In this EP I had privilege to have a conversation with Ronald Rolheiser, an author, priest and theologian. We talk about the Augustinian ideas surrounding the restlessness of the human heart, how our desires form and shape us, the role of faith in parenting and what it looks like to live a prayerful and contemplative life. Ronald Rolheiser serves as the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) and is a specialist in the fields of spirituality and systematic theology. He is a bestselling author of numerous books, including, The Restless Heart, Sacred Fire and The Holy Longing. "God has made everything beautiful in its own time, but God has put timelessness in the human heart" To find out more about Ronald Rolheiser and his work -  https://ronrolheiser.com/en/

In this first 2024 EP, Jarryd and I sit down with pastor and author, Adam Ramsey, and have a conversation around how we can truly be present in every season of life. Our culture sells us the narrative that we can be everything and achieve anything, however this may be damaging our God given humanity. We discuss how accepting our limitations as humans brings us closer to the meaningfulness of life and how our deepest freedoms are not found in our accomplishments but in Jesus’ accomplishments. Adam leads Liberti Church on the Gold Coast, Australia and also serves as the director for Acts 29 Asia Pacific. He has authored several books including "Truth on Fire" and "Truly, Truly, I Say to You" and more recently "Faithfully Present". To find out more about Adam or his books head over to https://www.thegoodbook.com.au/authors/adam-ramsey or www.threads.net/@adamramsey_

In this EP we have a conversation with Matthew Clarke and Annabella Rossini-Clarke around the transformative potential of mercy, justice, community flourishing and bringing agency to humanity amongst many others. We also explore some ideas of their recent book "Disrupting Mercy", shortlisted as 2023 Sparklit Book of the Year. Matt and Bella are passionate about co-creating a world where everyone can flourish through their support of various international developments. Bella runs a sustainable social enterprise selling takeaway coffee to raise funding for their various projects. Matt has worked in IT, most recently for an international development agency, but he now focuses on research into the on-going problems of human trafficking. To find out more about Matt and Bella or the work they do head on over to https://www.turningteardropsintojoy.com/

In this EP I sit down with Mark and Nasia Tapping to chat about Santa, his little friends and all the bells and whistles that come along with it. Christmas is both the most wonderful time of the year and arguably for many, the most isolating and anxiety inducing time of the year.  But how can we as Christians both engage in and enjoy this season in a way that celebrates Jesus and loves others? With many looking forward to spending time feasting with family and celebrating it’s helpful to try reframe how we look at this season through a gospel lens, as it is only through this lens that we see how all things can be redeemed. Mark and Nas are the perfect people to have this conversation with as they bring their authenticity, intentionality, joyful hearts, love for Jesus and love for others in how they approach celebrating Christmas. Through the conversation we have fun in discovering how Christmas can be the most wonderful time of the year.

In this EP I sit down with Jasmine Fischer who is an award-winning author of Christian fantasy. Her recent book, "CALOR (The Nightingale Trilogy Book 1)" received the Realm Award: Book of the Year 2023.Jasmine is also a qualified psychologist with undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in clinical psychology. Through the conversation we explore how her passion for mental health, struggles with chronic illness and love for Jesus outwork themselves through her ability to craft and create fantasy stories. We also talk about the the importance of maintaining a sense of curiosity and wonder and how it impacts your faith. To find out more about Jasmine or her books you can visit her website at www.jjfischer.com.

In this EP, Rory Shiner returns to the show with some wonderful insights into the human identity through a gospel perspective. Rory is a senior pastor of Providence City Church in Perth and he is the Chair of the TGC Australia Council. He has written books on Union with Christ and on the relationship between Jesus’ resurrection and our own. His most recent book, The World Next Door: A Short Guide to the Christian Faith, is out now. Rory has previously recorded with us in an EP entitled “Navigating secular seas in discipleship and evangelism” - Have a listen if you haven’t already!  In this conversation we tease out how our perception of our identity impacts the way we see and relate to others. Rory draws on thinkers such as Charles Taylor in unpacking what we see in our age of expressive individualism and authenticity. We try unpack how the pillars of our identity determine how we understand our world and how the gospel gives us the opportunity to reconcile and change our identity in Christ.  Special Thanks to Rory Shiner for joining in this conversation and sharing his experiences and insights with us. To find out more about Rory or Providence Church follow this link - ⁠https://providencechurch.org.au/city/⁠ 

In this EP I sit down and chat with Mark Hayes. Mark is both a businessman and a man of the people. His professional career has been vibrant and eclectic to say the least. From Pastor to airline Pilot, his experiences have taken him high and low and have shown him both the beauty and the harsh reality of humanity. His passion to help people led him into the increasing mental health issues experienced within the mining industry, particularly in Western Australia. This led Mark to spend eight years in remote Western Australia, where he worked for a major international mining company creating strategies to help support the well-being of employees across multiple sites. Mark talks openly and vulnerably on his own lived experience of trauma and journeying through pain and suffering has shaped his life and empathy for others. How do we understand trauma? How do we wrestle with the feelings of isolation and abandonment in trauma? Is there any hint of beauty that comes through the journey we take through trauma? This conversation covers those questions and more.

In this EP we have a conversation with Dr. Katherine Thompson about how we can frame the pain and suffering we experience so that we are neither defined by or defeated by it. Katherine challenges the narratives we create during times of pain and suffering. Additionally, we explore how the gospel informs our approach amidst the struggle of suffering and redeems our stories of pain. Katherine is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker/Psychotherapist and has done extensive research in youth mental health, psychosis and borderline personality disorder. She has been assessed by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) as having specialist mental health expertise and advanced clinical practice knowledge and experience. Katherine is also considered a leading expert in Christian Mindfulness in Australia. To find out more about Dr. Katherine Thompson - http://www.drkatherine.com.au/

Colin Buchanan is an Australian singer, entertainer and multi-instrumentalist. His achievements span the musical landscape with an ARIA, APRA and 9 times Golden Guitar winner, ABC TV Play School presenter, Australia's #1 kid's Christian artist, sought-after co-writer and the Bucko of Bucko & Champs' classic "Aussie Christmas" - an Australian institution!  In this EP we discover how Colin became Australia’s #1 kids Christian artist, his secret to writing music that children love, and unpack his passion surrounding the transformative goodness of the Gospel. To find out more about Colin or to grab some tickets to his Big Christmas Part National Tour -  colinbuchanan.com.au

Christopher Watkin (PhD, University of Cambridge) is a scholar with an international reputation in the area of modern and contemporary European thought, atheism, and the relationship between the Bible and philosophy. His most recent work, "Biblical Critical Theory", forwarded by the late Timothy Keller, was awarded the 2023 SparkLit Christian Book of the Year. Tim Keller wrote about Chris's work as "A bold vision for Christians who want to engage the world in a way that is biblically faithful and culturally sensitive." In this EP, we explore  how the Bible and its unfolding story help us make sense of modern life and culture. To find out more about Chris Watkin: https://christopherwatkin.com/ If you've enjoyed this conversation we would love you to leave us a rating/ review