Happy Monday Ex-homies…

I don’t know about where you live but here in Tennessee, it’s beginning to feel like fall and I’m loving it. Finally get to watch the leaves change, sip on a hot cup of tea, and wear the sweaters that got shoved to the back of the closest.

On last weeks episode…

I sat down with my longtime friend Hannah Gibbons for a vulnerable and eye-opening conversation about growing up in a chaotic Christian homeschool household. From big-family dynamics to a complete lack of structure, Hannah opens up about feeling “behind” her whole life and how discovering she’s neurodivergent at 30 completely reframed her childhood. We also talk about therapy, coping strategies, sensory struggles, and what it means to finally feel understood after years of thinking you were “just dumb.”

In this episode, we covered:

• Big-family homeschooling and the pressure placed on older siblings

• Educational gaps — what happens when your parents stop teaching

• Anxiety, college struggles, and feeling unprepared for adulthood

• Neurodivergence, overstimulation, and late ADHD diagnosis

• How therapy helped her rebuild her confidence and her love of learning

What I’m reading…

NEW BOOK ALERT!

I just picked up Hell Bent: How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love, and I’m pumped to dive into it. Basically, the book takes a look at Christians relationship with hell and how a fear of hell can drive their beliefs more than their love for Christ.

I don’t have much to say about this book as I’m only through the intro of the book but I’ll keep you posted.

If you want to keep up with my current reads, follow me over on Fable. I track all my reads and even leave some book reviews from time to time.

Something cool I found…

Growing up, Mars Hill Church was a very prominent voice in the religious spaces I was a part of. Mark Driscoll was cool. He was charismatic. And he seemed to tell it like it was. No bullshit.

This was attractive to a young guy like myself. But in recent years I’ve noticed a harshness about Mark and his speaking style. One that doesn’t seem to align with the Jesus I grew up reading about.

So when this podcast popped up, I know I needed to take a listen. The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill Church takes a look at the collapse of the church and what happens behind the curtain of church politics.

I’m only a handful of episodes in, but if interested in understanding megachurches or what makes certain pastors such effective leaders, I encourage you to listen for yourself.

Until next time…

Peace & Love my friends

Jacob G