Podcasts about Daily Word

Each day of our life, seeds are being intentionally and unintentionally sown into our hearts which either produce the fruit of faith, or fear. This is important because the results you experience in your life are based on faith or fear. Faith that is acted on produces success; and fear creates inaction, which produces failure. Thus, most of us are experiencing wild swings in emotions, various degrees of success, and frequent periods of failure. If we want to get off this roller-coaster ride, then we have to control the seeds we allow into our hearts. Listen to today's Daily Word to learn more about this concept and discover how to control it for sustainable success.           Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com __________    

Are you struggling in your business? Maybe you sometimes succeed in business, but then something bad happens that causes a failure. Well, if you are constantly failing, then you may have sown seeds of failure. Listen to today's Daily Word to learn how to stop sowing seeds of failure and begin succeeding in business by intentionally sowing the results you desire.       Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com __________    

2 Timothy is the second of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 2 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Praise Series #7 Great Is The Lord, and Greatly to Be Praised Psalm 145:1-3 “I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.  Every day I will bless you, and praise your name forever and ever.   Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.”This is a great verse.  I think if you know me at all by now, you know that I love to praise the Lord.  I think He is truly amazing, and I think it is so important to tell Him that.  Our Lord does so much for us every day.  He gives us so much mercy and so much grace.  He forgives us again and again, even though we don't really deserve it.  His love is unconditional and unending.  How many people can you say that about?  He performs miracles for us, just to make us happy.  He doesn't need anything from us in return.  Again, how many people can you say that about?  How many people do you know who will do things for you without expecting anything in return?  I hope you do know at least one, because there are people out there like that, but they are certainly not the majority.  This is why I love praising the Lord so much.  There is little that we can give God to repay Him.  There is nothing He needs from us.  He is complete and totally perfect just as He is.  Even though He doesn't need anything from us, He does like it when we praise Him.  Praising the Lord is something that costs us nothing but our time and is easy to do.  Once you start to incorporate praising the Lord into your daily routine, you will wonder why you weren't always doing it.  It feels so good to say thank you to God for all that He does for us.  The more you praise Him, the more you realize how amazing He truly is.  When I attended a Life in the Spirit seminar, they gave us praise sheets so that we could participate in the praise part of the meetings.  You do not need a praise sheet to praise the Lord.  There is no right or wrong way to do it.  However, if you are new to praising the Lord, it may feel intimidating, especially if you are in a room full of people who have been doing it for a long time.  If this is your first time intentionally praising the Lord, it may feel strange.  That's normal, just keep doing it.  If you are like me and most people who have never really spent time praising the Lord before, you are not really sure what to say.  I understand this.  I had no idea what to say at first, and even though I have been doing it at least every Thursday for the last 3 years or so, I still use the praise sheet.  I like the things that are written on the sheet.  I do praise on my own, with my own words at home sometimes, but I really like using the sheet.  Here are some of the things that are on the praise sheet I was given.Praise you our Lord and our God, Praise your holy name, we rejoice in your presence oh Lord, Jesus you are my strength, Jesus you are my rock, Jesus you are my fortress, Jesus you are my deliver, Jesus you are my refuge, Jesus you are my shield, Jesus you are my strong hold, Jesus you are my salvation, Jesus you are my healer, Jesus you are my teacher, Jesus you are my savior, Jesus you are my advocate, Jesus you are the great amen, Jesus you are the author of life, Jesus you are the beginning in the end, Jesus you are the blessed and only ruler, Jesus you are the breath of life, Jesus you are the captain of salvation, Jesus you are the good shepherd, Jesus you are the healer, Jesus you are hope and glory.You are the Messiah, you are the fountain of life, you are the vine keep us attached to you Lord, you are the holy one of Israel, you are the Christ, the power and wisdom of God, you are the Lamb who was slain you are the word made flesh, you are the holy one who sits up on the throne, you are the living word, you are Emmanuel, you are the son of God, you set my feet are dancing, you are truth, you are loved, you are power, you are wisdom, you are the faithful one, you are our redeemer, you are the great “I AM”  The list goes on, but those are several examples of the kinds of things you would find on a praise sheet.  There is a great little book called “Opening The Gates of Praise” by Father John M. Capuci.  The reason I say little book is because it is just 38 pages long.  However, in this book, Father talks about five things. First, why do we praise?  Second, what are our obstacles to praise?  Third, ways to praise.  Fourth, how to develop a spirit of praise.  Fifth, He takes you through the steps so you can write out your own string of praise.  This was a great book for explaining praise.  In this book, Father has 10 great reasons why we should praise God.  I am not going to read them all to you, as it is not my book; it is his.  I will list a few that you may find surprising.  One that I didn't know is that praise breaks down the walls that are barriers to God's grace.  Father Capuci says, “When we praise, the walls of arrogance, self-hatred, and low self-esteem begin to be broken down.  God begins the healing process in us as we go before Him, praising His most awesome power!” Another reason we should praise God is that praise allows us the freedom to be ourselves before God and the community.  Father Capuci says, “When we can praise God for an extended time, on a regular basis, areas of being overly concerned with how people will look at us begin to be healed.  When a person can praise God out loud, in the midst of the community, we can be assured that healing of self-image is taking place.  The last reason I will touch on is that praise breaks down negativity in our lives.  Who couldn't use a little less of that right now?  There is so much negativity everywhere we look.  If praise can break that down, I say it is worth it.  Father Capuci says, “There is no such thing as a negative personality.  Instead, many people struggle with the temptation to fall into negativity.  What happens is this: it becomes increasingly difficult to see God's goodness and action in our lives or even around us.  So, we begin to develop a spirit of negativity.  Praise binds the spirit of negativity, setting us free from its hold.  The more we praise the Lord, the more we will see the effects of negativity lose its grasp, and we will move toward the power of the Holy Spirit.  I don't want to relay everything in this book to you, as it is not my information to share.  I would highly recommend you get a copy of this book if you can.  If you would like a copy, I will put the info from the back of the book in the show notes.  I do want to go over quickly the four different types of praise that Father Capuci talks about.  First, praise God for being God. An example of this type of praise would be the phrases I mentioned earlier from the praise sheets.  The second type of praise is praise God for your history, for example, your faith, family, being born, your faculties, and your life.  The third type of praise is praise God for your present, your here and now.  What is God doing right now in your life?  Did He help you find your keys? Did you give yourself a nice sunny day, a green light? What can you praise God for right now in the moment? The fourth type of praise is praise, God for what the Spirit is doing right now, for instance, healing a headache, a sore shoulder, an outpouring of the Spirit, receiving new gifts, or perhaps healing your self-image.  Is there anything the Spirit is doing within you right now that you can praise?  Father Capuci talks about how if you string these four categories together, then you have a “string of praise.”  He encourages us each to sit down and write down at least five things in each category and then start to use this list to praise God more often.  If you would like the praise sheets that I was talking about earlier, just send me an email at catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com, and I will send you a copy.  I would be remiss if I didn't also mention my favorite way to praise, which is to listen to praise and worship music.  If you are listening to this podcast and you have a smartphone or a computer, I recommend you go to an app or website called Spotify.  It is free to make an account, and you can listen to all the Christian music you want for free.  It is a great way to try out a bunch of different artists and see who you like.  You could do the same thing on YouTube if you like that better.  Listening to praise music can lift your spirits instantly.  There is a playlist on Spotify that was created by my mentor called “Big Life Mornings,” and it is a great compilation of upbeat Christian songs.  I have discovered so many new great songs.  Maybe give it a try?  What have you got to lose?Dear Heavenly Father, please bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, we love you, and we want to praise you. Please show us how.  Please put this upon our hearts, and if we are not already praising you, help us to start.  Help us start.  Give us the courage to praise you silently and also out loud.  Help us to push through the feelings of awkwardness until we get comfortable praising you, Lord.  You are so amazing, you do so much for us and expect nothing in return.  Help us to do this for you with no expectations.  Lord, 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.  Thank you for continuing to show up and listen.  Thank you to all of you who have given me your feedback. I really appreciate it.  If you are able to go to the rate this podcast, that would be great to help others see it more.  Also, if you have a friend or loved one you could share it with, that would be great too.  I look forward to spending time with you again tomorrow. Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in July 2025 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, “Enter my children, enter into the secret place. The secret place of the Most High is where you hear My heartbeat under My feathers. Be still and know that I am God, I am Your 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 has a mission, and He chooses people to carry it out. What type of person does He use? Do you qualify? Who he chooses might surprise you. Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.Scripture Used in Today's MessagePslm 101:61 Corinthians 1:26-28To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacherGod has a mission, and He chooses people to carry it out. 

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Today I have two witnesses or you. One is from a friend of mine that recently went on a vacation to see her daughter and she shares how the Lord was with her the whole time. The second one is from Matthew West's website, called popwe.org. If you don't know who Matthew West is, he is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller. This website is for the non-profit that he has with his father, a pastor. Matthew and his father encourage people to share their stories. They have various categories of stories. Today, I chose one testimony from the Anxiety/Depression Category. I know so many people who are struggling with anxiety and depression right now. Suicide seems to be increasing as well. Often, we can hear our own story in someone else's story. When we listen to others tell their story, it helps us see that we are not alone. When we hear how God worked in their situation, it gives us hope that He will work in ours, too! I pray that when you hear these testimonies, you get the faith and hope to believe that miracles can happen in your situation, too. I pray you know that God is there with you, and if you invite Him into your anxiety and depression, He can help.First up, my friend from the prayer group.. She realized once she got to FL that she had lost her passport. She didn't really have any other current form of ID, and so she had no idea how she would get on her plane back to MA. This is the message she wrote after she got back from her trip.I want to thank everyone who prayed for me during my trip to Florida. God showed me that He was God and that He was taking care of me. I was not supposed to board the plane without my passport, but I did. My daughter Maria and I arrived early at the airport on Monday, 11/24/25. I had a late flight. The plane was supposed to arrive at Logan at midnight.  We went directly to security. When I saw the security officer, I immediately asked the Holy Trinity to soften his heart.  He took my expired license. He photographed me and then let me go. He asked Maria to obtain a pass so she could stay with me. JetBlue changed my flight to an earlier one and upgraded my seat to 6F. A male passenger helped me with my bags until the wheelchair assistant arrived to help me. He brought me directly to where my ride was parked.The perfect moment arrived when I listened to my phone messages on my landline. I heard JetBlue say, "We have found your passport. Please call us at this number. I could hardly believe it. I had to set up a FedEx number so JetBlue could mail me back my passport. I received a phone call today regarding the tracking number. I should get my passport back this coming Monday. While I was in Florida, someone charged my credit card for an unauthorised transaction, but my bank caught it and prevented it from going through. They froze my card. I had to go to the bank yesterday to obtain another credit card. I can testify that the Lord is taking excellent care of me!I was mostly sick throughout my trip, but I will always be grateful to God for showing me His love and care.Brianna: From the age of 10, I was stuck with the label “child prodigy,” winning piano competitions, featured in local newspapers, and recognized as a passionate, fiery recitalist. Yet, even as a youth, I was severely depressed. I was insecure, seeking affection, and perpetually in pursuit of attaining “good enough.” Right before my 16th birthday, my world suddenly turned upside down. In an unexpected turn of events, I faced a close encounter with death, had my innocence taken, and watched helplessly as my mother's health began to rapidly fail. Too ashamed to ask for help and blaming myself for the situation, I despairingly turned to self-harm, eating disorders, and eventually, planned my own suicide. One day, I heard the song ‘Broken Pieces', and I found something onto which I could cling to – Truth, even when I could not feel it and it failed to make sense.Through involvement with an organization called Csehy Summer School of Music, I came to personally know Christ. For the first time in my life, I experienced peace, hope, and true joy. Dedicating my life to God, I went back home with a different perspective. My life was still intense – balancing high school and conservatory studies, living between home and the hospital, while being a full-time caretaker for my undiagnosed mother. By the grace of God, I managed to graduate as Salutatorian and get accepted into music school. However, shortly before college began, my mother passed away.I started my B.A. in piano at Charleston Southern University, using every spare moment to pour my heart out into the keys as a wordless prayer. Yet, a lingering pain in my right hand soon became constant. A few months after my mother's funeral, I was diagnosed with severe damage in my right hand, incited by the physical strains from being a caretaker. The only option left was surgery, followed by excruciating therapy, without a guarantee of returning to the keys. My doctor strongly advised me to quit and choose a different career path. But I fought back.Over the next several years, I fought through recovery from both surgical and emotional scars. I realized that though I had given my life to Christ, I hadn't fully “surrendered” it. In those precious years of undergrad, I experienced the freedom found in surrendering to the grace of God, the beauty of vulnerability, and the power of learning to fly again.Then, nearly four years to the day the doctor said it was over, I found myself sitting onstage, performing at Carnegie Hall. When I turned to the audience to see a standing ovation, I burst into tears, because I remembered the words, “With You I can attack a barrier, and with my God I can leap over a wall.”-Psalm 18:29Today, despite the formalities infused in classical music, I get to use the concert stage as a platform to share my story and encourage others to seek help and experience the peace of God. I perform and travel internationally as a soloist and chamber musician, frequently being sought after to premiere avant-garde piano works, and I am actively involved in youth and collegiate ministry. Although healing is an ongoing process, by the hand of God's work in my life, the label of “Victim” has been replaced with “Victorious,” “Hopeless” has been covered by “Confidence,” and what was “Impossible” is now a living, breathing, walking “Miracle.”Thank you both for sharing your stories so that others might see how the Lord is working in their lives 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

First, there was Black Friday. Then Cyber Monday. Now there's Giving Tuesday. What do you think about all these days focused on your wallet?  Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn what I think is good, bad, and downright ugly about Giving Tuesday.Scripture Used in Today's Message2 Corinthians 9:6-8To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Praise Series #6 Praise the LordPsalm 117: “Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.  For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.  Praise the Lord.”Praising the Lord is so important.  It is important not only when things are going well, but when things are not going so well.  God can and will use all things for your good.  It may feel impossible to see that when you are in it, but he will take what the devil means for harm and use it for good.  I was going to say that praising God when things are going well is easy.  But actually, that is not always true.  A lot of times, when things are going well, we don't think about God.  We are busy just living our happy lives, and unless something comes into our lives to upset the good things we have going, we often don't think of God.I don't think the problem is that we don't want to thank God for all the good he has given us; I just think that it doesn't occur to many of us.  We think more of God when we need something.  When things are bad, we are quick to blame God, or to ask Him why this is happening, but when things are good we don't think to ask God why it's happening.  What did we do right to deserve all this happiness?  Why did God allow the great things to happen?  Those are not questions we usually ask Him.  However, he is the first to be blamed when things go wrong.  Why is that?  Why do we give him none of the credit when things are going right and all of the blame when things go wrong?  God is there in the good and in the bad.  We would be nothing, have nothing, without him.  It would be so great if we could learn to praise in both good and bad situations.  That probably sounds strange, praise Him in the bad situations?  What am I supposed to say, thank you so much that my baby boy is sick?  No, that is not what I am saying.  You don't have to thank him, but you can praise.  You could say something like, “Lord, you are all-knowing, you are the great physician, and I know that you can heal my son.  You are all-powerful, and your ways are better than my ways.  I don't know why this is all happening, and I know I may not understand this side of heaven.  What I do know is that you love us and you want the best for us.  We ask that you heal our son.  We thank you so much for answering our prayers.  As you have said in Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given, seek, and you will find, knock, and the door will be opened.” So, Lord God, we are grateful for your hearing our prayers and answering them.  We thank you for the strength you have given us, the strength to get out of bed in the morning. We love you, Lord, and we praise you for being you.”  Do you see how there are ways to praise God even in an impossibly bad situation? There are plenty of bad things that happen.  God does not want all these things to happen; they are not his perfect will.  I don't know why he allows bad things to happen.  However, I believe, if we start praising God more in our own lives, then we will see fewer bad and more good things happen.  If we can learn to praise God when we are struggling, and also remember to praise him and thank him when things are going well, I truly believe that is the way to a happier life.I have been listening to Father Mike Schmitz read the Bible in a Year podcast.  We have spent quite some time now listening to the story of King David.  Actually, David was discussed long before he became king.  When he was just a young boy, he took a slingshot and four flat stones and defeated the giant that no one else would go near.  The whole army was afraid of the giant, Goliath, but David knew God could do anything, so he was not afraid.  David had a complicated life.  He did so much good, and yet, he also did some really terrible things.  One thing that David did really well was praising God.  He thanked God when he was being blessed.  He remembered to thank God when things were going well.  He pointed out to all who would listen that God was the reason for his success.  However, even when things were bad, he praised God.  That doesn't mean he didn't question God.  He definitely did that.  He definitely asked why he had to go through things, why God was allowing them to happen, and how long the hard times would last.  Then, after questioning, he usually ended up praising. The Psalms in the Bible are full of David's praises and his questions to God.  In one minute, David will be asking God how long he will have to endure this suffering, and then in the next verse, David will be praising God and thanking God for all that He has done to bless him and provide for him.  I think when we start praising God more, we start to see more good things happen.  I believe this happens for two reasons.  First, I think God blesses us more when we remember to take a minute to thank Him and praise Him for all He has given to us.  Second, I think we see more because we are looking for the good.  When we stop to praise God when something good happens, then we are taking the time to notice it.  It is similar to when you start a gratitude practice.  If you stop and take 10 minutes in the morning, or even just 2 minutes, and write down a few things you are grateful for, then you will start to notice more and more things you have to be grateful for.  Is it because more great things are happening, or is it because you are noticing more good things?  Where you put your focus is so important.  If you focus on all that is going wrong, you will start to see more bad things in your life.  Where you are putting your focus is something that you have control over.  There are plenty of things happening in our lives that we don't have control over.  However, the focus of your thoughts is not one of those things.  If you do not believe what a difference this can make, I ask you to give it a try.  For one week, try focusing on noticing the good things that are happening throughout your day.  Try at the beginning or end of your day to write down 10 things that you can be grateful for or that you can praise God for.  If you know you are going to have to come up with 10 things, then you will spend your day looking for good things.  When you are on the lookout for good things, you will start to see them.  Trust me.  I will leave you with Psalm 118:1, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for all that you do for us.  I ask that you show us how to praise you, Lord.  I pray that we will remember to praise you in the good and the difficult times.  I pray that we can all find something to be grateful for each and every day.  Lord, I don't know why bad things happen.  I do know that you love us and work all things for our good.  I know you are leading this journey and that we are just along for the ride.  I ask that you lead our journey.  Lord, I ask that you bless all those who are listening right now.  Lord, I pray all of this in accordance with your holy will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen.Thank you so much or joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow. Have a very blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in July 2025 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, “You are my children, and I love each and every one of you, and I meet you where you're at. So you can bring me your muck and mire, and your brambles. You can bring them to me, and I will fix them. I will heal them. I will lift you out of them. ” 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

We live in a unique time in history, when communication and travel allow us to connect with people all over the world. This presents incredible opportunities for good and for bad.  Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer as we learn ways to take advantage of this time to advance the gospel.Scripture Used in Today's MessageMatthew 28:18-20Romans 10:13-15Matthew 4:19To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Praise Series - Praise Is The Way Out Of The DarknessPsalm 150 “Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his exceeding greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud, clashing symbols! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”There is so much power in praising God, and the enemy knows that.  One day, I was talking with some of the ladies in my Encounter class about dryness in prayer and when we feel we are in the darkness.  Have you ever felt like that?  Have you ever felt like you are doing your part, praying to God, and yet you can't feel Him, you can't seem to find Him?  Have you ever felt like He has abandoned you?  You are not alone; this happens to everyone at some point.  We had a speaker at our conference who said that when we feel like God is pulling away, that is not a bad thing; it is actually a good thing.  Damian Stayne said during his talk that when we feel like God is pulling away from us, He is actually just stretching our heart muscle.  If we want to grow in our faith, in our trust, in our love of God, our heart muscles must grow too.  God is helping it to do that by gently pulling away at times and then coming closer.  During a discussion with my friends and classmates, we talked about what we do in the dark times.  One woman said she just had a few days where she felt alone.  In the previous days, she had felt very close to the Lord, and it felt amazing.  Then she entered a few days where she couldn't feel the Lord.  She felt alone.  She said she remembered hearing somewhere that when you are in the darkness, you should praise the Lord.  She decided, even though she didn't feel like it, she would praise the Lord, and in a few days, she came out of the darkness.I may have mentioned this before, but in case you haven't heard it, Mother Teresa was known for her love of Jesus.  She had a very personal, intimate encounter with Jesus on a train once, and it fortified her faith beyond words.  She loved Him.  When others met her, just by being around her, they came to love Jesus too.  Her love for Jesus was overflowing.  Mother Teresa also went through a dark time.  She would go into prayer time, and she couldn't pray; she didn't feel God anywhere.  There were times when she questioned if He existed.  She knew He did, because she had seen Him, yet she didn't feel as if He existed.  This dark period for her wasn't just a year or two; I believe it was more like 50 years.  I saw one place online that said, “For nearly 50 years, Mother Teresa endured what the church calls a 'dark night of the soul' — a period of spiritual doubt, despair, and loneliness that many of the great mystics experienced, her namesake St. Therese of Lisieux included.”Can you imagine that?  Fifty years of spiritual doubt, despair, and loneliness, and those around her did not know.  She did share this information with her spiritual director, but most of those around her would have said she was a happy person, so full of the Light of God.  She smiled often and spread God's joy to many others.  It makes me sad to think she didn't have that joy inside of her.  I pray that none of you listening to this podcast have to endure 50 years of suffering as she did.  You will probably have to endure some times of darkness, times when you feel lonely, you think God has abandoned you, and so on.  When this happens, remember this episode and praise God through it.I believe that praising God more is the answer to so many questions. It is the solution to so many of our problems.  I was praying one time while I was out for a run, and I asked God to tell me what I was doing that was different than others.  I asked Him to tell me why I was able to have such a deep trust in Him, and I really felt like He said it is because I praise Him so much.  I love to listen to praise and worship music.  Ever since I discovered Christian music, I have been in love with it and listen to it whenever I get the chance. Spending all this time praising God has definitely increased my faith. I have also had a practice of daily (or as close to daily as I can get) gratitude.  This has really made a difference, too.  I think both of these help train my mind and keep it focused on the things that are important.  They keep pointing me back to Jesus.If you find yourself enduring what the church calls the “Dark night of the soul,” try praising God through it.  I don't know a lot about the “Dark Night of the Soul,” but I don't think it is typical for it to last as long as it did for Mother Teresa of Calcutta.  I believe Damian said his lasted about 10 years.  However, you can also have dark periods of isolation that last just a few days, as my friend had a few weeks ago.  The timing of it all is up to God.  God has a purpose for this period of isolation, and only He knows when it has done its job.  I don't know that praising God while you are in the Darkness will get you out of the darkness any faster because God has His own timing.  I do believe that it will help you endure the darkness better.  I believe praising God is a great way to step outside your thoughts and focus on Him and all He has done for you.  I am going to read Psalm 150 to you again so you can hear the intensity with which the author of Psalm believes in praising the Lord.  I think the words of the Psalm are the best words to leave you with today.“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his exceeding greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with timbrel and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud, clashing symbols! Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we want to praise you and love you forever.  Lord, we ask that you be with everyone, even those going through that dark night of the soul.  I pray that you give them the strength they need to make it through to the other side.  We know that on the other side of that darkness is light.  We know it is not just light, but also growth and new treasures that you have for us on the other side.  We thank you, Lord, you are truly remarkable.  We know you never abandon us, and we love you for it!  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 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 July 2025 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, “Resting is the word, from your worries, from your thoughts, from your concerns. Rest. All is well. Trust. Know that I am the Great I Am of all things. So rest.”  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

Many  of us are guilty of over-analyzing the calling and direction God has given us. However, over-analyzing what God has called us to do will delay our success. Take a listen to today's Daily Word to explore this concept.   Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com                                                                          

Are you grieved at how secularism has invaded our culture and stolen so many of our Christian traditions? I am!  On this first Sunday in Advent, we'll talk about how to preserve and share the true meaning of Christmas with others. Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!   Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

No matter the benefit, nothing in life comes without some risk. This is true every time you get out of bed or leave your house. It's also true in public policy relating to controversial issues like immigration and guns. How does a wise and discerning person address some of these issues? Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

1 Timothy is the first of two letters written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy, a young pastor and leader at a growing church in Ephesus. This letter is filled with lessons and tools that apply to every believer and to pastors alike, and has been used for centuries to guide the lives of believers and ministries.   Join Jerry as he dives into 1 Timothy, helping us see how we can apply this book, and to "fight the good fight of faith" today.   You can take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann—so grab your Bible and let's get started!  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Some things we simply can't change. It's easy to use those unchangeables as excuses for not letting God use us for His purposes. Our age is one of those things you can't change.  Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn how different stages in life can be an advantage rather than a disadvantage.Scripture Used in Today's MessagePsalm 92:10-15Ecclesiastes 12:1-7 (New Living Translation)To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

Philippians is a remarkable epistle (or letter) to the church in Philippi. In it, the apostle Paul writes on topics such as prayer, worship, Christian living, humility, unity, and the powerful work of Christ completed in us. People often recognize this book by it's many familiar passages such as, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" to name just a couple.  This book is packed with life-changing principles, so grab your Bible and join Jerry Dirmann as he dives into the amazing book of Philippians, and helps us see how to apply this book in practical ways.   You can also join Jerry everyday on this podcast as he walks us through a chapter of the New Testament, and gives us some amazing insights and applications. Take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.    « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday, but let's keep the spirit of the day alive by increasing our dosage of Vitamin G and Vitamin P. Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.Scripture Used in Today's MessagePsalm 92:1-2Colossians 2:6-7James 1:17To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

Philippians is a remarkable epistle (or letter) to the church in Philippi. In it, the apostle Paul writes on topics such as prayer, worship, Christian living, humility, unity, and the powerful work of Christ completed in us. People often recognize this book by it's many familiar passages such as, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" to name just a couple.  This book is packed with life-changing principles, so grab your Bible and join Jerry Dirmann as he dives into the amazing book of Philippians, and helps us see how to apply this book in practical ways.   You can also join Jerry everyday on this podcast as he walks us through a chapter of the New Testament, and gives us some amazing insights and applications. Take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.    « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Do you know the story of the Pilgrims who first settled America? Can you tell it to others? You can be sure they didn't learn in school what we'll learn today about how God was guiding and protecting this brave group of people who came to America.Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.Scripture Used in Today's MessageMatthew 6:33To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

Philippians is a remarkable epistle (or letter) to the church in Philippi. In it, the apostle Paul writes on topics such as prayer, worship, Christian living, humility, unity, and the powerful work of Christ completed in us. People often recognize this book by it's many familiar passages such as, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" to name just a couple.  This book is packed with life-changing principles, so grab your Bible and join Jerry Dirmann as he dives into the amazing book of Philippians, and helps us see how to apply this book in practical ways.   You can also join Jerry everyday on this podcast as he walks us through a chapter of the New Testament, and gives us some amazing insights and applications. Take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.    « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Today's Witness Wednesday has two stories I read on Facebook. They are stories of people giving of themselves when they didn't need to. The first one starts with one young girl's selfless acts and ends with a whole lot of people. The next one is about a man who made a lot of mistakes and yet at the end of his life does something remarkable for a little girl he didn't even know. I pray that when you hear them, you can see God moving in the world. I pray that when you hear them, you can see that yes, there are a lot of bad things going on in the world, but there is also a lot of good. We need to focus more on the good.”My name's Walter. I'm 69. I'm the night custodian at Lincoln Middle School. Been mopping these halls for 11 years. Most folks don't even know my name. I'm just "the janitor guy' who empties trash and fixes broken lockers.But I notice things. Like locker 247, every morning, I'd find food wrappers stuffed in the vents. Candy bars, chip bags, cracker boxes. At first, I thought it was just messy kids. Then I realized someone was hiding food.One night, I stayed late. Around 8 p.m., I heard the side door creak. A girl, maybe 13, sneaked in with a backpack. Went straight to locker 247, stuffed it with grocery bags, then left quickly.The next morning, the food was gone.I didn't report it. Instead, I watched. For two weeks, the same pattern. She'd stock it at night. By morning, empty.Finally, I left a note in the locker, "You're not in trouble. I just want to help. -Walter, the custodian."The next night, she came to my supply closet. Terrified. "Please don't tell anyone," she begged. Her name was Sarah. She'd been sneaking food to three younger kids, brothers whose dad worked double shifts and forgot to buy groceries. "They're too embarrassed to ask anyone," she whispered. "So I use my lunch money and... borrow from my mom's pantry."My heart shattered."What if," I said slowly, "locker 247 just... had food in it? And nobody asked questions?"Her eyes went wide.I started small. Spent $30 of my paycheck on peanut butter, bread, juice boxes. Left it in the locker overnight. By morning, gone. So I added more. Granola bars. Apples. Crackers.Then something unexpected, I found money taped inside the locker door. $5 and a note, "I'm a teacher. I know what you're doing. Here's for more food."Then $20 from someone else. "My kid graduated from Lincoln. This school saved him. Keep going."Within a month, other staff knew. The nurse donated. The librarian brought canned soup. The gym teacher left his Costco card. "Buy in bulk," he said. "I'll cover it."Locker 247 became legendary. But quiet. No announcements. No assemblies. Just... there. A place where hungry kids could take what they needed without shame.Sarah graduated last year. Came back to see me during finals week. "Walter, I'm studying social work now," she said. "Because of you. You taught me something. Hunger hides in plain sight. But so does kindness."She handed me a photo. Locker 247, but at a different school. Across town. "My college volunteer project," she smiled. "We're putting them everywhere."I cried in my supply closet that night. Sixty-nine years old, crying over a locker.Now? Seventeen schools in our county have them. They call it "The 247 Project." Stock the locker. Ask no questions. Feed the invisible kids.I'm just a janitor. I mop floors and unclog toilets. But I learned this: Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is notice. And then quietly make space for dignity.So look around. At school, work, your neighborhood. Someone's hiding their hunger. Their struggle. Their shame.Leave something behind. Food, money, hope.Locker 247 isn't just metal and paint. It's proof that caring doesn't need permission. Just action.And it starts with seeing what everyone else walks past."Let this story reach more hearts....Please follow us: AstonishingBy Mary Nelson The Death Row DonorAt County General Hospital, 6-year-old Maya's kidneys were failing. Nine months on the transplant list, and her rare blood type meant no matches. Her tiny body was shutting down.Two hundred miles away, Marcus—a number, not a name anymore—sat in a Death Row cell. Twenty years he'd been there, waiting for an execution date for a crime that destroyed lives, including his own.In his cell, he kept one possession: a faded photo of his daughter, who died at six from sudden illness. That was 25 years ago, before everything fell apart.When the prison chaplain mentioned a public plea for Maya's rare blood type, Marcus recognized it immediately—the same type he and his daughter shared. He volunteered for testing, knowing it wouldn't change his fate. The prison board suspected manipulation. The media called it a publicity stunt.He was a perfect match.After brutal legal battles, officials approved the donation as his "final act." Yesterday, handcuffed and flanked by guards in his green jumpsuit, they brought him to meet Maya before surgery.The little girl, told only that this man was "her helper," looked up at him with those wide, trusting eyes. "I want to give him a hug," she whispered."Ma'am, that's not—" a guard started, hand moving toward his weapon.But Maya, despite her weakness, slid off the bed and wrapped her arms around the kneeling inmate's neck.Marcus, untouched by kindness for two decades, closed his eyes. His cuffed hands rose gently to hold her back."You don't gotta thank me, little one," he said, voice breaking. "Just get better, alright?”Follow Us ℕ

Are you living the good life? I hope so!Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.Scripture Used in Today's MessagePsalm 85:11-12Romans 12:21Romans 15:14Ephesians 2:8-10Galatians 5:22-23Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

Philippians is a remarkable epistle (or letter) to the church in Philippi. In it, the apostle Paul writes on topics such as prayer, worship, Christian living, humility, unity, and the powerful work of Christ completed in us. People often recognize this book by it's many familiar passages such as, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" to name just a couple.  This book is packed with life-changing principles, so grab your Bible and join Jerry Dirmann as he dives into the amazing book of Philippians, and helps us see how to apply this book in practical ways.   You can also join Jerry everyday on this podcast as he walks us through a chapter of the New Testament, and gives us some amazing insights and applications. Take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.    « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Praise Series—God Provides In Mysterious WaysPsalm 145:14-18 “The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.  The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.  The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.  The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”There are so many good things in this passage.  “The Lord lifts up all who are bowed down.”  How often do we need the Lord to lift us? It is so great to know that the Lord lifts us when we pray to Him and ask Him to.  When we are bowed down to the Lord, we are praying and worshipping Him.  When we spend this time with Him, He can lift us. This verse helps us to see the power of praise. When we praise and worship the Lord, He lifts us to higher heights. I heard a saying once that I absolutely love and placed on the door in front of my treadmill. It says, If you complain, you remain. If you praise, you will be raised.I have seen this time and time again. I have seen the difference between people who sit and complain about their circumstances and those who can be grateful. Those who spend all their time thinking about what they don't have and those who focus on the little that they do have. We have a choice in every situation. Are we going to turn to the Lord? Are we going to ask Him and rely on Him for all that we need? Are we going to be grateful for what is going right or focus on all that is going wrong? I promise you, if you start to focus on the good. If you start to praise the Lord for what you do have, you will get more of it.Next, the verse says, “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.”  This one is a hard one for many of us.  We do not want to wait for the proper time.  We want things to happen on our timeline, or maybe we think our timeline is the proper time.  Then we struggle when God disagrees.  My dad told me a story once that shows how God will give food to those who look to him at the proper time.  My mom & dad have 11 children.  They also had a friend who had several children, I think at least 7.  This friend called up and asked my parents if they could watch their kids, as something important had come up.  My parents said yes because they were always there for those in need.  However, my parents had just been talking about how they had no idea how they were even going to feed their own children dinner that night, and now they had seven more mouths to feed.  So, they did what they always did in these situations: they turned their eyes to God and asked Him to provide.Shortly after their prayer, they received a knock at the door.  It was a neighbor holding bags of groceries.  It turns out the neighbor's father had to move in unexpectedly, and they needed to combine his father's household with his.  They had just gone grocery shopping, and so they did not have room in their cabinets for all the food from his Dad's place.  So, they asked my folks if they could use any of the food.  My parents graciously accepted.  When looking through the bags they notice that there was plenty of pasta.  My parents prayed, “Lord, if we only had some meat, then we could serve spaghetti to all these kids.”Guess what?  There was another knock at the door.  It was a different neighbor.  He had a cooler full of meat.  He said that he and his friend had been hunting and they had too much meat.  He explained that he and his friend had already stuffed their fridge and freezer, and still they had no room for this leftover meat.  Again, my parents graciously accepted.  Then, when they looked in the cooler, there was ground meat for spaghetti.  They were so thankful.  This was not a one-time thing for my parents.  My parents were faithful in their prayers, not just when they were in need, but even when things were going well.  God was faithful in answering them. My parents did not have a lot, and yet I didn't hear them complain a lot. My parents knew that God was their provider. They knew that all they had came from Him, so they praised Him and thanked Him for all He gave them.Next, it says, “You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”  This is another great verse.  I believe that God puts our desires in our hearts.  I am talking about our deep desires, not the desire to eat ice cream at midnight. The desires I am talking about are the desires to have a specific job, the desire to be married and have children, the desire to sing, or act, or whatever it is you feel you are called to do.  As this verse states, God wants to satisfy the desires of every living thing.  I know this can be hard to believe if you have a desire that you have been waiting for God to satisfy.  Maybe you have been waiting for the right man/woman to come along so that you can be married and have children.  I know it is hard when we want something, and we have to wait a very long time.  Isaiah 55:9 says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  God has a plan for our lives, and it is better than our own.  I know this can be frustrating because God does not always let us in on His plan for our lives. Sometimes we can be left wondering what His plan is and when we will understand it.  If you have been thinking these things, I want you to know that you are not alone. Many of us do not understand God's plan or why the things we have been praying for have not happened yet.It's easy to lose hope when our prayers aren't answered immediately.  It can be frustrating when we pray for something and don't seem to get any answers.  I found this definition of hope online, and I really like it.  In the Bible, hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised, and its strength is in His faithfulness.  We know God is faithful to His children.  We know He keeps His promises.  Therefore, we can confidently expect that He will answer our prayers.  It says in Hebrews 13:8, ”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, and forever." Jesus has kept all of his promises in the bible.  If He did it then, He will do it now.  If you are getting frustrated waiting for your desires to be fulfilled, I ask that you turn to the scriptures and either use the ones in this episode or find other ones that show you how faithful your Heavenly Father is.  He will come through. Please don't give up asking for what you want.  Saying that makes me think of the story in Luke 18:1-8 of the persistent widow.  “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.  He said, “In a certain town, there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought.  And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.' “For some time, he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don't fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually come and attack me!'”And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says.  And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”Jesus told this parable to show his disciples that they should pray and not give up.  If He was worried his disciples would stop praying and give up, and they lived with Him day and night for 3 years, then I think He will cut us some slack for wanting to give up.  I am sure He gets how frustrating it is to wait for the Lord's timing.  If you are tempted to give up and stop praying for something that you genuinely desire, I ask you to pause and remember this woman in the parable.  What if she had stopped bothering the judge?  What if she had not kept going back?  Would she have her justice?  We never know when the answer is right around the corner.  What if you pray for 3 years, then stop, and God wants to give it to you the next day?  Don't stop praying for your deepest desires. He gave you those desires, and he will bring them into being if you let Him.  We need to thank the Lord for fulfilling our desires even before we have proof that He is fulfilling them. Praising Him for things unseen shows the Lord that we trust Him to keep His promises to us just as He did to His people in the Bible. God did extraordinary things in Scripture, and He is still doing extraordinary things today. Are we going to be able to see those extraordinary things? Are we going to praise Him for those extraordinary things even before we see them? Are we going to trust that God keeps His promises and that if He has done it before, He will do it again? You get to choose how you respond.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask that you bless all of those listening to this podcast today. Lord, we ask that you help us to praise you, even as we wait for answers. We ask that you fill us with hope for those desires that we've been praying for. Lord, we pray that you give us perseverance to keep praying even when there's no end in sight. Lord Jesus, we ask that you give us strength to keep praying when we don't have any answers. Give us strength when we're weak, and we don't think we can go on. Lord, we know that you are the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. We know that you've kept your promises in the past and you will continue to do so. Lord, we ask that you fortify our hope and faith in you. We ask that you increase our faith. Lord, if there is a desire that we have given up on that you want to give to us, we ask that you renew that desire in our hearts, Lord Jesus. We ask that you keep whispering it louder and louder until we can no longer ignore it. Lord, we thank you for fulfilling these desires, as we know you keep your promises, and so these desires will be fulfilled. We thank you for helping us stay persistent and for giving us the strength to keep asking. Lord, we thank you for listening to all of our prayers every time we ask. Lord, we love you so very much, 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 want to invite you all to sign up for my newsletter. It is just a once-a-week newsletter that has a brief teaching on the mentoring topic for the month, and then any news on my life and what is upcoming for the podcast or mentoring. I do have some very exciting news about the podcast that I will be sharing shortly. If you would like to sign up, you can CLICK HERE or head over to my website, findingtruenorthcoaching.com. 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 July 2025 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, I come to you as a gentle rain. I come to you as a torrential waterfall. I come to you at every moment of your life in the way you need me at that moment.” 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

Do you know someone overcome by honest doubts? Most of us do. Today, I will share some insights into how to help a person with genuine struggles of faith. Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.Scripture Used in Today's Message1 Timothy 4:1-21 John 5:13Hebrews 11;1, 6Proverbs 3:5-6Romans 11:33-36Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

The book of Ephesians is a powerful book in the Bible. This book, written by the Apostle Paul to the church, gives us an understanding of spiritual gifts and how to walk in love and unity. Grab your Bible and join Jerry as he dives into this life-changing book, the book of Ephesians.  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

In this grounding and deeply spiritual episode, Dr. Kelly O. reveals the transformative power of slowing down. Using the VivaLife Body Scan, Daily Word inspiration, and biblical wisdom, she teaches listeners how to relax their nervous system, hear divine guidance, and move through the world more thoughtfully and intentionally.Packed with meditative practices, professional insights, soul-level reminders, real statistics, and a commercial to support your wellness lifestyle—this episode brings your mind, body, and spirit back home.Share, like, and follow this Vivalife SPF ME podcast on Spotify/Amazon,/Google platformsVivaLife SPF ME • A podcast on Spotify for PodcastersSubscribe to our YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@vivalifespfmeClick the link below to join our mailing list, events, and experienceshttps://www.vivalifespfme.com/dr-kelly-o-md-linktreeBook Dr. Kelly O., MD: https://drkellyomd.com/book-for-an-eventBuy your journal: https://vivalifespfme.com/vivalife-spfme-product-details/product/67ef31d160ab281de2e01b05We can't be erased, T-shirt & Hat! https://vivalifespfme.com/vivalife-spfme-product-details/product/67da338b44eafa3985031064/#Affirmation #365DaysofAffirmation #VivalifeSPFMEPodcast #VivalifeSPFME #VivalifeHealthHUB #DrKellyOMD

Praise Series- Praising in the WaitPsalm 40:1 “I waited and waited and waited some more, patiently, knowing God would come through for me. Then, at last, he bent down and listened to my cry.”My friend gave me this verse above, and I instantly loved it. I love that it captures our reality at times and also captures the love of the Father. Sometimes, we feel like we are asking and asking the Lord for something, and yet we wait and wait and see no answers to those prayers. Have you been in a season of waiting? Have you been asking the Lord for something, and yet you are still waiting for the answer to those prayers? This can be really hard. We pray to the Lord, and we want Him to help us right away, or at least I do. I really struggle at times with waiting to see the results of my prayers. This is especially true if I am praying over someone for healing.I struggle because I know how powerful God is, and I know He can heal anyone at any time. I struggle because I don't believe he wants to see anyone struggle, and yet He doesn't heal everyone, and He definitely doesn't heal everyone the second we pray for healing. So, we end up doing what this verse says: we wait, and we wait, and we wait. Sometimes we wait patiently, as this verse says, and sometimes, not so patiently. It all depends on our circumstances at the time. One thing I like about this verse is that it says I waited patiently because I knew God would come through for me. This is important for us all to remember. God will come through. It is also important to remember that His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.If I can remember this, I could wait more patiently. I need to remember that God knows what He is doing and that His plan is better than my plan. He is the creator of the Universe; of course, His plan is better than my plan. If he is not healing someone right away, there is a reason for it. I don't have to know that reason, I just have to know that He has one.One way to remind myself that God has a plan and to trust that God will come through is to think back to all the times He has come through in the past.  When did the Lord come through for you? When in the past did you wait on the Lord, and then he answered your prayers? I know for me, He has always come through, and sometimes I ask for some pretty big things. When I asked the Lord to heal my niece and let her live, He did, and we didn't even have to wait very long. Well, I am sure it felt like a long four months in the hospital before she could come home. When I asked him to help my son get off of drugs, He did. When I asked Him to take away my dad's pain, He did. When I asked Him to take away my sister's pain, He did. When I asked Him to save my marriage, He did. God has come through for us more times than I can count, and this is why I can wait patiently. I know He will always come through for me. He will always come through for you, too! We just have to wait longer than we would like at times.I love that this verse says, “Then, at last, he bent down and listened to my cry.” I love this because it shows the Father as a loving father. It shows that He cares about us. It doesn't just say they finally heard us. I love that it says he bent down and listened to my cry. What I picture is a loving Father who bends down to listen to me cry. He doesn't just stand there and let our cries go up to his ears. He bends down to show us we have His attention. I picture Jesus; since we don't really know what God looks like, bending down, and I picture us as little children whispering our requests into his ear. It's almost like we are telling Him a secret, one that no one knows.I love to picture the Father like this. I think if we read more verses like this, we begin to see God as our loving Father rather than a stern Father figure who is judging us and just waiting to call us out on everything we are doing wrong. God loves us, and He wants to answer our prayers. However, like a loving Father, He also knows that when we ask for something that is not good for us or that we are not quite ready for. He knows this, so he either gives us something else or waits until we are ready. God is so good!One thing that I have found really helps in the waiting is praising the Lord. If we are going to have to wait anyway, then how are we going to spend that time? We could spend it complaining about the wait and how miserable we are, or we can spend it praising the Lord for the good He does every single day and for the good we know He will do when He answers our prayers. Which would serve you better? Which would be a better way to pass the time? God is good. If you look back over your lives, I am sure you can see many ways in which He has come through for you. It might not always be exactly how you would like or when you would like, but He does always show up.If things have been bad for a really long time and you honestly can't think of a time when God has come through for you, then praise Him for what He has done for others. Or, you can praise Him for things like a really good cup of coffee, or a sunny day just when you needed it. When I remember to focus on praise, my whole day gets better. When I am focusing on praise, I can see God more throughout my day. When I am looking for reasons to thank Him, I always find them. I find the green lights are just long enough for me to get through them. I find that my day seems to stretch so I can get everything done.Praising in the waiting isn't always easy, trust me, I know that. I was praying for peace in my house for over 15 years, and I still have to pray for it some days. I can promise you that it is worth it. I can promise it will make the wait more bearable. Praising in the wait can even allow you to have joy in the midst of really hard times. Finding things to be grateful for in the wait shows you that there are good things mixed in with the bad. Life is not all bad, even when it seems like most of it is bad. There can always be joy if you choose to look for it. Will you join me in praising the Lord today?Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless each and every person listening to this episode today. Lord, help us wait patiently for your timing. Help us to understand that your timing is best. Help us to see that you know what is best for us. Help us to have faith that you will come through for us. 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 would like to invite you all to join my email list. I will not overwhelm you with emails. It is usually one email a week with an article on the mentoring topic for the month. Then I include any other info about what is coming up with Walk Boldly With Jesus. If you would like to join my email list you can go to my website FindingTrueNorthCoaching.com or you can click on the link below. That will sign you up for my emails, and it will also get you an awesome free audio training. I look forward to meeting you all here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day!Today's Word from the Lord was received in July 2025 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, “Walk with faith. Believe that all is possible. David slew Goliath, the giant of his time. David crippled him with one shot from his slingshot, a child's weapon at best, but whose power came from 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 Bible is the most life-transforming piece of literature ever written. It's meant to change our lives -- our beliefs, our attitudes, and our behavior. But sometimes it has no effect at all. Can that be the teacher's fault? Scripture Used in Today's MessageMatthew 7:28-29Titus 2:15Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

The book of Ephesians is a powerful book in the Bible. This book, written by the Apostle Paul to the church, gives us an understanding of spiritual gifts and how to walk in love and unity. Grab your Bible and join Jerry as he dives into this life-changing book, the book of Ephesians.  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

The American political landscape is changing dramatically. What's behind this realignment? Who should you believe?Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

The book of Ephesians is a powerful book in the Bible. This book, written by the Apostle Paul to the church, gives us an understanding of spiritual gifts and how to walk in love and unity. Grab your Bible and join Jerry as he dives into this life-changing book, the book of Ephesians.  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

The Old Testament feels like a long history of Isreal getting in trouble. Despite God's faithfulness, love, and miraculous wonders, Isreal just kept wondering away from the Lord. Does that describe you as well? There is a solution.Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to discover why Israel kept failing and what to do about it.Scripture Used in Today's MessagePsalm 78:5-8Provers 4:23Jeremiah 17:9Matthew 6:21Psalm 139:23-24To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

The book of Ephesians is a powerful book in the Bible. This book, written by the Apostle Paul to the church, gives us an understanding of spiritual gifts and how to walk in love and unity. Grab your Bible and join Jerry as he dives into this life-changing book, the book of Ephesians.  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Praise Series — God Is Not Punishing You!Psalm 103:8-10, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”Praising the Lord when we are in a good place is one thing. It is a completely different story when we are struggling. One reason is that we might think we are going through this hard time because God is punishing us. I was praying for someone who was suffering from tinnitus. While I was praying with him, he mentioned that he thinks he has tinnitus because God didn't want him to listen to so much music and wanted him to pray silently more. If you lose your job or even if you lose a loved one you may believe that these bad things are happening because of something bad you have done in the past. We are all sinners and we may feel like God is punishing us for our sins.I want to reassure each of you that God is not punishing you! I am 100% sure of this! God does not punish us. God is only good. If you want proof that God does not punish us, you can look at today's Psalm. Psalm 103:8-10, “The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” God does not create the bad things that are happening in our lives. You did not get cancer because you had an affair. You did not have a miscarriage because you don't go to church. God is not punishing you. God did not do this bad thing to you.God is all-powerful and all-knowing. If he wants you to learn a lesson, he can teach it to you in a million different ways. He doesn't have to have you get sick before you turn to Him. Just because God can use this awful tragedy or the illness for your good doesn't mean He gave it to you. God does not create illness. He is a healer. God is love and mercy. God blesses people; He does not curse them.If you need another scripture verse, look at Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Condemnation (punishment) is not for those who belong to Christ. God does not punish His children—He saves and restores them. John 3:17 states, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. The central message is that Jesus's mission was not to judge and punish humanity, but to offer a way to be freed from sin and its consequences.It is easier for many of us to believe that Jesus wouldn't punish us, but harder for us to believe that God does not punish us. God is a good and loving Father. Regardless of what our own father was like, God is always good and always loving. It is hard for us to believe things if we have no frame of reference for them. I think part of the reason I can believe that God is a good Father who loves me and doesn't want to punish me is because my own father was a good example of God's love to me. I am not saying I never got into trouble as a kid. I did occasionally do things that weren't ok. I did get in trouble. But my parents did not condemn me or make me feel shame for what I did. They gave me consequences so I would learn not to do it again, but they didn't punish me.I know that I am lucky and that so many kids don't grow up with a loving, caring example of a Father. In the United States, 1 in 4 kids grows up without a dad in the home. That means 25% of kids in America are growing up without a dad. In the 2020 Census, there were 18.4 million kids who were living without their biological dad. It is easy to see how the view of God got so distorted. We are living in a world of broken people. We are all just doing the best we can, and yet the best for so many of us is not good enough. These are just the kids who grow up without a dad. We also have the kids who grow up with an abusive dad. If so many people have no reference for a father who loves you unconditionally and who would never hurt you, then how are they supposed to understand that God could actually love them like that?If none of those other scripture verses convinced you that God is not punishing you, hopefully this one will. Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”Jesus took the full punishment, so we don't have to. What we receive now is peace, not wrath. Do we deserve to be punished? Absolutely. Every single one of us has done something wrong, deserving of punishment. However, that is why God sent Jesus to us. Jesus came to save us from the punishment we deserved. "Jesus died the death we deserved, so we might live the life he earned.”Why would God send his only Son to earth to die a gruesome death if he was just going to punish us for all we did anyway? If God is punishing you for your sins, why did Jesus die on a cross? When you are wondering if God is punishing you. When the enemy is whispering in your ear that you deserve this because of all the things you have done, I want you to take a look at a crucifix and ask yourself this question: “If that is true, if God is punishing me for all I have done, then what did Jesus die for?”We must know that God is not punishing us, because once we know this, praising becomes a bit easier. I know it is still not easy to praise in difficult times. I know there are many circumstances where the idea of praising God or being grateful for anything while you are in that circumstance seems unthinkable and impossible. That is why I am doing this series. My prayer is that by the end of this series, you know how vital praise is, you know how to praise, and you can praise, even in the challenging times. I genuinely believe that praise is the secret answer to so many of our problems.Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those who are listening to this episode. Lord, please help us in the wait. Help us to believe you are not punishing us. Help us to believe you are with us while we wait. Help us to keep faith and hope that things will get better and that we won't be in this forever. We love you, Lord, and we ask all of this in accordance with Your Will and in Jesus's Holy Name, Amen!Thank you for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. If you have been enjoying this podcast and you are looking for more, I want to invite you to join my mentoring group.  If you are enjoying this series on praise, this might be the perfect month to join the mentoring program. It is Tuesday nights at 8 PM Eastern Time on Zoom. If you can't make that time, no worries, you can always watch the replay. I would love to help you grow closer to the Lord. Click on the link in the show notes for more info. I could meet you live on Zoom on Tuesday. I would love to get to know each one of you. I look forward to meeting you here again on Monday. Remember, Jesus loves you, and so do I! Have a blessed day.Today's Word from the Lord was received in July 2025 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, “Have no fear about how you will respond or how you should respond. Because my Holy Spirit given to each of your hearts deep inside of you, will respond as you see more and more clearly what it is that I wish to pour out on my people for healing, for goodness, for mercy, for forgiveness.” 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

Do you ever wonder why God uses some people and not others?  Do you want God to use you? Is that being humble? Is ambition in God's kingdom ever a good thing? These are important questions we need to figure out.Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn more.Scripture Used in Today's MessagePsalm 75:6-71 Peter 5:5To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

The book of Ephesians is a powerful book in the Bible. This book, written by the Apostle Paul to the church, gives us an understanding of spiritual gifts and how to walk in love and unity. Grab your Bible and join Jerry as he dives into this life-changing book, the book of Ephesians. LINKS:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Praise Series-Sacrifice is the Heart of WorshipPsalm 95:6-8 “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!”This verse was received at the prayer group yesterday, and when I read it this morning, I thought it would be a great one for today's devotional. It talks about worshiping the Lord and hearing the Lord's voice. These are both things I love to talk about, so it seemed perfect. I also think they are great topics to end the week with. I believe the world could be a much better place if more of us were worshipping the Lord instead of all the things in this world that we worship.I was listening to Father Mike Schmitz's sermon from Sunday, October 27th, yesterday on Spotify, and I really enjoyed it. He talked about how the heart of worship is sacrifice. He said you can tell how important something is to someone by what they are willing to sacrifice for it. I thought this was interesting and also challenging at the same time. Everything involves a sacrifice or at least a giving of something. For instance, if you want to eat healthily, you need to give up your soda, your junk food, and your comfort foods. If you want to watch TV, you need to give up that time that could have been spent doing something else. If you want to worship God, you need to give Him your time.Father Mike talked about one of the most important times to worship the Lord in Jewish culture: Passover. He described how the Jewish people would sacrifice a lamb to the Lord at Passover. However, they wouldn't just buy a lamb and then sacrifice it. They would buy a lamb the Sunday before Passover, and they would bring this lamb into their home. They would live with this lamb for a week. They would begin to care for this lamb, and they may even love this lamb by the end of the week, as they have just spent the week taking care of it. Then, they would carry this lamb upon their shoulders and bring it to the temple to sacrifice it to the Lord. They would do this every year.  All this talk about sacrifice being the heart of worship really challenged me. It challenged me because I am in a season where sacrifice is hard for me. Well, true and meaningful sacrifice is hard for me. These days, it seems I am all too happy to sacrifice my productive time so that I can watch TV. However, what am I getting from the TV? What is that saying about what I am worshipping? I am really struggling with sacrificing for the Lord. My heart wants me to fast, and my brain finds all these reasons why I can't. My heart wants to spend more time alone with the Lord, and yet I find myself watching TV instead.I am not sure why sacrifice is so hard for me right now. Sometimes, it comes much easier. I used to be pretty good at fasting or not watching TV. I am not sure why it is more of a struggle these days, other than the fact that life is not always linear. I heard this term when I was teaching about the dark night of the soul, and I think it not only applies to that, but it applies to all of life. Sometimes, we can think that life is like a mountain we are climbing, and we climb this mountain slowly and steadily, and then we reach the top. However, have you ever really climbed a mountain or seen someone climb a mountain? Yes, slow and steady is a good pace, but you aren't always moving forward. Sometimes, you slip and fall. Sometimes, you catch yourself right away, and other times, you slide down a bit before getting back up again. Sometimes, there will be a big cliff you can't climb directly, so you need to take another path, which might not be headed up the mountain, but rather around the mountain until you find a safe way up the mountain.Do you see how walking up the mountain is probably not just a straight path up? Life is like this. It is not linear, meaning we go from one step to the next to the next. Sometimes, we go to the next step, and then we regress back three steps, then we take the next right step. Life is a process. It is one we all go through, and I am sure if you look over your life, you will see that it didn't always feel like you were moving forward. Sometimes, it felt like you were moving backward.I think going into this weekend, we can remember what Father Mike said about the sacrifice being the heart of worship. How can we worship the Lord better this weekend? What can we sacrifice in order to show our love for the Lord? If we look at what we are already sacrificing in our lives, that will show us what we are worshiping right now in our lives. What are you worshiping? For me, I think it is food and TV, but I wish it was the Lord. This weekend I will spend some time talking with the Lord and seeing what He thinks I should be sacrificing.Which brings me to the second part of this verse. The last line of this verse says, “ For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would listen to his voice!” We are the sheep, and the Lord is our shepherd. Sheep can hear their shepherd. There have been studies done where they put a bunch of different herds of sheep together, and they disguised the shepherds so they were wearing different clothes and smelled different, and then they had the shepherds call out to the sheep. The sheep went with their shepherd because they recognized the voice.We can hear the Lord's voice, too! I like that the verse says, “O that today you would listen to his voice!” This is the desire of the Lord. He wants to talk with each one of us, and yet we are not listening to His voice. I think for most of us, we are not listening because we didn't know we could hear the Lord's voice. This is why I love talking about listening to the Lord. The more we talk about it, the more people will understand that we all have this gift. They will know that they, too, can listen to the Lord. This is such an amazing gift, and it is so important for us all to know that we have it. It is not set aside for a select few special people. It is a gift God wants to share with each and every one of us.Let me briefly go over the ways that we can hear the Lord's voice. You might already be hearing Him, and you didn't know it was Him. We can hear the Lord in four main ways. First, you may hear a voice in your head, which usually sounds a lot like your own voice. Second, you may have a thought that just pops into your head. Third, you might have a feeling about something. It is not a word or a thought, but you know something because of a feeling somewhere in your body. The fourth way is through a vision. You might see something, almost like a dream. The vision can either be like a dream, where it plays sort of like a movie, or it could just be an image, almost like a picture that you see. God can speak to you using one of these methods, a few of them, or all of them. Usually, He uses the one that He knows we will be most comfortable with because He doesn't want to scare us.You may be hearing the Lord already. Have you ever asked Him a question and then felt like you knew what the answer was? You didn't understand how you knew, but you definitely knew the answer to the question you asked the Lord. If you have not spent any time trying to hear the Lord, I invite you to spend some time this weekend practicing hearing the Lord. The reason I say practicing is because it can be hard sometimes. We don't always believe we can hear the Lord, and so sometimes, it takes a bit to get over ourselves. It can take a while to convince ourselves that we aren't crazy and that the Lord really does want to talk to us.One way that helped me was to journal our conversations. I would write a letter to the Lord, then I would ask the Lord to answer my letter using my pen, and I would write a letter back to myself. Now, I have started asking the Lord specific questions and then writing down whatever comes to mind right afterward. I don't question it while I am writing it down. I just write down all that I hear, and then I reread it the next day to see if I think the Lord could have said that. The Lord will never contradict Scripture. That is His written word, and so if you hear something that tells you to do something you know is wrong, that is not the Lord. Also, the Lord is gentle, and He does not condemn us. If you are receiving words that make you feel shame, regret, or just overall bad feelings, that is not the Lord either. The Lord may convict you of something while He is talking to you but never in a way that leaves you feeling shame.I hope you will try to hear the Lord's voice this weekend. I hope you will spend time with Him in conversation. Maybe ask Him a question you have always wanted to ask Him. I also hope you spend some time thinking about how worship is the heart of sacrifice. So, what are you currently worshipping with your sacrifice and how can you shift your worship more towards the Lord?Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today. Lord, we love you, and we want to worship you. Please help us. Show us where we are worshiping other things instead of you. Help us to sacrifice for you, Lord. We also want to hear your voice, Lord. Help us to hear your voice. Give us the confidence we need to know you are talking to us. 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. We completed our “Come As You Are Series” the other day, and I thought we might take a break from doing series. However, I talked with the Lord this morning and came up with Praise at the end for our next series. It is something that is so powerful and yet overlooked. I saw a quote I had placed in front of my treadmill several years ago that says, “If you complain, you will remain. If you praise, you will be raised!” I believe this with my whole heart, and so I decided to start the new series this morning. I hope you enjoy it. Remember, if you liked the series on Identity, all the “I AM statements," I put it all together in a book, and you can find that on Amazon. It would be a perfect gift for someone you care about for Christmas. If we are firm in our identity as a Child of God, our lives can look so much different. I look forward to seeing 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 July 2025 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, “Open the eyes of your heart, for they are the eyes that see with the clarity of my Holy Spirit who lives within you. They are the eyes that show you the depth of my love, not just for you but for all my people. When you open those eyes, you will see things that perhaps you wish you did not see. But I will fill your heart with my forgiving, merciful love so that when you see things that disturb you, that upset you, you will know my heart and you will have the grace to respond with my fullness of mercy.” 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

In 45 years of ministry, I don't believe anyone has ever asked me, "why do good things happen to bad people?" The Psalmist asked it this way, "Why do the wicked prosper?" Have you ever wondered that? Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to discover the answer so that you will not envy wicked people.Scripture Used in Today's MessagePsalm 73To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

The book of Ephesians is a powerful book in the Bible. This book, written by the Apostle Paul to the church, gives us an understanding of spiritual gifts and how to walk in love and unity. Grab your Bible and join Jerry as he dives into this life-changing book, the book of Ephesians.  -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

The holiday season is upon us. The next five weeks offer us tremendous opportunity to impart vital spiritual truths to the next generation. It's never to late to start new practicies and turn them into family traditions. Are there some young people you would like to influence? Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer for some practical ideas on how to do so over the next five weeks, and hopefully, for a lifetime!Scripture Used in Today's MessagePsalm 71:17-18To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

Join Jerry as he starts the book of Galatians, a powerful book written by the Apostle Paul in which he emphasizes the essential truths about the grace of God and our liberty in Christ Jesus.  Every day Jerry walks us through a chapter of the New Testament, and gives us some amazing insights and applications. Grab your Bible and great ready for Galatians 1, and join us daily as you take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.   -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

Worship is meant to elevate our souls and connect us to the living God. What could be more exciting and satisfying than that? Yet for many, worship is dull and unegaging. Would you like to elevate your worship experience? Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn one practical way to make worship more of what it was meant to be.Scripture Used in Today's MessageJohn 4:23-24To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher

Join Jerry as he starts the book of Galatians, a powerful book written by the Apostle Paul in which he emphasizes the essential truths about the grace of God and our liberty in Christ Jesus.  Every day Jerry walks us through a chapter of the New Testament, and gives us some amazing insights and applications. Grab your Bible and great ready for Galatians 1, and join us daily as you take your daily Bible reading to another level with The New Testament Daily with Jerry Dirmann.   -------  Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below:  « FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » To listen to or download more teachings from Jerry and others from Solid Lives ministries, visit our new media library at: https://app.jesusdisciple.com/jesus-way/media-library « THE NEW TESTAMENT DAILY PODCAST » https://thenewtestamentdailywithjerrydirmann.buzzsprout.com « SOLID LIVES » Find out more about the ministries of Jerry Dirmann and Solid Lives at https://www.solidlives.com/  « SUPPORT » You can help us get free resources like this out to more people. Visit https://pushpay.com/g/jdglobal Thank you for joining us today! For more resources like this, or to support the ministry of Solid Lives, visit one of the links below: FREE MEDIA LIBRARY » Download or listen at https://SolidLivesMedia.com/ ABOUT SOLID LIVES » Find out more at https://www.solidlives.com/ SUPPORT » Help us get the word out at https://solidlives.com/give/

What's your relationship with sports? Is it "just a game," or is the outcome of your teams big game a matter of life and death to you? Has sports become you idol?How do you keep it all in perspective?  Join me for today's Daily Word & Prayer to learn a tough lesson I learned about idolizing my sports teamScripture Used in Today's MessageGalatians 4:8-9To find Tom on Instagram, Facebook, TiKTok, and elsewhere, go to linktr.ee/tomthepreacher