Things Above

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with Aundi Kolber about her book, “Try Softer: A Fresh Approach to Move Us out of Anxiety, Stress, and Survival Mode–and into a Life of Connection and Joy.” Aundi Kolber believes that we don’t have to white-knuckle our way through life. In her debut book, Try Softer [https://www.amazon.com/Try-Softer-Approach-Mode-Connection/dp/1496439651], she’ll show us how God specifically designed our bodies and minds to work together to process our stories and work through obstacles. Through the latest psychology, practical clinical exercises, and her own personal story, Aundi equips and empowers us to connect us to our truest self and truly live. This is the “try softer” life. In Try Softer, you’ll learn how to: * Know and set emotional and relational boundaries * Make sense of the difficult experiences you’ve had * Identify your attachment style―and how that affects your relationships today * Move through emotions rather than get stuck by them * Grow in self-compassion and talk back to your inner critic Trying softer is sacred work. And while it won’t be perfect or easy, it will be worth it. Because this is what we were made for: a living, breathing, moving, feeling, connected, beautifully incarnational life. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University! [https://www.friends.edu/undergraduate/theology-humanities/christian-formation-and-ministry-bachelor-of-arts/] Related Episodes: 1. Integrate Like Jesus [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/08/27/integrate-like-jesus/] 2. Your Project [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/08/06/your-project/] 3. Live By The Spirit [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/07/16/live-by-the-spirit/] 4. Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/19/conversation-with-michael-stewart-robb/] 5. False Frames [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/04/false-frames/] The post Conversation with Aundi Kolber [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/09/03/conversation-with-aundi-kolber/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].

James Bryan Smith’s thought from above in this episode is, “Integrate Like Jesus.” This week, James follows up on his previous episode, discussing God’s deep longing for us. Smith explains the four modes of being we live in: family, work, play, and entertainment. He describes how Jesus engaged in each of these modes and why they are essential. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University! [https://www.friends.edu/undergraduate/theology-humanities/christian-formation-and-ministry-bachelor-of-arts/] Related Episodes: 1. Your Project [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/08/06/your-project/] 2. Live By The Spirit [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/07/16/live-by-the-spirit/] 3. Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/19/conversation-with-michael-stewart-robb/] 4. False Frames [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/04/false-frames/] 5. Everything Okay Forever [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/05/14/everything-okay-forever/] The post Integrate Like Jesus [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/08/27/integrate-like-jesus/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].

James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is “pay attention to your project.” In this episode, James addresses some big questions about the project of our life and why it’s so important we understand what a spiritually fulfilling life looks like. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University! [https://www.friends.edu/undergraduate/theology-humanities/christian-formation-and-ministry-bachelor-of-arts/] Related Episodes: 1. Live By The Spirit [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/07/16/live-by-the-spirit/] 2. Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/19/conversation-with-michael-stewart-robb/] 3. False Frames [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/04/false-frames/] 4. Everything Okay Forever [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/05/14/everything-okay-forever/] 5. Awe Filled Appreciation [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/04/16/awe-filled-appreciation/] The post Your Project [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/08/06/your-project/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].

James Bryan Smith’s thought for this week is, “Live By The Spirit.” In this episode, James quotes several passages from C.S. Lewis’s book Mere Christianity to help explain his thought. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University! [https://www.friends.edu/undergraduate/theology-humanities/christian-formation-and-ministry-bachelor-of-arts/] Related Episodes: 1. Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/19/conversation-with-michael-stewart-robb/] 2. False Frames [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/04/false-frames/] 3. Everything Okay Forever [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/05/14/everything-okay-forever/] 4. Awe Filled Appreciation [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/04/16/awe-filled-appreciation/] 5. Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/04/09/conversation-with-ian-morgan-cron/] The post Live By The Spirit [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/07/16/live-by-the-spirit/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author Michael Stewart Robb about his book, “The Kingdom Among Us: The Gospel According to Dallas Willard.” [https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Among-Us-According-Willard/dp/150648073X] Despite perennial attraction to his teachings, Dallas Willard’s theology has not been easy for his readers and colleagues to figure out or piece together. His approach to theology was an odd one. His five bestselling books on the Christian life were a “side job” to his quiet career as a professional philosopher. To what, if not to his profession, can one attribute the lasting attraction of his books? On one hand, it is Willard’s rhetorical skill and his cross-disciplinary knowledge–philosophical, psychological, biblical–regarding the central issues of human life. But more importantly, his books all proclaim a gospel which in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries can be especially hard to hear. Willard spoke of this gospel in biblical terms, “the gospel of the kingdom,” a gospel of spiritual living. The Kingdom Among Us presents a comprehensive account of that gospel.But it is much more than mere interpretation. By examining both Willard’s writings and hundreds of hours of audio recordings, Michael Stewart Robb both recovers and expands Willard’s theological vision. The book will help long time readers of Willard’s books make sense of his position in professional theology and philosophy. Robb’s reconstruction of a gospel of spiritual living will help scholars, theologians, and philosophers make sense of Willard’s “side job.” But all readers will encounter in these pages the most complete picture available of one of the giants of modern Christian spirituality. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Learn more about the Christian Spiritual Formation degree Scholarship at Friends University! [https://www.friends.edu/undergraduate/theology-humanities/christian-formation-and-ministry-bachelor-of-arts/] Related Episodes: 1. False Frames [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/04/false-frames/] 2. Everything Okay Forever [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/05/14/everything-okay-forever/] 3. Awe Filled Appreciation [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/04/16/awe-filled-appreciation/] 4. Conversation with Ian Morgan Cron [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/04/09/conversation-with-ian-morgan-cron/] 5. Solitude [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/03/13/solitude/] The post Conversation with Michael Stewart Robb [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/06/19/conversation-with-michael-stewart-robb/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].