Romantic relationships are rooted in attraction. For many couples it’s easy to find themselves slipping in and out of attraction for each other. It’s easy to feel scared of connection if we believe attraction is just an emotion you have or don’t have, but what if it’s much more than that. In this episode Justin and Abi shatter some of the mystery that shrouds romantic attraction. They break down reasons why people fall in and out of attraction and highlight simple, yet powerful solutions to make...
Aug 15, 2022•1 hr 7 min
Tragedy, trauma, and loss can leave us feeling like we’re living a life of deficit. It’s easy to feel broken beyond repair and living a “normal” existence feels like nothing more than a dream for another lifetime. But what if it was possible to redeem what was lost while creating a thriving lifestyle that replicates your success? In this episode Justin is joined by his friend and fellow Life Consultant Tyler Leifeste. Tyler opens up about the death of his dad at an early age and the debilitating...
Aug 08, 2022•1 hr 15 min
Disconnection can be rough, especially in relationships with years of history. For a lot of people it seems easier to sweep all the messiness under a rug. Eventually, however, the rug isn’t big enough to hide the things we would rather ignore. When it comes time to get honest with ourselves, and the ones we love, it can feel impossible to clean up years of denying the reality of our circumstances. But, what if there is a foundation to rebuild a relationship better than before? In part two of thi...
Aug 01, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Life can have a way of of bogging us down and leaving us feeling like the best of who we are is buried in the past. Through the messiness we experience, pain and loss have a way of causing us to forget the innocence, joy, and limitless perspective we once held in our youth. But what if there was a map that could not only restore us to our most authentic self, but it could show us a way to becoming who we were designed to be? In part one of this two part episode Pietze and Jonny, Abi’s life-long ...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Conflict in relationships can be really messy. Sometimes it can be so difficult that circumstances leave the relationship beyond repair. But, what if conflict was an invitation to heal your past as much as the present? In this episode Abi sits down with her life-long best friend Pietze. Together they openly discuss a recent conflict they had that could’ve escalated to epic proportions without the proper tools. Fortunately for them it didn’t. Through self-awareness, an understanding of shame and ...
Jul 18, 2022•1 hr 6 min
One of the most common messages a man can inadvertently take from their father is the belief that we’re only valuable when we perform well. Through even the best intentions this lopsided message can leave a child confused about love even into adulthood. Confronting our pain with a father can feel crippling and paralyzing. But what if the mere acknowledgement of a problem could catapult a willing person into the freedom they always hoped for? In this episode Justin and Abi are joined by Life Cons...
Jul 11, 2022•1 hr 17 min
Confrontation with people we deeply care about can feel high stakes to say the least. In our anxiety it’s easy to unintentionally communicate in ways that suck the sense of love right out the room. But what if the love we have for others can be felt and leave a lasting impact in the midst of incredibly honest conversations? In part two of this mini series Abi and Pietze continue the conversation with Pietze’s parents, Doug and Janice. Together they talk about the powerful affects of creating an ...
Jul 04, 2022•1 hr 22 min
Whether we like to admit it or not, family matters to all of us and being honest with them can be difficult to say the least. Working through relational problems with our family can sometimes feel impossible. But, what if there are hopeful strategies that can deeply impact how we repair connection with each other? In part one of this two part episode, Abi and her long time best friend, Pietze, sit down with Pietze’s parents to discuss their road to repair. Together the gang explores some of the ...
Jun 27, 2022•1 hr 2 min
Masculinity sometimes has a way of getting a bum wrap for not caring or not being emotionally connected. For many men survival has been in learning how to shut up, keep your head down, and moving forward. More often than not, intimate relationships such as marriage, friendship, and being a father, have a way of exposing undeveloped emotional tools and lack of self-awareness. But does it really mean that men just don’t care? In this episode Justin is joined by his good friend Jonny Duffield and t...
Jun 20, 2022•1 hr 12 min
Overcoming the loss of anything that matters to us can be incredibly difficult, especially when we’ve experienced loss before. Separating the past from the present can seem almost impossible when navigating our grief. But what if there is a path to clarity that can resolve the past and bring compassion to the present? In this episode Abi and her best friend Pietze sit down with special guest Shanna to navigate the freeze response Shanna recently had around her family. Shanna vulnerably shares he...
Jun 13, 2022•1 hr 17 min
We’ve all had times where we’ve had to interact with people we don’t like. These experiences can feel uncomfortable and frustrating, but often short lived. But what happens when we can’t escape the person we don’t like because they’re a family member, part of a friendship group, or they’re employed at the same place we work? In this episode Abi and Justin share their own stories about dealing with difficult people they haven’t liked in the past. Together they break down 8 powerful keys to succes...
Jun 06, 2022•58 min
Most parents are trying their best to raise their kids. Since there’s no official handbook on parenting, each parent can find themselves overwhelmed and feeling like a failure from time to time. No parent is perfect, but what if there were some fundamental tips that could change the game altogether? In this episode Abi sits down with Speech Pathologist Kelsey Brown to talk about Positive Parenting the Highly Sensitive Child. As a balanced voice on positive but not permissive parenting, Kelsey sh...
May 23, 2022•1 hr 26 min
Freely serving other people can be incredibly gratifying. For many of us service can have a history of pain because we’ve lost ourselves in others. Then there are some of us that are so absorbed in our own lives, that the thought of freely giving ourselves away to others has rarely if ever crossed our minds. But what if it was possible to live a balanced life full of intentional impact? In this episode Abi and Justin discuss the varying approaches to serving, the signs of over-giving, the messin...
May 16, 2022•54 min
The hope for finding love is something most of us can relate to. The desire to love and be loved is woven into our humanity. For many of us, dreaming of a fulfilling future can be scary, especially when we’ve had so many disappointments. But is there hope for goodness when the worst case scenario seemingly destroys the promises we’ve been believing for? In this episode Abi and her best friend Pietze sit down with Rachel and Joshua, a newly married couple. Rachel and Joshua reveal the messy begin...
May 02, 2022•1 hr 33 min
For many people it’s easy to go with the flow of life. It’s much more difficult to show up and share what you feel or go against the grain and do what you want. But what if there’s an invitation around every corner to shake things up and change the way you’ve been living? In this episode Justin sits down with his executive assistant Nicole to discuss her process of coming out of hiding and finding her authentic voice. Nicole shares vital insights into her history that defined her approach to lif...
Apr 25, 2022•58 min
Every where we look, the world is filled with people in need. It’s easy to see the enormity of this need and to get overwhelmed. Some times it feels easier to turn a blind eye than to try and figure out how to tackle the problems of this world. But what if we didn’t need to help everyone? What if we only needed to intimately and deliberately invest in one or two people? In December of 2021 The Connected Life hosted a giveaway of $1,000 to someone who had a great idea of how to give that money aw...
Apr 18, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Loving others can be difficult, especially the ones that can’t help but make a mess so bad they hurt everyone in their path. Getting past the anguish they inflict can sometimes feel impossible. But what if behind all the years of chaos and destruction was an innocent child desperate for kindness, compassion, and care? In December of 2021 The Connected Life hosted a giveaway of $1,000 to someone who had a great idea of how to give that money away. A generous Connected Life listener matched that d...
Apr 11, 2022•1 hr 7 min
An affair is one of the most sensitive and painful subjects in a committed relationship. The effects of an affair spill over onto children, extended family, and friends. With so much pain connected to the issue, it’s no wonder that very few relationships rebound after such broken trust. But, what if there’s hope in the midst of a mess that hasn’t been fully resolved? In this episode, Justin and Abi sit down with Jess and Justin Beard as they bravely share the details of their difficult journey i...
Apr 04, 2022•1 hr 39 min
As humans, we are universally messy. Our actions and reactions are often times in conflict with what we want to do and who we want to be. It can feel much easier to ignore and deny the reality of parts of our lives that don’t seem very flattering or socially acceptable, but what if there’s something powerful about embracing the truth of our messiness? In this episode, Justin and Abi examine some of the reasons we avoid acknowledging the messy parts of our humanity. They talk about the ways we ca...
Mar 28, 2022•59 min
As time passes, all of us go through stages of change, for the better or worse. In the midst of creating ups and downs for ourselves, being known and understood is foundational to discovering how to thrive. For those that are willing to sacrificially love others, while choosing others that will love them in return, long-term friendship is possible and powerful. In this episode Justin is joined by his friend of almost 20 years, Craig Pickerill. They laugh up a storm as they reminisce about their ...
Mar 21, 2022•1 hr 13 min
For most, there’s something surreal about a life of success and wealth. Driving our dreams is the idea that when we arrive at a specific destination we’ll be fulfilled. The details are different for everyone, but the hope of happiness in the distant future seems to stay the same. But what happens when you arrive and you don’t feel satisfied? Bryant Ellis, owner of The Adventure Challenge, joins Justin and Abi to share about his journey to rehab and the inspiration that followed. He opens up abou...
Mar 14, 2022•1 hr 4 min
Separating ourselves from the nature of love leaves us feeling alone, in a state of fear and abandonment. This disconnection from love drives us to exhibit controlling behavior as we fight for a sense of safety and peace. Unfortunately, any safety or peace we experience through control is an illusion and short lived. In this final episode on faith and emotions, Marcus Miller joins the conversation to tackle the repercussions of our independence from a creator that is unrelenting love. Together t...
Mar 07, 2022•1 hr 2 min
In our broken pursuit of feeling valuable, humans have a way of adopting a system of judgment where we can rank one another better than or less than. This hierarchy is based on our personal assessment of what makes something, or someone, good or bad. This arrogant approach to life dehumanizes some, while humanizing others, resulting in disconnected relationships, and a society lacking in compassion and understanding. Marcus and Breanna Miller return for another insightful conversation as the gro...
Feb 28, 2022•1 hr 5 min
It’s easy to lose the sense of who we are, and what we believe, for the sake of others in order to belong. We can find ourselves more concerned with following cultural systems, and the rules in these systems, than expressing ourselves in authentic ways. Denying the truth of who we are, what we feel, and what we need is at the foundation of codependancy. In this episode, Marcus and Brianna Miller join Abi and Justin to graciously explore the ways codependency affects human institutions, and the p...
Feb 21, 2022•1 hr 1 min
Neighbors can be difficult to love. They vote, believe, and talk differently. Their lifestyles might just contradict our entire value system. Our time with them, however, is limited. But what about the person in the mirror that you spend 24/7 with? If you don’t love them well, your neighbor doesn’t stand a chance. Marcus Miller joins Abi and Justin as they discuss the hesitancy to love yourself in the faith community. They address the narcissistic selfishness that people fear loving yourself wil...
Feb 14, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Emotions tend to get a bum rap in faith communities. Often times the two are treated as mutually exclusive and emotions have the potential to be seen as enemies of faith. But what if emotions and faith were designed to coexist? In this 5-part series Marcus and Brianna Miller join the Stumvolls. They attempt to tackle the many examples throughout faith that give legitimacy to emotions. They examine God’s expression of emotions as well as His grace for them in the human experience. If you’ve ever ...
Feb 07, 2022•1 hr 3 min
In a noisy, media-driven world, filled with politics, drama, and plenty of expectations, it’s easy to stay focused on anything other than connection to our own heart. But what if it all suddenly stopped and we were forced to embrace a moment of solitude that left us nowhere to run? In this episode Justin returns from a divinely inspired 8-day trek into the Texas desert, where he found himself face to face with feelings he didn’t know he had. Justin shares with Abi the struggles he encountered as...
Jan 31, 2022•1 hr 5 min
Getting confronted is rarely easy. Often times, confrontation can feel like it’s coming out of nowhere. Without the proper tools and understanding of how to respond, conversations that are seemingly low stakes can snowball into disaster. But what if you could be prepared for even the worst and messiest confrontations? In this episode, Justin and Abi tackle the task of helping to equip people who are being confronted. They break down multiple steps that will lower the anxiety for anyone on the re...
Jan 24, 2022•57 min
Coming face to face with the attacker that left your daughter for dead should bread feelings of hatred and revenge. But what happens when love and compassion echo louder than the scars left on the heart of an entire family? In the final episode of this three part series Steve and his daughter Mariah talk about the redemptive moments that began to unfold with Kimmi on the other side of her brutal attack. They share how the power of love and compassion led the way in Steve’s newfound approach to h...
Jan 17, 2022•1 hr 23 min
Without miraculous intervention, tragedies have a way of devastating people beyond repair. Most people would be overcome by hopelessness after being told that the likelihood of their daughter coming out of a permanent vegetive state is next to impossible. But what happens when faith the size of a mustard seed takes root? In part two of this three part series, Steve and his daughter Mariah share their families story of facing insurmountable odds as they come to terms with the tragic reality of th...
Jan 10, 2022•1 hr 5 min
