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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
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
Tuesday Oct 25, 2022
Happy Wednesday! Today on the podcast, Janell is joined by Dagmar and Dubois du Toit. They have a great conversation about the cultures of the Netherlands and Namibia. Dubois shares his faith journey, his experience with repentance, and why he chose to study apologetics. He discusses how he shares Christ with those who are doubting and why the story of Jesus restoring peter after His resurrection is compelling. They also discuss how we can trust God when He allows things we don’t understand to happen and what the process of suffering will can do in our lives. 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! If you are interested in becoming a co-host, click here! To follow Finding Something REAL on instagram, click here!
FSR s5e35 Introducing Dagmar and her Faith Story
FSR s5e36 with Shea and Michelle
FSR s5e27 with Phoenix Hayes
FSR May 2021 with Michelle Watson
FSR April 2021 with Josh White
FSR April 2021 with Justin Brierley
FSR April 2021 with Lindsey Medenwaldt
FSR April 2021 with Julia Garschagen
Cross Examined Instructors' Academy
Alisa Childers' Podcast
Greg Koukl's Podcast
Frank Turek's Podcast
“Can the Canaanite Conquest Be Reconciled with a God of Live?” Unbelievable with Justin Brierley
Got Questions: Why did God punish David's innocent child?
Namibia
RC Sproul
Amazing Grace
Louie Giglio - The Long Way Up
Tim Keller- The Way to Servanthood
Surprised by Hope - N. T. Wright
After You Believe - N. T. Wright
Surprised by Suffering - R. C. Sproul
Doubting Towards Faith - Bobby Conway
Matthew 11:28
”Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11
John 21
Acts 17:26-27
”And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us…”
1 Peter 4:18
“If the righteous one is scarcely saved,
Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
Philippians 2:5-11
”Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
St. Augustine
”Great are you, O Lord, and exceedingly worthy of praise; your power is immense, and your wisdom beyond reckoning. And so we men, who are a due part of your creation, long to praise you – we also carry our mortality about with us, carry the evidence of our sin and with it the proof that you thwart the proud. You arouse us so that praising you may bring us joy, because you have made us and drawn us to yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
CS Lewis
”If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
Tertullian
"The blood of the martyrs were the seed of the church"
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Wednesday Oct 19, 2022
Today on the Finding Something REAL podcast, Janell and Dagmar sit down with Phoenix Hayes, They talk about the Bible, apologetics, and more. Phoenix shares her personal faith journey, her experience with deep questions, and why she chose to study at seminary.
The ladies have a thought provoking discussion about cultural Christianity vs real Christianity, why the search for identity is exclusive to humans, and the shortcomings of a humanistic worldview. They also talk about the alternatives to Christianity, gender, sexual attraction, and relationship status do not define us, where our identity is found, and surrendering to God. We hope you enjoy!
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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!
FSR s5e35 Introducing Dagmar and her Faith Story
FSR s5e36 with Shea and Michelle
FSR May 2021 with Michelle Watson
FSR April 2021 with Josh White
FSR April 2021 with Justin Brierley
FSR April 2021 with Lindsey Medenwaldt
FSR April 2021 with Julia Garschagen
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Wednesday Oct 12, 2022
Content Warning: Discussions of violence, trauma, and mental health
Today, Shea and Michelle Watson join Dagmar and Janell on the podcast. Shea and Michelle share about their faith journeys, what helped them chose to follow Jesus, and the ministry they have created. Dagmar explains why she feels like she is holding back from surrendering to Jesus. They also have a discussion about being good with God and what you can expect to lose and gain when you follow Jesus. We hope you enjoy this episode!
SHEA WATSON
Shea says he’s, “just a man who loves Jesus.” Michelle, his wife and The Pantry Podcast co-host. adds the rest. Shea is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a soldier in the Army of the Lord. After running to everything but Jesus for 41 years, he submitted to the Lord on New Year’s Day. It was then that Christ miraculously delivered Shea from addiction, PTSD, delusions, and flashbacks and awakened his hunger for the Lord. Now, Shea leads their church’s mens ministry and a life group, works a 9-to-5, and runs In Full Color ministries to spread the Gospel and stock their food pantry in Kisumu, Kenya.
MICHELLE WATSON
Michelle is an east coast millennial wife and mama all about the Word of God determining opinions and not the other way around. But it wasn’t always that way. She was raised in an anti-Christian city just outside of D.C, drank the higher-ed kool-aid of critical theory, and lived a life of loneliness, anxiety, and depression despite being surrounded by friends and urban night life. Relative truth and the new age reigned until an add series of events lead her to Truth, Himself. Now she and her husband Shea serve up spiritual nutrition on The Pantry Podcast and helps Busy Christian Creatives reach the lost and found by maximizing their digital reach in minimal time.
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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!
FSR s5e35 Introducing Dagmar and her Faith Story
FSR May 2021 with Michelle Watson
FSR April 2021 with Josh White
FSR April 2021 with Justin Brierley
FSR April 2021 with Lindsey Medenwaldt
FSR April 2021 with Julia Garschagen
The Pantry Podcast website and Instagram
Janell on The Pantry Podcast (March 2022)
GotQuestions.org commentary on Genesis 1:18
Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Wednesday Oct 05, 2022
Wednesday Oct 05, 2022
Happy October, friends! We hope you’ve had a great start to your fall!
This month, Dagmar shares her story with us! She and Janell have a great conversation for you today! They chat about Dagmar’s previous experiences on the podcast, mental health and setting priorities, and more. Dagmar shares about why the idea of faith has always drawn her, why she decided to come back on the podcast, and her current place in her spiritual journey. She shares what she thinks is holding her back from surrendering to Jesus and some of the questions she has including:
-How do you know when you are ready to follow Jesus?
-How do Christians integrate faith into their lives (especially if they did not become Christians until later on)?
-What holds people back in their relationship with God? What does it look like to have faithfulness in a relationship with God?
-How does a relationship with God affect you when you have relationships with people who are not Christian?
Have a good Wednesday!
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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!
FSR April 2021 with Josh White
FSR April 2021 with Justin Brierley
FSR April 2021 with Lindsey Medenwaldt
FSR April 2021 with Julia Garschagen
FSR August 2020 with Lieke and Josh
FSR March 2020 with Callie Lindsey
Unbelievable -Justin Brierley
My Favorite Name is Jonathan - Janell Wood
City Church in Breda, The Netherlands
Door of Hope Church in Portland, OR
Wednesday Sep 28, 2022
Wednesday Sep 28, 2022
Katie Dommel joins up for today’s FSR episode! She and Janell talk about the struggle of trusting God, how growing up in a legalistic environment impacted her, and more! They have a bit of a discussion about Liz’s faith story as well. They also talk about crystals, tarot cards, and other new age practices. They discuss the idea that “should Christians use them?” is not the best question to ask. Instead, maybe we should as “is this glorifying God?”
Today’s episode is a thought provoking one, we hope you enjoy!
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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!
FSR s5e31 Introducing Liz
FSR s5e32 with Sheila
FSR s5e33 with Dr. A.J. Swoboda
FSR Nov 2019 with Katie Dommel
FSR Dec 2021 with Katie Dommel
I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist - Geisler, Turek
FSR August 2022 with Frank Turek
https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-divination.html
StreetLights App
Live No Lies Podcast with John Mark Comer
The Bible Project
Live Not By Lies by John Mark Comer
Sit Walk Stand - Watchman Nee
Maverick City
Jesus Image
Upper Room
Bethel Worship
Ephesians 6:10-13
”Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
John 10:7-10
”Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
Romans 12:1-2
”I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Wednesday Sep 21, 2022
Wednesday Sep 21, 2022
Dr. A. J Swoboda joins us today on the Finding Something REAL podcast! He shares a bit about his faith journey, his ministry, and what it means to be an academic. He shares about his book Over Doubt, why young people desire to break rules, and the tenancy humans have to be over-curious. They talk about how pharisaical rules may sometimes get in the way of someone’s spiritual journey, deconstruction and searching for God when you are not sure you want to look for Him, and a lot more! 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!
FSR s5e31 Introducing Liz
FSR s5e32 with Sheila
A. J. Swoboda sharing at Bridgetown Church
After Doubt book- A. J. Swoboda
In Faith & Doubt Podcast
Ask NT Wright Anything Podcast
The Alisa Childers Podcast
Left Behind - Tim LaHaye, Jerry B. Jenkins
Live No Lies - John Mark Comer
The Last Word - N. T. Wright
Another Gospel - Alisa Childers
The Soul of Shame - Curt Thompson
The Soul of Desire - Curt Thompson
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Wednesday Sep 14, 2022
Hey Friends! We hope you’re having a good Wednesday!
Content warning: Lots of sex talk
Today we’re welcoming Sheila Wray Gregoire on the podcast! Sheila shares her faith journey and shares about her ministry that helps Christians view sex in a Biblical way and helps them heal from harmful teachings about sex.
Janell, Sheila, and Liz have a conversation about faith struggles, shame, the importance of intimacy and passion, hookup culture, and what happens when we reduce sex to just the physical aspect. They also talk about how God has created us for intimacy, why God cares about sexual sins, the wording surrounding sexual sings, and how God has created us for a deep connection with Him. We hope you enjoy this episode!
About Sheila Wray Gregoire
Sheila Wray Gregoire is the author of eleven books including The Great Sex Rescue, the host of the Bare Marriage podcast, and the founder of To Love Honor and Vacuum. An award-winning writer, Sheila calls the church to more than just pat answers by conducting original research to find out what advice works–and what really doesn’t.
Sheila and her husband Keith have been married for over 30 years. Together they have two adult daughters, one son in heaven, two sons-in-law, and two adorable grandchildren.
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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!
FSR s5e32 with Introducing Liz
Bare Marriage
Bare Marriage Podcast
The Great Sex Rescue - Sheila Wray Gregoire
The Good Girl’s Guide to Sex - Sheila Wray Gregoire
The Good Guy’s Guide to Sex - Sheila Wray Gregoire, Dr. Keith Gregoire
Wednesday Sep 07, 2022
Wednesday Sep 07, 2022
Hey Friends, happy September!
We are excited to introduce you to Liz! Liz shares with us a bit about her experience growing up with a single mom and seeing her dad only so often. She shares how she felt like she needed to make her dad proud of her and how those insecurities have impacted her life today. Liz shares about her love for music and her experience loving church when she was younger and what eventually caused her to stop going to church even though she still believes in God. Liz expresses her affection for crystals and tarot cards and why she believes that the words “God” and “Universe” are interchangeable.
This month, we will discuss a few of Elizabeth’s questions such as:
- How can we know if crystals and tarot cards are wrong?
- How can we believe in sin and still love people? Particularly when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community.
- Why is sex outside of marriage frowned upon?
- How can we view the desire for perfection under the lens of freedom and grace?
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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!