Hey! It's The Luskos

Jonathan Pokluda sits down with Levi and Jennie for a conversation that’s equal parts laugh-out-loud and deeply grounding. JP unpacks his 16-day hospital saga—how it started with a leg not working right, turned into a diagnosis of transverse myelitis, and somehow included an unforgettable “marriage moment” that belongs in the Hall of Fame. From spiritual warfare to being aware without being afraid, and what JP learned while researching Your Story Has a Villain—including the country club moment in Aspen that made everything feel painfully real. Plus: Halloween, discernment, and even the surprisingly practical question of how to use AI as a tool without letting it use you—followed by a closing story about a cold plunge that… never actually happened. Connect with us on social! JP: @jpokluda Levi: @levilusko Jennie: @jennielusko Fresh Life Church: @freshlife [Links] Your Story Has a Villain: https://bit.ly/4ai2rsH Becoming Something Podcast: https://bit.ly/4rZROB6 Get the 5 Gallon Bucket: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Get the Lusketeer Sticker: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Subscribe for more exclusive content: https://levilusko.com/hitl-subscribe Time Stamps 0:01:43 – Six-toed cats and the weird grace of being “different” 0:03:24 – JP’s 16-day hospital scare and the symptoms that changed everything 0:16:54 – Real marriage: praying fire for a bowel movement 0:23:20 – Why JP wrote Your Story Has a Villain 0:28:49 – The Aspen Country Club story that made spiritual warfare unmistakable 0:44:06 – Loving God “on purpose,” AI guardrails, and using tools wisely

The Lusko kids join Levi and Jennie for a cozy, hilarious, end-of-2025 family episode—full of memories, real talk, and the kind of side comments only siblings can pull off. Together they look back on the year’s big moments: college life, tennis wins, learner’s permits, a meaningful baptism, and the wild joy of serving together. You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes of the Bolivia mission trip (including travel chaos and a few very memorable mishaps), plus a rapid-fire stroll through favorite podcast episodes, sermon series that hit home, and the books/music that shaped the year. They wrap it all by looking ahead to 2026 with practical goals and spiritual rhythms. Connect with us on social! Levi: @levilusko Jennie: @jennielusko Fresh Life Church: @freshlife [Links] Gospels in a year (Print Ed.): https://bit.ly/4pQG2HN Gospels in a year (Digital Ed.): https://bit.ly/3L4HSWm Movement 2026: https://www.mvmnt26.com Get the 5 Gallon Bucket: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Get the Lusketeer Sticker: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Subscribe for more exclusive content: https://levilusko.com/hitl-subscribe Time Stamps 0:01:07 – New Year’s as a “holy day” and old-school traditions 0:03:38 – 2025 family updates: college, baptism, tennis, and big milestones 0:08:34 – Bolivia mission trip stories: Compassion kids + travel mayhem 0:13:07 – Favorite podcast moments from the year (and the unforgettable ones) 0:15:07 – Blessed Are the Spiraling launch: 7 cities, 7 days, 7 runs 0:26:35 – What God taught them in 2025 + 2026 goals and a Gospels plan

Visit donate.accessmore.com and give today to help fund more episodes and shows like this.Delirious? frontman and worship pioneer Martin Smith joins Levi for a heartfelt conversation about music, calling, and the long road of faith. Martin shares how a random suggestion from his dad led him from cricket dreams to a secondhand guitar, a Holy Spirit encounter at nineteen, and early worship songs like “Lord, You Have My Heart” and “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever.” They trace the unlikely British wave of worship that swept the world, how Delirious? broke all the “rules,” and why Martin still believes deeply in the local church as the home that saves, shapes, and steadies creatives. From the near-fatal car accident that pushed him to go “all in” with Cutting Edge/Delirious? to nine-minute spontaneous tracks and leaving holy space in worship, Martin talks about the power of music to heal, deliver, and reorient our hearts. He and Levi explore prophetic songwriting, how some lyrics arrive far beyond our understanding, why streaming stats feel like everyone’s paycheck on display, and how to help a new generation make pure, cutting-edge worship in a numbers-obsessed world. The conversation also gets wonderfully practical and tender—why “the devil hates flags,” what it means to raise a banner and recover undignified praise, how Martin chose to walk away from arenas for the sake of his kids, and the decade he spent in the shadows asking, “Am I done?” Now a grandpa called “Pops,” Martin reflects on legacy, singing “Our God Reigns” with new weight, and learning to embrace each season—whether it’s feeding 20,000 or 4,000—as part of God’s good story. Connect with us on social!Martin: @martinsmithtvLevi: @leviluskoJennie: @jennieluskoFresh Life Church: @freshlife [Links]Check out more from Martin Smith: https://bit.ly/3M3KJPl Get the 5 Gallon Bucket: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Get the Lusketeer Sticker: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Subscribe for more exclusive content: https://levilusko.com/hitl-subscribe Time Stamps01:16 – From teach-yourself guitar to “Lord, You Have My Heart”11:35 – A midnight crash, Cutting Edge, and saying yes to God20:21 – “Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble” and breaking the worship rulebook29:12 – Was creation sung into being? Music, memory, and wonder31:03 – Romania, gold flags, and why the devil hates flags38:32 – Leaving Delirious?, hidden years, and becoming Pops

Best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado joins Levi and Jennie to talk taming your thoughts, grandparent joy, and the kind of hope that actually holds. Max shares the wild family headline—three daughters pregnant at once—and how becoming “Papa Max” has reshaped his rhythms and perspective. They dive into Max’s new book, Tame Your Thoughts: Three Tools to Renew Your Mind and Transform Your Life, walking through “picky thinking,” spotting the “UFOs” (untruth → false narrative → overreaction), and the practice of uprooting lies and replanting truth. The conversation gets practical on media intake, the real brain/relationship fallout of porn, and Max’s storyteller toolkit—from dog tales to Amelia Earhart—and why the message must always lead the illustration. They wrap with a glimpse of Max’s “The Only One” series on the uniqueness of Christ and a quick nod to tattoos (yes, really). Connect with us on social!Max: @maxlucadoLevi: @leviluskoJennie: @jennieluskoFresh Life Church: @freshlife [Links]Tame Your Thoughts: https://bit.ly/49QUxpNGet the 5 Gallon Bucket: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHYGet the Lusketeer Sticker: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Subscribe for more exclusive content: https://levilusko.com/hitl-subscribe Timestamps04:44 – Grandparenting joy, rhythms, and “Papa Max” & “Dee Dee”05:49 – Why Max wrote Tame Your Thoughts and reader feedback07:45 – The three tools: picky thinking, UFOs, and replanting truth16:55 – Guard your intake: screens, sleep, and porn’s real fallout23:31 – How Max collects stories and lets the message lead

Licensed counselor and author Debra Fileta joins Levi and Jennie for a live Q&A on building emotionally healthy homes—whether you’re single, married, or knee-deep in carpools. We kick off with Debra’s new picture book for littles, “Any Day Emotions,” and how naming feelings (even the tricky ones like guilt and jealousy) helps kids learn what to do with them. We also talk about Levi’s new tween book, “Don’t Worry, Warrior,” and why story-driven teaching sticks with 8–12-year-olds. From there, it’s a fast-paced, heartfelt session tackling real questions: consistent toddler discipline without losing connection, encouragement for single parents finding community, wisdom for blending families with grace and boundaries, and practical ways siblings can repair ruptures with real apologies. We close by reframing “peace at home”—less candlelit calm, more everyday wholeness in Christ amid the beautiful chaos. Connect with us on social!Debra: @debrafileta Levi: @leviluskoJennie: @jennieluskoFresh Life Church: @freshlife [Links]Any Day Emotions by Debra Fileta: https://bit.ly/4paOT6xDon’t Worry, Warrior By Levi Lusko: https://bit.ly/498LNLsGet the 5 Gallon Bucket: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHYGet the Lusketeer Sticker: https://bit.ly/sdl4sHY Give a year-end gift to send Native youth to Movement Conference!Your generous year-end gift below will remove every barrier so students from the reservations can experience Movement Conference, where they’ll encounter the love and freedom of Jesus.Give Your Gift: https://levilusko.com/ye-donate?&utm_campaign=LLM1225&utm_medium=website&utm_source=podcast&utm_content=pod Subscribe for more exclusive content: https://levilusko.com/hitl-subscribe Time stamps14:06 – What to discuss with your spouse when planning/trying for kids19:13 – How to discipline a toddler consistently while staying connected26:10 – Single mom navigating distance from family and absent father31:06 – “Biblical” approach to blending a newly blended family49:34 – Keeping a peaceful home with hormonal preteens and little ones54:57 – Rhythms to recharge marriage with a 6-month-old at home