Faith Meets Academia
Welcome to Faith Meets Academia!
Struggling to connect your faith with everyday life, career ambitions, or academic pursuits? Hosted by a university professor and ordained minister, Dr. Adrian Reynolds, this podcast will help you translate your faith-based values into personal growth, professional development, and academic success. Faith Meets Academia emphasizes that faith and work can forge a mutually sustaining partnership.
Each episode breaks down complex academic concepts into everyday language and connects them with timeless spiritual principles for transformational learning and development. By the end of each episode, you will be equipped with practical tools to set the tone for a purposeful, productive week.
Join the journey today!
Your host, Adrian Reynolds (Ph.D.), is an ordained minister, learning coach, and assistant professor of medical education at an R1 university. He is on a mission to merge educational innovation with biblical wisdom. Dr. Reynolds brings over two decades of teaching experience across the educational continuum: from working with underserved, high school students as a state-certified instructor of Spanish to coaching students in graduate and professional degree programs in evidence-based teaching skills and the science of learning.
Dr. Reynolds’ work is located within the rapidly growing field of applied learning sciences and is driven by both socio-cognitive and sociocultural approaches to learning and teaching. His preventive model of academic coaching has been published in journals such as Medical Teacher and Clinical Teacher. He has held over 1,000 (one-on-one) academic coaching sessions with medical students, residents, fellows, and pre-med students. Dr. Reynolds has developed numerous peer-teaching programs for medical students in addition to courses in the science of learning for residents, pre-med and high school students.
Dr. Reynolds has been preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ for over 10 years both nationally and internationally. He has long been recognized to seamlessly intertwine academic concepts with biblical principles: His approach to preaching and teaching the word of God is centered around growth mindset (Philippians 4:13), transformational learning (Romans 12:2), and reflective, mindful practice (Philippians 4:8, Joshua 1:8, Psalm 119:97).
As a missionary ambassador, Dr. Reynolds has embarked on transformative journeys that bridge cultures and continents, bringing tangible support and hope to those in need. Most recently, in the fall of 2023, his dedication to humanitarian causes led him to Mozambique: From the bustling streets of Maputo to the serene countryside of Inharrime, through the unwavering support and sponsorship from faith-based leaders and communities, Dr. Reynolds has played a pivotal role in the allocation of humanitarian aid and educational resources, providing essential support to elevate community wellbeing.
Earlier that year, he engaged in a mission focused on cultural exchange and relationship-building in the Maputo province to better understand and address local challenges. Through these missions, Dr. Reynolds exemplifies the true essence of a missionary ambassador, integrating service, education, and faith into impactful action.
Faith Meets Academia
Episode 50: A Testimony Not Given Might Be a Blessing Withheld - Part 3
This final segment of our three-part series demonstrates how to share your journey without boasting by following four key principles. Let faith and purpose converge through sharing your testimony.
• Shifting from spotlight to story - focusing on the journey rather than accomplishments
• Celebrating the community that supported your journey, acknowledging you didn't succeed alone
• Grounding your success in purpose and recognizing how your path prepared you for service
• Making a call to action by encouraging others to share their testimonies
Don't hide your testimony because you're afraid of being misread or misunderstood. Share this episode with someone you know and share a testimony this week, not to boast, but to bear witness. Let someone know how God is transforming your life.
WEBSITE: https://faithmeetsacademia.buzzsprout.com/2312145/episodes
CONTACT: faithmeetsacademia@gmail.com
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.
Hey, family, welcome. Welcome back to Faith Meets Academia. I am so glad that you have joined me today. I am glad to share this moment with you, to share this Monday morning with you. Hey, you know what? I'm really excited to continue with part three of this three-part series.
Speaker 1:A Testimony Not Given Might Be a Blessing Withheld. What's the testimony? What's that story that you've been holding back? Because you're listening to all these voices in your head telling you hey, maybe it's going to sound like I'm boasting, I've shared this story before. Maybe they're tired of hearing it. Am I going to sound self-centered? Well, it's some of these concerns that this three-part series will help you to work through and work out so that you can get that story, that testimony, out to the world. Right, there's someone out there who needs to hear it. Stories are powerful, right, and they're powerful because everyone has a story. Everyone has a story to tell, right, and so everyone connects with stories because we all have them. So what's your story? What's your testimony? Sometimes in life we've got to take a pause, step back, reflect. There are moments where we have to sort of move back in order to step forward. But you see, here's what really matters. What really matters is that we just keep pressing that play button, and so today we're going to be picking up right where we left off in this series. So this is part three, and we're going to dig a little deeper into how sharing your testimony can really unlock blessings, not just for you but for those around you. And so, for this episode in particular, I'm going to be giving my own personal testimony, building on the four principles that we had talked about in episode two. And, just for a quick recap, let's talk about what those four guiding principles are for sharing your testimony unapologetically, without feeling like you're bragging or boasting, right? So first, shift from spotlight to story. Second, celebrate the community. Third, ground your success in purpose. And fourth, make a call to action. All right, so I'm going to be illustrating these principles using my own story, all right. So here goes Number one shift from spotlight to story. All right, check this out.
Speaker 1:So in college, I majored in Spanish and international relations or international politics, right? I don't know what I was doing in terms of the international politics piece, but I kept up with the Spanish, but the international politics part kind of fell off. But I won't go off track into that. The road wasn't easy, but I was determined to earn that degree.
Speaker 1:I remember my first day at Florida International University. It was a sad day. I didn't know anyone, I hadn't made any friends just yet. I didn't have any friends that I had started college with. And this is after I had completed my associates at Palm Beach College, I transferred after two years to Florida International, and it was my very first day.
Speaker 1:I just remember feeling sad. I didn't know anyone, I didn't have any friends, but I was determined that, hey look, I wasn't there to make friends, I wasn't there to be popular, I was there to get my bachelor's in Spanish and move on. No one I knew, right, had ever majored in a foreign language, definitely not a black guy. But I tell you what, although I remember feeling sad that first day, I was never lonely. Right, I didn't go to college to form a social club, right, my mindset, my mind was set on that Spanish degree. And so just know that sometimes, when you're chasing your dreams, right, whether you're a working professional listening to this, whether you're a student at any level high school, college, grad school sometimes the road will feel kind of lonely, especially if you're the first one or the only one that you know doing what you're doing right, but I'm excited to share that. I had a lot of people who believed in me. No, they weren't on campus, but when I left campus I knew I was going home to a supportive community of family, friends, believers. Hey, and more than that, I had goodness and mercy following me, chasing me and god watching over me. Remember the words of david, psalm 23 6. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the lord forever. Psalm, psalm 91 11. For he shall give his angels charge over thee to keep thee in all that ways.
Speaker 1:Yeah, while some doubted the path that I was taking and questioned how I'd ever make money with a degree in spanish, I had a tremendous amount of support from my from, and so I pushed forward. I went so far as to earn a master's degree in foreign and second language education. I guess that wasn't enough. I still wanted more and I eventually earned a PhD in the same field foreign and second language education. Along that journey between the master's and the PhD, I got married to the love of my life.
Speaker 1:After I had completed my PhD coursework, we had our first child, who is now 15 and in his third semester of college. Yep, you heard right, he's 15, third semester of college. When I was 15, I hadn't started college yet. I started when I was 16. So he broke that record. Along that journey, my wife graduated from med school and for two years, while my wife worked 80 hours a week during her medical training slash what they call residency I was home with our little infant Yep, the same kid I just talked about, who's now 15. And those were some of the best years of my life, spending time with him. I was with him in the daytime, napped when he did, stayed up late in the night writing my dissertation.
Speaker 1:Listen, financial hardships came and went. Multiple health challenges came and went. I'm glad they didn't stick around. But you see, we knew we always had people praying for us, encouraging us. Yeah, I remember when I received some bad health news, I came home and saw my mother-in-law praying, praying for me. I mean, you see, that's the kind of support that you need when you're going through a storm. Better yet, I mean always, not just when you're going through a storm, always. And so, through it all, we kept going.
Speaker 1:We stood firm on Psalm 34, 19. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. I stood firm on my superpower. Scripture, philippians 4.13. I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. Remember this, philippians 1.6, being confident of this very thing that he who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. There is a work in you that's in that process of completion. It's not done yet. The best is yet to come. Second principle celebrate the community.
Speaker 1:I am grateful that I had a supportive village, if you will, who really believed in my potential to succeed my parents, my siblings, my wife, my mother-in-law and others who just never wavered in their support. They never questioned my journey, my professional aspirations. You know what? Let me tell you this story. You know what? Let me tell you this story. My maternal grandmother used to call me Dr Adrian, long before I saw those letters after my name. And so I mean that's what you call being in a spirit of prophecy, that's what you call faith talk, and so I believe within my soul. And so I believe within my soul that, even though I wasn't old enough to remember her calling me, that, these are stories that my mom often tells me. I believe that somewhere in my spirit that just became a part of my goal, my mission, and today I'm a witness that the mission has been accomplished.
Speaker 1:I'm grateful for my wife, dr Kimberly Reynolds, who was on this journey with me as well, as we pursued multiple degrees throughout our relationship at the same time, and it's been a blessing just to have grown together both professionally and spiritually. Ecclesiastes 4, 9 and 10 says that two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labor, for if they fall, one will lift up his companion, but woe to him who is alone when he falls. My church community really stood beside me, stood beside my wife and I, and not just in spirit but in action. Right, not just in spirit but in action, because there are times in your life where you're going to need to rely on others, even outside of your biological family, and when my wife and I moved to Cincinnati, we were able to connect with brothers and sisters in our church who welcomed us with open arms, just as if we were their biological children or grandchildren, and that was indeed a blessing. All right.
Speaker 1:Third principle ground your success in purpose. Looking back, I see now that I really needed to major in Spanish. I needed to pursue multiple degrees in educational linguistics. Why? Because I was born to use language to inspire others, just as I'm using now. That's exactly what I'm doing right now on this podcast, in this very moment. You see, little did I know when I decided to major in Spanish. Back then, I guess it was just. I just felt like it was a thing that I was just, I was passionate about. I felt like I was called to do it, but I hadn't back then. Let's see, I graduated in 2001 with my bachelor's. You know, I was only 21 years old. I didn't have a full understanding back then of the calling, but as I grew older and as I began to come upon various life challenges and experiences right, it's become clear to me as to why I needed to go this route. As little did I know that my fluency in Spanish and my background in linguistics would lay the foundation for me to serve humanity.
Speaker 1:By traveling twice in one year to the country of Mozambique Look it up, google it Mozambique M-O-Z-z-a-m-b-i-q-u-e and with the support of my entire church community, I was able to help meet the needs. I'm telling you, I didn't do this by myself. I had the support of my church, I was able to help meet the needs of people who are among the poorest in the world. And then, oh, it got worse when political violence struck and displaced 140 church members in northern Mozambique. This happened in December of 2024. For more on that, you can listen to episode 40, from Thoughts and Prayers to Action Turning Compassion into Humanitarian Aid. Yes, when the political violence struck and displaced 140 church members in northern Mozambique, they fled with just the clothes on their backs and they had to take a boat over into the neighboring Malawi. I saw how God used the interpersonal and communication skills that I had developed over years of study to help rally, support, mobilize our church and gather funds to help feed those families. For 77 days, yes, for 77 days, we're able to feed 140 church members so that they did not starve to death and were able to return home to Mozambique and are now on their way to rebuilding their lives.
Speaker 1:Just a few weeks ago, through our partners on the ground, so to speak, we were able to provide a week-long training for 46 of our brothers and sisters, our saints, there in Mozambique. Yeah, some of the same folks who fled political terror and violence and came back home to basically nothing. We were able to provide them with a week-long training on how to start their own business. They were trained on how to make soap and popsicles. I mean, it sounds simple, but it's a big deal. Big deal for them Because, you see, as I often share, these people aren't just looking for a perpetual handout from the United States.
Speaker 1:A big part of their mission is to become self-sufficient. And so I just say to God be the glory. This was a massive collaborative effort and I was just a small part of what God was doing, through all of us, to make sure that these people were able to not just survive, survive, but return home and rebuild. So I'm grateful that God has given me the heart of service so that, through serving the needs of others, I can fulfill my purpose on this earth. Fulfill my purpose on this earth. I often say that I'm at my happiest when I am in service to humanity. Yes, romans 8.28 is true. Paul says and we know that all things work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are the called according to his purpose. For what purpose are you called?
Speaker 1:I encourage you if you haven't yet figured out your purpose in this life, take some time to think about the why of your existence. Meaning, if you had six months left on this planet, what would you do with that time? Whose life can you touch, can you inspire beyond just your crew, your immediate family, your immediate surroundings? There's a big world out there. Someone is waiting for that testimony and you might just save a life. But that won't be possible if you keep it to yourself.
Speaker 1:Fourth principle make a call to action. Every now and then I have some hesitation or a success story, especially in religious, especially in faith-based circles, where talking about accomplishments can feel somewhat taboo, and maybe that's exactly why this message is needed. If you've been holding back your testimony, I encourage you don't. Sharing your testimony is liberating for you, but it's even more powerful for the hearers who may have been stuck thinking that there's no one who gets or understands what they're going through, what they're up against, what they're up against. And once they hear your story, I promise you it'll give them hope, it'll give them inspiration, it'll give them the motivation that they need to get through that struggle. Someone else's hope is waiting on your story, is waiting on your story. So, friends, sharing your testimony is not self-promotion. If you use these four guiding principles.
Speaker 1:What recent milestone, big or small, have you avoided sharing because you were afraid of being misread or misunderstood? Of being misread or misunderstood, your story may be the very thing someone else needs to keep pushing forward to develop a stronger relationship with God. Don't hide it. If this episode helped you reframe your perspective on sharing your testimony, I want you to do two things Share this episode with someone you know and share a testimony this week, not to boast, but to bear witness. Let someone know how God is transforming your life. Until next time, keep standing in faith, keep growing in wisdom and in the knowledge of God, keep walking in your purpose and don't forget to share your testimony. God bless you.