The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast

What would it be like to never be afraid? (Replay for Throwback Thursday, previously only for paid subscribers) In this episode, we find out. Books mentioned: Rejoice and TrembleRejoice and Tremble by Michael Reeves The Awe of GodThe Awe of God by John Bevere Scripture: Psalm 53 Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) I just wrote a book about my research into how people process pain and find hope again after they experience what we call “The Massive Thing,” or TMT, Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things (coming July 18). Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Going through something hard can be a sort of new creation story. (Adapted from Season 5, Episode 18) No matter what, your life after major trauma or tragedy will look different. Here are some thoughts from my new book, Hope is the First Dose, that will help find the light again, no matter what you're going through. Hey, my new book is releasing July 25! Click on the book cover below to pre-order. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Tuesdays with Tata! Today, a great talk about how Daniel set his mind on obeying God, and that decision changed everything for him. Scripture: Daniel 1 Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Click on the book cover below to pre-order! Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Mind Change Monday! Today, a lesson from a horse trainer, a prayer from Alicia Britt Chole, and some thoughts on making good choices. Book Mentioned: The Night is Normal by Alicia Britt Chole. Scripture: Proverbs 4:26-27, Hebrews 12:12-13 Hey, my new book is releasing July 25! Click on the book cover below to pre-order. Music by Elevation Worship and Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

For Season 8 of the Podcast, We’re Giving 100 Doses of Hope! Today, a new self-brain surgery operation based on the Quaker prayer/meditation technique called “palms down/palms up,” as a sort of Trust Transplant. Book Mentioned: Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster. Scripture: Psalm 71:14, Psalm 34 Hey, my new book is releasing July 25! Click on the book cover below to pre-order. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Derwin Gray is a Living Example of Transformation Join me for an incredible conversation with Dr. Derwin Gray, a former NFL player whose life was completely transformed by Jesus. He is inspiring, brilliant, and a powerful example of what happens when you find out who Jesus really is. Derwin is a thought leader, incredible speaker and writer, pastor of one of American’s fastest growing churches, and an all around fascinating and inspiring person. You’re going to be challenged by this talk, and Derwin actually made me cry, twice, on my own podcast. I’m so honored to be able to introduce you to our new friend, Dr. Derwin Gray. About Dr. Gray After graduating from Brigham Young University, Derwin played professional football in the NFL for five years with the Indianapolis Colts (1993-1997) and one year with the Carolina Panthers (1998). During that time, he and Vicki began their journey with Christ and experienced God’s faithfulness and direction as He moved their hearts to know Him and make Him known. Derwin and Vicki began an itinerant speaking ministry in 1999, One Heart At A Time Ministries. Derwin went on to graduate magna cum laude from Southern Evangelical Seminary with a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, with a concentration in Apologetics, where he was mentored by renowned theologian and philosopher, Dr. Norman Geisler. Following God’s call on their lives and their desire to shepherd people towards transforming their world through the mission of Christ, the Lord transitioned Derwin from his primary role of itinerant speaker to serving as the Lead Pastor of Transformation Church in January of 2010. Coupling his dynamic speaking style with a shepherd’s heart, his intense passion for seeing lives and culture transformed is both contagious and inspiring. In 2015, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Southern Evangelical Seminary. In 2018, he received his Doctor of Ministry in the New Testament in Context at Northern Seminary under Dr. Scot McNight. In addition to his role at Transformation Church, Derwin teaches at conferences nationwide. He is the author of Hero: Unleashing God’s Power in a Man’s Heart (2010), Limitless Life: You Are More Than Your Past When God Holds Your Future (2013), Crazy Grace for Crazy Times Bible Study (2015), The Good Life: What Jesus Teaches About Finding True Happiness (2020), Building a Multiethnic Church (2021), God, Do You Hear Me? (2021), and How to Heal the Racial Divide (2022). Derwin also starred in the hilarious YouTube video called “The Evangelism Linebacker.”

It’s Tuesdays with Tata! Today, a great talk about a surprising example of self-brain surgery in the Bible- when the prophet Elijah to change his mind to change his life! Scripture: I Kings 18, 19; James 5:16-18 Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. John and Addison Bevere are two of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what they had to say about Hope is the First Dose. Click on the book cover below to pre-order! Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

How do some people become “THE BEST” at what they do? Or, more importantly for most of us, what separates our very best moments from our average, routine ones? Today, we learn how to evaluate our performance so we can discern how to perform on a higher level all the time. (Adapted from Season 5, Episode 20, courtesy of Harvey and Louis, who woke up at 4am today and kept me from recording a new episode for you!) Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

In a hard world, we need hope every day. Dale and Jo Margritz join Lisa and me to talk about how to find hope in the midst of the worst thing a parent can face. Episode #1 of a recurring series, Everyday Hope! You can click on the cover below to pre-order my new book, Hope is the First Dose. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

When we fall, we have two choices (Adapted from Season 7, Episode 12, originally You Can Get Up) We can stay down, or we can grab the hand of the One who wants to help us get back up. Some thoughts on mind change, stumbling, getting up, and helping others. Scriptures: Proverbs 24:16, Zephaniah 3:17, II Corinthians 1:3-4, Psalm 34:18 Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Don’t beat yourself up too much if you keep struggling with the same issues! (Replay of Season 7, Episode 15) Today, we discuss why we’re so drawn to the past, even when it was harmful to us. Book: Run With the Horses by Eugene Peterson Click the button below to pre-order my new book, Hope is the First Dose. Scripture: Jeremiah 31, 32, Isaiah 43:18-19, John 16:33, John 10:10 Music by Here Be Lions and Darlene Zschech (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It's Tuesdays with Tata! We had a great talk about how we view ourselves, how we view God, and how there is no place in the past that holds the answers to your future. (Adapted from TWT #53) You can click on the cover below to pre-order my new book, Hope is the First Dose. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

There are some incredible lessons to be learned from Psalm 30 Here's a quiet time around the idea of letting God make joy come in the morning, by being willing to feel the sorrow tonight. The secret? Love tomorrow more. (Adapted from Season 5, Episode 19) You can click on the cover below to pre-order my new book, Hope is the First Dose. Scripture: Psalm 30 Music by Matt Maher (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to the show wherever you listen! Click here to access the Hope Is the First Dose playlist of hopeful, healing songs! Be sure to check out my new book, Hope Is the First Dose! Here's a free 5-day Bible study on YouVersion/BibleApp based on my new book! Sign up for my weekly Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here! iscuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

I’ve Discovered Four Different Ways People Respond to the Hard Things Life Brings The question is, are you going to wait to discover how you respond to your massive thing, or are you going to try to build your life so as to predict a healthier response when it happens to you? This episode breaks down the four types of responses I’ve noticed after “The Massive Thing” or TMT happens. It doesn’t have to be chance for you, friend. But you can’t change your life until you change your mind. Scripture: Romans 12:2, Psalm 71:14 PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to the show wherever you listen! Click here to access the Hope Is the First Dose playlist of hopeful, healing songs! Be sure to check out my new book, Hope Is the First Dose! Here's a free 5-day Bible study on YouVersion/BibleApp based on my new book! Sign up for my weekly Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here!

When life seems out of control, how do we find solid ground again? Traci Rhoades is an author, speaker, and social media spiritual influencer from Michigan. She joins me today for an inspiring Hope Talk to discuss what to do when we find our lives on shaky ground. Traci has a great Substack letter, which I highly recommend, and I love her website and Twitter account. She has much to teach us about the church, spiritual disciplines (her writing reminds me of Richard Foster), and how to hold on during hard times. Her books are Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost: A Story of Church, and Shaky Ground: What to Do After the Bottom Drops Out. This was a great talk, and I’m excited to introduce you to a new friend today. She was so kind to read my new book and is one of my inside-the-jacket endorsers. Here’s what Traci had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “Lee Warren opens himself up entirely to being seen, and he ministers to readers in the process.” —Traci Rhoades, author of Not All Who Wander (Spiritually) Are Lost Scripture mentioned: II Timothy 3:15 PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to the show wherever you listen! Click here to access the Hope Is the First Dose playlist of hopeful, healing songs! Be sure to check out my new book, Hope Is the First Dose! Here's a free 5-day Bible study on YouVersion/BibleApp based on my new book! Sign up for my weekly Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here!

We gain strength by understanding our weaknesses. Here’s a plan to bring our weaknesses to God and let him use his strength to make us stronger. If you’re tired of fighting, struggling, and wondering why everything “always feels so hard,” here’s the path forward. (Adapted from Season 4, Episode 74 from April 8, 2022) Scripture: II Corinthians 12:9 You can click on the cover below to pre-order my new book, Hope is the First Dose. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to the show wherever you listen! Click here to access the Hope Is the First Dose playlist of hopeful, healing songs! Be sure to check out my new book, Hope Is the First Dose! Here's a free 5-day Bible study on YouVersion/BibleApp based on my new book! Sign up for my weekly Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here!

Computers require frequent software updates to function properly (Repost for relevance. Back with brand-new episodes on Friday and Saturday!) A few thoughts on how your brain works, and how to make sure it’s got the best software available! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE to the show wherever you listen! Click here to access the Hope Is the First Dose playlist of hopeful, healing songs! Be sure to check out my new book, Hope Is the First Dose! Here's a free 5-day Bible study on YouVersion/BibleApp based on my new book! Sign up for my weekly Self-Brain Surgery Newsletter here!

When the pressure is on, how do we make good decisions? Hasard Lee is a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot with combat experience in Afghanistan. He now runs a successful YouTube channel and continues to fly the F-35 fighter and teach student pilots in the Air National Guard. His new book is The Art of Clear Thinking: A Stealth Fighter Pilot's Timeless Rules for Making Tough Decisions, available now everywhere. Join me for an amazing and inspiring conversation with this brilliant pilot, teacher, and writer. His book was incredibly helpful to me, and reminds me of the best from writers like Malcolm Gladwell and Chris Voss. You can order Hasard’s book anywhere books are sold, or by clicking on the cover below! You can click on the cover below to pre-order my new book, Hope is the First Dose. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Mind Change Monday! (Adapted from the very first Mind Change Monday episode! I’m resting my voice again today in preparation for recording the Hope is the First Dose audiobook recording next week. Keep praying!) Today, we talk about what happens once you know that you can change your mind. It’s about the difference between self-care and self-malpractice. Scripture: James 4:17, Psalm 34:8 My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

When the Unimaginable Happens, What Next? Clarissa Moll was a wife and mother of four young children when The Massive Thing (TMT) showed up. Her husband Rob, an author and avid hiker, fell to his death during a morning hike with a friend. Clarissa was faced not only with TMT of losing her husband, but also thrust into many new roles WHILE she was facing grief and what she calls “the darkness” that it brought into her world. Clarissa was on the podcast once before (Season 6, Episode 48). You can hear that conversation by clicking the button below. Clarissa’s book is Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Walking with Grief and Thriving After Loss. I consider it a must-read, and I HIGHLY recommend you listen to her narration in the audiobook. She also has a wonderful Instagram account, in which she leads people into understanding the path forward after major life events. She was so kind to read my new book and is one of my inside-the-jacket endorsers. Here’s what Clarissa had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “When you stare into the abyss of loss that stands between you and the life you lived before, grasp hands with Dr. Lee Warren and hold on tight. Warren’s bedside manner is honest and kind, companionable and direct. Bring your heartache to these pages and find healing and abundant life again.” —Clarissa Moll, author of Beyond the Darkness You can click on the cover below to pre-order Hope is the First Dose. Music by Paul Baloche, Matt Maher, and Taylor Leonhardt (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Life is a Series of Hobson's Choices (Adapted from Season 4, Episode 89) Hobson's choice A Hobson's choice is a free choice in which only one thing is offered. Because a person may refuse to accept what is offered, the two options are taking it or taking nothing. In other words, one may "take it or leave it".Wikipedia There are some things you need to settle if you’re going to be happy. What are those for you? Write them down. Start praying for peace around them. Start clarifying the true things in your life, and disavow yourself from the notion that you need to have a pain-free life in order to be happy. The degree to which you couple emotion and circumstance in your life is inversely proportional to your ability to be happy. And what kills us, is the unwillingness to accept the quantum duality that life is hard and we can be happy anyway. We focus on the but and the and and the woe and the oh no and we forget the tho and yet. Scriptures Mentioned John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. Mark 9:28-29 After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 29 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer. Luke 18:1 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Matthew 5:30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. Hebrews 12:1-4 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Romans 8:28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Happiness is not achieved through perfect circumstances. Happiness, counterintuitively, is achieved in spite of difficult circumstances. Here’s how it works. (Adapted from Season 4, Episode 88) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Music by Brenton Brown (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

A Lesson About “Promised Land Problems” (Adapted from Season 4, Episode 83) What if I told you that you could take a two-week trip and make it last forty years? What if I told you that you could spend your whole life chasing something in your future, or running from in your past and miss everything good you could have right now? And what if I told you that you could live in a version of what you really want because you think you have arrived, but you really wind up never getting the great life you were designed for, just because you never learned to wait for it? These are all tragic examples of something I call Promised Land Problems, and today we're going to learn how to avoid them. If we don't solve the Promised Land problems in our lives, we end up wasting our days, wandering in a desert version of what we were meant for, and die in the wasteland of an unfulfilled, unsuccessful, unrewarding life. I want to enjoy my life now, I want to make the best decisions I can make so I wind up where God intends me to be, and I don't want to make all kinds of detours and missteps along the way. I'm betting you want those things too. Hang out with me for a few minutes, because this episode could save your life. I have noticed four types of what I call Promised Land Problems we can learn from this story that apply to all of us today. Focus On The Family Article: Scarlett's Arrival- Dealing With Grief and Loss Join us for the John to Know, James to Grow Bible Study My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Tuesdays with Tata! (Note: I’m resting my voice for a couple more days, and Tata and I both had the flu and did not record a new episode this week. Here’s one of our favorites from last year, Season 6, Episode 66. Pray for my voice to come back before I have to record the audiobook in two weeks!) I asked Tata to shed some light on what it means to be “saved to the uttermost” from Hebrews 7:25! Scripture: Hebrews 7:25, John 6:37 Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

When Life Brings Us Pain, We Have Two Choices (Note: I STILL can’t talk long enough to record a new episode. I’m going to rest my voice for THREE MORE DAYS, and then I have some AMAZING guests coming up later this week. So please pray that my voice gets stronger and that we can get back on track later this week. ) When life brings us hard things- massive things- we can either sit down with our hurt and let it define the rest of our life, or we can press into it and let God lead us through. Today we look at Exodus 20-34 and see that the path to finding the light again always starts in the darkness. Will you go there with me? My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

We've Reached the End of Infinity, at Least for a While Today, a story about stumbling stones, brain cancer, finding God in unexpected places, and how God is always working to help all of us, even when we can't see it. Plus, Tommy Walker music, AND I'm going to pray for you WHILE teaching you more self-brain surgery techniques. Whew. A lot going on in this episode! (Adapted from Infinitely Happier, Part 15) Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21 When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. My prayer for you today, friend: I want you to have infinitely more than you can ask or imagine, now and in eternity. Infinite peace of mind. Infinite resilience for the hard parts of life- those you've already known and those to come Infinite access to the glorious, unlimited resources to empower you Infinite family and comfort as he makes his home in your heart, and Infinite trust that he's always good and for you Infinite depth to the roots sinking into his foundation, to steady you. And an Infinite grasp of the width, height, and depth of his infinite love for you Infinite experience of his full life and power All so that you can accomplish infinitely more than you can ask or even imagine. So that you can be infinitely happier: Above the drama, Above the fray, happy and healthy, reset and resupplied and restocked and repositioned and ready for anything. Because he has more for you, my friend. Infinitely more. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

The Science of Freedom is On Your Side Freedom starts with a choice- a declaration. In this episode, we talk about the science of freedom, and how vital it is to be willing to fight for it in all areas of our lives. (Adapted from Infinitely Happier, Part 14) Music by The Psalm Library (featuring Tommy Walker) (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

All of Us Have a Story We Tell Ourselves And it's often a lie. (Adapted from Infinitely Happier, Part 13) Today, we're taking a look at the art form known as Story, and we're going to finally learn how to find the courage to enter the scary places from which those stories come. We'll get into the cave of our minds, find the source of the lies we tell ourselves, and finally overcome them to find the treasure we seek- a life free of limits and labels. My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Life Is Hard, But God Wants Us to Be Happy Anyway. (Adapted from Infinitely Happier, Part 12) Here's some thoughts on why it matters so much that we learn to separate our mood/emotional state from our circumstances. Plus, a story about cows! Music by Cody Carnes (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Learning the Discipline of Waiting is a Powerful Self-Brain Surgery Tool If you can't say no to something you want today so that you can have something you need tomorrow, you can never be free. Here's some thoughts on delayed gratification, as one of the super powers in our quest for infinite happiness. (Adapted from Infinitely Happier, Part 11) Music by Lyle Lovett and Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Every Interaction Leaves a Mark Every interaction with another person is a choice: do we use our words for our gain, or for theirs? Do we have transactional or transformational relationships? Here's a few thoughts on how to make sure we have a "first no harm" approach to others, and how words can heal or hurt. (Adapted from Infinitely Happier, Part 10) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

God wants your life to soar, but often it feels like we're crashing instead. (Adapted from Infinitely Happier, Part 9) Today, I want to talk about flying. I grew up around airplanes, because both of my parents were private pilots. And we lived down the road from a WWII pilot, Glen Walters. I used to go down to his house, and his wife Betsy would make ginger bread and I’d fish in their pond and, once in a while, Brother Walters would take me into his shop and let me play around with an airplane he was building. Come to think of it, he was “building” that plane the whole time I was growing up, and I don’t think he ever finished it. But I’d fly missions and save the day over and over like Pappy Boyington. And then I was in the air force. So I’ve always loved airplanes. And I love flying so much that I get more excited to meet fighter pilots than sports figures. I trained in Pittsburgh and worked for Joe Maroon, who was the team doctor for the Steelers and the Pirates, so there were always pro athletes around. But when I meet an F-16 or an F-15 pilot, I’m like a little kid. Those guys are my heroes, and that probably goes back to flying with my mom and dad and all those missions I flew in Glen Walters’s shop when I was 8 or 9. When you’re flying, you feel so free. You can see everything. You’re untethered from the earth and it’s like magic. As long as everything works. When it doesn’t work, though, things can get pretty crazy really fast. I told you a story once before in an old episode of a time I had in a T38. That was not fun. Landing a Blackhawk on a highway in Iraq was not fun. When things go wrong in the air, you’re in real trouble. The difference between life and death comes down to the pilot’s skill, the amount of damage to the plane, the weather, and a host of other things that are sometimes out of your control. Sort of like life, huh? Today, we’re going to talk about how to fly the plane of your life so you get where you need to go, so you’re on course and safe and set free from so many of the things that can ground us, limit us, or send us crashing down in a fire ball of problems we were never meant to face. I’ve learned a lot from the pilots in my life about how they prepare for flights, and all the things they do to make sure their passengers are safe. Today we’re going to take flight, friend. We’re going to take a lesson from the pilots so we can learn to pilot our lives into the wild blue yonder, where God intends for us to be. We’re taking a flying lesson, my friend, so we can leave behind our limits and be set free, starting today. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Overthinking Can Drive Us Crazy and Wreck Our Peace of Mind (Adapted from Infinitely Happier, Part 7) Worrying isn’t the only thought issue we face. Whether it’s worry, regret, sadness, decision making, whatever, sometimes we simply overthink things. In this episode we'll learn how to stop overthinking everything, which will help us in our quest to become Infinitely Happier. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Sometimes life feels like a fight. Here’s how to win. (Adapted from Season 1, Episode 50, Infinitely Happier Part 6) Sometimes we struggle because we keep losing battles our heart knows we’re supposed to win. Or even worse, we don’t even try sometimes. And when we know we were supposed to take up a challenge and we’re too afraid to even try, it leaves us feeling ashamed and guilty. In this episode, we'll learn how to face off agains our biggest battles, and win. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Today we’re going to do a little relationship brain surgery. Because when you’re trying to change your life, it seems like there’s always one person- THAT GUY- who’s out there to stymie you. Last episode, we talked about the new job I’m taking in a new place. I'm so pumped about it, because Lisa and I and our team are bringing neurosurgery to a community that’s never had access before. And I have decided to make it the best and most successful part of my career. I want you to make the same decision: success is the only option because you're tired of being stuck in some places of your life. What if you could guarantee that, with a solid purpose, careful planning, and a little help, there was no chance that you could fail to make major life change happen in your mind, body, spirit, work and relationships? I'm here to tell you that it's possible. No one knows what life's going to hold for us. There's a lot of scary stuff out there- the economy, COVID-19, the uncertainty of aging... there's no telling what might come along in your life. But if we're put together right, we can not just survive but actually thrive despite our circumstances and have a healthier, better, and happier life. Today, we’re going to talk about what to do when there’s THAT GUY out there, getting in your way, causing you trouble, being mean or abusive or hateful or whatever. It requires brain surgery, learning to look at relationships in a new way. And you’ll be surprised how effective it is. You might be saying, “But Doc, how can I change my mind, how can I learn to be infinitely happier when THAT GUY keeps doing things to irritate, hurt, anger, offend, and cause me trouble?” You know THAT GUY- no matter how hard you try, there's that one person in your life who's always out there, saying the wrong thing, not doing the right thing, holding you back, putting you down, being mean or neglectful or unfair or abusive to you. It might be more than one person. It might be your husband, your mom, your boss. But trust me, if you hate THAT GUY, you're the one who's going to suffer. My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Tuesdays with Tata! Here’s a great talk from last year with Tata about what it means to be sealed by God. Scripture: II Corinthians 1:22 Ephesians 1:13-14 Music by Phil Wickham (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Mind Change Monday! Today is also May 1, the first day of Remodel May! Some of the episodes we create this month will focus on areas of our lives we can remodel to find hope, craft resilience, and hold on during hard times. We’ll use brain science and scripture to become healthier, feel better, and be happier, perhaps even infinitely happier than we could on our own. Here’s Infinitely Happier, Part 4: The Courage to Change, to get us started! Today, we’re going to talk about courage. About how to shake off the fear of change and finally step into the freedom we’re designed to live in. My new book is called Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things. It is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Synapses are where the business of the nervous system happens. (Note: this is an archived episode, normally for paid subscribers only but available for everyone for 7 days!) Lately, we’ve been talking about the basics of self-brain surgery to learn how to think about our thinking, and the ideas behind my new book. But this isn’t just some “self-help” or motivational speaker-type thing. Because the vast majority of your life, the decisions you make, the relationships you have, the things you accomplish or strive for come out of how you think: your attitudes, your thought patterns. Everything about how you handle stress, unexpected challenges, and the hard parts of life is determined by your thinking. But the problem is, most of us spend our lives reacting to our thinking, because we never think about our thinking. And the reality is, our baseline thoughts are not very reliable most of the time. Why? That answer is rooted in the science of how our nervous systems are wired. The bad news is that your nervous system has a set of responses to challenges, threats, and stresses, and that set of responses isn’t very specific. In other words, you basically feel the same things in your body when a tiger is actually chasing you as you do when you hear a sound in the next room and wonder if someone’s breaking into your house- even if it’s just the ice maker. Those triggered responses aren’t very helpful when they make us reflexively freak out. But the good news is, your brain can be trained to separate the response from the stimulus. But it requires brain surgery. That’s why I’m always saying, “You can’t change your life until you change your mind.” In other words, if you keep thinking the same thoughts- if you never change how you look at things or the mental framework from which you approach the world- then you’re going to keep experiencing the same patterns and outcomes. And the part of the nervous system that connects two nerves, or nerves and muscles or other organs, is called a synapse. In your brain, there are about 100 trillion of them. Trillion with a T. And when those synapses don’t work right, you don’t work right. Today, we’re going to look at two diseases that affect the synapses between your nerves and your muscles. And I want to show you a little of how the nervous system works, so we can see how important it is to make sure we have healthy synapses. If you want to become healthier, feel better, and be happier, you’ve got to think about your thinking. But sometimes life creates unhealthy connections- sick synapses- that trigger thought patterns and behaviors in us we’re not even aware of. You can’t change your life until you change your mind. And severing sick synapses- breaking down those bad connections life has created and making better ones- is a key to getting that done. Remember Proverbs 17:27-28 in The Passion Translation (TPT): 27 Can you bridle your tongue when your heart is under pressure? That’s how you show that you are wise. An understanding heart keeps you cool, calm, and collected, no matter what you’re facing. That’s one of the secrets to becoming Infinitely Happier, friend. Learning to stay cool, calm, and collected no matter what we’re facing. That’s useful during a global pandemic, but it’s also useful in everyday life. And it doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by severing sick synapses. My friend, we’re going to learn how, and we’re going to start today. Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things is coming out on July 25, but you can pre-order it now anywhere books are sold. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Self-Brain Surgery Saturday! Look: Life is Hard. But Learning Self-brain Surgery Can Help In the last episode, we talked about the basics of self-brain surgery to learn how to think about our thinking and learn to biopsy our thoughts- put a little pause in there between what happens to us, what thoughts pop up- and how we respond, either in terms of how we proceed to think or feel, or in what we actually. Listen: Life is not brain surgery. It’s harder. You can actually train someone to do brain surgery. But you have to live life to get good at it. But you CAN learn self-brain surgery with a little help, and it will help you think better so you can become healthier, feel better, and be happier. That’s why I’m always saying, “You can’t change your life until you change your mind.” In other words, if you keep thinking the same thoughts- if you never change how you look at things or the mental framework from which you approach the world- then you’re going to keep experiencing the same patterns and outcomes. I’m bringing you back some of the tools we first talked about in 2021, but today I want to start by talking about the importance of worldview and the problem of cognitive dissonance. Here’s a thought from Natasha Crain via Facebook: In this episode, we’ll get into the reasons why this important worldview distinction plays into our neuroscience and how crucial it is to be in charge of our thought life! I suspect you wouldn’t be here listening to a podcast designed to help you reshape your thinking if you were super thrilled with the patterns and outcomes you’ve been living with. I know I’m not. It’s time to take control of our brains, the most important six inches of real estate in each of our live, the space between our own ears. Last episode, we talked about how to pre-load some ammo, some good words and helpful thoughts, into our brains and hearts so that when stressful moments come, we’ll be able to call on those good things and use them to manage anxiety. And that is a great instrument, a powerful tool to use in our fight against the learned helplessness of being emotional slaves to our first thoughts. Because the first thought you have in response to something or someone or some memory is so often wrong, or just a reflexive, triggered pattern of thinking, that it’s almost self malpractice to go with it. So, just like in the real operating room, the secret to successful self-brain surgery is training, preparation, planning, and practice experience. Today, we’re going to look at how those four things- training, preparation, planning, and practice experience- play into successfully managing our minds and helping us overcome the issues that continually seem to drag us down. Proverbs 17:27-28 in The Passion Translation (TPT): 27 Can you bridle your tongue when your heart is under pressure? That’s how you show that you are wise. An understanding heart keeps you cool, calm, and collected, no matter what you’re facing. That’s one of the secrets to becoming Infinitely Happier, friend. Learning to stay cool, calm, and collected no matter what we’re facing. That’s useful during a global pandemic, but it’s also useful in everyday life. And it doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by self-brain surgery. My friend, we’re going to learn how, and we’re going to start today. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Tommy is one of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what he had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “Dr. Lee Warren has personally gone through the devastating school of loss and come out stronger on the other side of what he calls The Massive Thing—or TMT. No matter what your TMT is, you will walk away from this book with a deep infusion of God’s healing hope!” —Tommy Walker, singer-songwriter and worship leader Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Do You Struggle With Anxiety? If so, this will help. A look back at a 15-part series from 2021 with a new preamble (10 minutes or so). Look, friend: Life is not brain surgery. It’s harder. You can actually train someone to do brain surgery. But you have to live life to get good at it. Anxiety is one of the major problems that prevent an abundant, healthy life, but we're going to learn some self-brain surgery techniques to fight it today. We’re going to start learning to be Infinitely Happier, friend. And we’re going to start today. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Check it out by clicking on the cover! This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Your Brain is Very Efficient I’m always telling you that “neurons that fire together wire together.” This is because God made your brain to be very efficient. So, things you repeatedly experience, think about, perform, or react to will create automatic “programs” through connections called synapses that will make the responses to those things more automated and require you to think about them less. This is the basis of things like “muscle memory,” but also of harmful things like post-traumatic stress syndrome/disorder. That’s the bad news. The good news? You’re not stuck with the brain you have. Through the gift of neuroplasticity, you can reverse this process and employ another neuroscience fact to your advantage: neurons that STOP firing together STOP wiring together. This means that if you have thoughts, feelings, behaviors, or reactions that are not helping you, you can change them. Listen to learn more! Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Tommy is one of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what he had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “Dr. Lee Warren has personally gone through the devastating school of loss and come out stronger on the other side of what he calls The Massive Thing—or TMT. No matter what your TMT is, you will walk away from this book with a deep infusion of God’s healing hope!” —Tommy Walker, singer-songwriter and worship leader Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Christy Lefteri Wrote My Favorite Novel of All Time I read The Beekeeper of Aleppo after Lisa and I found it in a bookstore in Casper, Wyoming. I love the story, and how the author crafted the story. She used such imaginative ways to jump back and forth between present and past tense, and her control of point-of-view was stunning. Her follow-up novel, Songbirds, is also fantastic, but Beekeeper is one of those books that gets under your skin. Back in 2020 when everyone was on lockdown, I reached out to Christy through our mutual publisher (Penguin Random House), and she graciously agreed to appear on the podcast. It remains one of my favorite episodes ever, and I wanted to give it back to you today. Christy has a new book coming out in January of next year, The Book of Fire. Join me for a fascinating conversation with International bestselling author Christy Lefteri about her life, her work, her novels, and what she's writing next, as well as her perspective on how to find hope even when it seems so far off. Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Christy is one of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what she had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “This is an intimate read. You will feel Dr. Lee beside you, the reassuring hand of a friend holding yours. He uses his own personal experiences and his wealth of knowledge to show us what it means to live again after catastrophic loss. Whether you are religious or not, whatever faith you may or may not have, this book will stay with you in times of trouble; it is memorable, universal, and inspiring.” —Christy Lefteri, bestselling author of The Beekeeper of Aleppo Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Tuesdays with Tata! Today, a great talk about how prayer helps us change our mind, even when massive, difficult things are happening in our lives. Scripture: II Corinthians 1 Books Mentioned: The Awe of God by John Bevere Words with God by Addison Bevere Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. John and Addison Bevere are two of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what they had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “When hard things knock you out, you can’t stay out. Dr. Lee Warren prescribes a treatment plan that will help you rise again so you can discover hope in hardship.” John Bevere, bestselling author, minister, and co-founder of Messenger International “I should warn you that this book comes with deep breaths and the occasional tears. With beautiful prose and intimate insights, these pages take you where you need to go before life forces you to go there. And if you’re already ‘there,’ face to face with what Dr. Warren calls The Massive Thing, I have good news for you: you’ve found your book.” Addison Bevere, author and COO of Messenger International Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

It’s Mind Change Monday! Today we talk about how our thought patterns are predictable, usually negative, and often harmful to ourselves and others. So, to become master self-brain surgeons, we have to learn to anticipate those negative thoughts and treat them pro-actively. Here’s how. Scriptures: Isaiah 43:18-18, Psalm 37 Check out my new book! You can pre-order it by clicking the book cover below. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Tommy Walker is a world-renowned songwriter, worship leader, and pastor. His song, "He Knows My Name," has helped people all over take comfort in being known by God. Today, Tommy shares the beautiful origin of "He Knows My Name," to help us all understand that even when we feel isolated and unnoticed, God sees us, hears us, and loves us. Check out Tommy's ministry, music, and story by clicking on the button below. Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Tommy is one of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what he had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “Dr. Lee Warren has personally gone through the devastating school of loss and come out stronger on the other side of what he calls The Massive Thing—or TMT. No matter what your TMT is, you will walk away from this book with a deep infusion of God’s healing hope!” —Tommy Walker, singer-songwriter and worship leader Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

[Flashback episode!] Hey my friend, it’s Throwback Thursday, and I’m bringing you one of my all-time favorite podcast episodes. Here’s an interview from 2020 with Paul Baloche, and I think you’ll get a lot out of it! Paul Baloche has given the global church hundreds of worship songs over the years. And through his leadworship.com ministry, Paul has helped equip thousands of musicians and singers to hone the craft of worship ministry. Join me for a conversation with Paul Baloche on how whatever you're going through, worship makes it better. Learn more about Paul at www.wleewarrenmd.com/baloche This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

[Flashback episode!] Even in our hardest moments, hope is always available. Join me for a great conversation about hope and perseverance with American heroes Scotty and Tiffany Smiley, and you'll find yourself inspired and uplifted in this dark time. Blindness became Major Scotty Smiley’s journey of supreme testing. As he lay helpless in the hospital, he resented the theft of his dreams—becoming a CEO, a Delta Force operator, or a four-star general. With his wife Tiffany’s love and the support of his family and friends, Scotty’s response became God’s transforming moment. The injury only intensified his indomitable spirit. Since the moment he jumped out of a hospital bed and forced his way through nurses and cords to take a simple shower, Major Scotty Smiley has climbed Mount Rainier, won an ESPY as Best Outdoor Athlete, surfed, skydived, become a father, earned an MBA from Duke, taught leadership at West Point, commanded an army company, won the MacArthur Leadership Award and completed an Iron Man. Now he and his wife Tiffany travel all over the country sharing and inspiring others to find their hope unseen. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Be Honest: Is Your Prayer Life Everything You Want it to Be? Prayer is difficult for many of us. We’re busy, stressed, and often find ourselves wondering if God is even out there. We’re screaming into the void, and all we hear are the echoes of our own voices and the noises of the culture around us. Or, we’re desperately whispering our deepest needs, but we have no idea how to really connect with God, or whether he’s even listening at all. But what if it doesn’t have to be this way? What if we really can learn to have real connection and conversation with a God who wants to know and be known by us? That’s what my friend Addison Bevere is here to talk about today. Addison’s new book is Words with God: Trading Boring, Empty Prayer for Real Connection. It’s available today, everywhere books are sold. Click the button below for more information about Addison, and his wonderful new book that’s already locked in as one of my top books of 2023 (and all-time). I can’t recommend this book highly enough, and I’m so excited to bring you this wonderful conversation today with my friend, Addison Bevere. Here’s the description of Words with God from Amazon.com, including an endorsement from another one of my favorite writes, Mark Batterson (we use his book, All In, every year for our podcast series called All-In August). For most of us, prayer is a struggle. Do our prayers even matter? What, if anything, happens when we pray? Are we having words with God or just words with ourselves? We know we should pray. It would be good for us--help us be more grounded, more connected to God. But in our hurried lives, slowing down to pray can feel like a cosmic waste of time. In this thoughtful book, bestselling author Addison Bevere takes you into and through the tension of prayer--the struggles, the doubts, the answers--to the place where God makes himself real to you. He tackles questions such as: · What do we do with unanswered prayers and how do we move through them? · Why does God invite us to ask through prayer if he is aware of every need? · Is there a right way to pray? If so, what is it? · How do we learn to hear the Voice of God? Tired of boring, empty, transactional prayer? This is the book for you. "Addison's book takes us through our desires for prayer, our disappointments in prayer, and the profound deeper plan of God for our prayers. This is the book you'll return to again and again."--Mark Batterson, New York Times bestselling author of The Circle Maker, lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C. Hey, my new book is releasing July 25. Addison is one of my early readers/endorsers. Here’s what he had to say about Hope is the First Dose. “I should warn you that this book comes with deep breaths and the occasional tears. With beautiful prose and intimate insights, these pages take you where you need to go before life forces you to go there. And if you’re already ‘there,’ face to face with what Dr. Warren calls The Massive Thing, I have good news for you: you’ve found your book.” Addison Bevere Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

Is it Reasonable to Base Our Hope on the Bible? It’s Self-Brain Surgery Saturday, and today I’ve got a treat for you! I had a great conversation with Pastor Jarrett Stephens, pastor of Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. We talked about why it’s reasonable to believe in and place our hope on God’s word. Do you have to be a moron to believe? Is there any rational basis for thinking that the Bible is inspired and not just a book of old stories and ideas written by people? Jarrett takes us through why even smart people (even brain surgeons!) should have a high degree of confidence in the reliability of this book, and why the Bible isn’t like any other literature in the world- it’s living and active! Jarrett is also the author of two great books, The Always God: He Hasn't Changed, and You Are Not Forgotten, and The Mountains are Calling: Making the Climb for a Clearer View of God and Ourselves. Check out Jarrett's I Am Second video for more of his story. Other book mentioned in this episode- The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism by Timothy Keller. Hey, I just wrote a book about my research into how people process pain and find hope again after they experience what we call “The Massive Thing,” or TMT, Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things (coming July 25). You can pre-order it by clicking on the book cover below. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe

When Does God Stop Being God? Answer: Never! That’s such good news for troublesome times like these. Back in May of 2021, I had a great conversation with Pastor Jarrett Stephens, author of The Always God: He Hasn't Changed, and You Are Not Forgotten. I’m bringing it back to you today because Pastor Jarrett is coming back onto the show tomorrow! I thought a double dose of this wise and engaging teacher would be so helpful to all of us. (Please note that the free books mentioned have already been given away) Check out Jarrett's I Am Second video for more of his story. Hey, I just wrote a book about my research into how people process pain and find hope again after they experience what we call “The Massive Thing,” or TMT, Hope is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things (coming July 25). You can pre-order it by clicking on the book cover below. Self-Brain Surgery with Dr. Lee Warren is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drleewarren.substack.com/subscribe