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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 Aug 21, 2024
Wednesday Aug 21, 2024
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Friday Aug 16, 2024
Friday Aug 16, 2024
This is the eighth episode in a series dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today we're talking with special guest, Brant Hansen, a bestselling author and podcast host. Lizzy specifically requested having the chance to ask him questions and sometimes dreams come true! In this rich conversation, we discussed many topics including identity, emotions, following Jesus, and insecurity. Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is not sure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.
Brant Hansen is an author, nationally syndicated radio host, and advocate for healing children through CURE International.
He’s been featured on ABC’s “Good Morning America” in addition to regular appearances on Focus on the Family and Family Life Today, among many others. He’s written for CNN.com, The Washington Post, and U.S. News and World Report on a wide range of topics, and his work has been highlighted in The Irish Times.
Brant has won national “Personality of the Year” awards for his work on his offbeat and quirky radio show, which airs on more than 200 stations. His podcast with his friend and radio producer, Sherri Lynn (“The Brant and Sherri Oddcast”) has been downloaded more than 17 million times.
He leverages his radio platform to advance the healing work of CURE, which provides life-changing surgeries for children with treatable conditions.
His first book, Unoffendable, has prompted a national discussion on forgiveness and our culture’s embrace of self-righteous anger.
He’s been a game inventor, fronted a modern rock band, and still dabbles in singing and songwriting. He has been married for 34 years to Carolyn, and they have two grown children and two grandchildren.
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Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
Wednesday Aug 07, 2024
This is the seventh episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today we're talking with special guest, Melissa Cain Travis, a fellow of the Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture. Lizzy is a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is unsure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.
About Melissa Cain Travis, Ph.D.
Melissa Cain Travis is a science and religion scholar with a special interest in the intersection of science and Christianity in the Western tradition. She is the author of Thinking God’s Thoughts: Johannes Kepler and the Miracle of Cosmic Comprehensibility (2022), Science and the Mind of the Maker: What the Conversation Between Faith and Science Reveals About God (2018), and a contributing author for The Story of the Cosmos: How the Heavens Declare the Glory of God (2019). She is a Fellow of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture, a course instructor at DiscoveryU.org, and a core writing team member for The Worldview Bulletin and Shadowlands Dispatch. She regularly lectures at conferences, universities, classical schools, and churches around the country.
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Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
Wednesday Jul 31, 2024
Josh White is a speaker, recording artist, author of ‘Stumbling Toward Eternity’, and founding pastor of Door of Hope, a thriving church community in the heart of Portland, OR. Josh is a self-proclaimed ‘amateur’, a lover of learning and though everything interests him, above all he is serious about Jesus, obsessed with grace, and holds tenaciously to the centrality of the cross. In May of 1996, Josh met his wife Darcy at the now-defunct Satyricon nightclub in Portland. They have two beautiful children and have been back in the city where they fell in love since 2007.
To find out more about Josh, please visit joshawhite.com.
Wednesday Jul 24, 2024
Wednesday Jul 24, 2024
During the month of July, we will be featuring some of our previous episodes. This episode with co-host, Lucrezia from Italy originally aired in March 2021. Musical artist, Terrian addressed some of Lu's questions about hypocrisy and sin, 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.
To hear more episodes with Lu and hear more of her story, please visit: https://www.janellmwood.com/search?q=lucrezia.
Terrian is a Christian singer/songwriter and vocalist in TobyMac’s band, DiverseCity. She released an EP, “Genesis of Terrian,” in 2021.
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Wednesday Jul 17, 2024
Wednesday Jul 17, 2024
Andy holds a PhD in Islamic studies and has taught extensively at universities across Canada, the USA, the UK and further afield on both Islam and philosophy. He is also an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Arthur Jeffery Centre for the Study of Islam at Melbourne School of Theology and is also an Adjunct Faculty at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto.
Wednesday Jul 10, 2024
Wednesday Jul 10, 2024
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. His latest book, 'The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God' (Tyndale) was published in Sep 2023. Justin currently co-hosts the Re-Enchanting podcast for Seen & Unseen and is a guest presenter for the Maybe God podcast. He has also recently launched The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief in God podcast documentary series. Justin is married to Lucy, a church minister in Surrey, and they have 4 amazing children.
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
Wednesday Jul 03, 2024
This is the sixth episode in a series of episodes dedicated to a young woman named Lizzy. Today's special guest, Robby Lashua, is a speaker with Stand to Reason. Robby is here to discuss Lizzy's questions about the Bible and how to approach it. Lizzy was unable to make it to this recording. She's a college student from Chelan, Washington. Lizzy grew up in a loving Christian home but has a lot of questions about God, identity, and purpose. She is a very curious person and is someone who often takes things literally. She admits she struggles with anxiety and wonders why God pursues her when it's hard for her to trust Him. She says she's sensed Him trying to get her attention but is not sure about having experienced His love. Lizzy and Janell have known each other for seven years.
We hope you enjoy this week's episode!
Robby Lashua is the newest Apologist at Stand to Reason. Formerly, Robby was the Pastor of Apologetics at Desert Springs Community Church in Goodyear, AZ, an Associate Professor at Mission Bible Institute, and host of Christ, Culture & Coffee, a weekly apologetics podcast. Having earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Arizona Christian University, a Master’s of Divinity from Phoenix Seminary, and a Master’s Degree in Christian Apologetics from Biola University, Robby has a passion for equipping the church with good reasons to believe in classical Christianity. Most importantly, Robby has been married to his wonderful wife, Kelly, for over 13 years. Together they are raising four amazing kids to love and serve Jesus.
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