The Next Right Thing with Emily P. Freeman
Older episodes
- 9790: Start with this Simple RhythmI talk a lot about the importance of creating space for your soul to breathe. One question I often hear is how? What does it look like to create space for your soul? Practically, on a Tuesday, in the middle of your regular life? Links + Resources From This Episode: Episode 76: Create a Simple Morning Routine Simply Tuesday Get the Simply Tuesday audiobook for free in August courtesy of Christian Audio A Million Little Ways Invitation to Retreat by Ruth Haley Burton Guerillas of Grace by Ted Loder Placemaker by Christie Purifoy Whistling in the Dark by Frederick Buechner Grab a copy of The Next Right Thing August 20th Only: Get The Next Right Thing 50% off at Barnes & Noble Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this episode
- 9891: Be A PlacemakerIf you're in the ellipsis in your own life right now, you might have more questions than answers, more furrowed brows than nodding heads. But there are some things you can still choose - like making a place where roots are lacking, like believing for sure that God is with you, like doing your next right thing in love. Links + Resources From This Episode: The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson A Million Little Ways Episode 24: Look for Arrows (Not Answers) Placemaker by Christie Purifoy All things Christie Purifoy Grab a copy of The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 9992: Point and CallSometimes it's the simplest things that help to ease our decision-fatigue the most. Links + Resources From This Episode: Atomic Habits by James Clear When a Simple Gesture Prevents 85% of Workplace Errors Episode 22: Embrace Your Limits Episode 90: Start With This Simple Rhythm Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download a transcript of this episode
- 10093: Borrow PrayersWe've been told not to borrow trouble and to be careful borrowing money, but when is borrowing okay, even welcome? Listen in. *Content warning: This week's episode references the events of September 11, 2001. Links + Resources From This Episode: And still, I remember. As if It happened yesterday by Brambleberry Grace Faithful Presence: Seven Disciplines That Shape the Church for Mission by David Fitch The Way of The Heart by Henri Nouwen The Book of Common Prayer To Bless the Space Between Us by John O'Donohue Guerillas of Grace by Ted Loder Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing. Each chapter ends with a prayer you can borrow. Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 10194: Ask the Second QuestionIt's often the simplest phrases that have the power to change our lives. Like "I love you" and "I'm sorry" and "You're not alone." Since adults make over 35,000 decisions every single day, it's no wonder that this idea of simply doing the next right thing feels like such a relief. My goal in these few minutes we have together on Tuesdays is to make one simple suggestion that could help ease the load of your own daily decision-making. If you're feeling stuck, confused, hesitant, or overwhelmed today, maybe it will help to ask and answer the second question. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Shattered Dreams by Larry Crabb Episode 32: Stop Collecting Gurus Episode 33: Gather Co-Listeners Becoming a True Spiritual Community by Larry Crabb Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 10295: Practice FriendshipFor a few minutes each Tuesday, our directive is to do the next right thing, not to think about doing the next right thing. Of course thinking is a part of doing. But they at least have to work together to bring about meaningful change. We practice what we want to improve and certain things lend themselves well to our idea of practice - playing piano or a team sport, learning to paint, draw, dance or sing. In elementary school we practiced math problems, cursive letters, how to share our toys. As adults, we may still practice some of those things, but we also practice in more nuanced ways, things that have to do with our faith, our identity, and our relationships. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Troublemaker, a memoir by Leah Remini Andrew Peterson and The Rabbit Room The Rabbit Room's conference Hutchmoot The High Five, a 3 minute documentary about Andy Gullahorn and Gabe Scott's practice of meeting each other for a simple high five Shirt of Flame by Heather King Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 10396: Listen to Your Crazy IdeasWhen the problems of life feel big and the way through seems impossible, the last thing we want to do is to consider what we most want or to look desire in the face. But what if clues to our next right thing are embedded in the last place we feel free to look? Instead of talking yourself out of your crazy ideas, maybe it's time to listen to them. I'm not here to say listening to your crazy idea will lead to big things. But what I truly believe is that at least listening to your crazy idea is often the thing that will lead you home - to your greatest contribution and the place where God wants to meet you. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Holy Listening by Margaret Guenther We've opened the doors to hope*writers for the last time this year. If your crazy idea has been to become a published writer, join us before the enrollment period ends on Friday, October 4th Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 10497: Take a 10 Minute TimeoutIn nearly every major and sometimes not-so-major decision, I've prayed for clarity. I've shared here before how in times of cloudy decision-making frustration, I've even Googled how to make a decision. More and more, though, every time the word "clarity" comes out of my mouth, I hesitate. I'm realizing for me, clarity can be a more acceptable word for control. If I could just see the future, I could make a good decision about this part of my life. Today's practice is to take a 10 minute timeout and consider a few simple questions in the presence of God. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Episode 27: Stop Rushing Clarity John 14 Group Spiritual Direction by Rose Mary Dougherty Recapturing the Wonder by Mike Cosper Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 10598: Don't Preach to Your EmotionsMaking a decision is hard enough. But add the unpredictability of emotion to the mix and making a confident decision can feel nearly impossible. What do we do when we have a decision to make but we have such strong emotions surrounding that decision that we feel paralyzed to move one way or another? It's a great question and I can't say I have a clean, linear answer. But I do have thoughts and I hope you'll listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: The Listening Life by Adam McHugh Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 10699: Tear Down the Old, Make Room for NewI am not a tear it down kind of person. But keeping things intact is not a character trait. It's a decision, and it's not always a good one. The painful truth is that sometimes in order to experience wholeness, first we have to tear something down. It sounds counter-intuitive, and you'd better believe it often feels that way, too. But God himself understands the necessity of being torn down to be remade. We don't want to be people who shut our eyes to reality, hiding in comfortable corners and declaring the world is not our problem. We also realize every story has nuance and there's no such thing as an "issue." It's all people and stories of people and I'm learning to pay attention. If you're learning too or at least want to learn along with me, listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: My sister turned her love for decorating Barbie houses into a way to serve others in creating comfortable spaces for themselves. You can find her at The Nesting Place or @thenester on Instagram. To learn more about my friend Stephen Roach, you can listen to his podcast Makers and Mystics or read about The Breath & The Clay creative arts movement here. His band Songs of Water is pretty great, too. Episode 98: Don't Preach to Your Emotions Sam Yoder's All Things Rise Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript at my website
- 107100: Tell Me About You (and I'll Tell You About Me)As we celebrate 2 years, 100 episodes and 5 million downloads, it seems like a good time to learn more about who you are and to share a personal update about my own next right thing. Links + Resources From This Episode: Share your thoughts about The Next Right Thing podcast in our first-ever listener survey Episode 50: Go Forward Master of Arts in Christian Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Friends University Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 108101: Read Your Own HeadlinesIn the midst of what might be a busy schedule, a life transition, a big decision, or the constant demands of everyday life, it can be easy to lose the thread of the story our lives are telling. That may not seem like it matters . . . until it does. And that's what today's episode is all about. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Whistling in the Dark by Frederick Buechner Episode 4: Record What You Learn Episode 92: Point and Call Read more about how Ann Voskamp changed her life using a gratitude list Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 109102: Say Short PrayersIf your concerns, decisions and complicated problems feel like they need an extra complicated solution, I hope you'll listen in and find some relief. Links + Resources From This Episode: Share your thoughts about The Next Right Thing podcast in our first-ever listener survey (closes November 15!) Episode 101: Read Your Own Headlines Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 110103: Look for the Children: Mister Rogers and Decision-MakingSometimes decision-making is a straightforward choice between two things. Those things may be both great things, both not great things, or one is greater than the other but the choice is nuanced and not as simple as it seems it should be. But then there are other times where choices are clouded by the personality and demeanor of other people, where this one thing looks great on the surface but you know this situation isn't so simple and you wonder how to move forward in a situation that is clouded by interpersonal conflict or relational tension. If you can relate, listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Tom Junod for The Atlantic: Mister Rogers's Enduring Wisdom Mister Rogers's Lifetime Achievement Award speech Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 111104: Make Soup (And Eat It, Too)For those of us in the US, this is Thanksgiving week which for many may mean a shorter workweek, a few days off school, lots of travel and/or preparation for the arrival of friends and family. Whether this holiday comes as a welcome pause or an unwelcome interruption, or if you're listening during a regular week with regular routines, I hope these few minutes we have together can be for you like a deep breath and a kind friend. This week I'm carrying a question with me: In what ways has my experience at the table ministered the gospel to me? How can I participate in sacred table moments in the midst of everyday life? Can our time around the table really change the way I see myself, my family, my decisions, and the world around me? Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp Episode 16: Walk Slow and Carry Questions Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 112105: How to Manage Holiday Decision FatigueIs there a way to enter this season thoughtfully with our whole hearts? How can we manage the holiday decision fatigue that seems inevitable? Is there a way to remain centered even in the midst of lots of activity? If you've had these questions too, listen in. Plus: The Quiet Collection for Christmas is available starting today! Visit emilypfreeman.com/christmas to learn more. Links + Resources From This Episode: 5 Books for Advent Reading The Quiet Collection for Christmas Episode 90: Start With This Simple Rhythm To Bless the Space Between Us by John O'Donohue Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 113106: Let's Talk About Disney's Frozen 2!Spoiler Alert! Today's episode will have spoilers about Disney's new animated film Frozen 2. Months before the movie released previews of some of the songs were made available and one of those songs was called The Next Right Thing. As the host of The Next Right Thing podcast and the author of the book, many have wondered what I think about Disney publishing a song with the same title as my own work. Well today I'll share my response to that question and more; like what we can we learn from an animated princess about love and sorrow? And where did the songwriters find their inspiration for The Next Right Thing? Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert My book A Million Little Ways LA Time's story on Frozen 2 and the song The Next Right Thing The Quiet Collection for Christmas Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 114107: 8 Books for Soulful DecisionsToday I'm sharing some trusted books I've turned to multiple times over the years. If you've been listening for any amount of time, these recommendations probably won't surprise you. But it seemed fitting to have them all in one place and dedicate at least one episode to some of the books I've turned to over the years that have helped to shape my own decision making process, path, and posture. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Hearing God by Dallas Willard Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God by Ruth Haley Barton Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Parker J. Palmer You Learn by Living: 11 Keys For a More Fulfilling Life by Eleanor Roosevelt The Listening Life by Adam S. McHugh Atomic Habits by James Clear Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown The Next Right Thing by me Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 115BONUS: For Anyone Waiting for HomeToday's episode is a bit different than our usual format so I'm offering a brief introduction to welcome you to it and give a bit of background. Every year my church here in Greensboro creates one of my favorite offerings called Lessons and Carols. It's a service of music, both original compositions and familiar favorites, as well as a collection of readings from scripture that tell the story of Jesus, this year it was told through the lens of home, both the one we have here and the one we continue to long for. Advent is a season of waiting and this night of lessons and carols is a time to remember how God's people waited many years for the Messiah, how he chose to make his home among us, and how we wait still for him to come again. This year, my friend and pastor Michael Van Patter asked if I would be willing to write a short piece to end the night, a reflection to close our time together. It was an honor, as a writer, to hold space for this idea of home, to listen for the ways my own longing mixes with my current reality and how joy and sorrow coexist for all of us. That can be especially true at Christmas. I wish I had the rights to broadcast the entire night right here on the podcast so you could hear how the creative image of God is so beautifully reflected in the music of some of my dearest friends at Hope Chapel. That would be my first choice. Instead, I'll settle for my second choice which is to simply share with you that piece I wrote to close Lessons and Carols service. Whether you're surrounded today by friends and family who know you well or if you find yourself in an unknown place this Christmas, I hope these words will bring a bit of comfort and clarity as you continue to honor the tension you may feel between being where you are and longing for a home you miss. And Merry Christmas to you. Links + Resources From This Episode: My book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 116108: Walk at Your Own PaceBecause I talk a lot about reflection and intention regularly throughout the year, when December/January come around and everyone else talks about it too, I find myself leaning forward to hear what they have to say. So here on the last day of the month, the last day of the year and the final day of the decade, I'm asking myself as I share these words with you: do I have anything to add? I've decided that I do. It's a simple observation that I hope will encourage you to walk at your own pace in freedom. If you want a little no-shame companionship as you stand between the year you've just lived and the one you're entering into, listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Discern + Decide, my online self-paced course Sign up to receive my monthly letters The Next Right Thing by me Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 117109: Wait Until The MorningBack in Episode 70 we talked about The Best Time to Make A Decision. Spoiler Alert: Being a good decision-maker has less to do with having a certain kind of magically decisive personality and more to do with timing. In today's episode, I'll share one simple practice that has helped me this very week to make better decisions for my own life. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Bonus: For Anyone Longing for Home Episode 108: Walk at Your Own Pace Episode 70: The Best Time To Make a Decision I share my morning routine in Episode 76: Create a Simple Morning Routine Leeana Tankersley on decision making Review The Next Right Thing on Apple Podcasts The Next Right Thing book Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 118110: Build for the Years You Can't SeeSince adults make over 35,000 decisions every single day, it's no wonder that this idea of doing the next right thing feels like such a relief. But there are also times when doing the next right thing doesn't seem like enough. Maybe you've been practicing this simple discipline for a while now and still, it's not leading to where you thought it would lead or bringing results you hoped to see by now. If you can relate, listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: Hope*Writers is accepting new members through Friday, January 17th Start here if you want to take the Hope*Writers quiz My book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 119111: Never Believe Anything Bad About GodWe all want to make our choices with wisdom, courage, and discernment. Today we come back home to one of the most foundational truths I hold on to when making decisions. On the surface it may not sound like it has to do with decision making at all. But these six words from Dallas Willard have changed the way I make decisions. Links + Resources From This Episode: You can find all of Dallas Willard's books here Psalm 23 My book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
- 120112: Two Words to AvoidA lot of what we talk about here isn't necessarily about the specific decision you're holding like which job to say yes to or whether or not you ought to marry that person. Instead, we talk a lot about mindset, posture, and cultivating a listening way of life so that when tough decisions come our way, we're better equipped to move through them. Today I'll share two words we can eliminate from our vocabulary, especially when we're talking about our roles, our work, or the roles and work of others. Listen in. Links + Resources From This Episode: A Million Little Ways The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence Grab a copy of my book, The Next Right Thing Find me on Instagram @emilypfreeman Download Transcript
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