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What if I told you that God could be seen in the most ordinary things everyday? Take a break from the busyness of your lives to just stop & look around. Consider the things that we encounter all the time and overlook. Just think of all the lessons that we could learn from our children, in our homes, or our families. What if I told you that everyday, ordinary events could teach us extraordinary eternal truths...would you believe me? I'm BJ Sipe, and welcome to the Set Your Mind Above podcast.
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A few weeks ago my wife and I attended a fundraising event to support the adoption agency Sacred Selections. I had hoped to win a beutiful bracelet for my wife in the silent auction, but I kept getting outbid by someone all night. After a while, I realized something hilarious - my wife and I had been unknowingly bidding against each other! Needless…
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S3 E35 - Prepping for the Voyage of Faith
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We are getting ready for our road trip to North Carolina for Thanksgiving, and that means making sure the car is ready for the voyage. We're not just going down the road, we're going up into hard mountain roads that twist and turn all the way. We've got to make sure we're ready for that kind of journey. Well...how do you view your journey of faith?…
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S3 E34 - Broken Toes & The Body of Christ
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Hey! I'm alive! Thanks for being so patient with us - we've had everything from family issues to sickness going on the last few weeks. On top of all of that, while my wife was caring for three sick kids and her sick husband, she hit her foot and broke her toe. Now you would think, it's just a little toe, no big deal right? Wrong. It impacts everyth…
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We ordered some new bibles for some of our newest converts, and one of the bibles had a unique issue with it. The entire text had been bound and printed completely upside down. It's unlike any other issue I have ever seen with a bible. I had to life at the irony of it all, because, well...the Word of God is the thing that turns the world upside dow…
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My wife and I celebrated 9 years of marriage yesterday, and I am blown away at how much has changed since the day we said "I Do". We have moved three times, had three children, and worked with three churches. But the biggest differences come in our relationship: how much deeper we love, fuller we know, and intimately we understand each other. Well.…
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S3 E31 - An Air Fryer & Learning Lessons the Hard Way
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My son learned a lesson the hard way today. Even though we have often told him not to touch anything on the stove, he reached his hand up into the air fryer that was on the stove and burned his hand. Sometimes we have to learn lessons the hard way...or do we? Well...Proverbs 1 teaches us that we don't. We choose many times to learn things the hard …
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Today I really struggled - I just didn't know what to write. It's not that I didn't have an idea of what I wanted to say, but I just couldn't say it. We've all struggled with writer's block before I'm sure, and it's in those times you wish people could just look into your heart or your mind to know what it is you're feeling or thinking. Well...that…
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Children want their parents attention. Constantly my kids are asking, "Dad, are you watching?" or, "Dad! Look! See me?" The idea of me watching them does not cause them anxiety but great joy, why? Because no matter what they are doing, they want to please me. Well...as children of God, how does the idea of Him watching make us feel? If the answer i…
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S3 E28 - It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...CFA
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We have a CFA coming to Danville finally!!! I have passed by nearly every day and while you couldn't tell at all what they were building at first, now it's starting to take on the very prominent features of a stand alone CFA location. The more it comes along, the less it will be mistaken for anything else. Well...do we recognize that this is how di…
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At Starbucks today, a former disgruntled worker came up with a clipboard asking me to sign a petition against his former employee. He said that they had broken over 200 labor laws and that he was wrongfully terminated, and with my signature and others they could help to stop union-busting for baristas. I didn't sign his petition. Not because I didn…
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I was golfing with some brothers this past weekend when a ball came flying our direction right next to our tee box. Being ingnorant of golf etiquitte as a novice, I leaned over to pick up the stray ball and thrown it back towards the party in front of us. "Don't touch that ball!" my friend hollered at me. Apparently, that's a no no in golf. I had n…
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S3 E25 - The Year of Free Beef with guest Scott Beyer
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I tried to get Scott Beyer on the program last month, but both of our recorded sessions had technical difficulties. Luckily, his essay made it through - and I wanted to share that with you today. Behold, the year of free beef! I hope you get as much out of this episode as I did, and be sure to subscribe to both Scott's "Love Better Podcast" and his…
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S3 E24 - Missing What Is Right In Front Of You
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We're back after an extended break! We were in Oregon for almost three weeks, and most of the time we were there, my son Dane he kept saying how much he missed home. Well we finally got back home, and now he says how much he misses Oregon. Go figure - he couldn't wait for what was coming, and now he misses what was. Well...we can be the same way. B…
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S3 E23 - Fragile: Please Don't Heave Onto Porch
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We had a package delivered last night that was full of breakable things: picture frames, glass soap pumps, etc. The way it was delivered, however, was mind blowing. He came to our front porch, stopped, and then threw it onto our porch and it rolled until it slammed into our door. Luckily, nothing was broken, but he could have damaged everything ins…
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S3 E22 - If You're Gonna Take It, You Have To Dish It
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I pulled through Starbucks today, and the car in front of me paid for my drink. It was a small, sweet gesture - a random act of kindness. I was asked, "Would I like to pass it on?" Well, of course! How could I receive a blessing, but not turn around and also then give that same blessing? Well...such is the case with every blessing we have been give…
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4 years ago we planted a little southern magnolia tree in our front yard, and since then it seems like it has done just about nothing but hang on and survive. No blooms. Very little growth. I was just about to rip it up until the most amazing thing happened...a single bloom appeared on our little tree. This whole time I thought it was doing nothing…
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We're back with our third guest interview on the podcast, and this time it is with a cherished friend - Jared Bollman of Beaverton, Oregon. Though he's a Texan at heart, he's holding down the fort in the Pacific Northwest and doing a great job of it. More than anything, he loves being a husband and a father. This episode is so, so important - espec…
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S3 E19 - Bottomless Coffee. Bottomless Grace.
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I love my coffee, and I love my coffee shop - it's where I do most of my study. Depending on how long I'm there my drink order differs; sometimes I order a cortado, sometimes I order a flat white. But if I'm there for a long time, I order a bottomless coffee. No matter how many times I empty my cup, they fill it right back up - I never run out of c…
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S3 E18 - A Lost Little Girl & An Amazing Response
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A little 5 year old girl went missing earlier this week in our county. Without hours, hundreds of people showed up to look for her from our community. I was getting ready to go join the search myself when the good news was announced that she was found, priase God! It was so touching to see how so many responded to join in helping to find this one l…
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S3 E17 - Don't Let Fear Keep You From Fruit
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We have a summer preaching intern that has arrived, so my schedule is changing pretty significantly. I am so excited to work with him, but also...a little fearful. I'm still a very young evangelist myself - what if I mess up? What if I can't train him like others could? After an important conversation with my brother I came to an important realizat…
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S3 E16 - Balancing The Christian Life with Kenny Embry
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We're back with our second guest interview, this time with none other than Dr. Kenny Embry of the Balancing the Christian Life podcast! I know most of my listeners are very familiar with Dr. Embry at this point, but this will give you a whole new perspective that I know will be edifying for you. I have the upmost respect for Kenny, and I am privled…
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On Wednesday, I had the blessing of speaking to the Sycamore church that meets in Gravel Switch, KY. The church has met in this location since February 22, 1840 (that's before the civil war!) And now here I sat 183 years later in the same place. So much has changed since that church was first established, but you know what hasn't? Well...our faith.…
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Kylie took the kids out today to do three things: go to the nursery, pick up lunch from Lee's with honey biscuits, and then go have a picnic at the park then play. Well, when thunderstorms rolled in right as they were picking up lunch, their hopes of the park were dashed. We had some very disappointed kids, which was fine. But what wasn't fine was …
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Our baby birds have finally hatched! Ava and I spent the other night just watching the momma bird feed her young, and she asked why she was doing that? I had to explain that they couldn't feed or protect themselves. The momma bird's job was not done after they were born, she still had more to do until they were grown. Well...the same applies to tho…
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S3 E12 - Being Citizens of Heaven with Hal Hammons
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We have a very special episode today! As we stated, once a month we will be sitting down with a special guest and fellow podcaster to discuss different aspects of setting our minds above. Today, we sit down with my good friend and the host of the "Cititzen of Heaven" podcast, Hal Hammons. This interview and discussion is much longer than our normal…
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We absolutely expected to owe on taxes this year, but much to our surpise we got a refund! Or, we're getting a refund, rather. It's not here it. It's been promised, but yet to be fully realized by being placed into our account. So until then, we wait. Well...our savlation works much the same way. Are we saved? Well, yes and no. We have been cleanse…
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We mounted some clay pots on our back patio to plant herbs in for the spring. There is just one problem, the birds got to them first. So instead of growing herbs, we will now be playing host to the hatching of baby birds in nests they have made in two of our pots. Well...as I watched these birds, it reminded me of Jesus' reassuring words in the ser…
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What happened to last weeks podcast? Tune in to find out! Also, we talk about the downtown area of Danville and it's current heavy construction. It's been a huge hastle to everyone, and our once beautiful and quiet downtown is a loud mess. But, it will be worth it, because when they're done it will be more beautiful than ever. Well...all of us are …
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All of our kids to his point have said dada before mama, and Kylie has been holding out hoping that Finley will say her name first. But ever since last night...Finley has repeatedly said dada. It is the most precious thing in the world when your children finally come to know you and call on you as their dada. Well...have you ever stopped to conside…
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Tune in for a special announcement about the direction of this podcast going forward for the rest of the year starting in April! #SetYourMindAbovePodcast
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My dog is a little theif - he is constantly stealing our stuff and chewing on it. Most of the time I can fish it away from him, but when he takes it under our bed I just leave it because it's too hard to deal with. Well, I looked under the bed yesterday and, uh, things have piled up. It's so bad. Maybe I shouldn't have let it go so long, and it wou…
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I sat across from a man currently spending some time in jail, but I realized he has been a prisoner for most of his life. He was a victim of abuse from the age of 5 on, a prisoner in his home. He sought freedom through drug use, which of course became it's own prison. Now he sat in literal prison, now seeking the only one who can set him free: Jesu…
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As we got off our plane to head for home, Kylie and I watched the sweetest reunion between a little girl, no older than 2, and her father at the airport. She ran into his waiting arms, and it moved us to see their love for each other. Well...one day we will have the same kind of homecoming reunion. We will be brought together with those in Christ w…
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I recently purchased a 1000 piece puzzle from the Ark Encounter, and I finally got the opportunity to start working on it last night. Puzzles are great because each individual piece is unique and have their own picture, but when you put them all together, they make one big picture. Well...Scripture works much the same way. Each of the 66 books are …
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I am not used to having a hypoallergenic dog. Growing up, I had long haired dogs. They shed a ton, but their hair did not get matted. With this puppy we have now, he's had to get shaved down twice now. I thought that brushing him once or twice a week was good enough, but no. He needs daily maintenance. Well...so many of the good gifts that God give…
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My son is almost three, and he wants to do everything on his own. "No, I do it" is his favorite expression. He came with me the other day to the butcher and it was no exception. He wanted to buckle himself, walk and not ride, help load the cart and unload the cart, etc. What took the most time is when he wanted to button his own jacket - except, th…
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Welcome to our very first episode of Season 3! I'm so glad you've returned, and hope that this new year finds you well! In today's episode, I lose my keys - well, my car key to be specific. I spent three hours looking for it, and just above gave up hope. That was until my daughter found it...in one of their toy bins under their bed. Hmm, I wonder h…
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Tune in for the season finale of this year. We will be taking a short break from the podcast, but we hope to see you all back in February of 2023! Until then, know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above! #SetYourMindAbovePodcast
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S2 E71 - Guest Episode with Jared Bollman "What's Cool About God"
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Tune in for a special guest episode with my friend Jared Bollman, the host of the "Man Up" podcast. #SetYourMindAbovePodcast
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Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and I certainly know that I have so much to be grateful for. It's our first Thanksgiving as a family of 5, and that is just the tip of the iceburg. We are blessed with our church family, our friends, our home, and so many other things. God has been good to us far beyond measure. It's easy to be thankful when things are goo…
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I recently saw a video of a man standing on the street with a sign asking for help. It said that he was hurting and discouraged and could use someone to talk to. Nobody stopped. Then he turned the sign around, and it said "free money" with cash taped all to the poster. Within seconds, a mob had formed, and under a minute, the money was gone. Isn't …
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I had a panic attack this week (not really, but go with me here) when a report came out that Dan Lanning, the head coach of Oregon, was interested in leaving and taking the head coaching job at Auburn. Of course Dan was asked if this was true. He set the record straight, and taught us all a lesson too. In the interview, he said he was content where…
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My daughter enjoys playing with my hair and pretending to be a hairstylist. She was working on my hair last night and asked if she was almost done. She said, "these take a long, long time...like 5-7 minutes! That's forever." I laughed. When you're a kid time moves so slow, but as you age, you realize you don't have that much left. Well...Scripture …
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I find that the older I get, the less I venture with things in life. I eat the same things, wear the same things, do the same things, and listen to the same things. We are creatures of habit, aren't we? While that's not necessarily bad, it's important to recognize that sometimes that can bleed over into other things like...well...our prayer life. W…
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S2 E65 - Pursuing Your Spouse & Pursuing Jesus
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Yesterday, my wife and I celebrated 8 years of marriage. As much as I loved and knew my wife the day we were married, it's nothing compared to how I love and know her now. Lord willing, I will be able to say the same years down the road. But that didn't just happen on its own. To grow in our love & knowledge, we needed to pursue each other. Well...…
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S2 E64 - What Is Your Response To Failure?
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I am a huge Mariners fan! We ended a 21 year playoff drought this year, and after sweeping the Blue Jays went on to face the Astros. Game 1 was tonight, and we had a commanding lead until the last inning when they allowed a walk off home run. Surely, the team is crushed. But the series isn't over yet. Yes the lost, but how will they respond to fail…
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We read a news article this week from pediatricians suggesting students with lice should not be sent home, because 1) it's not really poor hygiene and 2) it can cause pyschological stress to a student because of the stigma. Um, what? So 1) Yes, parasites crawling in your hair is poor hygiene, and 2) so we just ignore the problem and let is spread b…
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We are getting used to a family of 5 now with the addition of our third child, and of course it is chaos but in a beautiful way. One thing our oldest two are getting used to is how much a newborn cries. On the way home the other night, they each had very different reactions to her ongoing screams in the car. My daughter, in a motherly way, was tryi…
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S2 E61 - Guest Episode with Hal Hammons "Tortillas and Shibboleths"
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We have one final guest episode before I resume my work from paternity leave. I am excited to share this one with you. Hal Hammons is no stranger to this program, he is a good friend and the host of the Citizens of Heaven podcast. Today, he teaches us how tortillas - and how you choose to pronounce it - has a great deal to teach us about fellowship…
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S2 E60 - Guest Episode with Scott Beyer "It's Only Tinfoil"
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Join us for a special guest episode with my good friend and mentor, Scott Beyer, as he shares some important lessons from an all time favorite book of his "Where the Red Fern Grows". Who knew that a racoon, a log, some nails, and a ball of tinfoil could teach us so much about ourselves in our walk of faith? #SetYourMindAbovePodcast…
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