Paying Ridiculous Attention To Jesus

Just about everyone likes Jesus. Christians adore him. Muslims respect him. Even Jews think he has interesting things to say. If only Jesus didn’t have a habit of being completely unreasonable. Join Rick and special guest Thomas Christianson (author of the new book The Unreasonable Jesus) as they focus on “mud puddle moments:” passages in the Bible where Jesus says or does something that seems shockingly unreasonable. Continuing a focus on developing grit and core spiritual strengths, Rick and Thomas will also discuss practical ideas to live out these unreasonable requests instead of just passing them over. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related- Th

It’s often said that too much of a good thing can be bad. It’s true of ice cream and sunshine, but does it also apply to reading the Bible? Join Rick as he welcomes author Mikal Keefer to discuss common misconceptions about reading the Bible, including a surprising revelation about yearlong Bible reading plans. This episode continues our series on core spiritual strengths by examining the practice of reading the Bible from an obvious yet often unconsidered perspective. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related: - {Pre-order} Spiritual Grit- https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Grit-Endurance-Character-Confidence/dp/1470750899/ - {Available Now} NEW Jesus-Cen

Imagine you’re facing hardship and you call out to Jesus. There’s an answer, but maybe it’s not quite what you envisioned or desired. Now what? Join Rick and special guest (and dear friend of the show) Becky Hodges as they examine what it looks like to have a genuine belief in the goodness of Jesus’ heart, particularly when facing dark circumstances. Diving into the Bible, they'll slow down and pay ridiculous attention to Mark 5:1-20 when a miracle performed by Jesus for a demon-possessed man meets an unexpected response. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related: {Pre-order} Spiritual Grit- https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Grit-Endurance-Character-Confid

If prayer is just conversation with Jesus...why do we talk so funny when we do it? For instance, why do we speak in a softer voice than normal, and close our eyes? Why do we adopt strange prayer-ish sayings we don’t use anywhere else? Does Jesus hear us better this way...or have we just picked up weird customs along the way? Join Rick as he continues a month-long look at core spiritual strengths by focusing on prayer. During the podcast, Rick welcomes author Mikal Keefer and discusses what a deep, playful, and intimate prayer life looks like. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Resources {Pre-order} NEW Jesus-Centered Practical Guides- https://www.m

Lament, which stems from pain, mourning, and loss, is often viewed in a negative light. But what if we told you that lamenting is actually a core spiritual strength? Join us as we kick-off a month-long series on core spiritual practices by focusing on lament and paying ridiculous attention to how Jesus forms grit in people through lamenting. Personalizing this practice, Rick and Becky tell their own stories of past and on-going times of lament, sharing examples of how (and how not) to grieve well. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related (Pre-order) Jesus-Centered Practical Guides- https://www.mylifetree.com/?s=practical+guides&post_type=product&tags=1

Empathy is usually seen as a positive thing...so why didn't Jesus use it to set people free? Join Rick and Becky as they wrap up a month-long focus on resetting your life by examining the difference between empathy and compassion and why they shouldn’t be used interchangeably. Turning to the Bible, they’ll explore Lazarus' death and resurrection (John 11) through a new lens, paying ridiculous attention to how Jesus displays compassion to Martha and Mary, but shies away from empathy. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related: {Pre-order} Spiritual Grit- https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Grit-Endurance-Character-Confidence/dp/1470750899/ Jesus-Centered Bi

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson Join Rick and Becky as they discuss what it looks like to pursue a life of self-differentiation, which is staying true to yourself particularly when surrounded by forces trying to make you a different person than who Jesus says you are. Turning to the Bible, they’ll slow down and pay ridiculous attention to examples where Jesus displayed self-differentiation, including an encounter with Pharisees found in Matthew 15. Join Here- http://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related: • {Pre-order} Spiritual Grit- https://www.amazon.com/Spiritual-Grit-Endurance-Character-Confidence/dp/1470750899/ • Bible Reading Plans- https://www.mylifetree.com/six-free-bible-reading-plans-to-try/ • Jesus-Centered Bible- https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/ • 2018 Jesus-Centered Digital Planner Download- https://www.mylifetree.com/shop/jesus-centered-planner-2018-di

Wouldn’t it be nice if the difficult things we faced in life really turned out to be easy? Unfortunately, living a Jesus-centered life isn't a free pass from difficulty. In fact, following Jesus often leads us into challenge and sacrifice. Join Rick and Becky as they dive into the story of the rich young ruler (Matthew 19), focusing on how Jesus asks him to do something seemingly impossible. Continuing a month-long theme on developing grit, Rick and Becky share examples from their own lives about what it looks like to lean into…and sometimes away from, the hard things Jesus asks of us. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Now- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Articles and Resources {Pre-

It's January and if you're like many, you woke up the day after Christmas and vowed to change your life this year. You bought a new planner, dusted off the bucket list, set a career goal, and possibly spent $500 at the local health store to start a new diet. There's something enticing about taking control of our lives...but it takes an enormous amount of discipline to reset life. To make it happen we're going to need grit. Join us for the first episode of the new year focusing on grit—aka the courage, strength, and discipline to do tough things. We'll challenge what culture says about resetting your life, pay ridiculous attention to stories where Jesus reset people, and share from Rick's new book, Spiritual Grit (releasing April 24, 2018). Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and con

Join us for the first episode of the new year! We'll share our plans for this podcast in 2018, our hopes and dreams for you, and also a special message about how attaching ourselves to Jesus has everything to do with finding freedom this new year. We're also re-releasing our favorite new year's message where we take a dive into Acts chapter nine, exploring how Jesus likes to come into our lives and show us who we really are. P.S. Rick and I (Becky) want to wish you and your family a Happy New Year! It's our greatest joy to do this podcast with all of you and we're so grateful that you listen! Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Articles and Resources

As we say goodbye to 2017, we want to look back on two of our most popular episodes this past year. The second episode in the "Best of 2017" series asks a provocative question that struck a chord with you when it was originally aired in early summer of 2017. The question was "Does everything happen for a reason?" and it was one of our most listened to and shared episodes all year. Join us as we revisit a conversation about life's unexpected twists with special guest, musician Brad Corrigan of Dispatch. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Articles and Resources: Free download bundle for starting your new year with Jesus- http://www.mylifetree.com/wp-

As we say goodbye to 2017, we want to look back on two of our most popular episodes this past year. Unsurprisingly, both episodes touch on the most universal question on Earth: "What am I here for?" The first popular episode is "What is God's will?" which we aired in Spring of 2017. In the episode we tackled the tension between God's will and our free will, and zoomed in on the story of the Roman soldier who asks Jesus to perform a miracle. This episode was one of the most listened to all year, and we hope you'll enjoy revisiting these profound questions as much as we have as we all prepare for a new year of following Jesus. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-u

What is Advent? Is it in the Bible? How do church traditions during Advent season relate to the calendar full of treats we open every day leading to Christmas? Join Rick and Becky this week as they look at the traditions of Advent and relate them back to the incarnation of Jesus Christ. We'll ZOOM in on the principles of Advent and help you pay ridiculous attention to Jesus this Christmas season. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Articles and Resources: Instagram Advent Challenge- https://www.mylifetree.com/instagram-advent-challenge/ Spiritual Grit- http://www.mylifetree.com/shop/spiritual-grit/ Jesus-Centered Planner 2018- https://www.mylifet

As a member of today's culture, you’ve inherited practices, beliefs, values, and purposes that shape what your everyday life looks like. Over time, this bundle of influences creates what's normal and comfortable for you. But how does your normal compare to what's normal in the Kingdom of God? Join Rick and Becky as they dive into this question, exploring the contrasts between our culture and the culture of the Kingdom of God. Specifically, they slow down and pay ridiculous attention to what Jesus says in the Parable of the ninety-nine and the one found in Matthew 18. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- http://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Articles and Resources The Lost Boys of Sudan-

Safety and security. Together, they’re quickly becoming an obsession in our culture, especially considering recent events. Who we can trust and where we can feel safe? Join Rick and special guest Craig Cable, an active member of an armed church security team and tactical trainer as they zoom in on our growing concern about security and how it contrasts with a kingdom Jesus never described as “safe.” Related Articles and Resources: Webinar: Shooting in Sutherland Springs: What can your church learn from this tragedy?- https://wwv.group.com/refresh-the-church/shooting-sutherland-springs-webinar-recording/ Contact Craig Cable at ccable@group.com Jesus-Centered Planner 2018- https://www.mylifetree.com/2018-jesus-centered-planner/ The Jesus Centered Life by Rick Lawrence- https://www.mylifetree.com/shop/the-jesus-centered-life/ The Jesus-Centered Bible- https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-page/

If you live in America (although we know all about our few thousand listeners in the UK) you might not have any experience with what it's like to be a subject to a King. And if you're relying on popular television shows like Game of Thrones or Downton Abbey to color your opinion on the issue, you might not feel super inclined to live in a Kingdom. Join us this week as we examine what it looked like to live in a Kingdom. How we can use cultural experiences to expand our understanding of Kingdoms and ZOOM in on places where Jesus talked specifically about Kingdoms and what he was trying to expose to you and me. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Facebook group. Join Here- http://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/ Related Article

How do we build and nurture a relationship with a Person we can’t see, touch, hear, smell, or taste? We’re told the goal of the Christian life is a close relationship with Jesus, but how do we do that without the benefit of our senses? In this fifth podcast in our month-long series focusing on the supernatural, we explore the mechanics of our relationship with Jesus—how we can lean into every day, natural, and normal ways of growing a mutual and deepening friendship with him. We do this by exploring seven foundational behaviors that artists must learn to grow their creativity—understanding how Jesus modeled these behaviors, with a pioneering ministry leader from the U.K., our friend Jonny Baker. Have you joined the Pigs? We're a group of friends ready to go all in with Jesus--to live a life that's “free indeed” because we’re wholly dependent on him. Join us for exclusive behind-the-scenes insights, opportunities to make your voice matter, prayer support, and connections to other Pigs inside our private Fac

Revelation is one of the most misunderstood books of the Bible. It's tantalizing reputation for offering signs that predict the future attract many people. But many others are skeptical, and even alarmed, by the images it depicts. How does this strange book apply to our lives? Is it a secret code that can accurately predict future events, or just a vision John (author of Revelation) had that only fits within the reality of ancient Rome? Rick and Becky offer insights on both as they take a high-level view of the whole book of Revelation, focusing on Jesus as the central figure to pay attention to. They also linger on one particularly relevant section that we can unquestionably apply to our modern lives--the warnings Jesus gave to each of the seven churches. These warnings are sure to encourage and also challenge each of us. This episode marks the end of our series on the supernatural. If you're just joining us check out our last three episodes: What is Supernatural? Spotting Supernatural Red Flags an

Welcome to part three of our series on the supernatural. We started off our series defining the supernatural. Then last week we tackled the ugly underbelly of the supernatural, plus how you can spot red flags. This week we examine the positive role of the supernatural and how you can experience its power in your life. Join us as we speed read through Acts Chapters 9 & 10 and look at how the early church participated in the role of the Spirit in their lives. During this conversation, we'll ask: What similarities and differences do we see from their promptings of the Holy Spirit and those of our own lives? What can we do to unlock the power within us and live a more Spirit-driven life? Most importantly, what are the positive benefits of living a life that's prompted by the Spirit within us? P.S. Becky made a mistake in this episode (she's human, and sorry). Phillip wasn't stoned--it was Stephen.

From gold dust falling from the sky to people giving a word from God without permission, encountering the supernatural can be confusing (and even hurtful) sometimes. This week we kick-off part 2 of our series on the supernatural as we examine Jesus' interactions with the supernatural, including the creepiest guy around (Satan). Based in part on our own personal experiences, we also discuss a list of red flags to watch for when dealing with supernatural events.  And we help you learn when and how to trust supernatural experiences by centering on Jesus.