Notes on Wisdom W/John Walt Transistor (https://transistor.fm) https://feeds.transistor.fm/notes-on-wisdom-w-john-walt Welcome to Notes on Wisdom with John Walt... I am a husband, father, strategist and adventurer. 17 years ago, I began a search for wisdom that led me to spend thousands of hours with mentors and read 100+ books a year. This journey has transformed how I think and live. Each week I share one of my favorite notes at JohnWalt.com and you can find the audio version here. © 2024 John Walt. A growth strategy advisor. 524e4e7d-bc60-5922-8648-a2c6228c39c6 yes en Tue, 29 Sep 2026 01:43:48 -0500 Tue, 29 Sep 2026 01:44:17 -0500 https://www.johnwalt.com https://img.transistorcdn.com/Jsez40SppiX8rwrEuNHvTOLlX9WN8jz00uyBPMbuq2w/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8wNzg1/OWNiMDE2ZThiYmUz/NWQzYjRiZmJiMWI4/N2NlMC5wbmc.jpg Notes on Wisdom W/John Walt https://www.johnwalt.com episodic John Walt Welcome to Notes on Wisdom with John Walt... I am a husband, father, strategist and adventurer. 17 years ago, I began a search for wisdom that led me to spend thousands of hours with mentors and read 100+ books a year. This journey has transformed how I think and live. Each week I share one of my favorite notes at JohnWalt.com and you can find the audio version here. Welcome to Notes on Wisdom with John Walt... Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. John Walt No No Brian Smith Interview 66 66 Brian Smith Interview full 49aaede4-9b14-46e9-98ea-e0441929febe https://share.transistor.fm/s/48b09ba2 Encountering God in prison

In this interview, I sit down with Brian Smith for a vulnerable conversation about a tragedy, prison, forgiveness, and transformation. Several months ago, I had the privilege of meeting Bryan through a mutual friend. Each time we've been able to talk, I've been deeply impacted by his story and the journey he has been on. In this episode, our discussion centers on how God met Brian in his darkest moment and how that experience of God’s love changed everything. I trust you will be impacted by his story as much I have been. 


JohnWalt.com

]]> Encountering God in prison

In this interview, I sit down with Brian Smith for a vulnerable conversation about a tragedy, prison, forgiveness, and transformation. Several months ago, I had the privilege of meeting Bryan through a mutual friend. Each time we've been able to talk, I've been deeply impacted by his story and the journey he has been on. In this episode, our discussion centers on how God met Brian in his darkest moment and how that experience of God’s love changed everything. I trust you will be impacted by his story as much I have been. 


JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 29 Sep 2026 01:43:48 -0500 John Walt John Walt 2643 Encountering God in prison

In this interview, I sit down with Brian Smith for a vulnerable conversation about a tragedy, prison, forgiveness, and transformation. Several months ago, I had the privilege of meeting Bryan through a mutual friend. Each time we've been able to talk, I've been deeply impacted by his story and the journey he has been on. In this episode, our discussion centers on how God met Brian in his darkest moment and how that experience of God’s love changed everything. I trust you will be impacted by his story as much I have been. 


JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Egoic Narratives - No. 51 65 65 Egoic Narratives - No. 51 full 09d0dd3b-c4d4-4ef0-9069-dd2d9b534b3f https://share.transistor.fm/s/cc38757b Tracy Goss says in her book, The Last Word on Power, that we are meaning-making machines. We ascribe meaning to everything, and it is all driven by our past experiences. What has happened in the past helps us interpret the present and try to predict the future. The problem is that most of the meaning we ascribe to things isn’t real or accurate. As Larry Mills says, “Most of what we think just isn’t so.” 

I have been going through a process of letting go of the meaning that I have ascribed to things in my life. Some of that meaning has shown up as judgment, “I would never want to do that.” But most of it is just incorrect stories that have shaped my thinking and actions. Many of these stories I let die years ago, but there are still others that I have been discovering recently. I am calling these stories we tell ourselves Egoic Narratives because they are stories that we believe because they help us define our sense of self. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tracy Goss says in her book, The Last Word on Power, that we are meaning-making machines. We ascribe meaning to everything, and it is all driven by our past experiences. What has happened in the past helps us interpret the present and try to predict the future. The problem is that most of the meaning we ascribe to things isn’t real or accurate. As Larry Mills says, “Most of what we think just isn’t so.” 

I have been going through a process of letting go of the meaning that I have ascribed to things in my life. Some of that meaning has shown up as judgment, “I would never want to do that.” But most of it is just incorrect stories that have shaped my thinking and actions. Many of these stories I let die years ago, but there are still others that I have been discovering recently. I am calling these stories we tell ourselves Egoic Narratives because they are stories that we believe because they help us define our sense of self. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:44:43 -0500 John Walt John Walt 540 Tracy Goss says in her book, The Last Word on Power, that we are meaning-making machines. We ascribe meaning to everything, and it is all driven by our past experiences. What has happened in the past helps us interpret the present and try to predict the future. The problem is that most of the meaning we ascribe to things isn’t real or accurate. As Larry Mills says, “Most of what we think just isn’t so.” 

I have been going through a process of letting go of the meaning that I have ascribed to things in my life. Some of that meaning has shown up as judgment, “I would never want to do that.” But most of it is just incorrect stories that have shaped my thinking and actions. Many of these stories I let die years ago, but there are still others that I have been discovering recently. I am calling these stories we tell ourselves Egoic Narratives because they are stories that we believe because they help us define our sense of self. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Egoic Treadmill - No. 50 64 64 Egoic Treadmill - No. 50 full f76c6e3c-919a-4689-af9a-bc1c9baf024a https://share.transistor.fm/s/4ea05514 One of my mentors, Larry Mills, says, “There's never enough of anything that almost works.” 

When John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in the world, was asked “How much is enough?” He said, "Just a little bit more.” What is it that leads a man who has everything he could ever want to want a little bit more? Clearly, more money wouldn't have enabled him to buy anything that he couldn't buy. More power wouldn't allow him to influence anything he couldn't already influence. He was already as famous as he could be. So what did Rockefeller have to gain by pursuing more? I think in order to understand the answer to that question, we have to recognize that what he was chasing wasn't really, money, fame or power. I think what he was chasing was himself and a deep unconscious desire for wholeness. If he had felt at peace, would he have still wanted more? If he had felt like he had enough and was enough, would he have lived differently? 

It's easy to use someone like Rockefeller as an example, but what he represents in an extreme way is the same thing we all deal with in life. We believe that more of something is going to satisfy the lack that we feel in our hearts and minds. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> One of my mentors, Larry Mills, says, “There's never enough of anything that almost works.” 

When John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in the world, was asked “How much is enough?” He said, "Just a little bit more.” What is it that leads a man who has everything he could ever want to want a little bit more? Clearly, more money wouldn't have enabled him to buy anything that he couldn't buy. More power wouldn't allow him to influence anything he couldn't already influence. He was already as famous as he could be. So what did Rockefeller have to gain by pursuing more? I think in order to understand the answer to that question, we have to recognize that what he was chasing wasn't really, money, fame or power. I think what he was chasing was himself and a deep unconscious desire for wholeness. If he had felt at peace, would he have still wanted more? If he had felt like he had enough and was enough, would he have lived differently? 

It's easy to use someone like Rockefeller as an example, but what he represents in an extreme way is the same thing we all deal with in life. We believe that more of something is going to satisfy the lack that we feel in our hearts and minds. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 510 One of my mentors, Larry Mills, says, “There's never enough of anything that almost works.” 

When John D. Rockefeller, the richest man in the world, was asked “How much is enough?” He said, "Just a little bit more.” What is it that leads a man who has everything he could ever want to want a little bit more? Clearly, more money wouldn't have enabled him to buy anything that he couldn't buy. More power wouldn't allow him to influence anything he couldn't already influence. He was already as famous as he could be. So what did Rockefeller have to gain by pursuing more? I think in order to understand the answer to that question, we have to recognize that what he was chasing wasn't really, money, fame or power. I think what he was chasing was himself and a deep unconscious desire for wholeness. If he had felt at peace, would he have still wanted more? If he had felt like he had enough and was enough, would he have lived differently? 

It's easy to use someone like Rockefeller as an example, but what he represents in an extreme way is the same thing we all deal with in life. We believe that more of something is going to satisfy the lack that we feel in our hearts and minds. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Guided Prayer - Connection 63 63 Guided Prayer - Connection full 37a5638f-3998-4049-81bf-bbeb7997e28a https://share.transistor.fm/s/5f6cb30a Sometimes we all feel disconnected from God. It’s easy to try and ignore that feeling and just press on to the next thing that demands our attention. Often, days can turn into weeks, months, or even years, and we start to realize we no longer feel the connection to God we long for. This prayer is about being honest with ourselves and God as we ask Him to find us, guide us, and walk with us.

JohnWalt.com

]]> Sometimes we all feel disconnected from God. It’s easy to try and ignore that feeling and just press on to the next thing that demands our attention. Often, days can turn into weeks, months, or even years, and we start to realize we no longer feel the connection to God we long for. This prayer is about being honest with ourselves and God as we ask Him to find us, guide us, and walk with us.

JohnWalt.com

]]> Mon, 07 Sep 2026 14:34:08 -0500 John Walt John Walt 264 Sometimes we all feel disconnected from God. It’s easy to try and ignore that feeling and just press on to the next thing that demands our attention. Often, days can turn into weeks, months, or even years, and we start to realize we no longer feel the connection to God we long for. This prayer is about being honest with ourselves and God as we ask Him to find us, guide us, and walk with us.

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Role of Ego - No. 49 62 62 The Role of Ego - No. 49 full 7cc9ee2e-4c85-4360-a9fb-4c0964580e8b https://share.transistor.fm/s/75429ac9 It is impossible to overestimate the role that ego has played in shaping human history and the world. Think of all the wars and conflicts, from tribal feuds to world wars, so many of them have been sparked and fueled by human ego. Think of the economic challenges in nations around the world throughout history that have been caused and prolonged by ego. Consider all the businesses that have used and abused people in order to serve the ego of their leaders. 

I think the simplest way to think of ego is that it is, “our broken sense of self.” We want to feel like we are extra special, unique, and better than other people. So we compare ourselves, craft narratives about our identity, and live into them. All of humanity’s issues seem to be perpetrated by this simple problem. We don’t know who we are, so out of our insecurity, we try to convince ourselves and others that we are something we aren’t. If my story is that I am better than other people at something, then I will always feel that I have to prove myself. It is in this proving, this jostling for position, that the world's biggest problems have grown. All of it is the simple result of each person protecting themselves and their egoic narratives at the cost of others. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> It is impossible to overestimate the role that ego has played in shaping human history and the world. Think of all the wars and conflicts, from tribal feuds to world wars, so many of them have been sparked and fueled by human ego. Think of the economic challenges in nations around the world throughout history that have been caused and prolonged by ego. Consider all the businesses that have used and abused people in order to serve the ego of their leaders. 

I think the simplest way to think of ego is that it is, “our broken sense of self.” We want to feel like we are extra special, unique, and better than other people. So we compare ourselves, craft narratives about our identity, and live into them. All of humanity’s issues seem to be perpetrated by this simple problem. We don’t know who we are, so out of our insecurity, we try to convince ourselves and others that we are something we aren’t. If my story is that I am better than other people at something, then I will always feel that I have to prove myself. It is in this proving, this jostling for position, that the world's biggest problems have grown. All of it is the simple result of each person protecting themselves and their egoic narratives at the cost of others. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 01 Sep 2026 03:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 613 It is impossible to overestimate the role that ego has played in shaping human history and the world. Think of all the wars and conflicts, from tribal feuds to world wars, so many of them have been sparked and fueled by human ego. Think of the economic challenges in nations around the world throughout history that have been caused and prolonged by ego. Consider all the businesses that have used and abused people in order to serve the ego of their leaders. 

I think the simplest way to think of ego is that it is, “our broken sense of self.” We want to feel like we are extra special, unique, and better than other people. So we compare ourselves, craft narratives about our identity, and live into them. All of humanity’s issues seem to be perpetrated by this simple problem. We don’t know who we are, so out of our insecurity, we try to convince ourselves and others that we are something we aren’t. If my story is that I am better than other people at something, then I will always feel that I have to prove myself. It is in this proving, this jostling for position, that the world's biggest problems have grown. All of it is the simple result of each person protecting themselves and their egoic narratives at the cost of others. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Egoic Structures - No. 48 61 61 Egoic Structures - No. 48 full fa639cd6-3b6a-4284-a9e1-77609efc4a73 https://share.transistor.fm/s/56d08685 “Most of what we think just isn’t so.” - Larry Mills 

There are many things in our culture that are accepted as immovable “realities” that are actually just collectively accepted ideas. More than just being ideas, they are wrong or, at the very least, untrue. We take most of these completely for granted and never think twice about them. That is because we are taught in a million different, often subtle ways that these things are true. I call these culturally accepted false realities Egoic Structures. Most of these false realities our society takes for granted only exist because of human ego. When I use the word “Ego” I am referring to both our over inflated sense of self and our sense of individual identity that comes from how we see ourselves in comparison to others. In this note I will walk you though some examples of ego structures, the role they play in our lives and why it matters that we recognize them. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> “Most of what we think just isn’t so.” - Larry Mills 

There are many things in our culture that are accepted as immovable “realities” that are actually just collectively accepted ideas. More than just being ideas, they are wrong or, at the very least, untrue. We take most of these completely for granted and never think twice about them. That is because we are taught in a million different, often subtle ways that these things are true. I call these culturally accepted false realities Egoic Structures. Most of these false realities our society takes for granted only exist because of human ego. When I use the word “Ego” I am referring to both our over inflated sense of self and our sense of individual identity that comes from how we see ourselves in comparison to others. In this note I will walk you though some examples of ego structures, the role they play in our lives and why it matters that we recognize them. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 25 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 783 “Most of what we think just isn’t so.” - Larry Mills 

There are many things in our culture that are accepted as immovable “realities” that are actually just collectively accepted ideas. More than just being ideas, they are wrong or, at the very least, untrue. We take most of these completely for granted and never think twice about them. That is because we are taught in a million different, often subtle ways that these things are true. I call these culturally accepted false realities Egoic Structures. Most of these false realities our society takes for granted only exist because of human ego. When I use the word “Ego” I am referring to both our over inflated sense of self and our sense of individual identity that comes from how we see ourselves in comparison to others. In this note I will walk you though some examples of ego structures, the role they play in our lives and why it matters that we recognize them. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Scott Friesen Interview 59 59 Scott Friesen Interview full e0bf91cb-d792-49ce-8d58-349f2a2c5e7f https://share.transistor.fm/s/a3cbf1b9 In this episode, I have the privilege of interviewing Scott Friesen, the Co-Founder and CEO of Verdant Frontiers. He is a serial entrepreneur who successfully built and exited three companies in the U.S. before taking on the biggest challenge of his career. 

Scott started Verdant Frontiers in 2013 after visiting Ethiopia and seeing that family poverty and unemployment forced some parents to give their children to orphanages. He realized that building profitable businesses in places with real natural resources could create work, dignity, and long-term change. Scott became convinced that the real problem in many rural African communities was the lack of businesses that could create steady jobs. In the interview, he says the goal was to build businesses that could connect local labor and local resources to the global economy. This eventually led to companies in agriculture, real estate, and technology.

The part of this interview that impacted me the most was how Scott talks about feeling and receiving God’s love for him and how that changed everything. The background noise that said he wasn’t enough, the insecurities, and the search for identity through success all stopped when he felt God’s love. Scott has a powerful story. I hope you get as much out of this conversation as I did. 


Check out Verdant Frontiers at: verdantfrontiers.com

]]> In this episode, I have the privilege of interviewing Scott Friesen, the Co-Founder and CEO of Verdant Frontiers. He is a serial entrepreneur who successfully built and exited three companies in the U.S. before taking on the biggest challenge of his career. 

Scott started Verdant Frontiers in 2013 after visiting Ethiopia and seeing that family poverty and unemployment forced some parents to give their children to orphanages. He realized that building profitable businesses in places with real natural resources could create work, dignity, and long-term change. Scott became convinced that the real problem in many rural African communities was the lack of businesses that could create steady jobs. In the interview, he says the goal was to build businesses that could connect local labor and local resources to the global economy. This eventually led to companies in agriculture, real estate, and technology.

The part of this interview that impacted me the most was how Scott talks about feeling and receiving God’s love for him and how that changed everything. The background noise that said he wasn’t enough, the insecurities, and the search for identity through success all stopped when he felt God’s love. Scott has a powerful story. I hope you get as much out of this conversation as I did. 


Check out Verdant Frontiers at: verdantfrontiers.com

]]> Tue, 18 Aug 2026 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 4045 In this episode, I have the privilege of interviewing Scott Friesen, the Co-Founder and CEO of Verdant Frontiers. He is a serial entrepreneur who successfully built and exited three companies in the U.S. before taking on the biggest challenge of his career. 

Scott started Verdant Frontiers in 2013 after visiting Ethiopia and seeing that family poverty and unemployment forced some parents to give their children to orphanages. He realized that building profitable businesses in places with real natural resources could create work, dignity, and long-term change. Scott became convinced that the real problem in many rural African communities was the lack of businesses that could create steady jobs. In the interview, he says the goal was to build businesses that could connect local labor and local resources to the global economy. This eventually led to companies in agriculture, real estate, and technology.

The part of this interview that impacted me the most was how Scott talks about feeling and receiving God’s love for him and how that changed everything. The background noise that said he wasn’t enough, the insecurities, and the search for identity through success all stopped when he felt God’s love. Scott has a powerful story. I hope you get as much out of this conversation as I did. 


Check out Verdant Frontiers at: verdantfrontiers.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Radical Humility - No. 47 60 60 Radical Humility - No. 47 full 398ca583-ca4b-4e43-bf33-9cb8facf6cc7 https://share.transistor.fm/s/93bedcd2 What is on the other side of ego death? I believe it is radical humility. So what is radical humility, and what makes it different from normal humility?

There are lots of people our culture would call humble who have not gone through an ego death. There is a level of social humility that has become the norm. When someone is successful but doesn’t brag a lot or draw too much attention to themselves, we call them humble. The issue is that much of the time, these people are not truly humble; they are socially humble. Their behavior aligns with a culturally expected level of humility. I have met many people who are called humble by friends and colleagues, but when you spend time with them, it becomes clear they have quite a big ego hidden under layers of social humility. When you offend these people or let them down, they won’t often be mean to you, but they will write you off or begin to ignore you.

I have been written off a number of times, and I am sure you have, too. It really doesn’t feel good; it's like someone has decided that you are no longer worthy of their time. That is, unfortunately, a sign of a significant hidden ego. I want to be clear, I am not saying any of this to bash egotistical people, I am communicating this to draw attention and awareness to the reality that what we call humility is more a social posture than it is a reflection of a true heart condition. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> What is on the other side of ego death? I believe it is radical humility. So what is radical humility, and what makes it different from normal humility?

There are lots of people our culture would call humble who have not gone through an ego death. There is a level of social humility that has become the norm. When someone is successful but doesn’t brag a lot or draw too much attention to themselves, we call them humble. The issue is that much of the time, these people are not truly humble; they are socially humble. Their behavior aligns with a culturally expected level of humility. I have met many people who are called humble by friends and colleagues, but when you spend time with them, it becomes clear they have quite a big ego hidden under layers of social humility. When you offend these people or let them down, they won’t often be mean to you, but they will write you off or begin to ignore you.

I have been written off a number of times, and I am sure you have, too. It really doesn’t feel good; it's like someone has decided that you are no longer worthy of their time. That is, unfortunately, a sign of a significant hidden ego. I want to be clear, I am not saying any of this to bash egotistical people, I am communicating this to draw attention and awareness to the reality that what we call humility is more a social posture than it is a reflection of a true heart condition. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 11 Aug 2026 15:22:26 -0500 John Walt John Walt 644 What is on the other side of ego death? I believe it is radical humility. So what is radical humility, and what makes it different from normal humility?

There are lots of people our culture would call humble who have not gone through an ego death. There is a level of social humility that has become the norm. When someone is successful but doesn’t brag a lot or draw too much attention to themselves, we call them humble. The issue is that much of the time, these people are not truly humble; they are socially humble. Their behavior aligns with a culturally expected level of humility. I have met many people who are called humble by friends and colleagues, but when you spend time with them, it becomes clear they have quite a big ego hidden under layers of social humility. When you offend these people or let them down, they won’t often be mean to you, but they will write you off or begin to ignore you.

I have been written off a number of times, and I am sure you have, too. It really doesn’t feel good; it's like someone has decided that you are no longer worthy of their time. That is, unfortunately, a sign of a significant hidden ego. I want to be clear, I am not saying any of this to bash egotistical people, I am communicating this to draw attention and awareness to the reality that what we call humility is more a social posture than it is a reflection of a true heart condition. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No First Things and Second Things - No. 46 58 58 First Things and Second Things - No. 46 full e634479b-a2c9-40c1-8272-4601a6ddc87c https://share.transistor.fm/s/b706ee84 A concept that I have run into many times in surprisingly different works of wisdom is the idea that there are first things and second things. In its simplest form, it means that some things must happen first and are of greater importance than other things. C.S. Lewis is the only person I have read who uses the phrase “first things and second things,” but similar concepts are present in many different writings and wisdom traditions.

This kind of thinking seems to have originated in Greek Philosophy, but in many ways, it is all over the Old Testament. Aristotle said in Nicomachean Ethics that some ends are subordinate to others. We see the concept show up again in Augustine’s writing on rightly ordered love. He said that a good life requires loving things in the right order, with God as the highest good, and that moral disorder comes from loving lesser goods more than greater ones. Bonhoeffer talks about this again in a different way in his writing on the ultimate and the penultimate. Over and over again, we see great thinkers and spiritual leaders bringing us back to this idea that there are some things that are of a higher importance or order than other things. Even though their perspective differed, the recognition that there is an important order of things shows up in both Western and Eastern thought traditions. You might be saying right now, of course, some things are first, and others are second, but just because we recognize the validity of the concept does not mean it properly shapes how we think and live. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> A concept that I have run into many times in surprisingly different works of wisdom is the idea that there are first things and second things. In its simplest form, it means that some things must happen first and are of greater importance than other things. C.S. Lewis is the only person I have read who uses the phrase “first things and second things,” but similar concepts are present in many different writings and wisdom traditions.

This kind of thinking seems to have originated in Greek Philosophy, but in many ways, it is all over the Old Testament. Aristotle said in Nicomachean Ethics that some ends are subordinate to others. We see the concept show up again in Augustine’s writing on rightly ordered love. He said that a good life requires loving things in the right order, with God as the highest good, and that moral disorder comes from loving lesser goods more than greater ones. Bonhoeffer talks about this again in a different way in his writing on the ultimate and the penultimate. Over and over again, we see great thinkers and spiritual leaders bringing us back to this idea that there are some things that are of a higher importance or order than other things. Even though their perspective differed, the recognition that there is an important order of things shows up in both Western and Eastern thought traditions. You might be saying right now, of course, some things are first, and others are second, but just because we recognize the validity of the concept does not mean it properly shapes how we think and live. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Sat, 08 Aug 2026 10:18:04 -0500 John Walt John Walt 731 A concept that I have run into many times in surprisingly different works of wisdom is the idea that there are first things and second things. In its simplest form, it means that some things must happen first and are of greater importance than other things. C.S. Lewis is the only person I have read who uses the phrase “first things and second things,” but similar concepts are present in many different writings and wisdom traditions.

This kind of thinking seems to have originated in Greek Philosophy, but in many ways, it is all over the Old Testament. Aristotle said in Nicomachean Ethics that some ends are subordinate to others. We see the concept show up again in Augustine’s writing on rightly ordered love. He said that a good life requires loving things in the right order, with God as the highest good, and that moral disorder comes from loving lesser goods more than greater ones. Bonhoeffer talks about this again in a different way in his writing on the ultimate and the penultimate. Over and over again, we see great thinkers and spiritual leaders bringing us back to this idea that there are some things that are of a higher importance or order than other things. Even though their perspective differed, the recognition that there is an important order of things shows up in both Western and Eastern thought traditions. You might be saying right now, of course, some things are first, and others are second, but just because we recognize the validity of the concept does not mean it properly shapes how we think and live. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Six Forgotten Truths - No. 45 57 57 Six Forgotten Truths - No. 45 full dd970dd7-a88a-4995-bba4-a8095c713c8d https://share.transistor.fm/s/2c97e050 Western Christian Culture has forgotten hard but essential truths that were once foundational to the Gospel. We teach on these topics sometimes and read about them in biblical commentary, but we have often culturally forgotten to practice them. If we remove these truths from the teachings of Jesus, then it is no longer what He taught. 
JohnWalt.com

]]> Western Christian Culture has forgotten hard but essential truths that were once foundational to the Gospel. We teach on these topics sometimes and read about them in biblical commentary, but we have often culturally forgotten to practice them. If we remove these truths from the teachings of Jesus, then it is no longer what He taught. 
JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 14 Jul 2026 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 539 Western Christian Culture has forgotten hard but essential truths that were once foundational to the Gospel. We teach on these topics sometimes and read about them in biblical commentary, but we have often culturally forgotten to practice them. If we remove these truths from the teachings of Jesus, then it is no longer what He taught. 
JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The World’s Problems - No. 44 56 56 The World’s Problems - No. 44 full 856e64a2-a463-44cf-ae79-96792ad3c18c https://share.transistor.fm/s/4f85b369 There is only one way the world will experience restoration. 

We love Justice because we were made for it. We empathize with others because God gave us a heart. Our love of Justice and our ability to empathize with other people drive us to want to be the solution to the problems in the world around us. Our highest calling in life is to participate with God and his restoration work, so it's very good that we desire to help others and alleviate suffering. But we have a fundamental misunderstanding of God's restoration work.

JohnWalt.com

]]> There is only one way the world will experience restoration. 

We love Justice because we were made for it. We empathize with others because God gave us a heart. Our love of Justice and our ability to empathize with other people drive us to want to be the solution to the problems in the world around us. Our highest calling in life is to participate with God and his restoration work, so it's very good that we desire to help others and alleviate suffering. But we have a fundamental misunderstanding of God's restoration work.

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 07 Jul 2026 02:53:15 -0500 John Walt John Walt 486 There is only one way the world will experience restoration. 

We love Justice because we were made for it. We empathize with others because God gave us a heart. Our love of Justice and our ability to empathize with other people drive us to want to be the solution to the problems in the world around us. Our highest calling in life is to participate with God and his restoration work, so it's very good that we desire to help others and alleviate suffering. But we have a fundamental misunderstanding of God's restoration work.

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Crush Ego - No. 43 55 55 Crush Ego - No. 43 full 3348f19f-b824-4601-b8d4-e377b94db133 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1eb01434 Several months ago, my nine-year-old son told me, “we should make a hat that says crush ego on it, because that's what your book is about.” I was shocked. He’s nine years old, he hasn't even read the book, and yet he somehow got to the heart of the message. Ever since then, we started using this phrase as a family, and kicked around the idea of making hats and t-shirts. This has become a sort of tagline for the work our family is doing. At the heart of the message of all the world’s wisdom traditions is the understanding that the journey of every person is to overcome themself. That's what initiation was all about, helping a young man understand that his life was not about himself. That's what religion is all about, trying to help mankind transcend himself and escape the prison of his own self-obsession.

JohnWalt.com

]]> Several months ago, my nine-year-old son told me, “we should make a hat that says crush ego on it, because that's what your book is about.” I was shocked. He’s nine years old, he hasn't even read the book, and yet he somehow got to the heart of the message. Ever since then, we started using this phrase as a family, and kicked around the idea of making hats and t-shirts. This has become a sort of tagline for the work our family is doing. At the heart of the message of all the world’s wisdom traditions is the understanding that the journey of every person is to overcome themself. That's what initiation was all about, helping a young man understand that his life was not about himself. That's what religion is all about, trying to help mankind transcend himself and escape the prison of his own self-obsession.

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2026 15:24:41 -0500 John Walt John Walt 712 Several months ago, my nine-year-old son told me, “we should make a hat that says crush ego on it, because that's what your book is about.” I was shocked. He’s nine years old, he hasn't even read the book, and yet he somehow got to the heart of the message. Ever since then, we started using this phrase as a family, and kicked around the idea of making hats and t-shirts. This has become a sort of tagline for the work our family is doing. At the heart of the message of all the world’s wisdom traditions is the understanding that the journey of every person is to overcome themself. That's what initiation was all about, helping a young man understand that his life was not about himself. That's what religion is all about, trying to help mankind transcend himself and escape the prison of his own self-obsession.

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Questions Guide the Journey - No. 42 54 54 Questions Guide the Journey - No. 42 full 345f531f-1697-4dc3-841a-0af96cb4a839 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e7d3f689 So much of the time, we overcomplicate our spiritual journey. We obsess over theology, or practices, or which faith community to invest our time in, what prayers to pray, or even which devotionals and books to read. This comes from a well-intentioned heart; we want to make sure we are doing it “right.” I think the spiritual life isn’t centered around or driven by any of these things. They can help, but it’s a relationship journey, not a program. The core of our journey is first and foremost about connection with God and letting Him lead us where He wants to take us. 

Johnwalt.com

]]> So much of the time, we overcomplicate our spiritual journey. We obsess over theology, or practices, or which faith community to invest our time in, what prayers to pray, or even which devotionals and books to read. This comes from a well-intentioned heart; we want to make sure we are doing it “right.” I think the spiritual life isn’t centered around or driven by any of these things. They can help, but it’s a relationship journey, not a program. The core of our journey is first and foremost about connection with God and letting Him lead us where He wants to take us. 

Johnwalt.com

]]> Tue, 02 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 668 So much of the time, we overcomplicate our spiritual journey. We obsess over theology, or practices, or which faith community to invest our time in, what prayers to pray, or even which devotionals and books to read. This comes from a well-intentioned heart; we want to make sure we are doing it “right.” I think the spiritual life isn’t centered around or driven by any of these things. They can help, but it’s a relationship journey, not a program. The core of our journey is first and foremost about connection with God and letting Him lead us where He wants to take us. 

Johnwalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Josh LeRoy Interview 53 53 Josh LeRoy Interview full e02f9e24-e583-4da9-b474-11d45a8e4c26 https://share.transistor.fm/s/d4ef72e2 Josh LeRoy is the author of Deeper Than Your Pain, a short book about his healing journey through depression. He is the lead pastor of Emmaus Church in Greensboro, NC, and a former prison Chaplain for 10 years. When I was given his book and told it was about depression, I honestly didn’t think I would get much out of it, but I was wrong. The wisdom he shares is applicable to all of our healing journeys. In this interview, Josh shares his story and how God used contemplative prayer to help him find freedom from depression and anxiety. Josh has so much to share. I hope this conversation blesses and challenges you.

Emmaus-church.com
Book link: Deeper Than Your Pain

]]> Josh LeRoy is the author of Deeper Than Your Pain, a short book about his healing journey through depression. He is the lead pastor of Emmaus Church in Greensboro, NC, and a former prison Chaplain for 10 years. When I was given his book and told it was about depression, I honestly didn’t think I would get much out of it, but I was wrong. The wisdom he shares is applicable to all of our healing journeys. In this interview, Josh shares his story and how God used contemplative prayer to help him find freedom from depression and anxiety. Josh has so much to share. I hope this conversation blesses and challenges you.

Emmaus-church.com
Book link: Deeper Than Your Pain

]]> Tue, 19 May 2026 08:28:38 -0500 John Walt John Walt 6515 Josh LeRoy is the author of Deeper Than Your Pain, a short book about his healing journey through depression. He is the lead pastor of Emmaus Church in Greensboro, NC, and a former prison Chaplain for 10 years. When I was given his book and told it was about depression, I honestly didn’t think I would get much out of it, but I was wrong. The wisdom he shares is applicable to all of our healing journeys. In this interview, Josh shares his story and how God used contemplative prayer to help him find freedom from depression and anxiety. Josh has so much to share. I hope this conversation blesses and challenges you.

Emmaus-church.com
Book link: Deeper Than Your Pain

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Burning Hearts - No. 41 52 52 Burning Hearts - No. 41 full 8e8ace62-3b84-44d7-86b5-5b31fa52b1f7 https://share.transistor.fm/s/9caf0218 I have been thinking about one sentence a lot lately. I believe that it holds a key to understanding how we each should expect to feel in response to Jesus. I would like to share it with you and invite you to join me in pondering these powerful words. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> I have been thinking about one sentence a lot lately. I believe that it holds a key to understanding how we each should expect to feel in response to Jesus. I would like to share it with you and invite you to join me in pondering these powerful words. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 12 May 2026 10:43:45 -0500 John Walt John Walt 481 I have been thinking about one sentence a lot lately. I believe that it holds a key to understanding how we each should expect to feel in response to Jesus. I would like to share it with you and invite you to join me in pondering these powerful words. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Self-Transcendence Conversation 51 51 Self-Transcendence Conversation full 83463c83-fcea-483f-8b4e-29bb0f0a1472 https://share.transistor.fm/s/0b0eb385 Heather and John Walt discuss self-transcendence and how we can make it a practical in daily life. 

Heather and I have been having deep conversations since we met. So much of our daily life is filled with discussions about transformation, God’s leading, discipleship, and what we are learning from the books we are reading. This is the first time I get to share one of those conversations with you. Heather loves to make complex things simple and applicable for daily life. She often asks in the middle of a philosophical conversation, “How do we teach this to our kids?” She invites me out of the theoretical and into the applicable. 

When we met, I didn’t care much about being a father someday; I saw it as something that could steal from the adventurous life I wanted to live. Now raising and shaping our kids is the most important part of my life. As my wife and friend, Heather has lovingly walked with me as I have journeyed out of my own self-obsession and more and more into who I am created to be. She is one of the most impactful mentors I have had, and I am thrilled to share this conversation with you. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Heather and John Walt discuss self-transcendence and how we can make it a practical in daily life. 

Heather and I have been having deep conversations since we met. So much of our daily life is filled with discussions about transformation, God’s leading, discipleship, and what we are learning from the books we are reading. This is the first time I get to share one of those conversations with you. Heather loves to make complex things simple and applicable for daily life. She often asks in the middle of a philosophical conversation, “How do we teach this to our kids?” She invites me out of the theoretical and into the applicable. 

When we met, I didn’t care much about being a father someday; I saw it as something that could steal from the adventurous life I wanted to live. Now raising and shaping our kids is the most important part of my life. As my wife and friend, Heather has lovingly walked with me as I have journeyed out of my own self-obsession and more and more into who I am created to be. She is one of the most impactful mentors I have had, and I am thrilled to share this conversation with you. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 05 May 2026 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 1880 Heather and John Walt discuss self-transcendence and how we can make it a practical in daily life. 

Heather and I have been having deep conversations since we met. So much of our daily life is filled with discussions about transformation, God’s leading, discipleship, and what we are learning from the books we are reading. This is the first time I get to share one of those conversations with you. Heather loves to make complex things simple and applicable for daily life. She often asks in the middle of a philosophical conversation, “How do we teach this to our kids?” She invites me out of the theoretical and into the applicable. 

When we met, I didn’t care much about being a father someday; I saw it as something that could steal from the adventurous life I wanted to live. Now raising and shaping our kids is the most important part of my life. As my wife and friend, Heather has lovingly walked with me as I have journeyed out of my own self-obsession and more and more into who I am created to be. She is one of the most impactful mentors I have had, and I am thrilled to share this conversation with you. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Every Man's Journey Discussion 50 50 Every Man's Journey Discussion full 3b2661bf-0fc1-4a99-95ce-db13f9a84b41 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1901aa61 I recently sat down to record a conversation with my brother-in-law, Greg Spencer, about my book, Every Man's Journey. Usually, I am interviewing other people, so this was a fun opportunity to turn the mics around and answer questions about the book. Greg was the first person to encourage me to start sharing my writing, so it was an honor to look back on the culmination of that work so far. Whether you have read the book or not, I think you will really appreciate this conversation.
Johnwalt.com

]]> I recently sat down to record a conversation with my brother-in-law, Greg Spencer, about my book, Every Man's Journey. Usually, I am interviewing other people, so this was a fun opportunity to turn the mics around and answer questions about the book. Greg was the first person to encourage me to start sharing my writing, so it was an honor to look back on the culmination of that work so far. Whether you have read the book or not, I think you will really appreciate this conversation.
Johnwalt.com

]]> Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:26:56 -0500 John Walt John Walt 3587 I recently sat down to record a conversation with my brother-in-law, Greg Spencer, about my book, Every Man's Journey. Usually, I am interviewing other people, so this was a fun opportunity to turn the mics around and answer questions about the book. Greg was the first person to encourage me to start sharing my writing, so it was an honor to look back on the culmination of that work so far. Whether you have read the book or not, I think you will really appreciate this conversation.
Johnwalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Ken Churchill Interview 49 49 Ken Churchill Interview full f77f5f8b-578b-4a85-aaee-70e9194b3437 https://share.transistor.fm/s/d01df33e I met Ken Churchill three years ago in San Diego. I was taken with how he thinks and the projects he is working on. After 30 years at Morgan Stanley in Silicon Valley, Ken now works on innovating pathways to societal health. In this interview, he shares his story and the projects he is working on, including healthcare ethics, preventing mass murder, and addressing forgiveness as a public health good. Ken shares some incredible nuggets of wisdom from summarizing the history of philosophical thought and defining truth, to strategic thinking and innovation. 

a2bventures.org

The Healing Habit Podcast

The Hippocratic Society

]]> I met Ken Churchill three years ago in San Diego. I was taken with how he thinks and the projects he is working on. After 30 years at Morgan Stanley in Silicon Valley, Ken now works on innovating pathways to societal health. In this interview, he shares his story and the projects he is working on, including healthcare ethics, preventing mass murder, and addressing forgiveness as a public health good. Ken shares some incredible nuggets of wisdom from summarizing the history of philosophical thought and defining truth, to strategic thinking and innovation. 

a2bventures.org

The Healing Habit Podcast

The Hippocratic Society

]]> Tue, 07 Apr 2026 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 4933 I met Ken Churchill three years ago in San Diego. I was taken with how he thinks and the projects he is working on. After 30 years at Morgan Stanley in Silicon Valley, Ken now works on innovating pathways to societal health. In this interview, he shares his story and the projects he is working on, including healthcare ethics, preventing mass murder, and addressing forgiveness as a public health good. Ken shares some incredible nuggets of wisdom from summarizing the history of philosophical thought and defining truth, to strategic thinking and innovation. 

a2bventures.org

The Healing Habit Podcast

The Hippocratic Society

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Depths of Wisdom - No. 40 48 48 Depths of Wisdom - No. 40 full 2cd84f07-13d7-4a90-a7bf-ff16d8a3e48f https://share.transistor.fm/s/5d004074 The more I have been blessed to spend time with people of wisdom, the more I see how they consistently return to seemingly simple truths. Many things in our world we view as linear progressions; we start with less, and we work towards more. The more you learn, the more you know. The more you make, the more you have. It is inherent to assume that people of wisdom have lots of it, that’s true, but it’s the wrong way to look at wisdom. Wisdom isn’t something you amass or even acquire; it is something you discover, and then it becomes a part of you. 

It has become clear to me that most people have the wrong perspective on what wisdom is. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> The more I have been blessed to spend time with people of wisdom, the more I see how they consistently return to seemingly simple truths. Many things in our world we view as linear progressions; we start with less, and we work towards more. The more you learn, the more you know. The more you make, the more you have. It is inherent to assume that people of wisdom have lots of it, that’s true, but it’s the wrong way to look at wisdom. Wisdom isn’t something you amass or even acquire; it is something you discover, and then it becomes a part of you. 

It has become clear to me that most people have the wrong perspective on what wisdom is. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:46:18 -0500 John Walt John Walt 742 The more I have been blessed to spend time with people of wisdom, the more I see how they consistently return to seemingly simple truths. Many things in our world we view as linear progressions; we start with less, and we work towards more. The more you learn, the more you know. The more you make, the more you have. It is inherent to assume that people of wisdom have lots of it, that’s true, but it’s the wrong way to look at wisdom. Wisdom isn’t something you amass or even acquire; it is something you discover, and then it becomes a part of you. 

It has become clear to me that most people have the wrong perspective on what wisdom is. 

JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Every Man's Journey - Chapter 2 47 47 Every Man's Journey - Chapter 2 full 2df0f6bc-5971-43d9-97ea-9341a8e0753d https://share.transistor.fm/s/ab7e9148 This episode is the second chapter of the audiobook for Every Man's Journey, which is currently in production. The print version of the book is now available on Amazon (Here is the link). Chapter 2 is titled "The Monomyth," it explores the connection between the greatest stories of all time and the journey every man was born to walk in life. There is a deeper story hidden in our favorite myths, books, and movies. it turns out that this timeless story mirrors the same journey that rites of passage and initiation have been pointing to throughout human history. If you would like to request early access to the audiobook, please send me an email. 

]]> This episode is the second chapter of the audiobook for Every Man's Journey, which is currently in production. The print version of the book is now available on Amazon (Here is the link). Chapter 2 is titled "The Monomyth," it explores the connection between the greatest stories of all time and the journey every man was born to walk in life. There is a deeper story hidden in our favorite myths, books, and movies. it turns out that this timeless story mirrors the same journey that rites of passage and initiation have been pointing to throughout human history. If you would like to request early access to the audiobook, please send me an email. 

]]> Tue, 17 Mar 2026 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 975 This episode is the second chapter of the audiobook for Every Man's Journey, which is currently in production. The print version of the book is now available on Amazon (Here is the link). Chapter 2 is titled "The Monomyth," it explores the connection between the greatest stories of all time and the journey every man was born to walk in life. There is a deeper story hidden in our favorite myths, books, and movies. it turns out that this timeless story mirrors the same journey that rites of passage and initiation have been pointing to throughout human history. If you would like to request early access to the audiobook, please send me an email. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Scalessness - No. 39 46 46 Scalessness - No. 39 full 2ebfdc83-4cf1-481d-8259-13569408bcf6 https://share.transistor.fm/s/4c49331c One of the effects of industrialization and globalization has been a cultural obsession with scale. We can sell a product to millions of people on multiple continents and in many different countries. A message can be shared simultaneously with people around the world. Now, through technology, every person has the potential to take something to scale. From startups to manufacturing, packaged goods, media, influencers, and content producers, the goal in most industries is to reach as many people as possible. The key to success has increasingly become scale. Every part of our brave new world is an ongoing experiment with scaling anything and everything in the name of success. When we distill most current cultural measures of success down to their most fundamental level, we find two metrics driving everything: how many and how much. This has created a big problem for us all. We weren’t made for scale. 

]]> One of the effects of industrialization and globalization has been a cultural obsession with scale. We can sell a product to millions of people on multiple continents and in many different countries. A message can be shared simultaneously with people around the world. Now, through technology, every person has the potential to take something to scale. From startups to manufacturing, packaged goods, media, influencers, and content producers, the goal in most industries is to reach as many people as possible. The key to success has increasingly become scale. Every part of our brave new world is an ongoing experiment with scaling anything and everything in the name of success. When we distill most current cultural measures of success down to their most fundamental level, we find two metrics driving everything: how many and how much. This has created a big problem for us all. We weren’t made for scale. 

]]> Tue, 03 Mar 2026 16:44:37 -0600 John Walt John Walt 526 One of the effects of industrialization and globalization has been a cultural obsession with scale. We can sell a product to millions of people on multiple continents and in many different countries. A message can be shared simultaneously with people around the world. Now, through technology, every person has the potential to take something to scale. From startups to manufacturing, packaged goods, media, influencers, and content producers, the goal in most industries is to reach as many people as possible. The key to success has increasingly become scale. Every part of our brave new world is an ongoing experiment with scaling anything and everything in the name of success. When we distill most current cultural measures of success down to their most fundamental level, we find two metrics driving everything: how many and how much. This has created a big problem for us all. We weren’t made for scale. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Prayers of Praise and Abiding 45 45 Prayers of Praise and Abiding full af462cec-7dd4-4743-a23c-4fda16954f53 https://share.transistor.fm/s/d5ca7e30 These prayers are inspired by some of A.W. Tozer’s prayers in his book Knowledge of the Holy. Please join me in praying these powerful prayers as we seek God’s face together.

]]> These prayers are inspired by some of A.W. Tozer’s prayers in his book Knowledge of the Holy. Please join me in praying these powerful prayers as we seek God’s face together.

]]> Tue, 24 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600 John Walt John Walt 267 These prayers are inspired by some of A.W. Tozer’s prayers in his book Knowledge of the Holy. Please join me in praying these powerful prayers as we seek God’s face together.

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Person of Jesus - No. 38 44 44 The Person of Jesus - No. 38 full 69e670a1-ffd8-41b1-b3ef-94d145dfecc2 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8e80d731 Recently, I have been studying Bonhoeffer and reading more of his work. I have been struck by the way Bonhoeffer observed Jesus and His Gospel being removed from the Nazi German church. During this same time in America, the humanist movement did the same thing. Two very different situations in almost every way, but both are removing Jesus and the Gospel from Christianity. At first pass, it seems impossible, but upon deeper inspection, what we see is a pattern that repeats itself over and over throughout history...

]]> Recently, I have been studying Bonhoeffer and reading more of his work. I have been struck by the way Bonhoeffer observed Jesus and His Gospel being removed from the Nazi German church. During this same time in America, the humanist movement did the same thing. Two very different situations in almost every way, but both are removing Jesus and the Gospel from Christianity. At first pass, it seems impossible, but upon deeper inspection, what we see is a pattern that repeats itself over and over throughout history...

]]> Tue, 10 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600 John Walt John Walt 711 Recently, I have been studying Bonhoeffer and reading more of his work. I have been struck by the way Bonhoeffer observed Jesus and His Gospel being removed from the Nazi German church. During this same time in America, the humanist movement did the same thing. Two very different situations in almost every way, but both are removing Jesus and the Gospel from Christianity. At first pass, it seems impossible, but upon deeper inspection, what we see is a pattern that repeats itself over and over throughout history...

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Story as a Weapon - No. 37 43 43 Story as a Weapon - No. 37 full cb1dcb8b-3c5c-4a38-b4e5-e55623ba4a2b https://share.transistor.fm/s/54d685c0 It is impossible to underestimate the role that storytelling has played in shaping communities, cultures, and civilizations throughout history. Before we had written languages, ancestral tribes relied on oral traditions, built around stories that passed down their collective wisdom and history. Our minds are created to learn through story, not just the passing along of information. Some people can become very good at remembering information, but simply transferring knowledge doesn't lead people to discovery. It's through discovery that we really learn. Story gives meaning to information and allows us to internalize truth and wisdom in a way that is impossible in a textbook. Stories stick with us and allow us to remember things that we would likely never remember if they weren't shared within a larger story. There's a reason that Jesus taught using parables. Great teachers throughout all of history have relied on story as the primary tool for guiding and instilling wisdom in the people they lead.

Something tragic has happened to story in the modern world. It has become a commodity to be used and manipulated for profit. Story is no longer the domain of the wiseman; it has become entertainment.

]]> It is impossible to underestimate the role that storytelling has played in shaping communities, cultures, and civilizations throughout history. Before we had written languages, ancestral tribes relied on oral traditions, built around stories that passed down their collective wisdom and history. Our minds are created to learn through story, not just the passing along of information. Some people can become very good at remembering information, but simply transferring knowledge doesn't lead people to discovery. It's through discovery that we really learn. Story gives meaning to information and allows us to internalize truth and wisdom in a way that is impossible in a textbook. Stories stick with us and allow us to remember things that we would likely never remember if they weren't shared within a larger story. There's a reason that Jesus taught using parables. Great teachers throughout all of history have relied on story as the primary tool for guiding and instilling wisdom in the people they lead.

Something tragic has happened to story in the modern world. It has become a commodity to be used and manipulated for profit. Story is no longer the domain of the wiseman; it has become entertainment.

]]> Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0600 John Walt John Walt 547 It is impossible to underestimate the role that storytelling has played in shaping communities, cultures, and civilizations throughout history. Before we had written languages, ancestral tribes relied on oral traditions, built around stories that passed down their collective wisdom and history. Our minds are created to learn through story, not just the passing along of information. Some people can become very good at remembering information, but simply transferring knowledge doesn't lead people to discovery. It's through discovery that we really learn. Story gives meaning to information and allows us to internalize truth and wisdom in a way that is impossible in a textbook. Stories stick with us and allow us to remember things that we would likely never remember if they weren't shared within a larger story. There's a reason that Jesus taught using parables. Great teachers throughout all of history have relied on story as the primary tool for guiding and instilling wisdom in the people they lead.

Something tragic has happened to story in the modern world. It has become a commodity to be used and manipulated for profit. Story is no longer the domain of the wiseman; it has become entertainment.

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Eric Swithin Interview 42 42 Eric Swithin Interview full 0518e9d5-873b-4cdd-815a-c4f8f3618a70 https://share.transistor.fm/s/0d3c3d72 I had the privilege of interviewing Eric Swithin, a former combat Marine and businessman who God called into a wild adventure. His journey has taken him from initiating young men in the Rocky Mountains to producing films and ministering in countries around the world.

In this conversation, Eric discusses his transformative journey from a troubled childhood to discipling young men and addressing the fatherlessness epidemic in America. We talk about the importance of understanding God as a loving Father, the role of spiritual practices in our journey of transformation, and the adventure of following Jesus.

I had the privilege of spending a full day with Eric, and I think we talked for close to 14 hours. His journey to know God and live as a disciple is powerful and left me with so much to think and pray about. I hope this discussion impacts you as much as it did me.


showmeyourglory.com
abbaheart.org
outdooradventures.org

]]> I had the privilege of interviewing Eric Swithin, a former combat Marine and businessman who God called into a wild adventure. His journey has taken him from initiating young men in the Rocky Mountains to producing films and ministering in countries around the world.

In this conversation, Eric discusses his transformative journey from a troubled childhood to discipling young men and addressing the fatherlessness epidemic in America. We talk about the importance of understanding God as a loving Father, the role of spiritual practices in our journey of transformation, and the adventure of following Jesus.

I had the privilege of spending a full day with Eric, and I think we talked for close to 14 hours. His journey to know God and live as a disciple is powerful and left me with so much to think and pray about. I hope this discussion impacts you as much as it did me.


showmeyourglory.com
abbaheart.org
outdooradventures.org

]]> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:30:00 -0600 John Walt John Walt 5203 I had the privilege of interviewing Eric Swithin, a former combat Marine and businessman who God called into a wild adventure. His journey has taken him from initiating young men in the Rocky Mountains to producing films and ministering in countries around the world.

In this conversation, Eric discusses his transformative journey from a troubled childhood to discipling young men and addressing the fatherlessness epidemic in America. We talk about the importance of understanding God as a loving Father, the role of spiritual practices in our journey of transformation, and the adventure of following Jesus.

I had the privilege of spending a full day with Eric, and I think we talked for close to 14 hours. His journey to know God and live as a disciple is powerful and left me with so much to think and pray about. I hope this discussion impacts you as much as it did me.


showmeyourglory.com
abbaheart.org
outdooradventures.org

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Trust - No. 36 41 41 Trust - No. 36 full 004b6881-db8b-41cd-b4af-afa0978ccb1b https://share.transistor.fm/s/651c84c0 If you don’t trust the surgeon, you probably won’t show up for the surgery” - Scott Dohner

The original lie satan used in the Garden of Eden as his first attack on humanity was to cause Eve to doubt whether God was trustworthy. Ever since then, the deceiver has continued to use the same attack on all of us. What Eve did when she ate the forbidden fruit was her attempt at taking control of her own life back from God. Often, when we are presented with the lie that God can’t be trusted, we do what Eve did, we agree with the deceiver and find ourselves trying to take control instead of surrendering it. The central question for all of us is, are we trying to sit on the throne of our lives, or are we surrendering it to God? When we believe that God isn’t trustworthy, we inevitably begin grasping for control and find ourselves sitting in God's seat on the throne of our lives. 

]]> If you don’t trust the surgeon, you probably won’t show up for the surgery” - Scott Dohner

The original lie satan used in the Garden of Eden as his first attack on humanity was to cause Eve to doubt whether God was trustworthy. Ever since then, the deceiver has continued to use the same attack on all of us. What Eve did when she ate the forbidden fruit was her attempt at taking control of her own life back from God. Often, when we are presented with the lie that God can’t be trusted, we do what Eve did, we agree with the deceiver and find ourselves trying to take control instead of surrendering it. The central question for all of us is, are we trying to sit on the throne of our lives, or are we surrendering it to God? When we believe that God isn’t trustworthy, we inevitably begin grasping for control and find ourselves sitting in God's seat on the throne of our lives. 

]]> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:30:00 -0600 John Walt John Walt 367 If you don’t trust the surgeon, you probably won’t show up for the surgery” - Scott Dohner

The original lie satan used in the Garden of Eden as his first attack on humanity was to cause Eve to doubt whether God was trustworthy. Ever since then, the deceiver has continued to use the same attack on all of us. What Eve did when she ate the forbidden fruit was her attempt at taking control of her own life back from God. Often, when we are presented with the lie that God can’t be trusted, we do what Eve did, we agree with the deceiver and find ourselves trying to take control instead of surrendering it. The central question for all of us is, are we trying to sit on the throne of our lives, or are we surrendering it to God? When we believe that God isn’t trustworthy, we inevitably begin grasping for control and find ourselves sitting in God's seat on the throne of our lives. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Every Man's Journey - Chapter 1 40 40 Every Man's Journey - Chapter 1 full 532dee89-16ca-4e3d-94b1-180370e8cb21 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ecdf67a9 In this episode, I read to you the introduction and first chapter of my book Every Man’s Journey. To request a pre-release copy, visit johnwalt.com/books. 

]]> In this episode, I read to you the introduction and first chapter of my book Every Man’s Journey. To request a pre-release copy, visit johnwalt.com/books. 

]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2026 05:00:00 -0600 John Walt John Walt 1838 In this episode, I read to you the introduction and first chapter of my book Every Man’s Journey. To request a pre-release copy, visit johnwalt.com/books. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Brian Schroller Interview 39 39 Brian Schroller Interview full d046b9b7-987b-421b-962a-6a5babec816f https://share.transistor.fm/s/74f5220e Brian Schroller is a master at creating transformational experiences. He left an impressive career in banking to pour into leaders and help them build better businesses. Today, he leads SummitTrek with Paul Nadeau, and their work has expanded around the world, impacting thousands of business leaders on several continents. 

I have had the privilege of learning from Brian, attending SummitTreks events, and interviewing people whose lives have been changed through their work. In this Interview, Brian shares part of his personal story, the transformation he experienced, and some of the wisdom that drives his life. I encourage you to listen until the end. Several of the truths Brian shared have been on my mind since we recorded this conversation. I hope it blesses you as much as it did me. 

]]> Brian Schroller is a master at creating transformational experiences. He left an impressive career in banking to pour into leaders and help them build better businesses. Today, he leads SummitTrek with Paul Nadeau, and their work has expanded around the world, impacting thousands of business leaders on several continents. 

I have had the privilege of learning from Brian, attending SummitTreks events, and interviewing people whose lives have been changed through their work. In this Interview, Brian shares part of his personal story, the transformation he experienced, and some of the wisdom that drives his life. I encourage you to listen until the end. Several of the truths Brian shared have been on my mind since we recorded this conversation. I hope it blesses you as much as it did me. 

]]> Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600 John Walt John Walt 4320 Brian Schroller is a master at creating transformational experiences. He left an impressive career in banking to pour into leaders and help them build better businesses. Today, he leads SummitTrek with Paul Nadeau, and their work has expanded around the world, impacting thousands of business leaders on several continents. 

I have had the privilege of learning from Brian, attending SummitTreks events, and interviewing people whose lives have been changed through their work. In this Interview, Brian shares part of his personal story, the transformation he experienced, and some of the wisdom that drives his life. I encourage you to listen until the end. Several of the truths Brian shared have been on my mind since we recorded this conversation. I hope it blesses you as much as it did me. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Larry Mills Interview 38 38 Larry Mills Interview full 92519f7f-8aef-4468-9c3f-9445e851da01 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8327f805 Larry Mills started in the parts department of Holt Caterpillar when it was one of the smallest dealerships in the country. He later became Executive Vice President as the company grew into the nation's largest dealership. Larry worked with Ken Blanchard to launch Values-Based Leadership at Holt as it grew rapidly, eventually becoming a highly successful, multi-billion-dollar company built entirely around core ethical values. Through his work with Holt and the success of Values-Based Leadership, Larry became a key leader with the San Antonio Spurs, helping shape the franchise's culture and its impact on San Antonio. For the last three decades, Larry has consulted with and advised hundreds of companies on strategy, leadership, and culture. I've had the privilege of being mentored by Larry for the last two years, and it has impacted my life, my family, and my work. In this episode, I sit down with Larry to hear his story and capture some of his wisdom. 

]]> Larry Mills started in the parts department of Holt Caterpillar when it was one of the smallest dealerships in the country. He later became Executive Vice President as the company grew into the nation's largest dealership. Larry worked with Ken Blanchard to launch Values-Based Leadership at Holt as it grew rapidly, eventually becoming a highly successful, multi-billion-dollar company built entirely around core ethical values. Through his work with Holt and the success of Values-Based Leadership, Larry became a key leader with the San Antonio Spurs, helping shape the franchise's culture and its impact on San Antonio. For the last three decades, Larry has consulted with and advised hundreds of companies on strategy, leadership, and culture. I've had the privilege of being mentored by Larry for the last two years, and it has impacted my life, my family, and my work. In this episode, I sit down with Larry to hear his story and capture some of his wisdom. 

]]> Tue, 16 Dec 2025 05:00:00 -0600 John Walt John Walt 4112 Larry Mills started in the parts department of Holt Caterpillar when it was one of the smallest dealerships in the country. He later became Executive Vice President as the company grew into the nation's largest dealership. Larry worked with Ken Blanchard to launch Values-Based Leadership at Holt as it grew rapidly, eventually becoming a highly successful, multi-billion-dollar company built entirely around core ethical values. Through his work with Holt and the success of Values-Based Leadership, Larry became a key leader with the San Antonio Spurs, helping shape the franchise's culture and its impact on San Antonio. For the last three decades, Larry has consulted with and advised hundreds of companies on strategy, leadership, and culture. I've had the privilege of being mentored by Larry for the last two years, and it has impacted my life, my family, and my work. In this episode, I sit down with Larry to hear his story and capture some of his wisdom. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Necessary Humility - No. 35 37 37 Necessary Humility - No. 35 full 76012545-7cc1-4e64-8cd4-1a15f508d093 https://share.transistor.fm/s/b92dd017 Humility gets a bad wrap. Often, the way it is taught to us is a form of self-deprecation. Years ago, a friend of mine from Australia told me about “tall poppy syndrome.” It’s where some people criticize and undermine others who have accomplished something great or who are unusually talented. The idea is that they need to be “brought down to size.” Obviously, this isn’t healthy, and no one wants to be part of a community where people actively undermine those who start to stand out. However, much of our understanding of humility causes us to do this to ourselves. Often, our flawed understanding of humility causes us to shame and undermine ourselves in an effort to avoid sin and pride. Unknowingly, in the process, we cut ourselves off from the only path to true humility. 

]]> Humility gets a bad wrap. Often, the way it is taught to us is a form of self-deprecation. Years ago, a friend of mine from Australia told me about “tall poppy syndrome.” It’s where some people criticize and undermine others who have accomplished something great or who are unusually talented. The idea is that they need to be “brought down to size.” Obviously, this isn’t healthy, and no one wants to be part of a community where people actively undermine those who start to stand out. However, much of our understanding of humility causes us to do this to ourselves. Often, our flawed understanding of humility causes us to shame and undermine ourselves in an effort to avoid sin and pride. Unknowingly, in the process, we cut ourselves off from the only path to true humility. 

]]> Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:02:57 -0600 John Walt John Walt 393 Humility gets a bad wrap. Often, the way it is taught to us is a form of self-deprecation. Years ago, a friend of mine from Australia told me about “tall poppy syndrome.” It’s where some people criticize and undermine others who have accomplished something great or who are unusually talented. The idea is that they need to be “brought down to size.” Obviously, this isn’t healthy, and no one wants to be part of a community where people actively undermine those who start to stand out. However, much of our understanding of humility causes us to do this to ourselves. Often, our flawed understanding of humility causes us to shame and undermine ourselves in an effort to avoid sin and pride. Unknowingly, in the process, we cut ourselves off from the only path to true humility. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Dark Night of the Soul - No. 34 36 36 The Dark Night of the Soul - No. 34 full d418b93b-3239-4491-8f20-5e461e59465a https://share.transistor.fm/s/b11ec275 I heard the term "Dark Night of the Soul" for many years before I really began to understand what it was and the critical role it plays in our spiritual journey. During a challenging season, I felt led to read The Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross. But it wasn’t until years later, after going through a very long dark night of the soul, that I learned why this often misunderstood season is so critical. 

]]> I heard the term "Dark Night of the Soul" for many years before I really began to understand what it was and the critical role it plays in our spiritual journey. During a challenging season, I felt led to read The Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross. But it wasn’t until years later, after going through a very long dark night of the soul, that I learned why this often misunderstood season is so critical. 

]]> Mon, 24 Nov 2025 23:23:31 -0600 John Walt John Walt 643 I heard the term "Dark Night of the Soul" for many years before I really began to understand what it was and the critical role it plays in our spiritual journey. During a challenging season, I felt led to read The Dark Night of the Soul by Saint John of the Cross. But it wasn’t until years later, after going through a very long dark night of the soul, that I learned why this often misunderstood season is so critical. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Fraser Scott Interview 35 35 Fraser Scott Interview full 95152a91-409b-4d8c-b528-4dd8562be207 https://share.transistor.fm/s/b8e541f9 Fraser Scott is the Executive Director of Bright Hope World, a New Zealand based ministry that works in 30 countries around the world. They focus on serving and ministering to the poorest of the poor. I recently had the privilege of hearing Fraser present and was very impressed with the wisdom he shared and how Bright Hope World approaches global missions and poverty alleviation. I asked Fraser to sit down with me to record a discussion. In this interview, we discuss the identity/dependency spiral, the cause of poverty, the problem with scale, persecution, major moves of God around the world, and why you can’t address poverty without the Gospel. I hope this conversation impacts you as much as it did me. 


brighthopeworld.com

fraser@brighthopeworld.com

]]> Fraser Scott is the Executive Director of Bright Hope World, a New Zealand based ministry that works in 30 countries around the world. They focus on serving and ministering to the poorest of the poor. I recently had the privilege of hearing Fraser present and was very impressed with the wisdom he shared and how Bright Hope World approaches global missions and poverty alleviation. I asked Fraser to sit down with me to record a discussion. In this interview, we discuss the identity/dependency spiral, the cause of poverty, the problem with scale, persecution, major moves of God around the world, and why you can’t address poverty without the Gospel. I hope this conversation impacts you as much as it did me. 


brighthopeworld.com

fraser@brighthopeworld.com

]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2025 08:14:09 -0600 John Walt John Walt 3542 Fraser Scott is the Executive Director of Bright Hope World, a New Zealand based ministry that works in 30 countries around the world. They focus on serving and ministering to the poorest of the poor. I recently had the privilege of hearing Fraser present and was very impressed with the wisdom he shared and how Bright Hope World approaches global missions and poverty alleviation. I asked Fraser to sit down with me to record a discussion. In this interview, we discuss the identity/dependency spiral, the cause of poverty, the problem with scale, persecution, major moves of God around the world, and why you can’t address poverty without the Gospel. I hope this conversation impacts you as much as it did me. 


brighthopeworld.com

fraser@brighthopeworld.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Natural Law - No. 33 34 34 Natural Law - No. 33 full 714d3139-acf5-43a5-9095-53a31d003a0b https://share.transistor.fm/s/c7e25655 God’s order for creation. 

“Good is that which all things seek after.” - Thomas Aquinas

There is a growing trend in our information-saturated world to act like right and wrong are whatever we feel like they are. Truth has increasingly become a personal choice, like which sports team to cheer for. We have so much information and scientific understanding of the world that we think we are more enlightened than history's past civilizations. In reality, we are just walking a well-worn path that creates social disorder and leads to societal collapse. A culture that embraces Individualized truth contradicts everything we have come to know about what causes nations, communities, and individuals to thrive

]]> God’s order for creation. 

“Good is that which all things seek after.” - Thomas Aquinas

There is a growing trend in our information-saturated world to act like right and wrong are whatever we feel like they are. Truth has increasingly become a personal choice, like which sports team to cheer for. We have so much information and scientific understanding of the world that we think we are more enlightened than history's past civilizations. In reality, we are just walking a well-worn path that creates social disorder and leads to societal collapse. A culture that embraces Individualized truth contradicts everything we have come to know about what causes nations, communities, and individuals to thrive

]]> Tue, 04 Nov 2025 16:10:05 -0600 John Walt John Walt 617 God’s order for creation. 

“Good is that which all things seek after.” - Thomas Aquinas

There is a growing trend in our information-saturated world to act like right and wrong are whatever we feel like they are. Truth has increasingly become a personal choice, like which sports team to cheer for. We have so much information and scientific understanding of the world that we think we are more enlightened than history's past civilizations. In reality, we are just walking a well-worn path that creates social disorder and leads to societal collapse. A culture that embraces Individualized truth contradicts everything we have come to know about what causes nations, communities, and individuals to thrive

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The World’s Way of Thinking - No. 32 33 33 The World’s Way of Thinking - No. 32 full b7f97d3e-587e-44fc-834f-97541193a923 https://share.transistor.fm/s/de812803 We weren’t made for the world we live in.
We weren’t made for a Box-and-Line (Note 8) world. Yet we have to look around us and accept that the entire world is increasingly box-and-line. We weren’t made for job titles, careers in corporations, certifications, accreditation, employee handbooks, roles in organizations or political parties, to name a few. Somehow, we have bought into the lie we have been sold, that our lives should fit into a massive network of systems we call the modern world. It is built around a way of thinking that is antithetical to the way of life we were created for. We can still live in this modern world, but we need to learn to live from a different way of thinking. We were made to live daily from the reality of who God is and who He created us to be. From that place, we can be in any system without being fully a part of it, without adopting its way of thinking. 

]]> We weren’t made for the world we live in.
We weren’t made for a Box-and-Line (Note 8) world. Yet we have to look around us and accept that the entire world is increasingly box-and-line. We weren’t made for job titles, careers in corporations, certifications, accreditation, employee handbooks, roles in organizations or political parties, to name a few. Somehow, we have bought into the lie we have been sold, that our lives should fit into a massive network of systems we call the modern world. It is built around a way of thinking that is antithetical to the way of life we were created for. We can still live in this modern world, but we need to learn to live from a different way of thinking. We were made to live daily from the reality of who God is and who He created us to be. From that place, we can be in any system without being fully a part of it, without adopting its way of thinking. 

]]> Tue, 04 Nov 2025 12:53:38 -0600 John Walt John Walt 611 We weren’t made for the world we live in.
We weren’t made for a Box-and-Line (Note 8) world. Yet we have to look around us and accept that the entire world is increasingly box-and-line. We weren’t made for job titles, careers in corporations, certifications, accreditation, employee handbooks, roles in organizations or political parties, to name a few. Somehow, we have bought into the lie we have been sold, that our lives should fit into a massive network of systems we call the modern world. It is built around a way of thinking that is antithetical to the way of life we were created for. We can still live in this modern world, but we need to learn to live from a different way of thinking. We were made to live daily from the reality of who God is and who He created us to be. From that place, we can be in any system without being fully a part of it, without adopting its way of thinking. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Self-Transcendence - No. 31 32 32 Self-Transcendence - No. 31 full c5714bb7-a60f-4abc-8697-335c25879d32 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5559dc3d Man’s greatest battle has always been the battle to overcome himself. This simple truth has been all but forgotten in modern society. Before we dive into man’s greatest battle, let’s look at how we forgot one of the most important themes of human life and societal health. Scientific thinking has led to incredible advancements in tools, technology, and medicine that have completely transformed the quality of human life. It is best defined as a systematic, evidence-based way of figuring out how the world works. It has been the key to overcoming cognitive bias and its effects on our understanding of ourselves and the natural world. The unfortunate side effect of scientific thinking, however, is that we have disregarded and forgotten about wisdom that cannot be measured and empirically proven. Most truly important questions are beyond the reach of quantitative research. If we took the qualitative approach, then it would be overwhelmingly clear that God exists and the experiential spiritual life is real. Unfortunately, the scientific community has a hard time accepting qualitative testimony-based research. We have reduced truth to the numbers and data of hard science. 
JohnWalt.com

]]> Man’s greatest battle has always been the battle to overcome himself. This simple truth has been all but forgotten in modern society. Before we dive into man’s greatest battle, let’s look at how we forgot one of the most important themes of human life and societal health. Scientific thinking has led to incredible advancements in tools, technology, and medicine that have completely transformed the quality of human life. It is best defined as a systematic, evidence-based way of figuring out how the world works. It has been the key to overcoming cognitive bias and its effects on our understanding of ourselves and the natural world. The unfortunate side effect of scientific thinking, however, is that we have disregarded and forgotten about wisdom that cannot be measured and empirically proven. Most truly important questions are beyond the reach of quantitative research. If we took the qualitative approach, then it would be overwhelmingly clear that God exists and the experiential spiritual life is real. Unfortunately, the scientific community has a hard time accepting qualitative testimony-based research. We have reduced truth to the numbers and data of hard science. 
JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 28 Oct 2025 04:30:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 626 Man’s greatest battle has always been the battle to overcome himself. This simple truth has been all but forgotten in modern society. Before we dive into man’s greatest battle, let’s look at how we forgot one of the most important themes of human life and societal health. Scientific thinking has led to incredible advancements in tools, technology, and medicine that have completely transformed the quality of human life. It is best defined as a systematic, evidence-based way of figuring out how the world works. It has been the key to overcoming cognitive bias and its effects on our understanding of ourselves and the natural world. The unfortunate side effect of scientific thinking, however, is that we have disregarded and forgotten about wisdom that cannot be measured and empirically proven. Most truly important questions are beyond the reach of quantitative research. If we took the qualitative approach, then it would be overwhelmingly clear that God exists and the experiential spiritual life is real. Unfortunately, the scientific community has a hard time accepting qualitative testimony-based research. We have reduced truth to the numbers and data of hard science. 
JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Remember to Remember - No. 30 31 31 Remember to Remember - No. 30 full d4810c58-a98c-4173-a164-91841d73cf12 https://share.transistor.fm/s/36b35123 Often, what's most important in life is not something new, but the things we have forgotten and must remember. We are all surrounded every day by endless new information in the form of podcasts, articles, videos, books, news, and AI. It is astounding how much information there is out there, and now it is more accessible than ever. Influencers are constantly selling us their opinions on how we should eat, dress, exercise, work, and live. The abundance of knowledge we are surrounded by every day has made us all information addicts. We read a book or listen to a podcast and hear something interesting or wise, and think it will change our lives. Fast forward a month or two, and most of us can’t remember what we heard that was so profound. 

You can sign up for Notes on Wisdom at JohnWalt.com

]]> Often, what's most important in life is not something new, but the things we have forgotten and must remember. We are all surrounded every day by endless new information in the form of podcasts, articles, videos, books, news, and AI. It is astounding how much information there is out there, and now it is more accessible than ever. Influencers are constantly selling us their opinions on how we should eat, dress, exercise, work, and live. The abundance of knowledge we are surrounded by every day has made us all information addicts. We read a book or listen to a podcast and hear something interesting or wise, and think it will change our lives. Fast forward a month or two, and most of us can’t remember what we heard that was so profound. 

You can sign up for Notes on Wisdom at JohnWalt.com

]]> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 460 Often, what's most important in life is not something new, but the things we have forgotten and must remember. We are all surrounded every day by endless new information in the form of podcasts, articles, videos, books, news, and AI. It is astounding how much information there is out there, and now it is more accessible than ever. Influencers are constantly selling us their opinions on how we should eat, dress, exercise, work, and live. The abundance of knowledge we are surrounded by every day has made us all information addicts. We read a book or listen to a podcast and hear something interesting or wise, and think it will change our lives. Fast forward a month or two, and most of us can’t remember what we heard that was so profound. 

You can sign up for Notes on Wisdom at JohnWalt.com

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Peace - No. 29 30 30 Peace - No. 29 full ec50c0ab-1445-47ab-92a9-fbb9029fcbb0 https://share.transistor.fm/s/a22e8f8f Peace is completely misunderstood and undervalued in the modern world. Everywhere you look, people are stuck in stress, fear, and anxiety. Few people actually seem to live in real peace. The world is frantically chasing peace by other names all the time, and they don’t even know it. If you distill down the promises of most spiritual teachers, business gurus, social media influencers, and politicians, you find that what they are offering is really just a false version of peace. They are promising relief to our fears and insecurities. The spiritual leaders promise meaning and fulfillment. The business gurus promise wealth and success. Influencers promise a way to realize your dreams. Politicians promise national security, economic stability, and personal safety. All of these are just false attempts to gain what we really want, peace. 

]]> Peace is completely misunderstood and undervalued in the modern world. Everywhere you look, people are stuck in stress, fear, and anxiety. Few people actually seem to live in real peace. The world is frantically chasing peace by other names all the time, and they don’t even know it. If you distill down the promises of most spiritual teachers, business gurus, social media influencers, and politicians, you find that what they are offering is really just a false version of peace. They are promising relief to our fears and insecurities. The spiritual leaders promise meaning and fulfillment. The business gurus promise wealth and success. Influencers promise a way to realize your dreams. Politicians promise national security, economic stability, and personal safety. All of these are just false attempts to gain what we really want, peace. 

]]> Tue, 14 Oct 2025 04:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 464 Peace is completely misunderstood and undervalued in the modern world. Everywhere you look, people are stuck in stress, fear, and anxiety. Few people actually seem to live in real peace. The world is frantically chasing peace by other names all the time, and they don’t even know it. If you distill down the promises of most spiritual teachers, business gurus, social media influencers, and politicians, you find that what they are offering is really just a false version of peace. They are promising relief to our fears and insecurities. The spiritual leaders promise meaning and fulfillment. The business gurus promise wealth and success. Influencers promise a way to realize your dreams. Politicians promise national security, economic stability, and personal safety. All of these are just false attempts to gain what we really want, peace. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Scott Dohner Interview 29 29 Scott Dohner Interview full 19041d43-56bd-44a1-b482-dc53dae01d5e https://share.transistor.fm/s/48bce9bb Scott Dohner has been a mentor of mine for years and has had a profound impact on my life. We sat down and recorded a conversation recently that I would like to share with you. In this episode, Scott shares some of his story and what shaped him and his business journey. Click below to listen to this conversation on Apple Podcast or Spotify. 

]]> Scott Dohner has been a mentor of mine for years and has had a profound impact on my life. We sat down and recorded a conversation recently that I would like to share with you. In this episode, Scott shares some of his story and what shaped him and his business journey. Click below to listen to this conversation on Apple Podcast or Spotify. 

]]> Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:22:29 -0500 John Walt John Walt 5678 Scott Dohner has been a mentor of mine for years and has had a profound impact on my life. We sat down and recorded a conversation recently that I would like to share with you. In this episode, Scott shares some of his story and what shaped him and his business journey. Click below to listen to this conversation on Apple Podcast or Spotify. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Living by "Shoulds" - No. 28 28 28 Living by "Shoulds" - No. 28 full 97675c8b-894b-467c-867a-16e6fc765bf5 https://share.transistor.fm/s/ca2468f0 Have you ever found yourself wrestling with things that you feel like you should do or ways you think you should act or look? We all have battled the “shoulds” of life in some way, shape or form. Often, this struggle is daily or perhaps constant. We are all unconsciously given sets of expectations for work, sports, community, faith, school, and every other area of our lives. We are told how to fit into the groups we are a part of and how to be successful. Families have their own "shoulds," and they differ widely from family to family. For some, it’s a way you are expected to dress and behave, the sports you should play, or where you’re expected to live. For other families, it’s academic and career achievement, social status, and lifestyle. Most of us don’t even recognize the "shoulds" anymore because they are baked into us by every group we are part of. There is a big problem with the "shoulds" that needs to be talked about; most of them are not real.

]]> Have you ever found yourself wrestling with things that you feel like you should do or ways you think you should act or look? We all have battled the “shoulds” of life in some way, shape or form. Often, this struggle is daily or perhaps constant. We are all unconsciously given sets of expectations for work, sports, community, faith, school, and every other area of our lives. We are told how to fit into the groups we are a part of and how to be successful. Families have their own "shoulds," and they differ widely from family to family. For some, it’s a way you are expected to dress and behave, the sports you should play, or where you’re expected to live. For other families, it’s academic and career achievement, social status, and lifestyle. Most of us don’t even recognize the "shoulds" anymore because they are baked into us by every group we are part of. There is a big problem with the "shoulds" that needs to be talked about; most of them are not real.

]]> Mon, 22 Sep 2025 17:35:25 -0500 John Walt John Walt 766 Have you ever found yourself wrestling with things that you feel like you should do or ways you think you should act or look? We all have battled the “shoulds” of life in some way, shape or form. Often, this struggle is daily or perhaps constant. We are all unconsciously given sets of expectations for work, sports, community, faith, school, and every other area of our lives. We are told how to fit into the groups we are a part of and how to be successful. Families have their own "shoulds," and they differ widely from family to family. For some, it’s a way you are expected to dress and behave, the sports you should play, or where you’re expected to live. For other families, it’s academic and career achievement, social status, and lifestyle. Most of us don’t even recognize the "shoulds" anymore because they are baked into us by every group we are part of. There is a big problem with the "shoulds" that needs to be talked about; most of them are not real.

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Encounter - No. 27 27 27 The Encounter - No. 27 full 23276c9d-c784-4737-a2e0-98cf984433cb https://share.transistor.fm/s/1035768d Encountering God is a challenging topic to write on. The last few months, it has become clear to me that it’s something we don’t talk enough about. In Note 12, I wrote on the separation of the sacred and the secular. We tend to see sacred things as different from the rest of life, and so they get relegated to church, retreats, and quiet times. We often struggle to see the spiritual overlaying every part of our lives, even the most mundane things. We are spirit and flesh. Without acknowledging and living from that awareness, we trap ourselves in dualistic thinking. When we embrace that we are spiritual and that God is with us in all things, then we must ask what does that mean and how might it look? 

]]> Encountering God is a challenging topic to write on. The last few months, it has become clear to me that it’s something we don’t talk enough about. In Note 12, I wrote on the separation of the sacred and the secular. We tend to see sacred things as different from the rest of life, and so they get relegated to church, retreats, and quiet times. We often struggle to see the spiritual overlaying every part of our lives, even the most mundane things. We are spirit and flesh. Without acknowledging and living from that awareness, we trap ourselves in dualistic thinking. When we embrace that we are spiritual and that God is with us in all things, then we must ask what does that mean and how might it look? 

]]> Tue, 16 Sep 2025 00:26:52 -0500 John Walt John Walt 635 Encountering God is a challenging topic to write on. The last few months, it has become clear to me that it’s something we don’t talk enough about. In Note 12, I wrote on the separation of the sacred and the secular. We tend to see sacred things as different from the rest of life, and so they get relegated to church, retreats, and quiet times. We often struggle to see the spiritual overlaying every part of our lives, even the most mundane things. We are spirit and flesh. Without acknowledging and living from that awareness, we trap ourselves in dualistic thinking. When we embrace that we are spiritual and that God is with us in all things, then we must ask what does that mean and how might it look? 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Build Good Things - No. 26 26 26 Build Good Things - No. 26 full cb2d5151-17fc-40b2-92f7-f1e5843547de https://share.transistor.fm/s/3b5d61f6 Right before I turned 25, I was in Malawi, and the terrorist group Boko Haram had just taken 300 girls from a school in Nigeria. I was so mad about what had happened that I decided I was going to go there and find a way to help. I went on a run one day, to try and blow off some steam. A few miles in, something hit me. God spoke to me; it wasn’t an audible booming voice, but it might as well have been a megaphone the way it resonated in my mind and heart.

]]> Right before I turned 25, I was in Malawi, and the terrorist group Boko Haram had just taken 300 girls from a school in Nigeria. I was so mad about what had happened that I decided I was going to go there and find a way to help. I went on a run one day, to try and blow off some steam. A few miles in, something hit me. God spoke to me; it wasn’t an audible booming voice, but it might as well have been a megaphone the way it resonated in my mind and heart.

]]> Tue, 02 Sep 2025 04:30:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 716 Right before I turned 25, I was in Malawi, and the terrorist group Boko Haram had just taken 300 girls from a school in Nigeria. I was so mad about what had happened that I decided I was going to go there and find a way to help. I went on a run one day, to try and blow off some steam. A few miles in, something hit me. God spoke to me; it wasn’t an audible booming voice, but it might as well have been a megaphone the way it resonated in my mind and heart.

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Greatest Adventure - No. 25 25 25 The Greatest Adventure - No. 25 full c3824f3e-f97d-4ec5-8aac-5e36a120605c https://share.transistor.fm/s/613db5cd I have always loved stories and have studied storytelling for years. As a kid, I read about men who lived incredible adventures and longed to discover the adventure that I would live. I wanted to be one of those great men who stood up to injustice, dared to explore the unknown, challenged the impossible, built an empire, or discovered some secret wisdom. As I got older, I sometimes feared there would be no great adventure for me. I refused, however, to accept ordinary. I didn’t want the white picket fence house, a nice car, and a normal job. The last thing I wanted was ordinary, uneventful. I wanted my life to be a great story. 

]]> I have always loved stories and have studied storytelling for years. As a kid, I read about men who lived incredible adventures and longed to discover the adventure that I would live. I wanted to be one of those great men who stood up to injustice, dared to explore the unknown, challenged the impossible, built an empire, or discovered some secret wisdom. As I got older, I sometimes feared there would be no great adventure for me. I refused, however, to accept ordinary. I didn’t want the white picket fence house, a nice car, and a normal job. The last thing I wanted was ordinary, uneventful. I wanted my life to be a great story. 

]]> Tue, 26 Aug 2025 05:30:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 395 I have always loved stories and have studied storytelling for years. As a kid, I read about men who lived incredible adventures and longed to discover the adventure that I would live. I wanted to be one of those great men who stood up to injustice, dared to explore the unknown, challenged the impossible, built an empire, or discovered some secret wisdom. As I got older, I sometimes feared there would be no great adventure for me. I refused, however, to accept ordinary. I didn’t want the white picket fence house, a nice car, and a normal job. The last thing I wanted was ordinary, uneventful. I wanted my life to be a great story. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Restraint vs. Abandon - No. 24 24 24 Restraint vs. Abandon - No. 24 full 1664d007-b7a6-45da-9e02-9e91b74ff18a https://share.transistor.fm/s/689dc908 I have never been good at doing what I am supposed to do. Because of that, I have caught a lot of flak over the years from the “keepers of order.” It seems that most people want a clear outline of how they are expected to behave, the more detail the better. If you give me a list of things to do I will struggle, but if you give me an objective to achieve, I come alive. In my early 20’s I found myself face-to-face with one of the most confusing concepts surrounding spiritual life. 

]]> I have never been good at doing what I am supposed to do. Because of that, I have caught a lot of flak over the years from the “keepers of order.” It seems that most people want a clear outline of how they are expected to behave, the more detail the better. If you give me a list of things to do I will struggle, but if you give me an objective to achieve, I come alive. In my early 20’s I found myself face-to-face with one of the most confusing concepts surrounding spiritual life. 

]]> Tue, 12 Aug 2025 04:30:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 473 I have never been good at doing what I am supposed to do. Because of that, I have caught a lot of flak over the years from the “keepers of order.” It seems that most people want a clear outline of how they are expected to behave, the more detail the better. If you give me a list of things to do I will struggle, but if you give me an objective to achieve, I come alive. In my early 20’s I found myself face-to-face with one of the most confusing concepts surrounding spiritual life. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Recycling Self-Obsession - No. 23 23 23 Recycling Self-Obsession - No. 23 full 3995312a-2e08-42c8-9c07-bce4dc7e116e https://share.transistor.fm/s/5f890882 The greatest battle each of us must face is the battle to defeat ourselves. The world we have been baked in our entire lives tells us that we deserve to have what we want when we want it. The average person is hit with 5-10K marketing messages a day. Most of them we don’t even notice because of how many are coming at us, we have developed selective attention. So marketers work harder and harder to make us notice theirs amidst the sea of ads floating past our subconscious every day. And yet many of them do work, and most of them are telling us what we want to hear. Some version of the same old lie that we have been drawn to for all of human history. “You deserve to have what you want when you want it.”

]]> The greatest battle each of us must face is the battle to defeat ourselves. The world we have been baked in our entire lives tells us that we deserve to have what we want when we want it. The average person is hit with 5-10K marketing messages a day. Most of them we don’t even notice because of how many are coming at us, we have developed selective attention. So marketers work harder and harder to make us notice theirs amidst the sea of ads floating past our subconscious every day. And yet many of them do work, and most of them are telling us what we want to hear. Some version of the same old lie that we have been drawn to for all of human history. “You deserve to have what you want when you want it.”

]]> Tue, 12 Aug 2025 04:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 545 The greatest battle each of us must face is the battle to defeat ourselves. The world we have been baked in our entire lives tells us that we deserve to have what we want when we want it. The average person is hit with 5-10K marketing messages a day. Most of them we don’t even notice because of how many are coming at us, we have developed selective attention. So marketers work harder and harder to make us notice theirs amidst the sea of ads floating past our subconscious every day. And yet many of them do work, and most of them are telling us what we want to hear. Some version of the same old lie that we have been drawn to for all of human history. “You deserve to have what you want when you want it.”

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Holding Things in Tension - No. 22 22 22 Holding Things in Tension - No. 22 full e8969752-b793-4110-a12a-b926fd90e624 https://share.transistor.fm/s/287c1748 As people who live in the information age, we are used to being able to find answers to almost any questions we have. Finding these answers has gotten infinitely easier over just the last 50 years. My parents had libraries and encyclopedias when they were in high school, and now we have AI in our pockets searching the far reaches of human knowledge and providing us with almost instant answers in a format of our choosing. Rewind the clock of human civilization a couple of hundred years, and access to books and libraries was unthinkable for most people. In a relatively short period of time, we have experienced an overwhelming surge in our access to information. We want clear answers to every question we have, and we want it right now. The problem with this expectation is that it predisposes us to be unable to find the answers to the most important questions in our lives.

]]> As people who live in the information age, we are used to being able to find answers to almost any questions we have. Finding these answers has gotten infinitely easier over just the last 50 years. My parents had libraries and encyclopedias when they were in high school, and now we have AI in our pockets searching the far reaches of human knowledge and providing us with almost instant answers in a format of our choosing. Rewind the clock of human civilization a couple of hundred years, and access to books and libraries was unthinkable for most people. In a relatively short period of time, we have experienced an overwhelming surge in our access to information. We want clear answers to every question we have, and we want it right now. The problem with this expectation is that it predisposes us to be unable to find the answers to the most important questions in our lives.

]]> Tue, 29 Jul 2025 04:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 581 As people who live in the information age, we are used to being able to find answers to almost any questions we have. Finding these answers has gotten infinitely easier over just the last 50 years. My parents had libraries and encyclopedias when they were in high school, and now we have AI in our pockets searching the far reaches of human knowledge and providing us with almost instant answers in a format of our choosing. Rewind the clock of human civilization a couple of hundred years, and access to books and libraries was unthinkable for most people. In a relatively short period of time, we have experienced an overwhelming surge in our access to information. We want clear answers to every question we have, and we want it right now. The problem with this expectation is that it predisposes us to be unable to find the answers to the most important questions in our lives.

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Ego-Threatening vs. Life-Threatening - No. 21 21 21 Ego-Threatening vs. Life-Threatening - No. 21 full 6df02f14-fc12-4089-83bd-728cac45483e https://share.transistor.fm/s/4bebf88a Larry Mills is a mentor of mine and a master at asking challenging questions that lead to deep thinking and changed lives. When people come to him with their frustrations and challenges, he often asks, “Is this situation life-threatening or ego-threatening?” It turns out most challenges we face in life are not life-threatening. Usually, when we are frustrated, disappointed, angry, or let down, it is because our ego is threatened. This simple but profound question has led me to see that most of what I see as suffering is really just the suffering and discomfort of my pride and ego. 

]]> Larry Mills is a mentor of mine and a master at asking challenging questions that lead to deep thinking and changed lives. When people come to him with their frustrations and challenges, he often asks, “Is this situation life-threatening or ego-threatening?” It turns out most challenges we face in life are not life-threatening. Usually, when we are frustrated, disappointed, angry, or let down, it is because our ego is threatened. This simple but profound question has led me to see that most of what I see as suffering is really just the suffering and discomfort of my pride and ego. 

]]> Tue, 22 Jul 2025 04:30:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 382 Larry Mills is a mentor of mine and a master at asking challenging questions that lead to deep thinking and changed lives. When people come to him with their frustrations and challenges, he often asks, “Is this situation life-threatening or ego-threatening?” It turns out most challenges we face in life are not life-threatening. Usually, when we are frustrated, disappointed, angry, or let down, it is because our ego is threatened. This simple but profound question has led me to see that most of what I see as suffering is really just the suffering and discomfort of my pride and ego. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Every Man's Journey - No. 20 20 20 Every Man's Journey - No. 20 full 3c3fab21-c35c-4915-9deb-40a0990c63df https://share.transistor.fm/s/b7b873a4 A year and a half ago, I began studying male initiation because I wanted to understand how I could be intentional about raising my boys. Since then, I have read lots of books, talked to lots of people, and begun writing what I have learned into a simple and applicable model to guide how I raise my boys. Here is an overview of what I learned and some of the most important principles. 

]]> A year and a half ago, I began studying male initiation because I wanted to understand how I could be intentional about raising my boys. Since then, I have read lots of books, talked to lots of people, and begun writing what I have learned into a simple and applicable model to guide how I raise my boys. Here is an overview of what I learned and some of the most important principles. 

]]> Tue, 15 Jul 2025 04:30:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 709 A year and a half ago, I began studying male initiation because I wanted to understand how I could be intentional about raising my boys. Since then, I have read lots of books, talked to lots of people, and begun writing what I have learned into a simple and applicable model to guide how I raise my boys. Here is an overview of what I learned and some of the most important principles. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Healing the Wounds - No. 19 19 19 Healing the Wounds - No. 19 full 62f11288-6754-4342-89f6-21597229dadf https://share.transistor.fm/s/db1bb9d7 Every person experiences wounding, some have the courage to heal. 

Part of the myth of the strong man is the belief that a man is not weak, and therefore, he doesn’t need to heal spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. I believe that everyone needs healing because everyone has been hurt. Some are small wounds, like things said to you that led you to feel shame and insecurity. Others are massive wounds that come from what other people have done to you and how it made you view yourself. Whether our wounds are large or small, they perpetuate lies in our minds that keep us from who we were created to be and the relationship with God we were made for. 

]]> Every person experiences wounding, some have the courage to heal. 

Part of the myth of the strong man is the belief that a man is not weak, and therefore, he doesn’t need to heal spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. I believe that everyone needs healing because everyone has been hurt. Some are small wounds, like things said to you that led you to feel shame and insecurity. Others are massive wounds that come from what other people have done to you and how it made you view yourself. Whether our wounds are large or small, they perpetuate lies in our minds that keep us from who we were created to be and the relationship with God we were made for. 

]]> Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:50:49 -0500 John Walt John Walt 797 Every person experiences wounding, some have the courage to heal. 

Part of the myth of the strong man is the belief that a man is not weak, and therefore, he doesn’t need to heal spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. I believe that everyone needs healing because everyone has been hurt. Some are small wounds, like things said to you that led you to feel shame and insecurity. Others are massive wounds that come from what other people have done to you and how it made you view yourself. Whether our wounds are large or small, they perpetuate lies in our minds that keep us from who we were created to be and the relationship with God we were made for. 

]]> Spiritual and emotional healing. No Courageous Prayers - No. 18 18 18 Courageous Prayers - No. 18 full 668c0a41-a1d6-46e7-9783-544b99a6962e https://share.transistor.fm/s/4be9c33c Sixteen years ago, I began praying some courageous prayers. At the time, I didn’t really have an idea where they would take me or what they would require of me. Looking back, I can see how God has answered those prayers, even if His answers and mine looked very different. I think we all need to be willing to pray prayers that make us very uncomfortable. 

]]> Sixteen years ago, I began praying some courageous prayers. At the time, I didn’t really have an idea where they would take me or what they would require of me. Looking back, I can see how God has answered those prayers, even if His answers and mine looked very different. I think we all need to be willing to pray prayers that make us very uncomfortable. 

]]> Tue, 17 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 562 Sixteen years ago, I began praying some courageous prayers. At the time, I didn’t really have an idea where they would take me or what they would require of me. Looking back, I can see how God has answered those prayers, even if His answers and mine looked very different. I think we all need to be willing to pray prayers that make us very uncomfortable. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Monomyth - No.17 17 17 The Monomyth - No.17 full 010c1781-dcc2-4f84-81aa-1805d5e41954 https://share.transistor.fm/s/5099e038 Every society is built on stories that tell people who they are, where they come from, and what to expect from life. Most of the stories our modern culture is built on are lies. Some are fictional works of art, and others are true stories that have been retold through our modern worldview and lost their deeper meaning. Kids and young adults now grow up on a diet of almost all fictional stories that celebrate the superhero, the genius, the explorer, and the warrior. Most of our modern cultural stories center around a main character, a hero who must overcome all odds to defeat some evil and protect something good. 

In this note I explore the narrative structure that has captivated human hearts and minds for all of recorded history, the monomyth. 

]]> Every society is built on stories that tell people who they are, where they come from, and what to expect from life. Most of the stories our modern culture is built on are lies. Some are fictional works of art, and others are true stories that have been retold through our modern worldview and lost their deeper meaning. Kids and young adults now grow up on a diet of almost all fictional stories that celebrate the superhero, the genius, the explorer, and the warrior. Most of our modern cultural stories center around a main character, a hero who must overcome all odds to defeat some evil and protect something good. 

In this note I explore the narrative structure that has captivated human hearts and minds for all of recorded history, the monomyth. 

]]> Thu, 12 Jun 2025 11:10:28 -0500 John Walt John Walt 578 Every society is built on stories that tell people who they are, where they come from, and what to expect from life. Most of the stories our modern culture is built on are lies. Some are fictional works of art, and others are true stories that have been retold through our modern worldview and lost their deeper meaning. Kids and young adults now grow up on a diet of almost all fictional stories that celebrate the superhero, the genius, the explorer, and the warrior. Most of our modern cultural stories center around a main character, a hero who must overcome all odds to defeat some evil and protect something good. 

In this note I explore the narrative structure that has captivated human hearts and minds for all of recorded history, the monomyth. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No We All Need Mentors - No. 16 16 16 We All Need Mentors - No. 16 full 61f0d14f-f63e-45d4-bb9b-a2bafa26d480 https://share.transistor.fm/s/8d67e373 In this note I talk about how mentors have shaped my life and why everyone needs these critical relationships. 

]]> In this note I talk about how mentors have shaped my life and why everyone needs these critical relationships. 

]]> Tue, 03 Jun 2025 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 1220 In this note I talk about how mentors have shaped my life and why everyone needs these critical relationships. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Role of Work in Life - No. 15 15 15 The Role of Work in Life - No. 15 full b60c4a6e-2ec1-44a6-8d7b-8614900eb39e https://share.transistor.fm/s/87801014 We have a dangerously flawed view of what work is and the role it has in our lives. There is no question that most of us have to work to make a living and provide for our families. Unfortunately, what we do for a living has become an integral part of most people's identities. 

]]> We have a dangerously flawed view of what work is and the role it has in our lives. There is no question that most of us have to work to make a living and provide for our families. Unfortunately, what we do for a living has become an integral part of most people's identities. 

]]> Tue, 27 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 901 We have a dangerously flawed view of what work is and the role it has in our lives. There is no question that most of us have to work to make a living and provide for our families. Unfortunately, what we do for a living has become an integral part of most people's identities. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Moderate Success - No. 14 14 14 Moderate Success - No. 14 full 2a7ff59e-179d-4b75-906e-43eb92c747ae https://share.transistor.fm/s/e96c9744 Too much comfort is a barrier to our journey of growth. Are we defining success as wealth, stuff, recognition and influence or are we operating out of a higher definition of success?

]]> Too much comfort is a barrier to our journey of growth. Are we defining success as wealth, stuff, recognition and influence or are we operating out of a higher definition of success?

]]> Tue, 20 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 663 Too much comfort is a barrier to our journey of growth. Are we defining success as wealth, stuff, recognition and influence or are we operating out of a higher definition of success?

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Rule Line - No. 13 13 13 The Rule Line - No. 13 full 9693a4c7-7d3d-43a6-b871-7fce84b8f03d https://share.transistor.fm/s/d111ace0 Are our actions and decisions driven by rules or identity? In this note I share about a tool one of my mentors shared with me called The Rule Line. 

]]> Are our actions and decisions driven by rules or identity? In this note I share about a tool one of my mentors shared with me called The Rule Line. 

]]> Mon, 19 May 2025 17:43:32 -0500 John Walt John Walt 748 Are our actions and decisions driven by rules or identity? In this note I share about a tool one of my mentors shared with me called The Rule Line. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Sacred and the Secular - No. 12 12 12 The Sacred and the Secular - No. 12 full b8c28ae4-b67e-4483-bf85-97e6a58afc71 https://share.transistor.fm/s/7f10cb44 In this note I look at the cultural division we have between sacred things and the rest of our lives. This division is unique to modern cultures and makes it hard for us to recognize the spiritual in all aspects of live. 

]]> In this note I look at the cultural division we have between sacred things and the rest of our lives. This division is unique to modern cultures and makes it hard for us to recognize the spiritual in all aspects of live. 

]]> Tue, 13 May 2025 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 1071 In this note I look at the cultural division we have between sacred things and the rest of our lives. This division is unique to modern cultures and makes it hard for us to recognize the spiritual in all aspects of live. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No A New Paradigm - No. 11 11 11 A New Paradigm - No. 11 full 98a240f3-e6ce-40e6-b819-7f7ffa19bdbf https://share.transistor.fm/s/459293bc In this note we unpack how our current paradigms about God and our relationship with him have been shaped by our modern world. Then I discuss how we can rebuild our paradigms to align with the path of discipleship that Jesus invited us into. 

]]> In this note we unpack how our current paradigms about God and our relationship with him have been shaped by our modern world. Then I discuss how we can rebuild our paradigms to align with the path of discipleship that Jesus invited us into. 

]]> Tue, 22 Apr 2025 05:00:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 940 In this note we unpack how our current paradigms about God and our relationship with him have been shaped by our modern world. Then I discuss how we can rebuild our paradigms to align with the path of discipleship that Jesus invited us into. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Cranial Sphincteritis - No. 10 10 10 Cranial Sphincteritis - No. 10 full ed599873-5b90-4fc2-bc27-d137d1e367a9 https://share.transistor.fm/s/1534bb7b In this note I dive into how we can often lose touch with truth and be our own worst enemy. 

]]> In this note I dive into how we can often lose touch with truth and be our own worst enemy. 

]]> Mon, 14 Apr 2025 05:30:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 491 In this note I dive into how we can often lose touch with truth and be our own worst enemy. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Nobody Knows What They Are Doing - No. 9 9 9 Nobody Knows What They Are Doing - No. 9 full d24d3a55-a3e3-46ae-94c1-b2ccca8889a5 https://share.transistor.fm/s/4ae05003 In this note I explore our tendency to think that successful people in all areas of life "know what they are doing." In reality most of the time nobody knows what they are doing whether in business, family or faith. 

]]> In this note I explore our tendency to think that successful people in all areas of life "know what they are doing." In reality most of the time nobody knows what they are doing whether in business, family or faith. 

]]> Mon, 07 Apr 2025 22:39:54 -0500 John Walt John Walt 420 In this note I explore our tendency to think that successful people in all areas of life "know what they are doing." In reality most of the time nobody knows what they are doing whether in business, family or faith. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Box and Line Thinking - No. 8 8 8 Box and Line Thinking - No. 8 full cd0a8448-a0c0-493a-b737-bda7b11f8461 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e0a9b302 In this note I explore how organizational thinking limits our lives and relationships. 

]]> In this note I explore how organizational thinking limits our lives and relationships. 

]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2025 23:58:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 775 In this note I explore how organizational thinking limits our lives and relationships. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Dying to the False You - No. 7 7 7 Dying to the False You - No. 7 full c0cba5a2-2d0a-4ff4-b0cf-bb79aabfc13f https://share.transistor.fm/s/398b63fb In this Note I dive into what it means to die to our false self. 

]]> In this Note I dive into what it means to die to our false self. 

]]> Fri, 04 Apr 2025 05:30:00 -0500 John Walt John Walt 748 In this Note I dive into what it means to die to our false self. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No What Is Your Identity? - No. 6 6 6 What Is Your Identity? - No. 6 full 74808bfa-f129-423b-ad78-a60afbb1f1ca https://share.transistor.fm/s/c44608ed Identity is a very important concept, but what does it actually mean? In this Note we discuss what Identity is and how it drives our lives. 

]]> Identity is a very important concept, but what does it actually mean? In this Note we discuss what Identity is and how it drives our lives. 

]]> Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:30:48 -0500 John Walt John Walt 654 Identity is a very important concept, but what does it actually mean? In this Note we discuss what Identity is and how it drives our lives. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No How Do You Renew Your Mind - No. 5 5 5 How Do You Renew Your Mind - No. 5 full ec3a5b33-d82f-4fd3-b231-03113c9d8bc3 https://share.transistor.fm/s/461a5183 In this note I talk about what it means to renew our minds and how to do it. 

]]> In this note I talk about what it means to renew our minds and how to do it. 

]]> Tue, 25 Mar 2025 01:02:50 -0500 John Walt John Walt 868 In this note I talk about what it means to renew our minds and how to do it. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No What Do You Really Want? - No. 4 4 4 What Do You Really Want? - No. 4 full 2b84f868-055c-4a5c-b400-e8bea6474ef1 https://share.transistor.fm/s/e090fddc In this note I share about my experience wrestling with what I really wanted and hearing God for the first time. 

]]> In this note I share about my experience wrestling with what I really wanted and hearing God for the first time. 

]]> Mon, 17 Mar 2025 19:38:05 -0500 John Walt John Walt 680 In this note I share about my experience wrestling with what I really wanted and hearing God for the first time. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Un-Baking Our Minds Part 2 - No. 3 3 3 Un-Baking Our Minds Part 2 - No. 3 full f9a7ab43-7498-4ea2-a07e-2f5b3116732e https://share.transistor.fm/s/d6ce9fdd This note explores how content feeds and technology shape our expectations and perception of reality. 

]]> This note explores how content feeds and technology shape our expectations and perception of reality. 

]]> Sat, 15 Mar 2025 11:10:43 -0500 John Walt John Walt 723 This note explores how content feeds and technology shape our expectations and perception of reality. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No Un-Baking Our Minds Part 1 - No. 2 2 2 Un-Baking Our Minds Part 1 - No. 2 full ebf30e4d-0c8f-4c65-9d66-877ac4f778da https://share.transistor.fm/s/01ac9614 In this note I look at how technology and media are designed to steal our time and attention. 

]]> In this note I look at how technology and media are designed to steal our time and attention. 

]]> Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:07:22 -0500 John Walt John Walt 677 In this note I look at how technology and media are designed to steal our time and attention. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No The Transformation Journey - No. 1 1 1 The Transformation Journey - No. 1 full 198538d6-3415-49cd-ab82-9b7db1bd4a36 https://share.transistor.fm/s/12692549 An introduction to personal transformation journeys, their role in society and impact on us. 

]]> An introduction to personal transformation journeys, their role in society and impact on us. 

]]> Mon, 10 Mar 2025 18:10:23 -0500 John Walt John Walt 699 An introduction to personal transformation journeys, their role in society and impact on us. 

]]> Discipleship, Wisdom, Jesus, Faith, Family, Business. No