Send us a text In this final episode of our prayer series, we’re joined by Jim Ramos—author, speaker, and founder of Men in the Arena . Jim is the bestselling author of Strong Men Dangerous Times , Tell Them: What Great Fathers Tell Their Sons and Daughters , The Field Guide: A Bathroom Book for Men , and the 5-book Strong Men Study Guide Series for men’s small groups. Known for his high-energy storytelling and straight-shooting wisdom, Jim brings a powerful message about the role of prayer in t...
Oct 31, 2022•40 min•Season 3Ep. 9
Send us a text On this episode, I get to speak with my friend, Tim Shelton from Seek Well about the process of getting quiet and really seeking God to hear his unique voice. Let this conversation serve as a reminder that prayer is a two-way street; we can talk to God AND he wants to speak to us... but what does that even mean, and how does it work? Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. –Isaiah 30:21 S...
Oct 24, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Send us a text Have you ever been in the middle of an incredibly difficult situation when it felt like you couldn't even put your deepest thoughts into prayer... when God seems so distant from where you are that you cannot form the words to cry out to him? In this episode, I have the honor of introducing you to Chris and Stephanie Teague ; they are a music duo from Nashville, TN. Their's is a story that may surprise you. They started as high school sweethearts, married while in college, and bega...
Oct 17, 2022•45 min•Season 3Ep. 7
Send us a text Have you ever faced a situation so desperate that all you could do was cry out to God—even when you weren’t sure what that meant? In this episode, I have the privilege of introducing you to Bryce Bagwill , a devoted husband and father of two daughters. His story revolves around the challenges that began after the birth of his youngest, who was diagnosed with serious heart and liver conditions—a battle that threatened her life from the very start. Bryce shares the emotional and spi...
Oct 08, 2022•52 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Send us a text How is your prayer life? That is the question that we will be looking at for the month of October in a series I'm calling, " I Suck at Prayer ". This episode has a mix of things: Setting the table; laying out the general direction on how this set of episodes will go. Introducing the bible verse that will guide us. Insights from Brandon Lake on his own priorities in prayer. If you want to go deeper in your relationship with God by improving your prayer life, make a commitment to be...
Oct 03, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Send us a text In this episode, I get to share a most interesting story… one that you may have a hard time believing. Life for Ashley Lagos started fairly normal. From all appearances, she was just a good kid from a good family in a small town. She grew up in church and her parents were involved in music and youth ministry. But things started to take a turn when she was just 4 years old. ***Parental Warning : The subject matter in this episode is of an adult nature . There are some aspects of th...
Sep 26, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Send us a text In this eye-opening episode, I’m joined by Pastor Josh Earls , for a candid and thought-provoking conversation about some of the most commonly misquoted and misunderstood Bible verses. We dive into those popular phrases people think are in the Bible—like “God helps those who help themselves”—and reveal the truth behind what Scripture actually says. Whether you're a seasoned believer, new to the faith, or just curious about what the Bible really says, this episode will challenge yo...
Sep 19, 2022•49 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Send us a text As a follow up to the series about regular bible reading, I will be bringing a series of shows all about prayer... What is it? What is it not? How can I have a dialogue with the Creator of everything? If you struggle with prayer, I hope that you learn along with me as we dive into this topic! Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, wi...
Sep 15, 2022•2 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Send us a text Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. –Proverbs 22:6 My guest in this episode, Amber Newman , talks about why scripture means so much to her and why she feels so passionate about teaching her children about the bible; talking to them at their level of understanding and being consistent. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to ...
Sep 12, 2022•45 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Send us a text Welcome to season 3! For the month of September, we are going back to school. Research indicates that you can experience drastic improvement in your spiritual life just by reading the Bible more. In this episode, we will discuss some practical ways to grow closer to Jesus through consistent bible reading. Read the entire article that we discuss HERE . Check out more from Aaron Shamp . Great music to read/study by: - William Augusto on Spotify or Apple Music - Alberto Rivera on Spo...
Sep 05, 2022•46 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Send us a text A short encouragement for your week! Based on 1 Timothy 1:12-14 Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? –Romans 2:4 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all. –Psalm 65:3 O Lord, you are so good, so ready to forgive, so full of unfailing love for all who ask for your help. –Psalm 86:5 Season 3 of the Nook Podcast starts on Septe...
Aug 29, 2022•6 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Send us a text Season 3 of the Nook Podcast starts on September 5th and marks the return of my regular episodes; talking to people about real faith in real time – Make sure that you’re subscribed on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss any of it. In the mean time, enjoy these short encouragements for the month of August. *** Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to [email protected] Join The Nook Facebook page ! Steven's Social Media: Instagram , TikTok and Twitter Your ...
Aug 22, 2022•6 min•Season 2Ep. 17
Send us a text Season 3 of the Nook Podcast starts on September 5th and marks the return of my regular episodes; talking to people about real faith in real time – Make sure that you’re subscribed on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss any of it. In the mean time, enjoy these short encouragements for the month of August. *** Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to [email protected] Join The Nook Facebook page ! Steven's Social Media: Instagram , TikTok and Twitter Your ...
Aug 15, 2022•4 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Send us a text Season 3 of the Nook Podcast starts on September 5th and marks the return of my regular episodes; talking to people about real faith in real time – Make sure that you’re subscribed on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss any of it. In the mean time, enjoy these short encouragements for the month of August. *** Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to [email protected] Join The Nook Facebook page ! Steven's Social Media: Instagram , TikTok and Twitter Your ...
Aug 08, 2022•2 min•Season 2Ep. 15
Send us a text Season 3 of the Nook Podcast starts on September 5th and marks the return of my regular episodes; talking to people about real faith in real time – Make sure that you’re subscribed on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss any of it. In the mean time, enjoy these short encouragements for the month of August. *** Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to [email protected] Join The Nook Facebook page ! Steven's Social Media: Instagram , TikTok and Twitter Your ...
Aug 01, 2022•3 min•Season 2Ep. 14
Send us a text In this episode, we take a look at suffering and what it looks like in God's eyes. Today's guest, Paul Granger, host of the Where Did You See God podcast , and I discuss suffering in a biblical context. suf·fer·ing /ˈsəf(ə)riNG/ noun the state of undergoing pain, distress, or hardship. Nothing about that description sounds like anything that any of us would ever seek and yet, it's a thing we all have dealt with, and may very well have to deal with again. My suffering was good for ...
Jul 25, 2022•44 min•Season 2Ep. 13
Send us a text In this episode, we bring this series on depression and mental health to a close. I get to have a conversation with Jim Barnard about how my own depression is playing out in the now and in the future. These shows have been educational, edifying, and taxing. I hope that they have been impactful for you as well. HELPFUL LINKS: Better Help - on-line counseling Honey Lake Treatment Center ; Christian Mental Health Center 888-837-6577 The Lighthouse Network ; A Christian Mental Health ...
Jul 18, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Send us a text In this episode, we take a look at the increasing percentage of depression and other mental health issues in teenagers. Depression has become increasingly common among American teenagers – especially teen girls, who are now almost three times as likely as teen boys to have had recent experiences with depression. In 2017, 13% of U.S. teens ages 12 to 17 (or 3.2 million) said they had experienced at least one major depressive episode in the past year, up from 8% (or 2 million) in 20...
Jul 11, 2022•34 min•Season 2Ep. 11
Send us a text In this episode, we dive deep into the challenges of postpartum depression (PPD) and how it can profoundly affect new mothers. My friend Amanda Bjornson opens up about her personal battle with PPD, having faced it twice, and shares valuable insights that can help both mothers and fathers understand and navigate this difficult condition. Postpartum depression is a complex condition linked to chemical, social, and psychological changes that occur after childbirth. It encompasses a w...
Jul 04, 2022•43 min•Season 2Ep. 10
Send us a text This is not at all what I had in mind for this week, but dealing with depression myself has taken an unexpected turn. If you need someone to listen to what's going on with you, drop me a note: [email protected] Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to [email protected] Join The Nook Facebook page ! Steven's Social Media: Instagram , TikTok and Twitter Your financial support means so much! Venmo: @Steven-Murphy-111...
Jun 27, 2022•11 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Send us a text In this episode, I’m honored to welcome back Dr. Greg Smalley—author, counselor, and Vice President of Marriage and Family Formation at Focus on the Family. With over a dozen books on relationships and decades of experience in counseling, Dr. Smalley offers powerful insight into how depression can impact marriages and family dynamics. As part of our month-long series, The June Gloom , we’re diving deep into the emotional and spiritual weight of depression and anxiety. Dr. Smalley ...
Jun 20, 2022•45 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Send us a text As we continue in this series, The June Gloom , talking about various aspects of depression and how people deal with it... it is my honor to introduce you to Diana Gruver . She is the author of Companions in the Darkness; Seven Saints Who Struggled with Depression and Doubt. In Companions in the Darkness , Diana looks back into church history and finds depression in the lives of some of our most beloved saints, including Martin Luther, Charles Spurgeon, Mother Teresa, and Martin L...
Jun 13, 2022•41 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Send us a text In this episode, I invited Jim Barnard to come back and get into an entirely different aspect of his story; life-long issues with depression. I'll be look at various aspects of depression for the entire month of June in a series I'm calling, "The June Gloom" . If you know someone dealing with depression or anxiety, please share these episodes; your concern could be the thing that encourages that person to seek the right kind of help. HELPFUL LINKS: Honey Lake Treatment Center ; Ch...
Jun 06, 2022•57 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Send us a text In this episode, I get to introduce you to Rodney Olsen, host of the Bleeding Daylight Podcast ... but the twist is that he interviewed me for his show and allowed me to re-air it here. This conversation will give you some insights to my own story and how it affects what I am doing now. I would also encourage you to stay through the very end as there is a detailed peek into what is coming in the month of June. *** Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to steven@nookpo...
May 30, 2022•36 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Send us a text In this episode, you will meet Brady Shearer ; he is the boss man at Pro Church Tools , a company built on the premise of helping churches create great content that will engage their members well beyond the weekend services. *** Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to [email protected] Join The Nook Facebook page ! Steven's Social Media: Instagram , TikTok and Twitter Your financial support means so much! Venmo: @Steven-Murphy-111...
May 23, 2022•45 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Send us a text In this episode, I have the privilege of introducing you to my friend, Brittany Durphey . She is a live event producer, podcaster, and an amazing human. She is a live event producer, and that may be a term you are not unfamiliar with; so we will break down what kind of work she does, and how she approaches her work as a follower of Christ. Brittany is also the creator and host of The Big Bold Faith Podcast ; check it out! *** Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to s...
May 16, 2022•42 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Send us a text As we continue in The Makers Series , it's an honor to introduce you to Jim Barnard . He's a coach, pastor, and author of The Suffering Guy ; a book about dealing with his wife's chronic illness over the past 15 years. Jim And Alisha have been through so much after she was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome just 3 months into their marriage. The disease slows her digestion down to nearly nothing and causes an abundance of other painful issues. Countless surgeries, tests, treatm...
May 09, 2022•45 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Send us a text There are so many people who operate in relative obscurity, and unless you sit through the credits at the end of a film or TV show, you might never know that they exist. These are some of the people that I naturally gravitate towards. Having worked in the television industry for more than 30 years, I am very familiar with their roles and hard work. Justen Overlander is one such individual; he has been working in film and television for many years, most notably with the amazingly s...
May 02, 2022•49 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Send us a text In this episode, I have the privilege of introducing you to Ross King . He is a singer, songwriter, and collaborator... but he would likely tell you that his greatest work is raising four adopted kids with his wife in Nashville, Tennessee. *** Support the show Questions or comments can be sent to [email protected] Join The Nook Facebook page ! Steven's Social Media: Instagram , TikTok and Twitter Your financial support means so much! Venmo: @Steven-Murphy-111...
Mar 28, 2022•53 min•Season 1Ep. 71
Send us a text In this powerful episode, we continue our celebration of adoption stories—each one unique, personal, and deeply moving. I’m honored to introduce you to Jeanette Jolley, a seasoned professional with over two decades of experience in high-end television production, and more importantly, a fellow adoptee with a story that will stay with you long after the episode ends. In her early twenties, Jeanette felt the pull to search for her birth mother—a journey filled with uncertainty, cour...
Mar 21, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 70
