Human Hope with Carlos Whittaker

YOU GUYS! I'M GOING ON TOUR NEXT WEEK!!

I get to spend the month of June on the Here For You Tour (brought to you by Africa New Life) with one of my favorite people, Annie F. Downs. So many things in my life now are because of Annie. My speaking agent, my amazing management team, THIS PODCAST!!!!

If you haven't met Annie yet, listen to this episode!! You'll get to hear all about who she is and how she's gotten there. I'm SO excited to spend a whole month on the road with her and our team and seeing all of YOU!

Grab your tickets NOW before they're gone and come say hi at a show! https://bit.ly/CarlosTour

June 7 - Sioux Falls, SD June 8 - Minneapolis, MN June 9 - Grand Rapids, MI June 11 - Indianapolis, IN June 14 - Charlotte, NC June 15 - Franklin, TN June 16 - Chicago, IL June 17 - Cincinnati, OH June 22 - Kansas City, MO June 23 - Dallas, TX June 24 - Austin, TX

Welcome to our first episode of our Mental Health Series! Over the next few weeks we are  going to be talking to some of the leading minds when it comes to mental health. If you’ve ever struggled with your mental health, you’re not going to want to miss these episodes! 

This week we are kicking it off with MY therapist, Al Andrews. If you’ve read To Kill the Spider, you know Al! He was there in the time I nearly DESTROYED my family…

I can say with confidence that this man saved me LIFE!

We get into the importance of understanding our story…

Getting to the WHY behind what we do….

And how we can EMBRACE sorrow and gain HOPE….

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So many of you have asked me all about what the last few weeks have felt like.

I get deep into my FEELS on this episode (there are a LOT!)....

I share ALL of my thoughts and feelings on my little girl Sohaila GETTING ENGAGED!!!!!

What it feels like to PRAY for something for 21 years and getting to now look into the eyes of an answered prayer…

My heart when it comes to my role as a Father entering into this season….

And what I shared with both Sohaila and Brady on the importance of spiritual and emotional growth, ESPECIALLY during this season...

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When I asked my friend Don Miller to come on the podcast, I expected us to talk about his new book, How to Grow Your Small Business.

What I did NOT expect, was to spend the whole time catching up, talking about his faith story and how he went from being a Christian book author to a Business author..

He is SO smart and there are so many great nuggets to take in during this episode.

I LOVED catching up with Don and I think this conversation will have you hooked until then end!

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This conversation may change your LIFE…

I have gotten to know Becky over the last month. She has a JOY about her that is addicting…

She’s an entrepreneur, executive at Nisolo, and a mom of a Kindergartener and 4th grader who attend Covenant School…

She has been doing the WORK by co-leading a bi-partisan gun reform movement here in Tennessee.

She shares details of the day of the shooting and it is IMPACTFUL.

This might be the most important conversation you hear all YEAR…

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In our final episode of the Faith series, I talk with my friend, pastor of Transformation Church and former NFL player, Pastor Derwin Gray. 

We get into why it’s important to talk about race in the church…

Why the church is still VITAL for people’s faith and relationships in Jesus…

You don’t want to miss this POWERFUL episode…

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This is our FOURTH episode of our faith series and it’s with my great friend, John Mark McMillan. I have had the honor of touring with him and have been SO impacted by his mind and ability to question things and allow God to be so much bigger than we all imagined…

We dig deep into the relationship between music and our relationship with God…. 

And if you have ever questioned why God allows pain and suffering, you do NOT want to miss what John Mark has to say about that in this one!!!

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You are in for a TREAT today! This week my pastors and some of my greatest friends, Alex and Henry Seeley, are joining me. 

A lot of what I believe about healing and the Holy Spirit has come from learning from these two.

They share about how they started The Belonging in their living room, COMPLETELY unintentionally…

We talk about what a HEALTHY church can look like…

What to do when you’re let down by your leaders and how to ultimately build your foundation in God and the importance of encounters with the Holy Spirit…

Alex and Henry are GREAT examples of how to BE, SEE and FREE Humans…

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Today on the podcast….

You get to hear my conversation with my friend, Tim Whitaker. Tim is the creator and facilitator of The New Evangelicals - an inclusive, Jesus centered community.

Today you get to hear his story of how he was raised in the evangelical church and how his view of it has changed overtime… 

You get to listen to two people with opposing views SEE each other as humans…

HEY HUMAN HOPE FAMILIAAAA! Today we are starting a new series on Faith based on your feedback and what you wanted to hear!

My faith and how I go about doing the work I do go hand in hand even if “faith” isn’t the centerpiece of my weekly conversations on Instagram and here…

With this week being Easter, and faith such a cornerstone in my life, I figured what better time to dive in than now. 

In this series we’ll have a wide spectrum of views, but this week I am doing something I haven’t really done before… 

I am sharing my personal faith journey with you!! Like from Sunday School to questioning if God is even real to what I believe now as a member of a local church… We dive DEEP into my story.

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I woke up this morning, after a lot of me talking on the internet for 3 days about the horrific tragedy that happened in my community here in Nashville TN on Monday at The Covenant School, and I had the thought…

“There are LOT’S of opinions on what WE think they need. But how about asking them?”

So I did…

And they responded. 

So my question to you is simple…

Are you ready to step up for the parents of the survivors?

Make sure you are following me on Instagram @loswhit as I give us marching orders this Monday…

Love you fam…

It’s time to care for the parents…

Los

Thanks to our sponsors!!!

Today I literally interview my mom and dad on the episode.

The fact that my mom even said more than 2 words was miraculous because she IS NOT ME.

And I'm so grateful she lent her voice to the show so you can hear firsthand from someone who is living their marriage vows unlike any other.

And then you head from my dad.

And then...

And then we rewind 6 years and I play a clip from a message that my dad preached that was exactly what I needed to hear today.

I also give you a list of things to NOT SAY and things TO SAY to a caregiver...

Hope this helps...

Love you fam...

We did it. 100 episodes.

In today’s episode, we finally find out what lies ahead for this show and how YOU helped craft the future.

I hope you are excited about what is to come… it’s all because of YOU…

And the state of the union is strong… surprise 

Thanks to our sponsors!!!

Today on the podcast, we talk to leadership expert, psychologist, and best-selling author, the INCREDIBLE, Dr. Henry Cloud! If you have people that don’t trust you anymore, if you don’t trust people anymore, this episode is for you! 

With his new book, The Anatomy of Trust, coming out in just a couple of weeks (March 28 to be exact!!), we dive into TRUST - how you build trust, how you repair trust, and how to know when it's time to not trust somebody. 

Today on the podcast… we dive deep into my 16 year olds heart and our 40 something year old hearts with how things are going raising a teenage boy in 2023.

Losiah gets candid about some things that are a struggle right now in his relationship with us and some things that are working great. We get candid on how we are stumbling through this final teenager in the Whittaker home…

To be honest…

I think this episode is going to be great for any stage of parenting or if you just want to get a little deeper into our hearts as we navigate this family life together…

We love you Losiah.

You blow us away with the depth of who you are on a daily basis…

Thanks to our sponsors!!!

So I posted a video on Instagram today about these 12 confederate flags that wave hello to me on a daily basis a few yards away from my house in Nashville, TN. I didn't think anyone would question the validity of my being offended. But then people did. And then I found myself having convos in my DM's that were eerily similar to my DMs in 2020. A lot of grace-filled yet OMG teaching. 

To be honest I was a bit bothered. I thought we were past this. But alas. There is more work to be done...

On today's episode, I go into detail as to who the person is who is flying these confederate flags so close to my face on a daily basis and I dive deep into why the confederate flag is so offensive. We deep dive into the historical evolution of the flag and what it has meant through the years. 

Knowing that some people see the flag as more of a pride of southern heritage. I discuss the problems with this.

I also give you 6 steps that can help you have those dreaded conversations about race with family members who dismiss racism as a political issue and not a real problem.

So in other words...

Today's episode is FULL of helpful stuff and I also let you in on last week's survey results!

You are going to love getting to know each other...

Here are some of the resources I used as data points in the podcast...

https://time.com/5562869/reconstruction-history/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZIeiIgHl7A

https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/01/03/04/reviews/010304.04fonert.html

https://www.history.com/news/kkk-birth-of-a-nation-film

https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/the-g-o-p-s-dixiecrat-problem

https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/a5799059-a479-474e-8df4-8f38c8d948a3/georgias-resistance-to-the-civil-rights-movement/#.Xxkv2PgzZyo

And thanks to our partners!!!

Before we get to the show…

PLEASE PLEASE FILL OUT THIS LISTENER SURVEY! It’s super important to the future of the show and I want your feedback!

He has his PHD in mechanical engineering from MIT. He holds more than 60 patents in the biomedical field.

And he quit it all when on a trip to India, he saw a woman dragging herself across a road with her arms who obviously, and desperately needed a wheelchair.

Don went home and took a plastic lawn chair, 2 mountain bike tires, and built the first prototype of this affordable wheelchair to send to the woman…

1.3 million wheelchairs later…

Don’s story is going to BLOW YOUR MIND…

It’s so simple…

But it takes risk…

Thanks to our sponsors!!!

Well…

Let’s just go there…

When I was growing up, I tried to hide the black part of me in every situation it was brought up. And it was at the leading from my father…

A black man…

Who constantly told me to not be black…

What in the world?

In today's show, I fill in the gaps in my story that I deleted for so long.

And I give you a few reasons why I think it’s still important to celebrate Black History in February…

This is a good one fam.

I hope you learn something new…

Thanks to our sponsors!!!

First off…

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THIS BOOK!

Y’all. I can’t. I CAN’T WITH YOU!

How are you so freaking incredible?

Like you single candidly (or 255,000 hands. Or is it double that cause you have 2 hands?) changed the lives of 8 people…

I’m so proud of us!

I dive into some deeper thoughts on what all this means today as well as I READ CHAPTER ONE OF MY NEW BOOK and can I tell you something…

NOBODY HAS HEARD ME READ IT so you get first dibs…

And I’m ad-libbing like a mad man so I think you’ll enjoy.

It’s a really good chapter. I was even amening myself lol.

If you enjoyed the book please preorder today! It comes out TUESDAY!!!

*Trigger Warning Childhood Abuse

Sexually abused by her Sunday school teacher for years…

Finally found the strength to tell the truth and find rescue…

She thought she was rescued. She thought they believed her…

She was not believed…

The one she should have trusted the most. The betrayal and wounding from her youth that sent her into a life of gangs and rage…

Cheryl Nembhard has been through more than most of us will go through in our lifetime. And she uses the powerful story to help others not only heal…

But thrive.

You aren’t gonna wanna miss this conversation with our newest Human Hope Familia…

Cheryl Nembhard…

Make sure you go tell her thanks on Instagram…

I MISSED YOU HUMANS SO MUCH!!!

And since I missed you I ended up talking A LOT about my heart on this episode.

It wasn't supposed to be part of it but oooops here we are.

Along with a heart check I also pull out my secret project for 2023 and ask you to help me with it...

And we end with my Creative Coaching that I think is gonna end up giving some of you just the spark you needed to start chasing that dream...

Happy New Year Fam.

I missed yall so much.

Thank you to our sponsors!

OK. So today I dive deeper into the content of my upcoming book than I have before…

We talk about what the last few years have done to us as humans and how we can course correct.

It may feel impossible…

But I have a few steps that I think can get us back on course.

I HATE asking for help.

But I literally can’t get this book out into the world without you.

So I’m asking my Human Hope Familia to help me out and preorder TODAY!!!

PREACHER CARLOS IS BACK!!!!

Today we dive into 3 ways to make our HOPE limitless when it seems like Hope is the last thing available these days…

Learn how we limit God by not accessing the faith that we need to believe the impossible— but we can also limit the hope God can give us by placing our hope on things here on earth.

Preorder How To Human here!

http://www.how2humanbook.com

Thanks to our sponsors…

BetterHelp

I first met Blaine Hogan when he was playing Cherry on the hit show Prison Break in 2006. Well, I didn't actually meet him. I just was addicted to that show and he was on it. And then one day I bumped into him on an elevator...

For real.

And a friendship was born.

And then I watched Blaine fight for his marriage, career, and life. 

And I watched him win.

And Blaine is gonna help you win too.

Today's episode is for anyone that wants to break free from something that is holding them back. 

And that's all of us...

Pick up Blaine's book at www.exitthecavebook.com

And thanks to our sponsors...

Butcher Box 

www.butcherbox.com/HUMANHOPE and use code "HUMANHOPE" to get one 10 to 14-pound turkey FREE in your first box. 

United Faith Mortgage

MIDTERMS ARE HEEEEERRRREEEEE.

Can you tell? :)

Is your Aunt Glenda getting a little more aggressive with her Facebook reposts?

Is your mom posting things that you tell her not to?

Does every single conversation you have with your sibling turn into a conversation about politics?

Well if the answer to any of these questions is yes…

I’ve got you.

Today we move from Know-Assume-Defend

To Ask-Seek-Knock

And I promise you it’s gonna help…

Preorder How To Human here!

http://www.how2humanbook.com

Thanks to our sponsors…

BetterHelp

Worry.

Not anxiety…

Worry.

They are different.

Today we dive into 3 steps to take when worry shows up and how to show it out…

These steps I LITERALLY USE EVERYDAY. They have proven SO HELPFUL for me because I’m prone to worry…

Please share if you find it helpful!

Preorder How To Human here!

http://www.how2humanbook.com

Thanks to our sponsor…

United Faith Mortgage

Today I get on a few SOAP BOXES.

Like I literally climb on one, yell, get off it, climb on another, yell, get off it, and do it again.

This one is raw y’all.

I’m feeling feisty today.

From spitting about wanting to support Brandon Phyllis and Josh BEYOND giving them money, to the lack of financial resources even available to them…

To my wanting you to stop caring so much about what people think of you… to my love of Angela Lansbury, to my plea for us to stop canceling people…

I WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE TODAY!!!

I hope you enjoy…

Preorder How To Human here!

http://www.how2humanbook.com

Thanks to our sponsor…

BetterHelp -

Have you ever begged God for something only to fall into deep disillusionment when He fails to come through for you?

Maybe you have been begging God for healing over sickness…

Maybe you have been waiting for a miracle that hasn’t happened in your relationships yet…

Maybe you have asked God for help financially and you are BROKE…

We all have felt disappointment when coming to God with stuff but what is the real reason why our suffering is happening and is God allowing all this bad stuff to happen?

Today I went to an amazing friend for his thoughts on this.

Wes Pickering is the online pastor t my church and one of the more trusted voices of faith in my life.

I love that Wes doesn’t avoid the tough stuff.

I also love that Wes walks what he talks.

He was in the thick of our battle during our month at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital 2 years ago with Sohaila.

And today I think he is going to give you words that finally make you go…

AHHHAAAAAA!!!!!!

So enjoy this conversation with my dear friend Wes and make sure you follow him for an infusion of faith in your life…

@wespickering

Preorder How To Human here!

http://www.how2humanbook.com

Thanks to our sponsor…

BetterHelp -

I’ve known Jon for 14 years… 

14 years of dreaming and hustling and swinging and missing… 

Today he unpacks exactly how it is that you can not only shift the soundtracks that rob you from your full potential… 

But help your kids and friends change theirs too… 

This is one of my fav convos I’ve had Ono the show… 

And omg he makes me laugh… 

Pick up a copy of “Your New Playlist” wherever books are sold… 

If there is one thing I have done while I have been off of social media and my phone the last 6 weeks… it’s been READING…

I’ve read, and read, and read, and read some more…

I’ve read novels that are thrillers.

I read one that was a romance…(you’re welcome babe)

I’ve read self help books.

I’ve read spiritual discipline books.

I’ve read a book filled with Etty Hillesum’s WWII diary entries that changed the way I look at humanity as a whole…

I’ve read so much AND TODAY I SHARE THEM WITH YOU!

Too if you are in the market for a good book…

I’ve got 10 options for you…

I hope you enjoy!

OH!!! And please go subscribe to the BRAND NEW Human Hope Youtube Channel!

That’s right. We are testing video over there…

This is a first…

I normally like to keep Podcast Carlos and Preacher Carlos on different planets…

But today they meet each other and can I tell you… I’M EXCITED FOR YOU!

Why?

Because I invited preacher Carlos on here to deliver to you a message soon how to leave a mild faith and actually believe the crazy stuff we have been saying we believe for a long time.

I used to think 60% living was good enough…

Nope.

Not anymore.

Life to the full means getting to 100% and I think I can help you get there today…

Thanks to our sponsors…

From the pandemic, to racial injustice, to political violence, to mass shootings… The past 2 years have been TOO MUCH.

In today’s conversation, one of my mentors John Eldredge gives us practical skills and tools to bring our souls back to life.

“I’ve laid out the book in the form of a survival guide because in this hour we don’t need inspiration and cute stories; we need skills and tools to strengthen heart and

soul,” writes Eldredge.

And in today’s episode… he gives us just that…

Thanks to our sponsors…

Now the last time Heather was on the podcast, she swore to never come on again. :) That’s because there were SOME HEAVY OPINIONS on how we handle hot topic disagreements…

But alas I convinced her to come back and we tackle some hot and not-so-hot topics today…

We asked my Instagram audience for their questions and we got SO MANY GOOD ONES…

Like…

What is our take on the Jan 6th hearings… (Heather has a SPICY ONE!)

How to walk with people who you severely disagree with…

Our roles at home and do we wish they were different…

Sock Sock Shoe Shoe? Or Sock Shoe Sock Shoe?

How my family handles my constant social media recording…

Our one pick-me-up song…

How we argue and who typically wins…

And probably 20 more of your questions…

This one isn’t so heavy and I know we all need some deep breaths…

Heather brings them…

Trust me she is as candid as she’s ever been on this one…

Thanks for listening!!!

Thanks to our sponsors…

I learned SO MUCH from my Ugandan friends over the last 2 weeks.

I learned that THEY are really good at knowing what THEY need.

I learned that asking what they need is more important than telling them what they need.

I learned that serving them as a Christian IS NOT the same thing as colonizing their land as a Christian.

I learned tons about the history of Christianity and its African roots.

I learned that Ugandans don’t need Americans to “rescue” them.

I learned that it’s important to have these conversations…

So in today’s episode, I spend some time unpacking these thoughts the first 1/2 of the show, and then the second 1/2 I interview the producer of the new documentary “Unspoken” - An in-depth look into the Christian heritage of Africa and people of African descent, intended to dispel the notion of Christianity being an exclusively white man’s religion.

It is SUCH A GOOD DOCUMENTARY.

http://www.unspokenmovie.com

Lisa is one of the world’s most sought-after Christian apologists, combining her passion for biblical literacy with her heart for sharing God’s love with all those she meets.

This is one of those episodes that you will come back to over and over again…

Hopefully, this is helpful!

Thanks to our sponsors…

Happy Father's Day from That Sounds Fun Network & Human Hope! Today we have a special bonus episode to share with you celebrating dads & all we love about them. In this episode, hosts from all different That Sounds Fun Network shows -- including me -- share what we love about our dads/and advice about being a dad.

People ask us all the time how we raised such awesome kids…

Without skipping a beat we always say… “Sissy Goff”

Sissy has been our daughters' personal counselor from their elementary years through their high school years.

She has single handily changed the direction of our family's lives and we are forever grateful.

Sissy is the director of child and adolescent counseling at Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville TN and is one of the most sought-after voices in helping our kids overcome anxiety in their lives.

Today she gives us 4 very sticky tools to use when helping our kids navigate these national tragedies as well as gives us 3 ways to help with our kids and any other anxiety they may be dealing with.

Today's episode is rich with goodness and practical help.

Please let sissy know how much you appreciate her @sissygoff on Instagram.

Thanks to our sponsors…

Jeanne has poured her soul into this message that is going to transform so many of your lives…

It’s not the state of the world.

It’s not your particular circumstances.

It’s not even your turbulent relationships.

When it comes down to it, what keeps us from experiencing peace is either living in the past or living for the future. When we obsess over what’s already happened or put all of our efforts into creating a picture-perfect tomorrow, we miss what is for us here and now. The result is regret over what we can’t change and anxiety over what we feel we must change.

Today everything changes…

Pick up What’s Here Now? 

This week I’m trying something different. I asked YOU what you wanted answers to and I got over 1,000 replies. So today I’m answering YOUR questions… And boy did you have some good ones…

Like…

And so many more!!!

I loved this one and hope you do too…

Here is the Roe Vs Wade video I talked about... 

https://youtu.be/RvWD7ykNjCc

Thanks to our sponsors…

Now What Book

I’ve created lots of content helping people struggling with anxiety get through it. But I’ve never made something specifically for people who are walking alongside loved ones battling with anxiety.

So I made this for you.

Today we talk about three major steps we can take in building the support someone we love needs while walking through a season of anxiety.

I give practical tools and phrases that can open them up to see you as an ally in their battle and will allow you to help them get better faster.

I hope this helps…

Thanks to our sponsors…

Indeed

Dr. Jen Pratt is a pediatric physician that is caring for children in the very same hospital where she was treated. Her story has come full circle, back to where her life was transformed. Dr. Pratt is now able to help improve the lives of other children battling critical illnesses with the gift of a wish referral and personally share in the transformation that comes with her patients’ wish experiences.

Make-A-Wish aims to bring the power of wishing to every child with a critical illness because wish experiences can help improve emotional and physical health.  Since 1980, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 520,000 wishes worldwide; more than 350,000 wishes in the U.S. and its territories alone.

Thanks to our sponsors…

Better Help

In the summer of 2019 I was stricken with massive panic, anxiety, and generally felt horrible every single day. That is until I met a robin in my front yard.

Today we take a dive into something that many of you didn’t even know you needed to know.

How the nature in our own backyards can bring you breath you didn’t know you were missing.

We talk to backyard bird and monarch butterfly expert Katie Walsh and she gives us mind blowing facts about monarch butterfly migration that will leave your mouth hanging open. She also gives us all the tips on how to attract and become the Snow White of our own hoods as we become one with the birds in our yards.

This episode will blow your mind and heal your soul…

Thanks to our sponsors…

Athletic Greens

The slap heard round the world.

When we went to bed after seeing Will Smith slap Chris Rock and all the convo on twitter was about assault and bad jokes…

When we woke up the convo had shifted to black woman… and staying in your lane…

So what happened?

Was this really about race?

Was this another moment to be quiet and just listen to black women?

Well instead of just wondering about it, I called on the aunties.

Sarah, Melinda, and Sharon are three of my good friends here in Nashville TN who are grace filled and fire filled.

They have loads of patience as I’ve watched them over the last few years help many in the white community understand what they have been through.

And so they came over and we talked about it all.

Toxic Masculinity in black culture.

Or is it really toxic?

Should Will Smith have slapped Chris Rock?

Teach us about the drama you have had to endure with your hair in the white space.

But most importantly…

They come to us with laughter and grace in a conversation about race like we have never had before.

You are about to fall in love…

Welcome to The Black Auntie Show…

Thanks to our sponsors…

Better Help

The last 2 years have been difficult for many church-going Christians in America. The reasons are many but a few contributing factors could be linked to A PANDEMIC, RACIAL TENSIONS, AND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ALL MIXED UP IN ONE.

:)

So much hurt over the past 2 years and many church-loving Christians now feel homeless…

This episode isn’t one to give you answers as much as it is to let you know where and how I’ve been hurt and how I have approached my own healing.

It’s not about convincing anyone to go to church. I just want you to be seen. To have hope that just maybe you can heal…

Because I believe you can.

Love you fam…

Thanks to your show sponsors as well!!!

Athletic Greens

https://bit.ly/HHAthleticGreens

Better Help

I can’t believe it happened. All 5 of us on one episode. It’s never happened. And all it took was having my kids locked inside a car with their mom and dad for 30 minutes driving through the tiny streets of a small town in Italy.

Today on the podcast we talk about our trip to Italy and then answer your questions on current international travel and what it’s like.

I hope you enjoy this lighthearted episode!

Thanks to your show sponsors as well!!!

Athletic Greens

https://bit.ly/HHAthleticGreens

Chime

Every so often I feel like I’m getting things done. Like I’m accomplishing things in life. And then I meet a mayor of a city of 300,000 at 26 years old.

OK. OK. Yes I’m getting things done… but Michael D. Tubbs is making me feel all sorts of lazy!

In all seriousness Michael’s journey from nothing to everything is truly inspiring and I think you are going to love this convo with him.

At the age of 26, Michael D. Tubbs became the youngest Mayor of any major city in American history. As Mayor, Tubbs was lauded for his leadership and innovation. Under his stewardship, Stockton was named an “All-America City” in 2017 and 2018, saw a 40% drop in homicides in 2018 and 2019, led the state of California in the decline of officer involved shootings in 2019, was named the second most fiscally healthy city in California and one of the top most fiscally healthy cities in the nation.

Before I was Derek’s friend…

I was Derek’s fan.

I WAS INFATUATED WITH CAEDMON’S CALL and was certain they would ask me to be a member of their ever-growing band one day. The day never came BUT the day did come when Derek and I would end up being friends.

I’ve walked alongside Derek in various levels as he has walked a really public deconstruction of what he believes about Jesus, God, and Christendom.

This is a conversation between a friend who is a bible believing, Holy Spirit-filled, Jesus-following, church-going Christian, and a friend who isn’t most of those things.

This isn’t a conversation where we try and convince each other of our things.

This is a conversation where I ask Derek to help 2 groups of people.

Help those who are deconstructing feel less alone…

And help those of us who are not feel less afraid.

This conversation is so so helpful.

And what I’m even more excited about is how you will fall in love with my friend Derek.

1,000,000 Downloads!!!

We did it familia! No, you did it!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this little experiment called “Let’s see if Carlos actually does this podcast thing longer than 3 weeks in a row”

I think the experiment worked!

So to celebrate, I’M GONNA GIVE ONE OF YOU $500!!!

The other week I asked my wife Heather on my Instastory…”Hey babe! What are some things that we disagree on???” She answered without thinking…

“Politics, Parenting, and the Vaccine…”

And kept cooking dinner without skipping a beat. I kept on with the Instastory without skipping a beat. A few minutes later the DMs were FLOODED with my people asking how it was possible...

And so today we answer that question... along with a few others you asked like…

And so many more questions…

But we spend a bulk of this on how to navigate these deep divisions people are walking through in their relationships when it comes to politics ect…

I think it’s gonna be really helpful and hopeful for you!!!

Thanks to our sponsors!

My dad has advance stage dementia. He can’t carry on a conversation with you for longer than 5 seconds. He no longer knows my wife. He no longer knows his grandchildren. He no longer really remembers anything about his life…

But you know what?

He is still… Him.

I catch glimpses of who he is.

There are tiny cracks into his soul that show up like magic every once and a while.

But I totally had forgotten about this treasure of a recording I had.

When I started noticing his memory problem…

I called him and recorded his story.

This conversation is 4 years old…

And it’s mind blowing how he could never have this conversation now.

But I’m so glad I had it with him then.

So please enjoy this conversation that may be the most inspiring conversation you have heard in a long time…

From my dad, who has dementia…

But dementia doesn’t have him…

Thanks to our sponsors!

If you follow me on instagram you see that we are in a season where our tiny house is constantly filled with teenagers we know and love as well as teenagers we don’t know. :)

It’s a zoo around here and we love it.

Heather and I hoped and prayed that our home would be “The House”. You know the one? The house that all the kids would hang out at?

And here we have found ourselves as THE HOUSE.

We don’t have a big house.

We don’t have a fancy house.

But in todays episode we ask the kids, why our house?

That’s right. The teenagers that take over our home on a nightly basis sit down with me and spill some good nuggets…

What has made this house the house that is at the center of their friend group universe?

This is such an insightful and timely conversation that I’m sure you will enjoy…

Kids or no kids…

It will help you create a culture of welcome in your home…

Thanks to our sponsors!

I honestly can’t believe how fortunate we are to hear these life-changing words from my friend Donald Miller. This podcast episode literally has the potential to change so many lives out there. That is not clickbait. That is real. Don’s coaching us on how to live as the hero of our story today and leaves nothing on the cutting room floor.

I have known Don for a long time and this may be his most important work yet. Please let him know how much this means to him and as always thank you for sharing the show!

Thanks to our sponsors!

It’s been a hot minute since it was just you and I. And I’ve missed you!!!

Listen I LOVE our guests. I love learning from their POV, but every once in a while I love to just unload some learnings that the world has been showing me and today I unpack some learnings on how to truly be a better ally towards people groups that your heart aligns with.

We go through 5 steps…

This isn’t an exhaustive list…

But I thin kit will help get you on the right track to make 2022 a year that we see those who have been oppressed or ignored finally be given a runway towards true equality.

And you are the key to unlocking that gift!

Thanks to our sponsors!

This is a pen and paper podcast fam. Like seriously. Go grab it. The amount of nuggets and morals of wisdom that Dante Stewart drops for the human Hope Fam is ridiculous. Dante is a husband, father, football player, service member spouse, preacher, racial reconciliator (did I just make up a word?) But most importantly he is a hope dealer. He comes hard in this episode and gives us a lot to work on and a lot of hope when it comes to what it means to continue to fight for the equal treatment of everybody in America.

Today's show will end up being a favorite for years to come.

I know I have a lot of people who don’t see faith the same way I do and I love that. Today I introduce you to one of my most trusted and safe friends. Safe for wherever you are on your faith journey…

Carey Nieuwhof is a pastor from north of Toronto, Canada who is one of those I would send the most skeptical of doubters to.

Not because he will convince you not to be skeptical…

But because he will simply love you for you.

On today’s show Carey unpacks what it means to him to have Canadian pride, how he grew up in a post Christian environment and where he sees the deconstructing of American evangelicalism fitting into our story, and shares his story on burning out and helps us avoid those very same pitfalls…

Sharon McMahon is a former high school government and law teacher on a mission to combat political misinformation.

She is also one of my closest “instafriends”.

Se was on the premiere episode of Human Hope and now pops in again on episode 37 to fill us in on all sorts of good, old-fashioned American history.

We talk about it all.

From why Uranus is now pronounced differently, to why indigenous people in America need to be celebrated…

From Andrew Jackson and the trail of tears to how we can simultaneously celebrate our past leaders and hold them accountable…

This is an episode you don’t wanna miss…

Follow Sharon on socials @sharonsaysso.

Also thank you to our sponsors…

Is the news really the enemy of the people?

How can we trust a news source?

How do you keep your bias out of your reporting?

In today’s episode, I asked journalist Travis Lyles of the Washington Post all the hard questions. And I also take a peek into a journalist’s heart in 2021 when so many people bash them daily.

What’s that do to your soul when you are one of the good guys?

Travis was an incredible interview and I believe he will restore your faith in journalism again.

Travis Lyles is The Washington Post’s Instagram Editor.

Under Travis’s leadership, the account has grown faster than that of any other major news organization, expanding from 675,000 followers to more than 5.1 million.

Follow Travis on Instagram www.instagram.com/travislylesnews

Thanks to our sponsors.

This week on instagram I asked people if they needed prayer to leave a comment. I was fully expecting like 300 comments. I got over 5000 requests. While many people told me that it felt heavy, I reminded them that this is normal. People are suffering and in need of our prayers all around us.

So today we dive deep with the prayer warrior herself, my wife, Heather Whittaker. Heather has studied inner healing prayer for years and is basically my go-to when it comes to questions on prayer.

Do I need to pray a certain way?

What if God doesn’t answer our prayers?

How can I know if God heard me?

Am I wasting my time praying for something God won’t answer?

Yes, we go there.

So if you have ever had a question on prayer or how to pray or if your prayer was even worth it…

Today’s the episode for you…

Thanks to our sponsors.

You guys know that I am a huge advocate for abolishing the death penalty. Many of you walked hand in hand with me as we watched Brandon Bernards failed last-second appeal last December and were all holding our breaths as he took his last.

Stacy Rector joins us today to talk about what we can do to see this broken system abolished.

And yes it’s broken.

People for and against the death penalty would ALL AGREE that the system is broken.

Stacy is the Executive Director of Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (TADP), an organization whose mission is to honor life by abolishing the death penalty. She also served as spiritual advisor to Steve Henley, an inmate on Tennessee’s death row who was executed on February 4, 2009.

Today’s topic is a tough one but I know you are up for it.

Thanks for tackling hard issues with me fam…

Ashley Lemieux is a literal miracle.

I’ve known people who have said they have “lost everything”, and listening to their stories you would know why they would say that…

But after listening to Ashley you realize that she in fact has lost absolutely everything…

And is still standing.

Not only standing but running.

In today’s episode Ashley shares her story of losing not one, not two, but all three of her children in different ways and how she is finding the strength and purpose to not only survive but thrive.

This is human hope wrapped up in one episode.

Thanks to our sponsors.

You guys did it again.

I asked “What’s the best thing that has happened to you this year?” AND YOU DELIVERED.

So if you are in need of some hope, the Human Hope Fam has you covered…

From overcoming covid to beating self harm…

From road trips with dogs to sight being restored…

You guys seriously are the best.

I love you so.

On Jan 6th, 2021 I got a text from a friend of mine… “I see now.”

Three words from a super close friend who lives on the opposite side of the aisle as I do.

Three words that finally broke me and I wept.

A white, conservative, middle-aged, Trump-voting man whom I love dearly.

We have had many deep talks the last 4 years. Me explaining the depths of my concern. Him listening and explaining his.

The goal wasn’t to turn him from his conservative roots.

The goal wasn’t to make him lean left.

It was simply to be seen.

And he saw me.

That doesn’t mean he turned his back on his values...

It simply meant he faced me and protected mine.

In today’s episode, I talk to one of my best friends Rob Sentell. And we talk about how to have rich and deep relationships with people whom you may massively disagree with on politics and policy.

Spoiler alert…

It’s not only possible…

It’s necessary…

Thanks to our sponsors.

November of 2019 we rushed our 17-year-old daughter to Vanderbilt University Medical Center as she was experiencing massive chest pain. The next 21 days in the hospital would change all of our lives and bring out a strength we didn’t know existed.

Sohaila’s story is going to make you feel like you can bust down any wall that is in front of you.

Also your stories of the most impactful gift you ever received.

Make sure you have some Kleenex nearby.

And thank you to our sponsor Better Help.

Recorded live from ALASKA!!!

We’ve been all over the world as a family. We never let our lack of resources get in the way of our exploration. This episode is going to help every single one of you get out there and travel again… or maybe even for the first time.

We took a lot of your travel questions and tried to answer them!

How do we afford to travel as a family?

Where do we find the incredible travel deals? (Like $500 round trip to Cape Town South Africa)

How to best travel long distances with little kids and thrive not just survive?

We went all in.

This is a little different of an episode and I think you are gonna love it!

And thank you again to our sponsor Better Help.

WE ALL WANT THIS TO BE OVER.

And Jessica helps us understand when we can say it's finally over.

This week we dive deep into the ethos of Jessica Malaty Rivera.

Infectious disease epidemiologist and science communication lead at the COVID Tracking Project.

She has spent the last 16 months of her life trying to communicate the science behind Covid19 to people across the planet.

I know that there are MANY different points of view with it comes to this stuff but what I ask is that you listen to understand Not listen to reply or debate.

My goal with this interview isn't to get you to land on some worldview...

It's to get us to understand each other.

I am grateful for Jessica and her colleagues who have devoted their entire professional lives to helping us...

Big ups to our sponsors AIM for showing us just how easy it is to join with the fight against sex trafficking.

I realized after getting numerous messages from you that I have not gone into the story of how I lost my marriage and family and how I got them back…

Like I’ve written about it in detail in my book from 2017 but haven’t really talked about it online since then. With over 130,000 new friends around here I thought maybe some of you could use some encouragement that no matter how far away from freedom you feel, you are actually really, really, close…

Today’s episode I dive into 3 steps that will help you finally stop whatever destructive behavior you have been trying to stop on your own. (Clue phone: We ALL have them…)

Also we have a PRECIOUS MOMENTS DESIGNER on the pod along with your clean jokes and your stories of hope.

Today’s episode is truly fit to be called Human Hope!

Thanks to our Sponsors!

You guys. I CAN’T WITH THESE INCREDIBLE HUMANS. My 2 new favorite humans on planet earth (sorry mom and dad). These legends are leading up the incredible organization called AIM (https://aimfree.org/carlos/) which is working to relentlessly rescue, heal and empower survivors of trafficking to be free.

In addition to this, their protection programs are targeting the root of the issue by addressing the demand for purchased sex and protecting the vulnerable in the community.

And the extra bonus you get?

To be inspired to chase your dreams at any age…

The Brewsters started AIM when they were in their 50’s. It’s never too late.

Enjoy the convo…

Leave your clean joke for next weeks show here…

telb.ee/m0ukb

As always we appreciate your reviews and you can keep up with these conversations on Instagram @loswhit

Don’t ever tell me that I don’t do anything for you. 

LIKE GIVE YOU A NEW BEST FRIEND! 

This is not an exaggeration when I tell you that Ruthie Lindsey is the friend you have been looking for.

Ruthie is a guide and mentor to humanity.

Helping people feel endeared to their own life, body, and soul.

She has been to literal hell and back. But when I say back, I mean living a life of purpose unlike most people ever achieve. The good news?

No matter how far away from coming alive you may feel… Ruthie shows us just how close to life we really are.

I don’t know what just happened. I had a last-second idea to ask my Instagram familia to leave me voice messages on the best, most miraculous thing that has happened to them in the last 6 months… I thought I would get a few… “I got a new job!” messages… Which Are FANTASTIC… But little did I know HOW MANY MIRACLES AND HOPE FILLED STORIES would be waiting for me in my inbox. I’m honestly blown away and ready to hope forever. You guys are the real hope dealers. I’m just grateful that you let me gather you together. So if you are in need of some hope… From infertility to cancer, to job loss, to relationship loss, to dreams on hold… THIS IS THE EPISODE FOR YOU. Also here is my voicemail… Just click it and drop a note of encouragement for the Human Hope family. telb.ee/m0ukb As always we appreciate your reviews and you can keep up with these conversations on Instagram @loswhit

This week has been heavy.

U.S. Army Lt. Caron Nazario told Windsor City Police he was “honestly afraid to get out” of his vehicle in videos of the incident showing officers with their guns drawn during the traffic stop.

A police officer shot and killed Daunte Wright during a traffic stop.

Black America is exhausted.

This week Carlos talks to 3 of his black friends. He asks one simple question to each of them…

“How are you?”

You will be amazed at how much healing can be brought to your friends when you simply ask that question.

Our learning this week comes from the depths of the souls of these 3 new friends…

@ejgaines @prophiphop @carinedynamite.

Please reach out and let them know how much you appreciated them sharing their hurts with you all.