Join us at The Bright Side for your daily dose of positive news and inspiration.
What if God is less interested in giving us the one perfect answer and more interested in forming us into people who can choose wisely?
In this episode, Elliot Sands talks with Alan Noble, author of To Live Well: Practical Wisdom for Moving Through Chaotic Times, about decision-making, virtue, contentment, justice, faith, doubt, and what it means to live faithfully in a chaotic world.
Alan helps reframe big life decisions—not as paralyzing “one right answer” moments, but as opportunities to practice prudence, pursue what is good, and walk resolutely with God. The conversation also explores why social media fuels inadequacy, how contentment frees us from regret, why justice requires grace, and how Christians can live with faith even when every question is not fully resolved.
Dr. O. Alan Noble is Associate Professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, a fellow at the Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, and the author of On Getting Out of Bed, You Are Not Your Own, Disruptive Witness, and To Live Well. He holds a PhD from Baylor University and writes on faith, culture, literature, technology, mental health, and Christian cultural engagement. His work has appeared in The Atlantic, First Things, Christianity Today, The Gospel Coalition, and other outlets.
Elliot Sands is the host of the Live Faith First podcast—a dynamic space where faith meets real-world challenges. With a rich background as a pastor, school principal, health-tech co-founder, and now Executive Director of Faith First, Elliot brings deep wisdom and practical insight to every conversation. As a husband, father, and grandfather, he weaves personal experience with thoughtful discussion, tackling tough topics with clarity and compassion. Live Faith First is all about bridging divides—whether in society or the church—encouraging listeners to step beyond echo chambers and build real, meaningful relationships across the aisle, the street, or the table.
Connect with Alan Noble
Book: To Live Well: Practical Wisdom for Moving Through Chaotic Times
Why We’re Exhausted: Ken Wytsma on Sleep, Stress, and Human Flourishing
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” Our culture wears exhaustion like a badge of honor. But what if our constant striving,05/27/26
Variety Is Great… Until People Disagree With You
We say “variety is the spice of life”… until someone disagrees with us. In this thoughtful and deeply practical episode05/13/26
What If God Wired You for More? Finding Your Calling
Have you ever wondered what God actually wants you to do with your life? Many of us wish we could04/29/26
Addicted, Homeless, Arrested… Redeemed
What does it look like to fall all the way down—and come all the way back? In this powerful and04/15/26
History Rhymes: Faith, Ideology, and Courage
World War II may feel distant, but the moral questions it raised feel remarkably current. In this powerful conversation, Elliot04/01/26
Bombs Over Iran: Fear, Faith, and Hope at 35,000 Feet
What happens when global conflict suddenly becomes personal? In this gripping episode of the Live Faith First Podcast, Elliot Sands03/18/26
Recovering the Sacred: Isaac Serrano on Meaning, Materialism, and the Practices That Ground Us
What if the way forward was actually to look back? In this thought-provoking episode of the Live Faith First podcast,02/04/26
I’m the Worst (And Why That’s Good News)
What if your worst moments, broken places, and deep insecurities weren’t the end of the story—but the beginning of healing?01/21/26
The Gift of Being Carried: Kevan Chandler on Need and Community
“In inviting people into your need, God’s going to do something regardless. By being intentional, we get to participate in09/03/25
Radical Relaxation: Tracie Braylock on Healing Stress and Finding Peace
“Radical in healthcare is usually when people have something there that shouldn’t be, whether it’s a cancer, whether it’s a08/18/25
FOLLOW US!
STAY CONNECTED
Sign up for our weekly email.