And Sons Magazine

We long to share meaningful experiences with others. It's in those times that we feel most seen and heard. Yet what about when there's no one to witness our victories, struggles, and eternal moments with? In the third AndSons livestream conversation, Sam and Blaine share why these longings matter even when they can't be fully met, the importance of being known—and of knowing others, and why being a witness is one of the greatest dignities we can ever offer or receive. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

God gives you a choice. Do you want to spend your days in Story 1 or Story 2? Unfortunately, most choose Story 1—small stories of low risk, high control and quick answers where comfort is valued more than what God's up to. You wouldn't watch a Story 1 movie but often end up living it. AndSons podcast producer Allen Arnold joins Sam and Blaine to share his desire to stay in Story 2—a costly place of wonder, mystery, risk, adventure, and intimacy...with no guarantees other than God. Choosing that path gave him his voice back in more ways than one. And he's using it to invite others into a life of Story 2. Show Note: Allen Arnold's new book, Waves of Creativity, is available on Amazon.com Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

No sane person enjoys conflict. When things go wrong, we quickly try to make up and move on. While that may work for minor disagreements, it isn't nearly as helpful for long-term conflicts in marriages and close relationships. Resolving these issues requires us to slow down and see what's really going on. Sam and Blaine share stories (both the good and the bad) of ways they've dealt with long-term conflict, how to name the pain in healthy ways, and the steps of forgiveness most needed in these moments. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

What is Jesus inviting you to experience more—or less of—in this season? Whatever it is, you'll never fully achieve it being 99% in. Why? Because even just 1% uncertainty leaves the door cracked to opt out when the going gets tough. You aren't called to do everything, but when something really matters, it helps to embrace the "no eject" option. To paraphrase author Annie Grace, "99% in is brutal but 100% in is a breeze". If you'd like to start feeling the wind at your back in an area you'd like breakthrough in, draw a line in the sand and be all in. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

In this second AndSons livestream, Sam Jolman joins Sam and Blaine to discuss how even though life seems to be getting back to normal, we're not doing as well as we think we are. We do something replenishing and it takes forever to recover. Or we binge on what we've been longing for—and overdo it. It's like there's a hole in our buckets. But what if the outward signs of being drained, reactive, or easily irritated are telling us something essential...and the solutions are more simple than we imagine? Show Notes: Find out more about Sam Jolman and his individual & Marriage Counseling at http://www.samjolman.com. For information on future AndSons livestreams and access to custom content and gear, go to https://www.patreon.com/andsons Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

Your heart needs a different gear for summer—one that creates space for sabbath, play, and risk. What does that look like? Sam and Blaine offer ways to feed your soul this summer with a mix of experiences that: 1) are kind and refreshing, 2) lead to adventure, newness, and make for really good future stories, and 3) develop your capacity to dream and anticipate. Listen and see what stirs your heart. Then make time for that kind of summer. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

A hyper-vigilant, high-alert life may sound wise, but all it ultimately brings is higher anxiety, depression, and exhaustion. A life of meaning, on the other hand, places a higher value on loving well rather than simply knowing more. The goal isn't endless information but true wisdom...the kind that only comes from a relationship with God. Sam and Blaine describe ways to add wonder and awe to our days, the role evidence and language play in our decisions, and how "the collapse of testimony" shapes how we see our story...and reality. Show Note: For more information regarding the sugar and fat research referenced in the podcast: https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/09/13/493739074/50-years-ago-sugar-industry-quietly-paid-scientists-to-point-blame-at-fat Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

In their second AndSons livestream, Sam and Blaine look at how today's culture encourages people to see themselves as permanent victims. Yet how does that view align with the teachings of Jesus? By his own definition, he came to heal the brokenhearted and set the captive free (Isaiah 61). And we're no longer captive once we (along with our hearts) are set free. Here's a counterintuitive look at how we can name real pain and trauma for the sake of healing without claiming those wounds as our primary identity. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

Divisive topics tend to divide relationships—but they don't have to. In this series conclusion, Sam and Blaine reveal ways to lead with our hearts in an issues-infatuated culture. We may still be attacked, but we won't be destroyed. Because when we pursue forgiveness over being right, we engage Jesus in the very places we feel most opposed and isolated. And there is no safer place to be than that. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

In such polarizing times, safety comes from being fully in with one side or the other on any given topic. Having your own opinion—rather than falling in line with the loudest voice—can create a sense of fear and isolation. In the first half of this two-part conversation, Sam and Blaine swap stories of feeling stuck in the middle. Show Note: The snippet featured is called "Think About It" by Flight of the Conchords Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

Our culture is obsessed with convenience. Fast and easy sounds great but rarely leads to growth. That's why many have taken the opposite approach, pursuing hard and inconvenient things. But choosing a life based on either extreme is likely to cause damage. The goal isn't to make life convenient or inconvenient based on a set of "auto-pilot" assumptions. It's to ask God what's needed and allow him, as Father, to initiate us as sons through each situation. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

In And Sons first livestream, Sam and Blaine talk about the struggle of feeling only adequate at life while others appear to be crushing every goal in sight. It's a time where the verdict starts to come in—or so it seems— on whether you're a success or barely passing. Most feel like they don't measure up. So why try harder if your best still misses the mark? Here's an honest conversation about facing these feelings without losing hope, beating yourself up, or downgrading your future. Show Notes: For information on future AndSons live streams and access to custom content and gear, go to https://www.patreon.com/andsons. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

All movies and stories aren't created equal. They tell us about the nature of reality, form how we see the world, and shape our souls in both good and bad ways. Most people embrace one of two extremes when it comes to story. They either passively consume any and all content, oblivious of how it's affecting their worldview. Or they withdraw from any stories other than those with overt Christian messages. Sam and Blaine suggest a better way—the practice of engaging story by both being aware of what we're taking in while also understanding how God speaks to us through the language of story. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

No one likes to think they have blind spots. But, well, no one is immune. We've all had that moment where we thought we nailed it only to realize we somehow misread the person or situation in front of us...yet again. In this MetaDragon podcast (see show notes), Sam and Blaine offer tools to identity and resolve our blind spots when it comes to us, our families, and the world at large. It isn't about trying harder—but seeing life more accurately. Show Note: Our team has began calling these sorts of episodes "MetaDragon" due to their meta-focus, their intensity, and because we misunderstood something our sound engineer said one day. Esoteric? A little. But now you know about it, so welcome to the MetaDragon. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

We miss so much in the world around us due to overfamiliarity—from the sound of a nightly train and the smell of our homes to the sky around the stars. In this AndSons MetaDragon episode (see show notes), Sam and Blaine dive into the concept of negative space. In art, this is the space between figures in a composition. Artists regularly use negative space to enhance their paintings, photographs, songs, and architecture. Yet our lives also have negative space within them—such as the distance we put around the things and people around us. Whether in art or life, the absence of something can be as or more important than the presence of something...once we understand the value of negative space. Show Note: AndSons MetaDragon Episode Our team has begun calling these sorts of episodes "MetaDragon" due to their meta-focus, their intensity, and because we misunderstood something our sound engineer said one day. Esoteric? A little. But now you know about it, so welcome to the MetaDragon. Find Blaine's latest writing

James Arnold Taylor is the man of more than 200 voices—including Obi-Wan Kenobi, Johnny Test, The Flash, and Fred Flintstone. He's also a man who has discovered his own true voice...and enjoys helping others know and like who they are. In this far-ranging conversation, the highly acclaimed voice actor discusses pursuing what you love even when it makes no sense to those around you, the journey of finding his true father, and the power of speaking honestly—whether in the creative process or to those you love. Show Note: Find out more at JamesArnoldTaylor.com or listen to his podcast, Talking to Myself, at: https://jatactor.libsyn.com Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

We want a life of ease and comfort. We need the pain and discomfort of running toward the very things that make us feel incompetent or uncomfortable. Sam and Blaine address this topic through the lens of fatherhood, sharing how they're being shaped in this season of low sleep and high demand. Pressing into what feels like too much is messy. But the greater danger is succeeding at a life of ease where you never risk offering beyond your comfort zone. Change starts by inviting God into these areas of your soul that need tending—and a willingness to stop hiding and start saying "yes" to the impossible. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

If we were to walk in your home, what would we conclude matters to you based on what's on your walls or in your garage? In other words, where do you spend your money and time? If that feels a bit personal, well, it's meant to. We call it the strategy of stuff. Because, as it turns out, your stuff tells a really revealing story about who you are and what you value. This is your invitation to get curious about what you choose to populate your world with—and why. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

Regardless of where you grew up, it likely didn't feel like home in some ways. And that's normal. No earthly home can completely satisfy our soul's longing to belong—or compare to the eternal home God is preparing for us. Whether you felt misunderstood by those closest to you, lacked unconditional love, or had a restless rather than restful home life, this longing to belong causes us all, a times, to feel like exiles. In this MetaDragon episode, Sam and Blaine rethink what our search for home means...and why it matters so much. Show Notes: This is an AndSons MetaDragon episode. If you don't know what that means, Sam defines it in the first few minutes. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

For most, the topic of tattoos sparks an immediate reaction. Whether you love 'em or hate 'em, tattoos provide an incredible entry point to the way we see the world and our bodies. It turns out the things we do with—and to—our bodies have more power than we tend to realize. And with tattoos, it's never just about ink on skin. In this conversation, Sam and Blaine talk about the spiritual dimension of tattoos (both good and bad)—as well as some practical and cultural considerations. Show Notes: This podcast reference the Wild at Heart Spiritual Warfare podcast series (https://wildatheart.org/rhplay/series/podcast/spiritual-warfare) and The Bible Project's Spiritual Beings video series (https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/intro-spiritual-beings/). Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.