That Time I Was On A Podcast

The following post includes a HUGE shout out to Ashley and Allen Mowers, and Kyle Stainbrook. Check out Min-Max Podcast

Min-Max Definition (via Urban Dictionary): 

Usually used in the context of roleplaying games, to min/max refers to the act of designing a character in such a way that one minimizes its weaknesses and maximizes its strengths.

When I first moved to my current apartment, I was a bit jumpy. It was my first time living alone, without a roommate and any little noise I heard, I was convinced someone was breaking in to murder me. One night, I was making dinner when I heard a knock at my door. I was confused. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and I didn’t know any of my neighbors. Harper, my dog, as cute as she is, is completely useless at guarding or protecting anything, and just stared at the door, just as confused as I was. 

I walk down the hallway to look through the peep-hole and I see a man standing outside. He didn’t have anything in his hands. He was just standing there. 

He knocked again. 

At this point I realize that he probably heard me talking to Harper and knew someone was inside. It was early in the evening and I’m pretty tall so in a dire situation I decide I could defend myself. I oped the door a crack and the man smiles and introduces himself. I’m hesitant and stare at his outstretched hand and say, “Okay…can I help you?” He says he and his wife are the Community Coordinators for the complex and hands me their card. I remember management staff telling me that there was Community Coordinators on site so I let my guard down. 

He explains the events they have going on, how they can help me get settled and how to meet my neighbors, etc., etc. We get to talking about how I ended up moving there and I explained grad school and whatnot when he stops me. Turns out he and his wife used to rent an apartment with a good friend of mine from seminary. At this point, I am convinced he will not murder me and that I must meet his wife. 

She and I started a conversation via facebook chat; nothing extraordinary, but we had enough in common to plan a Saturday bunch together. We met up at a diner across the street that weekend and start sharing our life stories with one another. We share our thespian hearts, and our passion for ministry. Time flies as we continue to chat, and I come to find out that they (her, her husband, and another friend of theirs) have a podcast called Min-Max Podcast. She explained that Min-Max was a gaming term, but they take the time to apply it to other things in life like for example: being a phenomenal preacher, but being overlooked because you’re a woman. They strive to emphasize the “phenomenal preacher” while acknowledging, but de-emphasizing the asinine excuse “but…she’s a woman.”

After our Saturday brunch, we continue talking, and spend a bit more time together and eventually she asks me to be a guest on the podcast. So cool! 

Before arriving that night to hang out, have dinner, and then record, I wasn’t expecting anything fancy. I thought one of them would have a cell phone set up and we would go over some topics, and I would just answer questions they had for me. 

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

After we ate, I look over at the table we are to record at, and there is sound equipment galore: personal mics, a sound board/mixer, and a bunch of other stuff I had no idea what it did, but it looked super impressive and complicated. I wasn’t nervous up until that point, but I sure became nervous right then. This was a legit, no joke, this-is-our-passion-and-craft podcast. 

I decided to snap a picture of myself in front of the mic for a snapchat to some friends. “Eh, I look kinda cute…maybe I’ll post that.” 

We have a great conversation, and I was very self-conscious about everything I said, but alas…the recording was over. It was time to go home and get some sleep. Before I went to bed I ended up posting that picture of myself on instagram, thinking how cool it was to be invited on a legitimate podcast with a couple of people who were becoming my friends. How many people can say that?  

Now being someone who is actually trying to make a living off of things she creates, I understand my significant flaw of the evening…

I literally gave zero credit to them at all. No tag of who else was there. No name mention of the podcast. No mention of anything except for I, Sam Jones, was on a podcast.

……….And then was rightfully called out for it. *CRINGE* 

You have a gift, a passion, a calling, and someone recognizes it. They want to hear your thoughts and opinions, they want to learn, and grow; they want content to be added to their thoughts and opinions.

I have been on both sides of this equation. I seek people out that I can learn and grow from. That may be a mentor, a peer, or a student I get to interact with; regardless of who it is, I want to be surrounded by people to learn from. On the other hand, I, also, at time have been sought out to contribute to someone else’s craft (see previous post). 

Something that I have struggled with is this feeling that I want to contribute, I think I have good things to contribute, but I also fear that I am not good enough. Yes, I have studied hard in school, career, and life to make myself realize that I have a lot to say and is valid. I feel I have earned a right to be heard and am now excited to share that. However that doesn’t mean that the person asking for those opinions has no voice. Quite the contrary, usually the person asking the questions has more to contribute than the one talking. 

What I find so funny about Jesus and his life is that He never really gave anyone answered to anything. Instead, when He was asked a question, He would tell a story. When He wanted to get a point across, He didn’t tell them what He wanted them to know, He posed a question for them to come to the conclusion on their own. 

Men fought over who could sit at Jesus’ right hand, an honorable place. Whoever was the wisest, the smartest, the most generous, the favorite, was seen to have won that spot. However, Jesus tells a story of a landowner who pays workers in his field. The man pays all the laborers the same amount regardless of how long they have worked. In the end the man calls out the laborers who criticize him for paying them the same amount as those “lower” or who had worked less by saying,

“why does it matter that I am generous with those who worked less?…The first shall be last and the last shall be first.” (Mark 20)

There is so much more than forgetting to give credit to someone when they ask your opinion. In that moment, Ashley, Allen, and Kyle gave me a sense of value. They asked me of all people to contribute to something they loved and worked hard on. They asked many questions, and I gave a lot of answers. However, what I took away from the experience, at first, was, well, excitement for wanting to be heard. As time has gone on, however, I am more honored by their invitation. They saw me as someone credible, and knowledgeable with a voice. In the moment I posted my selfie, I was focused on me, I had accomplished something new. However, I didn’t acknowledge the people that saw and heard me and gave me a beautiful platform to use that voice. I saw myself as first, finally gotten to the front and was ready to get my reward for all of my hard work. In reality, I needed to see the opportunity that was given in humility as a gift. Lesson learned. 

My friends at Min Max Podcast have had amazing adventures and lives. They are people that I seek to learn from. Two theologians and a photographer have an amazing platform to continue to give others a chance to use their voice by putting themselves in a place of learning when they have a guest. The last shall be first.