how he came to Christ and pleaded guilty, grew while in prison, and stepped into ministry. It’s a great story! I also invite you to join Halfway There’s brand new Facebook group. It’s called the Halfway There Conversation Group and we will see three things happen: Share your story – this will be a place for you to share the story of your walk with the Lord. We will often have conversations that invite you to tell us how God has been faithful to you. Connect with other believers – The amazing power of groups is to connect you to people you otherwise never would have know. My heart’s desire is that you would meet some people in this group that challenge and deepen your faith. You are not alone. Hear stories that boost your faith – Just like we do on the podcast, as we discuss the spiritual journ

Tim Morris is a professional coach called to empower visionary leaders to turn their ideas into a movement. He has developed a program called Design Discovery that is “a framework to know the superpowers, tools they uniquely use, environment they come alive, the specific people they are called to serve, and the fruit they are designed to produce.” Tim shares his experience learning listening prayer, why your heart can be trusted, and how to discover your design. Tim is also my coach and has been instrumental in helping me overcome the obstacles in my way to achieving my goals. Design Discovery helped me find my sweet spot and now Tim is helping me grow in it. If learning to live in your design is intriguing to you, listen to this episode and then reach out to Tim for more information. Stories Tim shared: Why he loves apostles, prophets, and evangelists and his calling to empower them The youth pastor who led him to give his life to Christ The church service that left him depressed for several years The mo

Rob Decker is a personal trainer who has been radically changed by God. Today, Rob shares the moment when he jumped out a window and the tender words the Lord spoke to him in the hospital that built his faith again. His story is one of radical transformation from a hard drinking, drug abusing young man to a clear-eyed man with a full heart who speaks personally of the love of God. Listen to Rob’s story and be sure to share with a friend! Stories Rob shared: Learning that his step-father was not his dad Rob was always aware that God was his father The unique physical experience he had during his conversion What drew him to unhealthy relationships The moment he jumped out a window to commit suicide and survived What his extreme response reveals about who he is The peaceful moment when God spoke to him about how his situation will be resolved The joy he feels today about his relationship with the Lord Great quotes from Rob: It [a suicide attempt] was a very hard experience but it was the beginning of a great

Teresa Blaes is the host of the Unresolved Life podcast and explores life’s most difficult questions. Today, Teresa shares the serious events that shaped her to be a deeper questioner of God and everything she encounters. She details her journey through skepticism, painful moments, and the gentle leading of the Lord. When you hear some of the events of her life you will be amazed that she emerged with faith at all and her willingness to ask deep questions will make sense. Please go to Apple Podcasts and subscribe to Unresolved Life for more. Please listen and share with a friend. Stories Teresa shared: Podcasting as a way of answering life’s most difficult questions Growing up in a non-Christian home and traumatic events Attending a school for the blind and the spiritual encounter that scared her Giving her life to Christ after a radio invitation The first time God spoke to her Ministering to a crack addict name Jake All the difficult questions that books like Job raise Learning within days that her mom died

Tonya Jewell Blessing shared her story with Halfway There on episode #36 last year. Not long ago she reached out to me to say that she wanted to share an amazing encounter she had with a snake just before coming back to the United States for a visit. Today, she shares that story and her new new book, Soothing Rain: Living Water to Refresh Your Soul (Amazon affiliate link). Please listen to this incredible story of God’s faithfulness and share with a friend! The post Tonya Jewel Blessing Shares the Snake Bite Story appeared first on Eric Nevins.

Phil Gauthier is the host of the God Watch Podcast and has become a good friend. Today he shares his story of coming to Christ after doing drugs all night on a lakeshore, learning the character of God, and starting his own podcast. Phil is a true entrepreneur who has his own plumbing business in Des Moines, Iowa. You will hear his heart for sharing the Good News of God’s love for people. Phil’s show encourages you to embrace where God has you and to come out on the other side of struggle stronger. Please listen to this show with Phil and share with a friend. And go to iTunes to subscribe to God Watch. Stories Phil shared: We chat about making Christian podcasting The moment at the lake when he gave his life to Christ A near death experience that convinced him it was time to give up drugs Finding the character of God as his means for growth How he shares the Gospel with people he meets every day and why openness is crucial Why millennials represent an opportunity for the church What makes God feel distant som

Ken L. Roberts is a former pastor and church planter turned author and life coach. Today he shares the story of how God led him to the sweet spot of his life. The story winds through the most challenging moments in his life including hitting a spiritual wall while serving as a pastor and the unexpected death of his wife. Ken shares that being on a deeper journey with God helped him through those difficult moments and led to his current period of ministry helping believers break through the wall and leaders “live well while they lead well.” Please listen and share with a friend! Stories Ken shared: Growing up as a pastor’s kid and giving his life to Christ at age 7 Feeling called to ministry at age 17 The gap between what he believed and what they were doing Stumbling into new spiritual disciplines that refreshed his spirit The tragic death of his wife and choosing to embrace God in it Bringing together all the pieces to find his sweet spot The three nails he wants to pound for the rest of his life Great qu

Nephtali Matta is the ministry coordinator of Koinania house, a ministry that helps men after they get out of prison. I first met him in a seminary class at Denver Seminary. Nephtali was the guy who seemed to have it all together with a bright future in ministry. Today he shares the story of discovering the dangers of people pleasing and trying to look like you have it all together. He let people in but never “gave them all the cards,” as he says, which meant no one knew his situation. When he went to jail on a domestic violence charge and spent 16 months there, his life was irrevocably changed. Please listen to Nephtali’s story and share with a friend! Stories Nephtali shared: Growing up with a difference between (Expectations) The domestic violence incident that changed his life Moving back to Colorado while trying to get his marriage back together Going to jail while waiting for his legal issues to be worked out Jailhouse chapel service where he experienced grace His ministry in jail that confirmed God’s

Ronda Nelson is an advocate for the power of the grace of God. Her story is the perfect example of the reason for Christmas. While most of us will never experience the dramatic fall that Ronda shares today, we all need to know that God sent his son for us because he loves us. In Ronda’s life love and acceptance came through community. She wants everyone to know “that we don’t have to waste time away from God in shame” because his grace is enough for us no matter what you’ve done. Please listen and share, my friend. And Merry Christmas! Stories Ronda shared: How she got into music and abandoned opera for rock The moment she held her daughter and realized how much God loves her Finding her joy in serving the church while her husband was a worship pastor The phone call from an old boyfriend that changed her life How community helped nudge her in a direction she did not expect The shame that engulfed her when the affair became public Living with her boyfriend, the horrible  and the horrible feeling of guilt she

Mike Elder is an old friend from back in the day and a gifted conversationalist. Today, he shares the story of the legacy of faith he inherited, the unexpected way he learned about grace firsthand, and what he hopes to pass on to his family. You will hear his struggle with a calling and how events led him is a direction he never wanted to go. His passion for sharing truth through words extends from a gracious social media presence to the dream of writing a book one day and when you hear him share it, you’ll know why. Please listen and enjoy! Stories Mike shared: Growing up in a Christian family with a solid church foundation Finding out why fireworks were prohibited on a youth trip The house caught on fire that taught him God can be trusted His desire to be a youth pastor that led him to TIU How God taught him about being his adopted child The disillusionment he felt after college when he realized he wouldn’t be a youth pastor The can of worms that is calling How conversation with others connects him to the

Henry describes himself as a business guy and a recent author of One: Unfolding God’s Eternal Purpose from House to House (Amazon affiliate link). He even invented a folding bicycle. His passion today is the oneness of the body of Christ and he raises good questions about why many churches operate as they do. We spend time unpacking what Henry sees in Jesus’ prayer in John 17 and the unity found in Romans 16, one of the more neglected chapters in Scripture. Please listen and enjoy! Stories Henry shared: Emigrating to the United States as an 8 year old Being filled with the Spirit at a spontaneous worship gathering Having to trust God when he left his comfort zone to move to San Francisco Developing a speaking and preaching ministry Discovering home churches and open fellowship Why he wrote his book One: Unfolding God’s Eternal Purpose from House to House (Amazon affiliate link) The tremendous impact John 17 has on him and what we can learn from it The experience that contributed to his reconsider the oneness

Dr. Douglas Groothuis is a professor of philosophy at Denver Seminary and author of 13 books including his latest Walking Through Twilight: A Wife’s Illness–A Philosopher’s Lament(Amazon affiliate link). Today, he shares why he wrote the book and why Christians need to recover an understanding of lament. Dr. Groothuis shares about how to deal with anger toward God, the passages of Scripture that have given him comfort, and things people do and say that are helpful. He has an active Facebook presence and if you haven’t followed or friended him yet, I highly recommend doing so. More than that, get Walking Through Twilight, read it, and pass it on to a friend. Stories Doug shared: His early interest in spirituality through music and how he found Christ Developing as a philosopher and campus minister Why he thinks God did not give him a rush of spiritual experiences early in his walk Hospitalizing his wife Rebecca Merrill Groothuis and the change in their lifestyle after diagnosis The overwhelming response to hi

J.D. Payne is the pastor of church multiplication with the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama. He is a missiologist and today we talk about his unique perspective on missions. JD also has his own podcast, Strike the Match, and blog. He has written or edited twelve books on missions including the one we talk about today, Roland Allen’s The Ministry Of Expansion: The Priesthood of the Laity (Amazon affiliate link). Today, J.D. shares the incredible story of an unpublished manuscript by prominent early 20th century missionary Roland Allen and how it came to him for publication 80 years after it was written. Stories JD shared: The ministries to unreached people groups within the US Finding Christ through a televised revival Resisting and eventually giving into the sense of God’s call on his life What waiting on God feels like for him and the comfort he finds in the Psalms The focus of his podcast called Strike the Match with J.D. Payne The course he took on a whim that changed the direction of his life

Gunnar is the co-host of the Unchurching Podcast with former guest Richard Jacobson. Today, he shares the story of grace in his life through the church. In fact, every story Gunnar shares with us is about the people who have made an impact on his life by listening to God, praying for him, and living with him. That might be why his ideas about living in community are a bit different than most of us have but it only serves to make his life more interesting to learn from. I hope you enjoy hearing from Gunnar! Stories Gunnar shared: Growing up in a unique, large Christian family and community The disappointment when he was not welcomed in church as a young man The grace his manager offered him that changed his life His conversion as the Holy Spirit led others to show him grace The freedom he’s found through confession of sin How God led him away from conventional church Coming full circle and living life with others again Great quotes from Gunnar: Even when I walked away from God I never stopped believing in hi

John Swanger is a wonderful storyteller whose experience with God has to be heard to be believed. He describes his life before Christ as bank robber, prisoner, lead singer in a band, and eventually drug dealer and bouncer at a strip club. His life was wild but one couple who shared the Gospel with him changed everything. God not only turned John’s life around but gave him a mission to let his light shine. John says that his goal is to be spent in service to others sharing Christ with those most of us forget about. He wrote his story in a book called Shackled and has a sequel in the works. John’s life is proof anyone can be changed by the love of Christ. Stories John shared: The ministries he has had to homeless and prisoners His life as the most prolific bank robber Dealing drugs, being a bouncer, running strip clubs and the fight that changed his life The dinner conversation that answered his objections before he could even ask Becoming a Christian while doing cocaine and reading the New Testament How God i

This episode of Halfway There is being published on the 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation, an event that profoundly shaped history and the experience many of us with God today. Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg and changed the course of history. This anniversary got me thinking that we all have influences subtle and more obvious. In today’s episode, I share who has has the most profound influence on my journey (hint, it’s an author) and how that came about. And I ask you to answer the question, too. Please go to Halfway There’s Facebook page and join the conversation. Who influenced your spiritual journey the most? Tell us that story. Resources mentioned: Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives by Dallas Willard Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney Notice: JavaScript is required for this content.