When We Walk Micah & Shireen Eldridge

Micah kicks off this episode by asking Shireen a big question: "what would her life look like today if they'd never met?" This then leads them to discuss singleness and how the church has made marriage the finish line and seen singleness as something to "fix". They offer a different perspective based on Paul's statements that elevate singleness to the same level as marriage. They share from their experiences, practical ways to bridge the relational gaps we find in our lives that will actually produce a more fulfilling life.

After this episode, consider the following:

How can your relational status can be a gift to the world? If you're married, how can your marriage be a gift to those around you? If you're a parent, how can your parenting be a gift to the world? If you're single, how can your singleness be a gift to the world?

At the recording of this podcast, Micah and Shireen have just returned from visiting Lifegate's three campuses in Serbia. They talk about the perspective shift that happens when you begin to see how God is moving in our world and the differences in cultures and worldviews. Experiencing life outside of our American context opens our eyes to how much bigger God is than we previously thought. We also discover that some of our long-held "Christian" ideas may actually have more to do with our culture than Jesus.

Compression socks, communism, honor-shame societies, gen Z and DVT are some of the topics covered in this fascinating episode.

This week Micah and Shireen approach a topic that causes tears, fights, distance, joy and pleasure: trips.

When it comes to trips, Micah and Shireen couldn't have grown up in more different of families. They both share their experiences with traveling while growing up - from miserable drudgery to creating core family memories of fun. Discover the secrets to successful trips through the stories they share and the hidden benefits they've found along the way. 

Some questions as you finish this episode:

Where do trips fit in my life? Do I value them? What do those I'm in community with think about trips? What's my next trip and who am I going with? 

Micah and Shireen talk about the challenge of hearing God's voice and figuring out your purpose in life. How do I hear God's voice? Do I have a calling? What's my mission? Shireen shares her own story of discerning God's leading in different seasons of her life - from missions, to nursing, to raising kids and being in ministry - and the themes that stayed consistent throughout. They discuss the idea of God's will and compare it to a current to flow in rather than a tightrope to walk. But first, Micah shares a question about Jesus that makes them laugh!

After you complete this episode, ask yourself this question:

In my current phase/season of life, what is my understanding of my role in God's mission? What would those I'm in community with say in answer to this also?

Shireen shares her journey of achieving her sourdough-making dreams and Micah ranks his favorite breads. This leads to a discussion on the topic of identity. Who am I? What is my identity? What do I offer to the world? Many of us experience identity as a constant wrestling match with the labels we allow to stick to us in life. Micah and Shireen share some simple ways to manage the tension of identities always being more temporary than we'd like to think. They share some stories from their own lives about perceived identities through different seasons.

Something new for Season 2! Ask yourself these questions after listening to this episode:

What’s in my bio? What is my identity rooted in right now? Ask those around you: "How would you describe me?" Which labels do I carry that I have pride in and which ones are weighing me down? Reorient this and ask God what He sees.

Hey y'all! We're Pastors Micah and Shireen Eldridge and we're so excited you are joining us as we kick off Season 2 of the "When We Walk" Podcast. This episode is all about you - your questions from the comments are what we're going to be discussing today!