Episode 9: A conversation with Karina Venable about foster parenting, adoption, and carrying on when life feels like death

Karina and I enjoy a conversation about all sorts of subjects. Karina is a woman of God who I very much appreciate for her wisdom, peace, and kindness. She is an enthusiastic mom, wife, friend, and loving family member. I feel like I rediscovered a little about Karina and her heart for prayer in this podcast.

She is writing for her church from time to time and is open to being contacted on social media. She writes at her blog karinavenable.wordpress.com and would love to hear from you there too!

When we started talking about her and David fostering kids my heart just broke a little. Karina is fierce, strong, persistent, and kind…in my opinion that’s a winning combination!

Something Karina said that I think is amazing and will stick with me…

“Good things grow slowly.”

“Read his word and take him at his word.”

At one point in their fostering journey the pain was so great she didn’t want to wake up. Boy… Karina is someone who knows how to walk with her God!

Episode 7 Part 2: Victoria and Stephanie Moore telling the miraculous story of Victoria being run over by a truck at the age of 9.

Part 2:

Victoria and her mom Stephanie tell their story of God saving Victoria when her skull was crushed by a truck. She was so little at the time! Victoria sent me a video clip taken soon after the accident and wow the clip is just moving! Have a listen to this remarkable story of salvation which reminds me so much of my Mom and my Dad’s story of near death and salvation. In Part 2 we hear a little more from Victoria’s perspective and we learn more about some of the lingering effects of the accident. We also see a mom’s heart once again come through, the love of God shine, and Victoria’s appreciation for God’s sovereign hand of giving to her. Enjoy!

The 11:38 Podcast: Episode 2 Talking life, family, and losing loved ones with Mark Hagen

I've known Mark since 1992-93, and we've seen and done some great things together! I recently got a chance to Skype with Mark and the time together went into some very personal and emotional places. I'm honored to bring you our brief talk! I value Mark in my life and admire him for many many reasons.  He's a man of the Word, a family man, a. dear friend, and full of wisdom. He's also very kind and funny!

Link to the show notes will be up soon.

The 11:38 Podcast: Episode 1 Talking life, death, cancer, friendship and ministry with John Drage

John in 1994

This is my first episode and I'm glad to bring you one of my mentors and good friends, John Drage. Follow his cancer and life journey at www.johndrage.com I've known John since the summer of 1994, and we've seen and done some great things together! I recently got a chance to sit with John in one of our favorite places the YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park Colorado. We caught up on life, ministry, his recent cancer diagnosis, family, and his love for God and the church. I'm honored to bring you our brief talk! I know I'm going to have to get him on the podcast again.

The 11:38 Podcast is a project I have to tell the stories of people I know who are doing great things in life, ministry, family, and business. These are people I know who I believe as Hebrews 11:38 says, "the world was not worthy of them." So I hope this podcast encourages you in your faith and life. My Dad always told me, "go forward in the name of Jesus." I hope you enjoy listening and you do the same!

They Say Hope is the Last Thing to Go

My mother told me those words when she found out she had Stage 4 liver cancer. I thought it was the dumbest thing I’d heard in the long time. First of all, who are they? And…and I thought hearing was the last thing to go. That’s what DOCTORS say. I thought those two thoughts but told my mom, “That’s good Mom. Hold onto hope.” I learned over the course of the next two months that my mom was right!

She knew better than me…her son who is a pastor.

You see nobody hopes for something they already have in full. We hope for something we don’t yet possess. This is true for every Christian. The other thing about hope is that it will never put us to shame. Romans 5:5 tells us that. The old NIV Bible says, “does not disappoint” us. I told my Mom, you won’t open your eyes that side of the grave and wake up and say, “It’s not as good as I thought it would be!” That will never and has never happened for any Christian!! So in those last moments for every Christian, including my Mom, we go from death to life. We go from hoping to possessing in full. We go from sort of knowing to full knowledge. We go from hope to full assurance. And you living for God now…in the here and now… in the end will not cause you to wonder if you wasted your life. You won’t be put to shame as if you’ve been tricked. You will possess all the Lord has in store for all of us…and I for one… plan to have hope be the last thing to go from my life! Thanks Mom for teaching me that lesson with cancer in your liver. I look forward to seeing her again!

Go Forward in the Name of Jesus

My Dad loved saying those words to me when we would talk in the morning. I think it was his way of blessing me and championing me onward in the faith on a daily basis. He didn’t come to faith in Christ until his 40s, but those last few decades he lived for Jesus. He was sick most of my life and struggled through life in a wheelchair, left arm paralyzed, and left leg amputated above the knee. I grew up with a sick dad, but he never seemed to let those ailments keep him down. As he aged, his struggles increased, but again he fought until the end.

I remember the first time I heard him praying for me and our family. He was visiting me at my college apartment in Austin Texas. He went to bed in my room and before he fell asleep he spent time praying for each of his family members by name. His list was long, and his words were many, and he prayed through every member of our family…extended family included. That night left a profound mark on my life. Here was a man with every reason to complain, but instead he prayed. Here was a man who could have only thought of his needs, but he prayed nightly for everyone else.

My Dad went on to live about 13 more years, and I’m sure he prayed daily for me and my family. His family.

So I’ve taken his words and made them my own. We shared a name. We shared a purpose. And now his words are mine…and I offer them to you. I’m confident if you met my Dad, he would tell you, “Go forward in the name of Jesus.”