Living Influence with Bill Thrall and Scott Boyd

Bill Thrall and Scott Boyd

Discovering who God says you are may be your most important life pursuit. Imagine what our world might be like if we believed we were designed and gifted by God for each other. Living Influence is co-hosted by Bill Thrall and Scott Boyd. Bill Thrall is an author, mentor, public speaker, and co-founder of Trueface. He is married to Grace, who loves to mentor women and to come alongside leadership couples with Bill. They have three children, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. They live in Phoenix. Scott Boyd founded QuesTec Companies, a mechanical contracting and HVAC service business. He is married to Aileen. Scott and Aileen both lost their first spouses to cancer. They together have five children and seven grandchildren. No matter who you are, your influence matters. We believe your view of you may be the most critical factor in your influence. Whatever your role, professional, pastor, parent or student, the most significant expression of your influence will be from your person.

  1. The Message Young Adults Are Desperate to Hear

    1D AGO

    The Message Young Adults Are Desperate to Hear

    Can you imagine finding a community where it is actually safe for you to be fully known? In this episode, Bill, Scott, and Waldemar explore the struggles young adults face as they wrestle with shame, confusion, and questions about identity. They explain why behavior-focused thinking often leaves people trapped in hiding and why discovering the true significance of one’s person brings freedom. They emphasize embracing a message of grace and the life-changing power of safe relationships where young adults can be fully known and guided toward hope and a real identity in Jesus. Topics Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and Waldemar Kohl discuss in this episode: (01:28) Young adults feel overwhelmed by shame, confusion, and uncertainty about how life and belief actually work. (04:36) The story of a young man who asked, “What do I do now?” after becoming a believer, which changed how Bill viewed responsibility for guiding others. (06:40) The goal is not to fix young adults but to come alongside them and honor the significance of their person and who God says they are. (10:55) The tension many young adults feel between their sense of failure and the possibility of a completely new way of living. (19:14) Today’s young adults are highly sensitive to what is fake and are searching for something real and authentic. This episode was brought to you by Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, Waldemar Kohl, and the Living Influence team. Learn about Living Influence: https://www.livinginfluence.com/ Subscribe to the Living Influence podcast: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInfluencePodcast * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4kP9Mm2 * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F2RSvXKfU08Q5LVTCyIYI Learn about Bill Thrall’s books: https://www.livinginfluence.com/books Follow and like the Living Influence podcast on social media: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinginfluencepodcast * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livinginfluencepodcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576202821527 This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

    23 min
  2. Raising Kids Who Trust You

    MAR 26

    Raising Kids Who Trust You

    Why is experiencing a crisis before adulthood actually beneficial for children? In this episode, Bill, Scott, and Waldemar explore the importance of grace-based parenting by challenging the idealization of the "perfect" Christian family and, instead, encouraging parents to be real with their children. They discuss how children need parents who respond to mistakes with wisdom and compassion, rather than shock or shame. The conversation emphasizes building trust and openness so children can process crises and strengthen a child's character, preparing them for the realities of adulthood. Topics Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and Waldemar Kohl discuss in this episode: (01:37) Raising five young children and feeling pressure to do everything “the right way.” (05:38) How children quickly learn to hide when parents react with shock or condemnation toward their mistakes. (07:39) Why it can be helpful for children to experience major crises while still living at home so they can learn how to process them. (10:56) How sharing openly about his own life helped his children begin to trust him more. (14:26) The transition from rules to guidelines as children grow, including research suggesting age nine is a key turning point in development. This episode was brought to you by Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, Waldemar Kohl, and the Living Influence team. Learn about Living Influence: https://www.livinginfluence.com/ Subscribe to the Living Influence podcast: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInfluencePodcast * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4kP9Mm2 * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F2RSvXKfU08Q5LVTCyIYI Learn about Bill Thrall’s books: https://www.livinginfluence.com/books Follow and like the Living Influence podcast on social media: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinginfluencepodcast * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livinginfluencepodcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576202821527 This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

    22 min
  3. Becoming a Parent Your Child Can Trust

    MAR 19

    Becoming a Parent Your Child Can Trust

    Are your children experiencing your love, or simply responding to your authority? In this episode of Living Influence, Bill, Scott, and Waldemar unpack the powerful role trust plays in parenting. They challenge parents to move beyond authority-driven compliance and instead cultivate authentic relationships rooted in vulnerability and love. By risking being authentically known - struggles and all - parents can create an environment where children experience love and genuine transformation, rather than outward conformity. Topics Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and Waldemar Kohl discuss in this episode: (02:40) Questions Parents Often Wrestle With, Including Struggles With Authenticity And Fear Of Being Exposed. (06:15) The Greatest Gift A Parent Can Give A Child Is To Become Someone They Can Trust. (07:50) Warning to Parents Against Using Authority Alone To Control Behavior Rather Than Building Relational Trust. (11:22) Your Children Need To Know Your Struggles and Why. (13:46) A Personal Story About Waldemar’s Children Struggling With The Idealized Image They Had Of Him. (16:34) How Idealizing The Christian Life Creates Compliance Without Heart Transformation. (18:07) Compliance vs True Submission, And A Warning That Compliant Children Often Walk Away Later In Life. This episode was brought to you by Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, Waldemar Kohl, and the Living Influence team. Learn about Living Influence: https://www.livinginfluence.com/ Subscribe to the Living Influence podcast: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInfluencePodcast * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4kP9Mm2 * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F2RSvXKfU08Q5LVTCyIYI Learn about Bill Thrall’s books: https://www.livinginfluence.com/books Follow and like the Living Influence podcast on social media: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinginfluencepodcast * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livinginfluencepodcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576202821527 This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

    21 min
  4. Faith Crisis: What Do We Do When We Feel Like We’re Failing?

    MAR 12

    Faith Crisis: What Do We Do When We Feel Like We’re Failing?

    Who is Jesus, and can you really trust Him with who you are? In this episode, Bill, Scott, and Waldemar explore why believers often find themselves in crisis, and why the church and striving to lead “the Christian life” frequently fail to provide the necessary relief. They challenge us to shift our focus from religious performance to the person of Jesus. They also invite us to consider that healing often begins with trust and vulnerability, as well as being loved by Jesus and others. Bill, Scott, and Waldemar highlight the freeing power of vulnerability, trusted relationships, and allowing love to reach the places shame has kept hidden. Topics Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and Waldemar Kohl discuss in this episode: (02:19) The Real Question Many Christians Are Asking Is Why Christianity Isn’t Working For Them. (04:50) The Difference Between Striving To Live The Christian Life And Resting In The Reality That Believers Are Already Made Righteous. (07:31) The First Critical Step In Crisis: Admitting That You Are Actually Hurting And Need Help. (09:24) Shame Keeps People From Being Known - Bringing Darkness Into The Light Breaks Its Power. (10:50) The Connection Between Trust And Love Is Explored, Emphasizing That The Degree Of Trust Determines The Degree To Which Love Can Be Experienced. (17:34) Honestly Asking Whether Jesus Has Been Blamed For The Crisis and The Freedom That Comes From Realizing Faith Is About Who Is Being Trusted This episode was brought to you by Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, Waldemar Kohl, and the Living Influence team. Learn about Living Influence: https://www.livinginfluence.com/ Subscribe to the Living Influence podcast: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInfluencePodcast * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4kP9Mm2 * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F2RSvXKfU08Q5LVTCyIYI Learn about Bill Thrall’s books: https://www.livinginfluence.com/books Follow and like the Living Influence podcast on social media: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinginfluencepodcast * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livinginfluencepodcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576202821527 This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

    21 min
  5. Why Your Faith Feels So Exhausting

    MAR 5

    Why Your Faith Feels So Exhausting

    How would your life change if you truly believed that God is delighted in you right now? In this episode of Living Influence, Bill, Scott, and Waldemar address the quiet frustration of the exhausted believer who wonders why faith doesn’t seem to “work.” They discuss why many feel their faith is failing when they rely on personal effort over the finished work of Jesus. The hosts explain that true rest and joy come from shifting focus from "becoming" to simply living out of one’s established identity in Christ. By embracing humility and being authentic with God and others, believers can finally step into a life defined by grace and mutual love. Topics Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and Waldemar Kohl discuss in this episode: (02:14) Challenging the phrase “my faith is not working” and questions whether faith has subtly become effort rather than trust. (04:21) Exploring how turning spiritual growth into self-effort leads directly to exhaustion. (06:28) The difference between striving to become godly and expressing who you already are. (09:39) Can you trust that God is already delighted in you? (10:54) God actually enjoys His people and offers them His joy. (15:17) Grace is given to the humble and defines humility as trusting God “with me.” (18:39) Scott describes the powerful experience of being fully known in a safe community and discovering love instead of rejection. This episode was brought to you by Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and the Living Influence team. Learn about Living Influence: https://www.livinginfluence.com/ Subscribe to the Living Influence podcast: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInfluencePodcast * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4kP9Mm2 * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F2RSvXKfU08Q5LVTCyIYI Learn about Bill Thrall’s books: https://www.livinginfluence.com/books Follow and like the Living Influence podcast on social media: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinginfluencepodcast * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livinginfluencepodcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576202821527 This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

    21 min
  6. Silencing the Voice of Shame

    FEB 26

    Silencing the Voice of Shame

    How often do you measure your worth by what you are doing rather than who you are? In this episode, Bill, Scott, and Waldemar unpack why so many believers feel spiritually exhausted despite doing all the “right” things. It’s a deep-seated fatigue many feel when they attempt to maintain their standing with God through constant effort and "doing." They reveal how a performance-based theology and the internal voice of shame quietly drain joy and hope. Through a renewed understanding of grace and identity, they offer a path toward hope, freedom, and living without condemnation. Topics Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and Waldemar Kohl discuss in this episode: (01:44) The concept of the “exhausted Christian” is introduced, including the struggle to feel joy despite spiritual effort. (03:19) Empathy for those who feel worn out and questioning whether exhaustion stems from misunderstanding identity in Christ. (06:28) How constant spiritual activity, achieving a sense of worth, and “trying to be right with God” create deep fatigue. (07:51) Trying to be right with God through effort inevitably produces discouragement and exhaustion. (10:48) The internal critical voice is identified as shame, shaping identity apart from God’s truth. (13:19) Trust that Christ’s finished work fully secured your right standing with God. (15:19) Unresolved shame fuels frustration, anger, and inner turmoil. (19:20) Romans 8:1 is presented as God’s counter-voice to shame: no condemnation for those in Christ. This episode was brought to you by Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, Waldemar Kohl, and the Living Influence team. Learn about Living Influence: https://www.livinginfluence.com/ Subscribe to the Living Influence podcast: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInfluencePodcast * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4kP9Mm2 * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F2RSvXKfU08Q5LVTCyIYI Learn about Bill Thrall’s books: https://www.livinginfluence.com/books Follow and like the Living Influence podcast on social media: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinginfluencepodcast * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livinginfluencepodcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576202821527 This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

    21 min
  7. How Suffering Shapes Entrepreneurial Success

    FEB 19

    How Suffering Shapes Entrepreneurial Success

    How can suffering actually accelerate your maturity? In this episode, Bill and Scott explore the profound relationship between spiritual maturity, suffering, and the willingness to take risks for the benefit of others. They challenge the assumption that obedience guarantees safety and comfort, emphasizing instead that it often leads to risk-filled purposes. Ultimately, they encourage listeners to move toward a Christ-centered life where they trust God with their unknown futures and embrace the influence they have on those around them. Topics Bill Thrall and Scott Boyd discuss in this episode: (01:10) Suffering as an intentional part of God’s process of maturing people. (02:14) The difference between knowing information and obeying truth. (03:54) The difference between suffering common to humanity and suffering unique to believers. (05:10) Challenging the belief that obedience always leads to comfort or blessing. (06:16) Are you willing to take risks for the benefit of others? (08:26) Taking risks to care for your family. (10:46) Trusting God with the future. (13:01) Mature leadership and owning the influence one has on others. This episode was brought to you by Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and the Living Influence team. Learn about Living Influence: https://www.livinginfluence.com/ Subscribe to the Living Influence podcast: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInfluencePodcast * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4kP9Mm2 * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F2RSvXKfU08Q5LVTCyIYI Learn about Bill Thrall’s books: https://www.livinginfluence.com/books Follow and like the Living Influence podcast on social media: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinginfluencepodcast * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livinginfluencepodcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576202821527 This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

    18 min
  8. Why Knowledge Alone Can't Transform a Person's Life

    FEB 12

    Why Knowledge Alone Can't Transform a Person's Life

    Are you living out what the Bible says for you or are you living out what others expect of you? In this episode, Bill and Scott challenge the assumption that spiritual or personal growth comes from knowledge alone. They explore how trust, not compliance, leads to lasting transformation and authentic maturity. Topics Bill Thrall and Scott Boyd discuss in this episode: (03:11) How knowing the right answers does not equate to making right choices in life. (04:19) The difference between teaching knowledge and teaching trust in truth. (06:33) How acting on trusted truth leads to transformation and changed choices. (10:06) How compliance often produces judgment and a lack of love. (12:33) The idea that people adapt themselves to the expectations placed upon them. (14:48) How children raised to meet expectations often grow up compliant but unprepared. (22:44) Warnings against turning trust into rigid patterns instead of teaching principles of truth. This episode was brought to you by Bill Thrall, Scott Boyd, and the Living Influence team. Learn about Living Influence: https://www.livinginfluence.com/ Subscribe to the Living Influence podcast: * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivingInfluencePodcast * Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4kP9Mm2 * Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2F2RSvXKfU08Q5LVTCyIYI Learn about Bill Thrall’s books: https://www.livinginfluence.com/books Follow and like the Living Influence podcast on social media: * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinginfluencepodcast * TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livinginfluencepodcast * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61576202821527 This episode was produced by Story On Media: https://www.storyon.co/

    24 min
4.8
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

Discovering who God says you are may be your most important life pursuit. Imagine what our world might be like if we believed we were designed and gifted by God for each other. Living Influence is co-hosted by Bill Thrall and Scott Boyd. Bill Thrall is an author, mentor, public speaker, and co-founder of Trueface. He is married to Grace, who loves to mentor women and to come alongside leadership couples with Bill. They have three children, nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. They live in Phoenix. Scott Boyd founded QuesTec Companies, a mechanical contracting and HVAC service business. He is married to Aileen. Scott and Aileen both lost their first spouses to cancer. They together have five children and seven grandchildren. No matter who you are, your influence matters. We believe your view of you may be the most critical factor in your influence. Whatever your role, professional, pastor, parent or student, the most significant expression of your influence will be from your person.

You Might Also Like