We Belong to the Stories We Tell: Kaylah Rasmussen and Andy Littleton
Shownotes:
In our final episode of our series, “We Belong,” Teena sits down with Kaylah and Andy to talk about how the stories we bring to life can be the source of God’s hope in the world. They explore the power of Christians supporting one another on the entrepreneurial journey, the beauty of stories told that echo hope and redemption, and the awe-inspiring faithfulness of God to weave our lives in ways we could never imagine.
Explore Kaylah Rasmussen’s 2D-Animation work: https://thewindstudio.com/
And connect online: Patreon: kaylahr (patreon.com/kaylahr)
X: @TheWindAnimateS
Discover Infuse Tucson: http://infusetucson.com/about
Follow Andy’s Journey of friendship rekindled: @2000milestowrigley
And explore Surge Network: www.surgenetwork.com and the Global Faith and Work Initiative: www.globalfaithandwork.com
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We Belong to a Family: Gary Freeman
Gary is a believer, husband, father, and the founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization Major League Dad. Gary has worked with fathers and families in many capacities for almost two decades. His story with his father has helped build and support the fathers he serves through Major League Dad. His focus is on fathers in low-socioeconomic areas to strengthen the family unit and propel those fathers to lead in the home and community.
Website: https://www.majorleaguedad.org/
Watch this conversation on our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvM2tIUtv0o
Learn more about the Surge Network: https://www.surgenetwork.com/
Discover the work of the Global Faith and Work Initiative: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/
Episode Summary:
In this conversation, Gary Freeman wades into deep waters, starting with an honest reflection on the terrifying reality of becoming a father. Teena and Gary continue into greater depths as they navigate conversations around what is truly required to champion the fullness of life for families- with special attention to fathers on the margins of society. This conversation does not shy away from tensions, but leans into the gray spaces that our polarized conversations often refuse to touch. This episode is an invitation for us all to consider what belonging to the family of God means for how we can create and embrace belonging- through our everyday work and rest- for those often left out of the conversation.
00:00 Introduction to the Series
02:10 Brokenness and Redemption in Becoming a Father
07:24 The Beautiful Gift and Terrifying Responsibility of Children
12:58 Major League Dads
18:33 Supporting Men to Become Phenomenal Fathers
24:21 How Jesus Supported the Twelve
27:25 Growth in Ministry
32:41 From Local Pregnancy Centers to a National Organization
41:16 How Distance Breeds Self-Righteousness
46:09 How Different Industries Can Connect to This Topic
55:24 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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56:18
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56:18
We Belong to a Narrative: Esau McCaulley and John Onwuchekwa
Teena is joined by Esau McCaulley, PhD and John Onwuchekwa, DMin to talk about the narratives that shape our life and faith and the power of narrative in hospitality, business and theology. John shares his journey with Portrait coffee and then into his time curating conversations around grief and hope, connected with his book, We Go On. Esau opens up his story with Reading while Black and the shift into writing a much more personal narrative, How Far to the Promised Land. They also chat about their favorite coffee beans, Esau’s new church plant and the elusive nature of “success”.
Watch this conversation on our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShHjeH27DZ0&t=3678s
Explore more from Esau McCaulley: https://esaumccaulley.com/
Explore more from John Onwuchekwa: https://www.johno.co/
Discover the Global Faith and Work Initiative here: https://www.globalfaithandwork.com/
Learn more about the Surge Network here: https://www.surgenetwork.com/
00:00 Introduction to the Series
01:24 Meet the Guests: Dr. Esau McCauley and John Onwuchekwa
06:32 John's Coffee Business Journey
13:56 The Impact of Narrative on Business
22:45 Esau's Journey and Reflections on Ministry
34:39 The Provocative Nature of the Book
35:02 Unexpected Success and Public Attention
35:37 Navigating Fame and Personal Boundaries
37:05 Embracing the Impact of 'Reading While Black'
38:38 Family Dynamics and Hometown Recognition
40:03 Intentional Church Leadership
45:02 The Role of Liturgy in Personal Faith
47:03 Diverse Church Experiences
51:46 Writing and Touring: The Emotional Toll
01:03:57 The Power of Storytelling and Grief
01:07:51 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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We Belong to the Spirit: Eric Goss
In this episode, Eric Goss shares his profound journey of following the Spirit into new territories of his life and vocation. From his beginnings at the Naval Academy through his time at Amazon and into nearly facing bankruptcy while building a Christian Children's media company, Eric discusses the importance of carefully listening to God and to those he works alongside. When he introduces us to Minno Kids, he emphasizes the critical yet often overlooked need for investing in children's spiritual education and family formation. Through personal highs and lows, Eric reveals how his deep reliance on God's guidance and collaboration with others has shaped his approach to creating impactful content that communicates the gospel to young hearts and minds.
Discover Minno Kids: www.gominno.com
Find more about Erick here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickgoss/
Learn more about the Surge Network: www.surgenetwork.com
Explore the Global Faith & Work Initiative: www.globalfaithandwork.com
Timeline
00:00 - Introduction
02:20 - Discerning God's call
07:52 - Getting into Children's Media
11:50 - The Why Behind the What
16:07 - The Humility of Collaboration
18:25 - Navigating Power Dynamics in Collaboration
25:01 - Curiosity in Leadership
27:22 - Wisdom from the Mouths of Babes (And Everyone Else)
31:49 - Kingdom of God as Joy in the Workplace
33:54 - Flipping the Corporate Ladder
49:32 - Formation through Content
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We Belong to this Generation: Melissa Peak
Episode Summary: Melissa Peak joins the podcast to discuss her vocational journey from delivering newspapers in Canada to leading significant roles at Amazon Web Services and now serving at the digital consultancy firm, Servant. Melissa shares how faith, leadership, and innovative thinking have woven through her career and personal life, including unconventional family decisions alongside her husband. She delves into Servant's mission to support the global church in the digital era, ensuring impactful use of technology for kingdom work. She closes with a powerful example of how Servant is aiding Every Mother's Advocate to scale their preventive approach in foster care across nine states.
This episode continues our series on belonging through embracing the tensions of belonging to this generation. In a changing world with conflicting expectations and new tools emerging by the minute, how do we navigate belonging to this current moment as Christians? Melissa offers an example rooted in humility, prayer and the conviction of personal calling.
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:28 Melissa's Vocational Journey as a woman called to leadership
04:08 Being present to the journey- reflections and regrets
09:47 Balancing Career and Family- Unconventional decisions
15:41 Navigating Countercultural Choices
20:20 Faith and Leadership
23:55 Rediscovering the centrality of worship and prayer
27:48 Rejecting “mom guilt” and opportunities for independence
29:45 Technology as a tool
30:37 Servant's Mission and Impact
36:46 Collaborative Leadership in the Faith Ecosystem
42:29 Every Mother's Advocate: A Success Story
Discover more about the work of Servant: http://www.servant.io/about
Find out more about the Global Faith and Work Initiative: www.globalfaithandwork.com/
And the Surge Network: www.surgenetwork.com/
Watch this conversation on our youtube channel: https://youtu.be/KrTmFlNwmL8?si=2lSnTGXWoJnAOt_z
Now headed into its fifth season, The Faith, Work & Rest Podcast highlights stories of ordinary people of faith doing ordinary work for the glory of God and good of their communities.
Brasil