Faith

Ep 337 I Almost Lost My Family to Rock ‘n’ Roll ft. Rockstar Pastor Stephen Christian

Strong By Design Podcast — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Stephen Christian Arnold is an American singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of the alternative rock band Anberlin, as well as the vocalist of his acoustic side-project Anchor & Braille. Many of the albums in the Anberlin discography have peaked in the top ten on various Billboard charts. Currently, Stephen is serving as a campus pastor for Grace Family Church in Clearwater, FL. On this episode of the Strong By Design Podcast, Jared and Stephen discus the need for intentional boundaries in various areas of life. Regardless if you are in a band, leading a church, or leading your family, boundaries play an crucial role in being successful or burning out. Listen and learn from Stephen's wisdom and experience in creating healthy boundaries.

"No matter what your profession is, I pray you have success but I also pray that you are the same person before the success." - Stephen Christian

Time Stamps

00:52 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 1:21 - Get to know today's special guest, Pastor Stephen Christian 5:11 - From lead singer to Pastor: The intentionality of separating spaces 11:07 - Pastor Stephen recounts his music band journey 13:36 - The most asked question: How do you style your hair? 17:30 - Career vs Family: The importance of creating a 'Healthy Boundary' 27:05 - Pastor Stephen on how he learned from his mistakes the hard way 30:55 - How do his children react to band music? 32:15 - Pastor Stephen's hardest moment of his entire life 35:01 - Why you can't put real life on hold 38:52 - The importance of hearing other people's stories of overcoming failures 42:21 - Understanding how to develop leadership with boundaries 50:00 - Open-door Policy: Find out its disadvantages over advantages 55:05 - The Holy Spirit, Leadership & Money: Why is it important and how does it all work together?

Resources:

Grace Family Church - Clearwater

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Ep 331 Rooted in Wonder: Finding God in Creation ft. Eryn Lynum

Strong By Design Podcast — Wed, 03 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Eryn Lynum's passion is to inspire and equip others to make the most of family time, and utilize the rich resources in nature to teach your kids deep truths about God.

Using her certification as a Master Naturalist alongside her degree in Biblical studies, Lynum encourages families to step outside together and discover all the connections between God’s written Word, the Bible, and His natural revelation through creation!

In this episode, Jared and Eryn discuss intentional parenting through the use of God's creation. There is so much available to us through the world God has created for us to live in. Listen and learn how you can apply these techniques in your life, and continue to build a strong family.

"When we learn about what God has created, we start seeing it all around us. It means more to us." - Eryn Lynum

Time Stamps

1:13 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 1:49 - Get to know today's special guest, Eryn Lynum, the author of the book ‘Rooted in Wonder’ 2:42 - Eryn recounts her family's journey to knowing God 7:14 - Discover why she responded ‘thank you’ to 'I love you' 11:45 - Eryn talks about how she came up with the idea of 'Nurturing your family's faith through God's creation' 13:01 - What are the two ways of God's revelation 16:15 - Understanding how 'Recency Bias' connects to finding God and creation 21:02 - The Invasive of Technology: Eryn shares her testimony of how she utilized God's creation for her family 25:22 - 936 Pennies: Eryn on how to intentionally invest in your children's personal growth 29:46 - The importance of implementing RULES for your kids 33:35 - Family Hibernation: What is it and what are its boundaries? 42:26 - Get in touch with Eryn and learn more about her books and podcast 'Nat Theo'

Resources:

· Nat Theo Podcast

· ErynLynum.com

Connect w/ Eryn:

· Instagram

· Facebook

· YouTube

Connect w/ CriticalBench:

● Youtube

● Facebook

● Instagram

● CriticalBench.com

● StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Ep 328 5 Things Jesus DID NOT Say (Christmas Special)

Strong By Design Podcast — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Jesus said a lot of things for us to remember and live by... however, sometimes people confuse his messages...

Today hosts Jared Haley and Chris Wilson talk through 5 things that Jesus did NOT say and shed some light on what he actually said and meant.

By the way, Merry Christmas to you and thank you for listening to our Strong By Design podcast show! We are honored to have you as a listener. May you share this special time of year with family and friends as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

"It's not, 'you do you and I do me.' It's actually deny yourself and follow Jesus." Jared Haley

Our 'official notes' in preparation of this conversation are below, as promised!

1) Follow Your Heart // Follow Me Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. - Matthew 16:24 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9 2) Be True to Yourself // Deny yourself and follow For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. - Romans 6:6 3) Believe in Yourself // Believe in Me Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” - John 11:25-26 4) Live Your Truth // I am Truth Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6 5) As Long as You are Happy, it is okay. // I will make your joy complete. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. - John 15:11 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? - Mark 8:36 Time Stamps 00:53 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast (Christmas Special 🎅) 4:53 - Jesus is the Truth: Leaning NOT on our understanding 06:04 - Why Jesus DID NOT say 'Follow Your Heart' 9:11 - The unspoken wisdom: Why Jesus never said 'Be True to Yourself' 15:57 - Why you should rely on Jesus rather than on yourself 19:49 - The importance of questions and doubts in spiritual growth 22:55 - Why Jesus never said 'Live Your Truth' 28:10 - Discover what Jesus said instead of 'As Long as You're Happy' 33:02 - Understanding the true meaning of happiness through Philippians 4:7 Connect & Follow Jared and Chris:

Jared's Instagram

Chris's Instagram

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● Youtube

● Facebook

● Instagram

● CriticalBench.com

● StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Ep 324 Everyday Hero for Boys & Girls ft. Heather Hogsett-Castle

Strong By Design Podcast — Sat, 09 Dec 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Heather Hogsett-Castle is the Senior Director at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. Originally from Schenectady, NY, Heather has resided in Tampa Bay for the past 25 years. Heather attended Saint Leo University where she acquired a bachelor’s degree in social work and was a proud member of the Women’s Basketball and Softball teams.

Recent awards include receiving Spectrum Bay News 9 Everyday Hero Award and the Saint Leo University’s Community Alumni Women's Basketball Award.

Heather’s passion is to create opportunities for children that will impact them for a lifetime. She strives to have an impact every day and goes above and beyond to make that happen.

Her work at BBBS Tampa Bay allows her to make that passion a reality; seeing the direct impact she has on children and their mentors gives her great satisfaction and empowers her to continue this journey in the future.

"It just takes that person that has that spark that wants to come in and make an impact." - Heather Hogsett-Castle

Time Stamps

1:19 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 1:31 - Get to know today's special guest, Heather Hogsett-Castle, Sr. Director of Big Experiences - 'Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Tampa Bay' 3:12 - Heather's 'Why:' Discover the driving force behind her 'BBBS' involvement 4:43 - The mission of 'BBBS': Transforming lives through one-on-one mentoring 6:00 - Heather recounts how former American football player Tyrone Keys made a profound impact on her life 9:03 - Become a volunteer: What is a Big Brother/Big Sister and how to become one? 12:06 - Parents as partners: How the program resonates with parents 15:17 - Heather on what it means to be a 'Little' and who are the kids who want to become 'Littles' 21:20 - Discover some of the exciting events coming up for 'Big Brothers Big Sisters' 23:43 - Heartwarming stories: Heather shares the power of Big-Little bonds 27:07 - Ways to lend a hand with the 'Big Brothers Big Sisters' program 29:58 - Where you can go to connect with Heather Hogsett-Castle

Resources:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

Connect w/ Heather:

· Facebook

· Instagram

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Ep 320 Education vs. Indoctrination- How the Public School System is Hijacking Your Kids ft Sam Sorbo

Strong By Design Podcast — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Sam Sorbo is best known for her work as an international fashion model, Hollywood actress, and wife to 90s Hercules star Kevin Sorbo.

But she temporarily stepped back from her professional career to immerse herself in home educating their three children. Through trial and error, and a lot of research, Sam developed a passion to help parents and their children emancipate from our modern school system.

Sam is now dedicated to encouraging parents to reevaluate their views on schooling while promoting, ‘Happy parents and smart kids build stronger families.’

Sam has several books available to help equip parents to take the leap into homeschooling, including They’re Your Kids.

"You're training your children in conformity. You’re training them not to speak out when injustice is done." - Sam Sorbo

Time Stamps

01:20 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 1:43 - Get to know today's special guest, Sam Sorbo 3:01 - Sam on why people are scared to leave the traditional school system 6:58 - Correcting the school lies: Are we educated or indoctrinated? 9:28 - Sam on teaching beyond the four walls 16:16 - Beyond academics: Why traditional education ignores the most important book in human history 24:28 - Sam recounts the turning point in her Faith journey 29:16 - Discover Sam and her kids' journey from traditional schooling to homeschooling 36:04 - The best books to help you navigate homeschooling successfully 42:03 - Why you should NOT be angry with your kids? 44:45 - Sam on why homeschoolers are more socialized than those who went to school 49:19 - The 'Aha!' moment: What drove her to shift to homeschooling 52:47 - Sam talks about the upcoming 'Miracle in East Texas', and why she created a homeschool curriculum to accompany the film 57:35 - Homeschooling vs career: What matters most? 1:02:21 - Where you can go to connect with Sam Sorbo and learn more about her homeschooling books

Resources:

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Ep 316 Faith and Family BANNED in America ft. Kirk Cameron

Strong By Design Podcast — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Our guest today on Strong By Design is a Christian, producer, actor, TV and film icon, husband, and father of 6 children. Kirk is best known for his award winning tv show in the 80s and early 90s, Growing Pains, and movies Left Behind and Fireproof. Today Kirk is keeping busy with his TBN original series takeaways discussing pressing issues Christians are facing in our culture. Recently his national campaign, See You at the Library, was a national movement for free speech held at hundreds of libraries nationwide - 300+ libraries in 46 states - as he partnered with BRAVE books. Kirk is on a mission to spread the words of love, kindness, courage, bravery, and patience through his children’s books. His newest book titled, The Fox, the Fair and the Invention Scare, comes from a personal experience he witnessed of complete forgiveness and loving one’s enemy. You’re in for a real treat in today’s episode!

"It's where you're in those valleys of decision and you got to choose -- am I going to do what's easy or am I going to do what's going to honor God? Every time you choose the latter, you get stronger." -- Kirk Cameron

Time Stamps

1:04 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

2:52 - Get to know today's special guest, Kirk Cameron

7:37 - 'Like Father Like Son': Kirk recounts what Dudley Moore was like in person

8:38 - Confessions of a recovering atheist: Kirk's journey back to Faith

15:42 - Rediscovering Jesus: Kirk shares the turning point of his Faith life

19:51 - The impact of his rediscovered Christian Faith on his acting career

24:26 - How young people can make a huge impact on the world

26:13 - Understanding the 'Holiness Movement' and how does this impact our country

37:30 - Kirk's new book: Teaches kids to love enemies

45:20 - Where you can go to connect with Kirk Cameron and get his books for FREE

47:00 - 'The American Campfire Revival': Kirks shares his 100-day plan`

51:27 - Spiritual growth at home: How parents help children grow in Faith

Resources:

· The Fox, the Fair and the Invention Scare

· KirkCameron.com

Connect w/ Kirk:

· YouTube

· Facebook

· Instagram

Connect w/ CriticalBench:

● Youtube

● Facebook

● Instagram

● CriticalBench.com

● StrongByDesignPodcast.com

Ep 314 The Faces of Homelessness ft. Tonya Fines

Strong By Design Podcast — Sat, 04 Nov 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Homelessness is a problem that plagues many cities around the world, and Tampa Bay Florida is no exception.

Every day, individuals and families are forced to sleep on the streets or in shelters due to various circumstances such as job loss, illness, addiction, and domestic violence. Yet, despite being a growing issue, homelessness is often misunderstood and stigmatized. "Faces of Homelessness: A Tampa Bay Story", seeks to shed light on the lives of those who are experiencing homelessness in Tampa Bay. This book, just released in 2023 by our very own host, Tonya Fines, is a compilation of black and white photographs that capture the faces of individuals who have been affected by this growing problem.

But it is not just a book of pictures. It is a tribute to the humanity of the homeless and a call to action to finally end homelessness in Tampa Bay.

"Not every person you see on the street has that ‘they deserve to be there’ story.”

- Tonya Fines

Time Stamps

00:46 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

1:28 - Get to know today's special guest, Tonya Fines

4:36 - Discover the inspiration behind her new book, 'The Faces of Homelessness'

10:13 - Understanding the fear of exposing homelessness 13:08 - Helping the homeless: The importance of knowing who you help

17:22 - The stigma of homelessness: Tonya shares her thoughts on the impact of visuals on readers

20:03 - What is it like to be homeless in this day and age?

27:54 - Tonya on why homelessness IS NOT a choice

33:56 - Why Tonya shares a Thanksgiving meal to everyone

36:19 - Lending a Hand: Ways to engage with homeless support groups

42:09 - Where you can go to get Tonya Fines' book, 'The Faces of Homelessness: A Tampa Bay Story'

Resources:

The Faces of Homelessness: A Tampa Bay Story

Connect w/ Tonya:

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Ep 311 Kevin Sorbo’s BRAVE New Book, The Test of Lionhood

Strong By Design Podcast — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Our guest today, actor, husband, father and Christian, Kevin Sorbo. Kevin may be best known for his 1990s series Hercules, which ran 7 seasons from 1995 to 1999 becoming the highest rated syndicated tv show in the world at that time, WOW!

He is also well known for standing up for his Christian and conservative beliefs in Hollywood which has received a lot of media attention in recent years and we discuss that in detail in this episode. Kevin has recently partnered with Brave Books to write and release a children’s book titled, The Test of Lionhood, a book that teaches kids about masculinity. A link has been provided below for this ‘Brave’ new book. Please support our friend Kevin as he hopes to restore truth in the world and help parents to raise strong sons and daughters.

Kevin has also been in a ton of films, most notably Soul Surfer, God's Not Dead, Let There Be Light, What If..., Walking Tall: The Payback, Forgiven and Left Behind Rise of the AntiChrist, released earlier this year. And in just a few weeks his latest film hits theaters called, Miracle in East Texas, based on a true story. Find out how you can support this new movie and see Kevin with other stars like John Ratzenburger, his wife Sam Sorbo, Louis Gosset Jr and Tyler Mane.

“The world became so politically insane. All of a sudden, anything I said just became magnified, and the cancel culture world was born.” - Kevin Sorbo

Time Stamps

00:36 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 2:56- Get to know today's special guest, the legendary Hercules Kevin Sorbo

05:03 - 'Miracle in East Texas': Kevin expresses his thoughts on his upcoming movie & what viewers can expect 07:58 - How has his Christian life changed over the past 30 years 13:11 - Faith in Focus: Kevin gets real about his spiritual perspective

16:31 - The Legendary Hercules: Discover the workout regimen that kept him in shape

22:14 - Sweet sabotage: Why sugar is the enemy

23:46 - Taking the Lead: The impact of stepping up as a husband and father 31:38 - Where fandom becomes faith: Kevin's invitation to RiseUpCon.com 34:52 - Kevin on what inspired him to create a children's book 37:56 - Courageous Faith: Kevin on embracing standing up without fear 41:27 - Where can you go to connect with Kevin Sorbo and learn more about his new book, 'The Test of Lionhood'

Resources:

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Ep 310 Correct, Not Politically Correct ft. Dr. Frank Turek

Strong By Design Podcast — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Our guest today challenges the idea that same-sex marriage and transgenderism pose absolutely no threat to modern society. We talk about the dismantling of the traditional family unit, why people are so afraid to speak up (including the church!) and how to handle these frustrations in a loving, God honoring way.

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27

Dr. Frank Turek is an award-winning author and coauthor of several books including his brand new expanded third edition, Correct, Not Politically Correct About Same-Sex Marriage and Transgenderism.

Frank is also the president of CrossExamined.org, and a dynamic speaker who travels the country presenting powerful and entertaining evidence for Christianity at churches, high schools, secular college campuses, and online.

If you would like to hear more with Dr. Frank Turek, please go back and listen to the evergreen conversations, episodes 65, 186 and 238.

“Why do we think the body is wrong? The body is not wrong, the mind is wrong…" - Dr. Frank Turek

Time Stamps

01:18 – Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast

1:52- Get to know today's special guest, Dr. Frank Turek

5:09 - Do YOU have the skill and a passion for Apologetics?

6:37 - Dr. Frank on how transgenderism served as an inspiration for him to expound his book

10:26 - LGBTQ Community: Understanding the internal contradiction of fixed genders

13:37 - Discover the impact of a man and a woman's marriage on society

16:25 - Dr. Frank on how should we respond when we are morally crossed on our conscientious line

23:22 - Gender dysphoria: Identifying the psychological mismatch of mind and body

26:51 - Dr. Frank on the church's deafening silence on current issues

33:17 - Rethinking labels: Ideological perspectives on what defines a woman and a man 42:20 - The power of asking questions

50:33 - Is it morally right to mutilate your sex organ?

52:48 - Where you can go to connect with Frank Turek and know more about the 'Correct, Not Politically Correct - Expanded Third Edition' book

Resources:

Correct, Not Politically Correct – Dr Frank Turek’s Book

Connect w/ Frank:

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Ep 303 Why I Started Believing in God ft. Ashley Lamont [Part 3]

Strong By Design Podcast — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 10:00:00 +0000

It was an unexpected and beautiful journey for coach Ashley to begin a relationship with her Creator. Find out about this amazing story in the conclusion of this special 3-part series with the beloved coach.

After years of being a content contributing YouTube coach for the Critical Bench YouTube channel, Ashley Lamont found God and became a baptized Christian. This news was both awesome and shocking considering she was more of an atheist for much of her adult life.

What was the turning point for Ashley? How did God reveal Himself to her? Why now and what does this mean for anyone else either seeking or running from a relationship with God?

“There are no coincidences at this point; this is God speaking to us.”  - Ashley Lamont

Time Stamps

00:47 - Welcome to the ‘Strong by Design’ podcast 01:43 - From Questioning to Questing: How she embarked on a Faith journey 8:05 - The power of having Faith 10:30 - Rediscovering Faith: Ashley shares how her first day at church filled the missing gap 16:07 - Discover God's revelation to Ashley 19:03 - Connecting with God through reading the Bible 24:54 - Ashley testifies how the Holy Spirit moved her 28:57 - Why do we FEAR death?   36:33 - The power of having a relationship with God 39:23 - Religion vs Faith: Understanding its difference 42:59 - How does evil take over you? 51:00 - Why is accountability important in the Christian life?

Connect w/ Ashley:

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StrongByDesignPodcast.com