Chocolate Cake Bytes

Episodes

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  What Are You Really Fighting For? 30.10.2026 6m

  This week, I take a fresh look at goals through Alma 43. What makes a goal powerful enough to keep pursuing when the work gets difficult? The answer may have less to do with obligation and more to do with finding a cause that reaches deeper, something meaningful enough to move us from the inside 00:51. I explore the process of asking “why” again and again until we uncover the real reason behind a goal. For me, pursuing daily exercise became more meaningful when I connected it to being active ...
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  Letting Faith Guide Your Choices Without Surrendering Your Agency 23.10.2026 8m

  This week, I’m thinking about a phrase we’ve all heard: “Jesus, take the wheel.” Does it mean giving up my agency and letting God make every decision for me? Or could it mean something deeper about how I choose, pray, and follow Jesus Christ? I believe agency is one of the most valuable gifts we’ve received from our Father in Heaven, so I don’t think I’m meant to delegate my life to God. Instead, prayer can help me bring my will into alignment with His. As I talk through decisions, consider c...
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  Beyond the Size of Faith 16.10.2026 7m

  This week, I’m thinking about faith, hope, and charity, and how each one strengthens the others. When Jesus spoke about faith as a grain of mustard seed, was He pointing to its small size, or to something more persistent? I’m asking whether the faith we need is less about how much we have and more about whether we keep going. I revisit a frightening moment surrounding my youngest son’s birth, when I received an unexpected rush of confidence and hope before I even knew what had happened. What ...
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  A Personal Connection to General Conference 09.10.2026 6m

  This week, I’m sharing two unexpected takeaways from the recent General Conference. As someone who does sign language interpreting, I found myself paying close attention not only to the messages, but also to the choices interpreters made in expressing ideas about God’s love. What can a different sign teach us about how we understand our relationship with Heavenly Father? I’m also reflecting on the power of seeing a familiar person speak in a very public setting. When Paul Sinclair, someone I ...
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  The Tuition for Getting Good Is Being Bad First 02.10.2026 6m

  This week, I share an unexpected lesson from a 45-minute watercolor class on our cruise. I hadn’t picked up watercolors since elementary school, and as the colors refused to blend perfectly, I was tempted to decide the whole thing was “stupid” and “horrible.” But I kept following the steps, made adjustments, and ended up with something I was willing to show people. That experience reminded me that “the tuition to get good at something is to be willing to be bad at something.” I’ll also explor...
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  What If the Disappointment Is Exactly Perfect? 25.09.2026 9m

  This week, I take you to Glacier Bay, where a change in plans, a different glacier, and overcast skies left me feeling disappointed. But as I looked at Margerie Glacier through a new lens, I started to wonder: what if the experience I didn’t plan for was perfect exactly as it was? That question brought me back to a stressful mistake from my TEDx application process, when I accidentally deleted my YouTube channel and hundreds of videos. At first, I thought I had ruined my life. But the new cha...
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  Faith Over Fear: Taking the Next Step Without Knowing the Outcome 18.09.2026 6m

  This week, I’m thinking about faith, fear, and what it means to give things to God. A client recently quit her job without another one lined up, leaving behind a situation where she felt stuck and poorly treated. She didn’t know exactly what would come next, but she knew she needed to move toward something different. Is taking action without a complete plan foolish, or can it be an expression of faith? I explore the difference between believing in something we hope will happen and believing i...
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  Finding Purpose in the Uncomfortable Parts of Life 11.09.2026 6m

  This week, I take you along for a 27-hour drive in a moving truck from Idaho to Indiana. Sitting for hours, stopping to stretch, and feeling the trip wear me down gave me plenty of time to think about what we’re really working toward. What do we want, and how does that answer change the way we handle difficult moments? 00:42 The heart of this episode is perspective. When I focused on the immediate discomfort, the drive felt exhausting. When I remembered the ultimate goal, helping my daughter ...
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  The Limits We Assume - Ep. 263 04.09.2026 7m

  This week, I explore the limits we accept without ever testing them. A dentist’s recurring problem, a numbed mouth, and a surprising product that may reverse Novocaine’s effects reveal how often we simply put up with frustrations because we don’t know an alternative exists. I’ll take you from a moving truck on the highways of Wyoming to Harry Houdini’s supposedly locked jail cell, which turned out to be unlocked all along. What if some of the barriers holding you back are assumptions rather t...
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  Discovering Faith in Unexpected Places: Turning Mental and Emotional Struggles Over to Christ 28.08.2026 46m

  This week, I'm thrilled to have Brett back on the podcast for a conversation that hit home in all the best ways. After a recent sacrament talk, Brett shares how a familiar scripture teaching—"ask and ye shall receive"—shifted for him when he applied it beyond his usual worries about jobs and finances, and instead looked inward at his ongoing struggles with anxiety and mental health. What happens when you actually hand over every struggle—including the ones that feel permanent—to Christ, and d...
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  Faith in the Face of Depression: A Journey of Recovery and Growth - Ep. 261 21.08.2026 45m

  This week, I’m joined by Kaden, back on the podcast with a candid look at what happens when our faith hits a standstill. Have you ever felt stuck—like you’re going through the motions but not moving forward spiritually? We get real about what stagnant faith looks like, the hard places it can take us, and more importantly, how to find a fresh direction no matter where you’re starting from. Together, we talk through Kaden’s journey through college, dealing with depression, and what it means to ...
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  Faith in Action: Standing Up When It’s Uncertain - Ep. 260 14.08.2026 7m

  As this week wraps up, I’m reflecting on the close of another Pathways Institute term and some remarkable experiences I’ve shared with my West African students. What does it mean to truly exercise faith? I dive into the story of the man with palsy from Mark 2, exploring what it might have felt like to be asked by Jesus to rise, pick up his bed, and walk. Would you leap up boldly—or would you be tentative, testing your strength with each small movement? This episode is all about those pivotal ...
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  Navigating Life’s Marathons: Lessons from Blind Runners and Christ as Our Guide - Ep. 259 07.08.2026 10m

  This week, I’m back in my own space after a whirlwind of travel, and I’m reflecting on what it means to find stability when everything seems to change at lightning speed. From airport delays to marathon mountain climbs, this episode dives deep into the unexpected twists that life throws our way, and how a steady, guiding presence can make all the difference. At the center of our conversation is Elder Holmes’ talk, “Jesus Christ Is the Way.” I share a personal story about my friend CJ, who is ...
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  Stop Surrendering Your Authority: The Importance of Decision-Making Ep. 258 31.07.2026 7m

  This week, we're talking about the power and discomfort of making decisions—big or small. Ever noticed how being out of your element or off your routine can throw off your sense of control? That happened to me this week while traveling, and it made me think deeply about how we handle choices when life feels unsettled. The heart of this episode is a raw look at the idea that our greatest power lies in choosing for ourselves. Too often, we avoid decisions, hoping life will sort itself out, or w...
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  Taking Authority: How Identity Shapes the Direction of Your Career and Life - Ep. 257 24.07.2026 6m

  Today we dive into the concept of identity and its powerful impact on our personal and professional lives. How we see ourselves shapes not only the choices we make but also the authority we exercise over our lives. The goal in this life: becoming the kind of person who acts, rather than being acted upon—transforming habits, mindsets, and circumstances through intentional identity shifts. Please share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can email me at ken@chocolatecakeby...
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  There’s No One Right Path to Success and Happiness - Ep. 256 17.07.2026 6m

  This week, I'm coming to you in the middle of July—can you believe summer is already halfway over? I've been heads-down, racing to finish writing a new book (spoiler: I'm cranking it out fast and hoping to get it on Amazon before the end of the month). Along the way, an interesting theme keeps popping up in my conversations: fear, especially the fear of doing things the "wrong" way. Is it possible that our Church culture turns life into a series of right-and-wrong choices and leaves us stuck,...
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  Ministering Beyond Assignments: Embracing Your Unique Gifts - Ep. 255 10.07.2026 12m

  This week, I'm diving deep into the topic of ministering—what does it really mean, and how can we live it more authentically? With a few thunderstorms shaking up our July Fourth plans here in the Midwest, I've had some extra moments to reflect on what it means to be present in others' lives, not just through assignments, but through genuine, heartfelt connection. We'll talk about the power of noticing others, embracing your divine gifts, and making an impact not because you're assigned, but b...
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  Lost Internet, Lost Time: Learning Not to Sweat the Small Stuff Ep. 254 03.07.2026 13m

  This week, I’m inviting you into a real-life saga of modern inconvenience—my Xfinity internet meltdown. Maybe you’re enjoying a long July 4th weekend (and hopefully better weather than the current heat wave), but have you ever found your work-from-home routine completely upended by a construction crew and a vanishing internet connection? That’s exactly what happened here, all thanks to some ambitious neighborhood development and a missing junction box. But this isn’t just a rant about tech su...
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  When the Lights Go Out: Finding Strength in Adversity 26.06.2026 9m

  This week, I’m sharing a real-life tale of unexpected challenges and creative solutions—a sudden power outage in the middle of a busy afternoon. Ever had one of those days where nothing goes as planned? Between a Zoom call with a prospect, prepping cakes to send out, and getting ready for a hot wings (well, chicken legs) challenge at our Elders Quorum activity, I quickly learned just how dependent I am on electricity for, well, pretty much everything! But here’s where the story gets interesti...
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  Acting on Promptings and Becoming the Person 19.06.2026 13m

  This week, I’m taking a bite out of the topic of ministering—what it means, how it’s shifted over the years, and why many of us still struggle with it. Ever find yourself asking if you’re “doing enough,” or wondering what the checklist is supposed to look like now that home teaching has evolved into something so much less defined? I was recently at our ward conference and found myself in a discussion that inspired me to bring this conversation to the podcast. If you missed my comment there, y...