Seeking satisfaction happens on many levels, on an array of topics, moment by moment with all of us. Quenching appetites is a daily job. Psalm 90:14 offers four surprising facts about the satisfaction that comes from God. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Arlan Miller and Matt Kaufmann highlight these surprising qualities and muse on how beautifully welcome each one is.
So much time, effort and energy goes into satisfying our appetites. Hunger, thirst, sleep, love, comfort, approval, accomplishment, affirmation, achievement are a few of the many cravings we try to satiate every day. Yet, God’s satisfaction is different - in four ways.
“O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. “ Psalm 90:14
Earthly Satisfaction | God’s Satisfaction |
We prize the pursuit of satisfaction as much or more than the satisfaction itself. For example, eating the meal is pursued and valued as much as the filling. | God’s satisfaction is the prize. |
Satisfaction comes at the end. For example, at the end of a meal or at the end of a hard day’s work. | God’s satisfaction comes early, at the beginning not the ending. |
Satisfaction must be earned. For example, you must cook the meal. You must contend, work, strive and achieve to be satisfied. | God’s satisfaction is already realized. We enter into his satisfied reality. |
Satisfaction expires. For example, we are hungry again. We are thirsty again. We need affirmation again. | God’s satisfaction lasts all our days. His satisfaction does not expire. |
Jesus lived among us. He taught us. But more importantly, he exampled for us “the way.” Now we have a chance to follow His lead. But how? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Katie Miller and Marcia Koch share their top three lessons learned from mentoring others.
Notes:
· Mentoring is more relational than educational.
o Be vulnerable and trustworthy.
· Everyone is unique.
o Be careful not to over generalize.
· The cross of Christ is central.
o Everybody in every situation can be pointed to the cross.
· The “self-talk” that people are saying to themselves matters.
o Listen for lies.
· Good questions are key.
o Assume you don’t know and ask. Assume you still don’t know and clarify.
· Regularity is more important than frequency.
o Be there.
· People are more than their issues.
o Relate to people on a variety of levels.
· The Holy Spirit is the change-agent.
o Pray with people.
3…2…1… no launch. This is the experience of many parents hoping to launch their kids into this wide world. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Craig Stickling and Roger Gasser give sound counsel to parents who have kids on the launching pad.
For Kids:
For Parents
3...2...1... no launch. This is the experience of many parents hoping to launch their kids into this wide world. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Craig Stickling and Roger Gasser give sound counsel to parents who have kids on the launching pad.
Systems Check for Launch.
For Kids:
For Parents
Infertility is a private loss many couples experience. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Tyler and Casey Zimmerman share their story. Their journey will accent the uniqueness of the infertility pain. It will resonate with the losses that are common among us and it will heighten God’s unique and common love to all His children.
Like a fingerprint, infertility pain is common to all sorts of pain and yet unique.
Yet…
Infertility is a private loss many couples experience. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Tyler and Casey Zimmerman share their story. Their journey will accent the uniqueness of the infertility pain. It will resonate with the losses that are common among us and it will heighten God’s unique and common love to all His children.
Like a fingerprint, infertility pain is common to all sorts of pain and yet unique.
Yet…
Our teenage kids are under construction and construction zones are messy. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kathy Knochel and Jeff Waibel give us a few tips for understanding these formative years. Knowing a few things can go a long way in helping us get through the construction.
Our teenage kids are under construction and construction zones are messy. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kathy Knochel and Jeff Waibel give us a few tips for understanding these formative years. Knowing a few things can go a long way in helping us get through the construction.
Shaming our kids - good intentions, yet with unintended poor consequences. We’ve all done it. Parenting out of exasperation. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Craig Stickling and Brian Sutter take a careful look at the messages we are sending our kids. Fortunately, a very healthy and redemptive future is possible.
What is Shame? | Effects of Shame | Examples of Parental Shame | High-stakes Moments for Shame | How do we unwind Shame? | Discipline that doesn’t Shame. | Nature of Shame |
The idea that a person is, at their core, bad, unwanted and beyond repair. | Shame pushes your child into isolation. | “I don’t care!” | When our kids are being creative. | Call your child out from hiding and into community. | Separates their behavior from their personal worth. | Shame shames. |
| Shame says there is no hope. Because I’m broken and no one wants me. | “You are the only 10-year-old who doesn’t get this!” | When our kids are being vulnerable. | Enjoy your kids. | Breaks the will but not the spirit. | We will shame and will be shamed. |
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| “You will never amount to anything!” | When we downplay interests and abilities that they have because they don’t match our expectations. | Celebrate their person. | Support guilt where it is appropriate. | Shame plays on lies and perpetuates lies. |
When the last of the children leave the home, couples enter the “empty nest” phase of marriage. For some, this moment is met with welcome anticipation. For others trepidation. But for all, the moment marks a transition. All transitions require a certain level of relational care. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Roger Gasser and Kaleb Beyer speak into the care needed to thrive in this transition.
There are a few things that prove helpful to understand when entering the empty nest phase of marriage:
Signposts are helpful and orienting. They are helpful in guiding us from point A to point B. They are orienting because they assure us we are still on the right road. In this podcast series, Kaleb Beyer walks us through six signposts on the road to recovery from sexual betrayal. These signposts are both helpful and orienting.
Six Signposts:
Signposts are helpful and orienting. They are helpful in guiding us from point A to point B. They are orienting because they assure us we are still on the right road. In this podcast series, Kaleb Beyer walks us through six signposts on the road to recovery from sexual betrayal. These signposts are both helpful and orienting.
Six Signposts:
Believers care about calling. Is God calling me to this assignment? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Amber Miller (Missionary Care Director) helps us see calling as more than the assignment. She gives 5 suggestions for understanding what it means to be called.
Five important perspectives on following God’s call:
God is not only interested in the final assignment. He wants to use the process of discernment to grow us.
“As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” John 20:21
We are called into being. Be a royal priesthood the Scriptures say.
Calling should not be compartmentalized. Instead, our work, home and church lives flow out of one calling.
Fellow believers help us determine if God is calling us to certain assignments.
Learn and Discern Groups: www.harvestcall.org/learn-discern
Meditation is in vogue. Mindfulness is in fashion. yet, the Scriptures have spoken to this discipline for several millennia. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter walks us through the what, why and how of meditation.
Show notes:
Question | Answer |
What is meditation? | Meditation is deliberately setting our mind on a certain thing and remaining with our mind set upon it. |
Why should we meditate? | Through the discipline of meditation, we become more mentally healthy as well as spiritually healthy people. The reason for this is because our thoughts give attention to those things that are true. |
In what ways is meditation a skill set? | Meditation is a skill set because it is a learned and practiced skill by which a person can more fully focus their attention on a selected matter of the mind. |
What lies at the center of meditation? | Attention lies at the core of mediation. Dismissing unwanted distractions and focusing on desired interests is key. |
What qualities do I need to have in order to meditate well? | Patience and focus are required for meditation. |
How do I meditate? | To meditate, we must slow down, identify a matter to contemplate on, focus on that matter with curiosity, remain with that matter over time. |
How is mediation different than Bible study? | In Bible study, we are the agent, and the Scriptures are the subject we act upon. In meditation, we are the subject, and the Scriptures is the agent that act on us. |
Are mindfulness and meditation the same thing? | Yes. These terms are similar. Mindfulness is focusing on the present moment. |
When is meditation unwise? | Meditation is unwise when we adopt the modern notion that truth lies within us and meditation seeks to access that self-goodness. |
Behind our vices is often a lie we believe. Reversing the lie goes a long way in reversing the vice. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Arlan and Matt speak to the health that comes by way of truth. As truth embodied, Christ wants to upset our lies.
We live in a broken world and wounds happen. Furthermore, wounds compound and compact on top of each other. They build up over time. While some wounds are huge (abuse, etc) wounds don’t have to be huge to be impactful. In fact, often, the subtle unnoticed hurts pack the biggest punch because they go without our notice and their effect is assumed negligible.
Wounds give way to lies and lies give way to vice.
A healthy life skill is being able to heal from the wounding we are bound to get.
Truth will have a living effect on our lives. We will begin to live according to the truth.
Example:
There is a path through grief. Helping our grieving teens make progress along that path is so important. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kathy Knochel and Craig Stickling give us practical tips on doing just that.
Things to remember as you walk with a grieving teen:
Grief is always hard no matter the age. Yet, our teens experience a unique challenge when it comes to working through loss. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kathy Knochel and Craig Stickling walk us through the complexities of grief on the maturing heart and mind.
Grief and loss can be troubling to teens...
While a teen’s grieving experience varies dramatically, it will likely include...
The cigarette is falling out of favor with the general public. Stepping into its place and gaining favor is the modernized e-cigarette. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Dr. Aaron Plattner helps us understand the growing appeal of vaping.
Sometimes little things make big differences. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kaleb Beyer relays three small things that exist in happy marriages.
3 Small Things
Be Purposeful
Be Present
Be Positive
Taken from “The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages: The Little Things That Make a Big Difference” by Shaunti Feldhahn
Like a faulty check engine light that comes on prematurely, some consciences trigger signals of guilt when they shouldn’t be triggered. This is called false guilt. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Ted Witzig Jr explains the difference and how to detect if that check engine light is real or not.
How to deal with false guilt: A person dealing with false guilt typically hold themselves to standards they would not impose on others. They may benefit from getting perspective and counsel from other people. They should focus on moving forward and will need to elevate Christ’s promises to them and not allow their feelings to undermine the truth.
Both guilt and shame are similar feelings. Both can be triggered for similar reasons. But they each motivate us toward drastically different ends. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Ted Witzig Jr. sorts out the distinctions between guilt and shame and how we should respond to each.
Birth is sacred and yet, so is death. For many people they will have the opportunity and responsibility to care for their folks as they age and pass. This responsibility is met with challenges, difficulties, opportunities, and blessings. Roger Gasser and Tim Funk let us in on some of these responsibilities and help prepare us to walk these important days with our aging parents.
At some level, we all want to be successful. Yet success can have ill-effects. On this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter and Fred Witzig tackle this topic of success. Approaching the topic from a historical, clinical and biblical perspective helps provide insight into this “success” we all want.
Show Notes:
How healthy is my success?
Conviction of truth. Compassion for people. Context for our society. And comfort in Christ. These are our goals. Join Ted Witzig Jr. as he speaks to the important topic of gender and sexual identity with grace and truth.
Conviction of truth. Compassion for people. Context for our society. And comfort in Christ. These are our goals. Join Ted Witzig Jr. as he speaks to the important topic of gender and sexual identity with grace and truth.
Conviction of Truth
Compassion for People
Context for our Society
Comfort in Christ