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A Modern Poet's Guide To A Raw & Authentic Relationship With God - Joshua Luke Smith | 153

Episode 153 Published 3 weeks, 3 days ago
Description

In this week's episode, I sat down with the absolutely brilliant London-based author, poet, and songwriter Joshua Luke Smith to discuss his new book, This Is The Main Event: Finding Contentment in the Life You Have. I wanted to chat with Joshua about how we can anchor ourselves in the present moment, overcome the spiritual numbness of modern life, and reconnect with the quiet presence of God in our everyday experiences.

From performing on massive stages to running poetry workshops in UK prisons, Joshua shares how leaning into our humanity, embracing our pain through lament, and paying attention to the "ordinary" moments around us can transform our relationship with God and help us realize that the life we long for is already hidden right in front of us.

Highlights from this episode include:

  • This Is The Main Event: Joshua breaks down the inspiration behind his new book, sharing how a family mantra turned into a practical, four-stage journey (Invitation, Lamentation, Consecration, and Adoration) toward finding true contentment.

  • The Speed of Love: Exploring the power of slowing down in a fast-paced world. Josh shares simple, intentional habits, from walking slowly to carving out 4 minutes and 44 seconds of daily silence, to hear the actual "sound of your soul."

  • The True Myth & The Power of Story: A deep conversation on why modern culture is hungering for narrative again. We discuss how the Gospel serves as the "true myth" that anchors our isolated, individual lives into something transcendent and shared.

  • Form Finds the Feeling in UK Prisons: Joshua reflects on his work facilitating poetry workshops with offenders. He shares moving stories of how using structure and the Psalms helps men excavate their souls, name their grief, and discover deep repentance.

  • A Closing Blessing: Joshua finishes the episode by sharing a powerful, spoken-word blessing straight from his book to remind us that grace can make broken things repairable.

More About Joshua Luke Smith:
Joshua is a community builder and podcaster, as well as a poet, author, and songwriter. He’s the founder of Orphan No More, a record label and creative community, and The Psalmists, a charity supporting the lives of offenders through creative expression. He’s been featured in Complex Magazine, BBC 1XTRA, BBC 6 Music, Premier Radio, UCB Radio, Wordplay, and many other outlets. Joshua has given a TEDx Talk, tours extensively, and speaks internationally on the subjects of spiritual formation and creativity.

Connect with Joshua:

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