Off the Rails Podcast

10/28/2025

10/23/2025

We all know someone who once had tremendous influence in our lives and traded it away for petty gossip. Be the one who talks to people, not about them. We all mess up, and when we do, if you are invited to reconcile with someone, jump at the chance rather than talking about them once again instead of to them.

10/13/2025

True peace can be hard to come by - especially true inner peace? And why is that? There are many reasons - but one cannot ignore the way our current culture assaults our sense of peace. So how do we combat that? In this episode, Kate and Kellie lay out 10 ways culture assaults our peace and offers solutions to each one. Welcome to Off the Rails!

10/13/2025

WHEN ART REVEALS A CALL TO ACTION For me it is the Walking Madonna statue at Salisbury Cathedral. How about you?

09/19/2025

There are moments in life when God seems to brush up against our ordinary days—a child’s laughter, the hush of evening light, the way prayer sometimes stills the noise inside our hearts. These glimpses aren’t grand or flashy, but they are holy. They remind us that God is not only “out there,” distant and unreachable, but right here—present in the smallest of moments, patiently waiting for us to notice Him.

Henri Nouwen once wrote that our deepest vocation is simply to be a witness to these glimpses of God. That’s it. Not to perform, not to impress, not even to have all the answers, but to notice and to tell the truth about what we’ve seen. To live with eyes wide open and hearts attuned, so that we can say to one another: “Look, He was here. He is here. He will always be here.” This is the heart of discipleship—choosing to pay attention and daring to speak of it, even when it feels small.

And in a world so often clouded by despair, cynicism, or distraction, that kind of witness becomes light. Your story, your little glimpse of God’s presence, may be exactly what helps someone else remember hope. You don’t have to have it all together. You don’t have to see the whole picture. You just have to share the piece of beauty, the sliver of grace, the tiny flame of His love that you’ve been entrusted to hold. Because when we gather those glimpses together, we start to see the whole mosaic of God’s faithfulness—and it’s more beautiful than we could have ever imagined. ✨

09/16/2025

There is an odd controversy surrounding the phrase "thoughts and prayers" - especially in the face of national tragedies. Some people offer up thoughts and prayers as a way to engage in their faith in the midst of terribly circumstances, while others criticize the phrase, claiming that is not what is needed, but rather action and reform. As Christians, we adamantly believe in both - yet we also reject the idea that our thoughts and prayers and ineffectual. Kate and Kellie spend some time chatting about this very subject and look forward to having you engage with them, too.

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09/15/2025

SERMON SUMMARY

In a world that's quick to devalue those we disagree with, how can we see the face of God in everyone we meet?

When was the last time you truly valued someone with opposing views?

Pastor Kate's message challenged us to be artists for God, painting His character through our actions, so clearly that when people encounter us, they know exactly what God's love looks like.

She emphasized that Jesus valued every single life He encountered, regardless of political affiliation, nationality, or status, and taught that all humans are highly valued by God.

Scripture reinforces this perspective, with both Jesus in Matthew's Gospel and King David in Psalm 8 affirming that humans are highly valued by God, crowned with glory and honor.

Why Are We Seeing Such Division in Our Country?

The "us against them" attitude has led to victims of heinous acts of violence on all sides. Both sides have been victims, both sides are no longer immune, and both sides are no longer innocent.

We seem to claim moral high ground and offer words of justification as if we were righteous, but none of this aligns with God's claim on our lives as His beloved children..

How Do "Yeah, But" Comments Reveal Our Hearts?

When we use 'yeah, but' statements to rationalize violence against those we disagree with, we contradict both American and Christian values. This strikes at the very heart of human dignity and the value of life. We forget that our enemies are also God's children, valued and loved just as much as we are.

There's a story about Art Linkletter and a young boy who was drawing a picture of God. When Linkletter said no one knows what God looks like, the boy replied, "They will when I'm done with my drawing."

This holds a lesson for us: When we come to the end of our day, do the people we encountered have a better picture of what God looks like because they were in our presence? When we post on social media, do we offer a better picture of God? When we leave meetings or the dinner table, do people have a clearer image of God's nature?

Pastor Kate challenge to you this week is to be an artist for God—to paint a picture of God with your life so that when people see you, they know exactly what God looks like in all His compassion, love, grace, and mercy.

Ask yourself these questions daily:

1. Did my words and actions today reflect God's love and value for all human life?

2. How did I respond to those with whom I disagree politically or ideologically?

3. In what ways did I uphold the dignity of every person I encountered?

4. Where did I fail to see the image of God in someone else?

5. How can I better draw a picture of God's nature through my life tomorrow?

Let's begin mending our fractures by being pictures of God and God's nature.

Let's lean into hope, lean into Jesus and may we be known as Your disciples by our love for one another and for all Your children.

09/03/2025

We are all flawed - as human beings there is no getting around that. But what do you do when someone you admire - someone from whom you've learned a great deal - someone who has had a positive influence in your life - yet, somewhere down the road had a moral failure. What do you do with all the good and positive things you have learned from them, especially if they were a well-known, influential artist, creator, musician, or pastor? These questions ultimately lead us into the realm of "Cancel Culture" - a prevalent term in our day and age. But on a larger scale, do we simply dismiss the good an individual has done as they stand in the glaring spotlight of their moral failure and bad decisions? In this episode, Kate and Kellie converse about what it means to still learn from others, in spite of their failures, and how to separate the "God within" from our flawed humanity. Thank you for joining us!

Contact us!
[email protected]

08/28/2025

When you can’t find the words to pray God is right there with you. It’s okay. No judgement. No words necessary. God is WITH you. God is with YOU. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

08/20/2025

God’s Will- How do you find God’s will for your future?

08/10/2025

Enjoy!!

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