Episode 21 - A Moment of Reflection

In this milestone 21st episode of Faith Meets Academia, Dr. A takes a moment of reflection to celebrate the incredible journey so far. Starting with listeners in just 50 cities across 4 continents, the podcast has now expanded to reach 181 cities across 6 continents—an amazing growth of over 260%! Despite the challenges of balancing multiple roles as a father, minister, professor, and solo podcast producer, Dr. Reynolds shares how faith, perseverance, and your support have kept the mission alive and thriving. Tune in for an inspiring episode that reminds us all of the unstoppable power within and the importance of celebrating each step of the journey. Finally, don't miss the preview of what's coming next in Episode 22.

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DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely my own and do not reflect or represent the positions, policies, or opinions of my employer, any organization or academic institution with which I am affiliated. This podcast is a personal initiative, and is not connected to my official/ formal duties and responsibilities as a university professor.

Transcript

Welcome to Faith Meets Academia, Biblical Foundations for Scholarly Pursuits. I’m your host, Dr. Adrian Reynolds. Thanks for joining me on this transformational journey where the sacred and the scholarly converge. As a university professor and ordained minister, I stand at the intersection of educational innovation and biblical wisdom. Are you tired of having to separate your spiritual calling from your academic profession? If so, you’ve found your community. In this community, we use biblical principles to illuminate our scholastic endeavors. In this community, we leverage academic concepts and theories to magnify the reach and impact of our spiritual gifts. Yes, your faith and your scholarship can forge a mutually sustaining partnership. I’m here to help you bridge the gap between your academic work and your spiritual journey.

Hey friends, welcome back to another episode of Faith Meets Academia. Today’s episode is a special one. It’s Episode 21, a milestone I’m truly excited to reach. For this episode, I’d just like to have a moment of reflection, to look back at how far we’ve come together on this journey and to celebrate all the progress that we’ve made. When I look back to Episode 7, we were reaching listeners in 50 cities across eight countries and four continents. That was already something to be proud of. But today, here we are at Episode 21. We’ve expanded to 181 cities and 21 countries across six continents. That’s a 262% increase in cities and approximately 163% increase in countries reached. 

Getting to Episode 21 is a huge milestone, especially when you consider some really eye-opening statistics about podcasting. Did you know that globally, there are over 5 million podcasts with more than 75 million episodes? But here’s the kicker: 90% of podcasts don’t get past Episode 3. That’s around 1.8 million podcasts that just quit. I mean, they’ve ghosted their audience, if you will. And of the 200,000 or so that do make it past Episode 3, another 90% quit after 20 episodes. That leaves about 20,000 podcasts standing strong. And guess what? Faith Meets Academia is now one of them. So how is it that we’ve made it this far? It’s because of you. It’s because of your support, your prayers, your encouragement. So keep those ratings, those reviews, all your feedback. Keep them coming because they mean so much to me.

Speaking of encouragement, this week my pastor reached out and he sent me a text message. It was a message I really needed to hear in that moment. Here’s what the message said: “Do not stop doing these podcast episodes. They are reaching to the core. They’re inspiring and encouraging. And I believe that if we put them into practice, dreams can come true.” When your pastor is fully supportive of an endeavor like this, it really speaks volumes. So thank you, Pastor David Anderson, for your unwavering support and encouragement. I could say a lot about Pastor Anderson, but I’ll just say this one thing: I love his thirst for learning. He could learn from anyone, even a child, and that really speaks to his humility. So yes, in the words of Pastor Anderson, we’re about making dreams come true.

And if you’re not sure how to leave a review on Apple Podcasts, don’t worry about it. I’ve got you covered. Just check out Episode 17, where I walk you through the steps on how to leave a review and a rating. Your feedback does help this podcast grow and continue to reach new listeners all across the world. 

Now, let’s keep it real. This podcasting journey has been incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with its challenges. That’s just life, right? I’m juggling multiple roles at the same time. I’m a father who, along with my wife, homeschools our two children. I’m an ordained minister, a university professor, a mentor, and the list goes on.

By the way, this podcast is essentially a one-man show. Of course, I have your support. You’re an important part of my community—you, my most loyal, dedicated crew, if you will. But it’s a one-man show in the sense that I don’t have a production team. But you know what? I prophesy that one day I will. I don’t have a marketing team. But I prophesy today that one day I will. I don’t have any sponsors, but by faith, I know I’ll get there. You see, I’ve come to realize that where I am now is just part of the journey, and I’m going to celebrate that.

So I say to you today, your success lies in your ability to visualize that success, to feel that success, to rejoice over that success before it happens. I need to remind you of the power that’s within you. Paul, in one of his letters to Timothy, in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NKJV), says, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” There’s a power within you that’s unstoppable. Consider John 1:11-12 (NKJV): “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” You’ve already got it. We just need to activate it. Activate the God-given power within.

As you listen to this episode, I want you to ask yourself, what are the roles in your life that challenge you the most? How can you stir up the gift of God within you to handle them with faith, with grace, with boldness, and with integrity? We have to understand that it’s okay to acknowledge that life gets real busy and real hard sometimes. We need to allow ourselves an outlet where we can talk about these struggles, these challenges, and where we can feel that discomfort, sit with that discomfort, but stay hopeful, hold on to our faith, and keep visualizing and working toward brighter days and a brighter future. For me, bringing you these episodes every week is worth every minute of my time, though, yes, I acknowledge it has been challenging. But you know what? As I sit here recording this episode, Episode 21, I feel encouraged, I feel hopeful, I feel motivated, I’m inspired, I feel refreshed, I feel renewed.

Why? Because God says it. Proverbs 11:25 (NKJV): “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” Of course, I’m being generous with my time, but it’s worth it. The generous soul shall be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself. And again, in Luke 6:38 (NKJV), here’s what Jesus says: “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” 

I’m being totally transparent here. There are some episodes that have been a few days late, like this one. I mean, by the time you get this episode, I think it’ll be Saturday. But guess what? I started this podcast, I persevered, and I’ve made it to Episode 21. Most podcasts don’t. But you know what? I know it won’t always be like this. Yes, there have been times where I get off schedule, but guess what? I’m not going to give up because of that. I get back up and I get back on schedule: That’s it. I know it won’t always be like this. We’ll get the schedule thing straightened out pretty soon. But where I am is good enough for now, and it’s still changing lives. I’m going to celebrate my now while I work toward my future. Let me say that again. Somebody needs to hear that. I’m going to celebrate my now while I work toward my future. 

For too long, your perfectionism has been blocking the fulfillment of your dreams. Let me speak directly to you. For too long, someone out there listening, I’m speaking to you. For too long, your perfectionism has been blocking the fulfillment of your dreams. It’s that voice that says, “Hey, if I can’t get it 100% right on the first try, I’m not even going to do it.” You know what that mindset does? It leaves a whole lot of room for others who are willing to take the risk of messing up, making mistakes, going a little off schedule, stumbling here and there, but keep on showing up and shining through. It leaves room for them to grow, be great, make an impact, transform lives. Yes, while you’re sitting there trying to be perfect, can’t make the first step.

Having said that, on those days where I felt myself losing steam, pressed for time, losing motivation, questioning whether I’m doing this the right way, I recharged with my superpower scripture, Philippians 4:13 (NKJV): “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I recharged by reminding myself of everything that’s going well—everything that’s going well at home, that’s going well in my ministry, that’s going well on the job. I refuse to get sidetracked by the enemy. I’m not going to allow myself to be distracted. Hey, let me say this. Sometimes I have to listen to my own podcast episodes—not to increase download counts, no, but to remind me of my purpose. Yes, you need to remind yourself of your own sermon, your own testimony. Because if you’re not moved by them, then how do you expect others to be inspired by them? 

Speaking of being reminded, I have an episode for that. t’s Episode 13, called “God Minders: Why Daily Reminders Matter and How to Use Them.” Yes, I recharge by being mindful of the present. For more on that, listen to Episode 4, “Be Fully Present: Live in Your Seasons,” as well as Episode 14, titled “Breathe In, Stress Out: A Mindful Journey Through Breath Counting.”

Yes, my friends, the mission of this podcast is clear. I take a holistic, faith-based approach to helping students, educators, and faith-based leaders master practical, research-based learning and study skills that guarantee academic and professional success, success in your ministry, and inspire overall motivation for excellence. When I say holistic, I mean that I’m equally attentive to your psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs. This isn’t just about quick tips and tricks for self-improvement; it’s about helping you understand the foundational attributes that will propel you toward achieving your goals—professionally, academically, and spiritually.

This mission is reflected in the very title of the podcast, “Faith Meets Academia,” bridging the gap between these two worlds. You can see this mission clearly in Episode 5, titled “The Blessing and the Science of Gratitude: What Are You Thankful For?” I mean, which other podcast are you aware of that would use “blessing” and “science” in the same title? You can also see the mission of this podcast coming through in Episode 10, “Study Smarter, Not Harder: Four Strategies I Wish I Had Known.” And if we’re talking about transparency and vulnerability here, look no further than Episodes 2 and 3, a two-part series titled “Face Your Fears Through Your Faith,” where I use my own personal story to show you how you can overcome your fears through your faith.

Guess what? It took me nearly 10 years to actually launch this podcast, but here I am at Episode 21, and there’s no turning back. You see, I had to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. By the way, that’s the topic for Episode 22, so stay tuned for that. That’s what’s coming—you don’t want to miss it. You see, faith isn’t just a belief; it’s the work. It’s the work of confronting your fears and trusting God’s plan for you.

Your success, my friends, is my mission. Make no mistake, “Faith Meets Academia” isn’t just about me. I have a vested interest in your growth and success. We all want to be successful in life, right? And there are countless motivational videos out there on how to achieve success. But, as people of faith, our success cannot be separate from our sanctity. Let me say that again: our success cannot be separate from our sanctity. How do we promote success and build the confidence necessary to achieve it through the Word of God? Well, for answers to that question, check out Episode 15, “See It to Achieve It: Guided Visualization for Personal Success.” For more on this topic, you could also listen to Episodes 18 and 19, titled “Four Factors That Determine Your Self-Confidence,” parts 1 and 2, respectively.

As I conclude this special 21st episode, I’d like to thank you once again for being a part of this journey. I feel blessed to be surrounded and supported by a strong community of believers who have truly embraced this mission. From here on out, it’s full speed ahead, and I’m excited to see what God has in store for “Faith Meets Academia.” But in this moment, I am grateful to the Almighty God for where I am in this journey. Indeed, it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. Because of this podcast, there are people I know who are now seriously thinking about starting their own podcast, their own podcast ministry. And that in itself is motivating for me. What if I had just sat on this idea for another year—doubting, second-guessing, delaying, procrastinating? Who would I inspire to take this leap of faith? No one. So guess what? I’m glad I took that first step with the first episode, and now, here we are.

I know this episode has been a blessing to you. Please, don’t forget to write a review and leave a rating on your preferred podcast app, whether it’s Apple Podcasts, Spotify, you name it. “Faith Meets Academia” is on all major podcast platforms. So share the message with others who might also find this as a source of encouragement, a source of inspiration. Thank you so much for listening. God bless and stay safe.