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Doing Life Together

Doing Life Together

by Jason Shirley

Season 3

Stop Hiding Your Grief… It’s Not Helping You Heal

In this episode of the Doing Life Together podcast, we sit down with Chuck Burton from Tulsa, Oklahoma for a raw, honest, and surprisingly funny conversation about end-of-life planning. Chuck brings decades of wisdom as a former children’s pastor, care pastor, fire department chaplain, and current funeral home team member. We talk about why planning ahead matters so much, what a pre-need actually is, how emotional decisions drive up costs, and practical ways to take pressure off your family when the time comes. We also dig into the spiritual side of death and grief, healthy ways to mourn without getting stuck, the power of community and the local church in hard seasons, and why treating people right while they’re still here is one of the greatest gifts you can give. There are laughs, real stories, a few tears, and plenty of practical takeaways for anyone in their 30s, 40s, or beyond who wants to love their family well all the way to the finish line. Thanks for doing life with us. We love you.

I Thought God Was Done With Me

Are you exhausted from trying to hold up your end of a deal with God that He never asked you to make? So many people carry hidden wounds while continuing to serve, lead, and worship, never letting God into the places that hurt most. This is a conversation about perfectionism, shame, grief, and what it actually looks like to stop performing faith and start experiencing it. Key topics covered include: Why striving to earn God's grace is a misunderstanding of the gospel What Galatians 2:20 and Hebrews 10:14 reveal about faith, perfection, and the Christian life How grief and loss can distort our view of God and lead to spiritual burnout Why worship can become a hiding place instead of a healing place What happens when you finally tell God the honest truth The difference between healthy deconstruction and losing your faith How to invite God into your everyday weakness Scriptures referenced: Galatians 2:20, Hebrews 10:14, Philippians 3:12-14, John 4:23, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 If you have ever felt like you were drowning underneath a performance of faith, if you have ever served harder out of guilt than out of joy, if there is a room in your heart you have kept locked because you are afraid of what is inside, this message is for you. God is not waiting on the other side of your honesty with judgment. He is waiting with gentleness.

Stop Spiritually Bypassing your Trauma

Are you carrying deep wounds from trauma, anxiety, depression, or broken relationships and wondering if healing is truly possible? The answer is yes, but it often requires more than a prayer line. It requires doing the work. In this message, we explore what total health really means for a Christian, covering mental, emotional, relational, and spiritual wholeness. Drawing from John 10:10, Romans 12, James 5, Psalm 34, and Philippians 4, we unpack why so many believers stay stuck and what God has made available for real, lasting healing. Topics covered include: What spiritual bypassing is and why it is dangerous How biblical meditation supports mental health and rewires the brain The connection between anxiety, fear, and depression How breath work is both scientifically effective and spiritually grounded What neuroplasticity has to do with renewing your mind How to avoid a victim mindset after trauma Why choosing to pursue healing is itself an act of faith Whether you are struggling with anxiety, depression, past trauma, or simply feeling stuck, this message offers practical, biblically grounded tools to help you move forward. God works through prayer, through people, and through professional help. He does not waste pain, and He is near to the brokenhearted.

"Revenge is a dish best served cold"... Jesus says otherwise

In this episode of Doing Life Together, we kick things off with a wild New Mexico bear story that didn’t end the way we hoped… then dig deep into something that can either free us or lock us in a coffin of our own making: truthful forgiveness. Jason and Tiffany talk about why bitterness, offense, and “I hope they get what’s coming to them” are some of the enemy’s favorite tools to divide the church, destroy community, and keep us from the abundant life Jesus promised. We unpack Matthew 5, Galatians 6, the real meaning behind “seventy times seven,” the symbolism of the sycamine tree, and what it actually looks like to release people the same way Jesus released us. You’ll also hear: - Updates and registration info for the Thrive Health Conference (Sept 11-13) - A powerful book recommendation - Why we’re stocking Forgiven Energy drinks in the Word of Life Café - A raw personal story about the cost of holding onto offense If you’ve been carrying something that keeps resurfacing, this one’s for you. Register for Thrive Health Conference → thrivehealthconference.com Also available at wolcarlsbad.com Subscribe, like, comment, and share this episode. Your interaction helps get the word into more hands. We’re doing life together. See you next week.

The Friends Who Let You Question God (And Why You Need Them)

Are your relationships built to last through the hard seasons of life? This message digs into what it truly means to build lasting community, navigate crisis with faith, and keep growing even when life gets difficult. We were never designed to walk through life alone. God said it from the beginning, and the nature of the Trinity itself reflects relationship at its core. But real community does not happen by accident. It requires intentional choices, including accepting people as they are, owning our mistakes quickly, and asking ourselves whether we value being right more than we value the person in front of us. This message covers practical and biblical principles for building the kind of relationships that hold up under pressure. Topics include why multi-generational relationships matter, how to navigate crisis when it arrives at your door, why honesty with God and others is the starting point for healing, and what it looks like to keep pressing forward in faith even when you have not arrived. Whether you are walking through grief, struggling in your marriage, feeling isolated, or simply looking to grow deeper in your faith and community, this message offers real, grounded encouragement for wherever you are right now. Key topics covered include Christian community and relationships, how to get through crisis as a believer, the importance of honesty in faith, multi-generational mentorship in the church, marriage and conflict resolution from a biblical perspective, mental health and therapy for Christians, pressing on in faith and spiritual growth, and building a strong foundation before the storm comes. Scriptures referenced include Philippians 3:12 and 2 Corinthians 12:10. If you have been trying to go it alone, this is your reminder that you were made for more. Community, honesty, and a willingness to keep growing are not optional extras in the Christian life. They are central to it. Subscribe for weekly messages on faith, relationships, and living out the gospel in everyday life.

Vision That Saves Your Life

What does it actually take to find vision for your life, and what do you do when it feels like it is slipping away? These are questions every person faces, and the answers are more practical and more grounded in Scripture than you might expect. Vision is not just a dream or a five-year plan. It is the God-given sense of direction that keeps you moving forward when life gets hard. Philippians 1:6 reminds us that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion. That means you are not going under. You are going through. In this message, we explore where vision actually comes from, how to hear from God about your purpose, and what to do when discouragement makes you want to give up. Key topics include how your relationship with God is the foundation of all vision, why God gives vision in stages and what faithfulness in small things has to do with it, how to use Scripture to learn God's voice and recognize His direction, the importance of writing your vision down based on Habakkuk 2:2-3, what to do when you feel stuck instead of abandoning the vision God gave you, and the story of Peter walking on water and what it teaches us about holding on to Jesus when we lose our footing. Whether you are searching for your purpose, feeling stuck in a season that seems to have no direction, or wondering if God has forgotten the vision He placed in your heart, this message speaks directly to where you are. Keywords and topics covered: finding your purpose in life, Christian vision and calling, how to hear from God, faith when life is hard, walking by faith, Peter walking on water, Habakkuk 2 write the vision, Philippians 1:6, Hebrews 12, trusting God with your future, Christian motivation, overcoming discouragement, spiritual growth, Bible-based life direction, how to know God's will, faith and endurance, purpose-driven life, Christian encouragement, staying faithful when things are slow. If you have ever felt like your vision was lost, delayed, or out of reach, be encouraged. He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it.

"I Was a Dead Man Walking… Until I Embraced These 6 Steps to Total Freedom" - Guest: Blaine Bartel

Addiction, shame, and brokenness are not the end of the story. The path to freedom begins not with willpower, but with surrender to God. True transformation is not about recovery, which simply patches what is broken, but about resurrection, where something dead comes fully back to life. Shame keeps people trapped by shifting the internal narrative from 'I did something wrong' to 'I am wrong,' but God's love, poured out through the Holy Spirit, dismantles that lie. Six postures, including honesty, remorse, repentance, restitution, new daily habits, and ultimately resurrection, work together to bring lasting freedom. Daily practices like praying the Lord's Prayer and honoring the Sabbath are not optional extras but essential tools for renewing the mind and sustaining wholeness. Freedom is not found in trying harder. It is found in surrendering more fully.

The Biblical Secret that Stops Sin

Are you going through the motions of faith without truly growing in your relationship with God? You are not alone, and there is a way forward. In this message, we explore why building a deep, lasting faith matters more right now than ever before. As the world grows darker and more uncertain, believers are called to shine brighter. But you cannot share what you do not have, and you cannot introduce someone to a person you do not know. We dig into what it really means to hide God's Word in your heart, why Jesus and Scripture are inseparable, and how the Holy Spirit works through intentional Bible study to bring truth to life in your everyday situations. We also cover practical tools and methods anyone can use to go deeper in Scripture, including how to use multiple Bible translations, how to study original Greek and Hebrew words, and how to use resources like Logos Bible Software to unlock the meaning behind the text. We also talk honestly about why you cannot sustain your faith without a church community. Isolation breeds confusion. Community creates accountability, growth, and the kind of iron-sharpening-iron relationships God designed for His people. Being plugged into a local church is not about checking a box. It is about being shaped, equipped, and sent. Finally, we look at what it means to move from being a consumer of faith to living as a priest, someone set apart to represent God and bring others into relationship with Him. Key topics covered include: how to study the Bible more effectively, why community is essential to spiritual growth, what it means to truly know Jesus, how to build a consistent prayer life, signs of the times and the return of Christ, the role of the Holy Spirit in Bible study, and how to be a light in a dark world. Whether you are new to faith or have been a Christian for years, this message will challenge you to take one practical step toward knowing God more deeply. Pick a passage, sit with it, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you, and show up to your church community fully present and engaged. The light is needed now more than ever. Let it start with knowing the One who is the light. Keywords: how to study the Bible, growing in faith, knowing Jesus personally, Holy Spirit Bible study, Christian community, church belonging, signs of the end times, return of Christ, Psalm 119:11, John 1, Ephesians 4, Revelation 1:6, Bible translations explained, Logos Bible Software, how to read the Bible, spiritual growth, Christian living, faith that lasts, being a light for Jesus, priest and king believers

Season 2

Episode 2-26

Discover the true purpose behind the day of Pentecost and how the Holy Spirit transforms believers into powerful witnesses for Christ. This message explores the biblical significance of speaking in tongues, spiritual gifts, and authentic moves of God in the modern church. Learn why the Holy Spirit was given to create witnesses, not just worshippers, and how believers can operate in genuine spiritual authority. Understand the science behind speaking in tongues and its biblical purposes for strengthening your prayer life and spiritual growth. Explore the difference between manufactured spiritual experiences and authentic moves of the Holy Spirit that draw people to genuine faith. Discover how to measure spiritual success through obedience rather than visible results or public recognition. This teaching addresses common questions about prophecy, words of knowledge, and operating in spiritual gifts with proper motives. Perfect for believers seeking deeper understanding of the Holy Spirit's work, those curious about speaking in tongues, and anyone wanting to grow in authentic spiritual maturity. Topics covered include the timing and unity required for God's power to move, the authority that comes with Spirit baptism, biblical purposes of spiritual gifts, avoiding forced spiritual manifestations, and finding contentment in God's approval alone. Whether you're new to understanding the Holy Spirit or seeking to deepen your relationship with Him, this message provides practical insights for authentic Christian living and effective witness in today's world.

Updates, World Records and Pentecost

Discover the true meaning of Pentecost and the church's mission to be witnesses in an expanding circle of influence. This powerful message explores how the Holy Spirit empowers believers to speak with divine authority rather than human opinion, creating safe refuges for broken people seeking God's love and grace. Learn about the four circles of witness Jesus outlined - from immediate family to the ends of the earth - and why the disciples needed supernatural power to fulfill this calling. Uncover the significance of Pentecost's timing during harvest season and the 50-day period representing freedom and transformation. Explore how the church should function as a refuge built on Christ as the foundation, grace as protective walls, and love as covering. This isn't about exclusion but creating safety for people to encounter God's healing power. The message reveals a crucial truth: you are the church wherever you go. As temples of the Holy Spirit, believers carry this refuge into every sphere of life - politics, education, workplace, and community. Drawing from the book of Joshua, discover the pattern of spiritual conquest where walls fall through praise, ruins are restored, covenant relationships develop, and provision flows naturally. Key topics covered include Holy Spirit baptism, spiritual gifts, evangelism strategies, church growth, Christian witness, biblical community, spiritual warfare, divine authority, gospel sharing, and practical Christianity. Perfect for believers seeking to understand their calling as witnesses and churches wanting to fulfill their mission as refuges for the broken. Whether you're exploring Pentecostal theology, seeking spiritual empowerment, or learning effective evangelism methods, this message provides biblical foundation and practical application for living as empowered witnesses in today's world.

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