Podcast appearances and mentions of christian encouragement

Noah faced an assignment that must have seemed impossible: build an enormous ark on dry land, despite having no known experience as a shipbuilder or mariner. Yet year after year, Noah continued working because he trusted the God who had called him. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that God chose Noah not because of his expertise, but because of his faithfulness. Genesis describes Noah as a righteous man who “walked faithfully with God.” God was more interested in an obedient heart than an impressive résumé. And God did not leave Noah without direction. He gave him specific instructions for building the ark, providing what Noah needed to fulfill the assignment. The same principle applies to believers today: when God genuinely calls us to His work, He is able to equip and empower us for what He asks us to do. Perhaps God is calling you toward something that feels far beyond your abilities. You may feel inexperienced, underqualified, or unsupported. Noah's story reminds us that our limitations do not limit God. If the Lord has directed your steps, trust His plan. Walk faithfully, obey what He has revealed, and depend on Him to provide everything necessary to complete the work for His glory. Prayer: God, I don't feel qualified for the work to which You have called me, but I am trusting that You will provide everything I need. Help me to have the heart of a willing servant. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon They Were Just like Us, The Work of Faith: LISTEN NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

The Way, the Truth, and the Life: Knowing Jesus with Kristin Nave – John 14 n Episode 148 of Divine Table Talk, Jamie and Jane welcome Bible teacher and author Kristin Nave for a powerful conversation centered on John 14 and one of Jesus' most defining declarations: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Together, they unpack what these words mean for us today. What does it look like to follow Jesus as the Way when we don't know where we're going? How do we anchor ourselves in the Truth when so many voices compete for our attention? And what does it mean to experience Jesus not simply as part of our lives, but as the Life itself? Kristin brings her passion for Scripture and practical Bible study into a conversation about knowing Jesus personally, trusting Him in uncertainty, and allowing God's Word to shape how we live. John 14 isn't simply giving us directions for finding our way to God. Jesus makes an extraordinary claim: He is the way. If you're searching for direction, wrestling with truth, or longing for a deeper relationship with Jesus, pull up a chair. This conversation is for you. Reflection Question: Am I simply asking Jesus to show me the way or am I trusting that Jesus Himself is the Way? ____________________________________ Connect with Jamie: Website: www.jamieklusacek.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamieklusacek Connect with Jane: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janewwilliams Connect with Kristin Nave: Website: www.abidingfree.com Website: www.shelovesbible.com Instagram: @shelovesbible ____________________________________   Get Jamie's Newest Book: Living Loved: An 8-week Journey to Living Fully Loved

The Lord Bless You and Keep You Numbers 6:24-26 “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Friday was my birthday, and a great friend of mine sent me this blessing, and I wanted to share it with all of you. There is so much variety in what we find in Scripture. We find stories, parables, wisdom, promises, blessings, and guidance about how God calls us to live. This verse is a blessing. It is a beautiful blessing that I pray over each one of you listening to this episode. When I looked up the meaning of this blessing in the Enduring Word Commentary, it mentions that we often think of blessings as happiness, wealth, or comfort. We think if God is blessing our life, then life will be easy and comfortable. If our life is difficult, we think God is not blessing it. However, this is not the case. God does not promise us an easy life with no complications. He promises that He will be with us in those complications and difficulties. Blessings come from God, and only He knows exactly what blessings we need. We can ask Him for all the things that we think we need, but only He knows the plan of what we actually need. God's plan is for our highest and greatest good. Our plan only considers what we think would be good. But as we know from listening to our children's plans, we may not even be able to imagine the good God has in store for us. We only see our limited abilities; God knows our potential and our true abilities. We might settle for less than God wants to give us. The first line of this verse says, “The Lord bless you and keep you.” I really liked what the Enduring Word Commentary had to say about the “keep you” part. It was something I hadn't really thought of before. It said, “To be kept by the LORD is blessing indeed. Some are kept by their own sin and desire, some are kept by idolatry and greed, and others are kept by their own bitterness and anger. But to be kept by the LORD ensures life, peace, and success.” I love this! I looked up online what it means to be kept. It said, “To be kept generally means to be preserved, guarded, or maintained, often in a context of protection or care.” So, when the quote above says some are kept by their own sin, desires, idolatry, greed, bitterness, or anger, it means those are the things they rely on for protection. I think we have all been there. We have relied on unforgiveness or bitterness to protect us from getting hurt again. We put up walls so that no one can ever hurt us again. We have also been fooled into believing that greed and idolatry can protect. Instead of being kept by God and relying on Him to protect us, we put more and more money away for retirement. We try to rely on our own strength and our own means to protect ourselves. We look to our own sin and our own desires to protect us and help us live the life we want, instead of counting on the Lord to keep us and give us the amazing life we don't deserve but that He wants to give us. The next part of that verse says, “the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.” Imagine the Lord's face shining upon you. How amazing would that be? Again, the Enduring Word Commentary states this, “To have the glorious, pleased face of God shining upon a man is the greatest gift he could have. To know that as God looks upon you, He is well pleased – not because of who you are, or what you have done, but because you are in Jesus Christ – there is no greater source of peace and power in life.” I think many of us have a hard time believing that God is pleased with us. Especially if we think of all the ways we feel we have let Him down. We know our sins, we know our history. We know how unfaithful to the Lord we have been. However, God doesn't love us just when we are faithful. He loves us always, even when we are not. I love where it says that God is not pleased with you because of who you are or what you have done, but because you are in Jesus Christ. Can you believe that God is pleased with you? He is. He may not like every single thing you do, but He is not constantly disappointed with you, as we imagine. We often get disappointed in others because they do things we don't expect. God knows us; He knows the world we live in, and He knows the human condition. There isn't anything that we do that surprises Him. Therefore, we are not constantly letting Him down. He is pleased with our efforts. The last line says, “The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” In the Enduring Word Commentary, they quote David Wenham, a British Bible Scholar. Wenham said, “To lift up one's eyes or face means to pay attention, and to look favorably towards. “When God smiles on his people, they can be sure that he will be gracious to them; that is, he will deliver them from all their troubles. He will answer their prayers and save them from their enemies.” How amazing is that? We can rest assured that God will answer our prayers and save us from our enemies. Hopefully we all knew that God does this, but if we didn't, now we do. If we already knew this, then this verse is further proof to keep in our arsenal, so when the enemy starts in with all his lies, we have this verse to remember. We can remind ourselves that God smiles upon us, delivers us from our troubles, and answers our prayers. The verse ends with peace. Peace is something we could all use. This is probably what people ask me to pray for most. Even if I am praying for healing, I am praying for the Peace of Christ to come over the people so they don't worry. This world is so anxious. Everyone is so full of fear and anxiety. Peace seems to be something that we all struggle to find. Peace is possible, even in difficult situations. I have had peace in situations where people told me I shouldn't have peace. My son was in rehab, and yet I had peace because I knew in my heart that God was taking care of everything. My kids have struggled with a lot over the years, yet I have been able to be full of peace in very chaotic situations because I know that God is in control. I know that no matter what things look like, nothing is impossible for God. It could look like the end is near, and yet if God wants to change it, He can. God has done so many incredible miracles in my life and in my family's life. I don't have to blindly trust that God works miracles, as I have been blessed to witness so many. I bet if you look back at your life, you will see plenty of ways God has been working. You may not consider them miracles, but He has been touching your life and answering your prayers. I guarantee it. That is a great exercise to do regularly. Sit down and look back over your life. Look at all the various times you have called upon God and look at the ways He has come through. If you look for God in your life, I promise you won't come up empty-handed. Ask God to highlight the miracles in your life and He will. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode. Lord, we thank you for all the miracles you have done in our lives. We thank you for all the times you have shown up in unexpected ways. We thank you for blessing us and keeping us. You are amazing, and we are truly blessed. Lord, help us to truly believe that you are looking down upon us and that you are pleased with us. We love you so much, and we ask this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name. Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I am away camping this week. I plan to keep posting, but if I miss a day, don't worry; all is good. I just didn't have wifi that day. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord was received in February 2026 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Come, my children. Come and feel my tender love. Come and know that I will never reject you. I am always welcoming.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Before beginning His public ministry, Jesus entered the wilderness for forty days and nights to face Satan's temptation. Hungry and physically weakened, Jesus was tempted to turn stones into bread—but He responded with the Word of God: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that Scripture is not optional nourishment for the believer—it is the only food that can truly sustain the soul. Just as our bodies need daily, nutritious food, our spirits need the living Word of God for strength, encouragement, discernment, and endurance. Dr. Youssef warns that much of the Church is suffering from spiritual malnourishment. We work hard to feed our bodies, educate our children, maintain our health, and build our lives—yet too often we try to survive spiritually on crumbs of Scripture. But if Jesus Himself relied on Scripture in the face of temptation, how much more do we need the Word daily? The Bible is our spiritual bread and our power for living. This devotional calls believers to return to the Word of God—not occasionally, not casually, but daily—with gratitude, hunger, and obedience. Prayer: Father, forgive me for neglecting Your Word. I know it is to my detriment because Your Word is life. Give me a deeper understanding of Your Word by Your Spirit, that I might grow in faith to the glory of Your name. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  “Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God”'” (Matthew 4:4). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon series Defending a Lion: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Many people today are racing after careers, success, possessions, status, or even the achievements of their children. But in today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that Christians are running a far greater race—one that is not about personal glory, but about God's glory and the advance of the Gospel. The apostle Paul understood this race well. He was willing to go any distance, endure any hardship, and sacrifice personal comfort in order to win people to Christ. Paul knew that in the end, what matters most is what we have done for the Lord. Unlike worldly races, the Christian race is not a competition against other believers. We run against obstacles, temptations, spiritual opposition, and the enemy of our souls. God does not desire only one of His children to win—He wants every believer to run faithfully and receive the imperishable crown. Dr. Youssef explains that running well requires self-control and spiritual discipline. Like an athlete who trains his body through sacrifice, believers must discipline their desires, choices, habits, and priorities. If you feel weary, defeated, or disqualified, do not believe the enemy's lie. You can get back into the race. God wants you to be victorious in His Son. Prayer: Jesus, give me the strength, will, and focus to run after You. I know You are the one who sustains me. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Healthy Living in a Sick World, Stewardship Is Gospel Justice: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Start With Love Psalm 63:1 “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” When I read this verse, I thought it did a great job explaining our yearning for God.  We all need God in our lives.  We are desperate to have him in our lives.  This verse shows this in a way I don't think I could.  It also helps me realize how much I need God.  Have you ever read something and then realized that was exactly how you felt, and you didn't really know it before you read it?  I knew I loved God, and I knew I longed for God.  However, I couldn't describe it until I read this verse.  My soul thirsts for Him.  My flesh faints for Him as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.  There is no water if God is not in my life.  My life is a dry and weary land when I don't call upon God.   Carrie Underwood has a song called “What I Never Knew I Always Wanted.”  I have not heard this song before, and yet I found it today while looking up something.  This song was not written about Jesus.  I believe it was written about her child, judging from the other words.  However, the chorus speaks to how many of us feel about Jesus.  The chorus says: I finally found what I never knew I always wanted I couldn't see; I was blind 'til my eyes were opened I didn't know there was a hole Something missing in my soul 'Til you filled it up with your love I think so many people are walking around this world right now, and they don't know God is what they have always wanted.  They know they have a hole; they know something is missing in their soul, and yet they don't know what it is.  I like the line; I couldn't see; I was blind 'til my eyes were opened.  How can we help them open their eyes?  The next line in this chorus might be giving us the answer to that very question.  I didn't know there was a hole, something missing in my soul, ‘till you filled it up with your love.  What if we worked on filling people up with love?  What if we showed people so much love that they realized that it was what they had been missing in their lives?   We can't fill them up with our love, though.  Our love is broken and judgmental.  Our love is not perfect love; it is flawed, and it can hurt others, even when we don't want to.  However, if we filled them up with God's Love, the love of Jesus, they would feel an unconditional love that would fill the hole in their soul.  I know you are already asking yourself, how do I do that?  How do I love with Jesus' love and not my own love? I know you are asking this because I am asking this, too.  We are all called to be a reflection of Jesus.  We are called to love like He loved.  How did Jesus love?  We can't be expected to love like Jesus if we don't know how He loved.  The best way to know this is to look back at scripture.   Jesus Christ set a perfect example of kindness and love. Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus showed His love for others by blessing and serving the poor, the sick, and the distressed.  Jesus did not run away from the leapers as most people did at the time.  He touched them, and He healed them.  He did not turn away anyone who needed help.  How can we show Jesus' love to others like this?  How can we bless and serve the poor, the sick, and the distressed?  Some people listening to this can go out and volunteer at a soup kitchen or a food pantry.  Maybe you would rather volunteer at a hospital or somewhere you can help out with people who are sick.  Maybe you would like to be a hospice volunteer and sit with those that are dying and have no one to be with them.  However, others are listening, and you are thinking your days of helping the poor or the sick are over because you can't get out of the house to volunteer anywhere.  I assure you, your days of helping are not over. They have just changed.  Now, instead of going and doing the volunteer work by hand, you can pray for those in need, and you can pray for people to answer God's call to go and help.  St. Terese of Lisieux is the patron saint of missions, even though she was never healthy enough to go on one.  She didn't let her health stop her from praying for everyone who could go on missions.   Jesus also showed his love for others by not making people feel bad for their actions or who they were.  God didn't condemn the tax collectors or the Roman soldiers.  He didn't condemn the woman who was caught in adultery or the woman at the well who had been married several times and was living with a man she was not married to.  In the beginning, the Love Jesus had for everyone brought people to Christianity.  People found a love they had not known before when they found Jesus.  They were used to rules and judgment.  They were used to following God, which required so much of them.  They found this new religion fascinating.  A religion where God just wanted to love you and to be loved.  He did not require much on your part. People could come as they were.  They were not expected to be perfect because Jesus set the bar when he said in Mark 2:17, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”   The apostles were not going out and only talking to the Jewish people who knew God and were already following the laws.  They were talking to everyone who would listen, and they were preaching about God's love.  Who doesn't want to be loved?  Who doesn't want to be accepted?  I think we have lost this idea of talking about God's love somewhere along the way.  Somewhere along the way, we started talking more about the legalistic side of Christianity, especially Catholicism, than we do about the love Jesus had for everyone.  Yes, there is a right and a wrong way to live.  God tells us what the right and wrong way is in His Scripture.  However, we will never get a chance to show people the benefit of living God's way if we don't start loving them right where they are at first.  People want to be accepted for who they are, and they want to be met where they are at.  Jesus didn't tell the tax collectors He would have dinner with them when they changed their lifestyle.  He loved them while they were sinners and told them He had so much more for them.   If people feel loved and accepted, they will be open to hearing what you have to say.  We want people to know all the things Jesus says.  We want people to live according to God's ways, and we want this because we care about their souls.  This is a great thing.  I am not saying we are wrong to care about the way people are living their lives.  I am saying if we want to save their soul, we need to start with loving them just as they are.  The way to get people to want to save their own souls, which is the only way anything will change, is by being a reflection of God's love.  Love them as Jesus does.  Love them in all their imperfections and all their messiness of life.  Do not continually tell them they need to change who they are; shower them with so much love, tell them about Jesus and how much He loves them, just as they are, and pray for them.  Your prayers will do so much more than your nagging will.  If people feel judged, they will not ask questions; they will not be open to hearing anything we have to say.  I believe what God needs most from us is not us judging others and trying to talk them into changing their behaviors.  What He needs most from us is our loving others like Jesus did.  He needs us to love them so much they ask themselves, “How can I love as much as that person does?  How can I love so unconditionally?  How can I be so accepting of people?  How can I love so freely?”  When they ask those questions, then they will be open to hearing about the Gospel and about a God who loves them completely.  Can we do that?  Can we love others like Jesus did?  Can we lead with love first? Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we long for you just as the verse says. Our souls thirst for you as one would thirst for water in a dry land.  Lord, we love you, and we want to bring others into a personal relationship with you.  Help us do this.  Please help us to understand how to love others as you did.  Show us where in our lives we are falling short of this, Lord.  Give us the strength to hold our tongue and to not nag our loved ones to do what we want them to do.  We are coming from a loving place, Lord; we want to save their souls.  Yet we know you are the only one to do that, Lord. Help us to learn to say less to the person and pray more to you. Help us to truly turn them over to your loving care, Lord.  You care more about their souls than we ever could.  Help us, Lord; we are trying.  We are so grateful for all you do.  You give light to our lamps, and you brighten the darkness about us.  You are the word of God, and you are the word of life.  We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name. Amen.   Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I look forward to spending time with you tomorrow.  Have a blessed day! www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Help! My Heart And Mind Are Fighting Each Other! Psalm 25:16-17 “Look at me and help me! I'm all alone and in big trouble. My heart and mind are fighting each other; Call a truce to this civil war.” Today, it was hard to pick a verse. I thought I would be writing about Isaiah 35, as my friend wrote to me last week and asked me if I take requests for the podcast. She had read Isaiah 35, and it was really hitting her. She was feeling all the feels, and she wanted to see what I thought about that chapter. I was honored, as that was the first time someone had asked me what I thought of a passage in the Bible. When I looked at the chapter, I realized I had already done an episode on that chapter, so I sent it to her. It was episode number 611, “A Way Through The Wilderness,” in case you wanted to check it out. After that, I tried to find a verse for today, and I was struggling. Today's verse reminds us that we can turn to the Lord when we are in trouble, even when we are in big trouble. This is important to remember, and I don't think we can ever say it enough. Nothing is too big for God. There is nothing in this world that He can't fix for us. There are all sorts of reasons why we may not turn to Him and ask for help when we are in big trouble. We don't see how He could help. We don't want to bother Him. We don't feel we deserve His help, and so on. I am sure you have thought up very good reasons why you shouldn't go to the Lord for help when you are in big trouble. One that just popped into my mind is, “I got myself into this mess; I need to get myself out.” This is definitely a human way of thinking, but it is not how God thinks. He has gotten us out of plenty of messes that we got ourselves into. When we get ourselves into big trouble, all we have to do is be humble and turn back to the Lord. Repent and admit what we have done. Ask for His help, and He will help you. I feel as though I can't stress this enough. God wants us to ask for help when we need it. Yes, I know He knows when we need help, probably even before we do, and yet He is a perfect Father, and He respects our free will. If we don't want Him to step in, if we want to do it all ourselves, He will allow us to do that, even if it hurts his heart to watch us struggle. When in trouble, stop and ask the Lord for help. His plan will be much better than any plan we can come up with on our own! I also liked this verse because of the next line, “My heart and mind are fighting with each other; Call a truce to this civil war.” Has this ever happened to you? It happens to me all the time. My heart wants to do something, and my brain convinces me that I don't really want to do it, and then they fight over it. It is frustrating because I know what the right thing to do is, and yet my brain tries to convince me to do the opposite. I think the voice of God is in my heart, and yet, at times, the enemy tries to invade my brain, so they argue. I wish I could say I always choose the right thing to do, but that is not always the case. Sometimes I lose out to slothfulness and gluttony. This past year or two, I feel like they have won more than I care to talk about. What do we do when this happens? What do we do when our hearts and our minds are fighting with each other? When this happens, we can turn to the Lord, just as it says in this verse. We can ask the Lord to call a truce. We can ask the Lord to give us the wisdom to know what we should do and the courage to do what is right. Our brains are trying to keep us comfortable, so when we try to do uncomfortable things, our brains complain and try to convince us that we don't want to do the uncomfortable thing. The problem with this is that we won't grow if we don't ever do something that is uncomfortable. We grow when we are outside of our comfort zone. This is true with all things, not just our jobs. When we step outside our comfort zone and try something new with our spirituality or our prayer life, we grow closer to the Lord. When we step outside our comfort zone and try something new with our families, it can help us grow closer. Our brain is not bad; it is trying to save us from uncomfortable feelings. It is trying to help us. However, we all know what happens when we are saved from all uncomfortable feelings. Have you ever seen a child who was protected from all uncomfortable things? Actually, I feel as though I have been doing this to my kids recently. The kids had a pretty challenging childhood. Mostly because of their behaviors, but that doesn't change the fact that it was rough. They were very unkind to each other, and it took a long time for Tony and me to figure out how to parent them in an effective way. So, I would try to shield them from uncomfortable situations because I felt like they had enough to go through. However, doing this robbed them of building up the resiliency and tenacity that comes along with doing uncomfortable things. I now have two young adults and a 15-year-old, and in some ways, they are so resilient. Then there are all the things they struggle with because I was trying to protect them from the pain. The same will be true with you and me if we continue to let our brains tell our hearts what to do. That still small voice in our hearts is the Holy Spirit. We need to start listening to that voice more than the louder voice in our minds. The voice that, although it is trying to protect us, does not really know what we need.  We need to pray for the strength and courage to listen to and follow our hearts more. We need to pray that the Lord will help us with discernment. We need to pray that the Lord opens our ears to hear what our hearts are telling us to do. We need to ask the Lord to call a truce! Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening and their families. Lord, help us to listen to your voice in our hearts. Help us to do what is right, what is necessary, not what is comfortable. Lord, we pray you give us the gifts of discernment, courage, & strength so that we can do the things you want us to do. We love you, Lord, and we ask that you call a truce and help bring our hearts and our minds into one with your will. We ask you all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name. Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord is, “My children, I have a mission for you. My mission is to love. Every person that you meet today and every day of your life they are sent to you for you to pour my love out upon them. Forgive them, have mercy on them, and do not judge them. I love them, and I want you to love them too.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

The world feels heavy, and many believers are running on empty, but God is still the God of encouragement and endurance. In this conversation, Catherine talks with Shannon Crowley about her new book The Ministry of Encouragement and how God lovingly imparts courage right into the places we feel afraid, exhausted, or ready to give up. You’ll hear Shannon’s story of joy and “crap‑ola” seasons, how God met her in loss, and why encouragement is a manifestation of perfect love that drives out fear instead of shaming you for struggling. They explore Barnabas as a “son of encouragement,” the role of community, and why even behind‑the‑scenes faithfulness can ripple out to impact countless lives. What you’ll learn: - How God encourages you through scripture, the Spirit, and people - Practical ways to encourage yourself in God when you feel flat - Why community and interdependence matter when you want to isolate - How to offer simple, Spirit‑led encouragement that strengthens others To support the ministry with tax-deductible donations: https://catherinetoon.com/support/ Marked by Love, Revised & Expanded Edition is here:
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 Catherine has been in the business of changing lives for decades as an author, speaker, and prophetic coach. She is incredibly gifted at calling forth personal destiny and has helped thousands of individuals who are on that journey.

Which Path To Choose? Isaiah 30:21 “And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Do you ever wonder why you ask the Lord what you should do and you don't hear a clear answer?  I was talking with my spiritual advisor one time, and I told her I was going to pray about the two choices I had to choose from and see which one God wanted me to do.  She told me not to be surprised if God wasn't super specific or if He didn't tell me which one to pick.  She said He doesn't always tell us what to do.  Sometimes He lets us pick.  Then we talked about how there might not be just one path God wants you to walk down.  We talked about how we don't have to worry that there is one right answer and all the rest are wrong. I didn't know there was scripture to back this up; it was more of a feeling. I truly felt if God wanted you to do one specific thing, he would let you know.  He would place the desire to pick that one thing directly in your head.  You would know what God wants you to do.  Then there are the times when you really don't know which to pick.  You feel you could be happy doing either job, or you could be happy living in either place.  It is in these times, I believe, the decision about which to do is left up to us because God is ok with both of them.  Yesterday I was listening to another elevation church podcast, and I heard Pastor Steven Furtick read this verse, so I wanted to share it with all of you because I know many of you have been in a situation where you were praying for God to guide you one way or the other.   The verse above says, “And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.  God will be with you no matter which you choose.  We know God is always with us; however, that doesn't mean He always supports our choices.  When we are about to do something that goes against God or something God knows will lead us down a wrong path, He will let us know.  Think back to all the times you made a decision that ended badly.  Did you have a feeling it might?  Did you feel as if God was urging you not to do it?  That's the thing: we always have a choice.  Even when God knows the path won't end well, he will warn us against it, but He will not prevent us from doing it.  God honors our free will. I think sometimes we want God to tell us which way to go so we don't have to make the decision.  If we let God choose, then we can blame Him when things go wrong, when they don't turn out like we expected they would.  Another reason we would like God to make the decisions is that there are so many decisions we have to make all throughout the day, and it can be overwhelming.  Then there are also so many choices for each of those decisions.  Have you ever heard the term analysis paralysis?  Analysis paralysis is an inability to make a decision due to overthinking a problem. An individual or a group can have too much data. The result is endless wrangling over the upsides and downsides of each option, and an inability to pick one.  This used to happen to me every time the kids would bring home a sheet from their teacher asking for donations for something.  The list would have 50 things we could donate.  I would look at them, and they all seemed easy enough.  However, there were so many to choose from that I would usually end up frustrated and not get any.  I loved the teachers who would just send home a note telling me what to bring, no choice involved.   With all the technology we have at our fingertips these days, the choices and amount of information can be overwhelming.  For instance, if you are throwing a party, instead of going to the local party store and seeing what they have in stock, you can Google how to throw a party, or you can look up different themes, decorations, table pieces, and more.  Pinterest is also a big thing.  This is a website and an app where people post photos of things they have done, all the decorations they've made, all the parties they've had.  If you go on Pinterest, you will probably get lost in your search and spend hours there, just looking at all they have to offer, and yet you will probably make very few decisions.  Because of this, I am thankful to have found this verse.  I am thankful to know that sometimes God is ok with us picking any path. I want to do what God wants me to do.  I want to follow His will.  This is why I get frustrated sometimes when I don't know what He wants me to do.  However, what I take from this verse is that He hasn't just set up one path for us.  He hasn't just planned our every move; He allows us to decide what we want to do.  The verse goes on to say, “Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” No matter which path you decide to go down, God will be there to guide you.  You just need to listen to the voice you hear in your ears.  God will tell you when it is time to pivot to a new job, a new house, or whatever the next step is.  I watched a video about this very topic by Father Mike Schmidt.  He said we tend to look for God to reassure us with every step we take.  Our intentions are good; we want to know we are doing the right thing.  We want to please God and to do His will.  Father Mike said when God wants us to move, or to change something, he will tell us.  If God is not saying something, then you are good to keep doing what you are doing.  Why is it we need that constant assurance from God?  We want Him to cheer on our every step.  We want Him to keep telling us we are headed in the right direction.   One thing Pastor Furtick said that I think is so powerful is, “The important thing is not which road you take to get there; the important thing is how you walk on that path.”  Sometimes we might have to choose between two things, and we don't really feel God is leading us one way or another.  That might be because He is ok with either path.  They both could be good, and they both could be bad.  Your success isn't dependent on the path you picked; it is dependent on how you walk that path.  Are you staying close to God?  Are you close enough to hear that voice the verse is talking about?  Are you checking in with God regularly to see if He is still ok with the path you are on, or does He want you to make a turn down a different road?  How are you walking on your path?  The verse says there will be a voice behind you saying, “This is the way, walk in it.”  Are you listening to that voice?  Are you following the directions it is giving you?  If the Lord is not giving you directions, just continue going forward in the direction you are going, and when it is time to make a change, God will let you know.   Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, help us to hear your voice.  Help us to listen to your voice.  Help us to make difficult decisions and help us to know you will be with us no matter what decision we make.  Lord, we ask you to lead us down the path you want us to go, and we ask you to help us to walk uprightly down that path.  Give us wisdom and discernment, Lord, so when we need to make a decision, we can make it swiftly and without too much anxiety.  Lord, we ask you to help us sift through all the information and all the choices and just focus in on you, Lord.  We love you, Lord.  You are so great!  You are the almighty one.  You are the Light of the World.  We adore you, and we are so grateful for all you do for us.  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus!  I look forward to spending time with you on Monday!  Have a blessed weekend.   www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Tiny Steps of Trust Psalm 56:3-4 “But in the day that I'm afraid, I lay all my fears before you and trust in you with all my heart. What harm could a man bring to me? With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes.” Today, I decided to read from the Jesus Calling Devotional. I have not done that in a while; I am unsure why. For those of you who don't know, this is a devotional book written as if God is speaking to you each day. It is really good and often says exactly what you need to hear for that day. Today's spoke right to me. It reminded me how important it is to trust God in all times with all things. It is just as important to trust Him with the small things as it is to trust Him with the big things. I will read today's devotional for you, as I think it will speak to you just as much as it spoke to me. “TRUST ME with every fiber of your being! What I can accomplish in and through you is proportional to how much you depend on me. One aspect of this is the degree to which you trust me in a crisis or major decision. Some people fail miserably here, while others are at their best in tough times. Another aspect is even more telling: the consistency of your trust in me. People who rely on me in the midst of adversity may forget about me when life is flowing smoothly. Difficult times can jolt you into awareness of your need for me, whereas smooth sailing can lull you into a stupor of self-sufficiency. I care as much about your tiny trust-steps through daily life as about your daily dramatic leaps of faith. You may think that no one else notices, but the One who is always beside you sees everything — and rejoices. Consistently trusting in me is vital to flourishing in my presence.” Do you see what I mean when I say it often says exactly what you need to hear for the day? I love that it is written as if God is saying it directly to you. This is truly how God talks to us. I am not sure how many of you listening have taken the time to sit and listen to what God has to say to you. If you have not, give it a try today. God wants to talk to each one of us, and yet the world around us is so noisy it is hard to hear him. However, if we sit down and take the time to listen, we will hear what He wants to tell us. This can take time and also practice. The more time you put into trying to hear God talking to you, the more clearly you will hear Him. The more you will begin to recognize what He sounds like to you. I have a journal, and I try to write in it as often as I can. In 2020, I changed the way I write in my prayer journal. I used to just write God about my day and what was going on in my life. I still do this, but I don't just do this. Now, I try to stop and take the time to listen to what God has to say back to me. This has been amazing. I have spent a lot of time listening and have given the Lord time to speak into my life, and it has been life-changing. You would be surprised what the Lord wants to say to you if you only gave Him the time to say it. He is so gentle and affirming. Sometimes, we think we wouldn't want to hear what the Lord has to say because we feel we aren't doing a very good job, and He probably wouldn't have anything nice to say to us. This is not true. That is what the enemy wants you to think so that you don't stop and give the Lord time to speak love, light, and truth into your life. When you give Him the time and you listen, you will be surprised at how nicely He talks to you. You will be surprised at how much He loves you. Even in our brokenness, even in our sin, He still speaks so much love into us. It is truly amazing. This is why I started ending each episode with the Word from the Lord that He gave to our prayer group. The more we all start hearing the way He talks to us, the more we will start to recognize it when we hear Him talking in our own lives. Here is what I do when I write to the Lord. I write Him a letter, and then I ask Him to answer me using my pen, and then I start to write a letter back to myself. I don't question what comes to mind; I don't overthink it; I just write everything that comes to mind. Does that mean that every single thing I write down is from the Lord? No, probably not. However, I asked Him to answer me, and when we ask, He answers, so I trust that what I am writing down is from Him. After you are done writing it down, you can re-read it and see what you wrote and how it makes you feel. If you wrote anything down that makes you feel bad, shameful, or guilty, that is probably not from the Lord. That is not how He talks to us. Sometimes He will convict us of something if we are doing something wrong. However, He doesn't use shame and guilt to do it. God does not condemn us. He lovingly points us in another direction and then gives us the strength to go in that other direction. Anything you are not sure of, you can take to discernment. You can ask the Lord to clarify; you can ask the Lord to explain more, and you can always go deeper with what you got in the letter. If you do this often enough, you will recognize patterns. You will see that He tends to say the same things over and over again because we tend not to listen. Yet, He keeps saying them until we do listen. The verse above says, “But in the day that I'm afraid, I lay all my fears before you and trust in you with all my heart. What harm could a man bring to me? With God on my side, I will not be afraid of what comes.” This is a good verse for today because I know a lot of people who are staring down some pretty big fears. Whether they are worried about losing their job, getting sick, or finding a new job, it is all scary. Several people I know are also sick and are worried they won't be healed. This can be very scary to think you will have to live with this illness for the rest of your life. This is why today's verse is so important. Today's verse says that I lay all my fears before you and trust you with all my heart. I hope we are all doing this. I hope when something scary comes our way, our first instinct is to turn it over to the Lord. Give Him our cares, and He will help us carry them. He will even carry them for us if we can be brave enough to let go and let Him carry them for us. Often we want to pick them back up again. But if we can fully let go, He will take care of them for us. If we can trust Him to do this, our worries and cares become so much lighter. My favorite part of the devotional from Jesus Calling is, “Another aspect is even more telling: the consistency of your trust in me.” I also love, “I care as much about your tiny trust-steps through daily life as about your daily dramatic leaps of faith.” These both remind us that although it is important to have trust in the Lord when things are going wrong in our lives, it is just as important to trust Him when things are calm and there isn't a crisis. Do we do this? Do we trust that God is taking care of all the things, or just the big things? When things are going well, do we still turn to the Lord, or do we try to fix those things on our own? I think this devotional gives us something to think about. What could we be doing differently? Do we need to be more consistent with our trust in the Lord? What are those tiny trust-steps in our daily life that God is talking about? What if you took 20 minutes sometime today and sat down and asked God these questions and then wrote down whatever you think you hear Him say back to you? Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we want to trust you. We want to trust you not only with the big things but the small things too. Please show us how; please guide us. Help us learn how to take those tiny trust-steps into our daily life. Lord, we ask that you help us hear your voice in our heads. We ask you to open our spiritual ears so we can hear you more. Lord, I ask you for a special blessing for each person. I ask that you bless them and their families. I ask that you bless their jobs, their ministries, whatever it is they do. We love you so much, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name. Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. Remember, Jesus really does love you, yes, you, and so do I! Have a blessed weekend. Today's Word from the Lord is, “I am the crucified Christ. My blood has freed you. I have washed you clean in my blood. Block your ears to the evil one. He is jealous of my children. His mission is to destroy. I surround my children with my all-consuming love. Love that doesn't skip a beat, and he knows it. Stay strong, stay focused on me.”   www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

The good news for people who can't walk on water. A sermon on Matthew 14:22-33 by Rev. Justin Morgan.

Before stepping into a new section of Luke's Gospel, MetaChurch pauses to remember what God has already done.Throughout our journey in Luke, we've watched Jesus transform lives—and this week, we celebrate real stories from people whose lives have been forever changed by Him. Just as God instructed Israel to build memorial stones after crossing the Jordan, we pause to remember His faithfulness before moving into what's next. In this message you'll discover: ✅ Why God calls His people to remember ✅ Four powerful testimonies of life change ✅ How urgency, generosity, relationship, and trust shape discipleship ✅ Why your story is never beyond Jesus' reach ✅ How remembering God's faithfulness prepares us for what's next

Crisis to Christ | Thriving in Babylon When Daniel faced a crisis he could not solve on his own, he knew where to turn. In Daniel 2, we see Daniel respond with wise composure, radical courage, godly community, heartfelt prayer, and praise. Then, through Nebuchadnezzar's dream, God reveals that every earthly kingdom will eventually fall, but the Kingdom of Jesus will stand forever. This message from Thriving in Babylon challenges us to stop depending solely on our own wisdom and remember a truth that changes how we face every crisis: there is a God in heaven who can. Key Insights: Respond to crisis instead of reacting to it. Daniel models wise composure and courage when panic would have been the easier response. Make prayer your first response. Daniel immediately gathers his community and seeks God when human wisdom reaches its limit. Don't try to walk through crisis alone. Godly community matters, especially when life becomes difficult and the answers aren't obvious. Recognize the limits of earthly wisdom. Knowledge, education, and human ability have value, but they cannot replace the wisdom that comes from God. Live with confidence in the Kingdom that lasts. Daniel's interpretation points beyond temporary earthly kingdoms to Jesus and His Kingdom that will reign forever. Scripture Focus: Daniel 2:1-45 Speaker: Matt Petty Series: Thriving in Babylon Location: [Burnt Hickory Baptist Church](https://maps.app.goo.gl/hazkR3omjk9xvxZc7) Connect with us: ° Watch this sermon on YouTube ° Follow us on [Facebook](www.facebook.com/bhbchome) ° Follow us on [Instagram](www.instagram.com/burnthickorybaptist) ° Visit our website

Today on Uncommon Sense with Ginny Robinson, I'm addressing the divorcee community and I'm going straight to the Bible.Why does God say He hates divorce? What does Scripture actually teach about marriage, covenant, divorce, and the responsibilities of husbands and wives? And why have divorce rates become so incredibly high, particularly as wives increasingly initiate divorce over reasons that, from a biblical perspective, are trivial, selfish, or completely unbiblical?This is not a message designed to just shame people who have experienced divorce. It is a challenge to the culture that has normalized abandoning marriage whenever things become difficult, inconvenient, or uncomfortable. We need to be willing to distinguish between legitimate biblical grounds for divorce and the endless list of modern excuses we've created to justify walking away from a sacred covenant.And that's not all we're discussing.I'm also talking about Donald Trump's continued failures, the gap between political promises and political reality, and why Americans should be questioning the decisions being made in our name.Plus, we're talking about the Iran War and why I believe this conflict is unnecessary and why Americans should be asking whether another foreign war actually serves the interests of the United States.Marriage. Divorce. Biblical truth. Trump. Iran. War. Political accountability.I'm saying what I believe needs to be said, even when it isn't popular (as usual).--https://www.youversion.com/bible-app

A young man once discovered a stack of old comic books worth millions of dollars while cleaning out what others dismissed as garbage. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef uses this surprising story to point believers to something infinitely more valuable: the body of every Christian as the temple of the Holy Spirit. Paul warned the Corinthian believers because they were treating their bodies as if they had little spiritual value. But Scripture declares that those who belong to Christ are not their own. The Holy Spirit Himself dwells within them, making their bodies sacred places where the presence of God resides. Dr. Youssef reminds us that our bodies were designed by God for more than biological function. They are meant to serve Him now and for all eternity. One day, believers will receive glorified, resurrected bodies—but even now, what we do with our bodies matters deeply to God. Because our bodies belong to the Lord, we are called to honor Him with our whole being. This devotional challenges every believer to reject sin, obey God's Word, and offer the body as an instrument of worship for the glory of Christ. Prayer: Father, help me to remember that my body is a temple for Your very presence. May my hands and feet bring You honor and praise as I live righteously by Your Spirit. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; . . .” (1 Corinthians 6:19). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Healthy Living in a Sick World, Honor God with Your Body: LISTEN NOW | WATCH NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

Your Jordan River Will Part Joshua 3:13 “When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a single heap.” This is a story that I don't remember from the Bible. I have gone through the Bible in a year twice with Father Mike, so I am sure I have heard it; I don't remember it, so I thought we would take a look at it today, especially because I know a lot of people who need some reassurance that miracles do happen. God will take care of you no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. God is not surprised you are in these circumstances. He knew you would be in them, and He has prepared you for them. He has a plan to help you through them. Trust Him. This verse is taking place when Joshua is trying to get the Israelites to cross the Jordon River to go into the promised land. Let me read to you this part of the story so you can see how it all unfolded. Remember, Moses led the people out of Egypt but was not able to live to lead them into the promised land. This was left to Joshua, as He was faithful and trusted that God could conquer the people who occupied that land currently. I will read you Joshua 3:7-17: “Then the Lord said to Joshua: Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.  Now command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, “When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, there take your stand.”  So Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord, your God.”  He continued: “By this you will know that there is a living God in your midst: he will certainly dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites. The ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth will cross the Jordan before you.  Now choose twelve men, one from each of the tribes of Israel. When the soles of the feet of the priests carrying the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, touch the waters of the Jordan, it will cease to flow; the water flowing down from upstream will halt in a single heap.” The people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, with the priests carrying the ark of the covenant ahead of them. When those bearing the ark came to the Jordan and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were immersed in the waters of the Jordan—which overflows all its banks during the entire season of the harvest— the waters flowing from upstream halted, standing up in a single heap for a very great distance indeed, from Adam, a city in the direction of Zarethan; those flowing downstream toward the Salt Sea of the Arabah disappeared entirely. Thus the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry ground in the Jordan riverbed while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the whole nation had completed the crossing of the Jordan.” Wow, the Israelites crossed on dry ground again! Remember, these are the ancestors of those who crossed the Red Sea on dry ground. These people were not actually there, but I am sure they heard all about it. So, why do you think God needed to show them again? Why do you think God parted the Jordan River for them to cross? It says above that it was to show the people that God was with Joshua the same way that He was with Moses. This miracle, like many others, is a testament to the power and faithfulness of our God.  It amazes me how often we can see signs and wonders and yet still doubt the Lord will come through. The Israelites had seen miracle after miracle while they were in the desert. Their food miraculously showed up each morning. When they complained about not having meat to eat, Quail miraculously showed up. They walked across the Red Sea on dry land, and this is to name a few of the big ones. So, why would they need to see another miracle? I think it is because we sometimes think it is the person doing the miracle instead of God doing the miracle through those people. God knew the Israelites knew God was with Moses because He was the face of most of the miracles they had received. However, God also knew they weren't sure if God was with Joshua. He was young and new to leading them. God understood that these people would need a sign to show them that He was with Joshua. How many times have we been like this? How many times has God called us to cross our own Jordan Rivers, and we have been hesitant because we don't know that He is with us? How many times has He given us a sign, and yet we require another one? If we look back upon our lives, I bet we can all see how the Lord has been right here with us in each of the hard times. If we can see this, why do we still doubt He will be with us in this hard time? I am sure we have all seen miracles in our lives. If we haven't, then we are not looking hard enough because the Lord is working in each of our lives. The news doesn't like to talk about the good stuff going on in the world, as that doesn't sell as much as the bad stuff. However, you don't have to look too far to find the good things going on in this world if you want to. You can find articles and videos on the internet. We can actually be a beacon of light to those around us. If you see someone you know struggling, you can give them hope and peace in Jesus Christ. If someone you know needs a miracle right now, relay this one to them. Relay other ones from the Bible. Look on YouTube for testimonies from others who have been healed from what they have or gone through what they have gone through. Sometimes, seeing is believing, so pray for God to show them a miracle. Pray for a miracle in your life. Miracles are not reserved for certain people. They are not reserved for perfect people, people who pray a lot, or those whom God loves the best. Miracles come to those who ask for them, those who seek them, and those who believe they will happen. We believe, Lord. Help our unbelief. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening today. Lord, we love you, and we know you are there with us in the hard times. We are sorry we sometimes forget. We ask you to be with all those struggling in a special way today. We ask you to give each one of us a renewed sense of awe and wonder. We ask that you give us renewed faith and belief that miracles are not only possible will happen in our lives. Open our eyes to the miracles that are happening in our lives every day! We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name; amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord was received in January 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “There is no more time for looking back. Look only to what is ahead. Look up, and you'll see the glory of God.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

God's Word is filled with promises of His care, provision, and faithfulness. Yet when life suddenly turns for the worse, it can be easy to wonder, “Is this really part of God's plan for me?” In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef encourages believers not to abandon faith when suffering, disappointment, or sorrow arrives. A difficult season does not necessarily mean you have done something wrong or that God is displeased with you. Instead, hardship can become an opportunity for the Lord to do something amazing in your life for His glory. God's ultimate purpose is not merely to make life easier, but to transform His children into the likeness of Christ. Dr. Youssef reminds us that faith opens the door for God to work in impossible ways. Unbelief can cause us to miss what God is doing, but trust in His character and promises allows us to experience His changing power—even in circumstances we would never have chosen. In seasons of suffering and sorrow, cling to Christ. Return to His Word. Remember that God works all things for the good of those who love Him, and rejoice that in Christ, all things—life, death, the present, and the future—belong to you because you belong to Him. Prayer: Lord, help me to remain steadfast in my faith in You today, rejoicing in Your goodness and sure promises. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon series They Were Just like Us: LISTEN NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

Redeeming the Time  Ephesians 5:15-16 “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” I really liked this verse and wanted to talk to you about it today because I am not sure we realize how important time is.  It matters how we spend our time.  The first part of this verse talks about how we need to make sure we are walking circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.  Circumspectly is a fancy way to say we need to think carefully before we act.  This is hard for us sometimes.  I feel like I say this a lot, but I think it is so important that we all become aware of it.  We go through life on autopilot.  There is so much of our day we spend just going through the motions.  We aren't actually making a lot of the decisions as we go through our day.  We have all formed habits, good ones and bad ones, and those habits are what make a lot of the decisions for us.   It sounds like this is not a new problem.  I think from the beginning of time this was a problem.  We tend to default to whatever we have done in the past.  It is not easy to always walk circumspectly.  It requires us to pause and think before we do something.  This is contrary to how we live out our day-to-day moments.  Do you stop and think before you eat your breakfast?  Do you stop to think if whatever you're about to eat is actually the best thing for you to eat?  Is it something that will nourish your body, or is it something you are just in the habit of eating?  What about how you spend your time in the mornings?  Are you spending this precious time in a way that is going to set your day up for success, or are you looking at your phone and then reacting to whatever you saw on your phone?   It is important that we look at how we are spending our time and try to stop and think before we do anything.  I have been much more aware of how I am spending my time lately.  I am trying to be more focused and stay on task better.  I am trying to spend my time more wisely.  However, I am finding it is very hard.  I find myself slipping into old habits throughout the day.  For instance, I will pick up my phone and check my email so many times throughout the day.  I do not have a ton of important emails coming in throughout the day.  I could easily spend 15-30 min at the end of the day and go through all my emails and be good for the day.  However, I am in the habit of checking them, so I do.  This is something I am working on changing.   I read something one time that said we all think our time is our own.  However, it is a gift from God and one day He is going to want us to give a full account of how we spent His gift.  I don't know about you, but I thought this was pretty powerful.  If you knew one day you would have to answer for how you spent your time, would you spend it differently?  Would you spend as much time on that video game, or watching those Facebook or YouTube videos?  Would you still binge-watch all 8 seasons of that TV show during work hours if you knew you would have to explain your actions to God someday?  I ask that question in a loving way.  I don't picture God asking us in a very condemning way.  I can picture Him asking us in a loving way. More of a response to us asking why we didn't get to do all the things we wanted to do.  God has amazing plans for each one of us, and no matter where we are on this journey of life, it is important to take a minute and think about how we are spending this precious time that God has given us.  There is a song I love, and it talks about this very topic.  It is called “Spend a Life” By David Dunn.  I will put a link to this song in the show notes, and I highly recommend you take a minute and listen to this awesome song.  I am going to take a minute to read you the lyrics, no, not sing them, don't worry.  I think you all need to hear them, and I know we are all busy, so most of you probably won't listen to the song.   Spend a Life  by David Dunn Everybody's got a balance But no one knows how much There's no way to run the numbers No way to count it up And we're pouring out our fortunes In the moments Both the big and the small Yeah we gotta spend it all All I have is what You gave Watching seconds turn to days I was made for more then just to watch it fly A few more turns around the sun Could be hundreds, could be one Show me how to spend the treasure of my time Show me how to spend a life, yeah Show me how to spend a life I have never seen a tombstone Say I didn't work enough, nah Nobody ever heard a father say I held my kids too much God I wanna run after What really matters So remind me when I fall How a good man spends it all Don't let me waste it Don't let lose it Don't let me steal it for myself No, no I know it's precious I know it's priceless I know my time is flying by Show me how to spend a life 'Cause all I have is what You gave Watching seconds turn to days I was made for more then just to watch it fly A few more turns around the sun Could be hundreds, could be one Show me how to spend the treasure of my time, yeah Show me how to spend a life, yeah Wow, did that hit you as it hit me?  I got teary-eyed just thinking about all this song talks about.  None of us know how much time we have.  I love when the song talks about trips around the sun, and he says, could be hundreds, could be one.  This is so true, and as much as I don't think it is helpful to constantly be thinking about our death, I do think it is healthy to occasionally look at how we are living our lives and ask ourselves, would we be proud of how we lived our lives if we were to die tomorrow?  Sometimes we put things off, and we say we just need to do x, y, or z, and then we will do the things we really want to do.  We know in our hearts we aren't prioritizing this correctly, and yet we tell ourselves we only have to do this for a few more years, just until we get that promotion, just until we make more money, just until…But we aren't guaranteed anything.  What if we lived our lives with the realization that tomorrow is not a given?  What if we woke up each day grateful that God blessed us with another day and then lived it as the gift it really is?  What if we thought about how we are spending our time and consciously chose how we wanted to spend it?  What if we realized we only get a finite amount of time and so we live each moment as if it is a precious gift?  What if we stopped putting things off and did them right when we wanted to?  Would your life be any different if you started walking into your days circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise?  How can you redeem the time you have been given?   Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, help us to notice how we are spending our time.  Help us to take back control of our time.  Lord, I know I really struggle with wasting time, and I know I can't be the only one who struggles with this; please help us, Lord.  We ask the Holy Spirit to nudge us when we are wasting time and help to bring us back on track.  We ask you to help us realize how important our time is.  We ask you to help us realize how finite our time is, but not in an anxious way where we stress out.  We ask you to help us see it in a helpful way so we can take advantage of every minute you have given to us.  Help us to be grateful for each and every precious second you give us, Lord.  You are truly amazing, and we are so grateful for you.  You are the light of the world, and the word made flesh.  You are so kind to give us so many wonderful days; help us appreciate them more.  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name. Amen. Thank you for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow.  Have a blessed day! www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

#200 // You're the strong one. The high-capacity one who holds it all together when everything's falling apart. But the very strength you've been relying on might be the thing most likely to break you.There's a better way to get through the storm you're in — and it's not gritting your teeth and holding on tighter.The night Hurricane Helene flooded our island, I lost my home and 80% of everything I owned. And in the middle of that storm, God showed me something about resilience I'd been getting wrong for 30 years of walking with Him. This message is what I learned.In this week's episode -- it's the message I shared this past week on Get Ready with God -- I'm walking you through the difference between being rigid and being grounded, and why one breaks in the storm while the other bends and springs right back up.Here's what we get into:→ THE NIGHT I LOST EVERYTHING. The hurricane that flooded an island that had never flooded, and the moment God told me to ground myself before the water ever came in→ THE OAK VS. THE PALM. Why the strongest tree on the island is the one that snaps in the storm, and what that has to do with the way you've been white-knuckling your way through hard seasons→ THE SECRET IN THE ROOTS. How a palm tree with shallow roots outlasts a deep-rooted oak in a hurricane, and the community secret underground that keeps it standing→ WHY RIGID ISN'T SAFE. What a car accident reveals about bracing for impact, and why the hypervigilance you've mistaken for strength is actually putting you at risk→ ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE. How to become the palm tree — grounded, resilient, bending without breaking — not in your own strength, but by the power of the Spirit

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

You Already Have the Power 1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? This is a question I think often when I am talking to people.  Whenever I talk to someone who doubts their abilities or their capabilities, I want to ask them this question.  I want to ask most people this question as I think a lot of us don't know this.  I have heard people talk a lot about our body being a temple when they talk bout how we take care of our body.  I have heard people mention “our body is a temple” when they are wanting you to do their workout program, or their nutrition program.  I have also heard people talk about how our body is a temple when they are talking about sexual sin or trying to convince you not to use your body in a negative way.   I do think it is important to think of your body as a temple, not just any temple, but God's temple.  Knowing I am God's temple is quite a responsibility.  Currently, I am not acting as if I know my body is a temple.  Right now I am acting as if my body is a waste station and I am throwing all the junk I can find into it.  I seem to be struggling with self-control when it comes to eating and exercising these days.  This is somewhat new to me, as I have done really well over the past several years to gain lots of self-control when it comes to eating and exercising.  I know I don't need to base my eating and my working out on my feelings.  I know if I get into a good routine, I can work out even when I don't want to.  I know I don't have to eat the ice cream just because I want to.   Even though I know these things, I am still struggling.  Have you ever had this happen to you?  You know what you need to do, and you still can't seem to do it?  I think this happens to all of us.  Right now, for me, I think it is the enemy making my desires stronger than my willpower.  I believe God is calling me to so much more in life, and the enemy doesn't want me to hear this call.  He doesn't want me to live up to my purpose, so he is distracting me with social media and other things on the computer.  He is tempting me with all sorts of food that is not all that healthy, and he is loving every single time I give in to his distractions.  He has me saying things like, “I just can't resist, or I can't overcome my desires to not work out.”  The devil is a liar. I can resist.  It is not easy, but it is possible.  We have the power of the Holy Spirit living inside of us.  I don't think we realize how much power we have living inside of us.  Romans 8:11 is a very powerful scripture to write down and read often.  It is a great scripture to remind yourself of every time you feel like you can't do something.  Romans 8:11 says, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.”  The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead.  Remember when Jesus died on the cross for our sins and then three days later rose again?  The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead.  That same Holy Spirit is now living in you and me; that's remarkable to me.   I forget this often.  I often rely on my own willpower, my own mind, thoughts, talents, abilities, and so on.  I know God is always there to help me, but I forget the Holy Spirit lives inside of me.  I forget how powerful the Holy Spirit is.  Well, actually, I don't forget how powerful he is, but I do forget that power is living inside of me.  When I pray for people, I pray the Lord sends the Holy Spirit down to be in the situation I am praying for.  I forget the Holy Spirit doesn't need to come down to be in the situation because He lives here on earth in each one of us.  He is right here inside of us to give us the power we need.  All we need to do is call upon that power. Are we doing that?  Are we remembering to call upon the power of the Holy Spirit?  I know I'm not.  I have been complaining a lot about my lack of willpower.  I have not been running like I want to, and I have been gaining weight because I am not really being careful about what I eat.  I get frustrated, and I wonder why I was so good before, and now I am not.  I was talking with a friend the other day, and she helped me figure it out.  When I first moved to MA, home life was pretty out of control.  I was struggling big time with behaviors from my kids, with just having moved to a new community where I didn't know anyone, trying to work when I kept getting called by the schools, struggling with my marriage.  Everything seemed pretty out of control.  I think I was so good about exercising and watching what I ate because it was the one thing I felt I had control over.  I couldn't control a lot in my life at that time, but I could control what I ate and when I worked out.   I think I was also better at remembering to call on the Holy Spirit because I needed his power daily, hourly, sometimes minute by minute.  People who knew me when I was going through the worst of it would comment how strong I was.  I was quick to tell them, it's not me, it's God.  He is the one holding me up right now.  The Holy Spirit was my go-to because it was obvious I was out of my depth.  The things that were going on in my life were so far out of my control.  I am grateful I had God to lean on and I am beyond grateful He gave us the Holy Spirit.  They say a mother's love is so strong you can do anything you need to do to protect your kids.  I don't disagree that a mother's love is strong, and also I don't think it is her love alone.  I think it is our desperate need to protect our children that gives us the courage to call out to the Holy Spirit.  The strength comes from Him.   I am grateful things have calmed down now.  I am grateful God answered my years of prayers.  I am grateful he provided our family with a miraculous restoration. I love my life, and I am so grateful to God for loving me enough to answer my prayers.  I also want to make sure I am not taking these answered prayers for granted.  I think my perceived lack of willpower right now is because I am forgetting to call upon the Holy Spirit.  I am thinking I need to do it all on my own, and I don't.  I am trying to will myself into doing the things I want, and I am forgetting to reach out and ask for help.  I have reached out to friends and asked for accountability partners.  I have reached out and asked people to call and check in with me, ask me if I have done it.  I have asked God to help me, but I am not sure I have invited the Holy Spirit into this struggle.  I have been keeping the struggle separate from God.  Telling myself things like, “God doesn't care if I eat this cookie.”  God may not care if I eat that cookie; however, he does care if I feel bad about eating that cookie.  He does care if I am mindlessly giving in to temptations.  He does care about all the little things, and He does want to be invited into all the parts of our lives, especially the ones we are struggling with.   I am grateful I read this scripture verse today.  I am grateful God showed me this small yet powerful reminder this morning.  Today I am going to invite the Holy Spirit into my struggle.  Today I am going to write this verse on a sticky note and place it up somewhere I will see it often.  Today I invite you to do the same.  Invite the Holy Spirit into whatever you are struggling with the most.  Actually invite the Holy Spirit into all aspects of your life, the good and the bad.  Who couldn't use more power in their life?  Wouldn't you like the good to be even better and the bad to get better?  The Holy Spirit has incredible power to make things better in your life.  I am living proof of that.  Our family went from an angry and somewhat violent family to a loving and calm family.  Things are not perfect, and I am not sure they will ever be as we live in a broken world. However, they are so good, and I am so grateful.  Whatever you are struggling with, please believe me when I say the Holy Spirit has the power to change it.  Remember Romans 8:11: The power of the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you.  What could be more powerful? Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Holy Spirit, we invite you into our lives and give you permission to intercede as you wish.  We give you free rein, as we know your ways are higher than our ways.  We are sorry we keep relying on our own power, and we will try to remember to call upon your power.  We are so grateful for all you do for us.  Lord, we are so grateful you sent the Holy Spirit to come live within and to guide us.  Please help us remember to call upon the Holy Spirit more in our lives.  Help us to remember we don't have to do anything on our own; He is always with us.  He is just waiting for us to ask.  Lord, help us to remember our bodies are a temple and the Holy Spirit is living inside that temple.  Help us to treat our bodies like a temple.  Lord, you are so amazing.  You are my joy, you are my life, you are Emmanuel, God with us.  We love you, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I thought the Holy Spirit would be a great topic for Today's Devotional because the theme for mentoring this month is Loved and Led by the Holy Spirit. The last two months we looked at the love of the Father and the love of the Son. Now we look at the love of the Holy Spirit. CLICK HERE if you want to learn more about mentoring or if you want to join our community to learn more about the power and love you have living inside of you! I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord was received in February 2026 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “My children, let my goodness flow and overflow in you. Let it spread to all those you meet. I am the Lord of goodness. I am the Lord of kindness. Open your hearts more fully to me so that you can know how to share it with those you meet.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

At the beginning of His public ministry, Jesus entered the synagogue in Nazareth and read from Isaiah's prophecy, declaring that He had come to proclaim good news, bind up the brokenhearted, set captives free, and announce the Lord's favor. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reflects on Isaiah's promise that the Messiah would give His people “a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” This garment of praise is not something we are born wearing—it is a gift we must choose to put on. Praise does no good hanging in the closet of theory. It must be wrapped around the heart through gratitude, worship, and daily surrender to Christ. Dr. Youssef reminds us that true praise flows like a river from a heart that remembers God's goodness. Though God has given us countless reasons to praise Him, we must still participate. We must choose the praise-filled life, rejecting despair and fixing our eyes on Jesus. In Christ, sadness can be exchanged for gladness, despair for praise, sorrow for healing, and discouragement for hope. As we praise the name of Jesus, the cloud of discouragement begins to lift, and God supplies strength for the weary. Those who hope in Him will soar on wings like eagles, run and not grow weary, and walk and not faint. Prayer: Lord, thank You for providing me with the garment of praise through Christ Jesus. Help me to wear it daily. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor” (Isaiah 61:1). Learn more in Dr. Michael A. Youssef's sermon Empowered by Praise, Aligning with Heaven: WATCH NOW | LISTEN NOW The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

Three Steps to Break Your Chains Acts 12:6-8 “The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, ‘Quick! Get up!' and the chains fell off his wrists.  Then, the angel told him, ‘Get dressed and put on your sandals.'  And he did. ‘Now put on your coat and follow me,' the angel ordered.” In this passage, God is telling us three steps we can take to break our own chains.  I know some of you may be saying that this is great for some people, but my chains are too strong for such a simple solution. Although this may seem simple, I am not saying it was easy. Peter was asked to get up while he was still wearing the chains. His chains did not come off before he was told to stand. His getting up while he was still chained took courage and trust. He needed to trust that God was telling him to get up for a reason. We all have some responsibility in getting out of our chains. Peter did not know what was coming next. He just knew that he had first to get up before anything else could happen. Can you do this step? Can you get up and get out of bed even if you don't know what is coming next or what the next step is? Can you trust that God is there with you and that if you get up, he will take the chains off of you? Next, the angel told Peter to get dressed and put on his sandals. When we are in the midst of a challenge, this may be the hardest step. It may take all our energy to get up out of bed, and getting dressed is another step that may seem impossible. This is when we need to rely on God. He is there for us, and He is there to give us the strength to get up when we don't feel like we can. Why is it important to get dressed? Getting dressed means that we are ready to go somewhere. We are ready for God to take us to a new place, a new situation. We need to be ready for anything to happen. Just the act of getting dressed can help change our mood. Even if we accomplish nothing else the entire day, we at least accomplished that. Also, depending on what you wear, it can change your mood as well. Are you getting dressed in clothes that tell your body that you are ready to go for the day, or are you dressing in clothes that tell your body to go back to bed? I have heard many people say that we should dress like we want to feel, not as we do feel. If you want to feel beautiful, then do not wear your yoga pants that are worn and have lots of holes; dress as if you already feel beautiful, and that is how you will start to feel. The last step the angel said is to follow me (God). We may not know how we can get out of our chains or what we can do to get out of the current situation. This is when it is important to be still and listen. Sometimes it is easier to hear God than other times. I have had times in the past when I rarely took the time to stop and spend quiet time listening to God. I talked an awful lot to him, but I struggled with the being still and just listening part. I have worked on this and grown in this area over the last several years. Oftentimes we know what God is telling us by the little voice inside our head that tells us what we should do. Are you listening to that voice on a regular basis, or are you shutting it down? I often do not listen to that voice and then always regret it, as it usually knows the right choice. Once you are ready to go, stop and listen and see if you can follow God. Where is he leading you? What does he want you to do next? If we ask God to direct us and lead us, He will. Listen and see what step he is leading you to take. No matter how small that step is, if we take one step after another, we will break free from our chains. There were many instances in the Bible when people had to act first before seeing the results. At the wedding at Cana (John 2:1-11), they ran out of wine. Jesus told the stewards to fill up the wine jugs with water. Then, he asked them to take it to the chief steward. They had to act in faith before they were sure of the miracle. They had to take this cup of what they thought was water to their boss and ask him to taste it. This required their action and their faith. In John 5:2-9, Jesus met a man at a pool, waiting for someone to help him into the healing waters.  He had been an invalid for 38 years.  Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be healed. This required the man to answer. Then he told the man to rise up and take up his mat. This man had not been able to walk for a long time. Before he was healed, he was told to rise and take up his mat. He needed to trust that when he tried to stand, he would be able to. His faith and action were required before the miracle took place. God does amazing things every single day. Yes, God could save you without requiring anything from you, and sometimes he does. Sometimes, He saves people who do not even know they need saving. However, oftentimes, God is asking us to take some responsibility for our own situation. What can you do to save yourself from this current situation that you are in? What is one small action you can take to show God that you are willing to help yourself? Absolutely, pray to God and ask him to help you in any situation you are in, especially the really difficult ones. I am not saying that we need to save ourselves from everything. What I am saying is that we should pray and have faith that God will save us and then act on that faith and take a step in the direction we want to go. I will end with one of my favorite quotes. “Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.” ~Saint Augustine Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to the episode today. Lord, we want to follow you; please show us how. Please show us the way.  We want to get up and get dressed, and yet some of us are in circumstances that make that really hard.  Please give us the strength to get out of bed and get dressed. Give us the strength to have faith that things will get better. Give us the faith to take that one step, that one small action, so that you know we want to help ourselves; we want to help you. We love you, Lord, and we need you; please help us! We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I invite you all to join me in mentoring. So far this year, we have learned about God's reckless love, God's forgiveness, Praying without ceasing, prayer journaling, our identity, setting intentions for the year, praise and worship, and replacing the lies we tell ourselves with the truth from God. When you sign up, you will have access to all the recordings for these previous sessions. If you have any questions, let me know. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day! www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

 Uncertainty can leave us worried, hesitant, and desperate to understand what God is doing. In this episode of the RENEW Podcast, “How to Trust God When You Don't Know What Comes Next,” we discover from Proverbs 3:5–6 how to surrender the unknown, obey the next step, and confidently follow the God who already sees the entire path. 

Episode Summary In this Bible teaching from 1 Corinthians 10:12–13, Bobby Bosler places two familiar verses back into Paul's warning against idolatry and compromise. The Corinthians could excuse disobedience either by assuming they were already standing or by believing their circumstances left them no way to obey. This episode calls young people to reject both pride and despair, flee compromise, surrender to Jesus Christ, and depend on the faithful God who always provides grace to obey. Topics Discussed The Corinthian context of idol participation and personal rights Israel's wilderness failures as a warning to believers Spiritual pride and the danger of merely thinking you stand Hidden compromise beneath an outwardly godly appearance Why temptation is common rather than uniquely hopeless God's faithfulness, control, and promised way of escape Surrender to Christ and dependence on the Holy Spirit Key Takeaways Outward spirituality does not excuse hidden areas of disobedience. Pride says no correction is needed, while despair says obedience is impossible. No temptation makes you uniquely abandoned or beyond God's care. God remains faithful and provides the strength either to escape temptation or endure it obediently. Victory comes through surrender to Christ and dependence on the Holy Spirit, not self-confidence. Stop justifying compromise and obey the truth God has already made clear. If you've been encouraged by this podcast, please take the time to give us a five-star rating and write a brief review. That would help tremendously in getting the word out and raising the visibility of the Thee Generation for others. For more faith inspiring resources and information about joining Thee Generation, please visit theegeneration.org.

God's love for His children is deeper than we can fully comprehend. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that God not only redeemed us for eternity, but He also walks with us through every season of life—comforting, protecting, delivering, and sustaining us. Before the foundation of the world, God knew His people by name. He orchestrated every detail of our lives, opened our eyes to His great salvation, and gave us the Holy Spirit to teach us, guide us, and remind us of Christ's words. Yet when trouble comes, many pray as though God must be persuaded to care, failing to remember the depth of His love already displayed at the cross. Dr. Youssef warns that too many believers live beneath their spiritual privileges. Instead of standing on God's promises, they surrender to fear, anxiety, and discouragement. But the child of God has access to the limitless resources of heaven. We are not powerless, and we are never alone. When trials come, the Holy Spirit strengthens us, the Word of God guides us, and the presence of Christ surrounds us. Our hope is not rooted in human ability or favorable circumstances, but in the unchanging character of our faithful Savior, who has already won the victory through His death and resurrection. As Christians, we can turn to God with confidence, knowing we are His beloved children, and pray:  Lord, we both know that I'm in trouble, but I know Your Word says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1). I am confident that You have already blessed me with every spiritual blessing. You have given me all the strength I need to face these problems. I know that You are walking with me and that You promised never to leave me nor forsake me (Hebrews 13:5). I thank You for hearing my concerns and for providing a solution. Help me to discern Your will and to obey You faithfully. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.   The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

How do you trust God when everything in your life seems to be changing?This episode is a little different than my usual teaching episodes. Instead of continuing a series, I wanted to invite you into my own quiet time and share what the Lord has been teaching me in real time.As I was journaling through a season of transition and reading 2 Corinthians 8:1–15, one phrase kept coming back to me: “They gave themselves first to the Lord.” While Paul is writing about generosity, I realized God was using this passage to challenge the way I was holding onto familiar seasons, relationships, and expectations.If you've ever found yourself grieving a season you loved, wondering what's next, or learning to trust God in the unknown, I hope this conversation encourages you to loosen your grip and place yourself—and your future—back into God's hands.In This EpisodeWhy unexpected grief often accompanies healthy life transitionsWhat 2 Corinthians 8 taught me beyond financial generosityThe difference between holding on and trusting GodWhy familiar seasons can be difficult to releaseHow God often prepares us for what's next before He reveals what's nextOne question I've been asking myself during this seasonKey TakeawaysGrace changes more than what we give—it changes how we hold our lives.Surrender often comes before clarity.It's possible to grieve a season while still trusting God with the future.God often prepares our hearts before He changes our circumstances.Every season is an invitation to give ourselves to the Lord again.Series NoteThis is a special bonus episode outside of our regular monthly series—a personal reflection on what God has been teaching me during my own time in Scripture.KeywordsChristian podcastTrusting God in transitionChristian encouragement2 Corinthians 8Letting go and trusting GodSeasons of lifeIf you want to take this work and apply it, visit myhappyvault.com. That's where I share free resources and ways to stay connected.Discover ways to work with me at www.thehappiestlives.com or www.myhappyvault.comQuestions? Email Jill directly at Jill@thehappiestlives.com

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

When Hope Hurts Mark 9:21-27 “Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood.  It has often cast him into the fire and into the water, to destroy him; but if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.”  Jesus said to him, “If you are able!—All things can be done for the one who believes.”  Immediately the father of the child cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, he rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You spirit that keeps this boy from speaking and hearing, I command you, come out of him, and never enter him again!” After crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, “He is dead.”  But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he was able to stand.” Jesus is asking just how long this has been happening to the boy?  We also find out that the spirit has not just cast the boy down onto the ground, but it has often cast him into fire and into water so that he might die.  I think everyone listening can sympathize with all this boy has had to go through and how his father is at the point where he would do anything for his son.  I can't imagine watching anyone's child go through life with this happening to them.  It must have been heartbreaking for the father to see this happening and not be able to do anything about it.   The father says, “if you are able to do anything, have pity on us and help us.”  Jesus picks right up on the man's hesitation and says back to him, “If you are able!- All things can be done for the ones who believe.”  I love how the father of the boy doesn't miss a beat.  He immediately cries out, “I believe; help my unbelief.”  Imagine the level of faith the father must have had to believe that Jesus could save his son.  Also, I love that the man was not too proud to say, I believe; help my unbelief.  He wasn't too proud to acknowledge that there might be some doubt.  His son had been sick ever since he was a young boy.  When we suffer, or when we see our children suffer for a long time, we start to think we or they always will.  It can be easy to have hope at first that something will make them better.  We have hope in God, in the doctors, in the medicine.  But what about when that relief doesn't come?  What about when we continue to suffer or see our children suffer year after year with no relief?  What do we do then? Where does our hope go? I can see how the father might have struggled to believe that someone could cure his son. That his son might not have to suffer anymore.  It is almost like it was too good to be true, and so it makes sense that he may have been a bit hesitant to believe.  I think something we don't talk about enough is how scary it can be to hope sometimes.  How painful it can be to hope.  When we don't talk about it, and we don't acknowledge it, we are doing everyone a disservice.  I didn't understand this before.  I kept telling my friend she needed to keep hoping for what she wanted.  She needed to keep believing that God gave her the desires in her heart and so He was going to fulfill them.  What I wasn't understanding was how much it hurt her to keep hoping and then be let down each time when it didn't happen.  I do believe that God gave us our desires and that He will fulfill them.  However, I don't know this for sure.  I am definitely not an expert on God.  I don't know if any of us will ever be.  He is so complex, and just when you think you have Him all figured out, you realize that you have only scratched the surface.   I can understand how if you keep expecting something to happen and it doesn't, you could get tired of expecting it to happen. I can see how it would be painful to have hope and then feel like you are being let down over and over again.  I think this happens more often than we are aware of, and I think it is something we should acknowledge and start talking about more.  I think we don't talk about it because we don't want people to know that we struggle to have hope or we struggle to believe in the impossible.  We live in an age where most people strive to portray the best side of their life.  We like to brag about the good things that are going on and gloss over the bad things.  We act as though we are fine, even though we are really struggling.  We don't want people to know we are struggling; we don't want people to know we need help; we feel sad; we feel angry; we know we should be grateful, and yet we just don't feel it.  I know people who look like they are having the time of their lives.  They are killing it as moms, wives, daughters; they seem like all is going so well.  Then when I talk to them, they feel like they are failures, they feel depressed, they feel no excitement, or they feel overwhelmed.  We need to start being honest.  Not with everyone you meet on every street corner, but with someone, with those you love and trust.   We all struggle to believe things will get better sometimes.  We all feel overwhelmed with our problems at times.  Instead of me telling my friend she needed to keep having hope that her desires would come true, I told her that I would have hope for her.  Did you know we could do this?  Sometimes we get to a point where we can't hope, or where we can't pray.  Sometimes we are so depressed, or have been sick for so long, we just can't even pray.  When this happens, your brothers and sisters in Christ can pray for you.  We are a community of believers; we are not alone.  If we are struggling, we can ask others to pray for us or to have hope for us.  In the Bible, a group of friends carried their friend on a mat to see Jesus.  Their friend couldn't walk, and they thought if they could see Jesus, He would heal him.  However, the house Jesus was in was too crowded, so they went up to the roof, made a hole in the roof, and lowered him down right in front of Jesus.  Jesus did heal the man, and he looked up at his friends and told them that their faith healed him.  Don't get discouraged if your loved ones don't believe that they will be healed or that their dreams will come true.  Faith is a gift, and if you have faith that it will happen, that is enough.  Keep believing for them, keep praying for them, keep hoping for them.  If you are having trouble hoping for something or having trouble believing things will get better, ask someone to pray for you, to have hope for you.  Don't be afraid to talk about your fears, as it is only when you bring them to light that they lose their power over you.  Jesus healed this boy after many years of being possessed.  Just because you haven't received your healing yet doesn't mean it is not coming.  Keep hoping, keep believing or have someone else do it for you. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we believe; help our unbelief.  Lord, help us to have the courage to talk to someone if we are struggling with hope or with believing you will help us.  Help us not to be ashamed of these feelings.  Help us to know that the feeling of shame does not come from you.  You are a loving Father who always forgives when we repent.  We love you, Lord, so much!  It is truly amazing how you work, and even though we don't understand it all the time, we admire it and are in awe of it.  We are so grateful for all you do for us.  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  I look forward to spending time with you tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, just as you are, and so do I!  Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord was received in January 2026 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Do not forget where you come from, where your help comes from. When you are discouraged, fearful, angry, confused, or misunderstood, don't forget. I am the I am. I am your I am. Trust, believe, and move.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

What if the Bible isn't just a book to study, but a love story inviting you into a deeper relationship with God? In episode five of our Summer Recap Series, Shelley Giglio sits down with beloved Bible teacher and longtime friend Lisa Harper for an honest and hope-filled conversation about knowing the God of the Bible—not just knowing about Him. Lisa shares how God has patiently pursued her through seasons of doubt, disappointment, fear, failure, and loss, teaching her that true freedom isn't found in performing, pretending, or presenting a polished version of ourselves. It's found in believing that we are already fully loved by Jesus. Together, Shelley and Lisa talk about the difference between religion and relationship, the importance of knowing Scripture for ourselves, and how theology isn't just a subject to study. It's a conversation with a God who desires to be known. From Lisa's journey into public ministry to the story of adopting her daughter Missy, she shares how God redeems what feels irreparable and meets us with His kindness in the places we feel most broken. If you've ever felt like you have to clean yourself up before coming to God, this conversation is a reminder: Jesus is not a scowling Savior waiting for you to get it right. He is a loving Father inviting you closer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Send us Fan MailIn this final episode of our Loud Longings, Holy God series, we bring everything back to the truth we've been discovering together: our deepest longings were always meant to lead us to Jesus. We talk about why cravings, emotional eating, scrolling, shopping, striving, and the search for approval aren't random—they often reveal a deeper desire for lasting comfort, peace, and connection with God. Reflecting on Psalm 73, we explore how even the best things in life can never fully satisfy, while God alone becomes the portion that never fades.We also look at Jesus' invitation throughout the Gospels and His prayer in John 17, where eternal life is described as knowing God personally. For those who struggle to sense God's nearness, we offer practical encouragement for renewing your mind with truth and cultivating awareness of His presence throughout the day. We close the series with a simple practice: pause and ask, "Lord, where are You right now?" Our prayer is that this conversation helps you move beyond temporary comforts and discover the lasting hope, peace, and relationship that can only be found by abiding in Christ.If you are ready to trade counterfeit comforts for real comfort, press play, share this with a friend who feels stuck, and leave a review so more people can find it. What longing feels most present in your life right now?Support the showLearn more about our Revelation Within Community: https://www.revelationwithin.org

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

Living Truth Christian Fellowship Podcast

Have You Asked God for Wisdom? Wisdom 7:7  “Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.” We have talked about King Solomon before and how, on the night before He became King, God told Solomon that He would give Him whatever He asked for.  King Solomon could have asked for anything, and do you remember what he asked for?  Did he ask for riches and wealth?  Did he ask for all his enemies to be delivered into his hands?  Did he ask for all the fame and power that can come with being a king?  No, he didn't ask for any of that.  He asked for Wisdom so that he could be a just and fair ruler over his kingdom.  When I just searched how old Solomon was when he became king, it said he was 12.  Can you imagine becoming king at 12 years old?  That must have been so much responsibility for such a young man.  He was just a boy.  Even though he was just a young boy, he knew enough to pray for wisdom. I find that amazing. I talked a few days ago about how we don't think as God thinks.  I talked about how His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.  One way to help us understand God's plan a little more is to pray for wisdom.  When we are praying for wisdom, we are praying that God will help us to make the right decisions.  We are praying that He will show us what we need to do and how we can do it.  We are praying that God reveals to us the next step, the next right thing that we should do.  We need God's guidance in what is right and wrong.  We need God to give us the gift of wisdom. One way that God teaches us wisdom is through His Word.  When we read His Word, we can see what He has taught those who came before us.  We can see what they have done in the past, and we can learn from them.  There is so much wisdom in the Bible.  I mean, there is a whole book of the Bible called Wisdom.  This is not the only book that is full of wisdom, though.  Proverbs and Sirach are two others that are full of wisdom.  If there is a certain subject or topic that you are looking for wisdom about, you can search the Bible.  Actually, you can search the internet, and it will search the Bible for you if you are not sure where to look.  You can just type a question into the search bar, and it will search the Bible for you.  For instance, you can type, “What does the bible say about gossip?”  The internet search will provide you with bible verses about gossip as well as articles that people have written about that subject.  Give it a try; I think you will be surprised with all that you can learn.   Another way God teaches us wisdom is through our experiences.  This one can be difficult at times, as it is usually through our mistakes that we learn our best lessons.  We can learn through our successes and our failures; however, our failures usually lead us to our successes.  Well, they do if we let them.  Sometimes we don't learn our lesson through our mistakes, and then we repeat the same mistakes over and over again.  Proverbs 26:11 says, “Like a dog that returns to its vomit is a fool who reverts to his folly.”  This is not a very pretty picture, but I think it is an accurate picture to prove this point. It makes no sense that a dog would return to eat its own vomit.  Whatever it was that came up obviously didn't sit well with them the first time around; why would they want to try it again?  The same is true for us when we do something that we already know will not work.  Why do we keep trying the same thing over and over again when it's not working?  Albert Einstein said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Why do we do this?  Why is it so hard for us to learn from our mistakes sometimes?  I feel as though with some things we learn pretty quickly.  For instance, if we touch a hot stove, we learn pretty quickly that we do not want to do that again.  However, when it comes to other things, we repeat the same mistakes over and over again.  For instance, I know that if I sit down to watch “one quick episode” before I do the thing I am supposed to be doing, I will get sucked in and watch several episodes and then won't have time to do the important thing I was supposed to do.  I know this about myself and recently have gotten a lot better about it.  However, for years I would tell myself that I would just watch “one quick episode” while I ate my breakfast.  It kills me to think how many hundreds of hours I have wasted watching TV when I knew better.  How about you?  Are there some lessons that God is trying to teach you, and no matter how many times it goes wrong, you still keep doing it?  When will we learn?  When will we decide that enough is enough and learn the lesson already? Another great way that we can gain wisdom is mentioned in the verse above.  “Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.”  This seems so simple and yet is so profound.  We know that when we ask, God answers, so why don't we think that we will get wisdom just by asking?  Maybe you do know this.  Maybe it is just me who struggles with this.  Actually, as I said yesterday, we are never alone.  Some of you may already know this, but I know some of you are in the same boat as me.  I tend to feel like I have to earn whatever it is I am asking for.  Do you ever feel like this?  This is something that God has really been talking to me about a lot lately.  I ask God for wisdom, and then I try to see what prayers I should be saying or what things I should be doing.  I try to take it upon myself to gain the wisdom that I am seeking.  Why don't I know that just asking God for it is enough?  It says right here in the verse, “I prayed, and understanding was given to me; I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.” It's that simple.  Why do I try to make it harder?  Why am I not trusting that He will answer my call and grant me the gift of wisdom?  When I was praying on this the other day, the story of the centurion came to mind.  This story can be found in Matthew 8:5-10.  “When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”  Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”   The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,' and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,' and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.” When I hear this story, I am in awe of this centurion.  He trusted that if Jesus said his servant would be healed, then He would be healed.  He didn't need Jesus to come lay hands on the servant; he didn't need Him to say a particular prayer.  All the centurion needed was for Jesus to say that his servant would be healed, and he believed it would happen.  If we ask God for wisdom, He will give it to us.  We don't have to earn it; we don't have to do anything other than ask.  God has told us this over and over again in the Bible: ask, and it will be given; seek, and you will find.  I am hoping that this time around I am ready to learn this lesson and I will actually stop trying to figure it out on my own and trust that because I have asked God for wisdom, He will deliver.   Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we pray to you for wisdom.  We ask that you help us find the wisdom in your scriptures.  We pray that you help us to learn from our mistakes and not be like fools returning to our folly.  We know you are the only one who can help us learn those lessons, Lord.  Help us to trust that because we ask, you will answer.  Help us to trust that there is nothing else we need to do.  Your gifts are freely given and do not need to be earned; they just need to be sought after.  We love you so much, Lord; you are truly amazing.  We ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus.  This month in the Walk Boldly with Jesus Mentoring Group, we have been talking about the love of Jesus—how He sees us, comes close to us, and loves us exactly where we are. If you have been longing to know His love more deeply, I would love to invite you to join us. You do not have to have everything figured out, and you do not have to feel “holy enough.” You can simply come as you are. We meet Tuesday evenings on Zoom, and replays are available if you cannot attend live. CLICK HERE to learn more and join us. Let Jesus remind you just how deeply you are loved. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord was received in January 2026 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Move in my steps and in my way, and you will see my glory. You will help bring others closer to me. But you must take that first step.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

Send us Fan MailGospel Unfiltered is a one-hour weekly podcast that goes beyond the pulpit to create space for honest conversations, real stories, and Kingdom truth. Hosted by author, motivational speaker, and community advocate Cornell Bunting, the show explores faith as it is lived—not only on Sunday mornings, but through life's struggles, relationships, healing, leadership, purpose, family, and service. Each episode features authentic conversations with pastors, ministry leaders, authors, entrepreneurs, community advocates, and everyday people whose testimonies reveal the power of God at work. No masks, no judgment, and no polished religious performances—just meaningful discussions about the victories, questions, failures, lessons, and faith journeys that shape us. Listeners will be challenged to grow spiritually, confront difficult truths, strengthen their relationship with God, and turn their faith into action within their families and communities. Gospel Unfiltered airs every Friday. Beyond the Pulpit: Honest Conversations. Real Stories. Kingdom Truth. Support the showThank you for tuning in with EHAS CLUB - Stories to Create Podcast

Mercy Sets You Free 1 Peter 2:23 “When he was insulted, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” I think today's scripture is a great reminder that just because someone did something to us doesn't mean we need to do it back to them. This is something my kids seem to struggle with. If someone does something to them, they want “payback.” One of my sons especially. If someone cuts him off, he will go out of his way to cut that person off. If he feels like they were unkind to him, then he wants to be unkind right back. I know he is not alone. This is the society we live in. We are so quick to take offense at everything that everyone says. If a co-worker is unkind to us, we take offense and want to retaliate. We have all heard people say that we should retaliate because the Bible says, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” (Exodus 21:24) However, do you know what else it says in the Bible? Matthew 5:38-42 says, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” We are so quick to take offense and so quick to want revenge. We live in a world where we are told we can't be weak. We can't let people walk all over us. We should think about ourselves first. We need to take what we want. I think we have gone too far in one direction. I do think it is important not to let people walk all over you and to stand up for yourself. I do not think we always have to take revenge. Scripture tells us over and over again in the Bible that we are to love our neighbor. It even tells us to love our enemy. Scripture also tells us over and over again to forgive our neighbor and our enemy. What if we led our lives with forgiveness? What if we stopped taking offense and realized that most everything that other people do has nothing to do with us and everything to do with them. People do not cut us off in traffic because they are trying to be mean to us. They are cutting us off in traffic because they are so focused on where they are going that they aren't paying attention to the other cars. If people are being unkind to us, it is usually because they are having a bad day, or something is going on in their life, and they are taking it out on us. I am not saying those things are ok for other people to do. I just don't think responding in the same manner is going to make us feel any better. Jesus consistently chose mercy instead. Again and again, He was misunderstood, mocked, falsely accused, betrayed, and treated unjustly. And yet, He did not respond the way we expect power to respond. He didn't rush to defend Himself. He didn't demand vindication. He didn't strike back. Instead, He trusted the Father. Today's Scripture tells us that “When he was insulted, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” That last phrase matters deeply. Jesus didn't ignore injustice — He entrusted it. Mercy, for Jesus, wasn't passive. It was an active decision to place justice in the Father's hands rather than carrying it Himself. Mercy Is Not Excusing Wrong — It's Choosing Freedom One of the reasons mercy feels so hard is because we confuse it with excusing behavior. We think: If I show mercy, I'm saying what they did was okay. If I don't retaliate, I'm letting them win. But Jesus shows us something different. Mercy is not about denying that harm occurred. Mercy is about refusing to let another person's sin control our inner life. When we retaliate — even internally — we stay emotionally tied to the offense. Our peace becomes dependent on apology, acknowledgment, or change. Mercy breaks that tie. It says, “What you did matters, but it will not rule me.” Jesus models this most clearly from the cross. In Luke 23:34, while being crucified unjustly, Jesus says: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” This is not weakness. This is strength rooted in absolute trust. Jesus did not need to retaliate to prove injustice existed. He didn't need to punish to validate His pain. He trusted the Father to see fully and judge rightly. Choosing mercy over retaliation always feels risky because retaliation gives us a sense of control. Mercy requires surrender. Jesus shows us that true righteousness is not about reacting quickly — it's about trusting deeply. Romans 12:19 tells us: “Do not avenge yourselves… but leave room for the wrath of God.” That verse doesn't tell us injustice doesn't matter. It tells us we don't have to carry the burden of making things right. Mercy frees us from the exhausting work of holding onto offense. What This Means for Us Practically Following Jesus' example doesn't mean: staying in unsafe situations removing healthy boundaries pretending harm didn't happen It means this:
we stop letting someone else's wrongdoing determine our peace, posture, or identity. Mercy is choosing to remain free even when someone else remains wrong. I have done many episodes about forgiveness. This is because I don't think we all understand how important forgiveness is. We think that our anger and unforgiveness, our need for revenge, is not hurting anyone. We are wrong. It is hurting us in more ways than we know. It hurts our relationship with God. It blocks healing; it blocks mercy and grace. It keeps us stuck where we are. It holds us captive, like prisoners, to the thoughts and events surrounding that anger and unforgiveness. I invite you to sit with this verse today, or sometime this week. I invite you to bring it to the Lord and ask Him what He wants you to do with it. Ask Him to highlight the ways in which you are holding onto anger and unforgiveness instead of entrusting it to him. When we release anger, we are not giving power away — we are taking it back. We are choosing: peace over reactivity identity over insecurity freedom over control In John 8:36, Jesus says: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” That freedom includes freedom from being ruled by offense. Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless each person listening to this episode today. Lord, you are amazing! You are our one true God, and we love you. Lord, help us to see where in our lives we are being held captive by anger or unforgiveness. Help us to see any patterns of offense that we might have and help us break free from them. Help us to be more forgiving and more loving to all those we meet. Help us not to seek revenge or retaliation, but instead help us to stop and say a quick prayer for that person instead. Not because that person deserves the prayer, but because we deserve the freedom that comes from not holding onto anger and unforgiveness. Please help us, Lord! We love you, and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!! Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you are struggling with your job, with your family or friends, or just with life in general. I want to invite you into my mentoring community. It is a place where you can learn to lean more into the Lord and build your relationship with him, one block at a time. Also, you will be with an amazing group of individuals who are warm and welcoming and struggling just like we all are. There are no perfect people in mentoring. Just those of us who are trying to love God better and to live our lives more in alignment with Him instead of the world. Click on the link below for more info, or sign up today, and you could be joining us on Zoom tomorrow. Remember, Jesus love you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day! Today's Word from the Lord was received in January 2026 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Take my hand, my children, and I will guide you to where you should go. Do not doubt where I bring you. It may be a place that you do not like, but I know what is best for you.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

The good news about what separates us from God. A sermon on Roman 8:36-39 for the 9th Sunday in Ordinary Time by Rev. Justin Morgan.

An elderly woman once known for always saying something good about others was asked what good she could possibly say about the devil. After a pause, she replied, “He is always on the job.” In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that Satan never tires of tempting God's people. That is why Jesus taught His disciples to pray, “Deliver us from the evil one.” On the cross, Jesus did exactly that—shattering the power of sin and death. His resurrection stands as the evidence of His complete victory over Satan and every force of darkness. Dr. Youssef warns that one of Satan's greatest deceptions is convincing us that pride is not a serious problem. Pride was Satan's own downfall, and it was also at the root of David's great sin. David's adultery and murder began with a proud posture—believing he was above God's law, becoming lazy and self-serving, and leaving himself vulnerable to temptation. If pride has drawn you away from God, do not stay there. Stop, turn back to the Lord, and follow Christ closely. Let every desire begin and end with Him, trusting that the Savior who conquered sin and death has power to deliver you from the evil one. Pray with me.  Precious Lord, thank You for delivering me from evil on the cross. Thank You for shattering the power of sin and death. Please hold me close to You. Strengthen me and guide me away from laziness and self-service. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

When Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors,” He was not teaching that we earn forgiveness by forgiving others. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reminds believers that salvation is by grace through faith—not by works—because Christ paid our eternal debt once and for all at the cross. Forgiving others is not a payment toward our forgiveness. It is evidence of spiritual life. Once we have received God's forgiveness in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts, we are called to become people who extend grace to others. Dr. Youssef explains that forgiveness has two sides: transforming your attitude toward the person who hurt you and transforming your relationship with that person when possible. Both require courage, because resentment often gives us a scapegoat and a weapon to hold in reserve. But real forgiveness does not keep people locked in the prison of their past mistakes. It releases the grudge, refuses to weaponize the offense, and makes room for a genuine fresh start. In Christ, forgiveness becomes not bondage, but freedom. Pray with me.  Father God, help me transform my attitude toward those who have offended me and give me the courage to transform my relationship with them as well. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

When Faith Carries You Through LossDescription:Loss is one of life's most difficult experiences, but it never has the final word.This week on More Than Conquerors, Terry and Reneé Mize share a deeply personal conversation following the passing of Reneé's sister. Through Scripture and personal testimony, they offer biblical encouragement for anyone facing grief, uncertainty, or heartache.Discover how God's peace sustains us, why our hope extends beyond this life, and how His promises remain unshaken even during seasons of loss.The program concludes with a special JMICF Foundation update, highlighting lives being impacted around the world through the Gospel.Website: https://terrymize.comListen to the Terry Mize Podcast- https://cutt.ly/TfnK8I6Follow Terry Mize Ministries on FACEBOOK: https://cutt.ly/terrymizeministries-FACEBOOKYOUTUBE: https://youtube.com/user/terrymizeministriesListen to the Terry Mize Podcast- https://cutt.ly/TfnK8I6Orphan Giving Site: https://orphan1.comGIVE HERE! https://cutt.ly/ttW2I5ZMore Than Conquerors with Terry & Reneé Mize is more than just a podcast and TV program—it's a call to live boldly in faith and walk in the miraculous power of God.For over five decades, Dr. Terry L. Mize has carried the Gospel to the nations as a missionary, minister, and mentor. A U.S. Army veteran and experienced pilot, he has fearlessly taken the message of faith and miracles to remote villages, war zones, and persecuted churches across the globe. From supernatural protection on the mission field to life-changing encounters with God's power, his life is a living testimony that faith works, God is faithful, and the impossible becomes possible.His late wife, Jackie Mize, was a faith-filled pioneer whose impact continues to reach families worldwide. As the author of Supernatural Childbirth, she brought revelation and encouragement to women believing for God's promises in pregnancy, childbirth, and beyond. Her powerful teaching on faith and God's goodness has transformed countless lives and continues to inspire new generations. Jackie's heart for children also led to the founding of the Jackie Mize International Children's Foundation (JMICF), which provides food, shelter, and education for orphans and widows around the world.Now, alongside his wife Reneé Mize, Terry continues to equip believers with biblical truth, real-world testimonies, and practical strategies to overcome every challenge. Through More Than Conquerors, they inspire and empower listeners to walk in their God-given authority, build unshakable faith, and impact the world with the love of Jesus. Tune in and discover how you, too, are More Than Conquerors!#terrymize.com #terrymize #reneemize #jmicf #morethanconquerors #terrymizeministries #jackiemize #supernaturalchildbirthMusicBed.com Licensing:MB01AAUALGJ9YFLMB01XXBQXAHRSNGMB01FCJDEZSUJKQMB0191DJ40VMCTDMB01RVPDDLW2BJW

There are two kingdoms: the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reflects on the Lord's Prayer and what it means to pray, “Your kingdom come.” When we receive Christ as Lord and Savior, we are adopted into God's Kingdom and made members of His royal family. We become joint heirs with Christ, beloved children of the Father, and citizens with access to the throne of God. But citizenship in this Kingdom also means submitting to the wise and loving reign of the King. Dr. Youssef reminds believers that praying “Your kingdom come” is not merely a future hope—it is a present surrender. It means saying, “Lord, reign in my life. Rule over my thoughts. Shape my desires. Show me Your will.” Because human nature is selfish, even our prayers can become centered on our plans, needs, and ambitions. But Kingdom prayer submits every desire to the will of God. Within every believer is a battle between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. But in Christ, we have the victory. So press on with confidence: your Father hears you, His Kingdom is advancing, and He will answer according to His perfect will. Join me in prayer.  Precious Lord, I thank You for making a way for me to pass from the kingdom of this world into the Kingdom of God. Thank You for Your promise to make all things new. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Imagine being granted an audience with a king. As you enter the throne room, you would not begin by rushing through your list of requests—you would first acknowledge his majesty. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef reflects on the opening words of the Lord's Prayer: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” To hallow God's name means to set it apart as holy. God is sovereign, omniscient, righteous, just, merciful, faithful, compassionate, and true. He is the Creator of the universe and the King of kings. Yet through faith in Jesus Christ, this holy God becomes our heavenly Father, and we are invited to come before Him in prayer. Dr. Youssef reminds us that the more we know God's character, the deeper our fellowship with Him becomes. Beginning prayer with reverence reorients our hearts, shifting our focus from our needs and desires to the greatness, holiness, and goodness of God. Jesus did not give the Lord's Prayer as a lifeless ritual, but as a guide for fellowship with the Father. As children of God, we have free access to the throne room of the King—and there is no greater honor than calling Him “Our Father.” Join me in prayer.  Precious Lord, thank You for inviting me into Your presence. I praise You as King of kings and Lord of lords and also thank You for being my Father. There is no one like You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Jesus taught His followers to pray by calling God Father. For many, that truth feels overwhelming: How can sinful people approach the holy and righteous God with such intimacy? In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef explains that we can call God Father only because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Without the sacrificial death of Jesus, there is no forgiveness. But through His death and resurrection, believers are redeemed, restored to right fellowship with God, and adopted into His family. By the Holy Spirit, we no longer live as slaves to fear—we cry, “Abba, Father.” Dr. Youssef also reminds us that Biblical repentance is not self-improvement; it is receiving Christ's free gift of salvation. In Him, we are given new life, freedom from the past, power to change, and the right to come to God in prayer. When you cry out to God and wonder whether He hears, do not give up. Because of Christ's atoning blood, you can approach the throne of grace with confidence, receiving mercy and finding grace in your time of need. Pray with me.  Father God, thank You for having compassion on me and for the joy of intimate communion with You. In trials, help me not to become discouraged but to find hope and even joy in my standing before you as your adopted, beloved child. I pray I will use the new life You have given me to honor You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.  The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

Dr. R. A. Torrey once wrote that prayer is the key that unlocks the storehouses of God's infinite grace and power. In today's episode of the MY Devotional Podcast, Dr. Michael Youssef asks an honest question: If prayer is so powerful, why do we spend so little time doing it? Some believers struggle because they do not know how to pray or wonder whether God hears them. But Scripture assures us that the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry. Others misunderstand prayer, treating it like a formula or a method for getting God to fulfill personal desires. Yet Jesus taught His disciples a simple prayer that centers on humility, worship, dependence, forgiveness, and surrender to the Father's will. Dr. Youssef reminds us that God is not our bellhop or servant. Prayer is not about manipulating heaven with eloquent words. It is our greatest form of communication with our heavenly Father—a place where we bare our souls, receive His grace, and deepen our relationship with Him. Well-phrased sentences will not usher us into the throne room of God. But a humble heart, a worshipful spirit, and a sincere desire to seek the Savior open the door to deeper fellowship with Him. Pray with me.  Precious Lord, teach me how to pray. I desire intimacy with You. Fashion within me a heart like Yours. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen. The voice you hear on the MY Devotional podcast is digitally generated with Dr. Youssef's permission. If today's devotional stirred a question, burden, or need for prayer, you don't have to walk through it alone.

What does it look like to follow Jesus in the everyday tension of motherhood, marriage, leadership, and personal healing? In episode four of our Summer Recap Series, Shelley Giglio is joined by author, Bible teacher, and podcaster Jackie Hill Perry for a raw and wisdom filled conversation about humility, trust, and the hidden work of sanctification. Jackie shares candidly about parenting four children while staying rooted in her calling, building a marriage grounded in friendship with her husband Preston, and learning to trust God in places of deep personal hurt and uncertainty. Together, they unpack what it means to live as disciples who choose obedience over ego, faith over fear, and gratitude over envy. This episode will encourage you to see God differently in your suffering, to embrace the narrow road of discipleship, and to trust that He is faithful in every step of your story. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.