Jesus Calling: Stories of Faith
Millions have been encouraged and inspired by the words of the #1 best-selling 365-day devotional "Jesus Calling." Listen to real-life stories of faith as told by those who have experienced the power of living in His presence.
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- 289Understanding and Kindness for Every Season: Will Smith & Amy GrantThis season is a time for giving, reflection and joy. But what if you’re having a hard time seeing God in the swirl of busy-ness that encompass the holidays? Or what if you’re not connected with him how you’d like to be? There’s a powerful verse in the Bible from 1st John 4:12 that says even though none of us here on earth have actually “seen” God, “if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us." Our guests today believe that love and understanding toward others, along with prayer and seeking Him are our primary connections to God and find their faith strengthened when they are acting in kindness and service. We’ll talk with Oscar-nominated actor and recent New York Times bestselling author Will Smith and Grammy Award-winning iconic Christian singer Amy Grant. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast 1st John 4:12 Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Sarah Young Past guest: Lauren AkinsUpcoming guest: Enneagram through a spiritual lens with experts Mark Eaton Will Smith Carnegie Mellon University Will Amy Grant Church of Christ Belmont College Word Records www.AmyGrant.com Interview Quotes: “External success doesn't fix your internal difficulties.” - Will Smith “I'm flawed, but so is everybody, and I get to be better moving forward.” - Will Smith “A concentration on love and service above all things can't yield anything but greatness.” - Will Smith “I want to be an ambassador of God and goodness trying to correct the lack of love in the world.” - Will Smith “Little by little, my stage grew and the audience grew and my proficiency grew and took me places I never dreamed I would go. I'm really grateful and surprised how my life turned out.” - Amy Grant “Prayer changes circumstances, it changes people, it changes the person who's going through it, it changes the person who prays, and I believe prayer is active, compassionate thought wrapped around another person.” - Amy Grant “One of the first things that comes out of my mouth in the morning is, ‘This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.’ And I feel that joy. I'm so glad to be alive.” - Amy Grant “I think we're all wired so uniquely that God gives us gifts because He knows that's what we need to get through. And then when you enjoy that gift, then it pours out on other people.” - Amy Grant ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 290Looking At The Enneagram Through A Spiritual Lens: Mark Eaton, Jackie Brewster, & Eve AnnunziatoYou might have heard about the popular personality typing assessment called the Enneagram. What you might not know is that the Enneagram has many applications for Christians and has some of its early formation shaped by historical Christian thinkers. By looking at ourselves and those we care about in the context of the nine Enneagram types, we can understand ourselves and who God created us to be, so that we can in turn better understand others and have a more compassionate heart. For this episode, we’ll speak with several experts on the Enneagram who help us walk through the different personality types and share deep personal insights they found from utilizing the Enneagram in their relationships both at home and in their church community. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Listens Jesus Calling Jesus Calling YouTube Enneagram Relating to God through the Enneagram YouTube Series Jesus Calling Enneagram discussion guides Past interview: Shannon Bream Upcoming interview: Taylor Tippett Mark Eaton Dr. Harv Powers Enneagram assessment Enneagram Two Matthew chapter 7 www.eatonleadership.org Jackie Brewster Eve Annunziato Jesus Calling app Jesus Calling for kids Hearing God Speak Interview Quotes: “The Enneagram studies motives, it studies drivers, it studies what motivates a person. And if we know what motivates us, what drives us, what's the thing behind the thing, then we can be much more effective in our leadership.” - Mark Eaton “Enneagram twos tend to withdraw when we get into a little bit of conflict. We don't understand our own needs. We understand everybody else's, if you will, but we have trouble getting our own. So I can tend to withdraw for sometimes for two or three days before I understand what I'm feeling.” - Mark Eaton “Enneagram can help us. It's just a tool, but it can help us have much more intimate relationships with those who we say we love.” - Mark Eaton “The Enneagram helps me become the humble guy that I really want to be. When I'm facing my wife, I am aware, at least at some level, of the logs in my own eye and maybe, just maybe, I can help someone else with a splinter in their eye.” - Mark Eaton “I had never really looked at my life through the lens of the Enneagram. And so because of the tool that it is, it's allowed me to really slow down, process what's happening in my life, like take notice of patterns of behavior, ask myself where they're coming from. And it really has made a huge, huge difference and impact on the way that I function in my marriage with my children and in my business, with my friends, just really understanding what's happening on the inside of me and owning my own parts of my story.” - Jackie Brewster “I feel like through the work of the Enneagram, I'm accepting my own personality. And really, most importantly, I'm accepting other people's personalities that perhaps are different than mine. It's helped me view my life with compassion and empathy for others and even for myself.” - Eve Annunziato “I realize that there is no better or worse or best number and that our numbers aren't a problem to be solved. Our numbers are a beauty to be embraced, and that's helped me warmly welcome my own personality, my own vulnerability.” - Eve Annunziato “As we do recognize different parts of ourselves, [God] doesn't want us to try to fix them on our own. He wants us to bring them to Him and ask Him to be in it with us…I do love using the Enneagram as a tool, but the Bible as a transformation for our lives.” - Jackie Brewster ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 291Finding Meaning in the Small Moments: Taylor Tippett & Curtis GrimesIt seems that much of our lives is driving toward something big. Whether it’s career, personal goals, seeking success or building a life for our loved ones, we’re often aiming high to be or do something big. However, we’ll miss some important moments if we don’t look at the small ways God is showing up in our lives: a simple word from a friend that brightens our day, an act of service from someone that makes our day go smoother, or even a thought from a complete stranger that reminds us we are seen and heard. When we actively look for these moments, we realize that God is all around us, at all times—in the small details of our days as well as the big moments—and recognizing His presence in all of our moments will draw us closer to Him. Flight Attendant Taylor Tippett started a project of leaving encouraging notes on the planes she worked on for passengers to find as a small act of kindness that has netted big results. Texas country music artist Curtis Grimes sees the value of reaching people for God not only in the big stadiums and auditoriums, but in the small honky tonks, fairs, festivals, & rodeos he plays regularly. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Lisa Harper Upcoming interview: Elaine Welteroth and Jonathan Singletary Taylor Tippett Pan Am @wordsfromthewindowseat Words From The Window Seat Curtis Grimes The Voice CeeLo Green Andraé Crouch song, “Through It All” “Graves Into Gardens” Interview Quotes: “I'm a very big believer in things happening for a reason. And so I was like, What if somebody finds this and really needs this? And so I wrote “Be kind to yourself” and took a picture and left it on the seat back.” - Taylor Tippett “Through this project of really keeping an eye out for the small moments and for the kindness, that's my whole goal with this; it's just that people would feel understood and loved where they're at.” - Taylor Tippett “I think just having patience and grace with people that look different from us or act different from us or seem different from us is so important.” - Taylor Tippett “I was having a lot of conviction for how I was living and just was not representing Christ the way I should in not only in my music, my lifestyle. And from that point on, just kind of really made a conscious effort to use the talent and ability that God had blessed me with to reach people, to go into the bars, honky tonks, fairs, festivals, rodeos, wherever we were playing, and actually use that to point people to Jesus, not do the opposite.” - Curtis Grimes “Initially, my thought was to just remove myself from the environment, just get out of the scene, get out of the lifestyle, get away from it, and just go lead worship in a church. But God really put it on my heart that, ‘I have you here for a reason. I want you to do whatever you think that you were going to do in a church out here where you're actually reaching people in a place where people aren't going to hear about Jesus.’“ - Curtis Grimes ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 292Put God First and You’ll Never Be Last: Elaine Welteroth & Jonathan Singletary and Juni FelixWhat’s the central driving force to your life? Is it career? Family? Achieving success? In the Bible, there’s a verse that says “Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God.” What does this mean? “To give glory” is to praise, to recognize the importance of another, the contribution that someone gives to your life. And when we allow God to be central to all we do and say, we’ll realize our potential for love, healing, and relationship in new ways. Musician Jonathan Singletary and his wife, journalist, Project Runway judge and host of CBS’s The Talk Elaine Welteroth find their marriage and their individual purposes in life strengthened when God is in the middle of it. Researcher and writer Juni Felix found hope and healing from trauma when she allowed Jesus inside the center of her pain and believed that she was worthy to live a life outside of the trauma that once defined her. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast 1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Sarah Young Past interview: Paula Faris Upcoming interview: Meg Apperson Jonathan Singletary Elaine Welteroth South Bay Community Church Yvonne Orji More Than Enough Piano and Prayer Juni Felix John 17:3 NIV www.junifelix.com You Are Worth the Work Interview Quotes: “God puts people in our lives to show us a piece of His character, a piece of His heart in a different way.” - Jonathan Singletary “When God gives you a gift, it can go either way, depending on what we're acting out of. If we're acting out of the purity of our relationship with God, then you can see the beauty of it, the light of it. But if we act out of our wounding, we can use that same gift, and there could be kind of a darkness to it, or a lack of love, or a lack of self-love in it.” - Jonathan Singletary “It's your sole obligation while you are here to uncover your purpose and to put God at the center and to never give up, like, never, ever give up on what God has shown you is for you.” - Elaine Welteroth “When we are really standing in the light of God's love, we know that we are whole, we know that we are more than enough.” - Elaine Welteroth “I hope that as I share some of this, those who are blessed with opportunities to show kindness to children who are homeless and displaced don't ever hold back. I'm living proof that kindness really matters. And so these wonderful seeds of hope, they can literally last throughout a lifetime.” - Juni Felix “The reason that so many people, myself included, who sincerely love the Lord and want to live out His love and shine His light; they struggle and stumble and get stuck because deep within, we feel unworthy of God's love and grace because of those adverse childhood experiences.” - Juni Felix “Dare to believe that you are worth the work because trauma recovery is hard work, but you are so worth it.” - Juni Felix ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 293[BONUS] The Power of LoveThis special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests who have appeared in their own episodes on the Jesus Calling Podcast speaking to the topic of love. Love comes in many forms, but none is more powerful than to know we are unconditionally accepted and loved by God, the one who created us. We hope you are able to tap into the powerful force of love in your life through these stories about how love transformed, healed and brought a sense of belonging and purpose to those who were willing to recognize and welcome it into their lives. Links To Full EpisodesLauren Alaina Danielle Coke Rick Steves Jennifer Greenberg Ginny Owens Andrew & Shawn Johnson East Lecrae Moore ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 294Trusting God In Your Present Pain: Meg Apperson and Karlie GreenPerhaps you’ve received some news recently that has thrown you for a loop. Someone you love or care about is sick or dying. Or maybe someone close to you is struggling with the darkness of mental illness. Or maybe you yourself have had a health problem or a devastating diagnosis. In this life, we can be reasonably sure that none of us will be spared from suffering. How do we reckon our pain and suffering with a loving God who is supposed to take care of us? There’s a verse in first Peter that says, “After you have 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.” Our guests have found comfort in the truth that God is a God of healing and restoration, and that their suffering has produced endurance, strength, and knit them together in compassion for others. For this episode, we’ll hear from Meg Apperson, a mother of four who advocates for her special needs daughter Avery, and Karlie Green, a congenital heart disease survivor. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens 1 Peter 5:10 NIV Past interview: Amanda Kloots Upcoming interview: Granger Smith Meg Apperson Craniosynostosis Single suture craniosynostosis Sky Full of Stars: Learning to Surrender to God’s Perfect Plans Karlie Green Two Hearts, One Hope: A True Story of Enduring Faith in the Messiness of Life Congenital heart disease Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma Interview Quotes: “The Lord really supernaturally spared both my life and Avery's life by kind of shielding us from how involved her defects would turn out to be.” - Meg Apperson “When you become a special needs parent, initially, your every thought is just consumed with either the present, how you're going to support this child, or you're learning how to meet their needs.” - Meg Apperson “It's so hard to come into a place where you can kind of release that white-knuckled control over your life or your children's lives or your future. And so really, what I, as somebody who struggles with wanting to control things, I really just have to pray, you know, ‘Lord, help me, help me to be malleable. Helped me just be able to surrender.’” - Meg Apperson “The Lord is not surprised by our humanity. He made us human, and so He is not put off by the struggle to surrender.” - Meg Apperson “There is light at the end of the tunnel. There is. And that light might not show up today, it might not show up tomorrow. But when you put your faith in God, when you start praying and really talking to Him and getting to know Him, you know, just like the Bible says, He does everything for the good.” - Karlie Green ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 295Don’t Run Away, Run To God: Granger and Amber Smith & Chiquis RiveraPerhaps the biggest thing that contributes to having a happy and fulfilling life is faith. Our guests this week can attest to that—even though they’re talented, attained fame, and are adored by millions, they each say that the only thing that has gotten them through life, brought them where they are today, and continues to sustain them is their faith. Are you having trouble living in faith? Has your past been difficult and you’re struggling to see where God has shown up for you? Even though it may seem impossible, you can still live in faith. You can take that first step by just talking to God. Tell Him your hopes, your fears, your disappointments. And as you develop that relationship with God, you won’t be afraid to dream bigger dreams, to imagine that your life can be better, to believe that any sadness that envelops you now can be replaced by peace one day. When we believe things can be better and that God will fulfill His purpose in our lives, we begin to develop a faith that is unstoppable and will carry us through every challenging season. Here to share more about what it means to have an unstoppable faith is country singer Granger Smith and his wife Amber and singer, songwriter and author Chiquis Rivera. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Sarah Young Upcoming interview: Linda Davis Granger Smith Chiquis Rivera Jenni Rivera Unstoppable Interview Quotes: “When you hold little humans, you know, and you realize that they depend on you for so much and you look into their eyes and you see the reflection of you.” - Granger Smith “God, help me make the right decision in this moment right now for my family. I'll follow your lead because I'm not in control here." - Granger Smith “The thing that we did was we ran to Him. Yeah, we just ran to Him and he's just carried us for these last two years.” - Amber Smith “I would tell people at school, all the kids at school, like, ‘My mom is going to be famous one day,’ and they would laugh at me and make fun of me. And I had so much faith in her from the very beginning.” - Chiquis Rivera “When life drops you on your knees, you're already there, you might as well pray. And that's what I've always done throughout those moments, I always keep my eyesight focused at the light at the end of the tunnel.” - Chiquis Rivera “I'm very well aware that everything I have is because of God, because of His grace. And I keep that in mind. It helps humble me and keep me grounded every single day…What makes me unstoppable? It’s really no secret. It is my faith.” - Chiquis Rivera “What makes me unstoppable? It’s really no secret. It is my faith.” - Chiquis Rivera “When I don't try to fit God into my schedule, everything else goes around Him, around my faith, it's something that I think has helped me. I have this most of the time, unshakable faith where it's like, Okay, no matter what, I know, everything is going to be okay.” - Chiquis Rivera ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 296When All Else Fails, Love Remains: Linda Davis & Lang Scott and Bobby & Cheryl LoveDuring a season when “love” is celebrated with flowers, candy, and romantic cards, it’s easy to forget that love has many facets. The kind of love that sticks around when it feels like there’s not much to celebrate. The kind of love that forgives in the face of disappointments and dishonesty. The kind of love that lives up to the promise that God, who Himself is love, made to us; that no matter what, He will never leave us or forsake us. Our guests this week are two couples who have walked together through joyous and difficult seasons—only to find that their love had the capacity to carry them through it all. We’re talking to country singers Linda Davis and Lang Scott and one time fugitive Bobby Love and his wife Cheryl. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Danielle Coke Upcoming interview: John Siebeling and Wayne Francis Linda Davis Lang Scott Grand Ole Opry Reba McEntire Love Remains Hebrews 11 NIV Lady A Bobby Love Richard Nixon The Redemption of Bobby Love Interview Quotes: “God has blessed our life and our family with wonderful opportunities and experiences that we share with people now that we can go out and talk about.” - Lang Scott “Music has been our life. It's been our life together and now for our children as well. God uses what we have done in our life to make an impact in a positive way and in a spiritual way to us, to others.” - Lang Scott “My mother, she prayed that I would straighten up and do the right things, and she prayed that God would just be there for me.” - Bobby Love “I knew somewhere in my deepest of hearts that this is what I had been feeling for so many years, that he was keeping something from me. I just didn't know what it was.” - Cheryl Love “We had a faith in God, and we talked about that, that God had always been with us. He had never left us. And, you know, I just felt like I had to forgive [Bobby].” - Cheryl Love ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 297Love, Acceptance, and Celebrating Differences: Tauren Wells and John Siebeling & Wayne FrancisWhen it comes to loving others, we sometimes have to stretch ourselves to honor the commands that Jesus has about love. How can I love someone who is so different from me, we might ask ourselves? How can I love someone who I don’t understand and who doesn’t understand me? In our daily lives, it’s natural for us to make bonds with people who are like us, who have our same values, who believe like us. It can be tempting to live in that bubble and *think* that we are practicing love. But Jesus calls us to do more. He asks that “all we do be done in love.” If we can remember that before each conversation we have, before each decision we make in regards to others, as we measure the words and actions that we speak and do each day, we’ll find that a life lived in love will bring healing, reconciliation and benefits to us that we could have never imagined. Our guests this week are deliberate about taking a posture of love toward what they do in the world. Tauren Wells is a musician, songwriter and speaker who encourages us to recognize God’s love in all that we do and say, and pastor and writers John Siebeling and Wayne Francis have purposefully made unconditional love a part of how they welcome people of all kinds into their churches, and now they’re building off of that to bring people together to have conversations about love, acceptance, and race. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Listens Past interview: Cynthia Garrett Upcoming interview: Chris Janson and Kelly Janson Tauren Wells Michael Jackson Prince Donald Lawrence Fred Hammond Israel Houghton NSync Indiana Bible College “Known” www.taurenwells.com John Siebeling Wayne Francis God and Race: A Guide for Moving Beyond Black Fists and White Knuckles Association of Related Churches—ARC Black Fists, White Knuckles sermon Ahmaud Arbery case Revelation 7:9 NIV Acts 2 NIV Joyce Meyer 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19 NIV Interview Quotes: “I love performing, I love having fun. And I don't think that the presence of God is a fun-free zone.” - Tauren Wells “If we're really trying to make our churches diverse and multicultural, it's not just having people in the room that look like the culture we want. It's creating the pieces of fabric that make up those cultures and weaving them into the faith community that we're building.” - Tauren Wells “The key to moving forward beyond some of the racial tension that we've seen is just super open-handed, open-hearted conversations. And when you have an open heart and you have an open hand, you sit down with somebody that's different from you and you get the opportunity to see and hear their heart and their perspective. You grow and you learn.” - John Siebeling “We're not just trying to empower white people to have these conversations. We're empowering black people, people of color, how to have these conversations in a way that's life giving. And it blends us, moves us closer together toward the vision that we see in scripture, which is one nation, one people, one tribe.” - Wayne Francis “We have to keep the condition of the soul right so that even when we're angry, we can communicate in ways that don't blow everything up…canceling people is not the way that we move the conversation forward.” - Wayne Francis “The Bible says, ‘Pray without ceasing.’ That means somehow, even in the midst of work and working out and cooking and doing all that we're doing, we are communing with God.” - John Siebeling “Diversity isn't reserved for heaven.” - Wayne Francis ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 298The Great Reset: Getting Back to What Matters Most with Chris Janson & Kelly Janson and Steve WhiteUncertain times can cause us to reflect about and reassess what really matters to us. When we take that time to get quiet, pray, and really ask ourselves why we’ve been put on the earth to begin with, we can begin to feel a sense of purpose that directs our next move. And when we’re moving in the direction of our purpose, we begin to connect to our impact in the world and feel the satisfaction of knowing we can make a difference. Our guests this week have come to their sense of purpose and direction through prayer, understanding their strengths and passions, and events that made them pause and look within themselves toward what matters most to them. We’re speaking with country music singer and songwriter Chris Janson and his wife Kelly and author and President, Special Counsel to CEO [Comcast], Steve White. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Sadie Robertson Upcoming interview: Lanny West Chris Janson Jerry Lee Lewis Waylon Jennings Johnny Cash Hank Jr. Ree Guyer www.chrisjanson.com Steve White Uncompromising Moms In Prayer Theodore Roosevelt Interview Quotes: “I think that God puts certain situations in your life to be honest with you, that really mold you. And I think sometimes you have to live in those spaces and almost kind of be miserable sometimes before you really get to see the clarity at the end of the tunnel.” - Chris Janson ”I think through our family, it gives us all peace knowing that God is always there and you can talk to Him no matter where you are. It gives confidence. It gives peace.” - Kelly Janson “I saw God when our children were born. I saw God when we got married. I saw God when I was sleeping in the back of a car.” - Chris Janson “The way you lead, the way you handle yourself, the joy you display, that's your pulpit.” - Steve White “You should never allow your circumstances or your environment impact your ability to dream.” - Steve White “The more you demonstrate an interest in being better, the more you demonstrate that you want your light to shine brighter.” - Steve White “Great things cannot happen unless you're in the arena. So learning is being in the arena because you never know what can happen.” - Steve White “No one really remembers how big your house was. No one really remembers how many awards you got. What they do remember [is] did you change my life? Did you impact my life? That's what people remember.” - Steve White “We all have a purpose. We're all here on this earth for a reason. And so the more you can get quiet and reflect, it will help you start to identify your purpose and ‘why.’” - Steve White ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 299[BONUS] The Pursuit of PeaceThis special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests who have appeared in their own episodes on the Jesus Calling Podcast speaking to how they pursue peace for their lives. God promises us a peace that passes all understanding when we trust Him to meet our needs. In good times or bad, we’re still able to experience that peace only God can give—letting us know that He’s got everything in His hands. We hope these stories will encourage you that anyone can find peace–—even in times of pain and loss—and that we all can experience the kind of peace that will get us through any situation we may be facing. Links To Full EpisodesTrent Shelton Erwin McManus Jeremy & Adrienne Camp Chrystal Evans Hurst Melissa D'Arabian Paul Cardall Lolo Jones Reba McEntire ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 300God Is Just A Prayer Away: Daniel Ponce de Leon & Lanny WestWhen you feel broken and lost, and the life you wanted seems far from reach, there’s Someone you can turn to. God is just a prayer away and no matter where you are or what life circumstance has laid you low, you can call His name. He listens. He cares. He’s there for you always. Our guests this week have had times in their lives of complete brokenness—and they found that when they whispered a prayer up to heaven, peace, comfort, and restoration was never too far to follow. We’re talking with baseball pitcher Daniel Ponce De Leon, and musician and founder of Tipping Point Artist Wellness Lanny West. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Holly Hayes Upcoming interview: Florence LaRue Daniel Ponce De Leon St. Louis Cardinals Chicago Cubs Victor Caratini epidural hematoma One Line Drive: A Life-Threatening Injury and a Faith-Fueled Comeback Lanny West Tipping Point Artist Wellness Beatles Staple Singers Otis Redding Amy Grant https://www.tippingpt.coach/ Father, Son, And The Unholy Road: The Dark, Twisted Truth of My Journey From Cocaine to Christ Interview Quotes: “My dad was a very big part in teaching me the Word, and every morning, you know, he was up reading. So he'd talk to me about it, and I didn't really understand most of the things. But you know, later on in my life as I read the Bible, all the words that he told me before now kind of are coming together, and I'm starting to understand that even more.” - Daniel Ponce de Leon “On good days and bad days, I need God.” - Daniel Ponce de Leon “I believe the whole journey that He put me through was different ways of God chastening me.” - Daniel Ponce de Leon “I'm using my baseball talents to spread the gospel and I'm able to talk with people and see their connection, their walk with God, and hopefully bring them closer and hopefully just bring us all as a church closer.” - Daniel Ponce de Leon “My dream was to escape the turmoil and the abuse within my family. And I just was trying to figure out how the heck to get out of that mess because nothing was getting better.” - Lanny West “I felt like I had to continue drinking and doing these drugs because people expected me to be a certain way, this entertainer, this radio DJ. And so I got hung up in it and I couldn't get out of it.” - Lanny West “Even though I didn't know my real father, there was a Father that was watching out for me…I don't miss having a cocktail. I don't miss drinking. I don't miss cocaine. I don't miss any of that because I'm filled with God's spirit, and that's the most important thing in my life right now.” - Lanny West “I knew at that moment that the spirit had entered me and that God had finally shaken me to the point where I realized that I could not go on in my life without Him.” - Lanny West ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 301A Legacy of Making Music That Matters: Florence LaRue & Michael RayWhen we look back on our lives, we all hope we can consider them well lived. But what signifies a life well lived? How much money we made or achieving great fame? Not according to our guests this week. Both have achieved fame and recognition for their musical talent, while recognizing God gave them the words and platform to spread His message of love. We’re talking with Florence LaRue, a singer with the iconic music group The Fifth Dimension, and country music artist Michael Ray. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Patti LaBelle Upcoming interview: Michelle Hord Florence LaRue The Fifth Dimension Lamonte McLemore “Aquarius” COVID Grace in Your Second Act: A Guide to Aging Gracefully Michael Ray Warner Music Nashville Gatlin Brothers Oak Ridge Boys Garth Brooks “The Dance” Opry Porter Wagoner version of “Green Green Grass of Home” Ricky Skaggs “Real Men Love Jesus” www.michaelraymusic.com Interview Quotes: “I had no intentions of becoming a singer at all. That was strictly God.” - Florence LaRue “I enjoy communicating with people. I enjoy the exchange of singing songs and making people feel things, making people happy.” - Florence LaRue “You are not alone. God is with you always. He loves you more than you know, more than you can understand, more than anyone else could ever love you.” - Florence LaRue “You know, a prayer doesn't have to be eloquent. It can just be ‘help’ or ‘thank you.’” - Florence LaRue “[My grandfather] wanted everybody to have a chance to play music, and to see his passion for it for his entire life was unbelievable.” - Michael Ray “I think that's all you can do in this life is try to make the next twenty-four better than the last.” - Michael Ray ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 302God’s Love Shines Through The Broken Pieces of Our Lives: Michelle Hord and Krispin MayfieldCountless articles have been written and studies conducted about the power of prayer, not just from theologians, but from mental health experts and those who study the pathways of the brain; and they all come to the same conclusion–prayer and having a relationship with God makes us stronger. Prayer can calm our nervous systems, shutting down our fight or flight response. It can make us less reactive to negative emotions and less angry. It can give us hope that we are not alone–even in the most trying of times. Our guests this week share how their personal relationship with God has held them up in times of sadness and loss, doubt and fear, and that building a foundation of trust and familiarity with God has been what keeps them moving forward when things fall apart in their lives. Michelle Hord is a media executive and storyteller, and founder of the non-profit Gabrielle’s Wings. Krispin Mayfield is a writer and a counselor who studies attachment science—a discipline that looks at how relationships develop between humans, and correlates our various styles of attachment to how we develop our relationship with God. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Chris Norton Upcoming interview: Brett and Brad Warren Michelle Hord Gabrielle’s Wings America's Most Wanted President Reagan The Oprah Winfrey Show Good Morning America J.C. Penney studio Jesus Calling app The Other Side of Yet Krispin Mayfield D.L. Mayfield Psalms Henry Nouwen Mr. Rogers Attached to God: A Practical Guide to Deeper Spiritual Experience Interview Quotes: “We sometimes have our course, we think, and then God provides what we think are detours that are actually the great path…I always thought the beauty of how the human spirit fights to survive, fights to find faith, and how strangers even try to be a part of helping to be the light in really dark stories. ” - Michelle Hord “I immediately looked for a dark room, a closet, and I shut the door and I got on my knees and I said, ‘God, I do not know what this is, but whatever it is, please give me what I need to survive it.’” - Michelle Hord “It was an act of defiance to say, ‘In the end, God is going to win.’ I don't know how. I don't believe God did this to my child. I don't believe the platitudes of ‘everything happens for a reason.’ But I do know there's a God. “ - Michelle Hord “My relationship with Jesus Calling, the intimacy of how the passages are written, was familiar in a time where there wasn't much that still felt familiar.” - Michelle Hord “I know that He has used this horrific, horrific experience and the holes in my heart as a testimony to others…There is the complete vulnerability and weakness and brokenness that takes us to Him in a unique way where He truly can shine through all of the broken pieces.” - Michelle Hord “The science actually shows us that the way we relate to God is just the same way we relate to everyone else.” - Krispin Mayfield “We want closeness with God. And actually, there are these predictable patterns of how we try to get it, especially depending on what beliefs we've been told about God.” - Krispin Mayfield “I believe that if you're sad or worried or don't have hope, those are great things to bring to God knowing that God can handle it and God can meet you there.” - Krispin Mayfield “It's been a transformation for me to move from this place of being afraid that God is going to punish me or judge me to knowing that even with all my flaws, God still likes me.” - Krispin Mayfield “I've been learning a lot about Sabbath and a lot about this idea of just being with God, not worrying so much about if I'm getting it right, not worrying as much about my behavior and focusing on the fact that I'm a beloved child of God.” - Krispin Mayfield “I think that has been transformative for me to recognize that the more I try to keep closeness through following the rules, the less secure I actually feel. Because they never get that chance to be able to test the relationship and they never get a chance to see that even if I fail at everything, God is still there holding me.“ - Krispin Mayfield ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 303Secrets that Make Us Sick and The Truth That Heals: The Warren Brothers and Amanda Jane CooperWhen we are not completely honest with ourselves or others about our problems, struggles, or emotional pain, we can find ourselves disconnected from the world and may even turn to drugs, alcohol, or other addictive behaviors to combat our shame. This shame can grow over time and fuel our addictions to become even worse. But there is hope in overcoming these destructive cycles—and we don’t have to live in the shadows of our secrets. Jesus tells us in the Bible that if we follow Him we can know the truth; and that truth can set us free. Our guests this week battled their own secret pain and addictions only to find the freedom that comes by pursuing the truth that Jesus so readily wants to show us. We’re talking with country music artists and songwriters Brett and Brad Warren from the Warren Brothers and Broadway, film, and television actress Amanda Jane Cooper. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Ryan Sheckler Upcoming interview: Danny Gokey Warren Brothers Van Halen album Women and Children First Buzz Cason Tom Douglas Tim McGraw 9/11 www.warrenbrothers.com Amanda Jane Cooper Glinda in Wicked Carnegie Mellon University Mr. Stephen Schwartz Kristin Chenoweth www.amandajanecooper.com Interview Quotes: “The partying and the drinking and being in a bar band and just having fun and hanging out with other people that were partying and drinking turned into medicating pretty quick.” - Brett Warren “The very first hit we had was in our first year of sobriety, so we thought we were giving something up creatively [by not drinking] but the truth is we were gaining tons.” - Brad Warren “The God I met in recovery and the God that I was introduced to as a little kid that was holding a lightning bolt that couldn't wait to pelt me all the time, and then the God I've gotten to read in Jesus Calling, each of them, they've all circled into one.” - Brad Warren “God is good. They always say that when something good happens to them, but [Brad’s] seeing that God is good in the worst thing that could happen to you, and the good that's happened to our family as a whole, and the change that it's made in all of us and increased our faith and trust.” - Brett Warren “Helping other people [is] what helps us to stay sober. And it makes us feel fulfilled.” - Brett Warren “I really did think that I had to earn my value, earn my worth, prove my perfection. So that was through misusing and abusing my body, but also trying to fill that God-shaped void in my soul with relationships, with promiscuity, with substances, with success, even.” - Amanda Jane Cooper “I have a new perspective that God says who I am. I do not need to “prove” to the world my worth through a certain size or through a certain weight at all. God looks at the heart and He wants to tend to our hearts.” - Amanda Jane Cooper “I fully believe that by the blood of Christ and His healing power, we can be set free from addictions, compulsions. We can go to Him in distress, pain, anger, insecurity. He is big enough and good enough, better than good enough, to handle whatever we bring to His feet.” - Amanda Jane Cooper ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 304[BONUS] Worry & AnxietyThis special bonus edition of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests who have appeared in their own episodes on the Jesus Calling Podcast speaking to how they’re overcoming worry and anxiety in our lives. “Do not fear” is one of the most oft repeated phrases in the Bible. God knows that we as humans struggle with fear, worry, and anxiety and He gives us many reasons to believe that He will guide us through the unknown and help us move past our fears. We hope these stories will encourage you and remind you that you are not alone–and that a life plagued by anxiety and worry can be replaced with a life of assurance that things can ultimately work out for our good, according to God’s plan. Links To Full EpisodesSara Evans Nik Wallenda Ally Brooke Ryan Casey Waller Gloria Gaynor Michelle Bengtson Darren Whitehead/Chris Tomlin ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 305Showing Up For What God’s Got Next: Danny Gokey and Hosanna WongWhen life deals a tough blow, it can be challenging to know where to go next. Perhaps the plans you’d been working toward have been blown out of the water, or maybe you’re experiencing a loss that has made you wonder how to move forward. When it feels like nothing makes sense in our lives anymore, all we can do is continue to show up and look for what God has next for us. Musician Danny Gokey was encouraged by his wife to try out for American Idol, and while they worked toward that moment, she unexpectedly passed away and Danny wasn’t sure how to go on. Minister Hosanna Wong lost her father at eighteen and longed to follow his legacy and help others learn of God’s love, but realized that it would take being present for others and really showing up in their lives to be able to live out her faith in a way that was authentic and compelling. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Matthew West Upcoming interview: Bubba Watson Danny Gokey American Idol Phillips, Craig and Dean Hebrews 12:2 NIV Jesus People www.dannygokey.com Hosanna Wong How Not to Save the World Interview Quotes: “I'm glad God kept pushing me because I just didn't see myself as the lead person or the lead singer.” - Danny Gokey “In the most difficult time of my life, losing a spouse, all of a sudden there's a wide open door in the midst of that to fulfill a dream that God was giving me in that moment.” - Danny Gokey “I think God was pulling away and resetting the foundation so that I would know and that people would know that [my music career] was God built.” - Danny Gokey “People want to be seen, people want to be known, people want to know they're not alone. And there is no point in putting on a facade to impress the world Jesus called us to serve.” - Hosanna Wong “Being a part of God's beautiful church all over the country, I realize the truth that the church was way more beautiful than I ever imagined.” - Hosanna Wong “Let us also live and love others in the same way that God loves us, not giving people shame, but also telling them the truth about who they are too.” - Hosanna Wong ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 306We All Need Somebody To Talk To: Bubba Watson and Jimmy HoustonAre you the type of person who won’t ask for help until you get to a place where you absolutely have to? Are you someone who thinks you can handle things on your own and that asking for help is a sign of weakness? Paul from the Bible is a famous example of someone who tried to carry the weight of his mistakes and misfortunes on his own. It took Jesus’ words “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” [2 Corinthians 12:9] for Paul to realize that he could “gladly boast about my infirmities so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Jesus is there to listen when you need help, and He doesn’t despise our weakness—He demonstrates His strength in us through it. Our guests today are open about how they lean on God for their help and hope. Bubba Watson is a PGA golfer who has won multiple major championships who, even while at the top of his career, reached a low point where he wasn’t sure he could lift himself out of his depressed mental state. Jimmy Houston is a legendary fisherman who hosts the popular TV show Jimmy Houston Outdoors. When Jimmy found himself at low points over the years, he testifies that God was always able to pick him up and take him to that next step to where he needed to be. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV Past interview: Ryan Casey Waller Upcoming interview: Mark Wahlberg Bubba Watson Don Mattingly Up and Down Jimmy Houston Jimmy Houston Outdoors Catch A Better Life Lake Tenkiller BASS FLW Lake Genesis at the Sea of Galilee www.jimmyhouston.com Interview Quotes: “Without faith, I wouldn't have gotten off the floor.” - Bubba Watson “You have to find people that you truly trust. There's going to be one to five people that you can truly trust and share with. And they don't blink an eye. They're there to hug you. They're there to give you a high five.” - Bubba Watson “When we stumbled and fell, when we hit those broken roads, when we got in those valleys, God was always able to pick us up and take us to that next step, whatever that next step might be.” - Jimmy Houston “It's hard to be a hunter or a fisherman and not acknowledge God all around you.” - Jimmy Houston “I continually pray for the things that I want God to be doing in my life on a daily basis. I ask God every day for Him to make me a blessing to other people that I come in contact with.” - Jimmy Houston ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 307[BONUS] A Prayer for the People of Ukraine with Yuriy and Madison PerekotiyThis special bonus episode of the Jesus Calling podcast features missionaries to Ukraine, Yuriy and Madison. Yuriy and Madison Perekotiy share about the work they’ve been doing to help vulnerable people in Ukraine since 2018 and give us a glimpse of how Ukrainian Christians are opening their doors to those who have lost everything during the war. They describe how their community and church in Ukraine are stepping up their efforts to show God’s compassion to those who have been most affected by the conflict. Their prayers are for a hope and a future for the Ukrainian people that is free from war and that God’s healing can be found in the aftermath of this collective trauma. Quotes “Everybody has literally opened their doors, opened the doors of their churches, opened the doors of their apartments and said, ‘Hey, come here and you know, stay with us for a little bit.’ I've been proud for the Ukrainian church. They’ve opened the doors. And I think that right now it's a great opportunity to make friends with people who you've probably never met and plant the seeds of the gospel in their hearts.” Yuriy Perekotiy “We've seen the church in Moldova, Romania, Poland–all the surrounding countries around Ukraine–Slovakia, Hungary, the churches there, as well as further into Europe, are rising up to take care of Ukrainians who are in need. And so I think God will use this tragedy of war to draw people closer to Himself through believers in so many different places that are not just in Ukraine, but all over the world.” Madison Perekotiy “Continue to pray for those who are most vulnerable. Those who might have autism or special needs, or a child with Down syndrome or those in the deaf community. Those with a physical challenge that makes it difficult for them to get out or evacuate or those who can't leave at all because of those things, just to continue to pray God's mercy over the vulnerable.” Madison Perekotiy Links@theperekotiys War Relief Fund Video Updates Heritage Ukraine ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 308When Life Gets Stressful, Look For the Blessings: Mark Wahlberg, Roma Downey, & Shauna NiequistIn the busyness of life, job, family, and activities, we can easily become caught up in the day to day routine of putting one foot in front of another. And sometimes, that very routine, instead of being comforting, can be something we feel dragging us down, making us feel like we’re just living life in an endless loop, with no real deliberation or purpose. Our guests this week have learned an important truth about taking deliberate steps to carve out moments for reflection and connection with God—even when their day-to-day existence is overwhelming. Actor Mark Wahlberg takes time each day to pray because he knows it will equip him to take on what’s next in a positive way. Actress and writer Roma Downey takes a moment at the beginning and end of each day to remember what she is grateful for and to identify that day’s unique blessings. Writer and speaker Shauna Niequist enjoys a “breath” prayer practice where she thinks consciously about breathing in God’s peace, and breathing out her own anxiety. No matter which way you choose to deliberately connect with God’s presence in your life, you will likely find peace, strength and courage to take on stressful days that only He can give. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Ruth Chou Simons Upcoming interview: Tim Tebow Mark Wahlberg Father Stu Roma Downey Lightworkers The Bible Series Son of God A.D. The Bible Continues Messiah Touched by an Angel Psalm 46:10 NIV www.lightworkers.com Unexpected Blessings Shauna Niequist I Guess I Haven’t Learned That Yet Interview Quotes: “As a person of faith, I'm just trying to grow and be better every day, be an example to my wife and to my children and to the people that look to me as an example.” - Mark Wahlberg “When I started focusing on my faith, good things started to happen.” - Mark Wahlberg “No person is beyond redemption. As long as they are willing to repent and want to make real change. We cannot turn our backs on anybody. This is not about excluding people. This is about including people and opening our arms and our hearts and our homes and everything else to love people and care for them.” - Mark Wahlberg “I think in life you reach a point where you think, If I only have forty summers left, what do I want to be doing with my life? And I thought, I really want to live a life of purpose.” - Roma Downey “If you have a gratitude attitude, you can really change your life.” - Roma Downey “I've almost trained myself to look for the blessings. And the great thing is, when you train yourself to look for the blessings, you find them, and then you start finding that they're everywhere. It's like the more you're grateful for, the more you have to be grateful for.” - Roma Downey “I loved having a sense at a very young age that the world was big and beautiful, and people all over the world were kind and interesting.” - Shauna Niequist “We felt like there was a lot of energy and direction, like God's graciousness was very apparent and it felt like the path was emerging before every step.” - Shauna Niequist “There were so many new things to learn, and so we tried to build into our family language this idea that being new is good and starting again is good, and it's okay to be a rookie and it's okay to ask questions and it's okay to need help.” - Shauna Niequist “My worth is not on the line. There's nothing I have to prove. My worth is given to me by the Creator. And then also, it's not something I can destroy. It's not in my power to do that. The love and worth that God bestows upon every person He creates is not ours to destroy or manage in any way.” - Shauna Niequist ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 309God Uses Us Through Our Scars: Tim Tebow, Merry Clayton, & Dean CainThis week we celebrate a special landmark—our 300th episode. Many thanks to you—our listeners—for coming back to our show week after week to hear the stories of real people, just like yourself, who have found hope and peace in the word of God and in Jesus Calling. For this very special episode, we have three guests who have all experienced their share of scars from the hard parts of life, but have found a way to see their scars as badges of honor, and they recognize how God has strengthened them through their pain so that they can reach others with His message of love and healing. We’re talking with NFL and MLB star Tim Tebow, singer Merry Clayton, and actor Dean Cain. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Michelle Wilbur-Christiansen Upcoming interview: Jeanne Lakin Tim Tebow Frank Thomas Psalm 139:14 NIV Mission Possible: Go Create a Life That Counts Merry Clayton Rolling Stones Lynyrd Skynryd Beautiful Scars Billy Preston Ray Charles www.merryclayton.com Dean Cain No Vacancy trailer No Vacancy website No Vacancy Facebook No Vacancy Twitter Lois & Clark Sean Penn Chris Penn Rob Lowe Charlie Sheen Emilio Estevez Princeton University Young Guns Beverly Hills 90210 God's Not Dead Cecil Johnson It’s a Wonderful Life Interview Quotes: “If I didn't know what God says about me, then it would be so easy to get caught up with the highs and the lows.” - Tim Tebow “We are here to love God and love people. And He has made it possible through the blood of the cross to have a mission possible life, one that truly counts. Not one that is about one day, but one that is about this day. This day, it is a chance to make our life count.” - Tim Tebow “It's so easy to get caught up in those emotions because they speak really loud. Ask for truth to speak louder.” - Tim Tebow “We can choose courage, because even in the midst of the trials and the midst of a tribulation, the midst of the negativity, in the midst of the criticism, we know all we have to do is keep fighting because He wins the game for us.” - Tim Tebow “We wanted His will to be done. Not me, not my will, but His will, because that's the way we live.” - Merry Clayton “God is still here. He hasn't left us. He's still here. We're still in the palm of His hands.” - Merry Clayton “I think being a parent changes you because you're no longer the most important thing. And then you start to sort of understand the whole idea behind faith and behind God.” - Dean Cain “I humble myself before God every single day because life itself is humbling.” - Dean Cain ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 310[BONUS] Motherly LoveThis special bonus edition of the Jesus Calling Podcast features multiple guests who have appeared in their own episodes on the Jesus Calling Podcast sharing inspiring stories about mothers–either their own or others who have influenced their lives by showing them motherly love. It is a blessing and a responsibility to nurture others–whether it be those in our own family, or those outside our family who may not know the love of a mother. So many lives have been positively influenced by women–mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, or friends who took it upon themselves to love and care for someone–modeling God’s unconditional love for us all. We hope these stories will encourage you and remind you of that special person in your life that hoped for you, prayed for you, and believed in you when you needed it most. Links To Full EpisodesJason Crabb Peggy Rowe Kierra Sheard-Kelly Gloria Gaither Toure Roberts Cheryl Karpen Candace Cameron Bure Jeff Hostetler ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website *Episode produced by Four Eyes Media* Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 311Forgiveness Can Heal Our Deepest Wounds: Jeanne Lakin & Randy HartleyForgiveness can be a difficult concept—especially when we’ve been harmed in ways that have long-lasting effects. However, unforgiveness can end up doing even more damage. Our guests this week have stories of pain and harm done by people filled with hatred that was so traumatic, forgiveness seemed like an impossibility. Jeanne Lakin, a writer and speaker, endured the atrocities of the Rwandan genocide as part of an ethnic group who were targeted for massacre. Randy Hartley, a Tennessee businessman, traveled with his daughter to Rwanda and befriended a man whose own aunt was responsible for the death of his mother, sister, and nieces. Forgiveness didn’t seem like an option in their stories, yet through prayer and faith, it became the only choice that would bring wholeness and restoration to those involved. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Casey, CJ, and Tucker Beathard Upcoming interview: Sonya Curry Jeanne Lakin Rwandan genocide Tutsis Hutus www.avoiceinthedarkness.org Randy Hartley Beautifully Broken Compassion International Amy Grant William and Ebralie Mwizerwa Legacy Mission Village Beautifully Broken movie Interview Quotes: “We went from being from this home, a beautiful home, to being in the bushes, hiding for our lives and watching our neighbors, our loved ones, our families being basically killed because of how God had created us.” - Jeanne Celestine Lakin “I knew I could access that peace with God through prayer. I know I had God, who was seeing me through this chaos.” - Jeanne Celestine Lakin “God created us with a choice, so people could choose to do good.” - Jeanne Celestine Lakin “He's a God who sees details that we might not see.” - Jeanne Celestine Lakin “When I was able to forgive, when I was able to say, ‘I forgive you for the rape, for raping me. I forgive you for killing my family. I forgive you for all the pain, all the nights I spent thinking about all the pain you caused in my life,’ that was God's gift.” - Jeanne Celestine Lakin “Once everything is taken away from you and all you have is God and prayer, He really puts you in a humbling place where nothing else matters. It's you and God, no matter what happens at the end of the day.” - Jeanne Celestine Lakin “When you have such hatred and bitterness and anger and resentment in your heart, there's just no way to enjoy the simplest thing that God has created for us when we're holding on to that kind of pain.” - Jeanne Celestine Lakin “If you've ever been a dad driving at 3:00 in the morning and trying to find out where your daughter is, it just doesn't get any darker than that.” - Randy Hartley “God could take a Rwandan refugee and a national financial planner and a Rwandan genocide perpetrator, and weave their lives together through this divine tapestry in a way that they were all saved.” - Randy Hartley “When you're broken and you're in a dark place, sometimes it feels like you can ever move forward. But I'm here to tell you, that's just a chapter in your life. That's not the end of your story. That's just a chapter.” - Randy Hartley ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
- 312God Helps Us Find The Missing Peace: Sonya Curry & Sheila WalshDoes it ever feel like you’re searching for something in life beyond what your everyday existence is bringing? Maybe you’re a parent who is devoted to your family, but you wonder if there’s something you’re missing. Maybe you’re in the second half of your life and wondering if there’s more beyond the days of your youth. Perhaps you are just lonely, and wondering why you haven’t been able to connect with others who share your outlook on life. We all want the assurance that we’re doing it right—the peace that comes from knowing where you’re going. Our guests this week share that there is an answer to finding that missing peace—and His name is Jesus. Sonya Curry raised three amazing children who became successful in sports and in life, but she still kept thinking something was missing, and found what she was looking for in a closer relationship to God. Sheila Walsh is a spiritual leader to many, yet she battled depression at the height of her success and realized that she needed God’s love through other people to help her find herself again. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Michael Guillen Upcoming interview: Jon Gordon Sonya Curry Stephen Curry Seth Curry Sydel Curry Type A personality @sacurry22 Fierce Love Sheila Walsh Is God Still Awake? 700 Club with Pat Robertson Life Today with James and Betty Robertson Psalms 88 NIV Interview Quotes: “I wanted for nothing materialistically, I just wasn't fulfilled. And so I was searching for some of that fulfillment in the world.“ - Sonya Curry “I went from just being religious and going to church to really having a personal relationship with God. And it saved my family, it saved me, and got me more focused on living out the potential that God had placed in me to get to the purpose that He had for my life.” Sonya Curry “I was already raising my children and taking them to church because that's how I was raised. But then they started seeing the transformation in me. They started seeing me praying more. I wanted to train them in how to put God first. You can fit God into your schedule, is what I wanted them to see.” - Sonya Curry “I felt how God's hand was always in every decision that was made regarding them...we need to be intentional and purposeful because we are the gatekeepers to their souls.” - Sonya Curry “Doing my daily devotions and prayer time grounds me, it really helps me to set the standard for the day. It reminds me who I am, where I came from, and who I'm here for.” Sonya Curry “I have tried so many things and ways to find fulfillment within myself to then have that pour into my role as a mom. And some things worked, some things didn't, but the things that were built on the foundation of God never failed.” - Sonya Curry “God's antidote to shame is grace.” - Sheila Walsh “Rather than viewing the Word of God through what I just heard on the news, I reverse everything now so that whatever I watch at some point to catch the headlines, I view them to what I've just read and the Word of God.” - Sheila Walsh “Don't isolate yourself from God when you're hurting. Bring everything that's true about you to Him, just as Christ did.” - Sheila Walsh ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel: Audio Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PrbuwH Video Playlist: https://bit.ly/2PsmEkJ What’s Good? Playlist: https://bit.ly/3i7VUlZ ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Jesus Calling Website Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
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