Join us in this episode as we dig deep into a new conversation about The Connected Life, by Todd W. Hall. This week, we're talking about the power of love that changes everything, especially when we begin to experience God as a safe and secure Father, rather than a distant and threatening judge.  In his book, Todd Hall tells about a man diagnosed with schizophrenia who is now functioning well and has a fulfilling life, due in large part to the power of loving connection to overcome genetic vulnerabilities. "Though genetics and medication certainly play a role, they are not the only factors that contribute to our well-being. Connection is also a major factor because we are born to connect." (p. 84)  Does this amazing story offer us a fresh perspective on Romans 12:2? What if being conformed to the patterns of this world happens when we're disconnected in our relationships, and being transformed by the renewing of your mind happens when we trust that we have a secure connection with a good, good Father?   Join us in this transformative new conversation and linger in these TAKEAWAYS -   When we live in a world with fewer and fewer face-to-face connections, we lose the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness - so we lose the ability to influence and impact each other with the power of love, even though we can still make people do what we want by manipulating them or shaming them. Receiving love requires a relationship of trust. Being pushed around by fear happens without trustworthiness. Walking on a healing journey with a spouse or a few close friends is not always easy, but it is deep and life-giving. Belonging, meaning, and creating real value in the world together is more satisfying than individualism, materialism, or another attempt at rebellion. “It turns out that social disconnection has a profound impact on our experiences with God and spiritual community. The connection crisis we’re experiencing at a broader societal level reverberates throughout our spiritual lives.” p. 21, The Connected Life  Do you need encouragement to live a fearless story, not a perfect life? Enjoy LOVE IS FEARLESS t-shirts, posters, kitchen towels, canvas bags, and stickers to inspire yourself and those you love. Visit the Janet Newberry collection at dicksonthreads.com  Stay inspired by signing up for THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take on Living Loved. You'll receive Janet's newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month.  Find daily inspiration on social media -  janet_newberry on IG and Janet Newberry, Author on Facebook.   Together, there is great hope.

Join us in this episode as we dig deep into a new conversation about <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Connected-Life-Science-Relational-Spirituality/dp/1514002612/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Connected Life, by Todd W. Hall.</a> This week, we're talking about the power of love that changes everything, especially when we begin to experience God as a safe and secure Father, rather than a distant and threatening judge. In his book, Todd Hall tells about a man diagnosed with schizophrenia who is now functioning well and has a fulfilling life, due in large part to the power of loving connection to overcome genetic vulnerabilities. "Though genetics and medication certainly play a role, they are not the only factors that contribute to our well-being. Connection is also a major factor because we are born to connect." <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Connected-Life-Science-Relational-Spirituality/dp/1514002612/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">(p. 84)</a> Does this amazing story offer us a fresh perspective on Romans 12:2? What if being conformed to the patterns of this world happens when we're disconnected in our relationships, and being transformed by the renewing of your mind happens when we trust that we have a secure connection with a good, good Father?  Join us in this transformative new conversation and linger in these TAKEAWAYS -  <ol> <li>When we live in a world with fewer and fewer face-to-face connections, we lose the norms of reciprocity and trustworthiness - so we lose the ability to influence and impact each other with the power of love, even though we can still make people do what we want by manipulating them or shaming them. Receiving love requires a relationship of trust. Being pushed around by fear happens without trustworthiness.</li> <li>Walking on a healing journey with a spouse or a few close friends is not always easy, but it is deep and life-giving. Belonging, meaning, and creating real value in the world together is more satisfying than individualism, materialism, or another attempt at rebellion.</li> <li>“It turns out that social disconnection has a profound impact on our experiences with God and spiritual community. The connection crisis we’re experiencing at a broader societal level reverberates throughout our spiritual lives.” p. 21, The Connected Life</li> </ol> Do you need encouragement to live a fearless story, not a perfect life? Enjoy LOVE IS FEARLESS t-shirts, posters, kitchen towels, canvas bags, and stickers to inspire yourself and those you love. Visit the Janet Newberry collection at <a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">dicksonthreads.com</a> Stay inspired by <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/%20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">signing up for THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take on Living Loved</a>. You'll receive Janet's newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month. Find daily inspiration on social media -  <a href="https://www.instagram.com/janet_newberry/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">janet_newberry on IG </a>and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/janetnewberryauthor" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Janet Newberry, Author</a> on Facebook.  Together, there is great hope.

#116 A New Conversation About Living A New Life As A Child Of God

The connection crisis in our culture is running parallel to the mental illness epidemic in our world - for us and for our children. The crisis is more than what we see when we notice families sharing a table while all staring at their phones. Connection is not a personal preference or a check off on our to-do list. It's a human need. Without it, we get sick.  The real crisis started more than a generation before smartphones kidnapped our attention and we didn't bother to fight our captors. For all of us, the challenge to connect in healthy relationships began before we were born. By the time we learned to talk, we'd already been following a blueprint for relationships, for better or worse.  Psychologists call these blueprints "attachment styles." Insecure attachment styles have more power over what we choose to ignore or obey than the rules we know but don't follow. There's not enough behavior modification or willpower to revise an insecure attachment style, but love can do what hard work and self-effort can't. Love can help us find the limiting beliefs hidden in our earliest stories and teach us to tell ourselves truer stories - of freedom, not captivity.   Listen in as Doug and Janet start a new conversation about Todd W. Hall's book, The Connected Life - The Art and Science of Relational Spirituality.   TAKEAWAYS:  Are we offering our children a life Jesus set them free from? What is the impact on their stories?  Love is the stuff of connection, growth, healing, and transformation. Fear is the stuff of disconnection, prolonged immaturity, mental and physical illness, and conformity. A “Love Is Fearless Home” is a goal worthy to be your family’s rallying cry.   Connect with us to plan a John 15 Academy retreat for your small group. We’ll sit with you in new conversations about the connection crisis in our culture and the healing love offers in your home. We’ll balance comfort and challenge in new conversations that help you find the limiting beliefs standing in the way of your family’s healing story. Email us at janet@john15academy.com or doug@john15academy.com.   We mention these resources in this episode: Education by Design, Not Default - How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry  The Gift In You - Discovering New Life Through Hidden Gifts In Your Mind by Dr. Caroline Leaf  Hinds' Feet on High Places by Hannah Hurnard

The connection crisis in our culture is running parallel to the mental illness epidemic in our world - for us and for our children. The crisis is more than what we see when we notice families sharing a table while all staring at their phones. Connection is not a personal preference or a check off on our to-do list. It's a human need. Without it, we get sick. The real crisis started more than a generation before smartphones kidnapped our attention and we didn't bother to fight our captors. For all of us, the challenge to connect in healthy relationships began before we were born. By the time we learned to talk, we'd already been following a blueprint for relationships, for better or worse. Psychologists call these blueprints "attachment styles." Insecure attachment styles have more power over what we choose to ignore or obey than the rules we know but don't follow. There's not enough behavior modification or willpower to revise an insecure attachment style, but love can do what hard work and self-effort can't. Love can help us find the limiting beliefs hidden in our earliest stories and teach us to tell ourselves truer stories - of freedom, not captivity.  Listen in as Doug and Janet start a new conversation about Todd W. Hall's book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Connected-Life-Science-Relational-Spirituality/dp/1514002612/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Connected Life - The Art and Science of Relational Spirituality</a>.  TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Are we offering our children a life Jesus set them free from? What is the impact on their stories? </li> <li>Love is the stuff of connection, growth, healing, and transformation. Fear is the stuff of disconnection, prolonged immaturity, mental and physical illness, and conformity. A “Love Is Fearless Home” is a goal worthy to be your family’s rallying cry.  </li> <li>Connect with us to plan a John 15 Academy retreat for your small group. We’ll sit with you in new conversations about the connection crisis in our culture and the healing love offers in your home. We’ll balance comfort and challenge in new conversations that help you find the limiting beliefs standing in the way of your family’s healing story. Email us at <a href="mailto:janet@john15academy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">janet@john15academy.com</a> or <a href="mailto:doug@john15academy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">doug@john15academy.com</a>. </li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Education by Design, Not Default - How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning</a> by Janet Newberry <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gift-You-Discovering-Through-Hidden/dp/0981956734/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Gift In You - Discovering New Life Through Hidden Gifts In Your Mind</a> by Dr. Caroline Leaf <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hinds-Feet-High-Places-Engaging/dp/1496424670/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Hinds' Feet on High Places</a> by Hannah Hurnard

#115 A New Conversation About Relating With Others and Why It Matters More Than You Think

LOVE IS FEARLESS is having a birthday! Born on July 4, 2018, LIF has been downloaded in over 60 countries and is transforming families worldwide. Share this episode to help us celebrate!  In this Season 4 episode sharing new conversations about transformational books, Doug and Janet talk about Education by Design, Not Default - and the power of connection in childhood.   As parents, we teach our children how they should be treated - for better or worse. Then our children teach others how to treat them, using the blueprint we've given them. If we teach our children we don't have time or energy for their emotions, they will learn that lesson in relation to themselves - and teach others their emotions are not worthy of time and energy.  When children experience secure, transformational relationships, it's possible to develop a healthy brain and nervous system. But when children experience disconnected, transactional relationships, children are required to cope, simply to succeed. Coping causes adaptations that, long term, can lead to mental illness.   Janet's book gives parents and educators practical ideas about how to enjoy transformational relationships and where to start with both younger and older children. Doug and Janet leave listeners with many inspirational ideas and these TAKEAWAYS:  Transformation is not the same as success, measured by traditional standards. Transformation is internal and success is external. "If those we trust meet our real needs, we'll grow strong because we trust their direction and correction. If those we trust don't meet our real needs, we'll grow older, but not more satisfied." (p. 52, Education by Design)   Our children's primary need is to experience love, not success. Love will mature them, and can help them be successful - in healthy relationships, not at the expense of them." (p. 12, Education by Design)  We mention these resources:   Visit one of the parent paths on john15academy.com to download a free book study guide for you and your spouse or small group. LOVE IS FEARLESS merch!!! Thanks to our partnership with Jana Dickson, a portion of the proceeds from the LOVE IS FEARLESS - JANET NEWBERRY Collection will benefit John 15 Academy.  John 15 Academy - We help families live in transformational relationships so children can live loved instead of afraid. Please visit our website to find abundant resources available at no charge. Please pray about becoming a part of our financial support team.  THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take On Living Loved - Subscribe to Janet's newsletter to get merch discount coupons only available to subscribers!  Together, there is great hope.

LOVE IS FEARLESS is having a birthday! Born on July 4, 2018, LIF has been downloaded in over 60 countries and is transforming families worldwide. Share this episode to help us celebrate! In this Season 4 episode sharing new conversations about transformational books, Doug and Janet talk about <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Education by Design, Not Default</a> - and the power of connection in childhood.  As parents, we teach our children how they should be treated - for better or worse. Then our children teach others how to treat them, using the blueprint we've given them. If we teach our children we don't have time or energy for their emotions, they will learn that lesson in relation to themselves - and teach others their emotions are not worthy of time and energy. When children experience secure, transformational relationships, it's possible to develop a healthy brain and nervous system. But when children experience disconnected, transactional relationships, children are required to cope, simply to succeed. Coping causes adaptations that, long term, can lead to mental illness.   Janet's book gives parents and educators practical ideas about how to enjoy transformational relationships and where to start with both younger and older children. Doug and Janet leave listeners with many inspirational ideas and these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Transformation is not the same as success, measured by traditional standards. Transformation is internal and success is external.</li> <li>"If those we trust meet our real needs, we'll grow strong because we trust their direction and correction. If those we trust don't meet our real needs, we'll grow older, but not more satisfied." (p. 52, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Education by Design</a>)  </li> <li>Our children's primary need is to experience love, not success. Love will mature them, and can help them be successful - in healthy relationships, not at the expense of them." (p. 12, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Education by Design</a>)</li> </ul> We mention these resources:  <ul> <li>Visit one of the parent paths on <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">john15academy.com</a> to download a free book study guide for you and your spouse or small group.</li> <li><a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS merch</a>!!! Thanks to our partnership with Jana Dickson, a portion of the proceeds from the <a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS - JANET NEWBERRY Collection </a>will benefit <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy. </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.john15academy.com/%20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy</a> - We help families live in transformational relationships so children can live loved instead of afraid. Please visit our website to find abundant resources available at no charge. Please pray about becoming a part of our <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">financial support team. </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take On Living Loved</a> - Subscribe to <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Janet's newsletter</a> to get merch discount coupons only available to subscribers!</li> </ul> Together, there is great hope.

#114 A Conversation About Learning How to Relate to Yourself

Dan Herod

Dan Herod is known for starting conversations we didn’t know we needed to have. Gifted with an uncommon path in life, he writes and speaks to empower.   Born to a deaf father and surviving the aching wake of his parent’s divorce prepared him for the most crushing loss a parent can meet. He knows that a soul that screams heavenward in frustration about their situation can discover how hope sometimes lives between the lines.  His newest release, The Three Mile Valley is a book and video series that equips the reader to live better by thinking better - with God's help. Join us in this new conversation about life and loss.  Learn more about Youth Alive and connect with Dan on IG and FB.    Doug and I offer these TAKEAWAYS from today's conversation-   What you see is not what you get. What you see is what you get through. Now is not forever. Create a strategy for tragedy. Start with a strategy for everyday challenges. Be sure to start with God when creating your strategy. Your tragedy is not your identity.  We mention these resources:   LOVE IS FEARLESS merch!!! Thanks to our partnership with Jana Dickson, a portion of the proceeds from the LOVE IS FEARLESS - JANET NEWBERRY Collection will benefit John 15 Academy.  John 15 Academy - We help families live in transformational relationships so children can live loved instead of afraid. Please visit our website to find abundant resources available at no charge. Please pray about becoming a part of our financial support team.  THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take On Living Loved - Subscribe to Janet's newsletter to get merch discount coupons only available to subscribers!  Together, there is great hope.

<a href="https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dan-herod%20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Dan Herod</a> is known for starting conversations we didn’t know we needed to have. Gifted with an uncommon path in life, he writes and speaks to empower.   Born to a deaf father and surviving the aching wake of his parent’s divorce prepared him for the most crushing loss a parent can meet. He knows that a soul that screams heavenward in frustration about their situation can discover how hope sometimes lives between the lines. His newest release, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Three-Mile-Valley-Changing-Conversations/dp/B0C29Z8QLL/%20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Three Mile Valley</a> is a book and <a href="https://hopebetweenthelines.com/%20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">video series</a> that equips the reader to live better by thinking better - with God's help. Join us in this new conversation about life and loss. Learn more about <a href="https://youth.ag.org/participate/youth-alive" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Youth Alive</a> and connect with Dan on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dan_herod/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">IG </a>and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HopeBetweenTheLines/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">FB. </a>   Doug and I offer these TAKEAWAYS from today's conversation-  <ul> <li>What you see is not what you get. What you see is what you get through. Now is not forever.</li> <li>Create a strategy for tragedy. Start with a strategy for everyday challenges. Be sure to start with God when creating your strategy.</li> <li>Your tragedy is not your identity.</li> </ul> We mention these resources:  <ul> <li><a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS merch</a>!!! Thanks to our partnership with Jana Dickson, a portion of the proceeds from the <a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS - JANET NEWBERRY Collection </a>will benefit <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy. </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.john15academy.com/%20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy</a> - We help families live in transformational relationships so children can live loved instead of afraid. Please visit our website to find abundant resources available at no charge. Please pray about becoming a part of our <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">financial support team. </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take On Living Loved</a> - Subscribe to <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Janet's newsletter</a> to get merch discount coupons only available to subscribers!</li> </ul> Together, there is great hope.

#113 A Conversation About Life and Loss with Dan Herod

David Zailer

The LOVE IS FEARLESS podcast is a safe place to have conversations about painful and difficult stories. If you experienced childhood in a dysfunctional family story and you're staggering through your own healing journey, this episode is for you. If your children are experiencing their childhood in a dysfunctional family story, this episode is for you, too.  David Zailer is our guest in this conversation about the painful family of origin stories and the addictions that often become our ways of coping. David is an author, speaker, and founder of Operation Integrity. He is also on the faculty of the Leadership Institute, championing faith-based recovery internationally. His current book is Death of a Fisherman: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Forgiveness. His previous books include Our Journey Home, When Lost Men Come Home, and Starting Point for Recovery. David lives in Laguna Niguel, California where he is active in his community and enjoys running and cycling.  Death of a Fisherman is a torrent of truthful courage and defiant hope. Join us in this conversation with David to help illuminate your own courageous path toward healing.   Doug and I offer these TAKEAWAYS -   The process of answering hard but healing questions begins to peel away the subconscious blindness we've used to protect ourselves since we were children. We need to face our scars. We need to face the music - so our songs of bondage and fear can become choruses of freedom and love.  "To my astonishment, not giving up on myself was the road that led me home." (A quote from Death of a Fisherman.)  We mention these resources in this episode:   LOVE IS FEARLESS merch!!! Thanks to our partnership with Jana Dickson, a portion of the proceeds from the LOVE IS FEARLESS - JANET NEWBERRY Collection will benefit John 15 Academy.  John 15 Academy - We help adults love children well so children can thrive instead of simply succeed. THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take On Living Loved - Subscribe to Janet's newsletter to get merch discount coupons only available to subscribers!  Together, there is great hope.

The LOVE IS FEARLESS podcast is a safe place to have conversations about painful and difficult stories. If you experienced childhood in a dysfunctional family story and you're staggering through your own healing journey, this episode is for you. If your children are experiencing their childhood in a dysfunctional family story, this episode is for you, too. David Zailer is our guest in this conversation about the painful family of origin stories and the addictions that often become our ways of coping. David is an author, speaker, and founder of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Fisherman-David-Zailer/dp/B0BHG81FB2/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Operation Integrity</a>. He is also on the faculty of the Leadership Institute, championing faith-based recovery internationally. His current book is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Fisherman-David-Zailer/dp/B0BHG81FB2/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Death of a Fisherman: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Forgiveness</a>. His previous books include Our Journey Home, When Lost Men Come Home, and Starting Point for Recovery. David lives in Laguna Niguel, California where he is active in his community and enjoys running and cycling. Death of a Fisherman is a torrent of truthful courage and defiant hope. Join us in this conversation with David to help illuminate your own courageous path toward healing.  Doug and I offer these TAKEAWAYS -  <ul> <li>The process of answering hard but healing questions begins to peel away the subconscious blindness we've used to protect ourselves since we were children. We need to face our scars. We need to face the music - so our songs of bondage and fear can become choruses of freedom and love. </li> <li>"To my astonishment, not giving up on myself was the road that led me home." (A quote from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Death-Fisherman-David-Zailer/dp/B0BHG81FB2/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Death of a Fisherman</a>.)</li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode:  <ul> <li><a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS merch</a>!!! Thanks to our partnership with Jana Dickson, a portion of the proceeds from the <a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS - JANET NEWBERRY Collection </a>will benefit <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy. </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.john15academy.com/%20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy</a> - We help adults love children well so children can thrive instead of simply succeed.</li> <li><a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take On Living Loved</a> - Subscribe to <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Janet's newsletter</a> to get merch discount coupons only available to subscribers!</li> </ul> Together, there is great hope.

#112 A Conversation About Family, Faith, and Forgiveness with David Zailer

Janet was invited to share the commencement speech with a graduating class in Stephenville, TX and the message was so powerful and well-received, we promised some friends we'd share it on a podcast episode. If you have a 2023 graduate in your family, please tell them about this episode as our gift of congratulations and encouragement for their future.  If it's been a while since you graduated, this gift is for you, especially if you're dreading Mondays in a fear story instead of living inspired with purpose, safety, and impact in a love story. Doug chose these takeaways from Janet's commencement speech:    We can’t put JESUS in a fear story. We can try, but that’s inviting disintegration instead of abiding. When CHRIST is our LIFE, we are destined to live a love story because we are CONNECTED to the very power that casts out fear. Our physical bodies get sick when we live anxiously or constantly on high alert. “Peace be with you” was not just a kind greeting from Jesus to His disciples after His resurrection. Jesus knew what kind of mental dis-ease could grow from worry and overthinking. “Pursue a fearless story, not a perfect life. There’s nothing at stake here, friends. Together, there is great hope.”  We mention these resources in this episode:   LOVE IS FEARLESS merch!!! Thanks to our partnership with Jana Dickson, a portion of the proceeds from the LOVE IS FEARLESS - JANET NEWBERRY Collection will benefit John 15 Academy.  John 15 Academy - We help adults love children well so children can thrive instead of simply succeed. THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take On Living Loved - Subscribe to Janet's newsletter to get merch discount coupons only available in her newsletter!  Together, there is great hope.

Janet was invited to share the commencement speech with a graduating class in Stephenville, TX and the message was so powerful and well-received, we promised some friends we'd share it on a podcast episode. If you have a 2023 graduate in your family, please tell them about this episode as our gift of congratulations and encouragement for their future. If it's been a while since you graduated, this gift is for you, especially if you're dreading Mondays in a fear story instead of living inspired with purpose, safety, and impact in a love story. Doug chose these takeaways from Janet's commencement speech:  <ul> <li>We can’t put JESUS in a fear story. We can try, but that’s inviting disintegration instead of abiding. When CHRIST is our LIFE, we are destined to live a love story because we are CONNECTED to the very power that casts out fear.</li> <li>Our physical bodies get sick when we live anxiously or constantly on high alert. “Peace be with you” was not just a kind greeting from Jesus to His disciples after His resurrection. Jesus knew what kind of mental dis-ease could grow from worry and overthinking.</li> <li>“Pursue a fearless story, not a perfect life. There’s nothing at stake here, friends. Together, there is great hope.”</li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode:  <ul> <li><a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS merch</a>!!! Thanks to our partnership with Jana Dickson, a portion of the proceeds from the <a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/collections/john-15-academy-janet-newberry" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS - JANET NEWBERRY Collection </a>will benefit <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy. </a></li> <li><a href="https://www.john15academy.com/%20" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy</a> - We help adults love children well so children can thrive instead of simply succeed.</li> <li><a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">THE CURATED LIFE - A Fresh Take On Living Loved</a> - Subscribe to <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Janet's newsletter</a> to get merch discount coupons only available in her newsletter!</li> </ul> Together, there is great hope.

#111 A Gift To the Class of 2023

A safe relationship is different from a good relationship because a safe person is different from a good person. When we experience good relationships with good people, we are influenced by their goodness, but often it is the kind of "good" that's evident because of their success. They have good jobs, make a good salary, drive a good car, and wear the latest "good" shoes.  When we experience safe relationships with safe people, we are influenced by the way they care for themselves and others and the way they let others care for them, too. Safe people help us grow. They can help us heal and mature.  Mature people don't struggle to be good, but immature people who make good money sometimes struggle to show they care for themselves or others. If you're a child in a home with good parents who aren't well equipped to care, your maturity is going to be stunted at the level of their immaturity, no matter how good your grades are or how many points you score in your next tournament.  Join us for a conversation about THE CURE &amp; Parents, a great book about the power of safe relationships in our own homes.  Linger in these takeaways -   "Whether we are reacting to our parents, planning to be parents, overwhelmed at being parents, or learning to stand with our kids as they now parent, we need to know there is a way home. A way to be convinced God is in the middle of every stage of our family." Maturity happens when we abide in secure relationships, not by trying to be good all the time. In the moments when shame is most painful for our children, we get the opportunity to show up as their ally instead of their enemy. "When your children are young, being the parent carries enough control to handle them. But if you don't grow up as they grow older, your immaturity will stunt their maturity at the level of your own. And no measure of control can handle that."   We mention these resources in this episode -   Big news!!! LOVE IS FEARLESS t-shirts are now available on dicksonthreads.com. Thank you to our new friends who are donating a portion of their profits from the merch on the Love Is Fearless page of their website to help support John 15 Academy. Go check it out, y'all! THE CURE and Parents by John and Stacey Lynch, Grace and Bill Thrall, and Bruce and Janet McNicol. Support John 15 Academy by visiting john15academy.com/support  

A safe relationship is different from a good relationship because a safe person is different from a good person. When we experience good relationships with good people, we are influenced by their goodness, but often it is the kind of "good" that's evident because of their success. They have good jobs, make a good salary, drive a good car, and wear the latest "good" shoes. When we experience safe relationships with safe people, we are influenced by the way they care for themselves and others and the way they let others care for them, too. Safe people help us grow. They can help us heal and mature. Mature people don't struggle to be good, but immature people who make good money sometimes struggle to show they care for themselves or others. If you're a child in a home with good parents who aren't well equipped to care, your maturity is going to be stunted at the level of their immaturity, no matter how good your grades are or how many points you score in your next tournament. Join us for a conversation about <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cure-Parents-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104094/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">THE CURE &amp; Parents</a>, a great book about the power of safe relationships in our own homes. Linger in these takeaways -  <ol> <li>"Whether we are reacting to our parents, planning to be parents, overwhelmed at being parents, or learning to stand with our kids as they now parent, we need to know there is a way home. A way to be convinced God is in the middle of every stage of our family."</li> <li>Maturity happens when we abide in secure relationships, not by trying to be good all the time. In the moments when shame is most painful for our children, we get the opportunity to show up as their ally instead of their enemy.</li> <li>"When your children are young, being the parent carries enough control to handle them. But if you don't grow up as they grow older, your immaturity will stunt their maturity at the level of your own. And no measure of control can handle that." </li> </ol> We mention these resources in this episode -  <ul> <li>Big news!!! LOVE IS FEARLESS t-shirts are now available on <a href="https://dicksonthreads.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">dicksonthreads.com</a>. Thank you to our new friends who are donating a portion of their profits from the merch on the Love Is Fearless page of their website to help support John 15 Academy. Go check it out, y'all!</li> <li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cure-Parents-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104094/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">THE CURE and Parents</a> by John and Stacey Lynch, Grace and Bill Thrall, and Bruce and Janet McNicol.</li> <li>Support John 15 Academy by visiting <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">john15academy.com/support </a></li> </ul>

#110 A Conversation About Safe Relationships

The Cure is undoubtedly the book that's changed our lives the most. Truly! If you're wondering where the Bible fits in our stories, it is the most important book for us, hands down. But The Cure changed how we read the Bible, and is helping us live loved by God instead of afraid of Him.  The back cover of the book is a great intro to this episode. It says, "We thought we were cured. But eventually, most of us unwittingly carry an old, dead outlook into our new life. We couldn't measure up to a standard we created, so we convinced ourselves it was God's. We read His words through a grid of shame and felt ourselves fall farther and farther behind. We took it out on each other; judging, comparing, splintering. Some of us retreated from the whole charade, becoming cynical, mistrusting, jaded from hope. Our marriages, churches, families, friendships, our marketplaces, our culture... they all need the cure.  But God's cures rarely come in the form we expect. What if, indeed, God is not who we think he is... and neither are we?" This conversation offers these takeaways:   Whenever we're trying to move ourselves or others from a place of immaturity to maturity, we can use the tools of fear, shame, and manipulation, or we can build trust and lend strength. Fear teaches us to cope. Love offers real hope. "Pleasing God is a good desire. It just can't be our primary motivation, or it'll imprison our hearts." "Until you trust God, nothing you do will please God." (The Cure) When our goal is to try to behave better, we'll never discover that we're loving more. But when our goal is to trust God's love for us...and rest in His love...and try our best to love others the way He loves us, we cannot help but discover that our behavior is evidence of our healing.  We also talk about these additional resources:   John Lynch's Two Roads message and John Lynch Speaks Trueface.org John15Academy.com JanetNewberry.com  

<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-What-Isnt-Think-Neither-ebook/dp/B006G3NFR0/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Cure</a> is undoubtedly the book that's changed our lives the most. Truly! If you're wondering where the Bible fits in our stories, it is the most important book for us, hands down. But <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-What-Isnt-Think-Neither-ebook/dp/B006G3NFR0/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Cure</a> changed how we read the Bible, and is helping us live loved by God instead of afraid of Him. The back cover of the book is a great intro to this episode. It says, "We thought we were cured. But eventually, most of us unwittingly carry an old, dead outlook into our new life. We couldn't measure up to a standard we created, so we convinced ourselves it was God's. We read His words through a grid of shame and felt ourselves fall farther and farther behind. We took it out on each other; judging, comparing, splintering. Some of us retreated from the whole charade, becoming cynical, mistrusting, jaded from hope. Our marriages, churches, families, friendships, our marketplaces, our culture... they all need the cure. But God's cures rarely come in the form we expect. What if, indeed, God is not who we think he is... and neither are we?" This conversation offers these takeaways:  <ol> <li>Whenever we're trying to move ourselves or others from a place of immaturity to maturity, we can use the tools of fear, shame, and manipulation, or we can build trust and lend strength. Fear teaches us to cope. Love offers real hope.</li> <li>"Pleasing God is a good desire. It just can't be our primary motivation, or it'll imprison our hearts." "Until you trust God, nothing you do will please God." <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-What-Isnt-Think-Neither-ebook/dp/B006G3NFR0/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">(The Cure)</a></li> <li>When our goal is to try to behave better, we'll never discover that we're loving more. But when our goal is to trust God's love for us...and rest in His love...and try our best to love others the way He loves us, we cannot help but discover that our behavior is evidence of our healing.</li> </ol> We also talk about these additional resources:  <ul> <li>John Lynch's <a href="https://youtu.be/Rfy03PEVUhQ" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Two Roads</a> message and <a href="https://www.johnlynchspeaks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John Lynch Speaks</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.trueface.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Trueface.org</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.john15academy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John15Academy.com</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">JanetNewberry.com </a></li> </ul>

#109 A Conversation About Living a Vulnerable Life

This is our first-ever BONUS episode! As we launch Season Four we're promising great conversations about books and authors that love us well. We're admitting that books are some of our best friends and we're excited about introducing you to some of the best.  We're also committing to at least one new episode every month. While we're fundraising for John 15 Academy and Doug is still working full-time, we know we can be true to that commitment. Maybe you never thought about it much, but podcasting takes a lot of time. And it can be expensive, too. So we're balancing our real needs with our passion to offer you episodes that are not just good, but good FOR you! We'd rather underpromise and over-deliver than the other way around.  If you've been with us for over 100 episodes, you know us very well. But you still may have some questions about what's going on in our story right now. And, if you haven't been with us since the beginning, you may be really confused when we talk about our Airstream journey, my book, or John 15 Academy.  So thanks for listening to our bonus episode. We're telling some great stories about all the twists and turns we've experienced on this trusting God road. We can either laugh about all the mistakes and celebrate the miracles, or we can feel ashamed. But ashamed is what we learned in a culture of fear, not a culture of love. Together, there is great hope.  This bonus episode offers two takeaways and lots of resources:   Do you need help? Over the past 10 years, we've developed great resources to help families, marriages, and educators connect and reconnect in their most sacred relationships. Visit john15academy.com and janetnewberry.com to find access to these resources at no charge.  Will you help us? Redeeming childhood in our country and in our world is our passion and our destiny. We can't do it alone and we're excited about you getting excited about redeeming childhood, too. Here are 5 simple ways you can contribute in a significant way: (1) Share this episode. Help us share the hope that love brings to children's stories. (2) Invite Janet to speak. (3) Plan a retreat. Contact us at doug@john15academy.com or janet@john15academy.com and we'll share some amazing transformation stories from retreats we've hosted and start planning yours. (4) Talk to your pastor and your mission committee at your church. Invite us to share how we can create a hunger for the love of God in children's lives by changing the way they're experiencing childhood. It's easier than you may think! (5) Pray about joining our financial support team. We're excited about how God will lead you to be a part of making "love one another" practical in our world.  One more resource that may be helpful to you: Education by Design, Not Default - How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry  Together, there is great hope.

This is our first-ever BONUS episode! As we launch Season Four we're promising great conversations about books and authors that love us well. We're admitting that books are some of our best friends and we're excited about introducing you to some of the best. We're also committing to at least one new episode every month. While we're fundraising for John 15 Academy and Doug is still working full-time, we know we can be true to that commitment. Maybe you never thought about it much, but podcasting takes a lot of time. And it can be expensive, too. So we're balancing our real needs with our passion to offer you episodes that are not just good, but good FOR you! We'd rather underpromise and over-deliver than the other way around. If you've been with us for over 100 episodes, you know us very well. But you still may have some questions about what's going on in our story right now. And, if you haven't been with us since the beginning, you may be really confused when we talk about our Airstream journey, my book, or John 15 Academy. So thanks for listening to our bonus episode. We're telling some great stories about all the twists and turns we've experienced on this trusting God road. We can either laugh about all the mistakes and celebrate the miracles, or we can feel ashamed. But ashamed is what we learned in a culture of fear, not a culture of love. Together, there is great hope. This bonus episode offers two takeaways and lots of resources:  <ol> <li>Do you need help? Over the past 10 years, we've developed great resources to help families, marriages, and educators connect and reconnect in their most sacred relationships. Visit <a href="https://john15academy.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">john15academy.com</a> and <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">janetnewberry.com</a> to find access to these resources at no charge. </li> <li>Will you help us? Redeeming childhood in our country and in our world is our passion and our destiny. We can't do it alone and we're excited about you getting excited about redeeming childhood, too. Here are 5 simple ways you can contribute in a significant way: (1) Share this episode. Help us share the hope that love brings to children's stories. (2) <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/speaking" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Invite Janet to speak.</a> (3) Plan a retreat. Contact us at <a href="mailto:doug@john15academy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">doug@john15academy.com</a> or <a href="mailto:janet@john15academy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">janet@john15academy.com</a> and we'll share some amazing transformation stories from retreats we've hosted and start planning yours. (4) Talk to your pastor and your mission committee at your church. Invite us to share how we can create a hunger for the love of God in children's lives by changing the way they're experiencing childhood. It's easier than you may think! (5) <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pray about joining our financial support team</a>. We're excited about how God will lead you to be a part of making "love one another" practical in our world.</li> </ol> One more resource that may be helpful to you: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Education by Design, Not Default - How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning</a> by Janet Newberry Together, there is great hope.

#108 What if we don't call them bloopers?

Welcome to Season Four! We're excited to share meaningful conversations about great books and maybe a few great movies, too. :)  What do great books have to do with living loved instead of afraid? That's a good question. This season is all about building relationships with great authors and letting the ideas in books love us well. That means great books are good FOR US, not simply good. Powerful ideas are nutritious food for the mind, and abiding in them long enough to have a conversation is transformational.  The short way to answer that question is that great books offer us love because they meet our real needs for wisdom, direction, correction, and inspiration. So Season Four offers to love you well by inviting you to let love meet your need to be inspired with us. We may even offer a bit of wisdom, too.  This episode is a conversation about The Return of the Prodigal Son - A Story of Homecoming by Henri J. M. Nouwen. Listen in as we tell how a copy of Rembrandt's famous painting found a prominent place in our home and we share a few of our favorite quotes from the book.  Email us* with your takeaways from this episode and linger in these ideas that inspired us -   Love isn't love if you have to earn it. Many of us have lived a relationship as hired servants with God and today is a great day to come home as His child. Yesterday doesn't predict tomorrow when we let love happen in our relationships today.   Doug's email address is doug@john15academy.com Janet's email address is janet@john15academy.com  We mention these resources: The Return of the Prodigal Son - A Story of Homecoming by Henri J. M. Nouwen  Education by Design, Not Default - How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry  John 15 Academy - resources for parents and teachers  Join our financial support team at John 15 Academy and help us provide resources for parents and teachers.

Welcome to Season Four! We're excited to share meaningful conversations about great books and maybe a few great movies, too. :) What do great books have to do with living loved instead of afraid? That's a good question. This season is all about building relationships with great authors and letting the ideas in books love us well. That means great books are good FOR US, not simply good. Powerful ideas are nutritious food for the mind, and abiding in them long enough to have a conversation is transformational. The short way to answer that question is that great books offer us love because they meet our real needs for wisdom, direction, correction, and inspiration. So Season Four offers to love you well by inviting you to let love meet your need to be inspired with us. We may even offer a bit of wisdom, too. This episode is a conversation about The Return of the Prodigal Son - A Story of Homecoming by Henri J. M. Nouwen. Listen in as we tell how a copy of Rembrandt's famous painting found a prominent place in our home and we share a few of our favorite quotes from the book. Email us* with your takeaways from this episode and linger in these ideas that inspired us -  <ul> <li>Love isn't love if you have to earn it.</li> <li>Many of us have lived a relationship as hired servants with God and today is a great day to come home as His child.</li> <li>Yesterday doesn't predict tomorrow when we let love happen in our relationships today. </li> </ul> Doug's email address is <a href="mailto:doug@john15academy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">doug@john15academy.com</a> Janet's email address is <a href="mailto:janet@john15academy.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">janet@john15academy.com</a> We mention these resources: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Return-Prodigal-Son-Story-Homecoming/dp/0385473079/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Return of the Prodigal Son - A Story of Homecoming</a> by Henri J. M. Nouwen <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Education by Design, Not Default - How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning</a> by Janet Newberry <a href="https://www.john15academy.com%20/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">John 15 Academy</a> - resources for parents and teachers Join our financial <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/support" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">support team at John 15 Academy</a> and help us provide resources for parents and teachers.

#107 A Conversation About Unconditional Love

Most people don't realize it's possible to live a life without fear, a life where love removes anxiety and anger and shame from every conversation, every challenge, every decision. LOVE IS FEARLESS is on a mission to help create cultures of love instead of fear--in homes, schools, workplaces, communities, and churches. We believe that truth is essential, trust is crucial, and love is our great hope to build a world without fear. Join us for our podcast, where we’ll offer practical advice that will empower you to bravely choose love every day. Together, we can change the world--YOUR world.

Janet and Doug are fantastic and refreshing. This is a must listen for parents! Build relationships of trust and learn to live loved and give love!

A must for parents

This podcast is like water for the dry &amp; weary soul. Janet &amp; Doug speak life giving words of hope, grace and love for your family. Your heart will be refreshed and you will be blessed by this podcast and by their ministry!!

Find Grace in education & home life here!

LOVE IS FEARLESS

In this episode, we are reminded that, as believers in the finished work of Jesus, all of our sins (past, present, and future) have been forgiven. "It is finished!" We are made new. But all this newness now exists in physical bodies that are holding onto things (toxic emotions, habits, relationships...) that we've had for a long time and that aren't going to help us live in the truth of our newness. Some of the things we hold tightest to because they are traditions began in response to an emergency--not in response to truth. Some of the systems we use on a daily basis are built on false traditions. We've learned to hold onto guilt and shame. We often live with a toxic recipe of mixed emotions. Some of us have learned lifelong patterns of relating that are unhealthy and abusive--to ourselves and others. Join us as we untangle some false traditions in this episode--including the black sheep/scapegoat response to the crisis of not trusting God with our unresolved issues. We also talk about the heartache of carrying the weight of loss and sadness. We declared Thursday last week "A Day of Sadness." Listen in as we share the story of choosing to be honest about our hurt and our healing. We invite you to linger in these TAKEAWAYS:  If the lies of busyness tempted us to build false traditions in our families before, the truth of stillness is inviting us to build traditions based on love, instead of fear of missing out.  A lie is never a step toward healing. Will you be UNWILLING to lie to yourself? Who will you trust as your source of truth? Law offers information about right and wrong. But information offers no strength to do the right thing. Love does. When we can begin to trust the strength of another to help us do what seems impossible to do on our own, we can begin to trust the strength of God to help us, too.  Moving in the direction of love is the way we experience the resolution of our issues. The same source who offers us forgiveness now leads us on a journey of healing.  Together, there is great hope.   We mention these resources in this episode: Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless-ebook/dp/B07MBQXS9L/   This quote: "…Asking "why" assumes that information has the power to heal. If I just knew why this was happening then the pain would be easier to endure. What I've learned, however, is that information cannot mend a breaking, fearful heart. We see this in the story of Job. Even if God had told Job why he was suffering, Job would still have had to deal with the loss of his health and family and wealth. The truth is, we may never fully understand why God allows the pain and disruption that devastates our lives. We may never find the right answers to when this season or soreness will end or how we’ll ever get out of it. There may not be any silver lining, especially not in the ways we would like. But we don’t need answers as much as we need God’s presence in and through the suffering itself. Because, when it comes to suffering, if we do not go to our graves in confusion we will not go to our graves trusting. Explanations are often a substitute for trust. So take heart and find hope in this: God’s chief concern for you right now is to be with you and to be Himself for you. And in the end, what you will discover is that this really is enough." Tullian Tchividjian

In this episode, we are reminded that, as believers in the finished work of Jesus, all of our sins (past, present, and future) have been forgiven. "It is finished!" We are made new. But all this newness now exists in physical bodies that are holding onto things (toxic emotions, habits, relationships...) that we've had for a long time and that aren't going to help us live in the truth of our newness. Some of the things we hold tightest to because they are traditions began in response to an emergency--not in response to truth. Some of the systems we use on a daily basis are built on false traditions. We've learned to hold onto guilt and shame. We often live with a toxic recipe of mixed emotions. Some of us have learned lifelong patterns of relating that are unhealthy and abusive--to ourselves and others. Join us as we untangle some false traditions in this episode--including the black sheep/scapegoat response to the crisis of not trusting God with our unresolved issues. We also talk about the heartache of carrying the weight of loss and sadness. We declared Thursday last week "A Day of Sadness." Listen in as we share the story of choosing to be honest about our hurt and our healing. We invite you to linger in these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>If the lies of busyness tempted us to build false traditions in our families before, the truth of stillness is inviting us to build traditions based on love, instead of fear of missing out. </li> <li>A lie is never a step toward healing. Will you be UNWILLING to lie to yourself? Who will you trust as your source of truth?</li> <li>Law offers information about right and wrong. But information offers no strength to do the right thing. Love does. When we can begin to trust the strength of another to help us do what seems impossible to do on our own, we can begin to trust the strength of God to help us, too.  Moving in the direction of love is the way we experience the resolution of our issues. The same source who offers us forgiveness now leads us on a journey of healing.</li> </ul> Together, there is great hope. We mention these resources in this episode: Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless-ebook/dp/B07MBQXS9L/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless-ebook/dp/B07MBQXS9L/</a> This quote: "…Asking "why" assumes that information has the power to heal. If I just knew why this was happening then the pain would be easier to endure. What I've learned, however, is that information cannot mend a breaking, fearful heart. We see this in the story of Job. Even if God had told Job why he was suffering, Job would still have had to deal with the loss of his health and family and wealth. The truth is, we may never fully understand why God allows the pain and disruption that devastates our lives. We may never find the right answers to when this season or soreness will end or how we’ll ever get out of it. There may not be any silver lining, especially not in the ways we would like. But we don’t need answers as much as we need God’s presence in and through the suffering itself. Because, when it comes to suffering, if we do not go to our graves in confusion we will not go to our graves trusting. Explanations are often a substitute for trust. So take heart and find hope in this: God’s chief concern for you right now is to be with you and to be Himself for you. And in the end, what you will discover is that this really is enough." <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TullianT/?__tn__=kCH-R&amp;eid=ARBE1jd0Mgmgs8PRqfB4ztL8BUDYuYAeU7D86YSwhW6RsVc19tzC-x0Mk-nFgBW9Fe_dWXwNYTY1DGzB&amp;hc_ref=ARTpdvgD-qyuZhu8my850pJWnE49yRIfu27kLGrwRwnEeK2isRrEARoR781RZ7RtLE4&amp;fref=nf&amp;__xts__%5B0%5D=68.ARBRVOej0-TG6jkNuxIRvj_AY94rSkFQni-0UkrUUdELc7x85fBobAN60XJggxq656iuD0oPxCq05089qMstdfxiakt9U725kZPiuyB9iioggQQAM1JctbSaz_Q_WsjSy3mah17_LrNH4DdPwPQ3e2tYGjQbLLE0xV6835EtVAoPK1U_E426h4EIVSpQflEMFZkG46My-JyR45apj3GCPpiTJJmHE-8iS0Hx60A3IwlPigzNFMwE14cFXr9l80LpIzzeCV2iJwmo6z_5hdQEbNuAlq2-LZpnZYNso04t1y_kIeG181Gpr99boUMnLFwk7oPKwxWfswxdaNOX" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Tullian Tchividjian</a>

#092: Why Giving Yourself Permission To Be Sad May Be Good For You

Sibling rivalry is a drain on our patience and our relationships.  Most often, sibling rivalry is not a behavior problem.  What we misdiagnose, we will mistreat.  BRAVE LOVE offers these new ideas to begin to cure sibling rivalry:  Help children untangle thoughts and feelings.  Sort lies from truth, and behavior will come untangled, too.  Behavior is the echo of belief. Help children find the real pain points in the stories they're telling themselves.  Find shame--and trust love to do what love does.  Love heals. Trade "be good" for "be loved and be loving" as the mantra in your home.  GOOD takes growing into, and often requires LOVE.  LOVE can happen now--and create GOOD.  Join us on this episode--and subscribe.  There is great hope.

Sibling rivalry is a drain on our patience and our relationships.  Most often, sibling rivalry is not a behavior problem.  What we misdiagnose, we will mistreat. BRAVE LOVE offers these new ideas to begin to cure sibling rivalry: <ul> <li>Help children untangle thoughts and feelings.  Sort lies from truth, and behavior will come untangled, too.  Behavior is the echo of belief.</li> <li>Help children find the real pain points in the stories they're telling themselves.  Find shame--and trust love to do what love does.  Love heals.</li> <li>Trade "be good" for "be loved and be loving" as the mantra in your home.  GOOD takes growing into, and often requires LOVE.  LOVE can happen now--and create GOOD.</li> </ul> Join us on this episode--and subscribe.  There is great hope.

#022: Sibling Rivalry Has A Cure / Why Can't My Kids Just Behave? part 4

This conversation welcomes Emily Soule, the Family Ministry Director at Grace Life Fellowship in Baton Rouge, to the BRAVE LOVE podcast. Emily helps share the good news about purity--for us and for our children. This is our great hope because of grace.  Grace changes everything!  Doug, Janet and Emily offer some radically beautiful ideas about purity in this episode--and these 3 take aways:  Desires are God's heart for us, so we can trust them.  Feelings are a gift from God, too--and may or may not line up with our desires. Community matters.  Family matters.  We all need a safe place to ask for help. Purity is an identity statement, not a behavior statement.  Listen to this episode--and subscribe to the BRAVE LOVE podcast.  Contact Emily for her recommendations for great books to share with your children--and more good news.     https://gracelifefellowship.org     There is great hope!

This conversation welcomes Emily Soule, the Family Ministry Director at Grace Life Fellowship in Baton Rouge, to the BRAVE LOVE podcast. Emily helps share the good news about purity--for us and for our children. This is our great hope because of grace.  Grace changes everything! Doug, Janet and Emily offer some radically beautiful ideas about purity in this episode--and these 3 take aways: <ul> <li>Desires are God's heart for us, so we can trust them.  Feelings are a gift from God, too--and may or may not line up with our desires.</li> <li>Community matters.  Family matters.  We all need a safe place to ask for help.</li> <li>Purity is an identity statement, not a behavior statement.</li> </ul> Listen to this episode--and subscribe to the BRAVE LOVE podcast.  Contact Emily for her recommendations for great books to share with your children--and more good news.     <a href="https://gracelifefellowship.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://gracelifefellowship.org</a>     There is great hope!

#032: What does BRAVE LOVE say about purity?

We don't experience brave love in our places of perfection; we experience love in our places of real need. This episode is a conversation with four siblings (ages 16-26) who not only live together--but work together, too.  These three brothers and one sister are the band, "Willow City Music." We asked them to share about growing up--not measuring up, and how they work through the struggles that are a part of real life as a family. Thank you Beecher, Ezra, Liza, and Asa Proach!  We had a blast recording this episode with you.  Hang on to the end, friends--they give us a spontaneous taste of a great new song! Doug and Janet wrap up this episode with these life-giving take aways:  Children benefit when they watch parents love each other well. Children benefit when they experience the love of their parents.  Experiencing love is not the same thing as knowing our parents love us. As parents, we get the privilege and responsibility of discovering all the ways our children will trust us and let us love them well.  Listen now--and subscribe.  Thank you for sharing the BRAVE LOVE podcast with your friends--and for leaving a review!   There is great hope.

We don't experience brave love in our places of perfection; we experience love in our places of real need. This episode is a conversation with four siblings (ages 16-26) who not only live together--but work together, too.  These three brothers and one sister are the band, "Willow City Music." We asked them to share about growing up--not measuring up, and how they work through the struggles that are a part of real life as a family. Thank you Beecher, Ezra, Liza, and Asa Proach!  We had a blast recording this episode with you.  Hang on to the end, friends--they give us a spontaneous taste of a great new song! Doug and Janet wrap up this episode with these life-giving take aways: <ul> <li>Children benefit when they watch parents love each other well.</li> <li>Children benefit when they experience the love of their parents.  Experiencing love is not the same thing as knowing our parents love us.</li> <li>As parents, we get the privilege and responsibility of discovering all the ways our children will trust us and let us love them well.</li> </ul> Listen now--and subscribe.  Thank you for sharing the BRAVE LOVE podcast with your friends--and for leaving a review!   There is great hope.

#037: Willow City Siblings Talk About Brave Love

If we aren't trusting love, we're trusting fear. The opposite of trusting truth is trusting lies. When we refuse to trust God, we're left trusting a resource that's less powerful and less trustworthy than a loving heavenly Father. None of us have trust issues; we have issues with the stuff we trust. Behavior is the echo of belief. For example, if I eat a sleeve of Oreos, it might be true that I KNOW better, but I BELIEVE it's ok to do the wrong thing. The same is true for the ways we relate in our closest and most casual relationships. In this episode, we encourage you to answer this question for yourselves: "What stories are you telling yourself? And, are they true?" We share some of the stories we've been telling ourselves that are true--and not true. Doug's journaling about these questions is powerful. Janet has believed some significant lies and now her life is changing because she's trading those lies for truth. Your life can change, too. Join us in this episode and linger in these TAKEAWAYS:  Build relationships of trust so you can talk about the stories you're telling yourself--and others can talk to you. Be trustworthy in the ways that you care for the weak in your sphere of influence, instead of being the one who ignores the weak or takes advantage of them for your own gain. Just because you believe something to be true doesn't mean it is. For me, either. Trust the truth about who God says you are and who God says He is. Anything that doesn't match with those two truths will lead you down a path of fear instead of a path of love. Be willing to admit when you're telling yourself a story that's not true.  Be willing to have a vulnerable and humble conversation outside of your echo chamber or peer group. Don't walk naked in front of the bullies and don't walk around believing the same thing that everyone else is believing just so you don't get bullied. Find the truth and find your voice. The world needs the truth that love offers and you can share this truth.  We mention these resources in this episode: Our work to build schools without fear. https://john15academy.com/ Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/ When you're ordering online from Amazon, please consider choosing John 15 Academy as your charity of choice. It's easy. Simply, use this link. https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4823358 Together, there is great hope.

If we aren't trusting love, we're trusting fear. The opposite of trusting truth is trusting lies. When we refuse to trust God, we're left trusting a resource that's less powerful and less trustworthy than a loving heavenly Father. None of us have trust issues; we have issues with the stuff we trust. Behavior is the echo of belief. For example, if I eat a sleeve of Oreos, it might be true that I KNOW better, but I BELIEVE it's ok to do the wrong thing. The same is true for the ways we relate in our closest and most casual relationships. In this episode, we encourage you to answer this question for yourselves: "What stories are you telling yourself? And, are they true?" We share some of the stories we've been telling ourselves that are true--and not true. Doug's journaling about these questions is powerful. Janet has believed some significant lies and now her life is changing because she's trading those lies for truth. Your life can change, too. Join us in this episode and linger in these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Build relationships of trust so you can talk about the stories you're telling yourself--and others can talk to you. Be trustworthy in the ways that you care for the weak in your sphere of influence, instead of being the one who ignores the weak or takes advantage of them for your own gain.</li> <li>Just because you believe something to be true doesn't mean it is. For me, either. Trust the truth about who God says you are and who God says He is. Anything that doesn't match with those two truths will lead you down a path of fear instead of a path of love.</li> <li>Be willing to admit when you're telling yourself a story that's not true.  Be willing to have a vulnerable and humble conversation outside of your echo chamber or peer group. Don't walk naked in front of the bullies and don't walk around believing the same thing that everyone else is believing just so you don't get bullied. Find the truth and find your voice. The world needs the truth that love offers and you can share this truth.</li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode: Our work to build schools without fear. <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://john15academy.com/</a> Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/</a> When you're ordering online from Amazon, please consider choosing John 15 Academy as your charity of choice. It's easy. Simply, use this link. <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4823358" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4823358</a> Together, there is great hope.

#090: How Changing Your Beliefs Can Change Your Life

Every week we're offering new discoveries about the power of love, how we can practically CHOOSE LOVE, and how we can become aware of the ways we're choosing fear--without even knowing it. L stands for laughter in the LIF alphabet and it may be more powerful than we think.   As living beings, we literally vibrate with energetic frequency.  The body resonates at a frequency between 62 to 72 Hz when healthy.  Disease starts at 58 Hz. Death begins at 25 Hz.  And, there is a good reason for the expression "scared to death" because the frequency of fear is 19 Hz. When we experience low-frequency emotions, it's important to know how to return to a healthy state to protect against chronic health problems. The frequency of laughter is 270 Hz and the frequency of love is 528 Hz.  Laughter is indeed great medicine! Join us for this fun episode about the power of laughter and linger in these TAKEAWAYS:  When your children tune out anything that smells like a lecture--laughter is a great way to reconnect. Laughter is a fun way to add the power of LOVE to the atmosphere.  Ridicule makes someone else pay for our laughter. Instead of adding energy to relationships, everyone loses. LOVE is a force of energy.  It is so much more than a feeling or an emotion.  LOVE is a POWER.  Every time we risk what LOVE requires, we unleash a force in the universe that must be reckoned with.  It is impossible for LOVE to not have an effect...for good.  We mention these great resources in this episode: "What are the signs of low vibration?"  https://sarahnegus.com/what-are-the-signs-of-low-vibration/   A Book of Courtesy: The Art of Living With Yourself and Others by Sister Mary Mercedes   https://smile.amazon.com/Book-Courtesy-Living-Yourself-Others/   LOVE IS FEARLESS t-shirts and hoodies! https://www.loveisfearless.com/shop   Irresistible by Andy Stanley https://smile.amazon.com/Irresistible-Reclaiming-Jesus-Unleashed-World/dp/0310536979/   Our work to build schools without fear https://www.john15academy.com/   Thank for sharing this LIF episode with your friends and helping us build a world without fear.

Every week we're offering new discoveries about the power of love, how we can practically CHOOSE LOVE, and how we can become aware of the ways we're choosing fear--without even knowing it. L stands for laughter in the LIF alphabet and it may be more powerful than we think.   As living beings, we literally vibrate with energetic frequency.  The body resonates at a frequency between 62 to 72 Hz when healthy.  Disease starts at 58 Hz. Death begins at 25 Hz.  And, there is a good reason for the expression "scared to death" because the frequency of fear is 19 Hz. When we experience low-frequency emotions, it's important to know how to return to a healthy state to protect against chronic health problems. The frequency of laughter is 270 Hz and the frequency of love is 528 Hz.  Laughter is indeed great medicine! Join us for this fun episode about the power of laughter and linger in these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>When your children tune out anything that smells like a lecture--laughter is a great way to reconnect.</li> <li>Laughter is a fun way to add the power of LOVE to the atmosphere.  Ridicule makes someone else pay for our laughter. Instead of adding energy to relationships, everyone loses.</li> <li>LOVE is a force of energy.  It is so much more than a feeling or an emotion.  LOVE is a POWER.  Every time we risk what LOVE requires, we unleash a force in the universe that must be reckoned with.  It is impossible for LOVE to not have an effect...for good.</li> </ul> We mention these great resources in this episode: "What are the signs of low vibration?" <a href="https://sarahnegus.com/what-are-the-signs-of-low-vibration/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://sarahnegus.com/what-are-the-signs-of-low-vibration/</a> A Book of Courtesy: The Art of Living With Yourself and Others by Sister Mary Mercedes   <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Book-Courtesy-Living-Yourself-Others/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Book-Courtesy-Living-Yourself-Others/</a> LOVE IS FEARLESS t-shirts and hoodies! <a href="https://www.loveisfearless.com/shop" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.loveisfearless.com/shop</a> Irresistible by Andy Stanley <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Irresistible-Reclaiming-Jesus-Unleashed-World/dp/0310536979/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Irresistible-Reclaiming-Jesus-Unleashed-World/dp/0310536979/</a> Our work to build schools without fear <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.john15academy.com/</a> Thank for sharing this LIF episode with your friends and helping us build a world without fear.

#080: Why Laughter Is The Best Medicine

ENERGY is the strength and vitality required for sustained physical and mental activity. It is also the power derived from physical and spiritual resources.  ENERGY can be measured in frequencies--even the energy of love and fear.   When we trust love, we gain strength and vitality.  When we trust fear, we are powerless. Do you know the energetic frequency of love and fear?  Join us in this episode to find out (it's crazy cool, y'all!) and linger in these key TAKEAWAYS:  The opposite of dreaming is living in the limited reality we see with our physical eyes and what we hear with our human ears.  The alternative to DREAMING is being contented with FALSE TRADITIONS. This is the power of relationships of trust--and choosing love.  When I have a choice, I get to choose what is me, and what is good for me.  That's very different from choosing what the world says is good. The alternative to ENERGY is POWERLESSNESS.  Without trusting LOVE, we are POWERLESS to heal, connect, win the battle against fear, or impact and influence the world--or each other--for good.  Join the LOVE IS FEARLESS movement and help us build cultures of love around the world. Visit loveisfearless.com Together, there is great hope.   We mention these resources in this episode: The Frequency of Disease https://thesoulfrequency.com/frequency-of-disease/ Eight Ways to Raise Your Vibration (your positive energy) https://www.theholisticingredient.com/blogs/wholesome-living/13587702-8-ways-to-raise-your-vibration-your-positive-energy Love is 528 https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/love-is-528-the-worlds-first-song-using-the-scientifically-proven-frequency-of-love-300307498.html Mythbuster Test the Frequency of Fear https://www.sageaudio.com/blog/music-news/mythbusters-test-the-frequency-of-fear.php

ENERGY is the strength and vitality required for sustained physical and mental activity. It is also the power derived from physical and spiritual resources.  ENERGY can be measured in frequencies--even the energy of love and fear.   When we trust love, we gain strength and vitality.  When we trust fear, we are powerless. Do you know the energetic frequency of love and fear?  Join us in this episode to find out (it's crazy cool, y'all!) and linger in these key TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>The opposite of dreaming is living in the limited reality we see with our physical eyes and what we hear with our human ears.  The alternative to DREAMING is being contented with FALSE TRADITIONS.</li> <li>This is the power of relationships of trust--and choosing love.  When I have a choice, I get to choose what is me, and what is good for me.  That's very different from choosing what the world says is good.</li> <li>The alternative to ENERGY is POWERLESSNESS.  Without trusting LOVE, we are POWERLESS to heal, connect, win the battle against fear, or impact and influence the world--or each other--for good.</li> </ul> Join the LOVE IS FEARLESS movement and help us build cultures of love around the world. Visit <a href="http://loveisfearless.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">loveisfearless.com</a> Together, there is great hope. We mention these resources in this episode: The Frequency of Disease <a href="https://thesoulfrequency.com/frequency-of-disease/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://thesoulfrequency.com/frequency-of-disease/</a> Eight Ways to Raise Your Vibration (your positive energy) <a href="https://www.theholisticingredient.com/blogs/wholesome-living/13587702-8-ways-to-raise-your-vibration-your-positive-energy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.theholisticingredient.com/blogs/wholesome-living/13587702-8-ways-to-raise-your-vibration-your-positive-energy</a> Love is 528 <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/love-is-528-the-worlds-first-song-using-the-scientifically-proven-frequency-of-love-300307498.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/love-is-528-the-worlds-first-song-using-the-scientifically-proven-frequency-of-love-300307498.html</a> Mythbuster Test the Frequency of Fear <a href="https://www.sageaudio.com/blog/music-news/mythbusters-test-the-frequency-of-fear.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.sageaudio.com/blog/music-news/mythbusters-test-the-frequency-of-fear.php</a>

#072: Anxiety, Depression, and the ENERGY Love Offers

LOVE or FEAR will be our source of strength today and our bodies will develop reliance and a comfort level with one or the other. In our LIF community, we're learning what fear looks like and sounds like, and we're learning to respond to these signs and symptoms with love. In this episode, Doug shares about a time in his life when he was afraid and living DISCONNECTED from safe and meaningful relationships. DISCONNECTED is the LOVE IS FEARLESS contrast to JOY.  JOY describes life by design--in a culture of love.  Join us to hear a part of Doug's story and the real transformation that LOVE offers...when we trust it. Together, there is great hope.   We share these TAKEAWAYs in this episode:  We discover JOY and build JOY strength in relationships of trust.  Our LOVE IS FEARLESS definition of JOY is "it's good to be me, here with you." When it's not good to be me, here with you--our lives are adversely affected by the power of fear instead of transformed by the power of love. The ability to "return to JOY" from every unpleasant emotion is the hallmark of mental health.  We learn to take this healing journey when we stay connected in relationships with people who are mature and who love us well, especially when we struggle and when we have experienced trauma. LOVE is the source of strength we're designed to live with--not FEAR.  LOVE supports our immune systems and protects our mental health.  It is vital that we recognize the signs and symptoms of living in a culture of FEAR and respond by helping each other experience a culture of LOVE instead.  Keep choosing JOY instead of FEAR, friends.   We mention these resources in this episode:  Living From the Heart Jesus Gave You by James G. Friesen, E. James Wilder, Anne M. Bierling, Rick Koepcke, and Maribeth Poole  Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry

LOVE or FEAR will be our source of strength today and our bodies will develop reliance and a comfort level with one or the other. In our LIF community, we're learning what fear looks like and sounds like, and we're learning to respond to these signs and symptoms with love. In this episode, Doug shares about a time in his life when he was afraid and living DISCONNECTED from safe and meaningful relationships. DISCONNECTED is the LOVE IS FEARLESS contrast to JOY.  JOY describes life by design--in a culture of love.  Join us to hear a part of Doug's story and the real transformation that LOVE offers...when we trust it. Together, there is great hope. We share these TAKEAWAYs in this episode: <ul> <li>We discover JOY and build JOY strength in relationships of trust.  Our LOVE IS FEARLESS definition of JOY is "it's good to be me, here with you." When it's not good to be me, here with you--our lives are adversely affected by the power of fear instead of transformed by the power of love.</li> <li>The ability to "return to JOY" from every unpleasant emotion is the hallmark of mental health.  We learn to take this healing journey when we stay connected in relationships with people who are mature and who love us well, especially when we struggle and when we have experienced trauma.</li> <li>LOVE is the source of strength we're designed to live with--not FEAR.  LOVE supports our immune systems and protects our mental health.  It is vital that we recognize the signs and symptoms of living in a culture of FEAR and respond by helping each other experience a culture of LOVE instead.</li> </ul> Keep choosing JOY instead of FEAR, friends. We mention these resources in this episode: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Living-Heart-Jesus-Gave-You/dp/193562914X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Living From the Heart Jesus Gave You</a> by James G. Friesen, E. James Wilder, Anne M. Bierling, Rick Koepcke, and Maribeth Poole <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless-ebook/dp/B07MBQXS9L/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning</a> by Janet Newberry

#077: Choosing JOY Instead of Fear

In a culture of love, we grow in our capacity for responsibility. In a culture of fear, we are non-responsive to the things that are important, or we react instead of respond. In this episode, we wrestle with some difficult topics as we offer five guidelines for personal responsibility in a culture of love.   I am responsible for building trust in relationship with others. I am responsible for resolving my own emotions. I am responsible for participating in my own healing. I am responsible for participating in my own maturity. I am responsible for setting boundaries in personal relationships.  "I am responsible" can be spoken in freedom, not fear. In the words of Polly Hamp, "There is more to you than the story that has been written through trauma. You can begin to write a new story when you choose to heal on purpose. (HOP Box/Healing on Purpose) Consider these TAKEAWAYS as you wrestle with us about what's happening in our world today and what RESPONSE-ABILITY means in a culture of love.  In a culture of fear, we've traded manipulation for responsibility. In a culture of love, I'm able to respond because I know who I am--not just because I'm trying to earn or deserve and not because I'm trying to destroy you. A culture of fear is always self-serving; in a culture of love, we are all served. Fear convinces us our view of justice is just. Without taking responsibility for our own healing, our version of justice will serve us and devalue others. We'll have a view that manipulates and shames for our personal gain or to balance the scales without forgiveness.  Justice is never real without forgiveness. Without forgiveness, someone is always in bondage. Maturity is about sorting through what I need and what I want. It's about admitting when what I think I need is really just a pain killer or a shame salve. Maturity means I've learned the value of pushing through what's uncomfortable to land in a place where it's possible to live free and be trusted--not simply comfortable.   We mention these resources in this episode: Janet's blog post/Reclaiming The Lost Art of Personal Responsibility  https://www.janetnewberry.com/post/reclaiming-the-lost-art-of-personal-responsibility https://www.janetnewberry.com/ https://www.john15academy.com/ https://www.loveisfearless.com/ Thank you for sharing LOVE IS FEARLESS with your friends and family. Together, there is great hope.

In a culture of love, we grow in our capacity for responsibility. In a culture of fear, we are non-responsive to the things that are important, or we react instead of respond. In this episode, we wrestle with some difficult topics as we offer five guidelines for personal responsibility in a culture of love.  <ol> <li>I am responsible for building trust in relationship with others.</li> <li>I am responsible for resolving my own emotions.</li> <li>I am responsible for participating in my own healing.</li> <li>I am responsible for participating in my own maturity.</li> <li>I am responsible for setting boundaries in personal relationships.</li> </ol> "I am responsible" can be spoken in freedom, not fear. In the words of Polly Hamp, "There is more to you than the story that has been written through trauma. You can begin to write a new story when you choose to heal on purpose. (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/HOP-Box-111783803614924/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">HOP Box/Healing on Purpose</a>) Consider these TAKEAWAYS as you wrestle with us about what's happening in our world today and what RESPONSE-ABILITY means in a culture of love. <ul> <li>In a culture of fear, we've traded manipulation for responsibility. In a culture of love, I'm able to respond because I know who I am--not just because I'm trying to earn or deserve and not because I'm trying to destroy you. A culture of fear is always self-serving; in a culture of love, we are all served.</li> <li>Fear convinces us our view of justice is just. Without taking responsibility for our own healing, our version of justice will serve us and devalue others. We'll have a view that manipulates and shames for our personal gain or to balance the scales without forgiveness.  Justice is never real without forgiveness. Without forgiveness, someone is always in bondage.</li> <li>Maturity is about sorting through what I need and what I want. It's about admitting when what I think I need is really just a pain killer or a shame salve. Maturity means I've learned the value of pushing through what's uncomfortable to land in a place where it's possible to live free and be trusted--not simply comfortable. </li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode: Janet's blog post/Reclaiming The Lost Art of Personal Responsibility  <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/post/reclaiming-the-lost-art-of-personal-responsibility" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.janetnewberry.com/post/reclaiming-the-lost-art-of-personal-responsibility</a> <a href="https://www.janetnewberry.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.janetnewberry.com/</a> <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.john15academy.com/</a> <a href="https://www.loveisfearless.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.loveisfearless.com/</a> Thank you for sharing LOVE IS FEARLESS with your friends and family. Together, there is great hope.

#088: Reclaiming The Lost Art of Personal Responsibility

David Cook

It doesn't seem reasonable that we'd have a conversation with a top sports psychologist and peak performance coach when our topic this week is MIRACLES and the power of LOVE. It's NOT reasonable.  It's a miracle!   David Cook is a speaker, consultant, coach, author, and film-maker in the field of Sport and Performance Psychology.  He served as "Mental Training Coach" for the San Antonio Spurs from 1996 – 2004 that included two World Championships.  Golf Digest (2013) named him one of the “Top 10 Mental Game Experts” in the world of golf.  He has coached several of the Tour’s top players.  His message for our LOVE IS FEARLESS community is FREEDOM from fear.  It's the same message he shares with his clients--who win!  David is a great storyteller. He is generous with us in this episode and we are honored. Join us now to connect the dots between LOVE and fearless FREEDOM and find real strength in these TAKEAWAYS:  Building a culture of love requires us to make room for miracles.  Miracles are those supernatural things that change us from what we were--weak and wounded, to what we can be--strong and healthy.  LOVE always makes us strong. "The battle has begun, but remember, it is not your battle.  See His Face, Feel His Presence, Trust His Love."  (A quote from Golf's Sacred Journey--The Sequel to Seven Days in Utopia by David Cook.) Building a culture of love invites us to be on the lookout for miracles--and call them what they are.  Miracles are unreasonable.  They are real experiences that we can't manufacture on our own.  Miracles are the byproduct of trust and love--and they remind us we're not the only player in the arena.  LOVE is here!  We mention these resources in this episode: Links of Utopia https://www.linksofutopia.com/ Golf's Sacred Journey--The Sequel by David Cook (book)https://www.linksofutopia.com/golfs-sacred-journey-the-sequel Seven Days In Utopia by David Cook (book) https://www.linksofutopia.com/seven-days-in-utopia Seven Days In Utopia -- the movie.  Now available on Amazon Prime/videos. Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry  https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/   Thank you for sharing the LOVE IS FEARLESS podcast and website with your friends and community.  Together, there is great hope.  https://www.loveisfearless.com/

It doesn't seem reasonable that we'd have a conversation with a top sports psychologist and peak performance coach when our topic this week is MIRACLES and the power of LOVE. It's NOT reasonable.  It's a miracle!   David Cook is a speaker, consultant, coach, author, and film-maker in the field of Sport and Performance Psychology.  He served as "Mental Training Coach" for the San Antonio Spurs from 1996 – 2004 that included two World Championships.  Golf Digest (2013) named him one of the “Top 10 Mental Game Experts” in the world of golf.  He has coached several of the Tour’s top players.  His message for our LOVE IS FEARLESS community is FREEDOM from fear.  It's the same message he shares with his clients--who win!  David is a great storyteller. He is generous with us in this episode and we are honored. Join us now to connect the dots between LOVE and fearless FREEDOM and find real strength in these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Building a culture of love requires us to make room for miracles.  Miracles are those supernatural things that change us from what we were--weak and wounded, to what we can be--strong and healthy.  LOVE always makes us strong.</li> <li>"The battle has begun, but remember, it is not your battle.  See His Face, Feel His Presence, Trust His Love."  (A quote from Golf's Sacred Journey--The Sequel to Seven Days in Utopia by David Cook.)</li> <li>Building a culture of love invites us to be on the lookout for miracles--and call them what they are.  Miracles are unreasonable.  They are real experiences that we can't manufacture on our own.  Miracles are the byproduct of trust and love--and they remind us we're not the only player in the arena.  LOVE is here!</li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode: Links of Utopia <a href="https://www.linksofutopia.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linksofutopia.com/</a> Golf's Sacred Journey--The Sequel by David Cook (book)<a href="https://www.linksofutopia.com/golfs-sacred-journey-the-sequel" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linksofutopia.com/golfs-sacred-journey-the-sequel</a> Seven Days In Utopia by David Cook (book) <a href="https://www.linksofutopia.com/seven-days-in-utopia" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.linksofutopia.com/seven-days-in-utopia</a> Seven Days In Utopia -- the movie.  Now available on Amazon Prime/videos. Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/</a> Thank you for sharing the LOVE IS FEARLESS podcast and website with your friends and community.  Together, there is great hope.  <a href="https://www.loveisfearless.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.loveisfearless.com/</a>

#081: MIRACLES--A Conversation With Sports Psychologist David Cook

One resolution is all you need for the new year and the new decade.  Imagine your life next year at this time...without fear. Most of us don't realize it's possible to live a life without fear, where love removes anxiety, anger, and shame from every conversation, every challenge, every decision. We are not people who lack faith.  We are all depending on something or someone.  The question for all of us in the new year is:  Are we depending on LOVE or something less?  LOVE is our greatest source of strength. In this episode, we share 5 practical reasons to depend on LOVE instead of fear in the new year, and we offer these TAKEAWAYS:  Many of us are not yet in the habit of sorting love choices from fear choices.  Once we can recognize what love looks like and what fear offers us, we can help each other choose love over fear. Sorting through our fears and insecurities is essential to the process of maturity.  Fear puts lies and insecurities in positions of power.  LOVE me offers the protection I need to keep insecurity from determining my next step. When trouble comes in 2020--and it will--let's build the habit of choosing LOVE instead of fear as our dance partner.  Thank you for joining us on LOVE IS FEARLESS in 2019. We wish you a very merry Christmas and a blessed new year!  Please keep sharing LIF with your friends and on social media.  Together, there is great hope.   We mention these resources in this episode: The Cure &amp; Parents by our friends at Trueface -- https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-Parents-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104094/   Don't You Want to Thank Someone by Andrew Peterson -- https://youtu.be/ERrFXvEOjVM   Please consider a year-end donation to LOVE IS FEARLESS.  We greatly appreciate your support. https://www.loveisfearless.com/helpus

One resolution is all you need for the new year and the new decade.  Imagine your life next year at this time...without fear. Most of us don't realize it's possible to live a life without fear, where love removes anxiety, anger, and shame from every conversation, every challenge, every decision. We are not people who lack faith.  We are all depending on something or someone.  The question for all of us in the new year is:  Are we depending on LOVE or something less?  LOVE is our greatest source of strength. In this episode, we share 5 practical reasons to depend on LOVE instead of fear in the new year, and we offer these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Many of us are not yet in the habit of sorting love choices from fear choices.  Once we can recognize what love looks like and what fear offers us, we can help each other choose love over fear.</li> <li>Sorting through our fears and insecurities is essential to the process of maturity.  Fear puts lies and insecurities in positions of power.  LOVE me offers the protection I need to keep insecurity from determining my next step.</li> <li>When trouble comes in 2020--and it will--let's build the habit of choosing LOVE instead of fear as our dance partner.</li> </ul> Thank you for joining us on LOVE IS FEARLESS in 2019. We wish you a very merry Christmas and a blessed new year!  Please keep sharing LIF with your friends and on social media.  Together, there is great hope. We mention these resources in this episode: The Cure &amp; Parents by our friends at Trueface -- <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-Parents-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104094/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-Parents-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104094/</a> Don't You Want to Thank Someone by Andrew Peterson -- <a href="https://youtu.be/ERrFXvEOjVM" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/ERrFXvEOjVM</a> Please consider a year-end donation to LOVE IS FEARLESS.  We greatly appreciate your support. <a href="https://www.loveisfearless.com/helpus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.loveisfearless.com/helpus</a>

#078: The Best New Year's Resolution of 2020

In a performance-obsessed culture, we learn to hide our mistakes.  We defend our perspectives--not because we're always right, but because we're afraid of the penalty that comes with being wrong. In a culture of love, we build relationships of trust and value the truth that others offer us that we don't yet see for ourselves.  We change our minds on our personal journeys from hurt to healing and from immaturity to maturity. Humility is where healing begins--emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  Humility is our part in the Good News narrative.  Join us on this episode for a great story, a powerful analogy, and these TAKEAWAYS:   Risk asking someone this week to share with you what you aren't seeing.  You need other people to help you fill in your blind spots. Humility is our invitation to rest because we are inviting others to look at our chaos.  In safe relationships, we are willing to admit the lies that have become a part of our story and we are willing to trade the lies for truth so we can live in peace, instead of dis-ease. "As we begin this journey, ask yourself, Where is it that I come from? And where is it I am going?  May your heart be curious as you study the great tragedy and beauty that your story reveals." (Jay Stringer, Unwanted) And may you find trusted others to help you tell your story in truth.  Thank you for joining the cause at LOVE IS FEARLESS and sharing this podcast with your friends.  Together, there is great hope.   We mention these resources in this episode:  Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry Trust for Today by the Trueface Team  Unwanted--How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way To Healing by Jay Stringer Trueface.org 

In a performance-obsessed culture, we learn to hide our mistakes.  We defend our perspectives--not because we're always right, but because we're afraid of the penalty that comes with being wrong. In a culture of love, we build relationships of trust and value the truth that others offer us that we don't yet see for ourselves.  We change our minds on our personal journeys from hurt to healing and from immaturity to maturity. Humility is where healing begins--emotionally, physically, and spiritually.  Humility is our part in the Good News narrative.  Join us on this episode for a great story, a powerful analogy, and these TAKEAWAYS:  <ul> <li>Risk asking someone this week to share with you what you aren't seeing.  You need other people to help you fill in your blind spots.</li> <li>Humility is our invitation to rest because we are inviting others to look at our chaos.  In safe relationships, we are willing to admit the lies that have become a part of our story and we are willing to trade the lies for truth so we can live in peace, instead of dis-ease.</li> <li>"As we begin this journey, ask yourself, Where is it that I come from? And where is it I am going?  May your heart be curious as you study the great tragedy and beauty that your story reveals." (Jay Stringer, Unwanted) And may you find trusted others to help you tell your story in truth.</li> </ul> Thank you for joining the cause at <a href="https://loveisfearless.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">LOVE IS FEARLESS </a>and sharing this podcast with your friends.  Together, there is great hope. We mention these resources in this episode: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning</a> by Janet Newberry <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Trust-Today-Trueface/dp/1947165828/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trust for Today</a> by the Trueface Team <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Unwanted-Sexual-Brokenness-Reveals-Healing/dp/1631466720/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Unwanted--How Sexual Brokenness Reveals Our Way To Healing</a> by Jay Stringer <a href="https://trueface.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trueface.org </a>

#075: HUMILITY--Where Healing Begins

Our children need language to talk about the problem of bullying.  They need adults to have safe conversations about this difficult subject--so they can ask for help without shame.  We can help our children begin to understand what it means to be a bully--and better navigate a resolution in these unsafe relationships. A bully is someone who:  will meet their own (felt) needs first--at the expense of another.  wants to make someone else feel like a loser.   sniffs out a personal weakness--and takes advantage of it--for their own sense of power, control, or mis-guided need to dominate. is not safe--in the ways of love.  Bullying is not going to go away because we say we won't tolerate bullying. A lack of tolerance is simply one more rule that bullies aren't going to follow.   Join Janet and Doug in this powerful episode about the antidote to bullying--and help your family become a safe place to heal and find real help.  This episode offers these TAKE AWAYS:  Letting the love of God and others extinguish our shame stories is a vital step in a life lived unaffected by bullies.  Living in shame is a key indicator of a bully--and often, as a victim of a bully. Building safe relationships of trust is a vital step, too.  We need safe relationships that will offer us the unconditional love that protects us from lies and shame--and helps us live in truth and love. "Uncomfortable" is no more a key indicator of bondage--than "comfortable" is a key indicator of freedom.  Manipulation can seem comfortable because it seems right that the equation balances.  "I'm willing to earn what I need from you in relationship," is a toxic thought.  God's love is unconditional because we all need more than we can ever earn.  Trusting unconditional love is often very uncomfortable--and it is the only path to freedom.  This resource is mentioned in this episode:  Bill Tell's book, Lay It Down:  Living In The Freedom of the Gospel.  You can find this book here: https://smile.amazon.com/Lay-Down-Living-Freedom-Gospel/ Follow  this link to listen now.  Thank you for sharing this episode with your friends or small group.  Together, there is great hope.

Our children need language to talk about the problem of bullying.  They need adults to have safe conversations about this difficult subject--so they can ask for help without shame.  We can help our children begin to understand what it means to be a bully--and better navigate a resolution in these unsafe relationships. A bully is someone who: <ul> <li>will meet their own (felt) needs first--at the expense of another. </li> <li>wants to make someone else feel like a loser.  </li> <li>sniffs out a personal weakness--and takes advantage of it--for their own sense of power, control, or mis-guided need to dominate.</li> <li>is not safe--in the ways of love.</li> </ul> Bullying is not going to go away because we say we won't tolerate bullying. A lack of tolerance is simply one more rule that bullies aren't going to follow.   Join Janet and Doug in this powerful episode about the antidote to bullying--and help your family become a safe place to heal and find real help.  This episode offers these TAKE AWAYS: <ul> <li>Letting the love of God and others extinguish our shame stories is a vital step in a life lived unaffected by bullies.  Living in shame is a key indicator of a bully--and often, as a victim of a bully.</li> <li>Building safe relationships of trust is a vital step, too.  We need safe relationships that will offer us the unconditional love that protects us from lies and shame--and helps us live in truth and love.</li> <li>"Uncomfortable" is no more a key indicator of bondage--than "comfortable" is a key indicator of freedom.  Manipulation can seem comfortable because it seems right that the equation balances.  "I'm willing to earn what I need from you in relationship," is a toxic thought.  God's love is unconditional because we all need more than we can ever earn.  Trusting unconditional love is often very uncomfortable--and it is the only path to freedom.</li> </ul> This resource is mentioned in this episode:  Bill Tell's book, Lay It Down:  Living In The Freedom of the Gospel.  You can find this book here: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Lay-Down-Living-Freedom-Gospel/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Lay-Down-Living-Freedom-Gospel/</a> Follow <a href="https://janetnewberry.com/how-do-i-talk-to-my-kids-about-bullying" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> this link</a> to listen now.  Thank you for sharing this episode with your friends or small group.  Together, there is great hope.

#051: How Do I Talk To My Kids About Bullying?

Scott Morrison

Scott Morrison was an anomaly to me (Janet) when I first met him--about 5 years ago.  In some ways, he still is.  He is kind, but he has boundaries.  He is wise, and he is tender and helpful.  He has a weird sense of humor that invites me to laugh, especially in those moments I need to be reminded just to breathe. We invited Scott to record this episode with us because we're talking about the transforming power of INTEGRITY.  He's the best man to join us for this conversation. And, here's my bet:  You're going to want to write down some of his words to look at again later. We did! We can't build a culture of love without integrity.  And I can only act with integrity when I am sure I am loved.  Together, there is great hope. Thank you for joining us, Scott--and for leaving us with these TAKE AWAYS:  An internal heart definition of INTEGRITY is:  "I am sound and whole and consistent--continuously.  I don't have to be different from one person to another." Think of integrity not as a standard--but as a thermometer.  Ask yourself:  What is going on inside that produces this reaction today? We struggle with integrity when we are insecure.  Ask yourself and trusted others:  What lies am I believing that make me insecure today?  Find out more about Trueface by visiting their website.  https://trueface.org/

Scott Morrison was an anomaly to me (Janet) when I first met him--about 5 years ago.  In some ways, he still is.  He is kind, but he has boundaries.  He is wise, and he is tender and helpful.  He has a weird sense of humor that invites me to laugh, especially in those moments I need to be reminded just to breathe. We invited Scott to record this episode with us because we're talking about the transforming power of INTEGRITY.  He's the best man to join us for this conversation. And, here's my bet:  You're going to want to write down some of his words to look at again later. We did! We can't build a culture of love without integrity.  And I can only act with integrity when I am sure I am loved.  Together, there is great hope. Thank you for joining us, Scott--and for leaving us with these TAKE AWAYS: <ul> <li>An internal heart definition of INTEGRITY is:  "I am sound and whole and consistent--continuously.  I don't have to be different from one person to another."</li> <li>Think of integrity not as a standard--but as a thermometer.  Ask yourself:  What is going on inside that produces this reaction today?</li> <li>We struggle with integrity when we are insecure.  Ask yourself and trusted others:  What lies am I believing that make me insecure today?</li> </ul> Find out more about Trueface by visiting their website.  <a href="https://trueface.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://trueface.org/</a>

#076: Why Integrity Matters--with Scott Morrison

Welcome to the ROARING 20s!  We hope this decade will be remembered as the time in history when LOVE roared louder than fear.  Together, there is great hope. Most new year's resolutions involve self-discipline and are motivated by a lack of satisfaction with life as we're experiencing it right now.  CHOOSING LOVE OVER FEAR is a resolution that involves more self-awareness than self-discipline--and here's something we're willing to guarantee by the end of 2020: When you become fluent in love the way you are now fluent in fear, you're going to notice a change in yourself and your relationships.  The healthy parts of you are going to get stronger.  The weak parts are going to get stronger, too.  That's a benefit of being really KNOWN. We are created for INTIMACY and IMPACT and we can experience this full and free life in a culture of love.  Join us in this first LIF episode of 2020, and look clearly at these TAKEAWAYS:  LOVE can't help us if we don't let others close enough to do two things:  1.  Have real conversations and ask for help.  2. Have real conversations and give someone we trust permission to speak into our blindspots and protect us from the lies we've believed for a long time. FEAR fights for and protects CONTROL.  LOVE fights for and protects FREEDOM.  We must learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of a culture of fear and respond by intentionally building a culture of love. Fear will roar loudly in 2020, and we can choose to be part of a stronger roar.  This decade can be remembered as a time in history when love roared louder than fear.  We can orchestrate a decade of roaring 20s that leaves our country, its citizens, and the world a stronger place--instead of a place made vulnerable by the constant attacks of fear.  We mention these resources in this episode:  Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry   A quote from this video by our friends at Trueface: "What if there was a place so safe you could share the worst parts of you and you would be loved more in the telling of it?" https://youtu.be/5MFCrDcIaCg   Thank you for sharing LOVE IS FEARLESS with your friends and community. Please consider becoming a monthly donor to support this LIF movement. Together, we can build a world without fear.  https://www.loveisfearless.com/helpus

Welcome to the ROARING 20s!  We hope this decade will be remembered as the time in history when LOVE roared louder than fear.  Together, there is great hope. Most new year's resolutions involve self-discipline and are motivated by a lack of satisfaction with life as we're experiencing it right now.  CHOOSING LOVE OVER FEAR is a resolution that involves more self-awareness than self-discipline--and here's something we're willing to guarantee by the end of 2020: When you become fluent in love the way you are now fluent in fear, you're going to notice a change in yourself and your relationships.  The healthy parts of you are going to get stronger.  The weak parts are going to get stronger, too.  That's a benefit of being really KNOWN. We are created for INTIMACY and IMPACT and we can experience this full and free life in a culture of love.  Join us in this first LIF episode of 2020, and look clearly at these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>LOVE can't help us if we don't let others close enough to do two things:  1.  Have real conversations and ask for help.  2. Have real conversations and give someone we trust permission to speak into our blindspots and protect us from the lies we've believed for a long time.</li> <li>FEAR fights for and protects CONTROL.  LOVE fights for and protects FREEDOM.  We must learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of a culture of fear and respond by intentionally building a culture of love.</li> <li>Fear will roar loudly in 2020, and we can choose to be part of a stronger roar.  This decade can be remembered as a time in history when love roared louder than fear.  We can orchestrate a decade of roaring 20s that leaves our country, its citizens, and the world a stronger place--instead of a place made vulnerable by the constant attacks of fear.</li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode: <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning</a> by Janet Newberry A quote from this video by our friends at Trueface: "What if there was a place so safe you could share the worst parts of you and you would be loved more in the telling of it?" <a href="https://youtu.be/5MFCrDcIaCg" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/5MFCrDcIaCg</a> Thank you for sharing LOVE IS FEARLESS with your friends and community. Please consider becoming a monthly donor to support this LIF movement. Together, we can build a world without fear.  <a href="https://www.loveisfearless.com/helpus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.loveisfearless.com/helpus</a>

#079: How Does Fear Make Us Weak?

As leaders, we leverage either the power of love or fear to motivate or to manipulate those in our care.  Love helps us stay connected, especially in a season of struggle. In healthy relationships, we can work together in ways that build strength and maturity.  Fear requires that we "divide and conquer." Manipulation often keeps our eyes on the prize instead of on the people around us, who may need our love.  Manipulation is an almost guaranteed way to keep us disconnected, weak, and immature.  In this episode, we wrestle with a great question from a LIF listener and we talk about the power of SEROTONIN, the leadership chemical.  Join us and linger in these TAKEAWAYS:  As a leader and a parent, provide opportunities to work together instead of simply offering a prize for compliance so those you lead can build relationships of trust and grow stronger and wiser, instead of just earning more prizes. As a leader and a parent, model asking for help when you need it. Humility puts us in a position to receive the benefits of love. Our willingness to be humble teaches those we're leading the power of a transformational culture. "Put it on a paper plate." Love is always safe and never soft. When there is a struggle or an issue, name it. Write it down. Talk about it face to face. And move the issue from between you to in front of you--and look at it together. This is the power of love.  We discuss many great resources in this episode: CHOOSE JOHN 15 ACADEMY on AMAZON SMILE and help us build schools without fear. It's simple. Just follow this link:https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4823358   These two episodes of the BRAVE LOVE podcast are two of our most popular--of all time!  https://www.loveisfearless.com/podcast/episode/91ed5b2a/if-i-dont-manipulate-how-do-i-get-my-kids-to-do-the-right-thing-part-1    https://www.loveisfearless.com/podcast/episode/8d6a391e/if-i-dont-manipulate-how-do-i-get-my-kids-to-do-the-right-things-part-2   Why Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek https://youtu.be/ReRcHdeUG9Y   Two Roads by John Lynch https://youtu.be/Rfy03PEVUhQ and https://youtu.be/mOJ1wUcP804   Education by Design, Not Default by Janet Newberry  https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/   The Ascent of a Leader by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and Ken McElwrath  https://smile.amazon.com/Ascent-Leader-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104116/   JOIN the LOVE IS FEARLESS movement. Together we can build a world without fear. https://loveisfearless.com/ 

As leaders, we leverage either the power of love or fear to motivate or to manipulate those in our care.  Love helps us stay connected, especially in a season of struggle. In healthy relationships, we can work together in ways that build strength and maturity.  Fear requires that we "divide and conquer." Manipulation often keeps our eyes on the prize instead of on the people around us, who may need our love.  Manipulation is an almost guaranteed way to keep us disconnected, weak, and immature.  In this episode, we wrestle with a great question from a LIF listener and we talk about the power of SEROTONIN, the leadership chemical.  Join us and linger in these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>As a leader and a parent, provide opportunities to work together instead of simply offering a prize for compliance so those you lead can build relationships of trust and grow stronger and wiser, instead of just earning more prizes.</li> <li>As a leader and a parent, model asking for help when you need it. Humility puts us in a position to receive the benefits of love. Our willingness to be humble teaches those we're leading the power of a transformational culture.</li> <li>"Put it on a paper plate." Love is always safe and never soft. When there is a struggle or an issue, name it. Write it down. Talk about it face to face. And move the issue from between you to in front of you--and look at it together. This is the power of love.</li> </ul> We discuss many great resources in this episode: CHOOSE JOHN 15 ACADEMY on AMAZON SMILE and help us build schools without fear. It's simple. Just follow this link:<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4823358" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/ch/47-4823358</a> These two episodes of the BRAVE LOVE podcast are two of our most popular--of all time! <a href="https://www.loveisfearless.com/podcast/episode/91ed5b2a/if-i-dont-manipulate-how-do-i-get-my-kids-to-do-the-right-thing-part-1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://www.loveisfearless.com/podcast/episode/91ed5b2a/if-i-dont-manipulate-how-do-i-get-my-kids-to-do-the-right-thing-part-1</a> <a href="https://www.loveisfearless.com/podcast/episode/8d6a391e/if-i-dont-manipulate-how-do-i-get-my-kids-to-do-the-right-things-part-2" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://www.loveisfearless.com/podcast/episode/8d6a391e/if-i-dont-manipulate-how-do-i-get-my-kids-to-do-the-right-things-part-2</a> Why Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek <a href="https://youtu.be/ReRcHdeUG9Y" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/ReRcHdeUG9Y</a> Two Roads by John Lynch <a href="https://youtu.be/Rfy03PEVUhQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/Rfy03PEVUhQ</a> and <a href="https://youtu.be/mOJ1wUcP804" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/mOJ1wUcP804</a> Education by Design, Not Default by Janet Newberry  <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/</a> The Ascent of a Leader by Bill Thrall, Bruce McNicol, and Ken McElwrath <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Ascent-Leader-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104116/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://smile.amazon.com/Ascent-Leader-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104116/</a> JOIN the LOVE IS FEARLESS movement. Together we can build a world without fear. <a href="https://loveisfearless.com/%20" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://loveisfearless.com/ </a>

#089: Leading With Love: A Transformational Approach To Leadership

John Lynch is our special guest on this powerful episode that offers freedom in the way only love can.  John is one of our favorite authors, a dear friend, and one of the few people in the world who can talk about "permission and protection" in a way that has the potential to unlock a lifetime of bondage. Many of us would make a 100 on a true/false test if the quiz asked if we knew that cheating was wrong, too much alcohol is bad for us, anger can be hurtful, or if pornography destroys trust. We all KNOW. And we still give ourselves permission to do what we KNOW is wrong--unless we are protected by someone we ALLOW to protect us--and to help us change our minds about doing what we've always done. THIS is the power of LOVE. Join us on this funny and potentially life-changing episode with John Lynch and linger in these TAKEAWAYS:  Awareness of one's issues is not permission to address them.  I must seek and receive permission to address the issues of others. (Trueface) Protection is earned permission I give someone I trust to see behind the mask and hear the real struggle and all the lies I tell myself when I give myself permission to fail. Accountability, except in a job description, is simply a function of law. It causes me to hide from and resent those who love me most and whom I need most.  We mention these resources in this episode: John Lynch Speaks-- https://www.johnlynchspeaks.com/ https://www.facebook.com/JohnLynchSpeaks/ On My Worst Day: Cheesecake, Evil, Sandy Koufax, and Jesus by John Lynch https://smile.amazon.com/My-Worst-Day-Cheesecake-Koufax/dp/1934104078/ The Cure: What if God isn't who you think He is? and neither are you? By John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, and Bill Thrall   https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-What-isnt-think-neither/dp/1934104086/ The Cure &amp; Parents https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-Parents-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104094/ Two Roads - on YouTube (full length) https://youtu.be/Rfy03PEVUhQ  (shorter version) https://youtu.be/mOJ1wUcP804

John Lynch is our special guest on this powerful episode that offers freedom in the way only love can.  John is one of our favorite authors, a dear friend, and one of the few people in the world who can talk about "permission and protection" in a way that has the potential to unlock a lifetime of bondage. Many of us would make a 100 on a true/false test if the quiz asked if we knew that cheating was wrong, too much alcohol is bad for us, anger can be hurtful, or if pornography destroys trust. We all KNOW. And we still give ourselves permission to do what we KNOW is wrong--unless we are protected by someone we ALLOW to protect us--and to help us change our minds about doing what we've always done. THIS is the power of LOVE. Join us on this funny and potentially life-changing episode with John Lynch and linger in these TAKEAWAYS: <ol> <li>Awareness of one's issues is not permission to address them.  I must seek and receive permission to address the issues of others. (<a href="https://www.trueface.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Trueface</a>)</li> <li>Protection is earned permission I give someone I trust to see behind the mask and hear the real struggle and all the lies I tell myself when I give myself permission to fail.</li> <li>Accountability, except in a job description, is simply a function of law. It causes me to hide from and resent those who love me most and whom I need most.</li> </ol> We mention these resources in this episode: John Lynch Speaks-- <a href="https://www.johnlynchspeaks.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.johnlynchspeaks.com/</a> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/JohnLynchSpeaks/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/JohnLynchSpeaks/</a> On My Worst Day: Cheesecake, Evil, Sandy Koufax, and Jesus by John Lynch <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/My-Worst-Day-Cheesecake-Koufax/dp/1934104078/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/My-Worst-Day-Cheesecake-Koufax/dp/1934104078/</a> The Cure: What if God isn't who you think He is? and neither are you? By John Lynch, Bruce McNicol, and Bill Thrall  <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-What-isnt-think-neither/dp/1934104086/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-What-isnt-think-neither/dp/1934104086/</a> The Cure &amp; Parents <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-Parents-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104094/r" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Cure-Parents-Bill-Thrall/dp/1934104094/</a> Two Roads - on YouTube (full length) <a href="https://youtu.be/Rfy03PEVUhQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/Rfy03PEVUhQ</a> (shorter version) <a href="https://youtu.be/mOJ1wUcP804" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/mOJ1wUcP804</a>

#086: Why Love Is The Only Weapon Against Self-Sabotage

The power of love holds the secret to completing the stress response cycle and experiencing long-term healing from real stress.  In this episode, we'll tell you more about this one BIG reason to keep choosing love over fear. Here's what research is teaching us:  learning to power through stress isn't enough.  Even learning to eliminate some sources of stress won't provide all the relief we need because there will always be tension and trauma we can't avoid.  Unavoidable stress--left unresolved, will make us sick. There is great hope.  We can find ways to experience LOVE in trusting relationships and eliminate the toxic hormone explosion that happens when we're under stress.  When we nourish our hearts, minds, and souls with LOVE--our bodies chemically experience a kind of "coming home."  This completes the stress response cycle in our physical bodies and helps us avoid staying stuck in wounded-ness, insecurity, anxiety, and immaturity. Join us to find out more about this "love one another" miracle and linger in these TAKEAWAYS:  Oxytocin is the stuff we need to complete the stress response cycle.  Without oxytocin, we'll stay stuck--in wounded-ness, insecurity, anxiety, and immaturity. Immature people don't recognize the same long-term implications of radical ideas that mature people do.  Maturity comes from love, not success. Wounded people hurt people.  Restored people restore people.  Love is the source of restoration.  We mention these resources in this episode: The Gift In You by Dr. Caroline Leaf https://smile.amazon.com/Gift-You-Discovering-Through-Hidden/dp/0981956734/ Trees in the tub: Try "bathing" in nature to reduce stress  https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/40401/20200118/trees-in-the-tub-try-bathing-in-nature-to-reduce-stress Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReRcHdeUG9Y  Our work to build schools without fear https://www.john15academy.com/about Thank you for sharing the LOVE IS FEARLESS podcast with your friends and family.  Together, there is great hope.

The power of love holds the secret to completing the stress response cycle and experiencing long-term healing from real stress.  In this episode, we'll tell you more about this one BIG reason to keep choosing love over fear. Here's what research is teaching us:  learning to power through stress isn't enough.  Even learning to eliminate some sources of stress won't provide all the relief we need because there will always be tension and trauma we can't avoid.  Unavoidable stress--left unresolved, will make us sick. There is great hope.  We can find ways to experience LOVE in trusting relationships and eliminate the toxic hormone explosion that happens when we're under stress.  When we nourish our hearts, minds, and souls with LOVE--our bodies chemically experience a kind of "coming home."  This completes the stress response cycle in our physical bodies and helps us avoid staying stuck in wounded-ness, insecurity, anxiety, and immaturity. Join us to find out more about this "love one another" miracle and linger in these TAKEAWAYS: <ul> <li>Oxytocin is the stuff we need to complete the stress response cycle.  Without oxytocin, we'll stay stuck--in wounded-ness, insecurity, anxiety, and immaturity.</li> <li>Immature people don't recognize the same long-term implications of radical ideas that mature people do.  Maturity comes from love, not success.</li> <li>Wounded people hurt people.  Restored people restore people.  Love is the source of restoration.</li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode: The Gift In You by Dr. Caroline Leaf <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Gift-You-Discovering-Through-Hidden/dp/0981956734/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Gift-You-Discovering-Through-Hidden/dp/0981956734/</a> Trees in the tub: Try "bathing" in nature to reduce stress <a href="https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/40401/20200118/trees-in-the-tub-try-bathing-in-nature-to-reduce-stress" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/40401/20200118/trees-in-the-tub-try-bathing-in-nature-to-reduce-stress</a> Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReRcHdeUG9Y" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReRcHdeUG9Y</a> Our work to build schools without fear <a href="https://www.john15academy.com/about" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.john15academy.com/about</a> Thank you for sharing the LOVE IS FEARLESS podcast with your friends and family.  Together, there is great hope.

#083: How To Break The Cycle of Stress

"We keep doing good...thinking it will make us good."  Those are the words written on an index card laying on the desk in our living room.   This one idea is the fundamental flaw that upends our cultural compass, sends us to bed both exhausted and sick, and keeps us in racial and religious bondage. In a culture of love, we're beginning to experience the power of a different reality.  Truth tells us we don't become good by doing good; rather, we become good because of what we trust and receive--in relationships. When we trust and receive: strength, we become strong. protection, we become protectors. safety in relationships, we become safe people in relationships. And, when we trust and receive: fear as a motivator, we become anxious. shame, we become afraid to fail. trivial pursuits, we live meaningless lives. Join us on this episode to find the hope LOVE offers for moving us out of the stress cycle that fear wants us stuck in. Linger in these TAKEAWAYS that remind us to nourish our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls:  "Wellness is not a state of being.  It is not a state of mind.  It is a state of action.  The cure for burnout is not self-care.  It's all of us caring for each other." (A quote from Emily Nagoski.) A life of love happens when we choose the experiences, the food and drink, the risks and choices that love offers...instead of the experiences, the food and drink, the risks and choices that fear offers.  So many of the choices that fear offers have become false traditions--and addictions, and have, therefore built a culture of fear.  With collective intentionality, we can change the world and build a culture of love. In a culture of love, we can learn to ask ourselves:  "Do I really need more? Or do I need something different?"  We can learn to nourish our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls...with love.  We can love one another in these ways, too.  We mention these resources in this episode: YOU can buy a LOVE IS FEARLESS t-shirt!  https://www.loveisfearless.com/shop NPR Author Interviews--"Beating Burnout: Sisters Write Book To Help Women Overcome Stress Cycle". https://www.npr.org/2019/05/05/720490364/to-help-women-kick-burnout-sisters-write-book-to-understanding-stress-cycle Seth Godin's blog post: "Confusing Hunger and Thirst".   https://seths.blog/2020/01/confusing-hunger-and-thirst/ Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/ Thank you for sharing the LOVE IS FEARLESS podcast with your friends and family.  Together, there is great hope.

"We keep doing good...thinking it will make us good."  Those are the words written on an index card laying on the desk in our living room.   This one idea is the fundamental flaw that upends our cultural compass, sends us to bed both exhausted and sick, and keeps us in racial and religious bondage. In a culture of love, we're beginning to experience the power of a different reality.  Truth tells us we don't become good by doing good; rather, we become good because of what we trust and receive--in relationships. When we trust and receive: strength, we become strong. protection, we become protectors. safety in relationships, we become safe people in relationships. And, when we trust and receive: fear as a motivator, we become anxious. shame, we become afraid to fail. trivial pursuits, we live meaningless lives. Join us on this episode to find the hope LOVE offers for moving us out of the stress cycle that fear wants us stuck in. Linger in these TAKEAWAYS that remind us to nourish our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls: <ul> <li>"Wellness is not a state of being.  It is not a state of mind.  It is a state of action.  The cure for burnout is not self-care.  It's all of us caring for each other." (A quote from Emily Nagoski.)</li> <li>A life of love happens when we choose the experiences, the food and drink, the risks and choices that love offers...instead of the experiences, the food and drink, the risks and choices that fear offers.  So many of the choices that fear offers have become false traditions--and addictions, and have, therefore built a culture of fear.  With collective intentionality, we can change the world and build a culture of love.</li> <li>In a culture of love, we can learn to ask ourselves:  "Do I really need more? Or do I need something different?"  We can learn to nourish our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls...with love.  We can love one another in these ways, too.</li> </ul> We mention these resources in this episode: YOU can buy a LOVE IS FEARLESS t-shirt!  <a href="https://www.loveisfearless.com/shop" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.loveisfearless.com/shop</a> NPR Author Interviews--"Beating Burnout: Sisters Write Book To Help Women Overcome Stress Cycle". <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/05/05/720490364/to-help-women-kick-burnout-sisters-write-book-to-understanding-stress-cycle" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.npr.org/2019/05/05/720490364/to-help-women-kick-burnout-sisters-write-book-to-understanding-stress-cycle</a> Seth Godin's blog post: "Confusing Hunger and Thirst".   <a href="https://seths.blog/2020/01/confusing-hunger-and-thirst/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://seths.blog/2020/01/confusing-hunger-and-thirst/</a> Education by Design, Not Default--How Brave Love Creates Fearless Learning by Janet Newberry <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/Education-Design-Not-Default-Fearless/dp/057840835X/</a> Thank you for sharing the LOVE IS FEARLESS podcast with your friends and family.  Together, there is great hope.

#082: Building A Life That Nourishes Your Soul

The best podcast episodes on non-current politics. Covering topics such as universal basic income, democracy, poverty & justice and more. For anyone interested in learning more about politics that affect that world, not just now, but in the longer term. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Non-Current Politics Podcasts

The best podcast episodes on parenting. Interviewing experts and talking through common issues surrounding parenting. This topic is filled with important lessons and insights for anyone listening. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!