090. What Fear is Trying to Steal From You

090. What Fear is Trying to Steal From You

In this solo episode of You Matter, Pastor Tom goes deeper into the topic of fear and the first biblical pathway for building faith that conquers it: worship. Using the story of Jehoshaphat, he explores how even godly people face terrifying circumstances, but fear does not have to define the response. The episode unpacks how gathering people, fasting, praying, and surrendering our battles to God can shift us from panic to trust. Pastor Tom also challenges listeners to reexamine the role of daily and weekly worship in their lives, not as a routine, but as spiritual warfare. If you are facing a battle, this episode is a reminder that you do not have to fight alone. Discussion Questions: 1. What is one “battle” in your life right now that you have been trying to fight alone? 2. When fear shows up in your life, do you tend to isolate, seek control, pray, worship, or invite others in? 3. Dr. Pound talked about fasting as a way to seek God, gain clarity, and demonstrate seriousness. Is there a form of fasting that might help you refocus on God in this season? 4. What role does worship currently play in your daily life, and what would it look like to treat worship as a weapon against fear rather than just a Sunday activity?

089. The Cost of Playing It Safe

"Fear is to the kingdom of darkness that faith is to the Kingdom of God." Summary: Pastor Tom and Pastor Joshua explore one of the most universal human experiences: fear. Together they unpack why Scripture repeatedly tells us, “Do not be afraid,” while acknowledging how deeply fear is woven into everyday life. Through biblical insight, personal stories, and practical application, they discuss how fear can either paralyze us or become an invitation to deeper trust in God. The conversation challenges listeners to examine where fear may be holding them back from obedience, growth, and kingdom impact. Ultimately, this episode reminds us that faith grows when we learn to trust the Father's presence more than the threats we perceive. Discussion Questions: 1. What area of your life are you currently protecting instead of surrendering, and what would obedience to God look like if fear were removed from the equation? 2. When you are most anxious, what outcome are you trying hardest to control, and what does that reveal about where your trust is actually resting? 3. What opportunity, relationship, calling, or act of obedience have you delayed because of fear, and what specific step could you take this week to move forward in faith? 4. If God sat across from you today and asked, “Why are you shrinking back?” what honest answer would you give Him—and what do you sense He would say in return?

088. Deep Friendship in a Shallow World

Summary  Pastor Tom and Joshua Meyer explore the biblical idea of “brotherly affection” from 2 Peter and why deep Christian friendship is essential for spiritual growth. Together, they unpack the power of reminder, the importance of legacy, and the reality that God has already given believers everything needed to live a godly life. This conversation moves beyond surface-level Christianity and into the kind of vulnerable, loyal, Christ-centered relationships that shape people over time. Through personal stories, Scripture, and honest reflection, the episode challenges listeners to consider the kind of life and legacy they are building. If you’ve ever felt lonely, spiritually distracted, or hungry for deeper connection, this conversation will gently call you back toward authentic community in Christ. “Find like-hearted kings moving in the same direction. Sign treatise with them and when they are at war you are at war.” - Dan Allender Discussion Questions 1. What voices or thought patterns have been shaping your inner world lately more than the voice of God, and what would it look like to intentionally “put truth back into your mind” this week? 2. If someone examined your daily habits, relationships, and conversations, what kind of legacy would they assume you are building right now? 3. Where are you settling for surface-level connection while secretly longing for deeper friendship, vulnerability, and spiritual community? 4. What is one area of spiritual growth you keep postponing, excusing, or avoiding, even though God has already given you everything you need to begin?

087. The Strength to Keep Going

Episode Summary: Perseverance is more than trying harder. It is learning how to keep walking with God when life becomes painful, exhausting, discouraging, or uncertain. In this episode, Pastor Tom and Joshua Meyer unpack the biblical meaning of hupomonē, the Spirit-empowered endurance that allows believers to continue doing God’s will over the long haul. Together they explore suffering, obstacles, emotional resilience, spiritual formation, and why intimacy with Jesus is the true source of lasting strength. This conversation offers practical wisdom for anyone feeling weary, stuck, tempted to give up, or unsure how to keep going. If you are tired but still hungry for God, this episode will help you remember that His strength meets you one breath, one step, and one day at a time. Discussion Questions: 1. Where in your life are you most tempted to emotionally, spiritually, or mentally “give up,” even if outwardly you still look faithful? 2. What obstacles are currently hindering your walk with God, not just sinful habits, but distractions, comforts, fatigue, wounds, disappointments, or fears that are slowly draining your perseverance? 3. If your life truly became “all about Jesus” rather than primarily about your comfort, success, or emotional safety, what practical changes would need to happen this week? 4. What would it look like for you to actively rely on God’s strength instead of your own in this current season, one breath, one step, and one day at a time? “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” — John Wesley

086. You’re Strong… Until You’re Not (Self-Control, Part 2)

Discussion Questions: 1. When you reflect on your life, where do you see “situational self-control,” and what patterns reveal where you are most vulnerable when no one is watching? 2. What might your “signature sin” be, and how have you either ignored it or failed to prepare for it in moments of temptation? 3. How are fatigue, emotional exhaustion, or the “messy middle” of life currently impacting your ability to walk in obedience and integrity? 4. What narrative are you telling yourself about your pain right now, and how would your emotions shift if you truly believed God is using it for good? Episode Summary: In this second part of our conversation on self-control, we turn to the lives of David and Joseph to see what Spirit-led self-control actually looks like in real life. Through David’s victories and failures, we learn that self-control can be situational, fragile, and deeply connected to fatigue, desire, and unchecked power. In contrast, Joseph models a steady, long-term faithfulness marked by emotional maturity, integrity, and a God-centered perspective. This episode helps you identify your own areas of strength and weakness while offering practical ways to grow in consistent, lasting self-control. Ultimately, it calls you to see your story through God’s lens, where even pain can be transformed into purpose. “Hope fuels strength, strength surrenders to the Spirit, and the Spirit empowers the will.”