John lives a monastic lifestyle, and is notoriously hard to get a hold of. Here are the best ways to stay connected with him.
Author, Founder of Wild at Heart Ministries
John Eldredge
He is also president of Wild at Heart, a ministry devoted to helping people discover the heart of God, recover their own hearts in God's love, and learn to live in God's Kingdom. John grew up in the suburbs of Los Angeles (which he hated), and spent his boyhood summers on his grandfather’s cattle ranch in eastern Oregon (which he loved). John met his wife, Stasi, in high school (in drama class). But their romance did not begin until they each came to faith in Christ, after high school. John earned his undergraduate degree in Theater at Cal Poly, and directed a theater company in Los Angeles for several years before moving to Colorado with Focus on the Family, where he taught at the Focus on the Family Institute.
John earned his master’s degree in Counseling from Colorado Christian University, under the direction of Larry Crabb and Dan Allender. He worked as a counselor in private practice before launching Wild at Heart in 2000. John and Stasi live in Colorado Springs with their three sons (Samuel, Blaine, and Luke), their golden retriever (Oban), and two horses (Whistle and Kokolo). While all of this is factually true, it somehow misses describing an actual person. He loves the outdoors passionately, and all beauty, Shakespeare, bow hunting, a good cigar, anything having to do with adventure, poetry, March Madness, working in the shop, fly fishing, classic rock, the Tetons, fish tacos, George MacDonald, green tea, buffalo steaks, dark chocolate, wild and open places, horses running, and too much more to name. He also uses the expression “far out” way too much.
In this series conclusion, John and Blaine Eldredge share a three-part process for gaining clarity on what God wants to draw our attention to in this moment. The goal isn’t to focus on everything all at once—or even to get answers—but to grow in intimacy with God in the places he desires to work in our lives. Show Notes: The 3 Categories discussed are 1) Contemplation 2) Conversation 3) Action. The book referenced is Invitation to a Journey: A Road Map for Spiritual Formation, by M. Robert Mulholland Jr. Find out more about the Pause App here. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/_t9pa9rmyhm The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share
Imagine having a spiritual GPS to help you navigate the bafflement and fog of your days. John and Blaine Eldredge provide such a tool in this second installment of the series—including six categories and an Emotions Wheel—to help draw you closer to God and provide clarity on his work in your life. Show Notes: The Emotions Wheel Blaine references is available https://b-cdn.wildatheart.org/files/podcasts/wildatheart/843/feelings-wheel.webp. The “6 Categories for Discerning God’s Work in Your Life” are 1) the Facts of Life 2) Preoccupations of the Mind 3) Feelings / Emotions 4) Body / Physical Sensations 5) Recurring or Dominating Questions 6) Longings and Desires. _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/xr2jjx8okxy The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share
This three-part series kicks off with John and Blaine Eldredge talking about the lost art of noticing what God is up to in our lives—not just today but over time. While clarity is essential, the ultimate goal is to come into alignment with what God is doing. How do we do that? In Part 1, John and Blaine lay a solid foundation by revealing three specific suppositions for discerning God’s work in our lives so we can join him there. Show Notes: The books referenced are The Horse and His Boy by C. S. Lewis, Now and Then by Frederick Buechner, and The Inner Chamber and the Inner Life by Andrew Murray. The “3 Presuppositions for Discerning God’s Work in Your Life” are: 1) God is speaking to all people at all times. 2) Most people don’t learn to discern God’s work in isolation. 3) God is interested in intimacy—and that means conversation, not observation. _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/3wxnpdwrvvm The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share
Just trying to get through the week as we navigate our to-do list, the needs of others, and the new surge of global chaos can be overwhelming spiritually, physically, and mentally. Thankfully, there are ways we can intentionally center our lives with God. In the second half of this series, John and Allen talk about coming back to the habits, pace, and practices that help keep us aligned with God and his purposes each day. Show Notes: The books mentioned in this podcast—The Weight of Glory by C. S. Lewis and Beautiful Outlaw by John Eldredge—are available wherever you buy books. The One Minute Pause App is free and available in the app store. _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/qhq-1h-mids The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share
The shift in seasons is the ideal time to reflect on changes to help us maintain our lives in God. In the first half of the series, John and Allen reveal big lies that keep us stuck in the status quo, how to decide what to take up and set down, and ways we can cooperate with God in our transformation. _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/08l9xx1r8ji The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share
What do you do when someone you care about has a major blind spot that's self-destructive or hurtful to you and others? In the second half of this series, the team makes it practical as John asks Stasi, Allen, and Stacey how they'd react to several "what if" scenarios. Their responses may surprise you. Hard conversations aren't easy, but they also aren't to be feared—once you ask God if and when to engage, what to say, and how to say it. Show Notes: You can sign up for Wild at Heart's Friday video emails at https://wildatheart.org/media/johns-weekly-video-update/. The verse John references is John 12:49 (NLT): "I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it." _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/17tqnf9wm6m The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share
What does mature love look like when it comes to having hard conversation? We can't just say what we see. Nor can we ignore someone's blind spot (or our own) indefinitely. John, Stasi, Allen, and Stacey share how they tend to handle difficult conversations on a spectrum of avoidance to delay to immediate confrontation. Loving well in these situations isn't simple or easy...but it is possible. Show Note: Sign up for Wild at Heart's Friday video emails at https://wildatheart.org/media/johns-weekly-video-update/ _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/4gjolpjbotu The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share __________________________________
How did the very Holy Spirit Jesus was so eager to give us become feared, divisive, and, for most Christians, simply a forgotten stranger? Pastor and author Tyler Staton joins John to explore the need for every believer to regularly experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Through personal stories and insights from his new book—The Familiar Stranger—Tyler reintroduces us to this often neglected Person of the Trinity. Show Notes: The Familiar Stranger by Tyler Staton is available wherever you buy books. _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/ukf08paqv4o The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share
The world and the enemy constantly try to name us through accusations and lies based on our past choices, wounds, and failures. But these labels never reflect what's most true about us. In this week's podcast, John and Allen take you into "The New Name" session (led by Pablo Ceron) from our most recent Wild at Heart men's retreat. Discover how to break free from past agreements and scripts you've adapted in your life, see yourself as God sees you, and experience a new identity bestowed upon you by your Father. Show Note: "The New Name" is one session of our Wild at Heart Retreat. To attend or host a local retreat featuring video sessions led by our team, visit https://wildatheart.org/events _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/x_f9ysxomow The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share
The "spirit of death" is sneaky, pervasive, and toxic. It tries to get us to make agreements that the things we most value in life are over—resulting in the death of our dreams, faith, marriage, friendships, calling, and creativity. John and Stasi illuminate what's really going on, how to renounce these lies of the enemy, and ways to live with renewed hope. If you've been struggling with discouragement, resignation, and a vague feeling that it's the end of everything you care deeply about, this message is for you! _______________________________________________ There is more. Got a question you want answered on the podcast? Ask us at mailto:questions@wildatheart.org Support the mission or find more on our website: http://wildatheart.org/ or on our app. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/wild-at-heart/id427657975 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.subsplash.thechurchapp.ransomedheart&pcampaignid=web_share Watch on https://youtu.be/n2vislmx5io The stock music used in the Wild at Heart podcast is titled “When Laid to Rest” by Patrick Rundblad and available https://www.premiumbeat.com/royalty-free-tracks/when-laid-to-rest More pauses available in the One Minute Pause app for Apple iOS and Android. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/one-minute-pause/id1471913620 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ransomedheart.pause&pcampaignid=web_share