Gospel Spice

Will we dare to diagnose our distractions? This heavy topic is on our mind today as we ponder the lessons from the Book of Proverbs about priorities, and distractions. Stephanie introduces us this week to a new fictitious character, who constantly seeks to maintain herself in a state of numbing and escape from the real world. And so, we look at the ever-increasing numbing that comes from seeking pleasure or relief in the wrong places, so predominant in our culture today. We talk about misplaced loves: we are wired for joy and pleasure and delight, but we need to beware of seeking these in the wrong places, even the “innocent” ones. God is the only safe place for us—in everything, including our delight and joy and pleasure. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom The author of the Book of Proverbs suffered from an acute case of escapism. King Solomon was addicted to women, and to wine (see Proverbs 31:1-9). He learned the lesson, but too late-- from 1Kings 11 to the entire book of Ecclesiastes, Scripture attests to the failure of the world's wisest man to choose delight in God at the twilight of his royal life. Solomon stopped delighting in God's glory and started delighting in his own. Does this mean that our own desire to delight in God, and to escape escapism, is a doomed quest? Not so! Because we have access to the wisdom that is from above the sun--the very wisdom of God through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, in the name of Christ. We have what Solomon never had.  Disclaimer – pleasure itself is not a bad thing. We are wired for pleasure and joy and delight. But beware where you seek it! Jesus loved pleasure and joy and delight, and role-models how to place these desires rightly: squarely in the lap of our heavenly Father, on our knees. The questions we are challenged to answer this week: Would we rather garner praise from humans for our own works, or praise from God for our dependence on Him? Would we rather build our own little kingdom, bound in time and space under our own wisdom, and be its ruler for a season -- or be part of the larger, infinite, eternal Kingdom of God with the place of honor of a child? Jesus opened the way of wisdom on the cross by surrendering to the Father, and invites us into the same. His passion was the climax of a life of resisting the temptation to delight in Self-glory. For example, the wilderness temptations were all attempts at distractions from His mission. And, so was Gethsemane: it was the final battle for resolve, the culmination of a lifetime of battles against sin and temptation. Jesus did what we could not do: a life of perfect surrender to God (which is perfect freedom) so that He could give us that freedom through the Cross. Freedom from sin; Freedom from Self; Freedom to surrender to the Son. Why would we want to be our own master, when Christ offers to be the master we could never be for ourselves?  What the world needs most right now is our personal intimacy with God. Only then will we be truly equipped to reach the world in His Name. So, Stephanie ends this highly personal episode with several of her own personal tips and experiences of trusting God. They include: - Early morning routine; - Prayer; - Bible study, intake, memorization (raking for leaves and digging for diamonds both); - Discipline; - Worship. Are we PERFECT? NO. But the general direction is a growth in our moment-by-moment dependence on God by His Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord. That's the spirit of the Book of Proverbs. Don't give up. Trust God, not yourself.  Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/proverbs MEET OUR FICTIONAL GUEST TODAY | LIZ Lizzie loves a good shopping spree. She finds peace in the endless rhythm of browsing the racks, and trying things on, and spending hours in search of the one perfect item she is looking for. She usually does not know what she needs until she finds it, but then, she knows. She jokes that Target has a memory erasing device at the entrance of their stores—she comes in for milk, and leaves with 3 trendy pillows, a pretty dress, and a new kitchen gadget. And then she has to send her husband to the store after work because she forgot the milk. Oh, her husband. He's a good man. Lizzie loves to spend hours on social media. She's been known to let dinner to burn, or forget to get it started, because she was down a rabbit hole on Twitter. Good thing she can order takeout at the click of a button. Her husband is very supportive. Her favorite evenings are spent with a glass of wine—or two—watching her favorite shows. Yes, she has been known to binge watch. She just can't resist the pull of a good story. She loves to bury herself in the comforting world of make-believe characters and their fascinating stories, especially easy romance. Her own life is dull and humdrum—nothing like those exciting adventures. Married, kids out of the house, not much to report. Well, on the surface at least. She doesn't really want to think about the long evenings her husband has to work to provide for them. All this stress is exhausting. Lizzie loves the little cocoon she has woven for herself—all those well-deserved, innocent comforts to escape reality. She remembers a time in life when it seemed like she could handle a lot more—more stress, more activities, more relationships. Maybe it's just part of aging. That's why Lizzie loves to take naps: there is nothing like the feel of drifting away from reality to embrace the sweet comfort of sleep. She just decided to quit her job as a part-time administrative clerk; it is just too much pressure. Yes, it is going to put financial stress on her hard-working husband, but her wellbeing is important, right? He keeps telling her that God will give her purpose and passion. That sounds like too much work. She's not interested. She'd rather stay home and get some rest. Distractions build a smoke and mirror kingdom that will take us away from God's calling on our lives. Because we are wired for joy and hope and faith, we need to see the danger of distractions, even “innocent” ones. Accumulated distractions will build for us a small world of delusion and fantasy. Lizzie is seeking refuge in her little make-believe bubble of comforts. This small escape world only exists in her mind. It is the sum of her misplaced loves. The Book of Proverbs teaches us that wisdom is placing our love in God Himself. No less, no more. God invites us to live out the fullness of our identity in Him. Lizzie is too distracted to care about identity, calling and purpose. She has numbed herself into the comfortable oblivion of manifold distractions. So, unlike Lizzie, let's dare to diagnose our distractions. Let's dare to refuse self-deception and self-numbing. Let's seek to cultivate the root of our hope, our faith, our joy in God Himself. Let's be ruthlessly honest and see distractions as they really are in our own heart, even when comfort beckons. Especially when comfort beckons. And let's dare to ask ourselves: what if God was using our uncomfortable circumstances to personally mentor us into deeper intimacy with Him? Would it make difficult seasons worth it? We have a choice. Our circumstances can distract us away from genuine faith, hope and joy, or they can draw us closer to God. We cannot grow closer to God while building our own little kingdom through self-numbing and worldly comforts. Instead, God invites us to join His bold and ambitious work to build His larger, infinite, eternal Kingdom. To accomplish our purpose in this life, we need to be laser-focused on God's calling over us, and shun the worldly distractions. What the world needs most right now is our personal intimacy with God. Only then will we be truly equipped to reach the world in His Name. Take a listen to Gospel Spice Podcast Episode 390 to find out many more ways that our world aims to distract us from God today. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

For marine biologist, writer, and lay theologian Rachel Jordan, the ocean has never just been a backdrop—it's been a living metaphor for her relationship with God. Raised in a Christian household, Rachel's wonder at tide pools and the mysteries of the deep developed alongside her budding faith. She explains how the intrigue of peering into tiny, brimming tide pools mirrored her fascination with glimpses of God's character: “There was something vast and impressive that laid beyond, that I wanted to explore.” Just as the tide pools hinted at whole worlds awaiting discovery, Rachel found that both faith and science propelled her deeper: “Being a Christian has propelled me further into a desire to understand science ... and being a scientist has, I believe, made me a better Christian.” Rachel may study the ocean's wonders, but her path has been anything but fearless. “I've had this recurring nightmare ... of getting eaten by sharks ... I was just terrified of it,” she confesses. And yet, her marine biology career meant close encounters with those notorious creatures were not just possible, but sometimes necessary. What's remarkable is how God met her in those moments of dread—not by removing the fear, but by transforming it. As she recounts, “The beauty is that God took this thing that I was afraid of and converted it to open-mouthed wonder.” Rachel's transparency normalizes fear as a companion to growth, whether learning to dive or facing daunting new callings. Her encouragement? “It's okay to feel [fear]; it might be something that God uses in your story to do something really big and to show you more of who he is.” Lessons of Grief and Hope from the Coral Reefs Perhaps nowhere does Rachel blend her scientific vocation and spiritual conviction more poignantly than in her stewardship of endangered corals. She describes the “magic castles” of Dry Tortugas National Park—towering, endangered pillar corals—where she devoted herself to preservation efforts. Witnessing the corals' decline from disease was, for Rachel and her fellow scientists, “tragic and deeply impactful.” Yet, as a follower of Christ, Rachel finds hope in the heartbreak. Not only does she grieve in community, but she sees loss through the lens of biblical resurrection. She connects the “white skeleton bony structures” of dead corals to Ezekiel's vision of dry bones: if God can bring those bones to life, can't he also restore coral reefs one day? For Rachel, loss becomes an invitation to hope: “All of creation is eventually going to be restored, remade ... I just wonder what he's going to do next.” Divine Lessons from Buddy Dives and Seahorses Diving, for all its wonder, is fraught with risk, which is why marine biologists always practice “buddy diving”—entrusting their lives to a partner in the depths. For Rachel, this is a living parable: “God is our ultimate dive buddy ... he's not only capable of rescuing us in danger, but he promises to never leave or forsake us.” Other creatures—even a seahorse named Mr. Snuggles—have revealed to her the joy of relationship, not just provision. “I want to, like Mr. Snuggles, draw close to him and just sort of curl up with him and hang out together.” Scripture: A Dive Site Brimming with Life What better metaphor for the Bible, Rachel muses, than a vibrant dive site—unchanging in position but always full of surprise, beauty, and life? “When I read God's word ... there's always something new to discover.” It's a place to keep returning with fresh awe and an explorer's heart. The Deep Calls to Deep Whether or not you'll ever strap on a snorkel, Rachel's conversation is an invitation: to see the world as shot through with the beauty and presence of its Maker, to find him not only in safe harbor but also in the open, sometimes scary waters of life, and to trust that every loss and fear can be met—and even redeemed—by the God who made oceans and corals... and calls each of us out into the deep. MEET RACHEL JORDAN Rachel G. Jordan is a professional marine biologist and lay theologian. A self-professed Jesus-loving coral nerd, she was raised in Idaho and has since traveled the globe chasing her passion for faith and science. She has an MS in marine biology and ecology from James Cook University (Australia), a BS in ecology from Seattle Pacific University (USA), and a certification in biblical studies from Bodenseehof Bible School (Germany). In addition to working as a coral biologist for the US National Park Service, Rachel has worked in marine aquaculture research, organic chemistry laboratories, veterinary research facilities, the pet industry, and a museum. When not diving or writing, she can be found reading C.S. Lewis, growing wildflowers, and exploring creation with her husband. More at https://rachelgjordan.com/  MORE ABOUT “IF THE OCEAN HAS A SOUL” The ocean is filled with scientific discoveries―and God's presence. For marine biologist Rachel Jordan, both science and Scripture are means of knowing creation and Creator. In If the Ocean Has a Soul, Rachel considers the natural world through a spiritual lens, meshing marine biology with biblical truths in a keen and current take on faith and science. With engaging storytelling and deep knowledge of the Bible, she asks and answers questions like: How can Christians reconcile religion and science when the two seem opposed? What do suffering and death teach us about the character of Jesus? How do we care for the environment when there seems to be little hope for repair? What do the ocean and its sea creatures, specifically, reveal about God? In these pages, Rachel recounts fascinating aquatic phenomena alongside the sometimes humorous, sometimes tragic stories of animals she has known. You'll lose yourself in the shadows of an underwater labyrinth; hear spiritual wisdom from a great-grandmother coral the size of a Volkswagen Beetle; and fall in love with Porky, the pudgy porcupinefish greeting visitors at the Windjammer shipwreck. And along the way, you'll see how the promise of restoration unfolds in both physical and spiritual ways. Rachel's thoughtful scientific and theological insights encourage us to know the Creator of the sea and everything in it. Preorder Bonus Content – Until June 3, 2025 when the book releases: Preorder and fill out the form below to access exclusive bonus content: Preface & Chapter 1: early digital access Full Audiobook: limited time access (until release date) Resource List: PDF download “Can Faith & Science Coexist?” Guide: PDF download Spotify Playlist: the book's soundtrack Phone Backgrounds: 6 unique styles Watercolor Mini-Paintings: 3 high-quality prints We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Jesus has set the Easter table richly, for us to partake. Come to His table today through our exploration of Easter, which took place on the very day of the Jewish Feast of First Fruits. What does it mean for us today? The story of Easter is a tapestry woven with complex emotions—the somberness of Good Friday followed by the overwhelming joy of Easter Sunday. The sequence takes us through the contemplation of Jesus' crucifixion, echoing the depth of human suffering and sacrifice. As Christians, we are invited to relive these moments, acknowledging the pain while eagerly anticipating the joy of resurrection. Easter, often referred to as the most important day in the Christian calendar, transcends time and history. It bridges the gap between Jewish traditions and the new covenant established by Jesus. You can purchase the Spring Feasts workbook to take notes while you listen, including the gorgeous visuals we created to accompany your experience: https://www.gospelspice.com/offers/ct6coMYd The Feast of First Fruits mark the beginning of the harvest, while Pentecost signifies its culmination. Both events are intrinsically linked through the work of the Holy Spirit. The First Fruits celebration on Easter sets the stage for the Holy Spirit's coming at Pentecost, bridging the gap between the initial offering and the full harvest, pointing to the birth and growth of the Christian church. The Feast of First Fruits, celebrated the Sunday after Passover, used to hold immense significance in Jewish tradition. Rooted in Leviticus 23:10, this feast involves offering the first barley harvest to God, symbolizing gratitude and the anticipation of a plentiful harvest. It's a day Jews can't eat bread or drink wine until sacrifices are made, an act mirrored by Jesus' Last Supper—where he promised a new covenant symbolized through bread and wine. During the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the practice of communion, tying it to the Jewish Passover. He told his disciples that he would not eat or drink again until he was in God's Kingdom, thus establishing the new covenant. The meal shared at Emmaus is another crucial moment. When Jesus broke bread with his disciples, they recognized him, affirming his authority and lordship. The breaking of bread in this context goes beyond a mere meal; it's a reaffirmation of Jesus' identity and the fulfillment of his promises. Interestingly, Jesus reappears to his disciples but does not partake in the meal at Emmaus. Instead, he later eats fish with another group of disciples, a humble act connecting to his earlier ministry and ultimate sacrifice. This post-resurrection meal underlines his humility and serves as another reminder of the first fruits principle—Jesus is the first fruit of resurrection. Paul's letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:20) highlights that Jesus' resurrection on the Feast of First Fruits symbolizes the future resurrection of believers. Jesus is the firstborn of creation and the first to rise from the dead, promising eternal life for all who follow. The concept of First Fruits extends to envisioning a perfect, sinless world—a harmonized existence in the eternal presence of Christ. This heavenly vision, often referenced in biblical texts, portrays a future where every generation enjoys everlasting peace and the profound joy of being in God's presence. In today's context, the call for revival echoes the ancient practice of offering First Fruits. Believers are urged to be the first fruits of revival in our times, sharing the message of hope and resurrection with a world in need. It's a reminder to live with purpose, reflecting the truly life-changing power of Jesus' resurrection in our daily lives. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

In the heart of the Christian and Jewish traditions lie two sacred week-long holy feasts: Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As Scripture and tradition invite us into the intricacies of these feasts, we invite you to connect the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to the rich tapestry of Jewish Torah and tradition. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread stand as inseparable pillars within Jewish celebrations. Passover, the most important Jewish feast, serves as precursor to the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For Christians, the former marks the sacred observance of the Lord's Supper as the Lamb of God, while the latter points to Jesus' sinlessness. You can purchase the Spring Feasts workbook to take notes while you listen, including the gorgeous visuals we created to accompany your experience: https://www.gospelspice.com/offers/ct6coMYd The perfect alignment of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in 2025, an unusual thing, offers interesting connections we invite you to explore. For example, the Jewish tradition of inspecting and setting aside the unblemished lamb for sacrifice intertwines with the events of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The parallel between the Passover lamb and Jesus, the sinless lamb of God unfolds, as Holy Week draws us into the divine plan of salvation.  We also explore how Jesus' cleansing of the temple showcases his authority to safeguard the spiritual dwelling places of believers. Jesus' encounters with religious leaders during Holy Week also reflect his absolute integrity and absence of blemish, mirroring the unblemished Passover lamb. He is proving the true Lamb of God indeed! The interweaving of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is an original way, in 2025, to highlight God's eternal redemptive plan.  Jesus is indeed the sinless lamb who fulfills the ancient prophecies, opening for us the path of salvation. We invite you to join us as we find ourselves steeped in the timeless tapestry of God's divine love, giving glory to Jesus, our only source of salvation. Our hope and prayer is that, through the original connection in 2025 between Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we will together experience the divine truth of Scripture, anchoring our faith in  the sinless lamb, Jesus Christ, for our redemption. Amen! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Passover is a prologue to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This most essential of Jewish feasts seamlessly transitions from prophecies in the Old Testament, to fulfillment in Jesus. We invite you today to see how this prophetic landscape is shaped with divine orchestration by the hand of our deeply loving God! Passover is a significant Jewish feast that not only commemorates the deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, but also points to Jesus' mission and identity. We invite you today to navigate through the rich tapestry of the Passover tradition, examining its prophetic nature for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You can purchase the Spring Feasts workbook to take notes while you listen, including the gorgeous visuals we created to accompany your experience: https://www.gospelspice.com/offers/ct6coMYd The observance of Passover, with its sacrificial lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread, is rooted in Old Testament events. Two lambs are central to this feast: one for each family and one to be sacrificed at the temple. The sacrificial lamb of the feast points to Jesus Christ, who becomes the ultimate sacrificial Lamb for our redemption. The act of painting lamb's blood on doorframes to prevent death eerily prefigures the sacrificial significance of Jesus' blood. Jesus deliberately fulfills the Passover feast of Pesach by instituting the Lord's supper, and by going to the cross on our behalf. From washing his disciples' feet as an act of servanthood, to identifying Judas as the betrayer, Jesus adds new meaning to His last Passover meal - from the way He references the Passover elements, to how He identifies as the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone (Psalm 118). The Passover feast is inextricably linked to the mission of Jesus, from the symbolism of the Passover elements to Jesus' own actions during the Last Supper. For instance, the 3rd cup of the Passover meal, identified as the cup of redemption, embodies the essence of the new covenant, which Jesus describes as the cup of his blood shed for the salvation of humanity. Join us to experience Passover as Jesus did. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Grace Valentine, author and speaker, to explore how to navigate friendships and understand God's timing when life doesn't seem to make sense. This conversation will equip every woman navigate friendships better; it will also be a very insightful tool for every man who has a woman in their life whom they wish to understand just a little better

Will I dare ask myself if greed is an issue in my life? Will I dare ask myself if greed is an issue in my life? What is keeping me away from God today? Could greed be a problem? There's a French saying: some people are so poor, all they have is money. Today we are talking about replacing greed, and all forms of idolatry, with joy. Greed. What does the Bible say about it?  Proverbs 1:19 - Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors. Proverbs 11:28  -Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like a green leaf. Greed doesn't give. Greed robs. Greed robs YOU of joy. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom To start us off, Stephanie challenges us--and herself--with seven questions to self-diagnose if we have unknowingly fallen victim to greed, in one form or another: 1.     Is it MY money or God's? 2.    What would I do differently if I knew I would be dead in a year? 3.     WHY do I want more money? 4.     How do I spend my time? thinking of ways to earn more, or of ways to advance God's Kingdom? 5.     How would I behave if I lost everything? 6.     Am I truly generous? 7.     Do I compromise character to make more money? Then we ponder the link between joy and righteousness and the only true cure against greed. Idolatry is misplaced worship.  Proverbs describes where joy cannot be found. The summary of the entire book of Proverbs can be found in Mark 8:36: "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" That's the definition of unrighteousness. Joy "must be sharply distinguished both from happiness and from pleasure" - CS Lewis Joy is “unsatisfied desire, which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” – CS Lewis again. God promises to give us a joy that surpasses anything this world has to offer. Here's the question: how much of your life to do you spend experiencing this joy, vs looking for joy elsewhere? Psalm 35:27 - Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is the Lord, who delights in the welfare of his servant!” Haydn, the great musician, was once asked why his church music was so cheerful, and he replied: "When I think upon God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap, as it were, from my pen ; and since God has given me a cheerful heart, it will be pardoned me that I serve Him with a cheerful spirit." Joy is the juice of gladness that comes from the fruit of peace, itself springing up from the ground of righteousness – our righteousness in Christ. Matthew Henry defines joy as "a constant delight in God." Who does the work of transforming our hearts to find satisfaction in God? God Himself is the One who transforms our heart to increasingly see Christ as our supreme treasure, even as we seek to find our satisfaction in Him. Cyprian was a third-century North African. As he was anticipating death, he penned these last words to his friend Donatus in 258AD: “It's a bad world, an incredibly bad world. But I have discovered in the midst of it a quiet and holy people who have learned a great secret. They have found a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of our sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They are masters of their souls. They have overcome the world. These people are the Christians—and I am one of them.” This is an episode you do not want to miss. We look forward to serving you through it this week! MEET OUR CHARACTER OF THE WEEK  It had been a good year for John. He had managed to obtain a bonus packet worth a small fortune. It would go towards the purchase of his new beach house. Despite this formidable win, it bothered him that others in his industry made more. After all, he deserved every Benjamin, and then some. Sure, his recent promotion had come by a lot of backstabbing. Good for him. The corporate pie was only big enough to share among the most ruthless sharks, and he wants the biggest slice he could get his teeth on. John was determined to keep his focus on multiplying his assets this year, and fast. Today is all that matters. Faster, stronger, better. Last week, in the middle of a heated discussion about a takeover bid that was going to earn him that next nice bundle, John had a stroke. He is now on his hospital bed, slowly recovering. For the first time since he can remember, he has time to think. He is wondering if big money really is all that it is cracked up to be. He loves life with money, but what would money be without life? Hum. Would you say that John has reaped joy from the money he is accumulating? There's a French saying: “some people are so poor, all they have is money.” John is plagued with a self-imposed case of greed. Greed is idolatry: it is valuing something—anything—more than God. It's the “just-a-bit-more” mentality: “if only I had this, then…” The problem is, it is a moving target that never satisfies. Greed is the agony of “never enough.” It makes us ignore or forget God in our pursuit of “more.” Eventually, it slowly brainwashes us to believe that God, like everything else we've tried, is “never enough.” Greed makes us forget about eternity; it replaces our God-given perspective of Heaven with a world-centered focus on today. The change can be so subtle, though, that it is almost never self-diagnosed. Let's be the exception! Whether the Holy Spirit whispers it to us through our time in prayer, or in the study of His word, or through a true friend, let's identify any seed of idolatry in our heart. Greed, like any form of idolatry, never gives. Greed robs. It robs us of joy. The alternative to greed is joy—joy in God Himself. It is joy in our relationship with Him, not for what He can give us, but for the sheet delight of relationship. As C.S. Lewis puts it, joy in God is “unsatisfied desire, which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction.” This is what I would wish to tell John: God promises to give us a joy that surpasses anything this world has to offer. Scripture challenges us to embrace the universe through the lens of faith. This perspective from Heaven promises us hope and joy. And yet, how often do we look for joy elsewhere? As Christians, we easily acknowledge that God is the almighty, living, ruling Lord of all. He is one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, who dwells in heaven, a place of eternal joy. The psalmist says, "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” (Psalm 16:1, NIV). But do we really experience this? Joy has been God's ambition since Day One—literally. God created the universe for His own pleasure and enjoyed doing it. He created planet earth as our breathtaking dwelling place. He fashioned man and woman in His image to glorify Him, to live and rule in peace and joy. The totality of His creation made Him smile and He called it "very good." Then something went very wrong. Iniquity appeared, and earth became a place of sorrow, a troubled segment of the universe where idolatry and greed now reign in humans' hearts. God knew it would unfold so. The plan was already in place: at the appointed time, His Son Jesus came on a pre-planned mission to free the earth from its curse and return its people to an abundant life of hope, joy, and faith. Nothing could be further from puny greed. "For the joy set before Him," Jesus endured the cross. It means that He took our sin from us, accomplished our salvation, died, and rose again to everlasting life in the kingdom of heaven. To those who receive Him as Lord and acknowledge Him as Savior, Jesus Christ promises forgiveness, redemption from sin, a new birth, answers to prayer, the outpouring of His Holy Spirit of love, victory over death, and the everlasting joy of heaven. Jesus lives today at the Father's right hand in resurrected glory and fullness of joy; He has promised to come back for His church and to take us where He is. That is the essence of joy in God, and it is ours to cling to. We invite you to listen to this week's episode of the Gospel Spice Podcast to find out what happened to John, and to unpack the deeper truth of abiding in God's joy today. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie explores with Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith the intricacies of identity, rest, and spiritual fulfillment. According to a recent article from CNBC, Americans have been taught that our work is the single most important way to prove our worth. In essence, what we do has been heralded as far more important that who we are. No matter our life stage -student, graduate, adult, parent, or retiree – the message has been communicated (and received) that we need to perform in order to matter. Researchers assert that this mindset is making us miserable and induces high rates of depression, shame, and substance abuse. Dr. Dalton-Smith debunks the myth of "having it all," emphasizing the importance of finding rest in the journey, rather than aiming to relentlessly complete life's tasks. She shares her personal journey of relinquishing control, choosing instead to trust and obey God, which allowed her to embrace her identity beyond societal roles and accomplishments. Scripture reveals aspects of God that illuminate parts of ourselves and encourages a journey of becoming aware of these divine connections. Through her book "Being Fully Known," Dr Saundra invites us to behold God's character, becoming aware of His presence within us, and belonging in a way that uniquely reflects His image. Stephanie and Dr. Dalton-Smith explore the joy of embracing life's mysteries, moving through cycles represented by fields of suffering, surrendering, stretching, and soaring. These fields reflect the dynamic, non-linear nature of spiritual growth, grounded in God's character rather than worldly achievements. Embracing such cycles and living in obedient surrender will lead to deeper rest and fulfillment. Dr. Dalton-Smith proposes the "abide-act" framework—a cyclical practice involving periods of resting in God's presence, followed by active steps based on what He reveals. This approach invites us to pursue our unique, God-given path without succumbing to societal pressures or predefined identities. This approach allows us to discover God's limitless creativity in crafting our journeys. Through personal anecdotes, Dr. Dalton-Smith exemplifies how past pain and experiences are redeemed to fulfill God's purposes, turning them into sacred work that doesn't feel burdensome, but life-giving instead. Dr Saundra encourages believers to redefine success and fulfillment through a biblical lens, fostering a cycle of beholding, becoming, and belonging that transcends linear progression and celebrates divine rest and purpose. MEET DR SAUNDRA DALTON SMITH Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith is a board-certified internal medicine physician, an international speaker, and the CEO of Restorasis, a workplace well-being consulting agency. She is also the award-winning author of Set Free to Live Free and Sacred Rest and the host of I Choose My Best Life podcast. Dr. Saundra lives in Alabama with her husband and their two sons. https://www.drdaltonsmith.com/  We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Are you ready for a fresh, spicy approach to the love of God today? We've all heard that God loves us. Do we really believe it? How can we live in deeper awareness of God's love for me? The Book of Proverbs might not be overtly explicit about God's love, but it is the underlying foundation for the entire book. So, today, we are pondering God's love: what does it mean that "God is love"? Why is He love? What does His love look like? We're not staying in shallow waters. We are peeking under the hood of Proverbs to look at how the engine of this book truly functions. And we discover that Love is the fuel behind every motion in Proverbs. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom Stephanie starts us off this week with a powerful quote by her countryman, Blaise Pascal, on his famous "God-shaped hole" in the human heart: “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace? This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words by God himself” -- Blaise Pascal, 1670. We see that, IN God, our primary life calling: to REST in LOVE and DELIGHT in HIM in return. To make God our rest and my delight. We are created to LOVE and BE LOVED. We are attracted by LOVE like an irresistible magnet. And, we can only love well when we are loved well. Love is an experience of the heart AND mind. It is a decision of the will that transforms your heart and turns living into loving. Stephanie challenges us to embrace the challenge of the Christian life: to nurture the One Craving of craving the One--Christ, that is. And we discuss practical ways to do just that. They may sound overworn and cliche, but there's a reason some paths are well-trodden by countless generations of Christ-worshipping believers across time and space: these well-worn paths actualyl work, and actually lead us deeper into God. They are called prayer and the study of Scripture. Stephanie gives us a fresh perspective to rejuvenate our desire to walk these paths daily. We are challenged to learn to experience the consequences of growing in our craving of God alone. Then, we look at the practical outcome: True love is binding yourself to the One you love. It is a surrender of freewill to embrace freedom to love another. God displays His supernatural glory through human impossibilities. He chooses us to make us a willing partner of His acting through us. Love the Lord your God, and then love your neighbor as yourself. - Jesus. Join us today for a fresh, in-depth dive into the love of God! Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/proverbs MEET OUR CHARACTER OF THE WEEK Eve has always wanted to get married but does not feel very comfortable with the idea of long-term commitment. Now in her early 40's, she would describe herself as pleasing, accommodating and bubbly. And she has an amazing body that she works hard to fine-tune. In social situations, Eve shines. It makes her job as an events coordinator all the more enthralling. She craves the thrill of success. If it takes a perfectly fitting shirt or some batting of the eye lashes — in the end it gets the job done. God helps those who help themselves, right? Eve recently began attending a church in town. The music is so unique compared to the boring hymns she grew up with! She felt exposed, however, when the pastor's wife invited her to attend a women's event. You see, Eve just doesn't get along with women that well, and naturally shies away from female friendships. In this case however, given that it was church, she agreed to attend ONE event. After all, she's always looking for opportunities to coordinate an event and land some new clients, so she decided to go ahead with it. Fast forward a few months. The women's event was so enjoyable that Eve started attending a Bible study. Surprisingly, she finds herself learning to like some of the women. One woman invited her for coffee and started asking more personal questions. This left Eve feeling anxious and uncomfortable. No one had ever probed like this. Yet it also felt so caring and loving. Weird. Eve is starting to feel nervous that she might not know how to connect. She wonders if there is more to life than the fancy events, the fine-tuned body, the bubbly interactions. She thinks she wants something more but has no idea for what that would look like. Eve is looking for God's love, and she does not know it. She is feeling what my compatriot, Blaise Pascal described in the 1650's in his Pensées as “this infinite abyss [that] can be filled only with an infinite and immutable object; in other words, by God himself.” You may have heard this referenced to as a “God-shaped hole” in every human heart. Blaise Pascal never said it was a merely a hole or a vacuum. It's an infinite abyss. Only God can fill the abyss of our heart. And that is, because only God is pure love. We often settle for substitutes, even good ones. And yet, nothing short of God's infinite love will truly satisfy. Even the “perfect” family, the dream job, the best ministry—they may satisfy for a season, but the “infinite abyss” of our heart intuitively discovers that they do not fill. Only the love of our infinite God can fill the infinite abyss of our heart. So, what does God's love look like, and how do we experience it so that it fills our heart? I would venture to say, in the same way that we experience anyone else's love! God has given us human interactions so that we would learn from them how to spot true love, and then infinitely extrapolate the experience to embrace God's love. In other words, how do you know anyone loves you? I think it is the sum of what they say and what they do. And so it is with God. Ponder what Scripture tells you about what God says about you, what He promises you, and what He has done for you both in the past and in the present. For example, Zephaniah 3:17 describes you as the recipient of the overflow of the love of God: “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke y but will rejoice over you with singing.” To need and to want; to love and be loved. This is the experience God invites us to enjoy in Him. Love is an experience of the heart AND mind. It is a decision of the will that transforms your heart and turns living into loving. So, how do we do this? First, be inspired by others who DO delight in Him. Who do you know, who loves the Lord with all of their heart and mind and strength and soul? Seek them out, and then surround yourself with them; learn from them. And second, YOU be inspiring to others who seek to delight in Him! Never place yourself intentionally on display, but intentionally invite Him to use you as His earthen vessel in a jar of clay. In other words, love God, and love others like yourself. What does it look like? I would sum it up in one word: Crave. Crave Him. The more you spend time with others who crave Him, the more you will crave Him. It will happen through prayer and study of His Word. It will happen through a deeper living-out of the set-apartness of knowing you are His, and He is yours. It will happen as you practically set out to love others in His Name. And it will not happen in your own strength—that's the secret. God displays His supernatural glory through human impossibilities. Crave God. He will satisfy. Love God. He will teach you to love Him through the Spirit. Love others. He will act through you. Join us this week on the Gospel Spice Podcast to find out how Eve is discovering the mysterious miracle of intimacy with God. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie here! We are taking a temporary break from the Book of Proverbs to immerse ourselves in the two major Jewish and Christian liturgical events happening this week, roughly at the same time (which is unusual): Lent and Purim. I always find it fascinating to find fresh ways to worship Jesus Christ through the connections between different feasts and seasons. So today I invite you to delight in Christ through the unexpected juxtaposition of Purim and Lent. We invite you into a delightful exploration of the divine tapestry that intertwines the ancient traditions of Purim with the solemn reverence of Lent, ultimately pointing to the redemptive Lordship of Jesus Christ. You can purchase the Spring Feasts workbook to take notes while you listen, including the gorgeous visuals we created to accompany your experience: https://www.gospelspice.com/offers/ct6coMYd Purim, a joyous and festive Jewish celebration, commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people as detailed in the book of Esther. The intricacies of the story, from the absence of God's name in the book of Esther to the sovereignty and deliverance of His people, provide a rich tapestry to explore. In the Christian tradition, Lent serves as a period of preparation and reflection leading up to Easter, encompassing forty days marked by fasting, sacrifice, and repentance. Both Purim and Lent share a dark background of struggle and the hope of a joyous feast, creating an intriguing juxtaposition. Steeped in history and tradition, Purim and Lent leads us to worship Jesus at their intersection. It's compelling to note that while Purim is celebrated with joyful feasting and the giving of gifts to the poor, Lent involves fasting before the celebration of Easter. Both observances intertwine notions of hardship and hope, underscoring the resilience and faith exhibited by believers. Purim and Lent beckon us to seek and find Jesus in the heart of these sacred observances. So, join the conversation today! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie engages in a heartfelt conversation with renowned worship leader Darlene Zschech, who likes to remind us that learning to trust God is a superpower! Darlene invites us into a life of authentic worship. She challenges us to cultivate a heart rooted in humility, to pursue genuine connection with God, and to understand the profound impact of living a life centered around worship. Darlene emphasizes the necessity of approaching worship without pressure or performance. She underscores that God's love is unconditional and is not influenced by our achievements or failures. This invites us to worship and create from a place of freedom, where we can focus on building a sincere relationship with God rather than seeking approval or validation from others. Darlene shares her own journey, highlighting how she learned to adore God not for His gifts or as a task to check off, but simply to be in His presence. God's delight in us is not contingent upon our accomplishments, but is inherent to our relationship with Him. Engaging with God without any agenda other than presence leads to an authentic worship experience. Darlene's wisdom reminds us that trusting God is a superpower. Her personal experiences, including battling cancer, illustrate God's faithfulness and the necessity of discerning His voice. Humility in worship is non-negotiable. Darlene speaks to the trap of self-sufficiency, particularly for those naturally inclined to leadership and capability. She insists on the importance of shedding self-reliance and embracing humility to fully trust and depend on God. In a world craving attention, Darlene values the hidden life and the importance of remaining true to worship's essence. Her journey reminds us to fight for a culture of truth and humility. Darlene's experiences illustrate the significance of nurturing deep roots in God's Word and maintaining accountability in our faith walk. She cautions against the allure of fame and the pressure to create commercialized versions of worship, advocating instead for a focus on genuine expression that aligns with God's heart. Darlene's testimony of God's faithfulness during her battle with cancer is particularly moving, as she reminds us to trust both God's whisper and shouts alike. Nurturing a close relationship with God prepares us to discern His guidance during pivotal moments. Stephanie asks Darlene about the church's role in cultivating worship leaders. Darlene stresses the importance of mentoring and discipleship within worship teams, encouraging leaders to uphold a culture of truth, confidence, and humility. This environment ensures that the focus remains on facilitating worship towards God rather than self-glorification. Darlene's experience with Christians in India teaches us about true devotion and reliance on God. When comfort isn't an option, desperation calls out to God, showcasing His incredible faithfulness. Here are some of the key insights Stephanie will remember from her conversation with Darlene. Make them your own, or add some more! 1.      Embrace Your Identity in Christ: God loves you unconditionally, regardless of your actions or achievements. 2.      Delight in God's Presence: Prioritize spending time with God, not just for what you can gain, but for simply being with Him. 3.      Practice Humility and Confidence: Strive for the combination of these qualities in your faith and life. 4.      Cultivate a Life of Worship: Lead others to focus on God's worth, not your own abilities. 5.      Seek to Align Desires with God's Will: Spend time in His word to align your heart with His plan. 6.      Nurture a Hidden Life: Value your private relationship with God over public recognition. 7.      Be Anchored in a Sure Foundation: Start each day with devotion and prayer, positioning yourself for what the day brings. 8.      Serve with Excellence: Honor God through high standards in your work, recognizing Him as the source of your abilities. 9.      Surrender to God's Will: Continually submit your life to Him and trust in His faithfulness. 10.  Remember God's Faithfulness: Regularly reflect on and remember His past faithfulness as a source of encouragement. 11.  Lead by Example in Worship: Facilitate a genuine connection between people and God, elevating them to see His worth. 12.  Guard Your Heart: Continually examine and protect your heart against pride and complacency. 13.  Embrace the Power of Influence: Use influence responsibly and to glorify God, while ensuring roots are deep in His word. 14.  Remain Teachable: Continuously seek mentorship and embrace correction and growth. 15.  Trust God Beyond Self-Reliance: Let go of self-sufficiency and put trust fully in God, who desires to guide your path. 16.  Value Discipleship and Community: Learn from and contribute to the community around you for spiritual growth. CONNECT WITH DARLENE ZSCHECH https://www.darlenezschech.com/  “First and foremost, I am a woman who simply and wholeheartedly loves Christ, and serves Him through loving my family, serving the church, and speaking up for those who cannot speak for themselves.” – Darlene Zschech Darlene Zschech is an award-winning Australian singer-songwriter, worship leader, pastor, author, and speaker. With three GMA Dove Award nominations, the winner of GMA's International Award for influence in praise and worship, and the achievement of 16 Gold and one Platinum ARIA album, her songs have reached many nations around the world. However, Darlene's success simply stands as a testimony to her life's passion for serving God, her family and people with all her heart. Alongside her husband Mark, they are the Senior Pastors of Hope Unlimited Church (HopeUC) on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, which now has churches in the US and India. Darlene is perhaps most famous for the worship anthem “Shout to the Lord,” a song that has been sung by millions and translated into multiple languages. In addition to “Shout to the Lord,” Darlene's catalog includes “In Jesus Name,” “Victor's Crown”, “Worthy is the Lamb,” and over a hundred others which have greatly contributed to the worship in the contemporary Church worldwide. Darlene is passionate about raising and training other worship pastors, leaders, teams, and writers. To this end, she has penned six books which have been translated internationally. Darlene and Mark live in the beautiful Central Coast of New South Wales with their family: Amy and her husband Andrew, Chloe and her husband Hosanna, Zoe and her husband Matthew and their six beautiful grandchildren Ava, Roman, Ruthie, Thea, Elias and Nora. MORE ABOUT “TESTAMENT”, DARLENE'S LATEST ALBUM New album "Testament" is not just about memories, it's a statement that worship leads to encountering Christ afresh in every moment. Australian worship leader Darlene Zschech unveils her highly anticipated studio album, “Testament.” The new release marks the milestone 30-year anniversary of “Shout to the Lord,” a song that became an anthem for the church worldwide. It is also a stake in the ground to the faithfulness of God, as the title track declares: “My testament is you.” Stirred by friends and family, Zschech crafted a collection of 25 reimagined legacy songs and five brand-new tracks. From iconic songs such as “Cry of the Broken” and “Victor's Crown,” to fresh offerings like “Spirit of the Living God” and “Yes Again,” each song carries a powerful sound that is just as vibrant today. It also features many artists like Martin Smith, SVRICINA, Mitch Wong, and Michael W. Smith among others, as well as various choirs and the Australian Christian Orchestra, creating an expansive and eclectic project filled with the sound of praise, thanksgiving, and rich collaboration. This album embodies Zschech's story and her experience of God's unfailing love, not only in worship ministry but in each intricate details of her life too. It's a family project, described by the artist as “songs that have deep meaning to my family, that have helped shape me and kept my focus heavenward.” “Testament” weaves together songs that have been the soundtrack to her children's lives, her battle with cancer, and her adventures planting churches and starting non-profits alongside her husband. It also features multiple family members, including Zschech's daughter, Zoe Cameron, on “Shout to the Lord.” Commenting on this central song, which was penned before Zoe's birth, Zschech said: “I wrote it quickly while crying out to God about our future, saying that no matter what, we will follow him. I was young in age and young in God. ‘Shout to the Lord' changed things around us, but the things that really matter never changed and never will: God is faithful and attentive to our prayers.” Harnessing this central theme of faithfulness, “Testament” communicates its close relationship to obedience and thankfulness. It's the sound flowing out of a lifetime lived with the Lord, the very meaning of worship. Zschech is adamant that worship is not a genre but the whole of one's life poured out for the glory of God: “I'll always find it hard to wrap my head around the miracle of worship, music, and song. There's really no other vehicle available to us on earth that has the ability to bring to attention our mind, auditory senses, resting our hearts, moving the soul and spirit to a point when your whole self is pointed in the one direction. Such is the power of worship as the Holy Spirit leads our heart heavenward, Jesus-ward, through the magnificent sound of sacred song.” “Testament” is not just about memories, but it's a statement that worship leads to encountering Christ afresh in every moment. Zschech's prayer is that this collection of songs would play a part in people's story as they too are reminded of God's incredible faithfulness. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Wisdom. Most of us would say we possess some measure of it. And yet, we would probably all sign up for more, if it didn't prove so, well… elusive? Unattainable? Reserved for the “truly spiritual”?  What if our desire for wisdom led us to look for the right answers in the wrong places? What if wisdom was accessible to anyone who asks? Most importantly, how do we get this wisdom that is not of the world? Gospel Spice Ministries invite you to ponder the wisdom of the book of Proverbs through a Christocentric perspective over the next few weeks. We promise spiritual flavor explosions steeped in the biblical concepts of hope, faith, and joy in the Lord. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom Every week, we invite you to meet a fictional character who teaches us much about God. Today, meet Lauren. Lauren is a talented interior designer, and she knows it. That's why she hates it when an outsider tries to teach her something in her field of expertise. It happened just recently again when Mary and Bob gave her advice on how to use color to accent a room. That conversation drove her crazy. She respectfully tuned out their poor advice while mentally listing superior alternatives, before sharing that list with them. She did them a favor—their silence was proof of approval. Or take the other day, when she was asked to volunteer to help clean the church kitchen after an event. That made her angry. Don't they know she has important things to do with her time, and better ways to use her gifts? For example, she recently met with this famous movie star and they really hit it off. She loves telling people how she, Lauren, gave sensible advice to this actress for her next role. See, she has more important things to do. She encourages her tendency to compare to others, in every area. She sees it as a competitive spirit. Comparison has been encouraged by her teachers and her parents as far as she can remember. She truly believes it's the path to personal growth—when you measure yourself up against others, and increasingly notice progress. Since comparing is a source of growth, she does others a favor by flaunting her latest success. She just lost 15 lbs and is letting everyone know. She would not mention the actual weight loss, but her tight-fitting clothes show the progress well enough. She has noticed the appreciative looks around her at the firm. She is proud to know she is inspiring them to try too. God knows some of them could use some weight loss too—take Sharon and Kim, for example. She got aggravated with that stupid Bill at work recently, who dared hint that she was judgmental. What a complete idiot. But here is the truth: if people don't have their act together, that's because either they're not trying hard enough, or they choose to rely on others rather than work hard. She makes a point of never asking anyone for help. What would they think? She prides herself on her humility. Take her house, for example. Considering her status and salary at the designing firm, she could afford a much bigger one. So, there. Plus, she is at church most Sundays. They should be grateful, because here's the honest truth: that church really is not half as good as it could be. Hum… maybe she will give the head pastor some much-needed advice next time she sees him. Our world is full of Laurens. Do you know one? She might never have heard a key Scriptural message from proverbs: God gives grace to the humble, but justice to the proud. Jesus Himself, in Matthew 7:1-2, warned us that we will be judged by the very standard we use to judge others. God won't even pull up the ten commandments; He will look at how we treated others, and that will be the basis of how He treats us. A sobering thought. Indeed, it is a terrifying thought, apart from the grace of God. Mark Twain famously said, “It's not the parts of the Bible I can't understand that bother me; it's the parts that I do understand.” The way I see it? Anything short of begging for grace is sheer folly. In our previous article and podcast episode, we focused on fear, and we saw that fear stems from a deflated view of God. Today, we see that pride stems from an inflated view of self. French is going to come to our help by showing us that bad pride always stems from comparison. In French, we have two words for your one English word “pride.” Orgueil (pronounced [ɔʁɡœj]) is always negative, and it is always pride in relation to someone else: it's comparing to others, and coming out on top. Conversely, fierté (pronounced [fjɛʁ.te]) is generally in relation to yourself. You are your own standard, and you measure improvement against yourself. It is much more positive. Orgueil and fierté  teach us that true pride is humble because it knows its limits and surrenders to God. The true glory of mankind is not to seek glory for ourselves—that is worldly pride. Humans are truly glorious when we seek to know God. Our purpose and identity are found, not in pridefully seeking to make ourselves equal to God, but in seeking to know God. Humble pride seeks not to be God, but to know Him. As believers, we have an awe-inspiring privilege: we are beckoned to enter the Throne Room boldly… on our knees. That is pride rooted in humility; it is God-dependence rooted in gratitude. When we approach the Throne to pray, for others and for ourselves, we nurture humility which, in turn, breeds gratitude and compassion. Pride cannot pray. Therefore, prayer is the antidote to our all-pervasive pride; prayer is both the soil and fruit of humility. You can't enter the Throne room without being captivated by the beauty of the Sovereign. His beauty is supremely displayed in the Son, the radiance of the Father's glory (Hebrews 1:3) cloaked in the humility of human flesh (Philippians 2:5). The Book of Proverbs highlights the wisdom that is from above: a crucified Lord, foolishness to the proud but salvation to the humble. Take a listen to the Gospel Spice Podcast, Episode 379, to further ponder the beauty of our Lord's humility. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Heidi VanderWal, the inspiring founder of Crowned Free, a Christian apparel, home decor, and jewelry company. This organization is not just about selling beautiful products but is deeply rooted in a mission to support and employ survivors of human trafficking. Every purchase from Crowned Free supports its mission. This is a powerful reminder of the impact we have when we vote with our wallet can have. By choosing ethically made products, we support not just a business, but a broader movement against injustice. Exclusive code! Use GOSPELSPICE for 15% off your purchase at https://crownedfree.com/ (valid through 03/31/25).  Heidi VanderWal's journey into the world of human trafficking began nearly fifteen years ago after attending a local church event. At this event, she heard a gripping testimony from a human trafficking survivor. This transformation experience led her to question how she, an entrepreneur, could contribute to such a massive and daunting issue. Despite her initial feelings of inadequacy, she became determined to make a difference—no matter how small the seemingly insurmountable problem appeared. Over time, her journey materialized into Crowned Free, a business that merges her love for style with a powerful mission. Crowned Free stands for more than just ethically made products. The company operates under a unique model that combines retail sales with a commitment to combating human trafficking. They donate a portion of their proceeds to organizations dedicated to this cause and employ human trafficking survivors to create around 40% of their products. A cornerstone of Crowned Free's mission is providing employment to survivors. Importantly, their partnership with Wedgewood Christian Services has been pivotal. Through this collaboration, Crowned Free involves teenage survivors, aged 13 to 17, in crafting various products, ranging from jewelry to candles, that embody beauty, hope, and rehabilitation. These partnerships provide invaluable therapeutic outlets for the participants, offering a sense of achievement and helping to restore dignity. Heidi's visits to Wedgewood reveal the profound emotional and psychological healing that these young artisans undergo, and underscore the potential of a supportive work environment. Heidi encourages increased awareness and intentional shopping practices as simple ways to engage with this cause. Even those unfamiliar with the intricacies of human trafficking can contribute by supporting ethical brands or engaging in conversations that spread awareness. Here are some highlights from Stephanie's conversation with Heidi: 1.      Power of Sharing Stories | Hearing firsthand experiences raises awareness and urges action against human trafficking. 2.      Faith-led Entrepreneurship | Trusting divine guidance can lead to impactful business ventures. 3.      Combating Human Trafficking | Crowned Free is dedicated to fighting human trafficking through ethical business practices and survivor employment in the Name of Jesus. 4.      The Importance of Ethical Choices | We can influence positive change by choosing ethically sourced products. 5.      Local Partnerships are Crucial | Collaborations with local organizations amplify impact and aid in survivor rehabilitation. 6.      Balancing Business and Mission | Maintaining focus on purpose ensures business decisions align with mission goals. 7.      Ripple Effect of Intentional Actions | Small, conscious purchases can ripple into significant impacts for the kingdom of God. DISCOVER CROWNED FREE Go to https://crownedfree.com/  We are dedicated to raising awareness and empowering women who have been rescued from human trafficking. Crowned free gives back two different ways. The first way is by donating 15% of our profits to organizations in the United States and internationally that work to restore, rescue, and rehabilitate survivors. The second way Crowned Free gives back is by creating sustainable jobs for girls who have been rescued to make over half of our products. This opportunity equips survivors with vocational skills they can use to provide for themselves and their families. MEET HEIDI VANDERWAL Years ago, Heidi VanderWal (Chief Crown Officer) attended a woman's event sponsored by a local church to create awareness for human trafficking. After realizing that girls were being sold right in her city, at her favorite malls, in local schools, and online, she became determined to help fight this injustice that was hitting so close to home. She dreamed even bigger, of a world where human trafficking didn't exist at all. In January of 2014, the idea for Crowned Free, a clothing company that donated a portion of its profits to this cause, took shape. Launched in 2015, the response to Crowned Free's products and mission was immediate and women from all over started asking how they could get involved. By the middle of 2016, that was exactly the direction that the company was heading, and on August 1, 2017, Crowned Free officially launched as a direct sales company so that women across the United States could join the mission as Independent Representatives. Crowned Free's mission is to end human trafficking through ethical fashion and gifts. We offer women the opportunity to build their own cause-based business that creates safe and sustainable jobs for survivors of human trafficking and supports anti-trafficking organizations. We believe Crowned Free came to be for such a time as this. We believe the Crowned Free woman is brave, courageous, a champion and an overcomer. She is strong, beautiful, fearfully and wonderfully made. She is loved. She is free. She is you. She is me. This is our story, and it can be your story too. Together we can make a difference. “…Everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” —Isaiah 35:10 We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Wisdom. Most of us would say we possess some measure of it. And yet, we would probably all sign up for more, if it didn't prove so, well… elusive? Unattainable? Reserved for the “truly spiritual”?  What if our desire for wisdom led us to look for the right answers in the wrong places? What if wisdom was accessible to anyone who asks? Most importantly, how do we get this wisdom that is not of the world? Gospel Spice Ministries invite you to ponder the wisdom of the book of Proverbs through a Christocentric perspective over the next few weeks. We promise spiritual flavor explosions steeped in the biblical concepts of hope, faith, and joy in the Lord. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom Today, Stephanie takes us deep into the topics of fear, insecurities and anxiety in order to ponder the Christ-centered alternative: faith and trust. Many proverbs are centered on the concept of fear--both as something to avoid when it is the fear of man, and as something to nurture when it is the fear of God. What do these proverbs mean, and what can they teach us today? As has now become our habit, we start off by meeting a fictional character who embodies the traits we will be pondering today. Her name is Jessica, and she tries hard to please everyone! Stephanie takes us to a profound quote by Thomas Chalmers about the "expulsion power of a new affection" as the underlying secret to replace fear by faith. We examine fear to conclude that it is always a secondary motivation in the transformation process, and that growing in faith makes for a much more powerful vector of transformation. Faith predates the fall in the garden, but fear follows it. Therefore, in Christ we are given the opportunity to return to our deepest roots, restoring the harmony of our intimacy with the Father in the garden, and even more. Because of the transformative power of faith in Christ, we can become salt and light--this is actually the context of Jesus' famous teaching about our identity as salt of the earth and light of the world! We ponder that genuine faith and trust in God are only possible when we rejoice and delight in God first, and foremost, and, actually, all in all. Faith is grounded in who God is; fear is grounded in who we are in our own eyes, or in the eyes of the world. We examine this powerful thought by Saint Augustine, that challenges us to give up the "fruitless joys we are afraid to lose" in order to "embrace the joy-filled fruit we cannot lose." We do this, by looking at Peter's faith when he dared to step out of the boat. Will we dare to step out of our own boats in faith, keeping our eyes on the One who holds our hand? This event in Peter's life teaches us that, if we have faith in mankind, we will have the fear of man; but if we have faith in God, then we will cultivate the only healthy fear: the fear of God, which is the "beginning of wisdom" and the "beginning of knowledge" as Proverbs teach us. So, what is the fear of God? How can it be good, since we've expounded on fear being bad, so far? It requires a look at who God is. His preeminence in presence, power, goodness, justice, love, patience and kindness set Him so very much apart, that He is a category all His own. To be "set apart" literally is the root of the word "holy." The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge because God is a category all His own, and we cannot fear Him as we fear man. It's not the same fear because it's not the same category. The fear of God is wise because it is awe and reverence and worship and adoration--not cowering in fear of getting hurt by a vengeful tyrant. God's identity makes Him trustworthy and, therefore, make His guidance much sought after. We end with yet another favorite quote of Stephanie's, "complaint supposes ill-usage." If we complain that God has not come through for us (as we all are prone to do!) we basically state that God is out to get us, or that He does not have our best interest at heart; that He behaves towards us with ill-will. When we take time to think this through, we realize it is not consistent with who we know God to be. In other words, complaining against God is always rooted in a faulty understanding of His grace and heart on our behalf. It means we can correct our faulty view, and therefore grow in joy and contentment! What a delightful prospect. Such promises are NOT for the fearless, perfect version of you, some time in the future. They are for you TODAY, as you are, imperfections and all. And that is the best news we can hear all day! If it is true that we become what we behold, then behold Christ. Anything lower is beneath you as a royal priesthood, adopted child of God. MORE ABOUT TODAY'S EPISODE | MEET JESSICA! So, today, meet Jessica. It's been a long weekend for Jessica, and she's glad to be back home. She's dirty, sweaty, smelly, and exhausted. The family went camping—the kids had been begging for months, and her husband had gotten new gear, including a comfortable sleeping pad for her. He knew how much she values her comfort. What he doesn't know is how viscerally Jessica hates camping. He wouldn't know, of course, because she makes a point of not letting her preferences get in the way of theirs. That's what a good wife and mom does, right? Actually, the family loved it so much, they agreed to go again next month. She agreed to go, too. She is not looking forward to it, but it's vastly preferable to being home alone all weekend anyway. Jessica is extremely loyal to her loved ones. She asks their opinion about everything before making a decision, and then asks their feedback about everything she has done. She enjoys being with them 24/7. Actually, one of her greatest fears, causing sheer panic at the thought, is to be alone all weekend at home. She would hate that even more than camping. Her loyalty is one of her key defining traits, in her opinion. It's not just with family. Jessica prides herself on being a good friend and follower. She may not be gifted at taking initiative, but she thrives in following loyally. This means the occasional sacrifice, but isn't that what friends do for each other? And this applies to her church family, too. For example, she often gets called on to cook meals for her church body, when a new mom has a baby or when someone is sick. The truth is, she doesn't enjoy cooking at all. But Jesus said we are to bear our cross, right? Plus, they really need her. Jessica values looking young and good. She is always put together, with a smile on her face. Projecting such a confident image serves two purposes, in her mind: it makes Christ look good to outsiders, and it helps her avoid the anxiety she knows she would experience if she was seen at the grocery store with less than her best makeup and outfit on. With every passing year, she becomes more and more health conscious and seeks to ward off aging. She is always the first to get her flu shot. She eats well, knows all her vitamins, buys expensive anti-wrinkle cream, and exercises several times a week. Plus, it beats being home alone when the kids are at school and hubby is at work. She stay informed about what is happening in the world, and especially the tragedies of life. She spends a lot of time imagining how she would react if those calamities happened to her. Her mind always goes to the worst-case scenarios; she calls it wisdom in being well-prepared. She is not sure how that happens, but she always lands in the same hypothetical scene: what would happen if her husband died and she was left to fend for herself? She knows it does not sound very trusting in God, but she really doesn't know what to do about it. So, Jessica prays that the faith of her church friends will somehow rub off on her, because she does not seem to be able to muster much of it on her own. And in the meantime she seeks to forget her growing anxiety by numbing it with escapes to a world of make-believe: she spends a lot of her days watching innocuous shows on Netflix and reading copious amounts of romance fiction. And then there's always the escape of the ever-comforting deep house cleaning. She has more and more often found herself deep-cleaning at three in the morning when sleep would not come, despite the sleeping pills she's gotten accustomed to. House cleaning is soothing. As she is scrubbing the kitchen tile again, she wonders: is she living the best version of her life? What would you tell Jessica? Would you pick up a brush and join her on her kitchen floor? Would you make her a cup of tea and tell her to take a deep breath and chillax a little? Proverbs challenges us with two options when fear paralyses us: to numb it, or to expulse it. Proverbs 31:6-7 describes the numbing through wine and forgetfulness. Jessica would recognize herself there. The alternative to numbing is expulsing the fear. Thomas Chalmers writes in the 1750's about the “expulsion power of a new affection.” He means that removing fear is not enough; it needs to be replaced by something else: a deeper, more powerful affection. Jesus shared the story of the demon-possessed man who found himself in a worse situation when seven more demons came to invade the house that had been cleaned, but not filled (see Luke 11:24-26). In other words, fear is always a secondary motivation in the transformation process. It needs to be kicked out, but then the void left must be filled by something superior: faith and joy in God are the alternative proposed in Scripture. Joy is always a more powerful motivator than fear, because joy in God existed before the fall of man which ushered in fear. Joy in God predates fear in the garden of Eden. Joy in God will exist through all of eternity future when fear is but a dim memory. We will experience lasting change today when we choose to rejoice in God more than we choose to fear hypothetical scenarios, or even the consequences of our very real actions. Fear comes from a disordered life, which is the result of disordered loves. Jessica loves, but she loves disorderly. Her loyalty is sincere but misguiding. Fear and love cannot truly, deeply cohabitate in the same soul: perfect love drives out fear (1John 4:18, NIV). We see this most evidently in the relationship that God calls us to have with Him: we are called into the love of the Father, even more than we are called away from sin. Fear is self-centered, while faith is Christ-centered. Faith is grounded in who God is; fear is grounded in who I am on my own. The cure against anxiety and unbelief is not more information; it is joy in God. Faith and trust become more real when we choose to delight and rejoice in God, rather than fear our own inadequacies. This is what Jessica needs to discover. If you have faith in man, you will live in the fear of man; if you have faith in God, you will delight in the fear of God. Fearing God, in the Proverbial sense, is true wisdom (Proverbs 1:7, Psalm 110:10). Don't think of the “fear of God” as cowering before a powerful tyrant. The fear of God is a well-placed, reverent awe of His greatness and beauty and power. His great love does not preclude His majesty, but only enhances it. We must expulse fear, but we can only do so when we replace it with something more powerful and lasting: joyful faith in God. We are salt and light as result of experiencing the transformative glory of God through Christ. We invite you to discover Jessica's full story from fear to faith on the Gospel Spice Podcast this week, and to hear more about joyful faith in God as YOUR daily reality, starting today. Don't wait. God awaits you there. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom   We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie here! Do, you, like me, feel more like an outsider in the American culture today than you did ten years ago, as a Christian? If that's the case, you're not alone. The question is, what kind of outsider will we become? Will we become a combative outsider and rage against your enemies? Will we become a conformist outsider and mirror the world around us? Will we become a conflict-averse outsider and avoid confrontation at all costs? GIWEAWAY COMING UP! In our February newsletter, we will give away THREE copies of "Joyful Outsiders" in partnership with Patrick and his publisher, Zondervan. We will also give 3 copies of our previous January book interview ("Happy Lies" by Melissa Dougherty, episode 374). So make sure to be signed up to our newsletter for a chance to win. Sign up here: https://www.gospelspice.com/signup How can I convey to you the timely importance of this book? This has to do with the questions that we encounter every day and that make us feel like outsiders. Like, how do I react when my child's teacher claims that there are hundreds of genders? Or, what do I say when my best friend calls me a Marxist because I'm troubled by systemic racism? Or, how do I talk with my mom when she posts conspiracy theories on Facebook? Or, how do I talk to my coworker who says that all Christians are bigots? For these important questions that we have to face today, there isn't one size fits all solutions. We need to first remember that as Christians, we are outsiders to the culture we live in. As Patrick Miller, says, we live in Babylon, and yet we are called by scripture to both make our home in Babylon and resist Babylon. How do we do that? Jesus calls us to live seamless lives, and yet the fear that we encounter daily when we experience being an outsider, that fear has a habit of making scenes in our lives. How can we together resist Babylon's efforts to tear the fabric of reality, even as we work to repair this fabric, and influence the world for Christ? It's really understandable that we want to relieve the tension. We could change our beliefs to fit in, we could rage against our enemies and force them to agree with us, or we could just retreat from it all. But do these options really help, or do they just help us feel more helpless and angry and confused? Do they make us more, or less Christlike? Jesus has so much for us. He's called us to be a joyful outsider like him. He was crucified as an outcast outside the city. Now he welcomes us to join him; to die to ourselves and discover that sacrificial love has the power to change the world. In Joyful Outsiders, pastors Patrick Miller and Keith Simon show us how to be a joyful outsider by laying out six ways to navigate a confusing culture at home, at work, and beyond. They draw on the examples of biblical characters to introduce six types of joyful outsiders: the artist, the protestor, the builder, the advisor, the ambassador, and the trainer. We might be an outsider in today's world, but that doesn't mean Jesus can't use us to change it. TAKE THE TEST go to joyfuloutsiders.com to discover how to address culture in the way God wired you.  MORE ABOUT “JOYFUL OUTSIDERS” This practical guide helps you find peace and clarity in a confusing culture. Through it, you will learn healthy, biblical ways to both cultivate and resist the world around you. You will learn how to change the culture without becoming like it. In Joyful Outsiders, you will: Discover joy by embracing your identity as an outsider Find which of the six ways God is calling you to follow Experience freedom from fear of the world and anger toward it Learn how to both resist and cultivate the world around you MEET PATRICK MILLER Patrick Miller is a pastor and cultural commentator who writes about politics, culture, and technology, contributing articles to Christianity Today, Newsweek, The Gospel Coalition, and other publications. His podcast, Truth Over Tribe is one of Apple's top news commentary podcasts, featuring interviews with leading Christian thinkers, writers, and scholars. He's the co-author of Truth Over Tribe: Pledging Allegiance to the Lamb, Not the Donkey or the Elephant. Patrick received a Master of Divinity from Covenant Theological Seminary, and pastors a politically diverse church, The Crossing. He and his wife, Emily, have two children. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Wisdom. Most of us would say we possess some measure of it. And yet, we would probably all sign up for more, if it didn't prove so, well… elusive? Unattainable? Reserved for the “truly spiritual”?  What if our desire for wisdom led us to look for the right answers in the wrong places? What if wisdom was accessible to anyone who asks? Most importantly, how do we get this wisdom that is not of the world? Gospel Spice Ministries invite you to ponder the wisdom of the book of Proverbs through a Christocentric perspective over the next few weeks. We promise spiritual flavor explosions steeped in the biblical concepts of hope, faith, and joy in the Lord. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom  How should we prioritize wisdom and holiness? Why should our lives aim to reflect our Lord's? Our intention is to create and nurture a lifelong quest to cultivate holy wisdom in practical ways by acquiring new perspectives on daily living and “being transformed by the renewing of our minds.” Biblical wisdom is irresistibly attractive because it centers on Jesus Christ. In this episode, we will learn to see our heart as the driver behind our will (yes, the pun is absolutely intended!) and how we can surrender our will to God's perfect wisdom from above the sun. Our will both shapes and is shaped by our identity, so we will wonder: how can we center our identity on Christ? We follow Lady Wisdom and Folly in the pages of Proverbs today. We look at seven things the Lord hates, and how they all speak of behavior-based identity. We see that the road of flattery and deceit leads to death, but the road of integrity and truth leads to life. Then, we dare to dive into what it means to consider Christ as our Bridegroom. How is He our spiritual Husband? What does it mean? What does Scripture teach on that? And how is a human marriage as God intends, between a man and a woman, a picture of His heavenly intention of a spiritual marriage between Christ and His bride, the Church universal composed of all the true believers across time and space? Proverbs provides us with two mirrors to understand life: the self-centered-love mirror, with a distorted reflection; or the Christ-centered-love mirror, which points to God. We end with a powerful word picture helping us see that we live inside the picture book of God's universe, where marriage and wisdom are but stick-figure picture of the true Reality, with a capital R, that awaits us beyond the book. We live inside this universe-book today, but the Holy Spirit beckons us already, in Christ and through wisdom, to peek over the edge of the page into the glorious bottomless infinity of God's weighty presence. Through the Book of Proverbs, God invites you to taste the intoxicating love of His Son through the Holy Spirit. Come and be filled. Taste and see that the Lord is good today! Each week, we will meet a fictitious character embodying a specific trait we hope to learn from. Comfort and forgetfulness, foolishness and lack of perspective, lust and envy, pride and arrogance, selfishness and self-centeredness, fear and anxiety, greed and vanity, deceit and manipulation. We have a rocky road ahead—where a glorious Savior awaits. And so today, meet Brian. Brian has a charming, magnetic personality. He is extremely pleasant in public company, and able to make fascinating conversation. This is due partly to his vast intelligence, and partly to his self-reliance and ability to perform well. He has cultivated his many talents in eclectic ways and has become accustomed to being admired for them. He plays the violin with quite some skill. His academic knowledge often makes him the most learned person in the room. He is well-traveled and loves to experience new foods at the latest fashionable restaurants in his little town. It started as a genuine quest for joy and happiness, and who could blame him? Over the years, he developed a craving for this feeling of superiority. He performed to cultivate the tinge of admiration in the voices of others. Adulation became the leitmotiv of his joy. He placed his hope in his super-sized abilities. He decided that his faith is best placed in himself. Brian's superior intelligence allowed him to outsmart most people with impunity: he realized he could get away with a great deal… and increase his status in people's eyes—and in his own eye. The deceit and will-full manipulation started innocently enough; it was lying for a good cause—at first. He loved feeling in control of his environment through flattery. Over time, his insatiable hunger to be admired and in control, because it was met with success, enticed him to come to a powerful conclusion: he was truly superior to others. He started having adulterous affairs to soothe his ever-growing right to be loved, admired, and in control. He craved that feeling of being the giver and the receiver of all things—to be a god, really. He was growing closer to divinity—ultimate in control and power and influence. For a while more, his self-deception worked well enough to mask the looming chasm of hopelessness. When it didn't, light drugs bridged the gap and helped Brian maintain his own self-image and deep-seated sense of superiority. Not to mention, drugs gave him reprieve from the stress of having to remember the many threads of deceit in his business and his personal life. He increased the dosage when he needed drugs to drown his own accusing conscience until he forgot its voice altogether. What a relief! Most recently, Brian has turned to more powerful drugs for yet one more reason: to dim the pain of wondering, deep down inside, if he is not as significant as he thinks he is. He is wondering if that is why he never really left his small hometown to try the “big leagues.” Better to be a large fish in a tiny pond, where he can use others as a self-reflecting mirror to boost his own self-proclaimed divinity. Brian's mom, his last advocate, keeps warning him to stay away from the lure of addiction to women and drugs. He ignores her. What does she know, the old hag? Unfortunately, he recently had to move in with her—he lost his business due to his drug addiction, and his latest wife just kicked him out after she found out he had slept with her best friend. He doesn't even remember why he had married her in the first place. Her loss. What would you tell Brian today? Like most of us, Brian desires hope and joy. He turned to deceit and manipulation because he thought he could control them into a fastpass to happiness. They appealed to him because his heart was rooted in the wrong quest—the quest for happiness within himself. Our quest is rooted in our identity, and Brian's identity is misplaced: he places his worth in himself. He has recently come to the unsettling realization that he might not be the equivalent of a modern-day god. He is created in the image of God, but he is not God. There is a world of difference. As believers in Christ, we all intend to build our life with hope, joy, and faith. Brian shows us that there are two paths we can take in this life: the first is the road of deceit and self-deception that ends in death. It has pitstops and long residencies in manipulation, lying and adultery. The second path is the road of integrity and truth that ends in life. It lingers in and develops self-sacrifice, love, and self-awareness. This second path teaches us that we discover who we are when we are loved for who we are. Brian never allowed anyone to love him for who he truly was, and he never even allowed himself to love himself as he was—warts and all. Brian doesn't see that our physical world with its longings and passions is but a picture book of the greater spiritual realities that tug at his heart. Our gifts and abilities and talents are shadows pointing to greater spiritual realities. Brian mistook his many talents for divinity. He mistook the shadow for the real thing. He is imago Dei, but he is not God. The Bible teaches that the universe is a stick-figure picture book to show us the great Reality of God. We humans live inside the picture book of the universe as the crowing act of creation. Our many abilities are shadows of a greater, spiritual reality—we are created in the image of God; we ourselves are not God. Imagine a children's book illustrating each alphabet letter with a corresponding word. Imagine you have never actually seen a duck, which is the photo for the letter D. Seeing the photo of the duck is not the same thing as actually experiencing the duck. Knowing it's not a donkey, a donut or a dandelion is not enough to know what a duck is. If you have never seen a duck in real life, you cannot say that the picture book is a satisfactory substitute. The picture book is only a sample of the true Reality, a stick-figure shadow of it. The universe points to the Reality of God, but it is not the same thing as experiencing God in His fullness. How tragic it would be to be content with the picture book when Reality awaits! Brian has mistaken the 2D-flat rendition of the duck for the real thing; he has confused his many-talents imago dei identity with being dei–being God. We have not yet experienced complete Reality. God is much more real, tangible and weighty than anything we have ever experienced on this side of the picture book. Unlike Brian, let us keep the eyes of our faith on the true foundation of our hope and joy. None of us has ever experienced the fullness of the presence of God. And yet, in Christ, the Holy Spirit beckons us through wisdom to peek over the edge of the page into the glorious, bottomless infinity of God's weighty glory and presence. Heaven and the material universe meet in Christ Jesus: God “has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:2b-3a, NIV). Christ is pure and glorious and enthralling and intoxicating with otherworldly beauty. He makes Himself ours, and He calls us His beloved, His cherished, His bride. That is the foundation of our identity. It is the only solid ground for life-giving, long-lasting, true-Reality hope, and faith, and joy. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom  DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

We live in an era dominated by subjective morality and individualized spirituality. How do we provide biblical, God-honoring responses? Stephanie sits down with Christian apologist and popular YouTuber Melissa Dougherty, who utilizes theological insights alongside her deeply personal experiences to dismantle the seductive façade of the New Thought movement. She describes this philosophy as “a stealthy message of encouragement to live your truth, seek happiness, find your identity through sexual freedom, and think your desires into existence. Often with the name of Jesus attached as an endorsement.” GIWEAWAY COMING UP! In our February newsletter, we will give away THREE copies of "Happy Lies" in partnership with Melissa and her publisher, Zondervan. We will also give 3 copies of our next January book interview (airing January 28, episode 376). So make sure to be signed up to our newsletter for a chance to win. Sign up here: https://www.gospelspice.com/signup In her groundbreaking debut, Happy Lies: How a Movement You (Probably) Never Heard Of Shaped Our Self-Obsessed World, Melissa Dougherty, an ex-New Thought follower herself, deconstructs the myths propagated by secular self-empowerment and affirmation movements. She explains how New Thought concepts like toxic affirmation and the “Law of Attraction” intersect with the prosperity gospel. She highlights how New Thought influences are subtly embedded in progressive Christianity and the gender identity crisis, and even how this movement is foundational to the weakened theology used in “Seeker-friendly” churches. Dougherty urges her audience to reflect deeply on these beliefs, encouraging them to discern contemporary culture's pervasive lies and to seek a more authentic understanding of the gospel. With clarity and a touch of compassionate snark, Melissa examines New Thought's appealing yet distorted spirituality. She warns of its pervasive impact on modern theology, emphasizing how the movement's focus on self-authority and personal experience often overshadows the biblical narrative. New Thought ideology subtly infiltrates contemporary Christian thought, presenting a false gospel that masquerades as a more open-minded, tolerant, and loving interpretation of Jesus and the Bible. Melissa recounts her epiphany during a hiatus from seminary, where her extensive readings unveiled a distinction between "New Thought" and "New Age." Despite their overlaps, these movements stand alone in intent and belief structures. Her desire to educate and spark dialogue about New Thought arose from the absence of evangelical discourse on the topic, with only a handful of scholars like Craig Hazen touching on it. Determined to spotlight this under-discussed issue, she writes a book laden with historical contexts, practical definitions, and a respectful yet critical analysis of New Thought within a Christian framework. Melissa describes New Thought as a metaphysical reinterpretation of Christianity, where the Scriptures are sometimes twisted into allegorical tales akin to self-help doctrines. Melissa coined the term "metamistagorical," combining metaphysical, mystical, and allegorical elements, to describe New Thought. She reflects on how figures like Oprah Winfrey and Joel Osteen intermingle Christian identification with mystical attributes to create a semblance of spiritual alignment. Melissa stresses that while New Thought is frequently confused with New Age philosophies, it poses a unique threat to believers: “New Thought ideas will deceive Christians before New Age ideas ever will. […] You've probably adopted some of its teachings, and you don't even realize it.” Unlike New Age's openly mystical practices, New Thought often acts as a metaphysical Christianity, making its influence sneakier and more deceptive. Dougherty concludes with a heartfelt prayer for her readers: “I hope you can't unsee [New Thought]. I hope it stirs something within you, something refusing to be ignored. Now, go tell others. Tell them the Joyful Truth so they don't fall for Happy Lies. ” In Happy Lies, highly regarded Christian apologist and ex-New Ager Melissa Dougherty . . . Tackles the frustrations surrounding the rise of pop spirituality and “self-actualization,” even within Christianity Exposes the deceptions of New Thought—a movement centered on positive thinking, mental healing, self-worship, and spiritual empowerment Counters subjective, “me”-focused platitudes with objective truths that dispel spiritual confusion and bring peace to anxious minds Provides practical methods to uproot the subtle, mystical, and insidious spiritual beliefs that dilute the core message of Christianity Clarifies how to recognize the misleading spiritual practices infiltrating modern Christianity and reject them to embrace the beauty of an authentic Christian life MORE ABOUT “HAPPY LIES” In this groundbreaking book, popular apologist Melissa Dougherty helps us understand how our society got to be so toxically subjective, why endless positivity is inherently destructive, and how we can live with faithful truth and genuine love in these self-obsessed times. Have you ever wondered how we ended up in a world where personal feelings could become the authority for reality? Or why so many of us are on a relentless pursuit for happiness yet somehow feel more exhausted and sadder than ever? You're not alone. Melissa deftly traces the roots of today's social chaos back to a little-known (but very influential) 1800s philosophy known as New Thought. A former follower of its teachings, Melissa provides clarity and compassion mixed with a dash of loving snark as she exposes New Thought's deceptions and its many concerning tendrils within the church and our "self-help" culture. You'll be shocked, grieved, and encouraged as you learn: How you can experience true freedom, hope, and peace instead of the world's counterfeits How an anti-God ideology so easily hijacked Christian-sounding ideas Why thinking positively is entirely different from the unbiblical and burdensome "positive thought" movement Why fake "authenticity" short-circuits real redemption How understanding the New Thought mindset can help us share our faith more effectively Uncover a dangerous ideology that nearly everyone has met, yet few of us can name, in order to better understand our culture and joyfully live faithful to the gospel that is so much better than our world's Happy Lies. MEET MELISSA DOUGHERTY Melissa Dougherty is a Christian apologist best known for her YouTube channel with over 285,000 subscribers and counting. Her videos, which primarily cover New Age and New Thought, have been viewed over 18 million times. Melissa is highly regarded and connected in the apologetics community. She has had numerous influential guests on her YouTube channel and is a frequent guest on the YouTube videos and podcasts of popular thinkers as well. Melissa has a bachelor's degree in religious studies from Southern Evangelical Seminary, where she's also pursuing her master's degree in religious studies. Melissa is married with two daughters and lives in New Mexico. You will find her on her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@MelissaDougherty  We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Wisdom. Most of us would say we possess some measure of it. And yet, we would probably all sign up for more, if it didn't prove so, well… elusive? Unattainable? Reserved for the “truly spiritual”?  What if our desire for wisdom led us to look for the right answers in the wrong places? What if wisdom was accessible to anyone who asks? Most importantly, how do we get this wisdom that is not of the world? Gospel Spice Ministries invite you to ponder the wisdom of the book of Proverbs through a Christocentric perspective over the next few weeks. We promise spiritual flavor explosions steeped in the biblical concepts of hope, faith, and joy in the Lord. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom How should we prioritize wisdom and holiness? Why should our lives aim to reflect our Lord's? Our intention is to create and nurture a lifelong quest to cultivate holy wisdom in practical ways by acquiring new perspectives on daily living and “being transformed by the renewing of our minds.” Biblical wisdom is irresistibly attractive because it centers on Jesus Christ. Each week, we will meet a fictitious character embodying a specific trait we hope to learn from. Comfort and forgetfulness, foolishness and lack of perspective, lust and envy, pride and arrogance, selfishness and self-centeredness, fear and anxiety, greed and vanity, deceit and manipulation. We have a rocky road ahead—where a glorious Savior awaits. And so today, meet Samantha. Samantha goes to church every Sunday and tithes faithfully. She remembers the time when she accepted Christ with fondness and nostalgia—life was so simple then! She wonders sometimes: “Was is really the same me? When did my life become so busy?” She is married, raising two teenagers, and working full time. At work and at home, she is risk-averse and values intelligence. Having a backup plan seems common sense, and she prizes her own wisdom in making sure all the angles are always covered. Samantha has an active social life, between her husbands' business partners and her own friends and clubs, including her gym. She loves social media—such a great avenue to share her amazing life with the world, and to hear from her many friends! Samantha places a high premium on people's opinion of her. Actually, she might go as far as calling herself a people pleaser. She gives to a selection of charities when she gets their ask letters in the mail. She also spends quite a lot on herself, but she feels she deserves it. At church, she is always inspired by those who seem to have deep intimacy with God. She notices them everywhere—on the worship team, or sitting next to her during the message, or praying with one another between services. She wonders how they do it, but she would never actually ask them: what would they think? She knows she would probably benefit from spending more time with God than just at church on Sundays; but that will have to wait. All her friends seem to be running the same race; she figures it is the way life is. After all, she's already giving God a portion of her time and money. Recently, something quite undefinable has shifted. She feels it most when the busyness subsides for a moment. She finds herself increasingly critical of her husband and kids, and short of patience when they don't satisfy her expectations—which seems to be a more common occurrence. She finds herself looking forward to that glass of wine every night, just to unwind. She has slowly developed anxiety and seeks relief on her fridge's shelves. She has gained 18 pounds and lost countless hours to sleeplessness. And she is not feeling better. Her phone informs her weekly that her screen time increases in double digits. Apparently, she is seeking solace with her social media friends. It's hard to believe, because Facebook does not bring her the soothing forgetfulness it once did. She regularly leaves her social media scroll feeling restless and anxious at how she does not measure up anymore. What must her friends think? Hum. What do you think, dear reader? The world would tell us that Samantha is wise. She is hedging her bets. She is doing it all—the family, the career, the social life, the church attendance, the regular physical exercise. She has one foot firmly planted in the world, and the other tentatively resting on her Christian faith. What would the Book of Proverbs say to Samantha? Proverbs differentiate the wise from the simple, the fool and the wicked. It teaches us that the first step of wisdom is to unlearn the ways of the world—the very ones that are still so pervasive and influential in Samantha's life. Wisdom begins by unlearning the world's values to acquire humility. Proverbs highlights the path of the wise, rooted in humility and grounded in Christ. Humility is to see everyone the way God does. Proverbs is the Old Testament roadmap to Christlikeness, not primarily because it tells us how to live, but because it shows us the God who maps our road. Wisdom is available to all who seek it. It is rooted in a Biblical, Christocentric approach to God. Wisdom is a God-breathed process that will take us ever deeper into intimacy and wonder. The Book of Proverbs challenges us to pursue God as our highest goal. This is the wisest thing we could choose to do with our life. We invite you to discover the rest of Samantha's story, and the wisdom of God Himself in the pages of the Book of Proverbs on the Gospel Spice Podcast this week. Stephanie challenges us to ponder these nuggets of wisdom in Christ: Wisdom is genius.  Humility is heroic. Faith is daring. Love is extravagant. And, surrender to God is true boldness. Make sure to check out the optional-but-oh-so-helpful mini e-book to go along with the series at gospelspice.com/wisdom  DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

As we conclude our “Come to the Table” series today, we also poise ourselves to enter a new year. So, Stephanie invites you to consider the feast of Epiphany. The Greek word "epiphany" originates from the idea of a sudden realization or manifestation. Epiphanies are an invitation to delight in the manifestation of God's glory through Christ. Scripture draws our attention to the ultimate epiphany - the transfiguration event, consistent with the concept of light and darkness in the gospel of John. But Christ's glory is not confined to moments of transfiguration. His glory is ever-present, permeating through light and darkness both. John 1:1-14 recognizes Christ's manifestation not only in moments of splendor, but also during challenging times, even amidst the crucifixion. The passage vividly describes the incarnation of the Word and the manifestation of God's glory through Christ, emblematic of the purpose that Epiphany serves in illuminating the magnificence of Christ. This prompts us to seek and cherish the epiphanies that illuminate Christ's glory in our everyday lives. The concept of waiting between epiphanies is one of the foundations of our journey of faith. Waiting teaches us to trust God more deeply, which will cultivate spiritual growth and fortitude. Patience and perseverance are nurtured, even as we anticipate epiphanies that reveal the glory of Christ. Together we will explore the celebration of Epiphany in the Eastern and Western churches, considering the manifold ways in which Jesus reveals His glory to the world. This celebration commemorates pivotal events such as the arrival of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the miraculous wedding at Cana, offering profound insights into the multifaceted manifestation of Jesus's glory. There is much value in embracing the wisdom and traditions of our Christian ancestors! We end our “Come to the Table” series on this episode. We pray the series has served you well! Please consider emailing us to let us know. It would mean so much to us! Also please continue emailing us your prayer requests. We always delight in praying alongside you. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie reads her favorite passages about Jesus, both in the Old and in the New Testaments. Her goal is to magnify Him in your heart and life, to make this your most Christ-centered Christmas yet. We at Gospel Spice hold to a very high-christology, which is a fancy way of saying that we worship Jesus as our King, Lord, Savior, and Friend. Jesus is the most beautiful gift we can give one another, so here is your King. Suggestion: consider playing this episode as a family on Christmas day or any time this week! These Scripture passages will generate wonderful conversations about the meaning of the Incarnation, and will lead you to worship and adoration. We are praying for you, and are so grateful for the privilege to serve you this year! Also, check out our Gospel Spice Christmas playlist exclusively on Spotify for free here, or by searching "Gospel Spice Christmas playlsit" in your Spotify app. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0S4BcfaOfjg2CGH7VBa8mm   THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

As winter approaches, the twinkle of festive lights heralds the season of joy and reflection. In 2024, this season offers an extraordinary convergence, where Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, and Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ, align perfectly on the calendar. Hanukkah, meaning "dedication," commemorates the rededication of the Jewish Temple in 165 BC. The festival's origin lies in the Maccabean Revolt against Hellenistic domination under Antiochus Epiphanes. This revolt led to the miraculous victory and subsequent cleansing of the Temple, commemorated by the lighting of the menorah. Lighting the menorah is a central tradition, where each candle signifies hope, divine presence, and the miraculous sustenance of the Jewish people. The lights are not functional, but symbolic—a reflection of God's enduring presence and an inspiration to live in His light. Christmas marks the incarnation of Jesus, the true Light of the world: God took human form to bring salvation to humankind. It begins with the Advent season—an anticipation of Christ's birth and eventual second coming—and proceeds into the Christmas Day festivity and beyond. From December 25th to January 6th, the "12 Days of Christmas" celebrate significant Christian figures, such as Saint Stephen, John the Evangelist, and the Holy Innocents. These observances call Christians to reflect on faith's steadfast examples and draw inspiration for modern life. So, we invite you to ponder the intersection of light in both traditions. The menorah's glow during Hanukkah parallels the advent candles flickering in Christian homes, together casting away darkness and embodying hope, joy, and divine presence. This confluence also finds roots in the Gospel of John, where Jesus is described celebrating Hanukkah—affirming His identity and mission as the Light of the world. The festival's themes of dedication and light resonate with Jesus' role, drawing believers to reflect on personal dedication as a living temple of the Holy Spirit, meant to illuminate God's glory. In both Hanukkah and Christmas, the invitation to "dedication" runs deeply. Hanukkah celebrates the Temple's rededication; likewise, Christmas calls for personal dedication to faith in Christ for salvation and sanctification. This convergence is an opportunity to rededicate by living out values that reflect the love and light of God. Together, as we light the menorahs and adorn Christmas trees, let us celebrate the connections between Hanukkah and Christmas, cherishing the light that shines through both of these sacred traditions. Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways: 1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too! 2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app; and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today! Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways: 1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too! 2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app; and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today! Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

While the Bible remains the unshakable center of our faith, understanding the broader context of church history will enrich our spiritual life in Christ. And so, Stephanie invites you into her conversation with authors Ben Lansing and Dan Marotta. Their collaborative effort is “Our Church Speaks”, a book featuring 52 Christian saints connecting modern audiences with 2000 years of Christian tradition. In today's culture, dominated by a staggering number of celebrities, Ben and Dan propose a focus on Christ-centered heroes of the faith, past and present, as a healthier alternative. Recounting stories of saints can help reconstruct what it means to follow Christ, providing a curative narrative amid societal disillusionment. This perspective isn't anti-celebrity, but rather an appeal to prioritize emotional and spiritual well-being by valuing Christ-centered faith over celebrity culture. Ben and Dan underscore the value of saints as role models in stark contrast to today's idolized celebrity culture. Instead of pursuing a transient notion of the "good life" defined by cultural standards of beauty, success, and fame, the authors advocate emulating the virtues demonstrated by saints. These figures, pointing to Christ, offer a remedy for the anxiety and vanity pervasive in modern society. Ben and Dan draw parallels between the decline of the Roman Empire and current Western attitudes. The past's cultural uncertainties mirror today's sentiments. For example, the conversion of Augustine and the transformative power of faith, urge today's youth to find fulfillment in Christ rather than material success. Through the lens of history, Ben and Dan highlight the monastic movement's rise during turbulent times, structured around prayer and work. The lessons from these Christian communities remain pertinent today, providing a model for spiritual stability amidst chaos. The consistent theme of God's faithfulness through uncertain times emphasizes the reliability of prayer as a structural life foundation, rather than a mere emotional expression. Josephine Bakhita and Polycarp, for example, left indelible marks on Christian history. Josephine Bakhita's story of transcending slavery through faith—embracing her given name "Lucky" while finding true fortune in Christ—offers a lesson in finding freedom through spiritual dedication rather than the absence of constraints. Polycarp's unwavering faith despite persecution illustrates the early church's resilience and engagement with Scripture. His steadfastness serves as a source of encouragement for modern believers facing challenges to their faith, reinforcing confidence and trust in divine grace. Ben Lansing's role as an artist intertwines with his spiritual journey, as he finds inspiration in portraying saints from diverse eras and professions. His insights reveal how art and history can illuminate God's work across various cultures and time periods. Stephanie Rousselle reflects on how the book sparked her curiosity to learn about historical Christian figures, like the first Korean martyr, thus enhancing her appreciation for global Christian heritage. Dan Marotta shares his transformative encounter with church history through Ben, emphasizing themes of self-sacrifice present in the lives of saints. These true stories provide a humbling counterbalance to modern comfort-driven lifestyles, inspiring humility and faithful witness over martyrdom or suffering. The conversation touches on the negative implications of social media, this "giant mirror" reflecting and magnifying vanity issues. Emulating saints can redirect this focus, reducing self-promotion and increasing service to others, leading to genuine happiness and fulfillment. Ben and Dan conclude by inviting us to look beyond digital media, encouraging engagement with visual and historical narratives that convey beauty and truth. Their collaborative project aims to connect past and present, offering illustrations and biographies of Christian heroes of the faith to motivate deeper spiritual reflection. MORE ABOUT “OUR CHURCH SPEAKS” Do you ever feel like you're alone in your struggles to live out the Christian faith? Do you ever read the Bible yet still wonder what it looks like to follow Jesus in the complexity and difficulty of our time? The stories of great men and women throughout the history of the church can help us form a bridge between the teaching of Scripture and our embodied lives. This illustrated devotional vividly depicts the lives and words of great women and men of faith. Artist Ben Lansing and Anglican priest D. J. Marotta offer fifty-two profound images and reflections on Christians, from Polycarp in the first century to the martyrs of Sudan in the twenty-first century. These saints, from every continent and century of church history, demonstrate the historic church's relevance for Christians today and reveal God's faithfulness in all times and circumstances. The artwork, biographies, devotionals, and prayers in this book are meant to spark our imaginations, helping us to be faithful here and now, in our own age. More at https://www.ourchurchspeaks.com/  Order via ivpress.com here: https://www.ivpress.com/our-church-speaks  Order via Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Our-Church-Speaks-Illustrated-Devotional/dp/151400903X  Order via Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/our-church-speaks-ben-lansing/1145030215  Our Church Speaks is an illustration series featuring the words of Christians from around the globe, across traditions, and throughout the centuries. Each saint in this series is commemorated in the Book of Common Prayer tradition, in the global Anglican communion's calendar of saints. C.S. Lewis called for Christians to "keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds." Our Church Speaks aspires to open the perspective of modern Christians to this clean breeze of the witness of the historic church. Our Church Speaks is an ongoing project, currently at over 250 portraits, with new work every week. You can follow the latest entries on Instagram. Prayers and liturgies in this project are from the Book of Common Prayer. This project is aligned with the historic interpretation of the Christian Bible, as summarized by the Nicene Creed and expressed in the Documentary Foundations of the 2019 edition of the Book of Common Prayer (pgs. 766-802). Discover the stunning art gallery that inspired the book at https://www.ourchurchspeaks.com/gallery  MORE ABOUT THE AUTHORS Ben Lansing is an artist and author from Richmond, Virginia. His award-winning art has appeared in hundreds of American publications over the past two decades. His work has been featured in the Newseum in Washington D.C. and received multiple Best in Show awards from the Virginia Press Association. In 2007, in response to the mass shooting at Virginia Tech, Ben created Today, We Are All Hokies, an editorial illustration that received global attention. John Seigenthaler, Sr., founding editorial director of USA Today, nominated this image for a Pulitzer Prize in 2007. Ben is currently the cartoonist for Jeff MacNelly's classic comic strip, Shoe. Ben is an ordained Anglican deacon and a lifelong student of the history of art and religion. He loves sharing the history of the global church through art and storytelling and regularly teaches church history at Redeemer Anglican Church in Richmond, Virginia. He lives in Richmond with his wife, Bethany, in a house full of books. Dan (D.J.) Marotta is a priest in the Anglican Church in North America and the founding Rector of Redeemer Anglican Church in Richmond, VA. He was raised in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and graduated from The College of William & Mary with a B.A. in Family Therapy Psychology and Denver Seminary with a Master of Divinity. He was ordained to the priesthood in 2016 and planted Redeemer in the urban heart of Richmond that same year. His wife is gracious and his children are clever. More at https://www.djmarotta.com/  THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie has deep admiration for Mary, the mother of Jesus. So, she invites you to take a seat at Mary's table this Christmas season. Grab a cup of hot Christmas tea and join Mary at God's feast. Mary's journey of faith showcases deep humility and trust. For example, her genuine curiosity about God's message distinguishes her from Zechariah's earlier skepticism, demonstrating that God welcomes questions borne out of innocence. Mary's life highlights a pure faith, and a willingness to devote herself completely to God, despite societal repercussions. Mary is a beacon of suffering and endurance. Scripture emphasizes the importance of embracing our legacy for God's glory, drawing parallels to Ruth and Boaz's story as an analogy of choosing faithfulness amidst trials. Mary's life challenges us to view suffering through a lens of divine purpose and glory. In Christ, the New Testament teaches a profound reversal from the Old Testament perspective. Traditionally, the unholy would taint the holy, but in Christ, the holy purifies the unholy. This applies to Mary as well, and is vividly exemplified in stories like the woman healed by touching Jesus' garment, and the shadows of Peter and Paul, which miraculously conveyed healing. Understanding Jesus as fully God and fully man is vital to grasp the profound nature of the cross and resurrection. The incarnation is not merely to be seasonally celebrated at Christmastime, but it extends to us an invitation to experience the holiness of Jesus personally throughout the year. Belief in Jesus is paramount for salvation, extending beyond heritage and familial connections to Israel. Even Mary herself needed to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior, because salvation is an individual journey taken in a corporate, communal context. Mary's faith journey is therefore marked by the joy and strength she found in fellowship and corporate worship. Community is essential in nurturing our faith, and in providing encouragement, support, and a shared sense of purpose. Mary's song, the Magnificat, reveals her deep scriptural understanding, reminiscent of patriarchal figures like Abraham and Hannah, as well as her bond with her cousin Elizabeth. This is the power of community to bolster our faith! In her humble and challenging circumstances—living in poverty, as a widow, raising several children, and dealing with societal reputations—Mary chose to view herself as blessed through a divine lens. Her life exemplifies surrendering to God's plan as an act of commitment, rather than selecting the bits and pieces of faith that would be more comfortable. Her life teaches a timeless lesson: embracing God's plans often requires relinquishing personal ambitions and societal approval. Her journey serves as a guide for living a life of worship and devotion to Jesus, standing firm in faith through every storm. So, this Christmas, consider reimagining your Christmas celebrations through the lens of Mary's life. Ponder the story of Mary, not just as an iconic biblical figure, but as a relatable model of faith, courage, and unwavering devotion in the face of life's trials. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways: 1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too! 2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app; and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today! Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie Rousselle welcomes Jenn Tucker to discuss overcoming the shame of mental health struggles, and the transformative power of Christian meditation. This practice is not merely about acquiring biblical knowledge, but about deeply embodying the teachings of Scripture. This spiritual discipline invites the presence of God into daily life through Christ, towards personal transformation and the renewing of our minds in Christ. When Jenn's youngest daughter began experiencing panic and anxiety, Jenn and her family plunged themselves deep into the world of therapy and psychiatry, witnessing firsthand the treatments, tools, and medications for panic attacks, anxiety disorders, depression, and other mental health conditions. As Jenn witnessed her daughter's suffering and learned to honestly address her own mental health struggles, she became passionate about the importance of mental health, particularly within faith communities. Once a source of shame and fear, Jenn is now an advocate for making mental health a priority. Jenn and her family have opened up about their journey with mental health because they love Jesus. They believe God's Word. They trust Him. They believe His plans are good and His purposes are for our ultimate good and His ultimate glory. But they have seen firsthand what it's like to have a serious mental health condition that requires the help of doctors and medications, and they are grateful to have these tools. The brain is a complicated and beautiful mystery in many ways. We have to care to the bodies that God has given us, and Jenn hopes to help others learn tactics to care for their minds and bodies while also growing closer to God. Anxiety — or any mental health condition — isn't a roadblock to faith but rather a way to grow closer to Christ. So, today, Jenn opens up about her past struggles with doubt, mental health, and the pressures of religious perfectionism. Raised in a fundamentalist environment where anxiety was viewed as sinful, she experienced significant personal shame. Her daughter's battle with anxiety and panic attacks allowed Jenn to reassess her beliefs and embrace God's comforting presence. This shift in understanding was a catalyst for change, leading her to realize the true good news of Jesus Christ. Meditation on Scripture is fundamentally different from, and complement to traditional Bible study. While the latter focuses on collecting knowledge, meditation is an intimate practice of spiritual reflection. By meditating on God's word through methods such as Lectio Divina, we can experience peace and resilience in the chaos of the modern world. Jenn speaks candidly about how this practice has helped her through personal struggles, allowing scriptural wisdom to become an integral part of her being. Both Jenn and Stephanie reflect on overcoming personal challenges through faith and recognizing the liberating nature of trust in God. They candidly discuss the guilt that can accompany misapplying biblical verses, and the pressure to perform religious tasks as proof of faith. Jenn encourages a shift from “doing for God” to “being with God,” emphasizing presence and relationship over actions. This change in perspective has allowed her to discern God's constant support through life's hardships and unexpected moments. Jenn shares three powerful methods for engaging with Scripture meditatively. First, she recommends reflecting on standout words or phrases within a passage, using them as focal points for prayer and contemplation. Secondly, praying phrase by phrase while listening for divine guidance can uncover God's individual invitations through scripture. Finally, she encourages considering what God may be inviting each individual to do or understand through their current life circumstances. These practices are designed to develop a deeper connection to God, transforming scripture into a living conversation. Christian meditation offers not just spiritual enrichment, but tangible health benefits, such as reduced stress and improved mental clarity. By focusing directly on Christ and His teachings, meditation integrates the spiritual with the mental, fostering an awareness of God's constant presence and love. Through this practice, Jenn has found tools for coping with life's unpredictabilities. Through her book “Present in Prayer,” Jenn Tucker invites us into the practice of Lectio Divina, a historic form of Christian meditation comprising five steps: Silence, Prayer, Reading, Meditation, and Incarnation. She stresses the importance of silence and prayer in preparing the heart to meet God, guiding readers through various meditation practices designed to enrich their communion with God. This structured approach enables individuals to internalize Scripture more deeply, fostering spiritual growth and resilience. MORE ABOUT PRESENT IN PRAYER Jennifer “Jenn” Tucker knows what anxiety feels like. In her bestselling book, Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul, Jenn shared the powerful practice of Christian breath prayer, a simple and approachable tool for battling her depression, stress, and anxiety. Now, in Present in Prayer: A Guided Invitation to Peace Through Biblical Meditation, Jenn explores the redemptive power of the centuries-old practice of Christian meditation. Present in Prayer offers a simple yet profound guide to Christian meditation, a practice with the capacity to rewire the neural pathways in the brain, creating new connections and changing the way we think and how we regulate our emotions for physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, using the ancient monastic framework of lectio divina. Present in Prayer features 30 mediations, each with a gentle call to silence, an opening prayer, and a thoughtful reflection on a Bible verse; guided meditation on Scripture; a prayer of surrender and prompts for how to live out the truths God is speaking; and inspired art. “Christian meditation has been profoundly helpful to me personally,” said Jenn. “Learning to find this quiet time to commune with God has helped grow my faith and strengthened my mental and spiritual health, drawing me nearer to God, helping me change unhelpful and negative thought patterns, and easing the physical and mental symptoms of anxiety and stress.” With Jenn Tucker's Present in Prayer, cultivate a more purposeful and peaceful prayer life and greater intimacy with God as you focus your thoughts on His Word. Jennifer Tucker is bestselling author, artist, graphic designer, wife, mother, grandmother, devoted follower of Jesus, and advocate for mental health. She shares her heart and art online at littlehousestudio.net. Jenn is the author of Breath as Prayer: Calm Your Anxiety, Focus Your Mind, and Renew Your Soul. MORE ABOUT JENN TUCKER When Jenn's youngest daughter began experiencing panic and anxiety, Jenn and her family plunged themselves deep into the world of therapy and psychiatry, witnessing firsthand the treatments, tools, and medications for panic attacks, anxiety disorders, depression, and other mental health conditions. As Jenn witnessed her daughter's suffering and learned to honestly address her own mental health struggles, she became passionate about the importance of mental health, particularly within faith communities. Once a source of shame and fear, Jenn is now an advocate for making mental health a priority. Jenn and her family have opened up about their journey with mental health because they love Jesus. They believe God's Word. They trust Him. They believe His plans are good and His purposes are for our ultimate good and His ultimate glory. But they have seen firsthand what it's like to have a serious mental health condition that requires the help of doctors and medications, and they are grateful to have these tools. The brain is a complicated and beautiful mystery in many ways. We have to care to the bodies that God has given us, and in writing Breath as Prayer and Present in Prayer, Jenn hopes to help others learn tactics to care for their minds and bodies while also growing closer to God. Anxiety — or any mental health condition — isn't a roadblock to faith but rather a way to grow closer to Christ. Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways: 1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too! 2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app; and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today! Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Advent is an exquisite tapestry of remembrance and hope. It urges us to transcend the temporal allure of holiday celebrations and step into a sanctuary of reflection, rest, and renewed faith. Advent embodies a period of waiting that bridges past, present, and future expectations of Christ's advent. So today, Stephanie invites us to enter the heart of Advent—a time of reflection, prayer, and preparation centered around the comings of Jesus Christ.   Drawing from the Anglican liturgical tradition of the weekly "collects," prayer can transform the season, linking believers to a contemplative experience and encouraging introspection. On that note, consider checking out our Gospel Spice Advent Course, a series of 12 videos that will guide you on a prayerful 24-day journey that will highlight original, unexpected, deep insights for your heart and faith. More at gospelspice.com/advent The Advent season encapsulates both the commemoration of Christ's first coming, and the anticipation of His return. This duality highlights Jesus' role, initially as a humble Messiah, and soon as a returning Judge and King. Amidst the festive frenzy, we need to remember to emphasize rest during Advent. For many, resting in God's presence contradicts a performance-driven mentality. This, in turn, beckons us to relinquish control and engage in trust. Resting in God not only fosters spiritual quietness, but also enhances our awareness of His guidance. As the season progresses, Stephanie extends an invitation to experience Advent not merely as a time of expectation, but also as a process of spiritual readiness. Repentance, grace, and prayer point us towards preparation for Jesus' imminent arrival. This sacred anticipation encourages us to reflect on our identity in relation to God, seeking quietness, trust, and strength through His presence. Advent sends forth a sacred invitation to step away from commercial clamor and enter into a season of faith-journey marked by expectation, repentance, and joyful anticipation. Let us heed this call to embrace Advent as a season of profound spiritual transformation and expectation in Christ! Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on Holy Day traditions in upcoming episodes of Gospel Spice! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie invites us to ponder an original perspective to help us determine how to invest our time, money and talents wisely, with heaven in mind. What does Jesus mean when He urges us to "accumulate treasures in heaven"? Surely He does not mean we will need money in eternity. What are these treasures? And most importantly, HOW do we accumulate treasures in heaven? Scripture teaches we are saved by grace alone, and faith in Christ alone, and that we cannot earn salvation. So, this is not about salvation. This is about living a life of delight in the glory of God on THIS side of heaven, and a life of investing wisely in what GOD says matters eternally. Stephanie uses a fresh analogy and describes our life this side of heaven as a garden in which we live and work and move and play. But there is a great wall, so high we cannot peek over it, and it separates us from eternal life. This wall is death and, apart from Christ, it is terrifying. It casts its shadows of pain and suffering, hardship and afflictions, disease and sickness over us all. This wall has a door for each one of us--we will not cross over until our time comes, but we will not be able to avoid that door when our time comes. What awaits us on the other side of it and, more importantly since you already know what awaits you in Christ, how do we invest our lives wisely, this side of the wall?  Jesus tells us to accumulate treasures in heaven. In other words, He tells us there are ways to toss our treasure over the wall of death, and into eternity. What can we toss? And HOW do we toss it? In this episode, Stephanie invites us to ponder what it looks like to toss treasure over the wall, and then to discover how we will use it on the other side. What will this treasure look like? How will we use it in heaven? We at Gospel Spice hope and pray that this episode will encourage you to keep running the race set before you, and to fix your eyes on Him who has crossed over to bring you from death to life. NEW GOSPELSPICE CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY! Enjoy our team's selection of favorite Christ-centered Christmas hymns this season. Search Gospel Spice on Spotify, or click here  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0S4BcfaOfjg2CGH7VBa8mm?si=grkc-ZS6TBu75sByFPvwfw&nd=1 (note - there is also a Gospel Spice Worship playlist for all the other months of the year!) THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.   We have a high-quality, deeply inspiring, truly original Advent devotional for you! Stephanie created this original video series for YOUR ADVENT season! It will draw you closer to Christ, and deeper into the presence of God.  It is comprised of 12 videos leading up to Christmas, and a gorgeous devotional PDF to accompany it. You will not want to miss out! Go to gospelspice.com/advent to download your FREE one-day sample, and/or purchase the Gospel Spice Advent devotional at an amazing price. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Today, Stephanie invites us to appreciate the beauty of both sacred feasts and ordinary days, encouraging us to engage in the communal and reflective aspects of faith, and finding God's purpose within the varied rhythms of the Christian calendar. Throughout our series, we together have woven the historical and prophetic significance of Jewish and Christian feasts. We have remembered that, while Christians aren't required to observe these feasts, they offer valuable insights and experiences. The communal aspect of these celebrations serves as an inspiring contrast to modern individualism, with our faith deeply rooted in community and shared heritage. The spring feasts, including Passover and Pentecost, herald Jesus' first coming, while the fall feasts echo the anticipated second coming, starting with Rosh Hashanah. With Advent beginning on December 3rd, 2024, this season marks a shift from Ordinary Time to a spirited anticipation of Christ's birth. Stephanie encourages us to slow down and reflect on the past year, capturing the introspective spirit of Thanksgiving.   The current era, regarded as the "ordinary time" between Jesus' first and second coming, is marked by the mission to spread his teachings. The concept of Ordinary Time within the Christian liturgical calendar serves as a reminder of the divine presence in everyday life. This period, unique to Christianity, fosters spiritual maturation and invites believers to live more deeply in Christ's teachings. Living the Christian life is akin to growing in spirals, continually deepening our faith journey. This time culminates in the final Sunday of ordinary time, liturgically called “the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe,” and transitions into the vibrant anticipation of Advent. Next, we will ponder the connections between Advent, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Epiphany. These discussions will continue to show intricate ways in which these winter festivals echo the broader themes of anticipation and celebration. The anticipation for the second coming of Jesus, expressed through the Jewish feasts, notably the Feast of Trumpets, aligns with the Christian expectation of the eventual fulfillment of God's promises. As the Gospel Spice podcast series wraps up its exploration of the Jewish and Christian liturgical calendars, Stephanie invites us to embrace a rich tapestry of spiritual traditions through feasts and ordinary days alike. The series shines a light on the intricate dance between the sacred and the ordinary, drawing out beauty found within the familiar rhythms of faith. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways: 1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too! 2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app; and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today! What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie Rousselle welcomes Lanier Ivester, who embraces life's imperfections to illuminate the beauty of Advent and Christmas. Lanier's book, "Glad and Golden Hours," invites us to cultivate joy amid sorrow and approach the holiday season with authenticity and grace. By intertwining sensory and spiritual experiences—much like savoring genuine Madagascar Bourbon vanilla—Lanier's book encourages readers to experience God's goodness through all senses, a practice embedded in her Advent essays. Advent is a powerful reminder of three "advents": the historical arrival of Christ, His anticipated future return, and His everyday presence in believers' lives. It's like a delicious cake baking, where the scent alone offers a taste of the joy to come. Advent thus becomes a time not just for reflection, but for anticipating the sweetness of God's promises, even amidst trials. Lanier introduces the concept of "otium sanctum," or holy leisure, contrasting sharply with the hustle of the typical American lifestyle. By starting the season from a place of acceptance and prioritizing peace, this practice encourages a restful approach to Christmas, embracing a peaceful, sufficient state of existence amidst the chaos. Through her writing and stories, Lanier has struck a chord with readers from varying backgrounds, resonating deeply with those who've had mixed experiences with Christmas traditions. She encourages readers to adopt meaningful traditions, finding joy and purpose despite previous disappointments, fostering a richer connection to the season. Grief is the 'great equalizer.' Whether rooted in sudden loss or extended heartache, grief opens a space for deeper intimacy with God. Lanier has navigated personal tragedies, from infertility to family losses, through a truth-centered approach that acknowledges both sorrow and joy, creating an authentic reflection of the Advent season. Lanier learned invaluable lessons about imperfection, and how God meets us in our grief, with the hope of reuniting with loved ones bringing comfort. Lanier's mother, a beacon of easygoing hospitality, taught her the essence of prioritizing people over perfection—a theme woven into her approach to Christmas. In this episode, you will experience… Living Advent: Lanier dives into Advent as not just a season, but an experience—a time to embrace the historical, present, and future presence of Christ, much like the irresistible scent of a cake baking in the oven. Holy Leisure: Ever heard of "otium sanctum"? It's all about finding a peaceful, restful state during the bustling Christmas season. Lanier shares tips on how to set priorities and create a calm oasis amidst the chaos. Joy amidst Grief: Lanier opens up about how grief, from infertility to family losses, has deepened her intimacy with God. She brings light to finding beauty and sufficiency in Christ, even in the darkest times. Embracing Imperfections: Perfectionists, rejoice! Lanier recounts tales of holiday mishaps, including a high school Christmas craft disaster, and how they taught her the true spirit of hospitality. Tradition and Memory: Dive into how Lanier finds solace in memory and tradition, exemplified by her mother's dining room table—a symbol of love and the Lord's hospitality. THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie invites you today to spice up your faith by exploring unexpected connections between two great feasts. She dives deep into the intertwined celebrations of Pentecost in the Christian tradition, and Shavuot in the Jewish faith. Both festivals are celebrated 50 days post-Easter and Passover respectively, and invite us to reconnect with themes of gratitude, thanksgiving, and divine revelation. Through the enduring cycles of joy, preparation, and revelation, both Shavuot and Pentecost call believers into a deeper understanding of divine grace and the cyclical journey of faith. Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks, concludes a significant period of anticipation following Passover. Observers commemorate this festival by reading the Ten Commandments and partaking in the harvest of wheat, lauded as the superior grain. Symbolically, Shavuot represents the culmination of the spring feasts, and includes the unique preparation of two loaves of leavened wheat bread, symbolizing humanity's sinful nature. Celebrated with offerings, figs, olive oil, and more, Shavuot is a joyous occasion steeped in history and spirituality. In the Christian liturgical calendar, Pentecost, celebrated on June 8, 2025, mirrors Shavuot's setting—50 days after the major religious observances of Easter and Passover. It marks the momentous occasion when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus's followers, empowering us to spread the gospel. God's presence attributes joy and delight to Pentecost, making it a critical event that signifies the birth of the church and believers' empowerment. Stephanie discusses these celebrations as a "rehearsal dinner" for the future wedding banquet, the final joyous gathering in Christ's return. This celebration encapsulates both preparation and revelation, drawing a parallel to the Israelites' three days of preparation to receive the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. The festival's ladder-shaped challah symbolizes Moses' ascent to receive the Law, while its inclusion of yeast signifies the sinful nature that, through divine grace, will be fully redeemed. Central to both Shavuot and Pentecost, is the theme of harvest. The gathering of wheat represents the process of evangelism. As believers are sanctified through trials, they are refined wheat, ready for offering and transforming into the spiritual bread of life. In the same vein, Pentecost is a reminder of the Great Commission—empowering believers to go forth and harvest souls for the kingdom of God. Christ embodies the fulfillment of Shavuot. Just as Shavuot celebrates God's revelation to Moses, Pentecost commemorates the Holy Spirit's descension, ushering a new covenant. This underscores a deeper spiritual truth: the festival of Shavuot rehearses the believers' ultimate communion with God, transcending into a season of salvation heralded by Jesus' coming. Stephanie highlights a fascinating contrast between Jewish and Western traditions: the Jewish cyclical view of time versus the Western linear perspective. Shavuot, celebrated from sundown on June 1 to nightfall on June 3, 2025, emphasizes the end of the spring harvest—a marker in the cyclical liturgical calendar that heralds a pause until the fall feasts. Meanwhile, the Western tradition tends to perceive time as linear, steadily moving towards a future point. This cyclical nature of the Jewish liturgical calendar offers hope and progress, especially during periods that may seem monotonous. After the spring feasts conclude, the Jewish calendar enters a four-month period without festive observances until Rosh Hashanah. Stephanie encourages believers to view these "ordinary" times as infused with the joy and anticipation of Shavuot and Pentecost, reflecting the Christian longing between Christ's first and second comings. This period is an invitation to embody thankfulness, evangelism, and charity, preparing for the ultimate harvest in the final gathering. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on Holy Day traditions in upcoming episodes of Gospel Spice! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie converses with the ever-engaging Bob Goff today. Known for his ability to intertwine whimsy with profound spiritual truths, Bob challenges us to take active, heartfelt actions instead of merely understanding faith on an intellectual level. Bob's message is simple: live an actionable, authentic faith filled with whimsy and boundless love. His new book "Catching Whimsy" encapsulates this dynamic approach, prompting us to explore faith with fresh eyes and a vibrant spirit. Quiet, modest acts of service hold immense power, says Bob. In a world often driven by recognition, he reminds us that God appreciates small beginnings and gradual growth. This applies to everything - our faith, relationships, and professional commitments. His emphasis on gentleness and patience serves as a reminder that impactful change often starts with unassuming, everyday actions. "Catching Whimsy," the title of Goff's new book, suggests that whimsy surpasses mere superficial happiness. It is a strategic, intentional approach towards life and faith that echoes childlike simplicity and wonder. Bob illustrates whimsy using metaphors like catching bubbles, tying it back to a pure form of faith that urges us to perceive the world uniquely. Bob Goff advocates for the practice of transitioning from "Bible study" to "Bible doing," urging us to embody our faith through deliberate actions. Central to his message are calls for service to others, such as feeding the hungry and welcoming strangers. Sharing experiences from teaching at San Quentin penitentiary, Bob also reflects on the deep humility demonstrated by the inmates—a quality that influences his own faith journey. His stories underscore the value of surrounding oneself with individuals who truly embody empathy and authentic faith. This principle extends to difficult situations where empathetic communication is key. Bob emphasizes the importance of steering clear from clichéd responses, replacing them with deeper, meaningful connections. Bob reframes suffering by mentioning the teachings of Paul and James, highlighting that through adversity, endurance and character are built, eventually leading to hope. This perspective encourages a focus on personal growth rather than dwelling in arguments or seeking validation. Authenticity is paramount in our relationship with God. He encourages believers to present their true selves, inclusive of doubts and questions. This authenticity is also about running our own race and allowing others to do the same, all while fostering genuine conversations with God - simple, everyday conversations flavored with the "salt" of prayer. For those inspired by his words, the challenge is set—embrace whimsy, embark on a journey of authentic living, and become the "convincing proof" of a lively, active faith. MORE ABOUT BOB GOFF BOB GOFF is the New York Times bestselling author of Love Does; Everybody, Always; Dream Big; Undistracted; Live in Grace, Walk in Love; and Love Does for Kids. He's a lover of balloons, cake pops, and helping people pursue their big dreams. Bob's greatest ambitions in life are to love others, do stuff, and most importantly, to hold hands with his wife, Sweet Maria, and spend time with their amazing family. For more, check out BobGoff.com and LoveDoes.org. MORE ABOUT “CATCHING WHIMSY” DISCOVER JOY AND INSPIRATION FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR BOB GOFF EMBRACE THE ADVENTURE OF LIFE AND FAITH IN CATCHING WHIMSY—A 365-DAY JOURNEY TO CURIOSITY AND DELIGHT Dive into the enchanting world of Catching Whimsy: 365 Days of Possibility, where beloved bestselling author Bob Goff invites readers on a 365-day adventure that reawakens curiosity and joy in everyday life. With his signature charm and captivating anecdotes, Goff artfully combines faith with whimsy, offering daily reflections that inspire and uplift readers. Each entry is designed to be a gentle tap on the shoulder, inviting you not only to recognize God's immense love for you but also to embrace the thrilling possibilities life has to offer. In Catching Whimsy, Goff leads you away from the mundane cycles of planning and uncertainty into a space brimming with delight and spontaneity. Whether you're grappling with life's uncertainties or simply seeking a spark of joy, this devotional serves as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path to a more engaged and meaningful existence. Goff's delightful storytelling is interwoven with profound insights, making spiritual growth accessible and relatable, a true gift for anyone seeking a deeper connection with God. This is more than just a devotional; it's a joyful celebration of life, spirituality, and the endless journeys of the heart. Each day presents a new opportunity to revel in the adventure of faith and to foster an expectant heart, ready to embrace the beautiful complexities of life. Let the world know about Catching Whimsy; it's a not-to-be-missed read for anyone craving connection, inspiration, and a little sprinkle of whimsy in their lives! We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   We have a high-quality, deeply inspiring, truly original Advent devotional for you! Stephanie created this original video series for YOUR ADVENT season! It will draw you closer to Christ, and deeper into the presence of God.  It is comprised of 12 videos leading up to Christmas, and a gorgeous devotional PDF to accompany it. You will not want to miss out! Go to gospelspice.com/advent to download your FREE one-day sample, and/or purchase the Gospel Spice Advent devotional at an amazing price. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Within the context of our "Come to the Table" series, I invite you to join me and spend time on an overlooked but essential event in the Christian liturgical calendar today, tucked between Easter and Pentecost. Ascension has become one of my most cherished treasures, because it speaks of a hope that is certain, and a future that is glorious. First, Ascension means that a human body is present in the Throne Room of God right now – that is Jesus Christ today. His incarnation made Jesus a member of humanity; His Ascension made His membership permanent. I cannot wrap my head around this, but one thing I can do is fall on my face to worship in awe and wonder. The corollary to Ascension, Pentecost, means that the Spirit of God is present in human flesh right now – that is you and me today. Ascension and Pentecost tell us that Christ reconciles God to man in His own body. He declares at Pentecost our ultimate reality: “on earth as it is in heaven!” He declares at Ascension the corollary, “in heaven as it is on earth!” Just as He was God on earth, He is now human in heaven. Just as He prayed as God on earth for us, He prays now as our Great High Priest in heaven for us. Ascension and Pentecost are Jacob's ladder, a two-way relationship of body and spirit, earth and heaven, reconciled in One. Upon His ascension, Jesus, in His glorified human body, received from the Father the Holy Spirit, whom He sent to us to inhabit our own not-yet-glorified bodies. Heaven will be intoxicatingly delightful. So unbearable for our current bodies, in fact, that we will be given brand new, glorified bodies – like Christ's – so that we can withstand the intensity of delight and pleasure that awaits us. Our heavenly bodies will be like a chocolate masterpiece to our current cocoa-pod bodies: similar, but unimaginably more glorious. From starter seed to perfected fruit. We have yet to experience heavenly chocolate, so we struggle to see its connection to our humble cocoa pod-like current body. It is ultimately a matter of time. We are the “body of Christ” – it means in some real way we are in the Throne Room with Him already. It is ultimately a matter of space. Good thing heaven is beyond time and space. Jesus described His ascension to Mary Magdalene as His going “to my Father and your Father; to my God and your God.” (John 20:17). This is astounding. Jesus is irreversibly identifying with us: His Father is our Father; His God is our God. It means, in essence, that He represents God to man, and man to God: this is the role of the Great High Priest. Had Jesus not ascended to heaven, he could not officiate as our Great High Priest right now, fulfilling at least three primary missions for the church age: interceding for us, teaching us to pray, and making things above real for us. Let's unpack, seeking continually the things that are above. First, Jesus is interceding for you right now. In John 17, considered by many as the “Holy of Holies” of the New Testament, He gives us a glimpse into His current prayer on our behalf. If you want to know how Jesus is praying for you right now, read John 17 again. And again. Jesus prays that we be one with Him as He is one with the Father. Unity with Christ means unity of purpose and life – living like He lives, praying like He prays and, one day, ascending like He ascended. His present intercession provides the continued effectiveness of His redemptive mission. He maintains His victory by the word of His mouth – in prayer to the Father even now. He bears forth into each one of us, members of His body, the deliverance He accomplished on the cross. He manifests the victory He obtained. His unceasing intercession gives our prayers a power we never had before. Which means, secondly, that Jesus teaches us to pray. He speaks through our prayers; we become the vessels to speak on earth His intercession in heaven, by the Holy Spirit. In Him we join the never-ceasing, never-failing prayer-conversation constantly weaving before the Father. In other words, what He prays passes through us, and what we pray passes through Him. Mind-boggling. And thirdly, He makes it all real to us in experience. His birth, life, death, and resurrection secured our destiny and effected our reconciliation with God. And now He wields His limitless intercessory power to make this reconciliation real and personal to each one of us, members of His body. He is the head, we the body: which means we cannot be separated from Him, since death is abolished. Ascension teaches this: Where He goes, we go; where He is, we are; that is heaven. Pentecost teaches this: where we go, He goes; where we are, He is: on earth, as it is in heaven. Just as Acts 1:6-11 describes Ascension from Earth's perspective, Daniel 7:13-14 describes it from Heaven's perspective: “Behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him.” Jesus is this Son of Man, and He is now back in the Throne Room, as the reference to the cloud makes clear. “To him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him.” Daniel describes what Jesus is doing right now, then ends with the future that awaits us: “his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Jesus, the Son of Man who identifies with humanity in His divinity, has carved a trajectory from the Incarnation to the Ascension that leads to His glory and our destiny in Him. No wonder “Son of Man” was one of Jesus' favorite titles for Himself. Speaking of what awaits us, let us keep on seeking the things that are above. Each year on Yom Kippur, the Great High Priest would atone for his people and, upon leaving the Holy of Holies to reenter the world, he would bring out with him a blessing for his people. Jesus will come back the same way He left, once His John 17 work of intercession in the Throne Room is accomplished. And He will bring out with Him at least three blessings. The first blessing is ours already: His Holy Spirit becomes ours and brings spiritual gifts of His own, which Paul links directly to Ascension (see Ephesians 4:8-10). Second, Jesus inaugurated a reign that had never been exercised thus before. We are coheirs with Him, training today for reigning tomorrow in the dominion of His Kingdom. Because human flesh sits enthroned in heaven, we will reign with Him. Thirdly, a wedding feast awaits us. The covenantal words Jesus shares on that final night are the verbatim words of a Jewish bridegroom to his bride during a traditional betrothal ceremony. “I am preparing a place for you, and I will come back so that you may be where I am.” (John 14:1-4). Jesus is the Bridegroom poised to come back to fetch His bride, bringing heaven to earth for her. We the bride, the church universal, His body, are feast-bound. No wonder heaven will be intoxicatingly delightful. In French, my native tongue, the word “delight” is délice. But wait; this word délice means something else, too: it means “delicious.” In French, there is no difference between delight and deliciousness. While it might explain much of our French hedonism, it tells me this, too: God is both delightful and delicious. This will make the wedding feast of heaven the climax of delicious delightfulness. Until then, Jesus invites us to speak His words of intercession from heaven to earth. That, indeed, is the glory of Ascension this side of creation. You can't pray in His name unless you live in His name, too. Ascension and Pentecost together tell us it is now possible: we no longer live, but Christ lives in us. Saint Augustine would agree. He capped his Ascension homily thus: “While in heaven Christ is also with us; and we while on earth are with him. He is here with us by his divinity, his power and his love. We cannot be in heaven, as he is on earth, by divinity, but in him, we can be there by love.” Indeed, and Amen." Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways: 1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too! 2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app; and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today! Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways: 1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too! 2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app; and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today! Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Sam Parkison to takes us on a delightful journey to understand the deep-seated human desire to see God. Through the prism of his book, To Gaze Upon God, he uncovers the theological concepts underpinning this yearning, drawing insights from historical biblical theology. All creatures have an intrinsic desire to see and know God. This aligns with Augustine's famous proclamation that our hearts remain restless until they rest in God. Influenced by thinkers like Augustine, Anselm, Aquinas, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards and C.S. Lewis, Parkison weaves Christian hedonism with the Westminster Shorter Catechism's guiding principle: to glorify and enjoy God. This longing is not an optional subplot of life but the ultimate narrative arc for all believers. The longing to delight in God's glory is rooted in Scriptural truth, biblical tradition, and ecclesiastical legacy. As we, contemporary Christians, grapple with modern challenges, we need to remember that our longing to see God will guide us towards spiritual growth and fulfillment in Christ. In Christ, our beatification transforms human potential into a participation in God's ultimate happiness, a transformative process vividly portrayed through Scripture and upheld by centuries of theological reflection. The doctrine of the beatific vision is the pinnacle experience of heaven—way beyond simply reuniting with loved ones, or enjoying a resurrected physical body. The beatific vision is the blessed sight of God. Parkison traces this understanding back to church fathers like Augustine and illustrates how this longing is fulfilled in direct communion with the divine. The conversation takes us into the historical nuance of the Reformation's principle of Sola Scriptura. Parkison clarifies that this doctrine does not reject all tradition; instead, it asserts Scripture as the sole infallible authority. The Bible acknowledges other authorities, like pastoral guidance and civil responsibilities (Romans 13). Stephanie and Sam examine how some modern Protestants inadvertently embrace Enlightenment thinking by disregarding the valuable insights of historical tradition, through a truncated adherence to Sola Scriptura. Humility is essential for theological exploration. It includes the importance of engaging with historical Christian thinkers across time to inform contemporary faith. This thematic humility acts as a safeguard against heresies, fostering an appreciation for ancient wisdom that can illuminate blind spots in our own era. Paul's admonition to emulate Christ's humility (Philippians 2:5-11) reinforces the call to learn from both Scripture, and seasoned theological voices. One particular discussion point is the mediating role of Christ in the Christian life. Drawing upon passages like Ephesians 1:3-11, Parkison underscores how, through union with Christ, believers partake in spiritual blessings that culminate in the beatific vision. This nuanced theology echoes the insights of thinkers like John Owen (and, probably, Thomas Aquinas), who explore the idea of Christians becoming closer to God through participation in Christ's humanity. The conversation touches upon C.S. Lewis's essay “On Reading Old Books,” which urges believers to draw from the wealth of historical Christian thought. Parkison stresses that overlooking the established theological wisdom of nearly two millennia will handicap personal spiritual growth. The historical perspective enriches our understanding of God's infinite nature, cultivating an endless delight in divine communion. Beyond cultural specificities, Parkison presents the argument that the desire to understand and encounter God transcends temporal and spatial boundaries. This universal longing is mirrored in stories from the biblical canon, from Adam and Eve's Edenic yearning to Moses's Sinai encounter. Biblical narrative consistently draws humanity toward a vision of divine glory. MORE ABOUT “TO GAZE UPON GOD” BY SAMUEL PARKISON Today, the doctrine of the beatific vision has been woefully forgotten within the church and its theology. Yet, throughout history Christians have always held that the blessed hope of heaven lies in seeing and being in the presence of God, of beholding the beatific vision. With lucidity and breadth, Parkison reintroduces the beatific vision and affirms its centrality for the life of the church today. Parkison argues for the beatific vision's biblical foundations and reminds us—through close readings of theologians such as Anselm of Canterbury, Thomas Aquinas, Dante, Gregory Palamas, John Calvin, and Jonathan Edwards—of the doctrine's historical and contemporary significance. The beatific vision is about seeing God, and as Christians have acknowledged across the tradition, seeing God is our ultimate end. Samuel G. Parkison (PhD Midwestern Seminary) is Associate Professor of Theological Studies at Gulf Theological Seminary in the United Arab Emirates. He is the author of several books, including Proclaiming the Triune God: The Doctrine of the Trinity in the Life of the Church (co-author), as well as Thinking Christianly: Bringing Sundry Thoughts Captive to Christ, and Irresistible Beauty: Beholding Triune Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   We have a high-quality, deeply inspiring, truly original Advent devotional for you! Stephanie created this original video series for YOUR ADVENT season! It will draw you closer to Christ, and deeper into the presence of God.  It is comprised of 12 videos leading up to Christmas, and a gorgeous devotional PDF to accompany it. You will not want to miss out! Go to gospelspice.com/advent to download your FREE one-day sample, and/or purchase the Gospel Spice Advent devotional at an amazing price. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Jesus has set the Easter table richly, for us to partake. Come to His table today through our exploration of Easter, which took place on the very day of the Jewish Feast of First Fruits. What does it mean for us today? The story of Easter is a tapestry woven with complex emotions—the somberness of Good Friday followed by the overwhelming joy of Easter Sunday. The sequence takes us through the contemplation of Jesus' crucifixion, echoing the depth of human suffering and sacrifice. As Christians, we are invited to relive these moments, acknowledging the pain while eagerly anticipating the joy of resurrection. Easter, often referred to as the most important day in the Christian calendar, transcends time and history. It bridges the gap between Jewish traditions and the new covenant established by Jesus. The Feast of First Fruits mark the beginning of the harvest, while Pentecost signifies its culmination. Both events are intrinsically linked through the work of the Holy Spirit. The First Fruits celebration on Easter sets the stage for the Holy Spirit's coming at Pentecost, bridging the gap between the initial offering and the full harvest, pointing to the birth and growth of the Christian church. The Feast of First Fruits, celebrated the Sunday after Passover, used to hold immense significance in Jewish tradition. Rooted in Leviticus 23:10, this feast involves offering the first barley harvest to God, symbolizing gratitude and the anticipation of a plentiful harvest. It's a day Jews can't eat bread or drink wine until sacrifices are made, an act mirrored by Jesus' Last Supper—where he promised a new covenant symbolized through bread and wine. During the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the practice of communion, tying it to the Jewish Passover. He told his disciples that he would not eat or drink again until he was in God's Kingdom, thus establishing the new covenant. The meal shared at Emmaus is another crucial moment. When Jesus broke bread with his disciples, they recognized him, affirming his authority and lordship. The breaking of bread in this context goes beyond a mere meal; it's a reaffirmation of Jesus' identity and the fulfillment of his promises. Interestingly, Jesus reappears to his disciples but does not partake in the meal at Emmaus. Instead, he later eats fish with another group of disciples, a humble act connecting to his earlier ministry and ultimate sacrifice. This post-resurrection meal underlines his humility and serves as another reminder of the first fruits principle—Jesus is the first fruit of resurrection. Paul's letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:20) highlights that Jesus' resurrection on the Feast of First Fruits symbolizes the future resurrection of believers. Jesus is the firstborn of creation and the first to rise from the dead, promising eternal life for all who follow. The concept of First Fruits extends to envisioning a perfect, sinless world—a harmonized existence in the eternal presence of Christ. This heavenly vision, often referenced in biblical texts, portrays a future where every generation enjoys everlasting peace and the profound joy of being in God's presence. In today's context, the call for revival echoes the ancient practice of offering First Fruits. Believers are urged to be the first fruits of revival in our times, sharing the message of hope and resurrection with a world in need. It's a reminder to live with purpose, reflecting the truly life-changing power of Jesus' resurrection in our daily lives. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel. We have a high-quality, deeply inspiring, truly original Advent devotional for you! Stephanie created this original video series for YOUR ADVENT season! It will draw you closer to Christ, and deeper into the presence of God.  It is comprised of 12 videos leading up to Christmas, and a gorgeous devotional PDF to accompany it. You will not want to miss out! Go to gospelspice.com/advent to download your FREE one-day sample, and/or purchase the Gospel Spice Advent devotional at an amazing price. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Rachel Wojo, who exhibits grace under pressure. Rachel recounts the hardships she's faced, not as a means of lament, but as a powerful testimony to her faith in God. Throughout the years, Rachel has encountered numerous challenges that have tested her faith and resilience. Rather than succumbing, she has chosen to lean into God's strength. From personal hardships like joblessness and financial stress, to navigating the extraordinary pains of watching her daughter slowly lose her life to a rare disease, and the loss of several other key family members, Rachel's story of tenaciously clinging to Christ proves that it is possible to emerge stronger and more faithful. Rachel shares her story of becoming a single mother to a special needs child after discovering her husband's affair, leading her to rely more deeply on her faith. Her eventual remarriage and the birth of five children, along with the devastating loss of her daughter Taylor to a rare neurological condition, illustrate the peaks and valleys of her journey. What happens when God's answer to our prayer is NO? Rachel shares her journey of praying for her daughter Taylor's earthly healing, only to embrace the eventual understanding that Taylor's true healing would come in heaven. This acceptance of God's broader plan beyond immediate desires offers a deeper understanding and trust in His divine wisdom. Rachel's book, "Desperate Prayers," is a source of comfort and guidance for those struggling with faith and prayer life. Her stories, drawn from personal pain and loss, illustrate the profound transformation that can come from earnest, desperate prayers and a heartfelt surrender to God. Rachel offers vivid examples of the importance of gratitude. She shares how she has learned to recognize "God moments"—serendipitous events that, when noticed, reveal God's subtle presence and guidance in our daily lives. She recalls pivotal moments where choosing to focus on small blessings, such as "noticing the sunshine through the window," helped her navigate through immense grief and trials. This perspective shift, seeing God's work in the gentle, everyday occurrences, has been transformative for her. Rachel reflects on her journey of enduring hardship and witnessing God's hand in the small moments of life. When reflecting on the journey of a faithful servant, it's the moments of hardship and perseverance that vividly stand out. Rachel explores the idea of discovering gratefulness in small, often overlooked, moments. In our fast-paced world, it's easy to become overwhelmed by adversity, missing the simple blessings that God provides daily. Rachel shares how she has cultivated an attitude of gratitude, even during the toughest times. This perspective shift has allowed her to recognize and cherish the small glimpses of joy and blessings in her life. By focusing on God's presence in the mundane and the miraculous, Rachel demonstrates that gratefulness can be a powerful antidote to despair. Stephanie's conversation with Rachel invites all of us to reflect on our own lives and consider how we can embrace gratefulness and deeper faith amidst our trials. Our journeys, no matter how difficult, are imbued with God's grace and presence. So, listen to Rachel's story; and then also introspectively examine your own hardships and blessings. By fostering a heart of gratitude, we too can witness God's hand in our lives and draw strength from it. MEET RACHEL WOJO https://rachelwojo.com/ Rachel says, "Sin erupted in my 'perfect life'. I grew up in a wonderful Christian home with fabulous Christian parents.  Our family was faithful to church, and I graduated from a Christian school.  I attended a Christian college and completed the circle by teaching in a Christian school.  My future husband was a “preacher boy,” and when we married, the plan was that he would take a youth pastor position wherever God led.  Only after we married did he have serious doubts about his calling and stop attending church altogether. After two years of marriage, a precious daughter was born to us via emergency c-section.  She experienced oxygen deprivation and required resuscitation, but she lived. Three years after Taylor's birth, I discovered that her father had been having an affair essentially four of the five years we were married. Despite that great protective environment I'd always known, and being faithful to God's house, sin had erupted in my “perfect” life, and my marriage to this man didn't withstand. Bad choices were made by both parties, and we divorced. Despite all the pain and loss of the “perfect” life, God brought a solid Christian man into my life, and He has given us a wonderful story of grace and redemption. But amid Matt and I falling in love, my dearest mom fell severely ill, diagnosed with a rare type of anemia.  Two months later, the diagnosis was changed to leukemia, and she lived just six short months after that.  Mom was the strongest, most faithful Christian I've ever personally known; she was my best friend. The discovery process for my daughter Taylor's developmental delays became more intense during my divorce and my mom's death.  Doctors often blamed the delays on her lack of oxygen at birth.  But in my heart, I knew there was more to her issues.  Nine months after my mom's death, the diagnosis for Taylor came through: MPSIIIB, a rare genetic metabolic disorder that causes gradual neurological degeneration.  The average life span is 10-15 years, and there is no cure or even a treatment. Upon receiving Taylor's diagnosis, my walk with the Lord became intense.  I asked all the “why” and “how” questions.  I wanted God to spill out His plan for my entire life in one day. But through His Word, God has taught me that faith is not only a one-time decision; it's an everyday decision. Trusting His plan for your everyday life is equally as important as trusting Him for your eternal life. On January 2, 2019, our Taylor graduated to heaven. The heartache and sorrow of our loss, yet heaven's gain, is difficult to describe in a few words. In November 2018, I began writing letters to Taylor because she could no longer communicate. God has richly blessed Matt and me with a beautiful family and more blessings than we can count.  Our incredible six children are growing steadily; they challenge me and bless me in every way. I am so very thankful for them. Each day we live by faith that God would have His will in our lives. Each day we claim God's promises and choose to run towards His plan, no matter what it includes. We are still learning how to take one more step." MORE ABOUT "DESPERATE PRAYERS" Do your prayers resemble last-minute cries more than first-response chats? You're not alone in calling out to God in life's pitch-black moments and wondering if He's listening. Enter the powerful secrets of the Bible's eleventh-hour pleas of fifteen men and women. This engaging book invites you into the prayer stories of struggling Bible characters like Hagar, Hannah, and David. Each chapter's simple three-word prayer focus will deepen your trust and affirm your heart that it's best to be you before God. The ideal desperate pray-er to shine light on your prayer dilemmas, Rachel Wojo vulnerably shares her heartbreaking experiences of loss while pointing you to your Father. Her prayer journey and promising principles will guide you from frenzied desperation to dependent faith. When you finish Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments, you'll know that praying in a panic creates a powerful pathway to peace.  We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

We invite you this week to come to the table and deepen your experience of the feasts that Jesus celebrated, by exploring together the timeless significance of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In the heart of the Christian and Jewish traditions lie two sacred week-long holy feasts: Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As Scripture and tradition invite us into the intricacies of these feasts, we invite you to connect the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to the rich tapestry of Jewish Torah and tradition. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread stand as inseparable pillars within Jewish celebrations. Passover, the most important Jewish feast, serves as precursor to the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For Christians, the former marks the sacred observance of the Lord's Supper as the Lamb of God, while the latter points to Jesus' sinlessness.  The perfect alignment of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in 2025, an unusual thing, offers interesting connections we invite you to explore. For example, the Jewish tradition of inspecting and setting aside the unblemished lamb for sacrifice intertwines with the events of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The parallel between the Passover lamb and Jesus, the sinless lamb of God unfolds, as Holy Week draws us into the divine plan of salvation.  We also explore how Jesus' cleansing of the temple showcases his authority to safeguard the spiritual dwelling places of believers. Jesus' encounters with religious leaders during Holy Week also reflect his absolute integrity and absence of blemish, mirroring the unblemished Passover lamb. He is proving the true Lamb of God indeed! The interweaving of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is an original way, in 2025, to highlight God's eternal redemptive plan.  Jesus is indeed the sinless lamb who fulfills the ancient prophecies, opening for us the path of salvation. We invite you to join us as we find ourselves steeped in the timeless tapestry of God's divine love, giving glory to Jesus, our only source of salvation. Our hope and prayer is that, through the original connection in 2025 between Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we will together experience the divine truth of Scripture, anchoring our faith in  the sinless lamb, Jesus Christ, for our redemption. Amen! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

In a world overflowing with distractions and quick fixes, Stephanie and Ros invite you to explore meaningful Bible study experiences towards awakening fresh delight for God. Ros articulates the value of revisiting familiar Bible passages, emphasizing how repeated exposure refreshes comprehension and facilitates spiritual awakening. Bible study is not merely a checklist, but rather an enriching experience in our spiritual journey. Continuous exploration of Scripture promises fresh insights. Download the FREE recipe for the Rousselle family Moroccan chicken recipe that Ros and Stephanie mention - it is mouth-watering! Here: https://www.gospelspice.com/free  Ros describes her own experience of the “Centering on Christ” Gospel Spice Bible study. It offered her group a delightful setting to discover Christ foreshadowed in the Old Testament, and to worship Him in deeper ways. The study invites you to know Christ at a deeper level through an in-depth exploration of the wilderness Tabernacle erected by Moses. Speaking of being in the wilderness, Stephanie invites us to discover the rich setting of Israel in Jesus' day through the “In the Footsteps of Jesus” Bible study. On her very first visit to the Holy Land, Stephanie had but one goal: to walk where Jesus walked, to see the sights and skylines He saw, to touch the stones He touched, and to experience His words where He initially taught them. Scripture has never been more real and alive to her than since she experienced Jesus in Jerusalem and Galilee. And now, she invites you to do the same! Seeking genuine delight in God is richer and more fulfilling than any worldly substitute. Stephanie draws parallels between savoring the glory of God, and the experience of tasting high-quality vanilla, likening superficial pleasures to settling for imitation vanilla. Ros's anecdote about a mix-up involving vanilla in a traditional South African dessert humorously illustrates the lesson of recognizing true delight once experienced. Stephanie introduces the "French faith" study, where the French word "délice," meaning both "delight" and "delicious," enriches interpretations and brings Scriptures like "taste and see that the Lord is good" to life. French Faith is a three-course meal that aims to serve you as you feed on the word of God to intensify your faith. It's a feast of words for the spiritual senses towards more of God. Christmas shopping is now! So, the Gospel Spice courses are available at a discount with the code ROS30. We aim to combine spiritual growth with impactful giving, supporting Christian organizations combating human trafficking. You will find all our courses at https://www.gospelspice.com/store  You know Stephanie, so you know her Bible courses are super in-depth, and absolutely insight-packed. You will most assuredly deepen your relationship with God through these courses. We release new, updated Bible course a couple of times a year. So check back soon for more, or signup for our newsletter to be the first to know and receive exclusive coupon codes. MORE ABOUT “CENTERING ON CHRIST | THE TABERNACLE” Come with a heart thirsty for more of Christ and experience Him in fresh new ways! Be drawn into deeper, more intimate worship of Christ. Discover the symbolism and ultimate fulfillment of the Tabernacle in Christ, and in you as His dwelling place. Experience God's timeline of grace, from Eden past to Heaven future. You will leave this study with a deep understanding of the symbolism of the Tabernacle and its fulfillment in Christ, and a renewed awe and passion for God. More at https://www.gospelspice.com/tabernacle  MORE ABOUT “IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS” From the comfort of your own home, you will discover the key places of the ministry of Jesus as Stephanie teaches from Scripture and provides an abundance of resources and insights straight from her recent experience. She will share about special moments, like when she experienced a delightful, summer-drenched pine forest scent that might have been a familiar and favorite to Jesus as a child. She will invite you to one of his favorite childhood vistas, or tell you why Galileans were especially impressed with the gleaming white stones of Jerusalem. She will show you what it must have been like to walk on the Emmaus Road with Jesus, and how the Judean wilderness inspired David to write the Psalms that point us to Jesus today. More at https://www.gospelspice.com/footsteps  MORE ABOUT “GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT” Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?  Why does God's glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God's glory as our heart's true delight, how can we then come alongside others? Embrace the greatest quest of life today! More at https://www.gospelspice.com/glory    MORE ABOUT “FRENCH FAITH” Delight in Scripture through French eyes! French Faith is a three-course meal that aims to serve you as you feed on the word of God to intensify your faith. It's a feast of words for the spiritual senses towards more of God. Unpack Scripture through the French culture and language with French words that would tell you something maybe unexpected about Christ. You, too, can experience French faith and delight in Christ so that you can approach Scripture and Jesus through French eyes. More at https://www.gospelspice.com/frenchfaith  Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us.  1- If you've enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It's at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don't want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup 2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There's exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you! 4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you! So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions: 1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you're going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup 2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we've put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice 3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it's one of the easiest ways to share the gospel! 4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Passover is a prologue to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This most essential of Jewish feasts seamlessly transitions from prophecies in the Old Testament, to fulfillment in Jesus. We invite you today to see how this prophetic landscape is shaped with divine orchestration by the hand of our deeply loving God! Passover is a significant Jewish feast that not only commemorates the deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, but also points to Jesus' mission and identity. We invite you today to navigate through the rich tapestry of the Passover tradition, examining its prophetic nature for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The observance of Passover, with its sacrificial lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread, is rooted in Old Testament events. Two lambs are central to this feast: one for each family and one to be sacrificed at the temple. The sacrificial lamb of the feast points to Jesus Christ, who becomes the ultimate sacrificial Lamb for our redemption. The act of painting lamb's blood on doorframes to prevent death eerily prefigures the sacrificial significance of Jesus' blood. Jesus deliberately fulfills the Passover feast of Pesach by instituting the Lord's supper, and by going to the cross on our behalf. From washing his disciples' feet as an act of servanthood, to identifying Judas as the betrayer, Jesus adds new meaning to His last Passover meal - from the way He references the Passover elements, to how He identifies as the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone (Psalm 118). The Passover feast is inextricably linked to the mission of Jesus, from the symbolism of the Passover elements to Jesus' own actions during the Last Supper. For instance, the 3rd cup of the Passover meal, identified as the cup of redemption, embodies the essence of the new covenant, which Jesus describes as the cup of his blood shed for the salvation of humanity. Join us to experience Passover as Jesus did. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Alastair Sterne to discuss the intricate and joyful dance of divine longing. They explore the innate human desire to seek God, the mysterious nature of joy, and the cultivated wisdom that guides us towards spiritual fulfillment in Christ. Alastair Sterne describes the innate human desire to connect with God as a dance. This longing, he notes, arises from the paradox of God being both mysterious and revealed. Jesus Christ reveals God in ways we are invited to explore. The pursuit of God is a journey towards an eternal dance—an unmistakable yearning threaded throughout humanity's history. Joy is not the absence of pain but a testament to divine triumph through trials. Alastair reflects on his personal battle with severe depression—a transformative experience that led him to explore the cultivation of joy. He draws inspiration from the apostle Paul's paradoxical journey: finding profound joy amidst suffering, as explained in Philippians. Joy serves as a divine longing, a sort of homesickness for the eternal. Alastair and Stephanie ponder the concept of joy, highlighting its elusive yet universally appealing nature. Joy transcends fleeting satisfaction, and aligns with a deep-seated desire for God's presence. Wisdom, as discussed by Alastair, provides a framework for cultivating environments where joy can thrive. Drawing upon Proverbs and Miroslav Volf's insights, he argues that wisdom is integral to experiencing "the crown of the good life." By nurturing habits and attitudes, we can plant seeds that allow joy to grow—even amidst life's challenges. Beauty too can be a bridge to divine presence: aesthetic experiences often lead to deeper spiritual connections. Beauty is a precursor to worship, signifying God's creative handiwork. Joy remains contagious regardless of its expression. It can manifest subtly through introspective personalities, or vibrantly via extroverted expressions. This contagious nature inspires others to pursue joy and strengthens the collective spiritual journey. The church calendar invites us towards spiritual awareness, as well. Alastair values the rhythm it brings, providing opportunities to reflect on joyous seasons like Eastertide and introspective ones like Lent. He emphasizes integrating these spiritual practices into daily life to heighten one's awareness of God's presence. Alastair Sterne invites us to explore the deeper dimensions of joy, wisdom, and longing. By embracing the dance with the divine, cultivating wisdom, and recognizing beauty in creation, we can align ourselves with a spiritual trajectory ever deeper into Christ. Alastair's prayer for all those who are listening, asking for God's joy to fill hearts, encapsulates the hope and assurance that await those seeking enduring joy in their spiritual journey. MORE ABOUT ALASTAIR STERNE Alastair Sterne (DIS, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a creative director turned pastor. He serves as the associate pastor at Coastline Church in Victoria, British Columbia. He previously partnered with Redeemer City to City and founded St. Peter's Fireside, a creative liturgical church in Vancouver. He is the author of Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be. Alastair and his wife, Julia, write and podcast together at ordinarymatters.org and collect joy with their daughters. MORE ABOUT “LONGING FOR JOY.” Can we still have joy in a world of pain and anxiety? The troubles around us and in our lives lead many of us into a joyless experience where despair and hopelessness are the norm. Yet something within us still longs for a joy that transcends our challenges and gives us meaning and satisfaction. Alastair Sterne says that our inner longings for joy actually point us to a God of joy who gives us both the capacity for joy and the realities of joyful experience. Sterne explores pathways to joy and why we often experience the absence of joy. He then offers theologically grounded and research-based practices for becoming people of joyful presence. Even if we are not temperamentally happy enthusiasts, we can gradually cultivate the deep abiding joy that we were created for and that enriches the world around us. SAMPLE FROM “LONGING FOR JOY” “When it comes to having children, someone once said, “You'll have less fun but more joy.” I'm not sure I agree with the former but I wholeheartedly agree with the latter—being a father has amplified my joy. Indeed, it is among my greatest joys. My eldest fractured her wrist yesterday. And today, we figured that out. Oops. It's a relatively minor fracture (compared to her broken arm five years ago). She's casted up and ready to go. I can't say it was fun to be in the emergency room for hours on end. But there was nowhere else I'd rather be than by her side . . . even though she was mostly engrossed in a movie or book. On my run this afternoon (my ankles are getting stronger, thanks be to God), I came across an intriguing bench. A rather idyllic path leads to it. The plaque reads: “A place to rest, reflect, and remember in loving memory of our grandmother, mother, sister, and daughter.” But when you sit on the bench, the view is rather, well, uninspired. A beautiful lake resides just around the bend, but this bench is positioned to look at . . . bushes. But should you sit, rest, and reflect, you will see more than bushes. You will see the beauty of the ordinary. The unremarkable transfigured into glory. I won't pretend to be able to name all the species of plants and trees. As I stood there, no longer perplexed by the position of the bench, I was enamored by the gift it offers: the beautiful ordinary. Back to being a father: most days are ordinary. And if I'm careless, they can even feel unremarkable—a compilation of repetitions. But then moments poke holes in the veneer of banality, like hospital waiting rooms for relatively minor injuries. You look at life with a renewed thankfulness and your heart becomes a little more sensitive too. When I sit, rest, and reflect, I find that joy often abides somewhere between thankfulness and a sensitive heart. Would it have been more fun to play hooky from school and go on a walk in the woods with my daughter rather than wait, and wait, and wait among the injured and sick? Of course. Nevertheless, joy sat quietly with us as we waited. The joy of fatherhood and the joy of a well-placed bench.” We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie here! We are in our Come to the Table series, and today is a bit of a surprise! I always find it fascinating to find fresh ways to worship Jesus Christ through the connections between different feasts and seasons. So today I invite you to delight in Christ through the unexpected juxtaposition of Purim and Lent. We invite you into a delightful exploration of the divine tapestry that intertwines the ancient traditions of Purim with the solemn reverence of Lent, ultimately pointing to the redemptive Lordship of Jesus Christ. Purim, a joyous and festive Jewish celebration, commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people as detailed in the book of Esther. The intricacies of the story, from the absence of God's name in the book of Esther to the sovereignty and deliverance of His people, provide a rich tapestry to explore. In the Christian tradition, Lent serves as a period of preparation and reflection leading up to Easter, encompassing forty days marked by fasting, sacrifice, and repentance. Both Purim and Lent share a dark background of struggle and the hope of a joyous feast, creating an intriguing juxtaposition. Steeped in history and tradition, Purim and Lent leads us to worship Jesus at their intersection. It's compelling to note that while Purim is celebrated with joyful feasting and the giving of gifts to the poor, Lent involves fasting before the celebration of Easter. Both observances intertwine notions of hardship and hope, underscoring the resilience and faith exhibited by believers. Purim and Lent beckon us to seek and find Jesus in the heart of these sacred observances. So, join the conversation today! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God's glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.   Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don't draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.   So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once. And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it. Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.   So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking. So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward? Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

In our bustling, fast-paced world, the concept of stillness can often seem alien, if not downright impossible. But as we learn from Gretchen Saffles, embracing stillness and our weaknesses can bring us closer to God and foster a deeper sense of inner peace. Gretchen and Stephanie discuss the challenge of being still and overcoming the need for constant productivity. Advised by her Christian counselor to be still before the Lord for just one minute, Gretchen discovered this simple exercise to be remarkably challenging, due to her ingrained belief in the importance of constant productivity. She realized that her busy life and the demands of various activities had clouded her mind and distanced her from a genuine relationship with God. Through this journey, she learned that stillness and simplicity are not just luxuries, but essential spiritual disciplines. Taking time to be still before the Lord is an act of submission, a recognition that God is in control. Unlike some forms of secular meditation, which emphasize emptying the mind, biblical meditation involves filling the mind with God's truths. Gretchen found Christ in this practice, which helped her redirect her focus from worldly anxieties to divine wisdom. Gretchen is learning to take a slow, reflective approach to reading Scripture, often meditating on a single verse or passage for an extended period. This method allows her to absorb the Word deeply and apply it practically in her life. Currently, she is reading the Bible chronologically, finding fresh insights in the Beatitudes. Stephanie and Gretchan talk about embracing weakness as strength, and finding God's power in our weak moments.  In a culture that idolizes strength and self-reliance, embracing weakness can seem counterintuitive. Yet Gretchen and Stephanie both emphasize that true Christian strength shines brightest in our moments of weakness. They cite biblical examples like Moses and Paul, whose infirmities highlighted God's power and grace. This theology of suffering is rooted deeply in scripture, reminding us that sharing in Christ's sufferings leads to a more intimate relationship with God. Philippians 3:10 encapsulates this truth: knowing Christ through both the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings brings us closer to Him. Gretchen shares a poignant anecdote about her grandmother, who lived with severe rheumatoid arthritis. Despite immense physical pain, her grandmother's life radiated God's power, demonstrating that His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Wisdom is a treasure for life, made possible through a slow, meditative approach to Scripture reading. Gretchen's insights into wisdom reveal it as a treasure that points to Christ, wisdom personified. Her slow, meditative approach to reading Scripture allows time for absorption and contemplation, fostering a deeper connection with God's Word. This method reinforces the importance of letting the Holy Spirit guide our understanding of Scripture. Gretchen attributes much of her wisdom and love for the book of Proverbs to her mother. Her upbringing in a busy ministry home showed her that all good works should stem from a profound relationship with God, not just from a sense of duty. “Soul Scrubbing” is the work of the Holy Spirit, allowing the Word to cleanse and renew us. Gretchen uses the metaphor of "soul scrubbing" to describe how the Holy Spirit uses the Word to cleanse our minds and souls. This practice involves more than just a cursory reading of Scripture. It calls for a deep dive into God's truths, allowing them to renew and transform us. She has been focusing on meditating on God's love, recently finding new significance in John 3:16. Recognizing the necessity of mental, physical, and spiritual rest, she strives to rest in God's love, which fosters deeper intimacy with Him. For those feeling overwhelmed by life's demands, Saffles's book "Word Over World" offers a heartfelt guide to rediscovering intimacy with God. It's a reminder that even in our busiest moments, God's love and wisdom are always within reach, waiting for us in the stillness. MORE ABOUT "WORD OVER WORLD" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) When you think about your life and what you value, what would you put first? When you read God's Word, are you doing so out of duty or out of a desire to delight in your Savior? When all we give Jesus is our leftovers, fear overwhelms our peace and worry clouds our vision. Gretchen Saffles knows what it's like to struggle to put Jesus first daily. During a season of spiritual discouragement, she learned that pursuing God is ultimately not a self-help journey, but rather it's a Spirit-led surrender. This discovery led her to a simple phrase that helped her reframe how she desired to spend her time, start her days, and shape her mindset: Word before World. This three-word statement has become her morning manifesto, her afternoon anthem, and her evening comfort. When she practiced looking first to Jesus, she realized that while God's Word never changes, yet it always changes us. In Word before World you'll discover ways to: Conquer the daily distractions that get in the way of time with God Develop a daily rhythm of seeking Jesus Set aside your phone, lists, and plans in order to seek direction and nourishment in God's Word instead Transform your worldview, schedule, dreams, and desires to align with God's purpose for your life. Cultivate a deep love for God in this 100-day devotional journey to experience God's faithfulness and goodness. Put God's Word before the distractions of this world, believing that he will meet your every need. MORE ABOUT GRETCHEN SAFFLES: Gretchen Saffles is passionate about encouraging and equipping women to drink deeply from the well of God's Word and to find their identity and purpose in Christ. She is the founder of Well-Watered Women, an online ministry that reaches women worldwide with the hope of the gospel. She has written several Bible studies and is the creator of the Give Me Jesus journal, a tool to help women study Scripture daily. On any given day you can find her with a cup of coffee in hand, a message stirring in her soul, and a God-sized dream on her heart. Gretchen lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, Greg, and her two sons, Nolan and Haddon. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Succoth stands as a beacon of joy, celebration, and divine presence, weaving together the rich history of Israel with the identity of Jesus as our Messiah and Lord. So, today I invite you into the tapestry of Succoth, exploring its historical roots, its connections to the identity, mission, life and teachings of Jesus, and its enduring relevance in understanding the presence of God in Scripture and our lives. The ancient feast of Succoth, also known as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths, marks the last of the four major feasts, taking place in the fall and following the solemn day of Yom Kippur. A time of rejoicing, Succoth commemorates the first harvest of the fall while also serving as a celebration of God's faithfulness and provision even in the midst of affliction. It is deeply ingrained with the themes of joy, abundance, and new life, reflecting the universal body of Christ and pointing to the coming millennial kingdom. One of the many things we explore together today, is when Jesus, in performing a miracle of healing a man born blind on the last day of Succoth, speaks directly to the deepest meaning of the festival. This act clearly showcases His divine authority. The blind man's cleansing at the pool of Siloam on the day of the water-drawing ceremony reinforces the symbolism and points to Jesus as the fulfillment of the feast.  Another aspect I invite you to experience today is the symbolic significance of the temporary shelters used during Succoth. It resounds with the truth of our identity as sojourners on earth, as mentioned in Hebrews 11:13-16. Paul and others spell out for us the implications of living in temporary tents and call us to set our minds on the things of Christ and the kingdom of God. So, join me today to experience this stunning feast! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY! First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact. Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.  And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us! NEW! Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example, - a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours. - a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours. MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY: Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support. We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum. Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you! Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Sally Clarkson to discuss her rich experiences in living a faith-filled life across various cultures. As both women share their journeys, the themes of community, self-awareness, and intentional delight arise, inviting us on the path of delight and gentleness, in the gentle spirit of Christ. Sally Clarkson's gentle wisdom, intimate reflections, and emphasis on intentional delight offer us a blueprint for a well-lived, faith-filled life. By fostering community, embracing one's uniqueness, and cultivating gentleness in everyday interactions, we can navigate life's challenges with grace and joy. Sally's book, "Well Lived," showcases how, through embracing various cultures, Sally grew to appreciate Scripture's wisdom, recognizing the universal need for love, truth, and grace transcending cultural boundaries. She emphasizes liking oneself and seeing one's uniqueness as part of God's creation. The discussion around Sally's book expanded into the concept of delight, especially important during challenging times. Sally shared about her friend Gwennie, an "emissary of delight," who celebrated Sally's birthday with thoughtfully pre-collected gifts even during financial hardship. This proactive approach to finding joy emphasizes the importance of intentionally creating "rhythms of delight" to counteract dark and difficult times, especially for women who often deplete their emotional reserves caring for others. Sally's practice of implementing delight into her family life serves as a defense against depression, emphasizing hope, beauty, and goodness. This proactive strategy replenishes emotional well-being and fosters a positive environment. Sally reflects on how gentleness developed within her through humility and God's presence during tough times. Christ's model of gentle nature serves as a guide, emphasizing humility and meekness in dealing with others, especially teenagers, who need understanding rather than correction. Wisdom and patience often grow through life experiences and God's stretching. The humorous insights Sally shares on personal growth, including her ongoing journey toward that elusive sinlessness, underline the continuous nature of spiritual maturation. Stephanie and Sally speak on the value of originality over imitation, using metaphors like zebras and Dalmatians to celebrate individual uniqueness. Sally shares a poignant story from her book about a chandelier shop, emphasizing that different lights (people) serve different purposes, yet all contribute to illuminating the community's collective purpose. Sally has lived in numerous countries, and she recounts her days in Oxford, where she found a vibrant community among expatriates. The common needs of finding doctors, grocery stores, and friendships bound people together in this academic town, many being students from different parts of the world. This shared sense of reliance fostered a unique sense of community. Sally's reflections highlight the human need for connection and the beauty found in mutual support and friendship. Stephanie echoed these sentiments, reflecting on her experiences in four different countries. She emphasized how immersing oneself in another culture leads to self-awareness and growth. MORE ABOUT “WELL LIVED” Write a Beautiful Story with Your Life You are invited to embark on a journey toward greater service, lasting significance, and wholehearted delight—a life truly well lived! In this transformative journey through heartfelt reflections and breathtaking photos, bestselling author Sally Clarkson explores how God's astounding grace empowers you to lead a joyful life loving and encouraging others. Drawing from her time in Oxford and years in ministry, she offers wisdom on the topics of discipleship, family, hospitality, and cultivating joy that will inspire you to invite God more fully into your own story. Wherever you are in your life's journey, Sally's encouraging insights will call you to deeper faith and guide you toward a life filled with direction, meaning, courage, and contentment. "Our way to this fruitful, flourishing, well-lived life comes when we willingly accept the mantle of devotion with a servant's heart full of love for Him— creating beauty again and again, loving, forgiving, sacrificing, pouring our lives out to bring light and redemption to our world every day.” In her new book Well Lived: Shaping a Legacy of Gratitude and Grace (Harvest House, October 8), bestselling author and top podcaster Sally Clarkson teaches us how to exchange the frantic pace of life and the temporary distractions and drainers around us for a slice of life she personally found tucked away in small town Oxford, England. Serving as her home-away-from-home, Oxford has allowed Sally to spend her time devoted to the things in life that truly matter, and she shares the extremely personal lessons and stories from her own life to invite readers to find their own – and become stronger in the process.  “Learning and understanding that every woman has potential to embrace her own story, to become ‘queen' of her own domain, to work hard to leave a legacy of wisdom, love, gratitude, and grace emerged as a message while I walked through the parks and meadows [of Oxford] and wrote in my journal,” Clarkson writes. “Women, I believe, are amazing creatures and have the ability to civilize the world, to influence generations by generously pouring out love, training the very character and souls of the next generation and persevering through great trials and challenges while coming out resiliently.” Despite the dreamy descriptions of her quaint cottage, heart-to-heart chats with friends over cups of tea, and long strolls along cobblestone streets, Sally's journey in Oxford isn't a complete fairytale. She chronicles the challenges she faced and the grace God has provided in the journey.  In her transparency, Sally walks readers through the temporary hardships that eventually lead to lasting contentment. From the ups and downs of motherhood and marriage, work and perseverance, to what it means to be a good friend, love God well, and be a light in the world, there is deep wisdom and heart on the pages of Well Lived.  Sally inspires women to think about their daily choices and the legacy they are leaving. Each person will make a unique imprint in life and we can choose to leave a legacy of love and encouragement in the lives of everyone we meet.  Readers will understand God's grace and desire to come into their lives by joining Sally on her own journey from her college dorm to present day, where she has spent years in ministry and relies on God as her constant companion. For Sally, that companionship is at the center of everything that makes her life well lived, and He will do the same for others, no matter where they are on their journeys or in their stories.  "Our way to this fruitful, flourishing, well-lived life comes when we willingly accept the mantle of devotion with a servant's heart full of love for Him—creating beauty again and again, loving, forgiving, sacrificing, pouring our lives out to bring light and redemption to our world every day.”  Sally's wisdom, encouragement and ability to level the playing field with her insightful and emotive writing will point readers to a life of meaning they may have not thought possible, especially if they are struggling or feel alone. MEET SALLY CLARKSON Here is what Sally wants to say to you: “To be clear, my site is not just about what I am and what I do, but about who I am and who I follow—a Christian woman, wife, and mother, living for Christ each day and sharing my journey of faith. That's “about” it. However, if you're anything like me, your interest in what I have to say will be inseparable from who I am. So, let me give you a brief “About Me” glimpse into my life. There's nothing I enjoy more than being with my family. Every time we gather for an afternoon teatime with candles, music, and a tasty morsel—whether it's just Clay and me, or the whole tribe—we re-enact a tradition that has occurred thousands of times in our more than four decades of being the Clarkson family. We talk, laugh, debate, cry, pray, and dream together about who we are, what we believe, what we're doing, and who we're becoming on our journeys of faith. I think perhaps all that tea has been a spiritual catalyzer for us! But even fueled with my strong Yorkshire Gold English tea, I could not have imagined as a young woman the life that lay ahead for me. Clay and I began our journey of marriage and life together on August 30, 1981. Like every young couple, we had dreams and hopes of what our future might hold. However, I could not foresee the ministry journey ahead for us, and for me—missions and church, starting Whole Heart Ministries, training families in church workshops, encouraging mothers in sixty hotel conferences over twenty years, serving moms and families internationally, writing or co-writing more than two dozen books, and personally encouraging countless women online through my blog, podcast, and “Life with Sally” membership community. And all that happened while I was also being a full-time wife and mother, a homemaker of the nineteen homes we've given life to in ten cities, and a home educating parent of my four precious children. We've moved from “we've only just begun,” to “look what God has done.” My children are all grown now and making their own places and marks in the world and around the world, but I still want to be around them—enjoying who they are, learning from what they're learning, sharing in their journeys with God (learn more about them on ClarksonFamily.com). I've always been a visionary idealist, probably a bit to my family's patient chagrin, so I will always have more thoughts and ideas to share, projects to pursue, people to meet, and things to do. Just a quick look at this website will reveal that I still enjoy sharing my heart on my podcast, offering help and hope on my blog, staying involved in my “Life with Sally” online community, and connecting with followers on Instagram and Facebook. And of course I still have several new books to share over the next few years.  But even in this full and new season of my life, I'm making conscious choices to slow down so I can enjoy some of the simpler things in life—long walks, good friends, grandchildren, reading, traveling, fellowship at lifegiving tables, and of course, those catalyzing family tea times. I'm still on the same journey of faith I began in college when I accepted Christ and have continued with Clay and my children as a family. I will be on that journey until it ends and I meet my Savior face to face. So, whether you're an old friend, or a new one, I'm glad you're here to share this journey of faith and hope with me. It's a long road and I welcome your company.” More at https://sallyclarkson.com/  We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

In the midst of the rich tapestry of Jewish feasts and celebrations, Yom Kippur, known as the Day of Atonement, holds a pivotal place. In our Christian faith, we can draw stunning parallels with Jesus as our high priest and ultimate sacrifice. Yom Kippur is a solemn and holy day in the Jewish calendar, a festival centered around national atonement, involving deep personal and communal repentance. The significance of the great high priest entering the holy of holies, dressed humbly and carrying the prayers of the people, serves as a central element of the day's rituals. Central to the observance of Yom Kippur are the two goats chosen for sacrifice. One goat, known as the Jehovah goat, serves as a sin offering and is killed, symbolizing the atonement for sins. The other goat, the Azazel goat, is set free, representing the removal of sin. The casting of lots by the high priest determines the fate of each goat, highlighting the profound symbolism and purpose behind each sacrifice. Drawing from passages in Isaiah and Psalms, we highlight the mission of the Messiah as outlined in the prophetic Scriptures. Despite initial rejection by the people of Israel, the Messiah's mission is to atone for the sins of the people and ultimately bring salvation to the entire world. This parallels the sacrificial roles of the goats in the Yom Kippur observance, with Jesus serving as both the sacrificial offering and the one who removes the sins of all people. Jesus is our great high priest; the book of Hebrews explores the doctrine of Jesus' superior and eternal priesthood, surpassing that of Melchizedek, a figure of significance in both Jewish and Christian traditions. The criteria for the great high priest—being human, compassionate, and appointed by God—are elaborated upon, positioning Jesus as the perfect and compassionate high priest who mediates between God and humanity. An essential component of Yom Kippur is the shedding of blood for the confession of sins, emphasizing the need for atonement and repentance. The sacrifices offered on Yom Kippur serve as a reminder of the inherent sinfulness of humanity and the need for a better and permanent solution. Through the lens of the New Testament, Yom Kippur underscores Jesus' sacrificial offering as the ultimate and permanent solution for the atonement of sins. What about the future fulfillment of Yom Kippur? It points to the future acknowledgment of Jesus as the Messiah by Israel, aligning with the prophecies outlined in the scripture. The essence of true Yom Kippur will be realized through hardship and repentance, paving the way for national and individual acknowledgment of the Messiah. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie has a fun surprise for anyone who has loved the show for some time! She is joined by her husband Jonah, for the first time on the show, to celebrate a momentous milestone: the fifth anniversary of the podcast! Through a heartfelt conversation, they invite you to explore the themes of spiritual growth, understanding God's love, and the journey of faith. They hope to point us to God's faithfulness and the transforming power of His presence. In a world rife with distractions, Stephanie and Jonah invite you to remember our need for intentional presence. They discuss practical steps like spending quiet time with God, paying attention to distractions, and listening to the Holy Spirit's nudges. This investment in intimacy with God allows for discerning His guidance and being His hands and feet in daily life. Scripture challenges us to engage our faith deeply through Christ. Jonah opens up about his spiritual journey, transitioning from a works-based faith, to understanding sanctification as a divine gift through the Holy Spirit's work. He highlights the importance of obedience stemming from gratitude rather than religious vanity, noting the critical need to avoid the pitfalls of pride and self-righteousness. Stephanie asks Jonah about a Bible character he relates to. Jonah finds a connection with King David, appreciating his acknowledgment of grace and his deep yearning for divine presence. He draws a beautiful parallel with an imagined “third brother” in the parable of the prodigal son, the brother who is content simply being in his father's presence. This will inspire you! Make sure to listen. Jonah admires David's profound understanding of grace and his relentless pursuit of God's presence. David's journey, especially as portrayed in Psalm 56 and Psalm 27, serves as a roadmap for seeking God's presence amid crises and life's challenges. Jonah encourages us to embrace God's goodness, trusting Him with our sorrows and tears, much like David did. Jonah's aspiration to reject shallow spirituality is another powerful point. He invites us towards deeper wisdom and joy through God's presence, rather than transient cultural practices, urging us to develop mindful habits centered on Christ. This intentionality in connecting with God's presence is essential in today's distraction-filled world. Stephanie and Jonah provide practical advice for growing in grace and holiness. They emphasize that sanctification should not be self-centered, but focused on reflecting Christ's image on earth. This aligns with God's broader goal for us - of transforming us from within, in order to then share love externally, cultivating an internal source of life that impacts outward actions. As they conclude the episode, Jonah and Stephanie reflect on the journey of Gospel Spice, expressing gratitude for its impact over the past five years. They offer a prayer of thanksgiving for the ministry and its listeners, invoking God's guidance and blessings. Fun Fact from the Episode: Stephanie and Jonah usually chat in French, but for this special episode, they switched to English, making the conversation an adventurous and fun challenge for them both! YOUR FREE GIFT FROM JONAH ON OUR ANNIVERSARY: Want to use the prayer that Jonah uses at the end of the episode? Click HERE to download a beautiful printable version. Also available here: https://www.gospelspice.com/free  KEY TAKEAWAYS 1.      Intentional Presence: Invest time and focus to truly connect with God's presence, setting aside daily distractions to foster deeper spiritual growth. Use Scripture, prayer, worship. 2.      Responding to Divine Nudges: Cultivate an awareness of the Holy Spirit's guidance in your everyday life, aiming to be God's hands and feet in all you do. 3.      Reflecting Christ's Image: Sanctification is about transforming from within to reflect Christ's love outwardly—impacting your actions and interactions with others. 4.      God's Balance of Might and Love: Understanding both aspects of God is essential to a complete faith. 5.      Journey from Works-Based Faith to Grace: Discover Jonah's transformation from a works-focused faith to embracing sanctification through the Holy Spirit. 6.      The Real Meaning of Obedience: True obedience stems from gratitude and the Holy Spirit, not religious vanity. 7.      David's Example of Grace: King David's pursuit of God's presence can inspire a deeper, more genuine faith. 8.      Cultural Contentment and Spiritual Practices: Explore ways to find true contentment in God's presence amidst the distractions of modern life. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie navigates through key biblical passages that tie Rosh Hashanah (also called the Feast of Trumpets) to the second coming of Jesus. This feast invites us to tell the Lord, in answer to His invitation to seek Him, “Your Face, Lord, will I seek.” He always initiates relationship: How will we choose to respond to His holy trumpet call? Picture this: the sound of trumpets, a grand gathering of believers, and the triumphant return of Jesus. It's like something out of a thrilling movie, but it's actual biblical truth! The Jewish fall feasts remind us, it's time for introspection and readiness. The feasts invite us to embrace a season of repentance, anticipation, and fervent prayer. It's a divine blend of remembering and looking forward—a call to prepare our hearts for the imminent return of Jesus. The Feast of Trumpets echoes the Shofar to lead us into awe and worship through its prophetic biblical truths. Our episode today peels back the layers of significance behind the trumpet call and how it links to the church's rapture. Rosh Hashanah is an invitation to embrace the call of the trumpets, marvel at the profound threads of prophecy, and prep our hearts for the triumphant return of Jesus Christ. Rosh Hashanah is not your average New Year's celebration. It's a powerful blend of reminiscing and gazing ahead with hope. The blowing of the shofar during this feast serves as a wake-up call for repentance and a reminder to seek God's grace. For believers in Christ, embracing the new beginnings and spiritual awakening embedded in Rosh Hashanah paves the way for readiness for Christ's return. Psalm 27 has traditionally been used to prepare hearts and minds for the grand Autumn feasts. This sacred song sets the stage, resonating with themes of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the millennial kingdom. It's like a spiritual GPS, guiding our hearts as we gear up for the festivities ahead. So, join Stephanie in telling the Lord, “Your Face, Lord, will I seek.” DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Today, we invite you to join us as Sandra McCracken and Stephanie explore the interplay of faith, cultural insights, and the essence of beauty in worship music. Stephanie sits down with renowned musician Sandra McCracken to dive into the multifaceted ways God uses to connect us to Him, including beauty, language, and culture. Their conversation touches on various facets—from the linguistic richness of French expressions of delight and light, to the role of the local church and the importance of worship. Join us as we explore how experiencing God's beauty through nature, music, and community can deepen our spiritual journey. Sandra McCracken's songwriting serves as a rich medium to convey scriptural truths and draw us deep in worship through music. Her goal is to help people delight in God's presence through her music, creating songs that resonate with the heart's deepest longings. She shares how singing these truths repeatedly helps align her heart with them, even amid doubts or fears. Her work embodies the connection between light and delight, encouraging us to find joy and hope in God's presence. Let's talk about beauty for a minute. In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, the perception of beauty can often become obscured. Sandra and Stephanie discuss the necessity of slowing down to truly appreciate and experience deeper, non-disposable beauty. Pausing to engage with our surroundings and community, allows us to witness God's presence in the ordinary moments of life. By embracing this slower pace, we open ourselves up to deeper intimacy with God, finding beauty and inspiration in the everyday and the extraordinary alike. Beauty serves as a 'homing device,' drawing us toward God. Whether through the breathtaking landscapes of Yellowstone and Tetons or through the creative brilliance of European architecture, beauty reveals the hand of the divine in our world. Stephanie echoes this sentiment by highlighting how the unique expressions of beauty in different cultures enrich our spiritual experience, offering a fuller understanding of God's nature. During her visit to a botanical garden in Colorado, Sandra was struck by the diverse beauty of the garden, from the tall milkweeds to the fluttering butterflies. The process of pruning in gardening parallels life's trials. Just as a gardener prunes to encourage growth and beauty, God, the "master gardener," prunes us through life's challenges. Although this process can be uncomfortable, it is essential for our spiritual growth and transformation. Embracing this divine pruning allows us to develop into the people God intends us to be. The conversation takes a deeper turn as Sandra explores the concept of true beauty through the lens of the cross. The cross represents the epitome of humility, sacrifice, and power, embodying the ultimate beauty in the biblical narrative. Facing our brokenness within a community helps us understand and experience God's beauty in a transformative way. This vulnerability and honesty before God and one another reflect the beauty that comes from embracing our imperfections and relying on divine grace. Sandra invites us to consider how beauty, language, and community play pivotal roles in our faith journey. From the linguistic richness of French to Jesus' teaching on pruning, Sandra encourages us to slow down, appreciate beauty, and engage deeply with our faith communities. Through her music and reflections, Sandra McCracken helps us find delight in God's light, inviting us into a richer, more authentic experience of God in Christ. MEET SANDRA MCCRACKEN Sandra McCracken is a GRAMMY-nominated and Dove Award-winning singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. The daughter of a biology teacher and a seminary secretary, Sandra was born the youngest of five children in a house with music continually streaming from the record player. A prolific recording artist, McCracken has produced 18 solo albums. She has also produced 4 albums of children's music through the project Rain for Roots. Her best-selling release, Psalms (2015), received critical acclaim, followed by God's Highway (2017) which made the top 50 on the Billboard charts without a major label. Her album, Light in the Canyon, won the 2023 GMA Dove Award for Bluegrass/Country/Roots Album of the year. She has had songs featured in TV, including on ABC's Grey's Anatomy. Blending the old and new, Sandra has also shown a unique ability to recast sacred scripture texts into theologically rich yet accessible songs. Her thoughtful lyrics and gospel melodies in songs like “We Will Feast In The House Of Zion” and “Steadfast" have become staple anthems in churches across the U.S. Sandra regularly partners with International Justice Mission, Blood:Water Mission, and ARocha, and her writing has been published by The Gospel Coalition, She Read Truth, and Relevant Magazine, in addition to her regular column with Christianity Today.  Sandra released her first book, Send Out Your Light, in September 2021 with B&H. She lives in Nashville with her husband, three children, and two dogs. https://www.sandramccracken.com/  MORE ABOUT “SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT” In the middle of Psalm 43, God offers us a dynamic invitation: Send out your light.Prolific singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken believes we each have the opportunity to hear and answer this invitation.  This book is written in three parts: part one is the becoming, the creation, how God makes us and gives us an identity. Part two is the disorientation of loss, displacement, and the dark night of the soul. Part three is reorientation, how God brings us through the darkness and illuminates our path with Scripture, sending us out to take his light to others. This has been the shape of Sandra McCracken's life. Through it all, songs and Scripture have been there to light the way, helping her respond to God's call. How will you respond to God's call to send out his light? We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Have you ever wondered if God speaks more loudly through our feasts and fasts, than He does through our mundane, ordinary circumstances? In this episode in our “Come to the Table” series on the Jewish and Christian feasts, Stephanie reflects on the significance of ordinary time, the ordinary moments of life. They are the backdrop to our feast days. They are the bulk of our time. The present, nestled between special feasts, serves as a space where believers are called to live in anticipation of Jesus' return and seek God's presence and delight in all moments. The question is, how did Jesus experience His own mundane and ordinary days? What does He wish to impart to us through them? So, Stephanie invites us to consider how the body of Christ functions during ordinary time, focusing on the importance of living in unity. This period of ordinary time is an opportunity for spiritual growth and for experiencing the lived reality of Jesus in everyday moments, celebrating the cyclical nature of the liturgical calendar. That word, liturgy. It can be ambiguous. Off-putting to some, attractive to others. Liturgy is simply the chosen flow of a service, or a day, or a life. It is how a particular local body of believers chooses to approach God, especially on Sundays but not only. It varies from church to church, with much to learn from the manifold practices of our brothers and sisters around the world. Stephanie's extensive personal experience with various church traditions, including Anglican, charismatic, reformed, Pentecostal, and non-denominational, highlights the diverse ways in which different traditions approach worship and liturgical practices. Understanding the concept of liturgy as the way a particular tradition conducts its services, including prayers, readings, and rituals, is an invitation into the richness and diversity within the body of Christ. Ordinary time is characterized by its lack of special feasts, representing the ordered life of the church and a period of watchfulness for the second coming of Jesus. Divided into two seasons, ordinary time serves as a call to unity within the body of Christ, inviting believers to keep Jesus at the center of mundane routines. Within ordinary time, we have weekly min-feasts called Sabbaths. So, how did Jesus experience them? How do Sabbaths fit at the table of God's Presence? Sabbath is associated with rest, refreshment, freedom, and joy, serving as a day of rest and a reminder of humanity's co-partnership with God. Stephanie discusses Jesus' claim of authority over the Sabbath, highlighting how He emphasized its wholesome nature to be a source of blessing. The Sabbath is a time of rest and delight, providing a sacred space to experience God's presence and embrace His joy. Today, we invite you to embrace the beauty of ordinary days, seek unity in the body of Christ, and live in hopeful expectation while finding rest and delight in the Sabbath. We invite you to cultivate a lifelong liturgy of delight in Christ, breathing new life into everyday moments as we journey towards the eagerly anticipated return of Jesus. Join us! OPTIONAL RESOURCE | Stephanie mentions the creation of a liturgy booklet designed to cultivate a lifelong liturgy of delight in Christ. This booklet consists of short liturgies for everyday moments, aiming to inspire you in building and nurturing a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. The liturgical year is presented as a means to grow in intimacy with Christ, providing an avenue to know Him more intimately in everyday life. Go to gospelspice.com or ask us about it! Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie sits down with Pam Farrel to discuss a harrowing yet faith-affirming journey through unexpected medical emergencies, profound spiritual experiences in Christ, and the indomitable power of joy. Pam's story is not just one of survival but of thriving through adversity, guided by God's presence, Pam's steadfast faith, and the prayers of many. Heaven's Glimpse and Joy's Power During a medical emergency, Pam felt God's peace envelop her as she transitioned into a medically induced coma. In this state of near-death, she was ushered into heaven, welcomed by angels of various ethnicities, and enveloped in a sacred dance above the gates of glory. Experiencing deep peace and engaging in a mental conversation with God, she saw visions of her loved ones benefiting from her prayers. Her profound spiritual encounter with Christ reaffirmed her mission on earth and underscored the miraculous elements of her faith journey. A Family Visit Turned Medical Emergency What started as a joyful family gathering in Salt Lake City for Mother's Day turned into a harrowing experience for Pam Farrel. In the middle of the night, severe pain led Pam to the emergency room.. The diagnosis was clear: the chilling reality of stage 1 ovarian cancer. Always seeing the bright side of her circumstances, Pam reminds us of the blessing that pain can be, in the crucial role pain played in alerting her to the severity of her condition. Pain allowed for an early diagnosis that is rare with ovarian cancer, which is often not detected until it reaches stage 4. Pam was transferred to a main hospital where a divine coincidence awaited—a Christian oncologist familiar with her book, "Men Are Like Waffles, Women Are Like Spaghetti." Pam's journey through six rounds of chemotherapy three weeks apart, her struggle with hair loss, and her graceful acceptance of these side effects paint a portrait of resilience. Throughout, Pam continued to contribute to her ministry and even received a Life Impact Award at the Golden Scrolls. Rebuilding and Cultivating Joy Pam's recovery period with her son's family demonstrated the importance of a supportive community. Despite undergoing rigorous treatments, Pam persisted in her work, mentoring others, and presenting at conferences. She emphasizes the key importance of joy, especially during adversity. Pam shares her methods for cultivating joy, including: ·         Proactive Joy : Create a list of simple, joy-inducing activities and commit to one daily. ·         Reflective Joy : Maintain a gratitude journal to note everyday blessings. ·         Rejoice in the Lord : See joy as a proactive choice, focusing on calming actions during stressful times. ·         Creative Joy : Engage in creative activities like Bible art doodling to shift focus away from problems. ·         Interactive Joy : Use joy to enhance relationships, making interactions more positive. ENTER TO WIN! Win a copy of each of Pam's latest books - all you need to do is subscribe to our newsletter to enter for a chance to win! Sign up here: https://www.gospelspice.com/signup CONNECT WITH PAM: Pam says, "We live a rather unconventional life. We spend about 200 days per year traveling to conferences for men, women and couples. We meet fascinating people, eat at interesting places and experience every climate imaginable. And, when we are home, we live on a boat in Southern California. Through our videos and blogs, we would like to take you with us." Bill and Pam are prolific conference and church communicators. They speak together at marriage and parenting conferences with a unique ability to “speak as one” in all their presentations. Bill helps people gain strength and real-world wisdom through messages at men's retreats and church services. Pam equips and encourages women to be courageous, influential and strong in faith at women's gatherings around the world. With seamless transitions, natural timing and contagious energy, Bill and Pam inspire audiences around the world to live better, laugh often and love skillfully. It has often been said, “More is caught than taught,” and this is the secret to Bill and Pam's effectiveness. They are a real couple helping real couples. As couples watch Bill and Pam present, they see a couple in action, experience the kind of support that builds trust in relationships and can visualize their own success. Bill and Pam don't just teach about marriage, they demonstrate it for their audiences. People who hear them speak say: “They made it simple to be in love again.” “After hearing them, I know what to do next!” “I was nervous about coming because I thought I would hear about what I was doing wrong but boy am I glad I came.” “This was awesome.” “They didn't just tell us what to do, they showed us how.” “We rediscovered each other this weekend.” “We haven't laughed together this much in years.” Find Pam and Bill at https://www.love-wise.com/  Receive Pam's Infectious Joy 30 day e-book by subscribing to her newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/love-wise.com/infectiousjoy    We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Today we discuss our sacred journey from mourning to joy, desolation to restoration. It is about the legacy of holy sorrow. In this new episode of our new series around the Jewish feasts, I invite you to travel into the historical and spiritual significance of Tisha B'Av, the 9th of Av in the Jewish calendar, and the hope it holds for the future. This day beckons us into a profound journey through grief, remembrance, and ultimately, hope. On the 9th of Av, also known as Tisha B'Av, the Jewish community commemorates the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem – not once, but twice. This day, while marked by deep mourning, also carries profound messianic overtones and a powerful message of hope.

Stephanie here! I have often found that, when I'm discouraged, or when I struggle to see things from the perspective that God might have on a situation, a relationship, maybe my own heart, I find it so useful to dig into Scripture and look at the stories of people in Scripture who may have experienced something similar. I also find that, beyond Scripture, it is useful to look at the lives of faithful men and women in history, saints who have really clung to God, and who have experienced so much of his goodness, his holiness, his beauty, his faithfulness, his kindness, his generosity. I love to spend time through biographies of these people of faith. I'm looking forward to meeting them in heaven and learning from them even more. Which means,  I love when a new book comes out that invites me to do just that. And the book Portrait of God by Jack Mooring does just that. I'm welcoming Jack today. And he experienced the same thing that I'm describing to you. His book is a bit of a guidebook. It uses the stories of influential Christian figures like C.S. Lewis, Saint Augustine, Fanny Crosby, and so many more, to help us, believers, find stability in our faith amidst the chaos of this world. He and I chat about the fact that this world is pretty chaotic right now. This book and this conversation hope to be one of the tools that equips us in this ever-changing turbulent world we live in. Now, to recognize God's goodness in the midst of chaos, well, I know it can be challenging. Our faith can so often seem like a roller coaster as a result of that. Jack says, “I've learned that the Christian life is less about learning and more about remembering. I wrote this book to remind myself and the rest of us, forgetful people, that this is God whom we love and he really is who he says he is.” MORE ABOUT THE BOOK “PORTRAIT OF GOD In an ever-changing, often turbulent world, recognizing God's goodness can be challenging. Many Christians describe their faith as a rollercoaster, with seasons of feeling close to God and having a clear sense of His presence, and others where He seems distant. Author Jack Mooring experienced this personally, and by reflecting on and learning from the lives of the faithful men and women in history, he uncovered powerful reminders of God's unchanging truths. Mooring's new book, Portrait of God: Rediscovering the Attributes of God through the Stories of His People (David C Cook, August 6, 2024) serves as a guidebook, using the stories of influential Christian figures like C.S. Lewis and St. Augustine to help modern-day believers find stability in their faith amidst the chaos of the world. In Portrait of God, Mooring provides thought-provoking questions and a list of further readings about each faith leader, allowing readers to dig even deeper into the truths about the unchanging character of God. “I've learned that the Christian life is less about learning and more about remembering,” writes Mooring. “I grew up in a rich tradition of truth, but life's lies have often buried those true ideas about God. So I wrote this book to remind myself and the rest of us forgetful people that this God we love is really who He says He is. This book is an attempt to rediscover our wonder about who He is. For each attribute of God, I chose a person in church history who actually experienced that part of God's nature. The goal is that, as we hear the stories of these people, we can get a glimpse of God through their eyes.” Each chapter explores an attribute of God through a person in church history who radically experienced His nature, applying it as a brushstroke to our portrait. Readers will uncover: ●           Faith: How an all-powerful God worked miracles in the life of Kathryn Kuhlman. ●           Holiness: What Augustine of Hippo's life in a secular world teaches us about God. ●           Compassion: How William and Catherine Booth's service to others radiated God's love. MORE ABOUT JACK MOORING Jack Mooring is a pastor, speaker, songwriter, and author. Beginning in ministry from an early age with his family, he and his brother went on to start the band LEELAND. Signing to Provident Music Group (A division of SONY BMG), the band released seven records, four of which received Grammy Nominations for “Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.” After touring full time and ministering around the world from 2005-2014, Jack left the band in order to pastor full time. For several years he served on the pastoral staff of two different churches before planting Celebration of Life Church: Nashville. Jack continues to make music as a songwriter signed with Integrity Music. As both a pastor and creative, Jack is passionate about communicating the gospel in a post-Christian culture. He resides in Franklin, TN with his wife Whitney and four children: Smith, Kate, Anthony, and Gabriel. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

We need our eyes on Jesus. We need to train ourselves to see Him even where it is not obvious. Because He is here. He is in the middle of every detail we are going through. We just forget. So, Stephanie invites you to join us as we train ourselves to see Him. There is something profound in seeking Jesus in the routine of daily life and also in the unusual moments of our years. To find him through our feasts and our fasts – our joys and our sadnesses, our happiness and our grief. Through the series and in this episode, Stephanie hopes to provide an overview of the Jewish and Christian feasts and how, for example, some of them were fulfilled by the death and resurrection of Jesus, and then the birth of the church in the first coming of Jesus. The remaining feasts are yet to be fulfilled in the second coming of Jesus. This broad perspective allows us to see the feasts as part of a larger narrative under the sovereignty of God, pointing to the continuing, redemptive work of Christ. The Jewish and Christian liturgical calendars remind us to keep our focus on eternal things as we await the fulfillment of the remaining feasts. Stephanie invites us into Jesus' interactions with his people through feasts, fasts, and daily life, focusing on the 17 special days in the Jewish and Christian liturgical calendars. Scripture and the communal aspect of faith urge us to explore ancient Jewish and Christian celebrations together as the body of Christ. Understanding the significance of feasts is not just an individual pursuit, but an opportunity to grow together as a community of believers. Scripture points to Jesus as the fulfillment of the law of Moses and the covering provided in the Garden of Eden. Jesus perfectly fulfilled the requirements of the Mosaic Law, bringing a new covenant through his death and resurrection. The sacrifices in the Old Testament, as described in Leviticus and the Mosaic Law, were valid in the eyes of God because they pointed to the future death of Jesus Christ, first highlighted in Isaiah. The sacrifices in the Old Testament did not remove sin, but worked to restore covenantal relationships and forgive particular sins. This is a crucial aspect to understand, as it lays the foundation for Jesus' role as the ultimate sacrifice for the complete removal of sin. By understanding the significance of feasts in both traditions and how they point to the work of the Messiah, we are invited to deepen our worship and grow in likeness to Jesus, the King of Kings. As we come to the table of God's goodness and presence through the series, may we embrace these feasts as a fresh way to connect with our Savior, to fall in love and worship of Him ever deeper. Amen. Don't forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don't miss out! It's at https://www.gospelspice.com/store We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ God's glory, our delight  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!