The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast

Annie Grace’s Book is Not About Alcohol Okay; Annie’s book This Naked Mind: Control Alcohol, Find Freedom, Discover Happiness, and Change Your Life actually IS about alcohol. But in my opinion, it’s about alcohol in the same sense that Hemingway’s classic The Old Man and the Sea is about fishing. Sure, Hemingway wrapped his tale in the metaphors of fishing, but the story is about fighting a colossal battle against an almost impossible set of foes and difficult circumstances, believing in himself, and ultimately overcoming all those challenges and inspiring others with his story. Annie’s story is one of overcoming an unhealthy relationship with alcohol (hint: there is actually no “healthy” relationship with alcohol). She decided to dive into researching it on her own, to try and understand her own behavior and take back control of her own life. It wasn’t easy, but she’s now eight years into her new, free life, and she’s changing the world. I’m going to do a Self-Brain Surgery Saturday episode about alcohol sometime. But for today, let Annie show you how she found a path to freedom through research and a commitment to discovering the truth. Here’s what she now believes, in her own words: * I believe (and the science says!) that a positive approach is far more effective than a negative approach. * Scare tactics & willpower don’t work over the long term and true, lasting change comes from positive desire. * As a first step we must put down the weapons of shame and blame. Let ourselves off the hook and then understand our power. * We are not powerless. In fact, the more we know and understand, the more powerful we become. * There is no ‘right way’, but I have found that the path to changing your thinking, and therefore your desire, can be the most fun and least painful way to change. Here’s the “official” story from her great website: At 26, Annie Grace was the youngest Vice President in a multinational company’s history, and her drinking career began in earnest; by 35, she was in a global C-level marketing role, responsible for 28 countries. Drinking close to two bottles of wine a night became a ritual. Annie Grace’s professional success came at a personal price she no longer wanted to pay. She knew alcohol was no longer serving her. Yet, she didn’t want to suffer through life in a daily battle for sobriety, feeling deprived and constantly trying to avoid temptation. Annie Grace revamped her own relationship with alcohol — she stripped it of its power and changed her beliefs about booze being a reward — and today she helps others across the globe do the same. Her approach helps people where rehabs have not. She’s created a brand new way to look at the role of alcohol in our lives, establishing a safe space for those who question their drinking but haven’t self-diagnosed as alcoholics stuck in denial of an incurable disease. Annie Grace preaches compassion, knowing its power over shame and blame is the best way to achieve lasting change. And, she offers a proven alternative to the largely ineffective recipe for so-called “success”—the one that says anything less than 100% abstinence is failure. Annie Grace doesn’t teach people how to be sober; she helps them quash their desire to drink in the first place. Annie’s 30-day Alcohol Experiment is, in her words, “An effortless way to interrupt your patterns, restore your health and get back in touch with the version of yourself that didn’t need alcohol to relax or enjoy life.” She’s helped millions of people around the world break free from the power of alcohol, nicotine, and other behaviors that limit lives and steal joy. You can try it for free here: Annie Grace’s official photo 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

If You Could Go Back In Time, What Advice Would You Give Yourself? (Replay of Season 5, Episode 13) A missed episode from the past made me realize I needed to do just that. So, here's a first aid kit from the future, to help you start today! Scripture: Psalm 19:14 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heartbe acceptable in your sight,O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Proverbs 17:27 TPTCan 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. Music by Lauren Daigle (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

If you’re off the road and stuck in the grass, and you’re tired of the wheels spinning but you not going anywhere, then maybe it’s not time to give up and quit and decide that God has rejected you and that it’s too hard and you’ve been singled out for failure and abandonment. Because he’s promised you otherwise. Scripture: Haggai 1:5-6 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, we talk about what real love is- and what it isn’t! Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13 Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

What do our words have to do with our brain? A look at what happens in the brain when we cuss, and what happens in our spirits when someone cusses us. Do science and the bible agree about whether cussing is good for your brain? May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14, NIV So if you know the right way to live and ignore it, it is sin—plain and simple. James 4:17 VOICE Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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 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? 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

Hawks Are Always Eagles, Until You See an Eagle Today’s episode is a little story about hawks, eagles, perspective, boxing, faith, and hope. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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’s Friday Conversation draws an important distinction between “your truth,” and “The truth.” So much in our culture today sounds true when we hear it. “Live your truth,” “I am enough,” “God just wants us to be happy,” and more. But what if those things that the world promises will make us happier are actually lies that keep us imprisoned, trapped in a cycle of chasing targets we can’t hit, comparing ourselves to others, and finding ourselves anxious, exhausted, and self-obsessed? In today’s conversation, we meet a former pop star-turned-Christian writer, apologist, theologian, and mom who wants to help clear away these popular deceptions and help us find The Truth again. Join me for a great talk with one of my favorite authors and podcasters, Alisa Childers. Official bio: Alisa Childers is a wife, mom, author, podcaster, blogger, speaker, and worship leader. She was a member of the award-winning CCM recording group ZOEgirl. She is currently a respected speaker at apologetics and Christian worldview conferences, as well as the host of her popular YouTube channel. Alisa's story was featured in the documentary, American Gospel: Christ Crucified. She has been published at the Gospel Coalition, Crosswalk, the Stream, For Every Mom, Decision Magazine, and the Christian Post, and her blog post "Girl, Wash Your Face? What Rachel Hollis Gets Right . . . and Wrong" received more than one million views. Alisa’s latest book, Live Your Truth and Other Lies Are you tired of feeling like you have to check social media to find out what you’re supposed to think? Are you weary of the latest self-help books that promise to set you free but only imprison you with laundry lists of studies to consider, positive affirmations to recite, and Facebook groups to join?We’ve all seen the memes that populate the internet: live your truth, follow your heart, you only have one life to live. They sound nice and positive. But what if these slogans are actually lies that unhinge us from reality and leave us anxious and exhausted? Another Gospel? author Alisa Childers invites you to examine modern lies that are disguised as truths in today’s culture. Everyday messages of peace, fulfillment, and empowerment swirl around social media. On the surface, they seem like sentiments of freedom and hope, but in reality they are deeply deceptive.In Live Your Truth (and Other Lies), Alisa will help you to: * uncover the common lies repeated within progressive circles * hold on to the soul-restoring truths that God’s Word offers * be empowered to live the way your Creator designed you Being the captain of your own destiny and striving to make your dreams a reality is a huge burden that you were never meant to bear. Discover true freedom instead. (Amazon.com book description) Alisa’s first book, Another Gospel “This may be the most influential book you will read this year.” —Lee Strobel, bestselling author of The Case for Miracles Music by ZOEgirl (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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 we talk about Job, a man who went through unspeakable tragedy and managed to hold onto his faith anyway. Here’s Tata’s thoughts on how Job managed to pull that off. Scripture: Job 1, 2, 19 Music by Matt Redman and Scott & Rachelle Galloway. (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

What to Do When You Feel Overwhelmed (Replay of Season 4, Episode 71. Back with an all-new Tuesdays with Tata tomorrow!) A quick conversation about how to prepare for and deal with overwhelm. Self-Brain Surgery Tip #15: The secret to overcoming overwhelm is to stop worrying about all the things you need to do. Pick one and do it. Then do that again. You’ll feel so much better, and you’ll have two less things to do! Scriptures: When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.Psalm 94:19Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.John 14:1We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed.2 Corinthians 4:8-9Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you restMatthew 11:28I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.John 16:33Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.1 Peter 5:7But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.Romans 8:37-38Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.John 14:27But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rockIsaiah 26:3–4Hear my cry, O God, listen to my prayer; from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.Psalm 61:1-2 Matthew 6:34 Isaiah 41:10 Psalm 27:1 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

Left unchecked, fear can take over our brains and our hearts When that happens, fear becomes an idol. Here is a helpful conversation on how to use the power of neuroscience and self-brain surgery to get fear under control, improve your thinking, and let God show you the path forward! Scripture: Psalm 16 Proverbs 3:5-6 Philippians 4:6-7 I John 4:16-18 Music from Carl Miner, Andre Crouch, and CC Winans Website mentioned: The North American Guitar on YouTube (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

Self-Brain Surgery Tip #3: Having a problem w/a brain chemical like dopamine is no more of a spiritual issue than having a problem w/a pancreatic hormone like insulin is. One causes depression, one causes diabetes. We don’t tell people to have more faith to fix their diabetes. Music by North Point Worship (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

Some thoughts on vulnerability and letting God redeem our stories Scriptures Mentioned: 2 Corinthians 11:30 2 Corinthians 12:9-11 Book mentioned: Where the Light Fell by Philip Yancey Music by David Crowder and Francesca Battistelli (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

What Lies Beyond the Darkness of Life’s Hardest Moments? Clarissa Moll’s new book is a companion, a gentle guide, for those of us who are hurting from great loss. She’s a writer, a podcaster, a mother of four, and a widow since 2019 when she lost her husband Rob in the prime of his life. Today’s Friday Conversation is a great talk about her journey with grief, and how she decided to help the rest of us learn to move forward so we can discover the hope that lies beyond the darkness. Clarissa Moll’s Official Bio Clarissa Moll (MA, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is an author, a podcaster, and the young widow of author Rob Moll. Clarissa’s writing has appeared in Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, RELEVANT, Modern Loss, Grief Digest and more. Her husband’s first book, The Art of Dying, was released in April 2021 with Clarissa’s new afterword. Clarissa’s debut book, Beyond the Darkness: A Gentle Guide for Walking with Grief and Thriving After Loss releases with Tyndale in 2022. Clarissa co-hosts Christianity Today’s “Surprised by Grief” podcast and hosts the weekly Hope*Writers podcast. She lives a joyful life with her four children and rescue pups and proudly calls both New England and the Pacific Northwest home. Music by Tommy and Eileen Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Some music on the show comes from Tunetank.com 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 Throwback Thursday! Here’s one of my favorite quiet time episodes of all time, Adorn, from January 9, 2022. I was overwhelmed one morning with a thought from a Tweet by writer and pastor Dane Ortlund. Here are some thoughts on Titus 2:10 for your quiet time today. Book mentioned: Andrew Peterson Adorning the Dark Music from Paul Baloche and Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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 story about what to do when life hurts and you can't understand how to make it stop. Scriptures: Psalm 34 Psalm 122:1 Music by Cody Carnes (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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, Tata gives us some thoughts on the permanence of God’s promises, his mercy, and how there’s always hope! Scripture: Jeremiah 31 and 32 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

What Do You Do When Your Life Feels Like a War? Here are some thoughts on foxholes and faith for Mind Change Monday. (I wrote a post yesterday about this. Click below to read it!) Music by Matt Redman (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

This Quiet Time Gives Us a New Approach to Bible Study When we read the Bible, it’s important ask questions, seek resources to broaden our understanding, and try to find out where we sit in the story we’re reading. Psalm 19 gives us a perfect model of this approach: God’s creation is amazing and shows his faithfulness, his word is powerful and necessary for a happy and solid life, and WE can only find solid ground and true happiness by trying to be more like him, and allowing him to redeem us. Scripture: Psalm 19 Book mentioned: In the Lord I Take Refuge by Dane Ortlund Music by Michael W. Smith and Cody Carnes (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Michael W. Smith’s Worship Albums: Worship Worship Again Worship Forever 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! Today we take a lesson from James Clear and two Bible stories to learn how to change the story we tell ourselves when things seem impossible. Check out James Clear’s newsletter Without altering the facts of the situation I am facing and without ignoring the reality of what must be done, what is the most useful and empowering story I can tell myself about what is happening and what I need to do next? - James Clear Scripture: Psalm 77, Lamentations 3 Music by Jenn and Brian Johnson (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) “Impossible” level on Super Mario Brothers 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

Jon Swanson is a pastor, chaplain, writer, and holds a PhD. He’s been helping me and Lisa for years, and his books and 300WordsaDay.com blog have helped our lives tremendously. I’m so excited to be bringing you this conversation that Jon and I had, because I think it will really help you when you’re trying to help someone else who’s hurting. We’re going deep on the other side of pain, and we’re going to start today. 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 you sleep when the voices are so loud? Spend a few minutes learning how God wants you to rest, to hear His voice, and a neuroscience trick I learned from a Navy Seal. Scriptures: I Kings 19:11-13 Psalm 127 Psalm 46:10 Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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, God seems really far away. (Replay of Season 3, Episode 22 for Wildcard Wednesday!) Today, I want to talk about the parallels between two passages I keep running into that seem opposite of each other Isaiah and James describe two sets of life change: one is God's dream for what he wants to do for us, and the other is what we should do when we realize that our issues are keeping us from being close to God. Scriptures Mentioned Isaiah 61: 1-3 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God,to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,the oil of joy instead of mourning,and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. James 4: 1-10 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. Acts17:27 “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” Matthew 7:3-5 Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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, we discuss a strange passage from Jeremiah 12:9 about the great “speckled bird.” What in the world does that weird verse have to do with us today? Everything. If you’re wondering why everything in our current culture seems so hard, scary, and ever-changing, this trip back in time for a conversation with the old prophet will help. Listen to learn from Tata how some things never change, what the speckled bird is all about, and that no matter what, there’s always hope! Scriptures: Jeremiah 12:9-11, Jeremiah 6: 14 Books mentioned: Live Your Truth and Other Lies: Exposing Popular Deceptions That Make Us Anxious, Exhausted, and Self-Obsessed by Alisa Childers Run with the Horses by Eugene Peterson Music by Roy Acuff and Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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 it feels impossible for us, God reminds us it's possible for Him! (It’s Replay Monday; I have an urgent surgery this morning, so I’m bringing you this super-helpful classic episode, and then I’m on my way to work!) Here's a quick list of times in scripture when God made something IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE. So, He can do it for us too! Sometimes, God... Whistles Zechariah 10:8, Isaiah 5:26, Isaiah 7:18 (FLIES, BEES, AND PEOPLE) Roars Hosea 11:10 Gets up Isaiah 30:18 Roams the earth 2 Chronicles 16:9 Sees the end from the beginning (not surprised) Isaiah 46:10 Finishes what He starts/Ends it like he says he will/Calls his shots Isaiah 46:11 Floats axe heads 2 Kings 6:1-7 Sends bears 2 Kings 2:23-25 Calls for birds and leaders Isaiah 46:11 Parts waters Genesis 1:6 (Beginning), Exodus 14 (Red Sea), Joshua 4:10 (Jordan), 2 Kings 2:8 (Elijah), 2 Kings 2:13-14 (Elisha) Knocks down walls Joshua 6 Moves the sun Joshua 10:12-14 Raises up dry bones Dry bones in Ezekiel 37 Sends angels Daniel 10 Coins in fish Matthew 17:24-27 Fish to Swallow Prophet Jonah 1-2 Manna and Quail Exodus 16 Water from a rock Exodus 17 Loaves and fishes Mark 6:30-44 Makes wine John 2 Oil that doesn't run out I Kings 17:7-16 Raises the dead Luke 7:11–17, Luke 8:49–56, : John 11:1-44 Calms storms Matthew 8 Walks on Water Matthew 14 Heals disease and disability John 5 Heals ears Luke 22 Eats His Homework? John 4:34 ("My food is to the work my Father gave me.") And if that's not enough- he will lay down his life for you: Romans 5:8 And didn't stay dead: I Cor. 15, Colossians 2 And he's praying for you! John 17 Music by Lincoln Brewster (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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’s operation is a little switch between worrying and preparing, and then getting after it. A few thoughts on golf, football, and self-brain surgery will help us stop worrying and start preparing to take action when it’s time! Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34, I Corinthians 9:24-26 Music by Tommy Walker Newsletter mentioned: James Clear (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

Lisa Bevere is a powerful voice for troubled times Join me for a conversation with New York Times bestselling author and international minister Lisa Bevere. We talk about her important book, Adamant, how holding onto truth and embracing our God-given strength helps up face any situation in life. Lisa’s Official Bio: Lisa Bevere has spent nearly three decades empowering women to find their identity and purpose. She is a cancer survivor and a New York Times bestselling author. Her books include Without Rival, Adamant, Lioness Arising, and Girls with Swords. Lisa and her husband, John, cofounded Messenger International to develop uncompromising followers of Christ who transform their world. To this end, Messenger has given away over 30 million resources in 111 languages. Get the Messenger X app here for iOS, and here for Android. 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 good to know you’ve got a friend who will always come through for you That’s what our daughter Kalyn told me when she picked the James Taylor song, You’ve Got a Friend for her to dance to with me at her wedding last weekend in Alabama. Kalyn only asked two things of me for her wedding: to dance with her to that old song (I used to sing it to her when she was little), and to make a short speech at the reception. I’m not much of a dancer, but we got through it. The speech, though, was harder. What do you say to bless your youngest child as she starts her married life? I chose to remind her and her husband Noah that the only solid ground for our lives is found on the reliability of God’s promises. Our friend Lisa Bevere wrote, “Your children will either inherit God’s promises or your fears.” Today’s podcast is a look at the scripture I shared with Kalyn and Noah, and the good news is, it’s for you (and me) today, too! You don’t have to be afraid of life, as long as you have promises to hold onto. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13, NIV We finish with my friend Tommy Walker’s version of one of my favorite hymns, Standing on the Promises. (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

If you want to make real progress in your life, stop putting mountains in our own way. Here are some thoughts from Hebrews 12:12-13 on making level paths for our feet. Music from Elevation Worship (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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 last three years have felt like we're all being sifted! Jesus told Peter that Satan had asked to "sift you like wheat." What happened next is a remarkable story. It's Tuesdays with Tata and we have a great conversation for you! (Replay of TWT #19, from November 2021. Back with all new episodes tomorrow!) Scriptures: Luke 5 Luke 22 Ephesians 1 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 5 R's of Mind Management Will Set You Up For Success! Renew. "Do not allow this world to mold you in its own image. Instead, be transformed from the inside out by renewing your mind. As a result, you will be able to discern what God wills and whatever God finds good, pleasing, and complete." (Romans 12:2) Reset. "Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy." (Philippians 4:8) Retake. "We are taking prisoners of every thought, every emotion, and subduing them into obedience to the Anointed One." (II Corinthians 10:5) Be Realistic. "If we go around bragging, "We have no sin," then we are fooling ourselves and are strangers to the truth. But if we own up to our sins, God shows that He is faithful and just by forgiving us of our sins and purifying us from the pollution of all the bad things we have done. If we say, "We have not sinned," then we depict God as a liar and show that we have not let His word find its way into our hearts." (Noting the truth of our own issues allows us to set our minds/hearts towards defeating them) (I John 1:8-10) Ready to Roll. "Stay focused (set your mind) on what’s above, not on earthly things, because your old life is dead and gone. Your new life is now hidden, enmeshed with the Anointed who is in God." (Colossians 3: 2-3) Music by Shane and Shane 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

Surgery Is A Balance Between Power and Finesse (Note: I'm taking a day off! Here's a helpful episode from last year, one of my favorites!) So is life. Here are some musings on paradox, on baseball, on things that sound opposite but have to coexist, on how to be tender in a hard world. Thanks to Jon Swanson for inspiration. Here's Jon's essential daily blog. Scriptures mentioned Romans 11:22 “Note then the kindness and the severity of God..” Romans 8:35 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” Isaiah 2:4He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples.They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Joel 3:10Beat your plowshares into swords,and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” Kate Bowler's book, Everything Happens for a Reason Kelly Corrigan's book Tell Me More Amazing podcast with Kate and Kelly! Listen to this! 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 We Need to Adjust Our Own Attitudes IF We Want to Make Progress! Click here to download the transcript! In this episode, we'll take the bad thought biopsy results from last week and use them to accomplish real life change. We dig in under the hood and learn to lobotomize our lousy attitudes. Negative thoughts come in two categories: those there to motivate us when we need to make positive changes, and those that are the result of disordered, negative thinking. Learning to tell the difference is important if we want to become healthier, feel better, and be happier. If you want a better tomorrow, you have to make changes in your life, and you have to start today. Music by Toby Mac (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

Science and Faith Do Not Have to Fight Each Other Join me for an amazing conversation with Dr. Michael Guillen, Ph.D. about his important book, Believing is Seeing: A Physicist Explains How Science Shattered His Atheism and Revealed the Necessity of Faith. Dr. Guillen was born in East Los Angeles, where he dreamed of becoming a scientist. The dream took him to UCLA, where he earned a B.S. in physics and mathematics. Then to Cornell, where he earned an M.S. in experimental physics and Ph.D. degrees in physics, mathematics and astronomy. For eight years thereafter, he was an award-winning physics instructor at Harvard University. He’s also received honorary doctorates from the University of Maryland and Pepperdine University. Dr. Guillen is known and loved by millions as the ABC News Science Editor, a post he filled for fourteen years (1988-2002). He appeared regularly on Good Morning America, 20/20, Nightline, and World News Tonight. He also hosted Where Did It Come From?, a weekly, one-hour primetime series for The History Channel. He is a three-time Emmy Award winner and a member of the renowned Explorers Club.​​ He has a wonderful podcast also! 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 We Maintain Hope When Science Says It's Hopeless? (Throwback Thursday replay) Thoughts on how to use science AND faith together even when all seems lost. 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

Here’s a powerful way to spend some quiet time today. Question: What did Jesus say was the key to being set free from anything that holds us back? Listen for the answer! Scripture: Luke 4:18-19, John 8:31-32 Music by Paul Baloche and David Crowder (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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, we pick apart an old Hebrew proverb, and mine it for a great lesson that’s as timely today as it was in those days. The fathers have eaten sour grapes, but the children’s teeth are set on edge. We talk about what that means, and how it applies to our lives today. Scripture: Ezekiel 18:2, Jeremiah 31:28PLEASE 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!

It’s Mind Change Monday! Today, I have one question for you: how high is your floor? It’s a quick mindset shift, a decision to finally gain control of anything that’s been holding us back. Scripture mentioned: Job 38:11 Music by CeCe Winans (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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. And it can produce stress and anxiety for all of us sometimes. But synapses that fire together wire together, and it’s possible to teach our brains how to live an anxiety lifestyle, so that we frequently slip into anxiety and stress even when nothing is actually happening. This episode will help us learn to break the cycle of fear and anxiety, cultivate calm, and make a huge difference in our quality of life. Scripture: II Corinthians 1:8-11 This episode was inspired by Jon Swanson and Brené Brown. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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! Today’s operation is the Thought Autopsy. It’s a super-powerful technique you can use to look critically at what your were thinking about during times that were particularly good or bad, successful or not, happy or sad. Thoughts become things, and learning to go back and retrospectively dissecting our own thinking during such times is a superpower for learning how to replicate the good and avoid the bad outcomes next time we encounter a similar circumstance. Scripture: Isaiah 44:14-20, Isaiah 45:20 Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

Are We Managing Our Lives, or Really Changing Them? Our last good decision for September is to commit to real change, instead of just managing things over and over! I see people in my office every week who are hurting, and often times I can offer them a fix for their problem. But some folks just want to manage their pain, take a pill, or do something that's quicker and less scary than having surgery. This episode was inspired by Tommy Walker's song Water Into Wine, which was written out of the story in John 2:1-5 . In the story, Jesus changed water into wine. This wasn't just a little change of the water. He didn't add some powder to it and stir it up. He actually transformed it into the best wine the people had ever tasted. Take a few minutes and look into this question with me: are you tired of just trying to manage the issues and problems you're dealing with in your life, or do you have the courage to actually change them for good? Scriptures mentioned: John 2:1-5 , Isaiah 51:1-2, Isaiah 61:1-3 (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Links: Water Into Wine by Tommy Walker video The Book of John in Song by Tommy Walker My appearance at First Presbyterian Church Bonita Springs Florida 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

Cashing Out Paper Losses Turns Them Into Real Losses (Throwback Thursday replay!) That's tragic in investing, but it's a disaster in the rest of your life too. Here are some principles to help manage our minds and behaviors when life seems to be handing us big losses. We'll look at the psychology of investing, and apply it to the rest of our lives. And we'll see God as the God who can give us late-market rallies, 4th quarter comebacks, and who makes a way where there is no way. PLUS! A story about my friends, Rested Ronnie and Sweaty Sam! Books mentioned: Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money David Richo, Five True Things: A Little Guide to Embracing Life's Big Challenges Scriptures mentioned: Psalm 77 The book of Habakkuk Isaiah 43:19 Resources: Get the MessengerX App from Messenger International Tommy Walker Ministries 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

Storms are going to come in life. How we prepare for them makes all the difference. When my last book came out, I did a podcast interview in which I was asked a strange question: When did Noah build the arc? The answer: Before it started raining. Look, storms happen in life. Hard times come, but when things get hard, strong people get busy. And when great opportunities come, we need to be ready. Let’s pick up the hammer and start building that arc. Because the rain is coming. Because something great is coming, and we need to be ready. Something hard is coming, and we need to get our feet on more solid ground, even if we have to build a boat to get there. Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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, we talk about something called “high places” in the Bible. It’s a great lesson about the power of culture to draw us away from what really matters. 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! (Back tomorrow with a brand-new Tuesdays with Tata!) Today I want to remind you that it’s okay to say no. Here’s Self-Brain Surgery Tip #10: No is not a cuss word. You need margin and space to be efficient and do the things you commit to well. It’s better to say no kindly than to say yes and then let more important things suffer. Scripture: Matthew 5:37 Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

You Can't Trust Every Thought That Pops Into Your Head In this episode, we'll make more progress on our journey towards achieving real life change. We peek under the hood of our thought patterns and behaviors and learn to diagnose the ones we need to change. Once we understand how we think, we can start making things better. If you want a better tomorrow, you have to make changes in your life, and you have to start today. 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. 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, Hope is the First Dose. 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 any problem you’re facing, 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. 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 find yourself wondering where God is? Wondering why God seems to be taking forever to answer your prayers? Wondering why everything seems so hard all the time? Are you so tired of being so tired? If so, a good decision you can make is to learn to grow while you’re waiting! Here’s a short lesson about the latin phrase mutatis mutandis, which means “after the necessary changes have been made.” Scriptures: Psalm 13 Habakkuk 1 Isaiah 42:8-9 Joshua 3 Micah 7:7 Music by Tommy Walker (Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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

Self-Brain Surgery Tip #7:(It's Tata's birthday! Email him if you'd like to say hello! [email protected] ) When you make a mistake, admit it to yourself and correct it going forward. Excuses build the false idea in your brain that it’s not really your fault, and you’ll be more likely to do it again. Own it, recalibrate, move forward and you’ll be happier! It's No-Slip November friend! In the Bible, we read of how the Israelites turned an 11-day trip into a 40-year-long journey through the desert. And many of us are tired of covering the same ground over and over in our lives instead of finally breaking through to where God wants us to go. So it's time to use that self-brain surgery tip, stop making excuses, and get after it! Are you with us? Scriptures Mentioned:Hebrews 12:1 Deuteronomy 1:1-8 Music from Building 429(Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) 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 You Can't Hear Truth in Your Own Brain, You Need Better Words(REPLAY of Season 5, Episode 89 for Wild Card Wednesday) “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:46–47) In this episode, we’re going to look at how God’s words- all of them- have the ability to give meaning and purpose to our lives. How we have need of them for all the things we’ll face in our lives. How we can rely on them when the massive thing happens. And how sometimes God says, “You can’t have that.” So what do we do when it feels empty and void? We need some words in there, and God always has them. But we have to start today. Scripture: Isaiah 55:11 Music by Tommy Walker Sign up for my Substack letter here.(Music shared on The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast is authorized under BMI license #61063253 and ASCAP license #400010513 ) Go to my website www.wleewarrenmd.com for more information about my letter, this show, my books, and more. John to Know, James to Grow bible study Some music on the show comes from Tunetank.com 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