“I feel like I’ve had some kind of breakthrough related to feeling full permission, full blessing, to live with unconditional love for people around me, and some insight into some of the walls that were there that were keeping me from believing that truly being unconditionally loving is the way to be.” (Cheri Hudspith) Our host, Adam Ormord, welcomes Lori Shoults and Cheri Hudspith (Co-Directors of Practice Collective) to The Being Formed Podcast to discuss the Ignatian Journey and the...

“When you care for your soul as a way of life, you can handle when really hard things come your way and still maintain that groundedness. Now, it’s turbulent, it’s hard, it’s disorienting, but the bottom didn’t fall out the way it had years ago.” (Mindy Caliguire) Mindy Caliguire is the founder and president of Soul Care (soulcare.com), an organization that exists to cultivate soul health among leaders and those they serve. Mindy works with Christian leaders in ministry and marketplace...

Adam Ormord (LifePoint Resources) welcomes Summer Joy Gross to The Being Formed Podcast for a conversation about forming a stronger attachment to God who promises to be with us always.  Summer Joy Gross (MDiv, Virginia Theological Seminary) is the author of "The Emmanuel Promise: Discovering the Security of a Life Held By God." Summer is an Anglican priest, retreat leader, and spiritual director whose work is guided by the belief that our stories can be transformed by God's invitation to make...

Our host, Adam Ormord, welcomes Abigail Doust to The Being Formed Podcast to talk about the joy of serving and caring for women who serve in cross-cultural ministry all across the world. Abigail is an author, speaker, coach, and trainer who is passionate about helping leaders get equipped to help others move forward. Abigail is the Development Director for Thrive Ministry, which replenishes and supports women serving cross-culturally by resourcing them and caring for their souls. She also...

On today's episode, Adam Ormord (President and Founder of LifePoint Resources) welcomes Sean Nemecek to the podcast to talk about the very serious issue of burnout, especially for those who serve in ministry. This is an important conversation as we recognize the elevated state of stress and exhaustion affecting so many leaders in our communities and churches. Hope, help and health are available to all of us, so listen and share with those in need. "It's my goal that people really experience...

Adam Ormord welcomes friend and mentor, Stephen W. Smith, to The Being Formed Podcast to talk about the power of deep listening. Steve Smith is the co-founder of Potter's Inn, a Christian ministry devoted to the work of spiritual formation and the care of the soul. He's the author of several books and small group guides, including The Lazarus Life, Soul Custody, The Jesus Life, and Inside Job. Steve and Gwen have been married since 1980 and have four grown sons and 14 grandchildren. Steve...

“Deep discipleship is not all that interested in power. It’s interested in listening and formation. Those two things sometimes work at odds.” - Brian Fisher Our host, Adam Ormord, welcomes Brian Fisher (soilandroots.org) to The Being Formed Podcast for an important conversation on the topic of discipleship. Brian is the founder of Soil and Roots, a non-profit ministry helping to form and support small communities that actively listen to the stories and experiences of one another, thereby...

"Christians so often think they must always contribute something when they are in the company of others, that this is the one service they have to render. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking.” (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together) We're delighted to welcome Melody Leeper, Program Manager of Fellowship of the Burning Heart (a community expression of Renovaré), to the podcast. Melody does a phenomenal job explaining the growing community of participants from many...

How would you answer these five Biblical questions from God? - Who do you say that I am? - What is your name? - Where are you? - What do you want? - What do you have in your hand? These five questions provide a framework for formational mentoring, a ministry of soul care which stands apart from a typical mentoring relationship, life coaching, or even a spiritual direction relationship. "Formational mentoring has an emphasis on a posture that's seeking intimacy with God." Becky Dietz is the...

What does it mean to discern wisely? Is discernment all about making decisions, either as an individual or with a group, or is there more to it than that? Our guest, Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia, helps us form a broader definition of discernment which includes all of our life with God by "practicing a preference for God" in every relationship, every circumstance, every conversation, every single day. Steve Macchia is a thought provoking author and is the Founder and President of Leadership...

We're grateful to Brandon Booth, the co-founder and president of Signpost Inn Ministries, for bringing his years of wisdom and insight related to the art of relational conversation to The Being Formed Podcast. Brandon and his wife, Liv, run a retreat house in Colorado and provide hospitality through various retreats, spiritual direction, and masterfully crafted resources all designed to help people grow confidence in Christ's unfailing love, and help them to think wisely about theology,...

Our host, Adam Ormord, discusses the spiritual practice of listening with Dr. Ann van der Merwe. Utilizing technological resources to curate musical experiences has never been easier than it is today. Is there value in considering the role of music in our own formation? How might we intentionally cooperate with God by allowing music and art to speak a better word to our souls? Is it possible God is present, beckoning us to be more present in and through the curated soundscape of our lives? If...

Why is listening so important to our spiritual journey? How can we learn to listen better? How can we offer the gift of deep listening to others, especially in a world with so much noise? What are some practices we can engage in to stay open to the still, small voice of God? Join Adam Ormord, the founder of LifePoint, for this short explanation of the concept of listening "softer." This podcast episode serves as the launchpad for an upcoming series of conversations broadly exploring the theme...

On today's episode, Adam Ormord is joined by a dear friend in formation, LuAnn Roberson, the curator and founder of "A Simple Pause." LuAnn shares the story of her upbringing, her heart to come alongside hurting people as a nurse (of bodies and souls), and her desire to give the gift of "A Simple Pause" to all those in need. We, at LifePoint Resources, are grateful to help spread the word about the gift of "A Simple Pause." Here's a brief description from their website: "A Simple Pause...

Let's face it...no matter who we are or what we do for a living, we're all in need of soul care. We carry so much in our hearts, minds, and our bodies - pressures of the day, wounds from the past, hopes and concerns for the future - and we desperately need a space where we can be real in the presence of someone who will point us to God's love! At LifePoint Resources, we are passionate about soul care for everyone! No matter your status or your story, we're here to walk with you. Adam Ormord,...

Lacy Finn Borgo's book, "Faith Like a Child," poses a beautiful question, one that we often don't give ourselves permission to ask. What is God like? How would you answer that question? What does it mean for you to be able to see the God who sees you? How has God been revealed to you through the harsh reality of your own story? How have you experienced a profound grace that others may not have noticed? This Easter reflection will give you some space to notice and name God in the midst of your...

What do you do when you realize your inner-world is not able to withstand the pressure from your outer-world? What does it mean to pay attention to your soul, or to care for your soul? How would you describe the state of your soul right now? In attempting to answer these questions, we will first ask a more general question: "What is Soul Care?" One of the most concise and practical definitions of soul care comes from Stephen W. Smith: "Soul care takes us past the immediate and physical to...

We're often asked, "What is Spiritual Formation?" Is it some kind of eastern thing? Is it part of the charismatic movement? Is it coming from the Catholic stream? Isn't it interesting how two words can create such confusion?  In today's episode, we want to help you understand what spiritual formation means and why it matters to us. Hopefully you'll see how "being formed in the image of Christ" is more than just a lofty idea but an invitation to each and every person to experience God's love...

Hello and welcome to The Being Formed Podcast! We're excited to introduce ourselves and give you a little background on the founding of LifePoint Resources. We're also happy to share our vision for this podcast and the conversations we will enjoy together!  The Being Formed Podcast is a soul care ministry of LifePoint Resources.