Is God personal or impersonal? Is God a dynamic, specific person that we can form a relationship with or is God more of a universal power that permeates all things? Different spiritual traditions present God in different forms with different ch

But It's No Sacrifice

Oct 28th, 2020 40m 55s

How are we supposed to lean into the Bible when it seems full of ancient stories that don't always translate easily to modern ears. How is the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac supposed to speak to our day to day life as s

Why Wait For a Catalyst?

Oct 15th, 2020 35m 2s

When something in our life goes wrong, feels off, causes a disturbance, we often find ourselves reaching for our spiritual practice. This is great news - except why did it take a disruption to serve as the catalyst? Why does the inspiration for

Polar Opposites

Sep 28th, 2020 27m 40s

Reflecting on the unlikely friendship between Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia, Bob and Amy discuss our current culture of divisiveness in this country. How do you foster friendship with someone whose beliefs offend you? Does off

Crafting Our Own Faith

Sep 17th, 2020 31m 2s

As we grow older, many of us go through a deconstruction of our childhood faith. Do I still believe? Does this practice make sense in my current life? As we navigate this process, there is a temptation to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

All Things Are Possible

Sep 7th, 2020 35m 29s

Sometimes, after decades of struggling, we wake up one morning and the issue that has been tormenting us is suddenly gone. How does that happen? Is it a miracle? A paradigm shift? Our life will forever be split into two parts: before and after

To Sin is a Human Business

Aug 26th, 2020 38m 3s

What is sin? Is it an archaic social construct used as a tool to control the masses? Can it be reframed as a set of guardrails that can actually help guide us towards our goals? Is it even worth talking about? This week, reluctantly, Bob talks

A Grown Up Faith

Jul 30th, 2020 34m 2s

Do the stories we learned in Sunday School have any relevance in our lives today? Filled with clearly defined heroes and villains, these Bible stories seem to reflect childish cartoons more than the messy, nuanced challenges of real life. Is th

Shortcuts & Dead-ends

Jul 17th, 2020 28m 48s

Sometimes it feels like the only thing we can see at the end of our path is a dead-end. But what if that same roadblock looks like a shortcut to someone else? This week, Amy shares a simple story that gave her big insights.

Let Birds Fly Above the Earth

Jul 7th, 2020 23m 19s

Why do we find it easy to appreciate diversity in nature, but uncomfortable to embrace diversity in people? When we picture ourselves in the Good Samaritan parable, it's usually as the Samaritan, overcoming bias in order to help someone in nee

We Need To Talk About It

Jun 2nd, 2020 32m 48s

Today's episode is a bit different than normal: it's an imperfect, unedited conversation about the murder of George Floyd. As we talked today, Amy and I definitely didn't have all the answers, but we shared our thoughts and challenged each othe

We Could All Use A Little Grace

May 25th, 2020 25m 19s

What some of us thought was going to be a quarantine sprint has turned into a quarantine marathon. Without access to our usual self-care routines and stress-relievers, tensions are running high and we're beginning to tire out. Rather than becom

Spiritual Impostor Syndrome

May 15th, 2020 26m 50s

So many of us walk around feeling as if we don't belong, like we're the exception, like we're the impostor. This is especially prevalent in spiritual circles where people are afraid of being shamed for not toeing the line. So what happens when

Rebecca Green

May 8th, 2020 39m 6s

This week Bob and Amy welcome another guest to Big Fish, Little Pod: Rebecca Green! Becca was living and working in Colorado when Covid-19 hit, causing her to change jobs from a substitute teacher to a caregiver at an assisted living facility t

Fight or Flight

May 1st, 2020 18m 51s

In times of stress, we often have strong knee-jerk reactions to things that hurt or upset us. But if instead we stop, take a breath, and respond from a place of right-mindedness, we can remain neutral and usually create a better result. Amy and

Neil Slader

Apr 26th, 2020 55m 49s

We were so happy to welcome Neil Slader, a longtime family friend, to the podcast this week! Neil shares his spiritual journey with us, going from a fourth generation New England Baptist to a spiritual seeker connecting in his own way.

Be Calm in the Storm

Apr 11th, 2020 29m 20s

Many spiritual traditions emphasize the importance of inner strength and balance, but is it really possible to create a feeling of ease during life's most stressful moments? Bob and Amy discuss how searching for moments of calm could help us th

From the First Light of Dawn

Apr 3rd, 2020 26m 13s

As we settle into this strange new reality, we are experiencing the painful challenges alongside the relieving moments of connection. As a new shelter-in-place habit of Amy's reminds us, it's always darkest before the dawn. As we move into what

Andrew Hollis

Mar 24th, 2020 1h 10m

This week, Bob and Amy welcome their first guest ever: Andrew Hollis! Bob's son Andrew shares the evolution of spirituality in his own life and where it has lead him to today.

This Mandated Sabbath

Mar 17th, 2020 21m 43s

Because of the coronavirus outbreak, many of us now find ourselves home from school and work, self-isolating and social distancing. We can use this time to spiral into fear, lounge on the couch in our sweats, or bicker with our isolation crew.

The Road Less Traveled

Mar 3rd, 2020 51m 9s

Is it important to identify ourselves with one spiritual designation or is it an advantage to have our practice composed of multiple traditions? This week, we explore Amy's spiritual journey, including growing up in the church, attending a Jesu

For I Know The Plans I Have For You

Feb 25th, 2020 51m 51s

This week, we explore Bob's spiritual upbringing, the influence his parents' faith had on his own, and the natural relationship with God he had since childhood. Amy inquires how Bob's original vocational goal of helping people make good choices

Pillows for Support

Feb 18th, 2020 28m 51s

Performing at our best can be a daily challenge, especially when it comes to spiritual practice. Sometimes its the small, simple, yet spiritually nourishing activities that can really support us on our journey: a walk in nature, warm cup of tea

The One Where Bob & Amy Disagree

Feb 10th, 2020 45m 39s

Are we capable of shifting from frustrated and discouraged to inspired and productive? Is God's presence in our lives just as potent as it was in the lives of the disciples? These and other questions that Bob and Amy disagree on during this wee

Let Us Seek To Build Others Up

Feb 3rd, 2020 31m 44s

Criticism and gossip may not be habits we hope to increase in our lives, but they don't seem as detrimental as lying, cheating, and stealing either. So why then do so many spiritual traditions emphasize the negative effects criticism and gossip