You Were Made for This

Labor Day here in the U.S. on the first Monday in September is near the top of my list of favorite holidays. There’s a freshness and energy about this time of year I find appealing. But before we lau…

Some people are a joy to be around. I have a story for you today about one of them, and what I learned about being more like him. 

But first, I’m John Certalic, and you are listening …

I’ve been reflecting more and more lately about how much God cares about us.  When we hurt he hurts. Today’s episode is about how God responds to the dark times we go through, and what he models for …

As I’m recording this, Christmas is almost six months away. I recall last Christmas, when I heard a few people say they wished we could have the Christmas spirit all year long. We can if we reflect t…

I’ve come to learn that relating with people through the lens of “I want to hear your story” is a great way to live. It enriches our lives in more ways than you can imagine.

I started thinking more d…

You never know how an act of kindness will be remembered with fondness many decades later. It reminds us that when we are kind, it’s because God made us that way. Today’s episode is an example of ho…

Have you noticed how everyone seems to have a podcast these days? Most of them just don’t appeal to me. So, in 2018, I created one that does— a podcast I want to listen to and one you’ll want to lis…

On that first Christmas Day, Mary treasured all its details and thought about them often. May we do the same with the Christmas story in 2024.

So here's the original story told in Luke's Gospel, just…

Today’s episode, #218, brings to a close  Season 8 of our You Were Made for This podcast. If you’ve been listening for any length of time, I hope you’ve come to appreciate the high value we place on …

In the past dew episodes I’ve been talking about how I tracked down my birth father and met him for the first… and last time in my life. You’ll find links to those episodes at the bottom of the show …

Hello everyone. If you haven’t listened to episode 215, “Searching for my Birth Father,” I suggest listening to that episode before continuing with this one. Just go to johncertalic.com/215. Today’s …

One of the more popular topics from past episodes has been the story of Gail Rohde who was adopted as an infant, and her search as an adult for her birth mother. Then several years after finding her,…

A listener once suggested that for a podcast episode I should read from the book I wrote in 2016, THEM- The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others. It’s about relationships, which of course, is what …

One thing on my mind lately is a question about the meaningful conversations we sometimes have with friends, and what makes them different from other conversations. I started thinking about this whil…

The older I get the more I’ve come to appreciate how it’s the little things we do for people that matter most to them. Little things that come naturally for us because of how God uniquely made us,

I’…

A men’s breakfast can be fun and still have a greater purpose than eating and conversation. When organized with a larger objective in mind it can be a great way to bless people and a means to live ou…

CURIOUS. It’s my pick for the 2024 Word of the Year. Curious. It’s an important relational skill we need to help us deepen our relationships with others. 

Today’s episode is about what happens when w…

When you get right down to it, the only thing that really matters in the Christmas story in 2023 is Jesus. No Santa, gifts, or Bing Crosby. Just Jesus.

Here's the original story as recorded in Luke's…

There are many cultural dimensions to all that is Christmas. Pick your favorite. I have a few that I look forward to every year. But as I get older, I’m seeing Christmas more as a great time to refle…

In the 1947 classic Christmas film It’s a Wonderful Life!, George Bailey, played by Jimmy Stewart, goes through a tough time during Christmas in dealing with two serious financial problems caused by …