Spirituality For Ordinary People

The extending piece of being a person of welcome… offers a more substantial sense of belonging than if we were to only consume. - Sarah WestfallMy humanity needs space for nothingness. It needs to become settled once again… so that sometime in the future again, I can exhale and give again. - Sarah WestfallIn this episode, Matt has a conversation with Sarah Westfall. Sarah is a full-time writer, speaker, and podcast host whose work delves into the complexities of communal life. She is the author of The Way of Belonging: Reimagining Who You Are and How We Relate and writes regularly on her Substack, Human Together. Her podcast has the same name and the amazing tagline: a podcast for people who agree it is not good to be alone (but secretly wonder whether it might be easier).We have a great conversation about why humans long to belong, how helping others belong is a creative act, and also a great discussion about all things writing!Books & LinksSarah’s WebsiteOur Unforming: De-Westernizing Spiritual Formatio

“To live a creative life, we do have to make a choice to live in courage, to be willing to be vulnerable and to put ourselves out there.”In this episode Matt has a conversation with Stephen Roach. Stephen is host of the Makers and Mystics podcast and founder of The Breath and The Clay creative arts organization. Stephen travels as a keynote speaker and event curator conducting workshops and events centred on the exploration of creativity and the spiritual life. He has penned five volumes of poetry, an illustrated children’s book, and 2 other books including Naming The Animals: An Invitation To Creativity.Stephen is a multi-instrumentalist with a background in ethnomusicology and film composition. His musical group, Songs of Water composes for film and television including the award-winning Australian animated short, Teacups. Stephen has contributed to the works of recording artists Ricky Skaggs, Josh Garrels, Jonathan and Melissa Helser, John Mark McMillan and others.Matt and Stephen talk about:* Courage and

"If we believe we're made in the image of God, a creator God, then that image in us is creative. It's a way of engaging with that divine spark."In this episode, Matt has a conversation with Shari Green. Shari writes fiction and poetry for children and young adults. Her latest book, SONG OF FREEDOM, SONG OF DREAMS, is a 2024 Governor General’s Literary Award finalist. Her other novels in verse include GAME FACE, MISSING MIKE, Schneider Family Book Award winner MACY McMILLAN AND THE RAINBOW GODDESS, and ROOT BEER CANDY AND OTHER MIRACLES. Shari’s books have been included on international “best of” lists and selected for numerous provincial and state readers’-choice programs. Much of the conversation centres on Shari’s latest, Song of Freedom, Song of Dreams which has strong themes connected to music and faith and centres around a young pianist in East Germany trying to make sense of love, duty, and the pursuit of dreams during the unsettled months of protest that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Shar

"The church doesn’t need to be full of professional artists to be creative. Creativity is about engaging our neighbourhoods with imagination and love."In this episode, Matt has a conversation with Dr. Mark Glanville. He currently works as the Director of the Centre for Missional Leadership at St. Andrew’s Hall at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and is the author of 5 books. He has pastored in creative, justice-seeking churches for 14 years in both Canada and Australia and has played jazz piano professionally for 30 years. Through a variety of lenses, Mark shows how the Bible is forming churches that extend the tenderness of Jesus in their particular neighbourhood.Matt and Mark talk about:* The parallel between artists and Christ followers, seeing both as seekers of truth. * The role of beauty, creativity, experimentation, and discernment in the Church.* Preaching as an artistic craft.Links / Books* Mark Glanville’s website* Centre for Missional Leadership* Preaching in a New Key: Crafting Expos

“Creativity is a response to being loved. Whether through poetry, music, or even gardening, it’s how we express our connection to the sacred.”—Kaitlin CurticeIn this episode, Matt has a conversation with Kaitlin Curtice. Kaitlin is an award-winning author, poet-storyteller, and public speaker. As a citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin writes on the intersections of spirituality and identity and how that shifts throughout our lives.Her books include, Native: Identity, Belonging and Rediscovering God and  Living Resistance: An Indigenous Vision for Seeking Wholeness Every Day. She also has a series titled An Indigenous Celebration of Nature — four children’s books on the seasons, the latest, Spring’s Miracles, released on March 4, 2025.Besides her books, Kaitlin has written online for Sojourners, Religion News Service, On Being, SELF Magazine, Oprah Daily, and has been featured on CBS and in USA Today. She writes essays and poetry for The Liminality Journal found on Substack.Matt and Kaitlin talk about:*

In this episode, Matt talks with Laura Alary. Laura is the author of over 20 books (a few are on their way to publication). On her website, she claims to “write stories that make us bigger on the inside” and explains that “…means my books make you think. Wonder. Ask big questions. Maybe understand other people a bit better. Some of them are serious. Some are funny. Most are a bit of both. But they all aim to stretch minds and hearts.”This conversation was so rich and full of wonder as we spoke about:* Creativity as intrinsic to being human, reflecting the image of the Creator. * The hopeful orientation of Christian artistic expression* Having a more broad view of vocation as not just an unexpected calling but as something that “lights you up” and aligns with natural gifts and passions.* The power of Children’s Books especially in rediscovering a sense of wonder and connection to faith* The role and importance of curiosity * Laura’s approach to writingLinks / Books* Laura Alary’s Website* Rise: A Child’s Guide

In this inaugural episode of the newly minted Faithfully Creative Podcast, Matt has a conversation with Merideth Hite Estevez. She is a Juilliard-trained oboist, Doctor of Musical Arts, author, coach, and speaker who helps self-identified artists and the creatively curious recover the joy of making. Merideth is host of the Artists for Joy podcast and author of The Artist’s Joy: a guide to Getting Unstuck, embracing imperfection, and loving your creative life.We talk about:* Her journey from experiencing burnout as a musician and academic to supporting artists in rediscovering joy in creativity.* Creativity as a spiritual practice, and what it might mean to reframe creative practice as “devotion.”* Having a portfolio life and making room for regular creativity even when you are busy.* What a writing coach or creative coach does.Resources / Books Mentioned* Merideth’s website, where you can find her podcast “Artists for Joy” and details about her excellent book.* Merideth’s Substack* Ann Kroeker’s website (Ann

Note: The personal essay below is most of this podcast episode. You may either listen or read. Your choice!As I’ve attempted to move toward a more regular pattern of writing, I’ve decided to change the name of this Substack newsletter and also change the name and essentially re-launch my podcast. Both will now be called “Faithfully Creative.”My aim is to stay on the same trajectory that I’ve been on—writing and speaking about creativity, imagination, faith, spirituality, theology, God. The banner of “Faithfully Creative” is broad enough to encompass all of this, but hopefully it will provide a bit of focus as well. Before I lay out some specifics, I have a small confession, and then a bit of a personal story.First, the confession… As I look back on my life, a lot of the time I have been reluctantly creative. It may not seem like that to the outsider looking in. But the outsider can’t really see fully in, can they? They can’t see my hesitancy, fear, my almost-devotion to second-guessing. I’ve been in this wor

This amazing conversation with Juno-award winning musician, Steve Bell, was the 9th episode of the Spirituality for Ordinary People Podcast. I felt like it was worth re-sharing, and have also included the original “show notes” below. You can also get a transcript by reading this post in the substack app or on the substack website.This interview was such an amazing experience, recorded in Steve’s own studio in Winnipeg. Steve was incredibly gracious and generous with his time and his honest sharing. Steve shared a ton in this episode, and you can find all kinds of links below that reference just some of what Steve spoke about.Thanks for reading Noticing Delight! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.This podcast episode also features several of Steve’s songs, used with his permission.CONNECT WITH STEVE BELL* Steve’s Website – stevebell.com* Pilgrim Year * Steve’s AlbumsSOME OF WHAT WE COVERED IN THE INTERVIEW:* Following Jesus as a Pathway* Interactions with First Nations People and the e

There are certain Christian traditions that seem talk about how we need more “Bible-based teaching.” These same traditions that tend to indicate that they are elevating the Bible and take pride in “understanding the Bible literally” or, if they actually deign to admit that it is impossible to take the entire Bible literally because, well, least of all, there are poems in the Bible (even an entire book of poetry called the Psalms) and you can’t actually take a poem literally or you’ve totally missed the point, then they will instead declare that they, and maybe only they, are “taking the Bible seriously.”Some of these same traditions have churches and leaders who have done things like silence women, perpetuate abuse and discrimination, gather enormous wealth, or created their own kingdoms and then done what is “necessary” to protect them. (See the Secrets of Hillsong documentary, and the Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast)I’m not usually one to criticize other Christian traditions, but my aggravation at the wa

A podcast episode based on a written reflection first posted to the Noticing Delight Substack. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

Reading is interpreting. We know this more keenly than ever because we interpret all the time.You receive an email announcing that you have won a cruise. You read just a bit of it and already you have done your interpretation. It is spam or a scam. You delete it or send it to your Junk Mail folder.You read a news story and wonder if they have really got all their facts straight. Where is the news from? Is it the Globe and Mail or the National Post? NBC or Fox News? You interpret what you read or watch accordingly based on the source, on your beliefs, and probably a host of other things.The same goes for novels, plays, movies, TV shows. You are reading or watching, and interpreting. All the time.Reading the Bible isn’t any different. We don’t just read and get “the facts” or “the plain meaning.” Interpretation happens. One of the most important things to pay attention to is what we can call the narrative arc of Scripture.When reading the Bible one really must enter the world of the story. We often zero in on

You can listen to the version audio or read the full reflection (transcript) below:The fact that we hold this collection of books as sacred (or if you personally don’t, you may at least agree that there is deep ancient wisdom there), is enough to say that we may want to do our best to understand what the Bible is all about. Interpreting the Bible can be challenging but, believe it or not, it can also be fun, and diving into understanding the bible through imaginative engagement with the stories, letters, poems and more that lie within its pages can be deeply rewarding, even life-changing.On Saturday, Nov 18th, 2023 from 9:30 to 11:30, I will be offering a workshop on Interpreting the Bible Imaginatively. (In person only at 590 University Cres, Winnipeg) Email me if you plan to come!The idea for this started when last year someone asked me about where ideas for some of my sermons come from. They were basically commenting on how they seemed to “get more out of it” when listening to a sermon about a particular

The fifth in a 5-part series for Advent/Christmas 2022.He is born among us and is one of us. The incarnation.God with us and with intent, with imagination and creativity. Bearer of hope, and peace, and joy, and love.And so, we can be religious about the incarnation. As God came into the world and loved the place and people to which He came, we can do the same.You can see the places you find yourself through God’s eyes. You can be incarnational about where you are. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

The fourth in a 5-part series for Advent/Christmas 2022.The final advent theme is Love. Love is so central.  It is at the core of who we are as human beings. We naturally love.  Think of parents, children, grandchildren, wives, husbands, true friends.And our faith takes us further with love. Over and over we are asked to give ourselves to love. To be religious about it.  To let our love reflect divine love.As we move toward Christmas, we glimpse once again God with is. Love incarnate. Love itself in human form, for God is love. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

The third in a 5-part series for Advent/Christmas 2022.What if joy was something you could simply choose?We tend to think joy is something that happens to us. It isn’t in our control. We would love to feel joyful, but that is really hard to do day in and day out. Is it the same as just being happy all the time? No, not really.So, what would it mean to be religious about joy?To say yes to joy, to make joy part of the pattern of our life. To give ourselves over to joy... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

The second in a 5-part series for Advent 2022.Being religious about something is about devotion, it’s about commitment. It is about staying the course even when you don’t feel like it. We are compelled to stay with it. We’ve made it our religion, and ours is a religion of peace.War is rampant, but we claim peace.Jesus claimed “Blessed are the Peacemakers” and declared that they would be called the children of God. On Sunday, we share peace with one another. It is a sign of having reconciled relationships. Of a healing between us.Peace is far more than an end of war. It isn’t about tolerating each other. It is things being set right. How they truly ought to be. It is a massive concept in the scriptures. The Hebrew word Shalom is peace, healing, wholeness, salvation. And we are people of this shalom. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

The first in a 5-part series for Advent/Christmas 2022.Getting religious about hope is not about being unrealistic or having some pie-in-the sky, everything will always be totally fine attitude. Religiously hoping means a full on acknowledgment of life in all its mess, brokenness, and still we fend off cynicism. We lament, but we don’t despair. We don’t just “hope everything gets a bit better soon.” We go bigger than that. We hope for complete renewal. We hope for reconciliation. We hope for a new heaven and a new earth... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

"From now on you will be catching people" -  Jesus says this to his followers and it does not sound positive at all. Catching people? So, the job of people who follow Jesus is to go and "catch" others? Trap them? Trick them into something? I'm going to just say NO to all of that, but also say that when Jesus said this, there was something far more going on (no surprise - it's Jesus!). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com

Matt welcomes AJ Sherrill for a conversation around a book that has one of the most amazing sub-titles of all time! - Being With God: The Absurdity, Necessity, and Neurology of Contemplative Prayer. AJ is the Lead Pastor at St. Peter's Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina and is an adjunct professor at Fuller Theological Seminary, where he teaches popular courses on transformational preaching and the Enneagram. Visit is website at https://www.ajsherrill.org/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mattbrough.substack.com