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Relationship Coach PodcasterAward-Winning Author JOHN CERTALIC

HELPING PEOPLE OF FAITH FIND THE JOY WE WERE MADE FOR IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS.

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Actionable relationship insights delivered weekly to your inbox

    You Were Made For This

    Our relationships are so important to living a fulfilling life, we do ourselves a favor when we do what we can to make those relationships the best they can be. To that end, listen to Episode 139 of You Were Made for This. You’ll learn the benefits of listening to this podcast in helping you find more of the joy God intends for you in your relationships.

    Latest Episodes

    “At the end of the day, nothing matters MORE than relationships.” — John Certalic

    • A better Christmas joy is the joy shared when people visit.

    207: How to Help the People We Love At Christmas

    December 6th, 2023|Categories: Family Relationships, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    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

    206: Thankful for the Stories of Others

    November 15th, 2023|Categories: Finding Joy in Relationships, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    The Thanksgiving holiday will soon be upon us here in the US, so I’ve been reflecting on what I’m thankful for. And this year I’m thinking about things

    • A meaningful conversation deepens a relationship

    205: How to Have a Meaningful Conversation

    November 1st, 2023|Categories: Finding Joy in Relationships, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    To deepen our current relationships, or to develop new ones, it’s helpful to ask ourselves an important question. Namely, “How do I have a meaningful conversation with someone?”

    • Be stingy in sharing your story when listening to others

    203: Three Reasons for Being Stingy in Sharing Your Story

    October 4th, 2023|Categories: Becoming a Better Listener, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    There’s a school of thought out there that says to make friends it’s important to be vulnerable by sharing your story. Some call it “being authentic.” Yet it’s

    • Listen to someone's story

    202: The Best Stories

    September 20th, 2023|Categories: Becoming a Better Listener, Podcast|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    Most of us like a good story. I have found that the best stories are those that draw us in with emotion. They’re usually about relationships and often

    201: Three Relationship Tools to Remember in September

    September 6th, 2023|Categories: Podcast, Relational Skills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

    Hello everyone, I’m back!  To start season 8 of this podcast we’re going to talk about three relationship tools we can use to become better listeners this fall

    Episode Topics

    Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Social Isolation

    I recently read Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Social Isolation 2023. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. A little long, but what

    211: A Men’s Breakfast Like No Other

    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

    210: Word of the Year for 2024 – Curious

    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

    217: God Will Surprise Us

    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.

    202: The Best Stories

    Most of us like a good story. I have found that the best stories are those that draw us in with emotion. They’re usually about relationships and often

     Recent Articles

    The Next Time You’re Anxious Try This

    Hi Reader, A few weeks ago during a Sunday morning church service we sang "The Goodness of God." Several days later I listened to the YouTube video at home. This time reading through many of the comments about the song. They were quite moving. Listening to the song soothes you like a warm blanket on a cold night during a January blizzard. Click here (or on the image above) to listen in yourself. Then read the sampling below of how the song touched people in such a deeply personal way. It most...

    An Unusual Surprise From God

    Hi Reader, Today’s episode of You Were Made For This, #217, finishes the story of tracking down my birth father. In it you’ll hear (or read): The odd thing he said to me when I told him I was his son What happened when my birth father showed up at a family reunion The surprising way God prompted two friends to help me get through this chapter in my life The larger relational principle from this story that applies to all of us To listen in, click here. Until next week, I wish you all the joy...

    A Timely Quote From Albert Einstein

    Reader, Last week’s podcast episode was the story of how I located my birth father by searching through public records and making lots of phone calls. It was using one bit of information to lead to another to another to another. Click here if you missed episode #216. I also mentioned in the episode how God orchestrated four important events in my life to all occur on April 4th, decades apart. It’s one of the most comforting things I’ve ever experienced. Albert Einstein describes it like this,...

    Our Past Helps Us Understand Our Present

    Reader, Today’s podcast is what its title describes, Our Past Helps Us Understand Our Present. You can listen to it on two levels.The first is the investigative work I did to locate my birth father. It was an energizing exercise to start with very limited information about him. Then overcoming various obstacles in tracking him down. More importantly, there is the role God played in guiding my search and the unusual way he used one particular day of the year, April 4th, to reveal his loving...

    Searching For My Birth Father

    Hi Reader, If you missed last week’s podcast episode #215 you can listen to it when you click here. I read from a section of my book, THEM about a conversation I had with my mother that began was I was ten years old, and that took 30 years to complete. It had to do with getting information from her to help me track down my birth father. Some people will think, “Why bother? It’s in the past and it’s not going to change anything.” I wish it was that simple. Historian David McCullough describes...

    Writer's Digest Best Inspirational Book of 2016

    THEM is all about relationships and how to make them better. You’ll read real-life stories showing the joy found in bringing out the best in others, which brings out the best in ourselves.

    Have you ever wanted to understand and help someone who is depressed or angry? How about someone who is fearful, or has trouble forgiving and reconciling with others? Maybe you want to know how to better encourage someone.

    In THEM – The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others, John Certalic weaves together real-life stories that practically show how to help others – and ourselves – deal with the challenging relational issues that affect us so deeply.

    Winner of Writer's Digest Best Inspirational Book of 2016. Endorsed by Dr. Laura Mae Gardner, Ruth Van Reken, Dr. John Powell, Stuart Briscoe, and numerous missionaries.

    Writer's Digest Best Inspirational Book of 2016

    THEM is all about relationships and how to make them better. You’ll read real-life stories showing the joy found in bringing out the best in others, which brings out the best in ourselves.

    Have you ever wanted to understand and help someone who is depressed or angry? How about someone who is fearful, or has trouble forgiving and reconciling with others? Maybe you want to know how to better encourage someone.

    In THEM – The Richer Life Found in Caring for Others, John Certalic weaves together real-life stories that practically show how to help others – and ourselves – deal with the challenging relational issues that affect us so deeply.

    Winner of Writer's Digest Best Inspirational Book of 2016. Endorsed by Dr. Laura Mae Gardner, Ruth Van Reken, Dr. John Powell, Stuart Briscoe, and numerous missionaries.

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