Survival Guide for the Middle Podcast

Mr. Joel Simpson, LCA’s 6th-8th Grade Spiritual Life Director, launched the Survival Guide for the Middle podcast in March 2023. This weekly podcast tackles a wide range of topics that shape the lives of middle school students, offering insight, encouragement, and practical wisdom along the way.

The podcast is available on Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Podcasts. We'd love for you take a minute and rate us or leave a review everywhere you listen to podcasts. 

2024-25 Podcasts

Survival Guide for the Middle is finally back, and joining Joel moving forward as co-host will be Drew Dawson. Drew is currently on staff at Elevate Christian Church here in Lexington, and has been one of the biggest ministry partners for LCA in helping during chapel services and other needs for Spiritual Life. Drew is married to Kayla and has two kids, Mikey and Luke, and we are excited to have him be a huge part of the podcast moving forward! 

MOST RECENT EPISODES

Drew and Joel kick off 2025 with a new series, "Diagnosing Anxiety"! Join the duo as they dive deep into anxiety's roots and explore how spiritual disciplines can help.

Enjoying this podcast? Please consider sharing, subscribing, liking, and reviewing!

Episode 50: Anxiety and Serving Others (03/13/25)

Episode 49: Anxiety and Meditation (03/04/25)

Episode 48: Anxiety and Rest (2/25/25)

Episode 47: Anxiety and Generosity (2/19/25)

Episode 46: Anxiety and Fasting (2/11/25)

Episode 45: Prayer and Anxiety (1/30/25)

Episode 44: Diagnosing Anxiety (1/23/25)

In their new series, Witnesses of Christmas, Drew and Joel explore the diverse characters woven into the Christmas story. They kick things off with two often-overlooked figures, Simeon and Anna, connecting their stories to an unlikely parallel: a small town in New Hampshire that holds unique significance every election season. They continue their journey to Bethlehem by exploring two key villains in the Christmas story. Drew and Joel then take a closer look at the remarkable characters surrounding the birth of Jesus.

Episode 43: Witnesses of Christmas - Baby Jesus (12/23/24)

Episode 42: Witnesses of Christmas - Mary and Joseph (12/17/24)

Episode 41: Witnesses of Christmas - The Magi and Shepherds (12/11/24)

Episode 40: Zechariah and Elizabeth (12/5/24)

Episode 39: Witnesses of Christmas - Gabriel and the Angels (11/25/24)

Episode 38: Witnesses of Christmas - The Villains (11/20/24)

Episode 37: Witnesses of Christmas - Simeon and Anna (11/13/24)

Drew and Joel start a new series highlighting stories in the Bible that are often overlooked or not discussed. 

Episode 36: Obscure Bible Stories - Ehud (11/7/24)

Episode 35: Obscure Bible Stories - Balaam's Talking Donkey (10/31/24)

Episode 34: Obscure Bible Stories - Josiah the Child King (10/24/24)

Episode 33: Obscure Bible Stories - The Floating Axe Head (10/17/24)

Drew and Joel dive into what happened during Spiritual Emphasis Week and how the Sermon on the Mount was the inspiration for the theme, "Counter-Culture". Make sure to share, subscribe and review Survival Guide for the Middle on whichever platform you use to listen! 

Episode 32: Sermon on the Mount - Part 2 (9/24/24)

Episode 31: Sermon on the Mount - Part 1 (9/18/24)