In this episode of Straight to the Heart, our host Rush Witt talks with Mike Emlet who practiced as a family physician for over ten years before becoming a counselor and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF). They talk about difficult topics like intrusive thoughts and Scrupulosity, and the biblical wisdom that helps us overcome them.

MIKE EMLET ONLINE
Mike’s Website

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Autism Spectrum Disorder (minibook)
Saints, Sinners, and Sufferers

For more about the podcast at New Growth Press online.

Timestamps:

1:21 - Why do you describe yourself as a cup half empty kind of guy?
4:25 - What’s the most recent cup-half-empty moment you’ve had?
6:45 - What do you mean when you refer to emotional buoyancy?
10:44 - The Intrusive Problem of Scrupulosity
14:49 - Why are we prone to intrusive, unwanted thoughts?
17:54 - When you counsel scrupulosity, what is the central approach you take?
23:54 - What does growth look like in the area of intrusive thoughts?
27:12 - How do we turn down the volume on intrusive thoughts?
33:55 - In what ways does our embodied nature affect us?
38:35 - Is Mike Emlet a hugger?
41:50 - Farewell

In this episode of Straight to the Heart, our host Rush Witt talks with Eliza Huie, Director of Counseling at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, VA. They discuss Christian self-care, the relentless pressure to keep up with modern life, and the concerning problem of burnout among adults and children.

ELIZA HUIE ONLINE
Eliza’s Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter/X

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
The Whole Life
Teens and Anxiety
I’m Stressed

For more about the podcast at New Growth Press online.

Timestamps:
1:30 - Welcome
4:00 - What interested you about the topics of self-care and counseling?
9:23 - How can the average person find the best pace for life?
16:00 - Isn't it selfish to practice self-care?
18:30 - Keys Parents Can Use To Build Margin Into Their Kids
21:28 - What are some big emotional struggles parents should watch for?
24:50 - Eliza shares her own story of panic.
31:06 - What reminds you to give better attention to your stress?
35:05 - What have you done to encourage others toward self-awareness?
37:21 - When do I need intensive help for my stress?
41:29 - Farewell

Preview Season 3 of Straight to the Heart, a podcast from New Growth Press, hosted by Rush Witt. Each episode includes thought-provoking conversations with leading Christian writers and thinkers. We hear who they are, what they believe, how they approach their work and ministry, and the moments and people who have changed their lives. In "Straight to the Heart," we go beyond the books to connect with the remarkable people behind them.

Join us for Season 3 conversations with Randy Alcorn, Joni Eareckson Tada, Adriel Sanchez, Paul Tripp, and more.

Learn more about the podcast here.

In this episode of Straight to the Heart, our host, Rush Witt, talks with Dr. Curtis Solomon. They dive into the hallmarks of the PTSD experience and key ways biblical counseling has been effective in helping those suffering from PTSD. They also touch on a fascinating historical perspective, discussing PTSD in the context of World War II and the lessons learned from that era.

CURTIS SOLOMON ONLINE
Curtis' Website
Biblical Counseling Coalition
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter/X

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
I Have PTSD
Redeem Your Marriage
Reclaim Your Marriage

For more about the podcast at New Growth Press online.

Timestamps:
1:50 - Welcome
3:28 - Can you give a brief overview of the BCC and your role in it?
10:03 - Where did your interest in PTSD begin?
17:16 - What are some of the hallmarks of the PTSD experience?
24:57 - Does PTSD usually result from physical trauma?
32:05 - How do you help a person see a difference between hardship and trauma.
37:28 - What are the key ways you’ve seen biblical counseling help people suffering with PTSD.
47:37 - A Final Question About PTSD and WWII
57:11 - Farewell

In this episode of Straight to the Heart, our host Rush Witt, sits down with Dr. Jeremy Pierre, Dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Ministry, to talk about the daily help of the Gospel. They discuss the common misunderstandings of the Gospel and how taking small steps to make the gospel central to life offers freedom from pressures to perform for God and comfort during hard times.

JEREMY PIERRE ONLINE
Jeremy’s Website
Instagram
Twitter/X

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Shepherding the Pastor
The Gospel-Centered Life Series
The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life

For more about the podcast at New Growth Press online.

Timestamps:
1:38 - Intro
3:42 - How does the Gospel relate to your very busy life?
5:40 - When do you remember first hearing the gospel?
9:12 - How did the Gospel become "present tense" for you?
12:22 - The Gospel Gap
17:10 - Law and Gospel in Daily Life
19:18 - What would you like to say to little Jeremy in 1987?
22:06 - How can I make basic movements to be more in tune with the daily help of the Gospel?
25:02 - Which personal struggles do you think are driven by our struggle to embrace the Gospel?
31:44 - The Gospel gives freedom and comfort to parents too.
34:30 - How do I counsel myself when I feel the pressure to perform?
38:24 - The Importance of Close Friends for Gospel Encouragements
41:30 - Farewell

In this episode of Straight to the Heart, our host Rush Witt enjoys a conversation with Juan and Jeanine Sanchez, coauthors of a new book called Reaching Your Child’s Heart: A practical Guide to Faithful Parenting. Juan and Jeanine share wisdom about the value of reading aloud as a family, the importance of being present in our parenting, and finding a balance in our parental discipline–not too much and not too little, lest we provoke our children to anger.

JUAN AND JEANINE SANCHEZ ONLINE
Website
Facebook - Juan and Jeanine
Instagram - Juan and Jeanine
Twitter/X - Juan and Jeanine

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Reaching Your Child’s Heart
The Treasure by Marty Machowski

For more about the podcast at New Growth Press online.

Timestamps:
1:56 - Juan and Jeanine Fall In Love In Florida
6:07 - The Journey of Differences Between 5 Daughters
11:52 - A Key Message Shifted Juan to Be More Present at Home
16:23 - How did reading aloud as a family assist your parenting?
25:37 - What were the discipline influences in your own upbringing?
28:35 - How should parents balance their discipline to avoid provoking children to anger?
36:55 - How can parents model presence and positive instruction?
41:21 - You should not be alone in parenting.
44:04 - There are so many parenting books. Why another?
45:15 - Farewell

In this episode of Straight to the Heart, Adriel Sanchez shares with our host, Rush Witt, how the Lord’s prayer can be used as a fresh and helpful guide for those of us who struggle in our prayer lives. Adriel also shares practical principles that will help you to pray faithfully, as well as the not-so-well-known National Day of Prayer, on Thursday, May 2.

ADRIEL SANCHEZ ONLINE
Adriel’s Website
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter/X

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Praying with Jesus
Why Should I Pray?
I Prayed and Nothing Changed

For more about the podcast at New Growth Press online.

Timestamps:
1:53 – Welcome
4:11 – Intro to the book Praying with Jesus
5:55 – Adriel’s upbringing and conversion
8:31 – Expecting God’s goodness in prayer
14:32 – What to do when you don’t feel like praying
21:50 – Tools which help us pray personally or at church
31:51 – How the prayers of a homebound saint moved D.L. Moody across the ocean
36:22 – The National Day of Prayer
41:16 – How the Gospel connects to daily prayer
45:13 – Farewell

In this episode of Straight to the Heart, our guest is Julie Lowe. She and Rush Witt discuss an important topic that is on the minds of parents, teachers, pastors, and anyone who cares about the souls of kids—bullying. From her experience of counseling children, Julie shares practical, biblical wisdom for recognizing bullying, navigating the influences of social media in our digital world, and how we can bring the gospel to bear on this important issue.

JULIE LOWE ONLINE
Julie's Website
Facebook
Instagram

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Child Proof
Safeguards
Building Bridges
Helping Your Child with A Bully

For more about the podcast at New Growth Press online.

Timestamps:
1:34 - How might we define bullying?
4:20 - What was your introduction to biblical counseling?
7:54 - What key lessons did you learn in the early days of counseling?
9:32 - How does the Bible speak to the problem of bullying?
14:36 - Bullying and Social Media
20:22 - What about the influence of social media on parents and adults?
26:52 - How to recognize when your child is bullied
30:14 - Advice for helping kids learn to handle bullying
32:50 - What should families and churches do to intervene in bullying?
38:42 - How do you encourage Christians to see the gospel as central to bullying?
40:28 - Farewell