Breaking Bread Podcast

God saves his people into families. A nurturing community where souls are cared for and loved. In this episode of Breaking Bread, ACCFS’s church outreach team shares the vision that propels the work they do. Show notes: Vision: By God’s grace, the Church Outreach division of ACCFS is committed to supporting the local church by providing resources and teaching that equips the local church to care for its members.

Often, our bodies seem like a liability to our emotional, relational, and spiritual health. After all, our flesh is weak. Yet Jesus beautifully sanctioned the bodily experience when He came to earth in the flesh. He showed us that our bodies should not be scorned but instead listened to and exercised to the glory of God. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter and Isaac Funk help us see the role our bodies play in our emotional and spiritual health. Show notes: Common Misconceptions: The biological body is irrelevant. Your feelings tell you what is true. Your flesh is a liability. The body is corrupt and will defile you. Healthy spirituality separates itself from the body. Truth: The biological body is relevant. It informs our reality. God had good in mind when he created the flesh. We should learn to listen to it. The flesh has been affected by “the fall”. It can be used for wrong. Healthy spirituality is always done in the body. By listening to our bodies, we can learn to detect our emotions. B

Jesus saw more. He saw what others missed in a setting. He saw what mattered in an interaction. He understood the reasons for a situation when others overlooked it. Jesus saw more. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Arlan Miller and Matt Kaufmann highlight critical purpose for the elderly among us. Help us like Jesus helped his disciples – help us see more. Show Notes: Help us see what others miss: Just as a passenger in a car can see more of the surroundings than the driver, we need the elderly in our communities to help us see what we often miss. Jesus helped his disciples see what most missed. He pointed out a poor widow casting in more money than the rich. Something they had all missed. Mark 12:41-44 Help us see what matters: Just as a skilled carpenter, doctor, teacher, parent and investor knows what matters in their craft, the elderly in our communities know what matters in life. They can help us see what matters. Jesus helped his disciples see what mattered. He devoted time to young children when th

“Grief can’t be avoided; it waits for you to walk through it.” June Knobloch said this. She and her husband understand grief deeply after suffering the loss of their son Jeff to suicide. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Del and June share their story of grief and how they walked through it. Resources: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline This Lifeline is for people experiencing a crisis and is available 24/7 in the United States. If you need help for yourself, a friend, or family member, call or text 988 right away. Lifeline Crisis Chat Coping with a Suicide [ACCFS] As you face life after a loved one’s suicide, remember that you don’t have to go through it alone. This article provides resources to help support you with your lose. Preventing Suicide [ACCFS] Those on the front lines of engaging our youth- parents, teachers, employers, mentors and those with a heart for our youth can be proactive in working to be aware and possibly help prevent suicides. This article provides information to help those on the fro

Laughter is relational, healing and necessary. In this episode of Breaking Bread ACCFS clinicians Ted Witzig Jr., Brian Sutter, Kathy Knochel and Kaleb Beyer enjoy a light moment together.  But don’t underestimate the weighty benefits such moments bring to our mental health.  Show notes: There are many matters that concern us: struggle, hurt, loss and sorrow abound. Yet, even among these, humor exists. Sometimes laughter springs from surprising places acting as a grace from our heavenly Father who no doubt loves to see his children laugh. What is laughter? Laughter is the physical response to the emotional and cognitive experience of humor, happiness and mirth. Laughter is to happiness as crying is to sadness. Laughter is a common expression of amusement shared by all humanity. What are the elements that give rise to laughter? Humor often plays on surprise. From peak-a-boo with an infant to clever twists in a “punch line”, the element of surprise startles and pleases. Humor often plays on a truth - truth e

Emotion is like fuel. The right amount, at the right time and for the right purpose, yields wonderful results. However, on a negative note, emotion is like fuel. That is why healthy people know how to regulate their emotions. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kathy Knochel and Brian Sutter coach us on how to do that. Show Notes: What is Emotional Regulation? People who have good command of their emotions use emotional regulation. In fact, emotions for these people are used in their life for the purpose God intended. Emotions are a gift from God. Why does Emotional Regulation work? God has made us wonderfully. Our emotions and our bodies are closely connected. In fact, emotion always happens in the body. Just as emotions affect the body, the body affects emotions. There are bodily techniques that can be learned to bring about a healthy emotional experience. What are some skills for regulating emotions? Deep breathing: Learning to breathe in a way that calms your nervous system. Mindfulness: Learning how

Disagreement in marriage is real. Anyone who is married understands the wisdom of being “equally yoked.” Fortunately, Christians are “equally yoked” on the basis of faith in Christ. Yet, there are many other ideals, values and dreams we might not be so “equally yoked.” In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kaleb Beyer gives us a path forward for finding unity in the midst of the conflict this reality brings. Show notes: Background: Conflict around values and dreams are uniquely challenging because of the deep-seated nature of the held beliefs. Consider the examples below: Spouse A believes that family time should be protected and abundant. Spouse B believes that people should be community oriented. Spouse A believes that the house should be neat and orderly. Spouse B believes that the house should be “lived in” and not necessarily tidy. Spouse A believes money should be shared, spent and not hoarded. Spouse B believes money should be saved. Good biblical and wise argumentation can be given on either side of the

Youth is a time of life when all manner of ideals are being formed in a person: reasoning skills, social skills, character qualities, work ethic, and academics. And yet, greater than these is the formation of the image our kids will have of God. Their God image is the sum total of their beliefs and feelings about who God is. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter speaks to the importance of shepherding this important formation in our children. Why God Image is important? It is the lens through which you view life. Where does God Image come from? Experience Teaching Shepherding God Image in our kids: Tap their imagination. Share testimony. Model it in relationship. Be patient with their questions. Point them to the Scripture. Helps: The Jesus Story Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones Children’s Authors: by Max Lucado The Ology by Marty Machowski Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis Tiny Theologians Catechisms

We live in a God-bathed world. He is everywhere and in everything. But too often, we are moving to quickly to see Him. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Isaac Funk coaches us on how to slow down so we can catch up with God. When we are restless with our ordinary lives, we are forgetting: Jesus took on flesh to show us that ordinary is okay. Posture is more important than performance. God is in the boring; the maturing Christian has eyes that see Him everywhere. Experiencing God is always done where we are - never anywhere else. We can be fulling pleasing to God living out the menial tasks that to us are ordinary. We catch up with God by slowing down and walking at Christ’s pace. We can be in two places at once: about our daily tasks and with God. Being human is not a problem. Jesus came to show us how to be fully human.

Folding laundry, mowing the lawn, cooking, cleaning, fixing and working. Life is pretty ordinary. God must be disappointed in my life. Or is He? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Isaac Funk helps us understand the beauty that is possible in the ordinary.

Aren’t options great? So much to choose! Yet Kathy Knochel brings a surprising twist to the bliss of options. In this episode of Breaking Bread, she will help us see the shadow of options and the surprising value that comes by way of commitment. Commitment frees us in two ways. It frees us from and it frees us to. It frees us from options which frees us to focus. It frees us from distractions which frees us to invest. It frees us from paralysis which frees us to purpose.

Attention is currency. It has purchasing power. No one needs to explain this to Facebook, Instagram and Snap Chat of course. But for those of us who spend our attention a little here and a little there, we may be surprised to discover attention is not just petty cash. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Arlan Miller and Matt Kaufmann connect the dots between what we pay attention to and who we become. Wonderfully, hope grows large. God intends to use our attention to grow us into the likeness of Christ. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Cor 3:18

Marital distress happens. Pain will occur. And when it does, our attachment styles will kick into full gear. Soon we will be behaving according to a script that was written a long time ago. However, these powerful scripts can be rewritten.  In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kaleb Beyer explains what attachment styles are, how they are written, how they can be rewritten and the difference it makes in the marriage relationship. Four Attachment Styles: Secure Attachment – when distress occurs, pain shared in relationship and soothed through the relationship. This attachment style is healthy. The Past: Often a secure attachment is constructed when caretakers have not dismissed emotions from children nor have they catastrophized matters. Avoiding Attachment – when distress occurs, the avoider turns down its volume by moving away from relationship and does not seek soothing for the distress from spouse. This attachment style is unhealthy. The Past: When in distress, a child seeks soothing from caretaker but do

I should know by now that yelling seldom works. Moreover, it most often works against me. Fortunately, we don’t have to be screamers. On this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter explains how an introspective person makes gains on his/her anger. Emotions respond to an impetus and fuel a response. While some emotions fuel a deactivation of our system, anger activates our system. The impetus’ that provoke anger and the response it fuels are often constructed from our past experience with the emotion. Gains can be made in controlling our anger. They will require slowing down and being introspective. Notice your triggers. What situations provoke anger in you? Examples: words or phrases, facial expressions, kids, spouse, authority Notice your body. What sensations occur before anger sets in? Examples: shortened breathing, heat flash Notice what is beneath the surface. Anger is a secondary emotion. It responds to deeper emotions. Examples: shame, hurt, insecurity, loss, etc. Notice what your anger is

Solomon the wise said, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty.” Those of us who have lost the battle of self-control know just how mighty “the slow to anger” are. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter helps us understand the emotion of anger. He explains its purpose, how it works and how to live wisely in your own experience so that you might be slow to anger.

The church is God’s family. To participate in church, is to participate in “together.” What if “together” is difficult for you? In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kristen Schwind and Ron Messner give voice to the introvert in church. They highlight both the weaknesses and the strengths our personalities pose in how we experience the “together” aspect of church.   Who is an introvert?   A person who finds solitude as life-giving and human interaction as life-expending.    Who is an extrovert?  A person who finds human interaction as life-giving and solitude as life-expending.    How can introversion in the church be challenging?    Fellowship can be difficult.  By being reserved, individuals can be misjudged as aloof or uncaring.  By being reserved, individuals can be passed over for duties.  By not being always present, individuals can be misjudged as uncommitted.   How can we walk in an understanding way towards the introvert in church?  Be a safe person to talk to.  Use their gift of listenin

The communication process is hard enough with just words. Add emotion to the mix and sometimes we might as well be speaking a foreign language. This is because the present moment meaning we attribute to emotions has been constructed in the past. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Kaleb Beyer untangles the knot spousal communication can find itself in because we are not decoding the emotions in the room correctly.   There are six basic emotions common to all people: happiness, sadness, surprise, shame, anger and fear. Each of these emotions has a lot of shades. For example, anger spans from irritation to rage with many experiences in between. The meaning we make out of emotions is not common among all people. For example, anger for one person means something different to another. The meaning we make out of emotions was constructed in past experiences. For example, how a person did or did not experience soothing when anger arose in their past largely formed up the meaning they attribute to anger today. In marr

Identify formation follows a simple path: Exploration to Commitment. Exploration must precede commitment. Commitment must precede a settled identity. Yet, taking the path is not necessarily easy. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Ted Witzig Jr. explains some of the finer points along the journey to belonging, purpose and worth.

Identity answers the question, who I am and who I am not. An answer that is multi-faceted -both objective and subjective. Sometimes obvious and other times obscure. And to make it trickier, it shifts over time. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Ted Witzig Jr helps us understand the nature of identity formation and how we can better steward this area of our life. Show notes: Identity is: The sense of self - who I am and who I am not. Aspects that make up identity: Demographics: age, sex, address Relationships: child, father, mother, husband, wife Roles: job, family, volunteer Values: likes, dislikes, religion, beliefs, loyalties Experiences: health, hobbies, accomplishments, ownership Personalities: gifts, character traits, talents Events that unsettle identity: Development Loss Transition Role shifts Experiences Belief shifts Process for forming identity: From exploration: trying, investigating, experiencing, researching To commitment: being settled, resolved and grounded Troubles in forming identity

We don’t like it when things are out of reach. Especially when they are good things. But sometimes they just are. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Brian Sutter helps us understand what health looks like amid the disappointment of our inabilities.    Definition: Limitations are those things that we cannot do or achieve regardless of effort or resources.  Potential examples: IQ, Physical limitations, Mental limitations, Human developmental stage, Economics  Reality: Limitations are often sources of pain in a person’s life. We don’t like to be told “no” you can’t do that.  Healthy Mental Processing: Limitations are losses to be grieved.  Acknowledge the limitation.  Grieve the limitation.  Listen for the lie limitation has posited in your thinking. (ex. You are stupid.)  Correct the lie with truth.   Accept the limitation.  Healthy Mindset: Do not identify yourself according to your limitation. Rather, understand your limitation to be part of your unique story and an aspect beloved by God the Father.