Cultivating Belonging and Evolving Faith with Jeff Chu

About this sermon

Award-winning journalist, author, and “sort-of-kind-of farmer” Jeff Chu joins Jen Hatmaker and co-host Amy for a powerful episode of For the Love. Jeff shares insights from his book Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand—a reflection on faith, belonging, and transformation rooted in his time at the Farminary, a working farm at Princeton Theological Seminary. In this episode: • Jeff explores the spiritual lessons learned through farming—growth, decay, and renewal. • He challenges the way we read the Parable of the Sower, shifting focus from judgment to transformation. • He opens up about being a gay man raised in a conservative Christian environment, and how grace, inclusion, and spiritual evolution shape his faith today. • Plus, he reflects on finding beauty in ordinary places—from blueberry bushes to backyard sunsets. Favorite Quotes: “God's love is big enough to hold your mess, your beauty, and your frailty.” “Being bold enough to say ‘I don’t know, but I wonder’—that gives me hope.” “Nobody will ever again see that particular sunset from that particular angle. How lucky are we?” If you're ready to reimagine faith, spirituality, and growth through a new lens, this episode is for you. Grab Jeff’s book: Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand Listen to the full For the Love podcast wherever you get your podcasts! Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Community First Village / Mobile Loaves and Fishes - https://mlf.org/community-first/ Genesis Gardens - https://mlf.org/genesis-gardens/ 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker - https://amzn.to/4kZZmjN Actually Believing God Loves You Changes Everything: Jeff Chu - https://jenhatmaker.com/podcasts/series-16/actually-believing-god-loves-you-changes-everything-jeff-chu/ Good Soil: The Education of an Accidental Farmhand by Jeff Chu - https://amzn.to/4kXozLJ Wholehearted Faith by Rachel Held Evans and Jeff Chu - https://amzn.to/4iZlOrA Does Jesus Really Love Me?: A Gay Christian's Pilgrimage in Search of God in America by Jeff Chu - https://amzn.to/4bZH91N March: Book One by John Lewis - https://amzn.to/4c6xmXI Travel and Leisure magazine editor-at-large - https://www.travelandleisure.com/author/jeff-chu Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan - https://amzn.to/446LUo5 Padraig O'Tuama, poet - https://www.padraigotuama.com/ Kitchen Hymns by Padraig O’Tuama - https://amzn.to/4ccPFdV Maggie Smith, poet - https://maggiesmithpoet.com/ In The Shelter: Finding a Home in the World by Padraig O’Tuama - https://amzn.to/4ccNNBL Jeff Chu’s Good Soil Book Tour - https://byjeffchu.com/tour Guest’s Links: Website - https://byjeffchu.com/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/byjeffchu Twitter - https://x.com/jeffchu Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/byjeffchu Substack - https://byjeffchu.com/contact#substack Connect with Jen! Jen’s Website - https://jenhatmaker.com/ Jen’s Instagram - https://instagram.com/jenhatmaker Jen’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/jenHatmaker/ Jen’s Facebook - https://facebook.com/jenhatmaker Jen’s YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/JenHatmaker The For the Love Podcast is presented by Audacy.

Topics

• Faith