Grow On The Go

It's too easy to fall into the trap of being negative, complaining people. This week, Donna is joined by her daughter Kendall to discuss the importance of maintaining a positive mindset. Kendall shares how she made the shift from being susceptible to  the negativity of a room, to being the one who sets the mood. They examine the science of mirror neurons and ways to rewire our brains, as well as what scripture says about maintaining a positive mindset. Kendall provides three tools we can implement to learn to live the joyful life God intends for us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can we do when the future seems scary? When we feel anxious? We know that everything doesn’t always work out-- it’s not always “going to be okay”. We can let go of our desire to know what lies ahead by focusing on what God is showing us right now. We can learn to talk ourselves down in those moments of anxiety by intentionally consulting with God. In this first episode of the new season, Donna and Kevann discuss some strategies for prayerfully talking yourself out of anxiety. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this weeks share show, Donna and Kevann open up with a vulnerable discussion on how culture has affected the way we form self-esteem. They examine alternative sources for cues on beauty and success from culture. Shifting the paradigm can transform the way we walk in the world -- instead of feeling apologetic and shameful, we can walk in comfort and contentment! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of us have grown up with the idea that God is on standby to destroy the world but in reality, He is all about restoration. How do we become the restored version of ourselves? By intentionally giving Jesus access to every area of our lives - including our work, our family, our recreation - we become who He made us to be. Andrew explains how he’s learned, even in painful circumstances, to start with the conviction that God is good. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Compulsive reader Chet Kennedy shares with us a fictional memoire written by a mother that parallels St. Augustine’s spiritual journey of being drawn to Christ. The contest of wills between mother and daughter mirrors the conflict between ourselves and God. God is pursuing her and simultaneously chasing after her child, and the mother learns through both. Donna then shares her own painful experiences of emotionally distancing from her daughters and what those excruciating times taught her about the relentless love of God. Chet describes the emotional impact of this book and the spiritual healing in his own life. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining Donna this week is Paul Gifford, who discusses how clinging to the old intentions for the nation of Israel have made the church less attractive to the world. Paul shares how his own faith has been reshaped by focusing on Jesus’ teachings of love, rather than the strict rules laid out in Old Testament scriptures. While the history of the Old Testament is an important backstory to our faith, it is not intended to be a guidebook for Christians. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many passages of scripture can be up to interpretation. This week on Grow on the Go, Donna & Kevann discuss the rules for proper interpretation of the Bible. They evaluate passages in John about the vine and the branches, to learn how proper understanding can yield some surprising meaning and clarity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this weeks Share Show, Donna & Kevann discuss those things in our lives that are beyond our control. It's natural to be uncomfortable in these situations, but through personal stories and the wisdom of others we evaluate the possibility that God really is in control, and that he can be trusted with everything that touches our lives. It’s our choice whether we lean in and trust him, or fight against him. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are plenty of things we learn from our parents, but monitoring what's going on in our hearts isn't usually one of those lessons. Instead, we are taught to control our words and our actions. Today on Grow on the Go, Donna is joined by her husband Randy to discuss the powerful emotions we all deal with, and how the Bible instructs us to handle each one. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Donna & Kevann talk about the spiritual practices that are in our power, so that one day we can do things beyond our current ability. Attending church includes many of these practices, but they aren't the only ones. God uses things like inconvenience to make us into the best person we can be right now! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Donna and Kevann talk about motherhood, and the inevitability of leaving a legacy -- whether you intend to, or not! Donna opens up about her guilt surrounding certain mistakes she made as a parent, and they explore how to leave a faithful legacy through Playing home movies, Praying expectantly, and Paying attention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's Share Show, Donna uses the biblical story of Hagar to explain how no one is a minor character to God. Every single person is seen by God, known better than we even know ourselves, and fills an important role in the history of the world. In times when we feel invisible, anonymous and powerless, it is important to remember the truth that God knows us, and loves us more than we can possibly imagine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's difficult to respond appropriately when approached by a panhandler. Especially as a Christian -- ignoring someone living such a difficult life feels wrong. Yet some Christian organizations warn against giving money to them. This week, Donna welcomes Andrew Gusztak of The Mustard Seed Ministry in Calgary to explain his analogy of wearing a mask, not a cape, to help the homeless. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether we are introverted or extroverted, man or woman, we all need people in our lives to be all that we can be. This week on Grow on the Go, Donna & Kevann open up about the friends they've had who met those needs, and how such relationships can help us grow. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Donna invites her good friend Michelle Free Woeckener about the experiences that have propelled her to host the Rise Up Summit for women. They discuss the things they've lost this year, and what God has offered to them in it's place. God’s invitation is to rise up in joy and friendship! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Grow on the Go, Donna & Kevann discuss why the resurrection matters so much to Christians. Did Jesus actually die? Was he ever seen "alive" after he died? We look at how a story that seems fantastical is actually supported by historical record, logic and eyewitness testimony! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's an inevitable reality that people who love will also grieve. We owe it to ourselves to prepare for times of grief in our own lives and the lives of people we care about. This week, Donna is joined by her good friend Shirley Thiessen to discuss the practical and meaningful things our "hope heroes" did for us when we were lost in grief. Out of Shirley’s painful learning came a great tool, The Hope Heroes Course, to help us learn their superpowers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just as we each have a physiological heartbeat; God has given us each a spiritual heartbeat that can guide us when we learn to follow it. When we figure out what our "Big Yes" is, that helps us determine what all the smaller "yesses" should be along the way. Our passion to make a difference is something we share with Jesus! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Grow on the Go, Donna & Kevann discuss the stereo-types we may have about missionaries. They then trace the roots of these ideas to the origin, and explain how they don't represent the Jesus movement at all-- Jesus intended for all of us to be on mission, every day. Episode Links Follow the show on social media: @growonthegopod Have a specific topic or question you'd like us to cover? Connect with the show by emailing growonthego@faithstrongtoday.com! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The way we perceive challenges in our lives says a lot about us. In these strange days, it’s very easy to complain about the restrictions surrounding us and the losses we’ve sustained. It’s fine to grieve those losses, but what we do next can change how we cope. This week on Grow on the Go, Donna & Kevann talk about the antidote-- the secret sauce; the Bible. Episode Links Follow the show on social media: @growonthegopod Have a specific topic or question you'd like us to cover? Connect with the show by emailing growonthego@faithstrongtoday.com! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.