Alert & Oriented: Conversations about God between Friends

We recently found a Christians perspective on dealing with trauma, and it fascinated us. For decades, we modern people in the western world ignored trauma, and now some seem to be over obsessed with trauma. We've lost a Christian, biblical balance. What is the Christian perspective? How can we be honest about it in our own lives without losing hope? How do we deal with trauma without succumbing to its bewitching temptation? What does Christ say about trauma? Join us for this podcast as we talk about what God has put on our hearts. Link to article on trauma: Make resilience cool again | WORLD (wng.org) And join our course on "Living an Examined Life" by clicking here: Living An Examined Life (thenobleheart.com) For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

In our fifteen years of working together, Gary and I realize that God has put a few key messages on our hearts: Calling, Hearing God, Friendship, Humility … … and the incredible spiritual value of Living an Examined Life. Christian self-examination is not narcissistic self-preoccupation, nor is it is morbid self-flagellation. Christian self-examination is the learned skill of breaking free from the things that hold us back and the awakened spiritual recognition of the talents God has planted in us for His Kingdom. It’s a jail-break seminar coupled with spiritual-investment counseling. Join us for this podcast as we talk about what God has put on our hearts. And join our course on "Living an Examined Life" by clicking here: Living An Examined Life (thenobleheart.com) For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

At the very beginning of the book of Job, Satan asks God, "Does Job serve God for nothing?" And, honestly, we should all ask ourselves the same question. Do we serve God for God Himself, or do we USE Him to get crowns and gold stars? It is ever-so-easy to serve God for honor-roll children and Facebook likes. It is ever-so-easy to use God's glory for our hidden purposes. In this episode, Gary and Sam share their reflections on Oswald Chambers' February 5 Devotional: Do we serve God to be the Hero, or are we willing to serve God even if it means we'll be a doormat? For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

A chance conversation on the way home from an airport led us to re-think what God is calling us to do? What season are you in? What is God calling you to add to your life, to subtract, or to multiply? He is always talking, always refining, always inviting. And giving us room to respond or not. What are YOU going to do with the little time remaining in your life? God has an idea. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the HeartFor more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

Oswald Chambers wrote, How often in our lives does God's deepest purposes seem His biggest mistakes? How often do we find His plans for goodness to be so baffling that we almost lose heart? Join us as we discuss together, "Finding hope in the baffling purposes of God." For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the HeartFor more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

Ancient societies taught their children "courage," both as a skill and as a virtue. But we've lost that art, except as ways of hiding our heads in the sand or putting our trust in ourselves. How are we to face the terrors and torments of life: death of loved ones, disgrace, discovery, or the need to speak an uncomfortable truth? Join us as we reflect on the powerful spiritual gift of Courage! For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the HeartFor more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

God has a clear and beautiful purpose for your life, a life He has designed, birthed, nurtured, and shaped since before we were born. His plan it to bring life to others through our lives; to bring hope, and joy, and peace, and encouragement, and purpose, and Life with a capital "L." Through each of us to others, His life in us bring His life to all we meet. Join us as we reflect on the powerful, spiritual vitality of "Realizing the life you were designed to live, that brings life to others." For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the HeartFor more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

Even non-believers highly value an honest self-appraisal. Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living," and Mark Twain said, "Making good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from evaluating our bad decisions.” Why are so many people today so scared to admit their faults? To humbly say, "I need help"? Why are so many of us believers so afraid to look deeply into our hearts for behaviors, motives, and blindness? Join us as we reflect on the powerful, spiritual value of an examined life. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the HeartFor more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

In the Garden of Eden, Adam was lonely. He wasn't lonely because there was something wrong with him. He was lonely because he was perfect, he was made in the image of God. And God wants for his people, friendship. Yet Christians today never talk about spiritual friendship. We talk about servanthood, brotherhood, and sisterhood, but Jesus says, "I no longer call you servants, I call you friends." And Scripture says, "There is a friend that is CLOSER THAN A BROTHER." What does God have for us in the realm of Spiritual Friendship? For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

The second most repeated command is Scripture is to "remember the Sabbath." While Scripture also forbids us to conform to a moralistic approach to the Sabbath, Jesus also says it was made for our good. What is the value of taking "time away" with God? What are its treasures? And what are best practices? For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

We long to see a community of believers committed to helping each other grow into their calling, into becoming the men and women God designed us to be. Too many organizations recruit and train people for IT'S purpose; but Jesus leaves the 99 to find the lost sheep, to make it His. How we use our community's strengths to help believers find their God-given purpose for them personally? Prompted by this article by Sam Williamson: https://beliefsoftheheart.com/2012/06/12/i-long-for-a-calling-driven-church/ For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

We undervalue the importance God places on friendship. Oh we say we treasure brotherhood, sisterhood, and community. But God works hugely through friendship. And we haven't learned how it can save us. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

Transitions are those times in our life when deep changes come, usually un-asked for and often unwelcome, and those changes can be brutally painful. How can we recognize them? And how can we find spiritual hope? For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

It seems like everyone we meet is just a tad bit discouraged. Not really depressed, but kind of melancholy, feeling the blues, just experiencing the doldrums. At least we are. What about you? For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

None of us have seen such an acceleration of cultural change. And much is abhorrible, as if we've given ourselves over to the world. How should Christians act in the face of such radical changes? For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

There is a rich, spiritual virtue that most Christians ignore; it is the virtue of persistent curiosity, to live a life of fascination with God and what He is up to. To take on online course on hearing God, visit Sam's site: https://beliefsoftheheart.com/hearing-god-online-course/ For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. And very special thanks to Keith Medley for his FANTASTIC 27 string guitar background song. You can find more of Keith's music at: http://www.keithmedleymusic.com/ For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

We all measure, all the time, all things we meet; especially our own lives. What are the best measurements for your life? To take on online course on hearing God, visit Sam's site: https://beliefsoftheheart.com/hearing-god-online-course/ For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. And very special thanks to Keith Medley for his FANTASTIC 27 string guitar background song. You can find more of Keith's music at: http://www.keithmedleymusic.com/ For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

We all want our children to grow into healthy adults, but there is a kind of safety-ISM that breeds a state of fear we call fear-ISM. And God wants something else for our lives. To take on online course on hearing God, visit Sam's site: https://beliefsoftheheart.com/hearing-god-online-course/ For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. And very special thanks to Keith Medley for his FANTASTIC 27 string guitar background song. You can find more of Keith's music at: http://www.keithmedleymusic.com/ For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

We want to share with you a life giving practice Gary and I created (by accident) in December 2011. It's an exciting, intentional, motivating way to begin each New Year. We've been doing it for years. In the show, we promised to write down our process, which follows: How To Develop a Transcendent Pursuit: First, find a friend or two (or more) who would like pursue this with you. CLICK HEREDiscovering Your Transcendent Pursuit Here are Gary's Questions: Sam's Questions: For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart

Why does fatigue take so much out out us? It's not just being tired: we snap and snarl at others, and indulge in self-pity. How do we handle the inner effects of fatigue on us and our family? For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: https://thenobleheart.com/ and https://beliefsoftheheart.com/. And very special thanks to Keith Medley for his FANTASTIC 27 string guitar background song. You can find more of Keith's music at: http://www.keithmedleymusic.com/ For more information about Gary or Sam visit their websites: The Noble HeartExploring Intimate Theology - Beliefs of the Heart