"Wrestling with God and Listening for Whispers," Episode #165, February 26, 2026

.Episode Summary

Wrestling with God and Listening for Whispers, Living Compass Spirituality and Wellness Podcast — Lent, Week 1

In this episode, Scott Stoner reflects on two powerful biblical stories that illuminate what healing and wholeness can really look like — not always peaceful or easy, but sometimes raw, wrestling, and hard-won. Drawing on the story of Jacob wrestling with God the night before his reconciliation with his brother Esau, Scott invites us to see that God is present not only in the moments of clarity and consolation, but in the darkness, the struggle, and the dis-ease we carry. Whatever we are wrestling with — a broken relationship, a physical challenge, an emotional weight — we do not walk through it alone.

Scott also revisits the story of Elijah from 1 Kings, reminding us that God's healing voice doesn't always come in the dramatic and overwhelming moments of life. More often, it comes as a gentle whisper — through Scripture, a meaningful conversation, a moment of stillness in prayer, or a quiet sense of being led forward. The episode closes with a beautiful reflection from contributor Robbin Brent, who writes that faith is not about certainty or the absence of questions, but about the willingness to keep trusting in the deeper reality of God's healing presence, even when circumstances seem to contradict it. Wherever you are on your Lenten journey, this episode is an invitation to be still, listen for the whispers, and trust that way will open.

Free PDF of the devotional booklet and daily email reflections available at livingcompass.org. Contact Scott at scott@livingcompass.org.

Resources Mentioned

  • Daily readings booklet — PDF download or daily email signup available at livingcompass.org

  • Living Compass App — search "Living Compass" in your app store or visit app.livingcompass.org; includes guided Lenten meditations; free trial for one year, then $10/year

  • Spanish-language content — daily reflections by Estela Lopez and Pedro Lopez (Bruja La De Vida), PDF available at livingcompass.org and posted daily on the Bruja La De Vida Facebook page

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Opening Our Eyes: Healing Our Vision," Episode #164, February 23, 2026

.Episode Summary

Opening Our Eyes: Healing Our Vision Living Compass Spirituality and Wellness Podcast — Lent, Week 1

This episode explores the theme of "Opening Our Eyes" as part of the first full week of Lent, connected to the daily devotional booklet Cultivating Wholeness and Healing with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind.

Scott reflects on the many healing stories in the Gospels involving sight, noting that healing doesn't always happen all at once. Drawing on the story of the blind man in Mark 8 — who is healed progressively, first seeing blurrily and then fully — Scott invites listeners to recognize that moving from blindness to blurry is still grace, still progress.

He then explores the different kinds of "blindness" Jesus addresses beyond physical sight — spiritual, emotional, and relational — and how each can leave us seeing life less clearly and with less love and hope than we'd like. Whether it's a faith stuck at an early stage of development, emotions we've numbed to protect ourselves, or patterns of "othering" people in our relationships, these forms of blurriness are not causes for shame but invitations to healing.

Scott closes with the image of Bartimaeus crying out, "My teacher, let me see again" — reminding us that Jesus is in the business of opening eyes, and that Lent is a season to nurture and restore our vision in all its dimensions.

Free PDF of the devotional booklet and daily email reflections available at livingcompass.org. Contact Scott at scott@livingcompass.org.

Resources Mentioned

  • Daily readings booklet — PDF download or daily emails available at livingcompass.org

  • Living Compass App — search "Living Compass" in your app store or visit app.livingcompass.org; includes guided Lenten meditations; free trial for one year, then $10/year

  • Spanish-language content — daily reflections by Estela Lopez and Pedro Lopez (Bruja La De Vida), PDF available at livingcompass.org and posted daily on the Bruja La De Vida Facebook page

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Cultivating Healing and Wholeness," Episode #163, February 17, 2026

.Episode Summary

Host: Scott Stoner, Episcopal pastor and licensed marriage and family therapist

Recorded the day before Ash Wednesday, this introductory episode launches the Lenten podcast series centered on the theme Cultivating Healing and Wholeness with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind. Scott reflects on what it means to tend to our whole selves during the 47 days of Lent, drawing on his 40 years of experience as pastor and therapist.

Key Themes

Scott opens with a simple but powerful question: When was the last time someone genuinely asked how you're doing? He invites listeners to treat Lent as an annual spiritual check-up — an unhurried season to reflect on body, mind, heart, and soul. Healing, he suggests, is less like a lightning bolt and more like tending a fire: patient, gentle, and attentive. The Ash Wednesday words "Remember that you are dust" are framed not as shame but as an invitation to humility and openness.

He also introduces the Living Compass model of well-being — four quadrants (Heart, Soul, Strength, Mind) with eight dimensions of wellness — and reminds listeners that wellness begins with "we."

Resources Mentioned

  • Daily readings booklet — PDF download or daily emails available at livingcompass.org

  • Living Compass App — search "Living Compass" in your app store or visit app.livingcompass.org; includes guided Lenten meditations; free trial for one year, then $10/year

  • Spanish-language content — daily reflections by Estela Lopez and Pedro Lopez (Bruja La De Vida), PDF available at livingcompass.org and posted daily on the Bruja La De Vida Facebook page

During This Series

Two new podcast episodes will be released each week throughout Lent.

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Practicing Love, One Step at a Time," Episode #162, February 12, 2026

In this Valentine's Day episode, Scott reflects on the Buddhist monks who recently completed their 2,300-mile peace walk to Washington, D.C., drawing connections between walking meditation, pilgrimage, and the true nature of love. He explores how love is primarily a decision and practice rather than just a feeling, using 1 Corinthians 13 as a guide to understand love as patience, kindness, and endurance. Scott shares insights from his retreats at Magnolia Grove Monastery in the tradition of Thich Nhat Hanh, emphasizing that sustaining long-term relationships—whether marriages, friendships, or commitments to justice—requires showing up one step at a time, even when feelings waver. This episode reframes Valentine's Day as an opportunity to practice love as a sustained commitment rather than momentary emotion.

Remember: You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices (including walking meditations), and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…you can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Compassion Fatigue," Episode #161, January 29, 2026"

Compassion Fatigue

Scott works with as a coach and therapist are reporting that they are experiencing compassion fatigue. In this episode, he talks about what compassion fatigue is and how to address it.

Remember: You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Stay Warm," Episode #160, January 23, 2026

Stay Warm

In this episode, Scott shares how, in the midst of the deep freeze hitting Wisconsin, where he lives, as well as much of the rest of the country, the universal wish that people extend to one another is "stay warm." What would it mean for us to "stay warm" emotionally and spiritually in the midst of the many storms happening around us today?

Remember: You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Home by a Different Way," Episode #159, January 12, 2026

Home by a Different Way

Sometimes an encounter changes us so deeply that we cannot return the same way we came. When has that been true for you? The story of the Wise Men being warned not to go back to Herod, but to go home by a different way after they encounter the Christ child, is a metaphor for how when we encounter the Divine, we often choose to move forward in a new way.

We also have Guided Meditations for Epiphany in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Christmas Generosity," Episode #158, December 24, 2025

Christmas Generosity

Merry Christmas! Let us celebrate and fully receive the generous gift of God's love at Christmas so that we can go forth and generously share that love with others.  

Just a reminder…..

We also have Guided Meditations for Advent in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

And please know that the each of the daily readings for Advent on Practicing Generosity are archived on our website. You can read them HERE.

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"A Generous Dinner Party," Episode #157, December 19, 2025

A Generous Dinner Party

Jesus tells this story to remind us what a true Christian approach to generosity and hospitality looks like.  How might you and I practice this in our own lives?

Luke 14:15-25 (The Message Translation)

15 That triggered a response from one of the guests: “How fortunate the one who gets to eat dinner in God’s kingdom!”

16-17 Jesus followed up. “Yes. For there was once a man who threw a great dinner party and invited many. When it was time for dinner, he sent out his servant to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come on in; the food’s on the table.’

18 “Then they all began to beg off, one after another making excuses. The first said, ‘I bought a piece of property and need to look it over. Send my regrets.’

19 “Another said, ‘I just bought five teams of oxen, and I really need to check them out. Send my regrets.’

20 “And yet another said, ‘I just got married and need to get home to my wife.’

21 “The servant went back and told the master what had happened. He was outraged and told the servant, ‘Quickly, get out into the city streets and alleys. Collect all who look like they need a square meal, all the misfits and homeless and down-and-out you can lay your hands on, and bring them here.’

22 “The servant reported back, ‘Master, I did what you commanded—and there’s still room.’

23-24 “The master said, ‘Then go to the country roads. Whoever you find, drag them in. I want my house full! Let me tell you, not one of those originally invited is going to get so much as a bite at my dinner party.’”

If you don't have a printed booklet of our Advent reflections, you can:

Just a reminder…..

We also have Guided Meditations for Advent in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Transformational Hospitality vs Transactional Hospitality," Episode #156, December 15, 2025

Jesus offered a radical, transformational hospitality. What does it look like for us to do the same?

If you don't have a printed booklet of our Advent reflections, you can:

Just a reminder…..

We also have Guided Meditations for Advent in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Generous Together," Episode #155, December 11, 2025

Generosity is amplified when it is practiced together in community. Communities of generosity are essential for our individual and collective wellbeing. 

If you don't have a printed booklet of our Advent reflections, you can:

Just a reminder…..

We also have Guided Meditations for Advent in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Generosity and Gratitude," Episode #154, December 8, 2025

Opening our hearts and souls to gratitude also opens them to both the receiving and sharing of generosity. When our hearts, souls, and minds are close--it makes it nearly impossible to give or receive gratitude and generosity.  

If you don't have a printed booklet of the reflections, you can:

Just a reminder…..

We also have Guided Meditations for Advent in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"The Parable of the Generous Parent," Episode #153, December 4, 2025

You may be more familiar with the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Still, the title "The Parable of the Generous Parent" emphasizes the story's primary message: God's extravagant generosity and love.

If you don't have a printed booklet of the reflections, you can:

Just a reminder…..

We also have Guided Meditations for Advent in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Grounding Our Practice of Generosity in God's Generosity," Episode #152, December 1, 2025

Our capacity to practice generosity is rooted in God’s generosity with us. There are many compasses that compete to guide our lives. The compasses of the dominant culture are strong this time of year.

Observing Advent means making a decision to make the compass of our faith, the compass of God’s generosity, our primary compass as we navigate the journey to Christmas.

If you don't have a printed booklet of the reflections, you can:

Just a reminder…..

We also have Guided Meditations for Advent in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Practicing Generosity This Season of Advent ," Episode #151, November 26, 2025

Our focus for the season of Advent, which this year begins on Sunday, November 30, 2025, is Practicing Generosity with All Your Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind. The focus is truly on practicing--not just thinking more about generosity. There are many compasses that compete to guide our lives, and the compasses of the larger culture are strong this time of year. Let's commit to making our spirituality our compass during Advent. 

If you don't have a printed booklet of the reflections, you can:

Just a reminder…..

We also have Guided Meditations for Advent in our Living Compass App. You can download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Grief and Gratitude," Episode #150, November 20, 2025

We all carry grief and gratitude through the holidays. Learning to be comfortable with fully feeling and expressing both is crucial to our emotional and spiritual wellbeing. 

“The work of the mature person is to carry grief in one hand and gratitude in the other and to be stretched large by them. How much sorrow can I hold? That’s how much gratitude I can give. If I carry only grief, I’ll bend toward cynicism and despair. If I have only gratitude, I’ll become saccharine and won’t develop much compassion for other people’s suffering. Grief keeps the heart fluid and soft, which helps make compassion possible.” Francis Weller, author and psychotherapist

Just a reminder…..

You can also download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"The Power of Looking Up," Episode #149, November 13, 2025

The Northern Lights reminded us this week of the power of looking up--the power of awe and the importance of taking a higher perspective on how the Divine infuses and enlightens every aspect of our lives. 

Just a reminder…..

You can also download the Living Compass app for guided meditations, contemplative practices, and self-guided retreats for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

And…uou can find the content of our new Living Compass app online from any web browser at https://app.livingcompass.org

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"All Things Are Bound Together," Episode #148, November 4, 2025

 The Wisdom of Indigenous spirituality is captured in this quote from Chief Seattle:

"Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect."

In this episode Scott explores how this is an expression of nondual consciousness, a topic he has been talking about in the last few episodes.

Just a reminder…..

You can find the content of the Living Compass app online at https://app.livingcompass.org

You can also download the app for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"Applying Insights of Non-Dual Consciousness to Our Everyday Lives," Episode #147, October 27, 2025

In response to several listeners' "so what?" questions regarding the previous podcast episode, Scott talks about a few practical applications of non-dual consciousness.  

Just a reminder…..

You can find the content of the Living Compass app online at https://app.livingcompass.org

You can also download the app for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

"An Introduction to Non-Dual Consciousness," Episode #146, October 15, 2025

A short introduction to Non-Dual Consiousness as it applies to our spirituality and well-being.

Just a reminder…..

You can find the content of the Living Compass app online at https://app.livingcompass.org

You can also download the app for your phone at:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/living-compass/id6738334257

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.livingcompass&hl=en

(Click the player at the top of the page to listen to this podcast episode.) You can also find this podcast in your favorite podcast app—Apple, Google, Spotify, etc. Search for Living Compass, and be sure to subscribe so you get new episodes automatically.

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