University Overwhelm

In this episode, Alexa and Scott reminisce on the year they spent diving into the topic of student thriving, and share their key takeaways from their many conversations over the course of this season.

In this episode, Alexa and Scott unpack why certainty about your major is another predictor of student thriving and some practical steps you can take to grow in this area. Part two of two.

In this episode, Alexa and Scott unpack why certainty about your major is another predictor of student thriving and how certainty might not mean exactly what you think it means. Part one of two.

April Fools!

In this episode, Alexa and Scott unpack why a strong sense of community is the most direct predictor of student thriving. Exploring what belonging, ownership, relationships, and partnership look like; common barriers to connection, and practical steps students can take to build meaningful community.

In this episode, Scott and Alexa dive into the Thriving element Engaged Learning. What it really means, why so many students find it challenging, and the practical ways they can build this skill. Together, they unpack common obstacles, share real‑life examples, and offer strategies to help students take ownership of their learning and feel more connected both inside and outside the classroom.

In this episode, Alexa and Scott discuss the thriving element Diverse Citizenship, what it is and how you can cultivate it.You can check out Chesed Dent's (Pastoral Counseling & Care, Liberty University) podcast, The Rest is Just Geography here.

In this episode, Scott and Alexa discuss the thriving element Academic Determination, what it is, why it matters, and practical skills to cultivate it.

In this episode, Alexa and Scott discuss the thriving element Positive Perspective, what it is and how you can cultivate it.

In this episode, we explore how shifting to a positive perspective can transform your college experience. Join us as we share practical strategies and encouraging insights to help you reframe your mindset and thrive.

In this episode Alexa and Scott talk about the thriving element Social Connectedness, what it is and how you can cultivate it.

In this episode, Scott and Alexa dive into barriers to thriving and how to thrive while juggling responsibilities.

In today's episode we dive into what is Thrive Coaching and why you might need it more than you think.

Scott and Alexa welcome you back to the University Overwhelm Podcast!

Scott and Sophia spent a year diving in to the topic of Building Healthy Community. They share their takeaways and what conversations they've had with parents and students thanks to this podcast. Give this episode a listen to hear a bird's eye view of how this season of the podcast was and then go back and listen to the whole thing!

A tough part of building healthy community, is navigating when a friendship needs to end and how to end it.Scott and Sophia talk through the ins and outs of determining an end to a relationship. This is not something to take lightly, and you'll hear that in the hesitation they take to definitively determine what constitutes a needed "break".Give this episode a listen if you struggle to know when things need to end, or if you'd like some guidance in how to go about it in a God-honoring way!

Often times, when talking about building healthy community, we can look around and "judge" those around us. They're not healthy, they lack integrity, they don't show up for us in ways we'd like, etc.But when it comes to building healthy community, we need to start with looking at ourselves and checking to see if our character is solid. Do we have integrity? Are we striving to do the right thing, even when no one is watching? Are we honest and open? Being a healthy community member is vital when building healthy community around ourselves. If your character is questionable or is something you have put little to no time in, give this episode a listen. Scott and Sophia take a birds eye view all the way down to close up and personal at what it takes to build solid character, and why we, as Christians, ought to care about who we are and how we treat others.

Often times, when people are suffering, they tend to experience isolation. Those around them are uncomfortable with their hardship or feel unable to help in a meaningful way, and the person is pushed to the side and left to navigate things alone.Romans 12 is where Scott and Sophia start today's episode. It gives context to God's expectation for us Christians in how to handle grief and suffering in the lives of our friends.How does this apply to building healthy community? Give this episode a listen to find out!

Part of what is so hard in making friends and building healthy community, is we often struggle to know who we are. Not knowing where to place our identity can negatively impact the type of friend we are to others, as well as knowing what types of people we need in our lives to help us grow. This episode dives in to a biblical perspective on identity, and applies that to this season's theme of building healthy community!

In a day and age where "living your truth" and "who am I to judge?" are phrases used to dismiss the importance of holding one another accountable, Scott and Sophia spend time sharing why these mentalities are dangerous. As Christians, building healthy community cannot happen apart from honesty and accountability. What does it look like to hold people in your community accountable? How do you ask someone to help you with accountability? What types of things do we as Christians need to be honest about with one another?Why is it so hard to share the truth with those we love? Give this episode a listen for encouragement in this area, as well as answers to these questions!

"Faithless is he that says farewell when the road darkens" - J.R.R. Tolkein On this week's episode, Scott and Sophia spend time discussing the concept of what it means to be a faithful and loyal friend. Loyalty and faithfulness tend to be used in contexts where hiding someone's secrets or shying away from honesty to our friends are what's expected. But what if those two traits are actually require us to bring to light what has been in darkness? Or to dive deep into the hard parts of life with someone, instead of running away for comforts' sake? Scott and Sophia also nerd out about Tolkein and The Lord of the Rings a few times, so give this episode a listen if you also enjoy Tolkein references!

This season, Scott and Sophia are talking about Building Healthy Community. And this week, they dive into the topic of forgiveness. What does forgiveness have to do with community? Well, when (not if) those in your community let you down.....how are you going to handle it? How would you like others to handle it when you let them down? Scott and Sophia dissect forgiveness and how to develop this vital skill for life and for building healthy community.

Doing an episode on boundaries in the middle of our season on Building Healthy Community may seem odd. However, boundaries are so important if you want your community to truly be "healthy"! Scott and Sophia dive into this topic and discuss how boundaries can be a solid tool for you to use in your journey of building healthy community. Give this episode a listen if you struggle with people crossing lines with you, not knowing where you stand with people, or even if you want to figure out how to better communicate your needs to those around you!

Making friends can be so tough. Where do you even start? Scott and Sophia take the time this episode to explain how to make friends. They give practical examples and tips/tricks. Give this episode a listen if you would like to grow in the skill of making friends!

Forgiveness is an underrated aspect of building healthy community. Scott and Sophia dive into this trait through the lens of community building and maintaining healthy friendships. Human beings will hurt us, let us down, and disappoint us. How can we handle those moments as Christians and as people that desire to extend what we would like to receive? Give this episode a listen if you struggle with growing close to others, letting go of hurts, or forgiveness in general.

Scott and Sophia spend this episode interviewing Liberty University's Dean of Students, Mark Hyde, and his wife, Kathy Hyde. Mark and Kathy have been married for 29 years and have experienced their fair share of hardships and hurdles. Mark and Kathy spent years being foster parents together, as well as adopting kids out of foster care. Mark got Covid in 2021 and was on the brink of death several times. To say they have experienced hardships and hurdles would be an understatement. One way they were able to stay steady and work through those times of struggle was having healthy community surround them and support them. Give this episode a listen to learn why building community NOW will come in handy for when life hits you LATER.

In this day and age, it is common to have friendships and communities that are exclusively online. Scott and Sophia ask the question: Can online friendships/communities be healthy? Are they authentic? Real life friendships are defined by Scott and Sophia as in person, face to face, relationships. The theme for Season 3 is Building Healthy Community. If you are finding that the majority of your friendships are online, give this episode a listen. Scott and Sophia do not tell listeners to abandon the online space, but instead offer up insights into how to view those online friendships and how to determine if they can truly be counted in your healthy community.

Building Healthy Community is the theme for Season 3! Scott and Sophia kick things off by defining friendship and talking about what THEY mean when they use that term. If you struggle with any of these things, you need to give this episode, and season, a listen: Making friends Keeping friends Being honest in friendships Stating your needs to your friends Going through hard times and needing support, but having none Not having a "place" here in college Knowing what God has to say about friendships

Scott and Sophia sit down to recap Season 2. They discuss themes they noted in each pastor interview episode, as well as individual nuggets that really resonated with each of them. If you've skipped around and listened to a few of the episodes, this will be a great listen to you to inspire listening to more episodes. If you've listened to all of the episodes, this will be a great listen for you as they'll likely mention some things you noticed as well! Scott and Sophia are both vulnerable in this episode about what God has specifically done in their lives through this season.

Mike Kunzinger is the Pastor of The Church of the Good Shepherd. It is an Anglican Church here in Lynchburg. Scott and Sophia talk with Mike about the importance of traditions that have been honored and passed down for generations. The importance of reading through the scriptures, as a congregation, on a regular basis. And the purpose behind certain practices during a church service such as baptism and liturgical prayers. See below for a link to the church's website: https://www.goodshepherdlynchburg.com/

Scott and Sophia are joined in the studio by the Dillards! Aleah and KD have been involved in FCA for many years. They share their experience in a Parachurch Ministry and how that ministry relates to being plugged into a local church. KD and Aleah spend time explaining the importance of being plugged into a local church, and how involvement in a parachurch ministry can open up doors for discipleship. Aleah works in the local Lynchburg area for FCA and KD is a track and field coach for Liberty University.

Gospel Community Church (GCC) is a Non-Denominational Church. Scott and Sophia interview Pastor Brenton Lehman on this week's episode. Brenton shares his perspective on what makes a healthy church, what it looks like to care for the local community, and why college students getting plugged into a local church is vital. Find GCC's website here: https://gospelcc.org/

Christ Covenant Fellowship (CCF) is a reformed Baptist church. Scott and Sophia interview Brandon Read, who is an Associate Pastor at CCF, on this week's episode. Brandon shares his thoughts and insight on what makes a healthy church, how to view traditional practices in light of the gospel, and why active community is vital in the Christian walk. Find CCF's website here: https://www.ccfva.org/

The greatest commandment is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second........is to love your neighbor as yourself. Sophia and Scott interview David Docusen in this week's episode. David is the author of a book called Neighborliness. What should we as Christians be doing, in this day and age, to love our neighbor? Who is our neighbor? What are red and green flags to be on the lookout for in a church regarding local ministries? Why should Christians make an effort to diversify their community? David answers all of these questions and explains how he has seen God use this book in incredible ways, all over the world. Find David and the Neighborliness book here: https://neighborliness.com/

Scott and Sophia are back with another pastor interview! This week, they sit down with Cody Bingham who is the pastor of Elon Baptist Church. Cody shares his perspective on what he believes makes a healthy church, why age diversity in community is important, and how impactful it is when the congregants and the pastor know one another personally. Find Elon Baptist Church's website here: https://www.elonbaptistchurch.org/

Finding a healthy church includes being able to discern red flags and signs that a church is, unfortunately, unhealthy. Scott and Sophia discuss various things church leaders or members may say or do that should raise concerns in our listeners' minds. This is not a comprehensive list, nor should anyone listen and assume that everything mentioned means they should immediately leave a church if anything discussed happens. Rather, Scott and Sophia share their thoughts and opinions on how to navigate controversial and/or concerning things in a church, while going to God in prayer for wisdom and discernment.

Mercy Presbyterian is the featured church on this week's episode! Ben Spivey is not on staff at Mercy, but he does run Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) on Liberty University's campus and he works closely with Mercy's pastoral staff. Scott and Sophia interview Ben on topics of the purpose of the Sunday morning service, why students should get involved in the local church, and what being involved at Mercy Presbyterian looks like. Find Mercy Presbyterian's website here: https://www.mercypres.org/

So you've been going to a local church for a few weeks and you're really liking it! You connect with the style of preaching, you find the leaders and members to be healthy from what you can tell, and you would like to figure out what that church believes. Scott and Sophia give practical tips on how to find Doctrine Statements, Statements of Faith, Values, etc. on the church's website. As well as breaking down what certain terms mean, the history behind why churches believe what they believe, and the types of questions you can ask the pastor (or any leader in the church) to gain a better understanding. If this is intimidating to you because you aren't as confident in knowing exactly what you believe, don't worry. This episode is for you! We help walk you through how to develop your own belief system, how to humbly go on this journey, and the healthy things to be on the lookout for that a church should believe.

Bedrock Lynchburg is a Southern Baptist Church. Jeremy Minor is one of the Leading Elders. Scott and Sophia have Jeremy on this episode of the podcast to talk about what he believes are signs of a healthy church, why college students should make it a priority to plug into a local church, and what things Bedrock Lynchburg does for its church members, as well as the local Lynchburg community. Find Bedrock's website here: https://bedrocklynchburg.com/

What is a worldview? How does it get developed? What forms it? What's the difference from a worldview and a Biblical worldview? Do Christians form their Biblical worldview, or does God? Why should college students be thinking about their worldview when they've got enough going on already? Dr. Van Engen is a Professor at Liberty University and teaches various biblical studies courses. Many of which address the topic of: how do I view the world and where is that perspective coming from? Join Scott, Sophia, and Dr. Van Engen as they explore the topic of Biblical Worldview and the impact being plugged in to a healthy local church can have on its development.

Pastor Luis Nodal joins Scott and Sophia on this episode to discuss what a healthy church looks like, how to get plugged into a local church, and what opportunities there are at Thomas Road Baptist Church for Liberty University students to get involved. This episode is the first for this season as far as talking to local pastors goes. If you want to get a glimpse at the heart behind a pastor's desire to help Christians develop quality community, then this episode is a must for you. Luis Nodal does a great job of sharing the importance of being plugged into a local church, and we think you'll walk away from this interview inspired to dive into biblical community! Find TRBC info here: https://trbc.org/

What does the phrase "get plugged in" even mean? Churches uses it in various contexts to inspire its members to get involved in serving, or to join small groups, or any number of things. Scott and Sophia break down their definition of what "get plugged in" means, how they view its importance, and give examples of what it looks like. This episode is intended to keep things clear for the rest of the season as to what they are referring to when they use the phrase "get plugged in"!

What kinds of activities help deepen spiritual formation in a college student? Does involvement in a local church actually help students to grow their relationship with God? What impact does a deep relationship with God and Christian community have on a college student's life? Austin Smith, Dr. Perry Glanzer, and Dr. Ted Cockle all work for Baylor University, and were all involved in a longitudinal cohort analysis of college students in their first and senior years. Scott and Sophia interview these 3 gentlemen to discuss their findings and answers to the questions above! As referenced in the episode: Here is a link to the residential chaplain article: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15363759.2023.2219069?casa_token=-BMaAy6pdy4AAAAA:aYPuyiyEHIGl1KvtJ7dSgvJaOk-Htq4-2hI0LQJ9axaYPuWkCAdlT2y3_d9IJ31AdOYHiS6Xhl2qpnA

Lukas Hafeli joins Sophia in studio to talk about how to study your Bible! Lukas shares a method that was taught to him by his pastor years ago. It requires only a notebook and a Bible and can be something you implement in your day immediately. Sophia shares the Inductive Study Method taught to her when she was in Elementary School that she has stuck with into adulthood. It can be simple or in depth, as well as there are prepared Bible studies that use the method. Give this episode a listen if you feel lost trying to study your Bible and need some guidance in this area!

Building Healthy Community continued! Practical tips and tricks for Y O U to know how to build healthy community, and how to let go of unhealthy people in your life. Give this episode a listen if you struggle in this area!

Drew Pelkey joins Scott and Sophia in studio to talk about the book Find Your People by Jennie Allen. If you struggle with building any type of community, building healthy community, or simply understanding why it even matters, then give this episode a listen. Drew, Scott, and Sophia share information from the book as well as personal insights into the topic.

You make the rules! Sort of.... When it comes to establishing a habit or a discipline, you know yourself better than others. You can read a book where the author gives a tip on how to get to bed earlier, but if that does not work for you, then don't do it! Finding what works best for yourself is half the battle. You can set the parameters around something and what "counts". Just because some gymfluencer says that a workout only "counts" if it's an hour long doesn't mean you have to adopt that mentality. You get to choose what "counts". Give this episode a listen if you struggle with defining what types of parameters need to be set around your habits and disciplines!

There are some buzz words that start off with the proper definition attached, but then quickly slide into whatever the cultural use becomes. Gaslighting* started off as the understanding that when someone is correct about something and they are talking to someone else who is disregarding the facts and is focused instead on making the person think they are crazy for thinking that way. Now, it has become anyone that makes a person feel uncomfortable in a conversation or someone that disagrees with us. Scott and Sophia talk about gaslighting, and how they would counter the current cultural definition of gaslighting as, more often than not, simply poor communication. Why? Well, listen to the episode to get their take on things! *with the understanding that there are true gaslighting moments. Scott and Sophia do not disregard that in the slightest. Simply another perspective for moments that are frustrating, but do not happen to be gaslighting.

Sophia has a new soapbox that she's standing on and it's the topic of Discernment! Scott and Sophia discuss discernment in the context of cancel culture. Should we throw out an entire book that someone published if some of the theology is questionable? Should we call for someone to lose their platform because we disagree with them? What music should we as believers listen to? Discernment is incredibly important, but how do you develop a healthy amount of it? Listen to this week's episode to find out!

Problem Solving continued! Joe Ruiz is still with Scott and Sophia chatting about Problem Solving as well as conversations he's had with students over the years.....