Things Above

Formation Writers Guild

James Bryan Smith and Emily P. Freeman announce the launch of the Formation Writers Guild. The guild is a year-long guided journey for writers who sense a vocational call within the field of Christian spiritual formation and want to deepen their faith, develop their craft, and expand their reach through publication. Listen to learn all about the vision and mission behind the Formation Writers Guild and apply today! Learn more about the Formation Writers Guild here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/formation-writers-guild/] Click here to apply to the Formation Writers Guild! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/formation-writers-cohort-application/] Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Recent Episodes: 1. Conversation with Liz Hall and Kelly Kapic [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/05/27/conversation-with-liz-hall-and-kelly-kapic/] 2. No Condemnation [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/29/no-condemnation/] 3. Spiritual World [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/15/spiritual-world/] 4. Conversation with Dr. Kelly Flanagan [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/01/conversation-with-dr-kelly-flanagan/] 5. The Gospel Is Bigger [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/03/11/the-gospel-is-bigger/] The post Formation Writers Guild [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/06/03/formation-writers-guild/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].

Conversation with Liz Hall and Kelly Kapic

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Liz Hall and Kelly Kapic about their book, “When the Journey Hurts.” Transform Your Suffering with Tools from Theology, Psychology, and Spiritual Formation We don’t like pain. So, we find creative ways to go around it. We try to ignore, minimize, or deny our suffering, but we’re still left hurting. The twisting and defiling work of sin on this world is overwhelming and shatters our assumptions about ourselves and our place in the world. And yet, the path forward is through suffering. Our afflictions present an opportunity to encounter God and allow him to redeem our suffering. Drawing on six years of research, When the Journey Hurts untangles common misconceptions about suffering, instead helping you find meaning in it. The authors integrate theology, psychology, and spiritual formation to provide actionable steps and tools that teach you how to suffer well in relationship with God and others. This book introduces seven key practices to help you uncover meaning in your suffering, equipping you to engage with suffering in a healthy, faithful way: * Identifying with Christ’s suffering * Lament * Surrender * Forgiveness * Gratitude * Memento mori (remembering our mortality) * Weaving our story of suffering into God’s story Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Recent Episodes: 1. No Condemnation [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/29/no-condemnation/] 2. Spiritual World [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/15/spiritual-world/] 3. Conversation with Dr. Kelly Flanagan [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/01/conversation-with-dr-kelly-flanagan/] 4. The Gospel Is Bigger [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/03/11/the-gospel-is-bigger/] 5. God Is Joyous [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/01/22/god-is-joyous/] The post Conversation with Liz Hall and Kelly Kapic [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/05/27/conversation-with-liz-hall-and-kelly-kapic/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].

No Condemnation

James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this week is, “There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.” In this episode, James explains his thought from above, recalling a story about trust and how we can eliminate fear when we have trust. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Recent Episodes: 1. Spiritual World [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/15/spiritual-world/] 2. Conversation with Dr. Kelly Flanagan [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/01/conversation-with-dr-kelly-flanagan/] 3. The Gospel Is Bigger [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/03/11/the-gospel-is-bigger/] 4. God Is Joyous [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/01/22/god-is-joyous/] 5. God is Looking for You [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/12/22/god-is-looking-for-you/] The post No Condemnation [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/29/no-condemnation/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].

Spiritual World

James Bryan Smith’s thought from above this episode is, “We are living in a spiritual world.” This week, James explains how we are all spiritual beings living in a spiritual world. He uses his mornings to practice consonance, which helps him live out his thought from above. Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Related Episodes: 1. Conversation with Dr. Kelly Flanagan [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/01/conversation-with-dr-kelly-flanagan/] 2. The Gospel Is Bigger [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/03/11/the-gospel-is-bigger/] 3. God Is Joyous [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/01/22/god-is-joyous/] 4. God is Looking for You [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/12/22/god-is-looking-for-you/] 5. Conversation with AJ Swoboda and Nijay Gupta [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/12/03/conversation-with-aj-swoboda-and-nijay-gupta/] The post Spiritual World [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/15/spiritual-world/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].

Conversation with Dr. Kelly Flanagan

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above Conversation with author Dr. Kelly Flanagan. In this episode, James discusses Kelly’s book “The Road Less Triggered.” Learn more about Kelly’s book and order it here [https://www.amazon.com/s?k=the+road+less+triggered&adgrpid=185081185583&hvadid=779713622396&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9024248&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=11218736943114477766--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11218736943114477766&hvtargid=kwd-2458502845666&hydadcr=15523_13558508_9248&mcid=069f220878dc3470b53a15d157e5d772&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_5lnjl2li6p_e]! Interested in donating to the Things Above Podcast? Donate here! [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/things-above-donation/] Related Episodes: 1. The Gospel Is Bigger [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/03/11/the-gospel-is-bigger/] 2. God Is Joyous [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/01/22/god-is-joyous/] 3. God is Looking for You [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/12/22/god-is-looking-for-you/] 4. Conversation with AJ Swoboda and Nijay Gupta [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/12/03/conversation-with-aj-swoboda-and-nijay-gupta/] 5. Love Has You [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2025/11/12/love-has-you/] The post Conversation with Dr. Kelly Flanagan [https://apprenticeinstitute.org/2026/04/01/conversation-with-dr-kelly-flanagan/] appeared first on Apprentice Institute [https://apprenticeinstitute.org].