I think you could probably go back and track the stages of grief, probably that is what I went through. But I think if you do it right, you end up at acceptance. And that's where I ended up. And that's not to say that I've fully accepted the idea that the golden toad is extinct. Personally, I do still hold out hope that it could still be out there in those forests." - Trevor Ritland This conversation is with Trevor Ritland, who—along with his twin brother Kyle—authored The Golden Toad . The book chronicles their remarkable journey into Costa Rica’s cloud forest, once home to hundreds of brilliant golden toads that would emerge for just a few weeks each year—until, one day, they vanished without a trace. What began as a search for a lost species soon became something much more profound: a confrontation with ecological grief, a meditation on hope, and a powerful call to protect the natural world while we still can. Links: SpeciesUnite.com Kyle and Trevor: https://kyleandtrevor.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adventureterm/ Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222249677-the-golden-toad Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Toad-Ecological-Mystery-Species/dp/163576996…
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Welcome to the weekly podcast from Central Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, KS. For more information about Central Church go to centralchurchonline.com
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Abigail Adams Cover art photo provided by Samuel Zeller on Unsplash: https://unsplash.com/@samuelzeller
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Going Fast or Going Far
40:42
40:42
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40:42Philippians 2:1-11 An African proverb says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” We are tempted to pursue success as fast as we can, but following Jesus invites us into a different pursuit, something the Apostle Paul calls, “a life worthy of the calling you have received.” This calling does not come to us in a vac…
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Philippians 1:12-26 On our own, life is a lose-lose proposition. No matter how many deals we cook up, or how much success we have, eventually our time on earth comes a close. We can delay this reality, but we cannot escape it. In Christ, we are invited out of a lose-lose kind of life and into a win-win kind of death. With the Apostle Paul we can sa…
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Philippians 1:1-11 If life is a journey, we need a "ride or die" for the road ahead. Paul found this in the Philippians church, and this relationship brought him great joy. There is a friend who is even closer than this: Jesus. Paul prays that their knowledge of this friend would grow and deepen. We need friends, but we need Jesus even more! What a…
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Acts 2:1-13; Isaiah 56:1-8 The gift of the Holy Spirit gave the disciples power to declare the Gospel in languages they did not know. What God did in confusing the languages at Babel (Gen. 11), he reverses at Pentecost in bringing them together, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy that “my house will be a house of prayer for all nations.” Becoming a churc…
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We Have a Story to Tell
39:16
39:16
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39:16Acts 1:1-11 Having spent 40 days with the resurrected Jesus, the disciples understood more than they ever have before that God was truly for them. The resurrection of Jesus wasn’t the end of the story but the beginning. However, when God gives us a new beginning, we are called to tell what he has done for us.…
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1 John 4:7-12 Christ's triumph in the resurrection is not the end of the story...it's just the beginning! Because Christ has loved us, we are to love others deeply. Our love for others is what "completes" our love for God! It's the ultimate "so what?" to the Gospel.Von Rev. Raymond Moore
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We Always Have a Friend
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34:00
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34:00Romans 8:33-34; John 15:12-17 We were created for community and to be in relationship with one another. The brokenness of our world, however, can leave us broken and feeling isolated. When other relationships fail, Jesus is the friend who always has our back. Because our God is FOR us, we will never be alone.…
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John 21:15-19 Our failures will never exhaust God's limitless supply of grace.Von Rev. Mark Snodgrass
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1 Corinthians 12:6-10 Are you frustrated with life, with your circumstances, with God? Followers of Jesus are not promised an easy path, but we can have faith in the God who walks with us. His grace meets us right where we are, and his peace surpasses our understandingVon Rev. Bethany Acre
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John 20:1-18 Mary didn’t recognize it was Jesus until he called her by name. The Good News of Easter is that love knows our name. When Jesus calls us by name, He invites us into a life-giving relationship with Him in which we discover the relationship our soul has longed for. This one who knows our name restores what the world has taken away.…
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We Can Take a Leap of Faith
33:47
33:47
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33:47Romans 8:31-23; John 20:24-31 How does one take a leap of faith into the unknown? Thomas doubted, yet confessed, “My Lord, and My God!” The Apostle Paul once tried to destroy the church, and then spent the rest of his life building up what he once tried to destroy. An encounter with the risen Christ changes everything and enables us to jump into th…
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John 12:12-19 Earthly kings come and go. Some are good, and some are bad. No earthly king, however, is perfect. Jesus is the perfect King who embodies the love, justice, and righteousness that enables God's Kingdom to come "on earth as it is in Heaven." Will we give our allegiance to this King and this Kingdom?…
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Luke 9:18-27 When Jesus invites someone to follow him, he is inviting them to die. This death to all that is contrary to the Way of Jesus begins in surrender. Surrender is the foundation of the spiritual life. Practicing the Way is a lifelong process of deepening surrender to Jesus. Surrender to Jesus begins today, and it begins again tomorrow.…
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Luke 5:12-16 Becoming an apprentice of Jesus doesn't happen by accident. Jesus lived by a "rule of life" that is anchored in prayer, and would-be apprentices must understand the connection between what Jesus did and who he was. His purpose was fulfilled because he was intentional in how he used his time. God invites us to commit to a grace-filled r…
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John 14:8-14 As apprentices of Jesus, we not only spend time with Him and become like him, but we are sent out to do what he did. The end goal of apprenticeship is to grow and mature into the kind of person who can say and do what the Master does. Compared to Jesus, this sounds impossible, but we have the gift of the Holy Spirit that enables us to …
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Matthew 5:43-48 When Jesus talks about "perfection," he isn't referring to unattainable sinlessness. He's referring to maturity, specifically, being mature and complete in our love for others. It may not always be pretty or easy to understand, but love for the unloveable becomes the ultimate measure of one's growth towards Christlikeness.…
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John 15:1-17 As an apprentice of Jesus, our life is anchored in his presence by the Holy Spirit. This is the call to "abide" in him. If you're not abiding in Jesus, you're abiding in something: media, relationships, careers, or any combination of things. Apprenticeship with Jesus recognizes that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit that we mus…
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Mark 1:16-20 We live in a world that imagines one can be a "Christian" but not an "apprentice" of Jesus. The invitation to follow Jesus is more than subscribing to the bare bones beliefs of Christianity. Jesus invites us to follow him and to become his apprentice. Converts to Christianity will not change the world, but apprentices of Jesus who embo…
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John 6:35; 6:68-69 There is a difference in knowing about Jesus and being in relationship with Jesus. We are invited into a deep and abiding relationship with him that impacts our entire life. In John 6, Jesus not only feeds the 5,000, but declares himself to be the “bread of life” that “comes down from heaven.” Are we “all in” with who Jesus decla…
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Psalm 37, Matthew 7:13-14, 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 Jesus is Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.Von Rev. Mark Snodgrass
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Mark 10:46-52 Are we so familiar with God that we're missing Him? Hear the Word from Mark 10 as Rev. LaMorris Crawford provokes us to live in faith and expectancy.Von Guest: Rev. LaMorris Crawford
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Psalm 37; Matthew 11:28-30 The creation account describes a rhythm in which God separates, fills, and rests/blesses. In the same way, our lives are "recreated" by God's Holy Spirit when we seperate from the world, are filled by God, and become a conduit of God's blessings to the world. Jesus invites us into this way when we are invited to "take his…
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Psalm 37; Luke 17:11-19 Delighting in the Lord means we revere the Giver more than the gift. In the story of the 10 lepers who were cleansed, one came back to give thanks, a Samaritan! We are not entitled to anything, but everything is a gift from God. This cycle is sustained by grateful hearts who find their delight in their relationship with God.…
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Grace to Trust Him More
33:21
33:21
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33:21Psalm 37 Some people are leapers - they jump in with both feet with little hesitation. Others are calculators - they analyze the risk thoroughly before making a decision. Both are called to be disciples of Jesus who trust God above all else. This way of living demonstrates for the world the most basic of all biblical truths: God is with us!…
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The Cycle of Victorious Living
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32:50
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32:50Psalm 37:1-9 This Psalm invites us to fully commit to the ways of God that bring peace in place of worry. It's a daily decision that teaches us faith in the character of God and not in our circumstances. As we face new situations, we commit to this way again and again, experiencing more of God's peace and faithfulness.…
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Luke 2:41-52Von Rev. Mark Snodgrass
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In the Key of Christmas
46:19
46:19
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46:19Luke 1:46-56 The message of Christmas invites the people of God to sing, but the world is woefully out of tune with God’s purposes for creation. Mary obediently brings her life into harmony with the Christmas message in the midst of a dissonant world. All are invited to sing with Mary as we embrace the Christmas message that brings the sour notes o…
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Isaiah 12:1-6 We are reminded in the season of Advent that, while Christ has already come, Christ will also come again. We live in a reality where things are not as they should be, but we find an unexplainable joy that only God can give as we wait.Von Rev. Mark Snodgrass
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1 Corinthians 13 The people of God are invited to join in and experience this faithful covenant and steadfast love. Even in our silent unbelief and our periods of waiting, God is still working to make all things right and good.Von Guest Speaker: Rev. Samantha Chambo
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Psalm 25:1-10 Psalm 25 is a reminder that we worship a God we can trust and rely on. In this Advent season, as we wait, God has given us a promise that brings hope, even in lament when we are tempted to despair. As we live into our lament, we are called to be people who surrender to the God of hope in order to be transformed.…
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2 Kings 2:6 We are thankful for many things in this season, but being united to Christ as “One Family” is at the top of the list. Kansas City District Superintendent, Rev. Kyle Poole, reminds us of the unity of the Church through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.Von Guest Speaker: Rev. Kyle Poole, KC District Superintendent
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John 13:1-17 The love of God is on full display in Jesus being willing to wash the feet of his disciples. We may be overwhelmed by all the people in the world in need, but Jesus saved the world by serving those closest to him. It's a reminder to think global...act local! Kindness transforms the world one friendship at a time.…
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John 9:24-34 Everyone has a story to share, but no story is bigger than God's story. When we tell our story with authenticity and vulnerability, our life becomes an entry ramp for others to experience this good news for themselves.
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Genesis 18:1-16 What if eating is about more than food? Jesus ministered to people around a table. Like Abraham and Sarah welcoming three strangers, ordinary meals become holy moments when we invite Jesus and those he loves around our tables.
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Prov. 10:19; James 1:19, 1 Kings 19:9-15 Jesus listens to the one everyone else ignores. When we listen with care we embody the life of Jesus and create an open door for a conversation that has the potential to transform the speaker and the hearer. Are we being careful to listen to those everyone else has ignored?…
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Luke 6:12-19 Jesus sets an example of prayer for his people. One cannot engage in the mission of God without being connected to the Life of God. Our effectiveness in ministry is dependent upon our connection to God in prayer.Von Rev. Mark Snodgrass
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Blessed to Be a Blessing
34:46
34:46
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34:46Genesis 12:1-3 Abraham was called by God and given a promise that through the blessing of his descendants, "all people will be blessed." He was blessed to be a blessing, and this captures who the church is called to be as well. The blessing of salvation isn't for our personal enjoyment. Rather, what God has done for us he wants to do through us!…
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Faith Promise: Guest Speaker
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35:55
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35:55We believe God has a mission to redeem the world and he calls his church to join him in this work. Our annual “Faith Promise” weekend celebrates this shared mission! Hear from the national director of the Church of the Nazarene in Cuba, Rev. Leonel Lopez, as he speaks of God's faithfulness and our role as God's people.…
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Jeremiah 17:5-8 A life of faithfulness isn't created overnight. It's nurtured over time like a tree by a stream with roots that go deep. Even in seasons of drought, a life with roots that run deep will always bear fruit.Von Rev. Mark Snodgrass
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Cycle of Victorious Living
37:25
37:25
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37:25Psalm 37:1-7 There is a “cycle of victorious living” that sustains us in every season of life. The psalmist's admonition to “trust, delight, commit, and rest” is a life-giving rhythm, no matter what life throws at us.
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Proverbs 8:32-36 The world may appear to be haphazardly spinning out of control, especially in the face of big changes. However, God's wisdom was present at creation and is programmed into the "operating system" of life. Living a life of greed or in selfish pursuit of power doesn't result in eternal gain, even if it produces temporary success. Wisd…
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Proverbs 3:5-6 It's one thing to say you trust God, but do your actions reflect a life that is fully dependent upon God and his provision? Following Jesus is a matter of trust. Will we trust our way or God's way in life's biggest changes? Always trust the one who has been there before.Von Rev. Mark Snodgrass
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Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 The human experience is filled with sorrows and joys. Without faith, one can only hope that the high moments outnumber the low ones. Sometimes, however, life doesn't make sense and joy is difficult to find. Faith in God enables us to trust in a plan, even when we can't see the finish line. When times are changing, God is not. Hi…
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Bigger Tables Better Stories
35:41
35:41
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35:41Luke 19:1-10 Zacchaeus is famous for being "short," a detail that reflects humanity being stunted by greed and worldly pursuits. As it turns out, these are exactly the people Jesus wants to have dinner with and to whom the mission of the church should be aimed. Anytime the Church makes its table bigger we love people into a better story.…
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John 4:4-26 Everything about Jesus’ encounter with the Woman at the well could be described as “wrong time and wrong place.” The hospitality of Jesus, however, takes everything that's wrong and makes it right. If your story is filled with wrong time/wrong place moments, it’s always the right time to have a life-giving conversation with Jesus.…
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Luke 7:36-50 Jesus will break bread with anyone and everyone, which earns him the title, "friend of sinners." This is on full display as a "sinful woman" offers her worship in the middle of dinner. The journey from sinner to saint is dependent on our willingness to join with Jesus and also be known as a "friend of sinners."…
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When Strangers Come to Dinner
32:31
32:31
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32:31Luke 24:28-35
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John 2:1-11 In the first of his "miraculous signs," Jesus turns water into wine and announces that God has "saved the best for last." When we are out of resources and don't know where to turn, there is "new wine" available to us. God keeps the party going, and never stops giving his best for us.
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Luke 14:7-14Von Rev. Mark Snodgrass
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Hear from this week's guest speaker, Dr. Larry Bollinger, as he gives insight into God's call for the body of Christ to be a "kingdom of priests."Von Dr. Larry Bollinger
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