Podcasts about chrisitan

Audio Recording Audio Block Double-click here to upload or link to a .mp3. Learn more Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 61:1-11 (ESV)1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed meto bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.4 They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations;they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;6 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast.7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.8 For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong;I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God,for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.Sermon OutlineWhat kind of life will produce righteousness and praise? (v11)1. Righteousnessv3 “that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”v8 “I the lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrong”v10 “priest… bride…”v1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me… anointed me to bring good news to the poor…”v10 “for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness”v4 “they shall repair the ruined cities” 2. Praisev10 “… my soul shall exult in God, for he has…”v9 “an offspring the Lord has blessed”v7 “they shall have an everlasting joy”v3, 7 “instead of”Prayer of ConfessionOur just and merciful Father, our sins alienate us from you and from one another. We wander into places where we become entangled and trapped. Our desires, thoughts and actions evidence our weakness, our foolishness, our arrogance. If we were to reap what we have sown, our future would be dreadful. You are righteous and just, but also unimaginably merciful. We confess our sins and pray for forgiveness. We cannot justify what we have done, nor can we explain away what we have failed to do. Our justification is in Christ our savior, not our own deeds. Cover us with his righteousness. May the good news take root in us. May our lives root firmly in you. May your Spirit produce righteousness and praise. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat outcomes would evidence that you lived your life well?What is needed for a good life? Do you believe you can have a good life without God? What from the planting/sprouting imagery can help you understand the nature of a spiritual life where there is growth, strengthen, fruitfulness?Why do we try to justify ourselves? How do we do it?What is the good news Jesus brings? Why is our union with Christ so important? How are we clothed with a robe of righteousness?How should Christians play a “priestly” role in the world? In what ways do Christians serve God and people? What roles do we have in the repairing of the world?What in the Chrisitan message or experience produces praise in you? What are some things for which you are particularly thankful?What is a wise expectation for Christian joy? When Christians endure long hard periods, how should they think about the praise of God? How can you live as one who has been blessed by God? What does it look like in your day-to-day life to hold that mindset? How can your life bless others? How can you bring the blessing of God to your relationships, workplace, neighborhood?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

Audio Recording Sermon OutlineSpeaker: Rev. Scott StrickmanSermon Series: Come, Let Us Walk in the Light of the LordIsaiah 61:1-11 (ESV)1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed meto bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;3 to grant to those who mourn in Zion— to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.4 They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations;they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations.5 Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers;6 but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God;you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast.7 Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot;therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy.8 For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong;I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.9 Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples;all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed.10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God,for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.11 For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.Sermon OutlineWhat kind of life will produce righteousness and praise? (v11)1. Righteousnessv3 “that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified.”v8 “I the lord love justice, I hate robbery and wrong”v10 “priest… bride…”v1-3 “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me… anointed me to bring good news to the poor…”v10 “for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness”v4 “they shall repair the ruined cities” 2. Praisev10 “… my soul shall exult in God, for he has…”v9 “an offspring the Lord has blessed”v7 “they shall have an everlasting joy”v3, 7 “instead of”Prayer of ConfessionOur just and merciful Father, our sins alienate us from you and from one another. We wander into places where we become entangled and trapped. Our desires, thoughts and actions evidence our weakness, our foolishness, our arrogance. If we were to reap what we have sown, our future would be dreadful. You are righteous and just, but also unimaginably merciful. We confess our sins and pray for forgiveness. We cannot justify what we have done, nor can we explain away what we have failed to do. Our justification is in Christ our savior, not our own deeds. Cover us with his righteousness. May the good news take root in us. May our lives root firmly in you. May your Spirit produce righteousness and praise. Amen.Questions for ReflectionWhat outcomes would evidence that you lived your life well?What is needed for a good life? Do you believe you can have a good life without God? What from the planting/sprouting imagery can help you understand the nature of a spiritual life where there is growth, strengthen, fruitfulness?Why do we try to justify ourselves? How do we do it?What is the good news Jesus brings? Why is our union with Christ so important? How are we clothed with a robe of righteousness?How should Christians play a “priestly” role in the world? In what ways do Christians serve God and people? What roles do we have in the repairing of the world?What in the Chrisitan message or experience produces praise in you? What are some things for which you are particularly thankful?What is a wise expectation for Christian joy? When Christians endure long hard periods, how should they think about the praise of God? How can you live as one who has been blessed by God? What does it look like in your day-to-day life to hold that mindset? How can your life bless others? How can you bring the blessing of God to your relationships, workplace, neighborhood?Read AheadIsaiah Sermon Series

This is part 3 of a series on how to have a transformed church. How can I be an effective Chrisitan, and be all that I was created to be. Will you display an undeniable loyalty to Christ?

Our young, thank God, are weary of woke and drugs and all the modern day, post-truth generation addictions and alternatives. Many turn to religion, so surveys say. Many of them, as many as 4 out of 5, may in their exploration of religion, explore and encounter the only real answer to life:OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.That man, the Nazarene, the Galilean, the carpenter, the son of the Living God, is ONE OF A KIND, a savior, redeemer, far more powerful than the strongest drug on earth. The young, the so-called Gen Z and Millennials will discover that if they really search with all their hearts.Christianity, real Christianity is not easy, not at all. It requires total commitment. There is nothing halfway or partial about becoming a real Christian. Real Christianity only occurs when one is truly BORN AGAIN.That means the recognition of SIN, something eschewed, mocked by present day society and thinking, but the requirement for biblical salvation, the recognition and confession of sin in a life and consequently, the status of the sinner in need of redemption. That is a testimony, a way of life, an explanation of real Christianity which the young in their spiritual searching must hear, and must hear clearly, directly, and without compromise or qualification. These are His words, not mine or yours:ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD.That is what Gen Z needs to hear. If, says Jesus Christ, you wish to follow me, then I require that you:LAY YOUR ALL ON THE ALTAR.Not some, not something of you, nothing partial, but:ALLeverything you have and are. That is one hard message, difficult to understand in one sense, but more so, difficult to accept as a precondition of conversion and redemption. The younger generation will find out that becoming a real Chrisitan, A REAL CHRISTIAN, is not easy, not at all. They will hear more words from the master:TAKE UP MY CROSS, YOUR CROSS, AND FOLLOW ME.Be ready for the onslaughts of humankind. Be ready for a brand new, aggressive, angry, and attacking confrontation, and a brand new, aggressive:RIDICULEREJECTIONREFUSALA shunning in every way. And more. You should be ready to SELL ALL YOU HAVE if your faith journey so requires. That surely does not sound very appealing, but the willingness is a fundamental part of the conversion process.In fact, one should be ready to forsake all, to leave as Jesus said, father and mother, brother and sister, and follow me, never looking back. If that becomes necessary, if that is part of your calling, then comes the ultimate Christian challenge:YOU ARE EITHER WITH ME (THE CHRIST) OR AGAINST ME.There is no in between, no gray area, all or nothing. You can not serve two masters. If, says the Lord, you want me in your life, then it is:ALL OR NOTHING.All of this is the price, the very high price of discipleship, of partnership with Jesus Christ. These are not suggestions or options. These are commands, uncompromising commands. These are marching orders from the captain of our faith. These are hard requirements, non-negotiable, and require a whole heart and head understanding and commitment.If one is not willing to accept these spiritual terms and conditions, don't get involved. Keep looking. But know that you will never find anything better or even equal to this exciting, redeeming relationship with the Son of the Living God. Nothing comes close to such an encounter, nothing.Come to Him, young generation, but don't add anything to the spiritual contract. And don't subtract anything from the spiritual demands. This contract is a matter of all or nothing, your all or nothing. The Christ of glory wants no part of you, but only all of you. That is the message that Gen Z and millennials must hear. Those are Jesus' words and His uncompromising but lifesaving message. To accept is to enter into a relationship which will in fact produce peace, and joy, and life abundant like any could ever imagine. That new life is full of power, energy, confidence, and assurance, it is characterized by faith, and hope, and most importantly by:LOVE.It is exactly what the young seek and I do hope and pray as I am sure you do, that they will find it, and find:HIM.For no where in this world is there anyone or anything like HIM. Nothing and no one. That is what the world hungers for. That message is missing in so many places and in so many pulpits today, which is the main reason why RELIGION without HIM at the center can never satisfy, never.HE and only HE can change a life. I pray the young who seek will find:HIM.

This is part 2 of a series on how to have a transformed church. How can I be an effective Chrisitan, and be all that I was created to be. Will you display an undeniable loyalty to Christ?

In this episode, Caleb is joined by Daniel Scheiderer (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania to discuss God's attributes. Together, they provide an overview of how to talk about and categorize the attributes of God as well as practical applications for the Chrisitan life. ResourcesNone Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God by Matthew BarrettTurretin's Institutes Volume IThe Wonderful Works of God by Herman BavinckAll That Is in God: Evangelical Theology and the Challenge of Classical Christian Theism by James DolezalGod without Passions: A Primer by Samuel Renihan

This is part one of a series on how to have a transformed church. How can I be an effective Chrisitan, and be all that I was created to be.Will you display an undeniable loyalty to Christ?

In today's special episode of Josiah Venture Stories, we're live from the Digital Missions Summit in the Czech Republic! This incredible event brings together content creators, influencers, and storytellers from Central and Eastern Europe who are passionate about sharing the gospel in the digital space. Joining me are three amazing guests who are pioneers in using their creative gifts to advance the Kingdom of God online. With a live audience submitting questions, this episode dives deep into the challenges, joys, and strategies of being a Christian content creator in a world dominated by screens. If you're passionate about using your digital presence to inspire and connect others with the gospel, this episode is packed with insights, encouragement, and practical advice. Guests: Aaron Bratcher, Germany: Pastor & YouTuber / IG: @aaron.bratcher Helenka Ukropcová, Czech Republic: Social Media Manager for Josiah Venture, Czech - @kam_cz / IG: @heliiinka Sven Muller, Croatia: Youth Pastor and Content Creator / IG: @sven.marko.muller Key Takeaways: The importance of being a Christian content creator in the digital space. How to balance creating vs. consuming and when and how to rest Why collaboration and community are essential for Christian content creators. Connect with Us: Follow @josiahventure on Instagram Learn more about Josiah Venture at josiahventure.com Contact: social@josiahventure.com Listener Challenge: What's one step you can take this week to share the gospel through your digital platform? Whether it's posting a story, creating a video, or connecting with a follower in need, take the leap and make an impact! Subscribe & Share: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with other creators who might be inspired to join the mission of sharing Christ in the digital space.  

Monday of the Fifth Week of LentJohn 8:12-20Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world.Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will havethe light of life." So the Pharisees said to him, "You testifyon your own behalf, so your testimony cannot be verified."

The Makeshift Podcast - Dating Chrisitan Girls Case #009 Episode by Aaron Clarey

Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post detailed daily reminders to pray for China (www.PrayforChina.us). BTW, X is also the best way to get in touch with me. Either tag me with a question or comment, or follow and send a DM. Finally, PrayGiveGo.us has easy access to almost everything that I am involved in, including books, Substack, this podcast, and our dedicated pray for China website. Today we begin with some North Korea news (1:07), followed by a look at some 214 year old preaching advice from missionary William Milne (34:18). Next, we look at how to pray for China this week (39:20) and hear a number of stories, especially the one about the Chrisitan hotel near North Korea in Lucky Forest. This Week’s (North Korea) News Why China is wary of North Korea’s embrace of Russia https://www.ft.com/content/d4094f65-de08-4fcf-ab11-424ef152e89e Families of Captured North Koreans to be Executed https://www.yahoo.com/news/families-captured-north-korean-troops-090313885.html North Korea Reopens After Five Years https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/north-korea-reopens-foreign-tourists-special-economic-zone-pyongyang-closed-4966381 Western Tourists Shocked by North Korea https://www.yahoo.com/news/western-tourists-given-rare-glimpse-112527445.html North Korea Tours Quickly Suspended https://www.rfa.org/english/korea/2025/03/06/north-korea-foreign-tour-suspension/ South Korean Travel to China Surges https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/03/113_392898.html On This Day… 200 Year Old Preaching Advice from William Milne https://chinacall.substack.com/p/200-year-old-preaching-advice The Memoirs of William Milne (200th Anniversary Edition!) https://a.co/d/bALLtAf Pray for China (March 9-15, 2025) Systematically and Strategically Interceding for All of China https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-march-9-15-2025 Mar 9 - Pray for Jiaozuo (“Gee’ao-dzwah”) in heavily populated Henan Province, one of the few Chinese prefectures that I've never previously heard of. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaozuo Henan is paired up with Kentucky and West Virginia for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us Here's my Henan podcast (and more): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/henan/ Mar 10 - Pray for Jianli in Hubei Province's Jingzhou Prefecture, one of China's many million+ cities almost no one has heard of: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jianli Hubei (“Who-bay”) is matched with Illinois for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Hubei (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/hubei/ Mar 11 - Pray for Zhangjiajie City in the breathtaking mountains of NW Hunan: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhangjiajie. Hunan literally translates to “south of the lake” and is paired with both Indiana and Ohio for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Hunan (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/hunan/ Mar 12 - Pray for Kunshan City in Suzhou Prefecture in eastern China's Jiangsu Province: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunshan. Jiangsu Province is paired with Tennessee for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Jiangsu (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/Jiangsu/ Mar 13 - Pray for Fengcheng (“Fungchung”) City in Yichun Prefecture in SE China’s Jiangxi Province: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fengcheng,_Jiangxi Jiangxi is paired with Georgia for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Jiangxi (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/Jiangxi/ Mar 14 - Pray for Meihekou City in Jilin Province’s Tonghua Prefecture, home of the Christian hotel I visited back in 2003: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meihekou Jilin (“Lucky Forest”) is paired with all of New England for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Jilin (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/jilin/ Mar 15 - Pray for Panjin Prefecture in NE China's Liaoning Province, a place I visited one day back in 2003: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panjin. Liaoning is paired for prayer with New York, PA, NJ & Delaware: https://prayforchina.us/states/new-york.html For more about Liaoning (& my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/Liaoning/ If you enjoy this podcast, follow or subscribe and leave a review on whichever platform you use. And don’t forget to check out everything we are involved in at PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, Verse 2!

Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow me on X (@chinaadventures) where I post detailed daily reminders to pray for China (www.PrayforChina.us). BTW, X is also the best way to get in touch with me. Either tag me with a question or comment, or follow and send a DM. Finally, PrayGiveGo.us has easy access to almost everything that I am involved in, including books, Substack, this podcast, and our dedicated pray for China website. Today we begin with some North Korea news (1:07), followed by a look at some 214 year old preaching advice from missionary William Milne (34:18). Next, we look at how to pray for China this week (39:20) and hear a number of stories, especially the one about the Chrisitan hotel near North Korea in Lucky Forest. This Week’s (North Korea) News Why China is wary of North Korea’s embrace of Russia https://www.ft.com/content/d4094f65-de08-4fcf-ab11-424ef152e89e Families of Captured North Koreans to be Executed https://www.yahoo.com/news/families-captured-north-korean-troops-090313885.html North Korea Reopens After Five Years https://www.channelnewsasia.com/east-asia/north-korea-reopens-foreign-tourists-special-economic-zone-pyongyang-closed-4966381 Western Tourists Shocked by North Korea https://www.yahoo.com/news/western-tourists-given-rare-glimpse-112527445.html North Korea Tours Quickly Suspended https://www.rfa.org/english/korea/2025/03/06/north-korea-foreign-tour-suspension/ South Korean Travel to China Surges https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2025/03/113_392898.html On This Day… 200 Year Old Preaching Advice from William Milne https://chinacall.substack.com/p/200-year-old-preaching-advice The Memoirs of William Milne (200th Anniversary Edition!) https://a.co/d/bALLtAf Pray for China (March 9-15, 2025) Systematically and Strategically Interceding for All of China https://chinacall.substack.com/p/pray-for-china-march-9-15-2025 Mar 9 - Pray for Jiaozuo (“Gee’ao-dzwah”) in heavily populated Henan Province, one of the few Chinese prefectures that I've never previously heard of. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaozuo Henan is paired up with Kentucky and West Virginia for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us Here's my Henan podcast (and more): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/henan/ Mar 10 - Pray for Jianli in Hubei Province's Jingzhou Prefecture, one of China's many million+ cities almost no one has heard of: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jianli Hubei (“Who-bay”) is matched with Illinois for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Hubei (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/hubei/ Mar 11 - Pray for Zhangjiajie City in the breathtaking mountains of NW Hunan: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zhangjiajie. Hunan literally translates to “south of the lake” and is paired with both Indiana and Ohio for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Hunan (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/hunan/ Mar 12 - Pray for Kunshan City in Suzhou Prefecture in eastern China's Jiangsu Province: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunshan. Jiangsu Province is paired with Tennessee for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Jiangsu (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/Jiangsu/ Mar 13 - Pray for Fengcheng (“Fungchung”) City in Yichun Prefecture in SE China’s Jiangxi Province: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fengcheng,_Jiangxi Jiangxi is paired with Georgia for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Jiangxi (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/Jiangxi/ Mar 14 - Pray for Meihekou City in Jilin Province’s Tonghua Prefecture, home of the Christian hotel I visited back in 2003: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meihekou Jilin (“Lucky Forest”) is paired with all of New England for prayer: www.PrayforChina.us For more about Jilin (incl. my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/jilin/ Mar 15 - Pray for Panjin Prefecture in NE China's Liaoning Province, a place I visited one day back in 2003: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panjin. Liaoning is paired for prayer with New York, PA, NJ & Delaware: https://prayforchina.us/states/new-york.html For more about Liaoning (& my podcast): https://prayforchina.us/index.php/Liaoning/ If you enjoy this podcast, follow or subscribe and leave a review on whichever platform you use. And don’t forget to check out everything we are involved in at PrayGiveGo.us. Luke 10, Verse 2!

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary TimeMk 8:27-33He began to teach themthat the Son of Man must suffer greatlyand be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,and be killed, and rise after three days.

Fill-In Notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/39900/note-226278.html Continuing The Conversation Have you ever experienced a church, family or friend who imposed or enforced Chrisitan rules or traditions (not sin) to take the place of genuine love and obedience to God? How might we guard against hypocrisy and cultivate a relationship with God based on authentic love rather than surface performance? How might understanding that Jesus purifies our hearts lead to greater joy and freedom in your daily life?

Fill-In Notes: https://churchlinkfeeds.blob.core.windows.net/notes/39900/note-226278.html Continuing The Conversation Have you ever experienced a church, family or friend who imposed or enforced Chrisitan rules or traditions (not sin) to take the place of genuine love and obedience to God? How might we guard against hypocrisy and cultivate a relationship with God based on authentic love rather than surface performance? How might understanding that Jesus purifies our hearts lead to greater joy and freedom in your daily life?

In our second show of the second Trump administration, Amanda and Holly run through a list of recent events that point to a gross misunderstanding of what “religious freedom” means. They review the policy announcements made during the National Prayer Breakfast – including the creation of a task force to “eradicate anti-Christian bias” – and they look at how this administration's accusations and actions are limiting the religious freedom of several Christian groups who serve others. They also discuss the growing resistance, including court challenges and two opportunities for action to share your views with Congress and the Trump administration. In the final segment, Amanda and Holly share how BJC is celebrating Black History Month with a special invitation.    SHOW NOTESSegment 1 (starting at 00:38): The National Prayer Breakfast and an anti-Chrisitan bias task force Listen to Amanda and Holly's previous conversations on the National Prayer Breakfast in the following episodes: S1, Ep. 01 in 2020, beginning at 28:44 into that first episode of this podcast series. S4, Ep. 11 in 2023, exploring the many questions it raises and how it differs from the National Day of Prayer.  After the second event tied to the National Prayer Breakfast, President Trump released an executive order creating the White House Faith Office and announced his appointments to the office. On the same day, he released an executive order creating the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias. Amanda posted her reaction to that action on Bluesky. In her testimony before Congress in 2018, Amanda spoke about the need to acknowledge and address violence and rhetoric directed against religious minorities in the U.S. and abroad.    Segment 2 (starting at 14:29): Executive order on education, lawsuits on immigration, and the rescinding of the sensitive locations memo President Trump released an executive order titled “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families” and BJC shared our concerns in a statement about how such an act would undermine religious freedom.  The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship joined the lawsuit filed by Quaker congregations challenging the removal of the “sensitive locations” guidance as a violation of religious freedom protections under the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). Read more about the lawsuit on our website. After we recorded this podcast, another lawsuit was filed by a number of religious denominations and organizations, including two supporting bodies of BJC: Fellowship Southwest and Convención Bautista Hispana de Texas. Read more from Baptist News Global.   Segment 3 (starting 24:10): Attacks on faith-based service providers and two opportunities for action For more on the comments from Elon Musk, Mike Flynn and Vice President JD Vance targeting religious groups, read this article by Michelle Boorstein for The Washington Post: Attacks on Catholics, Lutherans suggest new Trump approach on religion “Defunding and demonizing the government's faith-based partners will make its job harder” is the title of the op-ed published by Religion News Service, written by Amanda alongside Aaron Dorfman from A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy and Jennifer Walker Thomas from Mormon Women for Ethical Government.   TWO ACTION STEPS YOU CAN TAKE IN THIS TIME: Sign the letter calling on Congress and President Trump to provide necessary oversight to the Department of Government Efficiency, ensuring that the freedom for religious organizations to practice and honor their faith is not infringed upon by government action. It is organized by BJC, Mormon Women for Ethical Government, and A More Perfect Union: The Jewish Partnership for Democracy. Click here for the letter. Tell your member of Congress to oppose House Resolution 59, which could condemn a sermon by Bishop Mariann Budde as a “distorted message.” No one has to agree with her message to oppose this resolution, which wrongly indicates that the government should decide what is acceptable in matters of religion. We have a simple form you can use to send your own message. Click here for our form. We sent information about those two opportunities for action to people in our community who receive emails. If you would like to receive them, visit BJConline.org/subscribe to sign up for our email list! Amanda and Holly discussed the U.S. v. Skrmetti case in episode 6 of season 6.   Segment 4 (starting 31:39): Celebrating Black History Month Throughout Black History Month, BJC is sharing stories and insight on our Instagram and TikTok channels. Here are a few recent videos: Black history is American history Intersection of Black history and religious freedom Black artists INVITATION: You are invited to a special livestream event on Friday, February 28, which will re-launch the book African Americans and Religious Freedom: New Perspectives for Congregations and Communities. Click here to learn more about the book and sign up for the event! Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

All Evangelicals affirm that we are justified by faith and faith alone. But does that mean that obedience in the life of the Christian is optional? We should obey Christ, but if we won't and don't will still go to heaven go to heaven? In this sermon we consider the connection between faith and obedience in the Chrisitan life.

In this week's show, Amanda and Holly discuss the problems with government mandates to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms, focusing on a case out of Louisiana. BJC and other Christian groups filed a brief in that case to explain why, as Christians, we oppose the Louisiana law and how the government's decision to choose a religious text to display in a public school setting not only cheapens our faith but also puts the government in a role it is not called to play. Plus, Amanda and Holly talk through President Donald Trump's first week back in the White House, sharing where they saw concerning signs for religion and religious liberty.    SHOW NOTESSegment 1 (starting at 00:38): President Trump's first week back and backlash to a sermon  Amanda and Holly talked about ways to handle a constant influx of news and the dangers of “God saved me” rhetoric when others died in the episode after the 2024 election: S6, Ep. 04: Election Day: What happened and where do we go from here Amanda wrote a piece for Bloomberg Opinion about the backlash to Bishop Mariann Budde's sermon at the service of unity and what it teaches us about religious freedom: Trump's Response to Bishop's Sermon on Unity Is Un-American Learn more about the two new religious liberty cases to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in this piece on our website: U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear cases involving religious school funding, parent rights to opt out of grade school curriculum Amanda and Holly discussed the issues with religious charter schools in 2024: S5, Ep. 16: The trouble with *religious* charter schools Read more about the lawsuit filed by a group of Quaker congregations opposing raids in churches on religious freedom grounds in this article by Bernie Pazanowski for Bloomberg Law: Quakers Sue to Block Trump's Immigration Raids in Churches   Segment 2 (starting at 14:21): Louisiana's mandate to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms Read the brief from BJC and other Chrisitan groups in Roake v. Brumley at this link. Learn more about the case in this post on our website: BJC urges federal appeals court to reject Louisiana law requiring public school classrooms to post the Ten Commandments Holly and Amanda discussed the Kennedy v. Bremerton decision and its abandonment of the Lemon test in this episode in 2022: S3, Ep. 21: Not solving a problem, but creating one: Dissecting the Kennedy v. Bremerton decision  Holly and Amanda discussed the Ten Commandments on two episodes in 2023 when a bill was being discussed in Texas: S4, Ep. 20: The Ten Commandments S4, Ep. 21: 613 Commandments: James Talarico on his defense of church-state separation as a Christian   Segment 3 (starting 29:53): Oral arguments and what's next Hear last week's oral arguments in this case at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at this link. Respecting Religion is made possible by BJC's generous donors. Your gift to BJC is tax-deductible, and you can support these conversations with a gift to BJC.

On this episode of Shift Change I sit down with Pastor Jeremy Johnson of the Lutheran Church of Hope. This is a powerful conversation about death and dying and the Chrisitan faith in the context of public safety. Pastor Jeremy brings is unique perspective on end-of-life issues and how our beliefs can guide us through challenging situations. It's a thought provoking, emotional conversation between men of faith. If there were an episode to like, listen and share, this is the one. The most powerful episode yet.

In this episode, James welome Joe Beckler, Vice President of Development, Marketing, and Communications for Christian Business Men's Connection (CBMC). James and Joe discuss the unique work that Chrisitan executives and business men do, as well as the ongoing need for discipleship. They also consider the nature and process of discipleship as they think about how the body of Christ can be a light for the gospel in a fallen world. If you are interested in supporting the Thinking Christian podcast or just getting a unique, seven lesson resource on Christian decision-making, click here. You can also find more resources at usefultogod.com. You can find out more about CBMC at cbmc.com. They have a free discipleship resource available here. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Happy New Year! We are so excited to be kicking off 2025 with you by sharing an amazing collection of stories and testimonies. Lowell Gordon joined us in the studio to share about God's thread of faithfulness throughout his life. Almost a year ago Lowell's wife Dacia joined us, and we love seeing how God has worked in their lives as a couple and as individuals. Lowell describes that he was blessed to be raised in a Chrisitan home with values that have created a legacy within his family. He shares a few stories from childhood as key events that helped shaped who he is now. Up until a few years ago all of his life had been lived in Washington state. Lowell sweetly recounts meeting Dacia in youth group and how the Lord made it clear that they were supposed to be together. Early in their marriage they began to see God's faithfulness as Lowell shares about their daughters being born and even God's protection from a landslide that completely destroyed their home. Lowell also went into business for himself at a young age and he walks us through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship and the lessons he learned along the way while leaning on the Lord. We appreciate how he always kept Jesus at the forefront of his business ventures and was intentional to share about Him with those he worked with. Lastly, Lowell shares about two different major medical events in the last 10 years where God intervened in truly miraculous ways. This episode will encourage and uplift you as a new year begins. God is faithful! Dacia Gordon's testimony (Lowell's wife!), Episode 103Want to share your story on The Stories Collective podcast in 2025? Email sarah@dscchurch.comWould you please subscribe and leave us a review? This will help our podcast reach more people! We'd love it if you'd share this podcast with your friends on social media and beyond. Join us next Wednesday to hear another story of God's faithfulness!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Women of Strength! We have another beautiful VBAC birth story for you today from our friend, Georyana. Georyana shares how she went from having an unplanned Cesarean with her first birth to a planned HBAC but unexpected breech delivery!During her first postpartum period, Georyana experienced postpartum preeclampsia, depression, and anxiety. She and Meagan dive into coping tools and resources available for anyone else going through the same.While prepping for her VBAC, Georyana also talks about the power she felt while listening to other stories on The VBAC Link Podcast. She knew she had to give her body the chance to show what it was capable of. “If it could happen for her, it could happen for me. Why disqualify myself? Why disqualify my body?”Needed WebsiteHow to VBAC: The Ultimate Prep Course for ParentsFull Transcript under Episode Details Meagan: Hello, Women of Strength. Merry Christmas to you. It's so fun to be recording today. It's actually not even October. It's September when we are recording, but it's so fun to think how close we are to Christmas. I hope you guys are having an amazing day, and if you are listening the day after Christmas, I hope you had an amazing Christmas. We have our friend, Georyana, with us today, and she is from Florida. Hello, love. How are you? Georyana: I'm doing well. How are you? Meagan: I am so, so great. I was going to say that as you may hear, she's got her little one on board, so we may hear all of the little baby coos and noises. What is your baby's name? Georyana: Her name is Sophia Victoria. Meagan: Sophia Victoria. I love it. I'm so happy she's here. I actually love when we have babies because I don't really hear those noises anymore. I hear them as a doula for a minute, but I miss those little coos. It's so fun. Okay, like I was saying, she is from Florida. She's a stay-at-home mom of two beautiful babies, a three-year-old and this one-month-old that she's got with us. She works part-time remotely and is a Christian and serves as a worship leader for the youth group worship team. Is that correct?Georyana: Yes. Meagan: Awesome. I love that. She says that she's officially started homeschooling her toddler this year which is super exciting. That is exciting. We've had so many moms on the podcast lately who are like, “I've quit my job. I'm homeschooling,” or “My full-time job is homeschooling.” That's amazing. Georyana: Yeah. Yeah. It really is just to be able to soak in all of these moments with your kids. Time flies so fast. You just want to treasure everything. Meagan: It's so true. It really does. I have a 7th grader which is crazy, so yeah. Super crazy. Remind me, you used Needed's iron?Georyana: Yes. I've actually used it for postpartum.Meagan: Yes. I wanted to talk about that because we talk about their prenatals and all of the other things to do during pregnancy. We haven't really talked about the iron, so can we talk a little bit about why you're taking iron and how it's been?Georyana: Yeah, so after this pregnancy funny enough which is something I'll tell during my story, but I passed out after I gave birth. I believe it was due to a lot of blood loss and low hemoglobin, so after I gave birth, I kept taking my prenatals, but my prenatals only had 15 milligrams of iron in them. That's when I decided to go for Needed. I had heard of a lot of amazing reviews. I had heard about it too on The VBAC Link. I'm only taking one additional per day, so I'm taking around 30 milligrams of iron. Meagan: Have you noticed a difference?Georyana: Tremendously. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely less fatigue, more energy. I was getting dizzy a lot during the early days of postpartum and breastfeeding, so that helped a lot too. Meagan: That's what I was going to say. It's probably helping you breastfeed as well. Georyana: Yeah. It's definitely an amazing supplement. Meagan: That's so awesome to hear. I believe in Needed's products wholeheartedly, so it's so fun to see that other people are loving it too. We do have a Review of the Week, so I want to get into that really quickly, then we are going to turn the time over to you to share these stories. This is from nnoah and it says, “Generational trauma”. It says, “This podcast and the Facebook group have been a godsend to me. After my 56-hour failed induction and emergency C-section due to very low heart decelerations with my daughter, I told my husband I would be happily scheduling my C-sections from now on. My sister-in-law told me I could VBAC, but I had no hope that my body could birth after such a drawn-out process that ended in ‘failure'. My mom had three C-sections herself with the first being highly traumatic, and I never realized how much her birth experience has influenced my own physiological state as I approached labor and delivery. I researched everything with my first from breastfeeding to infant development and sleep, but I did not read a single book or take a single class on birth. Now, I realize it was because of how much fear and trauma I was carrying around with me from my mother's experiences. I walked into birth ready to fail because I didn't think I could do it. I wasn't tough enough.”She says, “After listening to this podcast, it has me believing in my body and preparing my mind even more before we try to conceive our next baby. I have begun working through my birth with How to Heal a Bad Birth,” which we absolutely love if you want a good book on how to heal a bad birth. That is one of our favorites. It says, “I've already interviewed a VBAC-Link certified doula to assist me in my next birth when we conceive. The resources, podcast, and recommendations here have had me anticipating my next birth with excitement rather than dread. I couldn't be more grateful for this resource. Thank you.” Wow. So many things within that review. I one, am so thankful for that amazing review, and I want you to know that we are here for you and this community and these stories are here to help empower you even further going into your next birth. I love that she said that she had a doula before she was even conceived. She's found the doula she's going to hire, and as soon as she conceives, she can hire that doula. As a reminder, just like she said, we have a VBAC directory with VBAC-certified doulas. You can go to thevbaclink.com/findadoula and look for a doula in your area.Okay, mama. Oh, look at this cute little baby with a full head of hair. Georyana: Yeah, she had a lot of hair. That's how she was born, with a lot of hair. Meagan: Her hair was probably born first. It's so long, oh my gosh. Oh, I'd love to turn the time over to you to share these stories of yours. Georyana: Okay. Well, just like every VBAC, it starts with a C-section. Mine was in 2021 with my first son. It was an overall healthy pregnancy quote-on-quote. Every prenatal visit was normal for the most part. There was nothing out of whack. I do want to be transparent and say that I did not eat healthy or exercise knowing that I was supposed to. I remember working at this part-time job, and literally after I was done clocking out, I would go straight for the Chick-fil-A. It was Chick-fil-A every day. I ended up gaining around 87 pounds during my pregnancy. Meagan: Wow, okay. Georyana: I was 215 when I delivered. At around 39 weeks with my OB/GYN, she was like, “I want to schedule a C-section because your baby's measuring really big.” We did the whole– I forget the word– where they actually check the baby's weight. Meagan: Oh, like a growth measurement in an ultrasound. Georyana: Yeah, she was like, “This baby is already a 10-pounder.” I was like, “Oh my gosh.” I was freaking out because I really wanted to give birth naturally. That was something I had told her about, but she was like, “No, let's schedule a C-section.” We were going back and forth, and she was like, “Okay, well at least we are going to get an induction date.” She set up an induction date for March 15th. It was a Monday. I started going into labor. I started going into labor on Friday spontaneously. I went into spontaneous labor. I didn't really know that much about laboring at home and all of the things like right now that I know you're supposed to do. Yeah. I had labored at home for an hour or two until contractions started getting intense. I went to the hospital which was an hour away. I checked in. They checked me. I was 2 centimeters dilated, and they took my blood pressure. They were like, “You have high blood pressure.” They didn't give me a reading or anything, but they were like, “We're going to make you stay. We're going to have you stay. We're not going to send you home.” I was like, “Okay. You guys know what you're doing.” I started laboring for an hour or two, and then a nurse came in and I had explained, “I really want to try and go for a natural birth.” She was like, “Okay. I'm going to give you an hour. I'm going to give you an hour.” Meagan: What?Georyana: “I'm going to give you an hour and see where you are as far as dilation and as far as progressing.” I was like, “Okay.” An hour went by. Mind you, I was strapped to the chair because there's something that you're never really taught, to move around while you are laboring. At the one-hour mark, she comes in. She checks me, and I've gone nowhere. She goes, “I'm going to put you on Pitocin.” Things started getting really crazy at that point because it was my first time feeling contractions, and those contractions were horrible. They are so intense, and now having had experienced these natural contractions from my VBAC, you can automatically tell the difference. She puts me on Pitocin. I labor and I had my husband with me. It was back-to-back contractions to the point where I could barely breathe. I had taken one birth class, but it was the standard information. They never really teach you how to breathe or the importance of getting your mind right, and the importance of your mind and how it plays such a huge role in birth.I just kept laboring. I kept literally squeezing my husband's hand. I couldn't allow him to go anywhere. It was horrible. As the hours passed, things started getting worse and worse. They ended up breaking my water. Then it was more Pitocin. It was already Saturday the next day. I hadn't drank anything. I hadn't eaten anything. There was no ice. There was nothing. Yeah. It just felt horrible. I just stayed. At one point, I couldn't handle the pain anymore so I asked for an epidural. Crazy enough, when the anesthesiologist came, he was with a student. He had asked the student to put the epidural inside of me. They had me sign a consent form. I was like, “Oh my gosh, what is this?” I had heard about the epidural and that it was supposed to numb you, but I never expected to get to that point.I got the epidural, then I just started feeling numb. It numbed me completely down. The day went by. It was Saturday, then I eventually reached a 10. It was 10 PM on that Saturday. I was like, “Okay, well I want to try and push.” I tried to push for an hour or two, and basically, that went nowhere because they had me pushing on my back. They were trying to tell me, “Just try and push as if you are trying to go to the bathroom and poop.” It was just so frustrating because I was trying, and nothing was working. Eventually, they were like, “Your son's heart rate is dropping. We just have to do a C-section.” When she told me that, I felt like my world came crashing down because I didn't want it at all. But in that moment, as a mom, you are so vulnerable. You are going through so many emotions mentally, emotionally, physically, and so many things that it's just so hard to make a decision. Obviously, you want what's best for your baby. I was like, “Okay. Let's just do a C-section.” They didn't put me to sleep entirely. It was just my legs, but I just remembered that when they did that, I lost it. I had a very severe panic attack. I was like, “I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs.” There were all of these nurses around trying to calm me down. Eventually, we went to the C-section room. My husband was with me, and they did the procedure. My son was born thankfully. They made sure he was okay. They put him near my chest for a minute. They cut the cord and all of the things. But I didn't know what to expect. I thought that was what I was supposed to expect, to have him for a minute and to have him take him away. I didn't have anything else. So nothing, I stayed at the hospital for an entire week because my blood pressure rose drastically. Meagan: Did you have postpartum preeclampsia?Georyana: Yeah, technically. Without the seizures, thank God, but the blood pressure was crazy high. There was a nurse coming in every 2-3 hours to check my blood pressure. I got medication. Yeah. It was just a horrible moment because right there, you just gave birth to this human being while your body is out of whack going through all of these things, and you just feel like you failed. You feel like you failed, and you just did a horrible job. But you know, I just kept in-hospital, and one week later, I was released. The C-section recovery was horrible. It was very, very painful. I couldn't even walk or anything. Taking care of the baby was just really hard for me. Yeah. Eventually, my blood pressure got back to normal, and everything was well. I suffered from postpartum depression and severe anxiety to the point where my husband would go to work, and I would stay alone in the house. I would think that I was going to die of a heart attack. Meagan: Oh, yeah.Georyana: Yeah. My mental health was bizarre. I constantly felt like I was dying. I remember one night, I woke up in sweats. I just felt like I couldn't breathe. We had called the emergency 9-1-1. I literally felt like I was dying of a heart attack. They checked me and were like, “No, you're fine. It's just an anxiety attack.” Postpartum was definitely not the greatest experience for me for the first. Meagan: I am so sorry to hear that happened. Georyana: Yeah, but other than that, I'm so grateful to God that my son is healthy. He's currently 3 years old, and he is just a joy to be around. Meagan: Yeah. Do you have any resources or suggestions for someone who may have experienced that before or just in general for someone listening in case they have any symptoms or anything like that that you want to share?Georyana: For what specifically?Meagan: For postpartum anxiety and panic attacks and stuff to maybe help recognize what it could be or resources that helped you. Georyana: Yeah, definitely my biggest resource was God, the church, and prayer. I think that helped me a lot and just having a community of people who you can count on whether that's a friend or your mom where you can say, “Hey, mom. I'm going through this. Hey friend, I'm going through this. Pray for me. Come over. Please help me. Please help me do some chores,” or anything like that. The weight is a lot. Once you've given birth, you're thinking about a million things– the baby, the diapers, yourself, the kitchen is a mess, and you definitely need to have the support group to lean on. But as far as anxiety, learn where your mind is going. Be able to detect those thoughts that creep in and that tell you, “Hey, you're not doing a good job. You're going to die. This is going to happen.” Learn to stop those thoughts or reframe. Reframe your mind. We have so much power in our minds. Meagan: Yep.Georyana: If we only knew where it could take us. Meagan: Yeah. I agree. Our minds are so powerful, and there is something about that community that can really, really help. There are even more resources like deeper resources. There is postpartum support, Baby Your Baby, and so many things. We talk about this in our course, and I won't go through all of them, but I think it's so important to do a self-care checklist after. Think about, “Have I eaten enough? Have I slept enough?” You want at least 5 hours of sleep. Most of us with newborns can say no to that automatically, so maybe doing something like hiring a postpartum doula, having our mother-in-law come, having our community come in to help and hold baby so we can get really good and effective sleep. Have a bath or a shower. Just getting ready for the day is weird but can help us mentally. It can help us get out of that mental funk. Exercise– now, we can't really do that in the beginning. But have I exercised is another question. Have I allowed myself to laugh today? Have I allowed myself to smile today? These are things. There are many more. Like I said, we talk about those in our VBAC course because it is so important. It's not talked about enough, so I'm so glad that you were able to take this space to feel vulnerable enough to talk about this experience. Georyana: Definitely. I agree. Right now, for this postpartum, I have my mom. She lives 30 minutes away. She comes twice a week and helps me cook meals. Meagan: So good. Georyana: Yeah. They are delicious. You just have to be willing to take the help. There is definitely help. Yeah. It's important that we don't feel alone. Meagan: Yeah, I agree. Well, thank you so much for sharing that. Sorry, we can go on to this next birth story. Georyana: This next birth story– my husband and I knew that we wanted another baby, but we just didn't know when would be the right time. 2.5 years passed. We got pregnant. It was a surprise. It was a surprise and a blessing. All I knew inside of me was that I wanted a VBAC. I wanted a VBAC. I was like, “You know what? I'm going to try for it again.” I was obviously open to the fact that it could end in a C-section. I didn't have a closed mind in that sense. I ended up searching for supportive providers. After finding one, I found an OB/GYN. The first thing that I had asked was, “Do you support VBACs?” They were like,”Yeah, we do. We do.” They had five doctors on board, so basically, every prenatal visit had a different doctor so that eventually when I would go into labor, one of them was going to be assisting my birth. To each one, I would always ask the same thing, “Hey, I would like to do this. Do you support it?” They were like, “Yeah, we do that.” My blood pressure was great at every prenatal visit. There were no concerns. I did change a lot of what I had previously done in my previous pregnancy which is that I started exercising. I started walking 30 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. I started eating healthier because I think that's one of the things that most people don't talk about too is the importance of nutrition. It is important in pregnancy. You're always told that you have another human being and you have to eat for two. You're like, “Yeah, let's eat for two,” and you gain 10, 20, 30 pounds. I tried to be mindful of what I was eating. Long story short, everything was going great. At my 32-week appointment, I met with a provider. I meet with one of the doctors on the team, and my same question pops up. She's like, “Oh, you can't really go past 40 weeks here. You can't.” I'm like, “Why? I'm perfectly healthy. My blood pressure is fine. Why can't I go a day past 40 weeks?” She was like, “No, you can't. You actually have to schedule your C-section date right now. You have to sign a consent form. You have to put your due date as your C-section date.”My due date was August 1st. I was like, “Well, I don't understand.” I was just feeling led on because, during the prenatal appointments, there were subtle signs, but I guess I didn't really want to pay attention to them because I was like, “Oh my gosh. I can't imagine switching providers.” I was 7 months pregnant. I was like, “Okay, thank you. I'm just going to call back and schedule that C-section.” I remember going home and being like, “Wow. This really just happened.” I remember that I started praying. I told God. I expressed how I felt. I was just very overwhelmed and, “Is this really the path that you have for me?” I felt that he just told me, “Do a home birth.” I was like, “What? A home birth? That is not–” Meagan: That's not what I've been looking at at all. Georyana: That is insane. Funny enough, I started researching, is that truly an option for me? After researching, I found a midwife. She is actually Chrisitan, a pastor, a worship leader, and a midwife. Meagan: Wow. She wears a lot of hats. Georyana: She wears a lot of hats. I don't know how she does it, but I expressed to her, “Am I able to do a home birth if I had high blood pressure during my previous pregnancy?” She was like, “Yeah. We will monitor you. We will make sure you are taking care of yourself.” She did tell me, “During labor, if your blood pressure skyrockets, we'll have a plan in place and we will go to the hospital.” We had plan A and plan B. I spent the last 2 months with her. She would come to my house, and check my blood pressure. She had me drinking lots and lots of water which is another thing that we underestimate or is not often talked about. Meagan: We do. We really don't. We usually drink water, but we're not getting enough of the hydration.Georyana: 100%. She was like, “You need to be drinking at least half of your weight in water.” All I remember was that every day, I was chugging water. She actually advised me to take Calm as a magnesium supplement. Meagan: MagCalm? Georyana: Yeah, MagCalm. That helped tremendously. That helped tremendously. Everything was safe and sound. I was doing all of the things at 37 weeks– the Miles Circuit, the red raspberry leaf tea. I was eating the dates and all of the things that they tell you to VBAC. I was listening to a lot of birth stories, especially on The VBAC Link which just helped me tremendously because I was able to get in a right mindset. The birth stories edified my faith to a whole other level. I just remember every day doing dishes and I was plugging in a story. Every story was different, and I was like, “Wow. If it could happen for her, it could happen for me. Why disqualify myself? Why disqualify my body?” That's another thing that we do a lot. We often hear, “Oh no, your body wasn't meant to do it” or “Your body can't do it”.Meagan: Yep, yeah. We hear those things, and then we believe them. Georyana: Yeah, that's the sad part. I think I was 39 weeks and 3 days. I go into labor. My water broke at 3:00 in the morning, but I need to backtrack that. At 38 weeks, my midwife checked me. I had asked her to check me. She checked me, and I was 3 centimeters dilated. The baby was head down. The baby was head down. Everything was normal and everything was looking good. She came back at 39 weeks, and I was like, “Can you check me again to see if I've progressed?” Even though that doesn't really mean anything, I was just so excited. She checks me, and she's like, “I don't know what I'm feeling, but I'm not feeling the head anymore.” Meagan: Oh, okay. Georyana: Yeah. I'm like, “What do you mean you're not feeling the head?” She checks, and she's like, “I don't know if that is her hand or her knees or something like that, but it's definitely not the head.” She tells me, “I think I'm going to have to send you to get an ultrasound to see the positioning of the baby.” We spend a couple of minutes just trying to sink that in. She was like, “But you know what? Let me check again. Maybe I was wrong.” She checked again, and she is still feeling the same things, but then she was like, “Is that your coccyx (the tailbone)?” I thought it was. I genuinely thought it was. I tell her, “Yeah. I think that's it.” We were like, “Okay, I think we should be fine.” We were going a little loopy. I don't know. Fast forward to when my water breaks at 3:00 in the morning, I started feeling contractions, but nothing consistent, so during the day, I just remembered that I texted her. She was like, “What other symptoms do you have?” I had my bloody show. My mucus plug fell out. The contractions were different from the Braxton Hicks that I had been facing all of these weeks. I was like, “Yeah, there's definitely some type of shift here because I feel like they are stronger. They are lasting longer.” Fast forward to Saturday, I ended up walking with my husband. His family was in town, and that also helped pick up the contractions. At around 6:00 PM, I gave her a contraction timer app on my phone so she could see. By the way, I had a doula, so she had the app as well. She was an hour away, and she was like, “Please text me so I can come out on time.” At around 7:00 PM, they both arrived to my home. Contractions were 6 or 7 minutes apart. She had me actually do nipple stimulation with my husband. They went out of the room. We did nipple stimulation, and that just skyrocketed everything because I had all of the oxytocin flowing. Meagan: I was going to say that's natural oxytocin flow right there.Georyana: I had natural oxytocin. I was like, “Whoa. Now I'm in a whole other dimension.” Contractions were 3 minutes apart. I just remember breathing. I had worship music playing in the background. The lighting was dim. It was so different from the hospital. It was so intimate. It was something unforgettable what I experienced on that day and when I compare it to my hospital birth, I had so much tension. All the bright lights, it was so different. She set up the birth pool. I went in, and I sat down. She was like, “Okay. I think it's time to push. You're at a 10.” She had checked me. I was trying to push, but I didn't really get it. I was trying to feel my intuition because they always tell you, “Your body knows when it's going to push.” She had me stand up, and she coached me. She said, “Try standing up and seeing if you have the urge to push.” When I stood up, I got that urge. A contraction came. I did a push, and nothing happened. Then another contraction came, and I did. I just remember breathing in, and I just let it out. She sees knees. Meagan: What? Knees? Georyana: Knees. She sees the baby's knees come out. She screamed. Meagan: What?!Georyana: She was like, “Oh yeah. She's breech. She's breech. She's coming out breech.” Meagan: Oh my goodness. Georyana: I just remember I was moaning during that period. I was just like, “Ooh.” I didn't look at anyone, but my husband tells me that at this moment, I just looked at the doula and she had her jaw on the floor. She was like, “Okay, well, you have to breathe in, and push in during the next contraction.” I remember that during the next contraction, I just let out the biggest roar. It was a roar. She came out entirely. My husband caught her. I just fell. I just fell, and yeah, she was breech. She came out knees first, then her legs, then her whole head just popped out. Meagan: I am dying right now. This is amazing. Oh my gosh. Once her knees came out, her whole body slipped out? Georyana: Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Definitely. It was such a moment of shock. Meagan: Yeah, I bet for everybody. Georyana: Yeah, for everyone because we thought she was head down. I kept telling her, “You were right. You were right. What you were feeling was the knees.” She was like, “Thank God I didn't send you to do the ultrasound because you would have gotten a C-section automatically at the hospital. That would have been an automatic C-section.” Meagan: Yeah. They wouldn't have entertained that at all. Georyana: Yeah. He put her on my chest. It was so surreal. I was like, “Wow. My body did this. God really did this to me.” We went on over to the bed. They weighed her. She was 6 pounds and 3 ounces. Meagan: Aw, your tiny little thing. Georyana: Yeah, she was tiny which also helped me. Yeah. Shortly after, I started breastfeeding. With my first, with my son, that was something I really wanted to do, but he never really quite latched so I just pumped for 2 years. For this one, I didn't really expect to breastfeed, I was like, “If it happens, good. If it doesn't, then whatever.” But when she started breastfeeding, I was just like, “Wow, my body is doing this too.” The connection that I just feel with her that I have is just out of this world. That was my experience. Meagan: Wow. Had your midwife done breech before? Georyana: She says that obviously when she was in training with other midwives before she went solo, she had experienced breech births, but this was her first time solo and alone. Technically, she's not allowed to deliver breech babies under law. If she knows, she needs to automatically send me to the hospital. Meagan: But if the baby's knees are coming out, and baby comes out like that, what are you going to do?Georyana: Yeah, exactly. You don't really have any other option than to just deliver the baby.Meagan: Oh my goodness. Wow. That's an amazing story. This is so awesome. Oh my gosh. This postpartum has been much better?Georyana: Yeah, it has. During the first one, like I said, I suffered from anxiety and panic attacks. I didn't really get that this time around. What I got this time around was anger. Meagan: Hmm, okay. So some postpartum rage? Georyana: Yeah, it was rage, and I guess just handling two kids and the transition from one to two hit me hard. I didn't really know how to understand that. But the same thing around, just being able to give myself grace, I had a postpartum session with my midwife and my doula being able to let them know how I felt was very good. It was very helpful. Speaking with my pastor and just letting them know my feelings and how I felt really helped me. It really helped me. I'm doing so much better now. This postpartum has been amazing. A lot of breastfeeding, a lot of cuddles and snuggles. Seeing my son play with his sister was something I always dreamed of, being able to have two kids. Meagan: Oh, what a beautiful story. Thank you so much for sharing. Huge congrats. This little ball right here is just stunning. Her head, oh my gosh– her head of hair is just insane. She has so much hair. That is just so much fun, and I'm so happy for you.Georyana: Thank you so much, and thank you for having me. Meagan: Absolutely. ClosingWould you like to be a guest on the podcast? Tell us about your experience at thevbaclink.com/share. For more information on all things VBAC including online and in-person VBAC classes, The VBAC Link blog, and Meagan's bio, head over to thevbaclink.com. Congratulations on starting your journey of learning and discovery with The VBAC Link.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-vbac-link/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Advent means arrival or coming. Are we preparing for the coming of Baby Jesus or King Jesus? This week Krissy Bakke, the hippie Chrisitan discusses how we prepare for Christmas and the coming of Christ. Take a half hour and ponder the Christmas story and what it means for us this season.

This episode is the first of a short series exploring How to Read Simone Weil. The author of Gravity and Grace, The Need for Roots, and Waiting for God—among many other essays, letters, and notes, Weil has been an inspiration to philosophers, poets, priests, and politicians for the last century—almost all of it after her untimely death. She understood, perhaps more than many other armchair philosophers from the same period, the risk of philosophy—the demands it made on a human life.In this series, we'll feature three guests who look at this magnificent and mysterious thinker in interesting and refreshing, and theologically and morally challenging ways.We'll look at Simone Weil the Mystic, Simone Weil the Activist, Simone Weil the Existentialist.First we'll be hearing from Eric Springsted, a co-founder of the American Weil Society and its long-time president—who wrote Simone Weil: Late Philosophical Writings and Simone Weil for the Twenty-First Century.In this conversation, Eric O. Springsted and Evan Rosa discuss Simone Weil's personal biography, intellectual life, and the nature of her spiritual and religious and moral ideas; pursuing philosophy as a way of life; her encounter with Christ, affliction, and mystery; her views on attention and prayer; her concept of the void, and the call to self-emptying; and much more.About Simone WeilSimone Weil (1909–1943) was a French philosopher, mystic, and political activist. She's the author of Gravity and Grace, The Need for Roots, and Waiting for God—among many other essays, letters, and notes.About Eric O. SpringstedEric O. Springsted is the co-founder of the American Weil Society and served as its president for thirty-three years. After a career as a teacher, scholar, and pastor, he is retired and lives in Santa Fe, NM. He is the author and editor of a dozen previous books, including Simone Weil: Late Philosophical Writings and Simone Weil for the Twenty-First Century.Show NotesEric O. Springsted's Simone Weil for the Twenty-First CenturyHow to get hooked on Simone Weil“All poets are exiles.”Andre WeilEmile ChartierTaking ideas seriously enough to impact your lifeWeil's critique of Marxism: “Reflections on the Cause of Liberty and Social Oppression”:  ”an attempt to try and figure out how there can be freedom and dignity in human labor and action”“Unfortunately she found affliction.”Ludwig Wittgenstein: “Philosophy is a matter of working on yourself.”Philosophy “isn't simply objective. It's a matter of personal morality as well.””Not only is the unexamined life not worth living, but virtue and intellect go hand in hand. Yeah. You don't have one without the other.”An experiment in how work and labor is doneThe demeaning and inherently degrading nature of factory workChristianity as “the religion of slaves.”Christianity can't take away suffering; but it can take away the meaninglessness.George Herbert: “Love bade me welcome / But my soul drew back guilty of dust and sin”Weil's vision/visit of Christ during Holy Week in Solemn, France: “It was like the smile on a beloved face.”The role of mysteryWeil's definition of mystery:  ”What she felt mystery was, and she gets a definition of it, it's when two necessary lines of thought cross and are irreconcilable, yet if you suppress one of them, somehow light is lost.”Her point is that whatever good comes out of this personal contact with Christ, does not erase the evil of the suffering.What is “involvement in contradiction”“She thought contradiction was an inescapable mark of truth.”Contradictions that shed light on life.Why mysticism is important for Weil: “The universe cannot be put into a box with techniques or tricks or our own scientific methods or philosophical methods. … Mystery instills humility and it takes the question of the knowing ego out of the picture. … And it challenges modern society to resist the idea that faith could be reduced to a dogmatic system.”“Faith is not a matter of the intellect.”“Intellect is not the highest faculty. Love is.”“The Right Use of School Studies”“Muscular effort of attention”She wanted to convert her Dominican priest friend into the universality of grace—that Plato was a pre-Chrisitan.” (e.g., her essay, “ Intimations of Christianity Among the Ancient Greeks”)“Grace is universal.”How school studies contribute to the love of GodPrayer as attentionWeil on Attention: “Attention consists of suspending our thought, leaving it detached, empty, and ready to be penetrated by the object. It means holding in our minds within the reach of this thought, but on the lower level and not in contact with it. The diverse knowledge we have acquired. Which we are forced to make use of. Above all our thought should be empty waiting, not seeking anything but ready to receive in its naked truth. The object that is to penetrate it.”Not “detached,” but “available and ready for use”Making space for the afflicted other by “attending” to themLove that isn't compensatory“The void as a space where love can go”What is prayer for Simone Weil?Prayer as listening all night long“Voiding oneself of secondary desires and letting oneself be spoken to.”Is Simone Weil “ a self-abnegating, melancholy revolutionary” (Leon Trotsky)Humility in Simone Weil“The Terrible Prayer”Was Simone Weil anorexic?Refusing comfort on the grounds of solidaritySelf-emptying and graceAccepting the entire creation as God's willSimone Weil on patience and waiting“With time, attention blooms into waiting.”“She's resistant to the Church, but drawing from Christ's self-emptying.”God's withdrawal from the world (which is not deism)“A sacramental view of the world”“ The very creation of the world is by this withdrawal and simultaneous crucifixion of the sun in time and space.”(Obsessive) pursuit of purity in morals and thoughtIris Murdoch's The Nice and the Good“Nothing productive needs to come from this effort.”“ She put her finger on what's really the heart of Christian spirituality. … We live by the Word … by our being open to listening to the Word and having that transformed into God's word.”Production NotesThis podcast featured Eric O. SpringstedEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Emily Brookfield, Alexa Rollow, Zoë Halaban, & Kacie BarrettA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

In this episode, Dr. James Spencer discusses the virgin birth and Matthew's use of Isaiah 7:14. Beginning with an analysis of Isaiah 7:14 in its Old Testament context, Dr. Spencer moves on to consider various issues of interpretation before describing how Matthew uses Isaiah 7:14 to point to the virgin birth of Jesus Christ. If you are interested in supporting the Thinking Christian podcast or just getting a unique, seven lesson resource on Christian decision-making, click here. You can also find more resources at usefultogod.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

You want to know what this Episode is about? Jeez me too. We cover a a variety of topics from the '24 election to Chrisitan ethics and everything in between. Email us at Dixiepolis@protonmail.com X: @Dixiepolispodcast Telegram: t.me/kornbredscorner

It sounds crazy to rethink Jesus right? Listen to Krissy Bakke, the hippie Chrisitan as she ponders Jesus and how he served and loved others. It's mind blowing. Plus there is a classic HCWC Challenge at the end. This might just be the episode for you.

There is goodness in this world and looking for it is up to each of us. Krissy Bakke, the hippie Chrisitan shares where to look and who to seek. Psalm 27 is the "meat" of this episode, soak it in and let it help you as we wait for Jesus to return.

In the year since the Hamas massacre in Israel, Israelis and Jews around the world have never felt more alone, despite tremendous support from Chrisitan friends all over the world. In the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, today we are turning to the inspiration of Righteous Gentiles who risked their lives to save the lives of Jews. We are telling their stories and giving you the opportunity to spread light in the darkness today, but also among future generations as a new program of the Genesis 123 Foundation. For details visit https://genesis123.co/footsteps PLEASE DONATE TO THE GENESIS 123 FOUNDATION ISRAEL EMERGENCY FUND AT WWW.LOVE.GENESIS123.CO Connect with the Genesis 123 Foundation at www.Genesis123.co FB - www.facebook.com/Genesis123Foundation Twitter - @Genesis123FIG - Genesis_123_FoundationFind out how you can be part of Run for Zion and bless Israel with every step at www.RunforZion.com.

Being a WW1 fighter pilot was gutsy. Kind of like being a radical Chrisitan today. When a pilot went up in one of those rickety biplanes, there was a high chance he wasn't coming back. As Christians, when we sign up for serious Christian living, it's kind of like climbing into a rickety WW1 biplane and taking off. It's a dangerous and difficult mission that is promised to be accompanied by a thousand challenges. But God designed us for this very adventure—and He built us to bring down the enemy while we are at it.

In this episode, James welcomes Justin Kendrick author of How to Quiet a Hurricane. James and Justic discuss the pitfalls and promise of helping God's people establish a firm foundation in their faith. They talk about the role of trials in the development of Chrisitan character and the necessity of discipleship. To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. You can purchase Justin's book at amazon.com. Find out more about him and his ministry at justinkendrick.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, James wecomes Denise Grace Gitsham. James and Denise discuss the way Chrisitan participation in politics differs from participation in politics more generally.  Denise is an on-air political commentator and strategist, attorney, speaker, and author of Politics for People Who Hate Politics: How to Engage without Losing Your Friends or Selling Your Soul. Denise has worked at the highest levels of the federal government, from the White House, to the US Department of Justice, to the US Senate, and now runs her own public affairs firm. Denise is passionate about healing a divided nation through restoring civility and respect in political discourse—without compromising truth. In addition to regular cable news and other media appearances, she speaks at conferences, churches, and political events.  To connect with James, visit usefultogod.com or get his latest book Serpents and Doves: Christians, Politics, and the Art of Bearing Witness on amazon.com. You can also take the Serpents and Doves online course here. You can purchase Denise's book at amazon.com. Find out more about him and his ministry at www.denisegracegitsham.com. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In this episode, James offers a perspective on Halloween that highlights its role in promoting discontentment. He discusses the challenges of being Chrisitan in a consumer society and encourages God's people to rethink the holidays so that they become times for conforming more closely to Christ.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

(S5:E386) BREAKING: Chrisitan McCaffrey expected to go on IR within 24 hours Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thefantasyfootballshow

Episode 216: Do you wonder why it's so hard to stop being anxious? Have you tried being a 'good Chrisitan' and wondered why it does almost nothing to heal the root of the problem? Sister, this month of August I take you through my journey of healing and offer solutions to help you heal with Jesus!   Next steps: Grab your copy of the devotional book LOVE FOR HIS WORD plus grab a free copy of my Bible Study Habit Starter Power Pack: https://theintentionalchristianwoman.com/   Join the Free Community: Intentional Bible Study For Christian Women https://bit.ly/letsbeintentional   One of my favorite places for great Bible resources PLUS get a 10% Discount: https://www.coffeeandbibletime.com/?ref=nfgfya7p Coupon Code: ROSAALEJANDRO   Want to start a successful podcast? Let my amazing podcasting coach help you! https://tinyurl.com/readytopodcast