And Sons Magazine

Jonathan Tremaine Thomas is an actor, activist, pastor, producer, social entrepreneur, fifth generation “preacher’s kid”, and the grand-nephew of the legendary Civil Rights artist Dr. Nina Simone. In this timely and timeless conversation, he addresses the topic of racial justice and reconciliation through the unique lens of the gospel. He calls it Civil Righteousness and it involves four key pillars: 1) Engaging Justice, 2) Restoring Communities, 3) Mobilizing Allies, and 4) Building Bridges. Discover how God, at his core, is a healer - and what it looks like to participate in the restoration of all things in this chaotic moment in time. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

We live in a polarizing time of stark opposites. The result is growing tension fueled by an odd swirling of opposition, offense, anger, and withdrawal. Sam and Blaine process what's going on behind the scenes - drawing on research and examples of why we believe certain things, how we process new information, and why true change is both more valuable and complex than we imagine. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

161 I Dan Allender: Forgiveness is Freeing Dan Allender believes forgiveness must be at the forefront of our actions - especially in these fragmented times. Rather than take offense, we're invited to create peace. Doing so is a necessity and a privilege that allows the love of God to heal a world filled with hate. When we stop trying to contain, control, or manage life and others, we can start participating in the kind of reconciliation that allows us to experience union and communion with others. Discover how genuine forgiveness is the necessary soil for kindness, generosity, and play to flourish freely in our hearts and relationships. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

A few reminders. The gospel transcends every human identity and tells you a few important things about the world. Like, the fact that the human heart is fallen. It’s the original problem. It is the well from which all injustice and violence pours. And there’s Satan, God’s sworn enemy, who stokes human sin. But, thanks to the work of Jesus, we have a new heart. We have power over Satan and his kingdom. We offer the restoration of all things in real time into the world. This conversation between therapist Wendell Moss and Sam Eldredge is an onramp into the issues surrounding race, trauma, and masculinity. It first ran in July 2018, but we’re queuing it up again because here at And Sons we look for orientation. We look for trustworthy sages to give us direction in real time. We think you’ll find this conversation helpful, especially as you engage it in view of your position as a friend of Jesus, participating in the restoration of the heart and the overthrow of evil, alongside Jesus, your brother and captain.

We often settle for a simple physical explanation when we're feeling down or off. So when a throbbing headache keeps you from an event of great joy, you assume it must be because you recently cut down on caffeine. Yet these simplistic diagnoses fail to account for the fact that we are beings of body, soul, and spirit - and every move in the direction of greater life will be opposed. Here are tools to better diagnose what's really going on when you sense things aren't right. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

The immaterial practices that fill our days (like those endless Zoom meetings) may be productive but they don't anchor us. Numerous studies show we need regular contact with the real. When we disconnect from the physical, we do our bodies and souls great harm. Something powerful happens when we go out for a run, walk barefoot in the grass, or spend time tending our garden. It turns out, we need dirt...literally. Sam and Blaine explore why our body, mind, and soul thrives on tactile connection to the physical world. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

Why is the decision to see a therapist the last resort for most of us? Sam and Blaine demystify the process by interviewing therapist Stacia Littlefield. She helps people navigate the terrain of their hearts to care for their inner places. In this conversation, Stacia sheds light on how the process works and why it leads to breakthrough. Because it's true - we all need a good therapist every now and then. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

Our words hold immense power. We understand that on a relational level. But spiritually, far more is at play. Throughout scripture, God reveals how your words, thoughts, and actions can either bless or curse your health, home, and work. And it's not just what you speak or think. We receive the blessing and cursing of others, too. This conversation shines light on why words matter even more than we realize. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

Our experience with alcohol varies wildly from person to person. For some, it's an occasional beer or celebratory toast. For others, it ranges from a source of relief to a secret addiction they can't break. Annie Grace, author of The Alcohol Experiment and This Naked Mind, reveals why we reach for what we reach for. She's helped countless people rethink their relationship with alcohol by replacing feelings of shame and guilt with motives of curiosity and joy. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

These strange times provide countless opportunities to talk with others about the Kingdom, but religious language gets in the way. Here's a simple way forward: rather than talking about Jesus from some memorized script, just talk about your heart. Why? Because Jesus isn't abstract; he's revealed in the concrete territory of your daily life. Then, ask what these times are stirring in the person you're talking with. To hear what this sounds like, listen in on six conversations with friends sharing how this season is affecting their hearts and hopes. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

We're good at doing, but we tend to question the value of pausing. This intentionally brief podcast is about a shift - from saying more to praying more. The world downplays prayer as a legitimate response to global events. But prayer is a mighty power we've been given to co-determine the future with God, and to compete for the many uncertain outcomes of this global moment. So now more than ever, let's pause. And pray. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

The celebration of key events happens regularly in childhood. But then we get older and they stop. We hit a milestone dead zone where important things go unacknowledged - whether the start of a job, the birth of a child, or the loss of a dream. In fact, right now, COVID-19 has caused a full-on celebration moratorium. And the cost is real. Without celebrations, we quit trying. We feel unseen or alone as new chapters come and go with no recognition. Luke Eldredge joins Sam and Blaine for this conversation on the appeal of rituals and need for shared experiences. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

How does the trained professional survive hard times? By simplifying. It is the dominant strategy of the mature through the ages: double down on first principles. But those skills don't just magically appear in the moment of need. We learn by doing. Only then can we rely on past training and muscle memory. Hard times reveal the areas where we've grown soft and need to return to basics. Who could you become if you saw this season as real-life training rather than simply waiting for life to go back to how it was? Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

We live in unprecedented times where scarcity and fear strike in the middle of the day and the dead of night. Yet God promises to provide and sustain us. How can we hold to the belief that God is good when circumstances shout otherwise? Hebrew scholars (and self-proclaimed nerds) Scott and Mandy unpack how Psalm 91 is our rescue once we realize what the invitation to take shelter under the shadow of the most high God really means. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

When hard times hit the fan, how shaky is your foundation? The pull is often to gain control...or at least more information. But doing so causes us to miss the deeper initiation. With God, we are fundamentally safe even when nothing in our world is safe. That's because true hope never rests in things being better than they are - but in God's nature and his promise to ultimately make all things right. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

What did God mean when he meant Sabbath? Most of us have no clue. Culture and tradition have made it boring and burdensome. So we shrug and settle for a nap or a beer. But something's been lost. What if God's original intent was for it to be a day of delight rather than simply a time to re-charge for Monday? Discover how to reclaim the Sabbath as a time of feasting, savoring, celebrating, and remembering what matters most. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

How do you avoid losing hope? For better or worse, it's an everyday question. Answer? It may mean doing the hard thing, which is adoring God in the middle of the mess. Problem is, you can't adore a God you don't know or allow to know you. We sat down with Sara Hagerty to talk about her counterintuitive book, Adore. It's about what happens when we expose our interior life go God, create an evidence list with the attributes of God, and allow the landscape of our minds to be reclaimed by what's true. Adore is the place where the grit of your day collides with the beauty of God's presence. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

Where to start? Brad Beck has flown T-38s, worked at NASA, traveled the world, been an ER doc, and that’s only half the story. And even so, he’s still great to work with. We sat down for a conversation about calling. How do you walk it out, one step at a time? How do you transition through what seem to be distinct careers? How do you get through grueling seasons? And how to you hold on to the epic once you’ve flown training fighter jets? Turns out, it all comes down to a life with God, and concrete experiences of God that shape your vision. This is a conversation for every young man who’s in the middle of it all. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

It is, unfortunately, a common experience: you enter a room, and everyone else seems to belong there. But not you - you're the outsider. And then comes the impulse to get out, check out, hide. In this episode, Blaine and Sam sit down with Allen Arnold, a regular voice on the Ransomed Heart podcast, to unpack the urge to hide: where does it come from, how do you get to its root in your story, and what do you do to engage anyway. From generational norms to the silence of Adam, distrusting people to the reliability of Jesus, this is a podcast on how to take hold of God's interpretation of your story. And then you can relate through it. Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.

144 | Everyone Else Has it Easier, Right? by And Sons Find Blaine's latest writing at blaineeldredge.com.Learn more about Sam's latest project at nobleworkshops.com.