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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
Apr 7, 2021
Apr 7, 2021
56 min
Another month, another co-host! Today, we are introducing you to Dagmar. Dagmar is young woman who lives in the Netherlands. She shares a little about her faith journey and about the secular culture she lives in.
In this first episode, she presents a few of the questions she has about faith and shares about her desire to know if God is real.
A few of her questions include:
What are the differences between Jehovah’s Witnesses & Christians?
Are there differences between Christianity, Judaism, and Islam? They seem to worship the same God.
Should Faith change as the world changes?
Where is God in times of need? Like the corona crisis, did he make it to punish us? Or did he just abandon us after he created us because he wasn't happy about what he was seeing?
Where is God in general? Can we actually see Him? Are those who have claimed to see him hallucinating?
Links:
Today’s episode is sponsored by Laurel Denise. Handmade with Love in Charlottesville, VA since 2005. Click here to shop!
Tori's Intro Episode
Lu's Intro Episode
FSR s3e22 with Janell’s Exchange Daughters
Religion Statistics in the Netherlands (Wikipedia)
Mere Christianity - C. S. Lewis
Surprised by Joy - C. S. Lewis
The Great Divorce - C. S. Lewis
Apr 1, 2021
Apr 1, 2021
2 hr 24 min
oIn this extended bonus episode, we’re welcoming back a returning guest. Allen Crostic has a Masters in Christian Apologetics and as a former agnostic, loves to talk about reasons for faith. In this conversation with March co-host, Lucrezia from Italy and myself, Allen addresses Lu's questions regarding lore, hell, doubt, and Jesus. Allen describes knowledge as being different than certainty and why that matters in regards to faith. We talk about doubt and why he's passionate about apologetics (always being prepared to give an answer with gentleness and respect). We also discuss different types of doubt and skepticism. As in all of our previous episodes with Allen, he also shares the significance of believing in Jesus' death, deity, and resurrection, differentiating between a salvation issue and secondary issues.
Links:
FSR s2e15 with Allen Crostic - Part 1 and Part 2
FSR s4e5 with Allen Crostic
FSRs4e9 with Stéphanie Rousselle
Gospel Spice Podcast-How do we know that the Resurrection actually Happened?
Near Death Experiences - Dr. Gary Habermas
Willian Lane Craig
Anthony Flew
Positive Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer in a Coronary Care Unit Population (Randolph C. Byrd, MD)
Science Increasingly Makes the Case for God-Eric Metaxas
Inferno - Dante Alighieri
Paradise Lost -John Milton
Mere Christianity - C.S. Lewis
The Great Divorce - C.S. Lewis
Telling Yourself the Truth - Backus & Champion
Miracles: The Credibility of the New Testament Accounts - Craig Keener
First Epistle of Clement
Romans 10:9-10
”…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved
Acts 17:26 & 27
”And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us…”
Mar 31, 2021
Mar 31, 2021
1 hr 2 min
Brenna Blain is a wife, mom, christian speaker and podcast producer from the PNW. She has a BA in Theology and Biblical Studies from Multnomah University and uses her degree to help christians pursue a deeper and more authentic relationship with the living God. While she speaks on many topics, Brenna is most passionate about God’s involvement in our pain and personal struggles including mental illness, same sex attraction and abuse. You can connect with Brenna on social media and hear more of her speaking @bunonmyhead
Janell, Lucrezia, and Brenna have a chat about same-sex attraction, mental health, and sexual abuse. Brenna shares her faith journey and some of the questions that arose from being raised in a theologically conservative environment. She also talks about how she continues to trust God during tragedy.
Brenna explains why she holds to a traditional view of faith and a non-affirming view of homosexual relationships. They discuss whether morality has or hasn’t changed over the past 2,000 years.
This podcast discusses suicide.
Mentioned in this Episode
Lucrezia’s Story & Faith Questions
Finding Something REAL Patreon
Brenna’s Instagram and Website
Can I Say That? Podcast
Another Gospel by Alisa Childers
Jesus & John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
Matthew 9:9-13-Jesus Calls Matthew
The Chosen - Jesus calls Matthew
Philippians 4:6&7
”…do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
John 6:68
”…Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life…”
Mar 24, 2021
Mar 24, 2021
1 hr 4 min
This week’s episode features a conversation with Janell, Lucrezia, and this week’s guest Stéphanie.
Stéfanie talks about growing up in France with an atheist world view, how staying with a Christian host family lead her towards belief in Christ, and her journey towards believing that Jesus’s resurrection is true. The ladies also talk about how relationship with God isn’t intellectual.
We hope you enjoy this episode!
Mentioned in this Episode
Lucrezia’s story & Faith Questions
The Finding Something REAL Patreon
More than a Carpenter - Josh McDowell
A Case for the Resurrection of Jesus - Lee Strobel
Gospel Spice Podcast- How do we know that the resurrection actually happened?
GO. Seek. Create. Podcast - Athiest to Follower of Christ with Stéphanie Rouselle
Mar 17, 2021
Mar 17, 2021
1 hr 34 min
In today’s episode of the Finding Something REAL Podcast, we are talking with Drew Berryessa.
Janell, Lucrezia, and Janell have an in-depth discussion about same-sex attraction and the church. Drew shares his story of having same-sex attraction and his fear of how the church would treat him if they knew. He talks human sexuality and the messages about sexuality that come from the Church, why he chose Jesus, and the importance of prayer and the position of our heart
.We you enjoy this episode!
Mentioned in this Episode
Lucrezia’s story & Faith Questions Episode
A Living Letter - Drew Berryessa
Gay Girl, Good God by Jackie Hill Perry
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Butterfield
Mar 10, 2021
Mar 10, 2021
53 min
In our second episode of March, Janell sits down with Lucrezia and Terrian to talk about some of Lu’s questions.
The ladies talk about hypocrisy and pain, recognizing the difference between what is Christlike and what is not. They also talk about how God can respond to our questions and practical ways to love.
We hope you enjoy!
Mentioned in this Episode
Laurel Denise
Terrian’s Instagram and Youtube
Charles Price Sermon: Obedience & Dependance
John 13:35
”By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another…”
This episode sponsored in part by:
Patreon Supporters - Especially Brian & Jill Wilson
Mar 3, 2021
Mar 3, 2021
1 hr 17 min
We are excited to welcome Lucrezia as our March Co-host!
In this first episode, Janell sits down with Lucrezia to talk about her faith journey so far. They talk about her personal experiences with Christianity and how the Italian culture has shaped her perspective of religion. They talk about how the loss of her great-grandmother, her aunt's diagnosis and injury, and her grandfather's cancer led her away from believing in God.
In this episode she shares some of her questions about Jesus Christ and Christianity. Some of her objections include:
There's been a lot of ugliness around religion/Christianity in general, how do you know what's real?
Discimination/Judging others/Homophobia in the Church. There are other mandates in the Bible- why is homosexuality singled out?
Mentioned in this episode:
Barna Research: Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church
FSR s3e22 with Janell’s Exchange Daughters
John 14: 6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…”
This episode sponsored in part by:
Patreon Supporters - Especially Brian & Jill Wilson
Feb 28, 2021
Feb 28, 2021
2 hr 29 sec
In this robust bonus episode, we’re welcoming back a returning guest. Allen Crostic has a Masters in Christian Apologetics and as a former agnostic, loves to talk about reasons for faith. In this conversation with February co-host, Tori Carpenter and myself, Allen shares why he didn't stay in skepticism but searched for answers. Allen describes faith as active trust in what you have good reason to believe is true. We talk about doubt and why he's passionate about apologetics (always being prepared to give an answer with gentleness and respect). Allen details why he rejects the idea of innate human goodness. He also shares the significance of believing in Jesus' death, deity, and resurrection, differentiating between a salvation issue and secondary, in-house issues.
There are graphic descriptions of human evil & a couple four letter words for excrement are shared in this conversation with Allen.