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Maybe you’ve grown up as a Christian going to church or maybe you’re not interested in religion at all. But when you’re scrolling, hanging out with friends, trying to sleep, or overwhelmed with your day-to-day, do big existential questions ever pop in- you know- things like, “Why am I here? How did all this get here? What happens after I die?” “Is there a God and is there really meaning to all this?” ”What’s so special about Jesus Christ?”
We’ve all experienced deep longing for something this world can’t seem to satisfy.
Even someone as wildly successful as Taylor Swift knows that to be true. “I had won album of the year at the Grammys for a second time...” She said, “and I remember thinking afterwards, ’Oh my god, that was all you wanted!... That was all you focused on. You get to the mountaintop and look around and you’re like... what now?”
If you’re tired and feeling overwhelmed with all the different voices yelling for your affections- telling you what to go after- whether it be success, beauty, the perfect partner, social media followers, money, or power… only to leave you let down and unsatisfied, searching for more… Maybe like my friends and me, you’re after finding something REAL.
Every week, join me (Janell Wood), special co-hosts and guests as we ask questions, look for answers, and search for the source of something REAL: Restoration, Eternity, Authenticity, and Love. I believe those things can ultimately be found in relationship with Jesus Christ, but don’t take my word for it. Listen to our conversations for yourself and go on a journey with us: Is Jesus the REAL thing?
Episodes
Wednesday Sep 27, 2023
Wednesday Sep 27, 2023
Happy Wednesday!
Today on the podcast, we welcome back Alycia Wood! Alycia shares about her faith journey and the various doubts she experienced as a young woman. She explains why she stepped out of atheism and how she eventually came to know Christ. She also chats about historical facts about Jesus, how Christianity explains the world we live in, and more. Alycia and Janell also chat about why there’s so much suffering in the world, the hope for Christians, finding our identity in Christ, and so much more. We hope you enjoy this episode!
About Alycia
As a child growing up in the church, Alycia always had questions. She wanted to dig deeper into the Christian faith beyond the Sunday morning sermon. That fueled an independent search which led to her digging into the larger questions of life. While studying for a degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology at Robert Wesleyan College, Alycia discovered Apologetics. It changed the course of her life. Her quest for a deeper understanding of her Christianity had a name.
She went on to get her Master’s in Social Justice from Marygrove College to further her passion for serving those in need in the developing world. This led to various volunteering opportunities at orphanages, prisons, and shelters for the homeless in various countries including Haiti, Honduras and the Dominican Republic. A few years after her travels were completed, she was able to spend a year studying Apologetics in England.
Alycia spent many years as a teacher’s aide and substitute teacher for multiple grade levels. Following, she has spent over nine years doing full-time apologetics ministry where she travels and speaks on various topics relevant to our culture. She is currently with the C. S. Lewis Society in Tampa.
In her spare time, she is an avid sports fan, musician and grower of all things edible in her garden.
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We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here!
To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!
FSR September 2023 - Alice’s Intro
FSR September 2023 with Justin
FSR September 2023 with Eric
FSR June 2021 with Alycia
FSR August 2022 - Leonie’s Intro
FSR August 2022 with Frank Turek
Alycia Wood on Facebook and Twitter
Apologetics, Inc.
Wednesday Sep 20, 2023
Wednesday Sep 20, 2023
Today on the podcast, we welcome Eric Hernandez. Eric is an apologist and speaker. He shares how he explains what apologetics is, how he became a Christian, and how he became passionate about sharing the Christian faith. Eric and Janell chat about the link between philosophy and apologetics, lazy evangelism, and the garden analogy. They also chat about the two things that make Christianity true.
We hope you enjoy!
We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here!
To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!
FSR September 2023 - Alice’s Intro
FSR September 2023 with Justin
FSR June 2022 with Justin
Eric Hernandez' - website
Eric Hernandez - YouTube
TexasApologetics.Org
The Lazy Approach to Evangelism - Eric Hernandez
Bobby Conway
William Lane Craig
JP Moreland
Greg Koukl
Natasha Crain
About Eric
Eric Hernandez is a dynamic evangelist and apologist with a heart for proclaiming the gospel and defending the faith on theological and philosophical grounds. He is a licensed minister, a certified formation therapist, and is the Apologetics Lead and Millennial Specialist for The Baptist General Convention of Texas. He has spoken and debated on a public level at university college campuses where he adamantly defends the Christian faith against atheist, agnostic, and deistic professors of different worldviews. He holds an associate degree in social science, a bachelor’s degree in theology, and a certificate in apologetics from Biola University.
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Hello Everyone!
Today on the podcast, we welcome returning guest Justin Brierley! Justin shares a bit of an update on Unbelievable? and how he is diving into culture apologetics after leaving the show.
They chat a bit about his new book, how the new atheism movement is impacting culture, and the limitations of science as a worldview. They talk about Jordan Peterson, the “Fathiest Atheist,” and the growth of religion around the world. Justin discusses why who chooses Christianity over something else and how Christianity has influenced the world. They also discuss Christian celebrities, cancel culture, and fighting idol worship.
We hope you enjoy the episode!
About Justin
Justin is a freelance writer, speaker and broadcaster who has become known for creating dialogues between Christians and non-Christians. Justin is passionate about creating conversations around faith, science, theology and culture. Through creative use of podcast, radio, print, video and social media, he aims to showcase an intellectually compelling case for Christianity, while taking seriously the questions and objections of sceptics.
Justin has worked in radio, podcast and video for over two decades. Until April 2023 he was Theology & Apologetics Editor for Premier Christian Radio, and hosted the Unbelievable? radio show and podcast as well as the Ask NT Wright Anything podcast. Justin was also editor of Premier Christianity magazine from 2014-2018, for which he continues to contribute articles. Justin's first book 'Unbelievable? Why, after ten years of talking with atheists, I'm still a Christian' (SPCK) was published in 2017.
Justin currently co-hosts the Re-Enchanting podcast for Seen & Unseen, and is a guest presenter for the Maybe God podcast. His next book 'The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God' (Tyndale) will be published in Sep 2023.
Justin is married to Lucy, a church minister in Surrey, and they have 4 amazing children - Noah, Grace, Jeremy and Toby. When he isn't working in a professional capacity, you'll find Justin involved in youth work and worship leading at church.
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We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here!
To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!
FSR September 2023 - Alice’s Intro
FSR June 2022 with Justin
JustinBrierley.com
Unbelievable? Show
The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God - Justin Brierley
Justin Brierley's "Unbelievable" book
Unbelievable? Jordan Peterson vs. Susan Blackmore
Unbelievable? Tim Keller Q&A on cancer, prayer, and forgiveness
Jordan Peterson
Phillip Yancey
The Faithiest Atheist
MAVEN
Sean McDowell's Interview with Justin Brierley
Tim Keller's podcast
Wednesday Sep 06, 2023
Wednesday Sep 06, 2023
Hello Everyone! Happy Wednesday!
Today we are excited to share with you the first episode of September! Alice from Sweden, our September co-host, joins Janell to discuss the cultural differences between Sweden and the US, why she does not identify as religious, and her surprise about the amount of religion in American culture. She also chats about why she doesn’t necessarily believe in God and why she chose to be our September Co-Host. They also chat about a few of Alice’s questions such as:
Why does God allow things to be messed up?
What’s the difference between someone who lives their life believing in God and someone who doesn’t?
How does believing in God impact what someone believes about themselves? Where does mental health fit into the Christian life?
We hope you will join us for Alice’s journey on the podcast!
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We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here!
To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!
Finding Something REAL on Instagram
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
Wednesday Aug 30, 2023
Another Wednesday, another episode!
Today on the podcast, Janell and Signe welcome back Frank Turek, co-author of I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist. Frank shares a bit about how he came to become a Christian, the importance of sharing the truth no matter what, and moral standards. They also chat about why hedonism is unsatisfying and what happens when you follow your desires without restraint. Discussions about the definition of faith and surrender also make their way into the episode. We hope you enjoy!
About Frank
Dr. Frank Turek is a dynamic speaker and award-winning author or coauthor of five books: Hollywood Heroes How Your Favorite Movies Reveal God, Stealing from God: Why Atheists Need God to make their Case, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, Correct, Not Politically Correct and Legislating Morality. As the President of CrossExamined.org, Frank presents powerful and entertaining evidence for Christianity at churches, high schools, and secular college campuses that often begin hostile to his message. He has also debated several prominent atheists including Christopher Hitchens and Michael Shermer, Founding Publisher of Skeptic Magazine.
Frank hosts an hour-long TV program each week called I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist which is broadcast Wednesday nights on DirecTV Channel 378 (NRBTV). His radio program and podcast called I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist with Frank Turek airs on 182 stations every Saturday morning at 10 a.m. eastern and is available continuously on the free CrossExamined App.
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We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here!
To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!
FSR August 2023 - Signe’s Intro
FSR August 2023 - Signe & Abdu
FSR August 2023 - Signe & Claudia
FSR August 2022 with Frank Turek
Cross Examined.org
Cross Examined Instructor's Academy
Cross Examined - YouTube
Frank Turek's debate with Christopher Hitchens
Correct Not Politically Correct - Frank Turek
Hollywood Heroes book by Frank Turek & Zach Turek
Evidence that Demands a Verdict - Josh McDowell
More than a Carpenter by Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell
Tim Keller Sermons podcast by Gospel in Life
I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist - Geisler & Turek
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Hello Friends!
Today on the Finding Something REAL podcast, we have a wonderful conversation with Signe and our guest Claudia Kalmikov! After getting checking in with Signe, we het to hear Claudia speak about her faith journey. She speaks about why trust is her favorite topic to discuss, why the truths found in the Bible transcend culture, and the message of the Old Testament and New Testament. They also chat about misinterpreting the Bible, putting our focus on Jesus, why meaning is more important than happiness, the problem with moral relativism, and much more! We hope you enjoy today’s episode!
About Claudia
Claudia is a Christian apologist, national speaker, and blogger with a Master of Arts degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University. She is on the speaking team for the Talbot Seminary Biola On-The-Road Apologetics conferences, teaches Apologetics at her church, and leads the ladies Bible study. Claudia has been a repeat guest on the KKLA radio show in Los Angeles, Real Life With GinaPastore and David James. Her blog posts have been published multiple times in The Poached Egg online apologetics magazine, and she is a contributing writer for Women In Apologetics, and an Op-Ed contributor for the Christian Post online magazine. She blogs at Straight Talk With Claudia K. After raising two now adult sons, her focus now is to make an impact in the world for Christ.
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We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here!
To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!
FSR August 2023 - Signe’s Intro
FSR August 2023 - Signe & Abdu
FSR June 2023 with Lindsey Ponder
FSR June 2022 with Abdu
Straight Talk with Claudia K
The Christian Post: Two Ways that Relativism Falls Flat
Francis Shaeffer
Article about Christopher Reeve speaking on stem cell research
Bible Verse:
1 Peter 1:24-25 (NKJV)
All flesh is as grass,
And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.
The grass withers,
And its flower falls away,
But the word of the Lord endures forever.
Acts 4:12
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
Wednesday Aug 16, 2023
Hello Friends!
Today on the podcast, we welcome back Abdu Murray. Abdu shares about the credibility of the gospel message. He Janell and Signe chat about Christianity as the only true way to God and what to do if you’re afraid of believing a lie Abdu shares about his ministry and his journey from Islam to Christianity and how that changed his life. He chats about his evidential reasons for following Christ and more. The group also dives into questions such as — Why are we here? How did we get here? What should we think about heaven and hell?
We hope you enjoy!
About Abdu
Abdu Murray offers the credibility of the gospel message as a speaker and writer with Embrace the Truth. He has authored several books including Saving Truth, Grand Central Question, Apocalypse Later, and the forthcoming More than a White Man’s Religion. For most of his life, Abdu was a proud Muslim until a nine-year historical, philosophical, theological, and scientific investigation pointed him to the Christian faith.
Abdu has spoken to diverse international audiences and has participated in debates and dialogues across the globe.
Abdu holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.
Abdu lives in the Detroit, Michigan area with his wife and their three children.
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We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here!
To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!
FSR August 2021 - Signe’s Intro
FSR June 2022 with Abdu
Embrace The Truth
Grand Central Question - Abdu Murray
Saving Truth - Abdu Murray
More Than a White Man’s Religion - Abdu Murray
Hidden In Plain View - Lydia McGrew
Luke 8:1-3
”Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.”
Luke 24:1-12
“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.”
Wednesday Aug 09, 2023
Wednesday Aug 09, 2023
Happy Wednesday!
Today, we are excited to bring you an episode with Signe, Janell’s Danish exchange daughter! Signe shares about her decision to do an exchange year in the U. S., differences between Danish and American cultures, her previous religious experiences and more.
Signe shares her experiences encountering the Christian faith and being uncomfortable at a youth group discussion of abortion. She expresses her uncertainty about the Christian beliefs about sex as well. Janell and Signe talk about Max Lucado’s book He Chose The Nails and Signe shares some of her thoughts on it. We hope you enjoy this episode!
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We would love to thank our Patrons for all their amazing support! To learn more about supporting Finding Something REAL via Patreon, click here!
To learn more about Faithful Counseling and if it is a good fit for you, you can click here!
John 10:10 (ESV)
”The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
John 17:3 (ESV)
“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”