Podcasts about In Jesus

Worry can often feel like an uninvited guest that refuses to leave — overwhelming our thoughts and stealing our peace. In our daily prayer and devotional, Emily Rose Massey writes about how she lived in that space, battling anxiety and panic attacks that left her feeling helpless and alone. But through her journey of faith, she discovered the powerful truth of 1 Peter 5:7: God invites us to cast every care — every anxious thought — upon Him because He genuinely cares for us. Even as believers, we’re not immune to fear or mental struggles. Yet God doesn’t condemn us for them — He meets us there. When we choose to fix our minds on His Word and His character, He replaces panic with peace and worry with rest. The more we anchor our thoughts in Scripture, the stronger our trust in His faithfulness becomes. Whatever anxiety you’re facing today, remember: you are not alone, and you don’t have to carry it. The Lord who calms storms can calm the one inside your heart. Today's Bible Reading:“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” – 1 Peter 5:7, NIV

Halloween often stirs tension for believers — a holiday steeped in fear, darkness, and controversy. As our daily prayer and devotional note, some choose to avoid it altogether, while others seek creative ways to redeem it. In this devotional, Alicia Searl challenges us to look at this season differently: not as a night to hide our faith but as an opportunity to shine God’s light in the darkness. Jesus never avoided places or people marked by fear or sin. He faced darkness with courage, truth, and prayer — relying on His Father’s strength and authority. As followers of Christ, we too are called to stand firm in faith and reflect His light in a broken world. This Halloween, instead of turning off the porch light, what if we opened our doors in love and hospitality? Whether through a kind smile, a word of encouragement, or a small gesture that points to Jesus, we can show our neighbors the light of Christ. Let this be the night we live out Matthew 5:14–16 — radiating joy, truth, and grace for all to see. Today's Bible Reading:“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14–16

A powerful story of prayer, persistence, and divine timing inspired by Matthew 7:7–8 — “Ask, seek, knock.” For years, Hannah dreamed of serving in the Christian film industry, but doors remained closed—until one act of obedience changed everything. This devotional reminds us that sometimes faith means waiting, but other times, it means having the courage to knock and trust that God is already working behind the scenes. Highlights God invites us to bring our bold prayers and desires before Him (Matthew 7:7–8). Dreams placed in your heart often serve a divine purpose, even when they seem delayed. Faith sometimes looks like stillness, and other times, like courageously knocking on a closed door. God’s timing is always perfect—He arranges opportunities long before we recognize them. Don’t let fear keep you from stepping toward what God has already prepared. Join the Conversation Have you ever hesitated to “knock” on a door God might be calling you toward? Share your story of faith, persistence, or answered prayer in the comments. Tag @LifeAudioNetwork and use #AskSeekKnock #FaithInAction #DailyPrayer to join the conversation.

Fear is one of the most powerful emotions we face—especially when it comes to death and loss. In this honest daily prayer and devotional, Vivian Bricker shares her journey of learning to trust God after losing her mother and struggling with the deep, ongoing fear of death. Her words remind us that while death is an unavoidable part of life, we don’t face it alone. Through the promise of Isaiah 41:10, God calls us to release our fear and hold fast to His strength. He promises His presence, His help, and His upholding hand. When grief grips our hearts or anxiety clouds our thoughts, we can find comfort knowing that Jesus is with us—in life, in death, and forevermore. This episode encourages us to surrender our fears to the One who conquered death and to rest in the hope of eternal reunion with those we love. Today's Bible Reading:“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

A Prayer to Not Hit the Panic Button What does it really mean to bring everything—big or small—to God in prayer? In today's episode by Nicolet Bell we look at Philippians 4:6 and we are reminded that Paul, who had every reason to be anxious, encourages us to pray in every situation with thanksgiving. Prayer is not our last resort—it’s our first and best response. As John Wesley once wrote, “Prayer is our grand means of drawing nearer to God.” Reference: Philippians 4:6 Prayer: Father, help me to seek you in prayer daily as my first and best response. Please help me not to hit the panic button until I speak to you. I trust that you will meet me when I come to you in prayer, helping me release my anxieties and exchanging them for thankfulness. Show me how to make praying for my family a priority. In Jesus’ name, Amen. LINKS: How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide Follow Everyday Prayers @MillionPrayingMoms Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon. Discover more Christian podcasts at LifeAudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at LifeAudio.com/contact-us Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How many of us would feed a hungry stranger with the last crust of bread left in the house?The prophet Elijah received a prophecy that the land would suffer a years-long drought, and this message from God had come to pass. The Lord sent him to a ravine east of the Jordan River, where He sent ravens with bread and meat in the morning and in the evening, and Elijah could drink from a brook, but eventually, the brook ran dry because there was no rain in the land.The Lord commanded Elijah, “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.”When the prophet came upon the widow, she told him she had just enough flour and oil left for a last meal for herself and her son, and she expected they would die of starvation after this final meal.Elijah instructed her not to be afraid and asked her to make a small loaf of bread for him, then to do the same for herself and her son.1 Kings 17:15–16 says, “She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.” Because of the kindness she paid to the Lord's servant, the unnamed widow was blessed with enough to continue sharing with Elijah, and enough for her family to eat until the rains returned.Let's pray.God, you are our steadfast provider. When we have an opportunity to give to those in need, remind us that you bless us with enough to share. Help us to give unselfishly from the abundance you provide for us. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

A Prayer for Living a Righteous Life What does it really mean to “live to righteousness.” At first glance, living for what is right can seem restrictive or dull — especially in a world that values self-gratification and personal freedom. Today's episode by Christie Thomas reminds us that living for Jesus isn’t a burden; it’s freedom. Living for Jesus brings freedom from regret, freedom to choose wisely, and freedom to walk in peace and purpose. Whether you’ve followed Him for years or just discovered His grace, this episode reminds us that God redeems lost years and invites us daily into a life of hope and holiness. Reference: 1 Peter 2:24-25 Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for bearing my sins and your body so that I might die to sin and live for righteousness. Please forgive me for the times I've lived for sin instead of righteousness. Fill me with your power so I can make choices that honor you and show love to the world. In Jesus' name, amen. LINKS: How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide Connect with Christie Thomas Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon. Discover more Christian podcasts at LifeAudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at LifeAudio.com/contact-us Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

When God asks us to love our neighbor as ourselves, what exactly does He mean?In Luke 10 verses 25–37, Jesus shares the Parable of the Good Samaritan to illustrate what it means to love our neighbors the way Jesus loves us.“A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,' he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'”The Lord asks us not to dole out kindness sparingly, but to generously pour love and compassion over the hurting people we meet...even complete strangers we encounter on the road of life.Let's pray.Heavenly Father, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hands to help the broken and bruised people in our midst every day. There are lost and wounded souls in every corner of this world, and we ask for the courage to reach out to them with love. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Sometimes life trips us up unexpectedly—small missteps, hidden slopes, or blind spots we didn't see. In our daily prayer and devotional, Sophia Bricker uses the metaphor of stumbling at the zoo to illustrate how sin and error can catch us off guard, impacting our steps long after the fall. The good news is that we don’t have to stay down. God offers grace to the fallen. When we confess our sins—not hiding them or excusing them—Scripture promises that God is faithful to forgive and purify us (Psalm 51:4; Psalm 32:5; Proverbs 28:13). Rather than despairing over past failures, we can lift our hands, repent, and allow Jesus to stand us up, clean off our wounds, and guide our next steps. God is the Helper of the brokenhearted. The One who lifts those bent under burdens (Psalm 145:14) is the same One who receives our confessions and restores us. In His mercy, we can walk in freedom, not haunted by what we once did, but empowered by who we are in Christ. Today's Bible Reading: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”— 1 John 1:9 (NIV) Key Takeaways Falling into sin doesn’t disqualify us from God’s forgiveness. Confession is the pathway back to cleansing and restoration. God’s grace is more powerful than our failures. He doesn’t just pick us up—He purifies and strengthens us for the journey ahead. Let’s Pray Together Lord, I confess my sins before You. I have stumbled and failed You, but I thank You that You are faithful to forgive. Wash me, purify me, and lift me up by Your grace. Help me walk forward in the strength and forgiveness You freely give. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Articles Why Confession Is Essential for Spiritual Growth – Crosswalk.com How God Redeems What Looks Like Loss – Christianity.com How to Move Forward When Sin Keeps Returning – Crosswalk.com Repentance and Forgiveness in the Christian Life – Christianity.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How much can one person take, and still choose to offer kindness.In Genesis Chapter 37, verses 12–36, 17-year-old Joseph is sent by his father to visit his brothers, who were tending the family's flock of sheep in the countryside.Rather than the friendly check-in he expected, Joseph's brothers initially plotted to kill him out of jealousy, but instead sold him into slavery to a group of Ishmaelites heading for Egypt. Among the brothers, only Reuben wished to leave Joseph unharmed, attempting (but failing) to set up a situation where he could rescue his brother and return him to their father.In Egypt, Joseph was falsely accused of a crime, thrown into prison, became an interpreter of dreams for Pharaoh, and eventually attained a seat of power over Egypt.When famine hit the land where his brothers lived, they came to Egypt to buy grain. They didn't know Joseph was not only alive, but was now the governor of Egypt. To their surprise, Joseph wasn't angry at his brothers, but showed them compassion when he saw them again. Instead of taking revenge, he took them in and cared for them. Joseph knew everything that had happened was part of God's plan, and what his brothers intended for harm, God intended for good.Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”The story of Joseph teaches us that humility, patience, gentleness, and love are not just qualities to be saved up for those who deserve it; God asks us to approach others with love even if they have offended or caused us harm. Let's pray.Lord, sometimes the people in our lives are disappointing, frustrating, or downright hurtful. Help us to love those who fall short and need our forgiveness the most, and to bear with each other with patience, and with grace. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

In today’s digital age, it’s easy to let social media, comparisons, and material desires set the tone for our days. As Emily Massey notes in our daily prayer and devotion, we can operate with “self glasses”—seeing through lenses of envy and dissatisfaction instead of through the eyes of Christ. But Scripture points us to a better way. Because we are raised with Christ, Paul tells us to seek heavenly things, not earthly. When we fix our minds on eternal truth, we begin to resist idols of envy, comparison, and worldly ambition. This discipline doesn’t deny our earthly life. Rather, it reorders our spiritual vision. God becomes our anchor, not our circumstances. Our contentment shifts from what we see to who we belong to. And we learn to celebrate others’ blessings instead of resenting them. Today's Bible Reading: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.”— Colossians 3:1-2 (NKJV) Key Takeaways Comparison and covetousness can become spiritual idols when we prioritize them over God. Setting the mind on heavenly realities changes how we interpret earthly life. Our identity in Christ frees us from needing external validation or accumulation. A heavenly perspective shapes gratitude, humility, and love toward others. Let’s Pray Together Heavenly Father, help me to remove the “self glasses” and see life through Your lens. Cleanse my heart of comparison and envy. Fix my eyes on You and Your eternal promises. Teach me to celebrate others and rest in Your sufficiency. May my life reflect heaven’s values now. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Articles Comparison Is the Thief of Joy – Crosswalk.com Why Social Media Makes You Envy Others & What to Do About It – Christianity.com How to Keep Your Mind on Heavenly Things – Crosswalk.com Overcoming Covetousness: A Biblical Perspective – Christianity.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

273. Wise Living: Why to Get Outside and Travel and Read Aloud with Amber O'Neal Johnston   “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17 NIV   *Transcription Below*   Amber O'Neal Johnston is an author, speaker, and Charlotte Mason homeschooling mom who blends life-giving books and a culturally rich environment for her four children and others seeking to do the same. She recommends we offer children opportunities to see themselves and others reflected in their lessons, especially throughout their books, and she's known for sharing literary “mirrors and windows” on HeritageMom.com and @heritagemomblog. Amber is also the author of Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy-Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture and A Place to Belong, a guide for families of all backgrounds on raising kids to celebrate their heritage, community, and the world.   www.HeritageMom.com www.SoulSchoolBook.com www.APlaceToBelongBook.com www.instagram.com/heritagemomblog www.facebook.com/heritagemomblog   Thank You to Our Sponsor:  Sam Leman Eureka   Questions that We Discussed: Looking back, what would you say has helped to shape your children's character the most? What have you learned about the importance of getting our kids (and ourselves) out into nature? How do you actually make time to be a content creator and to also homeschool and travel and host?   Other Related Episodes from The Savvy Sauce: 53 Practical Life Tips with Blogger, Rach Kincaid 57 Implementing Bite-Size Habits That Will Change Your Life with Author, Blogger, Podcaster, and Speaker, Kat Lee 82 Traveling with Your Family with Katie Mueller 84 Ordering Your Priorities with Kat Lee 103 Making Family Memories with Jessica Smartt 200 Planting Seeds of Faith in Our Children with Courtney DeFeo 204 Charlotte Mason Inspired Mini-Series: A Delectable Education with Emily Kiser 207 Cultivating Character in Our Children with Cynthia Yanof 212 School Series: Benefits of Homeschooling with Jodi Mockabee 253 Low Tech Parenting with Erin Loechner   Connect with The Savvy Sauce Our Website, Instagram or Facebook    Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   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: (0:11 - 2:01) 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.   The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today over 55 years later at Sam Leman Chevrolet Inc. in Eureka. Owned and operated by the Burchie family, Sam Leman's in Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at LehmanGM.com.   Amber O'Neal Johnston is my fascinating guest for today. She's an author and speaker and coach and she's just chosen to live a very wise life as a wife and mother, and I think you're going to enjoy gleaning practical tips such as the benefits of getting our children out in nature regardless of their age. She has teens and makes this super practical for things that they would enjoy too, and she shares these incredible benefits of what happens when we simply step outdoors. She's also going to share approachable ways to introduce our family to great art and other cultures, and she gives us a fabulous book list, so, make sure you stay tuned through the end of the episode so that you can see some of the top books that she recommends. Finally, if you don't have a copy of her own latest release entitled Soul School, I highly recommend you purchase that today. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Amber.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (2:02 - 2:04) Thank you so much. I'm so happy to be here.   Laura Dugger: (2:04 - 2:14) Well, I'd love for you just to start us off and introduce us to your family, and will you just share a glimpse of your values and lifestyle?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (2:15 - 3:48) Absolutely. So, I live outside of Atlanta, Georgia with my husband Scott and our four children. We are just entering birthday season, but shortly they will be 16, 14, 12, and 10. The girls are the two oldest. The boys are the two youngest, and they've been homeschooled from the beginning, so, we're a homeschooling family. I'm originally from Illinois. My husband's originally from Ohio, but we met here in Atlanta at the High Museum of Art, which is really special. We are art loving, you know, fine arts loving, liberal arts loving family, and so, the idea that we met at the museum, I will just cherish that forever. I came to, before homeschooling, I was a stay-at-home mom, and prior to having children, I have an MBA, and I worked in corporate America in like marketing and advertising, and Scott comes from a similar background with the MBA, and he was doing work in that area too, so, we had that as a connection point, but I have always stayed home with the kids, and you know, our values are rooted in our Christian faith, and we're an African-American family, and so, we have values and cultural aspects that enter our home through that avenue as well. We are world travelers, so, we enjoy that as part of who we are, and I'm an author and a speaker, and I'm just a very happy homeschooler.   Laura Dugger: (3:48 - 4:12) I love that, and it sounds like such a rich and abundant life, and there's two little connections that I have to go back to. My husband and I had a date at that same museum. I love that you met your husband there. Oh wow, that's wild! And so, we met when we were in Atlanta, but live in Illinois now, so, which part of Illinois were you originally from?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (4:12 - 4:33) I'm from Elgin, Illinois. It's out past O'Hare Airport, and I was born and raised there. My parents were both public school principals there. My dad was principal of Elgin High, and there's actually an elementary school, Ron O'Neal Elementary School in Elgin, named after my father, so, that is where I'm from.   Laura Dugger: (4:33 - 4:46) Wow, okay, so, then even with that piece, your father being a principal, and then you said you've homeschooled since the beginning. Did you always anticipate you would homeschool, or what was your journey into that?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (4:47 - 7:15) Oh my gosh, never, and it's both of my parents were principals, so, that's wild. My grandfather was an elected school board official. My sister was an elected school board official, so, public school is just, you know, in my blood from the very beginning, and that's what I assumed I would do for my kids at first. Once Scott and I got married, and we had discussed it, we decided that I would stay home when they were little, and when they were old enough to go to school, I would go back to work, and my salary would pay for private Christian school tuition, and as the years, you know, months really came to fruition for my oldest, my husband started backpedaling, and he started talking this crazy talk about homeschooling. I'm like, that's a switcheroo for you. What are you talking about? I was like, that's weird. I don't want to do that. I don't feel called to do that. That does not seem like a comfortable space for me. I don't want my kids to endure that, and ultimately, I lacked confidence in that. I couldn't even articulate it. It felt scary, terrifying. Why would I take something so weighty into my own hands, and Scott was very persistent, and I can't even explain why he was so persistent about it, but I think to me, I feel like it was planted in him by the Lord, and he felt that this was the way he wanted to lead his family, and he did it so graciously because I was very resistant. He asked, would you please try it for one year, and if you are unhappy, you don't think it's right. I'll never ask you about it again, and that gave me a softer place to land where I felt like it wasn't signing up for a long-term commitment because I knew I was going to hate it, and I said, sure. I will do that, and oh, my gosh. It was the most amazing year, and I laugh now because my daughter was four, so, she's like four and turned five during that year, and so, she was so young, and people were like, well, what were you really doing, but I took it so seriously. I was doing all things, and I joined a homeschool support group, and I was reading about it, and I realized on Friday, I'm a stay-at-home mom, and on Monday, I took on this identity of a homeschooling mom, and it's just been a beautiful journey for us. I'm so thankful that the Lord led Scott in that way. He knew what was right, not just for our children, but for me, too, when I had no vision for it, and so, I'm just, you know, very grateful.   Laura Dugger: (7:16 - 7:30) I love that story. That's such an encouragement, and, okay, your oldest is turning 16, so, when you look back, what would you say has helped shape your children's character the most?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (7:32 - 9:29) Well, I think the time that we've all had to spend together, like intense amounts of time, so, not just quality time or quantity time, but both, and I think that there's nothing else I could have done that could replace that, so, I think that's one of the things. I think my own acceptance of the divine nature of me being their mother and those being my children, and really that leading me to embrace my mother's intuition, which is something that I was hesitant for at first because there are so many experts, and surely they know so much more than me, and that's not to say that that's not important. I read so widely. I'm always reading expert ideas and views, but what I realized is that those things can help me as tools. They can mentor me, but they can't master me because the master has already appointed me as the perfect mom for these children, and nobody knows them, the little tiny details of them that nobody knows more than me, and so, when I leaned into that and I'm like, yeah, this says this online, this book said that, this thing says that, I can take what I can from those, but ultimately I feel the spirit telling me and leading me in this way with these children, and when I really leaned into that, I have a right to do that. I am their mother. That revolutionized things, and I think that's what's helped shape my children's character the most is my willingness to lean into how I'm led to lead them, and so, that's been a motherhood journey for me, and I hope that it's a legacy that I leave with my children.   Laura Dugger: (9:31 - 9:53) And do you have any specific stories that come to mind that were examples of that mother's intuition, something that really I think it is such a gift from the Lord and that the Holy Spirit speaks to us in some unique way as mothers to be in tune with our kids, so, is there a time that it really benefited them when you exercised your mother's intuition?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (9:53 - 12:42) Well, there was one time with my third, my son, my oldest son, his name is Beckett, and he was in the high chair eating while I was braiding my daughter's hair, and I heard him start making like these really weird noises, and I looked over and it was like he was choking and gagging, and I run over, and but he seemed fine, but then he would do it again, and he started sweating, and you know today I really would say, you should call 9-1-1, but I didn't, I threw all the kids in the car, and I rushed to the ER, and when we got there he wasn't choking anymore, he wasn't sweating, they did his vitals and everything, and they said, well mom, whatever happened passed, he's fine, and you guys can go home, and I was like, no, he's not fine, I'm looking at him, he's not my little boy, his vitals are checking out, but he's not looking at me the way he normally looks at me, he's not interacting with me, the little funny things that I can make him smile all the time, he's not responding to them, and so, like, I know you have your tests, but like my, I'm telling you something's wrong with my little boy, so, they have a doctor, he comes in to tell me everything's fine, and he's sending me home, and so, I was like, well I'm not leaving, I'll just spend the night in the ER then with all my kids, because I know something's wrong, and the doctor, who's this older man, he turns to me, he looks me in my eyes, and he says, you know, in all my years of medical training, there's something that they never told us, but something I've learned throughout my career, never doubt a mother's intuition, and he said, we'll take him and run more tests, and they took Beckett back to run more tests, and they came back and said, you were right, he has swallowed a coin, and it's like just teetering on the precipice, and so, at times it was blocking his airway, and at times it was shifted a little bit, and we have to go in immediately and get it, and that could have choked him, if you had just gone home and put him down to bed, and so, in that story, I took away two things, one, that I am his mother, and I don't care what the test says, or what the data says, or what the news, or a book, at the end of the day, I knew that something was wrong with my boy, the other thing is the graciousness of that doctor, to see my humanity and my personhood beyond just the insurance payment, or protocol, or whatever, it let me know that like there's something powerful about letting other people know that you see them, and that you are connected to them, as another part of God's creation, like he respected me on that level, so.   Laura Dugger: (12:43 - 13:35) That is incredible, I'm so grateful that that story has a happy ending, and that you were assertive to say that, I think sometimes as women, probably especially as Christian women, we can think, oh I want to be nice, or not push back on somebody, but I love that you were assertive, it was what was in your child's best interest, and like you highlighted, that doctor's humility is admirable, but Amber, you mentioned too that you're a writer, and you contribute a lot to things like the Wild and Free bundles, and I was always struck by the way that you would be out in nature, and there's so much to learn, so, if you had to boil it down, what wisdom would you have to share from what you've learned about the importance of getting our kids and ourselves outdoors into nature?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (13:36 - 16:49) Yeah, that's so funny, I love that you asked me that, because I like to tell people I was raised in the air conditioning, and so, there is no one who began motherhood further away from nature and being outdoors than me, like, and I can look back at those early days of like, I knew you could take your kids to the playground, and I did do that, but like what else would you do outside, you know, and people would be like, oh we went hiking on this trail, and I was like, where did you get on it, like where do you find a trailhead, like I mean this is back, like this is where I was coming from, and I was just like, and then what would we do, like we just walk, and do we talk about trees, I don't know any trees, I know Christmas trees are evergreens, you know, so, it was just like coming from this very like foundational place where I didn't know anything, but I believed, right, I believed, I somehow inherently believed when I read that being outdoors was important for children, so, I'm reading Charlotte Mason's work, and she's talking about nature study, I'm reading Last Child in the Woods by Louvre, and I'm hearing about this, he calls it a nature deficit disorder, and I'm reading all of these different kind of people who really respected childhood, and personhood, and really wanted the best for children, I'm reading a Christian perspective of the joy in connecting with God's creation, first and foremost, but also this idea of encouraging natural and authentic physical activity, running, climbing, balancing, exploring, developing coordination, and confidence, and the mental health components, you know, reducing stress, and improving mood, and not just for the kids, but my friend from A Thousand Hours Outside, she talks about how the first time she like took her kids out for the whole day, it was for her, because she was going crazy with these all these little kids, and the house, and the bags, and the diaper bag, and the snacks, and she didn't know what else to do, so, she just went outside, and how healing that was, and therapeutic that was for all of them, the idea of curiosity, of fueling curiosity, and creativity, I've never seen my kids come up with the most, I mean, they come up with imaginative things in our house, but outside, the, oh my goodness, the things they come up with, the things they create, and make, and the storytelling that comes out of that, and I think the family bonds, our experiences, it's another way of memory making, I mean, we make memories when we go see plays, and musicals, and travel as well, so, it's not the only way, but it's a strong way of that shared outdoor adventures, so, like a couple weeks ago, we were all whitewater rafting, it's funny, like a lot of funny things happen when you're out there doing crazy stuff, and so, we have a lot of laughter, and we have a lot of inside jokes that come from our time together, so, I think that all of those, it's not just one thing, it's one of those rare things where there are all the pros, and there really are no cons, and so, I intentionally embrace that for my family, even though it's everything that I didn't have growing up.   Laura Dugger: (16:50 - 17:41) Wow, that is so interesting, I love how books have really inspired you to make changes that have benefited your entire family, and I'm thinking back years ago when I was in grad school, studying marriage and family therapy, there was this book that we read, Letters to a Young Therapist, I believe the author is Mary Pipher, and she said something that I found to be very true in my life, she said, from childhood when we all look back, our memories typically boil down to three categories, one is family dinners around the table, the second is traveling with our family, and the third is anytime we were outdoors, and so, I'm wondering that legacy that you're giving your kids, they're going to have an abundance of memories in all three of those buckets.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (17:42 - 18:29) Yeah, I love that, and I had never read that, it's making me want to go and read her work, but I can't agree more, I mean that's what I've seen anecdotally, at least in my family, and it's definitely been the case for us, I can totally see that, the other thing I love about outdoors too is it's free, you know, so, there have, we've had times of plenty and times of not quite enough financially throughout our journey, due to layoffs, and you know, recessions, and all these different things, but that has been one thing that the travel hasn't always been as consistent as we wanted, but the nature, the time outside has always been accessible, even during COVID, that was accessible to us, so, I love it for that too, but yeah, that's really cool.   Laura Dugger: (18:29 - 18:41) Absolutely, okay, so, you started with, you were getting some inspiration from different books and speakers, but then when did you actually implement this? Do you remember how old your kids were?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (18:42 - 20:11) Right away, so, my oldest was like four, five years old, and we started going outside, now again, we had always been going to the park, so, they had been spending a lot of time outside, but I will say like that's like a very, you know, man-made structures, and you know, I can't think of it, like very cultivated space, so, we weren't spending time in uncultivated space until around there, so, maybe a four-year-old, two-year-old, and infant, and I know they started growing up in that way, and I had kids in an ergo on the back, and I remember hiking with a kid in an ergo on the front, and then snapped another one on the back, and you know, these are memories I have of being outdoors thoroughly by the time the boys were coming along, and I remember the story where we were at a creek, and I looked up for a moment, and just sheer panic that my little boy was gone, he wasn't in my eyesight anymore, and the girls were playing there, and I'm like, you know, and I look, and look, and look, and there's nothing, and no one, and all I can think you sees in the water, and I wasn't paying attention, and my heart's racing, and I'm like, girls, where's your brother? And my daughter says, mommy, he's sleeping on your back. And I'm like, oh my gosh, I just think, like, I was so tired during those years, and I just remember, I would just think, let's just go outside, and some days that's just the most I could come up with, but yeah, I was freaking out, and the little boy was sleeping on my back.   Laura Dugger: (20:12 - 21:50) And now a brief message from our sponsor.   Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka has been owned and operated by the Burchie family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago.   If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed. They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle. 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What did you do outside?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (21:51 - 24:13) So, we started with walking, and I also was very verbal about my, what I felt were my inadequacies with friends, and that's why, you know, I can't overemphasize the, I haven't brought that up yet, but the idea of community. You don't need a hundred friends, just a few people who either are doing the same thing as you, have done it, or know you personally so well. But I had a friend who was like this outdoor enthusiast, and I always admired her for that, and she'd be like, oh, I went to the hydrangeas, they're coming out today, and they're gonna bloom for four days, and you know, like, and she would be like, oh, do you want some wild blueberries? And I'd be looking at her with side eye, like, girl, I only eat blueberries from Publix, because how do I know that you know what you're doing? You know, those could be poisonous berries you identified wrong. So, we had this kind of ongoing thing, I just asked her, I was like, hey, could we go outside with you guys sometimes? And she was like, of course. So, our first hike was with her and her kids, and she showed me how to go outside and do nothing. Like, we didn't do anything, we just walked. And the kids let us, you know, they would stop and ponder things and ask questions, which she knew the answers to, but wouldn't answer. So, she was like, well, what do you think? Or that's something cool we can investigate, or whatever. So, I realized, wow, here's this expert naturalist who's not even using her expertise. I don't have any expertise, so I could do the same thing. Well, what do you think about that? So, the kids let us, we stopped when they stopped, we kept going when they kept going. We had plenty of water and snacks, which she had told me, which was important. And that was my first thing. It was a hike. And after that, I only went back to that place by myself with my kids without her, because that was the only trail I knew. I knew where to park and where to go, and I felt confident. And then lo and behold, I run into Charlotte Mason's work, where she talks about returning to the same place throughout the year, and having your kids compare what's happening their season to season. And so, different rationale for why I was doing that. But then I was like, look, there's beauty, even in the simplicity of me not knowing what else to do. So, that's kind of how we got into it. And then I started having more experience and going out and being more adventurous further away from home with my kids.   Laura Dugger: (24:14 - 24:24) Okay, so, then what other ways has it evolved? You mentioned whitewater rafting. So, you've got teens now. What does your time outdoors look like in this phase?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (24:25 - 26:02) So, lots of camping. So, you know, Memorial Day weekend, you know, we were camping in yurts with friends. This past weekend, we camped, we had a big Juneteenth celebration, and then we went camping for Juneteenth weekend. And so, I would say that kayaking, paddle boards, we have paddle boards, we take out fishing, I hate fishing personally, don't like it at all. But two of my kids enjoy fishing. So, I'm there for that. I'll just bring a book or whatever, because it's quite boring to me, but they love it. So, we moved. I mean, how much of a commitment is that we moved to a different house, when we were able to have our whole property is forest floor. So, it's completely shaded and intertwined with trees and plants and a kind of wild scape. And across the road is a lake where the boys can fish and I can call their names for lunch and they can hear me now. I have to yell it loud. It's kind of country. Other people probably like what is going on? I'm like, you know, but they can hear me right there. And so, the creek and just really everything. A lot, a lot of hiking, I will say we live near a mountain and we're in Georgia. So, the North Georgia mountains are not far from us. We have Appalachia or Appalachia, as my friend said, I mispronounce it. And yeah, there's nothing that isn't my one of my first dates with Scott was whitewater rafting. So, we've always kind of embraced that.   Laura Dugger: (26:03 - 26:37) Oh, that's a special way to tie in a married couple memory with your kids and get to pass that along. And water and mountains, those things are, they never get old. But I've heard others even say like, you don't have to take stuff other than water and snacks, like you mentioned, to go outside. But I like the practical tips that sometimes people take art supplies, and they can nature journal or a book to read aloud. Do you have any other practical tips like that, that you would encourage if somebody wanted to get started with this lifestyle?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (26:38 - 28:47) Yeah, I would say, um, we, okay, the best thing I can say is to just try it like I think that oftentimes I know my I'm like this, you want to try to be an expert at something before you actually put it into practice. And the point is, like, we're looking at someone's work or something that they're doing after years that they've been in practice. And then we're expecting to do that from the very beginning. And until we get there, we don't want to do it. So, for example, nature study, nature journaling, I always admired nature journaling. But when you look at people's nature journals that they people who are willing to share, there's usually a reason they're willing to share theirs because it looks beautiful. And mine didn't also look beautiful. But I was still willing to give it a try. And I love that. And I love my kids, what they've worked on. And I cherish all of our early beginning sketches. And quite honestly, I'm still not great. But I think having tools like watercolor pens and water pens where we can do watercolor on the go. And we've done many pictures out by the side of the creek on picnic blankets, especially like my older children while younger people are like, What do I do with these little ones like water, you know, like they love that splashing, making sandcastles and things while I'm painting or doing things watercolors with the with the older ones. And were they museum worthy? No. But there was a lot of enjoyment involved in a skill-based learning. So, I think asking questions and inquiry, using pictures, sure and painting, but also keeping track of things the the date that our cherry blossoms bloom, and our white cherry blossom blooms before the pink one every year and keeping track of that or paying trying to map all of the vegetation in our yard like we are, you know, know which trees what they're called where they come from that takes time. And those are things we've done. It's not like we're only just sitting there barefoot grounding ourselves and forest bathing. You know, we're out there learning as well. And I think that, you know, both are beautiful ways to enter into that.   Laura Dugger: (28:48 - 29:34) I love it. There's so many benefits. And you even mention grounding that helps so much going barefoot with inflammation and different body systems that are reset even by getting out and getting early morning light and the serotonin that's produced that turns into melatonin at night. So, we're happier in the day and sleepier at night, resetting systems in our eyes and like healing our body in different ways to an even how much better outdoor air is for us than indoor air. The benefits just go on and on. So, would you have any to add that either your family has experienced personally, or you've learned about just benefits of getting outdoors?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (29:34 - 31:29) Yeah, I think that one, even, you know, all the things you said, yes, and also the mental clarity. And that's why I don't like being time outdoors, being tied to a negative consequence for academic related behavior. So, the house across the road from ours, you know, I could say ironically, or just be like, God chose to gift us. It's a homeschooling family. They moved in a couple years ago, and they have some kids are some of our kids are similar ages. And our boys are just outside all the time together hours and hours and hours every single day. And I see the difference on days where the weather doesn't permit it or where one family or the other, you know, isn't available. There's a difference in terms of clarity and the work that's happening at the lesson table as well. And this came up, you know, my nephew, you know, they're not homeschooled, and his parents took him on a trip, which caused him to miss a day of school. And he missed an assignment that day, he didn't turn it in. And so, the school then when he got back to school punished him by keeping him indoors for recess. And I was helping, you know, my family craft a note that talks about two things. One, they punished a child for a decision the parents made. And that is grossly unfair, they should be talking to the parents about not missing school, if that's the important thing. And the second thing is, you took away the very thing that allows these children to have what they need to sit quietly and take in, you know, that that's not, that's not how you that's not an appropriate consequence. So, anyway, I feel that the mental clarity beyond the things I would have named the same things you already said, it would be the only other thing that I would bring in and why time outside actually helps us to achieve deeper and broader and more expansive learning when we are inside.   Laura Dugger: (31:29 - 31:54) That's good. And I love how you keep mentioning the piece of community that that's the best way to do this. So, regardless of somebody homeschools, or they don't, how can all of us actually prioritize this? And what's a good, healthy goal for getting started, even as specific as how much time outdoors, how many outdoors or how many days a week should we be outdoors?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (31:55 - 33:01) Yeah, that's, it's so different for every family, I think that you should go just past the point of comfort, you know, for most of us. So, if the point of comfort for you is like 30 minutes a week, then you would start out like aim for an hour a week, you know, 20 minutes, three days, if you're already outside for, you know, 10 hours, a couple hours each day, you know, I would say, maybe shake it up with what you're doing and see what would it be like to go on a really long outdoor excursion on a Saturday, or to take a day off or something like that. So, I don't want to say an exact number, because we're all entering in at a different place. For me, if someone had told me to spend eight hours outside with my kids, when I was first starting, and I'm used to going to playground for 20 minutes, that would have been overwhelming. And I would have been like; there's no way I'm ever gonna do it. So, I think like, just taking it, like, where do I feel most comfortable? And how can I push myself just past that point would be a great place to start and kind of a nice place to always stay? Like, what's the next thing that we can do to lean further into this?   Laura Dugger: (33:02 - 33:15) That's really good, very wise counsel. And Amber, you've mentioned that your family loves to travel. So, will you share any adventures that you've had as a family with world schooling?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (33:16 - 36:20) So, our goal, and it's just a fun thing, you know, I don't know if we'll totally do it, but I think we will, is to have children. So, for us, world schooling is where we're not on vacation, but we're actually deeply immersed in a learning stance in another country, another part of the world. And we're trying to do that on every continent, except Antarctica, before my oldest graduates. So, we have two continents left, we are going to be going to Asia in the fall. So, we'll be taking that one off of our list and for that particular feat. And then her senior year, we'll do Australia and hop over to New Zealand. That's the plan, if it's God's will for us to do that, that's what we would like to do, and that will complete our journey. And then we'll keep traveling, but that was just kind of a fun thing to help lead us, because there are so many places in the world to go, like how do you know? And so, that kind of helped us know, well, let's do this continent, let's do that continent. So, we took our first trip, we spent three months in South America, most of it spent in Bolivia. And I can tell you exactly the kids' ages, because my youngest turned two in Bolivia. So, they were two, four, six, and then one turned eight there. And so, that was, you know, diapers, I had a baby in diapers, a little one in diapers and still nursing when we went on our first trip. And I've never regretted that. People have said, why would you take kids so young? You know, they're not going to remember. And I think a couple thoughts. One, you'd be surprised, they do remember. They may not remember this artifact in some museum, but that's not what we spend most of our time doing. But they remember the people. And we've kept in touch with a lot of the people that we've met in these different countries. And we've even had visitors in our home, staying in our basement apartment that we met abroad. So, they do remember. They remember how things feel and taste more than they remember exactly, like historical markers and things like that. Also, I kind of compare it to like breastfeeding and nursing, like my kids, except for one little boy who held on way too long, but they don't remember that. But I believed that it was something good for them that was forming. It was helping to form who they were, not so much who they were personality wise, but their bodies as they were growing. And so, sometimes we do things that are foundational to our children's development, even if they don't have a conscious and direct memory of that thing. And that's how I see world travel. So, we've been to Europe, and we were in Greece when COVID hit. We were in the middle of a big trip there. So, we had the whole struggle to get back to the United States. We've been to West Africa, most spent in Ghana, England, France. We're going to Ethiopia this year. So, yeah, that's kind of, that's our thing.   Laura Dugger: (36:20 - 37:04) Wow. And those memories are incredible. Even let's say your children forget some of this, or if they're too young to remember all of it, you remember this and you get to share those stories with them and pass that along. I can't even imagine all of the learning that takes place from being immersed in those other cultures. But you also mentioned welcoming people into your basement apartment. So, you sound hospitable as a family. What does that actually look like? And I'm kind of going to throw two questions at you. What does that actually look like? And then both for world schooling and hospitality, what are tips for ways we can replicate that as well?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (37:06 - 39:52) So, one thing that's important to me to always share about world schooling, I have a whole chapter about our world schooling adventures in my first book, but one important thing that I call out there is Eli Gerzen. He's the guy who came up with the word world schooling. And he says, you know, we don't even need a passport to do it. That world schooling is really learning from the world around you. It could be your local library. It could be the internet. It could be your neighbors. And so, while I use this more global term of world schooling, because that's just what we call it in our family, the truth of the matter is it's a way of seeing the world and seeing all the opportunity to make connections right where you're sitting. And people are like, oh, you guys have so much money. I can't do that. First of all, we don't have so much money. Like, for instance, we have one car, right? So, there are sacrifices that we make that other people may choose to spend their money in a different way. So, we definitely don't have a ton of money. But more importantly, I'm thinking, yeah, you're saying that you don't have money, but how much have you explored your county? Like, what do you know about the history of your county? And have you been to your local historical society? And have you really, you know, got in? Have you been to an old the oldest cemetery within driving distance of your home? Have you gotten a tour of it to hear the stories of who's there? Like, you can have that same inquiry and curiosity without ever leaving. So, I'll say that first. And in terms of the hospitality part, it's like an it's an intention, right? You have to like, decide that you're going to do that, because it's so much easier not to have people at first view, like, oh, my house is not clean, and blah, blah, blah. And people don't just stop by the way they used to stop by, like my grandparents' house, it was so fun staying there in the summer, because people just folks just came in and out all day, just they come calling is what they call it, they come calling. And even when we read Jane Austin, people leaving the call guard, you know, when they came to visit, and you weren't there, like, there was this idea that you didn't have to have an appointment. And now you do, you have to let someone know before you're coming. So, it's a choice to be vulnerable, if you want to be hospitable in that way that people will see your, you know, dirty bones of your house. And you know that you're not always presenting this, like really sanitized version of your family and your family life. And so, I think that's intentional decision to say it's more important to us to be with other people and let them in than it is for us to always sanitize everything before they get here. And I don't mean sanitizes and clean the house that too, but I mean sanitizes and everyone's behaving the way that I want them to behave in front of people and all of that as well.   Laura Dugger: (39:53 - 41:05) When was the first time you listened to an episode of The Savvy Sauce? How did you hear about our podcast? Did a friend share it with you? Will you be willing to be that friend now and text five other friends or post on your socials anything about The Savvy Sauce that you love? If you share your favorite episodes, that is how we continue to expand our reach and get the good news of Jesus Christ in more ears across the world. So, we need your help.   Another way to help us grow is to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts. Each of these suggestions will cost you less than a minute, but it will be a great benefit to us. Thank you so much for being willing to be generous with your time and share. We appreciate you.   Well, and I think it is a biblical command for all of us and it does bless the person or the people that we are hosting, but there are also rewards for us in the process. So, if you even just could think of one reward of a way that this hospitality has blessed your family, what would you say?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (41:07 - 41:55) Well, I would say John chapter five, it says, you know, this verse we've all heard, "I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit apart from me, you can do nothing." So, you know, when we talk about hospitality, we spend a lot of time talking about what my family is doing for other people. But also, that means that my family is constantly in contact with other believers and other people who are helping us with our faith to helping us to remain connected to Jesus. And without that connection, we know that there's nothing that we can do, nothing of any spiritual significance. So, while I'm inviting those people into our lives, it also ensures that my family is not alone in what we're trying to do in our faith. So, like, that's one of a very easy benefit, I can say right off the top.   Laura Dugger: (41:56 - 42:18) Then that one is truly invaluable for our children to get to witness the way other people live out their faith, and it impacts each of us. But I'm also curious, how do you manage your time so that you can be a content creator, and you can homeschool and travel and cultivate these relationships?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (42:20 - 46:08) So, first, let me say that it's not always easy. And there are seasons where I feel like I'm doing a really good job with that. And there are seasons where I feel like I'm not doing a good job. I always prioritize my family first. And so, during the seasons where I feel like I'm not doing a good job, it's very public. People can see I did not post on Instagram for a month, or I'm not speaking as much. They're finding it harder to find opportunities to hear me speak, or I have a long lull before books are published. Those are times where I've turned inward towards my family, where I felt like I didn't have the bandwidth for everything. And so, that's something I have to deal with on a constant basis, because I know that my business or my ministry is not as rich and robust as it could be. I have ideas for days. I have ideas and the ability to bring them to fruition. But I'm not willing to sacrifice the time that it takes to do those things in this season. Because even though I don't have little kids, I definitely have more time than I did when I had little kids. It's not even just time; it's more mind clarity as well. But I don't have as much time as people with little kids would think, because I want to be fully present, even for my teens. When they want to talk to me, I want to be talkable too. I want to be available to them. And we're going to places. We're doing things. They're busy. I'm busy. And I'm trying to prepare them for young adulthood. And that's just as time-consuming as trying to prepare my young children for the next stage of their development. So, I guess it's so messy. Oh my gosh, it's messy. It's chaotic. It's a little bit crazy. But in the center of it all, I really appreciate the opportunities I do have to do the things that help refuel, help me refuel. So, I'm a writer. So, writing isn't just about creating a book. It's that I get to create a book, but really it's about the process and how cathartic it is for me to sit in silence and wonder about things and be able to write them out. And oh, lo and behold, there's a publisher who is interested in publishing those things. But the real work for me is in the process of writing. Then when I come home from a coffee shop or I emerge from my room, I come back more enthusiastic about what it is we're working on and what we're doing. The other thing that I would share is that I don't do all of that stuff by myself. So, things that people don't, just like I say, I have one car and we travel the world, people are like, oh, okay, this is not what I thought. My husband does all the laundry, every piece of laundry in this house that the teens do their own, but all the laundry that's done, he does and has done for over a decade. So, that's a thing I have to say, because you might be picturing that I'm doing all of those things. Or when I wrote one of my books, I was struggling and Scott was like, how can I help you? And he was like, what if we get help to come in with the kids like a nanny or something a few hours a week? I'm like, no, that's the last thing I want somebody to touch. So, he's like, well, what is it? So, we hired a chef, and she would prepare all of our dinners according to like what I, how I like my family to eat and lots of whole foods and good things. And she would drop them off at our house. It was very expensive, but I used part of the money from the advance from the publisher to pay for that so that I could write the book. So, I think those are things that a lot of times people don't talk about, but I have support in place. I'm not super woman any more than anyone else.   Laura Dugger: (46:08 - 46:49) Oh, I appreciate that real picture and those creative ideas because as mothers, we don't just make goals for ourselves. Like you said, we have these dreams and ideas that we could put into practice, but we consider our relationships as well and how it will impact everyone. So, I love hearing practically how that plays out for you and the trade-offs that you've chosen to make. And I know that you and I also share a passion for reading aloud. So, if we could get really practical for a moment, what are some of your most recommended read aloud for families from a variety of age groups?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (46:50 - 53:05) Well, I'm always ready for that question, but I have to say, it's almost asking me, which of my children are my favorite? It's so hard in so many ways, but for younger elementary, I picked three books that I think kind of help show how expansive I feel like I want my children's reading life to be. So, this book is called Indigo Dreaming, and it's a book about two girls, one's in North America and another one we can believe is off the coast of Africa. And they're both doing what they do in their own homes. And it's beautifully illustrated also, but they're both doing what they do in their own homes while wondering, is there another little girl in this world doing what I do, liking what I like? Well, indeed there is. And it's poetic and it has soft paintings. It's just stunning. And then another one is called The Magic Doll. It's a children's book inspired by African art. And in this book, the mother desperately wants to have a child, but she's dealing with infertility, and she turns to the use of an infertility doll. And what would I say about that? My family doesn't believe that, but it's a book that I read with my children because we were going to visit this culture. And I wanted to explain to them how we can respect something and learn about it even without adopting it. And that you can understand the yearning of a mother's heart to hold a child in her hand and the desperation that that could bring about. And I wanted them to know that we would see fertility dolls there and what they meant and things like that. And it's also beautifully illustrated, which is important to me. And then this one's just a fun book. It's called I Had a Favorite Dress, but as the dress starts getting too small, she cuts it and turns it into a skirt. And then it gets turned into this. And then the little, small piece gets turned into some socks. And then it's just a little scarf and snip, snip, sew, sew, pretty hair bow. And so, the same piece of fabric, this favorite dress she had, every time she can't use it in that way anymore, it gets moved and shifted. Into something else. And this book reminds me to just, you know, sometimes we share heavier topics with our children, even beautiful topics, but sometimes it's just joy. Like that's the whole purpose of the book is to smile and have fun. And I'll move more quickly for the older elementary books. I have this book called Schomburg. It's a nonfiction book about Arturo Schomburg and the man who built a library, which is now housed. His home library is now housed as part of the collection of the public library system in New York. And he collected books about all types of black and brown people. And it was considered one of the foremost library collections. So, as a book lover, I love that story. This one's called Heart and Soul. It's the story of America and African Americans with stunning illustrations by Kadir Nelson. So, I love visual art. I always say my family, we can't afford to buy the most exquisite art for our walls, but we have an exquisite art collection through our picture books that I've collected. And then the last one is for that group is John Henry by Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney illustrations. So, those are two powerhouses of African American author and illustrator. Both have passed. And it is the tall tale of John Henry told in a way that you've never seen before. For older kids, like middle schoolers, I love this one Big Open Sky because it's about some black exodusters who are moving west. And it goes so well for families who love Little House on the Prairie. But, you know, Little House on the Prairie, in some ways, there's some instances that are a little disrespectful to Native Americans and black people. And this is like a redemptive story, not instead of but alongside of it to say that there were black people that were also moving westward and what was their journey. And it's written in verse, like, oh, my gosh, I can't even tell you enough about that. This book, The Angel Orphan, my friend Leah Bowden wrote this book, and it's the story of Charlotte Mason. So, in chapter book form. So, there's also a picture book that someone wrote, but this is a beautiful story about Charlotte Mason. And my family's all-time favorite on my kids read aloud is The Winged Feather Saga by Andrew Peterson. And that whole series, oh, my goodness, that cemented so much of our family lexicon, because it's filled with like made up words. And it I mean, we have jokes and talks and sayings for days coming out of that series. For our older teenagers, um, or even early elementary, early middle school and early teenage years, the Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is just like a such a classic, Mildred D. Taylor that many of us read. But she also wrote a young adult version where Cassie is entering young adulthood. So, different age audiences, but same author. And a lot of people haven't heard of the other book All the Days Past, All the Days to Come. So, for high school, I love that. And then I threw a couple things in for mama. I'm an epic story of called Homegoing about two sisters and the different paths their lives take during a time I'm part of it is told in Africa and part of its told in the United States. And the last book I have is this memoir, A Black Mother's Garden. It's called Soil. And she uses her actual real garden at her home to kind of give us this idea of life. And it's, it's, you know, it's, it's hard to explain, but it's her it's part memoir, part gardening, like learning and talking about the plants, but also how all of that can turn into kind of like the soil of your life and the people being plants, and she really focuses on wildflowers. So, it's a stunningly, like poignant and beautiful memoir. So, those are my favorite, you know, and now if you ask me tomorrow, you're going to get a different stack.   Laura Dugger: (53:07 - 53:27) I love it. What a gift to get to see all of those you and I share some of those favorites, and you've introduced me to some new ones. So, I'm very grateful and hope everybody listening feels the same. But speaking of books, you've authored more than one. But will you tell us about your most recent release entitled Soul School?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (53:28 - 55:58) Yeah, so, Soul School is it's Soul School: Taking Kids on a Joy Filled Journey Through the Heart of Black American Culture. And I know it's so hard with those. But it is a book of books. So, people who have enjoyed Honey for a Child's Heart, or The Read-Aloud Family, those types of books, which I have adored, and I have all of them, and I've highlighted them or, or Give Your Child the World is another one, highlighted them and dog eared them and have used them to check out books for the library for my children for many, many years. And, and at the same time, I was always very, you know, on my heart that the books that I spend a lot of time reading with my children that I choose and I select are never really included in most of those books.   And there was the season, you know, I'm like, frustrated, you know, I'm mad. I'm like, why? Why are they putting these books in here? And then the more I thought about it, I was like, the most you can ask for a mother to do when she's sharing these books, when it's coming from that is what she read with her children. So, am I going to be mad at her that she didn't read what I think she should read? No, do I wish that it had been more expansive? Sure, I do. But how many of us wouldn't go back and do something differently if knowing what we know today or whatever. So, I wrote a companion like the I see not to replace those books. But this book is filled with African American and black diasporic children's literature starting from preschool all the way through high school.   The first part of the book, I talk about what I'm looking for specifically in books about black American culture, and why those things are important. So, the first few chapters, first five chapters are really teaching the teacher. And then the rest of the book, which makes up most of the book are really rich annotated book lists with descriptions why I chose the book discussion questions, project ideas, and something called second helpings. Like when you think of a big soul food dinner, you go through the line the first time and you fill your plate, but then you go back for second helpings of the things that taste the very best. So, if your child likes this book, then here are two second helpings that they also would probably enjoy. And you know, the book was years in the making, I read all 300 plus books in there from cover to cover. And that's kind of my contribution to raising our children.   Laura Dugger: (56:00 - 56:40) Wow, I mean, it is a stunning piece of work. And there's so much for your family, but also for all of us. So, I think of being one of your kids, what a treasure that their mom read 300 books and put this together. But for all of us, I love books on books. And like you said, we can use it to go to the library or then once we read those and find which other ones we love, we can add it to our home collection. So, thank you for that powerhouse of work. And Amber, there's still so much more that you could share with us. Where can we go after this conversation to connect with you or to learn more?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (56:42 - 56:56) Go to heritagemom.com. And there you'll find all of my books and years' worth of blog posts and book recommendations and other things. My Instagram is @heritagemomblog and the same at Facebook.   Laura Dugger: (56:56 - 57:12) Wonderful. Okay, we will add those links to the show notes for today's episode. And you may be familiar that we're called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, Amber, what is your savvy sauce?   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (57:12 - 57:50) Oh, this is such a great question. I love this part of your podcast. I would say that my savvy sauce is learning to be a really great listener. Like if there's nothing else, then that's listening to my husband and the things of his heart and listening to my children and my neighbors and my friends.   But also, people I don't know, people in other places. And also, people I disagree with and being willing to be quiet and listen and take what I can from what they're sharing as well. So, that is, I think my savvy sauce is being an introspective listener.   Laura Dugger: (57:50 – 58:13) That is well said. You are such an inspiring and creative soul. And I have thoroughly enjoyed this chat. And I know I've been hearing you speak on other podcasts and reading your work for years. So, this was such a treat to get to connect with you today. And I just want to say thank you for being my guest.   Amber O'Neal Johnston: (58:14 - 58:16) Thank you so much for having me.   Laura Dugger: (58:16 - 1:01:59) 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 is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own.   So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a Savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute.   This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him. That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us.   Romans 10:9 says, “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.”   So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place.   I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him.   You get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you ready to get started?   First, tell someone. Say it out loud. Get a Bible.   The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes & Noble and let me choose my own Bible.   I selected the Quest NIV Bible, and I love it. You can start by reading the book of John. Also, get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ.   I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps, such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too, so feel free to leave a comment for us here if you did make a decision to follow Christ.   We also have show notes including where you can read scripture that describes this process. And finally, be encouraged.   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.”   The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

Carissa was having one of those days. Instead of hitting the snooze button on her alarm clock, she had turned it off. Now the kids were late for school, she was late for work, and the tone for the day was one mad rush — emphasis on the mad. As the day wore on, she thought about her impatience and frustration with her children as everyone got dressed and grabbed a granola bar on the way out the door. It wasn't their fault the family was running behind, and she regretted sending them to school with tension, instead of hugs and kisses.Ephesians 4:2 says, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”Of all the lessons we teach our children, kindness stands out. We have an opportunity to show patience, humility, and God's love to colleagues, classmates, neighbors, and friends — and the people in our lives learn more from watching how we behave, than they do from just being told what to do. We have a choice in how we treat others, and God asks us to approach the people around us with love. When Carissa arrived home from work, the first thing she did was apologize to the kids for the cranky way their day began, and let them know kindness matters morning, noon, and night — even when we're running late.Let's pray.Lord, thank you for the wisdom the Bible teaches us about kindness. Help us to be patient when we're short on time, and to be an example of your love in every situation — even when circumstances fall short of perfect. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Darkness is not just an abstract concept—it’s real, pervasive, and often alluring. In our daily prayer and devotional, Lynette Kittle points out that because people often choose what is hidden over what is light, believers need God-given discernment more than ever. Self-understanding, cultural noise, and even spiritual deception can make it difficult to tell what is truly of God and what is not. That’s why we must cultivate spiritual insight—not just rely on our instincts or emotions. She outlines four foundational ways to train discernment: Ask God for discernment (like Solomon in 1 Kings 3:9). Feast on God’s Word, because Scripture anchors our thinking (Hebrews 5:14; Acts 17:11). Test the spirits, discerning whether what we hear or sense aligns with Christ (1 John 4:1–3; 2 John 1:7; 1 Timothy 4:1; Galatians 1:8). Walk in God’s light—live transparently, in fellowship, guided by truth, not shadows (1 John 1:5–7). Discernment isn’t optional. In a world crowded with competing voices and moral confusion, we must actively choose to walk in the light, reject deception, and embrace truth. Today's Bible Reading “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”— Ephesians 5:11 Key Takeaways Darkness is real, and we must avoid complicity with its works. Discernment is a spiritual skill—learned by dependence on God, not self. The Word of God is our measuring rod—if “revelations” conflict with Scripture, they must be rejected. Walking in the light is both protective and revealing. Let’s Pray Together Father, thank You that You call us out of darkness into Your marvelous light. Grant me a discerning heart today—teach me to ask You, to read Your Word, to test what I hear, and to walk in Your light. Protect me from deception. May I see clearly in a confusing world, and may my life reflect Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Articles 4 Ways Christians Can Cultivate Discernment Against False Teaching – Crosswalk.com The Spiritual Gift of Discernment: What Is It & How Prayer Helps – Crosswalk.com What Is Discernment & Why Is It Important? – Christianity.com 10 Habits of Discerning People – Crosswalk.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We all carry past hurts, regrets, shame, and offenses—sometimes ones we replay over and over in our minds. In our daily prayer and devotional, Rachael Adams, host of The Love Offering Podcast, vividly recounts a gathering of teenage girls invited to lay down their pains on a cross and symbolically cross them out, illustrating what forgiveness looks like in radical form. God doesn’t just pardon our sins; He erases them, choosing not to keep a record of our offenses. As long as we confess and repent, He separates our wrongdoing from us, remembering them no more. But God’s mercy is not just for our own restored relationship with Him—it’s meant to shape how we treat others. We are called to forgive as He forgave us (Colossians 3:13). Forgiving doesn’t always mean forgetting in the sense of erasing memories. It means removing the debt, letting go of grievances, refusing to hold someone’s past mistakes against them. Liberation comes when we choose grace over bitterness, extending to others what God has extended to us. Bible Reading “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”— Psalm 103:10–12 Key Takeaways God’s forgiveness is complete: He removes our transgressions and doesn’t retain them. Forgiveness is a deliberate choice—not forgetting, but no longer holding a debt against another. Our freedom in Christ empowers us to forgive those who have wronged us. Keeping no record of wrongs allows relationships to be renewed and hearts to be healed. Let’s Pray Together Lord, thank You for pardoning me and erasing my sins. Help me accept Your mercy fully and extend that same grace to others. Show me where I hold grudges or keep score of offenses. Give me strength to forgive, to release the record, and to love as You have loved me. In Jesus' name, Amen. Related Articles: “Love Keeps No Record of Wrong” (Crosswalk Bible Study) Why Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs (Crosswalk Marriage Advice) Listen to and Follow The Love Offering Podcast! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Job 1-2; Acts 6-7 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast! In today's episode, recorded on October 17th, 2025, Hunter—your host and Bible reading coach—guides us through a profound journey in scripture, exploring the beginnings of the book of Job (chapters 1 and 2) and continuing through the impactful story found in Acts chapters 6 and 7. Hunter opens with a warm greeting and a reminder of God's promise for abundant life through Jesus. Together, we witness Job's world being stripped away and unravelled, yet his unwavering faith becomes a testament to spiritual endurance and the comfort of God's presence, even in silence. In Acts, the story of Stephen unfolds—his faith, wisdom, and courage shine as he faces accusations, delivers a passionate speech recounting Israel's history, and ultimately forgives his persecutors in the midst of suffering. This episode draws us toward the heart of God, who sits with us in our grief and restores us, embodying co-suffering love through Jesus. Hunter wraps up with prayers for peace, perspective, and thanksgiving, encouraging us to allow God to elevate our perspective and fill us with His joy. So, settle in as we reflect on endurance, grace, and new perspectives—discovering the reminder that through it all, you are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: He comes to sit with us in our suffering. As we open the book of Job today, we are invited into the depths of pain, loss, and silent grief. Job, a man of integrity, is plunged into unimaginable suffering as all is taken from him – his family, his wealth, his health. He is undone, stripped bare, descending into a silence that is "too deep for words.” His friends come and sit with him, not offering answers, but sharing in his sorrow, simply being present in his suffering. Yet the story goes deeper. Job's pain and silence point beyond his own experience to something profoundly divine. Even though we don't see it yet in the story, God Himself has come to sit with Job, too. This is the remarkable message of the Bible: that God does not remain distant from our suffering; He draws near. Not as one seeking to offer easy answers or to blame, like Job's friends, but as One who fully identifies with our pain. In His silence and presence, God sits in the midst of all the suffering and darkness. Job's story points us to Jesus, the One who steps into the depths of humanity's pain. Jesus comes and puts on flesh to sit with us, bearing all our suffering in His own body. He abolishes death, sin, and the grave through His co-suffering love. He restores us, heals us, and renews the very nature of humanity in Himself. Here in Job's story, we are given a picture of the God who comes and sits with us, right where we are, just as we are. In Jesus, God enters into the brokenness and offers Himself for us. He does not promise that life will be free from hardship, but He does promise His presence – presence so deep and abiding that even in our silence and sorrow, we are not alone. May we see in Job the God who draws near in our darkest hours, who sits with us in our pain, and who restores us to life. May we recognize Jesus, who tasted death for all, and offers comfort for every broken heart. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

A Prayer for Growth to be a Good Friend In today's episode, Monica Swanson shares practical wisdom for parents on how to harness the power of good influences to help children grow in character and faith. From the friends they spend time with to the media they consume, every influence matters. While we can’t control every outside factor, we can teach and model what it looks like to choose wisely and prayerfully. Reference: Proverbs 13:20 Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that you would bring good and godly friends and influences into my child's life and protect him or her from ungodly influences. In 1 Corinthians 1533, we are reminded the bad company corrupts good character. From friendships to choices about entertainment, music, internet, and social media, I pray that my child would be attracted to good, wholesome, and helpful influences. Finally, I pray that my child would grow to be a good friend and godly influence in others' lives. Let him or her shine your light in such a way that others may see his or her good deeds and glorify their Father in heaven. That's from Matthew 5:16. In Jesus' name, amen. LINKS: How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide Connect with Monica Swanson Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon. Discover more Christian podcasts at LifeAudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at LifeAudio.com/contact-us Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How many different colors can you name? There are seven colors in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. As it turns out, the human eye is capable of discerning color to an incredible degree. According to laboratory tests, humans are capable of detecting a total of 10 million colors. That's a pretty big box of crayons. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Imagine the most colorful painting or photograph you've seen in an art gallery, or come across in your Facebook feed. Our Creator God has every color in the universe to work with, the knowledge of a master craftsman, and the most significant artistic talent in existence. And He calls us—you and me—His masterpiece.When you look in the mirror and wish you were taller, better looking, or somehow measured up to your ideal, remember—we are created in God's image. When you envy someone else's position or title at work or wish you were better at math, cooking, or public speaking, remember—we are God's masterpiece. And He has a good plan for each of our lives. God had 10 million colors and countless personality traits and unique skills with which to create each of us, and the palette of colors and mix of materials He used to make you, is one of a kind. Let's pray.Heavenly Father, thank you for making us who you did. We're your children and one-of-a-kind creations. You're so good, and we have so many things to be thankful for. Help us to use our unique skill sets and talents you've blessed us with, to do your work. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Fear can feel overpowering—especially when circumstances press in, when we live in places that feel unsafe, or when anxiety has had time to settle in. But, as we reflect in our daily prayer and devotional, Scripture doesn’t leave us defenseless. In this devotional, Vivian Bricker reminds us that God is with us even when fear seems to surround us. Though we often don’t see His hand at work, God is always moving behind the scenes—striking down evil, guarding us, and providing strength. Even when fear grips our hearts, we can choose to turn to Him, surrender our anxieties at His feet, and let His peace guard our minds (Philippians 4:6–7). Moses’ charge to Israel in Deuteronomy 31:6 still rings for us today: “Be strong and courageous… for the Lord your God goes with you.” We don’t face life’s dangers alone. He never leaves us. With this promise, our fear can be met with courage rooted not in our own power, but in the faithful presence of God. Today's Bible Reading: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”— Deuteronomy 31:6 Key Takeaways God is always present—even in the darkest moments—and never abandons us. Fear doesn’t need to control us; we can bring it to God in prayer. True courage comes from trusting that God is greater than our threats. The promise in Scripture is not that trouble won’t come, but that we won’t face it alone. Let’s Pray Together Dear God, fear surrounds me and uncertainty abounds. Thank You that You are here with me. Please strengthen my heart to be strong and courageous. Remind me that You will never leave me or forsake me. Help me surrender my fear to You and cling to Your steadfast love and protection. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Articles When God Seems Silent—How to Pray When Fear Seizes You – Crosswalk.com Why Do I Still Feel Fear? Biblical Hope in Anxiety – Christianity.com 5 Scriptures to Speak Over Your Heart in Fear – Crosswalk.com Strong and Courageous: How God Strengthens Through Scripture – Christianity.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Identifying where our problems originate is one thing, but locating the Divine Healer is key in getting clear of obstacles in our lives. At each mile marker in our life journeys, God is standing alongside the road, smiling at us, and holding out His strong hand to guide us. And from the indispensable wisdom of scripture to stories of human triumphs over tragedies, He is always there reminding us we're never truly alone. His grace and mercies begin to overshadow and overwhelm those forces that want to harm us, and it's then that we see God for who He truly is. 1 Peter 5:10 says, “And after you've suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” And that is Good News! Let's pray. Lord, it's important to see who our enemy is, but it's more important to look past that and concentrate our focus on you who brings us that peace that passes all understanding, the kind that gets down deep in us and calms us from the inside out. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

He Was When We Were Not! MESSAGE SUMMARY: In this powerful exploration of Jesus' identity, we delve into the profound High Priestly Prayer found in John 17. This prayer reveals Jesus not just as a teacher or prophet, but as one who shares in the divine nature with God the Father. We're challenged to consider: Who is Jesus to us personally? The prayer showcases Jesus' unique relationship with the Father, calling Him 'Father' over 160 times in the Gospels. This intimacy extends to us as believers, inviting us into the very fellowship of the Trinity. As we contemplate this, we're reminded that our unity as Christians is rooted in our union with God Himself. The prayer also reveals Jesus' eternal existence and His role in creation, emphasizing His divinity. This understanding transforms how we view the cross - not as a tragedy, but as our salvation. Let's reflect on how this deeper knowledge of Jesus' nature can impact our daily walk with Him and our relationships with others.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I now take a deep breath and stop. So often I miss your hand and gifts in my life because I am preoccupied and anxious. Grant me the power to pause each day and each week to simply rest in your arms of love. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 132). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Inadequacy. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Abundance. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): James 1:21-25; John 17 (entire chapter); John 10:30; John 10:27-33; Colossians 1:15; Colossians 1:19; 2 Peter 1:4 WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “New Day for Humanity ” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth.” — John 14:15-17 One Friday each month, the college where I serve as campus minister celebrates “Spirit Day.” On Spirit Day students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to wear black and gold, the college colors, and to attend the college sports games. In our culture we often emphasize having a strong school, work, and team spirit. Many of us develop a strong national spirit as well. As a result, we can tend to view the Holy Spirit more as a power than as a person. But there is much to gain when we realize that the Holy Spirit is God himself living in us (2 Timothy 1:14), along with God's power being present in our lives. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit “the Advocate,” or “Counselor” (John 14:26), and he tells us that the Spirit will convict us of sin and guide us into all truth (16:7-15). The Spirit will make known to us what belongs to the Father and the Son. There is comfort and joy in knowing that God himself lives within us to lead and guide us. Paul tells us that our bodies are “temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in [us]” (1 Corinthians 6:19). What an amazing blessing it is to have God living in us! When we ask God to lead and guide us, and when we actively follow him, a whole new life of comfort and joy opens up for us. The Holy Spirit living in us changes our lives and the lives of the people around us. Spirit of God, we are honored to have you living in us. Lead us into the truth each day! In Jesus, Amen.

October 16 2025Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 7:10-12I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

Not every message, voice, or feeling we experience is from God. In our daily prayer and devotional, the apostle John warns believers to test the spirits because our emotions, cultural influences, or even spiritual opposition can lead us astray. God’s Spirit always aligns with His Word, glorifies Jesus, and produces peace and holiness in our hearts. When you face decisions or conflicting messages, take time to pray for discernment and measure everything against Scripture. If what you sense points you closer to Christ and aligns with biblical truth, you can move forward with confidence. If it distracts or divides, wait on God’s timing and continue seeking His direction. Discernment takes practice. The more time you spend in God’s Word and in prayer, the more clearly you’ll recognize His voice amid the noise of the world. God has promised to guide you faithfully—trust Him to do it in His way and His time. Today's Bible Reading: “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God… This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God…”— 1 John 4:1–3 (NIV) Key Takeaways Test every spirit. God’s truth never contradicts His Word. Keep Jesus central. The Holy Spirit’s leading always exalts Christ. Check the fruit. True guidance produces love, joy, peace, patience, and self-control. Wait on God’s timing. Rushing ahead often leads to confusion. Seek wise counsel. Godly community helps confirm God’s direction. Let’s Pray Dear God,Thank You for reminding me that not every spirit or voice I hear is from You. Forgive me for the times I’ve trusted my emotions or rushed ahead without seeking Your wisdom. Teach me to test the spirits and recognize what is truly from You. Guide me through Your Word and Your Spirit, and help me make choices that glorify Jesus. Guard my heart and mind from confusion, and let Your peace lead me.In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Articles Looking for more on discernment and hearing God’s voice? Explore these helpful reads: What Does It Mean to Test the Spirits? (and How Can We Do It?) – Christianity.com What Is a Spirit of Discernment and How Can Prayer Help? – Crosswalk.com How to Know If You’re Hearing God’s Voice or Your Own – Crosswalk.com 7 Ways the Holy Spirit Helps You Make Godly Decisions – Christianity.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We know that a consistent heart of gratitude keeps us in harmony in our relationship with God, but in a practical sense, how do we maintain it, and how can we be intentional? A first clue is the example of Paul. Philippians 4:12–13 says, “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I've learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Notice that the famous preacher trained his mind and heart to be always grateful. This meant a conscious, daily, hourly focus on the good things God has brought him. And sometimes we're down to basics on this: life, food to eat, clothes to wear, shelter. That's all many people have, and it's easy—living in the U.S. especially, to forget that our basic needs are met. But choosing gratitude is key. The actor Will Arnett does this. He says, “I'm happy because I'm grateful, and I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.” Another way to maintain a grateful heart is being very mindful every day of what God has gifted us with. Music icon Willie Nelson understands the value of such an attitude. He says, “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” Take stock every day, and actually list the things you're grateful for. Soon enough, it'll be part of your daily routine. A third way to maintain a grateful heart is to choose to focus on the positive. There's enough junk in the world. What you choose to focus on will in large part define you. It's sort of like a natural law. If you do an act of kindness for someone, or sit for 20 minutes watching a gorgeous sunset, instead of scrolling through the news on your phone, you'll find that joy and a grateful heart become your reality. God loves you. Start your journey toward gratitude with that.  Let's pray. Father God, no one can stop us from thanking you for your love and grace. That's our first step toward having a grateful heart. From breathing clean air to enjoying a holiday with family and friends. We commit ourselves to a life of gratitude. In Jesus' name, amen.   Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

How Can We Be Born Again? Through the One Raised from the Dead. MESSAGE SUMMARY: Today, we delve into the profound mystery of the Holy Spirit and its vital role in our Christian walk. We're reminded that it's not just about having the Holy Spirit, but allowing the Spirit to have us - to lead and guide our lives. The message emphasizes three key sins against the Holy Spirit: grieving, quenching, and blaspheming. When we choose bitterness over love, or hold onto unforgiveness, we grieve the Spirit. Every time we sin, we quench the Spirit's flow in our lives. Yet, there's hope in confession, which reopens the floodgates of the Spirit's presence. This teaching challenges us to examine our hearts: Are we truly yielding to the Spirit's guidance? Are we living holy lives that honor God? It's a call to deeper surrender and a reminder of our constant need for the Spirit's empowering presence in our faith journey.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I now take a deep breath and stop. So often I miss your hand and gifts in my life because I am preoccupied and anxious. Grant me the power to pause each day and each week to simply rest in your arms of love. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 132). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be a complainer (Philippians 2:14). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Thessalonians 5:19; John 14:19; John 8:51; John 11:25; Exodus 3:14; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 Peter 3:20 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “New Day for Humanity”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

October 15, 2025Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 7:9I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

In a world shadowed by tragedy, violence, and loss, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by darkness. As our daily prayer and devotional remind us, when natural disasters, injustice, or senseless suffering fill the news, we can begin to wonder what difference one person can make. Yet Scripture reminds us that even in the darkest seasons, God’s people are called to shine His light. Sophia Bricker reflects on recent real-world tragedies like the flooding from Hurricane Helene, where devastation and hope existed side by side. Amid heartbreak, volunteers, ministries, and churches showed up—feeding, clothing, and comforting those in need. Their acts of love became living testimonies of God’s presence amid pain. Jesus calls us to be like lamps set on a hill (Matthew 5:16), shining brightly for all to see. Our faith is not meant to be hidden but lived out through compassionate action, forgiveness, and sacrificial love. When we live honorably among others—especially in times of crisis—we reveal the heart of our Savior. Even when the world mocks or misunderstands us, our lives can testify to the hope and peace found only in Christ. Being a witness amid the shadows means being willing to enter the hard places, to sit with the hurting, to forgive those who offend, and to love those who seem unlovable. This is how the light of Christ pushes back the darkness—through ordinary believers who let their faith shine through daily acts of obedience and grace. Today's Bible Verse: "Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world.” – 1 Peter 2:12, NLT Key Takeaways Our actions and attitudes can draw others to Christ, even when our words fall short. True light shines brightest in dark places—times of crisis often reveal God’s people at work. Living honorably and loving sacrificially are powerful testimonies of the gospel. Every good work and every act of compassion points back to Jesus, the Light of the World. Let’s Pray Together Lord of all, You see the brokenness and sorrow in our world. Thank You for sending Jesus, the Light who drives out all darkness. Help me to reflect Your love and compassion to others, even when it’s hard. Teach me to serve selflessly, to love deeply, and to walk in Your ways so that others might see You through my life. Let my light shine brightly for Your glory until the day You make all things new. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Resources How to Be a Light in a Dark World – Crosswalk.com What It Means to Live as a Witness for Christ – BibleStudyTools.com Explore more devotionals like this on Your Daily Prayer. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sudden or even long-term setbacks in our lives can disorient us, impairing our decision-making. Circumstances beyond our control leave us where we can't focus, and we can't see what's behind our difficulties. It's then that we can't make good decisions. If we don't know if our problems are caused by emotional, mental, or physical challenges, we can't see our way out of the forest. Identifying the source helps us settle into God's perfect peace, and He's given us the ability to make good choices when dealing with issues beyond our control. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability. But with the temptation, he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”  You hear that—God will provide, and you can endure. Let's pray. Lord, in our imperfect state, our bodies sometimes fail us. We don't know if up is down or which direction to go. In those moments, bring to our minds the knowledge that we can seek your good solutions, whether it be medical, or psychological. It's then we can find ourselves set on the right path to health and wholeness. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

He's Got Me, says Paul. So I want to have Him MESSAGE SUMMARY: What are we truly aiming for in life? This powerful message challenges us to examine our ultimate goals and purpose. Drawing from Philippians 3:7-15, we're invited to reflect on the Apostle Paul's radical transformation - from chasing earthly accolades to pursuing an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul's journey reminds us that success without Christ isn't true success at all. The message encourages us to shift our focus from temporary achievements to lasting transformation, emphasizing that our identity should be rooted in our relationship with Jesus, not in our accomplishments or status. As we contemplate our own lives, we're urged to consider: are we striving for Christ-centered righteousness or merely following religious rules? This introspection can lead us to a deeper, more purposeful faith journey.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I now take a deep breath and stop. So often I miss your hand and gifts in my life because I am preoccupied and anxious. Grant me the power to pause each day and each week to simply rest in your arms of love. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 132). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Despair. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit's fruit of Joy. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Philippians 3:7-15 (main passage); Philippians 3:4-6; Acts 9 (Paul's conversion); Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:21; Philippians 1:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:16; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Timothy 6:10; Luke 6:38; Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 3:15. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “New Day for Humanity”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Dynamic Tension: Where Faith Meets Surrender#RTTBROS #Nightlight"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." - Proverbs 3:5-6 (KJV)Life in Christ isn't about choosing between two truths. It's about holding both in faithful tension.I've been thinking lately about something I call "dynamic tension." Those places in our faith where two seemingly opposite truths exist together, both real, both necessary, neither negating the other.Let me give you a picture from my own life. When someone I love faces a terminal diagnosis, I can pray with absolute faith that God can heal them. "Is any thing too hard for the LORD?" (Genesis 18:14). I believe with my whole heart that He can speak and cancer vanishes. But at the very same time, I can also surrender to His sovereignty, trusting that "to be absent from the body" is "to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). Neither prayer cancels out the other.This dynamic tension runs all through Scripture.Take the warning passages. The Bible doesn't pull punches: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves" (2 Corinthians 13:5). We're told to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12). These verses cause us to take a careful diagnostic glance at our walk with God.But right alongside those warnings, we find the security Scriptures. Promises that anchor our souls when doubt storms roll in. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28).So which is it? Should we be terrified we might lose our salvation, or confident that we're secure in Christ? The answer is yes. Both. At the same time.This isn't contradiction. It's completion. The warning verses keep me from presumption. The security verses keep me from despair.Here's what I've learned: God's big enough to hold both truths without them colliding. They work together like two wings on a bird. Try flying with just one wing and you'll only fly in circles. But when both are working together? That's when you soar.The same dynamic tension shows up in prayer. Jesus taught us to pray "Thy will be done" (Matthew 6:10), but He also said, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Matthew 7:7). We bring our requests with confidence, and we trust that His answer, whatever it is, is better than anything we could have orchestrated.Maybe you're in a season where you're struggling to hold two truths at once. You believe God can change your situation, but you're also trying to accept it if He doesn't. You want to trust His promises, but you also want to heed His warnings.Friend, that tension you're feeling? That's not a sign you're doing it wrong. That's a sign you're doing it right. Faith isn't about having all the answers tied up neatly. Sometimes faith is about holding two truths in open hands and trusting God to make sense of them both.Prayer:Father, help me to live in the dynamic tension of faith. Boldly asking while humbly surrendering, confidently trusting while carefully examining, fully believing while completely yielding. Teach me that holding two truths at once isn't weakness, it's wisdom. May I stand firm on both feet, secure in Your perfect will. In Jesus' name, Amen.Be sure to Like, Share, Follow and subscribe. It helps get the word out.https://linktr.ee/rttbros

October 14, 2025Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 7:9I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

When the seasons shift—especially from the vibrancy of summer to the stillness of fall—it can remind us of life’s own changes: loss, renewal, and waiting. In our daily prayer and devotional, Alicia Searl beautifully points us back to a truth we can depend on no matter what season we’re in: God is always faithful. We often wrestle with questions like, “What does it mean that God is faithful?” or “Am I faithful enough to Him?” But Scripture makes it clear that God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our performance—it’s rooted in His perfect, unchanging character. From Genesis to Revelation, His Word reveals that He never leaves, never breaks His promises, and never wavers in His love for His people. When life feels uncertain, we can look back at the way God has carried His people—Israel delivered from Egypt, the fulfillment of His promises through Jesus, and His ongoing presence through the Holy Spirit. His faithfulness extends from generation to generation (Psalm 100:5). Just as He sustained His people in the past, He will sustain us now. Fall invites us to slow down and reflect—to notice God’s fingerprints in both the falling leaves and the steadfast truth that He never changes. In this season, may we find comfort in His promises and gratitude for His unwavering faithfulness. Today's Bible Reading "Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments." – Deuteronomy 7:9 Key Takeaways God’s faithfulness is a cornerstone of His character—He cannot be anything but faithful. His covenant love continues through generations, no matter our changing circumstances. Remembering God’s past faithfulness strengthens our trust in His future promises. Every season, including the difficult ones, is a reminder of His unbroken presence and care. Let’s Pray Together O God, thank You for being faithful in every season. When my heart grows weary or doubts arise, remind me of Your steadfast love and promises. Help me to see Your hand at work, even when I can’t understand the path ahead. Reveal Your faithfulness to me in new ways this fall, and teach me to rest in the peace of knowing that You never fail. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Resources What Does It Mean That God Is Faithful? – Crosswalk.com Bible Verses About the Faithfulness of God – BibleStudyTools.com Listen to more episodes of Your Daily Prayer for daily encouragement from God’s Word. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

272. Pathway to Joy and Happiness in Parenting with Amy Rienow   Psalm 144:15b NKJV, "Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!"   *Transcription Below*   Questions and Topics We Cover: Will you share your story of God revealing a spirit of perfectionism was sneaking into motherhood? How can we recognize our own spirit of perfectionism and what can we do about it? What is one thing you've found every mom needs more of and how can we get it?   Thank You to Our Sponsor: MidwestFoodBank.org   Amy Rienow's first ministry is loving her husband and nurturing faith in their seven children. She and Rob founded and lead Visionary Family Ministries, a ministry created to equip parents, encourage couples, and help families live for Christ. She attended the University of Illinois, followed by Wheaton College Graduate School, where she earned her MA in Clinical Psychology. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor. Amy has her hands full as a mom, partnering with Rob, and serving in the women's and worship ministries at church.   Savvy Sauce Episodes Mentioned in Episode: Special Patreon Re-Release: Discipline that Disciples with Dr. Rob Rienow Five Love Languages with Dr. Gary Chapman 87 Visionary Parenting and Grand-Parenting with Dr. Rob Rienow 182 Things I Wish I'd Have Known Before My Child Became a Teenager with Dr. Gary Chapman 220 Cultivating Healthy Family Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman 245 Stories Series: Miracles Big and Small with Dr. Rob Rienow 230 Intentional Parenting in All Stages with Dr. Rob Rienow   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook, Instagram or Our Website    Please help us out by sharing this episode with a friend, leaving a 5-star rating and review, and subscribing to this podcast!   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 “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: (0:11 - 1:43) 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.   Thank you to an anonymous donor to Midwest Food Bank, who paid the sponsorship fee in hopes of spreading awareness.  Learn more about this amazing nonprofit organization at MidwestFoodBank.org.   I'm thrilled to get to introduce you to my inspiring guest for today, Amy Rienow. Now, that last name may sound familiar because Amy's husband, Dr. Rob Rienow, has been a previous guest multiple times, actually. So, I'll make sure and link his previous episodes in the show notes, along with other episodes that we recommend in this conversation.   Amy and Rob are founders of Visionary Family Ministries, and they are parents to seven children. Amy is also an author, podcaster, and she's practiced as a licensed clinical professional counselor in the past, so she's going to combine all of this experience together, and her wisdom just pours out as now she's going to seek to encourage us to seek the Lord and follow His guidance, especially as parents in our parenting journey. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Amy.   Amy Rienow: (1:44 - 1:51) Hi Laura. I'm so glad to do this with you. It's been a while since we've talked about it, and I'm excited to be here today.   Laura Dugger: (1:51 - 2:00) Well, I'm thrilled to have you join, and I'd love to just dive in and hear how did Jesus Christ become your personal Lord and Savior?   Amy Rienow: (2:01 - 3:39)  I love that you start with that question. I grew up in a home with a Christian mom and a non-Christian dad, but they had made an arrangement before they were even married. She did have the wisdom to ask her husband to give her the domain of that, like picking a church, and he was willing to go with us as a family to church, even though he was not a believer, and that was very clear.   But she led me to the Lord when I was about four years old, and I grew up going to church, and that was my first. I feel like I never kind of have a lot of memory of not knowing Jesus, but I would say that my faith increased and became even more my own. I feel like it was always my own, but in high school, I went on a missions trip to Mexico, and I will never forget the experience of being in a very poor town in Mexico, and there was this horrible storm coming in, and all of us Americans were afraid of the storm, and we ran into the church while the service kept going on, and literally none of the Mexican people that were outside in the service, the storm didn't faze them at all.   They just kept going on, and honestly, that was such a pivotal point in my life where I was like, that is the type of faith that I wanted to have. I mean, it really cemented. I feel like that's when the Holy Spirit just helped me to know that that's who I want to be.   I want to be a person of that kind of faith in the Lord that is not budging when the storms come.   Laura Dugger: (3:40 - 4:04) Love that. Thank you for sharing, and since that time, you've added some people to your family, so I'd love to get a snapshot of your family right now and then share some more about motherhood, specifically in one of your books you wrote about recognizing that you had a spirit of perfectionism. So, I'd love to hear more about that because I think it's very relatable.   Amy Rienow: (4:05 - 6:43) Well, my family right now, I've been married to my husband Rob for 30 years. I have seven children, R.W., Lissy, J.D., Lainey, Millie, Ray, and Rush.  And R.W. is turning 28 this year. He has one little boy.   His name is Cliff, so that's my grandbaby number three. My daughter Lissy is married to Bond, and she's about to have baby number three, so that will be my fourth grandbaby. She has Avey, Bondy, and then this little new one on the way. And then my son J.D. just got married to Brooke last summer, so that is exciting. We're thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to have Brooke in our family. Lainey is graduating from Olivet. She graduated in three years, which we're really proud of. Millie is a junior.   Ray is a freshman, and Rush is in fifth grade, and I still homeschool those three. They kind of do part-time at a Christian school here, and then I homeschool the rest of the time. So, that is my current family.   It's expanding. As you will find out when you get to the stage, expansions come very quickly, and it's exciting, exciting times. But about that spirit of perfectionism, actually, even before I became a mom, I was convicted of a spirit of perfectionism because I had always been very critical of myself.   I had a very critical spirit. Just I don't know if it was, you know, the peer pressure, what those components are. I'm a middle child, but I just tended to critique myself very harshly.   And after I was married, even about a year, the Lord showed me how, because of my husband and I were becoming one flesh, I was really turning that critical spirit onto him. But then there was a book called The Fly Lady. She is a home organization.   I think I mention it in my book, but that is when I really began to understand that I struggled with perfectionism, and that's often what kept me paralyzed. It often keep me with that, you know, I would say engaging with that critical spirit, communicating a lot of criticisms, whether it be to my children or to my husband. So, that was, you know, so it started early in marriage, but by the time I was well into motherhood, I was really starting to understand what this was. What the critical spirit was, and it really was a spirit of perfectionism.   Laura Dugger: (6:44 - 6:52) Well, and the Lord met you there, and there is a story that you share related to picture frames. Would you be willing to tell that?   Amy Rienow: (6:52 - 9:07) Yeah. So, my daughter, Lissy, was graduating from high school, and it was classic me. I was trying to like get this massive graduation party together, and I'm sort of a procrastinator and life is busy.   So, it's like we are, okay, I got to get this done before this big party, this big event, and had a friend who was a decorator to kind of give me an idea of what to do. And so, my husband and really the whole family was kind of working overtime to get everything ready for this big event. And he had helped my, we had this huge wall that had to be that my decorator friend suggested a gallery wall.   So, we had all of these pictures up and I was looking at it late at night, kind of exhausted. We're talking about past midnight and I know it wasn't just my husband helping. I had JD helping.   I don't remember where I was, but we were just all working hard to get this ready for this party. And I was laying there as past midnight looking at that wall and so frustrated, like so frustrated because all those pictures I kept looking at like, Oh, this is going to be a mess. Like they're all, they're not like, you know, they're not command stripped.   Right. And so they're all going to be, I just felt like, what have I done? It's looking crooked already.   And it was so frustrating to me. And that is when the Holy spirit completely convicted me with just like, Amy, you should be looking what's in those pictures and not whether they're crooked or not crooked. Like, first of all, like all the family has been helping me with this vision.   Right. And it's not really their vision. It's my vision.   They've all been supportive of me in front of me. It was a wall of all the memories of all these beautiful pictures. And here I was so focused on my right angles and having it look perfect for the crowd coming in at the graduation party, as opposed to what everything on that wall represented.   And so, it was a very convicting moment to me of just like, I have a choice. Am I going to embrace everything in those pictures and everything my family's done to help us get to this special day? Or am I going to come in and be fixated on how crooked those picture frames look to me right now?   Laura Dugger: (9:07 - 9:19)  Appreciate you sharing that. And I'm wondering for any parent, especially listening, if they find themselves identifying with that spirit of perfectionism, what can we do with that?   Amy Rienow: (9:20 - 11:11)  It's a challenging one because I think our culture promotes it. And I also think I'm on the flip side of the positive side of it. Let me just say, I believe there's a vision of perfect in our hearts because we were created for perfect.   We're created for heaven. And the Bible says that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, or no mind has even conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. So, there's this drive for perfect that I think is very good and right.   And so, we don't want to give up like excellence, or we don't want to give up that we have that drive. The problem is that the enemy, in fact, I've actually done more research on this. There's really can be a demonic spirit of perfectionism where we're trying to create heaven here.   We're trying to think in our own flesh and our own strength that we can take care of all of our sin, take care of all of our flaws. We can take care of our children's flaws. We can take care of our husband's flaws.   That is actually from the enemy in the sense that we believe in our own strength. And you can look at that through history. It's basically a form of humanism that we can fix everything in ourselves.   God makes it very clear in scripture that that is not possible. So, I think understanding this tension, that it's okay to want things to be wonderful, that's not bad. But what's bad is when we leave God out of the picture and we put this pressure on ourselves and on the people around us to accomplish what only can God can do.   And we don't accept God's timing. We don't have patience with who we are, our sinful nature and really put our trust in Christ and not in ourselves.   Laura Dugger: (11:12 - 12:56) Let's take a quick break to hear a message from our sponsor.   Midwest Food Bank exists to provide industry leading food relief to those in need while feeding them spiritually. They are a food charity with a desire to demonstrate God's love by providing help to those in need.   Unlike other parts of the world where there's not enough food in America, the resources actually do exist. That's why food pantries and food banks like Midwest Food Bank are so important. The goods that they deliver to their agency partners help to supplement the food supply for families and individuals across our country, aiding those whose resources are beyond stretched.   Midwest Food Bank also supports people globally through their locations in Haiti and East Africa, which are some of the areas hardest hit by hunger arising from poverty. This ministry reaches millions of people every year. And thanks to the Lord's provision, 99% of every donation goes directly toward providing food to people in need.   The remaining 1% of income is used for fundraising, costs of leadership, oversight, and other administrative expenses. Donations, volunteers, and prayers are always appreciated for Midwest Food Bank. To learn more, visit midwestfoodbank.org, or listen to episode 83 of The Savvy Sauce, where the founder, David Kieser, shares miracles of God that he's witnessed through this nonprofit organization. I hope you check them out today.   You also write in one of your books that there's one thing that you found every mother needs. So, what is it and how can we get it?   Amy Rienow: (12:56 - 14:56) That one thing is joy, joy, joy. And, and I like to use the word happiness, honestly, because I feel like that happiness got a bad rap, I say, in Christian world for like a while, in my opinion. I don't know if it's still that way, but so often I heard sermon saying, you know, like we don't want happiness.   We want joy. Like there's these two different major things, like, you know, almost like a rejection of happiness for this deeper spiritual joy. Well, finally, the Lord really convicted me that deep, deep inner joy that doesn't show is an oxymoron.   Like, you really should see happiness. You should feel happiness. You should feel those things.   If you ever come across someone's like, oh no, I have a deep joy, but like, there's no evidence of it. Well, that's a red flag. That's a problem.   The Lord, you know, in the King James version, it actually says happier people whose God is the Lord. And I believe every mom desires that happiness. And sometimes they don't even really know that that's the most important element that they want in their home, you know, because it's so easy to get, I don't know, sidetracked on things that feel more important that you kind of forget how important happiness is.   And, you know, we can take it for granted. I feel like very easily because often when our kids are little and we don't have not entered that world of, whether it be academic or whatever into the greater world, let's just say in your home, you can kind of have like a natural happiness and joy that's just there, but it's so easily stifled. When we start putting our self into the world of either comparing ourselves to other moms, comparing our kids to other kids, stressing about the expectations or what we think our kids need.   We can often find that happiness slipping away. And I believe we do not want that to happen in our homes and in our hearts.   Laura Dugger: (14:57 - 15:08) And so how can we get more of that, both as parents and how can we train our kids to be happy and joyful as well?   Amy Rienow: (15:09 - 17:18) It's such a good question and a hard question. Cause I don't think it's just like we can snap our fingers and just do that. I think that it's really important that we are seeking the Lord and helping him order our priorities.   You know, God gave us 10 commandments for a reason. And if you look at the first one, it says, “You know, you'll have no other gods before me, you'll keep him first.” And part of the reason why I think that commandment is both like the first and also in many ways, very abstract, like, you know what I mean?   How do you even do that? You know, it's confusing, I think, but I think that's what the Lord wants is of a seeking of helping us keep him first. Because when we help to keep God first, number one, and number two, we don't have idols that we bow down to, that we place above him. Like, let's take an example of motherhood.   Let's say the idol might be, um, I have to have super smart children. Let's put it that way. You know, your joy is going to be robbed when you keep sacrificing to that idol, because that's a trap.   Like the enemy wants to trap you there to make the wrong sacrifices. And that is why I think God knows this. Like he's telling us right in those 10 commandments, you know, you need to keep me first.   You can have no, do not worship to idols. Because when you're making the sacrifices to eternal God, who is the author of joy, the author of love, the author of peace, those are the things he gives back to you. No other idol can give you peace.   No other idol can give you joy. So, I think when we look at the lack of joy that we see in a lot of our homes in our culture, it's because we've been ensnared into an idolatry where we're making the wrong sacrifices. We're sacrificing things that we don't realize the consequence of that until we're in it.   And we're like, wait, this didn't produce the happiness and joy that I expected it to produce. Cause we were tricked.   Laura Dugger: (17:19 - 17:27) Do you have any examples from your own life or friend's stories where that really comes to life?   Amy Rienow: (17:27 - 21:22) Oh boy. There's lots of examples and lots of friends stories, but I'm going to say one that's more of a story that I'm well aware of and not, you know, personally walk hand with. But I think it's always struck with me because it was so painful story. You know, I grew up, I've raised a lot of athletes in my home and my son, especially my first born very athletic boy.   And we were kind of at the beginning of the cusp of how important travel was, you know what I mean? Travel baseball and travel, you know, sports in general. And there's that pressure.   You need to choose this. You need to do this or else you are going to, you know, ruin the advantages for your child. If you don't do this, even if choosing that is going to mean you're going to sacrifice family time, you're going to sacrifice finances.   You are going to sacrifice your Sundays. I could go on and on. The world will tell you you have to do this in order to get to the prize that you're looking for, or your son is going to be disadvantaged.   If you don't choose that. And it took a lot to be like, no, we're not going to make, we're not going to make that trade. And there was a lot of pressure.   There's a lot of pressure with our son, you know what I mean? With him feeling sometimes neglected and having to deal in that relationship. So, it's not like that's immediate happiness or immediate joy, you know, but what did it did allow us to disciple him through all that.   It allowed us to see God, you know, use him, whatever team he was on, give him a lot of joy in sports. The blessing of it is that we saw him in high school, you know, excel in baseball, always rise to the top, win character awards. He eventually did go on to play college baseball and AIA, not like D1, but he got to play, got to use that gift to pay for his education.   But most importantly, he was a joyful, happy kid. Baseball didn't control his life. And I just praise God for that.   And in contrast, he, at the same, his age, same age level, there were these two boys who were twins were very well known for being top, top, top, top players. And they were just elevated in many circles we were in. And, you know, you, when you're in the baseball world, baseball moms will understand this, you know who the top players are.   You see the name, like, you know, when your son's in the paper for something, you know, he was listed in the number of top of DuPage kids. And obviously that's a feather in your cap and you're really proud of that. These boys were top of the top D1, but I'll never forget.   They went to different D1 schools and one of them ended up taking his own life his freshman year. I believe it just the most devastating thing. I could not, I cannot speak to any of those situations.   I don't know his family background. I do not know any history of at all. All I can say is it hit me really hard in the sense that these were the boys that so many parents were envying, envying of their success and of their status.   And that was so jolting to, to know that they'd received, you know, hit so many of these incredible hurdles that every parent thinks they want their kids to achieve. But obviously there was something amiss because there was a lack of joy, lack of happiness. I don't know the whole story.   But that just strikes me again of just how important it is to again, go back to keeping God first, make sure you're making the right sacrifices.   Laura Dugger: (21:23 - 22:43) That's a good word. It's such a sobering story, but making sure we're making the right sacrifices or really listening to God's counsel. That reminds me where I was this morning, Psalm 25.   I read it in the amplified version, but it was talking specifically that some of his guidance comes from his word. Like it's amazing. It's incredible.   It's important to pray and to be around others who are godly and do other spiritual rhythms, but there's nothing like reading his word to hear from him. And let me try and find the verses. Verse 14 in the amplified version says, “The secret of the wise counsel of the Lord is for those who fear him and he will let them know his covenant and reveal to them through his word, it's deep inner meaning.”   And the next verse, just the first part goes on to say, “My eyes are continually toward the Lord.” And that was such powerful takeaway this morning, but then I'm hearing it through the way that these lives played out. Because when you look, is it my understanding correct?   That you did travel sports, but they were not, your children chose not to do Sundays.   Amy Rienow: (22:44 - 25:52) Well, we did not even do travel sports for my oldest. It was back in the day when park district actually, you could, you know, like there were enough kids. So, we, my son did only park district all the way through eighth grade, but then he kind of, because he was like young for his age, he had one sort of gap year in between high school before he started like high school sports.   And that's when he did play a travel sport. We found one that honestly was not good at all. I don't think the level was any better than park district, but they accepted the no Sunday situation.   So, that's what we did. And you know, it was a losing team. Like he was on losing teams, like most of his baseball career until he got to high school.   So, it really was you know, the opposite of what the world said he needed. And yet he was able to, to rise and, and achieve. And honestly his high school experience was being able to always, he was a starter all the time and he his teams won.   So, it was like years of like, not, you know, kind of paying these prices I would say. And that's neither here or there. The winning or the losing is really not important.   The important was keeping baseball in its proper place, enjoying the gifts that God has given you, not letting, listening to the world. I'll just throw this in because we are what you said about sound. First of all, I love the amplified version.   So, that blessed me that you read the amplified, but you know, seeking the council, you, we must be as parents in his word, like regularly listening to how he's speaking to us because we also, it's so interesting. Rob and I live in a very interesting world. We had one foot, especially back then, one foot in the homeschool world, one foot in the public school area, public school community, lots of public school friends.   And then also the Christian school is where my son played. But you know, if we'd go to homeschool conference, there were tons of messages that you should not have your kids in sports at all. Sports are wrong.   Sports are a waste of time, you know? So, that was a strong message of sort of like condemnation almost for being in sports at all. So, my point is there was no one community that said, okay, this is the way, you know what I mean?   We had to seek the Lord, you know, for ourselves, for our family, for our son, knowing this was his love and his giftedness and continue to look for wisdom and how he should grow in those gifts. You know, and how he wanted to use it in his life, but not let it take over his life. And isn't that the lesson for all of us?   So, anyway, it depended on that seeking the counsel of him, both myself with my husband and then also with our W. It wasn't like we kept him out of the picture. We were praying the three of us for wisdom and all those things.   Laura Dugger: (25:53 - 26:42) I love hearing that because you're right. It's not about black and white decision of travel sports are always wrong or always right. But the main takeaway is seek the Lord because he has wisdom for our individual unique situation.   And I want to go back and close a few other loops. Sure. Please.   One of those being that even with perfectionism or with comparison or when we're choosing godly values that may contradict worldly values, I'm hearing a theme that there's a, it's a fight and that there's a spiritual battle. And you even said you had researched some of this, Amy, how do you personally learn about that and be aware of the spiritual realm?   Amy Rienow: (26:44 - 30:42) We, we really, I can't say it enough that we do need to be so aware of the spiritual realm. I didn't understand. I didn't understand in my early years of parenting at how important that was to pay attention to.   And here's the thing there's, I feel like there's the Lord brings us on a path along the way with the knowledge we need at the time. And then he wants us to stretch and grow and learn a little bit more. So, there was a season in my life.   When especially we began homeschooling, the Lord brought us into all these new teachings that we didn't really understand was so powerful. It was so wonderful. We were very blessed by all of those teaching and the conferences that we were attending.   But what began to happen for me is that the perfectionism that I knew was there kind of gotten folded into that teaching because all of a sudden I kind of wore as a spiritual, like pride that I, I called it my noble list. Now I, when I talk about my book, Not So Perfect Mom, I, this is not in the book, but this is part of my talks. Like I kind of replaced the world's list of great athlete, great, you know, so smart, all those things with my noble list.   My child will have wonderful character. My child will read God's word. My child will know what it means to serve, but you see what I mean?   We're still dealing with a list. God had to call me out of that way of thinking back to the importance of a relationship with him, meaning for myself and meaning for my kids. Because when my oldest was 12, I was starting to see that we could be raising a Pharisee. If we keep focusing on this noble list, like if he knows all of his Proverbs, if he obeys perfectly, if he, you know what I mean?   Like life is not supposed to be, God never called us to do that. He desires a daily relationship with us. And that's what he desires for our kids.   So, that was beginning to suffocate my oldest for sure. And my, I would say, and my daughter right underneath him because they felt the weight of this, you know, we need to arise to this, this standard. So, like that perfectionism can take on this, this type of robe that makes you feel very noble about it.   Especially if you're in certain circles, like spiritual circles, where if your kids look right, dress right. You know, say yes, ma'am and yes, sir. Then we're all assuming that they're wonderful and we're not really getting to the heart underneath, but that is, there's a tension and a spiritual battle.   That's far. That's super important to pay attention to. And the way the Lord showed that to me is that I would often say the phrase in conversation.   Oh, it's a battle. Oh, it's a battle. We're in a battle.   I'm the Lord. I don't know what they gave me a vision. That's too strong word, but I had this sort of, I, I guess it's a vision.   I imagine that I was on, I was sitting in a coffee, like at a table with a friend drinking coffee. And we were just, you know, chatting and yet that coffee table was in the middle of this bloody battlefield. And the Lord was just kind of showing me, this is how your attitude is about saying that it's in a battle.   Like you're sitting here, just talking with your friends, drinking coffee and chatting and laughing. And this is the battlefield. It's all around you.   What are you doing about the battle? You know, when you are following after the Lord, you need to expect opposition. You need to understand that your kids are under spiritual attack.   And if we're not praying and putting on that full armor of God and recognizing it, we're not engaged in it.   Laura Dugger: (30:42 - 31:41) When was the first time you listened to an episode of The Savvy Sauce? How did you hear about our podcast? Did a friend share it with you?   Will you be willing to be that friend now and text five other friends or post on your socials? Anything about The Savvy Sauce that you love. If you share your favorite episodes, that is how we continue to expand our reach and get the good news of Jesus Christ in more ears across the world.   So, we need your help. Another way to help us grow is to leave a five-star review on Apple podcasts. Each of these suggestions will cost you less than a minute, but it will be a great benefit to us.   Thank you so much for being willing to be generous with your time and share. We appreciate you.   When you go back to your family of origin, did your father ever find a saving faith in Jesus Christ as well?   Amy Rienow: (31:41 - 33:11) He did. He did actually. That's such a wonderful question. And he did when my husband and I were married for about a year. And he, at Christmas day in front of our whole family, after we were sitting at the table at dinner, he kind of waited for all the gifts to be open and be at a different spot.   And he said, “Well, I opened one more gift today and it was the gift of salvation.” Wow. I still tear up thinking about it and thinking about my older brother's response, who was not an emotional person.   And I saw tears in my older brother's eyes, but I just want to even in saying that, that taught me a lot because even at the time when he accepted salvation, he even said, I don't necessarily believe all the Bible's true. He really, you know, he accepted in faith and now he doesn't, you know, the Lord took him from evolutions. Now he's probably more conservative or believes the Bible in a way that I would say many other Christians maybe wouldn't believe, but I'm saying that it was a process watching him grow.   And my kids don't even understand that, that we call him Bop Bop. He used to be a man who, you know, let the communion plate pass every week. And he was not a believer because they see him so much as a spiritual leader now, but you see how faith moves and how faith changes us.   And we need to be patient with God in ourselves, with our kids, you know, and trust in that walk with Him. Love it.   Laura Dugger: (33:12 - 33:23) Well, I'm going to change gears here a little bit. Yeah. Will you explain attachment and share why you're so passionate about this topic?   Amy Rienow: (33:24 - 37:18) That is, I do feel like I love talking about attachment. I feel like it's an underrated thing to talk about. Some of you might be familiar.   I don't know if any of these names like Mary Ainsworth or the Harlow experience, you remember the monkey Harlow experience. It's most, most kids who've had like even a high school psychology class, know that the story of the monkey who has the wire surrogate mom with the bottle. And then has like the fuzzy mom that doesn't have the bottle and the monkey goes and gets its food from the bottle of the wire mom but continues to go over to the furry surrogate mom for comfort.   That's some of the original psychology on attachment but I was started my professional job in a school with children with behavior disorders and autism. That's one of my first jobs. And, and because of that, I went to different seminars for continuing education.   And one of them was a woman who specialized in attachment. And part of the reason she specialized in attachment because she'd adopted so many children and she was sort of a professional on adoption. And that's when I really did a deeper dive into attachment and specifically something called reactive attachment disorder.   I can't go into that. It would be a long tangent. But she was such an eye-opening time.   And this is even before I had children. But she said that, you know, she couldn't say everything she wanted to about attachment and the effects specifically of daycare on children, because it wasn't politically correct. That she would lose her funding basically, if she gave her true opinion on some of the things that our culture was doing to destroy attachment among families.   And it was just very eye opening to me that, you know, when we get our baby development books, the time that I was having kids, it was What to Expect When You're Expecting and What to Expect for Your One Year Old and all these milestones that moms are looking for. And obviously moms generally love their kids. I will stand by that over and over, you know what I mean?   That's the norm. And, you know, you're told to look for all of these milestones, but really attachment is not even mentioned in this book of how important it is. What are the signs of a securely attached child?   And yet this is so significant. And it's not just in the Christian world that we can recognize this. This is universally known in the psychology world, how important attachment is.   So, let's go back to that spiritual battle. Why is it that that is not discussed? Or why is that not focused in the development book?   Or why is it that if you're going to adopt a child, you're going to learn all about attachment, but that's not something that you may necessarily come into contact with if you're just having your own children. But attachment is essential for all healthy relationships. And specifically attachment with the mother.   I mean, we can use the term primary caregiver. Yes, to other people come in and be a primary care. I'm not saying that, you know. It's not just the mom, but this relationship with the mom, this, this attachment is so significant because God created it that way.   And it, how that relationship and how that attachment happens will have this impact on all the other relationships that your child is going to have in their life. So, it's something that we need to be talking about. And I pray that it becomes more and more common for people to talk about it.   Laura Dugger: (37:18 - 37:25) Well, and I'm even curious that speaker was that Karen Purvis?   Amy Rienow: (37:25 - 38:04) Oh, I don't even remember her name. I apologize. She was not a Christian. She was not a believer.   She, well, if she was, I don't know that. Cause I was, I was listening to her in a secular setting. You know, so she might've been, I don't, so I don't know, but I, the reason why it was so curious to me that the time most of the children on my case list that I had at this school were adopted.   So, I found that so interesting, like, and that was why I went to her seminar to try to understand more that connection of the adoption. And you know, how did that play into some of the problems that these children were, were having.   Laura Dugger: (38:05 - 38:20) Well, and just to go a little bit further with attachment, let's take it from the positive side. What are some proven examples or ways that we can form that healthy attachment with our children and that bonding?   Amy Rienow: (38:21 - 40:38) Yeah, well, a lot of it is just a spending time with your child, you know, and that's why I want to be very gentle here. Cause the world that we live in, I mean, I know for a fact that there are so many moms in situations where they have to go back to work right away. There are difficult circumstances.   And I'm, I am not here to say that then you don't have an attached relationship with child. Cause that is honestly not true. But I will say that if you have any opportunity to be home with your children, please, please, please take that opportunity because your children need that contact with you to form that attachment.   I mean, the number one thing for attachment is presence, time, touch, eye contact, and smiles. I mean, like it is what the baby that interplay that's happening with the baby and the mother and, and the why babies love faces. I mean, like they, we need to have that time with our children.   We need to be the ones to know our children the best that only comes with time. But even a mom who maybe for reasons have to be away from their baby, the important thing is that when you're with them, that you are engaged. You know, I even, I don't have my phone in front of me.   Even the phone takes away attachment. You know, when you're looking at another screen, as opposed to paying attention to that communication with the baby long before they're communicating long for the communicating with words, they are interacting and communicating with you. So, God knew what he's doing when he created mothers with the ability to feed their babies.   Nursing enables attachment, you know, because the baby is dependent on the mother. So, all of these things play into why God created our system the way it is because it was designed not to just physically feed our babies, but to emotionally create this attached, secured relationship where that enables a child to feel safe, feel security.   Laura Dugger: (40:39 - 40:54) Well, that makes me think of another a word that you wisely encourage us. And that is the word affection. So, can you share why this is also important to shower on our children?   Amy Rienow: (40:55 - 43:47) Yes. You know how it is when you become a mom, there's all these new parenting styles out there, things that you get bombarded with, or should I do this? Or, you know, and I think I was really impacted by a Bible, small group where a woman was talking about her six-month-old needing disciplining her six-month-old.   And it hit me really negatively because I just heard a woman who had had like, I think she has 17 children who talked about, you know, there's, you cannot spoil and she used, you cannot spoil anybody under the age of two. I would say it's as much as under three with as far as attention and love and affection, affection, your children need your affection. Again, let's go to how this, how Satan, let's go back to that spiritual battle.   We can keep going back. Cause I often find you can see God's truth with how it's perverted in the world. So, let's look at how we have a sex education system now in so many schools, including in Illinois that tries to teach younger children horrific adult sexual behaviors, correct?   And they are manipulating what needs to, what children do need, which is positive, a non-sexual physical connection with their parents, with their siblings, with aunts and uncles. So, so in some ways I can remember early in my career and either in my development in getting my classes, my masters, you know, in some ways they demonize, you know, like parents are afraid to sometimes have too much physical touch or too much of this because it's almost like, Oh, we can't, you know, we have to make sure our children are more independent, you know, like, like for example, co-sleeping, which builds a lot of affection between parents, which is normal in most cultures and normal throughout history can be viewed as really negative. Like, you know, you gotta get your kid in another room and another, like pushing them out early and yet look at what we see from the world, which is an encroachment of inappropriate touch, inappropriate sexuality at younger and younger ages.   And obviously kids who don't have positive, strong, physical affection are more inclined to fall for Satan's counterfeit. And desire and need touch, but they, they, it's been twisted from the world's perspective.   Laura Dugger: (43:47 - 44:17) Does that make sense? Are you tracking with that? I am.   And it's even making me think of a previous guest, Dr. Gary Chapman, talking about mostly the five love languages of in marriage and how those are displayed. But we also discussed with children and the parent child. And I'm just thinking as you're giving examples of affection, it, it even goes beyond the hugs and kisses and appropriate touch to acts of service and lighting up with them and spending that quality time and all those love languages.   Amy Rienow: (44:18 - 46:16) That's right. As the kids get older, I mean, my, my, we joke about, you know, I have certain sons that, did not want to be touched at all when they were 13, 14. We laughed at my son J.D. like he would want to come give me hugs and he would want to, but it had to always be on his terms.   Like I could never come up, you know what I mean? And how can you, my affection towards him was I'll get you a double cheeseburger. I will make you a milkshake.   That was the way I communicated my affection to him, but it was also my presence in listening to him when he needed to be listening to. There's so many ways as we get older. Right.   And I love Gary Chapman's work as far as like understanding our kids love, love languages, but I'll never forget, you know, I just had JD's wedding and he surprised me with the mother son dance and he had a song ready for me. I'm going to cry again, but it was this wonderful, he had told his siblings that he was probably going to cry on his wedding day when he saw Brooke and when he danced with his mom. And I had so many, and he was really hugging me and holding on and not afraid to be affectionate with me during that dance.   And that's because affection has always been a normal part of our home and a normal part of our relationship. And so, I just want to encourage parents out there not to be afraid of both physical affection when they're young and don't push your child. If your child is needing you or wants hugs, I would say, don't hesitate to give those to them because there is a culture again that pushes kids like, Oh, you shouldn't need that now.   You shouldn't, you're too old for that. Let them determine those boundaries. You give them the hugs and the affection as long as they still want it.   Cause I promise you they're all going to come to a day and they're not gonna want it. And you don't need to worry about if they're looking for that for you, it's a need that, that you can still meet.   Laura Dugger: (46:17 - 46:34) Well, and one other piece of parenting. I know we oftentimes hear mom guilt. I don't know if dads experienced the same thing, but how can we overcome that?   And what do you see as being at the root of struggling with sometimes that false guilt?   Amy Rienow: (46:35 - 49:52) Yes. Well, that I think comes so much again. Well, for me, it came internalized.   I had, I carried some internalized guilt with me, but that's compounded by a culture that puts so many expectations and demands on us as mothers. Where we are bombarded with another ideal, another sense of where we're falling short. And again, I know I keep coming back to the spiritual attack, but the point is I want to lay it out there that sometimes, sometimes moms can feel like, especially in an area, this sounds interesting, but because so many more children have been in daycare or exposed to a lot more developmental things at young ages. If you are like home with your kids, if you feel like, well, gosh, I'm not providing a craft every day.   I'm not, you know, I'm not reading. I went to the library and it literally had this whole campaign on a thousand books before kindergarten. Like, are you kidding me?   And that's the kind of thing. It's like, you're just having a normal mom day and all of a sudden you walk into the library and you get bombarded with what? I'm supposed to read my child a thousand books before, like a new standard that's just put in front of you.   And the enemy uses that to, to make women feel that they're not enough, you know? And first of all, we have to go back to God's word. That says, “there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”   And to really understand that, yes, we need to be open to be convicted to sin. But when we are convicted of something that our heavenly father wants us to change, we will experience a freedom and a lightning when we repent. And it'll be like a burden lifted up.   And as soon as you have that revenge, you feel like you've been given a gift. It's not something that's a burden. So, that is always my guide for women.   Like if you are under something that you feel like is a burden that you're carrying around, um, this sense that you're not doing enough or that you're a bad mom, that is not coming from your Heavenly Father. You need to reject that in the name of Jesus Christ, because this sense is clearly from the accuser. The Bible says Satan is an accuser and he stands accusing us, but Jesus is there to, you know, to say, no, that's my child.   They're covered by my love covered by my grace. So, we don't want to live under that over that guilt, bad mom guilt shadow for whatever, you know, God knows our faults. He doesn't expect us not to have faults, and your children are going to have faults and your husband are going to have faults.   So, if we think that the Lord is, you know, carrying around our faults, hanging over this, we need to, we need to be reminded that that's not from him and we have to reject it. And again, we're talking about a spiritual battle. You might have to reject the same lie 20 times a day until you find real freedom from falling for that guilt trap.   Laura Dugger: (49:53 - 50:12) Well, and along those lines, as you talk about engaging in the battle, you encourage us as children to woo our children in this same way that the Lord draws us close to him. So, how can we go and do likewise as the Lord does?   Amy Rienow: (50:12 - 52:09) Woo our children's hearts. Like I think it's important to know that the relationship that we have, our kids will, the more we model our relationship, our parenting off of how our heavenly father parents us, the easier it will be for our kids to kind of what I, I have a visual in my mind that I'm walking with my child's hand and I'm holding Jesus hand and I'm gradually through this parenting, trying to connect my child's hand to Jesus hands.   Like that's the picture that I want to be guiding my parenting, not I'm trying to raise you to be X, Y, Z, da, da, da, da, da. I'm trying to lead you to your Heavenly Savior. So, you're going to walk with Him.   So, Jesus is, you know, there's many components of our relationship with Jesus and the Heavenly Father and Holy spirit. But one of them is that God woos the hearts of his people. When you read scripture, He desired, He's always telling them you walk with Me.   “My burden is easy. My yoke is light.” You know what I mean?   He's, He's showing us this freedom and this love and grace. He's not coming with a sense of, see, you're doing this and this and this and this and this. And that's why. You know what I mean?   Like you see God's everlasting love for his people. And we want to woo our children with that same kind of everlasting love. You know, I always say, say you can, you can demand your kids to obey you.   You can demand your kids to respect you, but no one can demand love. Even our Heavenly Father doesn't demand love. He gives us free will and choice to choose to love him.   And so, we want to remember that with our kids to woo them. We want them to choose to love us. So, we woo our hearts.   You already mentioned Gary Chapman by understanding our kids' love languages. You know, realizing that's part of our job as a parent is to woo their hearts.   Laura Dugger: (52:10 - 53:13) So, I love how you're drawing this out as the Lord being the best parent ever and that we can learn from Him. That was something that I felt like he was really teaching me in my quiet time this week. And I wanted to take it one step further.   So, for me applying that, I just made a note on my phone and now anytime I come across a parenting scripture, I want to put it in this same list and go back and review it and be prayerful that the Lord can change me to be more like Him as a parent. So, I'm just going to share the first verse that inspired me to do this this week is Luke 6:36 and the amplified version again, “Be merciful, responsive, compassionate, tender, just as your Heavenly Father is merciful.” And so, Amy, just as He's a great parent and we can learn from Him, I appreciate you just drawing us back, pointing us to the heart of the Father.   And if we want to continue learning from you after this chat, where would you like to direct us?   Amy Rienow: (53:13 - 55:30) Well, I'd love you to come to our website at visionaryfam.com and listen to us at our podcast, Family Vision. You know, we named it Family Vision kind of like television because television really changed the American family. It did when it first introduced on to the scene and our heart is that family vision.   Our podcasts would help give your family a new vision, a vision from God's word for all that he wants to do in your family. You can also find our books well on our website, but also on Amazon. We have, I brought a couple today, but Not So Perfect Mom: Learning to Embrace What Matters Most, which is what you're talking about today.   And this book is very close to my heart because it really was wonderful. It was the easiest book I've ever written because I just felt like it was being able to talk about how God has worked in my own life and my own journey. And it just was the like culmination of so many conversations I've had with moms like all over the country, but really overseas and over the world.   And we're all battling some of the same exact things. So, I just, I would encourage you to pick up Not So Perfect Mom: Learning to Embrace What Matters Most. And then the other book that is, it's not new, it's called Shine Embracing God's Heart for You.   I'm actually leading a group of women through it on a zoom study right now. Um, but I actually wrote this, originally back in 2005 when I was a youth pastor's wife. Um, but really it's all about kind of what I talked about earlier of just, recognizing how to, to trust and believe the Lord.   I said, you know, wholeheartedly with our head and our hearts and our hands and, and really going back to, you know, keeping God first, identifying idols in our life. So, we, you know, the more that we get our own relationship with the Lord centered and we kind of figured that part out. I feel like everything flows from that in our homes, in our marriage, in our other relationships. So, I highly recommend, um, picking up this shine and there's a prayer journal to go with it.   There's a leader's guide. If you'd like to lead a group and that's all on Amazon or at our website.   Laura Dugger: (55:31 - 55:48) Wonderful. As always we'll add the links to that in the show notes for today's episode and Amy, you already 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?   Amy Rienow: (55:48 - 57:06) I love that question. My Savvy Sauce is actually mentioned in Not So Perfect Mom, but it's when the Lord gave me that quote, “whatever is worth doing is worth doing poorly.” I feel that perfectionism kept me paralyzed so often.   If I couldn't do things exactly the way I thought that they should be in my head, then I was kind of pathetic and wasn't going to do it at all. And so, my encouragement in any area, if you know something is worth doing. Let me give you a practical example really quick on this, even when it comes to like, um, when you're struggling with your marriage. I know I had some issues in my marriage with my husband where I was getting to the point where I didn't even really want to go out on a date, you know, because it was just discouraging and whatever's worth doing is worth doing poorly. So, knowing that, you know, even when my relationships aren't living up to my expectations, or even when I'm feeling hurt, the Lord tells us to press on. Don't, don't stop doing what you know, God wants you to do, um, because you don't think it's living up to your expectations.   Do it. Just do it.   Laura Dugger: (57:07 - 57:38) That's a good word. And Amy, you have so much to share. Our family has benefited so much from the ministry and work that you and Rob do through Visionary Families.   And I am just so grateful for your time and you just to share all of this parenting wisdom. It felt like a mentoring conversation. I loved hearing all the ways that you've been intentional in what you've learned from the Lord. So, thank you for seeking Him.   Thank you for sharing with us and thank you for being my guest.   Amy Rienow: (57:39 - 57:58) Thank you, Laura, for having me. It's been a delight. I love connecting hearts with people who are like-minded.   I love what you're doing with The Savvy Sauce. In fact, my neighbor is one of your devoted followers, and she was so excited to hear about your podcast. So, thank you so much for having me and it's truly an honor and a pleasure to be here.   Laura Dugger: (57:59 - 1:01:13) 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 to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior, but God loved us so much. He made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life. We could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished. If we choose to receive what he has done for us, Romans 10:9 says, “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.”   So, you pray with me now. Heavenly father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you.   Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus name we pray.   Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me. So, me for him, you get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you're ready to get started.   First, tell someone, say it out loud, get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes and Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible and I love it.   You can start by reading the book of John. Also get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too. So, feel free to leave a comment for us here. If you did make a decision to follow Christ, we also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process.   And finally, be encouraged. 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.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

It's been said that in the Fruit of the Spirit list, all of them collectively, practically define the nature of Christ. Even David the Shepherd knew his Messiah was coming. Remember what he said about following his loving God? He said, “Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life!”We instinctively know what goodness is. It's a kind touch, a gentle word, a gift that was unexpected.Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”And in life, we understand the distinction between good and evil. These two—always warring with each other. The key thing to remember in this conflict is that God is good, and infinitely stronger than evil. That's important to remember as we see injustice.What did Micah tell us? That goodness is wrapped up in the choices we make: oppose injustice, love what is kind, and be humble. The truth is, all of us have been given so much good by our good God that it should be second nature to model that for those we meet in our journey.Let's pray.Lord, thank you for your sweet goodness. Sustain us with that goodness for the journey. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

It's Personal, Make it Personal, Out of the Personal Everything Else Flows MESSAGE SUMMARY: In today's message, we're reminded of the profound truth that Jesus is the answer to the deepest struggles of humanity. We're called to open our eyes to the suffering around us - broken relationships, addictions, financial burdens, and physical ailments. This reflection challenges us to see beyond our own circumstances and recognize the pain in others. The central theme echoes Christ's compassion and His desire for a relationship with each of us. As His body, the church, we're entrusted with the responsibility to extend His love to those in need. This message invites us to consider: How can we be the hands and feet of Jesus in a world crying out for hope and healing?   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, I now take a deep breath and stop. So often I miss your hand and gifts in my life because I am preoccupied and anxious. Grant me the power to pause each day and each week to simply rest in your arms of love. In Jesus' name, amen.    Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 132). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Fear. Rather, I will abide in the Lord's Faithfulness. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  John 14:6; Acts 4:12: Matthew 9:36; Colossians 3:12; Isaiah 53:5; James 5:16; Revelation 3:20; John 15:5; 1 Corinthians 3:20; Ephesians 4:11-12. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “New Day for Humanity”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

October 13, 2025Hope Alive: Applying God's Word to Your Daily LifeThe Revelation 7:5-8I am Chad Harrison, and I am the teaching pastor of Lake Community Church and had been serving as a pastor for 25 years. I'm also a practicing attorney. This podcast is designed to help you study God's word and find God's will for your life. The purpose of studying scripture is that you might know the character of Jesus Christ, and that you might see the world from the Father's perspective. That you gain wisdom that changes your life. I pray in the name of Jesus right now that God would open His word to you and allow you to see Him and to know Him. To know His will, that you might glorify Him and that you might walk in faith and power each day, especially today. In Jesus name.If you would like to revisit today's Bible study, please visit our website at https://hopealive.buzzsprout.com/ to download the transcript. If this podcast ministered to you, please subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple podcasts. Reviews help us reach more people and spread the wisdom of God. Please follow us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopealivewithgod/Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hopealiveministry/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LakeComChurch/ -Lake Community Church 

Darkness has always been part of life on this side of eternity, but today’s culture can make it feel overwhelming. In our daily prayer and devotional, we remember that the constant flood of sin, confusion, and moral compromise can tempt us to feel powerless or afraid. Peyton Garland reminds us, however, that the call to stand firm is not new—and that our strength doesn’t come from ourselves, but from the Lord. Ephesians 6 urges believers to “put on the full armor of God,” a vivid picture of spiritual preparation. Just as Roman soldiers equipped themselves daily for battle, we must clothe ourselves in truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation—anchored by the Word of God and prayer. These are not abstract ideas but divine defenses against the lies and schemes of the enemy. Our world calls evil good and celebrates darkness as enlightenment, but we are called to live differently. To speak truth in love. To stand firm when others compromise. To shine Christ’s light into every space we inhabit—our homes, workplaces, and communities. Darkness cannot drive out light; it disappears when light is present. Standing firm in God’s armor doesn’t mean living in fear or anger—it means living with courage, love, and unwavering trust in the God who has already secured the victory. Today's Bible Reading: "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes." – Ephesians 6:10-11 (NIV) Key Takeaways The spiritual battles we face require divine strength—our power comes from the Lord, not ourselves. The armor of God equips us to resist temptation, fear, and cultural compromise. Truth, righteousness, faith, and prayer are our daily weapons against spiritual darkness. Light always overcomes darkness—Christ’s presence in us pushes back the enemy’s schemes. Let’s Pray Together Father, thank You for giving us Your armor to protect and strengthen us in this dark world. Forgive us when we neglect the tools You’ve provided. Help us to stand firm in truth, to walk in righteousness, and to speak with love and boldness. Remind us that darkness cannot overcome Your light. Fill us with courage to reflect Your glory in a world that desperately needs You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Resources What Is the Armor of God and How Do We Put It On? – Crosswalk.com How to Be the Light of the World in Dark Times – BibleStudyTools.com Listen to Your Daily Prayer for more daily encouragement rooted in Scripture. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

From the very beginning, life began with a divine touch — God's hands forming humanity from the dust. Throughout Scripture, every healing, every act of compassion, every miracle flowed from that same loving contact. In Jesus, the untouchable God became touchable — reaching for the broken, the outcast, and the weary. This message reminds us that His hand is still reaching today — to heal what's wounded, restore what's lost, and awaken what's grown numb. All it takes is one touch from God to change everything.

Daniel's Prayer Was “seeking him {God} by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting . . . ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God . . . we have sinned and done wrong'” MESSAGE SUMMARY: There are times when you need clarity, understanding, knowledge and insights from God about the specific issues that you, your family, your church, or your country are facing. In your personal relationship with God as a Jesus Follower, the Lord will speak to you; but sometimes it takes your listening and fasting to hear Him. For example, when Joel received a Word when the land was to be destroyed, he called a fast (i.e. Joel 1:14): “Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.”. Some things you are facing in your life must be dealt with by both prayer and fasting. Fasting releases a spiritual power – in your weakness, God is made strong in your life. Daniel's prayer, from Daniel 9:3-5, provides a context for asking direction from God: “Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.'".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Joel 1:13-16; Matthew 6:16; Daniel 9:3-7; Psalms138:1-8. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “New Day for Humanity” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

New Day for Humanity MESSAGE SUMMARY: On this day of Pentecost, we're invited to explore the profound significance of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The message takes us through Jesus' teachings in John 14, where He promises the coming of the Helper - the Holy Spirit. We learn that the Spirit is not just a distant force, but a personal presence that dwells within us, bringing the very essence of Christ into our hearts. This indwelling Spirit transforms us, making us more like Jesus and empowering us to do His works. As we reflect on this, we're challenged to consider how we're allowing the Spirit to work in our lives. Are we grieving or quenching the Spirit through unforgiveness or sin? Or are we opening ourselves fully to His guidance and power? This Pentecost, let's renew our commitment to living Spirit-filled lives, recognizing that God's desire is for His presence to be with us always, not just now, but for eternity.   TODAY'S PRAYER: Lord, Sabbath rest is truly an unbelievable gift! Thank you that there is nothing I can do to earn your love; it comes without any strings attached. As I close my eyes for these few minutes before you, all I can say is, thank you! In Jesus' name, amen.  Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 133). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Number 11; 2 Chronicles 15:1; 1 Samuel 10:16; 1 Samuel 16; Luke 2:25; Acts 2:42; Acts 2:2-4; John 14:6 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH'S DAILY DEVOTIONAL – “Daniel's Prayer Was “seeking him {God} by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting . . . ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God . . . we have sinned and done wrong'””: https://awordfromthelord.org/devotional/ DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In Jesus we find true life and true light. Those who believe in Jesus receive the life and light that He alone gives. Scripture References: John 1:1-3, John 1:4-13, Psalm 36:9, John 3:19–21, John 8:12, John 9:5, John 12:35–36, John 12:46, 1 John 5:11-12, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 Pastor: Daniel Hendrickson

Life is fragile and fleeting—Scripture reminds us time and again that our days on earth are short, like a breath or a passing shadow. Yet, as our daily prayer and devotional remind us, in a world that measures meaning by years and accomplishments, we often forget just how temporary life really is. Lynette Kittle reflects on the sobering reality that every breath is a gift, urging us to live intentionally for eternity rather than the moment. When tragedy strikes or we’re reminded of death’s suddenness, it can shake our sense of security. But God never meant for these reminders to fill us with fear; instead, they call us back to perspective. James 4:14 tells us that our lives are “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes,” not to diminish our worth but to reorient our focus toward what truly matters—living each day to glorify Him. Because of Christ, we do not have to fear death. Jesus tasted death for us (Hebrews 2:9) so that we can move from life to eternal life in His presence. Earth is not our permanent home. We are citizens of Heaven, created for something far greater than the temporary world we see. As believers, we can live with both urgency and peace—urgency to love, serve, and live for God today, and peace knowing our forever home is secure with Him. Let every breath be a reminder of His grace and an opportunity to glorify His name. Today's Bible Reading: "They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow." – Psalm 144:4 Key Takeaways Life is fleeting, but its brevity invites us to live with eternal purpose. God doesn’t want us to fear death—Christ has already conquered it. Our true home is in Heaven, where we will dwell with God forever. Each day is a sacred gift to glorify God and point others to His hope. Let’s Pray Together Dear Father, thank You for the sacred gift of life. Help me to remember how short and precious it is—not to fear its brevity but to live each day with eternity in mind. Thank You for the promise of eternal life through Jesus and for preparing a place for me in Your presence. May my life bring glory to You in every breath I take. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Resources How to Live with Eternity in Mind – Crosswalk.com What Does the Bible Say About Death and Eternal Life? – BibleStudyTools.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

A Prayer for When Your Strength Runs Out Through exhaustion and feelings of failure, we can learn that peace doesn’t come from personal control or independence, but from resting in the power and grace of God.Today's episode by Brooke McGlothlin shares a powerful reflection on God’s strength and peace—illustrated by the vast, mighty ocean. Reference: Psalm 29:11 Prayer: Father, if I rely on my own strength, it will eventually fail. If I try to find my peace outside of you, I will eventually run out. Today and every day help me remember that my strength is in my relationship with you. You are my true source. In Jesus' name, amen. LINKS: How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide Follow Everyday Prayers @MillionPrayingMoms Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon. Discover more Christian podcasts at LifeAudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at LifeAudio.com/contact-us Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Celebrated songwriter Fanny Crosby wrote over 9,000 hymns in her lifetime, often writing as many as 6 or 7 songs a day. Despite being blind from infancy, she also played harp, piano, guitar, and other instruments, as well as singing soprano. She wrote the lyrics to many well-known hymns and while she did compose music to accompany a few of her songs, she partnered with many talented composers to write the music that accompanied her words.She used as many as 200 pseudonyms to publish her work, with a goal of maintaining humility. The author was admired for both her poetry and her music during her lifetime, but she wasn't motivated by personal fame.Fanny Crosby was so well-known in her day that musicians often came to her for lyrics. One day, musician William Doane dropped by for a surprise visit, begging her to put words to a tune he had recently written and was set to perform at an upcoming Sunday School convention. The only problem was that his train to the convention was leaving in 35 minutes. He sat at the piano and played the tune.“Your music says, ‘Safe in the Arms of Jesus,''' Fanny said, scribbling out the hymn's words immediately. “Read it on the train and hurry. You don't want to be late!” The hymn became one of Crosby's most famous.Fanny Crosby could write very complex hymns and compose music with a more classical structure, but she preferred to write sweet, simple verses that could be used for evangelism. She sought to share Jesus at every turn and to use her talents for God's glory. Let's pray.Dear Lord, thank you for the beautiful gift of music. We are so grateful for your love and for the opportunity to praise your name through song. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

Nighttime can stir up unease. As our daily prayer and devotional remind us, when the world quiets down, our minds can fill with fears and worries that daylight had kept at bay. In Psalm 91, the writer paints a vivid picture of God’s protective care—His wings stretched wide, sheltering His children in a place of warmth and safety. It’s a comforting image for anyone who lies awake, anxious about what might come. Amanda Idleman reminds us that we can rest securely beneath those wings. God’s faithfulness is not fragile or fleeting; it’s our shield and rampart, our steady defense when darkness falls. His promise is clear—He sends His angels to guard us, He hears our cries for help, and He delivers us from fear and danger. Amanda shares from her own story of witnessing God’s protection and redemption in her family’s life. Through foster care and adoption, she has seen how God covers His children—restoring what was broken, protecting the vulnerable, and bringing light into the darkest places. That same care and covering are available to all who call on His name. When the night feels heavy, and fears start to whisper, remember that God’s light is greater than any darkness. He never leaves, never sleeps, and never abandons His people. You are safe beneath His wings. Today's Bible Reading: "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." – Psalm 91:4 Key Takeaways God’s protection is constant—He covers us with His wings and surrounds us with His angels (Psalm 91). His faithfulness is our shield and peace in the darkest hours. When we feel fear rise at night, we can declare His promises and rest in His presence. The same God who redeems broken stories guards your heart and home. Let’s Pray Together God, thank You for being my protector and refuge. When night falls and my thoughts turn anxious, remind me that I am safe under Your wings. Calm my heart and fill my home with Your peace. Let Your faithfulness be my shield, and Your angels stand guard around me and my loved ones. Thank You that darkness never has the final word—You are my light and salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Resources How to Pray Psalm 91 Over Your Family – Crosswalk.com What Does It Mean That God Covers Us with His Wings? – BibleStudyTools.com Listen to Your Daily Prayer for daily encouragement and peace through Scripture. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

A Prayer to Extend Kindness Have you ever thought of the difference between being nice and living out true kindness rooted in Christ. Niceness leaves a good impression, but kindness leaves a lasting impact.In today's episode with Doris Swift, we are reminded that while our prayers may be imperfect, God uses them to shape us first and to display His mercy and kindness through us. Reference: Ephesians 2:7 Prayer: Father, thank you for your loving kindness toward us. Open our eyes to the needs of those around us so that we might extend kindness, show love, and share the message of hope in Christ with the world. In Jesus' name, amen. LINKS: How to Pray God's Word For Your Children Guide Connect with Doris Swift Get today's devotion and prayer in written form to keep for future use! Support the ministry with your $5 monthly gift through Patreon. Discover more Christian podcasts at LifeAudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at LifeAudio.com/contact-us Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Fall leaves remind us how beauty and brevity often go hand in hand. As our daily prayer and devotional remind us, the brilliant colors of autumn are breathtaking, yet fleeting—lasting only a short season before they wither and fall. Whitney Hopler connects this truth to the gift of each day: time is temporary, and the opportunities God gives us only come once. Too often, we miss those gifts. We get caught up in stress, worry, or distractions, focusing on yesterday’s mistakes or tomorrow’s uncertainties. But Psalm 118:24 reminds us that God calls us to live fully in this day, to rejoice in the present moment because He made it and is with us in it. Rejoicing isn’t about ignoring pain or pretending life is easy. It’s about choosing joy because of God’s presence. Even when circumstances are difficult, His faithfulness gives us reason to be glad. Each day holds blessings—whether in laughter with loved ones, a sunset, or the simple joy of God’s peace. We can train our eyes to notice His goodness in the ordinary. Like fall leaves, today is precious because it won’t come again. When we choose to rejoice, we stop clinging to yesterday and worrying about tomorrow. We live fully, gratefully, and joyfully in the presence of God today. Today's Bible Reading "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." – Psalm 118:24, ESV Key Takeaways Each day is a gift from God and an opportunity to rejoice in Him. Joy is not dependent on perfect circumstances but on God’s faithful presence. Living fully today means noticing and embracing everyday blessings. Choosing gladness builds a life rooted in gratitude and trust in God. Let’s Pray Together Dear God, thank You for making this day and giving it to me. Forgive me for the times I’ve let worry or busyness keep me from noticing Your blessings. Open my eyes to see Your goodness in the ordinary and teach me to rejoice, even when life is difficult. Help me to live fully in today, trusting in Your presence as my reason for joy. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Resources What Does It Mean to Rejoice in the Lord Always? – Crosswalk.com How Gratitude Changes Your Perspective – BibleStudyTools.com Listen to Your Daily Prayer on LifeAudio for more encouragement. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

We often talk about “guarding our hearts and minds” as Christians, but how often do we actually do it? As our daily prayer and devotional from Alicia Searl points out that it’s one thing to say it and another thing entirely to practice it—both for our children and for ourselves. Scripture reveals that our hearts are the source from which all things flow (Proverbs 4:23) and, without intentional protection, can easily be swayed by the world’s temptations. Philippians 4:6-8 gives us the antidote: bring everything to God in prayer and focus our thoughts on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and admirable. This requires humility, self-examination, and a willingness to let God transform us. It’s not about living in fear but about living intentionally—making choices that draw us closer to Him, trusting that His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Alicia also reminds us to ask ourselves daily: Is this activity pulling me closer or further from God? Are my influences and friendships encouraging me to grow in faith? Am I nourishing my heart and mind with truth or falling into temptation? Guarding our hearts and minds isn’t a passive command—it’s an active call to anchor ourselves in God’s character, Word, and truth. Today's Bible Reading: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." – Philippians 4:7 Key Takeaways Guarding your heart is a proactive spiritual discipline (Proverbs 4:23; Philippians 4:6-8). Prayer and Scripture are God’s tools to transform our hearts and minds. The peace of God is not just emotional calm; it’s His protective shield over us. Evaluate your influences and habits to ensure they draw you closer to Christ. Let’s Pray Together O God, we come before You with hearts willing to seek Your presence and minds longing for Your truth. Please transform us and breathe Your peace into every corner of our lives. Guide us to make choices that honor You, surround us with faithful friends, and help us guard our hearts and minds with humility and obedience. Thank You for being an omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent Father who loves and protects us. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Resources What Does It Mean to Guard Your Heart? – Crosswalk.com How to Fix Your Thoughts on What is True and Pure (Philippians 4:8) – BibleStudyTools.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Seasons of anxiety and depression can leave us feeling weak, broken, and even distant from God. Yet, as our daily prayer and devotional from Emily Rose Massey reminds us, these struggles do not define our faith or separate us from God’s presence. In fact, suffering can be the very place where our roots in Christ grow deeper. Jesus calls us to abide in Him as the true Vine. Just as branches cannot bear fruit without staying connected to the vine, neither can we thrive apart from Him. Prayer and Scripture become lifelines—keeping us grounded in His peace, truth, and strength when the world feels overwhelming. Like trees in winter whose roots grow deeper underground, our times of hardship can press us closer to the heart of God. Instead of yielding to despair or turning to substitutes for comfort, we can remain connected to Christ, the only source of lasting life and peace. In Him, we find the strength to endure, the hope to carry on, and the joy of knowing we are never alone. Today's Bible Reading: "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 Key Takeaways Abiding in Christ is essential—apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). Seasons of suffering can deepen our spiritual roots and strengthen our faith. Prayer and Scripture are vital lifelines that keep us connected to Jesus. The enemy seeks to isolate us, but Christ sustains us through every trial. Let’s Pray Together Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me new life in Your Son, Jesus. Help me to abide in You daily and hold fast to the peace You bring. Deepen my roots in You during seasons of suffering, and keep me connected to Your love and strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen. Related Resources How to Stay Connected to God When Life Gets Hard – Crosswalk.com What It Really Means to Abide in Christ – iBelieve.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.