The Psalms shape us by the feelings they evoke. In today’s episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter sit down on the back porch to explore a few psalms together. We work through a few common presumptions we have about the Psalms and Brandon gives us his simple guide to reading poetry. We spend some time actually doing the process with Psalm 121 and Psalm 16…

Can anyone say the word “chastity” without cringing? In this episode, Brandon interviews Father Ronald Rolheiser about his brand new book, Chastity and the Soul: You Are Holy Ground. Father Rolheiser explores chastity as, “proper respect, reverence and patience,” and unpacks it in the context of sexuality and beyond. Our conversation takes us back …

Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast! We're glad you're here for today's conversation with David Zahl about the book he co-authored, Law and Gospel: A Theology for Sinners (and Saints). We start with the question, "what does this phrase, 'law and gospel' mean? David then explains why this tool was so energizing for him and his team at Mockingbird. W…

Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast! In today's episode, Brandon interviews Heidi Goehmann on her newest book, Emotions and the Gospel. Throughout the conversation, Heidi unpacks the good news regarding our complex emotions. We talk about what it means to process our emotions and how life wouldn't be better without emotions. Join us and explore how…

Welcome to another back porch conversation with Brandon, Matt, and Peter. We’re glad you’re here! Today’s episode is an attempt to unpack the idea of the "gospel" of sin management. After a bit of a rough start, jumping straight into some criticisms, we refocus and find our way to the central issue of our desire for security. Even though we know we…

Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast! 👀 Join us for an incredible retreat! This is our final episode on The Lord's Prayer. Together, Brandon, Matt and Peter cover the second half of The Lord's Prayer and examine the "our petitions." Join us as we navigate the rich meaning of these petitions as well as the apparent problems which each of them present…

Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast! 🔔 Join us for an incredible retreat! 🔔 This is our second of three episodes on The Lord's Prayer. Join Brandon, Matt and Peter as they look at the first half of The Lord's Prayer and unpack the "thy petitions." With each petition, we ponder both the wonderful truths we are invited to receive as well as the reque…

Welcome to the Signpost Inn Podcast! 🔔 Join us for an incredible retreat! 🔔 Today we begin a series of episodes on The Lord's Prayer. As a ministry desiring to help you connect with God in prayer, we think it's crucial to look at how Jesus taught us to pray! In this introduction we cover the context of the Lord's Prayer where it appears in Matthew …

Welcome to another episode of the Signpost Inn Podcast! Our guest today is Dr. Piotr Malysz a professor of History and Doctrine and Samford's Beeson Divinity School and a personal friend of Brandon's. Growing up in a region of southern Poland that was deeply influenced by the Lutheran reformation, Piotr holds a deep love for the intersection of his…

We have a end of year matching fund drive! Your generous gifts will be doubled, now through Dec 27! https://www.signpostinn.org/donate Please check out Restoring the Soul: https://restoringthesoul.com/ Join us this episode for an interview with Julianne Cusick about forgiveness and trauma. Julianne shares her own story of betrayal trauma and forgiv…

Matching fund drive! -- donate and DOUBLE your gift today -- from now until December 27, 2023. CLICK HERE --> https://www.signpostinn.org/donate When you’re on a long hike, carrying unnecessary weight will slow you down. The same is true on our spiritual journeys. We all lug shame and guilt, unrealistic expectations, false identities, and distorted…

The journey of life can be exhausting, it’s easy to focus on the difficulties and forget the beauty all around us. Sometimes we need to stop at a scenic overlook. Today we’re taking a look at the ways a spiritual director can help you pause, notice, and savor the sacred moments in your life. Those times where God has made his presence known. At the…

Is God calling you to step off the beaten path of faith? Are you feeling the itch to explore other churches, denominations, or maybe even other religions? Do you feel disillusioned with the faith of your upbringing? Then you need a friend, and this episode is for you. In this episode we are discussing how a spiritual director can accompany you when…

Want to try spiritual direction? https://www.signpostinn.org/sd/brandon-booth When you're on a long faith journey, it helps to have a trusted travel buddy by your side - someone who's been down similar paths before. But not all companions are the same. Today we are continuing our series on Spiritual direction. What is it? And why should you have a …

Life is full of twists, turns, and unexpected detours that can leave us feeling a little lost and disconnected. We all need patient traveling companions to walk alongside us and provide care, perspective, and hope. In today's episode, we'll explore how a spiritual director listens with compassion and provides perspective and encouragement when we h…

Does the world feel like a scary place? Do you wonder what to do with your feeling that everybody's out to get you? Well, then this episode is for you! In this episode, Brandon and Peter tackle a single word listener question, "cynicism?" We begin our conversation with a reading from Brandon's book, Changing the Conversation: How to dance instead o…

Relationships are complicated and messy. How do we grown in self-understanding that breeds compassion for ourselves and others? Can God really redeem my broken history of relationships? Today's episode is a conversation with our friend Shell Odum, founder of the ministry A Radical Relationship. A Radical Relationship provides community centered lif…

How am I, with all my duties and responsibilities, supposed to live a life of prayer and devotion to God? Can my family, my work, and my duties be a spiritual journey with God? In his book, Domestic Monastery, Father Ronald Rolheiser retrieves deep wisdom from the ancient monastics, making it easy to understand and very applicable to those of us wh…

What are we humans capable of? What is a realistic view of what we can accomplish? Join us for today's delightful conversation with David Zahl about his newest book, Low Anthropology. You'll breathe a sigh of relief as you listen to David share about low anthropology and it's refreshing perspective on life. The team here at Signpost Inn absolutely …

Why are we so afraid of acknowledging our limitations? What does needing help say about us? In this episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter talk about needing help, recognizing our limitations, and why the doctrine of sin is so good. That's right, understanding Sin is wildly helpful to experiencing the freedom to ask for help. God knows your limitations! …

Can an experience of God change us? What if it doesn't? With these questions and many others, Brandon interviews Professor Simeon Zahl about his book, The Holy Spirit and Christian Experience. In this week's conversation, Professor Zahl breaks down the false dichotomy between trusting the Bible and having a personal experience of God. The Bible cle…

Do you struggle with indecisiveness? In this week's podcast Brandon and Rachel sit down with Emily P. Freeman, about her book The Next Right Thing! Emily is the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of Simply Tuesday and A Million Little Ways. She shares from her book about how indecision is an opportunity for spiritual formation. Whenever we find…

Feeling disconnected? Confused? Distant from God? This week's conversation is centered around spiritual dryness. What is it? Why does it happen? And what can we do about it? Brandon and Peter explore the topic with compassion and curiosity. One of the main themes that emerges is that we humans are not projects to be fixed or problems to be solved. …

We need a space where our souls can be listened into the light of God's love. In this episode Brandon talks with Adam Ormord, Executive Director of Grafted Life Ministries, about what it means that we have shy souls. They talk about how our souls need a space with no agenda, a space where we can simply be. They talk about some of the common challen…

What is the purpose of our Christian life? Join Brandon and Peter for this week's conversation on the back porch. They explore the big question, "what is the purpose of the Christian life?" Using the analogy of the solar system, Brandon and Peter spitball about what various theological perspectives put at the center of their solar system. What is t…

How does liturgy shape one's spirituality? In this episode, Brandon talks with Rob Goodman, an Anglican priest serving Holy Trinity Anglican Church in San Antonio, Texas. Together they nerd out about liturgical spirituality and sacramental theology. They explore what liturgy is and how everyone has a liturgy. They examine how good liturgy tells the…

Join Brandon and Liv Booth for a special Good Friday episode where we meditate with you on the compassion that moved Jesus to suffer and die for you. We begin by reading the Good Friday Litany from the ancient Mozarabic Breviary. And then contemplate the seven last words of Christ from the Cross and the prayers of Joachim Mynsinger of Frundeck (151…

Hospitality is life itself. Humans need to be accepted by other humans. They need to know their life has a place and a purpose. This episode is a little different. Rather than a conversation or interview, Liv Booth reads a piece she wrote about the beauty of hospitality. Part memoir, part reflection, Liv shares several formative experiences of hosp…

The three hardest things to say in the English language are, "I'm sorry, I need help, and Worcestershire sauce." Join the conversation as we explore how challenging it is to truly admit our faults and ask for help. We discover that the ability to say I'm sorry and admit our limitations does not come from within us. We are enabled when God shows him…

In this episode, Brandon interviews Tara Owens about spiritual direction. They talk about the ancient roots of spiritual direction in the church and how it differs from discipleship and counseling. They emphasize and explore how spiritual direction really does not have an agenda. A fundamental aspect of spiritual direction is trusting that God is p…

In this episode, Brandon interviews Father Gavin on his latest book, “Mysteries of the Lord’s Prayer: Wisdom from the Early Church.” They talk about the rich history that the Lord’s Prayer has in the prayer life of the the church and why it is so important and good to reflect on the Lord’s Prayer. Father Gavin invites us to embrace the strangeness …

Today's guest, Steve May, is a friend of Brandon's and has been a psycotherapist for over 20 years. Brandon and Steve explore the topic of trauma and how it connects to spirituality. Steve shares some of his experiences with helping others through trauma and sheds light on the feelings of shame that often come with trauma. You won't want to miss th…

Brandon and Matt interview J.P. Moreland about his book Finding Quiet which was born out of Professor Moreland's own experiences with anxiety and depression. The interview touches on topics like the relationship between body and soul, the nature of anxiety, and some practical habits to develop in order to cope with negative self-talk in a healthy m…

In this episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter discuss a question that comes in from a listener about fantasy stories. As avid readers themselves, the group talks about why they believe fantasy stories to be wonderful and good. The great authors, Tolkien and Lewis are brought up throughout the conversation and introduce some meaningful points. Ultimately…

In this episode, Brandon, Matt and Peter contemplate the significance of Jesus' incarnation. Brandon invites all listeners to consider how the truth of the incarnation impacts their relationship with God. The group discusses how to not simply think nice thoughts about Christmas and the incarnation, but how to practically experience these truths. Th…

Brandon, Matt and Peter reflect on the first whole year of the Signpost Inn podcast. They share favorite episodes and talk about what was most fun and impactful for them. In highlighting some of key insights from various episodes, the topic arises of how we make sense of different perspectives on faith and following Jesus. The group talks about how…

Brandon and Peter are drawn into a conversation about realistic expectations for the Christian life. The questions stem from a passage in, “Interior Freedom” by Jacques Philippe in which Philippe remarks that we waste our time and stunt our spiritual growth if we focus on our sins and limitations. The central issue becomes clear as the conversation…

What is contemplation and how does it develop our core identity? In this episode Brandon interviews Dr. Thomas Kimber from Melbourne School of Theology where he is the Dean of Faculty and a lecturer in Missional and Pastoral Theology. Dr. Kimber's unique perspective on contemplation connects liturgical practices--our embodied rituals--to God's shap…

What exactly is contemplation and contemplative prayer? Is it new age nonsense or does it lie at the very heart of the Christian life? And if it's the latter, how exactly does the average Joe "do" it?! In this episode Brandon interviews Dr. Kyle Strobel from Biola's Talbot School of Theology. Dr. Strobel brings an amazing wealth of knowledge about …

What exactly is contemplation and contemplative prayer? Is it new age nonsense or does it lie at the very heart of the Christian life? And if it's the latter, how exactly does the average Joe "do" it?! In this episode Brandon interviews Father Theodore from the Benedictine monastery of Our Lady and St. Laurence in Cañon City, Colorado. Together he …

What exactly is contemplation and contemplative prayer? Is it new age nonsense or does it lie at the very heart of the Christian life? And if, as we argue in this episode, it's the latter, how exactly does the average Joe "do" it?! In this episode Brandon interviews Dr. John Kleinig of the Australian Lutheran Church tackle all these questions and a…

In this episode Brandon interviews Matthew Lyda and Miles Klickman, co-founders of Recover the Wild, a ministry helping people recovering connections to God self and creation. We talk about the need to betray anything that betrays life and vitality, how Recover the Wild helps men recover from sexual addictions, and Matthew's and Mile's vision for c…

Back by popular demand, this is a second interview with Rose Marie Jackson. What starts out as a tame question about her new line of work as an Integration Facilitator quickly becomes deep and personal. Rose Marie and Brandon talk about many things including: Our deep sense that the whole universe has betrayed us, how grief and anger often underly …

In this episode we go way off script and have an honest to goodness "back porch" conversation between regular hosts, Matt Boland and Brandon Booth, and our newest staff member Peter Gammell. There's no topic, instead we each take a turn sharing something we've been thinking about or struggling with while the others listen. If you've ever wanted to …

In this episode Matt and Brandon welcome Brandon's son, Torben Booth, into the studio to ask his questions. He asks about getting distracted during prayers, the possibility of God turning us over to Satan, and some tough questions about the book of Job. Visit https://www.signpostinn.org/donate to give today!…

In this episode Brandon interviews Rose Marie Jackson, a recently retired licensed independent clinical social worker. We start with the question “How do you feel about God” and do a deep dive into the relationship between emotions, feelings, and thoughts; the distinction between good and bad guilt, and how to feel safe with and loved by God. And s…

On today's episode: God doesn’t promise to give us everything we want right now, instead he promises to be all that we need. Prayer is the practice of trusting God is enough. And, what do you say to someone who just can’t get to the place where they believe God is enough? Here's the link to schedule spiritual direction with Brandon www.signpostinn.…

Hey listener's this is a special episode drop! Matt and Brandon welcome Peter Gammell to the back porch to talk about Signpost Inn's new book club that YOU can join, as well as about our recently released online course on prayer. We talk about books actually can "read us," why it's so valuable to read contemplatively with others, and dig into a pit…

Matt and Brandon continue answering listener questions. This time they talk about how to teach children to pray, and the complicated issue of wanting to have faith in God’s miraculous ability, but not really having confidence that he’ll come through. Got your own questions? Send them to us at podcast@signpostinn.org. Send them as an audio clip and …

Matt and Brandon sit down on the back porch to answer a few listener questions. They chat about crafting private prayers and about whether or not it’s okay for a Christians to meditate. You can send us your questions too! Email them to podcast@signpostinn.org, or find Signpost Inn on Facebook or Instagram. If you send your questions as an audio cli…