Posted: February 1, 2023 by Chuck Hagele

Journaling for Spiritual Growth: A conversation with Marc Schelske

I’m happy to welcome back Marc Schelske to the Podcast.  If you haven’t listened, do now (The Wisdom of Your Heart: an Interview with Marc Schelske).  I continue to recommend and share copies of his book. I’ve also used it as a resource while preparing for our Vulnerabilities episodes.

This interview explores journaling, a practice Marc has found helpful in personal and spiritual growth. It complements the work of “The Wisdom of Your Heart” while being a practical guide on building a journaling practice.  

Most of us have tried or at least thought about journaling. I’ve tried a few times, but it didn’t last. Now that I’ve dived into Marc’s book and spent time talking with him, I understand better why my attempts didn’t last and weren’t as fulfilling as I wanted.

Marc is a coach in helping you explore journaling. He does a fantastic job encouraging thoughtfulness and experimentation without being overly prescriptive or demanding. For example, he writes, “Spend as much time as you need within the confines of the time you have.” This book doesn’t get stuck in presenting a rigid structure, nor does it leave you guessing what to do.  Marc deeply understands brains, habit formation, human behavior, and personal experience. 

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About Marc

The following is from Marc’s website.

I’m a reader, a thinker, a writer, and speaker. Sometimes I’m a chef or a songwriter, always a dad and husband. I’m the teaching elder at Bridge City Community Church in Milwaukie, Oregon, where I bang the drum for inside-out living and have the privilege of inviting people into a life of following Jesus more and more.

Learning to live from the inside out have saved my faith. That, and God’s grace.  I  know they can do wonders for you, too. I want you to come to know deeply that you are included, beloved, and free. You always have been.

In my writing, I focus on what it takes to nurture a healthy inner life, something found at the intersection of grace and growth. Jesus’ teaching in Luke 10:26-28 shapes my view on what a whole, integrated spiritual life looks like where we love God with our whole heart, soul, strength, and mind.

marcalanschelske.com

Here are some highlights from our conversation:

  • Getting to know Marc – 01:26
  • Marc’s Experience with journaling and why he wrote the book 03:10
  • Challenge of learning a new practice from someone who may have forgotten what it’s like to be a beginner. 04:28
  • What is the cost of not journaling? Why do it? Sharing about meta-cognition (thinking about thinking) 09:41
  • What Marc means by spiritual growth “I want to become a person who is….)” 13:13
  • Why do we need to look with curiosity at our reality? 14:50
  • What is the structure of the book? How do we do it? 18:46
  • Expectations versus reality: How our ideal standard undermines our success 24:20
  • Overview of “set of practices” that go into journaling 30:08
  • Marc turns the tale on Chuck and asks him what roadblocks make past journaling difficult 37:31
  • The heart of journaling and why it’s effective (Capturing the butterfly) 39:24
  • Learning about the “spine” silence, reflection (inward & Godward), prayer (who are you going to be for the day?) 45:20
  • Marc’s Summary 1:00:106

Important Links

Marc’s website – Books, podcast, posts, resources – marcalanschelske.com

Purchase Elsewhere

Posted: January 15, 2023 by Chuck Hagele

Is anger sad’s bodyguard?

This podcast is based on a quote I heard while attending a pre-session at the Replanted Conference that takes place each October in the Chicago area. The conference focuses on supporting foster and adoptive parents. I attended a pre-session training on trauma by my friends Mike and Kristin Berry of Honestly Adoption Company.  

Mike shared a quote by Liza Palmer that captured me.  Liza wrote, “Angry is just sad’s bodyguard.”

This episode explores the relationship between anger and sadness. It’s a complicated relationship, but I hope you enjoy thinking about this as I have.

Here are some Highlights:

  • Anger – the emotion we feel when someone or something important to us is being harmed or needs defending.
  • How we may be expressing anger but feeling something totally different
  • Sadness – the emotion we feel when someone or something valuable or important to us is lost.
  • Discussion of loss when it’s a real loss like death, a loss of something representative, or the loss of something we hoped for.
  • Some reasons why we avoid sadness.
    • We react quickly away from sadness – not a state we naturally want to hold
    • We fear sadness will only increase if we focus on it.
    • We feel powerful when expressing anger but vulnerable when experiencing sadness.
    • It’s easier to blame shift with anger.
  • What are some suggestions?
    • Realize that unattended sadness doesn’t go away – it grows.
    • Holding sadness is a long-established spiritual practice encouraged by Jesus.
    • Learn to respond to sadness through reflection, memorials, lesson finding, and exposure of what is valuable.
  • Parenting thoughts
    • Ask your kids what Liza Palmer’s saying, “Angry is just sad’s bodyguard,” means to them.
    • Explore the difference between push and pull emotions.
    • Talk with them about how we can learn lessons from our sadness.

Closing Thoughts:

Thanks for taking the time to engage with us in this content.  If you’d like to share youth thoughts, questions, or suggestions, email me at chuck@projectaptch.org.

Also, we have updated copies of the “Life Ready Kids” video series available.  This 12-part presentation, along with study guides, helps you face the challenge of raising kids who can live in a world of technology. Learn more by clicking here.

Life Ready Kids Video Series

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Posted: July 20, 2018 by Chuck Hagele

Andy Crouch – The Tech-Wise Family (Interview)

My guest for this episode is Andy Crouch, author of the book, “The Tech-Wise Family: Everyday Steps for Putting Technology In Its Proper Place.”  I’m a big fan of this book and the ideas that Andy shares. This book is so different from other books about technology and parenting because it focuses on the core goals of parenting and child development.  It isn’t a tech-hostile book but is one that seeks to take advantage of the benefits of technology without losing the power of family.

Andy Crouch is an author, speaker, and thought leader.  He is a partner for theology and culture at Praxis, a unique entrepreneurship and non-profit incubator which focuses on redemptive callings.  He has written several books including, “Strong and Weak: Embracing  a Life of Love, Risk and True Flourishing”, “Playing God: Redeeming the Gift of Power” and “Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling.”  He has been the editor and producer at Christianity today and his writing has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time and countless other magazines.”

You can learn more about Andy at his website.

Listen to the interview:

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This interview highlights some aspects of the book but by no means replaces reading the book.  This is a unique book in that it combines some key guiding principles:

  1. The importance of family as well as threats to family and individual development.
  2. Ways to increase resistance in our children and ourselves to the “quick and easy” lies of technology.
  3. Research from Barna regarding families, technology and challenges.
  4. An honest perspective from Andy on what it has been like as a family to be “Tech-wise”.

Discussion in the interview:

  • Why Andy wrote this book –  skip to
  • Why this book includes both theory as well as a section to show how it worked in Andy’s home. skip to
  • Discussion on why Andy chose to focus on so much “non-tech” elements in this book:  skip to
  • Discussions about “bubbling” kids of just give up mentality that parents face:  skip to
  • Andy discusses the biggest threat of technology:  skip to
  • The power of the authentic: skip to
  • The challenge of boredom: skip to
  • Importance about living in non-stimulated environment and power of creativity:  skip to
  • Short term verses long-term benefits: skip to
  • Raising kids in a home different from their peers:  skip to
  • Why parents need to be mindful of tech use.  skip to
  • Discussion of kids wanting parents and how we miss the connection.  skip to
  • What is the place of technology:  skip to

Learn more about Andy & buy the book:

You can learn more about Andy, the books he’s written, speaking appointments, articles as well as purchase books

andy-crouch.com

Other Project Patch Updates skip to

KBOI News Story by Lauren Clark – Read the Story OR  Facebook

Family Experience – This is a Project Patch program which helps families of all types learn to pull together.  It’s a fun and challenging weekend retreat for the whole family held at in Goldendale, WA.  Learn More.
August 16-19
October 25-28

Seminars:

NAD Teachers Meetings:  Tuesday, August 7 11:15 AM (Chicago, IL)
Butte Montana – September 13-15
Refresh Conference – October 5-6 (Chicago, IL)
Sandy SDA Church, Portland, OR – October 13
Medford SDA Church – October 19-20

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