Struggling for Purpose

Having reached 100 episodes on this journey of “faith and folly,” and for this landmark installment of the Struggling for Purpose, I sat down with a man whose life story reads like a high-octane thriller: James R. Hannibal. James isn’t just an author; he’s a former A-10 Warthog and B-2 Spirit stealth pilot, a synesthete, and the man tasked with carrying forward the legacy of one of the most unique Christian discipleship tools ever created: Dragon Raid. The Evolution of a Legacy: From Dragon Raid to Light Raiders In the 1980s, Dick Wolf created Dragon Raid, a tabletop role-playing game (RPG) designed to teach scripture memory and Christian character. For James, a pastor’s kid growing up in Colorado Springs, the game was a formative experience. Decades later, when James sought out the game for his own children, he ended up connecting with Dick Wolf himself. Before his passing, Wolf asked James to expand the world. This birthed the Light Raider Academy novels and a completely redesigned gaming system. “We wanted to change the sci-fi fantasy mashup and make it pure fantasy,” James explains. “We spent months creating cultures and the world before even writing. We took the map on the back of the original box and ‘zoomed in,’ fleshing out the towns and the people.” The result is a streamlined, elegant mechanic that turns role-playing into a deep discipleship experience. By playing characters with specific “virtue ratings,” players learn to navigate moral dilemmas using scripture—all within a low-threat, imaginative environment. Seeing Sound and Flying Stealth: Life with Synesthesia One of the most fascinating segments of the interview touched on James’s synesthesia—a neurological condition where the senses intersect. For James, a flash of light might trigger a “clack” sound, or an engine noise might manifest as a “brown fog” that physically presses in on him. Surprisingly, this helped him in the cockpit. While he had to “learn to deal” with sensory overload, his color graphemia (associating numbers and concepts with colors) made him an elite forward air controller. He could track multiple fighters, airspaces, and weapon loads with a mental organization that others struggled to match. The “Write What You Know” Phase and the Leap to Faith After a 10-year career in the Air Force—including time on the think tank for the B-21 Raider—James transitioned to writing. He started with military techno-thrillers like Wraith, but eventually found himself at a crossroads. While writing for major New York publishers, James encountered a “glass ceiling” for his faith. He refused to include the foul language or explicit content often demanded in adult thrillers, and even in children’s literature, he found a push to include “indoctrination” that didn’t align with his values. This led him to Enclave and Revelle, where he now writes high-quality Christian fiction for both teens and adults. A Miraculous Confirmation The path to building Light Raiders hasn’t been easy. It is a labor of love funded largely by James and his wife. At one point, James faced a career-ending injury: his feet were riddled with stress fractures and torn tendons, a condition so severe he was navigating airports in a wheelchair. During a conference where he was struggling to even stand on stage, a stranger offered to pray for him. “I’m not Pentecostal or Charismatic, so I kind of laughed at the guy,” James admits. “But we prayed… and by the end of that prayer, I could no longer feel the pain. My left big toe—which had a disconnected tendon—was wiggling again. That moment answered every question about whether we should be doing Light Raiders. That’s the calling for the rest of our lives.” How You Can Get Involved Light Raiders is more than a game; it’s a non-profit mission (Courser Media Inc.) dedicated to equipping the next generation. Visit the Website: Head over to lightraiders.com to explore the trilogy of novels and the Starlots box set. Support the Mission: Because the games are sold below cost to keep them affordable for churches and families, donor support is vital. You can donate directly through their shop. Bring it to Your Church: If you’re looking for a way to engage youth in scripture memory that feels like an adventure, the Light Raider system is built for you. Note: This blog post was generated using Google AI from the transcript of this podcast. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Another nostalgic podcast where I talk about how grateful I’ve been to be able to podcast for 20 years. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I was sick for two days and had a lot of time to think, so, let’s talk about that. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Some days it’s tough to podcast because your tech doesn’t work the way you expect it to. Besides briefly talking about my technical issues, I also talk about sharing my burdens with others. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

As a whole, I think western cultures have forgotten how to wonder. We have a small slab of glass and silicon that we can use to get the answers to nearly every question we have and I don’t think that’s always a good thing. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Today I talk about some shocking responses to a survey conducted by Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research. You can follow along here: thestateofthelogy.com How is it that 100% of the respondents to this survey affirm that, “The Bible is the highest authority for what I believe,” and yet 53% believe the Holy Spirit is a force and not a person? I talk about these and other findings from this survey and start preaching a little about how I think church is viewed by many Americans. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Today is International Podcast Day and I thought I’d share a brief history of podcasting as I witnessed it. I could talk longer than 10 minutes about podcasting but (like a lot of things I do) I waited until the last minute to record this episode. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

In the past 10 days there has been a lot of bad news. In this episode I talk about how Todd Cochrane influenced my podcasting journey, the killing of Charlie Kirk, and the hope I find in Jesus and the music of Rich Mullins. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Have you ever been asked what you’d bring with you if you were stranded in a deserted island? I’m terrible at this question but I’ve given it a try in this podcast episode. In this episode you’ll hear: Why I think classical music (Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, etc.) would be my first choice. Why even though I love reading the Bible I wouldn’t bring one with me. Why I don’t like the idea of being stuck with certain movies. Let me know what you’d bring with you. Also, did you catch the editing error? Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Can the existence of God be mathematically proven? For many, faith and science are seen as opposing forces. In this podcast, I interview career chemist James Brown who suggests that a rigorous, mathematical approach to ancient texts may provide a verifiable bridge between the two. The Genesis of a Mathematical Perspective James Brown, author of Three Proofs of God, didn’t start his journey looking for a spiritual revelation. Instead, he applied his background as a chemist to examine the Bible with the same scrutiny he would use in a laboratory. Brown’s investigation was triggered by a specific text: Daniel 9:25. This passage is notable because it makes a clear prediction about the future and, according to archaeological records and carbon dating, it significantly predates the life of Jesus. Challenging Previous Solutions The idea of using Daniel 9:25 as proof is not new. Brown initially encountered the “Anderson solution,” a well-known historical attempt to link this prophecy to specific events. However, upon closer inspection, he found it lacked scientific viability. “I saw that it had problems,” Brown explained during the podcast. “It was not viable. But I felt compelled to dig and find out if it were or not”. A Rigorous Approach to Faith Brown’s approach is unique because it moves away from traditional ontological or theological arguments. Instead of philosophical debates, he focuses on: Verifiable Predictions: Using texts that can be objectively dated. Mathematical Solutions: Laying out the math in a way that is accessible to the layman. Objective Analysis: Being prepared to accept if the prophecy was “impossible,” as some critics have claimed over the centuries. Conclusion By merging the precision of chemistry with historical prophecy, James Brown offers a new way to look at the intersection of science and religion. Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, the mathematical exploration of the Book of Daniel provides a fascinating case study in how we define “proof” in the modern world. About the Guest: James Brown is a career chemist and the author of Three Proofs of God. His work focuses on providing verifiable solutions to biblical prophecy. Note: This blog post was generated using Google AI from the transcript of this podcast. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Pope Francis has died. As Evangelicals, this gives us an opportunity to pray for our Catholic brothers and sisters. We should also pray for the cardinals who will be part of the conclave to select the new Pope because whether we like it or not, the Pope speaks for all of Christendom. Pray Holy Spirit guides their selections and pray that our Catholic brothers and sisters are comforted during this time of uncertainty. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

As generative AI becomes more and more popular, a vocal group of authors online are urging everyone to use human voices in their audio books. Mentioned in this episode Meta says using authors’ books is ‘fair use’DEEP CUTS Episode 45: META Pirated My Books to Train AIMikel Melwasul’s Linktree (Get his book here) Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

A conversation I had with a fellow rideshare driver on Twitter and a challenging circumstance this past weekend influenced this episode. Other Podcasts Good News Pickleball – The Beatitudes Spiritual Stew with Scott Roche. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I’ve found it very difficult to podcast in the past year so let’s talk about that. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I’m pleased to present an interview with Nathaniel Deen who has film coming out about him from Angel Studios. Nathaniel Deen is a passionate filmmaker and advocate for the arts, residing in LancastePennsylvania with his wife Jessica. With over 30 years of diverse experience at Sight & SoundTheatres, Nathaniel has excelled in various roles such as Staff Photographer, BroadcastProducer, and Associate Film Producer. Currently self-employed as a film producer, Nathaniel has made significant contributions tofilm industry, with two projects featured on IMDb. Notably, he served as the Associate FilmProducer and Assistant Director for “I HEARD THE BELLS,” and took on dual roles as Writer(Original Screenplay) and Executive Producer for “BRAVE THE DARK.” This deeply personal fireflects Nathaniel’s journey of overcoming adversity, highlighting the transformative influenca devoted teacher, Mr. Stan Deen, who became a pivotal figure in his healing process. Inheartfelt tribute, Nathaniel and Jessica changed their last name to Deen in 2018 to honor Stan’sunwavering support and love. In addition to his filmmaking endeavors, Nathaniel founded The Stan Deen Foundation, whomission is to ignite the transformative power of the Arts and Education to uplift and empowerunderprivileged children & teens. Through this foundation, he aims to inspire the next generationand create opportunities for those in need, embodying the very spirit of compassion andresilience that shaped his own life. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I’ve been doom-scrolling social media and watching a lot of scripted content online in my free time instead of being productive. Let’s talk about that. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I recently ended a fundraiser I’d been doing for Hope International without reaching my fundraising goal. Well, without reaching my stretch goal. Some things I could have done differently. Planned the fundraiser. Partnered with others to help get the word out and for additional support. Set incremental goals instead of one huge stretch goal. Widened the scope of the fundraiser. I also gained a little insight into Instagram’s algorithm. Listen in for what I learned. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Until things about our government and the way we vote changes, I’m going to hate on it. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I ran a 5K without training. The best part was that I ran it with my family. Let’s talk about that. You can watch me run a 5K on Instagram. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

There are five things in life that I try to prioritize and if we’re friends it’s probably because of one or more of those five things. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

A car show is a multigenerational event and church should be too. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

For the last 50 days I’ve been using the same coffee mug in my Instagram stories and reels to raise funds for Hope International. If you have an Instagram account, you can contribute to the fundraiser through the link in my profile. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I can’t podcast today. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

My favorite spot to sit in my house is a dead man’s recliner. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I have boomerang kids. Let’s talk about that. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I’ve been a rideshare driver for five years and I’ve come to see it as a ministry. When I say that I see it as a ministry I’m not talking about how some people misconstrue Colossians 3:23-24 as a passage about “working for the Lord.” I mean it in the sense of how Adam in Genesis was placed in The Garden of Eden for the purpose of working and glorifying God through that work. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

A quick, 6-month check-up on how I’m doing with my three words for this year: embrace, cultivate, & simplify. You can find my electric scooter channel here: Adirondack Electric Scooters Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I decided to stop creating content for a few YouTube channels I’d been maintaining. Listen to hear how much it reduced the noise in my head. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I’ve been podcasting in one form or another since 2005. When I started podcasting I would sit in my car with either my laptop or a PDA and record my podcast. I had no idea what I was doing or how this new medium would change my life. Since 2005 I’ve published at least 1,599 episodes. This is the 1600th episode I’ve published (I think). This is a good-faith estimate. There may be more but I’m terrible at keeping track of this kind of stuff.Here’s a (rough) breakdown of the number of podcast episodes I released each year. Numbers in parentheses are YTD totals.2005: 22006: 50 (52)2007: 90 (142)2008: 108 (250)2009: 50 (300)2010: 454 (756)2011: 56 (810)2012: 40 (850)2013: 67 (917)2014: 49 (966)2015: 66 (1032)2016: 50 (1082)2017: 63 (1145)2018: 104 (1248)2019: 27 (1275)2020: 168 (1443)2021: 75 (1518)2022: 50 (1568)2023: 21 (1589)2024: 10 (1599) This breaks down to approximately 84 episodes per year. It doesn’t include podcasts where I was a guest or on a panel. No, the number in 2010 is not a typo. I recorded or produced 365 episodes for a daily podcast that year on top of my regular podcasts. Let’s dig into the numbers! Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I’ve been podcasting for a long time. There’s on podcaster who I consider to my my personal podcast hero: James Kennison. He has persevered through enormous setbacks and managed to create and maintain a successful podcast. You can find his podcasts at nlcast.com. Note: The prompt used to generate the AI image for this post was “superhero podcasting”. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I’m creatively burned out and stretched too thin. I’m also frustrated by people making low-effort content. Note: I’m aware of the poor audio quality in this podcast. I’ll do better next time. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I’m slowly rebranding this podcast. You’ll hear the new tagline in this one: A personal audio journal of faith and folly. I’m still massaging the delivery. This podcast was recorded in my car. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Sometimes life gets in the way of podcasting and that’s OK. Don’t beat yourself up over it. My friend, Scott Roche helped me understand this after sharing a post on TikTok. I highly recommend that you follow him if you do anything creative. Sometimes the things that prevent you from podcasting are in your control and other times they’re out of your control. Whatever, the reason, it’s OK. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

A quick check-in on how I’m doing with My 3 Words after one month. Also, some comments on checking in on our spiritual lives as well. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Despite being a podcaster since 2005, I still feel like I’m on the outside looking in. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I have a love/hate relationship with social media. Part of what I struggle with is which platforms I should invest in. The concept of “being everywhere” is hard to maintain when you’re a team of one. I’m at a point where I need to simplify my approach to social media and cultivate the platforms that yield the best results. For now, you can interact with me on the following social media platforms: XInstagramYouTubeTikTokThreadsMastodonLinkedIn Check out my latest podcasting project: Good News Pickleball (formerly Three Minute Bible Study). Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

My 3 Words is a yearly exercise to help people focus on three ways they can achieve their goals. For a better explanation of My 3 Words, check out Chris Brogan’s blog. He does a better job explaining it than I do. Embrace I’m embracing all aspects of who I am. In the past, I’ve shied away from sharing that I’m a Christian in other projects besides those directly related to Christianity. This year I’m going to lean into it, when appropriate. Cultivate I have a lot of things going on in social media, podcasting, and other online ventures. This year I’m going to cultivate those things that produce the best results instead of spreading myself so thin. Simplify Simple doesn’t equal to easy. Sometimes it’s easier to write or say more. It can be difficult to be precise. It’s easier to record a podcast and only edit obvious mistakes instead of editing for content. By now, you should see these three words in nearly all of my social media profiles. I’m putting them there to remind me what I’m aiming for this year. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

You may have seen me use the phrase or hashtag “Not an Influcer” in some of my social media profiles. Over the past year, however, I think I may have become a Christian influencer. I’m not sure I’m ready to embrace that moniker, even though I’ve been podcasting and using social media even longer since 2005. As much as it pains me to admit this, I’m an influencer. I may not influence many people or even influence the right people, but, I’m an influencer. More specifically, I’m a Christian influencer. Merriam-Webster defines an influencer as, “one who exerts influence or a person who inspires or guides the actions of others.” More specifically, it’s “a person who is able to generate interest in something (such as a consumer product) by posting about it on social media.” If I’m being honest with myself, I’ve been doing this for 18 years through podcasting and social media. Truth be told, as Christians we should be influencers. We are to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16) but does that extend to convincing other Christians to buy certain products? I don’t think it does and that’s why I’ve always felt uncomfortable calling myself an influencer, especially a Christian influencer. While capitalism has done great things for the world, it has also created a culture of greed and exploitation. I think “Christian capitalism” falls into some of the same traps. It’s easy to get stuck in the Christian ghetto and think everything that’s labeled as “Christian” is good and valuable. I’ve done it too many times. Christian music, movies, podcasts, pickleball paddles, clothing, and more fill my timelines. These peddlers of products reach out to me from time to time asking if I’ll join their influencer team. I was once part of an influencer network but had to bow out because it was clear that honest opinions weren’t what they were looking for. I was never asked to change what I posted but I did notice that I was sometimes not included in some promotions after a not-so-stellar review or commentary. Even the influencer network I’m in now sometimes sends me promotions that I don’t want to participate in because the product looks mediocre, at best. I continue to struggle with this label of influencer but for now, I’ve decided to embrace it. And much like some musicians and writers, I’ll say I’m an influencer who is a Christian. That’s a compromise I’m happy with for now. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License

Love can be difficult to define but some friends and I did our best. Guests in this podcast: Andy Fletcher Chris Staron Winston Crutchfield Adam David Collings Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

What brings you Joy? Maybe it’s a baby’s smile or reading a good book. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Where do you find peace? Is it at church, on a hike, or hanging out with friends and family? Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Every few years I like to record episodes in December about Advent. Advent is a special time of year for me because it leads up to Christmas and the New Year. This year I decided to ask people questions about the themes of Advent. Today’s question is: What gives you hope? Listen in to hear what friends and family had to say. Mentioned in the podcast: Adirondack Christian Fellowship Iron Sheep Ministries Previous Advent episodes Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Happy Halloween! This year I’ve decided to read Martin Luther’s 95 Theses posted on October 31, 1517, on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Other than a brief intro and outro, the 95 Theses are read without commentary. You can download a PDF, if you’d like to follow along. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

This is me trying to release a podcast without freaking out. Emotional Damage I was a guest on Christian Geek Central talking about Proverbs 5. Scrub to 30:58 if you want to get right to it. I’m hoping to speak at PODTalks October virtual event. Looks like a great line-up from what I’ve seen so far. SEARCHING FOR SPEAKERS: I am looking for experienced podcast guests and hosts to speak about podcasting on either side of the mic at my virtual event (PODTalks) on Thursday, 10/19!The format is a solo talk (no slides) 12-16 minutes long. Sort of a TEDx vibe!Do you have a… pic.twitter.com/Ezy0iab9ho— Alex Sanfilippo (@AJSanfi) September 13, 2023 Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I should have planned to release this podcast on my birthday last week. I wasn’t really thinking about my age leading up to my 50th birthday. Now that it has come and gone, I have some thoughts. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

I joined Winston Crutchfield on his weekly Facebook Live, “Starman Talk”. He and I talked about the Lyrid Meteor Shower, the Space X Starship launch, and how science fiction has become science fact. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Struggling for Purpose explores the everyday struggles of a Gen X grandpa trying to follow Jesus. Through audio essays and occasional interviews, John Wilkerson shares his thoughts on faith, society, and geek culture. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Since the dawn of podcasting, pundits and pros have predicted what the upcoming year will bring to the hobby/business of podcasting. I’m not going to do that. Instead, I want to share with you what I think my future looks like related to podcasting. Here it is in a nutshell: Release one episode a month. Use the “Episode Deck” from PodDecks when I can’t think of anything to talk about. I might continue recording Here Comes the Sion. If you’ve supported me in the past, thank you! If you’re a new listener welcome! If you want more details, listen to the podcast. I recorded this episode using a Maono USB lavalier mic in Hindenburg. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform.

Watching podcasters from around the world respond and react to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II got me thinking about how much podcasting is U.S.-centric. Hearing podcasters from around the world announce breaks and changes to programming got me thinking more about the global podcasting community. Check out James Cridland’s excellent podcast: PodNews. Support the podcast when you buy me a coffee! If you’re listening in a new podcast app, hit that boost button and send me some Satoshis. Music: “Loopster” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License Follow the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite platform. CLAIM=0cf10a6bd5909851be890132d54ab08342cd6006=CLAIM