Bear with Me: Integrating Belief and Practice in the Christian Life
Vanessa and Andy work towards understanding how rooting in God's Word and the Words of Jesus transforms both our imaginations and our daily habits. We look at BIG IDEAS and explore ways to bring them down to earth to be lived out in our kitchens and our offices, in our neighbourhoods and with one another.
Episodes
39 episodes
How to Sabbath in 2023
Vanessa & Andy welcome back Naomi Yeker (from our most downloaded episode of all time) and new guest Yvonne Mann. Naomi & Yvonne took the season of Lent to explore more deeply the concept and practice of Sabbath. They take some time to ...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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45:35
Lent: Common Abba
The disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray and he did. The way he opens the prayer both connects us to the season of Lent and frames what prayer is and how we're to approach it. Resources mentioned on the show:Pe...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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41:35
Lent - Blooming in the Desert
Vanessa and Andy return with Bear with Me's annual Welcome to Lent Episode.Links mentions:Get Vanessa's Lent Guide her...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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42:15
Spiritual Direction: Getting Started & What to Expect
This is Part 2 follow up to the "Intro to Spiritual Direction" episode.Vanessa breaks down the nuts and bolts of Spiritual Direction - how to find a director and what to expect for fees, your first meeting and beyond.Final...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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31:23
Vanessa's Top 7 Advent Thoughts for 2022
Vanessa picked 7 of her favourite Advent thoughts that have been percolating in her heart and mind for this season and she shares them with us.Resources:Here's a Christianity Today(!)
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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41:24
Intro to Spiritual Direction Part 1
What is Spiritual Direction?What is a Spiritual Director?What's the value? Should everyone do it?What's the difference between Spiritual Direction and Counseling?Vanessa tells all in this 1st part of a 2 part ser...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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38:24
10 Instructions for the Good Life!
Vanessa tells of her run ins with the Law.Andy and Vanessa discuss the ways in which God has made known deep secrets about Himself and us in the Biblical account of the "LAW" and how the true purpose of the biblical Law might s...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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41:46
Vanessa's "How to FALL" Guide
The Autumnal Equinox is on 6:03pm Thursday, September 22nd. Vanessa and Andy kickoff a new "season" with another one of Vanessa's "How to" Seasonal Guides. How do we connect with the season of autumn? What does it mean? ...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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45:26
Who's Qualified to Share God with Others?
What is the single most important qualifier for sharing who God is with others?Andy and Vanessa wrap up the Parables Series (AND SEASON 2 of Bear w/ Me) by digging in to Jesus' requirements for being "experts" in a life lived with God.<...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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40:20
Disciples as Privileged Insiders - Access, Ancient Wisdom, And Seeing & Hearing God
What are "Scribes Trained for the Kingdom"? Jesus says that those who know him and follow him are more qualified to speak on and teach about God's Kingdom than the academics and the religious elites. Resources Mentioned in this Epi...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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30:24
God is Findable! Discerning God's Presence in our Midst
Our last episode focused on the hiddenness of God and His Kingdom and the reasons behind that. In this episode we continue looking at the Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Pearl of Great Price. How do these parables reveal how we find God and...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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18:16
Why is God Hidden from Us?
Part 1 of Jesus' Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl in Matthew 13.One of the major themes of Jesus' parables is that the Kingdom of God is hidden. Why should this be the case? If God loves us why would he hide good things from us?
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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28:31
“Knock Knock” - What is God Speaking to You in this Moment?
If God is communicating all the time, how do we listen for him?Andy and Vanessa give some personal examples of what it looks like for them to pay attention to God’s presence and communication in their lives. Check out our new...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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15:02
How Will Kingdom Come? Part 2 - The Soils
What are the obstacles to God's Powerful Word in our lives?Why does God's Word appear to be failing in the world?What role do we play in receiving God's Powerful and Transforming Word into our lives? Vanessa and And...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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1:04:57
How Will Kingdom Come? Part 1 - The Sower
About one third of all of Jesus’ teachings are in parable form. Parables are illustrations, stories to “throw alongside” of life to make a comparison. In Matthew 13 Jesus uses parables exclusively to show HOW God’s hope for creation will come a...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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1:01:19
How to Make Time for God
The latest instalment in our discipleship series where we look at some discipleship texts where Jesus is teaching his disciples something specific.In Luke 6:12-16 Jesus goes to a mountain and hand picks the 12 who would be with him and g...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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43:58
ADVENT: Mary & Elizabeth
**CONTENT WARNING** - This episode deals with themes of pregnancyAt the beginning of her 3rd trimester, Elizabeth is surprised by a visit from her relative Mary, perhaps traveling 100 miles on foot to stay with her. But its Elizabeth who...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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52:32
ADVENT: The God Bearer (part 2)
Andy and Vanessa return to the scene of Mary and the surprising news.Recorded in Advent 2020.Check out Vanessa's How to Advent Guide
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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1:04:54
ADVENT: The God Bearer
This episode is the first Bear w/ Me episode ever recorded! But since we weren't ready to upload episodes at this time last year and it was an Advent theme, we sat on it. Until now!Living on God TimeIn this episode, we ref...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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57:45
Advent 1 - Get Ready!!!
Vanessa & Andy get ready for Advent with this text from Luke 3. Who is John the Baptist? Why is this a classic Advent text? How do we mark the time in anticipation of "God with Us"?Who hears from God? What are the prerequisi...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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49:32
Why it's so Hard to Love Others
Vanessa and Andy are back with a new season of Bear with Me episodes.In this one they tackle love (not just the romantic kind) and why it can be SO SO hard to love others. The Bible surprises us with the answer - HINT: It's less about W...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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55:34
C'ya in September for Season 2!
Thanks for listening and please look for us and Season 2 of the Bear with Me Podcast in September 2021!!!
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Season 1
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0:35
"How to Summer" Guide
Vanessa connects with Liz and Anna K to think through how to spiritually prepare for summer both in general and specifically as women.We can do a lot of reflection and mental and spiritual prep for the fall, winter and spring, but summe...
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Season 1
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Episode 16
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1:04:09