Episodes

The thought from above in this episode is: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Following up on his last episode, James Bryan Smith takes a deeper dive into appreciative thinking vs depreciative thinking. He begins with a quote from Adrian van Kaam to help explain his thought from above. “The way we look at our lives determines how we live.” How we choose to view our lives will in turn impact how we will live them out. What Smith argues for is that we need to live with a constant sense of gratitu...

The thought from above for this episode is: “Rejoice always.” James Bryan Smith takes a deep dive into the works of theologian and priest Adrian von Kaam, to help explain his thought from above. In this episode, James explains the difference between appreciative thinking and depreciative thinking and how we can avoid the latter to help our spiritual growth. Smith closes the episode with a reference to the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” to help further explain his thought from above. Adrian van K...

Emily P. Freeman is back for her third Things Above Conversation! In this episode, James and Emily have a series of questions they ask each other about podcasting, spiritual formation, and life during the pandemic. Emily was able to be in the studio for this conversation because of her new teaching position at Friends University. Emily is an instructor in our Masters program for Christian Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Friends University. She has loved working in the masters program and i...

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Cindy Bunch about her book “Be Kind to Yourself.” During their discussion they talk about the importance of spiritual direction and the impact of social media in our lives. Do you have a favorite spiritual practice? Cindy and James give their top three spiritual practices and explain why they work so well. Cindy Bunch is associate publisher and director of editorial at InterVarsity Press, where she has worked for more than thirty years. She...

James Bryan Smith is very excited to announce the republished and expanded edition of his book “Room of Marvels.” In this episode James tells us the story of how “Room of Marvels” came to be and how it helped him deal with the death and grief in his life. He also offers this thought from above: “You are an unceasing spiritual being with an eternal destiny in Gods great universe.” In the book a Christian author goes to a retreat center to grieve his recently deceased loved ones. He had just expe...

The thought from above this week is, “you are destined for glory.” James Bryan Smith opens the episode with a quote from the movie “Jerry Maguire” where Jerry yells, “show me the money!” Smith explains the meaning behind the quote and how it is actually a cry for authenticity and connection and not for money. He goes on to show us comparisons in the Bible that further explain his point. The first comparison comes from the book of Exodus. “Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.” (Exodus 33:18...

In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with author and priest, Tish Harrison Warren. James and Tish discuss a multitude of topics around their books including, liturgy, spiritual formation, and more! Tish Harrison Warren is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America. She has worked in ministry settings for over a decade as a campus minister with InterVarsity Graduate and Faculty Ministries, as an associate rector, and with addicts and those in poverty through va...

“In difficult times you should always carry something beautiful in your mind.” – Blaise Pascal At some point in our life we ask ourselves the question, Who am I? We can spend our whole lives trying to solve this question and still never feel satisfied with the answer. In this episode, James Bryan Smith gives his answer to that question with a thought from above. The thought from above is this: We are who Jesus says we are. While studying the Bible, James came across a verse that stopped him in...

James Bryan Smith opens this episode with a story about the first church he served in as a youth pastor to help explain this thought from above. We are all different but we are one. The church had just gone through a split due to a disagreement among the members. Smith asked his mentor, Dallas Willard for some advice on what to do during this time. Dallas said, “When we disagree it’s precisely not the time to divide. This is the time when we have the chance for God to do something great.” Jame...

In this Things Above episode, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with Carolyn Arends. Carolyn has released 12 albums and is the author of 3 critically-acclaimed books. 15 of Arends’ songs have become top 10 radio singles on the Canadian pop and US Christian charts. Arends has earned 2 Dove Awards, 3 Juno Nominations, and was recognized as the West Coast Music Awards’ Songwriter of the Year. Her prose has been recognized by The Word Guild, The Evangelical Press Association and The Canadian Chur...

“The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart – this you will build your life by, and this you will become.” – James Allen The thought from above for this episode is, “you are designed for a divine destiny.” James opens up the episode talking about the recent discovery of 2,000 year old Date seeds (link to the article at the bottom of the page). Smith uses the story of the Date seeds to help us understand this weeks thought from above. The Date seeds, had ...

Our thought from above in this episode is, “faith shines best in darkness.” James Bryan Smith tells us the story about one of his students who was struggling with her faith, just before heading off to Seminary. This student was experiencing, what Smith would call, a dark night of the soul. James goes on to explain how we all experience a dark night of the soul at some point in our lives, but it is in these nights that we grow in our faith more than we can ever understand. “In the dark night of t...

James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Michael John Cusick. In this episode, they discuss a multitude of topics all related to the soul. How do we understand our soul and how do we help to restore it? Michael is a Licensed Professional Counselor, spiritual director, speaker, and author of two books including Surfing for God: Discovering the Divine Desire Beneath Sexual Struggle and Somebody’s Daughter: An Experiential Guide. Having experienced the restoring touch of God in a dee...

The thought from above in this episode is: “God doesn’t call the qualified, God qualifies the called.” James Bryan Smith explains the thought from above in detail through his own experiences, and from others in the bible. Smith begins the episode talking about an experience he had as a student at Friends University in his campus fellowship group. A few of the group leaders asked James if he would share his testimonial story with the group and he accepted but was worried because he did not feel ...

James Bryan Smith begins season three of the things above podcast with this thought from above: “we are indebted to hope.” In this episode James talks about our life through the spirit in the passage in Romans 8. As he goes through the passage, Smith explains how we have been adopted into the family of God and what that means for us. At the end of the episode Smith closes with a quote from Paul in Romans 15 “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind tow...

James Bryan Smith gives a commentary on his three favorite conversations from season two of the Things Above podcast. In this episode we share a snippet from three conversation episodes. The three featured episodes are with authors, William Paul Young, Natasha Sistrunk Robinson, and A.J. Swoboda. After each episode James gives us a commentary on how that conversation helped him to set his mind on things above. In addition, Smith adds some highlights that we can take away from to help us on our ...

You were made for beauty, goodness and truth. James Bryan Smith begins the episode talking about the three transcendentals; beauty, goodness and truth. Plato said, beauty is one of the transcendental forms because it stands above the actual form. They are higher forms and thus they help us to transcend ourselves when we encounter them. In this universe there many things that are beautiful, Thomas Aquinas said “Beauty is that which when seen, pleases.” Smith goes on to say that, we are creatures...

This week on the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with his long time friend Juanita Rasmus. Juanita is a pastor, Spiritual Director, and contemplative with a passion for seeing people transform into being their best selves in our world. Juanita co-leads the St. John’s Church in Downtown Houston with her husband, Rudy. In this episode, James and Juanita discuss her latest book Learning to Be: Finding Your Center after the Bottom Falls Out. The book focuses on a time in ...

We all need Jesus with skin. This may sound odd but in fact it is very true. In this episode James Bryan Smith explains how he experienced the love of Jesus through an unexpected disaster with his neighbor. While living in their first home, James and his wife Meghan experienced a problem many new homeowners run into. They had a burst pipe in their basement. Luckily they had a neighbor named Steve who was a plumber. Steve showed up immediately and fixed the broken pipe. Both Jim and Meghan wante...

In this episode James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Dave Mullins. Dave is a speaker, teacher, writer, musician and recently co-producer of the movie “Ragamuffin,” David Mullins seeks to use these gifts to take the simple, life-changing word of God’s love to both the lost and to those in the Church who believe they are unlovable, unaccepted and unworthy of His love. David is currently serving as the Lead Teaching Minister at Colonial Heights Christian Church in Kingsport, TN. ...

In this Things Above podcast episode, James Bryan Smith give this thought from above: “We are saved by His life.” In 1992 James and his friend and fellow pastor Jeff Gannon, attend a conference in Maryland about how to understand the gospel. This conference would be one of the most impactful gatherings the two had ever experienced. The two main parts of the conference were about; the finality of the cross, and the reality of the resurrection. From this conference James learned more about grace...

We are in a season of lament. As we struggle to cope with all the problems the coronavirus has brought, we need a way to ease our suffering. In this episode James Bryan Smith explains how we can use the Psalms to help us deal with our pain. Smith explains how the Psalms provide us a way to explain to God how we are feeling. There are three main types of Psalms, Grace, Thanksgiving, and Lament. The Psalms of lament share a common structure and pattern, they move from the negative to the positive...

As we continue to navigate through the coronavirus pandemic, James Bryan Smith has a Things Above conversation with Natasha Sistrunk Robinson. In this episode they discuss Natasha’s latest book as well as the difficulties that come with cultural biases in our communities. Natasha Sistrunk Robinson is an international speaker, leadership consultant, diversity and mentoring coach with nearly 20 years of leadership experience in the military, federal government, church, seminary, and nonprofit sec...

In Romans 12:2 Paul writes, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.” We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds. and that is what we do this podcast. Today’s thought from above is this: God is in this. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, we have been hearing some really bad theology. We so badly want, not just a reason, but a divine reason for this epide...