Genuine Life Lessons From Miles’ Podcasts (God Friended Me) — Part 1 of 4
By now, all of you who follow the show God Friended Me know that it came to a sad and abrupt end on 26th April, 2020. CBS decided that it will not be renewing the show for another season because of less increase in viewership in the second season. Many of the “die hard” fans of the show were clearly disheartened. Even though I would love to see the show back on some other network, I know it’s almost a fallacy. Nonetheless, these have been 2 very beautiful years of my life. The show changed my life for good and I wanted to support a hand in spreading the message of the show as far as I can.
This is the first of the four part series, wherein I will be sharing the content of all that Miles said at the end of each episode, which pretty much summed up the message of the episode. I was not able to find any such ending in S1E6, and due to some reason, I currently don’t have access to S1E4. I will try to compensate for these in my upcoming posts. Till then, the list is yours…
S1E1: Pilot
People say God has a plan for all of us and we are all part of a grand design. Well, I never believed that to be true. But then, he friended me, and it kinda turned my life upside down. Not that I think it’s God, but in these crazy times we live in, we owe it to ourselves to ask the tough questions and to open our minds to a new way of seeing the world. A place where we can find our voice again, where old wounds can heal and new relationships can begin. We finally understand our purpose, and find love in the most unexpected place. It’s not gonna be easy, change never is. We just need to have the courage to take the first step.
S1E2 : The Good Samaritan
Humans are social creatures. Communication is the foundation of our culture. It’s supposed to be how we all connect, but in an age where everyone’s talking, we have forgotten how to have a conversation. Maybe it’s about finding a new language, or putting aside our differences and really listening. Because when we do, you’d be amazed at what you might hear. I am ready to have a real conversation, are you?
S1E3 : Heavenly Taco Truck
Arthur: After Ali (Miles’ sister) came out (being a lesbian), people who were with me from the beginning, people who were friends, people whose children I had baptized, whose parents I had laid to rest decided they could no longer attend my church. They could no longer worship under the leadership of a man who had the audacity to accept his daughter for who she is and love her for it. It happened over several months, so Ali never noticed it. But in the end, I lost almost a quarter of my congregation, just like that, gone. I gotta tell ya, it scared the living hell out of me. I mean I have dedicated my life building that church.
Miles: So what did you do?
Arthur: Nothing. One of my great regrets is that I was unable to reach them, to change their minds. But then, new people started to show up. People who wanted to hear from a reverend and a father, who had to believe that faith is something that unites us, rather than divides us. And people that left, I don’t know, maybe they did me a favour, made way for the people I was supposed to reach, who were ready for a new message.
S1E5 : Unfriended
Arthur : The simple choice of not walking away is a powerful thing. The people feel it, the honesty of it. People are not looking for miracles, they are looking for hope, and you get it only from the people who have struggled, and made the choice to keep going.
Miles : I started this podcast with a simple goal, to help people. Somewhere along the way I think I got a little lost about what I had hoped to accomplish. But, here’s the thing. There are moments in life where your beliefs are challenged, where you find your true calling. And sure, it may not be exactly what you set out to do, but it’s the way you respond that matters. What I’ve realized is helping people isn’t a burden, it’s an opportunity.
S1E7 : The Prodigal Son
Life has a way of turning things upside down, when you least expect it. It tests our resolve, makes us question everything we take for granted. But sometimes, that’s the thing. It’s the only way to move forward, to usher in a new adventure. And yeah, it can come at a cost, but that cost is a reminder of what’s truly valuable, what’s worth fighting for. And sometimes, it shows what was there all along, that we just couldn’t see.
Arthur : We are all tested, but it is in our response that we discover who we truly are, and who is willing to stand by us in our darkest hour.
S1E8 : Matthew 621
Miles is trying to convince a guy to go back to his girlfriend and reconcile with her and the baby she is having with him. The guy had pretty bad father issues, so he was reluctant because he feared that he might turn out like his father.
Alfie : The only thing I know about fatherhood is how not to do it.
Miles : Actually, that sounds like a good place to start.
The guy’s father never expressed his love for his son, so after a few years, he (the father) wrote a picture book about the time they had spent during Alfie’s childhood.
Miles : I am pretty sure that they have a few books on the subject, but I’d start with this one. (handing Alfie his father’s book)
You have a choice Alfie. You can come with me right now and figure out a way to be in your child’s life, or you can wait for 30 years to write a book about how you wish you had.
Sometimes, it’s hard not to see our lives as a story. We assume that the past chapters in our lives, our history, have led us to where we are now. We feel beholden to it, tied to this story that got us here. But what happens when that story starts to change? Sometimes the stories we thought were over were anything but, and we realize that happy endings are rarely easy, simple, or expected as we thought. But that doesn’t mean they weren’t worth it. But in the end, whether a new story is taking shape, or an old one is being replayed in a new light, we never know where really this story might go.
S1E9 : King’s Gambit
We live our lives thinking we need to leave something behind before we die. But a person’s legacy can be in so many different things. It’s the sheer experiences we all go through that bind us together, paving the way for new relationships, while also reminding us it’s never too late to mend the past, and hope for the future. And if we’re lucky enough, we get to see the lessons of our life passed down to those we love most. That’s the thing about legacy. It’s never too late to change it , or make it better. You just have to know where to start.
S1E10 : Coney Island Cyclone
Most people say you can’t go back in time. That there is no way to correct the mistakes of our past. The past is a funny thing. The only power it has over us is what we choose to give it. When we let go of it, we let go of the expectations that come with it, the need to correct it. The past will always be a part of who we are. It’s how we feel about it moving forward that matters. Sometimes it’s as simple as replacing one memory with another. Or finding some small way to carry it with us, and while I know we can’t go back in time to correct the past, sometimes you can get pretty close.
See below for other posts in this series! If you liked this one, you will definitely love the next ones too! 😇
