Podcasts about 2c1152

In the last post, we explored how God does not always display His love by preventing suffering in our lives. Rather, He shows His love to us by comforting us through our sufferings. In that post, I mentioned that I would like to bring this idea to life through a few stories. As I think about people in the Bible that God loved who suffered, it’s hard to ignore the plight of the Israelites in Egypt. It becomes the most real to me when I imagine the life of a Hebrew woman named Jochebed told in Exodus 2. When Jochebed got married... The post His Plan for Our Pain appeared first on Loving Theology.

“When I set aside what I wish He would do for me with His power, I begin to see how much He does for me with His presence.” I wanted to talk about God’s love for us. As I think about His love, my thoughts are often drawn back to the question of pain and suffering. When we are in distress it’s easy to wonder where God is if He loves us. Sometimes, the presence of suffering can feel like evidence that He doesn’t care. But the Bible is actually quite comfortable declaring His love for us and acknowledging our suffering in the same breath. For example, consider... The post His Companionship in Our Distress appeared first on Loving Theology.

For our post this week I put together this video. Join me as I talk about the voice of God. People always teach on prayer and talking with God (as we have done in this series) but what does God actually sound like? Do we hear Him audibly? He can do that. Do we see signs throughout our day? Yes, this can be confirmation. Does He speak through people? Yes, of course! However, let's talk about The post How Does God Talk to Us? appeared first on Loving Theology.

Have you ever felt alone? The fear of being alone certainly ranks among our deepest and most meaningful. But the word “alone” doesn’t fully describe it; after all, we can be surrounded by people, even friends and family, and still feel alone. I long to feel a true connection where I’m loved even when I’m unlovable, where I can share every unbecoming thought without fear of judgment but assured of my unreserved acceptance. While I treasure my closest friendship (Monica), we are each limited in patience and grace, and we are both affected by... The post Overcoming Loneliness appeared first on Loving Theology.

“Is that You God?” Have you ever had a thought while you’re praying and wondered whether it was His voice or just your own? How do we discern if He’s talking to us? In John 10, Jesus explains our relationship with Him as a Good Shepherd with His sheep. He assures us not only that He will speak to us, but that we will recognize His voice: “The sheep hear His voice, and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. … and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.” (John 10:3-4) So, how do we develop... The post Learning God’s Voice appeared first on Loving Theology.

Have you ever found yourself wondering if God’s trying to tell you something? I know I have. We long for His direction in our life, but it can be hard to know when He’s speaking. Sometimes I think I’ve heard Him, but when everything goes wrong, I start wondering if I missed the mark. Other times I don’t really know what to do, and I wish He would just make it easy and give me a sign. But figuring out whether it actually was a sign from Him is just as difficult. However, at a very fundamental level, our communication with God isn’t based on... The post Does God Still Speak? appeared first on Loving Theology.

In our post for Father’s Day this year, we issued the first release of a guide for Christian couples who are trying to conceive, including a guide for IVF. We also promised to release further updates to this guide as we had time to put the research we’ve done in the best format for you. So, without further ado, I’d like to introduce the first major update to this guide for couples who are trying to conceive. The post TTC Guide Intro appeared first on Loving Theology.

A lot of things can make us happy for a little while, but, once the newness fades, the happiness seems to fade right along with it. We all struggle to feel satisfied at times, but how do we approach that struggle? Join us as we take a very practical, “how-to” look at our series on satisfaction and ask the question, How do we find satisfaction? The post How to Find Satisfaction appeared first on Loving Theology.

Whether it’s more work or more play, we’ve seen in this series that neither promise to satisfy. However, we often experience our most meaningful success and our most lasting joy in the context of our closest relationships. Whether it’s friendships, dating, marriage, or family, perhaps relationships can offer what success and pleasure can’t on their own – satisfaction. If any relationship could, our closest and deepest one (marriage) certainly has the best chance. So, let’s take a look at marriage to see if it can provide satisfaction as we ask the hard question: Can my soulmate satisfy me? The post Can Soulmates Satisfy appeared first on Loving Theology.

Why did God make pleasure? Can our desire for pleasure ever be fully satisfied? What does enjoying pleasure look like as Christians, in what ways are we limited? Like we discussed last week, God wants us to enjoy life’s good things. Whether it’s relaxing with a glass of wine, admiring the beauty of nature, traveling to a new and exciting place, or even having sex, God made it all for us to enjoy. Pleasure is defined as “a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment”; it is essentially the experience of happiness. So, if we pursue pleasure, will we find happiness? Will we find satisfaction? The post Satisfying Our Desire for Pleasure appeared first on Loving Theology.

What can we do to be successful? How do we know when we’ve achieved success, or, more specifically, at what point does success bring satisfaction? So often, success can leave us feeling empty or even sorrowful as we wonder "What's the point?" How can we find a meaningful success that satisfies our desire to leave an impact? Join us as we talk about all of this: 1. The Ingredients of Success 2. Success and Sorrow 3. Meaningful Success The post Satisfied in Success appeared first on Loving Theology.

Are you happy? A lot of things can make us happy for a little while, but, once the newness fades, the happiness seems to fade right along with it. How can we find it again? What does it mean to be happy? From Harvard studies to the Pharrell Williams song, from America’s Declaration of Independence to Bhutan’s measure of Gross National Happiness, it’s easy to say that “the pursuit of happiness” is central to us as people regardless of the culture, or sub-culture, in which we find ourselves. But, for all our searching, it remains just that: a pursuit, a search. Now, we ... The post How to Be Happy appeared first on Loving Theology.

What should we forgive? EVERYTHING. How do we forgive even the hardest things? After releasing new videos for our series on forgiveness, we have a new discussion style video to help make this series very practical. Join us as we talk about how we forgive and what that process looks like, including: How do we know when we need to forgive? Once we’ve forgiven, it feels like we can check it off the list and put it behind us, but forgiveness can often look more like a cycle rather than a checkbox. So, how can we identify when we’re struggling with unforgiveness and ultimately find inspiration to forgive again? The post How to Forgive appeared first on Loving Theology.

"Text me," maybe! How will data from Mayor Cantrell's new campaign texts be used? And, a panel discussion on color, coronavirus, and what's left of the "American Dream": local broadcaster Don P, community activist Jenny Yanez and Lens columnist Crystal Zheng join the conversation. The post Behind The Lens episode 88: ‘Having to work 10 times as hard’ appeared first on The Lens.

A think tank conservative and an infectious diseases doctor strongly disagree on the merits of quick reopenings. And David Torkanowsky joins our conversation on the live music blues in New Orleans. The post Behind The Lens episode 87: Also, there was a dust storm. appeared first on The Lens.

Award-winning journalist Soledad O'Brien talks about COVID-19, the Trump Administration… and bad news writing. And Ashlin Parker from Trumpet Mafia reacts to the city's push to offer some live entertainment amid the pandemic. The post Behind The Lens episode 86: Stories to tell appeared first on The Lens.

On Mother’s Day, we shared about our first miscarriage as we said Happy Mother’s Day to those who’ve struggled to conceive or had a loss. My Father’s Day gift this year represents something of a milestone for this story. Little Evie came in time for Father’s Day. Our journey in bringing her into this world was bumpy, to say the least, but it gave us a new perspective on life and a renewed, heartfelt desire to comfort and help those who are on a similar journey. Because of this, I’ve been working to pull together a Father’s Day gift for you should you (or anyone you know) find yourself on this journey, trying to conceive. But, before giving you that gift, I’d like to... The post A Gift for Father’s Day appeared first on Loving Theology.

More than a week after the Crescent City Connection incident, New Orleans’ police chief faces tough questions at City Council. And a new survey of New Orleans students supports the idea that the educational experience is split badly along racial lines. The post Behind The Lens episode 85: ‘Turn and face the strange’ appeared first on The Lens.

In the story of the adulterous woman that we discussed last week, it’s inspiring to see the way that Jesus showed His love for her when He defends her and refuses to condemn her. We stopped just short of the end of this story though. At the end, He says one more thing, “Go, and from now on sin no more.” (John 8:11) Jesus was being so kind and loving, telling her she was not condemned. But then, in the very next breath, it almost sounds like He was condemning her or at least condemning her lifestyle. It’s easy to feel like His command, “sin no more”, was an example where His love took a back seat to righteousness. But, we know from our first post of this series that everything He does is loving. So, where was the love in... The post God’s Commandments are Love appeared first on Loving Theology.

The city of New Orleans braces for yet more protests over police brutality and the killing of George Floyd. We’ll have coverage from the demonstrations, including accounts from two Lens reporters and a medical volunteer who were tear gassed on the Crescent City Connection. The post Behind The Lens episode 84: Battlespace? appeared first on The Lens.

In this episode, we look at what it was like to be a defendant in the courtroom of Judge Frank Shea. The post The Section G Podcast episode 4: ‘You are in the courtroom of Judge Frank Shea’ appeared first on The Lens.

God is for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. His love for you is completely selfless. That’s who He is. In our last post, we saw that we need to know God as a person and who He is to know what love is. I ended with John 17:26: “I made Your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love You have loved Me with may be in them and I may be in them.” When we see true love in action through what He has done, it inspires us to love Him and others. As a result, the same love He has can be in us! Let’s take a look at His love in action so that we can be inspired in this way. Because He is all-knowing, He knew what would happen when He created the world. He knew that if He gave us free will, we... The post God’s Faithfulness is Love appeared first on Loving Theology.

Phase one workplace tensions, preps for the next school year and a jazz players' round table on the importance of live music. The post Behind The Lens episode 83: Street sound appeared first on The Lens.

How would you define love? I can only imagine how vastly different each person’s definition would be. Even as I looked at the definition in the dictionary, it was incredibly vague. The Bible, however, has a lot to say about love and gets very specific about what it is and isn’t. I’d like to start this series in a familiar verse from 1 John 4. Verse 8 states, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” That last phrase, made up of only three words, comes off pretty bold compared to the vague definition in the dictionary. God is love. Could this phrase possibly mean that love is God? Let’s tackle this question with... The post The Definition of Love appeared first on Loving Theology.

Moratorium on Entergy cutoffs extended. New DCFS data raise questions about suspected child abuse cases; And feature interviews with Dr. MarkAlain Dery and performer Jillian Kay Music. The post Behind The Lens episode 82: The Quarter and beyond appeared first on The Lens.

Last week I promised to share something God showed me that helped me see the gift of salvation in a whole new light as we finish this series on Resting in Our Weakness. It comes from the end of our passage in Matthew 11; in verse 30, Jesus says “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” At first glance, I have to admit that I didn’t really see much difference between those two statements. But in writing this series, I finally saw what He meant and how He saved us from what each of these statements represents. Let's... The post Resting in Our Salvation appeared first on Loving Theology.

Phase one of New Orleans' reopening begins, but workers and their bosses have some tough decisions to make now. Also, musician Emeka Dibia on his work with the Brass-A-Holics amid the COVID-19 crisis. The post Behind The Lens episode 81: Changes and choices appeared first on The Lens.

“Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:29) His example of gentleness and humility are the prerequisites that enable us to be at rest. In the first post of this series we explored the first of these virtues, gentleness (meekness), and saw how meekness allows us to receive His yoke so we can follow Him. This week let’s explore humility to see what connection it has to rest. The second word ‘humble’ comes from the Greek word ‘tapeinos’. This word describes “the person who depends on the Lord rather than self”. At first glance, this... The post The Work and the Worry appeared first on Loving Theology.

Featuring interviews this week with Russel Honore', Marylee Orr and Jeff Asher, along with some of the best news investigators in Louisiana. The post Behind The Lens episode 80: That business upriver appeared first on The Lens.

When Monica and I got married, we planned to wait a year before having kids, but apparently God had other plans. Abigail was born just 10 months after we got married, literally as soon as possible. Even Elijah was born just 14 months after Abigail. While the timing wasn’t exactly planned, we were grateful. After Elijah turned one, we decided we were ready to try for another baby. On October 31st, 2018, Monica surprised me with a positive pregnancy test in hand. I couldn’t have been more excited! Over the next five days, we told our parents, debated names, and started daydreaming about the future. I left for work on November 5th like any other Monday. Around lunchtime, I heard my phone ring... The post Happy Mothers Day appeared first on Loving Theology.

"War" on coronavirus cases at New Orleans' jail, the COVID slide for schoolkids, and musicians' commentary on surviving the crisis. The post Behind The Lens episode 79: Mayday, May Day appeared first on The Lens.

“Come to me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) That’s a promise I’d like to cash in on. But, how do we? It goes on to say, “My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:30) I wish I could say ‘Amen’, but when I really think about it, I’m not so sure that’s how I feel. It doesn’t always seem easy and light. Thankfully, Jesus tells us more in this passage: “Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt 11:29) In order to find rest, we must learn from His example of gentleness and humility. In this series we’ll explore each of these virtues and see how they enable us to rest! This week let’s explore gentleness. This... The post Yoked with Jesus appeared first on Loving Theology.

OPSB's rocky online meeting, Convention Center developments, medical waste buildup and Jazz Festing in Place: yet another wild week of news in New Orleans. The post Behind The Lens episode 78: Podcasting in place appeared first on The Lens.

God desires to bring us closer. His voice has the power to change us for the better, but sin can cause us to hide our hearts from Him. In hiding our hearts, we are unable to hear His voice. He’s aware of our weakness though and longs to help us, not to shame us. We must trust His gentleness when we feel that He wants to change the topic of conversation. But, now that we have heard His voice, how do we know that He will listen to our prayers? Do our prayers matter? We do indeed have... The post God Hears Us appeared first on Loving Theology.

Local researchers push hard for new innovations and hopefully even a vaccine to fight the COVID-19 outbreak. Also, worrisome economic prospects for New Orleans workers and residents. The post Behind The Lens episode 77: Got protection? appeared first on The Lens.

“If you want to hear God more, let Him lead the conversation.” We all want to hear God's voice.  When I felt led to start this website, I wanted to be sure it’s what God wanted.  So, I set aside time to take a retreat and pray for God’s direction.  On the first day, I sat down and wrote out my questions: “Should I start a website?”, “Do I need to go to seminary first?”, “What should I write about?”, etc.  I got a hot cup of tea, sat down outside with my Bible next to me and asked my first question… no answer… my second question… no answer.  No matter which question I asked, all I got was a chorus of crickets.  If I’m honest, I... The post Hearing God appeared first on Loving Theology.

From schools to prisons, homes to businesses, there is nothing in our region that's not impacted by the coronavirus. We'll hear from Lens reporters, covering a community in crisis. The post Behind The Lens episode 76: Past and present appeared first on The Lens.

We saw, last week, how the Good News is that Jesus gives us freedom from slavery to sin. But how did He do this and what does this freedom give us? Let’s look again at what Jesus read in Luke 4:18-19, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” This word for ‘liberty’ on both counts comes from the Greek root ‘aphesis’ and can be understood as “a letting go, a release, pardon, complete forgiveness”. At first glance this might seem like an odd translation, that is ‘forgiveness = freedom’. But, as ... The post Peace with God appeared first on Loving Theology.

New Orleans' tourism economy is on hold and the Convention Center is being used as a makeshift hospital. But that's not stopping center management from pursuing a new hotel development. And we'll get a sense of the economic damage from COVID-19. The post Behind The Lens episode 75: Business matters appeared first on The Lens.

When we read about Jesus, it’s incredible to see all He did in such a short time. He healed so many, taught so many, and, ultimately, died for so many. But, for everything He did, what was the main point? Why was He here? He answered this question for us, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18-19) So, this is the good news, this is the gospel: He came to set us free. But we aren't slaves, so what is He talking about? The Jews of... The post Set Free appeared first on Loving Theology.

The federal government approves a major disaster declaration for Louisiana. We're a hot spot for the COVID-19 crisis, but are incoming resources enough to manage the crisis locally? The post Behind The Lens episode 74: Stay home, stay informed appeared first on The Lens.

Despite the wonderful upbringing I had, I have endured some really tragic moments and some seasons in my life that were completely overwhelming. Though I knew of God my whole life and was raised in church, I never brought my worries, hurts, shames, nightmares, and losses to God until much later in life. For years I walked with so much shame that it weighed on me more and more each year. I dealt with nightmares that would keep me up and made me afraid to sleep. I dealt with so much pain from losing my dad at a young age. Even after having wonderful counselors and support from the beginning, I still had so many questions. I became depressed, angry, and alone. I not only had my own pain but developed a burden for those facing similar tragedies that I couldn’t bear. I felt powerless. Here’s the thing though: one day I finally... The post God’s Rescue Plan appeared first on Loving Theology.

We talk with a likely sick resident about slow testing, Russel Honore, Dr. MarkAlain Dery and our staff reporters about covering the crisis. The post Behind The Lens episode 73: COVID-19 and New Orleans appeared first on The Lens.

"When He asks us to pray, He isn’t giving us another to-do; He’s inviting us to put everything on Him and just breathe." This week we’ll finish up this two-part series from last week on making room to receive God’s invitation. If I can say it simply, God is inviting you to be with Him. When we’re busy, though, this can feel like an obligation rather than an invitation. However, God isn’t interested in obligating us to spend time with Him; after all, we no longer live under the law but under grace. What’s more, God doesn’t invite us to spend time with Him for His own benefit (as if He needs anything from us) but for our benefit. During Jesus’ ministry, He was... The post …And Be Refreshed appeared first on Loving Theology.

"God invites us to accomplish more by doing less, to release the strain of busyness and be refreshed by spending time with Him." Do you ever feel overwhelmed? If it’s not one thing, it’s another: another crisis at work, another project with a deadline, another soccer practice, another gymnastics class, another pile of laundry to fold, another errand to run, another problem with the house, another problem with the car, another … you get the idea. Sometimes there are ebbs and flows to the rhythm of life and other times it doesn’t seem to stop. It’s tempting to think that this problem is exclusive to modern times. While some elements of our culture encourage or seem to require us to be busy, the fundamental responsibilities that ultimately drive our tiring schedule are as old as society itself. Let’s go all the way back to Moses and live a day in his shoes. Shortly after leading the... The post Make Room for God… appeared first on Loving Theology.

This is the last in our series on God’s love in our suffering. This week, I’d like to consider a character from the New Testament to talk about his unusual perspective on suffering. Paul wrote quite a bit on the topic of suffering, and I can understand why given how much he went through. When you read his account of the physical and emotional suffering he endured and consider how many friends he lost to martyrdom, it’s hard to imagine very many people who have more credibility on the topic of suffering. Perhaps the most... The post Rejoice in Suffering appeared first on Loving Theology.

We are in a series on God’s love in our suffering. Seeing the suffering in this world and experiencing suffering in our own life may make it seem that God doesn’t love us. However, there is one character in the Bible whose story powerfully refutes this. If God loved anyone, He loved Jesus. Yet, Jesus suffered more than we can possibly comprehend. Jesus’ story makes plain that our experience of suffering in no way negates God’s love for us. So, when Jesus was suffering, how did the Father show His love? Why didn’t God prevent His suffering? What came of His suffering? Answering these questions from Jesus’ story may also answer these questions for our own story. Let’s see... The post Why We Suffer appeared first on Loving Theology.

"Christ offers His account to repay us for the debts we forgive one another; an account full of peace and joy and love." Last week we talked about the parable of the unforgiving servant. This parable shows how the forgiveness we give to others flows from the forgiveness we first received from Christ. There is another story in the book of Philemon (of all places) that brought this parable to life for me. It honestly transformed my perspective on forgiveness... The post His Promise to Repay appeared first on Loving Theology.

"When He asks us to forgive, He invites us first to receive His forgiveness so that we are empowered to simply pay it forward." I love the disciples. So often they do exactly what I would picture myself doing or ask the very question that’s on my mind. Take Matthew 18 for example; starting in verse 15, Jesus explains how to handle conflict … Once Jesus finished, I just imagine watching the disciples nod their heads as they are walking. A little further down the road ... The post His Forgiveness: Pay It Forward appeared first on Loving Theology.

"Knowledge only becomes eternally significant when it inspires us to love better." As I was reading 1 Corinthians, I came across the familiar chapter on love. After strolling through the recognizable list of all the things love is and isn’t, I was surprised to find a verse I’ve read many times: “as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” You see, I thought I knew this verse... The post The Aim Is Love appeared first on Loving Theology.