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A car without an engine can look good—but it's not going anywhere. Dr. Tony Evans explains that the same is true of a believer without the power of the Holy Spirit. Discover how to live fueled by divine strength that propels you forward in faith.
A car without an engine can look good—but it's not going anywhere. Dr. Tony Evans explains that the same is true of a believer without the power of the Holy Spirit. Discover how to live fueled by divine strength that propels you forward in faith.
If you've been struggling with communication in your relationship lately, this one is for you. Want to know what really makes a woman powerful through a man's eyes? This week, Saz is joined by her husband Stevie (again!) for a real chat on the playground about what building a healthy and loving marriage actually looks like when it comes to staying connected. They share the book they turn to when growing together feels hard and pulling away feels easier. Their hope is that you'll leave this episode feeling reconnected to your loved ones, confident in your God-given superpower, tearing down walls that were never meant to stay up, and stepping into what it truly means to be fun now—choosing connection even when it's easier not to.In this episode, they dive into:• what building a healthy, connected marriage really looks like behind the scenes• the communication habits that helped them grow through conflict• the book that reshaped their relationship this year• how the Holy Spirit nudges us in everyday moments• simple, intentional ways to reconnect when distance starts creeping in
In this message from Acts 1–2, David Platt highlights the way the early church was fueled by a passion for Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit. Explore more content from Radical.
To become a follower of Jesus, visit: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/MeetJesus (NOT a Morning Mindset resource) ⇒ TODAY'S DAILY SPONSOR: Today’s episode is sponsored by an anonymous listener who says she is happy to support the work of the Morning Mindset. You can sponsor a daily episode of the Morning Mindset too, by going to https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/DailySponsor ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Matthew 1:18–21 - Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. [19] And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. [20] But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. [21] She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (ESV) ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FINANCIALLY SUPPORT THE MORNING MINDSET: (not tax-deductible) -- Become a monthly partner: https://mm-gfk-partners.supercast.com/ -- Support a daily episode: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/daily-sponsor/ -- Give one-time: https://give.cornerstone.cc/careygreen -- Venmo: @CareyNGreen ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ FOREIGN LANGUAGE VERSIONS OF THIS PODCAST: SPANISH version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Spanish HINDI version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Hindi CHINESE version: https://MorningMindsetMedia.com/Chinese ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ CONTACT: Carey@careygreen.com ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ THEME MUSIC: “King’s Trailer” – Creative Commons 0 | Provided by https://freepd.com/ ***All NON-ENGLISH versions of the Morning Mindset are translated using A.I. Dubbing and Translation tools from DubFormer.ai ***All NON-ENGLISH text content (descriptions and titles) are translated using the A.I. functionality of Google Translate.
Kickstart Your Day Fully Covered (PSALM 91 PROTECTION) | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your DaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright DailyEffectivePrayer.com SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™
Jesus knows all about me, but He looks forward because He knows the future, to the time when through faith, I'm depending on the Holy Spirit and victory is mine. Broadcast #6961To help support this podcast, please visit walkwiththeking.org/donate and select "Podcast" from the dropdown menuA transcript of this broadcast is available on our website here. To hear more from Bob Cook, you can find Walk With The King on Facebook or Instagram.
A car without an engine can look good—but it's not going anywhere. Dr. Tony Evans explains that the same is true of a believer without the power of the Holy Spirit. Discover how to live fueled by divine strength that propels you forward in faith.
Struggling with controlling your thoughts? The battle for the Christian life is the battle for the Christian mind. In this episode, we dive deep into Romans 12:1-2 and explore seven biblical principles for renewing your mind and experiencing true transformation.This episode is brought to you by our ministry partner Accountable2You. To join thousands living in Freedom with nothing to hide visit https://accountable2you.com/dialin. **Use our unique code: DIALIN to get 25% off your first year of an Accountable2You Personal or Family Plan**Key Topics:- Biblical mind renewal- Overcoming sinful thoughts- Neuroplasticity and Scripture- Breaking free from worldly conformity- Spirit-filled living- Christian sanctification- Fighting temptation- The explosive power of greater affectionsAs a man thinks within himself, so he is (Proverbs 23:7). Learn how to practically renew your mind through Scripture meditation, rejecting lies, and walking in the power of the Holy Spirit.Key Scriptures: Romans 12:1-2, Philippians 4:8, Colossians 3:2, Galatians 5:16, Ephesians 4:23
Patrick welcomes listeners with candid advice about real-world situations such as bullying in school and ethical decisions in the workplace. From discussing artificial intelligence’s potential to exploring family choices and serious challenges, the conversation moves between humor, empathy, and tough questions on faith and integrity. Kyle (email) - Is there any moral issue with Catholics using generative AI for work? (00:56) Sam - Why is God the Father when it was the Holy Spirit who conceived Jesus with Mary? (19:08) Nicole - My daughter was threatened at school by another kid. The school didn't even tell me. What should I do? (20:36) Catalina - I just got a new job and I approve disability claims. I realize that some claims may involve transgender surgeries. How do I know when I am cooperating with evil? (34:31)
Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception 2025 Gospel Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.
Can a true prophet of God ever miss a word—or does one mistake automatically make you a false prophet? In this follow-up episode, the Remnant Radio crew sits down to thoughtfully engage Corey Minor's critique of our “Can True Prophet Miss?” show, pressing into what Scripture teaches about New Testament prophecy, false prophets, and the voice of God.Original RR Episode: https://youtu.be/Iwi3E66olekBlog Post: https://www.theremnantradio.com/blogs/is-there-a-difference-between-old-testament-new-testament-prophecy0:00 – Introduction4:42 – Framing Corey's response on Acts 21:46:34 – Were the Acts 21:4 disciples prophesying wrongly?12:19 – Is Deut 18 about all prophets?16:29 – “Presumptuously” in Deut 18 and rebellion vs. honest error20:22 – Did the Acts 21 believers actually prophesy “don't go to Jerusalem”?33:02 – Did Nathan falsely prophesy to David about building the temple?45:05 – Has the charismatic movement “cheapened” the voice of God?55:17 – How churches should weigh and discipline modern prophecy58:51 – Are mistaken charismatics “false prophets” and closing remarks Hey Guys, Josh Lewis here. Have you ever wondered if the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit—like prophecy, healing, and tongues—really stopped after the apostles? Cessationists claim they vanished throughout church history, but that's a myth. In Remnant Radio's new ebook, History of Spiritual Gifts: The Myth of Cessationism, I dive into church history to reveal the active use of spiritual gifts by early church fathers
Holy Indignation, Hanukkah, and Cleansing the Temple of Your Heart | KIB 509 Kingdom Intelligence Briefing Description In this episode of the Kingdom Intelligence Briefing, Dr. Michael and Mary Lou Lake share a timely word about holy indignation, the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah), and the urgent need to cleanse the temple of our hearts in these perilous last days. Mary Lou begins by sharing what she continues to see in prayer—a mushroom cloud and the possibility of suitcase nuclear devices slipped into America through open borders. Rather than yielding to fear, the Lakes call the remnant to focused intercession, asking God to expose and thwart every hidden plot and scheme of the enemy. From there, Mary Lou walks through the story of the Maccabees, their guerrilla warfare tactics, and their divinely inspired strategies that turned weakness into strength. The Lakes connect this to our own call to stand against Mystery Babylon, fight spiritual battles with God-given wisdom, and cleanse the temple of compromise in our lives. Dr. Lake then unpacks the biblical and prophetic meaning of Hanukkah, the desecration and rededication of the temple, and the way this foreshadows the abomination of desolation and the rise of the Antichrist. He also addresses biblical dietary laws, the temple of the Holy Spirit, and how Mystery Babylon uses "strange fire" and unclean practices to defile believers. The heart of this episode is a powerful teaching on holy indignation—what it is, what it is not, and how it differs from carnal anger and internet "bickering." Using examples like Moses, Phineas, Nehemiah, Jesus cleansing the Temple, Paul, David and Goliath, Elijah, and Samson, Dr. Lake shows how Spirit-led indignation is rooted in God's holiness, love, and covenant faithfulness—not personal ego or offense. Mary Lou then shares from her own journey of healing as a survivor of severe trauma and programming, encouraging those who feel too broken or disqualified that Jesus can cleanse, heal, and reclaim every part of the temple. She models how to stand in your God-given authority, reject what the enemy programmed, and insist that every part of your being belongs to Jesus alone. The episode closes with a call for the remnant to walk in the fear of the LORD, as described in Malachi 3:16–18, allowing God to write our conversations and responses in His book of remembrance and to mark us as His treasured possession in the days ahead. If you've been beat down by your past, wounded by what calls itself "the church," or confused by the anger and division you see online, this message will help you discern between fleshly outrage and true holy indignation that burns away apathy, compromise, and tolerance of sin.
God supplies every believer's true needs through grace, doctrine, and faith-rest. This episode explains how God faithfully supplies every legitimate need in the believer's life. Drawing from Philippians 4:19 and many supporting Scriptures, it clarifies the difference between needs and wants, the priority of growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and the importance of prayer under the filling of the Holy Spirit. You'll also learn the danger of inaccurate faith and false teaching, why God's Word—not emotion or legalism—is the only reliable source of truth, and how the faith-rest drill stabilizes the soul. Discover how God already knows your needs before you ask, why His compassion is renewed every morning, and how trusting His perfect plan brings strength, clarity, and peace.Download Transcript: https://rhem.pub/1059-transcript
The post If you think of a Bible verse, it might be the Holy Spirit. appeared first on Key Life.
Today John sits down with worship scholar Dr. John Witvliet to talk about the character we almost never include in our Christmas story. This episode uncovers why the Holy Spirit is actually central to Advent and why ancient prayers, global worship traditions, and even YouTube Christmas festivals can deepen our spiritual life right now. Come ready for fresh insight, a little history, and a reminder that Advent is about longing and joy held together.
#10MinuteswithJesus ** Put yourself in the presence of God. Try talking to Him. ** 10 minutes are 10 minutes. Even if you can get distracted, reach the end. ** Be constant. The Holy Spirit acts "on low heat" and requires perseverance. 10-Minute audio to help you pray. Daily sparks to ignite prayer: a passage from the gospel, an idea, an anecdote and a priest who speaks with you and the Lord, inviting you to share your intimacy with God. Find your moment, consider you are in His presence and click play.
Christmas is so much more than lights and presents. It's the moment heaven came to earth. In this episode, Chad and Robert unpack the deeper meaning behind the Christmas story, the role of the Holy Spirit in the incarnation, and why the virgin birth still matters today.Subscribe to receive our latest videos!Website: https://www.sunvalleycc.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sunvalleycc/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunvalleycc/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sunvalleyccTo support Sun Valley and help us continue to reach people all around the world click here: https://www.sunvalleycc.com/givingGod loves you no matter who you are, what you've done, or what's been done to you. This is the vision of Sun Valley Community Church, led by Pastor Chad Moore and based in Gilbert, AZ with multiple locations throughout the Phoenix valley.Chapters:00:00 Welcoming the Christmas Season04:02 Why We Keep Talking About Christmas05:26 The Mystery of the Incarnation06:31 “The Word Became Flesh”: Why It Matters07:56 God's Presence and the Holy of Holies09:25 Why the Virgin Birth Is Essential11:19 Mary, Joseph, and Courage in the Christmas Story13:18 Jesus' Name and What It Declares15:21 The Power of the Name of Jesus15:43 The Trinity Working Together17:23 What the Trinity Means for Us Today18:38 How Chad Prays to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit19:23 Invited Into God's Family20:02 What the Holy Spirit Does at Christmas21:41 Experiencing God's Presence Today22:43 Why People Are Open to God During Christmas23:58 Inviting Others to Experience Jesus
Jesus knows all about me, but He looks forward because He knows the future, to the time when through faith, I'm depending on the Holy Spirit and victory is mine. #Broadcast #6961To help support this podcast, please visit walkwiththeking.org/donate and select "Podcast" from the dropdown menuA transcript of this broadcast is available on our website here. To hear more from Bob Cook, you can find Walk With The King on Facebook or Instagram.
Pastoral Reflections Finding God In Ourselves by Msgr. Don Fischer
Gospel Matthew 18:12-14 Jesus said to his disciples: "What is your opinion? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost." Reflection I often wonder how the disciples would receive a simple story like this, based on their own human experiences of being preoccupied by what is lost and wanting always to find it. Jesus is describing God, God's life in you and in me, and he's saying that he is very, very much engaged in the work of finding us, searching for us, helping us back into the flock. It's a beautiful image of the church, of a community of people who care deeply for one another. Closing Prayer Awaken our imaginations to the beauty of a simple story like this that reminds us over and over again that we don't have a distant God, a God who is not connected to us. He's deeply connected. He's inside of us. He worries about how we're doing, and his energy, his grace, his Holy Spirit guides us always. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
For seven centuries, the promise of Immanuel (God with us) born to a virgin seemed forgotten. In part 2 of our special 12-part series, the silence breaks: not in a royal palace, but in the backwater town of Nazareth. The angel Gabriel announces that the wait is over to a young virgin, Mary, who will conceive by the Holy Spirit, ultimately fulfilling the prophecy of the coming Messiah. “How can this be?” Mary asks. Nothing is impossible for God. The Rev. John Lukomski, pastor emeritus and co-host of Wrestling with the Basics on KFUO Radio, joins the Rev. Dr. Phil Booe to study Luke 1:26-39. This Advent series begins by covering the last Old Testament prophet, Malachi, and then spends twelve episodes alternating between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament fulfillment, tracing God's promises from Isaiah to the birth of Christ. The series explores Emmanuel's promise, the Davidic King, John the Baptist as forerunner, and reaches its climax with the Nativity. The final episodes examine the Suffering Servant, the shadow of the cross in Christ's infancy, Isaiah's Messianic mission statement, and John's declaration that "the Word became flesh." Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.
Fr. Nathan shares the compassionate responses to the story of Pete, Angel Marco, and Erik. This story is new and being heard here for the first time, and it is not included in any of the "Afterlife, Interrupted" book series. Click this link and let us know what you love about The Joyful Friar Podcast! Support the showConnect with Father Nathan Castle, O.P.: http://www.nathan-castle.com https://www.facebook.com/fathernathancastlehttps://www.instagram.com/father_nathan_castle/?hl=enhttps://www.youtube.com/c/FatherNathanGCastleOPListen to the podcast: https://apple.co/3ssA9b5Purchase books: https://tinyurl.com/34bhp2t4 Donate: https://nathan-castle.com/donate . My Dominican brothers and I live a vow of poverty. That means we hold our goods in common. If you enjoy this podcast, please donate. 501©3 of the Western Dominican Province. Father Nathan Castle, O.P., is a Dominican Friar, author, podcast host, and retreat leader. Over the past 27 years, his unique ministry rooted in the Catholic Church's mystical tradition has helped more than 600 souls transition from one afterlife plane to a more joyful one. Father Nathan believes that providing such help is something the Holy Spirit has given him and his prayer partners to do. Theme music: Derek Gust
Friends of the Rosary,Today, God loves humanity — every one of us — in His terms, in an irrational, exuberant way that defies our limited logic. This is how the divine mercy runs the universe to our joy.We read today (Matthew 18:12–14) how Jesus tests his disciples:“What is your opinion?If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hillsand go in search of the stray?And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over itthan over the ninety-nine that did not stray.In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Fatherthat one of these little ones be lost.”No shepherd on earth would behave that way. They would cut their losses, considering that the lost sheep is probably dead.The Good Shepherd is different. He goes to seek out the lost sheep. And that's good news. The Father and the Son love us unconditionally… in our imperfection.Today, the Church in the United States celebrates the Optional Memorial of St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin (1474-1548), an Indian convert, to whom the Virgin Mary appeared as he was going to Mass in Tlatlelolco, Mexico.Our Lady asked him that she desired a shrine to be built on the spot to manifest her love for all mankind. That would be the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas.Ave MariaCome, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• December 9, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET
Advent E2 — In the second week of Advent, we're reflecting on peace. The word most often translated as “peace” in the Hebrew Bible is shalom, but its meaning goes far beyond the absence of conflict. Shalom is about wholeness, completeness, and everything being as it should be. It describes uncut stones at an altar, honest weights in the marketplace, integrity of the heart, flourishing relationships, and life lived in harmony with God's purposes. In this episode, Jon and Tim trace the deep biblical meaning of peace and show how Advent points to the arrival of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, who reconciles divided people and makes them one.FULL SHOW NOTESFor chapter-by-chapter notes including summaries, referenced Scriptures, biblical words, and reflection questions, check out the full show notes for this episode.CHAPTERSShalom in Stones, Weights, and Hearts—and Also Fulfillment (00:00–15:15)Shalom as Well-Being and the Prince of Shalom (15:15–29:21)Jesus, Our Peace (29:21–35:38)Reflections on Peace With Allison (35:38-39:42)OFFICIAL EPISODE TRANSCRIPTView this episode's official transcript.REFERENCED RESOURCESShalom / Peace: Though not referenced directly in the episode, this 2017 video explores the same biblical word, shalom.Check out Tim's extensive collection of recommended books here.SHOW MUSIC“Silver N Gold” by Lofi Sunday & Yoni Charis“Snow Fall” by Lofi Sunday & TBabz “Snowflakes” by AvesBibleProject theme song by TENTS SHOW CREDITSProduction of today's episode is by Lindsey Ponder, producer, and Cooper Peltz, managing producer. Tyler Bailey is our supervising engineer, who also edited today's episode and provided the sound design and mix. JB Witty does our show notes, and Hannah Woo provides the annotations for our app. Our host and creative director is Jon Collins, and our lead scholar is Tim Mackie. Special thanks to our guest Allison Steyn. Powered and distributed by Simplecast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What is the significance of praying to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? As we explore the path of prayer, the Catechism elaborates on the concept of trinitarian prayer and underscores the importance of establishing a relationship with each member of the Holy Trinity. Fr. Mike emphasizes that Christ is the focal point of Christian prayer, and he underscores the profound power of invoking the name of Jesus, as it represents his very presence. Today's readings are Catechism paragraphs 2663-2672. This episode has been found to be in conformity with the Catechism by the Institute on the Catechism, under the Subcommittee on the Catechism, USCCB. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/ciy Please note: The Catechism of the Catholic Church contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.
We all have “love issues.” John 13:35 says that love is to be our identifying mark as Christians – not our wisdom or spiritual gifts or activity – but being a loving person is difficult. Jada Edwards has a new book out called A New Way to Love Your Neighbor that she wrote out of a season where she struggled to love well. The Lord revealed to her that she couldn't be the originator of grace for other people. She needed God to reveal His love for her specifically, continually, so she'd be filled up with love to give. Jada and the Perrys explore the definition of agape love in which the person initiating the love determines the value of the one they love. They talk about how Biblical love for others almost always requires decision – deciding to love – instead of affection. And ultimately, love needs wisdom to be effective. We need to slow down, pray, and ask Holy Spirit to guide us in how to love. Scripture references:John 13:351 John 4:8Connect with Jada: https://www.instagram.com/jada_edwards/ This Episode is Sponsored By: https://gominno.com — Get your first month FREE when you use code PERRY at sign up. Take advantage of this web-only exclusive offer today! https://policygenius.com/perry — Compare free life insurance quotes from top companies and see how much you could save.Check out A New Way to Love Your Neighbor: Be Curious, Free, and Brave―How to Transform your Relationship with God and Others – https://www.amazon.com/New-Way-Love-Your-Neighbor/dp/1087789184 Subscribe to the Perrys' newsletter: https://withtheperrys.myflodesk.com/zhfus4jx1sJoin Preston's discipleship community for men: https://www.patreon.com/PrestonPerry/membershipTo support the work of the Perrys, donate via PayPal: https://paypal.me/withtheperrysShop BOLD Apparel: boldapparel.shop Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode, we journey to the house of Loreto, a simple home where the Annunciation took place. We reflect on how God meets us in the quiet, ordinary places of our own lives and how He meets us where we are, no matter how isolated we may feel. We also explore Mary's free and wholehearted yes, given without a request for details, and consider where the Holy Spirit may be inviting us to trust and surrender in our own hidden spaces. As Advent is a time to rest in stillness, we talk about making room for God in our schedules, noticing His gentle invitations in the everyday, and allowing His Word to take root in us even when the fruits of our yes are not yet visible. Heather's One Thing - Registration for Glory: Women's Gathering is open! Michelle and I would love to see you there! Sister Miriam's One Thing - Live Dialogue with Pope Leo XIV and Teens at NCYC Michelle's One Thing - Trader Joe's winter peonies Next, we come to the House of Loreto, a humble home, walls worn by daily life, where the eternal interrupted the ordinary. Here, a young woman listens and her "yes" ripples through all of time. This is the place of surrender, of saying yes to what we cannot yet understand. The Word takes root in the quiet soil of her trust. Other Resources Mentioned: Litany of Loreto "The Annunciation" painting by Henry Tanner Journal Questions: Where am I missing God's presence in the ordinary moments? What does God want to announce to me this Advent? Where have I said no to the Lord in the past? What parts of your life feel uncontrollable? How can I choose to surrender this Advent? Discussion Questions: Where is the Lord inviting you to say yes? How has God interrupted and nudged you in the ordinary moments of life? Where is the Lord inviting you to surrender? How has God slowly unraveled His plan for your life? Quote to Ponder: "This is a serious warning cry: Surrender without reservation to the Lord who has called us. This is required of us so that the face of the earth may be renewed." (Edith Stein) Scripture for Lectio: "The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth…" (Luke 1:26) Sponsor - Small Town Catholic Living: Have you ever dreamed of living in a community where families flourish, bible studies abound, and you can walk to daily Mass and adoration? Have you desired to send your kids to an authentically Catholic school but could never afford the tuition or can afford it, but it lacks deeply rooted Catholic tradition and culture? Small Town Catholic Living is a thriving Catholic community located in Beloit, Kansas. It's a place where strong faith, family values, and small-town charm come together. Here, families and kids walk and ride their bikes around town, young families fill the local 120 year old Romanesque-Gothic Catholic Church, and Eucharisstic adoration is offered 24/7. There is also a PreK-12th grade Catholic school so that your kids can receive an authentic Catholic education for a fraction of what other private schools cost. The town also features all the important necessities of life such as a full-service local hospital, an impressive recreation center, retirement communities, and remote workspace offices. Fishing, hunting, camping, and boating are popular at the nearby Waconda Lake. If you've been dreaming of living in a community where your children can grow up surrounded by others living out their faith, where people truly know you, or a place that has taken a step back from the business of this world, we invite you to learn more by visiting our website at smalltowncatholicliving.com. It's not impossible to be spiritually fed while fulfilling your mission to raise your family! Chapters: 00:00 Small Town Catholic Living 01:15 Intro 02:24 Welcome to Loreto 03:28 Guiding Quote and Scripture Verse 05:02 God Comes in the Ordinary 08:14 In the Fullness of Time 10:15 God Invites Us to Respond to His Invitations 11:50 When We Feel Like We are Isolated 15:20 Saying Yes to God Even When We don't Understand 19:19 The Quiet Work of Faith 21:55 Will We Make Space for God? 26:35 One Things Music used under license i94Cr0
Today, Francis Chan and Gavin Ortlund continue their conversation and share practical, everyday ways to connect with God's holiness, His deep love for us, and the call to live in the constant awareness of what Jesus' death and resurrection means for us in the here and now. Drawing from passages like 1 Thessalonians 5 and Ephesians 3, Francis reminds us that God calls us to both warn the wandering and tenderly encourage the fainthearted with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, knowing that even when we make mistakes, He will teach and grow us through them. Gavin speaks vulnerably about navigating public ministry in an age of outrage, and how vital it is to withdraw from the noise and anchor ourselves in the simple, freeing truth of the gospel. Together, they offer practical wisdom for cultivating silence as a form of connection with God, strengthening yourself in Him, and entering His presence with confidence rather than condemnation. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by the pressure to defend yourself, discouraged by online battles that never seem to end, or unsure how to grow in both truth and love at the same time, this episode will help you refocus your heart on Jesus and reflect His love for the world.
Angel Studios https://Angel.com/Herman Join the Angel Guild today where you can stream Thank You, Dr. Fauci and be part of the conversation demanding truth and accountability. Renue Healthcare https://Renue.Healthcare/ToddYour journey to a better life starts at Renue Healthcare. Visit https://Renue.Healthcare/Todd Bulwark Capital https://KnowYourRiskPodcast.comBe confident in your portfolio with Bulwark! Schedule your free Know Your Risk Portfolio review. Go to KnowYourRiskPodcast.com today. Alan's Soaps https://www.AlansArtisanSoaps.comUse coupon code TODD to save an additional 10% off the bundle price.Bonefrog https://BonefrogCoffee.com/ToddThe new GOLDEN AGE is here! Use code TODD at checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase and 15% on subscriptions.LISTEN and SUBSCRIBE at:The Todd Herman Show - Podcast - Apple PodcastsThe Todd Herman Show | Podcast on SpotifyWATCH and SUBSCRIBE at: Todd Herman - The Todd Herman Show - YouTubeEpisode links:HERE WE GO AGAIN: CNN's Jake Tapper just confidently told the world the J6 pipe bomber was a “white man”… while completely ignoring the surveillance image that shows a suspect who is very clearly not white.Wild “Coincidence” – J6 Pipe Bomb Suspect is Mentally Simple, His Father, Also Brian Cole, Worked with Civil Rights Lawyer Ben Crump, a Close Personal Friend of Pam BondiPortland jury clears black man of assault because white man he stabbed had said the n-wordJewish Zionist activist Melanie Phillips, at pro-Israel conference, mocks Christianity to widespread laughter as "a Jewish sect that got slightly out of hand." - "The values that everybody in the West holds dear, secular or religious, are fundamentally Jewish values," she insists. Where will Jesus return?Sit and feel it on your ownSpiritual but not religious people claim the Holy Spirit is in everyoneWhat Does God's Word Say?Romans 11:25–26“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery… Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved.”Zechariah 13:8–9 “In the whole land,” declares the LORD,“two-thirds shall be cut off and perish,and one-third shall be left alive.And I will put this third into the fire,and refine them as one refines silver…they will call upon my name,and I will answer them…”
Luke 1:39–45 - [39] In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, [40] and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. [41] And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, [42] and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! [43] And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? [44] For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. [45] And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” (ESV) THE EVENING MINDSET IS COMING! Beginning January 1 - 2026 - A new DAILY podcast will be available to help you wind down, reset your mind on God’s truth, and prepare for a night of rest and rejuvenation. “The Daily Mindset” will launch on the podcast player of your choice on January 1, 2026. Subscribe now so you don’t miss an episode: https://EveningMindset.com
In Matthew 7:16, Jesus said, “You will know them by their fruits” (NKJV). Some use this verse to argue against the Pentecostal belief that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In this episode of Apostolic Life in the 21st Century, Dr. David K. Bernard addresses that argument directly. He explores what “fruit” means in Scripture and clarifies how speaking in tongues functions biblically in relation to salvation and the Christian life. This podcast episode offers a thoughtful, Scripture-based response for anyone seeking to understand the biblical role of tongues.Visit PentecostalPublishing.com to shop Dr. Bernard's full catalog of published works. Enter promo code DKB10 at checkout to save 10 percent on your order.If you enjoy this podcast, leave a five-star rating and a review on iTunes or your preferred podcast platform. We also appreciate it when you share Apostolic Life in the 21st Century with family and friends.
Patrick brings listeners into the heart of unpredictable conversations, shifting from practical advice on handling road rage to memories of Catholic family life and thoughtful, faith-driven discussions about choosing grad schools and understanding Church traditions. He fields calls from listeners wrestling with questions about spiritual joy, church etiquette, and even heated issues like politically motivated church nativity displays, always punctuated with humor, personal anecdotes, and honesty. Email - I am a junior at a public university, majoring in psychology. I have a friend who is a school social worker and she had to take LGBTQ ally training as a condition of her employment. Also, from my research, many graduated social work programs are rife with LGBTQ inclusion training. Help me discern what to do. (01:51) Homer (email) - Why doesn't the Pope encourage more Latin Rite Catholics to have their children baptized in the Eastern Rites, so the rites can increase their populations? (05:05) Javier - How do you handle people when they cut you off in traffic. How can I be a Christian driver? (09:37) Alfredo - My life is 6 degrees of Patrick Madrid. Everyone just keeps mentioning you. (19:38) Ted - You were talking about Road Rage and sitting at the end of the pew. I am the guy sitting at the end of the pew. When am I being rude? Also, is our Holy Mother also the Holy Spirit? (25:16) Rod - Do you have any thoughts on the Church that replaced its Nativity set with an 'ICE Was Here' sign? (35:26) Joe - If you could rewrite scripture, would you include joy in Ephesians 6? (41:07) Maria - My husband doesn't want to be married anymore. Priest told me it was time to give up and move on. (46:06)
Deep within, the fullness of the Holy Spirit dwells. In chaos, you can tap into His peace. When temptation pulls, you can receive His strength to resist. Living in the Holy Spirit is simpler than you think once you understand your true, supernatural nature - body, soul, and spirit. The Encounter Podcast Ep.64
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear President Trump's challenge to birthright citizenship. Meanwhile, another MAHA win: RFK Jr.'s CDC votes to drop the Hepatitis B shot for newborns. And finally, President Trump marks the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with a striking presidential message honoring Mary's role in American history. All this and more on the LOOPcast!EMAIL US: loopcast@catholicvote.org SUPPORT LOOPCAST: www.loopcast.orgSubscribe to the LOOP today!https://catholicvote.org/getloop Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-loopcast/id1643967065 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/08jykZi86H7jKNFLbSesjk?si=ztBTHenFR-6VuegOlklE_w&nd=1&dlsi=bddf79da68c34744 FOLLOW LOOPCast: https://x.com/the_LOOPcast https://www.instagram.com/the_loopcast/ https://www.tiktok.com/@the_loopcast https://www.facebook.com/LOOPcastPodcast Tom: https://x.com/TPogasic Erika: https://x.com/ErikaAhern2 Josh: https://x.com/joshuamercer Father,The image of the Virgin is found in your Church.Mary had a faith that your Spirit prepared and a love thatnever knew sin,for you kept her sinless from the first moment ofher conception.Trace in our actions the lines of her love,in our hearts her readiness of faith.Prepare once again a world for your Son who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.Amen.All opinions expressed on LOOPcast by the participants are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CatholicVote.
You've been filled with the Holy Spirit...now what?! Do you need more, or do you have everything you need? In this message, you will discover:- The difference between salvation and baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:1-6)- How to "turn on" the flow of the Spirit daily through speaking and worship- Why praying in tongues is for ALL believers, not just some (1 Corinthians 14)- The nine manifestations of the Spirit and how they flow through you (1 Corinthians 12:7-11)- Practical steps to move from powerless Christianity to Spirit-empowered living- The power of the flow: rivers of living water coming out of your heart (John 7:38)#jerry #jerrydirmann #dirmann #overflow #blessingSupport the show
God's Fingerprints Are All Over Your Story | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your Day With GodSUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright DailyEffectivePrayer.com SUPPORT THE MINISTRY: (We are listener-supported)https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTube (1M+ SUBSCRIBERS)X / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™
#10MinuteswithJesus ** Put yourself in the presence of God. Try talking to Him. ** 10 minutes are 10 minutes. Even if you can get distracted, reach the end. ** Be constant. The Holy Spirit acts "on low heat" and requires perseverance. 10-Minute audio to help you pray. Daily sparks to ignite prayer: a passage from the gospel, an idea, an anecdote and a priest who speaks with you and the Lord, inviting you to share your intimacy with God. Find your moment, consider you are in His presence and click play.
“Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil.” Ephesians 5:15-16 AMP *Transcription Below* Questions and Topics We Discuss: How did God meet you in your experience of army life to reveal your choice of hope vs. fear? What have you learned about community, both before and after your experience of launching your husband into space? For all of us, how can we rediscover our fun side when we've been trapped in survival mode for too long? Stacey Morgan is always ready with a funny or thoughtful story from her own life; whether it be holding down the home front during military deployments, working for the Smithsonian, skydiving, or blasting her husband into outer space. Stacey is on staff with MOPS International, a nonprofit focused on the unique needs of mothers around the world. She and her husband, Army colonel and NASA astronaut Drew Morgan, have four children. Connect with Stacey on Instagram or through her website. Other Savvy Sauce Episodes Related to Friendship: Friendship with Drew Hunter Reflecting Jesus in Our Relationships with Rach Kincaid Nurturing Friendships with Jackie Coleman Art of Friendship with Kim Wier Thank You to Our Sponsors: Chick-fil-A East Peoria and The Savvy Sauce Charities (and donate online here) Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast! Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, Instagram or Our Website Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“ Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“ Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” *Transcription* Music: (0:00 – 0:09) Laura Dugger: (0:09 - 2:54) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here. I want to say a huge thank you to today's sponsors for this episode, Chick-fil-A East Peoria and Savvy Sauce Charities. Are you interested in a free college education for you or someone you know? Stay tuned for details coming later in this episode from today's sponsor, Chick-fil-A East Peoria. You can also visit their website today at https://www.chick-fil-a.com/locations/il/east-peoria. I'm so excited to share a special Patreon re-release episode. And if you've been with The Savvy Sauce for a while, you know that we used to make some money by having people sign up for Patreon and as a reward, they would get access to special episodes. Now we have done away with that as we've transitioned to becoming a nonprofit, and we want to make all of these episodes available to you, so we re-release a few every year. What I'd love to ask is, as we're approaching the end of year because we've taken out that revenue stream, would you consider financially supporting Savvy Sauce Charities? There are two simple ways. First, if you want to mail us a check, that saves us all of the processing fees, and you can make that out to Savvy Sauce Charities and mail it to P.O. Box 101, Roanoke, Illinois 61561. Also, if you want to go online, visit thesavvysauce.com and you can type in different words to the search button. You could type in “donate” or “support” and it should take you to the place where there's a button to click and put in your credit card information and give that way. We would be so grateful for any amount, and we love our partnership with you. Here's our chat. Stacey Morgan is my guest today, and you may have heard her name in the news over the past few years. She has documented her story in her debut book, The Astronaut's Wife: How Launching My Husband into Outer Space Changed the Way I Live on Earth. And now she's going to share more about that season and all the lessons God taught her about making the most of her one incredible life, and she's going to inspire each of us to do the same. Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Stacey. Stacey Morgan: (2:55 - 2:58) I am so excited to be here. Thank you for having me. Laura Dugger: (2:58 - 3:07) Well, it is truly my pleasure. And will you just start by giving us a little bit more context for our time together and just share a few things about yourself? Stacey Morgan: (3:08 - 4:49) Sure. Well, hi, my name is Stacey. I currently live in Texas. I have four kids. I'm married to a guy named Drew who has kind of an unusual job. I grew up in a small town just outside of Boston and was kind of a scholar-athlete growing up interested in a lot of different things but always involved in church and youth group. And that really served me well when I went off to college. The first college I went to, West Point. And actually, I'll tell you in a minute, but that is where I eventually met my now husband, Drew. We got married after I graduated from undergrad. He's a little bit older than me and he is an Army officer. And so, we have moved all over the country. We've lived on both coasts and had a number of kinds of unusual situations just, you know, kind of typical for a military family living all over the place. I've had a lot of crazy jobs. I think mainly I have an unusual story because I'm really quick to say yes to things, which sometimes, you know, it's a double-edged sword. Sometimes you say yes and you realize, “I should have thought through that a little bit more.” But really it's been quite an adventure because we have had the opportunity to live in a lot of different places, experience a lot of different things. And we ended up here in 2013. We can kind of get into that if you want, but we ended up down here in Texas with my husband, who is still an Army officer, but he became a NASA astronaut. And so, that totally changed the direction of our lives and kind of changing all the plans we had for what we were supposed to be doing in the military and ending up down here at Johnson Space Center. Then, him eventually launching into outer space. Laura Dugger: (4:49 - 5:01) Wow, there are so many points to unpack, but let's back it up to what you had mentioned about West Point. So, will you just elaborate and tell us more about how you and Drew met and fell in love? Stacey Morgan: (5:01 - 7:21) Sure. So, we were both cadets at West Point when we met. He was a little bit older than me, but we met through Officers' Christian Fellowship, which is a Christian club that is very popular on military bases, both at the academies but in big Army and other services as well when you get out. It's a, you know, it's like small groups, typical for what most people would find comfortable in kind of church community. And so, we met there and we just kind of clicked, you know. I would say it's funny looking back, we were not the type of people I think we would have thought we would marry. He was far more serious than I am. I'm a little bit more, I'm the one to more kind of like walk the fine line, but we work together really well. We've always been a great team. That's always been a real theme in our marriage, you know, that we are a team. And, you know, when he proposed after I graduated from undergrad, he kind of said, “I promise you a life of adventure,” which at the time sounded wonderful and adorable. Of course, it has come back to haunt me several times when he has been, you know, come up with some crazy plan and when I hesitate he's like, “I promised you adventure.” And I'm like, “Now that's unfair. I did not know when you said adventure back in 2000 that you meant all these crazy things like going to space or all these different deployments and all this kind of stuff like that.” So, we now have four kids. We've been married this summer will be 22 years. And, you know, it hasn't been without its challenges like any marriage and certainly any marriage under stress because of stressful situations, whether that's military deployments, whether that's space travel or just kind of life and parenting. And as you kind of grow up together and get to know each other and the world changes around you, we've certainly had ups and downs, but we are a team. And I think God has really honored that and it's been really helpful for us when we've had those sticky seasons where you just feel like, “Man, we are just not connecting or kind of jiving the way we would want,” to actually say to each other that we are on the same team and that has been really helpful. Laura Dugger: (7:22 - 7:40) The part of your story that involves space travel is one that most of us will never be able to relate to experientially, but it's still extraordinary. So, can you walk us through the detailed events leading up to 9:28 p.m. on July 20th, 2019? Stacey Morgan: (7:42 - 15:28) Sure. So, I should back it up one big step behind that just to give everybody a little context. So, in 2012, we were kind of living our lives. We had always been deep into the Army Special Operations community. We love that. In order to live and kind of thrive in that environment you have to be all in, and we were all in. And one day my husband came home and he was uncharacteristically giddy and he said, “You're not gonna believe this huge news. NASA is opening up the application window for a new class of astronauts.” And I thought, “Why are you telling me this? This has no bearing whatsoever on our lives. We are on this path and that is a completely different path.” And he said, “Well, I want to apply.” And I thought to myself, “Well, I wanted to be a ballerina at one point in life, but that ship sailed. Like who doesn't say they always wanted to be an astronaut? Like this seems like a childhood fantasy.” But he said, “No, I just want to apply. Like don't worry, all of our plans are gonna stay the same. They've never selected an Army physician before. I just, you know, I want to...” You know, the joke was that you'll always be a NASA applicant, right? And that'll be great. We'll laugh about it at family Christmases and stuff. Except he kept making it through every gate. And so, in 2013 we got the call that completely took our life off of one set of train tracks and put it on another. At that time, we were currently stationed just outside of Washington DC at Fort Belvoir. We were supposed to be literally the next week moving to Germany. And that's how close these changes kind of came up on themselves. And so, we had to unravel everything for Germany and move to Houston, Texas, because that's where Johnson Space Center is. And so, he began his training in 2013. I started my journey in learning a whole new culture, a whole new way of doing life. I'd never lived in a place that was at least not near a military base or within a military community. Didn't quite recognize at the time how much that shared sense of community had made things easier in terms of connecting with people before that and when I didn't have it. So, it was probably our rockiest transition for me personally that I'd ever had in terms of friendships and getting connected. That's a big part of my story because I think friendship struggles are so common for adult women. It's just something that nobody really teaches us how to do and so a lot of women are very lonely. But fast forward, he trained for several years until it was eventually his turn to fly. And in 2019, the only way to get to the International Space Station was to fly on a Russian Soyuz rocket. So, some people are very confused because they think, “Well, every space movie I've ever watched is taking place in Florida, right? Whether that's Apollo 13 or Armageddon or whatever. Why didn't he launch from Florida?” Well, between 2011 and 2020, the Space Shuttle program had ended. SpaceX Crew Dragon had not yet started launching from Florida again. So, for about a 10-year period, the only way to get to and from the International Space Station was to ride a Russian rocket. So, that's what NASA did. They went into partnership with the Russians, which of course makes things very interesting given today's kind of current political climate and all the world events. But that meant when it was Drew's turn to launch, we as a family had to travel to Kazakhstan, which is a country that I could not spell before 2019. And so, if you don't know where that is, don't feel bad. I didn't either. I had to look it up. It's a former Soviet Republic really kind of in between Russia and Afghanistan. So, it is in the middle of nowhere. And when the Soviets were building their space program in the 1950s and 60s, they built their secret space city there in Kazakhstan. That's where they started their space program and they have kind of kept it unchanged and they continue to launch their rockets from there today. It was a whole kind of world travel and cultural experience to take my four kids to Kazakhstan, which is a completely different cultural experience for really what came down to a very stressful, very emotional moment really waiting for that launch. So, unlike Florida, which you know when you watch on television, it's colorful, there's a lot of people, a lot of spectators, big people remember from the shuttle days big countdown clock, a loudspeaker kind of telling everybody what's going on... that's not how it is in Kazakhstan. So, about 30 minutes before the launch, the kids and I were brought to this viewing area. And by viewing area I would say big field. It's not... there was kind of some grandstands area far at the other end of the field, but that's where all the space tourists stand and the press and all that kind of stuff and we didn't want to be near them. So, our escort brought us down to the end, the other end of the field, and it's just dark and it's quiet and there's no announcements. There's no countdown clock. It's just looking at your watch or your phone there just kind of in the dark and you just know that that Russian ground crew is going to launch that rocket at exactly 9:28 p.m. Not a minute earlier, not a minute later. And so, standing there in the dark holding my kids' hands, and we can see the rocket in the distance only about a mile away, which by rocket launch standards is very close. Knowing that in a minute or 30 seconds or 10 seconds as it gets closer, it's either going to be one of the best days of your life, super exciting, super proud moment, or it's going to be the worst day of your life, and you could become a widow. And as much as it's easy to kind of get complacent because incidents are so rare, but we all can remember any number of space disasters that have happened. Columbia, Challenger, those are very real. And with my time down here at Johnson Space Center, you come to learn those names and you meet those families and you meet those widows and widowers and you realize that space travel is dangerous. You know, at the end of the day my husband was in a little tiny capsule on top of a rocket full of highly explosive fuel. So, it's very scary. And in that moment standing there thinking, “In 10 seconds my life is going to change no matter what happens.” Even if this goes perfectly, what happens next? I don't really know. It's kind of like having a baby. You can read all about it and assume things will be the way they're going to be, but until you're in it and then it happens, you don't really know how it's gonna go. And so, it was a really overwhelmingly emotional moment because you think this could go sideways. And also, by the way, the world is watching live with me. So, if something goes wrong, I'm not able to process this privately. I will be experiencing it in real time with the rest of the world. But even if it goes perfectly, what happens next? Like what does it look like to live on earth with a spouse in space and single parent for nine plus months while their other parent is in space? And you really don't know and it's scary to think like, “Gosh, what if something happens?” You know, he can't like come home early. Can't just like a business trip jump on a plane or a train and get home early. There's no coming back early. So, whatever happens, I'm on my own for better or worse. I'm on my own and I hope I have the endurance and the support system and everything I'm gonna need in order to be successful in this nine months. Laura Dugger: (15:28 - 15:47) And my heart is pounding a little bit faster just as I hear you describe this. And I'd love to get back to your story, but first just to pause and wonder with that mixture of this adventure right in front of you and then your experience of army life, how did God meet you in all of that to reveal your choice of you're able to choose hope or fear? Stacey Morgan: (15:47 - 22:32) Right. So, you know, when you take the time to step back and think, sometimes you don't see these patterns in your life until you kind of start putting them down on paper. And it was interesting for me to see how God had prepared me for that moment with other moments, especially related to military deployments in the past. Because certainly experiencing a rocket launch and all that fear and kind of this moment of where is my hope found in this moment, that was a varsity level moment. But I'm so thankful that about ten years earlier God really started to prepare me for that moment with some other big moments. Like when my husband deployed for the first time. I'll never forget, it was the height of the War on Terror. So, we were living in a military community which was amazing and a lot of my friends' husbands were also serving in the same military units or similar military units and they were deploying. The tempo was high so that meant, you know, six months deployed or longer, coming home for short amounts of time and then deploying again. Lots of action specifically in Afghanistan and Iraq at the time. And so, lots of fatalities, lots of injuries, lots of grief, and for spouses a lot of fear because we knew what they were doing was very dangerous. And so, for me and my friends we kind of had this unspoken rule which I think a lot of people can understand which was, “Let's just not talk about this scariest thing because somehow talking about it makes it seem more possible.” And as crazy as that is to say, people get that. You know, there's a lot of things we don't talk about because it's just too scary to think about. And so, for us the scariest thing in our life at that time was the fear that our husbands would not come home, that they would be killed in action. And that felt very real because we were going to memorial services, we were visiting people in the hospital, we were turning on the news and seeing what was going on in the world. And there was often communication blackouts because we knew that they were doing things that were very dangerous, very secretive. And so, at the time I happily did what everybody else was doing which was, “Let's just not talk about it. Let's just kind of live life managing.” We felt like we were managing this fear, I think that's what I would have said at the time. But then one day my friend Lisa, who's an amazing friend and she's always like two steps ahead of me on the wisdom scale, we were having coffee on her front porch and she turned to me and she said, “I've been thinking a lot about what life would be like if our husbands were killed.” And this was like a bomb drop. I mean because we just were not supposed to be talking about this. Like here the rest of us had been avoiding all morbid thoughts about what could possibly happen with our husband and instead she had like turned and looked it straight in the eye. And I was shocked. And so, I kind of sat up straighter and I said, “What do you mean?” And she said, “Well, I've been thinking about it and it's not that, you know, life would certainly be hard and doesn't mean we wouldn't need counseling or our kids wouldn't need support, but life would still go on even if that happened. Life would still go on. Life would still be full of good things and God would provide and bring people around us to support us and I've just been thinking about that.” And I was stunned. I was absolutely stunned because while the rest of us were too afraid to face that fear, in looking at it she kind of exposed it for what it was, which was certainly real and an absolute possibility that that could happen. But when she started walking down the path of like, “Okay, if this happened then what would happen?” You have to decide, “Do I believe God would really be with me or not? Do I believe His promises are true that He will be with me on good days and bad days and that He will draw people to me who will love me and support me? And have I plugged myself into friends and a faith community that would be there for me if that happened?” And it was a game changer. That was probably one of, at the time, the biggest life-changing conversations I'd ever had as an adult because it really did shift how I viewed feeling afraid about things like that. And so, I had several opportunities... Drew deployed several times and then certainly doesn't take combat deployments to feel afraid like that. I know I have felt it before when my daughter was in the NICU, you know, and I had to leave her in the NICU and go home at night. I know I have felt it during this pandemic several times. I know I'm gonna feel it when I drop my oldest off at college this summer. You know, this moment where it just life feels very scary mainly because of the unknowns that come next and the fact that you have no control over those. And so, that rocket launch moment was, you know, I felt like God was really prompting me in that moment to say, “Hey, if this rocket explodes like what will you do with that? Do you still trust me that I'm here with you and that I will still bring people to you and love you? Like is your support, is your foundation and your hope truly found in me or is it found in this rocket launch going successfully? Because it might not, and then what does that mean for you?” And so, it really was this choice of am I gonna choose to live a life of fear, which is our default because if you do not choose something else we will always live a life dictated by fear of something. It's exhausting to live like that because once you conquer one fear another one's gonna pop up. Then they come in bunches and they just start layering on top of each other. Honestly it can lead to despair because there's plenty of things in the world to be afraid of and new ones just pop up every day. So instead, I felt like God was offering me a new way of living and it really felt tangible in that moment of that rocket launch which is, “Hey, I hope that you will choose to find your hope in me. Just me. The one unchanging thing in this world that will be unchanging regardless of what happens with this rocket launch in 10 seconds. But if it goes well or if it goes poorly I am unchanging. You can rely on me. I will be with you in the best and the worst of times. And even if the rocket launch goes successfully and whatever happens in the next nine months, I'm with you there as well. So, you don't need to be afraid because I'm here with you. You can have hope that I will enable you to do what must be done no matter what happens tomorrow.” Laura Dugger: (22:32 - 22:49) I'm so grateful that you chose hope and you chose faith. And then after all of that excitement and that adrenaline experienced on launch day, what did your life look like in the months to follow? Stacey Morgan: (22:49 - 26:47) Yeah, it wasn't easy. You know I joke that those nine months really were like it was like a master class in all these little lessons I've learned throughout the years, but I'd never had to put them into practice at this level and all at the same time. So, things like being honest about that I needed help. That, you know, there are times in the past where I have certainly wanted people to know or think that I had it all together and that I could do it all by myself especially, you know, I think every mom feels that way. Certainly, military spouses, we take a lot of pride and feel like I'm doing this on my own. And I realize now that I had certain seasons I have made life a lot harder for myself because I somehow thought that there was like an extra trophy if I finish the race by myself. I said that it was like, spoiler, there's no trophy. And also, I was just making it harder for myself. And so, this season I could not fake it. Like past seasons I could fake it. This one I could not fake it. I had two teenagers, two tweens, a lot of hormones and then prepubescent and puberty things flying around. Just a lot of scheduling, a lot of driving, like just life. And then just the stress of living with someone who, you know, a spouse who was living in space and the stress of what does that do to your marriage, to parenting and, you know, parent-child relationships. Just every single piece of running a house, of parenting all the things, was solely on my shoulders and that's a big weight. And it was tough. It was tough. So, I could not fake it. I had to ask for help. I had to be willing to ask for it and receive it, which are two different skill sets I found. It's sometimes you get good at one and not the other. I had to get really willing to be vulnerable as my friends and say things like, “I'm really lonely.” Can you know, it's like being honest. Like everything's not just, “Oh, this is so exciting. Oh, isn't it so great? Aren't we just so proud of them?” Yes, but at the same time sometimes I'm lonely. Sometimes I'm struggling. Sometimes in my stress I would overly focus on trying to control my home life or what was happening within my own house and become not as pleasant of a person to live with because I was just trying to kind of regain some control in what felt like a little bit of a chaotic world and then you become not your best self and you know that. And so, I had to learn how to kind of get out of that survival mode and still have fun even when life is hard. And really just kind of accept that life isn't one thing or the other. You can be in a hard season and it still have good things in it. Life can be full of opportunities and challenges and one does not negate the other. And when you try to live your life by one narrative or the other, not only are you faking it but you make life harder than it needs to be and you kind of block other people out of it. So, there was a lot of learning going on in there but we really all came down to that first decision of how am I gonna live my life in this season? Am I gonna live it fearfully, reactionary, hair trigger, you know, just stress all the time because I'm afraid of what comes next. I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to handle it? Or am I gonna live a life of hope, which is of course like not wishes and dreams but it is anticipation that God will be with me no matter what comes down the pipeline. And sometimes that's divine comfort that is hard to explain but you just feel it. Sometimes it's people he draws to your life who literally will sit on the couch with you and just like hold your hand or give you a hug that moment you need it. Sometimes it's someone offering to carpool or take your kid out driving because they're trying to get their driver's license, you know? But that's really the biggest thing for me. I talked about it in chapter one of the book because that's the foundation that really all those other lessons were built on. Laura Dugger: (26:47 - 27:26) And I think also with your book, it was helpful to hear little insights into what it looked like for your marriage. And it was even interesting when you said it's really important for astronauts to have forms of entertainment and that you were so committed to being involved in Drew's life and that you two still found ways to stay connected. I just think that has to be encouraging to any married couples listening right now because you clearly had a big barrier to overcome. But what were some of those ways that the two of you tried as best as you could in that season to stay intimately connected to one another's lives? Stacey Morgan: (27:26 - 31:19) Yeah, it's not easy. And I think there's kind of this fallacy that is kind of dangerous for especially young married I think to believe which is like in every season of your life you're gonna feel amazingly connected to your spouse and you're gonna constantly be growing in your relationship. And sometimes that's not true. Like sometimes one person has a job that takes them away from home or someone is sick or there are other issues going on in your life where the connection is just not as strong not because you don't want it to be but because the circumstances you find yourself in don't allow for that. And certainly, while my husband was in space that was a lot of challenges to feeling connected. I mean there's good communication but there's a difference between like quality and quantity, right? So, he could call me on the phone every day but because of the time differences and his schedule the only time he could call me was between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m. my time, which as any person knows and with any kids, is like the worst time of the day. Like everything's happening, the wheels are coming off, homework, pickups, dinner prep, like all that kind of stuff was crazy. So, needless to say, I was not able to sit down and have like a heartfelt drawn-out conversation. And then kids hate talking on the phone so he wasn't really talking to them during the day. I'm like, you know, my eight-year-old isn't gonna send him an email. So, you know, there wasn't like a lot of quality or quantity conversation with the kids which of course puts a little stress on your marriage too because you worry about that. And then we have one video chat a month and you want it to be fun. You want it to kind of be good for the kids as well as him but it's a very, you know, it's one hour to share between five people and so that's not a lot of time. And so, the reality is that for that season there was a lot of, I would say, relationship treading water. And you're, you know, the goal is just not to let things go downhill, which you can easily do in life when you and your spouse are experiencing the same event but from different points of view. And that's what we were doing. You know, we were sharing the mission but from two vastly different points of view. And so, you do your best. But the difference is I think you have to in order to kind of come out on the other end better, you have to have a kind of a mutual commitment that, “Hey, we're going to... we are eventually going to come back together on this. We can't change the circumstances. I can't make the time difference different. I can't give you more time on the phone. I can't... there's things I just cannot change. But we are committed as a team to doing the best we can right now and when this circumstance changes, in this case when he came home, we're gonna kind of back up again and do some story sharing and reconnect about some things that we just didn't have the opportunity to in the past.” And so, it's a little bit kind of like two steps forward one step back but eventually you still come out ahead if you are committed to trying to come back together and share those experiences in one way or another. Where you run into kind of danger is if people start experiencing two different things and then they never come back together so the gap just kind of keeps widening and widening. And then you hear when people say like, “Yeah, I woke up and I felt like I was living a different life than the person who was sleeping next to me.” And so, reminding us to ourselves that we are a team even though we were experiencing the same thing. I didn't know a lot about a lot of the things he was doing. He didn't know a lot of stories about how things were for me. And so, it's okay to tell them later if you don't have the ability to tell them in the moment as long as you both have the goodwill and you prioritize coming back together eventually. Laura Dugger: (31:19 - 34:26) And now a brief message from our sponsor. Did you know you can go to college tuition free just by being a team member at Chick-fil-A East Peoria? Yes, you heard that right. Free college education. All Chick-fil-A East Peoria team members in good standing are immediately eligible for a free college education through Point University. Point University is a fully accredited private Christian college located in West Point, Georgia. This online self-paced program includes 13 associate's degrees, 17 bachelor's degrees, and two master's programs, including an MBA. College courses are fully transferable both in and out of this program. 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We love producing free content that's available to everyone around the world with our monthly newsletters when you sign up for our email list and with our weekly episodes. We pray that this has been a benefit to you. That if any episode has ever impacted you, what we ask is that you will partner with us now and generously and prayerfully give financially before the end of the year. There's multiple ways to do this. Online at thesavvysauce.com, you can donate through Stripe, PayPal, or Venmo with just a simple click. Or you can send snail mail to us at Savvy Sauce Charities, P.O. Box 101 Roanoke, Illinois, 61561. We hope you choose to support us today and during this season especially. It sounds like you really leaned into your friendships. So, what would you say you've learned about community both before and after your experience of launching Drew into space? Stacey Morgan: (34:26 - 38:07) Well, I tell you what, I realized that as an adult often a lot of us don't really know how to do friendship well. And our culture is so, it so values independence that we often convince ourselves that if we tell our friends or our community that we need help or just kind of show our true heart for how important it is to us, that somehow that's gonna be kind of like devalued or we're gonna feel weak. And I realized like, “Man, I wasted a lot of years trying to be tougher than I really am.” And I wish I could go back and change that because in this season, mainly because I had no choice. And so, God really used this opportunity to show me like, “Hey, I'm gonna kind of like force you to open up your heart, be vulnerable with this small group of really trusted friends and like just trust me to see what happens next.” And I did and it was a game-changer. I mean, I have a lot of deep feelings but I put a little bit of a tough exterior and I forced myself to be super honest and super vulnerable with my friends and say things like, “I'm lonely or I don't even know what I need but I'm just feeling exhausted or angry or this is really frustrating to me or I need help with this and I don't even know where to begin.” And just let those friends step into my life in a really intimate way. And you know, I think we've all had a friend at some point who has asked for help and we have been so happy to help them and we've never thought less of them for it. But somehow when it comes to our own time we're like, “Oh, I don't want to trouble anybody. Oh, they're gonna think I can't handle it.” Or like, “Well, this is like I made this bed so I better lie in it. You chose to have all these kids, you chose this career, you chose this whatever, like this is your problem.” But we would never say that about another friend. And so, I don't know why we are harder on ourselves than we are on our friends because it's not right. Most of our friends are happy to help us. They love us helping us, being with us, comforting us, supporting us. That's how they show how important you are to them and we need to let them do that. I've also gotten better about verbalizing the feelings that I had always felt inside but I felt awkward verbalizing. Like, “Thank you for being my friend.” Or like, “Thank you for just spending this time with me,” or, “You are an important person in my life.” Words that we say to our kids, that we often say to our spouses, but sometimes for me at least felt weird saying to friends and I'm really trying to get better about that. That was a great nine months of practice. It doesn't come easy or natural I think to anybody but it's a game changer. Like why not tell your friends how much they mean to you? So, community is essential. Like don't try to lone wolf this life. I've certainly had some more extreme experiences than probably the average person, but the principles are the same. Get plugged into community and have multiple circles of community. Certainly, your faith community but also you know if you work, if you go to the gym, if you go to school, like your kids' friends, like there's so many circles of community and don't be afraid to just jump right in and get connected. And you've got to do it before you are in crisis. You've got to kind of invest in these friendships so that you know them and can trust these friends so that when those seasons come that are hard you have this small group of people who you can rely on. It will be a complete game changer in your life when you have a small, could be one person, can be two people, trusted people who can journey with you. Laura Dugger: (38:07 - 38:34) I could not agree more. I really think that friendship is one of the most precious gifts were given in this life. And going back to your marriage we had discussed that time of separation but then there was a whole other season of transition as well. So, what was it like to come back together after being apart for nearly 10 months? Stacey Morgan: (38:34 - 42:55) Yeah, so it's funny there's always these Hollywood romanticized versions of what reunions must look like whether that's a military deployment reunion or you know when an astronaut comes home. And I think people assume it's some kind of like hot sexy romantic can't keep hands off of you but the reality is far different, right? Because it's... I mean maybe it is, maybe that's how it is for some people. I will just say for us, you know, when you've been living an independent life for however long, whether that was you know a six-month or an eight-month deployment or a nine-month deployment to outer space, you know I was living my own life fully independent for that long where I made all the choices. I didn't have anybody looking over my shoulder or you know there's a little bit of independent freedom there when you're the only one kind of making the big decisions. And so, when that person comes back into your life, which you want them to come back, you're happy they're home, but there is this awkward transition period. It's definitely an opportunity for some tension because now there's another opinion back in the mix, right? Like I had to kind of adjust my way of doing life for another person who had a valid opinion, another decision maker. The kids had to adjust to having another parent back in the house. You're kind of getting to know each other so there is a little bit of a sniffing out period where you're like, “Hey, nice to meet you.” Because we all change. You know you could be gone from someone for a month, you know, you're not the same person you were today as you were last year or six months ago or maybe even a month ago. So, anytime someone comes back in your life they're different, you're a little different. You're like my friendships had shifted over those ten months, like my work had shifted, everything in my life had moved on and he had not been there in the house with me to experience that so there was... it was a whole new set of experiences and a new person to get to know again. Now he came home and what made it a little bit more dramatic was that Drew came home in the startup of the pandemic. He came home in April of 2020 which at the time I think we weren't sure, “Are we going up? Are we coming down?” We know now looking back we realize things were just ramping up; the world was, we were all still very confused about what's the best thing to do can we all the things you know. So, NASA pretty much brought him home and then he came home to our house after just a few days in kind of the quarantine facility there on Johnson Space Center. But then he came back to our house and then it's like he never left because all of the normal stuff that would happen when you come home from space like travel and meetings and all these kind of things were all canceled or postponed. And so, instead of kind of like getting to know each other slowly it was like zero to sixty. I mean he was home and he didn't go anywhere, none of us could go anywhere. So, we joke that the irony that he was in space with five professional crew mates in a small space and then he came home to live in our small space with five amateur crew mates who are certainly not nearly as gracious or accommodating or helpful as the professional astronaut and cosmonaut crew mates he had. The irony is not lost on us. So, he came home I don't think we've ever spent that amount of time together you know 24/7 in the same house with all four of our kids, no school, nowhere to go because everything's closed. And so yeah we're getting to know each other in this kind of Petri dish of new experiences as the world is also kind of like upside down and everything's unusual. So, in the end it was okay. I joke like we did a lot of “I was like let me go do this puzzle I just need some alone time” or “I'm going for a walk around the neighborhood please don't text me. I'll be back when I'll be back I just need a few minutes to myself.” I think everybody has had that moment in the during the last two years where you're just like, “I just need a few minutes alone please,” you know in my if you've been trapped in your house with somebody who you're not normally with 24/7. Laura Dugger: (42:56 - 43:17) Well sure and with your experience, mental health is very important for the family of the astronaut and the astronaut themselves. Wasn't it your psychologist who is saying typically when you come back and enter this time of reentry and reuniting you do little bit by little bit because that tends to be wiser? Stacey Morgan: (43:17 - 45:22) Yes, that's right. They call it titrating a return. That's a principle they have in the military as well which is they would normally come back from a deployment for at least the first couple weeks back from a long trip away they would go to work every day for several hours because it's you know psychologically difficult for two people who have been living very independent lives to come back together just with like zero transition. The military has learned this over the last 20 years you know that you could go from a combat zone to mowing your lawn in 24 hours. That's stressful especially if you add in you know marriage baggage, kids you know nagging kids or issues like that, financial struggles, that's a kind of what can be a breeding ground for some really difficult situation. So, it's best to let people get to know each other again a little bit at a time. Like you said the normal return from space was kind of the same thing. It would be come home and then you'd have some physical therapy, you'd have these different meetings and it would be a little bit like going to work for several weeks while they're getting their body and everything back to normal. Then, you kind of could have this kind of extended time at home but it gave both people the ability to kind of like reintroduce themselves to each other in bits and pieces and just kind of ease into it. But we did not have that luxury so we kind of had to create it ourselves. And I am glad again that we had those past experiences to know where the potential minefields were. If you were not prepared you could be very disappointed if you went into it thinking, “Oh, they're gonna come home, it's gonna be like romantic. We're gonna be like together and loving it all the time and just connecting so deeply. It's gonna be amazing.” And then the first time that your spouse is like, “Why are you emptying the dishwasher like that?” It's important to know like, “Yeah, if there is going to be tension it is going to be awkward. That's okay that is part of the normal cycle and it's gonna be okay.” But I'm glad that we had that knowledge beforehand because it could be tough. Laura Dugger: (45:22 - 46:07) Well and Stacey another reason that I really appreciate you being willing to let us enter your story with you. When we have different careers or we have someone in the military and a civilian who's not involved, there's so much room for assumptions and maybe not always assuming the best. There's opportunity for miscommunication so I'm just wondering about the person who's hearing this and what if they're thinking, “Well that sounds irresponsible or even selfish of Drew to choose this path if he's a husband and father.” So, how would you offer that kind of person another perspective that they might be missing? Stacey Morgan: (46:07 - 48:20) I mean I would say is when it comes to astronauts for sure, you know, these are not like hot-rodding thrill-seeking people. In fact, I would say I think a lot of people make the assumption that people who do some of these higher like physically higher risky jobs must be like thrill-seeking you know just thrown caution to the wind about everything in their life. Actually, nothing could be farther from the truth. I think you would find that we certainly and I would you know I think a lot of people in the same career field are similar and that we are good risk calculators. And that like policemen, like firemen, like military personnel you know it's an act of service to be in this job. These are not just like you know space tourists or billionaires getting on a rocket for fun. These are professionals who have chosen a career field of service and whether that is as a policeman, a fireman, a service to the nation, service to humanity, service to their community and they all play a part in that. I think most people recognize that that it is you know there's something to be said for the person who chooses a career that has a level of risk because they feel called to it and because thank God for people who will take on risk and are willing to potentially sacrifice themselves for someone else. I mean I think it's kind of a higher calling which is why in general in our culture we honor them and rightfully so. It is risky, it's very risky. They certainly don't do it for the money. I don't think anybody in any kind of government service would say that they're doing it for the money, that's for sure. You know they're doing it because they feel called to something bigger than themselves and to serve their fellow man in some way. That's certainly I know how we feel as a family that his choosing to transition as an Army physician into being still in the Army but serving in this capacity was just the next level up. The way he could serve our community, our country, our nation and all of humanity and he really is its service first. It's the opposite of selfish; it is selfless service really. Laura Dugger: (48:20 - 48:55) Mm-hmm thank you for that. I just say amen to everything you just said. Really it's service from your entire family that requires a sacrifice from each of you like you said for the greater good. And I think something else that you pointed out so well in your book was that having this value more so of security or not living into this calling that you said this calling was put upon your lives that could actually be idolatry if you're starting to place a higher value on security or anything else other than God and so I think you model that well. Stacey Morgan: (48:55 - 51:13) Thank you. Yeah I think a lot of people you know sometimes these idols creep up on us we don't realize that we have put something on a pedestal until it gets threatened to be taken away from us and all of a sudden our reaction is over the top because we're you know you realize, “Gosh, I'm finding my security in this thing I'm finding my identity in this thing whether this thing is a job, another person, a political party, a scientific breakthrough whatever it is.” Right? Like and I think a lot of people, I certainly felt it you know in that launch moment like, “Am I finding my identity in being married to this person or him having this job or this launch being successful? Because if I am in about 10 seconds my world may crumble because if that could all be taken away from me.” And in that yeah I think we all kind of have probably had a moment especially in the last two years where for a lot of people something that they have built their life on has been either taken away from them or has it has been threatened to be taken away because of the pandemic a job a person in their life you know a relationship your kids going off to school every day I mean whatever it is that you've built in your life and you have put on this pedestal and you kind of made without even realizing it have started to place more hope in those things remaining unchanged than you have in God. And all of a sudden when those things are threatened you have this over-the-top emotionally fearful response that's kind of an indicator I think to all of us like when we have that is like, “Whoo my fear and my response should tell me that I seem to be very very afraid that this is going to be taken away from me because I am putting too much hope in it. Instead, I should be taking that and putting it back where it belongs. I should reprioritize where I am finding my hope and the only unchanging thing that we can build our foundation on is God. Everything else, every person, everything, every job, every whatever it is can and could possibly be taken away from you and on your deathbed will be.” So, you know you can't help but have a little bit of self-reflection there. Laura Dugger: (51:13 - 51:23) Well and then for all of us how do you recommend that we all can rediscover our fun side when we've been trapped in survival mode for too long? Stacey Morgan: (51:23 - 56:05) This is a great question because I think all of us have felt this definitely in the pandemic. You know this part in your life where everything in the world feels very chaotic and so you try to regain some control in your own life by maybe regimenting your kids a little more, cleaning your house a little more, you know, controlling things at work or whatever your environment is. And without really realizing it you become this just like survival mode like your day just becomes about making things easier for yourself, streamlining things, making things just go go go. And you wake up one day and you were like, “I'm exhausted. Like why am I so tired? Why am I why do I have like no joy? Why do I just feel unhappy?” And you realize that you have not done anything other than just be like surviving and cleaning and doing work or whatever it is like you have just been doing the basics with no fun whatsoever. So I have been there I hit that a bunch of times in the pandemic, but I certainly hit it when Drew was in space because it's really hard being a single parent and managing all of the emotional burdens and the logistics of it. And I realized that I was cleaning a lot I was kind of getting a little bit more trigger angry with kids or people who you know were making me upset because when you're in survival mode it's all about just like “Get out of my way let me do what I want to do,” it's about getting things done quickly and other people become an annoyance instead of a joy in your life. So it's all about going back to something that that fills you up and it can be something really frivolous it can be something like it's very it's 100% unique to you and so I can't tell you what that thing is but I would say the first step in kind of getting yourself out of survival mode and kind of getting back to your your whole self is asking yourself the question like, “What do I enjoy?” Not for its educational value, not for its good cardio exercise or and not what your kids enjoy, not what is Instagram worthy, or anything like in your soul what fills you up? Is it reading? Is it watching movies? Is it riding bikes? Is it roller skating? Is it you know eating Mexican food? Like what is it that you enjoy doing that when you do it you just feel like more of yourself? And then just go do it tomorrow. Like it's gonna take prioritizing time probably some money but that is as much of a part of who you are how God created you. He didn't make you this like worker bot or like just a mom or just a wife or just a daughter or a sister like He made you a whole person and a huge part of who you are are these things that you enjoy. And you cannot continue to pour into other people or work or your community if you are never getting filled up yourself. You will just dry out, you will be burnt out, you'll be unhappy and you'll actually be worse in all these other areas where you were trying to work hard because you're just gonna be like a shell of yourself. So, for me it was prioritizing time with friends. It was... I got this crazy flyer on my front door for roller skating lessons and I had this fantasy of being a really good roller skater that stemmed from like when I was eight and so I signed my girls and I up for roller skating lessons which was hilarious and very humbling but it was just silly. It took time, we had to prioritize the time on every Saturday it took money, but it was just fun. It had no educational value my kids will look back on it and be like, “What was that all about? I don't even know.” But it was great because even in the midst of a stressful season like that was a very stressful season, undeniable, but as part of that narrative it will not only be like, “Yeah it was really tough when my dad was away and you know my mom had to like single-parent us but that was also the season where my mom took us to roller skating lessons. Isn't that weird? That was so weird.” And we'll laugh about it. And so, it's just about finding something that you want to do and then just unapologetically spend the money, spend the time, and invite a friend to do it with you again. Doing something with a friend is always more fun than doing something alone. Don't feel like you have to justify it or explain it to everyone you don't need to take pictures to post online you don't need to tell it just just go do it and have a good time. It's amazing how when you do that suddenly like those dust bunnies or that email that had a weird tone that you got don't annoy you as much as they used to because your kind of like finding your whole self again. Laura Dugger: (56:05 - 56:27) That's helpful to remember to live life to the fullest and be ready for the next adventure that life's gonna throw at us. Yeah. And just as a bonus can we just ask what are some of the most common questions that you and Drew answer about space? Stacey Morgan: (56:27 - 57:25) That's a good question. A lot of like personal hygiene questions about teeth brushing toilets how do you know take showers or whatever and of course the answer is they don't take showers. But and then of course a lot of people want to know, “Hey I've always been interested in becoming an astronaut how does somebody do that?” And there are so many resources online people you know I say, “Look go online read all about it. There's amazing videos NASA puts out an incredible amount of resources that you can read up on but at the end of the day do what you are most passionate about because the likelihood that you, or your nephew, or your cousin, or your co-worker, your son, or, whoever it is that you know is convinced they want to be an astronaut the likelihood of them being an astronaut is very low. So you should do what just fills you up do a career and a life that you are passionate about and if God calls you to that path those doors will open but if He doesn't you'll still be living a life fully within God's purpose for you.” Laura Dugger: (57:25 - 57:39) And Stacey you're such an incredible communicator both in this interview time together but also really enjoyed your book. And so, if people want to follow you to hear what you're up to next, where would you direct them online? Stacey Morgan: (57:39 - 58:41) Sure well they can go to my website StaceyMorgan2000. That's like Stacey Morgan two zero zero zero dot com. That has my blog that has links to a different podcast like this that I've been on and they can check that out. They can find me on Instagram same handle StaceyMorgan2000. And you know if people want to reach out, I love when people have been sending me messages lately after they've read the book it's been so awesome. You know I tell people like I certainly didn't write this book for the money I'm actually donating all my book proceeds to charities that support military families. So, I've been joking like, “Hey read the book if you don't like it the worst that happened is you donated to a military charity. If you do like it buy ten copies and give one to all your friends. But if you do like it I love it when people send me messages and just tell me kind of like what resonated and how it spoke to them.” That's just been one of the I would say the coolest aspect of completing this project was kind of putting it out there and then getting to see how God uses it in people's lives. Laura Dugger: (58:41 - 59:02) There were so many things that resonated but off the top of my head if anybody has a copy of the book they'll have to turn to the part about baloney on sale friends. And Stacey you may know that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge and so as my final question for you today what is your savvy sauce? Stacey Morgan: (59:02 - 1:01:08) Well I'll piggyback off your baloney is on sale friends' reference and that would be: pick up the phone and text your friend. We didn't need a study to show us this because I think most of us have just known this in our soul but there is an endemic of loneliness in the world right now as you know we've got all these ways to connect and yet people feel more disconnected. They feel more lonely especially women and what I learned through my own kind of relationship struggles over the years is that everyone's waiting for someone else to go first. That you in that moment you feel like you're the only person who's feeling lonely and alone and that everybody else is in these friend circles and you're just somehow on the outside. But the reality is that pretty much everybody feels the same way you do and everybody's sitting at home wishing someone would just text them and invite them to coffee. So that's my practical tip is don't wait, go first be the bold friend or even acquaintance like it doesn't have to be someone that you are super besties with. But those baloney is on sale friends like I said you have to read the book and understand that that is like a special category of friendship that's the kind of friendship that our soul longs for but those things don't appear or like pop out of the ground. That kind of friend doesn't just show up it's developed over time it's invested in and cared for and loved and it starts with literally a text to go get coffee. That's how every great friendship story begins. So, if that's you, if you feel like yeah I don't have this close friend who I can do something with I'm lonely. Okay take that first step be the one who picks up the phone send that text message to the woman from church, or the woman from the gym, or that friend you haven't talked to in a while and just invite them over for coffee. Nothing fancy nothing crazy no agenda just come over for a couple hours for coffee. Every single person I know who does this no one ever regrets inviting a friend over for coffee. That's the first step that we can all take into just feeling more connected and having those kind of friends that we want. Laura Dugger: (1:01:08 - 1:01:31) Love it. Well Stacy your book definitely changed my perspective on risk and I was so hooked on all the stories that you shared so I believe that your book is truly a gift to anyone who chooses to read it and your faith is very inspiring so thank you for sharing your journey with us and thank you for being my guest. Stacey Morgan: (1:01:31 – 1:01:33) Well, thank you it's been great. Laura Dugger: (1:01:33 – 1:05:16) One more thing before you go, have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you, but it starts with the bad news. Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there's absolutely no chance we can make it
If you'll spend a little time with your Lord, and if you'll listen to what He says to you through His Word and by the Holy Spirit, you'll know something of His presence. Broadcast #6960To help support this podcast, please visit walkwiththeking.org/donate and select "Podcast" from the dropdown menuA transcript of this broadcast is available on our website here. To hear more from Bob Cook, you can find Walk With The King on Facebook or Instagram.
Pastoral Reflections Finding God In Ourselves by Msgr. Don Fischer
Gospel Luke 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of Davidhis father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. Reflection When the angel Gabriel tells Mary that she is to be the mother of the Messiah, he also reveals another special birth. Elizabeth, her cousin, who is way past the time of being able to have a child, is also pregnant, and this child will be named John. It is important to note that John is the necessary link, the transition, the liminal space through which the world will understand fully the corruption of the old, and the beauty and the dignity and the value of the new. Closing Prayer Father, there's a continual work, a continual transformation from religion that has a power over us and a spirit that can enter into us and infuse us with the gifts that we're here to share with one another. Bless us in this continual transition. Never let us get lazy. Let us not fall back to what is simple and easy. Let us continue to work with this great mystery. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Authentic ministry starts with a servant’s mindset, and Christians searching for purpose will find it in action—zeal for good works is a mark of discipleship, not a pastoral job description. John 12:26 frames service as the pathway to honor from the Father, reminding believers that following Christ means stepping into everyday ministry, wherever life places your feet. Highlights Ministry simply means “to serve,” and every follower of Christ is called into it. Jesus modeled servant leadership as the Servant King—service is imitation before function. The call isn’t to become a pastor, but to live like Jesus. Daily surrender (“die daily”) is less dramatic and more incremental—small yeses, repeated. Excuses shrink when identity grows: you serve because you are His, not to become enough. Service is worship when done in the Spirit’s power, not self-reliant hustle mode. Zealous good works expand your reach for God’s Kingdom—overflow comes after outpour. Gift Inspiration: Crosswalk's Holiday Gift Guide Looking for a meaningful way to celebrate the season? Check out our Holiday Gift Guide—from beautifully illustrated Bibles and devotionals to novels, greeting cards, and picture books, there’s something for everyone on your list. Wrap up stories for loved ones, tuck a book into your own nightstand, and join us in celebrating the wonder of giving this Christmas! Full Transcript Below: Zealous for Good Works By: Emily Rose Massey Bible Reading: “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26, ESV). “Ministry” is from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve.” At my church, our elders believe that every member of God’s Church is a minister, so obviously that would mean that every believer is called to serve- serve Jesus and serve His Body. Jesus was the servant of all. In fact, He was the Servant King. Christ shares in the gospel of John the importance of serving and following Him as He serves others. “If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26, ESV). Jesus asks us as Christians to lay our lives down continually, denying our wants and desires, or as the Apostle Paul said to do, “die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). Do we know how to do that? Intersecting Life & Faith: It is human nature to seek after what our hearts and flesh crave, but we do not have to give in to that kind of nature, for we have a new nature in Christ Jesus (Colossians 3:10, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ephesians 4:24). Some people have wrong thoughts about God and service, perhaps believing their service doesn’t matter because others have it taken care of. Or perhaps they see pastors as the ones who are qualified for service and ministry, so they don’t need to join in. But we are all priests to our God (1 Peter 2:9)! When we put our hands to the plow, so to speak, in ministry, we are worshiping God. Those who are saved by Christ will eagerly and joyfully serve Christ and His people. We have been clothed in Christ’s righteousness to match Him and follow Him. What clothes are you wearing- the world’s or Christ’s? No matter the excuse or wrong thinking regarding ministry and service, we can ask God to help us see the importance of serving the Lord and others. The Holy Spirit empowers us to set aside our selfishness and learn how to be selfless like Jesus, preferring others above ourselves. That kind of lifestyle starts in the mind, in the way we think, as we learn to think of ourselves less and look for ways to put others first. The Lord promises that the Father will honor the one who serves Christ by serving His people. As we learn to prefer others above ourselves, the Lord fills us with His love to the overflow to reach more people for His Kingdom. He will give us zeal for ministry. God is selfless, humble, gracious, and merciful, and as His children, He asks us to follow His example. We cannot do that in our own strength. The Holy Spirit will empower you, and with His grace, to be able to deny your own desires and selfish ambitions. We need God’s help to prefer others above ourselves. God’s Word transforms our minds so that we can learn how to think less of ourselves and seek to serve God and His people. Let us ask God to help us value the call to serve so we can look more like Him, ministering to whoever He puts in front of our path. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
If you've ever wondered why you can't hear God, you're not alone. Watch this message to find out how the Holy Spirit brings God's Word to life inside you so you can finally hear his voice.
Presented by Julie Busteed We don't use the word abide very often today. Yet Jesus uses it eleven times in John 15. The scene is the Last Supper. He has just washed his disciples' feet, and now he is teaching and praying for them—sharing his final words with them before the crucifixion. Because Jesus emphasizes this word so strongly, it's worth pausing to understand what he meant. He says: Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:4–5, ESV). The Greek word menō, translated “abide,” means to remain, stay, or dwell. It's an active word—not passive—implying an ongoing, intentional relationship. Some Bible translations even use the word remain. Matthew Henry, in his commentary, highlights the context well: Jesus was about to leave his disciples after being with them for three years. The disciples would soon face the temptation to drift from him, from each other, and from his teaching—perhaps even to return to the old patterns of the law. Jesus impresses on them the urgent importance of remaining in him and in community with one another. And he assures them that the helper, the Holy Spirit, would come to strengthen and sustain them.[1] In this passage, Jesus uses the image of the vine and the branches. Believers in Christ are the branches; he is the vine. A life of fruitfulness depends on staying connected to him. To abide in Christ starts with a relationship. The first step is to come to him as Lord and Savior, recognizing your need for forgiveness and grace. But that's only the beginning. As you follow him, the relationship grows deeper. You learn who he is, what he teaches, and how he calls each of us to live in obedience to him. To love God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). Abiding is a lifelong journey of growing, obeying, and staying connected. — [1] Matthew Henry, “John 15,” Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, BibleGateway, n.d., https://www.biblegateway.com/.
December 7, 2025. Fr. Tyler's homily for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. Enjoy! Gospel Matthew 3:1-12 John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."
Doug Cobb, founder of The Finishing Fund, is passionately convicted that we could see the fulfillment of the Great Commission in our generation. In 1994, Doug's life was changed when he joined Paul Eshleman and the Jesus Film Project for a trip to Nigeria where he caught the vision to see completely unengaged people groups reached with the Gospel. Utilizing his background in startups and venture capital, Doug eventually founded The Finishing Fund, a venture capital fund for the Great Commission, connecting donors to projects intended to reach the unengaged with the Gospel for the first time. In the last eight years, The Finishing Fund has helped get the Gospel to about 800 people groups who had never heard it before. In his most recent book, The Sprint to the Finish, Doug discusses three major finish lines that need to be crossed to fulfill the Great Commission—seeing a first Believer in every known people group, a Bible translated into every language, and a church established in every village on Earth. To date, there are only 20 unengaged people groups left in the world, and by God's grace, The Finishing Fund and its collaborative partners have a shared goal to see the entire world reached with the Gospel by 2033. Doug's conviction is simple but bold: The mission Jesus gave us can be completed in this generation, and God is already making it happen. If you want a front row seat to what God is doing around the world right now, you won't want to miss this episode. Major Topics Include: Three finish lines to completing the Great Commission The current state of Gospel work in the world Comparing approaches—church planting and disciple making Stories of signs, wonders, and miracles drawing people to Jesus Fueling the Gospel spark in a community The biggest obstacles to fulfilling Great Commission What operational collaboration looks like The evangelistic power of a new Believer The Great Wealth Transfer and the Great Commission Looking forward to the return of Jesus QUOTES TO REMEMBER “The statistics tell us that most Christians sitting in churches can't even tell you what the great commission is, much less can they tell you anything about what's happening.” “I think we're within a year or two by God's grace of seeing the work begun in every people group.” “God is preparing people of peace in these places and it's almost like the Spirit is there tapping His toe and waiting for us to show up to close the deal. He's already working in the hearts and minds of people to prepare them.” “When God's people are willing to go, Jesus will go with them.” “Why would the Spirit not do today what He did way back then to validate the testimony of Paul and the other apostles?” “I don't think it's coincidental that God has created this wealth in the last days at a time when it's needed, and that creates an enormous responsibility for our generation.” “This generation has more than we need to complete the Great Commission.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW The Sprint to the Finish by Doug Cobb The Finishing Fund (see our interview with founder Doug Cobb) Jesus Film Project (see our interview with Executive Director Josh Newell) Finishing the Task (see our interview with FTT Global Church Planting Strategist Dan Hitzhusen) IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut) ACHIEVE Alliance New Covenant Missions Coalition of the Willing Jim Wise, Financial Advisor with Ronald Blue Trust (see our past interview here) The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Luke 16:10a | Faithfulness One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, Matthew 28:19 | The Great Commission Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 24:14 | Then the End Will Come And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. Revelation 7:9-10 | Every Nation, Tribe, and Tongue After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Acts 1:8 | Power to Witness But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.
Friends of the Rosary,Today, December 8, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, a holy day of obligation.This dogma, defined by Blessed Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854, proclaims that Our Lady was immaculately conceived. Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception.The dogma stated, “The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”Four years after this proclamation, the same Virgin Mary, appearing in Lourdes to St Bernadette, confirmed the truth of the doctrine by presenting herself with the title ‘I am the Immaculate Conception.'The profession of faith by Christians and the liturgy are very ancient.A final note, the Immaculate Conception is often mistakenly thought to be a feast celebrating the conception of Jesus. Actually, it's a feast that reminds us that Mary was conceived without Original Sin in the womb of her mother, St. Anne.Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• December 8, 2025, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET
Pastor Don's Books: https://ttwpress.com 2632 - https://www.thetruthpulpit.comClick the icon below to listen. Related Podcasts098: Hope for Mortal Man (Through the Psalms) Psalm 91Cleansing by the Holy Spirit #2Cleansing by the Holy Spirit #1
Revival Mom | Grow Deeper with God, Encourage children in the Lord, Christian Home
What would happen if the Holy Spirit moved in your city for 180 days straight? Today I'm sitting down with Apostle Stephen Strader, who witnessed exactly that—a powerful move of God filled with signs, wonders, and radical transformations that shook Lakeland, Florida. This conversation will ignite your faith and hunger for more of God. We're talking about the supernatural—blind eyes opening, deaf ears hearing, and the tangible presence of the Holy Spirit. But more than that, we're exploring how YOU can position yourself and your family for revival in your own home. Apostle Stephen shares incredible stories from the mission field, unpacks what it takes to stay hungry for God, and reminds us that the same Holy Spirit power is available to every believer—including you, mama. If you've been longing to see God move in greater ways, this episode is your spark. Get ready to be stirred, encouraged, and set ablaze for the Kingdom. Next Steps: Get the Ignite Revival: Powerful Prayers & Declarations Guide here Email alyssa@alyssarahn.com for coaching
The angel Gabriel was sent from Godto a town of Galilee called Nazareth,to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph,of the house of David,and the virgin's name was Mary.And coming to her, he said,"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you."But she was greatly troubled at what was saidand pondered what sort of greeting this might be.Then the angel said to her,"Do not be afraid, Mary,for you have found favor with God.Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son,and you shall name him Jesus.He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High,and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father,and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever,and of his Kingdom there will be no end."But Mary said to the angel,"How can this be,since I have no relations with a man?"And the angel said to her in reply,"The Holy Spirit will come upon you,and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.Therefore the child to be bornwill be called holy, the Son of God.And behold, Elizabeth, your relative,has also conceived a son in her old age,and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;for nothing will be impossible for God."Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord.May it be done to me according to your word."Then the angel departed from her.
Fr. Mike emphasizes the power of the Holy Spirit exemplified in Paul's interaction with those in Ephesus in Acts 19 and reminds us that God wants to fill each of us with the same Holy Spirit so we can walk in his strength. Fr. Mike also highlights the power of sacramentals, the reality of demons acknowledging Jesus, and the importance of removing things in our lives that are harmful. Lastly, as we begin reading the Second Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, we get a glimpse of Paul's heart for the people of Corinth. Today's readings are Acts 19, 2 Corinthians 1-2, and Proverbs 28:22-24. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.