Sermons on the Side

Have you ever looked around and felt like everyone else was winning while you were the only one hurting? 
In this week's episode of Sermons on the Side, Brad shares a tender moment with his daughter, Bekah, after what was supposed to be a fun-filled birthday party ended almost as soon as it began. One unexpected accident left her sitting on the sidelines, watching everyone else enjoy the celebration. Through tears, she uttered a sentence that resonates far beyond childhood:
"Dad... everyone's having fun but me."
Those words reveal a struggle we all know too well. Whether through comparison, disappointment, unanswered prayers, or unexpected hardship, it's easy to believe that everyone else's story is unfolding the way they hoped while ours has somehow gone off script. 
But what if our greatest need in those moments isn't for our circumstances to change? What if it's to remember who our Father is? 
This episode explores the difference between comparing our lives to everyone else's highlight reel and allowing our Heavenly Father to meet us in our pain. Brad reflects on what it means to comfort a hurting child, model healthy grief and disappointment, and ultimately point our hearts toward the One who never wastes our suffering.
If you've ever wrestled with feeling left out, overlooked, or like life is unfair, this conversation is a reminder that God isn't absent in your disappointment - He's often doing His deepest work there. 
No matter what season you're walking through, this episode is an invitation to lift your eyes from everyone else's story and rest in the faithful love of the Father who is writing yours.
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Weeds have a way of showing up when you least expect them. Left alone, they spread quickly, steal nutrients from healthy plants, and before long, they begin to take over. This week, Richard shares the story of spending several long, hot South Georgia summer days tackling an overgrown bed of azaleas that had become completely entangled with vines and weeds. It was exhausting work, but it revealed an important truth: if you only cut the weeds off at the surface, they'll be back before long. The only lasting solution is to pull them out by the root. 
That simple lesson from the front yard becomes a powerful reminder for our own hearts. So often we focus on managing behaviors, hiding symptoms, or trimming back the visible issues in our lives, while ignoring the deeper roots that produced them in the first place. But true transformation isn't found in surface-level behavior modification - it's found when Christ changes us from the inside out. 
Join us as we explore what Scripture says about allowing God to expose and uproot the things that don't belong, cultivating hearts that bear lasting fruit, and embracing the hard work that leads to genuine spiritual growth. Sometimes the greatest heart work begins with a little yard work.
Send us Fan Mail
Sermons on the Side Bible Readings
Connect with us on our FACEBOOK page
Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast
Check out our website HERE
Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!
Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside
Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

Have you ever bought a new car, only to suddenly notice that same make, model, and color everywhere you look? 
This week on Sermons on the Side, Brad and Richard unpack the fascinating psychological phenomenon known as the Frequency Illusion. Richard shares the story of purchasing his Kia Sorento in what he thought was a one-of-a-kind metallic bronze color - only to spend the next week convinced that everyone else had suddenly bought the exact same vehicle. 
Of course, the world hadn't changed. His attention had. 
That simple observation opens the door to a much deeper conversation about the Christian life. How often do our emotions, assumptions, fears, or past experiences shape the way we interpret reality? How often do we begin to believe something is true simply because it's what we keep noticing? 
Scripture repeatedly calls believers to anchor themselves in truth - not feelings, not circumstances, and not the ever-changing narratives of the world around us. When we're rooted in Christ and grounded in God's Word, we're able to recognize the difference between perception and reality, resisting the subtle lies that can so easily shape our thinking. 
Join us as we explore the psychology behind the Frequency Illusion, the danger of unchecked assumptions, and the life-giving invitation to fix our eyes on Christ - the One who never changes and is always true. 
Whether you've experienced this phenomenon with a new car, a word, a product, or even a personal fear, this conversation will challenge you to ask an important question:
Am I living according to what feels true—or according to what God says is true?
Send us Fan Mail
Sermons on the Side Bible Readings
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Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast
Check out our website HERE
Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!
Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside
Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

Sometimes the most profound theology comes from the lips of a child. 
While celebrating the Fourth of July in Panama City Beach, Richard was carrying his grandson, Bennett, into the surf when Bennett looked up and said something that stopped him in his tracks:
"Papi... you're like God."
Surprised, Richard asked him why. 
His answer was as simple as it was profound:
"Because you protect me from the waves. You hold me up high, and the waves are down there." 
In that moment, Bennett wasn't making a theological argument. He was simply expressing the unshakable confidence of a child who knew he was safe in the arms of someone he trusted. 
What if that's exactly how God invites us to live? 
In this episode, we continue the conversation from last week's My Shield and Great Reward by exploring the beauty of childlike faith, the confidence we can have in our Father's protection, and the peace that comes when we remember that the waves may be real - but they are always beneath the One who holds us. 
Join us as we look at Psalm 46 and Psalm 93, celebrating the God who is stronger than every storm and worthy of our innocent confidence.
Send us Fan Mail
Sermons on the Side Bible Readings
Connect with us on our FACEBOOK page
Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast
Check out our website HERE
Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!
Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside
Thank you for being part of the journey with us!

Episode 75 is a special one - not only because it marks another milestone in the Sermons on the Side journey, but because it features an incredibly encouraging conversation with Mike Gunter. 
Mike, his wife Amber, and their three children call the Columbus, Georgia area home. He is the owner of Energy Savers in Columbus, GA, and has faithfully attended and served as a Sunday School teacher at North Highland Church for decades. 
From the outside, Mike appeared to be living the American dream. But everything changed when he received a life-altering diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. 
What followed was a journey through anxiety, declining kidney function, dialysis, the transplant waiting list, kidney transplant surgery, and even post-surgical complications. Throughout it all, Mike was continually faced with the choice that every believer eventually encounters: Would he run from God into fear, insecurity, and anxiety - or run to God, his hiding place, his Shield, and his Great Reward? 
In this powerful episode, Mike shares his story with honesty, humility, and unwavering faith. One of the most moving moments comes as he reflects on Genesis 15 that describes God as our "shield and exceedingly great reward." That truth became an anchor for his soul and provides a perspective that every follower of Christ needs to hear. 
Whether you or someone you love has been diagnosed with IgA nephropathy, chronic kidney disease, is navigating dialysis or a transplant, or is simply walking through an unexpected season of suffering, this conversation offers hope, biblical encouragement, and a reminder that Christ is enough.
As a special encouragement, Mike extends a heartfelt invitation to anyone facing kidney disease or a similar medical journey: You're not alone. If connecting with someone who's been there would be an encouragement, he would love to hear from you.
Mikegunter@energysaversair.com
This is one of those conversations that will stay with you long after it ends!
Send us Fan Mail
Sermons on the Side Bible Readings
Connect with us on our FACEBOOK page
Connect with us on INSTAGRAM @sermons_on_the_side_podcast
Check out our website HERE
Love the show? If you’re enjoying the stories, laughs, and conversations we share here, we’d be so grateful if you’d consider “buying us a cup of coffee” to help keep things brewing. It’s a simple way to show your support and keep the podcast going strong!
Here’s the link: buymeacoffee.com/sermonsontheside
Thank you for being part of the journey with us!