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Episodes
We often want to teach a lesson and look for a story to illustrate the point - this podcast takes life's simple stories and looks for the lessons within.
Episodes
Sunday Sep 20, 2020
Sunday Sep 20, 2020
Host(s): Brandon Hill and Dustin Fenton
Guest(s): Melissa Burt Gracik
Synopsis of the show:
The art and practice of being mindful and finding, peace, joy, and gratitude in the everyday moments.
Story parts:
[00:00:43] – Tools of the trade
[00:01:38] – The diagnosis
[00:04:13] – Clarity of legacy
[00:05:10] – Clarity of purpose in Legacy
[00:07:15] – Most meaningful I do
[00:08:20] – How to have a good life
[00:09:49] – Perfectionistic becomes egotistical
[00:11:31] – Extra effort to do act of kindness
[00:13:55] – How to be mindful in trials
[00:15:23] – Tickets of permission
[00:18:20] – A parting meditation
Quotes from the show:
“Don’t Google a diagnosis without consulting a specialist” [00:02:25]
“I think it will be in areas of fascination and the deeper meaning of what we all yearn for which is to have a good life and how to archive it with emotional intelligence, mindfulness, compassion, and how to make the world more joyful and alleviate suffering” [00:06:26]
“Perfectionisms caused a lot of pain for me, pain that didn’t need to be there” [00:08:49]
“Meditation was the first stepping stone out of that darker time in my life when I was self-critical.” [00:09:36]
“The more we give to others the more joy we have” [00:11:20]
“Every moment, I believe, has the potential for positive emotions of peace, joy and gratitude” [00:14:39]
“Speak to yourself like a good friend” [00:17:15]
Guest Biography:
Melissa Burt-Gracik holds a B.A. in Communication, an M.A. in Higher Education Administration, and a Master of Divinity degree. She has coached over 325 people from front line employees to the C-Suite and measures her success by the stories that exemplify growth from her clients. When she isn’t working hard to build her business, you can find her hard at work cycling, swimming, or running in preparation for her next triathlon.
Flourish For You, LLC helps businesses increase their employee engagement by co-creating with them a work culture focused on the strengths of their greatest asset: their human capital. Through Flourish Mel helps teams work well together by focusing on their natural talents and the workplace needs that accompany them. Utilizing Gallup’s 12: The Elements of Great Managing, she helps supervisors learn and implement the skills top managers possess. Behavior change is hard, which is why Mel’s coaching clients rave about the growth they’re able to achieve from the one-on-one support they receive to pursue their goals and put action toward becoming the professional they aspire to be. In addition to StrengthsFinder, Mel holds certifications in Meyers Briggs Type Indicator and Emotional Intelligence EQ-i & EQ360 by MultiHealth Systems. Currently she works internally at HME as the Senior Training and Development Specialist.
Mel’s client work includes Hewlett Packard, General Atomics, BD Biosciences, Takeda, Sharp Healthcare, Red Cross, Make A Wish, San Diego Airport Authority, Clovis Community Hospital, University of California San Diego, Stitch Marketing + Research, NWB Environmental Services, Jewish Family Service, and Episcopal Community Services. She has spoken to and inspired audiences at Pepsi, Illumina, and Patagonia.
Links:
Friday Sep 11, 2020
Friday Sep 11, 2020
Host(s): Brandon Hill and Dustin Fenton
Guest(s): Brett Lyle
Synopsis of the show:
Brett Lyle shares how her calling was confirmed through an interview where she didn't get the job.
Story parts:
[00:01:02] – Power of LinkedIn
[00:02:55] – Bad year to graduate, 2009
[00:03:50] – Life 2.0
[00:05:20] – Sick during interview
[00:06:41] – “You are an Entrepreneur”
[00:07:45] – Seeing something in someone they don’t see in themselves
[00:10:14] – Somebody is reading my label
[00:11:00] – How discover what lights you up
[00:12:10] – Don’t ask “Why not?” Ask “Why Yes?”
[00:13:38] – Brief self-coaching exercise
[00:16:05] – Why a coach
[00:16:54] – Challenge of speaking up
Quotes from the show:
“I light up, grinning ear to ear. No one had ever recognized that in me before” [00:06:48]
“Failure is our biggest opportunity to learn” [00:07:51]
“The greatest distance a person will travel in life is the 14 inches between their heart and their head. - Unknown” [00:15:15]
Guest Biography:
Brett began her coaching career in 2014, with a health and wellness focus, while concurrently serving the Emergency Medical Service industry in business development and public relations roles. Identifying a client need, she launched #BrettLyleCoaching and established personal and professional development programs in 2018. With a more recent focus on career transition and leadership coaching, Brett works alongside business professionals from all industries, coaches, and supports people in setting and executing on defined goals. Most recently, Brett is working with EMS industry consulting firms and publications to support leaders from across the country in their growth and development through her most recent endeavor- creation and production of a healthcare podcast, called #Emergentleadership.
Links:
https://LessonsFromLife4U.com
Brett Lyle on Social Media
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Monday Sep 07, 2020
Synopsis of the show: Our guest this week has a very unique name and a powerful story. Fenway Park shares his process of finding a calling and choosing a major while facing the various struggles of getting a teacher's license.
Story parts:
[00:00:50] – Name story
[00:02:00] – Choosing a major from one’s passion
[00:02:58] – State Tests
[00:03:50] – Philippians 4:6
[00:04:25] – “Teaching is not for you”
[00:05:00] – God doesn’t want me to teach
[00:06:04] – I am still teaching
[00:06:52] – I am not a test taker
[00:08:05] – Two weeks of transformation
[00:09:18] – Barriers in life for a purpose
[00:10:38] – I give hope
[00:11:20] – Advice for others who are lost
[00:12:00] – Questions to ask other – “What is your Journey?”
[00:13:00] – Project that had huge effect on retention rate
[00:13:53] – Tapping into hope
Quotes from the show:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” [00:03:55]
“Leadership” [00:04:30]
“It is a blessing to not be a teaching in a classroom” [00:07:33]
“I was in a leadership role in High School that it made sense” - [00:08:22]
“It is amazing to see how [things] intertwine” - [00:09:58]
“It is amazing how many people on campus can speak into your life” [00:11:38]
“First year experience is really huge on a student retention” [00:13:35]
Guest Biography:
Fenway Park is his real name, but he has never lived in Boston. Fenway is originally from the well-known Amish Community - Shipshewana, IN. Fenway has been in Muncie, IN for the past three years where he works for Erskine Green Training Institute (EGTI), a postsecondary vocational training for adults with disabilities. During Fenway's time at EGTI he has served as a Student Support Specialist and as recruitment and marketing specialist.
During Fenway's free time, he likes to spend time with his camera in hand capturing moments of life around him. Fenway enjoys spending time with his dog, Lucky, and doing DIY projects around the house.
Fenway Park | fpark@egti.org
Links:
Sunday Aug 23, 2020
Sunday Aug 23, 2020
Synopsis of the show: Friends continue to reminisce about an epic backpacking trip, a favorite professor, and an encounter with bears.
Story parts:
[00:01:00] – Remembering a favorite faculty member - Dr Guy Chase
[00:01:25] - Unique painting subject matter
[00:01:54] - Jeff shares the influence that Dr Chase had on his life
[00:04:20] - Matt shares the about the quiet wisdom that Dr Chase was willing to share with others.
[00:06:10] - Dr Chase trips and falls down the trail
[00:07:38] - An adventure with some bears
Quotes from the show:
"I wanted to reconnect with him, and that's when I found out that he had passed away, and it was devastating to find that out." [00:03:47]
"Guy honestly was one of the most boring lecturers, [but on WalkAbout], he rarely spoke unless he actually had something to say, ...and when he did we would all turn around..[to listen].." [00:04:39]
"I don't remember what he said..it was this idea that what he said was poetic" [00:05:28]
"I learned from him in the way that he lived his life." [00:05:48]
“The scariest moment for me was when the bear walked between the tiny space between our tents.” [00.11:52]
Guest Biographies:
Jeff Burt-Gracik: Jeff Burt-Gracik is an entrepreneur and artisan behind J. Alan Pipes and Alan Brothers Supply Co. His flagship brand was founded in 2004, and with innovative design, uncompromising quality, and global partnerships has led it to become one of the world leaders in its industry. Jeff is an alumnus of Greenville College (B.A., 2001) and Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div, 2006) and holds an honorary Master of Pipes (2018) award for his contributions to his industry. He lives with his wife and two children in San Diego, California where he enjoys photography, cycling, cooking, and travel with his family in his free time.
Links:
http://instagram.com/jalanpipes
http://YouTube.com/jalanpipes
http://instagram.com/jeffreyalanphoto
Matt Wright: Matt was born and raised in a small southern Illinois town named Olney, Illinois. He has been married since 2002 to Nikki and has two teenage boys, Mason and Landon. He graduated from Greenville University in 2003 with a degree in Fine Arts. He works as the Head Tennis Professional at the Oak Brook Tennis Center near Chicago. He also works as an artist and teaches calligraphy courses at College of Dupage. Examples of his artwork can be seen on his Instagram @donavonmatthews.
Additional Links:
https://www.lessonsfromlife4u.com/
http://www.Greenville.edu
Friday Aug 14, 2020
Friday Aug 14, 2020
Synopsis of the show: Friends reminisce about an epic backpacking trip
Story parts:
[00:01:40] – What is WalkAbout?
[00:02:50] – Introductions of Matt and Jeff
[00:04:18] – Story 1 – How to interact with strangers
[00:05:54] – Story 2 – Butterfly
[00:07:07] – Story 3 – Houses with old papers
[00:07:48] – Going back in time
[00:08:05] – Story 4 – Solo
[00:09:44] – Anticipation of time and ideals
[00:10:42] – The first day is the longest
[00:11:15] – Fear of the night…and all the bumps in the dark
[00:12:58] – Reflection of Solo
[00:13:32] – Solo Part 2 reflection
Quotes from the show:
“I somehow miss judged or [failed to] realize how long a day actually is when you have to sit in one place and be with yourself” [00:09:21]
“48 hours is a long time” [00:10:04]
“What is the right thing to do, what am I supposed to be doing? I know what they told me to do (practice the discipline of solitude), but I don’t really know how to do that. I think what I discovered is that there isn’t a how; there is a how you do it.” [00:10:47]
“The fear was…that was a battle in itself, especially at night” [00:12:28]
“You should find time to try to be by yourself, force yourself to sit and listen to what you think.” [00:13:12]
Guest Biographies:
Jeff Burt-Gracik: Jeff Burt-Gracik is an entrepreneur and artisan behind J. Alan Pipes and Alan Brothers Supply Co. His flagship brand was founded in 2004, and with innovative design, uncompromising quality, and global partnerships has led it to become one of the world leaders in its industry. Jeff is an alumnus of Greenville College (B.A., 2001) and Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div, 2006) and holds an honorary Master of Pipes (2018) award for his contributions to his industry. He lives with his wife and two children in San Diego, California where he enjoys photography, cycling, cooking, and travel with his family in his free time.
Links:
http://instagram.com/jalanpipes
http://YouTube.com/jalanpipes
http:// instagram.com/jeffreyalanphoto
Matt Wright: Matt was born and raised in a small southern Illinois town named Olney, Illinois. He has been married since 2002 to Nikki and has two teenage boys, Mason and Landon. He graduated from Greenville University in 2003 with a degree in Fine Arts. He works as the Head Tennis Professional at the Oak Brook Tennis Center near Chicago. He also works as an artist and teaches calligraphy courses at College of Dupage. Examples of his artwork can be seen on his Instagram @donavonmatthews.
Additional Links:
https://www.lessonsfromlife4u.com/
http://www.Greenville.edu
Saturday Aug 08, 2020
Saturday Aug 08, 2020
Synopsis of the show: A story of encouragement of overcoming less than perfect circumstances.
Story parts:
[00:00:55] – About Aaron
[00:01:52] – First job search story
[00:02:40] – Lots of pressures
[00:03:20] – Current employer not willing to give a recommendation
[00:04:40] – Applied to the first dozen interviews
[00:05:20] – Graduated in May 2014
[00:06:52] – Got a job offer after 17 first round phone interview, 11 flights, 18 hours of driving, 4 in-person interviews, 203 job applications
[00:07:40] – Finding hope and then being disappointment
[00:08:48] – What kept you going?
[00:10:00] – “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” - Gretzky
[00:11:00] – First Lesson Learned – Don’t watch The Walking Dead
[00:12:28] – “Failure isn’t fatal but a failure to change might be”
[00:14:20] – Relationship lessons
[00:15:45] – Tips for finding jobs
Quotes from the show:
“I wanted to share this story for [those in transition] in the middle of this pandemic, which is creating a lot of uncertainty about the future for a lot of people I thought I would share this story as a story of encouragement and an example of overcoming less than perfect circumstances.” [00:02:03]
“At first I was ready and raring, how hard is this going to be” [00:04:37]
“Most people in my graduating cohort had gotten a job” [00:05:36]
“The thing that kept me going, I didn’t want to disappoint myself, I didn’t want to give up in what I believed in myself.” [00:09:15]
“Your sense of vocation or sense of calling does not equal your job description…It is that thing that you can’t not do” [00:11:28]
“Are you so ambition to leave a legacy that what you are going to leave behind is a legacy of ambition that bulldozes your relationships.” [00:13:54]
“Don’t define your sense of worth in your job…there are other and more important markers” [00:16:05]
Guest Biography:
Aaron Morrison is the Assistant Director for the Institute for Leadership and Service at Valparaiso University, where he designs retreats and alternative spring break experiences that help students discern their sense of vocation and calling. He enjoys mentoring, talking about big questions of what makes life meaningful, and gardening. He can be reached at aaron.morrison@valpo.edu or followed on twitter @saaron_morrison.
Links:
https://www.lessonsfromlife4u.com/
Sunday Jul 26, 2020
Sunday Jul 26, 2020
Lessons from Life Podcast - Episode 16
Host(s): Brandon Hill and Dustin Fenton
Guest(s): Ben Weesies
Synopsis of the show: Guest Ben Weesies shares about a huge mistake that he made at work, and the gracious way in which his boss responded.
Story parts:
[00:01:50] – Busy life with work
[00:02:15] – The Event set up
[00:02:36] – Woke up late!
[00:03:07] - Apology
[00:04:50] – Something different for work
[00:05:10] – The boss’s point of view
[00:06:38] – Importance of Family and empathy for various COVID-19 situations
[00:08:31] – Vulnerability put forth
[00:09:12] – Walking away lighter from the boss
[00:10:18] – Roles Reversed
[00:12:38] – Sometimes we have to find a new role when there are breaking points
[00:14:40] – Have to stop and learn the lessons from our stories
Quotes from the show:
“What we want isn’t necessary the best for us” [00:04:10]
“I was forced into a humble situation” [00:12:01]
“Ask questions of your people in order to care for them” [00:13:21]
“So often we don’t think of outcomes of our experiences” [00:14:10]
Guest Biography:
Ben Weesies lives just outside Indianapolis with his wife and two children. After a 12-year career in the sports/event management industry, he is now Director of Business Operations for a growing personal training business based in the Indianapolis metro area. Ben enjoys opportunities to experience new things with his family, and he especially loves watching his kids compete in their sporting adventures and helping them improve--both at play and in the game of life.
Links:
Sunday Jun 07, 2020
Sunday Jun 07, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 15
Synopsis of the show:
A story of a long journey to marriage and faithfulness.
Story parts:
[00:01:35] – Prayer for a story
[00:02:11] – The guy I am going to marry
[00:03:49] – Dating long distance (6 years)
[00:05:30] – The fleece of a job in Indiana
[00:07:05] – Jason helps me live out God’s plan for my life
[00:07:54] – Mutual investment for life
[00:08:49] – Later Marriage and what that means for me
[00:10:19] – Date outside the bubble
[00:10:51] – How to persevere in times of doubt.
[00:11:54] – The Lord gave us a chapter book
[00:13:15] – Marriage retreat
[00:14:20] – SpringHill Camps
Quotes from the show:
“In the same why he [Jason] pushes me to a certain dream or goal I push him” [00:07:54]
“Enjoy that season of singleness to explore, to learn more about yourself and to really step into that time to figure out who you are” [00:9:57]
“We were able to develop such a great friendship and relationship that has helped us now” [00:12:15]
“We really try to spend time with couples who are older and wiser than us to glean information” [00:12:58]
Guest Biography:
Dr. Dara Berkhalter currently serves as the Chief Development Officer at SpringHill and has spent the past 17 years working in the non-profit and higher education sectors. She’s passionate about helping organizations reach their full potential through their fundraising efforts and encouraging others to live a life of generosity. Dr. Berkhalter has a bachelor’s degree in communications and a Master’s in Business Administration from Taylor University, and holds a Doctorate degree in Higher Education Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Berkhalter has served as the Executive Director of Alumni Relations at Taylor University, and Senior Director of Operations at By The Hand Club for Kids in Chicago, a faith based after school program for students in urban communities. She also currently serves as a visiting professor in the Master of Arts in Higher Education program at Taylor University.
Links:
Friday May 29, 2020
Friday May 29, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 14
Synopsis of the show:
Father and son share about a cool experience that they enjoyed at a surprise Coldplay Concert.
Story parts:
[00:01:23] – Coldplay tickets for a shared birthday
[00:02:32] – First people in and time to explore the concert venue
[00:03:17] – Making connects are important
[00:04:28] – Front Row!!
[00:05:29] – A fun souvenir
[00:06:39] – Strengths tag team
[00:09:02] – Prodding Levi to meet people
[00:11:28] – New perspective on an important relationship
Quotes from the show:
“I need to be patient in everyday living because I may not realize that something bigger coming.” [00:08:36]
“Not everything my dad wants to do is lame” [00:11:38]
Links:
https://www.lessonsfromlife4u.com/
Coldplay – Head Full of Dreams Spotify Playlist
Brandon’s Scrapbook pages of the event: https://mascrapping.com/2018/03/19/2016-coldplay-concert-a-head-full-of-dreams-tour/
Attribution:
The Music used in this episode can be found at https://freesound.org/people/abett/sounds/316704/ and is licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/)
Saturday May 23, 2020
Saturday May 23, 2020
Lessons From Life - Episode 13
Synopsis of the show:
A lesson in compassion by volunteering in Athens Greece to help refugees coming to Europe.
Story parts:
[00:01:18] – Praying for refugees
[00:02:25] – I didn’t know what we were doing
[00:04:06] - Project ELEA first volunteers
[00:05:17] – Initial Fears
[00:07:28] – How to follow God’s will
[00:08:25] – Prayer was the first step
[00:09:52] – Called to be informed and to pray
[00:11:53] – A ‘refugee’ opportunity at home
Quotes from the show:
“It sounded very sketchy in hindsight, but I called him [founder of Project ELEA] and just felt peace with the situation with him” [00:03:58]
“Just see[ing] what God puts in front of us, seeing the man on the road the Samaritan found that was just in front of him. I knew nothing of refugees in the start of my junior year and my friend had me pray, and prayer was the first step” [00:08:08]
“It was a reminder to be informed so I can be compassionate” [00:09:15]
“It is easier [for God] to steer a moving ship” [00:10:19]
“You don’t have to save the world” [0012:42]
Guest Biography: Ryan Smith is a 2017 graduate from Indiana Wesleyan University. He is now in his 4th year of medical school at Indiana University School or Medicine. He hopes to start a combined residency in Medicine-Pediatrics next summer. Outside of school he loves playing Spikeball and cooking with friends.
Links: