Season 5 Episode 2: Chosen Series, "Chosen to be Near to God" with April Osteen Simons

Heyyy Encouragers! Welcome to the Be Encouraged! Podcast! I’m your host, Jackie Brindle, and I’m so glad you’re here. We’re in Season 5, and today is Episode 2 of our Chosen Series: “Chosen to Be Near to God.” Have you ever felt like God is distant or wondered what it really means to have a relationship with Him? Maybe you simply need a jumpstart to remember this truth: you were intentionally created, deeply loved, and chosen by God. Ephesians 1:4 says: “For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.” God didn’t just choose you to accomplish something for Him—He chose you to be near to Him. And through Jesus, He made a way for us to draw close. Today, April Osteen Simons is here to encourage us to wake up with a new perspective and believe that we are intentionally designed, deeply loved, and chosen by God. April is a mother, grandmother, motivational speaker, and author of Jump Start Your Day: Brighten Your Mornings for a Bolder, Better Life. She also shares encouragement through her House of Hope YouTube series, the Better Life Podcast, and as a guest on Daystar’s Joni Table Talk. So, how might knowing you are chosen to be near to God change the way you start your day? If this conversation encourages you, share it with a friend who may need a fresh wind of faith-filled encouragement today—and tag me on Instagram @be_encouraged_podcast so we can encourage even more people together. And if you’re new here, subscribe to the Be Encouraged! Podcast so you never miss an episode. Let’s jump in! Jackie RESOURCES Learn more about April Osteen Simons: https://www.aprilsimons.com/ • House of Hope YouTube Channel • Order her book, Jump Start Your Day: Brighten Your Mornings for a Bolder, Better Life • Listen to the Better Life Podcast • Follow April on Instagram BIBLE VERSES MENTIONED • Ephesians 1:4 • Ephesians 6:10–24 • Colossians 1:3