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Arc 1 – Foundations of Discernment (Episodes 1 – 6)

We begin by exploring how we see — what shapes our perceptions, instincts, and sense of truth.
If you’re new to The Ponder Podcast, start here and follow Episodes 1 through 6 in order.
They lay the foundation for every conversation and arc that follows.

Episode 1
The Startling Truth About Everyday Lies

What if lying is far more common than we realize? This episode explores how deception creeps into daily life and why sharpening our discernment may matter more than ever.

Listen and follow here or on your favorite app:

Episode 2
Almost Truth: The Danger
That Feels Right

Some of the most convincing falsehoods aren’t outright lies — they’re the ones that feel almost right. Discover how ‘truth structures’ shape what we trust, and why testing them is essential.

Listen and follow here or on your favorite app:

Episode 3
When Trust Is
Weaponized

From billion-dollar scams to deepfakes, even our most trusted frameworks can be bent against us. Learn how trust itself can be turned into a weapon — and what to do about it.

Listen and follow here or on your favorite app:

Episode 4
Belief, Expectation, and the Stories We Tell Ourselves

What we expect from life often shapes what we claim to believe. This episode explores how disappointment, gratitude, and even hidden assumptions reveal where we really stand.

Listen and follow here or on your favorite app:

Episode 5
Evidence, Logic, and the
Bets We Make

What do we do when proof is uncertain? Explore how history’s greatest thinkers used evidence and logic to weigh life’s biggest questions — and why the way we wager still matters today.

Listen and follow here or on your favorite app:

Episode 6
You Are More
Than Chance

Are we just accidents of history, or something more intentional? Closing this first arc, we consider what it means to be known, valued, and thoughtfully woven into the fabric of life.

Listen and follow here or on your favorite app:

🧭 Glossary — Arc 1: Foundations of Discernment

Term	Definition
Ponder / Pondering	To think about something carefully — quietly, soberly weighing that something in your mind, focusing to understand it deeply. (Episode 1)
Discernment	The ability to perceive, understand, and judge things clearly, especially when those things are not obvious or straightforward. Simply, it is the ability to distinguish truth from lie and right from wrong — and, more importantly, to tell the difference between right and almost right, and truth and almost truth. (Episodes 1 & 2)
Truth Structures	Mental frameworks we rely on to quickly move through and accept information. (Episode 2)
Religious	Having a strong belief in God, along with a devotion that shows up in your actions — through worship, practices, or consistent habits. (Episode 4)

Ponder This Arc

Before you jump ahead, spend a moment with what caught your attention.
Below you’ll find the episode’s questions, challenges, and a few added prompts for deeper pondering.

Episode 1

What were the top three things you thought about today? Did they really deserve that much of your attention?

What were the top three things you thought about this week?

What is one thing you wish you had spent the most time thinking about instead?

Episode 2

Where in your life are you trusting something — a belief, an institution, a platform, even a person — without testing it?

Pick just one thing that feels familiar or safe — and look closer. Ask yourself: Is this really true? Or is it just leaning on a truth structure I’ve always trusted?

Have you ever turned another person’s trust in something into a way to get what you wanted?

Have you ever said something you knew wasn’t true — just because you thought the other person would believe it?

Name a time when something sounded true mostly because it was repeated, respected, or built into a system you already trusted?

What “truths” in your world rest more on structure — habit, authority, or repetition — than on genuine understanding?

Episode 3

Take just one area of your life where you’ve been leaning on trust — a system, a platform, an expert, even a charity — and test it. Ask yourself: “Is this really true, or does it just look true because it fits a structure I’ve always trusted?“

What emotion rises first when that trust is questioned — anger, fear, or relief? What might that reaction be telling you?

When was the last time something that looked unquestionably good turned out to be misleading? What helped you see it clearly?

Episode 4

Do you believe?

Are you seeking — whether you believe or not?

Are you drifting — recognizing your belief and actions were once stronger?

Or are you just hiding — not sure if you’re avoiding being seen, or afraid of being seen?

Episode 5

What keeps you from exploring belief more deeply — fear of being wrong, or fear of being changed?

Have you ever dismissed the idea of God for reasons that were more emotional than logical?

What would it look like to keep pondering — not belief in a system, but belief in Someone worth knowing?

When have you sensed that belief itself could reshape the way you see everything else?

Are you willing to take one step further than before — not to decide everything today, but simply to stay open?

Episode 6

What would shift if you gave more of your thinking time to the things that reveal who God really is?

Where do your thoughts drift when they aren’t guided — and what might that reveal about what you value most?

How might understanding God more clearly change the way you define truth itself?

Explore Arc 2 – Coming Soon