Nestled In Truth

Ep. 52: Final Thoughts Can you believe it? A year in and it's time to say goodbye! If there's one thing I want you to take away from this year on the podcast, it's the importance of immersing ourselves, daily, in God's Word. Thank you so much for listening and supporting this brief adventure in the world of podcasting! God bless you! 0:00 - Introduction 1:00 - Greetings and (at the same time) farewell! --> Isaiah 40:8 2:30 - We live in an age of deception. We need to stand firm on the truth of God's Word! 5:40 - Scripture reading (Psalm 19:7-11) 6:32 - Prayer

Ep. 51: The Truth About Suffering Suffering is one of those really tough topics. Our minds are often flooded with so many questions surrounding it: Where does it come from? Why does God allow it? But even suffering, in the hands of a good God, can be used for good in our lives. 0:00 - Introduction 1:18 - Suffering is often an obstacle to our faith and trust in God 3:43 - Where suffering comes from 8:09 - Why does suffering happen? 21:04 - Memory Verse (Psalm 34:19) 21:37 - Practical application 22:21 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next Thursday for our final episode!

Ep. 50: My Thoughts Matter Our thought lives are the battleground in our war against sin. All our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors begin there. So, it's important that we guard our thoughts. 0:00 - Introduction 1:38 - Our thoughts matter more than we think 4:06 - Divine weapons 9:43 - Memory Verse (Romans 13:14) 9:55 - Practical application 10:40 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next Thursday for a talk about suffering.

Ep. 49: Commitment Over Comfort It's all too easy to allow our desire for comfort to infiltrate our spiritual lives. But Jesus is looking for those who will choose commitment over comfort. 0:00 - Introduction 1:28 - Humans are naturally creatures of comfort 6:23 - Our faith in Christ and our comfort zones are in direct opposition to one another 8:10 - Practical application 11:27 - Memory Verse (Philippians 1:21) 11:47 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next Thursday for a chat about the importance of our thoughts!

Ep. 48: Replace Scarcity with Sufficiency HAPPY THANKSGIVING! So often we view our lives from scarcity mindsets–what we don't have, how we don't measure up–instead of looking at situations through the lens of Christ's sufficiency. It's time to rewrite the narrative! 0:00 - Introduction (some of the things I'm thankful for this year!) 5:02 - The harm of scarcity mindsets 8:12 - Scriptures to combat scarcity mindsets --> 2 Peter 1:3 --> 2 Timothy 3:16-17 --> 2 Corinthians 12:9 --> Matthew 6:32-33 --> James 1:5 --> John 14:27 --> Matthew 11:28-30 --> Philippians 1:6 --> Galatians 6:9 --> Psalm 16:11 --> Matthew 5:4 --> Job 42:2 13:31 - God has everything we need 14:22 - Practical application --> Check out the song "Jireh" by Elevation Worship & Maverick City Music! 15:43 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next Thursday for a talk about choosing commitment over comfort!

Ep. 47: Marked By Gratitude As Christians, we are called to gratitude in all circumstances. Sometimes this is hard to put into practice. But with the proper perspective, and God's help, it is possible! 0:00 - Introduction 1:38 - Christians have more cause than anyone to be grateful 5:01 - Gratitude is a command 6:06 - Gratitude is an opportunity to witness to others 7:46 - Practical application --> check out my blog series, "7 Practices for Cultivating Contentment", at www.sparrows-nest.blog 10:58 - A prayer over you 12:08 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week for learning to replace a scarcity mindset with the sufficiency of Christ!

Ep. 46: The Truth About Worship Did you know worship is not just singing praise to God? It's so much more than that! Worship involves every aspect of our lives. 0:00 - Introduction 1:50 - A limited definition of worship 2:32 - Worship is multi-faceted 13:06 - A fully surrendered heart 14:22 - Memory Verse (Psalm 103:1) 14:38 - Practical application 15:24 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next Thursday for another mark of the Christian life: gratitude!

Ep. 45: I Am a New Creation So many times we affix labels to ourselves (or allow others to) based on our past mistakes, failures, and disappointments. But when we come to Christ, we are a New Creation! 0:00 - Introduction 1:17 - You are not defined by your past 2:01 - In Christ, we are a new creation 4:35 - How to remove old labels and put on our "new self" 10:37 - Memory Verse (2 Corinthians 5:17) 11:00 - Practical application 12:14 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next Thursday for the truth about worship!

Ep. 44: My Worth is in Christ The world has a lot to say about where our worth lies...Expectations are heaped on us and standards are imposed upon us. But it's God who defines our worth. Our human value does not lie in any worldly standard, but in Christ alone. 0:00 - Introduction 1:41 - The world and worth 5:28 - What the Bible says about our worth 12:10 - Memory Verse (Psalm 139:14) 12:30 - Practical application 14:49 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next Thursday for a chat about being a new creation!

Ep. 43: "Small" Offerings Are Significant Do you feel like what you have to offer God is insignificant or unimportant in the grand scheme of things? Friend, there's no such thing as a small offering in God's Kingdom when humility, generosity, and obedience are what motivates you! 0:00 - Introduction 1:40 - The lie of insignificance 3:38 - Don't dismiss "small" offerings 7:25 - The story of the widow (Mark 12:41-44) 10:08 - Memory Verse (Proverbs 3:9) 11:04 - Practical application 12:28 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week for an episode entitled, "My Worth is in Christ" --> if you haven't subscribed to my blog yet, go to www.sparrows-nest.blog, and subscribe to join my community of "Nesties"!

Ep. 42: From Casual to Constant God longs that we would pursue Him wholeheartedly, not half-heartedly. He longs that our hearts would be constant toward Him, not casual. Tune in to find out ways we can be more constant in our pursuit of God. 0:00 - Introduction 1:34 - The ministry of memes! 5:10 - Why constancy matters 7:30 - The result of constancy in our relationship with God 8:39 - Memory Verse (Psalm 63:1) 9:59 - Practical application 15:04 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next Thursday for a chat about the significance of "small" offerings

Ep. 41: What God Begins, He Completes Sometimes we get weary or discouraged when we can't see the evidence that God is moving or working in the ways we want Him to. But we can have confidence that if God starts something, He will most certainly finish it. 0:00 - Introduction 1:48 - Opening prayer 2:08 - A familiar verse (Philippians 1:6) 4:05 - The steadfast character of God 6:33 - What is our role? 12:14 - Memory Verse (Psalm 130:5) 12:31 - Practical application 13:42 - Wrap-Up --> come back next week for a chat about moving from a casual to a constant pursuit of Christ!

Ep. 40: Real, Not Filtered We live in a culture that's all about image. Perceived perfection is King. But one of the most important traits a Christian can have is authenticity. And who we're becoming on the inside is far more important than how we appear on the outside. 0:00 - Introduction 1:28 - Filtered image, filtered life 3:39 - Physical appearance 9:28 - Perceived image 11:24 - Who are we becoming? 13:51 - Memory Verse (1 Samuel 16:7) 14:31 - Practical Application 16:05 - Wrap-Up --> subscribe to my blog, if you haven't already! (www.sparrows-nest.blog) --> come back next Thursday for another episode I've entitled, "What God Begins, He Completes".

Ep. 39: My Words Matter The words we say have either the power to destroy or bring life. How we use our words matters. 0:00 - Introduction 1:11 - Love languages 3:33 - Our words have power 6:59 - Rules of thumb for using our words 12:08 - Memory Verse (Psalm 141:3) **I MISSPOKE IN THE PODCAST, IT'S PSALMS, NOT PROVERBS!** 12:52 - Practical application 14:15 - Wrap-Up --> come back next Thursday for a chat about authenticity that I'm calling, "Real, Not Filtered"

Ep. 38: Marked By Peace In our world today, anxiety and overwhelm are at an all-time high. But the Christian life is a life marked by peace--peace that transcends our earthly circumstances. 0:00 - Introduction 1:50 - Anxiety and overwhelm are rising 4:04 - Jesus is where we find our peace 5:56 - Practical tips for acquiring peace in our day-to-day lives 13:39 - Closing prayer 16:41 - Wrap-Up --> come back next Thursday for a talk about the importance of our words

Ep. 37: I Love Jesus Most We love a lot of things in this life. But what we ought to love most of all is Jesus. Only when we put Him first in our hearts does everything else fall into its proper place. 0:00 - Introduction 1:43 - The draw of idols 4:56 - Jesus is first in the heart of a believer 7:35 - Only Jesus can be our everything 8:56 - Practical application 12:09 - Memory Verse (pick Psalm 63:3 OR Psalm 119:37) 13:13 - Wrap-Up Prayer --> tune in next Thursday as we talk about another mark of the Christian life, peace!

Ep. 36: I'm Part of a Community So many times we try get by as "Lone Ranger" Christians. But we need one another. We need Christian community if we're going to be who God made us to be and do all He made us to do. 0:00 - Introduction 1:36 - The "I don't have to go to church to be a Christian" argument 4:24 - Spiritual maturity requires community 7:40 - We need community when we are weak 8:32 - Even Jesus Iived in community 9:49 - Ways to get connected to a community of believers --> church --> small group/Bible study --> get involved in faith-based organization/ministry --> social media --> online community (blog, podcast, online Bible Study) * you can join my community of "Nesties" at www.sparrows-nest.blog 17:29 - Memory Verse (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10) 18:15 - Practical application 19:00 - Wrap-Up --> come back next Thursday for a heartfelt chat about our deepest love, Jesus!

Ep. 35: Obedience Over Outcome When God calls us to do something, He doesn't always tells us what the outcome will be. He simply calls us to obey. 0:00 - Introduction 1:31 - Are you a risk-taker or pathologically cautious? 4:14 - God calls us to obedience regardless of the outcome 6:09 - Outcomes are out of our hands 7:59 - God's plans never fail. He can be trusted with outcomes 10:32 - How to focus on obedience rather than outcome 14:53 - Memory Verse (Psalm 143:10) 15:20 - Practical application 16:30 - Wrap-Up --> Come back for next week's talk about the importance of community!

Ep. 34: Replace Comparison with Confidence Confidence can be tricky, right? Either we have too much or too little. But what about a godly confidence that makes us secure in who we are in Christ and stops us from playing the deadly comparison game? 0:00 - Introduction 1:16 - Confidence is a tricky beast 3:12 - The dangers of comparison 5:32 - How we can grow in godly confidence 13:56 - Memory Verse (Isaiah 64:8) 14:20 - Practical application 15:50 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week for a talk about focusing on obedience rather than outcome!

Ep. 33: My Story Matters The enemy of your soul wants to convince you that your story doesn't matter. That it's insignificant or irredeemable. But that's only because he knows just how important your story really is. 0:00 - Introduction 1:22 - Your story is important 5:01 - Your story has eternal weight and impact 8:52 - Giving our stories to God 10:31 - "My Story Your Glory" 14:08 - Memory Verse (Psalm 66:16) 14:27 - Practical application 15:18 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we learn to replace comparison with confidence!

Ep 32: I Can Trust God's Timing God's timing rarely makes sense to us. But is there a way we can trust in it and have peace? How can we wait well when we're struggling to understand the wait? 0:00 - Introduction 1:32 - Lessons from Gandalf! 4:19 - God's timing always has purpose 5:44 - Submitting to God's timetable is part of remaining in His will 7:09 - How can we have confidence that God's timing is trustworthy? 15:17 - Tips for waiting well 21:21 - Memory Verse (Psalm 27:13-14) 22:08 - Practical application 23:09 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we talk about how your story matters!

Ep 31: I Belong Ever feel overlooked or unsure of where you fit into God's story? In God's Kingdom we all have a place. We all belong. And as His people we are called to unity with one another. 0:00 - Introduction 3:21 - In God's eyes, you belong 4:43 - We are called to unity in the body of Christ 7:47 - Why unity is important 9:51 - How can we grow in unity? 19:07 - Be a person who strives for unity 20:28 - Memory Verse (1 Peter 3:8) 20:49 - Practical application 21:22 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we chat about trusting in God's timing!

Ep. 30: Replace Self-Indulgence with Service It's far too easy to allow our "picket-fence-life" dreams as Americans to infiltrate even our church culture. But Jesus calls us to a life of service, not self-indulgence. 0:00 - Introduction 1:32 - The problem with a "westernized" view of Christianity 3:22 - Jesus provided us with the ultimate model of servanthood 5:49 - What the Bible says about wealth 11:17 - Self-indulgence doesn't bring the satisfaction it promises 14:02 - Our purpose as believers 19:57 - Memory Verse (Mark 10:45) 20:24 - Practical application --> How can you demonstrate generosity and service this week? --> How can you demonstrate sacrifice rather than self-indulgence? 21:00 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week for some encouragement. If you're someone who feels like you just don't belong, I've got a word for you: you belong!

Ep. 29: The Truth About Baptism There are a lot of thoughts and traditions surrounding the practice of baptism. Today, on the podcast, we're talking about what Scripture says about it and why it matters. 0:00 - Introduction 1:20 - Differing thoughts and traditions with baptism 2:37 - What does Scripture say about baptism? 5:52 - My take on baptism (based on these scriptures and others) 11:57 - Memory Verse (Romans 6:11) 12:17 - Practical application --> Have you been baptized? If not, look into it! --> If yes, do you need to recommit your life to Christ? Or do you simply need to look back on that experience and remember, with joy, the commitment you made to follow Jesus? 14:18 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we talk about living a life of service!

Ep. 28: Disciples, Not Converts We, as believers, are commissioned with going into the world and making disciples, not converts. There's a distinct difference and it's important that we approach ministry with the right mindset. 0:00 - Introduction 1:50 - Conversion is not the goal, discipleship is 5:07 - Discipleship requires that we model Jesus to new believers 6:05 - Essential elements of discipleship 14:05 - Memory Verse (Proverbs 27:17) 14:40 - Practical application --> Form discipleship relationships --> Think over the essential elements of discipleship and ask yourself if you've been viewing discipleship in these ways or if you might need to approach this concept a little differently 15:32 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we discuss the topic of baptism!

Ep. 27: I Have Spiritual Gifts When you come to faith in Jesus Christ, you receive His Holy Spirit. And the Spirit gives you spiritual gifts: gifts that He works in and through you to build up the church. Do you know what yours are? 0:00 - Introduction 1:26 - Natural talents and abilities are different than spiritual gifts 3:13 - What are spiritual gifts? 8:24 - Why we should learn what our spiritual gifts are 9:37 - How do we discover what our spiritual gifts are? --> Spiritual Gifts Assessment --> Spiritual Gifts Handout 14:30 - Your gifts and calling are irrevocable (Romans 11:29) 15:50 - Memory Verse (1 Peter 4:10) 16:06 - Practical application --> Take the spiritual gifts assessment --> Get plugged in where you're gifted 17:43 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we discuss the importance of becoming disciples, not converts!

Ep. 26: The Truth About Prayer This is one big chat about prayer! We're talking about what prayer should look like (as Jesus modeled it), why it's so important, and how we can cultivate a thriving prayer life. 0:00 - Introduction 1:30 - My personal struggles with prayer 4:05 - Jesus set the example for prayer 12:41 - The purpose of prayer 14:22 - Memory Verse (Colossians 4:2) 14:47 - Practical application 21:16 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we talk all about spiritual gifts!

Ep. 25: Marked By Holiness The life of a Christian is meant to reflect the image of our God. And guess what? Our God is holy. So, we are called to live lives that are marked by holiness. 0:00 - Introduction 2:06 - Holiness is a touchy subject 6:13 - The Holy Spirit sanctifies us gradually 7:48 - The Holy Spirit works within us to produce holiness 9:12 - The Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) 12:21 - Patterns of living 14:16 - Tips for pursuing holiness 21:19 - Memory Verse (1 Thessalonians 4:7) 21:36 - Practical application 23:50 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we talk all about prayer!

Ep. 24: I Am Fully Known Do you ever feel like a misfit? Like no one really "gets" you? Well, I've got news for you, friend! God knows you...fully! He knows the good, the bad, and the cringeworthy. And the most amazing part? He loves you in spite of it! 0:00 - Introduction 3:46 - God "gets" you 5:01 - God's unconditional love 7:01 - God knows you intimately 12:49 - God cares about what you care about 14:43 - God has a great plan for your life 15:40 - Intimacy with God is our greatest pursuit 17:07 - Memory Verse (1 Samuel 16:7) 18:29 - Practical application 20:05 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we talk about our lives being marked by holiness!

Episode 23: God Keeps His Word In today's episode, I've got a mind to encourage you with this truth: God always keeps His word! God never goes back on a promise. We can trust that whatever God says, He will do! 0:00 - Introduction 1:29 - Humans have trust issues 2:27 - God's character makes Him trustworthy 3:33 - Biblical examples of God fulfilling His promises 5:16 - We need wisdom and discernment to recognize what's a promise and what isn't 9:32 - Some of the promises of God we can depend on 18:05 - Memory Verse (Numbers 23:19) 18:39 - Practical Application --> The Promises of God (DailyGraceCo resource) 21:53 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we talk about how we are fully known by God!

Episode 22: Marked By Forgiveness Today we're talking about something that's challenging but necessary in the life of a believer and that is forgiveness. If you're struggling to extend forgiveness to someone, I've got a few pointers that just may help you to shift your perspective! 0:00 - Introduction 1:55 - Believers' lives are already marked by forgiveness 7:48 - 3 Tips to help us extend forgiveness 14:00 - Memory Verse (Psalm 130:3-4) 14:41 - Practical Application 16:55 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week for the encouraging word I've got in store for you! God keeps His word!

Episode 21: The Truth About Eternity In this week's episode, we're delving into some serious waters! We're looking at Heaven and Hell, and the most important piece of information we can have regarding this mind-blowing concept of eternity. 0:00 - Introduction 2:49 - Two eternal destinations 6:35 - The most common misconception about Hell 12:11 - The most common misconception about Heaven 20:47 - The ONLY way to Heaven 23:08 - We need to be prepared for our eternity 24:27 - Our eternal destination is OUR choice 25:39 - Memory Verse (1 John 5:11-12) 26:06 - Practical Application 27:37 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week as we talk about a hard but necessary truth: the lives of Christians are to be marked by forgiveness

Episode 20: Marked By Endurance The Christian life calls for endurance. Join me as I use the lessons I've learned on hiking adventures as an analogy for how we can find endurance in our walk with Jesus! 0:00 - Introduction 1:15 - The Christian life requires endurance 5:27 - A hiking analogy 7:49 - 5 Essential Endurance Tips 23:33 - Memory Verse (James 1:12) 23:54 - Practical Application 25:23 - Wrap-Up --> Come on back next week for a BIG episode all about eternity!

Episode 19: The Truth About the Bible In this episode, we dig into the truths that we need to know about the Bible and why it's so important in the life of every believer! 0:00 - Introduction 1:41 - Statistics about Americans and the Bible --> LifeWay 2016 Study --> LifeWay 2019 Study --> LifeWay 2016 Poll 4:47 - Fun facts about the Bible --> The Theology Handbook 8:00 - The main objection people have to the Bible 10:41 - The qualities of Scripture that make it trustworthy 17:45 - We have a personal choice to make about the Bible 19:23 - Memory Verse (Isaiah 40:8) 19:59 - Practical Application --> Bible-in-a-Year reading plan (free printable from my website) --> You-Version Bible Reading Plans --> Seasons In the Word (Bible reading plans resource from DailyGraceCo) 25:53 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week for a hiking adventure that teaches us about endurance!

Episode 18: Replace the Enemy's Voice with God's Voice On this week's episode, we're taking a little time to learn to distinguish between the voice of our Enemy and the voice of God. Let's start taking our thoughts captive and drowning out the destructive voice of our Enemy with the life-giving voice of our God! 0:00 - Introduction 1:51 - Who our Enemy is 4:16 - Our Enemy's goal is our destruction 6:10 - We can choose whose voice we listen to! 9:44 - Distinctions between Satan's voice and God's voice 21:36 - Memory Verse (2 Corinthians 10:5) 22:12 - Practical application 23:49 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week for the truth about the Bible!

Episode 17: Jesus Is Not Only Able, He's Willing This week, we're exploring the concept of belief, in particular when it comes to our prayer lives. When we observe the heart of Jesus, as seen in Scripture, we can see that not only was He able to work in mighty ways, but He was also willing! Come be encouraged today by the heart of our Savior! 0:00 - Introduction 2:49 - We sometimes struggle to believe for the things we pray about. But the Christian life is founded on faith and belief! 5:22 - The heart of Jesus 15:12 - Faith is the foundation on which Jesus can work in our lives 24:13 - Jesus is still God and He still decides how He will answer our prayers 26:00 - Sensing the Holy Spirit's promptings in our prayers 28:37 - Memory Verse (you choose between Job 42:2 and Luke 1:37) 29:42 - Practical application 31:00 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we learn how to replace the voice of the enemy with the voice of God in our lives!

Episode 16: God is Faithful, Even When I'm Not On this week's episode we're talking about another great attribute of God: His faithfulness. We're digging into the Word to discover the truth about God's faithfulness. And the good news? It's not dependent on us! 0:00 - Introduction 1:49 - Faithfulness is who God is 5:10 - God's faithfulness doesn't have limits or expiration dates 6:28 - God's faithfulness is how we learn to trust Him 7:45 - Personal reflection time & Memory Verse --> Select from this list (or choose your own): * 2 Timothy 2:13 * Lamentations 3:22-23 * Hebrews 13:8 * Proverbs 3:5-6 * Psalm 27:13-14 * 1 Corinthians 10:13 * Hebrews 10:23 * 2 Thessalonians 3:3 * Deuteronomy 7:9 * Psalm 89:33-34 * 1 Peter 4:19 * Hebrews 11:1 * Psalm 36:5 * Hebrews 11:6 * Matthew 6:31-33 * Jeremiah 29:11 * Romans 8:28 * 2 Corinthians 5:7 * Malachi 3:6a * Psalm 37:4-6 * Isaiah 26:3-4 * Psalm 9:10 * Philippians 4:6-7 * Jeremiah 17:7-8 * Joshua 1:9 * Isaiah 40:31 * Psalm 46:10 * Proverbs 30:5 * Psalm 23 * Romans 8:25 * Philippians 4:12-13 * Galatians 6:9 * 1 Peter 5:6-7 * Luke 1:37 20:00 - Practical application 21:24 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week as we grapple with the issue of belief in an episode I'm titling "Jesus Is Not Only Able, He's Willing"

Episode 15: God Called Me. God Chose Me. I Am His. On the podcast this week we're unlocking some wonder! We're taking some time to reflect on the intentionality behind our existence and how that can affect how we live our lives from here on out! 0:00 - Introduction 1:16 - Reading of Psalm 139:1-18 (NIV) 2:57 - Our God is personal and intimate 4:18 - The details of our existence point to something greater 6:21 - What the details surrounding you and your existence mean 12:39 - Memory Verse (Ephesians 1:4) 13:01 - Practical application --> free printable 16:25 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we dig into the wonderful truth that God is always faithful, even when we are not.

Episode 14: Replacing "I Am Enough" with "Jesus Is Enough" In this week's episode, we're holding the ever-popular phrase "I am enough" up to the light of Scripture to examine it. We're going to discover, together, that there's a much better mantra for us to adopt: "Jesus is enough"! 0:00 - Introduction 1:43 - One of our culture's favorite phrases 3:40 - What does Scripture say? --> Ephesians 6:12 (ESV) --> Romans 3:23 (ESV) & Romans 6:23 (ESV) --> John 14:6 (ESV) --> Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV) --> Matthew 26:41b (ESV) --> 1 Peter 5:8 (ESV) --> Proverbs 28:26a (ESV) --> Philippians 2:13 (CSB) --> Luke 14:11 (ESV) 9:41 - Jesus is sufficient. How do we know this? 13:16 - The differences between "I am enough" and "Jesus is enough" 14:47 - Important things to remember about "enoughness" 17:10 - Memory Verse (Jeremiah 17:5) 18:03 - Practical application --> free printable ("I am not enough, but Jesus is!") --> free phone wallpaper ("I am not enough, but Jesus is!") 19:34 - Wrap-Up --> Come on back next week for a beautiful reminder: God Called You. God Chose You. You Are His.

Episode 13: Great Faith Must Be Grown On today's episode, we're checking out some of the spiritual giants who came before us and how they were able to have such great faith in God. May their stories encourage and challenge us in our own seasons of stretching and testing! 0:00 - Introduction 1:30 - The desire for great faith 2:44 - How great faith is grown 5:16 - Several biblical examples of God growing faith in His people 21:13 - If we want great faith, we have to allow God to do His thing 22:40 - Tips for keeping & increasing your faith in a season of testing 26:31 - Memory Verse (2 Corinthians 5:7) 27:18 - Practical application --> set up a system for memorializing God's faithfulness (One Thing I Ask 5-Year Prayer Journal) 30:37 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week as we hold up the popular phrase, 'I am enough', to the light of Scripture to examine it! It's a must-hear!

Episode 12: Jesus Prays For Me On today's episode, we're talking about something so amazing and so wonderful that I'm practically bursting at the seams to talk about it! Jesus prays for you! And together we're going to take a look at what kinds of things He prays for. 0:00 - Introduction 1:34 - Did you know Jesus prays for you? 5:06 - Jesus' prayers are powerful and effective! 6:10 - What Jesus prayed for at the end of His life on earth 11:17 - Jesus' prayer gives us insight into what He prays for now 13:05 - The impact of knowing what Jesus prays for 15:51 - Memory Verse (Hebrews 9:24) 16:35 - Practical application 17:23 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week as we talk about great faith and how it's grown in the life of a believer!

Episode 11: Marked By Love On today's episode, we're talking about how our lives are not only marked by the love of God, but how we, as Christians, are called to live lives that are marked by that same love toward God and others! 0:00 - Introduction 1:28 - The definition of love 5:50 - How God's love is expressed toward us 8:22 - The love we're called to as Christians 19:23 - Memory Verse (1 Corinthians 16:14) 20:10 - Practical application 22:01 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week for a super exciting and uplifting episode, entitled, 'Jesus Prays For Me'!

Episode 10: God's Holy Spirit Dwells In Me On today's episode, we're talking about who the Holy Spirit is, what He does in our lives, and why we should seek more and more of Him! 0:00 - Introduction 1:55 - The Trinity 2:59 - Satan's attack on the Holy Spirit 6:20 - Who is the Holy Spirit? 9:51 - What does the Holy Spirit do? 22:60 - We need the Spirit 24:42 - Memory Verse (either Romans 8:11 or John 7:38 - or both if you want!) 25:48 - Practical application 27:18 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week as we discuss what it looks like to be marked by love!

Episode 9: Replace Consumerism with Christlikeness On this week's episode, we address a big problem in the church: a consumeristic mindset. American culture has infiltrated the sacred walls of our churches, convincing us that church, faith, and God are all about our preferences, our entertainment, and our appetites. But church is NOT a consumer experience. Listen to find out what church IS about! 0:00 - Introduction 2:56 - The disease of consumerism in the church 4:20 - Church has 3 distinct purposes 9:32 - Christ-mindedness is what we're called to 11:57 - How to live Christ-minded at church 18:39 - Memory Verse (Ephesians 4:15-16) 19:58 - Practical application 24:36 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week as we talk about the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives!

Episode 8: In My Weakness God Is Strong On today's episode, we're talking about weakness. Though none of us naturally look on weakness with a friendly eye, it's actually in our weaknesses that God's strength is able to shine through! Come hear how! **EDIT: I realized, after I'd already recorded the episode that I misspoke! So, I wanted to set the record straight. During the practical application portion of the episode, I talk about Moses and his two friends, Aaron and Hur. I mention a battle between the Israelites and the Midianites. It's actually the AMALEKITES that the Israelites battled in this instance! My bad! Just wanted to make that correction for anyone who's paying attention to the details!** 0:00 - Introduction 1:34 - God's perspective on weakness vs. ours 4:04 - My own weakness 9:36 - Our weakness has a purpose 13:04 - How to operate in our weakness/God's strength ** 18:20 - Please excuse my dog! Tessie felt the need to make her voice heard, yet again! 😬🐶** 21:56 - 4 ways to access God's strength in the midst of our weakness 24:45 - Memory Verse (1 Chronicles 16:11) 25:30 - Practical application 28:05 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week for a topic that's weighing heavily on my heart and that I'm super excited to talk about--Replacing Consumerism with Christlikeness!

Episode 7: Marked By Grace On this week's episode, we're talking about something foundational to the Christian life: grace. Join me as I share what it looks like to be marked by God's grace and the responsibility we have as believers to extend that same grace to others. **Apologies for the sound quality...no joke, whatever time I choose to record is when the big trucks all get the idea to drive by my house!** 0:00 - Introduction 1:11 - Definition of grace 2:51 - The meaning of my name 5:48 - Grace is all-encompassing 6:33 - 3 Forms of God's grace 12:18 - Reading of Jesus' parable found in Matthew 18:21-35, CSB 18:15 - Memory Verse (Ephesians 2:4-5) 18:53 - Practical application 19:46 - Wrap-Up --> Come back next week for an episode entitled, "In My Weakness God Is Strong"! It's an encouraging word for the one who feels weak, insecure, and inadequate!

Episode 6: The Truth About God's Love On the podcast this week, we're talking about four important truths about God's love. So many of us have warped views about God's love and it influences our relationship with Him. But I'm here to set the record straight! 0:00 - Introduction 1:29 - How I discovered my own warped view of God's love 8:11 - 4 Important Truths about God's Love 15:58 - God's love is unconditional--He is the definition of love! 18:30 - Viewing our lives through the lens of God's love 19:38 - Memory Verse (Psalm 136:26) 20:24 - Practical application --> God's Love printable (free, downloadable) 24:34 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week when we talk about what it is to be marked by grace!

Episode 5: Fear Is Not My Name! In this week's episode, we're talking about something we all have in common: fear. But what does God's Word say about fear? How do we know we're submitting to our fears rather than to God? And what can we do to overcome our fears rather than be held hostage by them? 0:00 - Introduction 1:54 - Everywhere we look, there's fear! 3:19 - Fear is a big deal 5:33 - What fear does to us 8:32 - How do we know if we're submitting to our fears instead of God? **9:36** (my dog, Tess, making her voice heard! 🙄😆🐶) 17:34 - 3 Steps To Overcoming Our Fears 22:52 - Memory Verse (Joshua 1:9) 23:56 - Practical Application & Wrap-Up --> Join me next week as we talk about the truth of God's love!

Episode 4: God Is Always Present and At Work In this week's episode, I share a truth that we often say at my church...God is always present and at work. Join me as I give you three ways you can cling to God, even in those moments or seasons of life when He feels absent or silent. 0:00 - Introduction 1:42 - We're called to live by faith 4:29 - God is always present and at work 5:24 - 3 things we can cling to when God feels absent or silent 14:05 - The result of clinging to these truths 15:46 - A prayer for faith 18:17 - Memory verse (Hebrews 4:16) 19:30 - Practical application --> God's Attributes freebie --> The Promises of God book from DailyGraceCo 21:39 - Wrap-Up --> Join me next week when we boldly make the claim, "Fear is not my name!"

Episode 3: Choosing Sabbath Rest Over "Self-Care" In this episode, we compare and contrast the cultural concept of "self-care" with the biblical principle of Sabbath rest. We discover the ways in which God's design of Sabbath rest offers a lasting refreshment that "self-care" cannot achieve. 0:00 - Introduction 1:28 - The product of an overly busy society 2:09 - What is "self-care"? 3:39 - Is "self-care" biblical? 7:17 - The biblical concept of Sabbath rest 8:16 - What is Sabbath rest and where does it come from? --> Some verse references I used: * Genesis 2:3 * Ezekiel 20:20 * Exodus 31:13 & Ezekiel 20:12 * Deuteronomy 5:15 * Hebrews 4:9-11 * Leviticus 19:30 * Matthew 11:28-30 * Isaiah 56:6-7 * Ezekiel 20:24 * Acts 13:44 * Isaiah 58:13-14 * Isaiah 66:23 16:36 - The main ways Sabbath rest is more effective than "self-care" 30:19 - Memory verse (Matthew 11:28-29) 32:05 - Reading of Psalm 23 33:45 - Practical application 35:10 - Wrap-Up --> Tune in next Thursday for an encouraging word: God is always present and at work!