And Sons

Nathan Clarkson has spent his 20's in the world of Hollywood and has a few things to say about it. As an actor, director, and published author, Clarkson lives in the worlds of the creative and story, so we thought we'd pick his brain on what it takes and what advice he might give to a younger version of himself.

In the pursuit of inner growth we can slip into a way of thinking that justifies all pain and disappointment as initiation. And while some of the time that is just fine, the Bible is filled with examples of great men and women taking their pain, fear, frustration, and all manner of lament to God. He is not surprised by our inner lives, and he is not disappointed with our lament. What does it look like to take our pain to him, rather than trying to hold onto it for the sake of misplaced growth?

Dave Small has spent several years in the jungles of Burma and Thailand in cooperation with the Free Burma Rangers, a group dedicated to training young men in Burma to be first responders in the continuing civil war that plagues the country. With so much exposure to danger, trauma, and true adventure, we asked Dave to talk about how such work is sustainable and what the Father is teaching him.

Leaving a town, a job, a small group can feel like freedom or failure depending on the circumstances. It'd feel a lot easier if we knew God was calling us into a new season and out from the one we've been in. What are the factors in hearing, though? How do we know when it's time to Jump Ship and when is it time to buckle down?

With the next print of And Sons in the works, Sam and Blaine reflect on the process as it's happening.

Jan Meyers Proett has spent her life listening to others tell their stories. Over the years she has learned practices that make such work sustainable, powerful, and hopeful. We may not all be counselors, but we could all benefit from such postures.

"I know everybody says Money can't buy happiness But it could buy me a boat, it could buy me a truck to pull it It could buy me a Yeti 110 iced down with some silver bullets Yeah, and I know what they say Money can't buy everything Well, maybe so, But it could buy me a boat" -Chris Janson

Today's episode was born out of a conversation with a young man. We found the conversation was lingering on a few questions that we've asked ourselves as well: When have we done enough healing? When have we come far enough to take a rest, to build an Ebenezer, to appreciate what God and we have done? Are we always stuck in the "next thing" when it comes to our inner world? And how do we tell the difference between good work and tinkering?

Josh Imhoff is the founder of YWAM Emerge, an organization that builds food systems around the world to reduce poverty. What that means is that Josh and his team have figured out how to build aquaponics systems in harsh environments, thereby providing food and revenue for folks in rough places. Thing is, Josh isn’t a farmer. Or a fish expert. He’s figured it out by walking with God and taking risks most people would run from. This is an episode on making a difference by growing in union with the only One who does.

We say the Holy Spirit is our teacher. If that’s the case, it should radically inform our practices. Unfortunately, we live in a culture that trains us to react: answer the question, make a fast decision, buy, subscribe, like. Problem is, it’s hard to discern in that environment. In this episode, we explore an alternative: a question-driven relational mode. What if you didn’t have to be a pro question asker to draw out someone's heart? What if you just had to believe you didn’t know the answer? It’d be a huge relief. Sure, there are skills to refine. But at the end of the day, all we do is create an environment where the Holy Spirit can point out what he’s up to.

It started with an email: how did you guys learn to engage ancient languages and texts? That set us off on a treasure hunt. From OT to Hebrew scholars, pastors and our own lives, this is a toolkit on reading, framing, and understanding the Bible. Special thanks to Dr. Tremper Longman, Scott Morin and Mandy Nelson of Empowering Ranch, and Tim Thornton.

Want to like your life more? Here’s a guidebook to prayer, fasting, and self-denial. James Baxter is the Executive Director of Exodus 90, an organization that instructs men in a lifestyle that leads to life. Specifically, James has led (tens of) thousands of men through a 90-day ascetic practice, introducing them to fasting, deep communion with God, and brotherhood unto restoration. It’s a movement that’s revolutionizing the way men engage spirituality, and there’s more than a little here that might just revolutionize your life.

It's said painters like painting, and writers like having written. That tends to be true. From Zadie Smith to Flannery O'Connor, Steven Pressfield to John Gardner, Annie Dillard et alia, writers know the writing life is difficult. And, it can be broken down into actionable steps. Steps writers have used for centuries to get work done. In this episode we talk those steps: being a student of language, loving your medium, overcoming distraction, subduing your own fractious mind, building a process, surrendering the outcome. Quote from Suzanne Buffam. Mentioned in the podcast: Books: Annie Dillard: The Writing Life Flannery O’Connor: Mystery and Manners Steven Pressfield: The War of Art Podcasts: Neil Gaiman - The Interview I’ve Waited 20 Years to Do (The Tim Ferriss Show #366) Zadie Smith - How to Be Free (Touré Show)

There’s no scientific consensus as to what emotions are. Depending on who you ask, there could be 8 basic emotions (Dr. Robert Plutchik), 6 (Dr. Paul Ekman) or more than 127 (Dr. Tiffany Watt Smith). It’s true that different cultures acknowledge unique emotions. But it’s also true that different cultures cultivate different concepts of self, personhood, and purpose. In this episode we bulk up on emotion words, talk about the history of emotions (the concept as such isn’t old - it goes back to 1830), and explore the composition of the heart as it feels in the world.

Chris Skaggs and John Bergquist have been collaborators for more than a decade. They've built companies, led folks into the heart, and built culture. With Soma games, they've started a video game company on a foundation of beauty and rest. That was more than intriguing to us, so we sat down to ask, how, exactly, do you build a counter-culture that makes great art?