The Faithfull Geek Podcast
Welcome to the Faithful Geek Podcast! I’m your host, J. M. Collectibles, your guide to discovering how the worlds of superheroes, anime, and epic fandoms can supercharge your Christian faith! From Spider-Man’s lessons on responsibility to Aslan’s ultimate sacrifice, we’re diving deep into stories that ignite hope, courage, and personal growth—all grounded in scripture. Whether you’re a Jedi searching for balance, a Saiyan chasing limitless potential, or just someone seeking faith in unexpected places, you’re in for an adventure. Ready to geek out for God? Let’s suit up and get started!
The Faithfull Geek Podcast
When Your Guardian Angel's on Coffee Break
The chaos of life can hit like a wrecking ball, leaving us wondering where divine help disappeared to when we needed it most. In our latest episode, we tackle that universal feeling of spiritual abandonment during life's most turbulent moments – those unsettling times when it genuinely feels like your guardian angel stepped out for a coffee break.
Drawing from rich Scripture passages alongside vibrant pop culture references from Star Wars, Stranger Things, and various gaming universes, we explore how faith functions not as an escape hatch from difficulty, but as an anchor that holds us steady through the storm. Job reminds us that trouble comes with being human, while Isaiah promises divine presence when walking through life's floods.
What makes chaos particularly unsettling is when it feels personally targeted – when difficulties pile up so specifically that you wonder if the universe has your photo on a dartboard. We challenge this perception by examining how faith reframes our understanding of chaos not as evidence of divine absence, but as the arena where God's strength becomes most visible.
The journey through chaos isn't about maintaining a plastic smile while everything collapses. It's about developing spiritual resilience that allows us to echo Habakkuk's remarkable declaration of rejoicing despite complete devastation. Through gaming analogies from Bloodborne to Tekken, we illustrate how persistence through difficulty builds strength that casual experiences never could.
Most importantly, we discover how faith doesn't just help us survive chaos—it actively reshapes our perception of it, turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones. God's not just watching from afar; He's actively working to transform our chaos into something meaningful for the long term.
Ready to find stability when life feels completely unhinged? Join us for this honest exploration of faith in the whirlwind. Connect with me at jm@thecrossroadscollective.org or visit www.thecrossroadscollective.org for more resources to strengthen your walk.
Hey everyone, welcome back to the Faithful Geek Podcast. I'm your host, jayme Collectibles, and I'm stoked you're joining me today. We're diving into a crazy topic this time, when your guardian angel's on coffee break, surviving life's chaos with faith. Life can feel like a roller coaster off the rails sometimes, doesn't it? Like the universe is chucking fastballs and you're just trying to not get beaned. But here's the kicker we're not flying solo, even when it seems that way. We're not flying solo even when it seems that way. Today we'll wrestle that chaos, crack a few grins and explore how faith keeps us grounded when the world's doing cartwheels. First, let's pause for a prayer. Heavenly Father, thanks for hanging with us right now. Life's a mess sometimes and we don't always get it, but we trust you're bigger than the storm. Open our hearts today, give us ears to listen and the faith to lean on. You Steer this time and point to your rock solid presence. In Jesus name, amen.
Speaker 0:Let's jump in feet first, because life's chaos doesn't knock politely. It kicks the door down with steel toes and a grin. One second you're coasting, maybe plotting a chill night with pizza and a movie. Then bam, it's like the universe hits the panic button. Just to see you squirm. Maybe your kid's school calls about a scraped knee, right as your wifi tanks mid-deadlineline, or your dog decides the living room rug's a chew toy. When you're already stretched in, it's that heartbeat when you look around, going yo, where's the cavalry? Because it feels like whatever's got your back just swapped shifts for a snack run. That's the vibe we're unpacking today, that exposed, shaky second when the floor drops and you're left clutching air. But here's our foothold. Chaos isn't a glitch in the Matrix, it's baked into the ride and scripture doesn't dodge that. It stares it down. Job, chapter 5, verse 7, keeps it raw and says Yet man is born to trouble. As surely as sparks fly upward, life's got a chaotic edge and it doesn't care if you're a hero, a genius or a tough guy, it'll still throw you a curveball. You can plan your days down to the second grind like a machine and still get whacked by a twist that knocks you flat. Because that's just a human deal, no exceptions.
Speaker 0:Now let's spice it up with some geek cred. Think Star Wars, rogue One, the Rebellion scrambling Death Star plans in hand. Then boom, the Empire lights up Scarif like a fireworks show. No warning, no timeout, just chaos raining down and the crew's left, dodging lasers, piecing together a shredded playbook. That's us. When life flips the switch, your routine's toast, your backup's MIA, and you're blinking at the debris wondering how it unraveled so quickly. But dig, this Rogue One doesn't end in the blast. They fight, they transmit. Hope keeps flickering. Same for us.
Speaker 0:God's not twiddling thumbs in the nosebleeds, he's down in the dirt with us calling plays. Genesis, chapter 8, verse 22 sets the rhythm and says as long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease. There's a groove to this chaos, a heartbeat that thumps on. Seasons shift, storms blow through, but God's not derailed, he's steady at the helm. It's not a free pass from trouble, it's a heads up that the chop's part of the sea and he's still steering.
Speaker 0:Let's grab a nugget from Augustine. He said God's delays are not God's denials. That hits when you're knee-deep in the mug. Huh, we're all about instant, like when you're hyped for one piece and the stream lags. So you're mashing buttons like it's a grudge match, but God's not on our countdown. Chaos might feel like he's ghosting, but he's not rattled, he's measured, moving in lanes. We can't spy from the sidelines. Face the bridge, trusting the wheels are spinning, even when we're stuck on buffering. Take horizons or dawn.
Speaker 0:Aloy's world is a junkyard of rust and ruin. Machines stomping everywhere, tribes scrapping for scraps. She's got a spear and a prayer, but she keeps hunting because there's a thread pulling her on. Chaos is the turf, not the trick. Faiths that hunt, trusting God's got the map, even when it's fogged over. So when it feels like your angel's chilling with a cold brew, don't freak. Psalm, chapter 33, verse 4, says for the word of the Lord is right and true. He is faithful in all he does. That's not away from afar, it's a spotlight. You're seen locked in. Chaos isn't proof, he's snoozing, it's the arena where he's still boss. Picture guardians of the galaxy.
Speaker 0:Peter quills, a hot mess ship crashing, plans tanking, but he keeps rocking because something bigger's humming. That's us Fumbling, yeah, but not forgotten. God's signal cuts through the static, steady as ever. We're not gifted a dodge for every hit. Life's too rugged, but we've got a route that holds fast. That's our turf in the whirlwind, trusting he's not phased by the gusts. The planet spins. We push on because chaos doesn't steer. God's not spooked by the noise. He's tuning it. Time and chance might flex, but they don't unhook us. We're latched. Every slip noted, every strike tracked. That's our launch. Chaos hollers, shakes the joint, but it's not outshouting the one charting the course. We don't get a cocoon, it's too real for that but we get a core that stands tall. Faith sparks here in the rumble, where God's got eyes on still nudging moves. We can't clock yet. Alright, let's shift gears and figure why that chaos sometimes feels like it's got your GPS locked. Alright, let's tweak the angle.
Speaker 0:Sometimes chaos doesn't just stumble in. It feels like it's got your mugshot taped to its dashboard, like it's been tailing you with a vendetta and a full tank of gas. You know that twist in your gut when it's not just a hiccup but a haymaker with your initials on it. Like the universe said hold my beer, maybe your power cuts off during a blizzard, just as your heater's on its last legs or your best friend bails on plans. The same day, your tire goes flat in the rain. It's not random static, it's got your scent like the Cosmos RSVP to your pity party with a plus one of pain. And when that hammer drops, it's tempting to glare up and grumble. Okay, did I cut in line for the smite button? Because it feels like the spotlight's glued to you while the rest of the world's sipping lemonade in the shade. But scripture doesn't flinch from that vibe. It dives in head first.
Speaker 0:Lamentations chapter 3, verses 7 through 8, says he has walled me in so I cannot escape. He has weighed me down with chains. Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my prayer. Jeremiah's spilling it raw, boxed, bobbed down, yelling into silence that bites back. If he can feel that cut off, then we've got room to say it too.
Speaker 0:Chaos can tag your personal and leave you guessing. If you're the punchline, let's toss in some geek flair. Think Stranger Things. Dustin's just a kid in Hawkins. Then wham the upside down, cracks open monsters on his tail, friends in the crossfire. It's Chaos with his address on the label, but he doesn't bolt. He gears up, swinging with the crew in a hunch. He's not the mess he stuck in. That's our rope. Chaos might feel like it's got your profile flagged, but faith counters, it's not the whole. Real Jeremiah doesn't fester in that pit forever and we're not chained there either.
Speaker 0:Isaiah, chapter 43, verse 2, flips it fiercely and says when you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. That's not a maybe, it's a vow. God's waiting in with you. Waters rise, he's there. Chaos might scrib tighter. Here's Dallas Willard with a lifeline. He said God's address is at the end of your rope. That's gold when it feels like you're the lone dartboard. It's not about constant winds, it's about knowing he's there when the tank's empty.
Speaker 0:Think Ghostbusters. The city's a slime fest, spirits trashing everything. Chaos feels like it's got Venkman's crew on speed dial, but they strap on proton packs because the game's bigger than the goo. That's our faith Doesn't erase the sting, it redirects. It turns the spotlight from the mess to the muscle behind you. Joshua, chapter 1, verse 9, slams it down and says have I not commanded you Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God, will be with you wherever you go. That's not a guess, it's a gauntlet.
Speaker 0:Chaos can stitch your name on its hit list, but it's outranked by the one who's got your six locked and loaded. So when it's gunning for you, don't buy the lie. You're solo. It's not God picking winners and losers, it's him picking you.
Speaker 0:Every tick of the clock, chaos might strut like it's got your lease, but his grip's the real custom job. You're not just in the fray, you're in his frame, carved, tracked, pinned. That's the switch. Chaos can stalk you, but it's outclassed by the one who's got your path lit. It's personal, sure, but not how it cons you. God's got sharper aim than the mess ever will. Chaos might graffiti your walls, spam your feed, clog your day, but it's not the only one tuned in. God's there not just watching, but carving a lane through the snarl with a precision we can't fathom. Yet it's not cosmic roulette, it's you on his scope, not the chaos's blacklist. The mess might feel like it's got your pulse pegged, but he's got your beats synced and that's the real rhythm.
Speaker 0:Alright, let's push on and tackle how we wrangle that chaos without going full meltdown. Okay, chaos is here, it's got your number. How do we not lose our minds? Because, real talk, sometimes you're one glitch from chucking your chair out the window or burying your face in a couch cushion. When the hits keep stacking, it's like the world's turned into a fallout wasteland, all rust and rubble, and you're just trying to keep your Pip-Boy from fritzing out.
Speaker 0:Survival's the goal and faith's our toolkit. But this isn't about faking a smirk and skipping through the ash. It's about holding your turf when the earth's going wild. Scripture's got some steel for us here. Habakkuk, chapter 3, verses 17-18, says not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in the lord, I will be joyful in god, my savior. That's not a bumper sticker, that's a gut punch. Habakkuk's facing a wipeout crops, ghosted livestock, zilch, storage bear. And he's still like. I'm not breaking that.
Speaker 0:Survival with faith gripping god. When the grid's down and the dark's creeping in, let's yank an Overwatch. Reaper's world is a war zone Bullets, flying bases, crumbling, teammates bickering. He's wading through it all cloaked in black. But he's got this cold, steel resolve, a spine that doesn't bend. Chaos doesn't crush him, because he's hooked to a drive tougher than the blast. For us that's God, not a quick patch, but a bedrock that doesn't budge. Elizabeth Elliot drops of anger. She said faith's center is not in what we feel but in what God is. That's the core.
Speaker 0:Survival's not about vibing high, it's about grit when your boots are sinking. Think Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. Jotaro's up against stands that'd make your brain melt, pulse, racing, fists clenched, but he barrels in anyway. Faith's that barrel. Not blind to the stakes, but bold through them. Psalm, chapter 18, verse 2 locks it tight and says the Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. My God is my rock in whom I take refuge.
Speaker 0:That's not a wish that chaos bails, it's a swear. You don't bust. You might sway short, but you're not dust, it's like blood-borne. You get shredded a dozen times, guts out, gears smashed, but you limp back to the hunter's dream because it's there, pulsing, steady. God's that pulse your reset in the ruckus.
Speaker 0:So how do we survive? We root deep, chin high trust. Fierce Chaos can't override who's anchoring us? It's not about outpacing the flood, it's about standing stiff while it rages, knowing the base holds fast. This isn't a dash to safety, it's a post in the brawl. Chaos charges in pipes, burst schedules, choke. Life tilts hard, but faith's the growl that says I'm not out. It's not about acting like the tide's tame, it's about bracing when it's wild.
Speaker 0:God's not a cheat code, he's a bunker and survival's about digging in when the walls shake. You don't have to outpunch chaos, you just have to outstay it. And faith's the fuel in that fire. It's the quiet nope to quitting the hard clamp on something unyielding. We're not fleeing, we're facing, because he's facing too. Right there in the thick Chaos might jostle the rig, rattle the glass, kick the tires, but it doesn't sink the hull. That's where we plant boots, firm eyes up, trusting through the grid. Alright, let's keep it moving and see what clicks when we lean into that trust harder.
Speaker 0:Now let's talk about leaning into faith, because it isn't just a life raft to float on. It's a gear we crank, a stride we take when chaos is wringing your skull. Trusting God isn't a lounge and sip move, it's a full-on lunge, like leveling up an Elden Ring. You don't coast, you bleed, you claw your rise. So what does that look like when it feels like your angel's still chilling at the coffee shop instead of showing up? Scripture's got something for that.
Speaker 0:Psalm, chapter 46, verse 1, says God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. That's not just a comfort blanket, it's a call to action. A refuge isn't something that just lands in your lap. You run to it, you claim it. Think about Deku in my Hero Academia 1, for all didn't just make him the strongest. Overnight he had to train, struggle and push past his limits. Faith works the same way. It's choosing to trust God, even when everything's falling apart, knowing he's already there, ready to strengthen you. Gk Chesterton lays it sharp. He said Faith is a battle. It's not a dream. That's truth.
Speaker 0:Chaos is a vibe killer. One hour you're ironed, the next you're sand. But faith's the shout saying hold up. I'm not ditching the facts, it's Digimon rules. You kick off with an argument, not a wargrim. You scrap through dust, wrestle the wild, watch it evolve. Faith's those scrappy hops, whispering a prayer when you're steaming, cracking a song when you're spent.
Speaker 0:Proverbs, chapter 3, verse 5, says Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Small bets, cash big. Chaos towers over, but God's tallying the quiet moves. So lean in. Trust isn't a flashbang, it's a slow roast. You're not just hanging. You're not just hanging, you're piling stones. Chaos doesn't stall that stack. It's about turning up day after brutal day, when the muck's deep and the wind's biting.
Speaker 0:Faith's not a single slam, it's a pulse. You pound a track, you cut a strength, you forge. You don't roll out maxed, you chip away, one tough pick at a time Chaos might crash like a landslide, but trust is the ridge you ride, inch by inch, until you're sturdier than you thought. God's not scoring perfection, he's in the trench with you, cheering every creaky step. That's leaning in, Not coasting by, but pressing on, trusting. He's the chain that holds. Chaos keeps snapping, lunging at your heels, but faith keeps you trucking one leg past the next, because he's not just peering, he's matching your pace, grit for grit, gust for gust. Alright, let's nudge on and unpack how that trust starts bending the chaos itself. So we're leaning in, trusting, clawing ahead.
Speaker 0:What's next? Here's the kicker. Faith doesn't just prop us up. It starts twisting the chaos into line, not like a magic zap that dusts it off, but like a prism that bends how it glares. Ever catch how the same blow torches one person and barely grazes another. That's faith flexing, remaking chaos into something you can shoulder. Scripture remaking chaos into something you can shoulder. Scripture's got a vibe for this.
Speaker 0:Micah, chapter 7, verse 7, says but as for me, I watch and hope for the Lord. I wait for God, my Savior, my God, will hear me. That's not brushing it aside. It's standing firm, eyes peeled, Micah's, in a jam, but he's scoping the skyline, banking on God's line. It's like Hunter x Hunter Gon's a shrimp among giants, but he rewires the odds by not backing down Fates that rewire, not slashing chaos, but reshaping it. Tim Keller cuts it crisp and says Faith is trusting God's heart when his hand seems hidden. That's the hinge.
Speaker 0:Chaos stops being a wall and turns into a climb. Steep, yeah, but leading up. Think inception Cobb. Stuck in dream layers, reality bending, but belief steadies him. Faith's not calling the quake, it's handing you the reins.
Speaker 0:Hosea, chapter 6, verse 3, says let us acknowledge the Lord, let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear. That's no instant cure, it's a dawn breaking. Chaos isn't the king, he is. So we watch, wait and the mess starts shifting.
Speaker 0:It's not about blanking the slate, it's about aini fresh, lugging it lighter, because faith tweaks the heft. Chaos lingers, but its edge blunts when God's in view. That's the bend. Mess hangs tough, but promise pokes through. Chaos might loom thick, loud, unyielding, but faith sifts, it dulls the jab. So we're not just enduring, we're edging. It's not a full erase, it's a slow tilt where the load doesn't snap you because trust tips the balance. God's not flattening the squall, he's rigging it. So you hound Alright, let's stretch this and see how it plays out long term. Okay, chaos is shifting, let's zoom out.
Speaker 0:Faith doesn't just tweak the now, it frames the long game. When you're slogging through the grime it's easy to think it's all sunk like grinding Genshin Impact dailies for pocket lint. But scripture's got a wider lens. There's a trek here and chaos isn't the checkpoint.
Speaker 0:Joel, chapter 2, verse 25, says I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten the great locusts and the young locusts, the other locusts and the locusts swarm my great army that I send among you. That's wild. God's pledging to cash out the loss, not just plug gaps. It's like cowboy bebop Spikes, broke and battered, but he chases the score, betting the scars turn to payoff. Faith's that chase. Chaos bites. God rebuilds and Voskamp nails it and says Faith is living like. God's promises are truer than your problems. That's the big picture. Chaos isn't a loose cannon, it's clay he's molding.
Speaker 0:Zephaniah, chapter 3, verse 9, says Then I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him. Shoulder to shoulder, he of him, shoulder to shoulder. He's not just hovering, he's refining shining. That's the horizon, not short winds, but long gains, where chaos gets spun into sync. Faith's the bridge from wreck to rise and God's the architect. It's not fast flips, it's deep turns where the mess gets forged into something that sings back. Chaos might claw wide and fierce, but faith reaches wider, turns the sloth into seed, because he's not just near, he's crafting. Alright, let's cap this with how we walk that out. Alright, the long game's in sight. Let's bring it home.
Speaker 0:Chaos is legit. Faith bends it. God's in for the stretch. So how do we step when that coffee break buzz hits? It's about moving, not moping. Faith's a doer, loud reel.
Speaker 0:Haggai, chapter 2, verse 4, says Be strong all you people of the land. Declares the Lord and work, for I am with you, declares the Lord Almighty. That's a shove, doesn't freeze, swing like Teket Jin, doesn't sidestep to the top, he smashes Faiths that smash. Trusting God's in your ring as you jab. Philip Yancey says Faith is believing in advance. What will only make sense in reverse, that's the call Act when chaos growls.
Speaker 0:Malachi, chapter 4, verse 2, says but for you who revere my name, the son of righteousness will rise with healing in its race. Leap watch. Chaos doesn't cage you, he does. It's about doing, risking, trusting in the snarl. Faith's the match that lights his word. All right, folks, that's a wrap.
Speaker 0:Chaos keeps swinging, but you're not in it solo. If you're feeling that pull today, like God's nudging you to trust him, don't sleep on it. Step into faith. Say yes now. He's here to haul you through. If you're ready, right where you are, let's get real with Him. Pray this with me, lord, I'm done running my heart's a mess, but I trust you Come in, take this chaos, hold me close. I'm yours. Let's pray, lord, thanks for sticking with us through the mess. For anyone saying yes today. Wrap them in your might, show them you're near, lead us all on Amen. I would love to hear from you. Feel free to reach me at jm, at thecrossroadscollectiveorg or thecrossroadsot at gmailcom, and if you are looking for some resources to help in your walk faith, then please visit our website at wwwthecrossroadscollectiveorg. Until next time, this is JM Collective, signing off and praying. You have an amazing and blessed week. God bless you.
