Theodyssey Podcast

We are wrapping up our exploration of Sabbath Rhythm through the Spring Trellis series—a three-month journey where we discovered together the gift and blessing of Sabbath, and how creating margin in our lives helps us be more present with God and more attentive to His invitations. In this conversation, Eric and Rachael discuss the practical aspects of creating a Rule of Life. They explore starting small, trying practices on for size, making adjustments as needed, and doing it in community. There’s so much to consider in this episode!

We're glad you're continuing to explore Sabbath Rhythm with us through this Spring Trellis series. The three-month journey invites us to explore together the gift and blessing of Sabbath, and how creating margin in our lives helps us be more present with God and more attentive to His invitations. In this conversation, Eric and Rachael discuss how we can meet God in our rhythms, why Sabbath is a commandment, and that we need to unwrap this precious gift in order to enjoy it. Together, they continue reflecting on God’s invitation to us through His gift of Sabbath. We are so glad you're continuing to engage in this conversation!

Thank you for joining us as we continue our Spring Trellis series on living a Sabbath rhythm. This three-month journey invites us to explore together the gift and blessing of Sabbath, and how creating margin in our lives helps us be more present with God and more attentive to His invitations. In this conversation, Eric and Rachael discuss the blessings they are beginning to see and questions that continue to arise as they practice Sabbath. Together, they continue reflecting on God’s invitation to us through His gift of Sabbath. We are so glad you're continuing to engage in this conversation!

Thank you for joining us as we continue our Spring Trellis series on living a Sabbath rhythm. This three-month journey invites us to explore together the gift and blessing of Sabbath, and how creating margin in our lives helps us be more present with God and more attentive to His invitations. In this conversation, Eric and Rachael discuss some of the things that can distract us from Sabbath—particularly technology and the pace of hurry. Together, they continue reflecting on God’s invitation through the Sabbath commandment and consider how removing distractions can help us better hear His voice. We're glad you're here for the next step in this ongoing conversation!

Thanks for joining us as we continue our Spring Trellis series on Living a Sabbath Rhythm. This three-month journey invites us to explore together the gift and blessing of Sabbath, and how creating margin in our lives helps us be more present with God and attentive to His invitations. In this conversation, Eric and Rachael share some of the key themes that emerge when establishing and keeping a sabbath rhythm. Together, they continue reflecting on God’s invitations to us through the Sabbath commandment. We hope you enjoy the next installment in the larger conversation!

Welcome to our Spring Trellis series on Living a Sabbath Rhythm. This three-month journey invites us to explore together the gift and blessing of Sabbath, and how creating margin in our lives helps us be more present with God and attentive to His invitations. In this conversation, Eric and Rachael share some of their past misconceptions about what Sabbath is — and what it is not — along with the barriers they’ve encountered in trying to incorporate Sabbath into the rhythm of their lives. Together, they reflect on God’s invitations to us through the Sabbath commandment. We hope you enjoy the conversation!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. This is the final episode of an 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. After a few weeks of context to set up our exploration, we went through the prayer phrase by phrase. We have discussed our view of God, what it means to live surrendered and dependent, how to approach forgiveness, and how God meets us amid the trials of life. As we wrap up this study, we examine the doxology that was added to the prayer in the 1st century, returning our attention to God. "For Yours is the kingdom and power and glory forever. Amen." In this episode, Eric and Rachael not only explore this final burst of praise, but also next steps in taking this Lord's Prayer with you into community. Thanks for joining us!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. It is an 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. After exploring the invitations for daily dependence on God for both provision and forgiveness, we turn to the last line of the prayer: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. We will inevitably face trials and challenges in life, testing our character and tempting us to put our hope in ourselves or the world. This battle for our identity and our will is a reality as we participate in the Kingdom. In this episode, Eric and Rachael talk through these tensions, share from their own journeys, and discuss how to meet God amid the wandering and eventful journey we call life. Thanks for joining us!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. It is an 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. Last week, we discussed the request for Daily Bread, learning the posture of dependence on a loving Father. This week, explore the connected phrase, "and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors. Forgiveness is a huge and challenging topic, yet so essential to live in freedom and to participate in God's Kingdom. Eric and Rachael talk through what forgiveness looks like, what it is NOT, and share some inspiring stories of forgiveness. Thanks for joining us!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. It is an 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. We spent the last two weeks learning about the heart of God, as well as the reality of His Kingdom. How do we surrender to a loving Father? This week, we transition to the second half of the prayer, focused on "our" response. It starts with a request for daily bread, which is much more than a dinner staple. Eric and Rachael wrestle through what it means to be dependent on God, even within a culture of comfort. Profound gifts are awaiting us when we respond to God's invitation to trust and depend on Him. Hope you enjoy!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. It is an 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. This week, we dive into the second phrase of the prayer: "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." After grasping who God is, as a loving Father, the question becomes whether we will surrender our own agenda and story. Do we desire for God to be King? Do we want His will to be done in our lives? Eric and Rachael wrestle through the concept of God's will, and share their own journeys of learning how to trust God's desires for them. Hope you enjoy!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. It is an 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. This week, we dive into the first phrase: "Our Father, who is in heaven. Hallowed be Your Name." This is more than a greeting, as it reveals the relationship we are invited into. Can we embrace God as a loving Father? Eric and Rachael share their journeys of dismantling their distorted views of God to truly embrace who God says He is. Hope you enjoy!

When Alan grasped that his Heavenly Father loves him, it freed him to forgive and reconcile with his earthly father. As we grapple with these topics within the Lord's Prayer, we hope this story serves as an inspiration for what is possible. Enjoy!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. It is an 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. Before we dive into the actual prayer, we wanted to explore the larger context. The Lord's Prayer is nestled right in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, which is the most incredible collection of Jesus' teaching on the Kingdom. What exactly is the Kingdom? How do we participate? How does the Lord's Prayer play a role in all of this? Eric and Rachael wrestle through the realities of the Kingdom, our false expectations, and how it tangibly looks in our daily lives. Enjoy!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. It is a 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. Prayer can feel mysterious! What should we expect? What is the purpose? Before we dive into the Lord's Prayer, we wanted to spend a week examining our own experiences with prayer. If we want to have a fresh perspective and experience of prayer, we have to acknowledge where we are starting. Eric and Rachael describe their own journeys and question related to prayer, giving language for the road ahead. Enjoy!

Welcome to our Fall Study: When We Pray. It is a 8-week journey through the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew 6:9-13. Before we dive into the passage, we wanted to spend a week highlighting our approach to reading the Bible for the sake of formation. We call the process Alive to God in Scripture, and it involves four distinct movements. Through personal stories, historical insights, and honest dialogue, Eric and Rachael describe what it looks like to read Scripture for encounter, which is the goal of this Fall Study. How do we approach the Bible with a posture of surrender, an expectation to be met, and a goal of formation? This is a vital conversation before we dive into the passage.

This is a bonus episode of our Fall Study: God and me, Actually, which was a 10-week expedition through Zechariah 3:1-7. Our journey barely scratched the surface of some big themes, vital to us living out an authentic relationship with God. In this short episode, Eric shares some next steps coming up in 2025, offerings to help you dive deeper into these spiritual formation concepts. We encourage you to continue having transformative conversations within community! Reach out with any questions!

This is Session 9 of our Fall Study: God and me, Actually, which is a 10-week expedition through Zechariah 3:1-7. In this final episode, Eric, Rachael, and David continue to explore the last two verses of our passage. The vision ends with an If-Then statement, showing us what it looks like to step into this new reality anchored in God as a "Rule-Breaker" and us as "chosen. In this episode, we focus on the “then” statement. If we walk in fidelity with God, privileges, empowerment and accessibility are offered to us. God invites us into the partnership and intimacy found in a transforming friendship. Hope you enjoy the conversation!

This is Session 8 of our Fall Study: God and me, Actually, which is a 10-week expedition through Zechariah 3:1-7. After spending the last two weeks exploring what God is really like, as well as how He views us, Eric, Rachael, and David turn the last two verses of our passage. The vision ends with an If-Then statement, showing us what it looks like to step into this new reality. What does obedience look like when we grasp that God is a "Rule-Breaker" and we are "chosen"? What are the dreams and possibilities awaiting us when learn how to authentically follow Jesus? Hope you enjoy the conversation!

This is Session 7 of our Fall Study: God and me, Actually, which is a 10-week expedition through Zechariah 3:1-7. After spending a week exploring Our True Identity, Eric, Rachael, and David turn to the question of, "What is God really like?" To truly experience an authentic relationship with God, we not only need to grasp how God views us, but also embrace the truth of who God is. We all have views of God rooted in our upbringing, experience, and life circumstances, which are often distorted. We need to let God speak for Himself and for most of us, it will surprise us. What if God is different than what we expected? Our view of God is arguably the most important thing about us. Hope you enjoy the conversation!