Wednesday, January 14th: Many of us believe God is real, yet live as if He is distant. In this episode of The Daily Grind, we explore what it means to practice the presence of God in everyday life. Jesus lived with a steady awareness of the Father’s nearness, and that awareness shaped everything—from his pace to his peace. Drawing from The Divine Conspiracy and The Great Omission, this episode invites listeners to move from theoretical belief to lived attentiveness. Practicing God’s presence is not about maintaining a spiritual mood, but about learning to notice what is already true: God is here. As awareness grows, anxiety loosens, trust deepens, and life becomes more coherent. Transformation often begins not with effort, but with attention.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Tuesday, January 13th: Many of us try to change our lives by changing our behavior—setting rules, applying discipline, and trying harder. But Jesus never believed that lasting transformation begins there. In this episode of The Daily Grind, we explore why behavior change alone can never produce the kind of life Jesus invites us into. Drawing from The Divine Conspiracy and The Great Omission, this conversation looks beneath actions to the inner world of desires, trust, and vision that actually shapes how we live. Jesus consistently aimed at the heart, knowing that behavior flows from what we love and trust most. Moral effort may produce short-term results, but only inner transformation produces freedom. Lasting change begins not with control, but with a heart reshaped by life with God.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Monday, January 12th: Life With God Where You Are: The Hidden Life That Changes Everything: There is a part of your life that few people ever see, yet it quietly shapes everything you do. In this episode of The Daily Grind, we explore what Jesus called the hidden dimension of life—the inner world of thoughts, desires, fears, and trust that forms our outward actions. Drawing from The Divine Conspiracy and The Great Omission, this conversation examines why Jesus consistently aimed beneath behavior and appearances and focused instead on the heart. Real transformation does not begin with managing what is visible, but with attending to what is unseen. The hidden life eventually reveals itself under pressure, fatigue, and disappointment. Jesus invites us to bring this inner world honestly into God’s presence, where lasting change begins. The life God is shaping starts where few people are looking.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Friday, January 9th: Spiritual transformation rarely begins with dramatic action—it begins with quiet availability. In this final episode of Week 2 on The Daily Grind, we explore why openness to God matters more than intensity, productivity, or spiritual performance. Jesus consistently worked through people who were willing to be present, interruptible, and attentive, not impressive or perfectly prepared. Drawing from The Divine Conspiracy and The Great Omission, this episode invites listeners to reconsider what it means to make room for God in everyday life. Availability creates space for grace, formation, and trust to grow slowly over time. Transformation happens not by doing more, but by staying open to God’s presence in ordinary moments. The quiet power of availability is that it places our lives where God can meet us and gently shape us.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Thursday, January 8th: Following Jesus is not about escaping real life or trying to imitate a first-century lifestyle. It’s about learning how Jesus would live your life—your schedule, your responsibilities, your limitations, and your relationships. In this episode of The Daily Grind, we explore discipleship as a deeply personal apprenticeship shaped by trust, attention, and faithfulness in ordinary moments. Drawing from The Divine Conspiracy and The Great Omission, this conversation invites listeners to move beyond abstract imitation and into lived formation. Jesus meets us where we are and teaches us how to live differently right there. Discipleship unfolds slowly, through small obediences, patient trust, and a growing confidence in God’s presence. You don’t need a different life to follow Jesus—you need to learn how he would live the one you’ve been given.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Wednesday, January 7th: In a culture driven by productivity and performance, it’s easy to assume that faith is measured by what we do for God. But Jesus consistently reversed that order. Before sending his disciples out, he called them to be with him. In this episode of The Daily Grind, we explore why presence always comes before action in the life of discipleship. Being with Jesus forms our character, reshapes our desires, and anchors our lives in God’s reality. Without presence, doing becomes exhausting and faith turns into performance. Drawing from The Divine Conspiracy and The Great Omission, this episode invites listeners to rediscover discipleship as a life rooted in communion, not constant activity. True transformation flows from time spent with Jesus, not merely effort spent for him.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Tuesday, January 6th:Belief is essential—but belief alone was never meant to carry the full weight of discipleship. In this episode of The Daily Grind, we explore why Jesus consistently invited people into apprenticeship, not just agreement. Jesus didn’t simply ask people to believe true things about him; he taught them how to live with God in everyday life. Drawing from The Divine Conspiracy and The Great Omission, this episode examines how faith becomes fragile when it remains theoretical and how it gains strength when practiced. Apprenticeship invites us to trust Jesus enough to try his way of living. Discipleship is not about perfection, but direction—learning, practicing, and growing over time. The question isn’t just what we believe, but who we are apprenticing under. Belief opens the door, but apprenticeship is where belief becomes life.

Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus DRAY‑koh DOR‑mee‑enz NOON‑kwahm tih‑tih‑LAN‑doos means Never tickle a sleeping dragon. Solid life advice.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Monday, December 5th: In this episode, John delves into the concept of discipleship, emphasizing that it is not merely about belief but about actively learning from Jesus. He discusses the importance of embodying teachings, the challenges posed by distractions in modern life, and the necessity of trust and transformation in the discipleship journey. The conversation encourages listeners to reflect on who or what is shaping their lives and to consider practical steps to learn from Jesus in a meaningful way.

Takeaways

• Discipleship is about learning to live as Jesus lived.
• It requires proximity, patience, and presence.
• Discipleship is not passive; it demands active engagement.
• The goal is to become the kind of person Jesus was.
• Discipleship is disrupted by distractions in modern life.
• Everyone is being formed by something, consciously or unconsciously.
• Trust in Jesus is essential for true discipleship.
• Discipleship aligns us with reality as God intends it.
• Learning from Jesus involves practice, not just theory.
• A disciple is someone who is willing to learn and grow.

Outline

1. Understanding Discipleship
2. The Nature of Learning from Jesus
3. The Challenge of Distraction in Discipleship
4. The Importance of Trust and Transformation
5. Practical Steps to Learning from Jesus

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.