Lights Like Us

For our seventh episode, here are 7 things that keep us on that mystical, magical, living - not just alive - track.

Something about saying yes is always saying no and saying no is always saying yes and who are we saying yes to? Ourselves? Why or why not? And all of that.

Ok, damn, this Shinto "religion" (it's not a religion) is the shit. Honestly, where has Shinto been all our life? Well, it has been in Japan but it's never too late to start bringing some of the good stuff into our lives.

Japan was wild and we learned so much. This is not a, our favorite coffee shop but it is a... we were humbled, inspired, and awed by a trip.

Since this podcast is trying to highlight the mystics, it's probably good to talk about what the hell that even means... what are the mystics, what are they saying... what's that even mean? And to be clear, this is a massive question but we have some thoughts. Just thoughts.

It's been four years. We've got some catching up to do before we get too far. Catching up and.... Learning, always.

It's been over four years but we're back with a new attitude for a new era and all kinds of plans. We kick it off by looking back a little, with some questions about ourselves, and some new energy moving forward. Get ready, it's going to be fun!

That whole thing about dogs and vomit and people repeating the same harmful things sends Ryan and Heidi talking about their own lives and where they are eating their own vomit and maybe a time or two they stopped. Enjoy the word vomit and hopefully let's all stop eating so much of our own vomit. (That's a lot of vomit.)

A quick little chat about fear and love and the here and now. You know… all that stuff.

A Bonus Holiday Podcast! Ryan and Heidi talk about thanksgiving and Ryan tries to say why he's not super happy with it, while Heidi tries to say he should maybe not be so negative and Ryan tries to explain it better and Heidi wonders if it's kinda of a downer but she admits she's tired and, yeah, by the end there seems to be some good news found.

All about the well analogy. The one that says it's not about the wells but the water. And it's definitely one of the best out there. We also could have gone with it is "well" with my soul for this one but that might have caused too much PTSD.

Some thoughts about two kinds of people and the way they see the world. Or want to see the world. Or think about the world. Or want to think about the world. Maybe it's just what is interesting.

Some thoughts about the small topic of the resurrection. Did it really happen, like that? Or is it possible there is, maybe, a better way that involves seeing more than empty tombs?

Ryan and Heidi are back! And they've got a whole quiver full of podcasts already recorded with them, so the good times are going to go for a while. The first episode is about Ryan being "angry at the church" and some explanations about why that's true or not. Warning: emotion in this one!

Danea (love_and_deconstruction on the Insta) has a story. From a pastor's kid in a Lutheran Church, to Mars Hill, to Jerry Falwell Jr. to… well, she just removed all the Bibles from her house. This is a powerful, raw, and very fresh story and it will connect on so many levels. Soak it in and let it sit. For real.

Another awesome interview, this time with Karissa, the Angry Church Kid. You might think she's angry, because of her name, but she's actually very kind and inspiring and… well... yeah a little angry at some stuff too. Enjoy fireflies and summer camps and more!

Meet Abi (aka The Wanderer). She grew up in The Brethren Church. Being curious and a woman (in a world where women weren't allowed to have much of a voice) she started asking questions pretty early on and she hasn't stopped. From summer camps, worship music, and women covering their heads to… there probably isn't even a god. Or is there? Meet Abi. Enjoy.

You know that don't throw out the baby with the bathwater? Well screw that if the baby hasn't been in there the whole time. Throw out that water.

This is the audio taken from the video The only lesson I remember from college almost 30 years later - available at lightslikeus.com/wonder.

Ryan has a theory that involves stories and characters and Thomas Paine and his own life. It's a big statement but hear it out because "fix Christianity" might mean something different then you think, but also because it might just save the world.