Space for Life

Loneliness is rising in a world that has never been more connected.
In this episode, Tommy sits down with longtime friend and recently retired pastor Dr. Nelson Ould to explore the power and practice of presence.

Drawing from decades of pastoral ministry and personal experience, Nelson shares a simple insight: in life’s most difficult moments, people rarely remember the exact words that were spoken, but they always remember who showed up. Together they discuss why distraction and hurry are eroding real connection, why loneliness continues to rise, and how the simple act of being present with someone can transform relationships.

They also share practical ways to grow in presence, including listening for open doors in conversation, asking thoughtful follow-up questions, creating margin before important interactions, and checking back in with people after meaningful conversations.

In a culture filled with noise and constant distraction, this conversation is a reminder that one of the greatest gifts we can offer someone is our full attention.

(0:00) Loneliness, distraction, and why presence matters today
(2:16) How pastoral ministry revealed the power of presence
(9:39) The biblical foundation of presence and God with us
(19:01) Listening for open doors in conversation
(22:07) The two enemies of presence, distraction and hurry
(29:42) Practicing presence with the people closest to you
(32:09) The underrated power of following up with people
(40:02) Creating margin and quieting distraction before conversations

Fifteen years ago, Pastor Steve Ruetschle was left paralyzed after a catastrophic motorcycle accident. Doctors told him he would never walk again.
But this episode is not primarily about a medical outcome. It is about something deeper.

In this conversation, Steve reflects on the different ways God heals, the power of community, and what it means to participate in the fellowship of suffering. He shares how the faith of others carried him when he could not believe for himself, how pain can either harden the heart or deepen it, and how redemptive healing does not always mean the removal of suffering. This is a thoughtful and pastoral conversation about chronic pain, unanswered prayer, community, gratitude, and the surrounding love of God.

If you are walking through illness, loss, or long term suffering, this episode offers a steady reminder that you are not alone and that God’s faithful love surrounds you even here.

(0:00) Introduction and How Steve’s Story Reached Space for Life
(2:19) The Motorcycle Accident and Becoming Quadriplegic
(6:31) Degrees of Paralysis and Living with Chronic Pain
(11:26) Community and the Story of the Paralytic
(16:00) The Turning Point and Moving His Toe
(21:10) Different Types of Healing
(30:06) Redemptive Healing and the Fellowship of Suffering
(36:33) Guarding Against Bitterness
(45:09) A Word for Those Walking Through Pain

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So many people carry the quiet dream of writing something meaningful. A book. A devotional. A story that has been sitting inside them for years.
But the question lingers Where do I even begin?

In this episode of Space for Life, Tommy sits down with Terry Whalin, acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing and author of more than 60 books, to talk about what it really takes to move from dream to discipline.

Terry pulls back the curtain on the publishing world and explains why most aspiring authors start in the wrong place, what publishers are actually looking for, and why writing success is often 80 percent about the author and 20 percent about the book. They explore the catch 22 of publishing, the power of critique groups and apprenticeship, and why becoming a better reader is foundational to becoming a better writer.

If you have ever considered writing, or simply want to understand how books truly shape lives, this conversation offers practical clarity and grounded encouragement for taking your next step.

(0:00) Why So Many People Dream of Writing
(6:41) How One Book Can Change a Life
(14:16) What Publishers Really Look For
(18:07) Where Aspiring Writers Should Start
(32:32) The Catch 22 of Getting Published
(40:19) The Power of Critique Groups
(48:34) Why Reading Shapes Better Writing
(58:53) Building Consistency as a Writer

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Your 30s can feel like a decade full of tension. The tension between freedom and responsibility, living fully now and preparing wisely for the future, wanting clarity without becoming rigid. In this episode of Space for Life, Joe joins Tommy for an honest conversation about what it really means to live well in your 30s with freedom and intention.

Rather than offering formulas or life hacks, this conversation explores the deeper internal work of defining what truly matters. Joe and Tommy talk through why so many decisions feel exhausting, how guiding principles and guardrails can simplify life’s gray areas, and why postponing life often trains us to keep postponing it. They close by reflecting on how habits, more than any single decision, quietly shape the direction of our lives. This episode is for anyone navigating the weight of this decade and looking for a calmer, more grounded way to move forward.

0:00 Intro
7:41 Avoiding Comparison
13:04 Guiding Principles
26:23 Making Decisions Easier
34:13 Now Versus Later
53:56 Auditing Your Habits

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In this episode of Space for Life, Tommy sits down with Mia Sundstrom, CEO of the National Institute for Play and granddaughter of renowned play researcher Dr. Stuart Brown, for a powerful conversation about why play is not childish, frivolous, or optional, but essential to human health, creativity, resilience, and fulfillment.

They explore the science of play, the cultural myths that have stripped play from adult life, and why so many people feel burned out, disconnected, and exhausted in a world that treats play as a waste of time. Mia shares her personal journey growing up in a play-based learning environment, how her grandfather’s research shaped her life, and why play is now being reframed as a public health necessity.

This conversation challenges the idea that productivity and play are opposites, and instead shows how play fuels better work, deeper relationships, creativity, and emotional health. They unpack the difference between real play and modern forms of escapism, why social media often masquerades as play, and how adults can reconnect with the playful part of themselves they’ve forgotten.

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