If you’ve ever felt the weight of ambition—your own or others’—and wondered why efforts that seem good end up fracturing relationships, breeding anxiety or leaving you empty, this episode offers a clear, faith-rooted perspective. We explore how selfish ambition is driving spiritual and social decay, and how a different kind of ambition—rooted in humility, love, purpose and God’s vision—can rebuild what’s broken.
In this edition of Deep Reads, Darryl Howell reads the article “What’s Going on with Our World? (Part I)” from Deep Spirituality, written by Russ Ewell.
Whether you’re spiritually curious, disillusioned by religion, or simply seeking a truer, healthier way of living, this episode stakes new ground—a place where ambition isn’t the problem but the form of ambition is.
Tune in, press play, and let’s together ask: What kind of ambition is shaping our lives—and what could be different if we chose a better one?
What’s Going on with Our World? (Part I): Selfish ambition is breaking us. But here’s what we can do about it. → https://deepspirituality.com/whats-going-on-with-our-world-part-i/
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:35 - What’s Going on with Our World?
02:55 - The paradox of progress
09:47 - Observation
16:25 - Hypothesis
29:18 - To be continued…
30:22 - Reply or reach out
If you've ever felt like your spiritual life is compartmentalized (church on Sunday, work Monday-Friday, “real life” elsewhere), this episode invites you to reimagine how the spiritual and the physical can align. We dive into how God designed the world to explain Himself—through nature, science, relationships, and even everyday moments.
In this edition of Deep Reads, Darryl Howell reads the article “The Spiritual Chemistry of Everything” from Deep Spirituality, written by Russ Ewell.
Whether you’re curious about faith, feeling disconnected, or simply ready for a fresh way of seeing God in the world, this episode is for you. Press play and let the lab of your life begin: open your notebook, lean in, and let’s discover what it means to live fully integrated, alive to the spiritual chemistry of everything.
Read along with the full article "The spiritual chemistry of everything" → https://deepspirituality.com/spiritual-chemistry-of-everything/
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
06:16 - The Workshop
14:47 - Weekly Experiment
19:15 - Field Notes
Do you ever feel like you've failed so hard your world came crashing down? We've all been there.
Join host Russ Ewell and guests Josh Turner and Gary Ruelas as they unpack a powerful story of catastrophic failure that led to an even more profound destiny. We’re talking about more than just bouncing back—we're talking about the difference between a life guided by your plan versus a life guided by God's. Get ready to rethink everything you thought you knew about fear, failure, and your future.
Don't let one bad moment define your entire life's purpose! Listen now and discover the beautiful path God has waiting for you, even if it's not the one you expected.
Scriptures:
Proverbs 24:15-16 ESV
Acts 17:26 NRSV
John 14:6 NIV
Psalm 71:17 NIV
1 John 3:20 NLT
Acts 10:3-4 ERV
Ephesians 3:17-18 NASB
Hebrews 12:1-2 TPT
Psalm 46:1-2 NLT
► SUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/deepspirituality/?sub_confirmation=1
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:29 Welcome to the show
02:30 Josh's greatest failure
07:39 What if failure sends you in a different direction?
10:56 What failure reveals about our priorities with God
15:15 God guides us to our destiny through the failures
24:05 Ad break - The Chemistry Lab
25:22 The physics of being born on third base
34:50 How spirituality shows up in every part of our life
43:38 We have access to the spiritual power to overcome our fears
52:56 Ad break - Quick Quiet Times
54:01 Why labeling is causing Gen Z problems
01:04:31 The fearful difficulty of sharing our emotions
01:08:25 Fear is a sign that we can reach out to ask for help
01:17:46 Learning to have a conversation toward love
01:26:08 Meet the internal needs to conquer our fear
In this conversation, you’ll hear how a family navigated love, parenting, and special needs with resilience and courage. You'll also learn how being built different is exactly what makes life meaningful. Watch now and discover how you too can live with faith that overcomes.
Julia's books:
My Name is Tommie: My Story of Hydrocephalus → https://www.amazon.com/My-Name-Tommie-Story-Hydrocephalus/dp/1643002686
My Name Is Malia My Story of Growing Up with a Brother With Special Needs → https://www.amazon.com/Malia-Story-Growing-Brother-Special/dp/1638145423
Julia's socials:
Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/gresselmurray/
Website → https://sites.google.com/view/julia-gressel-murray/home
Quick Quiet Times → https://deepspirituality.com/quick-quiet-times/
E-Life (inclusion as a lifestyle) → e-life.org
E-Sports (inclusive sports) → e-sports.org
Scriptures:
► SUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/deepspirituality/?sub_confirmation=1
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
01:18 Built different
05:24 The Murrays
10:31 Closer to your destiny
13:27 God met us unaware
17:04 We are not in control of our lives
19:26 Quick quiet times
20:03 Instant family of six
22:04 Where did faith grab you and bring you through?
27:47 Inclusion is bringing people together
32:49 God build us up through our life experiences
34:21 Friendship carries the faith for us
40:45 The Chemistry Lab
41:27 The struggle with comparison
49:39 Gratitude is the life God has in mind for you
51:58 E-Life and inclusive communities
56:10 Julia's books and teaching our children
01:02:03 God will build us different as we delight in him
Emotional intelligence can influence. Spiritual intelligence transforms. Jesus was the catalyst for both.
Written by Russ Ewell. Narrated by Darryl Howell.
Read the article: https://deepspirituality.com/are-you-a-people-scientist/
Join The Chemistry Lab: https://deepspirituality.com/the-chemistry-lab
⏳ 10 minutes with God can change your whole day.
That’s why we’re launching Quick Quiet Times — short Bible studies designed to make connecting with God simple, practical, and powerful.
✨ First one drops this Monday: Gratitude Over Grumbling.
📲 check it out at → https://deepspirituality.com/quick-quiet-times/
What if failure wasn’t the end—but the beginning of something greater?
In this episode of the Deep Spirituality Podcast, Russ sits down with Dr. Gary Ruelas and Dr. Josh Turner to explore why failure is essential to growth in science, spirituality, and everyday life.
You’ll hear stories about experiments gone wrong, the hidden lessons of parenting, and why resilience matters more than perfection. Discover how early schooling wires us to fear mistakes, why embracing vulnerability can unlock deeper relationships, and how redefining success can free us from the endless chase for achievement.
Whether you’re a student, parent, or professional, this conversation will help you see failure in a whole new light—as a tool for discovery, strength, and even joy.
👉 Don’t just listen—take the first step toward embracing your own “sacred art of not giving up.” Subscribe now, share this episode, and start practicing the kind of resilience that transforms both faith and life.
► SUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/deepspirituality/?sub_confirmation=1
“Getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.”
— Steve Jobs
Scriptures:
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:46 - Steve Jobs grew through failure
05:09 - How school shapes our view of failure
09:22 - How science teaches you to fail
14:11 - Failure is a part of failure
18:32 - Teaching resilience to young people
22:43 - How social media causes us to view our failures
27:17 - How to embrace failure as an experiment
37:19 - How we can let go of the fear of failure
41:23 - Join us on the journey
****
#FailForward
#EmbraceFailure
#ResilientLiving
#LearnFromFailure
In this episode, we explore how vulnerability might be the key to unlocking deeper relationships, inner peace, and even spiritual growth.
Through personal stories and insights from science, psychology, and the Bible, our host, Russ Ewell, along with his guests, Dr. David Traver and Dr. Gary Ruelas, discuss how embracing our emotional limits can actually lead to strength. You’ll hear how letting go of control can relieve anxiety, how spiritual honesty can fuel personal growth, and why vulnerability might just be the most courageous thing we can do.
Listen now and rediscover the strength in surrender.
► SUBSCRIBE: https://youtube.com/deepspirituality/?sub_confirmation=1
Scriptures:
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:12 Podcast direction & topic
04:07 Scripture & the big question
05:32 Gary — Vulnerability & spiritual union
07:45 Mind, self & presence
09:11 No‑mind (mushin) & the vine metaphor
12:25 Dave — Autonomy, anxiety & belonging
19:10 Contact vs true connection
21:07 Healing requires vulnerability
23:17 Biological drive to connect & love
26:07 DSM, labels & disconnection
29:41 Integrating psychology, psychiatry & faith
33:13 Facing hard truths for freedom
35:37 Courage, control & showing up
39:03 Surrender, God‑first approach to healing
48:39 Vulnerability, sin & church relevance
54:07 Health costs of suppression
56:28 Letting go — East/West perspectives
63:02 Parenting, boundaries & connection
65:25 Control vs vulnerability (Brené Brown)
73:59 Soul‑to‑soul connection (Oprah quote)
82:16 Jesus’ prayer for unity & closing reflections
93:24 Outro & final scripture
In this episode of the Deep Spirituality podcast, we dive into what it truly means to have conviction, not as a rigid stance or empty words, but as a deeply personal and spiritual transformation forged in the fire of life’s challenges.
You’ll explore the idea of the “nosedive”—those moments when everything feels like it’s falling apart—and discover how God uses them to build unshakable faith, clarity, and courage. Whether you’re feeling stuck, tired, or just searching for more, this conversation will remind you that your spiritual journey isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. It’s about becoming who you were always meant to be, one step (and one nosedive) at a time.
🔔 SUBSCRIBE → https://youtube.com/deepspirituality/?sub_confirmation=1
📮 Email the Podcast → podcast@deepspirituality.com
Scriptures:
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:54 Spirituality and how conviction plays into it
02:37 The Chemistry of Conviction
04:08 Nosedive into conviction
06:25 We cannot be afraid to talk about sin
08:10 Letting God teach us conviction
#DeepSpirituality #FaithOverFear #SpiritualGrowth #BibleStudy #ChristianPodcast #Conviction #BestLifeSeries
In this personal and behind-the-scenes episode, we explore the heart behind Deep Spirituality. From its early days as a small Bible study tool to a growing global community, this movement is all about one thing: helping people connect with God in a way that’s personal, deep, and transformative.
Whether you’re searching for spiritual answers, craving purpose, or simply looking to go deeper in your faith, this episode will inspire you to take the next step.
🎧 Listen now to discover how your spiritual journey can be richer, deeper, and more meaningful than you ever imagined.
► Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/deepspirituality/?sub_confirmation=1
Scriptures:
Chapters:
00:09 Why Deep Spirituality was started
02:14 Our goal with Deep Spirituality and how you can help
06:13 Why making God audible matters
09:55 Help us reach our goal
#DeepSpirituality #FaithThatTransforms #SpiritualGrowth #GenZFaith #BibleMadeSimple #BestLifeSeries #DiscoverGod
Jesus taught that a strong, unshakable life starts with depth. But in a world that values appearances and distractions, it’s easy to stay on the surface, avoiding the very things that could help us grow.
In this episode of Scripture Playlists from Deep Spirituality, we explore what it means to go beyond the surface and build a deep, personal connection with God. Through powerful passages from both the Old and New Testaments, we’ll uncover the signs of superficiality, discover how God helps us develop spiritual depth, and learn about the transformation that happens when we dig deeper.
If you’ve been going through the motions spiritually, feeling distant from God, or unsure how to grow, this episode will help you take practical steps to go deeper.
📖 Scriptures featured include:
📩 Questions, feedback, or episode requests? Email us at podcast@deepspirituality.com
💬 If you’re listening on Spotify, let us know what you think in the Q&A or comments.
🔗 Visit deepspirituality.com for more Bible studies, devotionals, and podcasts.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:30 - How do I know when I’m being superficial?
04:28 - How can God help me have depth?
06:23 - What happens when I go deeper?
08:31 - Outro
Have you ever felt tempted to settle for a life that’s “reasonable” instead of reaching for something greater? This episode dives into that exact feeling—when we start to believe that playing it safe is wiser than chasing the breakthrough we know we need. Listen to the article “Destiny, Dreaming, and Resisting the Reasonable.”
This episode will help you identify the subtle ways we compromise, the lies that tell us to stay stuck, and how to break through the veils that hold us back. If you’ve ever felt called to more but weren’t sure how to move forward, this conversation will inspire you to dream again, push past fear, and believe that God really can do the impossible in your life.
Written by Russ Ewell. Narrated by Darryl Howell.
Read the article: https://deepspirituality.com/pursuit-of-breakthrough/
Join The Chemistry Lab: https://deepspirituality.com/the-chemistry-lab/
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:39 - My Chemistry Lab field notes on the pursuit of breakthrough
04:37 - Field notes
08:58 - Removing the veils that blind us to God’s possibilities
12:04 - The 10 veils that prevent breakthroughs
19:08 - Breaking through to our destiny
20:13 - Reply or reach out
“We’re All a Little Stuck. But There’s a Way Out” explores how learned helplessness—the belief that nothing we do matters—can trap us spiritually. Russ Ewell blends psychology, Scripture, and real-life stories to show how God’s power can break through discouragement and help us reclaim hope, purpose, and agency.
Written by Russ Ewell. Narrated by Darryl Howell.
Read the article: https://deepspirituality.com/learned-helplessness/
Join The Chemistry Lab: https://deepspirituality.com/the-chemistry-lab/
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:36 - Learned helplessness—and what we can do about it
03:15 - The Workshop
05:45 - The Elements
07:25 - What is learned helplessness?
08:51 - Why do we stay stuck?
10:52 - Why our brain chemistry matters
13:05 - Brain chemistry + spiritual chemistry = breakthrough
15:39 - The stories we tell ourselves
16:23 - Four story styles
18:06 - How to identify your story style
19:34 - F.I.R.E. needs the right fuel
20:42 - The Catalyst Corner
25:02 - The man by the pool
30:31 - The Breakthrough Files
35:55 - Weekly Experiment
38:52 - Identify negative thought patterns in your story style
40:02 - Identify your strengths
40:42 - Make a “Shifting Mindset” chart
42:00 - Start small, but start now
42:46 - Come up with a game plan for when obstacles arise
43:56 - Celebrate small wins together
44:53 - The Field Notes
46:04 - The Research Shelf
48:57 - Reply or reach out
What if your faith felt more like a lab: full of curiosity, growth, and breakthroughs?
In this episode, Russ Ewell, Mike Query, and Sean Kiluk talk about the last six issues of The Chemistry Lab, a new way to explore your spiritual life through experimentation and discovery. Learn how to grow spiritually by mixing the right ingredients—heart, soul, mind, and strength—and why asking big questions can lead to even bigger transformation.
🎧 Listen now and rediscover how powerful your faith can be.
#TheChemLab #SpiritualGrowth #DeepSpirituality #FaithAndScience
Questions:
How do we develop that mindset of discovery in our relationship with God?
How do I know which of the four dimensions I’m operating in, and how do I know which I need the most growth in?
Scripture:
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
01:07 - How to develop a mindset of spiritual discovery
02:58 - Engage with thoughts and ideas that don't come up at church
07:45 - Why the metaphor of science is fun for spiritual discovery
11:12 - Be willing to look at the world and ask spiritual questions
12:13 - How to define chemistry as it relates to spirituality
12:29 - How to look at the world and not get afraid
16:49 - Looking at the motive and heart of people
19:50 - The Best Life
20:30 - How to know which of the four dimensions you need to work on with God
22:46 - What loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength looks like in your life
25:14 - The joy of writing and the chemistry of cooking
31:15 - The mindset of spiritual exploration and discovery
33:36 - Check out Deep Reads
34:48 - The best life series and other resources on the Deep Spirituality website
36:57 - Let us know what you think, we love hearing from you
Ignite your curiosity—and your soul. In “Fire in the Lab, Flow in the Spirit,” Russ Ewell connects the spark of scientific wonder with the spiritual ignition God longs to light within us. He shows how routine religiosity can dampen that flame and helps us rediscover our awe.
Drawing from Proverbs, Romans, and Galatians, Russ invites readers into a spiritual “Chemistry Lab,” where our human spirit meets God’s. The alignment of our spirit with God's Spirit brings flow, freedom, and divine purpose into our lives. Want something more than duty-driven religion? Then it's time to step into the Lab.
Written by Russ Ewell. Narrated by Darryl Howell.
Read the article: https://deepspirituality.com/fire-in-the-lab/
Join The Chemistry Lab: https://deepspirituality.com/the-chemistry-lab/
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:35 - The chemistry of a beautiful life
02:01 - The workshop
03:43 - Why did I choose science over God?
06:05 - Why church often fails to spark wonder
07:54 - Reigniting the fire
08:59 - The elements of "spirit"
10:43 - Spiritual flow
13:22 - God formed the spirit within
15:49 - Flow = Spiritual connection
17:48 - Creating a flow week
19:48 - The field notes
20:29 - Join the chemistry lab
In a world of distraction and superficiality, Russ Ewell introduces The Chemistry Lab—a weekly newsletter designed to spark spiritual curiosity and a deeper pursuit of faith. Inspired by childhood experiments and Proverbs 25:2, this narrative explains the heart behind the newsletter and the call to go beyond the surface in your spiritual life.
Written by Russ Ewell. Narrated by Darryl Howell.
Read the article: deepspirituality.com/welcome-to-the-chemistry-lab
Join The Chemistry Lab: https://deepspirituality.com/the-chemistry-lab/
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:36 - A new space for spiritual people in superficial times
02:20 - The diagnosis
05:21 - The call to depth
08:01 - The two forces of our time
10:01 - What's at stake
12:28 - Welcome to the lab
12:38 - The leap
15:45 - Join the chemistry lab
Are fear, stress, and anxiety taking up too much space in your heart?
In this episode, Russ Ewell sits down with Ray Kim and Stone Eleazer to talk candidly about the emotional and spiritual battles we all face—but often keep hidden.
Through real stories and powerful insights from the Bible, they explore how fear, stress, and anxiety affect our mental and spiritual health.
Whatever the source of our anxiety and fear might be, this episode reminds us that we're not alone. And we don’t have to stay stuck. God is real. He’s loving. He’s good. And he wants to set us free.
🙏 Read the latest issue of The Chemistry Lab newsletter → https://deepspirituality.com/learned-helplessness
🧪 Head over to The Chemistry Lab to join us on this journey → https://deepspirituality.com/the-chemistry-lab/
📑 Journey through The Best Life series → https://deepspirituality.com/best-life/
Scripture references:
Psalm 73:28 NIV
Psalm 34:4 MSG
2 Corinthians 12:8-9 NLT
Matthew 13:22 AMP
Ezekiel 11:19 NIV
Psalm 42:11 Voice
Romans 15:13 AMP
Luke 6:45 NIV
2 Corinthians 1:9 NIV
Philippians 4:6-7 AMP
Galatians 5:22-23 TPT
Psalm 90:14 NIV
Psalm 131:2 Voice
Chapters:
Have you ever felt like fear, stress, or anxiety were running your life, even when everything looks fine on the outside?
In this episode, Russ Ewell sits down with Ray Kim and Stone Eleazer for a powerful conversation about what it really means to connect with God in a personal, powerful, and purposeful way. Together, they unpack how fear, stress, and anxiety often go unspoken in our spiritual lives—and how these emotions can keep us stuck in surface-level faith.
Whether you’ve been walking with God for years or are just beginning your journey, this episode will inspire you to stop hiding, start healing, and find lasting peace in a relationship with God that meets you exactly where you are.
🙏 Read the latest issue of The Chemistry Lab newsletter → https://deepspirituality.com/learned-helplessness
🧪 Head over to The Chemistry Lab to join us on this journey → https://deepspirituality.com/the-chemistry-lab/
📑 Journey through The Best Life series → https://deepspirituality.com/best-life/
#FaithOverFear #EmotionalHealth #SpiritualGrowth #DeepSpirituality #AnxietyAndFaith #ThePeaceYouLongFor
Scripture references:
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - The River excerpt
06:53 - How to make God personal, powerful, purposeful
11:03 - Why 'peace-peace' relationships ruin churches
19:55 - How deep friendships change your life
29:15 - What happens when we experience God's love
32:33 - The Chemistry Lab newsletter
33:20 - Why we should develop a spiritual culture
37:47 - What does it mean to build a spiritual culture
45:55 - What a spiritual culture can do for you
50:17 - What to do when tempted to replace spiritual culture
59:22 - The role of therapy in a spiritual culture
In this special Q&A podcast episode about our newsletter The Chemistry Lab, we tackle some of the most honest and heartfelt questions about faith, suffering, and spiritual growth. From dealing with pain to figuring out what to read in the Bible, this episode is a refreshing reminder that your relationship with God can be personal, powerful, and practical.
This isn’t about having it all together. It’s about growing, exploring, and discovering how to walk with God in a way that’s real.
✨ Subscribe to The Chemistry Lab newsletter at DeepSpirituality.com/subscribe and join a community of spiritual explorers learning how each of us can develop a spirit of discovery.
🔥 Read the latest issue of The Chemistry Labhttps://deepspirituality.com/fire-in-the-lab
Scripture references:
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction
00:43 - Welcome to the lab
03:21 - What does it look like to "be with Jesus"?
12:33 - How do you stay close to God during painful times?
21:43 - How do we know what to read in our Bibles every day?
What happens when the world starts saying everyone gets to have their own truth? In this honest and thought-provoking episode, Russ Ewell invites you into a new kind of spiritual journey—one built on curiosity, discovery, and a deeper search for what’s real.
Inspired by his childhood love of science, Russ introduces The Chemistry Lab, a new newsletter and conversation space designed to help you explore God in practical, personal ways. Through scripture, storytelling, and a bit of soul-searching, this episode unpacks how we’ve gotten lost in a world of misinformation—and how we can find our way back to something solid.
You’ll learn:
Why spiritual truth matters more than ever in a post-truth world
How to build a faith that engages your heart, mind, soul, and strength
What it means to let go of control and rediscover who God really is
Head over to https://deepspirituality.com/the-chemistry-lab/ to join us on this journey.
Show Notes:
Chapters:
00:00 - The spiritual effect of misinformation
02:00 - An antidote to misinformation
02:54 - The Chemistry Lab is open!
03:43 - A journey of spiritual discovery
06:47 - A kitchen table and science set
08:50 - People need a space to discover God